Bamboo

※English part below 日本文化のひとつ「節分の日」👹 みんなで恵方巻きを作って食べながら、文化＆言語交換を楽しみましょう🤝🏻✨ 初心者の方も大歓迎です🔰 ⏰ 日時：2月3日（火）18:00〜20:00 📍 場所：Eglinton ※Yonge Eglinton Centre地下フードコート集合後、会場まで徒歩で移動する予定です 💰 参加費：$22（+ お菓子1品をご持参ください） 💳 **お支払いについて** 参加費は【**事前支払い**】をお願いしています。 **🚫 キャンセルについて** 準備の都合上、当日キャンセルはご遠慮ください。 やむを得ない場合は、できるだけ前日までにご連絡をお願いいたします。 皆さまのご理解とご協力をよろしくお願いいたします。 **🍽️食材について** 一部の食材には、魚介類（魚・甲殻類）、卵、大豆、小麦が含まれています。 また、本イベントの食材はハラール認証を受けていませんが、ベジタリアン向けのオプションはご用意しています。 ご質問がありましたら、下記の Instagram までお気軽にDMください📩 [@101.canadamingle](https://www.instagram.com/101.canadamingle?igsh=ZjVtb3Jscjc0anhx) ———————————————————— 👹 Setsubun – A Japanese Cultural Experience! 🇯🇵 Join us to make and enjoy Ehomaki (traditional sushi rolls) together, while having fun with cultural & language exchange 🤝✨ Beginners are very welcome!✨ ⏰ Date & Time Tuesday, February 3rd, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM 📍 Location: Eglinton *We will meet at the Yonge Eglinton Centre food court (underground) and walk to the venue together.* 💰 Participation Fee: $22 *(Please also bring one snack to share)* 💳 **Payment** We kindly ask all participants to complete the payment **in advance**. 🚫 **Cancellation Policy** To ensure smooth event preparation, same-day cancellations are not accepted. If you need to cancel due to unavoidable circumstances, please let us know by the day before. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. 🍽️ **Food Information** Some ingredients may contain **seafood (fish & shellfish), eggs, soy, and wheat**. Please note that the ingredients are **not halal-certified**, but **vegetarian options will be available**. If you have any questions, feel free to send us a DM on Instagram 📩 [@101.canadamingle](https://www.instagram.com/101.canadamingle?igsh=ZjVtb3Jscjc0anhx)

平日の午後にボードゲームをしながらカジュアルに英語を練習しましょう！North York Centre のフードコートでやります。公共のスペースなので、料金はありませんが、周りに配慮をお願いします。 私がボードゲームは用意しますが、もしやりたいゲームがあれば、持ってきて貰って構いません。 会えるのを楽しみにしてます！ Let's have a casual weekday evening playing board games and practicing English. We'll play in the food court of North York Centre. This is a public space so there is no cost, but please be kind to other people in the area. I will bring my own board games, but if you have any you would like to play feel free to bring them as well. I look forward to meeting you!

Pretty much everyone has a relationship to gossip. Maybe you’ve engaged in gossip, maybe you’ve discovered that rumours have been spread about you, or maybe you’ve accused another of indulging in it. Whatever your relationship to it, gossip can influence and reveal much about our psychology. When can it be ethical, and what value does it bring - socially, evolutionarily, or politically? At our next café, we will explore questions about the nature of gossip and its value: * Why can gossiping feel … kinda good? * Under what circumstances might gossip be morally permissible? What about morally required? * How does gossiping affect relationships, for better and for worse? Why? * When you think of people gossiping, what image comes to mind? Who are they? What are they talking about? * What is the relationship between gossip and power? Join co-moderators Kate Morgan and Sophia Whicher to explore these questions and more on February 3rd. Xoxo ;) **Space is limited!** **Please obtain a “Pay-What-You-Can” ticket from Curiosity Café at [this link (click here)](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/curiosity-cafe-gossip-tickets-1981543717601) to attend this event. You need a ticket to be admitted.** See the above link for more info about tickets and other options including a limited number of free tickets. Come and hang out with us, grab food, and read through our handout from 6-6:30pm. Our structured discussion will run from 6:30-8:30pm with a 10 minute break in the middle. Hope to see you there! ***___________________________________________________________________*** This event is brought to you by [Being and Becoming](https://beingnbecoming.org/), a Toronto based non-profit. We aim to create community around exploring everyday concepts and experiences so that we may live more intentional, thoughtful, and meaningful lives. We use philosophy as a tool with which we can come to a richer understanding of the world around us. By offering activities, spaces, and other opportunities for conversation and co-exploration, we hope to enable the meeting and fusion of individuals and their ideas. Everyone is welcome, regardless of background: indeed, we believe the journey is best undertaken alongside explorers from a variety of disciplines, cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. Find out more about Being and Becoming [here](https://beingnbecoming.org/). About the Curiosity Café Series: For those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to join us at our Curiosity Cafés and are wondering what they’re all about: every two weeks, we invite members of our community to come out to the Madison Avenue Pub to engage in a collaborative exploration of our chosen topic. Through these events, we aim to build our community of people who like to think deeply about life’s big questions, and provide each other with some philosophical tools to dig deeper into whatever it is we are most curious about.

