Brian in New York

The Weather

So for all of you who were giving me crap for rubbing in how beautiful it's been in NYC. I'd just like to share that it's 80 degrees, raining, and 60% humidity.... yuck.

Memorial Day in Brooklyn Bridge Park

I had to work today because I wanted to get ahead enough that my taking a few days off wouldn't cause me to be too far behind. It's the 150 Anniversary of the Brooklyn Bridge completion and there are lots of great this happening. I missed the big celebration last Thursday but there's still a lot going on. They lit up the bridge at night, they completely spruced up the entrance to the foot path, there are signs everywhere directing strangers to parts of Brooklyn, and there's the Telectroscope.

So I wondered down to the park where I eat lunch for some great views. Here's one.


Then I wandered over the other side to check out the Telectroscope. It's an art project that I've been reading about. Here's the website: http://www.tiscali.co.uk/telectroscope/home.php

It's different than I imagined but also cooler than I imagined. The story is there was an undiscovered tube below the atlantic that connects NYC with London and it was redescovered and surfaced. In actually its two pieces of art that look like telescopes from the 1800s, one under the Brooklyn Bridge and one at city center in London. You peer into the scope and you see a high def vision of people on the other side in London or NYC. It's actually pretty cool, really high def so it looks like you are really looking through a long tube to the people on the other end. It's hard to get a picture of the other side but there are some great ones on Flickr.

My photo:


Lots of people are writing notes and showing them to each other, lots of people are on cell phones talking to the other side, and surprise... there are a lot of British people looking for loved ones :)

Here it is at night: http://www.flickr.com/photos/laja/2521136019/
here it is in London: http://www.flickr.com/photos/glediator/2519396898/

What it looks like to peer in to London:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38117599@N00/2524693294/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsal/2523718507/

Great video from the London side to give you a sense of the thing: http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrisj/2515906385/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/elventryst/2519652878/

What London looks at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/strawberryfrog/2523433477/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldton_tim/2518501043/

The best sign I saw was "Send Guinness, Fish & Chips Please". It's only up until June 15th but I wish they would keep something like it up all the time. Nothing could be better for American-British relations. People were having a blast just connecting with one another through video conferencing. Imagine if you could walk up to a wall in your city and wave hi to a loved one or business associate in another city... way cool. Technology is awesome.

Another Stunner of a Day in New York

We've been having a lot of rain so today was especially nice when the weather turned out to be perfect. 72 Degrees, low humidity, and light breezes. So after waking up late (I was out until 4am) I went up to 6th avenue to wander around the the street fair and then down to Bryant Park to sit around and enjoy the day. I wish it would stay this way all summer. Here are some pictures:

Obviously I must be in the wrong room...

I don't talk about work much on this blog (on purpose) but this is more about career than work. Last night I had an amazing opportunity that was one of the most energizing and motivating events I've attended in a long time.

I had the distinct privilege to be invited with 5 other marketers to sit on a panel hosted by the deans of NYUs school of business to advise them on their new masters of integrated marketing degree program. I know what your saying... why Brian? Well it turns out I was recommended by an old colleague of mine who sent over my bio and they thought I would be a good fit for the panel.

So I got a note from the dean last week reminding me about the meeting and in it she included the other participants.... I read the list and broke out in a cold sweat. The other participants were titans of marketing. Head of all marketing/advertising for NY Times, head of marketing for Lands End (one of the best marketing programs out there), a 35 year veteran of an amazing direct and digital ad agency in upstate, oh and the President of Ogilvy!! Michelle, the president of Ogilvy, is someone I've been dying to meet for years. So that amazing roster of individuals... oh and me. What!  I spent the last week psyching myself up for the meeting and convincing myself that I could actually add anything to the conversation, and last night was the meeting.

What should have been an hour brainstorm turned into a 2 hour session. Let me tell you guys it was a blast! and I held my own very well. I was able to guide a lot of the conversation but what was most rewarding was when it became evident that my view of the modern marketer and what it takes to excellent was almost exactly how the others viewed it. To have a good strategic conversation about what it takes to be amazing in your role and to have it be the things that I'm already mastering (or planning on mastering) in my own career was exceedingly motivating. What was great about the list is that it wasn't generic like "all good marketers should know how to build a product strategy" well duh... instead it was incredibly insightful like "how to build a marketing and media plan that balances direct response, brand awareness, and lifetime value as priorities against specific strategies that have to be approached through critical thinking" then we would dive into those specifics.

Rambling here but it was sooo fun and sooo energizing. Everyone was wicked smart and I felt that the comments became increasingly intelligent and insightful the more and more excited we got at each others comments. I left going wow... that was some amazing brain power in the room and knowing full well I brought the IQ average down :) Also everyone was exceedingly well spoken (something I really want to work on... they argued points elegantly while I stumbled around issues like a boxer in the last round of a fight) I was clearly served a huge slice of humble pie and it was delicious!

I'm confident that it's going to be a great degree program and the Dean has invited us back on an ongoing basis to help shape the rest of the program.

It's so nice to have my passion for my career/art reignited.

