What is your definition of success?

Success is knowing that I’ve used my potential well to build something good that served the world, my family, my friends, and me.

Where do you see the future of mom blogging?

I think that mom blogging will always have a place, but is already changing as brands become more savvy about what works and what doesn’t when connecting with moms. Moms who understand how business works — seeing that products need to serve larger markets and support jobs will be able to offer stronger product reviews and insight than those who rely solely on their personal opinion.

With blogging being such “freedom of speech” how do you recommend dealing with open criticism that is poured out often?

At any moment, people might be talking about us. The difference is that now we might hear more than we once did. If we live up to our values and remember them when we respond, we’ll do alright.

If I had to empty out your bag, what would I see?

I do everything I can not to carry a bag. I like to travel light.

Where do you find your inspiration? Role model?

I find inspiration in the stars, in my childhood, in every person I meet. My role model is “the person I want to be.” When I’m faced with a question of ethics or a hard decision, I default to “what would the person I want to be do here?”

I believe in building a brand and have been working toward it but along the lines ambition starts to be looked at like a dirty thing, especially with a female. How do you deal with trying to stay focused but not let it be viewed negatively?

I’ve learned that when I worry about other people looking at me, I’m making myself the center of things. So I start looking at them. I’ll never know what other people really think. I can only guess what I might think if I were in their position. That’s a skewed view at best. It’s better for me to keep a close eye on whether I live up to what I believe.

What is your favorite meal?

The one someone else cooks with love.

What are 3 pieces of advice you give to someone attending a conference?

Know who you are before you get there. Know why you’re going and plan for how you’ll accomplish that.

When did you start blogging, and why?

I actually started blogging four years ago. My parents separated and I felt like I needed to vent my feelings. Journals were getting lost, when we moved around, so I decided that I would just share my life on my own little part of the web. I didn’t tell anyone about that blog, except for a few close friends. About 20 people read the blog, but never really commented. Once I began writing about food, it all went on from there, people (mostly friends) began encouraging me to start up a blog about food. That’s exactly what I did on April 18th, 2009. I started up a food blog, not really expecting people to read it- or to even try my recipes. I was proven wrong after my second or third post. People poured in, and so did good friends! Food blogging has truly changed my life.

What is a 18 year-old doing spending his time blogging, instead of having fun?

You’ll be surprised to learn that school and blogging aren’t my life. I’m always testing recipes and reading other blogs when I have time, but I am always hanging out with friends, traveling, spending time with family, and enjoying life.

Do you feel like you are on the outskirts with the surge of mom bloggers?

Honestly, I do not feel like that at all. I am not food blogging to compete, make money, see who has more traffic than their competitors, or try to force people to recognize that I am a teen food blogger and they absolutely need to read my blog. I am blogging to learn and to make new friends that share the same passion for food that I have; when people read my blog, try my recipes, send me kind emails, and do anything and everything to make me feel wanted, I always sleep well at night to know that people actually appreciate my work.

What do you do when a parent (or some elder) gives you a meal not up to snuff- do you say anything or eat it?

Honestly, when I told my all of my friends and family that I had a food blog, they began being very conscious of what they fed me, or they’d tell me, “I’m sure it’s not as amazing as yours, but ___ like(s) it a lot.” Whenever people say that to me, I cannot help but laugh. I am a food blogger- not a food critic! I’ve still had my share of meals not up to par; usually I always take a little bit of something that someone cooks, taste it, and if I like it, I take more. If not, I just move on to other dishes that they cooked. I am usually honest to the person who has given me the meal, and ninety-five percent of the time- the food is usually delicious!

What is your best meal – not cooked by you?

This is by far the toughest question to answer because I am constantly eating great things, but I am going to say that the best meal I’ve ever had was the one for my 15th birthday at an Afghani restaurant, here in New York. I was around family and our laughter and conversations truly made that meal a blast!

What is the best meal you’ve ever made?

Honestly, I don’t know. You’d have to ask my family about that, but they do express a lot of love for my lasagna and homemade ravioli.

What is your most prized appliance?

I would have said our KitchenAid, but I love our oven far more than our mixer. Without our oven, you wouldn’t see 75% of the recipes up on my site- our oven is practically running 24/7 and we like it that way!

What is one ingredient that you cannot live without?

Tough one. I would say flour. Why? Because it’s a very precious ingredient in baking; whenever I place my fingers in flour, it’s as if I am having some sort of religious experience- I am compelled to bake anything and everything I can.

What do you love to do when not studying, blogging, or cooking?

Besides taking photos and writing, I love running, swimming, boating, hanging out with my friends, and tweeting!

Pictures courtesy of Kamran Siddiqi

Since The North Face is known for their quality and durability I knew they were the best to answer the questions. Kit Deslauriers, who is a The North Face sponsored Skier/ Ski Mountaineer was kind enough to indulge my questions. In the off season, she is an avid camper/hiker so you see she is perfect for my questions.

You can read more about Kit here on The North Face website, or visit her personal site and catch this post about her hiking with with her kids.

