"The bird is the word" is a catchy, repetitive phrase from the 1963 novelty rock song Surfin' Bird by The Trashmen. The tune had such simple, infections lyrics like, "A-well-a ev'rybody's heard about the bird," and "B-b-b-bird, b-birdd's a word," and of course, "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow," that the animated show Family Guy parodied the bit with Peter Griffin… Continue reading SnackTime With Jen— The Bird Is The Word, October 15th
Category: Industry Shout-Out
SnackTime With Jen— Chocoholic Showdown, September 17th
When it comes to chocolate, nobody is a bigger fan than my good friend Paul, who pronounces his favorite food with a Brooklyn drawl, and it sounds a lot like “chawklit.” And although we’ve shared many a sweet dessert over the last few decades together, we were excited to participate in the ultimate chocoholic showdown,… Continue reading SnackTime With Jen— Chocoholic Showdown, September 17th
So It Shall Be Written, July 28th
I'm not saying that Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt was a good guy... all ten plagues to the contrary. But what he did have was power to make things happen. His tagline was always, "So it shall be written. So it shall be done." And although he was a bad dude to the core, his philosophy… Continue reading So It Shall Be Written, July 28th
SnackTime With Jen— A Little Tail At Lunch, May 21st
The Shops at Columbus Circle in NYC-- what I still refer to as The Time Warner building, house many restaurants, shops and retail stores. (I think it's the Deutsche Bank tower now? What do I know? I'm still calling it Shea.) Anyway, on a random nondescript Monday night, Michael and I decided to give Twin… Continue reading SnackTime With Jen— A Little Tail At Lunch, May 21st
Self Medicate, May 12th
We all know when we are under the weather, not feeling like ourselves, shocked out of our Crocs by the latest insane news cycle, freaked out over the weather or having a work crisis, we might simply need a little TLC. How we handle this self-love varies greatly from person to person. Self medicating is… Continue reading Self Medicate, May 12th
SnackTime With Jen— Capitol Snacks, May 8th
During a busy conference in Washington D.C., I was able to peel away to sample a few amazing snacks. The beauty of owning your own firm is that you make your own schedule, and fittingly you pick up the check usually, which is always my pleasure. So the first tasty treat I tried was at… Continue reading SnackTime With Jen— Capitol Snacks, May 8th
The Price Of Admission, February 10th
There are some places that seem completely off limits. Or where the entrance fee seems unattainable. One where the price of admission is simple but steep. I'm talking about the price of intimacy-- connectivity among friends. I read something recently published by The Roslyn Project that described the five reasons we don't meet people by… Continue reading The Price Of Admission, February 10th
SnackTime With Jen— Pennsylvania Pick Up, October 30th
Ask anyone in Philly or beyond who they think makes the best cheesesteak and pizza in America and the name on everyone's lips is the same. Angelo's. So on a recent trip to Philly during that same Annual TMA Conference I mentioned last week, I had a grand plan to score more of Philly's finest… Continue reading SnackTime With Jen— Pennsylvania Pick Up, October 30th
SnackTime With Jen— Philly’s Finest, October 23rd
Philly is considered the City of Brotherly Love. And recently we put the concept of brotherhood to the test. Anxious to score a prime table at Vetri Cucina while in town for The Annual TMA Conference, my good friend Brian Gleason tapped his fraternity brother Marc Vetri for reservations at his namesake landmark. And boy… Continue reading SnackTime With Jen— Philly’s Finest, October 23rd
SnackTime With Jen— Block Party, October 9th
The Butcher's Block is an insanely popular restaurant located in Long Branch, New Jersey. The first time I visited I was a guest of one of their best customers for a group dinner. Richard Trenk is a huge fan of "The Block" as it's called and I was blown away when I joined him a… Continue reading SnackTime With Jen— Block Party, October 9th
Farm To Table, August 28th
The Restaurant At Hill Farm embraces the seasonal farm to table concept for their dinner service. This gorgeous lofted barn nestled in the Equinox Valley of Southern Vermont favors a wood-fired oven to prepare their dishes. A stunning backdrop featuring sweeping views of the Taconic Mountain Range make the experience all that much more spectacular.… Continue reading Farm To Table, August 28th
Meme Girls– Working It, March 25th
Now that a lot of companies have adopted hybrid work environments, many folks actually go into their offices a few days a week. But whether you work from home all the time, some of the time or you're permanently in pjs in your living room banging away at the keyboard, a ton of hilarious memes… Continue reading Meme Girls– Working It, March 25th
