health

Ever since I started in this business, almost 20 years ago, I've noticed that the intensity of our world has dictated the need for a strong morning coffee and a relaxing social glass of wine in the evening.

Now, admittedly, I've largely operated in the types of scenarios where drinks are part of the scene, though when working an event it is always a “no no” to imbibe. But when you start running your own business, as I did a few years ago, your health becomes even more of a focus, and shifting between the two adrenal draining vices can start to cause problems. While that incredible caffeine rush is not easily replaced, and that relaxing moment with a glass may be all you're looking forward to all day long, it's often a good idea to take a break from the two and find a way to recharge "in health." Nothing like a good green tea, an elderflower sparkler or a walk in the park to produce a moment of calm. My advice this new year is to take a break from the vices – oh, if only I could only take my own advice!

Ok, so this may seem like a silly topic for a blog, but I think addressing sleep and the need for it to insure a productive day's work is actually a worthwhile subject. Because I think most people get too little of it, sleep that is... And I think I know why.

It could be the downturn in the economy which has streamlined business, cut jobs and made more work for everyone, including the boss. But I go back to that subject I often write about—technology. Honestly, with all this technology we are connected 24/7. And that means we are probably just not keeping up on work within our geographic sphere, but we're connected all over the world, all the time. I don't believe the time managers have come up with a great solution to this portal to all-day/all-night work, work, work. If you have, let's hear more about it.

Technology makes it hard to sleep, especially for those who sleep with their Blackberries, and I know quite a few of them… In my opinion the next 10-20 years should be spent figuring out how to manage our technology, or we'll never get enough sleep to keep our gray matter happy. I for one need sleep, if I can just figure out how to make that happen, with everything else I have to manage.

I don’t know how it’s going in your neck of the woods, but in the NE corner of the country we are being pollinated. It’s ugly. Really. All I want to do is go to bed early and sleep in late. I’ve sworn off alcohol for a season, but you would think I was out partying hard the way I feel in the morning. What has this got to do with public relations? Focus on the relations part. If I’m feeling like this, chances are everyone else on the team is as well. It’s time to give the peeps a break.

One of the perks of owning your own shop means you can come in later than 9 a.m. if you want to. Granted, I work all weekend, and am up at 5:30AM on my Blackberry, but still, if I’m straggling along I can come in after 9:00 a.m. Not so for the peeps. So when the weather turns, its time for summer hours! Starting Memorial Day weekend it’s half day Fridays! And I came up with another idea – how about letting the VPs work from home one day a week… Why not? They wouldn’t be a VP if they haven’t proven they can make it happen (from a plane a train or a hotel room). So, have at it, if you made it this far you deserve it. Plus, it gives others within the organization something to look forward to, because once you’re on the train there is nowhere to go but up!

 So, take your allergy medicine, start your fake and bake and get ready for summer, the fall crush is just a few months away! 

The bicycle trend returns with a bobo edge. Today's quote comes from Times photographer Bill Cunningham, who charmingly announced this as the year of the return of bicycles, while covering the shows in Paris.  We couldn't agree more, but would add that from New York to Paris to Milan, this is also the year of the leg--perhaps as a result of all that bike riding--gams are out in all their glory on all the runways this season. This has caused some to lament 'Where Have All the Pants Gone?', but we say, who cares?  Why not get your gams out girls, while the gettin's good?  Consider this shorts slide show from style.com, particularly the luxe satin shorts from Lanvin, bow & lace-trimmed short shorts from Chloé, and slouchy boho prints from Wunderkind. Gets the mind racing about the possibility of zipping around en velo in style, no?  The successful marketing of the bicycle has arisen by simply igniting the imagination of potential riders, making it once again, a chic, continental past time of yesteryear.  This time around, the accompanying fashions and accessories to the bicycle trend have a more bobo feel, appealing to the young, affluent bohemian bourgeoisie, concerned with helping the environment, but wanting to stay fashionably relevant and on the cutting edge. Although we are reluctantly sliding into our autumn/winter attire, we are inspired by Mr. Cunningham and the immeasurable benefit bike-riding contributes to the environment, not to mention ourselves and our gams, we've decided to join the bicycle fray and start our spring training a little early. Here's a breakdown of New York City's intricate web of "Greenways" and our hit-list for hitting the pavement in style:

• Paul Frank Julius Hearts Me Cruiser at Target in black! SO CUTE!! : $380
• Spanx by Sara Blakely Patterned Tights, for keeping your tootsies warm: $28
• Protec Classic Helmet, great alternative to "mushroom" head: $44
• Sigg Butterfly Dreams Water Bottle: $21.99
• Rebecca Taylor cute, cuffed Tweed Shorts: $260

Beverage makers lighten up on the caloric toll of our favorite summer drinks. We haven’t thought about Bridget Jones for awhile, but the new crop of calorie-conscious, nutrient-rich smoothies this summer reminded us of her amusing discovery that too much of a "smooth thing" can cause a diet infraction of the highest order:

“Monday 23 October 128 lbs, alcohol units 0 (v.g. Have discovered delicious new alcohol substitute drink called smoothies-v. nice, fruity), Cigarettes 0 (smoothies removes need for cigarettes), smoothies 32, calories 4265 (4135 of them smoothies)