Being “Present” in 2017 Using Tailwind For Instagram

One of my goals for 2017 is to intentionally be “Present” throughout each day.

What do I mean by being “Present”?

Digital activities can rob enjoyment of each moment as it happens if attentions are not intentionally focused and prioritized.

Wherever I go nowadays I can’t help but notice the digital-focused hush with a device in hand.

Most people use a smartphone as a business tool and/or personal entertainment.  This is a blessing and a curse to be able to have access and to work all hours of the day and night anywhere.

I am constantly looking for solutions to minimize time spent not engaging in real life be it in my business or personal relationships.

As a digital content curator and courier, I use a variety of social media platforms to achieve my objectives.

I was so excited to learn from Tailwind that they now have a Scheduling and Analytics App for Instagram!

Tailwind for Instagram is an Instagram scheduling and analytics tool built on the same platform as Tailwind’s popular Pinterest marketing tool.  It is designed to enable bloggers, influencers and marketers to schedule their Instagram posts in advance on a desktop computer or a mobile device.

Anything that shaves time off of a task that I am already doing regularly is what I am always on the hunt for. “In time trials, Tailwind for Instagram was 60% faster than the scheduling process that many marketers use today, involving emailing images to themselves and downloading them on their phone.”

I have been using the Tailwind app for Pinterest since 2013.  The Tailwind App has enabled me to be laser-focused on my pinning priorities as well as helping me drill down with my followers and group boards.

I manage many Instagram accounts and am looking forward to minimizing my work time by using Tailwind for Instagram just as I have with my very successful Pinterest account.

Please stop by Katie Shea Design’s Instagram or TakeAway IG Instagram.

I am looking forward to being intentionally more “Present” in 2017 Using Tailwind For Instagram!

To start a free trial of Tailwind for Instagram, visit the Tailwind homepage HERE 

Happy Anniversary With MotoZ Moto Mods

A few weeks ago I became a grateful recipient of the new MotoZ Droid Smartphone with three amazing Moto Mod accessories and a storage case!

Most intriguing to me was the idea of having a projector in my pocket that could project videos and photos up to 70 inches wide onto any flat surface! The concept of having the capacity at a moment’s notice to present a project, idea, document, image, video or view a movie with one or more people was exploding my mind!

I wanted to use the projector for something very special.  I decided to produce a 33rd wedding anniversary video for my husband.

While editing my anniversary video I used the JBL Soundbooth Speaker to play the video through for a preview before surprising my husband.

I played the video on our bedroom ceiling for our 33rd Wedding Anniversary with my Moto Insta-Share Moto Mod projector.

Preparing all the images for this very special video spent lots of battery time. Editing images for hours really tested the MotoZ’s Moto Mod Power Pack Battery life. I went for almost a whole day without having to charge up my smartphone.

I have more creative ideas to use my MotoZ’s Moto Mods in my work and my everyday life.  Stay Tuned!!!

Disclosure: I’m so excited I received a MotoZ Smartphone and three Moto Mods as part of my relationship with Verizon. Thanks Verizon for letting me play with this amazing smartphone technology!! #Droid #MotoZ from @Verizon #VZWBuzz #ad .

 

It’s Here! Applebee’s Wood-Fired Grilled Menu!

Applebee’s new wood-fired grills and the hand-cut steaks and other menu items cooked on them are available at participating Applebee’s restaurants across the U.S TODAY!

Meats and vegetables prepared on the new wood-fired grills will be featured in many other guest favorites – from appetizers to salads – adding the right amount of mild smokiness to each bite.

The Applebee’s #WoodFired menu includes:

• 8 oz. and 6 oz. Hand-cut USDA Choice Top Sirloin Steaks
• Hand-cut Bone-in Pork Chop
• Cedar-grilled Salmon
• Wood-Fired Grilled Chicken Breast

Follow the enticing aroma of American Oak smoke as you enter your local Applebee’s grill and bar.

Love these wood corrals stacked with split oak logs greeting Applebee’s guests.

We dined at the 50th and Broadway Applebee’s NYC, the largest Applebee’s in the world!

Our selections were Shrimp N’ Parmesan Sirloin Steak and Grilled Onion Sirloin With Stout Gravy and Red Potatoes paired with a Sam Adams cold brew!

Applebee’s serves American food featuring vibrant flavors and real, fresh ingredients.

We enjoyed our wood-fired grilled sirloin and looking forward to tasting every wood-fired selection on the menu!

