• by Kelly Samardak , October 13, 2008

PRNewser's First Birthday Party, Libation, New York
October 9, 2008

Getcha PRNewser Heahhh, says Joe Ciarallo. Not really, but put that guy in a newsie hat and some knickers and we've got ourselves a winner. Joe's not just one Editor of the now year old Newser, he's also Mr. NiceGuy, so it's safe to say that you won't find a negative word in any of my posts about anything he's attached to. Call me biased and I'll call you correct. It's easy to write nice things about good people. However, my camera did get me into a near altercation with a non-PRNewser guest. Trouble follows me, people, like that clubfoot squirrel in Madison Square Park.

I live in the East Village (how writer cliché, I know). When I moved in, I wasn't technically a "writer", so cut me some slack, jack. Libation, the location of the celebration, sits in the LES, which is a hop, skip and a jump from me even in uncomfortable shoes. There's a different energy down there. More fashion risks, more of a laid-back attitude - but also a more heightened poser appeal - you know, those people trying to look destitute in their Chanel gutter chic line? No gutter chic at the PRNewser party, though! Gail Hilton, Director of Sales and Marketing, Qwikker, and I walked into the red and cozy self-proclaimed club (didn't feel like a club) and walked into a kerfuffle. A nametag was missing and a slightly tweaked fellow was waving his arms around and rubbing his head (at the same time!). "But I work for mediabistro!" he said, sounding exasperated. I would be, too, as he was none other than the OTHER Editor of PRNewser, Jason Chupick.

Selfie name-tagged up, Chupick disappeared into the crowd like Chupacabra after a good bovine protein shake and the sea of PR people that would frighten any writer large or small parted to reveal the New York chapter of the Twitter fan club. Not only did I reunite with the fabulous Flavie Bagnol, Director of Communications, Thrillist.com and David Blend, Executive Editor Thrillist.com, but PRNewser celebrated side by side with the Editor in Chief of PlayGirl, Nicole Caldwell; Hamilton Nolan, writer for Gawker and also stepbrother of MediaPost's very own Karl Greenberg; and Andy Seccombe, whose nametag said Australian Writer's Guild, but whose business card said Writer, uppingtheandy.com, which is way cuter.

Does the phrase "two-dollar champagne" send chills of high school New Year's Eve parties past down your spine? What about two-buck cosmos? Yeah, me too, but everyone sipping on the bubbly stuff said it was deeeelicious. Seen sipping was none other than new Dogmatic recruit, Persia Tatar, fan of bubbles, sparkly things, nerdy stuff but not so much a fan of shellfish, like lobster. Belle Lenz, PR supermaven and winner of the Just An Online Minute most fabulous haircut contest (betcha didn't know it was even running, that's how good Belle is), was in the house, and I got to speak way too briefly with her before Matt Caldecutt swooped in to get more real people to the Media Meshing soiree afterwards. Caldecutt wasn't 100% his usually jolly self because he was a little worked up about good friend Nichelle Stephens' financial predicament (cough couch SCAM cough cough), a story that scared the granola out of me. It warms the old crusty cockles to see friends looking out for each other.

Let's move to the Twitter gallery, shall we? I'm even going to use their Twitter monikers so we can all be social media-hip together, hey now! @TiffanyWinbush, @woodlandalyssa, and @rocknrob were represented the Twitter mob, and it was our first time meeting each other in the flesh. Working the room revealed a dozen or so more "yeah, can you believe it, we've known each other forever on Twitter, but just met now!" stories that made us all feel a part of something bigger than the Montauk Monster.

You should know that none of the writers started breakdance-fighting with the PR reps. See, we can all just get a ong. Well, except for the two snappy ladies I accidentally backed into while trying to take a picture. "Excuse ME. THANK you!" one sniped with a flick of her wrist and a flip of her hair as she regarded my intrusive backside with distaste. This camera, it's going to get me a cameo on "JAIL:Manhattan" some day. One can only hope. I need a weight-lifting regimen and bland food diet.

Invite kelly@mediapost.com to your online baby's birthday bash and get covered in the warmth of Just An Online Minute!

See what you missed on Flickr!

I'll bet we'll be BFF if you follow me on Twitter.  Not that I encourage gambling.