Madagascar 3 + Advice to women and moms from Jada Pinkett Smith + #CapriSunSuperV

The super awesome ladies behind 'The Moms' (aka the Mamarazzi®) invited Ascending Butterfly to a very special screening of Madagascar 3, where we got the chance to not only view the film, but also a Questions and Answers Session and Meet and Greet with Jada Pinkett Smith. We also got to try out the new Capri Sun Super V juice. There were rainbow afro wigs, moms drinking from Juice Boxes, eats and treats and I have to say it's one of the wildest screenings I've attended in awhile! As a former film critic (Bronx Observer), I've attended my fair share of screenings and press junkets for films, but this was definitely different!

Film Synopsis:

English: Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, and Melman the Giraffe are still fighting to get home to their beloved Big Apple and of course, King Julien, Maurice and the Penguins are all along for the comedic adventure. Their journey takes them through Europe where they find the perfect cover: a traveling circus, which they reinvent – Madagascar style.

Spanish/Espanol: Alex el león, Marty la cebra, Gloria la hipopótamo, y Melman la jirafa siguen tratando de regresar a su casa en su adorada Gran Manzana y por supuesto, el rey Julien, Maurice y los pingüinos también participan de esta divertida aventura. Su viaje los lleva através de Europa en donde encuentran la excusa perfecta para mantener las apariencias: un circo ambulante, al que reinventan al mejor estilo Madagascar.

MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE’S MOST WANTED, photo taken in Cannes

Characters:

Alex the Lion – Ben Stiller

The King of New York still yearns to return home to his throne in the Central Park Zoo.  Hiding in a European traveling circus with the rest of the Zoosters may finally be his ticket back to the Big Apple, but things aren’t easy when the gang finds themselves as “Europe’s Most Wanted.”

Spanish/En Espanol: Alex el león – Ben Stiller

El rey de Nueva York todavía desea con ansias regresar a su hogar y a su trono en el zoológico de Central Park. Esconderse en un circo ambulante europeocon el resto de sus compañeros del zoo podría ser finalmente la manera devolver a la Gran Manzana, pero nada es tan fácil como parece cuando los   miembros del grupo se convierten en los “Más buscados de Europa”.

Marty – Chris Rock

Although he found his herd in Africa, Marty isn’t willing to leave his best friend Alex’s side.  The opportunity to join the circus gives Marty the shot of adrenaline he needs…he just didn’t realize he is the one being shot…out of a cannon.

Spanish/En Espanol: Marty – Chris Rock

A pesar de que encontró a su manada en Africa, Marty no abandonará a sumejor amigo Alex. La oportunidad de unirse al circo le da a Marty el disparo de adrenalina que necesita... solo que no se dio cuenta de que él también sería disparado… desde un cañón.

Melman – David Schwimmer

Did you hear the one about the hypochondriac giraffe who finally found love with a hippo?  Melman’s dreams are realized as he and Gloria figure out how to balance it all…on the circus high wire!

Spanish/En Espanol: Melman – David Schwimmer

¿Oíste hablar de la jirafa hipocondríaca que finalmente encontró el amor en una hipopótamo? Los sueños de Melman se vuelven realidad cuando él y Gloria descubren cómo equilibrarlo todo… ¡en la cuerda floja del circo!

Gloria – Jada Pinkett-Smith

The sweet, sassy and adorably plump hippo-next-door found love in Africa, and now she is ready to take things to exciting new heights with the rest of the Zooster gang.  Who says an oversized, heavy hippo can’t master the high wire act?

Spanish/En Espanol: Gloria – Jada Pinkett-Smith

La dulce, atrevida y adorablemente regordeta hipopótamo encontró el amor en Africa y ahora está lista para llegar a nuevas y emocionantes alturas con el resto de la pandilla del zoológico. ¿Quién dice que una hipopótamo extra grande y muy pesada no puede dominar el arte del equilibrio en la cuerda floja?

The Penguins – Chris Miller, Chritopher Knights, Tom McGrath & John Di Maggio

Stealthy and adventurous, Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private sneak through Europe on a mission.  They cook up a clever plan to help the Zoosters hijack a European traveling circus and turn it into a true three ring adventure.

Spanish/En Espanol: Los pingüinos - Chris Miller, Chritopher Knights, Tom McGrath & John Di Maggio

Sigilosos y aventureros, Skipper, Kowalski, Rico y Private se escabullen através de Europa con una misión. Urden un plan inteligente para ayudar a los animales del zoológico a secuestrar un circo ambulante europeo y convertirlo en una verdadera aventura de tres pistas.

