Bridge Clubs Los Angeles

🎉 Two Rooms and a Boom + Ultimate Werewolf + Potluck!

CFI-West Skeptics Book Club

Join us for the CFI-West Skeptics Book Club monthly meeting! We meet both in person and on Google Meet. There's always a lively conversation, whether you've read the book or not (though... reading helps). November 18th's selection is "How to Be a Dictator: The Cult of Personality in the Twentieth Century" by Frank Dikötter. You can get 15% off at Skylight Books if you mention our book club in the comments at checkout. The in-person meeting will be hosted at the Center for Inquiry West at 2535 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026. Park in the lot off Rampart behind the building. The meeting is upstairs in the conference room. Bring any snacks you'd like to share! **We'll be extending a new practice: the in-person meeting will continue an additional half-hour after we say goodbye to our online friends at 9 PM.** Virtual attendees, join us on Google Meet. Use this link: https://meet.google.com/sqd-ujpn-nhf Bring your nominations for future books - we'll be voting at the end of the meeting!

Boyle Heights Chess Club

**Boyle Heights Chess Club** Weekly Wednesday Chess Club 6pm-12am Free Event 21+ Join us every Wednesday, for a relaxed beginner-friendly chess meetup where everyone is welcome! Whether you’re learning the game, looking to sharpen your skills, or just simply want to meet fellow chess players, you’ll find a welcoming community and plenty of games. Feel free to bring a friend, challenge someone new, or just hang out and have a drink. We also have plenty of pool tables if you need a little break from playing chess. Chess boards are available, but you’re welcome to bring your own.

Colorado Street Bridge

We'll be meeting in the **parking lot** of **La Casita Del Arroyo Club House**. The parking lot will be gated closed, so please find surrounding parking. I suggest parking near the **intersection of South Arroyo Boulevard & Westbridge Place, on Westbridge Place.** See Map below: ***"Suicide Bridge"*** During the early part of the 20th century, the Colorado Street Bridge became known locally as "[Suicide Bridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_bridge)" after dozens of people leaped to their deaths. The number of deaths spiked during the Great Depression, but the deaths did not stop there. The [balustrade](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balustrade) was replaced by an 8-foot-high (2.4 m) barrier in an effort to deter suicides, but the bridge retained its nickname. To this day, some still use the bridge as a means to end their lives. In 2016, temporary anti-suicide barriers, in the form of 10-foot-high chain link fencing, were installed on the sidewalk inside the balustrade, blocking the seating alcoves. These alcoves are believed to be the primary route taken by suicide victims. In 2017, there were nine deaths by suicide. In 2018, there were four deaths by suicide from the bridge by September. ***In Culture*** One of the earliest films in which the bridge appears is in Charlie Chaplin's *[The Kid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kid_(1921_film))* (filmed 1919–1920), when a mother is shown at the east end of the bridge pining for her son at about the 12-minute mark. In 1989, after the [Loma Prieta earthquake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_Loma_Prieta_earthquake) in [Northern California](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_California), the bridge was declared a seismic hazard and closed to traffic. It was reopened in 1993 after a substantial [retrofit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seismic_retrofit). The bridge is closed each summer for a festival, A Celebration on the Colorado Street Bridge, hosted by historic preservation group Pasadena Heritage. An episode from the [eighth season](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_House_(season_8)) of the series *[Full House](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_House)*, "Leap of Faith", featured the bridge in a [bungee jumping](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bungee_jumping) scene. The bridge was depicted as being in the [San Francisco](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco) Bay Area. The 2012 [Lana Del Rey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lana_Del_Rey) song "[Summertime Sadness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summertime_Sadness)" for the album *[Born To Die](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_To_Die)* filmed parts of its music video on the bridge. Actress Jaime King is seen climbing over a section of the bridge and then jumping off later in the video. The bridge was the site of the beginning of *[The Amazing Race](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Race_(American_TV_series))* [season](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Race_21). The contestants had to rappel down the side of the bridge to their waiting cars to start the race. In the 2016 romantic musical film *[La La Land](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_La_Land)*, the protagonists took an evening stroll across the bridge. **“A photographer is like a painter. Instead of a canvas, he uses film… instead of brushes he uses a lens… and instead of paint, he uses light.” – Weegee**

