Be Safe on Superbowl Sunday
The teams are set, the hype is well underway and Super Bowl party planning is in full swing.
While you may not be thinking about the dangers of buzzed driving this time of year, you or someone you know will likely be attending a party where alcohol is served. So whether you’re rooting for the Colts or the Saints, there are some things you need to know to keep yourself and your loved ones safe before, during and after Super Bowl XLIV.
When you’re heading out to a party or hosting guests, remember to always plan ahead:
- Designate a sober driver or be prepared to find a safe ride home for your guests
- Be ready to take alternate transportation such as a bus or taxi. Have the phone number of a taxi service stored in your phone before you leave for the party.
In 2008, 11,773 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes.
I’m working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ad Council as they continue their efforts with the “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving” PSA campaign. Buzzed drivers are those who drink and drive, but do not consider themselves a hazard on the roadway because “only a few” drinks are consumed. The campaign hopes to educate people that consuming even one drink too many can impair driving and that “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.” So even if you are planning on staying home Super Bowl weekend, please remind your loved ones that buzzed driving IS drunk driving.
To learn more about the impact buzzed driving can have on a life, please watch this important video about the financial and personal repercussions of getting a DUI: http://buzzeddriving.adcouncil.org/sign.php#video
Remember: Buzzed Driving IS Drunk Driving. Plan ahead and ask your loved ones to do the same.
For more information, visit Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving on Facebook and Twitter(@Buzzeddriving).
*This post is on behalf of my relationship with Global Influence*
The Plus Size Mommy
Our Visit to Ocean Isle, NC*
- Image via Wikipedia
After going to the Type A Mom Conference we drove about 6 hours south of Asheville, down to Ocean Isle North Carolina. I was invited there by The Ocean Isle Inn. They are experimenting with Social Media and finding out how well Social Media is impacting the travel, hotel industry by using tools such as Twitter to tell about their Inn, and about Ocean Isle, NC.
Ocean Isle, to me, is a hidden gem. It is not as crowded at Myrtle Beach and is clean and a new hot spot for beach travellers.
Our story about our experience at Ocean Isle begins here. We were weary and tired after driving all day and night from Asheville, NC down to Ocean Isle. That and a few mix ups getting off track we finally arrived at about 1 am. And let me back up a bit, in case you didn’t know, we had a “caravan” of 2 vehicles with 9 people in our group. Which consisted of my family of 6 plus my mother and my mother and father in law. The age range was from a year old toddler to my father in law who is in his 70’s. So believe me, this was a LONG trip.
Okay, back to the story. We arrived at 1 am (approx.) and upon arriving (we were supposed to be there at about 7pm, but that didnt happen! 
) Upon arriving, I went up to the office to check in, only to find that it was closed, my heart sunk to my stomach. But I called the office phone and left a message. Within 5 minutes I got a call back from Lee. The manager. He told me how he was expecting me earlier (I was expecting to have been there earlier too) but he was glad I made it and he gave me directions to a nifty lock box where I was able to get my keys to our rooms plus they had left me a cute note, welcoming us! I thought this was so sweet. Then he told me to call him back as soon as we got back to our room, so he could be sure we got in okay, and that our rooms met our satisfaction. I don’t know of many people, managers, or staff who would’ve went above and beyond like this to make sure everything was good. He made an extremely good first impression on me right from the get go, or right from his “Hello” when he called back 
We went up to our rooms, and because we were so tired, we just took in what we absolutely needed for that night and the next morning, then we would unpack the rest in the morning.
The rooms were lovely. A door to a balcony that overlooks the beach and the beautifully clean ocean. It was lovely. The rooms were comfortable and roomy. Remember we had a group of 9, so we had 2 rooms. The rooms are equipped with a little kitchenette and a nice size bathroom and a tv, and our rooms had 2 beds each. There is also wifi in the rooms and a little table with 2 chairs so your able to sit and go on the computer, or eat, or whatever. There are also chairs and a little table out on the balcony where you can sit and watch boats pass by, and just read, or watch the ocean and you can also see a fishing pier.
