Walk and Talk Wrap Ups
Walk and Talk 26th July 2026 Ages 45-55 Palmerston North
What a great morning!We had 8 guys and 7 ladies today. One lady accidentally thought it was a 9.30am start instead of 9.00am... oops!
We set off at the usual time which meant I got promoted to "girl" for the day again. 😁
The guys were an awesome bunch.
Actually... they always are. We reckon it's time to start recognising the legends who quietly help make the vibe what it is.So, without further ado...🏆 The very first Walk and Talk Player of the Day award! (Not "playah"... player. 😂)
The inaugural winner goes to J, who entertained us with an on-the-spot joke while we waited for everyone to arrive, then cemented his victory by bringing choccy fish to the after-walk coffee. A worthy champion. 🎖Congratulations, J. Your trophy is imaginary... but your title is forever. 😆
One of my favourite moments today involved two people who'd both been on previous walks but hadn't met "their person".
She came in May, he came in June... and today they both happened to return in July and matched with each other.Proof that you really never know who's going to turn up on the day.
One of my favourite parts of every Walk and Talk is watching the progression.
The first five minutes are full of nerves and uncertainty. By coffee afterwards, we're usually the loudest table at Café Esplanade, chatting away like old mates.
💕 Five mutual matches today! 💕
💕 Five mutual matches today! 💕
Dog Lovers 25th July 2026 Ages 25-35 Palmerston North
Well... the weather produced a few last-minute cold feet.Or was it wet feet? 😂
A few of the ladies decided not to brave the forecast, but the lads all fronted, so we ended up with 8 guys and 5 ladies.The silver lining? I actually got to fill one of the ladies' spots and chat with the guys... something I never get to do! It was awesome hearing their stories.
A few of the guys were dipping their toes back into dating after being hurt in the past. It takes courage to put yourself back out there, so it was really cool to be part of that first step. The ladies were incredibly welcoming, and everyone took it in their stride.That's exactly why we always say: come with no expectations, just enjoy the walk. You never know what might unfold.
A few of the guys also mentioned it was great making some new bloke mates, which was awesome to hear.
We often see the women making new girlfriends afterwards, so it was cool seeing the guys do the same.We even had a gorgeous young Golden Retriever join us 🐕💛
And somehow, we timed the weather perfectly.
Rain before, rain after... but not one drop during the walk. #OnPointHostInstinct 😉As for the matches...
This one was another Walk and Talk matchmaking puzzle. 😂Girl A picked Boy B, Boy B picked Girl C, Girl C picked Boy D... and the chain continued!But amongst all the wayward wires we still had One mutual match... and plenty of new friendship matches too.We'll take that every day of the week. ❤️
Dog Lovers
18th July 2026
Ages 55-65
Wellington
Today's goal was simple...
Don't stuff up the swaps.Happy to report... mission accomplished! 🥳However…….
The walk started with a couple of speedy walkers behind me who somehow convinced my legs we were training for a half marathon. (I'm blaming them entirely.)By halfway through I realised we were about three-quarters around the route... but only halfway through the walkers.
Oops.
So it was a quick case of "tai ho... calm your farm."We slowed the pace, shortened the rotations, and I casually added in a few extra laps around the park. Totally planned, obviously......until Miss KJ asked, "Is anyone else getting dizzy?" 🤣
Busted.
The funny thing is, nobody really cared. Everyone was so into their conversations that the route became secondary. That's exactly the point.We also had three gorgeous doggos join us today 🐕🐕🐕, who behaved impeccably and were more than happy to accept pats from anyone who needed a quick puppy fix.
Then it was off to The Hardware Bar, who once again looked after us brilliantly.
Great coffee, a water bowl never too far away for the dogs, and a room buzzing with laughter.
It's so lovely to see how relaxed everyone is after a walk.
Furthermore, I’m pleased to report…
💕 SIX MATCHES!! 💕I think that's a Walk and Talk record.
So no... my pacing wasn't perfect.But apparently the matchmaking was on point! 😉🐾
Dog Lovers
11th July 2026
Ages 45-55
Wellington
🚶♀️🐕 To B or Not to B... 🤔Two black Labs, a possible Plan B, and two ladies with the same B name!
