As we head full on into the last minute holiday rush and get ready to wrap up another year, we're slowing down a little bit here at FBC too so we can enjoy a little downtime AND get ready to gear up for a very busy 2014 (y'all are coming out to Vancouver in October, right?).
But, we still have a few things to catch you up on!
KitchenAid Canada Cook for the Cure Culinary Showdown WrapUp
We were very proud to be a media sponsor of the KitchenAid Canada Cook for the Cure Culinary Showdown in aid of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation this year. Thanks to all of our members who took part and personally chose to raise funds for this worthwhile cause!
One of the highlights for us here at FBC was being asked to take part in the event and sit on the judging panel along with the likes of Chef John Cirillo of Cirillo's Academy, Chatelaine Magazine's Food Director, Claire Tansey, Toronto Star food reporter, Michelle Henry and CanadaAM host, Beverly Thomson. You can read Melissa's recap of her experience getting to judge some of Food Network Canada's top celebrity chefs on her blog!
Last Day to Enter Our Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway
Today is the last day to enter to win one of four beautiful cookbooks that we are giving away as part of our Holiday Gift Guide. Make sure to stop by and leave a comment to enter!
Top 10 Posts of 2013
Join us every day between now and New Years Eve as we unveil our Top Ten posts of 2013. There were some posts we'd forgotten about, some that were no-brainers and some big surprises. If you've just joined FBC or missed a few posts throughout the year, you'll want to check it out and make sure you give all of these great posts a read!
Looking Ahead to January 2014
Last week saw our last Pin It Thursday and our last Featured Member for the year. But don't worry, they'll both be back in January and we'll be focusing on healthy recipe boards next month and introducing you to some more unique Canadian food bloggers.
January also marks some new things here at FBC. We have so many exciting things happening that we're sure you're going to want to be part of! Here's some of what's coming up in the new year:
The 30 Day January Blog Challenge
What better time of year to get your blog in tip top shape and find new ways to grow and connect than January? Every day from January 2-31 we'll be offering up one quick Tip of the Day to help you clean up, refresh, grow, connect and build a better blog. We'll be supplementing that with some more in depth articles from the likes of Stephanie Eddy, Valerie Lugonja, Sondi Bruner and our own Ethan Adeland.
Restaurant Roundup is Back
Restaurant Roundup returns in January as we kick off a once a month in depth look at dining scenes across Canada. First up will be Vancouver Island from Gwen at Devour & Conquer
FBC2014
More details will be emerging in January about what will be happening at FBC2014 in Vancouver. We know you're all excited to hear more about what's coming and we're excited to share!
A Brand New Website
We'll be doing a lot behind the scenes in January as we get ready to launch FBC 2.0 on February 1st. We're very excited to unveil the new site and create an even more connected community of Canadian Food Bloggers!
New Members
A big welcome to all our new members who joined us this week. We're glad to have you join us!
- Ciao Down With Mama Theresa (ON)
- The Inspired Home (AB/ON)
- Barefoot and Frolicking (ON)
- Sea Salt Galley Kat (QC)
- There is No Secret Ingredient (ON)
- Open Kitchen (ON)
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Thank You
2013 saw lots of changes and growth here at FBC and we're proud of this community that all of you have been so instrumental in helping us build. We hosted our first National Food Blogging Conference (and can't wait to host our second in 2014!). We crossed the 1000 member threshold (and are well on our way to 1300 members!). We've had the opportunity to work with some remarkable writers and brands to grow the site.
We are grateful to all of those people who have helped us throughout the year, including our valued sponsors, our remarkable Restaurant Roundup Crew, our Regional Volunteers, all our bloggers and contributors who participated in writing content, sharing posts for Pin It Thursday, and joining our Recipe Roundups. And last but not least, all of our members who've tweeted, liked, shared, emailed, or commented throughout the year - you make this community what it is. Thank you.
And to all of you, from us here at FBC, we wish you a very Merry Christmas this week!
And remember, if you have anything you’d like to share with your fellow members in the news, please let us know about it. To have your submission appear in a Monday news post, the deadline is Friday at 5pm Pacific time. You can send your 3-4 sentence submissions directly to Melissa and include any relevant links.
As always,
Melissa and Ethan
Merry Christmas to you guys too, thank you for all the work you do for this community!
Happy Holidays you two. I wanted to send a card but we’ve had some illnesses making rounds. All my cards are still sitting on the desk, with all the packages that were suppose to go out. Epic holiday fail. Thank you both for your continued hard work and dedication to FBC. It does not go unnoticed. You are the heart of this great community. I hope you both have an amazing holiday season. All the best for the new year. xx
Merry Christmas to both of you, and thank you so much for the tireless work you do to keep this amazing and inspirational community running!
See you in the New Year!
I’m so excited for what the new year holds!
Thank you for all that FBC is, has become, and stands for. We appreciate you guys!
Happy New Year. =)