MEDIA MOMENT––Emma Tuccillo, And North

September 6, 2018

Emma Tuccillo, Founder and Creative Director, And North

Recently, the Impact PR & Communications team collaborated with Emma Tuccillo of And North, on a curated experience in Upstate New York. After the successful completion of the partnership, we sat down with Emma to talk about what makes And North the go-to guide for all things north of New York City.

Thanks for being our guest this month. Can you tell us a little bit more about And North ?

And North is a curated guide to Upstate New York, featuring the best of travel and lifestyle north of New York City. Forever curious and always exploring, we create in-depth guides on restaurants, farms, hotels, and other small businesses that we admire. We also host curated events for our audience to experience upstate NY regions and makers in person. It is our mission to inspire creativity, collaboration, and a sense of community among those interested in the vibrant regions that lie north.

What led you to this field and your current position?

My background is in photography. I studied upstate in New Paltz which is where I developed my love for The Hudson Valley and Catskills. After school I worked in a farm to table restaurant, a 19th century photo school, and a furniture design company called Materia Designs. Together, these experiences deepened my love for the creative community upstate and inspired me to start And North. When I moved to the city, I created the site to inspire people to travel north and experience the same sense of adventure and community that I had. Together with a strong group of creatives, including our Design Director Tim LaSalle, we wanted to inspire others to leave the city and find wide open spaces and the strong community of small businesses that line the towns and cities north.

What topics/stories or partnerships are you most excited about?

We love to champion small businesses that have a clear mission and aesthetic. We get especially excited when someone is able to put a new town or region on the map with their new enterprise. It shows us time and time again that all it takes is hard work and vision to transform a town from a forgotten place to a sought-after destination.

Photo Credit: Christian Harder

What is one of the most memorable experiences you had in your position?

We take so much away from hosting events. Our goal from the start was to connect people to the creative communities north, so it felt natural to eventually start hosting gatherings. We love to highlight our favorite upstate makers at our events to spotlight all of the immense talent to be found north of the city. This year alone we hosted a 1940’s inspired soirée on a vintage train through the Catskills, our second annual Harvest Dinner with Brushland Eating House, a Holiday Pop-Up in NYC featuring our favorite upstate makers, and a New Year’s Eve Ball. Each event allows us to make personal connections with our audience while showcasing the amazing chefs, makers, and artists that live north of the city.

Tell us – we promise not to hold it against you – what is your biggest PR pet peeve?

We work with an incredible team of photographers and writers, so I would have to say that our greatest pet peeve is when companies or individuals don’t properly credit our contributors. In this day and age, so many creatives produce work for the promotional value, so properly crediting on websites or social media is so important to us.

How many hashtags are too many? (All of us at Impact are looking to impose a legal limit)

We find that using a small but selective number of hashtags works best for us. We prefer ones created by brands we love over generic words, such as #gatheringslikethese or #mytinyatlas over something like #travel or #summer. We know that these hashtags are being seen by the kinds of followers we want to attract, so it is a more targeted approach.

Photo Credit: Christian Harder

What do you love most about living and working in the Hudson Valley?

I live in the lower Hudson Valley in Hastings-on-Hudson, which is an amazing jumping off point to regions north and also an easy train ride to NYC. This middle ground allows me to easily drive upstate for a shoot and to also maintain client meetings in the city. When I am home, I feel like I am so far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. I often go on quiet walks around the neighborhood and love the sense of community around me.

What are your favorite Hudson Valley gems that all locals and visitors alike ought to check out?

There are too many to list! A perfect day for me is to drive to a little town that offers nature, special businesses, and great food. I love Greene County, which is across the river from beloved towns like Hudson and Germantown. That region feels a bit less discovered, so I love driving around and finding new gems. I visit Kingston quite often, as I have many friends who own businesses there. The Rondout District by the water is one of the best stretches in all of upstate New York with Brunette Wine Bar, Clove & Creek, Hops Petunia, Kingston Wine Company, and so many other great spots.  If you’re looking to stay the weekend, we love Church des Artistes, a converted church that is now an Airbnb with the loveliest hosts and surroundings.

If someone wants to follow And North and/or you, how can they connect with you socially?

For daily tips and recommendations, follow us on Instagram @andnorth. Feel free to join our newsletter to keep up to date on recent blog posts and events here.