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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Check out avalon events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.

Discover all the avalon events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.

Absolutely! Find avalon events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.

Avalon Events Today

Join in-person Avalon events happening right now

SOS North Bethesda/Rockville Happy Hour
SOS North Bethesda/Rockville Happy Hour
Join us at Seasons 52 Restaurant in North Bethesda. Join sailors from the Singles on Sailboats club and learn about our sailing opportunities -- day sails and weekends on the Chesapeake, bareboat charter opportunities around the world. Third Thursday of each month. www.singlesonsailboats.org Explore your interest in sailing, whether you're just curious, a novice, experienced, or a skipper. SOS offers many ways to engage in the sport, educational presentations, and varied social events on a limited budget. Come to our Happy Hour, meet some members, learn about the club, and consider joining! Just ask for the SOS Group. **FYI:** Though Meet Up may show few people attending, when you arrive many of the actual Singles on Sailboats club members will be there also. So, meet and greet, learn about the club and enjoy a Happy Hour with like-minded boaters. Host: Debbie Goldberg For more information about this gathering contact Debbie Goldberg at hidebbieg@yahoo.com
BAD Singalong: Disney Divas and Leading Ladies
BAD Singalong: Disney Divas and Leading Ladies
PLEASE NOTE: BAD stands for Broadway And Disney. Mostly Broadway and Disney, all night. That's right. No karaoke mic, just an old fashioned singalong. Celebrate Women’s History Month the BAD Singalong way: loud, dramatic, and powered by women and femmes who knew exactly what they were doing. This singalong centers divas, villains, leading ladies, and complicated icons whose songs still demand to be sung at full volume. The playlist is shaped by the people who show up and speak up: a crowd-built mix of Broadway and beyond, big feelings and bigger belts, petty anthems, power ballads, and unforgettable key changes. If it’s a song that lives rent-free in your head, there’s a good chance it'll make the cut. No solos required, enthusiasm strongly encouraged. Come scream-sing with friends, meet new ones, and honor Women’s History Month together, loudly, and on purpose. 💅🎤 I'll get there by 6:30 pm to setup. Doors open by 7 pm, if you get there early. We'll be upstairs. You can join our FB group here to keep up with news and events, as well as vote for songs in the playlist: fb.com/groups/BADSingalong Generally looking at third Thursdays throughout 2026, adjusting for scheduling depending on conflicts for hosts, and holidays for regular attendees, which will be confirmed no later than the month before.
What Technology Are You Optimistic About?
What Technology Are You Optimistic About?
Details Location: Crimson Whiskey Bar (Either the downstairs whiskey bar, or main floor bar, TBD) The purpose of Thinkers and Drinkers is to facilitate casual but meaningful and interesting conversations with other people in a face-to-face setting. The topics cover a wide variety of issues and are different for every meeting. While conversations may get heated at times, we ask that all members be respectful of each other and refrain from personal insults. Here's the updated version: *** **Topic: Reasons to Be Excited (A Technology Optimism Round)** It's easy to doom-scroll your way into thinking the world is falling apart. And honestly, some of our recent meetings haven't helped. So this time, we're flipping the script: what technology are you actually *excited* about? This isn't a request for blind techno-utopianism. Skepticism is welcome. But the goal is to spend some time on the genuine wins and promising