Tuesday!

Hey Interns!

Can you believe it's June 30th already!! Hard to believe I know! In two short months I'll be heading back to school, and I'm sure most of you will be too, with tons of knowledge and contacts in the magazine industry!

Keep working hard interns and also start filling out those fall apps!! I don't know how many of you plan to stay at your current internship, (or how many have been guaranteed a spot) but I always like to be safe rather then sorry.

Some great databases- Ed2010 (of course!), Cub Reporters, Journalism Jobs, JobFox, and of course the old staples like Monster. Another option is to go directly to the company Web site and search there. Nowadays many companies have highly useful and organized databases for jobs and internships and they allow you to post your resume, apply for the job and keep tabs on your status all from their website. Craigslist is also good, although some of these aren't paid. MANY OF THE JOB SITES I LISTED HAVE PAID INTERNSHIPS!! Hey, I know it's hard being a college student (I am one!) so why not get experience and some moolah? Go for it!! This summer's experience will definitely help, but if you haven't been interning, never fear, you could still find a great internship for the fall.

Another helpful hint- keep an excel sheet (I prefer to use the one available through gmail, as it is easier to navigate then Microsoft's) with the headings: Company, Job Applied for on, Emailed Resume, Sent Resume to HR (and list contact), Put Resume on the Company Site, Heard Back on, and comments. This way you can keep track of the jobs you apply to and the status of each application.

And finally, use TWITTER, Facebook, MySpace, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you can think of to connect with the outside (hiring) world.

Good luck! And keep working hard!! And enjoy the gorgeous day- I think I might even treat myself to some Tasti D Lite today =)

xxx Money Blogger

She Told Me Her Name Was Billie Jean...

It's the end of an Era my friends. Michael Jackson- The King of Pop, Wacko Jacko, MJ- whatever you chose to call him, is dead. As I sit listening to Billie Jean, I cannot believe it. He is iconic. Although I was born at the end of the 80s, as I'm sure many of you were, 80s music has always been part of my life. It's been the backgrounds of birthdays, sweet sixteens, and weddings throughout my entire life, and now suddenly he is gone.

Another tragedy struck the media/entertainment world yesterday as well- The original Angel- Farrah Fawcett died. It is unbelievable to me that both these 70s/80s stars are gone.

Anyway, no real big news except that I've been reading "Your So Money, Live Rich even when Your Not" By Farnoosh Torabi- it's a gold mine!! Literally it definitely helps all 20-somethings' monetary planning needs, and doesn't suggest that we live on tuna alone for a month to afford those Manolos.

So basically, read the book, tease your hair, turn on some MJ and moon walk your way through the 70s, 80s and 90s this weekend...it looks like it's gonna be really nice out- more Monday Edsters...

-- money intern

Undercover, Under Pressure

That's so scary that Fashion Intern has been found out! I'll be honest, though - I've definitely been trying to figure out who my fellow intern bloggers are. (Cyber Intern, I thought I almost had you for a second, there - there's a girl in my building who also went jazz-club hopping this past weekend, and I totally thought it was you!)

That said, I think it's important that we do everything we can to protect ourselves as anonymous insider bloggers. Money Intern, Fashion Intern, Cyber Intern and I are all performing what seems to be a pretty valuable service. And although not every post gets a deluge of comments, it is clear that we have a dedicated group of followers who are looking for ways to improve their chances at the office.

At the same time, we're all working for companies that have serious confidentiality clauses. We may or may not be risking our internships by posting every day. I've done what I can to protect my anonymity (including sometimes, ahem, blurring certain details about my day), and I know the rest of us are doing the same thing. My heart goes out to Fashion Intern - if human resources asks you about this, lie like a dog! It seems to me like you're doing a really great job at whichever publication you're working for, and that anyone who might try to use this blog against you is just damn jealous of your success.

Just a tip: If you do get a to write something, check every word twice, then check every word three more times. Just because an editor tells you that something is spelled one way does not mean that's how it's actually spelled. Plus, you'll just end up feeling like a complete failure if something like that gets past you.

Have a great night, interns! More tomorrow!

- Trade Intern

Tomorrow = Free Pinkberry Day!

Happy almost-Friday! Actually, I think Thursday might be one of my favorite days of the week. It's leading up to the culmination of the week, and anticipation is always the best part. When I leave work on Thursdays, I often feel like it's Friday, though, which can be a tad disappointing.

Fashion Intern: Glad to hear you're part of the Twitterati as well! Thanks for the shout-out, and you gave some great additional tips. (Confession: I get breaking news in text alert, too -- in fact, just received one from CNN about Michael Jackson in cardiac arrest?!)

I've been super-busy today with various projects, so I'll do more of an update tomorrow. But for now, here's some suggestions to perk up your Friday:

-Get a FREE small Pinkberry tomorrow in one of the new flavors, coconut and passion fruit! Mmm, dee-lish.

-Bored of the same old salad for lunch? Check out Chop't (in NYC and DC only) to mix up your options - and your ingredients!

Everyone getting pumped for 4th of July weekend? Hope you all have some fun escapes planned, seeing as we'll all have off on Friday the 3rd! Personally, I'm trekking down to Washington, DC for what I've heard are the most spectacular fireworks around.

xoxo,
cyber intern

This is Where the Title Goes

OK. I know it might seem like I'm being a brat about balancing all of the cool things I'm getting to do with all of the mundane tasks that have to get done before I can enjoy the cool stuff, but the reality is that sometimes, a bunch of smaller, simpler tasks can be more fun than one gigantic assignment.

For example, one day last week, I had to schedule and confirm a lunch for our editor in chief, schedule dinner for the news director, mail out about a thousand back issues (that I hand addressed!) to advertisers and friends of various market editors, round up the girls in the fashion closet for an impromptu intern lunch, then help them with returns, call up a few buyers for quotes on a story that one of our editors was working on, and make sure that all of our satellite editors could get on conference calls so that they could participate in our news staff meeting from their offices in Los Angeles, Detroit and Atlanta. At the same time.

All of this was interspersed with coffee runs, distributing mail, organizing various little bits of fashion all over the office and generally making sure I had a spoon stirring every pot on the stove at all times.

The day was great! It went by super fast and I was proud of myself because I accomplished a lot and really helped a lot of people get a lot of things done.

What did I do today? I sat around for eight hours (because there was literally nothing else to do) waiting for ONE person whom I absolutely had to talk to to call me back. When he finally did, he talked to me for five minutes, then got a call on his other line, flashed over and never called me back. As happy as I am to be getting bylines, it's pretty frustrating when you have to deal with people like that.

Look, the fact of the matter is that we're all in this for the long haul. I wouldn't be busting my butt everyday if I didn't want to impress my bosses and try to get a job at some point in the future. I guess I vent here sometimes because I think it's a safe place, a sounding board for all of our complaints and issues. Being an intern is a great opportunity, especially in an economic climate that's making people in our industry think three times before hiring someone. Any intern who complains all the time about the perils of the job that a million other kids would kill for is crazy. But any intern who's afraid to admit that, sometimes, being an intern sucks is even crazier.

It's a Media Revolution

Something I've been talking a lot about lately is Twitter. Please don't roll your eyes; hear me out. I've chatted to most areas of the spectrum, and divided peeps into 4 major categories:

a) Anti-Twitterers. They know what Twitter is all about, and they still think it's stupid and pointless. (Or at least that's what they say - who knows if they have a secret account!)

b) The "we don't get it" crowd. They don't like Twitter for the sole reason that they don't understand its advantages and think the craze is fleeting.

c) The average users. These Twitterers have accounts, and might update occasionally when they've seen a fabulous movie (Transformers, anyone?) or hit up an awesome sample sale.

d) The addicts. The Twitterati (I swear it's a phrase, coined by Twitter obviously) love to tweet night and day, but it's often with purpose. Not gonna lie, I'm included in this grouping.


