Welcome to the Sugary Scoop, my free weekly newsletter where we help you see and experience the magic of NYC that I love so much through curated events, experiences, artists, and community stories.

Let’s get to this week’s Scoop!

Sunday 🍬 6.1

1:00pm (UES) - Zombie Tag V: Xtinction Protocol 🍭🎟️ - The Sugary Community and Children’s Games in Serious Places presents another installment of our wildly popular game of irreverent plague-ridden pandemonium.

​Traverse the halls of the MET and try to survive. Once patient zero enters...it's only a matter of time.

​We wish you luck… RSVP HERE

_{(Social Battery Level: Very High Extrovert - Crowd Size 150-300)}

NOTABLE NYC EVENTS FROM FRIENDS

Tuesday 🍬 5.27

5:30pm (Hudson Yards): Reading Party by Reading Rhythms ✨- ​Reading Rhythms is taking over Hudson Yards for our largest summer reading party yet…​You are invited to experience this free unique reading party with live music centered around social connection. RSVP HERE

6:00pm (Soho): UGLY TALK: From $0 to $10K/MONTH in e-commerce by New Edition Events ✨- Forget growth hacks — let’s talk about what actually works in the early days.​This raw, real conversation dives into the unscalable moves founders made to earn their first $1K per month. No theory. No funnels. Just the gritty steps that laid the foundation for serious growth. RSVP HERE

6:00pm (Flatiron): Against All Enemies Screening by Veterans Fighting Fascism 🎲- Join us for a special screening of Against All Enemies, a powerful documentary that goes deep inside the rise of violent extremism in America—featuring unprecedented access to groups like the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and 3 Percenters. RSVP HERE

Wednesday 🍬 5.28

8:45am (New York, NY): Breakfast Meet & Greet by Venture Sails ✨- Excited to launch a new format for VentureSails: the Breakfast Meet & Greet. This is an intimate gathering to kick off your hump day! RSVP HERE

6:00pm (Flatiron): Rethink It: Love by Monica Berg 🎲 - Join global spiritual leader and relationship expert Monica Berg for a bold, transformative talk that redefines what love truly means. RSVP HERE

7:00pm (Hell’s Kitchen): Magazine Launch Party by The Other Magazine 🎲 - Come celebrate with us as we debut The Other Magazine—the first premium cannabis lifestyle magazine serving NYC and Hudson Valley. RSVP HERE

Thursday 🍬 5.29

6:00pm (Midtown East): Ideas at Ford: Presenting A Handbook of Latinx Art by The Ford Foundation 🎲 - Join us for a book talk and conversation with Darren Walker and Teresita Fernández, plus additional insights with art historians, curators and artists, including E. Carmen Ramos, Juan Sánchez and Margarita Cabrera. A Handbook of Latinx Art is the first anthology to explore the rich, deep, and often overlooked contributions that Latinx artists have made to art in the United States. RSVP HERE

6:30pm (New York, NY): Resilience by StoryTell ✨🎟️ - Join for an evening of connection through conversation and personal storytelling. We'll explore our perspectives, curiosities, and personal stories on the theme of "Resilience". RSVP HERE

6:30pm (West Village): FOUR PAWS x CFF Screening by Climate Film Fest ✨🎟️ - EARTH, SKY, SEA:  Join FOUR PAWS & CLIMATE FILM FESTIVAL (CFF) for a film screening slate and discussion about our relationships with the natural world, followed by a reception in honor of World Endangered Species Month. RSVP HERE

7:00pm (Soho): AI and Government in NYC by DeSciNYC 🎲 - New York is considering some of the most ambitious AI regulations in the country. Assemblymember Alex Bores, who introduced several of the bills, will explain what’s on the table and take questions in an open Q&A. RSVP HERE

7:00pm (Dumbo): Sunset Series by The Industry Mixer 🎲 - We are back taking over the iconic Time Out Market Rooftop in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Join us for a evening breathtaking views, unforgettable vibes & connections. RSVP HERE

9:00pm (New York, NY): Official After Party by New York Asian Arts Festival 🎲🎟️ - Join us as we celebrate wrapping up the inaugural New York Asian Arts Festival 2025! RSVP HERE

