#photos from the @coneyislandusa @ConeyIslandFun #ConeyComeback of @LunaParkNYC, @WonderWheelPark, & @NewYorkAquarium

As you know my butterflies, I am a Bronx Zoo Blogger Brand Ambassador, and I was recently invited to check out the New York Aquarium which is also operated by the Wildlife Conservation Society. And I have  to thank them because they allowed me to invite some of my favorite blogger buddies to join in the fun as well. And you know more bloggers means more fun right? :)

Fun Fact: Coney Island is home to the only aquarium in New York City: the New York Aquarium

We have definitely featured both the Zoo and Aquarium before, in fact the Bronx Zoo, The New York Aquarium and Coney Island made our top 10 list of family friendly things to do in New York City last year, we thank you for all the positive feedback we received on that post, in case you missed it, press HERE to check that one out.

As you may remember, Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc and the Aquarium was very badly damaged in it's wake, but you know nothing can keep New Yorkers down, and thanks to donations and very hard work on the part of the staff, the Aquarium is in the process of re-building, they are under-going a 3 year construction project to bring it back bigger and better than ever, but they are very much open for business! So if visiting Coney Island and the Aquarium is a part of your summer ritual as it has always been for my family, you can keep the tradition alive!

Our morning started out with a great breakfast:

Chocolate French Toast with Whipped Cream, Yes Please! Add chocolate chip pancakes, eggs, sausages and bacon to the mix and of course a glass of Orange Juice and you've got a very filling breakfast.

We then heard from The Alliance for Coney Island which is a nonprofit organization that brings together businesses, community organizations and residents dedicated to continuing the transformation of Coney Island into a year-round, recreational oceanfront destination and improve the quality of life for visitors, businesses and residents alike. As visiting Coney Island has been a fun tradition for me since childhood I'm so glad to see the Alliance working hard to make it better and better and safer and safer too.

They had some fun trivia raffles and my friend Laura from the blog My 3 Ring Circus won a Luna Park Beach Ball:

Laura from My 3 Ring Circus Blog

I had to catch a shot of her hamming it up! Here is one of us both hamming it up inside the Aquarium:

Left: Tracy from Ascending Butterfly and Right: Laura from My 3 Ring Circus

Then it was off to the Sea Lion Celebration at the newly renovated Aquatheater at The New York Aquarium:

They use three different Sea Lions during the performance, and they each have their own personalities, they are all total hams!

This shot below is one of my favorite moments from the show, he is just totally enjoying the love:

I took WAY too many pictures of the Sea Lions so please check out our Pinterest Page and check out additional photos from the Sea Lion Show that didn't make this post for lack of space!

At the end you get the chance to get up close and personal!

Don't be scared, he is just saying HELLO! (really loud!) :)

After the show we walked through the Aquarium to check out some of the fish, check out this 'little guy':

Again, I took a lot of shots, so check out our Coney Island/New York Aquarium board on Pinterest for more fun photos!

and then we hit the famous Boardwalk:

Left: Ascending Butterfly and Right: Mama Butterfly

Had I had more time I would have looked for a picture of us when I was little for #ThrowbackThursday, but that could take awhile so here is the photo we took together from this trip! (Hey bloggers who attended the BlogHer Conference last year, do you recognize that bag I'm carrying?)

I also had to ham it up with my blogger friend Issa from Single Mama NYC who I met at the first BlogHer conference I ever attended! Who knew that one night sitting at the same table during a blogging conference would lead to a friendship? So bloggers when you wonder what the most valuable thing you gain from conferences are, it's friendships, a network of great friends you can rely on!

It was time for my blogging buds to feed their little ones (I don't have little butterflies of my own), so we all split up for lunch, some of us hit Nathan's, and me and mama butterfly hit up a boardwalk spot for some rawbar deliciousness as we love Clams and Oysters! Then it was time for some fun on the rides! Gotta stop and get these first:

One of the first rides we tackled was Wild River at Luna Park!

That's Ascending Butterfly taking the front seat on Wild River at Luna Park NYC at Coney Island!

With the infamous Coney Island Mermaid Parade coming up this Saturday, I just had to capture this shot where the seahorse is holding the sign that reads "Mermaid Parade".

Thankfully the historic B&B Carousell has returned to Coney Island's Luna Park. For me, the Central Park Carousel and the B&B Carousell are cherished parts of my childhood!

To say I had fun would be an understatement! And if you are wondering what weekend would be a good one to visit? How about THIS one! With Fireworks on Friday Night and The Mermaid Parade this Saturday there couldn't possibly be a better weekend to hit Coney Island and The New Aquarium too! (Just remember butterflies, these are NOT your mama's mermaids so use your discretion as to whether or not you want to bring little ones with you for the Parade). And of course you can't miss Deno's Wonder Wheel while you are there!