horizons, because there are more of them than the headlines suggest. Here's a quick tour of some things worth being optimistic about: * **AI in everyday life** — Love it or hate it, AI tools are genuinely saving people hours of tedious work. From coding assistants to writing tools to writing this very event descriptin you're reading now to AI that sits inside your spreadsheets and email, the practical applications are moving faster than most people expected even two years ago. The question is less "will this be useful?" and more "who actually benefits, and when?" * **Clean energy's quiet boom** — Solar and battery storage have had a decade of jaw-dropping cost reductions. The U.S. added more renewable capacity last year than any year on record. It's not fast enough for some, but the trajectory is real. * **CRISPR and gene editing** — In late 2023, the FDA approved the first CRISPR-based treatment for sickle cell disease — a condition that has caused lifelong suffering for millions of people with very few good options. It's the first of what could be a long list of genetic diseases that are now, for the first time, actually curable rather than just manageable. * **Lab-grown meat** — Chicken and beef grown directly from animal cells, no slaughter required. It's real, it's been approved for sale in the US, and while it's still expensive and not yet on your grocery shelf, the cost curves are dropping fast. Whether you care about animal welfare, climate, or just think it's cool, this one is quietly wild. * **SpaceX and the new space economy** — Reusable rockets went from fantasy to routine. Launch costs have dropped by an order of magnitude in 15 years, opening the door to satellite internet in remote areas, new science missions, and yes, eventually humans on Mars (whether or not that excites you). * **Brain-computer interfaces** — Still early, still expensive, but Neuralink and others are giving paralyzed patients the ability to control devices with their thoughts. The sci-fi shelf life on this one is getting shorter. **Questions to Consider:** * Is there a technology you were skeptical about that has actually won you over? What changed your mind? * Which of these feels most overhyped — and which feels *under*hyped? * Are the benefits of new technology reaching people broadly, or mostly concentrating among the already-fortunate? * Is optimism about technology a luxury? Does it depend on where you live, how much money you have, or what you do for work? * What's something small and unglamorous — not AI, not space — that has genuinely made your life better recently?
Evening Meditation for Peace & Clarity - Maryland (Unwind. Breathe. Reset)
Evening Meditation for Peace & Clarity - Maryland (Unwind. Breathe. Reset)
**Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 7:00pm-7:30pm** Join us for a calming **guided evening meditation** designed to help you **release stress**, **quiet the mind**, and **restore inner peace**, even if you’ve never meditated before. * **Time:** 7:00–7:30 PM * **Format:** Gentle guidance + quiet time + peaceful reflection * **Perfect for:** Beginners and experienced meditators * **What to bring:** Just yourself **Come as you are. Leave feeling lighter.** * **Reserve your spot** (recommended) * **Free Event - Donations Appreciated** * **Bring a friend. First-timers welcome!** * **Arrive early to settle in. Doors open at 6:30 PM.**
LGBTQ+ Book Club @ Federico Ristorante Italiano
LGBTQ+ Book Club @ Federico Ristorante Italiano
