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\")
I would love to win this phone because it has a lot of new and exciting features that my current phone does not! 🙂
I have had my eye on this phone and would love to win! My U.S. phone is a flip phone from approximately 1999 and I would love to have a new Samsung Galaxy for when I spend Christmas in the U.S. with my family!
I am still rocking the Iphone 4…I think I need an upgrade!
Because I’m poor!!!!!
If I won the phone I would give it to my brother 🙂
I would love to win this phone! I think it looks amazing and love taking pictures of my new baby!
This may be a surprise, but I’m commenting to say why I DON’T need a new cell phone or a cell phone at all for that matter. 2014 will be my last year with a smartphone and once my contract is up I’ll be getting the most basic cell phone possible. I honestly can’t stand cell phones. They’re irritating and rude. People don’t talk to each other anymore when they’re together. They’re too busy texting other people. I still have my house phone and if it weren’t for the fact that my parents worry about me when I’m out and about, I wouldn’t have a cell phone at all. Half the time I don’t know where it is or I leave it at home. And when I do know where it is, the volume is usually turned off. It’s an unnecessary bill that needs to be paid and society and only made us think that we ‘need’ a cell phone, or one so fancy and expensive when we can barley afford anything else.
This is such a cool giveaway! I have some family members that could definitely use a new phone (broken screens on their current versions), so this would be an awesome Christmas gift!
I would love this because my phone takes the worst photos!
I would love to win the phone for my husband. He has a samsung galaxy now. But has a cracked screen. Would love to surprise him with a new phone.
I would love to win this for my husband!! We both have Galaxy S2s now and love them. Not sure if I am eligible though since we are in Canada and don’t have Verizon here!!!
Wow this would be amazing to win! I was just looking into new phones during Black Friday/Cyber Monday, because I have an old Samsung Gio that likes to do weird things on me. Stores had great deals, but my early upgrade fees were too high even though my 3-yr contract ends in July! I really wanted an iPhone 5c or Samsung galaxy s4 too 🙁
I am sooo ready for a phone upgrade and this looks awesome!!
Because everyone loves a new phone!
Because everyone loves a new phone!
My boyfriend needs a smartphone! This would be too perfect!
This would be the perfect gift for my boyfriend!
I want to win because why not
What a great gift!
Definitely could use this, I still have a flip phone
I have the Iphone4 and it takes Horrible pictures. I would love to upgrade to the 5s!
This would be a perfect gift for my parents who have been waiting to get a new phone!
I would love to upgrade my phone for a better camera!
What an awesome giveaway! I would love to have the new galaxy phone. My 2year old loves to look back through pictures while we drive in the car. It keeps her occupied and happy, but my phone doesn’t take the best pictures, so this would be so great to have!
I would loveee to have a phone with a better camera on it! I don’t have a dslr camera so anything on a camera that works well has my eyes!
What fun! I’m hording away my unlimited data plan with Verizon … which means I can never sign a new contract … which means I’ll forever have to pay full-price for any new phone I want … which means, no new phones for me! So to win one would be a wonderful bonus 😀 Thanks for doing this!
I want to win! 🙂 I’ve heard great things about that phone!!
I tweeted, also! @fitncookies
My current phone is becoming more and more glitchy and outdated. In less than 2 months I will be moving to the midwest (a place I’ve never been before) and would love to have this new Samsung Galaxy S4 phone to take great pictures of all the adventures I’ll be going on, as well as to keep in touch with my friends and family back home! Thank you!
My phone is getting old! It would be nice to have a new one. 🙂
Nice! I would love a new phone!!!!
I would actually love to win this for my hubby! His phone is getting old and his case is being held with tape. We try not to spend money on ourselves during the holidays so he has to wait it out until we can get him a new case and/or phone.
I’d love the S4 to gift to my hubby! I’m stuck with an iphone for work but he could really use an upgrade 🙂
I would love a phone with a better camera!
My current phone is acting so slow and really seems to be on its last leg – an upgrade would be SO welcome right now!
I would absolutely love this (can I still enter? I’m in Canada!)
This would be an AWESOME gift for a loved one!
I would LOVE to win a phone! I need to get a phone for my new business venture but haven’t had the time (or money) to get one yet. This would be a huge help to me 🙂
Oh, and I posted to twitter!!
I would love the S4 because I’ve had my phone for 3 years now..,I swear its a dinosaur! From answering emails to trying to keep connected online in a college setting can be tough with what I’ve got! I’d love an upgrade to revamp my cell phone life 🙂
My husband needs a new phone badly and would love to have the Galaxy S4~
I tweeted.
I tweeted!
I would love to win this phone for my husband. His is on the fritz.
My husband has this phone and loves it. I would love to be as current as him.
Posted from my husband’s twitter!
I just upgraded my phone but would love to win to give the phone to my Mom who really needs a new one. Every time we chat on the phone the call gets dropped and she can’t receive pictures that I send her either. So an upgrade for her would be awesome.
Thanks!
I need to win for my husband. He dropped his phone last month and it’s hard for him to seethe screen.
I really need a new phone! My iPhone4 from 2010 is really starting to bug out on me!
I am always taking pictures of my toddler sons with my phone (its always so much more handy ) so a great camera phone would be amazing!