Tuesday, September 24, 2013

I am a Ronald McDonald House Charities #Blogger Brand Ambassador - Check out my photos and recap of my #Chicago Immersion Experience! #RMHCVoices

Ronald McDonald House Charities Logo


I know things have been unusually quiet around here, to say I have had a lot to process would be an under-statement. This summer has been a bit of a blur, a flurry of events and activities and I had hoped September would bring a little stillness to what has been a chaotic past few months, but it didn't. It didn't slow down one bit. Latinista Fashion Week melded into Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City and I ducked out on the last half of Fashion Week in my hometown New York City this year for a very good cause.

I am a member of the Ronald McDonald Family Arches Community and awhile back they put out a call for the community members to apply to become a Blogger Brand Ambassador for the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Out of a community of over 6,000 members, I was selected to be one of five Ambassadors. And while I am indeed proud of being selected, understand that this is a huge commitment. This is NOT a paid role, it is a voluntary mission to help support the work of Ronald McDonald House Charities and the families who seek their services. I thought long and hard before applying. Lately I haven't had time to breathe let alone think and I didn't think at first that I had room on my plate for one more commitment.

I posted a bit about it in last week's 'Weekly Moment of Gratitude', but I needed some time and distance from everything to really take it all in and put the entire experience in true perspective. I am also very much an incredibly visual person, and looking at all the pictures has also helped me to remember not just what I saw, but how the experiences made me feel.

The trip was equally exciting and emotionally exhausting. It wasn't easy to steel myself to walk back into a hospital. To walk into a room, to hear the sounds of the machines and smell that smell that is so distinctly 'hospital'. Seeing the children fighting for their lives, yet walking the halls (IV and all) with a nod, smile or hello. Families and parents that were emotionally spent yet took time to share a meal with us are moments I know I won't soon forget.

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago walk through Photos, Lurie Hospital, Hyde Park House, Ronald McDonald, Butterfly Fractal
Photo Collage of Lurie Hospital Walk Through - These photos will be also posted on our Pinterest Page with captions!

























Our visit started with a walk through of the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, formerly Children's Memorial Hospital, it is a facility that provides superior pediatric care in a setting that offers the latest benefits and innovations in medical technology and research while offering super family-friendly design. Each floor has an 'animal theme' that is very child friendly, but also makes things a bit easier for the families to remember which floor offers which service. Even the elevators are not only numbered by floor, but by their animal theme and there are interactive buttons to press to keep the little ones entertained during the elevator ride too!

Fire Truck Cab, Chicago Fire Department, Pierce Manufacturing, Engine 98
Actual Fire Truck Cab donated to Lurie Hospital by Chicago Fire Department Engine Company 98 and Pierce Manufacturing


I loved that the decor of the hospital turned out to be a true community effort, with the massive whales in the lobby being donated by the local Aquarium and a real firetruck that the Chicago Fire Department convinced Pierce Manufacturing to donate. In 2009, Pierce Manufacturing donated a custom cab complete with child-friendly switches and games. And you really do see the children's eyes light up when they see it and the cute dalmation dog statues that complete the real fire department feel. The hospital is a true labor of love that took many donors and community partners to help make come to fruition.

View from one of the Sleep Rooms on 12th Floor of Lurie Hospital


And if you are wondering how the hospital ties in with Ronald McDonald House Charities, they operate nine Sleep Rooms on the 12th floor of the hospital near the Family Life Center. The complimentary Sleep Rooms whose bedding and decorations were donated by Denihan Hospitality (operators of the Mile North and James Hotels - the hotel the Ambassadors stayed in during their time in Chicago) are reserved for families of children in critical care who have been referred over by a Social Worker.



We followed our tour of Lurie with a walk over to the Downtown Ronald McDonald House on East Grand Avenue where we were greeted by J.C. Gonzalez-Mendez, President & CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities who shared about his own personal journey with McDonald's and how came to hold his current position as well as answering our questions about RMHC and it's connection to McDonalds. (One of the main takeaways for me was that the charities have McDonald's as one of its major contributors, but not it's SOLE contributor, it is the donations made by individuals in both money and time that go a long way to helping the charity help families stay together during such a critical and challenging time!).

