8.10.2010

My totally surreal Blogher weekend, complete with blurry iPhone photos! Part I

This was one of those weekends after which I stepped out of my body, looked at myself and thought, how did I get here? Then I put on a giant white suit and smacked myself in the forehead a few times.

(Sorry, 80's humor.)

I don't think I can get through it all in one post, what with me actually having work to do, children to see, and the undue influence of Metro Dad, Bossy, Miss Grace, Laid Off Dad, and their good friend Vodka with a Splash of Cranberry But Not Really to sleep off.

So let's just start with Thursday. And just the surreal moments. Or you'll be here all day.

Thursday 6:45 AM
Town car shows up to whisk me to my Today Show appearance. My as in me. On the Today Show. Talking to the gorgeous, gracious Meredith Viera about cool back to school picks from the Cool Mom Picks Back to School Shopping Guide. The professional hair and makeup was so fabulous, I didn't wash my hair for the rest of the weekend, as 2400 Blogher conference attendees can attest. Watch the clip here.

Photo: Alicia Ybarbo. Hair: Definitely not me.
Oh my God, my head is big.
Photo: Emily McKhann
Friends in the control room being supportive. That I know of.

Isabel, Emily, Kristen, Catherine



I'm not sure exactly what part was more surreal - getting my hair done next to Jean Chatsky (who I have a huge girl crush on); smelling Ree Drummond's yummy beef live and in person (that's not a euphemism); knowing some of my best friends in the world were sending me "don't throw up on live TV" vibes from the control room; or spending time in the green room with The Real Housewife of I Crashed the White House.

Hi. I'm the stumpy one on the right.


2:30 PM
I start checking into the Hilton with my roommate Christina (who has a fancy new .com domain!) and realize I pretty recognize no one on line besides Amalah. Considering this is my fifth Blogher conference, that means whoa, there are a hellalot of people here.

And come to think of it, I didn't recognize Amy at first either, what with the pretty new red hair.

5:04 PM
I have been at the hotel for 2.5 hours now and there is no drama. Where is the drama, people? Everyone is being nice to each other and hugging and generally having fun. The only drama took place on an Air Canada flight the night before and had nothing to do with swag or Crocs or fist fights in a bowling alley.


I think to myself, the hatahs will be distraught.

5:05 PM
Hijacked an illegal Town Car with Kristen, Asha, Tina. Hey, it was rush hour. And we were in heels.

Blurry iPhone photo as promised. I'm a woman of my word.

5:40 PM
A champagne toast with some of my favorite peoples.

Laura and Maggie, whose nice camera takes non-blurry photos.
Jenny Lawson reinterprets the champagne toast in her own inimitable Bloggess kind of way.

No idea at all what's happening here, but I saw it in Maggie's set and it is definitely surreal, so I grabbed it.

7:31PM
Dinner with some of the coolest people on the planet; too many to link here. Photos too blurry even for this post. And some really spicy crab taquitos.


11:31PM
Prostitute in the Hilton lobby bar. Or wait - maybe a sophmore from college with her great-uncle and his best friend heading out to uh...something. I'm thinking a late night backstage meet and greet with the cast of Wicked? And she just so happens to be wearing drag queen boots? Maybe that's how the kids are dressing at the U of Ohio these days.

---

Next post: Two wardrobe malfunctions, the dance-off of the century (complete with scary video), misinterpreted tweets, celebrity contact, and a United States Senator. Not all together.

So, how was your weekend?


34 Comments:

Anonymous Cole said...

I saw you on the Today show - and I want everything you were recommending!

8/10/10, 8:01 AM  
Blogger Mama Cas said...

Just watched the clip...YAY for not throwing up! And YAY for professional hair styling! Love those lunchboxes you were showing.

8/10/10, 8:08 AM  
Blogger Kevin McKeever said...

I learned that being the only blogger of the daddy persuasion at a Martha Stewart party gives you instant recognition among the entire Omnimedia staff.

Good seeing you again and thanks again for the CureJM.org plug on Cool Mom Picks.

8/10/10, 8:11 AM  
Blogger jodifur said...

It was so wonderful to finally meet you. You are as awesome in person as you seem online.

8/10/10, 8:17 AM  
Anonymous Jennifer James said...

Sounds like your weekend was a lot more exciting than mine.

Loved seeing you for a quick sec at the Nate Berkus party!

8/10/10, 8:18 AM  
Blogger Avitable said...

Um, that drag queen was me. Thanks for not recognizing me.

8/10/10, 8:36 AM  
Blogger {sue} said...

Somehow I didn't even SEE you all weekend (other than on the Today Show, where you were just as awesome as Jean Chatsky on any day). You were definitely on my list of people who don't know me but I'm going to hug them anyway. Next year.

8/10/10, 8:52 AM  
Blogger Mom et al said...

Absolutely unbelievable that I never had the chance to say hello to you once during the entire conference, but I did see the prostitute and her great uncle.

I have heard nothing but anti-drama and wonderful experiences from everyone I spoke to and every post that I have read, and am so glad that I was there to be a part of it.

8/10/10, 10:00 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Your hair looked awesome. All weekend. I meant to ask for tips. New York did all sorts of crazy to my hair.

8/10/10, 10:05 AM  
Anonymous Rita Arens said...

My only complaint about BlogHer this year is that I didn't get my usual amount of Liz Gumbinner. Am very upset about this. :)

8/10/10, 10:23 AM  
Anonymous Liz said...

