Metropolitan Restaurant Week happens twice a year, once in the winter and once in the summer. With over 100 places to choose from, what’s so great about Restaurant Week is that you can get a three-course meal for $22 during brunch/lunch and $35 during dinner. And we’re not talking about Cheesecake Factory or Outback, these restaurants are some of the most award-winning restaurants in the area. Participating restaurants include Fogo De Chao, The Capital Grille, RPM Italian, and Oceanaire. This year wasn’t my first time participating in Restaurant Week but it was the first time that I feel like I took full advantage of it. I was able to plan a date night at 2 different restaurants and I won a contest to visit the third restaurant.

TenPenh Pork Dumpling

What to Know About Restaurant Week

Winter Restaurant Week usually takes places around mid-February while Summer Restaurant Week happens towards the end of August. Each participating restaurant lays out a menu with selected items to choose from during the respective meal time. Since you’re getting an AMAZING deal most restaurants do not allow substitutions or alterations to any of the options on the menu. I highly suggest you view it beforehand. Most of the time, the restaurant will submit their menu to RAMW.org. However, there are a few places that will only post it on the company website. Oh and of course drinks are not included so plan ahead. Lastly, I suggest making reservations especially if you’re going during peak times.

Where I Ate

Mastro’s Steakhouse

I had heard of Mastro’s but never been. I am not a fan of steak so steakhouses are not my typical choice when it comes to restaurants. But I have heard a lot of great things about Mastro’s so I figured why not take this opportunity to check it out. From their restaurant week menu, I ordered a Spicy Mambo Salad (caesar with wasabi), blackened salmon with mango lobster butter, and their signature warm butter cake. One thing to note here is that the menu is a la carte. So sides were not included in the $35 price but they are large enough to share! We decided to get asparagus and lobster mashed potatoes to fancy up our meal. Once you add in sides and drinks, we spent way over what we expected to. But the everything was so good I have no regrets!

Blackened Salmon with Mango Lobster Butter

Ginger at MGM

I’ve only been inside MGM a few times so this was my first time visiting one of the restaurants. We love Asian food so we were excited to try something a little different than. But we were highly disappointed. I honestly am not sure why we picked this restaurant after reviewing the Restaurant Week menu online. But we were both okay with ordering something that wasn’t from the menu. We order chicken lettuce wraps as an appetizer because I imagined them being similar to the ones from Cheesecake Factory. Wrong! They came pre-made on a plate and you only get 4. The menu was overwhelming because it had entrees you would find at a Thai restaurant and at the carryout. I decided to keep things simple and order Sweet & Sour Chicken. It lacked flavor and also felt very rubbery to chew. The best part of the experience was the drinks.

TenPenh Tyson’s

This restaurant was a wild card because I won a contest hosted by RAMW and GlamSquad. The prize was a girl’s night out which included hair, makeup, and dinner for 2 at a restaurant they chose. I had never even heard of TenPenh which made things a little more exciting for me as a foodie. The manager of the restaurant treated us so well! Dinner was covered but they treated us to Beijing Bellini’s and a sample of a few appetizers. From the Restaurant Week menu I ordered Shrimp Lumpia, Miso Glazed Salmon, and Mai Tai Creme Brulee. I would be lying if I said I loved the salmon, however, it wasn’t too bad. The taste just wasn’t something I was used to. All of the appetizers were amazing; especially the lumpia and dumplings!

Miso Glazed Salmon

Is it worth it?

The simple answer: yes! As a foodie, I enjoy eating out and trying new things which isn’t always cost effective. Although we spent a little more money than usually this time around, we still got to try some new places and surprisingly we still saved a few bucks. As I said before, planning ahead is key!

Warm Butter Cake Mastro’s Steakhouse

The post Restaurant Week DC Recap appeared first on Running Erins.

