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summer

Healthier Habits for the Summer

July 31, 2015 By Lena

It’s summer. Hallelujah!

And just in case you hadn’t noticed (how’s the weather under that rock?), people are vacationing, dining out, drinking on patios and festival-hopping in full force. Honestly! Some days I need to stay off Instagram, where I’m constantly reminded of friends’ summertime travels and exploits.
10865108_422184224655700_1749091094_nThe above photo is courtesy of my blogging bestie Stephanie Holmes, who’s currently in Turks and Caicos. I know, right? You can say it. I was totally thinking it too.

However, I’m not mad at her, because we’re off to Niagara Falls for the long weekend! There, we’ll get wet at the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark, enjoy a special meal in the revolving dining room at Skylon Tower, and even take in a little cross-border shopping action (I miss Target!). …

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Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: digestive health, Dulcolax, healthy living, summer

The Sights, Sounds and Smells of Summer

June 10, 2011 By Lena

Ah… blogging just to blog. After an obligatory run of giveaways (more to come) it feels nice to just unwind with a chillin’ post. Which brings me to the title: The Sights, Sounds and Smells of Summer.

Last week, the whole family went out for a late afternoon stroll. Pulling the little guys in their wagon, we traipsed through the neighbourhood, basking in the warm summer day. As we turned on to a parallel street, I heard the faint sound of ethnic music drifting through an open window. Immediately, I was filled with nostalgia… but couldn’t nail down the exact memory.

We continued down the block, and within moments I felt yet another throwback to my youth: the pungent scent of Middle Eastern food wafting through a screen door.

And then it hit me: air conditioning killed the sights, sounds and smells of summer.

I began thinking back to my childhood; of my neighbours, who always had every window open and a constant stream of Portuguese folk songs bellowing a happy tune. Of the college kid around the corner who spent all summer in his open garage, working on his motorcycle (I may have had a tiny crush). I remembered the elderly lady across the street, who unfailingly greeted Saturday morning with a spicy curry you could smell for miles. And of people – friends, strangers, children of all ages – lounging on their balconies or the front porch. Kids circling the driveway on bicycles, skipping with one end of the rope tied to a railing. And all just to catch a hint of cool breeze… because the thought of staying in a sticky, hot, sweltering house was just not an option.

But that day, walking down that street… you’d think every single home was unoccupied. Doors and windows closed tight, not allowing one inch of precious bought-air to escape. The eerie quiet of citizens locked inside, with only the hum of air conditioners heard every few paces. The sun beating down on the back of my neck was the only factor that tied my childhood to the present.

How I miss the sights, sounds and smells of summer. Almost as much as I miss that green, polka dot romper.

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: fun, Lena, memories, summer

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Lena Almeida

Toronto Blogger, Social Media Strategist for Listen to Lena Inc. Television & Radio Personality, Columnist and Speaker. Family Travel Expert. Star Wars Fanatic. Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion. Read More…

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