Foodbuzz Food Blogger Festival {Part 1}

Last weekend was the 3rd Annual Foodbuzz Foodblogger Festival in San Francisco. I kind of lucked into going; the invite came out only a few weeks after I became a featured publisher and I live only a short drive from San Francisco. How could I not go?

I must say, one of my favorite parts of the weekend was getting my own badge.

It was very official. I mean, I got to wear an actual badge that had my name and everything. I finally have something to hang next to my husbands' collection of work-related badges.

You know what's great about a food blogger event?

Everyone stops at the buffet table and you are expected to take photos. No one touches the food for a full five minutes. Finally, I was in a room of people who understand me.

I met some awesome bloggers at the festival. And so many of them live close by! Who knew that so many food bloggers lived in the greater Sacramento area?

That's me on the left. Next to me is Allie from eat at allie's, Monica from Everything Awesome about Food and Ally from A Girl And Her Fork.

And that's Debbie from A Feast for the Eyes, Joshua from Just Eat! and Amy from My Veggie Table. I didn't know any of these wonderful bloggers before going to the festival. They were so welcoming and nice. I was really nervous going into the weekend because I'm not a great people person. I'm shy and it's hard for me to talk to new people. (Which is why blogging probably fits me, no?)

Oh, and the wine helped loosen my shyness. No shortage of alcohol at the festival, that's for sure. That was the first time I'd seen a glass of water without asking for one, BTW. And it was the end of the second day. Maybe they knew I would need some liquid courage?

And then I got a little starstruck...

Joy from Joy the Baker and Jessica from How Sweet It Is were on the panel discussing how to take your blog to the next level. I told my husband (all excited and high-pitched) that I got to see them and he responded with a confused "...okay...". Kinda like when he talks to me about football.

And then on Saturday night?

I got to see Tyler Florence do a live cooking demo. He made an awesome smelling pork chop (that we didn't get to taste) and Spaetzle (aka Knoepfle). That made me smile because that dish holds so many memories for me. Oh, and he's a cutie in person. And he has a daughter named Dorothy. See? I'm gushing. Star-struck for sure.

I have so many more photos to show you from the weekend, and a few blogging tips as well. Hopefully I'll share Part 2 with you next week. Another recipe for the 12 weeks of cookies is up tomorrow!