New Year’s resolutions – who needs ‘em? We do. Annoying or not, they’re down right obligatory.

As we turn the page to a brand new year, the “birds” at Bay Bird Inc look forward to soaring even higher in all areas of life. Beyond the expected, de rigueur health & fitness goals to erase evidence of holiday indulgences, our personal resolutions this year are varied. However, it seems there is one common thread, a goal we are all working to achieve – and that is to live life wholeheartedly and in the moment.  To seek complete zen-like satisfaction through one word: moderation.  So, while we reflect on a very busy year that seemed to have flown by,  this year we plan to truly enjoy each moment, meal, sip, and gathering. Rather than rush, we look forward to taking the necessary time to enjoy the “now”  - the spark of an idea, the spiritual mash-up, the innate evolution of creative genius.

And what better way to do that than by turning to our culinary and mixology clients as they prognosticate and expertly forecast the top food and drink trends of 2012. No, not all of them will be fat-free. But we can savor in the small, while not skipping a bite (or bev).

Our mantra this year will be, “Mangia! Bevi! Moderation!”

In this post, we share our client, the maestra of mixology, Erin Williams of Hush Cocktails’ top 8 cocktail trends for 2012.

Cheers to a sweet, savory, smoky and spicy new year!  We can’t wait to dig in with a fresh new focus.

~Peyton

The Toast of the Coast:  Solana Beach Crush Restaurant and Wine Lounge Opens

Market-Fresh Italian Cuisine, Top-Notch Service & Expansive Wine List Create A Coastal Destination For The Discerning Foodie

Now open at (437 S. Hwy 101, # 112 Solana Beach) Crush Italian Cuisine and Lounge is offering San Diego’s discerning foodie a vibrant coastal destination interlacing definite coastal and modern design elements, an enticing menu of Italian-inspired seasonal cuisine, an impressive list of over 160 International wines and an unforgettable epicurean experience. The menu was developed by the talented and modest, Chef Jason Colabove specializes in combining traditional Italian flavors and cooking techniques with fresh, local and organic ingredients to create bright and flavorful dishes that are wholly satisfying.  A thoughtful and reasonably priced wine, beer and cocktail list has been hand-selected to pair with the food; an on-site Sommelier will steer each guest in the right direction to ensure a flawless pairing.  The core Crush philosophy is to provide each guest with a lively and engaging atmosphere with an unsurpassed attention to detail and exceptional service to exceed all expectations.

Crush’s Executive Chef will be working closely with longtime colleague and friend, Chef Michael Lina (Steakhouse at Azul La Jolla) who will be running the day-to-day operations behind the scenes in Solana Beach.    The pair trained together in culinary school and share the same passion for their craft and analogous cooking philosophies – both are inspired by high-quality market fresh product with a particular focus on perfecting and modernizing Italian classics.   The coastal destination will offer lunch and dinner – with standout dishes including appetizers, a smart happy hour menu and decadent dishes such as:  Crush Bruschetta (buratta cheese, cherry tomatoes, basil pesto) $12, Scampi Prawns (chili, garlic, lemon, toasted sourdough), Lamb Shank (ancient grains polenta, tomato confit, natural reduction) and Papperdelle Carbonara (pancetta, poached egg, chive, preserved lemon butter, mini croutons).

Seasoned Publicist Brings National Experience to
Growing San Diego Lifestyle PR Firm

Bay Bird Inc PR, a boutique public relations agency specializing in lifestyle and business communications for local and national companies in the restaurant, spirits, entertainment, fashion, art/design, beauty/wellness and hospitality industries, is pleased to announce the exciting new hire of Natalie Sellers as Director of PR. Bay Bird Inc PR is headquartered in downtown San Diego in the city’s trend-foward East Village neighborhood.

A recent New York City transplant, Sellers is a seasoned publicist with over 13 years of experience and unparalleled relationships with the national media in New York and in key markets across the country. Sellers began her career working with the in-house Public Relations and Special Events team at the legendary Manhattan retailer, Bergdorf Goodman, quickly working her way up to become the department Manager.  She then went on to hold senior positions at two of New York’s most prestigious lifestyle-focused PR and marketing firms where she represented national luxury beauty brands, design and fashion clients. In 2006, Natalie began to hone her skills surrounding one of her true personal passions:  the food, beverage and nightlife industry.  As a founding member of the team at Handcrafted PR in New York, Natalie’s most recent experience involves spearheading the launch and promotion of world-renowned craft spirit brands, bartenders, NYC foodie destinations and bars/nightclubs. After 16 years in New York, Natalie made the recent move to San Diego to enjoy the surf, sun and the city’s burgeoning community of cocktail and foodie culture, thrilled with the opportunities and projects she will be involved in that will allow her to contribute to this exciting and emerging market.

“Our agency roster is growing rapidly and having a skilled media relations expert on our team with upper level management experience of national lifestyle accounts is key,” said Peyton Robertson, agency founder. “Natalie has displayed impressive strength in the publicizing and marketing of lifestyle brands and will bring added visibility and media presence to our clientele.”

At Bay Bird Inc PR, Natalie will oversee the management of existing lifestyle accounts, supervise and mentor junior staff and will work closely with Robertson on new business development and agency initiatives.

Ashley Netzband
Publicist, Bay Bird Inc PR

From the wedding list to the royal feast – all aspects of the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton have been covered. By covered I mean processed, downloaded and spit out by the press. Whether you’re an American morning show or a British tabloid, you have likely covered the story multiple –  if not dozens of times. And will continue to do so until the honeymoon, the one-year anniversary, the birth of the first royal child and so on.

This event is unlike any other in this century – and much like the speculated $32-$64 million price tag, the affair will undoubtedly prove to be a memorable one. With media coverage of this magnitude the entire media landscape has shifted – the swells of coverage don’t stop at tabloids and lifestyle magazines, but have spilled onto prime time newscasts such as MSNBC and CNN. Hard news media are covering the event much like they would a presidential election – counting down the days, polling the British and American people and speculating as to the outcome. Many big name brands have even gone as far as to create products around the nuptials. From royal wedding themed cocktails to royal fragrances, it seems the entire world is capitalizing on the royal “to do.”  Nearly every industry has caught the wedding fever.

While a Huffington Post poll suggests a very small few are really excited about the wedding, the outlet itself has written a total of 11 related stories. Isn’t that proof enough that the media deems the event a relevant topic – one which people care enough about to follow?

Imagine the PR behind-the-scenes of the royal wedding. INSANITY. It seems their role is more closely aligned with a British guard at Buckingham Palace than an actual publicist. Instead of trying to pitch the fairytale love story, their position is rooted in liaising with the government politic and matters of crisis management for publicity filtered to the entire world – quite the undertaking.

This being a royal milestone, the carriages, the orchestra and the footmen have all made the front page – proof that the royal wedding has transcended the entire spectrum of media. Both traditional news and the gamut of lifestyle media including blogs, magazines and websites are covering the big event. You would have to be living under a rock or on another planet to have not read about, come across a Lifetime movie on, or simply chatted about the details with a friend.

With only two days until the big day, I am certain the royal PR team is scrambling with last minute details, to accredit media, determine prime camera and media locations, develop media materials and much more. With anticipation of elbows flying and security fastened tight these folks have their hands full with all the excitement and prepping for the calculated mishaps and chaos for the day of. If all goes well, despite the expected fight between Brits and local press photographers to get the perfect shot and competing TV crews jockeying for position with hundreds of pounds of heavy film gear, I can’t say that I am envious of the stress and intense pressure these publicists are under, or maybe I am, just a smidge.