What do we want? Low Prices! When do we want them? NOW!

I'm probably the most weird woman on the planet, I HATE to shop. There I said it. Nothing bores me more. I hate the endless walking up and down aisles. I hate trying on clothes. If I could do all my shopping online I would.

This always drove my sisters crazy. Unlike me, if they could shop all day everyday they would. And the concept of window shopping, drives me crazy and my sisters, well they live for it.  I wasn't the teen trying to hang out at the mall. Fitting rooms plain make my hairs stand up on end.

Now when my sisters shop, I hang with my brother-in-laws. We check out electronics stores, sit on massage chairs and watch the room size televisions or play video games while we wait for everyone else to finish up their shopping so we can go eat!

Unfortunately I can't avoid shopping all together, and me being the tech nerd that I am, I figured there had to be a way to make shopping, faster, shorter, just plain easier, and thankfully there is! I personally enjoy marking decades by their commercial catch phrases (remember 'Where's The Beef?). This decade will be probably be best known for 'There's an App for that!', because usually there is! I actually found an app that takes the chore out of shopping, and I figured you'd want to know all about it too!

We are definitely living in an instant gratification society, and while I am not here to debate the pros and cons of it, I can tell you that when it comes to low prices, we can all agree we want it now! I want to know the lowest price on an item before I even step foot in the store, no one wants to waste gas driving around searching for the lowest price on something, especially when it comes to high end items like electronics. I for one am currently searching for a new laptop as I will be Live Blogging this year at the BlogHer 2012 Conference. (and I don't just mean as a blogger who will be there, I am live blogging at panels FOR BlogHer! I am super excited!) Here is the app I am using to help me take the choices I've narrowed it down to and find the best price for it:

About RedLaser:

RedLaser is a free app available for download for iPhone, Android and Windows phones. Downloaded over 20 million times, RedLaser is a secret weapon for the smart shopper – allowing you to scan or search for items to make sure you have all the information you need, including product details, ratings and price comparison.

Features:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Scan and search for products using the bar code scanner

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Compare prices online and at local retailers, so you’ll know you’re getting the best deal

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Find out which stores stock what you’re looking for by searching for a product locally. No need to drive around town searching for what you need!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Browse product reviews and rating

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Buy directly from your phone using PayPal mobile express checkout and you can pick up your item in a nearby store.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Create shopping lists (or wish lists!) and easily share them with friends and family via email, SMS, Twitter and Facebook.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Scan a food item to get allergen and ingredient information

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - To see RedLaser in action, check out this video, which shows how you can use RedLaser to find a last-minute gift.

I know know where the three specific laptops I've narrowed my choices down to are the cheapest. The app gave me just the info I need, the only thing I need to do now is decide which of the three I want! (of course if any laptop manufacturers are reading this and want to send me one, I'm totally open to it!).

RedLaser App in Action

My Take:

The app is free, easy to use, and tells you exactly where to go to find what you are looking for at the best possible price, it's instant gratification at its finest! For me it takes the chore out of shopping, and makes finding what I want at the best possible price, quick and painless. I for one read reviews on everything before making a purchase (minor or major) so I especially love that I can also browse product reviews!

Get Social:

You can get social with RedLaser on both Facebook and Twitter @RedLaserApp and don't forget to use the hashtag when you let them know just how much money you've saved, #RedLaser

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FTC Disclosure: I am participating in a sponsored post campaign for RedLaser in conjunction SheSpeaks, however all opinions are 100% my own.

Do you 'Dare to Bare'? Are your pits Little Black Dress ready?

This post is sponsored by Dove(R) ClearTone(tm) Deodorant - designed to visibly reduce underarm dark marks and even skin tone.

