💌 June 20: a wellness bandwagon, the new dinner party, & our fave NYC coffee shops

TODAY IS THURSDAY, JUNE 20

WHAT TO EXPECT

• stories: social media influencers aren’t rich, the '“loneliest generation” is transforming the dinner party, Apple is shutting down the buy now pay later option

• this week’s watch: Maxton Hall

• quote: on becoming you

• extra stories

• recent article: savor the café of NYC — our fave coffee shops

• weekly favorites: skincare tools

WORK LIFE: SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS AREN’T GETTING RICH
Did you know that despite having large followings, a lot of full-time creators struggle to earn a decent income? Platforms are paying out less for popular content as competition intensifies and brand sponsorship deals are getting harder to come by. With no employment benefits and rising costs, making ends meet through creator work alone is an uphill battle for all but a few top influencers. While some find moderate success, the reality is grueling work with no guarantees - far from the overnight fame fantasy. As one creator says, "It is a lot more work than most people realize."

LIFESTYLE: THE “LONELIEST GENERATION” IS TRANSFORMING THE DINNER PARTY
Many young people, especially women, are feeling lonely and isolated these days. To combat this, groups have sprung up across the country organizing dinners, brunches, and other food/drink events explicitly aimed at helping people make new friends. Some of these events keep groups small and are curated for more intimate settings, while others have over 200 attendees to increase odds of meeting someone compatible. Some attendees make casual acquaintances they see occasionally, while only a few have managed to form close-knit friend groups from the events. The events provide low-pressure opportunities to practice socializing that some find difficult organically. Whether lasting bonds form may depend on the individuals' follow-through beyond the organized meetups.

BUSINESS: APPLE IS SHUTTING DOWN THE BUY NOW, PAY LATER SERVICE
Apple’s service called Apple Pay Later is shutting down just over a year after its launch. The service allowed customers to split purchases from $50 to $1,000 into 4 interest-free payments over six weeks. With this decision though, they’ll still offer buy now, pay later options from third-party providers like Affirm, Citigroup, and Synchrony Financial into the Apple Pay checkout process.

Maxton Hall is a German-language tv series where quick-witted scholarship student Ruby unwittingly witnesses a secret at Maxton Hall. Arrogant millionaire heir James is determined to silence her, but their clash ignites an unexpected spark between them. The series is available now to watch on Amazon Prime.

ON BECOMING YOU: The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself — Anna Quindlen

Don’t focus on achieving some unrealistic ideal of perfection, but instead on the challenging (yet rewarding) journey of defining and creating your own authentic path in life. By embracing your true self through hard work and perseverance, you can build a life and legacy that are uniquely your own.

💄 the secret to summer makeup…from a French girl

👠 it’s a shoe or a clutch?

🍵 we should all hop on this bandwagon

Here are our recommendations for some of the most charming and hip coffee shop locations whether you’re in Williamsburg, Greenwich Village, or upper Manhattan — there are no deficits of cafés in the Big Apple!