Buffy

[Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“The Single Lesson,”** a debunking of myths and misconceptions about singlehood and a look at research and advocacy efforts focused on the unmarried, with Craig Wynne, a professor of English at the University of the District of Columbia and pioneer in the growing field of Singles Studies. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at[ https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/dc-the-single-lesson]( https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/dc-the-single-lesson) .] All around us are messages that being “coupled up” is the norm. Shows like *The Bachelor*, 90-Day Fiancé, and *Indian Matchmaking* have people rooting and fawning for marriage. Yet, despite its supposed unpopularity, the rate of singlehood is increasing. By 2030, the Pew Research Center has projected, 25 percent of 45- to 54-year-old adults in the United States will never have married. What’s the real picture when it comes to singles? Is a growing share of the population missing out on marital bliss, or are single people on to something? Hear such questions tackled by Professor Craig Wynne, co-editor of *Singular Selves: An Introduction to Singles Studies* and author of *How to be a Happy Bachelor.* Dr. Wynne will discuss how stereotypes of singlehood are perpetuated in the media and how they influence laws, policies, and our daily social interactions in ways that harm not just single people but those who are married, cohabitating, or in a relationship. His talk will explore the concepts of “singlism,” the stereotyping and stigma around people who are not married or otherwise unpartnered; “matrimania,” over-the-top societal obsession with marriage and weddings; and “amatonormativity,” the assumption that a romantic relationship must be prioritized above all other kinds. Finally, Dr. Wynne will discuss the emergence of Singles Studies—a field devoted to granting singlehood validity in an academic context—and look at recent advocacy intended to secure single people equity in a world that still privileges being married or coupled. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image by Canva.

This *free* lecture "explores the complex history of rum, from its production to its consumption, and from its origins in the Caribbean to its impact on the Atlantic world. Attendees will have the ***opportunity to sample authentic 18th-century rum punch*** & submit questions." *USE this **LINK to RESERVE** YOUR free TICKET:* [Ford Evening Book Talk with Jordan B. Smith, February 12, 2026 7:00PM | George Washington's Mount Vernon](https://checkout.mountvernon.org/library2026/smith?_gl=1*l8y2k8*_gcl_au*MTIzNjkxMjQwNC4xNzY5NDEzNjQ0*_ga*MTEzNjM4NzA3OC4xNzU1NDg0MzEx*_ga_Z7H51J8C80*czE3Njk0MTM2NDkkbzE3JGcxJHQxNzY5NDE0OTE3JGo2MCRsMCRoMA..)

Let pretend to be outside at the Alexandria Bier Garden! If it’s nice maybe we can go out on the patio but if not we will be good 😊

[Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“The Single Lesson,”** a debunking of myths and misconceptions about singlehood and a look at research and advocacy efforts focused on the unmarried, with Craig Wynne, a professor of English at the University of the District of Columbia and pioneer in the growing field of Singles Studies. All around us are messages that being “coupled up” is the norm. Shows like *The Bachelor*, 90-Day Fiancé, and *Indian Matchmaking* have people rooting and fawning for marriage. Yet, despite its supposed unpopularity, the rate of singlehood is increasing. By 2030, the Pew Research Center has projected, 25 percent of 45- to 54-year-old adults in the United States will never have married. What’s the real picture when it comes to singles? Is a growing share of the population missing out on marital bliss, or are single people on to something? Hear such questions tackled by Professor Craig Wynne, co-editor of *Singular Selves: An Introduction to Singles Studies* and author of *How to be a Happy Bachelor.* Dr. Wynne will discuss how stereotypes of singlehood are perpetuated in the media and how they influence laws, policies, and our daily social interactions in ways that harm not just single people but those who are married, cohabitating, or in a relationship. His talk will explore the concepts of “singlism,” the stereotyping and stigma around people who are not married or otherwise unpartnered; “matrimania,” over-the-top societal obsession with marriage and weddings; and “amatonormativity,” the assumption that a romantic relationship must be prioritized above all other kinds. Finally, Dr. Wynne will discuss the emergence of Singles Studies—a field devoted to granting singlehood validity in an academic context—and look at recent advocacy intended to secure single people equity in a world that still privileges being married or coupled. (Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Register here: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/dc-the-single-lesson

We’re heading back to NoVa for our next Virginia LFG Happy Hour! Come join us for a drink and some food at Starr Hill Brew Pub as you look for your next adventuring party. Whether you are looking to DM, roll some dice as a player, or just meet some amazing folks, this is the event for you! So come on by, grab a drink and food, and come meet some nerdy folks! Can't make it? No worries! Join the[ DMV D&D Group](https://discord.gg/bDvGRtKfhR) to stay aware of future events!

