Leanne Sherry

The last NY weekend

So my 8 week internship is over and I am back in Scotland. I have just had a fry up, a cup of tetley and it looks like it is pretty sunny outside! Got the Olympics on and still chanting USA, USA, USA, watching Michael 'Phelpsy' Phelps taking more and more medals.

I had a great last weekend in the city, spending it with the Boston students Chris, Matt, Jemma and Graeme making the Mega Bus trip to the city. I'm sure they will fill you in on their blogs, and I had really great weekend. Perfect way to round off the last 8 weeks. I tried to give them a tour which was off the usual tour guide radar, showing them sites such as George Washington's local pub and gym... Fact. Chris was pretty good with the real knowledge and will now be my second phone a friend (Jemma is the first).

So this is it. 8 weeks of living the New York lifestyle… I now have a new set of personal and professional skills and goals. I have worked on a challenging project- pretty much from start to finish, I am expert at ordering from menus (now that I've eaten out for 7 and a half weeks), I can walk 10 blocks and 3 avenues in 22 minutes, I am much better at networking, I can order a bagel and coffee from a deli without any trouble, I have some made some amazing international contacts, I can use a compass, I can appreciate different cultures much more, I've grown a confident communication style, I can fold and eat my food quickly, I am much more independent, I can hail a cab, I have worked with an exciting international business and I am now a more ambitious person.

I am so proud to be Scottish and loved talking to locals about the country and history… and it's very likely they have an uncles, cousins, wifes brother who is Scottish too!!

I admit I was a little skeptical when people said that this would be life changing experience, but it truly has been. Thank you once again to the Saltire Foundation, all the sponsors who put me here, Starwood and all the people who have helped me out along the way. I have grown so much and really have had the time of my life.

Over and out,
Leanne

What A City

I am starting to come to terms with the fact that I have to leave Starwood in 2 days time. Going to really miss walking to work and seeing the buildigns around me, I get goose bumps ever day! Got a lovley box of Bliss beauty products (a New York spa range) sent to my office yesterday from the events management team I worked with in LA. I'm already turning into an emotional wreck!

For the next time you come to New York, here are my top 10 things to do in the city!...

1- Top of the Rock - This is the observation deck from Rockefeller centre and is one of my favourite things to do. The rainbow room is almost at the top and I hear they make a mean cocktial.

2-Pastrami Sandwiches from the Carnegie Deli, eaten while watching people play soccer or baseball in central park.

3- Saks 5th Avenue. The shopping in general is fabulous but this really is heaven.

4- Dinner in Hells Kitchen then a Broadway show. Book at the TKT booth in Times Square and you get half off. I have seen a different show every week and I still have a huge list I didn't make it to!

5- Cupcakes from the Magnolia Bakery. There is one downtown and one on the upper west side. I've seen it in Sex and the City a few times so it gets the seal of approval! I love the smell of the shop and the cupcakes are the best!

6-Statue of Liberty. Go very early to avoid long waits and make the stop at Ellis Island, New Yorks immigration museum. My brother loved Ellis Island and found it very educational which he took a lot of stick for!

7- I hear that a night out in the Meatpacking District is the bee's knees. Hopefully me and the students from Boston will get a chance to try it out this weekend! Plan is to head for the Gansevoort hotel for rooftop cocktails.

8- Dinner at Mulberry Street in Little Italy. You'll see why when you get there.

9- SoHo. This is the area South of Houston Street and is where I am studying my dissertation. Some really awesome buildings, cafes, bars, shops and celeb hot spot.

10- Grimaldi's pizza place in Brooklyn. A crazy wait for a table but well worth it. Sitting elbow to elbow with strangers eating the largest 'small' pizza you have ever seen. The menu is basically 'large or small'. I heard the walk over the Brookly Bridge on the way back is amazing and is a good way to work off the pizza!

I meant to write my top 5 but I just couldn't cut anything out! I still haven't been to any museums, to a baseball game, had a day exploring Central Park or been up the Empire State Building! I will just have to come back... and write my top 20! The bus tour is also good, a great way to see a place this big... but there is something special about getting off the subway and feeling like you are in a completely different city.

The weathers not bad either!

Having the best time of my life!

Leanne

Week 8 - where did the time go?!

Hi guys!

Just thought I would give you a quick update on my weekend in Boston.

Had an amazing time visiting Jemma, Graeme and Matt. Their placements all sound excellent and their flat is gorgeous. Had a really great time with them, meeting people like that is one of the highlights of this trip :-) Shame Chris couldn't be there and looking forward to meeting up with all of them this weekend in the city!

Boston seems like a really cool place to live, very pretty and laid back. On Friday, we met for drinks then went out to dinner. The buskers in Boston get ten out of ten! They took me around town on Saturday and me and Jemma were a bad influence on each other when it came to Boston's shopping!