I've attended several meetings and info sessions on social media for my internship, and Twitter has been a focal point. I mean, I even heard talk that Twitter creators are in the running for a Nobel prize, but I'm pretty sure that's just heresay. Lots of top execs are struggling to comprehend Twitter's changing role in society, and how to tweet most effectively. For example, do you tell the world about your delish sandwich at Whole Foods, or do you wait until you've found a really interesting article in the Times?

My position is the ladder. Twitter is about sharing a scene, photo, link, or story so it can spread information massively and quickly - or to tell a story (in 140 words or less, that is). It can empower people and enforce change. This has been especially demonstrated by its role in the Iran election (read more on that here).

What I'm trying to say is that you, the intern, still have valuable skills to share with CEOs and Editors-in-Chief. You're the one who can give them the scoop about Twitter, about re-Tweeting, about achieving a proper following-follower balance. If your mag has a Twitter, volunteer to help monitor it (fabulous bragging rights). If it doesn't, volunteer to create one! Since I've become a Twitter addict, I use it almost more than my Facebook. While trusty ol' FB is great to chat with friends and upload photo albums from a weekend at the shore, it's pretty much confined to my network of friends and acquaintances. On Twitter, I can also follow celebs (Tina Fey, Michelle Obama), the media industry (Ed2010, The New Yorker, Huffington Post, the AP Stylebook), brands (Pinkberry, Crumbs cupcakes) and news updates (NYT, CNN, Perez). I'm even following some co-workers and professors. I can log on, and in a page or two, I can see what's going on in all spheres of my life.

I hope this was inspiring to those of you in groups A and B - the anti-Twitters and indifferent-Twitterers. On a completely different note, if any of you are considering a change in career paths, click here for a slightly more lucrative option.

xoxo,
cyber intern

Print is Dead?

So many people have been saying this lately and I am desperately hoping that it isn't true. And if you look at the numbers, my fellow Edsters, it may not be.

Magazine's have had a significant rise in readership since the beginning of the Recession, mainly because people are staying home more often, and people are going to be loyal to the brands they like. So what does this teach us- Interns hoping to break into the Print Media- it teachs us to always produce the best brand/product in our class. It teachs us to be the best reporters we can be, and by that I mean reading newspapers, blogs, forums, Twitter feeds, Facebook group feeds, etc. basically anything and everything that can give us a story idea and possibly (hey who am I kidding) ultimately land us a job, and an opportunity to help improve the face of media communication as we know it.

I was reading a few things yesterday and someone from the company I'm working at this summer, spoke to us about the changes in Mass Comm. I'm so excited!! To be a part of this change- from print to digital in one way or another, not necessarily online digital media- can be acquated to the days of Ed Murrow and his live radio newscasts, and then his expose on McCarthy. I think we, the interns of today- editors of Tomorrow- have a chance to help influence something great. A new change!! THINK ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES!!

I for one, am going to definitely start doing my homework- because acing the interview is the first step. More on that tomorrow.

Enjoy the day, which I think might be rainy, but at least it's hump day =)

xoxo money intern

You Don't Know What You've Got Til It's Gone

Hi Edsters! Sorry I've been MIA the past 2 days, but I've been super-busy at work with meeting celebs, blogging nonstop, attending some cool after-work press events, and even getting to meet the Ed-in-Chief!

I can’t believe I’m already starting my fourth week at my internship. While I feel like it was just yesterday I had the first-day jitters, at the same time, I feel like I’ve been commuting into the city for months. Do you guys feel the same way?

That being said, I’d like to take a moment for internship appreciation. Many of us take our opportunities for granted, even if it’s just doing a coffee run for editors or making billions of copies. The truth is, we’re getting experience in the type of workplace that we’d ultimately like to end up in after graduation. I’m not saying that all of us interns will end up as magazine editors – proficiency in writing and communications can really take us anywhere. I’m talking about the here-and-now. You already have a foot in the door – regardless of where you’re interning, whether it be Vogue or a tiny fashion mag in Philly. You don’t realize what amazing experience you’re gaining until it’s over, when you chat with people who were camp counselors or ice cream scoopers all summer. You realize you were lucky enough to be in a workplace that produced a glamorous glossy book every month (or week, or day) – one that you were proud to call yourself a part of.

If possible, if you're one of several interns at your magazine or in your department, I recommend finding a niche or "beat" to always cover. While you should always be on the lookout for possible new content your mag might include, it's good to identify a particular aspect of your mag that really interests you. For example, the past few days, I've been covering the music scene online. It started out when I got assigned several new bands to look into, and now I've started a regular "band spotlight" type of blog. Just show your editor that you're passionate!

Hope everyone is having a terrific Tuesday. And I promise, no more missed Ed posts!

xoxo,
cyber intern

The High Low

The High:

Time: 8:09 a.m.

Date: 22 June 2009

From: accessories_editor@fashiontrademag.com

To: editorial_intern@fashiontrademag.com

Trade Intern,

Hope you had a good weekend. I'd like for you to get the ball rolling on a story about the rising cost of leather and its effect on the price of men's luggage and accessories. We're looking for about 1,000 words, so you should interview some manufacturers, a few shoppers (you may want to go out to Bergdorf Goodman or Jeffrey for this) and at least three buyers for major retailers.

You have until Friday at noon to get all of this done. If you have any questions, please direct them to my assistant, who will be able to get in touch with me.

Thanks,

Accessories Editor

The Low:

Time: 8:15 a.m.

Date: 22 June 2009

From: accessories_editor@fashiontrademag.com

To: editorial_intern@fashiontrademag.com

Trade Intern,

Also, while you're out, I need you to pick up my dry cleaning and a pair of shoes I sent out to be re-soled. Make sure to get a receipt from your taxi driver so that we can expense the trip.

Thanks,

Accessories Editor

See what I mean?

Have a good night, interns! More tomorrow.

- Trade Intern

Week 5- Monday

Another Monday, and from the looks of it, it seems like it might actually be nice today. The t-storms last night were quite loud and actually woke me up!!

Anyway hopefully you had a fun weekend!! I went shopping and picked up a few things for Father's Day and of course a few things for me!

I have a meeting today at 10:30, which will probably tell me what exactly I need to do this week. And then I can get started!

No real insightful news/ideas today- I'll do a little research and get back to you tomorrow =)

Have a good monday!

Friday!!!

YAY! It is finally friday my friends!!

Just a quick post today- Monday I promise to be back with more quirky hints, tips and tricks and perhaps a resturant review or two!!

So what do I want you to do this weekend? Whatever you want!! Check out AM NY or Metro (which can both be found outside any subway station) to see what's going on in the City- I happen to know that Macys is having a 2 day sale (25%-80% off!?!) and that AM NY has a $10 coupon in it!!

And also since it's going to be nice check out the South Street Seaport (off the East Side) or Chelsea Piers (off the West Side).

There's also a cool bar for tonight- Johnny Utah's on W 51st right across from Rockefeller Center--- it has the ONLY (according to their Web site) mechanical bull in Manhattan!!

Have fun tonight, and as always be safe Edsters-

xxxx See ya Monday ;)

Event Horizon

There may come a point in time during your internship when an editor asks you to accompany him or her to an event. And you'll go because, come on, it's a great opportunity to get some one-on-one time with someone who isn't your day-to-day supervisor, and you get to learn a little bit more about how the industry works.

