Cookies and Chemo
Posted on 13. Aug, 2010 by BrianSimpson in Community
This is the quick story of why Cookies and Chemo has been started. Thank you to those of you that have supported me so far – I look forward, with your help, to making many new friends and being able to make a difference in the lives of others.
~Cookies and Chemo~
I am a thirty year veteran of the hospitality industry. Three months after moving to NYC as a Food and Beverage Manager at The Plaza Hotel, I was diagnosed with thirteen tumors on my spine. They ranged from golf ball to grapefruit sized. My life was changed forever – I believe for the better. I now have a renewed passion for life, friends and the importance of helping others in need.
In a conversation with my girlfriend about volunteering she suggested I start my own ‘thing’. I woke up the next day trying to think of something from my treatment days that made me smile… I wrote the word cookie. Cookies and Chemo followed minutes later and here I am.
As a recent cancer survivor, and the son of a breast cancer survivor, I have a clear understanding and unfortunate memories of how devastating going through Chemotherapy is.
My goal is to bring together survivors, supporters and anyone great that wants to share cookies and conversation. My hope is to eventually bring comfort to those that are going through chemotherapy. I cannot cure cancer, I can give comfort, with money, by purchasing new chairs, iPods, computers, books and other items that make sitting for six hours a day more tolerable. Not just for the patients, also the nurses and staff, for example sending in lunch once a week. Moving forward I would like to raise money for improving chemo-suites and making the best of the worst.
Mission:
Making people smile at a time when they need it most.
Follow Friday People I Want To Meet
Posted on 25. Jun, 2010 by BrianSimpson in Community
Usually my #FollowFriday post is people I am recommending you should all follow because I think they are bad-ass. Each week follows a theme and this week it is people I think you need to follow that I really want to meet. In my position at Roger Smith Hotel I meet a lot of amazing people as they travel to New York city, attend events here or just stop by for a beer on their way home. I would say I am both fortunate and lucky with the amount of real life friends that have developed from in-person meetings. That is why this post is so important to me. I know there are so many more people to meet and connect with, for real.
Here are my current three:
Name Michelle A.K.A. @MissSarcastic
Location New York
Web YouTube Channel
Bio My vlogging Twitter account, where I lay the sarcasm on thick and nothing is professional.
I have followed Michelle for a while and find her to be entertaining, smart and real. Her above bio makes her fun, the bio below makes her interesting. Bio I have a thing for social media and tech, and a bad beta user habit. I’m part of BrewPR and a NYU Adjunct Professor teaching social media. As soon as I started to mention Michelle’s name around some of my friends I realized how many friends we had in common and they all speak very highly of her!
I believe she may even stop by the hotel today… sure would be nice to cross one off the list before the day even ends.
Name Seth Godin
Bio Seth has written twelve books that have been translated into more than thirty languages. Every one has been a bestseller. He writes about the post-industrial revolution, the way ideas spread, marketing, quitting, leadership and most of all, changing everything.
American Way Magazine calls him, “America’s Greatest Marketer,” and his blog is perhaps the most popular in the world written by a single individual. His latest book, LINCHPIN, hit the Amazon top 10 on the first day it was published and became a New York Times bestseller.
As an entrepreneur, he has founded dozens of companies, most of which failed. Yoyodyne, his first internet company, was funded by Flatiron and Softbank and acquired by Yahoo! in 1998. It pioneered the use of ethical direct mail online, something Seth calls Permission Marketing. He was VP of Direct Marketing at Yahoo! for a year.
When I think of Seth Godin my thoughts are this; When people say “think outside the box” I imagine Seth asking “what box.” Innovative thinker, inspiring writer and breaker of conformity. Seth’s views on education, the workplace and challenging the ‘norm’ make him a hero to me and someone I think we should all follow. Meeting Seth would complete the circle of books, blog posts and real person.
Name AJ Bombers A.K.A. @AJBombers
Location Milwaukee, WI
Web http://ajbombers.com
Bio Milwaukee’s best new hamburger joint, smoke free and loads of p-nut bombs. Where everybody knows your name. Well, at least your twitter name.
There is not a lot to say… why would I not want to recommend a place that has “gi-normous’” orders of fries and has replied to every tweet I have ever included them in?
