Dinner with New Friends has been a LOT of fun so far. We've had 7 dinners with 70 people all having dinner and making new friends and connections each and every week.
My plan is to make them even better and keep expanding them all across the city, and from that I've had two major requests for the Dinners moving forward:
- Do some cheaper events; and
- Go to fun/exciting new places in different areas of New York.
To do these two together is difficult in this city. A venue that is large enough, lively enough, is great value, and in a location that people can get to easily is a difficult task but I'm trying to find all sorts of great new places. Last week, I ran a cheaper appetizers-and-drinks-only event which was received really well and is something I'll certainly do more of!
Coming in the next few weeks though I want to try a VERY cool place in Staten Island: Enoteca Maria:
Nine years ago, moved by the wish of sharing Italian grandmothers’ culinary culture I opened a restaurant, Enoteca Maria. At Enoteca several Italian grandmothers from different Italian regions cook their own menus on a rotating schedule.
Next natural step, in July 2015, was inviting grandmothers of different countries to cook at the restaurant.
HOW COOL IS THIS!?
Grandmas from all over the world, cooking their local dishes in a fantastic restaurant in Staten Island (just a short walk from the ferry).
So my plan is to get a group together of 10 people, meet at the Staten Island Ferry terminal at South Ferry (Manhattan), all travel to Staten Island, enjoy dinner, then catch the ferry back.
If this sounds good to you, be sure to sign up for Dinner with New Friends and all the information will come to your email later this week!
Photo from wbur.