Have you entered our #HTSummerStoryWin contest? The winner will receive a $2,500 travel gift card to spend on the vacay of her dreams AND a feature on the site! Every week, we’re picking four semi finalists whose summer plans have touched us, inspired us or made us LOL.
Sharyn Woodcock from Toronto
SDTC: What do you do for work? For fun?
S: I currently work as a legal assistant. For fun, I like to spend time with my friends, I love my down time at home a lot but I also love exploring the city, and I really enjoy looking for cool antiques and collectibles.
SDTC: If you won the grand prize (a $2,500 travel gift card!!!), where would you go and why?
S: If I could I would rent a cottage with a lakefront or preferably beach front (if I could live at the beach forever I would). I wouldn’t necessarily need to go far, just use the $2,500 to try and get as many of my friends and family to be able to join me.
SDTC: What’s your favourite way to spend a scorching summer day?
S: I don’t think it’s much of a surprise here but on a scorching summer day, there’s nothing that I love more than hanging out at the beach (with a lake I can swim in)!!
SDTC: One summer beauty essential you can’t live without is…
S: Bronzer! I don’t wear much makeup at all but I love a good summer glow, and sitting in an office Monday to Friday doesn’t allow me to soak up much sunlight. Just putting on some bronzer in the morning gives me that sun kissed look.
SDTC: What trend are you most looking forward to rocking this summer?
S: Comfortable loose fitting clothing!! I love being able to breath during the summer months wearing flowing dresses, baggy linen pans, oversized tanks and tees! And, obviously the comfort of flip flops everyday is a must.
Christine Harrison from Edmonton
SDTC: What do you do for work? For fun?
C: After working as a Customer service representative for many years , I became a stay at home Mom; I love every minute of it. For fun, I love to find adventure in the great outdoors with my family. Road trips, camping, swimming at the beach, fishing, hiking and I absolutely love metal detecting (I’m nerdy)! I can also have a lot of fun at home curled up on the sofa with family, my fur babies & a funny movie.
SDTC: If you won the grand prize (a $2,500 travel gift card!!!), where would you go and why?
C: If I was lucky enough to win a $2,500 travel gift card I would use it to go on my dream road trip with my husband across Canada . Why? Because After 19 years of marriage we have NEVER had a honeymoon. Last year we saved up for our “DREAM ROAD TRIP” (First time in 19 years with NO KIDS). We left Edmonton, Alberta and made it as far as Elstow, Saskatchewan when the transmission blew on our truck. We were stranded at a rest stop in the middle of nowhere for days! We made the best of it. We set up camp until my sister & brother in law made it to Saskatchewan to rescue us & tow our truck back home.
We haven’t given up on our dream! It would be AMAZING to drive across Canada this summer and create some new memories. I would love to see the ghost towns in the prairies, andstop and swim in Saskatchewan at Canada’s only salt water lake, Little Manitou. I would check out the meteors at west Hawk Lake in Manitoba. Go camping at sleeping giant provincial park in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Visit to the Terry Fox memorial & the amethyst mine and MORE!
SDTC: What’s your favourite way to spend a scorching summer day?
C: Hot summer days were made to be spent playing at the beach, taking in the sun & splashing around in the water.
SDTC: One summer beauty essential you can’t live without is…
C: Hawaiian Tropic lime Coolada After Sun moisturizer. It keeps my skin hydrated & moisturized, it’s a must!!
SDTC: What trend are you most looking forward to rocking this summer?
C: My new floral jumper &andcute but comfortable sandals.
Genevieve Alao (pronounced ‘allow’) from Toronto!
SDTC: What do you do for work? For fun?
G: By day I am a tax collector (seriously) but by night I am a creative system on speed: speaker, writer, actress, producer, preacher, mentor, consultant, event planner, craftsman and general adventure-seeking-lover-of-all-things-new! Life is to be experienced, shared; I am totally committed to discovering/fulfilling purpose!
SDTC: If you won the grand prize (a $2,500 travel gift card!!!), where would you go and why?
G: I would go somewhere in Africa. My father was born in West Africa and I think Africa is the most fascinating continent on earth. It is where modern civilization began! My top 5 places would be the shores of Morocco, The Gambia (where they boast of a 0% crime rate), Kenya (where I could stand on the equator), Egypt (to climb the Pyramids) or South Africa (for a jungle/dessert safari)…the horn of Africa appeals to me as well for the FOOD!
SDTC: What’s your favourite way to spend a scorching summer day?
G: Anything inside or beside a body of water – the beach/rivers/waterfalls are ideal but a pool will do too! Canoeing, BBQ’s, Jet Skiing, Repelling down waterfalls, Tubing, Paddle-Boarding…the list is super long! A day doing any of these is a perfect day in my books!
SDTC: One summer beauty essential you can’t live without is…
G: WATER (because I refuse to miss a moment due to headache or dehydration), SHEA BUTTER for my skin/lips/hair (especially since I am ALWAYS ready and willing to jump into some activity involving water) and MAC BLOT POWER for my face (this way I always look cool and sun-kissed as opposed to hot and sweaty)! Sorry I couldn’t choose just one!
SDTC: What trend are you most looking forward to rocking this summer?
G: Long, flowing, breezy, bohemian style maxi dresses/skirts and bold, fun PRINTS! Ohhhh and METALLIC TATS – these are an absolute MUST!
Lauren from Sarnia (now living in Toronto)
SDTC: What do you do for work? For fun?
L: I currently work for Sphere Media Plus, a television production company. My job is a blast – we have two television shows in production right now with more in development, so a lot of the time I’m reading scripts, watching dailies and keeping our social media accounts full of fun content for fans!
SDTC: If you won the grand prize (a $2,500 travel gift card!!!), where would you go and why?
L: My fiancé Brad and I are getting married on August 1st, so we would use this amazing prize for our dream honeymoon to Italy! We met while we were in grad school in London, England and have always kept travel in our lives, even when we were scraping by financially. A romantic, relaxing Italian getaway to beautiful spots such as the Amalfi Coast, Venice and Rome would be the perfect start to our marriage!
SDTC: What’s your favourite way to spend a scorching summer day?
L: Brad and I live in the greatest summer location: Roncesvalles. We love hiking through the High Park off-leash area with our dog Coco, getting ice cream at Ed’s Real Scoop, and taking long summer strolls along Sunnyside boardwalk. It’s a lucky thing to live in a big city but still have access to nature and a beautiful waterfront. And of course, pints with friends on a patio is always a summer staple!
SDTC: One summer beauty essential you can’t live without is…
L: I have seen family members battle cancer, so I always make sure my moisturizer has a high SPF count, my lip balm has sun protection, and that I am constantly reapplying my sunscreen. And of course, a little hairspray now and then to battle frizz-inducing humidity is absolutely necessary!
SDTC: What trend are you most looking forward to rocking this summer?
L: I’m really hoping tube tops are making a comeback because I need to make sure I don’t have any pesky tan lines on my wedding day; however, I’m assured by my more fashion-forward friends that they are still in the ’70s where they belong.
Haven’t entered yet? Get on it, girl! All you gotta do is share your summer plans with us on Twitter by posting a pic and tagging @Shedoesthecity and @HTropic_CA with hashtag #HTSummerStoryWin.
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