Start your weekend off right and {Meet} Ashley of The Olive and The Sea! Ashley has been a part of our network since May 2015, and we absolutely love everything that she brings to the table. Mediterranean-inspired recipes, yum!
{Meet} Ashley of The Olive and The Sea
1. How long have you been blogging?
I’ve been blogging for a little over a year and a half.
2. What do you blog about?
The primary focus of my blog is Mediterranean-inspired recipes, particularly those that I have learned from my Greek mother-in-law. There are also stories of our travels, ingredient tips, and the occasional story about Charlotte’s food scene.
3. Where are you blogging from in NC?
I started blogging from the Triangle and moved to Charlotte last spring.
4. Why did you start blogging?
My blog was initially created as a virtual cookbook to share with friends and family living across the country and overseas. Shortly after launching the site, I met Leigh Hines from Hines-Sight Blog. Discussing the blog’s content, she helped me understand the larger possibilities beyond a virtual cookbook. A few weeks later, I met Stacey Sprenz from Stacey Sprenz Photography and fellow blogger at Cook Eat Life. Stacey introduced me to Twitter and the power of social media for connecting with people and sharing content. Since then, I’ve been hooked on the creative journey of blogging.
5. Out of all the posts you’ve written, which one (or two) would you pick as your favorite?
It’s difficult to choose one post over another, but there is one that stands out: our family’s moussaka recipe. It took me a year to post and was particularly difficult to photograph. It is such a classic Greek dish. I wanted to do it justice. Shortly after posting the recipe, Clark Barlowe, Executive Chef and Owner of Heirloom Restaurant, featured moussaka on his menu and credited the blog as his inspiration. That was a really special moment.
6. What blog(s) do you love?
There are several Charlotte blogs that I read regularly ,as well as a few from the Triangle. Favorites in Charlotte include Cindy Barlowe’s Heart & Sole, where she shares recipes and writes about life on her farm. Love & Flour by LeAndra Spicer is another favorite. She is witty and cracks me up. Chrissie Beth from Off-The-Eaten Path is also hilarious and covers all sorts of cool eateries in Charlotte as well as recipes. There is also Fervent Foodie by Mary Cowx, where you’ll find an excellent Charlotte dining guide and restaurant week tips. The Triangle blogs I follow regularly are Think Fruitful by Grace Flack and Hines-Sight Blog by Leigh Hines. I love reading Grace’s posts at the beginning of the day and Leigh’s blog has become my go-to guide for NC travel.
7. What’s one piece of advice you’d share with your fellow bloggers?
Not sure whether this is advice but it is something I tell myself regularly: stay true to your brand and be patient.
8. What are you looking forward to as a blogger in the upcoming months (conferences, big blog release, book release, publishing, community, redesign, new content, etc)?
As a newcomer to Charlotte, I’m excited to help grow the Charlotte food blogger community and further my involvement in the city’s culinary world.
9. Where can we find you on the web? (You can click the links below to connect with Ashley)
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Website: The Olive and The Sea
- Facebook: The Olive and The Sea
- Twitter: @TheOliveTheSea
- Google+: The Olive and The Sea
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Instagram: @theoliveandthesea
- Pinterest: The Olive and The Sea
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Speak up and connect with Ashley on The Olive and The Sea! Her delicious recipes are most definitely drool-worthy.
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