🍬 Sugary Scoop: Three Cheers for Cheering

Welcome to the Sugary Newsletter by yours truly.  🎉 😊

🍬The Scoop 🍬

• WHAT’S NEW?

• THE SUGARY EFFECT

• PAST EVENTS

• UPCOMING EVENTS (for now)

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

• ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

• EMPATHY PROJECT

• NOTABLE NYC HAPPENINGS: WEEK OF 4/1

WHAT’S NEW?

¡Sugar Rush!

This past week a select group of you who have been dedicated members to the Sugary community, received a semi-cryptic text from me that began with the phrase:

“🍬¡Sugar Rush!🍬”

What is Sugar Rush?

Sugar Rush is a series of exclusive, spontaneous events, revealed at the last moment and offering priority access to the closest members within our community, that don't align with our regular bi-weekly newsletter schedule.

I have been eagerly awaiting to unveil and test the concept and finally got my chance to realize this dream of mine with stunning aplomb such as the intimate EDM salon w/ Lemaitre and most recently the intimate fireside conversation w/ humanitarian Paul Rusesabagina of Hotel Rwanda acclaim (his first since being released from wrongful incarceration by the Kagame regime).

A 🍬Sugar Rush🍬 text is an unexpected text message from me that asks specific questions to assess your interest and commitment, offering a limited opportunity to RSVP.

Intrigued?

If so, sign up for our waitlist for our pilot membership program HERE to greatly increase the chance of you getting this secretive and coveted invitation at some point.

THE SUGARY EFFECT

Three Cheers for Cheering

Recently, I attended a brilliant performance art event that featured a fantastic lineup of artists which were nothing short of exceptional.

However, when it was naturally time to show appreciation for the performance…the enthusiasm was modest at best.

Yet you could feel it in the room…people were LOVING the performance.

All that energy built up but seemingly no release valve. It was the oddest thing to bear witness to an entire room cheering cheerlessly.

Why the bashful bind?

I know art is subjective, but objectively the performance was of the highest level and yet most couldn’t bring themselves to express that.

People were stuck.

So, I decided to test a theory and recorded it all for posterity sake.

At the next virtuosic moment, I rejoiced with an unbridled, “Yeeeaaaah!!!!” paired with a hearty ovation.

And almost like it was on cue, the flood gates opened and a thunderous roar of cheering and applause ensued.

It was almost as if my enthusiasm had a permissive quality to it.

I would end up doing this two more times through the course of the same performance and each time this happened the audience became looser until they no longer needed the crutch and the conclusion was met with an unbridled enthusiasm befitting the talent.

The fact is, we live in a society where we’re more concerned about what others think than expressing what we actually feel.

What this means is there’s a real NEED for unapologetic enthusiasm.

Fortunately you have the power to unlock a room’s potential energy. Do not underestimate the impact of your expressed joy on others and yourself.

It can be immensely freeing and brings you one step further to appreciating life’s experiences on your own terms while emancipating others to do the same.

So next time, when you experience something brilliant, don’t hold back, tell ‘em how you really feel and put your whole chest into it…you just might become an auteur of appreciation for artist and audience alike…

PAST EVENTS

April 21st: An Intimate Conversation w/ Paul Rusesabagina ( 🍬 ¡Sugar Rush Event! 🍬) - In acknowledgement of the 10th Anniversary of Dowling Street, nearly 100 of you turned out for Paul Rusesabagina’s (Hotel Rwanda) first public fireside discussion since his official release from illegal imprisonment last year. It was an evening filled with honest reflection, courageous conversation, and a reaffirmation of the enduring human spirit.

April 25th: Female Founders Fireside Chat - Nearly 50 were in attendance to hear a wonderful panel of female founders who lent their insights and experience before an audience of budding and established entrepreneurs alike. Veteran moderator Deepika Yerragunta guided the discussion through thoughtful and insightful prompts that resulted in an engaging discussion in celebration of the female entrepreneurial movement.

April 27th: Art Bath Spring Fundraiser - Over 75 of you came out to raise money for one of the most exciting performing arts series coming up in NYC. It was a successful evening filled with amazing moments including a rare appearance by MET Opera star Benjamin Bliss!

UPCOMING EVENTS (for now)

Apr. 19th @8:00pm (Midtown West) - Kara-Spring-oke Night! - Join us for an evening of group karaoke as we take over one of NYC’s largest Karaoke rooms and invite you all to be your own American Idol! _{(Social Battery Level: HIGH Extrovert - Crowd Size 30-40)}

_{(Space is very limited for each of these events so if you’d like to attend to any of these events, please hit the RSVP button below sooner than later!)}

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

ArtsClub

Let’s be honest, a lot of you love art…but do you really know much about it? Honestly.

It’s all right…I find myself in that category many times.

Enter ArtsClub, the brain child of curator Jackie Dreier who has combined her expertise in art sales and art fair production to create a little haven in the east village for art enthusiasts to delve deeper into the vast world of visual art.

Through robust programming between NYC and DC, ArtsClub offers a variety of talks, classes and exhibitions. ArtsClub is truly a place to commune on the visual medium sans pretense.

Here, the vibe is welcoming and there is an open spirit when it comes to sharing knowledge and you get a sense of the general enthusiasm that people in this community have for visual art. It’s not merely an interest, but a way of life.

If you’ve been wanting to explore more of your artistic side or just want to gain some knowledge that will serve you well at a cocktail party or a museum, ArtsClub is definitely something worth exploring!

For members of the Sugary community, ArtsClub has a gift for first time attendees. Tickets are $65 at artsclubstudios.com and you can get 20% off with the code “SUGARY”

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Réka Nyari

This incredible artist of Finnish and Hungarian descent has to be among my favorite photographers today.

If you were to look at my phone’s background it would be one of Réka’s photos.

A former model who decided to transition to the opposite side of the lens, Réka’s work is strongly inspired along the themes of the female form, feminine identity and mystical eroticism employing brilliant landscapes and elegant backdrops to frame her incredible subjects.

Réka has been steadily gaining worldwide acclaim, but in my opinion, her collection entitled Geisha Ink was the defining moment that “hockey stick-ed” her meteoric rise in notoriety. This collection focused on the storytelling and symbolism of tattoo body art and was an instant hit both in its beauty and its poignance.

Currently represented by Fremin Gallery, Réka’s most recent exhibition, “Chromatic Ink” drew out the masses to experience the majesty of color juxtaposed against the beauty of inked skin.

Definitely an artist worth following and I urge you to check out Réka’s next exhibition which shouldn’t be too far away

Geisha Ink (Iconic Piece)

Erotische Motive aus New York City (Lesser Known Piece)

Chromatic Ink (Newest Piece)

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

NOTABLE NYC HAPPENINGS: WEEK OF 4/1

Wed 4/3 @6:30pm - The Feels: An evening for single-identifying humans (15% off with code 'sugary')

Thurs 4/4 @4pm - Idealist Day 4/4: An evening of community, inspiration, light bites, and drinks.

Tues/Wed 4/9-10 @7:30pm - Artbath: An immersive performance salon that fosters artistic community, exploration, and exchange

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!