Hooray! The long weekend is upon us. For Canadians, Victoria Day weekend means backyard bbqs, cottage retreats, the start of the summer season, and most importantly, the legal wearing of white pants. With the extra day added to the weekend you’re bound to have a little me-time free-time. But what to do with it? That’s the big question.

As usual, we’ve got your newly tank top covered back covered. We’re making sure you maximize your moments with these 5 ways to hang 10 over a long weekend.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR LONG WEEKEND ROCK

1. Feed your brains

Here are four books you must read before one more day passes.

  • If ‘escape with a crazy thriller’ is your idea of a good time, then Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn will fit the bill perfectly. Time to dive into this one, stat. The movie is coming out midsummer and it’s going to be all anyone is talking about. We can’t really tell you anything else for fear of spoiling your fun.
  • The rainbow cover belies the depth of Meg Wolitzer’s The Interestings. This incredible novel which explores art, dreams, life, and friendship, has been named best book by Entertainment WeeklyTime, and The Chicago Tribune, and has been touted as both women’s literary fiction as a great read for just about everyone.
  • Alice Hoffman is an extraordinary writer and in Museum of Extraordinary Things, she creates a work of beauty and luminosity. Set around the time of the horrific Triangle Factory fire in early 1900s New York, this gorgeous novel tells the story of a most unlikely love between two souls who were searching for each other and didn’t even know it.
  • Looking for something racy? S.E.C.R.E.T. Revealed, the final instalment in L. Marie Adeline’s S.E.C.R.E.T. Trilogy, is a don’t miss. Seriously. This is erotica for smart women. And the happily ever after isn’t even about getting the guy. So there’s that.

2. Blow bubbles

Shut the bathroom door, light a scented wick and fill your tub with some luscious bubbles. Our favourite is the sweet creamy scent of philosophy’s new luscious scent, fresh cream ($21-$24). The delicate, warm, sweet vanilla base will lightly scent your skin, making the sunniest spring day even sunnier. Finish off with body scrub and body lotion for a real spa experience. And for even more fun, grab the ‘i think you’re wonderful’ gift set for $24 and invite someone into the bath with you.

3. Do some spring cleaning Lampe Berger wood_natural_4405

Since you’ve got some extra time, you might want to go through those stacks of papers you’ve been staring at for months or maybe break out the summer clothes. While you’re at it, light up a spring-like cherry fragrance ($24) in a natural wood Lampe Berger ($74). Invented more than 115 years ago by pharmacist Maurice Berger, this good-looking home accessory will purify the air in your room and destroy undesirable odours. In less than 20 minutes. Which is all the time you should spend cleaning on a holiday.

 

4. Take a breath Springtime nature walk

Looking for a cure for your nature deficit disorder? Get some fresh air. It’s been proven that being outside can improve your mood and overall well-being. In fact, Harvard physician Eva M. Selhub, co-author of Your Brain on Nature, says a drop of nature is like a drop of morphine to the brain. So why not find something to do au natural? Hit the trails on a spring hike, find an outdoor market, try something new like using the park as your gym, or maybe grab some friends for a pick-up game of frisbee. Don’t forget to stretch after you exercise, keeping in mind that working out is the best way to work up a big thirst. 

5. Drink up

It’s the official opening of cottage weekend, so grab some friends, a lawn chair and a blanket (it IS May, after all) and head to your deck. Make it look festive with a few key pieces, and sip on a luscious cocktail or three. We’re newly enamoured of whisky, so a Brazen Boulevard or the Bourbon Back to School is looking pretty good right now. For some sweeter fun, get some friends together for a chocolate and wine pairing. Durbanville Hills winery’s Shiraz combines fruit and spice flavours and goes perfectly with a spiced milk chocolate, while the Sauvignon Blanc combines tropical fruit flavours with crisp acidity and a full-mouth feel, and pairs with a velvety white chocolate.

 

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