Conference Posts

BlogHer Conferences Weekly Update - - May 25, 2012

Lori Luna — Fri, 25 May 2012 19:15:21 +0000

Happy weekend friends! And for our US friends, we hope you enjoy a long weekend in honor of Memorial Day. There is lots to share, so I am going to jump in.

First and foremost - - BlogHer Food '12 in Seattle is SOLD OUT! If you did not get a ticket, you can check the Community Forum for folks who need to sell their tickets. We're happy to swap tickets for those of you looking to buy and sell. You can also find roommates here and so much more. Speaking of BlogHer Food '12, we've had another busy week of preparing you for the conference -- check it out:

Jenna chatted up more of our speakers for the conference and this time she wanted to know, "What's something you have learned at a previous BlogHer Food conference?" Once again she learned some really cool things.

Sean Timberlake of Hedonia and Punk Domestics will be emceeing on Day Two in a fun-filled session of Food Techniques from the Pros. His tip:

...One of the best takeaways was that, when shooting things like stews, which tend to come off as a goopy brown mess, steam some of your vegetables separately, and add them in at the last minute so they pop against the darker, muddier color of the stew. This is a technique I've used many times since then.

Andrew Wilder of Eating Rules and Blog Tutor will be speaking on Day One during the vocation track, Vocation: Get to Know Your Blog's Guts and Take Control of Your Blogging Destiny. His takeaway from previous BlogHer Food conferences might calm our new attendees a little bit.

I've learned that if you're friendly and outgoing, you can meet fabulous people and make new friends, and you never know where a friendship is going to take you. So don't be shy, get out there and introduce yourself! Also, wear comfy shoes. Seriously.

PS: He's spot on with the shoe recommendation.

Click here to read he rest of Jenna's post.

But that is not all! Polly wrote a two-part post on the fabulous authors who will be at the conference in Seattle.

Post one is here and post two is here. I will say these are substantive posts with pretty pictures -- don't miss out!

And now a few BlogHer Food '12 reminders:

Check the conference guide and start preparing your days with us in Seattle
Have you made travel accommodation to and from the airport? Jennifer has a great suggestion.
Again, if you need a roommate or need to buy/sell a ticket, check out the community forum

Now onto fabulous post about being a *newbie* at a BlogHer conference.

In this post, Shannon outlines some of her experiences and tips while at BlogHer '12, some include:

When to arrive
Should you bring business cards?
Stepping out of your comfort zone
And so much more

I still have more!

HealthMinder Day

HealthMinder Day is designed to be a day of inspiration, education, and connection. Specifically, it is a full, multi-track adjunct day happening Thursday, August 2nd, before BlogHer '12. The day will focus on expert information and looking at the latest tools, services, sources, and products for taking care of yourself and your loved ones. And for sharing with your online communities.

Register today and start your conference experience a day early. Note: HealthMinder Day requires separate registration.

Pathfinder Day

Pathfinder Day was created to to help answer an ongoing, consistent question that we, as bloggers, often face: Where do I go from here? This question and so many more, can be addressed (and answered) on Thursday, August 2nd -- register today and take that next step in the right direction.

Pathfinder Day runs concurrent to HealthMinder day and also requires separate registration.

Reminders for BlogHer '12 in NYC:

Book your hotel room
Reserve a spot for your child in our childcare facility
Grab your blog bling
Add your name to the attendee list
Check out the parties!

I think that's it for now.

Until next time...

Lori Luna
vp, event operations

BlogHer Food '12 Community Forum

What Did You Learn at a Previous BlogHer Food Conference?

JennaHatfield — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:53:07 +0000

In two weeks, food bloggers and lovers from all over will gather in Seattle for BlogHer Food '12. It's hard to believe it's really almost here! The excitement is continuing to build among our attendees and speakers, and we're getting excited right along with you. This week, for our bite-sized interview question with some of our speakers, I decided to ask a question that might be in the minds of people who have never attended a BlogHer Food conference before:

What's something you have learned at a previous BlogHer Food conference?

