location, location, location

We love our venue! The Westminster Rose Event Center is awesome and we are so happy to have Blog Sugar 11 there!

Please visit it's website for any details you may be looking for (address etc).

Parking Information:

When driving down American Way, you will pass the venue on your left before you come to the parking area that is designated for COURT PARKING. That is where you are to park. Please don't park on the street in front of the venue.

It's almost here! (a few reminders)

We are just 6 days away from Blog Sugar '11 and we thought we would remind you of a few details, to keep in mind, while preparing for the event!

Important Reminders:

1.) Please bring your picture I.D. with you. Due to limited space and a desire to keep the event intimate and unique, only people who have purchased tickets and can show valid ID will be admitted in. (Aside from nursing babies, please no children or family members).

2.) Bring your laptop! We will have free Wi-Fi and would love for you to live blog, tweet and Facebook, at the event.

3.) Bring your business cards! This is a chance to network and share who you are. You will be meeting tons of new contacts and friends-be prepared to pass 'em out!

4.) Bring a sweater, in case it gets a little chilly. (Chances are the weather will be Southern California PERFECTION, but one of the sessions, appetizers, photobooth and mingling take place outside, so come prepared!).

5.) Registration begins at 3pm, on the dot.

6.) Stick to the sessions that you selected, initially. If you need to be reminded, please email Rachel at: rachel@number17cherrytreelane.com and you will be emailed your selections. Please no switching sessions, at the event.

7.) Official twitter handle of Blog Sugar is: #blogsugar11-let us know what you are doing and where you are, the weekend of Blog Sugar! Follow @mrsno17 for official Blog Sugar tweeting, as well.

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We are so excited to see each and every one of you.

Only a few more days!

7 days!

Hey everyone!

Can you believe that we are just one week away from this years event?

Truly, I look forward to meeting each and every one of you and hope that you are excitedly anticipating how you will leave, full of inspiration!

Keep an eye out, this week, for some last minute details!

Rachel

Blog Sugar Ambassadors

What if....

-You have a question, at the event?

-Need assistance finding your break off session?

-Are unsure of what the heck you are supposed to be doing?

-Want someone to eat a cupcake with?

We have someone that can help you!

Blog Sugar has two lovely ladies that will be our ambassadors for the evening.

Michelle Eastman and Jennifer Lafferty are two very outgoing and friendly woman who will be happy to help you with whatever you may need! You will be able to find both of them at the registration table.

Just look for the two smile-bots.

Jenn:

Michelle:

Speaker Spotlight: Meg

I can't tell you how excited I am to introduce (like she NEEDS an introduction) Blog Sugar 11's keynote speaker, Meg Duerksen.

Meg's blog, WHATEVER, is widely adored and a favorite of many. She has the ability to make you feel at home, normal and happy, with just a few words and several colorful pictures. Meg's life (and blog, by extension) is a place where you can grab a cup of coffee, be inspired but still feel like you can relate to the person on the other side of the laptop.

Here is a small snippet of her blog journey. We can't wait for her to share more with us on September 25th!

* i started blogging secretly one night around midnight in february of 2007.
i didn't want anyone to know in case i was awful at it.
i used my nick name instead of my real name so that my friends wouldn't find it. :)
but God had much different plans for my blog.
and it took me a few years to see that.....but He showed me.

* i want my little place in this great big world to be a happy one.
i want to show God's glory.
i want to bring Him joy.
i want to be an encouragement.
i want to be real.
i want people feel normal when they read it.
i want to BE love to others from God.
and with the blog i get to do that to a whole bunch of people at once and that is SO COOL!

* what are you doing with your little space?
where is God calling you? what is He preparing YOU for in your space in this big world?

* "Do everything without grumbling or arguing,so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life." Phil 2: 14- 15

Southern California Spotlight - Restaurants

We hope you've enjoyed the Southern California spotlight posts we've put together so far and you're as excited to come to So Cal as you are to come to Blog Sugar.  To wrap up this series we thought we'd share some of our favorite local restaurants and places to eat that are close to both the Ayres Hotel if you're staying there, and the actual Blog Sugar event site.  We love to eat and enjoy a burger from In N Out just as much as we enjoy a fancy rooftop dinner at Michael's down in Naples, so you should find the list both abundant and versatile...Enjoy!

