One of my favorite things about working at Six Apart is that it's a company founded by bloggers, for bloggers. As a result, not only do we want to provide bloggers with the best tools (like Vox, TypePad and Movable Type), we're also committed to helping bloggers find a broader audience, and helping readers find the blogs that matter to them. And with over 175,000 new blogs created every single day, this is no easy feat.
Luckily, with the launch of Blogs.com, Six Apart is making it easy for you to find the best blogs on the web. Hand-picked by a team of passionate editors, and organized by the topics that interest you, Blogs.com will help you find blogs on a variety of topics from Life, to Entertainment, to seasonal topics like Student Life. You can also catch up on the latest buzz on the web by reading featured editorials or checking out the top ten lists.
Wondering how you can submit your blog to the Blogs.com editors for consideration? It's easy -- Just fill out this quick form. In the meantime, check out Blogs.com and let us know what you think in the comments.
Thanks for reading!
Was in NYC not too long ago for a trade show and we had a company dinner at the Mesa Grill. One of Bobby Flay's places. Overall it was a good experience. The decor was nice, waitstaff helpful and attentive and the food generally good.
We started out with the salmon tartare, ceviche, blue corn pancake (with duck) and the pork quesadillas. I only ate the latter two items as I'm a little skittish around seafood. My entree was the roasted pork tenderloin with bourbon ancho chili sauce, plus a sweet potato tamale on the side. All of it was fantastic. The tenderloin was like a pork filet mignon--super moist and tender, yet lots of flavor. And the tamale was sweet, creamy and delicious.
The only disappointing thing I tried was the side of mashed potatoes--I swear they were instant. I love mashed potatoes--I eat them often and make a lot at home, so I like to think I'm good judge of this. And these potatoes definitely had a distinct artificial, not made at home taste. Darn. Come on Bobby, I expected better!
And of course we had margaritas before, during and after. Even with dessert. Which was all good too--we did a sampler and a little bit of everything.
The Great Western Steak & Hoagie Company. Finally tried it...three times. I've been seeing this place for years and have always been curious about it, but it honestly never looked that appetizing. It's in a dingy little walk-up / stand style building off a busy street that you couldn't quite tell if it was open for business. People are occasionally seen in the small outside tables & chairs section, but who knows if they were really eating. It was the kind of place that certainly wouldn't be a specific destination--as in it didn't seem special enough to actually drive there and check it out.
And then that all changed. Not that it all of a sudden looked special, but several months ago we ended up moving just a few blocks away it. So not only could we walk there, it was also on my route home. Which means I walk by it almost every day and get the pleasure of smelling whatever it is they were grilling up. And post 6:00pm--after a long work day and eating nothing but a Balance Bar, Lean Cuisine and a handful of Goldfish (typical workday fare), the smell of grilled onions and meat is especially alluring. Anything that smelled that good, had to also taste good...so I knew some hoagies were in my near future.
So one Sunday after a day of laundry and housework, I knew I didn't want to cook so the BF was sent on a mission to retrieve sandwiches--or rather hoagies, or cheese steaks as they're really called on the menu. And they turned out to be quite delicious. We did do some research before we ordered so we knew what to expect and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. This place gets a lot of reviews about whether or not it's a real cheesesteak and I really don't care about that--I just think it's a good sandwich.
The hoagie roll is nice and soft on the inside and ever-so-slightly crispy on the outside. And the meat is actually good. I'm pretty picky about eating meat outside my own kitchen and can easily get turned off, but the night before last I actually finished my own whole sandwich--without picking out any of the meat. In fact, the second before last time, I had ordered an all -veggie version which ended up being disappointed due to the overload of green bell peppers. (Which an overload of green peppers on anything is bad) The other unique thing is that all of the sandwiches come with marina sauce. I think oridinarily it's supposed to come on top of the hoagie, but we read that it's best to have it on the side--which we've done every single time. It's just OK sauce--good for a bite or two, but I'm not that into marinara so I could easily do without. We've found that Sriracha is a much better condiment!
And the cheese is really tasty as well, all melted and gooey. In fact, I like the cheese so much that next time I want to request extra. Not that I need the extra cheese, but after making the commitment to eat one of these, I don't think a little extra cheese will that make that big of difference.
The only downside is that they don't have fried sides---so no fries or onion rings, just chips. With the sandwiches being so big, it's not that big of a deal...it's not like you'd go away hungry. It's just that with any grilled sandwich consisting of bread, meat and cheese, a side of fries would make it taste ever so better. oh well.
We'll definitely keep this on our list of naughty treats.
"When was the last time you were at a wedding that had a death defying hike, rogue waves, a luau, ultimate fighting, a presidential candidate and a budding bromance?" asks Papi Chulo. For most of us, the answer is never, but luckily, Papi Chulo and Secret Agent Scotch took the time to Vox all the amazing moments during their unforgettable Hawaiian wedding on 08.08.08 so we could all take part in the festivities.
The story began last February, when Papi Chulo popped the question and Secret Agent Scotch said yes! Since then, they've kept us in the loop about all the details, from the bride's veil to the wedding song to the final To-Do List. And throughout it all, they inspired us with their love for each other. (I'm pretty sure it doesn't get any better than knowing your future husband thinks you are The Perfect Girl.)