I know when I'm about to attend a new conference, I always wonder if there will be a good takeaway for me, if it will be relevant to who I am and where I am. I loved asking two separate speakers because I got two separate answer from different points-of-view as to what qualifies as a good takeaway from a conference.

Their answers are unique and encouraging.

Sean Timberlake of Hedonia and Punk Domestics will be emceeing on Day Two in a fun-filled session of Food Techniques from the Pros. His tip taught me something I didn't know either since I wasn't there, which is why it's always great to ask past attendees what they learned!

I've been at every BlogHer Food conference, and have managed to take away many great learnings from each of them. One of my favorites was at BlogHer Food '10 in San Francisco, where I live-blogged a session on food styling. One of the best takeaways was that, when shooting things like stews, which tend to come off as a goopy brown mess, steam some of your vegetables separately, and add them in at the last minute so they pop against the darker, muddier color of the stew. This is a technique I've used many times since then.

Photo by Justin Hackworth from our Food Styling Session in 2010.

Now I want to go make some stew and photograph it! Between now and the conference, you can follow Sean on Twitter via @punkdomestics or @Hedonia on Twitter.

Andrew Wilder of Eating Rules and Blog Tutor will be speaking on Day One during the vocation track, Vocation: Get to Know Your Blog's Guts and Take Control of Your Blogging Destiny. His takeaway from previous BlogHer Food conferences might calm our new attendees a little bit.

I've learned that if you're friendly and outgoing, you can meet fabulous people and make new friends, and you never know where a friendship is going to take you. So don't be shy, get out there and introduce yourself! Also, wear comfy shoes. Seriously.

No really. Comfy shoes are a must. Here's another tip: To get to know more about your blog's guts before BlogHer Food, follow @blogtutor on Twitter.

As you can see from Sean and Andrew's answers, you might learn something technical and helpful or you might make great, lifelong friends. Probably both, and a lot of everything in between.

With the conference only two weeks away, I am sad to announce that this is our last speaker interview post. Next week, I'll be bringing you the best from Twitter buzz about #blogherfood/#blogherfood12. The following week, I'll be rounding up some great pre-conference posts from the blogosphere, so be sure to write in your space about what you're excited to do/see/eat/hear/experience at BlogHer Food '12! I hope you've enjoyed these little bite-sized interview, and look for more as we gear up for BlogHer '12 in NYC!

(Don't forget: You can still register to attend BlogHer Food '12. Go get your ticket!)

Family & Events Section Editor Jenna Hatfield (@FireMom) blogs at Stop, Drop and Blog and The Chronicles of Munchkin Land. She is an editor, writer and photographer.

Conference Corner: Tips for BlogHer First-Time Attendees (Newbies)

mrlady — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:00:59 +0000

With two weeks left until BlogHer Food in Seattle and just ten short weeks *gasp* until BlogHer '12 in New York, the pre-conference jitters are starting to set in across the internet. Whether it's your first BlogHer Event this year or your eighth, we are all united by one thing... we all, always, feel like a #BlogHer12Newbie.

I remember how nervous I was walking into my first BlogHer, back in '08. I'd never been to a conference that didn't require wearing pointy rubber ears before, and I'd never been to San Francisco before in my life, either. I had absolutely no idea what to expect -- from any of it -- and yet and still, three days later I walked out of that conference with friends I will have for the rest of my life, the inspiration I needed to take my blog to an entirely new level, and a really, truly horrible hangover.

Bygones.

I know that over the coming weeks, a lot of people are going to be writing posts with tips for BlogHer Newbies, and I would love to officially kick off BlogHer Newbie Season with my very own list of things of personal BlogHer must-dos. And then I'd love to hear your questions, or tips, in the comments!

1. Come on Wednesday night, if you can. This isn't such a revolutionary idea now, with a full day of pre-conference events on Thursday, but even if you don't attend Pathfinder Day or HealthMinder Day, coming on Wednesday gives you an extra, low-key night to ease yourself into the conference. With the smaller crowd comes the opportunity to spend some quality time with the people you're most excited to see.

