A peek at the must have #Beauty Brands that @beautypress #Spotlight Day put on my radar

Beauty Press Spotlight Day has quickly become one of my favorite Press Events to attend in New York City. They have helped me discover Beauty Brands that are completely new to me or new products from old favorites as well as one-to-one time directly with the brands, oftentimes with the Founders of the Brand which is certainly a rare treat.

On such a cold day, these signs of Spring were certainly a site for sore eyes!

So Backsplash shots aka 'Step and Repeats' are becoming the norm at most events, and despite the fact I have been blogging for a long time now, I have always been camera shy, but they got me coming in! LOL

Right: Ascending Butterfly - Rocking one of my favorite jackets from Wilson's Leather, that green color always cheers me up!

After the backsplash my first stop was something warm and Filicori Zecchini Coffee was just what the Doctor ordered! They warmed me up and perked me up!

They have a location on 46th and Madison so if you are in the area you should definitely stop by!

Ceci Cela Patisserie

We were super lucky that Ceci Cela Patisserie brought the French cafe experience directly from NYC's Nolita neighborhood right to us, as their sweet delights paired perfectly with our coffee.

Ceci Cela Patisserie Pastries Display at BeautyPress Spotlight Day February 2014 - All I can say is that everything tasted as good as it looks!

I normally get so wrapped up at events that I end up invariably having to skip the Beauty Treatments because the lines are long, so for once I opted to think about ME first for a change. And I signed up for a Blow Out with the lovely team at Blo Blow Dry Bar! I felt like a superstar afterwards:

A great blow out always makes my day so much brighter!

Blo is North America's Original Blow Dry Bar. They started in 2007 with one vital question 'Why isn't there a place for quick, affordable catwalk-quality blow outs?', they now have 39 locations across North America. My neighborhood doesn't have one and certainly needs one, hmm....Maybe I went for Beauty and will come out thinking about inquiring on my own Franchise!

Even Mama Butterfly got in on the fun and as you can tell she loved her Blow Out too!

I figured I'd keep the hair theme after my blow out and hit the Dear Clark booth:

Let's face it, how could I pass up a 'Hair Revival'?

Stylists Holly Dear and Kaycee Clark (Dear Clark, get it?) created this range of effective, natural based and locally sourced products to help bring stressed hair back to life. With ingredients from the deep heart of the Lone Star State and a signature scent crafted from pure and powerful essential oils and one that as a Latina I am quite familiar with:

One of the ingredients Dear Clark uses in their haircare products is Rose of Jericho, known as 'the Resurrection Flower'

One of their ingredients is Rose of Jericho, known as 'the Resurrection Flower', it survives years in West Texas desert yet regenerating instantly when water is present, as a haircare ingredient it delivers amazing hydration and anti-aging properties too!

Following right along with the Haircare theme I had to visit the team behind Design Essentials, because even though I blow it out, I have naturally wavy hair and I like to keep up with thelatest products for my hair type!

On their website you can purchase Hair Care Packages specifically based on your hair concerns which saves time and eliminates the guessing behind which products will work best for your hair needs.

I am a big fan of monthly box subscriptions that allow you to try out a variety of new products and figure out which work best for you before you commit to a full size, one of the fun takeaways from BeautyPress Spotlight Day this time around was the CurlKit box that contained a ton of goodies for curly and natural hair (mine included: III Sisters of Nature Spiral Pudding, U R Curly Still Control for edges (free of alcohol, parabens, sulfates, silicones, and Dyes and enriched with Abyssinian Oil), Hante Textures Tea Tree Conditioner with Peppermint Oil (Detangles, Hydrates and Stimulates Scalp), Honey Hair Mask Detangling Deep Conditioner, Hante Textures Hair & Skin Butter, An assortment of products from NothingButHairCare.com, Pooka Sandalwood Rose Body Oil, and Mixed Chicks Trial and Travel Pack)

Before switching out of Hair themed products I thought a cocktail just might be in order and decided I'd try "The Gojipolitan":

The Gojipolitan includes Fresh Goji Berries, FAIR Quinoa Vodka, FAIR Goji Liquer, Triple Sec and Fresh Lemon Juice, it is DELICIOUS!!!

