Greetings from BlogHer Food!
I’ve been going all day long—eating, meeting, and learning… a ton!
So, the food: amazing. I mean, it is a food conference after all, but still… I’m in love with the variety of healthy options, freshness, and creativity of the meals I have eaten so far. I’m also totally impressed with everyone I have met today. There are so many amazing and talented bloggers here. We really have so much to learn from one another. I {heart} blogging.
Breakfast
After getting our run on this morning, Monica and I prettied ourselves and then headed to breakfast at the conference.
Breakfast was a big buffet with a bunch of nutritious and delicious options, including fresh fruit, Greek yogurt, muffins (some were gluten-free), bagels, eggs, breakfast quinoa (in a mini jar), potatoes + mushrooms, bacon, sausage, juice, and coffee.
How cool is this bagel rack!?
It was quite an impressive spread, and I loaded up my plate with all sorts of goodies. Plus, I was starving after our 5.5-mile run! Feed me!
In addition to my plate, I also shared a French toast bagel with Monica. It was made with swirls of gooey cinnamon, a sticky sugary glaze, and sugar crystals on top. It was basically dessert for breakfast, and I loved it so hard… but not in a dirty, inappropriate way. It was just really tasty.
After breakfast, I headed to my first session of the day: “Traffic Building: Using the Latest Social Tools.” It was so helpful and interesting; I learned so much. I took a ton of notes during the session, so I’ll write a post about it next week.
Lunch
After the session, there was a 45-minute morning break and then we headed to lunch.
On my plate: a curried chicken salad sandwich, spinach salad on a stick with balsamic dressing, a funky potato salad with bacon, and a smoked turkey sandwich.
Also: freshly baked cookies. I enjoyed two White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies. Holy yum!
After lunch, I stopped by the Chobani table to build a parfait. Check out all of the different ingredients to choose from!
I made this baby for later:
I’m already looking forward to eating my afternoon snack!
More to come!
Have you ever been to a blog or food conference? If so, which one(s)? What’d you think? If not, would you like to go to one?
*Edited to add: A huge thank you to California Grapes for sponsoring my trip to BlogHer Food. Remember that behind-the-scenes Food Network video that I filmed at Rialto with Jody Adams? It was part of the California Grapes video challenge, so my prize for winning was this trip to BlogHer Food. I’m so excited to be here! Thank you, California Grapes!
{ 61 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
I definitely wish I could have attended; it looks like you ladies are having so much fun! I’ve been to HLS last year and BLEND this year. I hope to start going to more but entry tickets + flights + hotels make going to them more money then I have available with as many as I want to go to.
@Katie @ Talk Less, Say More: I’m with ya! It’s pricy. I’m going to plan ahead and save so I can go to my first blog conference in 2013.
I have never been to a blog or food conference but I would really like to go. There are so many to choose from but I think I would really like to go the Healthy Living Summit or BlogHer Food.
This looks so cool!!! I love the mini jars for the breakfast quinoa and the cool bagel display especially!
Looking at all the pictures of the food and panel details makes me wish I could go to one, but it seems like you have to be a “real” or pretty well-known blogger to go…
Not at all! I actually met two different people today who just started their blogs in the last couple of months. These kinds of conferences are typically open and helpful to all levels of bloggers!
That’s really nice to hear! Is there somewhere that you can go to check for upcoming conferences, or another way that people find out about and plan for them?
OK, just kidddding–I see your response below:-)
I went to Bloggy Boot Camp when it came to St. Louis.
Also, four St. Louis bloggers got together with a local food magazine and are hosting our own brand new “food media” conference here in St. Louis this July! It’s a two-day conference featuring Dianne Jacob from “Will Write for Food,” four amazing photographers, magazine editors on ethics, and a ton of other great stuff. It’s called Food Media Forum and we’re really excited about it! foodmediaforum.com
(I didn’t mean to turn this into an ad, Tina! I’m just so excited about it)
That’s so cool! Good luck with it!
Just saw Kath’s post…that breakfast spread really looks incredible! It’s the stuff dreams are made of
I would LOVE to go to a conference, but just like Nikki I always thought you needed to be a well known blogger to go! How do you find out about the conferences if you are fairly new?
On a different note, that Chobani station! OH MY GOD! I probably would have died and went to heaven!
Looks like you are having a lot of fun. Can’t wait to read the recap posts
I find out about conferences from other bloggers– and Twitter too!
The Chobani jars are genius!!
Adorable, right?!
@Tina:
Are you supposed to return the jars when you’re finished? Just wondering as it look like a huge event and I’m sure some people will just toss them.
I think most people just tossed them, but there are recycle bins at the hotel.
Wow, all the food looks incredible!! I’ve never been to a foodie conference but I would love to go to one! Hopefully someday
Wow! It looks like you’re having a blast! I can’t get over how awesome that bagel rack and jar parfait are.
The only blog-related conference I’ve been to was the first Healthy Living Summit back in 2009. I hope to return someday when it doesn’t conflict with school/internship schedules
that is one awesome breakfast spread!
omg i love the chobani parfait!!! How fun would that be!
I’ve never been to a food or blog conference but your experience is really making me want to go. What an amazing array of food! Bagels and greek yogurt stations: a dream come true!
I’m still laughing about the bagel – “loved it so hard but not in a dirty, inappropriate way.” Love it!
I’m thinking about HLS this year since it’s in Boston. I’d love to meet other bloggers!
I just started blogging about 3 months ago and feel like I’ve already learned so much! Every day I learn something new. I am hoping to attend HLS this fall, and CFBlogCon is a closer option as well. I would love to go to BlogHer Food, BlogHer in NY, and to the SXSW conference.