Frances McDormand, as relentless French animal control officer Captain Chantal DuBois

The Soundtrack/The Music:

Along with Katy Perry's “Firework” and Australian collaborators Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP’s worldwide #1 dance hit “We No Speak Americano,” the Madagascar3: Europe’s Most Wanted soundtrack album features three-time Grammy Award®-winning producer-songwriter Peter Asher’s “Love Always Comes As a Surprise.”  New Madagascar voice Frances McDormand, as relentless French animal control officer Captain Chantal DuBois (who is in hot pursuit of the Zoosters running wild in her city), pays tribute to the Little Sparrow Edith Piaf with a new take on the classic “Non, je ne regrette rien (No, I have no regrets).”

In addition, Madagascar's King Julien covers C + C MusicFactory’s “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now),” Spice Girls’ “Wannabe,”and Nelly’s “Hot In Herre,” and collaborates with Marty (voiced by Chris Rock) for thealbum’s closing mash-up of “Afro Circus” and Reel 2 Real’s “I Like To Move It” for new track “Afro Circus/I Like To Move It.”

Meeting Jada Pinkett Smith:

Right after the screening, Jada Pinkett Smith walked into a surprisingly silent room and teased us all about how quiet it was. It didn't remain that way for long, that I can tell you! There were tons of questions for her  - ranging from acting to motherhood and she answered thoughtfully, openly and with a great sense of humor. I can certainly remember from Press Junket's how hard it usually is for an actor to maintain their enthusiasm after answering the same question for the hundreth time, but Jada approached each question with thought and her passion for her craft, her family, and for life really did shine through.

Sharing some quotes that really stood out from the Q & A as captions to the photos below:

"Do what you need to do to keep your spirit alive by any means necessary" ~ Jada Pinkett Smith

"We as moms need to identify what we really need for ourselves as mothers." ~ Jada Pinkett Smith

"I make sure my kids understand that you can't get something for nothing." ~ Jada Pinkett Smith

I loved that she affirmed the importance of taking time for yourself. How feeding your passions fuels your spirit. She said that 'We need to feel alive so we can give passion to those that we love' and I couldn't possibly agree more. I find that on days when I don't take time for myself, where I give 100% to everything and everyone else, and leave nothing more for myself, I get burned out, and that's not where I want to be!

Capri Sun Super V

As soon as we arrived to the screening venue, here is the smiling face that greeted us with our choice of Capri Sun Super V flavor!

Kraft Foods recently launched Capri Sun Super V, and they were at the Madagascar 3 screening and provided us all with samples! Picture a room full of bloggers drinking out of their Capri Sun Pouches!

Left: Ascending Butterfly holding her Fruit Punch Flavor Capri Sun Super V!

Each pouch provides ½ cup fruit and vegetable juice, which is one combined serving of fruits and vegetables, according to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines (¾ from fruit juice, ¼ from vegetable juice). It is also fortified to be a good source of fiber and antioxidant vitamins A, C and E. Recommended Daily Intake = 4 servings of fruit and 5 servings of vegetables in a 2,000-calorie diet. Be sure to make most of your fruits and vegetables whole fruits and vegetables.

Sneaking in fruit & veggies in an easy to go pouch and it tastes great too, total PERK! (Notice I chopped off my super long hair? This butterfly is totally ready for summer!)

My Take:

I greatly enjoyed the opportunity to be a part of the Q&A with Jada Pinkett Smith, she seems to have a strong appreciation for her blessings in life and takes her most vital role, that of being not just a Mom, but a hands on mom that teaches her children to be independent, caring and grateful individuals very seriously.        

I enjoyed this movie, the penguins always make me laugh and it had great 3D special effects (happy to see that the 3D complimented the film), it had great pacing, and sneaks in great lessons for the little ones without boring the adults! And as a former event organizer I have to also say I love the way the screening was organized, and the details and touches that went into it.

As a Duane Reade VIP Blogger and Brand Ambassador I have to point out there was a Duane Reade mention, which made me smile!

And of course I wouldn't be doing my job as a butterfly loving blogger if I didn't point out there was a butterfly sighting in this movie! And you know that always makes me smile.

I still have some more photos from the screening, but I'll share the rest as this week's Wordless Wednesday!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. I attended a screening as a member of the digital press and did receive a gift bag.

Wordless Wednesday: Hand of Faith Gold Nugget was on Display!

Check out that shiny nugget! On loan from Golden Nugget Las Vegas and weighing in at 62 pounds with a value of $5 million, the "Hand of Faith" gold nugget is currently on display in Atlantic City at the Golden Nugget.

It was found in 1980 by Kevin Hillier using a metal detector near Kingower, Victoria, Australia. The gold nugget was only 12 inches below the surface in a vertical position!

The Hand of Faith is the biggest gold nugget in existence, the second-biggest ever discovered, and the biggest ever found with a metal detector. Kevin Hillier sold his gold nugget find to Golden Nugget for over $1 million. If only being in it's presence brings me the same luck!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post! I was under no obligation to post this picture or any information regarding Golden Nugget Atlantic City.

Bronx Zoo Animal Tales Extravaganza!