Rise Above, March 20th
I have a sort of new friend and her name is Sari. I say sort of new because we've been pals for a just a few years. (Unlike my friend KLB who I met when subway tokens were still a thing. Yeah, really.) Sari and I connected through common industry people and were LinkedIn together… Continue reading Rise Above, March 20th
SnackTime With Jen— Laser Focused, December 20th
Welcome to my newest feature, SnackTime With Jen. This midweek morsel is a small taste of something fun. Topics range from food (of course) to fashion, amusing little discoveries both locally and abroad, and a variety of interesting intel too tempting not to share. So let's get snacking... I've been dreaming about the enormous and… Continue reading SnackTime With Jen— Laser Focused, December 20th
SnackTime With Jen— Nuclear Sub, June 21st
Welcome to my newest feature, SnackTime With Jen. This midweek morsel is a small taste of something fun. Topics range from food (of course) to fashion, amusing little discoveries both locally and abroad, and a variety of interesting intel too tempting not to share. So let's get snacking... On a recent visit to Atlantic City… Continue reading SnackTime With Jen— Nuclear Sub, June 21st
SnackTime With Jen— Scarr’d For Life, June 14th
Welcome to my newest feature, SnackTime With Jen. Shorter than my long format storytelling blog, this midweek morsel is a small taste of something fun. Topics range from food (of course) to fashion, amusing little discoveries both locally and abroad, and a variety of interesting intel too tempting not to share. So let's get snacking...… Continue reading SnackTime With Jen— Scarr’d For Life, June 14th
Life Sentence, April 24th
What is the one phrase that people most associate you with? I have a friend Jon who always says, "Well hello there, YOU!" It's used both as a traditional greeting as well as when he catches you doing something bad or comical. My Dad is big on, "Another day in paradise." When my pal Jamie… Continue reading Life Sentence, April 24th
An American Girl In Paris (Part Deux)—What We Did For A Whole Month, December 14th
If you're just tuning in, my BF Michael and I just spent a thrilling one-month workcation in the fabulous city of Paris. This is the second installment of three that details our trip. This post is all about how we spent our time. But first a little geography… You might be aware that Paris is… Continue reading An American Girl In Paris (Part Deux)—What We Did For A Whole Month, December 14th
Food Fight, August 1st
I remember the first time I saw the movie Animal House. What a completely hilarious (and often times accurate) portrayal of immature antics, college traditions, and impressive comic genius all wrapped up in an ensemble cast. One of the most memorable scenes in that movie is when standout star John Bellushi playing the character John… Continue reading Food Fight, August 1st
Counter Culture, May 2nd
We all know the expression "86." In today's restaurant lingo it's used as a verb meaning to leave off or delete an item or ingredient. As in, "Can you 86 the peppers on my Greek salad please?" But 86 actually started in the 1930s at the classic soda fountain. The term was used as a… Continue reading Counter Culture, May 2nd
The Meat Up, April 14th
On a recent trip this week to The Windy City, I had the good fortune of dining with my dear friend Scott who's a world traveler and a Chicago local. At Scott's suggestion, I just happened to score a completely ungettable reservation at the brand new Chicago hotspot, Bazaar Meat-- the latest in a string… Continue reading The Meat Up, April 14th
Pour Behavior, April 4th
Unlike most humans, I don't mind a room temperature beverage. Maybe it's because I've never started my day with a steaming cup of joe before. When people who don't know me hear that I don't drink coffee they immediately ask, "Tea?" As if there had to be an answer to the burning question of what… Continue reading Pour Behavior, April 4th
The Roar, March 10th
I hosted a fabulous all ladies dinner recently in conjunction with a regional networking conference. In attendance besides yours truly were six extremely fierce, brilliant, superstars at various stages of their illustrious careers. At my behest, we were seated at a roundish booth so that we could all participate in one conversation instead of having… Continue reading The Roar, March 10th
Wisc’d Away, February 3rd
I had the great fortune of participating in a fabulous IWIRC event recently. The chosen venue for the all professional women's retreat was Sundara-- a spa hotel nestled deep in the Wisconsin Dells. I had never been to such a fantastical place! Upon check in you're given a robe and slippers and encouraged to lounge… Continue reading Wisc’d Away, February 3rd
Texas Treats, January 28th