What is YOUR favorite Coney Island Memory?

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been received to share our event recap coverage. We were fed, entertained, got to ride the rides and were given a gift bag! All opinions expressed herein are 100% my own. I ♥ Coney Island!  :-)

Weekly Moment of Gratitude + New York City + Tony Awards, cc @ConeyIslandFun, @WonderWheelPark, @TheWCS, @LunaParkConeyIs

What I am grateful for:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Time Spent Re-Exploring my City! - I'm super grateful to the Alliance for Coney Island and the Wildlife Conservation Society for inviting us over to Brooklyn to visit the New York Aquarium, Coney Island's Luna Park, and Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park. I will post a full recap of my wonderful experience with pictures very soon! Thankfully post Hurricane Sandy, Coney Island is back and stronger than ever!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tonys! - This has been an amazing year at the theatre, and I am super excited for tonight's Tony Awards! I am Team Kinky Boots and I hope they come out on top tonight!

I have been keeping my own daily list of things I am grateful for and taking time to acknowledge my blessings daily. A bit of concentrated focus on what you do have, instead of on what you lack or need, can make a huge shift in your life!

What are YOU most grateful for today Butterfly?

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What are you grateful for today? I'd love for you to write in and share what you are grateful for this week. The more you say it, the more you speak it, and the more you live in gratitude, the more you will find reasons to be grateful for, and the more reasons that the universe will send you to be grateful for. So join me on this journey of gratitude and inspiration. And you can post here daily (even though my list will be posted weekly).

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me on Twitter here (@Tracy_Iglesias) Twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field at Twitter:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias This Week's 'Moment of Gratitude' and Active Giveaways!  - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

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Winner Announcements Upcoming!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - As I have had back to back conferences, meetings and events both evenings and weekends for the past two months, I have not had a chance to process the entries for our Got Milk? Giveaway Basket, entries are currently being processed and I hope to announce the two winners very soon and have a fun new giveaway posted this week! Thanks so much for your patience butterflies!

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Gratitude Journal Reco:

For those of you who are interested in keeping a gratitude journal this year, here is my recommendation and where to purchase it (I love that it gives you writing prompts for when you feel stuck on what to say!):

Make this Your Best Day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, all opinions are 100% my own. Journal Recommendation uses an Amazon Affiliate Link. Questions about our Disclosure? Please visit: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/p/disclosure-policy.html

There are some animals that REALLY need YOUR Help! - New York Aquarium Devasted by Hurricane Sandy!

While I know a ton of people have taken time to personally text to donate to the Red Cross, and some who donated during the Hurricane Relief Fundraising Televised Concert, I just wanted to post about a New York Landmark that was very hard hit, and desperately needs help! (and yes I am well aware with a Gas Shortage in the City everyone's budgets are already stretched a bit thin!)

All 14 acres of the New York Aquarium were overtaken by surge waters during the storm, creating significant and long-lasting damage throughout the park. Located just off the beach at Coney Island, the 14-acre aquarium was completely overtaken by water. They are working on restoring life support systems and have restored power to two exhibits. Water is still being pumped out of areas that house crucial operating systems.

The primary concern remains the health of the thousands of animals, many of whom will be relocated to other aquariums if power cannot be restored within a safe time-frame. Next comes the long process of repairing and rebuilding.

Mitik, orphaned Walrus Calf being cared for by NY Aquarium Staff during Hurricane Sandy 2012,  @Julie Larsen Maher @WCS

During Hurricane Sandy, 22 dedicated aquarium staff remained on duty throughout the storm (24 hours a day!), working nonstop to protect and care for the animals as the waters rose and the winds battered the coast. This was especially crucial for the safety of Mitik, the orphaned walrus calf who only recently arrived and whose pre-existing health issues require constant attention.

Flood waters engulf the New York Aquarium's Sea Cliffs exhibit. Hurricane Sandy 2012. @Julie Larsen Maher @WCS

That same staff has continued to work around the clock to restore operating systems critical to thousands of animals in the Aquarium's care. They have established temporary life support for the aquatic systems, are pumping flood waters out of basements and mechanical areas, and are working to restore filtration and other life support essential for the exhibit and holding tanks.

PLEASE HELP:

New York and the United States at large are always quick to send aid to others and now we sound the alarm, one of our Major Landmarks (and a fond part of most New Yorkers childhoods, cherished moments with family as well as visitors to our fair city) is in JEOPARDY! Please click HERE to help the animals, no donation is too small!

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FTC Disclosure: I am a Wildlife Conservation Society Blogger Ambassador. However this is NOT a sponsored post, this post is entirely non-compensated and all opinions expressed herein are 100% my own. I am an Avid Animal Lover, and Life Long New Yorker and want to see this cherished landmark get the help it needs!

