Thursday, September 25, 1997

Flatiron Partners' new offices

Unveiling a stunning new office suite straight out of the pages of Architectural Digest that looked like it cost as much as many Silicon Alley companies have for seed money, the Flatiron Partners opened a real-world monument to their cyberspace business last week that does everything but shout "class" up and down Broadway.

Stepping out onto the 12th floor landing at 257 Park Avenue South, visitors to the Partners' new digs were greeted with calming green and beige tile mosaic framing the historic Flatiron building. The smooth blond wood floors pulled you toward the massive glass doors, washing up onto a hard grey corian-like floor balanced with dark grey monochromatic checkerboard clipped carpeting.

Right at the entrance of this sleek new airy office space, designed by David Levin, was @NY editor Jason Chervokas chatting with Evan Goetz of Edelman PR. After announcing his recent promotion from senior account executive to account supervisor, Evan divulged that Jeff Ratner (vice president, associate director, Brand Dialogue) used to be a very generous baby-sitter and let him watch Night Rider. Awwww.

The crowd was thick with stylishly clad notable new media types including the partners themselves, Fred Wilson and Jerry Colonna; some of the folks they've invested in, including Yoyodyne honcho Seth Godin and eShare chief James Tito.

While Citysearch was having a party the same night to celebrate the redesign of their site--and Metrobeat founder Mark Davies flew in from the west coast with newly-dyed bleach blond hair--I couldn't pull myself away from the sleek black filing cabinets clustered near desks separated by low folding screens of hard-frosted plastic with black frames. As beautiful as a seven-figure SoftBank check...almost.

Outside the glass-enclosed conference room, with its revolutionary ironing board room table, I met Jeffrey Phillips, director of sales and marketing for Rhizome Internet L.L.C., who talked about the objects in StockObjects' new media stock library. Similar to a stock library of photos, StockObjects licenses 3D models, Java, Shockwave, gif animations, VRML, flash and other Web development objects for developers.

Ed Bennett greeted me enthusiastically and I told him about all the fun I had traveling across the country and riding a motorcycle at Burning Man. He had many good stories too about his travels to beautiful Vietnam, which is hooked up to the world...sorta. Not the Internet, but "NamNet" is owned by the government where apparently all e-mails stay for several days on the server. Whether these are actually read or not is still up to speculation.

Ed also spoke lively of his days at VH1 in 1991. Inundated with calls from record labels who were sending him bucketsfull of demos, Ed decided to try and make something more useful with all this money being poured into producing music videos. During a typically beautiful Napa Valley evening at Francis Ford Coppola's, Ed and he planned a series on VH1 of long format programming. No shortage of film students knocking on Mr. Coppola's door, they decided to reroute the undiscovered talent from the typical arduous path of getting a job as a director of music videos to commercials to big movies (if lucky). Coppola would find the grads and they would use the record lable company's money to produce something worth the great director's time (not your average 4 minute video). The first one was William Burrough's "A Junkies Christmas" done by a Yugoslavian director who was an animation genius.

These days Ed is busy with "10 different things" ranging from radio syndication, a new cable network launch that is niche driven to foreign languages. He told me how the US is really one of the only countries that is so niche driven in its marketing, and outside the US "its mass marketing." For instance China is installing 14 million cellular phones a year, and the demand is increasing.

(Appeared originally in @The Scene in the @NY newsletter)

Celebrites and the Russian Web Girls 2nd party

The party was still in full swing as I left to go uptown to an opening at the Sally Mann gallery. There was a hip crowd mostly dressed in black mingling outside smoking cigarettes and getting fresh air from the very packed show upstairs. While waiting Alec Baldwin and Leonardo D'Caprio briskly walked past, regrouping before a dinner out at a sushi-restaurant.

Cut-crystal and silver buckets filled with mounds of fresh caviar were passed around at the Russian Web Girls second party at the Gallery at 678 Broadway (owned by Sean Gibbons and Kumar Kalantri). In true celebration of Moscow's 850th birthday, and all things extravagant and Russian, there was a fur fashion show by Levenson Furs models Alla Goldshetyn and Julia Livinov, Soprano Anay Fidelia with accompanist Alla Katchan and comic singer accordian performer Yury Lemeshev. RWGs Tanya Aleksa (executive producer), Alona Makeeva (art director) were sporting their domain name address painted down full length clingy shimmery dresses -- original creations from designer Anya Elia. Vica Vinogradova, creative producer, and artist Marianna Trofimova were all boogie-ing to the loud pumping music while Vodka Boy pouring shots of Kremlyovskay for thirsty dancers. Next to the kiosk selling St. Peter's styled Faberge eggs, ikon e ikonka (icons and miniature icons), and posters was a mini bar with piles of Russian chocolates and drinks.

Ken Schaeffer and his famous Russian actress wife Alla Kliouka were donning typical Soviet military caps, scarfs, and jackets. They were just back from Moscow where Alla won the Russian equivilent of the Oscar ("Green Apple") in 1995, and the Sochi Film Festival in June, both as "best actress." Back in NYC at Carnegie Hall last Tuesday she emcee'd the "850 Years Moscow" spectacular, with all the ambassadors and lots of Russian stars of stage, sceen, TV, ballet, opera, and pop! There were 6 pages on Alla in September's Premier (Russian edition, same publishers -- Filipachi). Ken, not anyone to sneeze at either, has been to Russia approximately 65 times since 1985. After planning on retiring from Russia a couple of years ago, when he married Alla, sold his satellites-over-Russia company to Comsat, and had a baby ... But when he visited in August, just to see friends in Moscow and Almaty -- he got hooked again. Currently Ken is working with some companies back in Kazakhstan (11 times zones) to solve some impasses/disconnects with their partners.