Join Lawrence, your top hatted host, for an evening of sleuthing our Toronto Reference Library. At 5:30 pm, we will meet at the Ginger Restaurant, for some Vietnamese beer and spring rolls with vermicelli. The Ginger has been here for 30+ years, serving up hot steamy goodness. 695 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4Y 2B2 https://www.gingerone.ca/index.html At 6:30 pmish, we will venture north up Yonge Street, to the scene of the crime, at the Toronto Reference Library 789 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4W 2G8 https://tpl.ca/locations/TRL/ All good investigations begin with detectives, so what better place to start than the study of Sherlock Holmes. We will ride the lift to the 5th floor and enter the abode on Baker Street. Afterwards, we will return to the ground floor to take in some exhibits of 3D printing and uncover some clues on how this mysterious marvel accomplishes this. No good investigation is complete without investigating the handwritten documents. Our last stop will be the TD Gallery. This wraps up our crime scene, so to speak. If you want to delve further, here are some of the places you can visit. 5th - Chinese archive 4th - Turntables and LP records 3rd - Magazines and Newspapers 2nd - Youth Zines Ground Floor - Balzacs and Bookends And there is a mural outside in Sherlock Holmes Walk, featuring artistic renditions by the Friends of Arthur Conan Doyle, which I have marked on the map guide. http://acdfriends.org/SHWalk-index.html

**.... Do you *dread* speaking in front of others? .... Need to *present* an important meeting? .... Is it time to *enhance* your communication skills?** **Meeting Theme: 'How to Choose a Topic'** Take this opportunity to learn how the Toastmasters Speechcraft program can rapidly improve your public communication. Gain new insights and benefit from the information provided by Toastmasters Speechcraft program. Join a meeting and experience the hands-on “how-to” instruction in public speaking. If you are an experienced Toastmaster or a guest exploring Toastmasters, you will acquire a new way of communicating your thoughts with increased clarity and impact. Each ‘discovery’ meeting will provide valuable tips to boost your confidence on stage. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and learn from experienced speakers. **What is the Toastmasters Speechcraft Discovery meeting?** You will: * gain insights into principles and strategies from expert speakers, * hear speeches and learn from evaluations given by advanced Toastmasters, * experience what happens at a real Toastmasters meeting, * get familiar with the Toastmasters Speechcraft program and resources, * discover the benefits of Toastmasters Speechcraft for personal and club growth. **Register NOW for any FREE Discovery meeting.** **Next Discovery Meeting:** Tuesday, Feb 3 6:45PM to 8:30PM **Have a question, contact organizer:** Phoenixtmvppr@gmail.com **Sponsor:** Phoenix-Toronto Toastmasters Club Phoenix-Toronto Toastmasters empowers individuals to master the communication skills that drive personal achievement and confidence. Through practice and peer feedback, you will rapidly develop presentation abilities, persuasive influence, and leadership presence. Accelerate your audience impact and transform your trajectory with skills that will help you grow your opportunities. **Speechcraft Discovery Series** **Week 1 – Tuesday, Feb 3, 2026** ‘How to Choose a Topic’ **Week 2 – Tuesday, Mar 3, 2026** ‘How to Organize a Speech’ **Week 3 – Tuesday, Mar 17, 2026** ‘Know Your Speech Purpose’ **Week 4 – Tuesday, Apr 7, 2026** ‘How to Impact with Body Language’ **Week 5 – Tuesday, Apr 21, 2026** ‘How to Use Vocal Variety’ **Week 6 – Tuesday, May5, 2026** ‘How to Create Images with Powerful Words’ **Week 7 – Tuesday, Jun 2, 2026** ‘Research Your Topic to Elevate Your Credibility’ **Week 8 – Tuesday, Jun 16, 2026** ‘Evaluate to Elevate’