J.C. Gonzalez-Mendez,  President & CEO, Ronald McDonald House Charities


We also had the chance to have lunch in the Downtown House (Various Corporations donate meals to the houses) and we had the chance to not only have lunch in the Downtown House but to also interact with families who were having lunch as well. Families whose children are actually able to come down for lunch giving them the chance to interact with other families, and for the kids to know that there are other children who are experiencing the same challenges they are. I thought it was incredibly generous of House and the families to allow us to share in a meal with them!



During our tour of the House we passed one of the family rooms where a young girl was playing so beautifully on the Piano we had to stop and listen to her!

We decorated Sugar Cookies with the families staying at the Downtown House, of course I made a butterfly cookie!


Her family and others also joined us in decorating Sugar Cookies for the families to enjoy and I think this activity definitely brought out the little kid in us all. Of course I had to make a butterfly cookie, but I think the pretty butterfly fractal art I saw in the hallway during my tour of Lurie Hospital was still in my head. (The picture is in the Collage of photos at the top of this post, it was designed by a 20 year old patient.)

Thought this paratrooper light fixture in the toy room was pretty cool!


We also got the chance to meet Rick Wion, McDonald's US-Communications Director of Social Media who shared about his role as well as how the Ambassador's would also utilize Social Media in their roles, we even had an impromptu hashtag jam session and the hashtag #RMHCVoices was ultimately decided upon as the way we will share our posts and experiences during our year long journey on Twitter.

We had a brief moment to decompress and then change for dinner, and I think the emotion of the day didn't actually hit me until I had that moment to stop. It was such a non-stop day that in the brief moment of not being immersed in it I realized how emotionally tired I actually felt. While Lurie Hospital and RMHC downtown Chicago offer so much love and hope to the families, I couldn't help but really see the exhaustion behind the tired eyes of the families and the instant total recall I felt when being back inside a hospital again so soon after my own harrowing experiences.

We had a group dinner that night at Rosebud on Rush Restaurant where we shared great appetizers and wine, and I had that night's seafood special which was definitely delish!

Left: Clara L. Carrier, PR & Marketing Manager RMHC and Right: Nick Karavites, Restaurant Owner/Operator and founder of Rock The House annual event. Photo Credit: Melanie in the Middle Blog (I cropped myself out, but you can see me on her site in this photo!)


The next morning we had breakfast at a local McDonald's Franchise owned by Nick Karavites who spoke to us about "Rock the House", a charity event hosted annually in Chicago that is now in it's fourth year! I hope that all my butterflies in Chicago will help support this event! If you do attend, please tag us on facebook so we can see your great pictures!

Hyde Park Ronald McDonald House South Drexel Avenue in Chicago. Photo Credit: Melanie in the Middle Blog


After Breakfast we visited the Hyde Park Ronald McDonald House on South Drexel Avenue where in addition to a tour of the House we had the opportunity to help assemble Welcome Bags to distribute to the families. The Welcome Bags contained a great mix of items to help the families feel at home, keep the little ones entertained, and even some snacks to help them keep their energy up. And while we were there to help them, I thought it was super sweet of the House to give us a copy of their Recipes from the Heart Cookbook, proceeds from this book benefit four Ronald McDonald Houses in the Chicagoland area! I'd be happy to email anyone that would like to order the book a copy of the order form!

The picture of me in the collage with Ronald was taken at the Hyde Park House!

Flying home on 09/11 for me as a New Yorker was a bit of a scary idea, but thankfully I made it home safely. There was a lot to take in and I have decided to split some of the stuff I learned into different posts, and I will do a Wordless Wednesday next week with my pictures of the things I got to see during my downtime!

Ultimately the most important thing I took from the Houses I got to visit was that the dedicated staff and array of devoted volunteers work hard to make such an awful time for families a whole lot easier. The Houses do more than just 'keep the families together' and under the same roof, they work tirelessly to give the families a space that truly feels like home, so routines don't have to be more disrupted than they already are. Some families who have stayed at the Houses said you sometimes arrive there with nothing more than the clothes on your back (some families have experienced the fear of their child being transported by emergency helicopter to a hospital) and the Houses literally take care of every need they could possibly imagine so they don't have to worry.



