Meet new friends groups near Watsonville, CA

Welcome to the Pacific Grove Fermentation Meetup Group! Whether you're a seasoned fermenter or a curious newbie, this group is for anyone interested in the art of fermenting foods and beverages. Join us to learn new techniques, swap recipes, share starters, and connect with fellow fermentation enthusiasts in the Pacific Grove area. Let's explore the world of krauts, kimchi, kombucha, and more together! Whether you're looking to improve your health or just want to try something new, this group is a fun and informative way to dive into the wonderful world of fermentation. Let's get fermenting!

Welcome all who are seeking to make friends over a cup of coffee and conversation (or sometimes at a different event)! I'm new to Santa Cruz, and creating this group for others who are seeking positive vibes connections because: the pandemic created some big transitions and loneliness, you're new to the area, looking to find friends to attend other events with, you're into amplifying kindness by connecting with others, want a space to be yourself or you're just working on getting yourself out there. Let's make this a supportive positive space! BIPOC, LGBTQ+, Generational Inclusive Check out Meetup's rules for using Meetup (Community rules), https://help.meetup.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002897532-Usage-and-content-policies-Rules-for-using-Meetup Looking forward to meeting you, Yvonne (Organizer)

Connect with interesting and fun people who are looking to create new friendships over coffee, dinner, and outdoor activities. Ideally, people with good souls who are accepting of others and won’t mistreat orders or behave rudely because others think politically and/or spiritually different then them but are respectful and open-minded. No cancel culture types here, just caring, responsible, and fun folks. We can learn from and be friends with everyone. Update: Oct. 13th 2022: Thank you, in advance for remembering to be respectful with everyone you meet in this group. This group’s focus is making platonic connections and relationships (friends) and potential professional connections. . I don’t have co-organizers and don’t permit members to create events. I appreciate the offers but prefer it this way and made this final decision based on experience. Thank you for not asking and making it awkward to say “no”. 🙂

 This group is currently closed to new members.

Are you tired of swiping through endless profiles on dating apps? Look no further! This Meetup group is perfect for singles who want to connect with others who share their interests. Whether you're a foodie, bookworm, adventure seeker, or fitness enthusiast, there's something for everyone here. Join us for fun events, engaging conversations, and the chance to meet like-minded individuals who could potentially be your next great match. Say goodbye to awkward first dates and hello to meaningful connections with people who truly get you. Let's make new friends and maybe even find love along the way!

We are a friendly group of avid forest bathers who will be meeting usually 2-3 times a month, typically on a weekday morning, to explore our wonderful and numerous local and beyond trails. Our hikes will range from Easy to Challenging/Difficult depending on the chosen adventure. Most will be in the Santa Cruz County area. But we do oft-times venture out to trails in the counties of Monterey and San Mateo. Maximum group size will be 12 so as not to overwhelm nature with our presence. And all attendees should be fully COVID 19 vaccinated so as to allow us all to go mask-free if we desire. We trust everyone will be honest about their status when they sign up. I personally tend to hike at a fairly rapid pace but can certainly appreciate the value of slowing down a bit to fully enjoy our surroundings so pace is flexible. I strive to be thorough in my Event write-ups so please read through them carefully so that you can enjoy the pleasure of hiking trails that interest you and match your skill level. Start times will vary. Typically anywhere from 8am to 10am depending on time of year, travel distance and parking considerations. Try to be on time but we will wait until 10 minutes after the start time for any late arrivals. If you arrive beyond that time please feel free to try and catch up to us! **Very important - I ask that if you do sign up for one of our scheduled hikes and then change your mind about attending please please change your status to "Not Going". Or just simply message me and I will remove you from the Going list. And please do this as soon as you realize that you plan to withdraw. There is always a long Waitlist of people who would like to attend and this way it opens up a space for someone else.** I look forward to healthy fresh air exercise with new friends as we explore our beautiful outdoors! **Legal Disclaimer**: The hosts in this group are not professional guides, and each person who signs up for a hike, event, or other outing is responsible for his or her own safety and the safety of his or her guests and property. By signing up for this hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you are aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with any outdoor activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards. And further agree to release and discharge the organizer, assistant organizers, event organizers and event hosts of this Meetup group from any and all liability arising from your and your guest's participation in the group activities. As always, this is a “Participate at your Own Risk” event.

