Welcome to the Sugary Scoop, my free biweekly 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!

None this week!

EVENTS FROM SUGARY MEMBERS (hosted by our community members)

Sunday 🍬 4.6

3:00pm (Dumbo): Take Down The Mob by Rosie Von Lila - NYC History! Mafia True Crime! Great Food! ​Learn true crime Mob sites and stories in NYC’s most-cinematic neighborhood, DUMBO Brooklyn! ​Hear the true history and real insider details of the Mob cartel that brought NYC to its knees...and how NYPD’s supremely secret takedown took place — right in the place where it happened! RSVP HERE

Special Preview Event & Pricing Specifically for the Sugary Community

NOTABLE NYC EVENTS FROM FRIENDS

Monday 🍬 3.31

6:00pm, (New York, NY): Everything Angel Investing: Investor & Founder Mini-Series Kick Off by Tori Hanson - An insightful introduction to angel investing. Join a panel discussion that prepares future investors and startups for success. RSVP HERE 

Tuesday 🍬 4.1

7:00am (Downtown BK): Physics of Consciousness by Hyperstition Incorporated - Dive into the enigma of consciousness with experts discussing its nature and quantum interactions. RSVP HERE 

11:00am (Union Square): From Idea to Iconic by Antler - Join early stage founders for an exclusive fireside chat with industry leaders Jenny Fleiss and Rachel Drori. Network, gain insights, and enjoy an engaging panel conversation. RSVP HERE 

3:00pm (Downtown BK): Night of Neurotech by Hyperstition Incorporated - Featuring networking and groundbreaking presentations on neuroscience and brain-computer interfaces. Discover the future of neurotech innovations. RSVP HERE

6:00pm (Union Square): Streets in Ancient Egypt: An Archaeology of In-Between Space by ARCE-NY - In recent decades, Egyptian archaeology has increasingly focused on the study of ancient Egyptian settlements from various periods of pharaonic history. However, the streets in these settlements have often been overshadowed by studies concentrating primarily on the interiors of buildings, particularly domestic spaces. RSVP HERE 

6:30pm (Soho): Backgammon at BELONG by Remington Davenport - Join us for a thrilling 16-person tournament with prizes and refreshments available. All skill levels welcome! RSVP HERE 

6:30pm (Soho): How to create SUPERBABIES by DeSciNYC - Diving into polygenic scores for embryo selection. Explore the implications of genetics on future generations. RSVP HERE 

7:00pm (Williamsburg): Networking by Dennis Heihoff - Networking Events... aren't they the most fun events of our LIVES?!?!?!?!?! Connect with likeminded professionals! Recite your CV. Participate in fun ice breakers 🧊 🔨 like what is your favorite way to cook a potato? 🥔 Maybe hit the DMT pen! 🌀 However, the only way you will be admitted is if you wear fishnets. Fishnets are essential for proper networking! How else could you work someones net!? RSVP HERE 

Wednesday 🍬 4.2

5:00pm, (Gramercy): Space: The Ultimate Innovation Arena and Battleground? Exploring the Final Frontier by Hyperstition Incorporated - An insightful discussion on the transforming space economy. Join industry leaders for valuable perspectives during Deep Tech Week. RSVP HERE 

7:00pm (New York, NY): The Stable Salon - Vol. 2 by This Week in Fintech - Join a vibrant community focused on stablecoins and the future of finance, featuring discussions with builders, investors, and policymakers. RSVP HERE 

Thursday 🍬 4.3

MULTIPLE DATES STARTING TODAY 4/3 - 4/9 (New York, NY): ReelAbilities Film Festival by ReelAbilities - ReelAbilities has grown from a single New York-based disability film festival into a leading independent nonprofit and the premiere global exhibitor of disability-focused cinema. RSVP HERE 

Use Code “sugary” for a discount

6:00pm (New York, NY): Undo. Undo. Redo. by Contrary - Showcasing design leaders sharing their iterative journeys through failures and successes. Celebrate the learning process in design. RSVP HERE 

5:30pm (Bed Stuy): Studio Grand Opening Screening and Concert Series by Los Depressos (Spike Lee film & Chris Rob) - An immersive experience exploring the depths of emotion through art. Join us for a journey into creative expression. RSVP HERE

