Getting Gorgeous - and also where I drop tons of names

Ahhh, the sweet silence of three boys taking a nap. 

Now I can get to blogging my heart out here and for Buy-Her. 

As you have been hearing me talk about for Months now, Getting Gorgeous was Saturday.  Not only was it my first time going to a blogging conference, it was my first time (in a looong time) traveling anywhere completely by myself.  My girl Cissa was not able to attend as first planned and as excited as I still was to go, it also made me a bit more nervous.  How would I do this without her?  In the days leading up to Saturday I got excited to see all the chatter from other girls about Getting Gorgeous and was thrilled to see Becky and Meg would be there too!

Saturday morning I was up at 5:30 to shower, do my hair and finish packing.  By 6:45am my husband and the boys were dropping me at the Amtrak train station and just after 7am I was off.  By myself.  (Did I mention I've been on a train once as a small child and don't even remember it?) 

Taking the bus?  I'm a pro.  I've even flown by myself.  The train thing though, stressed me a little.  I was so tired I passed out for about an hour in between stops, which was impressive because we made a TON of them and each one was announced.  By 11am I was getting off the train at Penn Station.  And omg that place is HUGE when you have just come from the train station in little Providence, RI.  It was like a maze to get out but there I was finally.

Thought I'd be bold and walk instead of taking a cab.  Not even thinking, I started out in the wrong direction.  Went down from 7th Ave to 6th Ave before realizing I needed to be at 8th Ave to continue on.  That would be me.  Turned myself around and back I went to try and meet up with Becky before the event started.  Then my phone rings.  Oh yes.  Automated voicemail and even an e-mail that there is a problem with my 5pm train back and I needed to make a change to my arrangements.  Seriously?  As I'm walking I'm on the phone and am told my choices are 3pm or 7pm.  Didn't want to commit to either one yet, decided I would call back after I got to Getting Gorgeous.
 
The walk took me longer than I thought (most likely due to getting lost at first) so I missed meeting up with Becky first... but I DID it...got myself to the Metropolitan Pavilion and I was pretty proud.  Waiting in line I chatted with the girls around me a bit and then it was time to go in.  I was pretty excited to be in the 1st group up the elevator and checked in.  Spotted Degree and Tide first and snapped a photo with my cell (because of all the things I forgot to pack my camera had to be the one thing)!

Headed over to Simply Orange Juice and got a mimosa.  Mmmm.  I saw Audrey so I went right over to her.  She gave me a hug, my nerves started to go away and what did I do?  Spilled my mimosa on the floor (hopefully missing her in the process).  Because klutz should be my middle name.  Met up with my friend and Haute Tags founder Becky, got to meet THE Vera Sweeney who I have chatted with on Twitter but not actually met until now.  I started reading her blog I'm not obsessed forever ago through links on Dlisted.  Love her!  Just as nice in person as she is online.  So sweet!  Just like Audrey is.  I can see why they are such good friends. 
 
Becky and I walked around together checking out the tables.  I have to say we had a great time!  We met celebrity stylist Sarah Potempa, then Liz Lange and her sister Jane Wagman and even recharged at the Hanes Power Up Lounge. 

Most comfortable chairs Ever!  And who knew that Hanes had bras?  I've been buying their socks and sometimes underwear for years, but had no idea they had a bra line.  Signed up to be a wear tester and am so excited to try them out!  We were lucky enough to be in the 1st session so we had an easier time talking with the sponsors before things got too busy.  Shortly after we got there the room really started to fill up!

After seeing just about all the sponsors (I think I only missed 2?) I headed over to get my hair done with Hair Room Service ... they do celebrities like Lady Gaga as well as the average girl who wants an awesome hair style!  Here's me getting my hair done.

Unfortunately the after photo does not really do the style justice - my husband snapped me and the Bunny Bee after the train when we went to all grab a late dinner.  I had a side braid into a chignon with some curls and extra height in the front.  Got several compliments.  Not something I think I would ever have picked for myself but I left it up to the stylist and it really grew on me after a little while.

I really had the.best.time at Getting Gorgeous!  I feel like there is almost too much to mention here in this post, so I know I'm leaving things out.  Definitely stay tuned to Buy-Her for some upcoming posts and giveaways which I will also link up here.
 
Getting home was kind of crazy.  I jetted out of Getting Gorgeous early so I wouldn't end up with a 3 hour gap before I could catch a train back home and had no such luck hailing my 1st cab ever.  This super sweet doorman took pity on me because all the cabs were passing me as I stood out in the street with my hand raised and he came over, blew his whistle and I had an instant cab.  I wanted to hug the man! 

Got to Penn Station with just 15 minutes to spare and begged to get on the 3pm.  Had my ticket changed and there I waited at the board with a sea of people - watching to see them post the track.  For FORTY MINUTES.  Yup, it was late.  Took a sigh of relief getting on the train - where we then sat for awhile (for what reason I don't know).  When we finally got going, we even got stopped at one point on the tracks for awhile.  NO POWER!  And yet with no power the automatic door in front of us started to slam open and closed repeatedly.
 
I have never been so relieved as I was when that train started moving again.  When we pulled into the station at home, I stood up with all my swag bags and followed the girl in front of me through the automatic door.  WHICH closed on me and proceeded to squish (not open back up like elevators).  And no one behind me said.a.word.  I freed one arm, slapped my hand onto the open button and freed myself (every shade of red I am positive).
 
All in all I have to say my first blogging outing was a totally positive experience.  If I could say one thing to some of the bloggers out there that have been doing this for awhile, it would be to remember where you started out.  While most girls were really nice there were some who asked me who I was and where I blogged and upon not knowing me I felt like I actually watched some eyes glaze over as they went on to find someone bigger to talk to... without even telling me who they were.  Not gonna lie, that didn't feel so great.  And after that happened a few times I could feel myself really clamming up.  I want to give a big shout out and thank you to Role Mommy for being so sweet and taking the time to talk to me and even throw in some new blogger advice.  It meant the world to me!
 
And huge love and thank yous to Audrey and Vera and all the Getting Gorgeous sponsors, I so can not wait to do this again!