Experiencing My First Race Expo

When I found out that there was an actual race expo attached to the Columbus Marathon, I become very excited!  To me this proved that this race was a biggie and I had such great expectations heading into the expo.

Admittedly, all previous races that I have raced, the race packets have been nothing worth noting. They came with the bib, course map if you’re lucky, and maybe a coupon to someplace.  Typically it just contained ads though.

My success rate with race shirts is not stellar.  One I didn’t get because they didn’t have my size.  They said they would mail it out to me but once I saw how ugly it was (for real, it was the color of dirty dish water), I kindly passed.

Most of them are men’s sizes (because we know women don’t run races right?) so they don’t fit me anyway.  I give those to Scott.

I finally got one that was a nice blue color but wearing it for anything longer than a short run isn’t a good idea.  But still, a race shirt for me! YaY!

All that to say, since this race had it’s very own expo I assumed a lot of things about the situation.

  • I thought our race packets would have some serious cool swag in it.
  • We would get an awesome T-shirt.
  • The expo would be kickass full of great running products and lots of free samples to try out.

This was my very first running expo EVER!  Seeing so many other bloggers talk about expos had me drooling to finally get a chance to attend one myself.  How could I not get excited when I saw what all these other bloggers have gotten not just in their packets but also got a chance to see at the expo?

When the time finally came to head over to pick up my packet I was practically skipping the entire way!

In complete honesty, I have to say that my excitement bubble got busted pretty much as soon as I walked in the door.

The first section I hit was a huge set up from Second Sole who not only were selling running gear but also gear that had Columbus Marathon Logo on it, which I thought was pretty cool.  I was looking at the women’s gear and it was nice but nothing that really caught my eye.  Then I saw sweatshirts with 13.1 on them and had to have one of those!  They were all men’s though, which I found a bit odd.  Maybe it’s because I was there late on day two of the expo, that most of the selection was picked over?

I set aside the sweatshirt I was going to purchase and walked through the rest of the expo which took us, maybe 10 minutes?

I’m being generous.

I stopped at another running gear booth because they had some really nice things out.  Sadly nothing in my size.  Bummer!  I turned around a say a huge wall of 26.2 gear but no 13.1.

Hmph.

Continued walking and saw a two booths that had funny shirts.  One booth was One More Mile.  There was a shirt I wanted but again couldn’t find it in the style I was looking for.  Then another booth but it either focused on 26.2 or being a mom runner.

I’m neither of those things.

I got to the end and picked up my race packet which had nothing.  I had to look through it like twice just to make sure.  Just some ads for other races like Disney (because Disney doesn’t get nearly enough hype as it is) and a coupon for Cap City (that was nice!).  I headed over to show my bib for t-shirt pickup and was handed a bright pink technical tee.

Greeeaaaatttt.

The fellas?  Oh they got blue.  The marathoners?  Oh they got sleek black.  Us halfers that just happen to be girls?  Pink!  Because all girls just love pink, you know.

We walked back through the expo and found some cold weather gear for Scott.  Then I got my sweatshirt and we met up with Heather quick.

Then we were outties and off to run other errands for the day.

I walked away really disappointed.  Not only was there basically nothing going on, the half marathon seemed like it didn’t even exist.  Everyone and everything was focused on the full.  Hey, I get it, running a marathon is a big deal but running a half isn’t small potatoes.  13.1 miles is a long way too.

I realize how much of a Negative Nancy I sound but maybe my expectations were too high?  I just thought for as big as this race was and the fact that it is also a Boston Qualifying race, that this expo would be rocking.  I expected to be overwhelmed with stuff as opposed to being underwhelmed and a little frustrated.

Some day I’ll get a race packet full of goodies.  I’ll get a race shirt that is awesome. I’ll get to attend an expo that just blows my mind.

A girl can dream right?

2010 Columbus Marathon

I’m calling this The Race That Shouldn’t Have Been, because seriously everything that shouldn’t happen before a big race happened.

This is also a really long post, full of reflections, backstory, and recap.  I hope you stick around but I understand if you do not.

This was my first time running the Columbus Marathon and my second attempt.  For the record, I run halfs, I do not run fulls.  More on that in a future post, today we are focused on this race recap.

The Columbus Marathon is a full marathon and a half marathon.  This is also a qualifying marathon for those interested in trying to obtain the magical BQ.  For Columbus, Ohio, this race is A BIG DEAL.  There are a total of 15,000 participants and thousands of spectators and supporters.  Just think big.

I tried to run it last year but a previous injury kept me sidelined.

This year I was determined to run it.

Then Lori told me she was coming up to run it and that’s when I started getting excited!  Then I found out Heather was running it too, and I got even more excited!  Friends coming into town to race is full of awesome.

I was nervous about this race though.

I raced a half in May and kept my miles up through out the summer.  I was running 12 miles for my long runs but I was slightly less confident for this race.  I let my running slack a bit later in the summer and let my strength training slide considerably.

Scott and I have become so busy working on different projects that martial arts training has gone down the tubes as well.  While I had consistent long runs with no issue, my week day runs were short and nothing to write home about.  Long runs are good but week day runs are your bread and butter as a runner.  That’s where your conditioning and strength get developed and help you through your races.  With mine having gone down, I had some doubts.

