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Refuge Troy

Refuge Event Space is an intimate event space for community, connection, and celebration.

19/08/2025

You’re Invited to a Community Potluck!

Join us for a free community potluck on Tuesday, September 23rd from 6–8pm. Bring a dish to share (if you can) and come enjoy good food, good company, and celebrate the harvest season. Everyone’s welcome—friends, neighbors, and families!

Please RSVP so we know how many seats to set. We can’t wait to see you there!

Link in bio to our event calendar so you can RSVP.

06/08/2025

August events at Refuge
☀️8/6 - Let Yazan Rest - Fundraiser for Palestinian Poet with .made
☀️8/7 - The Reset: Full Moon Workshop & Sound Bath 🧘🏽‍♀️🌕with Desiree from
☀️8/8 - 🌈⛓️ A Big Gay Kinky Market 🪢🌈 with
☀️8/14 - Candle Making Workshop with **edwellings
☀️8/25-8/29 - Creative Expression for Kids with .rainstrom

**ra **radance

31/07/2025

Confessions of an entrepreneur: part 1
Happy Thursday y’all. I’ve been sitting on the idea of writing this series for awhile and today feels like as good a day as any. Today’s confessional is a story of where desire meets determination.

Today is the last day of my 31 days of desire challenge that I’ve been running with a group of about 30 women. It’s been a really sweet experience of dreaming big and taking up space. Being brave enough to ask for what we want and bold enough to go after it.

This July has also been one of the toughest months in my business. I had 3 event cancellations this month. I think I had a total of 1 in all of last year, maybe 2. Even 1 cancellation can be the difference between paying my bills, or not. Sales are down and costs are up, it goes without saying that now is the time to show extra support to your favorite local businesses if you can. We need your support.

Lucky for me, I am smart, I am determined, and I am resourceful. So I spent some time meditating on what I desire to come into Refuge this Fall. What kinds of parties and events would delight me to host. I came up with a list and then I sent out a bunch of emails to movers and shakers in my community. I doubled down on my outreach. I pulled on my network of people. I asked for help.

And you know what? My community showed up for me. I got a lot of yes’s. I’m working through the details for future contracts. It’s not a windfall (yet) but I’ve managed to scrape enough together to pay my mortgage for August, so that’s something.

I share this vulnerable post because it occurred to me this morning as I prepare for our final call in the 31 days of desire challenge how powerful it is to know what you want and ask for it. You’d be surprised and delighted to see how the universe (and your community) shows up for you.

xo,
Tara

30/07/2025

We hosted our first community potluck yesterday. It was such a sweet multigenerational gathering. Delicious food & great conversations. I loved creating the table scape for this event.

Should we host another one?

27/07/2025

Join us on Tuesday to break bread with our neighbors and community members for our first ever community potluck. Enjoy our urban oasis and make new friends & connections.

Please RSVP to let us know you’re coming so we know how many seats to set at the table. Link in bio.

25/07/2025

I’ve been busy with outreach and planning for our Fall calendar of workshops, classes, & community gatherings. There’s some really sweet offerings coming into the space.

Did you know that we offer a community rate to rent our space for classes & workshops? Our tiered pricing model aims to support community building so that we can flourish together.

Here’s what we have on the docket so far this fall:
- Tara’s (.rainstrom) wildly popular Pleasure Playground is coming back in October!
- Full moon workshops
- Dance classes
- Candle making
- Sound healing
- Seasonal Self-love circles

Have an idea brewing? Check out our rental rates via the link in bio and send us a message!

**ra **radance

21/07/2025

We hosted the cutest Boho Baby in Bloom shower over the weekend. I just loved this color palette of blush and n**e tones. It blended so beautifully with the cream walls and the terracotta in our courtyard.

A popular trend I’ve seen this year - a make your own bouquet bar. These women know how to throw a party and they came in with all of the cutest decor to bring their summer afternoon baby shower to life. This baby shower was elegant and feminine. A beautiful garden party to welcome the newest edition to their crew.

