Friday, April 22, 2016

This weekend I plan on finding my thrill on 'Daffodil Hill' care to join me? @NYBG #EarthDay

Photo Courtesy of New York Botanical Garden
Happy Earth Day Butterflies! I hope today finds you outdoors enjoying the sun and doing stuff to leave our Earth better than you found it.

Want to turn Earth Day into a weekend?

Join me at Daffodil Hill at New York Botanical Garden for Daffodil Celebration and Wine Weekend!

With 150,000 Daffodil Bulbs planted in November 2015, the display of flowering trees, the historic daffodil display at Daffodil Hill and New York State Vintners offering a wide variety of palate-pleasing local wines, and experts on winemaking and viticulture hosting demonstrations and discussions I can't imagine anywhere I'd rather be this weekend!

This weekend is going to be a great weekend to be out and about and enjoying all New York Botanical Garden has to offer!

Photo Courtesy of New York Botanical Garden
I plan to check out Daffodil Celebration and Wine Weekend and hope you will too, Visit New York Botanical Garden's website to learn more and purchase your tickets!

How do you plan to celebrate Earth Day this weekend?

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FTC Disclosure:  This is NOT a compensated Post, and as always ALL opinions are 100% my own! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

{#WineWednesday} Let's discuss the White Table #Wine 'Julia-Marie' from @SalemOakWinery & my blinged out Glass too!

When I cover Wine Tastings sometimes individual glimpses can get lost as I try to present an event as a whole. I feel with Wine Events actual *feedback* or at least my perceptions on the wines I was introduced to was getting lost in covering the magnitude of an event.

I thought with the interwebs offering two choices for Wednesday - #WordlessWednesday or #WineWednesday I would try to use my Wednesdays for Wine Wednesdays as we all know I am NOT good at going totally Wordless.

Here is this week's 'Wine Wednesday' -  Salem Oak's Winery 'Julia-Marie' White Table Wine:



MY TAKE:

I first met 'Julia-Marie' during Tropicana's Winter Wine Festival which in case you missed it I covered HERE. Local Wineries were featured prominently at this Tasting Event and I really enjoyed learning more about Local Wines and Wineries. I hope to visit Salem Oak Winery in person and I greatly appreciated getting a sample of what they have to offer.

I am all about trying out a wide variety and when I attend a wine tasting event I 'taste through' starting with Whites and moving to Reds. (And needless to say Sparkling Wines which are my personal favorite). While I am open to trying out as many as I can to develop my palate and learn, I do tend to lean toward Sparkling Wine like Champagne and Prosecco, then White Wine, Rosé, Moscato then Reds. I also seem to have a 'dry palate' and am attracted to slightly drier wines (which is why my affinity for Moscato surprises even me) - Julia-Marie leans slightly dry to me which is probably why I found myself so drawn to this particular white during my Salem Oak Winery 'taste through'. The wines are actually named after real people - employees in fact, which I found fun! (I want a Champagne named after my blog - just think about that for a minute - Ascending Butterfly the Bubbly! YAS!!!!)

I think all wines take on extra flair when consumed from my favorite animal print painted blinged out to the max wine glass, don't you agree?

I like this one for a Seafood Meal, Shellfish Dishes etc (I tend to prefer a white that is not overly fruity when I am using it for a Seafood Pairing). Remember butterflies - it is not about how much the wine costs, learn your palate and buy what makes you happy!

Readers Sound Off: Have you visited any local wineries recently? Which one?

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FTC Disclosure:  Wine was provided for Editorial Consideration and my pure enjoyment, and as always ALL opinions are 100% my own! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

Monday, April 11, 2016

{#MovieMonday} #MyBigFatGreekWedding2 Movie Review and talk back with @NiaVardalos & @ElenaKampouris

As we veer toward Mother's Day I know a lot of folks will be looking for fun Family Films so I thought I would put My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 on your radar. I had the opportunity to attend an Advanced Screening with a Talk Back with Nia Vardalos and Elena Kampouris that was sponsored by Windex (if you remember the first film you will know Windex plays heavily in the movie, well both movies actually because of Toula's Dad - who feels most every problem can be solved by 'putting Windex on it'), Fujifilm Instax was an additional sponsor.

ABOUT:

In this highly anticipated sequel a Portokalos family secret is revealed that will bring the characters back together for 'a bigger and Greeker Wedding'. This one is written by Academy Award Nominee and movie co-star Nia Vardalos, directed by Kirk Jones and produced by Gary Goetzman, Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks. Executive Producers include Paul Brooks, Steven Sharesian, Scott Niemeyer and Nia Vardalos.

