Nerd Culture

We will be participating in a trivia night event at Ballston Local in Arlington on Monday. Trivia starts at 7 pm. The location is in proximity to the Ballston Metro Station if you plan on taking public transportation. Parking: There may be free street parking in the nearby residential neighborhoods (perhaps between Wilson and Carlin Springs). Otherwise, paid street or paid parking garage (Ballston Quarter Mall is a garage a few blocks away). Maximum number of members on a team is 6. To ensure you get a spot on a trivia team: * Please arrive by 6:45 PM, or notify the hosts that you are running late by 6:45 PM. If you arrive after 6:45 or don't notify the hosts, you are not guaranteed a spot on a trivia team and may need to form your own, separate team. * Please RSVP so we know to expect you. Don't be like Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn from Wedding Crashers and crash a trivia event. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- If you have Instagram, you can check out our account at asiandiningandadventuregroup for photos and announcements of group outings!

Join us for an LGBTQIA+ D&D happy hour! Come unwind, roll some dice, and share adventures over drinks (alcoholic or otherwise)! Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or just curious about the world of tabletop roleplay, it’s a space to connect, laugh, and celebrate community. Can't make it? Join the [DMV D&D Discord ](https://discord.gg/bDvGRtKfhR)to stay up to date on all the latest and greatest events!

Ikigai is a Japanese concept meaning "a reason for being" or "a reason to wake up in the morning." It represents the intersection of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for, promoting a life of purpose and daily fulfillment. What is your Ikigai? **ATTENDANCE POLICY:** To keep this group running smoothly and ensure that spots are available for those who genuinely want to attend, please RSVP only if you are confident you can make it. If you RSVP “Yes” and do not attend without updating your RSVP in advance, you may be restricted from attending future events for a period of time. We understand that things come up. If you can no longer attend, simply update your RSVP as soon as possible so your spot can be offered to someone on the waitlist. Repeated no-shows will result in removal from the group. Thank you for respecting everyone’s time and helping us maintain a reliable and engaged community. **SUPPORT THINKERS AND DRINKERS:** Thinkers and Drinkers International is a registered 501(c)7 nonprofit organization. We work hard to create an organization that adds value to our communities while keeping membership free for all. If you find value in what we’re doing, please consider donating through Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/thinkers](https://www.patreon.com/thinkers) **CONNECT:** Instagram: @ThinkersDrinkersInternational Facebook: [https://www.facebook.com/thinkersdrinkersinternational/](https://www.facebook.com/thinkersdrinkersinternational/) Podcast: [https://www.spreaker.com/user/thinkersdrinkersinternational](https://www.spreaker.com/user/thinkersdrinkersinternational) Email: [[ThinkersDrinkersInternational@gmail.com](mailto:ThinkersDrinkersInternational@gmail.com)]

¡Buenos dias! Bienvenidos a todos! Let’s practice our Spanish and meet new people at this Spanish-language happy hour! Geared toward those who have, at minimum, an Advanced level of Spanish and would like to keep it up, our group will speak Spanish exclusively over drinks and appetizers. This group meets at the Arlington Board Room on the first Monday of each month. The time is 6:30p to as long as you wish to stay or the restaurant closes! No fee is required to participate. >

**Celebrate your Polish pride -- whether you have Polish ancestry or not -- at Jimmy's annual Dyngus Day Festival.** **https://www.facebook.com/events/1239539361677871/** **Dyngus Day – also known as Lany Poniedziałek and Dingus Day in many Polish American communities – is a holiday that falls on the Monday immediately after Easter Sunday. It is a day that not only celebrates Polish culture but is also a day to blow off a little bit of steam after the restrictions imposed by Lent have ended. Dyngus Day is not a religious holiday, it's a social event. So don't worry if you didn't give up anything for Lent.** **(https://www.wikidates.org/holiday/dyngus-day_1159.html)** **Jimmy's will have Polish specials all day including pieogies, kielbasa, golabki, gyzybowa, klopsiki, nalysnyky, and Zywiec beer. Na zdrowie!! (See picture uploaded with the full menu.)** **Live Polka music from 7:00 - 10:00 pm with MiloSolo** **(https://www.facebook.com/milo1solo)**