I"m in the middle of a New York City Heat Wave, and we are days away from August, the most sweltering month of the year in the city that never sleeps. This is primarily a public transportation city. A transit system that unfortunately is sorely lacking in many ways, (yet the prices continue to soar, but that's a topic for another post!), one of the things many NYC subway trains lack is AIR CONDITIONING! The platforms are usually feel like it's 200 degrees. And when you get a subway car with no AC on, particularly during 'rush hour' you come home feeling like you just did vikram yoga. Layers of clothing, starting usually with suit jackets get peeled off, and whether you are standing or sitting you are assured of one thing, seeing (and unfortunately often times smelling) many armpits! The people lucky enough to get a seat have a view of a sea of armpits!

In the summer most of us have no choice but to Dare to Bare. Are your arms 'summer ready'? Little Black Dress Ready? And guys, don't for one second think this can't possibly apply to you, I see those pits when you put on those white t-shirts!

You can either solve a beauty disaster or prevent it, and dark under arms are totally both 'solvable' and 'preventable'. Like all of the skin on our bodies, armpits need some exfoliation too, so make sure when you use your favorite scrub, you get those pits too! It's the shaving that causes the dark marks on your armpits so be sure to use an ounce of prevention to spare yourself from that pound of cure!

photo credit: babble.com

Tips for keeping underarms from getting 'dark':

1) Make sure to use a sharp blade - never use a dull razor and that's good advice for anywhere you shave, not just your pits. Dull blades make you go over the same spot multiple times and that's exactly what you DON'T want to do. Make sure your blade is sharp and you shave in one direction.

2) Balance your 'dry vs wet' - Built up sweat is a bad thing, so be sure to use an anti-persperant, not just a plain deodorant to keep your armpit area from building up sweat. But like all skin it does need moisture too, so be sure to give it some moisture, a dab of lotion in the evening is a good idea, and if you play sports in the summer a sunscreen lotion should be applied to your underarm area as well, while it will probably get way less sun than other parts of your body, the SPF protection is still important.

Photo Credit Torsten Schon/iStockphoto/Getty Images

3) Lightening - What works for your elbows, works for armpits too, good old fashioned Lemon Juice! You can make a paste with 1/2 cup of lemon juice, 1 tsp of cucumber juice and 1 tsp of Tumeric Powder and let it sit for 15-20 minutes (my recommendation would be for those gals who color their hair, to schedule some time on the weekend and kill two birds with one stone! You could also put on a facial mask and then just jump in the shower afterwards and wash it all off!). Remember lemon juice can cause irritation if used too often, so please don't do this daily! (Licorice Paste and Sandalwood powder work well too!) And because I love a bonus, with the leftover tumeric and lemon, make a tea, as a tea, turmeric and lemon helps sooth the pain from a sore throat and works to fight free-radical damage. Lemon, reduces the risk of some diseases, such as nephrolithiasis, a kidney condition. Lemon also has antimicrobial and antiviral action that works even better in conjunction with other ingredients including turmeric. So this combo is a one/two punch that works wonders for your insides as well as your outside!

4) For Prevention AND Cure - Use Dove Clear Tone Deodorant daily, with regular use it will even your underarm skin tone and repair irritated skin with frequent use. What Ambi products do for your face and now body, Dove Clear Tone does for your armpits!

Whether it's to feel more confident in your strapless dresses, tank tops or bathing suit, a little 'armpit 101' goes a long way to feeling confident enough to 'Dare to Bare'.

So Butterflies, What is your beauty ritual that gets you feeling confident enough to 'Dare to Bare'?


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FTC Disclosure:  I was compensated for this post by the Clever Girls Collective. All the opinions expressed here are my own.

@ProjectRunway Season 10 has begun + #elliottluccaproject WIN a Handbag!

Hey Butterfly! Our monthly Featured Handbag in the Spotlight Feature has been on a temporary hiatus because my schedule has been totally insane lately. That doesn't mean I'm no longer handbag obsessed! Far from it!

