Hotties of New Haven: Tour CT and Leave with Memories

Words by Matthew Spence:

Placing all bets, it’s time to settle the score. Everyone bring over their generational photo books, and let’s go band for band for which generation looks like they had more fun. Side by side, each pic, the timeline will go from Baby Boomers living American Graffiti style to Millennials living in an episode of Skins. Yet when we stop at Gen Z, we reach a social impasse. With the amount of coverage flooding digital newsstands of Gen Z, “killing club” culture, and “nightlife being dead,” while Gen Z hides from the crime inside, you’d think that when the weekend rolls around, you’ll be left with an empty city littered with Vapes and tumbleweeds.

Now this lovable old Boy Scout came prepared for this, a bunch of critical thinking caps for myself and readers. Let’s put them on to see the coding behind the text and see how it’s all bullshit, simply put, “Don’t believe the hype,” to quote Flavor Flav. No, we’re not fools. The pandemic gave us new mental wounds.  Political tension is skyrocketing further than the Mars rover (granted that ain’t new), inflation is kicking ass, and the cost of living comfortably is becoming more of a fairy tale, like World Peace. So with all these factors, no wonder the one thing we all go hand in hand for is to say “The 2020s got us fucked up”.  You don’t need prescribed X-ray glasses to see why Gen Z would rather stay home, chill, enjoy free quality time, even if you’re doing the same shit for the 1, 0001st time.

However, when we let some sunlight in the room, we can get a clearer and more enjoyable view of what Gen Z does: what we do best, being the masters of figuring shit out, turning water into lemonade. Shit is rough, but we’re going to still try to smile, thug it out, and laugh every which way. We’re in the mid-2020s, and it feels like the party is back to its regular scheduled program. Beyoncé started it, and Charli XCX brought the party favors. Step outside when the clock strikes 9:00 p.m. Your local listings start to show and prove: skate local parks and concerts. Halls, houses, bars, and some college parties, Asher Roth would thumbs up.

Your local scene and community offer so much for everyone; it’s all about finding your scene and niche. Community is key. Nightlife still has a pulse with the people playing their role as the defibrillators. We have the main players who are neck deep in the vibes and energy of living, and then there are the silent but committed documentarians who snapshot and clip moments that we stuff in our overflow memory closet. Time stamping all the smiles, every freckle of Joy, fits of cringe, and backstories that you hide from your loved ones but low-key would get you a popping IG post. Capturing what “the time is now” means for us. 40 years from now, the next generation will use it as a reference point on Pinterest.

Over here yonder in CT, the underestimated state, we’re known for the Ivy League school Yale, but it can’t go unnoticed that within that same city, New Haven, there is a bomb-ass arts and culture scene filled to the brim with eccentricism and fun (and pizza). I call it mini New York, and right under our noses, it’s being showcased in the dopest way. No, not a Vice documentary, but from the singular IG page that breathes joy.

Hotties of New Haven stopping doom scrollers in their tracks since 2025. Is it the pretty faces? Maybe. Is it the pretty faces in dope places? Perhaps. The faces in the places that are safe spaces against the faceists…. I mean, fascists? Three things can be true at once, plus more. There are plenty of reasons why it can get an instant follow from an onlooker. For starters, it’s dope—that’s one. It’s a page that CT Outsiders and local insiders could appreciate. Dedicated to photographing the nightlife and local events happening in the New Haven scene that’s filled with so much personality and spirit that liking each photo will count as a stream towards Tumblr’s greatest hits. From live concerts to club events and parties to DJ sets, from fashionistas to calm and collected, it’s a page that exudes the cool and organic connection that a local scene can create and can be for those involved.

Compile every pic and put it on autoplay; you’re going to be treated to different places and faces. Men, women, Black, white, and drag queens—to the queen of the drag. If you are in the vicinity, they’ll snap a pic of you. If they’re in the vicinity, just know it’s the hot spot. You can smile for the camera like it’s a picture day, be locked in on the dance floor, or playing rock paper scissors to see who has to pay for the Uber to Denny’s. Hotties is around to capture the energy of real-time enjoyment of life and community—it’s basically “we outside” as an Insta page. Yet the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire question grows louder as the page gets wider. Who’s on the other side of the smile? Who’s managed to have a level 10 Mystique from flashbanging folks with their trusty camera? Keeping the camera shy on their toes and the camera sluts searching for the lens.

