Philly Beer Week 2017 – 10 Events You Can’t Miss!

May 23, 2017May 24, 2017 / foodsweatandbeers / Leave a comment

It’s the most wonderful time of the year….

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: Philly Beer Week – There’s nothing quite like it. And, with ten days (or less, who knows when you’re reading this) until Opening Tap, the city’s beer bars, reps, and drinkers alike are gearing up for Christmas in June.

2017 marks the 10th Year of this 10 Day Beer Bonanza (“week” is a relative term, right?) and I’m pretty sure that folks are pulling out all the stops to make it the most memorable year to-date. As I did before in 2015 (missed most of last year due to a poorly timed Whole 30), I spent an unreasonable amount of time poring over the lineup of events. I recognize that not all the events are released yet, but I think enough are out that I’ve crafted a pretty dynamite list.

I wouldn’t recommend attending all 10 of them. But, if you do, best of luck to you and your liver.

May the odds be ever in your favor…

For the person who takes Thursday off… The Hammer of Glory Relay – June 1st, ALL DAY
For $10, you can hop a seat on a double decker bus and follow the iconic HoG (Hammer of Glory) throughout the city, watching as it passes from spot to spot using themed vehicles, roller derby gals, weird man-powered machines, and ridiculous costumes. Most of the stops, coincidentally, are bars, so if day-drinking is your thing, you can’t start the “week” off any better.
For the one that likes to run for fun… Red Owl Tavern / Founders Brewing Almost 3k – June 3rd, 10am
Y’all. 3k… that’s not even 2 miles, so no excuses. $30 gets you your first beer, your last beer, a glass, and a t-shirt. PLUS FITNESS! The run is around Independence Mall, and you’ll be hanging before (and hopefully after) at Red Owl Tavern sipping on tasty Founders brews. The ideal way to start your PBW Weekend!
For the one who loves Sunday Funday… Poppin’ Wheelies and Doing the Hula June 4th, 12pm-7pm
Two parter – Part 1 – Noon, get some hair of the dog whilst at Drury Beer Garden for some epic Big Wheel Races in the back. Or just laugh and laugh while sipping Evil Genius offerings.
Part 2 – 3pm Head just a few feet over to Tiki for an all-male hula contest. Just try to keep your 2SP beers down as these hairy, bearded brutes shake their groove things…
For the nerds who love brews and views… Raven Society Rooftop Biergarten with Sam from Dogfish Head, June 6th, 6-9pm
The Dogfish Head will be flowing, Sam Calagione (founder and owner of Dogfish Head and recent James Beard Award recipient) will be speaking, and the sun will be setting. This will likely be one of the most Instagrammable events… Just saying.
For the one who never wakes up early enough for brunch… Breakfast for Dinner with Rob from Allagash – Jose Pistola’s, 9pm-midnight
If you’re like me, you might prefer your eggs served alongside kegs. And if you’re NOT like me, you’re not really a morning person. Head over to Jose Pistola’s to have your (pan)cake and drink beer, too.
For the karaoke all-star… LIVE-Band Karaoke at Johnny Brenda’s with Yards! June 8th, 8:30pm

Yeah, I’m sure you’ve done karaoke. But have you ever done karaoke with a live full band?! Let the Yards brews give you the liquid courage you need.
For the Mrs. Doubtfire fan… Left Hand Brewing’s PBW Drag Show – Taproom on 19th, June 8th – 8-11pm
Taproom on 19th is known for their burgers and beer year-round, so you can be sure that the draft list is going to be incredible when they’re highlighting Left Hand Brewing. But, let’s be honest, you’re not just coming for the drinks.
For the one that still can’t stop singing “I’m on a Boat“… Beers & Boats at Bartram’s Garden June 8th, 4-8pm
This is always a crowd pleaser AND has been known to sell-out, so get your tickets fast! $15 gets you a 30-minute kayak rental & your first beer. PLUS, on the Schuylkill, you can sing as loudly as you want (important if you’ve already indulged in a beer or two…) Don’t worry, lifejackets are mandatory!
For the Picasso of Pilsners, or the Kahlo of Kolsch… PBW: The Art of Beer at Frankford Hall, June 6th, 7-9pm
A picture’s worth a thousand words, but that art on bottles and cans… that’s priceless. This event is a panel discussion on beer label design featuring the artists behind Tröegs Independent Brewing Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company, Hill Farmstead Brewery, Mikkeller, Forest & Main Brewing Company and Highway Manor Brewing! Edutainment at it’s finest.
For the grand finale… Tailgate Olympics at Devil’s Den, June 10th, 12pm-6pm
No better way to kick off the last weekend of PBW 2017 than with games galore. Giant Beer Pong, Washers, Huge Jenga, & Cornhole to name a few… Bring out your inner jock and soak up the Saturday sunshine with your friends from Free Will, Yards, Evil Genius, 2SP, and Weyerbacher!

