CT Bloggers Meet-up at NIXS Hartford

Last week, I was lucky enough to meet some fellow Connecticut bloggers at NIXS Hartford in Hartford, CT. Wendy and Greg of Connecticut Lifestyles Magazine brought our little group together for a fun and informative evening. Blogging can be a very solitary activity, so when I got an e-mail from Wendy about a blogger meet-up, I quickly signed up for it. My husband went with me because Danbury was quite a drive from Hartford. Honestly, I didn’t really know what to expect because it was my first time to join such a meeting.

Good thing I did! It was an evening well-spent with bloggers like Julie of JuliEdible, Rosa of Lady Diana’s Pearls, Natasha of One Woman’s Style, and Cheryl of Cheryl Budge. Among this ladies, I’m the one with the newest blog. Thankfully, these ladies willingly shared their blogging wisdom while I willingly took notes. Oh, and before I forget…

Disclaimer: NIXS Hartford provided all the food during our meet-up, except for the drinks. All opinions are my own.

So why “Play Nice”? NIXS Hartford specializes in modern America small plates, which quickly reminded me of tapas and dimsum. Sharing food is very important, so you should “play nice”.

This chandelier caught my attention.

While we were waiting for the other ladies to arrive, hubby ordered Bad Wolf with “Redemption Rye Whiskey, Honey Simple Syrup, Fresh Orange, Meyer’s Lemon Juice”.

…and I had Summer White Sangria with “Moscato, Apricot Brandy, Ginger Simple Syrup, Orange and Pineapple”.

Then the food started coming. This little plate of Pickled Mushrooms arrived first.

The Crab Cakes came next.

We weren’t even done with the mushrooms and the crab cakes when the Tater Tots were served. These aren’t your usual tater tots. It had crab and lobster…oh yeah!

The Smokey Pork Sliders came along followed by the Braised Scallops, the Tuna Tartare Tacos, the Braised Short Rib Tacos, the Seared Tuna and the Candied Bacon Deviled Eggs.

We finished our drinks by this time, so we ordered again. He had Jalapeno Business (“Tanduay Silver Asian Rum, Jalapeno Simple Syrup, Fresh Lime Juice and Coconut Water”) while I had Beach Please (“House-Infused Pineapple 360 Vodka, Sparkling Coconut Water, Fresh Lime, Cucumber Juice and Agave Nectar”). FYI: Tanduay is a Philippine brand of rum.

Next they presented our group with the Smoked Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese.

We were already full from the food that we had so far, but it turned out there was still more to come. We had their Grilled Hanger Steak, their Bad Ass Roasted Chicken (love the name!), Grilled Salmon with roasted vegetables.

It’s hard to describe how I felt at that point. If I was a glass, I’d be full to the brim. But imagine my surprise when they brought out three…yes, THREE different desserts for us. Good Lord!

Now this is what happens when you have bloggers in one room.

Initially, I planned to review each dish that we were served that night. But it can be summarized so simply: NIXS Hartford‘s food is mouthwatering and indulgent. Serving the food in little plates and sharing the food with everyone was a great experience for the meet-up newbie that I was. NIXS Hartford is definitely a go-to place for groups looking to share food and yes, play nice.

Thanks, NIXS Hartford, for hosting our meet-up and allowing us to sample your delicious offerings.

Thanks, Wendy and Greg of Connecticut Lifestyles Magazine, Julie of JuliEdible, Rosa of Lady Diana’s Pearls, Natasha of One Woman’s Style, and Cheryl of Cheryl Budge. You all shared your experiences and dispensed valuable advice.

Great food + excellent company = a wonderful evening all around.

Address:
NIXS Hartford
40 Front Street Hartford, CT