Created by [name backmask]. Whoa… trippy… Started by [backmask]. Mmm… [beep] Well, the name isn’t necessary right now, as the power of anonymity keeps me gatekeeping, aka my favorite pastime. All with just cause, the mystery adds to the aura: “It’s fun; it gets people excited. I feel that air of mystery is really fun and exciting for people, and it helps me cuz I never wanted to be in a space with them like, ‘Oh, that’s hotties of New Haven.” They’re kind of going out of their way to pose and stuff. I want it to be natural and sort of mysterious.”Start around April 2025. Hotties is a spiritual successor to their Tumblr days and love of photo diaries, but with a different game to play.

On Tumblr, you’d play “Where is Corey Kennedy?” but with H2otties, it was “spot the homies.” They explain, “I started taking pics of my friends and was like, ‘I kind of love this,’ and I only started hotties in April of this year. At first it was going to sort of be a place where I dump all the photos I take of my friends so I don’t have to send everybody individual photos, and they could just repost on their stories and whatever. Then it kind of started to pick up, and I was like, ‘All right, keep going.'” Having an on/off casual relationship with photography since their early teens, 2025 marked the era of commitment, so to speak, with a mission statement: highlight the lovely people of CT, show off the dope spots, and last but not least, “I’m forever fighting the stereotype that Connecticut is boring or basic cuz it’s not, especially around New Haven; it brings in a lot of different people.” Hopping from event to event, show to show, her footprints ultimately lead to a digital footprint that’s been embraced by the local community; from New Haven to Bridgeport, north to south, it’s all love no matter the location. Doing what she does, they’ve most def heard the love in person. “I’m not super; I’m pretty extroverted. I kind of have to be when it comes to doing what I’m doing.”

It’s hard work and the same love that was given to them to even push forward with the entire page. Imposter syndrome is a bitch and a half, however, homie and cherry alumni, so on and so forth. Bri Wilson was the battery in their back and support system to go hard… like real hard, to quote Kreayshawn. “I love Bri. She’s like a social butterfly, and I feel she’s helped me so much. She really pushed me with hotties cuz, I’m like imposter syndrome really bad, like ‘no one wants to see this’ and ‘no one will care,’ and she’s like, “No, what you’re doing is good; what you’re doing is awesome.” She really hyped me up in the beginning of Hotties, and she still does to this day. She’ll be like, “I love your new post,” and she’s really supportive, and that’s something I’ve never really had in a friend before—just someone who generally wanted me to do well and had my back in that way. I owe a lot to her when it comes to how this cuz she really farmed my confidence with the whole thing.”

[We spent a good two minutes in the interview showing so much love to Bri that even the most humble can have an ego overdose. shout-out to Bri]

Now it’s 2026. Hotties is not even a year old yet, but has gained a fair amount of respect and kudos from all of the people on and off the camera, walking CT. Rewind to 2025, I couldn’t help but wonder who was and is behind the page. Well, my introverted ass went outside and managed to figure it out with a magnifying glass and all, and interviewed Hotties sometime in November 2025. Asking them questions about the New Haven scene, photography, height, and whatever may or may not make the interview.

 

[They say you lose a bit of your soul every time you take a photo. Cheat the spiritual system and just have people draw, sketch, and paint you.]

 

What inspired the page?

What inspired me was the diversity in New Haven. I think New Haven is such a cool place, and there’s so many different scenes there: there’s a hardcore scene, a punk scene, a club scene, like all these different spaces with all different types of people, so that was something I wanted to document.

What makes the New Haven scene so attractive (so to speak)?

I think the main thing is that diversity and also the fashion—I feel like everybody has such a unique sense of style around here, and that really pulls me in. I love taking pictures of unique people. I try to stay away from not necessarily “cookie-cutter” or “basic,” for lack of better wording, but I think that everyone’s so unique with the way they express themselves and their style and makeup, so that’s what really pulled me in to document and shine some light on.

Your rules for a safe night out?

Number one, always stick with your friends. I think it’s important to have a group around you that you’ll feel safe around, and you know you’ll look out for you in that you look out for them. I always think it’s important to be aware of your surroundings at all times, know the area you’re in, know where you’re going, know the people you’re with, and keep an eye on your shit and your drinks ALWAYS.

Three necessities to have a good night out?

My besties, of course! Honestly, though, I just need a space of people to talk to. I love talking to people, so you often see me outside of events because I love the app. You know, a few drinks wouldn’t hurt with good company and good vibes.

Out of tons of pics, how many pics come out good, and how many get used?

