tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83686671181118810852024-03-14T03:42:45.782-07:00JS2 SQUARED AWAYAlissa Pinckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00826651729748894301noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-42246606032925518232009-08-31T07:02:00.001-07:002009-08-31T07:17:28.835-07:00iZO Cleanze: Day FiveI made it to Monday - and it hasn't been bad so far. I'd say the worst of it has been missing meals: the planning of, the preparation of, the consuming of ... food plays a huge role in our lives and not having those occasions is very strange indeed. That's not to say I was hungry; I wasn't. I just missed the anticipation of knowing I'd be enjoying that piece of grilled fish, that fresh salad or that slice of PIE!<br /><br />My energy level has maintained - I'm not super-energetic, mind you. I feel just fine. A friend asked if I thought she could take spinning classes while on the cleanse. The answer for me was no. I swam some laps yesterday, but it was very leisurely. I also took a lot of walks this weekend with Savannah and the heat was so intense, I was fairly tired when I returned home. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't make it through a spinning class right now (I usually do 3-4/week).<br /><br />OK, so I got on the scale today and had lost the 1/2 pound I'd put on yesterday. So, seven pounds (in four days) and holding. We'll see about tomorrow....<br /><br />This has been an interesting experience to say the least! I've gotten used to the taste of the juices and feel like I could continue this for a good long while. Suddenly it doesn't seem unreasonable that someone could do this for two weeks or more. Still, I think I'll stop, as I said I would, after five days. I think it's time to reintroduce food to my diet - even if it's just gazpacho (which I plan to make tonight in anticipation of my "first meal" tomorrow!). And, well ... maybe one last glass of rosé to celebrate the end of summer!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-27666021921771274602009-08-30T06:36:00.000-07:002009-08-30T08:23:23.686-07:00iZO Cleanze: Day FourI was up even earlier today - and took Savannah out so we could actually see the sunrise. It was not as beautiful as yesterday's - the smoke from the fires has gotten more intense. Crazy.<br /><br />I was told that the second and third days were the "hump" days in a cleanse. It could be one or the other - I guess my hump day was Friday because yesterday I felt fine. Today, I feel even better. I don't know if it's psychological, but I believe the testimonials on the <a href="http://www.izocleanze.com/">iZO Cleanze </a>site that say your energy increases. I am beginning to see it for myself. I am ... beginning to see the light!<br /><br />One thing I haven't mentioned is hunger - I have none. Since day one. I guess I'm getting enough calories and the liquids are filling. So, nope - no hunger pains. On the other hand, I've mentioned weight. As of yesterday I'd lost seven pounds. This morning I jumped on the scale and had put 1/2 pound back on ... which is cool, because as I'd written yesterday, I thought seven pounds in two days was too much. Of course, the weight is water and whatnot ... probably very little actual body weight, but two pounds/day is more reasonable.<br /><br />I thought I'd run through the list of what I'm consuming on a daily basis. It's crazy how many things I'm consuming ... I can't imagine how long it took iZO Cleanze Founder Tim Martin to forumulate these juices. He is the master!<br /><br />- I start with 1/2 pint of Anu Water, mineral infused (80 minerals), pH balanced H2O that contains trace amounts of hypochlorous acid, a week, non-toxic (I would hope!) oxy-chloro molecule that acts as an anticacterial (the EPA has recognized its action against protozoans - whatever they are - bacteria, mold, fungi and viruses ... it also destroys E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, mold, and fungi - get this - ON CONTACT!)<br /><br />- Immediately following the Anu Water, I have one pint of iZO Cleanze SuperGreen, a combination of land veggies which I detailed on Day One (things like grass, nettle leaf, horsetail, alfalfa juice, dandelion leaf juice, oat grass juice, broccoli juice, kale juice, spinach juice, parsley juice, ginger, et al), algaes, wild-crafted aquatic veggies (like icelandic kelp - yikes!) and other "energetics, enzymes, probiotics and nutrients. It is meant to deeply nourish and detox my system. It actually tastes pretty good and does a neat trick of making you feel extremely healthy right off the bat - a great way to start the day.<br /><br />- About an hour later I have one pint of iZO Juice Red. This is my favorite juice (it has great notes of ginger which I love). It is hugely nutritious (Vitamins A, C and B6 - plus maganese) and is a great source of fiber, lutein, calcium, copper and potassium. It is made from parseley, apples, beets, carrots, cucumber, celery and, of course, ginger. To me, it is the most flavorful of the juices. Along with the iZO Juice Red I take 3 iZO liver detox capsules and 3 iZO LAX capsules. The liver caps are made from milk thistle extract, a powerful antioxidant, and root extract of Japonica, et al. The iZO LAX capsules contain rhubarb root, peppermint leaf, wildcrafted Nopal cactus, ginger root, wasabi, thyme, oregano, whole leaf aloe ferox and enzymes.<br /><br />(Throughout the day, I have one juice every hour with a couple of exceptions where I skip an hour. The point is the stretch the juices out throughout the day. This is easy for me since I've been getting up around 6 and going to bed around 9:30 since starting the cleanse. That's 15 and 1/2 hours divided by 12 liquid components, so it works out nicely.)<br /><br />- Next up is one pint of iZO Tea: Activate, a spleen cleanse with things like Astragalus (helps promote "upright Chi", enhancing circulation), White Atractylodes (the most important herb for drying and activating the metabloism), Poria (helps the digestive organs), odonopsis (a nurturing Chi herb which helps activate the digestive process and enhances metabolism), Dang Gui (which provides elements that help the body attain and utilize iron - which helps build blood), Goji Berries ("a wonderful all-around tonic for blood, high in Beta Carotene, which is transformed to Vitamin A via the liver."), Jujube Date (a mild spleen Chi herb which also "hamonizes" the formula), Longan (high in iron and calming to the heart), White Peony (keeps blood activated), Schizandra (a do-all tonic herb that promotes cheerfulness and beauty - as if I need it!!) and Lo Han Quo (a sweet herb to enhance taste).<br /><br />- Then it's on to iZO Tea: Replenish, a kidney cleanse (in my case it's only cleansing one kidney seeing as how I was born with just one) with Chinese tonic herbs designed by iZO Cleanze herbalist Rehmannia dean Thomas. This is actually very interesting: The formula "contains special herbs revered for thousands of years throughout the Orient for their longevity-rejuvenation-fertility (!) enhancing actions. The elite of China's Dynasties and the ancient elder mountain hermits called "immortals" drank teas of these herbs daily. Ho Sho Wu is the primary herb in the formula and is said to help turn grey hair back to its natural color. There is much more, but it also helps to counter stress, overwork, anxiety "and the many debilitating aspects of our society." Cool! With the Replenish I also take two iZO Zymes capsules containing protease, acid protease, amylase, lipase, cellulase, lactase, bromelain (pineapple) and papain (papaya).<br /><br />- An hour later it's on to one pint of iZO Pro Almond Milk which is where I get my protein: black rice, black bean, black sesame, Maca (an Incan specialty that leaves people feeling powerful and invigorated), Ho Sho Wu (previously mentioned - it's the grey hair back to blond herb), bee pollen and pure, freshly made organic almond milk. Not bad!<br /><br />- Next it's one pint of iZO Lemonade, a spicy drink with organic lemons, cayenne pepper and stevia (sometimes call sweet leaf) for sweetness. It's kind of like the lemonade you drink on the "Master Cleanse" but not as sweet.<br /><br />- Following is another pint of iZO Juice Red (see above)<br /><br />- Next is iZO Tea: Purify, a blood, liver and lymph cleanse. This is a sophisticated formula for cleansing with herbs that help rid the liver, lymph and blood of toxins. It also "provides emotional support and balance during the early stages of the cleanse". It has a bunch of things like Bupleurum (a Chinese herb for detoxifying the liver, lymph and blood), scutellaria (a blood cleanser), ginger, White peony, Coptis (another blood cleanser), Taraxaci (a liver aid), Dragon Bone (where do they get the dragon??), Polygala, Schizandra, Astragalus, Lo Han Guo and ... licorice!<br /><br />- Following is the last tea of the day, one pint of iZO Tea: Elevate (a crown, chakra cleanse). This formula is all about cultivating the spiritual aspect of health, called "Shen". It contains Reishi Mushroom ("the herb of spiritual immortality" that promote the production of large white blood cells - an empowering herb), Asparagus Root (an interesting herb which helped ancient shamen fly - appartently after regularly consuming asparagus root, you have frequent dreams of flying which get longer and more lucid after a while ... it's a very cool concept of, as Jungian psychology supports, individual transformation "into higher frequencies of mind and liberation from gross mental attachment to material wealth and bondage."), Albizzia Flowr (an herb that helps to overcome heartbreak, anxiety and stress), Spirit Poria (a fungus that grows around the roots of pine trees said to be uplifting yet grounding - the Chinese believe that while yearing to be spiritually uplifted, it is also important to stay grounded on Earth.), Schizandra and Lycium, or Goji (an herb that benefits the liver and kidney(s)).