There are TONS of events this year, really with something for everyone. Whether you’re a foodie, in it for the games (keep your eyes out for the goldfish and turtle races), a sweet-tooth, or looking for super rare brews… You’ll have a harder time not having fun during the first 10 days of June than you will finding a beer-focused way to spend your days!

GIVEAWAY! Spring Has Sprung: Run (& EAT!) with Blossom – WINNERS!

April 12, 2017May 1, 2017 / foodsweatandbeers / 5 Comments

UPDATE: CONGRATULATIONS to Meghan and Bridget! The random number generator chose YOU!

The salmon-colored shorts are out in full force. The parks are full of picnics. The Rosé is flowing like water, and the sweetgreen Spring Caesar made it’s way to the app.

Yup, spring has sprung in Philadelphia.

If you’re anything like me, some of the best parts of the city thawing is the ability to both eat and exercise outdoors. Long time readers know of my obsession with springtime food festivals, and lately I’ve even been voluntarily running outside. Must be the fresh air…

Lucky for all of us, there’s a way to celebrate both of these in one perfect night!

The Blossom Philadelphia 5k Night Race is the only weeknight race grandfathered in by the City of Philadelphia. The course meets at the Art Museum takes place on West River Drive on Thursday May 25, 2017 at 7pm. Immediately following the race is an epic After Party featuring some of my FAVORITE food trucks! Baby Blues BBQ, Sweet Box Cupcakes, Taco Mondo, The Cow and The Curd, The Tot Cart and Undrgrnd Donuts will be bringing the heat (and, in some cases, the meat. Or the sweet.)

The Tot Cart with some extra melty goodness….

THE COW AND THE CURD slinging those sweet cheese curds!

You can register for the 5k (comes with a t-shirt), the after-party (comes with four tickets, valid for a drink, appetizer, a main course, AND a dessert!), OR get the best of both worlds with a 5k + After Party COMBO (Yup, that’s all of the above)

Oh yes, that drink I mentioned: Victory Brewing is going to be hosting a beer garden all night long! (Don’t worry, there will be heaps of root beer for the kids, this is an incredibly family-friendly event!)

All this can be yours for the early bird price (before April 13th, 11:59 p.m.)!

All proceeds from the race help Blossom achieve their mission: to change the lives of children and adults with disabilities (cerebral palsy, autism, down syndrome, head trauma, and any condition that limits a person’s ability to function independently) in the Philadelphia area.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

But, hey, if you’re feeling lucky, you could enter to win one of TWO free registrations for the Race + After Party Combo (Up to a $60 value!)

That means, you could be joining me May 25th in running + eating our way right into Memorial Day weekend!!

Feel free to lay right next to me in blissful post-run food coma!

All you need to do to enter to win is check out the Blossom Philadelphia site and tell me one cool / fun / interesting fact you learned in the comments!

You have until Friday, April 28th at noon to enter!

GOOD LUCK and I’ll see you at the Art Museum!

Win a Race Entry! BOMF 5-Miler

February 17, 2017March 1, 2017 / foodsweatandbeers / 4 Comments

UPDATE: The winner is….

Comment #4: S.J., I’ll email your code shortly!

Whether you lucked out in the Blue Cross Broad Street Run lottery and are ready to start training or you’re lamenting not getting in AGAIN, I’ve got some pretty great news for you. And that news is all courtesy of Back on My Feet: Philadelphia.

