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When Julie & Julia hits theaters on August 7th, it's going to make audiences everywhere hungry! Luckily, I recently attended the Julie & Julia Blogger Event in New York City and got to snack on some Julia Child-inspired dishes right after the movie. The food was seriously good, but talking to Julie Powell, the author of Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously, and the director, Nora Ephron, was even better.

Right after the movie (which, by the way, was adorable!) bloggers from all over the city trekked down to The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers just in time to watch a cooking demonstration by Chef Brian Malarkey, a former finalist on Bravo's Top Chef 3 Miami. He whipped up Julia Child's classic recipe for boeuf bourguignon, a rich beef stew with sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions and some pancetta. Julie Powell joined him in the kitchen and helped make Julia's recipe for chocolate cream pie while they chatted about the movie.

Before she was a famous author, Julie Powell was miserable, working a dead end job and living in a cramped apartment with her husband, Eric. When she spontaneously started "The Julie/Julia Project" in 2002, her life took on a new meaning. She gave herself one year to make every recipe in her old copy of Julia Child's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, blogging about her experience every step of the way. The online response was huge, and her blog became a book three years later.

"I would never have gotten through this if I didn't have all my blog readers saying, 'Go, go, go!'" Julie said. Although it seems like she was an overnight success, Julie admitted that she often considered quitting the project during the first few months, but turned to Julia Child's story for inspiration. Julia paved the road for every Food Network star out there and didn't even start cooking until she was nearly forty! "She never tried to cover up her mistakes or be something she wasn't," Julie said fondly.

Although the movie is centered on passionate foodies, there is also a strong love story at its core. Julia Child's relationship with her husband, Paul Child, is depicted as loving, full of laughter and support. Similarly, Julie's marriage with Eric was one of the biggest reasons Nora Ephron decided to write and direct the movie.

"Nobody gets to write movies about marriage. If you do, it's marriages that are about to break up," Nora explained. "I got so excited at how sweet it can be to have a husband who thinks it's great that something happens to you." She was also drawn to the connection between Eric and Julie's love for food and each other. "If you're married to someone and you both love food, it's a big player in your marriage."

Between the drool-worthy dishes and real-life love stories, the movie and event left me craving seconds. Don't miss Julie & Julia when it premieres on August 7th... just make sure to bring lots of snacks!

--Sarah Levy