Where to Stay

I wasn’t really a big fan of AirBnB after my experience in Canada but it is so much cheaper than hotels in California that we didn’t really have a choice. We were able to get a place 1 block away from Sunset Blvd and live like locals. The apartment was very nice and clean. And our host actually owned the whole building so we didn’t have to worry about upsetting neighbors. The neighborhood was very quiet. The only problem we had was finding parking on the street. But in the grand scheme of things that isn’t too bad when the place is nice.

Get a Rental!

The best decision of the trip? Getting a rental car! We went back and forth on this decision for awhile before the trip. I’ve never rented a car on vacation and thought it would be easy to get around. There’s Uber and Lyft everywhere right? But in California nothing was really that close because of traffic and highways. LAX was about 45 minutes from where we were staying. But that’s normal driving distance for EVERYTHING in California. The closest thing to us was an In-N-Out Burger which wasn’t a disappointment. It also allowed us to drive to Vegas for 2 trips in 1. I booked a rental through Expedia for fairly cheap, however, they make you use their insurance of course which made it more expensive. But it was a decision I don’t regret! I’m actually considering renting a car more often.

What to Do

There’s definitely tons of things to do in LA but we took the more scenic route. From visiting Candytopia, an interactive pop-up shop, to the Museum of Illusions. It was more about creating experiences rather than partying. We also went hiking to the top of Mount Hollywood which I will never do again in my entire life! We took steep hills all the way up and you can’t even get close to the Hollywood sign. It definitely showed me how out of shape I am but the site at the top is definitely breathtaking. And our hiking guide, Leo, gets a full 5 stars! We found him through AirBnB experiences for $20 per person. Last but not least, you can’t go to LA without hitting the beach. We spent a few hours on Santa Monica Beach just taking in the sun.

We also made the 4-hour drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to visit my friends! Originally, we had plans to leave early in the morning but we were so tired from the night before that we didn’t get up early. There isn’t much to see along the way but we did stop for food and gas. Leo told us to stop at Peggy Sue’s 50’s Diner so we did. It was a very dope restaurant that reminded me of one of my favorite movies, Grease. From the juke box to the records on the wall and even the waitresses uniform it did not disappoint! And the food options were endless; from breakfast to burgers. Speaking of food….

Where to Eat

When I go on vacation, I try my best to eat a places we don’t have at home. Any foodie knows that when you visit the West Coast you have to try In-N-Out Burger. My first time eating there was actually when I went to Nevada but of course I went again in Cali. We also hit the world famous chicken spot, Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles. The restaurant was nothing how I imagined it would look (it gives the hole in the wall feel) but the food was still great! Another brunch spot we loved was Blu Jam Cafe in Hollywood. The wait was a little long (about an hour and a half) but we expected it and the food didn’t disappoint. If you’re looking for a spot dinner, try Saddle Ranch Chop House on Sunset Blvd. There’s a mechanical bull, a duo who sings covers of whatever you request, and menu options from nachos to steak. If you’re headed to Vegas check out Tacos and Beer. It’s an authentic Mexican Restaurant with amazing empanadas!

Crunchy French Toast from Blu Jam Cafe

Overall, my trip to California was memorable and I truly enjoyed myself. Where to next?

The post Los Angeles Recap appeared first on Running Erins.

This weekend, we hosted our first event titled “Hey Sis!: Women Empowerment + Packing Social.” Packing socials are events where a group of people get together to pack items to donate. The bags we packed were given to Goodie Girl Bags, a non-profit organization who delivers them to homeless shelter throughout the DMV. Each bag includes 1 bra, feminine hygiene products like pads & tampons, breast cancer exam cards, and a hand written note for encouragement. In planning our event, we set a goal to pack 150 bags. Little did we know that we set the vision a little too small as we collected over 80 bras before the event.

Both of us have a passion for helping other women so it was important for this event to embody that. Not only in the items we packed for the homeless but by making sure we spoke to the women in the room too. The 2 of us shared a bit of our backgrounds along with one other woman. All with the theme that everyone struggles but it matters how you push past it. Our hope is that we continue to inspire and improve the lives of those around us. Whether it is through a non-profit our hosting other social events like this one. Either way, we know we can make a difference.

