Breakfast Clubbing #43
W/C 2.17.25. We are ON in: Milan, Philly, Wmsburg, Miami, Hamptons, CDMX, SF, Vienna, Paris, Portland ME, DTBK, Manhattan, Cincy, Melbourne, London, SOMa (Jersey), Panama City & LA (West Side)
Oh hello.
Lots of action in the last week (Breakfast Club and otherwise). We’ve now hit 30x cities around the world, are approaching 2000 recipients for this Monday update, and have pulled off the first of what will be a re-occurring series of creative retreats with Camp Cultivate. Not bad for something that started as excuse for a recurring egg sandwich.
What motivates me most is the way people GET it. As Kevin wrote me about last week’s launch of BC in Boston:
Ben, Can't tell you how awesome today was. It was such an eclectic turn-out of really accomplished, interesting people. And just as importantly, we didn't have to tell anyone how to "be" -- they just organically moved around, brought people who were idle into conversations, made great connections. TBD on when the next one is (monthly vs bi-monthly), but I think nearly everyone who attended got something out of it as was kind of like "holy shit", this actually great. Cass and Lizzie (cc:) on this thread. Cass I think will post on her Linkedin -- the photo and list of attendees. I guess she could cc: you? Let us know if there is anything else we should be thinking about / doing to best capture the moment and build from here. You'll have to come up at some point. ~ kevin
It’s the same story I hear from pretty much everyone - whether it’s a big group or just a handful of like minds.
I’m not the only one.
is well on her way to taking the whole operation over, the way she’s marshaled the BC Instagram (Breakfast_Clubbing) and organized BC hosts the world over to regularize info input and (soon come) templatize design. I am grateful - and we’ll all feel the difference soon. Follow it.Likewise
, who’s been down with BC since breakfast #1, and who (since he works with the legendary Queer Eye gang), and so wrote:“I’m pulling together a discount code for Breakfast Club for our Queer Eye tour (Phi, NY, CHI, DC, LA). The link [here] (fabfivelive.com/friends) will take anyone to a discount page for the tour"
You know what to do, folks. It’s this week. And if you wanna meet up at the show on Thurs in NY, hit me up in the comments or reply to this email. Will be fun.
Meantime - here’s that IG again. And all the week’s Breakfasts after that.
And if not this week, another one soon.
Ben
The Breakfast Club Esprit de Corps:
* Everyone’s invited - especially you.
* Feel free to share, bring friends, colleagues, family, anyone.
* No agenda, no required buy-in, no need to RSVP. And no pitches.
* Everyone pays their own way.
* Everyone is welcome to subscribe.
Join the Linkedin group here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14449223/Breakfast Club Editions Around the World (cities added regularly):
Weekly:
Portland, OR [Tuesday]
Mexico City [Wednesday]
Williamsburg Brooklyn [Wednesday]
Miami [Wednesday]
The Hamptons [Wednesday]
San Francisco [Wednesday]
Downtown Brooklyn [Thursdays]
Manhattan [Thursdays]
SOMa, NJ [Fridays] Bi-Weekly:
Washington, DC [Thursdays]
Melbourne [Fridays, alternating between Fitzroy and Victoria]
Amsterdam [Fridays, alternating between locations East and West)
Monthly:
Barcelona[First Wednesdays]
London[First Thursday]
LA (West):[Second Fridays]
Berlin
Ibiza
Vienna
Paris
Milan
Lugano
Philadelphia
Boston
Portland, Maine
Burlington, VT
Panama City
SeattleBreakfast Club This Week:
Milan, Philly, Wmsburg, Miami, Hamptons, CDMX, SF, Vienna, Portland ME, DTBK, Manhattan, Cincy, Melbourne, London, SOMa & LA (West Side)
Wednesday, February 19th
Milan
Co-Hosted by Charla Noel Caponi, Giorgio Bartoli, Moritz Gaudlitz and in collaboration with Occhio GmbH hosted by Sofija Nikolic
9am @ Occhio Store Milano
Philadelphia
Co-Hosted by Julie Gerstein and Kristina D
8:30a @ The Wayward
Miami
Co-Hosted by Jeff Carvalho and Jesse Kirshbaum
8:30a @ Novella Cafe Social
Brooklyn (Williamsburg)
Hosted by me and a gang of regulars
8:30a @ Le Crocodile at The Wythe Hotel
The Hamptons
Co-hosted by Mike Kilcoyne
8:30a @ Tutto Cafe
Mexico City
Co-Hosted by Steve Bryant
8:30am @ Mendl
San Francisco
Co-Hosted by Eve Lewis and Chris M. Gillespie