In one night, I’ll probably take about 700 photos at least; there are nights I’ve taken over 3,000 photos and go through every single photo individually to pick out my favorites and go through it again and again to condense it down to 20 pictures. For a post, sometimes I do multiple post cuz I have so many photos I like and can’t pick, so it’s a lot to go through and swipe through all these photos and condense it down and edit. I edit each photo myself; I don’t just have a one-click button. I edit everything, so it takes me a long time. I have, like, 10 events that I haven’t even posted.

Nighttime photography is one of the harder fields to be in when it comes to photography because they’re like lasers. Because of all these different lights you have to counteract, it’s hard to get a good photo, so that’s why I’m taking so many [photos].

How do you navigate your social battery when doing nightlife photography, like wanting to leave early / not feeling the vibes, and knowing when to skip events?

I think it’s just going with my gut and how I feel. It can get tough, but for the most part, I love being out; I love being in those sorts of spaces. It doesn’t get too difficult, but there have been times where I agreed and was like, “Yeah, I’ll take photos,” but then when it came down to it, I couldn’t pull through.

What types of characters do you come across in the nightlife?

I mean, you come across all types of people, you know? That’s the thing, and I’ll talk to anybody. Like, if you’re staying outside, you might come across the unhoused folks asking for money and whatever. I chopped it up with a few of them. You meet everyone you meet—Yale kids, local New Haven kids, you know, and sometimes those assholes that want to ruin everyone’s time.

How do you balance photographing the moment and living in the moment?

It’s pretty hard. I often find myself, if I have my camera with me and I’m taking photos most of the time, the next day I’m waking up like, “Damn, I didn’t get to have any fun,” but it’s also fun for me to do that cuz I’m very socially awkward, and I hide it very well and mask it very well. I get a lot of social anxiety, so it’s actually helped me a lot more with staying in the moment and having fun because I have something to do with my hands. <Chuckles> I’m like that person who’s like, “What do I do with my hands right now?” It gives me something to do and helps me with my anxiety, which I do get, but it is hard sometimes. I feel like I didn’t get to do as much as I wanted to or hang with my friends as much as I wanted to. It’s a double-edged sword, I guess.

What’s a hottie to you?

A hottie to me is your overall demeanor; it has nothing to do with your looks or anything. It’s just like the conference you show, and I think truly “hottie” is synonymous with confidence. Be confident in yourself, be confident in the person you are, and be confident in what you wear and everything. So those are the people I gravitate towards; it has nothing to do with looks, really, nothing other than confidence.

Do you hope to expand hotties into more?

Obviously, that would be lovely. I never really viewed it as a job, and I was never going to make money from it, you know what I mean? I never thought to expand it, but I am starting to expand a bit. I’m doing a fundraiser next week at Softwear, so I’m planning an event with a friend of mine doing a DJ event at Softwear and raise money for the Immigration Coalition of New Haven, so that will be awesome! I’m getting more into the party planning aspect of it and event planning, so obviously that’s one way of expanding, but with the photos, I never thought of it as a money-making thing, but if it did turn into that, I wouldn’t be mad.

Do you take pride in knowing you’re documenting a moment in time?

Yes! Yes! That’s one thing I’ve been thinking about a lot, too. If nothing else, how he’s—I’m not going to be able to do this forever. I’m 28 years old, kind of on the tail end of like–

PartyGirl FOREVER—

But it’s not something I’m going to be able to maintain as I’ve been doing over the summer; I was everywhere. EVERYWHERE. On my grind taking photos, and it’s not totally sustainable to do so much, but you know, if nothing else, hotties will be like a time capsule; when you’re older and middle-aged, you know, it could be something you show your kids. Like, look at this cool thing that was going on when I was younger. So yeah, I do believe it’s captured a moment in time, which I think is special, and something I considered is passing the torch down. Like, I always keep my eyes peeled for younger people that sort of have the same passion as me and drive as me, and I’ve given the hotties account to someone, to someone that’s just starting out in their club era and their going-out era. Just one of them can run with it and make it a generational thing.

Do you do weddings?

No <laughs>, but I did do my sister-in-law’s baby shower.

Future Plans

It’s still up in the air. I have the event next week I’m doing. I just recently posted on Hotties to see if people wanted a lesbian Sapphic event, and a lot of people said yes, so that’s something I’m going to start to plan soon. But yeah, I’m really just going with the flow and don’t put too much pressure on myself with this stuff. I just go with the flow, take the opportunity to come to me, and just go with it.