I can't belive I missed you on the Today Show! Off to watch it right now...

8/10/10, 10:39 AM  
Anonymous Meagan Francis said...

My surreal moment that intersected with your Today Show appearance...I was knocking back my second glass of wine at 9 AM before my flight out of Chicago (Hey, I'm a nervous flier), looked up at the TV in the bar, and there you were! Then I turned to the woman next to me and said "Hey, I know her." "Really?" she said. "Yeah, from the Internet. And I'm going to meet her this weekend at a blogging conference."

Then the woman just looked at me strangely and turned back to her screwdriver.

8/10/10, 10:49 AM  
Blogger helenjane said...

I enjoyed meeting you YOU YOU face to face, live and in person.

So exciting.

Yay for new friends face to face!

8/10/10, 11:09 AM  
Blogger helenjane said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

8/10/10, 11:09 AM  
Blogger Liz@thisfullhouse said...

My surreal moment -- riding in an ambulance and taking an unexpected trip to Roosevelt Hospital with BusyMom.

Aaaand, one (of a very, very few) of my biggest regrets from this weekend is NOT getting my yearly Mom-101 hug :( What an awesome weekend, though and congrats on NOT throwing up on the Today Show -- you know I woulda totally, right?!?

Hugs,

Liz

8/10/10, 11:15 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I didn't go, but looking over some of the photos..total envy!! How very fun & cool!!

8/10/10, 11:53 AM  
Blogger Gray Matter Matters said...

Yeah, what's the deal with no drama? I think you guys lied to us newbies. I did not receive a single elbow to the kidney the entire time. Oh, except for once on the dance floor during an unfortunate Hustle incident. Wonderful event from beginning to end.

8/10/10, 1:27 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Yeah you rocked the Today show. Haven't you been on there before? You're a pro! I have a total girl-crush on Jean Chatsky too.

8/10/10, 3:14 PM  
Blogger Issa said...

Was that woman in the lobby the one with the 19 inch red heels? I believe I saw her.

I had an absolute blast. The whole thing was amazing. I am sure there was drama, but I never saw any of it. In my head? It just didn't happen. My head is a lovely place. There's cupcakes there. Ha. So glad I finally go to meet you.

Also? Am pretty sure I had dinner on Saturday with a call girl. Although she called her self something else.

8/10/10, 4:05 PM  
Blogger Issa said...

Um, let me add, I had dinner with ten people in a public place and she sorta came with us. SWEAR!!!!

8/10/10, 4:06 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I missed the Today Show stuff. Hmph. So mad! You looked fabulous for sure - such exciting stuff!

Can't wait to read/see more...

8/10/10, 6:04 PM  
Blogger Lara said...

My weekend was fabulous, made even more so by getting to dance with you to awesome tunes at Sparklecorn. Woot! :)

8/10/10, 6:57 PM  
Anonymous Nadia said...

I saw you on the Today Show just before I left for NYC. You were fab!

So happy to have finally met you! :) And girl, you definitely have some fab moves on the dance floor!

8/10/10, 7:30 PM  
Anonymous MetroDad said...

Was there even a splash of cranberry in that vodka? Felt more like a liquid roofie. Such a great time though, Liz. Thanks for inviting me to the festivities. Am SO happy I came. And even happier that I got to meet so many of my favorite blogHERS.

8/10/10, 8:43 PM  
Blogger Amelia Sprout said...

I was sick the entire weekend. It was all a cold medicine induced haze. However, thanks to your suggestions, I did spend a bit of money in my old hood in Brooklyn.

Thank you.

8/10/10, 10:23 PM  
Anonymous the mama bird diaries said...

So sorry I didn't see you at BlogHer! Congrats on Today. Did you see my favorite TV personality.. Kathie Lee?

8/11/10, 12:07 AM  
Blogger Michael from dadcation.com said...

Glad to have a front row seat for some of this.

8/11/10, 12:54 AM  
Blogger Lady M said...

Hooray you! The Today Show clip looks great, and so does your hair.

I heard from Kristen that there's a Star Wars edition of Cool Moms Pick coming up. Can't wait . . .

8/11/10, 4:06 AM  
Anonymous Chicky Chicky Baby said...

She was totally a college student and I'm sure those were just old friends of her father's making sure she was taken care of in the city. WELL taken care of. Right?

Lovely sharing a hamburger bed with you!

8/11/10, 10:13 AM  
Blogger Table4Five said...

I looked and looked for you at BlogHer and never found you :(

Is there a clip from your Today show segment I can see? YouTube maybe?

8/11/10, 10:31 AM  
Anonymous lizz said...

@Table4Five
Right above the first pic there is a link to watch the clip :)

8/11/10, 4:55 PM  
Blogger Jenny, the Bloggess said...

Watching you on tv was surreal. It would have been better though if it was a sex tape. Just keep it in mind for next time. No biggie.

8/11/10, 4:59 PM  
Blogger Cajun Cowgirl said...

I've GOT to get involved with this Blogher weekend next year. Tips?

8/13/10, 11:33 AM  
Blogger Christina said...

I'm just thankful that someone snapped a pic of us on the big cheeseburgHer bed or it would ruin my streak of always being in a picture with you for each BlogHer.

It was a whirlwind of a weekend. I wish I could have spent more time with everyone I hoped to see.

Congrats on the Today Show appearance - you were great!

8/14/10, 7:15 AM  

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