JS2 SQUARED AWAY

iZO Cleanze: Day Five

2009-08-31T07:02:00.001-07:00

I made it to Monday - and it hasn't been bad so far. I'd say the worst of it has been missing meals: the planning of, the preparation of, the consuming of ... food plays a huge role in our lives and not having those occasions is very strange indeed. That's not to say I was hungry; I wasn't. I just missed the anticipation of knowing I'd be enjoying that piece of grilled fish, that fresh salad or that slice of PIE!

My energy level has maintained - I'm not super-energetic, mind you. I feel just fine. A friend asked if I thought she could take spinning classes while on the cleanse. The answer for me was no. I swam some laps yesterday, but it was very leisurely. I also took a lot of walks this weekend with Savannah and the heat was so intense, I was fairly tired when I returned home. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't make it through a spinning class right now (I usually do 3-4/week).

OK, so I got on the scale today and had lost the 1/2 pound I'd put on yesterday. So, seven pounds (in four days) and holding. We'll see about tomorrow....

This has been an interesting experience to say the least! I've gotten used to the taste of the juices and feel like I could continue this for a good long while. Suddenly it doesn't seem unreasonable that someone could do this for two weeks or more. Still, I think I'll stop, as I said I would, after five days. I think it's time to reintroduce food to my diet - even if it's just gazpacho (which I plan to make tonight in anticipation of my "first meal" tomorrow!). And, well ... maybe one last glass of rosé to celebrate the end of summer!

iZO Cleanze: Day Four

2009-08-30T06:36:00.000-07:00

I was up even earlier today - and took Savannah out so we could actually see the sunrise. It was not as beautiful as yesterday's - the smoke from the fires has gotten more intense. Crazy.

I was told that the second and third days were the "hump" days in a cleanse. It could be one or the other - I guess my hump day was Friday because yesterday I felt fine. Today, I feel even better. I don't know if it's psychological, but I believe the testimonials on the iZO Cleanze site that say your energy increases. I am beginning to see it for myself. I am ... beginning to see the light!

One thing I haven't mentioned is hunger - I have none. Since day one. I guess I'm getting enough calories and the liquids are filling. So, nope - no hunger pains. On the other hand, I've mentioned weight. As of yesterday I'd lost seven pounds. This morning I jumped on the scale and had put 1/2 pound back on ... which is cool, because as I'd written yesterday, I thought seven pounds in two days was too much. Of course, the weight is water and whatnot ... probably very little actual body weight, but two pounds/day is more reasonable.

I thought I'd run through the list of what I'm consuming on a daily basis. It's crazy how many things I'm consuming ... I can't imagine how long it took iZO Cleanze Founder Tim Martin to forumulate these juices. He is the master!

- I start with 1/2 pint of Anu Water, mineral infused (80 minerals), pH balanced H2O that contains trace amounts of hypochlorous acid, a week, non-toxic (I would hope!) oxy-chloro molecule that acts as an anticacterial (the EPA has recognized its action against protozoans - whatever they are - bacteria, mold, fungi and viruses ... it also destroys E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, mold, and fungi - get this - ON CONTACT!)

- Immediately following the Anu Water, I have one pint of iZO Cleanze SuperGreen, a combination of land veggies which I detailed on Day One (things like grass, nettle leaf, horsetail, alfalfa juice, dandelion leaf juice, oat grass juice, broccoli juice, kale juice, spinach juice, parsley juice, ginger, et al), algaes, wild-crafted aquatic veggies (like icelandic kelp - yikes!) and other "energetics, enzymes, probiotics and nutrients. It is meant to deeply nourish and detox my system. It actually tastes pretty good and does a neat trick of making you feel extremely healthy right off the bat - a great way to start the day.

- About an hour later I have one pint of iZO Juice Red. This is my favorite juice (it has great notes of ginger which I love). It is hugely nutritious (Vitamins A, C and B6 - plus maganese) and is a great source of fiber, lutein, calcium, copper and potassium. It is made from parseley, apples, beets, carrots, cucumber, celery and, of course, ginger. To me, it is the most flavorful of the juices. Along with the iZO Juice Red I take 3 iZO liver detox capsules and 3 iZO LAX capsules. The liver caps are made from milk thistle extract, a powerful antioxidant, and root extract of Japonica, et al. The iZO LAX capsules contain rhubarb root, peppermint leaf, wildcrafted Nopal cactus, ginger root, wasabi, thyme, oregano, whole leaf aloe ferox and enzymes.

(Throughout the day, I have one juice every hour with a couple of exceptions where I skip an hour. The point is the stretch the juices out throughout the day. This is easy for me since I've been getting up around 6 and going to bed around 9:30 since starting the cleanse. That's 15 and 1/2 hours divided by 12 liquid components, so it works out nicely.)

- Next up is one pint of iZO Tea: Activate, a spleen cleanse with things like Astragalus (helps promote "upright Chi", enhancing circulation), White Atractylodes (the most important herb for drying and activating the metabloism), Poria (helps the digestive organs), odonopsis (a nurturing Chi herb which helps activate the digestive process and enhances metabolism), Dang Gui (which provides elements that help the body attain and utilize iron - which helps build blood), Goji Berries ("a wonderful all-around tonic for blood, high in Beta Carotene, which is transformed to Vitamin A via the liver."), Jujube Date (a mild spleen Chi herb which also "hamonizes" the formula), Longan (high in iron and calming to the heart), White Peony (keeps blood activated), Schizandra (a do-all tonic herb that promotes cheerfulness and beauty - as if I need it!!) and Lo Han Quo (a sweet herb to enhance taste).

- Then it's on to iZO Tea: Replenish, a kidney cleanse (in my case it's only cleansing one kidney seeing as how I was born with just one) with Chinese tonic herbs designed by iZO Cleanze herbalist Rehmannia dean Thomas. This is actually very interesting: The formula "contains special herbs revered for thousands of years throughout the Orient for their longevity-rejuvenation-fertility (!) enhancing actions. The elite of China's Dynasties and the ancient elder mountain hermits called "immortals" drank teas of these herbs daily. Ho Sho Wu is the primary herb in the formula and is said to help turn grey hair back to its natural color. There is much more, but it also helps to counter stress, overwork, anxiety "and the many debilitating aspects of our society." Cool! With the Replenish I also take two iZO Zymes capsules containing protease, acid protease, amylase, lipase, cellulase, lactase, bromelain (pineapple) and papain (papaya).

- An hour later it's on to one pint of iZO Pro Almond Milk which is where I get my protein: black rice, black bean, black sesame, Maca (an Incan specialty that leaves people feeling powerful and invigorated), Ho Sho Wu (previously mentioned - it's the grey hair back to blond herb), bee pollen and pure, freshly made organic almond milk. Not bad!

- Next it's one pint of iZO Lemonade, a spicy drink with organic lemons, cayenne pepper and stevia (sometimes call sweet leaf) for sweetness. It's kind of like the lemonade you drink on the "Master Cleanse" but not as sweet.

- Following is another pint of iZO Juice Red (see above)

- Next is iZO Tea: Purify, a blood, liver and lymph cleanse. This is a sophisticated formula for cleansing with herbs that help rid the liver, lymph and blood of toxins. It also "provides emotional support and balance during the early stages of the cleanse". It has a bunch of things like Bupleurum (a Chinese herb for detoxifying the liver, lymph and blood), scutellaria (a blood cleanser), ginger, White peony, Coptis (another blood cleanser), Taraxaci (a liver aid), Dragon Bone (where do they get the dragon??), Polygala, Schizandra, Astragalus, Lo Han Guo and ... licorice!

- Following is the last tea of the day, one pint of iZO Tea: Elevate (a crown, chakra cleanse). This formula is all about cultivating the spiritual aspect of health, called "Shen". It contains Reishi Mushroom ("the herb of spiritual immortality" that promote the production of large white blood cells - an empowering herb), Asparagus Root (an interesting herb which helped ancient shamen fly - appartently after regularly consuming asparagus root, you have frequent dreams of flying which get longer and more lucid after a while ... it's a very cool concept of, as Jungian psychology supports, individual transformation "into higher frequencies of mind and liberation from gross mental attachment to material wealth and bondage."), Albizzia Flowr (an herb that helps to overcome heartbreak, anxiety and stress), Spirit Poria (a fungus that grows around the roots of pine trees said to be uplifting yet grounding - the Chinese believe that while yearing to be spiritually uplifted, it is also important to stay grounded on Earth.), Schizandra and Lycium, or Goji (an herb that benefits the liver and kidney(s)).

- Then it's one pint of iZO Juice Green made with parsley, cucumber, celery, fennel and ginger.

- Finally, it's one pint of Lemonade, or in my case, since I chose the heavy metal elective, it's one pint of iZO Detoxo utilizing a special fermentation process with kelp for balancing pH levels, chelating heavy metals and removing radiation and other impurities from the system. Fermented kelp was successfully used at Hiroshima and Chernobyl to remove radiation and heavy metals from the body.

Everything I've consumed for the last three days has been vegan, raw and organic ... kind of amazing, really. It's a wild ride - but certainly something that I'm happy to be doing.

I've had a great weekend - reading, walking with Savannah, getting a facial and a massage - I may even go to church this morning. This cleanse has been a wonderful opportunity for me to slow down and get centered. Good timing too: I'm heading to Martha's Vineyard on Thursday!

Happy Sunday, everyone.

iZO Cleanze: Day Three

2009-08-29T06:45:00.001-07:00

It's Saturday morning and I was up in time to take Savannah for a daybreak walk. We passed by Lindsay Lohan's house and my good friend Mae Brunken's house (she not only designed my NY apartment, but lives around the corner from me in a beautifiul Mediterranean house made famous in the film "Double Indemnity" where it starred as Barbara Stanwyck's home) and Doris Robert's casa (who lives around the corner from Minne Driver and America Ferrera - it's quite a neighborhood!) ... and then down the road, a cul-de-sac ending in a spectacular view of Los Angeles from downtown to the ocean to take in the sunrise. It was spectacular - made all the more beautiful, I suspect, because of the smoke from the wild fires we've all seen these past few days. Nature sometimes has a way of turning even tragedies into something positive.

So, obviously I have some energy today. That's a good thing, because yesterday wasn't a terrific day. It was a productive day, for me, but not very comfortable. The headache persisted for most of the day. Nothing major - just, you know, there. It was also beastly hot in LA: 100 degrees. And I've been driving my vintage car (a '86 Mercedes 560SL) as my primary vehicle these days which is fun, but it has no A/C, so it was a challenge. I also felt a bit lethargic. I ended up going to bed at 10PM.

The iZO Cleanze drinks became less feast and more fast for me yesterday. I now simply down the liquid in one fell swoop as opposed to "savoring" it. They are so full of nutritional integrity, I suppose, that they couldn't taste good by definition. Amy Fuller, in my office, who is also doing the cleanse, really enjoys the teas. I think I'll take iZO Cleanze's suggestion and go to Whole Foods market to purchase some agave nectar in order to sweeten them - I find them very "earthy" if you will.

I stepped on the scale again this morning and have lost another two pounds, which is more reasonable, but still surprising. Seven pounds in two days is too much, I think. But hopefully it'll level off by tomorrow.