I invite you all to take a midday break and start each week off with my free, fun, laughter-filled session of Laughter Yoga. My name is Jill Naomi-Russell and I am a Registered Nurse, Certified Emergency Nurse and Certified Laughter Yoga Leader who is dedicated to spreading the joy and health benefits of Laughter Yoga. Laughter Yoga is a unique exercise concept that teaches anyone and everyone how to laugh for no reason without the use of comedy or jokes. This laughter is initiated through the use of playful laughter exercises that quickly evolve into genuine, contagious laughter. It is called Laughter Yoga because it combines laughter exercises with deep yoga breathing, resulting in improved oxygenation as well as many other health benefits which I list below. It’s also a great way to practice the art of mindfulness. Scientific research has proven that both spontaneous and intentional (unconditional) laughter, if sustained, results in a long list of health benefits including, but not limited to: reduced stress and anxiety, decreased cortisol levels, strengthened immune system, improved cardiopulmonary function and my favorite - laughter leaves us feeling happier, healthier and more energized through the immediate release of the feel-good hormones/neurotransmitters: dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins. The Laughter Yoga movement was started in 1995 by Dr. Madan Kataria and his wife, Madhuri, a yoga instructor, in Mumbai, India. Today there are thousands of Laughter Clubs around the world in over 120 countries. I did my initial training with Dr. Kataria and then went on to get my Laughter Yoga Leader Certification through two of his Master Trainers. To best achieve the health benefits laughter has to be sustained for a minimum of 10-15 minutes. In day-to-day life our laughter is only brief and sporadic, whereas in a Laughter Club the laughter is consistent throughout the entire laughter exercise portion of the Laughter Club session. The 45-minute MondayFunday Laughter Club includes a brief introduction and warm-up, then 30 minutes of easy, fun laughter exercises. I always include 2 dance numbers to add to the fun. We finish with a 5 minute cool-down and relaxation. So simply put, we laugh to release all our Joy and Wellness powers. We move to promote flexibility, strength and improve cardiopulmonary function. And we perform yoga breathing to stay well-oxygenated. It’s a casual come-as-you-are event that you’re welcome to attend weekly or just occasionally. Feel free to drop-in anytime! No equipment or experience required. All laughter exercises can be done sitting or standing or a combination of both. The meeting URL: The Zoom Meeting URL will be visible once you sign-up to Attend. So joining the meeting will be easy and convenient for everybody while still protecting us from unwanted Zoom bombers and trolls. The Meeting URL will be the same for all our weekly Quick-Fix Laughter Club and MondayFunday Laughter Club sessions. Feel free to private message me if you have any questions This is a club for all ages - young children to the advanced elderly. Feel free to have your whole family attend. Family and friends who laugh together, stay together! We can’t solve all the world’s problems. But we can bring more joy and wellness into our lives by taking laughter breaks and sharing this laughter with new and old friends. **Singer/songwriter/poet/novelist Leonard Cohen once said “Act the way you’d like to be (e.g. happy and healthy) and soon you’ll be the way you act.”** ***Keep stress away... laugh everyday!*** P.S. Stay hydrated by keeping a glass of water handy. And flush your system afterwards by drinking a big glass of water. Hearty laughter is a work-out and very detoxing. Please feel free to sign-on anytime after 11:35am with your videos on or off and enjoy the upbeat music while you're waiting for the Club to start. I then encourage everybody to turn on your videos at noon to get the most benefit from the session :)

Dear fellow hikers or potential hikers, We request that members be fully vaccinated. Masks are not required on hikes. If you request to join, Please provide a photo that will help us identify you at events. -Thanks! Any questions? Send me a message. Be well! Best, Kitty \~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~ ABOUT THIS GROUP: I love hiking in the fresh air of mountain and sea, and want to join with other women exploring hiking trails in Santa Cruz and neighboring counties. My goal is to get good exercise, enjoy good company, and experience the serenity and inspiration of the great outdoors. Most of the hikes will be in the 3- to 7- mile range with a gain of 200 to 2000 feet. There are other organizers, however, who may do longer and/or more difficult hikes. If you're not ready to do the longer steeper hikes, try the easier ones! You are also welcome to come and do a portion of a hike, then return on your own. That's how I got started! This group is for women of any age, who love hiking in beautiful natural spaces, or who would like to give it a try! It's also a relaxed and easy way to make new friends :) **\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~** LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY: I will do my best to describe the level of difficulty of each hike, so you can decide if the hike is right for you. I'll use the descriptions below to indicate how much uphill there is. In addition to the uphill, please take into consideration how long the hike is. A hike may be described as moderately easy, but if it's 6 or 7 miles long, that distance may be too much for you at this time. **Moderately easy** = Up and down, but total elevation gain of less than 400 feet. **Moderate** = Total gain 400 to 800 feet. Lots of up and down. Can be steep stretches, but no really long steep uphill stretches. **Moderately difficult** = Total gain greater than 800 feet. May be some really steep sections and/or very long stretches of uphill.

