Family ~ Page 2 of 13 ~ DownshiftingPRO

31 Day Organizing Challenge – Get Organized, Fast!

July 2, 2022January 1, 2021 by Margarita Ibbott

Organizing with DPRO Challenge @DownshiftingPRO e1609573485999

31 Day Organizing Challenge Long before I was a travel blogger, I was a lifestyle blogger and I cut my blogging chops on providing organizing tips. I was a professional organizer for over 10 years. … Read more

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from my home to yours

April 21, 2021December 25, 2020 by Margarita Ibbott

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas 🎅 to you and your family. Whether you are celebrating alone, with extended family on a zoom call or just with your immediate family, I wish you all the best … Read more

Unlock car rental AARP deals and discounts with member benefits

February 22, 2022August 28, 2020 by Margarita Ibbott

Too many drivers and not enough cars. No Problem! Unlock Car rental deals and discounts with AARP member benefits @aarpmembenefits

Itinerary for Inter-generational Travel To Greenfield Village and The Henry Ford

January 5, 2023April 30, 2020 by Margarita Ibbott

During our recent travel to Greenfield Village on a family trip (with teens and both my mother and mother-in-law), we had a couple of days to play in the Motor City – Detroit, Michigan. Planning a … Read more

What’s Great about Stratford Festival’s Little Shop of Horrors

December 27, 2022November 9, 2019 by Hayden

Little Shop of Horrors

Something that occurred to me as I came home after seeing the Stratford Theatre Festival’s production of Little Shop of Horrors is that musicals transcend the qualities of most stage plays. It begs the question: What’s Great about Stratford Festival’s Little Shop of Horrors?

Okay, hear me out.

What's Great about Stratford Festival — Audrey II in the Gift Shop of the Avon Theatre

I like musicals. Musicals are a cool, fun way to tell a story through an unconventional sort of medium. Because of constant singing, there’s an emotional disconnect of sorts. So long as the characters are singing and dancing, you can tell even a grim, morbid tale with glee and joviality.

Life with Lita–making memories one moment at a time

October 1, 2020August 13, 2019 by Margarita Ibbott

Watching my mother walking silently around the cottage, making her way from the family room to the kitchen, bedroom to the bathroom trying to re-familiarize herself with her surroundings. She walks to the wraparound deck to check on the flowers. It is one of her favourite parts of this cottage. It has five large flower boxes filled with cheery annuals that will be happy and bright only for one season. Only for this summer, then they are gone. I wonder what my mom will remember from the cottage this time next year. Every action focuses on making memories. I shudder thinking maybe not a lot and then I take a sip of wine. Wine is very medicinal and I enjoy it at the beach. It chases some of those ‘what if’ or ‘what will happen next’ thoughts away.

Great Intergenerational Activities – Cirque du Soleil – CORTEO Review #Corteo

August 13, 2023June 14, 2019 by Margarita Ibbott

Corteo Costumes Dominique Lemieux 2018 Cirque du Soleil Photo 13 — Photo Credit: Corteo Cirque du Soleil 2018

They are literally swinging from the rafters… on chandeliers to be exact. There are women on poles suspended in the air (not nailed down to the floor), men jumping on beds, couples spinning in the air and little people performing Romeo & Juliette. There were also balloons, really, really big balloons. This is the circus after all. This is Corteo.

Corteo is one of five arena shows put on by Cirque du Soleil. Along with their six Big Top Tent shows and eight permanent resident shows in Las Vegas and Mexico. You will be able to see a Cirque show somewhere in the world and be entertained by artists representing 50 nationalities and speaking 25 different languages.

Take A Day Trip to Lake Huron on Highway 21 #PowerONroadtrip

December 13, 2020August 22, 2018 by Margarita Ibbott

There is nothing better than a day trip to Lake Huron. Whether you are coming from London, Windsor, Kitchener-Waterloo or Toronto, you are likely no more than 2.5 hours away. Part of the Great Lakes … Read more

DownshiftingPRO is where seasoned travel wisdom meets authentic adventure for the 50+ traveler hungry for luxury, culture, and meaningful experiences. I’m Margarita —a storyteller, organizer, and passionate explorer who blends solo escapes, trips with my husband, and multi-generational family adventures.

Whether I’m savouring exquisite culinary delights, wandering through world-class museums, connecting with Indigenous cultures, or indulging in luxury stays, I go beyond the surface to bring destinations alive.

As a regular contributor to HotelScoop.com, I spotlight exceptional hotels and resorts that understand the mature traveler’s craving for comfort, style, and culturally rich experiences.

DownshiftingPRO delivers insider tips, travel hacks, and heartfelt stories—seasoned with humour, wanderlust, and the kind of family travel that’s equal parts connection and celebration.

Europe, the US, or Canada, I’ve got your go-to itinerary for travelers who want to explore on their own terms, balancing solo journeys, couple getaways, and lively multi-generational but with cocktails.

I’m always on the lookout for my next adventure.

The question remains: where will we go next?