Blogher Food 2009 was absolutely fantastic. First, I had a blast speaking on a panel about Best Blogging Practices with Kalyn, Michele and Lolo. More than that though, it was amazing to meet all of my cyber-friends in person. Now your messages have a tangible reality to them and I see your faces as I read them, which gives me great joy.
Here’s Shirley; she missed the group shot above as she was grabbing my book for the photo (she’s also holding one of my cookies).
I’m a bit of a Luddite and find this whole internet thing somewhat bizarre. Yes, I know I sound like my 70 something year old parents, however, I’m a person that is used to real life, with real friends (thank goodness you are now!), real mountains to hike and real children to grocery shop with in a real store. These are the things that make up the fabric of my life. And a real husband.
In any event, I digress. I love that I was able to meet so many of you, that you are now real people to me, not just semi-anonymous senders of messages through cyber space. It’s as if Blogher Food beamed us all down into real matter in one place –San Francisco–and I was lucky enough to be there!
Another fun part of the conference was breaking bread with my fellow gluten free bloggers. I packed some gluten free cookies in my suitcase, as I always do when traveling, and I shared them with the other gluten freers (discretely) at the cocktail party when we were all hankering for something to munch on.
Seamaiden and Seababy made it to the conference, surrounded left, right and center by the flock of gluten freers.
Towards the end of the cocktails we all gathered for a gluten free group photo then we went on over to the wonderful Blogher “afterparty” thrown by Elise, Jaden and Ree.
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All in all a fabulous conference with fabulous people. For me it is the people and connections that make the experience and last weekend was a rich one in every way!
The gluten free gang at Blogher Food front row: Stephanie, Seamaiden, Ali, Shirley and Diane; back row: Elana, Alison, Karen and Jean; not pictured Shauna; sorely missed Karina and Kelly!
~M says
Along the lines of some of the other comments about your lifesaver chocolate chip cookies, I would be very interested in seeing a post about preparing for a trip gf-style and what foods you take with you for trips. I’m going to Boston this weekend and taking some crudites with homemade carrot hummus (and a freezing a juice box so it stays cold until I can refrigerate) and your banana cake as muffins. I just love crudite for plane trips since they have such a high water content – but are not one of those prohibited liquids! I hope you’re doing well, Elana!
Diane-The WHOLE Gang says
It was so great to meet you and the other bloggers in person. I really enjoyed your presentation and think that session had the most information out of all the sessions I attended. I had 4 times as many notes. I was very excited you brought cookies. With the great protein content it really kept me going when they didn’t have very many gluten free options to feed us.
I’m really looking forward to next year’s conference. I just wish we had more opportunities to get all of the gluten free bloggers together in one place. It was so much fun!
Now back to making more of the recipes in your book. My family ate everything I made and left for them and didn’t save any for me!
Ali says
Wow, look at all the fun photos you took! It was a great conference and I am so glad I could attend. It was great to meet you and the others in person, makes the whole virtual world real.
Thanks again for sharing your delicious and nutritious cookies to the pack of starving gluten-free bloggers! Very yummy and much appreciated.
-Ali :)
susan from food blogga says
It was lovely meeting you Elana. But how come I didn’t get a cookie? ;)