Kurt Cobain Watches “Smells Like Teen Spirit” For 1st Time @RSHotel
Honored To Be A Shorty’s Finalist
Posted on 04. Mar, 2010 by BrianSimpson in Community, Hotel, Lily's Restaurant
A year ago Adam Wallace and I (Brian Simpson) and the TEAM at The Roger Smith Hotel barely knew what the Shorty Awards were and we sure in hell were not getting into the event! Note: Last year even Julia Roy was left in the cold, literally. Fast forward one year and we find ourselves one of five finalists in the category of Customer Service. Although the Shorty Awards are a Twitter based awards recognition, we at RSH know that customer service goes way beyond what can be conveyed in 140 characters. Our on-line presence has certainly been instrumental in finding new friends, converting them into guests and following up to ensure satisfaction. It is fitting that the day after the event Tamar Weinberg has a blog post that expresses this same message. Tamar quotes Joseph Jaffe as saying “Roger Smith Hotel, through their bevy of ‘humans,’ actually participates. They go out of their way to welcome any social media-initiated guests in person…”
OUR ROGER SMITH FAMILY
We were honored to be a part of The Shorty Awards and be listed in the Customer Service Category alongside:
and of course, and big congrats to, Winner ComcastBonnie
Thank you again to all that have supported us and make our jobs here at RSH more fun because we are surrounded by greatness everyday!
See you next year… with a lead image photo from behind the podium 
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand ‘Check-Ins’
Posted on 20. Feb, 2010 by BrianSimpson in Community, Hotel, Lily's Restaurant
Last Thursday afternoon I received a call from my friend Julia Roy. Julia had been approached by Susan Dominus, of The New York Times, to participate in an article Susan was doing on the social network FourSquare. Julia asked if it would be O.K. to do the interview at Roger Smith Hotel. Her reasoning was to hopefully include other FourSquare users in the article. (on most nights there is someone here “Checking-In” on FourSquare) This gesture alone shows why people like Julia excel in social media. FourSquare is a way of sharing your dining, shopping, traveling, museum hoping, train riding and sight seeing experiences with other people.
FourSquare is about the strength of community. To quote Kenneth Hartley Blanchard “None of us is as smart as all of us.” Julia could have done the interview on her own and it would have been great. She would have shared it, the twitterverse would have re-tweeted it and the world would continue to spin about one thousand miles per hour. Instead, Julia recognizes the greater strength and potential energy of community. Everyone has an audience: Damien consults on building your companies brand. Clay has studied under Seth Godin and now assists a variety of businesses with their overall strategies. Jill has a loyal community on YouTube as a videographer that surpasses most of its users. I (Brian Simpson) work at Roger Smith, a hotel that has become a go-to business for all types of social media personalities.
Collectively the story became what platforms like FourSquare stand for… connecting friends and strangers with commonalities to create conversation.
Jill Hanner's NYSC Mayorship
It was a great night and we at The Roger Smith Hotel wanted to thank Julia for including us. I/we would also like to thank Jill, Clay and Damien for sharing their unique and individual insights as to why FourSquare is important to them.
“Beyond Twitter: An App That Truly Lets You See City”
JOIN FOURSQUARE NOW: Here
Susan Dominus
Special thanks to: Susan Dominus, writer for the NYT and Nicole Tung Photographer for the NYT
NYC Restaurant Week 2010: Just One Reason to Come to NY this Winter
Posted on 25. Jan, 2010 by Birdsong in Lily's Restaurant
Daniel Wollinsky, Kitchen Manger of Lily’s Restaurant at the Roger Smith Hotel, would like to invite you to stay with us this winter and enjoy NYC Restaurant week. Our restaurant Lily’s may not be participating, but there are plenty of other restaurants to check out this week.
See what Dan has to say:
For NYC Restaurant Week 2010 click here.
Here’s a list of restaurants participating on opentable: click here (to make reservations online).
Oh, and click here to check out the NYC Restaurant Week Food Truck!
-John Birdsong
Cocktails For A Free Suite = ‘Sunday Funday’ @RSHotel
Posted on 10. Jan, 2010 by BrianSimpson in Hotel, Lily's Restaurant
In the spirit (yeah.. I know I’m funny) of brunch and the phrase “Sunday Funday” (Introduced to me by my wonderful friend Suzy-Mae) we are compelled to make today’s #RogersRooms giveaway all about drink recipes. We expect a lot of Bloody Mary variations and we also expect creativity. This week has been incredible due to all the amazing ideas that you, our loyal supporters, have shared. You have all worked hard so now its time to relax hard.