Today I feel better - clearly my energy is better (I also slept really well last night) and the headache is all but gone. It should be a low-key day. I'll watch Ted Kennedy's funeral and then get into my new book, "Netherland" by Joseph O'Neill. Maybe some laps at the pool ... maybe a movie at ArcLight. But no BBQ's and no cocktail parties ... oh well; no pain, no gain!

iZO Cleanze: Day Two

2009-08-28T07:26:00.001-07:00

I greeted the little black iZO Cleanze bag this morning with a tad less enthusiasm than I did yesterday. iZO Cleanze Founder Tim Martin warned me yesterday that the novelty could wear off ... he was right. It's not that I didn't enjoy Day One, per se, it's just that, well ... there was a whole lot of liquid to consume in one fifteen hour period! And let's face it, as nutritious and complex Tim's concoctions are, a 1982 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild it is not!

Yesterday went by without incident. I liked some of the teas better than others. I prefer the iZO Super Green, Red and Almond Milk drinks the best. Probably would put the Green at the bottom. I noticed mid-morning that I felt sleepy, but that was probably because I'd had a fitful sleep the previous night. The rest of the day, I felt fine; good energy, clear-headed ... until around eight last night when I got a headache that lasted until around four this morning. Not a throbbing headache; more like a dull pain at the top of my head. On a scale from one to ten, it was a three ... and it has decreased to about a one now, so hopefully that will be completely gone soon.

Here's the surprising thing: I stepped on the scale this morning and it registered five pounds lighter. Five pounds? How could that be? (This is a very accurate scale, always in synch with the professional scale at the gym and I weigh myself every morning at the same time, so I know it's not the technology....). Go figure. Hopefully that first day drop will be the last and moving forward I'll only lose at the most a pound a day (the iZO Cleanze literature says most people lose between one and two pounds a day).

Socially, this cleanse has really cramped my style. I've had to say no thanks to a few invitations including a late-afternoon cocktail party in Malibu this afternoon, a dinner party tonight (though I may drop by) and a BBQ tomorrow night. Too, you realize as you go through the day (as if I didn't already know) how much FOOD plays into your daily routine. When you cut out meals, you have a lot more time on your hands. And honestly, taking the iZO pint jar out of the fridge, shaking it, screwing off the lid and drinking it takes a lot less time than meeting a friend at the Ivy, ordering the grilled vegetable salad (with shrimp) and consuming it!

Still, I feel great about doing this for myself and I suppose that's the most important thing.

So onto and into Day Two!

iZO Cleanze: Day One

2009-08-27T09:34:00.000-07:00

“This is my last meal,” I said to a friend-of-30-years during dinner at Ammo last night.

Barbara Epstein, producer/director/choreographer/writer/Broadway investor and all-around great gal, simply looked at me and waited. She’s known me long enough to know to wait for the punch line.

“I’m starting a cleanse tomorrow… a super-nutrient, super cleanse. For five days. I won’t eat again until … next month! Tuesday, September 1, to be exact.”

Here’s the story.

My business has a lot of perks. Over the years I’ve gotten to experience many of my client’s products and services … you know, for, like, - FREE. I’m talking about stays in beautiful hotel rooms (thank you Shutters at the Beach), movie tickets (thank you ArcLight Cinemas) and even, once, a day of psychological analysis courtesy of Moonview Sanctuary. Gastronomically speaking, I’ve had some amazing meals at five star restaurants served by the chefs themselves: Bobby Flay, Michael Mina, Bradley Ogden, Neal Fraser, Marcus Samuelsson, et al. Sometimes it’s an opportunity to be one of the first to taste a new smoothie (Jamba Juice), Ice-Blended (The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf), pizza (California Pizza Kitchen) or, (iced, half-caf, triple grande, non-fat) latte (Starbucks). And sometimes it’s a bit more out there, like today.

We just signed iZO Cleanze. According to the marketing brochure I have sitting in front of me, iZO Cleanze is a full-body detox cleanse designed to transform your health and let your body start fresh! (punctuation theirs). Founder and CEO Tim Martin told me the other day, “It’s not a fast, it’s a feast.” Cool.

So, here’s how it works, Every morning I will wake up to find, as I did this morning, a nifty, insulated bag containing the day’s “feast” waiting for me just inside the garden gate in my front yard. Inside are the following:

Two Pints iZO Red
One Pint iZO Green
One Pint iZO SuperGreen
One Pint iZO Tea: Purify
One Pint iZO Tea: Elevate
One Pint iZO Tea: Activate
One Pint iZO Tea: Replenish
One Pint iZO Pro
Two Pints Lemonade
½ Pint Anu Water
Liver supplements
Enzymes

These, dear reader, I will consume on a daily basis for the next five days. 11 and ½ pints of liquid. That’s just about one and ½ gallons. And I’m encouraged to drink all the water I can/want … that’s a lot o’ liquid!

Here’s how my morning has gone so far:

- I didn’t sleep great, waiting for the sound of the gate opening (will Savannah bark?).

- Up at 3:15 to check – nope, no bag.

- Slept from 3:16 – 6:30 and had vivid dreams of the “feast.” In one, my good friend and client Doug Pick Founder and CEO of DAP World had me meet him in an upscale bait and tackle shop(don’t ask, I don’t know…) where he delivered the bag of goodies. Doug is super cool and super fit, so it figures he would be featured in my first cleanse-related dream. He encouraged me, in my dream, to get the most I could get out of the experience … and then told me to go ahead and chose something from the bag. I opened it up and in there were beautifully scrambled eggs and crisp, crackling bacon! Thanks, Doug….

- Out of bed at 6:31 … look through the French doors into the garden – yep! There it is! (Hmmmm, now I really have to do this.)

- 6:32, walked Savannah.

- 6:50, fed Savannah (wondered to myself: Is this chow going to start looking edible to me in three days??)

- 6:55 I weighed myself - I weigh 193 pounds (I expect to lose weight during the next five days, but that is not my goal). BTW, I am 6’2” tall.

- 7:00, as instructed, I cracked open my first pint jar and … drank! (Going to be doing a lot of that the next few days.)

- My normal breakfast is coffee (black) and fruit. Or coffee and cereal with fruit. Or coffee and a bowl of oatmeal. Or coffee and a hard boiled egg.

- This morning my breakfast consisted of ½ pint of Anu Water (hyper-mineralized alkaline water) and 1 pint of iZO SuperGreen: “A comprehensive blend of nature’s most potent superfoods for deep nourishment and detoxification including: “land vegetables” (grass, whole leaf wheat grass, nettle leaf, shavegrass aka horsetail, alfalfa leaf juice, dandelion leaf juice, barley grass juice, oat grass juice, burdock root, broccoli juice, kale juice, spinach juice, parsley juice, carob pod, ginger root, nopal cactus and amia berry); algaes (spirulina, broken cell wall chlorella); wild-crafted aquatic vegetables (Icelandic kelp, Nova Scotia dulse, laver, bladderwrack, alaria, mori, Irish moss); and energetics, enzymes, probiotics and nutrients (shilajit, protease, amylase, lipase, cellulose, bromelain, papain, alpha galactosidase, massive array of both implantable lactobacillus species, 100% organically bound chromium, selenium, molybdenum, B-vitamins, beta-glucans, etc.). Wow. Wait - Nettle leaf? Horsetail? Bladderwrack? Anyway … the water was strange tasting and heavy; the SuperGreen was … REALLY GOOD! The ginger really came through. I can do this!

I’ll be blogging about my experience and will update periodically. It is now 10AM and I have consumed 3.5 pints of liquid. I’ve got a ways to go, but so far I haven’t fallen off the wagon…. Good sign, huh?

Oh, and my last meal? It was Ammo’s signature turkey meatloaf with horseradish mashed potatoes and sautéed beet greens. DELICIOUS!

EIght Years Young

2009-08-20T16:30:00.000-07:00

Eight years ago today, on August 20, 2001, JS2 Communications was born. The place of birth was Hancock Park, a leafy Los Angeles neighborhood.

Jill and I named the company after ourselves … not the most original idea in our business, but certainly fitting for us as we both share the same initials (JS, natch, short for Jill Sandin and Jeff Smith). Our first offices were in a wonderful old 1920’s Spanish building. It was a perfect set-up … we worked there for a couple of years until we’d reached six employees and, bursting out of the seams, moved to our current offices on Melrose Avenue.

And then, just 22 days after starting our fledgling business, 9/11 happened.

Looking back on that period, it’s hard to believe we didn’t implode. Thankfully, we had a few super-steady clients (Jamba Juice, Wilmington Trust, Nike, et al) and we survived, just as we’ve survived the current financial crisis: With a lot of grit, perseverance and excellent work.

PR has changed so much since the summer of ‘01 … the past few years have seen huge swings in our industry. In 2001 social networking meant drinks at the Standard with a client and tweet was something you heard, not did. Print media was still relatively strong and secure and we paid far less attention to the blogosphere than we do today. Still, the principles of our industry have remained the same. I believe – as my colleagues have heard me say countless times – that what we do for our clients is very important. Raising the profile of a product or service to appropriate audiences is key to their survival. It’s not rocket science (never was), but it’s trickier and more complex than what one might think after, say, the 15th viewing of a favorite “Ab Fab” episode (“PR, dahling – PR!”).

So, as we enter our ninth year, we are thankful to our clients (and there have been many) who have given us the opportunity to become better and better at what we do. The ArcLight Cinemas and UNICEF’s of the world, the Patina Restaurant Groups and Coffee Bean and Tea Leafs have all required us to be the very best we can be at what we do. It’s been a great eight years.

Happy Anniversary to us!

Celebrity PR and Lee Solters

2009-08-13T15:34:00.000-07:00

I’m currently ½ way through the August edition of PR Week which is largely devoted to social media. The pub also lists its “40 Under 40” superstar picks and, again, I missed it. Oh wait, I just turned 49…whatever. (I was once named by Los Angeles Magazine as one of Los Angeles’s 101 Hottest People, but that was when I was, myself, under 40 and, frankly, not really the same thing. In any case, it didn’t do much for my professional or dating life, but I can report that the then relatively-unknown Ryan Seacrest was also named and had his photo just above mine on the page.) Exciting stuff….

Anyway, in the current issue I read a couple of excellent, non-social-networking-related opinion pieces; one about the premature, Mark Twain-like reporting of print journalism’s death, and the other about the need to have good, solid and (yes) old-fashioned media pitching skills. I rather liked the pieces and they made me think of my early PR training in the pre-Twitter dark ages of the (early) 1990’s.

My first job in PR was for PR master Lee Solters. Lee, who died in May at the age of 89, represented Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand and Pia Zadora when I worked for him … and, at one time or another during his long career, repped every other major star – from Frank Sinatra to Led Zeppelin – in Hollywood. He was even credited with helping to introduce The Beatles to America! He was a legend.

Lee was very proud of a loose-leaf notebook he used to keep track of his media contacts in which he had glued the masthead for every outlet imaginable. Page after page, name after name, number after number, it was his own personal media map; his Bible. In the book's margins, he’d hand-written information on who had written about what client, when, etc. As most know, journalists flit back and forth from outlet to outlet, so you can imagine the hieroglyphics that resulted – I don’t know how he kept track of who was where, but he did!

One day, I borrowed the book to copy down some information into my own Bible. The phone rang - it was the manager of a client. During the rather long conversation, I absentmindedly began doodling … on Lee’s “New Yorker” page! By the time I’d finished the conversation, I’d added my own artistic renderings to Lee's … and completely covered some of the information! Oy vey! I was mortified.

