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.

adam/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

In 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.

Thank 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