Julianne Gabert’s Girls on Food combines some of life’s best things: girl power and tasty treats. The self-proclaimed “foodie girl gang” has contributors in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico and has grown from a team of two to forty since its launch in 2012. In addition to cooking up a great online resource for food enthusiasts, Julianne is an actress who’s worked on projects like Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and YouTube’s SMOSH, among others. She’s also appeared on Masterchef Junior.

Society Spotlight Questionnaire:

1. Tell us about your most epic childhood birthday party:

Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I love that my birthday is October 16^th because it’s so close that people don’t mind dressing up! For my 11^th birthday, I had an epic costume party at Upper Crust Pizza in the Pocket, a neighborhood in Sacramento, California. I dressed up as Cleopatra. My aunt Llyn custom made a silky gold dress for me. Guests included Morticia Adams and Lucille Ball. Very mature costuming for pre-teens! But nothing beats a costume party with plenty of pizza and DarkStalkers (a super nerdy 90’s arcade game I cherish).

2. Who’s your spirit animal?

When it comes to seeking guidance from someone growing up, I looked up to Lisa Simpson from The Simpsons. Lisa, to this day, goes through so many of the struggles that young women (and adults) face, and she does it with so much maturity and intelligence. I can’t wait to have a daughter someday who looks up to her as well!

3. Shout-out to your blogger BFF!

Gina DeNicola of Heart Written Words is a blogger pal of mine who I admire a lot. She’s so open about her past experiences in a way that I wish I was! She shares many personal issues dealing with her family, friends, and career life with such a deep insight, humor, and a big heart. It’s one of those rare blogs where you feel like you’re getting to know someone on a deeper level, and you feel like you’re friends with her right off the bat.

4. Confession time: Who was your first celeb crush?

Eddie Furlong in Terminator 2: Judgement Day! Who can resist a bad boy on a motorcycle who turns out to be super sensitive? Sigh.

5. What was your first concert? How was it?

It was Neil Diamond at Arco Arena! My dad dragged me to this concert. I’m pretty sure I was kicking and screaming about it. I just remember Neil on a rotating stage, shaking his old man hiney in the red sequined onesie outfit and being super unhappy with it.

6. Who’s your ultimate blogspiration?

I would say the role models for Girls on Food are Eater and HelloGiggles. I think both sites inspired us in different ways. We would love to be able to break stories in the industry the way Eater does, and HelloGiggles inspires us to be more personal in our writing about food, implementing humor and positivity to our content.

7. So, you’ve got writer’s block. Tried and true trick for getting over it?

I’m a big believer in the power of sleep! Take a nap and let your mind relax for a moment. You can come back and try again.

8. What are you reading these days?

I’m currently reading Finding Gobi by Dion Leonard. If you love dogs and stories that make you feel good, this book is a must! Leonard’s tale about a stray dog (named Gobi, after the desert he competes in a 155-mile race through) that races by his side, is emotional and faith-restoring. Knowing it’s a true story makes it all even more special for me.

I’m also gearing up to spend one month in central Italy, so I’m trying to learn all about the regions I’ll be visiting. I’m loving One Hundred & One Beautiful Small Towns in Italy by Paolo Lazzarian because it provides a spotlight on places locals frequent that aren’t packed with tourists.

Cookbook-wise, Roy Choi’s LA Son is not only full of his fantastic recipes. but he opens up about growing up in Los Angeles and the ups and downs of the restaurant industry. A cookbook full of delicious recipes is one thing. Getting to know the chef on such a personal level and knowing the journey to create those recipes makes them even more delicious.

9. What’s your number one blogging/content creation tip?

Just keep creating. I don’t necessarily believe in the phrase “quality over quantity.” You have to make choices, try new things and screw up. This way you learn what works and what doesn’t. Like acting, you won’t know until you make a fool out of yourself – but you can’t be afraid to do so. Also, you can always delete content that didn’t work out the way you envisioned.

10. We love working with you and hope you feel the same about us. What’s been your fave Everywhere campaign to be a part of?

I love the Macy’s Culinary Council campaigns. Not only are they perfect for Girls on Food, but I get to meet my heroes in the culinary scene. Timothy Hollingsworth, the former chef de cuisine at The French Laundry and current owner of Otium in LA, gave me a tour of Otium prior to his cooking demo, so watching him on stage at Macy’s was even more special since I felt like I knew him.

11. Show off time! Provide a link to your most popular blog or social post!

Being invited to provide coverage for Yountville Live was a dream come true!