BA Haggerty of Food Marriage Blog

Welcome to the 4th edition of Philly Grub’s blog article series “Behind the Blog”. This new series will shine a spotlight on bloggers in our local area who write about food, recipes, and/or the local Philly food scene.

Next in the spotlight is BA Haggerty of Food Marriage.

Name:
BA Haggerty
Age:
Early Thirties
Location:
Live in the Suburbs in Montgomery County; Work Downtown in the City
Blog Name:
Food Marriage
Blog URL:
http://foodmarriage.com
Blog Focus:
The Food Marriage Blog is about being married, having fun, loving life, and loving food! I feature recipes, restaurant reviews, party and gift ideas, and also have a focus on weddings and special events. I recently gave birth to my first child; I always knew that Food Marriage would evolve with my life and now I can add Mommy Blogging to my repertoire!
Launch Date:
2011
Why did you start blogging?
I started Food Marriage in October 2011 because I love to write and because I love food! (I also needed a new hobby after getting married. While engaged, all my free time went to wedding planning…and in the months following, I found myself with a lot of extra time on my hands!) The blog has evolved so much over the last three and a half years and has become more than I ever imagined!
What do you like best about blogging?
I like that I can have a hobby outside of my full-time corporate job. I like to be able to share my recipes and all of the fun and creative ideas I have! I love constantly learning new things such as photography and the technical side of blogging. My blog is not currently monetized, but I would absolutely LOVE to start learning more about the business side of blogging and potentially turn that into a full time career in the future! (A girl can dream!!)
What platform do you use?
WordPress
How do you promote your blog?
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Google Plus
Do you write all of the blog posts yourself?
Yes
What are your favorite/most popular blog posts?

• “Girls’ Fantasy Football Draft Party” http://foodmarriage.com/2013/09/girls-fantasy-football-draft-party.html
• Meeting Giada DeLaurentiis: http://foodmarriage.com/2013/11/meeting-giada-de-laurentiis.html
• Paris-Themed Cake Pops for a Bridal Shower: http://foodmarriage.com/2013/09/paris-themed-bridal-shower-cake-pops.html

What is your favorite “foodie” or food blogging experience so far?
Food Network’s Chef Robert Irvine was filming “Restaurant Impossible” at a restaurant near my home in 2013. A couple months later, I went out to eat at the restaurant and my experience was not good. I wrote a restaurant review, posted a link to Twitter, and tagged Chef Robert in the post to let him know I couldn’t recommend it! And would you believe that he actually responded to my Twitter Post!!! He sent my review to the owners of the restaurant AND set up a call with them that same afternoon. Talk about the power of social media!
http://foodmarriage.com/2013/08/robert-irvine-comments-on-food-marriage-twitter.html
What are your favorite cuisines/meals/recipes?
I love anything mac and cheese or grilled cheese related. I’m sort of obsessed with food trucks…of any kind. And of course I love anything my mom makes 🙂
What are your favorite Philly area restaurants?

• Pistachio Grille (great BYOB for dinner!)- Maple Glen, PA
• Lombardi’s (Italian BYOB for dinner!) – Horsham, PA
• Stone Rose (get the short ribs with mac and cheese!) – Conshohocken, PA
• Continental Midtown’s Rooftop (for drinks!) – Center City Philadelphia, PA
• Distrito (Jose Garces’ Tapas Restaurant – great for lunch, dinner, and/or drinks!) – University City area of Philadelphia, PA

Who are your favorite Philly area chefs or food business personalities?
Jose Garces and Stephen Starr
How often do you go out to eat at Philly area restaurants?
2-3 times per month
How often do you cook at home?
Several times per week
What are your favorite stores/shops/markets to shop for food products?
I actually do a lot of online grocery shopping now! Saves time and it is so easy to get it delivered to your door! I use Giant Peapod right now.
Tell us a few things you think our readers would find interesting about the local food scene.
There are 4,983 Restaurants within a 15 mile radius of my hometown. There is always somewhere new to discover!
Tell us more about yourself.
I am a corporate recruiter by day and a blogger by night! I have 9 years of full-cycle recruiting experience with exposure to agency, corporate, and nurse recruitment. I am proficient in high-quality/high-volume recruiting focused in the healthcare industry. While blogging is just a “hobby” for now, I would love for it to evolve into a career someday for me!

What other food blogs do you follow?

• Philly Grub! https://phillygrub.wordpress.com
• Recipes that Crock: http://recipesthatcrock.com
• I Can Cook That: http://www.icancookthat.org
• Healthy Delicious: http://www.healthy-delicious.com

Twitter URL:
https://twitter.com/FoodMarriage
Facebook URL:
https://www.facebook.com/FoodMarriage
Instagram URL:
https://instagram.com/foodmarriage
Pinterest URL:
https://www.pinterest.com/foodmarriage
Other social media profiles:
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/113733725891253103640/posts

Thanks BA! Great blog. We dream of blogging for a living too. 🙂 Thanks for the endorsement of online grocery shopping. We haven’t tried it yet, but good to know that that the alternative exists. Sometimes grocery store shopping can be a chore! BTW – has anybody told you you look like Jenny McCarthy in your wedding photo??

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Marilyn Johnson

Food enthusiast. Travel lover. Social media maven.
Independent Journalist. Food marketing/PR expert.
https://original.newsbreak.com/@marilyn-johnson-1587690
https://phillygrubtrips.wordpress.com/
Email: phillygrub@gmail.com