Did you know there is a national Rum Day?  Well there is and it’s this coming Saturday, August the 16th.  Guess where I’m celebrating it?  At the Summer of Rum Festival!  If you’re anywhere near Tampa you should too.  Why you ask?  Because there’s going to be Rum Zones, Rum Shacks (small run zones) food trucks and also rum.  Good enough reasons for you??  Check the festival out here.

Even better is the fact that it’s going to be held at the Cuban Club which means it’s partly outside and partly inside (inside = air conditioning!). Also, the bands sound pretty awesome, there will be both ska and reggae!   Sounds pretty much perfect to me.

Check these guys out.

So, if you want to go you can get general admission tickets for $25, VIP for $95, or win a pair of GA tickets from me.  I have 2 pairs to give away, I’ll contact the winners on Friday morning. You do have to be 21 or older to get in, no kids and no pets allowed.

Enter to win here!  a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received two VIP tickets to The Tampa Bay Rum Festival in exchange for writing a review and this giveaway. As always, my opinions are all mine.

Don’t forget to follow them on Facebook for updates on the festival.

Last Thursday we decided to go to the Straz Center and see Return to the Forbidden Planet. Cheesy Sci-fi?  I’m so in!  It was my first time going to the Straz Center and I was really impressed by the area.  There were lots of places to eat nearby and a library right across the way which you could get to through a glass walkway that made me think of Stephen King’s IT.  Wasn’t there a glass walkway to the library in that book?  But this one is up a floor or two.

Anyways, we got there early and were walking through said walkway when I noticed something odd.

Um, are those Storm Troopers?  Yes, yes they are.  We had time before the show started so we decided to go check it out.  Actually, I would have totally been late to go check Storm Troopers out.  So off we go and guess what?  They were there for Forbidden Planet, and so was Darth Vader! Seriously cool. I mean, you know, to people like me.

Turns out pretty much everyone was there! I even got a picture with Spider-Man to send to my nephews, making me the coolest aunt ever. No, this isn’t it.

After stopping at the bar for a rum and coke (not something you can do everywhere in Florida!) we went in to see the show.

It’s a lot of the Tempest, a lot of Forbidden Planet, a lot of 50’s rock, and a lot of fun!  I was pretty amazed at how much fun we had, they had the entire audience laughing most of the night.  And 4 days later I’m still singing songs from the show.  (Gloria, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, Young Girl… )

Did I mention the space monsters?

Even in space the Monster Mash is all that.

If you are in the Tampa area and you are a fan of Shakespeare / sci fi / music / theater or fun  you should really go check them out. You can see the times and prices and get your tickets here. The show is Thursday through Sunday until July 6th.

I was given two tickets to see The Forbidden Planet in exchange for an honest review.

So, how about you?  Have you been to the Straz Center yet?  Have you seen Return to the Forbidden Planet anywhere else?  And the all important question, do you know the walkway in IT that I’m talking about?

There’s a rumor going around that margaritas are Tampa’s drink of choice.  I have no idea if that’s true or not but I know if I had to pick a poison tequila is by far the tastiest!  Maybe it comes from spending so many weekends in Tijuana when I was younger or maybe it’s just that good, I don’t know.

Regardless, if you are also a fan you really need to join my out at the Tampa Bay Margarita Festival coming up Saturday, May 24th. There will be margaritas with Sauza (an old favorite of mine), Cabo Wabo (a favorite of everyone’s) and tons of other different tequilas. Bud Light’s Lime-A-Rita will be there and if you aren’t a tequila fan there’s Coronas and HRM Rex Goliath wine. And also, apparently there will be naked turtles there. Strange but true.

Of course they have to keep your designated driver happy too, so there will be lots of music and games and the evening will be topped off with fireworks. Los Lonely Boys will be headlining the show and there are plenty other bands starting after the gates open at 1:00.  I for one cannot resist sitting on the lawn listening to  live music, I can’t wait. Here’s a sample of one of the bands, Thomas Wynn & The Believers. Try and tell me this and a margarita isn’t the definition  of a perfect chill weekend.

The festival will be at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park and is being put on by the same people who did the Tampa Spring Beer Fling so I expect it will be a blast. Which is why you want to go too, right?  You can get your tickets here, they’re $15 now or $20 at the door for general admission or for $85 ($100 at the door) you can VIP it and your ticket will include all of your margaritas.  Sounds good to me!

What could be better?  How about winning a pair of general admission tickets? I have 2 pairs to give away, I’ll announce the winners here Tuesday the 20th.

Enter here: a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received two VIP tickets to The Tampa Bay Margarita Festival in exchange for writing a review and this giveaway. As always, my opinions are all mine.

So, will you be there?

I can’t believe the Spring Beer Fling was almost a month ago! I’ve fallen so away from writing (and running) lately that I never got around to writing a review of it, which is bad because it was great for so many reasons!

We didn’t stay until the beach ball drop because Walking Dead(!!!)  but we got there at 12 when they opened and stayed until almost 6.  I really didn’t expect to stay so long but it could not have been better weather to be out in all day and the bands were great.  Basically we rotated between standing in the grass in front of the stage, to the tables looking over the river to the tables in the (shaded) VIP section to the grass in front of the stage….

Since we got there at lunch time the first thing I wanted to do was eat.  OK, the first thing I always want to do is eat, but whatever.  There were quite a lot of really great food trucks and vendors but I ended up getting the WokStar Rainbow Noodles at I Wanna Wok . Excellent choice!  the people who took our order and made the food were super nice and any time I get to eat with chop sticks I’m pretty happy.  But better than all that – the food was amazing.

