Camp Blogaway 2014

Forgive me, I’m going to kvell (Yiddish for expressing great pleasure, perhaps with a sprinkling of pride).  We came to Camp Blogaway for the seminars, the terrific speakers, the s’mores. But most of all, we came for the chance to meet and hang out with other food bloggers. People who talked about food with the same passion and zest. At least, that’s how it is for me. For Novio and I, we also like to eat with passion and zest. The weekend didn’t disappoint; we had a fabulous time.

Every year, Patti Londre, creator of Camp Blogaway, wraps up the weekend with her award, The Golden Pine Cone, presented to the camper who best exemplifies the spirit of Camp Blogaway. She began to describe this year’s winner, who captures not only the spirit and the enthusiasm but figures out all kinds of ways to show up and participate.

I’m standing there trying to figure out who this year’s award, now in the Camp’s fifth year, is going to. Could it be…..? No, doesn’t sound like it. Maybe….? Nope, doesn’t quite fit what Patti’s saying. And next thing we know, she’s getting all choked up and we hear our names being called. Yes, that’s right. Novio and I won this year’s award!

Wow! The Golden Pine Cone! That’s as good as The Oscar!

And in some circles,  better!

We were shocked! There are a bunch of people who put  in volunteer time to make sure the weekend goes smoothly. Lots of heavy lifters. I don’t exactly engage in heavy lifting, not in the physical sense, anyway. But Patti recognized something in us, we do heavy lifting of another dimension.

Thanks, Patti. We love you and we love what you have created at Camp Blogaway.

For a brief de-briefing video, click here.

Here we are with two of the previous years’ winners: Mimi of Mimi Avocado and Dorothy of Shockingly Delicious.

We missed you, absentee winners, Rachael of La Fuji Mama and Andrew of Eating Rules.We were thinking of you as we posed for the above shot!

Camp Blogaway 2014

So fellow food bloggers out there, anyone up for a great weekend in the mountains near Los Angeles, see you next year!