Four Tips from an Event Professional

This month I finished one of the largest events during my career as an event producer. I fell into this role accidentally, after choosing unemployment over a super abbreviated schedule (I had bills to pay, y’all). An internship with my current employer was purely to keep busy and stay learning. And here I am almost 3.5 years later having taken a management role over a budget beyond anything I could imagine. It was exhausting, but also rewarding, and I’ve come away with 4 tips I want to share with anyone considering a career in the world of events.

THE SHOW WILL GO ON with or without you
That’s the thing about events, regardless of if you “feel ready”, an event day approaches quickly… like a birthday or a wedding. There’s really no going back once you’ve signed the contract on a venue, have finalized catering and ordered your flowers. Your job as an event producer is to foresee every issue to the best if your ability, and to prepare for the worst, knowing the outcome will be the best.

ALLIGATOR SKIN IS SEXY
This industry isn’t for the weak skinned and faint of heart. It’s hard, and it’s not as glamorous as one may think. While you may be walking the red carpet at the GRAMMY awards, you’re also picking up trash from the same red carpet with your bare hands. Know that there are ups and downs. And hold on for the ride.

FINDING A BALANCE is key
Event producers are an incredible breed. We’re not going anywhere until our work is done, even if it’s 1am and you’re alone in a big scary office. It’s important to know your limits and to practice balance before you burn out. Know when to say yes but don’t forget how to say no. Both are equally important in this industry.

YOUR BEST IS ALWAYS ENOUGH, I promise
I mean it. Your best is incredible. You should be proud of your best. Certain clients are impossible to make happy on event day. Just know that you did your best, and that’s pretty great. In this industry, as in life, perfection is a myth. Growth is the goal. The best we can do is problem solve, and hide the flaws to create a mirage of a perfect event. Things will NEVER go as planned, not once. So your job is to plan to the best of your ability, and to be prepared to react as necessary to ensure a smooth event. Just to be clear: your best is absolutely enough. I promise.

Three Small Things That Make A Big Difference

There are a number of small things that can make a huge difference in a day. With a work schedule that’s becoming increasingly more and more intense as I get closer to the big day, I’ve learned to take a minute for these small things. Sometimes, it’s those little things that can raise you above the worst and into a better light.

A delicious cup of coffee
My favorite coffee (the one I don’t brew at home) comes from the coffee cart vendor who sits outside of the Prada store on the corner of Broadway and Prince. He knows my face, always asks me how I’m doing, and gets my order right every time. When I don’t visit him for a while, he always asks where I’ve been. “Fashion Week again?” he’ll say with a smile as he makes my hot coffee with the perfect splash of skim milk (no sugar, never sugar). “Oh, sure” I’ll always answer, even those it’s March and everyone knows Fashion Week is in February and September.

Getting a manicure & pedicure
No joke, there is nothing better than sitting in a pedicure chair, reading a trashy magazine, and having someone rub on your feet. It is worth every penny, and every minute of a lazy Saturday afternoon.

Enjoying a beautiful spring day with a real lunch
The New York City mind set is one that never tires. You work through your lunch, eat hurriedly at your computer, and by the time you leave your desk, the sun has gone down and you’ve missed the day. With the weather getting nicer (especially because everyone knows that Summer in NYC is the absolute best). To enjoy the weather I’ve been “forgetting lunch at home” and popping out to grab something, even if it’s only a block away. Worth every missed call and urgent email unanswered, even if only for 5 minutes.

What are the little things that make your day just a little bit brighter?

The Anatomy of a Date

I recently found myself on a date for the first time in a while with someone completely random and new. I was so excited, and so nervous. And along the way I learned two important things: men love a damsel in distress, and dating is a multi-step process:

The Set Up
I was struggling with a box almost as tall as my 5’8″ self on the corner of Broadway & Houston when a man (a knight in shining armor) asked me if I needed help. “I’m trying to get a cab” I squeaked. I’d been trying for over 30 minutes and was exhausted. He nodded, hailed me a Gypsy cab, negotiated the rate, put my box in the trunk and said “i cant let you go without knowing your name and number.” I coyly smiled and on the ride home, he set up a date. Straight forward, to the point, I was hooked.

The Awkward Second Greeting
To me, the second greeting feels like the first hello. You likely met at night, or in passing, or you were so thrilled you didn’t take a full inventory of a face. This, my friends, is my fear. We chose to meet at the venue, and as I found my way to the location (because GoogleMaps is like my best girlfriend), he spotted me first and and I pretended to search for building numbers to buy myself (and my nerves) some time.

