Bamboo

Spring is the perfect time to usher in some Romantasy reading so for the month of April we’re reading Olivia Atwater’s Half a Soul 💜🧚 You can find us at Foyles Charing Cross’s 5th floor cafe. This month’s book will be on the table for easy identification.

Join us for a unique, small gathering of just 12 people for a 90 minute experience in a tea room with a tea ceremony - meditative and beautiful ritual inspired by Tao and Zen. Sitting on the cushions on the floor we will slowly drink earthy tea, allowing the ceremonial drink to take us to the dimension of it's profound energy, and through the delicate sensory stimulation, we will try to explore it's ephemeral presence and a perception of ourselves. Brought to Japan by Buddhist monks, the process of preparing, brewing, and serving tea was developed and practiced to perfection. Just like martial arts, the repetition of the ritual is said to **bring mindfulness,** **harmony, and peace**. The tea ceremony is packed with the philosophy of Zen Buddhism. **About the Tea Ceremony** During the tea sessions we sit on the floor and drink exceptional oolong, pu-erh, white or green tea, slowly and mindfully, fully present to the smell, taste, touch, present to all we hear, all we see, feel and sense, and through this presence to the senses we stop the chatter of our busy minds, we stop thinking for a moment about the future or the past, we experience and live the actual moment, we observe and notice the beauty in the simplest things around us, fully satisfying ourselves through just being in the space in stillness, present to 'here' and 'now’. We'd love to have you join us for a tea ceremony. Tea is more than just a beverage for us—it's a practice and a way of life. We're in love with art and practice of tea, and we're excited to share it with everyone. During the tea ceremony, you can simply relax, enjoy the rituals, and savor the wonderful flavors of tea. This practice also helps us slow down and be more aware of each moment, allowing us to connect with ourselves and appreciate the hidden beauty within every cup of tea. LIMITED SPACE TO 12 SOULS ONLY **Kat Bumbul** Kat is an experienced sound healer (15 years), working with gongs, old Himalayan singing bowls, drums and her unique voice, also a ritualistic tea artist, creating tea meditations inspired by Chinese and Japanese ceremonies and Taoist and Zen philosophy. Kat studies and practices Siberian shamanism, Kashmiri shaiva tantra, mahamudra and Dao Yin Shu. [[www.soundmysterium.com](http://www.soundmysterium.com/)] **LOCATION** St Augustine's Tower, Hackney *London E8 1HT, United Kingdom* **SCHEDULE** 7:00pm - 7:15pm - Arrive for Tea Ceremony 7:15pm - 8:45pm - Tea Ceremony (Will start on time - please don't be late) 8:45pm + After thoughts **Total Cost** Cost for the Meetup session is £35 ONLY [https://buy.stripe.com/bIY8wZ4hu0uE1r28zi](https://buy.stripe.com/bIY8wZ4hu0uE1r28zi) If you can make the payment to guarantee spot: Or message me for bank transfer if you prefer We have a maximum of just **12 X Spots** for this one

Freelancing and working from home can be lonely. Come and sit in a bookshop and meet some other freelancers and creatives! Open to all who are trying to make a living from freelance or creative work. Share tips, advice and support - maybe even network a little. Free event (but if you'd like to donate or buy books/coffee, we'll love you).

**The Gambia & Senegal Trip Just Dropped !!** Join us for **ONX social drinks** and an evening of great conversation, connection and travel vibes. Whether you have already booked onto our upcoming **The Gambia & Senegal trip next year**, are thinking about it, or simply want to meet other like-minded people, this is the perfect chance to come along and connect. Here's the link to the trip: https://www.onxexperience.com/gambia-senegal-2027 It will also be a great opportunity to meet some of your fellow travellers and ask the ONX Team any questions you may have about any of our trips. Launch venue: **The Soak** **1 Terminus Place, London SW1 0RP** **Friday 24 April 2026** **6.30 pm onwards** Come for the drinks, great food, the good energy and the chance to mingle with the ONX Community. We’d love to see you there.

Monthly Expat Pub Night: The Maple Leaf! Hey Everyone! For our monthly pub night gathering (The Vandoos), we are heading to The Maple Leaf on a Friday again! Please join your fellow Canadian Expats and friends of Canada for a great night of socializing! See you soon! David Mathews Leader - The London Expat Canadian Meetup Group About the London Vandoos The Vandoos is a group of like-minded and unlike-minded Canadians who get together on the 22nd of each month (or near about) at a selected London pub to meet new people and catch up with old friends. Guests and "honourary" Canadians are always welcome. The London Vandoos was originally formed as a Yahoo group and is the social arm of Network Canada. Past Network Canada President Dave Mathews organizes the monthly Vandoos Meetups. The evenings are very similar to the Monthly Monday night wings event... without the wings! The venues are announced roughly six to eight weeks prior to the event. Keep the 22nd of each month circled, something will be happening around that date! Hope to see you at a Vandoos gathering soon! [) The London Expat Canadian Meetup Group is dedicated to providing a harassment-free meetup experience for everyone. Our Code of Conduct outlines the standards and behaviours that help to shape and strengthen our community group. All event participants are expected to uphold these high standards, ensuring fellowship within a community of Canuck-minded people. For further information, please go to [https://www.meetup.com/London-Canadian-Expat/pages/22410148/Code_of_Conduct/](https://www.meetup.com/London-Canadian-Expat/pages/22410148/Code_of_Conduct/)