I wish there was 'tastovision' so I could share one of these with you. I had no idea that a Quinoa Vodka would taste so good!

Tasting Notes:

"Clear very neutral aromas and flavors suggest cream, cake and minerals with a very soft, dryish light-to-medium body and exquisitely smooth custard, dried fruit, and limestone accented finish. A superbly silky, elegant, and delicious Vodka that is fantastic on it's own and will be perfect in cocktails"

Fair Spirits. Fair Trade. FAIR Quinoa Vodka is bottled in France.

Have you ever wanted Beauty Mark? How about one you can move and remove? The team at Beauty Mark showed off their temporary Beauty Marks, I'm thinking a Butterfly Beauty Mark should be created just for Ascending Butterfly!

Absolute New York/NickaK New York is a contemporary beauty brand founded in the heart of New York, and they were showing off their temporary Beauty Marks.

Clique by Roble was back again at BeautyPress Spotlight Day:

This time they brought along some wonderful Body Butters to go with their fragrance (which we covered before HERE). I am LOVING this Body Butter, it is super thick and a little goes a long way. The scent is sweet but not clawing and really lasts, you could wear it alone quite frankly or layer it by wearing the fragrance in conjunction. I love this Body Butter right after a hot shower when my skin is still slightly damp and warm, it helps the body butter spread easier and just sinks into the skin.

I'm an Argan Oil Fanatic, so I was super happy to meet the team at DermOrganic, who sent us home with a full size collection of their products including: Soapless Facial Cleanser with Moroccan Argan Extract (purifies, clarifies and moisturizes), Hand and Body Moisture Lotion, 100% Pure Argan Oil Organic Moisturizer for hair and skin, and a Facial Moisturizer also with Moroccan Argan Extract in a sheer formula that absorbs quickly.

I share their motto: Minimal Ingredients. Maximum Benefits. They are Vegan, and NO Animal Testing!

I would definitely love to try their haircare next!

For Wordless Wednesday I gave you guys a sneak peek at the brand I met next, Dolluxe:

Dolluxe includes several brands including Gothic Lolita Wigs, RockStar Wigs, and Cosplay Wigs.

We got to go home with the fun eyelashes that will help turn this butterfly into a living doll:

I'm thinking some of their RockStar Wigs would be adorable for Coachella this weekend!

And although I am pretty well blessed in the Melanin Department I got to meet the team behind Fake Bake and their products are definitely brilliant to help you keep that sun kissed glow year round!

And my pals tell me Fake Bake is the new pantyhose! Instead of wearing hosiery in the summer many of my pals use this instead.

The LASHEM Brand also showed off a wide variety of products, and sent us home with a cute kit that included their False Eyelashes, Instant Lash Extensions with RegenaLash (For Longer Lashes and Fuller Brows in just 4-6 weeks), Lipo Lotion Tummy Toning and Cellulite Smoothing System (Designed to Diminish Dimples and Tone Skin), and Liquid Eyeliner with Lash Enhancing Serum.

I would love to try their new Ultrasonic Beauty Massager that is to be used in conjunction with the Lipo Lotion to help speed up the results!

Don't you love when you are wearing a fragrance that makes total strangers approach you just to ask you what you are wearing? Prepare for the onslaught with one of my favorite discoveries at this BeautyPress Spotlight Day, Spadaro Luxury Fragrances.

I love all the scents, but our editors favorite was definitely Doux Amour! A rare blend of floral essences - Ylang Ylang, Casablanca Lily, Moroccan Jasmine, Patchouli, Rare Amber, Sandalwood and a sheer veil of Vanilla - it's just an absolutely beautiful fragrance! The founder, Kim Spadaro, whose mom encouraged her creativity while her travels inspired her fragrances, donates a portion of the proceeds of Spadaro Products to The Spadaro Foundation which was created as a tribute to Kim's Mom who passed away on 1/1/11.

