Tag Archives: fun

AI and the Dating App
Chicago, Dallas, Denver, events, Houston, Minneapolis, Phoenix, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Seattle, Vancouver

Artificial Intelligence Is Entering the Dating Scene

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Over the last couple of years, Artificial Intelligence has started to appear in the dating app scene. With these new and “improved” apps, gone are the days of swiping. Now, data mining is the way of online dating future.

What are these Apps and What Do They Do?

The most prominent AI app stateside was created by Denver native, Kevin Teman. In an article published by 303 Magazine on April 4, Teman explains how his dating app hybrid works. His app, AIMM, is essentially Siri meets matchmaker. The app launched back in 2017 and has taken all of the techniques of dating apps, matchmakers, speed dating, and dating services to create a dating service hybrid.

Again, you talk to this app like you talk to Siri, answering questions like, “Tell me an embarrassing story about your childhood” then the app will analyze your answers, sort them into different personality categories, and introduce you to people on its own accord. It takes roughly a week for the app to “get to know you” if you use it for five to ten minutes a day.

So essentially, you’re dating a robot for a week so you can find a person you might have a connection with.

According to Mashable’s article, “What Will Online Dating Look Like in 2030?,” across the pond in the UK, Loveflutter, is their AI dating app equivalent. This app matches people based on personality traits it decodes from each person’s tweets. The founders also plan to use AI to coach Loveflutter users on where to meet offline after analyzing their chats with matches.

In the future, these apps may dive even deeper into our phone data and start using information like if you pay your bills on time (or at all), what websites you visit (or shows you binge watch), your camera roll, and how much you exercise (thanks FitBit.)

Is This Too Good to Be True? (Most Definitely)

At first, this shiny new approach to modern dating looks pretty nice. Why wouldn’t we want help weeding out people we probably won’t have compatibility with? And we can do it from the comfort of our couches? Win-win.

However, when you take off the cupid-inspired rose colored glasses of technology-fueled romance, you’ll realize that the founders of these apps don’t have an end goal of people’s happiness; they want people to use their services, not leave them.

As Jean Meyer, the founder and CEO of European dating app Once said in Mashable’s article,

 “The dating industry has zero incentive to create this perfect matching algorithm […] The optimum for a dating service is to show you profiles of people that might be good enough, but not perfection. People who you go on dates with, and then after two, three dates you realize it won’t work out and you go back to the app.”

In the long run, these developments in technologically-fueled dating services will result in more disappointment and discouragement for their users than anything else. Why not spend your time investing in your life and happiness than using newer and nicer apps that are being programmed to sabotage the fulfilling experience of finding meaningful relationships?

Events & Adventures is the Best Alternative to AI

Events & Adventures uses the greatest strategy of all to introduce people. It creates daily opportunities for you to meet actual people (yes, humans) while doing fun and interesting activities. You develop friendships and lasting relationships by getting to know people that want to take a step back from their phones and enjoy their lives.

Do you want to know what’s even better about Events & Adventures? If you meet someone, we consider that a success story, not a loss. We’ve done our job if you find someone special. What makes a better story anyways, meeting your person while jumping out of a plane or while staring at your phone screen? It’s time to cut out the electronic middleman and live a life you love with Events & Adventures.

Event & Adventures Winter Fun & Activities
Uncategorized

Starting The New Year with New Activities

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It might not come as much of a surprise, but studies have shown that the most common New Year’s Resolutions are losing weight and exercising more. These studies have also shown that enjoyment is a key factor in achieving any fitness goal and creating a happier and healthier you. Our clubhouses from Chicago to Vancouver took the time to incorporate new activities into their January calendars so members could start off their 2019 happier and healthier. Here’s a roundup of some of the new activities our club members enjoyed:

Burning Calories and Having Fun

On January 15th, Chicago kicked it into high-gear at a CycleBar class in Kildeer, Illinois. Members cycled their way through a class fueled by an enthusiastic instructor, fun club-like lighting, and energetic music. They were definitely feeling the burn once the class was done, but nothing brings friends closer together than a great workout! Chicago wasn’t alone when it came to featuring high-intensity workouts in January. Our Seattle club had an empowering and fat-blasting afternoon on January 20th at JabX Kickboxing and Fitness. They kicked and jabbed their way through more than 800 calories per member in the workout!

