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Sassy Girls are well aware of all the different ways there are to meet a potential significant other these days. From being set up on by friends, to digital dating and apps, everyone’s gone about it in different – or maybe even the same – ways.
We checked out Grouvly for a new and different social experience. There was a whole host of us single gals in the office, so three of us signed up and went with it. The concept is simple: sign up through Facebook, rope in two friends of the same sex (wingmen or wingwomen), and Grouvly will set you up with another group of three friends for a meet-up. There was none of this shy messaging beforehand and no checking each other out online; we were thrown into the deep end and encouraged to meet new people in the ‘real world’. At the very least, we could make some new friends and at the most, one of us could meet our future life partner…
Our three Sassy reps share with us their Grouvly experience: The Tweeter who would not stop “working” on her phone all evening, The Sweetheart, calm and collected and The Whiskey-Drinker, who, well, that one is self-explanatory.
Tell us about your experience.
The Tweeter: I’ve been on two meet-ups set up by Grouvly, and they’ve both been pretty fun! You meet three new people at each Grouvly, hear their stories and get to know them. It’s much less awkward when two of your own friends are there to back you up, and you end up making 3 new friends, business connections or even your future bf!
The Sweetheart: I’m not one to go out on ‘dates’ per say (yeah, I have no idea how I plan on meeting my other half, either!). So when The Tweeter first tried to get me on board, she was met with a lot of resistance. The more I thought about it though, the more I realised I had nothing to lose. It’s much easier to meet new people with my friends there, in a casual setting. We each pre-paid for our Grouvly ($150 per person, which includes drinks, the match and a table reservation), which is the best way to make sure that everyone shows up. Talking about how we discovered Grouvly gave us a chance to break the ice, and the free round of drinks while meeting these three guys definitely helped.
The Whiskey Drinker: I had zero “dating” experience, let alone ‘blind-dating’ prior to our Grouvly. But as a newly single gal on the town I’m saying “yes” to as many things as possible so threw caution to the wind and signed myself up for a fun evening with two of my besties and three new guys. I felt that I could totally be myself around my two friends, and that the guys were being pretty authentic too which was a relief. It was really fun to chat to and get to know a completely new group of people, and whilst we didn’t plan another meet-up with them, overall I’d say it was an enjoyable evening.
What were your feelings before the meet-up?
The Tweeter: I spend most of my life on social media (it’s also kind of my job), but Grouvly made it impossible for me to Facebook-stalk my match before the meet-up (yes, guilty, but come on, I’m definitely not the only person that does this), as you’re only given the first name of the person you’re matched up with. This makes it pretty exciting, but I was also quite nervous, since we really were going in blind.
Obviously there’s also that awkward “I-don’t-know-if-I’m-going-home-at-the-end-of-the-night” internal debate. Hey, no judgement Sassy readers, I went back to my own home both times!
The Sweetheart: Indifference in the run up to it. I was resistant in the time immediately prior to meeting the three gentlemen. SG#1 had tried hard and failed to do any Internet stalking (and made that very clear at Sassy HQ), so I knew there was no point in me trying. I just had to suck it up and hope for the best.
The Whiskey Drinker: I was looking forward to it! On the whole I love new experiences and meeting as many new people as possible (I’ve been told I could talk for Hong Kong so there’s rarely an awkward silence with me around) so the concept of Grouvly really resonated with me. That, plus the margarita I had right before our 8pm meet up time certainly helped my buzz!
What was your first impression of the guys you met?
The Tweeter: My first experience could have been better. The boys were 15 minutes late and only two of them showed up. In comparison, the three guys on my second Grouvly (with the Sassy girls) were there early, seated and seemed like perfect gentlemen.
The Sweetheart: They were well-dressed. There’s something to be said about a man who’s dressed immaculately. I know I sound really vain right now, but that’s what first impressions are all about!
The Whiskey Drinker: The three guys were there before us, which for me is a must – I hate being the first person to a party! They were well-dressed, polite, chatty and very gentlemanly.
What did you talk to the guys you met about?
The Tweeter: Our lives. Work. Families. Travels. Lots of laughs and no weirdness (aside from TWD going on and on about the Cosmos).
The Sweetheart: A little bit about work, our backgrounds, our Cantonese-speaking abilities (or lack therof!).
The Whiskey Drinker: Growing up in Hong Kong, what we did for a living, Hong Kong nightlife and I might have gone off on a tangent on Cosmos: A Space Time Odessey (quite possibly one of the best docu-series ever!)
Would you recommend Grouvly to friends?
The Tweeter: Already have! I ‘m such an awkward first-dater… I’m always down to have my friends there for backup. To all you Sassy ladies, you don’t have to worry about serial killers being on the other end of your blind date anymore, because Grouvly’s here to the rescue!
The Sweetheart: Absolutely. I’d sign up for this and go on another Grouvly with friends. Being with the Sassy girls, it felt a little bit like work, so I reckon I’d be more relaxed among other friends. I love how it forces you to meet different people outside of your social or work bubble.
The Whiskey-Drinker: Definitely! Whether you’re looking for romance or simply want to meet new people, Grouvly provides a great service that avoids any awkward “first-date” encounters by ensuring you’re out as a group. Plus, us girls tend to give our friends the rundown after a first date anyway so skip the water-cooler catch-up and get your girlfriends in on the fun too!
There you have it, our full and honest experience with Grouvly. If this sounds like your thing, check out their website here and sign up here. Or why not hit up the Grouvly Launch Party on Wednesday 22 April? Expect free-flow drinks and canapes and great company all at a mystery location… see here for more details. See you there!