I can only hope and pray that none of you have personally experienced the fear of not knowing, the fear of having a seriously or critically ill little one. Of not only having their life hang in the balance, but then wonder how you can keep your family in one place so you can keep track of everything and everyone. These Houses provide Love, Hope, Comfort and Care in an environment that is truly family-friendly. Can you put a price on Hope? on Love? on Comfort? or Care?

As part of my commitment I will be helping to volunteer at my local Ronald McDonald House and I of course will share that with you, and hopefully find ways to involve you and make you part of the experience as well. But there is a super simple way you can join me in helping, you can put your change from your next McDonald's purchase in that collection box by the register. It's money you won't miss anyway and it will provide a world of good for a family going through a very difficult and trying time in their lives!

I know seeing the Houses gives me a different perspective, but I just visited a local McDonald's over the weekend and noticed that people had thrown their receipts in the collection box instead of an actual donation and it really made me super mad! I was once told that the only explanation for hard times and struggles is to make us more empathetic and open-minded to the suffering of others. I come from a long line of 'givers' but my year seeing life from the perspective of a hospital bed has certainly made me more sympathetic and empathetic to those currently in the same situation.

I'm not even sure this post does justice to all that I've learned, but I hope you will all join me finding a way to support your local Ronald McDonald House Charities as well. There are so many ways to help, as an individual you can donate time or money or hopefully both, and if the organization you work for is looking for ways to give back you can point them in the direction of their local chapter!

Do you have experience with your local Ronald McDonald House Charities? Have you volunteered at your local House?


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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a compensated post. My RHMC Ambassadorship is a volunteer role. My trip to Chicago and hotel stay were provided for the immersion experience however this did NOT influence my opinions! All opinions are 100% my own. Ascending Butterfly appreciates those individuals and brands who give back. Please note that due to editorial and time constraints we cannot provide editorial space to each and every initiative that reaches out to us.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Wordless Wednesday: I got attacked by balloons on the @MTA #Subway!

Oversized Bags of Black and White Balloons take over MTA New York City Subway Car

Bloggers, feel free to link us to your Wordless Wednesday Post as a link in the comment section so we can visit you too!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. This is a random slice of life on a New York City Subway Train where two oversized bags of balloons took over the car and all we could see was the person's feet beneath the bags!  The next day I rode the train with a pitbull (the dog, not the famous singer) and last night I rode with a chihuahua dog in our car! (Neither were service dogs by the way!) These Balloons made me think of Times Square at New Years Eve - I love Black, White and Gold Balloons for New Years Eve, don't you?

Monday, September 16, 2013

@FabFitFun put a smile in my #MotivationMonday, Thanks @GiulianaRancic! Want to see what's in the box?

#ad: A FabFitFun Box was provided for Editorial Consideration however no monetary compensation has been received by Ascending Butterfly to share our experience.



I get to attend a lot of cool 'tweet ups' in New York City and I also get the chance to help host or co-host a ton of cool Twitter Parties, I guess me being "The Official #TwitterPartyDJ" it's no surprise, but I had the chance to attend a live tweet up last year with Giuliana Rancic in conjunction with the P&G #GIVEHope 'Do it for the Girls' campaign. If you missed that post, you can check it out HERE.

Meeting Giuliana in person and hearing her story inspired me because there is a history of Cancer in my family, to get my first ever Mammogram early. I remember one of the things that was discussed when I got the chance to meet her, and after having spent a year in the hospital myself, this really hit home, someone asked her what to give someone in the hospital or someone who is already at home but under-going treaments, she answered meals, house cleaning service, or an in home manicure and that resonated with me that's for sure. I don't know if this was already under development then, but Giuliana developed a subscription box service called FabFitFun where she curates a collection of great products spanning beauty, wellness, health, fitness and fashion to help you feel good from the inside out (which of course is very much our motto here at Ascending Butterfly!).