Join us for a vibrant spring walk for Soil! Wear Save Soil T-shirt (or green thing) and be part of a powerful movement across 25+ EU cities Why it matters Over 52% of the world’s soil is degraded. This decade is critical—let’s raise our voices and protect the future of our food and planet. About Save Soil A global movement by Conscious Planet, founded by Sadhguru, focused on reversing soil degradation through policy advocacy, farmer support, and public awareness. It has reached over 4.1 billion people and supports regenerative agriculture initiatives worldwide. Save Soil is backed by the UNEP, UNFAO, UNCCD, WFP and IUCN amongst others.

Let's sketch around Kensington Palace in Hyde Park! Meet at the Statue of Queen Victoria in Hyde Park for wonderful views of Kensington Palace, another drain on the taxpayer's wallet where the Royals probably spend no time whatsoever. It's pretty though. Nearest Stations: Queensway/Notting Hill Gate/South Kensington Completely free of charge, no need to sign up, bring a friend! Feel free to drop in for the whole two hours or just short while if you'd prefer. Look for the tall ginger fella sketching away as the central meetup spot, but feel free to roam as far and wide as you like and sketch anything you damn well please! Please bring your own sketchbooks and pens/pencils. The plan will be to meet at 1pm, sketch for a couple of hours and meet back and chat at 3pm. There are plenty of places around to grab coffee or a bite to eat, hopefully the weather is good so we'll be able to sit outside but if not we could consider ducking into a cafe. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- About Sketchbook London Every week we will choose a location around the magnificent city of London and draw people, buildings, pigeons, bins, anything you want.... No payment, no pressure, no need to sign up, just show up and draw for a couple of hours. All levels, abilities and professions welcome, bring a friend! Zero pressure to interact, network, impress in any way, this is just a way to get out and about and appreciate the joy of urban sketching and all the weird and wonderful creatures that inhabit this thriving metropolis. I am a storyboard artist working in animation and I am happy to discuss sketching techniques or give feedback on any work but this is by no means an exclusive event for artists, all are welcome :)

**Bookable via our website ➡️** [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/make-a-plant-holder-39/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/make-a-plant-holder-39/) ⋆⋆⋆ A good woodworker has a number of basic joints in their virtual toolbelt that they can use for any project. We have devised a lovely one-day introduction to woodwork skills which is a homage to the not-so-humble mortise and tenon joint – one of the essential joints required if you are looking to create sturdy pieces of furniture that can be fitted together like a beautiful 3D puzzle. A mortise (or mortice) and tenon joint connects two pieces of wood mainly when the adjoining pieces connect at right angles. In its most basic form, a mortise and tenon joint is both simple and strong and comprises two components, the mortise hole and the tenon tongue. The tenon, formed on the end of a piece of wood generally referred to as a rail, fits into a square or rectangular hole cut into the other, corresponding piece of wood. The tenon is cut to fit the mortise hole exactly. It usually has shoulders that seat when the joint fully enters the mortise hole. The joint may be glued, pinned, or wedged to lock it in place. Over the course of this hands-on, practical day the tutor will give you careful direction in the use of using traditional tools. You will learn how to measure and cut accurately, how to use a chisel to make four ‘mortise and tenons’, how to use a plane to shape and apply a smooth finish to edges, and how to slot it all firmly together. The result will be a strong, standing plant pot holder that will proudly support a plant to brighten up a corner of any room and stand as a lasting testament to your joint making skills. An elegant 20cm white pot is included for you to take home with your new plant pot holder – we’ll leave it to you to decide how to fill it. This workshop is suitable for all ages. Small class size = plenty of attention. All personal protection and use of tools and materials are included. Suitable for beginners.

Hi all For those who are interested, I’ve created a separate events page for our first ever meetup: [Link to event](https://partiful.com/e/esvJPzaD0JYHKSVEdRhM?c=_I2Tdqb6) Capacity is limited so you might want to RSVP and pay to confirm ASAP! Update 1: \*\*Please note we have a new venue for the meetup!\*\* Update 2: We are full! Please add yourselves to the Partiful waitlist if you are still interested. Otherwise please feel free to give us a follow on here or on instagram to keep updated on our future events!

