🍬 Sugary Scoop: 2023 Wrapped

Welcome to the Sugary Newsletter by yours truly.  🎉 😊

🍬The Scoop 🍬

• WHAT’S NEW?

• THE SUGARY EFFECT

  • PAST EVENTS

• AND DON’T SAY I DIDN’T TELL YOU ABOUT…

• ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

WHAT’S NEW?

Spotify did it and so I figured, why not do something similar for the community to put the year in context.

For those of you that don’t use Spotify or have been living under a rock, Spotify does a “final year end wrap up report” annually for each of their listeners that presents their listening habits and statistics in a punchy and somewhat cheeky sort of way.

And so without further ado…

🎁 Reflecting on The Sugary Community 2023...Wrapped 🎁

As we dust off the last sugary scoop of 2023, let's reminisce about the year's sweet successes and the monumental strides we've made together, especially with the launch of our most heartfelt endeavor to date: The Empathy Project.

🤲 The Empathy Project: Our Heartbeat of 2023

This year was a transformative journey, with The Empathy Project at its core. Your overwhelming support turned this dream into a vibrant movement, spreading empathy through every T-shirt sold and every conversation sparked. Together, we've not only worn our hearts on our sleeves but also catalyzed a wave of understanding and connection that rippled out into the world.

My 1 wish is for you to join this important cause by purchasing one of the 8 artistic styles of the Empathy T-shirts HERE

🌈 Celebrating Diversity and Curiosity

From eclectic potluck dinners to the uproarious Salaryman karaoke, each event was a canvas for our diverse expressions. We embraced every facet of our community, and in doing so, discovered new depths to our curiosity and joy.

💞 Communion Deepened

Our bonds grew stronger with each gathering, whether it was a laugh-filled happy hour or a soulful gathering with In Good Company. The Empathy Project brought us closer, turning strangers into friends and friends into family.

🎨 A Flourish of Creative Spirit

Creativity was our constant companion, guiding us from the enchanting Art Bath shows to the innovative beats at our music showcases. Your energy and passion turned our community into a beacon of inspiration.

✨ What Was Special About Our Community?

Throughout the year, feedback praised our top-notch execution and the dynamic atmosphere at our events, underscoring our successful collaboration with various communities to foster inclusivity and cooperation.

The innovative "social battery" concept was well-received, helping attendees match their energy levels to our events. Such acclaim reinforces our dedication to hosting inclusive, quality gatherings that cater to all.

📊 By The Numbers, What We Accomplished:

Top 3 Most Consistent Event Series:

• The Grand Potluck

• Zombie Tag

• In Good Company

Top 3 Most Attended Events

• Sweet and Simple Picnic

• Empathy Project Launch Celebration

• In Good Company

Spotify has a listener “type”, so if I were to be analyzed in terms of how I went about building community, it would be…

Community Builder Type: PASTOR

Someone that lives a life of service to their community and is an individual that carries deep convictions and spreads those principles as gospel through word and deed.

…not my idea…but I suppose you never know how you come across to other people right?…thanks DK. So…can I get an Amen?! 😅

But what do you say?

What is one word to describe me as a community builder?

I would love to hear your thoughts!

🔮 Gazing into 2024

As we step into 2024, expect more of what you loved - more diversity, deeper connections, and an unstoppable flow of creativity.

Looking ahead, we’re going to make an effort to double down on our values and seek to find ways in which both the quality and quantity of what our community offers grow in tandem to each other.

As a preview of some of the things we are looking into exploring for the New Year:

.💁🏻 Anchor events that occur periodically throughout the year that the community will come to know and love.

💁🏻 Devising a structure in which members of the community can help each other out professionally.

💁🏻 A way to serve our most dedicated members.

💁🏻 Making a more concerted effort to provide exclusive discounts and benefits through external brands and partners.

💁🏻 Greater social media presence and sharing with the aim to showcase the value of the community out into the world.

💁🏻 Less party, more hearty - Yes, yes, we know how to throw a party / happy hour / networking event...

But I think it’s important that THIS community offers more value along the lines of nurturing deep, meaningful connections, promoting intellectual and emotional growth, and empowering individuals to contribute positively to each other's lives and the broader society.

Here's to carrying this spirit forward and making 2024 a year of even greater impact and sweetness!

🙏 Gratitude and Anticipation

A huge hug and thank you to all the beautiful souls who co-hosted, attended, and brought their energy to our events. From Sugary Sweet Picnics to the unforgettable evenings at In Good Company and The Empathy Project, your participation made each event uniquely wonderful.

DK and I thank you for the support and love you’ve shown us and to each other and we look forward to building towards greater heights in the year to come and sharing it all with you every step of the way.

For the month of January, we’ll be taking a much needed break and so the newsletter will resume in February. But even as I am describing it as a break, it really isn’t one. This month is going to focus on planning and prepping for the relaunch of the newsletter and community in the ways we shared above.

So stay tuned, much more to come ahead in 2024!

💁🏻 Looking For Help!

