That’s me, Kassy Reiff, the newest member of Team Zapwater. From diving into Matt Eisler’s newest dive bar, Bar DeVille, to submersing myself in SUB 51, my first weeks at Zapwater have been quite an adventure.
Here are my words of wisdom for those who have yet to swipe their Z-card.
1.) Speak up or move out of the way.
2.) Bring a flashlight; your office mates may be working in the dark.
3.) Be prepared to receive at least five Facebook event invites per week.
4.) Don’t unplug your MAC! It will die within five seconds of said activity.
5.) And last, but certainly not least, get ready to work with some of the nicest, funniest and quirkiest PR professionals around.
There’s something about a top floor penthouse lounge that eludes exquisiteness, the illuminated Chicago skyline screams radiance and the Hollywood Glam décor of NV Penthouse Lounge emanates elegance. NV Penthouse Lounge (116 W. Hubbard) recently opened and gave anxiously awaiting Chicagoans a chance to experience what we have been missing for so long--a nightlife venue that beckons guests inside to experience luxury, temptation and distinction with a view. To get an INSIDE LOOK AT NV and sample a taste of the sinful drinks, check out the Metromix TV segment HERE.
As the elevator doors open to the 8th floor penthouse, guests are just steps away from the lounge’s 27-foot granite bar, intertwining accents of granite, iron and upholstery into a unique Windy City nightlife venue. Contrasting elements flow throughout the lounge as an inviting vintage mirrored back bar, bordered with pony hair and granite beckons guests in. Illuminated dark oak towers, low hanging black chandeliers and detailed concrete floors designate the green seating areas providing for simple elegance. Slightly elevated, the Champagne Room with its bubbling lights helps accentuate the backdrop of the gleaming Chicago lights. VIP seating areas pamper guests with private washrooms for usage by the reserved parties for the evening and the outdoor terrace is directly to the left featuring cabana seating for 40 and standing room.
So don't feel left out, jealous or envious and be sure to check out the hottest nightlife spot around any Thursday, Friday or Saturday!
It’s always rewarding to be a part of the inception of a concept, watching them grow from day one into a successful business, this past year we’ve had the pleasure of working with two clients that we have seen blossom, TK Men and Empire Liquors.
As TK Men turned one in August we were excited to see how far store owner Lindsay McKay has come, starting out last summer with her first retail concept. McKay, a former celebrity stylist, was looking to step up men’s style to Chicago. With her outside-the-box thinking and risk taking on new lines, TK Men was born. Through the past year McKay has built up a strong clientele and a reputation for her eye on style. Now being thrown back into the styling world, McKay will continue to jet set off to work on projects in NY and LA but will always come back to her safe haven in Chicago at TK. As year two unfolds, McKay plans to bring in some new undiscovered labels and focus more on her niche of guiding clients and helping them expand their wardrobe and fashion-comfort zone. Keep your eyes peeled for an amazing men’s fashion show to come in November!
Empire Liquors, one of three concepts owned by Matt Eisler opened in October 2006. As the edgy sibling of Gold Coast, Elm Street Liquors, Empire brought to Wicker Park a lounge offering with an amazing interior to boot. The vibe at Empire is a little more hipster, although it holds the unpretentious card true to its heart. Bottle service is not a focus, but always is fun to have in the back-secluded gagster booth, which holds front row seating to the dance floor. Since the summer, DJs Emilio Abadia (AKA E6) and Matt Roan have held residencies bringing in the underground music scene and keeping the crowd energized. In July the two kicked off their Dance Party Magic event hosting national talent for a monthly party that has taken off. In August Roan played Lollapolooza and will be hitting up national gigs throughout the next months. While Empire continues to entertain the Wicker Park crowd, Eisler continues to think of new ways to entertain Chicagoans. Look for new concepts from the brainchild in 2008.
Congratulations TK Men & Empire to a great year and cheers to successes to come!
This past Friday, Hotel Sax hosted the launch event for The Kanye West Foundation. I was lucky enough to attend the Foundation’s benefit, which was held in the hotel’s Crimson Lounge. A sold-out concert in the nearby House of Blues concert venue followed. The night raised more than $500,000.00 for educational programs such as West’s Loop Dreams Teacher Training Institute, an initiative that will assist Chicago Public School teachers in using hip-hop in their curriculum.
Celebrity attendees included David Alan Grier, Mos Def, Access Hollywood’s Shaun Robinson, Miami Heat Star Dwayne Wade, America’s Top Model Winner Jaslene Gonzalez.
