Please note that as part of BlogHer, I attended sponsored events and received gifts from companies. Those items have no bearing on the content of this post. Besides, I have a swag giveaway at the end of this post.
Boy, oh boy. If you were following Erica and I on twitter & Facebook this weekend, you saw there were more than a few moments of pure awfulness. I was so frustrated that I might have nearly snapped and been rude a couple of times. (But hilariously rude, I assure you.) Aside from being handed death on a plate more than once, there were a few highlights to my weekend.
This was probably the best part of the weekend. A day trip to a sponsored event from Wilton (yes, the Wilton that makes every cake decorating tool you can imagine).
They fed us lunch, gave us a tour of their top-secret cake design and photography facilities and then there was the good stuff. They taught three classes Buttercream Techniques, 3D modeling and Snack Cakes. I did the first two because they seemed the least likely to involve gluten (and I was correct). I will share more of the techniques later in the week, when I make a cake and decorate it with some of the tools that they sent me home with.
Conference food = nightmare. Mary Fran + Erica eating in Chicago = winning. I took Erica to a couple of my favorite gluten-free spots in the city: Roti for a fast dinner on Thursday night, Little Goat on Friday and some Garrett’s for snacking in between. And as much as I love Little Goat’s Gluten-Free Menu, Erica kept saying that she just wanted to hug everyone in the restaurant. I think that means it was a-ok!
- A text that says to hurry up because there is free wine at the hotel lobby and then making an animated gif in the photo booth with your GFBFF.
- Crowding the Jamba Juice booth for smoothies because someone tried to serve you death on a plate for breakfast.
- Meeting Sheryl Sandberg and participating in the Lean In circles session. Makes me want to ask for a raise (even if I did get one last year).
- Bonding with some GFBFFs over food & wine.
- Being the absolute worst prepared conference attendee ever. Let me tell you, flying by the seat of your pants is so much more fun.
- Getting dragged to one of the night time parties. I totally would have been an in-room hermit had I not been staying with Erica.
- Meeting Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman), since I didn’t get to meet her in Austin – there was ice cream and I chose that over blogging celebrity.
SO glad you made it through the weekend! I would have LOVED to meet Ree!! How cool!
Fun!!! I just wish I could have met up with you guys for Little Goat!
I had so much fun with you! 🙂 You taught me more than the presenters at time!!!
Well, I live in Phoenix and have met Erica so I’d love to meet you! Love meeting people who help us all live GF well!
I love the pictures especially the Toast to Chicago one.
I think we were having the most fun in that one 🙂
Glad you found the positive in the middle of all the negative food chaos. Looks like you had a great time!
Crap, missed the who would I have loved to meet part…hmmm…Sheryl Sandberg for sure!
It’s ok, you wouldn’t have been disqualified for missing it 🙂
So jealous that my 2 of my favorites bloggers went to some of my favorite places in my city!
Oh, I am sad you didn’t make it out to meet us! (I am hoping I was one of those favorites 🙂 ) BUT, I live here, so I am around!
I would totally love to meet REE!!! She rocks!!
I’ve love to meet Maria Bailey from MomTv!
I just love you! I hope you and Erica can come to the Dallas GFAF expo.
SO thrilled to hear Little Goat is GF-friendly! Was hoping to go next time I visit Chicago, and this confirms it 🙂 Glad you and Erica had fun despite the hiccups!
Girl & the Goat is also GF friendly and rumor has it that Fabio Viviani’s new place has a GF menu too!
Glad you dodged death at the Expo so that you could teach me the difference between a macaroon and a macaron.
Oh, dear, I think that might be all people remember me for – my need for people to get the name of a cookie correct…
I would love to have met Ree in person & had a photo opp. I’ve been reading her blog for years and she just seems so personable!
She was so sweet in person! I wish I had talked to her when I had the chance in Austin, so I was glad to get to meet her this time!
Ugh! I was at a conference this weekend, too, and spent the weekend hungry and miserable. I was looking forward to it after my registration form specifically asked for food allergies. Apparently a “gluten free” breakfast is fruit while everyone else eats doughnuts, croissants, muffins, etc. Dinner was tomatoes and artichoke hearts (while everyone else ate pasta & Caesar salads) and my GF boxed lunch was chips, a banana, an apple and an orange. I am used to being left out but wish they would have just said “we can’t accommodate food allergies” and I would have been more prepared. It’s nice to know I’m not
I feel the same way. Had I been informed that they couldn’t safely feed me gluten-free food, I would have brought my own. My friend Erica is still waiting for them to reply to her and explain how it went from, we totally get it and will feed you safely to the disaster that ended up happening…
I’m gluten-free too! And was at the conference! And I met the Pioneer Woman (last year)! And I ate at the Little Goat while I was in Chicago! And I’m an illustrator! It’s like we are the same person- but not! 🙂
Ah! That is so crazy! Isn’t Little Goat the best? And another gluten-free creative? How did we not meet at the conference?
I would have loved to see Ree – I’ve met her at a few other conferences and she’s so charming and funny! I found your GF blog via the FB friends group, happy to find another down-to-earth GF blogger!
I am always excited to meet more gluten-free bloggers! I am headed over to check out your blog now!
You of course!
That is definitely the best answer so far 🙂