**NEW UPDATE:** Additional members of the cubing community have reached out to me and we all agree, the more cubing the better! I have removed the 12 person limit and we are adding an overflow cube for those also interested in non vintage type cubes! These guest cubes may consist of the following: \- Alex's Enchantment Cube: [Enchanted to Meet You](https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/enchantedCube)! \- Matthew's Avatar cube: [Avatar: The Last Airbender Power(ful) Cube](Avatar: The Last Airbender Power(ful) Cube) Priority will still fall to firing the vintage cube but what this means is if we reach 12 members we can offer the option to fire both cubes at 6 and 6 or just the vintage cube at 2 pods each. If we reach over 12 we will divide up the players between the two cubes with earlier RSVPs getting priority on their choice. If you have a cube that you are interested in having as a spill over cube please reach out to me and we can coordinate. Thank you! Come join and casually draft a vintage cube that is open to everyone. No cost to enter! The store provides promo booster packs and I usually throw in a pack of the most recent standard set to award to the people with the best records at the end of the night. [What is Cube?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNDBTRG6keM) What: Vintage Cube Draft When: 6:00pm Where: Your Hobby Place in Old Town Alexandria (Your Hobby Place, 700 N Washington St, Alexandria, VA 22314) We aim to start drafting shortly after 6:00pm as the store's register closes at 9:00pm. The store owner is kind enough to keep the space open for us to finish rounds. In previous events we've usually wrapped up around 9:45. All skill levels are welcome and all cards, lands, tokens needed are provided so you only need to bring yourself and potentially some dice and playmat if you prefer. The list can be seen here: [https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/proxybacon](https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/proxybacon) Join Your Hobby Place's Discord and grab the Cube Role in the mtg-chat channel for the most up to date information on cube at their location: [https://discord.gg/9je3G8vzXh](https://discord.gg/9je3G8vzXh) **Important Notice:** I have seen an increased number of signups and no shows amongst brand new accounts. In an effort to make sure we have room for everyone if this is your first time joining and you have just created a meetup account please reach out to me via Meetup or discord. **Late Policy:** RSVPing will hold your spot for up to 10 minutes after 6. If you expect you may be running late please reach out to me via the store's discord. My username is iluvbacon610.

The Sakura Matsuri-Japanese Street Festival is the largest celebration of Japanese culture in the United States. The matsuri boasts four stages of performances (including J-pop, traditional Japanese music and martial arts), alongside hundreds of cultural exhibitors and vendors with Japanese products and food! Click here for more information: [http://www.sakuramatsuri.org/](https://sakuramatsuri.org/) Tickets are $21.20. Click here to purchase: [https://sakuramatsuri.festivalpro.com/form/GjuVsDBdTjUqKJmkncda/0](https://sakuramatsuri.festivalpro.com/form/GjuVsDBdTjUqKJmkncda/0) **Please Note:** We are not the organizers of the festival. Geek Nite Out is a Meetup group that is attending the festival. **--MEETUP INFORMATION--** **MEETING:** We will start to gather outside the entrance at Pennsylvania Ave and 7th St. at 10:15 am. I will be wearing a Geek cap. We'll head into the festival when it opens. Don't worry if you miss us when we're outside the festival. Just message us on Discord when you arrive, and I will post our location along with a what3words link. Learn more about what3words: [https://youtu.be/DLG6WFx3XHQ?si=dRjkpGBNWkIBA1f5](https://youtu.be/DLG6WFx3XHQ?si=dRjkpGBNWkIBA1f5) A #sakuramatsuri channel will be created on the GNO Discord server on the day of the event. It's to be used to help everyone communicate and find the group. Don't post spoilers until after the event. You can join the Discord server here: [https://discord.gg/d4e9MKScVP](https://discord.gg/d4e9MKScVP)[ ](https://discord.gg/d4e9MKScVP)(link should be permanent. Please let me know if it stops working) **METRO:** The Street Festival is next to the Archives Metro Station, along the Green and Yellow Lines.