And while the A-Listers came out in full force, so did the corporate community. Microsoft, Wrigley and Ariel Capital were all major sponsors. Attending the event, it is evident that corporate America is embracing urban marketing strategies in a way that wouldn’t have been imagined just a few years ago. Kanye West isn’t just a hip-hop icon, he’s now a pop-culture icon. His appeal transcends those who will benefit from his foundation. But Kudos to him for using his influence to tap into some hefty corporate social responsibility dollars that in turn will be distributed to the Chicago Schools.
Although I began working at Zapwater in January as an intern, this summer I have really been given the opportunity to experience a much more interactive and in-depth approach to media relations. For the past month, I have worked on the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, Red Kiva, Elm Street Liquors and Victory Liquors, as well as several other accounts. With Elm Street and Victory Liquors, I have been in charge of sending out their listings to local publications, as well as preparing press releases for both of their up-coming anniversary parties (which you should keep an eye out for later this month!).
In addition to solely making sure both venues make it to the pages of the daily and weekly publications, I recently pitched Victory’s weekly drink and food specials to the RedEye for an article on exceptional food and drink deals for every day of the week. Considering Victory has amazing specials that my friends and I partake in weekly, I knew this would be a great addition to the article. A little less than a week later, I opened the RedEye, and there was the article featuring Victory Liquors for their Wednesday night specials (which includes Karaoke for those who are curious). One of the most satisfying things about working in media relations is that you can actually see visual results for the work you have completed. Also, check out the article below, and definitely stop by Victory for some cheap but excellent food and drink deals!
The foundation of the Hotel Sax Chicago guest experience philosophy is to provide what is expected in a luxury hotel along with unexpected encounters and discoveries that surprise and delight the senses. When we embarked on the initial planning phases of the grand opening Crimson Lounge, located off the lobby of the hotel, we knew there was some serious brainstorming in our future. The rest of the Zapwater staff, along with hotel directors and Crimson General Manager, Steven Greaves, knew they wanted to throw an unprecedented bash to unveil the new space, which had been completely gutted and renovated to remove any trace of its former occupant, the Kaz Bar. After several months of meticulous planning, Crimson Lounge opened its doors for the first time this past Thursday, July 26th.
As they arrived, guests walked a crimson carpet and were directed through the lobby of the Hotel Sax to the doors of Crimson Lounge. If the bass vibrating through the floors was a preview of the night to come – we were in for a great party! Party-going VIPs were greeted with glasses of bubbling champagne adorned with strawberries. Cocktail waitresses and servers – donning sexy Crimson employee outfits designed by L.A. clothing label Cash Lords in conjunction with Chicago celeb stylist Lindsay McKay – bustled around the room serving bite-size appetizers and signature drinks from the Crimson menu.
Matt Roan, a favorite DJ in Chicago, kicked off the night with two straight hours of energetic dance music and classic drinking songs. Los Angeles-based celebrity DJ and paparazzi favorite, Samantha Ronson, took over the tables at 10PM for an ecstatic crowd. Samantha and Matt seemed to enjoy each others company, they mingled by the DJ booth before she started her set. The booth, at crowd level, was perfect for many Ronson fans who watched her, faces pressed against the glass, throughout the night. Even while playing an unforgettable set of music, Ronson was extremely friendly and smiled and posed for pictures throughout the night – all the while flashing her signature peace sign.
The VIP guests of the night, including R.Kelly, Smokie Robinson and George Daniels received overflowing gift bags from the Crimson Gifting Lounge. Select VIPs received special passes to the security-guarded lounge, which included swag from Microsoft Zunes, K.Amato jewelry, Bulgari, Luca Luca, Cash Lords, Chicago Social and Vosges Haut-Chocolat.
The eclectic crowd grew throughout the night and became increasingly uninhibited as the night drew on. Sporadic dance-offs and sing-alongs to Jackson 5 remixes were definitely a highlight! Who doesn’t love a little “ABC." When the last glass of champagne had been drunk (or spilled), the most hardcore partiers, Hotel Sax and Crimson staff and the Zapwater team retreated to various VIP areas to reminisce about the night. I was lucky enough to stumble upon my boss David Zapata in deep conversation with Samantha Ronson and Crimson General Manager Steven Greaves.
Being the huge celebrity blog fan that I am, I already felt like I knew Samantha and didn’t hesitate to squeeze my way into that conversation. She was totally down to earth and introduced herself with, “Love your dress – that’s awesome!” Little did she know it was borrowed. Either way I felt A-List. From the looks of the faces in Crimson that night, everyone else felt pretty VIP too. That was what we had in mind.
That’s me, Kassy Reiff, the newest member of Team Zapwater. From diving into Matt Eisler’s newest dive bar, Bar DeVille, to submersing myself in SUB 51, my first weeks at Zapwater have been quite an adventure.