\*These classes are not a language exchange, but instead are meant to be a step in between so that students feel confident maintaining in depth and grammatically correct oral conversations outside of class\* \***Meetup event numbers only tend to show new students registering and do not include returning students attending class.** **Per class, there is an average of 7 students.** The first 2 classes are free and then only cost between $15 and $35 depending on which type of class you want to continue with\* These French, English (For Spanish and French speakers only), and Spanish classes are primarily meant for adults who are travellers, or who are planning to live in a French, English, or Spanish-speaking country. The classes are primarily oral-based through guided conversations. They will teach you how to handle conversations in situations such as **"Going to the Convenience Store"**, **"Making Plans"**, **"Negotiating Prices"**, and **"Going out for a Drink"**. To ensure that students get used to using the language automatically, students will learn to maintain contextual conversations with timing before moving on to the next lesson. Call (647)787-9953, e-mail us info@monkeylingo.ca, or visit monkeylingo.ca for more information! **Online and private classes are also available!** No other language classes are as conversational as these ones. We guarantee it! Cheap parking can be found using the "Spot Hero" app.

Join us for a cozy Sunday afternoon of nut-milk tea, vegan treats, and easy conversation at **NUTTEA Toronto**. This is a new **monthly, small-group meetup** designed for people who enjoy a calm pace and an intimate setting—think **tea shop vibes**. Whether you’re coming solo, bringing a friend, or simply looking for a relaxed way to meet other plant-based folks (and plant-curious folks!), you’re in the right place. You don’t have to be vegan to attend—everyone is welcome. Just note that NUTTEA is **100% plant-based**, so everything on the menu is vegan and delicious. ✨ **Spots are limited** to keep the gathering comfortable, so if your plans change after RSVPing, please update your RSVP so someone else can join. *** ### 📍 Venue **NUTTEA Toronto** 637 Bloor Street West NUTTEA Menu: [https://nuttea.net/](https://nuttea.net/) We’ll be sipping their signature **nut-milk teas** and enjoying baked goods from **Bad Attitude Bread**—one of Toronto’s favourite vegan bakeries. Expect a warm, relaxed atmosphere and the perfect setting for a long, unhurried chat. *** ### 📅 Event Details **Sunday, February 8, 2026** **12:00 PM – 3:00 PM** No cover charge — just please support our host by purchasing a drink and/or treat. *** ### ✨ What to Expect • A small, friendly group • Cozy nut-based teas, lattes, and vegan pastries • A relaxed, sit-down meetup made for conversation • A welcoming space for both regulars and first-timers • A calm Sunday afternoon vibe on Bloor Street *** ### ☕ How it works Come in, grab a drink or snack, and settle in. We’ll have **name tags** to make intros easy, and the rest is simple: chat, connect, and enjoy. Conversation can be anything from: • favourite vegan spots in Toronto • recipes and food finds • plant-based living (or curiosity about it) • travel, work, hobbies, books, life stuff • animal rights, sustainability, or whatever’s on your mind No pressure, no agenda — just a cozy place to meet good people. *** ### ❓ Questions? Message the event hosts anytime — we’re happy to help.

The next event is happening on Saturday February 7 at 2:30PM at Danu Social House! Please RSVP if you're planning on coming so we can plan appropriately!