There's nothing like a business trip where the folks are as fabulous as the food. On our recent jaunt to Houston last week, my pal Allen and I tore right into the terrific Texas dining scene mere moments after we arrived. We Ubered it from downtown to Candente, a Tex-Mex institution in the Montrose section… Continue reading Texas Treats, January 28th
Time Capsule, November 22nd
A company I know pretty well just celebrated their 36th anniversary. (Congrats, guys!) When they made the announcement, they decided to organize a little contest asking friends, referral sources, fans, and followers of the firm to write in and describe what they were doing back in 1985, giving a gift certificate to the winning essay.… Continue reading Time Capsule, November 22nd
Social Security, November 1st
I've never considered myself an introvert until I learned the true definition of the word. I'm actually an extroverted introvert, meaning that I'm social, I have no issue with big parties or meeting new people, but that sort of hand shaking and smiling (although I enjoy it!) exhausts me so I recharge better in a… Continue reading Social Security, November 1st
One Bite Wonder, October 29th
When we dashed into the already packed Kayne Prime Steakhouse in Nashville, Tennessee, (rushing because we were a bit tardy!), the smartly dressed patrons spilling out the door onto the steps was our first clue that we had just walked into a must-try local. We snuck around the hostess stand and happily joined our party… Continue reading One Bite Wonder, October 29th
Making Rain, October 25th
On July 28th of this year, I published a story called Ordering Dominoes. If you haven't read it yet, it's about the joy of having a plan come together and your life falling into place just like... yep, dominoes. Click here if you'd like to read the article in its entirety. https://jenslittleblackbook.com/2021/07/28/ordering-dominoes-july-28th/ In that post… Continue reading Making Rain, October 25th
Tableside Triumph, September 27th
I was recently invited to a fancy dinner in Atlantic City to coincide with a conference I was attending there. Bob, the host, has been a very dear friend of mine for many years and I just love his wife Mary Ann, too. So although she was not going to be in attendance at this… Continue reading Tableside Triumph, September 27th
Taking Aim, August 25th
The first time I fired a gun in my life I was in my early 40s. I was at a hunting cabin in the Catskill region of Upstate New York. (Insert girl-from-the-City-visits-deep-rural-country joke here.) We were staying at a friend's place for the weekend (yes with indoor plumbing) and decided it would be fun to… Continue reading Taking Aim, August 25th
Hey, Bud! July 30th
I didn't always use the now common "hey" as a greeting. I was more of a "hi" kind of girl. Then I went to college in the South and they were all, "Wull haaaay!" So without realizing it I morphed. (I guess hay was no longer for horses?) I never really picked up the drawl,… Continue reading Hey, Bud! July 30th
Wonders Of The World, June 8th
I think the wonders of the world are incredible. My bucket list starts with a visit to the Great Pyramid of Giza. I studied ancient Egypt in elementary school and saw the King Tut exhibit at The MET soon thereafter and my fascination has only grown. I actually wonder about a lot of things (plus… Continue reading Wonders Of The World, June 8th
Cinco de Mayo, May 5th
Many summers ago I waitressed at Bennigan's while I was in between semesters at college. One late night a couple came in and the woman ordered Queso & Chips, but she looked me straight in the eye and said, "But can you leave off the cheese?" I wanted to fall over. So I tried to… Continue reading Cinco de Mayo, May 5th
Out of Character, April 16th
We all present a version of ourselves to the outside world that we want people to see. Some folks sort of "let it all hang out" while others are much more reserved in public or when meeting new people. After a series of interactions (years, months, weeks or less), we think we know a person's… Continue reading Out of Character, April 16th
Chef “Broccoli” Rob Claps Back, March 29th
I guess I did stir up a little friendly competition when I egged on Chef "Broccoli" Rob Martucci to submit a tasty recipe for all of us to make at home... and aren't we all glad that I did! Up next on our menu is most certainly Chef Rob's signature dish, Stuffed Peppers. This recipe… Continue reading Chef “Broccoli” Rob Claps Back, March 29th
Foodie Flashback, February 17th
Growing up, food was an important topic in our house. We were always talking about the next meal before the plates were even cleared from the current one. My family had certain dietary peculiarities, but at the time lacking comparison, I thought we were normal. Cream cheese and sliced green olive sandwiches were common at… Continue reading Foodie Flashback, February 17th
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