We were compared notes about Moscow from '91 when I'd been there originally. Boy has it changed! The Arbat -- Moscow's "Bleeker Street" -- has gone from slightly seedy, with small tables set up by Ukrainian Babushka's, street-smart urban youth selling watches and underground paintings to a typical cobblestoned street in Paris or Soho. Not the "looking for a spouse" crowd of last year, well dressed people sit at cafes sipping cappuccinos while beautiful people parade by.

(Appeared originally in @The Scene in the @NY newsletter)

Tuesday, September 23, 1997

echoMEDIA's new product, Sesame-Ad

OPEN SESAME! echoMEDIA demoed its new product, Sesame-Ad, to a select audience Tuesday morning (9/23) at The New York Yacht Club on 44th Street. Based out of Rhode Island, this club a natural choice for this company's demo.

If you've ever walked down 44th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues, you may have noticed odd bubble shaped windows jutting out over the sidewalk. Originally designed in 1901 by Whitney Warren, who studied at the L'ecole Beaux Arts and went on to design Grand Central Station, whose Model Room has these windows.  Inside, under these windows are soft deep red velvet and leather banquettes, perfect for sharing a cup of tea in the morning or cocktail in the afternoon.

Of course there is nothing dainty about the interior this room. Was this space designed by Wm. Randolph Hearst? It could have been for "Oppressive," "Massive" and "Domineering" are the words one might use to describe this two-storied room. Dark polished oak wood covered the walls, ceiling fixtures, and moldings. Nautical motifs including sea monsters, dolphins, and seaweed adorned most every fixture: a wood balcony on one side was detailed with light and dark painted green seaweed, 10' tall Caen stone (from Normandy) sea monsters flanked a large oil painting of ships at sea on the 47 ton fireplace. Heavy black iron chandeliers with coconut-sized frosted glass lamps speckled the ceiling and, while dark, couldn't hide the 30' oval brilliant golden-toned stained glass sunroof. Dark Teal fabric covered with halves of ship models covered the walls in addition to large models contained within even larger exhibition cases.

But enough about the impressive nautical room. echoMEDIA has hopes for Sesame-Ad to be the secret opening to a new wave of interactive-web advertising. This software delivers already made TV commercials on the web in either 1/4, 1/2, or whole page ads in child pop-up windows, or as interstitials. The user doesn't go away to a different site as with a banner click-through, or have the entire page blocked by an ad (with the exception of the interstitials).

You can see samples of this new exciting model at: Jumbo (one of the largest software, promo download sites) and Travelfacts.com (a 23yr. old company and one of the largest publishers of travel info on the web). Some current clients include: Kodak, Sandals resorts, Carnival Cruises, United Airlines, and USA Today.

Among the guests at this morning's preview was Katie Antheil
(kanthei1@rodalepress.com) of Rodale Press (http://www.rodalepress.com). Not focusing on the Amazon.com model, as that's a proven big competitor, Rodale has created various websites based on books they've published. Some sites are:
FatFreeLiving.com and Men's Health magazine (http://www.menshealth.com)

Introducing the panel and this product was Richard Fisher, Director of echoMEDIA. echoMEDIA was founded in 1995 and is based out of Newport, R.I. Fully owned by NetMaster now, echoMEDIA is traded on Nasdaq as NETZ, and is a major
player in the web advertising arena. Tom Burgess, President/CEO of echoMEDIA came up to speak and take us through the demo. WOW! Slick presentation.

This software will deliver the appropriate ad based on various user specifications. It will be delivered in any format you want, any length, has auto scheduling, and starts playing during the download of the webpage. Part of the software is the Campaign Manager, which can determine the frequency of the ads, target the audience by time, timezone, website, and ensure there are no
repeat ads -- if you so desire.

All of this wondrousness is served up from (quess what? -- that's right) the proprietary ad-server. This efficient machine not only serves up the ads but also generates a report in the structure you want.

(Appeared originally in @The Scene in the @NY newsletter)

Canadian Consulate + Augustine Fou's "e-dinner" (Entreprenuer's Dinner)

Later on Tuesday, 9/23, the Canadian Consulate General and Augustine Fou (go-Digital Internet Consulting Group) hosted this month's "e-dinner" (Entreprenuer's Dinner http://www.edinner.org). Set down in the concourse level of 1251 Avenue of the Americas, our trip to Canadian soil was a modern
comforting experience. The fine blond wood paneled room with seafoam green marble tiled floors and matching carpet was a warm invitation despite the nice wine and cheese.

Here's the run down of the speakers:
Ted Werth who co-founded TotalNY, and managed it successfully until it was recently acquired by Digital Cities/AOL. Merger completed, he is consulting with several entertainment and new media start-ups.

Todd Krizelman/Stephen Paternot - Todd and Stephen co-founded WebGenesis, the company that created The Globe which today boasts 600,000 registered users and recently landed $20 million in additional funding.