Please join DMV Wine Explorers on Thursday February 12th at Total Wine Ballston at 6:30PM for a wine and chocolate pairing class. \*\* Tickets are $20 and can be purchased [here](https://www.totalwine.com/class/wine-and-chocolate-a-perfect-pair/ballston/virginia/e/ec714779) \*\* Some things really are better together. Wine and chocolate! Pairing the right wine with the right chocolate creates new and unexpected tastes to delight the senses. Featuring premiere chocolate from a world-famous maker, this is a delish class for wine lovers with a sweet tooth!

Let's go bowling at a new Venue. Lucky Strike has moved from the mall to another venue and has been updated. Guests must be over 50 to attend. Lanes are first come first serve basis We will meet at the bar area first Food and Drinks available. FREE easy Parking If the weather is bad I will reschedule this event as I plan on having bowling at least once a month until the summer. RSVP today! Whether you are new to the group or a seasoned member, this event is a fantastic opportunity to network, have fun, and connect with other singles over a delightful meal. So come join us for a memorable evening filled with good conversation, laughter, and maybe even the chance to meet someone special. Don't miss out on this fantastic social gathering tailored for those aged 50 and above, who love staying active and doing fun stuff!

TICKET LINK: [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/yolks-on-you-burlesque-and-variety-brunch-feb-15-tickets-1963599162955](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/yolks-on-you-burlesque-and-variety-brunch-feb-15-tickets-1963599162955) For the eighth year running, veteran Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey clown Jim Dandy and award-winning burlesque performer Delilah Dentata return with Yolks on You, a brunch-time romp that celebrates the funniest, strangest, and most delightful variety performers they can find. Over the years, we’ve welcomed burlesque, clown, live music, flow arts, drag, mime, pole, puppets, and a few things we still don’t quite know how to describe … and we’re doing it all again in 2026! Settle in with the DC Comedy Loft's rotating lineup of beers, mixed drinks, and brunch menu while you marvel at the cast’s phenomenal (and occasionally baffling) talents. Come hungry. Leave delighted.

Join us for our new members meet and greet coffee and conversation event! WE will have ice breaker games and Topic conversations ( no politics). This is for a fun relaxing event to get to know other people. Location: Panera Bread- Metro friendly FREE Parking on Sunday's Members only please Seating is open ( this is a non reservation event) Food and Drinks available. Grab some Coffee and Meet new friends!

Hey Chapter Twoers, let's do the Time Warp again! Come join us at 10:30 pm on Friday. February 13th at the Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema (which is Metro accessible) for a screening and performance of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, which just celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. Tim Curry stars as Dr. Frank N. Furter, along with Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Meat Loaf, and author Richard O’Brien. It's a fun musical spoof of horror films and the first interactive movie experience. Landmark hosts the live shadow cast, [Sonic Transducers](https://dcrockyhorror.com/), which performs alongside the movie. Tickets are on sale now [here](https://www.landmarktheatres.com/events/39974-landmarks-bethesda-row-cinema-the-rocky-horror-picture-show/), and 4 rows are already filling up. If you plan to attend, we encourage you to buy your tickets now. If you aren’t a Landmark member, sign up for free and get 15% off your ticket. I will enter my seat number below in the comments so we can all try and sit together.

Event by **[Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie #3509](https://www.facebook.com/FOE3509)**, **[Jan Murray](https://www.facebook.com/janmurrayjlm)** and **[Michelle Murray](https://www.facebook.com/mmmurray04)** 211 N Frederick Ave, Gaithersburg, MD 20877-2408, United States Public · Anyone on or off Facebook Join us for our next monthly bingo! Aerie club opens at 3pm, bingo starts at 4:00pm. We are Suite #950 in the back, lower level, of the complex. Food available for purchase: TBD This is our regular bar bingo game. Cards are $5 for 6 games. We play 3 rounds (18 games total) and the last game is a cover-all. To top it all off, there's a guaranteed final jackpot for the cover-all of at least $100! Extra cards for the cover-all are $1 each. We will have pull tabs to play as well. All are welcome! Proceeds benefit the Fraternal Order of Eagles # Address: 211 N Frederick Ave, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 Join for an afternoon of fun bingo time! This event with this group is for Single people. Cash is best at this type of an event. Parking available Seating is first come first serve. Guest must be over 50 to join with this group. Hope to see you there! I will post where to find the group.

