Leah Meets Paula Deen BlogHer 2009 from Kristen Doyle on Vimeo.
The video above is of Paula Deen chatting with Leah during her appearance at BlogHer. Paula was hilarious, genuine and really an overall neat person! Seeing her was definitely one of the many highlights of BlogHer.
I returned from the BlogHer conference in Chicago yesterday and since that return, so many thoughts and ideas have been swimming around in my head. For those of you who are thinking about attending a BlogHer conference sometime in the future (next year is in NYC!) I highly recommend that you do so. Here are some of my random thoughts about the BlogHer 2009 conference.
- My friend Sandie (from Inn Cuisine) and I were roomies. Sandie and I met through our blogs a couple of years ago and have been fast friends since. It was so nice to get to hang out with her and get to know her better. It has been a very long time since I have laughed as hard as I did (so hard that at one point I spewed water all over our bathroom mirror because she said something hilarious when I was trying to brush my teeth!) Thank you, Sandie, for being such a great friend!
- As you know, I was so nervous about taking Leah with me to BlogHer. It ended up being great having her there. Granted, I was tired because of lugging her around for four days and we didn’t really go to any of the parties (and there are a LOT of parties happening at BlogHer) but she was one extremely popular little chick! She had to have had her picture taken at least 100 times. I met a lot of really nice people simply because they came up and started talking to me about Leah. If you are thinking about bringing your baby to BlogHer in the future, I personally think it is fine to do. There is a crazy amount of controversy surrounding the topic, but I say to go with your gut… overall, BlogHer is very welcoming to babies. As Paula Deen says above, it is wonderful that BlogHer doesn’t make moms of young babies make a choice.
- I have to say, in all honesty, I didn’t learn a ton from the sessions I attended, but I did pick up a few very valuable nuggets of info. By and far the best part about attending BlogHer was getting to connect with so many people with like minded interests (you know…those people who don’t look at you like an alien when you say you blog) and meeting people who I have greatly admired for the past few years. I am now happy to say that some very good friends who I first met online are now friends “in real life”. I also met some wonderful ladies who I did not know before the conference. I would pay for that experience time and time again.
- BlogHer ladies like to party and BlogHer’s love swag. BlogHer had some very generous sponsors this year and we came home with an enormous amount of quality swag. Thank you to all of the sponsors and individuals who provided all the loot. My kids were in heaven going through everything when I got home!
I could go on and on about how great BlogHer was and about how inspirational it was to chat and share ideas with such smart people, but I’m sure you get the drift. As much as I enjoyed my trip to BlogHer, I’m even kind of tired of hearing about it everywhere. I hope that any of you who haven’t attended a BlogHer conference in the past get to do so in the future!
Now, for those of you who want a great recipe, my Mother-in-Law made these yummy banana bars for the kids while I was gone. I love that this recipe uses only 2 ripe bananas because that seems to be the most common amount of bananas I have when they ripen. Either we gobble them all up, or I’m stuck with two that no one wants to eat.
Frosted Banana Bars
Ingredients
Frosting:
Instructions
Love bananas? Dine & Dish has these other recipes you might love!
- We’re Having a… starring Banana Nut Bread
- Inspired by Peabody…or Not starring Banana Pudding with Pie Crust Cookie Garnish
- What Kind of Fool starring Banana Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Aw. Leah was adorable. It was so nice to meet you both.
I am so happy I met you, Kristen. Being with you was like chatting with an old friend. I wish I could have done dinner with all of you foodie bloggers as I am sure you all were such an inspiring bunch to be with.
You were one of the highlights of BlogHer ’09 for me!
Kristen, it was great to finally meet you! I wish we could have talked a bit more.
This is my fourth time attending BlogHer and I agree, I didn’t learn a lot this time compared to other years. I think for me it was because most of the sessions I wanted to attend were double-scheduled with other things I also wanted to attend. So frustrating! But I don’t think I would ever miss it if I had a chance to go!
This year I really toyed with the idea of going to BlogHer, but I just couldn’t get the funds together. Maybe next year.
I love that you brought your baby. I would have done the same thing.
You are welcome! I’m sitting here trying to remember what I said that was so funny. I remember us laughing hysterically, but I cannot think of what I actually said (thank you short term memory). But you know…I owe you a thank you as well—sharing a room with you (AND Leah) made the BlogHer ’09 experience that much more enjoyable for me too. I would gladly be your roommate again…anytime, anywhere.
I bought a bunch of bananas today for a recipe coming up on Inn Cuisine and will end up having a few left over. Was wondering what to do with them, but it looks like that dilemma has been solved. Perfect timing!
glad you had a fantastic time at Blogher…sounds like so much fun!
Sounds like it was a great time! Wow, I would have never thought to have brought my kid. Weird. Congrats on the swag!
(sorry, I didn’t mean that it was weird that you brought your baby… I just was thinking that the concept of welcoming kids at the conference was a little odd… hope I didn’t offend!!)
Thanks for sharing with us. Now I wished I had gone. Maybe nx year. You mother-in-law is so nice.
anything with sweet banana’s makes me happy!
It was so great to finally meet you in person, Kristen! And it’s no wonder everyone (including Paula) couldn’t get enough of little Leah – she’s an absolute doll. Having the chance to catch up with fun fellow bloggers like you is what made the whole conference worthwhile to me.
