Annnnnnnnd I’m BACK!
Now, before I risk forgetting any of the amazing moments from my trip to Park City, I think it’s high time we got some recapping done around here! I’m sure you guys have seen it all already, so I’m gonna do my best to give you what I consider the HIGHEST of highlights…the BEST of the best…the FUNNEST of the fun!*
Like looking out the window of the plane and seeing this view! Seriously…Tennessee mountains ain’t got NOTHING on these beauts!
Like cruising into Cafe Rio (my only request) within an hour after landing for some fresh tostada action, sneaking some moose kisses while hitting up some local shops, playing “snow angel” in my 1000-thread count sheets (that I got ELEVEN glorious hours of sleep in that night) after filling my tummy with the most AMAZING homemade bruschetta, parmesan crusted bread, and fried goat cheese from Red Rock Junction.
Like pimping out the Nature Valley with my twin, having a blast during the fun run with Oiselle, and refueling with smoothies and ice cream sandwiches from Arctic Zero!
Like getting all dolled up in my super mysterious cocktail dress, clinking glasses with some of my best girls, diving into some fine desserts (salted caramel tart and a chilled mint soup with fruit), and finally getting the chance to meet (and squeeze) in person some ladies, like Amanda, whom I’ve considered a dear friend for some time now…cough:three years:cough!
Like giving my KILLER abs a rest 😉 and using my legs for a perfect midday hike. We rode the gondola up and witnessed some pretty spectacular views, practiced a little mountain yoga, and chatted it up all the way back down…and back UP again if you know, you happen to forget your camera in the hotel room…big thanks to Heather and Melissa for making the trek back with me! 🙂
Buy it was totally worth it!
Like rearranging our hotel suite so Kait could lead us all in a MUCH needed restorative yoga class…oh and I just have to say, Katie ROCKED her first yoga experience and watching Heather attempt mermaid pose for the first time was a thing of beauty!
Like becoming a mermaid myself and then meeting up with some girls for pre-dinner drinks at High West where I ordered a drink with an egg white in it (it was umm…interesting) and spent half the time mesmerized by the bars choice in decor. Must have all the mason jars!
Like having a BEYOND amazing dinner (fancy schmancy southern comfort food!) at a place called Purple Sage where we wined…and dined…and dined some MORE! Favorites of the night: homemade sausage and cheese platter, (unpictured) cranberry & jalapeno mini corn muffins, shrimp with polenta cake with some kind of sauce that I could’ve bathed in, and lavender CREME FREAKING BRULEE!! Holy balls was that good!
Like seizing the opportunity for some classic Blend shenanigans (ninja’d pic from Amanda) on the way back to the hotel. And I do mean CLASSIC…
Hmm, this setup looks oddly familiar! 😉
Like getting back in time for some of Momma B’s FAMOUS Utah scones (now I know what I was missing last year) and then chatting it up to all hours of the night with my PJ-clad blends!
Like pulling off one AMAZING breakfast (if I do say so myself) with the help of Yoplait, Nature Valley, and the restaurant crew of the Hyatt Escala (their egg white fritatta was the perfect savory compliment to our sweet lineup of oats, yogurt, granola, and bars). Big thanks to all the ladies who posed for shots, helped with tweets, and of course didn’t laugh when I peed my pants…just kidding! 😉
Like hitting up Cafe Rio AGAIN (it’s THAT good, people!) on the way to the airport and getting to enjoy some blend time on a much smaller scale while noshing on freshly made tortillas and tomatillo ranch crack dressing! 😉
But none of this…not one SINGLE thing compares to the collective feeling in my heart when I think about all the friendships I strengthened, the new ones I made, and all the amazing adventures we were able to experience together!
It was those thoughts that got me through multiple flight delays, hours spent with crying babies, and a loooooooooooong drive home at two in the morning before I was finally in my house, tucked in my bed, dreaming of all my beautiful blends!
I can’t WAIT to see all those ladies (and MANY MORE!) for Blend 2015 innnnnnnnn Boulder, Colorado!
*Who am I kidding, like I could ever narrow it down that much! 😉
So WHO’S coming next year?!
I’m coming!! For real!
THIS post just made me smile. LOVE all the selfies, Bear hugging (dirty) pics, you gorgeous ladies and all that FOOD!! What an amazing weekend!
YAY!!!!!!!!!!
And you just MADE MY DAY!!! Omg, Lucie! I can’t wait to meet you!! No more being jealous of Laura! Haha!
I miss you! I don’t think we got a picture together this year (GASP!) and definitely didn’t get enough time with you. I’ll let you know when I decide to make my way to TN… 😉
Oh I know…with all the hustle and bustle, I’m only now realizing that I need so much more one on one time with my best blends! Miss you too lady! And you BETTER let me know ASAP! xoxo
You are the cutest! I’m so glad I met you. I think you are one of my new favorites! xoxo
Awww, Ashley!! Confession: I might’ve already said the same thing about you to Melissa! Lol
After reading everyone’s recaps, I want to go next year! I better start saving!
Loved being able to meet you lady, it was such an amazing weekend!!
Ditto! Girl, I’m SO glad you came! You’re exactly how I thought you would be…minus the whole “eh” part! 😉
oh dang, i missed the feast saturday night. And more time with you! Next year, remind me to drink more water and not suffer from altitude headache please.
Noted!! I need more Cotter time! I’m serious about getting a little mini-blend together sometime…if you end up anywhere NEAR Atlanta or Nashville, you better let me know!
yes!!!!!
