May 2008
4 posts
Media at a Mile High
6 hours and 44 minutes after our departure and we have flown over snow-capped peaks in Canada and icebergs around Alaska. We’ve just been served another meal, hopefully this is not a reflection of what I will soon be eating in Thailand. According to the digital map we’ve now crossed the international dateline. And I have now finished my third in flight movie, and this film further...
The Middle of a Series of Flights
I have no idea of the time, or time zone for that matter, and really no sense of how long I have been in flight. My concept of the passage of time is purely based on how many in flight movies that I have sat through (27 Dresses, and The Golden Compass), however I have already completed a substantial portion of The Namesake, therefore there is little accuracy in this system. According to the small...
Another Journey
I have begun packing for my next trek as a grad student, to Thailand. This will be my first exploration into Asia and second venture outside of the North American continent. I’m excited, and I’m nervous. And I cannot wait to share my thoughts and photographs.
March 2008
37 posts
Mapping Of Photos →
Explore a map of the photos from my trip. Locations are not precise.
The Return
So it seems that every trip that I have experienced at Marietta College involves some type of unavoidable travel hitch, and in this case it pertained to our return flight. To cut a long story short, initial delays and snow resulted in an emergency landing in Pittsburgh, followed by another flight to our destination of Akron-Canton an hour later. I did remark at one point that I was sure I would...
New System of Pricing
While browsing my complementary USA Today, I came across a little blurb about the BoltBus. This WiFi equipped shuttle travels from NYC to DC, and the company is emulating the pricing structure of Skybus, starting at $1 for tickets. As with Skybus the later you buy the more the tickets will cost, but at $25 for one way, that is not going to do too much harm to the wallet. The sudden increase in...
The Blue Note
Our evening at the Blue Note was quite nice with Diane Schuur performing what she called the music of her parents generation. The room was quite crowded and had an atmosphere of which I was unfamiliar, perhaps because I had never been to a jazz club before. The food was good, although I was still stuffed from the late lunch so I was unable to enjoy it to the fullest. Once again I wasn’t...
Passion Produces Tantalizing Taste
We were supposed to have an informal presentation by Doug Griebel, a Marietta College Alum, but he was unable to join us for lunch at his restaurant, Rosa Mexicana, due to a business meeting. Even without his physical presence, it is evident that his passion for food and Mexican culture are driving forces behind the success of his business. We dined family style on a wide selection of Mexican...
Rosa Mexicano →
Glocalization of Barnes & Nobel
Whenever I travel, I love to visit Barnes & Noble. Not just because I love books, but because it is a place that feels comfortable, yet unique at the same time. I am sure my love of the local B&N flair began because of the Baltimore location, as photographed below by Tom In NYC on Flickr. For me, the major features in this space include the aquarium exhibit next to the cafe on the second...
Federal Hill or Everything You Wanted to Know...
As a group this morning we ventured around Battery Park, and Wall Street, thus viewing some very typical tourist sites. While on Wall Street, one student pointed out a plaque located on the steps of the Federal Hall National Memorial about the creation of the Northwest Territory. This sign is identical to one that is located on the Marietta College campus resulting in the group of us clamoring...
Someone TP'ed the Subway
It has been quite difficult to ignore the substantial advertising effort made by Cottonelle, they have transformed the insides of individual trains to appear as if you are surrounded by the fluffy softness of toilet paper. Not only are you inundated with the message on single cars, but also throughout the tunnels where pillars appear to be large stacks of toilet paper. At one point there was also...
SoHo
As a group we headed toward Chinatown via the subway, after which we walked to Soho. This was a new part of the city to me, but once again I felt the magic was lacking since many of the stores in this area I have experienced elsewhere. Kid Robot was perhaps the most interesting shop, however due to a recent sale the selection was limited. The historic flair of the area, as well as the lighting...
Mercer Kitchen →
A Face, A Touch, A Connection
A brief, but much needed, rest before heading out as a group to Chinatown. It is hard to believe that we had three speakers today. Business travel can be quite exhausting. Our second speaker was another Alumnus, Rob Dyson, who owns five major businesses. Obviously he has been quite successful with these organizations, as demonstrated by his financial contributions to his Alma Mater. His...
“Change is permanent.”
– Rob Dyson on innovation
New Media = New Economy
First presentation of the day was from Tim Maroney, another Marietta College Alum, a media consultant and owner of Lifestyles Online Inc. With his focus on interactive media, I found a great deal more relevance in his topic than previous speakers. I was intrigued by the fact that his Lifestyles Online magazines are actually live tests of different ways to deliver advertisements on the Internet....
