Fifteen months ago when I had thought of starting a food blog, I had wanted to create an archive of my thoughts and memories attached to food. Very little did I know that it would go on to become so much more than that. Today after 15 months since the inception of BiteChompGulp, it has become an integral part of my identity, and certainly is an area of solace  in otherwise rough times. It has given me a lot, it has been a real good grief – so I too thought of a few things to flaunt my love for my baby.

#LOGO: As the blog toddled towards maturity, I learnt a hundred things on the way. One of them was that it needs a brand identity, something more than just a name, a Logo.

When a dear friend, Samik Bhattacharya, asked for my logo to put at the end of a video that he shot for a project of mine, I thought well, the blog has a name, isn’t that enough? As it happened, it wasn’t. And the same friend came to my rescue and designed something that I loved to the core. I cannot thank him enough and would whole-heartedly recommend ‘Rhapsody of Lights (https://www.facebook.com/RhapsodyOfLights/) to anyone who would care to listen.

#LEARNING: It’s never too late to go back to school, and the very thought of bringing out the notebook and pen from the satchel and taking down notes, literally gives me goosebumps now.

Since starting my blogs last year, I have tried reading up random yet related things, scattered oh so generously, all over the internet, to polish my blog every day. Speaking to senior bloggers has also been a joy. The way they have opened up and shared coveted tips and tricks, is truly heart-warming.

Also, I enrolled and attended two workshops. The first was a food photography workshop, organized by Kolkata Food Bloggers and conducted by Chitrangada Kundu (you must check out her blog @ http://www.colorandspices.com/ ). How she brings magic out of the mundane in her pictures is sure to enthrall one, and the session was a great learning experience. Another workshop which helped me immensely was one powered by the Social Bong, and conducted by the biggies of the Kolkata blog scene, in association with Zomato.

#Contest: What’s a blog without drool-worthy giveaway contests? I had my first contest in association with Melete, by Anjee Bhatia. Starting from the very first planning meet to the last leg of deciding the winners, it was a great time spent.

#Wearing my Love: Getting visiting cards of the Blogger Me got me giggling for quite some time. But getting a customized mobile cover from Happoz.com with my blog name on it got me giggling like a kid on a mad sugar-rush. I was initially not too sure if I wanted a sipper or a phone cover with my logo on it, but what I was sure of is that I wanted to flaunt my love for my little toddler unabashedly.

Do check out Happoz.com for some really cool stuff. Specially those which can be customised the way one wants. 

A big shout out to the guys at Happoz.com who made it better than how I had imagined it to be.

So it was a good first few months, and to be honest my blog has loved me back more than I have loved it in this time.