I can’t think of a better use of social media from a restaurant… nothing even comes close. I want to meet everyone that works there – in many ways I feel as though I already have!
These are my #followfriday picks for this week. I already follow them all in one way or another and I believe you should as well… If you have ever met any of these people please let me know what you thought (or warn me, especially about those burger people from Milwaukee)
Happy Friday all ~ Enjoy the weekend!
Follow Friday ~ Close To Home Edition
Posted on 11. Jun, 2010 by BrianSimpson in Community, Hotel, Lily's Restaurant
Here at the Roger Smith Hotel, social media is less about being a ‘department’ and more about building a culture. People and stories have always been a part of the hotel and now with the reach of social networks more people can participate, connect and enjoy our community. We have an amazing staff here at the hotel and some have taken the initiative to make social networking a part of their jobs on a daily basis. If you have ever been to the hotel you have probably met them and hopefully agree with me when I say these three individuals are worth the follow on this wonderful June Friday!
Yamile Diaz:
Yamile is the face, heart and soul of Lily’s restaurant here at the Roger Smith Hotel. He takes customer service seriously and it shows. He speaks multiple languages ( great for our visitors from overseas ), he is willing to do whatever it takes to make a guest happy and most of all he cares. If you have the stomach to handle one of the most energized people you could meet please stop by and say hello to Yamile…Or you can find him on Twitter as @RSYamilio
John Knowles:
John is the President and CEO of Panman Production and has produced numerous films, live broadcasts and content for the Roger Smith Hotel.Most recently John and his team produced a series of six short films called “The Roger Smith Shorts” which were screened last night at the Brooklyn International Film Festival. His creative juices and passion for new innovative ways of sharing visual arts on and off line have taught me about a whole new way of creating and sharing stories.
John can easily be found -> On Twitter @PanmanProd @Pancity or see his YouTube channel Roger Smith News.
Melissa Rodriguez:
Melissa is one of our friendliest bartenders, although she is so much more. Aside from entertaining, serving and being a creative mixologist, Melissa is in culinary school and has started a food blog FoodVixenNYC. Melissa is a text book example of what it means to be a Roger Smith employee.
Many of you know Melissa in real life… until now you may not have known how to find her when not sitting at her bar…now you can 
On twitter @FoodVixenNYC
Have a great weekend and enjoy the World Cup!
GO USA!
Chef Daniel Mowles introduces…
Posted on 03. Jun, 2010 by DanielKalmar in Lily's Restaurant
Daniel Mowles has developed a brand new Lunch Menu for the summer season at Lily’s Restaurant! Here’s a sneak peak at what’s waiting for all the hungry New Yorkers strolling down Lexington Avenue.
Drop by Lily’s to taste these fantastic dishes and the rest of the Lunch Menu!
Three Day Weekend = Three Cool Friends !
Posted on 28. May, 2010 by BrianSimpson in Community
We are lucky here at the roger smith hotel to have an inspiring, creative and passionate group of loyal friends that support us on many levels. As a small token of our appreciation and in an attempt to repay what these people bring to our community, we will be featuring three new people every Friday as our ‘follow Friday’ list. Follow Friday, a concept born from the creative mind of Micah Baldwin, has lost some of what we believe Micah started it for, purpose. Do not get us wrong, when @RSHotel shows up in any #FF or #FollowFriday lists it is an honor. What seems to have happened though is too many people are trying too hard to pay homage to their friends without truly letting us know: who, what or why these ‘lists’ of people are worth following.
Have you ever taken a road trip? Not a day trip. What I am talking about is a multi-day excursion encompassing different states, cultures and obstacles along the way. If you do this alone it can be fun, do it with a group of people and it becomes life changing. In March I was lucky to be a part of an initiative by Chevy in which eight groups from around the country were given the opportunity to drive to SXSW in Austin, TX. There were five of us: Me, two people I knew well, one I had just met and lastly one I didn’t meet until the morning of our departure. Three of these people live in NYC and they are my Follow Friday focus this week. Khayyam Wakil, one of the five will appear in a future post… for now he gets this brief cameo (luv ya buddy)
When you are in a car for four days with people the trials and tribulations can either make you want to kill them, hug them, laugh with them, cry with them and in this case all of the above
Most importantly you get to ‘live’ with them. Not as acquaintances, not as someone you nod to at a cocktail party – you get to experience their idiosyncrasies – what really makes them click.
