Friday, November 30, 2012

Check out my Holiday Buying Guide #Video #VLOG and interview with @RobertVerdi for my @ProcterGamble #PGHoliday Buying Guide!

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Founder and Butterfly-in-Chief of Ascending Butterfly Tracy Iglesias shoots holiday buying gift guide VLOG at Robert Verdi's Luxe Lab in New York City!

Within a few days of each other I spent a week shooting my first ever VLOGs for Ascending Butterfly. I'm much more comfortable sharing my world from behind my camera and from my computer then I am with being in front of the camera or on video, but when I was offered the opportunity to film a Video VLOG for P&G with Lifestyle Expert, Celebrity Stylist and Television Personality, Robert Verdi I jumped at the chance!

Despite four years of keeping myself relatively hidden I knew after the health scare I experienced last year and the horrible way I started 2012 that it was time for me to jump in front of the camera, take risks and really meet life head on! How can you inspire others to come outside their comfort zones and be a good life coach if you don't rise up to challenges that make you uncomfortable in your own life?

The first time I was ever on television I was 5 years old and had won a national competition and the grand prize was an appearance on the television show Romper Room. I hadn't been in front of a camera since. To say I was super nervous, is probably the under-statement of the century! (I think I was a lot more calm when I was five!)

All my nerves were immediately calmed upon entering Robert Verdi's Luxe Laboratory! I was met by the 'Glam Squad' which started with Nails, and I can tell you I gave the manicurist quite a job as my nails were in really sad shape! I picked out a perfect Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss in (180 Lasting Love), which was a very close match my signature red lip that I custom blend. This high gloss nail polish does not require a top coat and lasted one week chip free on my nails. No easy feat, because I put my hands and nails through a lot of typing, being in water and I kept expecting that the tips of my nails would chip fast, and was super surprised that they didn't! I also loved that they dried super fast! Later on that same day I got my thumb caught in a zipper of my handbag and it did not smudge, chip, smear or budge, color me impressed!

Then it was on to makeup, I was super happy when the makeup artist chose not to change my lip color, she liked my custom red so much she left it alone! That's quite a compliment!

Robert Verdi Proctor and Gamble Holiday Buying Guide Blog Shoot Pro Shot Hair 01 WATERMARKED
Luxe lab stylist uses Aussie Hair Care Products to style Ascending Butterfly for Video Shoot!

From nails it was straight to hair where Aussie Hair Care products were used on my hair and my hair was expertly flat ironed to glossy fabulousness!


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Left: Ascending Butterfly Founder and Butterfly-in-Chief Tracy alongside Right: Robert Verdi - of course as soon as the flash went off I closed my eyes!

Then I got a chance to meet Robert Verdi and it was on to the first of two video shoots! I love that Robert is exactly the same way you see on Television, he is super warm, friendly and totally approachable. He instantly put me at ease!


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Ascending Butterfly and Robert Verdi all smiles during the P&G #PGHoliday Gift Buying Guide Video VLOG Shoot!

See, I really can keep my eyes open! In the first of the two videos shot, Robert interviews me and asks me about my tips for holiday shopping, here is the video:



Just in case it doesn't play nicely for you or you'd prefer to view it directly on YouTube you can just click HERE, but don't forget to come back and watch the second video!

Not bad considering I had literally run to the lab after covering an event with Jordin Sparks (if you missed our recap coverage of that event, press HERE).

