• WHEN: Saturday, September 25
• WHERE: west coast showrooms of Viking Range, Baldwin Park
• TIME: 10 AM to 4 PM
• COST: $89 (-$15 discount to our May ’10 Alumni Campers)
• PARKING: Ample and free
• INCLUDES: lunch, refreshments, swag bag, door prizes, more

TOPICS WE WILL COVER INCLUDE:  

The Cookbook Process – if your dreams include penning a cookbook, come listen to presenter Kristine Kidd. Food Editor at Bon Appetit magazine for 20 years, she is now finalizing her upcoming Williams-Sonoma cookbook, Weeknights: Fresh and Fast AND is the spokesperson for the culinary tome, Cooking at Home, which is due out this fall, and includes many of her recipes. Kristine’s other cookbooks are: Cookies and Biscotti, Gifts from the Kitchen, Risotto, Thanksgiving, and After Dinner. She has been a cookbook judge for the IACP Julia Child Cookbook Awards. What’s it take to get a cookbook out? Kristine will share.

Elevator Pitch Rapid-Fire – learn to articulate what your blog is all about in seconds! Every blogger will be introduced, and your home page blasted on our screen for all to see. Get to know fellow bloggers right from the start of the day.

FOCUS! Food Photography Lighting – how are your food pix coming? This day, we will focus on one photography element — lighting! May Camp session presenter, Danny of Food Bloggers Unite returns with scores of insights to perfect your photo lighting skills.  

How Bloggers Score Great Gigs – Erika from In Erika’s Kitchen and L.A. Cooking Examiner, Rachael of La Fuji Mama and Jenny of Picky Palate have first-hand insights about some pretty darn cool activities they’ve enjoyed because they are bloggers. What’s out there for you? Here’s your chance to be in-the-know.

Power of Email Marketing / Get Your Newsletter Going and Growing– Kelly from Constant Contact walks you through the How’s and Why’s of making your newsletter ROCK (and, on a shoestring!).

Viking Range Showrooms — dreaming of a Man Cave (aka outdoor kitchen)? What’s awesome for your home remodel? Bring cameras and wish list to learn from the Viking folks. You may never leave.

Check back for updates…

THANK YOU TO SPONSORS :

Hover your mouse over the slides to read what you’re seeing!

Hope to see you at a future Camp Blogaway Foodie Bootcamp!

– Your Friends at Camp Blogaway

We are thrilled to announce the publication of Denise Vivaldo’s newest book, The Food Stylist’s Handbook, which will be featured during her presentation at Camp, “Food Styling Tips and Tricks for Bloggers.”  Vivaldo is one of the country’s most prolific food stylists, traveling nationally (and often internationally) to handle styling jobs and/or give presentations on styling food for film or still photography.

The handbook is a full 256 pages of professional insights into the artistic, creative and magical work of food stylists.  This is Vivaldo’s sixth book.  More is available on www.denisevivaldo.com and her blog www.foodfanaticsunwashed.com

As food bloggers, the one thing that we work on almost as much as our cooking is search engine optimization (SEO).  One of the most commonly used tools in the search engine arsenal is the reciprocal link.  A reciprocal link is a link that you put on your site that points to site B and site B puts a link on their site back to yours, site A.  The link that site B puts up that points back to your site is called a backlink or inbound link.

Quality is the word of the day when it comes to reciprocal linking.  Search engines look for your inbound links to come from quality sites (quality = sites that have relevant content to your own site).  If an inbound link to your site isn’t relevant to the topic you write about (your site is all about vegan cooking and the inbound link is from a home decorating site), the search engine considers it less relevant and essentially ignores it.  However, if you have a reciprocal link to this decorating site, the search engine views this link negatively and can downgrade or dilute the relevancy of your site.

Search engines also look for links to be developed over time.  Much like our friendships take time to develop…search engines believe websites should have that same dynamic.  If you spend a hardcore weekend sending out those pleasant quid pro quo e-mails looking for reciprocal link trades, the search engines are going to frown on your site.  While no person makes 50 friends overnight (Twitter and Facebook don’t count in this discussion), search engines don’t believe that websites make 50 friends that quickly either.  If you’re going to carry out this e-mail campaign strategy, do it slowly over time.

