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!

A small miracle happened this month. We finally found our social media manager 🫶

If you’ve been reading this newsletter, you might remember the little note I dropped in here asking if anyone knew someone great. I figured maybe one or two people would respond. At best, someone’s cousin who once ran an Instagram page for their dog.

Instead, one of you read that line… and Aubreyne Brizette reached out to us directly.

Born and raised in New York. Lives and breathes community. Actually understands culture, people, and pacing. Someone who can take what we’re building and translate it for the digital world without killing the soul of it.

She met with us, understood the mission immediately, and spoke about social media the way chefs talk about knives. Confident. Precise. A little dangerous in a good way.

And here’s the real lesson I learned. All I did was ask.

That’s it. No overthinking. No “let me put this off until I have more time.” No hoping the perfect person magically appears at an event on West 4th while I’m drinking tea with someone I just met. I just said the words out loud: we need help.

I’m trying to get better at that. Asking for help. Asking for support. Asking for partners in this mission. I’ve spent so many years doing everything by showing up, following up, and willing things into reality that I sometimes forget the simplest tactic. Just ask. There are people who want to help. People who believe in what we’re doing. People who are literally one newsletter sentence away.

So welcome, Aubreyne!

And thank you to the community for proving once again that the most powerful thing in this city is not the algorithm. It’s the people who open the right door at the right time.

We’ll be launching the @sugarynyc Instagram account after Thanksgiving so stay tuned!

🍬 Sugary

THE SUGARY EFFECT

Thanks…For Giving Me Friendship.

It’s been a hell if a 2025 but, this year there’s been something that I’m particularly grateful for…

My friend Calvin Lee and I have been friends since about middle school.  We always kept in touch but rarely found the opportunity to see each other.  Last week after years of talking about linking up, we finally did.  

Calvin had driven all the way from Long Island to come see me in my neck of the Brooklyn woods and I was grateful he made that effort so effortlessly.  

I had not seen the man in years and the person that showed up for lunch was a concerning representation of an old friend.  Noticeably overweight, haggard visage and clearly short of breath (and he only had to walk a couple blocks to our meetup).  It wasn’t lost on me that his severe health issues echoed aspects of my own health struggles in recent times…and he was just slightly older than I was…which was sobering.

He never much enjoyed the focus of the conversation to be on himself so apart from the modest inquiry as to his health, he dryly responded, “not good” in his typically playful yet acerbic tone and for the most part, we moved on from that point.

The rest of the meal was amazing and we caught up on a lot of points from our shared complaints regarding family, to his recent splurge on getting his car color re-detailed and also his deep regret for voting for Trump out of frustration with the Democrats for his second term.

Despite his protests, I “out-asian-ed” him and took care of the bill before he could even take out his wallet. And I was happy to pay, I really missed the guy and it was a small token of my appreciation for him after all these years.  Calvin grumbled a bit about being outmaneuvered but managed a “thank you” while nursing his clear and indisputable defeat.

When we left we resolved to meet up again soon and not let it be years before we linked up again like the last time. I’d make the trip to Long Island next time to see him and while I was at it pay a visit to his mother who lived alone after Calvin’s father passed away a year ago…and yes he could pay the bill next time.

As we parted ways, I asked him if he was gonna take better care of himself to which he replied with a wry grin, “Yeah, we’ll see. Take care of yourself and thank you once again. You’ve always been a great guy.”

This past week after producing an event Wednesday evening, I noticed that I got a message on FB Messenger from an unknown number.  This was odd to begin with and I discovered it was from Calvin’s wife.

This was apparently the only way she could reach me because she did not have my number and I knew whatever was about to come out of her mouth wouldn’t be good.

As it turns out in the wee hours of Wednesday morning Nov.19th, my friend Calvin had passed away…a week or so after we had met up.

He was discovered alone in his car, expired from an apparent heart attack.

I had been among the last if not the last friend to share a meal with him.  

It was all a lot to process as I sat on the cold granite seat and just stared blankly into the distance trying to process the news. 

I’m so grateful that I actually had the opportunity to see my old friend one last time and that it was a moment captured in kindness and regard. It made me sad to reflect on how many other moments I’d passed up with him and with friends in general in the name of inconvenience or simply a lack of follow-up. I know I shouldn’t beat myself up about it but when you get news like this it’s kinda hard not to feel a certain way

In this life you never know what can happen, best make sure you invest in the relationships you care most about, they’ll be gone sooner than you think..

Obviously, if you’ve been following this newsletter, you know that this particular Thanksgiving was never promised.  So, I’m so grateful for the new lease on life following my hospitalization in August as well as the friends far and wide that rallied around me to show support and love that I very much needed.  I’ve respected this support in taking my recovery very seriously and in 3 months time have made a turnaround in my physical health that my doctors universally characterized as “ dramatic and extraordinary”, so much so that it’s the type of recovery they hope to see in their patients, but so rarely ever see and certainly never so quickly.  I’m taking this momentum to continue the recovery process and to get stronger every day by treating myself better both physically and mentally. I owe my friends and family that.  I owe Calvin that…

Let’s be more grateful for each other and celebrate our lives in good company.

2026 is looking far more optimistic and I’m grateful to be around for it.

Rest in peace my friend and thank you for the memories…I’ll save you a turkey leg.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

🍬 Sugary

NOTABLE NYC EVENTS, HAND-PICKED BY SUGARY

Welcome to the inaugural edition of The Sweet List—our newly standardized events newsletter built with complete with a color-coded Trust System, clear Time & Place formatting, crystal-clean social-battery icons, concise one-line value props, bite-sized “Your People” profiles, Free 🆓/Ticketed 🎟️ markers, and curated experience icons to help you zero in on the perfect vibe.

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

Athar Orchestra

The rich music traditions of the Middle East have long served as the cultural centerpiece of ancient civilization spanning centuries.

Over the years, artists have drawn upon references to enhance modern music genres, but there have been very few institutions in NYC that not only celebrate and renew the traditions of classical middle eastern music, but also have an aim towards fusing musical influences to expand the greater vocabulary of music through the context of the Middle Eastern lens.

This is Athar Orchestra.

The newly minted orchestra, so named by H.E. Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo), led by the talented and wonderfully charismatic Syrian musician Faraj Abyad is “dedicated to uniting the rich and diverse musical cultures of New York City through Arabic poetry and Maqam.”

The name was chosen to embody dedication and human generosity, the pursuit of cultural dialogue, the exchange of thought and knowledge, and the connection between the civilizations of East and West.

Through bi-monthly concerts and educational initiatives, the group hopes to become a consistent presence in the fabric of NYC culture going forward.

I had a chance to attend an intimate stripped down version of the orchestra during a recent fireside chat that Faraj hosted, and I can tell you firsthand that the beauty of the music is truly a marvel to behold, and the virtuosity of the musicians with both traditional, as well as modern instrumentation is truly beyond compare.  I can only imagine what the full weight of an orchestra would bring to the sound.  And even beyond the classic Middle Eastern sounds, there were influences also from the Caribbean, European and American song traditions present within the performance no doubt rooted in Abyad’s deeply seated curiosity, and willingness to explore.

I must admit that as much as I am an appreciator of Middle Eastern music I don’t really find many consistent opportunities to experience it in New York City.  Hopefully Athar Orchestra will rectify this because the artistry is truly something to experience.

I encourage you all to follow their work closely and take the opportunity to check out one of their many shows that they will no doubt have in the New Year.

It is without a doubt that institutions like Athar orchestra are why NYC continues to be the envy of the world when it comes to cultural inspiration and diversity.

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 free trial at Fabrik.

Weekly events at Fabrik HERE

Othership

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!