This newsletter: I could tell you that this has been in the works for months and something I’ve been "thinking about doing” for a long time. Truth is this has only been a thought for a few short weeks, a strong enough thought where I’ve made it a priority and patched together a janky (for now) site in short order.

I’m pumped to pick up the pen again, for lack of a better phrase. I used to write on my blog circa 2013-2016. Shout out to anyone who remembers that. And if you’re one of the very few who are proud owners of an original TheEricHammer.com tshirt (read: collector’s item), god bless you—I don’t even have one. But I digress. I like writing, I’ve got a lot to say, and this will be an outlet to word vomit expound upon everything that’s being distilled down to short form video on social. I work diligently to deliver “the full story” in my video content, but there’s so much more than what a single video shows. It’s an unfortunate reality that a ton of great content and info get left out—the written word is perfect for my long-windedness.

What you can expect: I’m going much deeper on where and what I’m eating. What doesn’t make it to Instagram? How did I snag that hard-to-get reservation? How much does dinner with friends cost? Of the 6 dishes on the table at insert restaurant here, how would I rank them and what would I tell you to order and not order? And so much more. My travels and what I’m eating in those cities/countries, my taste preferences, why I often read menus in reverse order, and, of course, a dose of Chicken Caesar Wraps.

The Stadium Food Tour: I believe with every fiber of my being that this is only the beginning of the Stadium Food Tour. I cannot stress how much potential I see in it—the early success has only reinforced that. People ask me all the time how it works. I will lay it all out. Written lists and stadium recaps in addition to the social content. What cities/stadiums I’ve got on the calendar. My passion for this series and its evolution burns fiery inside me everyday, and for those that are invested (thank you so much by the way), I want to share the inner workings of it all.

Content Creation: My journey as a content creator is an interesting one to say the least. I look forward to unpacking it all with you. As an appetizer, I worked in advertising as a Content Strategist for about six years—that experience has been instrumental in my success. This will be an opportunity to highlight the work that goes into my work—the editing, the equipment, the time, THE PROCESS. Nonetheless, I hope some of you will find it interesting to learn more about how I’ve become a full time content creator.

The business side: I also want to give you a peek behind the curtain into the business side of what I do. “How do you make money?” is a question I get weekly if not more. I’m happy to share. I’ll talk about getting invited to restaurants, working with brands, setting up an LLC (spoiler: not all that fun), and being a business owner for the first time. I’m hardly an expert, and I welcome the slices of humble pie being forced down my gullet. I genuinely look forward to sharing with you my many missteps and (hopefully many more) triumphs.

At the end of the day, this is a sketchpad, a blank canvas, an empty piece of looseleaf paper. The goal is a forum for going behind-the-scenes. Which leads me to this…

How do you eat all that? There’s a misconception around my eating habits, and I am 100% responsible for that. You’re seeing me eating sandwiches—you’re not seeing me wrap up half of the sandwich to eat the next day for lunch. You’re seeing me stuff my face at stadiums—you’re not seeing me eating clean and eating light for the 48 hours leading up to game day. You’re seeing me go out to dinner and trying half the menu—you’re not seeing my friends and I take home ample leftovers. You’re seeing the indulgence, not the protein shakes and salads. You’re seeing the steak dinners with al the fixins, not the salmon and broccoli that I cook at home. You’re seeing me eat, not the 5 workouts/week or the many Hydroflasks of water.

I don’t eat big quantities of food. That’s something I explain every chance I get. I eat until I’m satisfied, not until I’m full. I highly recommend that by the way. Don’t get me wrong, there are instances that call for eating until I’m on the verge of exploding. But I try to avoid that, or at least I am intentional about how much I’m eating. If I know I’m going to a restaurant for the first time, where I’ll likely want to try a range of dishes, I’ll plan accordingly. Meaning I’ll do what I can to prepare and show up hungry.

At the end of the day, I listen to my body. When I feel good, I make food and content a priority. When I don’t, I don’t. I load up on content when I can so that if I’m feeling like a bag of shit for a few days, I have plenty to edit and post. I’m not naive to the perception that I’m always out to eat, as my content would suggest. In a weird way it’s both strategic and misleading. This new creative outlet will hopefully bring clarity and context to what I currently share with the world. Also, big shouts to TUMS, Lactaid, Align, and Zenpep.

If you’ve gotten to this point, thank you again for being here. Please share your thoughts and questions with me. My DMs are always open. I see everything and make it a priority to answer them. Your feedback is massively important to me, and I want this newsletter to be as much yours as it is mine. Lots more to come.