Lemon, Honey & Cinnamon Yogurt Mask | #FWCon Recap

Hi there! I'm finally fully recovered from attending the Food Wine Conference I mentioned a few weeks ago, and that means that 1. My head is swimming, and 2. I have so much to do. Nothing new there.

It was a great weekend, although the conditions going into it were definitely NOT ideal. My late-teether of a son decided to have some real doozies start to break ground, which meant fever, pitifulness and major grumps to deal with. Luckily, my husband tied on his Super Dad cape and came along for the ride, staying with him all weekend in our hotel room and keeping him mostly meltdown-free while I did my blogger thing. {As a side note, The Rosen Shingle Creek is not a terrible place to have to be trapped in a hotel room, should the need arise.}

The view from our room

I'm not going to give you a play-by-play of the entire weekend; that would be impossible since they manage to cram so much information, food and fun into such a short period of time. Here's the highlight reel!

Tell Me Everything You Know!

This year's speakers ran the gamut between renowned chefs {Donatella Arpaia to be exact}, farm owners and vintners, etiquette coaches, Instagram rockstars and hospitality professionals. Every year I think I can't possibly learn something new, but without fail I come to find I'm happily mistaken! The most useful session for me this year was a presentation on creating videos {like those viral ones you see from Tasty.com}, which was given by Denise and Lenny from Chez Us. Not only was I shocked to find out how simple they are to create, but I was also motivated enough to try it out at home right away. I definitely need practice, but not too shabby, right??

I am so thankful for the pros who have acquired a wealth of knowledge and are kind enough to share it with little 'ol me!

Make New Friends, But Keep the Old

In the past, I've attended conferences where I knew a few people, and ones where I didn't know a soul. I can tell you from experience that it makes such a difference to put yourself out there and make friends! Just a friendly "Hello" can open up a whole gateway to conversation, opportunities, and even friendships. Since FWCon isn't a huge conference compared to others, I remembered many of the folks there from the year before, and it was nice to see familiar faces {Shaina, Betsy, Terri, Sondra & so many more!}

Let's Eat {And Drink!}

The formal lunches and dinners were even more elaborate. From beautiful displays of sushi and small plates made by Rosen's best chefs, to a full-blown Idaho Potato extravaganza to Certified Angus Beef's Denim & Diamonds themed dinner on Saturday night, you could tell that a lot of work was put into making these dining experiences memorable. {As a side note, since I don't eat beef, I got the vegetarian option for Saturday's dinner, and it was lovely!}

Work Hard, Play Hard

If you're not into blogging or social media, then this might all sound like a snoozefest to you... but I can assure you that there is as much time set aside for fun as there is for business. Between contests and giveaways, silly photo opps and cocktail receptions, there are good times-a-plenty!

Giant wine glasses, massages, playing with your food & porch-sittin'. Yup, plenty of fun.

#Hashed finished products ready to be judged!

This year, I applied to become a brand ambassador and was paired with Duda Farm Fresh Foods. {Ambassadors receive a discounted ticket to the conference and provide social media coverage for the brand throughout the conference. I hope you saw the pics & Tweets I posted of their super-fun & tasty displays throughout the weekend!} In years past, I wouldn't have had the confidence to sign up for something like an ambassadorship {because it sounded official and scary}, and would have been worried that I wouldn't do a good job. But I did it, and I'm so happy that I did.

Sunday Brunch sponsored by Duda!

Though I've attended a lot of conferences, something was different about this one: Me. I think I was at ease and ready to receive the information that was provided so that I can work on taking my blog to the next level. If you know me, you know that's a big step for me. {I'm constantly downplaying, sidestepping, and back burner-ing anything related to the blog. NO MORE!} Some big changes are coming for this space, and I can truly say that making time to attend conferences like FWCon has helped me get to the point where I am now.

So, 6 conferences later, this "ain't my first rodeo" anymore. Even though conferences tend to have many of the same elements {speakers, food, sponsors, networking, etc., etc.}, I always come away from each one with a fresh perspective and a unique vibe.

I left this year's FWCon feeling, above all, grateful. Grateful that I've finally reached a point in this wide world of blogging where I have made friends that I look forward to seeing. Grateful that I get to do this crazy thing that actually earns money to help support my family. Grateful that I have overcome some {not all!} of the fears and doubts that I had when I turned this blog into a business. Grateful that other brands and businesses are FINALLY starting to see the value of what we do, and that our efforts often translate to actions that in essence make products and advertising better for you as a consumer.

Food bloggers, I highly recommend this conference, especially if it's your first! I plan on returning for their big 5 year celebration in 2017!

Whew! That was longer than I thought it would be... I think I need some R&R, but maybe I'll just settle for some DIY spa time. The yogurt mask we made on Friday night with Florida Dairy Farmers is perfect for an at-home beauty break. You should try it, too!

Disclosure: Though I was given a discounted ticket for my participation as a brand ambassador, the opinions shared here are all my own.