Here, in no particular order, are some of the swag items and sponsors I liked the best from BlogHer '11:
Lee Jeans: I've been a fan of Lee jeans ever since they dared me to try their jeans a few years ago. I thought there was no way they'd be able to fit this curvy frame of mine, but oh how they proved me wrong! I've yet to find another brand of jeans that give me plenty of room in the hips and thighs while fitting my waist with only a small gap.
This year Lee was a sponsor for BlogHer and set up fittings to show other bloggers just how well they could look in a great pair of jeans. I was thrilled to try out their new skinny stretch jeans, and even more excited to go home with the pair I tried on.
Aren't they great? I love these jeans and have been wearing them as much as I can since I arrived home. They fit perfectly, they're not too tight in the legs, and the dark wash hasn't faded at all.
P&G House: The P&G House was back in the Expo hall this year, bigger and more eco-friendly than ever. It was easier to move around in the house, too. But what I liked best was that I could walk through it at my own pace, speak with experts in each area, and not have to fight a crowd for product samples. Instead, we filled out a survey at the end indicating which brands we'd like to receive samples from, and those samples were mailed to our house. As someone who had to fly this year, this was greatly appreciated. (The full-size bottle of Tide was great!)
The one item I was really surprised about from P&G? The new Braun ionic hairbrush. It's a battery powered brush that floods your hair with ions while you brush it, making it immediately smooth, shiny and frizz-free. I received one to try out, and I do really like the brush. It doesn't work on tangles as well as I'd like, but the frizz-factor is practically zero now!
Hershey's S'Mores Suite: It was late morning on Saturday when I found myself hungry and needing a break from the busy Expo hall. Kari and I wandered up to the Hershey's S'Mores Suite to grab a quick snack. Inside, it was relaxing - a sofa in front of a TV, s'mores supplies on the coffee table, and a "beach" view in the next room. We settled onto the sofa and roasted marshmallows, enjoying the quiet atmosphere and relaxed conversation. The s'mores were so delicious, too! OK, so I didn't get to bring any s'mores home with me (though I wanted to steal one of the s'mores maker kits), but I didn't go home empty handed. When we left, we were given insulated lunch bags that have already proven to be a very useful gift for carrying food to and from work.
Middle Sister Wines: I was handed a bottle of Middle Sister Wine at the Aiming Low party, and while my first thought was How am I going to get this home? my second thought was Is this good wine? Answers: wrap all of your clothing around it in your suitcase, and yes, it's a very good wine. I had the Drama Queen white wine - a perfect balance of crisp and sweet. This may be my new favorite wine, and totally worth smuggling back home in my suitcase.
TempurPedic: The travel pillow I received from TempurPedic last year was a lifesaver on my Amtrak ride from hell. This year I was able to get another travel pillow - good thing, too, since I accidentally left my old one in the Las Vegas airport. TempurPedic also sent me a cushioned sleep mask before the conference, which has been serving me dutifully as I sleep during the day. (I work third shift, so sleep masks are a must.) Now if only I could get them to replace my poke-y, worn out bed with one of those heavenly TempurPedic beds...
There were far more brands that I enjoyed talking with, but these were a handful of the standout ones for me. I handed out several business cards, though, and took in just as many, so I look forward to connecting with other companies and hopefully featuring more from them as the year goes on.