The only thing to do was leave, but of course I couldn’t do that. The only thing to do was be a man and fess up – but first I went out and bought a new New Yorker. I tore out the masthead and pasted it onto a new page. I got out our media books (yes, boys and girls - we had media books ... they were published by Bacon's) and started looking up phone numbers. Then I called The New Yorker and verified every single person on the list and clarified their information. I then saw that he’d had freelancers listed – some were also obscured – so for extra measure I went through several back-issues of the magazine and identified every writer who was not on the masthead. Then I started calling and somehow managed to get information for many listed. This, remember, was pre-internet. No Google searches. No Twitter lifelines.

When I was mostly satisfied, I brought his bible back to Lee who was, no doubt, listening to some Steve and Eydie CD, and presented my case. I showed him his Bible and the graffiti I’d added to the New Yorker page and then presented my new page with what I hoped was the right combination of remorse, humility and triumph. He looked up at me over the tops of his glasses and held my gaze. Then, he opened a drawer and pulled out a thick stack of hole-punched papers. Without saying a word, he found what he was looking for, removed the bastardized New Yorker page from his Bible and replaced it with a clean one: the exact copy of what I’d so skillfully (I thought) replaced! He had copies of everything! Then he said something I’ll never forget: “I appreciate your honesty and I appreciate the work you did on getting the new information. But never forget that you and only you are responsible for your resources. Protect them – always!”

There is no need for hand-written media bibles any more (that’s what databases are for) but
I will always remember that valuable lesson.

And God save Print Journalism!

RIP, Lee.

Hit of the Week

2009-07-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

On July 3rd our client Improv Aware Driver, an online defensive driving course received a fabulous placement on Examiner.com. The article was a homerun because it emphasized the course’s points of differentiation, including its fun and humorous approach to what is a traditionally dry subject matter. It also gave readers a complete overview of course and highlighted the course’s two main benefits – a mandatory 10% insurance discount for three years and qualification for point reduction on the participant’s license.

Examiner.com is a daily news and entertainment hub comprised of several regional editions and has over eight million visitors per month. The site covers every topic you can think of, so when we found the national insurance industry writer we knew it would be the perfect fit. Our client was thrilled with the placement and expressed how this is exactly the type of placement we were hoping to achieve.

Check out the course’s website, it’s definitively something to laugh about!
www.myimprovnewyork.com

Square Offices

2009-07-09T13:31:00.000-07:00

There is a wonderful, line in Stephen Sondheim’s "Company" about all of New York converging on 14^th St. It was not until I moved offices to JS² that I realized how true it is.

For the past year, I have worked on 29^th and 6^th. Many know the area as The Flower District despite its attempts to re-brand itself as Chelsea North. The neighborhood is somewhat fashionable when you arrive from 7^th Ave, but coming from 6^th Ave, it’s a disaster. Whatever way you slice it, it's not Union Square.

My first day down in Union Square was eye-opening to say the least. Much of my experience in Union Square has been later at night, so I never saw the hustle and bustle of the late morning and early afternoon. The sight of the vendors, the artists and the community reminded me of a place that could not be New York, yet the whole scene was so essentially New York. I fell in love immediately. After four days here, I learned that Union Square houses some of the best food and the most interesting people.

Let’s start with the food. One of my favorite lunch places, Spice is literally a stone’s throw away from the office; Grey Dog Café is a fun joint to hang out and grab a drink and something to nosh on; then there are the delicious dinner restaurants that line University – El Cantinero, with its sinful sangria and large plates, satisfies my Mexican loving stomach. My diet was shot to hell after two days in this neighborhood!

The people in this area are even more eclectic than the food. On my way to the subway yesterday, I passed a woman selling poems she writes on an old-fashion typewriter. What made it more interesting was that her client at the time was a man in a suite with a briefcase. Of course, I could go on describing more of the interesting people I spotted around 14^th St, but I’ll save it for the spin off blog.

Well, since I began the post with a musical theatre reference, it seems only appropriate to end it with one as well. So, as Little Orphan Annie sang, “I think I’m gonna like it here.”

JS2 Explores The Proust Questionnaire

2009-07-09T12:59:00.001-07:00

In an attempt to get to know our team members a little bit more intimately, JS2 decided to pull out the old Proust Questionnaire. Partly inspired by flipping through the latest issue of Vanity Fair (yes, the delicious one with Johnny Depp on the cover) and a reference to Proust's "Remembrance of Time Past" (A La Recherche Du Temps Perdu) we paired up and got the whole truth and nothing but the truth out of our fellow team members. We discovered many fun facts about each other and ultimately this helped us get to know how to work better together and create a stronger team foundation. I suggest you try this with your friends, family and co-workers in order to further peel back layers of the onion that we all are. To view the questionnaire: Proust Questionnaire.

July = Singapore Food Festival

2009-07-09T10:28:00.000-07:00

July marks the annual national Singapore Food Festival and the Southeast Asian culinary specialist and James Beard nominated author, Chef Robert Danhi is on hand to help you prepare for this festive occasion with a collection of sweet, salty and tangy recipes similar to the ones that rule the streets in Asia. With the reputation for some of the best street food in Asia, and a cuisine as diverse as its inhabitants (ethnic Chinese, Malays, Indians and Eurasians make up the general population), Singaporean cooks are known to experiment and combine flavors, techniques and ingredients resulting in a national cuisine that is unlike any other.

To learn more about Chef Robert Danhi and to view more of his Southeast Asian inspired recipes feel free to visit: www.southeastasianflavors.com

My Failed Social Media Experiment

2009-07-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, while laying (or is it lying?) in bed thinking about my sister having to put her dog Curtis to sleep the next day, I had an idea that made me feel much better – how cool would it be if I could create a viral campaign whereby people the world over would tweet about pets they have loved and lost with the hashtag in memory of curtis? I don’t think my sister is even on Twitter so I don’t know if it would have been a consolation for her but I loved Curtis too and I envisioned it being the perfect way to honor his memory, along with a recognition of the power of animals in our lives (full disclosure: I am obsessed with dogs and cats).

So how would I go about creating this viral campaign when by its very nature, viral is something you can’t control? Not to mention that I am a Twitter novice who is still just trying to figure it all out. Enlisting the help of Liz (a social media enthusiast), I set about my mission. First I signed up to follow some of the biggest Twitter influentials, from Ashton Kutcher and Ellen Degeneres to Pete Cashmore of Mashable and Drew of #BlameDrewsCancer and asked them all to encourage their followers to use my hashtag – no response. Next, I asked all the JS2ers to RT my request in the hope that their followers would catch on – nothing (thanks for trying Liz, Gina, Jamie, Amy and Amanda). While I gained followers throughout the day, not one even acknowledged my request. And then it all went to hell – Farrah Fawcett died, followed by Michael Jackson and sweet Curtis didn’t stand a chance.

While it didn’t go viral (not even close), it was a valiant effort. I guess if I knew what made something go viral, I would be a millionaire, sought out by corporations the world over to consult on their marketing initiatives. But I don’t and I don’t believe anyone does. So at least it made me feel better about the passing of sweet Curtis – RIP little boy, you will be missed.

Summer Heats up at Pinot Provence

2009-06-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

Nothing inspires the summer spirit more than a BBQ on the patio amongst friends. A Pinot Provence, every Wednesday and Thursday night Chef Lulu brings her kitchen out to the authentic Provence inspired terrace and cooks a sumptuous Provencal feast for her guests while live Mediterranean music lingers in the background. Last night, the menu was launched and the mood was just short of perfection! In order to help you get your summer started right, I am including a recipe for the delicious Lillet cocktail that garnered the first toast of the eve.

You can now all raise your glasses to the Lillet Nouveau...

The Lillet Nouveau:
Lillet (1 shot)
Dash of Rosewater
Dash of Bitters
Lychee syrup (to taste)
Orange twist in a flute

Remembering What Really Matters

2009-06-23T08:27:00.000-07:00

On a rainy Thursday last week, I attended the UNICEF Annual Meeting and even after working with the organization for three years, the content was compelling. I already knew the heartbreaking statistic of 25,000 children dying a day die from preventable causes but sometimes a number is just a number and you can’t really get your head around it. That’s why a few of the stories of the day stood out:

- Cynthia McFadden told a story about a girl in a yellow dress standing day and night by her mother’s bed as she lay dying. She then played a segment from Nightline that aired in February in which she traveled with UNICEF ambassador Salma Hayek to Sierra Leone (yes the one where Salma Hayek breastfed a starving baby but more importantly, the segment that showed a seven-day old baby taking her last breath). Even so, the most poignant part of her speech came at the end when she said she would keep doing whatever she could to help children in honor of the girl in the yellow dress – it gave me chills.

- UNICEF Field Officer Silvia Gaya spoke about sanitation efforts in Chad but it was later when I got to speak to her one on one that I learned that she had been critically wounded in Chad while working there several years ago. Despite a more than three-year recovery, she longs to go back as she simply feels that it is her mission to be out there helping children.

- Finally, Pernille Ironside spoke about the atrocities in Darfur. Pernille was captivating – she seemed exhausted by what she has seen and done and yet so calm and matter of fact about her work. Over a slideshow of her own pictures in the background, Pernille talked about reuniting children with their families after they had been captured and made to be child soldiers and sex slaves. After she finished, the session was opened to questions but there were none as the audience seemed shell-shocked by what they had heard.

A day like that reminded me that no matter how rainy it is in NYC or how bad the economy is in the U.S., that nothing feels better than putting a smile on a child’s face because they have a full belly.

2009-06-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

A year and a half after Oscar’s elementary school science fair project turned into philanthropic family business, the Youd family and their pit-lab rescue, Margo, celebrated the launch of Margo’s Bark Root Beer at Larchmont Larder. To help celebrate, Bark Avenue Foundation was on hand with some adorable furry friends looking for a new home giving party guests something to “aw” over. Larchmont Larder served delicious food including pulled pork sliders and barbeque chicken skewers marinated in Margo’s Bark, mini hot dogs and burgers, and lobster rolls. In my opinion, the main event of the night was the Margo’s Bark Root Beer floats served with house made ice cream from MILK. I knew from the first sip it was a match made in heaven. Just like Oscar says: “The best part of Margo’s Bark is that you can put a scoop of ice cream in it.” Touché my friend, touché.

In addition to friends, family, dog lovers and root beer aficionados, KCBS-TV and KTTV-TV were on hand to capture the event. Check out their stories below.

http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/news/local/Local_Boy_Invents_New_Root_Beer_20090609
http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=105425@kcbs.dayport.com

La Grande Orange featured in Serious Eats for their highly celebrated hamburger

2009-06-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

It is now officially summertime and the hunt for the perfect burger has begun. In Santa Monica, La Grande Orange has one of the best burgers in town and Serious Eats was on hand to notice . Describing the grace and architecture of the LGO hamburger down to its perfect bun, meat texture and seasoning has me convinced that the perfect burger hunt starts and ends here. Just in time for Father's Day the quest for perfection is summarized in one simple bite! To learn more about La Grande Orange please click here: LGO Santa Monica.

My Network

2009-06-10T12:31:00.000-07:00

After 12 years working in the public relations industry, I finally got my act together last year and joined a professional organization, New York Women in Communications. I didn’t know much going in except that my former boss Joan Cear (managing director at G.S. Schwartz), a woman I respect and admire very much, was very involved and got a lot out of it so I figured if it worked for her, it might work for me. Joan suggested I start by joining a committee so I looked through the options and settled on Integrated Marking and Communications, which seemed most closely related to my experience. This was indeed the best way for someone like me, a mingling-averse homebody, to get involved in a professional organization – I quickly and painlessly got to know several women who could serve as “security blankets” for me at industry events. Rather than fighting my usual instincts to run and hide in a corner, I could now attend events that I was interested in and easily mingle with ladies I already knew.