I’ve never been to a blogger conference, but I’m planning on going to HLS this summer. I can’t wait!
I would absolutely love to go to a blogging conference, but it’s only my first week of blogging. So far it’s a lot more work than I thought it was going to be but I’m having fun
That bagel looks amazing, I’m having serious bagel envy over here.
I have never been to one but if the chance ever arises, you betcha I will after seeing this post! The food looks A-Mazing. I love the Chobani build your own parfait yogurt bar. I may have to steal that idea if I ever host a girls luncheon/party!
Wow! What fun! The food all looks amazing!!! I love the bagel holder. Everyday I have my yogurt, oatmeal in a mason jar. It’s so simple to run and go!!! Glad your having fun!!
I am so jealous of your amazing experience! I’ve never been to a blogger conference, but that would definitely be one that I’d love to attend! Have an awesome time!
Mason jar + Chobani! Love it!
P.S. Scrounging all my money to go to HLS this year!!!
Would love to attend a blogging conference.. Blogging scene in Australia isn’t quite as ‘developed’ as it is in America.
Thank you for sharing – I am living vicariously through everyone’s posts. I am hoping to attend BlogHer ’13 in Austin!
All that food looks so yummy and now I’m starving.
I think a blogger conference would be a lot of fun and very interesting!!
Love those chobani parfaits!! I’d love to maybe go to a conference someday… with a friend!
A conference would be awesome, I also thought you had to be much more known in order to go, love knowing I could attend one if I wanted
I appreciate all of the information you share from the conferences! Enjoy our NW weather!
Free rein to a toppings bar?? Yeah I’m not jealous at all
I think that breakfast buffet just made me hungry again. That looks amazing….
No I haven’t been to a food/blogger conference. I’m not really a popular blogger, but this is making me want to go just for the food
A great new I Application that just came out that any fitness gurus/fitness bloggers would love… It was made by a friend of mine. It’s a great, super simple app. Here’s the website if you’re curious. http://www.creativejaguar.com/FitnessFriend/ (No this isn’t spam if you’re wondering)
Some of the food on the plate looks really interesting. Still trying to figure out that potato salad thing on a stick LOL. Amazing the direction food is headed these days. Can’t wait to hear more of your thoughts about the conference and tips you learned. I need all the help I can get.
wow, that looks so fun! i wish people gave me salads on sticks and quinoa in jars.
I love the parfait in a jar! Cute idea!
Look at all of that food. You will certainly be eating well this weekend.
I’m so excited you are at Blogher Food! I am going to Blogher12 in August and can’t wait!
Looks like a great day! I have been to a few conferences. I go to the NAMS workshop (affiliate marketing/blogging, etc.) twice a year in Atlanta and I have been to Savvy Blogging.
I was supposed to go to BlogWorld this past week but had to skip out so my ticket is good for the next one in Vegas. Really looking forward to that!
I think a blog conference would be fun, but honestly, I’d probably only go to one if it was in my city (or my hometown) or driving distance. Have fun though, that food looks amazing!
i’ve never been to one but I think it would be a great chance to learn a lot and meet like-minded people passionate about what they do. can’t go wrong with that.
I really love the Chobani parfaits! I might have to try that at home for a quick breakfast that’s ready to go!
OMG! Everything looks so good (especially that sugar glazed bagel)!
i didnt think id want to go to one, but after reading your and monicas posts and seeing the food, i want to go!
the food presentation is really gorgeous and unique.
Those parfaits look amazing! How do you know about these conferences? I am a 5 month old blogger and am looking to increase traffic on my blog and I figured going to conferences would help. Have a great day at the conference!
I love how blogher rocked the presentation this year. Toothpicks + mason jars? SO CUTE.
I have to ask, where is that top from?!?! I love it!!
Thanks! It’s from Marshalls!
I want to go to a blog conference. I’ve never been. I wanted to go to Fitbloggin’ this year, but it lands on my birthday and I really didn’t want to travel somewhere alone especially on my birthday. Next year for sure! Next year will be the year for blog conferences, I definitely want to do BlogHer.
Wow, that yogurt looks amazing. I also love that creative presentation for the spinach salad. Looks like Blogher has some pretty amazing food!
They were giving out post-run French Toast bagels today at the NY Mini 10K. Sadly, the bagels tasted like feet! Super jealous of yours –nice post-run treat!!
What was going on in that first picture with Monica? Are you guys making a cake or something? Looks interesting!
Stone ground chocolate!
I want to go to a Blog Conference! They look like a lot of fun & super informative! I’m definitely looking forward to your post on traffic building
I want to go to one! I’d be happy just meeting up with other bloggers though since I’ve never actually met one in person haha
Planning to do a little meeting up at the Raleigh Gluten-Free Expo Sept 12, can’t wait!
Ooohhh!! Is it sad that this is the kind of thing that I plan to be doing when I graduate from all schooling and get a job? Not for the rest of my life, but I mean to be attending these conferences, haha! I just feel like this is so “out there” for a girl who’s 15 years old, but I’m into it anyway..
I would love to go to BlogHer Food sometime. It looks fantastic! I have gone to a wonderful blogger conference in Southern California, and I liked it so much and got so much out of it, I went 3 years in a row! It’s called Camp Blogaway (http://campblogaway.com/ ) and I would say it includes up to, oh, about 80 or 90 bloggers. The panels are super practical, informative AND inspiring, and there’s plenty of time to meet everyone, too. Lots of good friendships are formed. It also has something unique going for it…it is located in the local mountains, so it has a summer camp “feel” to it. As you can tell, I highly recommend it!
{ 2 trackbacks }