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Find Friends in Saint Helena

Where two strangers meet over coffee

Welcome to the Saint Helena community! Here you can discover and connect with people in your area who share your interests and values.

Saint Helena is part of our San Francisco Bay Area service area, where we help bring local communities together.

deuxcroissants

She / Her

Oakland, CA

deuxcroissants's photo
Where are you at in your life stage?
Mid-30s, pretty settled in my career, and have a fantastic community of friends and family in and outside of the Bay. I'm single, searching for a long-term partner, and am looking to expand my circle/community (in all ways!).
How's your life?
Zooming out, it's pretty good! Sometimes I feel like a kid still, just with more money and responsibilities. I never thought I'd laugh this much as an adult!
I'm quite happy with my day to day life, but when I'm 80 and reflecting on my life, I want to feel fulfilled and content and like I squeezed a lot of love, meaning, gratitude, purpose, and memories into it. So I'm always looking for ways to add more of those things!
What helps you keep your sanity?
Being outside, hiking, cycling, beach volleyball; croissants, berries, pizza, sushi, dark roast coffee; tall mountains + glacial lakes; traveling; finding great bakeries in small little towns; a heavy dose of laughing with friends and family balanced with a few minutes of introvert time per day
What is most important to you right now?
Spending meaningful time with family and friends while developing new connections and relationships, including finding a long-term partner.
Seeing the outdoors and exploring new places.
Understanding myself and understanding others. Continuous self-reflection and growth.
Anything you recently found interesting?
I still can't wrap my head around how large the number 52! is (the number of unique ways you can shuffle a deck of cards)
StreetSymphony1
Sent a request :)
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Hygge
Sent a request. Would love to check out any good bakery - found a few in Berkeley recently :)
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Watts

He / Him

San Francisco, CA

Where are you at in your life stage?
31M I love mountain biking camping cars and coffee! I also like supporting friends who start their own projects and businesses. These days i've been more focused on www.upcyclebikes.co a peer to peer bike sharing platform that I started with some friends. We focus on high end bikes and act as an affiliate marketer for new bikes sales.
How's your life?
It’s going well getting married in September trying to balance starting my own company and working a 9-5
What helps you keep your sanity?
I enjoy mountain biking meeting new people discovering what other people are into
What is most important to you right now?
being strategic about spending my time networking and staying healthy (mentally and physically)
Anything you recently found interesting?
Learning how to fundraise and recently got into vintage watches as a hobby
CaturraCoating1
Vintage watches!!!! <3 also a fellow new and vintage watch enthusiast/mindful collector :) sent you a coffee request if you're interested:)
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sunkissedsummers

She / Her

San Francisco, CA

sunkissedsummers's photo

The coast is one of my favorite places to venture out to (ironically also my greatest fear)

Where are you at in your life stage?
Just moved to the city late last year! Trying to figure out what exactly I want to do with life and figuring out who I am/growing comfortable with myself. Trying to keep my enthusiastic and positive energy steady with all interactions I have with others. I just want to make genuine connections and learn from others. Self discovery and growth is at a high for me now!
How's your life?
Life is okay. I have a good job and a decent support system but something feels missing, and I'm not entirely sure what it is. I've been learning a lot about my past and how it affected me while actively trying to practice positive changes.
What helps you keep your sanity?
Going out on walks/drives/being in nature. Eating good food!! Any kind interaction with a stranger. Those little memorable exchanges make a huge difference. Also dogs and cats haha.
What is most important to you right now?
Just being more comfortable being vulnerable! It's something I've always struggled with in the past and i feel like I closed off parts of myself that I actually like. I want to grow out of my shell again and I think just having meaningful conversations with others and allowing myself to meet new people/try new things would help!
Anything you recently found interesting?
I heard that if you see a banana slug for the first time that you're supposed to kiss it (Santa Cruz local tradition haha).
Neko
How are you liking the city?
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Petunia