The weather forecast had us wondering whether we'd be heading indoors, but Mother Nature came through, so we set off as planned with 5 lads, 6 ladies and four very good doggos. 🌤️The chats were flowing from the very start. With three returning Walk and Talk customers joining us, our first-timers quickly saw there was nothing to overthink. A special shout-out to K, who did an awesome job helping keep everyone moving. Business-owner skills... Virgo energy... whatever it was, we appreciated it!
The group spread out beautifully during the walk, keeping your hosts on their toes with plenty of laps up and down the line, plus the occasional cry of "FORE!" whenever one of the doggos stopped for their doggy business 💩😂
Back at Hardware Bar & Café, our usual table was waiting, the dog water bowls were already out, and the coffees arrived in record time. Thanks, Mohammed and your team—you always look after us so well💛🙏
The two black Labs became instant best mates, while the little fluffy guy (who kindly accepted a pick up cuddle from me) and our relaxed wire-haired friend watched the antics, and soaked up the atmosphere.A fantastic morning of easy conversations, laughs, coffee, happy dogs... and 2 matches this time 💚
The next Walk is 55-65 age group next Saturday 930am (18th July) come join us😁
Walk and Talk
27th June 2026
Ages 35-45
Palmerston North
After the weather behaved itself for our morning 55–65 walk, it clearly decided we'd had enough luck for one day. 😅By 1.30pm... the rain had arrived. 🌧️☔
Umbrellas went up, everyone gathered under cover at the café entrance, and after about 30 seconds we all agreed..👉 Plan B it is! Which was perfect, because we'd spent hours designing a rainy-day backup plan and finally got to put it to the test.Instead of walking, we had our three café tables pushed together which created three groups of four. The girls stayed put while the guys rotated every seven minutes, giving everyone the chance to chat with each person without feeling overwhelmed.
The conversation cards were a hit. Questions like "People come to you for advice, a laugh, practical help or encouragement?" and "You unexpectedly become famous... is it for something clever, athletic, creative or semi-illegal?" 🤭 had everyone laughing almost immediately.
The best part? Nobody was ever put on the spot. If someone wasn't ready to answer, they could simply listen, join in when they felt comfortable, and let the conversations develop naturally.After the rotations, coffees were ordered and the chats kept flowing long after the cards disappeared.Two Walk and Talkers especially stood out by making others feel included, asking thoughtful questions, and helping everyone relax. It wasn't a surprise when they matched afterwards. ❤️
Rain or shine, Walk and Talk keeps proving it's never really about the walking...It's about making first conversations easy.
Umbrellas went up, everyone gathered under cover at the café entrance, and after about 30 seconds we all agreed..👉 Plan B it is! Which was perfect, because we'd spent hours designing a rainy-day backup plan and finally got to put it to the test.Instead of walking, we had our three café tables pushed together which created three groups of four. The girls stayed put while the guys rotated every seven minutes, giving everyone the chance to chat with each person without feeling overwhelmed.
The conversation cards were a hit. Questions like "People come to you for advice, a laugh, practical help or encouragement?" and "You unexpectedly become famous... is it for something clever, athletic, creative or semi-illegal?" 🤭 had everyone laughing almost immediately.
The best part? Nobody was ever put on the spot. If someone wasn't ready to answer, they could simply listen, join in when they felt comfortable, and let the conversations develop naturally.After the rotations, coffees were ordered and the chats kept flowing long after the cards disappeared.Two Walk and Talkers especially stood out by making others feel included, asking thoughtful questions, and helping everyone relax. It wasn't a surprise when they matched afterwards. ❤️
Rain or shine, Walk and Talk keeps proving it's never really about the walking...It's about making first conversations easy.
Walk and Talk
27th June 2026
Ages 55-65
Palmerston North
Well... we really thought we'd be busting out the official Walk and Talk Rainy Day Rescue Mission today!After about 11 hours of prep on Thursday and another "quick" 5 hours of admin on Friday putting the finishing touches on our backup plan, we were ready for whatever the weather threw at us...
...and then Palmerston North decided to behave. 😂Sure, there were a few puddles to dodge, but otherwise it turned out to be a fantastic day for a walk.We had a lovely group today - 5 men and 8 women. There was the usual swap-time chaos (would it even be Walk and Talk without it?), but everyone settled into great conversations really quickly.One thing that’s occurred to me about the Palmy walks is that half the group could probably lead them without me. Every now and then someone would casually point and say, "Nah Kat... this way." 😂 It's definitely a team effort!
