We chat with Love Is Blind Season 6 cast member and former Raleighite on the truth behind pod dating.
*Spoilers ahead!*
Is love truly blind? According toLove Is Blind Season 6 cast member Ariel Gomerez, it’s only “legally blind.” Adding with a laugh, “it doesn’t have 20/20 vision.” A former Raleighite (he helped open V Pizza’s Raleigh location with owner Anthony Rapillo), Gomerez is one of the 30 men and women who opted to try to find love sight unseen by only talking to potential love interests in “pods” separated by a wall.
The popular reality TV show hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey on Netflix challenges these singles to prioritize an emotional connection over a physical one, with couples only getting to see each other face-to-face post-proposal. They must then test their relationship in the real world before saying “I do” at the altar—or walking away forever.
Upon the release of the first half of season six—which took place in Charlotte—we chatted with the licensed mortgage loan originator about his experience on the show, what he’s learned about dating and more.
How did you get cast on the show?
I applied on a whim after someone told me they were doing casting calls. I filled out a questionnaire; got a phone call from them; and then started a three-month process of interviews, Zoom calls and different things of that nature. Filming started at the end of March 2023.
Why did you want to be on Love Is Blind?
I wasn’t thinking, ‘Oh, let me just do this to get on TV’ or anything. I’m a little bit older; I’ve dated for a good chunk of my life. I just thought this would be a good experience—and let me see how this works out.
How would you describe your experience?
My experience was good; I don’t have any complaints. I met a lot of great friends. The only people I hang out with here for the most part are guys I met from the show who I got super close with. I’m friendly with everybody.
Did you make a romantic connection?
Obviously I didn’t make it past the pods portion. Toward the end, I was down to two people I was interested in, one more so than the other—but it just didn’t work out. … I have a bad habit of doing a lot of overthinking, so I probably talked myself out of that connection. It was me in my own head that kind of got in the way for me.
Why did you decide not to follow through with the proposal?
You get to the first date and you’re like, ‘Oh, this is fun,’ and then as the dates go on, you’re like this is getting kind of serious. But then you get into wedding ring talking, marriage certificate talking… and it kind of hit me. And that’s when the overthinking started. I’m not saying I didn’t want to get married. I just started self-reflecting on myself—like am I ready to be a husband to this person? And then once you start sounding unsure to the person on the other side of the wall—especially when other days you sound so sure and so calming—it can kind of throw people off. It is very real in there. I don’t know why, for whatever reason, it didn’t fully click with me in the beginning, but it caught me while I was in there.
Give us the tea on pod dating.
It was interesting talking to people through a wall without any other distractions. You don’t really know how many distractions there are in the real world until you get somewhere where there’s absolutely zero distractions. I know when people see the show they’re like, ‘Oh, how do you fall in love in four days?’ And it’s like, well, in four days I spoke to this person for about eight hours without interruption. So by the time you’re done, you total up 20–30 hours talking to one person uninterrupted—so there’s really nothing else to do except get really emotional and build connections.
Take us behind the scenes… how does dating really play out?
The first day you’re there you talk to everybody. From there, it’s who you want to talk to the next day, and then it goes from there. It was almost like a dating app. If you match them and they match you, you date the next day. And then things go on. Maybe one person doesn’t want to see the other. It’s really you choosing who you want to see again and whether or not they also want to see you again.
What was a typical day-to-day for you while filming the show?
It was almost like a frat house of bored guys. Once you get in the lounge, they let you know who your dates are. As the days go on, you have less and less dates. If you’re not on a date, you’re in the lounge just hanging out. They supply you with a ton of food—I was eating a lot. The lounge is pretty big, so I would walk around [and] play sudoku. If we didn’t have dates at the same time, my friend Nolan and I played pool. So they have to have easily hundreds of hours of footage of us just on the pool table. They had a workout center there, but I didn’t use it. … A lot of people would journal, write down their thoughts. Some people brought books or a chess board.
What did you learn from your experience on Love Is Blind?
It was really insightful. Obviously there’s not a lot of distractions, so you have a lot of time on your own. There’s no phones, TVs, nothing like that. So there’s a lot of self-reflection. It was a big part of the reason I decided to switch out of the restaurant business. I decided the restaurant thing wasn’t what I wanted to do long term. And that’s when I decided to get back into mortgages, which is what I was doing before the restaurants. I also decided to move to Charlotte, and I’ve been here ever since.
