What we’re about
[GROUP RULES BELOW.] Make friends over coffee, hikes, farmer’s markets, clothing swaps, book clubs, & all kinds of get-togethers. Most importantly, find a supportive community who want to empower each other.
It's all here, and you can contribute too if you have wonderful ideas. (Dig around in your heart and ask yourself, "What do I need? What do I wish existed for people like me?" I bet you're not the only one who feels that way!)
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Group RULES (read prior to joining):
#1: Show up or let us know you can’t make it. We have a 1 no-show & you’re out policy. Messaging me afterwards to tell me about your emergency is fine too, but if you don’t show up & don’t reach out, bye. (I had to remove 9 members after our first event in July; with 10 on the waitlist wishing they could go, it was terrible that 9 members who took up one of the 15 spots did not show up.)
#2: Use the name you wish to be called by (in English) and a recent photo on your profile so we can recognize you at events (no sunglasses/group photos).
#3: Be kind to other members. Bigotry and disrespect will not be tolerated.
#4: Ideally, pease be in your 20s-40s so you’re more likely to have things in common with other members.
#5: This group used to be for women only, but as I've started hosting more and more co-ed events where men could be your plus ones, I decided at the start of 2025 to transition this group into a co-ed group. Most of our events will still be for women, but some will be co-ed, and eventually, when my male partner is ready, he will host some events for only men too. That being said, this is NOT a dating app. One reason I've kept this group for women only for two years is because sometimes men get weird with women on MeetUp. When I used to be a member and not a host, I encountered this often. So if you're a man, please never private message a woman on here (whether you've met her before or not) asking her if she'd like to carpool or keep in touch. You can gauge whether someone wants to meet or talk more when you're in person at an event; feel free to exchange contact info (sorry, the group WhatsApp chat will remain for women only). But flirt elsewhere. If you make a woman in my group uncomfortable with your advances, I will immediately investigate and most likely remove you from the group. I will NOT be hosting any singles mingles events, so go find that elsewhere.
#6: Do not try to sell your products or services to others in this group unless this happens outside of our events and specifically if they requested your product/services. Otherwise, you will immediately be removed from the group.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- The Casual "Just Drop In!" Book Club (TRAVEL MEMOIR)CTRL Collective - Pasadena, Pasadena, CA$4.00
1) Bring your book + a pen + a journal + your chatty self.
2) We should all be finished with the book by the time we meet. So go buy the book & get reading!
3) The $4 is just to hold your spot & keep you accountable. It's an incentive for you to commit to your RSVPs and show up (otherwise, you lose $4). Plus, you’ll have access to UNLIMITED FREE COFFEE & TEA! 🫖☕️🍵
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Selected Book:
The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry: Love, Laughter, and Tears in Paris at the World's Most Famous Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn (Amazon Link to the book here).
If you'd like to support a local, independent woman-owned bookstore, I chatted with Octavia's Bookshelf in Pasadena, and while this is not typically a book they'd carry on their shelves, they will order it for you if you call in and request it--but keep in mind, it can take up 2 weeks for them to get it for you.Review:
"I can never get enough of true stories about people who stop in the middle of life's journey to ask, 'What do I really want?' and then have the guts to actually go get it. Kathleen Flinn's tale of chasing her ultimate dream makes for a really lovely book—engaging, intelligent, and surprisingly suspenseful." —Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love
__Additional Info:
- When you arrive at CTRL, ring the buzzer for Gia, the community manager at the front desk, to open for you. She will direct you to our table.
- You will be responsible for your parking fee for the day whether that's at Diamond, Unified, or Paseo.
Excited to meet my fellow travel-writing lovers in January 2025!