America’s first choice grill and bar is Applebee’s!

Visit Applebee’s
Follow @Applebees
Become a Facebook fan
Share your Instagram photos

Disclosure: Compensation was provided and opinions are, as always my own.

A Life Changing Decision

When I was three and a half years I would pray every night that I could go to school with my big sister who had just started kindergarten. I was sad that I could not go with her.  We always did everything together so I could not understand why I could not just go and sit next to her in class.

I cried every day when we dropped her off to school and I told my mother that I was going to school with my sister the very next fall.  In the early 1960’s there was not any pre-k or nursery schools that she could have signed me up for to quench my thirst to go to school.

My mother started teaching me kindergarten at home to prepare me for her very bold move of registering me when I was four years old to kindergarten in the school my sister was attending.

The day my mother marched me up to the school for registration was a life changing decision. I got a glimpse of a strong-minded mother trying hard to meet her relentless four-year old’s educational hunger.  She was determined to get me into school and finally made a deal with the principal.  I had to do well in the first two months or she would have to take me out of kindergarten and start me again in the following September.

Fast forward thirteen years later.  I started my college career in community college at 17 years old and became a store manager for Waldenbooks at 18 years old.  I was working a full-time job and going to school to earn enough money to transfer to a four-year college.

I put in my applications for various four-year colleges just to see where I stood for the following school year.  To my surprise, I was accepted to all of them and I would not be able to commute but have to pay for a dorm in addition to my tuition.

I really had the bug to go away to college and immerse myself in my education, but how was I going to afford it I asked myself.  I prayed for answers.  Between my own savings and if I took out an educational loan I would be able to make it I concluded.

I quickly applied for a federal loan and it was issued rather quickly.  I accepted at a college that was about an hour away from my home.  I was a little late to the party (since I was a transfer student) applying for student housing but was told that something would open up for me.

While all these fast pace decisions were being made I kept pushing back this gnawing feeling of uneasiness and discomfort.  I decided to ignore what I now know as “intuition” and kept on course to move to my new college.

It was two days until the semester was going to begin, and I still had not been able to acquire a place to live.  I even considered commuting, but my parents pointed out that my ride would be a rough one through very deserted areas.  My car or so I say my “jalopy” would not be able to sustain a consistent, long distance commute.

I am not a quitter and never had quit anything in my life.  I had no other choice but to not attend that semester considering all the circumstances.  I had regretted all the time and energy that decision had taken out of me just to end up not attending anyway. I had made a life changing decision unbeknownst to me.

Now, what was I going to do about that student loan check ready to get deposited into my bank account???   I walked into the bank and handed them back the check.  They were extremely confused and thrown off kilter.  I was told that nobody had ever returned a student loan check to them and they really didn’t know what to do with it!  Well I guess they figured it out.

Less than a year later I had moved to NYC working as a Store Manager for the Gap Stores and met the person I have been married to for almost 32 years.

What I learned is that my ability to press on is great, but it does not mean I cannot change my decisions.  Changing my decisions for good reasons is not quitting.

Returning the student loan was one of the hardest things I had to do at that time of my life but it definitely set me sailing towards my future.  A wonderful husband, three beautiful children and a life that has been more than I could ever wish for!

What decision/s have you made that improved your quality of life that worked out well in the long run??

We are talking #SwitchersRemorse… Did you switch from Verizon Wireless and wished you hadn’t??  

Don’t worry. They’re making it easy for customers to come back. For more information head over to your local Verizon store.

Disclosure: As a member of a very cool team of influencers for Verizon Wireless I received compensation to think of this story from my life and write about it.

Did You Know?? There is a Skyscraper Museum in NYC!

There is Skyscraper Museum in New York City, the world’s first and foremost vertical metropolis, The Skyscraper Museum celebrates the City’s rich architectural heritage and examines the historical forces and individuals that have shaped its successive skylines. Through exhibitions, programs and publications, the Museum explores tall buildings as objects of design, products of technology, sites of construction, investments in real estate, and places of work and residence. For a description of the gallery and for photos of the space, please visit our Photo Slideshows page.

The Skyscraper Museum in NYC is located in lower Manhattan’s Battery Park City at 39 Battery Place. Museum hours are 12-6 PM, Wednesday-Sunday.

The Skyscraper image was shot with a Verizon DROID RAZR HD Smartphone back in summer 2013 from my hotel window at the Trump Hotel Central Park Columbus Circle courtesy of Trivago.