What are the basic essentials I would need for camping, as in equipment or devices?

Kit: A tent, sleeping mattress pad and sleeping bag. From there it depends on if you are camping in your backyard or at a campground with your car right next to you for supplies or if you are carrying everything on your back to your camp site because if you are simply in your backyard or car-camping at a campground you don’t even necessarily need to have a sleeping bag as you can make do with blankets from home and in fact this makes some people feel more comfortable in the early stages of learning to camp.

How should I choose a beginner camping ground?

A beginner campground would ideally have running water available somewhere on site as well as a restroom because people who are new to camping may not be comfortable going a night without washing their face in the sink before going to bed or having a toilet nearby for when nature calls. Another consideration is to find an area in the campground that is far away from noisy campers such as RV’s with generators that can detract from the peace and quiet that should be associated with sleeping outside.

When camping with children, what else should I be taking note off?

Children are sensitive to their parents’ energy so make sure to relax and have fun. Try not to obsess about every little bit of dirt they get on themselves! Beyond that, consider equipping each child with their own headlamp so they can feel more comfortable in the dark.

When is the best time to camp?

Any time is good for camping! As far as time of year it obviously is more comfortable for beginners to camp in weather that they will most enjoy which usually means summertime. As to the time of day, make sure you arrive at your chosen spot with enough time to explore a bit before having to tend to the very real camp chores such as making dinner and cleaning up.

What type of clothing is ideal for camping?

Usually a pair of long pants and shoes with closed toes and socks are important because they protect you as you wander around exploring and keep things cleaner in your sleeping bag when you take them off to go to sleep at night. For the upper body you will want to have a few choices to make sure you can layer and adjust to the changing temperatures that come when the sun sets or an evening rain cloud passes by. Ideally a short sleeve shirt, long sleeve shirt, some type of synthetic or wool warm mid-layer and a rain jacket or wind shell. You may even want a light down jacket depending on the temperatures. Make sure to dress warmly as it is more difficult to get warm once you get cold. If your location is hot and sunny, bring a hat and consider clothes with UV protection.

What is the average camping fees at camping sites?

There are many places to camp that are absolutely free such as most National Forest campgrounds and BLM (Bureau of Land Management) Lands. Others charge anywhere from $10-$25 per night.

What are some activities to do while camping?

Depending on your location there may be hiking trails nearby or wildlife and birds to look for, you can also take a book along and learn to identify certain kinds of plants or trees. Reading a book is a pleasant way to spend time camping as is writing in a journal or drawing and painting the scenery. Remember that camping itself is an activity so treat the ‘chores’ around camp as fun and enjoy the process of cooking your meals and eating them in the outdoors. Don’t forget the s’mores around the campfire but be aware of fire dangers and regulations as fires may not be permitted in some areas and even if they are you may want to plan ahead and bring your own firewood because gathering firewood may be tricky or even illegal at your campsite.

I hear the tent pitching is the roughest, or so the television allows me to believe. Is this true?

Tent pitching is actually very simple and many people can do it in a New York minute with the help of a tent mate and a little practice. If you are concerned, try pitching your tent at home in your yard or driveway first, especially if you will be in the dark when you get to your campsite.

How do you deal with bugs?

There are some great bug repellents out there that are all natural and safe for children. Some come in the form of wipes, others as spray or an oil based liquid but the common ingredients are natural herbs and oils. Bring and use these if there are bugs in your area. It is best to prevent bug bites rather than try to treat them once they happen, especially on kids.

What if you fear snakes, still worth camping?

There are a lot of different fears out there like snakes, or the dark, or running out of food, or spiders, or …. Insert your own here! If that fear is keeping you at home instead of camping you are missing out on a really great experience. Even if no one sleeps much because of their fear (which is most likely not even going to manifest on your camping trip) you will have loads of memories to carry you through winter while you can’t wait to go camping again because it was so much fun!

Thank you Kit and don’t forget that you can still Win the Ultimate Backpacker kit From The North Face, right here on MommyNiri.com

Also I asked specifically for some help choosing equipment and here are some suggestions.

The Double Headed Toad ($329)

Perfect for your average family of four, this tent is lightweight and easy to pitch with a color coded “clip” system. Getting in and out is easy with a door and either end and storing your belongings  is a cinch with its convenient overhead pockets and abundant gear loops.

Dolomite Sleeping Bag ($89) or the kid-sized version The Great Smoky Bx

These bags are both completely unfussy and allow new campers to experiment with how they are most comfortable sleeping. Both the Dolomite and Great Smokey can be used like normal sleeping bags or can unzip and open up to lay flat, which is great for campground versatility.

Terra 65 ($149)

This pack has the capacity to handle a trip several days in length. It fits A LOT inside, but is also engineered to keep the carrier comfortable and supported. This is especially important for new campers as they may not be used to carrying such a weight. If no one person wants to take one for the team (dad!)… you can always use multiple packs like the Interval 25 pack (from the prize package) and split  up the supplies, having everyone in the family carry them evenly.