16/07/2025

10 years ago today I signed the papers to buy this building. It took me 2 years to find a building that I wanted to buy in Troy and when I saw 1813 5th Avenue I fell in love.

A seed of a desire had been planted when I was in art school to run my own business. So I got my MBA and for many years I helped other people run their businesses.

By the time I bought this building I was working at NYSERDA feeling undervalued and overwhelmed. I knew I wanted more. I knew I wanted a place where I could teach art and movement classes but the rest of the business idea hadn’t formed yet. I was working a state job so funds were super limited. I had a small cash reserve from a life insurance policy my dad took out so that me and my siblings would get a little nest egg after he died. Thanks Dad, I’m forever grateful.

The same week I bought the building I was offered a job at Regeneron. Within a year I had doubled my income between the hefty raise I negotiated and renting out the carriage house & the commercial space to a wellness studio. All of my extra income went into restoring and renovating this building.

I took the summer off in between NYSERDA and Regeneron to tend to this property, to reclaim it as my own. The second photo is me in my living space above Refuge dreaming of a time when I could tend to this property full time, a time when I didn’t have to work at a desk in a cubicle.

For 10 years I have lovingly put everything I had into this property. I have transformed every single room in both buildings. Every single project has been self funded, many of them I did myself. I have created an urban oasis for people to gather. All of this from a seed of desire planted decades ago and the unwavering faith that I could do it.

I’m so proud of myself and I know my dad would be too. I would be remiss if I didn’t highlight that my mom has helped me through every hurdle and obstacle along the way. She also taught me how to be a strong independent woman who believed in herself. I am so grateful.

It’s wild to look at these photos from 2015, so much has changed on my property and the neighborhood since

15/07/2025

I just love our Enchanting Courtyard in the evening.

03/07/2025

In case you haven’t noticed I have an obsession with ferns in urns. I love the aesthetic. I love having the courtyard teeming with life. I’m a nature girl that loves plants and transforming our enchanting courtyard into an urban oasis has been a passion project of mine. Every year I add new plants and new features.

Fun fact - my obsession with urns and ferns began a couple of years ago when I took a trip to New Orleans (one of my faves, I’ve been many times) specifically to visit event venues with courtyards. I noticed 2 things - one is that all of the courtyards were filled with lush plant life. The 2nd thing I noticed is that they all had a water feature. As soon as I returned I bought about a dozen urns and started collecting my ferns.

I’m still on the hunt for the water feature. I’ve been looking for the perfect water fountain and I can’t wait to find it.

02/07/2025

I may be biased but I think our block is one of the prettiest in Troy. We are nestled in to a vibrant section of historic downtown Troy surrounded by beautiful brownstones and historic buildings. Our neighbors include some of Troy’s favorite neighborhood gems - Naughters, , , and .thyme.

Fun fact about our block - it was once known as Doctor’s row because at one point there were many doctor’s offices on the block. There is so much rich history here and absolutely stunning architecture.

I love to talk about the history of my building and the neighborhood, when you book a tour to inquire about renting our space you’ll get all sorts of fun facts and stories. Even some local lore about secret passageways and underground rooms.

Link in bio for info about our rental packages.

26/06/2025

Scenes after a recent sweet 16

We host a lot of sweet 16s and I absolutely love them. They are so joyful, there’s usually some kind of a theme, the decorations are over the top, the fits are fire, and the vibes are immaculate.

This particular party included our popular add-on - hassle-free party cleanup. Instead of throwing things out, I take the time to try to find a home for anything that’s leftover including decorations & food. So that means we have an abundance of pink balloons that I’m looking for a home for. DM me if you want them!

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Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 22:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 22:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 22:00
Thursday	09:00 - 22:00
Friday	09:00 - 22:00
Saturday	09:00 - 22:00
Sunday	09:00 - 22:00

Website

http://www.refugetroy.com/

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