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Vivio

She / Her

Irvine, CA

Vivio's photo
Where are you at in your life stage?
Living the SINK life: single income no kids. :) Very happily in a LDR though it means I feel more single than coupled on a day-to-day basis. Pretty happy with my work as well; it keeps me busy and I don't hate it. I work remotely (amazing commute from the bed to the desk!) and sooommmeettimmmeesss.... I wish I had an office to go into. I miss having random conversations in the kitchen or taking walks for morning coffee or to refresh in the afternoon.
Socially I'm looking to get out there a bit more. Right now probably just looking for some casual friends to spend some time and/or try new experiences with. (If we become besties super cool! If not no pressure. I've learned everyone's path goes their own way and just enjoy the time together.)
How's your life?
Life is going okay. Work is interesting but not keeping me fully occupied so I'm looking for some more! Recently-ish (everything is only 3 months in this post-covid world! or maybe I'm just growing old...) moved down from the Bay Area to be closer to family but I unfortunately left all my friends behind. Plus I'm a homebody and an introvert so it's been hard to make friends. I swing between being lonely and wanting to be ALL THE SOCIALS and being content rolling around the couch. (Couch potatoes unite!)
What helps you keep your sanity?
Playing games and drinking boba! I play one computer game (guildwars 2) and I just turn my brain off as I mindlessly hit buttons. Sometimes I even accomplish something! Otherwise I'm fortunate to have some close friends who will listen to me blah blah blah when things are getting too much. They laugh at my misfortunes; I get emotional release: wins all around! (Don't worry! I won't blah blah on you until we're good friends! I'm an introvert until we're good friends.. then it's hard to shut me up. >:) )
Also boba. When things are good: celebrate with boba. When things are bad: cheer up by drinking boba! Boba solves all. (Welcoming all boba recommendations! I tend to prefer the simple: milk tea or fruit tea and boba.)
What is most important to you right now?
Enjoying my life! I hope to have a family in the future but children are a BIG responsibility. I'll just enjoy my freedom now while I still can! Also looking to set down more roots in OC and make some friends. It'd be great to hang out once every 2-3 weeks and do something new/interesting/fun. (Or we could.. just grab some boba, chit chat, and go for walks? I could probably swing that once a week... I have a very limited social meter that just got shorter over the pandemic!)
Oh.. and maybe becoming more healthy.... maybe... can someone please gift me some motivation? :(
Anything you recently found interesting?
Escape Games: I know they've been around forever but they're reallllyyy so fun! I'm always down for an escape game.
More a shower thought but: The nicer the house/apartment/etc. the more people tend to stay at home and thus build less connections. In contrast if your house/apartment sucks you just always want to go out and then you meet more people! Such a weird aftereffect of prosperity??
mugeunji
Recently went to a very nice Vietnamese-owned boba shop called Mirakuru! They’re always changing up the interior decorations & their custom boba cup sleeves~ Plus, their sweetness levels feel actually accurate (not super sweet). Highly recommend :)
itsjp
Hey girly! I'm not a fan of boba but I get the drinks without boba, lol. I'd love to grab a drink sometime together and go for a hike/walk if you're interested :-)
San Francisco Street Tree Nursery 🌳 + Solar-powered Pizza Making 🍕
Sat, Jul 12 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
San Francisco Street Tree Nursery
You are invited to the San Francisco Street Tree Nursery's Open House!

We are going to step into the leafy urban nursery in the city and learn the fascinating story of how local tree propagation works. And here's the cherry on top — guests are welcome to join solar-powered pizza making this weekend, so your can literally taste the sustainability while surrounded by tomorrow's urban forest. 

Come hungry for knowledge, community, and delicious pizza bites!

Seats are limited, RSVP required.
View details
What hobbies do you have that take advantage of where you live?
Asked by

nicholas

dot
Mountain View
Hiking, for sure. The Bay Area has so many wonderful parks & trails, each offering different views or experiences.
dot
Costa Mesa
I definitely take advantage of being close to the beach. I play a beach volleyball pretty much every weekend and I plan my weekends around it. I love it.
dot
Fremont
Gardening is enjoyable to see the growth & changes throughout the year. Also enjoy the harvest when it comes. I love the nearby trails for running. Alameda Creek, Coyote Hills, Dry Creek, & Guadalupe Trail to name a few. Or even in the green zones and parks in the neighborhood are conveniently close by.
dot
Berkeley
@mangalam What type of gardening do you like to do?
dot
Fremont
@CawfeeGurl All kinds - mostly edible. Most years we have a bounty of tomatoes, but this year we have a lot of zucchini. Also plums, strawberries, blackberries, sugar pie pumpkin, mint, new Zealand spinach, beets, limes, etc. I love the persimmons when they ripen around October. There's almost always something interesting happening or work to be done.
dot
Berkeley
@mangalam That’s amazing. I enjoy gardening as well. Do you cook with or sell the produce? Or bake or make jams with the fruit?