The topic of this month's e-dinner is "Internet 201: Managing Success."

Following are some sound bites for the quote hungry...(please note these are not direct quotes, and in some instances I summarized).

What works?
Krizelman: it's developing the team, there's no room for egos...stick with an idea, persistance.
Werth: Building a big brand on the web...the brand is critical.
Paternot: Unless you have a big brand, or lots of money, you probably can't make it.

(!) wow. Telling that to an audience of New York Entrepeneurs is like giving Jimmy the Greek tips to a betting junkie. Case in point, Susan Tracy is looking to start her own business, has "a dollar and a dream" and aspires to be on the WWWAC Board and Party Coordinator.

Question posed by seasoned journalist Katherine Cavenaugh:
What's their definition of success?
Werth: Everyone defines success differently...Not to have it [TotalNY] go down the tubes in 6 months.
Paternot: Is finding venture capital succss? No. Is having people leave AOL to join them success? Yes.

Other questions asked were:
How did they start their marketing?
Paternot: Word of mouth.
Krizelman: Gut instinct... thought about how they were being presented in brochures, on the web. They launched on 4/1/95 (no joke) but didn't begin subscription services until late summer of '96. Their subscription is pretty reasonable considering it is $25/year, and you can have a no-obligation 6 month
trial period. If at that time you decide to get a paid subscription -- you get a discount!

Werth: Lots of cross-marketing -- did article/link exchanges with  Hampton's Magazine, Flatiron News, did lots of events, cybercast...

Krizelman: they turned away money because the Angel didn't share the right vision

Paternot: The Globe is beginning to follow the Silicon Valley lead in handing out equity to employees as a way to give/get something and loyalty from the employees.

Ted encouraged Heidi Lee, a recent grad from American University, to explore her interests by researching on the web, and that there are books and websites devoted to business plans if she needed.

Co-Host Augustine Fou added the Small Business Administration is also on the web (http://www.sbaonline.sba.gov/).

What's the future of the internet?
Paternot: building routers and switches (!) Actually -- How people socialize, virtual communities... New York *will* become the top financial center.
Werth: E-commerce... How will anything be sold but at the cheapest price. There will be a lot of competition in this area. Also: they've been saying "content is king" for a long time now -- content will eventually converge with TV so you will be flipping through and be able to see streaming TV.
Paternot:

Ted Werth goes to the "About" section of any website first to find out who are these people? Who will I be dealing with? What type of organization is this?

Other guests present: Chef Ashbell (foodstop.com, and in size 23 shoes!), Mariel Smith, Bob Ponce, and Bonnie Siegel who needs volunteers for some exciting educational programs with children and computers. Larry Kessler of "Let's Talk Business" network (www.ltbn.com) mentioned the mentoring program at Columbia University's New Media and Business Program. They are looking to raise $10 million, which will match corporate mentoring of an individual's education. Lauren Wechsler
(Dir. Marketing and Communications, Kokopelli) filled me in on an upcoming Valentine's Day event. Kokopelli is doing the website for V-Day '98 where celebrities (including Drew Barrymore, Susan Sarandon, Bette Midler, Wynona Ryder) will perform pieces from Eve Ensler's renowned "The Vagina Monologues."

Gregory Belmont (CereBel.com) informed us his site's virtual communities, specifically the Chess Club which has existed since March 1995. Michael Chaut, insurance-man for internet companies by day/magician by night performed a few impromptu tricks for us after the panel. He produces a Monday Night magic sgiw,

I joined Jeff Stewart, Sunny Youn (inventor at AT&T Bell Labs, syoun@attmail.com), Ann Yokum, the svelte Uta Knablein and GQ-ready Justin Greene (Greene Communications, www.gcdi.com), afterwards for a diet coke while they munched on a slice of pizza.

(This is the unedited version. The edited version appeared originally in @The Scene in the @NY newsletter)

Thursday, September 18, 1997

SonicNet, Sherry Netherlands, Conde Nast, Pseudo

While all the big web music industry types were hobnobbing and breakdancing at the SonicNet party, I ended up on a unique span of New York's nitelife. After meeting up with Ann Yokum, who currently works with the Metropolitan Museum of Art on a special photography magazine, we went to a black-tie event at the Sherry Netherlands for the Colonial War Foundation. I unexpectedly bumped into Randall Stempler (randall@stempler.com) who told me of all sorts of fun parties, and his work in the Law sector of late. He introduced me to Cliff Ainsworth (http://www.cliffsworld.com) who has a number of interesting projects.