When undertaking your backlink strategy (yes, you should have a strategy for your backlinks) there are some tools to help you keep on track.  You need to keep track of who is linking back to you (especially if you were using the quid pro quo methodology for building links).  A reciprocal link checker can help you determine if everyone is playing fairly with you.  This tool does require you to know the url of each of the sites that is supposed to be linking to you.  Another tool to check your backlinks is a link popularity tool.  This tool will show you how many inbound links you have on a specific url of your site and it shows the link counts for Google, Yahoo, and MSN.  It won’t tell you where the links are coming from, just the overall number.  The overall number of inbound links a site has, the higher it typically ranks in the search engines.

When undertaking link building as part of the Search Engine Optimization of your web site, make sure that you have a strategy for creating your links.  As with most things in life, it’s quality over quantity when it comes to website linking.

OK, we do have a ton of fun competitions going on at Camp:  Wilton Decorating competition, Lindsay Olive Guess The Olives contest, Tastestopping Photo Contest, Zespri Kiwifruit Kamp Kwiz Kontest. 

And (drumroll…) the coveted GOLDEN PINECONE AWARD – an honor bestowed on the camper who “epitomizes the essense of the Camp Blogaway spirit.” Judged by our staff, one outstanding camper will earn this unprecedented honor PLUS the prize of a generous pile of cookbooks from the Lisa Ekus Group (uber culinary talent agency), shipped directly to the honoree’s home.

• The Art of the Slow Cooker by Andy Schloss
• Quick & Easy Chinese by Nancie McDermott
• Vegan Yum Yum by Lauren Ulm
• The Culinary Institute of America Cookbook by the CIA
• Slow Cooker Comfort Food by Judith Finlayson
• The Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Judith Finlayson
• Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens by Judith Schaertl
• 250 True Italian Pasta Dishes by John Coletta

Thank you Lisa Ekus and staff at the Lisa Ekus Group public relations and culinary talent firm for this great prize.

You’ve seen other blogs and notice that their photos have a “watermark” on them, maybe a copyright (c) or their website, such as www.WorthTheWhisk.com.  It’s actually ON that photo… how do you get it there?  Here are the steps to do that, pretty simple:

1. Open your photo in a photo editing program (I use IrfanView, but there are lots out there). Which means, either double-click on the photo file and it will automatically open in your default program OR right-click, select Open With and pick from your drop-down menu.
2. “Draw” a text box where you want your copy to go. That means, pick a top-left starting point, hold down your mouse button and drag the pointer — you will see a box growing there. Let go of the mouse and it sticks.
3. Go to Edit. Click on Insert Text Into Selection and a box will pop up with several options. This is where you have to “play” with it all to get what you want – font, color, size of text (subtle vs. large).
4. Just play with it, insert your text and if it isn’t right, hit your Undo button and the text will disappear but the box will remain. However, if you click your mouse somewhere else on the photo, the box will disappear, too.
5. Once you get what you are looking for, do a Save As on the photo and name it for use on your blog.

Searching for a food blogging conference that’s a FUN fit for you? Food pros, chefs, caterers, Foodie Mom Bloggers, cookbook authors and more, take note: May 14-16, 2010 was THE weekend when bloggers from across the country convened near Big Bear in the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains of sunny Southern California for intense learning and sharing.

Here’s what you missed if you weren’t with us — but please join the email list to receive updates for future events:

No stuffy banquet halls or windowless presentation rooms at this food blogging event. Charge up your camera and pack your sense of adventure. This really IS camp — we’ll get down and dirty dealing with issues concerning YOUR blog, and tackle struggles head-on. This is a club worth joining!

Network with fellow food bloggers.

High spirited camp fun is sprinkled throughout, so be prepared to unplug, blow off some steam, soak up skills, meditate about your craft and return home ready to rock and roll. Your $325 fee includes 2 nights lodging, 5 hearty meals, generous goodies and SWAG bag, sessions, activities and valuable workbook.

Want updates? Join Our Email List. Space will be limited.