Rook

He / Him

Mountain View, CA

Rook's photo

My favorite photo I took in Antarctica. The trip changed a lot in my life for the better.

Where are you at in your life stage?
My wife and I are in our early 30s and trying to settle into the bay after moving here in 2022. I've been in my career doing commodities consulting for over a decade and am trying to grow more outside of my career. Kids are in the plans for the next few years, but currently child-free.
How's your life?
In many ways it's great, but since moving to the bay establishing a social circle has been challenging. Working from home only compounds that.
What helps you keep your sanity?
Traveling and getting away from work. My wife and I try to make many small trips throughout the year with some bigger ones. Enjoy as much of our youth until kids make travel harder. I became adept at getting cheap/free travel when I traveled regularly for work, so playing that game and planning the next vacation is my favorite daydream.
What is most important to you right now?
Right now getting my wife and I to feel more at home in the Bay Area is my biggest priority. We've been here for more than 18 months but haven't found many close friendships.
Anything you recently found interesting?
It's an hour faster to fly SFO-London than it is SFO-Tokyo. The scale of the Pacific is just insane and makes the success of the Polynesian explorers seem impossible.
JuicySundriedtomato1
That sounds fantastic! It's great that you and your wife make time for both small and big trips throughout the year. We plan to stay locally in California this year and explore more the state parks. Do you have any exciting trips lined up soon?

Rvses

He / Him

San Jose, CA

Rvses's photo
Where are you at in your life stage?
Late 20s!
I recently got affected by back-to-back tech job layoffs in the past 2 years, along with loss of a friend to cancer. The pandemic took a large toll out of who I was so I have been spending the last however long trying to go back to "normal" (whatever normal is in this time). One thing though - I am trying to say 'yes' to more things.
How's your life?
Mentally, the best it has been in a while. I am taking some time off from drinking, "recreational fun" and eating junk which has made things a lot better. Regular exercise has been important but also taking some breaks is also important.
I spent winter of this year heavily socializing but looking forward to traveling more as well as getting a stable job so I can accomplish more of my long and short term goals.
What helps you keep your sanity?
Both a mixture of alone time & time with friends and family. I burn out from one or the other but having a balance is very important.
I blow off steam by myself by going to the gym a few times a week, being a really big foodie (say no to chain restaurants!), playing games & watching my curated interests on Youtube. When I'm around friends we are usually eating (HAHA), going to concerts, and enjoying what the bay has to offer.
What is most important to you right now?
Stability, Peace & Routine
Anything you recently found interesting?
Life is a lot better when you are not constantly stressing and managing your stress well. Worrying about the future & past does nothing to help you in the present.
Hygge
More power to you!
Scipius02
Omg the life stage section speaks to me. I’m new here and have been wanting to expand my Beli with new restaurants. Feel like a coffee?

Pocketmonstr

He / Him

San Francisco, CA

Pocketmonstr's photo

Heaven on Earth (aka Heavenly)

Where are you at in your life stage?
Happy in San Francisco, but most of my close friends have left. I’d like to get out of my bubble of loose friends, and develop some deeper friendships with people who live very close, where we can have more spontaneous dinners / hangouts
How's your life?
Overall, quite good. I'm in the midst of job searching which has been hectic, but I think I'm finally coming to the tail end of it. I would like to be spending more time on my physical therapy and am optimistic that once the job search settles I'll be able to do that and heal my body...as well as have some more time to try rebuild my community in SF
What helps you keep your sanity?
Fitness & Outdoors: Tennis, pickleball, yoga, gym, walks in parks, hiking, skiing Indoor stuffs: Reading, writing, board/card games, eating (out :))
Mostly tennis though!
What is most important to you right now?
Meeting new, interesting people, and especially ones who live close to me, and/or play tennis!
Anything you recently found interesting?
I’ve gotten super sucked into the world of Cosmere (Brandon Sanderson fictional book saga )
Acb
I'm in the same boat of figuring out a new job/career and working on creating a community. As a person that is really into sports medicine can I ask what kind of injury you are doing physical therapy for? or is it just more general health macitence?
MinorMapillai
Brandy Sandy is fantastic, I was introduced to him through Stormlight but haven't caught up with the larger Cosmere yet unfortunately. Where do you usually play tennis in the city? Sent a coffee request!

