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

What’s new this week?

This one has been something that I really wanted to share with all of you for some time but couldn't do so until it was official. 

But now I'm thrilled to announce that I have OFFICIALLY partnered with City Park Foundation’s SummerStage during their 40th Anniversary this year! 

My partnership with SummerStage will specifically focus on driving general awareness for SummerStage while also getting the word out for the final FREE blockbuster show of this epic 40th Anniversary season…

A celebration of Verve Records 70th anniversary including iconic performances from multiple grammy award winning artists Samara Joy and Christian McBride and also featuring the incredible Mei Semones and pre-show DJ set by Sparklmami. 

This will all take place: 

Wednesday Sept. 2nd 

Rumsey Playfield in Central Park 

7pm (6pm doors)  

The first 75 approved members of the Sugary Community to RSVP will enjoy EXPRESS Check-In, courtesy of yours truly.

I’ll ALSO be gifting a pair of VIP passes to the show which includes access to the VIP viewing terraces, members lounge, complimentary beer and wine and so much more. More details to follow @sugary.nyc on IG.

For me this is a dream come true because I absolutely ADORE SummerStage…it truly is an arts and cultural phenomenon. 

I moved into the city 25 years ago and SummerStage has without a doubt been a staple to my NYC summer experience introducing me to everything from opera, to contemporary dance, jazz, spoken word, music's top up and coming as well as legacy artists and so much more.  

I love it so much I’ve actually never missed a season since I moved here in 2002 (see my writeup below).

I invite you all to join me on September 2nd!

Thank you to the entire SummerStage team for believing in me and Steven Beer for putting my name in this very special hat! 

You can read more about the evening HERE.

Sugary 🍬

The Cherry on Top, Bottom and All Around

The process of building community is almost universally a slow and focused endeavor.

Oftentimes you are really managing a balancing act to keep your head above water; trying to look at the big picture while simultaneously dedicating your day-to-day to the minutia of things to make sure your people are taken care of and your activations live up to your vision and the expectations of those who attend.

I have found from personal experience that when you’re in the thick of it all, it's kind of hard to see the clearing beyond the trees.

But every now and then you get a sign or two. Some small markers that reassure you that you’re on the right path.

You never know when it's coming but when it does, the sensation is quite unforgettable.

And I’d like to share a couple that I just recently experienced that help illustrate my point:

Karaoke Hero(ine)

One day, as I was in front of my computer planning for an event, I received an email from a person I did not know. 

We’ll call her “Jan” to respect her privacy.

She was an older woman who had heard about my newsletter from someone she knew apparently.

She wrote to inquire about the karaoke event I was doing but that she had some serious reservations:

On the first point, I had to admit that it was a legitimate concern. But thankfully I informed her that my co-host was also in his elder years and that there’d be at least a few people in her age bracket that were likely to attend so she likely would not feel intimidated or isolated in that regard. I also told her candidly that most of my community end up in the 30-50 age bracket just naturally but that I work hard at being inclusive and to flatten that bell curve as much as possible.

Regarding the 2nd point…I mean, how adorable, right?  She was literally feeling guilty about offering a reply she wasn’t sure she could honor.  (If only more folks followed in her footsteps…) I explained what flaking was in my book and legitimate reasons for absence don’t fall into that category.

And for the final point, I gave her the golden rule of karaoke… The only thing that matters is your enthusiasm and spirit, not so much your singing talent…nobody attending is typically a recording artist.

Even after explaining these few points, I could still sense hesitation in her response and so I told her that she shouldn’t feel any pressure to attend but that if she DID show up, she’d be welcome with open arms and likely have a great time.

The day of the event came, and wouldn’t you know it…there in real life, was Jan.

She showed up.

At first, I didn’t see her come in and she sequestered herself to the most remote corner of the room, but after scanning the room and recognizing everybody but her and a few others, by process of elimination and given her age, I figured it was probably her and I wasn’t wrong.

I was so happy and greeted her enthusiastically.  We bantered a bit and I asked her what she was planning to sing.

She told me it was Michael Buble’s “Feelin’ Good”…

…wow.

Even more surprising was that apparently she had never done karaoke before…ever.

This was her first time singing on a stage in front of strangers…crazier still, even her son tried to dissuade her from attending because “it was something he would never do”…

…well sorry sonny…your mom’s a badass.

As she got up onto stage, she gingerly took the mic in hand and I could tell she was super nervous.  I rallied the crowd to offer her encouragement and for 3 min and 57 seconds, Jan did her thang.

I was so proud of her and the crowd was truly behind the moment.

I gave her a big hug afterwards and congratulated her for being brave enough to show up and push through her fear and introduced her to my co-host so that she could be invited to his future events as well.

The following day, I sent Jan an email thanking her for showing up and the day after I received a response that read as follows…

“Hi!  Thank you for getting back in touch.  You were such a wonderful, welcoming and supportive host, which made a big difference to me.  Thank you so much for that!  Also, your rendition of Prince Ali was fabulous, and the highlight of my evening…Not sure what or when I'll attend something next, and don't know whether I'll do the karaoke again -- it was kind of fun but also very stressful! although it would probably be less stressful if I do it again -- but I am definitely glad I tried it.  Thanks again.”

Reading that note I felt a sudden sense of pride and accomplishment.