Friday 🍬 5.30

4:00pm (Tribeca): Astro-Tea by Alycia Steelman 🎲 🎟️ - An evening of cosmic curiosity and relaxed conversation. Gather with fellow stargazers over a curated selection of wines while an experienced astrologer walks us through the night sky’s current transits, explaining how planetary movements can illuminate our personal and professional paths. RSVP HERE

6:00pm (Midtown East): 30s/40s Mixer at MoMA by Early Burdz 🎲 🎟️ - Join fellow art lovers for an unforgettable evening at the Museum of Modern Art, followed by drinks and great conversation at a nearby bar! RSVP HERE

6:00pm (Flatiron): Alfargo’s Night Out by Alfargo Market 🎲 - Start the weekend with food, drinks, and early access to Alfargo's Market. Featuring sample sales and vendors with curated selections of new, used, and vintage wear. RSVP HERE

6:30pm (Chelsea): In Conversation: Frances Morris & Yasufumi Nakamori on Tanaka & Kusama by Paula Cooper Gallery 🎲 - On the occasion of the exhibition Atsuko Tanaka, Yayoi Kusama, Frances Morris and Yasufumi Nakamori will be in conversation about the artists' work and practice, discussing the artistic concerns of these pioneering figures in postwar abstract art. RSVP HERE

Saturday 🍬 5.31

11:00am (Gowanus): Arts Community Day by Powerhouse Arts 🎲 - The second-annual Powerhouse Arts Community Day is almost here! A celebration of creativity, collaboration, and the inspiring community that makes Powerhouse Arts what it is. Explore our building, meet artists and fabricators, and take part in hands-on activities for all ages. RSVP HERE

12:00pm (UES): Celebrate the New Michael C. Rockefeller Wing by The MET 🎲 - Be among the first to experience The Met’s new Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, featuring the Museum’s collections of the arts of Africa, the ancient Americas, and Oceania. Enjoy an afternoon of live music, interactive art making, gallery chats, and more—all inspired by the remarkable art and cultures showcased in the newly reimagined galleries. RSVP HERE

12:00pm ***MULTIPLE DATES May 31st - June 1st*** (Greenpoint): Explore Digital Fabrication by Maker’s Hub ✨ - We’re opening our doors for Greenpoint Open Studios and inviting you to EXPLORE DIGITAL FABRICATION! Swing by Maker’s Hub for a hands-on peek into the world of: Custom Sticker Making, 3D Printing, Laser Cutting, CNC Machining …and more maker magic.
RSVP HERE

2:00pm (Bushwick): Shrimp Roll Pop-up + Chili Crisp Tasting by Better Than Porridge x Achilles Heat 🎲 - We’re bringing Maine coastal vibes to the heart of Bushwick! Come grab our New England–Style Shrimp Rolls—tender shrimp in creamy dill lemon mayo on a buttery toasted bun. RSVP HERE

Tuesday 🍬 6.3

12:00pm (Soho): The Future of AI in Fashion and Ecommerce hosted by Shopify and ImagineCreate AI 🎲 - We’re bringing together fashion brands and tech leaders to explore how AI is helping accelerate product launches, test creatives, deliver personalized content, and increase conversions at scale. RSVP HERE

6:00pm (Nolita): Shaping the Experiential Economy by Karia ✨ - In this era of hyper digitalization, we see a parallel, seemingly paradoxical consumer demand for real-life experiences. This dichotomy actually makes a lot of sense. The more our lives move online and our interactions get mediated by machines, the more we miss and crave physical interactions with other humans and the world around us. RSVP HERE

6:00pm (Dumbo): NYC Civic Fair by NY Politics 101 & Locally Sourced NYC ✨ - Looking to get more involved in politics at the local level—but not sure where to start? Join us for a Civic Fair connecting New Yorkers with local organizations tackling the city's biggest challenges—from housing and transportation to elections and streetscapes. Think of it like a career fair, but for community and civic impact. RSVP HERE

Wednesday 🍬 6.4

6:00pm (Flatiron): Sick and Dirty by Michael Koresky with Isaac Butler by Rizzoli Bookstore 🎲 - Join us for a conversation with the brilliant film historian and curator Michael Koresky to launch his new book, an erudite and surprising account of how queerness persisted (and even flourished) in Code-era Hollywood cinema. RSVP HERE

6:30pm (Brooklyn, NY): A Mindful Singles Event in NYC by The Feels 🎲🎟️ - ‘the feels’ is a 3-hour evening that includes an 80 minute facilitated experience. Level 1 experience guides you through pairings that include meditations, prompts, positive reflections, and somatic elements like eye gazes + hugs. RSVP HERE 