Gourmet S'mores at Camp Blogaway

MODERATOR PATTI LONDRE — Benefits to Running Your Blog Like A Business and How to Work with PR Folks.  Nationally recognized food PR expert, passionate recipe blogger for Worth The Whisk, graduate home economist, President of The Londre Company PR and owner of the “sister camp” to our event, Camp GetAway for Mothers & Others.

DENISE VIVALDO — Food Styling Tips & Tricks for Bloggers.  Co-author of The Comprehensive Food Styling Handbook, owner of renowned Food Fanatics styling studio, co-author of numerous culinary how-to books, seasoned 20+ years food pro, UCLA Culinary Program professor, graduate Chef de Cuisine from California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, catered more than 10,000 parties, cooked for such guests as Prince Charles, Bette Midler, Suzanne Somers, Cher, Aaron Spelling, Sly Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Shriver, began culinary training at the Ritz Escoffier and La Varenne in Paris, and personal friend to Julia Child.

DANNY JAUREGUI – How My Single Post Drew Over 20,000 Hits In One Day & Other Optimization Insights.  Much-admired LA-based food blogger of Over The Hill and On A Roll recognized by Saveur Magazine, Random House’s Knopf Double Day, and Lifehacker.org.  Phenomenal Food Bloggers Unite – One Stop Resource for Food Bloggers garners high praise for valuable tips for tech, food photo, and writing. Dishes up significant insiders’ know-how via chock-full e-newsletter, considered one of the top in our field.  Assistant Professor of Digital Media and Drawing at Whittier College.

BARBARA GIBBS OSTMANN — Recipe Writing Essentials, Copyright & Attribution. Award-winning journalist, expert on recipe writing style, co-author of The Recipe Writer’s Handbook and the Food Writers’ Favorites cookbook series with 5 million+ books in print, speaker and writing coach, former food writer for New York Times Regional Newspaper Group, food editor of St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 

ART RAMIREZ — Demystifying Your Camera, Steps to Shooting Stunning Photos & Photoshop Fixes. Highly regarded Photography Instructor and Photoshop Expert, 30+ years experience, news photographer, chief photographer/photo editor for Scripps-Howard newspapers, specialist in custom image printing for the entertainment industry, Photography and Photoshop Instructor for So. Cal’s premier camera equipment chain, Samy’s Camera.

CASEY BENEDICT — Food Porn at its Best and Worst.  Showcase of the wonderful world of food porn, featuring Tastestopping’s vast collection of bloggers’ submissions. During our Welcoming Reception, feast your eyes on the hard work of your peers, and pick up some “lightbulb moments” to ponder in YOUR food photography.  Tastestopping

1. Vastly improve my food photography.
2. Refine my content quality: recipe writing, style, voice and proper attributions.
3. Grow my readership via smarter SEO techniques.
4. Gain precious face-time with food bloggers to expand my circle of support and contacts.
5. Strengthen my grasp of the blogging “business” and what’s out there for me – corporate contacts, PR folks, tax insights, monetizing.

For a serious kick-start, plan to attend Camp Blogaway Bootcamp for Food & Recipe Bloggers May 14-16 in the beautiful mountains of sunny Southern California (near Big Bear).

The jam-packed itinerary addresses all this and more at a great value: $325 registration includes two nights’ lodging, all meals and sessions, valuable workbook, plus all the fun you can stuff into a weekend away from the hassles of work and home. Early January, we’ll finalize registrations, so HURRY and pre-register.  