New York City Landmark Bronx Zoo, has a series of fun filled weekends lined up this summer and there is still time to get in on the fun this weekend!

At the Animal Tales Extravaganza, each weekend your family can enjoy entertainment from Broadway's Avenue Q, the family friendly puppet show, Avenue Zoo, march in a fanstastical Rainforest Creature Parade, meet and greets with characters from beloved children's books and shows as well as animal yoga stretches and crafts & activities.

I'm most excited to check out Ferdinand The Bull, it was one of my favorite books when I was a little girl!

And because I love sharing great deals with my butterflies, you can also save 10% when you buy tickets online: http://www.bronxzoo.com/ticket-discount/

Did you check out the Zoo this weekend with your little butterflies?

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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.

Weekly Moment of Gratitude! My #Electronics Got Pimped Edition!

My Electronics Got Pimped!

What I am grateful for:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ My Love of Twitter Parties -  Before I started hosting them, I was attending them. Lot's of them. I became known as the official Twitter Party DJ because I would be the one to make fun song suggestions based on the theme of the party I was attending. Some might even call me the life of the twitter party! (Well OK, bragging just a bit!). But when I'm not hosting I still love attending them, I love the fast pace, catching up with my online friends and being introduced to brands in a fun and interactive way. I recently attended one and it paid off big time! My Television just got pimped thanks to Verizon's Somos Fios! I won the Grand Prize in their recent twitter party, a 32 inch Samsung HDTV Television! Check it out below!

Don't you just love my super cute Turkey Hill Cow sitting happily on top of the box?

You can get social with them to on Twitter and Facebook and via twitter use the hashtag #SomosFios, and hint hint, feel free to tell them on twitter and facebook that you would like them to host a twitter party with Ascending Butterfly, aka @Ascending1 as the host!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - New iPod Touch - While it wasn't from a Twitter Party, I did win a sweet new iPod Touch from BlogHer! I have been following the series of giveaways from their Life Well Lived Moments Sweepstakes, and I found out recently that I won Sweepstakes #8. Because to some degree bloggers often live their lives out loud, it makes many think we share often or easily, but I'm actually very much the opposite, I'm pretty shy mostly, and essay type entries where I have to share something personal aren't so easy for me. So when I found out that I won I was truly surprised and touched. I felt grateful that doing something (that perhaps for others comes easier) like sharing a personal story paid off in such a big way. I'm a total tech nerd, it's the side of me that doesn't come across on these pages nearly enough, but I have always been the one who sets everything up when it comes to new electronics or computers. And you know what's super cool? There is still time for YOU to get in on the fun, they posted Sweepstakes 9 in the Life Well Lived Moments Sweepstakes! You can enter to win a brand new iPod Touch and a $50 iTunes Gift Card by sharing your Life Well Lived Moment regarding an important tool in your life at: http://www.blogher.com/life-well-lived-moments-sweepstakes-9

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Out and About - I have had the opportunity to attend some fun events about town (the benefits of living in New York City is that there is something going on pretty much at all times) and I'll keep posting more recaps as often as possible!

What are YOU most grateful for this week 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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Giveaway Notices

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Don't be bummed as winners have NOT yet been selected in the two most recent expired giveaways. Winners will be selected & notified soon for the Wilson's Leather $200 Gift Card Giveaway and the Hollywood Movie Money Gift Vouchers for the What to Expect When You're Expecting Giveaway. Thanks for your patience butterflies! We will have our first giveaway posted soon in the annual Dads N Grads Buying Guide series soon as well! (It's June already? Seriously, where did MAY go?)

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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:

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

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FTC Disclosure: Journal Recommendation uses an Amazon Affiliate Link. Questions about our Disclosure? Please visit: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/p/disclosure-policy.html - Please note this is not a compensated post and I was under no obligation to share my recent wins from Somos Fios or BlogHer.

Hey YOU Hang In There It's Almost Friday!

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I was a Walmart Choice Steak Challenge Judge!

Welcome to my Not so Wordless Wednesday!

On May 22nd Walmart, Kingsford and Coca-Cola put me to the challenge, the Walmart Choice Steak Challenge as a Judge - Eight top chefs had a chance to compete and put their skills and meat grills to the test!

The challenge began at various Walmart's where shoppers tasted the steaks prepared by the chefs and and selected favorites, ultimately 8 chef finalists from cities including Tampa, Miami, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, St. Louis, Nashville and Atlanta were selected to compete in New York City for best seared steak honors, (as well as a check for $5,000 for themselves and another check for their preferred charity), in a contest judged by champion pit master Chris Lilly and other food luminaries (including yours truly!).