I loved to watch the boats at night in the moonlight, it was so romantic.
The next morning we got up and went down to the breakfast that is provided. It is a full breakfast, not just a muffin and a drink. There are make your own waffles, breakfast sandwiches, juice, coffee, tea, cereal, and much more food, I cannot even remember. But it was plenty of food to fill us for breakfast, and really we weren’t even hungry by lunch.
The staff was so pleasant too, and they were there to refill the foods/drinks when you needed them. Also the breakfast area was nice and large and very clean.
We went to the beach the first day so the kids could see it and play in the sand and also go into the ocean for their first time ever! The beach was beautiful. It is a public beach on Ocean Isle and it is so clean and nice. There are tons of great seashells. The kids loved to play in the sand and swimming in the ocean.
There are a lot of weddings held on the beach there too, and it makes for beautiful photo’s I am sure!
There is a lot to do on Ocean Isle. You can rent bikes, bogey boards, and other beach fun type things. Also there are ice cream parlors, and shops, and not too far away is a Walmart and other stores, in case you miss yours
While there we went to a Jamaican restaurant. My husband and his parents are Jamaican so they wanted to try it and see how authentic is was. It passed their “test”. The food was very good and the servings were huge. We were able to order 4 dinners and split them among all 9 of us.
The pools at the Ocean Isle Inn were my favorite hang out while there. They were relaxing and warm and the hot tub/spa was wonderful for my achy bones. They were clean, had plenty of towels to dry off on and were very large. I like that they had a very shallow end too, so my 4 yr. old was able to stand up in that end, she enjoyed that too.
The staff were all very helpful and nice. This is a huge plus. Even just to say hello and ask if all is well. It means a lot to me, even the slightest touches of kindness.
We were all able to have an enjoyable, relaxing trip to the beach and we are all wanting to go back. Looking at the pictures in my Whrrl story and then looking outside at the beginning of Winter here in Pittsburgh, makes me want to go back NOW! But I will wait out the winter and go back and enjoy it again when my husband saves up some more vacation days
THANK YOU LEE and everyone at The Ocean Isle Inn, as we had a lovely time with you and at your Inn. It was a wonderful trip, and we cannot wait to come back!!!
The Plus Size Mommy
*In an effort to be transparent and comply with FTC standards – we were given the hotel rooms stay for free. However, the travel expenses, any food (except what was provided normally at the Inn) and any other expenses incurred were paid for by us.*
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Oyster Hotel Reviews, Top Family Resorts in Oahu
As the weather cools down, many families will be looking to make warm-weathered travel plans around their kids’ winter breaks. Hawaii is a popular tourist destinationfor families in need of sun and relaxation. The island of Oahu has a number of hotel options, and while some hotels may advertise kid friendly amenities, those offers can be misleading. Oyster Hotel Reviews (www.oyster.com) sent a team of undercover reporters to join the kids clubs, separate fact from fiction, and compile a list of the top family friendly resorts on Oahu.
“On Oahu, a family-friendly resort is usually one of two things: A large, amenity-packed mega-resort with kids’ activities and dining options galore or a do-it-yourself, kitchen-equipped condo for longer (albeit no-frills) stays,” says Will Begeny, Senior Editor of Oyster Hotel Reviews. “Our undercover reporters found standouts for both types.”
Best Kid-Friendly Hotels on Oahu
Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club
Many families could happily spend their entire vacation on the grounds of this activity-packed resort. The three sprawling, winding pools have waterfalls, a slide, and a basketball hoop. The lagoon beach ocean is calm enough for family snorkeling. Parents can grab some guilt-free time off by enrolling the kids in the hotel’s twice-weekly, four-hour “Passport to Fun” sessions. And the hotel runs activities like fish feeding and yarn lei-making every day of the week.
Grand Waikikian by Hilton Grand Vacations Club
The condo-style units in this hotel, which opened in December 2008, are a great choice for families who want to spread out and make themselves at home. The luxurious condo suites have full kitchens with high-end appliances, Bosch washers and dryers, and flat-screen TVs with over 500 digital channels. And guests have access to the oodles of kid-friendly amenities at the adjoining [ Hilton Hawaiian Village ]].
Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort And Spa
The Marriott is both less expensive and less chaotic than comparable family-friendly mega-resorts like the Hyatt Regency and Hilton Hawaiian Village . It may not have the Hilton’s laundry list of kid-friendly amenities, but families won’t be sacrificing too much: The two ocean-view pools should keep the kids plenty entertained, and the family-friendly Kuhio section of Waikiki Beach is right across the street. Free rollaway beds for kids under 18.
Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort And Spa
This mega-resort’s signature is Aloha Fridays, where performers showcase skills like fire-eating and hula dancing. The kids’ camp, for five- to 12-year-olds, is $85 a day and offers activities like crab hunting and boogie boarding.
Ilima Hotel
Families flock to the Ilima Hotel, a standout budget option for do-it-your-selfers with a full kitchen, 24-hour laundry room, free parking, and enormous, clean condo-style units. Pretty bare bones in terms of features — the pool is tiny — but with the money you’ll save, you might just be able to afford a longer trip.
The Plus Size Mommy
MOTIF WIPES
New moist wipes from Motif, a trendy new company that specializes in creating affordable and unique everyday products. Now available at your local Target stores, Motif moist wipes are competitively priced at only $1.49 per 15-count package and come in a variety of three modern and cool prints. But what really makes Motif moist wipes different from the rest are the refreshing scents that they boast including, Blackberry and Sweet Basil, Olive Leaf and Coriander and Herbal Water Lily. Motif moist wipes are safe for use on children as they are alcohol and paraben free. For more information, just visit your local Target store or www.motifliving.com today !!!
OGIO update*
Well, it has been a few months since I came home from Chicago and the Blogher conference. I had told my readers that I would do a follow up post on the OGIO bag that I reviewed in a previous post. (http://theplussizemommy.com/travels/ogio-bags ) so I could let you all know how well my “baby” held up from Pittsburgh To Chicago (via Washington DC) and back home again.
I am pleased to say that my instinct that there would be no problems with my bag was correct ! It handled the entire trip with ease! The wheels are in tact perfectly, none of the breakable items inside got damaged (oh yeah, I checked this bag too, and it was FULLY packed in each pocket, and STILL passed the weight limit test at the airport with 2 pounds still free!) The handle was easy, it was REALLY heavy but the side handles helped me a lot of pick it up and off again of the conveyer belt thingy.
THEN, when I reached home in Pittsburgh, I was excited because 3 other people also had OGIO bags and each one was different style, so I got a peek at those. The people whose bags were also OGIO seemed to have theirs fully packed as well, and they all looked to be in great condition!
I think this is the PERFECT bag for any long trip. There is plenty of room for everything you need. It is protective of your items inside. It handled the luggage check in at the airports (and as far as I know they are pretty rough handlers of luggage). It rolled along with ease and the zippers, handles, and wheels all remained in tact perfectly.
My review of this is now complete, and I am a very happy consumer of OGIO and highly recommend it to all!
~oh and by the way…. I named her “Lola” lol
The Plus Size Mommy
Chicagonista at Blogher09′
Another awesome lady who I met at Blogher09′ is a woman who is known as Chicagonista. Her real name is MJ Tam. She is a movin’ groovin’ shaker and wonderful lady who I got to speak with for a little while in the MomSelect & MomTv Swag suite. She is also the woman who set up the awesome deal for the Limo’s at Blogher. I was able to get a limo from my hotel to the O’hare airport for $20, which was way less than the $50 taxi !
I was able to talk to the Chicagonista and find out just what she is all about! She is a motivating woman who is a mother who wanted to start something in Chicago where other parents can connect and also link communities.
She is totally passionate about what she does. You can tell by speaking with her that she cares and she is most definitely a people person. She can give you the scoop of the best places that are family friendly all over Chicagoland!
She says that she is only doing something that moms are out doing anyways. Finding places where to take you children. Yes, but she keeps track of it, and helps others to find it. Not many people think about doing this to help others. But she DOES!