After the Questions and Answers video with Robert, it was time for the main video, the Holiday Buying Guide VLOG! Here is the video:



 
The products I selected include:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ  -  Lulu Lemon 'Daily Om Duffel' (perfect for gym, travel or daily commuters like me!)
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ  -  Cambridge 'The Metallics' Satchel in Metallic Rose Gold (perfect for New Years Eve!)
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ  -  Olay Pro X Advanced Cleansing Skincare System
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ  - P&G Little Luxuries Gift Set (available at your local drugstore, you know, like the one I am a blogger brand ambassador for maybe? :)
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ  - UGG Womens Great Jones Earmuff W/Speaker Technology (Perfect for those cold winters to keep jack frost from nipping at your ears while still listening to music on the go. This matches my new Jacket and Gloves!)
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ  - I also picked Diane Von Furstenberg Headphones in the 'Stone Leopard Red' Print, paired with gloves that allow for smartphone use and I love how cleverly the fingers of the gloves are stuffed with Covergirl Outlast Lipsticks in each finger, what teenage girl wouldn' t love that bundle?
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ  - I also loved the quirky yellow rubbery iPod Portable Speaker! (Needless to say that the #TwitterPartyDJ is always on the lookout for great music accessories!)
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ  - And don't forget your Tide to go Instant Stain Remover sticks, I have one in my handbag at all times and keep one in my desk at work and at home, they really do work! I've had all kinds of things spilled on me during events and these have kept favorite outfits from being ruined!

Get Social With it:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ  - Follow @ProcterGamble on Twitter and use the hashtag #PGHoliday
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ  - Follow @RobertVerdi on Twitter
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ  - Like on P&G Beauty on Facebook
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ  - Like Robert Verdi on Facebook

Here is the pro shot of myself and Robert Verdi after both videos were shot:


Robert Verdi Proctor and Gamble Holiday Buying Guide Blog Shoot Pro Shot with Ascending Butterfly 01 WATERMARKED
That's A Wrap!
My Take:

I greatly enjoyed my day filming the #PGHoliday Gift Buying Guide, and I will never forget meeting Robert Verdi! Robert helped make my first time back on camera after so many years fun, Thank You Robert! Finding the right gift and staying within budget isn't always easy but with the P&G Little Luxuries Gift Sets you can knock out some of those 'hard to shop fors' with something that is thoughtful and within budget,  for Holidays 2012 P&G has got you covered!

Happy Holidays Butterflies!


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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a compensated post, no monetary compensation has been received for shooting this video VLOG. All opinions are 100% my own.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Featured #Handbag in the Spotlight: It's YOUR choice! Win a $100 @wilsonsleather Gift Card with @Ascending1

Wilsons Logo

Happy Holidays Butterflies! I didn't want you think that we forgot about the Featured Handbag in the Spotlight Feature for November! This time we are doing a unique twist, I'm not featuring a specific bag, I'm letting you select the star!

As most of you know I spent most of my 2012 in and out of the hospital. Hospital food coupled with not even wanting to eat most days meant I lost quite a bit of weight, and this winter the first thing I realized is that my winter coat was a bit too big and this year I needed a brand new coat.

So given the choice, despite the fact I always have leather handbags on my brain, I did the practical thing and opted for a new coat, and I couldn't be happier! I've been a longtime fan of Wilsons. As a teen, as soon as I started earning my own money, my very first handbag purchase was a Wilsons Leather handbag I purchased at my favorite mall. I loved that bag, and fell in love Wilsons too, I went on to buy many of my coats and leather blazers and handbags at Wilsons Leather both in store and then eventually online. I am thoroughly familiar with the quality of their leather and how well their products stand the test of time. That first handbag I bought from them as a teenager I actually passed along to someone not long ago and it was still in such great shape it looked new on the inside and out! It was just too small for my day to day needs now, but it was literally no worse for wear.

Here is the coat I opted on:


Wilsons Leather Hooded Leather Jacket with Fur Trim Back View
Wilsons Leather Ultimate hooded Faux Shearling Leather Jacket - Back

Wilsons Leather Hooded Leather Jacket with Fur Trim
Wilsons Leather Ultimate hooded Faux Shearling Leather Jacket - Front

Say hello to the Wilsons Ultimate hooded Faux-Shearling Leather Jacket! The leather is 100% genuine leather, the fur trim is faux shearling and 100% warm, cozy and inviting. This jacket is super comfortable, and very warm and the hood doesn't fall down as I walk, when I have it up it stays up (no dorky string either). I can't tell you just how much I love this coat, if they decide to add it in other colors I would totally get it in every color! Look at the shaping and detaling on this coat!

