Angie's Kettle Corn Meet & Greet Presented by the Discountesses | Blogher '11 Kick Off!

Tonight began one of many parties to kick off BlogHer '11 in San Diego. We were invited to Vin de Syrah in downtown San Diego by the Discountesses, Sara and Amy. And Angie's Kettle Corn sponsored the event! I had never been to this wine parlor before but heard about it on my friend Natalie's blog a while back. Ever since then I've wanted to check out this place. And now I want to host my 30th birthday party there... I have a few years to save up, right?

I knew that the wine parlor was downstairs off the street but I didn't remember that it was a bit tricky to get into. And I heard rumors that while you figure out how to get in you're videotaped for all to see. Luckily I figured it out pretty quickly when I remembered the Alice in Wonderland meets Secret Garden theme and we (I had made friends as we walked down the stairs together and looked lost trying to find the entrance) walked into a beautiful relaxing atmosphere.

We were greeted by the Discountesses themselves and handed drink tickets (two glasses of wine on them!). Then we made name labels and got to mingling. I didn't get to quite take in the room and all of its intricate details until my new friend, Tamona, and I paused in our conversation to look around. The first thing we noticed were the comfy chairs we were perched upon. And then Tamona pointed out the high back booths. They reminded me very much of the Mad Hatter... not sure if it was because they were so tall or if it was because they looked like the chairs the Mad Hatter had around his tea party table.

After taking in the scenery we ordered some chardonnay (yum!) and munched on Angie's Kettle Corn as others gathered. We got to talking to a few more gals, Brie and Krista, who ended up being from Canada.  Talk about a long flight! We talked about blogging, the parties we were going to attend and our lives in general. It was quite fun and relaxing. Then the ladies all headed out to another party they were attending at the East Village Tavern and Bowl. Sadly I didn't know about this one so I wasn't attending (I also have pulled a lot of favors to be used over the next few days so I didn't want to ruin my fun nights ahead) but that was ok... I could meet new friends.

I started talking with two other lovely ladies, Maria and Valerie. After I got home I realized I was already following Valerie on twitter! Craziness. I wonder how many times that is going to happen over the next few days. Shortly after I started talking to them Becky arrived. She jumped right into our conversation. We talked about San Diego, the weather, and where to find booze. It was quite educational to find out how much better the Droid is over the iPhone when it comes to maps and directions!

And then the clock struck seven and I had to head home... I grabbed a quick bite at Horton Plaza (cause although I LOVED the kettle corn served at the party I had two glasses of wine and needed some food). I got home to an empty house and enjoyed a half hour all to myself. I sat in silence and just closed my eyes. Oh boy was it nice! And now I need to rest up. Because if tonight's two hours of fun is any indication of what the next few days are going to be like then I'm in for a wild ride!

And because I really did enjoy the kettle corn at the party I thought I'd share my two cents about the product. First thing off the bat I noticed that it wasn't as overly sweet as some kettle corns seem to be. the puffs of corn were light and airy and they had that bit of saltiness that I love. This snack will definitely curb my sweet and salty side and its a lot healthier than those chocolate covered pretzels I'm always eyeing!

If you're looking to try Angie's Kettle Corn in San Diego check out your local Target. If you don't see it there you can always order it online. That's where I'll be getting mine! They have a light version that I'm dying to try. Below is a little bit about Angie's Kettle Corn straight from their website.

Why is Angie's Kettle Corn so delicious? From Angie's Website: 

It's Authentic
 Angie's Kettle Corn is popped in small batches, in real kettles, and has a classic kettle corn flavor - not too sweet, not too salty.

It's All Natural
Angie's Kettle Corn is made with only four all natural ingredients: Popcorn, Corn Oil, Cane Sugar, and Sea Salt. Plus, only large kernels are used for maximum flavor. No nuts or dairy products at all.

It's Healthy
Angie's Kettle Corn contains no cholesterol, trans-fats, artificial flavors or preservatives. And it's only 150 calories per serving.

It's Gluten-Free
Angie's Kettle Corn is certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization and is produced in an nut-free environment. Ingredients used in the production of all our kettle corn products are free all of the regulated food allergens. We do not allow nuts of any kind in our production facility.

It's Kosher
Angie's Kettle Corn is certified by Blue Ribbon Kosher out of Minneapolis. BRK is an accepted Orthodox supervision which ensures that all Angie's Kettle Corn products are Kosher parve.

*** Disclaimer - I was invited to this party because I am attending BlogHer '11. I was not compensated in any way for my opinion by Angie's Kettle Corn, the Discountesses or Vin de Syrah. I was given a bag of kettle corn to take home as a thank you for coming to the party ***