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 the new Samsung. My current phone is dying a slow death and takes forever to do anything!
I love the Samsung phone! i need a new phone since my screen is cracked due to a bad fall my poor phone had 🙂
I would love the Samsung Galaxy S4 as I am starting to blog more and my current phone takes terrible pictures-there isn’t even a flash on the phone!
Wow what an awesome giveaway, if I was in the US I would enter for sure 🙂
I desperately need a new phone. That looks perfect!
I desperately need a new phone! My upgrade was in April and I just haven’t had the time or money to go get a new phone!
I’ve heard great things about the galaxy – would love to upgrade!
I would love to win this and give it to my boyfriend! He has been looking at this phone the past couple months and it would be the perfect gift!
I NEED a new phone! My screen has been cracked forever!!
I have been looking for a new phone and this one was a top contender!
I have had my old iPhone forever and would love to try this Samsung out!
I would love the galaxy! I am currently using an old flip top! Yes! I am STILL using that! =)
Sounds like an awesome phone! I need a new one!
I love using my phone to take photos out and about or on vacation especially!
I Tweeted! https://twitter.com/RebeccaGF666/status/413431540316516352
I would LOVE LOVE LOVE a Samsung Galaxy! My boyfriend has one and it has the most magnificant camera on it! I also love how big the screen is! It’s much better than my current “AT&T GO phone” that I had to purchase because my other phone broke.
I would love to win the Samsung Galaxy S4 because I need a phone with great camera quality for my budget wedding in May! Our photographer is leaving 30 minutes into the private dinner (it’s a wedding with 14 people) and I would really like some high-quality shots after she leaves.
I’m currently dealing with a scratched phone screen. I love Samsung products and would LOVE this phone!!
I am in SERIOUS need of a new phone!! My 10 month old baby daughter takes mine everywhere she goes and it has been thrown many (many, many) times. With a new one, she could keep my old phone and play with it as much as she wants =)
I have an iphone and I’m ready to go to the Samsung Galaxy! That’s why I want to win!
this is soo fantastic!! My fiance has the old iphone and desperately wants the samsung! I would love to surprise him with this phone!
I’m a huge photography buff, and it would be nice to have a phone to snap quick pics instead of hauling my DSLR around, especially while on vacation!
I tweeted! https://twitter.com/kristy_joy/status/413431957104521216
tweeted! https://twitter.com/4loveofcarrots/status/413432010460233728
Would love a chance to win this! Thanks Julie
I don’t have a smart phone! Ridiculous I know.
Would LOVE this phone. My poor phone was stolen out of my hands on muni (SF’s bus system). I miss having a decent phone to access internet quickly and document my life via pictures!
My current phone is old and I really would love a new one. I’d love a phone with a camera to snap pictures of my two babies.
I have a slow, dated Blackberry:( I would love the new Samsung Galaxy!
I have an older Galaxy and really like it, but I’d love to upgrade to a newer model.
I’d love to give this phone to by brother!
I would love to win this phone for my 27 year old brother because he had an incredibly difficult year with his illness. He is now doing better and I know a Samsung Galaxy would be the highlight of his year!!
I love taking pictures of my kiddos!! This phone would rock!
I would LOVE to win the Samsung Galaxy S4 because I need a new phone! Like bad! And well, I’ve been a good girl all year 😉
I just tweeted as well: Hoping to win a Samsung Galaxy S4 from @PBFingers and @verizonwireless!!! #vzwff
I’m mrskessler on twitter!
Aloha!!!
I’d love to win so I can take better pictures on my phone!
I would love to win this phone to give to my mom who is really struggling with a several year old flip type phone that doesn’t even make good phone calls let alone allow her to do anything else! That would be an awesome Christmas present for her!
I would love to win because I love Samsung products. I’ve already heard its a fantastic phone!
I tweeted! @audreyruns
My phone is seriously lacking in the technology department. I laugh and call it a “semi-smart” phone. I’d love to try a Galaxy! 🙂
I would love to win this phone for my husband!! He is still using a 4 year old wannabe blackberry
My iPhone was recently stolen so I’ve been using an old track phone until I can get the money to pay for a nicer one. I would LOVE the new Galaxy S4!!!
I want a better phone for capturing pictures of my little guy!
I’m in desperate need of a new phone! I forgot mine was in my lap the other day so when I got out of the car it fell and the screen broke. Awesome giveaway!!
My boyfriend swears by the high quality of his Samsung s3, so I cannot think of a better Christmas gift for him than the gift of an upgrade!
So exciting!! My phone has a completely cracked screen and is 2+ years old so a new phone would be awesome!!!
I want to win because my current cell phone is freezing for long periods of time for no reason. It happened on a long 16 hour drive and I was nervous my car would break down and my cell phone wouldn’t work! Definitely need a new cell phone!
I would love to win this phone for my brother. At 16, he probably doesn’t need such a sophisticated phone, but he has had the same beaten-up phone for 3 years, can’t afford to buy himself a new one, and is not loving being the last one in his friend group with a phone that doesn’t double as an iPod!
Will also definitely be tweeting out from @ccsamson1!
would love to win for the holidays
I’ve heard great things about it, so I’d love to give it a try!