JackofFewTrades

He / Him

Menlo Park, CA

Where are you at in your life stage?
I’m a man in my early 30s. My girlfriend and I live in the South Bay, and I work up in San Francisco for work/living (and am eager to meet/connect with people in either!).
I had a pretty active social life prior to COVID, and kept up with my closest friends during the pandemic, but I really lost some momentum on the broader social side of things. I’d like to change this! Some things I really like: deep conversations and talking about big ideas, completely meaningless conversations, goofing around/being at play, learning and trying new things, being outdoors, board games, seeing shows/movies/performances.
How's your life?
It’s alright! I have a lot to be thankful for, although I’ve been known to feel a bit lost and/or lonely some days. I’m not currently finding a lot of fulfillment in my career at a big tech company, although I’m really engaged in my hobbies at the moment (creative writing, improv), and I’m trying to figure out how to make it all work.
What helps you keep your sanity?
Hobbies—I’m really interested in storytelling, and it’s something I want to get better at and have been thinking a lot. I love a great story (in movies, books, plays, whatever) and am trying to learn how to create some myself. I try to consume a lot of stories (I read a lot and try to watch at least a movie/week), and as far as creation goes I’m starting with short stories and a bit of improv for now, but who knows where this will go.
Exercise also goes a really long way for me—I’ve been a casual runner for a long time (I love trail running!), and recently started doing some barbell training. I’m an amateur at both and plan on keeping it that way, but they do wonders for my stress/mental health.
What is most important to you right now?
Finding more purpose/direction in my life, and making/deepening friendships.
Anything you recently found interesting?
1. Birkenstock Sandals apparently used to sell a skincare line (!!!), but discontinued it
2. Jack Handey will write you funny/nice notes if you buy books from his website (or at least, he did for me)
Hygge
Sent a coffee request!
Kood
I'm really interested in story telling as well! I'd love to hear about your experiences and process, since I don't know anyone else who is interested in story telling🥲 Sent a request!

ilovefalafel

She / Her

San Francisco, CA

ilovefalafel's photo

Baby Nori

Where are you at in your life stage?
I'm a female immigrant who moved to the Bay Area in 2015. I'm currently well established in my career but since I moved here I've struggled with making new friends. I'm currently working on myself and trying to improve my social skills.
How's your life?
My daily life routine revolves around working, going to the gym, taking painting classes, and taking care of my cats and plants. Whenever possible, I like to do outdoor stuff like camping and hiking.
What helps you keep your sanity?
Going to the gym and keeping in contact with nature (hiking, camping, offroading)
What is most important to you right now?
Strengthening my current friendships and improving my social life. After a bad breakup, I woke up to the fact that I was neglecting my friends, who are not that many since I didn't grow up in the US.
Anything you recently found interesting?
This Reddit post, which brought me here: https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/1alecrf/talking_to_strangers_for_12_months_connecting/ OP's story is very similar to my story and I'm feeling very inspired by their post.
TheMoose1234
love Baby Nori! I've got a black cat as well, his name is Apollo and he's been a great addition to the family :)
ilovefalafel
Hi @TheMoose1234. She's a lovebug! She's 3 now, this pic is old but I think she was so cute as a kitten.

What's your morning ritual?
Asked by

CH

Coffee, make my bed, stretches, and morning skincare routine! If I'm feeling particularly scatterbrained, I write my to-dos out on a paper planner.
dot
Fremont
Coffee bagel garden meditate coffee#2
dot
Mission Viejo
I wake up at about 5:30 and then go for a morning walk about 6 either around the neighborhood or on the Aliso Creek Bike Trail.

I pray the Daily Office so on this walk I do my morning prayers and also play a little PokemonGo.

When I get home I will make a pot of breakfast tea and turn on some reruns on TV since the news is mostly bad these days.

LemonampLavendar

She / Her

San Jose, CA

Where are you at in your life stage?
I’m in my early fifties, work from home as a writer (fiction and nonfiction), and run a small publishing business and podcast with my partner. We moved to the Bay Area during the pandemic for work and meeting people hasn’t been the easiest thing but I love the weather and natural beauty here.
How's your life?
Overall, better than I could have ever imagined. Far from perfect but generally fulfilling and meaningful. I miss having lots of close friends nearby to do things on a whim. Most of our friends are back where we moved from or scattered across the world.
What helps you keep your sanity?
Writing. I mean writers write. But also having big goals and dreams still. Things to look forward to. And our cats. Working from home would be lonely business without my boss walking across the keyboard every few minutes.
What is most important to you right now?
Connecting. Making sense of things. Not getting in a rut or bubble that echoes back the same thoughts and ideas at me. Learning something every day.
Anything you recently found interesting?
So many things. I’m interested in foraging but nervous to try it beyond my back yard. I really want to learn to do small water color sketches of plants.
HoldMyEspresso
I'm not a writer but I'm married to one! I wonder if you'd vibe with her writing group. How many cats do you have?
CH
I love writing. Being able to articulate is a true gift for all. I'm curious about writers' bookshelves and their reading lists!