Back on My Feet is a national organization operating in all across the U.S. working to combat homelessness through the power of running, community support and housing and employee resources.

How does it work?

Back on My Feet recruits members (individuals experiencing homelessness) at homeless and residential facilities around the country and begins with a commitment to run three days a week in the early morning. After 30 days in the program, members with 90% attendance earn the opportunity to move into the second phase of the program called Next Steps, which provides educational support, job training programs, employment partnership referrals and housing resources. Almost 80% of individuals who start the program move into Next Steps.

This race is the nation’s largest 10 mile race and it all takes place on Philly’s iconic Broad Street. Along the course, runners speed past Philadelphia landmarks including the Divine Lorraine Hotel, City Hall, and the infamous Catharine Street Popeye’s Chicken before coming to a close just past the gates of the Navy Yard. According to Philly runners, it’s a must. Entry is done through lottery (which closed February 13th, and winners were announced yesterday.) LOTS of people got in!

Some did not. Let’s make this post easy for everyone.

If you did NOT win the Broad Street Lottery

For those of you who didn’t get lucky, BOMF has a great idea: For guaranteed entry, become a FundRacer with BOMF!

The FundRacing minimum for the 2017 Broad Street Run will be $500 (PER INDIVIDUAL) with a $25 registration fee (that is put towards your fundraising minimum) and gets you guaranteed race entry, a personalized fundraising page to collect donations, post-race massages, and more.

If you already HAVE your registration for Broad Street confirmed and need a fun training run, here’s your CHANCE:

The 2017 Stroehmann Bakeries BOMF 5-Miler is coming up March 25, 2017. I’ll be running it. But YOU could be, too!

Comment on this post to WIN free entry in the 2017 Stroehmann Bakeries BOMF 5-Miler!

Join me and over 1500 other runners on Saturday, March 25, 2017 for this gorgeous 5 mile run along the Schuylkill River and support BOMF’s righteous cause.

Want to win a race bib? Comment below with your favorite Philadelphia landmark!

(For an extra entry, follow foodsweatnbeers and/or Back on My Feet Philly on Twitter and comment about that, too for up to 3 entries per individual!)

Entries close March 1, 2017 at 12pm!

(Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, and I paid for my BOMF 5-miler race entry BUT BOMF Philly is donating a race entry to the winner!)

honeygrow, hgAthletics, and YIP!

November 14, 2016November 14, 2016 / foodsweatandbeers / Leave a comment

A little while back, a group of road warriors banded together, as they do every month, for the YIP (Young Involved Philadelphia) Running Club. The only difference that month: I joined them. That’s right, this self-proclaimed “non-runner” decided to lace up her sneakers and sweat-wicking tank top and bring new meaning to “fast-casual”. Lured by the guarantee of wholesome treats and an insider’s look at Honeygrow HQ, 20 of us knocked out 3.5 miles from Center City to Fishtown before reaching the Promised Land at Front and Oxford.

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Photo Credit: Matt Wargo, Inquirer

YIP, an organization full of civically minded young professionals in the City of Brotherly Love, puts together these 2-5 mile runs every month. Each run begins at Philadelphia Runner’s Center City location and ends at an interesting spot in the city where the gang can explore and mingle with some new and like-minded Philadelphians. It’s no coincidence that I chose September as my first running club. What can I say? I’m a sucker for post-run snacks, especially if they’re from Philly’s own Honeygrow.

See, Honeygrow.and I, we go way back. Or, at least 4 years back. In June of 2012, Justin Rosenberg, the founder of Honeygrow, opened his first location at 16th and Sansom. And a few months later, I moved to town, following the migration patterns of approximately 100,000 other 20-34 year olds since 2006 seeking an urban center teeming with creativity and potential. Justin, who chatted with us briefly when we arrived, explained that despite a rocky first few months, the idea soon caught fire.

