Community Across the Globe-Food Blog Camp 2011

com•mu•ni•ty(noun)
•  a body of persons of common and especially professional interests scattered through a larger society
•  sharing, participation, and fellowship

Community comes in all shapes and sizes. I am lucky to have different facets of community threaded throughout my life. I have my neighborhood community.  Parents, children, teachers, and local business come together to help make our kids educational experience the best that it can be. I have a wonderful community at my synagogue, Ohr HaTorah – “the shul with a soul”.  This is the place where I go to each Saturday to quiet my mind, meditate and find solace in prayer and song. This is my spiritual community.  My community of girlfriends offer me a safe place to be myself, be honest, laugh with and cry with. This is my soulful community.  And now, I have a community of people, who span the globe, whom share in my passion for all things culinary.  This is my virtual community.

Food Blog Camp 2011 | @Susan Salzman | www.theurbanbaker.comadam/lucy/matt, elise, nancy,/elana/sally/stephanie
me/marla/carrie, david, jaden/diana

This past week I was fortunate enough to be one of 39 bloggers to attend Food Blog Camp in Cancun, Mexico.  The setting was breath taking, set on 800 acres at the Grand Velas Riveria Maya Resort at the edge of Playa del Carmen. This resort is one of those destinations that should be on your “1000 places to see before you die” list. However, it wasn’t the destination that attracted me to this hotel, it was the cast of characters that were going to be my camp “counselors” for the week.  Elise Bauer (Simply Recipes), David Lebovitz (David Lebovitz.com), Diane + Todd (White on Rice Couple), Jaden Hair (Steamy Kitchen) Matt Armendariz (mattbites), and Adam Pearson(Adam Pearson Food Stylist) did not disappoint.   All seven of them each shared their own pearls of wisdom that, at times crossed over, but it didn’t matter because their perspectives were so unique.  The information that I gained, the people that I met and the friendships that I created will be with me forever.

Here is my top 10 list for my 5 days spent in paradise:

10     I didn’t have to make my bed for 5 days.
9.      Food was at my disposal 24 hours a day.
8.      I learned a little something about myself.
7.      I gained a life long friend in Lucy Lean.
6.      I met, chatted with, and even laughed with David Lebovitz
5.      I made new friends; Nancy Singleton Hachisu, Stephanie Morimoto, Nancy Buchanan, and Elana Horwich
4.      Elise taught us “that the community one creates is the secret sauce of blogging”
3.      That each post should “come from the spirit of generosity”
2.      “don’t compare yourself with others,” says Matt
1.      I now regard Elise Bauer as my friend

Cancun | @Susan Salzman | www.theurbanbaker.comIn a nutshell, it was a great 5 days.  It was a once in a lifetime experience.  I will walk away from this experinece knowing a little something more about myself, educated, richer for meeting a group of woman whom will inspire me and help me to grow, and grateful for being one of the “choosen” few.

Food Photography | @Susan Salzman | www.theurbanbaker.comThank you team Food Blog Camp for creating Food Blog Camp!

Related Links

Food Blog Camp

Food Blogger Camp Photos (via flickr)

David Lebovitz – Food Blogger Camp 2011

A Communal Table – What I learned…Food Blogger Camp 2011

Confessions of a Foodie Bride – Seeing the Light

Kitchen Conundrum – Food Blog Camp! ¡Hola! Mexico! Part Uno

Mommy Cooks – Food Blog Camp 2011

Adventures of an Amateur Foodie – Playa del Carmen, Mexico: Food Blog Camp 2011

The Recipe Renovator – Food Blogger Camp: Molecular Gastronomy Demonstration

Family Fresh Cooking – Food Blogger Camp Riviera Maya

Savuryandsweet – Hola from Riviera Maya

Food Woolf – 10 Lessons Learned from Food Blog Camp 2011

What’s Gaby Cooking – Food Blog Camp – Cancun

Frantasticfood – If you are happy and you know it, Eat Fois Gras

Pinch my Salt – Wordless Wednesday: My Kind of Camping Trip

White on Rice Couple – 2011 Food Blog Camp + Dancing Video

Sally Cameron – Mango Grand Marnier Margaritas + Food Blog Camp 2011

Stephanie M – Life Lessons from Food Blog Camp

Matt Bites – Pool Time

Kitchen Corners – Food Blog Camp 2011

Bake Cupcakes – Oh Mexico! Food Blogger Camp

Steamy Kitchen – Food Blog Camp 2011

Pinch My Salt – What I Learned in Mexico

Showing 44 comments
  • Molly Chester
    Reply

    So cool. What a great experience! Thanks for sharing what you learned…

  • Maria
    Reply

    Glad you had such an amazing time!

