Cultural Heritage

**(10-15 attendees average!)** Looking for a dinner out? Join us at Dolan Uyghur Restaurant in Falls Church at 6:00 PM ET for our dinner social! All locals 55 & up are welcome to come and socialize! Don’t miss this opportunity to try some great food and meet others. We can’t wait to see you there! Parking Instructions: Plan parking in advance. Street parking is available close to the venue. Lot parking is available in front of several local venues. Garage parking is available on the top deck of the George Mason Parking Garage at 103 W Broad St, Falls Church, VA 22046.

This month, language tables will take place in December 30th, 5th Tuesday, at 6:15 PM due to avoid Christmas week. See you at language tables. \*This in-person program isn't affiliated nor related to World Language Cafe. Lingua Lounge is a place to speak a language you know or one you are learning, converse in a friendly atmosphere, meet new people who enjoy learning about other cultures, increase your fluency by speaking and listening, pick up useful phrases to use when traveling and recall your childhood language. Lingua Lounge are held once a month year-round. The Lingua Lounge meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month from 7-9pm at the 50+ Center of the East Columbia Library (6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia). Come in and join the language table of your choice. Language tables are hosted by a native speaker who will facilitate conversation. Languages include American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese - Mandarin, Chinese - Cantonese, Dutch, English, Esperanto, Farsi, French, German, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Hindi, Irish Gaelic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Turkish. Children under the age of 13 should be accompanied by an adult. People are welcome to bring food and beverages and may bring treats from their culture to share with their table. For more information, to find out if there will be a native speaker of the language you are interested in practicing, to become a native speaker table host, or request that your email be added to the Lingua Language email group, please contact nagahana@gmail.com. If you are a Language Table Host (native or fluent speaker of a particular language), please let us know if you will be able to host by sending an email to nagahana@gmail.com. If you are new and would like to host a table, please specify which language you speak fluently.

Come out and celebrate the Christmas Holiday Season at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens Regional Park in nearby Vienna, Virginia. Our two mile hike on asphalt and natural surface trails showcases flowers, shrubs, ponds, and a Korean Bell Garden that are decorated for the holidays. Bring a daypack, comfortable hiking shoes, cold weather clothing, trail snacks, and a quart of water. Price of admission: Adults under 60 $8 and over 60 $4. Although not connected directly to the Sierra Club PRO hike, Meadowlark Botanical Gardens offers the Winter Walk of Lights after dark. Reservations required at novaparks.com. Meet at 11AM at the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens Regional Park off of Beulah Road in Vienna, Virginia. Leader: Glenn Gillis 571-217-4477

You must read the following NVHC Sign-in Sheet Statement/Liability Disclaimer, [https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf](https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf) and then answer the question that you will see when you RSVP with "I accept" to be permitted on the hike. This is a \~ 7 mile hike with \~100 feet of elevation gain in Algonkian Regional Park. We'll start on the Potomac Heritage Trail (PHT) and hike downstream to the Algonkian Nature Sanctuary where we'll make a loop and then return to the start point. The Algonkian Regional Park Sanctuary consists of 30+ acres of wetlands on Lowe's Island adjacent to the Potomac River. The wetlands are a unique part of the Potomac that supports a variety of flora and fauna including Bald Eagles. There will be some hiking along the Potomac River, the golf course and recreation areas. We will start on the PHT near the parking lot at Volcano Island Waterpark in Algonkian Regional Park (GPS coordinates: 39.061784, -77.386796). Some of the hike is on trails, pavement and gravel road. We hike at a pace of 2.5 to 3.0 mph while moving. Dogs are welcome on this hike in accordance with the NVHC Dog Policy. [https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicyhttps://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolic](https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy) Leader: Steve Frith cell 703-629-0174 Park Entry Fee: $0.00 Map for hike: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/map-january-31-2024-e5ae7b1?u=i&sh=iypgzx

**Description:** Join us for trivia at Lost Dog Cafe in McLean, Virginia located at 1690 Anderson Rd every Tuesday evening in October. Trivia begins at 7pm, but please consider joining earlier, around 6:30, since seating’s first-come-first-served. Speaking of seating, per Lost Dog’s regulations, a team needs to have at least five members in order to participate in trivia. So please make sure you RSVP so we can secure a spot to play in trivia. The nearest metro is McLean. **Donation:** Neurodivergent District strives to compensate Neurodivergent District members that volunteer to host our events. Please consider a donation to @katewoodwardcm for hosting. Please specify "donation to trivia host" in the description of your payment. Questions? Text 202-930-2881.

