It's Eryn E

A Blog by Eryn Eaton

The Beers of Summer – 10 Beers That Always Have a Place in My Fridge

For me, nothing says summer like an ice cold beer. Enjoying a cold brew, or a few, on my deck is one of my favorite ways to spend the hot weather. It’s also my favorite way to spend the spring with the windows open for the first time, the fall watching football and the winter curled up with a good book. And I love that there are so many different beers for each season!

Okay. I just really enjoy beer. In fact, it’s always been my adult beverage of choice. I really didn’t get into wine until I worked at a liquor store, and actually learned what good wine is (no more Arbor Mist for this girl!) For the record, I worked at a liquor store in college (Arbor Mist for the win!) and right after I turned 22, so it’s not like I didn’t discover wine until I was well until my 20s. I just didn’t discover good wine until about a year after I turned 21.

However, this post isn’t about wine. That’s for another day.

Summer beers are, by far, my favorite beers. I’ve always been a fan of fruit beers, and this is definitely the season for them. We’re lucky we have many great beer & wine stores around us, so I’m always able to purchase new kinds to try. Now some of these beers may be considered spring seasonals, however, I’m just as content drinking them in the summer months as I am in the spring. While there many different kinds I enjoy, here are my top 10. This are ones I purchase over and over, as well as some that I’ve loved, but can no longer find (maybes the company or the distributor will read it and bring it back for me…)

The Beers of Summer

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Tropical Mango Pale Ale – St. John Brewer’s

I first heard about this right out of college. My chiropractor’s buddy moved to St. John’s and started a brewing company. I was envious. I wanted to start a brewing company in the Caribbean. Only problem? I was a broke young adult, right out of college, with no knowledge of brewing beer, or craft beer in general. So, instead, I tried to find this beer and only a couple stores in the area sold it. I managed to get the liquor store I was working at to start carrying it, and I’m pretty sure I was the sole buyer of it. Besides my chiropractor and a few of his close friends.

Unfortunately I can’t find it anywhere around here now. Which makes me sad. Because it still tops the list of one of my all-time favorite beers.

St. John’s Brewers – if you read this, let’s get the beer back in the distributors around here. Or at least to my local liquor store.

Aloha Traveler Pineapple Shandy – The Traveler Beer Co.

This was one I just discovered this past late winter/early spring, but it’s become one my go-to beers. It’s light, refreshing, and just the right amount of pineapple without tasting too much like a pina colada. As long as it’s still available, this will have a home in my fridge this summer.

Melonhead – Shipyard Brewing Co.

After no longer being able to find St. John’s Tropical Mango Pale Ale, this quickly took the top spot. I love watermelon anything, and there is nothing than this ice cold in a frosty glass, complete with a watermelon slice. I clearly have an obsession with watermelon.

Samuel Adams Summer Ale – Samuel Adams

I feel like this just has to be on the list. It’s a summer staple. And I’m from the Boston-area, so a Boston area brewery should end up on my list. But it truly is one of my favorite beers of summer, even though last year’s batch was not too good and I only bought one case. Or at least the case (and keg) we got was not.

Hopefully this year will be different.

Blue Moon Belgian White – Blue Moon Brewing Co.

This was my first legal beer with my Dad. This will always be one of my favorite beers, summer or not. But, it’s definitely a refreshing drink for the summer time. Especially during cookouts.

Corona Extra

I know. You’re probably wondering why this is on the list when they are way better beers available. Well, to be honest, this is my list and I’ll put on whatever I want.

Corona is a summer cookout steady eddy at our house. It’s not summer without Corona in the cooler. We even bought a lime slicer to make lime cutting easier.

Mango Pale Ale – Kennebunkport Brewing Co.

Another that I just recently discovered this spring, purely because the big beer & wine outlet near us had it on blowout. Which tells me that probably got a good deal on it. I bought two (or three?) cases of it. I can’t remember, but I do know I still have a case sitting in my basement waiting to be chilled for a hot summer day.

I’m also hopping that they come out with it again so I can buy more. It reminded me a lot of the St. John’s Brewery one, and made me really happy to find another Mango beer that I loved.

Hell or High Watermelon – 21st Amendment Brewery

I first discovered this beer during my best friend’s wedding weekend. We happened to go the Irish Pub next to our hotel in Annapolis the day after to watch the Patriots game. They had this beer so I tried it. It was made even better by being served in a Mason jar. Needless to say, I may have finished off their supply that day, but I also discovered one of my new favorite beers.