Friday 🍬 4.4

5:30pm (Bed Stuy): Studio Grand Opening Screening and Concert Series by Los Depressos (David Lynch film & Maya Solovey) - An immersive experience exploring the depths of emotion through art. Join us for a journey into creative expression. RSVP HERE

6:00pm (East Village): International Potluck by Borderless - BORDERLESS is hosting its first international potluck to bring together flavors from around the world! Travel the world with your taste buds by bringing a dish from a country or culture you feel represents your background or one you’re curious to learn more about. All foods are welcome in this global kitchen! RSVP HERE

7:00pm (Noho): U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer in Conversation w/ Preet Bharara by Cooper Union - Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer will be joined in conversation with author, podcaster, and former federal prosecutor Preet Bharara. The free public program will explore Justice Breyer’s philosophy when interpreting the Constitution and why understanding real-world legal consequences are as important as understanding laws. RSVP HERE

Saturday 🍬 4.5

5:30pm (Bed Stuy): Studio Grand Opening Screening and Concert Series by Los Depressos (Martin Scorcese film & Alison Clancy) - An immersive experience exploring the depths of emotion through art. Join us for a journey into creative expression. RSVP HERE

Sunday 🍬 4.6

5:00pm (Alphabet City): Spring Get Down and Dance Party by Friends From New York - ITS BEEN A LONG TIME FRIENDS. WE HAVE AWAKENED!! ITS TIME TO GET LOOSE. RSVP HERE

5:30pm (Bed Stuy): Studio Grand Opening Screening and Concert Series by Los Depressos (John McHugh film & A Bird) - An immersive experience exploring the depths of emotion through art. Join us for a journey into creative expression. RSVP HERE

6:00pm (Williamsburg): How to Build a Sustainable Career as a Filmmaker by Larkhaus - Join Larkhaus and Filmmaker Friday, in partnership with Filmsupply, for an unmissable evening of raw, honest conversation about crafting a sustainable career in the film industry. RSVP HERE

Monday 🍬 4.7

6:00pm (Dumbo): Hostology: a gathering for dinner party hosts by by Saba Ahmed - Calling all current and aspiring dinner party hosts! Come meet fellow hosts for a conversation about the art and science of hosting the perfect dinner party. We’ll exchange tips and stories over wine and cheese. RSVP HERE

7:30pm (Flatiron): ReelAbilities Film Festival After Party by ReelAbilities - We’d love to have you join us at the afterparty! :) Wine & beer, refreshments, and snacks will be served. RSVP HERE

Tuesday 🍬 4.8

7:00pm (West Village): Connections & Capital NYC Meetup by Fortress & Next Layer Capital - Join us at the intersection of crypto, finance, venture, capital raising, and business acquisition in the #1 meetup in NYC. RSVP HERE

Wednesday 🍬 4.9

6:00pm (Flatron): Healing the Self, Community & Natural World by PSYCA - Dive into healing concepts with mental health pioneers and climate activists, discussing regeneration for balance and ecosystem restoration. Engage in collaborative sessions that frame the climate crisis as an opportunity for collective consciousness expansion. RSVP HERE

6:00pm (Midtown West): The Experimentation Machine: Product-Market Fit in the Age of AI, An Exclusive Book Talk with Jeff Bussgang by Cherae Robinson & Jessica Buss - ​In an era where AI is reshaping industries and redefining competitive advantage, finding product-market fit has never been more complex—or more critical. Jeff's latest work dives deep into how founders and builders can leverage experimentation to navigate this new terrain and scale AI-native companies from zero to one, and beyond. RSVP HERE

Thursday 🍬 4.10

6:00pm (Manhattanville): Entrepreneurship in the Era of GLP-1s and Food as Medicine by Kosha Rakholia - ​Join us for an insightful panel discussion featuring founders, investors, and operators leading the way in Food as Medicine innovation. RSVP HERE

6:30pm (Dumbo): Redeeming the 9–5: Reimagining Faith & Work in Tech by Christians in Tech - ​Join us for Christians*inTech as we dive into Gallup’s eye-opening “Great Detachment” findings and learn how to think redemptively about our careers. This isn’t just another panel—it’s your chance to connect with industry pros, gain fresh perspectives, and meet others who are excited about integrating faith into their professional journeys. RSVP HERE

Friday 🍬 4.11

6:00pm (Meatpacking): Founders Night by NYC Backgammon Club - ​Join us for an exclusive Founders Night at Seven24 Collective, where NYC’s most dynamic entrepreneurs, innovators, and creatives come together for an evening of meaningful connections, inspiring conversations, and strategic networking. RSVP HERE

Happy 50th!

