Blogger Dinner at Thai Spoon + Sushi!

I just got back from an absolutely incredible blogger dinner in Chicago! After a looong, sleepless week, I can’t think of any better way to spend a Friday evening than with foodies at a fantastic restaurant! Tonight, Rose from On a Lobster Placemat, Mara from What’s For Dinner?, another foodie friend and I met up at Thai Spoon + Sushi.

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When Rose first contacted me about getting together way back on August 10, 2008 (haha I couldn’t help it, I looked it up on Gmail to see exactly when it was!), I remember thinking that February couldn’t come soon enough! It was a blast to get to know everyone better and talk with each other face-to-face about blogging, food, life and everything in between! For the record, these girls are just as sweet and thoughtful as they appear on their blogs!

The restaurant itself was great. It had so many options, all at very reasonable prices (especially considering we were in downtown Chicago)! I decided to go with the Pad Thai + Shrimp.

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That was the SMALL size, and it was just $5.50! I really want to know what the large looks like! But could something so good to be true measure up in taste? HECK YES! This was definitely the best pad thai I’ve ever had. Usually they are either too oily, too saucy or too sweet. This dish was none of the above. It was just flavorful enough and the addition of the shrimp made it perfect. I ate about 1/2 and took the rest home for leftovers!

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It was fun to snap away with the camera and know that everybody at my table was doing the exact same thing 😉 I am so happy because I have now met so many fellow food bloggers: here, here and now! I really hope to keep this trend going. FOOD BLOGGER CONFERENCE 2009! Let’s do it.

The other amazing thing about Rose? Not only did she plan this meeting months in advance…it also turns out that she is my Secret Cupid!!

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She gave me a pretty gift bag full of amazing things. The first item I pulled out of the bag was hilarious – a whale-shaped ice cream scoop!

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On top of that, I received a double-sided spatula, a birdie mug (to match my birdie oatmeal bowl!), a cute photo holder, Kashi bars, Dove milk chocolate (my fave Valentine chocolate, how did you know?!), and a really sweet card. Thank you, Rose! It was so cool to get my Secret Cupid gift in person!

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I’ve had a million at least four pieces of Dove chocolate since I got home! I’m starting the Valentine’s Day festivities early 😉 Bobby and I have some plans for tomorrow – nothing major, but it will be nice to take a day off and push all of my work to Sunday. That is, until Sunday comes and I have nothing but work to do! But I’m not going to think about that…yet.

I hope you all have some fabulous weekends planned regardless of whether or not you’re celebrating the Hallmark Holiday!

Random Question: What are your weekend plans?!

Thanks for all of the book suggestions yesterday! I am indeed reading Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. I like it even better than The DaVinci Code! And I was glad to see some of you got on the Twilight bandwagon 😉 Always a good thing! I’m going to make a list of all of your suggestions and post it later this weekend so that everyone can benefit! For now…goodnight!

Hugs + Kisses,

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61 Comments

  1. TOO cute! It’s so fun to meet other bloggers! I went for a walk with Jenna from Eat, Live, Run today and it is so amazing that you can develop friendships from blogging! What a special thing.

    Dinner looks lovely and your V-day gifts are really cute.

    Weekend plans…RELAX!!! Hope you have a great one =)

  2. nothing beats perfect pad thai!! and what an incredibly thoughtful cupid gift from Rose. i love that cupcake photo holder!

  3. I had SUCH a blast! It’s been a long time since I’ve hung out with a group of girls, and it was so unbelievably fun! I couldn’t get over how amazing your pad thai smelled… damn Point counting…

  4. I am so jealous that you live near other bloggers! Maybe someday I will meet you all face-to-face.

    What a deal on dinner! $5.50?! Plus, you got to enjoy it with friends–great combo!

  5. yay to thai food! It’s totally my fave =]

    The blogger conference? Let’s have that in NY, you can stay at my house! hahah

    have a great VDay Jenn!

  6. i recognized the dove milk chocolate immediately. because i had a huge glass bowl filled almost to the brim with it… and then my brother and two of his friends came over one night to play the xbox. now there are only a few pieces left. *sigh*

    but the packaging is always so colorful and bright!