📚 Reading of Colour – Book Club Meetup Join us for this month’s Reading of Colour, a book club dedicated to exploring stories from different cultures and celebrating the diversity of voices in literature. Each month we read a book by an author from a different background and come together to share perspectives, insights, and thoughtful discussion. This month we will be reading The Enlightenment of the Greengage tree by Shokoofeh Azar is a magical realist novel about a family fleeing persecution after the Iranian Revolution and trying to rebuild their lives in a remote Iranian village, narrated by the ghost of a young girl. Whether you’ve finished the book or are still making your way through it, everyone is welcome to join the conversation. Come along to share your thoughts, hear new perspectives, and enjoy a friendly discussion with fellow readers. 📖 All are welcome—bring your curiosity and love of books!📕 We will be having drinks afterwards at a near by pub, come along 🌸

Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Free Communal Garden Class Series GROWING MUSHROOMS In this class, we will discuss how to raise mushrooms on logs outdoors as a way to raise food in parts of your yard that are usually too shady to grow vegetables or other crops. We will discuss what mushroom species can be cultivated, what tree species they can grow on, and demonstrate how to prepare and inoculate the logs. By following these steps, you can have your own bountiful mushroom harvest! APRIL 27 | 6:00-7:30 PM | WELLS BARN 1851 E BROAD ST, COLUMBUS, OH 43205 INSTRUCTOR: MARC AMANTE Mare Amante is an Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator with Central State University who is also currently serving as CSU Extension's Agriculture and Natural Resources Interim Program Leader. He has worked on and managed diversified vegetable farms across the Midwest and currently owns and operates an urban farm here in Ohio where he raises microgreens, vegetables, raspberries, and log-grown mushrooms for sale to local markets and restaurants. Registerefor free here https://www.fpconservatory.org/events/cg-growing-mushrooms/

Welcome, readers! Our April read is **_Martyr!_ by Kaveh Akbar.** The story follows a young Iranian American poet grappling with grief, addiction, and the aching question of what makes a life meaningful. Drawn into an unexpected friendship with a terminally ill artist, he begins to confront faith, love, and the seduction of self-destruction. Lyrical, darkly funny, and emotionally piercing, the novel wrestles with beauty and despair in equal measure. It’s a story about longing—to be seen, to be forgiven, and to matter. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

5th annual Earth Day Celebration! This year (2026) the Celebration is scheduled for April 25th with activities running from 10am-2pm. This is a non-ticketed event. Everyone is welcome! We will have food trucks, Birds of Prey, kids crafts, live music, raspberry plants, apple trees, and of course NATIVE PLANTS! Where: Lynd Fruit Farm, 9399 Morse Rd, Pataskala Ohio 43062 Time: Activities will be from 10am- 2pm. The Market will remain open until 5pm.

**Our May novel is: *The Quiet Librarian* by Allen Eskens** **This month’s book is set in the 20th century and mixes historical fiction with suspense and thriller elements. It also centers on women’s stories and relationships. The novel is 368 pages in print or 8 hours and 12 minutes on audiobook.** Hana Babic is a quiet, middle-aged librarian in Minnesota who wants nothing more than to be left alone. But when a detective arrives with the news that her best friend has been murdered, Hana knows that something evil has come for her, a dark remnant of the past she and her friend had shared. Thirty years before, Hana was someone else: Nura Divjak, a teenager growing up in the mountains of war-torn Bosnia—until Serbian soldiers arrived to slaughter her entire family before her eyes. The events of that day thrust Nura into the war, leading her to join a band of militia fighters, where she became not only a fierce warrior but a legend—the deadly Night Mora. But a shattering final act forced Nura to flee to the United States with a bounty on her head\*\*.\*\*

[The Kind Exchange](https://www.facebook.com/events/3087825058070662/) A gathering to share, swap, and connect with like-minded people who care about plant-based living, sustainability, and mindful choices. This is more than a swap — it’s a space to circulate what we already have and meet others in the community. Bring any of the following to share: * **Vegan-related books** (cookbooks, sustainability, mindful living, etc.) * **Plants or cuttings** (optional) Swap for something new-to-you from others. *The more you bring, the more there is to exchange!* Please RSVP so we can plan accordingly- [https://form.jotform.com/260975490897073](https://form.jotform.com/260975490897073?utm_id=97758_v0_s00_e0_tv4&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExVGxJeFRub0FQNmhUcmF3VnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4u9YhVWcSkITKfEn_NajeEUIyxFrXbcaG0HjFHoQn-MCxKlhGlUpFAnsMIzw_aem_vo9QISntFpTtGskmWaVEkQ) Unclaimed books/plants at the end of the event will be donated.

Join us for our May Book Club gathering where we will come together to discuss *[Cantoras](https://caroderobertis.com/books/cantoras/)*[ ](https://caroderobertis.com/books/cantoras/)by [Caro de Robertis](https://caroderobertis.com/bio/) in a safe and welcoming environment. Make new friends who share your passion for books and connect with fellow LGBTQ book enthusiasts.

**Pickleball + coffee + community 🌱** **Let’s kick things off with pickleball at Park of Roses, then join us at Blackend Coffee to unwind and connect.** **Pickleball 🏓 10:30am-12:30pm** **Blackend Coffee ☕️ 🌯 1-3pm** **All levels welcome!** **Can’t waitt to see everyone!** **📍 Park of Roses** **3901 N High St** **Columbus, OH 43214** **📍Blackend Coffee** **2619 N High St** **Columbus, OH 43202**