The Nervous First Words and the First Sip of Wine
We embraced in a friendly hug (what else was I supposed to do? Shake his hand?) and he stumbled over a few words. Something along the lines of “yesI’vebeenhereneveronce”. Huh? And then: “shouldwesitandeatoreatorsit?” Welp. We sat, we ordered, and after a few sips of wine we each eased into conversation. My nervousness drifted away because he was nervous enough for the both of us. And it was within this moment that I had the re-realization that dates are fun. Getting to know people is fun, regardless of what it turns into later.

The Sad Goodbye
While sharing a cozy table with my date, I willed for myself to find something about him I couldn’t live without. It was during this time, that I was trying to force chemistry, that I learned something very valuable: the moment your date starts to sound like a character in Charlie Brown, its time to go home.


I like to blame my reaction to this date on my only child status but 3 hours later, I found myself desperate for 2 things: (1) the restroom (2) some quiet time. My anxiousness to leave made me fidgety and when I told him I had to meet a girl friend (always have an out, ladies), you’d think I’d punched him in the heart.

The Follow Up
There is no better feeling that receiving a text about how great a time your date had. Despite how I felt about him, it felt great knowing I’m a fun, exciting, and beautiful date (his words, not mine… and also, duh). Along these lines, there is also the fact that as humans, we are constantly in search of closure. I know first hand (as we all do) that there is nothing more frustrating that the evaporating mate. So instead of letting his texts go unanswered, I let him know I had a great time too, but we’d be better off as friends.

How about you? Did you encounter many of the same elements on a recent date? Any important steps I’m missing? Leave a comment and let me know!

Giveaway: 100 PrintRunner Postcards!

UPDATE:
The winner of this giveaway is:
Shelley of Still Blonde After All These Years.
Congratulations!
***

I’m a huge fan of the online printed item. Perhaps it sounds silly, but I still believe in business cards (even though I can bump my information to you via our iPhones). I believe in double sided printouts (and not just saving something on my computer). I believe in day planners and calendars (in fact, I may be the only person my age with a calendar hanging in my sitting room). I believe in hand written notes and thank you cards (because there’s nothing sweeter than a note).

So, when PrintRunner approached me about a giveaway opportunity, I jumped at the idea. A while ago, I attended a the Rising Affluent conference, where Demetria Lucas distributed a small taste of her book via a postcard. Genius. Now, I’m here to offer you the same opportunity for online postcard printing.

PrintRunner has offered to give one lucky Writing with Wine reader a set of 100 custom designed 5×7 postcards for you to use as you wish!

Here are the details:

Postcard Size | 5×7
Quantity | 100
Colors | 4/0 Front Only Printing
Paper | 14 PT. UV Coating on Front
Rounded Corners Option | Yes
Proof | None
Ready to Ship In | 4 Business Days
Note: This giveaway is open to US residents only, ages 18 and above.

Interested? Enter below following the Rafflecopter prompts below! The winner will be announced on April 11th. Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Please note: I did not receive compensation for this giveaway and all opinions expressed above are my own. In return for hosting this giveaway, I will receive a set of postcards of my own. Many thanks to PrintRunner! Check them out on Facebook and Twitter for more information about the company.

Explore NYC: 4/2/12

I guess you could say I’ve been busy. Between marching for Trayvon, previewing spring trends, and working, I can’t catch my breath. Don’t worry, still exploring and enjoying the city. Here’s proof:

1. I finally spent a Saturday morning spent at the Brooklyn Flea hosted in the gorgeous venue One Hanson. I’ve been getting so green with envy at the sight of a photo or tweet about someone enjoying the Flea that I had to do it myself. Can’t wait to go back in the summertime to explore when it’s moved outside.

2. I’m an east coast girl who is extremely elitist when it comes to lobster rolls thanks to being completely spoiled by them on Martha’s Vineyard. I’ve been exploring lobster rolls in the city, only to be disappointed. That is, until I found Red Hook Lobster Pound at the Brooklyn Flea. Two words: life changing.

3. A late night walk after 2-for-1 martinis with the girls left me on the corner of 57th & Lexington. I’ve always been obsessed with the building on this corner, thanks to episodes of Lipstick Jungle (I still don’t understand why everyone didn’t love this show as much as I did). When I first moved to NYC, I saw that building and nearly passed out. To this day, it still takes my breath away.

