Win a pair of tickets to @NYBG 's The Orchid Show: Orchid Evenings #OrchidNYBG and #SpringIntoPhotography with @Ascending1 #PhotographyChallenge

 New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show 2018

Old Man Winter and that groundhog seem to want to  keep New York City in their Vice Grip of cold weather and this butterfly who is a Spring Baby (my birthday is coming up in April) yearns for signs of Spring and sunshine.

I found some amazing signs of Spring at the Media Preview of The Orchid Show at NY Botanical Gardens this week and I can't wait to share!

Daniel Ost, Floral Artist

The annual Orchid Show, now in its 16th year, showcases thousands of dramatically displayed Orchids in the NY Botanical Garden Enid A. Haupt Conservatory featuring a series of installations designed by one of the world's leading floral artists, Daniel Ost.  Ost uses flowers as a means of expression and his large-scale artworks were tailored to compliment the landmark Victorian Styled Conservatory and it's an explosion of texture, form and colors!

If you read my last post you know I made the switch from shooting with Canon to shooting with Nikon and that March is "Spring Into Photography" month on Ascending Butterfly to celebrate all things Photography. At this point in my journalism career I am just as much a Photographer as I am a Writer and last year's PDN Photo Plus Expo really got me fired up about upping my photography skills. This event was the inaugural run with my new Nikon and I am definitely happy I made the switch.

Orchid Flower Wall Installation at New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show 2018

So to celebrate you will see tons of activity on my Instagram so be sure you are following me there. I really want to grow my Instagram a bit more this year as it was one of the last social channels I adopted. All my photos on Instagram this month will be hashtagged: #SpringIntoPhotography and #AscendingButterfly - if you would like to join us add those hashtags to your photos.

There will be fun giveaways in honor of Spring into Photography month, and this one is the first one. Whether it's a Digital Camera or your Smartphone, a good photo is about that combo of hardware and a great subject, and I can't think of a better backdrop for a fun photo challenge.

"Orchid Evenings" from 6:30 - 9:30, combines Music by DJ X-RAY, Cocktails (check out the Dancing Lady Signature Cocktail by Edible Bronx's Head Mixologist), Live Performers and the sublime beauty of the delicate orchids that are allowing visitors to make unique connections on themed 'adult only' evenings that allow for a romantic date night, or even a way for singles to connect and meet. Orchid Evenings are being held Saturdays, March 17, 24, 31, and April 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 & 21 - you are admitted based on the time on your ticket, Entry Times are at 6:30, 7:00 & 7:30 p.m.

$28 for Members and $38 per ticket for non-members, the ticket includes one complimentary beer, wine or cocktail of your choice. Head to the show before your time and hit the gift shop or dine at The Pine Tree Cafe where you can enjoy a special event menu.

If you are into the hashtag trend of taking photos and selfies in front of interesting backdrops like flower walls you are going to LOVE this exhibit, so dress up a bit!

Here's My #FlowerWall #ThinkSpring moment:

A quick video about the exhibit:

WIN IT: 

Ascending Butterfly and The New York Botanical Garden want to help melt away those winter blues and put some 'Spring' back in your step! Enter to win a pair of passes to Orchid Evenings at The Orchid Show at New York Botanical Garden! This Giveaway and ends SOON so you will have a better shot at picking the dates you want to go! Prize does NOT include airfare, hotel or transportation and is based on availability.

Use the rafflecopter widget below to place your entries! (If reading this put the widget to sleep you may need to refresh the page again to get the widget to show up for you so you can place your entries.) Remember Orchid Evenings are on Saturday Night's Only, and you must be 21 years of age or older to claim your passes as there are cocktails being served, this is an ADULT ONLY giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway MY TAKE:

The New York Botanical Garden is one of my favorite 'Urban Oasis' places in Bronx, New York. Being there just adds instant zen to my day. I always love attending the Orchid Show annually, it truly gets me looking forward to all things Spring.