I have since been upgraded several times with the latest in smartphone technology while I am participating in the #VZWBuzz Lifestyle Program as a Verizon Wireless Influencer and Brand Ambassador.  I am currently testing a Verizon Droid Turbo and also shooting images with an iPhone6 as well this summer.

Stay connected with the latest smartphones

Disclosure **I am a member of  #VZWBuzz Lifestyle Blogger Team.  I am supplied with different devices to use and test.  All opinions are my own. **

National Wine Day

National Wine Day is celebrated annually on May 25.

Each year, on this day, people enjoy a glass of their favorite wine with dinner, for dessert, with friends, at a restaurant, at home or at a wine-tasting event. The wine has a rich history dating back thousands of years!  (There is also a separate, yet similar, National Wine Day which is celebrated each year in February).

We are celebrating National Wine Day by sharing some of the Wines we tasted and Vineyards visited while traveling in Northern California’s Wine Country.

 O’Brien Estate, Napa Valley CA

 Ceja Vineyards

 Trinitas Cellars

Chimney Rock 

DUCKHORN VINEYARDS

Castello di Amorosa

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Passaggio Wines

Ledson Winery & Vineyards

Kendall-Jackson

 Silver Oak Cellars

Kenwood Vineyards

Cakebread Cellars

MKT Restaurant-Bar

When visiting California’s Wine Country we recommend to either begin or end your visit with a MKT Restaurant-Bar dining experience that can be paired with some of the finest Vineyards/Wineries.

You are Invited to Visit Katie Shea Design”s National Wine Day Pinterest Place Board.  Pinterest Place Boards can be used as a tool to plan your next Wine Tour!

Disclosure **I am a member of  #VZWBuzz Lifestyle Blogger Team.  I am supplied with different devices to use and test.  All opinions are my own. **

Images by Katie Shea Design shot with a Verizon iPhone6  #VZWBuzz

Applebee’s “Taste the Change”

Applebee’s Hosts Time Square Takeover “Taste the Change” to Celebrate New Menu!

On Wednesday, May 13, 2015, Applebee’s hosted  a street party “Taste the Change” in Times Square to celebrate it’s new menu.  The festivities included free samples of new menu items, such as the new Triple Hog Dare Ya sandwich, a takeover of twelve of Times Square’s famous billboards, complete with social media integration; live music featuring performances from Jason Derulo, X Ambassadors and DJ Fitz (of Fitz and the Tantrums); games and activities for guests to enjoy.

The tagged tweets #WatchApplebees of those who could not make it to New York on May 13 appeared on a massive Times Square billboard during the event between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. EDT. Applebee’s shared live photographs from the event and the digital displays from the Times Square billboards at www.applebeestastethechangefest.com, where guests whose images appeared on the billboard were able to share via Facebook and Twitter with the headline, “Applebee’s threw a party in Times Square and I was there!”

Hosting a  live Periscope video broadcast was Vincenzo Landino, who with more than 40,000 video followers is among Twitter’s leading live video personalities.  Landino broadcasted live from Times Square in 30-minute segments throughout the event.

Later this month, the nearly 2,000 Applebee’s locations across the country will update their menus with eight new or improved sandwiches and appetizers, including the Triple Hog Dare Ya, Brew Pub Philly steak sandwich and Maple Bacon Chicken Piadini.

“An over-the-top sampling party at the Crossroads of the World is the perfect way to introduce and celebrate our new menu,” said Applebee’s Senior Vice President of Culinary and Marketing Darin Dugan.  “We’re proud of our new food and we’re inviting the world to give it a try.”

American Kobe Style Meatballs made in house, cooked really slow in Pomodoro sauce (chunky tomato sauce), parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley on top.

Maple Mustard Chicken Piadini  

Piadina is a wrap, it’s like a tortilla but it’s made from a thin dough, very trendy right now.  Piadina is almost like a really thin flat bread dough that applebee’s cooks on the grill.  They  roll cedar grilled chicken, cheddar cheese, bacon and a maple glaze on the inside with some fresh greens rolled up nice and hot off the grill.

Triple Hog Dare Ya

Three Hogs in it:  Black forest ham, bacon, and slow roasted pulled pork tossed in a chili salsa verde on a toasted ciabatta bread with cheddar cheese, crispy frizzled onions, and Applebee’s homemade steak sauce. My Favorite is the Triple Hop Dare Ya!

