Ogilvy's 1st Annual Cupcake Contest!..Coconut Dreams won!

Today I participated in a cupcake contest at work to raise money for children and Hunger right here in the USA.... I knew i was going to bake for the cupcake sale but i had doubts about participating in the contest... but slowly began to get in the groove of things.

I had no clue it was going to turn out into a full blown food network with celebrity chef Sandra Lee as a guest. I also did not know i had to speak in front of hundreds of coworkers to present my cupcake and needless to say i got very nervous and anxious.

I decided to go with a Coconut Cupcake baked with Coconut milk and sweetened coconut flakes in the batter. The frosting was a cream cheese frosting and i topped it off with coconut flakes which i colored turquoise to give it a Caribbean Island look. I did a tasting the week before and in my opinion and the opinion of my team they needed more coconut so tweeked the recipe accordingly.

The participating batch tasted absolutely superb. I felt confident that even if i did not win my work was excellent. This was the first time that i have competed in anything and i can say i gave it my 150% and i pushed myself hard. I did my research and it was worth it. Among 15 bakers who in my opinion raised the bar very high in creativity and presentation ( what else can you expect from a creative agency) I WON. I felt so good and proud. At times i doubted myself but i stuck to it and i can say i am proud of me. Proud that i stuck to it and ignored my fears of failing. And it feels sooooooo good!!!!

Being Sun Smart!

I love the summer, It is my favorite season, maybe because i was born in Dominican Republic and is hot or very warm all year round...I don't know. But the thought of winter, coats and boots are quite disturbing to me lol.

I love going to the beach and the pool. Getting together with friends and family and good food are the best. But one thing i do not like is having to watch my skin so much from the sun's harming rays. Eventhough i know we have to protect our skin year round, I do not tan in the other seasons so i only use SPF 30 on my face all year round.

It is only the beginning of July i am already at least 4 shades darker...and please keep in mind i was blessed to be born with lots of color already so I will try and avoid the wrinkles and protect myself better.

So i went online to read about being sun smart and what better website than the American Cancer Society!!!

Attached please find the link on sun protection. Believe me you will be surprised at some facts about sunscreen. Did you know sunscreen is to be applied thickly? Read on and be safe.............

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/SunandUVExposure/SkinCancerPreventionandE

arlyDetection/skin-cancer-prevention-and-early-detection-u-v-protection

New York City Pools

It can be very frustrating finding an affordable, clean, chaos free pool in NYC. So i have done some research and found a couple of options for all of us looking to stretch our dollars this summer (since we don't know what is going on with the economy lol..is best we keep saving).

I personally prefer going to the beach because it feels more natural and summery but I went to the Asser Levy Rec Center and i really liked it. It is a free NYC parks pool. It can be better but it is a very good option. This summer i will try the pool at John Jay and i will come back and give you guys a review. Enjoy.

Asser Levy Rec Center

Address: East 23rd Street and FDR Drive
Phone: 212-447-2020
Getting There: 6 train to 23rd St. and walk east
Pool Type: Indoor and outdoor pools available
Cost: The outdoor pool is free. Membership for the indoor pool is $75/year (not open during the summer).
Hours: Mon-Fri 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sat. and Sun. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Overview: The indoor pool is beautiful, featuring a fountain and skylights. The outdoor pool, open July through Labor Day, is clean and serviceable. Asser Levy also has basketball courts, a playground and an Arts and Crafts room. And it's fun to say "Asser Levy."

John Jay Pool and Recreation
Address: 77th Street and Cherokee Place (east of York Ave.)
Phone: 212-794-6566
Getting There: 6 to 77th Street or 4,5 to 86th Street
Pool Type: Outdoor pool with diving
Cost: Suggested annual donation of $25 for adults and $10 for teens.
Hours: Daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Overview: John Jay is one of the best public pools in Manhattan. A snack bar and playground are nearby.

Manhattan Plaza Health Club

Address: 482 West 43rd Street at 10th Ave.
Phone: 212-563-7001.
Getting There: A,C,E to 42nd St.
Pool Type: Rooftop pool with retractable glass roof.
Cost:$25 day passes are available (includes use of gym and whirlpool).
Hours: Weekdays from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Weekends from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Overview: Four-lane lap pool has a separate alcove for kids. Day pass is half the price of the rooftop pool at the Parker Meridien. The MPHC web site offers a coupon for a $10 day pass (workout and pool).

Chelsea Piers Sports Center
Address: Sports Center, Pier 60, 23rd St & the Hudson River
Phone: 212.336.6000
Getting There: E to 23rd St. and walk west, M23 bus to the Chelsea Piers
Pool Type: Six-lane indoor pool with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Hudson River
Cost: $50 day passes available. Call for the latest membership fees.
Hours: Weekdays from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Weekends from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Overview: Great pool for serious swimmers and millionaires. Membership is pricey, but the pool and the sports center are deluxe.