I have worn it everywhere so far! Here is a picture of me wearing it:


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Ascending Butterfly wearing Wilsons Leather Ultimate Hooded Faux Shearling Genuine Leather Jacket

My Take:

I have received tons of compliments on this jacket! I also wanted to point out that this one really runs true to size, I've purchased from them enough to know I usually have to size up (and if you read reviews this is across the board and not restricted to one type of sizing), with this after reading the measurements I opted not to size up and I was worried at first that it might not leave me the room necessary for heavier sweaters, but I'm glad I didn't size up, this fits well with winter weight wool business jackets and thicker sweaters underneath, so if you are buying this one, order it in your true size, do not size up it won't be necessary. It's super warm, but it's NOT overly heavy or bulky when wearing it or removing it if you are carrying it around indoors when you take it off. I absolutely love it! I'd totally love to see this one in a Red color!

Win It:

Our friends at Wilsons Leather wanted to join in on the Holiday Fun and offer 1 lucky reader the chance to win a $100 Gift Card that you can use to purchase anything your heart desires in store or online! Buy a great new handbag or put it toward a new coat or jacket with their great pricing and frequent sales the sky really is the limit on how far that gift card could stretch!

Enter using the Rafflecopter form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway




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FTC Disclosure: I was provided product to facilitate my review and for the giveaway. The sponsor is fulfilling directly to prize winner(s), this in no way influenced my opinion of the product. Once a winner is selected and their information has been forwarded to the sponsor, the responsibility of prize fulfillment rests with the sponsor. However all opinions are 100% my own. Questions about our Disclosure? Please visit: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/p/disclosure-policy.html

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Wordless Wednesday Photos from the dENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring/Summer 2013 Media Preview Event! Sneak Peek! #Denim #Jeans



This busy butterfly has been fluttering along from holiday event, to media previews for Spring/Summer 2013 Fashions and Shoes, and in between screenings, filming a holiday buying guide with a celebrity (my first official vlog by the way you'll see it posted here soon), and a telephone interview with Gerard Butler while he was in Miami wrapping up the Press Junket for his upcoming movie, Playing For Keeps! And in between trying to tear my house apart to get closets cleaned, find my artificial tree and then get ready for a holiday whirlwind cleaning....You know....just little things...... Because of my medical roller coaster that started last year, I was pretty much robbed of Christmas, New Years Eve 2012 and my birthday this year, I have TONS of making up to do, I want this holiday to be super special for me and my family this year! But back to why this post is so important, JEANS, lots of Jeans, Womens Jeans, Men Jeans, Juniors, Teens, Kids, fun Spring and Summer Fashions for 2013!

As I'm definitely a denim addict and just can't get enough when it comes to jeans I was super stoked to be invited to attend dENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Media Preview Event which showcased their upcoming styles for Spring and Summer 2013. Yes that's right, you didn't read this wrong, despite the fact we just got past Thanksgiving and are approaching Christmas (and it's freezing out), I'm checking out Spring and Summer Fashions for NEXT year! This is my life butterflies, I'm usually seasons ahead in my head and then have trouble remembering what day it is! Can you blame me?

Enough about me, let's get to what makes Wordless Wednesday so GREAT, the sweet PHOTOS, without further ado, here is dENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring/Summer 2013 Collection, Enjoy!



Levis and Denizen Spring Summer 2013 Media Preview WATERMARKED
AbovedENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children!


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Above: dENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children! I love that the surfboard reads: Quality is our Signature! Super cute color on the shorts paired with a light breezy top and lightweight scarf. (And super cute shoes)

Levis and Denizen Spring Summer 2013 Media Preview 03 WATERMARKED
AbovedENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children! The center features a menswear denim and on the right of the shot, a board short style for boys!
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AbovedENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children! Cute Board Short, paired with a long sleeve tshirt and flat sneakers for boys.


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AbovedENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children! I love the wedge shoes that were paired with this outfit!

