I arrived at Mark Stahlman's 50th birthday party, held in the new media meister's Flatiron loft, which took a year and an untold cast of thousands to outfit. Columbia J-school new media guru John Pavlik watched his kids play pool, Flatiron Partner Fred Wilson eyed the crab cakes with the suspicious eye of a seasoned VC, while Mark hobnobbed with as varied a guest list as you're likely to find in Silicon Alley, which included his fellow NYNMA co-founders Connie Connors and Brian Horey. I had an opportunity to talk at length with Tristan Louis, Jennifer Weiner. Digital movie mogul Jonathan Sarno was also present, musing at the impressive bookshelves (Stahlman's personal library stacks, lined with HG Wells volumes) and mounds of yummy snacks on round tables. Only the eel in Mark's fish tank seemed shy of the goings-on. The birthday cake came out, the rockabilly band played, and the champagne flowed more than Robin Leach could even dream.
Mark seemed not at all perplexed at reaching the half-century milestone, happily describing the occasion as akin to a "jubilee"--a grand reckoning of things past and celebration of the future. Later, I bid adieu to the "inventor of the terms that define us" and skipped on down to Fiddlesticks for a nightcap with John Barlow. While some pups from Jersey spilled beer and broke mugs on the floor, John commanded us to "Go to Africa!" The Dorothy Parker-esque Bonnie Halpern, fiery Sean Lucey, and statuesque Steve of ISS mused at all the day's events and what tomorrow will bring. (Hint: A lot!)
(Appeared originally in @The Scene in the @NY newsletter)
