I’m so sad its over!! Guess its just me, the blog and you guys to pick up with on Monday! I’ve had such an amazing time, learned so much, met lots of really neat people. I hope I can attend some of the Reach Out Tour events – Greensboro is just down the road, and I now have connections in Boston
I was thrilled to find a buffet of raw veggies + ranch dip put out for snacktime!!
I also had a few tortilla chip crumbs and 2 Boca samples along with my veggies .
Boca had some patties out for sample – the Bruschetta one (which I’ve been wanting to try but haven’t wanted to commit to a box but not I will) and the Portabella Mushroom , which I didn’t like as much.
And I had my first celebrity moment !! One of the girls at the Boca burger sampling said "You’re Kath. I read your blog!" I was like "OH MY GOSH really!?!" So cool!!!! So a big shout out to you and I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name and stay to chat because there were 100 hungry bloggers behind me in line!
I also ran into Jill of Glossy-Veneer at the health + fitness meet-up!! She introduced herself across the room and I wanted to jump up and say "I know you!!!!"
The Closing Keynote was awesome. It featured Heather Armstrong and Stephanie Klein (famous bloggers) on their experiences "Living the Truman Show" i.e. how they deal with putting their "lives" under a microscope. They talked a lot about how they deal with negative comments, and I found it really eye opening.
Swanky Event of the Year
Oh my gosh, the Macy’s Event was SO AWESOME!!
Handbags
We started in the Handbag Department with Prosecco and hors d’oeuvres.
I had half a glass (I’m not a huge sparkling person…)
And a plate of cheese , hummus , crackers , apricots and almonds. I had someone I met yesterday catch me mid-photo and say she was watching me to see if I actually a photo of everything I eat. Yes I do!
Mom and me playing in the handbags –
I also tried some sparkling White Jasmine Green Tea by Golden Star . It’s non-alcoholic and low in calorie (not too sweet). I really enjoyed it as a great sub for wine when you’re keeping things light.
Shoes
Stop number two was the shoe department! We enjoyed oops! wines and got these super cute tote bags –
And the food was so creative in shoes! Chinese take-out containers with noodles and veggies. I’m not a huge fan of Asian noodle dishes, but these were outstanding !
There was also gazpatcho (eww raw onion!) and these A.mazing dishes of food – I’m not even sure what to call them! It was layers of guacamole, tomato sauce, olive tapenade, cheese, micro greens and wonton strips to eat it with.
My portions wearing red high heels –
I ate all the noodles and had a second "food heaven" bowl –
And finished mom’s Sauv. Blanc –
Lastly, I sampled a sip of Starbucks’s new Vivanno smoothies in Banana-Chocolate. They were pretty good. Nothing special, in my opinion.
Mannequins
Lingerie
We progressed to the fifth floor to the lingerie department where we were treated to Chocolate-Cayenne Pepper Shots and Macaroons – and KY Jelly galore!! KY are my initials, so I have always had a fondness for KY Jelly 🙂
I had 3 macaroons – one vanilla , one lavender , and one tangerine (unphotographed)
The cayenne shot was really interesting, but not really my cup of tea….er…chocolate. I only had about 1/3.
Furniture
The party ended in furniture . I was disappointed to find no red wine in sight (you can understand why) and had a glass of rose instead.
Although we’d already been to a dessert-y station, there were more appetizers. Being a foodie, I had to give some a try.
Little beef sliders –
Pulled pork + slaw. I’m not really sure why I had the meat items – I think I just didn’t want the night to end. But neither tasted that great.
A Caesar salad tart –
And the best thing on the floor – caramel ice cream cones in a sesame toffee-ish cracker!!
I definitely indulged tonight, but I felt it was definitely a "worth it" event 
Plus, I think I did well eating moderately throughout the daytime and of course getting in 4+ miles of running/workouts each day helped keep the balance in check.
