Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 29 March 2017

American Living:

Millennials, hoping to find real connections, ban the booze

KELLI KENNEDY ple and include everything $400 of its ticket sales to
Associated Press from a rooftop yoga pool a guest with instructions
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. party at the Standard Ho- to help someone with it.
(AP) — It’s not really about tel to midnight silent disco They might use the mon-
the meal at the monthly yoga on the pool deck of ey to feed the homeless
Conscious Family Dinner, the SoHo House in Chicago or donate it to an animal
although there is plenty of during a full moon. sanctuary. A short video of
vegan Indian food. You “I’m just one part of a how they paid it forward is
can spend time in a cud- much, much bigger move- shown at the next event,
dling sanctuary, sit down ment that’s happening. It’s said co-producer Andrea
with a tarot reader, chat not so much about wheth- Praet.
career goals with a life er alcohol is there or not ... On the notorious boozy hol-
coach or sit in on an acro- people are just looking for iday St. Patrick’s Day, Anna
yoga sex psychotherapy ways to connect around Garcia traipsed a group
presentation. And there’s things that they value and of about 20 to a workout
almost always some form In this March 8, 2017 photo, Andrew Hoepfner, left, and Pamela are passionate about,” — like Caribbean reggae
of dancing. Martinez, center, dances along with participants at a sober so- said Henderson, a former dance or boxing — before
But what’s inconspicuously cial event sponsored by The Shine at a hotel in the Williamsburg health care manager who hitting four different juice
missing is alcohol. neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough of New York. Alcohol- was looking for a fun way bars around New York for
Creator Ben Rolnik says free events, which are popping up in New York, Los Angeles and to help people life health- her popular Juice Crawl .
Chicago, are part of a trend fueled by millennials seeking to find
the dinners are about cre- meaningful connections while they party. ier lives. Courtney Nichols, Her first event in 2014 sold
ating a new form of play (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) a 28-year-old owner of out. “I wanted an alterna-
that facilitates meaningful chitchat that often prolifer- bars. an event planning com- tive where you could hang
connections, not the vapid ates at cocktail parties or The reception to the dry pany and self-proclaimed out with people and not
dinners, held at various dance fiend, has attend- feel the effects of alco-
spots in Los Angeles but ex- ed several Bender events hol and also highlight that
panding soon nationwide, in Los Angeles, and says it you don’t really need it.
has been impressive, with combines the fun of a late It’s about highlighting the
each of the 200-person night party in a more so- relationships with people,”
event selling out. Tickets cially conscious manner. said Garcia, a 30-year-old
cost about $35. “It’s never been an issue of trumpet player who found
“It’s like a journey more not having alcohol. It prob- it difficult to socialize after
than a dinner,” said Rol- ably is to the benefit of the going vegan.
nick, a 26-year-old yogi event,” said Nichols, who Sober raves, like Daybreak-
and former talent man- was struck by the sense of er and Morning Gloryville,
ager. camaraderie she experi- have been growing in
Similar parties are popping enced. “You get to meet popularity in recent years
up across the country, no- people in a clearer head where partiers show up at
tably in New York, Miami space. You leave the party dawn, dressed in their cool-
and Chicago, tapping into and you feel refreshed.” est, black-light glowing
an itch from millennials to While the events have a athleisure and dance their
find meaningful connec- different feel around the cares away. Afterward,
tions and purpose even in country, they all involve there’s massage, juices
their night life. movement, often yoga and other healthy treats.
When Justin Henderson, or dance, to help people Daybreaker is hitting up
who created the event loosen up and connect Miami next month where
company Bender , hosted with their bodies and each partygoers will gather at 9
his first few events in Chi- other in a shared experi- a.m. for yoga at the Fon-
cago a few years ago, he ence. tainebleau’s Glimmer Ter-
served alcohol, but no- The Shine has the feel of race, followed by a live DJ
ticed very few people were a variety show, with mind- and dancing.
imbibing. As time went on, fully-curated content in The Softer Image bans
he noticed more alcohol Los Angeles and New York not just alcohol but shoes
was leftover at each event once every two months, as well. Healers open the
and he decided to stop of- and includes everything space with group ritu-
fering it all together. from guided meditation to als, artists showcase their
Instead, Bender’s events comedians to beat boxers. work and DJs supply heart-
range from 40 to 300 peo- The Shine gives about opening dance music. q