As the year went on, I became more involved in the committee, regularly writing articles for the monthly newsletter and even getting the opportunity to interview one of the winners of the Matrix Awards (the Oscars of women working in communications fields) for the Matrix Journal (thanks Leslee Dart). In fact, the outgoing VP and Director recently asked me to take on the role of incoming Director, to which I readily agreed.

I also, at Joan’s urging, signed up to become a mentor and this past Monday met my mentee, who happens to be adorable. I never had a formal mentor/mentee relationship but like many of the successful women in the room at the orientation, I have worked with several women throughout the course of my career who supported my professional development and I wanted to pay it back. I look forward to seeing what will come of it.

As I reach the end of my first decade in business, I have learned so much but know there is so much more knowledge out there to be had. As things change at a deliriously fast pace, I can now benefit from wise women who came before me, who have seen it change before and lived to tell the tale.

Hit of the Week: Margo's Bark in LABJ

2009-06-10T12:14:00.001-07:00

On June 1, our client Margo’s Bark premiered in a feature article in the Los Angeles Business Journal—the first publication to break the story of the line of new, microbrewed root beer. The article describes how the bubbly soft drink was first created in a messy yet breakthrough science fair project. Margo’s Bark Soda Co. has quickly become a phenomenon.

Looking for a sweet and refereshing afternoon treat? Check out Margo’s Bark at: http://www.margosbark.com/index_ie.php

Some call it Synergy

2009-06-05T11:05:00.000-07:00

Being a good publicist is all about contacts, and it's not just media contacts that matter. We recently introduced two new vendors to our client, Tender Greens. Not only are the new contacts providing great products for the TG customers, they are providing fodder for even more creative pitches for us.

The first contact came through a friend of mine. His cousin had recently retired from practicing law and started up a microgreens farm in his back yard in San Diego. "Perfect for Tender Greens San Diego!" I squealed. Even better, the cousin, Paul Reeb, and his microgreens business Green Castle Micros are located in Point Loma, almost walking distance from the restaurant. Tender Greens is buying up all the microgreens Paul can grow and BONUS! he also grows more than 70 varieties of tomatoes (all in his back yard), and Tender Greens San Diego is buying up every last juicy one.

The second contact came through a referral from my husband's boss for Margo's Bark, a tasty root beer which donates all profits to dog shelters. We picked them up as a client and referred them to our restaurant clients. Tender Greens immediately took a liking to the product and picked up the root beer for all three locations. Not only are they selling bottles of the brew, they're making unbelievably delicious root beer floats, which are already a huge hit in San Diego.

Powerful blogging, mixing new media and PR for maximum results

2009-06-04T14:04:00.000-07:00

I’ve been a PR practitioner for six years and during that time, things have changed dramatically. Gone are the days of massive media lists and cumbersome press mailings. Today, PR is more of a niche practice, one that requires professionals to be engaged with all facets of the media. While Oprah may be the Holy Grail for some, other companies consider extremely targeted media placements on a blog as their home run.

A couple of weeks ago, I started reading “The New Rules of Marketing & PR” by David Meerman Scott. This book covers a range of topics for reaching a client’s consumer base through various mediums but I’m going to focus on my personal favorite - blogs. When you effectively deliver a newsworthy message to a blogger, you are reaching an audience that specifically follows that authority for niche information. The blogger’s reach (audience) may not be equal to an outlet like the Los Angeles Times, but smart clients realize that when their information is posted on a blog covering only cocktails, for example, readers of that blog have turned to the site specifically to find out where they should get their drink on in the city. The audience may be smaller, but they are certainly a more targeted one.

At JS2, many of our clients are food and beverage related, and we have stayed ahead of the curve by recognizing that bloggers such as Caroline on Crack, LA Eater and The Digest Blog (from Los Angeles Magazine) are highly influential in determining where a consumer will go to enjoy a vegan meal, a happy hour special or an environmentally-sound dining option. And while every client wants a positive review in the food section of their major daily newspaper, information that connects directly with those seeking it is always a win.

Over the next few weeks, as I delve deeper in to Meerman Scott’s book, I will share thoughts on my research and readings of the new age of PR. I do believe that this book is a refreshing look at how the industry has changed and I highly recommend the read not only for those at PR or marketing agencies, but also to those that rely on PR and marketing to reach their consumers.

For those short on time (or attention span) here are a few of my personal favorite blogs covering new media PR…
PR 2.0
WebInkNow – David Meerman Scott’s blog
StrategicPublicRelations

PS – I am NOT a “social media expert”; I AM a quick study, passionate about public relations and a social media enthusiast…

Ivan Kane's Cafe Wa s Featured on New York Times Boite

2009-06-03T12:01:00.000-07:00

Over Memorial Day weekend, Ivan Kane’s Café Wa s was selected in the NY Times Boite column in the Style section as one of the hottest new night spots in Hollywood. Drawing attention to the hip ambiance and vibe that is Café Wa s proves once again that Mr. Kane truly and actively always has his finger on the pulse!

2009-06-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

Hit of the Week: New York Times “Wheels Blog”

On May 18, our client Improv Aware Driver was one of the first four DMV approved online defensive driving courses to launch in New York state, allowing New Yorkers to qualify for a mandatory 10% three-year insurance discount and a four-point reduction on their driving record, without ever leaving the comforts of their home. With the intension of beating the competition, we reached out to a sampling of high-profile media outlets to arrange for our story to break the morning of the launch. With a few personalized pitches and some additional follow-up calls, we were thrilled to get a message from one of the New York Times Wheels bloggers late Friday afternoon. After providing some additional information, a couple of website URLs and scheduling a few interviews, our story on online defensive driving courses was posted on Monday morning featuring a quote from the company founder, Gary Alexander and a direct link to our client’s website! Though we were one of four approved online courses launching that day, Improv Aware Driver was the only course named and described in the New York Times article. If you live in New York State and are looking for an easy and convenient way to save on car insurance, check out www.MyImprovNewYork.com.

Princesses for a Day

2009-05-28T12:19:00.000-07:00

When the clock struck 12:15, grumbling stomachs were audible throughout the office. We primped, straitened our dresses and shirts and marched out the door to arrive promptly for a 12:30 reservation at Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro. We were met with a firm handshake from the general manager, Dan, who greeted even me, the intern, by first name. It was as if a golden tiara had been placed upon our heads and our loyal citizens were lying in wait to serve us. We were treated like royalty.

After being shown to a private corner of the dining room, our first course had already been laid out: a charcuterie platter decorated with picked vegetables, hand-cut wedges of 7-8 cheese presented on a wooden board with honey and crispy bread slices drizzled with olive oil. Once our doting waitress presented each meat and cheese, noting the flavor, region, and whether or not it was to her liking, the general manager himself made us fresh Virgin Mary’s from the well-known Bloody cart. Tickled by the personal touches, we were then presented with our second course: a non-traditional Greek salad with chunks of fresh avocado, a Chinese chicken salad and a burrata and tomato Caprese-style salad. Signature fried squash blossoms stuffed with ricotta and served with a charred tomato sauce were given special mention. Though our stomachs were beginning to fill with creamy cheeses, chunks of chicken and smooth avocado, the next course was one to top the previous two. Fish and chips included a generous portion of lightly battered sole atop crispy French fries and tartar sauce and the Prime Dry-Aged All-Natural steak was perfectly medium-rare with a side of caramelized root vegetables (squash, carrots and radishes). The winning dish, to our taste, was the double breast of chicken surrounded by a medley of golden beets, wilted fennel and savory sauce.

Our lunch was lengthened with a mid-meal tour of the upstairs steakhouse, intimate dining room and extensive second-floor, outdoor patio. We quickly returned to our table however to be presented with sweet, white-wine sangria and dessert: fluffy chocolate and vanilla soufflés, a trio of crème brulees (caramel, chocolate, and traditional vanilla) and a poached pear atop vanilla ice cream served in an old fashioned glass. A shot of espresso and twist of lemon rind did me in (though I had probably hit my limit by the salad course.)

It was a meal to last me, if not a lifetime, then definitely the rest of the summer.

2009-05-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

June is Gay Pride Month nationwide, which generally means that it’s a time for community-building festivals and parades and joyous expressions of pride in individuality and sexuality. But in California, celebrations are turning to protests as it was announced Tuesday that the courts will uphold Prop 8, the ban on same-sex marriage. For the lucky 18,000 who rushed to the alter during the brief moment gay marriage was legal in California, their marriages will stay intact, but for the countless other couples who hoped that the courts would reverse the ban as unconstitutional, more court battles and ballot initiatives await.

It’s amazing and inspiring to think about how far gay rights have come since the 1960’s. The Stonewall Riots in 1969 marked the very beginning of the gay rights movement in America and to commemorate the anniversary of the June riots, the very next year an informal, spontaneous march happened on Christopher Street in New York City, marking the first Gay Pride Parade. Images from these early Gay Pride Parades were captured by Hank O’Neal in his book Gay Days, with captions by Alan Ginsberg and an intro written by William Burroughs (heavy hitters!).

This month Tender Greens West Hollywood will unveil a new permanent photo installation featuring selections from O’Neal’s Christopher Street images (see photo above for sample). The images, which will wallpaper the restaurant, will be installed next week, and to celebrate the unveiling, Tender Greens will host a week of fundraising events benefiting the LA Gay & Lesbian Center June 8-14. All profits from the sales of Agent for Change wines that week will be donated to the Center and on June 11, 5% of all profits for the day at the restaurant will be donated. On the evening of June 11, a private fundraiser will be held at the restaurant, benefiting the LA Gay & Lesbian Center.

One Year Post Grad

2009-05-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

As spring fades and summer heats up I realize it has been exactly one year since I graduated from college. Last May I was a proud graduate of Adelphi University with a Bachelor’s Degree and barely a clue of my future. Like many graduates I packed up my dorm room and headed back to my hometown to figure out my next move. But after I unpacked the last four years of my life and settled into my parents’ house I realized that after four years away from home the last place I wanted to be was there.

So with an updated cover letter and resume I hit the career websites. After about a week of in-person interviews and countless emails correspondence, I realized it wasn’t necessarily the jobs I wasn’t interested in, it was the location. A small town in New Jersey is no place for a girl with big PR dreams and New York is where I wanted to be. Luckily I had met a really great mentor and friend while interning in college who saw my potential and began to make calls on my behalf. Within a few days she gave me JS² Communications’ contact information and I emailed Alissa. After a short phone interview I was offered a paid internship for two days a week and I took it!

The following Monday I arrived at JS² Communications’ New York office and dove right into work. What happened next is completely a ‘right place, right time’ situation – on my second day at JS² I was offered a full time internship with the possibility of becoming a full time employee! I definitely hit the internship/career jackpot on that one. By August I was a full time Account Coordinator and almost one year later I’m an Assistant Account Executive.

Of course not all career beginnings are as successful but I’d like to think there is just as much hope and opportunity for the Class of 2009. The key to finding and making a career is to be driven and never give up. It may take weeks or even months after graduation before landing the perfect opportunity, but I promise it is worth it. In my case I took a chance with a part-time internship in my desired field, hoping that it would turn into something more.

