Dating App Disconnect: An IRL Valentine's Day Adventure
Want low pressure, high fun Valentine's Day plans?
During our last Dating App Disconnect event, a recurring theme emerged: the yearning for real-life connections filled with adventure, possibility, and spontaneity. What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than tapping into your sense of adventure — with yourself and others. Throughout the evening, you will discover what adventure means to you and how to translate that to your dating life.
Together, we reimagine dating as an exciting journey of discovering ourselves and others, moving beyond screens to rediscover the joy of authentic interaction.
The night will unfold as follows:
SETTING THE STAGE
6pm - Arrive and get settled in!
6:15pm - Presentation on dating and adventure a value.
6:25pm - Fireside chat with Barbara Ann Michaels, an artist and former wedding officiant who has married hundreds of couples. We will hear her stories about the out of the box ways couples have met.
JUMP INTO THE ADVENTURE
6:45pm - Group meditation.
7pm - Individual reflection exercise on what adventure as a value in dating means to YOU.
7:15pm - Small group time sharing stories.
7:30pm - "Your Sense of Adventure" and "Adventurous Dating Roadmap" activities with small groups.
8:15pm - Large group discussion and share-out of date ideas. Walk away with a plan!
CONNECT
8:30pm - Mingle!
Valentine's Day treats will be paired with (parentheses) botanical beverage, an artisanal NA spirit. These slow-sipping drinks are by a Brooklyn-based husband and wife team, including Tawny Lara (The Sober Sexpert)!
What is Dating App Disconnect?
Run clubs, paint nights, speed dating, happy hours, stranger dinners…people are ready to get off the apps and (thankfully!) many companies are creating fun events to answer the calls of burnt out, jaded, hopeless dating app users. But…we can keep creating new events to meet people, but the underlying “mass disconnect” and emotional baggage from dating app is not being addressed. Although apps did bring some good, they also created an environment, especially in big cities like NYC, where you have a perfect cocktail of anonymity, lack of social contracts, and selfish behavior — resulting in not just mass disconnection, but lowered self esteem, decreased trust and hope, and negative mental health.
Dating App Disconnect is about moving past the baggage of dating apps. It’s a way to get to the root of what you need. It’s about returning to real connection — with yourself and others. We can keep trying to meet people IRL, but without addressing the underlying damage from dating apps and the fundamental societal shift in dating, real connection will be much more challenging to achieve. The fact is, many of us are leading with fear. Let’s get back to freedom!
What is The Full?
The Full is a connection company that provides a variety of services to address the loneliness epidemic. We help people connect better with themselves so they can connect fully with others -- and create an energized, satisfied, and hopeful life that feels like a party.
Check out The Full on Instagram!
Who is Barbara Ann Michaels, the Jester of Peace?
Barbara makes participatory experiences and artworks -- performances, writing, rituals, installations, holidays -- to get as much of our undoneness done as we can...while we're here, now, together. Her tools are the trifecta for emotional well-being: Love, Art, and Humor. Using these tools daily promotes a life of self-expression and contribution in community, creating connection across a global-facing world. To these aims, as an Ordained Interfaith Minister, Barbara leads a non-denominational creative community using Love, Art, and Humor for social evolution worldwide.
Check out Jester of Peace on Instagram!
What is (parentheses)?
(parentheses) is a fermented, artisanal spirit handmade in Brooklyn by a former sommelier and his wife who missed slow-sipping a stiff drink. Tawny Lara, AKA The Sober Sexpert and author of Dry Humping: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking up Without Booze!, and Nick Mechak are also the creators of the Sobriety Card Deck, the ultimate guide to conquering the challenges and embracing the joys of a booze-free life.
Check out (parentheses) and Tawny Lara on Instagram!
What is Fabrik?
Fabrik is on a mission to uplift communities and foster serendipitous connections in real life.
Fabrik is a home for communities where everyone has a place to belong. With spaces designed to feel more like your living room than your office, Fabrik’s third spaces are vibrant hubs where people can come together in real life, explore interests, forge meaningful connections, and build a sense of community.
We use RSVPs to plan for the number of attendees and ticket pricing to cover our costs in hosting. Unfortunately, we cannot grant refunds, but you are welcome to pass your ticket on to someone else.
Please note that emails will be collected and photos will be taken during the event for promotional purposes. By attending, you consent to your email being used for future promotions and image being used in future marketing materials. If you have any concerns, please let us know.