After tasting some yummy desserts we headed down, but alas! too late for SonicNet. Instead we chatted with Mohammed, the security guard up on the 10th floor at Conde Nast International about Baywatch and the magazines they publish. Continuing south we spied a group of people hanging out on the sidewalk in front of Pseudo's building.  We ventured upstairs and indeed there was a mini rave going on.  Wafts of strange smoked weeds greeted us as hosts and producers Thomas "T-Bo," and Uzi Fisher of the show "FreQ" were well into a jam session. FreQ is 3 hrs. of electronic music ranging from house to techno and trip-hop to jungle. Thomas had already painted his face all bright blue, donned 4 ties, a red Bozo clown wig, tweed hat and jacket, fake glasses with eyelashes, raw silk beige shirt, faded charcoal twill pants, and birkenstock-like shoes. Hopping around, and warming up, he wasn't too talkative to us. Uzi however filled me in on how this show is more rave oriented and they are interested in building a community or mud-like channel. (They should try Burning Man!) Uzi states: "People get ahead by helping each other." The interface he describes as like a Matryoshka, a doll within a doll, a navigable world, multi-national based community. Regarding Burning Man he comments the "cultural fragmentation is unbelievable...Sometimes the fragmentation doesn't' lead to wholeness."  We were like magnets to the blue screen and the big guys break dancing in front of it... In near giddy-hypnotism we moved behind the ravers and boogied a bit ourselves. After a few rounds of songs, we stepped out from the mesmerizing music (you should see the psychedelic colors on the webpage!). One raver came up to us and said, "the contrast was intense!"

(Appeared originally in @The Scene in the @NY newsletter)

Wednesday, September 17, 1997

Calendar of Events - published 9/17/97

Artnetweb (http://www.artnetweb.com) offers courses, projects, readings, links, bulletin boards, and a host of other things making this site a true resource for all things digital art related.

9/11 - 12/18: Thursdays @12:30 pm (except 11/27) Thundergulch presents Lunchtime @ the Wall, utilizing the building's impressive 14-foot video wall located in the lobby as a site to present artists' video, CD-ROM,
and internet projects to the downtown lunchtime crowd. More info: (http://www.thundergulch.org)

9/17, BYTES OF BRYANT PARK
Started 3 months ago, Steven Koplowitz, in collaboration with Webbed Feats, (nonprofit org of artists devoted to presenting site-specific performances developed w/www audiences) launched www.webbedfeats.org to solicit contributions for the project. You can contribute to the event in a # of ways. Check out the site for more info.

9/23, 7 - 9 PM, e-dinner at the Canadian Consulate (SW corner of 50th Street and Ave. of the Americas, entrance on 50th Street) Dinner will not be served due to unreasonable catering prices. And speaker bio info and much more are on the website http://www.edinner.org.

9/25: Columbia Business School Alumni Club/New York Media and Marketing Committees presents the first of two events dealing with Electronic Commerce: "Electronic Commerce: The Next Frontier or The Latest Buzzword?" Sony Building, 550 Madison Avenue (at 55th St.), (20th Floor), Recep: 5:30 PM, Program 6:30 PM, Fee: $10 advance, $15 at the door, For more info call (212) 854-8815

9/24, 5:15 - 7:45 PM, MIT Enterprise Forum of New York City, Inc. presents "Blueprints for Success in Elelctronic Commerce: Building Virtual Communities for Real Profit," Chase Manhattan Bank, 270 Park Ave. (47th St.), NYC.  3rd floor auditorium, Pre-registration required by Thursday, September 18th, Prepaid members $25.  Prepaid nonmembers $40.  Additional $10 at the door, Send registration/payment to: Dick Reisman, Digital Media Committee Member, MIT Enterprise Forum of NY, 420 Lexington Ave., Rm.2400, NYC 10170.  Voice 212.681.1112.  Fax 212.687.3524., e-mail: reisman@teleshuttle.com

9/25, 8 - 11pm, Russian Web Girls party, Gallery @678 Broadway, 2 floor, Join in the secret celebration of the 850th anniversary of Moscow. Come feel the chill of Red Square, where the Mausoleum of Lenin and the Cathedral of St.Basil stand together, where the old and the new freely mix. Vodka and peroshkis will warm you spirit and strolling minstrels will warm you heart. On the walls, the works of artists, no longer underground, will make a miniature gallery. And, the runways will be cleared and forbidden Russian beauties will show the latest Moscow styles. wine/beer cash bar, $10 cover charge, dress in red RSVP: 212*475*6393, www.russianwebgirls.com

1998: March 31st - April 2nd, Computer World Expo, Sweden, Current invited speakers from the US are...Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison, Amazon.com, Robert Palmer, Louis V Gerstner... Topics for the 3 days focus on politics-economics-technique, Electronic Commerce, the millennium problems. For more info and suggestions on speakers/topics, please write to: Christian Bergenstraahle (christian.bergenstraahle@nxt.se)

(Appeared originally in @The Scene in the @NY newsletter)

Steve Joblonsky art show


Steve Jablonsky was busy as he had an art opening at the Howard Green Gallery 2nd floor (120 wooster Street). Some of his online work can be found at (http://www.imaginarystudio.com). Among the digital artists were Lorraine Tobias of STIR and Howard Wanderman of Site Specific.

(Appeared originally in @The Scene in the @NY newsletter)
 

Calendar of Events - published 9/17/97

Artnetweb (http://www.artnetweb.com) offers courses, projects, readings, links, bulletin boards, and a host of other things making this site a true resource for all things digital art related.


9/17, BYTES OF BRYANT PARK
Started 3 months ago, Steven Koplowitz, in collaboration with Webbed Feats, (nonprofit org of artists devoted to presenting site-specific performances developed w/www audiences) launched www.webbedfeats.org to solicit contributions for the project. You can contribute to the event in a # of ways. Check out the site for more info.

