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- The Joy List: June 2
The Joy List: June 2
Hi everyone,
Our New Yorker of the Week today is Nathan. He’s looking for friendship and love! If you’re interested, reach out to [email protected] and say what intrigued you.
Know someone (including yourself!) who should be featured? Forward them this form.
Side note: Please submit your events in our submission form! We welcome all IRL events in NYC that are facilitated in some capacity and help New Yorkers make friends. We get more interesting events when new people submit!
Now, onto the fun things:
How would someone who loves you describe you?
“Nathan is an amazing friend of mine. He is a very attentive, loving, and supportive person! Having fun is easy with him, we‘ve had so many laughing moments together (think till the belly hurts) - and he’s also a great partner in crime when life throws a little adventure your way. At the same time he is someone who can go into deep talk easily. He listens without judgement and is there when you need an open ear or a shoulder to lean on.”
“Nathan is extremely present and offers a grounding energy to those around him. He is comfortable expressing and holding emotional vulnerability. He can be both silly and serious and really values both! He’s an excellent listener and invests a lot of energy into cultivating and maintaining all his relationships. He is an amazing cook, loves adventure, enjoys live music, and gets nourished from nature. What a catch!”
“I have known Nathan for many years. I don’t think you can find a better human. Nathan takes this existence, this strange fact of being primates on a far flung planet aware of our own mortality, very seriously. He thinks deeply about how to use his time on earth, and anyone who meets him will be inspired to do the same. Lest that all sound too serious, Nathan is also one of the most goofy men I know. He’s quick to find joy and one of the things he values most in a partner is playfulness.”
What sorts of things do you want to do with your friends?
This is hard to answer–there are many things I love to do with friends! My recent friend time has included marching for migrant and climate justice with my Buddhist community, helping a friend through some feelings while lying on a big rock in the shade, and singing folk music in harmony. In general, I treasure relationships that provide me with opportunities to deepen my spiritual, emotional, and artistic life; spend restorative time in nature; cook up delicious food; and be playful and silly.
What's something that people might not guess about you?
I speak Georgian, which is the language spoken in the country of Georgia, where I lived for four years after college. (Okay, I’m a little rusty, but I do speak it!) I get together with friends and sing the music regularly, and I celebrated Easter this year by going to a Georgian restaurant in Brighton Beach, chatting up the staff, and eating a glorious adjaruli lobiani. (Look it up!)
Are you looking for love?
Oh, love? Sure, why not! I identify as a straight man (he/him), though I have a feminine side that I enjoy bringing out :) I am curious about/open to most forms of relationships (monog/nonmonog etc.)—basically it depends on the person. I am deeply attracted to feminine people who are kind, like to HAVE FUN!, will yes/and my sense of humor, care deeply about themselves and their community, and hold a reverence for this beautiful Earth.
Anything else that the Joy List community can help you with?
If you vibed with my description and want to be friends, feel free to reach out!
Saturday, June 4: SABIOS PRESENTS - Reverence: Awakening The Senses Through the Elements & Personal Power
Come join a special journey through the energies of earth, water, fire, air and cosmos in an immersive gathering exploring ritual performance art and sensual embodiment. This experience is designed to offer tools to awaken your inner wisdom by cultivating artistic inspiration, deepening connection, honoring yourself and witnessing others with reverence. Discover how the elements speak through your senses as you rediscover the art of well-being. Limited spaces available.
IFS for Loving Better—Inside and Out
Whether you’ve experienced relational trauma, or just want to grow in your relationships, Internal Family Systems can help. I’m Dr. Rakhel Shapiro, a Level 2 IFS practitioner with a PhD in clinical psychology. I offer IFS sessions integrating my extensive training in attachment and IFS — so you can experience steady, secure, and pleasurable relationships with yourself and others.Curious? Schedule an intro session at www.RakhelShapiro.com
Ready for therapy that doesn't suck?
Ever wonder why we were taught algebra, but not how to have a healthy relationship, delightful sex, or deal with anxiety? Let’s change that! Mike Rosen is a psychotherapist with a knack for working with men, queer folks, and anyone trying to navigate a difficult past. He can’t promise you happiness, but he can promise to be your teammate. So, if what you seek is a combination of empathy, strength, and expertise then hit the contact button below. He knows it’s hard to open up, too. So he’s offering a free session to the first 3 subscribers who message him, and a free discovery call to everyone else!
Gatherings
Double check details before you go, and contact the organizers with questions! The Joy List does not run these events.
Monday, June 2: Dinner Together
The United States recently dropped in the happiness index. One reason cited was an increase in dining alone.