It was hard to find at first, but now most of the stores around us carry it, and I’m thrilled.

Citradelic Tangerine IPA – New Belgium Brewing Company

My husband accidentally bought this beer for me one weekend recently. He meant to grab a six-pack of Traveler’s Pineapple Shandy, but this was next to it and he accidentally grabbed this instead. I wasn’t worried – I’ll try anything once.

It was a really positive mistake though because it’s a very delicious IPA. I like a good IPA every now and then, but sometimes the bitterness gets to me. This doesn’t have that at all. It’s smooth with just a hint of the tangerine and citrus. It will be a good addition to my summer beer lineup.

Summer Shandy – Leinenkugel Brewing Company

Lemonade and beer, combined. Nothing says summer more than this beer. It’s really refreshing, if you like lemonade. Perfect for those beach trips and lazy days in the pool (or on the boat!)

Sure, there are plenty more beers that I love, but these are the ones that had to make the list.

What is your favorite summertime sipper?

Blogging Is a Time Suck

I’m going to be real honest for a minute.

Blogging is a real time suck and I mean that in the nicest way possible.

Between the writing, the scheduling, the sharing, the connecting… it takes up a lot of time. It’s a full-time job, which is why for many, it is their full-time job.

I don’t have enough hours in my day to think about blogging, especially with all that comes with it.

And yet, here I am. Blogging.  I promise, this isn’t a “I’m back after a blogging break” post. Technically, the one before this was. But after I posted, I never wrote anything. But that’s okay because I never made any promises to write.

I digress.

After helping a friend prepare for the soon-to-be launch of her blog, it inspired me to get back in the saddle and start doing something I truly enjoy again. I know I mentioned it in my last post (you can find that here) but I really mean it this time. You probably won’t find any regularity here, but you will start seeing some posts again.

Blogging Is a Time Suck

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I mean, I did give the blog a fresh new look. I have to get some content up in here to show it off.

And yes, I do stick by my “not a lifestyle blogger” stance. Sure, I guess technically I am because I post about things in my life, like being an anxiety warrior, but I still hold my ground that the hubs will not be on here, nor will my town or my house, or my weekend recaps, or anything like that. So, It’s Eryn E is not a lifestyle blog, but rather “a blog by Eryn Eaton” and a place where I express my thoughts and share things that I want to share.

Do I have high hopes for my blog this time around? Nope. The last time I was blogging consistently, I was obsessed with the numbers, the ads, all of it. It made blogging a really crappy experience for me. I’m sure I’ll add in some sidebar ads at some point, and include some Amazon links here and there. But, I really just want to enjoy writing and sharing content that is important to me.

Do I care if anyone actually reads my posts? Not really. I mean, I hope at least a handful of people will. In reality, if my posts inspire a small number of people, then I’ll be satisfied. I’m really just doing this to write again.

Do I want to be blogger famous? Well, still kind of yes. But in the sense that someone just stumbles across one of my posts, and shares it, and suddenly all of the major writing sites want me. Not the kind of blogger famous you actually have to work for. Okay, that sounds terrible. I basically want to reap all the benefits with little to no work. Huh. Kind of sounds like a lot of millennials these days.  Hmmm… that sounds like a potential blog post.

So, if you’re reading this now. Hey! Welcome back. I’m glad you’re here. I hope you can hang out for the ride.

If you’re new here, hi! I’m glad you stumbled across my little page on the internet. There are some good posts already on here from 2015 (when itseryne.com was born).

If you just happened to land here for no reason, hopefully you’ll have seen something you like enough to come back. Or don’t. And if you don’t, thanks for stopping by!

Welp. I made that “official back to blogging post” that I definitely didn’t want to write, but did anyways. I guess that means I should probably start putting some blog posts together…

I Am Not a Lifestyle Blogger

It’s been nearly a year since I’ve written a word on this blog. I  lost all creativity. I was bored. I lacked the time and dedication. But most importantly, I had lost my passion for writing. I felt like I had to post on here, instead of wanting too. It was becoming a chore, more than it was a creative outlet and a hobby. I was too focused on the numbers and not focused enough on what I was writing. Part of it was a blog identity problem. Over the years, I’d been trying to turn it into something it wasn’t; a lifestyle blog.

I had lost sight of why I started blogging to begin with. Simply, to write.

What are the first three things that come to mind when you think of a lifestyle blogger?