Then it was back to Café Esplanade for the traditional post-walk natter over coffee. Rachel, you are an absolute superstar, and so is your whole team. You always make us feel so welcome, and having such a warm, cosy café waiting for us on a wintry day really topped it all off.- Four matches were made todaySixteen hours planning for Plan B......and Plan A still stole the show. 😂❤️
Walk and Talk 13th June 2026 Ages 35-45 Wellington
The VIBE WAS FANTASTIC.
The host got her steps in jogging up and down the group like an over-caffeinated crazy person. 😂
There were 13 walkers today, and we only managed to capture half of them in the pic because they all spread out so much, but honestly, we love that. It wasn't a big convoy marching along together — it was lots of paired up, genuine conversations happening naturally. You know those chats where someone says something interesting and you physically turn towards them with a "Wait... what? That's amazing!" followed by a "Tell me more..." expression?
There was heaps of that today.💛
For the first time ever, someone actually her (the host) if she was single 😂. Usually we’re more like the elusive Scotch mist on these walks, which is exactly how it should be. The focus is on you lot, not us as hosts.
One participant asked why we don't deliberately rotate through the group having timed chats with everyone. We always jump in when numbers are uneven, but mostly we're happy leading the way and seeing/hearing the connections happen organically while we lead.
An absolutely stunning walk vibe, and a fantastic post-walk coffee vibe afterwards – 4 matches in total today 👀☕️💕
DOG LOVERS 30th May 2026 AGES 45–55 PALMY
What can we say about this morning's inaugural Palmy Walk and Talk?
WHAT. A. DAY. 🎉
Fifteen walkers.Seven men.Eight women.One doggo.And enough banter to power Palmerston North for a week.
From the moment everyone arrived, the vibe was on. Conversations flowed, laughter echoed down the paths, and complete strangers somehow managed to feel like old friends within minutes.We even had a bonus trainee host today! Not only did he fit right in, but with one less guy than girl, he jumped into the rotations and helped keep the chats flowing. It was also great getting a male perspective from the host side of the fence.Having two hosts meant we could actually take photos instead of sprinting between pairings trying to remember who was supposed to be talking to who. 😂The route itself was fantastic. Quiet pathways, beautiful weather and hardly another soul around. We did have a couple of moments where our carefully planned route became more of a "general direction" than a route, but everyone seemed to enjoy the adventure. Clearly "professional winging it" is a perfectly acceptable navigation strategy.The coffee afterwards was just as good as the walk. Huge thanks to the Esplanade Café for looking after us so well. The tables were ready, the coffee was flowing, and the conversations just kept going.In fact, our hosts were barely needed for the coffee chats. You lot absolutely had it covered.One thing that really stood out was how many people already had friends booked into the other Walk and Talk age groups happening this weekend. We can only imagine the note-comparing happening around dinner tables tonight. Honestly, we'd pay good money to be a fly on the wall for some of those conversations. 😂And then came the icing on the cake...🥳 FIVE MATCHES! 🥳Not bad for Palmy's very first Walk and Talk.To everyone who came along: thank you. You brought the energy, the positivity, the humour and the willingness to give something new a go.
