My One Year Blogiversary: A Growing Food Obsession, a Shrinking Wallet

This week marks the one year blogiversary for “Been There, Eaten That.”  A year ago, I knew nothing about blogging.  One Sunday afternoon I was bored and somehow stumbled upon Blogger.  I started writing and I couldn’t stop.  Dining out has always been my passion and I am not a stranger to writing.  But putting them together wasn’t something I had considered.

I started by sending the link out to my friends.  They seemed to like it, but many of them knew less about blogs than I did.  But I persevered and so did they. It still stuns me when I run into people and they know some tidbit about my life.  My husband’s broken nose. The fact that I like crusty bread and don’t eat nuts. My recent business trip to wherever.  I put it all out there and then I forget that people actually read it. 

The question I get asked most often is “do you eat out more often than you used to?”  Nope.  I’ve always had dinner out about twice a week. I am spending more money on food more because I feel compelled to try out more high end restaurants.  But compared to most other restaurant bloggers, I hardly eat out at all. In fact, if I have a goal for myself in year two it is:  Eat Out More Often! I still have to conquer more of  Washingtonian’s 100 Best Restaurants 2011 and Tom Sietsema’s Spring Dining Guide.  However, I would like to balance the high end dining with more low to moderate priced dining (my bank account would like this too).   Healthier food would be good as well.  Wait, are cupcakes considered healthy?

Another goal is to get on press lists for restaurant openings and special events.  I am not ashamed to say it.  I would like more free food!  But honestly my objective is to be more in the loop on what’s happening in DC dining beyond all the reading I do.  My personal demographics are quite unique according to a recent food blogger survey conducted by DC365. Most of the respondents (DC food bloggers) are single (59%) and between the ages of 25-34 (70%).  I am married and way older than that.  However, this means that many of my followers who are friends and friends of friends are as old as me, and therefore likely to be spending more money on dining than many younger restaurant goers.  Do you hear that restaurant PR people?

I’ve had some pretty cool accomplishments this year including:

• Selected one of the Best 100 travel blogs of 2011 by Washington Flyer
• Won a contest sponsored by Washington City Paper for my review of Volt’s Table 21
• Quoted by Groupon in their promotion for Addie’s 
• Was featured on Metrocurean’s 5 Bites 

 

My blog has made it all the way to the Supreme Court, thanks to a friend who knows Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who I met one night as I dined at Carmine’s.

Been There, Eaten That has also made its way to some of my favorite Top Cheftestants, who I have been beyond thrilled to meet:

Bryan Voltaggio: Breaking News and Dinner at Volt’s Table 21

Mike Isabella:  Fan-tastic Food at Graffiato, What Kind of Fool Am I?,  A Night at the Museum: The Gulf and Its Seafood One Year Later

Carla Hall:   The Night I was Pushed by Carla Hall

Mike Isabella, Bryan Voltaggio, me

Carla Hall and me

 Because the food is really what this is all about, here are a few of my favorites dishes from the past year:

Chicken thighs with pepperoni sauce, Graffiato

scallops with lemon and thyme, Blue Duck Tavern

goat cheese ravioli, Volt

kale salad, Lincoln

tarte aux cerises, Bistro Bis

palak chat, Rasika

orange tian, Adour

If you have been a regular reader, thanks for your support.  If you are new to my blog, I hope you’ll come back soon.  And because social media has certainly helped me along the way, you can follow me on Twitter @foodobsessed6 and on Facebook.

I need to stop writing now and go make some restaurant reservations.  These food photos are unleashing some fierce cravings!