Greetings Meetup friends. People often ask how we find out about all the fun and interesting events we host. It’s easy, people like you tell us about them!!! As we plan our summer event schedule if there are any places you would like our group to visit please let us know (bonus points if you or anyone you know is also able to host our group - although that is definitely not required). Likewise, if you you’re an organizer of an existing Meetup group and want to co-host / co-promote an event with us we’re open to that, as long as it’s related to the history and culture of Washington, DC. You can post any ideas or suggestions in the comments section below or feel free to contact me directly: 202-821-6325 and/or rkelleman@yahoo.com. Cheers! Robert

Please help us plan our future guided tour programs. Where would you like to go? Can be anywhere in the DC Metro area. Use the comments section below to let us know what you think. Thanks! FYI we have the same question posted on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/DCHistoryAndCulture/

**Our resolution for this year is, to party harder:) Come help us to do so!:)** Ciao Amici! Let us speak Italian and grab a drink or two. ***GRAB A DRINK AND YOU ARE ALL SET TO FLEX YOUR LANGUAGE CAPACITY. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST A DRINK OR FOOD :) To get the event going and show support. We know that you like our events. P.S. : We have non-alcoholic drinks as well.*** We have a tiny venue and we hit capacity often and early arrival is suggested. We have the discretion to decide entry. Ci vediamo! ***AFTER THE HAPPY HOUR, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!*** HOW IT WORKS : We will try to assign tables for each represented languages and will direct attendees to their respective tables accordingly. Rules to abide : 1\. Event is 21\+ \(bring ID\)\. 2\. Be respectful to your counterparts and give them a chance to exchange with others as well\. 3\. We all are native speakers of one or two languages and be willing to help others and try to accommodate as much as possible\. 4\. If you don't speak the other person's required language\, LEAVE THEM ALONE\. 5\. Rude or aggressive members are removed from the group at an organizers discretion\. 6\. This is a face\-to\-face language exchange event\. DO NOT try to arrange an online meeting\, by using the comment box or direct message\. 7\. Most of our members complained about people writing in the comment box\. Since it sends notification to all attendees\. If you have any questions\, send a message to the organizers\. Don't write in the comment box\. 8\. We have ZERO TOLERANCE for solicitation\. We don't allow anyone to run their own agenda at the Event\. If you are interested to promote/sponsor/collaborate; contact us via \(info@merevents\.com\)\. 9\. When you get there\, we will greet you and take you to your respective group\. 10\. Don't be shy of your local languages\. We have diplomates assigned to different countries\, who would love to practice your languages\. 11\. Be patient for the first 30 minutes\, up until we form your respective language group\.
 12\. We will have a registration station and check you in\. 13\. This is mainly a social for Intermediate/Advanced/Native Speakers\. It is not as such to learn a language\. Beginners\, if you want to learn a language\, reach out to us \([info@merevents.com](http://info@merevents.com/)). We have a school and will arrange you a class. ***AFTER THE EXCHANGE, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!***

**Our resolution for this year is, to party harder:) Come help us to do so!:)** Let us meet up for a language exchange. We will give out name tags. You write your name and what language you speak and what language you would like to exchange. ***GRAB A DRINK AND YOU ARE ALL SET TO FLEX YOUR LANGUAGE CAPACITY. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST A DRINK OR FOOD :) To get the event going and show support. We know that you like our events. P.S. : We have non-alcoholic drinks as well.*** We have a tiny venue and we hit capacity often and early arrival is suggested. We have the discretion to decide entry. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. HOW IT WORKS : We will try to assign tables for each represented languages and will direct attendees to their respective tables accordingly. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. Rules to abide : 1. Event is free and 21+ (bring ID). 2. Be respectful to your counterparts and give them a chance to exchange with others as well. 3. We all are native speakers of one or two languages and be willing to help others and try to accommodate as much as possible. 4. If you don't speak the other person's required language, LEAVE THEM ALONE. 5. Rude or aggressive members are removed from the group at an organizers discretion. 6. This is a face-to-face language exchange event. DO NOT try to arrange an online meeting, by using the comment box or direct message. 7. Most of our members complained about people writing in the comment box. Since it sends notification to all attendees. If you have any questions, send a message to the organizers. Don't write in the comment box. 8. We have ZERO TOLERANCE for solicitation. We don't allow anyone to run their own agenda at the Event. If you are interested to promote/sponsor/collaborate; contact us via (info@merevents.com). 9. When you get there, we will greet you and take you to your respective group. 10. Don't be shy of your local languages. We have diplomates assigned to different countries, who would love to practice your languages. 11\. Be patient for the first 30 minutes\, up until we form your respective language group\. 12\. We will have a registration station and check you in\. 13\. This is mainly a social for Intermediate/Advanced/Native Speaker\. It is not as such to learn a language\. Beginners\, if you want to learn a language\, reach out to us \(info@merevents\.com\)\. We have a school and will arrange you a class\. ***AFTER THE EXCHANGE, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!***