9/11 - 12/18: Thursdays @12:30 pm (except 11/27) Thundergulch presents Lunchtime @ the Wall, utilizing the building's impressive 14-foot video wall located in the lobby as a site to present artists' video, CD-ROM,
and internet projects to the downtown lunchtime crowd. More info: (http://www.thundergulch.org)

9/23, 7 - 9 PM, e-dinner at the Canadian Consulate (SW corner of 50th Street and Ave. of the Americas, entrance on 50th Street) Dinner will not be served due to unreasonable catering prices. And speaker bio info and much more are on the website http://www.edinner.org.

9/25: Columbia Business School Alumni Club/New York Media and Marketing Committees presents the first of two events dealing with Electronic Commerce: "Electronic Commerce: The Next Frontier or The Latest Buzzword?" Sony Building, 550 Madison Avenue (at 55th St.), (20th Floor), Recep: 5:30 PM, Program 6:30 PM, Fee: $10 advance, $15 at the door, For more info call (212) 854-8815

9/24, 5:15 - 7:45 PM, MIT Enterprise Forum of New York City, Inc. presents "Blueprints for Success in Elelctronic Commerce: Building Virtual Communities for Real Profit," Chase Manhattan Bank, 270 Park Ave. (47th St.), NYC.  3rd floor auditorium, Pre-registration required by Thursday, September 18th, Prepaid members $25.  Prepaid nonmembers $40.  Additional $10 at the door, Send registration/payment to: Dick Reisman, Digital Media Committee Member, MIT Enterprise Forum of NY, 420 Lexington Ave., Rm.2400, NYC 10170.  Voice 212.681.1112.  Fax 212.687.3524., e-mail: reisman@teleshuttle.com

9/25, 8 - 11pm, Russian Web Girls party, Gallery @678 Broadway, 2 floor, Join in the secret celebration of the 850th anniversary of Moscow. Come feel the chill of Red Square, where the Mausoleum of Lenin and the Cathedral of St.Basil stand together, where the old and the new freely mix. Vodka and peroshkis will warm you spirit and strolling minstrels will warm you heart. On the walls, the works of artists, no longer underground, will make a miniature gallery. And, the runways will be cleared and forbidden Russian beauties will show the latest Moscow styles. wine/beer cash bar, $10 cover charge, dress in red RSVP: 212*475*6393, www.russianwebgirls.com

1998: March 31st - April 2nd, Computer World Expo, Sweden, Current invited speakers from the US are...Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison, Amazon.com, Robert Palmer, Louis V Gerstner... Topics for the 3 days focus on politics-economics-technique, Electronic Commerce, the millennium problems. For more info and suggestions on speakers/topics, please write to: Christian Bergenstraahle (christian.bergenstraahle@nxt.se)

MSNBC, You Know Me!

Well we all already know about the little social faux pas that happened last week with the MSNBC party. Its bad enough if you have to uninvite guests (especially if you're the guest), but to publicly show email addresses to everyone else who didn't "make the cut" adds fuel to the fire. Not missing a
step, New Jersey Online sent out an email invitation to all those (un)lucky guests for brewskies at the Greenwich Brewing Company. Vin Crosbie slipped me the list, but to republicize the names would take tacky beyond Velvet Diana wall-hangings. Kudos to NJO for seizing a prime opportunity to capture an audience chomping at the bit for a good time and bonding.

I managed to squeeze through the tight security and made my way into the bustling Knitting Factory the warm evening of 9/17. The usual characters were filling the stage: Howard Greenstein (Microsoft), Matthew Shevach (Narrowline), David Frackman, Sam Huxley, and Mike Potter (Brand Dialogue), Bonnie Halper (sendresume.com), Richard Greenfield (journalist) and Denise Siedner (Grey Interactive). Andrew Locke (MSNBC on the Internet, Redmond) and Brian Storm (MSNBC, Lead Multimedia Editor) didn't have much to explain about the eyeballs lapel pins all MSNBC employees were wearing. It was "just something to do..." TV monitors around the 3 leveled alternative art and music space highlighted the MSNBC site, the facilities and clips of shows.

Dan Schock (Microsoft's NY Sidewalk) informed me they distributed 20,000 tickets of give-aways and prizes in Bryant Park this summer during a lunch-time blitz. Social calendar guru Randall Stempler clued me in to eventcal.com for all the latest info on what's going on around the world, like the event on Prostate Cancer on October 1 1997, in Moscow, Russia. Scott MacWhinnie (CB Commercial
Real Estate Group) representing downtown Manhattan offices and John Crosier of Canary Wharf Ltd. in London were enjoying the revelries.

The main floor (middle level) had live music alternating between ambiant and harder jazz in the back. In the front there was a feeding frenzy of new media fishes gaping for chinese take-out food cartons to fill with fried rice, steamed dumplings, and chocolate dipped fortune cookies. Actually there was a feeding frenzy downstairs too at the Mexican food table. I met Tom Morey (Chase Manhattan, VP Electronic Media) and Katie Morgan (sensenet.com) during one binge. The Ex Caminos (excaminos.com) were playing funky jazz for the crowd in this room. Steven Blinn and Stephen Botaglio (NY Bureau Chief for the Hollywood Report) were also enjoying the evening's revelries. Michael Diamante and Noreen Mastellon (T3 Media) were lining the bridge out from the main room.

