A sea of activities

It’s summer in the city and the days are hot and sticky. But that doesn’t prevent the city from its usual pace of conferences and ability to address hot and sticky issues. For instance, the Fancy Food show is going on at the Javits Center. I’m sure there’s lots of hot and sticky things going on there. And the movie “Legally Blonde” is having a hot promotion with its “Go Blond for a Day” at Gotham’s two Vidal Sassoon salons. Michael Chaut of Monday Night Magic told me their 200th show was Monday, July 9th, where those talented magician-maestros extricated themselves from some other sticky situations.

And then there was the 6th Annual New York City Venture Capital Conference and Showcase that started on July 8th and continued through the 10th. Lots of sticky issues about launching, building, financing, structuring, restructuring, capitalizing, recapitalizing and surviving were addressed at this three-day VC power fest. Attending a conference on a Sunday is not usually high on my list of things to do, it was, however, a weekend highlight for about 200 of the attendees who did show up and listen to the workshops. I popped over to catch the beginning of the wine and cheese networking reception, and saw conference organizers and exhibitors put the last minute touches on booths and banners. And I chatted with just a few guests to get a sense that this conference promised to pack a punch with powerful information and networking. Shazam!

I-Hatch Ventures managing principal Derek Reisfield reported that his panel, with Silicon Alley Venture Partners managing director Stephen Brotman and Advantage Capital Partners SVP Elliot Fishman, on “Creative Strategies for CEOs/CXOs” was well attended. He was deep in conversation with a young upstart so I let them continue. I didn’t get far, however before I was descended upon by the informative trio of New York Insider Magazine’s technology editor Trent Gough, Black Cat Media Associates president Allen Leider and American Commentary Global News Service editor-in-chief Stanley Hersch. Stanley expertly and deftly shuffled a deck of cards while Trent and I caught up on various summer escapades and travels. And while I was learning about where to make my tresses blonder (see above) Stanley then placed one of those ancient and ceaselessly amazing party toys in my palm – it was the Fortune Teller Miracle Fish. Well, the fish diagnosed me as "In Love," then "Passionate" and then "Fickle." Trent and Allan were "In Love," and Stanley stopped his fish before we knew his diagnosis too--"love."

Ah well, Love is a fickle thing, no? Meanwhile consultant Vincent Yeh came over to chat and TechKnowMan Rich Garboski barreled over to announce some pre-press news (just wait and you’ll hear it here first very soon!). There were a few dozen men still mingling and chatting, but this reporter knew it was going to be a busy week, and she needed to get back to relaxing the rest of the Sunday afternoon away.