Currently at JS² Communications we have two fabulous interns with a world of potential; Jennifer Rodstrom in the New York office and Sheri Holt in the Los Angeles office.

Congratulations to the Class of 2009!

First day on the job!

2009-05-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

I think it was when my dorm room windows began to frost around the edges and the sculpture garden at the National Gallery opened an outdoor ice skating rink that I decided I had better begin my job hunt for the summer. The economic downturn made my prospects look grimmer and grimmer each day I searched. Luckily, my parents did not expect me to find a paying job, especially under the circumstances, but rather something in which I could explore a new interest. After many emails, a phone interview, and a quick in-person meeting, I was thrilled to be offered a summer internship at JS2 Communications.

Today is my first day! It was hard enough moving back to Los Angeles after nine months of living on the east coast, but then to be thrown into a new office, with new people, new technology, and new rules—needless to say, I was a sea of emotions and nerves. Yet, after a mere four and a half hours of being on the job, I have been welcomed into the JS2 family more warmly and more whole-heartedly than I could have ever imagined. Though I fully expect (and even look forward to) the typical intern roles (e.g. making coffee, getting the paper, making lunch runs), I cannot wait to throw myself into the job. What I’ll be doing for the next few months I can’t know, but I’m excited to find out!

Hit of the Week: San Fernando Valley Business Journal

2009-05-20T11:49:00.000-07:00

As a result of an earlier placement we garnered for our client Doug Pick of DAP World, who was honored for his work with a non-profit called New Horizons, San Fernando Valley Business Journal reporter Mark Madler reached out to see if Doug would be interested in being interviewed for an entrepreneur profile - of course he was! The resulting placement was fabulous, highlighting Doug's business trajectory over the past 17 years - a start in children's marketing at A&M Records, a few product misfires along the way (like a device that alerts guys to put the toilet seat down) and the founding of DAP World 17 years ago.

Hit of the Week: Kao Pao Shu in WWD

2009-05-13T10:07:00.000-07:00

Last week, Kao Pao Shu was highlighted in a story focusing on ethnic and world fashion trends in WWD. Naida Begeta, head designer and creative behind this avant garde line brought her fashion collection to Los Angeles mid last year and when she decided to open her flagship store on Beverly Blvd in the heart of the LA Fashion scene. Her unique garments all handmade and custom designed fill a necessary gap where the worlds of design, function and style coalesce. Always one step ahead of the curve, Kao Pao Shu has captured this emerging design trend in her latest collection which ranges from bags and accessories to dresses and skirts. To learn more about Kao Pao Shu fashion feel free to visit their online store and website.

McCafe and other, much better cofee

2009-05-11T17:47:00.000-07:00

Back in college I was addicted to iced mochas (mocha over ice, not blended). If I didn’t have one by 3pm, I would suffer the most excruciating caffeine-withdrawal headache. Then I got into the bad habit of making coffee at home before going to work, having a cup once I got to the office, then taking an afternoon break to get my 3pm iced mocha. The constant dependence on caffeine became too much for me and in 2002 I quit coffee cold turkey. It was hard, but I made it through and resisted coffee altogether for a few years. These days, I love a properly pulled espresso or macchiato and the occasional Ice Blended Mocha from CBTL on hot summer days. For me, coffee is a rare treat that I usually only indulge in on weekends or when I’m on vacation (in Paris, or Costa Rica or Hawaii – some of the best places in the world to drink coffee) – or if I stayed out too late the night before and feel sluggish at work.

Cut to last week. I had been suffering with a bad cold/flu (not the swine flu!) and stuck at home unable to do much but watch TV. After watching countless hours of pointless TV, I could not help but be drawn in by McDonalds’ McCafe commercials. After all, they spent a record $100 million on a marketing blitz to promote their new espresso drinks, and after watching so many McCafe commercials and seeing billboards everywhere across town, I just had to have McCafe.

But there was a hurdle – I don’t go to McDonalds. I hadn’t had a meal there since elementary school, and did not revel in breaching those golden arches. But Vanessa said she’d go with me, and pay, so I decided to take her up on her offer. I got the Iced McMocha (they should call it that!) with nonfat milk and Vanessa got the McCappuccino with whole milk. Peering through the window at the drive-through I watched the lady press a button on the espresso machine and out-flowed our drinks.

First sip – ugh. The chocolate was good, but there was some kind of spoiled milk/chemical aftertaste that I just couldn’t stomach. Down the drain the McMocha went. Vanessa thought that her McCappuccino was lackluster. Foam/milk/espresso ratio was off and the espresso: rancid.

After wasting $5.55 on bad coffee, we started discussing how many of our clients put so much effort into their coffee programs, and how thankful we are for that.

At La Grande Orange, (just opened in Santa Monica), they use Mr. Espresso brand beans which are roasted over oak wood in Oakland and favored by great chefs like Alice Waters and Bradley Ogden.

At Morels they’re making Shakeratos all summer long, my favorite Italian iced coffee in addition to brewing several varieties of sustainably produced beans from Equator Estate Coffees in individual French presses.

At RockSugar they make my favorite Vietnamese Coffee, brewed at your table and mixed with sweetened condensed milk – tastes like chocolate.

At Zucca, you can have a classic Italian espresso made with Illy.

Don't all those options sound nice?

Sexual Content...

2009-05-07T14:20:00.000-07:00

Entering the field of Public Relations, I knew I would be charged with some interesting tasks but never did I imagine that I would find a second career in sex copywriting! Every week, our client WET®, an international leader in personal lubricants, aromatherapy massage oils and intimacy products posts a “sexy” poll on their MySpace page to engage their customers and fan base. My assignment is to come up with a question, provide five possible answers and create copy for each answer relating it back to a specific WET product. Though a bit of a challenge at first, I now find it to be the highlight of my week! Not only do I get to be creative but I get to show off my comedic side! The topics/questions vary from week to week, for example: Ice creams, like lovers, come in a variety of tantalizing flavors. Your favorite flavor of ice cream tells a lot about your personal love style. Pick your favorite sexy flavor and see what it says about you! Or it can be a simple question like what’s your favorite cocktail? I included a personal favorite below, try it out for yourself:

Music and intimacy are like peanut butter and chocolate… two great tastes that taste great together!

What is your favorite song to “get it on” to?

Choose from one of the following options:

Let’s Get It On – Marvin Gaye
Push it – Salt N Pepa
She Bangs – Ricky Martin
I’ll Make Love to You – Boys II Men
Any Way You Want It – Journey

If you chose - Let’s Get It On
For more than 30 years, Marvin Gaye has been seducing the world with this classic love-making melody. Sticking to the basic rules of romance, you also enjoy wooing your lover with the sensual sounds of Mr. Gaye. C’mon baby…and add a little more fun with another classic of love – Wet Original®, the water-based, gentle, odorless, colorless, greaseless and non-staining lubricant. A favorite for those who prefer a more viscous, gel-like lubricant. Wet Original® – helping couples “Get It On” for over 20 years!

If you chose - Push it
Ooh, baby baby! This first Salt N Pepa single went straight to the top of the music charts as well as straight to the bedroom. Now you can push it with Wet® Gellee, a brand new gel-based lubricant, available in Original and delicious Kiwi Strawberry. Gellee is Wet’s twist on the classic jelly lubricant. It is a thick water-based gel formula that is ultra long lasting, sugar-free, stain free, silky smooth and never sticky. Wet® Gellee is extra thick so it stays where you put it. Now push it, push it real good!

If you chose - She Bangs
The sultry sounds of the Latin lover Ricky Martin really get you hot! The way the drums make you move your hips, you are ready to salsa all the way to the bedroom. Add some more bang to your evening with WET Fun Flavors® 4-In-1, a stain-free, sugar-free, warming massage lotion and lubricant – all in one bottle. WET Fun Flavors® gently heats on contact and warms with motion. The best part is that it comes in five sizzling flavors – Seduction Strawberry, Watermelon Blast, Popp’n Cherry, Passion Fruit Pizzazz and Tropical Fruit Explosion. Move those hips and really feel the sensation!

If you chose - I’ll Make Love to You
You are an ultimate romantic and nothing is more satisfying than truly connecting with your partner. So close your eyes, make a wish and blow out the candlelight, for tonight is just the night for you to get even closer to your lover with Wet® together™ Couples’ Lubricant. Offering couples a titillating experience that benefits each person in its own unique way - his warms and hers tingles. When combined, an incredible sensation…baby all through the night!

If you chose - Any Way You Want It
You love to laugh, you love to sing, you do everything and most important you love the lovin’ things. So hold tight, hold tight and experience something new with Wet Platinum® Premium Lubricant, Wet’s longest lasting formula, so you can go all night, ohh every night! Wet Platinum® never dries and doesn’t break down in water so it’s perfect “any way you want it” if “that’s the way you need it!”

We also post the results of each poll through bulletins on MySpace and you will never guess which song won this one… Journey!!!

Next week’s poll…What’s your signature “pick-up” line?

Lululemon we love you!

2009-05-06T15:43:00.000-07:00

We are all big yogis and yoginis here at JS2 and one of our favorite brands related to the practice is Lululemon. We thought it would be very cool if Lululemon expanded into a national yoga studio since it is such a trusted brand with a strong company philosophy and aesthetic. Taking it a step further we paired up and began to brainstorm the most innovative ways to launch this endeavor if it ever came to fruition.

We were given the following parameters to get us started:

Same day multi city launch in NY, LA and SF
Align the launch with an appropriate charity
Stay within a reasonable budget
Incorporate a strong guerilla marketing strategy
Garner mass media attention by hosting an innovative event
Message a strong commitment to being green in all media events and communications

After much debate, the teams brainstormed their creative approaches and came up with the following ideas:

Guerrilla Marketing

Have a branded mobile yoga flat bed truck in each market. The truck will park in front of a large office building around lunch time and offer free mini yoga tutorials, using the flat bed truck as a stage.

Simultaneous launch in all three cities

Coordinate group yoga pose freeze with people wearing lululemon branded yoga wear in big public parks in each of the three cities all on the same day and exact time.
Host free public yoga session in the parks of all three cities to encourage people to sign up for memberships and learn more about the lululemon studios and classes

Timed communal meditation and/or Om chant

Held at major parks in yoga studio markets (i.e. Central Park, Golden Gate Park and Griffith Park)

‘Moonlight meditation’ – 9pm PT/ 12pm ET

Green Event

Urban gardening – planting trees (urban gardening to turn into a long term relationship within in all communities LA, NY & SF since food health is such an important aspect of the yoga practice)
NYC - partner with MilltionTreesNYC.com program

Namaste!

Hit of the Week: Chain Leader Magazine

2009-05-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

Our restaurants are Twitter-pated! The hit of the week is another strategic placement on behalf of our clients about their use of popular micro-blogging service Twitter. Tender Greens and Maggiano's Little Italy are interviewed and featured in an article in the May issue of Chain Leader Magazine about restaurants "All A-Twitter."

JS2 Communications helped Tender Greens set up their Twitter account and walked them through a "Twitter 101" crash course. Tender Greens quickly learned what to tweet, how to tweet in their appropriate voice, how to generate the most meaningful followers and get the most value out of this direct-to-customer tool.

The result: Tender Greens is currently slightly above 800 followers who they can bounce ideas off of, give exclusive information about new restaurants openings, construction updates, specials and new products. The challenge with a restaurant's Twitter is how to quantify the tweets and followers into actual "butt-in-seats." Tweeting their daily specials keeps Tender Greens top of mind for hungry potential customers at their desks. Here at the JS2 Communications offices, daily specials are usually too tempting for us to resist and we end up going to the new West Hollywood location at least 3 or 4 times per week.