My last long run before the race I ran really well and had no issues.  This gave me the confidence boost and let me know that I could run this race. My goal was to walk away injury free and with possibly another PR under my belt.  Would that happen with my decreased miles and training? Only way to find out was to suck it up and do it.

So begins the saga of The Race That Shouldn’t Have Been.

Indicator #1: Lori called me Friday night to tell me she wouldn’t be able to come up.  She had been battling a cold for some time which turned out to be bronchitis.  Then she caught something else on top of that!  Not racing was the best decision.  This bummed me out because I wanted to see her but I wouldn’t have run in her position either.  I totally understood.

Indicator #2: My race routine goes like this:

  • A week before the race, cut out all and any alcohol.
  • Eat as clean as possible.
  • Taper.
  • Stuff my face the night before the race.
  • Get plenty of rest.

The week leading up to this race, all of that went out the window.  I probably had a glass of this and a sip of that all week long except for Friday and Saturday night.  I did eat really clean so that’s a plus.  I tapered alright, so that’s a plus too.

Stuff my face and get plenty of rest?  Didn’t happen.

Saturday Scott and I headed over to the Expo to pick up my packet and to meet Heather quickly since she and family just got in town.  I had a huge bowl of oats for breakfast but never ate lunch.  I wasn’t hungry and then we were at the expo most of the afternoon so there was no chance to eat.  After the expo we went grocery shopping, after that was over, I finally started to get hungry.

This was dinner time.  Whoops!  I had dinner, then I had an apple, and then I had a pita with PB.  I hoped for the best that this would give me enough fuel to race.

I headed to bed early but slept like crap because I had big time butterflies.  Five AM came really quickly and when I woke up I was starving.

Not a good sign.

Normally, early in the morning, it’s all I can do to choke down some food.  Waking up starving? Trouble.  I had two large pieces of oatmeal bread with PB and honey.  I hoped I would be okay.

Indicator #3: I like to get to races with plenty of time for me to use the potty, Scott to take some prerace pictures, and me to line up at the start.

The plan for this race was to possibly meet up with Heather for some pictures and then line up for the start. I was going to try and catch up to her since I was in the corral behind her.  We didn’t leave for the race until late and the exit for downtown was all backed up along the highway.

I was going to be late.

I didn’t get to see Heather and there are no before the race pictures except for the one above as I’m trying to hurry to the start line.  The only upside is that I didn’t have to wait in line to use the potty only because every one else had started the race.

I started the race at the very back of the pack.

Indicator #4: I didn’t dress properly for the weather conditions.

I thought it was going to be cold, and then when I was outside for Rocky’s morning potty run it was warmer than I thought.  I knew once the sun fully came up it would be even warmer.  I decided to wear capris and a long sleeved shirt.  I brought a sweatshirt to wear to the race and after.

I went against my gut instinct telling me that downtown would be colder and windier.  I thought it would be alright.

Wrong.  I was freezing when I got downtown and it was very windy. My teeth were chattering uncontrollably.   I had to keep my sweatshirt with me because I was so cold.   I knew this would become problematic though because eventually I was going to have to fight with it.

(I’m in the white hat, fuschia top, black capris right behind this chick in the pink)

The first section of the race I was battling just trying to climb my way out of the back of the pack and get some leg room to be able to run my pace.  After about two miles in, I knew I had to ditch the sweatshirt.  I had to stop to tie it around my waist.  I didn’t zipper it first, just tied it and started running.

Then I had to stop AGAIN because the zipper kept smacking me in the leg.  Yeah I’m not about to put up with that for 13 miles, thanks.  I fixed it and was on my way.  If you know me, then you know I hate stopping when running.  It messes up my rhythm and takes me a while to recover.   I make exceptions for water breaks but that’s it.  Having to deal with a sweatshirt that I shouldn’t have been dealing with anyway was frustrating.

Trying to run out of a large pack of people who are all clustered together was also frustrating.  I bumped into and was bumped by so many people I eventually just got numb about it.  No use spending energy being upset right?  Focus on getting out of the pack.  Sometimes I could go in the middle but found that if I stayed to the far left, I could pass people a lot easier and have a lot less obstacles.

Bonus? Getting to high five some spectators!

I did alright but I never really got out of the pack or found my real pace.  I also never saw Heather.  I looked for her as I was coming up on people but never saw her.

Indicator #5: Scott is the planner in the family.  Even for my races.  I don’t even look at the course map.  I just go and everything is a surprise.  Scott pours over course maps, the alloted parking areas, plans the route to and from the race.  And tells me where we will meet up again during the race.

None of that happened for this race.  I knew nothing and didn’t even know if I would see him again.

I looked for him every time I saw a large crowd of spectators but I never thought I would find him since my main focus was, say it with me, breaking outta the pack.

But then I saw him, YaY!!  That was a great surprise!  He was between miles 8 and 9.  So you can see, even this far in the race I’m still trying to break free.

I did alright running wise.  Nothing was bothering me and only occasionally I would get a side stitch for a little bit.  This happened when I had to slow down my pace because I couldn’t get around and through groups of people.  Once I was able to up my pace again and get my breathing regulated I was alright.

