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• June 16, 2008
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Ed Droste: 10 Things I Learned About Digital Media in 24 Hours in Vegas

By Ed Droste

This weekend, Refinery29's founders went to the JetVegas digital media gathering organized by our friends at Thrillist in the glittering fleshpot known as Las Vegas. For company, we brought along Ed Droste of the band Grizzly Bear. Here are his thoughts and reflections.


At the last minute, Ben Lerer, of Thrillist.com gave me a last-minute spot on the JetBlue party plane to Vegas (thanks, Ben). I'd never been before and, other than an experience on a cruise ship in my pre-teen years, I'd never gambled either. Upon landing, there was a party at a bar called Bare, free booze, and all the Blue Terra Chips I could eat (I took a nap with a mound of them poolside). Despite the freebees, the point was to mingle with other "new digital media" types between roulette tables and, yes, more booze. Even though I'm not exactly IN new digital media (well, not at all), here are 10 things I learned...or, more accurately, 10 things I can remember:

1. There is somebody named Julia Allison that dates a lot of "new digital media" men and is famous for something I can't recall. She lost her hard drive recently. Random.

2. There is a hot new thing called Twittering in which you take texting to the next level and essentially send it to everyone you know and strangers! Many times a day! Forever!

3. A Bag of Blue Terra Chips has about 180 calories.

4. JetBlue has a new wireless service called BetaBlue that allows you to shop on amazon.com, check yahoo mail, IM (why do that when you have Twitter?), and that's it.

5. If I hadn't had everything given to me on this trip for free, it probably would have set me back about $5,000.

6. People got laid in Vegas. Not me.

7. There is a restaurant called Cravings , a 24-hour buffet with every type of food from around the world at the Mirage Hotel. It would do really well in Union Square.

8. You can go to Vegas and never leave your hotel compound ever and still feel like you've seen A LOT.

9. Ben Lerer of Thrillist.com is really hot.

10. Be careful what you're texting or looking at on your iPhone/Blackberry because someone from Gawker may be peeping over your shoulder waiting for the chance to laugh at you.

Left to Right: Philippe von Borries and Justin Stefano (Refinery29); Steven Alan, Mayaan Zilberman, and Nikki Dekker.

Aboard the JetVegas Plane; The Mirage Hotel.