Spending the morning sipping coffee and talking about cars is an ideal Sunday for Vaino Narma.
Founder of the NoFo Car Club, a recently formed club for car enthusiasts, Narma wanted to create a grass-roots way for people around the North Fork to gather and discuss all things cars.
“I started the club in an effort to get more car activities on the North Fork,” said Narma. “Cars and Coffee at Brick Cove was the first of our meetups and I got dozens of [messages] from people who were starving for a casual place to take their cars out of the garage and talk to people about cars.”
On Sunday, June 11, NoFo Car Club and Brick Cove teamed up to bring “Cars and Coffee,” to the Southold marina. From 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., car lovers met at the marina’s Waterfront Native Garden to discuss their mutual passion for cars over a cup of coffee and a rotating breakfast selection of muffins, croissants and bagels.
“We got a surprising turnout for our event,” said Narma. “I intentionally wanted this club to be a mix of different types of car cultures and it was. A lovely mix of people showed up that have a passion for whatever type of car they have.”
“Cars and Coffee” is one of the first events hosted by Brick Cove in an effort to create partnerships with different communities in the area, hosting events that reach beyond docking boats. Since last year, Tracy Kessler, an event consultant, has worked with the marina to create and host these strategic events.
“Our intention is to give the community a place to host events,” said Kessler. “While the marina is not necessarily open to the public, we do have two different event venues. We had thoughts about hosting a car event for a while and ironically [Narma] reached out looking for a space to host. It was kind of the perfect event and we had a lot of people there who enjoyed the property and the day.”
Throughout this summer, Brick Cove will continue to host more “Cars and Coffee” meet-ups as well as multiple wellness events, in collaboration with New Moon Wellness and Vision Wellness. These weekend wellness classes include yoga, sound baths and power pilates.
Brick Cove has also partnered with NoFo Paddle, in which all summer paddle board tours will leave from the marina. On Fridays starting at 6:30 p.m., enjoy an Oyster Sunset Tour package, in which fresh oysters and local beer and wine will be provided after an evening paddle.
“While Brick Cove is a marina first, there’s a whole section of the refurbished barn and the Native Garden that are beautiful additions to the property,” said Kessler. “The main objective for me is to get people on the property and see that Brick Cove has a lot to offer. It’s a wonderful spot not only to dock your boat but also for weddings, bridal showers and birthday parties.”
The next “Cars and Coffee” meet-up will occur on Sunday, July 9 at 8:30 a.m. and coffee as well as breakfast items will be sponsored by NoFoLive, a local podcast hosted by Kessler and Narma’s wife Sunita. While the event is free, both Nofo Car Club and Brick Cove ask attendees to RSVP prior to that morning.
On Saturday, July 15, Brick Cove will host their MidSummer Soiree, an evening of dinner, drinks and live music at the waterfront. On Saturday, Aug. 12, Brick Cove’s third annual Swell Series will return. This free family-friendly event will see artisan vendors, live music, food trucks lawn games and much more.
To find a complete list of events hosted by Brick Cove this summer, and to purchase your tickets for the Soiree, head to their website. NoFo Car Club also plans to host more events in the future, and you can find them on social media here.
