It’s hard to believe Alt Summit‘s upon us again. Thinking back to last year, I had quite the trip. I overcame my inclination to spend my 30th birthday in New York, hopped a plane to a conference where I knew no one and stayed at a hotel a good few miles away on account of my last minute decision making. Was it worth it? Yep, 100%.

It may seem hard to believe, but this photo is real- I took it from my hotel room the first morning of the conference.  Stunning, no? The ladies in the other photos, Sarah, Emily, Janette, and Willo are just a few of the lovely and impressive women I met during my time out west.

So what went down for those of you who are anxious about this week’s festivities? I met a lot of girls. The 99% ratio that’s been occupying Wall Street will make it’s way to Salt Lake for an impromptu social media retreat, not dissimilar to my summer camp days.

There was a lot of networking, business card exchanges, self promotion, impeccable styling, social media workshops, and a visible pecking order btw seasoned bloggers and eager newbies. The parties were fun, the presentations informative and the brand representatives distilled some of the most useful traffic and analytic tips.

If you’ll be making day trips on account of a distant hotel, be prepared to share costs (a one way taxi ride can cost up to $50 or the TRAX will require a transfer) and pack a bag for the day. Luckily, I secured a spot at the Grand America this time around and am very excited to see what’s doing in these much-hyped bathrooms.

Looking forward to Wednesday, safe travels everyone!