I took many water breaks.  In the cooler weather when I run at home, I don’t take water or walk breaks.  So when I run a 2 hour 12 miler, that’s cause I’m not stopping.  With water breaks at races I know that’s going to affect my time some and I’m okay with that.  I didn’t expect to take as many water breaks as I did but I listened to my body and it’s needs.  I was already asking it to do something on low fuel, the least I could do was keep it hydrated, right?

The Columbus Marathon was great with their water stations, there was one what seemed like almost every mile but it I think it was actually at every other mile.  My only suggestion is not to use plastic cups for water because racers need to be able to pinch the cups so water doesn’t run down our faces.

There were bands and music along the entire course which helped keep us motivated, entertained, and moving.

The music and the spectators were the best parts.  The spectators were great giving lots of high fives, cheering, and sporting funny signs.

Around the mile 10 mark, I was very thankful there were only three miles left before I was done.  Because I was ready to BE DONE.

I was also starting to fad a bit and started to panic just a tad.  Because I had nothing on me.  No fuel because I don’t fuel during runs.  Longer than a half?  I would need to fuel but for a half I do not.  Because, you know, I fuel up well the day before.

Ahem.

I had no idea what I was going to do.  No way was I going to attempt a GU from an aid station because I had no idea how that would react on my stomach.  I assumed not well.  I didn’t want a Gatorade since it has HFCS and I don’t care for sports drinks in general but thought that might be my only choice by this point.

Then some amazing guy was standing on the side with a big plate of gummie bears for the runners.

Savior!

Gummie bears I’ve had before and used for fuel.  Gummie bears would not upset my stomach.  Gummie bears would get me through this race.

Next stop was a water station where I had some water and then headed home towards the finish.

When I saw the mile 12 marker, I trucked it.  I knew I had it in me to give it my all for the last mile and I busted out.

Then I hit it.  The huge hill that’s at the end of the half portion.  Okay, what?  I don’t know why, but this seems common here, to put big hills in at the end of the race.  This race already had it’s fair share of hills that I powered through like a champ.  But this one at mile 12?  I had to slow down a tad.

After that it was a straight down hill run to the finish.

I figured Scott was going to be in the crowd somewhere but I did not look for him.  No my focus was on finishing this dang race and salvaging what was left of what I hoped would be a PR.

I just ran.  And RAN to the finish.

I crossed the finish line at 2:19 which for half races is a new PR.  My previous race this May, I finished at 2:25.

The finishers corral was a bit of a clustermuck.  People getting their medals, stopping for pictures, and then people jamming up the lines for food.  I try not to get annoyed but you know how it goes.

I was tired, cold, and hungry.  I wanted to find my husband, stretch, and jet.  I had no idea how he was going to see me because it was crazy crowded.  I was going to find a spot to stretch and wait till he saw me.  It didn’t take that long though before we met up!  He tracked me from the finish line!

I ran over to that lamp post so I could stretch my calves out because that last hill killed them.  You can’t tell in the picture but my lips were blue because it was dang cold!  Also?  That’s my, “Can we blow this joint and go home now?” face.  Tuck that bit of knowledge away for future reference. You might need it some day.

Closing Thoughts:

Positive:

  • I’m glad that I ran this race and that I finished this race strong.  It makes the Columbus Marathon 13.1 sweatshirt (in men’s because Second Sole didn’t have stuff like that for women. Just pointing that out.) I bought for myself all the more rewarding.
  • Plenty of water stations and potty stations throughout the entire race.  If you are ever concerned about fuel or bathrooms, this is the race for you.
  • Spectators and the bands are fun! A nice constant motivation along the way.
  • Great race to run just for fun and to run with someone.

Other Thoughts:

  • It’s a BIG race with a lot of people.  I think if you’re really trying to set a new PR or possibly get a BQ, maybe this isn’t the best race for that.  It is just too crowded with runners the entire time.  I’ve spoken with Heather who started on time, she said she had the same problem that it was very congested the entire time.  There were even places were I almost had to walk because the road got narrow and everyone was trying to squeeze through.  You don’t want that during a race!
  • No hills at the end! Come on, coordinators cut us some slack.
  • Don’t cut the bananas in half, leave them whole.  Cut in half makes them harder to peel and leaves your hands all messy.

I have lots of other thoughts but this is already long enough as it is and took me ages to write!

Congrats to all the runners because everyone did an amazing job!  Hooray!

Event: Columbus Food and Wine Affair 2010

Scott and I are constantly learning more and more about Columbus and its fantastic food scene which makes me fall in love with Columbus a little more each day.  Many, I’m sure, would be surprised to learn that Columbus has a huge local foods scene.   As a newbie foodie and beginner local foods advocate, I am soaking up as much of the information and atmosphere that I can.

We learned about the Columbus Food and Wine Affair last year after the event already happened.  I stumbled upon a few recaps and then eventually the official website outlining what the event entailed and what the proceeds supported.  Scott and I were so bummed to have missed it and vowed that we would attend the following year.

Then it slipped our minds as the year went on but amazingly enough it came across my radar again.  We discussed whether or not to go and decided that it would definitely be an event that should not be missed.  I purchased tickets and could barely contain myself for the rest of the week.