<br /><br />- Then it's one pint of iZO Juice Green made with parsley, cucumber, celery, fennel and ginger.<br /><br />- Finally, it's one pint of Lemonade, or in my case, since I chose the heavy metal elective, it's one pint of iZO Detoxo utilizing a special fermentation process with kelp for balancing pH levels, chelating heavy metals and removing radiation and other impurities from the system. Fermented kelp was successfully used at Hiroshima and Chernobyl to remove radiation and heavy metals from the body.<br /><br />Everything I've consumed for the last three days has been vegan, raw and organic ... kind of amazing, really. It's a wild ride - but certainly something that I'm happy to be doing.<br /><br />I've had a great weekend - reading, walking with Savannah, getting a facial and a massage - I may even go to church this morning. This cleanse has been a wonderful opportunity for me to slow down and get centered. Good timing too: I'm heading to Martha's Vineyard on Thursday!<br /><br />Happy Sunday, everyone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-52319508944338268282009-08-29T06:45:00.001-07:002009-08-29T07:23:43.546-07:00iZO Cleanze: Day ThreeIt's Saturday morning and I was up in time to take Savannah for a daybreak walk. We passed by <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0517820/">Lindsay Lohan's </a>house and my good friend <a href="http://www.maebrunken.com/">Mae Brunken's </a>house (she not only designed my NY apartment, but lives around the corner from me in a beautifiul Mediterranean house made famous in the film "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036775/">Double Indemnity</a>" where it starred as <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001766/">Barbara Stanwyck's </a>home) and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005368/">Doris Robert's </a>casa (who lives around the corner from <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000378/">Minne Driver </a>and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1065229/">America Ferrera </a>- it's quite a neighborhood!) ... and then down the road, a cul-de-sac ending in a spectacular view of Los Angeles from <a href="http://www.bergoiata.org/fe/californie-paysages/Downtown%20Los%20Angeles,%20California.jpg">downtown </a>to the <a href="http://rvforsaleguide.com/images/malibu-beach-picture.jpg">ocean</a> to take in the sunrise. It was spectacular - made all the more beautiful, I suspect, because of the smoke from the wild fires we've all seen these past few days. Nature sometimes has a way of turning even tragedies into something positive.<br /><br />So, obviously I have some energy today. That's a good thing, because yesterday wasn't a terrific day. It was a productive day, for me, but not very comfortable. The headache persisted for most of the day. Nothing major - just, you know, there. It was also beastly hot in LA: 100 degrees. And I've been driving my vintage car (a <a href="http://img.inkfrog.com/pix/monaco/86Benz560SL_87k_medium.JPG">'86 Mercedes 560SL</a>) as my primary vehicle these days which is fun, but it has no A/C, so it was a challenge. I also felt a bit lethargic. I ended up going to bed at 10PM.<br /><br />The <a href="http://izocleanze.com/">iZO Cleanze </a>drinks became less feast and more fast for me yesterday. I now simply down the liquid in one fell swoop as opposed to "savoring" it. They are so full of nutritional integrity, I suppose, that they couldn't taste good by definition. Amy Fuller, in my office, who is also doing the cleanse, really enjoys the teas. I think I'll take iZO Cleanze's suggestion and go to Whole Foods market to purchase some agave nectar in order to sweeten them - I find them very "earthy" if you will.<br /><br />I stepped on the scale again this morning and have lost another two pounds, which is more reasonable, but still surprising. Seven pounds in two days is too much, I think. But hopefully it'll level off by tomorrow.<br /><br />Today I feel better - clearly my energy is better (I also slept really well last night) and the headache is all but gone. It should be a low-key day. I'll watch <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Kennedy">Ted Kennedy's </a>funeral and then get into my new book, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Netherland-Vintage-Contemporaries-Joseph-ONeill/dp/0307388778/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251555463&sr=8-1">Netherland</a>" by Joseph O'Neill. Maybe some laps at the pool ... maybe a movie at <a href="https://www.arclightcinemas.com/ArcLight/faces/Home.jsp">ArcLight</a>. But no BBQ's and no cocktail parties ... oh well; no pain, no gain!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-44063229900019375442009-08-28T07:26:00.001-07:002009-08-28T07:49:27.110-07:00iZO Cleanze: Day TwoI greeted the little black <a href="http://www.izocleanze.com/">iZO Cleanze </a>bag this morning with a tad less enthusiasm than I did yesterday. iZO Cleanze Founder Tim Martin warned me yesterday that the novelty could wear off ... he was right. It's not that I didn't enjoy Day One, per se, it's just that, well ... there was a whole lot of liquid to consume in one fifteen hour period! And let's face it, as nutritious and complex Tim's concoctions are, a 1982 <a href="http://http//www.winezap.com/Lafite-Rothschild/1982/1076">Chateau Lafite-Rothschild </a>it is not!<br /><br />Yesterday went by without incident. I liked some of the teas better than others. I prefer the iZO Super Green, Red and Almond Milk drinks the best. Probably would put the Green at the bottom. I noticed mid-morning that I felt sleepy, but that was probably because I'd had a fitful sleep the previous night. The rest of the day, I felt fine; good energy, clear-headed ... until around eight last night when I got a headache that lasted until around four this morning. Not a throbbing headache; more like a dull pain at the top of my head. On a scale from one to ten, it was a three ... and it has decreased to about a one now, so hopefully that will be completely gone soon.<br /><br />Here's the surprising thing: I stepped on the scale this morning and it registered five pounds lighter. Five pounds? How could that be? (This is a very accurate scale, always in synch with the professional scale at the gym and I weigh myself every morning at the same time, so I know it's not the technology....). Go figure. Hopefully that first day drop will be the last and moving forward I'll only lose at the most a pound a day (the iZO Cleanze literature says most people lose between one and two pounds a day).<br /><br />Socially, this cleanse has really cramped my style. I've had to say no thanks to a few invitations including a late-afternoon cocktail party in Malibu this afternoon, a dinner party tonight (though I may drop by) and a BBQ tomorrow night. Too, you realize as you go through the day (as if I didn't already know) how much FOOD plays into your daily routine. When you cut out meals, you have a lot more time on your hands. And honestly, taking the iZO pint jar out of the fridge, shaking it, screwing off the lid and drinking it takes a lot less time than meeting a friend at the <a href="http://www.ivyrestaurantgroup.com/">Ivy</a>, ordering the grilled vegetable salad (with shrimp) and consuming it!<br /><br />Still, I feel great about doing this for myself and I suppose that's the most important thing.<br /><br />So onto and into Day Two!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-11168190593964502662009-08-27T09:34:00.000-07:002009-08-27T11:16:33.227-07:00iZO Cleanze: Day One“This is my last meal,” I said to a friend-of-30-years during dinner at <a href="http://www.ammocafe.com/">Ammo </a>last night.<br /><br />Barbara Epstein, producer/director/choreographer/writer/Broadway investor and all-around great gal, simply looked at me and waited. She’s known me long enough to know to wait for the punch line.<br /><br />“I’m starting a cleanse tomorrow… a super-nutrient, super cleanse. For five days. I won’t eat again until … next month! Tuesday, September 1, to be exact.”<br /><br />Here’s the story.<br /><br />My business has a lot of perks. Over the years I’ve gotten to experience many of my client’s products and services … you know, for, like, - FREE. I’m talking about stays in beautiful hotel rooms (thank you <a href="http://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/">Shutters at the Beach</a>), movie tickets (thank you <a href="https://www.arclightcinemas.com/ArcLight/faces/Home.jsp">ArcLight Cinemas</a>) and even, once, a day of psychological analysis courtesy of <a href="http://moonviewsanctuary.com/">Moonview Sanctuary</a>. Gastronomically speaking, I’ve had some amazing meals at five star restaurants served by the chefs themselves: <a href="http://www.bobbyflay.com/">Bobby Flay</a>, <a href="http://www.michaelmina.net/">Michael Mina</a>, <a href="http://www.chefbradleyogden.com/">Bradley Ogden</a>, <a href="http://www.gracerestaurant.com/index.php/grace/exec_neal">Neal Fraser</a>, <a href="http://www.aquavit.org/flash.html">Marcus Samuelsson</a>, et al. Sometimes it’s an opportunity to be one of the first to taste a new smoothie (<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.jambajuice.com">Jamba Juice</a>), Ice-Blended (<a href="http://coffeebean.com/">The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf</a>), pizza (<a href="http://www.cpk.com/">California Pizza Kitchen</a>) or, (iced, half-caf, triple grande, non-fat) latte (<a href="http://www.starbucks.com/default.asp">Starbucks</a>). And sometimes it’s a bit more out there, like today.<br /><br />We just signed <a href="http://izocleanze.com/">iZO Cleanze</a>. According to the marketing brochure I have sitting in front of me, iZO Cleanze is a full-body detox cleanse designed to transform your health and let your body start fresh! (punctuation theirs). Founder and CEO <a href="http://www.izocleanze.com/about">Tim Martin </a>told me the other day, “It’s not a fast, it’s a feast.” Cool.