But then you get there, and all illusions of being able to talk to that editor are dashed. Dashed because you are in one of the city's oldest, most beautiful buildings, surrounded by people in priceless couture or amazing street style. And you won't know what to say. Three hundred people, decked out in Louis and Louboutin, will surround you, and you, in your Zara jeans and shoes from Topshop, your standard-issue cotton/linen blazer and strip mall-caliber accessories, will be unable to do anything.

Anything, that is, but gush when you bump into your favorite celebrity stylist. Anything but fawn over the oh-so-stylish wife of one of the men who revolutionized the industry you want to write about. Anything but try not to squeal with envy when you count not one, not two, but three candy-colored crocodile Birkins in the rows ahead of you.

Then you'll notice the gift bags. You didn't think you'd be getting anything other than a few sips of Pellegrino from the reception area, but there's one there - it's in your seat, waiting for you to open it up and delve inside. There's a copy of the magazine that shares a floor with yours in there - and is that a discount card for that awesome store you pass on the way back from work every day?

And it hits you: You've stepped into your dream. The people in the great seats (two rows from the stage!) next to and in front of you were probably in your seat this side of ten or 15 years ago.

You'll see what you want your future to look like. And you'll be speechless.

And then your editor, who knows the effect all of this is having on you, will smile and remind you that you're both there to work, not to play. And she'll nudge you in the direction of an honoree to get a quote or two for your magazine's Web site.

And you'll go straight back to work. Because that's what a good intern does.

Have a good night, interns! More tomorrow.

- Trade Intern

Star-Struck in NYC

Surprise, surprise – more rain! My plan to wear a cute polka-dot dress with my new red pumps was thwarted. Instead I’m wearing pants and a sweater because of this mean trick that Mother Nature is playing on us.

Things go so much more quickly when you’re in pow-wows all day! Yesterday, I got the opportunity to meet the entertainment editor to talk about interviewing celebs. She gave the interns some great tips, including the "silent trick" after asking a question. Don't be so concerned with asking all the questions you've prepared - instead, let it flow like a normal conversation and pause after each question, letting the interviewee fill the silence. (aka, if you're interviewing Beyonce, let her do the talking. I'd be totally calm, right?)

The entertainment head was so nonchalant about working with big shots. To her, PR and networking with celebs is strictly a business - I guess if you’re in the business, you need to see it as a business. You can't exactly come off as a creepy star-struck stalker... cough cough...

Then later that afternoon, a fledging singer came into the office to play some songs off her new soundtrack for the Web staff. Hey, I might have heard Z100's new hottest single ahead of time!

Lots of work to do today, so that's all for now. But in the meantime, to cheer you up on this gloomy day, here's an awesome site for all you Edsters on the cheap. It boasts daily listings of free things to buy, do, see, and eat in NYC: The Skint. Bookmark it ASAP!

xoxo,
cyber intern

Thursday

Hey Interns,

So sorry again for missing yesterday- it's the first week of production for us over here in money world and I cannot believe how busy it is!

There's just so many things to be done- from call backs, to photo shoots, to fact checking! There simply aren't enough hours in a day.

The other day I learned about how a magazine produces it's monthly issues. The first 5-6 weeks (at most magazines, not all) are dedicated to "closing" out the editorial parts of the magazine. The business (or publishing/production) side deals with getting ads for each individual issue and most of this is done throughout the year, but not necessarily on the same time table as the editorial parts. After the editorial closes out, with all the stories, art and other necessary items ready, these parts are sent to a printer who (depending on the binding style) can take anywhere from one to two to even three (for perfect binding (mags like Cosmo, InStyle, and Vogue)) to create the magazine.

It's unbelievable how much time goes into producing monthly mags, and also how quickly weekly mags complete the same process.

Anyway, sorry for the missed/shorten posts, tomorrow should be better.

Try and stay out of the nasty weather today!!

xoxo money intern

CFDA.JPG

After a week of fulfilling an editorial intern’s dream – Writing a story! On
my own page! With a byline! – today I finally started getting assigned tasks
that reminded me exactly where I am in the chain of command. This morning I
sifted through literally thousands of frames from Monday’s CFDA awards to
find 20 that were suitable for next week’s issue. Then I called and confirmed a few appointments for a few higher-ups, and then I called in a few quotes on a story that our accessories editor was working on.

After lunch, I got to see first hand how the magazine's feature departments pulls together its stories in my first writers' meeting. It was really interesting to see how a story goes from a simple concept to a budgeted item - for an issue four months in the future - in under an hour.

It's after midnight now, but I do want to tell everyone about a cool thing that I got to do after work. I'm actually just getting in from the event - I went straight there from the office, which is why this post is so late coming. But it was probably the coolest thing I've done in New York so far, and I'll have details tomorrow.

Have a great night, interns! More tomorrow

- Trade Intern

The Art of Googling

Three words: search engine optimization. That's one of the most important things to know about in today's world of web, even if you're not into the whole "print is being dominated by digital" spiel. As one of my friends put it in non-techie language, SEO means making yourself Google-fabulous (def: coming up within the top few results in a Google search). We had a intern session yesterday during which I learned all about the joys of SEO, blogging, and other web tips. So I'm gonna give you the exclusive scoop!

-Resumes are important, but the concrete work you have to show for yourself is more important. Flaunt your personal blogs (even if they're just rants about your boss at work, or about how Twitter is taking over the world). Talk up that Web site that you helped to build. This work speaks volumes more than resumes. But I'm not underplaying resumes - you'll definitely need one to simply get in the door. Making a resume Web site is also a cool tool!

-Learn Dreamweaver. The Noble Desktop on Broadway offers free seminars, and you can also check out the ones that are advertised on MediaBistro. Or teach yourself by perusing the online guidebook! ("Dreamweaver for Dummies," anyone?) Even if you haven't made a web page with Dreamweaver, being able to brag that you know the skills will help you one-up others vying for the same job or internship.

-Know the difference between writing for the Web and writing for print. Online, those clever, witty headlines that editors spend oodles of time thinking of don't really work. Users are less likely to click on something like "Come Undone" (for a look-book of summer dresses) even though it might totally work in the actual mag. Instead, online, you need titles that tell users exactly what they'll get: think more along the lines of "Our 10 Favorite Summer Dresses." There's lots of opportunities to combine creativity and straightforwardness - you just have to dig!

-A surefire way of getting a job in digital: think of ways that Web sites can make moolah (besides selling ad space or charging for online content). That's the biggest issue Web is facing right now. People are still clinging to the print model beacuse that's the primary way of rakin' in the dough.

---
Hope this post made everyone a bit more web-savvy! In other news, for your viewing pleasure, here's a hilarious video that one of my fellow interns found. All I'm gonna say is Lady Gaga, Just Dance, and Congressman McMahon. Watch it here!

xoxo,
cyber intern

Busy, Busy Bee

I hate re-apologizing for not posting as regularly as I have in the past, but as many of you can attest, being an intern is really fun, but also really exhausting. Don’t get me wrong – I’m having a fabulous time working at my magazine, but having fun doesn’t make the hours any shorter, contrary to popular belief.

Today was an interesting combination of occurrences that made me feel like a real part of the team at my magazine, and that definitely reminded me that I’m just a lowly intern. Our editor in chief’s assistant is out on sick leave, so all of the work that she normally handles has been assigned to me. This includes, but by no means is limited to, sorting mail, calling to confirm dinners and appointments, sifting through wire photos to have images to run with stories. But I also get to do really cool stuff like write some of the stories I pull art for, and live-Tweeting fun fashion industry events.