In short, The Columbus Food and Wine Affair features local restaurants preparing some of their signature dishes along with many wine stations throughout where local wineries and local wine shops discuss wines while offering tastings.  The event is held at the Franklin Park Conservatory which is an 88 acre park in downtown Columbus that is a horticultural and educational institution.

Since Scott and I have only been to Franklin Park once before for an event, we took this as a chance to be able to see more of the grounds while experiencing some of Columbus’s best restaurants.  The tasting was from 6:30pm to 10:30pm and we arrived not knowing what to expect.

I was stunned and taken aback by how big the actual event was and how much there was to see and do.

We walked to the entrance, provided our tickets, were greeted with a wine glass and cocktail plate.  Then we proceeded onto the main event and tried to gather our bearings and form a plan of action.  This was the first section that we started in.  Being right at the beginning it was a little bit busy with squishy conditions but we were able to make our way around to get some food samples.

As I was snapping pictures of the food and of Scott, a lovely lady offered to take a picture of the both of us.

I’m going to do my best to show you some of the food that we nibbled on and who provided them.  Sadly, I can’t do the same for the wines because they were very hard to get pictures of and I didn’t want to hold up the line for the people waiting behind me.

Braised beef short rib on polenta with horseradish and pickled red onion from The Worthington Inn.  My favorite part was actually the pickled red onion, it was so good!  Scott and I have been to The Worthington Inn before and loved it.  I can’t wait to go back!

Lamb meatball Osso Bucco style from The Clarmont Restaurant.

With both of these dishes Scott and I sipped on red wines, both of us each had a different variety of cab.

Two kinds of shrimp in this post, first is BBQ Shrimp from Ruth’s Chris and in the back is Basil Marinated Jumbo Prawns from Bel Lago.

Ruth’s Chris also provided mini chocolate tarts that were rich and chocolaty. It melted on the tongue in a way that I can’t begin to describe.   I didn’t even share bites of this one!

Believe it or not, when going to any sort of tasting event in Columbus, one of the most popular things to appear is a take on shrimp and grits.  This version was from G. Michael’s and the grits were so garlicky that it was fantastic!

The Scallop Pomponette with sauce Bonne Femme from The Refectory.  Think along the lines of a scallop mousse.

Tilapia, Scallops, and Shrimp Ceviche from Cantina Laredo.  I admit that I am not the biggest ceviche fan but this was amazing!  By far the best ceviche I’ve had to date.

Then it was time for us to move down to the other tasting sections.  To give you an idea of how big this event actually was, the building that is behind us in the picture at the beginning also had food and various stations set up throughout its multiple levels and rooftop gardens.  Sadly we didn’t realize this until the very end as we were looking for restrooms and on our way home.  Then there were tastings just outside of the building (the Upper Terrace, where we started).  Then below that was the Lower Terrace.  Then farther down was the Grand Mallway (a large circular area) and then at the end (all the way to the very back of this picture), the Pergola.  The whole way lined with wine and food booths.

It is that big!

I never dreamed that Scott and I would be here for the entire evening but in fact we were.  It takes a while to get through all the tastings!  Since it was in the evening, and it was an overcast day, darkness started settling in quickly!  I took as many photos as I could when I had enough light but eventually it got to a point where I had to resign the camera to my purse.

From Smith & Wollensky,  brown butter scallops on a sauteed leek and mushroom sauce.

Basi had a smoked chicken strudel with a kind of cherry sauce on top.

Marcella’s in The Short North had house made goat cheese ravioli with pancetta and mushroom sauce.  I’m still dreaming about this ravioli!  I did let Scott have a bite but not much!  Alongside of that is a heirloom tomato salad that I inhaled.

You can see by this point that it was completely dark outside and I took these pictures by snagging a table next to a spotlight!  That was the best I got though and the rest of the evening we walked around mingling and grabbing more nibbles.

More food of note that we tried:

And that’s not even everything!  There were lots of places that we ended up missing or not seeing at all.  Scott and I split each tasting otherwise that would be a heck of a lot of food for one person!  When there were veggies offered, I tried to get my hands on some.  Events like these are high in protein and low on veggies so I really appreciated those restaurants that offered up salads and fresh veggie dishes!

Along with food there were so many things to see and experience.  This was an ice sculpture in the shape of a dragon and it was gorgeous.  There were also dance performances and chef demonstrations from some of the local restaurants.

At the very end of the tasting was a huge section that was nothing but desserts from the Columbus Culinary Institute.  So many things!  I kept my selections small since I’m not a huge dessert fan.  The best thing I had was a chocolate chip and hazelnut cookie.  Warm, gooey, and perfect!

There was a full moon that night and with the building all lit up in blue, it made for a fantastic view as we sat and ate dessert.  We had such a great time and talked about how happy we were that we decided to attend the event.  We’re already looking forward to more!

Thank you to Columbus Food and Wine Affair for putting together an amazing event!

Event: Food Blog Forum Atlanta Seminar 2010

Hi gang!  Are you ready for a BIG ole post?  Let’s do it!

As you know, I was away this past weekend attending the 2010 Food Blog Forum Atlanta Conference (Try this link, hopefully it still works).  Lori contacted me a couple months ago to let me know that this event was going on.  After some chatting with her and Scott, it was decided that it would be a great opportunity to learn how to improve my blog.  Lori and I decided that we would room together and then started planning our trip.

