Winnipeg Connect: Speed Dating + Friending Events, Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB (2025)

10/18/2024

And just like that, we're all wrapped up.

For someone with what is usually an endless supply of words, I'm feeling a little bit at a loss with how to say thank you to all of you beautiful humans who have been a part of things these last 2+ years.

This wild little experiment in human connection was so much more than I ever could have imagined it'd be.

Watching you find yourselves and each other has been one of the most profoundly beautiful experiences of my life, and I am filled with so much gratitude and such deep delight when I hear of and see firsthand the incredible things that have grown in this space.

The intersecting of our lives in this space has made mine infinitely richer. I am a better me because of you, and changed in ways I'd never want to undo because of the stories and perspectives I have been invited into. Thank you for your grace and your patience and the gift of your time and education, for your presence and shared perspectives, and for your absolutely unwavering kindness to me. It is the most incredible gift to have been held so very gently in this community, and for the ways in which I was given room to be exactly who I am here without pressure to perform.

Wishing you ease and beauty and soft spaces to hold you, and the courage to keep showing up and letting yourself be seen. There is nothing worth our efforts more than finding our way to each other.

I hope you stick around, as I'll still drop thoughts and connect you to other things happening. And maybe throw pop up events together from time to time.

Thank you so much, for all of this. And please keep in touch, I still treasure the opportunity to delight with you in the goodness of the things that find you.

Keep taking good care of yourselves and each other ❤️

10/13/2024

So much this.

At the end of the day we can have all the things, but it's the holding of and being held by another that matters more than just about anything.

There are a million reasons not to risk it, to play it safe and stay hidden. And you'll have some misses, everything won't land every time and it might hurt and feel hard to keep trying. And yet it's still the way, the thing that holds everything together, and it's worth showing up.

Community. Care. Giving a s**t about each other. Letting others love us, and loving them back. All of this.

Care holds us all, like a bath holds bubbles. Maybe it can hold you, too 🫧

10/04/2024

What am I going to do without events to plan?

More of this I hope ✨

Thinking about awe, embodiment, seasons changing, self-responsibility and stability. And about opportunity and 'let's-grab-a-beer' culture and effort and energy and solitude.

A reminder that our final planned event is coming up October 16th at The Rec Room. We would love to have you join the big bunch of folks we have signed up for trivia. Link is in the bio.

And for those wondering, I'm still hoping to dump some thoughts here from time to time. And would gladly facilitate some book clubs and s**t if you're looking to collect people. Let's stay in touch ❤️

Happy weekend to you. Hope you find your own moments of wonder and beauty to carry you through.

09/18/2024

Last chance to jump in on speed friending is TONIGHT! Would love to see you out for one last chance to meet some new people, speed date style ✨

Link in stories and bio for tickets!

09/18/2024

It's the home stretch of speed dating, and the last event at Little Brown Jug. The folks here have been so so lovely to me the last two years, and I'm sad I don't really like beer or else I'd come hang out on the patio more often. Though it is worth noting that the blueberry lavender Brite Water is my new flavor fav.

We had some last minute shuffles here tonight, one ticket mix up, and one guy who was on the patio after a meeting and joined in 5 minutes before it began without knowing a thing about what he was getting into.

There are nerves and smiles, there's laughter and lots of connecting. I've managed to both sweat straight through my tank top and am now chilly enough for a sweater, so that feels about right for mid-September in Manitoba.

I came cranky tonight so doubled up on the way, stopping at Freshii and Starbucks as a final farewell (and let's face it, sometimes a little treat is just what's needed). And yet unsurprisingly, once getting here I found myself buoyed by the warmth and welcome of so many lovely humans and any evidence of prickliness is long gone.

Thank you to all you brave and beautiful speed daters over the past two+ years who have shown up and made these evenings so special. It's been so fun to see what's emerged, to see people try new things, but mostly to see how wildly good you have all been to each other.

This has been a wildly unexpected chapter in my life story, and I'm so very grateful for all of you who have been a part of it ❤️

I hope you keep me posted on your stories of love and friendship. Celebrating what grows with you is one of the most fun parts of all this.

09/16/2024

Well hello there, friends and strangers. Here we are, lingering at the door like guests not quite ready to leave but knowing it's time to be heading out into the night after a gorgeous summer evening of laughter and cheer and string lights draped across leafy backyard trees.

It's a bit of an extended farewell that's happening here, the wrap up in progress with one last speed dating and speed friending this week before one final farewell trivia evening to wrap it all up mid-October.

I've been having lots of conversations with folks about the end of it all, the why's and what's nexts mixed in with well wishes and consistent kindnesses from those who know what a feat it is to catch wind of one's own knowing and act accordingly. Unsurprisingly, I got immediately antsy at the thought of some more margins of space, and briefly considered joining a 9 month teacher training program at the end of this month, though my body was quick to remind me that more is not better, and that it is okay to make a little room.

Presence and process are the words I'm carrying into the next chapter, with their specific meaning and shape yet to unfold.

