Holiday Decor in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn

In the blink of an eye, the holiday season is upon us. All of a sudden I have been seeing Christmas playlists on Spotify, specialty seasonal desserts at Trader Joe’s and decorations galore.  Decorating our apartment in Bed-Stuy is a far departure from decorating my parents’ house in Delaware.  Because of lack of time and not having a childhood’s worth of paper ornaments at my disposal, decorations themselves are sparse but still fit in with the style of our apartment: makeshift leftovers from college and other friends’ apartments yet styled with good taste.

Five Ways to Get Inspired Right Now

We all have our slow afternoons. What with the fact this weekend is Halloween (and I’m looking for someone to go to Hell at the Hall at Webster Hall with The Black Lips) and the cold weather is creeping in, it can be hard to find inspiration. Here are five ways to do so:

Listen  to something new

The CMJ Music Marathon wrapped up last week, so there are plenty of recaps about which bands you should listen to.  So fire up your Spotify  and start listening.  I’m currently loving Friends (video up above).  If you aren’t in the mood to great your own custom music listening experience, search for ready made playlists and mixtapes.  Try Gorilla Vs. Bear  (there’s a great Halloween 2011 mix now) or try 99% Music Mix – Destination: Elsewhere by Arye Dworken of Self-Titled.

Response to “The Kids Are Actually Sort of Alright” From NY Mag

A few days ago, the article “The Kids Are Actually Sort of Alright” from New York Magazine was circulated among my colleagues.  The article was about how many people in the “millenial” generation were unable to find jobs, lost hope, and felt cheated out of the golden future they were promised as adolescents.  My colleagues who were commenting about it were not of the “millenial generation,” so I felt a need to give my two cents and simultaneously end the long email chain:

Rules of the Road for the CMJ Artists, Sponsors, and Weary Attendees

CMJ Music Marathon has fallen upon NYC again and  I’m not quite sure if it’s the Northeast equivalent of SXSW as people are stating.  Some lineups are fantastic, some sponsors make rookie mistakes, and attendees need to find a way to go to as many shows as possible while bringing their A-game to their day job the next day.  Below are some Rules of the Road that should be followed whether you’re a CMJ Artist, sponsor, or weary attendee.

Blast From the Past: What Do I Have to Say to College Students?

Flier for "Making Moves"

Today I’m speaking at my alma mater Hofstra University to speak during one of Professor Tom Klinkowstein‘s (Media A) classes about life post-grad and how to find opportunity and success. Despite the fact it’s been nearly two years since I graduated, I can’t call him anything without saying “professor” beforehand.

My Favorite Things #9 – The Rugby Tweed Run Edition

Yes, I love The Ramones, wore safety pins on my Catholic high school uniform, and have gone to Pitchfork Music Festival four times in five years, but I love Rugby.  They happen to be a client of 360i, but my love for them had started long ago.  Based on a discovery this morning,  my favorite things this week are all about The Rugy Tweed Run, a “metropolitan bicycle ride with a bit of style.”  Sharing them now will only further fuel the fire. 

Lesson Learned: I Went On A Grouper Date/Was Part of a Dating Scam (allegedly)

I was in some small way part of a scandal – does that mean I have finally arrived?

I met Jerry Guo during Happy Hour at General Assembly.  We started a conversation, acommon practice for such networking opportunities, when he said I would be perfect to try out his start-up Grouper, which was/was not a dating site.  You signed up, allowed access to your Facebook profile, and get matched up with a member of the opposite sex.  Grouper arranged the place and time and both the guy and girl were supposed to bring two of their friends of their same gender. It was supposed to be a great way to meet new people in a swanky environment.  I thought why not and Jerry followed up with me a week later.

New York City Is So Over

Bridge Into Manhattan

Last night I went to the Bohemian Hall Beer Garden in Astoria to say goodbye to my friend Jacob Vanags.  He’s moving to Los Angeles in a fews days with his brother to become the hottest duo to hit the travel industry and pursue music.  My roommate Erin Willett is leaving today to pursue her dream and she is this close to making it.

Both friends I met at Hofstra University, a school notorious for having students accept admission only because of the close proximity to New York City, the epicenter of the world and full of opportunities.  Why are my most talented friends talking about leaving then?

stillspotting nyc: To A Great City

On the 47th Floor of the 7 World Trade Center

This past weekend I took my friend Josh to stillspotting nyc: To a Great City, an off-site exhibition from the Guggenheim.  It was a self-guided walking tour that took us from Battery Park, Governor’s Island, the Woolworth Building, and finally the 47^th floor in 7 World Trade Center overlooking the entire city and the newly opened 9/11 Memorial.  For the first true fall weekend, it was the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon, whether an architect, designer, musician, or just art enthusiast – or looking to see some of the hidden spots of downtown Manhattan not available to the public.

PostSecret App Launch Party – How a postcard can be social

Last night my friend Lise took me to the PostSecret App Launch Party sponsored by Flavorpill.  PostSecret is Frank Warren’s creation, his third project involving postcards. For one project, he released 52 bottles, one every Sunday, into a lake. Each bottle had a hand shaped postcard with quotes. The project was so mysterious, it was covered by Fox News.

The PostSecret Project was started six years ago