I can guarantee those three things probably are not found on my blog (okay, they might be… but I don’t know what you’re thinking.) In case you’re wondering, I think of fashion, food and parenting. Definitely three things you won’t find here.

Lifestyle bloggers share their lives. They share fashion tips, recipes, advice on how to get your baby to sleep, how their weekend was, perhaps a tour of their new home, their health and fitness, or their latest DIY project.

I don’t. And I won’t share every aspect of my life.

I rarely mention of my husband’s name. You will almost never see a picture of my home (unless it shows up on Instagram). You won’t see mention of the town I live in or the surrounding towns.

It’s not because I don’t love my life. I’m just not that kind of blogger. My blog life is separate from my life-life. I found myself straying from that one very simple reason I decided to blog in the first place – a love of writing.

But as 2016 comes to a close, and 2017 arrives, I decided that I missed writing. I missed having a creative outlet where I could write when I wanted to write. And writing the occasional rant when it needed to happen.

So no, you won’t find health posts here, you won’t find recipes, house tours or my weekend recap. But you will find books I’m reading, maybe a poem or two (if I feel like writing one), my continuing battle with anxiety, maybe a short story, tips for inspiration… essentially, I’m not holding myself accountable for posting anything. But rather, keeping this a place where I can write when inspiration strikes. I need this.

I’ll be keeping my previous posts up on the blog. However, you should expect to find some different things popping up from time to time. I’m not out to become a well-known blogger. I simply want to write.

Writing has always been a part of me. I crave being able to put pen to paper, or in this case, fingers to keyboard.

Having my creative outlet back in 2017 is exactly what I need.

Goodbye, For Now

I love blogging. I truly do. I had hoped by moving to a new blog, and creating a new place to be creative, I would find myself inspired to write. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. I did for a while, but other things came up, and yet again, my blog was the thing to take a back seat.

After nearly three months of not writing, I realized something. I don’t miss it. I didn’t feel that yearning to post. I didn’t feel that constant need to have a presence on the internet.

That doesn’t mean, I don’t love to write. I do. And at some point, I hope I’m back in this space, writing again. The blog will continue to stay alive. New content will not be posted, but what is already here, won’t be going anywhere.

In fact, I’ll probably continue to do some blogging, but it just won’t be here. Instead, it will be over on eryn e photography‘s website, as means to continue to drive traffic to my business and my passion.

This blog was always just a creative outlet for me, and now I need to focus on my business that is beginning to thrive.

So this is not an end for the blog. Rather a “Goodbye, For Now.” and I hope to see you all again soon.

 

20 Songs I Can’t Get Enough Of From 2015

Music is my life. When I was young, I would dance around my bedroom, belting out the latest hot song and pretending I was on stage. I mean every pre-teen did that right? Let’s just say, my music career didn’t take off. I can’t sing. I can’t dance. And I couldn’t figure out how to play an instrument, except for the flute until 8th grade. I wasn’t good at that either. I did rock at the recorder though.

As I got older, music continued to be a huge part of my life. Songs evoked various emotions, and reminded me of certain times of my life. They helped with creativity, help me to get through a hard workout, or just help me to zone out when I need to focus on one particular task.

I have over 7,000 songs in my iTunes library, with no sign of slowing down. And there were plenty of songs from this year that I definitely listened to on repeat. It was hard to choose the ones from 2015 that I just couldn’t stop listening too, but I think I got it down to a pretty solid list. Make sure to check out the Spotify playlist below.

Oh, and if my playlist looks like it walked right of the iTunes Top Songs Chart, that’s because it did. I kind of live pop music. And I find myself cruising through that list a lot to see what’s new!

20 Songs I Can't Get Enough Of from 2015

Love Me Like You Do – Ellie Goulding

I can’t even tell you how many times I watched the music video for this song. I didn’t even like the Fifty Shades of Grey movie, but I’ll tell you, the music video made the movie look amazing. I love Ellie Goulding, and have since she came on the scene after Will and Kate’s wedding (Yes, I’m on a first-name basis with them.)

This song just makes me swoon.

Fight Song – Rachel Platten

The female empowerment song of 2015. I definitely found myself listening to this every time I needed a boost. Also, it’s going to be at the top of my workout playlist, possibly even on repeat.

Black Magic – Little Mix

I kind of hate admitting how much I loved this song. It was/still is my guilty pleasure. These girls are talented. And the video was just plain old fun.

Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran

The first time I heard this song, I cried. I loved the message. I loved everything about it. And now I want to go dance across a beautiful ballroom under a spotlight with the man of my dreams. Think he’ll go for this? And no, I’m not talking about Ed Sheeran, but rather, my better half.

