G.People keep saying New York is over. Are they right?
That’s simply not true. I’ve been to some incredible parties this summer. The best one I’ve ever been to was after the Knicks championship in June, and it literally felt like the nineties, from what I’ve read. It was such a perfectly curated moment. The fun is absolutely still happening here. It never stopped.
G.Tell me about that night.
Having lived here for years, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything like it. Genuinely one of the best moments I’ve had in this city. Everyone was on the same page, brought together as one community. Strangers were hugging, smiling with one another, celebrating together in the streets. The city has honestly never felt more alive. It was beautiful. Everyone was so connected, and for that stretch of time, nothing else mattered but New York.
G.New York has eight million people, but the same faces keep showing up at every good party. What are we losing because of that?
I don’t actually think we’re losing anything. When people become part of a nightlife community, surrounding themselves with like-minded people and finding their people, they naturally end up at the same places. So yes, I see a lot of familiar faces, but I think that’s a good thing. It makes a city of eight million feel smaller, less lonely, and more like you’re part of something. I love seeing a familiar face out and I always get so happy.
And those familiar faces aren’t a closed loop. They’re constantly bringing new people into the crew, friends of friends, expanding the circle. So it’s really a mix, recognizable faces alongside a steady stream of new ones. I think it’s kind of an amazing thing.
G.Nobody flirts any more. Have we forgotten how, or have we decided we’re too cool for it?
It’s not that we’re too cool for it. It’s that we’ve lost practice. So much flirting and social interaction now happens through phones, behind screens, which has made in-person interaction feel scarier, especially for Gen Z. That’s the biggest thing I hear. People are genuinely more confused about how to approach someone in a social setting than they used to be.
G.Everyone talks about the loneliness epidemic like it’s a mystery. You’re out five nights a week watching people try and fail to connect. What’s actually happening?
I don’t think everyone is failing at connection. What’s actually happening is more about the specifics of the approach. The old script, where it was just assumed the man approaches the woman first, doesn’t really apply any more. Men and women are on a much more even playing field now, so people are figuring out how to approach each other without a built-in script to follow. But I don’t think people have stopped making friends or putting themselves out there. That’s still very much happening.
G.When someone tells you they moved to New York and can’t make friends, what’s going on?
Honestly, I don’t think it’s true that they can’t. This is part of why I started For The Girls. Social interaction has got more complicated in the phone era, and people genuinely don’t know where to go or how to meet people. With so many spots in the city, it gets overwhelming fast. So it’s really about breaking it down, making the city feel smaller and giving people an actual guide for where to go. But once you’re in the room and the opportunity is there, you have to put yourself out there and go talk to people.
G.The silent rule of New York nightlife that nobody talks about.
You have to know people. New York nightlife runs on connection. I’ve spent years networking, and that’s exactly why I have the access I have and the relationships I can tap into for different opportunities. Knowing people isn’t a nice to have here. It’s essential.
G.The pet peeve that would make you leave a bar immediately.
If I’m at a bar with good music and people are dancing, and I see people glued to their phones, that’s an instant pet peeve. We go out to get off our phones, to make real connections, to have actual human interaction, and to just let loose and be free. Being on your phone defeats the entire point of being out.
G.The last time you did something purely for fun with no camera on.
I try as hard as I can not to be on my phone when I’m out. There’s been a recent wave of no-phone parties and clubs where you can’t take photos. It’s a rule as soon as you walk in, and honestly, that brings out so much more genuine fun. It forces me to actually live in the moment, and I’m all for it.
G.What can a members club never replace about a great regular bar?
The mix of people in the room. Members clubs are expensive and hard to get into, so they tend to attract a similar crowd, often wealthy, often from similar industries, and people bring along others similar to them. A regular bar breaks that down. You’ll have a finance guy next to someone in the creative industry, people from completely different walks of life, all in the same space. There are just more characters in the room at a normal bar.
G.Where is the actual creative energy of the city right now?
Still downtown. It always has been. The East Village and Lower East Side have so much history. That’s where creatives have always gathered, and it’s still where the magic happens today. Whenever I hear about a new restaurant or bar opening that actually does well, it’s almost always downtown. There are some good places in the West Village too, but Gen Z gravitates toward downtown above all.
G.Is it still possible to meet someone the old-fashioned way in New York?
Yes, absolutely. Coffee shops, sitting alone at a bar, wherever. It really comes down to whether you’re open to it, open to someone approaching you and open to making the first move yourself. I tell women all the time not to be afraid to put themselves out there. Even something as small as making eye contact or just looking approachable is a huge step in this day and age.
G.The state of dating in Manhattan, in one honest paragraph.
I think people are struggling. With so many dating apps and so much social interaction happening online, people are trying to find the balance between making connections digitally and actually putting themselves out there in person. Even though For The Girls isn’t about dating specifically, I hope it motivates people to get out, go to social spots, and put themselves in situations where they might actually meet someone. It’s hard, but it comes down to putting yourself out there and not taking rejection so seriously.
G.What’s the version of you your friends know that we don’t get to see online?
The health and wellness side. I love a party, I’m a party girl, but off camera I’m deep in my businesswoman era, genuinely motivated about growing this platform into something bigger. I’m very routine driven and very disciplined about my health. I do Pilates, I walk four miles every single day. I cook and eat really healthy, and I hit the farmers market every Wednesday and Saturday. Those are the habits people don’t usually see online.
G.And the biggest misconception people have about you?
Probably that I’m out drinking constantly. From my Sunday Debriefs, people might assume I’m hitting so many spots a weekend that I must be drinking heavily at all of them. But honestly, I get invited to so much that I simply can’t drink at every event. I don’t actually need alcohol to be social. I just genuinely love conversation with people, no matter what. And that’s really the biggest reason I go out in the first place. I meet so many people, everyone has such an interesting story, and that’s what inspires and motivates me.
