Happy Galentine’s to all my lovely lady readers. Valentine’s Day is such a fun excuse to go all out with hearts and roses, gather some girlfriends and talk about love. These last few months I have been craving a sense of “community” that has been missing from my life. Lost in the hustle and bustle, it’s hard to make time for girlfriends and set gatherings to commit to. New York City is an extremely hard place to maintain relationships as people are constantly coming and going. Life happens and life changes, especially here in the city. People are always moving to the burbs, changing jobs, running away from the uber high taxes and cost of living, so yes, it’s a transient place. I also find New York to be a tough place to meet new friends and create regular routines for gatherings – people are just so damn busy with the daily grind! Not sure whether it would be a total flop or fun success, I went out on a whim. I wanted to create a “book club” but without books – just wine and a good time. Inviting various friends from different circles and fellow NYC bloggers, I set the date for a casual and informal after-work Happy Hour – a ladies night hosted by yours truly, Ladyhattan.
Hosting the small gathering at the atrium inside Draught 55 was the perfect spot. Not only are the Happy Hour Specials incredible (delicious pours of wine for only 5 bucks), the location can’t be beat – right in the heart of Midtown East. The super convenient location made it easy for people to leave the office and roll in for an hour or two. Plus, unlike most dark and dingy bars in this part of the city, the atrium space provided a cozy ambiance with candles and fireplace set under a glass ceiling of vines. Running with the theme of Valentine’s Day, I covered the table with chocolates, served up some champagne and connected a group of NYC based women seeking an outlet to girl-talk and mingle.
What do I love most about New York? The people! Last night just confirmed how incredibly eclectic and fascinating my fellow New Yorkers are. Around the table we had ladies from all walks of life. Full-time fashionistas, trust fund babies, disgruntled lawyers, moms, wives, single women on the prowl, doctors, unemployed gals in limbo, business boss ladies to the best of bloggers facilitated a lively discussion from various perspectives. I prepared cards with intimate and hysterical questions about love, relationships, and dating for each participant to read aloud and answer after making a brief introduction to the group. People shared experiences, advice and stories with new women. In some cases, complete strangers even realized that they live just blocks apart. For a city of over 10 million people, how amazing is it to take an hour out of your day to connect and share with new people? I live for my love of people, for the opportunity to learn or grow by meeting other people – especially all the incredible ladies of New York.
With the surprising success of this Galentine’s Party, my goal will be to host a “ladies night out” happy hour each quarter/season of the year. Galentine’s was the winter meet-up, with a spring, summer and fall event for friends to look forward to later in the year. If you are like me and seeking ways to connect with other fabulous females in the Big Apple, please reach out and get yourself invited to the next gathering! The more the merrier. There is only one rule for participation – be kind. Contact me for any questions or interest in upcoming gatherings here in Manhattan at [email protected].
