Cooking

Ciao a tutt\*! Let's meet Monday at 6.30pm at the Upper Arlington Library (Tremont Branch) in Meeting Room A to speak in Italian for 1 hour. Keeping Monday for consistency but we can discuss if there are better days/times/locations!

**PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT NOTES:** 1. The dates for this series are simply placeholders at the moment. We are working on our 2026 schedule, and adjustments are forthcoming. 2. Each class in this series has an attendance fee. 3. Each class from BOTH a sign-up and fee perspective is a separate entity. **Introduction:** Our Page Building with Bricks web development class provides detailed instruction for using Bricks Builder, a visual site builder for WordPress, to create and manage websites. Widely considered by many of the world's leading web developers to be the most complete page builder on the market today, Bricks Builder offers a wide range of features and comprehensive tools. Our Bricks Builder web development class provides detailed instructions on utilizing the toolset. The series of courses covers the core features of Bricks Builder, enabling users to design and develop responsive, visually appealing websites. Moreover, the courses are oriented to reinforce a focus on professional, scalable web development. Throughout the series, we focus our page-building instruction on the semantic and structural integrity of the pages in a responsive world. By the end of the 10-class series, participants will have a fundamental understanding of proper web page and website development. **The breakdown of the 10-class series is as follows:** * Class 01 - Survey of Page Builders / What Bricksbuilder Does For You * Class 02 - Boxes, Boxes, Boxes / Sections / Containers * Class 03 - Static Units / Relative Units / Responsive Development And Math Functions * Class 04 - CSS Variables And DRY Development / Classes And Global Styling * Class 05 - CSS Grid And CSS Flexbox * Class 06 - Responsive Development / Breakpoints And Media Queries * Class 07 - Effective Use Of Color / Effective Use Of Images * Class 08 - Beginning To Think Dynamically / Using Templates And Components * Class 09 - Dynamic Styling / Data Attributes And Attribute Selectors * Class 10 - Pseudo Elements / Programmatically Styling With Pseudo Classes Throughout the class sessions listed above, we cover the following key areas of web development with Bricks Builder: * **Introduction to Bricks Builder Interface:** * Familiarization with the builder's layout, including the toolbar, panel, and canvas, and understanding how to navigate and interact with its various components. * **Visual Site Building:** * Techniques for creating layouts using Bricks' drag-and-drop interface, incorporating sections, rows, columns, and elements to build page structures. * **Styling and Design:** * Utilizing Bricks' styling options to customize elements, apply global CSS classes for consistent design, and leverage features like Flexbox and CSS Grid for responsive layouts. * **Dynamic Content and Custom Fields:** * Integrating dynamic content from custom post types and custom field plugins (like ACF, Meta Box) to build data-driven websites. * **Template Building:** * Creating and managing reusable templates for headers, footers, post type layouts, and other site-wide elements. * **Performance Optimization:** * Understanding how Bricks Builder contributes to fast-loading websites and implementing performance best practices. * **Advanced Features:** * Depending on the class level, it might delve into advanced topics such as conditional logic, interactions, and custom code integration to enable more complex functionality. The series aims to equip participants with the skills to efficiently build, customize, and maintain WordPress websites using Bricks Builder, catering to both beginners and experienced web developers.

Early-bird coffee and conversation at [Paris Baguette](https://parisbaguette.com/locations/oh/columbus/3969-merchants-row/)!

Our group, KIND MEALS, will be picking up the tab for pizzas, at MIKEY'S LATE NIGHT SLICE, on Sunday, February 8th from 12-2pm. We will be trying out MIKEY'S Vegan Fake-ass BBQ Chick'n pizza and Vegan Fake-ass Pepperoni pizza, as well as some other special vegan pizzas that are served there. All the vegan pizzas are covered with Selfish Cow vegan cheese. The pizza is free, drinks on your own. Join us to learn more about **[KIND MEALS](https://kindmealscolumbus.org)** (a 501c3 nonprofit organization based in Cols. Ohio, providing hunger relief services to those in need). All of the food we serve is fresh and vegan! If you love working with community, being of service, looking to hang with some fun like-minded people, and just love to socialize on a Sunday afternoon, join us for some FREE vegan pizzas at MIKEY'S LATE NIGHT on 4th and Main. Mikey said the more the merrier!

Inspired by the successful events like "Pot Luck in the Park" and "Saturday Mornings @ East Market," this meetup promises a fun and engaging atmosphere where like-minded individuals can connect over a shared love for languages and cultures. Whether you're a language learner, ESL student, or simply passionate about exploring new cultures, this event is perfect for anyone looking to immerse themselves in a diverse and welcoming community. Come join us for an enlightening afternoon of language, culture, food, of course, and connections! (Everyone will individually choose from the buffet and pay for their own meal, by weight.)