Levis and Denizen Spring Summer 2013 Media Preview 06 WATERMARKED
AbovedENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children! What's not to love about this skinny jean (in a great dark indigo wash), paired with a loose fitting white short sleeve blouse, great handbag and super cute sandals?

Levis and Denizen Spring Summer 2013 Media Preview 07 WATERMARKED
AbovedENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children! Left Teen Girl pulled together look and center teen boy outfit, jeans in a not so typical color/wash for boys, great way to stand out and show off his unique style!

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Above:  dENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children! Close up of the Teen Boy Style paired with flat sneakers.

Levis and Denizen Spring Summer 2013 Media Preview 09 WATERMARKED
AbovedENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children! Great mens/older teen boy look! This time the Surfboard reads: 'Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.' I sure wish I was someone warm and near the ocean right about now!

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AbovedENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children! Gotta love thos wedge heels paired with the color jeans and easy breezy striped top! The Surfboard reads: 'deniZEN from Levis'.

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Above: dENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children! Great girls outfit with a tiered ruffle top, grey skinny jeans and flat white sneakers!
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AbovedENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children! Great Casual Friday mens look complete with a colored jean instead of the traditional blue, paired with a blue button shirt worn super casual.

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AbovedENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children! Love the dark wash on these jeans paired with a bright colored sandal, a great belt, a flowy white top, and a super cute scarf for Spring. This outfit is definitely an all around winner!
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AbovedENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children! This bright color caught me a bit off guard for a boys jean, but I'll be keeping my eyes peeled to see how widely adopted the trends become on the streets!

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AbovedENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children! Guys taking it casual, a day on the boat, a day on the beach and a casual lunch!
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Above: dENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children! Ladies leading into Spring 2013 with a pop of a bright color, a cute white boyfriend jacket with the sleeves push up casual, a medium wash up to the ankle to show off a fabulous pair of Wedge Shoes!

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AbovedENiZEN® from the Levi’s ® brand  AND Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ Spring Summer 2013 Denim Fashions for Women, Men, Teens and Children! I actually could see this look still working for early Fall!
As always butterflies, you can check out this photo album on Pinterest too! We love re-pins!

Bloggers, feel free to comment here with your links so we can all check out your Wordless Wednesday Photos too! 


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FTC Disclosure: This is a NON sponsored post. No monetary compensation has been received to share my recap photos of the Media Day Preview Event. A gift bag was given to attendees, the bag did NOT contain jeans! :)

Monday, November 26, 2012

Learn how you can WIN with the @DuaneReade 'Show Us Some Leg' Facebook Campaign! + Video #DRLegwear



As my regular butterflies already know I am Duane Reade Brand Ambassador and VIP Blogger. Before joining the program I was already a long time customer of Duane Reade. For New Yorkers, there are certain stores that are a long time part of the city landscape, we fondly tease that certain stores are almost 'one on every corner' around here so they shouldn't be hard to find! Duane Reade is definitely one of those stores along with a very popular coffee shop....(no need to say the name right?)

Duane Reade Branded Legwear Video Shoot Blogger Check-In Signage

Being a Blogger Brand Ambassador has come with a wide variety of diverse campaigns and fun experiences. The chance to try out products that I might not have known about otherwise, as well as unique in store opportunities and events. I recently had the opportunity to participate in a campaign surrounding Duane Reade's (which is owned by Walgreens) newest seven-week social media campaign to raise awareness of Duane Reade-brand hosiery products produced by Doris Hosiery Mills. (And if that name sounds familiar ladies, Doris Hosiery Mills also makes the pricey hosiery you see in many department stores!) The campaign which commenced at midnight November 18th, will run through January 7, 2013.

Behind the scenes shot of all Five Bloggers walking toward Duane Reade! Far Right: Ascending Butterfly in the Green Jacket! We were being filmed walking toward the store and this is a candid shot of us as we were being filmed.