Maggiano's Little Italy's Twitter is managed by Michael Breedlove. He used creative contests and ideas to generate awareness among the Twitosphere about Maggiano's and gain more followers. They are currently doing a contest which if they can reach 7,500 followers by May 31, 2009 Maggiano's will grant a wish with the Make-A-Wish Foundation in honor of their Twitter followers, $1 for every follower.

This placement builds awareness for Tender Greens and Maggiano's as innovative leaders in their industry using Twitter in creative ways that benefit their business and poise them for further growth and expansion. The article offers 8 tips for savvy tweets recommended by Erik Oberholtzer of Tender Greens, Michael Breed of Maggiano's Little Italy, and yours truly of JS2 Communications.

NY WICI Matrix Award Highlights

2009-04-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending New York Women in Communication’s Matrix Awards for the first time. Some highlights:

- Brian Williams – hubba hubba! Not only is he charming, intelligent and soothing, but he’s quite the looker as well. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. His honoree, Campbell Brown, wasn’t too shabby either.

- S. Epatha Merkerson – so that is how you pronounce her name. After 15 years of watching “Law & Order” religiously, I finally had an answer. She seemed genuinely humbled to be introduced by Jeff Zucker of NBC, going in for a professional handshake but instead being engulfed in a hug.

- Donny Deutsch – I am not usually a fan but I thought his introduction of Linda Sawyer was really genuine, leaving me feeling like I would love to have her as a boss.

- Monica Langley – I wasn’t familiar with her work at the Wall Street Journal but I thought her speech was really interesting, discussing how she used her intuition and people skills to go beyond the headline to get the story.

- Leslee Dart – I interviewed her for the Matrix Journal so was really interested in what she had to say. But first Jessica Lange and Tom Hanks raved about her endlessly. Their publicist. I was shocked that they would show up, let alone sing her praises like they did. Publicity is such a thankless job but certainly not for Leslee yesterday. Tom Hanks was charming but did anyone expect anything less.

- Sherri Rollins Westin - serenaded by Elmo, what more can I say? And she apparently has a really funny daughter.

So glad I went and have become a part in the past year of such a powerful and rewarding organization. Who knows, maybe one day I will be the PR recipient.

Bold Names

2009-04-27T07:24:00.000-07:00

It occurred to me as the fascinating albeit terrifying story about the so-called Craigslist Murderer began to unfold this week that Philip Markoff has something in common with Scotland’s Susan Boyle: Instantaneous, world-wide name recognition in the blink of an eye. For two very different reasons, both Markoff and Boyle became over-night sensations whose Q ratings (the rating of one’s overall “fame”) blasted through the stratosphere like a NASA Space Shuttle.

Sadly, the public is introduced to people like Markoff through real-time, mass media obsession with much more frequency than to the Susan Boyles of the world: For every Miracle-on-the-Hudson hero like Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger, there are 20 Bernie Madoffs. And it seems that when a true hero like Captain Richard Phillips pops onto the scene, the public is given a kind of gift; an opportunity to identify with someone who seems just as regular as you or me but for a specific set of circumstances that results in mass awareness and genuine admiration.

Here is the thing about Susan Boyle: Her story is authentic. Despite what some of my more cynical friends have to say about her, there is no way, despite all the PR and marketing savvy entertainment companies have developed over the years, that Susan Boyle could have been manufactured. And because of the massive growth of media portals over the past decade, we all came upon her in ways that seemed tailored to our individuality: YouTube and the New York Times; Twitter and The Today Show; FaceBook and CNN.com. Another interesting by-product of the Susan Boyle phenomenon is that her story sometimes connected us with people who were not previously on our radar. I have a friend who heard about Susan in the beauty parlor by the client of her hairdresser who had recently had a baby and was feeling very sheltered and disconnected from the world until she found Susan on the internet. According to my friend, the woman’s enthusiasm in sharing the news of Susan Boyle’s astonishing audition for “Britain’s Got Talent” was just as powerful as the evidence of Susan’s talent itself. Even Simon Cowell would be impressed.

When I heard about Philip Markoff earlier this week, I knew to prepare myself for the hundreds of follow-up stories that would be filed in the days to come. Sure enough, the media, in all their shark-in-the-water frenzy, sliced and diced the story with cold precision. There was the reporting of stolen underwear and the Gray’s Anatomy textbook-cum-automatic pistol hiding place; the preppy image of a pre-med fiancé juxtaposed against the portrait of a woman-hating psychopath killer. The coverage overwhelmed the senses and demanded that we PAY ATTENTION! Even as we wanted to look away, Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster gives and eloquent defense of the website’s safety policies in an interview this morning with The Today Show’s Matt Lauer.

So, we are left to wonder when the next heroine or villain will bump Markoff and Boyles off the proverbial front page and what that will feel like. It seemed as if Susan’s 15 minutes were about to be challenged earlier this week when another “Britain’s Got Talent” contender, 12-year-old Shaheen Jafargholi, came along and was christened by the world media in interview after interview. Not so fast! – a new video has suddenly (and miraculously?) emerged of Boyle performing 20 years ago pumping new life into the Susan Boyles news cycle. Similarly, today’s Markoff news was about the 24-hour suicide watch under which he has been placed has propelled his story into its sixth day. Let’s hope the next overnight sensation will be more Boyles and less Markoff; we could all use some more of that right now.

Posted by Jeff Smith, CEO

Explore-A-Story: A Celebration of Books

2009-04-27T07:20:00.001-07:00

On Sunday, April 19th, more than 700 guests attended “Explore-A-Story: A Celebration of Books,” a family festival and fundraiser celebrating The Wonder of Reading’s purpose: to inspire in children the love of reading. ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood was transformed into a carnival-like atmosphere complete with celebrity readers (Shia LaBeouf, Jesse McCartney, Madison Pettis, et al), children’s book authors (Hope Anita Smith, Ann Whitford Paul, Elisa Kleven, et al), walk-around book characters, food from California Pizza Kitchen, art activities, book signings, and a book fair by Barnes & Noble Booksellers.

Other entertainment included the Invertigo Dance Theatre, which performed a dance to Where the Wild Things Are; music by Mariachi Cielo Nuevo; the Guild Opera Company, which performed Little Red Riding Hood and David Prather.

Despite the heat, children and their families had a terrific day and supported a wonderful organization.

Posted by Amy Fuller, Assistant Account Executive

Hit of the Week: Restaurants using Twitter in Reuters

2009-04-23T11:10:00.000-07:00

As more people jump on the Twitter bandwagon, it becomes increasingly difficult to stand out in a crowded space. The goal, as media relations-focused PR professionals, was to figure out how to leverage our clients’ presence on Twitter to get them placed in a story that highlights them as being innovative and successful at what they do.

We worked with Reuters to develop a story about how restaurants are using Twitter to help boost their business, reach out directly to their customers on a more personal level and establish their brand. Inspired by the Kogi BBQ phenomenon here in Los Angeles, we gave the journalist a list of different types of restaurants and chefs who Twitter well, pitched how Twitter is a powerful direct to consumer communication tool for small business like restaurants, and hooked her up with some restaurant marketing and advertising gurus. The result: an amazing article that featured three of our clients - Tender Greens, Rush Street and Maggiano’s - alongside major companies like McDonald’s, Burger King and Starbucks as trendsetters and examples of restaurants that are creatively using Twitter.

Reuters is a business news syndicate that is distributed to 15.3 million outlets internationally. This article was picked up by more than 35 online business, technology, lifestyle and food outlets in the U.S. and internationally including Yahoo! News, Forbes, Money.CNN.com, WashingtonPost.com, Portfolio, ABC News, PC Mag and more. The story resulted in an instantaneous increase of followers for each of our clients, large amount of Twitter chatter, re-tweets with links to the article, and interest from other media and experts in the industry.

To read the Reuters article, click here: http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE53I11Z20090420?sp=true

To see the Twitter chatter and people linking to the article click here: http://search.twitter.com/search?q=Reuters+twitter+restaurants

Posted by Christina Wong, Account Executive

The State of the Cocktail in Paris

2009-04-16T07:12:00.000-07:00

Paris is known for many things – romance, art, food, wine, literature – but it has never been known for cocktails. And why should it be? Parisians have all that wine to drink; though only the size of Texas, France produces more wine than any other country in the world. Many of France’s traditional cocktails include wine as a main ingredient (Kir Royal, etc.) or consist of sweet apertifs, not meant for an evening of imbibing. I’m not a big cocktail drinker myself; I enjoy the occasional margarita or Manhattan, but I don’t do much barhopping these days. Though when I was in Paris for my Honeymoon last week, I couldn’t help but be distracted by the budding cocktail culture there. “Budding” may be a bit generous. Most of the cocktail lists I saw at bars consisted of drinks you can find in nightclubs in Tijuana. It was truly hilarious to see these hip, well-healed Parisians drinking “Sex on the Beach” and “Blue Hawaiians.” I’m not sure how this happened and the hangovers these types of drinks cause surely give the French yet another reason to despise Americans.

There were, however, a few happy exceptions. I didn’t get a chance to go there, but right before I left the New York Times did a great piece about a bar called L’Experimental Cocktail Club which takes its cocktails as seriously as we do in LA. We did go to an American/British themed bar called Sir Winston not far from the Arc de Triomphe which had a decent selection of whiskeys and scotches and a very cool candlelit basement bar. Our last night in France, we stayed at the new Phillip Stark designed hotel, Mama Shelter, and had dinner at the restaurant there. We were very tempted by the cocktails after dinner – all the same types of cocktails you would find at any high-end restaurant in LA – but alas, too much champagne and red wine and a too-early wake-up call the next morning got in the way of a taste-test. Next time!

Posted by Amanda White, Account Supervisor, Newlywed

Hit of the Week: Sircuit Skin in America Spa

2009-04-16T07:10:00.000-07:00

This February, Sircuit Skin Cosmeceuticals, an advanced anti-aging skincare line, partnered with JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa to be the signature skincare line offered at the award winning, AAA Five Diamond/Five Star resort. Rated as one of the top resorts and spas in Mexico, the exquisite Cancun hotel offers an exclusive Mayan-inspired spa featuring 35,000 square feet of spiritual revitalization, making it a perfect fit for Sircuit products and treatments.

This week’s best clip comes from American Spa magazine, a publication designed for day spa owners, managers and personnel. The Sircuit Cosmeceuticals and JW Marriott Resort & Spa relationship was announced in the Industry News section.

By expanding globally, people around the world will be exposed to a skincare line that is not only good for the skin and body, but contributes to overall well-being and skin health. With a presence in Australia, China and Europe, the JW Marriott Cancun in Mexico is a welcome addition to the Sircuit family.

Posted by Amy Fuller, Assistant Account Executive

Explore-A-Story Returns

2009-04-14T14:28:00.000-07:00

The Wonder of Reading’s annual event Explore-A-Story: A Celebration of Books takes place this Sunday, April 19^th at ArcLight Hollywood. It is an incredible day of readings by children’s book authors and illustrators, performances, arts-and-crafts, movies, and a book fair with book signings…all inspired by great children’s literature. This year’s celebrity readers include Shia LaBeouf, Jesse McCartney, Jane Kaczmarek, Madison Pettis and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The event celebrates and supports The Wonder of Reading’s mission: to inspire in children the love of reading. Since 2004, The Wonder of Reading has played a key role in opening nearly 200 new libraries in public elementary schools in the Los Angeles area, as well as training more than 4,000 volunteers to read one-on-one with youngsters each week. Currently, more than 130,000 children are enrolled in partner schools and are benefiting from the libraries the Wonder of Reading has helped renovate and restock.

