Yes, of course the sessions are where the real learning takes place, but the opportunities to learn at BlogHer didn’t stop at the meeting room exits.
I’m leaving BlogHer11 with this new knowledge:
1. A Flash Mob is one of the coolest things I’ve seen, and seeing one on tv is nothing compared to the real thing. At lunch on Friday, Lady Gaga’s Edge of Glory came on over the sound system and it took everyone a few moments to realize what was happening, and then there it was! Then more people joined! Then I was standing on my chair watching with goosebumps from head to toe.
2. Spending more than 3 seconds with anyone from the southern US states means you will be talking with a drawl and saying y’all before you even realize it. And then you husband may decide you’re drunk because of the mysterious drawl in your voice on the phone.
3. Everyone wears cute shoes the first day and a half, then after that many of us are limping and wearing flip flops. I found bandaids for blisters at the CVS pharmacy and wanted to kiss the box (I may have) in appreciation. Why didn’t
Band Aid have a booth at BlogHer? Talk about a captive audience!
4. When eating quesadillas at a restaurant by the ocean, don’t naively assume they wouldn’t have shrimp in them. “Who the hell puts shrimp in quesadillas?” this girl from the Canadian prairies asked as I turned green (I have not eaten seafood, to my knowledge, since I was 5.)
5. It’s still fun to play around with Americans that don’t know much about Canada. The salesgirl at GAP, when I said I was from Canada, asked how much snow we had up there right now (yes, really.) I told her not much, my igloo melted. And then SHE looked at ME funny.
HA HA HA! I am from the south…okay I was BORN in Montreal but raised in Dallas. I find that when I go “home” I suddenly turn on my accent. Y’all comes out and my voice has a cute little twang to it. It just happens without my trying.
And yes, a lot of American’s really don’t understand what Canada is and think it is a frozen tundra!
Haha – this old friend of yours is from the sorta-South, also born in Canada Jenny – how weird is that?? I can go Northern (with my time in MN) or southern from my time here. It just depends on who I am talking too. Chris can always tell the geographic location of the caller on the phone based on the accent I decide to use 😉
no band-aids?? YIKES! Hence why always choose comfort over fashion IMO
I can’t believe I missed the flashmob on Friday! That must’ve been awesome!! I’m sure there are about a billion things I missed (though I too got the bandaids at CVS)! : )
WHen I was in Florida last month for the Zumba convention nobody understood me when I said my name was Suzi and spelled it S U Z I (ess, you, zed, eye). They kept asking me to repeat myself. Finally I said “S U Zeee I” and then they figured out how to spell it. Then I had someone actually say, “WOW! I didn’t know you had different letters in Canada!”
Oh. My. Word.
You’re kidding! Lol love it!
Mmmmmm – shrimp quesadillas would be delicious! You gotta broaden your culinary horizons, Tenille! lol
You have no idea, I thought I was going to die. Or at least throw up a little shrimpie.
Oh gag, seafood in a quesadilla? That’s unnatural.
I had to LOL at 5 though because that is some stupid question I would totally ask.
I say y’all now even though I’m a Yankee. It’s from spending time in the south over the summer while visiting family. People sometimes ask if I’m from the south LOL.
Annnnnd I will wear flip flops the whole time. I have no cute shoes haha.
Poor igloo. 😉
Omg that is so funny about the snow. I know a lot of people think we have snow all year and live in igloos.
Great post , sounds like you had fun!
Lol, too funny. I liked the flash mob too! Wish I were taller though. Shrimp quesadillas are a fave here in San Diego along with crab, fish tacos, yummy n more. Hope u liked ur city!
Oh then you do NOT want to talk to me for more than a few minutes; I’m from Louisiana – “Ya’ll” is a FANCY word down there 😉
Love the American girl!
About 15 yrs ago I worked retail while in college and had an American (possibly Texan) quite rudely push his way in front of another customer to ask ‘if we are so backwards up here that there aren’t even any banks?’ I put on my best ‘oh gosh’ look and told him the closest one was in downtown Vancouver (I worked in Langley about 45 minutes down the highway) and was kind enough to provide directions. I am sure there are equally ignorant Canadians that venture south to provide us with a bad name, so I think it is each country’s civic duty to straighten each others citizens out!
LOVE your comment about the igloo. One thing I learned before even going to my first conference was comfy shoes. Sorry you had to go find some band aids.
I’m lol-ing at the Canada confusion – being a Minnesota native people associate that with the same thing, snow year round and igloos I’m sure!
I totally want to see a flash mob some day. How cool!!!
I laughed at the igloo comment! I even get that living within the US. People ask me if I have cows and corn in my backyard (Nebraska) when I lived in Georiga for two years.
I used to tell them, “Yes, and we drive covered wagons!”
I live in the city. No cows and corn in my backyard.
When I lived in Texas and would chat with Canadian online and they’d asked “Do you ride a horse to school” I was like “Yep, 275 of them….”
Culture shock makes me laugh alllllll the time!
I’m so glad we got to hang out – even if I had to witness your accidental shrimp eating. 🙂
At least I held back the vomit for you!
I love your list, I hope you got your igloo fixed. lol
Ha! I totally wish we could have spent more time together!
Look like you had fun. That’s the best part. You definitly need to visit the coast(East/West) more often. Products from the sea are everywhere and sooo good & fresh. You might get use to it 🙂
OK I love shrimp…but in a quesadilla? Um, no. Bleh.
The rest of the trip sounds like a lot of fun. I am glad you got to go! I would love to see a flash mob!
Hopefully you’ll be coming to NYC next year. 🙂
I’m love reading about everyone that loved the flashmob! It was one of the most amazing things to be apart of and I’m so glad those that witnessed it thought loved it too! Thank you!
100% loved it, best kept secret too – everyone was surprised when it happened! Thank YOU for giving everyone such a great memory!
It sounds like you had a blast! I can’t wait to go next year. That’s too funny that the girl thought there was snow in Canada. We took our honeymoon there in June (6 years ago) and the weather was gorgeous!
I still don’t understand how you can drink fishy clam tomatoe juice in your caesars and not eat seafood!!
Sounds like you had a great time even though I have no idea what a flash mob is! 🙂
First you think Target really exists in Canada, then you don’t know what a Flash Mob is? Girl, I’m glad you’re outta the north and in a city now!
I’m so sorry I didn’t get to meet you! I really, really wanted to.
I learned last year to ditch the high heels from the get go. I wore comfy shoes but my feet still hurt! My feet and ankles are currently incredibly swollen lol.
I had the shrimp quesadillas and loved them. Seafood is in everything in restaurants by the ocean here. I only like shellfish though 🙂
It was fun reading your thoughts and I agree – Bandaids would be the PERFECT sponsor!
Sounds like you had a ton of fun. The flash mob sounds so cool! 🙂 I am hoping to attend next year, although it will be a cross country trip. Time will tell I guess! 🙂
I’m still talking with a southern accent! So funny how that happens. Great Post Tenille and I had so much fun hanging with you!
I nearly got sick when I saw there was shrimp in there!! I do not eat SEAFOOD> Ewwwww.
I couldn’t believe it my self and oh my feet her soooo bad!!
So glad you had a great time! I’m looking forward to your next set of insights 🙂
OMG I loved those quesadillas!!!
Can I just I big puffy paint heart you?
Kas