LaToya Anitri
Honestly, I’ve never really been the club-hopping-party-going type. Yep, even in my college days, the last thing I wanted to be was one of the ladies standing in line to get in free before eleven somewhere. But, seeing that peer pressure was a real bitch to me back then, I would give in and head out to the latest hotspot anyway. Then, I’d have to stand in an obnoxiously-packed crowd of people, while some unknown dude (or dudes) grabbed at my ass and titties. And as I’d snap my head around to give the perverted asshole a piece of my mind, I would quickly realize that there was no way I could honestly point out who actually did that rapey shit. Then, my inner voice would be like: Hell, I could’ve stayed at the dorm and watched Pet Sematary for the umpteenth time. Who wants, or needs, to put up with this shit every Friday and Saturday night?
So, basically, the club experience was pretty much ruined for me before I even hit the legal drinking age.
Over the past several years, a good time with friends, for me, have consisted of cool Sunday brunches, nice dinners at chic downtown Atlanta eateries, and celebrity trivia nights at a variety of pizza bars.
Then, completely out of left field, I decide to attend an Everyday People day party here in Atlanta by myself. Now that’s a real culture shock!
On social media I’d been following the Everyday People party movement for the past year or so, mostly because I’m a big fan of Chef Roble, who, along with a couple of his friends, is one of its founders.
Everyday People started out as an intimate brunch party in downtown NYC back in 2012. It has since grown into what people are now calling “the world’s coolest day party”. Not only has EP become a cultural movement around the world (yeah, they’re actually touring the world), but it has established a platform to showcase up-and-coming musical talent, to promote wellness, all while giving back to the communities.
And I wanted to check it out to see what all the hype was about.
I’m not going to lie, when I arrived downtown at Masquerade, I immediately tried to talk myself out of going in. But, I’d come too far to turn around. I walked up, showed the guy my ID (yep, still getting carded), and entered Kenny’s Alley, the massive cobble-stoned walkway where the partygoers were congregating.
I couldn’t help but notice that people were dressed to dance and show the fuck out. I was dressed to impress. And although I received plenty of compliments on my look, I’m still upset at myself for opting for the heels instead of the Nike running shoes.
While continuing to scope out the scene, it was evident that EP had come to show Atlanta a good time. Click To Tweet There was a gorgeous photo area set up toward the back of the alley; all the beautiful ones were lined up, solo or in a group, to have their professional shots taken. Also, there were multiple bars, an abundance of spirits, and people didn’t have to wait in long lines to be served. Finally, there were a couple of food options to choose from. On one side of the alley was a burger station, where the cooks prepared 100% beef burgers which appeared and smelled delicious. I was just disappointed that there wasn’t an Impossible patty in sight. But, luckily, on the other side of the alley there was a vegetarian-friendly hot dog stand to satisfy my non-meat-eating needs. And I must say, my soy dog was pretty legit.
The Deejays
Then, suddenly, more people started pouring in in droves and, in no time at all, Kenny’s Alley became packed to the brim and the party turned up like 10 notches in a few minutes. The bass was pumping, the deejays (yeah, it was a few of them) were in their zone, and the partygoers, including myself, were getting their entire lives.
But, I didn’t let all the hustle and bustle and good-timing stop me from meeting celebrity Chef Roble. I must say the man who has, over the years, prepared, what were deemed to be extraordinary meals for the likes of Spike Lee, Jay-Z, the late Michael Jackson, Leonardo DiCaprio, the incomparable Obamas, and many more, was very humble and just an all-around nice guy. I had a chance to tell him that I was a big fan and that I really enjoyed his event. He thanked me for the compliment and told me it was nice to meet me and we continued to party.
Overall, Everyday People was a good time. And not just because I had a chance to meet a master chef. The event welcomed everyone to just come together and have a good time and dance, laugh, eat, drink, and just party with no judgment. There were no unnecessary fights breaking out, no VIP section, and no over-the-top cover charge just to get in the door.
It’s highly likely that I’ll be back for the next event that they bring to Atlanta. And that time, I’m going to make it a mission not to leave my dancing shoes behind.
To see when Everyday People is coming to your city, check out the website: Everyday People NYC .
In the meantime, here’s a taste of what you’re missing:
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