Let’s have dinner together. Please join for a public potluck on Monday evening in Prospect Park. Bring food or a beverage to share, a plate, utensils, and a cup. Don't have anything to contribute? No problem, we'll have plenty to share. Have tables and chairs? Another idea? Excellent! Let us know. Canceled for rain.
Free. 6:30 PM. Prospect Park Long Meadow. Location here. Contact email [email protected]
Tuesday, June 3: Soulplay Fusion
SoulPlay Fusion is a space where we can step out of the ordinary and rediscover the magic of play. Through interactive games, and exercises we'll laugh, connect, and explore what it means to truly be present—with ourselves and others. This class is for anyone who craves meaningful connection and wants to embrace growth in a way that feels fresh, dynamic, and downright playful.
$49. 6:30-8:30 PM. 200 Columbia St. Brooklyn, NY 11231. Info here.
Tuesday, June 3: NYC Civic Fair
Looking to get more involved in politics at the local level but not sure where to start? Join us for a Civic Fair connecting New Yorkers with local organizations tackling the city's biggest challenges, from housing and transportation to elections and streetscapes. Think of it like a career fair, but for community and civic impact. Meet the people doing the work, explore causes you care about, and find the right place to lend your voice, skills, or time.
Free. 6 to 9 PM. Fabrik Dumbo. Info here.
Tuesday, June 3: LGBTQIA+ Women Speed-Dating (Monogamous, 30-45)
Want to get off your dating apps and meet someone in real life, but where you don’t have to find out that every cute person at the party is unavailable? Do you think that IRL speed dating is generally awkward and weird? So do we. That’s why we’re putting a Skip the Small Talk twist on dating.
Skip the Small Talks are usually NOT for dating, but so many of y’all asked us for a dating event that we decided to make an exception!
$35. 7 to 9 PM. McCarren Park. Info here.
Wednesday, June 4: The Feels
Tired of swiping and craving real connections? Join us at The Feels, a facilitated mindful dating event that moves you through paired work; in each dyad, there's prompts + positive reflections + somatic elements like eye gazes + hugs. It's designed to be the antidote to the bad behavior that online dating and tech more broadly has created!Ticket includes unlimited alcoholic + NA drinks, plus lite bites. Use code "JOYLIST" for 20% off!
$101, 6:30 - 9:30pm, 120 Walker Street, New York, NY. Info here.
Friday, June 6: Techwalk In Brooklyn
We're building a different sort of networking event for members of the Tech and SaaS communities to get outside, meet new people, and enjoy some fresh air, while practicing mindful movement.
Every week, we'll gather at an easy-to-find meeting spot and then take a leisurely stroll through the park, appreciating the scenery and forging new connections in a friendly and inclusive setting.
Free. 2 PM. Prospect Park. Info here.
Friday, June 6: Murder Mystery Party
Join Symphony and Verci for a frightful murder mystery night featuring an open bar for beer and wine.Step into a night of intrigue, laughter, and new connections. This is your chance to unleash your inner detective (or maybe your inner villain). Come ready to mingle, solve clues, and play a part in the story.
The event will be fully facilitated with easy to follow narrative and clues.Event is welcome to solo guests, friends, and more. 80% of attendees at previous Symphony events have come solo!
$27.28 8-11pm, Verci Flatiron 45 E 20th St. Info here.
Saturday, June 7: The DREAM Dance Class: 'Toxic' by Britney Spears
Do you agree that we need to follow the DREAM: 'Don't Rank Evil Andrew for Mayor?'If so, come to this free absolute beginner dance class where you can learn 'Toxic' by Britney Spears, meet fellow Democrats who think Cuomo is toxic, and build a coalition across campaigns! The class is free as long as you either:
1. Share proof you have donated to a campaign (can be: Adrienne Adams, Brad Lander, Jessica Ramos, Zellnor Myrie, or Zohran Mamdani)or
2. Share proof you have volunteered for a shift for a campaign (can be: Adrienne Adams, Brad Lander, Jessica Ramos, Zellnor Myrie, or Zohran Mamdani)
Free * (see description) + 3-5pm + Central park. Info here.
Saturday, June 7: The Deep Dinner: The Flow of Yoga
The Deep Dinner is a spirituality dinner salon for 15 with no agendas and no beliefs required. Our guest speaker, Gangesh, is a Yogi who will share some wisdom from the Yoga tradition followed by a home cooked meal and open conversation.
$45. 6:30-9pm. 4119 30th Ave, Astoria. Info here.
Join a book club with strangers
After School is the sexier, modern version of a book club for the busy New Yorker. Take the questionnaire, get matched with five like-minded strangers, and meet up at a local bar to discuss a short story or article you all read ahead of time. Meet new people and learn new things. Commit today to meeting new people and learning new things.