The Chefs who competed for the title included:

Richard Chamberlain of Richard Chamberlain's Steak and Chop House of Dallas who prepared a Grilled Filet Mignon with Smoky Spice Rub and Grilled Salad with Tomato-Basil Vinaigrette. His Charity of Choice is Bridge Builders. His Grilling Tip:

"Flare ups are a big part of grilling. As a kid I used to help my dad avoid them by standing over the grill with a squirt gun." ~ Chef Richard Chamberlain

Ronald (Ronnie) Killen of Killen's Steakhouse of Houston who prepared Grilled Rib Eyes with Garlic Pepper Dry Rub and Grilled Corn with Herbed Butter. His Charity of Choice is Recipe for Success. His Grilling Tip:

"Be sure that when you take your steaks off the grill that you allow them to rest before cutting. This will ensure that all of the juices stay in." ~ Chef Ronald Killen

Eric Lackey of Flamestone American Grill in Tampa who prepared Grilled Rib Eye with Everglades Rub, Coca-Cola Balsamic Marinated Bermuda Onion and Grilled Beefsteak Tomato with Himalayan Pink Rock Salt Crust. (We talked about our mutual love of Himalayan Pink Rock Salt as I use it too!). His Charity of Choice is The Abilities Foundation. His Grilling Tip:

"The key is using Kingsford Charcoal, which you should light in chimneys prior to grilling. Also, it's important to set two stage fire zones for searing and cooking." ~ Chef Eric Lackey

David Larkworthy of 5 Seasons Brewing in Atlanta who prepared Cherry Cola Chili Smoked Rib Eye and Avocado Mashed Potatoes. His Charity of Choice: Alzheimer's Association. (By the way, in my opinion he is the chef with the most awesome smile, which I think my photo really does capture! I always say happy chefs impart extra love and flavor in the food!). His Grilling Tip:

"Don't be afraid of the grill. Grill anything and everything. Work with your fire and most imporantly, have fun!" ~ Chef David Larkworthy

Daniel Nemec of Kirby's Steakhouse in San Antonio who prepared Grilled Rib Eye with Coca-Cola Reduction and Grilled Potato Salad. His Charity of Choice is: The Huntington Disease Foundation. His Grilling Tip:

"Your coals need to be bright red with a thin white ash coating. You also need a clean grill grate that has been thoroughly oiled with canola oil (do not use olive oil - it will smoke too much and give a bitter flavor to whatever you're grilling). Once you have followed these steps you are ready to grill and enjoy!"

Note: I wasn't able to capture an individual shot of Chef Nemec, but I do have him in several group shots, refer to group shots after the individual chef profiles.

David Rook of Copia Restaurant & Wine Garden in St. Louis who prepared Grilled Rib Eyes with Horseradish Garlic Butter Sauce and Grilled Mixed Vegetable Salad. (This one definitely had a kick to it!) His Charity of Choice: The American Diabetes Association. His Grilling Tip:

"Always wait for the grill to reach a medium heat as opposed to a high heat to avoid charring your meat." ~ Chef David Rook

Erik Sierra of the Red Fish Grill in Miami who prepared Grilled Rib Eye with Red Wine Glaze and Char-grilled Vegetables with Arugala-Orange Pesto. (This one also had a very robust flavor! and I'm also fond of using Wine in my cooking!). His Charity of Choice: ASPCA. His Grilling Tip:

"I like my steak to be medium-rare so I recommend using a meat thermometer to obtain your preferred doneness." ~ Chef Erik Sierra

Willy Thomas of Park Cafe in Nashville who prepared Coffee Rubbed Steak with Grilled Onion and Bleu Cheese Dressing as well as Grilled Corn on the Cob with Lime Chipotle Mayonnaise. (The meat had a strong flavor with the Bleu Cheese, and the Lime Chipotle Mayo on the Grilled Corn on the Cob was fantastic!). His Charity of Choice: Vanderbilt University Department of Child Neurology Epilepsy Research.  His Grilling Tip:

"Like a good golfer, pull out a blade of grass and throw it up in the air to determine which way the wind is blowing so you don't get smoke in your face - works perfectly" (I have to admit this one made me smile, as I used to organize charity golf tournaments many moons ago!)

Note: I wasn't able to capture an individual shot of Chef Thomas, but I do have him in several group shots, refer to group shots after the individual chef profiles.

Left: Chef Daniel Nemec (see above in his profile for his quote) Very Right: Chef Willy Thomas (see above for his quote)

And the winner:

@2012 Photo Courtesy of Kingsford Charcoal

Congratulations to Chef Richard Chamberlain who won the challenge!

Winning Chef Richard Chamberlain Center and the Ascending Butterfly Team

As you can he was super personable, here is a photo of team Ascending Butterfly with the winning Chef! Congrats to the Chef and his charity of choice, Bridge Builders! You know Ascending Butterfly loves covering stories with HEART! ♥

Team Butterfly had a great time at the Walmart Steak Challenge, feel free to grab recipes and learn more about the great selection of Steaks Walmart has to offer, you can also get social with them on Facebook! Butterflies did you know that only 1 out of 5 steaks is good enough to be called Walmart Choice Premium Beef? Look for the seal my friends and don't accept anything less for your family! The quality of any cut of meat greatly determines the result of the flavor of the dish, so choose carefully butterfly!