～English description below～ イベント参加費として、日本人の方(日本で生まれ育ち、現在英語を勉強している方)は$2、日本人以外の方(日本語を勉強している方)は$5頂いております。 皆さんから頂いたお金は、こちらのサイトの維持費や将来のランゲージエクスチェンジ施設利用料やソーシャルイベント等のために使われます。ご理解の程、よろしくお願いいたします。 予約受付開始：土曜日5:00PM(前イベント終了後) 予約取消締切：土曜日12:30PM(当日) 予約受付締切：土曜日1:30PM(当日) スケジュール 5.15 PM - 5:30PM - チェックイン、グループ分け 5:30 PM - 6:15PM - 日本語の時間［または英語の時間］ 6:15PM - 7:00 PM - 英語の時間［または日本語の時間］ イベント内容 ・対面でのLanguage Exchangeを再開しています！参加者のレベルに応じて、事前にオーガナイザーが3〜4名のグループをつくり、そのメンバーで各45分間、それぞれ英語と日本語でセッションを行なっていただきます。決まったディスカッショントピックなどはございませんので、気軽にフリートークや質問をしながらそれぞれのセッションを楽しんでいただければと思います。 ・体調が優れない方、あるいはここ数日中に体調が優れない人との接触があった方は、申し訳ありませんが参加をお控え願います。 開催場所：Atrium フードコート 地下鉄Dundas駅と直結していますが、多少分かりにくいため、特に初めて参加される方は次の方法で来れることをおすすめします。 Dundas駅から地上に出ていただき、Dunsas Streetを西にまっすぐ3分ほど歩いていただきます。 Bay Streetとの交差点北東角にある階段を降りてください。 階段を降りた場所にある入り口から入ったところがフードコートですので、そちらでTJEXのサインボードを持ったオーガナイザーにお声がけください。(わからなければメッセージをお願いします！) 予約規約（⚠️重要） ・当日の不参加、もしくは15分以上の遅刻(5:45PM以降)、また予約取消締切後の変更(13:00以降)は原則不参加(No-Show)とみなします。不参加(No-show)が3回になりますと会員登録が抹消され、退会となりますのでご注意ください。 ・イベントに遅れそうな場合は必ずオーガナイザーまでメッセージをお願いします。イベント開始時間にいるメンバーでグループを組み直すこともあるので、連絡なしで到着された場合はイベントに参加できない可能性もあります。原則、30分以上遅れての参加はご遠慮いただいております。あらかじめご了承ください。 キャンセル待ち ・満席の場合、”キャンセル待ち”リスト(waiting-list)にご登録いただくことが可能です。“参加予定”リスト（going-list)中に空席が発生した場合は、”キャンセル待ち”への登録が早かった方を優先に、”参加予定”へ移動いただけます。 ※ご注意※ ・空席ができた際は、自動的に”キャンセル待ち”より”参加予定”へ変更されます。この時にMeetupよりお知らせがあるかはわかりません。 ・システムにより自動的に”参加予定”とされ、それに気づかずに参加しなかった場合でも、不参加とみなされますのでご了承ください。 ・上記の理由により、確実に参加できる場合のみ”キャンセル待ち”への登録をお願いします。予定が入ってしまった場合は、”キャンセル待ち”にいる場合も必ずイベント当日の午後1時までに予め”不参加”リストに移動させてください。 質問 こちら (https://www.meetup.com/tjex-ca/pages/1274142/FAQ/)をご参照ください。または、オーガナイザーまでお問い合わせください。 Instagramアカウント @tjex.ca 最新情報やミートアップの様子を掲載しています。 ぜひこちらもフォローお願いします！ _______________________________________ ***Although our group is a non-profit organization, we collect $ 5 per English Speaker for every event. All the proceeds are used to run this website and for social events*** RSVP: RSVP open: 5:00 PM (Saturday after previous event) RSVP cancel deadline: Saturday, 2:00 PM (day of the event) RSVP close: Saturday, 3:00 PM (day of the event) Day of Event: 5:15 PM - 5:30 PM - Check-in and Group placement 5:30 PM - 6:15 PM - Japanese conversation 6:15 PM - 7:00 PM - English conversation Event Description: This is an in-person language exchange! Members are placed into groups of three or four based on their language level. Each 45 minute session consists of friendly casual conversation, and/or informal study. Optional Dinner : After the Language event, we usually go for Dinner. Dinner is optional, you may or may not join the Dinner, it depends on you. However, Dinner is only for Participants that joined on the day of the event. Event Location: Atrium Food Court The food court is directly connected to the Dundas subway station. Leave the subway station and walk west along Dundas Street. At the intersection of Bay Street and Dundas Street, you will find an entrance. Proceed down the escalator. The food court is on the basement floor. Please talk to the organizer with the signboard showing TJEX. (If you can’t find them, please send a message to the organizer.) ⚠️RSVP & Late Policy: If you are unable to join on the day of the event, please change your status from 'going-list' to 'not going-list'. Failure to Not show up will result in 1 No -Show. Also, in case of arriving 15 mins late to the event will result in 1 No-Show. Members are removed from the group after 3 No-Shows. Waiting List: Members can join the waiting-list even if an event is full. When a spot becomes available, we will move you to the going-list. Going List: Only Members on the going-list can participate on the day of the event. Group Instagram - @tjex.ca Feel free to follow us!