Highland Park Chess Club

The Highland Park Chess Club has been holding weekly events in our community for over three years and has grown into a well-attended and beloved chess meetup. We meet every Wednesday evening at Belle's Delicatessen & Bar, on the beautifully lit back patio. Open to all ages and skill levels. No need to bring anything, except for a few friends if you’d like! Organized by Aron Rivin

LWS November Book Club: 'EXIT PARTY' by Emily St. John Mandel

It's time for November Book Club and in preparation for holiday gatherings our theme for November is DINNER PARTY! **'Exit Party' by Emily St. John Mandel** Los Angeles, 2031: The first spring after the collapse of the United States, peacekeeping troops withdraw from the city, the Jacaranda trees blossom, and the curfew is finally lifted. Ari Waker and her roommate pass the gauntlet of bomb-sniffing dogs, the shanty towns, and the Red Cross tents as they walk across Silverlake to a party. The mood is ecstatic inside the apartment, people drink and dance, a woman wears a silver dress, pleated like tinfoil. And then: A shift. A bewildered twin, an uncanny doppelganger stumbles through the crowd and out into the night, and Kareem, the party’s host, vanishes into thin air. As Ari Waker unravels the mystery of this inexplicable night, Emily St. John Mandel unfurls a story that takes us from a future America splintered by civil war to the seaside cliffs of Greece where weapons dealers hide in an elegant resort, and from the domed city of Paris to a colony on the moon. A novel about the price of safety, the perils of the surveillance state, a requiem for a world not unlike our own, and a breathtaking story of resilience in the face of cataclysmic change. **[Amazon Link](https://www.amazon.com/Exit-Party-Emily-John-Mandel/dp/0593321464/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.g46OqYGzrwN9s2UhY802ZGHZzGgyX4yK7GwG_6c6-xe6Bl98zGn45IcSak7i59fjgQML_q14SUkBCoWn2qGy1GbLYhOjF6fdwcvKMqGos9EJEcS_uQpX9mJ_XHojM6NPL7OXOwa5SJQo-DM_9p16-39TLdokvVTEmxCU_Ya_3bMAj-EkljNTyLXgo5MrFWSdZ7Kl1PaiOQYJHuiEWLKuow.J8Hw1EqYahzNsEjId7bUMm9L3Va8TbItuGmuZQdRW3Q&qid=1789159983&sr=1-1)** **Location:** Augustinei Wine Bar. Check out their **[MENU!!](https://www.augustinewinebar.com/menu)**[ ](https://www.augustinewinebar.com/menu)

NOHO Chess Social

NOHO Chess Social Tuesdays @ Brews Brothers 5140 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601 7pm–10pm Join us every Tuesday night for the NOHO Chess Social, the North Hollywood sister club of the LA Chess Social! Hosted at Brews Brothers — a lively local favorite with top-notch craft beer and occasional live music — this weekly meetup brings together chess enthusiasts of all levels. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just getting started, you’re welcome here! Boards and pieces are available on-site, but bringing friends (and a chess clock if you have one) is always encouraged. Hosted by NOHO Alej

Toastmasters Party! Voces Latinas & Lofty Speaker

Two Toastmasters meetings in one! This month, Lofty Speakers teams up Voces Latinas for a joint meeting! **Does the idea of public speaking freak you out? Join the club!** The best way to overcome the fear of public speaking is practice, practice, practice. And we have a more interesting way for you to do that…unless you really enjoy giving speeches to your mirror. If you’re ready to show the world - your coworkers, friends and family - the charismatic, intelligent and articulate part of you - or if you simply want to make a good impression at your next job interview, join the club. **Lofty & Voces are part of a network of more than 16,600 Toastmaster clubs in 143 countries around the world.** Our unique club is made up of a small group of creative professionals who have pledged to work on their fear of public speaking together twice a month. (For a grand total of 4 hours per month!) Public speaking is scary - but stick with us and you’ll not only learn how to master the art of communication… you’ll also learn to love it - and meet some great people along the way.