In fact while I get ready to bring the feature back VERY soon, I have been on the hunt for inspiration and for Haute Handbags that I'm sure we would both love to add our collections. Our friends at Elliott Lucca will be making their debut on Season 10 of Project Runway in Lord & Taylor’s Accessory Wall! (You know how much I love Lord & Taylor and Elliott Lucca, so it's a match made in heaven as far as I'm concerned!) And they want YOU to join in the fun! Not only should you be on the lookout for Elliott Lucca during the show, you should also combine your love of handbags, and your love of social media, specifically pinterest and try for a chance to win a haute Handbag of your own!

PRESS ON THE INFO-GRAPHIC BELOW TO MAKE IT BIGGER 

If you haven't joined pinterest, I'm thinking this is mega incentive for you to do so! If you are having trouble with the graphic and want more details, visit: http://pinterest.com/pin/239253798924818677/

Did you watch the first episode of Season 10 of Project Runway last night? Any early favorites, who do you think is going to win?


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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. No monetary compensation has been received to share this information. All opinions are 100% my own.

Wordless Wednesday: Newest Atlantic City Gaming Resort! See the Revel in {Pictures} #HowIDoAC

During Fourth of July weekend, I enjoyed Fireworks and the new show Duality on the Boardwalk, and while I stayed at the Golden Nugget (You can check out my posts from the original trip HERE and HERE), I also took some time to check out Atlantic City's newest Gaming Resort during it's opening weekend to the public, the Revel.

Atlantic City's Revel is the first ALL SMOKE FREE casino in Atlantic City, and I can tell you that when you walk in, you can 'smell' the difference! The aisles are spacious and wide, they have tons of new machines, and great food options too, here are a few pictures from my recent trip:

**Chef Jose Garces’ Distrito Cantina, a Mexican “take-out” window inspired by the uber-popular Guapos Taco Truck in Philly, is a popular place to grab quick eats off the gaming floor at the Revel Atlantic City Casino in New Jersey**

**Chef Jose Garces’ Distrito Cantina, a Mexican “take-out” window inspired by the uber-popular Guapos Taco Truck in Philly, is a popular place to grab quick eats off the gaming floor at the Revel Atlantic City Casino in New Jersey**

**Chef Jose Garces’ Distrito Cantina, a Mexican “take-out” window inspired by the uber-popular Guapos Taco Truck in Philly, is a popular place to grab quick eats off the gaming floor at the Revel Atlantic City Casino in New Jersey**

**Chef Jose Garces’ Distrito Cantina, a Mexican “take-out” window inspired by the uber-popular Guapos Taco Truck in Philly, is a popular place to grab quick eats off the gaming floor at the Revel Atlantic City Casino in New Jersey, Left: Mama Butterfly, Right: Ascending Butterfly**

We tried a little bit of everything and while everything we tried gets a thumbs up, our personal favorite was the 'Vuelva La Vida' - it was absolutely, positively, hands-down the most yummo part of our meal! The service is attentive and the sodas come with free refills!

I haven't had the pleasure of staying overnight yet, so I can't provide a review of the rooms, but I can say I greatly enjoyed my visit and would definitely visit there again during my next trip to Atlantic City! The Revel however could take lessons from the Golden Nugget in how to make a perfect Bloody Mary Cocktail! (Golden Nugget is definitely the winner there!)

**These shots were taken with an iPod Touch**

Happy Wordless Wednesday Butterflies!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been received to share my impressions of the Revel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey. Although if they ever want me to review the property and stay over, I'd certainly be open to it! :)

C'mon and Take A FREE Ride!

As The Official #TwitterPartyDJ I'm always thinking music, and could probably find a way to turn almost everything into a song title! With music, travel and being on the 'go, go, go!' the theme to my summer, finding ways to remain on the go, remain on budget and still be the fun loving, yet still totally fab frugalista that you know and love, I need to keep track of deals that will help me stretch an already stretched summer budget!

And that's where our friends at Britax come in. They are inviting you to take a FREE ride with a totally fantastic freebie that is entirely hard to resist.

