Buick Bucket List Weekend in Cincinnati

I recently received an invitation to take part in the Buick Media Launch for their newest and sportiest addition, the Buick Regal GS 2014. It was being held in Cincinnati, Ohio. To add a little twist to the event, the chosen activities for all the invited guests left them pondering how they could stand in two states at once...to rediscover a lost art-form that has now been predominated by the digital world...thoughts that produced customized bucket-lists...and so the #BuickBucketList theme came about!!

I was flattered by the invitation being the only Canadian contingent, intrigued by the bucket-list theme, and more excited that I had the chance to be bring one of my sisters along for the ride!! My sister doesn't travel a lot if at all...she's a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM) with 5 kids!!! So you can imagine that it was very difficult for her to leave the kids for the weekend (more on this subject later). It was a bittersweet experience for her! Thank you to Buick and Buick Canada on behalf of my sister and I, for making this weekend trip possible, and for helping us check a few things off our bucket lists!! 

Flying from Toronto to Cincinnati took less than 2 hours. My sister didn't know what to expect given that she hasn't been on a plane since she was in grade 7 and also because she isn't fond of anything that can give you that queasy feeling in your tummy. It's nothing a little sleep on the plane can't cure...her nausea eventually subsided. We finally landed in Cincinnati and arrived at our beautiful 21C Museum Hotel. We were welcomed ever so enthusiastically by the friendly Buick and hotel staff. The hotel in itself is very stylish and hip with all the cool art displays found in the main foyer, hotel corridors, and second level. They also took it a step further and incorporated different types of artistic vision, into the suites as well...bathroom tiles that embodied various body parts throughout! Thanks to the 21C Museum for their hospitality and for the spectacular display of artistic mediums!!

I was also taken aback by how Cincinnati was clean and well kept...I hardly saw trash anywhere on the streets or sidewalks. I definitely would recommend a visit to the beautiful city of Cincinnati...also referred to as "CinCity". 

Day 1: Upon checking into our hotel, we are whisked away into an awaiting bus of various lifestyle bloggers from around USA that took us to the American Sign Museum. We were surrounded by flashing lights, neon lights, vintage signage...giving that good ol' southern feel. The American Sign Museum is quite an experience. It was nice to see all the different signs of years gone by and how they could still be accessible to the public. It was interesting to see how Buick through the years has evolved with the times as well...a perfect venue to reflect on classic models to introducing their newest addition...the Buick Regal GS. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner, had an opportunity to mingle with fellow bloggers and the wonderful Buick staff; and appreciate the progress that Buick has made through the years.







Day 2: At the hotel we enjoyed a morning breakfast and a short presentation featuring a few of the Buick car models, also detailing our adventures to Kentucky using the new 2014 Buick Regal. The drive was estimated at an hour and 45 mins...giving me ample time to experience and get a feel for the handling of the car. The drive was scenic and perfect for a road test. The drive was flawless and comfortable. Enjoying the scenery and beautiful vistas made the trip even more enjoyable.

Upon our arrival to our first chosen activity...the Flame Run. We were given the opportunity to create our own glass ornament made from scratch. We were advised that it would be hot in there and boy was it ever hot I felt like I was in a sauna!! It takes getting a little use to, blowing at different speeds, to perfect a glass ornament. Thanks to the folks from Flame Run who were patient with my blowing techniques.

Afterwards, our group enjoyed a lunch at a farm-to-table restaurant called Harvest.  There were a lot of tempting choices being offered on the menu but I have to say...the Soft pretzel bun burger was one of the best burgers my sister and I have ever tasted!! I may have to go back to Cincinnati just to have that again!!

After our lunch at Harvest we ventured to the HoundDog Press where we participated in an informative workshop, taking us back to the printing process that has become a sought after art form in design. The process and creation of posters/graphics is quite the intricate workload. This brings an appreciation to the quality and workmanship of this craft. We ended the night by enjoying a splendid wine tasting/dinner at the Metropole Chef's Table located at the hotel.





Throughout the different bucket list activities, we travelled to each location with our own 2014 Buick Regal. I admit that this car is actually the most athletic of the Buick line. At one point my sister and I got lost enroute to our hotel...using the OnStar made it very helpful which was nice to have since we were not familiar with the city and its highways. Playing with the IntelliLink screen system was easy to use and pairing my smartphone with the car was very simple to do with bluetooth. Overall Buick has redefined this vehicle, in my own opinion, to target a more younger demographic than what it has been in previous years...an older target audience.



The key things I liked about the 2014 Buick Regal:


- Adaptive Cruise Control - Adjustable for different car lengths.

- Blind Spot recognition in the side mirrors, alerting when any vehicle or moving object is in the blind spot.

- OnStar- Just love having a live voice to talk with in the car when needed for directions or in case of emergencies.

- The car seats vibrates when you get to close to an oncoming vehicle ahead of you. Great safety feature.

It's a luxurious car at its finest.