Greeting Nerdizens! Let's hang out and celebrate the spring with the emergence of the cherry blossoms! Japan-America Society of Washington DC's Sakura Matsuri - Japanese Street Festival is the largest celebration of Japanese culture in the United States and this year is their 64th anniversary. There will be live music and dance performances, food, vendors, cosplayers, and a large art and culture area. The event takes place over two days (April 11th and 12th) but this meetup is just for Sunday. It's being held between 7th St NW & 3rd St, Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004. The nearest metro train stops are Archives-Navy Memorial (Green/Yellow line) and south of Judiciary Square (Red line). There's additional information on the website below Right now, tickets are $20 until April 10th. They can be purchased at https://sakuramatsuri.org/ This is a large festival with plenty to do so if you want to venture off to view a particular performance or hangout elsewhere then feel free to explore. This meetup is open-ended so anyone can come and go as you please. I plan to arrive at Archives metro by 11:30am and will wait there until 12 which is when I/we will proceed to enter the festival. If you plan to arrive after 12 then make sure to comment and I will let you know where we are. Hope to see some of you then!

Come exchange Asian Languages that you speak! ***GRAB A DRINK AND YOU WILL BE 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. We will assign tables for represented languages. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. As you all remember well, this event used to bring out hundreds of people every week. However, it was discontinued last year for obvious reasons and we couldn't gather that many people now, because of restrictions. Hence, we are downsizing and caping the number of attendees. We have super limited spots and advance ticket purchase is required. ***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. 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\. You ought to have register on Meetup for a free entry\. Otherwise\, you will be subject to a cover charge\. 11. 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\. 12.

We will meeting at a **New Location: GameOn** which is at 1330 U St. If taking the metro go to U St station take the 13th St exit and walk half a block. The bar is on U St between 13th and 14th. We will be sitting at the upstairs nook by the Mario Bros mural. We will be reading "We Are Legion (We Are Bob)" by Dennis E. Taylor. [We Are Legion (We Are Bob) (Bobiverse, #1) by Dennis E. Taylor | Goodreads](We%20Are%20Bob) As per usual we are crowd sourcing book ideas and voting on the top books. We encourage you to add votes to the books [DC Science Fiction Book Club Suggestions - Google Sheets](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mprXaa6bcEW5EL_uprN16-RBcetO6pbqA4vHDTjtowI/edit?gid=0#gid=0)

SPRING IS IN THE AIR! 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!***

☀️ **Shake Off the Winter Chill** **\- Bowl With Us\! 20% off for NEW bowlers\!** Our 6-week spring social bowling league starts in **April** \- trade social hibernation for strikes\, beers\, and new friends\! Whether you're looking to unwind after work\, meet new people\, or just have a fun night out with pals\, this league is perfect for everyone\! Chill times\, cold drinks\, and plenty of chances to connect with others\. No matter your skill level\, this league is all about having fun and meeting new friends\. **;)** **🗓 Thursday evenings \|📍 AMF Sawmill Lanes \| 💵 $79 *(while Early Bird is active)*** **🚨NEW to the league??** Use discount code (**MU2P26**) for 20% off - $63.20 *during Early Bird* **💻 League Info & Registration**: https://bit.ly/ColumbusBowling **Why Join?** 🎉 It’s only 6 weeks - perfect for a low-commitment social plan 🍻 Great mix of people in their 20s-40s, plus post-game hangs at the bar 🎳 Zero pressure - gutter balls totally welcome! 👕 Free league shirt if you sign up early 🧠 Weekly trivia w/ prizes 💬 Super social - join solo or w/ friends! **Want in?** Join our Meetup team Gutter Dusters 👉 **Click here to join** https://tinyurl.com/23auxkaq Or start a team of your own with a few friends - we’ll all be hanging out either way! 📅 League Dates (Thursday evenings): April 16, April 23, April 30, May 7, May 14, May 21 ***(The MeetUp event date is deadline to register for the league.)*** **Cost & What’s Included:** ✔ $79 Early Bird registration - **NEW bowler?? Get 20% off with code: MU2P26** ✔ 6 weeks of bowling (1–3 games/week) ✔ Shoe rentals & full league setup ✔ Trivia, prizes, and great people 👉 **SIGN UP NOW** 💻League Info & Registration: https://bit.ly/ColumbusBowling 🤑Use promo code MU2P26 to save 20% 📸 Follow the fun on Instagram: https://bit.ly/BowlingLeague-IG 📩 Questions? Contact the league: http://bit.ly/2nKHno7 Spots are filling fast – don’t miss out on the fun times!

