It was nice getting together with Gary Angel for dinner tonight - I really have to thank Gary for a great time at The Modern (right next to MOMA) where I made reservations while passing by the restaurant last night, not realizing how expensive the meal was. 

Gary Angel is able to explain issues in web analytics better than anyone else I've read …. so it was an interesting meeting that we had tonight.   Gary told me a couple of weeks ago that he'd be in town this week on business and we talked about life and web analytics as we traveled from my office on West 29th street over to The Modern on 53rd street.  

I was glad to have a chance to show Gary some of my paintings and sketches, plastered all over my office - painting is what balances out my life and complements my web analytics and SEO/SEM work.

I also chose the location for dinner to coincide with Doug Aitken exhibition at MOMA - Aitken's "Sleepwalkers" show is being projected on the outside facade of the Musuem of Modern Art every evening for the next month - the show is drawing crowds, despite the icy cold temperature.  I thought Gary might like to see the show though he was dressed more for San Francisco weather than what we're having tonight in NYC.

Anyway, Gary told me about his background as a programmer and how he likens the web analytics work he's done (with large amounts of data) to earlier work in Credit Card programming.   Gary also had a Wine business at one time, and sold it in the late 1990's - but he knew all about wines.   In fact, I was watching what wine Gary would order tonight - though I ordered the most inexpensive red wine on the menu.   Our combined meal was well over 200 dollars and I'm glad Gary paid for it because I'm not sure I had more than 100 bucks in my pocket.    

I asked Gary what he likes to do when he visits NYC - he said - go to the theatre; sounds like he might not get the chance to see the shows he'd like this visit but if he had the time, that's what he'd do.    I suggested he take in the German Portraiture in the 1920's (Verist Art Show) at the Metropolitan, if he gets a chance.

As we sat in a very expensive restaurant, The Modern insisted we wear dinner jackets and lent us two to wear, we were able to see Doug Aitken's light show going on outside the restaurant.

Gary talked about his life in San Francisco, his wife is an artist and he has two young daughters that he's very devoted to.   Semphonic, Gary's company, is a small team of Web Analytics Experts that both deploy and consult with many of the top corporations.

Yes, I talked a lot; nervous sometimes, often.   We talked about blog strategy - I told Gary about my ideas of focusing blogs writers in the same network as a lens, rather than what we typically do - a hive approach.  Gary mentioned his is a company blog and so he focuses on Web Analytics, pure and simple.  I felt I needed to explain that I widened the field for what I write about to such things as Ashlee Simpson Gets a New Nose, Banksy's Demographics and Angelina Jolie's 400K Picnic purchase, Different Hairstyles Are Linked To Perceived Personality Traits, Got Grillz? Photo Gallery, etc, and that this type of post I tie to web analytics, because I think almost anything can be connected with metrics.   I do write about pure Web Analytics as well, citing my two recent posts on using SpyFu.com for competitor analysis and my findings while doing a competitive analysis of the pet food industry for a new client, as examples.

Gary talked about some of the challenges of his job, especially around Lead Generation - as that's clearly an issue that is handled differently, depending on the client and the project scope.  I explained my own ideas about Lead Gen, and what I've come up with.  Gary mentioned that one thing that's happened to him is finding out that some leads are not as valuable as others and finding out about it in indirect ways, which are not helpful.

While Gary Angel does not see himself to be an artist - he said he likes to work with his hands. I certainly think Gary is an artist in how he expresses his ideas on Web Analytics and the awareness he has, in general, which I noticed.  Certainly, if anyone understands the problems of Web Analytics and the best way to deploy any of the major platforms, it's Semphonic, and Gary Angel is ….. well, the voice of Semphonic.

Anyway, after a nice, and way too rich meal - we ended the evening and I made my way home.

Thanks Gary, for a wonderful evening and dinner; and check out Gary's blog, Semangel - if your into Web Analytics - it's a MUST READ.