Posted by Amy Fuller, Assistant Account Executive

Grilled Cheese Month

2009-04-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

April is Grilled Cheese Month and here at JS² Communications HQ we are obsessed cheese fanatics. Melted together between hot, buttered slices of bread and it's almost a little piece of heaven. Our clients Patinette, Ivan Kane's Café Wa s and Rush Street serve a darn good grilled cheese sandwich and we recommend them to anyone looking for a bite of gooey goodness!

For lunch, the best grilled cheese in close proximity to our office in West Hollywood is at Joan's On Third. We all dream about it at our desks and argue over whether we should get it with bacon, slices of tomato or ham. My personal favorite is a fresh slice of heirloom tomato with the rationale that adding a slice of tomato then makes the grilled cheese sandwich healthier.

Our chef's swear by the type of bread that makes their grilled cheese the best. Chef Glen Ishii of Noé Restaurant & Bar at the Omni Hotel Los Angeles uses Asian bakery bread, easily found at 99 Ranch or any other Asian-owned bakery, which give his grilled cheese sandwiches a soft, pillowy texture. Chef Alex Reznik from Ivan Kane's Café Wa s makes his with slices of house made brioche grilled with truffle oil and stuffed with French Emmenthaler and Morbier cheeses.

Here are our tips for how to make the best grilled cheese sandwich:

Use nice quality bread! A more dense bread gives your sandwich a heartier quality whereas a lighter, softer bread from an Asian bakery is almost light as air

Kraft Singles American Cheese slices are just not right! It may be a part of everyone's childhood but a fine gourmet chunk of cheese really makes the difference in flavor. Use a nice blend of cheeses

Use real butter. Not Pam, margarine, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, or fake butter substitute. Real butter adds real flavor and gives the bread a nice crunch

Do add bacon

Grill on low heat so the cheese will melt without burning your bread

Happy Grilled Cheese Month to all!

Posted by Christina Wong, Account Executive, Foodie

JS2 Client Clip Cornucopia

2009-04-07T13:21:00.000-07:00

Are you a SPAM lover or hater?

Does your face crinkle with disgust or light up at the thought of canned salty, meaty joy? In honor the first day of ticket sales for the wildly popular musical “Spamalot,” the Center Theatre Group hosted a SPAMapalooza event and we refused to be outdone at JS² Communications! Together with our client partner, The Patina Spotlight Café, we featured a SPAM-errific lunch including spam tacos and mead. The event took place on April Fool’s Day which added an extra flair of showmanship!

We successfully secured several key placements for The Patina Spotlight Café, but our favorites are hits on NBC Los Angeles and Grubtrotters.

UNICEF's Tap Project highlights World Water Week

2009-04-02T17:43:00.000-07:00

UNICEF recently held its annual fundraising campaign, the Tap Project, a grassroots initiative to provide clean water to children around the world that asks individuals to donate $1 or more for the tap water they usually enjoy for free at participating restaurants. The Tap Project took place this year during World Water Week, March 22 – 28, 2009 with more than 1,500 restaurants participating nationwide.

This year’s Tap Project kicked off with two Water Walks taking place in New York City and Chicago. Each consisted of a one-mile walk in which children and families carried one gallon of water in a gesture of solidarity with those who must collect and carry water on a daily basis. The Walks brought the communities together to kick off an amazing week of philanthropy.

Now in its third year, the Tap Project expanded in 2009 with additional efforts in Canada and Puerto Rico. UNICEF Ambassador Joel Madden, lead vocalist of the band “Good Charlotte,” served as campaign spokesperson, following his field visits to the Central African Republic in October and November of 2008. Additionally, celebrity chefs Marcus Samuelsson and Tom Colicchio continued their support of the campaign as additional spokespeople.

The Tap Project is such a simple way to reach people by asking them to donate during their meal at a restaurant. The donation doesn’t necessarily have to be a large monetary amount as UNICEF stresses that just $1 can supply a child with safe drinking water for 40 days! Our nation has been so focused on our current economic issues that we sometimes forget that there are individuals around the world who aren’t able to access the things we take for granted, like the most basic need of clean drinking water.

We are thrilled to have supported Tap since its inception and look forward to many more years working on the campaign and with UNICEF to further its goal to reduce the number of needless child deaths to zero.

Posted by Liz Castoro, Assistant Account Executive

“For Never Was a Story of More Woe Than This of Juliet And Her Romeo”

2009-03-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

At JS2, we are constantly pushing ourselves to be better PR professionals and to that end, we recently instituted a bi-weekly creativity project. For our first project, the staff teamed up in pairs to develop a story pitch around William Shakespeare’s classic love story, Romeo & Juliet. Once the creative was in, we were thrilled to realize that each team had used a different angle to pitch – Gina and Christina suggested plant-based natural remedies as an alternative to expensive doctor visits, offering Friar Lawrence as spokesperson; Liz and Amy used the opportunity to talk about the alarming statistics of teen suicide and what we as a nation can do to combat the epidemic, Chris and I promoted To Be or Not To Be Nurses, tailored childrearing services for Elizabethan parents and Carlos and Amanda provided a crisis communications statement from Ye Olde Dagger Company, unfortunately caught up in the tragedy as the weapon of choice for poor Juliet.

Click on the link below to view all entries:
http://www.docstoc.com/batch/oOTBAwOM19Z9LTCTXRf-WA==/vanessa-kristal/2009-03-27

Posted by Vanessa Kristal, Account Executive

New Product = Funny Times

2009-03-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

In April, our client Trigg Laboratories, Inc., the leader in personal lubricants and sexual wellness products, will debut a new product, Wet® together™. With the understanding that two is better than one, Wet together offers couples a titillating experience that benefits each person in its own unique way. Intended to enhance a couple’s intimacy, his warms and hers cools but when they come together, couples experience an amazing tingling sensation.

The photos above show Carlos and me testing out Wet Together on our hand – not how the product is intended to be used, but surely in a way that is office appropriate!

Posted by Amy Fuller, Assistant Account Executive

New Horizons Honors Douglas A. Pick, Founder of DAP World, Inc.

2009-03-25T16:20:00.000-07:00

On Friday, March 20th, New Horizons, a non-profit organization that helps adults with developmental disabilities, honored our client, Douglas A. Pick, President of DAP World, for providing jobs to over 220 clients in New Horizons’ workshop program at its 55th Anniversary Gala. Typically, New Horizons recognizes volunteers and staff members for their endless hard work at these annual galas but this year, for the first time, a customer was honored for his exemplary commitment and dedication to the program.

The theme for the evening, held at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, was the roaring 50’s! The room was filled with laughter and excitement as scenes from classic movies played on the big screen. A highlight of the evening occurred during dinner when New Horizons’ Bright Lights, decked in 50’s attire, hit the dance floor to perform several dance routines. Finally, the time came for the honorees to receive their awards.

Doug Pick: Partner of Independence Award
Susan Stearns: Fredrick J. Weitkamp Service Award
Rose Weiss: Dignity, Love and Compassion Award
Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes: Partner For Brighter Futures Award

Doug Pick’s career as an entrepreneur began in 1992 with the inception of his HEAROS line of ear plugs and since that time, his company has grown to become the national leader in retail ear plug marketing. By efficiently tapping into the multitude of resources of New Horizons, Doug services the nation’s largest retailers with remarkable precision and execution as a “one man show.”

“I’m thankful and appreciative of the long standing relationship DAP World has established with New Horizons. It’s a total win-win!” says Doug Pick. “As I’m living my entrepreneurial dream, I’m proud to be able to embolden the lives of so many special needs adults to help fulfill their dreams.”

Congratulations, Doug!

Posted by Carlos Torres, Senior Account Executive

Welcome To The Great Pit Ball Las Vegas

2009-03-20T10:18:00.001-07:00

The Great Pit Ball, which took place this past Saturday, March 14 in Las Vegas, was an amazing charity event to benefit the Villalobos Animal Rescue Center, the largest rehabilitation and placement facility for abused pit balls in the world.

Our client, Ralph Perrazzo, an award-winning pastry chef formerly of Bradley Ogden and Jean George, who recently founded his own restaurant group, Rare Concepts Group, organized the event with his friend Brandon Bond, who is a world-famous tattoo artist. Both are huge dog lovers and Brandon had in fact just filmed a documentary called Vicktory to the Underdog, a behind-the-scenes look into the lives of rescued Pit Bulls, which premiered at the Great Pit Ball.

The all-day event featured an art show, musical performances and VIP parties but the stand-out was certainly the chef’s dinner headlined by Ralph and some of his favorite Las Vegas chefs. Joining him for the dinner were Rick Moonen of RM Seafood (Mandalay Bay), Joe Elevado of Social House (Treasure Island), Gene Bernardo of Nove, Barry Dankake of N9NE Steak House and Kerry Simon of Simon Restaurant & Lounge, all at the Palms Hotel and Casino.

Animal Planet even filmed the event as the season finale for “Outlaw Dogz,” a program currently in production scheduled to air in 2009. The six episode series, based on Villalobos Animal Rescue Center and its work saving Pit Bulls, is being filmed on location at Villalobos with its operator, Tia Maria Torres, and her family. It also features celebrity cameos and many of the more than 200 Pit Bulls who call Villalobos home.

We are still waiting to hear exactly how much money was raised but early reports say the turnout was amazing!

Posted by Gina Sisco, Account Executive

Restaurant Bargain Dining For Savvy Recessionistas (Recessionistos)

2009-03-19T08:18:00.001-07:00

On the bright side of the downward-spiraling economy, many local restaurants are thinking creatively and giving extra perks for their guests to take advantage of. I like to think of them as “the toy in your cereal.” It’s a small surprise, makes you smile and starts your day with a spring in your step. Savvy recessionistas (and recessionistos) can wine and dine at Los Angeles’ best restaurants for a major bargain if you can keep track of all the recession deals and plan accordingly.

Our restaurant clients are thinking outside of the menu to help everyone get through this downturn and drive business. Fortunately for us, it works out in our favor. Recession or not we still need to eat and eat well! I recommend keeping a Google Calendar of drinking and dining deals, that way you can keep all the various deals organized and know where to save your bucks on any given night. Here are some of my favorite recession-friendly dining deals from our restaurant clients that help save moo-lah while filling your bell-lay:

Grilled Cheese Workshop at Patinette at MOCA – Craft your own gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches for only $5. Choose your bread, cheese, extra and sauce. Choices include whole wheat bread, rye bread, walnut currant brad, fresh mozzarella, chipotle cheddar, Fontina, goat cheese, grilled onions, bacon, dill pickles, basil pesto, yuzu aioli or garlic aioli.

Pot Roast Sundays at Tender Greens – Old-fashioned pot roast dinners for $10 every Sunday. Coleman Farms beef short rib “roast” braised in red-wine sauce with Yukon gold mashed potatoes and your choice of side salad or vegetable.

Free passed appetizers during happy hour at RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen – If you can snag a seat at the bar for happy hour, Chef Mohan will send out a selection of passed appetizers for you to nibble on and try. The lacquered bqq ribs are worth fighting for.