My Take:

Beauty Press delivered a great mix of brands I know and trust and brands that were new to me in an environment that is always conducive to not only networking but getting in those questions and one-on-one time that I find truly invaluable. While I still very much have to attend tradeshows, I find that Spotlight Days feel less like 'work' and more like a discovery zone which I appreciate. There were some brands that showed support with gift bag inclusions that weren't in attendance including Adovia, Foreo, Niki Saint Pierre Botanical Cosmeceuticals, Seaflora and South Beach Skin Solutions, as I use these products I will give them their own day in the sun in an upcoming post so stay tuned!

Butterflies which brand resonates most with you? Which one would you most like to try? Let them know you saw them featured on Ascending Butterfly so we can hopefully come back with something fun for YOU too!

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FTC Disclosure: I am a member of the Beauty Press Network. This is NOT a compensated post, it is an event recap. This is NOT a sponsored post 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.

@beautypress @RockStarWigs @CosplayWigs @lolitawigs @DolluxeUSA Bring out the purdy lil Easter Bunny in me! #WordlessWednesday

Find out what event I saw this at (and so much MORE) by coming back tomorrow for a full and very fun recap coverage post that is sure to put some new beauty goodies on your radar!

Happy Wordless Wednesday Butterflies! Bloggers feel free to link up by leaving your link as a comment below so we can hop on over to your photo this week too! (Please No Giveaway Links, Thank You! Photos only!)

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a Sponsored Post.

{#Broadway Alert} Go see #MothersAndSons! @MothersSonsBway #Theatre

One of the best parts of being a born and raised New York City Girl is the Theatre. My mom loves Broadway and it's one of the first things she introduced me to. It's been a lifelong love ever since. While I have mixed feelings about Musicals (always have) - don't get me wrong I love Music and I love theatre, but have always had mixed feelings about folks breaking into song every few minutes. Thankfully over the years many have blown me away, but for me drama, (the non singing every two seconds kind), is very much what the theater is about for me.




I recently had the opportunity to enjoy Mothers and Sons while it was still in preview.

ABOUT:

The play centers on Katharine Gerard (portrayed by Tyne Daly), who pays an unexpected visit to the New York apartment of her late son's partner, who is now married to another man and has a young son. Katharine finds herself challenged to face how society has changed while generations collide as she revisits the past and begins to fully see the life her son led in spite of her disapproval.

CAST:

Katharine Gerard - Portrayed by Tyne Daly - She created this role in the world premiere of Mothers and Sons at Bucks County Playhouse and in 2011 was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame. Her TV credits include Six nominations and FOUR Emmy Awards for Cagney & Lacey.

Cal Porter - Portrayed by Frederick Weller  - His Broadway credits include Glengarry Glen Ross, Take Me Out, Seascape, The Rehearsal, The Little Foxes and Six Degrees of Separation.

Will Ogden - Portrayed by Bobby Steggert - Like Tyne, he originated this role at Bucks County Playhouse, his Broadway credits also include: Big Fish, Ragtime, and 110 in the Shade.

Bud Ogden-Porter -  Portrayed by Grayson Taylor - is making his Broadway Debut in Mothers and Sons after originating the role of Bud at Bucks County Playhouse.

My Take:

The Golden Theater was actually just the perfect size, it lent enough intimacy to truly focus the audience right in on all the action. Katharine certainly shakes things up when she arrives suddenly at the home of her son's former partner, but in the process the layers slowly peel away leaving her exposed, revealing her vulnerability and at the core of it all is a Mother. A Mother who has lost her son. (it is revealed she has also lost her husband and is truly alone.) A Mother who lost the larger part of her son's adulthood because she couldn't accept his choices. It is a powerful story, one that to some degree is that much more powerful because the storyteller lived it. To help paint a clearer picture on the backstory, please read A Playwright's Status Report - McNally's 'Mothers and Sons' Gauges a Changed America By Patrick Healy of the New York Times.

