Hey ya’ll. That’s my Texas drawl. It’s replacing my aversion to the Utah drawl that drops the n’s and creates the oddest smash up of moosh when it comes to pronunciation. Us Utahns don’t say mouNTains, we say mount-ns, more in mumble form than diction form. We somehow make singular words plural. “I bought it at NordstomS” not Nordstom.
We also replace letters in sentences. “I’m going to drive across the border to Evanston to buy fireworks” (because you can’t buy the big-burn-daddys in Utah, only in Wyoming) turns into, “I’m gonna drive cross the border to EvINGston to get fireworks.”
Sorry Texas, you may not be the title holder to delirious dialects.
I’m almost beginning to feel like a real, live Texan after spending a little over a week traipsing through the hill country from Houston to Austin and back for food conferences and back again for the start of summer at my little seeeester’s in the beautiful Woodlands.
If all of Texas were as lush as my sister’s wooded and trail ridden community, and had about 50% of the humidity, I’d seriously think about transplanting. But, since that ain’t the case, I’ll be sticking to the mountains and deserts of Utah.
While I was off in Austin learning more about blogging, withering at the thought of being judged by a mass of food bloggers when serving up my samples of Nectarine and Wisconsin Burrata Bite Crostini, I had the pleasure of being featured in a genuine Photography Throwdown with Giulia when she asked me to participate in Audrey 74’s Be My Guest series. We picture dueled to the bottom of the drink by making and photographing bloody beers, aka Michelada’s. Somehow even my guest posts are favoring tex-mex style.
Now I’m back with my Smudge and her cousins who will be spending almost 4 weeks total, on and off, together this summer. As an only child, this is a dream come true for her and as you can imagine, in the time we’ve been visiting I’ve accumulated all of about 23 minutes of her being even semi- in my midst. And that includes meal time.
Cousins rule, mom’s drool. And I am perfectly okay with that.
Today’s Friday Faves includes a few nuggets of observation from the Blogher Food conference I attended in Austin.
In Austin, whether there’s a little something for everyone from the farm to table dining al fresco style at Contigo to the Austin landmark Driskill Hotel.
Food trucks reign in Austin. Crashing the lunch reunion of the Iowa Corn Quest at The Peached Tortilla truck ruled.
If you visit, don’t miss a few of Austin’s must-taste restaurants:
- Parkside for inventive and relaxed dinner fare. Must-try: Local Corn Risotto with Texas peaches, grilled ramps & parmigiano reggiano; Crab Fritters
- Contigo for farm to table fresh under the stars. Must-try: House Pickles; Mussels with yellow curry, coconut milk and mint
- Guero’s Taco Bar for not-to-be-missed tex-mex for breakfast, lunch and dinner + gluten-free and vegan menus at super low prices. Must-try: Huevos Motuleños aka handmade corn tortillas stacked with refried beans, fried egg, chorizo and ranchero sauce and jack cheese.
- Chupacabra Cantina for happy hour drink and eats on legendary 6th Street. Must-try: Queso Deluxe with pulled pork, guacamole and pico de gallo; Spicy Mango Margaritas
In Austin, pedicured toes and cowboy boots play happily together.
It’s great to meet online peeps in person. Like Niki who shares her new look and Seeded at the Table’s Angel Food Cake Waffles and Monique who has a smile that lights up a room and proves healthy can be pretty and tasty too with Ambitious Kitchen’s Fresh Strawberry Quinoa Salad with Goat Cheese, Sunflower Seeds & Lemon Vinaigrette.
Austin is home to the Whole Foods flagship store and an essential destination for any visiting foodie. Different types of whole pickles in an antipasto bar? I’m home.
Taking camera pics in low light can be such a color correction drag. To remedy, I’m going to opt into Irvin’s suggestion to try out Slow Shutter for iPhone.
My Instagram photos are quickly becoming some of my faves and even replaced my regular DSLR for the main pics in this post. Another great resource from White On Rice Couple for tips on where to print out Instagram photos to enjoy offline too.
- Red Stamp: post cards, greeting cards
- Printsatgram: calendars, memory boxes, gift cards
- Instaprints: make prints, sell your Instagram photos online
- Online Social Print: magnets
- Instacanv.as: canvases, framed prints, iPhone cases
I’m already ready to go back to Burrata-ville.
While I totally dig Videolicious (take a look at my video here) for making videos on the fly, White On Rice Couple recommended Animoto for making quick thank you videos for friends and family. That’s a thank you note I’d be happy to get.
Food bloggers somehow attract the best in people, including a group of marauding Robin Hood-esques who delivered boxes of free doughnuts by the coveted Gourdough’s Doughnut Truck in the hotel lobby to cure midnight munchies. Are these really doughnuts or are they cakes is disguise?
This isn’t just a girl’s game, boys are amazing bloggers too. Jim’s blog–and wicked storytelling ways—may have been my most unexpected surprise from the conference and has gone straight to the top of my RSS feed.
It’s okay that all of your photos aren’t pristine. Messy is good.
