The following post is sponsored by FitFluential, LLC on behalf of Verizon Wireless. (And it features a seriously rockin’ giveaway!!!)
Lunch at Stella’s Modern Pantry
Today is flyin’ by!
After I published my morning blog post, I headed out the door for a quick workout before I had to train a client and attend a lunch meeting for the Taste of Ocala. I wish I had time to shower in between, but hopefully the patrons at Stella’s Modern Pantry can forgive me for showing up looking a little worse for wear.
I’ve popped into Stella’s a time or two before, but just to browse around their eclectic kitchenware and gourmet food products. This was my first time dining at the casual restaurant and I was really impressed with the food.
I ordered the salad of the day that came with pine nuts, fresh Parmesan, roasted peppers, marinated onions, olives and sundried tomatoes. It was fantastic!
I also had a cup of mint tea because it was quite chilly inside.
Our meeting lasted a little less than two hours and then I took some time to browse around before driving home. Stella’s always has such fun stuff and I figured I might be able to find something for Christmas for the hard-to-buy-for people in my life.
My friend Jennie and I thought these Rewind candles smelled fantastic.
I love that they are made with recycled wine bottles. Too cool, huh!? (They also come with a hefty price tag.)
I ended up leaving empty handed but I have a few gift ideas in the back of my mind that I may go back for at some point this weekend.
Once I said goodbye to everyone, I headed home to type up this afternoon blog post which includes one heck of an amazing giveaway.
Are you guys ready for this!?
Yes, that is a brand new Samsung Galaxy S4!!!
I am pretty sure this is one of the most valuable – if not the most valuable – giveaways ever offered on PBF. I am so, so, so thrilled to be able to feature this on the blog today!
Verizon Edge
This amazing giveaway is possible thanks to a campaign with FitFluential and Verizon Wireless. I am honored to be able to offer this giveaway – especially right in the middle of the holiday season!
After I applied to be a part of this campaign, I received a bunch of information about Verizon, who has been my service provider ever since I had a cell phone. One of the most recent developments within the company is the new Verizon Edge program.
Verizon Edge allows you to get a new Verizon phone this year, and every year after that with no upgrade fees and no long-term service contract.
Here are the highlights of Verizon Edge:
- First, pick a phone! The full retail price of the phone you select is split into 24 monthly payments, and added to your usual monthly bill.
- Use your phone for six months and, with at least 50 percent of your phone’s price paid off, you are now eligible to upgrade. you’re eligible for upgrades
- Now you can “edge up” and trade in your existing phone for a new one.
One question I asked was whether or not you had to stick to a certain brand and the answer is no! You can choose an Apple iPhone and use it for six months and then “edge up” to the Samsung Galaxy S4 the next time if you want to try something new.
iPhone 5s
Another development within Verizon that I’m sure many of you already know all about is the launch of the Apple iPhone 5s and 5c. I recently upgraded to the 5s and have been incredibly impressed with the quality of the camera.
Of course Sadie is my number one photography subject.
That picture, as well as all of the pictures from my lunch featured in the beginning of this blog post were taken with my iPhone 5s and were not edited in any way.
I love the camera and can absolutely tell a difference in the quality of my photos from the original iPhone 5. The new phone has a slightly larger sensor (1/3 vs 1/3.2 inch) and seems to produce better images in very bright lighting. I’ve also noticed that it seems to snap photos faster which is key for photographing moving subjects like Sadie (or me on a wedding dance floor).
So now let’s move on to the part of this post I am sure you’re all most excited about… The giveaway!!!
Samsung Galaxy S4
One PBF reader will have the chance to win a Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone, equipped with a 13–megapixel, premium point–and–shoot camera and 5–inch full HD display!
There are two ways to enter this giveaway:
1. Comment below telling me why you want to win the Samsung Galaxy S4
2. Tweet some variation of the following: Hoping to win a Samsung Galaxy S4 from @PBFingers and @verizonwireless!!! #vzwff <— Don’t forget to leave a separate comment below, letting me know that you tweeted so I can be sure to count your tweet!
A winner will be randomly selected on Friday.
Twitter Chat Tonight
Verizon and FitFluential will be giving away another Samsung Galaxy S4 tonight! Be sure to check out the Twitter chat this evening at 9 p.m. EST, using the hashtag #VZWFF. Every single hashtagged tweet that goes live during the chat has a chance to win the Samsung Galaxy S4!
P.S. For those of you in the market for a new tablet, Verizon also has a promo on their 4G LTE tablets right now. You can get $100 off any 4G LTE tablet with a two-year activation.
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Samsung Galaxy S4, yeah! As an avid Apple user who is now becoming more disappointed with the quality of their products (my iPhone is on the verge of being kaput), I’d love to make the leap and switch to an awesome phone like Samsung. Heard nothing but great things about it!
This sounds like an amazing phone! I love all the supposed fit features that you can use!
I need a new phone badly!! Ever since I dropped it into a sink full of water it hasnt been the same:(
I would so LOVE this phone. I have a Droid Pro and it is terrible. I have to literally SHAKE the phone to be able to hang up after a phone call. Also, it takes forever to go between screens. If I want to see my text messages, I wait forever for the screens to change. The camera is terrible and all my photos come out grainy…..I am in desperate need of a new phone!