Like many health-conscious millennials, I chose Philly for the affordable rent, thriving job market, and, of course, the 24/7 accessibility to soft pretzels. The idea of an affordable, healthy, and customizable fast-casual dining experience is appealing to the young professional – none more so than Philadelphia’s own Honeygrow. Honestly, I don’t know a 20-something in the city that hasn’t waited, salivating, for their stir-fry or salad at one of Honeygrow’s Philadelphia locations. From my own experience as a graduate student at Penn and a frequenter of many of Center City’s boutique fitness studios, their West Philly and Rittenhouse locations have saved me from mid-study session starvation or post-sweat stove-top slumming more times than I can count.

Dinner a la Five Spice stir fry!

Speaking of which, we only could explore Honeygrow’s inner sanctum for so long before our stomachs began to rumble. Luckily, the team had us covered and quickly doled out their signature Honeybars and something a bit more savory. In between shoveling stir fry into our mouths, we were able to have a revealing Q&A with David Katz, the culinary director and palate powerhouse of Honeygrow. He spoke to the focus on regional styles and recipe popularity, Honeygrow’s plans for expansion over the next year (spoiler alert: it’s gonna be fast & furious, with over 15 locations by 2017) and, of course, how his Jersey Shore and Philly roots influenced the menu.

Love this message right in the heart of their HQ!

In a swirling sea of fast-casual options, Honeygrow stands out for the hungry and healthy, who are often in a hurry. Their founder, a former financial analyst himself, knows the grind well, and saw opportunity in Philly like so many of us did . We’ve got some of the most passionate eaters around and, with YIP being just one of DOZENS of run clubs, I can almost guarantee there’s always going to be someone down to carbo load.

ALSO, Honeygrow’s new hgAthletics program has opportunities for fitness of all kinds. From testing out PLUSgives new yoga mats

…to a BOOtcamp with an Olympian, check out the hgAthletics Facebook page to stay in the know and get involved!

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I’m a GOLD RUSH. Get it? Don’t worry, no one else did, either. (Photo cred to Kyle Huff, Honeygrow’s social media master)

Check out Honeygrow’s monthly run club if you wanna get in on the “dash & dine” action on the fourth Tuesday of every month. After your 3-5 mile run, you’ll get 25% off your Honeygrow order! How’s that for instant gratification?

ALSO, word on the street is that the next hgAthletics event is going feature a partnership with PLUSgives AND Reading Terminal Market. Stay tuned!

Free Fitness in Philly All Summer Long

May 18, 2015May 18, 2015 / foodsweatandbeers / 2 Comments

Philly is really blossoming lately, isn’t it? And I’m not just talking about the revolting trees that make me feel ill when I get a whiff of them. Nope, Philly has become a social butterfly’s dream, from street festivals to beer gardens to outdoor parties and al fresco dining, it’s clear that we’re all out of our cocoons.

Unfortunately, if I simply enjoyed every single one of these events willy-nilly, I could end up like a chubby butterfly who can’t get too far on her wings. Like our dear friend Heimlich, the star of A Bug’s Life.

Not getting too far on those wings, Heimlich.

Luckily, I’ve been squirreling away some information and compiling it into a list that’s perfect for anyone. ESPECIALLY:

Folks who wanna save their hard earned dollars to spend on those super fun summer parties.
Folks who wanna fit into their sexy summer swimsuits down the shore (or even just at North Shore).

I’ve been working on a Free Summer Fitness in Philly spreadsheet (that is definitely a work-in-progress) listing all the recurring summer workouts that you can join in for free (or, for a low, low, “pay what you can” cost) that hopefully can help all of you stay fit AND ball on a budget in your bitty bikini!!

Sure it’s a little run and yoga heavy…. but don’t we all wanna get sweaty and stretchy in the summer?

Weekday options are plentiful:

Click image for hyperlinked version

And, on the weekends, when you’re not playing dramatic games of beach volleyball in cut-off jorts and dog tags, you can check out a few of these:

Happily welcoming any more suggestions

Also, if you’d like to hit up a few workouts in the meantime, I’ve assembled a little pu pu platter of free introductory classes or trials at local gyms to investigate (I’m pretty sure most of them come with air conditioning, a bonus.)

Free Class and Trial Memberships

That sauna at Weston is so clutch.