The complex relationship between Mothers and Sons, what comprises a 'modern family', and the difficulties same-sex couples experience in society all make for a well written emotional rollercoaster where one moment the audience is laughing and then crying the next. It is moving and compelling and I urge you to see it!

Charitable Auction:

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids is currently taking bids for a chance to have drinks with Tyne Daly, Terrence McNally, Bobby Steggert and Frederick Weller after a performance of Mothers and Sons on Broadway via CharityBuzz.com.

For all my Butterflies out there who are Mothers how do you deal with decisions your adult children make that you do not agree with? Have you personally dealt with a parent who refused to accept your life choices? If so, how did you handle it?

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FTC Disclosure: Ascending Butterfly was provided Press Tickets to Mothers and Sons 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. All opinions are 100% my own! No monetary compensation has been exchanged!

Recap of 2014 New York Times Travel Show - Top Takeaways and #Travel News!

By the time you read this I will be well underway to somewhere fun to celebrate my birthday this weekend! Perfect how it fell on a Friday this year!

I love to travel and jumped at the chance to take in the New York Times Travel Show this year (at what is beginning to feel like my second home this year, The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City). I was born and raised in the North East US so I naturally gravitate to warmer climate travel options, but I also wanted to learn more about Destinations I haven't yet visited, and travel options like Cruising which I haven't yet tried.

It is super easy to get distracted with all the sights, sounds, color and excitement at the show that's for sure, so I highly suggest journalists (be it print or digital) take some time in the Press Area to get organized and solidify your plan of attack. If you have a general idea you can explore the Trade Show by zones and speaking to the representatives will give you a better idea of which destination and property are the best fit for you.

I wanted to recap the show both with Photos, as well as new news and top takeaways:

"Take 2" Shuttle Transfer Service

As someone who doesn't drive I was excited to learn about Universal Orlando's latest offering "Take 2" Shuttle Transfer Service. Vacationing in Central Florida and forgot to book a rental car or just don't even want to do all the driving? For only $39 per adult be sure to add on 'The Take 2 Shuttle Transfer Ticket' - then enjoy meet and greet transfer service provided by Quick Transportation from your Walt Disney World hotel to your Universal Orlando Resort on -site hotel and then to Orlando International Airport (MCO) via Taxi Sedan/Van.

Her skirt reads 'Dushi Hende'  which is an interesting initiative by the Curaçao Tourist Board 

Tropical rhythms from the folks representing Antigua and Barbuda!

Ceylon Enterprises Group of SRI LANKA provided a moment of Zen!

Now you know butterflies will always catch my eye! I have yet to visit the Dominican Republic, but would like to!

of course I had to get a close up, the Dominican Republic Booth had handcrafted items available for sale at their display booth during the New York Times Travel Show

Tourism Malaysia had such an eye-catching display I just had to stop!

Sea World had live animals in their display area so needless to say they drew quite a crowd! 

Sea World Display Area at 2014 New York Times Travel Show

I have to admit I have never visited Sea World!

Sea World Display Area at 2014 New York Times Travel Show

Everyone thought this little guy was some kind of animatronic robot but he is REAL! It was the smallest, cutest, sweetest bird ever! I so wanted to touch it.

Owl Above: In fact this sweet little guy is a rescue! Kudos to Sea World for taking care of him. His movements were slow and deliberate he really did look like a little robot, and it was only with trainer handling that the crowd was able to understand he is real. Those eyes were so soulful they drew everyone in!

I spent the most time speaking with 'Da Pineapple Guy' he truly embodied the 'Aloha Spirit'

Don't leave Hawaii without calling 'Da Pineapple Guy' so you can bring back the sweetest trip souvenir - Fresh Pineapple and Fresh Papayas!

