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.
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
If I won a new phone I could give it to my mom who refuses to get rid of her horribly dated flip phone!
My boyfriend has the Samsung Galaxy and loves it! It would be a nice upgrade from my iPhone 🙂
I would love to win this phone for my fiancé (almost husband, January!!) because his Droid is really struggling… I am basically just sick of hearing him complain about it! 🙂
This would be the best early Christmas present ever!! Totally in the market for a new phone and would love to try something different from my iPhone!
I’d love to win because my current phone is on the verge of being in the trash. It’s pretty much a dinosaur, no internet, no video; it pretty much only texts and makes phone calls… well, when it decides to work 😛
tweeted: twitter.com/justtellmewhen/status/413545477838098432
I’d love to win the samsung galaxy s4 because I need a new phone and this one seems amazing!!!
I’d love to win the giveaway so my parents can be introduced to the smartphone world!
tweeted https://twitter.com/steffers516/status/413545925848481792
i would love to try the galaxy!
Ooh! I’m dying to win this for my hubby – he’s had such a lousy phone for a long time now, and it keeps deleting his contacts. It would be an awesome holiday gift!
I would love to win the samsung s4! All my previous phones were always hand me downs from my uncles, aunts, or parents. My friends all have fancy smart phones and it will be nice to have a new phone for once.
I want to win the Galaxy to give to my brother as a Christmas gift!
WOW, I would love to win this phone. It would be a big leap from my old cell phone.
It would be my best holiday present!!! Happy Holidays!
My phone’s reception is spotty, I missed a meeting a few weeks ago because I lost all of my contacts and I couldn’t remember the other person’s phone number, and I can’t stream Pandora while I run on my existing phone. Winning this would be an enormous blessing!
I tweeted too!
My phone is slowly reaching the end of its life, this would come at a wonderful time!
I have an iPhone but have been thinking of switching to Samsung and a little bit bigger screen. What a fantastic giveaway!!
Keeping my fingers and toes crossed here in Virginia!
~Lolly
love the bigger screen on the samsung! thanks for the giveaway! 🙂
I’d love to win this for my fiancé who is dying for a new phone!!
I want to win so I can give this to my hubby! Great Christmas present!
I tweeted!
I am in desperate need of a new cellphone! I still use the Verizon Envy…blah. I love that the Samsung screen is bigger than the other models and it looks easier to use.
I would love to win this phone because I currently have a Samsung intensity-a phone that slides open-literally one step up from a Zack Morris phone!
Dying to win this phone! I had this phone for awhile, i’d saved up for MONTHS! Then one day, I dropped it on the floor as I was posting one of my blog posts. 🙁 It was so sad and now it’s broken and i’m back to my old flip phone. No more mobile posting for me… I would LOVE to win this phone! My blog thanks you! 🙂
http://www.makewithyourhands.com
My husband has been in the stone age with his old school flip phone with no data capabilities, so I’d love to be able to gift him with this!
I totally just broke my current phone!! I have been looking for a replacement and this is on the top of my list!!
I know someone who is in serious need of a new phone so this would be great for them right around the holidays!
Wow what perfect timing……I have an old school blackerry, it doesnt hold battery life for longer than half a day and just recently thinks it is perm. Dec 1st! We have been looking for phones but just havent wanted to spend the money this time of year!
Wow, what a giveaway! I would absolutely love the Samsung Galaxy S4, as I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about it. Think it’s time to get with the times and replace my rubbish ol’ Blackberry!
This would be perfect timing! My poor old iPhone 4 is starting to lose some ability for sound, etc. — so it would be great to win this and not have to wait longer for an upgrade! Plus I’ve always been interested in these phones but I’m too much of a scaredy cat to switch brands since I’m used to the iPhone ways
My boyfriend has the S3 and he’s overdue for an upgrade! This would be the best Christmas present!!
Sooooo love the s4. Want want.
I want to win because I never upgrade my phone because I’m too cheap, haha, and this would be AWESOME! What a great giveaway 🙂
Would love to win this since my iphone now just shuts off automaticallya ll the time….thanks for a great givewawy
I’ve heard SO many good things about the phone! It seems like the hottest one on the market now! Plus, I know a friend who is in desperate need of an upgrade but the price is really high for their phone plan.
I tweeted as well 🙂
I definitely need this phone! My current phone is so cracked I can’t see the screen 🙁
I need to upgrade my phone badly.
Would live to win this, the camera on it is awesome!
I have the Galaxy S3, but would love to upgrade to this phone!
I would love to win to give it as a gift to someone I know who is living in the dark ages as far as phones go.
So cool! I’d love to win one for my boyfriend 🙂
I would love to win this. I need to upgrade phones and have a better camera to take pic for holidays!!!!
My phone has recently developed a curious black spot in the corner which leads me to believe it might be time for a new phone 🙂
The galaxy would make a great replacement!
I would love to win this! My phone is several years old and I neeeeeddd a new phone 🙂
My boyfriend’s phone is awful, practically borrowed from zack morris, and I’d love to be able to give him a new one!
I’d love to win because, as much as I love my BlackBerry, i’m afraid they won’t be around much longer.
I would love to win this for my better half; he has been so supportive of me this year and while we otherwise promised not to exchange gifts this year to save a bit, winning a phone and gifting him that seems like a perfect compromise!
I would love to win this because my phone recently got water damage and will randomly shut off mid conversation. Thanks for such a great giveaway!