Toronto Interdimensional Book Club #2! Tuesday, February 3 2026 TIBC is back for another book club meetup after a brief hiatus for the holidays! We will be discussing Diane Pasulka's book "American Cosmic: UFOs, Religion, Technology". More than half of American adults and more than seventy-five percent of young Americans believe in intelligent extraterrestrial life. This level of belief rivals that of belief in God. American Cosmic examines the mechanisms at work behind the thriving belief system in extraterrestrial life, a system that is changing and even supplanting traditional religions. Over the course of a six-year ethnographic study, D.W. Pasulka interviewed successful and influential scientists, professionals, and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who believe in extraterrestrial intelligence, thereby disproving the common misconception that only fringe members of society believe in UFOs. She argues that widespread belief in aliens is due to a number of factors including their ubiquity in modern media like The X-Files, which can influence memory, and the believability lent to that media by the search for planets that might support life. American Cosmic explores the intriguing question of how people interpret unexplainable experiences, and argues that the media is replacing religion as a cultural authority that offers believers answers about non-human intelligent life. We will be meeting up at the Amsterdam Brewhouse, 245 Queens Quay West. Max group size of 8 attendees. Please only RSVP if you intend on showing up in person, TIA!

Toronto has a substantial Ethiopian and Eritrean population that sustains two enclaves. This hike goes through the larger one along Danforth Avenue, centered on Greenwood Avenue. There are solid mid-range restaurants along this stretch. Ethiopian, obviously, but also a "Toronto-style" pizza restaurant, Venzuelan arepas, and Toronto's only Dutch restaurant. Not forgetting the largest outpost for Kawartha Dairy ice cream in Toronto. Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee. The cafes and restaurants in this neighbourhood are a good opportunity to sample the acidic blend. Don't miss out on Ethiopian food if you've never had it before. It's unlike any other cuisine, featuring fermented spongy bread (injera), paprika and cardamom-laced curries, and even raw beef (kitfo). The Ethiopian restaurants along The Danforth are similar, so we'll pick one based on consensus. Good or bad news: there is no cutlery; you are expected to eat with your hands. **Highlights** 1. Greenwood subway station (depart 6:30pm) 2. Borrel 3. Wazema / The Wood Owl / Rendez-Vous 4. La Cigogne / La Vegan 5. Pomarosa 6. Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant 7. Mofer Coffee (depart 7pm) 8. The Rail Garden / Monarch Park 9. Garage murals along Felstead Avenue playground 10. Desta Market (depart 7:40pm) 11. Danforth Dragon / Square Boy / Abyssinia / Danforth Pizza House / Kawartha Dairy 12. Makkah Restaurant 13. Lalibela 14. Sala Modern Thai Kitchen / Blue Nile Restaurant (arrive 8:15pm) **Neighbourhoods** East Danforth > The Pocket > Danforth **Map** [https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1xMFInNTjuFLMqhW2YDa5dOvpxtsay0w&usp=sharing](https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1xMFInNTjuFLMqhW2YDa5dOvpxtsay0w&usp=sharing) **How it works** Hike starts punctually. Late or can't do the whole route? Meet us at scheduled checkpoints. We'll browse many food places but won't linger long. Grab ready-made food, or see the route in advance, organize takeout, then pickup along the way. Not sure what to try? Join our omakase for $5, which gives a tiny sample from different restaurants. Payment on the day of event by cash or e-transfer to [globaltorontoeats@gmail.com.](http://globaltorontoeats@gmail.com.) No refunds after orders are placed. Details of sampled food will be uploaded after the hike. Limited cutlery provided. Highly recommended to bring cutlery and containers for omakase and bringing back leftovers. See our [About section](https://www.meetup.com/hike-to-eat/) for more info.

