NYC Bloggers' Brunch at The Sosta
Hi, everyone!
Welcome to the very first post on my new site: Happily Ever Style! This space will be filled with my #realoutfits and travel stories, as well as sources of inspiration. I hope you'll like what I have to offer!
I'm dedicating this post to a recent get-together I hosted in New York City. Fellow bloggers and I met up at The Sosta (newly-opened by co-founder of By Chloe) for brunch!
Group photo shot by Maya (@xmaristi) outside The Sosta.
Source of Inspiration: A Coffee Date
It was one Friday afternoon in May, I grabbed coffee with Lisa (@hilisays) for the first time, after having chatted through Direct Messaging on Instagram for a couple of months. Before that coffee date, I've never met anyone on Instagram in real life. I imagine it's like online dating; I was actually pretty nervous about our "first date!" But it turned out to be great fun, and we became friends!
The experience inspired me to meet more bloggers and influencers based in New York. That's how this brunch party idea came along! Because although I do sometimes meet and see fellow bloggers at various events, a little get-together just seems more laid back and fun! Plus, I would get to know everyone at a more personal level.
So, I turned on my laptop, wrote my invite, and sent it out to some people. I got really excited! And I wasn't worried about the turnout. Even if it was just me and one other person, that would still be something!
To my surprise, a total of 10 influencers joined me for brunch! Eeek! How great was that? The turnout was way better than I imagined and had ever hoped for. But more importantly, everyone seemed to have enjoyed it!
The influencers who showed up included: Jordan (@runninginrockstuds), Jordanna (@jordannalacoste), Jordan (@hautehouseflower), Lisa, Cici (@newgirlnyc), Lea (@leabohnen), Samantha (@soshewore), Mary (@layersofchicblog), Krity (@krity_s) and Chelsea (@chelseaasoflate).
Perhaps because we often come across rejections in various scenarios, I never thought about reaching out to "strangers" before. But now, I'm so very glad I sent out those emails and met so many amazing ladies!
Who knew a coffee date could turn out to be a source of inspiration?
About The Sosta
“The Sosta, meaning “break” in Italian, plays on the idea of a well-deserved break, as well as breaking bread over a great meal. ”
Located at the corner of Mott and Kenmare, the restaurant offers authentic Italian dishes with a touch of chic in a "fast-food" manner. I love the different shades of pink used indoors, matched with marble-top tables, a good amount of wood, and dark blue chairs. It's spacious with lots of daylight coming in through the large windows. Basically, a perfect photo spot!
The Sosta treated us to Devocion Columbian coffee, great salads, and homemade pasta. For dessert, we had gelato, which they source from Fresco Gelateria in the East Village.
Gelato for dessert! (Photo credit: Maya Aristimuño)
One of my favorite dishes was Pomodoro with Zucchini Noodles. Zucchini is simply much healthier than actual pasta, and the tomato sauce was flavored just right: not too salty, not too garlic-y, and not too sour! If you don't want something too heavy, this is definitely a good choice!
P.S. Special thanks to The Sosta's team for assisting with the planning of the get-together! Brunch wouldn't have gone so smoothly without their support.
And that's all for now, everyone. Thank you for stopping by!
Love,
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