Fresh Air Retreat (Palm Springs)

The Fresh Air Retreat in Palm Springs was truly an unforgettable experience. Between the breathtaking desert views, insightful conversations, and all the amazing food, I left feeling inspired, refreshed, and ready to hit the ground running with new ideas.

a group of women wearing dresses posing in front of the mountains.

What is the Fresh Air Retreat?

The Fresh Air Retreat is a high-level gathering of food bloggers and brands, designed to help bloggers learn from each other, strengthen relationships, and gain new insights into the industry.

It’s a mix of relaxation and productivity, and this year, it was hosted in Palm Springs, California. Each retreat is hosted in a different location, switching between East Coast and West Coast!

I can’t recommend the Fresh Air Retreat enough if you’re a food blogger. It’s not just about professional growth; it’s about building friendships, sharing knowledge, and leaving with a renewed sense of purpose. Keep an eye out for the next retreat—you won’t want to miss it!

Why I Attended the Fresh Air Retreat

Blogging, especially as a full-time food blogger, can be lonely. Working from home, even though it’s fulfilling, leaves little room for face-to-face collaboration and connection.

I love having the flexibility to make my own schedule and make all the decisions in my business, but it can be isolating. Being able to attend a retreat like this one and connect with people within my industry face-to-face is much needed!

The group of women on this particular retreat was amazing. I was blown away by how close I felt to all of them after only just meeting them.

I was going through something deeply personal during the retreat, and the support I received from these amazing women, some of whom I had just met, was overwhelming. Their kindness reminded me that this community is more than just about business; it’s about real connections.

a group of women sitting around a computer.

Who Was There?

These retreats are always in an intimate setting, with a small handful of incredibly talented food bloggers. Getting to connect with everyone in person was one of the best parts.

I still talk to all of them regularly and I hope you’ll check them out because I think you will love them just as much as I do!

What Great Grandma Ate – Jean’s food blog focuses on real food recipes for special diets. Her attention to detail and creativity in the kitchen is so inspiring. She’s famous for her Italian Sausage Soup.
The Fit Peach – Ansley’s blog is all about wholesome treats and indulgent eats, and her creative approach to healthy recipes is inspiring. She makes an amazing Lemon Baked Salmon!
What Molly Made – Molly shares both delicious and nutritious recipes, especially focused on helping people with dietary restrictions and PCOS. She’s well known for her Creamy Boursin Mashed Potatoes!
Cookies and Cups – Shelly is a baking queen and known for her Copycat Crumbl Cookies! She shares everything from decadent desserts to nutritious dinners on her blog.
Live Eat Learn – Sarah brings science into her recipes and as a food scientist/nutritionist, she shows her audience how to make easy vegetarian recipes, like these Marry Me Butter Beans.
Dessert for Two – Christina specializes in small-batch desserts, perfect for two people. She makes the BEST pumpkin bread.
Lexi’s Clean Kitchen – Lexi is all about clean, healthy recipes that taste amazing. She’ll teach you how to meal prep frozen burritos and other amazing time-saving hacks!

The Hosts and Sponsors Who Made it All Happen

This retreat wouldn’t be possible without our amazing hosts!

Liz from The Lemon Bowl – Liz has been hosting these retreats for years, and her energy and attention to detail made everything run seamlessly. She’s known for her Homemade Lebanese Hummus.
Lauren from The Curious Plate – Lauren’s creative approach to food blogging is inspiring, and she brought so much fun to the event! She also makes the most STUNNING tablescapes you’ll ever see and is known for her French Dip Pinwheels.

We were also incredibly well-fed throughout the retreat, thanks to our in house chef, Chef Trimell Hawkins, whose meals were thoughtful, delicious, and nourishing.

Some of the key sponsors who supported the retreat included:

Happy Egg – I loved the passion and dedication they have for providing their hens with the best environment to not only create high quality eggs, but to give them a good quality of life.
Albertsons – They sponsored a few of our meals, and their focus on fresh ingredients really shone through in the food we enjoyed.
Visit Greater Palm Springs – They hosted an incredible dinner at Porta Via, one of my favorite meals of the trip!

two girls sitting on a white couch with a laptop.

potatoes in a cast iron pan and the package behind them, flowers in the background, and a bowl of spinach and sweet potatoes nearby.

