Like many people, the holiday season is my favorite time of year.  I love everything about December…holiday decorations, festive music and the spirit of joy that fills the air. Beyond anything though, I enjoy the act of gift giving. There is something meaningful about the process that goes into giving. It gives one a moment to take a step back, think about those that are important to them and identify the perfect gift that will bring a smile to their faces. What’s better than that feeling?

Finding the perfect gift is no easy task. That’s why I’ve put together a few of my tips for having a successful shopping and gift giving season:

1.     Start Early: Every November I put on holiday music, pour a cup of hot chocolate and grab my red notebook. Then, I sit down and make a list of everyone for whom I’d like to buy.  I give myself a few weeks to think about those people until I come up with the perfect gift for them. Shopping in December is much easier when you have a solid list in place.

2.     Shop Early (in the morning): I dislike crowds…a lot. But, I love malls (a conundrum, I know).  So, when I’m ready to shop I look up the opening hours for my area malls. I make sure I’m the first one there (large coffee in hand) so that I can get what I need, stress-free.

3.     Devise a Plan: I don’t do anything without a well-laid plan in place. Holiday shopping is no different. Before I go shopping, I write down the stores I need to go to, identify the items I’ll get in those stores and also, each store’s location in the mall. This way, I never have to backtrack or do unnecessary loops around a mall.

4.     Have Fun: Remember, holiday gifting is about more than material things. It’s about sharing a special moment with special people.

If you haven’t started shopping yet, don’t worry. You still have time to pull it off, but next year, start in November (trust me)!

Happy Holidays!

-Jamie

It’s the thick of the holiday season in New York City.  And while much fanfare is bestowed upon the Rockefeller Center tree each year, to me, what truly makes the city an enchanting place at the holidays is the myriad of corner tree vendors that spring up across the city.

I can still remember the first time I returned to the city from Thanksgiving break, filled with that bittersweet feeling of leaving family and friends and the excitement and anticipation of holiday festivities to come.  As I made the trip uptown from Grand Central, I saw them.  Everywhere.  On nearly every street corner.  Each had its own flair.  Some had lights, some music, some had inflatables, but each brought an undeniable helping of good cheer.  They come each year, often entire families, from upstate, New England and Canada and set up shop for the month.

Since that first sighting, I eagerly await the return of the tree vendors each year.  It is, for me, the true start of the season.  Here are some of my other favorite NYC scenes:

• The Holiday Fair at Grand Central Terminal – home to nearly 100 artisans and merchants, it’s a great place to find unique, one-of-a-kind jewelry, toys, and more.  Its location makes it ideal for lunchtime or after-work browsing.
• The Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden – imagine replicas of some of New York’s iconic landmarks, constructed completely from tree bark, twigs, nuts and leaves – great for kids or to bring out the kid in you.  Wear comfortable shoes and dress in layers – the wait time can be long and the conservatory gets warm.
• Wollman Rink – home to a few past Hunter PR holiday parties, a skate at this open-air rink is the stuff holiday memories are made of. 

- Amanda

Autumn is my favorite season for three reasons: the amazing weather and foliage that hits the Northeast region, the start of professional football season, and, most importantly, the onslaught of great pumpkin beer. Every year, around this time, stores and bars begin celebrating the colder weather with grand displays featuring brews embracing the season’s favorite flavor. And since my personal attempt to create my very own pumpkin beer was thwarted by a siphoning incident, I’d like to take the blog post to share my favorite options for you to indulge in the awesomeness that is Autumn beer:

1. Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat, the category’s newest addition, is one of the best pumpkin beers of the season. The unfiltered wheat ale features crisp flavor of nutmeg, cinnamon and clove that could only be delivered from a Shock Top cask. It has easily become my personal “must-have” beer of the season.

2. Smutty Nose Pumpkin Ale is more relaxed in flavor but not in quality. The smooth taste and thick texture makes this ale the perfect compliment to your annual Thanksgiving dinner. Start planning your sides around it.

3. Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale is a spicy and sweet autumn beer inspired by one of the top Belgian Whites beers. It is the great addition to the traditional citrus flavor of the Blue Moon family but brewed with the bounty of fall spices making it a necessary addition to your weekly Sunday tailgate.

- Dan

My knees ache.  My hips hurt.  My back is sore.  My soul…my soul is singing. I just started running - again.  I started running for the first time 12 years ago.  I was working with eight-time U.S. Duathlon Champion Kenny Sousa and he made running sound like it was fun.  It wasn’t.  Not at first.

The very first time I decided to give running a try, I sprinted for three (that’s not a typo) blocks, grabbed the light post for support and started hyperventilating.  The next day, I began running with a passion. I ran every day for two years while training for the San Diego Rock ‘n Roll Marathon. 