Local Specialty Dining (all within 20 minutes of the Ayres/Blog Sugar venue):
Mahe's in Seal Beach - great sushi, seafood and fun local beach atmosphere
Park Ave in Stanton - Orange County's restaurant of the year, cool vintage vibe with excellent steaks & chops (a personal favorite of Andrea & Rachel)
Spaghettini - great Italian food in a rich yet cozy environment; bands play most weekend nights
Michaels on Naples - specializing in Italian cuisine, Michaels offers an extensive wine list in a relaxed setting.
McKenna's On the Bay - a Long Beach landmark, McKenna's offers great seafood including a full oyster and sushi bar, and nightly entertainment right on the bay.
The Crema Cafe - to die for crepes, quiches & fresh baked goods, this is a great casual spot that serves up amazing eats

Casual Dining (these are all located on Seal Beach Blvd very close to the Ayres):
California Pizza Kitchen - specialty pizzas, salads & pastas
Island's - fish tacos, burgers & yummy french fries make this a great family friendly spot
Macaroni Grill - casual Italian dining
Hof's Hut - extensive menu featuring just about anything you can think of in a casual atmosphere

"Fast Food"
Chipotle - amazing burritos, "bowls" and chips using natural and fresh ingredients.  The updated version of great Mexican food.
Pei Wei - similar to Pick Up Stix, just way better, the quicker & cheaper version of PF Changs
In N Out - if you've never had one, you've gotta try an In N Out burger while you're here!

Blog Sugar 2011 supports LOVE146

Each Blog Sugar event, we select one amazing organization to support.

At Blog Sugar 11, we will be raising awareness for LOVE146.

Danielle Burkleo, from Take Heart, will be our LOVE146 representative on the evening of Blog Sugar.

I asked her to share her heart and passion for this amazing organization.

Here are her words:

"Love146 is a non profit organization that is working to end child sex slavery and exploitation through prevention and aftercare. Did you know that trafficking IS modern day slavery? Statistics state that 1.2 million children are trafficked each year, which means that two children are sold every single minute. How can we be quiet about this? I often times ask myself how this is even happening? It is so foreign from everything I know and take for granted, and the rawness of this organization grounds me and brings me back to a place that I need to be. The greatest need right now for children coming out of sex slavery is aftercare. These children need educated and trained adults to care for them after all of this horrific and repetitive sexual abuse has taken place. Love 146 is committed to training grassroots caregivers to meet these children's needs and provide safe homes for them.

Jesus has called us to care for those in need, He has called us to love the least of these. When I think of Love146, I think of Christ. I think of Him going into the most unlovely of situations and rescuing us. As I am learning more about this organization and preparing to start a Task Force here in the fall, someone shared this story with me. One of the pastors who serves full time for Love146 had been in South East Asia about two years ago. His heart broke as he saw these precious children who had just moved into the safe home. They all were in such great need but, his eyes kept going back to this one young girl. She sat in the corner, alone, and was rubbing mud and dirt all over herself, through her hair, on her face, all over her body. He asked the caregiver what she was doing. She said this little girl knew was dirty and wanted to make herself look dirty, just like all the dirty things that had been done to her. He couldn't stop thinking about and praying for this little girl and her story, and her future. Two years later, upon returning to Asia this pastor was greeted by this bright, beautiful, smiling face when he entered the safe home. A little girl that was so full of life. She kept asking him, this western white man -- who was once probably all she knew of evil, to dance with her. He happily danced around the room of that safe home with her. Later on the caregiver took him aside and said, you know who that little girl was right? He shook his head. She said that is the girl with the mud, the girl who saw herself as just a dirty, used child.

That right there is why I am passionate about this.

That right there has my heart.

Love 146 is making the steps to change these children's lives around. One life at a time. Our name is her story."

"Justice at it's best is love correcting everything that stands against love." - Martin Luther King Jr.