Cold Weather Activities

Three of our clubs embraced the cold weather to help burn away the extra slices of pie eaten this holiday season. Our Vancouver club swept calories away at the Royal City Curling Club in New Westminster on January 13th and enjoyed the benefits of the quirky game of curling. Minneapolis members frolicked through the snow on January 19th as they snowshoed along two miles of trails in Pine City, Minnesota. Members got to learn about winter travel during the fur trade and got to participate in additional activities like throwing a curling stone and playing a round of Ojibwe snow snake. The Denver club enjoyed a winter-inspired activity the same day when they went ice skating at Evergreen Lake!

Dallas gave football a wintery twist during their Flag Freezeball game on January 12th. During their pick up game of flag football, members forgot their winter blues and had a great time! Also embracing another classic activity, Houston gave Throwback Thursday a whole new meaning while roller skating. Houston members managed to get a leg workout in at the Adults Only night, January 17th, at the Dairy Ashford Roller Rink. Reliving roller rink memories with new friends was just a bonus!

Outdoor Adventures

Archery Tag was Phoenix’s activity of choice. They combined a game of tag with the combative skills used in other fun activities like paintball and dodgeball. Add the timeless activity of archery into the mix and this event made January 19th a unique, fun, and unforgettable day for Phoenix members. Speaking of paintball, Santa Clara had a great time enjoying this adrenaline-filled classic on January 12th. This was a great and colorful way to run around with fellow E&A members. Their friends just down the road at the San Francisco club spent January 13th participating in a Scavenger Hunt throughout the boats found at the Sausalito Wooden Boat Tour. This low-impact activity managed to incorporate a leisurely walk into a fun afternoon with friends.

No matter what city you’re in, Events and Adventures will be sure to help you live a happier and healthier 2019 while you make new friends and stronger connections. With over 30 scheduled events every month you can experience so many new activities and exciting things. After all, it’s our mission to help you live a life you love.

New Year's Eve Party with Events & Adventures Denver
Denver, events

“Sips Under the Sea” New Year’s Eve Party | Events & Adventures Denver

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Relive Our Amazing New Year’s Eve Bash with Our Denver Members

Imagine ringing in 2018 at an under-the-sea New Year’s Eve party, surrounded by tropical fish and immersive aquatic decor. You arrive at the venue, greeted by pleasant faces and the smell of delicious food. The Downtown Aquarium in Denver is lit up with life, welcoming you to an underwater adventure filled with spectacular marine life and extraordinary exhibits. Live music graces the airwaves as you enter an elegantly dressed crowd of people. Although some are familiar, there are many new friends to be made!

This is the New Year’s Eve that members of Events & Adventures Denver got to call a reality. The evening began with members touring the one-million-gallon aquarium, which houses five hundred-plus species of fish. The attendees were given an unexpected treat when they spotted the Events & Adventures logo inside of the actual tank. On top of that, the aquarium tour featured a private mermaid show produced especially for the Denver members. The tour ended in the Dive Lounge, which is an upscale bar and restaurant experience like no other. Guests were seated around a 50,000-gallon centerpiece aquarium, which allowed exceptional floor-to-ceiling viewing from all tables.

The Dive Lounge provided an intimate setting for the members for this New Year’s Eve party and featured a live band and dimly-set lighting.

It was a great time for the attendees to converse and get to know each other. A character artist and glitter-tattoo artist were also present, allowing members to have some fun as they let their creative side run free. The chefs out did themselves that evening by providing a variety of scrumptious foods, including a build-your-own bruschetta, a pineapple tree, a marvelous dessert bar and more.

Next up at this New Year’s Eve party, members broke out of their shells as they entered the ballroom, which was a wild experience filled with dancing and laughter! A magician roamed the floor, wowing the guests with card tricks and other impressive acts of magic. Some members relaxed in the calm environment of the Dive Lounge, while others completely let loose in the ballroom and threw it down on the dance floor.

The evening ended with the celebratory count down to the New Year. After a champagne toast, the guests moved outside onto the deck, which had in store for them an amazing view of the Denver fireworks show. Seeing the breathtaking explosions of color in the night sky was the perfect ending to an unforgettable evening. The Events & Adventures Denver New Year’s Eve party, “Sips Under the Sea”, gave its amazing members the experience of a lifetime!  Only with Events & Adventures can singles experience a New Year’s Eve like this without doing all the planning themselves!

when janet met mark at Events & Adventures
Dallas

When Janet Met Mark

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Joining Events & Adventures after my divorce was the best decision ever!

I mainly wanted to learn to be more outgoing, make some new friends, and have fun things to do that I didn’t have to plan myself.  Of course, in the back of my mind the ultimate goal was to find “Mr. Right”, if such a person even existed.