The Deal:

Purchase a B-Ready Stroller, you get your choice of:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - BRITAX CHAPERONE Infant Car Seat ($229.99)
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - BRITAX B-SAFE Infant Car Seat ($179.99) 

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - BRITAX Bassinet ($149.99) or

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - BRITAX Second Child Seat ($149.99)

Check out the totally sweet graphic below that sums it all up quite nicely (thanks to our friend Chantilly at www.biculturalmom.com for sharing this infographic! Be sure to check out her site!)

This is truly the gift that keeps on giving ladies, by purchasing the B-READY® Stroller you are already purchasing a stroller that will grow with your baby, it is BRITAX's most flexible stroller on the market to date and truly one of the easiest to use, and now with the return of the FREE RIDE® event, Britax just made a good thing, that much BETTER, but butterflies you have to act FAST, this deal ends on July 31, 2012!

You can also get more information on Britax by following them on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube. 

Si quieres más información en tu idioma, únete a su página de Facebook. Britax Los Lleva Seguros Facebook page y síguelos en Twitter @SafeConBritax

And a little Britax Birdie told me there will be a twitter party later this month, so stay tuned for more information!

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Disclosure: I am a BRITAX Latina Advisory Board Member and Social Media Outreach Blogger. While I am a Brand Ambassador and am eligible for additional compensation for my participation in this program, all opinions, ideas, and stories are 100% my own. The Britax Hispanic Digital and Social Media Outreach is in partnership with Mami Innovative Media

Half Way There! Easy ways you can #WaveforChange - Small Effort, HUGE Impact!

I have always had the ability to 'write', I loved creating poetry, short stories and being all around creative as a child. Thankfully my mom was smart and fostered my creativity, unfortunately my guidance counselor at school....well  not so much. He told me writing wasn't a 'real' job, pursue an education that gives you a 'trade' in the end, because that 'trade' is how you'll earn your living.

Needless to say I came home that day with the wind totally knocked out of my sails. My mom picked up on it and asked me why I was so sullen, and when I told her why she was fit to be tied that anyone in the eductional system would so easily try to dash a young person's dreams, and not just any young person, HER daughter! She had experienced something very similar by her favorite art teacher when she was young so she understood how I felt.

She spent years making up for that counselor's mistake by nurturing my creative side at every given opportunity. And finally in High School an amazing teacher who taught Creative Writing, 'got me'. He got my style, liked my writing and totally encouraged me (Huge shout out to Mr. McKinnon!). He taught me my writing was my power. And took me straight to the guidance counselor's office to find all the essay writing contests they knew of for scholarship funding, and with both of their help and a lot of nights spent writing, I wrote the essay that got me accepted into 3 different Universities, and landed me a multitude of Scholarship Funding.

I went on to become to the first College Graduate in my family. And I did find creative ways to make a living writing (starting with articles in a variety of newspapers, time spent as a film critic for a well known local paper, and as a newswriter for a local cable news television station!).

My education impacted my life in more ways than one, earning power, career potential, work ethics and even in emotional ways like self-esteem and pride.

But for every student with the courage to stand up to a devastating 'no', or a 'you can't make in that profession, pick another'; there are students who don't ever tell their families about it and remain silent and worse still, take it to heart and believe it may be true!

When I started Ascending Butterfly it was to share affirmations of empowerment, to encourage, to inspire. And when I was first approached by brands, I wanted something 'better', I wanted to work with brands doing Social Good, making a difference, giving back. And somewhere along the line, I got known for doing so. And now I get more giveback initiatives and campaigns in my inbox than I can possibly cover. I of course wish I had the time to cover them all, but the chance to make a difference to help support education, students and their dreams is one I just had to share!


About:

Neutrogena®, the #1 dermatologist-recommended skin care brand, launched Wave for Change® in 2009 and has benefited disaster relief & environmental charities around the world, as well as provided hope for kids through education. The campaign has raised almost half a million dollars in almost three years and has facilitated scholarships, school uniforms, backpacks, and school supplies to children from unprivileged communities.