8:30am @ Terreene in the 1 Hotel
Thursday, Feb 20th
Paris
Co-Hosted by Lisa Ono, Sarah Garcia Delporte and Karla Rodriguez C and Elina Castillo Jiménez
9am @ Cult Cafe
Portland, ME
Co-Hosted by Michele Martin and Lydia Wagner
8am @ Salt Yard
Downtown Brooklyn
Co-Hosted by Kat Popiel, Marina Garcia-Vasquez and Lynn Juang
8:30am @ Ace Hotel Brooklyn (Lobby)
Manhattan
Co-Hosted by Heidi Hartwig
9am @ Eva’s Kitchen on Grand
Cincinnati
Co-Hosted by Theo Erasmus and Emmit Jones
8:30am @ Mom and Em Coffee
Friday, Feb 21st
Melbourne
Co-hosted by Steph Clarke
8:30-10a @ Pillar of Salt, Richmond
London (Pop Up)
Co-hosted by Amy Daroukakis Victoria Gates-Fleming, and Lucy Barbor
9:30a @ The Cafe at Foyle’s Charing Cross
New Jersey (SOMa)
Co-Hosted by James Friedman and Evie Bear
9:15a @ Arties
Panama City
Co-hosted by Karla Rodriguez C., Jacob Larringa and Carla Batista Jean-François
9a @ Sassy Cafe
Los Angeles (West)
Co-Hosted by Anita Schillhorn van Veen, Scott Donaton and Kirsten Ludwig
9a @ Zinque Venice
Upcoming Breakfast Club Events
2.25: Portland OR2.26: Miami, Hamptons, Williamsburg, CDMX, SF 2.27: Downtown Brooklyn, Manhattan, Washington DC2.28: SOMa (New Jersey)3.4: Boulder 3.5 Barcelona (Mobile World Congress) 3.14: AmsterdamBreakfast Club Event Recaps [Last Week]:
Breakfast Club PDX Report 2.11.25
Per Nina’s Post: This week we chatted about the necessity of quick trips to sunshine and warmth, we supported Lizy Gershenzon as she preps for her Creative Mornings talk (can't wait!) and lots of smaller conversations about what the crew is up to.
I'll be away next week (in sunshine and warmth) but Kara Place and Brian Mark will be hosting in my absence.
Great to see y'all Jesse Champlin Roland Gauthier Lizy Gershenzon Robinson Wood Joseph Soutullo Brian Mark Justin Davis jeff weithman
Hope to see y'all on Feb 25th ☕
Breakfast Club Lugano Report 12.2.25
Per Elettra’s Post: Another inspiring morning at Breakfast Club Lugano, where conversations flowed freely, blending history, finance, culture, and the quirks of daily life. From the echoes of Ticino’s witch trials to the evolving landscapes of fashion, film, and finance, our discussion reflected a world in constant transformation—one where past and future, local and global, personal and systemic all intersect. Thanks to my co-host, the lovely Camilla F., who’s the first person I’m excited to speak to, and to AMALO and DAVID POGGESI for hosting us with delicious coffee and pastries.
Here’s what we explored this time:
🔮 The witch trials of Ticino, revisiting Switzerland’s eerie and often overlooked past
🔥 LA wildfires, reflecting on their impact and the aftermath of recent fire seasons
💰 Bank turnovers & the challenges for Americans banking in Switzerland, diving into the complexities of financial shifts, international banking restrictions, and what they mean for expats
🎥 Production in the film industry vs. fashion & the Beckham effect, comparing the creative processes of two industries and how branding—from movie stars to fashion icons like Beckham—shapes global markets
🥾 Hiking trails around Lugano & The Touring Club Switzerland, sharing the best scenic routes and how this historic organization promotes Swiss travel and outdoor adventures
📱 Influencers, fashion talent & the rarity of 100% Swiss goods, discussing the changing face of the fashion industry, the rise of digital influence, and the challenges of maintaining true Swiss craftsmanship
❄️ Life in the Nordics & seasonal differences, exploring how climate shapes daily life, work habits, and culture in northern Europe
🎭 Angelina Jolie’s latest film on Maria Callas, discussing the legendary opera singer’s life and the film’s artistic vision
🚗 Car rentals & driving in Tuscany, sharing tips on navigating Italian roads, insurance policies, and the best routes for a scenic drive
🍽 Boeucc & Rigi fries, celebrating standout culinary experiences, from one of Milan’s top restaurants near La Scala to the legendary crispy fries at the restaurant atop Mount Rigi—because food always finds its way into the conversation
🌤 Bahamas sweeping skies, a moment of escapism through travel dreams and island life
📺 Report, the investigative journalism program that recently turned its lens on Lugano
☕ And, of course, a reminder: No cappuccino after lunch!