The great thing about this seminar being located in Atlanta was the fact that it was very close for those of us on the Eastern end of the States.  The majority of blogging conferences are on the West half of the states which is lovely if you live over there.  For those of us who don’t, a cross country flight is expensive and requires all day traveling.  Add on the cost of the seminar, hotel fees, and extra money for happy fun times, and you have a good chunk of change invested into what amounts to a very small amount of time.

This seminar in Atlanta was perfect!  They offered a great deal on hotel rooms and the seminar itself was not crazy expensive.  In fact it you got the early bird deal (which both Lori and I did) ticket price was less than $100.  I was able to score a round trip flight for under $200 and the flight itself was an hour for me.

Hooray!  Me and flying do not make the cutest couple so an hour flight is totally my style.

Putting all those positives together meant it would be silly to pass up this great opportunity.

I arrived in Atlanta around 2pm and Atlanta greeted me with hot sweaty open arms.  Going from 60 degrees to 90 with humidity almost melted my little body down to the ground.  I scheduled a ride to the hotel and arrived safe and sound.  The hotel was the Hyatt Place at Buckhead.  It was very lovely and the front desk staff were extremely friendly, hospitable, and helpful.  I took some quick pictures of the room.

Lori had not arrived yet, she was driving in and would be heading straight over to the cocktail party.  The plan was to hook up with her later in the evening.

After taking pictures, I immediately headed out to find some food because I was about to eat my right arm.  I totally forgot to use my phone to help me search and asked the front desk for suggestions.  They had food there but it wasn’t anything I was interested in, so I headed right across the street to Gordon Biersch for a salad and veggies.  I called Scott and chatted with him while I stuffed my face.  I was also looking to fuel up before heading out to the first meet ‘n greet.

I got dressed and was ready for the first event!  This is the best picture I took of my little fancy pants outfit.

One of the downsides to the seminar was that the events were not very close to the hotel in terms of being able to walk there.  You either needed to have a car or know someone who did.    Since Lori wasn’t there yet, this left me looking for a ride.  Thankfully, Monica from Sweet Bites was driving over and she offered to give me a lift.  Bonus was that her room was right across from my room!  I chatted with her briefly after my lunch and we decided to head over to the event around 6pm.  This would give us a chance to rest and shower before needing to head back out.

Friday Night’s cocktail party was held at The Viking Store a few miles down from the hotel.  I know Viking from the high quality ranges and fridges that they produce.  This store was filled with all kinds of great kitchen accessories, gadgets, and also a line of the Viking appliances.  Nestled in among all the stock was cocktails and nibbles.  There were amazing cheese tables set up all around the store that had cheese, crackers, bread, and fruits.  Along with wines, pop, and mineral water for beverages.  I had some cheese (who’s passing up cheese?!), crackers, and some wine.  Then I started looking around the store trying not to drool over all the different kinds of ranges and fridges.

Someday my Prince will build me the kitchen of my dreams.  Or so he tells me. ;)

There was also a pasta station where handmade pasta with herbs and chives was being made and topped with a mushroom sauce.  I had a small plate of it and it was amazing!  The mushroom sauce was not overpowering at all and the pasta was tender and fresh.  I chatted with the chef who was making the pasta and she informed me that this store was also a cooking school.  People can sign up for classes and they offer all different styles of classes all year long.  If you are in the Atlanta area and are looking for some interesting cooking classes, check out The Viking Store on Peachtree!

Then I stumbled onto some desserts!  I spied some fruit and I definitely needed to up my fruit portion for the day.  What did they have?

Oh my! Peaches, strawberries, and bananas?!  I’m in!

I had peaches on top of shortbread with basil whipped cream.  I asked the gentleman who was manning the desserts, that if I asked him nicely, could I have extra peaches?  Seeing as how I’ve never been to Georgia before, getting the full experience of some Georgia Peaches would be wonderful.

I was rewarded with extra peaches! Fruit quotient for the day fulfilled!  Also? The dessert was amazing and so were the peaches!

Then we were all invited in to watch a cooking demo put on by a local chef and restaurant owner.  He featured my favorite white meat, pork!  Joyous!

Sadly, I do not have any pictures of my food but please know it was delish!  He showed us two ways to cook pork belly.  First up was curing your own bacon.  He explained the process, how long it took, and what you could do with it once you had bacon.  He cooked bacon bites in a maple sriracha sauce paired with a watermelon bite.  It was spicy sweet and tasty.  Next up was roasted pork belly that he turned into tacos with homemade hoisin sauce.  Mmmmm!

The demo let out and I headed out to find some water and to see if Lori arrived.  She did!  I chatted with her and Melissa for a bit while they had some munchies and then we decided to head back to the hotel.

Lori dropped off her stuff and demanded a beer.  I could not argue with her so off we went.

Back across the street for some brews.  Sorry for the flash pic but it was night and we were outside on the patio so I decided it was alright.  I had the Swartz-something which is a dark beer close to a stout but not quite as heavy as a stout.  Lori had the Hefeweizen.  We chatted for a bit then headed back over to the hotel to try and get a decent night’s sleep before the conference.