Above: I just had to brag a bit about the group shot above, apparently a hot shot photographer on the scene who apparently felt he had priority over everyone taking a photo, told me quite loudly to MOVE out HIS way. And I said no, my shot is already set up, and when I did the chefs looked my way and smiled (I think a few were quite pleased with my *gumption*)

Did you grill some great Steaks over Memorial Day Weekend? Do you have a Father's Day BBQ planned?

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. This post is non-compensated. This is an event recap of a Walmart, Kingsford and Coca-Cola sponsored event, all opinions are 100% my own.

I'm an Influenster Can you guess what's in my Spring Beauty VoxBox? + Twitter Party Wednesday, May 30th!

I'm an Influenster and you can be too! 

The 411 is:

About

Exclusive community of trendsetters using their influential power to qualify for complimentary product shipments, rewards and deals fit for their lifestyles.

Company Overview

Influenster is the go-to destination for trendsetters who want to be rewarded for their influence. Qualified members gain access to the latest products, share their expert opinions and spread the word on their favorite discoveries.

This month I received a box full of goodies to get me in the mood for summer! Take a peek:

 Influenster May 2012 Spring Beauty VoxBox

Contents:

Sheer Cover Duo Concealer: I love that the duo shades container allows you to blend it and match it to your skin tone. This concealer is ideal for hiding blemishes, age spots, redness and scars without heavy or cakey coverage.

 Influenster May 2012 Spring Beauty VoxBox

AVEENO Daily Moisturizing Body Wash: I'm a long time AVEENO lover, I find that it keeps heat rash under control, and can prevent it if you begin using it just before you would normally start breaking out. I have always found AVEENO to be gentle and soothing for my skin. This one has a light fragrance, it's soap free, dye-free and hypoallergenic so it's safe for sensitive skin.

Dr. Scholl's For Her Ball of Foot Cushions: For some odd reason, my favorite sandals all gave me ball of foot pain last summer. Not my heels, but my sandals. Sandals which I wore because I didn't want to wear heels those days so I could be comfortable, and I got back home in pain. Well not this summer! These are going into my sandals so I can actually enjoy them and having cool, comfortable feet during this intense summer heat. These also help prevent that annoying toe scrunch thing when your foot slips forward in the shoe (which is what causes the ball of foot pain). And like all Dr. Scholl's products these are removable without damage to the shoe! Now I don't have to toss my favorite leather sandals in this cool green that I have a handbag in the matching color to go with it, that's a WIN/WIN!!!!

 Influenster May 2012 Spring Beauty VoxBox

ChapStick Lip SHIELD 365: While it provides year round protection and moisturization, with an SPF 50+, you want to make sure to take this with you everywhere you go this summer! You'll get protection from UVA/UVB rays and soft lips, total win/win!

Sally Hansen Salon Effects: Can you say nail polish with NO drying time? Ka-Ching! It wears like nail polish because it is nail polish, apply and you are ready to go with no drying time, is that cool or what?

 Influenster May 2012 Spring Beauty VoxBox

SOYJOY Bar: Real fruit and whole soy = energy sustaining deliciousness!

Bath & Body Works Fine Fragrance Mist: OK, no pun intended but when I saw this it made me misty because my dad's nickname for me as a baby was Sweet Pea, so when I saw the name of the scent it kinda made me a little nostalgic! I mean of all the scents they could have sent, they sent ME Sweet Pea. This is so yummy for after bath that I am nervous I'm going to run out super quick!

Twitter Party

Please Note: I am NOT hosting or co-hosting this party, so please do not direct any questions regarding RSVP's or prizing to me, I am planning to attend, but I'm NOT the host!

When:  Wednesday, May 30th  4pm-5:30pm EST

Hashtag: #beautyvoxbox

Get Social With It

You can follow Influenster on Facebook and Twitter, don't forget to tell them that Ascending Butterfly sent you!

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FTC Disclosure: I am an Influenster member and all items were sent to me free of charge for editorial consideration, however all opinions are 100% my own. Questions about our Disclosure? Please visit: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/p/disclosure-policy.html

Horse Haven Facebook Application by Ubisoft {#Review}

The first summer my family visited a Dude Ranch in Pennsylvania I fell in love with Horses. I was still pretty young and was going to take my first beginner ride, I was supposed to take it on a Pony, but somehow I convinced them I was ready for a 'real horse' because I was a 'big girl'.

It worked (more than likely with a lot of help from my mom), and all weekend I rode 'real horses'. I followed the ranch hands like a shadow and I got to brush the horses, feed them apples, and form a life long fascination with the most amazing animals out there. How they carry so much weight on the most delicate legs and ankles has always amazed me.

