Impromptu Karaoke And Dancing ‘Til Dawn With Our Greenpoint Bestie, Kelley Hoffman

Maybe we've got a soft spot for Refinery29 alumni, but we can't help following Kelley Hoffman's exploding career online—and in social circles. Getting her start with Vogue and yours truly, the platinum-haired, West Coast transplant is a fashion editor and journalist who knows how to tap into the things we all think about, and possibly the things we don't say out loud. Her hilarious insights on pop culture (see: "Love Lessons Learned From Early '00s Hip-Hop Videos"), and questions in counterculture ("How To Go to a Fashion Show on Shrooms") are just two eye-catchers from Hoffman's portfolio as a contributor for Thought Catalog, Elle.com, Interview, and Net-A-Porter. Like the charming social butterfly she is, Hoffman has built an impressive following on Twitter (@kelleyhoffman), and "Tumbls" on all things stylish and inspirational on BestFriendsForNow. To our delight, the Greenpoint denizen was also more than happy to share the secrets of a perfect night out in her homebase, as well as amazing picks from A|X that carry her from nine-to-five through cocktail hour, spontaneous concerts, and photo-booths. Hoffman inspires us by putting her personal spin on A|X basics, including an LBD and a light off-the-shoulder sweater, as she dances the night away before heading home at dusk. Goodbye, besties for now, hello BFF4L.

"After a busy day of work, I love to reward myself with a night out with friends. It's also how I research new ideas for stories, so I consider it part of my job. I'm lucky my own neighborhood has some of the most inspired street style in town. To begin the evening, I try to land an outside table at Five Leaves -- it's definitely a prime spot for people watching. I always go for little black dresses as my basic piece, but I'll wear it with a men's shirt to keep it casual."

"Manhattan Inn is the natural next move. Some of the most talented musicians hang out here, and it's not rare for a patron to break out an impromptu karaoke song with the piano player for some fun entertainment. The low lighting makes it an easy setting to socialize and strike up a conversation with someone new. I like to wear a long cardigan off my shoulders for a light coverup."

"'History is made at night' is the tagline for one of my favorite movies, The Last Days of Disco, and I couldn't agree more. But I also believe if there's no pictures, there's no proof. I'm a fan of documentation in any form, but I think photo-booths bring out the best in people. When we stumbled upon one in the back room at our next spot, Blackout, we couldn't resist taking a few strips."
"By 3 a.m., the absolute best part of a night is if a DJ plays all the songs you want to hear. If I'm not feeling the music it's the first way to get me to move on to the next place. But this DJ was a riot, and when Cam'ron's 'Hey Ma' came on, I'm pretty sure I made a few new friends. I'm good with just my dress and a statement necklace for the rest of the night."

"Ice cream is the perfect way to cool off after dancing on a summer night. But the real treat is the scene at dusk—I've always found the wee hours to be the best time in the City."