The last time I ran was March, 2007.  My nephew Frank talked me into entering the Utica Heart Run.  He was a high school track star. I was a middle-aged woman.  I agreed because I thought it was cool that he asked me (not many 18-year-olds want to be seen having fun with their aunt – especially when their aunt is wearing running tights).  I wasn’t prepared for this challenge, but I gave it the old college try. Had I still been in college, the results may have been different.

Frank completed the 10-mile-run in the same amount of time it took me to compete the three-mile-run.  As I approached the steepest part of the course – Utica’s own “Heartbreak Hill”- I barely noticed Frank striding along beside me.  I was focused on the roadside posters pointing out the seven warning signs of a stroke - four of which (shortness of breath, heart palpations, dizziness and fatigue) I was experiencing at that very moment.  While I checked my pulse and scanned the area for an EMT, Frank waved and shouted “See ya at the finish line.”  He wasn’t even breathing hard.

My goal is to run the Utica Boilermaker, July 2012.  It’s the country’s largest 15K run.  Often covered by ESPN, it attracts elite runners from around the world. I’ve participated in the race twice before and it’s fabulous.  The entire city gets involved.  As a PR professional, I applaud the marketing genius of the F.X. Matt Brewing Company.  As the event’s lead sponsor, they offer all runners Saranac Beer free of charge. Bottled water costs $2.50. 

-Karen

I’m always looking for new music.  But who has the time to ask all your friends for suggestions, search the web or iTunes for the top artists in a genre, or really hear everything the radio has to offer? 

Fear not, music junkies!  Spotify has landed in the U.S and taken the free music streaming competition by storm upon experiencing great success in Europe (I was introduced to the service by my co-worker Brittany.) Spotify allows you stream from their portal of music of over 15 millions songs.  All music saves to your account, which you can access anywhere as long as you’re logged in.  I’ve become addicted to artists including Foster the People and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Spotify lets me listen instantly (over and over again!)

Curious as to what your friends are listening to?  You can link your Spotify profile to Facebook to see their playlists, then click the playlist and drag into your own library. 

If you want to avoid commercials every 10 songs (this service is ad-based), upgrade to an Unlimited account for $4.99 a month.  If you can’t go anywhere without your Spotify playlists, you can also upgrade to a Premium account.  For $9.99 a month, you can access your music from any computer, your mobile device or offline. Everyone from Mark Zuckerberg to Demi Moore to the LA Times and TIME Magazine are raving about this service, so check it out to see what you’re missing!

Spotify lets me check out new artists that without spending the money first.  You can sign up for an invite on Spotify.com, and check out more about the service here.  Have fun with it!  As Spotify says, “it’s how music was meant to be shared!”

-Stephanie

This year marked my first visit to BlogHer, an annual conference that brings together thousands of bloggers from all walks of life.  Here, they can interact with brands & distant friends, learn about new & existing products, and get advice from fellow bloggers & PR professionals. 

This year’s event was held in sunny San Diego from August 4^th–6^th and attracted bloggers & brands from all over the world.  Since it began in 2005, BlogHer has grown to more than 3,500 attendees and attracts people who blog about everything from parenting to technology to finance.  You name it, you’ll find someone there who blogs about it!

If you are like me and have never attended BlogHer, here are some helpful tips for surviving next year’s event:

Wear comfortable shoes!  No matter if you’re attending or working, you’ll be on your feet throughout the day so be sure to dress for function.

Pack lightly…because there is tons of swag for attendees that you will want to bring back with you.  From food to personal care products to glassware, you’ll want to save room to bring back all of the goodies to try (and blog about!).

Bring plenty of business cards.  Think about how many you think you’ll hand out.  Now, double that.  No matter if you’re a brand representative or a blogger, BlogHer is all about networking so it’s important to have your contact information easily accessible to share at all times.  They run out quicker than you think!

Download the BlogHer App.  The smartphone application will help you navigate the many sessions, demos and parties that are offered.  Also included are a map of the expo floor, a list of sponsors and a live twitter feed of all tweets about BlogHer ’11.

Till next year!

-Melody

The rare NYC earthquake might have contributed to the excitement that filled the office on August 23rd, but the “newbies” were buzzing about Hunter Public Relations’ annual off-site retreat. For months, we had been daydreaming about this day and it had finally arrived.

The partners kicked off this year’s off-site retreat at Bear Creek Mountain Resort & Conference Center with an enlightening ‘State of the Union’ address. Call me a nerd, but I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the firm’s history, where we stand and our future goals because for me, the retreat was all about becoming part of the Hunter PR family…and about getting our Hunter PR Class of 2011 sweatshirts. After competing against each other in “Minute to Win It” games, the new hires received our coveted green sweatshirts. With the sweatshirt in my possession, my remaining mission was to get to know all my colleagues.

