Once upon this past weekend I flew to San Francisco for the Foodbuzz Conference and to hang out with some of the most wonderful friends that I’ve met through blogging.
It all started early Friday morning when I got up at 5:30, ran around the house in panic mode for 30 minutes, and then left my sweet husband and my two adorable pups behind to battle the toll road, off-site parking, freezing cold temperatures and buses that come with traveling through Denver International Airport. Oh, and the security lines. Let’s not forget about those glorious things.
Want to know a story? Of something you shouldn’t do when traveling? You shouldn’t use your family with two small children to cut in line in front of a million other people who, I don’t know, may just be in a hurry. You shouldn’t then try to loudly make conversation about how you’ve only traveled on a plane once before and don’t know how the security line works. Please note that I’m not mocking people who haven’t traveled before…it’s just no one in a security line wants to hear that right after you’ve cut in front of them.
The next “what not to do” is this: do not forget to take out your liquids and do not leave the scrapple that a) you really shouldn’t be bringing on the airplane in the first place and b) kind of grosses me out in your bag only to hold up the security line for another 15 minutes. And then don’t expect to get pleasant looks from others.
I don’t know anyone that this has happened to per se but I can imagine that I’d be extremely frustrated if it did. Just saying.
However frustrating the airport was though, I really had a great easy plane ride to San Francisco and had a blast the entire time with my roommate Kellie. Y’all, if you’re not reading her blog then you should and that’s just that.
The conference was a blast, the food was great, the weather could not have been more perfect. I can no longer really feel my feet after practically walking a full marathon this weekend, but whatever. Small price to pay, right? I mean who needs feet these days anyway. Really.
I ate my weight in food pretty much every day and traipsed across the city like I’ve lived there my whole life. I took in the scenery and the action of the city the way that I remember doing when we would come up with my family every summer. I breathed in the ocean air, the cool rain, and the sounds like it was second nature. I loved it and the only thing that would have made it better is Nate. Because he just always makes things better.
There’s something about being by the ocean that just quiets my soul. I feel like it can be hard to stay calm these days with preparing for a baby, the busy season at work, the stress that Nate deals with and the lack of sunshine (literally…fall back might be nice for that one day you get an extra hour of sleep, but the next few months are kind of sad and dreary). Being by the ocean, whether I’m in it or just by it, makes me feel settled and calm. I like that.
And the food? Yeah, I knew it would be good. I ate a lot of it, spent probably too much money on it, and would have eaten and spent more if only I had room in my stomach. Everything just tasted so fresh and just so lovingly created. You know the food is good when you can taste the love that went into it, and boy did I ever taste the love!
And this next photo? Well, I just like the color. So I’m putting the tablecloth in the picture. Because we all need a little more color in our life!
As far as blogging goes, I have to say that I left the conference inspired and with some things that I’m chewing on for the next few weeks. I love being challenged by meeting up with other amazing food-lovers, writers, photographers and creators in general. Not to mention I like leaving things with about 50 million more friends. That’s always a fun thing right?
But I have to say that most of all I loved leaving because, as much fun and inspiration and exercise as I had, nothing beats being home with my family. Nothing.
It sounds like a great trip, Heather! Your photos are stunning!
GORGEOUS photos Heather, that crepe is jumping out of the plate! Beautiful!
It was SO wonderful to finally meet you! I wish we could have had even more time together!
I’m so jealous of your eating adventures you had outside of Foodbuzz! Dang! Those crepes and tacos look amazing.
agreed! next time we’ll just all have to make a longer weekend 🙂 i can’t believe you had to fly cross-country twice in three days!
What GORGEOUS pictures! Looks like you had lots and lots of fun….I tend to agree with you though…nothing beats home and family 🙂
One of the highlights of my trip was the afternoon spent with you yesterday. Much love <3
i absolutely LOVED getting to hang out with you! definitely a highlight of my trip as well 🙂
I wish I made it to the Foodbuzz fest too! Love how you ended this post because it’s so true: nothing beats being home with family.
Last time I flew, the family in front of me was a disaster. Fully grown kids pulling out their THREE bags of liquids. Full size everything. Girls trying to figure out where to put their phones. I finally butted in and said “You can’t have your phone in your pocket. It’s fine in your bag or in the bin.” Girl’s response “won’t it get messed up by the machine?” Grrrrr… It’s one thing if you haven’t flown before, but there are signs everywhere explaining the procedure. Oh well. The joys of flying. 🙂
i think part of my soul just died reading about your airport horror stories. i am usually pretty patient, but something about going through the security line just zaps it right out!
Total empathy from me regarding the airport ridiculousness! While I’m looking forward to our vacay in December, I’m not excited about the airport part of it.
Love all your pictures – San Fran looks amazing! One day, I would love to visit. And yes, the ocean is very soothing. If we ever leave Florida, that’s the one thing I will miss.
Great recap Heather!! Lovely photos! It was great getting to spend so much time with you this weekend. 🙂
me too girl, you’ve said this before but it’s crazy how we live so close and had to go to san francisco to see one another! we need to make the hanging out thing happen more often 🙂
SO jealous. I hope one of these years I’ll get to go to Foodbuzz!!
Sounds like a blast awesome pictures!
Heather! I miss you already! You were seriously the best roommate I could have asked for. Thank you for everything this weekend…you inspire me! Also, seriously in love with so many of the photos you took this weekend. I can’t believe I missed out on those crepes! Geesh.
aw thanks kellie! right back atcha, i don’t know if we could have been a better match 🙂 and i think we just need to go back and get some crepes again!
What a great recap 🙂 I love seeing the city that I grew up in through someone else’s eyes.
thanks girl – i’m so glad we got to meet and hang out some this weekend!
Nice trip! Good for you for getting to go! Your photos are lovely and makes me want to travel more. Airport security is rough, they got me so sidetracked that I left my laptop (entire life) in the bin and walked off only to notice 30 minutes later. Talk about running all over the airport trying to get it back. Got it but wanted to die in the process. Ugh!
oh my gosh, i would die if i left my laptop! it’s good that you were able to get it back though and lived to tell the tale 😉
I like those comments of “what not to do in the security line and airport”. I’ve seen it all, and no, they won’t get any smiles from me. There are generally enough signs along the way instructing you about liquids and carry ons to not know when you get up to the check in. But, such is life, right!?
Awesome photos. I’d love to visit some day!
it’s truly an amazing city. i used to want to live there!