Tag - Phoenix is Haute

The Phoenix Style Collective held their first blogger conference for (mainly) Arizona bloggers at the hip Saguaro Hotel in beautiful downtown Scottsdale. I had the opportunity to drive out for the event, as well as stay over at the hotel. The Saguaro is centrally located near Old Town and historic Scottsdale. We stayed in the Chaparral Garden View room, located on the ground floor. The interior of the room was accented to resemble the rich heritage of the Sonoran Desert. From the bold colors to the Mexican imported decor, it was truly an oasis in the desert. We had a nice little patio that looked out upon the pool and surrounded by luscious bougainvillea and even had misters going to soothe us from the scorching Phoenician sun. I partook in one of their famous pools and lounged poolside, shaded by an expansive orange umbrella. Later that evening, the boy and I went to Old Town Whiskey, where he savored the smoked brisket sandwich and I- the veggie burger (the pickled red cabbage was the icing on the cake). It was nice to retire to the room after the meal, catch up on some cable TV and snooze away in the comfy bed.

The Saguaro was the venue for the first ever Arizona Blogger Conference, hosted by the lovely folks at the Phoenix Style Collective- Courtney, Chelsea, Katherine, Kara and Josh, co-owner of the GrowOP. There were probably over a hundred people in attendance and EVERYONE looked amazing! I chatted with familiar faces and met new ones. There were some vendors selling their wares, including Corona Couture Jewelry and Rumble and Spur Jewelry. Corona Couture’s jewelry is unique and one-of-a-kind. She recycles vintage license plates, keys, door plates, etc and turns them into wearable works of art. My absolute favorite pieces were the “state” bracelets made from recycled license plates. They are a perfect unique accent to any armparty! Portland-based Rumble and Spur Jewelry designer- Danielle showcased unique necklaces comprised of plastic, copper, brass, plexi glass, etc. I loved her use of mixing different colors and materials. Check out her online shop! We also enjoyed complimentary coffee and lattes by the fab The Coffee Chop– a mobile coffee house if you will, who is very talented in latte art. We were schooled in different poses for perfecting the ‘outfit shot’ by The Agency Arizona. Brenda Eden of Brenda Eden Photography snapped shots during the night and in the Madewell photo booth. Speaking of Madewell, they sponsored a styling booth… full of yummy separates that could be styled multiple ways. I also found the perfect pair of white and blue floral denim! Savante Salon was doing feather extensions and neon color wraps. Of course, the Saguaro provided nibbles and a cash bar.

During the conference portion of the event, we listened to several panelists. First up was Margaree Bigler of Local First AZ. She discussed the importance of shopping locally and supporting Local First AZ. Then we heard from Georganne Bryant, owner of Frances Vintage and Smeeks. She told us her story about her store and then how blogging has helped her business. We also heard from the lovely Kate of the style blog- Running on Happiness. She told us her back story and just shared some pointers in starting and running a blog. Next, we listened to photographer-Sarah Rhodes of Arrow + Apple. She first mentioned that she was nervous, but I honestly didn’t see it. She was funny and really impressed the crowd with her tips on better blogging photos and powerpoint examples. Lastly, we heard from Chelsea of Tea Talk. She explained the importance of finding your own voice and also told her blogging story. The event ended with more networking and mingling, lattes and cocktails.

Thank you Courtney, Chelsea, Kara, Josh and Katherine for the very fun evening. If you’d like more information on the Saguaro, go to the Saguaro website.

** The Conference/Event**

** The Hotel **