Use code “sugary” for preferred pricing

Thursday 🍬 6.5

4:00pm (Tribeca): Social Architecture Mainstage Talks by DEMO2025 🎲 - Experience emergent culture at DEMO2025, a festival celebrating explorations in art, design, and technology from NEW INC, the New Museum’s Incubator. RSVP HERE

5:00pm (Chelsea): Tammy Nguyen in Conversation with Naomi Fry by Lehmann Maupin Gallery 🎲 - The talk will take place directly before the opening reception of Nguyen’s first major solo show in New York, A Comedy for Mortals: Paradiso. Naomi Fry is a staff writer at The New Yorker and co-host of the magazine’s Critics at Large podcast. RSVP HERE

6:00pm (Nolita): The Premiere of “God Won’t Come (to plant flowers)” by Velvet & Vinyl and Maya Shaw 🎲🎟️ - An evening of music, film, and feeling wrapped in red velvet and vintage glow. RSVP HERE

6:30pm (Midtown East): Faith in AI by Christians in Tech ✨ - ​Artificial Intelligence is transforming the way we live, work, and connect—but how do we ensure it's used for good? ​Join us for an inspiring evening of conversation around AI, ethics, and the role of faith in shaping technology for human flourishing. To help us tackle these big questions, we partnered together with Gloo, the biggest name in faith‑tech, (yes, the one Pat Gelsinger now leads tech on). RSVP HERE

Friday 🍬 6.6

8:00pm (Williamsburg): PETTING ZOO: LIVE COMEDY WITH LIVE ANIMALS by Cloud City 🎲🎟️ - This is the world’s only comedy show featuring live exotic animals. New York’s top comics have to perform while holding snakes, birds, lizards, bugs, and other cool creatures. Between sets, you can interact up-close with the animals and learn from Ranger Eric Powers and his team of professional nature guides. RSVP HERE

Saturday 🍬 6.7

11:00am (Tribeca): Break The Plates by Laura Alcantara 🎲🎟️ - A symbolic act of letting go, we’ll break the plates and craft transformative art from the pieces using gold leaf, resin, and paint, celebrating the beauty that emerges from what was once broken. RSVP HERE

4:00pm (Midtown West): For The People by Finding Your People & Q Wave 🎲 - Join us for an evening of dance, music, and real connection—just good people + good energy.
 No extras, just the moment. Let’s dance and move. RSVP HERE

6:00pm (Bushwick): Sip, Savor & Spa by Lizzie Renck, Dave Bour & John Lograsso 🎲🎟️ - Imagine dining under the clouds in a fantastical, indoor garden. After dinner, we head to the spa to rest and relax or continue chatting in the garden with friends, new and old. RSVP HERE

Sunday 🍬 6.8

2:00pm (Soho): Bookmarc Celebrates The Virgin Suicides by Marc Jacobs 🎲 - Sophia Coppola is back and she’s conducting a book signing in celebration of her tribute to the the iconic Virgin Suicides! RSVP to [email protected]

2:00pm (Herald Square): The Price of Milk Oppening Reception by Peoples.tv ✨ - Come celebrate THE PRICE OF MILK with the People's Television and XTR teams before our legendairy World Premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival! RSVP HERE

4:00pm (Bushwick): The Groovement Social by The Groovement 🎲🎟️ - Calling all live music lovers! We’re getting the community together. An afternoon and evening of groovy vibes bringing our community together to meet, mingle and find their concert crew. RSVP HERE

Use code “SUGARY” for preferred pricing.

You may have noticed a small addition at the top of last week’s newsletter.

Following the listing of every event, an emoji icon(s) of either:

🍭 ✨ 🎲 🎟️

For months I’ve heard various bits of questions such as to what events to attend and whether I am directly affiliated to this or that event.  As this is a list completely curated by me, I think all are worth checking out and I am deliberately creating a diverse offering so there’s a little something for everyone.

As a way of making it easier to make an informed decision, I’ve designated 4 icons that should help immediately clarify some of your most commonly asked questions:

🍭 - Sugary Sweet - This is an event organized and produced by me or is directly affiliated with our community somehow (i.e. speaking engagement).

✨ - Trusted Source - I either know the person(s)/organization(s), hosting the event and/or have attended the event personally. This recommendation comes from first hand knowledge in one form or another.

