Faves & Life Lately-1

Life lately, it has been quite busy. Blogging, redesigning this website, traveling, learning, sharing recipes, doing some more traveling and WRITING A COOKBOOK, let me tell you, there’s a lot of amazing things happening and a lot of faves I’ve been collecting along the way, so I thought I’d start a new series wherein every once in a while I’ll check in with a Faves & Life Lately Update.

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I am also giving away a bunch of stuff throughout this post so stay tuned!

Let’s start with some of faves:

• Food Whore: A Novel of Dining and Deceit by Jessica Tom. I love both reading books the old school way, and listening to books on audible as I drive. As soon as I saw the cover of this book and a snipit of the description “Full of wit and mouth-watering cuisines, Jessica Tom’s debut novel offers a clever insider take on the rarefied world of New York City’s dining scene in the tradition of The Devil Wears Prada meets Kitchen Confidential. Food whore (n.) A person who will do anything for food.” I knew I’d probably enjoy the book. Now, over half way through I cannot put the book down, following the story of Tia is fascinating, and makes me hungry! Jessica describes food beautifully, it’s as if one is getting to experience it oneself! Not only do I want to plan a trip to NY stat, but I can’t wait to finish this page turner. Want your very own copy of Food Whore? Of course you do, it’s an awesome holiday read! I’m giving away a copy, see the widget at the bottom of the post to enter!
• So as soon as I saw the cover of Food Whore I had the hankering for some pomegranate seeds/tendrils/whatever you want to call them. I had just received a pomegranate in my Door to Door delivery (I’m giving away a $100 gift certificate to try their services here) and my mother-in-law had told me about steel cut oats and how she was enjoying them, so I made some and decided to top them some pomegranate seeds. Um yeah, have you ever tried getting the seeds out of a pomegranate? I watched several videos and different methods. It took me forever and I posted a picture and asked for tips and someone suggested this pomegranate deseeder, I need one! I absolutely loved my steel cuts oats (I made them using this method) and topped them with pomegranate seeds. Delish. So I’m giving away a pomegranate deseeder and a canister of steel cut oats, see the widget at the bottom of the post to enter. 
• “I have enough jewelry – said no one ever” I absolutely laughed at the little card that was included in my monthly Rocksbox. Rocksbox is a very cool premium jewelry subscription service. They send you three pieces of jewelry, if you like any of the pieces you can purchase them, if you don’t you can send the pieces back and they send you new ones. If you sign up (it’s a really cool service that I use) I’d love if you’d use the referrer code “philiakelnhoferxoxo” and because Rocksbox is so cool, they’re giving a month away free to 3 lucky winners, see widget below to enter.
• Speaking of words that start with Jewel…did you know that Jewel, the singer-songwriter-artist just released an album and a new memoir? I downloaded it on audible on a whim, and it is honestly one of my favorite books I’ve listened to this year. Her voice is amazing, but in the audio book version of Never Broken: Songs are Only Half the Story she sings too, and her story is just incredible. I definitely recommend it as one of the best books I’ve listened to, and so I’m giving away a copy (your choice of audio, kindle, or paperback). See the widget below to enter.
• My last favorite is a CD by the band The Dustbowl Revival. This band is “Bluegrass. Swing. Hot jazz. Pre-war blues. Southern soul. New Orleans funk. The Dustbowl Revival is what you could call an American roots orchestra with eight full-time members — and they play it all, mashing the sounds of traditional American music into a genre-hopping, time-bending dance party that coaxes new fire out of familiar coal. This isn’t a throwback band. It’s a celebration of the sounds that have kept America moving for more than a century, performed with all the flair of a medicine show and rooted in the sweat and swagger of a juke joint song swap.” And want to know something truly cool? I’ve known the lead singer Zach since we were in the 1st grade! Zach is the friend I’ve known the longest in my life. His music and creativity are truly amazing. The Dustbowl Revival music is probably one of the only albums you can find me listening to on repeat, time after time. As I was writing this post I came across an old picture of us in high school, and he was an usher in my wedding, how cool is that? Clearly I want you to experience their beautiful sound so I’m giving away their two latest albums, see widget below to enter.

Now about life lately:

I’ve been thinking a lot about the past four years (<– yup, the SweetPhi blog is now four years old) and all the truly amazing things that have happened. Yes, it’s a bit nuts at times (like when I have to stay up until 2am finishing a post, or have a meeting before work at 6am about my new website – thank you Envy Creative for being so flexible with meeting times, or when I’m recipe testing for the cookbook during any and all free time) but it’s the best possible kind of crazy and I am so grateful to YOU.

You, amazing reader, are the reason this blog keeps going on!! Whenever I get comments from you telling me how you made one of my recipes and it turned out great or when you send me your Reader Recreations, it brings an honest to goodness smile to my face. I’m still working on updating all the amazing Reader Recreation Submissions on my new submission form page, SO I’m going to do a give away giving two $25 visa gift cards to two lucky. To enter this giveaway submit a reader recreation between now and December 14 and two entries will randomly be selected as winners.

In the past, whenever someone said ‘my heart is so full of love’ I secretly did an inward eye roll. But now, I have to say, I truly understand the meaning of the term.

You know how people talk about their ‘happy place’? well this blog is mine. Every time I come to check something out on my site, my heart does a little pitter patter, it’s my creative outlet. I love having a place where all my recipes are, if I am wanting to make dinner, I just come back and search for the recipe, and I get to interact with all of you awesome readers, so THANK YOU!

I realize this first faves and life lately post is extremely long, so thanks for reading. Here are the giveaway deets – simply comment telling me which giveaway you’d like to be entered into and why. Maybe share some of your favorites and what’s happening in your life? For the reader recreation giveaway submit a reader recreation between now and December 14, 2015. Extra entry options available, don’t forget to fill out the widget telling me you’ve entered! Winners randomly chosen December 14, 2015. Here are the giveaways and prizes

1. (GIVEAWAY 1) A copy of the book Food Whore
2. (GIVEAWAY 2) Pomegranate Deseeder and a canister of steel cut oats
3. (GIVEAWAY 3) 3 winners each gets a month of Rocksbox
4. (GIVEAWAY 4) A copy of Jewel’s book Never Broken
5. (GIVEAWAY 5) Two albums from The Dustbowl Revival
6. (GIVEAWAY 6) 2 winners each gets a $25 visa gift card for submitting a reader recreation

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