The feeling the first time I rode fast on a horse is the closest a person can get to understanding how a bird feels when they take flight. Fast, wild, free and un-tamed, it's the best feeling ever. I still love to ride and it's become the most unique part of my vacations. I look for a stable or a ranch wherever I go, and one of my most memorable rides was through ancient ruins and then on the beach in an ecological park in Mexico.

Would I love to own a Ranch someday? YES!

Can I afford to? Not just yet!

But thanks to Ubisoft I can own a virtual horse ranch AND do something to actually help an animal rescue. I have a longtime love/hate relationship with my facebook friends, for years they have spent time sending me invites to their farms, sororities, vampires, mobs and more. I declined each and every one. There is only one facebook application of the game variety I ever tried and that was Willy's Sweet Shop which helped to benefit one of my favorite charitable organizations ever, St. Jude's Children Research Hospital. I would check in with it daily. And of course I invited my facebook friends, and very few opted to 'play' along with me. Which did bum me out, but perhaps it was a bit of revenge because I showed no interest in their mobs or farms. That's OK, I still love them *smiles*.

So after a year of being a UbiChamp, this is sadly only my second time around sharing some fun Ubisoft news, you might remember my first share which was a review of  Abba You can Dance for Wii. Not that I don't love being a UbiChamp, but my schedule hasn't quite allowed for a lot of free time lately. I did feel a strong draw to try out this Facebook App because of the charitable component tied into playing the game and my life long love of horses.

Description

Horse Haven is a new Facebook social network game allowing you to raise, nurture, and breed horses. Experience the thrill of being a horse ranch owner—maintain buildings and stables, care for horses, compete against friends in special horse competitions, and much more!

As the sole inheritor of a once champion horse ranch now fallen into disrepair, you must find a way to return it to its former ...glory. With just a few rundown buildings—a stable, a farmstead, and some deteriorated drinking troughs and hayracks—you will only have a short amount of time to turn the horse ranch around. With only one lonely foal to start with you’ll need to expand your stable through a combination of breeding and nurturing. In Horse Haven you will experience the excitement and hardships of owning and running your very own horse ranch!


The Game

BREED UNIQUE AND EXCITING HORSES

Build a unique stable of horses through Horse Haven’s distinct breeding mechanics. Choose from five unique American horse breeds and more than 20 skin patterns, 20 body markings, and 10 facial markings, create hundreds of different types of horses, and then show them off to friends!

NURTURE AND CARE FOR YOUR HORSES

Develop a close personal connection with your horses through a variety of nurturing and caring tasks. As you spend more time feeding, watering, petting, and brushing your horses, they will progress to competing with other horses on Facebook. Find out whose horse is the best!

RANCH RESTORATION AND EXPANSION

When the game begins, your ranch consists of only a few run-down buildings—a stable, a farmstead, and some deteriorating drinking troughs and hay racks. Fix up the ranch up and return it to its former glory! Then, add new assets and expand your property. Erect buildings that allow horses to earn money, enhance their training, or broaden their breeding insights. You can even customize your ranch and its surrounding land with decorations to match your horses and their needs.

NEW ADVENTURES AND COMPETITIONS

At the end of each care cycle your stable of horses will go on adventures and participate in competitions! Whether it’s barrel racing, show jumping, or jump racing, make sure your horses are prepared to go for the gold!

How YOU give back by playing

Playing Horse Haven allows players to give to an actual Horse Rescue that is working to save America's Horses, Angel Acres Horse Rescue, which is a Non-Profit Organization. Instead of spending 10 minutes reading status updates, give up just a few of those and add Horse Haven to your daily Facebook routine. Doing so my butterflies would be a double win/win, playing the game is a fun way to de-stress between online activities (think after a long photo intensive blog post that got you all stressed out, or a long spreadsheet, or powerpoint presentation), and that simple 'game' also benefits a real life horse rescue. Talk about win/win.

My Take:

I've always loved finding ways that are totally do-able to give back. Giving to me has always been more than just taking out a checkbook and writing a check, I share and give with time as well as money, and with my competitive personality I knew I'd want to progress along as fast as possible with the game, the more achievements I unlock the better I feel about playing because I know my efforts with this game go beyond bragging rights, they really mean something. And that's exactly what being an Ascending Butterfly means to ME.

So any of my butterflies who decide to give Horse Haven a go, have a ranch friend in me, feel free to reach out here and we can become Horse Haven friends, we can help  make each other's Dude Ranch' fantastic and give back in the process!

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Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this blog post sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own. #UbiChamps - Questions about Ascending Butterfly Disclosure? Please visit: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/p/disclosure-policy.html

Men in Black 3 #Movie {Review}

@Columbia Pictures Men in Black 3

I attended a special advance screening of Men in Black earlier this week and just thought I'd share my un-biased, spoiler free review with my butterflies as I'm sure many of you will be heading to the theaters for Memorial Day Weekend!