So far I’ve been working on a short piece for the magazine that has required me to do several interviews with public relations people all over the country. It’s just a small informational piece, so I’ve been calling around trying to get dates, times, locations and notable facts from people.

I’ve been working on this small story since last week, and I had most of it ready on Friday (it was due on Monday). One woman, however, refused to answer my emails and phone calls. I talked with her associates and assistants in both of her offices (one in LA, the other here in New York). It was an exercise in self control not to scream at her when she finally got back to me late this afternoon.

But other than waiting on one infuriating person for days on end, I’m learning a lot, and the experience is totally worth having to call that poor woman’s assistant about 40 times in a week.

Just a tip: I’m learning that Twitter is a huge part of many major companies’ marketing strategy. Some will even let their followers know when they’re having sales or special promotions.

What companies do you follow on Twitter?

Busy!

Hey Edsters,

Sorry for the missed post- I've been so busy over here in money-land that I completely forgot (sorry?!) about the blog!!

Apparently, as I am now beginning my 4th week in the wonderful world of magazines, there is quite a lot of chaos as a magazine closes, and I have been learning all about it this week. The other thing that's hard to believe is how many months in advance Magazines need to plan. I am assuming that all magazines run on similar time tables and thus plan at least one to two months in advance. It's unbelievable to think that some of the stuff I'm currently working on may not been read by "real" people until there's snow on the ground, and I'm all warm and cozy in my college library "studying" for my finals!! How do they stay current!! That's a big question I plan to try to answer as I work here. Most magazines, I think, do a great job of staying in the know, particularly the fashion/beauty mags, despite this large time span between writing the articles and actually printing the book.

I hope you are reading all the posts on this blog, because I am, and I find so many of the other interns hits and tricks to be quite helpful!!

Alright more tomorrow, gotta get back to work!!

:D -- Money Intern

Rain or Shine?

Happy Monday, Edsters! Enjoying this crazy weather? I was woken up at 4 a.m. last night by insane thunderstorms, and now it's sunny as can be. I just don't think I can bring myself to call this "summer" (or break out my sundresses) until it's consistently cloudless and 90 degrees.

In other news, hope everyone had a fun weekend! I spent Friday night in Union Square with some friends, which was a good time. But I need to start getting better sleep on the weeknights -- I dozed off on our way out on the subway! (Waking up at 6:45 am every day to catch the train probably isn't helping.) I also finally saw the Hangover this weekend. It was as hilarious as expected; apparently, the concept of road-tripping to Vegas never gets old. But the audience in the theater was a bit awkward. I was surrounded by elderly men and women (I'm talking about in their late 60s or 70s) who were wheezing with laughter after the opening bit where Zach Galifianakis bares his booty.

Over the weekend, I also read a pretty interesting article in the NYT Magazine about combining dictionaries and thesauri (just kidding, the plural is thesauruses). Amongst some of William Safire's mumbo-jumbo, he hits on a point that I think we can all relate to: abbreviations (or perhaps you simply refer to them as "abbrevs"). It's an interesting take. He makes the argument that abbrevs might not only be a phenomenon with Gen-Yers, but more of a trend of big words and thick dictionaries losing their meaning in society.

Later today, I get to attend a meet-n-greet with one of the winners from American Idol! (Sorry, but I can't divulge names.) While I haven't watched the show since Kelly & Justin, I'm always psyched for a celeb sighting.

For those of you who like to plan ahead, I have a suggestion to perk up your Friday mornings:

Today Show Concert Series
Rockefeller Plaza (49th Street b/w 5th and 6th Ave)
Fridays from June 5 to Aug 21, 7 - 10 a.m.

Good Morning America Concert Series
Rumsey Field (5th Ave and 72nd St, Central Park)
Fridays from June 5 to Aug 21, 7 a.m.


I know 7 is a bit early to rise, but just grab a cup o' joe and grin and bear it. Coming up this Friday: The JoBros on the Today Show, and Jamie Foxx on GMA!

xoxo,
cyber intern

Work the Net

If Ed's told us once, he's told us a million times: sometimes, who you know can be just as important as what you know. In some publishing houses, it's more important than what you know.

With that in mind, I've been trying to get to know as many of the people who work around me as possible. Whether they're interns, assistants or seasoned editors, I wanna know who they are, what they do, and how they might be able to help me get a job in the future.

So, this morning, I delivered mail to the editorial and publishing sides of two different magazines and a completely different department on our floor that has nothing to do with publishing whatsoever (I still have yet to figure out what they do). It was certainly an adventure, and I got to meet a lot of different people.

It was not only an exercise in icebreaking, but also a great way to see how a magazine works. This goes without saying, but keeping a brand alive takes more than a dedicated editorial staff. There are two ad reps for every staff writer, a healthy web staff, a team of girls in our multiple fashion closets who really can run in heels, and all of the market editors and writers and assistants and photographers and designers you could ever hope to meet.

If you have the time, take the opportunity to get to know your staff better. You'll make a lot of contacts, you'll get to know how your book runs, and the people who have dedicated offices with doors that close might stop referring to you as "the intern."

Have a good weekend, kids! More on Monday!

- Trade Intern

A Lovely Weekend Exploit

Happy Friday! One of the great things about living in New York is the abundance of people and neighborhoods. Thus, it’s not too hard to find a place to suit your mood. If you wake up feeling hipster, hop on the subway and spend the day in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. If you’re in the mood to strut in your hot new pumps, take a walk down 5th Ave. Perhaps the greatest challenge is actually exploring all of New York’s venues. My recommendation for this weekend is spending Saturday at St. Mark’s Place – it’s a great area for people-watching, tasty food, and bargain shopping.

Take the 6 Train to Astor Place, or the R or W Train to 8th Street, and walk one block east to St. Mark’s Place. You’ll know you’ve arrived (approx 20 seconds into your walk) when you’re suddenly surrounded by street vendors.

First stop: breakfast! If you continue walking about two blocks, you’ll hit Café Orlin (41 St. Mark’s Place at 2nd Ave). Sit outside and enjoy a cup of coffee and strawberry tart while observing the slew of New Yorkers striding along. If you need yet another cup of java afterwards (like yours truly), stop in at the Porto Rico Importing Co. (40 St. Marks Place, b/w 1st and 2nd Ave) is just one block further. You’ll probably get a whiff of the exotic aroma before you see the coffee beans.

Next on your St. Mark’s to-do list: wander. This is the perfect spot to pick up a cheap pair of shades, patterned socks, a neon-green wig, or funky jewelry. One of my favorite stops is Search & Destroy (25 St. Mark’s Place, b/w 2nd and 3rd Ave). If you dig past the creepy voodoo dolls (or not, if that’s your thing), you’ll find some cute vintage tees and Andy Warhol printed canvas totes that are perfect for a daytrip.

Okay, lunchtime! My recommendation is heading to Pommes Frites (123 2nd Ave, b/w St. Mark’s Place and 7th St) to grab some authentic Belgian fries with over 30 sauce options. Or if you’re craving pizza, make a pit-stop at 2 Bros Pizza (32 St. Marks Place b/w 2nd and 3rd Ave) for a $1 slice. I’m a sucker for Asian food, so I also suggest Grand Sichuan (19-23 St. Mark’s Place, b/w 2nd and 3rd Ave). You can get eight soup dumplings for $5.55 at this dumpling joint – a real steal. Clearly dessert will be necessary, so head to Australian Homemade (115 St. Mark’s Place) for a cone of almond hazelnut or homemade coconut truffles.

