BlogHer '11: 3,500 of your Closest Blogger Friends

What an experience...BlogHer '11 is a wrap! Shelly and I had an amazing time in San Diego with 3,500 social media-savvy bloggers. I tried to take it all in, but there was just too much going on for one person to conquer it all. I found most attendees fall into one of 3 attendee types; the Learner, the Networker and the Swag collector.

• The Learner: BlogHer is packed with 2 days of informational, motivational and inspirational sessions. The Learner is there to soak in as much knowledge as possible from the experts by packing in sessions from 8am to 5pm with some one-on-one time at the 'Geek Bar' squeezed in. BlogHer brings in pros to cover everything from 'Perfecting the Product Review' to 'Boomer Blogging'.

• The Networker: Networking is everywhere at BlogHer, even in the bathroom line. I was warned to have more than enough cards on hand, and I'm glad I did. I would say the business people to blogger ratio was 40/60, which actually made for some great discussions. Bloggers want to connect to other bloggers and find companies they might partner with. Businesses and professionals are there for the same thing. It was great to meet the people I've only talked to on Twitter and to be exposed to so many new bloggers.

• The Swag Collector: Oh the swag! Companies from all walks of consumer goods descended on BlogHer '11 to get their goods into bloggers' hands. It was interesting to see how different brands integrated social media and blogger relations into campaigns. Some target specific bloggers with more private events....others were going for overall brand awareness with interactive booths and suites. Surprisingly, I heard from many bloggers that the 'Tweet to Win' contests were easy to win because few people participated.

I tried my best to be a little of each of these types by learning a lot, meeting great people and taking home a few goodies. The only question left is; will I see you at BlogHer '12 in NYC?

Video Post: Axiom @ the Toast & Taste

Our entire Axiom team enjoyed the Toast & Taste at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum last night. Andrea loved it so much, she's sharing her favorites on today's Daily Axioms video post.

Wordless Wednesday: What are the best video chat services and who's using them?

Beat the Heat (Online)

By @DaveSniadak

Here in Minnesota, it's been hot...really hot. In fact, we just wrapped up the 5th hottest July since the state began official record-keeping in 1873 (though some records date back to 1820). According to the NOAA, high temperatures at the Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport averaged 87.7 degrees for July; 10 days in the month were above 90 degrees; 25 days of 85+ in July alone. If you like it hot, we certainly dished out some sizzling helpings of Minnesota Nice.

However, not everyone appreciates the heat and humidity. Who is the most at risk? To paraphrase my favorite local weatherman: "The very young, very old and very furry".

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that more than 1,500 die from heat related causes in the United States every year. As Eli Jacks says in this post: "Heat can be a silent killer. It's a dangerous weather condition for which people should prepare."

2 great digital resources I have found that help me plan for the heat:

• Fox 9 Weather App for Smart Phones - One of our local TV stations issued this free app for smart phones that offers up real-time radar, forecasts and weather warnings. Customize it to your city and know when weather is about to strike, anywhere you are.
• Wunderground.com - The Weather Underground website pulls info from nearly 2,000 weather stations across the country to deliver the latest weather info to your computer. Reliable and not cluttered with a ton of advertisements, this site gives you the data you need.

Of course, a few offline items that certainly help...water, sprinklers, pools, A/C, chilled beverages...and just common sense. As Minnesotans, we try not to complain about the heat, but when it's this hot, it's easy to forget that we live where we live. After all, 95 degrees with 90% humidity isn't too bad when you think about the alternative.

Axiom @ Toast and Taste

By Andrea

Every now and then the Axiom Team likes to let loose, have some fun and take the show on the road! Last night we got the crew out of the office and over to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum for Toast & Taste in the Gardens.

It was an evening of luscious food from some of the top Twin Cities restaurants and sips of wine and beer from Minnesota and Wisconsin makers all set in the colorful and peaceful gardens of the Arboretum.

3 Toast and Tastes we are still talking about:

Birchwood Cafe: Chocolate Brownie! We loved the rich chocolate flavor in a perfect little bite to satisfy the chocolate craving.

Crave: Served up a mouth watering burger with Limousin beef, melted pepperjack cheese topped with BBQ pulled pork. Oh yea, a lot of meat and a lot of goodness!

Lift Bridge Brewing: Biscotti, a flavorful Belgian style ale, with just the right amount of bite.

Where will the Axiom team show up next....we'll just have to wait and see.