🎲 - Roll of the Dice - I have not personally attended the event and/or I do not know the organizer…However, it looks interesting to me and if I had the time, I would personally take a chance and attend it to see what it was about.

🎟️ - Admit 1 - This is a ticketed event and is NOT free (but we do try to get preferred pricing for our community when we can).

I hope this new addition will help you to make a better decision.  Now get out there and explore your cities and the various communities and events that are the lifeblood of our town!

THE SUGARY EFFECT

For Its Own Sake

Not too long ago I met up with a Jewish friend of mine who I love getting together with periodically to wax poetic on any number of topics and themes that have graced our minds.  I particularly enjoy our meetups because both he and his wife are very inquisitive by their very nature and an evening out together almost assuredly promises a fantastic evening of banter.

Following a filling meal, we ended up at a mixology bar for a nightcap.  As we sat down in this gorgeously appointed bar, we were presented with a tome of cocktails.  

Fascinating concoctions it seems was par for the course here as we flipped through page after page of libations each more interesting than the next.

I had concluded my search early with the focus on a classic espresso martini because I’m currently on a quest to discover the city’s best version of this celebrated adult beverage, but my friend was studying the options and his brow furrowed a bit.

I asked him if he saw anything he liked and his response was one of agreeable apprehension.

Indecision it seems hung on the selection entitled, “Yuzu and mustard cocktail.”

The beverage intrigued him enough to hold his attention but not quite enough for him to commit.

In the moment a light smile formed on my face and I told him, “you know…it might just be worth experiencing.”

My friend looked up, intrigued and asked, “Why do you say that?”

I looked at him directly and responded, “because sometimes the opportunity to just experience something new is a privilege in and of itself…I mean how many times do you get to experience something totally new these days?  It’s like a mini miracle, or perhaps a mitzvah as it were?”

The use of the term mitzvah drew my friend’s inspired attention.

I think he was pleasantly surprised that I even knew the term much less the way in which I applied it. 

In the moment a light smile formed on his face and he told me one word…

“Lishma”.

I was understandably clueless.

Recognizing my unfamiliarity with the term, he explained “it means in Hebrew, for its own sake.”

He went on to say that while typically the phrase is used in reference to the study of the Torah, the evolution of the term has also been used at times to refer to appreciating moments of inherent value or beauty…for its own sake.

What an elegant concept and a rather artful way to approach life in my opinion.  

Sometimes the things in life most worth appreciating are the very moments when you are merely open to appreciating them in the first place. 

As our orders came in, we toasted to the moment and took our first sips.

My espresso martini, quite exquisite, his yuzu mustard cocktail…

Very much “yuzu mustardy”, my friend replied.

“Well, what did you think?”, I eagerly asked.

My friend looked at me with a grin and said, “Not sure…but I enjoyed tasting and experiencing the drink…

…for its own sake.”

Lishma…

Are you a Sugary Member yet? Join the 175+ member community that gets you access to member-only events, special event perks, discounts and more

PAST EVENTS

May 17th - Come Make Dumplings With Us  - About 25 of you joined us as we continued our AAPI programming by partnering with the New York Asian Arts Festival and James Beard nominee chef Christine Wong to offer an intimate class in making dumplings literally from scratch (yes that includes wrappers)!  It was an amazing session as Chef Wong was attentive to everyone from the beginner to those a touch more seasoned.  It was honestly an amazing experience and folks really appreciated the expert guidance by chef Wong…not to mention literally eating the fruits of our labor shortly thereafter.

THE SWEET & SALTY

The Only Acceptable Answer

As many of you know I harp on and on about my anti-flaking stance in general.

I used to have these terms to my events that read a bit like a contract at the end of every RSVP confirmation.

While effective, even I admit it could perhaps be a bit…much.

However, lately I’ve adopted an alternative method that has proven very effective and I’m happy to share it with all of you to reduce the amount of flakers in you communities.

In either Luma or Partiful (sorry Eventbrite) you can include mandatory questions that all your RSVPs must answer before they can confirm their registration.

So one of the questions that I make mandatory is…

…asking folks whether they will flake or not.

But here’s the catch…

…I offer multiple choices…except that I only offer only one type of choice really…

 …that you won’t flake.

So like it or not, and whichever way you answer right from the get-go, you are confirming that you will not in fact flake and you are giving your word as a person of integrity.