Noreen was sporting a pretty white dress with leaves from Country Road she modeled in a benefit for her school.  Virginia Selbo and Benjamin Weil of Adaweb.com were on the 3rd level, overseeing the mosh pit, along with Georgio Palmisano (photographer, 212-431-7719). Back down in the bowels I bumped into James Golden (goldennyc.com, bolt.com) who filled me in on his work with Earthweb, the backend work he designed for the Miss America segment on MSNBC. His comment on working on this was regarding the women contestants: "they're so exploited." That's no news to some, yet doesn't affect these show's popularity.  Brian Martin (bmartin@msn.com) of MSN mentioned another project/site with MSN which he art directed -- the Rifff Crash party (rifff.msn.com).

(Appeared originally in @The Scene in the @NY newsletter)

Sunday, September 14, 1997

LinkShare and Share alike

Even if you don't remember your mother saying "Share and share alike" as you were growing up, these words ring clear in the Internet playground. One of the beautious aspects of this network is sharing -- information, links and other good things. Capitalizing on this premise (in a good way) is LinkShare Corporation with its affiliate network and quarterly seminars.

Among the digerati that were invited to their seminar on Monday, June 14th at the Puck Building were Candice Carpenter, Chairman and CEO, iVillage; Justin L. Jaschke, CEO, Verio; Jerome H. Kern, CEO, LinkShare Corporation; and the dynamic founding brother/sister duo Heidi and Steven Messer, President and Chairman respectively of LinkShare Corporation.

The cocktail reception in the Puck Building skylight room was host to a fine gathering of attendees. Eleanor Roe of Virtual Vineyards (who has a really neat biz card) and Alissa Perry of Outpost.com both had positive feedback on the Affiliate program and the seminar. Heidi Poulin handed me a fresh Esprit catalog and explained to Jeff Lefkowitz of NYFirst.com and me that today marked their launch of the affiliate program with LinkShare. Matt Wachinski of WorldSpy.com and Robert Robinson, Jr. of 4th Medium Productions were chatting with Steven Messer. Lee Charles and Joe Young of Baker & Botts, a sponsor for the reception, was chatting with Bruce Gilburne and Amy Zagin of LinkShare. On my way out I met some more new affiliates (my there were a bunch of 'em!): Mike Fernandez of GreatCoffee.com (yum), Jeremy Tick of Dean-Deluca.com (yum yum) and Tony Nanez of WestLB.com (a bank. oh well). Susan Sigel told me and Susan Bilenker about her client's company -- a reminder service on the Web. Now you'll never have to worry about forgetting your anniversary!

(Appeared originally in @The Scene in the @NY newsletter)

Thursday, September 11, 1997

SCARS OF CYBER BARS

SCARS OF CYBER BARS and their demise has been discussion of late on the ever waxing and waning WWWAC list. Recently @CafÈ and KoKoBar (in Brooklyn) closed, spurring thoughts of why this trend is taking place. Atmosphere, marketing, or management can all be blamed, but what *is* the problem? In my recent trip across the U.S. I noticed a similarity between the Cyberworld CafÈ in San Francisco, the @CafÈ, and Alt.Coffee in NYC. The cafes lack in pleasing personality. Exposed pipes and brick can be nice in a joint, if treated well, but when its that not-a-big-budget-but-i'm-still-supposed-to-look-hip/cool/trendy/quaint/inser t_decorator_word_here atmosphere, it won't appeal to wired nor non-wired crowds. New York alone breeds snobbery. We are immersed in good design and beautiful trendy world renowned museums, clubs, restaurants, and stores. Not that we demand it, but the digital crowd is even more blasÈ because we are not only sitting in new, hip, ultra modern, well-designed offices, but we create it, sell it, market it, use it. Our demands aren't necessarily higher, but more heightened. We want to go to places that have a killer atmosphere to lounge in while we experiment with the latest killer app. Small computers sitting at ends of uncomfortable tables in the back of a bar won't cut it. Over-stuffed beat-up "comfy" furniture attacks our senses at the other end. Being swallowed in an arm-chair isn't conducive to surfing or socializing, its good for veggie in front of mind-numbing tv. This won't even appeal to the non-wired crowd. Why not put WebTV in at one end of a space with ottomans and chaises for surfers, how `bout some terminals clustered on a cocktail table surrounded by a soft leather sofa, can we put a monitor at one end of the bar (with and a nice spill resistant plastic covering for the keyboard) and a tv at the other -- the game is on for one's enjoyment, a sports-related site for another. Lets bring the computers into the Lounge, not the bar into the Office.

(Appeared originally in @The Scene in the @NY newsletter)

MOVERS AND SHAKERS - published 9/11/97

Happy Birthday to Mariel Smith, who celebrated with a litter of friends at Les Deux Lapins.

Cheryl Moellenbeck and Dennis McCole, co-founders and executive producers of Touchscreen Media Group, along with Tom Skinner, Touchscreen's Senior Multimedia Producer, have just been chosen as three of the Top 100 Producers of 1997 by the editors of AV Video and Multimedia Producer magazine.

Jason Ordway, after a brief stint at CNNfn, is moving up to Cyberian Outpost in Connecticut as part of the technical team.

Patrick Neville, also briefly with Bates Interactive Group is moving over to Earthweb as Software Engineer.

