What the rest of FNCE was like for me. Sorry for the delay between posts, I had to hit the ground running when I came back from FNCE and UK Homecoming but let's jump right into it. The second day which was the first full day of the conference started early. I went to my first session this session provided me with information about making nutrition education materials, it was very enlightening. After this, the expo hall was opening for the first time so my boyfriend met me there (his guest pass allowed him entry). The expo hall was this very large space with SO MANY exhibitors. I am glad we had multiple days to comb through all the exhibits and see what all the companies were presenting.
When you walk in you immediately hear the roar of people talking. There were signs, lights, and smells coming from every direction it was slightly overwhelming but amazing. I finally was at FNCE in person as an RDN and I was so excited. We explored and chatted with numerous exhibitors. We tried samples of food and drinks and received a plethora of free swag and pamphlets. It was so amazing to hear how some companies utilize RDNs. Additionally, the expo floor gives the opportunity to learn about companies/brands you may have never heard of. While exploring the expo floor I went to another session within the floor madness about protein powders and recovery, it was hard to hear but still very interesting. I gave the presenter my card so I could get the slides where she compared all types of protein. I hope to utilize this information in helping clients. We then went to find some lunch before i had another education session. We found a place super close but the only problem was EVERYONE else at FNCE found it too. It was packed! I actually saw someone from my internship there, she had just gotten to Denver for the conference. Long story short I had to leave while we waited for the food because I didn't want to be late to my next session. Not only was it about a topic I was interested in my mentor Tamara Melton, co-founder of Diversify Dietetics was one of the presenters. I made it on time and just stepped out when he made it back with food. After another session, I headed back to the hotel to relax a little before our dinner reservation. I had made reservations for the weekend days since I knew FNCE would bring in a lot of people plus locals going out for dinner. We went to Tupelo Honey, it was delicious! I am so glad I made reservations because there was a Broncos game and there were people everywhere downtown.
The third day was my last full day in Denver. First, we went to breakfast at Sam's it was a diner vibe place in downtown. The service was great and the food was delicious. We then made our way to the Member Showcase and heard a presentation from Mick Ebeling. I had never heard of him but let me tell you his talk was AMAZING. I grew up in school watching TED talks for assignments and this was like a TED talk. He was an informative and captivating speaker. He has done so much for so many people, it was inspiring to hear. I did not know what to expect when he opened by telling us he was a producer in California. But let me tell you I wish the talk was longer because it was just that great. After that, we ordered lunch during the talk because I had a session 1.5 hours after the showcase. So we ordered a local Mediterranean place. I wasn't the most hungry but knew I needed to eat something. That is one thing I noticed with FNCE is I didn't notice at times I was hungry or needed to drink water because it was so fast-paced. But that is also when I think it is good to either go with a friend or partner so there's someone to remind you (and just have someone to explore with). We also heard from Wylecia Wiggs Harris the new CEO of the Academy. She talked about what leadership in the field is and touched on the work that still needs to be done in the academy. I look forward to seeing what changes happen with her as the CEO.
After my last session, I was going to go to a late one but needed a mental break before going to a cocktail hour later. I grabbed a coffee at the coffee shop in the convention center (which I really enjoyed) and walked back to the hotel. The wildest things happened as I was walking back, I saw a lady with no shirt on just walking down the road. It caught me off guard. I talked about it more on my Instagram (Follow-me for live content). That was wild. But I relaxed and then headed to the cocktail hour, I was so nervous but excited.
I was dealing with a lot of imposter syndrome at the conference, and after talking with some others, new and experienced everyone does. Here is a definition if you are unfamiliar. Imposter Syndrome according to Webster's Dictionary is a psychological condition that is characterized by persistent doubt concerning one's abilities or accomplishments accompanied by the fear of being exposed as a fraud despite evidence of one's ongoing success. But fast forward to the cocktail hour it was in the Renaissance Hotel which used to be a bank, the architecture was beautiful. The cocktail hour was by an old vault that you could see inside, I wish I had a picture. After this, we went to dinner at a place called Watercourse, which was a 100% plant-based restaurant. Being that I am vegetarian it was the first time that me and my boyfriend (who is not vegetarian) could easily share food at dinner. Definitely recommend it if you are in Denver, at the end of the post I will post the couple of places we went to that we enjoyed.
On the last day, we checked out of the hotel and did baggage check at the convention center so we could place them somewhere. My boyfriend went to the expo hall while I went to one last session. I could only do one session because of our flight time. I went to a session about cookbook writing which was very informative. We packed up and ubered to Union Station and then took the train to the airport. Overall it was a pretty great FNCE. My luggage did get lost on the way home (it was found), but still had an amazing time.
The only thing I would do differently is plan extra time so I could explore the new city I am in. This would be especially true if you don't think you'll be able to go back to that town. FNCE next year is in Minneapolis and then in 2025 is in Nashville (which sounds so fun!). I am so glad I went. I look forward to going to more conferences in the future.
Food Places we ate at the we enjoyed.
Tupelo Honey
Watercourse
Sam No. 3
Dazbog Coffee
Modern Market Eatery
Blissfully,
Ambrazia
תגובות