She has also started connecting with other cities to start sites where those people can go with their families. She now has worked to set up nymetropolista in New York City and also sanfranistacom in San Francisco. She is a wealth of information. Whether you are visiting any of these cities or live there she is a great parent resource to read. Her blog is wonderful. It is so easy to navigate and is updated often. This is great to easily find out info. and it lets you know all the goings on around town NOW.
I told her I absolutely would love to start a connection in Pittsburgh because there is so many great family fun things we go to and I would love to tell visitors and natives about it all. And to connect communities and support each other I think is an immense bonus! She said I would need a catchy name, so I will be thinking about this for a while.
I really enjoyed my talk with MJ Tam “Chicagonista” during Blogher09′! She is very informative and such a sweet lady!
Here are some links to check her out : Chicagonista , nymetropolista, sanfranistacom , on twitter at @chicagonista, and on facebook as : facebook.com/chicagonista , she is also as @mjtam on twitter as well. UPDATE: Here are some more links to enjoy !!! SanFranistacom on Twitter for the site SanFranista.com. and She is currently working on setting up a Socalista ! (I am guessing it will be for Southern California). Stay tuned, this “go getter” will be working on a city near you SOON !!! She is such an inspiration to me.
The Plus Size Mommy
Boredom Breakers, traveling games*
Rand McNally, recently released a new line of games for the car called Boredom Breakers. Just as we head into the dog days of summer and we get ready to embark on last minute road trips, I had the opportunity to review the products with my kids. My children were pleasantly surprised at the fun we had. I will be sure to throw these in the car for any road trip over 1/2 hour from now on. We tried the Travel Card Games. This is 3 packs of cards that come in a neat container to keep them in, and they slide into the back pocket of our car easily (so clean up is a snap). The cards contain :
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Rand McNally developed the five games based on extensive parent research. Moms across the country were clear about what they like – creative activities that make kids laugh and allow family members to learn more about one another – and what they don’t like – games with a lot of little pieces.
With that, Boredom Breakers were born! The five activities are sold separately at RandMcNally.com and Amazon.com. Tell stories, solve mysteries, play car games, sing classic pop tunes, discover new things about each other…and do it together as the hours quickly pass.
Story Starters: Packed with 72 minutes of funny stories, mysteries and games, this interactive CD will be an instant road trip hit. Story Starters combines the best of classic radio-style drama and audio effects to get families telling stories together. Hearing is truly believing!
Car Karaoke: Mom can sing lead and kids are back-up vocals. Just pop in the CD with 12 classic rock, pop, and kid favorite songs. Includes everything needed to be a rockstar: an inflatable microphone, rating cards, and three lyric books. Choose from favorites like “Build Me Up Buttercup” or “Twist and Shout,” to see who’s got the pipes in the family. Earplugs not included!
Car Game Countdown: Car games are fun, but they are even more outrageous when you’re trying to beat the clock. Car Game Countdown includes a car-shaped digital timer with electronic sound and laminated dual-sided game cards featuring 18 games on a clip ring.
Travel Card Games: Travel Card Games features three great games to pass time and start conversations. Includes a slim storage box to easily stow in the backseat pocket.
Magnet Message Makers: Magnet Message Makers is a mess-free way to get the kids and the car ready for the road . It includes two reusable and removable magnets that will not harm your vehicle and five sheets of removable stickers for decorating the magnets. “Florida or Bust!” “
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I would love to try the car karaoke next, as we love to sing and love to listen to music in my family. Also, I think this will be more fun for my 3 yr. old.
I also love that these games were developed with the help of moms. This means a lot to me from Rand McNally.
The Plus Size Mommy
Best Party Hotels in NY, as reviewed by Oyster Hotel Reviews
New York City draws people in for many reasons, ranging from a chance to take a picture with every tourist attraction one can possibly fit into a big-red double-decker bus- filled afternoon to celebrity stalking, pizza tasting and Broadway singing. For many, New York City promises the glitz and glam unlike any other city. There is something classier and more mysterious about the Big Apple’s nightlife scene then other hot spots. It isn’t gaudy like Vegas and it isn’t sponsored by Ed Hardy like Los Angeles.
