Tuesday, June 21, 2005

* Cocktails with Courtney ~ Silicon Alley Reunion Soiree

Tuesday, June 21st was the first of my revived series Cocktails with Courtney. The event was a hit! Sponsored by Zipcar, co-host Danielle Cyr and I greeted and introduced the forty-or-so guests who showed up to each other. You’ll have to pardon me, but I’m a little distracted today so I’ll just give y’all the link to the pictures and the write up will come next week.
http://courtney.fotki.com/2005/junecocktailsreunion/

Here’s the down and dirty recap:

Those who showed up:
* Long-time supporter insurance-man Richard Frazer
* Seasoned recruiter Bonnie Halper
* Michael Spitz and Phil Lam arrived in tandem, and showed off their boxers (well, the give-aways).
* Lee Huang
* MaryDawne Arden, in her classic-Hollywood glamour-style told me how she just had come from a Dress For Success benefit at Bobby Brown Cosmetics, celebrating five years of the Professional Women’s Group with special guest speaker CBS 2 News co-anchor Shon Gables. Her image and body-language consultancy is taking off—as is a recent renewed interest in an old film credit, “Blood and Black Lace.”
* Bruce Colwin
* James Taranto told me how his book, “Presidential Leadership: Rating the Best and the Worst in the White House” will be coming out in paperback soon. His “Best of the Web Today” Wall Street Journal column continues to remain popular.
* Jeffery Erb, Managing Partner of The ER Group, was his usual cavalier self, asking if he “won a date with Courtney” when he arrived to which I replied that wasn’t part of the raffle. As I handed him his “Cocktails with Courtney”-memorabilia boxer shorts, he stated, “oh good, now I can have Courtney between my legs.” Gee, I wonder what Mrs. Erb would say if she heard these quips?
* Philadelphia-based Rob Robinson told me, “Hollywood was calling, so we answered” as he rattled off a short-list of all of his company’s (http://www.outeredgeentertainment.com/) accomplishments.

Like any reunion, not only professional changes were the talk. For instance:
* Allison Tucker Keisman is now married, as are Pepper Roukas and Tristan Louis
* Larry Kesslin beamed about his two children, wife and home in Riverdale, as did Quentin English who showed me digital pictures of his little darlin’
* Paul Ellis
* Carell Cassey
* Antony Worsley
* Stella Alvo reported that she’s now doing interactive TV with Verizon.
* Annie Van Bebber, founder and Editor-in-Chief of FundRaisers.com came on the recommendation of LA-based Michael Terpin.