Synopses:

English Summary: In Men In Black™ 3, Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) are back... in time. J has seen some inexplicable things in his 15 years with the Men in Black, but nothing, not even aliens, perplexes him as much as his wry, reticent partner. But when K's life and the fate of the planet are put at stake, Agent J will have to travel back in time to put things right. J discovers that there are secrets to the universe that K never told him --secrets that will reveal themselves as he teams up with the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) to save his partner, the agency, and the future of human kind.

Spanish Summary/En Espanol: En Men In Black™ 3, los agentes J (Will Smith) y K (Tommy Lee Jones) han vuelto... al pasado. Durante los quince años que trabajó con los Hombres de Negro, J se enfrentó a fenómenos inexplicables, pero nada — ni siquiera los extra terrestres — lo deja tan desconcertado como su sardónico y reservado compañero. Cuando la vida de K y el destino del planeta se encuentren en peligro, el agente J tendrá que viajar al pasado para arreglar las cosas. Allí, descubrirá que existen secretos sobre el universo que K nunca le contó, secretos que se revelarán cuando J empiece a trabajar con el joven agente K (Josh Brolin) para poder salvar a su compañero, la agencia y el futuro de la humanidad.

@Columbia Pictures Men in Black 3

My Take:

First and foremost, I have to share that I always have doubts in the back of my mind lately when I learn  any release will be in 3D, for me, as of late, 3D movies tend to be so special effects heavy that they lose an important element, the plot. I am super happy to report that while this is a 3D release, the plot does not get lost in the special effects. There are some great plot twists that really tie the storyline of the partnership between Agents J and K. I never give out spoilers here, but you will be pleasantly surprised.

Of course I have to share that there is a butterfly sighting, so be on the look out for it, and if you do go see the film this weekend and spot the scene, please come back here and share about it!

I also have to admit I did kind of set out to not like Josh Brolin as a young agent K, but he totally surprised me and I enjoyed his potrayal of a young Tommy Lee Jones. He totally nailed it!

The movie is fun, upbeat, action-packed and well cast, and I definitely recommend it!

More Action Shots from the film:

@Columbia Pictures Men in Black 3

@Columbia Pictures Men in Black 3

@Columbia Pictures Men in Black 3

@Columbia Pictures Men in Black 3

If you are a PussyCat Dolls Fan, you are sure to recognize the lady on the left who portrays Boris the Animal's girlfriend!

Here is the trailer:

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. I attended an Advance Screening as a member of the Digital Press, I have received no compensation to share my review of this film.

Not so Wordless Wednesday: Fitness Magazine #FitBlogNYC Event - Ascending Butterfly meets Mia Hamm!

I have been a super busy Butterfly lately, so I thought I'd recap an Amaze Balls event I attended last week as a Not So Wordless Wednesday Post today. In 2011 I set out to amp up my fitness, not just to loose weight so much as to totally change my  lifestyle over for the better with a mind, body and soul approach. And I was doing great at it. I started out with recipe substitutions, I learned some amazing tricks and recipes thanks to a cooking class I attended at the International Culinary Council in New York City thanks to Fage Greek Yogurt! (You can read about that event HERE, and some of the recipes HERE (delicious lemon yogurt coleslaw) and a totally YUMMO Mac N Cheese recipe HERE and totally check out the super yum Tandoori Chicken Recipe HERE). I picked up a ton of fitness games for my Wii, and slowly but surely dropped 26 pounds and 3 dress sizes. Awesome stuff right? Then in 2012 a medical setback hit me like a lightening bolt, and after a series of exploratory surgeries and biopsies, and bed rest, the weight slowly came back on. Even though I'm not eating more (in fact sometimes I haven't had much of an appetite, I haven't been able to work out much).

Keeping still is not easy on a Butterfly. Butterflies like to move, well, they like to fly, and I'm no different. While I'm still not at 100% yet, I'm dying to get my fitness routine back! I had the chance to attend a Fitness Magazine event last week in New York City and it totally got me motivated again! The invite told us to wear workout wear and I put on my favorite new, fresh, just ripped off the tags Macy's Ideology Workout Gear (You can read my review of the line whose ambassador is Cheryl Burke from Dancing With The Stars, HERE), and even just putting my gear on made me feel like my old self again!

Here is the sign welcoming us to the #FitBlogNYC Meet & Tweet in NYC

The event had a very unique premise, we were given a 'passport' at the start of the event, and vendor tables were set up with products, product samples, demos or try on opportunities and at each table our passport was 'stamped' at the end of the event once you were completely stamped you were able to pick up a very neat swag bag. I didn't really need the passport as a motivator to visit with each brand, I definitely would have done so anyway, the chance to be able to learn so much about each product and brand one on one was fantastic! I visited booths such as Oakley, Birkenstock, Vichy, Reebok, Camelbak, V8, Schick Hydro, Kiwi Sweat, and the Grain Foods Foundation where I got the chance to meet Mia Hamm and she also signed a mini soccer ball for me!

