By Gabriella Bancheri
Local event curator and Ventnor City local Julia Vain is at it again, and she’s getting even more creative. On Sunday, Feb. 4, Tony’s Baltimore Grill (TBG) in Atlantic City hosted yet another iconic event, bringing together locals and tourists alike.
Julia and the TBG team worked with Dylan Gregory of Diving Horse Tattoo to offer free tattoos to selected TBG patrons.
Since I had the opportunity of working this event, I got the chance to witness the dedicated local support from the community and chat with some loyal TBG patrons—an array of hilarious, kooky and high-spirited characters (myself included).
This boozy brunch featured an arsenal of creative cocktails and irresistible snacks served while patrons hung out at the bar to wait for their chance at a free tattoo.
Union Hall Arts, which is situated in the TBG complex right next door to the bar, hosted Dylan’s pop-up tattoo shop to stamp a handful of lucky winners. The venue, a cozy art hub for creatives, features walls lined with inspiring pieces by local artists and hosts an array of events and classes.
Many of the partygoers shared that they’d been to several of Julia’s events. They continually return because, well, she throws a great party. Others are fans of the bar itself, and some people even came from Philly just to attend the event.
Owners of the local AC-based brewery, The Seed, came out to show some support for their neighbors, drink with fellow fans of the events, and get tatted to make the mark of good times with even better people.
The event also featured one of The Seed’s brews, a delicious dark lager, and locally loved Alibi gin even made its regular appearance on the menu in a sassy quasi-aperitif packed with flavor and made with a variety of homemade simple syrups.
With events like these, TBG really helps locally grown initiatives shine—and it’s certainly cultivating a great drinking crew. From artists to event planners to breweries, this spark and community engagement is just the thing that helps communities thrive.
You might want to stick around for Julia’s next trick—a collaborative event with Alibi gin and Florida Cold Cuts, a deli and artisanal shop located on Ventnor Avenue in Ventnor. TBG will also be hosting this one, so be sure to keep up with them on Instagram.
Although working with the TBG team as a bartender was a great experience, part of me is glad I can be on the other side of the bar next time!
Follow @juliavain and @tonysbaltimoregrill to keep up with their events and collabs.
Gabriella is a Ventnor City resident and graduate of the University of London with an MA in Creative Writing and Publishing. Her writing is featured in a variety of digital publications ranging from food and beverage to literature to ecotourism.