Worth the price of admission, right there.

2. Step out of your comfort zone. Those people you most want to see? Don't spend your whole weekend with them. Mingle at the parties, sit with strangers during panel sessions, join a Birds of a Feather lunch you aren't entirely sure you belong to, talk to the lady in the bathroom stall who is too nervous to go out to the party. You won't remember everyone you meet after the conference, but you're almost guaranteed to make a whole lot of new on and offline friends.

Best people I ever met in a stall. Photo credit Jenny Lawson.

3. Bring business cards. Yes, you. Bring them. Your blog isn't too small and yes, you are cool enough. You don't need a designer or a clever tagline; you just need something with your name, your email address, your blog URL and your Twitter handle on it. It can be clever, it can be dry, just make sure it is. People will ask you for it.

My actual business card. It comes in handy.

4. Be present, and available for opportunity. There is a ton of professional opportunity to be had at BlogHer events. Being at the right place (the conference) at the right time (during conference hours) can land you an interview with a major news network (that happened to me!) or a new writing gig, or new professional contacts. Being present is the single best way to have an amazing conference experience.

I scored the interview of the year!

5. Attend at least one panel each day that you have absolutely no reason to attend. I tell everyone going to their first BlogHer to find a panel that they don't blog about, with speakers they've never heard of, and sit in it. Do that each day, at least once. There is no greater way to stretch your blogging wings, get new ideas, find inspiration to try new things, and grow as a blogger. Some of the most amazing experiences I've had at BlogHer conferences have been in panel discussions I had no previous knowledge of.

Bloggers are awesome. Go meet them.

6. Pick one night to let your hair down, and keep it up the rest of the time. Three nights + no kids/partner/cats/job = someone bumps into you an year later and says, "We totally met before; I held you hair back for you while you puked in the toilet!" Remember: What happens at BlogHer is caught on 4,500 iPhones and Flip cameras. Have a good time -- heck, have a great time, but have a great time you'll remember the next morning. I pick one night to be absolutely silly, and the rest of the time I use for networking, making connections, having wonderful conversations, and *almost* getting nabbed on camera with my old friends.

Pleading the 5th.

7. Go to the keynotes. I am terrible at this one. I always pack so much into my nights that I have to choose between going to the keynotes and putting on some fresh makeup and cute shoes. My advice? Plan your nights to start a little later. There is plenty of time scheduled at each BlogHer party to allow you to run back up to your room and freshen up. Don't take time out of the keynotes; they're some of the most informative and inspirational parts of the conference.

BlogHer '09 Community Keynote. There were so many tears.

8. Write about your experience before, and after, the conference. We're bloggers, right? Blog about your anxiety and excitement before you go, and blog about your experience when you come home! Not only is it a great way for you to keep your post-conference buzz alive for months, even years after, it's a wonderful gift to give your readers who haven't attended yet. You'll make it a little easier for the next person who's trying to work up the courage to buy their first conference pass next year.

My first post-BlogHer conference post is here, and it makes me all teary-eyed every time I read it.

9. Don't hold yourself to too much of a structure over the weekend. Go with the flow, see how things play out, and don't let yourself get worked up about what you think you should be doing, or who you think you should be hanging out with, or what you think you should have worn. Do it your way, and it will be awesome. Example? I'm ending this list right here, at nine points. Why? Because it feels like the right thing to do. That's a good enough reason for me.

Now, tell me, what are your favorite #BHNewbie tips? I'd love to hear your suggestions, or your questions. If you're so inclined, I'd love for you to write your own #BHNewbie post on your own blog, or right here on BlogHer.com, and leave me the link in the comments!

