Head to the beach

It’s never too early to start working on your tan, and there aren’t many better ways to unwind than lying on the beach with a good book. There are a surprising number of nice options in the Toronto-area, including the relaxed and dog-friendly Cherry Beach, the large sandy beach at Bluffer’s Park on the city’s east end and the iconic Sunnyside Beach, which offers beautiful sunrises and sunsets as well as the best boardwalk and waterfront trail in the city. If you want to see fireworks, head to Ashbridges Bay Park for a spectacular 14-minute display on Monday night at 9:45pm.

Go to the circus

If you have kids, look no further. Held at the Harbourfront over the long weekend, the Toronto International Circus Festival features acrobats, comedians, daredevils, jugglers, stilt-walkers, balloon sculptors and, of course, clowns.

Host a barbecue

Men have been looking longingly at their BBQ all winter, day dreaming about grilling up an assortment of delicious meats. Well, May long weekend is the perfect opportunity for self-proclaimed barbecue stars to strut their stuff for friends and family. Just clean the yard, visit your neighbourhood butcher and send out the invites! And if you don’t have the latest and greatest in BBQ tools, consider using some of your Membership Rewards Points if you’re an American Express Cardmember.

Go to an art show

Take a trip to Toronto’s historic Distillery District for Artfest Toronto, a celebration of the top 85 artists & artisans from across Canada. There’s pottery, glass, jewellery, paintings, wood turning, gourmet foods, live music and more.

Go to a baseball game

When’s the last time you took the family to see a baseball game? Pick up some seats right behind the catcher, buy an array of concession snacks and cheer on the team. Don’t want to sit through an entire pro game? Why not break out the bats and gloves and invite the neighbours for a game?

Wherever you’re heading this weekend, don’t forget to apply your sunscreen, bring along a hat, and make sure your American Express Card is in your wallet in case any unexpected purchases pop up.

We all have dreams, things we want to accomplish in our lives, but how many of us realize our potential to accomplish them? American Express Canada thinks there are quite a few Potentialists out there and they want to reward them.

The Victoria Day long weekend is a kickoff to summer, but it’s also the start of outdoor concert season in Toronto. Here are a few upcoming shows at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre to look forward to:

May 28, Dave Matthews Band – These shows usually sell out for a reason: the band’s songs that seem to define summer. “Ants Marching”, “Satellite” and “What Would You Say” are show staples – what’s your favourite?

June 5, Virgin Summer Sizzle featuring Pitbull, Ke$ha and Tyler Shaw – We predict that this concert will be full of mirrored sunglasses, liquid leggings and a crowd ready for a dance party.

June 27, Matchbox Twenty and Goo Goo Dolls – Embrace your 90s self with this concert featuring tons of songs to sing along to!

July 3 & July 6, Bruno Mars – One of the hottest acts coming to Toronto this summer, Bruno Mars will be performing songs from his first two albums. This is one you won’t want to miss.

July 26, KISS – Forty years after they formed, KISS is still on tour, rocking the face paint and black leather outfits, and blasting fireballs out of their guitars. Come for “Rock and Roll All Nite” and stay for Gene Simmons’ tongue acrobatics

August 29, Maroon 5 with Kelly Clarkson – Between the Adam Levine-led band and the American Idol queen, this is Top 40 Royalty. Make sure to bring your “moves like Jagger” to this show.

What’s your ultimate concert?

Did you know that if you’re an American Express Cardmember, you can beat the lineups at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre by showing your Card and using a special entrance? Also, come a bit early for the show and you can relax in the American Express Cardmember lounge, subject to lounge capacity.

I think I’ve discovered the secret to happiness.

Over the past three years I have shifted my focus and spending on to experiences instead of lots of ‘things’. Sure, I still love ‘things’ and I buy them all the time, but I don’t wrack my brain thinking about buying a new TV for my den or a patio set for my backyard. Instead, I’ve been prioritizing travel, food, concerts, genuine experiences, spending time outdoors, being active, learning new things and making lots of time for friends and family. I have become SO much happier because of this change and I feel like a real-life ‘Potentialist’.

So what did I do? I quit my job as a special events and wedding DJ, sold my house and most of my furniture, started renting a small condo and used the extra time and money to realize my potential and my dreams. My goal was to travel and I had put it off for way too long. Travel became part of my new job and I strived to have a mobile career.

I launched this blog with Wendy in June 2010 and started writing and freelancing for a living as well. YES, this was hard and yes, I was making less money. But I was doing what I loved for a living and I was determined to make it work. I am also a big believer that if you think big and put 150% into everything you do, people will notice and that can lead to big things.

Which is what happened to me.I ran my blog like a professional business right from the start. Sure, “It’s just a blog,” people say – but it didn’t matter to me, I took blogging seriously and shared my love for food, travel, life and style on a daily basis with anyone who would listen. The growth and success of this blog has led to even better freelance opportunities, ambassadorships and sponsorships for The Hip + Urban Girl. I am grateful to have such fantastic readers and good people around me who provide such valuable support.

