It’s a new year—a new decade. You’re determined to change your life and finally meet that special someone, but you’re not sure where to go. It’s difficult to find a connection with someone these days and perhaps you’ve even grown tired of swiping left and right on dating apps. You’re ready for the real deal.
So you wander into a bar—a bohemian café, actually. And here, you’ll find a vibrant ambiance, with good food, drinks and company—every single time.
“We like to consider ourselves the heart of Five Points; we are so connected to our community here,” Christina Muñoz, the owner of Joe Vinny and Bronson’s Bohemian Café, said. “We have all walks of life that come into the café and have really made it their home.”
At Joe Vinny and Bronson’s (JVB), it is no surprise that the bar has become a second home to many El Pasoans. With its extensive drink selections, cozy atmosphere and friendly crowd, JVB has truly carved is own special place within the Five Points Neighborhood for the last 8 years.
This year, in particular, JVB is bringing back a successful Speed Dating event for the second time—in order to create a fun, safe atmosphere for locals to do a little bit of soul mate searching during the month of love.
“We had done [Speed Dating] a year or 2 ago,” Muñoz said. “It’s very consensual and a lot of fun. There’s no pressure and people just have a good time and a good laugh getting to know people.”
This year, Speed Dating will be split up into 2 dates with 2 different age brackets. On February 8th there will be an opportunity for a younger crowd to get together, and February 15th will be catered towards an older group. During both nights, JVB will be reserved specifically for participants and closed to the public. Because of this, it is very important to reserve a dating pass in advance. The $20 dating pass will include a first beverage (wine or beer), hors d’oeuvres and various drink specials.
Once participants arrive to the event, there will be plenty of questions and opportunities to meet various individuals from the community. But don’t worry; it’s nothing to be nervous about.
“They’re spontaneous, fun questions—something out of the ordinary,” Muñoz said. “The questions are icebreakers to help you see what the various personalities are like, but it won’t put someone on the spot or make people uncomfortable talking about themselves.”
Once participants begin asking questions, the event is timed and people switch from table to table—meeting new people each time. At the end of the event, participants will write down their top choices. If there’s a connection, participants will then have the opportunity to exchange contact details with their match, just like folks did at the last event.
“We had awesome feedback and everyone, for the most part, found a match,” Muñoz said regarding the Speed Dating event that took place about one or two years ago at JVB. “There were even a few people who continued dating for a while.”
If you’re interested in participating in this event, you can reserve your spot by sending an RSVP via the Speed Dating Facebook Event on JVB’s Facebook Page. Who knows? Maybe your days of swiping left have finally come to an end.
Joe Vinny & Bronson’s Bohemian Café is located at 824 N. Piedras St. There will be 2 opportunities for singles to mingle: February 8, 2020 and February 15, 2020. If you’re interested in participating in an LGBTQ Speed Dating Event, please send JVB a message via Facebook.