Reebok challenged us to consider why Fitness is so important to us!

I got to try the Reebok RealFlex Transition Sneaker, the technology behind the shoe helps promote the natural movement of your foot, the 'nodes' are flex friendly and help the shoe to move and flex with you as you train and thanks to the reinforcements at the heel and toe they provide added stability. They are lightweight, and ideal for runners, but I can tell you whether you are running a marathon or just running to catch a train or bus, these are fantastic! I LOVE them! (I promise to post some photos of them in action soon, but if you'd like a shot at a pair of your own, or a giveaway here, you might want to hit up Reebok on Facebook and let them know you saw the Transition Sneaker featured on Ascending Butterfly and would love for them to host a giveaway with us!)

I also got the chance to try out and take home the Birkenstock Madrid Fitness Sandal which tones the foot and calf muscles while improving circulation. Much like Reebok, I was already familiar with and own a pair of Birks that I love that are quite well worn, so I am happy to have a new pair, in a very fun color for summer. (Again, I promise to post some photos of them in action soon, but if you'd like a shot at a pair of your own, or a giveaway here, you might want to hit up Birkenstock on Facebook and let them know you saw the Madrid Sandal featured on Ascending Butterfly and would love for them to host a giveaway with us!)

I also got a new pair of Oakley Sunglasses, I tried on the Oakley Urgency™ Polarized Urgency Sunglasses Oakley’s Three-Point Fit holds lenses in precise optical alignment and patented hydrophilic Unobtainium® earpads and nosepads ensure a secure fit. These really stay put and are definitely a runners/joggers dream pair of shades! (Again, I promise to post some photos of them in action soon, but if you'd like a shot at a pair of your own, or a giveaway here, you might want to hit up Oakley Sunglasses on Facebook and let them know you saw the Oakley Urgency™ Polarized Urgency Sunglasses featured on Ascending Butterfly and would love for them to host a giveaway with us!)

Some healthy snacks like the Fiber One® Chocolate Bars, and the delish V8 smoothies and the Frosty Chocolate Protein Shakes from Pure Protein were fantastic and definitely will be added to my shopping list!

Below: Here is a picture of Ascending Butterfly with Mia Hamm <-Linking you to her Foundation so you can keep up with what's new with Mia!

Left: Ascending Butterfly rocking her Macy's Ideology Fitness Gear Right: Women's Best All Around Soccer Player Mia Hamm!

I asked her to sign it to 'Ascending Butterfly' but she signed it out to 'Butterfly' which I thought was cooler!

Everytime I'm feeling down in the dumps about not being able to get my routine back on track yet, I look at my signed ball, and keep telling myself I'll get 'back on the ball very soon' and it's been keeping me motivated.

I loved that the event stressed the importance of a mind, body, soul, overall approach to wellness, which is exactly how I've been speaking it from DAY ONE! When the importance of meditation was discussed I nearly jumped out of my chair with excitement and enthusiasm for the topic! YES!

What I also Loved about this event it was the anti-thesis of a NYC event, especially at the Metropolitan Pavilion, those in the know, know it as the home Fashion Week shows, but there were ZERO high heels, cocktail dresses, runway fashions and not even a cocktail to be found. We were all in fitness clothes, a great equalizer, and a great way to feel part of an energized group of dynamic writers, fitness enthusiasts and experts, and brands that gear products to those who want to lead a healthy lifestyle. There were panels on makeup by Laura Geller, on keeping fashion gear fun and fashionable, and even a panel session on monetization and making a profit from your blog, with helpful do's and don'ts for bloggers to keep in mind when approaching brands.

Great Brands? Check.

Great Venue? Check.

Well Organized? Check.

Comprehensive? Check.

Super rocking awesome swag? Check, Plus, Plus.

But leaving with a feeling of motivation to get back to ME again? PRICELESS.

The me that lost 3 dress sizes, in a slow, sustainable and healthy way last year is now back to reclaim her life again. Until my medical nightmare is fully behind me I will have to start very slowly. Some physical therapy first, and then slowly start the process of changing what I eat and getting back to moving again.

Left: Ascending Butterfly, Right: Ms. New York Belleza Latina 2011

I don't think there really is a way to thank Fitness Magazine who put this all together in words that will actually express the depth of my gratitude for inviting me to this event. It's not just the 'stuff', and not just what I learned during the panels, and not just the great people sharing the journey I met along the way. Somewhere during that day I realized that no matter how hard this year has been, there is absolutely nothing standing in the way of me not only replicating last year's results, but actually surpassing them with perseverance, motivation and determination.


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FTC Disclosure: I was invited to attend this event as a member of the digital press and fitness blogging community, this is NOT a sponsored post, as no monetary incentive has been provided to share my recap of this experience. All opinions regarding the brands in attendance, sponsors and products are 100% my own. Gift Bags were provided to event attendees.