To kick off this campaign, 5 NYC Duane Reade VIP bloggers were selected for a style makeover with Jess Zaino (Style Expert regular on Biography Channel's Fashion Groundbreakers, TV Guide Network's Fashion Team and creator of Cheap Chic Shopping Tours) to help them achieve 5 distinct looks using Duane Reade brand hosiery products (and achieving the look for less than $100), and I was one of the bloggers selected to participate in this campaign.


Duane Reade Branded Legwear Video Shoot Store WATERMARKED
This Duane Reade location is central to Radio City Music Hall, a very popular NYC destination for both tourists and locals!

This was my second time on camera in a very short period of time during the same week and I never really realized how long it takes to film what amounts to a very short amount of time actually on air! It was a pretty intense day. Unfortunately, I ultimately was not actually styled by the stylist, and personally don't think I'd ever even want to put myself in a stylist's hands ever again, but I did enjoy learning about the new legwear and hosiery at Duane Reade!



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Hosiery Display Signage at Duane Reade

It feels like we skipped Fall and went straight into Winter here in New York City, with long Sweater dresses I always love to wear tights, and for me the fact that I can now pick them up at my local drugstore is a huge timesaver for me! The more I can buy in ONE store in just ONE shopping trip the easier it is for me. Let's just say that time has definitely NOT been my friend lately!

I did leave the experience with a new pair of Duane Reade Legwear and as soon as I get the chance to wear them I'll take a picture of me wearing them, but it's been all pants for the past few weeks, and with impending snow in the next few days I think I'll be in pants all week this week too!




Above: Check out the Show Us Some Leg Facebook Duane Reade Branded Legwear Video shoot, also on Duane Reade's YouTube page. (I'm in the first few seconds, did you spot me?)

Contest - How YOU can win some great prizes (Just for showing a little leg)!:

Show Us Some Leg. (In the begining of the video you will see yours truly!) You can enter the contest on Duane Reade's Facebook page. All you have to do is snap a picture of yourself in Duane Reade brand hosiery for a shot at great prizes. There is a different theme each week during the contest and Jess Zaino will be judging the entries. The Grand Prize winner will receive an Apple iPad, $200 Duane Reade Gift Card and $100 in Duane Reade brand hosiery. There will be 3 Weekly Prizes for each theme: 1st place will receive an iPod Touch, 2nd place will receive a $200 Duane Reade gift card and 3rd place will receive $100 in Duane Reade brand hosiery. Get 'tweety' with it by following @DuaneReade on Twitter and using the Hashtag #DRLegwear

My Take:

Last week I found a great new eco friendly printer paper at my local Duane Reade, and this week I discover they have great hosiery too, from the day-to-day, to a night-on-the-town, Duane Reade really has you covered! I'm still on the hunt for the perfect sweater dress to pair with my new tights!

I also learned that not every stylist is cut out to style a curvy frame and it's really OK to be yourself and just say No when something doesn't work for you. I don't think I get the point yet of a stylist, we spend what feels like a lifetime getting away from our parents dressing us so we can be our own person, I'm not sure I see the point of having someone else try to mold me in their idea of what my body type should wear. Maybe at some point I'll feel differently. But since I spent this afternoon on the phone with Gerard Butler (Yes Ladies THAT Gerard Butler!) I'm floating on a butterfly happy cloud! You can check out the rest of the photos from this shop on our Pinterest Board or on Google Plus!

Butterfly, Have you tried the new Duane Reade Branded Legwear/Hosiery yet? If so, what do you think of it? Have you ever relied on a stylist? If so, How was YOUR experience? If you do decide to enter please let us know here so we can vote for you!

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FTC DisclosureI am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Duane Reade #CBias #SocialFabric All opinions are my own!

Sunday, November 25, 2012

If you could ask Gerard Butler one question about his new movie #PlayingForKeeps What Would It Be?

Gerard Butler in Playing For Keeps


English: If you could ask Gerard Butler one question about his upcoming new movie, Playing For Keeps, What Would It Be?