Shannon {and/or} Mr Lady
BlogHer Conference Programming Manager
BlogHer | Twitter | Personal Blog | Babble Blog

BlogHer Food Speakers: Authors and Their Books, Part Two

Polly Pagenhart — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Yesterday we brought you a Baker's Dozen of BlogHer Food speakers and their published books. Today we're bringing you another dozen -- 12 great speakers and their numerous works. You might not be able to read all of these books and make all of the amazing recipes in the cookbooks before BlogHer Food '12, but you do have time to grab a few. If you don't have time before the conference, there are a number of booksellers near the Fairmont Olympic hotel in Seattle.

Remember, these are just the books that our speakers have authored, co-authored or photographed. These amazing writers and photographers have also contributed to an even larger number of published works over the years, so be sure to look for more of their hard work if you have time!

Without further wait, we present the second round of our speakers' books, starting with the letter N!:

Michael Natkin's Herbivoracious: A Flavor Revolution with 150 Vibrant and Original Vegetarian Recipes is a Harvard Common Press publication this year. He'll be talking about How Cookbook Photography Differs from Blog Photography on Friday afternoon from 1:30 - 2:45pm.

Paulette Phlipot photographed Ripe: A Fresh, Colorful Approach to Fruits and Vegetables, out from Running Press this year; her A Taste of Wyoming: Favorite Recipes from the Cowboy State was published by Farcountry Press in 2008. Find Paulette on Saturday morning, 10:45am - 12:00pm, talking Behind the Jacket: The Collaborative Process behind Publishing a Cookbook.

Hank Shaw's Hunt, Gather, Cook: Finding the Forgotten Feast came out from Rodale last year. Hank will be talking about Bootstrapping a Book Tour on Saturday afternoon from 2:30 - 3:45pm.

Cheryl Sternman Rule authored Ripe: A Fresh, Colorful Approach to Fruits and Vegetables, Running Press, 2012. She'll be talking on Saturday morning, 10:45am - 12:00pm, about what goes on Behind the Jacket: The Collaborative Process behind Publishing a Cookbook.

Halley Suitt Tucker's e-book Does This Start-up Make Me Look Fat? was released by Amazon Digital Services last year. She'll be talking on Saturday morning, 10:45am - 12:00pm, on the panel Behind the Jacket: The Collaborative Process behind Publishing a Cookbook.

Kim Sunee's Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love, and the Search for Home came out from Grand Central Publishing in 2008. She'll close the conference being interviewed on stage by Lisa Stone, Saturday from 4:45 - 5:45pm.

Bryant Terry's most recent book is The Inspired Vegan: Seasonal Ingredients, Creative Recipes, Mouthwatering Menus (Da Capo, 2012); Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy, and Creative African-American Cuisine was published by Da Capo in 2009, and Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen, which he co-authored with Anna Lappé, was published by Penguin/Tarcher in 2006. Bryant will be talking onstage with Terry Walters and Elisa Camahort Page on Friday from 4:30 - 5:30pm about The Intersection of Great Food, Good Health, and Social Justice.

Julie Tilsner's Mommy Yoga: The 50 Stretches of Motherhood came out in 2005 from Celestial Arts in 2005; in 2001 she published Planet Parenthood: The Funny, Helpful, Absolutely Essential Survivor's Guide to a Strange New World (Bantam) and Attack of the Toddlers! : Further Adventures on Planet Parenthood (McGraw-Hill). On Saturday afternoon from 2:30 - 3:45pm she'll be Making the Most of Kitchen Mishaps; Embracing Imperfection.

Terry Walters' Clean Start: Inspiring You to Eat Clean and Live Well with 100 New Clean Food Recipes came out from Sterling Epicure in 2010. Its predecessor, Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source with More than 200 Recipes for a Healthy and Sustainable You, was published by Sterling in 2009. Terry will be onstage with Terry Walters and Elisa Camahort Page on Friday from 4:30 - 5:30pm about The Intersection of Great Food, Good Health, and Social Justice.