• A Communal Table
• Blogcatalog.com
• Bunkycooks
• California Table Grapes
• California Walnuts
• Casa de Weigand
• Celtic Mommy
• Champagne Sundays
• Chefdruck Musings
• Cherry Creek Designs
• Christine Cooks
• Cindy Epstein Food Styling
• Cook and Be Merry
• Created by Diane
• Daydreamer Desserts
• Doable And Delicious
• Earthbound Chronicles
• Eat Repeat, Mandy’s Meals
• Fabulous Food Finds
• Family Fresh Cooking
• Food Bloggers Unite!
• Food Fanatics Unwashed
• Fork Fingers Chopsticks
• Frosted Fingers
• Half Hour Meals
• In Erika’s Kitchen
• Inspired Ingredients
• Just Foodies
• La Fuji Mama
• Land O’ Lakes Recipe Buzz
• Lentil Breakdown
• Life On Plan B
• Lindsay Olives
• My Luscious Temple
• My Man’s Belly
• Nestle Kitchens
• Onionista
• Over The Hill And On A Roll
• Project Foodie
• Reebecki Supergirl
• Sac Foodies
• Savour Fare
• Shockingly Delicious
• Sippity Sup
• Stetted
• Small Pleasures Catering
• Stockpiling Moms
• Sur La Table
• Tastestopping
• Teenie Cakes
• There’s a Newf in My Soup!
• This Mama Cooks!
• What’s For Dinner
• Wilton
• Worth The Whisk
• YumKid
• Zespri Kiwifruit

Here are five top things food bloggers have told me they want most from their blogging efforts:

1. To grow traffic to their blogs. Aside from validation for delivering valuable and worthy content, visitor traffic produces real payoffs: money, visibility, deals, success. Many blog platforms provide statistical information that is quite insightful. And bloggers admit to often obsessing about their traffic to the point that their stats drive them crazy. Growing traffic is a complicated challenge, and that’s why networking with other bloggers really helps shed light on this topic.

2. To be treated as bona fide media. Bloggers influence consumers just like magazines, TV, newspapers, radio. And many feel strongly that their influence ranks up there for such considerations as trade show press badges, junkets, swag, backstage passes and more. Getting to that level of respect is a strong desire and a blog’s traffic is key to opening that door — sometimes, but not always. Personal contacts often can override the roadblock of lackluster stats.

3. To make decent money. Not every blog has ads, but lots of bloggers earn income via subsequent cookbook deals, speaking engagements, spokesperson work, freelance copywriting, teaching assignments and other prized gigs. Little ads don’t pay many bills. Decent money is a valid goal, and dovetailing efforts to build income from a variety of sources is a lucrative approach.

4. To be recognized as a brand. In this growing pool, each really wants to establish themselves as unique for their content, talent, style, outlook. Standing apart matters to many bloggers. How to do that is a constant struggle in this highly competitive field, yet making a name for yourself is the most effective method to step away from the herd.

5. To be wooed by money gatekeepers. Joining the elite circle of marketing insiders is a major springboard to the big leagues. PR agencies, advertising agencies, research firms, publishing houses, corporate marketing departments are the People With Money to Spend. For bloggers, making their acquaintance can be the Holy Grail. It’s not easy, but it’s doable.

Helping bloggers achieve their goals is the mission of Camp Blogaway. In addition to educational sessions, the on-site camaraderie and networking opportunities at Camp are invaluable. Successful bloggers will tell you, attending a blogging conference makes a big impact on your blog’s future. Join us May 14-16 in the beautiful Southern California mountains.

Many of our campers have succeeded in landing a business to “sponsor” their attendance – GREAT!  At Camp Blogaway, we work hard to ensure attendees meet and mingle, but YES — bloggers are encouraged to “think marketing,” too.  Here are five ways* to maximize your visibility, or that of your sponsor at Camp – they’re easy and cheap!

1. Bring business cards. Blog name/logo, URL, your name, email, twitter, Facebook. No need for phone or address.
2. Make use of the Networking Table for flyers, business cards — especially if you have been “sponsored” to attend. Consider standing out on that table. How about a Signature Recipe? A postcard from Camp? Invitation for a fun contest? Luggage tags?  Whatever you do should be easy to carry home and good enough for someone to not toss in the trash. 
3. Give away a nibble. How about a candy with your card attached? An imprinted lollypop, or other cute snack. Two things are important here – first, that your goodie doesn’t appear to give an impression you are a “sponsor of Camp,” and second, proper packaging. Don’t be the one whose goodie leaked or melted in suitcases.
4. Wear your logo. This is easy. Just buy a packet of Ink Jet T-Shirt transfers and iron yourself up a logo shirt or apron. FUN. 
5. Follow-up. Attendees will receive contact info for all our bloggers, sponsors, speakers, staff.  Making a real effort to reconnect once home is a valuable way to help you make things happen for your blog.