Experience GALA's contemporary staging of the modern classic ***La casa de Bernarda Alba (The House of Bernarda Alba)*** by Spanish playwright Federico García Lorca. Directed by José Zayas and with original music by Koki Lortkipanidze, the play explores themes of female oppression, sexual repression, and the conflict between tradition and modernity, all universal topics that resonate with audiences today. García Lorca’s ***The House of Bernarda Alba*** brims with tension, desire, and rebellion as five sisters are forced into strict mourning for their father under the iron rule of their mother, Bernarda. In this electrifying new production, passions simmer behind closed doors, secrets spark dangerous rivalries, and the pressure of a house built on control threatens to explode. This contemporary staging infuses Lorca’s classic with a sensuous, modern pulse and a dark Gothic mystery, illuminating why Bernarda Alba remains as urgent and thrilling today as ever. CAST: Luz Nicolás as Bernarda, Evelyn Rosario Vega as Poncia, María Coral as Adela, María del Mar Rodríguez as Angustias, Giselle González as Martirio, Anna Malavé as Magdalena, Alicia Kaplan an as María Josefa, and Ixchel as Amelia. PERFORMANCES: February 5 through March 1, 2026. The production is presented in Spanish with English surtitles, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm. Community Night is Thursday, Feberuary 5 at 8 pm. Press Night and Noche de GALA, which includes a post-performance reception with the creative team and cast, is Saturday, February 7 at 8 pm. TICKETS: $50 Premium Center, $45 Orchestra Standard, $35 Orchestra Value, and $25 Balcony Value; $35 Seniors (65+), Military, Teachers, and Groups (10+); $25 25 and Under; Community Night $20; and Noche de GALA: Chosen ticket price + $5 (per person). **[GET TICKETS](https://ci.ovationtix.com/35923/production/1245608)** This production is made possible with the generous support from the Embassy of Spain in Washington, DC, Spain Arts & Culture, and of our Honorary Producers Circle for The House of Bernarda Alba that includes Janet Farrell, Patricia Sosa, and Wanda Báez.

This month we’ll be reading Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

Join Neurospicy Columbus at the Stauff's for coffee and then a stroll through the Book Loft nearby! This will be a friendly chat for like minded individuals with Autism and/or ADHD (or somewhere on the Neurodiverse Spectra).

**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.

Join us as we get together to see the steamy-romance-period-drama, WUTHERING HEIGHTS. Director Emerald Fennell gives us her take on the romance between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw from the classic Emily Bronte novel. Here’s a description, trailer and plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: The film tells a passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. The film is directed by Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman, Saltburn) and is loosely based on the classic novel by Emily Bronte. It stars Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Alison Oliver, Owen Cooper and Hong Chau! TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fLCdIYShEQ BUZZ & REVIEWS: The film is earning a solid 70% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where critics say, “The Oscar-winning British filmmaker crafts a sumptuous bad romance that’s quite haughty, darkly hilarious and ultimately heartfelt.” Others call it a “sexy, exhilarating and visually stunning adaptation of the classic novel by Emily Brontë.” We’ll see for ourselves on Friday! PLAN: Purchase your ticket for the 7:00pm showing and meet inside the theater lobby between 6:30 and 6:45pm! Advance ticket purchase not required for this theater but early arrival is advised! Be sure to mention you’re with the Movie Group for admission and concession discounts! Immediately following the movie, don’t miss the best part of the night – food and drinks at the nearby Rusty Bucket! For those new to the theater, parking is available in the lot near Brassica, which will put you conveniently right between the theater and restaurant! Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

Can two girls—one enchanted, one the enchantress—save their kingdom and each other? Two hundred years ago, a slighted deity stole the magic from Auréal and vanished without a trace. But seventeen-year-old Odile has a plan. All her life, her father, a vengeful sorcerer, has raised her for one singular task: infiltrate the royal palace and steal the king’s crown, an artefact with enough power to restore magic. But to enter the palace, she must assume the identity of a noblewoman. She chooses Marie d’Odette: famed for her beauty, a rumored candidate for future queen…and Odile’s childhood-friend-turned-sworn-enemy. With her father’s help, Odile transforms Marie into a swan and takes her place at court. But when the king is brutally murdered and her own brother is accused, her plans are thrown into chaos. Desperate to free her brother, Odile is forced to team up with none other than elegant, infuriating Marie, the girl she has cursed…and the girl she can’t seem to stop thinking about despite her best efforts. To make matters worse, there are whispers that the king’s murder was not at the hands of man, but beast. Torn between loyalty to her father and her growing feelings for Marie, Odile becomes tangled in a web of treachery and deceit. To save her kingdom, she must find the true path to magic…and find the real killer before they—or it—strikes again.

A quiet writing and sharing space, Queer Quills features some prompts, supplies and friendly faces to help get some inspiration or feedback for your writing. Hope to see you there!