Waking Up after the Dream of BlogHer

You may have noticed my silence, a rare occurrence, in the last few days. BlogHer washed over me like a tsunami, and I simply gave in to it, flitting from event to event like a giddy butterfly. I have to admit that it was wonderful to simply put all the stress of our move on hold, and just enjoy reconnecting with old friends and making new ones.

Last year at BlogHer Chicago, I heard people say that they didn't attend any conference sessions and spent all their time socializing. At the time I was live blogging the sessions, and didn't understand their lack of interest in what seemed to be to be the true purpose of attending the conference. But this year, I have to confess that I only attended one session, and I left halfway through. The topics just didn't seem that interesting, more of the same old conversations about FTC guidelines, working with PR firms, and monetizing your blog. But the parties and the conversations with creative and outspoken women made the trip well worth it. I found my inspiration outside the BlogHer sessions, making my virtual reality a physical one.

The week is a blur of amazing experiences. I'll try to give you a taste for them through a few pics...

Thursday began with the Kodak Big Apple Bus Tour. I spent a decade of my life living in Manhattan and never once got on one of those double decker buses. So I was looking forward to experiencing the city I called home for so long as a tourist. New Yorkers never look up, so I saw my city from a whole new perspective. I even took a few shots with the Kodak M580 share camera that I received as a gift from Kodak in advance of the event.

Thursday night was jam-packed with parties. We started out at the Social Luxe Lounge, a dazzling affair organized by Jane Maynard, Allison Czarnecki, and Marie LeBaron. Even if it had been held in a cupboard, I still wouldn't have missed a chance to catch up with Jane, who I see all to seldom for my taste.

Then I headed down to the Martha Stewart offices, eager to get a glimpse at where the Martha magic is created. I caught peeks of rooms filled with props, even walking by a dozen white doors, each waiting, like a shy girl at a dance, to add their own slight nuance to the background of a Martha Stewart magazine shot. Like the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, I didn't stay long. When I stepped into a cab to head back uptown, I felt as though I had just experienced a strange dream filled with chic men wearing white suits with bowties and gorgeous, impossibly tall women sipping ginger martinis and watermelon cosmos.

Thursday night ended at the Nikon party getting flash and lens tips from the Nikon team, and chatting on the terrace overlooking the lush green lawn of Bryant Park with Anne Marie Nichols, Susan of Five Minutes for Mom, Ellen Seidman, Heidi and, of course, my sister Jessica.

Delicious olive oil poached salmon at BLT Fish

On Friday, I left the BlogHer festivities to head to BLT Fish for a discussion with the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition on the importance of getting 12 ounces of fish in women's weekly diets. The discussion was relevant and interesting, and the food was delicious, including this olive oil poached salmon that melted in my mouth like butter. Getting a chance to meet Olga from Sassy Radish and see Sarah Caron from Sarah's Cucina Bella made the lunch even better.

 Although the schedule was packed, my sisters and I found a few minutes to sneak away to have a picnic lunch in Central Park, a decadent one to celebrate our birthdays with food from the Bouchon Bakery in the Time Warner Center.

Kidnapped by Mario!

The best photo opp of the weekend took place Friday night, when rickshaw drivers dressed up as Mario took us to the Boathouse in Central Park for dinner. Weaving in and out of midtown traffic behind a man wearing a fake mustache and an electric blue polyester costume was definitely another dreamlike sequence. The dream became even more surreal when other rickshaw drivers surrounded us spontaneously in the park, playing tinny Mario Brothers music on their cell phones. The fact that our Mario was himself an eco-tourism blogger seemed like fate, as we spent the rest of the crazy ride discussing the power and egalitarian reach of social media.

MJ Tam, Duong Sheeha, Miss Lori, Jessica Rosenberg and other Nintendo guests

The food was delicious - not a small feat for a large group dinner. My buttery filet mignon was perfectly cooked with a crispy crust and a warm red center. I'd never eaten at the Boathouse, waiting in vain for my husband to surprise me with a romantic night at this gorgeous spot. Instead I shared the view of the moonlight casting a blueish glow on the boat basin with these gorgeous women. Then we headed to the Swanky After Hours party at the Penthouse of the London Hotel to continue our superstar night, rushing to beat the twelfth stroke of midnight in case the magic wore off, returning us to our usual blogging attire: pajamas and zit cream in front of the computer screen.

How many bloggers can you fit in a luxury tub?

The alarm rang early on Saturday morning, and I still felt the pull of sleep when I walked into the dazzling loft above Nate Berkus' apartment in the Jean Nouvel Building for the Kellogg's Moms' Breakfast. The views of the river and the New York skyline were incredible, and combined with the positive energy of the two women organizing the event, Cooper and Emily from the Motherhood, I couldn't imagine a better environment to bring me back to fighting form. We had an interesting discussion about the challenges of providing a healthy breakfast to our kids, and brainstormed the logistics of the Kellogg's breakfasts we will soon be hosting in our homes. The caterers had created some delicious juice combinations: blueberry lemonade, strawberry acai juice, cherry pomegranite juice, and a honey melon juice. I'm thoroughly inspired to kick our breakfast drinks up a notch, and not just for the breakfast party I'll be hosting in Chicago this fall!

Beautiful views at the Kelloggs Breakfast

My last event was a brunch at the Loews Regency on Sunday Morning. It was organized by Carol from NYCityMama, and even though I always expect great things from my visionary and spirited friend, this event may have been her crowning achievement. The food was spectacular, a far cry from your typical "hotel food": the ceviche bar left my mouth zinging with flavor and the short ribs served atop potato pancakes with a perfectly poached egg and a dollop of demi-glace hollandaise were heavenly. My only regret was that I did not have the time to explore the elaborate cheese display and chat with the cheese expert. I would love to have had an entire evening to talk cheese with him, but it was time to catch my flight and reunite with my family in time for our move.

If this post was overwhelming and lengthy, it was meant to be, that's how BlogHer should be experienced. It's a mad rush of top-10 life experiences crammed into a three-day period. Leaving BlogHer is like waking up from a great dream. Only the bulging bag of swag proves that the dream was a reality.