*Note – While here, we request attendees respect Camp Blogaway’s wonderful sponsors by ONLY promoting your blogs or personal sponsors via the methods, above.  Registered campers receive additional info on this topic in their Registration Packet.  Any questions, just email Fearless Leader patti@londre.com and she’ll give you a hand.

Many thanks to attendees Tastestopping, Earthbound Chronicles and Stockpiling Moms, for their input on these opportunities.

ZESPRI International is the world’s largest marketer of GREEN and GOLD Kiwifruit and ZESPRI is the brand for all kiwifruit grown in New Zealand. ZESPRI’s 2700 growers have perfected the way they grow, cultivate, store and ship their kiwifruit to guarantee consistently delicious tart-sweet GREEN and tropical-sweet GOLD Kiwifruit from May through October.  www.ZespriKiwi.com

HalfHourMeals.com provides food bloggers with a recipe for success. Our online cookbook is an engaging space where you can showcase your favorite recipes. The community discussion forum is the place to network with like-minded bloggers and food lovers. A listing in our blog directory is a simple way to get an inbound link and drive more traffic to your site. So, whether you’re looking for new recipes, new connections or new levels of success, HalfHourMeals.com is the place for you. 

Lindsay Olives provides a full line of olives, ranging from the delicious, savory California black and green ripe olives to more exotic imported varieties, like stuffed Spanish Queens and Greek Kalamatas. For wonderful recipes and serving suggestions, please visit www.lindsayolives.com.

The National Onion Association (NOA) is the official organization representing growers, shippers, brokers, and commercial representatives of the U.S. onion industry.  Since 1984, the NOA has dedicated their themselves to educating consumers about onions and their many uses. We’re excited to be part of camp and look forward to sharing layers of information, flavor, and fun with other foodies. www.onions-usa.org

The first Sur La Table store opened in Seattle’s Pike Place Market in 1972 selling hard-to-find kitchenware imported from France. Since then the company has expanded to more than 75 stores nationwide, a direct-mail business distributing millions of catalogs each year, an e-commerce site, a gift registry, and a cooking class program. Sur La Table continues to carry many of the same products from France that it carried when it opened, but now offers tools from around the world to prepare any cuisine. Sur La Table remains committed to its roots by continuing to provide exceptional customer service and a broad assortment of premium-quality products. Sur La Table headquarters are located in Seattle, Washington. www.surlatable.com 

Mad Housewife Wines. Above all else, wine should be fun, relaxing, and something you can afford to look forward to at the end of each and every day. This is your time. Time to enjoy a moment to yourself. A moment without the madness.   www.MadHouseCellars.com

Look through your dishes, napkins, serving pieces – is there something that’s ready to retire? Bring it to camp. When you check in, hand it over for a ticket (bring two, get two tickets). Sunday morning closing ceremony, we call up the tickets and you grab a new prop. Woo hoo! A new prop for your collection, along with a great memento of your Bootcamp experience.

See our post about this jam-packed “Day Camp” being held down the mountain. Yup, no bunks or pine trees at this Saturday event, but TONS of blogger insights and education. And swag.  (Discount for alumni of our May ’10 Camp, too).

now closed: May 14 – 16, 2010  ~  $325.

Held in Angelus Oaks in the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California, Camp Blogaway runs from 3 PM Friday through Sunday brunch.  

You won’t find a better value for blogging education.  Your $325 registration INCLUDES 2 nights’ lodging, 5 yummy meals, all workshops and materials, extra activities and generous piles of goodies.   Just get yourself here; transportation not included.  

Registered attendees also receive a 125 x 125 CAMP BLOGAWAY ATTENDEE badge to proudly display on your blog.   At a date closer to camp, you are mailed a comprehensive camper packet with detailed driving instructions, packing list, itinerary, workshop and speaker info and more.  

We recommend you join the email list or follow us on Twitter for updates and reminders.  Space is limited; to avoid disappointment, early registration is recommended.

