I’ve been back from the Fresh Air Retreat in Atlanta for a couple of weeks now, and I think I’m in withdrawal! It was the perfect mix of chats about work, learning from and networking with brand sponsors, incredible food and making new friends.
So today I wanted to share something a little bit different and tell you a bit about what it’s like behind the scenes — because I know you all see the pretty Instagram photos, selfies and amazing venues, but are wondering how close that is to the reality.
The Fresh Air Retreat
The Fresh Air Retreat is a food blogger retreat hosted by Liz of The Lemon Bowl and Lauren of The Curious Plate, and they do such a fantastic job! The retreat truly was like none other that I had attended — they think of every detail, down to the coordinate tablewares, napkins, serving dishes, and floral arrangements.
Also a shoutout to Payton who is making so much of the magic happen, Amanda Kamppinen who took so many of these beautiful photos for us, and Chef Trimell who kept us fed for 3 glorious days (coming home to cook for myself was a little rough!).
The retreat is in a different location every time and this was their 15th time hosting — a huge accomplishment and their experience definitely shows!
The sponsors
This retreat has no cost to attend, which is unusual in the food blogging community, but it’s thanks to the incredible sponsors that Liz and Lauren partner with to bring it to life.
This year our food sponsors were Sunset Grown, Butterball, and Amylu, and Chef Trimell cooked us a meal that highlighted their products in the most incredible ways.
At other conferences and retreats, sometimes talking to sponsors can feel like a sales pitch you can’t escape. At Fresh Air Retreat, the sponsors came to the house we stayed in, talked with us and shared a meal. We talked about life, work and food, laughed and connected in meaningful ways.
Our first dinner was with the crew from Butterball and it set the tone for the next 2 days. They were such a fun group to chat with, and I definitely learned some things about turkey that I didn’t know (and some insider acronyms!).
The next evening we got to sit down for a meal with Sunset Grown, and we connected over things that only Canadians would understand. So many times I have reached for their products in the grocery store and not realized they were a Canadian company!
Also a big thank you to Mediavine for the insights, permanent jewelry and fantastic dinner on the river; thank you to Amylu for coming and sharing your story and the incredible power bowl lunch; and thank you to Zwilling for coming and teaching us a thing or two (or more!) about knives and knife skills.
The attendees
The food bloggers that attended the retreat were Jenn from Foodess, Jess from Choosing Chia, Britni from Eating Bird Food, Christine from Jar of Lemons, Laura Ashley from Dinner in 3,2,1, Mackenzie from Grilled Cheese Social, Erica from It’s a Flavorful Life.
This was such a fun group to be a part of! I absolutely loved meeting and getting to know all of these ladies. They are some of the smartest, most talented and most creative women in the business!
The vibe
We spent a lot of time at the house, just talking about what’s working for us, what’s not working, posing questions and seeking advice. One of the things I love about this community is how willing everyone is to share ideas and answer questions, so you’re never on your own if you’re struggling with something. This group was no exception!
We also went out for several walks to stretch our legs and take in some sunshine, and to make more room for all the delicious meals and snacks that Chef Trimell, Liz and Lauren prepared.
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