We had the good fortune of connecting with Aaron Monu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aaron, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
I don’t really know when to give up to be honest, but I do know when to pivot strategically. I operate with a “North Star” in mind so as long as I’m following that, I can always keep going and find the right path.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m extremely proud of the fact that I kind of have my hands in a little bit of everything and get the chance to do what I love. By day, I work for a national art consulting firm helping local artists get their artwork into new commercial developments across the southeast. In addition to that, I’m also a local artist here in Atlanta and with my love for wine and connecting others, I run two wine-focused experience platforms called Wines for the Culture and Select Few Dinner Club.

My path here was very unorthodox and long but I’ll try to condense it. I started my professional career in the men’s custom suiting industry and spent some years in New York where networking often happened with some wine and spirits, so wine has always been interesting to me. I’ve also always been creative/artistic since my youth and have dabbled in everything from drawing and photography, clothing design and event curation.

I can’t say the path was easy but it also wasn’t “hard” because I’ve always loved what I’ve done. The exploration of new mediums and skillsets has been exciting the whole way! the biggest lessons I’ve learned are 1. You catch more bees with honey and 2. If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far go together.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is a tough question because I’m honestly kind of a homebody but if I had to show them the best time ever… I’d take them to one of our Select Few Dinner Club events for one!

As for an itinerary for a week, whew. Let’s start with the food itinerary: Breakfast would include visits to Bread and Butterfly (shout out to Chef Demetrius!), Buttermilk Kitchen, Grant Park Market (they’ve got a great menu, don’t sleep), Ria’s Bluebird, Emerald City Bagels and then the crib because I make the best smoothies/bowls. Lunch/Dinner would include, Nick’s Food to Go, Bread and Butterfly again, Pollo Primo, Delbar, Estrellita, Boca Lupo to name a few.

Hang out spots would include Larakin, 3 Parks Wine Shop for their tastings, any of the Dive Wine events (I’m sure you’re seeing a trend here) but I’d also take them to see some of the cool trails and parks around the city like Piedmont, Grant Park Sweetwater Creek Trail, East Palisades, etc. I’d also take them on a tour of some of my friends businesses and other cool ones like Todd Patrick in Buckhead, Of the Cloth in Grant Park, Flora Fauna in Reynoldstown. I’m also a huge fan of thrifting so they would definitely be brought along to my favorite spots (sorry, gotta keep those confidential).

Can’t forget the art – some really cool art spaces a like MINT, Johnson Lowe Gallery, High Museum, Whitespace, and any other cool exhibits that are up on ATL art Cal!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people, groups, and other things that have helped me get to where I’m at today. I’d like to dedicate my Shoutout to a few of them (there’s too many to list!). First up is my partner Jamila for always believing in my crazy and unorthodox ways and all she does for our Wines for the Culture/Select Few Dinner Club Platform , My boy Chris for riding with me on the Select Few Dinner Club and inspiring me to build better community, The Roots Fund for helping me hone my wine knowledge and giving me a clearer path, the Grant & Little team for fostering the growth of my art and wine businesses and really going above and beyond, the book “The Power of Now”, and my friends Kurt and Moses for always seeing the vision and pushing me to pursue my art in whatever form it takes.

Website: www.artmonu.studio / www.selectfewdinnerclub.com / www.winesfortheculture.com

Instagram: @aaronmonu / @selectfewdinnerclub / @winesfortheculture

Image Credits
Sarah Thomas, Davila Photo, Joey Appie Photo, Jonathan Cooper, Me!

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