Photo of black Mazda cx-5 SUV parked in a col snow covered park during the winter. Photo by Shandean Reid, lifestyle blogger and communications expert in the Winter Car Emergency Kit blog post on www.shandeanreid.com
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Winter Car Emergency Kit: Prairies Winter Prep

by on November 7, 2025
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When you move from Jamaica to Canada, the Prairies to be exact, having a winter car emergency kit is part of navigating this new reality. Winter in the Canadian Prairies is no laughing matter. When I moved to Saskatchewan and bought a car, one of the first things everyone around…

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What to Wear on a Beach Vacation: Staple Outfits for Women

by on October 31, 2025
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Dreaming of Jamaica, Mexico or the Mediterranean to break up your long winter season? Sun-kissed skin, sandy toes and the soothing sound of waves may be the ticket. While a beach vacation is the ultimate winter escape, if you’re anything like me, you want to do it packing lightly and…

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RIU Palace Aquarelle Resort Jamaica Review

by on July 13, 2024
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Sprawled on White Bay Beach in Falmouth, the capital of Trelawny parish in Jamaica, Riu Palace Aquarelle opened to the public in May 2024. By now, my regular readers know I love a good Jamaican all-inclusive resort. Especially since the Jamaican experience has spoiled us for hotel stays elsewhere. So,…

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Niagara Falls, Canada in Spring

by on May 22, 2022
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Since, I’m set to jet off to unknown parts (to you, dear reader) soon, I’ve been taking in a bit of Ontario, including Niagara Falls, Canada. I’ve always wanted to see it, and although I’ve been to the US, I’ve never been to New York to see it there. I…

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Moon Palace Jamaica Review

by on February 17, 2022
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My husband and I celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary at Moon Palace Jamaica in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. As you probably already know, if you’re a regular reader of the blog, my family and I like to frequent all-inclusive resorts around Jamaica, and our preference is family-friendly all-inclusive resorts. Although this trip…

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DoubleTree by Hilton, Toronto Review

by on December 2, 2021
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My husband and I stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Toronto (Chestnut St.) for a few days in November. I’d been looking for a hotel in Downtown, Toronto that I feel safe (and clean) staying at. I landed on DoubleTree. The hotel is about a 20-minute drive from Pearson International…

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6 Travel Essentials for the Family

by on February 28, 2021
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When I was packing travel essentials for trip across the island last weekend, I found myself distracted in the middle of packing and needed some time to pull myself together. When I resumed, I thought I was picking up where I left off, but somewhere in between, I packed my…

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Royalton White Sands & Blue Waters Review

by on February 27, 2021
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My family and I spent a weekend recently at Royalton White Sands and Blue Waters resort to celebrate our sixth wedding anniversary. With curfews still in effect on the island, there not much we can still do that we used to do before this monument shift in everyday life, but…

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Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa Review

by on August 13, 2020
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I celebrated my birthday this past weekend at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa. When the shit hit the fan in March and everything recreational went into lockdown, I wondered if it would carry through until August. Common sense said most likely it would, and though my birthdays are…

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This Shift is Permanent. ‘The Great Pause’.

by on April 28, 2020
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Many of us dream of things going back to the way they were before, but do we understand that whatever is there waiting for us on the other side of SARS–CoV–2 is not like it was before? A time when “The Great Pause” of a world perpetually on the move…

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5 Things I Took For Granted Before COVID

by on April 19, 2020
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Apart, from the obvious things, COVID19 has pretty much redefined life as we know it. Notwithstanding the big things, there are so many every day, mundane activities that you’re not able do or suddenly notice and it’s quite sobering. Not that I make a habit of takin things for granted.…

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First Time Flying Solo with my Toddler

by on October 27, 2019
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The other day, the need arose for Sio and I to travel alone. Up until that time, we traveled as a family. My husband was a tad concerned, asking numerous times if I was sure I’d be okay mostly because our child is frisskkyy!

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Morning eNewsletter: But First, Coffee

by on October 22, 2019
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More tab a year ago, I tried to get my podcast But First, Coffee going. Failing miserably, I finally conceded that there was no way I could diligently find the time to record a podcast with the noise bug that is my full time charge. But writing? You bet your…

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Royal DeCameron Club Caribbean Resort Review

by on October 15, 2019
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Hey guys! As you know the Libra weekend celebrations in the Reid household are now a thing every second week in October. This year, we spent our weekend at Royal Decameron Club Caribbean Resort in Runaway Bay, Jamaica. I chose this hotel for three reasons;

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Hyatt Place, River North Chicago Review

by on December 23, 2018
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A few weeks ago hubby and I, stayed at Hyatt Place, River North when we took a trip to Chicago to attend the 2018 staging of the  Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) conference. The conference lasted a week, during which time we stayed at the Hyatt Place River North…

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Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica Review

by on November 3, 2018
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Heroes Weekend 2018 was a special weekend of celebration for my family. We decided to celebrate at the Grand Bahia Principe in Runaway Bay, Jamaica. My husband turned the big 30, my daughter turned 2, I celebrated the completion of two books (business and fiction), our accompanying friends celebrated graduating…

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Royal Decameron Cornwall Beach Review

by on October 18, 2018
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My Birthday (August 9) weekend was a really full and busy time. My novel came out that day, and the stress of the months leading up was really wearing me thin. So when my husband asked what I wanted for my birthday and we happened to be driving by the…

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JAMAICA: Strawberry Fields Together

by on May 16, 2018
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This little gem is a secluded hideaway in Robin’s Bay, St. Mary and I decided to make a trip of it with when my friend, Shawna (Colette) came to visit. We headed out on the Saturday before Mother’s Day.

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