A couple of weeks ago I went to a networking event for Syracuse Woman Magazine at the invitation of Farah Jadran, the editor of the magazine and a good buddy of mine. I went, not only to try to network but also to write a little critique of Anthony’s Pasta Bar on Genesee Street in Hanover Square.

This is the second time they’ve had the networking event there, but we were on a different side than the previous time and I’d have to say it was an improvement. The first time the room we were in wasn’t conducive to talking to others but this time it was on the bar side, which was much better.

I have to admit that I’m not good at many networking events, and I was expecting the same type of thing to happen this time around. Instead, I met up with Farah early on and she introduced me to a couple of people, one I didn’t know named Raquel Boni, who I’m in the picture with and is a professional model through AMS Models (yours truly is also listed as a model with them; hey, what do they know? lol), Ginny Donohue of On Point For College (who never remembers meeting me), and Jenna Schifferle, an intern working for the magazine.

During the evening I talked to a few other people as well, including Joseph Monkofsky, an account executive at Eagle Publishers, who publishes the magazine. I’d have to say that the conversations were pretty good and even the woman who usually move way away from me when I show up because they have no idea who I am (not a lot of men show up at these things) stayed put. Of course I’m a big supporter of the magazine and many people on the night learned about the interview I did here with Farah, which is linked to above.

As far as Anthony’s is concerned, I give them a B on the night The only thing I didn’t like was the pizza, which had a crust so hard I couldn’t bite into it. But they had something called chicken riggies that was wonderful, the first time I’ve ever eaten it, and something I wouldn’t eat because it had tomatoes in it, but everyone else seemed to enjoy it. I will say this though; since it was an event and not a sit down dinner, I don’t hold the pizza against them.

The area we were in was sectioned off nicely as well. In the front is what looks like a mini lounge with an actual fireplace, couches and a TV over the mantle. Then a long bar area with lots of space to move through, which I really liked, and in the back area some tall tables with stools that also offers a lot of space. Oh yeah; there’s also a little pool table, which I almost forgot about.

It was a comfortable night and a good time, and the only disappointment I had was that the cover girl, another business friend of mine named Anne Messenger of Messenger Associates wasn’t able to make it. I told her I’d talk about her for missing it, and here I am. 🙂