With romantic destinations in abundance, and love in the air, you may never want to return home

Love is often referred to as an international language, capable of breaking through all cultural and linguistic boundaries. If love itself is an international language, then it only makes sense that its celebration should be taken around the world. Lifestyler takes a journey through some of the world’s most romantic escapes, where love is sure to bloom in blissful leaps and bounds. Whether celebrating a 50^th wedding anniversary, a newlywed union, or simply an escape for two soulmates, you should not settle for a common destination when your courtship is surely nothing less than exquisite.

Lugano, Switzerland
Nestled in the holiday region of Ticino, the Italian-speaking canton of Switzerland, sits Lugano. Lugano is a town adorned with parks, flowers, villas and sacred buildings. With its Mediterranean flair, the town offers “all the advantages of a world-class city, combined with the cachet of a small town.” Located in a bay on the northern side of Lake Lugano, the city also lies in close proximity to Monte San Salvatore and Monte Brè. Both mountains provide outstanding panoramic views of the town and Italy. Couples can stroll past the charming Italianate Lombardy-style buildings, squares and arcades in the traffic-free historic town centre or wander Lugano’s Belvedere Gardens, oozing with art, culture and flora, and hosting modern works of art alongside beautiful magnolias. Indeed, for the art-loving couple, Lugano can be seen as an art mecca with its museums such as the Museo Cantonale d’Arte, which exhibits paintings by Klee, Jawlensky, Renoir and Degas, among others. 

…..read 9 more HERE

All survival scenarios strike when people least expect them. Whether on a cruise vacation or taking a day hike through a scenic national park, you never know when a few basic survival tools can help get you through a bad situation.

Survival tools have come a long way over the years. They just keep getting smaller, lighter weight and more affordable. Real disasters happen to real people on a regular basis, and it’s just plain crazy to think something may never happen to you. Expect the best, but prepare for the worst by never leaving home without these five survival tools.

…..read all 5 HERE

Former stay-at-home mom shows it’s never too late to live healthy

No one can accuse Tosca Reno of going Hollywood. Although the busy mom of five is known globally as a bestselling author, fitness model and columnist for Oxygen magazine, she remains grounded through family and by remembering her start on the pathway to success.

“My day-to-day life was a struggle,” Reno tells Lifestyler about being her heaviest weight more than 10 years ago. “I was 203 pounds and not even pregnant at the time. Even walking up the stairs was a hassle. I felt much older than my actual age.”

But Reno ended up relieving more than her problems with weight. In 2000, life had gotten fairly complicated, she remembers.

“I was recently divorced with three children to support and no income of my own,” says Reno, about making the hard decision to leave her first husband of 17 years. She also has two stepchildren with her now-late husband, publisher Robert Kennedy.  

From then on, Reno continued making life changes — big and small — that would affect her life in a positive way. She reached for all of these accomplishments after turning 40.

…..read the top 5 changes HERE

Disturbing View Of Thin, Slushy, Melting Alaskan Ice 

(from the Barrow Sea Ice Webcam)

and comments put together by the just announced WINNER of the BEST CANADIAN BLOG

in the 2013 Worldwide Bloggy AWARDS (scroll down for WorldWide Wnners and Canada’s Winner)

THE BRITISH NEWSPAPER:

GUARDIAN  EXPLAINS HOW ICE MELTING AT -30C CAUSES ICE TO FORM AT -20C

SCIENTISTS LINK FROZEN SPRING TO DRAMATIC ARCTIC SEA ICE LOSS | ENVIRONMENT | GUARDIAN.CO.UK