Each attendee left the event with a bag of items from our sponsors. We were also able to supply desserts and drinks during the event. My business partner and I are extremely grateful to each and every person who saw our vision and made it come true.

We would like to give a special thanks to all of our sponsors:

Ardell Beauty
Eden BodyWorks
Essentia Water
Jamaican Mango & Lime
This Is L.
OhMazing Food
LiquidJoy Beverages
Sweet Sticky Thing Bakery
Blessed Vessels
Faye Smith Realtor

The post Hey Sis! Packing Social Recap appeared first on Running Erins.

Black
Resilient
Artisitic
Vigilent
Enough

BRAVE is an annual event that was started 3 years ago by black women at Georgetown. The event seeks to “honor the eclectic narrative of Black women/femmes” by “combating the pervasive media coverage and replacing it with the truth.” Just by the title I knew this would be an event for me. I was even more sold when I found out that Amanda Seales, from Insecure on HBO, would be the keynote speaker. What I will say is that I did expect the event to be full of empowered women empowering women. What I did not expect was to leave feeling inspired and overwhelmed by the joy in the room.

The first panel featured Erika Totten, a spiritual life coach, and Deshauna Barber, Miss USA 2016. They spoke about Black Girl Joy and what it truly means when you tap into your magic. One of the key gems that I took away was about self-love.

“You have to learn to break the chains of what people have told you. Only then will you truly love and know yourself.” – Erika Totten, To Live Unchained

Deshauna told us how she felt the need to wear wigs during the Miss USA pageant. But she reflected by saying that embracing her natural hair opened the door for

another black woman with natural hair from DC to win Miss USA the following year. My favorite part of this panel was Erika encouraging us all to get up and twerk! She said twerking 10 minutes a day helps open your root chakra and I can’t argue with that!

After the opening panel, we split into breakout sessions. The first one I attended was “Black Women in Public Relations.” I am currently studying for my Master’s in PR so it’s a perfect fit. The ladies on the panel stressed how important it is to determine what you want your image to be.

“Be authentic to who you are.” – Brittany Carter, B. Carter Solutions

Lunch was catered by Florida Avenue Grill, the oldest soul food spot in the world. And it did not disappoint. I’m talking fried chicken, greens, mac & cheese, yams. They even had a vegan option for those with dietary restrictions. For dessert, there was a variety of cake jars provided by Cakelove.

The next breakout session I went to was “Black Women in Media/Entertainment.” This one definitely wasn’t what I expected but I definitely got a lot of useful information. It featured music producer Trakgirl, talent manager Paris Cole, and actress Candice Macfarlane. These ladies talked about having confidence in yourself and your brand. As women in a male dominated field, they stressed the importance of knowing all the roles of your team. And they mentioned my favorite phrase, “never stop learning.” One of the biggest takeaways was that you don’t have to feel like you have it all together.

“Remember everybody is a mess. Every moment is meant for you. Just align yourself.” – @Paris_Cole

The last panel was all about developing your career. Shelby Hall, of Under Armour, and Ericka Pittman, of Combs Enterprises, spoke on making your passion work for you. They said their biggest advice for young professionals is to send “Thank You” cards because it makes you stand out. They also expressed that you have to take your time to get where you want to be in life. Ericka has had 7 jobs in the 9 years that she has worked with Diddy. But it took her 22 years to get to where she is. She is now the Chief Marketing Officer at Aquahydrate, one of Diddy’s brands.

“One thing that Diddy told me is ‘You don’t always have to be the smartest person in the room. Sometimes you just have to shut the f*ck up.'” – Ericka Pittman, Combs Ent.

Of course the day ran long but I couldn’t leave without seeing Amanda Seales. Her Instagram stories are filled with great gems about black culture and feminism. In speaking with us, she was very clear that black women run shit. But she also said that there has to be an effort to build each other up because too often we consider constructive criticism a drag. Amanda expressed the need for people of color to create our own spaces and not just our own content. She also spoke a lot about mental health saying that therapy is like a gym membership for your brain. Her information was insightful and relatable. She also kept the crowd laughing.

