New York – December 19, 1997 (Full Issue)
In this issue:
WWWAC & MOUSE Under the mistletoe
“Thinking” about the holidays
Dating Online? Yahoo! Internet Life’s E-Panel
December 19, 1997
WWWAC & MOUSE Under the mistletoe
We’re just two weeks away from the new year and people still startle me when they say “See you next year!” Yet here it is, near the end of 1997. And that meant it was time for the annual Silicon Alley blowout: the WWWAC holiday party.
I freely admit that this will be a super-biased account of the bash. I helped to plan, promote, and host it. Doubling as a benefit for MOUSE (Making Opportunities for Upgrading Schools and Education) the party at Irving Plaza on Dec. 11 managed to draw a good-sized crowd, despite all the competition that night.
The evening started off with the thrilling voice of Toby Williams and artful jazz musicality of Cocktail Angst. Early arrivals benefited chomped on the half dozen six-foot long submarine sandwiches from Manhattan Deli. (Thanks to SonicNet for tipping me off to this great place!) An open bar featuring local brewer Gidon’s Original Sin Hard Cider warmed up anyone left cold from the vast dazzle of Javits and the chilly night. Glenn Hauman and Shara Zoll wowed the wallflowers with some very fancy footwork on the dance floor, with Brandy’s (Glenn’s wife) permission of course.
A bit later, the Bari Koral Band played and once again almost stopped the show (er, party). Almost as mesmerizing was the artwork Rainbow Heart and his assistant Kimba painted on people’s faces and bodies. He labored over my eyes and when finished, the effect was part mermaid, part Indian princess, I’m told. Other guests had accentuated mustaches, hearts painted on chests, and sparkly swirly effects above eyebrows. Even DJ Jon Spooner of Netmix, who spun tunes between bands, had dramatic Superhero eyebrows. Filling out the fun filled activities were Michael Chaut of Monday Night Magic and Caricatures by Akbar. I was a lucky Cinderella in a beautiful hand painted-silk dress made especially for me by Russian fashion designer Anya Eliashevich.
The beauty of the Internet was prevalent this night as I got to meet two of our @NY international readers: Karl Karlsson of Mindscape Interactive AB in Sweden, and Laurent Lathieyre of WCube in France.
Two of New York new media’s top sages, @NY Editor Tom Watson and NYNMA’s Executive Director Lori Schwab, and me in my beautiful dress designed by Anya Eliashevich (with the face painting completing a Mermaid/Indian princess look)
There were quite a few events on Friday as well, but I headed over to The Thinking Media‘s holiday party for a chance to unwind with some friends. I ended up chatting with Mark Friedler of V-Cast for quite a bit about upstate New York and business in Sweden. Larry Aronson and Geo Geller were there with their S.O.’s and Tery Spataro with Bonnie Halper charmed a few new fellows. Owen Davis and I munched on terrific prosciutto as we pondered the unfairness of companies going with a less qualified client just ’cause they’re rated by Standard and Poors. Obviously still an important barometer for older established companies, and yet the frustration exists when you have a better product and can’t get in the door.
Dating Online? Yahoo! Internet Life's E-Panel
On a final note, I participated in an online panel discussion organized by Angela Gunn of Yahoo Internet Life Magazine a couple of weeks ago. She organized quite a list of interesting women to discuss issues about women, men, online relationships and the like. Our answers were as varied as our panel: Isadora Alman (Ask Isadora), Danni Ashe (Danni’s Hard Drive), Esther Drill (gURL), Mary Gay (NetNoir), Stacy Horn (ECHO), Xander Mellish (Daily News, telephone-pole samizdat), Rebecca Odes (gURL), Dr. Cleo Odzer (Virtual Spaces: Sex and the Cyber Citizen), Aliza Sherman (Cybergrrl), Ruby Yeh (FolksOnline), and yours truly.
Results can be seen in the upcoming March issue of Yahoo Internet Life magazine.
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