"It's the perfect way to kickstart your happy and get more from life every day!"

I received the August box a bit late in the month so with my travels and obligations I didn't actually get to start testing the products until September, but thankfully fab products are useful anytime!



What was in the box:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Ivory Mason Sunglasses - ARV $69
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Catalina Su Lip Gloss - ARV $14
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Purlisse Pur-Delicate Gentle Soy Milk Cleanser and Makeup Remover - ARV $36
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Evian Brumisateur Facial Spray - ARV $7.50
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Infinity Sun 'Glow on the Go' Sunless Tanning Spray - ARV $35
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - it Haircare Surf Spray (for beachless waves) - ARV $6.99
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Kind Bar - Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew + Antioxidants - ARV $1.39 per bar
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Yes to Cucumbers Soothing hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes - ARV $5.99

My Take:

The best things about a subscription box is discovering a great new product, or a brand that is new to you, or a product new to you from a brand you already love. Treat yourself or better still get them as a special gift for someone you love. Especially when you have someone on your list who is hard to shop for, even the person who has everything wants to try something fun and new!

For me the standouts in this box was the Pur-lisse pur-delicate gently soy milk cleanser (because I test out so many products my skin can get sensitive when I bombard it with stuff back to back), this was gentle on my skin and it felt great afterwards. I tend to wear my hair straight so I didn't find myself reaching for the beachless waves too often, and of course I don't really need tan sprays as I have enough natural melanin of my own!  The facial spray was great, because in high heat and humidity misting myself like a plant was a great way to stay cool! And of course, I personally get can't enough lip gloss (I like to make sure I have a few in all my purses, desk drawers etc), and I also enjoyed the Soothing Towelette makeup removers from Yes to Cucumbers (I always advise keeping a pack in your purse, on super sunny days when makeup is running in your eyes these can certainly come in handy! And of course before or after the gym they are great to have on you!).

And you know just how much Ascending Butterfly loves brands that GIVE back, and Ivory Mason has a collection of glasses called BABY2BABY, for every pair sold they donate a pack of diapers! Baby2Baby .org supplies Los Angeles families in need with essential baby gear and clothing for their children up to age 12. By distributing new and gently used items to over 50 non-profit organizations including homeless and domestic violence shelters, Head Start programs and Hospitals. They serve over 50,000 children each year! You get stylish frames and you help a child in need, WIN/WIN in my book!

And Kind Bars offer up great snacks with ingredients you can pronounce all from a company with a commitment to social entrepreneurship and making the world 'kinder', one act at a time, the fact that the bar is delish too is a great bonus!

I provided URL's to all the brands above in the list of contents so you could get social with them as well, but I also wanted to point out that Kind Bars has a #kindawesome community where they discuss all things inspirational and motivational as well!

Get Social with FabFitFun:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 'Like' FabFitFun on Facebook
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow @FabFitFun on Twitter
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Pin with FabFitFun on Pinterest
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Subscribe on YouTube
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Hang out with FabFitFun on Tumblr

I'm definitely looking forward to trying out my next box, and this would definitely be a thoughtful gift for someone you know who is in the hospital or home getting treatments, I know this would have put a smile on my face while I was in the hospital during most of 2012 that's for sure. (And remember some floors do not allow patients to have flowers and some patients also have food restrictions, but usually beauty products are not banned, just call ahead to be sure).

Which of these products would you most like to try? Which is your favorite subscription Beauty Box Service and why?


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FTC Disclosure: I received a FabFitFun August Subscription Box for Editorial Consideration, no monetary compensation has been received and all opinions are 100% my own.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Weekly Moment of Gratitude: My newest #Blogger Brand Ambassadorship, Getting Home and Not Getting Shot and stay away from @Optimum Edition!




Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ My Newest Blogger Brand Ambassadorship! - I am a member of the Family Arches Community, (You do NOT have to be a blogger to join the community!) and they put out a call for members of the community to apply to become an RMHC (Ronald McDonald House Charities) Brand Ambassador. The community is over 6,000 members strong and I was one of the bloggers selected to become an Ambassador! My fellow Ambassadors include: Brittany of The Domestic Geek Blog, Melanie from Melanie in the Middle, Meagan of Sunshine and Sippy Cups, and Kathy of Sparkles and a Stove. All of us have made a year long commitment to help support the efforts of Ronald McDonald House Charities and immerse ourselves in volunteer opportunities and fundraising activities for our local houses. We are NOT being compensated for our efforts, and I want to applaud my fellow Ambassadors for making such an incredible commitment of both time and resources to support this cause and help families who are experiencing the stress of having a child in the hospital stay together at such a daunting and emotionally draining moment. This is a labor of love for us all, and I promise to share about our immersion trip to Chicago. I am grateful for the opportunity to be of service, especially since I can empathize with what it feels like to spend a long period of time in the hospital! Touring the hospitals and the houses has a way of putting our own day to day petty problems into perspective that's for sure!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Making it home safe last night! - As a life long New Yorker, this is something I actually never take for granted, it's a dangerous City, but last night cops were chasing a perp and opened fire in a crowded public area, I was on the crosstown bus at the moment and we saw people running and screaming and had no idea what was happening. (After surviving 09/11 many of us on the bus assumed the worst). 2 innocent bystanders were not so lucky and were shot by the officers, not the criminal. And after getting off the crosstown bus to connect to an express bus that takes me home, which I just missed by a hair because the crosstown couldn't get through traffic, the weight of all the stress and pressure I've been under lately hit me, and when I finally got home at almost one in the morning in a City that boasts itself on it's fast and supposedly reliable public transportation, it was all it took to keep myself from just bursting into tears! When I saw the news and found out that two people were shot I thought a bullet could have just as easily hit the bus I was in as we were right in the thick of all the running and chaos. I am grateful I made it home, but am aware that two people didn't. Two people ended up in a hospital shot. Shot by the folks that our parents tell us to trust, a cop. This is a gritty city for sure and sometimes just making it home safely is a lot to be grateful for.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Lousy Service! - Sometimes bad people, places and things, help us appreciate the good ones even more. My Cable Company has tested every ounce of my patience this past month as the expensive high speed broadband internet I pay good money for hasn't been working. The tech made me stay home an entire day and NEVER showed, they didn't have the courtesy to call and I'm considering sending them a BILL for not showing. But their lack of professionalism has made me realize it's time to change providers. I should get what I pay for, and if they can't provide it, you can best believe I will find someone who will. When I have called them and contacted them via social media, their actual attitude is 'so we didn't show up, what do you want us to do about that, that's the past.' (the past is Friday by the way). I'd like (1) for the service I pay for to work, (2) when a tech makes an appointment he should keep it or call to promptly cancel 24 hours in advance and (3) I'd like an apology when you f*%k up. Simple as that. So those of you toying with having Optimum Online from Cablevision installed in your home, do yourself a favor and DON'T!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Events! - A very mixed bag of non-stop events that I will recap shortly.

This month is moving super fast and somehow October is almost here!


Stay tuned more great giveaways coming soon!

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 What are you GRATEFUL for this week Butterfly?  Is it a lesson learned, or a random act of kindness that you gave or received?

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Where #Fashion and #Philanthropy meet: Highlights from #STRUTMOMS at #MBFW #NYFW!



Because for the most part I post daily I know many of you were worried as I hadn't posted yet this week, I promise my health is fine and I didn't get trampled during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, in fact I had to duck out on the last half of it for a very good cause and I will share more about that shortly.

As I mentioned last week I took in less shows this year and chose the ones I attended based on it's 'story', I picked shows that had an interesting backstory starting from my coverage of Latinista Fashion Week leading into my coverage of the shows I took in during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week 2013.

This show caught my attention because it's where Fashion truly met Philanthropy, and you know Ascending Butterfly loves profiling and highlighting the people and brands that give back. The Moms collaborated with SWW Creative to present 'Strut. Now in it's third year, this year's theme was "Moms Strut for a Cause". The show is known for the fact that it features real moms walking the runway. Moms of all shapes and sizes wore clothes that are currently in stores. This year Bloomingdale's styled the show highlighting fall fashion trends from designers including: Ramy Brook, Jay Godfrey, Torn by Ronny Kobo, Yosi, Samra, Twenty, JustFab, Kay Unger and Zeus + Dione.

