"What was your first car?"

That was one of the icebreakers at our 3rd Space Bucharest cocktail party last night. And the answers were incredible.

One person wrecked their car three times in one hour. Another admitted they crashed their first car while playing Pokémon Go. Someone else drove their first car into a lake… with themselves still inside.

The Cars

There was a Dacia 1301. An old Mercedes. A company car Škoda Kodiaq. A beat-up Volkswagen Golf.

And one person who said they saved a long time to buy their first car and when it got its first scratch… they cried.

No Pressure

This is what happened when 25 people got in a room with no pressure to perform.

No pitches. No awkward networking. No "So what do you do?" interrogation loops.

Just curiosity. Stories. And people actually listening to each other.

Real Connection

Huge thanks to wonderful people like Andra Ghibuțiu, Carmen Dima, Anca Constantin, Richard P. and many others who made the night special.

This is why I host 3rd Space Bucharest parties every month for creatives, entrepreneurs, and expats.

Gallery

Here are some pictures from this event.

Small group of guests with name tags in conversation at a cocktail party venue with ornate red floral wallpaper
Guests mingling in animated conversation at a cocktail party, ornate red wallpaper in the background
Eric Melchor wearing an Eric name tag posing with two guests at a cocktail party in front of red floral wallpaper
Four guests chatting in a small circle at a cocktail party, red bird-and-branch wallpaper behind them
Small circle of guests listening attentively during a conversation at a cocktail party, red wallpaper in the background
Eric Melchor wearing a name tag posing with two women at a cocktail party, one holding a glass of wine

The Takeaway

Because real conversation will always beat forced networking. Every time.

When you remove the pressure to pitch yourself and just let people be curious, something shifts. Stories come out. People listen. Connection happens naturally. That's what throwing a damn party can do.

If you're in Bucharest and want to experience this kind of gathering, keep an eye out for the next 3rd Space event.