Hi there, my gorgeous and perfect readers!

We don’t have a New Yorker of the Week today, so instead, I offer up some random stuff that I think you might like:

1. Elizabeth Eats and CloseFriendJak on Tik Tok: These two women are showing how easy it can be to chat with strangers. Watching their accounts has inspired me to gab with more people, and it’s made my life better. I feel like social media usually makes folks MORE anxious, so they are majorly refreshing.
   

2. CookUnity: I have a bit of a Doordash addiction, and have tried multiple meal delivery services to wean me off. Most of them are meh. UNTIL Cookunity. All the meals are cooked by local NYC chefs, so there aren’t preservatives and the meals are fresh— not frozen. You just have to warm them up in the oven (or microwave, let’s be real.) I’m only on week 2, but a BIG FAN so far.
   
   Use my link to get 50% off your first week, and 20% off the next 3.
   

3. Hungerstone: A book I randomly picked up because I’m trying to expand my reading horizons. It’s a queer retelling of Dracula, and I DEVOURED it. Can’t recommend enough. If you like a book that’s a little spooky and/or involves a look at women’s relationship with hunger, get into it! And of course it’s a little horny, yay for that.

Know someone (including yourself!) who should be the next New Yorker of the Week? Forward them this form. Or put it in a group chat where people keep talking about being single!

Now, onto the GIF and the fun things:

The Liberal Arts You Were Promised–– What College Was Meant to Be

Is your phone addiction making you wonder where the hell your attention span went? Do you miss the days of college, when you could actually read multiple books in a month and retain lots of information? Then this course is for YOU.

By the end of the term, you will have:

• Read at least 7 books and multiple essays and letters

• Memorized a few minutes of a poem

• More beauty?! You gotta read the class curriculum to find out more.

Learn more here. Tuition is on a sliding scale. Honestly, I might apply myself.

Finally Learn How Government Works, and Get the Political Tools to Change It

If the current political climate is making you want to rip your hair out and/or enact a government coup, this is the class to make it happen. You’ll leave the experience with:

• A memorized timeline of important moments in New York history, and its land use laws.

• A deep understanding of how laws are made

• More political capital than when you entered. (And an understanding of what that even means.)

Learn more and apply here. Knowledge is power!

Gatherings

Double check details before you go, and contact the organizers with questions! The Joy List does not run these events.

Tuesday, August 26: Reflection Workshop: Beyond Our Work Identity

Join us to reflect and connect around our identity in and outside of the workplace. Expect a fun and easy art activity, time to hangout and meet new people, and prompts to explore different aspects of ourselves in and out of our careers.Drinks and snacks included!

Free. 5:30-730pm 20 Jay St Suite 218. Info here.

Tuesday, August 26: Let's Get Sewcial: Mend in the Park Picnic

Join Slow Poke Collective for our Mend in the Park Picnic on Tuesday, August 26th! Bring your mending project and spend a summer evening stitching in community. We’ll provide needles, thread, and fabric; this isn’t a formal workshop, but we’re happy to help troubleshoot. Just bring that sweater with a hole, your favorite jeans that need patching, or any other garment in need of care <3

Donation based. 5:30-8:30pm. Prospect Park Endale Arch. Info here.

Tuesday, August 26: The SingEasy

Join The Sing Easy—a welcoming, drop-in singing workshop led by artist and voice coach Jess McAvoy, designed especially for beginners.The Sing Easy blends the relaxed vibe of a casual choir with a holistic approach to voice, offering exercises to open up your voice and songs that are simple to follow, regardless of experience level. This supportive environment empowers you to expand your voice practice, find natural harmony with yourself and others, and enjoy the joy of singing.Created by Jess as a low-pressure space, The Sing Easy invites you to experience the deep connection of singing in harmony and dissonance.

Pay What You Can. 8:30 PM. 150 W 28th St Suite 303. Info here.

Wednesday, August 27: Pitch and Pair

Got a single friend who’s a total catch? It’s time to play matchmaker with a twist! Create a slide deck presentation that showcases their best qualities, quirks, and charm. Then, take the stage and deliver a 3-5 minute pitch to a room full of eager singles ready to mingle. Who knows? You might just spark the next great love story!

This is a 21+ event.

$20 to attend. 6:30 to 9:30 PM. Second City. Info here.

Wednesday, August 27: Can We Regulate AI? Dinner

As AI surges forward, who gets to write the rules? In June 2025, the U.S. Senate dealt a stunning rebuke to Big Tech’s push for a 10‑year freeze on state AI oversight—voting 99–1 to strip the moratorium from the massive “One Big Beautiful Bill” reconciliation package. This landslide bipartisan vote preserved states’ rights to regulate AI tools related to child safety, deepfakes, data privacy, and more: signaling sharp tension between centralized innovation and decentralized protection. In a fast‑changing world, who should hold the reins on AI?

​What should be our guiding framework when balancing robust AI innovation with the urgent need to regulate harms at the state and local level?

$10. 7 to 9 PM. Register for address. Info here.

Friday, August 29: Guided All Around: Reset

Release physical and emotional tension, resetting your nervous system to rediscover your inner balance. Embrace the transformative effects of breathwork, intentional sighing, and gentle movement, guiding you from overwhelm to an anchoring sense of calm.

Expect a sauna to sweat, ice bath to drop-in, towel waving, aromatherapy, gentle movement, breathwork, vocal toning, sharing and self massage.

$64 for a drop-in. Use my link for 11% off a first-timer membership or JILLIANRICHARDSON for a discount on any purchase. 7:45 PM. Othership Flatiron. Info here.

Saturday, August 30: Hyggehiking Central Park's Canopies

Come wander beneath the 20,000 canopies of Central Park in search of the oldest, chonkiest, most intriguing trees! Each hygge hike is an exploration of the green spaces of our city where we can discuss the projects and communities we're excited about, dive into thoughtful discussions, and meet people who can help make NYC feel like a smaller, closer-knit community. On Saturday, August 30th, we'll spend 12 hours hiking, chatting, picnicking, people-watching, stretching across ancient rocks, and enjoying all the critters that call Central Park's canopies their home.

Free ($20 suggested). 10am-10pm. Central Park + 10 mile hike. Info here.

Saturday, August 30: Borderless Potluck

The BORDERLESS potluck is back! The sun is shining - the birds are chirping, perfect for a gathering of all from around the world! 🌎 Whether you're an expat, third culture kid, world traveler, or just someone curious about people from other places — this is the spot for you to thrive.

Free. 4 PM. Address at RSVP. Info here.

Advertise in The Joy List

Want to reach a bunch of New Yorkers who are sweet, intentional, and love community? Advertise in The Joy List! We’re a great fit for:

• Therapists and healers

• Retreat hosts

• Membership-based communities

Learn more and place your ad here. You get discounts for the more spots you purchase!

That's it for this edition.

Jillian

Purchase an ad here 

Submit your event here