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Ultimate Beer Tour : Yuengling Pottsville PA Review.. Give Twice : WWF - Maggie Gyllenhaal - Hunger Site.. What I Got My Skater Girl.. Saying NO and Meaning It..
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Ultimate Beer Tour : Yuengling Pottsville PA Review
 Would you walk through there for a free beer?
We've been hearing more and more about the wonders of a staycation and for many this means hitting the road close to home. The state of Pennsylvania is blessed to have a seemingly limitless number of fun natural and man made attractions. One of these man made wonders is America's oldest continuously operating brewery, Yuengling. For some time now Yuengling (pronounced ying-ling) has been giving free tours through their plant for an up close and personal look at their brewery system. While there are surely other such tours to go on, Yuengling not only provides a look at modern equipment and production techniques but also the bones of 1820's beer making history. Both of which have to be of immense interest to anyone into micro and home brewing.
What ever you do, make sure you're wearing good, closed toe shoes with a thick tread... there are plenty of places to slip and fall. I saw a few people go down.
On our arrival to the site where beers such as Black & Tan and the Porter are produced we were met with an extremely steep road up to the entrance way. What ever you do, make sure you're wearing good, closed toe shoes with a thick tread... there are plenty of places to slip and fall. I saw a few people go down and I was also almost taken out by someone flying forward. This tour requires a ton of walking on all sorts of surfaces including icy ones when it's cold out.
Once inside we were met by our guide and asked to wait in the gift shop area for our group to go next. Apparently as people showed up they would form a group of about 25 and then take everyone through. This can take up to 30 minutes. More on the gift shop later. Once it was our turn we were taken through small corridors and a series of metal stairs and ramps to the various brewing equipment sites. Without spoiling the surprise for anyone wishing to go on this tour, now is the time to go as they have opened up the caves (see picture above). Used to house the kegs of beer and keep them at a set temperature year 'round, these caves were once walled off during Prohibition times. You can still see the remnants of the brick walls along with the coal mine like braces and hand dug tunnels. This area of Yuengling is incredibly creepy and one of my favorite areas of the tour.
 After the tour is over everyone is allowed into the private Yuengling pub for generous free samples of any two beers you'd like. The miniature pub is warm, cozy and reminiscent of something you'd find in Ireland. If only they had more real places like this in the US. Crammed in everyone happily sipped their choices... since Yuengling can't make enough Porter for the masses I always request one there. Rich, thick and with a hint of black molasses, it's incredibly decadent on a cold day. Black & Tan is a close second although it's much easier to buy outside of the state.
The Gift Shop If you're looking for beer related gifts you have to spend some quality time in the Yuengling gift shop. I don't think I've ever seen so many beer related T-shirts in my life. Along with this you can find other little trinkets branded with Yuengling's logo. While pricey items are all over they could have done a better job with less expensive souvenirs. Their new online gift shop has a better selection of such. The gift shop doubles as a museum for Yuengling artifacts and memorabilia.
| Top Yuengling Gifts along with the beer itself such as the rare Porter many people were buying copies of Yuengling: A History of America's Oldest Brewery by Mark A. Noon who we met and had a chat with... an extremely nice man who clearly put a ton of work into this coffee table book! For a review of the book check out this. | |
Yuengling is located on 5th & Mahantongo Streets Pottsville, PA - Pennsylvania 17901 USA (570) 628-4890. For more information about tours visit their website at: http://www.yuengling.com/.
Want more beer related gifts? Check out BoingBoing's review of the Heineken Beer Tap at their gadgets BeerTender VBlog. Those commercials make it seem so incredibly happening but... Also check out Drink of the Weeks find, of the ibeer. I say this can be used for hypnosis?
Image:MattArtz & Yuengling.com.
Give Twice : WWF - Maggie Gyllenhaal - Hunger Site
Why give just once when you can give twice? Check out our latest finds that give back...
The Budget Fashionista finds a unique necklace in, Do Good - Maggie Gyllenhaal Teams up with Trickle Up.
Check out the travel section of WWF, the World Wildlife Federation for a list of unique trips here.
If you haven't already, check out The Hunger Site's store which is now filled to the brim with goods that give back, are made for fair trade and exclusive items you'll only find there.
The Charitable Gift Giving blog has found, a Two Faced makeup kit whose proceeds help fight skin cancer. Created by Jerrod Blandino of Two Faced cosmetics after Jerrod's sister Lisa started battling skin cancer.
Do you know about a company or gift idea that gives back to a good cause? If so drop us a line here at info@gavethat.com so we can feature it in an upcoming post.
What I Got My Skater Girl
Thank goodness for them... they make gift giving a real challenge...
For some reason whenever I think of a classic skater girl Avril Lavigne comes to mind. Converse is always a big hit but not the ones for Target.
I'm not sure what it is but I noticed skater girls falling into a rut when it comes to clothes... make it practical so I can skate I'm always being told! But you're a kid, why be practical? Oh well, at least they can go wild with their handbags. These have been a big hit.
Can we say DS crazy? Oh and what about their cell phone? Flip out keyboards are a must (yes this is my vice too) but so are things you can't buy. Like homemade cupcakes and friendship bracelets...
