Tag Archives: Desmonds

Sep 24

Lovely to see you again, my friend

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Hundreds, if not thousands, of souls have toiled at Peppercom over the years. Reunion-full

Now, as we mark our 15th anniversary, we pay homage to the past with our first alumni event. It's scheduled for Tuesday, October 19th, from 6-8pm at the decidedly downscale, yet strangely appropriate, Desmond's Tavern 433 Park Ave. South, between 29th and 30th streets.

Those of you who have re-connected with us at the Peppercom Alumni LinkedIn site can obtain additional information- i.e. what we'll pay for, what you'll be stuck paying for, Ed's choice of wardrobe for the event, the location of stairwells for those of you who used them at Peppercom for nefarious purposes, etc.

Our alumni have pursued myriad career paths since departing. Some have become full-time moms. Others have become landscape architects or teachers. And, yes, one has even become a bellicose medical supply executive. We don't care what path you've chosen, just beat one to the front door of Desmond's on the appointed date and hour.

So, whether you were with us at the beginning a la Efrem Luigi Epstein, worked endless hours during the frenzied dotcom days a la Dominic Albanese, suffered through the dotcom bust a la Stacy Calder, staggered through the Great Recession a la Coach Zanzal or simply packed up your tent and went to a smaller start-up a la Stein, you'll be welcomed back with open arms (as long as you bring your own credit cards, that is).

As The Moody Blues sang, “It'll be lovely to see you again, my friend.”

Sep 16

Greetings from Asbury Park

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Peppercom employees weren’t exactly thrilled when we announced a while back that we’d be  Interoffice chow down  marking our 15th anniversary with a clambake/party on the beach at Asbury Park, New Jersey. At first, they thought I was joking. Then, the jaws began dropping. Asbury Park? THE Asbury Park? That dump? 

Aside from Camden, Trenton and the greater Montclair/Newark area, perhaps no other Garden State locale has a worse image and reputation than Asbury Park. It’s ironic, considering Asbury Park was once the place for 19th century presidents and millionaires alike to ‘Summer.’ It remained a top middle-class watering hole well into the 1960s. Sadly, tPcommers listening 5hough, Asbury Park then became a textbook example of suburban flight and urban blight. And, a mid-1990s attempt at revitalization failed miserably when the lead developer declared bankruptcy. As recently as five years ago, Asbury Park remained a ghost town. Beach sports 1

Then, like the proverbial Phoenix, Asbury Park rose again.

Today, it boasts some amazing restaurants, clubs and boardwalk attractions. We held yesterday’s party at the Watermark, (pictured) a very cool, bi-level restaurant, lounge and bar directly across from a pristine beach replete with surfers, anglers and sun worshippers. The weather was perfect, the food and drink flowed freely and we partied hard, basking in Asbury’s reborn glory.  Pcommers listening 1

There’s already been quite a bit of buzz and word of mouth in the hood, but this place is in  serious need of a public relations campaign. It’s a great spot to visit for a day, or more. In fact, who needs Jones Beach and all of its human and mechanized traffic when one has Asbury Park? I think our employees would agree.

Steve and ed speech 1 Note to Peppercom alumni reading this blog: we plan to complete the 15th anniversary celebrations with an early October alumni gig at Desmond’s Tavern (specifics will be posted on LinkedIn). A favorite of Peppercommers past and present, Desmond’s always has been, and  remains, a dump.  You won’t find any Asbury Park type of renaissance going on at Desmond’s (which is why it’s ideal for a mingling of the past and present). Hope to see you there.