I was honored to travel with this group, they added value to my life and have the innate ability to be genuine, outspoken and stand behind their values. For this I applaud them, embrace them as friends and strongly encourage you to do the same.
Sarah Simmons: Hands-down the Matriarch of the Chevy Tahoe. The voice of reason, organizer of insanity and most of all – just one of the most wonderful people to have a conversation with.
Nick McGlynn: Opposite of Sarah – Creator of insanity, A.D.D. overload master and photographer extraordinaire. Nick also possessed a skill none of us could match… he, for some reason, was the ONLY person that could consistently communicate with the On-Star ‘voice’. Thank you N-I-C-K !.
Jessica Randazza: PR and networking genius. Jessica kept us laughing, kept us calm and most of all was the ‘smile’ of the group. Willing to do anything for the cause- dressing in tinfoil, arm-wrestling a diner cook and getting a Chevy tattoo (in Sharpie). Most of all a loyal friend.
As we head into this long holiday weekend remember this:
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. Memorial Day is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all. I strongly believe the three people I featured this week give there all every day and I am lucky to call them friends.
Have a Safe and enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend.
B
Sarah Simmons:
Sarah is Food and Wine magazine’s Home Cook Superstar. Sarah spends her days crafting new recipes and making instructional cooking videos in the hopes of helping others to become superstars in their own kitchens.
Tell her what you want to make!
Twitter: @SarahmcSimmons
Blog: homecooksuperstar
Nick McGlynn:
Nick currently does freelance event photography for various companies including his own site Random Night Out. Most recent full time job was at Gawker Media where Nick worked in their video department editing clips and managing interns. He also throw a monthly media event called Obliterati.
Twitter: @NMcglynn
Blog: nickmcglynn.com
Jessica Randazza:
A public relations and social media strategist for a global public relations agency with an extensive focus on nonprofit and consumer and currently resides in New York City.Its Jessica’s mission and desire to stay engaged in emerging technologies that enhance the way that consumers and individuals connect online. Which means she spends a lot of time on her iPhone — in fact she never puts it down.
She’s also is co-founder of ColdPavement, an exercise in meeting and talking with people you may or may not know in the communications field.
A graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, vegetarian cook extraordinaire, shoe enthusiast, struggling seamstress and yogini.
Twitter: @JessicaRandazza
Blog: jessicarandazza .com
Three must know people… because they care. @Sarahprevette @Holaphil @JakRose
Posted on 21. May, 2010 by BrianSimpson in Community
We are lucky here at the roger smith hotel to have an inspiring, creative and passionate group of loyal friends that support us on many levels. As a small token of our appreciation and in an attempt to repay what these people bring to our community, we will be featuring three new people every Friday as our ‘follow Friday’ list. Follow Friday, a concept born from the creative mind of Micah Baldwin, has lost some of what we believe Micah started it for, purpose. Do not get us wrong, when @RSHotel shows up in any #FF or #FollowFriday lists it is an honor. What seems to have happened though is too many people are trying too hard to pay homage to their friends without truly letting us know: who, what or why these ‘lists’ of people are worth following.
Week two of #followfriday or #FF is very special. You shouldn’t just follow Sarah because of her amazing work in the entrepreneurial world, Phil for his intuitive instincts and passion for location based utilities or Jason because he can connect you with anyone you may ‘need’ to know. You should follow these three because they have the natural ability to enrich your life, not your career, your life. As I sit on the Bolt Bus cruising up to Boston I am reminded that I moved to NYC two years ago and the friends I have made since are friends for life. Sarah, Jason and Phil are three of those people.
These are three people worth the ‘follow’.
Happy Friday and Enjoy your weekend!
