Event : Dining Etiquette Dynamics Event
Date : October, 31st 2016
Location : Janet Lefler Dining Room (Namm- 215)

Today I had the opportunity to have a formal dining experience, courtesy of the Professional Development Center at City Tech. My professor suggested that our class should take advantage of the event, since we would soon be out in the ‘real-life’ work field. It is important to know the Do’s and Don’ts , but simply being educated in this area could easily come in handy at any formal occasion, not necessarily job-related.

Upon arriving, I was grouped with 3 other students and we were escorted to our seats at a table. I learned about the uses of each utensil and having the proper posture. My table was very entertaining, since no one seemed to have any type of etiquette. Everything seemed so foreign to us.

For my  appetizer, I ordered the coconut curried mussels. It was my first time having mussels and also using the right fork specifically for seafood. It was surprisingly very tasty. Overall, the food was delicious. It was a great experience and I was able to take away a lot of useful information from our host for the event.

 

 

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This session of Meet the Pros was a bit different than I was used to. Patrick Grandinetti, Head of Agency Business Development at Google came by to give his speech, but unlike other speakers, he decided to take a more personal approach. He didn’t use a slideshow presentation or even the microphone. He had everyone move closer to the front seats and just spoke about his experience and how he got to where he is now in life.

He grew up in a small town and achieved a scholarship towards college. He didn’t come from a wealthy family and worked hard to become successful. He was very persistent and followed his heart. He never gave up and didn’t let his rejections keep him down.

“Do your job. Do it well. Be nice to everyone and make contacts along the way.”

He kept his speech very casual and was very relatable through his progress. He motivated us to keep pushing forward and to always be humble throughout our journey.

 

 

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Event : AIGA – Day in the Life: SF x NY
Date : September, 29th 2016
Location : The New School, John L. Tishman Auditorium, University Center

How does a typical day at the office for a designer in New York differ from San Francisco? I had the pleasure to listen to a few speakers from both coasts describe what to expect on a normal day at their company.These companies include: Google, Uber, Etsy, FB and Buzzfeed.

Luckily, I came across a post for the event on the City Tech Communications Design FB page. The event was hosted by AIGA , and as a student member of their organization, the ticket was $5.00.
I certainly couldn’t pass up the opportunity to listen to this interesting panel line-up.

“This event is part of HYPERLINKED: SF✈AIGA✈NY, a series that explores the unique ways New York and San Francisco are shaping design and technology as told by the people who build it.”

I arrived 10 minutes early for the event, and was surprised to find myself in a long line. Tables were set up to the side, waiting to check everyone in. After checking in, I received a Google Virtual Reality Cardboard, courtesy of Google, and on behalf of Danny Jones, who represented Google as a guest speaker.

The first speaker to take the stage was, Jing Wei – Brand Illustrator at Etsy.
She works as an Illustrator Director and freelancer in the New York office. There are monthly craft nights at the offices, where teachers are invited to host workshops on everything from sewing to weaving and printmaking. There’s even a program called “Eatsy,” where employees can enjoy catered meals. Jing is funny, down-to-earth and LOVES to eat.

Danny Jones – Designer at Google VR, specializing in 3D interaction + visual design, who lives in the Dogpatch area in San Francisco. He previously worked at Dropbox and Facebook. Danny likes to push the boundaries and is always trying new things.

Tom Harman – Product Design Manager at BuzzFeed. Tom is inspired by nature and hates clutter and distraction. Originally from London, Tom loves that New York is very diverse and has so much culture. He prefers a small area to do very detailed work, and favors a larger space when coming up with broader ideas. He enjoys meditation to help distress, and leaves his phone in the kitchen at bedtime.

Karla Mickens – Product designer at Facebook. Born and raised in North Carolina, but now lives in San Francisco. Se loves music and commutes to work everyday for 45 minutes. Most part of her days are usually slow-paced. She works from home one day a week. 

Jeremy Perez-Cruz – Senior Design Manager at Uber. He commutes everyday by the F train from the Gowanus area to his New York office.

Sarah Cooper – writer, comedian and creator of her blog, TheCooperReview.com. Previously, working at Google, she now works at home in san Francisco and has a new book, “10 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings.” She also leaves her phone in the kitchen at bedtime.

(From left to right, Jeremey Perez-Cruz, Danny Jones, Karla Mickens, Tom Harman, Sarah Cooper and Jing Wei)

Overall, it seems working in New York offers a refreshing take on ideas and the mind is expanded by the surroundings and external factors. The natural feel and pace of the city drives these designers to work harder, which can also develop a stressful demeanor. Whereas in San Francisco, the pace is slower and more relaxed. A similarity with a few speakers that was surprising to me, was the “No gadget at bedtime rule.” Giving your mind a break can be stimulating. Another interesting piece of info is the commuting to work. People take for granted that time spent on a train. It can be valuable time to catch up on reading, doing puzzles or observing the little details.