The show created by Denise Albert and Melissa Musen Gerstein of The Moms was Executive Produced by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff of SWW Creative, not only did the Creators and Executive Producer walk the runway during the show, but the show also featured Amber Sabathia (Creator and Designer of CCandy and wife of New York Yankees CC Sabathia) who walked the runway along with her children for the PitCCh In Foundation which helps inner city youth, Alexis Stoudemire (wife of the New York Knicks' Amar'e Stoudemire), who walked for The Amar'e Stoudemire Foundation, Meredith Johns walking for Feeding America, Melissa Meyers who walked for FARE (@FoodAllergy), Victoria Recano who walked for March of Dimes, Casey Santiago who walked for Kangu, Laura Posada who walked for National Foundation for Facial Reconstruction, Katina Taylor who walked for The Jason Taylor Foundation, Tara Abrahams who walked for Girl Rising, Tammy Mager who walked for 5 Under 40, Shannon Sutherland who walked on behalf of Whirlpool Habitat for Humanity, Suzanne Chan (walked for the same cause as Shannon), David Kirsch who walked for Share Our Strength No Kid Hungry, Debra Lewis-Boothman who walked for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Michelle Dennedy, Cyber Safety for Families/End Child ID Theft, Melissa Chapman who walked for Louie's Legacy, Corine Ingrassia who walked for R Baby Foundation, Brianne Manz who walked for Make A Wish Foundation, Naima Sanowar who walked for Robin Hood, Elizabeth Chabner Thompson who walked for BFFL Co. - Friends Fighting Breast Cancer, Holly Pavlika who walked for UN Shot, Mikaela Walker, Jenna Crandell who walked for PS. I Adore You, Cait Beauchaine, Darlene Rodriguez who walked for The Cristan Rivera Foundation, Alysia Reiner who walked for Healthy Child, Claire Lazarus who walked in honor of her mother Marilyn who died of Breast Cancer in 2010, Benita Oberlander who walked for JCC Manhattan Parkinson's Wellness Program (Benita is (creator of Strut) Denise Albert's mom), and last but certainly not least, Debbi Musen who walked for Gateway to Hope (is (creator of Strut) Melissa Musen's Mom).

Lead Sponsors included (in alphabetical order), Cottonelle, Vaseline Spray & Go, and Whirlpool. The after party was held at The Shops at Columbus Circle at Time Warner Center (one of my favorite places to buy Coach Handbags is there, great service at that specific location, yes we all know I'm Handbag Obsessed and proud of it), and gift bags included items from Sarah Potempa, Hair Room Service, and of course Vaseline Spray and Go!

10 year old DJ, DJ Fulano keeps the tunes going during #STRUTMOMS Fashion Show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City


The show was kicked off by sounds from 10 year old DJ, DJ Fulano (I have a funny feeling if I ever had a kid he or she would end up doing exactly this!), and guests were treated to 'bum friendly seating' from Cottonelle with cushions to watch the show!

Runway Show Video (courtesy of The Moms Website):



My Photo Highlights:

Andr'e Stoudemire of the New York Knicks poses for Photos for #STRUTMOMS during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City
Andr'e Stoudemire of the New York Knicks poses for Photos during the #STRUTMOMS Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week show New York City


Tracy from Ascending Butterfly at the #STRUTMOMS Show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City
Left: Mama Buterfly Right: ME! Tracy from Ascending Butterfly at the #STRUTMOMS Show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City 


Tracy from Ascending Butterfly at the #STRUTMOMS Show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City in front of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Logo
Left: Mama Buterfly Right: ME! Tracy from Ascending Butterfly at the #STRUTMOMS Show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City


Tracy from Ascending Butterfly at the #STRUTMOMS Show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City
Tracy from Ascending Butterfly at the #STRUTMOMS Show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City (They should totally hire me as a Blogger Brand Ambassador Spokesmodel don't you think?)