Now as mentioned earlier, my sister joined me on this trip, here's a quick review of her experience written by her:

As a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom) it's hard to set aside time for myself...and having 5 kids just makes it seem next to impossible. So when my brother sent out an email to a bunch of us with the opportunity of accompanying him to Cincinnati, I entertained the thought in my head but quickly squashed it as I thought of my kids. Thoughts started running through my head...who would watch them (keeping in mind that my kids aren't the easiest)??...Can the hubby handle them?? Would he remember to feed them??? lol...At that moment I envisioned my hubby watching them only to be overwhelmed with all the stress of the endless questions, the rants and the raves, and the horror of disrupting the usual bedtime routine!! I embraced reality and sadly knew I had no chance of going. It was only until my hubby suggested that why don't I take my brother up on his offer (which I never imagined could happen) that i jumped at the opportunity without hesitation!! Thoughts...what thoughts?!?! LOL...I was going to Cincinnati..."CinCity"!!!

As we arrived in Cincinnati, we were greeted by our guide, Jordan...nice guy! He showed us the way to our Buick Enclave (yes, I actually learned a few things about names of the models of cars and such!) that was awaiting us. I now have a new appreciation for the Buick brand. A luxurious car indeed!! We arrive at our hotel 21cMuseum and doors are being opened for us left and right...I felt like I was VIP or a celebrity walking the red carpet!! I had a moment...an "all about me" moment!! Okay...it was more about the Buick...nevertheless, It was an awesome experience!! The hotel itself was a sight to take in as actual artwork had been incorporated throughout its interiors...definitely interesting and unique!

I had the opportunity to meet some interesting people to say the least (although I need some work in the socializing department...can you blame me?!? I'm with my little ones all day!) and would like to thank the GM crew for making this trip possible…Natalie, Patrick, Katie, Sasha, Nancy, and Lauren...and to the "lifestyle group". I had an awesome time creating the glass blown ornaments, going back in time learning letterpress, the wonderful meals shared over each other's stories (a nice break from the kids!) and not to mention, the chance to ride in the Buick Regal GS!! (Beats my 2004 van at home any day!) who knows...maybe I can convince the hubby to purchase one in the near future?!?! (Or far future?)...who am I kidding...back to reality!! (as I start putting the laundry away)...

On behalf of my sister and I, I want to give "Thanks" to GM Canada, Buick and Buick Canada for our BuickBucketList adventure!! It gave us the chance to spend quality time together, it gave her a well-deserved break from the kids, and it also gave me a better understanding of how much GM Canada is dedicated to understanding their community and customers...where different lifestyles can meet!!

Website: Buick Canada

Facebook: Buick

Twitter: @Buick @BuickCanada

Instagram: BuickUSA

Purchase/Info on Buick Regal: Buick Regal

Day Job Premiere Screening Tonight

Tonight is the premiere of Day Job documentary in Toronto at the TIFF LightBox. The film is about the process-the conflicts, sacrifices and hardships of chasing the dream of building a startup. This is a great evening to experience the entrepreneurial spirit and to even network with like-minded people in the Toronto Start-up community. On that note, I would like to give away a single ticket to the event tonight that begins at 6pm.


Just tweet me at @clickflickca and tell me why you want to go to the flick tonight. Add #ClickFlick to the tag.


I'll pick a winner at 12noon. Good Luck!

Toronto's First Carnival Food Festival Foodival

I have never been to Foodival before! It will be the first time for this event but I'm looking forward to experiencing something NEW and different in Toronto. I get excited when a unique event that involves food comes to town. It's also important to support local business to keep the city thriving. Reading the press release, it looks like an event that mixes food and a carnival atmosphere. The cool part of this type of event is that it allows you to bring your family too. ( Day passes )

There are 2 options when buying tickets on the site. You can buy for Day(All Ages)11:00-3pm or Evening(19+) 6pm-10pm. Tickets are $12.50 for Adults and $7.50 for children under 14. Children under 3 are FREE. So come out and enjoy some family time during the day or hang out in the evening.

Some of the listed food vendors to be present are: Neal Brothers Chips, Le Dolci, Smoke's Poutinerie
For a full listing of vendors: Vendors


The organizers of Foodival have been nice enough to give me tickets to giveaway for this Sunday September 29,2013. Please enter in specific areas below (Day or Night) for a pair of DAY tickets or EVENING tickets below. Good Luck! I will select WINNERS this Friday September 27th, 2013.

Enter to WIN DAY TICKETS:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Enter to WIN NIGHT TICKETS:

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Boston Pizza is the Official Bar of the UFC

This weekend I had the opportunity to participate in some UFC festivities being held at Boston Pizza; Boston Pizza is the Official Bar of the UFC. I've visited the Boston Pizza on Front street many times due to it's proximity to the Rogers Centre but it was my first time visiting the Boston Pizza at Leslie and Lakeshore Avenue. I brought along my sister, brother-in-law, and cousin to enjoy UFC 165. The main match between John Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson ended up with Jones winning by decision.



The Boston Pizza is a great spot to watch sporting events and UFC for their multiple screens and great sound. It gives the feeling of being there in person. Check BostonPizza.ca for various promotions and events.