If you’ve had enough schmoozing, try catching Stomp at the Orpheum Theater (126 Second Ave, b/w St. Marks Place and 7th St) or at the Pearl Theater Company (80 St. Marks Place, b/w 1st and 2nd Ave). The ladder is where the original “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” was performed! Obviously a historical landmark.

Still up for more? Grab dinner at a pub or grab-and-go street vendor. You won’t have the full St. Mark’s experience unless you sink your teeth into a greasy grilled cheese, mozzarella sticks, or roast pork buns. Don’t fret about the calories – you’ve probably worked most of it off by all the walking around St. Mark’s!

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Enjoy your weekend, Edsters! If you decide to hit up St. Mark’s, please comment on this blog and let me know of any other good finds!

xoxo,
cyber intern

FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY!!

YAYAY Friday, the best day of the week- and honestly I think I might have said that last Friday but I just cannot contain my excitement!

Hope you all had a fabulously glamorous week and are loving working in Manhattan at your respective magazines- because I know I am!! The end of my third week has shown me that despite the fact that I'm really not writing as much as I was at my old household mag internship, it's still awesome to 1) Have a job in the Industry 2) be able to work in Manhattan. Working in Manhattan opens your eyes to soooo many things!!

I took the W down to Prince St. yesterday after work to put up those Baked by Melissa quarter cupcakes I spoke about in my cupcake post and let me tell you- they were totally worth the trip!! I brought them home and my family enjoyed them as well!! My favs are the red velvet and the smore cupcakes...oh and the peanut butter ones!! They are just so small and yet sooo satisfying. I can honestly say I had none of that post-Crumbs guilt (bc Crumbs cupcakes are HUGE!). I also noticed, as I was walking around on Broadway, that there are a ton of awesome shops down there! There was a HUGE Nine West (that was having a sandal sale), a Victoria's Secret, a Prada (a little out of my range, but still fun to look at) and a bunch of cute little resturants and such. I'm definitely spending some time there next week!

Another topic I want to remind you about is your magazine/building ID card. Some companies/businesses around your office offer discounts for employees. And since you are a card carrying intern, generally you get those discounts too- but even more so if you are a paid intern. These can often be found on your companies internal website (like the one that opens up on your network linked computer) or on the websites of the shops in the area. Columbus Circle mall shops offer a bunch of discounts to mag employees and students a like (most times you cannot combine them, but remember that NYU plays a huge part in this city and some places often give college discounts all year long).

So basically what I'm trying to say is have fun, save money, and enjoy manhattan!!

Happy Weekend!! Talk to you Monday!!

xoxoxo

A Humble Apology

Hi, everyone!

First, please let me say how sorry I am that I've been kinda lax on the posts this week. I'm just getting into the groove of my new job, and as I've said before it's really busy and it's really hard to get out of my office at a regular time.

In the time that I haven't been honoring my blog commitments, I have been loving getting an inside look at the world of fashion. My office is shoe, clothing and accessory heaven. We don't have one fashion closet, we have several (I haven't counted them all, but I probably haven't even seen all of them, there are so many). Each one is divided into a different category, and each one has a dedicated team of fashion interns who work tirelessly to make sure editors have everything they need for shoots, and then making sure it all gets back to the designers' showrooms on time and in one expensive, glorious piece.

But for me, an editorial intern, work is a little different, and a little more varied. Yesterday I spent most of the morning with an editor visiting different designers to find out what their outlook on the economy and how that's playing into what they're creating for upcoming seasons. As it turns out, the hard selling climate has inspired a lot of people (though I can't say who) to do a lot of really interesting things (though I can't say what). 

What my internship is teaching me more than anything else is that fashion is artistic and glamorous and emotional, but that at the same time it's very business-driven, cold and at times inaccessible. But it's always fun to chat with a new designer or to hunt down an impossibly busy PR person who won't return your calls.

Just a tip: When you're working on something and it's vital that you have a quote from a very specific person, don't let their assistant push you around. Especially if it's a piece that's only going to result in favorable coverage for whoever or whatever you're writing about. Get them quotes!

Have a good night, interns! More tomorrow.

- Trade Intern

Post-Ed Party Blues?

G’afternoon, Edsters! Hope everyone had fun at the Ed Intern Party last night at the Boat Basin Café – I know I did! I schmoozed with other interns and Ed staffers from throughout the city, from Conde to Hearst to Meredith. From what I gleaned, interns’ first weeks at the office have been pretty diverse – some have been assigned high-profile interviews, while others have been snubbed by Anna Wintour in the elevator.

Speaking of Conde, I’ve heard wind that swine flu has hit! First Vogue, now Glamour? I guess they’ll just have to tweet about those $6,000 sundresses from their beds, with a cup of hot tea and a box of tissues.

A few days ago, after work, I visited the parenting magazine that I interned for last summer. I asked my previous supervisor about her experiences as a summer intern, and what she wished she had known. I’m going to share some of the wisdom she imparted:

• At most mags or publishing houses, there is an intranet or directory system that you can use to find info about fellow employees. Use it to your advantage – email some of the people on staff you haven’t met yet (like on the publishing side, if you’re in editorial).
• If there’s a cafe in your building, they might offer half-price lunches after a certain time of day (i.e. 3 pm). Inquire within!
• Interns tend to stay in their cubicles most of the day, rather than scoping out the lay of the land. Most floors, however, have pantries with refrigerators, microwaves, and coffeemakers. So feel free to bring a frozen meal (like a Lean Cuisine) for lunch to save some dough.
• Instead of buying a new bottle of water each day, reuse your old one – refill it at the water cooler at work. Going green is the way to be.

Although it’s a Thursday, I’m probably going to stay in tonight (well, maybe after a happy hour). Ever since I started reading Jodi Picoult’s newest book, Handle With Care, I haven’t been able to put it down! I’m a major Jodi fan – so excited that My Sister’s Keeper is coming out as a movie on June 26. Anyway, Handle With Care is sprinkled with fun facts. My favorite one so far is that “town” is the oldest word in the English language...maybe I’ll throw that out there tonight at dinner with the fam.

Coming up in tomorrow’s blog: your step-by-step guide to enjoying a Saturday in St. Mark’s Place! Be sure to check back :)

xoxo,

cyber intern

Almost the weekend!

One more day till freedom!! If you work full time like I do, then you are definitely quite excited about sleeping in for two days!!

I also plan to do a little shopping this weekend, and will keep you updated if I find any cool new shops in NYC.

Okay short blog today- about the areas in NYC. The New York Magazine describes each and every section of this City and helps you to understand the people who choose to live there.

Some quick definitions:

As a native, I always hear people refer to Soho, TriBeca, NoLita, etc and yet so many of those same people don't know what they mean.

SoHo stands for South of Houston St. (and that's HoWston, not like the city in Texas) NoHo, north of Houston.

NoLIta- North of Little Italy, a new "trendy" neighborhood name.

TriBeCa- Triangle Below Canal

ANDDD since it's Thursday- I think you should treat yourself Interns!! Try out LifeBooker. It's an online site that slices many of the best NYC spa prices in half. They have everything from Massages to Manicures, Pedis to Tanning treatments. It's been mentioned on Oprah and other talk shows, but since Oprah mentioned it, you know it's totally legit! AND if you add them as a friend on Fbook you get even more coupons and deals.

Enjoy!! More tomorrow =) xox

Keeping Up With the Bloggers

Well, bloggers, I've got some good news and some better news for you. The good news is that I have a list of great media blogs (intern-approved!) to check every chance you get. The better news is that I have a list of great blogs (not necessary pertaining to the media) that are bound to brighten your day (or at least make you smile in your cubicle).