I spent the most time speaking with 'Da Pineapple Guy', who offers an awesome Pineapple Delivery Service. I LOVE that! My most cherished memories of many of my warm weather vacations are actually fruit related in some way. In Puerto Rico it was eating Mangoes fresh from the tree from the Farm of a local while enjoying the view from the comfort of my Balcony for Breakfast one morning. On another trip it was the Breadfruit I ate in Barbados at The Round House Restaurant taking in the spectacular view of the rugged East Coast of Barbados. The Pineapple Guy can arrange to have the Tropical Gold variety of pineapples (which have been proven to be the sweetest and lowest acid pineapples available in Hawaii, grown on the north shore of Oahu) sent right to your door or your hotel the day before you leave. They are picked fresh daily, inspected & pre-certified making them airport ready and you can also arrange to have Papayas delivered as well. Out of all the vendors there he truly asked me genuine questions about what it is I do and the business side of blogging. He is a proud dad, and someone who showed me a taste of true Aloha Spirit. I have never visited Hawaii, but my time with him certainly bumped this beautiful destination up my travel wish list! There are even instructional videos on his site on how to cut a Pineapple. You can tell his heart is in his work, his family and his homeland. It was really cool to make a genuine connection with someone there that went beyond a sort of rote memory bullet points, someone who was just so in the moment, it brought me back into focus! I also left his booth with dark chocolate Macadamia Nuts, and Hershey's Macadamia covered kisses, both of which I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE and now I  need to arrange a trip to go get some more!

Zoetry - Paraiso De La Bonita - Riviera Maya

Zoetry also drew us in with the colorful and tropical displays.You can indulge yourself in The Art of Life at Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita Riviera Maya, a luxurious, secluded retreat combining Endless Privileges with holistic wellness, tranquility, and romance. It is Perfectly situated along Cancun's famed Riviera Maya, this AAA Five Diamond resort offers magnificent ocean views, graciously appointed suites, gourmet dining, Bvlgari Bath Amenities (my personal faves!) and more. I love Mexico and I try to visit there as often as my schedule permits!

Grabbing those peaceful zen like moments wherever I could find them.

I wanted to sit there with the brochures on a cozy couch and day dream about these beautiful destinations. The Cruel, Cold Winter here in NYC has made me want to shake off that North East Cold and hop on a plane to somewhere super warm! Sunshine dear old friend, I MISS YOU!

Celebrity Cruises announced that their Black Car Service has been extended for Suite Guests until 04/30

Book a suite on any Bermuda or Europe cruise, 7 nights or longer and you'll receive round-trip black car service between your home and the port or Airport. Your modern, upscale vacation begins the moment you step out the door. Check out celebritycruises.com/blackcar for more information and additional details.

Just had to snap a shot of the cow at Cabot's cute display!

Cabot Creamery is a 1,200 farm family dairy cooperative with members in New England and upstate NY producing all natural, award-winning cheddar cheese.

My Take:

The Travel Show was a wonderful way to get more information about Destinations on my Travel Wishlist which includes Greece, Italy, Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, Paris, Asia and many more! It sent my incurable case of Wanderlust right through the roof! And is making me curious about this whole cruising thing. I'm going to have to try it one of these and report back to you! (Have any of our butterflies traveled aboard a Singles Cruise before? If so, did you enjoy it?)

What is your favorite travel destination butterfly? Why is it your favorite?

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FTC Disclosure: The New York Times Travel Show provided us with passes to the Show/Seminars/panels 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. All opinions are 100% my own! No monetary compensation has been exchanged!

{#WordlessWednesday} My local Supermarket offers Betty Cracker Hamburger Helper Does Yours? {#Photo} {#Humor}

Hope you all enjoyed my April Fool's Day Joke yesterday! I woke up feeling cheeky again so I thought I'd put some funny in your Wordless Wednesday with this recent local grocery store find.

Happy Wordless Wednesday Butterflies! Bloggers feel free to link up by leaving your link as a comment below so we can hop on over to your photo this week too! (Please No Giveaway Links, Thank You!)

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a Sponsored Post.

MADE YOU LOOK! #AprilFoolsDay

SUCKA!!!!!

Couldn't resist a bit of April Fool's Day Foolery!

And for those who sent emails to make sure I was OK, HUGS to all of you.

♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ 

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a Sponsored Post.