Phew. I got home from Blogher ’12, in an absolute deluge, at 2 pm yesterday. Soaked to the skin, my friend Jenny and I climbed into the car with our combined 9 bags and breathed an exhausted sigh.
I’m still recuperating from 4 days of fun, networking, chatting with sort-of celebrities, and making connections. Oh, and I learned a few things about the business of blogging, too.
I was so excited to arrive in NYC Thursday just in time to hear President Obama speak to the Blogher ’12 attendees in the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton. Quite a coup for the organizers of BlogHer, and I’m sure it had nothing to do with the fact that we’re in an election year.
Thursday night I was thrilled to be invited to an event at Chelsea’s Table, which is an organic farm-to-table restaurant owned by Gary Hirschberg of Stonyfield Farms.
Executive Chef David Seigal prepared an unbelievable tasting menu for us. Below is a Kale Salad with Flatbread Turkey Sandwich. Notice the huge bite taken out of it before I remembered to take the picture.
There were about six amazing courses, but I still managed to make room for the Organic Make-Your-Own Sundae Bar!
Friday was conference sessions in the morning — I learned about working with brands — and time in the expo hall. Basically, there were 3 different Expo areas where bloggers can chat with companies, network, and collect “swag.” (More about the swag later).
And, apparently, some D-list celebrities were rocking at BlogHer too. I was at the Eggland’s Best booth trying to win some free eggs, when I turned around to see this really gorgeous gal next to me. I had that weird, I feel like I should know her from something, feeling. First I thought maybe she was on America’s Next Top Model (wrong), so of course I was all like, “What do I know you from?” Turns out, it was Candice Kumai from Top Chef Season 1 (still my fave season). She’s got a new book out and Egglands Best is helping her promote it. So of course, I had to get a picture. (Still didn’t get those free eggs, though).
Candice was super-sweet, and totally didn’t act like I was an idiot for having no idea who she was! Which brings me to pseudo-celeb sighting #2:
Do you know who that is?
It’s Kate Gosselin! Honestly, with the long blonde hair and tight red dress, I looked right at her and had no idea who she was. She was at the Expo with Coupon Cabin, with whom she writes a “couponing blog.” Quotations because I just don’t see Kate at her computer printing coupons and hunting down deals. Also, I skimmed through about 10 of her blog posts with nary a coupon mention. But she was actually pretty cool. She was probably thinking Why the EFF did my publicist make me do this gig?
Anyway. Friday night was the Hasbro Party, where I danced with a Transformer and drank a “My Little Pony-Colada”:
Newsflash: Nerf guns are still super-fun when you’re an adult! On the way there and back we spent some time in Times Square.
From left to right: Jenny @ The Crunchy Wife, Me, and Jennifer from Mommy Huh.
And checked out Radio City Music Hall.
And went to Sparklecorn where I danced with this lady:
And just had a good time all-around:
Whew. . . Can you believe that’s only a day and a half? Here’s something amazing I learned: There are SO many hours in a day when none of them involve little people’s bathroom habits! It’s really remarkable.
Stay tuned for Part II of my BlogHer recap, where I’ll show you all my swag, give my final thoughts about the conference, and tell you the one AMAZING thing I learned about Twitter.
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Loved your recap! It was sooo much fun rooming with you girls!! Lots of fun memories. I’m working on my recaps. Still taking it all in and recovering. I am still feeling very run down. Not as young as I use to be.
Did you get some Emergen-C? Try that!
It was so fun rooming with you too!
I took a stealthy picture of Kate Gosselin. I didn’t recognize her, either, at first, but then I saw she was at the Coupon Cabin booth and remembered she was scheduled to be there. I miss when she was chubby and frumpy, but I’m pretty sure she doesn’t care what I think.
Lol. She seemed *too* glammed up to me, Kwim? The Pioneer Woman is famous too but she still seemed more true to her roots (even though that’s kind of her thing anyway).