I'm back

So I got a random tweet from an old friend in Cleveland (and subsequent email) telling me that I need to blog again. Umm, I don't know what kind of peyote he was smoking, but it did get me thinking. Its been almost two years since I moved to Chicago, started a new job, and subsequently realized that I had no time to blog... at all. But during those past two years, there were a number of random thoughts that I've been wanting to talk about, but didn't have the time.

So here is my ADD riddled hodgepodge...

- I work with some smart, smart people, but what I love the most is that our little social media team is the funniest bunch of people I've ever worked with. I love coming to work in the morning....

- Social media was interesting when I was in PR, but having real budgets and people who can build out crazy experiences is WAY MORE IMPORTANT. (Ok, I'm done talking about work now)...

- Carlie still lets me into the house, which is a good thing. How did she put up with me for this long? No clue...

- Chicago is an awesome city, but its not the food, or the architecture, its the people. Everyone here is nice, and even the hipsters aren't all that pretentious. Ok, they're still pretentious...

- New York, on the other hand, thats a different story. I just don't get it....

- Cleveland is underrated. All my friends here are sick of me talking about how much I love the CLE, but I do. Leaving Cleveland, I realize now, was like leaving home for college. I left thinking I would be alright on my own, doing my own thing, but I realized that sometimes I just need a home cooked meal (Greenhouse?), a nice beverage (VTR!!), and a place to do laundry. I can't believe that I"m saying this, but its become home...

- My sister had a baby a few months ago. She is the cutest thing I have ever seen, and while I don't get to see her that much, I would step in front of a train for her.

- I have reestablished my love for live music. I still don't get to as many shows as I would like, but I keep dragging Carlie, and she still doesn't seem to mind (with the minor exception of Lollapalooza.... in a rainstorm.... that lasted hours). I 'm going to have to pay that one back for a while, me thinks...

- I went to a proper college football game recently. Notre Dame v. Michigan State. I never cared about college football, but I get it now. I'm just not rooting for OSU. I can't do it....

- How come I always end up sitting next to the woman stinking of deep fried death every morning on the bus?

- Am I a bad person for thinking that Feline AIDS is funny? I don't know why, but every time I think of FAIDS, I laugh my ass off. Yeah, I know... I'm totally going to hell.

So thats the past two years. Talk to you in 2013.

My Favorite Place in Cleveland

What is sentimentality? I mean, I’m not a sentimental kind of guy. OK, maybe I’m a helpless romantic who cries at sappy movies (or those make-a-wish stories on SportsCenter), but overall, I’m not that sentimental. That being said, as I’m getting ready to make the big move to Chicago, I’m starting to think about what I love about this place I call home.

When I think about what I’m going to miss the most, the truth is that there are two places that I love for almost the same reason. The first is our friend’s Beth and Buddy’s backyard. When the weather gets warmer, it is are defacto meeting place. It was where we would end up grilling some great food, tell jokes and enjoy a beer or two. Of course it is about the company. We have the greatest group of friends, and while there are always stories of drama (generally revolving around our jobs, lives, yard work, or that damn deer that eats all of Beth’s vegetables), we would last till the wee hours of the morning (or until the wood in the fire pit ran out) laughing at the hysterics.

While I know that I’m not going to be able to replicate whatever it is I love about that place, I will make a point of trying. If not, I will just have to drag the crew out to Chicago at some point and make sure there is a fire pit, a bucket of cold beer and a grill somewhere. The stories and the laughter- well that’s the easy part.

The Cleveland Food Bucket List

For a while now, I've thought if I only had one day left in Cleveland, what would I do? where would I go? and most importantly, what would I eat? (shocked aren't you).

When thinking about this in the abstract, it seems like a genius idea. One day. One City. Go to town.

I've thought about this for awhile, debating the order, location, menu choices, etc. But as this is now a reality (I don't have too much time left in the Cleve), this may not have been the greatest idea. To do this right, I would consume something in the range of 35 billion calories in one day. When your friends who like to eat tell you this is ridiculous (in this instance, Adam and Buddy), maybe it needs to be spread over a longer period of time.