Saying NO and Meaning It
Sometimes it's pretty easy to forget why you were saving something. That was the case with my July issue of O Magazine until I flipped through the pages and saw the huge black and red NO followed by the title 54 Ways to Say NO by Penny Wrenn. You can now read it online so my issue will be passed on but not before posting the sage advice on saying no in the area of gifts (this is Gave That after all).
How many times has someone you really don't know asked you to give a gift to someone else you really don't know? Well Penny had a great answer to that...
"I don't think our relationship has reached the gifting stage."
There is something so classy yet hilarious about that answer... can you imagine the look on the person face after telling them this!? The point is the power of NO can can free you from directing your attention and, at times resources, away from people who are close to you and more deserving of your attention and gratitude.
Another area of Penny Wrenn's article highlighted the book, The Power of a Positive No by William Ury who makes another very good point. Don't be wishy washy about your answer! If you know deep down you can't give a gift or you really don't want to be bothered, tell the person no up front. That way they can plan without you. If you change your mind later you can always pull through in the end. This always looks better and helps alleviate the potential for people saying you failed them with a lukewarm maybe that never actually materialised.
Other Opportunities To Say No
- Someone who has obvious romantic feelings that you know you'll never have in return is trying to give you gifts here and there. Come on now... don't you ever watch The Peoples Court? These always end up turning into loans and either way you end up looking incredibly bad.
- Your boss keeps taking you out to lunch/dinner and expensive gifts keep magically materializing on the table in front of you.
- Requests for baby shower gifts for someone you don't knows 8th child.
- A very expensive gift you know the giver can not really afford and that may put them in financial hardship.
- A pet.
- That charity you've never heard of asking you to donate your brand new car... even if it is a Hummer.
- Of course we all want to teach children to refuse gifts from strangers or to ask you before they except... The Nice Bad Man was literally my favorite children's book ever.
The Gift of Sage Advice
The Gift of Sage Advice will be a new weekly feature at Gave That. Eyeopening pieces that can add a new dimension of meaning with each read. This weeks gems:
(DailyOM) We can get stuck in our pain for many reasons. As children, it was natural for us to cry, throw a tantrum, and let the experience move through us. By fully feeling our pain in this way, our emotions would wash us clean, leaving us open and available to new experiences. With age, though, we might have determined that expressing emotion was no longer appropriate, and so we developed a variety of coping strategies to deal with our discomfort. We may have learned to stuff our feelings down or to run away from them. Perhaps we began thinking that staying closed and unwilling to try new things would keep us safe from heartbreak, safe from rejection, and safe from failure. Keep Reading Stuck In The Mud by DailyOM
Also check out, How to be happy - Part 2 by Passionateamerica, who's finding happiness through childhood is so right on. And for anyone who missed it, check out the Pema Chödrön interview on, Bill Moyers via YouTube for a wonderful exchange.
Spafinder Reflect Melanoma Bracelet
 Spafinder has created a really unique bracelet for anyone concerned with the dangers of skin cancer. Each REFLECT Melanoma Initiative bracelet ($4.94) will change color when its hit by harmful UV rays. A great reminder to keep applying that sunscreen! Also check out Spafinders Melanoma Initiative page where you and your company can run a campaign to bring about skin cancer awareness.
Image: Spafinder.com
Also Read:
- Spring & Skin Cancer Awareness
Hand Printed Gift Wrap by Spoonergregory - etsy Find
I love this delicate, simple yet luxe gift wrap by UK designers Jon and Sarah at their etsy store Spoonergregory. Printed on handmade Nepalese Lotka paper with a deckle edge each sheet is $12.00. Would look lovely on wedding gifts. For more be sure to visit their printmaking blog at: www.forwhatischatteris.blogspot.com.
Image:spoonergregory
Best of Gave That : July
Image copyright GaveThat.com 2008. Bloggers Give Back - New Blogger Book Donates to Doctors Without Borders Make A Really Sexy Drink Forget The Cosmo, Serve Champagne Cocktails- Thank You, Thank You, Thank You
- The Gift of Gratitude Are You Sure She Wants Perfume?
Forget Perfume I'll Take What He Has- Who Knew I Wasn't The Only One
- Who Knew Nantucket Friendship Bracelets Would Be So Hard To Find For Your Man
Gifts for Your Boyfriend, Jack Spade - A Gift With Too Much Baggage?
- Hint, Hint Dump The Diamonds
How To Keep Your Orchids Alive
 The prize for going to so many weddings... orchids! But now what?
Maybe you're finding yourself blissfully surrounded by orchids too? Thanks to better access to these exotic beauties many brides and grooms are choosing orchids as centerpiece and wedding favor material. If you've taken one home this is what you'll likely need to do in order to keep yours alive and flowering.
First, unlike what many believe, orchids can be rather easy to grow and who wouldn't want flowers for up to 6 months of the year? The problem many have is the containers the plant comes in and after care. Some also are not sure what type of orchid they have. If you're wondering the latter because your plant came tagless the best thing to do is search around for similar looking plants. Start with
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