  7. What a fun foodie night! It’s cool that you got to receive your secret cupid package in person–and it’s so sweet! The birdie mug is so thoughtful!
    You have my vote for the blogger conference 😀
    Happy Valentine’s Day, Jenn!

  8. such a lovely photo of you three! 😀
    glad that you enjoyed meeting with them and actually met your secret cupid!

    plan for the weekend: work! 🙁

  9. Y’all are just beaming with happiness and fun in that picture!! !:) 🙂
    Glad y’all got to meet up and had a fabulous time!

  10. dinner looks so good—i love thai food! and of course your secret cupid package looks awesome! i’m jealous! have a great weekend!

  11. Aw fun times Jenn! I would TOTALLY LOVE to do a blogger conference this year! I want to meet everyone in person!!

    I have lots of dates with psychology textbooks for the rest of the weekend, not exactly romantic, but I’m good with that 😉

    Have a great day/night!

  12. Looks like a lovely dinner! Hope you have a fantastic Valentine’s Day with your man! Haha I’m doing the same as you–pushing all my work to Sunday, when I’ll be mad at myself for doing so 🙂

  13. Happy V-Day My LOVE!!!!

    I am so down for a Blogger meetup.

    How about Disneyland for the Disney Half Marathon on Sep. 5th? Come on, Disney with my midgets, you know you are down!!!

  14. Pad thai = divine.

    I also jumped on the Twilight bandwagon- I read them over my Christmas break. Although I did something unconventional and read the series BACKWARDs. First I saw the movie, then read the books 4-3-2-1 because the first and second ones were checked out of the library when I wanted to start reading! So I just got 3 and 4 and started from there. I know this might seem like blasphemy to a fan but it definitely gave me an interesting perspective on it! haha.

  15. What a fun blogger dinner and a sweet package from Rose too. Pad thai is so good – I want to try making my own soon.

    Jenn, I have to tell you that my blog has gotten so many hits from people Googling “The Cold One” hehe…I’m sure they weren’t expecting to read about cold cereal.

    I’m going to see Twilight again on Monday with my coworker. She offered me a free ticket – definitely not passing that one up! Enjoy your Valentine’s Day with Bobby…and a eat a few more Dove chocolates for me. 🙂

  16. Yum! Dinner looked so good! I’m going to have to check out this restaurant now. I get so boring and I do not venture out of LP/Lakeview nearly enough, haha, so it’s always nice to get new ideas. Have a great Valentine’s Day!

  17. How fun!

    I’m totally in a for a food blogger conference, too. I want to meet every body!

    We’re having dinner and a movie tonight….and probably some more of Beadie’s brownies!

  18. what a great dinner!!! and you planned it sooooo long ago! that freak’n rocks!!! i’m so glad you had a good time with the girls!

    and btw, i want to steal that mug rose gave you.

  19. hurray for a bloggy dinner!!!!!!!! your pad thai looks delissssssh!

    AND YAY FOR SECRET CUPID! that Rose is so thoughtful! the whale spoon is amazinggggg!

    HAVE AN AMAZING WEEKEND LOVE!

  20. LOVED LOVED LOVED meeting up with you ladies! So much fun – good conversation, great food, an all-around awesome time. So glad we did it (and I can’t believe how long ago I emailed you about it!!)

    Glad you liked the gifts 🙂 Hope they come in handy.

    Can we seriously organize a food blogger conference? We need to get foodbuzz on that!

  21. Aw those gifts from Rose are so sweet! Love the ice cream scoop!
    Food blogger 2009 would be awesome, I would love to meet all you girls!

  22. Dude, I have so thought that we need one big food blogger bash. I’ve even had images where I’ve moved into a bigger house and everybody can come to Portland in the summer when it’s beautiful and we just cook all day and go for runs and bike rides. I’ve put way too much thought into this. I think it’s because I have moving on the brain!
    Well, whatever, something needs to be organized – I hate having friends I’ve never met 😉

  23. o.m.g. eating bender! how do i express to u how much i wish we went to the same school? u have such a free soul and i love you!! You are so thoughtful, i love reading ur blog and seeing the self love you show urself and how u expend it onto others.

    i am so happy you loved your secret cupid gift, organizing it was so much fun, and of course i was lucky enough to have you assigned to me :-)!!!!

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