It wasn’t happening.  Neither of us slept well and there was a lot of yelling and carrying-on that happened in our hallway during the late night and early morning.  It was like being back in college again.  Yikes!  It didn’t seem like many people slept well so we were all a bit bleary eyed for the seminar.

We arrived at The Shed which is a bistro style restaurant. They had coffee, tea, and some breakfast munchies waiting for the attendees.  Everyone nibbled and chatted for a bit, then it was time to start the seminar!

The seminar was an all-day event jam packed with great speakers and great advice.  This was my first time getting a chance to hear Steamy Kitchen and White on Rice Couple speak about their blogs and their passion. There were also a few panel discussions and a small talk from a local photography shop.

The first half of the seminar was live streamed, did any of you get to watch it?

I learned so much from this seminar!  Things from how to better match my blog to my vision to learning about lighting for better photography.  I would love to be able to give you a run down of everything but that would take up an entire post just by itself!  It was so much information and a ton of great advice.  All of the speakers were friendly and very open to sharing their knowledge and skills.  I can’t even put into words how to adequately discuss the amount of knowledge that was shared and devoured by those of us attending.

My only complaint was that the venue was a bit squishy and there were no tables so it was hard to write, tweet, eat, and take pictures all at the same time.

Many breaks were offered during the day which was much needed for us to stretch our legs and take a moment to stand up and walk around.

A light lunch was served.

I went the veggie route with a tomato and goat cheese slider, pasta salad, and a deviled egg.  The slider was amazing!  I went back in for another one and they were all gone.  Boo, I was so bummed out!  I should have taken two the first time around.

After lunch the majority of the second half of the day was photo sessions by White on Rice Couple, Diane and Todd.  They take amazing photos and they also mentioned that they DO NOT use Photoshop.  I along with several others were happy to hear this!  I have no desire to learn Photoshop.  If I did, it would only be to possibly add a watermark or a title to my picture, that’s it.  When I take a picture, I do two things, I sharpen it, and sometimes I adjust the contrast just a tad.  Done.  I want my pictures and food to speak for themselves and by doing a ton of stuff in Photoshop, I feel that makes the picture less authentic.  I was very happy to know that awesome pictures can be achieved without a program.

Once the day was over, we were all pretty exhausted.  There was one last event to attend, and that was the farewell cocktail party at The Spice Market.  It was a trendy little bistro bar featuring Asian style dishes.  I don’t have any pictures because it was an extremely dark space and my little point and shoot can’t handle that kind of atmosphere.  Plus this was not an appropriate time for flash!

We were treated to a signature drink and some finger foods.  The best of the night were the flax chips made with lentil flour with a spicy tomato jam for dipping.  I asked one of the servers the name of the dipping sauce but the music was loud and it was hard to hear what he said.  It was thick and rich with a hint of curry and a sweet finish.  It was amazing and I would have kept eating it if I didn’t force myself to stop!

We said our goodbyes and made our way to get some dinner.  It was nice to sit down, be served, and chat with some other attendees.

Then we headed back to the hotel for a night of rest before traveling back home.  I snapped some quick pics of the swag bags that were offered, there were two of them!

This bag had a cookbook and lots of different kinds of handy kitchen gadgets.

This bag had lots of goodies like food and more kitchen gadgets!  Fun!

Hands-down this event was amazing and one of the best food blog related seminars that are out there.  There is so much information and knowledge to be learned and the best part is that everyone is willing to share that.  Everybody was so nice and you felt a genuine warmth from this little group of speakers and attendees.

Some of the negatives were that the events were a bit far from the hotel and the main seminar had squishy conditions.  Otherwise it was perfect!

I highly encourage you to attend one of these events if you can.  What can you expect from attending:

  • Learning how to make your blog and your vision mirror each other.
  • How to set up a food photo and learn how to work with the environment you have.
  • How to interact with PR agencies so that everyone wins.
  • How to make your blog standout.

Great information that everyone will benefit from!

Thanks again to Steamy Kitchen and White on Rice Couple for agreeing to put on an amazing event! A Giant Thank You to Bunky Cooks for suggesting Atlanta and for coordinating all the events and giveaways.  It was a fantastic time and I would love to attend another!

Have you ever been to a food blogging conference and what did you think of it?  This was my second one and I enjoyed this a lot more than the first one.

Back home!

Hi my pretties!  I am back home from the conference and trying to get caught up on work and life! I had an amazing time and learned so much that will help me with my blog and the direction I want to take it.  I got to meet many lovely people and got to catch up with my best bud, Lori.  Although we definitely needed more time to catch up!

We were spoiled with great food and amazingly informative talks the entire weekend.  It was a whirlwind and I’m still exhausted after 10 hours of sleeping but it was all worth it and I would love the chance to be able to do it again.

I will do a more in-depth recap post for you tomorrow but wanted to take this time to thank all my guest posters who took the time to write amazing articles for you all while I was away socializing and learning.

A HUGE Thanks to:

Brandi from Bran Appetit

Amanda from Two Boos Who Eat

Angela from Pretty in Orange

Bob my Twitter bud

Christie from Honoring Health

And Sarah from See Sarah Eat

If you haven’t yet, take a minute to check out their blogs and Twitter because they are all fantastic!

