Winners, Links, and Wrap-Ups

I'd like to give a big thank you to all of you who came out on Wednesday night for the bake-off event. We tasted some incredible treats (I've linked some of the recipes below for you as these things were A-mazing! Katy and Jen: I couldn't find links to yours, please share if you can!). The winners of the night were Jen from Local Appetite NY with her delicious (and beautiful!) seasonal strawberry cheesecakes, and Esther Chai, whose chocolate chip cookie won the audience vote.

I'm also still daydreaming about Katy's rich mocha brownies, that delicious salty-sweet butterscotch sauce on Emily's Not Yo Mama's Chocolate Chip Cookie, and the amazing filling inside Anna's perfect little salted cashew turtle cupcakes (Anna, if you're reading, can I just have a bucket of that filling? Cause that would be awesome...)

I also had a blast yesterday morning at TECHmunch food blogger conference here in NY. I moderated a panel called "Building Community and Gaining Momentum" featuring the bloggers behind This is Why You're Fat, Urlesque, and Fancy Fast Food. We talked about the tools that help us build and maintain a community beyond the site.

There was also a wacky Microsoft party, and (highlight!) a delicious dinner party at a new friend's beautiful home. She made a seasonal vegetarian spread that was as wonderful as it was beautiful.

I haven't done weekend links in a while, but as this week was a particularly busy one, it seems like the perfect time to bring it back. I love sharing the things that have caught my eye or inspired me. And I'll be back next week with more recipes and ideas.

(Needless to say, I'm sleepy and will be spending the weekend lazy-ing about. What do you have planned?)


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Florida's fishing community after the spill.

What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

Homemade yogurt in a Crock-Pot!!

Pretty farmers market cards

Ruffled yellow dresses

Lovely blue things

The Barstool Romantic

Handpainted porcelain charms