I invite y’all to share this list with your friends and family that’s trying to stay fit this summer, and welcome input from anyone that knows of run clubs, bootcamps, free intro classes, or anything of that nature. I’ll update the post if I hear anything from you. So, ya know, if you’d like to shoot me a suggestion or invite me to join your sweaty beach volleyball team, hit me up in the comments or Twitter!

See you on the sand, SUCKAS!

Every Iceman needs his Elsa, right?

Spartan Race GIVEAWAY: Almost Makes Me Wish I Liked Running

August 9, 2013August 19, 2013 / foodsweatandbeers / 6 Comments

UPDATE: Giveaway winner is…

SETH! Sending you your code now!

Almost.

I’m pretty sure anyone who knows me for more than a few days is aware that I’m not much for running. Sure. I can do it for like… a mile. Maybe a little more. But I get bored. I feel like my body is rejecting the motion. There’s never enough shimmying (said like a true Zumba fan). Where am I going? What’s the point?

I’m sure there is a point. Something about fitness and heart and lung health and stress reduction and endorphins and not shooting your husband or something (at least that’s what Elle Woods taught me). But to me, it seems like a lot of silliness.

Yeah, I mean, I’m doing a 5k in a week (WHAT?! how? Why?) and I did run that portion of the Doughman (yes, that IS the coolest relay known to mankind). But mostly I liked it because mid-run, I got to eat a cupcake.

Wait? I have to run again after this?!

That being said, I kinda wish I liked it for one reason.

No, I probably won’t

I’ve always wanted to be a Spartan. Ever since 8th Grade when we had an in-school “Olympics” and my friends and I choreographed a dance to the tune of Space Jam only all the lyrics had to do with Athens and Sparta and Trojan Horses (thus began a lifetime of being awesome).

Did you know that women in Sparta were known for being the most badass chicks in ancient Greece? They truly followed the passage “Anything you can do, I can do better”, working their butts off in physical training along with the boys. They could also divorce their hubbies without worrying about losing all their personal wealth, but that’s got nothing to do with this.

See, the Spartan Race is this super intense-looking obstacle race. You run. You go through obstacles like:

Fire Jump
Barbed Wire Crawl
Wall Climb
Tyrolean Traverse (single rope over a body of water. If you can’t walk across the rope, you fall in the water and SWIM!)
Slippery wall (a wall covered in soap or GREASE!! whattt?!)
Log Jumps
Rope Climbs
Object Carry (maybe the object is a tire, maybe it’s a bucket full of ropes, maybe it’s a PERSON! [It’s not a person])

Dude, I don’t even know. This thing looks badass.

And with everyone getting into the swing of Obstacle Races lately, I figured why not share my love of Spartan ideals with someone who DOES want to try the Spartan Race (or the Spartan Sprint) for themselves!

I’ve got one freebie code to give to a reader (which is a pretty big deal since these events are NOT cheap, ranging from $115-200!!) So why not a contest??

Entering is easy and I’ll choose one person August 17, 2013 at like… 5pm to get a code good for any Spartan Race in the 2013-2014 season in the continental US! (There’s actually one at Citizens Bank Park in September for you Philly readers…)

Click here to see if there’s an event taking place near you!

HOW TO ENTER:

All you do to enter is tell me in a comment WHY you’d like to win an entry! That’s it.

So if you’ve been thinking about it…. well, give it a try. You’ve got nothing to lose.

GOOD LUCK, SPARTANS!!

(If you DON’T want to bother trying to win, but want 15% off of an entry, go to this site!!)

Put a Bird on It: Albion Fit Giveaway

June 3, 2013June 14, 2013 / foodsweatandbeers / 25 Comments

**Contest closed: Congratulations to Brandi Dawn for winning the hoodie and being a badass little skydiver!!!**

It started out as a dream (as all the best things do). A regular ol’ young professional with a growing fondness for craft beers and a newly discovered passion for fitness and actually taking care of my body. And, two years later, Food, Sweat, and Beers is not only a part of my day-to-day living, it’s become part of who I am. I meet people IRL who I’ve only followed on Twitter and we’re fast friends. I’ve rekindled relationships with long lost buddies through blogging. I’ve had people that I see and talk to on a regular basis reach out to me to tell me that, in some small way or another, I’ve touched them or my words meant something to it.