Now I’m going to go and try to get reorganized so I can be ready to tackle this week!  Look for the recap tomorrow friends!

Relations between bloggers and PR reps, let’s discuss

Wanna Chat? I do!

I was contacted by the Central Ohio PRSA group asking if I would participate in a panel discussion on the relationships between bloggers and PR reps.  The good, the bad, and the ugly.  The panel is part of a half day seminar focusing on that topic specifically.

As bloggers, most of us have had interactions with PRs who are contacting us on behalf of XYZ company for ABC reason.  We may have had excellent experiences and we may have had some not so excellent experiences.

Perhaps we’ve had both?

The goal of this seminar and the panel discussion is to help PR reps better communicate with bloggers and to form better relationships with bloggers.

I have some topics already that I hope to discuss at the panel including email solicitations, follow-up, and product delivery.

There was a brief discussion with some blogger friends of mine about some unfortunate interactions with PR reps and how frustrating that can be for a blogger.  Some of those interactions include having a PR rep contact you only to turn around and take away the offer.  That’s fun!

So friends, I want to know what are your praises and what are your frustrations with PR reps?  This does not mean bashing a specific person, company, or firm.  It just means, what have they done that surprised you, provided for a good working relationship, or frustrated you?

As bloggers we have a lot to offer in terms of feedback and I would like to hear your thoughts so I can provide as much information as possible at this event.  Let’s discuss!

Event: Attending The Taste of Hilliard

This past Tuesday was the First Annual Taste of Hilliard and Business Expo put together by The Hilliard Chamber of Commerce.  Local restaurants and businesses gathered in historic downtown Hilliard at The Makoy Center to show off their services and to give you just a bite of what is around your neighborhood.

There were so many vendors that both of the rooms at The Makoy Center were needed! Everything ranging from local taverns, to insurance companies, to golf courses, to breakfast spots.

Scott and I were running a little bit late so we didn’t get a chance to get in as early as we would have liked to chat with vendors but we were amongst the first to arrive at what is bound to develop into a great Hilliard event.

Attendees not only got to sample food and talk with business owners, but there were also loads of door prizes given out every half hour or so.  Fun all around!

We wandered around taking in all the sights and booths before making stops to pick up information or samples of food.  The set-up was such that food vendors lined the outside perimeter and business vendors were on the inside.  This was great because it gave you enough space to move around and not risk spilling food or drinks.

The first room we explored was The Emerald Room.

Lots of great information and samples here!  Being a food blogger, you know that was my main focus.  To save time, I’ll show you just a few of the many samples that were offered.

The Olive Tree Cafe was there with three samples from their menu.

There was a chicken dish with peppers, hummus, and a warm pita triangle.  There was also Israeli salad, and warm rice pudding.  I thought the rice pudding was fantastic! Warm, creamy, and slightly sweet with little gems of golden raisins sprinkled throughout.

Heritage Golf Club were giving out samples but I’m not sure if these were from their catering menu or from The Grill Room menu.  The Grill Room being the restaurant attached to the clubhouse.

First up was an appetizer of bruschetta which had a layer of white sauce on the bread topped with marinaded tomatoes, shaved parm, and drizzled with balsamic.  It was good but had a lot of flavors going on at once sort of competing with each other.

The second dish was sautéed scallops with what I think might have been a lemon butter sauce and served atop creamed corn.  The scallops were perfectly cooked and the sauce had a powerful tart bite to it.  I loved the scallops and Scott really enjoyed the sauce on top.

On to The Burgundy room!

We came across a local Italian Bistro called Salvi’s.  We were handed some of the bite size Pasta Salvi to try.  It’s egg noodle lasagna with cream sauce, rolled in bread crumbs and then fried.  Sort of the Italian twist on fried mac ‘n cheese.  I think this was the judge’s favorite for appetizer that evening!

Then Scott and I spotted an establishment we have been to on a few occasions.

Louie’s Fusion Grill which focuses on putting together dishes with Mexican and Cuban influences.  They had two dishes they were serving up.

Something similar to a spicy mac ‘n cheese loaded down with chicken and sausage.  Next up was a beef brisket dish that was spicy and had some veggies mixed in with it as well.

Scott and I had a lovely time nibbling, checking out vendors, and talking with other attendees.  Inside sources tell me that there are talks of next year’s Taste already!  Lots of great feedback from the vendors and over 700 people attended.  That is an amazing turnout for a first time event!

A big THANK YOU to Libby Gierach, President of The Hilliard Chamber of Commerce for putting together a fabulous event showcasing the great things that Hilliard has to offer its residents.

Event: Slow Food Columbus Tomato Sauce Canning Class

This past Wednesday, I had the pleasure of attending a tomato sauce canning class that was put on by Slow Food Columbus.  The class was taught by Rachel of Hounds in the Kitchen.

To give a brief description of who these folks are, Slow Food is a movement that started in 1989.  It’s goal is to get people to not only start cooking for themselves, but to support local suppliers, AND take the time to get to know who the folks are behind your local farms and businesses.  It’s a movement to counteract the idea of fast food and to help educate people on where food comes from and how to purchase and eat responsibly.  Most places across the US have a Slow Food chapter in their area!  If you are interested, take a look at the website to see where your local chapter is located.