**Welcome!**   See the list below for the informative and fun opportunities in this MeetUp for living a fuller, healthier and more creative life and improving your business, altough only some of our MeetUps are about business. *Some of our new MeetUp offerings are:* **BUSINESS:**   \~ Increase revenue for existing business \~ Networking events  \~ Resources for earning extra income (side-hustles) \~Tips on how to get your business online  \~Co-working sessions for time management & productivity \~Preventing Zoom-itis with self-care techniques  \~Opportunities to be a co-host  \~Bring your big business idea to life  \~How to create a Mastermind group to keep you on track and motivated  \~How to work better: Coffee work hours online with accountability  \~Resources and strategies for making your business life more efficient and effective **WELLNESS & LIVING A FULLER LIFE:**  \~Overcoming anxiety and overwhelm \~Getting Unstuck  \~Tips for elevating a depressed mood  \~Becoming more productive  \~Meditation and journaling  \~Goal setting  \~Dealing with isolation during these trying times  \~Time management and staying focused tips  \~Introduction to Trello, the life and work management tool \~Creativity- Kickstart, How to bring more of it into your life **SOCIAL:**   \~Happy hours  \~Game nights  \~Making the best of a challenging situation- what are you doing for fun?  \~Speed-friending (it's not dating, but creating connections and having some laughs) This group is offering **several 20-90 minute weekly Meetups** on a variety of different topics, some are listed above, such as wellness and living a fuller life, pivoting or growing your business in these unpredictable times, and social events. The goal is to provide valuable information and connections that may alleviate some of the challenges we are facing with isolation, lack of social time, mood, lack of purpose, and possible financial issues. ***We have changed the name of this MeetUp group*** to offer more selection to a broader audience and will still have MeetUps that address anxiety and feeling stuck. This is a space for you to meet others and feel a sense of community, which is important for your health and happiness, even if it means just logging in and listening for a while. Some meetings may include **interviews with pros** to give you new insights and answers to your burning questions.  Please let us know if you have any **suggestions for topics or guest speakers**, and which type of MeetUp interests you so we can put it on our schedule.    **If you are an expert** and want to be a guest at one of our events, please contact Daz, the moderator. **If being in SOCIAL SITUATIONS is challenging for you**, what you learn or those you connect with might change your life! Be comfortable in knowing that you will be encouraged to engage with others only at the level that you choose, so please show up and know it's OK to stay muted with your camera off and decline to engage in break-out rooms, which happens only at some MeetUp events.  We hold our Meetups at various times of the day, including some weekends. It's OK to log on late or sign off early. It will be good to have you attend for any amount of time.  At the end of our MeetUp, you will likely be equipped with more direct access to your own inner resources, find options to support you in taking the next steps for whatever challenges you are having, and perhaps find an empathy or accountability partner. You may even feel a little lighter! **Your host is me, Daz (Donna) Jacoby. I love bringing people together!**   I call myself a problem solver and happiness maker. I am a biofeedback trainer, and business coach, and now aditionally owner of a marketing agency, living near Santa Cruz, CA, who has worked for over 20 years with clients to improve their lives and health, mostly with a focus on anxiety management using biofeedback and neurofeedback in conjunction with an effective life-coaching program. I have been an entrepreneur for most of my adult life (and raised by entrepreneurs), with experience in a variety of fields, so I can bring insight and resources to those who need a boost in their business, or want to create a new business, including part-time side-hustles. I love creating strategies and systems and feel blessed with my intuitive qualities which help to guide my life.     Since business coaching, biofeedback and anxiety management are my specialties, some meetings will include the science and psychology that enlightens you and introduce resources such as apps, techniques, and introductions to biofeedback for home use that may help alleviate chronic issues. This is not therapy. Rather, it is a mindset and physiology shift that supports you in making dramatic changes. There is hope for overcoming so many challenges! I see it consistently in the lives of my clients. In the not-too-distant future, I will start a test group with veterans who have PTSD. If you are interested in volunteering to get the group going, or donating, please let me know. **I look forward to seeing you!** If you can't attend, please contact me if you want to know more about what you missed or the schedule for future MeetUps.

Calling all artists, crafters & creativity enthusiasts! Let’s get together to make stuff, check out exhibits, try new mediums & techniques, visit makers markets, attend gallery receptions and meet others who geek out over art & craft supplies as much as me!