4. An old receipt from brunch with a friend at Spring Street Naturals. I just loved the message at the bottom: Peace Love Unity Respect.

Girl About Town: Ideeli’s Spring Fling Press Preview

On Wednesday, March 28th, I was lucky enough to attend the ideeli Spring Fling Press Preview with my girl Lauren of Everyday to Runway. We escaped work at a normal hour (shocking), and made our way from our office’s SoHo digs to the ideeli offices near Canal Street.

I’ve always loved ideeli – I’ve been shopping the site for ages, but loved them even more when I would have the chance to meet some of their team members at fashion week over the years. As we stepped off the elevators, we were greeted by the most adorable spring decor. Gorgeous floral, adorable cake pops, lots of green, and a selection of beverages. It was like walking back into the springtime that we somehow seem to have lost (bring it back, please). We were greeted the very sweet ideeli PR team and given a tour of a number of items on deck for spring time. Check out a few of my favorites below:

1. Adore this nOir Enamel Chain Link Necklace in purple. Part of a Neon sale, the piece is such a wonderful statement necklace. Such a simple way to add a great pop to an outfit. The necklace retains on ideeli for $89.99. Available mid-may.

2. Oh hey, new obsession: La Mer Collections Wrap Watches. I adore these, especially the green on the right in my photo (Odyssey Triple Wrap Watch). The watch face is a completely new design being launched during the upcoming Neon sale (ideeli price: $49.99). I’ll be waiting by my computer come April 16th!

3. I’ll admit it, I’m behind on the Desigual train. That said, these Desigual Lucina Wedges are helping me catch up quickly! Such a fun and exciting pattern for summer – I’m already having visions of these in my closet. And by in my closet I mean on my feet as I run through NYC streets this summer. Apologies in advance for not taking them off. ideeli price: $169.

4. My personal season challenge for spring/summer 2012 is to wear less black. Unfortunately, today I was dressed in nearly all black, but ideeli’s answer to my dilemma is all kinds of lace! The photo shows a small offering of the neon lace that W118 by Walter Baker has to offer, hitting ideeli on April 10th. Part of a fun series called Celeb Style, this curated collection features items coveted by our favorite stars (no joke: when ideeli did a celeb style featuring Kate Middleton I nearly exploded).

5. So impressed by the variety of colored denim being released from Reuse Denim, which features recycled materials in their skinnies. Not only did I die over the teal, but I’ve got my eye on a pair of colorful shorts for the beach! On sale April 19th.

6. If you knew me at all when I was a kid, you know that I LIVED in jellies. LIVED. As in, set up camp with a fire, a tent, and s’mores. So when I was shown the Mel by Melissa Vanilla Jellies, I nearly passed away. Retails on ideeli at $16.99 and goes on sale April 10th.

Finally – thanks to ideeli, one of my lucky Twitter followers will win the nOir Enamel Necklace in Purple! Check out this tweet for instructions on how to enter. Winner announced by 2pm today!

Thanks for a great time, ideeli!

Xx,
Maiah

Untitled: The Story of How I Marched For Trayvon Martin

If I knew where to begin, then this post wouldn’t be called “Untitled: The Story of How I Marched For Trayvon Martin”.

On Wednesday, March 21st, I found myself running out of my office and to Union Square, the scene of a rally for the murdered boy, Trayvon Martin.

For some history, Trayvon was shot by George Zimmerman, 28, who appointed himself as “neighborhood watch” in Sanford, Fl. He saw Trayvon exit a store, where be purchased Skittles, and deemed the 17 year old “suspicious” (author’s note: suspicious = black) and took to following him down the street. The release of the (difficult to hear) 911 calls show Zimmerman calling Trayvon a “fucking coon” and one from a neighbor communicates the sounds of Trayvon screaming for his life before a the ringing out of a gunshot. From reports, it’s clear the police hardly did their job, not following usual protocol for a crime of this nature. Zimmerman was only taken in for questioning and released. He has been freely living for almost a month since he killed a child on February 26th, 2012.

When I heard there was a rally for the spirit of Trayvon, for justice and for peace, I had to join. I was that kid in college taking over the student center and performing pieces from For Colored Girls at open mics. And I admit I was briefly jaded (but my Father set me straight after telling me that “no, #OccupyWallStreet is not a waste of your tax dollars, don’t be so shortsighted.”