Unfortunately, that isn't nearly as fun as doing it all in one day, but I do want to live to see Chicago and my new job, but if health wasn't a concern, and I had one day to dive in gluttony style, here is the ultimate day of eating in the Cle: Nader style...

Breakfast:

Lucky's Cafe: Waffles. During the summer, their waffles are topped with peaches, Chantilly cream, and caramel. Coupled with a coffee the size of my head, there is nothing in the world that makes me happier on a Sunday morning. An excellent way to start the Day.

Lunch:

Lola /Lolita/Bar Symon: The Lola Burger. In deference to other all others, this is the greatest burger in the entire world. Period. Good meat, topped with cheddar cheese, bacon, pickled onions, and a fried egg (cooked in bacon fat), and served on a grilled English muffin (the lack of English muffin is why I couldn't, in good conscious, pick BSpot. I dig me some Bspot, but the English muffin makes this for me). Not that Michael Symon needs more press, but he nails it every time with this classic. I love good food, but a burger is a special thing in my eyes. And this burger stands alone.

Mid-Afternoon Snack (this is my day, and I can do what I want):

The Greenhouse Tavern: Chicken Wings. Why Chicken wings you ask? Why not go to one of those places that deep fries thousands of wings a day and offers you 30 different flavors to choose from? Because these are perfect. The meat falls off the bone, and the taste is exactly what I would want. Spicy, with a hint of garlic and scallions. They just need to be enjoyed.

Second Mid- Afternoon Snack (not only is this my day, I'm also indecisive):

The Flying Fig: Tempura Green Beans. To be honest, the Fig has a special place in my heart. Carlie and I love to eat and this was one of the first restaurants we ever went to together. In fact, we spent our first wedding anniversary here. The Tempura Green Beans is just one of those things, that seem interesting before you order them, and once you try it, its something that you will never to order if you ever go back.

Dinner:

L'Abratros: Mussels with Pomme Frites. Simply, its one of the closest things I've had that reminds me of visiting my family in Belgium. On top of that, they throw on some garlic mayonnaise for fun. How could I not pick this? Its a no brainer.

Dessert:

Again a two-parter. We start with a Coffee cupcake from Cookie and Cupcake. Which is then topped by a scoop (or 4) of Jeni's Gravel Road. While this does not exist at a restaurant currently, at this point of the night, if you actually ate all of this, you are probably in a food coma, and eating this at your house is probably a smart idea.

Honorable Mentions:

Chicken and Biscuits at Crop
Sunnyside Pizza at Bar Cento
Pineapple Guacamole at Momocho

So, now I'm hungry. But truthfully, there is no way I could even think about this in one day, so I've spread them out for my remaining time here in Cleveland. To my friends in the 216, what am I forgetting? Let me know what you think needs to be added.

A New Adventure...

To those who I see on a daily basis, this might be some old news, but I was asked to hold off announcing what are amounting to some extreme life changes going on in Chez Ali-Hassan. So here it is…

I’ve decided to accept a position with Razorfish in Chicago as the Associate Director, Social Media.

It was a tough decision to leave Cleveland. This is a totally underrated city. World class restaurants and bars (oh my god, how am I not twice my size), culture, and a blue collar “roll up your sleeves” mentality that quickly made me forget about that east coast city that I called home for so many years (though, I’m never going to be an Indians fan… that just won’t happen). In the seven years I’ve been here, I’ve loved getting to know the personality of this town. Clevelanders are passionate about this place, and don’t give a damn about anyone who knocks it. As one of the better bloggers around, Alexa, says “Cleveland is a plum.” I couldn't have said it better myself.

(Oh yeah, before I forget--- to the people at Forbes who decreed Cleveland as the most miserable city in America: kiss my ass!)

