First I got Wet, then Tickled! Not dirty or anything, just some @ConeyIslandFun #ConeyFamilyFun #AmusementPark

While the title might imply something naughty, I promise it was all good, clean, fun! Luna Park Amusement Park at Coney Island hosted a day for bloggers to hit the Park with their families and indulge in a little adrenaline boosting fun on the rides and then enjoy great eats courtesy of Applebees! (I miss their old commercial tagline - 'Eating Good in the Neighborhood'.)

So instead of being that annoying friend that whips out a photo album of a billion pictures, I thought I'd share the fun with you all via slideshow, same great pics, faster way to view them!

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My Take:

Coney Island is one of my fondest memories of childhood and I have to admit I am thrilled that they host a day for bloggers at Luna Park in Coney Island annually to experience the park and get an inside scoop on all the fun things going on. I am also a beach person, so the fact that the park is located centrally to the water is just another all around plus for me! I'm not a mom, but riding Amusement Park rides for the day certainly brings out the little kid in me! And works up an appetite so enjoying some time at Applebees and trying out the new Take Two Menu was a great end to a perfect summer day!

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FTC Disclosure: This recap post is NOT sponsored, however I attended the park as a guest of the Alliance for Coney Island. 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.

Wordless Wednesday: Visit to @AudubonZoo during #NicheMommy12 Part 2 of 2! #NOLA

Asian Domain in the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, Louisiana

I am back to our Wordless Wednesdays from New Orleans series! During the NicheMommy 2012 Blogging Conference in New Orleans I got to sneak in a little time to visit the Audubon Zoo. They brought some of the animals to us, and gave us the opportunity to also visit them! A group of intrepid bloggers headed out for a fun adventure to the Audubon Zoo! We tweeted the Audubon Zoo from the bus on the way over and they tweeted us back! I couldn't fit all my zoo pictures into one post, so I split them and today's focus is on the Asian Domain in the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Check out the cool Elephant Fountain below:

Check out the three elephants in the Asian Domain Area picture below, cool Decorative Fountain!

Close up of one of the Elephant Statues in the Asian Domain area of Audubon Zoo, New Orleans,  Louisiana

Found a lovely spot to Meditate:

Meditating Buddha Statue, Asian Domain, Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, Louisiana

Left: Meditating Buddha Statue, Asian Domain, Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, Louisiana Right: Ascending Butterfly enjoying a moment of reflection!

The Wordless Wednesday series from New Orleans will continue, we still have the Insectarium, some street signs, some supernatural, and some amazing eats to feature from our Journey to New Orleans! And slowly but surely, all of the pictures taken in New Orleans during Niche Mommy 2012 are being added to our Pinterest Page as well so be sure to check them out. On Pinterest you can see them in their original sizes!

Happy Wordless Wednesday Butterflies - Bloggers feel free to link us up to your post too in the comments section below! I look forward to seeing everyone's photos!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been received to post my recap of my day at the Audubon Zoo. However ALL bloggers in attendance at the Niche Mommy Blogging Conference were offered tickets. I attended the conference as a guest of Britax. I am a Britax Hispanic Digital Marketing and Outreach Blogger and Blogger Brand Ambassador.

Wordless Wednesday: Visit to @AudubonZoo during #NicheMommy12 Part 1 of 2! #NOLA

Entrance to Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, 2012 Credit @Ascending Butterfly

I am back to our Wordless Wednesdays from New Orleans series! During the NicheMommy 2012 Blogging Conference in New Orleans I got to sneak in a little time to visit the Audubon Zoo. They brought some of the animals to us, and gave us the opportunity to also visit them! A group of intrepid bloggers headed out for a fun adventure to the Audubon Zoo! We tweeted them from the bus on the way over and they tweeted us back!

Dave from The Audubon Zoo shows bloggers in attendance at Niche Mommy a Spider! Photo Credit: @Ascending Butterfly, 2012. Niche Mommy 2012 was held at The Roosevelt, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New Orleans.

Dave from the Audubon Zoo was showing Spiders and other assorted creepy crawlies, he was very close to where I was eating my Seafood Gumbo and I was afraid one of them would jump into my bowl! You can tell how close he was to where I was sitting by the shot, I was seated, and did NOT use zoom to take this picture!

Rose from The Audubon Zoo shows off an Alligator from the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans!

Rose offered to let me touch it, but despite that sweet looking smile, I declined! It was lunch time and I figured the smell of food all around might make it hungry and it would confuse my hand for chicken fingers!

Rose from The Audobun Zoo shows off an Alligator from the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans!

Thankfully Founder of Niche Mommy Nadia Jones husband wasn't as squeamish and he touched it instead! And to think I once had a Reticulated Python as a pet!

Rose from The Audubon Zoo shows off an Eagle from the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans!

Now this guy I wanted to pet, but they wouldn't let us! This Eagle had so much personality!

Rose from The Audobun Zoo shows off an Eagle from the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans!

The Eagle was totally taking everything and everyone in!