Shredded Brisket Nachos

Beautiful tender, slow roasted brisket tossed in salsa verde sauce on top of chips.  Three different cheeses: white cheddar, yellow cheddar and a white queso dip.  It has roasted poblanos, roasted jalapenos, caramelized onions, pico de gallo, all in a beautiful white silky sauce layered with the beef brisket on top of that with Applebee’s nacho lettuce (cabbage and shredded iceberg, pico de gallo, scallions, cilantro and fresh sliced jalapenos) and then chipotle lime seasoning on top.

Michael Slavin, the corporate executive chef for Applebee’s product development (developed all these recipes)  gave us all the details in a special live interview at Applebee’s Times Square New Menu Tasting Event May 13th.

The event was a huge success with so many participating all across various social media platforms.

The use of the live streaming app Periscope  by Vincenzo Landino brought the experience of the “Live” event to the masses!

When in NYC stop by Applebee’s and taste!!

The Applebee’s Brand

Applebee’s is the world’s largest casual dining chain, with more than 2,000 locations in 49 states, 16 countries and one U.S. territory. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, Applebee’s takes pride in providing a welcoming, neighborhood environment where everyone can enjoy the dining experience. Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar® restaurants are franchised or operated by DineEquity Inc.’s (NYSE: DIN) wholly-owned subsidiary, Applebee’s International, Inc. and its affiliates.

Disclosure **I am a member of  #VZWBuzz Lifestyle Blogger Team.  I am supplied with different devices to use and test.  All opinions are my own. **

Images by Katie Shea Design shot with a Verizon iPhone6  #VZWBuzz

Cooking and Katting with Chef Franco Lania

Since live streaming Apps Meerkat and Periscope (owned by Twitter) were launched last month they have been highly publicized in the news and online.  Both apps, currently available only on iOS, let you broadcast live video from your smartphone to the app’s other users or to a private group of friends and followers.

***Update** Meerkat App now Available also for Android Smartphone Users!! We introduced Chef Franco Lania to the Meerkat App as the perfect venue for his brand and personality.

“Ever since Meerkat captured the imagination of this year’s SXSW audience, it has become one of the most hotly-discussed new platforms in recent years among marketing industry experts.” “It’s been claimed by many that Meerkat is the biggest SXSW breakout product since Twitter in 2007” read more here

Chef Franco’s enthusiasm and passion for cooking is contagious and can be caught by watching him cook and engage with people. We chose to showcase Chef Franco’s magnanimous personality using the Meerkat App during a cooking session.

Most Meerkat users are aware that the app offers an option to save their video streams on their mobile devices but does not save to YouTube for you. We decided to use the Katch App.

Katch allows you to simplify the process of preserving your memories while passing off the storage and distribution concerns to YouTube’s servers. By adding “#Katch” to your Meerkat video stream description, you’ll immediately alert Katch, which will then save your video, upload it to YouTube and then send you the link via your Meerkat comments.  read more here We added  #Katch to our Meerkat Video Title to capture our video for posterity.

When we reviewed the “Katch Video” we discovered that the last 10 minutes of our saved video was out of sync.  We had lost video view for a few minutes during our meerkat broadcast and that must have disrupted the recording. Chef Franco was able to have the video put back into sync then placed up on YouTube. Chef Franco’s Mission is to inspire people that have hit hardships and adversity in their lives using the invigorating energy of cooking. His passion for the kitchen and its potential to heal the soul have made him a grassroots sensation, inspiring culinary professionals and novice foodies alike. The Master Chef has appeared on HTTV and The Food Network, where he served up delicious recipes garnished with his famous joie de vivre.  Now Chef Franco shares his joy of cooking, his recipes, and the story of how he found happiness in the kitchen with people around the world….and how you can do the same.

The following is a three-minute clip from Katie Shea Design’s Meerkat Video summing up Chef Franco Lania’s Cooking Mission:

Some Cooking Tips from Chef Franco Lania: 

Tip 1: Boil the pasta nice and easy to keep the integrity of the shapes.

Tip 2: Large sweet onions do not make you cry as much.

Tip 3: Remove the onion root before cutting to enable the onion to easily fall apart into half moon shapes. 

Tip 4:  Undercook your pasta by about 3 minutes.This allows the pasta to cook the rest of the way with the other hot ingredients.