I feel like I put on a pound or so over the past week and a half of heavy eating out events, but…..it could just be water weight. But I’m going to do my best to get back to eating fresh, healthy foods this upcoming week. I’m excited to cook again. And can you believe it’s been 3 days since I’ve had oatmeal !!??
We have an early flight in the morning, so we’ll be up at 5:30 again ready for a long subway ride. I’m excited to see my other half again!
Melissa says
it sounds like you had an amazing time in SF and at the convention…and i love all the things that you tried!
have a safe trip back home!
Tracy says
I love coming home from a trip and enjoying my ”same” foods I missed! Have fun eating oatmeal at home! I can’t wait to see your secret breakfast tomorrow too. Thanks for sharing your fun times with us!!
PS- Love the mannequin pic! I used to pretend I was one as a kid to see if I could fool people!
Jo says
I LOVE the photos in this post – they really made me laugh (esp the one of you posing between the mannequins).. food and shoes, two of my favourite things!
I’m so impressed with your restraint, I love canapes, but its maybe cos I love to try lots of different flavours when I’m eating – I love going out to restaurants and sharing food, which is one of the reasons I love going to an asian restaurants (apart from the fact I love asian food!). I drive my friends crazy as I always want to try their food – food envy is my greatest enemy.
The conference looked fab – so great it renewed your interest in blogging – I’m now looking forward to some videos!!
Jo says
Oh god, I really must take a second before I post to think – but I wanted to say I think its a good idea that you just remove pointless unnecessary rude posts. I think constructive criticisms are healthy and everyone is entitled to have their opinion and that can contribute to a balanced discussion about stuff. However the comments that are sometimes made are so ridiculously juvenile and pointless that they don’t contribute anything. Someone suggested the other day that we should just ignore them and I agree thats the best thing.
hk says
so jealous, what an event!! I’m so excited about a possible Boston visit…do me know!?!
The last little ice cream cone combo sounds delish- caramel/toffee/sesame seeds, cool!
Safe travels!!
polly says
Kath,
I loved reading about your SF trip! Really, you do just a great job and love all the photos, and I gotta say my fav (besides Rocco!) was you posing with the mannequins. heehee so funny!
Most of all, I wanted to say YEAH on the deleting negative comments. For a while I stopped reading the comments because the yuck one! This is YOUR blog and if they want to be snooty or rude, they will have to pick another spot to do so. Good decision, girl!
Have a great trip home and smooch that man when you walk in the door! 🙂
polly says
I meant I stopped reading comments for a while because of the yucky (negative) ones!
Katrina says
Sounds like so much fun!
I made your Baked Oatmeal Snack Bars the other day and at first thought they seemed really strange (before they baked), but I must tell you they are SO good. I had to hurry and package each one and put it in the freezer so I wouldn’t eat more. LOVED them.
Trying to get pictures of them posted on my blog sometime today. They photographed really well, too.
Thanks for the healthy snacks admist my unending desire to bake, bake, bake every kind of goodies!
haya says
i made a veggie burger that was in the martha stewart living magazine last month (it looked so delicious in the magazine) and it was based on portobellos and quinoa (plus grated zucchini). i even skipped putting the onions in! needless to say, it was horrible. i halved the recipe and it still made 6 patties. i had to throw out 5.5 🙁
the ice cream cone is very cool! i’ve been wanting to do a similar thing with the cesar salad tart, but in a cup made of bacon, but i still am lacking all the necessary tools.
VeggieGirl says
The mannequin photograph is priceless :0)
By the way, isn’t it FANTASTIC not having to stare at negative comments on your blog??? Thank goodness for moderating them!! I love it too.
C says
It all looks so fabulous! What a fun food day!
Kim says
I love your skirt; it’s so simple and flattering.
Too bad you didn’t love the chocolate with cayenne… that combo is usually SO good! I’ve had fabulous spicy-chocolate cakes and drinks in Mexico.