A big thank you to everyone who joined—your curiosity and energy make these mornings what they are:
Jolie Zocchi Gea Finocchiaro Aprile Leonardo Conte, PhD Toofun Zion West Carlo Raimondo, PhD Alessandro Molo Filomena Di Dio Danielle Muller Joseph Brown
Merci to Ben Dietz who started it in NYC, Charla Noel Caponi for running a cool one I am inspired by in Milan and to the always in-the-know Elizabeth De Filippo-Jones for having introduced me to all this.
Breakfast Club Classic (Williamsburg) Report 2.5.25
Per my Post: Small-scale gathering today meant we got deep. On my end we talked putting your brain into an AI, what your ‘number’is, having a company co-opt your personality, experience design, whether or not the money is for the boring work, whether knowledge should be free and service should be paid double, the point of inflection for capitalizing on your ‘free’ ideas, turning 27, the limits of backward-looking models, edging, predicting outcomes, athletes dealing with injury, generation XYNZ, Google Scholar, JSTOR, replying all to company-wide emails, the height of DEI responses, amazing experiences in slack with rich girls that buy expensive stuff, what Slack is an acronym for, Hogans Heroes, Doonesbury, the "Friendship" movie Trailer, "Stand Up Solutions," the philosophical pillars of our youth, unfunny comics (see: Cathy, Dilbert), Ronald Reagan as a baddie, how Turkish last names are born, Camp Cultivate, speaking to CMOs, getting names wrong over and over, the STARLINK T-Mobile collab, the pluses and minuses of being unable to contact, expectation of minor losses in a major operation, the 3 body problem, ‘get money’ fries, the trials and Tribulations of Neil Gaiman, the evangelism of LOTR, rewatching the Simpsons, listening ironically, 90s crying rock guys, @Mk.Gee producing Justin Bieber, MJ Lenderman and Cameron Winter, ‘Oppoganda’ vs ‘Copaganda’, hate listening to NPR, the coming "tire fire of white guy dreadlockery," and lots more
It were me, Aydan Sarikaya, Ian Edgar, Sundi Brewer-Griffin, Leann Abad, Eason Yang, Randy Paul, Dan Burt, Kalil Greenberg, and Zachary Mallard.
We do this every Wednesday at Le Crocodile Restaurant in Williamsburg. All the details each week are Everyone's invited, especially you.
Breakfast Club Hudson Report 2.12.25
Per Mark’s Post: It was another great Hudson Breakfast Club! Thanks to cohost Peter Spear and everyone who attended!
Caitlin Barrett, Tara Donne, Alexander Theodoropulos, Mallory Lawson, Shannon Gallagher, Jack Dylan, Eric Weiner, Daron Hollowell, Willie Miesmer, Kevin Meehan, Jed Heuer, Jon Notar, Sophia Taylor, Lillian Melcher, Emily Winiker, Sophie Yalkezian, Peter Frank
Breakfast Club SF Report 2.12.25
Per Chris’s post: At breakfast club we discussed tech poltergeists and …
Bureacracy. (Bureau-cracy = rule by writing desks. Not even people. Desks.) Cultural singularity. Flooding the zone. Newsy narratives. Longform journalism. All that’s left. LA., of course. Filters for the flood of context. Digital watering holes. An ethnographic analysis of your YouTube explore page. Making the algorithm work for you. An AI trained on your text likeness being kinda bitchy. Self vs soul self. ChatGPT as a parenting coach. Difficulty. Untranslatable words from Vietnamese and French. Language-native social hierarchy. Parent-led culture. The wisdom of trees. Natural wisdom in general.