You can absorb a whole lot more when distractions of home and work are a mountain away.

While we're here to learn, a few hikes help clear our heads and stretch our legs.

• Arrivals and Departures - Check-in Friday after 3, depart Sunday after brunch.
• Disabled Patrons - The facility can accommodate people with physical disabilities (i.e. parking and ramps). 
• Meals – Fear not, we feed you plenty of tasty, hearty camp chow (dare we call it yumm-o?). Friday Welcome Dinner is 6 PM. Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sunday brunch. Your registration application will request info about any dietary restrictions.
• Lodging - NOT hard-core camping, but definitely camp!  Rustic, heated cabins with several bunkrooms each, bunk beds, peaceful decks.  Bathrooms are indoors, hot private showers.
• Cabin Assignments – Listen up… men in this cabin, women in that one. Bunkrooms are dorm-style, so you can appreciate our challenge to ensure our attendees are happy.  We will perform to the best of our ability and aren’t totally inflexible, but please be aware that resources are limited – being a good sport is part of the adventure.  We will do everything possible to make your weekend worthwhile.
• Getting Here – Campers provide their own transportation. Driving instructions are in your registration packet. Approximate drive times:  Los Angeles – 1.5 to 2 hrs.; Orange – 1.5 to 2 hrs.; San Diego – 2 hrs.; San Fernando Valley – 1.5 to 2 hrs.; Ventura – 2.5 hrs.
• Airport Info - Out-of-towners fly into Ontario International Airport (ONT), and rent a car; an approximate 1-hour drive.
• Weather – Average temperatures (but check weather.com before packing) for May are days 65°-75° nights 40°-55°  

Rustic cabins with beautiful decks.

Fearless Leader Patti Londre, photo (c) www.CookAndBeMerry.com

 ”Brought to you by…!” 

Welcome to Camp Blogaway – I’m Patti Londre, a longtime food marketing and PR person at TLC.  I joined the food blogging community after attending workshops on the topic at an industry conference. Between us, it took a LOT for my “light bulb” to really go off. “Ohhhhh, now I get it!”  Worth The Whisk was born and the journey STARTED. There is a TON to learn, folks.

While my blog is young, I’m no newbie to food. Built on the foundation of my degree in home economics, my PR agency has created events for some of America’s most loved food brands for more than 25 years.  I’m a frequent speaker for such food organizations as the Fancy Food Show and IACP.  And, I own Camp GetAway for Mothers & Others, providing high-spirited “sleep away camps” for grownups.  

See how this all came together?  

Imagine an intense conference chock-full of education for food bloggers, held in a peaceful atmosphere of natural beauty, seasoned with good ol’ fashioned fun, and value-priced:  Camp Blogaway is The Original Bootcamp for Food & Recipe Bloggers.  Join us!

A shout-out from the 2010 attendees of Camp Blogaway Bootcamp for Food & Recipe Bloggers.

Rustic cabins, dorm-style bunkrooms with indoor bathrooms.

How this works – this weekend blogging conference is held at a REAL mountain recreation camp, not a hotel, spa or convention center.  Rustic, heated cabins have indoor bathrooms, bunk beds, lovely decks for relaxing.  Meals and activities are in the lodge and in other spots around camp.

Accommodations are shared, we regret that we cannot accommodate children. Yes, you may request specific bunkmates. Cabin assignments are processed prior to the weekend. Cabins are various configurations, each with several bunkrooms which sleep from four to eight campers. But, don’t get too uptight about bunkrooms – we’re here to learn and will spend very little time in the sleeping cabins. This is camp, we keep telling you!  

Breathe deep, open your eyes, absorb information, think big thoughts, rejuvenate.

Hearty Portions

Lotza Mmmmeals at Camp Blogaway – Fear not, we feed you plenty of tasty, hearty chow here at camp (dare we call it yumm-o?).

The registration process provides the opportunity to tell us of any dietary allergies.

Plenty of Veggies

First meal is Friday dinner at 6 PM. Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sunday brunch.

Your fee is all-inclusive of the good eats: meals, snacks, receptions and s’more.

Enjoy Your Java In The Lodge