Nia wanted to wait until she had experienced Motherhood herself to pen the sequel and this time around due to the economy her character's travel agency as well as the Family Dry Cleaning Business is now closed and what remains is the family restaurant started by Toula's Dad Gus (Played by Michael Constantine). Toula's husband Ian (Played by John Corbett) is now the Principal to their daughter Paris's  (Played by Elena Kampouris) School,  Paris is checking out away schools, Gus becomes convinced he is a direct descendant of Alexander the Great, Aunt Voula tries to help Toula to put the spark back in her marriage and her mother Maria (Played by Lanie Kazan) wants the wedding she never had. Along with a Family Secret that is exposed that sheds light on her parents marriage.

The Talk Back:

After the screening there was a Q&A/Talk Back Session with Nia Vardolos and Elena Kampouris. Here are some Video highlights taken during the entire event including the Q&A Session:


Some Photo Highlights:

Above: Nia had a great vibe with Elena who plays her daughter in the movie!


Above: Nia's cousin made a brief appearance during the Q&A as well.

The Swag:

Above: Our swag bag included Greek Pastries, Windex and a Fujifilm Instax Camera as well a Tshirt (not shown in photo)

MY TAKE:

The film definitely scores as a feel-good family film and enjoying the continuity of the characters and their stories evolving. It's fun to see Toula experience juggling the struggles of parenthood, keeping the flame alive in her marriage all while dealing with the impositions that come along with a close-knit family unit.

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FTC Disclosure:  This is NOT a Sponsored Post, it is an event recap and All opinions are 100% my own! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

Monday, April 4, 2016

Today is my 'Personal New Year' otherwise known as my 'birthday' - here are some gifts for YOU! #MondayMotivation


I am fascinated by astrology. Years ago I read that our Birthday's are really the start of our year - yes, our astrological year, but our personal year as well.

It resonated.

New Year's Eve never really resonated as a beginning to me, and in 2011 the night lost it's 'joy' for me, some of you will know what I mean by that, others won't. It's a long story and my archives are certainly searchable if you are curious.

Today is my birthday, making 4/4 the start of my year - astrologically and personally.

Here is what I've learned so far:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I can't make everyone happy. - I am not telling you not to try, but I can tell you to work on making YOURSELF happy - and not just once and awhile. Do one thing each and every single day that brings you joy. For me, it's music, photography and travel. I can't travel everyday (although that would make me super happy) but I can listen to music. So I do.


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I can't keep every ball in the air. - I am not a juggler. I am a multi-tasker, but I am not a juggler, some days a ball or two will fall. It's OK.


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Clothes and Shoes aren't the only things you will outgrow. - We outgrow people, relationships, situations, jobs, as we ascend different things will suit us, others won't. It's OK to Spring Clean your life. Sweep out the relationships that fill you with dread, the people who make you cringe, the ones you send to voicemail when they call you, the ones on Facebook that annoy the hell out of you - use the unfriend button. It's OK. The world and your world won't crumble. Just remember, disagreements are not cause to automatically let go, you aren't always going to see eye to eye with someone no matter how much you love them and how much they mean to you, it's not about seeing eye to eye all the time, it's just knowing when to agree to disagree!


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Love the person - Remember what I just wrote above - don't sweep someone out of your life because you don't see eye to eye on sex or politics. Love the person not their politics. Love the person, not who they worship. Love the person, don't worry about what goes on in their bedroom. (unless it's the person you are actually in a relationship with, then you should totally know what's going on in the bedroom).


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - You know nothing about yourself - Ever. You are a constantly changing, ever transforming work in progress. What you feel about politics, sex and religion will change throughout the years. oh, did I say that's OK yet? Because it is. If you can admit you don't always have it all together: (a) you are doing great and (b) be more compassionate of the person across from you (they are juggling shit too).


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Loss - Loss will hit us all eventually. - There is no right way to handle it. There is no wrong way to handle it. And even in cases where you know it's coming, trust me when I tell you that you still won't expect it.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Turn your mess into your miracle - You know that annoying saying 'You can't get rainbows without the rain'? - Sorry to tell you but it's true. Diamonds are formed via High Pressure (um, not from a lump of coal), and that is exactly what life does to you, puts you through high pressure, if you ride through the waves of pressure you come out polished not demolished! My biggest mess: I'm an insomniac - it's hard to turn my brain off - but I realize I've made really good use of the extra time and that my insomnia is probably why I love to read, research, and write.


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - And if you can only remember one golden nugget? - JUST SAY NO! - The more you learn to say it, the happier you will be!

I'm off to make a New Year's Wish List just in time for the New Moon on the 7th! Happy Birthday to my fellow Aries peeps!

Readers Sound Off/Your Take: What Day is your personal new year? What is the most important thing you have learned so far?

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FTC Disclosure:  This is NOT a Sponsored Post, All opinions are 100% my own! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.