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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I would love to win because my phone screen is shattered (have you seen the commercial? that’s me..) it’s been that way for 6 months but without an upgrade it is too expensive to replace right now. 🙁
Awesome!!! I would absolutely love this phone!
Hi Julie. I read your blog because I love your circuit workouts (and recipes). I too am a NASM trainer BTW. Question for you…your leg workout circuit (the Donkey Kick workout)…you actually squatted 25 times for 4 sets holding 75 lbs?? Is that correct? I hold only 20 lbs. and am DONE by the 20th rep. That’s amazing. My knees ache just thinking about it.
i am an apple computer person, so I would like to try out the Galaxy to see how it compares to apple products.
If I won this phone it would be my first smart phone. How cool would that be? 🙂
WOW! It would be awesome to win this phone… enough said :}
Oh I would love this phone for my husband who just accidentally washed his iphone with the rest of our laundry. He has also been thinking about moving away from the iphone anyway!
My iphone is about to kick the bucket and I am actually interested in trying out a new phone!
I would use it as a gift!
I work in digital media. I am very familiar with the day to day experience of an iPhone user but not an android user. I would LOVE to learn more abut what our clients experience by owning an android phone!
I want to win this so I can give it to my boyfriend so he can get out of the stone ages with his current phone!
My iPhone has a cracked screen so this would be a fantastic upgrade!
I am ready to try the new watch that Samsung offers to talk on the phone!!
I would love to win the samsung phone. Hope Lady Luck is rooting for me.
I tweeted
I would love to gift the galaxy to my mom as she is in need of a new phone!
I am a high school teacher and would love to win this and be able to give it to one of my students!!
i would love to gift this to my mother in law who is wanting a smart phone
I would LOVE one because it’s been my dream phone! They look so pretty to me! 🙂
Tweeted!
I would love to give it to my dad. He is still using my old flip phone.
I’d be happy to win this bc I’m looking for a good excuse to drop AT&T ,)
Verizon is my carrier and I am ready for an upgrade cell phone
I have the s3 and am ready for an upgrade. Would love to win!!
I would love it to take pics of my new baby!
my sweet husband is due for an upgrade and I would love to surprise him with this fabulous phone! crossing my fingers! xo
My current phone has a crack in the screen and I’ve been too busy to get it fixed!
Tweeted! https://twitter.com/bringonthenews/status/413472920841621504
damn i wish this was valid in canada … but no verizon here
Tweeted!
I just cracked my phone last week when it fell off the stepmill 🙁 would love to win!
Would love to try the new galaxy phone! My iPhone 4 is practically on its last leg! Literally!
I would love to win the phone for my husband as a xmas present. hes never had a smartphone and i was going to buy him one as a present. however we just had a baby 4weeks early and the money that was going to use to buy it is going to hospital bills. this would be a perfect suprise for him!
In need of a change. Current phone is getting pretty old. Time to freshen things up. 🙂
I am in need of a new phone bad. The camera on mine is so slow, i would love something with a faster camera to capture my two boys in action.
My iPhone 4 is on its last leg and I am dying to try a new brand of phone, only heard good things about this one!
Tweeted!
I’m in need of a new phone and would love to try this one out!
I hope I’m the lucky one. I have had my phone for over 3 years and would love to get something new like this!
I want to “edge up” from my EnV3!
I am currently an iphone user, but ever since my boyfriend got the Samsung Galaxy I have wanted to switch over. The quality of the pictures are just SO much better!
I want the Galaxy s4! It looks way better than my current phone.
I’m soooooo ready to retire my very old phone which is a prepaid flip phone from the dinosaur age. This would be an awesome upgrade!
I’d love to win this phone! My current phone is a cheap oldie that is on its last legs!!
My phone is so old that it would be great to have new one!
I still havea flip phone, so this would def. be a welcome upgrade!!
I would love to win this new phone!
I am late to the smartphone world since I just finished my ramen-eating college days! I just landed my first job and am getting ready to take the plunge! A new, free phone would be amazing!
I would love to win this for my Dad. He needs a new phone for work, and I think this would be great for him!
My phone barely works, and I’m locked into one of those lovely contracts for another year before I’m eligible for a new one SO this would be amazing!! 🙂