**Please note that Go Gay DC is listing this exciting event as a community service, but is not running the event. Just go and have a fun time!** The monthly LGBTQ+ Book Club meets @ [Federico](https://www.federicoristoranteitaliano.com/) at 7:30 p.m. Simply ask the manager for the Book Club table. This event is also listed on **[Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1982163649835?aff=oddtdtcreator)**. We will discuss [Running with Scissors](https://www.amazon.com/Running-Scissors-Memoir-Augusten-Burroughs/dp/031242227X "https://www.amazon.com/Running-Scissors-Memoir-Augusten-Burroughs/dp/031242227X") by Augusten Burroughs. Everyone welcome. Please RSVP in advance by emailing lovellsjl@aol.com . If you wish to optionally dine (on separate checks of course), the menu is at [https://www.federicoristoranteitaliano.com/menu/dinner](https://www.federicoristoranteitaliano.com/menu/dinner) The Book Club, hosted by EQUALITY NoVa, is yet another opportunity to engage in a fun and rewarding activity. We meet monthly, usually on the third Thursday of each month, at Federico’s for a lively discussion of that month’s selected book. We don’t discriminate when it comes to genre, we read – from classic literature to best selling novels to biographies to histories to gay fiction! EQUALITY NoVa serves Northern Virginia's LGBTQ+ and Allies and is a strong beacon for equality. It is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit open to all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ) people and straight allies. It provides fun social activities, builds relationships with elected officials, and works with civic groups on community service. For more information, visit [https://www.equalitynova.org](https://www.equalitynova.org) This event is being boosted by **[Go Gay DC](https://www.gogaydc.com/)**[,](https://www.gogaydc.com/) Metro Washington DC's inclusive LGBTQ+ community focused on friendship, leadership, and service. It reaches over 10K fabulous people and is growing fast. Visit [https://www.gogaydc.com](https://www.gogaydc.com/) Casual attire is fine. **Metro Directions:** Be eco-friendly. Crystal City Metro station on the Yellow/Blue lines is the closest Metro stop. When you arrive, go out the station, walk towards your left to 18th Street and then veer right and walk under the Route 1 overpass to Eads St. Turn left and walk to 23rd Street. Turn right. Federico is half a block up 23rd Street on your right. Parking is usually available nearby on the residential side streets. About 10 LGBTQ+ folk regularly attend. There's no need to print out and show me your Eventbrite ticket. Please be sure to tag any event photos on social with #gogaydc This event is a safe, inclusive space for everyone under the rainbow. This event is for all ages. Remember to bring your ID, as everyone who wishes to drink alcohol is carded of course. Go Gay DC is on social media: Join the Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/GoGayDC](https://www.facebook.com/groups/GoGayDC) Like the Facebook Page [https://www.facebook.com/GoGayDC](https://www.facebook.com/GoGayDC) Follow on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/GoGayDC/](https://www.instagram.com/GoGayDC/) Follow on Threads [https://www.threads.com/@GoGayDC](https://www.threads.com/@GoGayDC?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExN2tRNWxxbmJINDBLRjgyeHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR6w6hV7nnd4_ib7hO4sGpsSn_cdXfPd75Bu3M7zmEi9Dl9TPCaWhdsOiMuyEg_aem_2P-pfs9FaQjn7QAvmFHriw) Follow on Bluesky [https://gogaydc.bsky.social/](https://gogaydc.bsky.social/) Follow on X [https://www.x.com/GoGayDC](https://www.x.com/GoGayDC) Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/GoGayDC](https://www.youtube.com/GoGayDC) LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/GoGayDC](https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/GoGayDC?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExN2tRNWxxbmJINDBLRjgyeHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5wn7CoNkDnzZk1J8PGqEXSOaiVTjajzIpsVdNeg2WI7X_BJ5MeR6ierA9SUg_aem_YJJoTeXOh5HTjDXienXIZQ) Search keywords: LGBT LGBTQ LGBTQI LQBTQIA Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Intersex Straight Allies nonbinary non-binary