BP Pizza Spring Rolls, nachos, sticky ribs and bacon wrapped steak skewers are a few of the appetizers we enjoyed that evening. Bacon wrapped steak skewers was my obvious favourite appetizer. Everything tastes better with bacon!! Boston Pizza also has a great selection of main dishes worth trying. If you think Boston Pizza only serves pizza, you're wrong! I was surprised by the extensive menu and options.



My sister enjoyed the seafood fettuccini dish. Tender scallops, wild salmon, prawns and steam mussels tossed in a cream white wine sauce. She recommends this dish for any carb lover out there.. I will definitely have to try this pasta dish next time I visit.



The Panookie is a must try dessert when you visit Boston Pizza. A giant, freshly baked, pizza-pan chocolate chip cookie served with ice cream. It will send your sweet tooth in overdrive!



A big "Thank You" to the Boston Pizza crew and Olga, our server for the evening, who gave us great recommendations. Overall, my family enjoyed a great night of food and drinks, and are looking forward to their next visit. To keep the good times rolling, I'm going to giveaway 2 $25 Boston Pizza Gift Cards to two lucky WINNERS. All you have to do to ENTER is copy and paste tweet into rafflecopter below.

 @clickflickca @BostonPizza I want to go to http://www.bostonpizza.ca #BostonPizza

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Boston Pizza: Website
Twitter: @BostonPizza

Sponsored Post Disclosure: I have received compensation for this post and all opinions are my own and not reflective of Boston Pizza.

Hello Eco Chasers!

Hey Eco Chasers,

Hope you’re enjoying taking part in this year’s Eco Chase!

I’m here to provide you with some intel on how you can score some extra points during your race.

One of the sponsors of this year’s Eco Chase, is RecycleYourElectronics.ca, Ontario’s e-waste diversion program, operated by Ontario Electronic Stewardship. Since April 2009, more than 200,000 tonnes of electronic waste has been collected and successfully diverted from landfill across the province, greater than any other diversion program of its kind in Canada.

To score 5 bonus points, take a photo of one of the items accepted by the RecycleYourElectronics.ca program, and tweet it out to all your followers! Make sure you include:

· the hashtag #EcoChase

· your team name

· My Twitter handle: @clickflickca


Hint: the list of items accepted by the program is right here

Good luck!

Race. Search. Strategize. It's the Eco Chase!

Do you know what the Eco Chase is about? Eco Chase is a large scavenger hunt happening on Saturday September 14th that challenges teams to learn about Toronto's green projects. It's like the TV show "Amazing Race" with a green/environmental component. Teams will be given challenges and clues throughout various stops. Lots of fun while learning at the same time. Great team building activity too!



The event is sponsored, in part, by recycleyourelectronics.ca, Ontario's e-waste diversion program, operated by Ontario Electronic Stewardship, and is part of its 200,000 tonne collection milestone celebration. Since April 2009, more than 200,000 tonnes of electronic waste has been collected and successfully diverted from landfill across the province, greater than any other diversion program of its kind in Canada. That's a lot of electronics!!

To help Ontarians continue this success, RecycleYourElectronics.ca will be collecting out-of-use electronics on registration and start of the hunt at the Y Central Toronto, awarding bonus points to teams who participate in this drop off, and throughout the day. For what portable items are accepted, visit RecycleYourElectronics.ca.

For participants of the Eco Chase, I will have access to an EXCLUSIVE clue that will help you gain bonus points during the race on Saturday. Look out for my tweets ( @clickflickca ) and this blog to learn more.



To purchase tickets to the Eco Chase, visit Eco Chase Tickets. To receive 20% off your entry, enter this PROMO CODE: insiderscoop

Good luck to everyone participating in the race! :-)



To learn more on how you can participate visit Eco Chase on Twitter: @EcoDuo or on Facebook: EcoDuo Website Info: Eco Chase

VISA Canada payWave it Forward Giveaway

Do you know what is VISA payWave? Have you heard of it? VISA payWave is a quick and faster way to check out when making everyday purchases. All you have to do is simply have a VISA payWave card. Simply wave your card in front of a secure reader and that's it. No need to insert card into a slot or typing in a pin code. A simple wave is all that is needed. Neat right?

I recently visited my local Metro grocery store to give VISA payWave a try. It was quick and simple. I recorded this video below to show how simple the use of VISA payWave. For a limited time, every purchase made with my VISA payWave card; VISA will donate $1 to the Metro Green Apple School Program.



Just wave or tap over the display unit and payment is made.



Here is some current information from VISA:

Visa Canada survey shows that 71% of Canadians donated to a charity last year. Almost 1-in-4 (24 per cent) say they’d give more if they had a more convenient way to donate.

Visa Canada is introducing the payWave It Forward program where for a limited time $1 will be donated by Visa Canada to specific charities when using Visa payWave at participating retail stores.


On behalf of VISA Canada they have given me the opportunity to giveaway a $50 Visa gift card to a Canadian resident over 18 years old. You will also get to choose one of the participating charities and they will also receive $50 donation from VISA Canada.

ENTER BELOW and TWEET TO WIN(Copy and Paste):

@clickflickca @VisaCA I want to do good with payWave it forward with Visa Canada. #payWaveItFWD

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received compensation for this post. However, all opinions expressed are 100% my own.