Justy2003 says
Your trip to San Francisco looks like it was a success…so much fun! Glad you had a good trip, but I can definitely understand missing your morning bowl of oats 😉
Travel home safely!
rahel says
Don’t worry about the indulging– it’s natural with all the activity and energy at the event. What I’ve always liked about you is the unpretentiousness and heart you find in the places you visit, aka a morning to the farmer’s market on SF. It’s inspiring.
Em says
Wow! such fun little foods! I always see Food Network show specials on parties with little treats like that, but it’s so cool you actually got to try those things yourself ! looks so fun AND CUTE!
Chelsea says
Wow that sounds like it was a blast!
I got a free Vivano smoothie the other day and while I agree it’s not the best thing ever, it has a really good nutritional profile. The same type of drink at Jamba has 550 calories and this only has 250 and tastes almost identical. I feel like it’s something that, in a pinch, could work when you’re famished and there aren’t a lot of options. Much better than their baked goods in a pinch! Plus, it’s banana and chocolate-YUM.
Lisa says
Looks like you had a great time.
What is your mom’s blog?
Also, I looked at blogher’s website, but still didn’t understand it-what is blogher?
Erin says
That little Caesar salad tart is extra cute.
Sidi says
Macy’s is one of my biggest client, whenever you’ll go look for a Men’s Suite, a CK or Lauren, remember me, I do the planning for those suits to hit the stores. What a great event they had. You never see this in Montreal, NEVER!
Heather Armstrong, my favourite blogger. I read her for years now and I just can’t stop loving her.
It looks like you and mom are great friends! and had a lot of fun together.
Sue says
Wow!! I just read through your blog back through the day you left for the conference. Your photos and commentary are so much fun!
Does your Mom blog? It’s great that she got to go on this trip with you.
I really enjoy your healthy approach to eating, life and exercise. I’m interested in other blogs with similar interests. When you have time it would be fun to have links to some of the other healthy bloggers you met at the conference.
Your posts over the past few days have been so much fun to read that I don’t have time to read anymore, so I’m not sure why I’m asking about others, ha ha!!
Hope you have a safe journey home!
erica says
Looks like you had so much this weekend!
erica says
so much FUN I meant to say!
BethT says
KY Jelly as in THE KY Jelly? Or is that some kind of new dessert I’ve not heard of? I guess they’d be an appropriate sponsor for a ladies’ event…in lingerie…
Sam says
I was just looking into getting a heart rate monitor. Kath or other readers what kind of heart rate monitor do you have? I want one that will give me an accurate reading but I also don’t want to spend too much money on it. I’ve seen some that are like watches which I think seems more comfortable to wear. Any advice?
Julz says
This was TOTALLY a MORE THAN WORTH IT event, Kath! And you LOOK incredible and as precious, as always! I feel like this was “your” event, too. You’ve put so much of your heart into this blog and SO many countless hours of work and energy into this! I think it has definitely become a blessing for US AND YOU, as you really have a special gift with people! 🙂 I’m so glad you had a wonderful time (and you had the Boca girl in “celeb-sighting shock”! So cool!)!
(PS) What was that KY Jelly all about? Hahaha, like was that KY Jelly as in KY Jelly? I got confused, lol.
Steph says
BethT…..LOL! I was also wondering….
ModelBehavior says
I almost spit out my water when i saw the mannequins shot, too funny!
I am so jealous of you right now, Macy’s is the best store ever and I think the closest one to me is 10 hours away 🙁 And I am curiously waiting to see what the KY thing was about 🙂
Glad you had fun!
Elizabeth S. says
You are too freaking cute in the mannequin picture! Love it!
Ryane says
First off, I think this was the most visually appealing post yet! Pictures of food are great and all… but everything was so classy and cute AND Coach and heels in the backgrounds? Love it!
Also, I wanted to chime in on the mineral make up. I was pretty loyal to bare minerals for a year and then drugstore brands picked up on the mineral make up so I decided to try one since they are considerably cheaper and I fell in love with L’Oreals minteral make up! The bare escential BRUSHES are amazing but I think the L’Oreal stuff is better with my skin as well (I also found I was still breaking out and such).