I want to win to give it as a gift to my boyfriend 🙂
I would love to win this phone, my coworker needs a new phone so badly and I’d love to help her out!!
My phone just broke and I would love to win a new one!
I would love to win this phone because my husband has been using my 6 year old flip phone for the last year. This would be a great gift for him!
I would love to win this phone! I am probably the only person I know without a cell phone. I have a emergency phone I take with me if I would need it. But this would be great to have to have and would love to have to take pictures of my girls. 🙂
Because I could totally use a new phone!!!!!
My friend has this phone and she loves it! I’d love to win it because I have an iPhone 4 which is on its last leg and I really haven’t been all that happy with it.
My iPhone 4S it starting to die a slow death because I use it so much. My husband has the galaxy and loves it. The camera on it is amazing!!
i dont have an upgrade for a while and need a new phone!
fingers crossed for a new phone!!! 🙂
Gosh I’d love to win this for David! He’s in need of a new phone but it trying his best to hold off. What a fun surprise this would be!
I would give it to my brother-in-law! He is obsessed with changing his phone and has talked about this one recently!
This phone would be a great gift for a friend who has been using the same phone for a few years now!
I would love to win this phone to gift it to my husband!! His has been broken for almost a year now and he would love this!
My Husbands phone is broken and this would be an excellent xmas gift for him! 🙂
I myself am an iphone user, however, I have a friend who could definitely use this and I would love to be able to give it to her, especially around the holidays!
I would love to win this phone because I could upgrade mine and bless someone else at the same time!
I would love a better camera on my phone!!
My mom is in desperate need to a new cell phone, I would love to give this to her!
I really want a better camera to take picture of my two fur babies!
I would love to try a new phone! I have had an IPhone since it first came out in 2007!
I would love to win because well…I am fifty years old (very fit) and trying to stay” young”. (You have no idea how reading this blog helps me stay on top of all kinds of trends – thank you!). I currently have a Blackberry and really need a new phone so that every time I use it I can stop being asked when I am going to come out of the dark ages. Have a fabulous Christmas and a wonderful New Year. I am looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us in 2014.
OMG I would absolutely love to win this phone. 2013 has been one of the worst years for me and this would really start 2014 off right!! I am also totally overdue for a new phone and would love to win this baby!!!
I would love to win this phone! I have the Galaxy S3 and am been so pleased with it. I was just looking at the S4 the other day.
I would love to win to give this to my step-dad! He really needs a new phone!
My phone is over 2 years old…It would to wonderful to win and have a new phone!
I would LOVE a new phone, especially one that is free because that is what has been holding me back! Plus, I’ve heard wonderful things about the new Samsung S4 and love the idea of having a better camera on my phone!
i am on an old nokia phone and really need to upgrade but can’t really afford it! I have been eyeing the galaxies for so long now!
I also tweeted! (aleighk1203) Thanks!
My family is always taking each others upgrades when we need new phones because they are so expensive, I have a refurbished iPhone after dropping mine in the bay
My family is always taking each others upgrades when we need new phones because they are so expensive, I have a refurbished iPhone after dropping mine in the bay
I would love to win this phone because my phone is ancient (over 3 years old) and I would LOVE an upgrade!
i would love to switch my apple to samsung!
I would want to win this for my husband. He does so many wonderful things for our family and deserves something nice. 🙂
I am still living in the world of “dumb phones” for financial reasons. I would love to upgrade with this win!
I would live to win it for my hubby!!he loves new phones and keeps up to date on all the newest technological devices! He would love that extra gift under the tree!
I’d love to win because I’d love this to be my first smart phone!! I’ve never, personally, owned one and am dying to get one so I can instagram! lol 🙂
Tweeted the giveaway 🙂 – https://twitter.com/NerdSwag9/status/413664314105405440
Because who wouldn’t want to win one of the best phones out there?
I’d love to win this giveaway for a couple of reasons! Number one being I have an iPhone 4 that is barely hanging in there, and I’ve wanted to give the Galaxy a go. Number two: I have a dachshund I take countless pictures of, but I also just got a lab puppy as a Christmas gift for my fiancé and as busy as he is- I need a great camera to catch him! Fingers crossed!
I would love to win this to give to my boyfriend. His phone’s battery lasts about 1 hour without being plugged in, and with recent major house issues with the furnace and washing machine, I would love to not see him worry about buying a phone too!
I would love to win this to give to my husband to replace his iPhone 3, he desperately needs an upgrade! 🙂
I would love to win it for my husband, who loves any and all technology 🙂
A new phone would be an amazing Christmas surprise for any one of the 5 people in my family who are in desperate need of an upgrade! A very merry peanut butter Christmas to you and your family too!
Love me some Verizon!
I have been in the market for a new phone and just haven’t gotten around to getting one yet, so I would love to win this one!!
I would love to try the Galaxy S4 because the camera on my current phone is terrible! This seems like it takes awesome pics!