New York Meetings and Events

Planners are usually in one of two modes: sitting at the desk organizing events or bustling 'round them, running the show. Problem is, though event execution is active, day-to-day planning isn’t. In fact, it can be dangerously sedentary, particularly when the job’s long hours start cutting into your gym routine. So what's a planner to do to? Get a FitDesk and start pedaling.

What’s a FitDesk? It's a super-compact, stationary bike with a built-in laptop platform that enables one to compute and...

In the past few years, Williamsburg, Brooklyn – that old, overlooked neighborhood across the river – has become the fun and affordable place to be, particularly for the 20-something crowd. As their numbers have swelled, so has the local music scene, foodie culture and hipster vibe – all of which has made the ‘hood mighty appealing to hoteliers as well. The latest boutique hotel to land in Williamsburg? The just-opened Wythe Hotel. It's housed in a renovated, yet well preserved 1901...

I love "eventing" in Chicago. The hotels are great, the locals are fun and the culinary culture is world-class. Granted, winter's tough, but most of the time, Chicago's a sweet locale for working and playing. This year, I'm planning to work (and play) more in the Windy City, particularly in light of all the new hotels that have recently opened or are on the verge of doing so. Just in time for booking those late spring and summer events, here are a few of the new and notables to add to your...

Now, we don't want to jump the gun and announce that the recession is over and happy days are here again, but it's hard to ignore the positive signs cropping up on the Manhattan hotel scene. According to the Lodging Development Group's just released report - which tracks growth based on permit and construction activity - the Big Apple's hotels stock will be growing by leaps and bounds over the next two years.

So, just how much growth are we talking? Well, at the moment, in Manhattan there are...

When deep in the throws of a corporate sales meeting, I can usually be found standing discreetly at the back of the room, clipboard in hand, watching all. From the speakers and guests to the audio-visual crew and assorted wait staff (please, no clinking of the silverware!), it's my job to make sure everything is happening seamlessly, on-cue and preferably silently, so as not to disrupt the speaker. From my perch, I can easily see when the crowd is engaged, when they're zoning out and when it's...

In the past 12 months, my event planning schedule landed me on 38 TSA lines at some of the busiest airports in the world. Unlike most of my flustered fellow travelers, I've rather enjoyed watching the chaos that goes on as people flap their way through the screening process. If there's one thing all those hours in the TSA line have taught me, it is that there is a way to breeze through it. Just try these tips and I’ll see you in the VIP lounge:

Sometimes, when it's time to find a truly unusual meeting location and activities for high-level clients, the challenge becomes: what can you come up with that these type of guests haven't already experienced? Well, here's an idea: a luxury dude ranch retreat, topped off with an authentic cattle drive. 

This May, the ultra-luxurious Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch - recently named one of the "Top 10 Places to Hold a Corporate Retreat" by Worth magazine - is kicking off its second season with...