The rules are simple ~ In the comment box please:
1. Submit a cocktail recipe
2. Give your cocktail a name
3. Explain why its your ‘Sunday Funday’ cocktail of choice
4. Bonus considerations will be given for photos !
Special thanks to Sue Parmet, a guest that I met last night in Lily’s for the Cocktail Recipe idea ! Cheers and Good-Luck
Dreams of Being a Butler: A Success Story of 2009, Yamiel Diaz
Posted on 30. Dec, 2009 by AdamWallace in Community, Lily's Restaurant
Yamiel Diaz, Floor Manager at Lily’s Restaurant at the Roger Smith Hotel tells a story about his year and the family of the Roger Smith. Yamiel has become a crucial player in the team here at the hotel and anyone who knows him knows that has energy and enthusiasm is relentless, inspiring and certainly contagious. He is probably the friendliest person you will ever meet and is eager to please whoever he is dealing with at all times. Yamiel has been a pleasure to have on the team and is certainly a success story of 2009. Looking forward to all that is to come in 2010!
Celebrate New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day at Lily’s
Posted on 29. Dec, 2009 by AdamWallace in Lily's Restaurant
watch the ball drop at lily’s!
we are seeing in the new year with a
sparkling crowd, exciting drinks, bubbly
and party favors at midnight.
don’t end 2009 freezing in times square – bring in a warm 2010 in lily’s
lily’s new years eve hours
breakfast: 7-11am
lunch: noon-2.30pm
dinner: 5-10pm
Bar open ’till 1am
(small bites available)
new years day brunch special
celebrate the first day of the new year at lily´s
prix fixe $20.10
brunch + bloody mary or a bellini (fiesta!!) 11-4pm
dinner: 5-8pm
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
for more information visit lilysnyc.com
for reservations call 212 838 0844 or email lilys@rogersmith.com
The Weekly BS Part II
Posted on 10. Dec, 2009 by AdamWallace in Community, Lily's Restaurant
This past weekend I was actually pulled from my computer and tried to limit my tweeting ( I know @Bsimi fans were very sad ). My daughter Chloe was visiting from Maine with her… *cough*… boyfriend. It was a celebratory visit because Chloe just found out she is eligible to graduate a year early!
The trip was also timely for Chloe to reunite with a friend she had made while abroad in France this Summer who also happened to be in the city Friday night. Sunday consisted of Bergdorf Goodman window displays, the tree at Rockefeller Center and a few other overly tourist populated attractions. The busiest and best was the journey to Century 21 downtown… then we walked to SoHo for more shopping and then back to Roger Smith Hotel for some late dinner.
The best part of the visit was the realization that my daughter, my little girl, has become my best friend.
Bergdorf I
Bergdorf II
Bergdorf III
Chloe and Nick at Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Rink
Chloe, Nick and I doing what all good people do when near Rockefeller Center… Take pictures and run!
Happy Thanksgiving from the Roger Smith
Posted on 23. Nov, 2009 by AdamWallace in Lily's Restaurant
thanksgiving at the roger smith hotel
prix fixe $45
november 26th, 2009 11am-8pm
—
~ butternut squash soup
~ herb croutons, gorgonzola cream
~ roast turkey breast, braised leg and thigh
with root vegetable ragout.
~ haricot verts with toasted almonds
sweet potato mash with rum butter
~truffle sage chicken sausage stuffing
cranberry and walnut chutneyduet of pies
~pecan pie & pumpkin pie
with cardamom, milk chocolate sorbet
—
make a reservation!
Email lilys@rogersmith.com or call 212.339.2097
Announcing the Pre-Theater Menu at Lily’s Restaurant
Posted on 26. Oct, 2009 by AdamWallace in Lily's Restaurant
We are very happy to announce a new pre-theater menu in Lily’s Restaurant at the Roger Smith Hotel prepared by Chef Daniel Mowles.
The menu will be offered Monday – Saturday 5-7pm.
pre-theater dinner
3 course prix fixe $30
Incl. a glass of wine or beer
appetizer
grilled caesar salad
romaine lettuce, white anchovies, parmesan
french onion soup
caramelized onions, gruyere cheese
entrée
chicken pot pie
a classic!
pumpkin and sage ravioli
herb and parmesan cream
salmon
half seared salmon, mediterranean orzo
dessert
brownie a la mode
served with vanilla bean ice cream
The Many Faces of Roger Smith : Ulrika
Posted on 20. Oct, 2009 by AdamWallace in Lily's Restaurant
The Many Faces of Roger Smith introduces the world to the personalities of the staff at the Roger Smith Hotel in New York.
Ulrika Bengtsson is the food and beverage director of the Roger Smith Hotel. Originally from Sweden, Ulrika has now lived in New York for 20 years. In this profile piece she explains her upbringing in Sweden and all of the great local foods that she grew up with, including a regular diet of moose!