Palmy, if this is how you're starting, we cannot wait to see what happens next. ❤️
WALK AND TALK MAY 30th 2026 Ages 55–65 PALMY
Well... you lot certainly know how to keep us guessing! 😂We often say every Walk and Talk throws us a curve ball, and this morning's walk decided to throw us the entire cricket set! Earlier in the week we weren't even sure we had enough men to run the event. After much chasing, messaging, encouraging, and perhaps a small amount of begging, we finally got the numbers we needed and breathed a collective sigh of relief. Five men. Six women.Lovely.Until...One gentleman had a family emergency. Another got called into work. Then five minutes before kick-off, our third man messaged to say he'd thought the walk was an hour later and was currently nowhere near ready to leave the house.Just like that, our five men became two. Now, in all the walks we've run, this is the first time we've ever headed off with just two blokes, but credit where credit's due — those two gentlemen turned up, rolled with it, and spent the morning chatting their way around the group like seasoned professionals. Their social batteries definitely earned a rest afterwards! 😆 The ladies, as always, were absolute stars. They took it all in their stride, enjoyed the walk, and reminded us that finding quality single people our age isn't always easy.The walk itself was lovely, with another beautiful autumn morning putting on a show for us. Afterwards we headed back for coffee, where the conversations continued and several of the ladies asked to exchange numbers and made new friendships — something we see quite often on these walks.As always, our Connection Guarantee means anyone who didn't meet someone they clicked with can join a second walk free of charge, and we'd love to see these lovely ladies back again when hopefully a few more men manage to arrive at the starting line next time! 😂 Every walk teaches us something, every group is different, and every event brings new connections — even platonic ones.- Onwards to the next one! 🌿❤️
WALK AND TALK
May 31st 2026 Ages 35–45 Palmy
A couple of observations from this walk...1️⃣ Palmy, you are a good-looking bunch!Seriously. We had three ladies attend (after one last-minute cancellation) and they were absolute stunners. The five guys who came along certainly weren't complaining about their chat buddies for the morning! 😏
2️⃣ The men outnumbered the women!A Walk and Talk first!Usually numbers are even, or we sneak in a few extra ladies if space allows because women often leave with something unexpected — a few new friends as well as potential dates. 😊
With uneven numbers, the guys spent a couple of rotations chatting with each other and us hosts. Those turned into some surprisingly entertaining group conversations. They'd already worked out that talking to three real women in an hour was still a far better result than most dating app statistics. 📱➡️👣
As for the matches? The match cards gave us a good laugh. Girl 1 picked Guy 3, Guy 3 picked Girl 2, Guy 2 picked Girl 1... you get the picture. 🤣
No mutual matches this time, and as always, if interest isn't reciprocated, nobody's details are shared. A few people didn't make any clicks, so they'll receive a freebie for a second walk. We know finding someone you vibe with can sometimes take a couple of goes, and we don't do pressure — on us or on you. 👌The weather turned it on, the pace was quick, and our energetic 35–45 crew smashed through the route so fast we arrived back at the café before they were ready for us! ☕😂A huge thank you to the Esplanade team who rolled with our early arrival curveball, sorted takeaway cups after, and everyone enjoyed some post-walk chats with water in the meantime😉
WALK AND TALK
May 23rd 2026
Ages 55–65
Wellington
🌈 No beige personalities today!
I arrived at the meet point just before 9am and was greeted by lovely Miss D, who'd travelled all the way from Kapiti. Her first mission? Finding a bathroom. 😅 After a few unsuccessful attempts, we returned to find MR J doing a brilliant job welcoming everyone.
Before long, the conversations were flowing. We had a great mix of returning walkers and newcomers, including people stepping back into dating after years away. It really was a lovely group.
Once everyone had arrived and the parking dramas were over, we headed off in our usual Walk and Talk formation. The accidental theme of the day? Colour! 🌈 Bright outfits, bright personalities, and one gentleman proudly sporting blue hair. 😂
Coffee afterwards was a highlight, with plenty of laughs and relaxed conversations. Several people commented on how easy and comfortable the event felt, which is exactly what we aim for.
Some of the best moments came from hearing people's stories. A couple of walkers had spent years working on themselves before feeling ready to date again, while one widower was taking those first brave steps back. The kindness and support shown by everyone was genuinely heartwarming. ❤️
Sadly, in the chaos at the start, Miss D missed the group leaving. I felt absolutely awful. We've offered her a full refund plus two complimentary walks to make it up to her, and we hope to see her again soon.
💌 2 matches this round!
Walk and Talk May 16th 45-55 & 30-45 Wellington
Two walks. One wrap-up. You’ll see why in a sec 😅🚶♂️🚶♀️
This morning kicked off with our 45–55 walk, followed by the 30–45 group shortly after.
The first group was assembled right on time… almost 😂 We still had one man and one woman missing at start time. You all know how punctual we are — mainly because if we waited around every time someone got cold feet or hit traffic, we’d still be standing in the carpark by lunchtime 😅
Just before leaving, I spotted a message from Mr R saying he “couldn’t make the 9am sharp time.” Very mysterious wording 😂 So we told him to try locate our moving convoy once he arrived.
Off we set — and the walk itself was awesome ☀️ Great chats, laughs, familiar faces returning, and one walker even booked BOTH walks because he loves his steps and meeting new people 👏
Meanwhile Mr J was doing his third walk after two unlucky attempts where “his people” weren’t there… but today? Eureka! Two matches 😂 Third time lucky.