“If you’re trying to find a wife, come to an Amanda Seales show. There’s women with degrees and regular pap smears. The Dashiki chic!” – Amanda Seales

Amanda will be back in DC on July 21 with “Smart, Funny, & Black” at the Kennedy Center. I also suggest keep up with BRAVE! Although the event was pretty long, the information was well worth it!

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During my junior year of college, I started working seasonally as a photographer for a department store. I was under the impression that the manager was going to keep me on as a part-time associate. But then I noticed I was no longer on the schedule. Which meant it was time to find something else to do. But what?

Being let go without actually being told you are being let go leaves a lot of things up to chance. School was starting back up pretty soon and stores were losing the hours they had gained during the holiday season. But I needed a job which meant it was time to get creative. I knew about companies like Avon and MaryKay but I couldn’t see myself doing that. I needed something fast. Something that would interest college students. Something that would be easy to sell.

How it Went Down (no pun intended)

I was browsing a Facebook Group for my school when I came across a post from a girl who was looking for other girls to join her sales team. I don’t know how I knew it was sex toys right away–maybe it was the wording. She was only looking for girls, it’s in sales……had to be sex toys right?  I sent her a message expressing my interest and she was excited to bring me on the team.

I honestly don’t know why I thought I was cut out for the job because I tend to be an introvert. But it was something to do. Something different and had the promise to bring in a lot of money. The ladies on my team were extremely nice and had receipts to show how much money they were bringing in. This was a multi-million dollar team. I needed a piece of that! Show me the way ladies. I was all in.

I started searching for customers by asking a few of my friends if they would come to or host a sex toy party. Pretty much everyone said “Hell yea!” They were so excited which gave me the confidence to put myself out there with this new business venture.

To get started, I had to purchase a kit with all of the essentials for beginners; products, catalogs, order forms. Then I started learning about the products and attending parties hosted by my upline to get a feel of things. Looking at some of the products made me super nervous! They offer everything from lotions and books to lube and some of the weirdest looking toys I had ever seen. And the prices? Whew! I had not realized yet that this was a lifestyle for some people. But my team was confident in my ability to sell and so was I.

Related:  I Purchased Tickets To A Burlesque Show On Groupon

While I was confident in selling, I was not comfortable letting everyone know what my new job was. Blasting “Come buy sex toys from me!” on the internet is not ideal for an introvert. Plus people are very judgmental and hold onto stigmas when it comes to sex. But of course, the biggest way to gain customers is through word of mouth so I had to figure something out. I decided to set up my kit in my living room and invite some friends over to get some practice on selling. We had such a great time and I felt so comfortable explaining products so I just knew this was going to go great for me.

That was short-lived. The biggest problem I ran into was remaining active with the company. You had to sell X amount of dollars in products in X amount of months. And I tried my hardest to remain active and keep bringing in customers. I bought samples to hand out. Came up with cute ideas. Got the word out to a few people I knew around campus. But I still wasn’t making enough to remain active AND still make a profit.

Why I stopped

Although almost everyone is open and willing to talk about their sex life in college, it was difficult to get customers. The one thing about trying to sell something as a college student is that everybody is just as broke as you. They are also just as busy as you. Something I wish I would have thought about when signing up. I met plenty of people who said they were going to purchase things or throw a party and it never worked out. And I never wanted to be down someone’s throat about placing an order or throwing a party. I felt like that would be like saying, “I know your sex life really sucks so come shop with me!”

Between random sales and the few parties I did have, I was able to remain active for a while. But I found myself using the money that was supposed to be my profit to purchase extra items to meet the requirements. Within the year I decided to call it quits. I had picked up a part-time job because I needed a steady income (sis had bills). The job mixed with school and having a social life left no time to dedicate to selling (or begging). And of course, as soon as I went inactive people started asking me, “Hey, do you still have that business?” Girl–where were you months ago?!