It's an amazing love story and we are thrilled they shared it with us. Watch the video of the ceremony and please join us in wishing Papi Chulo and Secret Agent Scotch the fairytale ending they deserve.
And What's a Team Vox Post without New Themes?
Spice up your Vox blog with one of our latest themes (found in the design area under "New") or any of our hundreds of themes. From shopping to sushi, comics to cycling, there's something for everyone.
Can't get enough of the wedding? A few lucky Voxers - Krissy, djchall, and Beau Smith - made the trip to Hawaii to take part in the celebration. Check out their Vox blogs for more pictures and stories.
Congratulations again to Secret Agent Scotch and Papi Chulo! Enjoy the Honeymoon!
At Vox, we believe that change is a good thing. After all, you wouldn't wear the same t-shirt day in and day out, so why should your blog have to suffer the same fate? Give your blog a new look with one of our latest themes (found under "New"), or pick from any of our hundreds of themes designed with your passions and personality in mind.
Until then... Enjoy!
-daisy
Gimme a V! Gimme an O! Gimme an X! What's that spell? VOX!
What better way to tell the world how much you love Vox than to announce it on Facebook? That's right: Vox now has an official Facebook page! Become a fan of Vox.com on Facebook and let your friends know what you really care about: staying connected with friends and family through blog posts, photos, videos and comments.
Once you're a fan, you can also add photos and videos to the page, write on the wall, and connect with other Voxers in ways you may not have previously. Plus, it's a great opportunity to let people know about your Vox blog, or start discussion topics. To become a fan, just visit the official Vox.com Facebook page and click the "Become a Fan" button in the upper right hand corner.
Once you've joined, why not post a response to the current discussion topic? Just post a link (and a brief description, if you'd like) to what you consider one of your all-time best Vox posts.
What are you waiting for? Become a Vox.com fan on Facebook today!
Although we typically post on Team Vox to let you know about things that are going on with Vox (to, uh, state the obvious), once in a while, we like to let you know about other cool things that are happening around the blogosphere. And we think the idea of four hilarious mommy bloggers traveling across the U.S. on their way to the BlogHer '08 conference - all the while blogging and video blogging the journey - is one trip you will not want to miss.
Four adventurous bloggers from the Silicon Valley Moms Group were selected to participate in the Summer Road Trip '08 and blog about their travels, hotel stays, media appearances, time away from their families, and life on the road. Six Apart helped them partner up with General Motors, who provided the blogging mommies with a Chevy Tahoe Hybrid SUV to help make their journey comfy, safe, and a little more green.
In case you're not familiar with them, SV Moms is a group of over 200 bloggers who showcase the ups, downs, outrages, struggles, victories, and everyday humor of motherhood. There are currently nine regional and demographically tailored sites that give mothers from D.C., New Jersey, the Deep South, Rocky Mountains, L.A., and Silicon Valley a powerful voice and sense of camaraderie across the country. Whether you're a mother, a child, or just a person who enjoys a good blog, you'll really love reading the words of these amazing women.
The moms buckled into their Chevy Tahoe Hybrid SUV on July 11th and even got an encouraging message from Katie Couric to kick things off! They are currently somewhere in the middle of America making their way to San Francisco where they'll attend an SV Moms Group Party, as well as BlogHer '08.
You do not want to miss these entertaining and irreverent bloggers -- or their spontaneous contest giveaways! -- as they blog from the road. Experience the journey at MomRoadTrip.com.
And let us know about your summer road trip - or plane/boat/bus trip - in the comments! (I like to live vicariously.)
Do you live in or around Cincinnati, Ohio? If so, you're in luck because Scott and the Queen City Voxers Group have organized a Vox user meetup!
WHERE: Ault Park Playground. 3600 Observatory Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45208. "We'll look for each other at the playground marked by the red X below. If it's raining, head for the shelter to the north of the [red] X."
To RSVP (which is not essential, but is appreciated), reply to Scott's announcement or send him a private message. All Voxers, as well as their friends and family, are welcome to attend.
If you do attend the meetup, have a great time and please take lots of pictures and send them to me so I can post them in Team Vox for everyone to see!
Thank you so much to Scott for organizing this meetup. Wish I could be there!
Although almost every day at Six Apart is Take Your Dog to Work Day, Friday was extra special because it was the official Take Your Dog to Work Day! Plus, as lovers of blogs and animals, we think it's great that active blogger and Human Society's President and CEO, Wayne Pacelle, thinks having dogs around the office is a good reminder of "who we're working for."
We realize some people have it ruff and aren't lucky enough to be able to bring their dog to work, but hopefully these pictures taken at Six Apart last Friday will get your tails wagging... And let me tell you, it's harder than it looks to get all the doggies and their fetching owners in one picture.
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, today is the summer solstice. For ancient civilizations, this day was akin to our modern day New Year's Eve and was viewed as a time to reflect and renew. So why not kick off your summer celebration with a new theme?
See all of our themes in the Design Area.
Or choose from one of these brand-new themes. (Available under "New.")