Spanish/Espanol: Si usted podría preguntar a Gerard Butler una pregunta acerca de su próxima película, 'Jugando Para Siempre', ¿cuál sería?

Check out the Official Trailer Below:




Sound off as a comment on this thread with your question, one question will be selected for me to ask Gerard Butler! You can also tweet me your answer @Tracy_Iglesias or @Ascending1 and please use the hashtag #PlayingForKeeps

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. No monetary compensation has been received for this post. I will have the opportunity to interview Mr. Butler as a member of the digital press, one reader question will be included during the interview which is the sole purpose of this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Elf The Broadway Musical!



As a lifelong New Yorker, one of the hearts of this city is Broadway. It's the heartbeat, it's the pulse, it's where locals and tourists alike come together to enjoy the magic of the theater and live performance. Every single night during the run of any given show is different, the actors picking up on the energy of the crowd, a crowd that changes nightly, and they give slightly different performances each night because the energy changes each night. It's what makes theater special, every performance is much like a snowflake, each beautiful in it's own way and each one unique!

The Neon Lights just add to the magic of New York City  at Night!


Broadway is ready for the holidays, first with Annie The Musical (press to read our review if you missed it the first time), which I was blessed to able to attend a special performance with The Moms, and now with Elf The Musical which I also was able to attend along with The Moms! I love The Moms events, you get to catch up with fellow bloggers and meet each other's families! Elf The musical will run from November 9, 2012 to January 6, 2013.

Outside Shot of Al Hirschfeld Theatre, New York City


About Elf  The Musical:

ELF is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. Buddy is raised unaware that he is actually a human, until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the naughty list and his step-brother doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Checklist of the Theater Rules, I may have a been 'Naughty' see below:

Elf The Musical Stage Shot WATERMARKED
A picture of the stage before the play began, Shhh, it's our secret OK?

The Cast:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Jordan Gelber plays Buddy, he certainly had big shoes to fill, no pun intended of course, and did a great job!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Leslie Kritzer plays Jovie, a single girl in New York City who works at Macy's and eventually falls in love with Buddy. (Does the theme of how difficult dating is in New York City ever get old?)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Wayne Knight, yes that Wayne Knight from Seinfeld, plays the big man himself, Santa Claus! He brings just the right mix of humor and cynicism! (If you live in NYC I'm sure you have already seen the commercials by now!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Beth Leavel plays Emily, Buddy's Stepmother!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Adam Heller plays Mr. Greenway,  Buddy's real dad.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Michael Mandell plays Macy's Store Manager with great humor and likability.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Valerie Wright plays Deb, Mr. Greenway's Assistant and she's a definitely scene stealer! Strong performance!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Mitchell Sink plays Michael, Buddy's Little Step-Brother who makes his Broadway Debut in Elf, he also put in a very strong debut performance!



Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash Poster WATERMARKED
Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash Poster


Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash sponsored a pre-show mixer, I made it just in the nick of time to try a lovely cocktail using the Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash and then it was show time!

My Take:

I greatly enjoyed Elf The Musical, I wasn't sure how the movie would translate to the theater, and how it would hold up as a Musical, but I did greatly enjoy it! It keeps both the kids and adults entertained and was very well paced/directed. As a Duane Reade Blogger Brand Ambassador I did find the New York and Duane Reade references funny, I wasn't expecting that. I don't think we are all as cynical as the play portrays us to be, it played quite a bit into New York Stereotypes, but on the whole I do agree we could ALL use a little more magic in our lives, especially during the holidays.

Get Social With It:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Elf The Musical on YouTube
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - @ElfTheMusical on Twitter
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Elf The Musical on Facebook

My pictures:



Elf The Musical Playbill WATERMARKED




 Unfortunately, I've reached some sort of picture limit so you can see the full photo album on Pinterest!

Are you taking in any Broadway Shows this holiday season Butterfly?

˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙


FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, I am under no obligation to share my recap of Elf The Musical, my tickets were complimentary as an event guest of The Moms. All opinions are 100% my own!