I would not win the ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award for eating. I tend to like what I like and stick with it, the result being that I go to the same four or five restaurants all the time. Two of my favorites are Pomodoro and Covo, and my friend Joe has come to both with me. At Pomodoro, they make fun of me for asking for more Parmesan after I've eaten down to the portion of the rigatoni that's not under a cheese blanket, and at Covo, they know I'll order one of three things every time and that I'll want to sit outside no matter how cold it … [Read more...]

Like (I'm sure) every publicist (at this point), I have Google Alerts set up for my clients. I'm not sure I've said it on this blog, but I tell people all the time that I simply couldn't have afforded to be a freelance publicist even five years ago. Clipping services (digital and otherwise), contact databases, CD mailings, press kit mailings, press kit reproduction, ink cartridges...it just would have been too expensive to do it on my own. So I get a lot of Google Alerts, which is annoying until I remember that receiving Google Alerts means I'm … [Read more...]

Ever since Alice Tully Hall unceremoniously turned off the one plug in the seating area of their lobby, I've been auditioning new mobile office locations in midtown. Today, I'm here at the MoMA Cafe, and have located an outlet and a seat by the window facing...I think this is 54th street, but I'm bad with directions. Free wireless, check. Clean countertop, check. Annoying children behind me, fine; unavoidable. $5.92 cappuccino - ack, check double minus. Every time I see ads for classes at MoMA, I comb through my schedule in hopes that I can … [Read more...]

I was waiting on line to have my bag inspected at Hilary's Free for All concert at Town Hall yesterday, and an older gentleman in a suit walked up to me. Him: Excuse me, is this your first Free for All concert?Me: Yes it is.Him: Can I ask how you heard about it?Me: Erm...I'm Hilary's publicist.Him: Oh [laughing and looking away]. See, I'm the Chairman of Free for All, and we've been trying to get more young people out to our concerts. So I thought, well there's an elegant, nicely-dressed young lady; that's exactly the kind of concert-goer we … [Read more...]

The Virgin Megastore in Union Square closes this weekend. … [Read more...]

At this point, surely people know what they're getting into when they agree to Daily Show and Colbert Report interviews? Take a look at the unfriendly and unamused Communications Coordinator at minute 1:52. If she is the person the New York Times Communications department chose to put on The TV, what's the rest of that department like? The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cEnd Timeswww.thedailyshow.comDaily Show Full EpisodesPolitical HumorNewt Gingrich Unedited Interview … [Read more...]

The San Francisco Opera interviewed audience members at the intermission of Porgy and Bess on Tuesday. They plan to put the clips on their website. And this has nothing to do with PR or marketing, but I liked that they had opera glasses for rent. It would be funny if by "opera glass" they actually meant that glass sitting on the table there. … [Read more...]

To begin, I'm posting this entry from over 10,000 feet. If we're being completely honest with each other, I did start writing it at LaGuardia two days ago, but I finished it and am pressing 'Save' among the clouds. Raise your hand if you love living in 2009! The fact that $12.95 gets me internet in mid-air for my entire flight almost redeems Delta after having me land in Salt Lake City, de-board the plane for 35 minutes, get back on the same plane, sit in the same seat, and continue on to Boston. The one benefit, if we can call it that, of this … [Read more...]

I was very pleased to see that Hilary's Bach Concertos disc was part of Delta's in-flight entertainment offerings on my plane ride to San Francisco today. It was the second to last option, grumble grumble, but it was an option. I listened to it for the whole flight even though it's on my iPod in hopes that she'd get lots of hits and/or that the guy sitting next to me would notice and perhaps tune in himself. He only noticed when I started taking pictures.  I did not feel the need to explain the blog to him. … [Read more...]

I'm going to see Eric in the COMPLETELY SOLD-OUT San Francisco Opera production of Porgy and Bess next week, and SF-based indie publicist Karen Ames has generously organized a west coast Publicist Summit (i.e. happy hour).So, if you're in the San Francisco vicinity on Monday, June 8 and you ((heart)) PR, come on by:Publicist Bonding5 - 7pmArlequin384 Hayes StreetNo Journalistz A(backwards L)owd. … [Read more...]

I arrived via BoltBus in not-even-a-little-bit sunny Baltimore yesterday afternoon to see Hilary play Jennifer Higdon's concerto with the Baltimore Symphony. Before the concert began, Music Director Marin Alsop received a standing ovation when they announced that her contract had been extended, and also audibly exclaimed, "WHOA!!" at Hilary when the concerto ended. Love her without having ever met her. Even though Molly Sheridan - who also happened to be my date to last night's concert - was the only person who thought my Pitch Snitch/Gawker … [Read more...]

Last week, I spent money on two things I really did not like. The first was the movie The Brothers Bloom, and the second was the new musical Coraline at MCC. The movie was $12.50 (but I bought a ticket for my non-date date as well, so $25) and the musical was $49, (and God knows that ain't cheap.) I know you think I'm in-sane, I know it's not appealing, but my original idea for a blog post was to suggest money back guarantees; why should I have to pay for what I did not enjoy? Why aren't performing arts presenters 100% behind their product? Why … [Read more...]

And now for some shameless self-promotion:If you're in Beantown next week, come say  "'ello" at the Boston Early Music Festival bright and early (9 am) at the Radisson Hotel on Thursday, June 11. Here is the complete festival (the festival? the festival) schedule. I will be talking about period bows for an hour or so. And by "period bows" I actually mean "PR". … [Read more...]

Did you like the Publicist Parade? I learned many things, and here are two of them: 1. I send out press releases way too late and 2. I miss blogging when I don't get to do it. Decide for yourselves whether or not those two points are at all related. Here's what I didn't write about but wanted to this week:Is this black thing New York City Opera's new logo or is it just an image for the upcoming season?Because...And I mean...I also thought a lot about anticipation this week, which perhaps I will flesh out at a later point. I finally watched the … [Read more...]