Things to do with the little ones this weekend: Boo at the Zoo! and Ascarium! Score some fun freebies too!

Boo at the Zoo!

As part of the month long Boo at the Zoo  festivities at New York's famous Bronx Zoo, they are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Goosebumps - Scholastic’s bestselling series by fright-master R.L. Stine. This weekend, October 20th and 21st, the first 1,000 kids aged 14 and under to arrive at the zoo will get a FREE copy of a Goosebumps book from Scholastic. 

Don't forget if you Buy 4 or more tickets you will receive an exclusive, limited-edition Boo at the Zoo Snake Hat Free when you visit during Boo at the Zoo, weekends now through October 28th. Children 12 and under wearing a Halloween costume will receive free general admission with one paid adult general admission! SCORE!

 

Thrills, Chills and Cute Animals too!

New York Aquarium 'Ascarium'

And don't forget to check out the New York Aquarium, also known as the 'Ascarium' for Halloween, Get ready for spooktacular fun at the Aquarium’s annual Halloween Celebration! This season’s Ascarium is a swashbuckling pirate adventure with nautical and pirate-themed activities for aquarium-goers of all ages. You and your little ones can journey through the Haunted Seafari Adventure, experience spooky pirate tales, enjoy sea shanty musical performances and gypsy dancers, and play pirate games of skill. 

Don’t miss the special Halloween 4-D feature, The Curse of Skull Rock, after collecting treats and venturing into the Haunted Seafari!

And don't forget, kids in costume get in for free. Each child (ages 3-12; children under 3 are free) in costume will receive a free child's general admission with the purchase of one full-priced adult general admission ticket. Limit two per family, may not be combined with any other offer.

Both the Zoo and Aquarium will be offering 'Treat Stations' making your visit to each that much sweeter!

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Disclaimer: Ascending Butterfly is participating in a sponsored ambassador program from the Bronx Zoo/NY Aquarium. As a part of this program we have received paid advertising compensation, a premium family membership and merchandise for placement of digital advertisements and specific postings related to programming. However all opinions are 100% my own. And I have been visiting this particular zoo since my childhood!

NYC Summer Fun! My Top 10 list of Family Friendly New York City Things To Do! {Photos}

With a ton of bloggers about to descend upon Manhattan for the BlogHer Conference (where I will be Live Blogging), I know invariably some will be bringing family and many of you extending your stay for a few days to take in all the family friendly sites New York City has to offer!

My Top Ten Family Friendly Fun things to do in New York City include:

1) OK so I'm a bit biased here and will start with the fact that there are three major NYC family friendly landmarks in my 'backyard' - Take in a game at Yankee Stadium. Summer is synonymous with Yankee Games for most New Yorkers and the stadium is just a train ride away no matter where in the city you may find yourself.

2) A little more bias here, and even closer to my home is The Bronx Zoo, check out this link for a major discount on tickets! Yes I am a Wildlife Conservation Society Blogger Brand Ambassador, but I have been visiting the zoo since I was a kid, and the tradition continues today with my nieces and nephews. Our summer isn't complete until we have visited the zoo, there is always something new going on there!

The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York

3) Also near me is the New York Botanical Gardens. The Gardens are as fun and as family friendly as it gets, your prettiest photos are going to come from here!

Central Park, New York City

4) Central Park and the Central Park Zoo - It would be difficult to do the park in one day as there is so much to do and see, but the Central Park Zoo is a must visit with your family.

Coney Island, Brooklyn New York

5) Coney Island - The amusement park and beach are a NYC landmark. This is just plain fun.

Rye Playland, Rye New York

6) Rye Playland - Another New York Amusement Park, it's a bit further out but not difficult to reach.

The New York Aquarium, Brooklyn, New York

7) The New York Aquarium - Another one of my favorite annual summer things to do, it's family friendly and kids love watching the animal feedings!

View of Lady Liberty from Smooth Jazz Cruise, photo used WITH permission

Staten Island Ferry, New York City

8) Statue of Liberty - There are tons of way to see her, but us locals still recommend seeing her from the Staten Island Ferry! I got to see her last year from the Smooth Jazz Cruise and had a fantastic time!

Museum of Natural History, New York City

9) The Museum of Natural History - Not that any of the museums in 'museum mile' should be missed, but this one is hands down the most family fun of all them all.

Empire State Building, New York City

10) Empire State Building - The view of NYC from the Empire State Building is bar none, that's why it's been in numerous movies and tv shows throughout the years. Just please be prepared that there is a security line to contend with and a long ride to the top. Only you know how well your child handles long lines and LOTS of people. and depending on their age, they might not find all that work to get to the top is worth it.

Any bloggers coming in that need additional recos, please feel free to comment here!

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FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, I am a Britax Latina Advisory Board Member and Blogger. I am also a Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Society Blog Ambassador. All opinions are 100% my own.