By: Dove
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September 16, 2010 started like any other day, but there was something in the air… Indeed! It was our excitement for the official launch of UrbLife.com!
For weeks, Pure Urban Lifestyle, Inc., The Gift Agency LLC and Big Picture Media made plans to bring UrbLife.com together with The Connectors, an amazing group of talented professionals in film, fashion, art, entertainment and media – some who even flew into town for the event!
As we prepared the space at 8 Bond Studio (8 Bond Street, NYC) to welcome our over 700 RSVP’d guests, DJ Furious set up on the music and all of our wonderful volunteers lined up the Dry Soda and Heineken at the bar! Admittedly, I was nervous about the very high amount of RSVP’s, yet so flattered that everyone wanted to celebrate with us!
But then we realized… there was something ELSE in the air that night… and it looked a little something like this:
Yes, it was a very real tornado in NY, and although it only lasted for around five minutes, the storm downed trees, stopped trains and stranded thousands of people in the Northeast for most of the night. (Someone told me this was a good omen, so I’m going with that!)
Despite the setback, we still got a perfect crowd in the door, filling 8 Bond Studio comfortably! Cosmopolitan Cool, Rule4080.com and photographer Jayme Thornton were all on hand to snap some great memories of those who braved the weather to celebrate with us!
Fortunately people came ready to eat, drink and be merry! Sonia Maldonado and her Food Trends Catering team laid out an amazing spread of bite-size goodies that surprised everyone in the best way possible! Wow!
Sonia even took time to pass plates around with her team and network!
Also on deck with a pyramid of sweet treats was Maritza Franck with her Ritzy Bitzy Delights! These cupcakes looked more like art than food, but barely lasted long enough to get a glimpse! Nothing wrong with being popular – and delicious!
The whole purpose of the UrbLife.com launch was to bring people together for real networking. There were a lot of new faces for everyone to mix with, and of course our gracious host and event partners Dayna Ghiraldi, the Big Picture Media team and The Connectors are all about that! Here are a few flicks of our guests mingling:
Shakara Bridgers of Get ‘Em Girls and Eb the Celeb of EbTheCeleb.com
Phaon Spurlock of LuxuriousPrototype.com and Gabriel Williams of StuffFlyPeopleLike.com (where was SFPL’s Rae Holliday for this photo? Perhaps lounging upstairs with The Fly Girl??)
Writer/editor Habiba Alcindor of The Nation (center) and publicist Melody Gross (right) enjoying some conversation with a friend!
Dayna Ghiraldi (far right) talks to a few Heineken lovers at one time!
UrbLife.com launch event production manager Osayamen Asemota of The Gift Agency LLC and Marcella Precise of songwriting duo Lady and a Tramp and Cosmopolitan Cool looking lovely!
Ekiuwa Asemota of Eki’s Famous jewelry and UrbLife.com Marketing Director Andrea Bernard taking some time out to chat
Phaon Spurlock hanging with the ever-stylish Cortney Gift
After a long night of rain and running, yours truly (left) finally took a moment to catch up with with Rob “Photo Rob” Mayer and WPIX 11 news reporter Monica Morales!
Marcella Precise and UrbLife.com Food & Wine Editor Tati Amare discussing the good life over a delicious Dry Soda
Beautiful people! Ericka Mitton of DrJays.com and Joseph “Joey Too Fresh” Villaroma of Rule4080.com
At the end of the night, guests were treated to a gift bag from Dr. Miracles hair care (with deep conditioning treatment!); fragrant bath salts from Tropical Salt Corp; coupons, drink menus and funky re-usable straws from Dry Soda; and special “Head Slick” shave cream from Head Blade!
Even though the launch party was technically over at 10:00pm, people still lingered and savored the Dry Soda, specialty drinks, more Heineken, an abundance of food and dope music from DJ Furious.
As we took out the last of the decorations, UrbLife.com‘s National Marketing Director Andrea Bernard was still smiling!
Follow the UrbLife.com on Twitter, as well as our team:
Dove Clark
Andrea Bernard
Isha “Ice” Cole
Tati Amare
Jesse Fairfax
Kelli Jones
and shouts to our non-Twitterers as well, Sharon Green and Julie Ane!
Thanks again to Eki, Suzanne, Janelle, Wendy, Hakeem, Franchesca, Erin, Arabia and everyone else who assisted in making this a night to remember!
For even more photos from the UrbLife.com launch event, check out Rule4080.com, Cosmo Cool and JaymeThornton.com. Exclusive event video is coming soon!