Day 1 Recap

The retreat kicked off with a warm welcome in sunny (and very hot!) Palm Springs. Despite the 112-degree heat, I was so excited to explore the beautiful house where we stayed, complete with a large outdoor pool and stunning desert views. It felt like a true escape.

We enjoyed a welcome happy hour, where we sipped cocktails and got to know each other. The evening continued with a delicious dinner by our chef, and we ended the night with s’mores—does it get any better?

shakshuka in a black cast iron pan with a basket of eggs and a mimosa in the background.

a blue carton of brown eggs, with one blue egg in the middle and a stack of egg cartons in the background.

Day 2 Recap

We started Day 2 bright and early with a Happy Egg taste test and breakfast that made me fall even more in love with their eggs. I got to sit with the women representing the brand and had an amazing candid conversation about our pain points when working with brands and influencers.

It was truly refreshing to have an open conversation like that and be able to express our thoughts regarding the influencer industry.

From there, we had an insightful roundtable discussion with Ben from Grocers List. His platform automates Instagram DMs and makes it easier to connect with audiences—something that helps streamline my business.

We had a delicious lunch with Onions 52 followed by an onion cutting tutorial. I’ve never sliced my onions properly so this was great!

They spent years crafting a tearless onion, so there were no tears at our knife demo! I even tasted one raw and it was so sweet and delicious. Their onions are grown to be sweet and mild and work perfectly in any dish. I’ll be putting them to the test on my French Onion Chicken!

a bag of smileys onions with red onions to the side in a basket.

After lunch we dove into our problem-solving lightning round—one of my favorite parts of the retreat. We each presented a challenge we were facing in our business, and everyone else had two minutes to offer their best solutions.

Walking away with so many solutions to problems we are all having in our businesses is the best part of the retreat.

The evening wrapped up with an offsite dinner at Porta Via hosted by Visit Greater Palm Springs. The food was incredible, especially the ravioli, which was hands-down my favorite thing I ate all night!

a flight of dates on a wood board with purple glasses nearby.

Day 3 Recap: More Connections and Delicious Food

Day 3 began with another fabulous breakfast from Albertsons. They are a grocery chain that carries an exclusive brand, Signature Select, which offers thousands of products at a great value.

We spent the morning discussing our goals, business challenges, and how to grow in this ever-evolving industry.

Later, we enjoyed a Date Tasting with California Date Commission, and I was blown away by how many different kinds of dates there are. They set up a date flight (such a fun idea!) for us and it was so much fun to taste them all!

When I got home I immediately tried the viral butter-stuffed dates and I highly recommend!

a girl holding a cheese plate and taking a photo.

a grazing board laid out on a table with various fruits, nuts, and cheeses with hands grabbing at different items.

The day ended with a mocktail and spiced walnuts cooking demo sponsored by California Walnuts, and followed by an unforgettable dinner by Chef Trimell.

Chef Trimell’s ‘Drake on a Plate’ dinner was an unforgettable experience. Each course was paired with one of Drake’s songs, playing in the background as we tasted each dish.

The creativity was astounding, and my favorite course was the lobster bisque with a grilled lobster tail on a skewer. It was an unexpected, playful twist that added a fun, immersive layer to the meal.

two girls at a dinner table, one wearing a red dress and the other in a white skirt.

a bowl of lobster bisque with a grilled lobster tail on a skewer.

My Key Takeaways from the Fresh Air Retreat

I went into this retreat looking for professional growth, but I left with that and so much more. The forever friendships I made and the support from other bloggers were truly unexpected.

The collaborative spirit at the retreat was refreshing. Even though we’re technically competitors, we all worked together to lift each other up and share knowledge. It’s a reminder that community is everything in this space.

a hand holding a date stuffed with butter up to the camera.

A Sweet Treat from the Retreat: Butter-Stuffed Dates

While I initially thought I’d include a more complex recipe in this post, one of the simplest and most delicious treats inspired by the retreat has become a staple in my home: butter-stuffed dates with flaky salt.

It’s such an easy snack, yet so satisfying. I love how it combines natural sweetness with a hint of savory richness—plus, did you know that one date has more potassium than four bananas? Who knew!

All of the incredible photos from the retreat were taken by Amanda Kamppinen.