Lauren Smith Builds Community with Upper East Side Girls Group

Thirteen young ladies were seated around the table, porcelain cups in hand, small plates of crumpets and scones in the middle. Valentine’s Day was just a few days away, and regardless of relationship status, these ladies—almost all strangers at the time—decided to celebrate together over tea and brunch at the whimsical Alice’s Tea Cup on 63rd and Lexington Avenue. This outing in February 2024 was one of the first that Upper East Sider Lauren Smith hosted, kicking off her new initiative—UES 30s Girls…Whatcha Up To?

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Lauren, 34, grew up in Rockland County, New York. She attended Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she received her bachelor’s in history and master’s in social studies education. Her diverse career path has included working retail at a maternity clothing store and sales at a tech startup. She now works in sales at Indeed. Lauren has been living in the city since 2014 and on the Upper East Side, where she moved to be close to friends, since 2021.

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In 2023, Lauren’s life took a turn when she ended a long-term relationship and her mother was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. At the same time, many of her friends in the neighborhood started getting married, having kids, and moving out of the city, amplifying her feelings of isolation. “Even though we’re in such a big city, it’s easy to feel isolated,” Lauren shared with me on a Saturday morning walk in Central Park. She especially felt the need for more female companionship being in a male-dominated industry. When she came across a Facebook group posting recommendations for things to do around the Upper East Side, Lauren saw an opportunity. In early 2024, she started adding the hundreds of women in that Facebook group to her own group chat and messaging them. Thus was born UES 30s Girls…Whatcha Up To?

Now with nearly a hundred members, UES 30s Girls…Whatcha Up To? is a low-commitment, inclusive community appealing to all interests. From sharing meals together to going on walks in Central Park or along the East River to seeing ornate holiday decorations throughout the neighborhood, single ladies, married ladies, moms, and career women can simultaneously build friendships and have fun experiences around New York City. UES 30s Girls…Whatcha Up To? has even grown to include multiple subgroups dedicated to activities like brunch, Broadway plays, trivia nights, working out, and even travel. In fact, some of Lauren’s proudest moments have included group members telling her that they’ve become such good friends because of the group and that they’re now planning trips together.

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Some of Lauren’s favorite activities with the group have included the tea parties at Alice’s Tea Cup (her favorite hangout in the neighborhood), going to the spa at Governor’s Island and the Botanical Gardens in Queens, break rooms in Brooklyn, the Jazz Age Festival, the Gilded Age Walking Tour, and the Winter Lantern Festival. She’s looking forward to planning and attending more activities outside her general scope of interest and is getting inspiration from the Fever App.

“I’ve learned there are a lot of great people within a short distance,” Lauren shared about her experience starting and spearheading the group. “Despite being from different walks of life, we all want to build community.” This is exactly what Lauren has managed to do with UES 30s Girls…Whatcha Up To? To this day, she gets messages from group members thanking her for getting them out of the house and meeting people. The group has given Lauren a sense of purpose, and she looks forward to continuing to nurture it and watch it grow.

Interested in joining the group? Check it out here!

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