A look into the Sharing by the Shore retreat in beautiful Traverse City, Michigan.
“I’m a food and travel blogger/photographer”.
That’s my short answer when people ask what I do for a living. I’m typically met with curious faces, a plethora of questions, and a lot of misconceptions. The assumptions about what I do for a living or what a typical day looks like for me are pretty funny…I don’t stay in my pajamas all day. I don’t go around and write nasty reviews of restaurants. I love food but don’t believe I’m obsessed with food (I rarely watch The Food Network or read food related books and magazines). Since I cook a ton and have four kids, I’m about the last person who can give a lot of great restaurant recommendations in the city I live in.
I’m BLESSED to be a blogger. I’ve grown Dine & Dish since 2006 and have had some incredible experiences. My job is not hard…fighting cancer is hard. Blogging? It’s not hard. Does it challenge me? Yes! I’m running my own multi faceted business, which provides a ton of daily challenges. Can it be frustrating? Like any job, it definitely can. But overall the best way to describe my career is as a blessing. I’ve been able to stay home and take care of my kids, doing something fun and fulfilling, while bringing in an income that helps support our family. I have the best of both worlds.
I’ll admit that lately, mostly in this past year, I’ve taken my job for granted. I haven’t felt burnt out, necessarily, but I needed to step away and re-shift my priorities. I mean, Leah starts kindergarten in 2 weeks (!!!) and my oldest is starting his last year of middle school. Add to that my mom being in the hospital all summer and my sister-in-laws breast cancer diagnosis, it seemed that my personal life was changing, and with that the need to refocus became crystal clear.
When my dear friends Rachel (from Rachel Cooks) and Erin (from Well Plated) invited me to attend an intimate bloggers retreat in Northern Michigan, I hesitated before saying yes. Since I was backing off blogging some, was I in any position to invest time and money in something I was maybe not quiet as vested in as I should be? The lure of some of my closest blogging friends being there and the fact that this retreat was in Traverse City, Michigan (you know how much I LOVE Michigan) totally pulled me in. I said yes to Sharing by the Shore and I am so glad I did.
One thing about blogging is that I have met some truly wonderful people through the online world. Many of these people I would say are my closest friends… some of them I’ve never even met in real life. How lucky am I to have so many beautiful people to love and communicate with all across the world? Pretty darn lucky!
Sharing by the Shore was a food blogging retreat with a focus on amazing food, and sharing with one another work related tips and tricks. It’s so wonderful to get together with like minded friends who have an appreciation for great food and who also get this crazy blog thing we do. Being able to hash out problems, find out how others streamline their business processes, gain new insights into still photography and video, writing, taxes, social media pressures, and balancing it all with a fulfilled life etc. is a wonderful thing. There is absolutely nothing like getting together face to face and spending a weekend with colleagues who “get it”.
A special thanks to our main sponsor of Sharing by the Shore, Milk Means More. Because of their sponsorship, we were able to enjoy wholesome, local, Michigan dairy products all weekend long! Make sure to follow Milk Means More on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, I
In addition Door to Door Organics generously provided nearly all the food for our retreat and we also enjoyed an AMAZING multi-course meal at Aerie in Traverse City. Sabra provided hummus, salsa and guac. In addition I had the most incredible pizza at Cherry Republic in Traverse City (GO THERE!) and L. Mawby Winery turned me into a sparkling wine lover. Northern Michigan is a beautiful place… definitely add it to your “Must Travel Destination” list. I promise you won’t be disappointed!
Also, if you aren’t already acquainted with the friends I shared this weekend with, please make sure to stop by their blogs and tell them hello! You’ll love them all, I promise!
Rachel – Rachel Cooks
Erin – Well Plated
Monique – Ambitious Kitchen
Katrina – In Katrina’s Kitchen
Krista – Joyful Healthy Eats
Aggie – Aggie’s Kitchen
Liz – The Lemon Bowl
Brandy – Nutmeg Nanny
Deborah – Taste and Tell
I’m SO SO SO glad you were able to come! And that we were able to FINALLY meet! I can’t believe it took us so long. I’m so thankful for your friendship, your wisdom, your generosity, and your kindness. I’m so glad we were able to become friends through blogging. Love ya!