Mama Butterfly at the #STRUTMOMS Show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City


#STRUTMOMS After Party with Vaseline Spray and Go!


My Take:

I loved the combination of Fashion and Philanthropy and seeing women of all shapes and sizes on the runway all walking for a cause!

At the after party, the cocktail sponsor, Alacran Tequila served up some amazing Margaritas! I keep encouraging Spirit Brands to sponsor events, because now that I have discovered them I will be buying it, it's a really enjoyable Tequila!

I have some more Fashion Events coming up and long overdue review and giveaways too!


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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a compensated post. I attended the show as a member of the Digital Media and no monetary compensation has been exchanged to provide my event recap coverage. Gift Bags were provided and that did not influence my opinions.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Did you miss the @FashionLawInst #Fashion Show during @MBfashionweek? Get the highlights from The Box Here! #NYFW #MBFW



I tried to take on less shows this year and take on the ones that had what I felt was a unique back story or voice, so when I got an invitation to check out The Fashion Law Institute's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week show at The Box and read up on the designer's that were going to be included I couldn't resist taking in this show and I am so glad I did.

The Fashion Law Institute is the world's first center dedicated to law and the business of Fashion. It is a non-profit organization supported by the Council of Fashion Designers of America and it's President is none other than Diane von Furstenberg. The Institute provides training for fashion lawyers and designers, legal services for design students and professionals, and offers information and assistance on issues facing the Fashion Industry. They provide educational programming and also free legal consultations!

The Fashion Law Institute is located at Fordham Law School, across the street from New York Fashion Week's home at Lincoln Center in New York City. For this show in celebration of their 3rd anniversary they selected a small group of designers that they had assisted through their Fashion Law Pop-Up Clinic Program to join them during New York Fashion Week in the tents at Lincoln Center and showcase their respective collections. Featured Designers included: Blaise Kavanagh - women's sportswear, PHYN - stylish surfwear, Cabiria - Plus Size Fashion, A RAY - sustainable fashion, Ex Ovo - modern jewelry, Sievering - Evening, Bridal and Post-Mastectomy Designs. 

Not sure if you guys remember but we had actually already featured Cabiria when we met them earlier this year at the Madison Plus MP Select Press Preview. Eden Miller made history by being the first Plus-Size Fashion Designer being featured at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. While New York does host a "Full Figure Fashion Week', this is the first time that full figure fashion was actually included at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, and in my opinion it's high time, it's about time, and it is LONG overdue. America's average dress size is a size 14, and I hope this is the beginning of Fashion Week becoming inclusive and approachable to women of ALL shapes and sizes!

Sponsors included: Edmundo Castillo, EMC2 Emmett McCarthy, illy issimo, mizu (hair), MSA Models, Norma Kamali, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics applied by independent makeup artists: Keila Rivera, Felix Davila, Tamara Janeli, Maria Ortega, Nayari Abreu & Allyson Vienna, Oribe (hair), Priti NYC, Lee Van Put and Wilhelmina Models.

Check out the You Tube Video Below:



And here are some Photo Highlights:




























My Take:

I tried not to over-schedule myself this year, and if I had to select one show that I would have regretted skipping, this would have been it. I am so glad I got the chance to take in this show. All of the designers really brought 'heart' into it and I am super proud to see Cabiria's debut on the MB Fashion Week runway. As a curvy Latina who even at my smallest number on the scale will always have 'killer curves' it's great to find designers that want to see me celebrate my body and not just 'cover' it.

What is your favorite Spring/Summer 2014 style or designer featured during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week this year? 

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a Sponsored Post. Nor is this a compensated post. I was under no obligation to share my event recap and all opinions expressed are 100% my own. There were no gift bags offered during this event either!