What was your biggest takeaway when it comes to love and relationships?
The physical part is an important aspect, but you can build a real connection in there. The couples who get married, they last—like more than regular couples. It does work. Personality definitely goes further than looks by far.
Now that you’re out, what’s your MO when it comes to dating?
Talking to other people now is very different. I’m in sales, so I’m good at chitchatting, even if I’m not interested. But now, after doing dating this way and just seeing how much further it goes and wanting more than just casual dating, I take that portion of the process a lot more seriously than I did before. A deeper connection can go a long way.
Exclusive details on Sir Walter Coffee’s new Fayetteville Street location
Sir Walter Coffee is brewing up buzz Downtown—literally. The fan-fave DTR cafe is slated to open its previously announced second sip spot in the former B.GOOD space at Highwoods Properties’ Charter Square on Fayetteville Street this summer. … But this ain’t just a carbon copy of your East Davie Street cozy-casual coffeehouse.
“We want to make sure to create a new Sir Walter that mirrors the reason Highwoods engaged with us for this partnership: a fast, fresh, all-day cafe with a bar element that will serve as an amenity to the tenants of Charter Square and the public,” says owner Kevin Frazier. “We are excited to be part of the goal of making Fayetteville Street the Main Street for North Carolina… and can’t wait to bring the project to life.”
Boasting both the beloved OG drinks (hey, popular seasonal lattes, espresso martinis, coffee cocktails and nitro cold brew on tap!) and expanded kitchen offerings, SWC will satisfy cravings—from breakfast sandos, seasonal toasts, yogurt bowls and pastries to salads, soups, sandwiches and more. And on Saturday and Sunday mornings, don’t sleep on the famous mouthwatering Dough Babies, aka housemade apple-filled pastries drenched in icing (drooling yet?).
Segueing from day to night, SWC 2.0 will also spotlight Sir Walter Cocktail, a full bar (open seven days a week!) feat. an array of traditional and draft cocktails, wine, local beer and prosecco on tap, and mimosa flights. NTM a nod to namesake British explorer Sir Walter Raleigh via a creative rum cocktail menu showcasing eight exclusive rum-based drinks starring Kill Devil Rum from Outer Banks Distilling and other hard-to-find rums.
“This bar will be the spot to grab a drink after a day’s work Downtown, and will be a great place for networking with other DTR workforce,” maintains Frazier. “We are installing an entrance from the Charter Square lobby for easy access for office employees to come grab coffee, have breakfast or lunch, have meetings, and enjoy happy hour cocktails with a creative bar snacks menu.”
Further enticing patrons to sit and stay awhile (like, until midnight on weekends) with your bev(s) of choice will be an activated patio and large glass windows offering a picturesque view of Fayetteville Street and City Plaza—aka ideal for people watching. Sounds like a day-to-night dream, no? Consider us pumped. sirwaltercoffee.com
A newly released 10-point action plan sets to bring vibrancy back to Fayetteville Street.
Things are finally looking up for Fayetteville Street. While the once-vibrant sector had arguably lost some of its luster, Downtown Raleigh Alliance and the City of Raleigh recently released the first set of recommendations from their ongoing Downtown Raleigh Economic Development Strategy in an effort to revitalize North Carolina’s Main Street.
The “Activating Fayetteville Street” report developed by the Interface Studio-led consultant team features 10 recommendations for making the corridor more attractive, competitive and connected based on local need and other city attractions. Taken together, these “10 big ideas” could mark the biggest shift to the district in 15 years.
“Fayetteville Street and our central business district are part of the face of our Downtown, city and state,” says DRA President and CEO Bill King. “So elevating this area is critical to how Raleigh is experienced and perceived.”
Setting a new course for the heart of Downtown, the goal of the recommendations is to breathe new life into the area from the NC State Capitol to Martin Marietta—from highlighting Black-owned businesses and adding more housing on and around Fayetteville Street to connecting main attractions via a family-friendly route and more.
“The intention is to implement as much as possible, but realistically I expect some will still have to evolve or adjust as things change,” says King. That said, look for the streetscape design update to begin immediately, as well as changes to City Plaza, parking fees and many of the placemaking/public art aspects. “We have steps outlined for the first 100 days and first year to drive progress,” he maintains—progress that will only proliferate as Interface continues to seek ways to maximize Downtown’s strengths. Here, the takeaways we think will have the biggest impact on our city.