Mmm, those bars look fantastic!
That video is fantastic!!! I love Paula Deen:) I’m just getting back into food blogging and need to learn more about BlogHer.
.-= Q.´s last blog ..Good Stuff Eatery =-.
Sounds like you had a good time at BlogHer! I wish we would have gotten a chance to meet, although I did sit a couple of rows behind you in one of the sessions and got to stare at your ADORABLE little girl! I had hoped to catch you afterward, but I lost you. Maybe we’ll get to meet next year!
.-= Karly´s last blog ..I Even Forgot To Turn My Oven On. =-.
What a great moment to have captured on video!
Leah’s such a sweetie. I’m sorry I tried to gobble her during our Photoshop class.
Well, actually, I’m not that sorry. 😉
GREAT to have met you!
I still have a craving for zucchini bars, but your banana cake is very tempting. Thanks for sharing.
.-= SB’s Bea´s last blog ..Picky Eaters Need Not Apply =-.
I agree- I am so thankful BlogHer gives a choice for bringing babies. If Ivy had been much younger, I probably would have had an easier time with her. But for me, I found the conference and parties too limiting with an older baby.
Steph
Kristen,
I had an absolutely lovely time chatting with you and Leah Friday night. I am so happy to have met you!
and now I want banana bars. badly.
xoox steph
.-= crockpot lady´s last blog ..Sweet Potato Chili (vegan!) Slow Cooker Recipe =-.
If I am repeating myself in any way, I apologize…I’m trying to get to everyone I met at Blogher!! I really enjoyed meeting you at the Paula Deen meet and greet and am so glad you found me when I had your sling!! I was telling everyone I was looking for “Diane with Kristinsdish.com.” Umm…just slightly wrong!
.-= Sarah´s last blog ..OH. MY. GOD. =-.
Sounds like it was a blast. Those banana bars look terrific.
.-= Melissa´s last blog ..Fruit Tart =-.
Kristen,
I just discovered your blog through my sister-in-law from the blog Aggie’s Kitchen. I’ve already seen several recipes I want to try like the frosted banana bars and your shrimp lingine.
I love the video with Paula Deen. How neat. I’ll be checking back.
.-= Jamie´s last blog ..Chopped Vegetable Salad with Garlic Dressing =-.
Yay, glad you had fun at BlogHer! 🙂
Her name is Kim, she’s at http://prairie-mama.blogspot.com. I forgot about the designated nursing chair!! 🙂
.-= Sarah´s last blog ..OH. MY. GOD. =-.
Thanks for the post about BlogHer! I was curious about it and now I am definitely going to try my best to go next year!
Man, I just threw away some extremely ripe bananas that would have been perfect for this. Oh well, I’m sure I’ll have more in my near future for this recipe.
.-= Deanna´s last blog ..The Sweet Side of Carmel + Big News =-.
Oooh, since BlogHer will be in NYC next year I may have to attend! I had heard from Jennifer Perillo (In Jennie’s Kitchen) that the sessions were not terribly helpful for experienced bloggers, but she found some good info as well.
Bookmarking the recipe as those bars look like a great afternoon snack!
.-= patsyk´s last blog ..ScharffenBerger & Jacques Pepin – Part 1 =-.
Frosted banana bars are so delicious. So many great things in this post. Paula Deen I absolutely love and watch her every single day twice a day. Thanks for sharing this post. Glad you had fun at BlogHer!
.-= Bill Medifast´s last blog ..The Right Weight Loss Plan =-.
Kristen, one of the very best things about BlogHer for me was getting to meet you in person — and Leah too, of course! You make me want to be a better photographer AND you are giving me the tools to make it possible. Thanks for being at BlogHer and for the many talents and the energy you share with other food bloggers every day.
.-= Cora@CoraCooks´s last blog ..Easy Living Summertime Dinner Menu =-.
This is great, I wish I had been there to see this! Leah is precious, how could you not want to borrow her! I’m watching Paula Deen as I write this – she’s torturing me with chocolate desserts.
It was great to meet you and hang out with you, Sandie and Leah. Hopefully we’ll have a chance to get together again! BlogHer 10? Think of all of the amazing restaurants we could to go 🙂
.-= maris´s last blog ..Worknight Dinner Recipe: Easy Chicken Fajitas =-.
WOW how fun!! We are going to play next year! I have made these before and they are off the charts incredible!!
.-= Cathy – wheresmydamnanswer´s last blog ..Who’s in da DAMN House Wednesday? – Lori Culwell (Funny Strange) =-.
Kristen, it was such a delight to finally meet you in person! And as you know I’m completely enchanted with Leah. I actually learned more from this BlogHer than any of the others, but I think it was just good luck in picking sessions. I did the OpEd Project sessions which were fabulous. But as you say, the best part of BlogHer is seeing friends and meeting new ones.
oohh! that sounds like soo much fun! I joined Blogher a little while ago, but I was confused as to how things work out over there :/
Maybe I’ll have to get more active in it and give it another shot!:)
Do they allow everyone to go to the conferences? Or is it only for selected individuals?
.-= Zahra´s last blog ..DIY Rose Cupcake Bouquet and I joined Youtube! =-.
Thank you so much for the banana bars recipe! Using it tonight 🙂
-Carissa