<br /><br />So, here’s how it works, Every morning I will wake up to find, as I did this morning, a nifty, insulated bag containing the day’s “feast” waiting for me just inside the garden gate in my front yard. Inside are the following:<br /><br />Two Pints iZO Red<br />One Pint iZO Green<br />One Pint iZO SuperGreen<br />One Pint iZO Tea: Purify<br />One Pint iZO Tea: Elevate<br />One Pint iZO Tea: Activate<br />One Pint iZO Tea: Replenish<br />One Pint iZO Pro<br />Two Pints Lemonade<br />½ Pint Anu Water<br />Liver supplements<br />Enzymes<br /><br />These, dear reader, I will consume on a daily basis for the next five days. 11 and ½ pints of liquid. That’s just about one and ½ gallons. And I’m encouraged to drink all the water I can/want … that’s a lot o’ liquid!<br /><br />Here’s how my morning has gone so far:<br /><br />- I didn’t sleep great, waiting for the sound of the gate opening (will <a href="http://www.js2comm.com/about_us/team/view_team.php?id=34">Savannah </a>bark?).<br /><br />- Up at 3:15 to check – nope, no bag.<br /><br />- Slept from 3:16 – 6:30 and had vivid dreams of the “feast.” In one, my good friend and client Doug Pick Founder and CEO of <a href="http://dapworld.com/">DAP World </a>had me meet him in an upscale bait and tackle shop(don’t ask, I don’t know…) where he delivered the bag of goodies. Doug is super cool and super fit, so it figures he would be featured in my first cleanse-related dream. He encouraged me, in my dream, to get the most I could get out of the experience … and then told me to go ahead and chose something from the bag. I opened it up and in there were beautifully scrambled eggs and crisp, crackling bacon! Thanks, Doug….<br /><br /><br />- Out of bed at 6:31 … look through the French doors into the garden – yep! There it is! (Hmmmm, now I really have to do this.)<br /><br /><br />- 6:32, walked Savannah.<br /><br /><br />- 6:50, fed Savannah (wondered to myself: Is this chow going to start looking edible to me in three days??)<br /><br /><br />- 6:55 I weighed myself - I weigh 193 pounds (I expect to lose weight during the next five days, but that is not my goal). BTW, I am 6’2” tall.<br /><br /><br />- 7:00, as instructed, I cracked open my first pint jar and … drank! (Going to be doing a lot of that the next few days.)<br /><br /><br />- My normal breakfast is coffee (black) and fruit. Or coffee and cereal with fruit. Or coffee and a bowl of oatmeal. Or coffee and a hard boiled egg.<br /><br /><br />- This morning my breakfast consisted of ½ pint of Anu Water (hyper-mineralized alkaline water) and 1 pint of iZO SuperGreen: “A comprehensive blend of nature’s most potent superfoods for deep nourishment and detoxification including: “land vegetables” (grass, whole leaf wheat grass, nettle leaf, shavegrass aka horsetail, alfalfa leaf juice, dandelion leaf juice, barley grass juice, oat grass juice, burdock root, broccoli juice, kale juice, spinach juice, parsley juice, carob pod, ginger root, nopal cactus and amia berry); algaes (spirulina, broken cell wall chlorella); wild-crafted aquatic vegetables (Icelandic kelp, Nova Scotia dulse, laver, bladderwrack, alaria, mori, Irish moss); and energetics, enzymes, probiotics and nutrients (shilajit, protease, amylase, lipase, cellulose, bromelain, papain, alpha galactosidase, massive array of both implantable lactobacillus species, 100% organically bound chromium, selenium, molybdenum, B-vitamins, beta-glucans, etc.). Wow. Wait - Nettle leaf? Horsetail? Bladderwrack? Anyway … the water was strange tasting and heavy; the SuperGreen was … REALLY GOOD! The ginger really came through. I can do this!<br /><br />I’ll be blogging about my experience and will update periodically. It is now 10AM and I have consumed 3.5 pints of liquid. I’ve got a ways to go, but so far I haven’t fallen off the wagon…. Good sign, huh?<br /><br />Oh, and my last meal? It was Ammo’s signature turkey meatloaf with horseradish mashed potatoes and sautéed beet greens. DELICIOUS!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-49538124142000675362009-08-20T16:30:00.000-07:002009-08-20T16:46:52.993-07:00EIght Years YoungEight years ago today, on August 20, 2001, <a href="http://www.js2comm.com/">JS2 Communications </a>was born. The place of birth was <a href="http://http//maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&source=hp&q=hancock+park+los+angeles&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=us&ei=1NyNSuqFDJSCNtL_9K8K&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1">Hancock Park</a>, a leafy Los Angeles neighborhood.<br /><br />Jill and I named the company after ourselves … not the most original idea in our business, but certainly fitting for us as we both share the same initials (JS, natch, short for Jill Sandin and Jeff Smith). Our first offices were in a wonderful old 1920’s Spanish building. It was a perfect set-up … we worked there for a couple of years until we’d reached six employees and, bursting out of the seams, moved to our current offices on <a href="http://http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melrose_Avenue">Melrose Avenue</a>.<br /><br />And then, just 22 days after starting our fledgling business, <a href="http://http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks">9/11 </a>happened.<br /><br />Looking back on that period, it’s hard to believe we didn’t implode. Thankfully, we had a few super-steady clients (<a href="http://www.jambajuice.com/">Jamba Juice</a>, <a href="http://www.wilmingtontrust.com/">Wilmington Trust</a>, <a href="http://www.nike.com/nikeos/p/nike/en_US/">Nike</a>, et al) and we survived, just as we’ve survived the current financial crisis: With a lot of grit, perseverance and excellent work.<br /><br />PR has changed so much since the summer of ‘01 … the past few years have seen huge swings in our industry. In 2001 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_network">social networking </a>meant drinks at the <a href="http://www.standardhotels.com/">Standard </a>with a client and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/">tweet </a>was something you heard, not did. Print media was still relatively strong and secure and we paid far less attention to the blogosphere than we do today. Still, the principles of our industry have remained the same. I believe – as my colleagues have heard me say countless times – that what we do for our clients is very important. Raising the profile of a product or service to appropriate audiences is key to their survival. It’s not rocket science (never was), but it’s trickier and more complex than what one might think after, say, the 15th viewing of a favorite “<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105929/">Ab Fab</a>” episode (“PR, dahling – PR!”).<br /><br />So, as we enter our ninth year, we are thankful to our clients (and there have been many) who have given us the opportunity to become better and better at what we do. The <a href="http://arclightcinemas.com/">ArcLight Cinemas</a> and <a href="http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF</a>’s of the world, the <a href="http://www.patinagroup.com/">Patina Restaurant Groups </a>and <a href="http://www.coffeebean.com/">Coffee Bean and Tea Leafs </a>have all required us to be the very best we can be at what we do. It’s been a great eight years.<br /><br />Happy Anniversary to us!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-27893262468858165742009-08-13T15:34:00.000-07:002009-08-20T16:48:49.130-07:00Celebrity PR and Lee SoltersI’m currently ½ way through the August edition of <a href="http://www.prweekus.com/">PR Week </a>which is largely devoted to social media. The pub also lists its “40 Under 40” superstar picks and, again, I missed it. Oh wait, I just turned 49…whatever. (I was once named by <a href="http://losangelesmagazine.com/">Los Angeles Magazine </a>as one of Los Angeles’s 101 Hottest People, but that was when I was, myself, under 40 and, frankly, not really the same thing. In any case, it didn’t do much for my professional or dating life, but I can report that the then relatively-unknown <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0780435/">Ryan Seacrest </a>was also named and had his photo just above mine on the page.) Exciting stuff….<br /><br />Anyway, in the current issue I read a couple of excellent, non-social-networking-related opinion pieces; one about the premature, <a href="http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_Mark_Twain_quote_about_his_premature_death">Mark Twain</a>-like reporting of print journalism’s death, and the other about the need to have good, solid and (yes) old-fashioned media pitching skills. I rather liked the pieces and they made me think of my early PR training in the pre-<a href="http://twitter.com/">Twitter </a>dark ages of the (early) 1990’s.<br /><br />My first job in PR was for PR master <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/22/theater/22solters.html">Lee Solters</a>. Lee, who died in May at the age of 89, represented <a href="http://www.michaeljackson.com/us/home">Michael Jackson</a>, <a href="http://www.barbrastreisand.com/us/home">Barbra Streisand </a>and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001871/">Pia Zadora </a>when I worked for him … and, at one time or another during his long career, repped every other major star – from <a href="http://www.sinatra.com/">Frank Sinatra </a>to <a href="http://www.ledzeppelin.com/">Led Zeppelin </a>– in Hollywood. He was even credited with helping to introduce <a href="http://www.thebeatles.com/core/home/">The Beatles </a>to America! He was a legend.