For now, I'm looking forward to the week ahead both for what it will be, and for the endings that are about to come to fruition. It feels so right to be here, now. And while I'm certain these won't be my last thoughts about wrapping things up, it feels important to share just how very grateful I am for all of you who have participated in making this space so special. It's been a corner of curiosity and kindness that has been so healing and so wholesome and one that has consistently reminded me of the best of humanity, which is something I've needed lately in particular as I've also been invited to remember it at its worst.

What richness this whole thing has added to my life, mostly in the form of hope and optimism and wild shows of bravery, and in the connections with beautiful humans I'd otherwise never have met.

Looking forward to seeing some of your beautiful faces this week, endlessly grateful to those who show up and participate in the magic of being human, together ✨

09/13/2024

We have ONE guys seat available still for Tuesday's 55+ speed dating. It's our first and last 55+ event, and our LAST speed dating event ever.

What a wild ride it's been.

Do you know an older fellow interested in 15 first dates? Would love it if you would share the info!

Recently I received an email from a person who met their partner a year ago yesterday at a speed dating event sharing a vacation snap of her and her partner, and also got a sweet pic and a little update from someone who met her partner at the most recent 45-55.

Connections happen when we show up!

Consider joining us for our last patio event of the summer. We'd love to help create a safe space to show up, be seen, and see others✨

09/04/2024

Well, that was a lovely night 🥹

This was our second last speed dating event, but the last one with familiar faces for me in it (the final one is 55+ and that will be a room full of new folks as we've never done that age range before.)

What an absolute fu***ng delight it was to see so many humans who I genuinely adore and am grateful to have crossed paths with collected in one space this evening. I am endlessly undone by how gracious and grateful and kind and genuinely beautiful people are - and how good and kind they are to *me*. The warmth and honoring of my own personhood that I have experienced in all of this is truly wild and I don't even know how to hold it all, really.

Truthfully, I didn't expect that connection in all of this would extend to my own life. And yet it has opened up relationships with people I would have never otherwise met, and whose friendship I will carry with me. I left the patio with my heart feeling so very full, and so grateful for all that has grown here. For all of us ❤️

Thank you lovely humans, for being such good company tonight and for being gentle and warm and curious and kind. It is a special magic watching a patio full of people be brave and beautiful ✨

09/03/2024

We've got a couple gals spots that have opened up last minute for TONIGHT'S event. If you're a gal who is 40-50, and are interested in 15 quick first dates on the beautiful patio - click the link in stories or bio to snag a ticket.

Things get going at 6:30pm. Don't overthink what you wear or how you show up, be yourself! You're enough.

If you purchase a last minute ticket be sure to check your email as I will send you the details about what to expect. Hope to have a full house tonight ✨

See you on the patio!

08/27/2024

We may be winding things down here, but there is definitely still s**t to celebrate💍

I can't be sure what has happened with all the couples that have emerged from events, but the sweet, sweet video that landed in my DMs this weekend let me know that one of them just got engaged!

There is clearly so much love between these two, and it's absolutely wild to think that going out on a limb and nervously attending an event has altered the course of their lives so profoundly. Showing up can and does change us, in all sorts of ways, and it is so incredible to know that this giant human experiment has actually done what I had hoped it might. Meaningful connections of all kinds have been grown here, and one cat even got adopted. Wins all around ✨

This is honestly such a sweet note to wrap things up on.

Sending the warmest congratulations to these two, and all the very best as they plan their wedding and life beyond together ❤️

08/25/2024

Here we go! It's our final planned event for Winnipeg Connect, and we'd absolutely love for you to join us.

I have so many feelings about this season of ending things. I'm sure I'll drop more thoughts eventually, but for now here are the details about our last trivia night. Sign up is at the link in bio, I haven't updated the website yet.

Come enjoy some food and whatever kinda drinks you like (sober folks, you are SO welcome to join us!) and maybe have some laughs and sit in a room full of lovely humans with me and Robyn for one last time.

As always, we'll have prizes!

Grateful for all of your enthusiasm and support over the last couple years. This whole thing has been a wild experiment in showing up - for me and so many of you. Looking forward to one last hurrah together. I may get a little misty in the corner watching it all unfold one last time 🥹

08/12/2024

ICYMI! Things are winding down and all the stars in the universe seem to have aligned and it feels so deeply right to be letting things wrap up this fall. If you want to know more and missed the news, you can check out the previous post.

Also...there's a new speed dating company that just arrived in the city, branching out this month after setting up events in other locations across Canada. They seem eager to support connection with intention, and value participant safety, and the info they have out there gives every indication that they're passionate about dating and supporting folks in connecting. They also seem like they are really into hosting events (!!) and are already advertising events in August and September at a few venues around town.

Finding out about them late last week was the icing on my see-you-later cake, and I am thrilled for all of you connection seekers out there that there is another space to meet new folks. There is such beautiful synchronicity here, and I couldn't be more thrilled to step back knowing that intentional in person events will still be available.

