Tuesday, October 15, 2013

#NotJustAnyTequila: Giant girls, green glowing hoops -- and Black Barrel Tequila


Last night I dropped in on "The Bartender Oasis" on behalf of Hornitos® Tequila.  The event was pitched to me as an “unforgettable private event.” And they weren’t lying. It was fun, trendy and classy – and a little bit wild all at once.

MORE PHOTOS FROM HORNITOS BARTENDER OASIS

But what else would you expect from a tequila event that wasn’t promoting their everyday stuff – but an exclusive look at their premium Black Barrel brand? 
The tasting was so exclusive that the tequila won’t even be available until March 2014.  But believe me...the tequila will be worth the wait.  It went down so smooth that you won't want to waste it by hiding it in sugary margaritas -- unless  you really, really want to impress your guests.  
But the tequila wasn't the only thing memorable that night.  The event was held in downtown Scottsdale at El Hefe, where guests were greeted with green glasses, green glowing flowers and a super elegant giant green girl. 

She must have been over 8-feet tall on her stilts. 

Faces were painted in Dia de Los Muertos style, which I absolutely love – and I wanted to get it done if there wasn’t already a line. Next time for sure. 

Then there was the hulu hoop girl. 
Naturally, she was dressed in green and her hoop was glowing – because why not?  If you’re going to be a hoop dancer, glowing stuff is always good.  And  I have to admit she was pretty mesmerizing with her dance moves.

So why all the green?  It might have been because Halloween is coming and lime green seems to be in this year, or it might have been that in addition to the Hornito's Black Barrel Tequila, they were giving out shots of their Lime Tequila.  I'm going to be honest and say that I liked the Black Barrel Tequila better -- but that's just me.   

Maybe I'm a purest when it comes to my tequila and like lime free as there were certainly many others at the event who loved the stuff.  But that's part of the fun of Hornitos.  There's something for everyone.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Working out never felt so good with PUSHunderground

I love meeting people who are going after their dreams and that's exactly what Chelsea Good, Logan Williams and Meaghan are doing with their new sportswear line.

Their clothing line not only looks and feels great, but it's good for the environment. This is because the fabric is made out of recycled plastic bottles --- which is what got my attention. Clothes from water bottles? Cool!

“The plastic bottles are smashed and shedded and made into the material. It’s highly wickable and it doesn’t show sweat,” said Chelsea. “The shorts and tops feel so light it’s like you aren’t wearing anything at all.”



Their company is called PUSHunderground and their goal is to make the world and workout clothes better. But how they got into this venture is interesting.

“I was a high school history teacher and was passionate about sports,” said Chelsea. “I also come from a family of seamstresses.”

Logan has worked in the fitness industry for over 8 years, and has watched hundreds of people in the gym fight with their clothes during their workout.

"I was a personal trainer and nutritionist. I would see people pulling on their shorts or tugging at their tops during a workout and thought there must be a better way," said Logan.

The two women asked athletes, yoga enthusiasts and everyday gym goers where they needed their clothes to move and where they needed them to stay put. Then they made them based on their recommendations.

Shorts that aren't going to ride up? I can't wait to put them through one of my training sessions and see if they pass the test!

SPORTSWEAR WITH A PURPOSE

Now here's the really cool bit of their venture...

The clothing line is only one part of Chelsea, Meaghan and Logan’s goal. They said they didn’t want to make just another pair of shorts or another top, but wanted to come up with a way to make a difference in the world. 

You would think having the material made out of recycled water bottles would be enough, but it’s not. They want to do even more.

“We want to take on the crisis of clean, safe water,” said Chelsea.

That's one lofty goal!

Every time someone buys something from PUSHunderground, they are going to donate a portion of the proceeds to building wells in water scarce communities around the world. How nice is that?

A DOLLAR MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Of course, starting a business is expensive which is why the women have set up an Indiegogo account to raise the $10,000 they need to make their dream a reality. In less than 24 hours, they’ve already raised close to $1,000 so they just need $9,000 more.

But the cool thing is that if you give $9 or more, you’ll get a something from their sportswear line so it’s not like you are getting nothing for your money -- which I like because I don't really have money to throw away, but I could be tempted to contribute $35 for a new pair of workout shorts -- although I do kind of like their Flower Power socks...decisions, decisions.

So here's a quick breakdown:
  • $9 will get you a headband
  • $15 a pair of funky flower power socks
  • $18 for a t-shirt
  • $35 for workout shorts…and so on.

Check out the PUSHunderground Indiegogo page for details.