Miga’s are delish for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Be grateful for friends like Annalise and Kelley who carry cash for the tip when you take a pedi cab in Austin and you feel bad for your driver when the chain breaks and he has to push his bike back to homebase.
Never get up on the bar at Coyote Ugly when there is a camera around. Especially when you are sober and know better.
And finally, everyone has their own agenda and guess what? It doesn’t always include you. I try not to be intimidated to say hi at big conferences like this, but it can be hard no matter how big, medium or small a blogger you are when you’re feeling on the fringe. My advice? Find a few (or even just one) like-minded bloggers who you can create a group to help promote one another and grow together thanks to that support.
While I enjoy learning new things at events like this, the thing I most appreciate is the forum to connect again with food bloggers who have become friends, and to meet new faces I hope to one day be able to say the same thing about. And you all are in that category, readers and bloggers alike.
So send me a shout out via email, Facebook, Twitter or smoke signal and say, “Hey!” I’d love to hear from you no matter what your accent.
Now it’s time for me to go find those cousins and take a dip with them in the pool. Have a great Father’s Day weekend, celebrate your daddy or well-loved man with good food, fun and time spent together.
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An impressive share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a co-worker who has been conducting a little homework on this.
And he actually ordered me lunch because I found it for him…
lol. So let me reword this…. Thanks for the meal!!
But yeah, thanx for spending some time to discuss this issue here
on your site.
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Great delivery. Outstanding arguments. Keep uup the good spirit.
Monique @ Ambitious Kitchen
Thanks for the love Heidi! You’re the sweetest.
BusyDad
Although I’ve been doing this blogging thing for a while, it still intimidates me to go to a food blogging conference. I can hang with the parent bloggers all day, but food is what I would love to write about when I grow up. Meeting you and all the other wicked nice (a little taste of my hometown of Boston for you) food bloggers made me realize that you all are a nice bunch of folks too. Or maybe I was totally sugar rushing off that insane donut. Either way, what an amazing time with equally amazing people! Thank you for your kind words. Donuts on me next time!
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious
Looks like you had a great time in Austin! I think Jason and I need to make a trip out there this summer!
Ali | Gimme Some Oven
Love it. And your burrata bites were one of my Austin highlights. So crazy good!
Nikki @Seeded at the Table
I’m so glad I was able to finally meet you in person, Heidi! You are a charm! Next time, I’ll follow you to the cocktails instead of having to run back to the room to feed my newborn. :) xoxo!
Des @ Life's Ambrosia
It was so nice getting to chat with you in Austin! And I love your recap. Anyone else ready to go back because I so am, especially if it involves spicy margaritas and your burrata bites :)
Deborah
I am so, so sad that I didn’t go. Living vicariously through you! I must make it to Austin one day, though – it looks like an amazing town!
Annalise @ Completely Delicious
Such a fun roundup for a super fun weekend! Love the pic of us on the pedicab.
nessa
Sounds like you had a blast :)
JulieD
It was so good to see you this weekend, Heidi!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom
awh, what a great time! I went to school in Austin. . at the University of Texas. . good times!! Great post! Your daughter is the cutest thing. . I love her hair . . so glad she gets to spend time with her cousins this summer! My daughters will be doing the same. . Texas, here we come! My parents still live there. .
heidi
Oh thank you Alice! My little girl is my heart and soul. I bet yours are the same for you.
Laura
Psst … Real Texans spell it “y’all”
heidi
Oh man, if only I’d had you in my back pocket! Excited to see you in one week!
cassie
Chupacabra alone is worth the trip back to Austin. Let’s go now, I need another spicy mango marg!
Gerry @ Foodness Gracious
Hey, you want to talk accents? I have my own special version of Scottican :) I’m looking forward to checking out those IG tips, I’d love to print mine. Yes boys can be awesome bloggers too ;)
Great recap post!
Sandy @ RE
Love your recap, Heidi!
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough
Awww, looks like such a blast! I need to make this conference happen next year, for sure. Have a wonderful weekend, Heidi!
Giulia
Thanks for the mention! It was a fun ‘throw down’, thanks for joining. I’m glad you enjoyed Austin…I’m yet to be brave enough to attend BlogHerFood – it just seems sooooo big! But Austin would have been a nice place to visit. Have a great weekend.
heidi
Thanks for having me Giulia, it was an honor and really fun to see how the duel came out and really, how similar our photos ended up being :) XO
shelly (cookies and cups)
Such a fun recap!! I was so happy to finally meet and hug you IRL :)
heidi
I loved getting that real cookies and cups hug and that smile of yours is infectious so thank you for sharing it!!!
kelley
Twas a great weekend! You captured it beautifully. Hope you’re having a great time in Houston!
heidi
You’re the best roomie, thanks for everything as always. Have a great vacation too and well deserved family time. Hikes and farmers market when you get back!
Tieghan
Sounds incredible! So sad I did not to come to this, hopefully next year!
Kathryn
Austin definitely is a place I need to visit and there is some great advice here. Happy weekend Heidi!