For those looking to make travel plans in this concrete glam, why not pick a hotel that already provides some of the most exclusive access to New York City nightlife. Not sure how to go about doing this? Oyster Hotel Reviews has it taken care of. Launched in June to provide access for consumers looking to make travel plans to cities like; New York, Miami, Aruba, Jamaica and soon Las Vegas and Hawaii. The travel review site serves as free travel insurance for those looking to book a hotel and do so with independent, unbiased hotel reviews and authentic photos—as some travel review sites use cropped, edited and airbrushed photos given to them by the hotel—not very accurate.
And unlike most travel review sites, Oyster Hotel Reviews (funded by Bain Capital Ventures) includes reviews that include out-of-the-ordinary type of feedback such as best place to stay to spot a celebrity, most weed friendly hotels, worst place to take a family, best looking pool scene among others. Below, their top-tier travel journalists round up the best New York City hotels for nightlife for your readers.
Oyster Hotel Reviews: Best Party Hotels in New York
- The Bowery Hotel: Guests and locals alike hang out in the cozy, dimly lit lobby bar that serves creative cocktails and boasts a well-selected wine list. If you’re lucky, one of the hotel’s celebrity guests might stop by for a drink.
- Gramercy Park Hotel: The Gramercy Park Hotel’s velvet-heavy Rose Bar is one of the hottest places in the city for the hip, beautiful, and famous to meet over drinks. Just don’t casually stroll into the Rose Bar after 10 p.m. and expect to get a table — unless, that is, you’ve been on the cover of a fashion magazine or won a Grammy in the past year or so. Hotel guests do at least have an edge: They’re entitled to jump the line if people are actually waiting to get in. And they can book reservations for a table through the concierge — which is strongly suggested if you hope to sit down, though even that isn’t a guarantee.
- Hotel Gansevoort: Five years after it opened, the Gansevoort’s rooftop lounge, Plunge, continues to pull in a nightly parade of short-skirted and high-heeled twenty- and thirty-something women and their male counterparts. The skyline views are superb.
- The Cooper Square Hotel: The Cooper Square Hotel bar Table 8 is packed on weekend nights with revelers standing shoulder-to-shoulder. The windows often fog up from the intensity of the scene. The bar’s specialty cocktail is the Basil 8, with vodka, muddled grapes, basil, simple syrup, lime juice, and ginger ale.
- W New York – Union Square: The W Union Square is the most “downtown” of all the W’s, and its Olives bar (and the Underbar in the basement) is hip but not exclusive, drawing crowds of young professionals for $11 cocktails.
- 60 Thompson: A60 is one of the city’s most exclusive rooftop bars — its open only to card-carrying “members” (read: celebrities, fashion types, and other bold-named New Yorkers) and hotel guests. For the price of a room you just might gain access to some of the best celebrity gawking in Manhattan.
- Soho Grand Hotel: The music at the Soho Grand gets upbeat and loud in the evenings, as the lounge fills with twenty- and thirty-something scenesters — men in dark skinny jeans, women with chic bobs — and you often have to push your way to the bar. The scene is particularly frenetic on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, when a DJ spins the tunes.
- W New York: The hotel bar Whiskey Blue is the most happening bar in the not-so-happening area of Midtown East. The swank David Rockwell-designed space features expensive drinks, pictures of rock stars on the wall, and waitresses in tight black dresses. As the most stylish bar in the area it’s a magnet for many business travelers, but it’s not as popular with locals, who take issue with its high prices and heavy dose of attitude.
The Plus Size Mommy
Oyster.com for info. on your next Vacation Destination!
Schools out for summer and parents everywhere are gearing up for some quality time with their kids. For those headed to a tropical locale, The Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Miami offer a wide selection of kid-friendly resorts and hotels. While some hotels may advertise kid friendly amenities, those offers can be misleading. Oyster Hotel Reviews (www.oyster.com) sent a team of undercover reporters to join the kids clubs, separate fact from fiction, and compile a list of the top family friendly resorts.