Oh, and there was beer.  I have to admit, I didn’t try much of it as I was the driver of the day but we were there plenty long enough for me to try the Deep Eddy Vodka Eddy Palmer.  Sweet tea vodka, club soda, lemonade and lemon?  Ya, I’ll have one+ of those.  My parents went with us and my (non-drinking) mom had more than one of them – that tells you they were amazing.

And of course there was music all day long.  The Pretty Girls, The Heavy Metals, the Intoxicators were all great.

Weren’t there?  Well, there’s always next year!  But if you don’t want to wait that long the same people who put on the Spring Beer Fling are having a Tampa Bay Margarita Festival May 24th!  I may have some tickets to give away for the festival soon, so keep an eye out if you’re interested. If I have a drink of choice it is beyond a doubt tequila so I can’t wait!

In November I mentioned that I’m running The Color Run with my kids this year.  Only a few days left!

My son was excited, then decided he didn’t like running, then became excited all over again and not only is running with me outside, he also is running on the treadmill some nights.  I couldn’t be happier about how this is motivating him and his sister to take up running.  It must really be the happiest 5K on the planet, since I’m already happy!

This year The Color Run is going all Kaleidoscope-al.

What does that even mean you say?  Well.

Every registered Color Runners get an official The Color Run Race Kit including:

• A custom t-shirt
• Tricolor headband
• Amazing shoulder sling bag
• Tattoos
• and more! (I always like and mores)

That’s super groovy and all, but what about the race course you ask. Well.

• Epic Finish Festival
• Unique Kaleidoscope attractions on the course
• Incredible photo opps
• Awesome Kaleidoscope fun at the finish festival!

They used the words epic and awesome and I thought I was the only one who ever did so I’m kinda impressed just because of that.  🙂

Anyways, my Children of the Corn are running it and I think you and yours should too!  When you sign up don’t forget to use the code Color5Off when you register (it can’t be applied later) for a $5 discount to sign up for a run in any city and if you sign up as part of a team of 4 or more you get an additional $5 off per person. This code is not valid on flash city sales.

Need a little more incentive to join us?  How about a chance to win a free entry? Just leave me a comment below letting me know what city you’d run in and you’ll be entered, the winner will be chose at random Monday and announced here on the blog next Tuesday.

Have you ever run a 5K?  If you have kids do they ever run with you?

Disclosure: I have received a race entry in exchange for posting about The Color Run.

My youngest son has been toying with the idea of running  for a while, probably since he started middle school last year.  He runs on the track in gym and periodically he just gets the bug and wants to run with me. Although this urge to run keeps coming back it never lasts long, and that’s partly my fault for not encouraging him as much as I should.

Last year I told the kids we’d probably do The Color Run but it was in December and with the holidays and all we just never did it.  This year?

This year The Color Run is going to hit Clearwater January 26th, totally do-able!  Even my (also middle school) daughter who has little if any interest in running is excited about running this one.  I’m going to do my best to convince them both that they want to start the Couch to 5K soon to get ready for it.  But if they don’t it doesn’t matter a bit, this run is all about having fun.  Which of course is the best reason to do anything.

“We call The Color Run the ‘happiest 5K on the planet’ because our events bring together friends and family in a unique, healthy, and fun environment,” said Travis Snyder, founder of The Color Run. “Our only rules are that people wear white and prepare to be covered in color at the finish!”

I can get behind that! Except for I don’t actually own anything white due to spaghetti sauce and salsa, so I’ll have to rectify that.

Do you want in? Um, they say it’s the happiest 5K on the planet, of course you do!  On top of all the fun you also get t-shirt, headband, tattoo, and a color packet when you go to pick up your race bib.You can use the code Color5Off for a $5 discount to sign up for a run in any city and if you sign up as part of a team of 4 or more you get an additional $5 off per person. Sweet!  Just don’t forget to use the code when you register, they won’t apply it after the fact.

Another cool thing is kids 5 and under get to participate for free!  Of course they don’t get the swag but who cares? If they need the t-shirt you can get them one here!  I have a 4 year old nephew who’s favorite thing in the world (besides fighting monsters of course) is racing people around the neighborhood. I am hoping he can come with me, he’d have a blast!  Just don’t forget that 5k = 3.1 miles so if you bring a wee one be prepared to get an extra arm workout if you need to do some carrying!

You can check out The Color Run’s site for more information and to sign up.

Disclosure: I have received two free race entries in exchange for posting about The Color Run.

I’ve been in the habit of taking walks on all of my breaks at work for years. Once or twice around the building on ten minute breaks, drive to a local park on lunches, anything would do.

I got my new job and though the short walks were around a parking lot there was a nice park and pier both within a 5 minute drive, perfect!

But then…  they move the office.  To downtown Tampa.  Worst, there is a fence keeping you from even walking around the buildings because it’s a conservation area behind the buildings or something. Yay, conservation.  Boo, sitting at  my desk way to much.

I used Google and my GPS to find a nearby park, no go.  Nothing at all anywhere near.  I was truly bummed.  So I started walking up to the 7-11 on the corner and back, just to be outside a bit. FINALLY one day I decided to walk in the opposite direction and guess what I found?  The Upper Tampa Bay trail, a 4 minute walk from work.  Seriously?  No one I work with knew it was there and apparently neither did Google or GPS.  Saved!!!

So here is how I’ve been spending my lunches lately. Now THAT is better!

Why yes, that is a train track the trail goes under.  Cool, yes?If that wasn’t all groovy enough, yesterday I looked out the window and saw this. Good job conservation fence, now I appreciate you!