Chess and Oware Club at Beverly Hills Le Pain Quotidien

Welcome! All levels of chess players can join whether you're a beginner or a grand master. We'll be at the big table in the middle of the restaurant. Some chess sets will be provided but feel free to bring your own equipment. Please RSVP with number of guests if you plan to attend. We play chess between 1:30 - 6:00PM. Parking is FREE on Sunday in the parking structures between Santa Monica Blvd and South Santa Monica Blvd. I look forward to seeing you all at Le Pain! Since early 2026 We've also been playing **Oware** as well and now I'm making it an official part of the club. We play the international tournament version with Abapa rules. It's very easy to learn and a lot of fun to play. So, if there are any Oware players out there, you are most welcome to attend. Feel free to bring your Oware sets if you have them. Here's some info about Oware from Google: Oware is estimated to be roughly **7,000 years old**, making it widely regarded as one of the oldest continuously played board games in human history. Oware is a famous two-player abstract strategy board game in the mancala family, originating from West Africa and widely considered the national game of Ghana. The board has 12 small pits (houses) with four seeds or beans in each, and the goal is to capture 25 or more seeds to win. **A special note to new members and first time attendees:** There are may times where it looks like the only person attending the meetup is the organizer. Don't let that throw you. We have a core group of regulars who show up every week but are allergic to RSVP-ing. Getting them to RSVP is like trying to declaw a feral cat! We also have members who are not part of meetup so they can't RSVP in the first place. When we *do* get RSVPs, you can pretty much double; sometimes even triple that number to estimate attendance. So, come check us out even when it looks like there's no one attending. Hope to see you there!

DTLA Chess Club

Welcome! The DTLA Chess Club is a lovely gathering every Sunday afternoon! This casual club is completely free and open to everyone! For three years, the DTLA Chess Club has been meeting at the Il Cafe, a lovely coffee shop with food and beverage options. (they also have beer/wine) As this event is held on the outside patio, on street level, dress appropriate for the weather. It is a fantastic and friendly group that has the feel of the famous New York Central Park chess scene. You may even be lucky to meet some celebrity chess players! Drop in whenever, grab some games, and enjoy the beautiful Downtown architecture! Other Notes: -If it is raining, or incredibly windy, the DTLA Chess Club will be cancelled automatically, regardless if we remember to update meetup. -This club has seasonal tournaments, and will be announcing special events, which are planned to occur once a month on Friday evenings, so stay tuned! Organized by Phil Warther (really fun guy) Check them out on Instagram for current updates @dtlachess

1st Holiday Mixer of the season: Potluck@Hollywood Sculpture Garden (free event)

