Creative agency Wild Honey Pie and soda brand Spindrift hosted a Pizza Party at Paulie Gee’s last week, complete with a constant stream of unlimited freshly-baked pizza (with several amazing vegan options), as well as a sampling of various partnered brands, such as the delightful Grillo’s Pickles and the tantalizing Maker’s Mark whiskey, among others. The highlight of the night, however, was an intimate private concert performed by alt-pop singer BENEE, who enticed fans with glimpses into her upcoming album.
As a native New Yorker, I am no longer easily impressed. New coffeeshop here, red carpet there, I’ve seen it all. However, when something truly remarkable comes along, something that inspires creativity, passion, and humanitarianism, all while bringing together people and brands from polar opposite walks of life—I’m impressed.
Enter Creative Agency Wild Honey Pie, teaming up with all-natural soda company Spindrift, which sends me an invite to a unique event that can only be conceived by a visionary: a bottomless pizza party at a pizza restaurant, serving up hot pies and pickles, and soda, along with inventive cocktails and mocktails, buffered by a once-in-a-lifetime performance by the sensational BENEE. The kicker? All the ticket proceeds would go to charity. Okay, the inner New Yorker in me that would normally scoff was completely mesmerized.
I arrived at the restaurant, Paulie Gee’s, and the host of the pizza party, and after talking to a team member about the offerings, I immediately set off to grab myself several slices (I had not eaten all day).
Entrance sign to Paulie Gee’s, courtesy of The Wild Honey Pie
The restaurant offered several options as part of its bottomless menu, including a carnitas pie that was dubbed “Can’t Beat Us Carnitas” (which I did not get the chance to try because of my vegetarianism). What I did thoroughly enjoy, however, were the vegan offerings: a vegan sausage-covered pie called the Hellboy, and a pie caked with layers of mushroom called the “Mush Ado About Nothing”. Both were simply delicious, and I found it hard to believe that they were vegan; they were that good. I saw many people try all the slices, but only came back for seconds of the vegan slice, which really gave it the stamp of approval. Along with the slices was a “Pickle de Gallo” made by Grillo’s Pickles, and team members urged me to try it on top of a slice. It was delicious.
As I ate, I also picked up a can of Spindrift in the orange cream float flavor. Enjoying its naturally sweet and satisfyingly refreshing flavor, I walked around and looked for several of the other interactive elements that the event had set up.
A pizza with some Spindrift, courtesy of The Wild Honey Pie
I found a table that had Grillo’s Pickles stickers, which I happily affixed to my Spindrift can in a collab of sorts, and grabbed a cocktail, which was crafted using Maker’s Mark whiskey. I soon learned about the charity the proceeds of this event were going to: all ticket sales would be going directly to Covenant House, which is working hard to prevent and eradicate youth homelessness once and for all. I felt even better knowing that I was here supporting a good cause.
Once the pizza buffet wrapped up, I discovered another surprise that honestly deserves its own paragraph: Sweet Maresa’s Bakery had envisioned new flavors of cookies for this event. The crown jewel? A stunning Grillo’s Pickles Dill Sugar Cookie that left me floored. Sour and sweet, it was a combination that I was very reluctant to try, but so glad that I did.
The pickle flavor was not haphazard; it was the perfect balance of pickle and cookie, where I could taste the brine but still enjoy the sweetness of the cookie itself. I helped myself to several and reminded myself to check if Sweet Maresa’s sold these at the bakery, where I could pick some up.
Pickle Cookies! Courtesy of The Wild Honey Pie
As I happily munched, an announcement was made that BENEE would be beginning her set. She took a seat on the stool that had been set up for her, and perfectly encapsulated the sweet, down-to-earth, girl-next-door vibe that I had heard she had. She had real conversations with her fans and audience, acknowledging each person, laughing about her stay in NYC and her travel from New Zealand, her home country, and sharing anecdotes that just made her seem extremely genuine and relatable.
BENEE performing, courtesy of The Wild Honey Pie
It was a breath of fresh air to be able to experience an artist in such a normal and almost vulnerable way, and I really appreciated her taking the time and effort to engage with everyone. Several die-hard fans had shown up to the event; some had brought vinyls or posters for her to sign, and one duo of sisters had even flown in from Italy to meet their idol. It was extremely heartwarming.
BENEE began singing and delivered a phenomenal performance. She was promoting her upcoming album Ur An Angel I’m Just Particles, coming out November 7th, which will be her second album. She sang a song from the album called Cinnamon, an upbeat and hopeful song about love and its tribulations, and several others that were being performed for the first time as sneak peeks to her new album. Her voice was great, her energy was unparalleled, and as a BENEE fan, I was satisfied with all the new songs and content that I was looking forward to dissecting and discussing. She also sang some older fan-favorites like Glitter and Supalonely that were immediately met with recognition and applause.
The evening was a complete success, with an amazing assortment of new things to try and love, and a taste of new pizza and BENEE’s new album, likewise. I really liked the focus on charity and giving back that the event had, as well as the promotion of local and smaller brands. In their entirety, all the brands that were represented were The Wild Honey Pie, Spindrift, Paulie Gee, Grillo’s Pickles, Voodoo Ranger, Covenant House, Consequence Daily, and Maker’s Mark.
Lastly, BENEE stole the show with her performance, and she solidified me even further as a lifelong fan (and made me even more miserable waiting for the album to drop). I had a wonderful time, and I urge everyone to pop open a Spindrift in the car and throw on some BENEE.