She / Her

San Francisco, CA

Petunia's photo

Adventure awaits

Where are you at in your life stage?
I am in my 40s, and feel great about this decade of life and how it is treating me. But I also feel different from many of my peers in that my life path still feels very malleable. I am currently exploring what I want my next chapter to look like.
How's your life?
My life is very active. I have chosen work that allows me a great deal of flexibility, so I get to travel, both locally and abroad, more than most. I am not married and don't have kids, so I spend my free time out and about, engaging with my city and connecting with my community. I am trying to learn how to balance my external world and my desire to chase the next adventure with my internal world and my wish to save time for engage with my personal goals and long term dream chasing. I aspire to take it slow and snail more :-)
What helps you keep your sanity?
I spend a lot of time outdoors, in nature. I live very close to the beach, so I go watch the sunset whenever I need to slow down. I also go camping and backpacking by myself, which always helps me to leave the hustle bustle behind.
What is most important to you right now?
I really value my deep and meaningful local friendships. Time with my people, in person, really adds so much joy to my life.
Anything you recently found interesting?
I recently spent a week studying immersive theater with a cohort of other creatives. I found the whole experience to be incredibly fascinating. There were all kinds of people to meet, and plenty of time to get to know them while collaborating on an ephemeral, one-time-only performance that we presented at the end of that week. In my experience, it's rare for strangers to be so transparent with one another. But in this setting, people were really willing to open up and share their most authentic selves. Perhaps it was because we all knew that we would have such a short time together. Perhaps it was because we worked so intensely with one another. Or perhaps it was because we all equally motivated to reap the rewards of being in a creative community of likeminded individuals. In any case, at this point in in my life, I am really wanting to build a creative community here in the Bay for myself. It doesn't have to be a theater community by any means. I just find it to be really inspiring to in the same room as people who are passionate about bringing their creative ambitions to life.
BlackTippedOwlFeathe
Your train experience sounds super interesting! I also traveled for the eclipse but had a rather opposite experience (packed train, and everyone kept to themselves).
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pagrus
Cross country train ride sounds awesome, I really want to do that when I can find some time
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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 :)
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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.
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TheConstantGardener

She / Her

San Francisco, CA

TheConstantGardener's photo

A moment captured at base camp during my attempt to summit Shasta via Hotlum Glacier route

Where are you at in your life stage?
I’m in my mid 30s, married. Recently quit my job to take a career break. Exploring things that I always put off due to lack of time - beginning with learning piano.
How's your life?
I don’t have much of a routine as of yet, earlier it was mostly dictated by my job, now I am rebuilding it. Generally weekends are quite chill where I try to spend time with my husband. Mornings are typically slower, more active during later part of the day with coffee runs, walks in the neighborhood, cooking.
What helps you keep your sanity?
Nature walks, music, art, a clean home.
What is most important to you right now?
My health and finding a community of friends - I wanna build a daily routine that I can consistently follow, with habits that truly fulfill me (exercising, walking, meditation and journaling) and get me ready for the day. I have realized it’s really hard to develop long lasting adult friendships- most of my old friends have been separated by time or distance and I am looking to make new ones.
Anything you recently found interesting?
Afro soul music - so cool, always uplifts my mood and makes me wanna move. Some of my most played tracks are Antidote by Nao, Essence by Wizkid, Commas and Rush by Ayra Star, Corny by Rema.
TheMoose1234
you're welcome @TheConstantGardener! Please be sure to share any insights you develop :)
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constantfitness
Hi @TheConstantGardener: Sent you a message! Hope you're well
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SarchimorWatery1

She / Her

San Francisco, CA

SarchimorWatery1's photo
Where are you at in your life stage?
I just turned 30 recently and moved to this city from a far away, northern land. I feel deeply entrenched in my work life but desperate to experience what this city's soul is really like. I'm a little confused and conflicted, determined but directionless, and cold-footed yet brave. In a mid-season and sitcom-y fashion I'm redefining myself a little. Trying a bit of everything right now.
How's your life?
Unnecessarily filled with busywork and endless comparisons. It lacks a bit of grounding but generally by all conventional metrics it's pretty good. I'm technically in a good place but there's a lopsided balance skewing towards work right now. I travel a lot and meet great people, I get to try a lot of new things that are fun and weird, and I have time in the mornings to make french omelettes. I plan silly things with equally silly people and it keeps me happy.
What helps you keep your sanity?
Finding the time to laugh, keeping up with old friends, and diving into new, random hobbies. For example I had a niche perfumery phase just recently and am on the cusp of entering my 'building model kits' phase. I also take long walks and go to smaller venue rave shows where I can headbang and lose myself in the music a little. During bad weeks I'll be tied to the couch binge watching TV and eating salty foods. I need places to be anonymous sometimes so I can fade into the background comfortably.
What is most important to you right now?
Defining things. I don't like that it's what's most important to me right now, but it's just what I keep coming back to. I recently also had a revived appreciation for my family and relationships so I've been thinking more long term in terms of how I want my life to look. Otherwise, I think unapologetic authenticity is what I'm trying to strive towards. I would very much like that.
Anything you recently found interesting?
The National Havoc Robot League (NHRL) hosts an annual world championship in Norwalk, CT and tickets are actually pretty reasonably priced.
AlyMD
As a fellow silly person you seem awesome! I’d love to get coffee
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