Happy Second Birthday to my blog, my internet persona, and ALL that is Food, Sweat, and Beers.

And since birthdays are all about presents and celebrating why you came into this world in the first place, why not combine the two?

Aw, look, their logo donned a party hat!!

Albion Fit gave me a chance to do JUST THAT on this most sacred birthday. Albion Fit is a new-to-me company that revolves around providing gorgeous performance active- and swimwear for ladies like me who are gunning to live an adventurous lifestyle without having to sacrifice looking beautiful while doing it.

Having worked for Athleta earlier in the past year and being a frequent purchaser of Lululemon gear, I’m no stranger to this realm of workout clothing (just ask the two shelves I have dedicated solely to fitness attire). And so, when given the chance to try out some new women’s fitness and swimwear, I jumped at the opportunity. I was offered a choice of several products to try out, and honestly wished I could’ve snagged them all!

A few of the options that were in the running:

Go Long Crew with Thumbholes in Grape

Or really any of the colors. This top is beautiful, and I don’t think it’s just because so is the model wearing it as she calmly does yoga on the rocks whilst getting misted on by the ocean.

U-Line top in white and coral

This reminds me of some of my favorite workout tops, mostly because of the sleek appearance with a super-secure cross-back.

But then I saw the item that caught my eye:

Albion’s Signature 26.2 Zip Jacket in Black!

I had to have it. And, within no time at all (seriously, snaps on the quick shipping turnaround), I had the package in my grubby paws. I would’ve taken a picture, except I was too excited to not rip into it right away.

I donned it, pranced around in front of the mirror, and then gave it a whirl (you know, on one of the days in recent past where it hasn’t been PAINFULLY hot and I actually needed a jacket on my walk home from the gym). My thoughts?

Fashion show

First and foremost, I gotta drop credit where credit is due: this sweatshirt is (IMHO) cute. Come on, they ACTUALLY managed to “put a bird on it” without making it look tacky and ridiculous. I was a little hesitant of the detailing, but I love it. It is definitely a slim fit, and I don’t think I’d be comfortable wearing this shirt with a t-shirt under it. Luckily, most of the time when I hit the gym, I’m wearing form-fitting tank tops, so it works.

She-Ra (also I hope everyone’s as entertained by what’s in the background of this shot as I am…. Yes, that’s a pirate hat on the lamp)

The slim fit, while certainly not forgiving in the stomach and chest area (not a problem since I’ve proudly renounced my larger chest of yore), makes me feel like a certified tough chick, especially as it clings to my ~~massive~~ almost-visible biceps.

The material is a little less soft than most of the Lululemon pieces that I have, but the structured feel really makes me believe that this is true performance wear that will hold up over time.

My only complaint?

Oh, long arms. How you plague me…

Being part-chimpanzee, the length of my arms proved too much for this jacket and my delicate wrist bones are laid out for the world to see. Not a BIG problem, and certainly not an issue for those of y’all with normal-human length appendages… but notable from my end.

Plus, when the winds start whipping, I can whip up my hood and….

VOILA!

BAM! Super cute hood detail. Big thanks to Albion Fit for sharing. And, since we’re all in a giving mood, birthdays and such, let’s share this item with one of YOU!

GIVEAWAY SCOOP BELOW

Albion Fit’s offering up one of these sleek, chic hoodies (valued at $98) for a lucky reader (in either black, white, or teal). I wish I could offer up the easiest entry in the world like “just THINK about this post and you’re entered” but there’s a little more to it than that. To be eligible to win the giveaway you must:

“Like” Albion Fit on Facebook
Pin your favorite item from albionfit.com onto one of your Pinterest boards (and then leave a comment on my post with the link to your pin)

Not TOO tough, right?

Entries will be accepted until Friday, June 7th at 12:00pm EST. And I’ll throw in an extra entry if you ALSO tell me the best thing about your most recent birthday (OR your second birthday, if you can remember).

If you hate the luck of the draw but still wanna try some Albion Fit goods, use the code: fsb15 to get $15 off any purchase of $50 or more!!