Ways to Give Back:

JUST WATCH:

Just by watching the video below, Neutrogena® Wave for Change® will donate $1 to GlobalGiving to support U.S. educational organizations such as: Knowledge is Power Program, Para Los Ninos, and Education Through Music. (As The Official #TwitterPartyDJ you know I love any program that fosters the love of music and education!)

OR SHOP:

An additional $1 will be donated to GlobalGiving with each participating Neutrogena product you purchase.

Visit the Neutrogena® Wave for Change® site or their Facebook page to activate the purchased products with one quick click!

And:

Here's an even bigger win/win, you can join @LBConnect for a Twitter Party on July 25th, 2012 from 9pm-10:30 pm EST. I am NOT hosting or co-hosting this party, so if you have any questions, please visit the twitter page we linked to above!

Super easy right? I hope you will join me in the Neutrogena 'Wave for Change'. If you haven't already done so, GO watch that video, seriously like NOW! :)

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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Neutrogena® Wave for Change® through Latina Bloggers Connect. All opinions are my own. Questions about Ascending Butterfly's Disclosure Policy? See HERE for more information.

Weekly Moment of Gratitude: Fitness Edition!

What I am grateful for:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Persistence -  This week has been so insane I feel like I lived a month in the week. I'm not sure how i made it through it all this week. I was entirely over-booked and probably pushed myself a bit too hard. I can only attribute my persistence to how I made it through it all this week. 

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Yoga - I took my second ever class this week thanks to Coach Club, the class was held at the Reebok Sports Club in New York City by Celebrity Yoga & Pilates Instructor, Kristin McGee . It was a fantastic class and I hadn't been able to challenge myself like that physically in a long time. I was exhausted AND exhilarated afterwards in a good way. I want to thank Southard Communications for the invite! I promise a full event recap with pictures coming soon!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Helpfulness-  I recently had a tech give me what amounts to a free small business consultation without expecting anything in return, and that is usually what I do for other people, but don't always get it return when I need the advice or help. I was truly touched by his generosity of spirit and the gift of his time. His help will allow me to make some smarter tech decisions for myself both personally and professionally, and I thought I'd share it in today's gratitude post because sometimes the smallest gestures amount to the greatest gifts in life. Sometimes it's easy to get bitter when you feel like the relationships in your life are so one sided that you do way more giving than receiving. This week I received something I really needed without really having to ask, and it just melted away the resentments.

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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Giveaways!

The two winners of the Purex giveaway will be selected and notified later today! New giveaways coming at you SOON!

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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!

Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride! Is it because I avoid the bouquet toss?

This post is sponsored by Dove® ClearTone™ Deodorant - designed to visibly reduce underarm dark marks and even skin tone.

I'll admit it, I totally fall into the category of 'Siempre una dama de honor, nunca una novia' which means 'Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride'. Now before you think this is a 'woe is me' type of post, trust me, it's not. While my school friends were busy writing their first name with their boyfriends last name in their notebooks, my day dreams were of me wearing white, but for me it wasn't a white bridal dress, it was a white lab coat. Since elementary school my goal was to become a cardiologist (yes I even knew enough to say more than just 'doctor').

I will probably always fall into this category as I don't stand on the bouquet toss line ever. And when I say ever, I mean ever. Not even at my sister's wedding. She tried her hardest to toss the bouquet directly to me, (as our other sis is already married), and much to her dismay I avoided it like the plague. She was certain I'd catch it, and be the next sister married. I'm the baby of all the girls, and loving my single life in the city. I had no interest in catching the bouquet back then and (sorry sis) I still don't now. Not to say a summer romance while I was out there for her wedding on a beautiful tropical island wouldn't have been nice, but I'm still nowhere near ready for marriage. (Many wonder in my family if I ever will be).

My sister's wedding and that summer of her wedding literally flew by, with some kind of shopping or preparation being done every day, but the biggest laughs were the nights we spent preparing the 'favores de la boda' (in Puerto Rico we call them 'capias'), making her wedding favors consisted of plenty of late nights, rum and lots of laughs.