Free Kid Friendly Places for Mom's on a Budget

It can get really expensive taking your kids out to fun educational places in New York City so i have compiled a list of cool kid friendly places that you can visit with your family if you are looking to give your kids a good time on a budget like i am.

These places are free or almost free on specific days of the week. I am sure that there are many many more so please feel free to email me so i can update the list. I hope you enjoy and have a happy and fun summer.


Bronx Zoo- Pay as you wish on Wednesdays. Please visit http://bronxzoo.com/plan-your-trip/hours-and-rates.aspx for more details.

The New York Botanical Garden is free between 10am and 12PM Wednesdays and Saturdays. Visit http://www.nybg.org/visit/admission_grounds.php for more details.

Brooklyn Botanical Garden is free on Saturday between 10AM and 12PM on Saturday and kids under 12 are always free. Visit http://www.bbg.org/visit/hours/#/tabs-2 for details.

Children’s Museum of Manhattan is offering Target Fridays. It is free for all on the first Friday of every month between 5PM and 8PM.
Visit http://www.cmom.org/visit/hours_and_admissions for more details.

Sony Wonder Technology lab is a Free technology and entertainment center for
Everyone. They recommend calling in advance for reservations.
Visit http://www.sonywondertechlab.com/ for more details.

New York Hall of Science has free admissions from September through June, on Fridays, 2 –5 pm; Sundays, 10 – 11 am. Please note free admissions are cancelled from July to August. Visit http://www.nysci.org/visit/1428642/admissions for details.

MOMA is offering Target Fridays every Friday between the hours of 4PM and 8PM. Also all kids under 16 are free at the MOMA. Visit http://www.moma.org/visit/plan/offers for details.

Children Museum of the Arts is pay as you wish on Thursdays between 4PM-6PM. Visit http://cmany.org/pages.php?pn=about_generalinformation for details.

New York Aquarium is pay as you wish on Friday’s beginning at 3PM. Visit
http://www.nyaquarium.com/plan-your-trip/hours-and-rates.aspx for details.

American Museum of Natural History has a suggested donation policy however
if you wish to pay less or as you wish you can do so by purchasing tickets at the
admissions desk. Visit http://www.amnh.org/visitors/ for details.


And Mom’s please don’t forget story time at your local Barnes and Noble or Border’s and visit all the beautiful and free parks and beaches NYC has to offer (we can squeeze in a science lesson while tanning). Enjoy!

Braidout :)

So this week i decided to skip the rollers and create a more "fun" look. So i went through some Youtube videos to find a good Braidout method.

I really liked Traycee's from K.I.S.S but i used Coconut oil instead of Sweet almond oil and here are the results :)...I will definately be doing this style as it gets warmer.

Please excuse my face lol I took these pics myself and i was quite giddy about the results:).

This is what i did:

I washed, deep conditioned and i applied leave in conditioner. After I let my hair air dry about 60% i applied more leave in (Fructis Anti Frizz) and coconut oil.

I did 4 braids (2 in the front and 2 in the back and rolled the ends with a foam roller)and i put on a scarf.

In the morning after my braids were 100% dry I picked them apart using my fingers. One thing i found helpful was taking a bit of coconut oil in my fingers to take out the braids. This eliminated any frizz.

Also, I have been experiencing some seasonal shedding which is very disturbing to me. Losing any amount of hair gets me annoyed but I will ride it out.

It is within what i consider normal but I am incorporating a Dominican product line called "Baba de Caracol" to see how it goes. I will keep you guys updated.

Battle of the Flat Irons :)

I bought a Remington Sleek and Curl 1" flat iron and i must say for the price it is great. I bought it on eBay for 12 bucks!!!. It goes for $35 at Target and Amazon.

You can straighten, make waves or curl you hair. It has digital temperature control (love) and it locks in the temperature of your choice so it wont change as you are holding it.

Pros:

Heats up fast

You can style many ways

Temperature control

Ceramic plates

Price

Cons:

Gets a bit hot behind the plates

I also have a FHI Technique Pink 1" flat iron which i also absolutely love. It doesn't pull your hair and It leaves your hair with amazing shine and body. The only problem i have with it is that is set at 410 degrees which is hot for my relaxed hair. So i will use it for special occasions ;).

P.S: The Tresseme heat tamer is fabulous..Very light mist that smells great and doesn't weigh your hair down.

I started working out!!!!!

After many months of being lazy i finally found some motivation to workout and what better place than at my job!. We moved to a new building and a new gym was built which i must say is great. I felt apprehensive at first but i warmed up to the idea and i am loving it.

There are many machines, all new and the locker room and shower is to divine. They did a physical assessment on me and i am not unhappy with the results i did ok...but that is why i am working out to get my body better!

With that said what better way to start working out than to try something new...SPINNING!

Holy mother of god!!!! At first i was like someone please drag me of this bike which btw can make your girly parts numb lol. But half way thru the class i really liked it and was proud that i was actually working out.

Sooooo I will be spinning twice a week and I will do cardio and weights the other two.

Wish me luck yall!