That looks so so so fun! And i may have one or two photos of my own in the same classy pose you have with the bear…..great minds? I want all of that food…especially the sausage…and dessert, because dessert.
i just love ya.
Well that’s good…I’d hate to think it was all one-sided! xoxo
Looks like you had such an amazing time! One day I will make the trek across to Blend but it won’t be next year as we have Europe plans but maybe the year after!
So much delicious food in these pics but the one that caught my eye is those Utah Scones. They’ve got a serious om nom nom look about them.
Oh yes, that they do! It’s like a cross between a yeast doughnut and a pancake…so frickin good!
And how awesome that you’re going to Europe! Yeah, I think I’d nix a trip to the states for that any day!
I love your recap, and it makes me really really really want to go next year. Even more than before, if that’s even possible ha!
Good! Because that was totally my intention! 😉
It was nice to meet you and have dinner with you at Red Rock….even with the waiter issues!!! haha
Looking forward to seeing you next year!
So great to meet you too, Kate! And hey, thanks for saving the day on that bill! I swear that was probably the first time that waiter had ever seen a table full of women turn down free dessert! ha!
Oh hey! Remember me? Hope you are doing well and by the looks of Blend this year, you are 🙂
Scones, yoga, and posing with bears (I have that same photo) = fun times! I am so sad I missed it!
Remember you? Like I could ever forget your beautiful face, Maria! Please, PLEASE tell me you’ll be in Colorado next year! It wasn’t the same without you and Sarah!
Oh, you know me, any excuse to go to Colorado 🙂 We’ll see how things go!
I have about a dozen of your posts to catch up on!
Ahhhhhh! Fingers are CROSSED!!! *Insert gritting teeth emoji here* Lol
We definitely missed you! I made the comment that you had a bear picture last year too!! Come next year!!
Oh I missed you too, Amanda! Hoping that I can make it next year. I have so many blend posts to catch up on (yours included).
This was the sweetest recap ever!! I wish I could give my beautiful TWIN a hug while reading this 🙂
Awww, I love you so much! You should SEE the sappy look on my face right now! Lol
Here I was finally coming to terms with the fact that Blend has come and gone, and you had to go rekindle my good memories. Gah! It was SUCH an amazing time, and I can’t believe we have to wait 11 more months until it happens again 🙁 Oh, and for the record, it was so great to finally meet you. Love you tonnes <3
But hey, eleven is better than TWELVE! And ditto! It was so so great to finally hug your neck…though next year, I want more Amanda time for sure! Love you!
Can we go back NOW?! Best Blend ever. Until the next one. 🙂
P.S. I want that pic of the 3 of us!
Right? If next year is any better, I may have a heart attack! Ha! Pic is coming right up!
I am reaaaaally hoping to find a sponsor to go to BLEND next year! Every event needs a token Aussie girl, right? 😉
Hell yeah it does!! Oh my gosh girl, it would be absolutely amazing to finally meet you! Fingers crossed!!!
Next spring I will be done internship with all the free time in the world (well, not really… I’ll hopefully have a job) so I will definitely be going to Blend 2015! I mean, I’ve been reading your blog for HOW long without ever meeting you? Unacceptable!
It looks like such an awesome weekend – and it seems like you did so much in only a few short days!
Omg, YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!! Girl, you just MADE my day! The anticipation just went up several notches for sure! Start preparing yourself now for the epic squeeze you’re going to receive! And it seems like I did so much because I DID do so much…be sure to bring extra energy stores with you because it is one HELL of a non-stop weekend! Lol
SO-MUCH-LOVE-FOR-YOU. Seriously. Can ya tell? I Twitter stalked you for that selfie because I would have been distraught if I got back to AZ without a picture with my gorgeous Heather. I truly have the brightest and most loving personality. I felt SO comfortable around you (thank you). I hope to strengthen our friendship over the next year so NEXT time we blend I can be attached to yo’ hip! Not really, but pretty damn close. Deal? Deal.
Love ya gorgeous lady. And you rocked your breakfast speech BTW. Future vanilla Michelle Obama? Haaay. 😉
Haha, DEAL!!! Oh girl, if you could only SEE the stupid ear-to-ear grin on my face right now! Love you BACK!!
We had that bruschetta too and it was amazing!
Just when I thought all the Blend recaps were done, you gotta come in and ninja another one.
I’m glad you asked me to go; I’m still shocked I said yes.
I still am TOO! But omg, I’m SO glad you went! I didn’t think I could love you more, but that weekend proved me wrong! 😉
If I could ever go to one blogger conference meeting thingy… this!
You make it look so amazing.
Only because it IS amazing!!! Seriously girl, if you ever get a chance, you HAVE to go at least once! Time of my life!
Thanks for the Cafe Rio shout out! We love people who love us, and it just goes to show you, you really are one of the cool kids!
If you’re so inclined to email me, I may be so inclined as to make it worth your while. Just saying. Keep up the good work!
I sure hope there is a bear to sexually harass in Boulder! Okay that would sound nuts if there was no picture of those shenanigans in this post.
So good to hang out with you girl! I can’t freaking wait for next year! <3
Well I was considering strongly to do Blend 2015 but I see you only want to see ladie’s next year 😉
Loved reading all the recaps but most of all, pretending to be with you guys there- even if it had to be in the form of a vegemite tube.
Noooooooooooo! Omg, if you came…how awesome would that be?! And you’d look like a total playa! 😉
so good to see you girl!!! Let’s seriously meet up again soon! xoxo
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