Erotica, Gaming, Sex, the IE, and Other Fun Topics – Just a SoCal Lady Bloggers Meetup 4.28.12

Check it! I'm too legit to quit.

A few weekends ago, I met up with my fellow SoCal Lady Bloggers for a night of drinks and dinner. This was the first time I had met these gals in person, so I was excited. We met right in “Beautiful Downtown Burbank” at a place called Olive’s Bistro. Who knew there was a serviceable restaurant adjacently-across the street from my favorite Burbank Chinese restaurant?

Inspire key necklace by Whitney Howard Designs via my Instagram: http://instagr.am/p/J-94tsm5VD/

Sidney (My MIL is Still Between Us) and Carolyn (This Talk Ain’t Cheap) spearheaded the evening with a special gift for all of us – an Inspire necklace by Whitney Howard Designs (one of our sponsors). Ok, first, how awesome is this? I show up and BAM! I get a fantastic piece of jewelry!?

At this meetup, I knew AJ (Confssions of a Fat Girl) from my professional life and we were roomies last year at BlogHer in San Diego. I invited my pal Clare who runs two blogs, one of which is a hysterical dating advice site with her writing partner called Ken and Ariel.

Clare, Bev, Trina, me and Su - So Cal Lady Bloggers 4.28.12

Bloggers: KenandAriel.com, writinginflow.blogspot.com, thegamingangel.com, me, and IEShineOn.com.

Cheryl, Melissa, AJ, Sidney, Ricca - So Cal Lady Bloggers Meetup 4.28.12

Bloggers: littlebitquirky.blogspot.com, MizMeliz.com, confessionsofafatgirl.typepad.com, MILbetweenus.com, and sprmama.blogspot.com.

Carolyn, Jamie, Mary, Alma and Erin - So Cal Lady Bloggers Meetup 4.28.12

Bloggers: thistalkaintcheap.com, minnesotagirlinla.wordpress.com, alongcomesmary.wordpress.com, fieldtripmom.blogspot.com, and horsingaroundinla.wordpress.com.

During drinks, I met bloggers who were gluten-free, reviewing gluten-free alcohol!, one who owns horses!, a blogger transplant from Minneapolis (one of my fave cities), a marching feminst (yeah!), mom bloggers, new-to-blogging bloggers, and old hands at blogging bloggers. When it was time for dinner, we split into three tables. At my table, I learned a lot about romance and erotica, the Inland Empire (IE), intuitive eating, girl gamers and the acronym TTC (trying to conceive).

Being an avid reader, I had to ask fellow reader (and writer!) Bev (Writing in Flow) if she had read “50 Shades of Grey.” I’m not a big fan of erotica and was wary of the hype it was getting. Her writers group had mixed reviews and she’ll be reading it, so I’m looking forward to her thoughts. That segued into my asking grilling her on the difference between romance novels and erotica.  I know you, too, are interested in this definition. (Nerds!) Romance and erotica can have the same amount of smut and sexy writing. But… Romance has to end with one of two conclusions: HEA (Happily Ever After) or HFN (Happily For Now). WHO KNEW?!!!!??? [Now we do!]

Tasty brittle by Pauline's and a Matt Damon movie!

I was also given yet another gift by the group – I received a giftbag with a blu-ray copy of We Bought A Zoo from AJ and praline brittle from Pauline’s Handmade Brittle (another sponsor!). I made out like a freaking bandit that evening. I met 14 new bloggers (and blogs), picked up a piece of jewelry, something sweet, and a movie to load up on my iPad!

All in all, it was a pretty special evening. I’m so grateful to have found this bloggers group. I’ve found that this group to be supportive of everyone’s endeavors as well as helpful when a blogger needs advice on this or that.

If you’re interested in joining this group, mosey on over to http://socalladybloggers.com/.

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