Actually, I do it for free. It's also inaccurate to say that her weekend parties at the Aspen Social Club, Latin Q uarters, The Parlour, Bar Basque or My stique will have you waiting on line. Say you're on the JGirl list and they let you right in - for free. Who's smarter than you?
Maybe Jen Santucci is. She is JGirl's founder in this male dominated business, which in itself makes her a compelling story. But, as a guy, which is the viewpoint you are interested in, I reassert my bias.
I went to my first JGirl Party in August - the Latin Awards Pre-Party at Phucket Lounge. In anticipation overdrive, especially in wake of all the Facebook pictures, I arrived way too early.
Alone and out of my element, I wondered whether this would be another long foray from Westchester for the sake of feeling socially awkward. Soon enough, though, people began arriving. Most notably, Evelyn Torrez, who runs a modeling agency, and in tow, were several of her "Foxy Women," all dressed up in serious model regalia.
"I hit the mother lode," I texted a buddy. Nonetheless, Evelyn seemed peaked by my endeavor and we exchanged emails. Unfortunately, she and her girls soon left, but I was a bit too intimidated anyway to engage with my pen or a feeble opening line.
Still, I knew the shyness was really a function of needing time to warm to the surroundings. Fortunately, Jen arrived and I settled in.
All well and good, but now I had (happily) unpaid work to do, and it was time to talk to New York's finest. Christina Lima, Mayumi Loera, Andrea Arguello and Maria McIntosh were first. All models and none nearly as scary as they would have seemed standing outside a club, it was polite, friendliness that provided an opening not my sly cover story.
Interestingly, I learned Christina has her own cleaning business. Pathetically, I swooped in with a line she's heard a million times. "I've never seen a cleaning lady who looks like you," but it was logistics not a lack of originality that doomed me. They were all from North Carolina and came up just for the party.
Regardless, the burgeoning party hit its population limit with a horrible noise from a above. It began to rain without remorse and the party inflow ended. Nonetheless, I easily exceeded the nonexistent weekend female interaction ration I typically achieve in the vast cultural and social wasteland known as Westchester. I decided, this was a very good start.
Unfortunately, the promise did run into a problem. JGirl weekend parties begin at 10PM. So at 8:30, I'd have to lift myself off the coach and trek into NYC.
That’s just too late, but as I follow the Facebook thread in desperation, you should be fine. Luckily, weeknight events have kept me tied in.
In October, I attended JGirl’s second Latin Awards Pre-party. The turnout was light but success had little to do with the numbers.
I met Felix Jerez, who presides over the Latin Awards and all that goes with it. English translation : There are numerous stunning women associated with his trans-metropolitan production, and no one says you can't stray from Jen’s endearing grasp.
For instance, my introduction to hip-hop performer PVaz led me to Latino Magazine’s Fashion Week event at Club Amnesia on February 15th. How could you go wrong?
But back tracking before moving on, another performer at the Preparty seemed moved by my respectful and unbiased approach. We exchanged emails. She would reveal that I made her feel comfortable in my line of questioning and we've been emailing back and forth since.
We haven't been able to nail down a time to meet again, but no matter where it leads, there's no reason to pass JGirl by. And the ticket is being yourself not fancy shoes, funny lines or phony stories. So get on the list - you have what it takes.
To sign up : http://www.jgirlnyc.com/