Steve Mitra will be keeping busy as he leaves Jupiter Communications as a senior analyst to study how telecom influences cities at the Taub Urban Research Center at NYU (as a research fellow).

US Interactive is even busier as they've recently added staff members to their NY and PA offices: Jason Hammond was promoted to Senior Art Director from Art Director; Nicole Ornstein hired as Strategic Consultant from Manager, New Media Production and Development at FAO Schwarz; Ben Mazza as Account Supervisor from Sales and Marketing Manager at PACE Communications; Dave Keener as Copywriter; Josh Unger as a Producer from Agency.com; and Jason Tors comes on board as Junior Art Director.

(Appeared originally in @The Scene in the @NY newsletter)

Columbia University's Center for New Media's panel

Heading further north, I continued to Columbia University's Center for New Media's panel: "News in the Digital Age: Journalism versus the Bottom Line." Moderated by Jeff Greenfield of ABC News, and put together in part by @NY editor Tom Watson (way to go Tom!), this taut exchange of ideas at the top of the industry brought some of new media's cream of the crop to the helm of the J-School's ship. Panelists included former CourtTV honcho Steve Brill, media tycoon Barry Diller, Time Inc. New Media president Linda McCutcheon Conneally, CKS CEO Mark Kvamme, and Bertelsmann CEO-designate Thomas Middelhoff. To see someone of Barry Diller's stature (ABC, Paramount, Fox, QVC, Home Shopping Network, and his upcoming network of local news) debate the merits of online publishing with other notables was well worth the trip uptown. The panelists gave the audience some meaty morsels to muse on at the reception following in the Pulitzer World room, where a virtual who's who of the New York media world indulged in the mouth-mmelting scrumptious apps being passed and the bevy of beverages available at the site.

This was of personal interest for me as well, as I got to pear up close at 2 busts Joseph Pulitzer, at vastly different ages, by Rodin. Dominating the center of the subtly lit warm brown toned modernized room was a beautiful stained glass window that resided in Pulitzer's "World" office. This piece depicted the Statue of Liberty flanked by two globes highlighted by a glorious bright yellow sun-lit background. It was dedicated to Herbert Bayard Swope, one of the editors of The World, first winner of the Prize in 1917 for reporting, and Great-Great Uncle to Bill Collins, President of TeleVector, Inc., a company dedicated to marrying satellite and fiber optic technology to allow new types of audio and video multicasting via the web. (People will be able to log into TeleVector's satellites over the web using their existing ISP connection to get real-time news and entertainment from around the world. They expect to have their first satellite operational in the fall of 1998.)

Pete Zollman (Interactive News Solutions) and Vin Crosbie (Digital Deliverance, biz planning for online newspapers) and I caught up with Shara Zoll (webmaster for Scientific American) who I hadn't seen in a dog's age from early cro-magnum pre-Netscape WWWAC meetings. I met John McGrath and some other people who redesigned the Pulitzer Prize website. Eileen Shulock, a managing editor and also Director of Webgrrls International with Aliza Sherman were expressing concern for Lori Schwab of NYNMA who broke her elbow several weeks ago during a charitable bike-a-thon. Send her well wishes! John Borthwick (Digital City Studio), Howard Greenstein (Microsoft), Sichel Jones (NYTimes Cyber writer), Austin Bunn (Wired News), Chris Allbritton (Associated Press), Will Chang (AP), and Norman Green (an investigative reporter for Inside Edition) were all indulging in the mouth-melting scrumptious apps being passed and the bevy of beverages available.

(Appeared originally in @The Scene in the @NY newsletter)

New American, Pathfinder, Columbia U's Center for New Media, MSNBC email...

        ^    < @ T H E  S C E N E >
        ^
        ^  With Courtney Pulitzer
        ^
        ^ THE NIGHT WAS WARM and all of digital New York was out on September 11. Unlike other industries, ours didn't slow down for one moment this summer, and all newbies needed to just hop on the Merry-Go-Round when the opportunity was there. That's what newly appointed American citizen Tami Zori did anyway. Local recruiting firm Silicon Alley Connections (http://www.salley.com) and many guests celebrated her new status at Ludlow Bar. Free drinks, foods and Acid Jazz spun music.

Earlier in the night, as the sun was setting over our beautiful Hudson River, Pathfinder hosted a party for advertisers and clients. Time Inc. New Media's Nancy Maloney explained how she found the Upper West Side's recently opened Boat Basin Cafe at 79th Street this summer. While nice for mariners and Upper West Siders, this was not the choicest spot for a new media event. Unlit dirt paths, and sidewalks on main onramps to the highway made this trek inconvenient. Not as high as wide, the flagstoned space was cavernous going from an outer courtyard entrance with dry fountain to patio (under the West Side Drive) with blue cloth-covered tables and a bar at the north end, and steps leading down to a narrow balcony overlooking a marina and the river. The aroma of grilled hamburgers out in the open whet our appetite, and like Pathfinder's Website, the spread was impressive: endive with crab dip, spicy grilled chicken on skewers, crudite, fine cheeses and crackers, chips and salsa, and big drinks in plastic cups ... Abigail Hornik, an account rep, breezed by Valerie Martinez (Brand Dialogue) and Bob Liu (CNNfn), who was slicing some cheese with his www.NYTimes.com Swiss army knife. Amanda Hanes, who is the postmaster and does chats, RealAudio and Video on Pathfinder, was enjoying the night with Michael Coble who spoke cryptically of his role at Pathfinder: he manages reporting and analysis and sees what things are getting traffic from the Web surfer's POV. I ran into Olivia Gushin (Kokonet), who is my partner-in-crime for forever trying to plan the next WWWAC party (soon).