We had a night out on Saturday night. A great pre-paint the town red party before we were sent to a nightclub that was shut down a year ago and was now a construction site! People in Boston are so friendly, and we were soon pointed in the direction of another club. Once we had paid for our table, they accidently gave us a $200 bottle of champagne! Very fabulous. The lead singer from Maroon 5 was also there so although we didn't get to do a rendition of 'This Love' together, we still got our celebrity fix. You know its a good night when the next morning, the last song played on your i pod was from Wet Wet Wets greatest hits!

Back to my last week in New York, I will miss it so much. Got a lot of following up to do from the trade show last week. Looks like it will be another busy one!

New York LA Hollywood Boston New York... Hamilton?

I am writing this on my way to Boston, very surprised to hear the bus I am on has free WiFi! Wish they would roll that out in Hamiltons X1 service to Glasgow, would make my journey to uni much more enjoyable!

The last week has been one of the best. Sorry I haven't written much (had no internet while in LA). Arrived back in New York yesterday morning after working at the NBTA trade fair. Last weekend I worked in the Sheraton downtown LA, finalizing the appointments and meetings for the coming week. The appointments started on Sunday while hotels met with Starwood sales team and met with clients Monday Tuesday and Wednesday. It was quite a challenge having 200 bodies to manage, but all went well and already we are hearing some success stories! At night, I was working at events. We hosted a networking evening on Saturday night for Starwood Staff, and a Martini Madness party on Tuesday night. The party was a huge success with great food, music and drink. I worked closely with the project team who are extremely talented and travel the world hosting events for Starwood. They have an incredible lifestyle and I learned so much with them.

I am beginning to understand how competitive the hotel industry is and how difficult it is for clients, planning their travel when the economy is going through this struggle and organizations are cutting back. NBTA is a large expense for hotels but it really can pay back in knowledge and excellent opportunities.

The earthquake hit LA on Wednesday morning. We were about 30 minutes from the epi-centre and I would love to tell you strories of how I had rubble all around me and pulled someone to safety. Sadly, unlike everyone else in the area, I didn't feel it at all! Don't know how I missed it!! First thing I knew was people were piling out into the streets and my mum text from Scotland to say my gran wanted to check I was ok. One one hand I am very glad to have missed out on the traumatic experience that many people had, on the other I am slightly upset to have not felt a thing!

That night I realized that all I had seen of LA was either the convention centre or the view from a taxi! I had $100 in my purse, and I had just survived an earthquake, so I jumped in a cab and yelled HOLLYWOOD PLEASE! The driver was a bit frazzled that I just shouted in his ear but I ended up seeing the stars and the hollywood sign so it all worked out well!

There was a huge difference from being in LA to New York. People wait on the traffic light before they cross the road, the streets are quiet at 4am, when I lay in bed I couldn't hear a single car... It was a bit spooky after a bit!! I was staying in downtown LA which is mostly corporate so shuts down after 7pm. I'd love to go back someday for a holiday, chill out, spend some time there and experience the rest of California.

I am extremely grateful that Betty and Mary took me along to LA and let me see how a project comes together, from the website being launched on my second day to meeting hotels and clients at the booth. We are now moving into my last week and I will be working on following up with attendees what was gained. Think I have came a long way from the start and It will be very sad saying goodbye.

Looking forward to catching up with the Boston students this weekend, hearing how they are getting on and seeing the sites in another part of the country! I've done three states in three days! No matter what the boys say this weekend, I am still rooting the Yankees!

Will speak soon!
Leanne

14th July 2008

We are less than 2 weeks away from the LA trade fair so I am getting to the stage of finalizing attendees and meetings.

This week I will be putting together schedules for Asia Pacific and European representatives, emailing clients to confirm meeting appointments, hoping to get everyone on waiting lists into the appointments they want and checking everything is up to date on the website and reports.

The placement is really helping my organizational skills and also helping me develop a more confident style of communicating. Networking seems to come naturally to people in business over here and I find that even the style that I send emails in is adapting.

My boyfriend is over from Scotland for 9 days so I had a great weekend showing him the city sights! He was telling me about some guys he was sitting beside on the plane who were going to Houston for an engineering internship... its the 4 Saltire students going to the Wood Group!! Can't believe its time for everyone to begin their placements too... sure you will all have a great time :-) Wish I could go back to day 1!

Going glow in the dark disco bowling tonight.. never a dull moment!!

Leanne

10th July 2008

My first ever 4th July was excellent, went to one a fellow Starwood employees house in Rye where we spend the day at the local pool and had a bbq at one of her friends. The weekend was quite rainy but it still didn't stop me from getting out and about. On Sunday I went to SoHo in the morning to start my 4th year dissertation (didn't make much progress) before jumping on a train to visit one of my friends at Sleepy Hollow.