A good question to ask yourself is, “Am I realizing my potential?” Maybe you can’t quit your job and sell your house like I did (it was drastic, I know) but it’s good to have an exit strategy for anything in your life that isn’t working. I planned on quitting my job a year before I actually did it and set an end date for myself to keep things on track.

Create your goals - I keep a mental top five list of places I want to visit and travel to. This way, I can go for what I really want and have a clear idea in mind without getting sidetracked by another ‘cheap vacation’ that I only want to sort-of go on.

What inspires us? We made a Pinterest board of things that inspire us  in our everyday lives and share with you what we are passionate about.

So what is your dream? Would you sail away into the Caribbean? Have lunch in the hills of Tuscany? Eat sushi in Tokyo?

American Express just launched a Realize Your Potential with Pinterest contest and wants to help you realize your potential and give you a boost in the form of $5,000 American Express Gift Card.

Here’s how you can enter:

1) Create a board on Pinterest called “Amex Potentialist Canada” with only your own original photos & tag each pin with #PotentialistCanada.

2) Pin up to 25 of your original images that showcase your dream and how you want to realize your potential.

3) Re-pin the ‘How to Enter’ image from American Express Canada’s Pinterest page.

4) Submit your entry. Once your Pinterest board is complete and you’ve finished all the steps above, enter your board into the competition at www.rtpwithpinterest.ca & complete the entry form on the ‘Realize Your Potential with Pinterest’ contest tab

Contest ends May 26, 2013. We will be one of three Canadian blogs judging the ten finalists and will ultimately help pick three winners who will each receive the $5000 prize. So start pinning away and good luck!

Spring is by far our favourite time of year to be adventurous–from creating new of-the-moment outfits to planning essential travel escapes to at long last shaking off that tired winter fatigue.

To help make our luxe wish list a reality, we’re test-driving the American Express® AIR MILES®* Reserve Credit Card, collecting reward miles while we shop. But this isn’t just a rewards card; it’s also going to make our upcoming travels a breeze by providing travel insurance, access to Toronto Pearson Priority Security Lanes and Taxi and Limo Lanes, and passes to airport lounges across the globe.

We’re also enjoying more premium travel options via AIR MILES®* FlexFly™*. Think travel in economy or business class (with no blackout dates!), the chance to use reward miles to cover taxes and fees, as well as access to additional airlines and destinations (the sky’s the limit).

And while we have our eye on a few travel destinations (see where we’ve wandered so far), we’re pretty obsessed with what to covet, collect and pack for our next big getaway. We’ll stop by a few concerts and festivals along the way, taking advantage of Amex’s awesome Front Of The Line service (is there any other way?).

Simply tour the gallery below to see what’s on our spring travel wish list. It looks like our credit card will be getting quite the workout. Get your own right over here.

Last month, American Express Canada kicked off the Shop Small program in Toronto, designed to bring consumers and entrepreneurs together to celebrate and support the often unsung drivers of the economy – the small business owners who make our neighbourhoods unique. The response was incredible, fueling a Shop Small movement across the city. On Twitter, Facebook, and most importantly out in the community, Torontonians rallied and took the pledge to shop small.

With more than one million small businesses across our country, there are many reasons to get behind the movement and shop small. In fact, the top four reasons Canadians shop small are:

1. We want to support local entrepreneurs
2. We enjoy personalized customer service
3. We prefer to keep money in the local economy
4. We love the unique products and services that small businesses offer

Everything from a cup of coffee to your yoga class can be purchased from a local small business. So join your fellow Canadians and take the pledge to shop small!

It’s all about location. Pick a spot that easily accessible by foot, bike, car or bus, and ensure that there’s plenty of features to add to the experience like nearby walking trails, a duck pond or lake, and plenty of trees for shade.

Prepare food in advance. Bring a diverse array of munchies – after all, picnics are all about the food! Even tastier, use your American Express Gold Rewards Cards, and you could earn double the points on the groceries for your picnic. Make sure that everything is prepared and ready to eat. Salads should be pre-made, veggies should be pre-cut, and dips and sandwiches should be ready to go. If your picnic spot has barbecue, be sure to pack raw meats in a separate cooler from everything else, to avoid cross-contamination.

Pack smart. Long-time picnickers have some great tricks to help make planning the day easier: Things like freezing drinks (that aren’t in a can) the night before, so they can help keep the cooler chilled, and packing in reverse – putting the food you’ll eat last, in your basket first.  Consider also creating a checklist to ensure you don’t get stranded without essential items such as blankets, dishes and serving utensils, a cutting board, bottle opener and the often forgotten sunscreen, bug spray and garbage bags.

Plan activities. Picnics might be about eating at first, but don’t forget to have some fun planned to keep the day going once everyone’s finished their meals. Couples might like to bring magazines, the local newspaper, playing cards or a Frisbee. For bigger groups, it’s always great to bring sports equipment or a game like croquet. And don’t forget your camera, which Membership Rewards Amex Cardmembers can redeem for using their Membership Rewards points!

There are so many great ways to have fun with friends and family when the weather is nice – and with just a little bit of planning, your American Express Card can help you can earn rewards and make the most out of your special day.