It’s been a rough couple of years due to social distancing, trying to place a barrier between our families, friends and coworkers to keep us all safe. Now that restrictions are being lifted, our lives are slowly getting back to a new normal and we’re able to truly enjoy the company of each other once again.

It’s funny…we spend most of the day with our coworkers, but how often do we share drinks outside of work, or go on an adventure with them? At Sovereign, we value cultivating our relationships with one another, and take an opportunity every so often to do just that. This year, our Fall Fling was full of excitement as we dove deeper into our relationships with our co-workers by spending the day at Catalina Island. (pun intended).

Our voyage started by taking a ferry over to the beautiful city of Avalon on Catalina Island. Even before docking, you can see the vast boat culture that the island houses – each one uniquely different from the one docked next to it. After indulging in a superb breakfast at Toyon Grill & Cafe, we explored the island a little closer. Some of us took to the dive bars to play a game of pool, a few lounged on the sandy (and lively) shores of Descanso Beach, while others hopped on a rental golf cart to zip around the town.

We were able to join one of two adventures as a group: Ziplining above Descanso Canyon with oceanic views, or partaking in the Aerial Adventure suspended within the island’s eucalyptus grove. At the end of the expeditions, we felt closer to one another on a whole new level – partially due to the amounts of screaming that occurred zipping through the trees at 35 mph 600 ft above the beach.

With our newly defined friendships, we shared our final meal together on the island at Antonio’s Pizzeria & Cabaret. It was so nice to be able to slow down and talk to coworkers that we don’t get to see all too often (with our expanding facilities and recent completion of our brand-new test kitchen, we’re spread among 4 buildings these days). It’s trips like these that allow co-worker interactions to transform from passing nods to friendly conversations. We get to know each other on a personal level and we cherish the memories we build on the Fall Fling Festivities.