Rachel, runs what she calls her Urban Homestead.  Rachel, along with her husband and their daughter, grow the majority of their own produce and herbs, they can a lot of sauces, and they just started raising chickens.  She is doing what I hope to be doing over the next several years.  I just need to learn!  And taking a canning class is a start in the right direction.

I was so excited when I found out about this class because I honestly have been wanting to learn how to can for quite sometime.  I know that my grandmother used to can along with the majority of my elder relatives.  I want to be able to do that too!  I fully feel that canning is a handy skill to have.  Not only will you be preserving foods that you made, but you are also cutting grocery costs and being environmentally friendly.   Other than Rachel, I don’t know anyone who cans so I didn’t really have a way to learn until now.

The class was held at The Dispatch Kitchen located on the second floor of The North Market.  For non-locals, The Dispatch is the local paper and The North Market is a huge market containing local vendors.  Here you can buy everything from produce, to meats, to popcorn.  Literally a one-stop-shop for all your shopping needs. I was drooling over the fridge with French style doors!

The Dispatch Test Kitchen is equipped for filming purposes, as you can see by the huge lights at the top.  I was more interested in the huge beam!  I love that wooden beam!  It was totally gorgeous and rustic.

Rachel went over the process of canning with us, everything from starting the sauce to the actual canning part.  Everybody in the class got to come up and can their own jar!  We pulled it out of the water bath, filled the jar, put the lid on, and then set it back in the water bath to cook and sterilize.  The jar sizes were pints, and the cooking time once all the jars were back in the pot was 35 minutes.

I learned so much about canning!  Stuff I never realized and stuff that I didn’t take into consideration.  For example, flavors and herbs intensify the longer something sits.  So it’s best not to supercharge a sauce with a ton of flavor right from the start because a few months later when you open it up, it might be way more intense than you want.  It’s best to be basic and simple, then doctor the sauce up when you use it.

Also, not all varieties of tomatoes have the same acidity level.  The lighter color ones, like the orange ones, have less acidity than say, a huge red variety.  And that San Marzanos actually have the least acidity of the red tomatoes!

Admittedly the idea of canning has me both excited and nervous.  I really, really, really, want to be able to can my own things.  This is what I was excited about learning!  However Rachel explained the idea of acidity and that in order for something to be can-able, it must have a certain level of acidity to it.  She suggested following a recipe that has been researched and studied several times (like the ones you would find on the Ball website) because they are going to be the most successful.  That creating a recipe up on the fly might not be the wisest choice.

This sort of bummed me out a bit.  I am the worst at following a recipe.  I always want to add my own spin to things, but adjusting the seasoning and ingredients will then adjust the acidity level.

EEP!

Acidity levels weren’t something that was even on my canning obstacle radar.  Now I’m wondering if I would be able to can my salsas and sauce?  I’m not sure what their acidity level is and I’m not sure how to find out.  My best option, I think, is to research everything first and go from there.  I will can something though, I am determined!

If you are interested in canning, Rachel is currently doing a canning series on her site which is filled with loads of information.  We were also told that most of the vendors at the local farmer’s markets will hook you up with multiple pounds of tomatoes if you just ask them and give them enough notice.  Also, The Greener Grocer, located in The North Market will gladly work with you on getting as many tomatoes as you need for your canning purposes.

Do you can?  If you do, what kind of things do you can?  If you don’t can, are you interested learning or is it something you have no desire to do? :)

Upcoming Event: Taste of Hilliard

One thing that I love about Columbus and it’s surrounding towns, is how much support is shown towards local restaurants.  One huge way that Columbus and surrounding areas do this is by hosting “Taste of” events.

This type of event is open to the public and depending on the size of the event will also determine the ticket price.  “Taste Of” events focus on local restaurants, diners, and shops.  It gives a chance for these places to set up a booth and provide samples of items from their menus so that the residents can get to experience what they have to offer.  It also gives everyone a chance to become more familiar with what is located right in their very own area.  Sometimes you’ll come across a place that you didn’t even know existed because maybe you haven’t been down that road before.

It’s a great opportunity for local businesses to connect with their customers.  Not only do you get a chance to taste some yummy food but you also get a chance to chat with the owners and possibly the chefs.  That is the best part!

Next week The Hilliard Chamber of Commerce is putting on it’s first ever Taste of Hilliard event in conjunction with a business expo so that locals can not only learn about the restaurants in their area but also local businesses as well!

Here’s the details for next week’s event:

WHAT: Taste of Hilliard and Business Expo

WHEN: Tuesday, August 17th, 4:30pm-7:30pm

WHERE: The Makoy Center, 5462 N. Center Street, Hilliard, OH

COST: Tickets are only $10 at the door!

Also, because I have inside resources I can give you a little more info about this event. ;)

There will be local guest celebrity judges for the food portion of the event to judge on three different categories.

There will also be People’s Choice Awards for: Best Appetizer, Best Entree, and Best Dessert.

Twenty restaurants in attendance to temp you with yummy treats!  And there will be 50 local businesses ready to tell you all about what you can find around your local neighborhood!

Head on out next Tuesday to see what is going on in Hilliard!