Left: Ascending Butterfly Right: Sister Butterfly

What has always stood out about that summer and that day was that no matter what was happening around her, she always had a smile on her face. For some unknown reason she chose mostly younger nieces for her 'damas'/bridesmaids, and getting that many girls ready was a nightmare, yet she was totally un-flappable! During her wedding, the flower girl and ring bearer (her husband's niece and nephew) got into an all out fight both up and down the wedding aisle (think little blond angelic cherub getting her hair pulled by the ring bearer and then chasing him up and down the aisle seeking her revenge!), everyone wondered at that moment if she would be upset, and she just totally laughed and so did the entire church! The Priest even stopped and laughed also!

While I can't give you tips on how to prep for and survive your wedding day because I've never been married, my sister's wedding is the closest I've come to the inside of planning a wedding, but I can tell you, the most beautiful thing you will wear that day, the thing that will always be remembered about your wedding aside from your dress, is your smile.

Left: Ascending Butterfly Center: Sister Butterfly Right: Brother-in-Law Butterfly

She radiated calm confidence and the love she was feeling really shined through.

So Butterflies, What are YOUR Bridal Beauty Tips 101? How did you get ready to shine on your big day?


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FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Dove(R) ClearTone(tm) Deodorant - designed to visibly reduce underarm dark marks and even skin tone. I was compensated for this post by the Clever Girls Collective. All the opinions expressed here are my own.

My Trip in Pictures: #HowIDoAC Fourth of July Edition - See what you missed!

This should have been a Wordless Wednesday, but between a nightmare commute home that included 4 trains and just over 2 hours of travel time on the MTA (no air conditioning and an hour long wait on the platform for what should have been my second train) AND a server glitch, this post will end up going live on Thursday I'm sure!

Last week I did something I haven't done in AGES, take time OFF. I went on a Press Junket to Atlantic City and had so much FUN that I extended my trip a few extra days! I know they say what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, but what happens in Atlantic City *MUST* be shared!

I shared a few teasers about the new 3D Laser Light and Sound Show, Duality (if you missed those posts, you can check them out HERE, HERE and HERE), and now after having actually experienced the show, I can tell you, you really have to check it out!

The trip started off with a VIP check in at Golden Nugget Atlantic City, (if you haven't been to Atlantic City in awhile, don't go looking for Trump Marina, it's now the Golden Nugget!), after check in there was some time spent pool side with bloggers, family and friends!

Here are some photos of the hotel:

Photo Provided by @ Golden Nugget Casino All Rights Reserved Used with Permission

Above: View of Golden Nugget when you are heading towards the property!

Photo Provided by @ Golden Nugget Casino All Rights Reserved Used with Permission

Above: View of the pool at Golden Nugget Atlantic City

Photo Provided by @ Golden Nugget Casino All Rights Reserved Used with Permission

Above: Golden Nugget Atlantic City Spa

Photo Provided by @ Golden Nugget Casino All Rights Reserved Used with Permission

Above: View of the Wine and Wifi Lounge (Complimentary Water and Soda, and great prices on wine by the glass) - Whether you are visiting the Golden Nugget for business or pleasure, the Wine and Wifi Lounge is a great place to check your emails and get some work done! Service was amazingly attentive and never obtrusive!

Here are some shots of me at the Golden Nugget:

Above: Ascending Butterfly enjoying dinner at Michael Patrick's Brasserie at The Golden Nugget Atlantic City

Above: This is my view of the Golden Nugget sign from the vantage point of my pool chair!

After a quick change it was time to preview the behind the scenes of Duality, Moment Factory's Amazing 3D Laser Light and Sound show that is Atlantic City's newest attraction! The behind the scenes demo was followed by a VIP reception, here are some photos:

Above: Elizabeth Cartmell, Chief Executive Officer of the newly formed Atlantic City Alliance

Above: Elizabeth Cartmell and Motion Factory discussing Duality

Photo Provided by @ Sherry Aiken All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission.

