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Getting dirty with Events & Adventures San Francisco

Mud Sweat and Tears – the San Francisco Club Takes on Tough Mudder

This isn’t your typical race; Tough Mudder is 10 to 12 miles of mud and obstacles built to test your mental grit, ability to work as a team, and all-around physical fitness. Tough Mudder is not a competition; it’s about working together with your teammates to cross that finish line! Events & Adventures members trained and built up the courage to test their ability by heading up to Tahoe to take on the altitude in a once-in-a-lifetime challenge.  It was a bright, cool morning and the run took place on piney mountain trails. We stretched, we cheered, and when whistle blew—we were off.

Despite how tough it was we all had a great time.  One highlight of our run was the Block Ness Monster, which was as epic and tricky as Nessie herself.  Mudders had to help one another push, pull and roll their way through 60 feet of slick, rotating barriers.  After that, we ran eight miles. We were cold, but had to push through even greater deep freeze when we slid into a huge dumpster of ice and then jumped over a barrier into more ice. Not surprisingly, our bodies started to tense up, and we could no longer feel our fingers, but there was no time to wallow in the pain—we had to get up and run again.  This time it was through a field of live wires, but hey, a little electricity never hurt anyone.

Events & Adventures is all about working together, meeting people and having fun. Tough Mudder is a prime example of how people of all different ages, physical ability and mental strength came together to all cross the finish line. We lifted each other over walls, up ramps and pulled each other out of the mud. Without one another, there was no way to finish that challenge; it had to be tackled as team.  At the end we all were freezing cold, but the free beer and the smile across every face was worth it!

White water rafting with Events & Adventures Vancouver

Vancouver and Seattle Team up for Outdoor Recreation

This weekend Events & Adventures Vancouver crashed the Seattle club’s Memorial Day camping trip, and we had a blast! It was a rainy weekend at Friday Creek campgrounds, but the rain didn’t stop us from having a great time with the weekend of outdoor recreation we had planned. Our members had an amazing time with countless activities to do.

We arrived on Friday and had the whole campground to ourselves. We set up the tents, made campfires, played Frisbee and volleyball, and mingled with our fellow members. Saturday was filled with a variety of outdoor recreation activities like hiking and white water rafting. Though some members stayed behind and played board games at the lodge to escape the rain. We had a bonfire Saturday night, and many of us were introduced to Reese’s Cup s’mores for the first time.

Sunday the rain stopped just enough for our members to enjoy horseback riding or a winery tour. That night we had a huge bonfire singing along to all the classics (“don’t stop believing…”), had a glow stick party, and played tag and even glow stick volleyball in the dark. Monday morning it was breakfast-to-go, packing up and heading home (and of course the weather was the nicest the day we were leaving).

All in all it was a weekend we will never forget.  Just one more reason to get out and enjoy life with the members of Events & Adventures!

Night Train Scavenger Hunt with Events & Adventures Santa Clara

Events & Adventures Santa Clara Gives us an Inside Look

We sat down with one of our event managers and she gave us a little insight on what it’s like to work for Events & Adventures. People always ask her if she likes her job and her answer is always the same, “It’s the best job I’ve ever had in my life!”  She loves the creativity of putting together great experiences that pique the interests of our very diverse member base. Some of our members are thrill-seekers; they love the skydiving, hang gliding, zip lining and rock climbing type of events. Others enjoy more casual and artistic activities, so she’s always on the lookout for great theatre performances and fantastic museum venues.

She says we also have many members who like anything – as long as it’s athletic! Sand volleyball, trampoline dodgeball, flag football and disc golf are just a few of the events that we plan and that they flock to. One of her most popular activities is hiking. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a hike on the beach or through the redwoods, or a hike just to watch the sunset – the combination of good exercise and good friends always makes the day special.

She often even puts together “interactive” events for her members. The Santa Clara club had an Amazing Race where the members solved clues, traveled using three different methods of transportation and had to perform crazy tasks as they raced through the streets of Mountain View. We had a dude ranch adventure which included horseback riding, roping lessons, and a truly hysterical pie-eating contest. Scavenger hunts are also always a member favorite, especially when each destination is determined by a clue or a puzzle that needs to be solved as a team.

Sometimes we just meet and have a beer while we play board games, or watch a sporting event and mingle. Other times we play trivia games at a venue and laugh ourselves silly. And sometimes we just go to an unusual restaurant together and enjoy the simple pleasure of each other’s company.  Our event managers love sitting up at night coming up with ideas! Whale watching, escape rooms, kayaking, a caricature drawing class, fencing, aerial yoga, the list goes on.  Their minds can never seem to shut off the faucet of ideas that keep popping into their brains!  As a member of Events & Adventures, you’ll see and experience this for yourself!

Fun event with Events & Adventures Vancouver

Exclusive Summer Activities with Events & Adventures Vancouver

Summer is here and that means we’ve got tons of outdoor activities for the Vancouver club. Vancouver is the perfect place to embrace the beauty of nature. We have the mountains and the ocean at our fingertips. We don’t always properly utilize it, but we are truly blessed to have such a beautiful backyard.  Whether you are hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking or just strolling the seawall, there are an endless number of activities to do when the sun is out.

