blogher 2009, chicago i love you.

I’ve been sitting on this BlogHer post for several weeks because it’s taken me that much time to wrap my head around it. I’m still sifting and mulling in my brain, but it’s time to show you some photos.

Of course at first there was the SocialLuxe kick-off party, which was fabulous. Worth the last 5 months of my life I spent working on it.

When SocialLuxe was finished I was off to the races!

This was my first time to Chicago, and like every other city I visit I wish I’d had more time to wander around and get to know the city better. It’s beautiful. The architecture of all the buildings downtown is stunning. The buzz in the air is electric. The Sheraton was beautiful, the beds divine. I wanted to marry my bed, seriously. A big, huge, fat THANK YOU to Brand About Town for the ticket to BlogHer and the hotel room. I never win anything in my life, and I can’t believe I won admittance and a hotel for the conference. It was fate.

I accosted Pioneer Woman, Marlboro Man, and her adorable kiddos in the lobby. Marlboro Man is much taller in real life than I thought he’d be. The internet shrinks people apparently. I apologize Ree, I couldn’t help myself from stalking you. Thank you for being gracious and demure, it made me feel a little less wobbly about adoring you up close.

Me, Jyl, Michelle, Barbara, Ciaran, Marie at MamaPop’s Sparklecorn party. Oh my, the fun we had. Who knew Design Mom could shake it like that?

Ditto for White Trash Mom. We even managed to have serious religious conversation over the thumping of base.

Erin, I heart you. We can fight about Edward later.

Carson, I wanted to bring you home in my luggage but it wasn’t allowed. Thank you for the nice compliments. I’m so glad you just *adored* the new business cards Alma designed. I do too.

Nancy, next time I’m in NYC let’s sit on a stoop in Brooklyn and drink cold Diet Dr. Pepper. Please.

Marcy you know how to rock a pair of pajamas. I’m glad you liked the Chambord glass, even though you were decidedly not drunk Saturday night.

Isabel, thanks for the cheeseburgers and Diet Dr. Pepper. It was the best meal I had all
week, no lie.

Motherbumper, may we be stylishly coiffed in paper cheeseburger hats in a presidential suite sometime in the near future. I just didn’t have enough time with you.
Sugar, I might accuse you of being a Midwesterner again just to hear you laugh. And laugh. And laugh.

My favorite part of BlogHer, my favorite part of blogging, is the community. The women with whom I have a different relationship than even my closest childhood friends, because of our mutual interests, aspirations, and love of blogging. It’s a relationship I can’t even explain in a lot of ways, it just is. I met blogging heroes, women whose writing and stories have moved me, women whose blogs inspire me to be a better: mother, wife, friend, homemaker, writer, woman.

Can’t wait for 2010. SocialLuxe will be even better next year, if such a thing is possible.

Allison

Hello there! I'm Allison Czarnecki, founder + editor of Petit Elefant, a blog all about style on a budget for every part of your life: style / home / travel / family. I do a lot of how-to beauty + style tutorials, travel posts, easy recipes, home remodel projects, and cool DIY crafts you totally want to try. I'm super happily married (to a hot Polish immigrant) and am the mother of two kids, a daughter and son, all of whom are featured here on the regular. We live in the country but we're a little bit rock + roll. Welcome!