• by Kelly Samardak , October 1, 2008

Everyday Health 2nd Anniversary Celebration, Hudson Terrace, New York
September 25, 2008

Do you have something that you do every day?  Brush your teeth?  Tap that nomad skateboarder sleeping on the bench in Union Square before that squirrel eats his toes?   Well, the folks at Everyday Health encourage healthy stuff every day -- like say, prenatal care and proper stretching before chasing the bus.  I cringed at the thought that this, THIS, a healthy party, was going to be my almost final foray into Advertising Week parties, especially since I was sporting the week's hottest accessory, mini-burger belly.

I expected the 2nd anniversary celebration to be a Who's Who of dieticians, power yogis, Pilates princesses, and workout whackjobs juggling water+ in one hand and organic celery sticks in the other.  Not so, faithful reader, not so.  This party was like that person with a whole-wheat-plus-protein-wet-noodle spine, getting real low during a limbo competition.   Low being good.  Because low is good in limbo.  You get it.

First off, I ran into my +1 outside rubbing her head.  She had just slammed the cab door on it.  It's funny, you can laugh.  Then, after checking into the right of a big red carpet situation (not the Everyday Health party, but some other, not as awesome event), we were confronted with stairs.  It felt like four flights, but it could have been three.  "You can not tell me this building doesn't have an elevator!" I huffed.  Huffed!?  Hello, get in shape, girl! (remember that stuff?) I walk up five flights of stairs just to get to my home, this small trek should not wind me, it must have been the chicken skewers weighing me down.  I could hear voices and thumping music, which meant the party was in full swing already.

The space was rooftop Hamptons marvelous.  It hadn't yet started to rain with a vengeance; it was more of a bratty spit rain, the kind that makes you look silly with an umbrella, but moistens you just a little all the same.   A huge white tent covered 80% of the space, the rest revealing the darkening Chelsea rooflines.   Circling the tarp in the open air were masseuses, a huge freshly rolled and geometrically arranged sushi spread, crunchy healthy snacks, and party-goers rebelling against the rain mist.

To help ring in the Everyday Health 2nd anniversary were The New York Giants starting safety Michael Johnson as well as defensive end Dave Tollefson.  It was funny to watch incoming party fans eye the tallest guys in the room suspiciously,  like "should I know who that is...." Or "I feel like I know who that is."  Larger-than-life people are usually into something bigger than the rest of us.  The guests spanned the spectrum of what you can do with your life, with Britt Agro, Assistant Editor at Pharmaceutical Executive, Michelle Andro, Group Marketing Manager, Pepsico Foodservice (she had to have her pic with the Giants guy), to a "hey I know you" fellow, Max Barsuk, Media Planner at neoOgilvy.

Andy Kraut from OMD brainstormed and really surfaced some great taglines for my "toilet pitch" (you know, the replacement for the "elevator pitch" inspired by a run in at the Buddy Media party).  Lots of funny priority number innuendos had us cackling like eight year olds.  My final round of socializing brought me to Wade Twitchell, VP, Business Development, diet.com.  He was wearing a velvety jacket and was on one of his first trips to Manhattan.

Truffle oil was drizzled on everything.  Everything! Pockets of mushroom risotto were gobbled up faster than the wait staff could reload.  Miniature pizzas, empanada crescents, and holy moly chocolate covered strawberries surprised even the most cynical guest.    I stuck around much longer than my whiney intentions, grabbing shots of Ben Wolin, Co-Founder & CEO, Waterfront Media, Mike Keriakos, President, Waterfront Media and Scott Wolf, Sr. VP, Sales, Everyday Health.  I even discovered a gaggle from Philadelphia not only willing to pose for a normal shot, but later on, two broke into dance.  P.S., dancing is a great form of exercise.

Even when the rain started falling, people just gathered under the wood beams and in what was becoming the greenhouse tent.  I would have loved to stay longer, but it was off to the Facebook party for me.  If I had to pick a low point, it had to be when I walked outside and got burnt by someone's cig end.  I wanted to hoot, "Hey! That's not very Everyday Health!" but decided against rabble rousing for the evening.  After all, someone did get put in cuffs at the Facebook party later in the evening.

Offloading some truffle oil?  Invite kelly@mediapost.com to your party and get covered in this column!

Get at the fabulous party pics on Flickr!

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