Well, it’s been around three-and-a-quarter years since I joined. I have had so much fun! I’m not usually the kind of person who gets out and does stuff. But since joining I have gotten to try new things like wakeboarding, Whirlyball, and escape rooms. I’ve snuggled with llamas, learned some cooking skills, and discovered new forms of art like glass fusion. I’ve met some amazing people that I hang out with even outside the events, making friendships that will last even after I’m no longer in the group. I’ve met all the goals I had set when I joined. Yes, even that last one.

About a year and a half ago I met Mark at a Whirlyball event. And…he was a nice guy but didn’t exactly fit my “desired demographic”. Had I been on an online dating site, he and I never would have connected. The way Events & Adventures works, though, you often end up seeing the same person at many different events. You have a chance to really get to know people. The more I got to know about Mark, the more I liked him, until he eventually won over my heart. In July he proposed, and I said yes!

I am very happy with my investment, and recommend Events & Adventures to all my single friends!

~ Janet Pilkington, member Events & Adventures Dallas

Matt & Janet at Events & Adventures
Dallas

When Mark Met Janet

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I joined Events & Adventures because I was just tired of sitting at home.

I heard they get out and actually do a wide variety of exciting activities, and that really interested me. I had sort of met Janet at the New Member’s Orientation/Games Night, but it was just in passing and there were so many people being introduced to me that night. The following month I signed up for an event called Whirlyball, something I had never heard of before but the description sounded interesting. That’s where I really met Janet, who is totally into Whirlyball. We talked a bit during the breaks. A few days later she sent me a friend request on Facebook, and it wasn’t too long before we started chatting on Facebook regularly. She liked the Wednesday night volleyball games so I started going to those. We’d play a couple of games and then sit at the bar for drinks and chat for a while before jumping back into the fray to play a few more games.

The more we hung out at the Events & Adventures events the more we liked being together. I had just gotten out of a relationship and hadn’t really been looking for another one, but being with Janet was different. So just few short months after meeting at Whirlyball we started dating and 14 months later…I asked her to marry me. When I had first joined Events & Adventures, I thought I had made a mistake and tried to cancel, but after my first event I was hooked. Really glad I chose to stay. After all, she said yes.

~ Mark Currier, member of Events & Adventures Dallas

 

PS:  We don’t always dress like this.  Often, but not always.

sedona with Events & Adventures
Phoenix

Getaway in Sedona with Events & Adventures Phoenix!

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“But it’s a dry heat!” Yeah, right! With it being monsoon season, Arizona has been a little more on the humid side than any of us would like. It’s no secret that Arizona summers can be a tad brutal, but the humidity hasn’t helped. So instead of letting it cramp our style, Events & Adventures Phoenix recently decided to get out of town. We took the party up to Sedona where the weather is more comfortable and the scenery is a pleasant change from our typical urban sprawl. Who am I kidding—Sedona is absolutely beautiful!

We stayed at Sky Ranch Lodge and enjoyed horizon-to-horizon views of the gorgeous blue skies. We soaked in the red rocks and escaped into the quiet serenity of the six-and-a-half acre garden. It was a wonderful escape from the city; it’s hard to believe such beauty is just a few hours away and it was so awesome getting to indulge in the scenery and make memories with friends. We definitely didn’t waste any of the good weather just lounging around our hotel rooms!

On Saturday we went horseback riding through the working ranches of Sedona, riding our way through two stunning vineyards.

On Sunday we put our adventurous side to the test and headed to Flagstaff to challenge our fear of heights and strap up for an obstacle course that did not disappoint. The Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course has multiple large courses with a mixture of 10 to 17 different obstacles and zip lines. From rope swings and hanging nets to wobbly bridges and suspended “surprises”, the courses definitely didn’t let us down (pun intended)! Moving our way from the beginner’s course to the more extreme course brought us closer and closer to the sky. It actually started to get a little dark and gloomy, but the coming storm never interrupted our adventure. In fact, the sounds of thunder made our trek up into the trees quite thrilling!

Our Sedona weekend getaway trip was full of smiles and laughter, and the only obstacles we faced were at the Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course, which we tackled with a “bring it on” attitude. Needless to say, the memories and friendships we made over the weekend were amazing. I can’t wait to get out there and do it again! I guess the summers here aren’t all that bad when you get to escape to beautiful Sedona with good friends from Events & Adventures!

