Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/15710
SEPTEMBER 2010 FOOD & WINE 70 Written by Cristina De-León-Menjivar Simply put, people love food. Even more than that, people love the experience of eating it. For many, eating is more than nourishment – it is an experience that can transmit us to different countries, back to childhood, or to important life moments. No one understands this sentiment more than Matt Armendariz, a Long Beach-based blogger, who writes the popular blog called "MattBites: A Man Obsessed with Food, Drink and Everything in Between." For Armendariz, food not only is important, but to him, it is his life. His career in food began when he worked as a Creative Director for both Whole Foods and Bristol Farms, a job where he constantly found himself surrounded by a variety of food and more importantly, the growers and chefs that bring food to life. "I started meeting great people with great stories, but I had no place for it in my day job," he said. As a result of his profession, he learned a lot about food and how it's grown and found it so interesting that he felt he needed an outlet so that others can take a peek into this world and learn about the food industry. Thus, out of a desire to engage with other food lovers and find his own voice, Armendariz began to blog, and has since taken online readers by storm, steadily gaining popularity with each post. Armendariz dedicates his blog to anything and everything that has to do with food and how it's made. He blogs not only about farmers' and chefs' stories, but also recipes and food-related travel, always focusing on what he calls "natural and real foods." While Armendariz's blog is comprehensive, one aspect he doesn't cover is restaurant reviews. In addition to featuring Armendariz's experiences and stories, the blog is also a place to showcase MATT ARMENDARIZ