I met the protest in Union Square alone. I missed Trayvon’s parents, and Rev. Al Sharpton, but the action was no where near done when I arrived at 8. Initially, I thought it was over: it was quiet as I approached from Broadway but the moment I hit the park, the peaceful rage was apparent. Women, men, children, White, Black, Hispanic, students, professionals, crackheads (yup), the elite: everyone was coming together for an uprising against injustice. We were all out chanting the same words:

“We are… Trayvon Martin”
“No justice! No peace! No racist ass police!”

I suppose I was just there to observe, maybe follow, definitely support. For fodder for the blog… But I found myself shouting “Get up! Get down! Revolutionize this town!” while making eye contact with Bill, the man I named an old political rebel from the 70′s. Or so I gathered from his Che Guevera hoodie and jade rings. Yelling “Zimmerman! You liar! We will set your ass on fire!” with Jenny, an NYU student who’s been protesting since the #Occupy movements began. And cheering with the crowd when a cabbies honked approval at our mission. I was in deep.

It ended for many in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge, where the police blocked in a massive crowd with police busses on either end. For me, it ended on the Manhattan side with a slew of young fighters.

“Why did we go downtown?” I asked, wondering why we weren’t on our way to midtown.

“We were on the way to the UN,” one kid explained. He wore 5 buttons on his baseball cap, all with a fist for justice.

“But the UN is closed. What’s the point of protesting to an empty building?” another said.

“Either way, it always ends in handcuffs if you’re blocking traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge” Jenny sighed through cigarette smoke.

“But at least they saw us,” said baseball cap. “They saw us,” and then with mention of another march not too far off, the three of them ran to join it, shouting about how no one should get arrested tonight, not after such a peaceful march. #MillionHoodieMarch

In memory of Trayvon Martin.

Explore NYC: 3/19/12

Explore NYC efforts were originally thought to be perfect for a brisk weekend day (to be spent with a latte). However, this past week I found myself visiting new places and having a generally amazing time:

1. I finally had the joy of dining at Red Rooster, a Harlem based soul food joint by the dreamy Marcus Samuelson. My colleague and I split savory corn bread while I went to town on Fried Yard Bird and her on the Rotisserie Chicken. As we ate, a band played bossa nova and the bar was bustling through our entire Tuesday evening meal. If you haven’t dined at Red Rooster, I highly suggest you make your way uptown fast.

2. Wednesday night brought me to newly opened sushi spot, Neta, in the West Village. We ended up enjoying a 12-course meal selected by the chef, and by course 6, my colleagues and I were wondering if we’d be able to make it to the end. The spot was cozy, the staff was kind (though still working out a few new restaurant kinks) and the reception seemed positive – the place was packed!

3. Friday night I found myself dressed in my 80′s best at midtown Drag Bar, Lips for a birthday party. The venue was small, but perfect for the birthday boy’s 300 person guest list. With highlights like a rubik’s cube birthday cake to the open bar, to the drag performances, I spent the night dancing until my knees hurt. I also may or may not have had a dance off with the DJ in exchange for a Beyonce song.

4. St. Patrick’s Day is a fascinating day to me. I was shocked to learn there is an annual parade and am never prepared for the sea of green on the trains bar hopping. That said, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. And that’s just what I did at Studio Square Beer Garden in Astoria.

Explore NYC: 3/10/12

Testing out a new series on the blog called Explore NYC. If you haven’t already gathered, I am not from this city, but instead from a tiny suburb just outside of Boston. So, four years into my stint in NYC, I’m finally exploring the places I’ve been dying to see. Prompted by news that Carrie Bradshaw’s on-screen home is for sale, I started with the West Village.

1) Carrie Bradshaw’s home on Perry Street & W. 4th. The brownstone, which is gorgeous, features a sign that says “for those taking pictures, remember someone lives here”… no wonder they are moving.

2) A delicious latte from Magnolia Bakery on Bleeker, which I am finally visiting for the first time. I’ve always passed by but have found the lines too daunting. Luckily, I beat the crowd and left with a delicious warm beverage.

3) Bookmarc, a store I’ve been dying to visit, happens to be across the street from Magnolia. It’s the most adorable little space curated by Marc Jacobs. By little I mean honestly tiny – I had to fight for a compact while the woman next to me purchased at least 25 lipstick pens (creep).

4) Of course, no weekend is complete with a little treat. I tried to select the most “Carrie Bradshaw-looking” cupcake I could find while at Magnolia. The perfect end to a perfect day.