Please note: this is an invitation to experience group workshops and private feminine embodiment coaching. To learn more please contact Amanda Clarke at lusciousfeminine@gmail.com. Feminine Embodiment Women's Circles & Coaching https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/2/f/0/600_460789904.jpeg There is a cosmic shift happening on the planet and women are tired of playing second fiddle in this game of life. Playing small not only keeps you from manifesting what you truly want, but it also holds you back from living out your divine purpose. I’ve been there, stuck, held back, and yearning to break-free and frankly being in that place plain 'ol sucks! What if you could step-up and make a difference; a meaningful contribution in this world by just being you? How might the landscape of your life look? Over for the past six years, I’ve worked with women who are looking to break out of the spell of smallness. It pangs me to see women depressed, depleted, disconnected and downright insecure. One of the reasons many of my clients rave about the work we do together is because I provide immediate results. What I teach is inherent within you but there are layers of gunk bogging you down from accessing this wisdom. Spinning your wheels, and living a life of lack is no way to live, beautiful. You are so much more! What can you expect from our sessions together: • A solid understanding of what feminine energy is, and how to use it to have your way with the world • Develop a physical and energetic presence that attracts what you want: personally and professionally. • Feel more comfortable with your sensuality, and with receiving positive attention. • Experience more passion in your life - particularly your love life. • Be more at ease setting clear boundaries with others. • Learn to be in flow rather than always pushing and striving to make things happen. • Look and feel more sexy, confident and radiant • Gain clarity about your life purpose and the greatest gifts you have to offer the world • Establish or strengthen your intuitive guidance Book a FREE 30-minute discovery call to learn how I can help support you on your journey to coming home to yourself as a woman. This means MORE self-love, MORE self-confidence, MORE clarity, MORE empowerment and saying YES to living out your divine mission. For more information on my coaching packages please visit www.lusciousfeminine.com or to book a FREE 30-minute complimentary Discovery Call, email Amanda at lusciousfeminine@gmail.com “Before working with Amanda, I was the dried-out, work-obsessed intellectual. I lived in my head and felt completely severed from the neck-down. I over-intellectualized emotionally-charged situations to avoid being present…I am [now] able to ease my ‘mind-babble’, step into my power as a woman knowing that I am safe and secure within my own space, and practice expressing my needs and desires from a more authentic place… Amanda helped me to be trust in the power of vulnerability, surrender, and acceptance. It has been a pleasurable journey! \~ Stefanie T. Amanda Clarke The Luscious Feminine http://www.lusciousfeminine.com http://www.facebook.com/thelusciousfeminine lusciousfeminine@gmail.com

Come for a Forest Bathing Walk at High Park. 🤍 We will be exploring Creating Your Own Joy Joy doesn’t always arrive on its own. Sometimes, it waits for an invitation. In a world that teaches us to postpone joy until things are finished, fixed, or figured out the forest offers a different lesson: joy can be created in the present moment, through attention, choice, and care. This forest therapy walk is an invitation to create your own joy. Not the loud, performative kind. Not forced positivity. But a steady, embodied joy that grows when we slow down, listen deeply, and reconnect with what feels true and nourishing. As we move gently through the forest, you’ll be guided through simple invitations to: • Tune into your senses • Follow curiosity and pleasure without guilt • Release heaviness and expectation • Notice what brings lightness to your body and breath Joy here is not something to achieve. It is something to practice. A leaf held in your hand. A moment of ease. A quiet yes to yourself. The forest reminds us that joy is a skill, a relationship, and a choice we can return to again and again. Come as you are. Create your joy. Carry it with you. We will meet in front of the High park Nature Centre at: 375 Colborne Lodge Dr There is no access for cars into the park on the weekends. Closest parking is on Bloor St and surrounding area. Please be mindful of signage. Note: I am a Certified Forest Therapy Guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. I am not a clinical therapist. Participation is at your own risk. The guide and organizers are not liable for any injury, loss, or damage. Please dress appropriately for the weather and trail conditions. A sheltered area will be available in the event of heavy rain or snow. By marking “Going,” you acknowledge and agree to these terms.

Start the year surrounded by Love From the Earth—with delicious vegan eats, sweet treats, artisan goods, and a chance to win one of our raffle baskets filled with plant-based goodies. Support small businesses, enjoy great food, and spend a cozy day with the community. We will reserve a table for this group if there is enough interest. Just comment "interest" below. Don’t miss out—see you there! Check [event page](https://www.facebook.com/events/893838639773267/) for a vendor list.

**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.

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!

**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 members of the local UX and Digital Design community for a casual monthly breakfast. There _might_ be a little snow, but there _will_ be effectively infinite serve-yourself coffee, so it evens out if you ask me. Just a reminder, while the other locations are great too, we’re at the Lane Ave one this time.

Join us for our February Book Club gathering where we will come together to discuss *A Master of Djinn* by P. Djèlí Clark in a safe and welcoming environment. Make new friends who share your passion for books and connect with fellow LGBTQ book enthusiasts.