Because familiarity is what makes connection feel safe.
And safety is what allows connection to grow.
Mugs ’n Hugs exists as a small, steady place to start.
A familiar café.
A recurring morning.
The same faces appearing often enough that you don’t have to begin from scratch every time.
No structure.
No spotlight.
Just a place where being there counts.
Held on the second Monday of every month
You can:
arrive around 11am (or later),
order your own drink,
join a table, or sit nearby,
talk if you feel like it,
leave when it feels right.
Mugs ‘n Hugs is for women who:
feel socially rusty or out of practice,
have been through a life change that shifted their circle,
don’t enjoy networking or performative social spaces,
want company without pressure,
prefer things to build slowly, rather than all at once.
The Essentials
When: Second Monday of every month, from 11am
Where: Shane on Colby, Belgrave South
Cost: Free. Just buy your own drink
RSVP: Not required
Kids: Very welcome
School holidays: We still meet
Come late. Leave early.
Bring your whole self, or just the part that wanted a warm drink and easy company.
Why familiarity matters
So much adult loneliness isn’t about a lack of people. It’s about a lack of repetition.
Familiar places. Familiar faces.
Low-stakes moments that add up over time.
Mugs ’n Hugs is built around that idea.
The idea that connection doesn’t need intensity to be real.
It just needs space to return.
A gentle note
If you're wondering whether this is "for you," that's usually a good sign.
You don't have to decide now.
You don't have to make it mean anything.
If it ever feels like the right step to take, you're very welcome to come along.
And if not, this space will still be here when it does.
