Sunday Snippets: The #BiSC Edition

Fountains in front of the Bellagio in Vegas at night with people silhouetted in front of it with text saying, "Vegas, you're fabulous"

Back in April, I ran a Ragnar Relay… and hung out with several of my favorite people from the Internet in Southern California during the weekend. That weekend, I learned a spot had opened up in the Fifth Annual (and Final) Bloggers in Sin City… and while I was tempted to go, as I’d attended the conference during its fledgling year, I wasn’t so sure. Life has changed quite a bit since then, and I wasn’t sure I could make it work logistically, not to mention the toll it could potentially have on my body. (As I’m learning that 28-year-old Erin cannot drink wine and/or party all night like 23-year-old Erin could.)

Add in a little positive peer pressure (I’m looking at you, Nicole), nudges in the right direction, that conference ticket’s price dropping, the same girls in SoCal telling me that if I flew into LAX, I could ride out with them to Vegas the next day and finding suddenly awesome/affordable airfare… and I was in!

In fact, I was so thrilled to be spending more time with some of my favorite folks that I couldn’t contain it and flew out a day early to hang out in Sara’s apartment with her cat, Waffles… and do all kinds of exciting work for my freelance clients from her couch. Needless to say, Waffles and I bonded… and he nibbled on my ankles during the night.

Collage of food and drink at a restaurant The next day, the five of us trekked from L.A. to Vegas, stopping along the way in the middle of the desert for the biggest Gyro chicken salad I’d ever seen in my life, and then sipping on cute little Stack Wines when we arrived at the Flamingo that afternoon for registration.

And then we did ALL the things in Vegas, including…

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    Two woman posing for the camera

    We dressed up fancy to attend a show (and looking so darn fancy because Sara is SO GOOD at hair! I mean, y’all, look at her sparkly dress, too!), left, and shopped on the strip with one of my fellow Honey Badgers in preparation for the Wicked White Party during our free afternoon… and during a lull in my mini-sessions on Saturday afternoon. In case y’all were wondering, Swappy IS a good friend… and we learned you can buy shoes in Vegas for cheap. (AND they’re cute, too!)

    A collage of two images showing a lit-up abstract sculpture on a ceiling and looking up at the Paris Paris Eiffle Tower

    We waited for the the show to begin and everyone took photos of the auditorium, left. And we perused several other casinos, including Paris. We checked out the local club scene all evenings except Friday, which was a saving grace since the wine consumed at Serendipity 3 during our opening dinner/mixer, then the gin and tonics at Margaritaville afterward, made our pool day on Friday a very painful one for me, even if I did have a fabulous time dancing Thursday evening.

    However, Friday was the night we attended O!, and since it started at 10:30 p.m., I was lucky simply to be awake at the end of the show, even though it was marvelous.

    A collage of two images featuring a crepe with nutella and a crepe with raspberries, both on white plates

    I apparently ate a lot of crepes… and decided it’d be a good idea for me to take pictures of them. (Honestly, y’all, I DON’T KNOW.)

    Collage of images of camera and view of large rock formation

    I skipped the group run on Saturday morning to spend some time with an old college co-worker and hiking Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. For the record, I’m not much of a hiker, as evidenced by my red dirt-filled running shoes once I arrived back at the casino, but I had a blast catching up with Adam.

    Eight women wear white dresses and smile at the camera

    {image courtesy of Maxie}

    We partied hard at the Wicked White Party, and we learned the Honey Badgers clean up nicely and look fierce donning their white dresses! We spent that evening getting VIP service on the roof at Pure (what, what?) and dancing the night away, which led to 4 a.m. pizza eating, Disney singalongs and late night bonding.

    That’s the best kind of evening, if y’all ask me.

    A collage of two images showing a redheaded woman and a brunette woman smiling and two brunette women smiling

    Saying goodbye was the hardest, y’all, and I was a little bit of a mess at the goodbye brunch, but I pulled myself together for these photos with Laura, my Southern soul sister at the conference (high-five for Tennessee girls!), and Terra, who is going to be a fellow Southern Honey Badger for our next Ragnar Relay.

    And then the California girls and I drove from Vegas to L.A… and it took about eight hours because traffic hangs out in the middle of nowhere in the desert, apparently. In the end, I missed my flight that Sunday evening by about an hour. But I’ll just say I’m thankful for good friends who are willing to drop you off at the airport after you’ve been freaking out about your flight for, oh, five hours, and then drive back to pick you up from the airport 15 minutes later because your new flight time is the next morning. And then you all go to eat Thai food and pass out exhausted when you arrive back at your friend’s house.

    Honestly, y’all, I don’t really have words for the loveliness that Vegas was other than I am so thrilled I had the opportunity to attend the final conference and that I took the chance again after five years. I had a blast hanging out with all the lovely bloggers, making some new friends, finally meeting some old friends, spending time with bloggers who I’d already had the opportunity to meet and soaking it all in.

    We all know the Internet hosts a lot of bad and a lot of good… and I’m thankful to have seen the good side time and again during my interactions with other bloggers. It’s incredible to finally meet someone who you’ve “known” for years and to pick up like you’re old pals… because you ARE. Vegas solidified that in my mind — this year and the very first year when I was still a wee blogger with an anonymous blog — and it’s hard for me to imagine my life without these incredibly supportive, friendly and wonderful friends I’ve made from around the world.

    … Let’s all get together, drink some wine, eat some cake, share 8-second hugs and hang out again soon, mmkay?

    Sunday Snippets

    Ever wanted to know my thoughts about things? My weekend update, titled Sunday Snippets, is for you and rounds up my thoughts on the week, the events of it, shares random details on my life and more!

    A woman with dark curly hair wearing a black tank top in front of a white wall

    About the Author:

    Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her

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    9 Comments

    1. I need to get in on one of these Ragnar races with you 🙂 lets make this happen 🙂

      blogger friends rock 🙂

    2. Ugh I just…I miss your face and love you dearly. Let’s hop in small spaces and run things together.

    3. We had what was likely one of the best times of all of our lives.

      But who am I to speak for everyone else 😉 ?

    4. You are lovely and I wish I’d had the chance to spend more time with you Erin. Let’s make this happen in the future, please?!! xox

    5. I always wished that I had gone to one of the BiSC, looks like SO much fun! You guys are adorable. However, I would still LOVE to get together and drink some wine and eat some cake someday.

    6. I am so, so, so glad you decided to go because you’re fabulous and amazing and hilarious and beautiful and I can’ wait to be a Honey Badger with you all next year. Cheers, lady!

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