Jenn says
I have really enjoyed reading about this conference – how inspiring that so many bloggers got together! And what fun, too – I can’t even get over your pictures. They all brought a smile, a laugh or an “ooh! ahh!” moment! Thank you so much for sharing – and of course we are all so excited to have you “back to blogging” your way – WITHOUT the negative comments! Yay!
Sue says
I keep thinking about all of the great photos you took and I wonder what kind of camera and lens you use?
I also thought about the comment I made about how great it is that your Mom got to go with you. What I should have said is that it’s so great that the two of you got to go on this trip together! 🙂
MKM says
It looks like you had a great time and the food looks great!
I had one question (anyone can answer; and it is kind of a dumb question) – my dad refuses to let me chew gum when I run for fear that it may get dislodged and I will choke on the gum. Is this a plausible scenario, or is chewing gum while running/exercising relatively safe? I guess to be on the safe side, I could just not chew gum while exercising, but I wanted to know if anyone else does it. Thanks!
emily says
I actually have a different opinion on the moderation of comments than everyone else. If there was some magical way to block them before you saw them as to spare you the annoyance/anger/self-doubt what have you I’d be all for it. But the unfortunate thing about those lame-o comments is that YOU have to see them. Once it’s gone to that point why not give your nonbitter readers a chance to offer up support? Reading them alone seems lonely somehow! I agree that everyone doesn’t need to jump on the correction bandwagon; creating a monster 300+ comments post. But it seems worthwhile to allow some discussion.
Jordan says
Oh don’t stop with the chocolate banana Vivanno, please! The orange mango banana is where it’s at. I promise. The first time I had one, I wasn’t too too thrilled about it… but the second one and on, I’m seriously addicted. I have one every workday for breakfast. They have 16g of protein, 6g of fiber, only 210cals [I get mine with nonfat, instead of the standard 2%], and they have a fresh banana in them… and they’re so creamy and delicious. Oh my goodness. The chocolate one does those things NO justice. =] Pleaseeee try the orange mango one!
almost vegetarian says
Sounds like such fun, and how nice that you documented it all with such great photographs.
I must say, so much of the food (and wine!) looked wonderful. But nicest of all is the caramel ice cream in that sesame toffee cracker. I adore the mix of crunch and cream.
Cheers!
Chandra (Eating to Live) says
Oh my gosh, how much fun that whole evening looks! And I adore miniature cocktail food. How fantastic!!
That blouse and skirt is really flattering on you Kath, you look super tiny to me – I wouldn’t worry about the indulgences 🙂
emily, re: comment moderation. I see your point! I’d feel just as horrible reading mean comments on my blog and then deleting them then if I just left them on. But the problem is when I mean comment is left, soo many other “de-lurk” to leave their own mean comments they probably wouldn’t have bothered with if someone else didn’t “be mean first.” The support is great, but also bear in mind that other negative people will come out to support whatever the catty remark was!
Oh and Kath, lol, I made an oatmeal pancake this morning. It was my first time, and it went kind of funny, but thanks for the inspiration and if you wanna read about it you can check out my blog 🙂
Safe travels!
caitlinbo (in FL) says
sam – i have a polar heart rate monitor and its so motivating during workouts. it was about 90$. all HRMs have a chest strap, but the polar watches are super easy to use and the chest strap isnt uncomfortable. it makes training SO. MUCH. BETTER!
kath – that post was awesome. i’m so glad you had fun!
Foodie (Fab and Delicious Food) says
Sam (#24), If you go to the FAQs link at the top of the page and go to Exercise Questions, it tells what heart rate monitor Kath uses, and also some reader comments.
Hope that helps!
Kinder says
It looks like you have had such a wonderful experience!
