Empire state of mind.

I bought a one-way plane ticket yesterday. With any luck, and if I don't get detained for suspicious one-way activity, I'll be arriving in New York City on May 27, 2010.

I am so thrilled to announce that I'll be joining the Draftfcb NYC media team on June 1, a group of folks who have taken to chewing gum and winning Media Plan of the Year awards. And they're all out of gum.

New York is in my blood; my great-grandfather Veisel (son of) Beio arrived on Ellis Island from Albania, paving the way for my my paternal grandparents, who grew up on the Lower East Side. My maternal grandfather went to high school in Williamsburg. Both of my parents grew up on Long Island. Currently, I have various assorted cousins, aunt, uncles, and grandparents all over Brooklyn, Long Island, the Catskills and Buffalo. It only feels right that I give New York a whirl.

I'll be living in Dumbo and working in Herald Square - I'm always down for a drink and a chat, so please don't be shy.

I'm a very lucky so-and-so to be starting a new chapter of my life in another great city and couldn't be more excited about it. I'll miss you, Chicago. Hello, New York!