Above: Can you believe that this is the 'brains' behind such an amazing show?

Photo Provided by @ Sherry Aiken All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission.

Above: Left: Mama Butterfly Center: Ascending Butterfly Right: Sherry of @ SuperExhausted Blog - a major thank you to Sherry for this and many other photos she shared that are used in this post. You can find Sherry at Super Exhausted Blog which I linked to above and you should also check out her business site http://www.babypop.com/

Photo Provided by @ Sherry Aiken All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission.

Above: Left: Ascending Butterfly and Right: Mama Butterfly hamming it up during the VIP Press Reception for Duality

Photo Provided by @ Sherry Aiken All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission.

Above: YUMMO, who can resist cupcakes?

After the reception, it was time for Fourth of July Fireworks on the Boardwalk. As a New Yorker Fourth of July Fireworks have always been magical for me, but I have to admit, watching the fireworks on the boardwalk, right near the Ocean was both exciting and totally peaceful, it was just what the doctor ordered!

Here are some shots:

Above: I got a few dud shots before I captured this one!

Photo Provided by @ Sherry Aiken All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission.

Above: Sharing a shot that Sherry captured as well!

Above: Left: Miss Atlantic City, Center: Ascending Butterfly Right: Mama Butterfly. I sat next to Miss Atlantic City during the fireworks and her boyfriend was sweet enough to take a picture, here is a picture of me sitting with Miss Atlantic City! How cool is that?

The fireworks were followed by an amazing concert by Kevin Rudolf which included his song "Let it Rock" and songs from his new album.

Above: Kevin Rudolf concert during Fourth of July Fireworks Show on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Above: Kevin Rudolf concert, needless to say as 'The Official #TwitterPartyDJ' I enjoyed sitting front row center!

After the concert, we got to see Duality! It's hard even with pictures to describe the experience. It's kind of like a parade where you really feel the performance, the excitement and enthusiasm of the crowd, the lights, the sound, it's an amazing show. It's part of what is helping to make Atlantic City a more family friendly place to be!

Photo Provided by @ Sherry Aiken All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission.

Above: Duality, a 3D Laser Light and Sound Show at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey

Photo Provided by @ Sherry Aiken All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission.

Above: I was actually so busy filming it, I forgot to take still shots, but Sherry to the rescue, her still shots actually capture me filming it! Bottom left with hands up filming is ME!

Photo Provided by @ Sherry Aiken All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission.

Above: Another shot of me filming the Duality 3D Laser Light and Sound Show in Atlantic City, New Jersey

Photo Provided by @ Sherry Aiken All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission.

Above: Another shot of me filming the Duality 3D Laser Light and Sound Show in Atlantic City, New Jersey

Below: Check out the You Tube Video of the Atlantic City 4th of July celebration featuring the AC fireworks show, musical performance by Kevin Rudolf, and the debut of Moment Factory's 3-D Light Show "Duality" which airs hourly nightly on Boardwalk Hall.

To say I had an amazing time would be the understatement of the century! And I'd like to thank Ed Salvato (@edsalvato), The Atlantic City Alliance (@VisitAC), The Golden Nugget Atlantic City (@goldennuggetac) and all the fellow bloggers in attendance on this trip for helping to make my Fourth of July close to home 'staycation' vacation one of the most memorable ever!

And I know this is probably the most obscure factoid of my trip, but for those of you who truly appreciate a great Bloody Mary, in my humble opinion, Golden Nugget Atlantic City makes THE BEST Bloody Mary Cocktail I've ever tasted, served in a real glass, not a dixie cup, very nice touch! (I prefer mine with a two celery pieces in it and skewer of Olives! and they were made to order and delish!) And they also have great Gelato!

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FTC Disclosure: This post is brought to you with the support of the Atlantic City Alliance. Visit them on Facebook and Twitter for more information. I attended a Press Junket and had Press Access to the Duality 3D Sound and Light Show, Kevin Rudolf Concert and Fireworks Show.