As we embark in raising the bar in serving our community we’re looking for new intern(s) to join our team! If you're someone who believes in what we do and would like to learn, support and grow our community together please apply below :)

Apply to be our Intern

Happy Holidays everyone and look forward to sharing more with you in the New Year!

With an overflowing heart of gratitude,

Sugary & DK

THE SUGARY EFFECT

Y’all know by now I have a pretty epic tradition around this time of year...

The Sugary’s Grand ‘ol’ Holiday Cards.

Now in its 24th year, this tradition began in college with friends I would make on campus who would go away for the holidays and this would be my way of staying in touch until the new semester rolled in. What started out as maybe 10 or so cards has ballooned into a practice of writing about 1000 cards a year and are sent to virtually every corner in the world (minus Antarctica).

It’s obviously a pretty intense and insane tradition to keep up at this level and for so long (this project ends up being one of my most significant investments of time and finances all year), but I think it’s worth it.

It allows me to maintain a tether to my friends, near and far in a deliberate and spirited fashion. In a world where everything is about speed, immediacy, and instant gratification, I choose instead, to have this one act at least, serve as a form of “slow food” for my relationships over the years. I’m of the opinion that every relationship needs this if the intent is for it to be more than just an acquaintance and a relationship that endures.

It’s an investment of goodwill and grace and I extend it in the name of a life lived in good company.

Next year will be 25 years of this tradition and I feel fortunate that I get to have the memories and moments of at least 1000 amazing people still present and filling my soul to the brim. My cup does indeed runneth over…

It’s in the spirit of the season, in the spirit of who I am and in the spirit of community.

A toast to the good fortune of good company!

PAST EVENTS

December 2nd - Deliberate Acts of Kindness Event- It couldn’t have been a more perfect day as 30 of you joined us in Washington Square Park to encourage kindness among the people in our city. After all was said and done we managed to complete hundreds of kind acts in just a few short hours. Be it answering an inspiring question, stating what empathy means, writing heartfelt notes or paying it forward with $1 ultimately empathy won the day and I was grateful the community came out to show the love.

December 14th - FAM x Empathy Project - About 40 of you came out to attend this intimate fireside chat in which we discussed the Empathy Project and also had an in depth exploration of the theme song for the initiative with Movie Night’s own Mike Squillante.

AND DON’T SAY I DIDN’T TELL YOU ABOUT…

It’s Time to Heal

Normally my focus in this section is centered around interesting and exciting happenings in this amazing city of ours. A new production to check out, a fascinating new exhibition to experience (or not experience), a new dish/drink to try…

However, I think it’s fair to say that the times that we are living in are quite challenging and we’re all in need of people to help us discover how to manage ourselves better and achieve a better sense of balance in these tumultuous times be it mental, physical and/or spiritual.

So in this particular instance and this being the newsletter that ushers in the New Year…

Enter my dear friend Victoria Davis whose heart, mind and skill set is in the exact right place for this kind of work.

An accomplished practitioner of meditation and yoga Victoria has spent years perfecting her craft and filtering it through a nurturing lens that leaves people feeling seen and fulfilled.

Now anyone who knows me knows that I’m not someone that has readily embraced any form of wellness practice. Rightly or wrongly, that’s been my M.O….other than card writing of course

However, having personally attended one of her online offerings, I just found the experience to be informative and unexpectedly refreshing.

Come the start of the year, Victoria will be launching a monthly masterclass series highlighting key aspects of modern mental health.

This online offering is designed to cultivate community, emotional exploration and growth and it all begins on Thursday 1/11.

In addition to this, Victoria offers a series of in-person local/retreat style workshops to explore.

I for one hope some of you will check it out and find value to get you in the right mindset for 2024.

Should you be interested, visit her website HERE or write to Victoria at [email protected]

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Karen Bystedt

Bold. Prescient. Prolific.

Such are the words used to describe Karen’s unique lens on pop culture.

An accomplished photographer and mixed media artist (one of the few artists to ever shoot Andy Warhol), Karen’s work often pairs iconic photography with an array of treatments of both independent and collaborative natures that present her images in refreshing often unexpected ways.

The classic imagery juxtaposed with these contemporary techniques resonate deeply with her audience and create a timeless relevancy for her work.

When I first met Karen she had a vivid presence about her, which I found mirrors her work perfectly. Clearly she is an artist that lives life on her own terms yet knows exactly how to translate this gift in a way that is irresistible to those who witness her creativity.

I’m confident that you’ll be seeing much more of Karen’s work and it’s almost a sure bet you’ll find something in her collection that you can vibe with.

Shepard x Bystedt (iconic piece)

Bugazzi x Bystedt (lesser known piece)

The Gold Queen (newest piece)

Thank you for taking the time to read to the end!

I hope you found something inspiring and meaningful in my content and until next time, explore the possibilities of NYC.

-Sugary

🍰🍭🍩🍦🍫🍪🍨🧁

PS. Don’t be shy and hit reply and tell me how you’re doing!