Carver and Ellis are among the four couples still engaged heading into the show's November 4 wedding finale, following the release of three new episodes on October 28. Their shared San Diego history emerged during the early stages of the dating experiment, which brings together singles who develop relationships without seeing one another before deciding whether to get engaged.
Carver, a 38-year-old yacht captain and former Wall Street professional, previously lived in San Diego County and was involved with Misadventure & Co., a Vista-based distillery known for transforming discarded baked goods into vodka. Ellis, a 37-year-old marketing professional, spent approximately a decade in San Diego and discussed her involvement with Local Roots, a hard kombucha company that originated in Carlsbad.
Their connections to two businesses within San Diego's craft beverage scene provide an unexpected local backstory to one of the season's remaining relationships.
Misadventure & Co., located at 2420 Grand Avenue in Vista, built its reputation around an unconventional approach to vodka production. Rather than relying on traditional grain or potato ingredients, the company produces spirits using surplus bread, pastries, donuts and other baked goods that otherwise might have gone to waste.
The business was established by bartender Whit Rigali and agricultural economist Sam Chereskin, who began developing their concept after meeting in North County in 2013. Their goal was to create a commercially viable spirit while reducing food waste, eventually launching a vodka marketed for its environmentally conscious production process.
Carver's reported involvement dates to August 2016, when a previously available LinkedIn profile identified him as a partner participating in the company's early development, fundraising, sales and marketing efforts. A U-T article labeled him as a distiller at the company. Although Rigali and Chereskin are the company's documented founders, Carver appears to have been involved during its formative years before the brand became established in San Diego's competitive craft spirits market.
Misadventure subsequently gained regional attention for its sustainability-focused production methods and cocktails, earning recognition from local publications and developing a following among North County residents. The Vista property has also operated as a cocktail bar and dining destination.
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| Distiller Blake Carver distilling vodka. Photo by Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune |
Ellis's connection to the local beverage industry centers on Local Roots, a company that began producing kombucha in Carlsbad in 2017 before expanding into alcoholic varieties and establishing a larger production operation in Vista.
During her conversations with Carver on Love Is Blind, Ellis described opening a hard kombucha brewery called Local Roots while living in San Diego. However, publicly documented accounts identify cousins Ryan White and Joe Carmichael as the company's founders, and Ellis's precise role in its establishment or operations has not been independently verified.
Local Roots became known for its organic hard kombucha offerings, including flavors such as Strawberry Mojito, Cali Mule and Booch Mosa. The company expanded beyond its original Carlsbad beginnings into a production brewery and tasting room at 1430 Vantage Court in Vista, occupying a property previously associated with Latitude 33 Brewing.
The brand also established a presence in Solana Beach, contributing to the growth of a hard kombucha category that became increasingly popular among Southern California consumers seeking alternatives to conventional beer and hard seltzer.
For Ellis, the San Diego connection extends beyond her professional history. She previously lived in the region for approximately 10 years, and one of her rescue dogs reportedly came from the streets of Tijuana. She now lives in Connecticut and works in marketing, while Carver's career as a yacht captain involves extended periods traveling and living aboard boats.
Those contrasting lifestyles have emerged as one of the central challenges facing the couple as the season approaches its conclusion.
The eleventh season of Love Is Blind, set in the Boston area, premiered October 14 and introduced 30 singles attempting to establish emotional connections before meeting face-to-face. Carver initially developed connections with both Ellis and fellow contestant Benita Paloja before ultimately proposing to Ellis.
Following their engagement, the couple traveled to Mexico with other participants and began confronting the practical realities of combining their lives, including where they would live and how Carver's travel-heavy career might fit with Ellis's more settled lifestyle.
Their future remains uncertain heading into the wedding episodes, but their shared history in San Diego's craft beverage industry remains one of the season's more unusual coincidences.
The Love Is Blind Season 11 wedding finale is scheduled to premiere Wednesday, November 4, on Netflix, with a reunion special following November 8. Whether Carver and Ellis ultimately marry remains to be seen, but their relationship has already brought an unexpected spotlight to two businesses with roots in San Diego County.
Originally published on October 29, 2026.
During her conversations with Carver on Love Is Blind, Ellis described opening a hard kombucha brewery called Local Roots while living in San Diego. However, publicly documented accounts identify cousins Ryan White and Joe Carmichael as the company's founders, and Ellis's precise role in its establishment or operations has not been independently verified.
Local Roots became known for its organic hard kombucha offerings, including flavors such as Strawberry Mojito, Cali Mule and Booch Mosa. The company expanded beyond its original Carlsbad beginnings into a production brewery and tasting room at 1430 Vantage Court in Vista, occupying a property previously associated with Latitude 33 Brewing.
The brand also established a presence in Solana Beach, contributing to the growth of a hard kombucha category that became increasingly popular among Southern California consumers seeking alternatives to conventional beer and hard seltzer.
For Ellis, the San Diego connection extends beyond her professional history. She previously lived in the region for approximately 10 years, and one of her rescue dogs reportedly came from the streets of Tijuana. She now lives in Connecticut and works in marketing, while Carver's career as a yacht captain involves extended periods traveling and living aboard boats.
Those contrasting lifestyles have emerged as one of the central challenges facing the couple as the season approaches its conclusion.
The eleventh season of Love Is Blind, set in the Boston area, premiered October 14 and introduced 30 singles attempting to establish emotional connections before meeting face-to-face. Carver initially developed connections with both Ellis and fellow contestant Benita Paloja before ultimately proposing to Ellis.
Following their engagement, the couple traveled to Mexico with other participants and began confronting the practical realities of combining their lives, including where they would live and how Carver's travel-heavy career might fit with Ellis's more settled lifestyle.
Their future remains uncertain heading into the wedding episodes, but their shared history in San Diego's craft beverage industry remains one of the season's more unusual coincidences.
The Love Is Blind Season 11 wedding finale is scheduled to premiere Wednesday, November 4, on Netflix, with a reunion special following November 8. Whether Carver and Ellis ultimately marry remains to be seen, but their relationship has already brought an unexpected spotlight to two businesses with roots in San Diego County.
Originally published on October 29, 2026.