With the indomitable Arno Hesse, Magali Charmot, Graeme Lindsay, Lien Nguyen, Shamrina Oshana, and Eve Lewis
Breakfast Club Ibiza Report 13.2.25
Per Hugh’s Post: Breakfast Club Ibiza #2 done. Chat and nonsense included:
- What makes a good biopic?
- Have you ever been knocked out and lost your memory?
- Irish folk stories and the joys of Blindboy's new office
- Comedy archetypes fitting the matriarch/patriarch/craftsman/clown structure
- And how this works for Marge/Homer/Lisa/Bart as well as John/Paul/George/Ringo
- A museum of club culture
In attendance were Rikki Finlay, Warren Byrne, emma sharpe and myself.
Back again sometime. Dunno when. If you live on the island or plan to visit do join us.
Breakfast Club Downtown Brooklyn Report 2.13.25
Per Lynn’s Post: Today’s dispatch from Breakfast Club, Downtown Brooklyn: big thanks to our guest host Carolyn Moore in town all the way from Portland, and to today’s crew: Peter Gaston ari levine Jason Thome Patty Marando Nicole Nejati Thomas Murphy Joy Martinez Bao-Tran Huynh Hilary A. Miners Putri Trisulo Jennifer Rusk Wendy Tsang Trish O'Callaghan Nate Moore, my sisters in hosting Marina Garcia-Vasquez Kat Popiel and of course Ben Dietz. ✨
This rainy morning, conversations toggled between: why branding needs a cultural editor in the mix to discern and steer away from biases and stereotypes; personal art projects as political statements, what the next iteration of hybrid venture + branding studios might look like, career pivots and the importance of female professional coaches, the lyrical beauty and power of hip hop, reminiscing about first crushes, and how to build a collective of collectives.
Find us next week and every week on Thursdays 8:30am at the Ace Hotel Brooklyn. No agenda, no RSVPs required, everyone’s invited - especially you!
Breakfast Club Washington DC Report 2.13.25
Per Michael’s Post: The Inaugural DC Breakfast Club was a smashing success!
☀️
We talked about Chuck E. Cheese, championship rings, existing in the state of bardo, Bowling Alone, gonzo filmmaking, vintage clothes, The Black Cat, adjusting to DC, Disney weddings, airport runs & the joy of watching TV shows that existed before cell phones solved narrative problems.
☀️
The group today was Quinnton Harris Robyn Swirling Maggie Winters Ted Steyer, M.M.C. Mark Pollard, Strategy Friend Allison Archambault Tal Alter Rebecca Davis
☕
We do this every other Thursday in Adams Morgan at 8:30 am.
Next one is February 27th.
Everyone pays their own way, there's no agenda or RSVP necessary.
Everyone's invited, especially you!
Breakfast Club Boston Report 2.13.25
Per Cass’s Post: Boston, we have lift-off! 🚀 This morning, we launched Breakfast Club Boston, tapping into the incredible community Ben Dietz has built and bringing it to our city. The goal? Bringing together like-minded humans who want to connect, share ideas, and inspire each other over breakfast. Great company, great conversation—that’s it.
We’ll be hosting this every month, so stay tuned for details on the next one. Big shoutout to my co-hosts Elizabeth Millstein & Kevin Johannesen for making it happen. See you at the next BC Boston!
Many thanks to the incredible crew that made it out despite the dreary weather. Appreciate you all and know there are more folks to tag in so stay tuned. Scott Stedman Adam Petrick Drew Watson Allison Waters Doherty Danny Healey Rachel Huff Marissa Sweazy Klaassen Moshe Isaacian Greg Stahovec Erin Regan Matt Shearer Hannah Schon
Breakfast Club Manhattan Report 2.13.25
Per Heidi’s Post: What an amazing morning at Breakfast Club Manhattan! Grateful for the incredible turnout and the inspiring conversations.
We’re up and at it every Thursday at 9 AM at Eva’s Kitchen on Grand St.
All are welcome—especially you!
with Mizuo Peck Matt Lenski Alex Corporan Elijah Torn Ben Dorenfeld Michelle Lindsay Lucy Sole Melissa Noble Lillian Pontius-Goldblatt Eri Panasci Taylorson Nick Cogan Corey Bullough Tasha Cain, Lina Noel, Ashley Granata Nick Bodor Erik Schneider Heidi Hartwig Jodi Rosenblum & SDJ.