Friendships and positive social connections improve health, well-being, and longevity. This meetup is for friendly, health-conscious women (aged 21+) living in Santa Cruz County who want to: • meet other women in the area • create new, lasting friendships • have fun while enjoying new adventures and educational / cultural activities • actively participate by attending group events Members are encouraged to suggest ideas for events.  Popular outings include: dining out, attending movies/museums/live theater & music, crafting, coffee & conversation, classes/workshops, outdoor sports, author talks/lectures etc. We usually leave significant others, small children and pets at home for these women-only events, unless otherwise specified. Our group content and calendar is private and accessible to members only. PLEASE contribute a minimum of $5 annually to cover the Meetup subscription cost paid by the Meetup organizer (currently $198/year). Your support is greatly appreciated to keep this wonderful group going! We look forward to meeting you!

Led by David Thiermann, career consultant for 30 years. David will talk with members about self-assessment, exploring career options, determining your focus, marketing yourself and ongoing career management. Everyone will leave with new ideas, new expectations, motivation to be more proactive and enthusiasm to move forward. Get inspired and excited. Sign up today for an enjoyable experience. Jokes are included....bring a joke and let's have fun. Please join me on Facebook and LinkedIn, and Google my name to learn more about me. If you can't attend my Meetup in person, you are welcome to call or text me anytime on my cell phone to talk about your needs or goals: 831-435-9321. Thanks, David

Join your LGBTQ+ community at special events and ongoing groups at The Diversity Center. Your friends and allies are welcome, too! We have events for all ages, from youth to seniors and in between: a queer book club, queer full moon gatherings, Queer and Trans Yoga hosted by Sapphire Yoga Collective, transgender and nonbinary peer support groups, a queer book club, mindfulness, LGBTQ+ Youth Rainbow Healing Garden Club, Gender Diverse Youth Support Group, LGBTQ+ open mic, and lots more. The Diversity Center's mission is to inspire and support every member of the LGBTQ+ community by creating a culture of wellbeing. We envision a healthy, vibrant, and diverse intergenerational LGBTQ+ community, safe and secure in their persons, schools, work, and homes; fueled by a spirit of collaboration with each other and the greater community.

We're looking for 3 to 4 players to join our new tabletop RPG campaign, with the choice of D&D 5e or Pathfinder 2e based on what the group prefers. We are two experienced players and DMs, dedicated to crafting immersive and engaging narratives. Details: * When: Weekly sessions on either Saturday or Sunday * Where: Santa Cruz * What we like: A blend of high fantasy and open-world exploration, where your decisions help shape the world. Who we are looking for: People who enjoy role playing games, relaxing with friends and a bit of friendly banter/discussions. For us it's as much about having fun as it is about playing the game. We're looking to make a party that could become friends.

Santa Cruz Real Estate Investors meetup is an opportunity for new and experienced Santa Cruz County Real Estate Investors to meet in person and share successes, lessons, and deals. The goal is to make the meetup informative and interactive.  Come share your stories of successes and lessons learned.  We will discuss different real estate investment strategies like Buy and Hold, Out-of-State, Short-term Rentals, BRRRR, Etc. We will also dive into deals and provide an opportunity for members to pitch their deals. No experience is needed. All are welcome. Start your investing journey now!

The Aptos Women's Leads Club is for women in Santa Cruz County who want to build a strong network and quality referral base to expand their business. Our mission is to share and expand our sphere of influence to strategically build our business in the community. Guests are invited to attend two meetings free of charge. The purpose of this meetup group is to publicly share our events. There is an additional membership application process which must be completed to be considered for an official Leads Club Membership. You are welcome to visit 2 online meetings free of charge. You can learn more about the Leads Club model at LeadsClub.com. We look forward to meeting you! **We meet weekly on Tuesdays from 12 - 1:15pm. Please contact our Leadership team if you'd like to attend to get the logistics and make sure that your business category is not already filled. Please contact Tina McRorie (tina@tinamcrorie.com) or Rebecca Hazelton (rebecca@choosinghealthnow.com).** **As of Aug 2023, we are especially interested in filling the following business categories:**  Handy-person Auto Mechanic Cleaning Service - House Cleaner Seamstress Graphic Artist Marketing Person Enrolled Agent (tax preparer) Nail Care Photographer Personal Assistant Travel Agent Gift Baskets Event Planner Optometrist Dentist Bookkeeper and/or CPA Financial Advisor - Fiduciary Insurance Agent Loan Agent/Mortgage Broker Doula Home Stager Interior Designer Osteopath Naturopathic Doctor Meal prep service (FoodSmith, for example) Personal Chef/Caterer Water testing/filtering place (like Rayne) Hair Stylist Even if you are in a business category not listed here, please contact us. Maybe we don't know that we need you! We look forward to meeting you!