Yes, the [Chocolate Café](https://www.chocolatecafecolumbus.com/menu-1?menu=signature-desserts) serves chocolate fondue *(Chocolate Fondue Day is Feb 5th)*! No one does chocolate fondue like they do. It's rich, creamy, and served with an array of fresh fruit and other dipping items. They encourage making it a party! A perfect winter warmup to share with friends! **Chocolate Fondue Kit:** Served with dippers, including marshmallows, Rice Krispie treats, graham crackers, pound cake, strawberries, and pretzels. **COST**: Bring ***$5.00 cash*** to cover your portion of our delightful dessert bar. **EARLY ARRIVALS**: Go ahead and order dinner (before dessert). I love their toasted sandwiches and their soups. **PARKING**: In our parking lot, on the street (but not between 4-6 pm) or behind the Buckeye State Building. [Chocolate Cafe](https://www.chocolatecafecolumbus.com/): A fully stocked amount of *chocolate candies* including truffles, chocolate covered pretzels and chocolate and caramel turtles. We have menu options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Join us for brunch or a late night meal. Soups, salads & sandwiches served daily. Check out our [menu](https://www.chocolatecafecolumbus.com/_files/ugd/7ea733_0ebab62dcfc0435aa189b6d1a3c3ec82.pdf) for more information. We also offer wine, martinis and cocktails! Enjoy a *famous chocolate martini* or hand crafted cocktail, too!

**Our February novel is: Julia by Sandra Newman** **This month is a classic, dystopian, fiction, literary fiction, women’s fiction, and science fiction novel. The book is 394 pages in print and 14 hours and 20 minutes on audiobook.** **An imaginative, feminist, and brilliantly relevant-to-today retelling of Orwell’s 1984, from the point of view of Winston Smith’s lover, Julia, by critically acclaimed novelist Sandra Newman.** Julia Worthing is a mechanic, working in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. It’s 1984, and Britain (now called Airstrip One) has long been absorbed into the larger trans-Atlantic nation of Oceania. Oceania has been at war for as long as anyone can remember, and is ruled by an ultra-totalitarian Party, whose leader is a quasi-mythical figure called Big Brother. In short, everything about this world is as it is in Orwell’s 1984. All her life, Julia has known only Oceania, and, until she meets Winston Smith, she has never imagined anything else. She is an ideal citizen: cheerfully cynical, always ready with a bribe, piously repeating every political slogan while believing in nothing. She routinely breaks the rules, but also collaborates with the regime when necessary. Everyone likes Julia. Then one day she finds herself walking toward Winston Smith in a corridor and impulsively slips him a note, setting in motion the devastating, unforgettable events of the classic story. Julia takes us on a surprising journey through Orwell’s now-iconic dystopia, with twists that reveal unexpected sides not only to Julia, but to other familiar figures in the 1984 universe. This unique perspective lays bare our own world in haunting and provocative ways, just as the original did almost seventy-five years ago.

**I’m planning future book club meetups and would love your input. Please choose your top three from the list below—your picks will help decide what we read next!** **Book Options** *The Hong Kong Widow* – Kristen Loesch *American Spy* – Lauren Wilkinson *God of the Woods* – Liz Moore *Listen for the Lie* – Amy Tintera *The Swallows* – Lisa Lutz *The Drowning Kind* – Jennifer McMahon *The Eights* – Joanna Miller *The Quiet Librarian* – Allen Eskens Thanks so much for sharing your pick! Please **reply in the comments** with your top three. I can’t wait to see which books rise to the top and to discuss them together at our next meetups.

Join us for an interactive Bombay Gin Cocktail Class at TownHall — a fun, social experience designed to bring people together over great drinks, great food, and great conversation. During the class, you’ll learn how to craft several different Bombay Gin cocktails, guided by a master mixologist in a relaxed, high-energy setting. This isn’t a lecture — it’s hands-on, engaging, and built to spark connection, laughter, and good vibes. Whether you come solo or with friends, this experience makes it easy to meet people, enjoy expertly crafted cocktails, and unwind mid-week. ✨ What’s Included (A Ton 😁) • Multiple Bombay Gin cocktails • Interactive cocktail instruction • Food & appetizers sponsored by TownHall • A lively, social atmosphere 🍸 Sponsored by Bombay Gin 🍽 Food & appetizers sponsored by TownHall Must be 21+ to attend $20 fee per person 

Hello everyone! For our first dinner together, we’re keeping things low-key and casual. Take a look at the menu and let us know what you think we want this to be easy, relaxed, and enjoyable for everyone. Quick housekeeping note: many restaurants require most of the party to be present before seating. No-shows impact the entire group, so if someone repeatedly commits and doesn’t show more than once, we’ll have to remove you from future dinners to keep things fair and smooth for everyone. Looking forward to a great night and even better conversations 🍽️✨

Join us for a casual chat over coffee & tea at Grandview Grind! Come out and meet some new people, enjoy your favorite drink, and make some new friends!