After settling group one into their post-walk coffee ☕ at Turmeric Café, I headed back for walk number two.
On the way, I checked messages and found Miss O — our earlier no-show — had been caught in traffic and asked if she could join the second walk instead. Perfect timing.
11:30 rolled around and she still hadn’t quite made it… but two minutes into walk two, a puffed-up Miss O came sprinting toward the convoy 😂 Traffic chaos, childcare juggle, but she finally made it and slotted straight into some well-earned adult conversation 😊
Second walk, same great vibe — just smaller, so we did two rotations and played “where did we get to last convo?” along the way.
Back at Turmeric Café, we’d kept everyone so busy they ran out of milk 😅 Sorry Deepak.
5 matches ✔️Spontaneous additions ✔️Nailed it ✔️
And THAT is how today’s two walks somehow turned into one entertaining crossover episode ❤️
This morning kicked off with our 45–55 walk, followed by the 30–45 group shortly after.
The first group was assembled right on time… almost 😂 We still had one man and one woman missing at start time. You all know how punctual we are — mainly because if we waited around every time someone got cold feet or hit traffic, we’d still be standing in the carpark by lunchtime 😅
Just before leaving, I spotted a message from Mr R saying he “couldn’t make the 9am sharp time.” Very mysterious wording 😂 So we told him to try locate our moving convoy once he arrived.
Off we set — and the walk itself was awesome ☀️ Great chats, laughs, familiar faces returning, and one walker even booked BOTH walks because he loves his steps and meeting new people 👏
Meanwhile Mr J was doing his third walk after two unlucky attempts where “his people” weren’t there… but today? Eureka! Two matches 😂 Third time lucky.
After settling group one into their post-walk coffee ☕ at Turmeric Café, I headed back for walk number two.
On the way, I checked messages and found Miss O — our earlier no-show — had been caught in traffic and asked if she could join the second walk instead. Perfect timing.
11:30 rolled around and she still hadn’t quite made it… but two minutes into walk two, a puffed-up Miss O came sprinting toward the convoy 😂 Traffic chaos, childcare juggle, but she finally made it and slotted straight into some well-earned adult conversation 😊
Second walk, same great vibe — just smaller, so we did two rotations and played “where did we get to last convo?” along the way.
Back at Turmeric Café, we’d kept everyone so busy they ran out of milk 😅 Sorry Deepak.
5 matches ✔️Spontaneous additions ✔️Nailed it ✔️
And THAT is how today’s two walks somehow turned into one entertaining crossover episode ❤️
Walk and Talk April 25th 2026 Ages 55-65 Wellington
It’s a kind of magic 🎵As I say at the start of just about every walk — you guys always find new curveballs to throw at me… and this one did not disappoint 😅We were barely four minutes in, hadn’t even made it through the park, when I turned around to see a massive chasm forming between the first four pairs and the second four.
I gave it a minute… thought it might naturally close. It did not.So I left Mr J in charge of holding the pace and shimmied my way down the convoy to investigate. Halfway down, I spot Mr A hot-footing it solo.“Where’s your dance partner?”Thumb over the shoulder… “Back there.”
Cue roller-skate mode — I zipped back to find Miss D parked up on a bench with a wee injury. No worries — we rolled with it. Plan B: enjoy the scenery, we’ll catch you up at the café after ☕
Crisis handled, we regrouped and carried on… and just like that — great chats, great banter, plenty of laughs.
But here’s the juicy bit… 👀Two walkers who had previously met (and matched!) found themselves crossing paths again. Life may have paused things the first time… but let’s just say — given that my first ever A at school was in chemistry… I was definitely witnessing some sort of reaction.I saw it… and later when I was doing the post walk match up cards - confirmed it via print💥And the total results of the walk?5 matches.- Particles + correct orientation + energy → successful collision ⚗️🔥
Dog Lovers April 25th 2026 45-55 age group Wellington
This Walks Theme : Animation 👩🏼🤝🧑🏼
Read about it here
.
Dog Lovers March 21st 2026 55 plus age group Wellington
.jpeg "image title")
Chivalry isn’t dead… it’s just on a walk 🐾
Read about it here