This newsletter marks the 50th newsletter that I have produced since starting the Sugary community roughly 2 years ago (minus the bi-weekly event-only newsletters that don’t include editorial)!

It’s honestly pretty amazing to have reached this milestone, and I honestly would never have believed it. If you would have told me that we would’ve gotten to this point when I first started this newsletter, I would have actually thought you were joking.

There are many newsletters that are even more active than mine and more prolific in nature however, I can only speak to my own journey and how unique an experience it’s been to find the literal words every other week to share with all of you.

It’s been thrilling, but it’s also been extremely nerve-racking.  For someone who’s certainly below average when it comes to organization there have been more than a few moments where it has literally come down to the wire much to the chagrin of DK who has been a relentless taskmaster throughout this entire process.

Severe as DK has been, the honest truth is that I needed it. There is no way I would’ve gotten to this point without it…not on time at least ;-). 

And so no milestone that is associated with this newsletter can be celebrated honestly without offering gratitude to the grumpy ass militant who has relentlessly chased after me all this time.

DK, you deserve your flowers…even if your delivery is akin to a severely disgruntled, UPS truck driver.

Thank you.

In reflecting further on this milestone, I am truly proud to share with all of you that all 50 of these newsletters were written 100% by me. 

No A.I. was used in the drafting of these newsletters (other than research and a sounding board as needed when DK was tired of hearing me ramble on and on 🙄😅).  

And I think it’s an important point to make, especially now as we enter and increasingly impersonal era where efficiency and shortcuts are regarded with a greater premium than original organic thought.

Will A.I. eventually become sophisticated enough to substitute and/or fool any of us into believing anything?

Maybe.

But for now, in this little corner of the digital universe anyways there’s still a real person, creating real content and doing his level best to offer some thoughts that you can hopefully connect and resonate with.

And it seems like there’s evidence to suggest that what I am saying is true, because it’s not just me that’s saying it, it’s also you.

Your testimonials and words of encouragement, not only let me know that some people out there are not only reading what I am writing, but that it’s also a welcome addition to their inbox.

What a miracle THAT is.

At a time where spam is ubiquitous and utterly infuriating, you’ve quite literally dedicated space in your inundated inbox and attentive stamina for my weekly offering and made it a point to let me know that.

I can’t think of a greater blessing and so I have to thank you for tuning in to my modest musings. 

As I look ahead, I feel inspired to continue this endeavor for as long as it adds value to the community and beyond.

And so to help this along, I ask that you share this newsletter with anyone who you think would really appreciate this community as well as this content.  

Please help me to continue growing the reach of this platform and I promise that I will do my level best to continue creating authentic content that will inspire you and hopefully also put a smile on your face sourced from the greatest city in the world, NYC! 🗽 

I love you all and see you at one hundred 💯!

THE SUGARY EFFECT

Playground of Dreams

Over the course of these past 2 weeks or so I have traveled all across NYC to show up and support my creative friends who are all out there chasing their dreams and making shit happen for themselves.

It’s such a memorable experience every time I get to do that because I’m witnessing the city in natural motion and my friends in their element each pursuing that thing they wanted most for their vision.

Just to name a few, I got to see:

• DJ Lolo opening for CashCash at Marquee Night Club

• Poet Max Stossel’s one man off broadway show, It’s A Miracle premiere

• #1 Comedian from Norway, Jonis Josef coming stateside to perform standup for the first time

• Visual artist Annu Yadav having her first “official” independent solo show

• Musician Johnny Hwin launching his 57 record label,
  Filmmaker Mike Ang on the NYC leg of the nationwide premiere of his film Asian Persuasion,

• Creator Brett Dashevsky doing a subway car takeover with a small army of creators to elevate the profile of Creator Economy NYC.

