Friday, October 25, 2013

Comfort Food for the Flu From the Vidicom Team

Hey VRTs (Vidicom Realtimers)

It's me Shartina! I recently had to take time off from work at Vidicom, a company founded by Christy Ferer, due to the flu. Many people (including myself) will try to work sick because they truly enjoy their jobs and co-workers but working while under the weather is the worst thing you can do for your co-workers and the company. Since I am new to Vidicom, I felt even worse that I had to take time off but in actuality staying home and getting better is also apart of displaying characteristics a devoted employee. Healthy employees is a company's greatest asset.

While at home missing all the action in the office, I made some comfort food. Many people run for soup but I was not in the mood for a watery meal. Instead of soup, I made baked mac and cheese. The crunchy topping of the cheese and bread crumbs complimented the gooey mixture underneath. Normally, I using make this dish with extra flour during the holidays so each serving is a perfect cube. Perfect cube servings makes it easier to serve especially to a full house.


Here is the recipe that I used but feel free to make changes. I will add some helpful tips that will allow you to make it your own.

Ingredients
  • 2 or more 8oz bars of cheese (shredded or diced in to cubes)
  • 8oz of shredded cheese for topping
  • 1/4 cup of bread crumbs
  • 16 oz box of elbow macaroni
  • 2 cups of milk
  • salt & pepper (to taste)
  • 2 tsp of mustard
  • 1/4 flour 
In a large pot, add salt, pepper and water, bring water to a boil. Add elbow macaroni to boiling water and cook pasta to your liking. Strain pasta and pour in to grease 9 x13 baking dish and set aside.

In a sauce pan, pour milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add mustard, salt and pepper. Slowly add cheese to sauce pan and stir. Slowly add flour until sauce thickens.

Pour cheese sauce over macaroni and mix sauce and pasta together. Top the dish with shredded cheese and bread crumbs. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 20 min (uncovered) or until the topping is golden brown.

Creative and helpful tips:
  • To make you mac and cheese pop, experiment with different cheeses. I used extra sharp & sharp cheese with an Italian cheese topping that included mozzarella, Asiago, Parmesan and Romano. 
  • Use different shaped pasta like rotini or penni
  • To stiffen the servings, add a tsp of flour at a time until sauce is thick to you liking
  • Add veggies like spinach or chopped broccoli. Or diced ham or crumbled bacon.

Friday, October 11, 2013

Meet Charlie Vella, Account Executive at Vidicom

My name is Charlie Vella, Vidicom's all-star Account Executive, and I just moved from Albany, NY, to the East Village in June. New York is an entirely different world from Upstate NY, and I’m still trying to keep up with the faster pace and stay out of the bike lane. Previously, I worked in communications for an advocacy group up in Albany.

My claim to fame: I acted as Damien the Great Dane, UAlbany’s mascot. Here’s a picture of me doing my thing:

When I’m not selling spots on media tours with Christy Ferer and the rest of the Vidicom team, I’m continually exploring this gigantic city. I love going to shows, parks, brunch, meeting new people, and trying whatever new activity pops up. I have a weakness for tapas and dive bars, and I’m also a karaoke all-star.

The Vidicom Team Captures the Action at the Skylanders SWAP Force Launch in Times Square


Vidicom's all-star team, Steven Shapiro and Orrin Luc, were in New York's Times Square yesterday filming B-roll package for the upcoming launch of Skylanders SWAP force. They interviewed executives, fans and actor James Marsden (Anchorman 2), while capturing the exciting world of the Skylanders video game.


As part of the launch, fans had the opportunity to play the game before the official release date and  win Skylanders SWAP Force Starter Prizes. Fans also participated in interactive SWAP Force-themed activities and met selected costumed characters from the video game.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Meet Shartina Thompson



My name is Shartina and I am the Digital Art Director/IT here at Vidicom, a company founded by Christy Ferer. I recently graduated with my Master's Degree in Fine Art from NYIT. My thesis in graphic design and board game construction was the first of its kind in the school's history.

I grew up in Harlem and I currently reside in the historic area of Parkchester built by the Met Life in insurance company in the 1940's. Parkchester is a hidden gem in the Bronx only an hour away from the Midtown office.

Friday, October 4, 2013

Meet the Vidicom and Citybuzz Team!



Christy Ferer - CEO

Vidicom CEO and Founder, Christy Ferer, is a leading innovator in branded video content and multi-media distribution. After starting her career as an anchor for WPIX New York and covering local news, Ferer became the first network news correspondent to regularly cover fashion runway for NBC’s Today Show.

A seasoned news personality with a pioneering vision, Christy started Vidicom in 1982 and spearheaded its growth into the force it is today. She is the author of several lifestyle books, serves the Mayor of New York City as the liaison for 911 issues and serves on several not-for-profit boards. She is also a former Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.


Sebastian Hill – Senior Vice President, Sales

Sebastian brings 15 years of experience as a TV news and documentary producer for major networks. As a Media Strategist, he puts this experience to use by helping PR professionals craft and develop effective media campaigns that are seen and heard by millions of consumers.



Sky Hanstein – Director, Client Services

An accomplished producer of multimedia driven news segments, Sky brings more than 10 years of production experience to Vidicom, with past stints at E!, Disney, Sony, NBC, and ABC.



Steven Shapiro – Executive Producer

Steven Shapiro is an Emmy-award winning producer & media professional with more than 15 years of TV news and video production experience. He spent 13 years covering major national & international stories for NBC News/MSNBC. Steven has also worked as consultant to major PR firms, production houses and entertainment companies.



Shartina Thompson – Digital Art Director/IT

Shartina is a graphic designer who has worked for Sotheby’s International Realty and Charming Shoppes, the parent company of Lane Bryant. Newly graduated from New York Institute of Technology with her Master’s Degree in Fine Arts – Magna Cum Laude – Shartina brings her eclectic experience in real estate, publishing and fashion to Vidicom.




Nancy Ferris – General Manager, Citybuzz


Luis Garza – Marketing Associate

A graduate of New York University, Luis brings many years of experience in marketing and public relations to Vidicom. He enjoys independent films, travel and is a dedicated lifelong learner who is passionate about advertising and brand management.




Charlie Vella – Account Executive

A recent transplant from Albany, NY, Charlie specializes in sales, marketing strategy, general public relations, and social media. He comes to Vidicom with newsroom and political communications experience.


Ed Plum – Sales Professional

Ed has experience selling integrated advertising campaigns for media companies as Newsday, MTV, Scholastic and The Washington Times. He has worked with a small NYC based talent agency as a Sponsorship Sales Manager responsible for selling corporate sponsorships around events as well as booking celebrity music artists for concerts/festivals. Ed graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Degree in Marketing.




Dana Hildner – Live Content Specialist

Recent college graduate of Merrimack College with a BA in Mass Communication and a minor in Social Psychology, Dana comes to Vidicom from her time at Clear Channel Communications, where she was the Lead Writer and Marketing Manager. In her spare time, she loves hitting the beach and spending time with her pug Toby.