Free valet during lunch at Maggiano’s Little Italy at The Farmer’s Market at The Grove – Everyone in LA knows that the parking situation at The Grove is bumper to bumper during lunch time, so Maggiano’s at The Farmer’s Market at The Grove offers their lunch diners free valet between 11:30AM and 3PM. Slip in a little lunchtime shopping while you’re at the Grove or catch a movie and woohoo free parking!

Bottomless mimosas during brunch and bottomless wine carafes everyday $15 at Ivan Kane’s Café Wa s – Bottomless = all you can drink! That’s $15 for all you can drink mimosas and wine carafes, best deal in Hollywood. Throw in a few canapés to soak up the drinks and meander over to ArcLight Hollywood afterwards to catch a matinee flick.

Hobo night on Mondays at Café Wa s, grilled cheese and French fries for $10 at Café Wa s – More grilled cheese and crispy French fries, my favorite comfort food. Another cheapo deal for delicious, gourmet grilled cheese. Add $15 bottomless wine carafe and you’ve got yourself a recessionista party.

Buy one entrée get second entrée for $1 at La Grande Orange Café in Pasadena on March 23 and 24 – $1!! I can’t even buy a pack of gum for $1. A dinner for two is basically half off for a delicious, fresh, organic meal.

Late night happy hours at CASA from 9PM to 12 midnight – Happy hour typically ends by 6:30 or 7PM and I never actually make it there before then. At CASA, their late night happy hour offers night owls a chance to take advantage of their discounted made-from-scratch margaritas. Uno. Dos. Tres. TEQUILA!

No corkage fee at all Patina Restaurant Group properties and at La Grande Orange Café – Corkage fee be gone. Another pesky fee that has been banished by the good folks at Patina and LGO, go ahead and enjoy your special bottle of wine without having to shell out extra bucks.

For more recession busting deals around town, check out the Los Angeles Times Food section’s Daily Dish blog and search for “recession busters”
(Link: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/ )

Posted by Christina Wong, Account Executive, Foodie

JS2's Own Alissa Pinck Judges The PRSA Silver Anvil Awards

2009-03-18T13:59:00.000-07:00

This past Friday, I had the pleasure of judging the PRSA Silver Anvil Awards, one of the most prestigious awards in the PR industry. While it was a long day in a land far away (Tribeca), it was well worth it for the people I met and the insights I gleaned.

I had no clue what to expect, hoping only to get an inside peek at what some of the best and brightest in the industry were doing on behalf of their clients. What I learned is that while most of the tactics are the same (“there are no new ideas, only new ways of making them felt”), the campaigns that stood out did so because of their research. Whether it was an industry behemoth undertaking a multi-year study or a smaller agency issuing a Zoomerang survey to its target demographic, the research was invaluable in setting a baseline with which to measure a campaign against. Without knowing how your demographic thinks and feels at the beginning of a campaign, how can you know if public relations truly made an impact? The industry constantly talks about the difficulty of measuring ROI yet this seems like the strongest and easiest way to demonstrate it. Beyond the bottom line, did you change perception – is your consumer more willing to try your product or service, more likely to recommend it to a friend, more favorable about the brand? If the answers are yes, then your campaign has to be considered a success.

Now, I can’t wait to judge the upcoming PRSA Bronze Anvil Awards, although I wish it would again be in the company of my Silver Anvil team (Jeff Davis, Principal, Sawmill Marketing; Patrice Tanaka, Co-Chair, Chief Creative Officer, CRT/tanaka; and David B. Rockland, Partner & Managing Director, Global Research, Ketchum). Although I will be creating my own team for these more tactical awards, I look forward to the powerful professional development they will without question provide me.

Posted by Alissa Pinck, GM/VP

Kao Pao Shu and JS2 Take It To The Streets

2009-03-13T11:07:00.001-07:00

Last night, Kao Pao Shu fashion designer Naida Begeta and JS2 staffers (Amy Fuller, Chris Bess and Vanessa Kristal) teamed up to take it to the streets and enjoy the monthly Art Walk in downtown Los Angeles. Tooling their way in and out of art lofts and raw undisclosed galleries made for a perfect evening of art, culture and visual inspiration! Kao Pao Shu Visual Art Director, Marco Schillaci captured a perfect moment at the end of the evening (image posted above) when the decision needed to be made as to where to go next.

The Kao Pao Shu collection is truly an eclectic combination of black and white designs, rich colorful pieces, comfortable textiles and effortless forms- that exude an elegant intricacy and classic style.

Posted by Vanessa Kristal, Account Executive

Honduras Close-Up! JS2 President Joins UNICEF In Their Champion For Change Program

2009-03-12T12:10:00.000-07:00

I recently returned from a trip to Honduras with our client UNICEF where we visited several programs that are funded by UNICEF in collaboration with Change for Good, an American Airlines sponsored giving campaign. This program is powered solely by individual American Airlines flight attendants (Champions for Change) who feel passionately about giving back to the children of the world through UNICEF. On international flights and now transcontinental domestic flights, the AA Champions show an in-flight video on how money collected by American Airlines and disbursed through UNICEF can literally make the difference between life and death for many of this world’s children. Change for Good, a very apt name, encourages passengers to donate any left-over currency from overseas travels, or whatever spare pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters or $20.00 bills find their way into the UNICEF bag!

For me, this trip was life altering. As a business owner and a mother of two, I have been desperately trying to put our current economic downturn into perspective and give it some context. It is very easy to let our economic state-of-the-union and overall national depression color and control our lives. With this trip to Honduras, where 30% of the children are malnourished and so many have no running water; I quickly remembered how fortunate I am. It is up to people like me to become advocates for the children of the world who deserve so much and receive so little.

Fabiola, Julia and Hector, our Honduran UNICEF leaders, are superstars. I learned so much from Fabiola in particular. We spent a great deal of time discussing the rights of children and how essential it is to engage and encourage them to be involved in their own destiny. The respect with which Fabiola and Hector approached each and every child made me understand how nuanced and deep UNICEF’s work truly is.

And then there were the children, who are beautiful, moving, funny, intelligent, motivated and resplendent in their promise! Football for life, the schools, the clinics, the water and hygiene programs – all incredible!! One program in particular that is funded by Change for Good, Arte Accion, knocked my socks off! The founder and leader of the program, Douglas, a former gang leader, heads up this brilliant arts program where gang kids can find a safe place to blossom into artists. He literally plucks the gang kids who have been “green lit,” or targeted for death from the gangs, out of harm’s way and gives them tools with which to express their lives. I cannot speak about this place without being moved to tears because this program, for me, is symbolic of all that UNICEF does. I personally silk screened a t-shirt for my 13 year old son with their logo and tried to explain to my two children how lucky they are and how much they take for granted. We talked well into the night when I returned to Los Angeles and I felt, for the first time, that my son and daughter began to understand why UNICEF is so important and why I am so committed.

On the way back from Tegucigalpa I was able to see the Change for Good program in action. We raised $250.00 in less than 10 minutes on the flight from Tegucigalpa to Miami and then Franck, one of the AA Champions, raised another $160.00 from Miami to Boston. When I think of what that $410.00 can buy, I get so excited!

On my trip to Honduras I became empowered to make a “Change for Good,” and have fully committed JS²’s resources to this incredible program. I cannot wait to take this to the next step and am thrilled to be working with this tremendous group of people with whom I just spent four days. I feel that with this trip I have become a true UNICEF activist and cannot wait to do more. I hope that I will have the opportunity to go on another UNICEF trip in another part of the world sometime soon, but in the meantime this trip, which is so alive inside of me, will feed our work together moving forward.

Jill Sandin

President

Posted by Jill Sandin, President

Bedford’s Grand Opening Weekend

2009-03-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

Bedford, our Houston restaurant client, celebrated its grand opening weekend with a charity dinner on February 28 followed by a VIP friends & family party on March 1. Through ticket sales and auction items at the sold-out dinner, we were able to raise several thousand dollars for Boys & Girls Harbor, a local organization dedicated to providing a safe harbor for child victims of family violence, and the Houston Heights Association, a nonprofit organization formed in 1973 for the purpose of encouraging and promoting the enhancement of the Houston Heights community. The unforgettable dinner event featured a special guest: Bedford chef Robert Gadsby’s good friend, Food Network star and author Jeff Henderson. Gadsby and Henderson worked together to create an elaborate feast in the restaurant’s second level event space and Viking exhibition kitchen for 130 of Houston’s most generous foodies.

On Sunday, a slew of local politicians, socialites, and media sipped champagne and enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres at the Grand Opening VIP event and watched on as Gasby was given a declaration from President Barack Obama by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. It certainly was a night to remember!

SIRCUIT® Cosmeceuticals Introduces New Anti-Aging Treatment Serum

2009-03-05T16:22:00.000-08:00

The secret to perfect healthy skin is finally out! SIRCUIT® Cosmeceuticals, the all natural Chirally Correct skincare line, debuts a powerful brand new anti-aging regeneration complex to address the specific needs of aging skin.

Oraia is a powerful serum that uses a full spectrum of 22 potent vitamins and antioxidants that work synergistically to control the many different types and causes of free radical damage and aging. When used daily for six weeks, it is clinically proven to provide proper nutrition which stimulates collagen production and the growth of new healthy cells. Benefits include:

95% more youthful
90% more hydrated
86% texture improved
61% wrinkles lessened
90% firmness improved
81% quality improved

“Oraia is unlike any other product anyone may have seen and tried,” says Michael Wolfgeher, president and founder of SIRCUIT® Cosmeceuticals. “It is a Chirally Correct product to ensure the best possible results while virtually eliminating adverse reactions.”

Oraia has high concentrations of anti-inflammatory, skin strengthening, healing and skin perfecting ingredients. Featured anti-oxidants include:

D- Quercetin - Has anti-cancer, anti-ulcer, anti-allergy, and anti-inflammatory activities. It protects skin cells from oxidative and chemical pollutant stress
D-Boldine - It has strong free radical scavenging activity and it is an effective anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial ingredient
L-Superoxide Dismutase - This super antioxidant helps to prevent aging by eliminating the chain reactions that are caused by free radicals
L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) - It stimulates collagen production and it’s a powerful antioxidant
D-Alpha-Tocopherol - It helps to reduce the damage caused by sun exposure and limits the production of cancer-causing cells
Resveratrol and Polydatin - An anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, vasodilator ingredient that stimulates cellular proliferation and collagen synthesis
Aminoguanidine - Helps to preserve the protein structure by preventing collagen fibrils from becoming brittle, thereby maintaining soft and supple skin

Oraia’s powerful moisture rich, natural ingredients are perfectly blended for absolutely beautiful, healthy skin.

Oraia retails for $225 for a 1.7oz. bottle and is available online at http://www.sircuitskin.com/.

About SIRCUIT® Cosmeceuticals

Founded in 2001 by Michael Wolfgeher, SIRCUIT® Cosmeceuticals offers a complete line of professional, high-performance skincare products using the latest in Chiral Technology. Based in Los Angeles, CA, SIRCUIT® Cosmeceuticals blends the best of both science and beauty to produce super-charged, super-concentrated skincare products that are free of artificial colors, fragrances, parabens, chemical preservatives and always cruelty free. With both retail and professional lines, SIRCUIT® Cosmeceuticals is sold to dermatologists, cosmetic surgeons, resorts, medical spas, day spas and is shipped to retail customers worldwide.

Posted by Carlos Torres, Senior Account Executive