Have I emailed to ask about "straight" dating? Yes I have, I'll report back if I hear something. They seem to have run le***an events in other cities, but maybe they'll be open to being a little more inclusive with events as they get settled here. We can hope anyways ✨

I just love the way that ending one good thing can let new good things take root, and how you all will get some new venues and new experiences with a different organizer calling the shots.

A big shout out to for making it to Manitoba! There are more of you following this account than theirs, so to give them a follow and show them that our little prairie city is a sweet place to be.

Happy speed dating, folks ✨

08/09/2024

I have felt it lately, something shifting inside. I'm often guided by feeling more than fact, by an inner compass that catches something ephemeral as it wafts by in the universe, and it's been a while now where deep in my bones I knew shifts were on the horizon, though I wasn't sure what or when or how things would be changing.

And it's almost as if in one breath I inhaled the deep, embodied, whole-person knowing that it's time to bid farewell to this season of hosting events with Winnipeg Connect. I found myself at my bathroom mirror getting ready for bed far too late one evening, and as I stood there in that moment every part of my being just *knew* that it's time. "I'll be done in December," were the words that echoed, inside I think, though it's entirely possible they may also have fallen out of my mouth in a whisper.

I hosted an event the following day, and even the magic on the patio couldn't pull me away from what I know is right for me. And in a beautiful nod from the universe, I received a message from someone the day after about their participation in hosting regular q***r events - asking if I'd be willing to let go of friending/dating things and let them take the reigns on those.

Serendipitous, much?

So. Fall events will be the last planned, and we'll wrap up regular events as 2024 ends. We will host a final round of speed friending, one more trivia night with Robyn, and a last hurrah of a few more guy/gal speed dating events, and then that's it.

I am going to keep the account here and let it continue to be a space of community sharing, random questions, and maybe adhoc things as fresh waves of inspiration emerge. Maybe there will be some book club organizing or random one off things. It's yet to be discovered. There's a good chance it'll still be a space for ideas about things that matter (people, mostly), but I'm going to simply do what feels right and see where it goes.

I could say so much more about the last 2+ years, but I'll save it for another time. It's enough for now to say thank you for being here, and for being a part of something that has been a ridiculously beautiful and wildly unexpected part of my life these last years.

Thank you for your grace, and patience, and non-judgement, and for your ideas and support and for believing the best about me with consistency. I get to do that for others on the regular, and it has been an unparalleled gift to have that mirrored back to me by so many of you here.

I'll have more thoughts I'm sure, but for now that's that. Grateful for what has happened, hopeful for the next few months and what might grow, and feeling ready for whatever else the universe has in the months beyond ✨

08/09/2024

Here we go again! We've got speed friending to kick off fall events, with a trivia evening following at Rec Room in October.

Come and get to know some new faces, and find a safe space to build new connections. All the info you need to know can be found at the link in bio.

08/07/2024

What a beautiful evening spent with a crew of brave and lovely humans. A few of my own pals kept me company on the patio, and the evening ended with the beautiful hints of last light in the sky, set to a siren serenade.

Summer is feeling a little slippery here, and I've got some feelings and I think things are brewing out there in the universe somewhere; I think I'm listening, but will be curious to wait and watch things unfold.

But for now I'm mostly just feeling grateful for the gift of the evening, and am ready to go home after a marathon day and flip through match sheets and probably eat chips in my bed.

Thanks for showing up tonight 25-35's, with your nerves and your questions and your bravery and your openness to each other. There is something really grounding about being in a room full of humans committed to kindness and connection, and it truly was a gift to share space with you all ✨

08/04/2024

Pre-event emails have been sent, and with a few last minute adjustments we now have TWO gals seats available for folks who have been to max one previous event. If this is you, we'd love to have you join in.

We'll be on the patio at Little Brown Jug on Tuesday evening, meeting new folks in the sun. It'll be dreamy. You should come ✨

07/28/2024

I have lots of thoughts about connection and being human, and lots of hours collected being with people in my day job and beyond as a parent and partner that continue to shape my understanding of what it means to be a person in the world.

I don't know that I have the words for it now, or if I will ever be able to articulate all the things I feel deep in my bones about it all. But what I do know is that when I watch a sunset over the water that something deep inside takes the most settling breath, and I feel at home in myself in a way I can't describe. Maybe it's my west coast of Newfoundlander ancestors buried deep in my DNA, evening sun on the water connecting me to them in ways beyond words. Maybe it's the way the sun and the water and the trees sustain us. Or maybe it's that beauty connects us to something bigger than ourselves, and to each other, in the most profoundly wordless way.

Feeling grateful for connection of all kinds, for the here and now conversations, the ancestral echoes that anchor me to myself, and the steadiness of the world around that continues connect us all to itself and each other ✨

Winnipeg Connect: Speed Dating + Friending Events

10/18/2024

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09/18/2024

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09/16/2024

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08/27/2024

08/25/2024

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07/28/2024

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