Shut Up and Dance – Walk the Moon

I’m going to assume I’m not the only one who was completely and utterly hooked on this catchy tune this year. I was definitely dancing in my car everytime this came on. Actually, it wasn’t just in my car… it was every where.

House Party – Sam Hunt

My other half is a big Sam Hunt fan, which has caused me to become a big Sam Hunt fan. This song makes me want to invite all of our friends over and have a big old house party, just like the song says.

Crash and Burn – Thomas Rhett

Even though it’s a sad song, it’s a fun and upbeat. Which means it was on repeat a lot. And yes, we know every single word to it.

Ghost – Ella Henderson

Another song that I watched the video for over and over. You didn’t really hear much from her after this song came out, and I was hoping for another single from her soon after, but nothing compared to Ghost. What a powerful song. Also, another song to put on the top of my workout playlist.

Live Forever – The Band Perry

I heard this song driving home from running errands one night, and immediately cranked it up. I loved the beat and the words. It’s a power song for a new generation!

Trap Queen – Fetty Wap

Not going to lie, I just love his voice. Also, I had no idea what a Trap Queen was until I googled it. I’m definitely not supportive of what he’s talking about, but it doesn’t make me like the song any less.

Steal My Girl – One Direction

This song may have come out in 2014, but we literally couldn’t stop listening to it for the first half of 2015. Yes, we had become 1D fans. Also, Danny DeVito is in the music video. And how can you not love Danny DeVito?

Marvin Gaye – Charlie Puth

If you don’t know who Charlie Puth is by now, then you clearly haven’t listened to the radio, watched the news, or seen any entertainment report in the last year. This kid, well I guess he’s not really a kid since he’s only a few years younger than me, literally came out on the scene out of nowhere in Wiz Khalifa’s song “See You Again.” His first single, Marvin Gaye, features Meghan Trainor. And he’s amazing. His voice is incredible, and he is a talent to watch.

Should’ve Been Us – Tori Kelly

Another relative newcomer. Her first single “Nobody Love” was all over the charts earlier this year, but she wasn’t popular per se. Fast forward to the VMAs in 2015, where she had, arguably, one of the best performances of the night. She’s another talent to watch in the coming year.

Homegrown – Zac Brown Band

It’s ZBB. They are amazing. And this single rocks. The whole album rocks. Enough said.

Downtown – Macklemore

The first time I heard this I was driving to work and actually asked myself, “What am I listening too?” But I liked it. My fiance pointed out that they are essentially rapping about nothing, but he also liked it. It’s catchy, it’s fun, and it’s addicting. Also, for the record, they are rapping about Mopeds and going downtown in them, in case you were wondering.

One Last Time – Ariana Grande

I am not an Ariana Grande fan. I need to say that out loud because I just needed to remind myself. I feel like every single song sounds exactly the same. Seriously. They all do. But, I did truly like this song. And the video. And the concept for the video. It’s a sad song, and a sad video, but somehow I couldn’t stop listening and watching.

I Know What You Did Last Summer – Shawn Mendes and Camille Cabello

This song literally just came out. And I’ve had it on repeat since. Just listen to it.

What Do You Mean – Justin Bieber

I have had a firm stance that I am anti-Bieber for years. I’ve never liked him. And suddenly he decides to put out new music, and now I understand what all the fuss is about. I still don’t think he’s talented, or as talented as people seem to think. But his new stuff is catchy and fun. And you may find me singing along to this one.

Sledgehammer – Fifth Harmony

I used to love boy bands when I was a teenager. Apparently now I get closer to 30, I have grown to love girl groups. Maybe it’s because they have some awesome songs out this year. This is just a fun, upbeat love song that I could listen to over and over, and I did, all winter long. Also, Fifth Harmony is filled with a pretty talented group of women. Just saying.

Cheerleader – Omi

The first time I heard this song, I was annoyed and changed the station. The second time, I was still annoyed but listened all the way through. Same with the third, fourth and fifth times. By the sixth time, I was singing along and dancing in my car. And that’s how it continued this summer.

BONUS SONG

Hello – Adele

Because it’s going to be on everyone’s lists and I don’t want to be left out. I’m not going to lie. It’s been overplayed. Everytime I turn on the radio, it’s on. But I won’t hold back belting this ballad out. Get your earplugs ready if you see me at stop sign or a light. Consider this a warning.

Listen to the full playlist below!