Avalon Events This Week

Discover what is happening in the next few days

Ruinart Champagne Brunch @ Lupo Verde Osteria
Ruinart Champagne Brunch @ Lupo Verde Osteria
Lupo Verde Osteria presents authentic, rustic, Italian fare featuring a variety of small plates, house-made charcuteries, breads, cheeses and antipasti. Six house-made pastas, and six entrée selections including whole roasted fish and a premiere selection of meats. We will enjoy their bottomless brunch offering, with a 3 oz pour of a 2017 Ruinart Singulier and the 2018 Ruinart Singulier. The ticket price is inclusive of the food, Champagne, tax, tip, etc. You will be able to add anything else you desire on your own tab. Champagne Ruinart was one of the first champagne houses, established in 1729. It takes its name from the Benedictine monk Dom Ruinart, whose writings on Champagne were passed down through his family and resulted in the Maison Ruinart we know today. Dom Ruinart was born in Champagne in 1657, and died in 1709. He moved from his home to an abbey just outside of Paris, where he began to learn about the "wine with bubbles", which was very popular among the young aristocrats of the time. He believed it could be made best on the soils of his hometown. Upon his death in 1709, he left many books containing his writings on this to his nephew Nicolas Ruinart and, 20 years later, Maison Ruinart was founded. The Ruinart house was passed through the family for the next two centuries, during which time they were the first to ship rosé Champagne, as well as being the first to ship their bottles in wooden cases. From humble beginnings, the house now produces almost 2 million bottles a year and is currently owned by luxury brand superpower LVMH. The 2017 Singulier is only available at the Ruinart property in champagne, France. The cost of the event is $125 and all guests must prepay to reserve their seat. Once paid, no refunds will be given but you can have somebody else come in your place.
Nature Walk at the Arboretum
Nature Walk at the Arboretum
Sunday Morning Long Run
Sunday Morning Long Run
Come out and run with us along the shady Anacostia Tributary Trails! These runs tend to be longer than our other club runs. Average mileage is 4-6 miles, but some members might go farther (and others shorter). We meet in front of Mission BBQ at 8:00AM for introductions, then walk over together to the Indian Creek Trailhead. We are always happy to welcome new faces (and feet)!
Spring Equinox/Ostara at Lake Accotink
Spring Equinox/Ostara at Lake Accotink
PFS #1-17: The Perennial Crown Part 2, The Thorned King (3-6)
PFS #1-17: The Perennial Crown Part 2, The Thorned King (3-6)
A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for levels 3–6 (subtiers 3–4 and 5–6). In part 2 of The Perennial Crown, the PCs must evade the fearsome fey known as the Thorned Monarch. This unrelenting tyrant will stop at nothing to hunt down the PCs and claim their discoveries for themself, bringing to bear not only their awesome physical and magical power, but also manipulating the innocent Bhopanese citizens in their desperate attempts to stop the PCs from fleeing Bhopan with the one item that could put an end to the evil fey's ambitions. Written by: Alex Augunas **Scenario tags**: Metaplot
Giambattista Vico's The New Science
Giambattista Vico's The New Science
Giambattista Vico (1668-1744) stands as one of the great dissenters from the Cartesian worldview that dominated eighteenth-century Europe, and as one of the first sociologists and philosophers of history and class struggle. While Descartes and his followers sought to extend the geometric method to all domains of knowledge, Vico insisted that human affairs require a fundamentally different approach. He grounded this approach not in mathematical certainty but in rhetoric, imagination, and historical understanding. Vico spent most of his life in Naples, working as a professor of rhetoric. From this position, he watched Cartesian science sweep the academies, displacing the ancient humanistic traditions he cherished. His early works defended the value of rhetoric and imagination against those who saw clarity and distinctness as the sole criteria of knowledge. Vico was developing the idea that cultivated imagination is its own, independently valid way of knowing. But his mature philosophy went further, expanding his concept of imaginative or poetic knowing into a comprehensive science of history that has been seen as fundamentally at odds with the Enlightenment project. At the heart of Vico's thought lies the *verum-factum* principle: we can truly know only what we ourselves have made. Since God made the natural world, only God can fully comprehend it. But the civil world—the world of laws, customs, languages, and institutions—is a human creation, and therefore deeply knowable by human minds. This insight reverses the effect of the mathematical philosophy, which had seemed to make physics knowable and human affairs unaccountable. In his great work, the *New Science*, Vico develops his insight into a comprehensive philosophy of history. He argues that all nations pass through an ideal eternal history—a cycle of three ages (gods, heroes, and humans) driven not by rational deliberation but by providence working through human passions and necessities. The earliest humans, Vico claims, did not think in concepts but in what he calls "imaginative universals"—mythic figures like Jove and Juno that organized experience through poetry and ritual rather than analysis. Understanding this "poetic wisdom" requires overcoming what Vico calls the "conceit of scholars": our tendency to assume that ancient peoples thought as we do or did not think at all. **Readings** *[The New Science](https://www.amazon.com/Science-Penguin-Classics-Giambattista-Vico/dp/0140435697?tag=ustxtaddt-20&asin=0140435697&revisionId=&format=4&depth=1)*, Third Edition (1744) * Book 1, parts 2-4 * Book 2, Introduction, parts 1-4, Part 5 paragraphs 582-661 * Book 4 * Book 5 * Conclusion **Further Readings** *[The New Science](https://www.amazon.com/Science-Penguin-Classics-Giambattista-Vico/dp/0140435697?tag=ustxtaddt-20&asin=0140435697&revisionId=&format=4&depth=1)*, Third Edition (1744) * Idea of the work (for an idiosyncratic precis of Vico's project in the form of an image * Book 3 (for an application of Vico's critical method to the Homeric corpus) [Vico, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy](https://iep.utm.edu/vico/) [Vico, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy](https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/vico/)

