We’re done meeting through screens
and we’re bringing people together.
In person, on purpose.
In Real Life.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
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Social Salon: Nov 13th
Our first Social Salon - Thursday night at Armada Brewery’s Queens Lounge in New Haven.
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Social Salon: Dec 3rd
Wednesday night at Armada Brewery’s Queens Lounge in New Haven.
The Social Salon: Real Talk in a World That Forgot How
You can live in a city full of people and still feel invisible. We walk past hundreds of faces a day - in coffee shops, gyms, grocery stores - and rarely get past “how’s your day?” The truth is, most of us are starving for real connection. We just don’t have a place where it feels natural anymore.
That’s what the Social Salon is for.
It’s a 2.5-hour evening of honest, surprising, sometimes funny, sometimes thoughtful conversation - designed to make meeting people actually feel good. You’ll sit with three or four people at a time (never one-on-one - this is a no pressure zone), and each round has a short, creative prompt to help you get talking fast without any of the usual awkwardness.
No small talk. No cringe icebreakers. No “so what do you do for work?”
Just a little structure, a lot of curiosity, and a room full of people who came for the same reason you did - to feel a little more connected in the city they live in.
How It Works
Doors open at 6:30. You’ll check in, grab a drink if you want one (there’s a cash bar), and settle in. At 7:00, I’ll walk you through how the night flows - just enough to make it easy. Then we begin.
You’ll rotate through small-group conversations, meeting new faces each time. Between rounds, you can stretch, wander, or hang at the Social Battery Recharge Station - a quiet corner for anyone who needs a few minutes of calm before diving back in.
It’s not a performance. It’s not therapy. It’s just…human.
By the end of the night, you’ll have met a dozen or more new people and felt what it’s like to belong in a room again.
Why It Feels Different
The Social Salon was built for people who hate forced networking and awkward small talk - and for anyone who’s realized how hard it is to make friends as an adult.
The setup does the heavy lifting for you.
The entire night is intentionally designed so you can relax into being yourself. You don’t have to carry the conversation, think of clever questions, or wonder when to speak.
You’ll leave lighter, clearer, and maybe even a little proud that you showed up.
Get the Invite First
Get on the List.
No spam, just an invitation to something better, as soon as it’s ready for you.
A Little Weird. A Lot of Fun.
New Haven IRL is a new series of well-curated, deeply human events for adults who want to meet new people, In Real Life.
We design small, mixer-style gatherings like social salons, weird little game nights, creative prompts and storytelling that are intentionally designed to help people talk, laugh, and actually connect.
Whether you’re looking for your next trivia teammate, a little flirting, or a new friend who also hates small talk, this is your invite.
Who is this for?
If you love people,
but you just need better ones.
If you’ve never actually met
someone new at a bar.
If you’re new here. Or bored here.
Or feeling lonely in a crowd.
If you miss the before-times
when people just... talked.
If any of this sounds familiar,
then you belong here.
Planned Events
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Social Salon
A low-pressure mixer for people who hate mixers. Sip something, meet someone new, and enjoy curated conversation prompts that actually make it easy to talk to strangers.
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Zine and Be Seen
Cut, collage, and connect. This creative night is all about making tiny paper masterpieces and bonding over glue sticks, weird magazines, and a shared love of analog expression.
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Storytelling Circle
A lightly guided, zero-pressure space for telling the stories that matter—funny, raw, real, or imagined. Come share or just listen. No experience needed, just curiosity.
You weren’t meant to live in a feed.
Something better is happening in New Haven. IRL.