<br /><br />Lee was very proud of a loose-leaf notebook he used to keep track of his media contacts in which he had glued the masthead for every outlet imaginable. Page after page, name after name, number after number, it was his own personal media map; his Bible. In the book's margins, he’d hand-written information on who had written about what client, when, etc. As most know, journalists flit back and forth from outlet to outlet, so you can imagine the hieroglyphics that resulted – I don’t know how he kept track of who was where, but he did!<br /><br />One day, I borrowed the book to copy down some information into my own Bible. The phone rang - it was the manager of a client. During the rather long conversation, I absentmindedly began doodling … on Lee’s “<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/">New Yorker</a>” page! By the time I’d finished the conversation, I’d added my own artistic renderings to Lee's … and completely covered some of the information! Oy vey! I was mortified.<br /><br />The only thing to do was leave, but of course I couldn’t do that. The only thing to do was be a man and fess up – but first I went out and bought a new New Yorker. I tore out the masthead and pasted it onto a new page. I got out our media books (yes, boys and girls - we had media books ... they were published by Bacon's) and started looking up phone numbers. Then I called The New Yorker and verified every single person on the list and clarified their information. I then saw that he’d had freelancers listed – some were also obscured – so for extra measure I went through several back-issues of the magazine and identified every writer who was not on the masthead. Then I started calling and somehow managed to get information for many listed. This, remember, was pre-internet. No <a href="http://google.com/">Google </a>searches. No Twitter lifelines.<br /><br />When I was mostly satisfied, I brought his bible back to Lee who was, no doubt, listening to some <a href="http://www.steveandeydie.com/">Steve and Eydie </a>CD, and presented my case. I showed him his Bible and the graffiti I’d added to the New Yorker page and then presented my new page with what I hoped was the right combination of remorse, humility and triumph. He looked up at me over the tops of his glasses and held my gaze. Then, he opened a drawer and pulled out a thick stack of hole-punched papers. Without saying a word, he found what he was looking for, removed the bastardized New Yorker page from his Bible and replaced it with a clean one: the exact copy of what I’d so skillfully (I thought) replaced! He had copies of everything! Then he said something I’ll never forget: “I appreciate your honesty and I appreciate the work you did on getting the new information. But never forget that you and only you are responsible for your resources. Protect them – always!”<br /><br />There is no need for hand-written media bibles any more (that’s what databases are for) but<br />I will always remember that valuable lesson.<br /><br />And God save Print Journalism!<br /><br />RIP, Lee.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-64684452720508137092009-07-10T08:42:00.000-07:002009-07-10T08:51:02.453-07:00Hit of the Week<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMJqeNaw-rUkAm4DPesAIu-waiAthmQDuszMv7Bh6CFgb9c-3d-qSB_fd4T6cMf88_gWleHamTfnzRV7eyd4PG3OX9BxKMNqp6wNH0fHUxNZrVw2Vq11eejZrz9Dah4D2HjryNW4qj4E/s1600-h/examiner+hit+of+the+week.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 207px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMJqeNaw-rUkAm4DPesAIu-waiAthmQDuszMv7Bh6CFgb9c-3d-qSB_fd4T6cMf88_gWleHamTfnzRV7eyd4PG3OX9BxKMNqp6wNH0fHUxNZrVw2Vq11eejZrz9Dah4D2HjryNW4qj4E/s320/examiner+hit+of+the+week.bmp" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356859012328718258" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> On July 3rd our client Improv Aware Driver, an online defensive driving course received a fabulous placement on </span><a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-7060-Insurance-Industry-Examiner~y2009m7d3-New-Yorks-online-driving-courses-may-make-an-insurance-joke"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Examiner.com</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The article was a homerun because it emphasized the course’s points of differentiation, including its fun and humorous approach to what is a traditionally dry subject matter. It also gave readers a complete overview of course and highlighted the course’s two main benefits – a mandatory 10% insurance discount for three years and qualification for point reduction on the participant’s license. <br /><br />Examiner.com is a daily news and entertainment hub comprised of several regional editions and has over eight million visitors per month. The site covers every topic you can think of, so when we found the national insurance industry writer we knew it would be the perfect fit. Our client was thrilled with the placement and expressed how this is exactly the type of placement we were hoping to achieve.<br /><br />Check out the course’s website, it’s definitively something to laugh about!<br /></span><a href="http://www.myimprovnewyork.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">www.myimprovnewyork.com </span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-58187191974149703232009-07-09T13:31:00.000-07:002009-07-09T13:57:21.856-07:00Square Offices<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1luEGGaHAVUuNlehHUtsezaL7dWOfHONF1I6puj5KGE2nUVca7iuF5m9RTRwZgVIJAGJJjqLLayMWczyxK9rjIEcaMBuyTfksMl16nUnU5rfntt9E1ONfqa6LJM9iY4LydJ3zAm8m58/s1600-h/subway.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1luEGGaHAVUuNlehHUtsezaL7dWOfHONF1I6puj5KGE2nUVca7iuF5m9RTRwZgVIJAGJJjqLLayMWczyxK9rjIEcaMBuyTfksMl16nUnU5rfntt9E1ONfqa6LJM9iY4LydJ3zAm8m58/s320/subway.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356566814795096546" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >There is a wonderful, line in Stephen Sondheim’s "Company" about all of </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:place style="font-family: times new roman;" st="on"><st1:state st="on">New York</st1:state></st1:place></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" > converging on </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:street style="font-family: times new roman;" st="on"><st1:address st="on">14<sup>th</sup> St.</st1:address></st1:street></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" > It was not until I moved offices to JS² that I realized how true it is.</span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">For the past year, I have worked on 29<sup>th</sup> and 6<sup>th </sup>.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Many know the area as The Flower District despite its attempts to re-brand itself as Chelsea North. The neighborhood is somewhat fashionable when you arrive from <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">7<sup>th</sup> Ave</st1:address></st1:street>, but coming from <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">6<sup>th</sup> Ave</st1:address></st1:street>, it’s a disaster. Whatever way you slice it, it's not Union Square.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">My first day down in <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Union Square</st1:address></st1:street> was eye-opening to say the least. Much of my experience in <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Union Square</st1:address></st1:street> has been later at night, so I never saw the hustle and bustle of the late morning and early afternoon. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">The sight of the vendors, the artists and the community reminded me of a place that could not be <st1:state st="on">New York</st1:state>, yet the whole scene was so essentially <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state>. I fell in love immediately. After four days here, I learned that <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Union Square</st1:address></st1:street> houses some of the best food and the most interesting people.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Let’s start with the food. One of my favorite lunch places, Spice is literally a stone’s throw away from the office; Grey Dog Café is a fun joint to hang out and grab a drink and something to nosh on; then there are the delicious dinner restaurants that line University – El Cantinero, with its sinful sangria and large plates, satisfies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12lxuWjdXaMX8ZpAts_bSGoKqI8KwOIPdQ_usVr_SRB_Fk748Jwvjkuoj1eIKUPP4VTF35PdiqMonEt5_wPsnu-Wo1wlejhBfzXkShPvjD30hv-0NdojPrEa5XJDpxzmY6Yvl4t4wmsA/s1600-h/UnionSquare.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12lxuWjdXaMX8ZpAts_bSGoKqI8KwOIPdQ_usVr_SRB_Fk748Jwvjkuoj1eIKUPP4VTF35PdiqMonEt5_wPsnu-Wo1wlejhBfzXkShPvjD30hv-0NdojPrEa5XJDpxzmY6Yvl4t4wmsA/s320/UnionSquare.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356562358612826098" border="0" /></a> my Mexican loving stomach. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">My diet was shot to hell after two days in this neighborhood!<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The people in this area are even more eclectic than the food. On my way to the subway yesterday, I passed a woman selling poems she writes on an old-fashion typewriter. What made it more interesting was that her client at the time was a man in a suite with a briefcase. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Of course, I could go on describing more of the interesting people I spotted around <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">14<sup>th</sup> St</st1:address></st1:street>, but I’ll save it for the spin off blog.