Avalon Events Near You

Connect with your local Avalon community

Libera Animae - Freeing the Soul
Libera Animae - Freeing the Soul
Main Library, Meeting Room 2B Join us for a welcoming evening of reflection, gentle music, and meaningful conversation. We’ll begin with a short grounding moment, followed by a brief reading from spiritual or philosophical traditions, and an open reflection circle where participants can share (or simply listen). Libera Animae is an interfaith community focused on inner growth, creativity, and authentic connection. All backgrounds are welcome.
Free In-person Meeting: Unwanted Emotions & Loneliness, How to Get Over Them
Free In-person Meeting: Unwanted Emotions & Loneliness, How to Get Over Them
This is an in-person meeting. Did you know that unwanted emotions like loneliness, sadness, hopelessness, anger, fear, anxiety, or feelings of irritation don’t just fall on you for no reason. They are not random occurrences that simply happen to people's minds. They are definitely not chemical imbalance in your brain due to some nebulous chemical reactions by chance. Your negative emotions are the symptoms of the painful experiences that you have which are not healed, and which are still affecting you. The effects of these painful experiences are exacerbated by the pressures or difficulties of the other problems in your life. For instance, let's say you are already carrying a huge load on your back, then you cannot take on much more, but, let's say something else happens to you, such as the difficulties from the Pandemic, then the resultant combined weight on you can take you over the edge, kind of like the straw that break the camel's back. When this happens, people's attention usually goes to the straw that was added, but actually the majority of the weight had come from the huge load that were already there, holding a person down and causing a person issues. So how do you remove the huge load that was already there? How do you lighten them up? Is it possible to get rid of them? That is what this meeting will be all about. Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is created by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.
LGBT Reads: In-Person Book Discussion
LGBT Reads: In-Person Book Discussion
Join us for our March Book Club gathering where we will come together to discuss *The Manor of Dreams* by Christina Li in a safe and welcoming environment. Make new friends who share your passion for books and connect with fellow LGBTQ book enthusiasts.
The Bi-Weekly Board Game Extravaganza!
The Bi-Weekly Board Game Extravaganza!
Rosicrucian Symposium Watch Party
Rosicrucian Symposium Watch Party
Indianapolis Online Speed Dating for Long-Term Relations
Indianapolis Online Speed Dating for Long-Term Relations
**💕 Indianapolis Virtual Speed Dating – A Hosted, Newcomer-Friendly Experience!** **🔴 KEY NOTICE: RSVP ≠ Guaranteed Entry!** You must sign up via your age group link below AND finish the personality quiz. This is required to take part. **Limited places** – register right away to avoid missing out! **🎯 Pick Your Age Group & Sign Up Now:** - **Ages 18-32** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=390&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Indianapolis&groupurlname=alpine-frost-love-thaw&ar=18-32&face_v=3.0) - **Ages 30-46** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=390&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Indianapolis&groupurlname=alpine-frost-love-thaw&ar=30-46&face_v=3.0) - **Ages 40-58** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=390&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Indianapolis&groupurlname=alpine-frost-love-thaw&ar=40-58&face_v=3.0) - **Ages 55+** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=390&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Indianapolis&groupurlname=alpine-frost-love-thaw&ar=55+&face_v=3.0) --- 🙌 **Brand new to speed dating?** You've found the perfect starting point! Think of it as the most relaxed first date you'll ever have – from your sofa, with a host keeping things lively, and a room of Indianapolis singles who are just as eager (and perhaps just as nervous) as you. 🎯 **Perfect for:** - Singles who feel uneasy about meeting in person and prefer starting from home - Working professionals who prioritise their time and comfort - Singles who feel most at ease connecting from home first - First-time speed daters excited to try something different - Remote workers who enjoy the flexibility of virtual meetups **Event Details** - **Format:** Zoom video session – interactive, personal, and inviting - **Location:** Anywhere you have Wi-Fi – your sofa, your café, your pick - **Host:** Encouraging facilitator experienced in helping first-timers enjoy speed dating - **Vibe:** Welcoming, judgement-free conversations with singles from the Indianapolis area **How It Works** 1. **Select Your Session** – Pick the age group that suits you and claim your spot. 2. **Answer a Few Quick Questions** – Our quiz helps pair you with compatible Indianapolis singles. 3. **Join the Zoom Session** – Log in from home and greet your host. We’ll take care of the rest! 4. **Start Chatting** – Short, timed conversations with compatible Indianapolis singles. No awkward pauses! 5. **Connect After the Event** – Mutual matches are shared so you can keep the conversation going. ⭐ *"I nearly didn't sign up because I was anxious. So happy I did – best choice I've made!"* – First-time speed dater **Frequently Asked Questions** **What if I'm shy or introverted?** You're in exactly the right place! The virtual format and hosted conversations make it comfortable and easy for everyone. **What's the personality quiz for?** It helps us pair you with compatible people so your conversations are more likely to hit it off! --- ✨ Stop waiting for the ideal moment. This is it. Meet Indianapolis singles this evening! 💘 ✨