Rose from The Audubon Zoo shows off an Eagle from the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans! Left: Ascending Butterfly, Right: Rose from Audobon Zoo holding an Eagle

Right before this picture was taken, The Eagle looked at me and I moved my head back and then he moved his head back and we were all laughing!

Rose from The Audubon Zoo shows off an Eagle from the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans! Left: Maria from http://bloggingbabiesandthebayou.com, Right: Rose from Audubon Zoo holding an Eagle

Maria got to snap my moment with The Eagle and I got to capture hers too! The poor Eagle was probably getting Flash Blinded from all the bloggers getting pictures! He must have felt like a celebrity and thought we were all paparazzi! The zoo offered bloggers at the conference a chance to visit the zoo, aquarium and insectarium too! So Ascending Butterfly and some intrepid fellow bloggers decided to take the city bus to the zoo and check it out! 

Left: Ascending Butterfly making Peace signs! Right: Christina from http://bluekittycool.org/

Here we are hamming it up on the bus and we also tweeted the Zoo to let them know we enjoyed seeing the Animals at Niche Mommy, and that we were on our way!

Left: Maria from http://bloggingbabiesandthebayou.com, and right: Laura from My Three Ring Circus: http://kileigh7.com/

We were super stoked when the zoo tweeted us right back! New Orleans companies have great Social Media community Managers, because when Maria and I visited the Harrahs Casino in New Orleans, they tweeted us right back too! Pretty Impressive!

A beautiful sunny August Day at the Audubon Zoo, New Orleans!

First up: Flamingo Cafe, we arrived thirsty!

The first animals we see near the Flamingo Cafe? The Flamingos of course! 

I love watching them balance so gracefully on one leg!

Cute Duck Statues!

Disccovery Walk at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans!

It's like 3D Elephant Art at the Audubon Zoo, New Orleans!

We tried to wait for the Elephant to come out from there, but instead I had to zoom in to capture him.  Audubon Zoo, New Orleans!

This guy wouldn't quite turn around either! Audubon Zoo, New Orleans!

Everyone stayed here the longest, this Orangutan truly loves people and hammed it up the most for Christina, I wish I would have filmed him! This pic was shot with my iPod, so no zoom! Audobon Zoo, New Orleans.

Finally got a perfect shot of an animal facing the camera! Isn't this Siberian Tiger just gorgeous? Audubon Zoo, New Orleans!

My mom saw this picture and said it reminds her of ME! LOL Siberian Tiger,  August 2012 Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, USA.

We all needed a break and stopped off for some snacks! This sign was in view from the bench where we sitting! Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, August 2012. It's like they knew Ascending Butterfly was coming, LOL :)

The sign reads:  English: The Monkey is Weaving - a thread of insatiable lusts - on the margins of morning -  he topples a pollen-fall - startles the violet flight - of the butterfly.

I love that it was also translated and posted in Spanish: Los Monos trenzaban un hilo - Interminablemente erotico - En las riberas de la aurora - Derribando muros de polen - Y espantando el vuelo violeta - De las mariposas de Muzo. 

You know if there a butterfly sighting, even if it's just the word butterfly I had to have a picture of it!

We had to hit the gift shop, and this cute elephant was right outside! Audubon Zoo, August 2012, New Orleans.

Saw this sign at the Zoo and had to snap a picture of it! This intrepid group also visit The Insectarium, but that's a whole another post!

There was so much to see and do at the Zoo, that I had to break this into two posts, because I didn't have time to optimize and watermark all the photos in one sitting, so next week will be a whole section of the zoo I visited unto itself, but this last picture was a sign at the zoo, that speaks to another Wordless Wednesday from New Orleans series post, you guessed it, The Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium. But that one will post after the part two for the Zoo pictures!

Don't forget to post a link to your Wordless Wednesday Links here, Happy Wordless Wednesday Butterflies!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been received to post my recap of my day at the Audubon Zoo. However ALL bloggers in attendance at the Niche Mommy Blogging Conference were offered tickets. I attended the conference as a guest of Britax. I am a Britax Hispanic Digital Marketing and Outreach Blogger/Ambassador.

Wordless Wednesday: Who DAT Dog? #NewOrleans #NOLA #Travel

Blue Dog by George Rodrigue

Back to our New Orleans themed Wordless Wednesdays! These were taken during my August trip to the Niche Mommy 2012 Blogging Conference in New Orleans!

Blue Dog by George Rodrigue

Who DAT Dog?

Look carefully to the right of the Red Dog, see my hand and watch in the reflection of the glass as I snapped this picture?

I got to snap quite a few photos of the famous dog while I was out and about in New Orleans, but I was always curious about this dog and did a little research, The Blue Dog by George Rodrigue was inspired by the myth of the 'Loup-Garou', inspired by a book of Cajun Ghost Stories (Bayou, Inkwell, 1984). Described as a 'werewolf-type' dog, the artist familiar with the legend as he had heard it often as a boy, could find no specific image for the loup-garou and he set out to create it. Using photos of his studio dog Tiffany, who had died years earlier, he painted an image under a blue night sky of a grey blue dog with red eyes. Over time the dog's eyes were changed to yellow to make it a bit friendlier to audiences, but The Blue Dog (there is even a Cafe with the same name in New Orleans) is known not just in Louisiana but everywhere! As horror and mystery are my favorite genres and vampire and werewolf lore are favorite reads (and movies) of mine, I was fascinated to learn the history behind this iconic dog!

