inspired by #disney – putting the tech in #techmunch

Disney California Adventure World of Color

The World of Color water and lights show paired with the magical accommodations of the Disney Grand Californian made my first visit to the Disney California Adventures theme park a trip to remember. The icing on the cake was that this grand adventure was paired with the inspiring networking, panels, tastings and demos of the TECHmunch Food Blogger Conference.

TECHmunch was created by Babette Pepaj (@BakeSpace), the founder of BakeSpace.com, CookbookCafe.com and co-host of the popular Google Hangout culinary web show KitchenParty. By limiting its attendees, TECHmunch creates a collaborative atmosphere where bloggers can really get to know each other and discover each other’s hidden talents. There is something magical that happens when the entire group stays together for the duration of the conference; the ah-hah! moments are shared by all, resulting in a tight community coming together to support one another.

TechMunch Panelists

Internet greats such as Aida Mollenkamp and Catherine McCord (Weelicious.com) spoke to us about finding our niche within the vast depths of the internet. I totally fell in love with the humor and authenticity of Manouschka Guerrier (singleservingbytes.com & Private Chefs of Beverly Hills) as she and others spoke about Branding and PR. As the day went on, panels on actionable items such as editorial calendars, internet security and Pinterest growth inspired me to go home and fine tune my process while the talents of Jenny Park and Teri Lyn Fisher (spoonforkbacon.com) left me hungry me to continue to learn everything that I can about photography.

You want to know what’s even more inspiring than listening to over a dozen talented panelists? Knowing that everyone in the room had their own unique experience and expertise to share. The person to my left one morning has published four cookbooks and has offered to let me pick her brain about the process. While the person to my right has asked if she could reach out to me to share my photography knowledge. We’re all in this together and learning that I have just as much to bring to the table as those around me truly inspired me to never stop learning.

TechMunch Desserts
 
The technology tips and tricks were informative and inspiring, but the highlight of the conference was by far the food. Under the direction of Executive Chef Christine Weisssman, the chefs and their magical feasts were an incredible source of inspiration and knowledge. Stay tuned, as the culinary offerings of the Disneyland Resort deserve an entire post of their own.

A million thanks to Babette and her team for cultivating such an inviting atmosphere. TECHmunch travels throughout the year. I highly encourage you to pick a city near you and join the fun. I’m beyond excited to do it all again in San Francisco on October 10, 2014!