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Well, since I began the post with a musical theatre reference, it seems only appropriate to end it with one as well. So, as Little Orphan Annie sang, “I think I’m gonna like it here.” </span></p>Josh Ferrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18274843830252677314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-46411351020233169812009-07-09T12:59:00.001-07:002009-07-09T13:02:00.974-07:00JS2 Explores The Proust Questionnaire<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGHQmSNDwMGmxVthEWSA0eaLa9gPVcvJ3iFTqCwApzMT9SS0L7F_wqP-WnS2RXKiIbpbb-blwqb8vrJQe_TuLIM1ubWFbnk84HYl7JUVOLWyDvLYg0x2n3YtCi51W5BNUnI2DeR7KHzc/s1600-h/proust-letter-handwriting.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGHQmSNDwMGmxVthEWSA0eaLa9gPVcvJ3iFTqCwApzMT9SS0L7F_wqP-WnS2RXKiIbpbb-blwqb8vrJQe_TuLIM1ubWFbnk84HYl7JUVOLWyDvLYg0x2n3YtCi51W5BNUnI2DeR7KHzc/s320/proust-letter-handwriting.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356552660869967666" border="0" /></a><br />In an attempt to get to know our team members a little bit more intimately, JS2 decided to pull out the old <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proust_Questionnaire">Proust Questionnaire</a>. Partly inspired by flipping through the latest issue of Vanity Fair (yes, the delicious one with Johnny Depp on the cover) and a reference to Proust's "Remembrance of Time Past" <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Search_of_Lost_Time">(A La Recherche Du Temps Perdu)</a> we paired up and got the whole truth and nothing but the truth out of our fellow team members. We discovered many fun facts about each other and ultimately this helped us get to know how to work better together and create a stronger team foundation. I suggest you try this with your friends, family and co-workers in order to further peel back layers of the onion that we all are. To view the questionnaire: <a href="http://hoelder1in.org/Proust/fill_questionnaire.html">Proust Questionnaire</a>.Vanessa Kristalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15434136926646003389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-66386119684419543852009-07-09T10:28:00.000-07:002009-07-09T10:36:55.956-07:00July = Singapore Food Festival<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZUrUwWe8kL28V0Vr6rC3FkANP0YpTJhjHW6-UHU1FWe1kF9o5EZnVxks5kFmZS0wdJy1OODdnZufoOHJjJM4V8z2GilgdO1EyRPhAu0cGSPnT3hwLV2EOAiVmh0L-XJFbOKlHFimW90/s1600-h/Singapore.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZUrUwWe8kL28V0Vr6rC3FkANP0YpTJhjHW6-UHU1FWe1kF9o5EZnVxks5kFmZS0wdJy1OODdnZufoOHJjJM4V8z2GilgdO1EyRPhAu0cGSPnT3hwLV2EOAiVmh0L-XJFbOKlHFimW90/s320/Singapore.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356515564601634450" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" >July marks the annual national <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Singapore Food Festival</span></b> and the Southeast Asian culinary specialist and James Beard nominated author, <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chef Robert Danhi</span></b> is on hand to help you prepare for this festive occasion with a collection of sweet, salty and tangy recipes similar to the ones that rule the streets in <st1:place st="on">Asia</st1:place>. With the reputation for some of the best street food in Asia, and a cuisine as diverse as its inhabitants (ethnic Chinese, Malays, Indians and Eurasians make up the general population), Singaporean cooks are known to experiment and combine flavors, techniques and ingredients resulting in a national cuisine that is unlike any other. <o:p></o:p></span></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" >To learn more about Chef Robert Danhi and to view more of his Southeast Asian inspired recipes feel free to visit: <a title="http://www.southeastasianflavors.com/" href="http://www.southeastasianflavors.com/">www.southeastasianflavors.com</a> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>Vanessa Kristalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15434136926646003389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-74721497731876556132009-07-01T12:58:00.000-07:002009-07-01T13:07:19.069-07:00My Failed Social Media Experiment<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfEoEQjm4uAZvu6M4yVNkJA_hW5FZj241wMfgbHS4bakqnMA095Us6QbqgeRDtJ3r8_1omGJ0RY-b276DMX7DhF2YNBcKWVw91A9_KmEUZly0jqfJVOaE6D85LJlpVKCZ1Ej12cx4cbUJY/s1600-h/n555553153_2470857_3000122.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfEoEQjm4uAZvu6M4yVNkJA_hW5FZj241wMfgbHS4bakqnMA095Us6QbqgeRDtJ3r8_1omGJ0RY-b276DMX7DhF2YNBcKWVw91A9_KmEUZly0jqfJVOaE6D85LJlpVKCZ1Ej12cx4cbUJY/s320/n555553153_2470857_3000122.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353585799166745826" /></a><br />Last Wednesday, while laying (or is it lying?) in bed thinking about my sister having to put her dog Curtis to sleep the next day, I had an idea that made me feel much better – how cool would it be if I could create a viral campaign whereby people the world over would tweet about pets they have loved and lost with the <a href="http://hashtags.org">hashtag</a> in memory of curtis? I don’t think my sister is even on Twitter so I don’t know if it would have been a consolation for her but I loved Curtis too and I envisioned it being the perfect way to honor his memory, along with a recognition of the power of animals in our lives (full disclosure: I am obsessed with dogs and cats). <br /><br />So how would I go about creating this viral campaign when by its very nature, viral is something you can’t control? Not to mention that I am a Twitter novice who is still just trying to figure it all out. Enlisting the help of Liz (a social media enthusiast), I set about my mission. First I signed up to follow some of the biggest Twitter influentials, from <a href="http://twitter.com/APlusK">Ashton Kutcher</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/theEllenShow">Ellen Degeneres</a> to Pete Cashmore of <a href="http://mashable.com">Mashable</a> and Drew of <a href="http://blamedrewscancer.com">#BlameDrewsCancer</a> and asked them all to encourage their followers to use my hashtag – no response. Next, I asked all the JS2ers to RT my request in the hope that their followers would catch on – nothing (thanks for trying Liz, Gina, Jamie, Amy and Amanda). While I gained followers throughout the day, not one even acknowledged my request. And then it all went to hell – Farrah Fawcett died, followed by Michael Jackson and sweet Curtis didn’t stand a chance.<br /><br />While it didn’t go viral (not even close), it was a valiant effort. I guess if I knew what made something go viral, I would be a millionaire, sought out by corporations the world over to consult on their marketing initiatives. But I don’t and I don’t believe anyone does. So at least it made me feel better about the passing of sweet Curtis – RIP little boy, you will be missed.Alissa Pinckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00826651729748894301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-3554012121139219602009-06-26T09:26:00.000-07:002009-06-26T09:41:34.355-07:00Summer Heats up at Pinot Provence<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQGAI2bbHNvvN29zKLbo857Iam2ITaZqg5wzcmB3kXJjXlAAdHQ-sy_QgquEx1ExDuIdcuIintD2Ei4ByjI_drLsL3cLKQNw3L75tDbBxx6K1EWziXrvmB5KiWw1lRoGYoEyZplDTdZaQ/s1600-h/provence-land-for-sale-713010.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQGAI2bbHNvvN29zKLbo857Iam2ITaZqg5wzcmB3kXJjXlAAdHQ-sy_QgquEx1ExDuIdcuIintD2Ei4ByjI_drLsL3cLKQNw3L75tDbBxx6K1EWziXrvmB5KiWw1lRoGYoEyZplDTdZaQ/s320/provence-land-for-sale-713010.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351676549142048738" border="0" /></a><br />Nothing inspires the summer spirit more than a BBQ on the patio amongst friends. A <a href="http://www.patinagroup.com/restaurant.php?restaurants_id=25">Pinot Provence</a>, every Wednesday and Thursday night Chef Lulu brings her kitchen out to the authentic Provence inspired terrace and cooks a sumptuous Provencal feast for her guests while live Mediterranean music lingers in the background. Last night, the menu was launched and the mood was just short of perfection! In order to help you get your summer started right, I am including a recipe for the delicious <a href="http://www.lillet.com/lillet.jsp?d=h&&lang=fr">Lillet</a> cocktail that garnered the first toast of the eve.<br /><br />You can now all raise your glasses to the Lillet Nouveau...<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />The Lillet Nouveau:</span><br />Lillet (1 shot)<br />Dash of Rosewater<br />Dash of Bitters<br />Lychee syrup (to taste)<br />Orange twist in a flute<br /></div>Vanessa Kristalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15434136926646003389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-91877626039920165932009-06-23T08:27:00.000-07:002009-06-23T08:31:31.260-07:00Remembering What Really MattersOn a rainy Thursday last week, I attended the <a href="http://unicefusa.org">UNICEF</a> Annual Meeting and even after working with the organization for three years, the content was compelling. I already knew the heartbreaking statistic of 25,000 children dying a day die from preventable causes but sometimes a number is just a number and you can’t really get your head around it. That’s why a few of the stories of the day stood out:<br /><br />- Cynthia McFadden told a story about a girl in a yellow dress standing day and night by her mother’s bed as she lay dying. She then played a segment from <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline">Nightline</a> that aired in February in which she traveled with UNICEF ambassador Salma Hayek to Sierra Leone (yes the one where Salma Hayek breastfed a starving baby but more importantly, the segment that showed a seven-day old baby taking her last breath). Even so, the most poignant part of her speech came at the end when she said she would keep doing whatever she could to help children in honor of the girl in the yellow dress – it gave me chills.<br /><br />- UNICEF Field Officer Silvia Gaya spoke about sanitation efforts in Chad but it was later when I got to speak to her one on one that I learned that she had been critically wounded in Chad while working there several years ago. Despite a more than three-year recovery, she longs to go back as she simply feels that it is her mission to be out there helping children.