 

4th of July with Events & Adventures
Phoenix

4th of July with Events & Adventures Phoenix

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July 4th is so much more fun when you get to spend it with both old and new friends! Events & Adventures Phoenix took the holiday to the lake and spent a few hours dining, relaxing, and making memories that are sure to last a lifetime! We were spoiled with a buffet perfectly filled with everything you need for Independence Day. Our July 4th dinner cruise would not have been complete without a little BBQ, right? We had pulled pork, pulled chicken, beef brisket, BBQ beans, macaroni and cheese, and potato salad! I’m pretty sure a few of us made plates bigger than our stomachs, but can you blame us? The food was amazing and if you saved some room for dessert, there were fudge brownies to indulge in! I’m getting hungry again just thinking about it!

My favorite part of our July 4th evening had to be that the entire dinner cruise was VIP for Events & Adventures members only!

I think the best part about the club is knowing that everyone you interact with is essentially there for the same reason–to do things outside of their comfort zone, enjoy different events they normally wouldn’t try on their own, or to do things they already enjoy while getting to make friendships and potential relationships that are sure to last a lifetime. This dinner cruise really took the pressure off the holiday and it was so nice getting to hang back, relax, viewing a perfectly yellow orange beautiful sunset with such great friends.

To top the evening off we started a dance party on the deck and it was an absolute blast. Some Events & Adventures members rocked out dance moves like never before, others stepped out of their comfort zone and put on their dancing shoes, and some giggled at us lovingly in the distance. Don’t worry, we pulled them out onto the deck and had them join in on our fun and they did not disappoint!  All in all, this 4th of July was definitely one to remember and I couldn’t have been happier with the evening. Consider this 4th of July a challenge by to 2018, because it was surely one to try and beat!

~ Meggie, Events & Adventures Phoenix

United Kingdom tour with Events & Adventures
Travel Events

United Kingdom Tour with Events & Adventures

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We’re only a few days into our United Kingdom tour and I can say the country is truly amazing. The people are very friendly and welcoming and there is so much to see and do! After landing at Heathrow we immediately headed north to start touring. We started in the Cotswolds and visited the home of Downton Abbey. We moved on to Stratford-Upon-Avon and had our first classic English dinner, fish and chips. Over dinner it was great meeting and getting to know all the people from the other Events & Adventures clubs around the country.

It was drizzly, so everyone’s opinion on the weather varied depending on where they were from and the weather back home. The members from Phoenix thought the rain was refreshing, while Seattleites thought nothing of it at all. Those of us from the south packed for ‘winter weather’ and have been enjoying the break from our 100% humidity!

Our first full day started at Shakespeare’s birthplace. We loved the actors in period attire that were so full of information. And yeah, I think we all found a treasure in the gift shop. Our Beatles fans were overwhelmed by Liverpool. If the Beatles had even the slightest thing to do with a place in town there were had entire stories created around it. We loved to see the actual Penny Lane and visit and learn about Strawberry Fields. The song and John’s very generous donation to the orphanage keep it open for many years after it was almost closed down.

At the end of the first day of our United Kingdom tour we arrived at a spectacular traditional hotel in the Lake District.

We had a lovely dinner in a gorgeous venue and setting, and it’s obvious why the area is a top wedding destination. After a rainy first day, on the second day of our United Kingdom tour the sun came out and stayed out all day! We visited the William Wordsworth Museum and Home. We all loved the 18th century home and the history of the family. From there we enjoyed a great paddle boat tour on the largest of the lakes in the district. The warm sun made up for the cool breeze. We all decided we wanted to live at the imposing castle that was overlooking the lake.

After the boat we headed into the fabulous town center, which was right out of a movie set. We scattered for lunch and a bit of shopping. Some of us tried the traditional meat pie with fresh cheese and bread. Some argued that their soup or salad was tastier, but I know better. After lunch we headed back up to a part of the Lake District that had even more amazing scenery. We, like thousands of visitors before us, crossed the border into Scotland and stopped at Gretna Green. We stopped for the history and shopping instead of a wedding service though. There is so much cool (if not strange) history here!

We enjoyed the Scottish Shortbread and other treats from there on our way to our hotel in old town Edinburgh. Unlike a lot of cities back home, it’s walking distance to everything! Speaking of walking, in the morning we’ll walk out of our hotel and see the great Edinburgh Castle, and later we’ll finish our evening in the downtown part of the city. Only Events & Adventures can put together a trip like this just for singles!