Breakfast Club Cincy Report 2.13.25
Per Theo’s Post: We discussed what made a world class city, Furries, art for anxiety, state capture, why men don’t t wear proper hats anymore, wankpanzers, the dullness of suburbs, Seoul, underground spaces and meat raffles, sapeurs, walking and street art.
Calcagno Cullen, Ruth Anne Wolfe, Jeff Kobberdahl , John Young, Vanny Mwamba, Jason Zwolinski, Stacy Sims, Denianne Gardner, Emmit Jones, Theo Erasmus , Ben Dietz, The Rare Beast , Rhys Watkins.
Breakfast Club Seattle Report 2.13.25
Per Mike’s Post: Good things start over breakfast.
This morning, David, Agnieszka and I kicked off a version of Breakfast Club in Seattle.
The concept is simple and nothing new: give a reason for people to meet new people. Over breakfast.
No agenda, no pitches, no buy-in. Just good conversation.
And you’re invited.
The plan is to meet somewhere in Seattle every month. Watch this space for March and April dates. Location is TBD, but we'll probably keep it fresh.
H/T:
Ben Dietz for making this "a thing"
Jeff Weiner for the nudge
Randy and Alex for helping us get started
Breakfast Club Berlin Report 14.2.25
Per Amy’s Post: These wonderful, warm minds braved the icy cold snow to join Sabine Koppe and myself.
Alexi Gunner, Igor Schwarzmann, 🏔️ Tim Duckett 🏔️, Stefano Voino Oransky, Chad Young, Janine Kaselitz, Antoinette Hoes, Max Celko, Lorri Hofer, Valentina Lunardi, Liubov Timofeeva, Alex Wolf & Emily Dreesen
I LOVE coming home to Berlin for a reason…
We FLIPPED how we introduced ourselves, and instead, each gave a peek into the “why” Berlin…
“We each seek different reasons, levels and need for change”’ - Stefano Voino Oransky
Magic Berlin Arrival Stories: ...
🦜 New Conversation: a chance meeting on a plane - turned into a job offer.
💫 New Goal: “One day, I’ll live in Berlin for sure”
🪴 New Start: I gave my grown children the house in Amsterdam, “it’s too full a city”
✈️ New Chapter: A divorce led to a 5-minute = a new city + apartment = YES!
🇬🇧 New Backyard: “Could not stand London any more - Boris broke me”
💻 New Ways of Working: "I work remotely can be based here"
🪩 New Energy: “The vibes brought me here”
🙎♀️ New Choice: “Most of my friends had moved here”
🛤️ New Direction: “Had a sliding doors moment in London - came for 3 months, it' now been 6 years”
🤯 New Likeminds:“I knew I would find people who have a similar dislike of the same things”
🌆 "New" as the City Still Evolves: "Born in the GDR - I grew up in two systems"
🏠 New Start - Then Stopped: “I wanted to stay two or 3 years, but still here”
🇩🇪 New Skills: “Delusionally trying to learn as much German as I can”
🌏 New Magic: “I was taking poetry classes in Brooklyn - picked a place on a map”
💌 New Family: "A baby brought me here"
❤️ New Home: “It felt like home even before I moved here.”
= A very full Valentine's Heart, thank you all for coming!
Breakfast Club Amsterdam Report 14.2.25
per Sheila’s Note:
The sun made a rare appearance that morning, a real treat for Amsterdammers. With so many of us affected by layoffs and company cost-cutting, this edition felt especially compassionate and inspiring.
We dove into the ideal design of workspaces—should they be more than just grey boxes? How many amenities do we really need? Should a workspace feel like home, or should it focus purely on functionality? And what about kitchen conversations—do they fuel creativity, or just eat into work time?
Beyond that, we explored corporate vs. nonprofit work, fake job postings used for investor visibility, and the challenges of building connections across different cultures. Would every city benefit from a Breakfast Club? Does living in a bigger city mean more opportunities to connect—or just more loneliness?
We arrived with heavy thoughts and left feeling lighter.
Such a lovely way to start the weekend with Shalev, Maral, Alba, and Shaci.