If you asked me would I sell sex toys again I’d tell you yes! No question. I think the greatest thing about my team was that we were very big on teaching women to feel beautiful and confident in their sexuality. I had so much fun working for the company and I met some great women. I even reached out to one of them to host a party a few years after I stopped selling. I’ve also learned to be a lot more comfortable talking about sex and pleasure as I’ve gotten older. It’s nothing to be ashamed of!

The only thing that would keep me away is the structure of the company. I just don’t think the idea of a Multi-Level Marketing company is as enticing as it once was. But with a quick Google search, I’m sure you can start your own company.

The post I Sold Sex Toys in College appeared first on Running Erins.

If you don’t travel often I encourage you to do so in 2018. There are plenty of opportunities for you to travel if you search for them. And trust me, I’m quick to find a reason to get up and go! Trips for work, birthdays and even to reunite with friends and family. Going by plane, car or even train. To places I’ve been before and places I’ve never seen. As 2017 comes to an end, I thought it may be nice to do a round up of the places I went this year. Hopefully, it will encourage you to visit somewhere new or revisit an old favorite in 2018.

Related: How to Prepare for a Road Trip

South Beach, Miami

Starting your year off with a trip is very refreshing! You get to unwind after the holidays and escape the cold if you’re headed somewhere warm. For my best friend’s birthday in January, we went down to Miami for a girl’s trip. I’ve been to Florida plenty of times but always with family and never with friends so I was super excited about this trip. My favorite part: the food! We ate at somewhere different everyday and there was nothing that I didn’t like. I tried Thai food for the first time, munched on some conch fritters, and went to The Sugar Factory. We explored the beach, went shopping, and partied it up at our hotel’s hookah bar. Miami is always a great quick getaway when you just need some fun in the sun.

Related: Exploring South Beach

Brooklyn, New York

Where Brooklyn at?! *inserts Milly Rock* While Miami might be a quick plane ride away….New York is a short drive from DC. It’s also one of my favorite places to visit. There is so much to do and so much to see. There are so many events and pop-ups that happen in the city that you’re bond to experience something new. This trip to New York was for Curlfest, an annual natural beauty festival. Curlies and Naturalistas alike come from all over to show up and show out! There’s nothing like being around people who have the same interest as you. From the hairstyles to the freebies, it was definitely a great time! The trip was very quick but still fun nonetheless. Quick trips are the best when you need to clear your mind.

Disney World, Florida

The big kid in me has always loved Disney World. So when I got the chance to go this year with my boyfriend + his family I definitely couldn’t pass it up. I was in high school the last time I went and this time I was pushing 25 but the excitement was still the same. The drive down to Florida was the most intense part. Almost 24 hours in the car because we stopped to visit family along the way but it was definitely worth it. I was grateful that my boyfriend and I chose to fly back though (don’t think I would have survived more time in the car). Disney is one of those places where they have something for everyone. From the adults to the kiddos. The Pandora World of Avatar was my favorite part of all the parks. The lines for it were long of course but so were all the other lines. I definitely recommend planning your days out in advance though. 1 park can take up your whole day so we didn’t even get a chance to hit the pool.

Mall of America, Minnesota

The one great thing about having a full-time job: paid travel! In July, I also got to head to the University of Minnesota for a work conference. I won’t lie….when I originally found out where we were going I WAS NOT excited. What’s in Minnesota? Why not California? But then it hit me that I could visit the largest mall in the US. And the one thing I love besides food is shopping! The only downside about work trips is you have to schedule everything around your schedule. And with an intense conference schedule I was able to visit Mall of America twice but only on short time periods so I didn’t get to see all of it. But it was definitely everything I imagined. All of my favorite stores + some I have never heard of. An amusement park + aquarium if you aren’t really into shopping (pshhh). And a bunch of restaurants. Minnesota definitely wasn’t what I expected. It was pretty cold for July *inserts Lil Yatchy lyrics.* And the transit system is definitely nothing like the one in DC. But I enjoyed myself.

