Illuminating Blogger Award

I have to say I feel really honored to have been nominated for the Illuminated Blogger Award by CJ from http://www.foodstoriesblog.com This is the first time I have ever been nominated for an award for my blog The Epicurious Life.  It makes me feel like all my hard work is finally being noticed and appreciated.  Makes me one happy chic!!!  If you’d like to see what this award is all about and nominate someone, you can check it out at http://foodstoriesblog.com/illuminating-blogger-award/

So I am supposed to share one random fact about myself.  This is hard because in general I am a very random person and there is so much I would love to share with myself to you all.  I guess you will just have to read more of my blog to find out more about me.  BUT…for the purpose of this award, the random fact I would like to share is that I am insanely afraid of heights.  I am so scared that a few days ago when I went to the Hong Kong Jockey Club Racecourse with my friend to attend the Melbourne Cup Luncheon, I was weak in the knees just standing with her on the 5th floor balcony looking down as they were having a prize drawing.  I have tried time and time again to get rid of my fear because I believe in life that facing things head on is the only way to tackle anything.  So far no luck.  I even went trapezing earlier this year to try and get over it.  I succeeded at trapezing and did amazing, I was told.  Yet my fear still exists.  Maybe one day.  For now I will have to live with it.

Here are the blogs I would like to nominate for the Illuminating Blogger Award.  I am supposed to choose 5 blogs.  I do think there are so many wonderful blogs out there but I would like to help those who need to build their audience and followers a bit more because they deserve to be seen by many more people:

http://thepalladiantraveler.com – extremely well written blog if you want to read more about Italy, especially Venice.

http://domesticdivamd.com – I met this gal many years ago when I started Gourmand Chic.  She is definitely THE Domestic Diva so please do me a favor and check out her blog!

http://jamiecblog.wordpress.com – I only met Jamie recently and already truly enjoy her blogs and look forward to each new post.  She is an adventurous traveler with an interest in photography.

http://thinkbigmuch.wordpress.com – I don’t read a lot of Mom blogs but I have to say that after meeting this Mother her blogs fascinated me with not only stories of her two but a lot of other interesting topics too.

http://betterdazeahead.wordpress.com – This blogger has been a staunch supporter of Gourmand Chic and has become a good friend.  He doesn’t post a lot but when he does it is well worth reading.

I had a lot of fun with this and hope to receive many more awards because now I am addicted!!!  Once again, thank you CJ of http://foodstoriesblog.com