<br /><br />- Finally, Pernille Ironside spoke about the atrocities in Darfur. Pernille was captivating – she seemed exhausted by what she has seen and done and yet so calm and matter of fact about her work. Over a slideshow of her own pictures in the background, Pernille talked about reuniting children with their families after they had been captured and made to be child soldiers and sex slaves. After she finished, the session was opened to questions but there were none as the audience seemed shell-shocked by what they had heard.<br /><br />A day like that reminded me that no matter how rainy it is in NYC or how bad the economy is in the U.S., that nothing feels better than putting a smile on a child’s face because they have a full belly.Alissa Pinckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00826651729748894301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-18423268019987085922009-06-19T11:02:00.000-07:002009-06-19T11:21:55.295-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzU3gpOvldbjciYQREzueKWVCQXzsVe7F4qXn8ixPuhiOp2D1U8qdTz2sDObbz4UuwgwfhbOz9T7oBxN_kV9D6faniGir-yNibAQ0NECKXPC-x-HT-4srB8h20mAd9oGfT61J26Qr16o/s1600-h/Product+Shot+hi-res+jpeg.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349102110554000386" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 133px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzU3gpOvldbjciYQREzueKWVCQXzsVe7F4qXn8ixPuhiOp2D1U8qdTz2sDObbz4UuwgwfhbOz9T7oBxN_kV9D6faniGir-yNibAQ0NECKXPC-x-HT-4srB8h20mAd9oGfT61J26Qr16o/s200/Product+Shot+hi-res+jpeg.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSduTgon-lU_xmklcorI_9u4lh9bLeDYJh8UklBpH2kfwdTvpd0kS6o6byduXqPkimBNaO7Q762HkCd7cE11de7Q6NkwLW8aqh1P3XiSx_ZCggMa9zxlz2QRDB6CS3uGw0nk_WwXfNPNc/s1600-h/Oscar+and+Root+Beer+hi+res+jpeg.jpg"></a><br /><br /><div>A year and a half after Oscar’s elementary school science fair project turned into philanthropic family business, the Youd family and their pit-lab rescue, Margo, celebrated the launch of <a href="http://www.margosbark.com/index_ie.php">Margo’s Bark Root Beer </a>at Larchmont Larder. To help celebrate, <a href="http://www.barkavenuefoundation.org/ct/store/home.asp">Bark Avenue Foundation </a>was on hand with some adorable furry friends looking for a new home giving party guests something to “aw” over. <a href="http://www.larchmontlarder.com/">Larchmont Larder </a>served delicious food including pulled pork sliders and barbeque chicken skewers marinated in Margo’s Bark, mini hot dogs and burgers, and lobster rolls. In my opinion, the main event of the night was the Margo’s Bark Root Beer floats served with house made ice cream from <a href="http://www.themilkshop.com/">MILK</a>. I knew from the first sip it was a match made in heaven. Just like Oscar says: “The best part of Margo’s Bark is that you can put a scoop of ice cream in it.” Touché my friend, touché.<br /><br />In addition to friends, family, dog lovers and root beer aficionados, KCBS-TV and KTTV-TV were on hand to capture the event. Check out their stories below.<br /><br /><a title="blocked::http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/news/local/Local_Boy_Invents_New_Root_Beer_20090609 http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/news/local/Local_Boy_Invents_New_Root_Beer_20090609" href="http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/news/local/Local_Boy_Invents_New_Root_Beer_20090609">http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/news/local/Local_Boy_Invents_New_Root_Beer_20090609</a><br /><a title="blocked::http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=105425@kcbs.dayport.com http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=105425@kcbs.dayport.com" href="http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=105425@kcbs.dayport.com">http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=105425@kcbs.dayport.com</a> </div></div>Amy Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10458233806299589805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-45283104640704920032009-06-19T10:43:00.000-07:002009-06-19T11:02:15.252-07:00La Grande Orange featured in Serious Eats for their highly celebrated hamburger<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://aht.seriouseats.com/images/20090610-lgo-intro.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 583px;" src="http://aht.seriouseats.com/images/20090610-lgo-intro.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />It is now officially summertime and the hunt for the perfect burger has begun. In Santa Monica, La Grande Orange has one of the best burgers in town and <a href="http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2009/06/la-grande-orange-burger-santa-monica-california.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Serious Eats</span> </a>was on hand to notice . Describing the grace and architecture of the LGO hamburger down to its perfect bun, meat texture and seasoning has me convinced that the perfect burger hunt starts and ends here. Just in time for Father's Day the quest for perfection is summarized in one simple bite! To learn more about La Grande Orange please click here: <a href="http://www.lagrandeorangesm.com/">LGO Santa Monica</a>.Vanessa Kristalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15434136926646003389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-20994898500605261382009-06-10T12:31:00.000-07:002009-06-10T12:35:30.987-07:00My NetworkAfter 12 years working in the public relations industry, I finally got my act together last year and joined a professional organization, <a href="http://nywici.org">New York Women in Communications</a>. I didn’t know much going in except that my former boss Joan Cear (managing director at <a href="http://schwartz.com">G.S. Schwartz</a>), a woman I respect and admire very much, was very involved and got a lot out of it so I figured if it worked for her, it might work for me. Joan suggested I start by joining a committee so I looked through the options and settled on Integrated Marking and Communications, which seemed most closely related to my experience. This was indeed the best way for someone like me, a mingling-averse homebody, to get involved in a professional organization – I quickly and painlessly got to know several women who could serve as “security blankets” for me at industry events. Rather than fighting my usual instincts to run and hide in a corner, I could now attend events that I was interested in and easily mingle with ladies I already knew. <br /><br />As the year went on, I became more involved in the committee, regularly writing articles for the monthly newsletter and even getting the opportunity to interview one of the winners of the <a href="http://nywici.org/matrix.awards.html">Matrix Awards</a> (the Oscars of women working in communications fields) for the Matrix Journal (thanks <a href="http://42west.net">Leslee Dart</a>). In fact, the outgoing VP and Director recently asked me to take on the role of incoming Director, to which I readily agreed. <br /><br />I also, at Joan’s urging, signed up to become a <a href="http://imentor.org">mentor</a> and this past Monday met my mentee, who happens to be adorable. I never had a formal mentor/mentee relationship but like many of the successful women in the room at the orientation, I have worked with several women throughout the course of my career who supported my professional development and I wanted to pay it back. I look forward to seeing what will come of it.<br /><br />As I reach the end of my first decade in business, I have learned so much but know there is so much more knowledge out there to be had. As things change at a deliriously fast pace, I can now benefit from wise women who came before me, who have seen it change before and lived to tell the tale.Alissa Pinckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00826651729748894301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-40142002200903209942009-06-10T12:14:00.001-07:002009-06-10T13:00:10.288-07:00Hit of the Week: Margo's Bark in LABJ<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPr7wJ1zINErmWK-AZIjnjlgjJnBBypl0v9Bw1auUHWWan5kuRGy1fBE9Qll43JHF9metEuSAWEOWmhIWP3IYyK0167nALOhfOdRbuRG-LS8rud73rn6RKZ-OJv_FIVlbQkNnLkzVW8UFJ/s1600-h/LABJ+Header.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345779696558902226" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 45px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPr7wJ1zINErmWK-AZIjnjlgjJnBBypl0v9Bw1auUHWWan5kuRGy1fBE9Qll43JHF9metEuSAWEOWmhIWP3IYyK0167nALOhfOdRbuRG-LS8rud73rn6RKZ-OJv_FIVlbQkNnLkzVW8UFJ/s320/LABJ+Header.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-BE6UTIegGebkeMa-7Rrf5Ik4YFl_OQmyaw7CtxvB256xEQ5E9rQvbh82rGJiH8tTYDTlH6_n65zb1fnSqKAl3JS55WXd69UmiZ95gHMy2gH8Leia7C8K_At6p1diCKKrh6J1kV6epyd/s1600-h/Margo's+Bark+in+LABJ.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345779857046482786" style="WIDTH: 182px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 318px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-BE6UTIegGebkeMa-7Rrf5Ik4YFl_OQmyaw7CtxvB256xEQ5E9rQvbh82rGJiH8tTYDTlH6_n65zb1fnSqKAl3JS55WXd69UmiZ95gHMy2gH8Leia7C8K_At6p1diCKKrh6J1kV6epyd/s320/Margo's+Bark+in+LABJ.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="left">On June 1, our client <a href="http://www.margosbark.com/index_ie.php">Margo’s Bark </a>premiered in a feature article in the <a href="http://www.labusinessjournal.com/weekly_article_pay.asp?aID=137534">Los Angeles Business Journal</a>—the first publication to break the story of the line of new, microbrewed root beer. The article describes how the bubbly soft drink was first created in a messy yet breakthrough science fair project. Margo’s Bark Soda Co. has quickly become a phenomenon.