From Screen to Stage
Young Frankenstein was nice, not a substantial successor to The Producers, but nice. From what I remember of the film, it was a fairly straight forward copy with the addition of song, but then The Producers also could have been that, I’ve just never seen the original. I was most impressed by the technical efforts, primarily the lighting and set changes. Sutton Foster and the fellow in the...
Roladex of Life
Dinner at Sardi’s was quite tasty, with some shrimp in garlic sauce while surrounded by so many famous caricatures. It became a game trying to figure out the exaggerated likenesses. At the Museum of Natural History Sallie Slate, Senior Publicist in the Department of Communications & Marketing, provided us with a fantastic glimpse into PR from the perspective of a non-profit. A major...
How to Get a Job and Get Promoted as told by Jim...
In another boardroom with a beautiful view, this one overlooks the harbor and part of Times Square but no photos today as I did not want to check my camera at Young Frankenstein. Our first meeting is with Jim Tracy a Marietta College Alumnus with CitiGroup. He provided a weath of informaiton which primarily discussed career management through developing goals in manageable platforms. By deciding...
The Internet Saga Concludes
After a tip from my NYC friend, I got up early and scampered up to the 5th Avenue Apple store to see about Internet access. Compared to the night before, weekday mornings turn the store into a ghost town. No wonder the website suggests early mornings as prime shopping times, I would have had my pick of assistants if I were there to buy. As instructed, I moved swiftly to a row of MacBook Pros and...
IX - Internet Exchange
Unfortunately, my computer also has a dislike for Starbucks’ wireless thus making the $4 Vanilla Bean Frappuccino a bit of a waste. Although, I did meet an authentic New Yorker with whom I had some interesting conversation. I regret the fact that I chose to take only my computer with me since I wish I would have gotten a photograph of my new acquaintance. I told him this and my fear of...
A 2 Hour Walking Tour
I have been everywhere, well everywhere that is a tourist trap. Times Square, 5th Avenue, the Empire State Building. I scampered between them all in less than two hours; no wonder I’m exhausted. Dinner consisted of a soft pretzel the size of my face while taking in the sights and sounds around me. The advertising glut of Times Square was less impressive than I recalled. Now media consumers...
MoMA
An unexpected stop at the Museum of Modern Art certainly is the highlight of my day. The museum is honestly an art history book in person. Every way I turned there was another piece that I had read about, and never expected to see. Picasso,VanGog, Surrat, Cezane, Chagall, and Warhol—really it is all here. Due to my extreme interest in the works in the museum, I lost track of the rest of...
Museum of Modern Art →
Relationships, Passion & Trust
Two very informative presentations filled our morning. The first by Dayssi Kanavos from Flag Luxury focusing on her experiences in real estate development. She credits research and perseverance as two major factors in her success at breaking into a field dominated by male-owned family businesses. Making connections and fostering relationships are integral in establishing oneself in any...
“All you need is love.”
– Laura Baudo Sillerman on the most important aspect in business
A Stroll through the Canyons
After a brisk walk 15 blocks to Madison 650 and many stops for the laggards to catch up, we were whisked up to the 16th floor of a very modern boardroom overlooking the many tiered rooftops of NYC. As the sun rose over the cityscape we awaited our first speaker.
Check Modern Convenience at the Door
Although quite beautiful in a historic sense, the Roosevelt Hotel has room to improve in the ways of modern convenience for the budget minded traveler. No complementary Internet, and no continental breakfast make Samantha a displeased girl. These are elements that the future traveler will assume available with little effort. I am certain that a simple search on reviews of this hotel will lobby...
SkyMall
The flight went off without a hitch; filled with the in-flight magazine, SkyMall catalog and some minuscule airline pretzels. SkyMall also falls into the category of marketing to an audience with limited other entertainment options. But with the opening of the skies to iPods, Kindles and all other forms of communication dramatically diminishes their potential audience. But, also consider it could...
The Journey Begins
The drive to the Akron-Canton airport went well, without sight of snow, which I had expected. Packing all the suitcases did prove to be quite the challenge, but the hour buffer that I created for us made that a non-issue. Apparently for luggage locks to be successful, they now must bear the TSA logo to indicate that luggage handlers can open these locks without breaking them. I suspect the TSA...