Today was really incredible. I’ve posted some pictures through Facebook, so I hope you’ve been able to follow. I’ll do more full write up when I get home, but I must say that my initial reactions have been so positive and impressed. I was thrilled at the VIP treatment each blogger received, but more importantly, I was pleased at the transparency of the research. Of course, we were restricted on what we could photograph of the research lab and testing area, but they still allowed us to tour the facilities, ask all of our questions, and even play at harvesting.
We truly have had an amazing visit. I am so honored that I was selected to be among 25 other bloggers, many of whom write their blogs as full time jobs. It was sort of like stepping into the minor leagues after playing middle school baseball. Whatever that would seem like. I have been trying to learn and chat and write as much as possible. I can’t wait to share!
Tonight, we enjoyed a memorable dinner at Bar la Grassa, a well known restaurant in the Warehouse District owned by Chef Isaac Becker. I am always a little fearful of a large group of diners descending on a famous restaurant, but this restaurant handled it marvelously. I suspect that General Mills may have hosted events there before, because we were given all-start treatment. A five-course dinner, three pre-selected wines, and access to the cocktail menu resulted in 25 very satisfied bloggers. Even better, I found myself among similar foodies, those who would sacrifice the temperature of food in order to achieve that ideal picture of what we are about to partake. None of us even reached for forks until the last click of the cameras. Hilarious…and strangely unifying.
I had a chance to meet Chef Becker, too. One of the other bloggers here is also a culinary arts student, and she and I totally dorked it out and had a chance to meet the chef and introduce ourselves. Okay, our interaction lasted maybe a minute, but I was pleased that he agreed to step over and meet us during the height of the dinner rush.
Tomorrow we all depart for home at different times in the day. I am going to spend a quick afternoon with relatives and catch the last flight back to Seattle. What a great way to knock out another commitment! I am looking forward to seeing some cousins and my grandmother. Such a whirlwind, but definitely blog-changing. I have gained interesting information about how to blog differently, how to look at myself as a blogger in a different way, and how to seek out sponsorship and educational information to enhance the information I can provide my readers.
More details on the trip soon.
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