For All You Media Moguls...
Nymag.com's Daily Intel: your daily dose of hard, breaking news with a dash of sarcasm and a pinch of irony.

The Daily Beast: its Cheat Sheet is all you need to have any sort of intelligent conversation with a) your parents, b) the guy on the subway, and c) your coworkers. One of my personal favorites is today's photo quiz - Guess the Stars' Shaved Heads. Inspired by Colbert.

Romenesko: facts-forward and serious. Warning: might induce a yawn or two.

Gawker: boasts articles that run the gamut, from Laura Ling/Euna Lee coverage to horrifying Father's Day gifts to hippie schools refusing kids financial aid.

Jezebel: your celeb/fashion fix. Loving some of the headers, like thinspiration and (un)fitness.


For All You Entertainment Junkies...
Nymag.com's Sex Diaries: every week, various bloggers ("hot young things" or "divorcees" or "the older women") document their sex lives. Some postings can get a little racy, but others are rather educational.

Overheard in New York: an oldie, but goodie. There's some quality one-liners from NYU students on the 1-train...

Texts from last night: clearly journalism at its finest.

This is why you're fat: but that deep-fried peanut-butter-and-banana sandwich just looks sooo good!

Postcards from yo momma: think FML meets 'yo momma' jokes.

That's so fetch: great recommendations for new songs, movies, etc. And I hope you didn't miss the URL's reference to Mean Girls (her dad created Toaster Strudel).

What Claudia wore: don't lie, you obviously remember Claudia from The Babysitter's Club. Well, she's the inspiration for this fashionista blog. It keeps you posted on all levels of fashion icons - Chuck Bass' obsession with purple on Gossip Girl to the new Jackie O, Michelle Obama.

Awkward Family Photos: need I say more? We know and love them.


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Those should keep you busy for the remainder of the week (or at least until the Ed Intern Party tonight)! I'm off to blog about fall beauty tips. Stay tuned, and good luck to all the Ed Trust Fund applicants!

xoxo,
cyber intern

Decoding Mag Speak...

Morning Edsters!

It's that magical day of the week- Wednesday!! It's the halfway point, and tonight also happens to be the Ed's Intern party from 6:30-9:30, which gives me even more of a reason to celebrate! I plan on finishing all my work and moving my money knowledgeable butt up there (as it's on 79th) as quickly as possible. Hopefully I'll see you there, although we won't know we met ;). Oh how very Gossip Girl (Yes I'm an adult and Yes I absolutely adore the show, how could I not, it incorporates so many things I love, with anonymity being high on that list!!)

Anyway I have some amazing news! Yesterday as I was looking at the magazine publishing deadline sheet I received from the editorial meeting, I realized I had no idea what the phrase "TK" stood for. Having interned for the past 10 months I knew it meant to be determined or to be added, but I didn't know what the letters actually meant. I asked a fellow intern and she was kind enough to show me this amazing article on MediaBistro. It details all the mag-terms (misspelled and all!) and defines them for interns and those new to the biz. This is DEFINITELY something to look into so that you can impress your boss with your next mag-language friendly email. Just remember to get the misspellings correct!

Enjoy the day and don't forget about the Intern party tonight!

Ciao!

Soup du Jour

Hey, everyone! Sorry that I’m (again) late in getting my post on the web, but I’ve had two very busy days in a row here at the office.

 

This morning I was a tad bit late (I got lost on the subway somewhere under Times Square) and I silently freaked out the closer and closer I got to the office. Luckily, a lot of people were just getting in when I got there, so it wasn’t too big a deal. After meeting the staff members who weren’t in yesterday, I went straight to work on a story that I have due early next week. I’m really loving all of the writing that I’m getting to do, but I still have plenty of other menial stuff that I have to do (getting people coffee, changing the toner in the printer, etc.)

 

Last night was pretty fun. I had dinner with a friend who’s working at another magazine in my building. We went to ‘Wichcraft and had the weirdest combination of fruit, meat and bread that has ever passed across my lips. Still, it was one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in a while. Thank you, Chef Colicchio.

 

Just a tip: Try new things! There was a really weird soup at a place I went to for lunch today, but I ordered it anyway, and it turned out to be damn good soup. ‘Wichcraft has plenty of locations in the city. Find one that’s near you today, and order a grilled cheese, ham and pear sandwich!

 

Have a good night, interns. More tomorrow!

 

- Trade Intern 

Intern on the Prowl

So I forgot to mention in yesterday’s post: I had an awesome experience on Friday! I got to attend a press event featuring a famous fashion designer whose work is sold at high-end retail shops like Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. I got to sit in the press area with the “reserved” seats and everything, and even asked him a question about aspiring fashionistas.

Yesterday after work, I met some friends in the East Village, which is one of my favorite parts of the city. I scoped out some great restaurants for the intern on the prowl for a cheap and yummy bite. Amy’s Bread is tried and true; their melt-in-your-mouth scones (oatmeal with nuts and fruit, or cherry cream) are a must-try. It’s a great venue to go on a lunch break (or even stop by for breakfast, if you have time before work) to grab some alone time with a latte and the newspaper or your favorite mag. The workday will seem so much longer if you stay at your desk all day – try getting out of the office for a stroll, even if it’s just for 15 or 20 minutes. The fresh air will do wonders, and you’ll come back to work totally refreshed. (Well, maybe not today, seeing as it’s a torrential downpour.)

If you’re looking for a fun, chic place to hit with friends, try Dos Caminos – their margaritas and fresh guacamole are out of this world. For those of you with a sweet tooth (that’s definitely me), try Grom at Bleecker and Carmine. You can’t go wrong with any of the eccentric ice cream flavors (my fave is tiramisu), and summertime just begs for a delish cone of fro-yo.

Those are my foodie recommendations for the day. I’m blogging my fingers off here at work, so I have to keep this short. Can’t wait til the Ed Intern Party tomorrow night! If you need directions, just Hop-Stop it.

xoxo,
cyber intern

Rainy Day in Manhattan-town,

Cheesy I know, but it's true!!

Unfortunately I changed from my flip-flops to my stilettos mid-commute and now my beautiful (new) red shoes have wet streaks...hopefully they dry...otherwise I'm just going to have to get a new pair at some point, or designate them as my rainy day shoes...

Anyway, back to Internships. Yesterday wasn't that eventful here in money land. I did a little stock work, but took Fashion Intern's advice to heart and used all of her successful occupying time tips. I found three Starbucks within 10 minutes of my office, and read the NYTimes business section, and metro section online. I discovered a new addition to Times Square---lawn chairs! Of course I knew all about the traffic changes (having driven around the city this weekend which is something I only suggest to native or at least resident New Yorkers as it can be quite hectic!) but I didn't know about this cool new addition. I tend to avoid Times Square like the plague, but this gives me a new place to occupy that hour worth of lunch I am given. Check it out here.

Of course today might not be the best day for that, so I have another rainy day lunch location, or actually I have two of them. First there's the concourse underneath Rockefeller Center. It can be reached via the entrance on 6th avenue but also via the elevator on 51st. It's underneath what will be (at christmas time) the ice skating rink. I don't think they keep the rink open all year, but as I haven't passed it in a while, I can't tell you for sure! This area is virtually a treasure trove of resturants, shops and leads one to madison avenue which leads to St. Patricks Cathedral, Saks, and some other stores depending which way you walk. It's fun, and definitely gives you something to do for the hour. Columbus Circle (59th Street Station on the Red 1 train) is also a cool place to window shop, and sit for a few minutes with a book, magazine, newspaper or Kindle- depending on your preference. There's also a Whole Foods Market here, which will save you money on lunch- you can purchase premade sandwiches, salads etc. I believe there is also some sort of Au Bon Pain/Panera- ish place around the "mall" as well.