Last weekend some of our members had a blast kayaking at Deep Cove. There was non-stop laughter and a lot of great memories made. Deep Cove is located at the foot of Mt. Seymour in North Vancouver. Paddling Indian Arm offered a unique opportunity to view the mountains and native wildlife while being on the ocean. You often find harbor seals, eagles, sea stars and other wildlife in a rich marine environment when kayaking Deep Cove.

If you want to shake up your summer and do something different from your usual weekly trip to the pool, just join Events & Adventures. We’ll show you how to make the most of living in our beautiful city and help you uncover exclusive events and activities that only our members can access!

trapeze adventure with Events & Adventures

Events & Adventures Dallas Pushes the Limit with Trapeze Classes

The other night Events & Adventures Dallas attended trapeze classes, and it was an amazing adrenaline rush! We started off with introductions, and all of us couldn’t help but notice the trapeze bars that rose 50 feet into the air.  Some of the members who’d already taken trapeze classes with the club talked about how after a couple of times the adrenaline wears off and you start to really enjoy yourself, which helped get the rest of us excited.

Donovan and his crew at Skyline Trapeze covered some ground rules and commands for jumping so that we knew how to proceed once we climbed the ladder to the trapeze swing.  Josh, one of the members who previously attended trapeze classes with Events & Adventures, was the first to take to the trapeze and inspired us all with his moves.  He swung while hanging by his feet, then again with his hands and finally, he finished off with a back flip! We were all very impressed.

We all got at least one jump in. The instructors began our trapeze classes with an introduction to silk, hanging, spinning upside-down, and posing.  As the night went on we all learned how to conquer the trapeze tricks that Josh showed off during first flight of the night!

The most amazing trick of the night was THE CATCH.  Those who mastered the swing by their feet were able to be caught by an instructor on the other swing. At the end of the night, everyone was having a great time and wanted to see the event on the calendar more. Several members signed up for two more classes for the price of one (a deal only offered to Events & Adventures members). Some of us may have contemplated running away and joining the circus because of how amazing the trapeze classes were.  All in all it was a great night. Some new friendships were made while swinging 50 feet in the air, and we can’t wait to it all over again!

Great Golfing Events in San Francisco

Events & Adventures members spent a Sunday on the green at one of our great golfing events. They learned the proper techniques swinging techniques and played some fun games, such as closest to the hole or longest drive. Members were able to enjoy gorgeous views of Marin County while playing on one of Northern California’s best heritage courses.

Any golfer will undoubtedly tell you that there are few things that feel as good as hitting a great golf shot. It’s almost like magic. Practice and swing drills are the key to good shots and Events & Adventures members mastered them. Afterwards, members rewarded themselves with a 19th Hole cocktail and mingled.

Why learn how to golf, you ask? It’s not just a great way to schmooze on a business trip, but it’s an awesome addition to your social life, as well. More and more people are learning to play and going to golfing events. So next time you want to have a double date, why not head out to the course and get to know each other over 18 holes. Golf is the perfect venue to make new friendships as well and strengthen old ones. When a golfer joins a friend for 18 holes, they are guaranteed three to four hours of time with them. If you show up at the course alone, a golfer has the opportunity to meet someone new, share a tee time and spend the afternoon getting to know them.

And believe it or not, the course is a great place for guys and girls to meet their future spouse or partner. If you’re an avid golfer, meeting a fellow golfer definitely earns some bonus points! Take aim, swing and meet the members of Events & Adventures San Francisco out on the course!

Singles group events with Events & Adventures

Santa Clara Members Meet Exciting New People Everyday

Every once in a while Events & Adventures Santa Clara will have an ice breaker meeting to bring new members into the fold.  It’s no surprise that since our club is based in the heart of the Silicon Valley, a member will often introduce themselves as an engineer of one ilk or another. Of course, we do have members that are teachers and doctors and plumbers and every other profession under the sun, but a large number of our members come from tech fields.  So, when member Bernard Weston said that he was a painter we were all instantly intrigued. Some of us went home and Googled his name.  Darned if he wasn’t just ANY painter, he was a nationally recognized artist!

Bernard Weston (Bernie) is an Asian-influenced California painter, who draws on his personal engagement with Chinese and Japanese art history, theory and philosophy, to create paintings of the sublime. The goal for a painter like Weston is not just to produce amazing art, but to do so in conjunction with studied processes of mental, spiritual, and physical Zen such as practice and preparedness. Bernie’s paintings exemplify the phrase “East meets West”, utilizing innovative, avant-garde materials while being grounded the tradition of meditative art-making.

This week, the spectacular Simone Beckett Gallery in Los Gatos opened its doors for us to be able to view Bernie’s work during private Events & Adventures only event.  The gallery set up a table in their courtyard for our members to bring bottles of wine to share and enjoy while they perused the gallery. Bernie took the time to explain his techniques to our members as they looked on in awe at all the beautiful works created by the hand of our very own resident artist.  The evening was as memorable as it was magical and unique. A nationally renowned artist? With Events & Adventures you are guaranteed to meet new people who are unique and exciting virtually every day.

