Joan De Jesus might not be an immediately familiar name, but if you’ve attended a Wine for Me event at any of your favorite night spots, like Cafe Erzulie, Cherry On Top, or Prima, you have her to thank. When De Jesus started this low-fi wine-centered event, she intended to make wine approachable, fun, and vibey, and for the past three years, she has been doing just that. This week, we asked Joan to share her favorite places in the city to be when she just wants to be.
Okayplayer: When you want to be “outside” without really being outside, where do you go in NYC?
Joan De Jesus: Wine For Me! Not to be biased, but it’s truly one of the best day parties in New York right now. I’ve always believed we can learn about wine in more meaningful ways, through connection, conversation, and simply being present with one another. The wine list and DJ lineup I curate is designed to encourage these connections, but it’s really the people who attend that set the tone. When I want to be ‘outside’ without really being outside, that’s the space I return to.
Where do you go when you want to be around people, but not overwhelmed by people?
The beach by my aunt’s house in the Rockaways. It’s not off the main strip so crowd-wise, it’s lowkey, and if I’m lucky, she might have some leftovers for me.
What does your perfect NYC day look like, from morning to night?
My perfect day in NYC starts with a run in the morning or pilates at The Fit In. The Fit In is a Black woman-owned fitness studio in Brooklyn with incredible instructors that I’ve been going to for years.
For breakfast or brunch, I stop by Little Egg for their pancakes, then take away to Fort Greene Park to see what vendors are set up and bump into friends along the way.
A pre-dinner glass of wine and snack at Prima – it might be the only natural wine bar in NYC with a Jamaican beef patty on the menu.
In the evening, catching a vinyl set at Damballa, then making dinner at home with my spouse.