Let’s Wrap This Up, Shall We?

Alright kids, it’s my last Blogher post. I know it’s taking me forever to write about it all but well, there was a lot to document and since it was my first time to attend I want to make sure I do a good job of it, k? I’m not apologizing for being long-posty winded, by the way…

So Saturday was a day for celebrity sightings (and also, in my case, just hearing their voice over the crowd that I was too short and pregnant to try to see over…)

Paul Deen was in the house (or expo hall, whatever) at the Wally World booth (I won’t say their actual name on here since I DO NOT shop there and even left their swag tote bag in the hotel room because I WILL NOT advertise for them). Ahem. Anywho, I never actually layed eyes on her because the crowd around her was IN. SANE but I did get to hear her awesome Southern accent live and in person so I consider that pretty cool. I do kind wish I’d seen her put a whole stick of butter on top of some waffles or something but alas, it was not meant to be.

Tim Gunn was also hanging around and telling people to “make it work.” While Haley waited in line to get her picture with him, I chowed down on a huge chocolate chip cookie but I put it down long enough to snap his picture from afar…

He’s a pretty snappy dresser, I have to say…

Now this pic was actually taken on Thursday night but I had to add it because Chris Mann is kind of a looker and well, he’s certainly a bloggy celebrity.

Thanks to Haley for taking this one…

Then on Saturday night Brooke White, of American Idol fame, performed at the BowlHer event and played about 5 or 6 songs. Her voice is so wonderful and she is so cute (and freakin’ skinny!). Her version of “Let It Be” is just glorious. Here she is doin’ her thang.

And here she is with me! We practically look like sisters, no? Yeah, it’s uncanny…

The BowlHer event was quite fun and although I kinda parked my tushie on a sofa and stayed right where the music was playing (I was already pretty exhausted at this point), I was hangin’ with my girls and enjoyed myself a lot. I hung out in the same room as Steph and Ivy and Ivy is just the cutest thing (as is her sweet mother!). Here we are together at the hotel before-hand.

This picture just makes me want to buy baby legs by the boat-load. This girl thing is going to get really expensive…

But honestly, my favorite part of Saturday night was dinner.

Haley was brave enough to venture out with me and try to go to Gino’s East pizza on a Saturday night in July, in Chicago. Yeah, SO not happening. The line was FOREVER long and after an angel of a cabbie returned my camera that I left in his cab, I didn’t really care where we ate (can you believe I did that??). So, we ventured across the street to Ed Debevic’s, this diner-type place. Complete with the paper hats, shiny vinyl booths and cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate shake. Yum.

But then. There was the obvious rudeness. After Haley had been pushed by a waitress, we were snapped at by another guy and I saw our server throw someone’s check at them, I asked the guy down the diner counter if they were SUPPOSED to be rude to us and thankfully, they were. And they were quite good at it. But despite their purposeful bad attitude the burger was mighty tasty and the counter dancing was superb. Here’s our waiter “shakin’ a tail feather.”

And here’s me making a “snarky” face, trying to fit in with the staff and attempting to be rude back. I don’t think they took me seriously.

All in all, my experience at BlogHer was fabulous. I finally met some wonderful women that I have admired for years and met new ones that I didn’t even know were out there totally rockin’ the blog world.

My only regret is that there were SO many that I didn’t recognize or find that I wanted to talk to and hug and comiserate with.

As far as the whole swag thing goes, I was quite disenchanted the first night when women were falling all over each other to get some free stuff and figured if that was the way it was going to be, I was out. I mean, the belly may be kinda pointy but I wasn’t going to use it to acquire things for gratis, nor was I going to risk it being overly bumped (aka, tripped). Fortunately people calmed down quite a bit and I honestly can’t wait to give some of the goodies away (stay tuned for a giveaway) and to get my free pair of GAP jeans (sweet!) once I can fit into a “regular” pair again. And hey, something has to make it worth it that I had to pay a pretty “hefty” fee just to get my suitcase back to LA. So, not so “free” after all…

All in all, the conference was wonderful, the people were wonderful, the city was wonderful and I’m SO very glad I went. Thanks to the ladies of BlogHer for hosting a spectacular event and to the ladies I hung with (you know who you are), you are the bestest.

Me, hanging out in my room on the 31st floor of the Sheraton in downtown Chicago.

And now, I’m done. : )

You can find my previous BlogHer posts here, here and here.