Tara Austen Weaver published her e-book Tales from High Mountain: Stories and Recipes from a Life in Japan, Part I with Amazon Digital Services in 2011; The Butcher and the Vegetarian: One Woman's Romp Through a World of Men, Meat, and Moral Crisis was published by Rodale in 2010; she also edited the Traveler's Tales Provence (2003) and Tuscany (2001) books for Traveler's Tales. Tara will be helping attendees learn how to Build a Career in Food: Beyond Blog Monetization on Friday afternoon, from 3:00 - 4:15pm.

Joy Wilson's Joy the Baker Cookbook: 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes is out from Hyperion this year. On Saturday afternoon from 2:30 - 3:45pm she'll be talking about Making the Most of Kitchen Mishaps; Embracing Imperfection.

Molly Wizenberg published A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table with Simon & Schuster in 2010. Find Molly on Saturday morning from 10:45 - 12:00pm talking about Food Bloggers as Storytellers.

Wow. That's a lot of books! It's also a lot of awesome talent, which we are beyond pleased to be bringing to you at BlogHer Food next month in Seattle. If you haven't yet registered, there's still time -- but you should register soon to assure you get to witness all of these awesome speakers do their thing on stage.

BlogHer Food Speakers: Authors and Their Books, Part One

Polly Pagenhart — Tue, 22 May 2012 16:18:51 +0000

You don't need to wait 'til BlogHer Food in Seattle next month to start sampling the recipes and poring over the prose of the talented folks who'll be speaking there. They're all online, most of them via their own blogs, which you can find on the speakers' pages here.

But did you know that between them, this year's BlogHer Food speakers have also published over fifty books? That's not counting the contributions many have made to other cookbooks, and the books that they're in the process of -- forgive me -- cooking up.

We won't be having a bookstore on site at the Fairmont this year, but we encourage you to bring the most tempting of these titles to your favorite online or brick-and-mortar local bookseller. Or if, after hearing them speak, you absolutely must have a speaker's book in your hands before you leave Seattle (and who could blame you!), by all means check out these booksellers within blocks of the Fairmont Olympic. The especially enterprising could even order them in advance for pickup that weekend!

As we have so many amazing authors, we've broken the list down into a Baker's Dozen for today, following up with a Dozen tomorrow. Here are 13 of the amazing authors-as-speakers you'll get to see at BlogHer Food '12:

Liza Barry-Kessler co-wrote Privacy in the 21st Century: Issues for Public, School, and Academic Libraries (Libraries Unlimited, 2005). She'll be talking on the Basic Copyright panel on Friday from 1:30 - 2:45pm.

Keren Brown wrote Food Lovers' Guide to Seattle: Best Local Specialties, Markets, Recipes, Restaurants & Events (Globe Pequot, 2011). She'll be on the Bootstrapping a Book Tour panel on Saturday from 2:30 - 3:45pm.

Anita Chu most recently wrote a Field Guide to Candy (Quirk Books, 2009); her Field Guide to Cookies: How to Identify and Bake Virtually Every Cookie Imaginable came out from Quirk in 2008. Anita will be talking about Food Photography Trends on Friday morning from 9:45 - 11:00am.

Alice Currah's Savory Sweet Life: 100 Simply Delicious Recipes for Every Family Occasion will be coming out later this year (William Morrow, 2012). Find Alice on Friday afternoon from 1:30 - 2:45 talking about How Cookbook Photography Differs from Blog Photography.

Ree Drummond's most recent cookbook is The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food From My Frontier (William Morrow, 2012). Previous titles: Charlie the Ranch Dog (Harper Collins, 2011), The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl (William Morrow, 2009), and The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tracktor Wheels -- A Love Story (William Morrow, 2004). Ree is not speaking on a panel, but she will surely be talkin' and schmoozin' at the closing night party Saturday at Sodo Park from 6:30 - 9:30pm, for which she's a co-hostess.

Lisa Fain wrote The Homesick Texan Cookbook (Hyperion, 2011). She'll be talking on Saturday morning, 10:45am - 12:00pm, on Behind the Jacket: The Collaborative Process behind Publishing a Cookbook.

