This photo booth pic from the closing party says it all – the two-day BlogHer Food ’10 conference in San Francisco this past weekend was an absolute blast. I had anxiously awaited this trip for months, a rare opportunity for me to step out of my day-to-day routine and immerse myself with the food blogging world and its inhabitants. This was my third BlogHer conference and every time I leave inspired, exhausted and with a renewed understanding of why I love cooking and blogging.
MY TOP 10 MEMORABLE MOMENTS FROM BLOGHER FOOD ’10
10. Having continual open access to more Scharffen Berger chocolate than I ever thought I could want. I will definitely have to borrow the make-your-own-cupcake bar concept they featured during one of our breaks. Of course, it works best if you have Elizabeth Falkner on hand to bake the cupcakes.
9. Posing with my San Diego/Orange County “lunch bunch” girls – Marla (Family Fresh Cooking), Amanda (What We’re Eating), Jenny (Picky Palate) and Lori (RecipeGirl) – in the photo booth at the closing party for about 10 seconds before any of us realized no one was holding the clicker to take the picture. SoCal in the house!
8. Sampling bacon vodka. It actually wasn’t bad – would be great in a Bloody Mary.
7. Hearing Anupy Singla utter the words “Indian Slow Cooker“, the title of her new cookbook, during the Brands and Media session and beelining to the book table to buy it 5 minutes later. I can’t wait to make Indian food in my crockpot!
6. Having my heart torn apart by Shauna James Ahern‘s moving story about her daughter’s early challenges and then having it restored and enlivened by watching that beautiful little girl happily run and play at the conference all weekend.
5. Riding in the elevator with the person I was most looking forward to meeting: Dorie Greenspan (author of my favorite baking cookbook, Baking: From My Home to Yours). She. Knew. Who. I. Was!!
4. Joining two lovely and inspirational ladies, Carolyn Jung (FoodGal) and Brooke Burton (Food Woolf), on our panel about blogging ethics. And discovering that our moderator, BlogHer co-founder Elisa Camahort Page, and I grew up in the same town and attended the same high school!
3. Finally trying my first-ever macaron, from Miette in the Ferry Building – Chocolate Lavender. And immediately thereafter my second and third, Vanilla and Rose Geranium.
2. Ruhlman.
1. Every minute that I spent reconnecting with blogging friends who I’d previously had the chance to get to know in real life:
- Susan, Food Blogga
- Sean, Punk Domestics
- Kristen, Dine & Dish
- Jane, This Week for Dinner
- Gudrun, Kitchen Gadget Girl Cooks
- Elise, Simply Recipes
- Jaden, Steamy Kitchen
- Maris, In Good Taste
- Anuja & Hetal, Show Me the Curry
…meeting Twitter/blog/Facebook friends in person for the first time:
- Chuck, Foodgawker
- Jen, Use Real Butter
- Todd & Diane, White on Rice Couple
- Katie, goodLife {eats}
- Maria, Two Peas & Their Pod
- Barbara, Barbara Bakes
- Alice, Savory Sweet Life
- Dianne, Will Write For Food
- Vanessa, Chefdruck Musings
- Amanda, Kevin & Amanda
- Helene, Tartelette
- Joy, Joy the Baker
- Dara, Cookin’ Canuck
- Shaina, Food For My Family
- Heather, Multiply Delicious
- Jennifer, In Jennie’s Kitchen
- Chris, Nestlé Kitchens
- Srivalli, Cooking 4 All Seasons
- Melissa, The Fresh 20
…and, of course, getting acquainted with new friends:
- Shanna, My Favorite Everything
- Stephanie, Desserts for Breakfast
- Carrie, La Pomme de Portland
- Natanya, Fête & Feast
- Shelisa, Big2Beautiful
- Tricia, Once a Month Mom
- Mary, Deep South Dish
- Lydia, Savoring Chicago
- Charlotte, Charlie Bakes
- Laura, Hey What’s for Dinner Mom?
- Andrew, Eating Rules
- Annelies
- Selena, Flavorstitch
- Donna, Black America Cooks
- Donna, Fab Frugal Foodie
- Katherine, Fashionably Bombed
- Amy, Streaming Gourmet
- Marija, Papillotes
- Alison, Sure Foods Living
- Beth, OMG! Yummy
- Nadia G, Bitchin’ Kitchen
I sincerely hope I didn’t miss anyone! Suffice it to say, it was a packed weekend full of memorable moments for me. That said, I couldn’t have been happier to return home to San Diego to hug my two energetic little folks and my weary-but-still-smiling husband who took up the reins to watch them both on his own for the first time. Until next time, friends!