Also, thanks for the awesome recap! I didn’t even know you took video! How did I miss that? #sneaky
You and Erin did an amazing job coordinating the retreat! Thank you so much for including me 🙂
Well this just made me happy right before bedtime. LOVE that video. Gosh I miss this weekend!
Me too!!
What a beautiful recap! We were so blessed by your presence and generosity Kristen. And SO happy to have met you at last! xo
Same here, Erin. Thank you so much for all the work that went into the weekend! It was wonderful.
Loved all your pictures. Thank you. Have a great week!
Thanks so much, Liz! I hope you have a great week too!
Sounds like an AMAZING time, and so well-deserved! Looking forward to visiting all of those wonderful blogs. 🙂
I hope you will, Kate. They are a super talented group of bloggers!
Nice Pictures! The pizza and the scallops looked delicious!
They were both so good. The pizza was my favorite, ever! It was amazing!
it’s so funny how many people out side of the blogging world think that a “food blogger” means you write restaurant reviews lol
Looks like a wonderful trip!! I haven’t been to Michigan since I was a kid.
I know, right? I hardly ever eat out, so restaurant reviewer would not be my forte 🙂
You guys really need to go to Michigan. You and your girls would love it (Well and Steve too, naturally!)
Oh what an awesome retreat! I was talking to Erin and she was telling me what a wonderful photography lesson you gave! xo
Awww – that was really sweet of her. I’m not sure I provided any new information but it was fun to get to do it!
Great post, Kristen! I’m so glad you and your sister bloggers were able to enjoy some of the delights of our community. Come back again soon!
We had a wonderful time. I love love love Michigan and can’t wait to come back soon!
I love Northern Michigan! My family has been going there for generations for vacation! My family has mostly lived in the Detroit/Flint areas and the 3-4 hour drive is the only thing that separates us from PARADISE…Traverse City! I am so glad you enjoyed your trip!
Ahhhh you are so lucky! We went on a family vacation to Holland Michigan a couple summers ago and fell in love. I’d move in a heartbeat if Michigan didn’t have winter 😉
If you like Traverse City , check out MACKINAW ISLAND……it is much nicer, only way over to the island is by boat or plane…..no automobiles allowed on the island….only horses…..you can take a carriage ride around the island, or rent a bike and ride all around the island….it is absolutely beautiful there….and don’t forget to check out the GRAND HOTEL….it is so lovely….a bit pricey but worth it…..and the homes on the island are beautiful too, some residents live there year round….the movie “SOMEWHERE IN TIME ” with Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour was filmed there and at the college in Mackinac, so if you haven’t seen the movie or have , watch it again and you can see 🙂 I have been there lots of times and you never get tired of going…
My parents have said the same thing… I can’t wait to check it out sometime! Thanks for the recommendation! It sounds like paradise.
This looks like one of the best little blogger retreats ever. Great ladies + beautiful Michigan!
It was a truly lovely time away! It went by way to fast, though!
I love this Kristen. I can relate to so much of what you wrote about your job. I too get a lot of restaurant recommendation requests and luckily have local blogger friends who just do that so I can tap into them. A great group of gals you had to spend time with on this trip!
It was a great time together! Thanks, Toni 🙂
It was so much fun following your trip on social media! Looks like you guys had a fabulous time!
Michigan is so great… and of course, it’s always nice to get away with other bloggers! Thanks, Anna, for always being so supportive! I hope we can one day meet on a blogger retreat 🙂
Cute, cute video! Love it. Did you use the same camera you took with you on the cruise? I love these small retreats, so glad you guys had a blast. I need to get me to Michigan!
Dear Kristen – I loved reading your fun post about the blogging retreat in MI. You all had such a wonderful time, your faces are glowing. So happy for you guys. I had the opportunity to go on a girls’ trip to MI a few years ago with some of my dearest friends from our SC days. We visited Mackinac Island, the Terrace Inn in Petoskey and Cherry Republic also. That is one amazing store, though the cherry salsa my friend got and was so excited about was confiscated by airport security. (She’s still talking about that.) I too have had a lot of family stretching this summer. My littlest guy has Downs and there are a lot of physical and behavioral challenges right now. So thankful for the flexibility blogging allows to be able to care for his needs and also work from home. Thanks for a very encouraging post.
Wow…gorgeous photos, your weekend was cool! I found your post from Pinterest! Thanks for sharing, Kristen!
The colors are so vibrant and your photography is fantastic! Thanks, Kristen for sharing!