Farsighted Fly Girl

With TBEX Dublin coming up soon, I've been ruminating on my experience at TBEX Toronto . A lot of bloggers have asked me about whether it's a worthwhile conference and how such a big and buzzy event can be helpful for independent-minded bloggers. In my opinion, it all depends on who you are and where you are in your travel blogging journey. I was a speaker at the very first TBEX , when it was just a gathering of  travel bloggers and writers meeting up in Chicago. Maybe there were a 100 people at that meeting in the Chicago Cultural Center but it seemed more intimate. That was four years ago. TBEX Toronto attracted 1200 attendees. It didn't seem intimate, it didn't seem like just a gathering. It was a BIG EVENT.  There were pre-tours and post tours and parties and speed dating and lots of drama. If you are an introvert and don't deal well with crowds, you probably wouldn't find TBEX that enjoyable. If you don't like the idea of corporate sponsorship or a...

 The TBEX travel blogger conference always delivers great information and experiences. I always learn a lot but this year, my favorite discovery had nothing to do with blogging ( I'll list those in my next post) but symbolized contemporary Canadian culture. I was enjoying myself at the TBEX Toronto opening party when a blogger friend alerted me to the delicacy pictured above. What is it? Well it seems, local chefs have taken classic Canadian ingredients and created something unforgettable. I'm familiar with the tradition of pouring fresh maple syrup onto snow after it's just been tapped from the tree. Canada has a lot of snow and a lot of maple syrup but I've never seen the two come together quite like this. The chef drizzled pure maple syrup on layers of snow. Then he speared a piece of local cheese (smoked Gouda, cheddar or blue cheese) and twirled the snow covered syrup around the cheese. I know, it sounds bizarre. I chose the Gouda and when I stu...

I love Toronto for many reasons and sometimes it's hard to keep up with all of  those reasons whenever I visit. I  stayed in the entertainment district in downtown Toronto, to be close to  TBEX  events and every morning, as I rushed to the conference, I was struck by how many art pieces decorated my short journey. Within a block, I met with three striking creations, including the presentation above, called "A Touchstone."  They reminded me of colorful bowling pins but the pieces actually represent the trans Canada highway.  I was intrigued by the whimsical sculpture sticking out from the Rogers Centre stadium, above. And I passed this stark red piece  that reminded me of a sideways sailboat. Toronto boasts some great museums and galleries but I forgot that in this diverse city, you only have to step outside to enjoy all aspects of creativity.

Toronto happens to be one of my favorite cities. So much so that I actually moved there years ago but couldn't fathom living someplace even colder than Chicago.  I'm  thrilled to be returning to this vibrant, diverse city to attend the TBEX travel blogger conference. I spoke at the inaugural TBEX conference in Chicago so it will be exciting to see just how much this event has exploded over the years. I'll also be re-visiting some of my fave Toronto haunts like the Royal Ontario Museum and the landmark CN Tower, pictured above in the Toronto skyline. Visits to T.O's ethnic communities and music venues will round out my world-wind visit so stay tuned for posts next week.

So I'm back after the wildly fun and intriguing Blogher and TBEX conferences. Fun because I got to meet all my travel tweeps in person and intriguing because the ideas and discussions flowed non-stop. One of my fave discussions was with Heather of Gadling's Galley Gossip and her Laviators mile high headshots club. You see, lots of activities take place in airplane bathrooms than just mile high club activities. Heather believes that I'll soon be joining her exclusive group but it's just not happening cause the fly in fly girl doesn't stand for sky trippin' bathroom antics. But when I spied the Poo-Pourri personal wipes (fresh and clean for in between!) pictured above in our TBEX swag, I figured that bathroom banter might make a helpful travel tip post. Because I'm surrounded by a crazy amount of anal virgo friends, I know that there are lots of travelers that dread strange public toilets, nasty sinkholes passing for restrooms and the hellish scene of port...