Enjoy splashing in puddles, or finding great places to keep dry on this rainy day!!

More tomorrow...

New Week, New Job

Hey, interns!

I'm under the gun here at work, but I promise I will update everyone on my first day just as soon as I can.

Hope your weeks have gotten off to a great start!

- Trade Intern

The Promised Update

Sorry, everyone! I'm finally back at home (several hours later) and I have so much to dish about my first day at work.

I got to my building relatively early, and after a short spiel from a very nice guy in Human Resources, I went to meet my supervisor. She's really patient and warm and didn't flinch when I asked her questions that turned out to be really obvious and simple. She helped me get set up in my cubicle (which I don't have to share!), then walked me around all of our departments and introduced me to a lot of people on staff. There are soooo many names to remember, so that will be my number one mission this week.

After we came back from the extensive fashion closet (yay!), I handled a few administrative tasks and then my supervisor and another editor took me to lunch. They gave me some great tips about cool and cheap places to go, how to use the temperamental coffee machine in the kitchen, and how to interact with the people on staff.

My afternoon was a whirlwind of calls and emails and confusion, but in the end, I couldn't have asked for a better day. I'm staring down the barrel of a long gun loaded with stuff to do in the morning, but quite frankly, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Just a tip: When you meet a new person for the first time (especially if it's someone who can assign stuff for you to do), repeat their name when you shake their hand and look them directly in the eye. It's a simple action that will help you put their face to their name.

Have a good night, interns! More tomorrow

- Trade Intern

Monday, Fun day!

This blog's title is only so chipper because I'm running on approx 3 cups of dark-roast coffee. Needless to say, I'm not a morning person, much less a Monday person.

Anyway, back to business. Everyone wants to make their work stand out; everyone wants to be a shining star. While there’s no surefire formula to becoming the next New York Times bestselling novelist, here are a few tips on the best ways to help yourself:

1) Write – which is easier said than done. Type, scribble, whatever. Once you get a sense of the type of articles your magazine runs, constantly be on the lookout for features or bits of info that could possibly be angled to turn into a great article idea. Try pitching some of your findings to your editor; it might turn into a brainstorming sesh, and who knows, you could end up with a great clip!

2) Keep up with your reading. Talking about what’s on your nightstand is always a great conversation starter amongst journalists. For suggestions, take a gander at Oprah’s Book Club reads, the NY Times bestseller list, or Booklist Magazine. Also, be sure to take risks with your reading; don’t just stick to your fave genre. If you’re a fantasy fanatic, try a suspenseful mystery. Writing flows best when it’s about what you know. The more you read, the more you know.

3) Socialize with your work. Post your articles or blogs to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn… you know, the works. Don’t be afraid of criticism – others’ comments can be the highest form of praise. It means people think your writing is worthwhile because they’re actually taking the time to read it. Plus, how else is the world going to find out how great you are if you don’t toot your own horn a bit?

4) Travel. How literally you want to take this advice is up to you – whether it’s exploring your neighborhood in the East Village or jetting to Tahiti. Just do whatever you can to broaden your base of experience. It’ll also give you something refreshing to talk about on future job or internship interviews (not just the same-old, same-old that editors hear every day: how you've always wanted to be a writer, etc).

5) Don’t feel awkward about asking staffers out to lunch or coffee. It will give you a great opportunity to personalize your relationship and chat about things outside of work (and no doubt they’ll appreciate the invitation to get out of the office for a bit). At the end of the summer, you might even want to mention something to your editor about working there again over winter break. I did that last year, and even though it was unpaid, I refreshed my connections there and it was a great way to secure an “in.” Those “ins” increase your odds of finding a post-grad job!

6) Update your resume any chance you get (obviously putting the most relevant experiences first). Along those same lines, it’s a good idea to keep a journal of the work you’re completing at your internship, even if it’s just as mundane as making an inventory of the beauty closet. After the summer’s over, chances are you won’t remember every little task you completed, and a comprehensive listing can help tailor your resume.

That’s all for today, folks. As for my read of the week: Revolutionary Road (yes, it was recently produced into a major motion picture with Kate Winslet and Leo, but I refuse to see the movie before the book). It’s a little somber for a beach read, but totally worth it.

Have a great week! xoxo,

cyber intern

Monday...

Happy Monday Interns!

Alright so maybe it's not a happy monday for you (and obviously not for me either as I am late with my post!), but that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy the pretty day (or at least it was pretty the last time I was outside about 20 minutes ago).

I don't have many words of wisdom today, but I can tell you that I hope that I finally start to get more direction at my internship this week, seeing as how I'm beginning my third week here. Also, on the subject of how quickly the summer passes- I cannot believe I'm starting my third week!! When you are working Monday-Friday goes by so quickly!!

I like my job/internship I really do, it's just that my last internship/job had much more defined tasks and I knew what my Editor wanted and I had a much smaller team to work with so it was a lot easier to know what I was supposed to do. Here, at the new job, I mainly do research and try to create pitch ideas. Which would be really cool (you know getting a hand in how a magazine develops as an Intern is AMAZING!), if I knew what I was supposed to be researching/pitching!

That's really all I have to say today, more tomorrow, hopefully some better news from the money side of things tomorrow....

Good luck surviving monday...

The Checklist

I'm leaving for the city tomorrow, and since I know a few interns who won't get the city until after I do, I reasoned there are more out there.

That said, I'd like to recommend a few things that might make the trip up (or out, or down, or over, depending on where you're coming from) to New York a little easier. Please find below my list of travel essentials.

1. An iPod. I mean, duh.

2. A long, engaging book to get you through long flights and layovers, like Wuthering Heights or Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. I'll be reading Iain Banks's Use of Weapons in the air tomorrow afternoon.

3. An empty water bottle. As you can't take more than three ounces of liquid through security, taking an empty bottle to fill at a water fountain in the terminal is the perfect way to stay hydrated without paying a high price at an airport kiosk.

4. Snacks. Taking a small bag of nuts or pretzels will help you keep your energy up, and will also prevent you from shelling out for expensive airplane food.

5. Airborne. I never get on a plane without the stuff.

6. Finally, a pack of gum. It'll help keep your ears from popping when the plane. (Don't ask me about how the mechanics of that work - they just do!)

Safe travels, interns! More on Monday!

- Trade Intern

Addendum: I feel like such an idiot! We're on a magazine intern blog, and I didn't even suggest to bring magazines. I guess I wouldn't have to, given the readership. But of course, a few of my favorite glossies (GQ, Time, Vanity Fair, etc.) will be carefully stowed in my carry-on baggage.

Again, travel safely! 

To satisfy your craving...

So another summer (if you can call it that) week has come and passed us by! It's rainy and chilly outside -- my umbrella broke! -- so it feels more like the beginning of spring than the first week in June.

On a tangent to the magazine industry, I wanted to a blog a bit about getting through the workday in terms of food. Sitting at your desk all day can make a girl stir-crazy, and you might be tempted to take a walk on over to the vending machine every hour or so. And before you know it, you've gone through a day's worth of calories before... 3 p.m.

