This past Monday, 100 or so PR pros gathered at Philip Marie in the West Village for mediabistro.com's monthly PR party. From talking to many in the crowd, we confirmed two of our thoughts about 2008: 1) everyone is hiring 2) a lot of people are scared about a recession.

Check out more pics after the jump.

Photos courtsey of Mark McKennon

Edison Alban, NYS Consumer Protection Board; Jennifer Kushner, New York County District Attorney's Office

Katie Retelle, Commcore Consulting; Matthew Caldecutt, Trylon SMR; Roberta Lee, Publicis Consultants

Peter Costanzo, Perseus Book Group; Marisa Sodenberg, Perseus Book Group; Annie Valpone, Perseus Book Group

"Wanted to remain anonymous;" Joel Mahan, host/anchor On the Sportslines

Margalit Edelman, Merck & Co.; Gemma Martin, Deloitte

Natasha Mulla, PR Week Magazine; Yours truly, Joe Ciarallo, Mediabistro PRNewser blogger and Horn Group Account Executive; Laura Bucko, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce

John McCartney, Attention PR; Robyn Ettinger, Catalyst Public Relations

Cheryl Messer, Girls Incorporated; Paul Mondesire, Twenty First Century Foundation

Michael Sherer, filmmaker; Nathalie Masse, Ruder Finn

Kelly Knight, Triumph Learning; Hila Ratzabi

Rob Halperin, Articulate Communications; Jan Percival, Fordham Univ.

Jenna Landry, WIRED Media; Paul Bennett, Fortune