<br /><br />Looking for a sweet and refereshing afternoon treat? Check out Margo’s Bark at: <a href="http://www.margosbark.com/index_ie.php">http://www.margosbark.com/index_ie.php</a></p><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPr7wJ1zINErmWK-AZIjnjlgjJnBBypl0v9Bw1auUHWWan5kuRGy1fBE9Qll43JHF9metEuSAWEOWmhIWP3IYyK0167nALOhfOdRbuRG-LS8rud73rn6RKZ-OJv_FIVlbQkNnLkzVW8UFJ/s1600-h/LABJ+Header.jpg"></a>Sheri Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13806234504044961769noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-92013254827990270272009-06-05T11:05:00.000-07:002009-06-05T12:30:23.116-07:00Some call it Synergy<a href="http://www.maximizepossibility.com/RMGpictures/Synergy.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 206px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 192px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.maximizepossibility.com/RMGpictures/Synergy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div>Being a good publicist is all about contacts, and it's not just media contacts that matter. We recently introduced two new vendors to our client, <a href="http://www.tendergreensfood.com/">Tender Greens</a>. Not only are the new contacts providing great products for the TG customers, they are providing fodder for even more creative pitches for us.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div>The first contact came through a friend of mine. His cousin had recently retired from practicing law and started up a microgreens farm in his back yard in San Diego. "Perfect for Tender Greens San Diego!" I squealed. Even better, the cousin, Paul Reeb, and his microgreens business Green Castle Micros are located in Point Loma, almost walking distance from the restaurant. Tender Greens is buying up all the microgreens Paul can grow and BONUS! he also grows more than 70 varieties of tomatoes (all in his back yard), and Tender Greens San Diego is buying up every last juicy one.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div>The second contact came through a referral from my husband's <a href="http://roadsideattractions.com/">boss</a> for <a href="http://www.margosbark.com/">Margo's Bark</a>, a tasty root beer which donates all profits to dog shelters. We picked them up as a client and referred them to our restaurant clients. Tender Greens immediately took a liking to the product and picked up the root beer for all three locations. Not only are they selling bottles of the brew, they're making unbelievably delicious root beer floats, which are already a huge hit in San Diego. </div>Amanda Whitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15745750254271640785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-19338607030066644942009-06-04T14:04:00.000-07:002009-06-04T14:09:18.385-07:00Powerful blogging, mixing new media and PR for maximum resultsI’ve been a PR practitioner for six years and during that time, things have changed dramatically. Gone are the days of massive media lists and cumbersome press mailings. Today, PR is more of a niche practice, one that requires professionals to be engaged with all facets of the media. While Oprah may be the Holy Grail for some, other companies consider extremely targeted media placements on a blog as their home run. <br /><br />A couple of weeks ago, I started reading “The New Rules of Marketing & PR” by David Meerman Scott. This book covers a range of topics for reaching a client’s consumer base through various mediums but I’m going to focus on my personal favorite - blogs. When you effectively deliver a newsworthy message to a blogger, you are reaching an audience that specifically follows that authority for niche information. The blogger’s reach (audience) may not be equal to an outlet like the Los Angeles Times, but smart clients realize that when their information is posted on a blog covering only cocktails, for example, readers of that blog have turned to the site specifically to find out where they should get their drink on in the city. The audience may be smaller, but they are certainly a more targeted one. <br /><br />At JS2, many of our clients are food and beverage related, and we have stayed ahead of the curve by recognizing that bloggers such as <a href="http://www.carolineoncrack.com/">Caroline on Crack</a>, <a href="http://la.eater.com/">LA Eater</a> and <a href="http://www.lamag.com/eat/blog.aspx">The Digest Blog</a> (from Los Angeles Magazine) are highly influential in determining where a consumer will go to enjoy a vegan meal, a happy hour special or an environmentally-sound dining option. And while every client wants a positive review in the food section of their major daily newspaper, information that connects directly with those seeking it is always a win.<br /><br />Over the next few weeks, as I delve deeper in to Meerman Scott’s book, I will share thoughts on my research and readings of the new age of PR. I do believe that this book is a refreshing look at how the industry has changed and I highly recommend the read not only for those at PR or marketing agencies, but also to those that rely on PR and marketing to reach their consumers. <br /><br />For those short on time (or attention span) here are a few of my personal favorite blogs covering new media PR…<br /><a href="http://www.briansolis.com/">PR 2.0</a><br /><a href="http://www.webinknow.com/">WebInkNow</a> – David Meerman Scott’s blog<br /><a href="http://prblog.typepad.com/">StrategicPublicRelations</a><br /><br />PS – I am NOT a “social media expert”; I AM a quick study, passionate about public relations and a social media enthusiast…Jamie Haley - @prgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03148943098999181540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-42331861276402159942009-06-03T12:01:00.000-07:002009-06-03T12:18:37.144-07:00Ivan Kane's Cafe Wa s Featured on New York Times Boite<div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343182189512947490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 178px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkE7P-wntsp-qeLIb_mKrT1YAxRpihedJoaFzMgePJ4OZTFFVsxQahCY2TNAuGm98GPlHtuCEgPWyrRsguKUDNB86RlouzuuQGa7xvdxoMxZxwMgSypqW7cni1WQ8yBRFameuHvUfM-eN/s320/nytimes.bmp" border="0" />Over Memorial Day weekend, <a href="http://www.cafewas.com/">Ivan Kane’s Café Wa s</a> was selected in the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/fashion/24boite.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=ivan%20kane" st="'cse">NY Times Boite</a> column in the Style section as one of the hottest new night spots in Hollywood. Drawing attention to the hip ambiance and vibe that is Café Wa s proves once again that Mr. Kane truly and actively always has his finger on the pulse!</div>Sheri Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13806234504044961769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-9476493576122180272009-06-03T10:31:00.000-07:002009-06-04T11:14:21.253-07:00<a href="http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/18/new-york-driving-course-goes-online/"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff9900;">Hit of the Week: New York Times “Wheels Blog”</span></span> </a><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:180%;color:#ff9900;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#003333;"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#333333;"><strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343159400255709170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 307px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBuj370Wk9Xo0gV4vOucNvH6taC__R7f0FaezLDc6m55yT6UO2_NRgmzATHKRSeHsF8f2XMLJLLQBoM43D_5Rog1kvo54LiJd3yyg82vKuG_EzEFRCARtVhq4JrDOAe438lzJXpLR-MOj/s320/New+Picture+(2).bmp" border="0" /></strong></span></span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#333333;">On May 18, our client </span><a href="http://www.myimprovnewyork.com/"><span style="color:#ff9900;">Improv <span style="color:#ff9900;">Aware</span> Driver</span></a><span style="color:#333333;"> was one of the first four DMV approved online defensive driving courses to launch in New York state, allowing New Yorkers to qualify for a mandatory 10% three-year insurance discount and a four-point reduction on their driving record, without ever leaving the comforts of their home. With the intension of beating the competition, we reached out to a sampling of high-profile media outlets to arrange for our story to break the morning of the launch. With a few personalized pitches and some additional follow-up calls, we were thrilled to get a message from one of the New York Times Wheels bloggers late Friday afternoon. After providing some additional information, a couple of website URLs and scheduling a few interviews, our story on online defensive driving courses was posted on Monday morning featuring a quote from the company founder, Gary Alexander and a direct link to our client’s website! Though we were one of four approved online courses launching that day, Improv Aware Driver was the only course named and described in the New York Times article. If you live in New York State and are looking for an easy and convenient way to save on car insurance, check out</span><span style="color:#ff9900;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.myimprovnewyork.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff9900;">www.MyImprovNewYork.com</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#333333;">. </span>Gina Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05648158299936350459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-82245501252278377712009-05-28T12:19:00.000-07:002009-06-04T11:16:39.161-07:00Princesses for a DayWhen the clock struck 12:15, grumbling stomachs were audible throughout the office. We primped, straitened our dresses and shirts and marched out the door to arrive promptly for a 12:30 reservation at Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro. We were met with a firm handshake from the general manager, Dan, who greeted even me, the intern, by first name. It was as if a golden tiara had been placed upon our heads and our loyal citizens were lying in wait to serve us. We were treated like royalty.