 

Solitude, reflextion, and decompession a playlist...

Hey People, I'm up for the past few days with wicked insomnia so I've decided to share some music with you. For me there are very few things as good for my soul as a nighttime walk in the quiet outdoors with no one else around and listening to some music. Before I moved to NYC I would typically jump in my truck to the top of some canyon, watch the stars from the back of my truck, play my "solitude & reflection" playlist. These days is almost impossible but I do find occasion where I can be walking with no one around, its quiet, and pretty safe. The streets of my neighborhood after midnight are a good example.

What makes this experience cleansing is my "solitude & reflection" playlist. While it's always in flux I'm pretty happy with it right now. I've recently trimmed it a bit so I think it's pretty solid. The complete list is below, but I've picked my top 12 which was really, really, really freakin' hard, and am I'm not convinced it's really my top 12. Although I'm absolutely sure that Bon Iver's Skinny Love is first. Anyway, I put it in an online streaming playlist here: http://bond.muxtape.com/

What songs do you like to unwind too?

Artist - Name
Alison Krauss - Can't Find My Way Home
Bon Iver - Skinny Love
Bonnie Raitt - I Will Not Be Broken
Broken Social Scene - Looks Just Like The Sun
Coldplay - Sparks (Accoustic Version)
Copeland - Pin Your Wings (accoustic)
David Gray - Please Forgive Me
Death Cab For Cutie - Marching Bands Of Manhattan
Death Cab For Cutie - Summer Skin
Death Cab For Cutie - What Sarah Said
The Decemberists - The Crane Wife 3
Erin Bode - Holiday
Groove Armada - Hands of Time
Harry Nilsson - Are You Sleeping?
Headlights - Cherry Tulips
Hem - Half acre
Jack Johnson - F-Stop Blues
Jackson Browne - These Days (Solo Acoustic Version Please)
Jeff Tweedy - I am Trying to Break Your Heart (Coleman House)
John Legend- Save Room
John Mayer - Wheel
Jose González - Hints
Josh Rouse - Love Vibration
Kings of Convenience - Gold In The Air Of Summer
Landon Pigg - Falling In Love At a Coffee Shop
Laura Veirs - Don't Lose Yourself
Leona Naess - Ballerina
M. Craft - Love Knows How To Fight
Mae - Tisbury Lane
Maria Taylor - Song beneath the song
Matt Pond PA - Snow Day
Nada Surf - Your Legs Grow
Old 97's - Question
Paul Simon - Slip Slidin' Away
Pete Droge - Going Whichever Way the Wind Blows
Phantom Planet - Anthem
Rhett Miller - Come Around
Rilo Kiley - Pictures Of Success
Rogue Wave - Lake Michigan
Rogue Wave - California
Ryan Adams - Helpless (with Gillian Welsh)
Ryan Adams - Wonderwall
Shawn Colvin - Round of Blues (with Mary Chapin Carpenter)
Sia - Breathe Me
The Spinners - I'll Be Around
Sufjan Stevens - To Be Alone With You
The Sundays - Goodbye
Toad The Wet Sprocket - Something's Always Wrong (Solo Acoustic)
Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
Van Morrison - Moondance
Van Morrison - Wavelength
The Weepies - World Spins Madly On
Wilco - "Jesus, etc."

Woohoo good times!

PS: I wish I took that photo, but I didn't... at least not yet, but mark my words I will.

Hanging with Family

My Aunt and Cousins were in town this past weekend so I was able to hang out for a few days and be touristy with them. It was a blast to bum around and see the city with them. Friday we hung around Battery Park and Downtown then dinner in Little Italy. Saturday it was a traditional NYC bagel for breakfast and then the Met Museum in the morning and Top of the Rock in the afternoon with a late lunch at a Martian themed restaurant in Times Square :)

Betsy and Cousins, it was a blast to see you! I just wish you had more time to stick around. Can't wait until you come back.

Court Street Fair

Well the weather cleared up on Sunday and it was a georgious day. Just in time for the Court St. Spring Fair. Court street is the main street in my Neighborhood and it was a blast to see all the negihborhood turned out to enjoy the food, booths, games, etc. It was a foodie paradise: Funnel cakes, home made sausages on the grill, breads, even a whole BBQ pig. Everyone was out enjoying the weather and Carroll Gardens. It also kicks off a few months of some street fair happening in some neighborhood every Saturday and Sunday. Spring is amazing in NYC!

Prospect Park

Two weeks ago Sunday I decided to spend the day in the park. The weather was good all the previous week and I was stuck inside being sick so I wanted to get outside. I really haven't explored Brooklyn that much, just my little corner really, so I decided to check out Prospect Park. Prospect Park is a huge park in the middle of Brooklyn designed by the same team who designed Central Park, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. Overall it was really pleasant. Grand Army Plaza was great and I walked past the huge Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and the Brooklyn Museum of Art, although I didn't go in. I spent the day shooting photos and decided to shoot the whole day in black and white. I've posted my pictures on my flickr account, take a look. I still need to do some post production work on the photos though.