Three Unique Things to do in Chicago

Everyone visits the same places when they’re looking for things to do in Chicago: the bean, the Willis Tower, the deep dish pizzeria. But if you want to be a true champion of the city, three things you must do before you leave Chicago:

  1. Lunch/Early Dinner at Sinha Brazilian Restaurant:

Hopefully, you’re visiting on a Sunday since they’re open till six then. Sinha Restaurant is by far the best authentic home cooked Brazilian food in Chicago, even Paul McCartney and his wife would agree (ask the chef and owner Jorgina Pereira to tell you the story).  The restaurant is located within Ms. Pereiras home, which she graciously opens up to her guests. Appetizers and drinks are served in the living room next to the fireplace giving it a very homey atmosphere. The restaurant is BYOB (bring your own beer or liquor of choice) and we recommend you bring a bottle of Cachaça, a special Brazilian rum used especially for Capirinhas (a drink made with fresh limes and sugar) that will be prepared by the Chef herself.  After loosening up in the living room, you’ll go down a flight of stairs to the lower level of the house where you’ll enjoy great steaks, a special house recipe of black beans, plantains, rice, kale and cranberry salad, special dressings and other fresh fare.

  1. Catch a play at the Windy City Playhouse:

The playhouse is brand new and as word of it slowly spreads their shows are getting more and more packed.  Performances here are by far some of the best in the city, with their most recent show The Explorer’s Club getting rave reviews by all the local Chicago media.  Events & Adventures recently caught a private performance of the show and we have to agree their plays are worth every penny and second that you spend there. The intimate theater offers a full bar and comfy rotating seats that are so close to the actors you’ll feel like you’re part of the performance.  If you want to impress a date or work colleagues, this is the place to bring them.

  1. Drinks at the Aviary:  

Get ready for an experience you won’t soon forget.  You can forget ordering your typical gin and tonic and go straight for their house cocktail menu.  Here the bartenders are trained like four star chefs.  Many of the ingredients in their drinks are meticulously prepped hours ahead of time to be promptly delivered and presented to your table by an expert mixologist.  Some must try items on their menu are Oats, and Levels.

If you’re not a tourist and just a native of the city just looking for new things to do in Chicago, join us at Events & Adventures where we’re always seeking out the exciting and unique. We have plenty of hidden germs to show you, all you need to do is let us.

Fun event with Events and Adventures Phoenix

Events & Adventures Arizona has a Fresh new Outlook on Camping

Nothing is more American than pitching a tent, building a bonfire and grabbing a cold one while being surrounded by friends.  Camping is a summer getaway, a rite of passage, and gives us a sense of nostalgia.  It’s the best way to remove yourself from your daily routine and step back into an easier way of life.  If you are not typically a camper or outdoorsy person you’re in luck, because here in Arizona we have the perfect camping environment.  Not only is it just a short drive north to get away from the heat, the dry weather keeps the bugs at bay, and the cooler weather makes it perfect for swimming or cozying up next to the fire. Northern Arizona has beautiful water sources for kayaking, high rising evergreens that canopy the area with shade, and amazing evenings with clear, starry skies.

Events & Adventures takes this as an opportunity to help you leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind on Memorial and Labor Day weekends. This Memorial Day weekend we will be heading to Cottonwood, do some hiking amongst the Red Rocks of Sedona and kayak in the Verde River. The nights will be spent fireside getting to know new friends, and reminiscing about past adventures.  Outdoorsy or not, Events & Adventures has you covered.  There will be camping experts at your disposal that will teach you how to rough it for the three days, or how to “glamp” up your campsite to make it just as glamorous as your own bedroom.

As the summer months roll in, Events & Adventures will be taking to the high country multiple times. We’re going to the Mt. Lemmon cabins for 4th of July weekend (with all the hotel luxuries you need, while still getting to enjoy the outdoors) and tent camping again up north for Labor Day.  The days in the valley are getting warm, so join Events & Adventures for the perfect escape from the heat and stress!

Shooting pool with Events & Adventures Dallas

A Billiards Night to Remember with Events & Adventures Dallas

Billiards night with Events & Adventures is always a hit.  Despite the pouring rain, over 20 members came out to play and several tables were reserved for our group.  The atmosphere was as friendly as always, and the more experienced members made sure to immediately bring new members into the fold and broke the ice.

As we played, we began to realize that we had a lot in common, including not being the best at billiards!  As each of us took a shot, the other gave tips and encouragement.   As we all mingled and discovered shared interests, eventually we were talking more than we were playing.  It didn’t matter how well or poorly we shot, everyone was supportive and had a great attitude.  We ended up playing doubles for most of the night and we all made some great new friends in the process.

All of us were glad we decided to go even with the bad weather because we had a great time and met great people.  We had the event at Rack Daddy’s; it had a full service bar and many TVs where we watched playoff hockey and basketball in between playing billiards. We can’t wait for this to come up on the calendar of events again!  Whether it’s just some friendly competition in town or something more exotic, Events & Adventures always has the cure for boring.