• by Kelly Samardak , December 7, 2009

NYC EXTREME LOCAL, M Studios, New York
December 4, 2009

It's always hard to double down on parties.  In my role, that's a lot of talking, running around interrupting people with my camera, and running away from people who want to touch my camera.  But I figured it was Friday, I was already out, and the NYC EXTREME LOCAL (you have to yell this and jack your arms above your head, waving them wildly while screeching) party at M Studios was sort of right around the corner from the Wired Store party celebrating Kofi Annan and the Tck Tck Tck campaign -- so what the hey, right?  By now you're probably already getting that hyperlocal is the new big buzzword: a sort of your-sidewalk-level view of really anything (services, shops, food joints, dealers), but what in the name of all that is holy is EXTREME? Come with me to the vaulted ceilings covered in huge white projection screen globes of M Studios and find out....

As the elevator chugged its way up to the windowed loft peering out on the Hudson River and the racetrack that is the West Side Highway, music and voices crept through the cracks.  The doors opened to a pure white loft.  White couches surrounded rustic tables where people lounged and sipped, peering at the new handful of guests (us) that poured off the elevator.  The warm yellow glow of hundred of flickering candles spun the room into constant motion, with the names of 15 local names adorning the walls, including one I've never seen - BoCoCa.  What the flippers is BoCoCa? It sounds like the noise you make when you choke on aggressive bruschetta. [note: my copy editor educated me, but now I want to see if you know :)]

So what NYC EXTREME LOCAL?  NYC & Company (nycgo.com) launched the campaign on 11/22, running until 12/20 where, when you register your American Express card (one of the sponsors, obviously) you, eater/shopper/explorer, receive a $50 statement credit when you blow...er... smartly spend 300 bucks at three or more participating venues during the campaign.  NYCGO.com/x lists all participants if you're curious.  

Know what else is extreme? Mini-burger dependency.  Know where I got my fix? Around the corner from the coat check. Oh that's right, I was pleasantly surprised to see plates of food making their way through the crowd, past the temporary photo studio, and into my hands.   I was not expecting edibles at an event that kicked off at 9 p.m., and since I hadn't eaten at the Wired Store event due to my usual run-around, I was more than happy to stuff jumbo shrimp (HUGE-O shrimp, really), mini burgers topped with crunchy pickle disks, and salami and cheese panninis into my face at extreme speeds.  Extreme!

Official party host, the moonfaced Mr. Mickey from Paper magazine was floating around the step-and-repeat, sporting major bling in the form of a red-beaded medallion.  As I approached to snap his face digitally, who should appear but NYC's very own Michael Musto, writer of The Village Voice column "La Dolce Musto."  If you're into deadening your work brain with some celeb snark you may also know Musto from appearances on shows like "50 Biggest Celebrity Breakups."

I also had the pleasure of meeting one of those real-life superheroes - those whose every day is helping others to heal, live, function, you know.  He was Gabriel Blanco, a man in social work who focuses his efforts on St Dominic's home. 

Thank you, Lure's Josh Capon for helping me to avoid alcohol poisoning (I joke) with his tasty treats  -- along with Jane Reiss, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer, NYC & Company, for a beautiful, laidback way to end the week.  

Pictures are up on Flickr (more coming, too!)

Send invitations to kelly@mediapost.com!