Heading further north, I continued to Columbia University's Center for New Media's panel: "News in the Digital Age: Journalism versus the Bottom Line." Moderated by Jeff Greenfield of ABC News, this taut exchange of ideas at the top of the industry brought some of new media's cream of the crop to the helm of the J-School's ship. Panelists included former CourtTV honcho Steve Brill, media tycoon Barry Diller, Time Inc. New Media president Linda McCutcheon-Conneally, CKS CEO Mark Kvamme, and Bertelsmann CEO-designate Thomas Middelhoff. To see someone of Barry Diller's stature (ABC, Paramount, Fox, QVC, Home Shopping Network, and his upcoming network of local news) debate the merits of online publishing with other notables was well worth the trip uptown. The panelists gave the audience some meaty morsels to muse on at the reception following in the Pulitzer World room, where a virtual who's who of the New York media world indulged in the mouth-melting scrumptious apps being passed and the bevy of beverages available at the site.

Oh. . .and when is a party not a party? Apparently when MSNBC is footing the bill. You'd think with all the cash Microsoft has to spend there'd be a little largesse when it comes to party invites. But no. MSNBC sent out a memo this week to New York's cybercognescenti under the heading "Oops, you're NOT on the list."

"We are delighted by New York's enthusiastic response to our party celebrating the re-design of MSNBC.com. But unfortunately the response has been just too overwhelming," the note read. "In checking the invitation list, we've noticed your name is NOT included. The party is limited to those on the invitation list only."

But from what we hear dozens or more non-invitees showed up anyway and were left out to cool their heels on the sidewalks of Leonard Street.
                   ^
        ^
Pulitzer Prizes: Courtney's @NY Web links:
        ^
        ^
* SCARS OF CYBER BARS and their demise has been discussion of late on the ever waxing and waning WWWAC list. Read more about this trend at: http://www.atnewyork.com/scene.htm#scar

* MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Check out who's cool and what they're up to at: http://www.atnewyork.com/scene.htm#mv

* UPCOMING EVENTS: Check for where to go in the coming weeks at: http://www.atnewyork.com/scene.htm#ev

Wednesday, September 03, 1997

The Alley to Valley Rally - a perspective

WELL, PANGS OF post-rally-partum are setting in. The Alley to Valley Rally is over and I'm back safely in New York and gearing up for projects at work, gossip-columning it, and picking up where I left off with all sorts of things.

The Rally ended on Monday with a party in San Francisco at the Cyberworld Cafe on Folsom Street. Edward Perry, one of the partners, was most hospitable and fed us with some cheesy apps while we sipped coffee and beer (but not at the same time). I had a chance to speak with e-publisher Craig Newmark about his mailing list and the scene in SF. He even filled me in on some parties -- oh! if only there were more time. I also met with Rachel Lehmann-Haupt who freelances for Wired as a scene columnist as well.

Non-cyber surfer biker German friends of Uta Knablein, Justin Greene, and Paul Eisenberg showed up to greet them.

It was hard to believe our trip was over. Starting and ending in two of the nation's most wired cities offered an interesting perspective. I realized how much of a technologic ivory tower I exist in, and how basic connectivity is something I've taken for granted. What is encouraging is that the nooks and crannies of the U.S. are catching up to the Alley and Valley. I thought I would be greeted with scepticism and wariness of technology and "that Internet thing." Instead I was met with genuine interest and knowledge of the Web. Most people had AOL accounts, and billboards dotting the roadsides boasted URLs. Lots of folks were eager to mention their personal Web sites and enjoy talking about what they put up, and people they've chatted with.

And like the growth and (some would say) commercialization of Burning Man, this year URLs were painted on breasts, buses, tents, and banners.

Even sleepy towns in Kansas have college-bound youths creating school library Websites and surfing the net for entertainment.

One thing I learned on this trip is that people crave a sense of community. People generally like to talk about their lives, their interests. It gives us a sense of validation, of purpose, that we exist, that we matter, that someone cares. It helps provide a sense of community. Shared experiences bring people together and help provide a sense of validation and purpose as well. The Web can be a wonderful place to explore a personal sense of community. Communities are being developed online, but people are also coming together offline as well. While there isn't an Internet cafe in each town yet, there are libraries, senior centers, Kinkos', small shops, and schools getting wired slowly and steadily. As this trend continues, people's experiences online will become richer.

Now the air is getting crisper and our worlds show no sign of slowing. I for one am looking forward to continued growth through explorations online and off in Silicon Alley.

(Appeared originally in @The Scene in the @NY newsletter)

Courtney Pulitzer on CNNfn

The big event for me was appearing on CNNfn's "Its Only Money" cable show with Valerie Morris on Wednesday, 9/3 at 1:30pm. The show was live, so like my appearance on Rick Siegel's OnlineTV, unless you happened to catch it live, its gone the way of archives...

(Appeared originally in @The Scene in the @NY newsletter)