Made in America, Philly

Up until recently I was not a fan of big festivals because of crowds. It all goes back to when I was in college and Chris Brown came to the local mall. Talk about hundreds of screaming girls! It just made me uneasy and uncomfortable so I’ve avoided crowds at all costs. But I could not pass up the chance to go to Made in America, Jay-Z  2-day music festival. It’s held the first weekend in September which is my birthday month; even more reason for me to go! And I’m definitely glad I went. The girls and I had so much fun eating cheesesteaks, having Henny for Breakfast, and people watching at Fat Tuesday’s. Not to mention the lineup was pretty good; it included Cardi B, Migos, 21Savage, J.Cole and Jay-Z himself. We also booked our hotel before tickets even dropped so we were able to stay walking distance from the venue.

Las Vegas, Nevada

If you checked out my post about my trip to Nevada you know I wasn’t there to gamble and party. I actually went for a baby shower. And while the reason was unconventional, I still got to do some of the things Vegas is known for. I won’t say much about this trip in case you have already read about it. But I will say it was a great close out to 2017.

Have you planned any trips for 2018? Let me know in the comments!

The post 2017 Travel Round Up appeared first on Running Erins.

An article from Forbes states that about 40% of Americans make New Year’s Resolutions but only about 8% of us achieve them. One of the biggest reasons people don’t complete their resolutions is because they set goals that are wide and unfocused. A new year is a great time to set new goals. But for 2018, let’s set SMART goals and achieve them through action planning.

What is a SMART Goal?

SMART goals can help you focus and be productive when it comes to reaching them. You should not be setting goals that are unrealistic for your lifestyle. For example, saying you want to be CEO of a company with no prior experience. It’s also great if you can keep track of your progress with your goals throughout the year.

Action Planning

Creating an action plan can help you reach your goals faster. An action plan lists out the steps it would take for you to meet those goals. It helps you maintain a timeline to stay on track and keeps the goal in the front of your mind. Vision boards can be a great addition to action planning and goal setting. They help you visualize what achieving your goals would be like. They can also be a daily reminder of your goals depending on where you put it.

One last tip for reaching your New Years Resolution: start now! Find ways to enjoy the changes you are making. If you wish to eat healthier, use Pinterest to plan meals. If you plan to save money, look into apps like Acorn or books by authors like Dave Ramsey. The only thing in the way of your goals is you!

Are you setting a New Years Resolution or goals for 2018? Let me know what they are in the comments!

The post Goal Setting & Action Planning for the New Year appeared first on Running Erins.

Made in America Festival in Philly

Road Trip Tips

1. Make concrete plans or loose plans. No in between.
   One of the hardest things I had to learn about road trips was making the plans. If you aren’t good at staying on task, making concrete plans could be stressful. On the opposite hand, it is also good to make loose plans that. It allows you to go with the flow and see more sights!
2. Be prepared!
   Get gas the day before. Make sure there are no issues with the vehicle. Set your location in your GPS. Plan out the space in the car so everyone can be comfortable. Plan for traffic.
3. Dress comfy.
   I love to be comfortable. You don’t want to be cold or hot when you’re in the car for extended periods of time. You can always change your clothes when you’re at your destination.
4. Pack a positive attitude!
   Who you travel with and why you’re traveling play a big part in your trip. No matter the reason, a positive attitude can take your trip from bad to great. Make a playlist. Bring your favorite snacks. Play car games.

As with any form of travel, your trip is what you make it! Enjoy yourself and make the experience something new. What trips do you plan to take in 2018?

The post How to Prepare for a Road Trip appeared first on Running Erins.

“I’m going to Vegas for a baby shower.”

If we’re being completely technical, I spent the weekend in Henderson, Nevada– about 15 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip. When you think about the area you automatically assume gambling, drinking, and an intoxicatingly good time. Although I was there for a baby shower, I still got to do all of those things. But in a way that was different from each of the previous times I have been to Vegas.