While I’m sad to leave Cleveland, I’m so psyched for the new adventure Chicago is going to be. First of all from a professional standpoint, this was a no brainer. I’m going to help build a social media team with some of the smartest people in the industry, and I couldn’t be more excited. Hell, I'm giddy.

I’m also excited about getting to know a new city. The architecture, culture, the food (THE FOOD), the Cubs and the Blackhawks (I WILL NOT root for the Bears, White Sox, or Bulls). Who knows, I missed out on the Red Sox winning the series by living in Cleveland at the time, maybe the Cubbies can pull it off this year?

I would be lying if I didn’t say I’m a bit scared about what all this means, leaving my friends and my family and the comforts of normalcy that Carlie and I started to build, but I know that this is going to rock. Plus, I promised that we could get a big enough apartment so y’all can come and visit. So by all means, look us up- we’ll get some deep dish, check out a game at Wrigley, or drink beer somewhere.

What's new for 2010? Proof that Mobile Giving Works

I spend a decent amount of time helping a few non-profits in the Cleveland area figure out how to develop a social media strategy and leverage it towards their goals. Know which goal is always top of mind? Raising more money. How could it not be, right?

If you have spent anytime on Facebook lately, you probably experienced the latest trend in non-profit giving: mobile donations.

Both the American Red Cross and Wyclef Jean's YELE Foundation have taken the Obama model when it comes to fundraising (forget about huge donations from a small amount of people, get small donations from a large group) and utilized new technologies to simplify the process. The response has been astounding: According to a press release, the Red Cross has already raised over $35 million with over $5 million coming from $10 dollar donations provided through individual mobile providers. On top of that, Wyclef Jean's Yele Foundation has raised over $1 million with individual $5 donations. Even brands like Ritz are supporting these groups by posting links on their Facebook pages.

Obviously, the earthquake in Haiti is a terrible circumstance, and expecting people to give at such a level is unrealistic (I have to say how great it is that people have decided to donate to support those in need). But what does this mean for your run of the mill non-profit?

There are great opportunities to use mobile as a fundraising tool. It provides the donor the simplest way to donate. No need to even input a credit card into a form on a website, no need to fill out any information. In under a minute, and two text messages later (one to confirm) my donation was made. It was even possible to set up a recurring charge on my account if I wanted to donate more than five bucks.

Non-profits need to start embracing this technology as part of their fundraising efforts. Developing a mobile strategy around a campaign will allow a non-profit to grow your their fundraising base in innovative ways. During a end-of-year push, utilizing a combination of email, social media and other marketing tactics, in combination with a mobile delivery system will not only increase the amount of money that a group can bring in, but will also allow new donors to make a donation and learn about your organization.

Wow its been a while...

Man has it been a while.

Over the past few months, life has been hectic. Work has been real interesting: I helped to lead a national ad campaign, including my first "real" commercial shoot, and I've been cranking away answering RFPs, providing a whole ton of strategy and learning from people smarter than me. Its been a blast, a little stressful, but fun nonetheless. What can I say... typical agency life.


As to on the other side of things, things have been great. Carlie and I have been trying new restaurants (L' Albatros is a must for anyone who loves food in Cleveland and Michael Symon's new burger joint, the B-Spot, made me extremely happy), my annual "must work out until my pants are comfortable" plan, and finally, we are getting ready for a big trip to visit the family in Belgium later in the year.

Overall, while I've been away from the blog, things have been pretty good. While sometimes I look out the window of my house and wonder why the hell do I live in Cleveland, I can't complain too much (though, bringing a NHL team to Cleveland, might make me happy enough to never complain again).

The BEST Non-Profit Marketing Campagin I Have Ever Seen

My Colleague, Linda Nawrocki forwarded me a link to this campaign from Sears/Lands End. Maybe I'm a sap, but the combination of great marketing, sound technology and social media really knocks this out of the park. hell, they even allow you to track the coat that you donated to see where your donated coat ended up. How cool is that!

Check it out, and go donate you old coats today. Check out www.bigwarmup.com to experience the site.