Lara Ferroni wrote the book on it: Food Photography: Pro Secrets for Styling, Lighting & Shooting (Pixiq, 2012). This year she's also coming out with Real Snacks: Make Your Favorite Childhood Treats Without All the Junk (Sasquatch Books, 2012). Her Doughnuts: Simple and Delicious Recipes to Make at Home came out from Sasquatch Books in 2010. She co-authored and photographedThe Best Places Northwest Cookbook: Recipes from the Outstanding Restaurants and Inns of Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia (Sasquatch Books, 2009), and was book photographer for Absinthe Cocktails (Chronicle Books, 2010), Gluten Free Girl and the Chef (Wiley, 2010), Swirl, Sip & Savor: Northwest Wine and Small Plate Pairings (Sasquatch Books, 2010), The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook: Home Cooking from Asian American Kitchens (Sasquatch Books, 2009), Tacos: Authentic, Festive & Flavorful (Sasquatch Books, 2009), and Popcorn (Sasquatch Books, 2008). Find Lara on Friday afternoon, from 3:00 - 4:15pm, talking about how to Build a Career in Food: Beyond Blog Monetization.

Aran Goyoaga's Small Plates and Sweet Treats: My Family's Journey to Gluten-Free Cooking, from the Creator of Cannelle et Vanille will be coming out later this year from Little, Brown and Company (2012). Aran will be talking about How Cookbook Photography Differs from Blog Photography on Friday afternoon from 1:30 - 2:45pm.

Jaden Hair's Healthy Asian Favorites will be coming out from Ten Speed Press next year. The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook: 101 Asian Recipes Simple Enough for Tonight's Dinner was published by Tuttle in 2009. She'll be on stage on Saturday morning, from 9:00 - 10:30am, talking with Jory Des Jardins and Elise Bauer about The Intersection of Brands, Bloggers, Ethics, and Opportunity.

Dianne Jacob's Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Blogs, Reviews, Memoir, and More came out from Da Capo in 2010. Diane can be found on Saturday morning, 10:45am - 12:00pm, talking about what goes on Behind the Jacket: The Collaborative Process behind Publishing a Cookbook.

Kelly Jaggers has two books coming out this year: Moufflet: More Than 100 Gourmet Muffin Recipes That Rise to Any Occasion and Not-So-Humble Pies: An Iconic Dessert, All Dressed Up, both from Adams Media. Her The Everything Pie Cookbook was published by Adams last year. She'll be updating old classics on Saturday afternoon from 2:30 - 3:45 at Vintage Food and Drink: Making a Modern Meatloaf, Manhattan, Martini, or Macaroni & Cheese.

Aki Kamozawa and Alex Talbot, partners in life and in book publishing, wrote Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work, published by Clarkson Potter in 2010. They'll be Pushing Boundaries in Food Blogging on Friday morning from 9:45 - 11:00am.

David Leite wrote The New Portuguese Table: Exciting Flavors from Europe's Western Coast, published by Clarkson Potter in 2009. David will be helping us find Humor's Place in Food Writing on Friday afternoon from 3:00 - 4:15pm.

Tomorrow we will bring you 12 more amazing authors and their books. Don't forget that you can still register for this amazing conference. We'd love to see you there!

New Sponsor Announcements for BlogHer '12!

Rachel Ladd — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:12:29 +0000

Announcing another round of New Sponsors for BlogHer '12! We are thrilled to have these sponsors joining us for our annual conference. To see a full list of our BlogHer '12 sponsors, click here. Read on to learn a little bit about each of these awesome new sponsors.

TRIA Beauty

TRIA Beauty, Inc. creates light-based skincare products that deliver professional results at home. It revolutionized the hair removal industry with the TRIA Hair Removal Laser, the first and only FDA-cleared laser available for use at home that is safe, effective and permanent. TRIA then pushed beauty boundaries with the TRIA Skin Perfecting Blue Light, a breakthrough, FDA-cleared blue light therapy that penetrates beneath the skin surface to eliminate bacteria, reduce inflammation and help deliver clear, healthy-looking, even-toned skin without harsh side effects. Revolutionary Light-Based Skin Solutions: www.TRIABeauty.com.