“Our reporters realize that a hotel can make or break a family vacation,” said Elie Seidman, CEO of Oyster.com. “We all remember our own childhood family vacations and want parents and kids to have a relaxing, stress-free vacation.”
Oyster.com deployed its team of award-winning journalists to scour these popular tourist destinations to determine which hotels offered the best amenities for families such as entertainment options, games and activities, babysitting services and cribs and pullout beds.
To see Oyster Hotel Reviews lists for the Top Family Friendly Hotels for each location:
§ Jamaica
§ Miami
About Oyster.com
Financed by Bain Capital Ventures, Oyster.com is the first and only company dedicated to publishing objective, in-depth reviews, written by trained journalists, of the world’s hotels. Oyster.com adheres to the highest editorial standards; it does not accept compensation or incentives from hotels, and pays for all travel expenses. Hotels cannot pay to be reviewed by Oyster.com nor can they influence Oyster.com reviews in any way. Formed in March 2008, Oyster.com’s management team includes two Microsoft alumni-Andy Laucius and Eytan Seidman-and two accomplished entrepreneurs, Ariel Charytan and Elie Seidman. www.Oyster.com
The Plus Size Mommy
-Post Blogher 2009- My Thoughts…
I have recently read a lot of posts and have heard a lot of things via twitter and Facebook regarding all of the Blogher bruhaahaa, I am totally dumbfounded by it all! I didn’t view blogher like this at all ??? Maybe I was in my own little world while there ? Or maybe it was because I wasn’t feeling my 100%, or maybe Carson Kressley, Paula Deen, and Tim Gunn had me in stardom mode ? I don’t know. I mean, I heard a rumor about issues, but just let it go as that, a rumor.
I realize now that some of them are true. I mean I just cannot even fathom about “the Croc guy” getting treated the way he did. He seems to me to be one of the sweetest guys I have ever met. For someone to talk to him like that is totally beyond me. And fighting over swag, is also over my head. I mean, I did get a lot of swag, but even the “covenant video camera” wasn’t worth fighting over. I say shame on anyone who would do this. I must admit, I did get some doubles on some smaller items, like Gerber teddy bears, but that was because I have 2 daughters that (now love them dearly). but if it would have meant me fighting or arguing for them, I would’ve let it go.
The only flaw I ran into was a mis-communication (I believe) where I was wanting to help out, and it fell through. Yes, I was upset, but after talking it through and thinking about it, I just chalked it up to just that…mis-communication, and let it go.
I know the RM. 704 party was off the hook, and yes, there was a huge hubbub over it, but if people were willing to push to get some cleaning products (which are awesome by the way) and some “adult toys”, I would’ve gladly given up my little brown bag (I don’t need it THAT badly). As a matter of fact I was gladly giving up my “toy” to someone (forgot who) but she never did come back or it. I just thought of it as a funny thing to show the hubby when I got home.
I guess I just don’t understand the whole pushing, fighting thing. Are these items really worth it ? I mean, I was going to blogher to re-meet my friends, network, learn, and make new friends, not for swag. yes, I enjoy swag… but that was the icing on the ‘blogher cake”. If I didn’t get even 1 piece of swag, I would’ve been happy.
My main sponsor… Collective Bias… who paid for me to go to the conference, I am sure, wasn’t sending me so I could see how much swag I could get. They sent me to learn. And to help out with the Bowlher project. Which, I have heard nothing but good things coming from it. I didn’t take over $130 for airfare and more $$ (for spending and cabs, and other things) out of my families “pocket” to go fight at a conference. I didn’t wear a dazzling dress (sponsored by La Grande Dame) to go fight in it, I wore it to promote the company, as I did while handing out the awesome bags from the company. And i didn’t stay with friends in hotels that they got sponsored, so I could come back to the room and talk about who I punched out to get some swag!