  • Kristen
    Reply

    Elise is one of the nicest people around. Glad you had such a wonderful time!

  • Stephanie
    Reply

    Susan,
    Great catching up with you at the beach. Thanks for this post and the link. Hope to see you in LA or San Diego soon!

    • Susan
      Reply

      I agree. I just wish we had more time! Would love to reconnect…we will try and make that happen!

  • Lucy Lean
    Reply

    Lovely seeing our shared ‘home’ for the camp – loved camping with you x

  • Amanda
    Reply

    SO glad you had such an amazing time… the setting and people look wonderful!!

  • Priscilla - She's Cookin'
    Reply

    Love your top 10 🙂 What a beautiful setting and so amazing that you can say you’ve talked with David Lebovitz and Elise Bauer is a friend! I wish I could have been there – I need a “tribe” (Nancy’s word).

    • Susan
      Reply

      you are happily part of my “tribe”!

  • Cathy/ShowFoodChef
    Reply

    I love your expressions about your different communities. I knew that would be a wonderful time – so glad for you. Hope to see and get to know you better during 2011, always enjoy your blog.

    • Susan
      Reply

      I would love to get to know you better this year. Let’s plan a cooking something or another together!

  • jocelyn silverman
    Reply

    what a wonderful experience. thanks for sharing. i love your top 10 list but for me, since i don’t know all these wonderful food people, i might put your numbers 9 and 10 as my top 1 and 2. glad you were able to go. can’t wait to see what is next for you.

    • Susan
      Reply

      thanks joc – i always love your support!

  • Kelly
    Reply

    Gorgeous photos! I’m so glad you had a great time!

  • marla {family fresh cooking}
    Reply

    Such a great re-cap Susan – I too love being spoiled. Not making my bed for 5 days was dreamy. great memories my friend. Love our community! xo

  • David
    Reply

    Glad you had fun and came along with us! Hope that’s it’s not too hard being back..and having to make your own bed again : )

    • Susan
      Reply

      making my bed is just part of my daily routine. it’s the other stuff – like schlepping the kids to and fro!

  • Patricia Scarpin
    Reply

    You guys are so lucky! I really hope being able to take part in such great events someday, Susan!

  • The Italian Dish
    Reply

    Looks like so much fun, Susan! Wish I could have gone!

  • Reply

    As a new blogger, I am so grateful to be a part of such a welcoming and supportive community. It never ceases to amaze me to see all the kindness and generosity of people from around the world, all united over a common bond, our love of food. I can only imagine what a special and unique experience the camp must have been. How wonderful to finally meet all the faces behind the blogs and get to know each other in such a beautiful setting no less!

  • Joyti
    Reply

    I love the ‘community’ too…I don’t know too many real-life foodies, and to have virtual access to so many lovely foodies is marvelous.

  • Damaris @Kitchen Corners
    Reply

    Having community is a gift. I’m so glad you came even though it was hard leaving the kids.

  • Sally
    Reply

    Susan, I am happy to be a part of your “virtual community” and in real time, I also enjoyed sharing a meal with you in Mexico! I forgot to add to my blogging take-aways Matt’s comment about photos: “don’t judge.” That really stuck with me, especially since photography presents such a long learning curve. But it’s good to apply that to our lives, too, n’est-ce pas? It’s a long learning curve there too : )

  • jenjenk
    Reply

    love your top 10 list!! totally relate to 9 & 10 when I stay at hotels. 🙂

  • Ej
    Reply

    Good insparitonal writing mother. I missed u so much, but it was fun that u weren’t here because we had unlimited PS3. I love you

  • elana horwich
    Reply

    love the post! and the photos. xo, elana

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