The skies are blue and the sun is shining in San Diego.
The flowers are blooming.
And I am powering through the day:
I knocked out a 20 Minute At Home Workout
I am grooving on the coffee and mango butter finds that I picked up at TJ’s yesterday
I love TJ’s Coffees and did a big Coffee Review Post comparing many of their coffees as well as others, like Smores Coffee
From my last post on Mango Recipes, thanks for letting me know you like your mangoes just as much as I do. Well, most of you do. Some people are allergic.
As a sidebar, mango allergies are a pretty common allergy. It’s in the latex family so if you’re allergic to mango, then bananas, papaya, pineapple, avocado and others could be culprits, too. I have plenty of food allergies so can spout off food allergy trivia all day long.
Today I made a batch of Raw Taco Nut “Meat”
I bring this taco “meat” to parties and always impress the meat eaters because it’s hearty, dense, full of flavor, and filling. And takes about 45 seconds to make.
And plated that over a bed of greens because a Raw Taco Salad was the perfect lunch on a spring day when I’m slamming and jamming.
And I baked some Lemon & Dill Roasted Potato Sticks (mostly for Scott) but munched on a few of those.
I prefer to munch on fresh berries and…
…Chocolate!
Like Special K Bars with Chocolate Frosting
I am also really excited because I was featured in a National Fox News Story about the power of blogs and bloggers. The piece, written by Hollie McKay, is about a study that showed that bloggers have more influence than celebrities when it comes to influencing consumer purchasing decisions and I was interviewed for and quoted in the story. Check it out if you have a second!
Questions:
1. Have you ever been interviewed for a story or been on the radio, TV, or in the media in some way?
Other than writing my blog and being in the Movie, A Walk to Remember, that I discussed here and here, I can’t recall any other media features or brushes with fame. Other than doing yoga next to Gwyneth Paltrow and Katie Holmes on separate instances, years ago, which was very cool!
However, I’d like to do more interviews. It’s been fun!
2. How much influence do you think blogs and bloggers have over purchasing decisions?
I personally think they have an enormous influence!
I have done many, many posts over the years on things I’ve purchased or tried because I’ve read about them in the blogosphere. Everything from chia seeds to nutritional yeast as I discussed here, recently.
I’ve tried some gems, and some duds, but because of blogs and the recommendations of fellow bloggers, I tried products that I otherwise wouldn’t have known about or bothered to try. Their endorsement, review, and simply featuring the product or item on their blog did alter my purchasing decisions.
3. Have you bought anything or tried anything new because a blogger mentioned it or featured it on his/her blog?
I also have discussed that I went through a phase where I tried and bought just about anything that I saw floating around, but I have since reigned in my impulse purchases and don’t race out to buy everything I see anymore, either.
It’s fun to try new things and products but I don’t have the budget, or the need, to try everything. Sometimes I know that what I have works well for me and I don’t need to keep trying and trying every latest thing, i.e. certain yoga clothes or protein powders and I don’t need to race out and buy the “latest and greatest”.
It’s a balancing act, for sure, trying new things but also not breaking the bank or buying things you just don’t need or won’t really have much long term use for.
What do you think about the power and influence of blogs/bloggers featuring products? Have you bought or tried things you’ve seen in the ‘sphere?
Enjoy your day!
I’m new to your blog and I have to say I like it ;) It’s fun reading from you.
To answer on one of your questions; I really think that bloggers can have a huge effect on eachother. I love reading about things that I haven’t tried myself and when it sounds delicious/fun to make, I buy some things from time to time to try out myself. For me that’s the fun part about reading blogs!
Congrats Averie! I will def check it out! San Diego HAS been BEAUTIFUL :)
Great eats, I need to try the potato sticks. Congrats on the story, that’s really awesome! Great quote!
1. Once for being at a post office shipping a few days before Christmas, I walked in and there were reporters everywhere targeting last-minute shippers. :-P
2. A lot, much more than celebrities because the authors are easier to relate to and talking about everyday products people can actually afford. It steams me that most celebrities who can afford purses worth more than my car get them for free simply to promote them to people who can’t afford them. For that reason I rarely pay attention to products celebrities are using knowing they probably didn’t pick them and got them for free.
3. Yes, lots of kitchen gadgets and food mainly.
I was interviewed for an article about chocolate that was in a food magazine in Ontario. That’s about it …
Congrats on being featured! I don’t think that their is any doubt how influential bloggers are. I have seen some blog post with over 1000 comments! I can only imagine how many people are visiting daily. I don’t buy everything I read about in other blogs, but I like that it introduces me to new things.
that is so super fun that you were included in the article, averie! congrats!
i think bloggers have a HUGE influence – bloggers become *friends* and we trust our friends’ opinions. also, we’re influenced by people we look up to, and a lot of bloggers command a lot of respect.
i’ve tried some new products thanks to seeing them on blogs. nutritional yeast – yea! coconut water – boo! unfortunately, we don’t get many of the products i’d like to try – or have the stores (target, trader joes) in canada.
enjoy that sunshine!
Just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU for the delicious cookie dough balls (i was the auction winner). I got them today and am trying my hardest not to eat them all immediately! And thank you for the *bonus* treats. I definitely try more foods after i read about them on blogs like yours… that mango butter may just have to be next! thanks again for creating such yummies!
You are so welcome and per my email, too, thank you for saying hi!!! I have been thinking, wondering, pondering who you were…thank you for surfacing :)
Don’t be a stranger, please! :)
Yours is the second blog I’ve read tonight featuring that mango butter! I need to get some for myself!
I think it’s a pretty new product? but yeah, I can imagine it will be popping up everywhere :)
Hey Averie congrats on the interview! Too cool!
Wow, YES blogs are very influential for me these days. Ever since I started my own I’ve been connecting with so many people out their with healthy lifestyles and similar eating habits. I’ve picked up TONS of tips. I learned from MamaPea @ Peasandthankyou the other day that hummus comes out creamier if you PEEL the chic peas first. Who would have guessed!?
Also I love the ideas for new products. I’ve discovered things like chia seeds, hemp protein, and Larabars by reading blogs :) love it!!!
Wow, Averie! Read the interview–so cool! And so true as well. I feel like I’m always so persuaded by other bloggers’ foodie finds!!
Congrats on the mention- that’s awesome!!
I think bloggers have a HUGE influence. When I think of all the products I’ve bought and all the money I’ve spend on things I’ve seen reviewed on blogs…craziness!! Most of it was money well spent, but yeah, blogging has definitely made me a bit poorer, especially when it comes to the big-ticket items like my Garmin!
I think blogs have a really big influence on the things I buy!
I’ve tried lots of stuff thanks to blogs, including nutritional yeast, chia seeds, peanut flour, and raw cacao. All items that are now staples. Ha, I must’ve blocked out the stuff I tried but was not into, because I can’t recall anything right now.
Cool quote, lady. Way to go!
Yes, I’ve had my own brush with blogging fame. A few months ago I was interviewed by a reporter from America.gov for a piece he wrote about blogs about Persian food and culture. It’s linked here, if you’re curious:
https://westofpersia.wordpress.com/2010/12/20/axis-of-delicious-west-of-persia-featured-on-america-gov/
I served Keanu Reeves, The Osbornes, Pink, Paris Hilton, Slash (and many many more) When I waitressed at the Rainbow Room in LA! Good memories
and I bet you have some, ahem, amazing stories that you could share about it all, too :) I can use my imagination…haha!