Courtesy of Google Maps
Courtesy of Monroe Street Midway
Defining the Districts
“Art pulls a community together,” as would a designated Arts and Entertainment District in the lower area, which would also serve to attract local and national establishments and entertainment ops while further fostering Fayetteville Street’s identity. The abandoned parking lot at the northwest corner of South and Wilmington streets serves as a primo spot for “play, small business opportunities and entertainment options,” according to the report.
Courtesy of Interface Studio
Courtesy of Interface Studio
Bright Streetscapes
Famously supersized, Fayetteville Street’s sidewalks have never lived up to their full potential. Swapping current antiquated planters, benches and newspaper corrals for designated zones for outdoor dining would serve as a smart solution, which would free up space for walking, furniture and activity (think outdoor vending, workspaces, lawn games and temporary stages). Meanwhile, added greenery and lighting on significant buildings, trees and sidewalks would bolster literal vibrancy, wayfinding and safety.
Photo by Patti McConville, Alamy Stock
Utter Relief
The lack of public-access relief stations in DTR has long posed a problem. Taking a cue from Portland, relief could be on the way in the form of new self-cleaning public bathrooms + increasing hours and maintenance for free bathrooms in public buildings. Answering the call for another shortage would include improved parking signage, increased time allowances on parking apps and first-two-hours-free parking in City-owned garages.
Rendering by Interface Studio
Photo by Kebony
Courtesy of DRA
Leveraging Public Spaces
“On the playground is where I spend most of my days…” That’s the hope—by activating the oft-underutilized street into a full-blown 16- to 18-hour veritable playground via inviting well-lit passageways bustling with outdoor dining, vendor stalls, recreation, public art and more. This also goes for positioning City Plaza as “Downtown’s front porch” and establishing a visitor center.
Courtesy of Interface Studio
Photo by blazeCLT
Downtown Connector
Bold connections generate growth. Thus, a Chavis-Dix Strollway could be implemented to connect DTR to Dix Park and the Rocky Branch Trail, with a South Park Heritage Walk bridging the gap from DTR to Chavis Park and other East Raleigh destinations.
Human Touch Group Pavillion by Partyk Lewinski
Lucky Plaza by Choo Yut Shing
Marketing Main Street
Raleigh’s “Main Street” needs to assert its identity. Period. Engaging public space design and street activity via mobile retail carts, food trucks and permanent stalls in dead zones would increase foot traffic—as would the creation of a Downtown gift card program.
Pandemic in the rearview? The CDC announced plans to revise its five-day isolation period guidance this spring—reducing the recommendation to being fever-free for 24 hours with improving symptoms.
They’re back… Raleigh City Council voted to reinstate Citizen Advisory Councils (CACs), whose members can vote to recommend or reject development projects throughout the city.
Giving a new meaning to “out of sight, out of mind,” new data found that remote workers are 35% more likely to be laid off than those working in the office. Mm, might be time to ditch the PJs?
Duke got the blues? The university agreed to pay a $24 million settlement as part of a federal lawsuit filed two years ago that accused 15 private colleges of inflating tuition and reducing financial aid. Talk about getting schooled…
Ozempic should be shaking. The NC State Health Plan will end coverage of popular weight-loss drugs like Wegovy starting April 1.
Concerns around NC State’s Poe Hall are rising as results from recent additional testing confirmed harmful PCB chemicals—and now students and faculty are getting tested for cancer and lawyering up.
The latest trend for suiting up this spring? Metallics. Whether you’re going into battle—er, work—or hitting the town, the shiny fashion statement is a surefire way to get noticed in a sea of standard spring florals and pastels. Attention-seekers are gonna wanna spring for bold pieces like metallic shorts, pants, blazers and dresses, while timid types can ease your way into the fad with metallic shoes, bags and other accessories. Or, go all out with a daring blazer/shorts combo that can be dressed up with heels and statement earrings, or dressed down with a plain tee and sneakers. After all, who needs a knight in shining armor when you’ve got a queen in metallics. #Slay. Avery oversize metallic blazer, $125; Court metallic shorts, $72, Madison,madisonboutique.com
