This week, I went to New York City because my sweetie was exploring a few business opportunities. While I was there, I met a lot of different inspirational people. They all had something in common – they were making something out of nothing, working their way up from the bottom to the top, or simply seizing any opportunity that came their way.

• I met a woman who was a lead seller for Estee Lauder Cosmetics and studied under Bobbi Brown as a makeup artist. She now owns her own cosmetics line and shop in Brooklyn, as well as teaches classes. As I was surrounded by a rainbow of eye shadows, I felt inspired to put more energy into my lifelong passions to create a career that makes me happiest.
• I met several people in the real estate field, piling into a dungeon classroom to take classes to get their real estate license and learn how to motivate others to lease apartments in New York. It inspired me to work harder to get the things I want out of life. I’m truly slacking in this department.
• One man worked his way out of a halfway house /shelter by seizing an opportunity in MLM (multi-level marketing). That was inspiring in itself.

New York City is an inspirational place, period. One of the last things I saw as we drove home (a little over 4 hours away) was the Statue of Liberty. For some reason, she literally takes my breath away and sends me into a cloud of contemplation.

Disclosure: I’ve written this blog in participation to the Create with Joy Friendship Friday Blog Hop – thanks for stopping by! Leave me a comment somewhere and I will follow back or leave a comment on your blog.

 Votes are Appreciated!

I decided to enter the Madame Tussaud ‘Heads will Roll’ contest.

You simply enter a photo of yourself at any Madame Tussaud wax museum.  I had the pleasure of visiting the Madame Tussaud museum in Hollywood, California and it was hard choosing just one photo to enter because my mother and I really hammed it up for the camera…but I selected my Forrest Gump image because it’s more like me to have my hands on a “box of chocolate” (said in my Forrest Gump voice) than anything else.

You can vote 5 times per day.

I learned about this contest after entering the Bless Their Hearts Mom giveaway to win a signed copy of “Madame Tussaud” by Michelle Moran or a pair of Marie Antoinette earrings (which ends on December 29, 2011 – so you can enter too).

Whether you own a motorcycle, like to work on choppers, or are looking for a family-friendly event to take the kids – the Progressive International Motorcycle Show might just be the thing for you. As the largest custom bike show in the world, prepare for a showcase of the latest in motorcycle technology. The show also gives you a glimpse at what to expect for 2012 – see what’s new on the market before anyone else.

Design a Kawasaki

One of the features of the Progressive International Motorcycle Show allow you to design your own Kawasaki, which I think is pretty cool. You get to personalize your two-wheeled dream using a wireless digital spray can that offers dozens of color palettes and more than 10 graphic design packages. Once you are done, you can print a copy to hang on your wall or post to Facebook to share with your friends.

Show Dates and Locations

Hopefully, the show is coming to your town or a nearby city. The schedule of upcoming shows is:

Novi, MI: January 6-8
Washington, DC: January 13-15
New York, NY:  January 20-22
Cleveland, OH:  January 27-29
Minneapolis, MN:  Feb 3-5
Chicago, IL:  Feb 10-12
Charlotte, NC:  Feb 24-26
Daytona Beach, FL: March 14-17

If you don’t win the giveaway, you can use MOTOINFO as a promo code to receive $2 off your ticket. Additionally, every Sunday, the Progressive International Motorcycle Shows will feature a “Family Day”, where kids under 12 get in free with a paid family member. For more information or to purchase tickets, pay a visit to www.motorcycleshows.com.

Giveaway

Up for grabs is your choice of tickets to the Progressive International Motorcycle Show OR a prize pack consisting of Rebel Girl [Defiant Body Lotion, Defiant Body Spray, and Rebelicious Lip Stain].

Disclosure: I received information and the opportunity to host a giveaway regarding the Progressive Motorcycle Show. I have not been financially compensated for this post.

[fill out the Rafflecopter form – you may have to REFRESH or RELOAD to make it show]

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Oregon Chai now comes in a teabag? Yes… the company is now offering new Oregon Chai tea bags in a variety of flavors: Original, Energia and Dreamscape. But that’s not all – they are also providing you with the opportunity to win a trip of a lifetime. The Steeped in Adventure sweepstakes (isn’t that the coolest name?) gives one lucky Facebook fan a chance to plan their dream vacation with a $10,000 prize. You can sign up here to participate in the sweepstakes.

To celebrate Cyber Monday, Oregon Chai is also hosting a Twitter Party on Monday, November 28, from 1 to 2 p.m. [central time], where you can win a giveaway, such as a custom Oregon Chai mug (I have one and it looks really nice) and a grand prize of a Kindle Wi-Fi. There is no need to RSVP, just follow @OregonChai and use hashtag #OregonChai to join in the excitement.

Disclosure: I received information from Oregon Chai about the sweepstakes and Twitter party, and I was not monetarily compensated for the post. I do, have a chance to sample the new tea bags, if chosen randomly.

