{Blog Brûlée}

Disclosure: My attendance at the Blog Brûlée is partially sponsored. I have received a registration discount for my attendance in exchange for writing this pre-event post.

When I was in college, I would practice my “RD signature.”

It’s true. Just like this:

Nothing brought me more satisfaction than signing “M. Hall, RD” at the bottom of my SOAP notes (weekly assignments for my Clinical Nutrition classes with Dr. Papathakis and Dr. Laura Hall). And when I passed my dietetics exam the summer after my internship, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get a little teary-eyed.

Officially becoming a dietitian was such a happy moment for me.

Today, I feel beyond honored to legitimately sign my name “M. Hall, RD.” But I’m even more happy to spread my love of nourishment and good quality food with people in my everyday life – whether it’s through my writing, my photos, or my social interactions. It also certainly helps that I have a wonderful business partner by my side.

As I was in school to become a dietitian, I actually always knew that I wanted to combine my love of writing and nutrition together. I was initially on the path to graduate with a degree in English and was enrolled in classes at the University of Alberta. But, that was before I cancelled my flight the day before moving back to Canada. And that was before I started wearing a lab coat and looking at microbes in a chemistry lab.

And that’s a story for another blog post.

It wasn’t until I become a dietitian that I realized how many other RDs share my love of writing, of cooking, and of dessert. And I love that I've been connected to so many of them through Recipe ReDux -- a monthly recipe challenge that Lisa and I look forward to each month.

That's part of the reason why I’m beyond excited for my weekend in Vermont at the Blog Brûlée conference to meet, mingle, and enjoy good food with some of the dietitians I admire most. The event came together because of four of the most incredible dietitian food bloggers Regan Jones, Deanna Segrave-Daly, Gretchen Brown, and Robin Plotkin.

During the weekend, we’ll be learning how to master the art of food photography with our iPhones (which is how we take all of our Instagram photos), learning the art of food styling, and even learning the ins and outs of SEO. 

And we'll be taught from some of the best: EA Stewart, The Spicy RD, Brierly Wright, editor of Eating Well Magazine, Anne Mauney of FANNEtastic Food, Carolyn Ketchum of All Day I Dream About Food, and Janice Bissex and Liz Weiss of Meal Makeover Moms.

I’m still counting my lucky stars that I was invited to attend this event and I’m already excited to write about it once I’m home! I can't wait to share my experience with all of you through what I'm guessing will be many, many iPhone photos.