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. 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."

Have you always wanted to check out a rave… but didn’t know where to start? This is your chance. Whether you're a seasoned headbanger or completely new, we’d love to have you out. On April 11, Jessica Audiffred is taking over Otherworld — and this is *not* your typical venue. It’s a massive immersive art space filled with surreal rooms, hidden passages, and interactive exhibits… and for this show, almost all of it is open. So you’re not just going to a concert — you’re stepping into an environment: 🎧 A high-energy bass set that you *feel* 🌀 A labyrinth of trippy, explorable art spaces 👯‍♂️ A group to go with so you’re not figuring it out alone You can lose yourself in the crowd, disappear into another room, find something completely unexpected, and then come back right as the drop hits. No pressure, no “right way” to do it — just explore, move, and take it in at your own pace. 📍 Otherworld, Columbus 🗓 April 11 🕙 Doors open at 10:15 PM (music does not start in the exhibit space until 10:30 PM.) If you’ve been even a little curious about what this scene is like, this is one of the most unique ways to experience it. RSVP if you’re in 👇 There’s no cost to attend with the group—just the event ticket for Otherworld. Tickets are $40, plus some fees 🙄. You can use code "BassBuds" or "Bangers" for $5 off, which makes it \~$43 out the door. 🔗 [https://otherworld.ticketspice.com/jessica-audiffred](https://otherworld.ticketspice.com/jessica-audiffred) This is being posted to Central Ohio Friends and Columbus Social Connection. Please only RSVP to one group.

**The Data-Driven Brand: Using Analytics to Shape Perception** Can you use analytics to improve tacos? This being CBUSDAW, we think the answer is probably “yes”, but we’re not sure how to implement or test this theory. For our April meetup we’ve got Sara Kear, CMO of Condado Tacos, to investigate this delicious question. Sara will explore how she blends quantitative data and qualitative customer feedback to shape brand positioning and drive business decisions. We all know that marketing and analytics go way beyond attribution. Sara will show how Condado uses customer insights to inform product and pricing strategy. She’ll also highlight how Condado leverages customer feedback at scale to influence operational priorities, positioning marketing as the voice of the customer across the organization. In the last 12 years Condado has gone from one location in Columbus to 52 locations across 10 states, so we’re guessing there’s more to that growth than really good guac (though the guac probably helps). Ultimately, this talk focuses on the intersection of art and science—using data to inform creativity and build a brand that resonates with customers in a measurable way. **About Our Speaker** Sara Kear is Chief Marketing Officer at Condado Tacos, where she oversees brand, restaurant design, menu and pricing strategy, off-premise including catering, and customer data strategy. Since joining in 2021, she has helped grow the brand from 19 to 52 locations while building a data-driven marketing organization focused on loyalty and customer insights. Condado has since been named to the Inc. 5000, recognized as Breakout Retailer by Chain Store Age, and consistently ranked among FastCasual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)