When I hear someone speak of Beak & Skiff Apple Farm in Lafayette, NY, I think of going apple picking and buying apple cider at the store. Yet, there is much more at the apple farm for adults to enjoy. Wine tasting, vodka tasting, hot mulled cider, and a free beverage glass – why am I just experiencing the Beak & Skiff Apple Farm Beverage Trail? About a week ago, I explored the trail, which touches upon three different Beak & Skiff Stations.

The Apple Farm Winery (located at 4472 US Route 20, LaFayette, NY) offers a range of award-winning apple wines and hard ciders. I’ve had the Empire before (really dry) and Northern Spy (my absolute favorite), so I sampled the semi-dry Gala at the winery, which was alright. I still love the Northern Spy. The hard apple ciders were also nice – perfect for accompanying a holiday meal.

The Distillery is located across from the winery and offers vodka crafted from apples. They use a small batch distillation process. The vodka sample was strong and smooth – warming my throat and eventually burning a path down my esophagus. Don’t ask me why I thought it would taste like apples, but it didn’t. The highlight of this trip was ‘Carl’ (the machine behind the distillation process). His name really isn’t Carl (I asked), it’s just the name of the company that makes the machine. We purchased the Apple Pecan dressing from the Distillery – it’s delicious and versatile.

The scent of apple cider doughnuts and cinnamon spice hits your nostrils as soon as you walk into the Country Store & Cider Mill, which was our third stop. Located on 2701 Route 80, Lafayette, NY (we still managed to drive right past the turn despite getting directions and seeing a sign that said “1-mile ahead” – it’s kinda tricky if you ask me). Here is where you stock up on sweet cider, chocolates, apple popcorn, cheeses, jams, and other goodies. They also had a lot of nice samples. We purchased a six-pack of Apple Cider Doughnuts and Mulling Spices for Hot Cider, and received our complimentary shot glass (a really nice tall one) for completing the Beverage Trail.

All you have to do is grab your ‘passport’ at any location, and have it punched at all three of the above places to earn a Beak & Skiff themed glass. We were pleased to take home a beverage glass that commemorated the 100^th Anniversary of Beak & Skiff.

For more information about Beak & Skiff Apple Farm stores and products, you can check out their website at http://beakandskiff.com The Country Store closes for the season on November 23, but the winery and distillery is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Yesterday, I drove (rode) to New York City on a 4-hour trip to attend the 2011 Chocolate Show at the Metropolitan Pavilion. I won 2 tickets to the show from My Adventures in Mommyland blog and I was not letting them go to waste, so I asked my brother if he’d like to go. We took my nephew along (who gets free admittance), to experience his first time in New York. He was so excited.

Outfits Made out of Chocolate

The first thing you see upon entering the NYC Chocolate Show was a shiny 2012 Lincoln MKX (actually received one made out of chocolate as a souvenir), but it was the ethnic wardrobe honoring chocolate that really caught my eye. Throughout the show, there were outfits made out of or with chocolate. This was actually a highlight of the show for me. My favorite is the display with chocolate wings and scary things hanging off of her wardrobe (shown below).

Itty, Bitty Samples

Some of the samples of chocolate were ridiculously small, while others were quite generous. It was really interesting to learn about the different ways to make and market chocolate products. Pure Dark was a delicious company that makes handcrafted treats using the cocoa pod. I purchased a slab of dark chocolate for my mother with pecans, cocoa nibs, and crystallized ginger called Fusion Bark. Delicious.

Chocolate Art

You can make almost anything you want out of chocolate and the show offered a range of artistic creations made out of blocks and sheets of chocolate, including clown heads (Pennywise from Stephen King’s ‘It’ to be exact), the streets of NYC, vehicles, and even President Obama.

Mixed Drinks and Wine Tastings…

The Don Q booth provided what I thought were generous samples of their flavored rums. A fruity cocktail was made with passion fruit rum, passion fruit juice and topped with shaved white chocolate. The stronger tasting coconut drink was rimmed with a tasty cocoa powder. Quady Winery offered an array of wine samplings, which I liked because they were fruity. The port-style wine (Starboard Batch 88) had 20% alcohol and was a bit too strong for my taste, but I did order the Elysium (a raspberry-flavored dessert wine) and the Red Electra (a fizzy raspberry type of dessert wine).

Special Ice Cream Flavors

An ice cream station offered a bevy of exotic and uncommon flavors. I tried the Ferrero Rocher flavor (it was OK), but my brother said the Nutella flavor was really good. Other flavors they offered was a Whiskey Brownie, Snickers Pie, Corona Lime, and even one that tasted like cigars (gag me).

A Kids Zone

In the Kids Zone, children could create edible necklaces and bracelets using Cheerios, Froot Loops and Lifesavers. They also had a chance to decorate their own chef hat and receive a “Jr. chocolatier certificate”. My nephew was determined to color the entire chef’s hat.