<br /><br />After being shown to a private corner of the dining room, our first course had already been laid out: a charcuterie platter decorated with picked vegetables, hand-cut wedges of 7-8 cheese presented on a wooden board with honey and crispy bread slices drizzled with olive oil. Once our doting waitress presented each meat and cheese, noting the flavor, region, and whether or not it was to her liking, the general manager himself made us fresh Virgin Mary’s from the well-known Bloody cart. Tickled by the personal touches, we were then presented with our second course: a non-traditional Greek salad with chunks of fresh avocado, a Chinese chicken salad and a burrata and tomato Caprese-style salad. Signature fried squash blossoms stuffed with ricotta and served with a charred tomato sauce were given special mention. Though our stomachs were beginning to fill with creamy cheeses, chunks of chicken and smooth avocado, the next course was one to top the previous two. Fish and chips included a generous portion of lightly battered sole atop crispy French fries and tartar sauce and the Prime Dry-Aged All-Natural steak was perfectly medium-rare with a side of caramelized root vegetables (squash, carrots and radishes). The winning dish, to our taste, was the double breast of chicken surrounded by a medley of golden beets, wilted fennel and savory sauce.<br /><br />Our lunch was lengthened with a mid-meal tour of the upstairs steakhouse, intimate dining room and extensive second-floor, outdoor patio. We quickly returned to our table however to be presented with sweet, white-wine sangria and dessert: fluffy chocolate and vanilla soufflés, a trio of crème brulees (caramel, chocolate, and traditional vanilla) and a poached pear atop vanilla ice cream served in an old fashioned glass. A shot of espresso and twist of lemon rind did me in (though I had probably hit my limit by the salad course.)<br /><br />It was a meal to last me, if not a lifetime, then definitely the rest of the summer.Sheri Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13806234504044961769noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-21248863642049338372009-05-27T18:58:00.000-07:002009-05-27T19:01:49.938-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1d2ZJ0aCibuqfAZMIsgrj2LPNjqKV4z4m7YERg_RU1yQnui9iPeRoZ6efWh4io647hSglsu2zcebz9-zQMwmlAyvbR5XIZJ9K6eBXrLsfUuiWuBwVORybxBPgtvNMFwYII3JVHmpe15fB/s1600-h/Hank+O%27Neal.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340689150847413906" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 215px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1d2ZJ0aCibuqfAZMIsgrj2LPNjqKV4z4m7YERg_RU1yQnui9iPeRoZ6efWh4io647hSglsu2zcebz9-zQMwmlAyvbR5XIZJ9K6eBXrLsfUuiWuBwVORybxBPgtvNMFwYII3JVHmpe15fB/s320/Hank+O%27Neal.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>June is Gay Pride Month nationwide, which generally means that it’s a time for community-building festivals and parades and joyous expressions of pride in individuality and sexuality. But in California, celebrations are turning to protests as it was announced Tuesday that the courts will uphold Prop 8, the ban on same-sex marriage. For the lucky 18,000 who rushed to the alter during the brief moment gay marriage was legal in California, their marriages will stay intact, but for the countless other couples who hoped that the courts would reverse the ban as unconstitutional, more court battles and ballot initiatives await.<br /><br />It’s amazing and inspiring to think about how far gay rights have come since the 1960’s. The Stonewall Riots in 1969 marked the very beginning of the gay rights movement in America and to commemorate the anniversary of the June riots, the very next year an informal, spontaneous march happened on Christopher Street in New York City, marking the first Gay Pride Parade. Images from these early Gay Pride Parades were captured by Hank O’Neal in his book <em>Gay Days,</em> with captions by Alan Ginsberg and an intro written by William Burroughs (heavy hitters!).<br /><br />This month <a href="http://www.tendergreensfood.com/">Tender Greens </a>West Hollywood will unveil a new permanent photo installation featuring selections from O’Neal’s Christopher Street images (see photo above for sample). The images, which will wallpaper the restaurant, will be installed next week, and to celebrate the unveiling, Tender Greens will host a week of fundraising events benefiting the LA Gay & Lesbian Center June 8-14. All profits from the sales of Agent for Change wines that week will be donated to the Center and on June 11, 5% of all profits for the day at the restaurant will be donated. On the evening of June 11, a private fundraiser will be held at the restaurant, benefiting the LA Gay & Lesbian Center.</div>Amanda Whitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15745750254271640785noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8368667118111881085.post-36088957069028607492009-05-22T06:43:00.000-07:002009-05-22T07:11:07.479-07:00One Year Post Grad<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaijMRlOicEMkBuhuwRNAdxgC2xsjSZpDsqrNoa4KzRWRxUPyMHEJs8Ec0n4xjpLZXWVIHq4HNdTLFUDdzU7iMxJ8U4NnM9d-ppPxPYQ1vWxno4a_dJ5WZ8gYdgsiGytQ9MlAf6lC84nE/s1600-h/1+hires.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 103px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaijMRlOicEMkBuhuwRNAdxgC2xsjSZpDsqrNoa4KzRWRxUPyMHEJs8Ec0n4xjpLZXWVIHq4HNdTLFUDdzU7iMxJ8U4NnM9d-ppPxPYQ1vWxno4a_dJ5WZ8gYdgsiGytQ9MlAf6lC84nE/s320/1+hires.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338645816437838690" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Comic Sans MS""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">As spring fades and summer heats up I realize it has been exactly one year since I graduated from college. Last May I was a proud graduate of </span><st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.adelphi.edu/">Adelphi</a></span></st1:placename><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.adelphi.edu/"> </a></span><st1:placetype st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.adelphi.edu/">University</a></span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> with a Bachelor’s Degree and barely a clue of my future. Like many graduates I packed up my dorm room and headed back to my hometown to figure out my next move. But after I unpacked the last four years of my life and settled into my parents’ house I realized that after four years away from home the last place I wanted to be was there.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Comic Sans MS""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So with an updated cover letter and resume I hit the career websites. After about a week of in-person interviews and countless emails correspondence, I realized it wasn’t necessarily the jobs I wasn’t interested in, it was the location. A small town in </span><st1:state st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">New Jersey</span></st1:state><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> is no place for a girl with big PR dreams and </span><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">New York</span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> is where I wanted to be. Luckily I had met a really great mentor and friend while interning in college who saw my potential and began to make calls on my behalf. Within a few days she gave me <a href="http://www.js2comm.com/">JS² Communications</a>’ contact information and I emailed Alissa. After a short phone interview I was offered a paid internship for two days a week and I took it!</span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Comic Sans MS""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The following Monday I arrived at JS² Communications’ </span><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">New York</span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> office and dove right into work. What happened next is completely a ‘right place, right time’ situation – on my second day at JS² I was offered a full time internship with the possibility of becoming a full time employee! I definitely hit the internship/career jackpot on that one. By August I was a full time Account Coordinator and almost one year later I’m an Assistant Account Executive.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Comic Sans MS""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Of course not all career beginnings are as successful but I’d like to think there is just as much hope and opportunity for the Class of 2009. The key to finding and making a career is to be driven and never give up. It may take weeks or even months after graduation before landing the perfect opportunity, but I promise it is worth it. In my case I took a chance with a part-time internship in my desired field, hoping that it would turn into something more.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Comic Sans MS""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Currently at JS² Communications we have two fabulous interns with a world of potential; Jennifer Rodstrom in the </span><st1:state st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">New York</span></st1:state><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> office and Sheri Holt in the </span><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Los Angeles</span></st1:place></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> office.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Comic Sans MS""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Congratulations to the Class of 2009!</span></span><span style="Comic Sans MS"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1