A year has come, a year has gone. Like every year, we reflect back on memorable events, accomplishments, and experiences had. This year Fishbowl Events has enjoyed the meeting you at various gatherings such as the Valentine’s Day and Stop Light Party and our numerous Speed Dating & Hook N Cook events. Fishbowl has always believed that it is not the organizers or the venue who make the party, but the guests.

We too hope you’ve made important and meaningful relationships this past 2011. And we hope you carry those relationships beyond Beijing and beyond 2011.

Happy Holidays from the ladies at Fishbowl Events!!!

Last year around Valentine’s Day, Fishbowl Events was covered by both China Daily and the Global Times. Well it’s Round 2 and this year China Daily took their readers on a short trip through the adventures of Speed Dating Organizer and Fishbowl Co-Founder Ola Zdzarska. Check out what Speed Dating is like from her perspective, and her motivations for starting Fishbowl Events.

China Daily – Playing Cupid for Beijing’s Singles

China Daily US – In the mood for love

Any club, bar or promoter can throw a party but it takes a special team to organize a party for singles. Sure you can hook up at the “meat markets” in Beijing bars. But when you are looking to have an actual conversation with interesting new people, those bars are the last place to go. We started organizing Speed Dating parties in 2007 for a group of friends complaining about the singles scene in Beijing. It was a social experiment and it was a success. We enjoyed the experience so much that we continued to hold them on a monthly basis.

Since 2007 Fishbowl Events has expanded to other singles events. Speed Dating promoters have come and gone throughout the years. Fishbowl Events is the only Speed Dating company that has withstood time as the English speaking population continues to grow and change in Beijing. One reason is that the founders have a very hands on role in the company. Ola and Allison personally respond to every email inquiry and reservation made. We attend every party and therefore have met each and every one of our guests. No other match making company can say this.

This is not the only thing that differentiates us. We truly enjoy the experience of organizing Singles events. We, the founders, promised each other we would only organize as long as it continued to be fun. The people we meet make this experience fun. We organize because we love the look on our guests’ faces as they arrive apprehensive and nervous, but leave laughing with a group of new friends. We continue to organize when we hear stories of people meeting at our events and dating after. We organize for the stories of long term friendships formed. And we continue to organize because this project was created by the imagination and excitement of two best friends. No other match making company can say the same.

Attend a Fishbowl Events and you too will see, a lot more goes into it than simply choosing a date and venue.

And follow us on Weibo and Facebook.

Sound: Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive. With Val Day falling on the first day of Chinese New Year, it’s important to appreciate what you have. Valentine’s Day can be disappointing for some people so it’s good to keep things in perspective. When you give love it is easier to receive and experience love. So for your first activity on Valentine’s Day, visit a local orphanage or affiliate such as New Day Foster Home and bring toy donations. Warm your heart by listening to the laughter of childrenand seeing how simple actions can bring happiness to others, I guarantee this experience can bring two lovers closer together.

Touch: After appreciating what you have, take a relaxing swim to reward yourselves. Because there wasn’t time to jet off to a tropical paradise, visit the pool at the Grand Hyatt in Wangfujing where the sun is always setting over the palm trees and waterfalls regardless of the time of day.

Taste: After you have worked up your appetite playing with children and swimming, stop by Purple Haze’s newest location on Dongsiliu tiao, Thai food in a courtyard where the strong drinks and spicy food will get your heart a racing.

Sight and smell: Instead of simply buying her a bouquet of flowers, take her to Lady Street Flower Market. Take a break from the cold, dry winter and experience the warmth and humidity of the green house. Let yourselves be enveloped by the scent of thousands of live plants and flowers. Because it’s not Valentine’s Day without fresh cut flowers, buy her a bouquet after the two of you stop to smell all the different colored roses.

To finish off the night, stop off at the German Bakery in the Kepinsky Hotel and pick up two chocolate desserts. Enjoy the desserts alone just the two of you over a bottle of red wine.

Looks like we made it big time. After 3 years of organizing parties in Beijing we finally got on China Daily’s radar and were contacted to do an interview about speed dating in China. We met Todd at the Village to discuss our interesting experiences and most random stories. Around the same time Vera from Global Times participated in our last party at Face Bar, bringing a friend with her for support and protection. She wrote a very entertaining article about her experience and other people’s perceptions of speed dating. By chance, both the articles were printed on the same day and I came across both on a plane ride back to Beijing. Check out the articles below:

Speed Dating
China Daily

Dating Go Around
Global Times

We’ve come along way since our blog and former name the Speedating Specialists. The Speed Dating experience in Beijing has come a long way as well. Our first speed dating party was just eight nervous couples. Half the night was spent on speed dating rounds and the other half consisted of interactive games over a buffet dinner. We’ve made people dress in one piece of newspaper, three paper clips and two balloons; had Truth or Dare questions that lead to massages or even a kiss, see Gallery; an of course forced participants to answer uncomfortable questions about their past love life. But we realized the games were more for our voyeuristic pleasure than for the guests. Keeping that in mind we’ve polished the schedule, increased the number of participants, and always keep an eye out for the hottest new locations. Three years later that’s how we find ourselves here today, from the Speedating Specialists in a small Houhai café to Fishbowl Events in such locations as Face Bar and the Opposite House. We pride ourselves on creating well-organized events that promise to introduce you to interesting participants, because if the participants weren’t interesting then we rather not hold the party. February is the month of love so in celebration of Valentine’s Day we will be holding two events. Swap Meet, Singles Swap is an open party where you are encouraged to bring a friend and swap them for someone else’s friend. And in the spirit of Chinese New Year, we are holding a Charity Speed Dating for all those who want to find love and give love with a charitable donation.

If you can say you had the courage to move to Big City Beijing, you should be able to say you’ve tried Speed Dating. If you haven’t already, this is the time and place to do it.