My Purchased Goodies

Vendors at the Chocolate Show were definitely turning a profit selling samples, boxed sets, gift sets, and other holiday treats. Besides the ordered wine and dark chocolate bark, I came home with a spicy chocolate martini and cocoa mix called Fire & Ice from 2 Chicks with Chocolate (so tasty!) and Maison Boissier gourmet marshmallows in flavors, such as apricot and blueberry.

If you’ve ever visited or lived in New York City, then you already know the chaos that finding a parking space can cause. Park in the wrong place and you will return to find you vehicle has been towed or you’ve received a hefty ticket fine. It’s also competitive with lines of cars swarming around small parking garage entrances while congested traffic eeks by. Parking in New York City is also expensive – with “specials” advertised for $7 for ½ hour. Are you kidding me?

It was pure accident that I found this Icon Parking Systems discount coupon page. I was investigating parking options for the Chocolate Show that I attended this weekend. They offer many different discounts all over the city, including Times Square, the Upper East Side, and East Village. I made a few educated guesses and printed two parking vouchers for Sunday: flat-rates of $15 and $10 (tax included). I saved at least $20 to $25 on parking with the coupons. You must pay with a valid credit card to take advantage of this deal.

I will never pay full-price New York City parking again as long as Icon Parking offers this deal.

In a perfect world, everything you wish to take on a trip would fit nice and neat in your carry-on, suitcase or travel duffle bag. However, when traveling, I’ve never successfully arranged my outfits into neatly folded, ironed layers – I’m always stuffing shirts into tight places and configuring shoes in-between pants and other articles of clothing. The travel-friendly samples of the oneCARE Company are perfect for weekend getaways or longer adventures.

I had the pleasure of sampling four of their travel products. Each has their own review:

Bounce Lint Roller – find out what makes this lint roller different from all the others

Downy Wrinkle Releaser – remove wrinkles with a freshly scented spray

Dryel on-the-go Instant Stain Remover – an instant stain remover that really works

Tide Travel Laundry Bag – separates dirty clothes and smells from clean clothes

Disclosure: I received a product sample from the oneCARE Company to review. I was not compensated for this post and my opinions are 100% my own.

We’ve been in that situation – spilled red wine on a skirt or missed a bite of food that ended up rolling down your shirt. A glaring stain is a beacon for unwanted attention when you’re out and about. I like small sizes of products because I am notorious for packing my purse with “essentials.” The Dryel on-the-go Stain Remover is one that fits nicely inside a purse or travel bag. The product is perfect for averting embarrassing moments.

How many times have I rushed to a restaurant bathroom to remove a stain – only to make it worse? Countless.

Putting it to the Test

The rubbery, textured tip works like a scrubber that really does ‘erase’ stains. I tested the remover out on a white T-shirt. I deliberately spilled pasta sauce on it – I cringed when the stain soaked into the shirt and started to spread.

How to Use

First, remove the excess residue from the stain and place a napkin behind the garment. You then squeeze the Dryel pen and use the scrubber to work the stain out. I watched the pasta sauce stain disappear before my very eyes. It was amazing. I was really surprised. To clear up the wet product, simply blot dry with a napkin.

The Dryel On the Go Stain Remover worked on my T-shirt and also removes fresh stains from delicate fabrics, hand-washables (like silk, linen, cotton and wool), and dry clean only clothes.

Disclosure: I received a product sample from the oneCARE Company to review. I was not compensated for this post and my opinions are 100% my own.

As a clothing wrinkle queen who isn’t too fond of irons, the Downy Wrinkle Releaser is an ideal product to use for both in the home and while traveling. Nowadays, most hotels come with an iron for you to use, but this is not always the case. Years ago, I stayed at one establishment where you had to sign out an iron at the front desk. Plus, sometimes you’re in a hurry and don’t want to rush through the heated process of ironing.

Putting it to the Test

I pulled two wrinkly shirts out of my closet to try out the Downy Wrinkle Releaser – a black ruffle short-sleeve (97% cotton/3% spandex) and the purple short-sleeve (100% rayon) shown.

I sprayed the fabrics with a sweeping motion until they became slightly damp. I tugged and smoothed out the garment according to the direction, and then let them hang.

The results were nearly instantaneous. I only show the purple garment results because the image of the black shirt is too distracting – the majority of the shirt is already ruffled, but the part I wanted wrinkle-free (the upper chest area) came out nicely.

The endless vertical lines in the purple shirt had disappeared…I left a wrinkled portion on the shirt to show you the difference.

The only thing I didn’t like about using this product was feeling a very slight residue on my hands – nothing that a little soap and water can’t cure. I love the fact that the results are fast and the Downy Wrinkle Releaser also revamps your clothing with a light fresh scent. If you’re an air traveler, you’ll be happy to know the 3-ounce container of Downy Wrinkle Releaser meets FAA requirements for carry-on liquids.

Disclosure: I received a product sample from the oneCARE Company to review. I was not compensated for this post and my opinions are 100% my own.