You can find the Spring Pea and Pancetta Pasta Mista Here

While using the Meerkat App to video this cooking session; we used a Verizon WiFi Hotspot since “Live Streaming” devours Wireless Data.

What is a WiFi hotspot?

“Imagine a gadget that’s smaller than a deck of cards, as easy to use as a light switch and powerful enough to provide a super-fast Internet connection to numerous devices. That’s a mobile hotspot, which lets you take Wi-Fi with you. Wi-Fi hotspots—or Verizon Jetpack mobile hotspots—keep multiple Wi-Fi-enabled devices connected to the Verizon 4G LTE network. Unlike a USB modem or wireless modem, which can be used only with your laptop, a mobile hotspot can easily connect your laptop and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices simultaneously.” We keep a sharp eye on  Data usage since the business smartphone has a 2GB plan. By using the Verizon Hotspot we did not consume a chunk of the Data plan for one “Live Streaming” session.

The following image illustrates an example of a possible Verizon Wireless Customer’s Monthly Data Usage:

Please Click on the following image to calculate your Monthly Data Usage:

After calculating your estimated Monthly Data Usage stop by Verizon Wireless and check out all the latest Wireless Plans available for your wireless devices.

The scale is tipping in our personal and business lives to a more “Video Usage” world.  Ensuring we have a “Data Plan” that can accommodate our lifestyles and budgets is essential.

A Verizon iPhone6 128GB was used to shoot Katie Shea Design’s images and Meerkat Video in this post.

Disclosure **I am a member of  #VZWBuzz Lifestyle Blogger Team.  I am supplied with different devices to use and test.  All opinions are my own. **

The Question is Which Lindt Chocolate is Your Favorite?

The Month of August Lindt Master Chocolatier has given Instagrammers the opportunity to post an image of their favorite Lindt Chocolate on Instagram using Hashtag #LindLove.

Lindt’s reward: Lindt Chocolate prizes!

Katie Shea Design decided to jump on board and post an image of  favorite Lindt Chocolate.

The image was shot with a GalaxyS5 using the selective focus option in HDR mode.

#VZWBuzz

 

Cost Plus World Market Opening in the North East! Livingston N.J.

Cost Plus World Market is in the North East Now!

Katie Shea Design is thrilled to share the news that Cost Plus World Market is coming to the North East! We‘ve been waiting and now the time has come for a N.J. Location’s Grand Opening. There are so many unique products from around the world available at World Market. Products have great price points and are appealing to all.   You will be amazed with the variety of products and the inspiration they present.  Katie Shea Design will be visiting the store and sharing the experience with another post next week.  You are invited to join the Grand Opening celebration!  GRAND OPENING DETAILS ❥▶ 

The New Jersey Store Grand Opening is in Livingston, N.J. on Thursday, July 10th.  This is the first Cost Plus World Market Store in the North East!  Beginning Thursday, July 10th through Sunday, July 13th World Market will be celebrating the grand opening with several events, special guest appearances, special giveaways and offers.  

Meet Special Guests – Jonathan & Drew Scott, hosts of Property Brothers!

Details of the Celebration Week:

LOCATION: 530 W. Mt. Pleasant Ave., Livingston, NJ

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

Thursday, July 10 : Official Grand Opening

• 9:00am – Special ribbon cutting Ceremony. Store opening immediately following ceremony
• First 100 customers in the door will receive a $10 World Market gift card on us!

Thursday, July 10 – Sunday, July 13

• Free Cost Plus World Market Tote Bag to the first 100 customers in the door each day!
• Free tasting and live entertainment each day { 4-7pm Thursday & Friday and 1-4pm Saturday & Sunday}

Saturday, July 12 (1pm – 3pm)

• Come Meet Celebrities, Jonathan & Drew Scott (Hosts of Property Brothers)
• First 200 customers to bring 5 non-perisable food items to donate to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey for a chance to meet Jonathan and Drew and get a signed autograph*

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. An autographed photo of Jonathan & Drew Scott will be given to the first 200 customers with the minimum donation of 5 non-perishable, non-glass food items. One autograph per person. Event subject to change or cancellation. Stores open at 9 am. Line forms at 12 pm.  

 Click the Coupons and Print!

Cost Plus World Market FaceBook

Cost Plus World Market Twitter

 Cost Plus World Market Pinterest  

Please join us on Pinterest!

Exploring all of what the New North East Cost Plus World Market has in store for you!

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Cost Plus World Market.

All opinions are my own.