Whether you are single and ready to mingle or lost in love, The Orchid Show has a little something for everyone!

Tip for my "Guy Butterflies": If you are planning to get engaged, this is the perfect backdrop for popping the question!

I took almost 300 photos, so check out Ascending Butterfly's Insta and Pinterest during the month of March for Additional Photos, I knew I couldn't get them all into one post.

Have you ever cultivated an orchid? What is your favorite flower?

(Remember you get extra credit in the giveaway for answering this question as a comment below!)

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FTC Disclosure: No monetary compensation has been received to post our recap of the show or host this giveaway, and all opinions are 100% my own!  We were provided media access to the show for editorial consideration. 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.

Made the switch from @CanonUSA to @NikonUSA with a ton of inspiration from @PhotoPlusExpo I am making March #SpringIntoPhotography Month on #AscendingButterflyBlog

Last year's PDN Photo Plus Expo definitely inspired me, like most expos I am hoping to be able to work more closely with some of the exhibitors so I can bring you more in depth coverage on the hottest products instead of a broad overview that doesn't give enough 'meat'.

I am going to make March 'Spring Into Photography' month on Ascending Butterfly and I plan to open with a great giveaway that will help you improve your photos!

I also made the jump from Canon to Nikon - after 7 years of shooting with Canon pretty much exclusively this wasn't an easy thing to do. Before my Canon I had an Olympus Digital Camera and it was also hard making the switch. My Olympus had been with me for a ton of significant life moments and milestones. It was hard to wrap my mind around a new Camera - but my blog had picked up a lot of momentum by then so when my Olympus conked out I knew I needed an upgrade and that camera was a big upgrade.

But I really want to focus a bit more on my photography and my Canon wasn't giving me the same results it was giving me in the beginning. Instead of waiting for it to die out on me totally I thought I would put the decision in my own hands this time.

Just like when my HP desktop died and I switched to a gaming rig laptop from ASUS, I have been finding change to be a very good thing, and I hope it works this way with my new Nikon as well.

I am going to be honest I am tempted by SONY and I still plan to test them out - if you are wondering - *weight* is a factor that swayed me to NIKON - my CANON was *HEAVY* and I wanted something lighter as I do a lot of commuting throughout the city during the day, I wanted a lighter DSLR but I didn't want to give up picture quality.

I also wanted to be able to transfer photos from my Camera to my Phone wirelessly and Nikon has me covered there as well.

So here is my very first photo shot with my new camera:

I keep these Tarot Cards on my mirror, I was so eager to shoot something I grabbed the first thing I saw, but they are pretty good for a motivation Monday right? Who doesn't want love, strength and fortune?

MY TAKE:

So there is a bit more change on the way as I am contemplating either a site redesign or a complete re-branding. I'm an Aries, so I have a built in need to pioneer and re-invent myself. I have this strong need to revamp literally *everything* this year. On a personal level it's hair, I'm ready for a chop so if it is long enough I will donate the hair to a cancer charity like I did last time with Pantene Beautiful Lengths.

I have been keeping true to my personal and blog theme this year - "Self-Care" and just recently getting over the FLU (which was horrible this year by the way), taking some time for Self Care has been more important than ever.

I will be attending one of my favorite annual events at a New York City Landmark on Tuesday! Another reason I wanted to break in my new camera so I could be ready, this event is a photography lovers dream! If you aren't already make sure to follow @Ascending1 via Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest!

Spill Butterflies: Do you shoot with a Digital Camera/DSLR or do you mostly use your smartphone for capturing the moment? (Your answer may just sway an upcoming giveaway so answer with care and stay tuned!)

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT sponsored  post, nor is it compensated 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 & Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure. Things that lure this butterfly out of her cocoon: Technology, Travel, Fashion, Beauty, Spirits (Sparkling, Champagne, Prosecco, Sake, Bourbon, Craft Brews), Foodie Fun - really I'm such a *simple girl*.