The Red Dog Sign Rotated and became Blue Dog Again! There's my reflection in the Glass again!

Unfortunately this shot captured too much 'noise' I think I was still zooming when it snapped.

Happy Wordless Wednesday Butterflies! Feel free to link up your WW photos in the comments below!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. I am under no obligation to share my photos from my trip to New Orleans for the Niche Mommy Blogging Conference!

Wordless Wednesday: Gravier Street, New Orleans #NOLA

More New Orleans Photos from my trip to the Niche Mommy Conference, these were all taken on Gravier Street!

Gravier Street Sign, New Orleans

Statue on Gravier Street, New Orleans

Statue on Gravier Street, New Orleans

Feel free to post the link to your Wordless Wednesday Photo in the comments! Happy Wordless Wednesday Butterflies!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. I am under no obligation to share my photos of my New Orleans trip to the Niche Mommy Conference!

Wordless Wednesday: Harrahs Casino in New Orleans!

Isn't this is a great shot of the Harrahs sign? I'm pretty please with myself on this shot, this is NOT a PR shot, it's mine!

During my trip to the Niche Mommy Blogging Conference in New Orleans, I got to sneak in some time to visit the Harrahs Casino in New Orleans which is within walking distance of The Roosevelt Hotel, (the conference was held at this hotel and this is where I stayed, amazing hotel with so much within walking distance!) here are some pictures:

Harrahs NOLA,  New Orleans Casino - I took this shot while on my way to the Insectarium!

Harrahs NOLA,  New Orleans Casino at night!

Harrahs NOLA,  New Orleans Casino (Left: Ascending Butterfly!)

Harrahs NOLA,  New Orleans Casino, (Left: Ascending Butterfly!)

Get Social With It:

I got to visit the Casino with a great blogger pal Maria from http://bloggingbabiesandthebayou.com we visited during the evening and then I got a day shot of the exterior the day we went to the Insectarium, but the cool part is that we Tweeted the Casino to tell them we had a great time, and they tweeted us right back! Don't you love when brands use their Social Media to truly 'engage'? I know I do!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Tweet with @harrahsnola on twitter

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 'Like' them on Facebook too (and of course don't forget to tell them you saw them featured on Ascending Butterfly!)

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. I have NOT been compensated to share my experiences at The Harrah's New Orleans Casino. Please Gamble Responsibly! ;-)

Wordless Wednesday: City Park in New Orleans +

We are continuing with our Niche Mommy 2012 Blogging Conference in New Orleans Wordless Wednesday Series, I am going to take you through the conference and the City in pictures!

It started with the Airport, followed by some shots of The Roosevelt Hotel, these that I'm sneaking in today are a little out of sequence, these probably should have been posted technically before the Roosevelt, because I took a quick visit through City Park in New Orleans right from the airport before checking in to the hotel. I will also be adding all pictures to our special conference pinterest board, you may want to go there to see full size shots!

After a delayed flight (do Jet Blue Flights ever depart on time?), with no in flight entertainment (there was a short in the wire under my seat and the seat next to me), thank God for iPods, and then running straight to the Welcome Cocktail Reception, it was so great to be greeted by The Roosevelt's turn down service with Robe and Chocolates on the pillow!

So now you've seen the airport, City Park, The Roosevelt, and The 'Britax Angels', next week it's on to the conference's official day one!

How is first day of school week coming along for everyone? As for me, I promise I wasn't missing in action this week, I had a bout of Food Poisoning! Not quite the best timing with it being the advent of Fashion Week here in New York City!

Happy Wordless Wednesday Butterflies!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post!

Wordless Wednesday - The Welcome to New Orleans #NicheMommy12 Edition!

I thought I'd share my New Orleans Pictures across the next couple of weeks as a series of Wordless Wednesday's, I'm posting them in order of my arrival so you can get a feel for everything I got to see. Here is my welcome to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (IATA: MSY)!

Welcome to New Orleans International Airport!

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States.

This was my fourth time flying on Jet Blue, and while all the flights I've taken on Jet Blue have been a huge #failwhale, my visit to the city was phenomenal!

Join me in prayer for New Orleans and all in the eye of the storm! It seems impossible that on the 7th anniversary of Katrina, yet another Hurricane/Tropical Storm has hit New Orleans again! I met so many wonderful people during my visit, locals as well as local bloggers and my heart is certainly with them all right now!

As you know I have a created a Pinterest Board for my New Orleans visit, and you can go there to see all the pictures so far, every few days I'll post new ones!

Happy Wordless Wednesday Butterflies! Feel free to link us to your Wordless Wednesday post in your comment!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. I am under no obligation to share photos or recaps of my Niche Mommy Conference Experience or my photos of the city.