Connecting through Communal Experiences. A Growing Trend

In person experiences have flourished in recent years since the pandemic. Pre-pandemic they were already more prevalent and becoming more and more interesting. There was dining, shopping and interviews with interesting people. Fast forward to today and it’s occurring more frequently, thankfully, as it seems we need it more than ever.

There are so many articles touching on the isolation that social media and excessive online activity bring, and at the same time you are reading about book clubs and other events that hint at putting our phones away for a few hours and connecting. Definitely a positive direction!

I went to two “communal “dinners in the last 6 months. The first one was part of a dinner series by Open Table and was at Nats on Bank , in the West Village. Four months later and I am still talking about it. It was a 3 or 4 course dinner for about $150. They were incredibly welcoming & the interior, lighting & music totally set the mood. The chef, Jonah Eagan @jonaheagan, a former jazz musician, came out at every course, talking inspiration. You could tell he was enjoying it, which also makes an impact. Additionally, he was a former jazz musician and had curated an amazing playlist. (I still can’t find it, lol) The staff had as much fun as the guests, and everyone socialized. It was brilliant. The evening also had a perfect finishing touch, a swag bag from Open Table and Nats. This event was on brand in every aspect and truly delivered.

Last night I went to a dinner hosted by Resident @meetresident. Their mission is “to create human connection in a digital-first world”. Dinner was from Chef Lorenzo Giannini. It was a 5 course with wine pairing for $195.

This was my first experience with them, the food was well executed, and the space was beautiful. It was held at The Brooklyn Point Chefs Table.

I do think it could have been marketed more accurately as I went with a friend and we assumed we would meet a lot of people, but it was ALL couples who unfortunately, were not very social. To be fair, the main seating was a u-shaped counter, facing the preparation and was not as conducive to engaging as a table is. That being said, iit was still a good experience. They have so many interesting events so I will definitely try a few more.

I’ll be back with more cultural and inspirational musings!