This week has been a really busy one. The NBTA trade show is in 2 weeks and things are heating up! Today I got the train to White Planes to visit a warehouse where the two new brands have had mock hotels built. This was a trial and error process to make sure the hotel was perfect in life size before it was built. The element hotel was really classic and beautiful. Very environmentally friendly (which I appreciate as a third year geography student) and the aloft hotel was really trendy and fun (which I appreciate as a 20 year old!). The walls behind the aloft Wxyz bar were my favourite!During the day they are plain with CNN on Plasma TVs, then at happy hour they spin to show a fully stocked cocktail bar, the lights dim in the lounge, CNN gets turned off and the music gets turned up! Was really good to speak to the people who have developed the brands and watched them grow. Can't wait to represent them at NBTA!

I am also learning alot about the culture over here and how living life in the US differs to Scotland. Spending some time last weekend at Rye and Sleepy Hollow showed me the suburban  lifestyle. Although it was beautiful and very relaxing.. so far, the city wins!

Week 3

It's been another busy but really good week in New York.

I found out this week what I will be doing for the NBTA hotel tradefair at the end of July. Besides helping the team co-ordinate the client meetings, I will be representing two new brands of Starwood Hotel - Aloft and Element. I am seriously excited about attending the trade fair... Did I mention it was in LA?!- it's hard not to get excited about that part!! The Aloft and Element brands look fabulous, and next week I will take a train to White Plains to see a preview of what the rooms look like (currently built in a warehouse) and will speak to some of the people who  work with the brand on a daily basis. It is really exciting marketing experience and I'm so grateful that Starwood have let me get involved in such an amazing project.

As tomorrow is the 4th July - Happy Holidays!!

Leanne

Week 2 over already!

So it's the end of week 2! I'm getting some really great opportunities at work to get involved with some of the teams projects and events. It is challenging but rewarding doing a variety of tasks. Last night I attended the preview of a W hotel due to open in 2009 in downtown New York. The hotel has residences too, which we got a sneak preview of. It was really modern, trendy and so beautiful. The building is beside the site of the new Freedom Tower, which is a great location. Sadly it is way out of my student budget... but a girl can dream.

On Tuesday I went to dinner with one of the other interns in my office, Delphine, and her friends. Then we went to Central Park to see the New York Philharmonic Orchestra which was really cool. I went with her and her family to the dress rehersal of a play (which her aunt was in) on Wednesday. The play was about the stress which lecturers have when taking students overseas. A play which, I'm sure, many of my lecturers could relate to!

The strangest thing happened today. This morning I was walking to work with my new I-pod and I thought i'd listen to some Coldplay because I hadn't listened to them for ages. So I listened to a few tracks and started to hear two different songs at the same time... Coldplay were playing in the street!! I was so freeked out. Just some entertainment on the way to work... There's never a dull moment in the city!!

Over and out for the weekend!

Had a really exciting weekend in the city. On Friday, I went to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Was a really excellent show and got a standing ovation at the end! Caught the big red bus tour downtown and uptown on Saturday, had lunch in Central Park and squeexed in some shopping at Macys. There's always time for Macys.. It's incredible! On Sunday I went to Brooklyn on the bus, stopping at Grimaldis for lunch (excellent pizza place but had to wait an hour to get in!) and the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Thankfully it stayed sunny until I was back on the bus! There is so much to see and do in New York, I already have next weekend planned!

Back to work yesterday. Finding the weather really humid so I'm glad to be in the air conditioned office! Got some work carried over from last week and will be getting involved with some projects involving the companys market share opportunities. Looking forward to getting stuck in!

Will speak soon,

Leanne

First Week in The Big Apple

Hey everyone,

New York is such a fabulous place. The first few days I was pretty intimidated by its size, its like ten cities in one! The city is buzzing and people are so helpful and friendly. The longer I spend here the more I love it.

I spent my first day in NY shopping on 5th avenue (window shopping!) and got a fabulous view of Manhattan from the top of the Rockefeller Centre. I think that's when it hit home that I'm actually here! I'm not known for my excellent sense of direction and finding my way about Manhattan was a major test. Although on my first day I got very lost (ending up about 10 blocks from where I thought I was on the map) i'm getting there now.

My second day I spent at ground zero and the financial district. As I've never been to New York, I was keen to see this area and the size really took me by surprise. I also got my first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty. I think I actually shouted out loud, "there she is!!".

I started work with Starwood on Monday and it feels like I have been here a lot longer than 5 days! I'm really enjoying it. Everyone in the Global Sales Office was really welcoming and friendly and the projects I will be working on look challenging and exciting. I will be helping the team in the run up to NBTA (National Business Travel Aassociation) which is a large corporate travel trade fair held in LA at the end of July.

Yesterday a tour of the different hotel brands was organized for me and I got an insiders tour of all the Starwood brands. I visited the Four Points by Sheraton, Westin New York at Times Square, Le Parker Meridien New York, St Regis New York, W New York and the Sheraton New York. I had a really great day and it has helped me to understand how the parts of the business operate. Each brand is so unique and there is a brand suited to every type of client.

Now it's Friday and it's my turn to be a New York tourist again for the weekend! Big red bus here I come!

Leanne