I had ample opportunities to complete my mission during the morning hike, workshops and nighttime activities. This year’s retreat focused on honing our presentation skills, something I was grateful to be working on. There were many takeaways but the work assessment session was the most popular. We learned about our personal work styles and how to better communicate with one another.

After a hard day’s work, we partied the night away. First, we played trivia in teams determined by our alma mater. Representing Middlebury College, I was part of the New Englanders team that took home the winning cup.  Then, we danced. Hard.

Spending time with my vivacious colleagues during this retreat made me realize that Hunter PR is not only investing in the professional development of its staff but also nurturing us as people. That’s why I’m proud to be part of Class of 2011 (aka Gang Green), the trivia winning New Englanders and most importantly, a Hunter PR employee.

- Sakura

I didn’t grow up with dreams of moving to the Big Apple… or any other fruit-filled city.  I loved growing up in a small, Southern town.  We had two stoplights and everything I needed, which included plenty of people who loved me and looked out for me. There was always someone to remind me when I left my purse on the counter or to help me break into my car when I locked the keys inside. No matter what happened, people were willing to help each other, and that's what made it home.

Once I realized the glamorous world of public relations was calling my name, I packed up for the big city to live out my dreams… and planned to return home in two years (three tops!). It’s been eight years since I left the comfort of my hometown, but it didn’t take me long to realize I was also at home in New York City.  

While the faces are different, I am still very much a part of a community that takes care of each other. There’s the Smiley Cashier at the deli who reaches the toilet paper from the top shelf for me (even when I promise to pay later!). Or Coffee Cart man, who greets me with “Good Morning, Sweetie” as he hands me the perfect cup, all without me saying a word. I’m on a first name basis with the man at the Laundromat, who always asks about my travels. And, of course, there are the countless neighbors I share a smile with during my walking commute – my mornings wouldn’t be the same without Headphones Man and Lady Walking Baby.

The interactions may be different, but they’re still friendly and neighborly. And although I’m now a New Yorker, I’m also still a small town girl.

- Meagan

No electricity, no water, no plumbing and minimal cell phone reception. For some people, this sounds like a horrific nightmare. For me, this was my summer vacation. Luckily, there were thirteen of country music’s biggest names to distract me from the lack of every day luxuries.

Two weeks ago, I left the Big Apple and traveled to the “booming” metropolis of Fort Loramie, Ohio to attend Country Concert 2011. Country Concert is an annual three-day country music festival. This year’s lineup included: Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, Luke Bryan, Darius Rucker, Montgomery Gentry, Josh Thompson, Justin Moore, the list goes on and on. For country music fans, I’m sure you can imagine that my heart almost flew out of my chest when I caught wind of this year’s lineup. This marked my first Country Concert experience. I had heard nothing but great reviews about this annual extravaganza. My expectations were high; my expectations were met.

Aside from the phenomenal music, Country Concert 2011 had the social atmosphere that a public relations personality craves: thousands of people with giant smiles on their faces, enjoying great music with their friends and families. I shared a campsite next to the concert arena with seven of my closest friends. I can confidently say that Country Concert 2011 was one of the greatest experiences of my college career. Camping was interesting, the music was amazing and spending time with my best friends made the entire trip worthwhile.

Country Concert 2012 anyone?

-Joe

When I graduated from college two months ago and started my career as a young public relations professional at Hunter Public Relations, I had no idea how much fun my new job was really going to be. Between impromptu after work outings to planning high profile events all across the country, my first two months in the “real world” have been more than exciting.

Last night’s PRSA-NY Bowling Social was an event that will definitely go down in Hunter PR history. More than 30 Hunter PR staff members, all dressed in matching branded t-shirts, rolled into Bowlmor Lanes on 44^th Street and lived up to our team name Thunder from Down Hunter.  Taking up over half of the alley for the PRSA event, we arrived with fire in our eyes and ready to win the coveted Bowling Pin Trophy.

From what I heard, Hunter PR has a history of taking down the competition in sporting events, but when the bowling alley erupted with enthusiastic and positive Hunter PR staff bellowing chants and cheers to our squad of determined “athletes,” I couldn’t help but feel proud and grateful that I had the opportunity to join such a dynamic agency.

Though we did not take home the trophy last night, our team did have the highest score with a monstrous 179 from our fearless Co-Captain Trisha.  Fellow Hunter PR bowlers Sakura and Michael also won digital cameras, and the night came to a close with a fitting Hunter PR rendition of Katy Perry’s “Firework.” PRSA-NY put on a great event that brought the Hunter PR staff together not only as co-workers, but also as a team!

- Lisa