Zippo Candle Lighters

Zippo, one of the most recognized brands in the world, is exhibiting at BlogHer for the first time! Known for its iconic pocket lighter, Zippo is pleased to debut its new line of sleek and stylish candle lighters -- now available in four rich, elegant colors. Each features a patented child-resistant safety button and adjustable flame dial. The Candle Lighter, along with several other Zippo lifestyle products, will be on display at booth #1701 at BlogHer ’12!

The National Honey Board

The National Honey Board (NHB) is a research and promotion board under USDA oversight that conducts research, marketing and promotion programs designed to increase the awareness and use of honey.

The NHB is excited to be at BlogHer ’12 and can’t wait to share the wonderful benefits of honey. Honey is an extremely versatile ingredient. It lends great flavor to many recipes, as well as acts as a natural skin moisturizer, cough suppressant and energy booster.

RetailMeNot.com

RetailMeNot.com is the leading consumer destination for collaborative online coupon, deal and promotional code hunting and sharing. Their mission is to help consumers save money and enjoy a hassle-free discount shopping experience. Since November 2006, their users have shared hundreds of thousands of deals and offers from retailers from across the globe. Online coupons are rated and ranked by users, ensuring that quality deals rise to the top and expired coupons drop down the list.

Check out the rest of our amazing sponsors for BlogHer '12 here.

Not registered for BlogHer '12 yet? Register now!

BlogHer Conferences Weekly Update - - May 18, 2012

Lori Luna — Fri, 18 May 2012 22:20:47 +0000

Happy Weekend!

The forbidden countdown to BlogHer Food '12 in Seattle has started and we are only three weeks away from our 4th Annual food event! We have a great event in store for you and here are just some of the highlights:

Jenna is at it again! This time she asked some of our speakers about their favorite Seattle food spots. There are some great photos AND recommendations, so check it out and get your tastebuds ready!
And not to be outdone, Erin has posted the BlogHer Food '12 conference guide! Want to know where to pick up your badge? What to pack? Directions to the hotel? Check out the BlogHer Food '12 Conference Guide to get the answers to all of these questions and more!
In addition to the conference guide, Jenn has done a bit of research and there is a wonderful shuttle service that will take you from the airport to the Fairmont for less than the price of a cab. All the information is in Jennifer's post, check it out.

A few BlogHer Food '12 reminders:

Please make sure to let us know if you have any ADA needs while at the Fairmont. Because the Fairmont enjoys historical status there are some differences in how they manage their accommodations. Read Jenn's post for all the details!
Don't forget -- you can bring a friend to the closing party on Saturday night hosted by the fabulous Ree Drummond, Jaden Hair and Elise Bauer - read about the party here.

But wait, there is more!

If you have not downloaded the mobile app, you can do so here. The iPhone, iPad and Android apps are available now in the iTunes App Store and the Google Play Android Marketplace. The BlackBerry app is available for download here.

And if you still haven't registered for BlogHer Food '12, you can do so now!

Now, onto BlogHer '12, HealthMinder Day and Pathfinder Day!

In no particular order...

HealthMinder Day -- a place to get expert health information and learn about the latest online tools and gadgets to manage your own total wellness, and that of your loved ones.

We have announced programming for HealthMinder Day and it is full of three amazing tracks aimed to appeal to all kinds of "healthminders" -- check out the announcement and register today for a pre-BlogHer experience. Note: you must register separately for HealthMinder Day.

Pathfinder Day is back! Pathfinder Day was created to to help answer an ongoing, consistent question that we, as bloggers, often face: Where do I go from here? And we have an amazing line up of speakers and topics to answer that very question.

Some BlogHer '12 reminders for you:

You can still register to attend -- we have space for you!
We have space in our childcare lounge if you are bringing your little one -- check it out here.
Need a roommate, need to buy a ticket, or do you need a carpool partner? All of those questions can be answered in the community forum.
There is still time to book your hotel room during BlogHer '12 -- rooms are available at the Sheraton New York.