Sarah Prevette a.k.a. Canada
Entrepreneur. Startup afficionado. Founder of Sprouter
Company: http://sprouter.com/sarah
Website: http://sprouter.com/
Twitter: @Sarahprevette
Phil Di Giulio - PegShot
Bio : NY based entrepreneur interested in the influence of digital media on local economies. Co-founded @pegshot @wellcomemat Organize @futureoflocal
Companies:
http://realestatevideo.wellcomemat.com/
http://pegshot.com/
Jason Keath - Social Fresh
Bio Where we’re going, we don’t need roads… [Founder of @SoFresh]
Company: http://socialfresh.com
Social Fresh is a social media event and community company based out of Charlotte, NC. Social Fresh flagship events are one day conferences targeted for marketers, focused on case studies, and currently being offered across the country in under-served cities.
Twitter: @JakRose @SoFresh
And the Winner Is… “Henry’s Rooftop Bar”
Posted on 17. May, 2010 by BrianSimpson in Hotel, Lily's Restaurant
It’s official! The name of the terrace on the 16th floor of the Roger Smith Hotel will be called
“Henry’s Rooftop Bar” and here is the winner with her entry:
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“You should name the bar after Henry…he’s pretty much the cutest thing in the world and I think you should appreciate him a bit more around there.”
Our Fearless leader on 'his' terrace @RSHotel
We are all excited for the bar to open on Memorial Day Weekend, 2010. Henry is particularly anxious for his new Summer hang-out. Many people have had the pleasure of experiencing the terrace during events on the 16th floor Solarium. Now, for the first time in over 5 years, we will be opening from 5-10pm Monday-Friday with a full bar, wine, draft & bottled beer and food.
Stay tuned for a few ‘warm-up’ events leading up to the official opening !
Kurt Cobain Watches “Smells Like Teen Spirit” For 1st Time @RSHotel
Posted on 05. Mar, 2010 by BrianSimpson in Hotel
The power, the amazing ability to connect even the most random information, is what makes the internet so astounding. Yesterday as I am scanning TweetDeck I notice a tweet scroll through the ‘Roger Smith Hotel‘ column. (not everyone uses @RSHotel I figured out a while ago. lol )
Here is the tweet sent out by Roger A.K.A. @yaysarcasm to @SuzanneVara Owner of Kherize5 Advertising & Social Media Agency and my response:
Roger quickly responded with a tweet leading me closer to the truth:
I instantly looked up “Heavier Than Heaven” on-line continuing to track down the truth behind Roger’s tweet… its not that I didn’t believe you Roger but afterall it is twitter…right?!
Here is what I found next:
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page 205 Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain By Charles R. Cross
page 205 Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain By Charles R. Cross
I have walked into work today feeling a little bit different. Call me corny but in a Hotel that has built a reputation on story telling and people this to me is a damn good one. Kurt Cobain, Nirvana… fan or not you have to admit the history and nostalgia behind this discovery is a story to be repeated and shared.
I end by thanking Roger @YaySarcasm and @SuzannaVara for having a social conversation and sharing your insights with us here @RSHotel ! I will always remember this… its just cool.
R.I.P.
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
Party For A Purpose ~ “Cents of Relief”
Posted on 01. Mar, 2010 by BrianSimpson in Community
Yesterday, via Twitter, I learned my friend John ‘Speed’ Raser was having an event here in NYC. I was bummed out when I realized the date conflicted with my trip to SXSWi. John is super excited to be having this event here in New York City and is anticipating a great turnout! Because of John’s passion and commitment to his friends I feel compelled to share his enthusiasm in a blog post. As a bonus I am including a great video from John’s YouTube channel… It has nothing to do with the event but everything to do with John and his awesomeness. Enjoy the video and please come out to support John and his friends on March 11th.
Cents of Relief (501c3) was founded by John Raser’s highschool buddy, Anup Patel and his fiance Rina Patel to help provide healthcare to women and children caught up in human trafficking / sex trade. John says “Anup is one of the most brilliant, hard-working, and compassionate people I have ever come to know.”
He credits his fiance, Rina, as being the driving force behind the organization. “She is such a strong, sweet, and dedicated woman.” says Anup. I’m happy to help such unselfish and deserving friends.
If you live in New York City, or will be there March 11, 2010, we would love it if you came out to support this worthy cause. I mean it’s at Jay Z’s 40/40 Club and tickets are only $25 bucks in advance ($30 at the door). Not to mention there is a free vodka hour and free Aveda mini day spa included! Need I say more?!?! I’ll be there with some friends from Orlando and would love to throw back some Cristal with you!
You can buy tickets here