Over time I’ve gotten cheeky with the choices offered:

If You RSVP, Do You Promise to Show Up?

Option A) Yeah, I'm One of Those People You Can Actually Rely On.

Option B) Flakers Suck, I Mean They Really Suck. So Yeah, Count on Me.

Option C) What Kind of Parents Raised Such Inconsiderate People? Certainly Not Mine.

Mix and match and get creative with the verbiage as you see fit, but not a bad way to get early buy-in to your values eh? 😇

It’s only lightly confronting, with a dash of harmless snark and dry humor tossed in, reinforces better behavior and creates an overall better sense of reciprocity between guests and hosts.

Win win in my opinion. 

So feel free to take this tactic and run  with it, join me in reducing the amount of flakers we have in our midst.

We’ll all be better for it.

Support for the Unsent Letter Project!

The Unsent Letter Mailbox is a grassroots storytelling movement creating anonymous spaces for vulnerability and radical honesty in New York City.

Over the past year, we’ve hosted 19 park installations, 7 sold-out salons, we've seen countless people in public, and received nearly 1000 unsent letters capturing the full spectrum of human emotion and has captured the attention of press outlets such as Secret NYC, NBC Nightly News and the Kelly Clarkson Show.

We’re thrilled to launch our pilot Curator Program, inviting like-minded folk to host anonymous gatherings in their communities. If you're keen, fill out this form!

Join The Unsent Letter Mailbox as a Social Media Intern!

The Unsent Letter Mailbox — an NYC-born art project that lives at the intersection of anonymous writing, emotional healing, and urban play — is growing FAST. We’re looking for a volunteer content collaborator who wants to grow with us.

You:

• Are emotionally fluent and creatively intuitive

• Know how to make something stop the scroll without screaming

• Love language, letters, and soft power

• Want to build something you can be proud of

We:

• Have been featured on NBC + The Kelly Clarkson Show

• Are planning scavenger hunts, secret salons, and continued urban pop-ups

• Are small, self-funded, and full of momentum

• Will give you full credit, mentorship, and future paid work if things align

This is 3-5 hours a week. Remote is cool. And vibes are everything.

If you're curious, email [email protected] or DM @unsentlettermailbox on IG! 

Call To Gather

‘Call to Gather’ champions creative play as essential for health and wellness; fostering mental, emotional, and social well-being. They believe everyone is a maker, and that its through shared creative experiences human beings build trust, collaboration, and can develop a deep sense of community.

Gather Artists are all highly experienced in their craft, providing quality creative sessions from a wide range industries for individuals to begin to explore their creative potential, heal, and connect - ultimately igniting personal and collective transformation in community.

Start your creative play HERE (use discount code: Sugary)

Connect IRL. Experience Fabrik.

Get in touch with NYC’s brightest communities and make new friends.

Fabrik is a home for communities and where everyone has a place to belong. With spaces designed to feel more like your living room than your office, Fabrik’s 'third spaces' are vibrant hubs where you can come together in real life, explore interests, forge meaningful connections, and enjoy a sense of community.

Sign-up here to experience a day pass at Fabrik.

Weekly events at Fabrik HERE

Othership offers immersive sauna and ice bath experiences that help human beings feel good now. A sanctuary for social self-care to move you from city buzz to inner calm.

Dive into the largest performance saunas in North America, experience otherworldly ice bath spaces and connect in an intimate amphitheater-style tea lounge surrounding a cozy fire place for socializing.

Expect towel-waving performances, aromatherapy, guided breathwork, visualizations, and somatic release to help you shift your state and regulate your emotions, in a world that can’t be regulated.

The founders of Othership have gifted us a New York 2 for 1 Deal. Get yours while they last!

EMPATHY PROJECT

Support the Empathy Project by purchasing any of the items from the collection. Be a part of a unique initiative that empowers seven diverse artists to create one-of-a-kind empathy-inspired t-shirts. These shirts serve as iconography tied to our identity, promoting compassion-driven societal impact. 

Each artist picked a 501(c)3 charity of their choice to donate a portion of the sales of their t-shirt design. Your purchase also empowers voices, amplifies the message of empathy, supports charities, and elevates storytelling within our communities, all while building a network for compassion-driven societal change. Join us in making a lasting impact through art and empathy.

You can check out and purchase the 7 different empathy tees HERE