Until next time...

Lori Luna
vp, event operations

101 in 1001 Days

BlogHer Food '12 Airport Shuttle: How to Get from the Airport to the Hotel

Jenni Morris — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:02:30 +0000

BlogHer Food '12 Conference Ticket -- √

Airplane Ticket -- √

Hotel Reservation -- √

Transportation to the hotel -- ☐

Do you still need to check transportation off of your list? Shuttle Express’s Downtown Airporter offers a direct link to their reservation page for guests of The Fairmont Olympic Hotel. They charge $33.00 for a round trip reservation or $19.00 for one way, a more economical alternative to an average taxi ride of $45 one way.

The shuttles leave every 30 minutes. Be sure to check in at their Downtown Airporter kiosk on the 3rd floor of the airport garage. Click on their page to make a reservation.

While we're talking about all of this, don't forget that you still have time to register for BlogHer Food '12 in Seattle on June 8 & 9. We'd love to see you there!

Photo Credit: cnewtoncom.

The BlogHer Food '12 Conference Guide

Erin Groh — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:30:15 +0000

Have questions about the BlogHer Food '12 conference? Where to pick up your badge? What to pack? Directions to the hotel?

Check out the BlogHer Food '12 Conference Guide to get the answers to all of these questions and more! BlogHer Conference Guides are consistently rated as the number one resource to prepare for our conferences year after year, so you definitely want to download this to your desktop or mobile device. We intentionally keep this as an electronic document, as part of our efforts to green the conference, so if you like hard copies, please only print the pages that you need.

Here is a preview of some of my favorite tips from the guide:

Bring more than one pair of shoes. And if you can, try to make them pairs with varying heel heights. If you're not a high-heel wearer, that's okay, but having your foot in one position for a whole day of conferencing is what really makes them sore. As unintuitive as it sounds, switching into a pair of wedges, after a day of flats, is always such a relief! (At least for me, anyway ;-) )
Have a question? Ask one of the BlogHer staffers. That's what we're here for! We want to make sure you have the best experience possible at our events, so please don't hesitate to ask us anything. Plus, we love getting to meet all of you!
If you have a smart-phone (and let's face it, who doesn't?), make sure to download our mobile app. It's a great tool to plan out your schedule, swap contact info with other attendees, learn more about our speakers and sponsors. Plus, we've got a game to help you bring a little extra fun, and your competitive spirit, to your conference experience.

So what are you waiting for? Download the guide here!

Did we miss something? Have a question or a tip? Let us know in the comments. Can't wait to see you all in Seattle! Oh, and by the way, there's still time to register for the conference if you've been waiting. But don't put it off too much longer! We have less than a month left until this amazing conference!

Erin Groh
A member of the BlogHer Events Team, you can find Erin here on BlogHer or on Twitter.

Conference Corner: Add Yourself to the BlogHer Food Attendee Page

mrlady — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Whether you're attending BlogHer Food in Seattle as an attendee, a speaker, a sponsor, or a party guest, you're in for one amazing weekend of food, fun, inspiration, and, of course, networking.

While you're sending your business cards off to the printers and practicing your handshake in the mirror, BlogHer is helping you get a jump start on your networking with our Attendee Page for BlogHer Food.

The Attendee Page will help you start putting faces to the names you know online, and let others do the same of you! With one click (really, just one) you can add your smiling face and BlogHer.com username to the Attendee Page.

BlogHer Food is less than a month away. Get a jump-start on your networking right away, by adding your name to the attendee page today! (Note: You must be logged into BlogHer.com to add your profile to the Attendee page.)

Not registered for BlogHer Food '12 yet? Purchase your ticket here before they sell out.
Just want to attend the closing party on Saturday night, hosted by Elise Bauer, Jaden Hair, and Ree Drummond? Tickets are just $20, and can be purchased here.

See you in June!

Shannon {and/or} Mr Lady
BlogHer Conference Programming Manager
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