There are many words I’d use to describe brunch (tasty, slow, hangover cure), but until a weekend ago, connected, trusting, and meaningful weren’t among them.

It all started like any other: perfect local French bistro, a diverse and fun group of ladies (and me), lots of coffee and bottomless mimosas, and entertaining conversation about favorite books, good movies, plans for the holidays. You know, typical stuff.  So the sharing continued: pet owners, volunteering, children,  and then, perhaps a bit more unusual, a member shared her love for boxing.  Not watching, actual study and participation in the sport.  She brought up an observation about how men and women act differently to each other in the ring and how they behave afterwards.

Then in a wonderful way it got personal.  The different stories, the passion for their work, or maybe we just had a place and moment where we felt comfortable and more difficult questions were shared.”How do you know to trust someone out on the street when your heart wants to help but your mind knows it’s probably not a good idea?” “How do we keep the experience of sharing/caring when it’s necessary to protect ourselves as well.” “Sometimes a simple smile to someone on BART can make a world of difference in a better way.” We all nodded and sighed a little. We all felt a bit more calm, confident, and ready for the day. Goodwill toward men and bottomless mimosas. Perfect.

Bryan Event Manager San Franicisco