IMPORTANT NOTE: You are not eligible to win this giveaway if you’ve already won another Albion Fit giveaway within the last 6 months.

Thanks for hanging out with me over these past 2 years. Cheers to many more years (and quite a few more beers).

The Positive in the Negative

November 26, 2012 / foodsweatandbeers / 7 Comments

I don’t have many things that REALLY get me fired up. Zombie movies. A great Zumba class. ~~Competitive~~ Semi-competitive food-running (only when it’s a short race, you wear a costume, and combine it with gourmet dishes ). Craft beer.

Maybe the biggest thing, though…. the one that gets my heart fluttering fast and my pulse racing, the one that I want to work with for the rest of my life… it’s sexual and reproductive health!!!!!

But seriously, isn’t that the cutest?

ANYWHO, this isn’t a post all about sexual and reproductive health, mostly because that’s not really what this blog is about and I end up writing about it for most of my school papers, so you can imagine I’m not gunning to write MORE in my beer and food and sweat blog….

That being said though, I just wanna say that I think I’ve found the easiest, greatest way to boost your morning for FREE: Go get yourself (rapidly) tested for HIV!

I swung by student health this morning for a quick little test, as a firm believer that knowing your status is about the coolest thing on the planet, and the BEST thing you can share with a partner you might be getting sexy with. And, even if you’re NOT getting sexy with anyone, doesn’t just KNOWING that you’re making a good move for your overall health give you an insane rush?!

“This is ALMOST as exciting as Rapid HIV testing!!”

This was the first time I’d gotten the rapid HIV test with blood (in the past, I’ve just gotten the oral swab). A quick prick of the finger, a 20-minute chat with the health counselor (who was just FULL of excitement at finding a kindred spirit with whom to chat about sexual health!) and WHAM:

Seriously, just go do it.

Make a day of it, go with your friends. Go with your partner. Go alone. Come with me (I’ll go again, just ask me!!)

If you want to find somewhere to get it done quick and for FREE, check out The National HIV/STD Testing Resource. They’ll check out your location, tell you where to go, and, before you can even say like, 1/8th of this word, you’ll get your results!!

Ok, off my soap box. Which also recently got tested and is HIV negative!

No questions to ask, just throwing it out there: knowing is great, your results are confidential (unless you write a blog post about it), and your health is totally worth it (it, of course, being free.)

Negatively,

Jordan

How I Won a New Belgium Cruiser: #EnjoytheRide

August 7, 2012August 6, 2012 / foodsweatandbeers / 23 Comments

If you never enter, you’ll never win, right?

Right.

So it’s been my M.O. the past few years to enter… well, everything. And, with all those entries, I was bound to win something. In this case, it was probably the best something of my entire life.

Gorgeous.

Yup, I won a custom New Belgium cruiser through New Belgium’s Enjoy the Ride campaign. I’d use more exclamation points, but this happened quite some time ago and, for whatever reason, I never blogged about it. Maybe I’ve just been too busy riding it.

It all started with a tweet. 140 characters (or less) to tell a story, using the hashtag #enjoytheride. Here was mine:

with this picture attached:

Long time readers may recognize it from this post, following a long bike ride with my sister and mom on a perfect summer day.

Not too long after that tweet, I received an email asking me if I was old enough to legally enjoy craft beer (I am) and if I lived in a place where New Belgium distributed (luckily, I hadn’t moved to Pennsylvania yet, so as an NC resident, I did!) After that, it wasn’t too long until a giant box of bike parts showed up at my door (well, my apartment complex’s office door, it was too big to drop at my personal door.)

Since this special bike required a special bike shop to put it together, I toted it up to New Jersey with me and hit up Margate Bike and Beach Shop, where the fellows were both excited to put the bike together and enamored with my new wheels. I was also enamored. Here’s a shot of me when I first got the beautiful finished product:

Pure, unadulterated rapture

And, just to make it official, I decided to recreate the original photo.

Then and Now!

A HUGE thanks to New Belgium for seeing something in a young lady’s tweet nice enough to reward her. I can’t stop riding it up and down the boardwalk, and I’m pretty sure it’s the best looking bike in Jersey.