Fighting like this and speaking to people inappropriately in my book is totally inexcusable! These people should be totally ashamed and the fact that these people represent woman bloggers totally perturbs me. What are companies going to be thinking with this kind of representation ? We are all sitting here thinking some companies and PR people don’t get it (the whole social media thing) but maybe there are (obviously) some bloggers who aren’t getting it either. If I owned a company and paid for you to go represent me at a conference, and heard you acted like this, I would make u pay me every cent back. And going forward I would make sure I had recipients of any money sign something (kind of like they have at my kids school for field trips) stating that by accepting money you would be bound to represent the company in a professional manner. For my children, it states something like they are still bound by the school rules and that they are representing the school and need to act worthy of it). I don’t know how this would be, but we are adults and should not need these types of “policies” but perhaps some companies may now consider something of the sort. with all of the publicity the whole “mommy blogging” things has been getting and the FDC coming into the picture, this sure wasn’t great timing. I mean, I can imagine the headlines now… “Big companies schmooze woman bloggers at conference, but even that isn’t enough, they still fight for more!” We don’t need more bad publicity that doesn’t represent the majority of us, but this is exactly what news media look for, the stand out shock news.
I am glad I didn’t personally view any of these “issues” and I am even more glad I wasn’t part of it.I am glad I spent my time at blogher for a much bigger purpose than getting some swag.
Like connecting with wonderful people like Maria Bailey, MJ Tam, Aparna Vashisht – Rota, Renee Bloggett, Victoria Taylor, Paul Jordan, Denise McCarthy, Pamela Punt, Carol Cain, Tracey Wynne, Jamie Wilson, Leigh Caldwell, Mariana Perez, Linsey Knerl, Katherine Morin, Jennifer Leal, Gillian Kushner, Janice Croze, Chloe Pfeiffer, Krista Parry, John Havens, Fiona Chan, Steven Sanders, Beth Rosen, Rob Rivenburgh, Molly Schonthal, Rustin Banks, Candice Broom, Kay Stewart, Monica Fuentes, Ted Rubin, Katie Farrer, Annalisa Esposito Bluhm, George Smith , Audrey McClelland, Amy Lupold Bair, Shannon Powell, Rick Calvert, Melissa Garcia, Monica Brady, Allison Blass, Holly Hamann, Jenn (SuperJennBlogs), Kim Orlando, Gwen Bell, Amanda (HighImpactMom), Jennifer Gniadecki, Toni Lynne (from Toni_GPB), Mrs. Flinger, ShortPumpPreppy, Wendy Piersall, chaotic Barb, Adriennevh, Kelby Carr, Ethan Goodman, Amy Callahan, Elizabeth Norton, Lizzydear and many others.
I was also excited to see my friends who I have already met (again), like.. Sugar Jones, Vdog, Barbara Jones, Katja Presnal, Colleen Padilla , Amy Allen Clark , Lucretia Pruitt, John Andrews, Jen Fowler, Lynnae McCoy , Jessica Smith, Tara Kuczykowski, Jyl Johnson Pattee, Christine Young, Wanda Young, Denise Sawyer, Alyssa Francis, Megan Jordan, Allison Worthington, Liz Strauss, Erika Lehmann, BizzieMommie, Anissa Mayhew, Sandy Jenney, Renee Ross, Arianne Segerman, and many many others.
And of course seeing stars like Paula Deen, Carson Kressley, Suai, Tim Gunn, Anya Marina, Chris Mann , and Brooke White.
And I also spent my time promoting and working for the wonderful sponsors that gave me the chance to go to Blogher in the first place, and meeting fabulous people from many many new companies.
I just hope that companies will not look at this as woman bloggers as a whole. We don’t all act like a bunch of stark ravaged scavengers at a conference. Some of us truly want to be there to connect, and work with companies on a professional level. And we will work hard for our sponsorships, no matter how large or small. We want to learn how to work together and support one another. We want companies to know we are serious about blogging and what we write. We want to network with other woman bloggers and support them too. We are not out just for a free trip or free stuff. We are out to have our voices be heard on products, issues, and concerns that we care about and that our readers want to know about as well.
The Plus Size Mommy
