The Time I Went To A Private Invite-Only Dinner For Black Creatives

A few weeks ago I attended a private invite-only dinner in the heart of Chinatown (Manhattan, NYC). I normally would not blog about this but it was different. The dinner was inclusive, it was classy, it was fun, and it was one of the most unique dining experiences I've had in a while. 

Before I get into what I ate, I'll explain how this came about. Back in April, I purchased tickets to an annual conference in Brooklyn called The Food Writers' Workshop (thanks to EatWithNia ) and it inspired me for many reasons. I got to hang around (and learn from) other incredible black foodies (AvaEats, DomNTheCity, Jillian) along with getting insight from different panelists. I really enjoyed the conference and all of the discussions on what it takes for a woman to become and maintain success in the food industry. 

It was an absolute pleasure to see so many black women on panels talking about breaking barriers in the food world digitally and in real life. 

While at the conference, I was introduced to a collective called the Black Food Folks. Shortly after learning about them, I proceeded to stalk their social media pages (as anyone else would do) and I came across another group. A creative group called ToBeHosted. This group throws monthly private dinners for black and brown creatives. I swiftly followed this group on social media and was delightfully intrigued when I saw an Instagram post announcing the "May Dinner". I immediately applied for an invite to attend and a few days later I was able to get a seat at the table.

The idea behind the monthly dinner is simple. You are seated next to strangers (intentionally), and all you have to do is pay a reasonable fee, come hungry, come open-minded and come ready to meet new people. I love this idea, and since food is known to bring people together it makes networking easier. I was luckily seated next to Chef B. Woods who I'm looking forward to collaborating with in the near future. Someone who I would have not met if it wasn't for this dinner. 

Now on to the chef of the evening. The dinner was curated by a phenomenal woman named Chef Day. If you are not following XoChefDay on Instagram you should start today. She's talented, beautiful and is someone who is taking the food industry by storm with her recipes. 

Before we all dived in, Chef Day excitedly explained the inspiration for all of the dishes, the ingredients, she even adjusted her recipes for those who have dietary restrictions, and spoke to every single one of us who dined that evening. It was magical.  

The dinner theme was Breakfast After Dark. Chef Day's menu included sweet and savory options. I honestly enjoyed every single item on the menu but the pancakes were simply divine. Here’s a look at the menu items: 

SWEET

STRAWBERRY FIELDS: sweet, wild, white strawberries mixed with red currants blueberries peaches and spearmint. This was so delightful and I cannot recall a time I ate a white strawberry. 

FLUFFY STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PANCAKES: buttermilk pancakes caramelized rhubarb Haitian rum cream topped with strawberries.

SAVORY

PEPPERED SHRIMP & GRITS (TO THE LEFT) , DUCK HASH (BELOW) , ARUGULA SALAD (BELOW DUCK HASH)

WINE

RIGHT NOW WINE : Alpine Stream White Wine, Rosé, Red Number 6 

I had a blast and I'm still hyped from that night.  Everything was so delightful. So delicious and I'm definitely looking forward to attending another dinner or two because I felt so comfortable, so at home, and just so welcomed. 

Comment below if you've attended a dinner like this before. Let me know if there are others I should attend. 

Axe Throwing

Axe throwing has become one of my favorite sports these days. It may seem strange that a woman from/living in New York City is saying this but this traditional lumberjack competition is exciting, a work-out, and addictive. 

I first held an axe back in February of 2019. My dear friend Sho (a fellow Yelp Elite Member) gathered her favorite ladies and we went to a popular axe throwing facility named Bury The Hatchet in New Jersey. 

I was terrible and missed the board a lot. But I slowly got the hang of it and won the winning axe throw for my team. It was exhilarating! I wanted to do this over and over but trying to convince my close friends to do this deemed challenging. Somehow I convinced my neighbors and my fiance to go axe throwing at the Bury The Hatchet location in Brooklyn and we had a great time. 

Later in the year I went to an axe throwing gathering with some coworkers and yet again I was pumped but this time we went to Kick Axe (another axe throwing facility in Brooklyn). I fell in love with this place. The pricing was a bit more but the decor, the fact that they have a bar (with Rosé) and regularly changed boards sold me. 

I returned probably 3-4 more times to Kick Axe after my first visit (including celebrating my 35th birthday with 22 friends throwing axes -- pictured below). 

The question I get asked by everyone I mention this to is: “Is it safe?!.. Will I chop my hand or foot off?” I always laugh because it’s a silly question and say no. I say no because it’s the truth. If you follow the instructions, stand behind the line and throw the axe properly you’ll have a great time and keep all of your body parts. There will be an instructor with you every step of the way. They’ll show you where to stand, how to throw, and tips on getting that axe right to the bullseye. 

There are various axe throwing facilities in New York and New Jersey. The two places I recommend are Kick Axe and Bury The Hatchet. 

Pricing varies based on which facility and how many people will be attending. 

Bury The Hatchet requires 4 individuals for bookings. This will cost about $39 per person. Some of the NJ Bury The Hatchet locations allow you to BYOF (bring your own food). 

Kick Axe is limited to locations unlike BTH but they do serve beer, wine and snacks (pizza, pretzels, etc). You can book 2 individuals and the price would come out to $38. Also, they allow children up to the age of 8 here.  

For your first try I would suggest getting a Groupon deal for Bury The Hatchet. Every time I’ve checked Groupon for an axe throwing deal BTH Brooklyn comes up so it’s a good intro price. 

To me, axe throwing is a perfect activity for almost every occasion: birthdays, girls night, hang with the boys, date night, retirements, or even coworker team building. It’s great for everyone!