• by Kelly Samardak , November 16, 2009

Web 2.0 Expo, The Frickin Javits Center, New York
November 16-19, 2009

It is beautiful outside in the NYC, people!  The air feels (feels, not is) clean, the birds are singing, the squirrels are chittering and stealing each other's nuts, and the sun is a perfectly warm ball of fire heating the road squalor just below stinkbomb level. This is my favorite time of year -- when New York's real smells are softened by the cool.  This week also happens to be Web 2.0 Expo NY, which means if you're a press type, you're already stabbing yourself in the face due to the rash of "want to meet up at our booth?" emails -- and if you're an attendee you're no doubt feeling agita over the banquet of choices.  It's like... the mac and cheese looks so good, but you know the big boss wants you to get the salad.  There's an analogy in there somewhere.  So here's what I'm planning on hitting this week.  Do let me know if I'll find you at any of the hootenannies listed; my goal this week is to talk to every single person attending the Expo.  Let's start with Tuesday, because no one likes Monday.

Nov. 17:  The Advertising Hall of Achievement Luncheon.  See what they did there? Achievement, not fame.  I like the subtle (or really, overt) hint that fame is not necessarily the bedfellow of achievement.  Unless, of course, you wanted to achieve fame -- and then there you go.  This delightful event will be at Cipriani, which I'm excited about because it's just not a place I head to for a sub sandwich on any given day.   Then, I'll begin my evening with the launch party for  the "2010 Not For Tourists Guide to New York City" at the divey fab Fontana's.  Think of it as a guide in which your best pals wrote about their favorite spots in their neighborhoods.  Always ask the natives!  I'll be leaving Fontana's and heading to Brooklyn for a party definitely not for the lactose-intolerant.  Babelgum is celebrating a fabulous summer (summer!) with free ice cream, an open bar, music, weirdos, and the Ice Cream Man.

Nov. 18:  I'd really like to make the 9:30 a.m. Launch Pad session, where five new companies get five minutes to pitch their babies, and a panel of experts hits them with instant feedback.  I probably won't be able to do much else since I'll have tons of photos to edit from the night before.  Then, at 6 p.m. I'll be hitting The Wally for the Ad Council's Public Service Award Dinner -- hosted by none other than the sharp and sassy Tina Fey.

Nov. 19: I'd like to hit the 10 a.m. keynote that sounds like a soft-porn demo: Publics, Flow, Phatic, Tummeling and Out-groups: New Words You Need to Know to Understand the Web.  I know I am not going to like "tummeling" --  In fact, the jury's back with their decision, I already don't like it.  And, since I thought we had retired the phrase Web 2.0 long ago, I'm interested to see how Gentry Underwood of IDEO plans on Designing Web 2.0: Here Come the Anthropologists.  Thursday night I'm torn between two events. One is the launch party for Notional celebrating the third season premiere of "Chopped."  No, you're not crazy, this is the first I've heard of Notional myself.  The party is at the IAC -- and if it's anything like the hipster disco that was the College Humor Show launch party, it'll be a fun night of photography.

The other event is Next New Networks' Barely Live Party, where online video stars perform the hits that made them famous, onstage at The Canal Room. The cast list includes Obama Girl performing "Crush on Obama," which only slightly confuses me because I swear two years ago she said she wanted to be known as more than Obama Girl.  Either way, sounds fun.

And then we've got Friday, Nov.  20, when the Wired Store is back! Whether or not Adrien Grenier will appear this year remains to be seen.  This year the store is going to be at 415 W 13th Street with one of my favorite baldies, Moby, playing a live DJ set.  Should be a musical treat - and a nice, shiny, gadgety way to big the week adieu. 

Man, that sounds like a lot.  Probably because it is.  And I'm happy to report that I'm almost 100% healthy after one of the worst head/nose/chest/brain colds EVER.  If you even think you might be getting it, prepare yourself.  It's a lot of snot, a lot of horrible head pressure, total exhaustion, weirdo nausea, and the overall desire to slip into a coma.  It wasn't fun, but I feel tip-top to tackle this week!  Where will I see you people? 

Send invitations to kelly@mediapost.com!