Queen of Quirky Takes Manhattan

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of catching up with Queen of Quirky blogger and galpal Stephanie.

A Kansas City native, Stephanie and I clicked at the big BlogHer conference in Chicago last summer, finding we had both blogging and journalism-to-PR career trajectories in common. It was Stephanie’s first visit to NYC, so we enjoyed an action-packed girls night out on Saturday.

Girls Night Out: Stephanie and me at Buddakan

The evening’s festivities began with dinner at swanky Buddakan, site of Carrie and Big’s rehearsal dinner and one of my favorite restaurants. It never disappoints and this meal was no exception.

For appetizers, we indulged in chili rock shrimp, taro puff pork lollipops and wok hay frog legs. The gastronomic bliss continued with braised short ribs and shrimp and lobster chow fun, and for dessert, a carrot-ginger cake with cream cheese ice cream that was beyond heavenly. Steph is quite the foodie, not to mention a great cook, so I can’t wait to try her take on Buddakan’s braised ribs.

After dinner, we headed over to the Gansevoort Hotel, where we took in the dressed-to-be-seen scene at both the rooftop bar and Tanuki Tavern.

Big Drink: Steph with Tanuki Tavern’s oversized cosmo

Our last stop of the night -- Irish pub O’Flanagan’s, for some final cocktails and the sounds of cover band Planet Groove. We danced to some classic tunes (“500 Miles” and “Sweat--La La La Long” among them), toasted our friendship -- and talked about how Steph’s hometown will figure into my Grand 2010 Plan.

Stay tuned for the big reveal on Friday!

My First Time At BlogHer

Last Friday, I joined 1,500 other women for BlogHer, the largest annual gathering of female bloggers in the U.S.

The big crowd at BlogHer’s opening session

The Mommy bloggers were out in full force. During the opening breakfast, I had the pleasure of connecting with two of them – Devra of Parentopia and Ellen of Love That Max. In the small world department, Devra mentioned working with a few of my Quinn & Co. PR colleagues, while Ellen and I discovered we have a mutual friend in common.

After a quick round of speed networking with other bloggers, I was off to a series of informative and engaging panels covering topics from owning your expertise to making the transition from blogger to author (Izzy Rose and Stefanie Wilder-Taylor had some fabulous tips to share).

During an afternoon break, I headed onto the expo floor where big brands ranging from Suave to Wal-Mart were showcasing what’s new. My favorite, and most unexpected, attraction, though, was the fabulous Carson Kressley.

Carson Kressley: The style guru and TV personality is equally charming and hilarious in person

On hand to promote BlogHer sponsor Nikon’s "How To Look Good In Pictures"campaign, Carson charmed the crowd and delivered one of the day’s best one-liners. When Mrs. Potato Head approached him for a handshake, Carson quipped that he’s trying to cut back on carbs.

Cheryl of Jack And Jill Politics and I talked about the amazing things that can happen when you start blogging. She had just interviewed President Obama a few days before and marveled that he was well acquainted with her site. I felt the same way when Cheryl said she was familiar with Single Gal In The City.

Stephanie (a.k.a Queen of Quirky) and me at the cocktail reception

Later, at a cocktail reception for attendees, I connected with fun and fabulous Stephanie (a.k.a Queen of Quirky). We talked about our similar career paths – moving from journalism into PR – and the party we’d like to co-host at next year’s BlogHer. I can’t wait, especially since BlogHer 2010 will be in NYC.

After putting in a brief appearance at one of the Mommy blogger-sponsored soirees, I headed back to my room feeling exhausted but inspired. Having met so many smart, accomplished women passionate about contributing to the blogosphere makes me feel even more privileged to be a part of it.

Chicago: My Kind Of Town

Ever since a brief business trip to Chicago fifteen years ago, I’ve been hankering to return. This week, my wish is coming true, as I enjoy a three-night stay here in this great city.

Cruising Around Chi-town: The view from a cruise covering Chicago’s rich architectural past and present

Since arriving Wednesday night, my whirlwind visit has covered everything from cruising Chicago’s waterways and dinner atop a swanky museum to catching up with a producer at Oprah and mingling with a few adorable locals.

Today, I’m getting some creative inspiration here at BlogHer, the largest annual female blogging conference. It’s impossible not to be inspired when you’re surrounded by 1,500 amazingly talented, accomplished women from all walks of life.

Coming up…more about my eventful jaunt to the Windy City. My kind of town, Chicago is!

Smitten With Steamy Kitchen

Every time I encounter a fellow female blogger, I’m reminded of how fortunate I am to be part of a community of fabulous women who have smart and interesting perspectives to share. The other day, I had the pleasure of meeting food blogger and photographer Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen.

Jaden Hair: Multimedia maven and blogger extraordinaire

My Quinn & Co colleagues caught up with Florida-based Jaden during her whirlwind visit to NYC. A true multi-media goddess, Jaden also pens a weekly food column for the Tampa Tribune and makes regular guest appearances on local TV shows. She manages to do all of this, travel frequently and be a wife and mother of two. I need to find out her secret to time management.

It’s no surprise that Steamy Kitchen is one of the most popular food blogs worldwide – Jaden is as passionate about the culinary universe as she is prolific in her talents. Her fresh take on Asian cooking makes me want to use my kitchen for something other than defrosting Lean Cuisines.

Jaden will be speaking at this summer’s BlogHer Conference in Chicago. I’m on the waitlist for a ticket, and hope to catch up with her again in the Windy City. In the meantime, I look forward to following her adventures in and out of the chef's hat at Steamy Kitchen.