Despite her reservations, our community encouraged her to take a chance on herself and others while creating an environment that made it feel welcome and safe.

Operation Transplant

On another occasion, I happened to attend one of my close friend's intimate music salon in Bushwick.

It was at some guy's Burning Man-esque loft teeming with creative expression with an assortment of odds and ends pillows and beanbags scattered along the floor for seating.

As I situated myself on the floor, I noticed that a young gentleman seated next to me was looking right at me and smiling.  I did not immediately recognize him but there was something familiar about him. The moment I returned the acknowledgement he leaned over and asked me how I was doing and it was at that moment that I knew we had met. 

I did not remember his name, but he was kind enough to remind me and once he did it and told me we had linked up last summer during an outdoor event in the park.

Suddenly, the memory came rushing back to me and I knew EXACTLY who he was.

This was the kid (I call him kid because I’m nearly twice his age) that I had met last year at the massive Central Park picnic that Sugary had hosted in conjunction with Rich Yeh.

It was towards the end of the evening and when I had gone up to connect with the guy, I had learned that he was not actually from around here but rather New Mexico, and he was thinking about coming here. 

It was at that point that I had launched into my spiel acting as Chief Principal Recruiter for NYC. I spun fabulous tales about the promise of this city and every major feature of this town that I could muster, backed with an infectious enthusiasm that was designed to dazzle.

And dazzle I did.

I‘d like to think I left him wide-eyed and awestruck before getting his contact and going about my merry way.

Fast forward back to the present, here I am sitting in an intimate music salon, and it just so happens he's sitting right next to me.

What are the chances? 

I guess in NYC…above average.

Before the music began, the kid had told me that he had in fact moved to NYC and it was the best decision that he ever made but that we should grab tea and have a proper catch up, which I was more than happy to oblige.

Within a week of that chance encounter, the kid and I have made plans to meet up for tea in my neighborhood and it soon became clear that although the intent was to catch up, the kid had another motive for meeting, he wanted to express his gratitude for the impact both my words and my event from one year ago had on him.

He told me that the Sugary picnic made him feel SO welcome and that made a lasting impression that translated into the fact that maybe New York City wasn't as intimidating as he perceived without any real knowledge about the place.

All of a sudden, this city felt POSSIBLE.

He told me THAT event had contributed greatly to his decision to ultimately move here.

Since moving here, he did in fact find a great set of friends, a sense of community (within Sugary and others), a sustainable profession and even love.

I was honestly so moved by this because in my mind at least this was such a small thing And yet it reaffirms a timeless theme that what may seem small to you can in fact mean so much more to others, often times without you even realizing it.

***********************************

It's moments like these that honestly inspire me to do what I do.

Individually they may seem like small things and yet collectively they paint a much more encouraging narrative that quite honestly fills my cup in a way that very few other things can.

Community building is challenging. There's no doubt about it.

But if you can cultivate experiences and a sense of connection that make a difference in people's lives, that's pretty special in my book.

And that's a tune I'd happily dance to…

…forever.

Sugary 🍬

SummerStage

Every summer, some of New York City’s greatest stages have been holding court in public parks all across Manhattan.

Of course I’m referring to the City Parks Foundation’s annual SummerStage program.

For the past 40 years, it has become one of the defining cornerstones of a New York summer, hosting world-class performing arts that require neither  need velvet ropes or expensive tickets to experience.

What began as a bold experiment to inject accessible culture right into the artery of NYC culture by way of exceptional live performances has grown into one of the city’s most beloved cultural institutions.

I went digging a bit and learned that since its very first concert in 1986, SummerStage has welcomed more than 7 million attendees and presented thousands of artists from virtually every type of performance art imaginable.

Everything from hip-hop, jazz, salsa, indie rock, classical music, dance, opera, spoken word, and global sounds are celebrated.

Currently this year, SummerStage is host to more than 50+ free/benefit performances across Central Park and neighborhood parks in all five boroughs under the sharp curatorial  eye of longtime Executive Artistic Director Erika Elliott.

The lineup reflects New York itself…diverse, vibrant, and ever evolving.

And the people, capture the essence of a New York neighborhood each and every night.

Families, longtime fans, tourists, and first-time visitors all settle in together for a shared experience each and every night and for a few hours, the city feels remarkably small.

That sense of diversity and accessibility has always been central to SummerStage’s mission which aligns so deeply with my own values of inclusivity.

Art belongs to everyone, not just those that can afford it.

To me, this year’s 40th anniversary feels especially meaningful. Rather than simply celebrating longevity, it highlights an idea that has grown with increasing importance especially in this day and age…

…public spaces are a vital part of fostering connection and community.

In an era when so much entertainment happens through headphones and screens, SummerStage represents a lesson four decades from our past, which serves a lesson to inform our future.

Sure the artists may change year to year, but the vibe is perennial.

If you have never experienced the magic or need to be reminded of it’s brilliance, I urge you to check out the remaining programming for the season (as well as join me for the final FREE program on Wednesday Sept. 2nd)!

Somewhere between the opening and the final encore, you might discover something more than just the performance…

…you’ll discover a piece of yourself, contributing to the very fabric of what makes this city magic.

 Sugary 🍬

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Sign-up here to experience a free trial at Fabrik.

Weekly events at Fabrik HERE

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!