A great tip I've learned from Hungry Girl (a great Web site that gives some good advice about eating yummy and healthy) is to eat something every 3 or 4 hours. So if you have a little breakfast on the way into work at 8:30, try not to munch until lunchtime around 12 (unless you want some fruit or dry cereal as a mid-morning stack). Instead, chew some gum or pop in a mint (I'm partial to the peppermint lifesavers). Don't go the whole afternoon without eating; by the time you get home from work after 5, you'll be ravenous and want to eat anything that's not tied down. Instead, bring some snacks for your work desk -- a granola bar, nuts & raisins mixture, 100 calorie packs, or an apple, just to name a few. This way, you're keeping your body well-nourished and saving money (all those dollars here and there on food from the office, whether from the cafe nearby or the vending machine, quickly add up!). A big glass of water or a cup of coffee can also take the edge off if you're bored at your desk and feel the munchies starting in.

Anywho, have a fabulous weekend, and I'll talk to ya Monday!


xoxo,
cyber intern

TGIF!

It's finally Friday edsters- and I couldn't be happier!

Armed with a Passion Iced Tea from Sbux, I have decided to come in early to get a head start on some things here at the Office. I think that, sometimes, this pays off, and other times, depending where you work, it could be annoying to your boss. SO, beware interns, just make sure you are on the "conscientious" line without becoming annoying.

Okay enough of that! I hope you enjoyed the cupcake blog (and had a cupcake!! I did!) yesterday, and as promised I plan to give you some of my favorite and relatively inexpensive spots here in Manhattan.

The Village-

This is an awesome area if you want to just go out to dinner and bar hop. W 4th St has some really nice college-y bars. College Bar means that it's like more laid back, generally has drink specials, and sometimes even features beer pong- which is really fun!! Shecky's is a great online resource for bars. It gives ratings, address/subway information and also covers a variety of other issues regarding City life.

230 Fifth Ave- Is an awesome rooftop bar/lounge I went to on my 21st birthday- it was really a great time!! We started out here, so we did dinner and drinks and it was relatively inexpensive (about $30 per person). It really all depends on what you drink etc, so don't quote me on this being the cheapest place to go!! (I haven't really found the cheapest place yet, but as soon as I do I will share it, I promise!)

Little Italy and Chinatown- These two areas, or rather one area because it kind of is all connected, generate really great places to eat, shop (for a variety of things including bags, jewelry, sunglasses etc.) and hang out. Mulberry St has a bunch of resturants and cafes that really make you feel like you are sitting on a street in Rome (believe me I've been there, it's true!). A lot of the resturants have fixed price menus which generally run you about $12-15 for a bread basket (ask for Olive Oil and pepper and cheese to dip it in- this is truly HEAVEN!), salad and a choice of entree. Usually the entrees include pasta with chicken, or some other kind of meat, some sort of fish, and some sort of salad dinner. It's always really filling and definitely worth the money. Sangria runs about $ 8-10 for a glass (again don't quote me on prices, it all depends where you happen to stop) and $30 for a pitcher. If you have a bunch of friends get the pitcher, it generally gives 4 people 2 glasses each, depending on how fast/much you drink.

For the celiacs and other allergy prone people- I have a friend who is a celiac (which means she is allergic to wheat and other bread/gluten products, so she has to eat gluten free all the time), and she showed me an awesome Italian place that serves gluten free and vegetarian dinners and desserts. It's located on Bleeker St and it's called the Risotteria. The food is sooo good!! They have risotto dishes (which is rice with cheese and meat (or not in some cases) and veggies and a variety of other "toppings") and GF breadsticks, paninis, and desserts. The carrot cake is amazing!! AND for those of you who aren't gluten free, you really cannot taste the difference.

These are all places I've been to and one's I love, but you know what? It's totally worth it to just pick a section of Manhattan and walk around, in and out of bars, restaurants etc. That's how I found these places- by trial and error. Most resturants have prices listed outside the restuarant so you can have a good guess as to how much the bill would be before you even sit down, and if you ask, many places will allow you to look at a menu first.

So get out there and enjoy the weekend in Manhattan, you've definitely worked hard enough! I'll be back Monday with more stories and perhaps a few new reviews of my own. Be safe, and have a great time!! This is the time to experience life, and there's no greater life experience then Manhattan my darlings!!

A Lunedi!! :D

Homesick at Home

I'm sitting here in the kitchen of family's home, realizing very quickly that in two days' time, I'm not going to have all the little luxuries of home when I move to the city this weekend. Gone will be the ample space to move around indoors, away will wash the gallons of iced tea that have already been sweetened. And, perhaps most significantly of all, the washer and dryer that I now enjoy free of charge will be left behind.

But I couldn't be happier about the changes.

I've wanted to live in New York City since I was a child, and I'm really excited that I'm finally getting the chance to do just that. I dream about New York the way some people dream about Paris or Rome - to me, it's exactly what a city should be: congestion, culture, noise and all.

I don't think I've set myself up to be disappointed. New York offers far too much for me to ever be bored, and has way too many different people and places to meet and explore that I really will learn something new every day.

But for now, I'm just sitting in my kitchen, waiting to see if the city really is everything I hope it will be. I'm looking forward to being able to say whether or not it does.

No tips today, although I do encourage everyone to go to Ed's Welcome to the City Party next Wednesday. I look forward to seeing you there! Though, of course, you won't know I'm the Trade Intern.

Have a great night interns! More tomorrow.

- Trade Intern

Thirsty Thursday...and other musings

Hey, Edsters! TGI(almost)F. I don’t know about you guys, but I definitely need the weekend!

As an afternoon pick-me-up, I suggest watching Joe Jonas perform Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” dance (just don’t get caught by your boss). The JoBros will do anything to sell more albums. I always thought Joe was the gay one, and this just confirms it.

This summer, a bunch of my friends and colleagues have more than one internship, which has made me feel like an under-achiever. Since my current internship runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. five days a week, I’m not really left with any time for another one, though. So I’ve discovered a way to still beef up my resume by taking on multiple tasks this summer: freelancing. Some are paid, and some are not – but either way, it’s something you can do on your own time, usually isn’t too trying or consuming, and produces great clips. I recently secured a summer freelancing position that only requires 10 hours per week (and a 250-word opinion piece counts as an hour!). The Ed site has a ton of awesome freelancing opportunities under WhisperJobs, but there’s other resources as well: College Candy, College Magazine 101, and Demand Studios, just to name a few. And it’s definitely not too late to apply; Web sites in particular are always looking for more contributors. The fact you have an internship to boot simply makes you a more attractive applicant for freelancing positions.

Another tip that I picked up at work yesterday was to create a Tumblr account. Whether you’re blogging, creating slideshows, or ghost writing this summer, it’s no doubt that you’ll end up with a decent amount of work to show for it. It’s easy to lose track of the odds-and-ends jobs you’ve completed, and it’s even easier to let the mumbo-jumbo of random clips get disorganized. This can make it frustrating when you want to submit your clips, blogs, etc. to future employers (or even just to your relatives to show off your rockin’ work). By going to tumblr.com, you can create a blog-like page and post links to your work. This keeps them neat and easy to reference. You can customize the background choices, too – I particularly love the “tumbledesk” theme.

Looking ahead to the weekend, it’s my personal opinion that Sundays are underrated. Don’t get me wrong – I love partying away my Friday and Saturday nights – but there’s something so therapeutic about relaxing on a Sunday morning with a steaming mug of coffee and my New York Times Magazine. Sunday nights can be rough; nobody likes the idea of returning to work on Monday. So perk them up by going to Film Screenings at the Tribeca Grand Hotel at 6:30 p.m. on Sundays. The nearby Church Lounge offers a Sunday evening prix-fixe meal of soup, salad, choice of entrèe, and choice of dessert for $30 per person, perfect for a classic dinner and a movie date night. Maybe I’ll even see you there!

xoxo,
Cyber Intern