I am so wanting to experience San Fransisco (=
Kath says
Hi Guys,
We’ve been grounded in the SF airport since 9:00 this morning. It’s going to be a loooooooong.
hk ,
I’m coming to Boston Aug. 21-24 and will be coordinating a lunch or dinner soon!
Katrina ,
Glad you liked the bars! They do photograph well 🙂
VeggieGirl ,
I haven’t had to delete any yet!
Chelsea ,
I’ve got 4 Vivanno coupons so I might have to try them again!
Lisa ,
Mom doesn’t have a blog but she’s a writer and thought it would be a good experience (and keep me company in the hotel!) She’s thinking about starting a blog though, so it was good for learning.
BethT ,
Yep, it was THE KY jelly 🙂
Thanks Julz 🙂
Sue ,
Sony Cybershot – I need a new one, as it’s getting rather dingy and I learned from the conference I need a better lens camera!
MKM ,
I would think with all the heavy breathing during running that it would be easier to choke, but I’ve never really read anything about it. I would say it’s your choice.
emily,
Nice of you to think of me, but it’s less embarrassing to read them in private than in public – even if they are ridiculous. But luckily I don’t get very many troll comments in general.
Chandra,
Loved your pancake post!
Kath
Jess says
Kath, what kind of camera do you use?
What a fun event! I’m a bit surprised that Macy’s allowed all that food and wine around their goods, but maybe the alcohol makes sales go up. They may be on to something…
http://seejessrun.wordpress.com
BethT says
OMG, are you fogged in? The weather is horrible today 🙁
amethyst says
Excellent coverage of the event, Kath! Looked brilliant and great fun. (‘Macarons’ were my favorite special treat when I visited/lived in France). Someone in SF sure knows how to throw a party…
Allison says
Question: When you are cooking with wine, do you count the calories the same as if you were drinking it. I ask this because if you heat it and simmer it and burn off the alcohol do you get rid of any calories….or is that just wishful thinking on my part?? Thanks.
Your blogging from the convention was great. Loved all the pictures of beautiful food.
KatieF says
MKM – I’ve never exercised with gum, but I kickbox with several people who do, and I’ve never seen any of them choke. Doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen, but I doubt it’s a high probability.
ppp says
talk about double temptation – food AND shopping!
anna says
omg kath i LOVE your blog you are really a great inspiration you should have your own tv show or book or both 🙂
As a recovered anorexic i have now a new and positive attitude for healthy food.
saludos desde mexico 🙂
yadi says
I just got back from vacation as well and have missed all the excitement from your trip. I kept thinking about not having oatmeal either… I missed it so much. Happy travels back home and do remember all you learned. No need for rudeness and ugliness. This is a great source of inspiration, motivation, and great new perspectives for many of us. No room for anything else. I’m glad you shared it with your Mom too, I miss mine.
Every Gym's Nightmare says
Id be so scared to get food on all those purses and shoes. but then id be forced to buy them guilt free, right?
www.groundedfitness.com
Kath says
Allison ,
That’s actually a question I still have. I heard once that the calories do burn off, but I’m really not sure so if I’m calculating a recipe I usually just include the full amount to be conservative.
EGN,
Lol. I was so surprised they let us all over the fancy handbags and shoes too! I saw a lamp get broken in furniture. I wonder if BlogHer had a deal to pay for damages?
K
Karen says
Love the photos of the food and shoes! Hilarious.
SweetsandSweats says
Wow. Food, wine and shopping combined. BlogHer was heaven on Earth, I am absolutely sure of it now!!! *oozing jealousy*
sweetsandsweats.wordpress.com/
Natalie says
Wow! looks like the best reception ever. Anything that combines shopping and awesome food and drinks has to be great.
Jill - GlossyVeneer says
I missed the cheese in the handbag department and I’m so sad about it now that I’ve seen it on here! 😉
I thought the KY promotion was funny. I told my husband I brought him back a souvenir from SF with that! He thought that was pretty funny.
It was so great to meet you!
Sami says
This makes me so giddy! =]