• by Kelly Samardak , December 3, 2008

Buddy Media Social Season Party, Buddy Media Loft, New York
December 2, 2008

I just spilled pepper all over my desk. Totally irrelevant, but I like to experience these things with you. You know what else is irrelevant? That press release I got this morning saying "I see you're involved in cyber bullying." Things that are relevant to me? Tiny chicken pot pies, reindeer headbands, toys for tots, a very very dangerous photo booth, and -- oddly -- the appeal of a dead pigeon. All were found at the Buddy Media holiday party to ring in "the social season." Don't believe me? Read on.

I had to call Joe Ciarallo from the door because despite my spastic pushing of the #4 button, there was absolutely no response from upstairs. Gail Hilton, Director of Sales and Marketing at Qwikker and constant companion, and I had just arrived freshly filled with Kir Royales from the Discovery Communications party and we were excited to spend the rest of the night with familiar nerdy faces. Joe buzzed us in and while we waited for the elevator we could hear the comfortable hum of a full office of revelers.

I wasn't expecting to see so many people, but that place was packed to the back with Buddy Media pals. The first person I recognized was Joe, the closet percussionist and failure doorman (I jest!). As I headed to get my coat that works entirely too well (I sweat when I walk to work regardless of how frigid it is) I spotted Brett Petersel, Mashable guy, and I think the side of fellow Masable-r, Adam Hirsch's, head. Off with the coat and into the party! Check it out - a full bar on one end and a comfort food bar of tomato soup and Panini presses on the other. The soup, served in chunky shot glasses slid over the tongue and down the throat to grandma's house in my belly. So good.

I was yacking it up with none other than Ben Billingsley, Managing Director, Horn Group, when a plate of mini chicken pot pies snuck into view. Ben "don't call me Barbara" Billingsley confidently popped one of those little suckers into his mouth and then, for a good five minutes, tried not to cry in public. Hot. Very hot. The pot pies, you weirdos.

I had to stand on a chair to get a shot of the room and almost fell on Roger Ryan, Henry (must be a diva, no last name), and Derrick Edwards, the Trinidadian contingent of Buddy Media. Roger is a winner on many levels, one being the raffle level where he became the proud owner of a universal remote control. The ever-sassy Kass Savarese Lazerow, COO, Buddy Media, delivered the giveaways while Chairman & CEO of Buddy Media, Michael Lazerow, made sure everyone was having a blast. And they were.

Nothing invites embarrassing company holiday party photos like alcohol, microphones, ping-pong, and a photobooth. When that photobooth curtain closes on your alcohol-absorbing liver and brains you almost forget that soon those faces you make will be displayed -- WAIT! projected! -- larger than life on the office wall. I'm just saying, someone may finally have documentation of me looking like a fool, that's all. I saw the vivacious Abby Lauterbach taking full advantage not only of the photobooth, but eventually the adhoc dance floor. Jono Hart, quite possibly the only person from Los Angeles that I like besides Tameka Kee, was a scene-stealer as always -- leaping from picture to picture regaling me with his new discovery on how to appear more svelte in photos: "the elliptical," he smiled, sveltely.

One guy who received the majority of Jono's photo hijackings was the effervescent human shot of firewater, Jeff Ragovin, Vice President, Sales and Business Development at Buddy Media. Jeff had his Olympus out taking all kinds of photos and was the keen eyeballer who alerted me to, of all things, a dead pigeon on the fire escape. Normal people would not find this delightful or photo-worthy, but I would. I even attempted to climb out for a better shot but was talked off the ledge for safety reasons. Turns out the pigeon was alive anyway.

Before I get accused of name-dropping again (hello, I name the people at the party -- how else would you know who was there?), let's wrap this puppy up and put a bow on it. What a great way to start off the holiday shindig season. The folks at Buddy Media once again impressed me with their warmth, kindness, and ability to throw a truly enjoyable party with great people - without renting out a ridiculously over-promoted club, cold event space, or prickle of porcupines.

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Peep the full party pic set on Flickr!

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