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Wow that’s quite the list. So glad you enjoyed the food conference. San Francisco is a magical place where I will be for Foodbuzz in a few short weeks. I spent the weekend wirh Dianne Jacob and her husband at a Food and Wine Writers workshop in the Okanagan and of course have met several of the bloggers you mentioned at BlogHer last year.
ahhhh…miette! I heart Miette! so sad I didn’t have a chance to get there this time around! 🙁 well, i guess that just means I need to make another trip out there, right?
so sad I didn’t get a chance to meet you but since you’re in SoCal, I’m sure that we can rectify that! 🙂
I wish I’d had a chance to say hello to you as well – we’ll definitely have to arrange a SoCal meetup soon! Thanks so much for orchestrating such a fabulous closing party – I had a terrific time.
I chose not to write a post because I’m sure I’ll miss someone! It was such a blast, wasn’t it?? I love our picture 🙂
I am so glad we were finally able to meet! You are gorgeous and so fun! Keep in touch! Love your recap!
Sounds like a blast – sad I missed out yet again…hopefully I’ll be there in 2011!
Glad you got to try your first macaron, though I don’t like Miette’s at all…their almonds aren’t ground well enough for me. We’ll have to find some better ones next year 😉
Really? I loved the light grit of the almonds. But hey, I’m more than game to accompany you on a macaron hunt sometime! 🙂
Love it Kathy! Reading these posts is making me miss SF so much! What a great weekend, I’ll see you soon 🙂
I’m with Lori – you wrote an awesome recap! Loved seeing you again 🙂
Kathy what a great recap! Your #6 was on my top list too. Was tearing up during Shauna’s speech on Saturday night.
It was so nice to meet you and I’m so glad we got to chat! You are fabulous!
Hope your enjoying being back home with the little ones! 🙂
Great wrap! And I, too, had an elevator moment with Dorie that definitely made my top ten! She is just a total delight.
Sounds like a great time–I am jealous!!! Maybe someday I will make it there. Texas is a long way from San Francisco but that is one of my favorite cities (been there twice) so I can be hopeful. Until then, I’ll live vicariously through you. 🙂
I’m not sure where next year’s conference will be, but if you’re able to make it out I know you’d have a great time, Brenda!
Sounds amazing! So glad it was a great time and I’m excited to learn about all the other amazing food blogs!
Miette is just the best. The best. Glad you had a blast!
It was wonderful to met you. Even though our meetings were “passing in the hotel halls”, I could tell you are a very sweet and passionate person. Much love and continued success. I know I will be seeing you soon….. even if it’s in the halls of the web!
Wow, sounds like so much fun! Kathy, I’m so happy to discover your blog…it’s wonderful!
Hi Kathy,
It was great meeting you too while we waited for the bus to the Ferry Building. I didn’t realize you are now in San Diego, no longer in Sunnyvale. San Diego is a wonderful city – we have relatives down there too. Shared many of the same favorites at the conference as you did including the reconnecting with Elisa – how amazing that we all went to the same high school out of a fairly small group. Glad to have connected and found your blogs – love the idea of the recipes on packages. Till we meet in person again – here’s to a new virtual connection!
I think I just spit out my coffee when I got to #2. Ruhlman is just so good, so talented, so…..Ruhlman, He of Great Hair deserves just one simple line. 🙂 I’m truly loving this wrap up and your list. And now that I know you live in the OC, I’ll have to figure out a way to see you again! I loved our panel and getting to meet you!
Ha ha…no further explanation needed, right? 🙂 I’m actually in San Diego but I still hope we’ll have a chance to meet up again in this part of the state sometime soon.
What a fun recap!! And so nice to meet you too!! I loved getting to meet friends in real life that I’ve been following their blogs!! Makes everything that much more REAL! Can’t wait to play again 🙂
Kathy your BlogHer recap post is a blast to read! Such a great weekend. I am so happy that we have known each other for some time & our friendship will continue to grow 🙂 You are still very smart to me even though through combined efforts we slighted the camera shutter. xo
Btw: So Fabulous that Dori knew who you were!!!
I loved meeting you and chatting at the bacon demo. Ruhlman is definitely hot.
Agreed on both points! 🙂
Hi Kathy! It was great meeting you at BlogHer Food! Your panini photos are making us really hungry! Mission accomplished!
Cheers!
Flannery & Katherine
“The Fashionably Bombed Girls”
Kathy, what a lovely recap! It was wonderful meeting you in person!
I’m terribly late dropping by your recap, but it was so great to read. I had a good time, too!