Surviving in the NBA // Living that WAGS life

We all know I'm a tomboy. I love sports, and especially Basketball. Here's a little story from my past. When I was in my early early twenties. It feels like a million years ago....

A couple of years ago, back in Germany, I was dating a professional basketball player. Nice guy. Sexy as heck. 
Worst job ever. Why?

So there's practice. Twice a day during the week. Games on weekends. Home is alright. Away - yay. Not. Autobahn.
Mc Donald's. Cheering.

Then a day off - maybe a Sunday (yay!), or a Monday (oh. Gotta work my 9-5. Sorry hun.). In between this, there was mostly relaxing. Tired. Recovery. Couch. TV. Sweatpants. He plays for the national team as well? Congrats, there are extra schedules on top of all this.

And sure there are those weird little events here and there, like promotions at hardware stores and stuff like that.

To sum it up: It was fun, but then again, it was nothing you are wishing for in a relationship. I know, I know, there are couples who make it happen. We didn't. And I am kind of glad.
It sure was fun while it last. There was a pretty huge amount of nightlife involved as well. Especially after wins. We even traveled to a club in Belgium on Sundays. It was kind of THE place to be for everyone involved in the basketball circus.

You might know one of the guys that were part of my life back then: Chris Copeland. After he left Germany, he played for the New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, and then for the Milwaukee Bucks.

I followed his career after he left Germany (and I left Germany), was shocked about the news of the stabbing 2 years ago, and prayed for him... Throughout the years I was and I am super proud of Cope!

Why am I telling you all this... Well... 

There was a blast from the past on Facebook today. One of my friends (who still plays ball in Germany) shared this video of his former teammate, Chris Copeland. He was playing for my ex's team, so we were partying together every once in a while, and he worked out at the gym I worked at part time. He was super young back then, shy, humble... but you could already tell: he's going to make it.

  Cope: Surviving in the NBA from Will Mayer on Vimeo.
This video is just telling the TRUTH. Yes, there is all the fame, all the parties, all glamour. But after all it is a job. It's hard work. I have mad respect for every professional athlete out there. AND their spouses/families. It takes a lot of work on and off the court to make this life a good life, a family centered life. 

And most of all I hope Cope gets picked up by a team...

 

Little Rocktoberfest - Celebrating my German-ness with Beer (lots of it)

My fellow expats will understand: The second you hear of something homeland-ish happening, you are all in for it. So three weeks ago - when I actually just wanted to meet up with my friends at their old house to pick up a barbell they gave me...
  Well, we decided to meet up in Little Rock (this is where they moved to - about 2 hrs drive from where I live. Or 1.5h) about 3 hrs later, and go to the Little Rocktoberfest. Since I just left the gym, I had to shower, pack my bag, grab my Dirndl dress (praying it would still fit), and hit the road in less than 60 minutes. Challenge accepted!

Long story short: As you can tell, I made it! We made it! On time! And the dirndl dress still fits! Whoop whoop!

  

So here's a little info about the "Little Rocktoberfest":

(Just in case you want to go there in 2017. I sure will.)

Celebrate Oktoberfest with home brewed, local, regional and international craft beers with a portion of the proceeds going to a local charity.
Join the Central Arkansas Fermenters for one of the largest beer festivals in Arkansas!
Celebrate Oktoberfest surrounded by one-of-a-kind homebrews, local breweries, the finest in delicious craft beers, and all other things BEER!
The Central Arkansas Fermenters are known for throwing a good party and this year the Big Damn Horns will be putting on one of their trademark high-energy shows. Be sure to wear your lederhosen or dirndl that lets you bust a move!
Be a part of our beer-mmunity by using #lrfest2016 in your Facebook and Instagram posts.

A portion of the proceeds will go to Arkansas Hands and Voices.
General Admission:
Before Day of Event: $30
Day of Event: $40
All ticket holders will receive a bratwurst dinner!
VIP Admission: $65
Includes admission one hour early (5PM), glass taster & lanyard, and event coozie.
...
Each year we, as a club, select a Charitable Organization to work with at Little RocktoberFest. This year our beneficiary is Arkansas Hands & Voices. A description of their organization as stated on their website:
The Arkansas chapter of Hands & Voices is an official chapter of Hands & Voices with a fully functioning board of directors. Our goal as a state chapter is to form a comprehensive group of parents and professionals that work together to benefit children and families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing. We want to provide Arkansas families with the necessary resources, networking, and information in order to improve communication access and educational outcomes for their children. Our statewide activities, advocacy efforts, and parent/professional collaboration are all focused on enabling our deaf and hard-of-hearing children to reach their fullest potential!

Needless to say: I've had a blast. It was FAR from an actual German Oktoberfest, and actually there was nothing really German about it at all (especially not the so called Bratwurst Dinner), but it was an awesome event nonetheless. I don't know how many beers I've sampled, tasted, chugged... But it was worth the hangover!

  

The event was only 3 hours, but it definitely felt longer. Because there was so much to see, and especially so much to taste! I can't even point out my favorite brew of the night. They were all super yummy. Up until the Little Rocktoberfest, I was dang sure the best beer in the world is brewed in Deutschland. Well - I might have to change my opinion on that one. Next time I go to the Rock, I will make sure to bring some of the beers back home. It's football season, and there will be beer consumed in this house!

  

Oh and THIS was my view while eating my "Bratwurst Dinner" - it was a beautiful evening at Dickey Stephens Park in North Little Rock, AR! They even showed my the LSU college football game on big screen, which is odd since LR is knee deep in Hog Country! Well - ok, they only showed it because the Razorbacks game was delayed. Still. Geaux Tigers!

Bottomline: 

The Little Rocktoberfest is worth a visit and most definitely worth the money! Me and my friends had a blast, even one of them is highly pregnant and wasn't able to drink at all. Well besides some top notch home-brewed root beer! (Which was really amazing, by the way) If I still live here a year from now, I will go there again.  It was nothing "German", but I felt great wearing my dirndl dress, and...well...BEER, beer, beer, and great company!

Way to go, Central Arkansas Fermenters! 

 

Never enough Aviators // GlassesShop.com Review

Happy fall, y'all! Well - it's still a whoopin 85F in southern Arkansas. But the mornings and evenings are cool, and the humidity is currently kind of non existent. Which makes breathing easy, for once! What I love about living here, is the sunshine! Fall in Germany is dark, grey, cold, and rainy. And here I still wear sunglasses every day!

So I was very happy when GlassesShop.com sent me a new pair of aviator glasses! Because there is never enough aviator sunglasses! GlassesShop.com is an online shop for glasses frames, (prescription) sunglasses, and glasses.

A video posted by Anni S (@anni_s) on Oct 4, 2016 at 3:48pm PDT

Shipping was quick! GlassesShop.com provides a tracking number, so you can always have an eye on your order. The sunglasses came with a case - which is nothing fancy, but does the job! I have ruined dozens of sunglasses already by just throwing them in my purse, without any case. So this comes in handy. Inside the case, the glasses came wrapped up nicely in a cleaning cloth. Neat.

Want some new glasses as well? GlassesShop.com was nice enough to hook my readers up with a coupon: enter "GSHOT50" during checkout to receive 50% off on eyeglasses and sunglasses with free lenses (sale frames excluded)!

Make sure to take a look at GlassesShop.com and use your coupon code. The website is very easy to navigate, Shop by gender, type, materials, or shape!

And now for the obvious disclaimer: "I received these glasses complimentary from GlassesShop.com for testing purposes." Yep. Free stuff for me to try and then review... because I'm Batman.
(This post was endorsed by glassesshop.com. I received a product in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. Full Disclosure)