The Hollywood Sculpture Garden is really a neat place . . . AND WE GET TO VISIT AND HAVE A SOCIAL THERE!!! It's located on private property and not normally open to the public. So it is indeed a special thing for us to go. (for free) Now . . . About this event: It is outdoors in a super-funky, pretty and cute location of The Hollywood Sculpture Garden. **This is intended as a "New To Meetup Mixer." Meaning if you are new to Meetup, or new to the group, been in the group for a while but not attended an event or even just new to the city, . . . then come.** A perfect way to meetup some quality people over some even better wine. **And very perfect if this is your first meetup ever!! Come join us.** If you are an existing member, . . . then you are equally welcome. After all . . who will be the welcome wagon for all the new people? Now . . . A little bit MORE about this event: Sunset is expected for 4:55 PM 4 PM Event STARTS 4 to 5 PM . . . General arrival window. 4:55 PM . . . . Sunset (if all goes according to plan) 6:00 PM . . . . The light show begins 4:0 PM to 8:59 . . . General socializing & art appreciation over food and drinks. 9:00 PM Event Ends 9:01 onwards . . . the night is young. Head off to other cool places with new friends. Oh!!!!!! One other thing **It's Pot-luck/Drink-luck.** Your ticket for entry is a dish or a drink. Bring anything that is good to share for serve 10 people. Or a nice bottle of wine, or dozen beers (if cheap beer), 6 pack of craft beer. We will provide the tables, dishes, plastic-ware, cups, napkins, etc. **Frist:** RSVP **SECOND**: Be sure to Fill out the Attendees Form so have name on guest list [https://forms.gle/oPv6oB7gmV6wL8Pf9](https://forms.gle/oPv6oB7gmV6wL8Pf9) **Third**: Pick up a dish or drink to bring to the event. **Fourth**: Show up (at the event) with your best self and be ready to be social and have fun. I know what you are thinking . . . * will this be fun? * is this a cool place? * will there be people as cool as me there? * or even . . . . I'm not cool & I am shy/introverted . . . * will I be able to fit in and enjoy too? ***And the answer is yes to all.*** **[WATCH THIS!!!](https://youtu.be/xm3TLYKLHqI) Here is a vid from an actual event we did there.** It was summer of 2021. Watch the whole thing and you will see the food/wine . . . the place, . . . where we hang out and how. As well as what it looks like at day and nite. AND . . . you get of feel of the people, place and vibe. (reg link to the vid) [https://youtu.be/xm3TLYKLHqI](https://youtu.be/xm3TLYKLHqI) And to see pix from past visits. [https://photos.app.goo.gl/dGoqMzDfCuFT4NDJA](https://photos.app.goo.gl/dGoqMzDfCuFT4NDJA) ***The Plan:*** * ***Event Starts 4:00 PM*** * ***We socialize . . . Catch Sunset.*** * ***Then more socialize and the the lights will go on.*** ***Question:*** Tell me about this socialize thing? ***Answer:*** It's a Potluck. Bring a dish. OR bring Merlot. Then social happens from there. Question: ***The cost for all this?*** Answer: ***FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE. And bring a dish or drinks.*** PARKING: Parking is tight to non-existent the location. The Google Form will used to make sure you have ALL the best parking info. This event is cross posted to several meetup groups. So there will be plenty of folks. Some goals for this event . . . * To make new friends. * To make more friends. * To go to new places. * To be more social (in real life). NOTICE: For our events we do not discriminate by Age, Race, Color, Religion, Ethnicity, National Origin, Political Affiliation, Relationship Status, Gender, Gender Preference, or even Belly Button Lint. We welcome all, . . . and that includes you.

ONLINE LIVE- Are you Brighter than a 6th grader? Trivia

**\*TO ATTEND REGISTER AT - [https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13686#tix](https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13686#tix)** Cost: $15- $20 depending on how early you register. (\*Multiple Meetup groups are co-organizing so RSVP's shown are just a small % attending. ABOUT: Do you know more than 6th Graders! Here is your opportunity to have some fun playing our Live interactive trivia game (Categories will be History, English/literature, Geography, Science, Math, Potpori). HOW IT WORKS: You can attend via a computer & Webcam or Smartphone/Ipad/Tablet. This completely online event will be LIVE and you will be able to see and hear the other participants while playing. In addition you get to meet and interact with other participants. At game time, your host will read off Trivia questions. Your goal is to come up with the right answer to each question and write it down on your paper. Once the round is over (about 6 questions), we will go through the answers and determine who had the highest score for the round. They will get a raffle ticket for a chance to win a prize at the end of the event. We will have multiple rounds of play and have a system to also virtually introduce you to other participants. HOW DO YOU FIND THE VIRTUAL ROOM: After you purchase your ticket, you will get a confirmation with the zoom link ON DAY OF THE EVENT. RSVPS ON HERE ARE NOT REFLECTIVE OF ACTUAL ATTENDANCE as this is a multi group event. **\*TO ATTEND REGISTER AT - [https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13686#tix](https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13686#tix)** Cost: $15- $20 depending on how early you register.