I felt so proud to give each of them their flowers in person, and I couldn’t help but reflect on how this city is such a playground for your dreams.  

I always say that everything good or great that isn’t bolted to the ground…I don’t care if it’s a product, person or performance, it MUST come to NYC at least once to prove themselves on the world stage in front of a truly global audience.

I don’t care if it’s a musty backroom in a dive bar in Williamsburg, a world class nightclub in Chelsea, a chic penthouse in Soho or hip art gallery in a nondescript part of the Lower East Side, greatness can be found everywhere here.

From the moment I first moved here 24 years ago, this narrative has never changed. Through 9/11, the financial crisis of ‘08 and even through the COVID pandemic, the spirit of the city has remained a beacon that continues to attract greatness to its shores.

It’s not a coincidence that thousands of books, films, songs, and art have been created in relation to this fabled town.

We truly are in a magical place.

A 1 of 1.

A place with its own exceptional DNA.

There’s only two cities in America with this level of uniqueness in my opinion: NYC and New Orleans.

Now that we are heading into a period of great tumultuous uncertainty for our nation, I’ll be on the lookout for the next generation of iconic artists to emerge who will marry their genius with “something to say” about the times we are living in.

If it’s gonna happen anywhere my odds on bet is that the vast majority of them will create their best work here.

As I look towards the city at night the shifting prisms of lights flicker and pop as if they were winking at me. And in that moment, I know that somewhere, somehow, magic was happening in the city.

Jay-Z got it wrong, screw the Ambien, all you gotta do is look.

And my eyes are wide open…

Sugary 🍬

PAST EVENTS

Feb. 20th Sugary Community Town Hall - Our first town hall of the year drew a nice intimate group of about 15 of you to discuss the topic of community and feedback towards making the Sugary community even better than it is now.  The insights were amazing and there will be more than a few points we’ll be implementing as a result of this session. 

Feb. 21st Unsent Letter Mailbox WSQ Park Pop-Up - Our first pop-up of the season was WINDY one.  But ultimately aside from the moment of panic resulting from the wind lifting the entire table and umbrella into the air for a hot minute, we managed to get a nice amount of folks submitting their letters and reading anonymous letters written by fellow New Yorkers. Everyone who participated had something amazing to say about the project and SECRET NYC came out once more to cover the pop-up!Can’t wait to get back out there. 

Feb. 28th Rising Tide Collective (Round 2) - Our second round was a resounding success.  8 of us gathered and over the course of an hour and a half we managed to get everyone fully engaged and not one person left without having contributed as well as received multiple points of tangible help for their project.  With each successive session DK and I keep refining the experience and we’re really honing down on the process which is exciting stuff. 

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

THE SWEET & SALTY

Tag, Not “It”.

We know how it goes, you arrive at an event and as soon as you check in you’re directed to a typically chaotic pile of blank name tags and markers for you to write your name on.

As you fumble to find a loose corner and peel back the flimsy piece of adhesive paper, you quickly slap it onto one side of your chest, knowing that within 10 minutes, the tag is going to rebel against its imposed position and begin curling backwards until the never ending process of making sure the makeshift ID stays on becomes a peripheral concern for the rest of the event.

I’ve never been much of a fan of name tags, even if I understand the functionality in which they serve.

This tiny 3x2 square is a garish pronouncement that for me has always felt a bit juvenile and frames the event in a way that’s a bit too on the nose.

When I host events, even if networking inevitably occurs, I kinda like it to happen in an organic unforced way rather than have it stare at you unflinchingly in the face. (Kinda why I’ve resisted hosting “dating” events all this time).

It’s just never stuck with me, pun intended.

We all know what we’re here for. 

So why not just let our natural curiosity set the tone for the evening rather than a bite-size billboard spoiling the simple joy of:

“Hi, my name is ____, what’s your name?”

Now don’t get me wrong, for larger scale conferences and professional events I can understand why name tags / badges would be helpful. These events are by their very nature more impersonal due to their scale.

But for events that are just in a room for an evening, an over reliance on name tags just feels so tacky to me. 

Just go out there and introduce yourself, there’s no need for an extra crutch.

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

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