If I had to pick a single photo from the hundreds taken at the #FreshCoastRetreat—my first blogging retreat—to represent the weekend, this would be it. It captures a playful engagement-style moment with Hummusapien as my “wifey” and the talented teams from Chezus and Show Me the Yummy behind the camera. Looking at it takes me right back to that weekend on Lake Michigan.
I’ve attended several blogging conferences and many press trips with other bloggers, but I’ve never had as much fun as I did at the #FreshCoastRetreat in Muskegon, Michigan. Unlike large conferences, a blogging retreat is an intimate, weekend-long mastermind: focused conversations about content and business mixed with plenty of relaxed social time, great food, and laughter. We stayed at Liz’s (The Lemon Bowl) incredible family home right on Lake Michigan. It’s an exceptional house—perfect for a multi-family lake vacation—and it’s listed on VRBO, so groups can rent it. Fun fact: I grew up on the opposite side of the lake in Milwaukee, so the lakefront location felt especially meaningful.
The retreat was thoughtfully organized by Liz, Phi, and Dara, and they assembled a wonderful group of bloggers. Amazingly, I hadn’t met any of these women in person before the retreat—only online—so it was especially rewarding to finally gather in one place with people who do the same work and inspire me daily. If you want to follow along with the talented group who attended, check out these blogs: Hummusapien, The Lemon Bowl, Andie Mitchell, Sweet Phi, Skinnytaste, Always Order Dessert, Cookin’ Canuck, Chez Us, Amy’s Healthy Baking, Foodie Crush, Show Me the Yummy, and Order in the Kitchen.
So what exactly did we do?
Networking and Masterminding: Each day followed a schedule of sessions covering topics that matter to food and lifestyle bloggers. Highlights for me included conversations about television and media opportunities, photo editing techniques, and an extended emphasis on video content. Video was a recurring theme—how to plan it, how to shoot it, and how to use it to grow an audience.
Personal Bonding: Beyond professional development, the weekend was about getting to know one another as people. The conversations moved easily from work to personal stories, and the relaxed setting helped everyone open up. I felt instant connections with people I had only known online; it was energizing to be in a room full of creative, supportive women. There were plenty of laughs, late-night chats, and spontaneous moments that turned strangers into friends.
Food and Drink: Of course, food played a central role—this was a retreat made up largely of food bloggers. We split into teams and cooked for one another using recipes from our own blogs, which was one of the most delightful parts of the weekend. Tasting real, home-tested recipes from peers creates a special kind of appreciation. Standout dishes included Skinnytaste’s Grilled Rosemary Lamb Chops, Always Order Dessert’s Ginger Peach Moscow Mules, The Lemon Bowl’s Cucumber Laban (Lebanese yogurt sauce), and Amy’s Healthy Baking’s Apple Pie Oatmeal Cookies. We also enjoyed a couple of meals at local Muskegon restaurants and were impressed by the friendly service and the quality of the food we tried.
Sponsors kept us well stocked with snacks throughout the retreat. I discovered new favorites and rekindled old ones—hummus and crackers, yogurt, and granola were constant go-tos. Small comforts like these made downtime even more enjoyable.
The #FreshCoastRetreat would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors, who nourished and entertained us all weekend: Bob’s Red Mill, Stonyfield, Experience Grand Rapids, and Sabra. A special thank-you to Alejandro Photography for capturing so many of the weekend’s moments and preserving memories we’ll look back on fondly.