~ Events & Adventures Dallas Event Manager Jacque

long weekend trip with Events & Adventures
Vancouver

Exciting Long Weekend with Events & Adventures Vancouver

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This past long weekend Events & Adventures Vancouver members spend four days on a houseboat docking from the Houseboat Capital of Canada—Sicamous, British Columbia. The houseboat rental company we chose was Twin Anchors Houseboats where we booked two houseboats, one that accommodated 15 people and one that held 22. We spent four days slowly making our way along Shuswap Lake, overnighting on beaches in the evening, enjoying some beautiful hikes, a waterfall, and of course a whole lot of swimming.

The first afternoon was a rush. The weather was perfect and apparently the hottest it’s been over this weekend since 1999 (typically it rains or snows for our May long weekend). Being on the water was amazing as we were surrounded by mountains covered with evergreen trees. The first evening was spent getting to know each other while lounging on deck in the warm summer sun. We fired up the kickoff barbecue and got settled as we made our way to our first destination, Marble Point Beach. We also had a theme party the first night with both boats competing for the title of best costume. Our boat had a nautical theme while the other boat’s theme was Gilligan’s Island.

The next day of this long weekend we cruised around the lake to find us sitting mid-lake surrounded by 20 other houseboats.

Each one of them brought their own energy to the lake. One boat was dressed as the band KISS, while another boat had an actual band that was playing a mini-concert for everyone on the lake. The water is pretty cold this time of year, with water temperatures only at 10 degrees Celsius, but that didn’t stop us from taking a dip, sliding down the big slide that went off the back of our boat, and using floaties with a drink in the hand.

We had a big Mexican fiesta the second night with the winners of the costume party winning margaritas with dinner. We docked at Nielsen Beach, also known as the “party beach”, and followed suit by partying the rest of the night away. The third day we made our way to Albas Falls, a five-tier falls accessible by a three kilometer trail. It was a beautiful day and a great timee to get moving around and off the boat.

The best thing about being on the houseboat was really getting to know each other and becoming more like a family rather than some strangers cooped up on a boat. We find that the weekend trips away really bring all the members of Events & Adventures Vancouver together! We can’t wait to see what our Labour Day weekend will bring!

Memorial Day Weekend with Events & Adventures
Denver, Phoenix, Travel Events

Memorial Day Weekend with E&A Phoenix

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This past Memorial Day weekend Events & Adventures Phoenix took to the open road and made our way out to Copper Cloud Ranch in Kanab, Utah. Our days started with sunrises and ended with sunsets that beautifully lit up over the canyons.

On Saturday, our first full day at the ranch, we made our way to Page, Arizona and right over to Lower Antelope Canyon. Located in a large Navajo reservation that extends from Utah to Arizona to New Mexico, Lower Antelope Canyon—called Hazdistazi, or “spiral rock arches”, by the Navajo Indians—was absolutely breathtaking. Pictures simply don’t do any justice to the canyons once you’ve seen them in person. Our guided tour of the canyon was an hour-long hike led by an experienced guide. It was both spectacular and informative!

Sunday we went paddle boarding and kayaking on Lake Powell. The weather was in the mid-80s and the water was perfect. From playing football to swimming around playing “alligator” to goofing off around the rich blue lake with friends, this Sunday was a total win and one for the books! Not only did we have Phoenix members building friendships and making memories, but we had three members from our new Denver club join in on the fun. We were sad to say goodbye to them because we want to adopt all three of them into Events & Adventures Phoenix. One of them jokingly agreed, but shhh…don’t tell the Denver club that! Even coyotes and roosters wanted to join our party, but we were already in bed by the time they showed up.

This Memorial Day weekend had had everything you’d think of when you think of “camping trip”–and so much more!

We gathered around the campfire to sing and get to know one another. We immersed ourselves in stargazing and pointed out as many constellations as we could. Being in the city, it’s a sight we rarely see and none of us took the clear skies for granted! On the last night, one of our members pulled out his guitar and put on a show for us that brought the whole trip full circle.

Monday morning when everyone was up packing up and getting ready to head out, some of us just weren’t ready for the trip to end yet. We took advantage of where we were and stayed back to view Horseshoe Bend. Whether or not our members were afraid of heights, Horseshoe Bend didn’t keep us from standing on the edge of canyon cliffs that drop 1,000 feet straight into the Colorado River below. The distant panoramic horizon views were mesmerizing. It was the perfect way for us to end our Memorial Day weekend trip.

After seeing not one, but three top Arizona destinations in one weekend, this camping trip was what I’d call an eventful adventure that gave us all memories and friendships we’ll hold onto for life! Only with Events & Adventures can you get this kind of experience.