With cities that attract tourists, locals always know where to find the best deals and the best places to have fun. We decided to go to a resort casino because you have a higher chance at payout. Needless to say I still lost money. But that’s what happens when you play Blackjack like it wasn’t only your second time playing. But I still had fun. And it was nice to see the buildings were still honoring the victims who were lost during the shooting a few months ago.

One of my favorite parts about any trip is food! I love to eat and I love to try new food items. Although I am not a big fan of fast food, I was dying to try In-N-Out. Everyone on the West Coast talks about how good it is. And both of the previous times I was in Vegas I didn’t get to try it. So this was it. I had to try it this time. And man was I disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, the burger was good and I would definitely eat it again. It just didn’t live up to the hype. Maybe it was because I didn’t have a milkshake? Or they were having a bad day? Who knows. But the fries were like crumbs and the burger could be seasoned a little better. Either way I still inhaled the burger like I hadn’t eaten all day.

The weather this time of year is also a big change for me. The last 2 times I went to Vegas it was summer and extremely hot. In the first week of December, I found myself wearing a jacket and Uggs during the trip. The day time is warmer but it was pretty windy (I almost lost a nail when the car door flew open). Being away from the city gives you the chance to star gaze at night. And as I was leaving the moon was still in the sky as the sun came up.

The one last thing I wanted to do before I left was visit a dispensary because I believe in the benefits of medical marijuana. Since dispensaries are opening in Maryland, I wanted to get a feel for want they look like. The difference with Nevada is recreational marijuana is legal. Anyone over the age of 18 is free to purchase from dispensaries and use it in private without a medical card. I will not lie, it was very overwhelming for me. There is so much to learn and understand about each product and the effects to the body. I definitely wasn’t expecting the set up either. The wall with “flower” is separated into 3 sections: value, premium, and superior. They also offer edibles like gummies, cookies, and honey. The staff was very helpful in educating me about what they do and how it works if I was interested in purchasing.

Although this trip was a little different, I still enjoyed it! The baby shower. The sightseeing. The food. There is nothing like visiting family and friends who help you feel at home. If you ever want to visit Vegas but want a chill trip, consider staying in a bordering city. Sometimes making a trip not so average can open your eyes to so much more about the area. I’m glad I got to see more than Vegas this time around.

The post More to Nevada than Vegas appeared first on Running Erins.

When my friend sent the information to our group chat everyone’s immediate response was, “How did you find this?” It was very random to say the least but we were down to go. After all, it’s not everyday that someone sends you a link for something called “The Sweet Spot.”

Howard Theatre is usually standing room only so we purchased reserved seats since we didn’t know how things would play out. The tickets were fairly inexpensive on Groupon ($24 reserved, $12 general admission) so it wasn’t a big deal to upgrade.

The first thing I saw walking in was a woman with her boobs bedazzled. Then I look down to see condoms on the seats. “What are we getting in to?” immediately crossed my mind. I should have known better when I read that the theme for the night was fetishes but I didn’t think much of it. We then see a woman on stage with a leash and collar on. And the drink menu? With names like “The Sweet Spot,” “Leg Spreader” and “Deep Throat,” the drinks definitely fit the theme. And if you ordered all three guess what you ask for? That’s right, a “threesome.” Imagine having that conversation with someone later!

The show wasn’t quite what I had in mind. Remember I’m thinking about the movie with Christina Aguilera. So I’m thinking singing, dancing, the whole event! Nope. There was mostly dancing in little to no clothing, some poetry reading, and a lady who sang “And I’m telling you”; which clearly did not fit the theme. And I’ll be honest, the music wasn’t the best in my opinion. Everything had lots of slow tempos which made the show seem like it was dragging. My friends and I ended up leaving early because we were hungry and couldn’t last the rest of the show. (There was a company selling food but the line was always long.)

Overall, I would say we had a good time. It was a very interesting event for it being our first Burlesque show. I can see us attending another show in the future….just not one we found on Groupon.

Have you purchased tickets to anything interesting on Groupon? Let me know in the comments!

The post I Purchased Tickets to a Burlesque Show on Groupon appeared first on Running Erins.