Friday, September 6, 2013

Highlights from the @ShopNMRKT @StyleList #streetstylerunway show during #NYFW Sponsored by @AOL @tide @absolutvodka


NMRKT Logo, StyleList Logo, Absolut Tune Sparkling Fusion, Tide Pods at New York Fashion Week, #streetstylerunway Fashion Show during #NYFW at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City



I'm cramming in as many shows as possible as I won't be able to make them all due to my travel schedule (you'll find out soon why I'm ducking out early on Fashion Week this year!) Last night I had the chance to hit the NMRKT & Stylelist Street Style Runway Show held at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City, and guess who made their New York Fashion Week Official Debut? TIDE! Tide Pods was one of the sponsors along with AOL and a new drink was also introduced by Absolut called 'Absolut Sparkling Fusion Tune'  - It is a sparkling fusion of Absolut Vodka and crisp white wine, specifically Sauvignon Blanc and it is currently available in select US Markets. (I love Absolut and I definitely love White Wine, I really enjoyed it and I will be on the lookout for this one as I don't think my nearby stores have this one yet).

Here are some photo highlights from the show:

#streetstylerunway Fashion Show during #NYFW at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City
Getting ready to try the new Absolut Tune Sparkling Fusion


#streetstylerunway Fashion Show during #NYFW at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City
Most people who didn't see the sign thought it was champagne, but it was actually Absolut Tune Sparkling Fusion served chilled in a champagne flute!


#streetstylerunway Fashion Show during #NYFW at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City
Model is to the far left wearing white #streetstylerunway


#streetstylerunway Fashion Show during #NYFW at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City
#streetstylerunway during #NYFW


#streetstylerunway Fashion Show during #NYFW at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City
#streetstylerunway during #NYFW (Don't you love the pop of green?)


#streetstylerunway Fashion Show during #NYFW at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City
#streetstylerunway during #NYFW (Spring/Summer 2014 styles during Fashion Week September 2013 is making me want to be on a warm, sandy beach right about now, how about you?


#streetstylerunway Fashion Show during #NYFW at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City
#streetstylerunway during #NYFW


#streetstylerunway Fashion Show during #NYFW at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City
#streetstylerunway during #NYFW


#streetstylerunway Fashion Show during #NYFW at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City
#streetstylerunway during #NYFW


#streetstylerunway Fashion Show during #NYFW at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City
End of #streetstylerunway Fashion Show during #NYFW at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City

#streetstylerunway Fashion Show during #NYFW at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City
End of #streetstylerunway Fashion Show during #NYFW at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City


Who is that I spot in the crowd? (Do you recognize that man in the center of the action?)


Left: ME! Tracy from Ascending Butterfly and Right: Mark Cuban at #streetstylerunway Fashion Show during #NYFW at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City


Tracy from Ascending Butterfly holding up her super cool swag bag from #streetstylerunway Fashion Show during #NYFW at Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in New York City

My Take:

This was a truly enjoyable show featuring approachable Fashion that can definitely be worn straight off the runway! NMRKT, StyleList, AOL, Tide, Hudson NYC, and Absolut Tune did a great job making sure it was a fun show! The gift bag offered great swag from Kiss which included their premium eyelashes, Kiss Nail Dress, Shea Moisture Argan Oil and Raw Shea Hand & Body Scrub w/Frankincense & Myrrh Extract (which I can't wait to break into!), Lipsyl beeswax lip balm, Epicurean Discovery Protein Mist Enzyme Toner as well as their Lip Balm with SPF 15 and Tea Tree Oil, and what had to be a nod to the cocktail host, there was also Hangover Resqwater! There was also a gift card with $20 gift credits to Uber (way to go guys, it's a great way to ensure everyone gets home safely! They should be in every gift bag as far I'm concerned) and of course last but certainly not least Tide Pods in scents I have not yet tried were also included! SCORE! I should have made my Shark Tank Pitch to Mark Cuban! :-)

Whether you are attending New York Fashion Week or keeping track from home, which has been your favorite show so far? What brands will you be shopping for after having seen great stuff from their show? Don't forget to share your NYFW favorite shows and scores with us!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a compensated or sponsored post. As a member of the Digital Press I am given press access to various shows during New York Fashion Week. We were offered no incentive to share our recap and I did receive a swag bag which did not influence my opinion of the show or the Fashions Featured. See our full disclosure page for additional information.