🌟 **Join Us for CAFEr's Day!** 🌟 📅 **Date:** January 2, 2026 🕠 **Time:** 5:00 PM 📍 **Location:** Mason District Government Center (Main Room), Annandale, VA We’re excited to invite all **CAFE volunteers and friends** to a special event — **CAFEr's Day!** This is a wonderful opportunity to come together, connect, and strengthen our bonds as a community. 🤝 **What to Expect:** * **Social Time** – Catch up with familiar faces and make new friends. * **Discussion & Bonding** – Share ideas, stories, and inspiration as we strengthen the heart of our CAFE community. Whether you’re a long-time volunteer or a new friend of CAFE, we’d love to see you there. Let’s celebrate the spirit of **Community Art For Everyone** together! 📢 **Mark your calendar and spread the word!** We can’t wait to share this special time with all of you. #CAFErsDay #CommunityArtForEveryone #VolunteerLove #CAFECommunity #LetsConnect

Let's grab some coffee/food and share a morning chat! The East Market has an ample parking lot and outdoor and indoor seating. Grab a cup of coffee from Winston's Coffee & Waffles or on your way to East Market and meet us on the second floor - table behind or east of the elevator. If the weather cooperates we will be meeting in the patio. Per what this group is about: "Everyone is welcome! International transplants to Columbus who want to improve language skills, Columbus residents who want to discuss international travel and culture, and anyone who enjoys getting together for good conversations."

Come and join our lively Japanese language meetup, where Japanese language learners and native speakers come together to learn, play, and connect. We’ll practice through fun games and interactive conversation in a relaxed, welcoming environment. Whether you’re just starting out, more advanced, or a native speaker who enjoys helping others, everyone is encouraged to join and participate. After the library we'll take a leisurely walk together to get food/drinks. There are many options around including North Market Bridge Park. It's a perfect opportunity to continue our conversations and enjoy each other's company over a meal.

First Sundays are free admission at Franklin Park Conservatory. Sunday, January 4th, is also the last day The Palm House will be open before renovations begin. Let’s meet, enjoy a respite from January weather, and wander the gardens. Free neanthe bella palms are available to guests, beginning at 10am, while supplies last. Afterwards, we can visit the nearby East Market (212 Kelton Avenue).

As we prepare to enter a new year, the Burning Bowl Ceremony offers a powerful and heartfelt opportunity to let go of what no longer serves us and make space for new beginnings. You are warmly invited to join us for this sacred and reflective ritual. The Burning Bowl Ceremony is a beloved Unity tradition—an empowering moment where we release old patterns, worries, or limiting beliefs by writing them down and symbolically releasing them into the flame. This act of letting go opens the door to clarity, peace, and transformation.

Start the new year with your local IxDA pals. Join members of the Central Ohio UX and design community for our monthly breakfast.

**Caller: Gaye Fifer** **Band: Hot Coffee Breakdown** **Big Scioty Contra Dance** **temporarily returning to our long ago location for Jan-March - First Congregational Church, 444 E. Broad St., Columbus 43215** WHAT IS CONTRA DANCING? Picture the Grand Ball scenes like you’ve seen in period films such as “Pride and Prejudice”, where the dancers are lined up in long lines, across from each other. That’s English Country Dancing, the predecessor of contra dancing. Now, add moves like “swing your partner” and “do-si-do,” like you’ve seen in square dancing. Set it to fabulous, high energy, live music with fiddles, guitars, percussion and more, alá “Riverdance.” Finally, set the whole scene down in the middle of Woodstock, with a hip, groovy atmosphere, a bit of tie-dye, and hints of counter-culture attitude. THAT’s Contra Dancing! Wear cool and comfortable clothes (you will get warm) and clean shoes that won't mark up our nice wood floor. Be sure to come for the beginner's lesson from 7:30 - 8:00, followed by dancing 8:00 - 10:30. All dances are taught; we will help you learn! Beginners always welcome, no need to bring a partner. Cost is $10.00 adults, $5.00 ages 12-26. Under 12 free. Free parking in church lot. For more information contact me or check out our website: [www.bigscioty.com](http://www.bigscioty.com/) Please bring your own refillable water bottle. Snacks to share are always welcome!