Catalan Culture

🔥 **Wood Burning: Craft Your Own Personalized Wooden Spoons** 🔥Ignite your creativity and personalize your kitchenware! 👉**Registration** is **Online Only** at: https://portal.nova-labs.org/event-6697653 ***(No drop-ins accepted.)*** 🕒**When:** Sunday, **14 Jun 2026**, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM 📍**Where:** Nova Labs, 3850 Jermantown Rd, Fairfax, VA 22030 **Details:** Join us for a hands-on project class where you'll learn the beautiful art of wood burning. We will guide you through the basics as you permanently etch your own unique designs onto a wooden spoon. Whether you’re looking to create a decorative addition to your kitchen or a thoughtful, handmade gift, this class is the perfect way to make a custom keepsake! ⚠️ HOW TO REGISTER An RSVP on Meetup does NOT reserve your spot. **Please register via the link below** to attend. ***(No drop-ins accepted.)*** 👉https://portal.nova-labs.org/event-6697653 Hope to see you there!

**Join us for Soul Coffee, an informal gathering where we can connect a bit deeper, check in on each other, and share some real soul conversation together - as always, across beliefs and traditions.** Soul Coffee is a gathering by BreadBreakers, a community for people of all stripes to build meaningful relationships and have curious conversations. **Our mission in BreadBreakers is to be a place of compassion and belonging in a time of division and isolation; to rebuild the town square, one table at a time.** Usually we do this by breaking bread and having facilitated conversations over dinner, but sometimes it's good to just meet over coffee and spend some unstructured time talking about the deep stuff. At each Soul Coffee, we'll keep it simple and talk about three questions: - How's your soul doing? - How have you experienced wonder lately? - What do you need right now? No matter your religion, or if you even are religious; no matter where you are spiritually; no matter if you even think souls exist - come to be seen and known, to just be humans together in a crazy world, to talk about those things of the spirit that are so central to the human experience but rarely get discussed. **Join us, invite a friend, and be a part of the movement to mend our fractured society and normalize a better way of being in community with one another.** BreadBreakers, an initiative by[ Restoration United Methodist Churc](https://restorationreston.org/breadbreakers)h in Reston, VA, is a religiously inclusive community, a collaboration between the church and those of all different beliefs. All faiths and all stripes are welcomed. Our leadership, volunteer team, and community include people who attend Restoration and people who don't.

Let us meet up for a language exchange. We will give out name tags. You write your name and what language you speak and what language you would like to exchange. ***GRAB A DRINK AND YOU ARE ALL SET TO FLEX YOUR LANGUAGE CAPACITY. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST A DRINK OR FOOD :) To get the event going and show support. We know that you like our events. P.S. : We have non-alcoholic drinks as well.*** We have a tiny venue and we hit capacity often and early arrival is suggested. We have the discretion to decide entry. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. HOW IT WORKS : We will try to assign tables for each represented languages and will direct attendees to their respective tables accordingly. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. Rules to abide : 1. Event is free and 21+ (bring ID). 2. Be respectful to your counterparts and give them a chance to exchange with others as well. 3. We all are native speakers of one or two languages and be willing to help others and try to accommodate as much as possible. 4. If you don't speak the other person's required language, LEAVE THEM ALONE. 5. Rude or aggressive members are removed from the group at an organizers discretion. 6. This is a face-to-face language exchange event. DO NOT try to arrange an online meeting, by using the comment box or direct message. 7. Most of our members complained about people writing in the comment box. Since it sends notification to all attendees. If you have any questions, send a message to the organizers. Don't write in the comment box. 8. We have ZERO TOLERANCE for solicitation. We don't allow anyone to run their own agenda at the Event. If you are interested to promote/sponsor/collaborate; contact us via (info@merevents.com). 9. When you get there, we will greet you and take you to your respective group. 10. Don't be shy of your local languages. We have diplomates assigned to different countries, who would love to practice your languages. 11\. Be patient for the first 30 minutes\, up until we form your respective language group\. 12\. We will have a registration station and check you in\. 13\. This is mainly a social for Intermediate/Advanced/Native Speaker\. It is not as such to learn a language\. Beginners\, if you want to learn a language\, reach out to us \(info@merevents\.com\)\. We have a school and will arrange you a class\. Also\, if you are a native speaker and would like to teach your language\, apply by email\, we are hiring\. ***AFTER THE EXCHANGE, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!***

**Curious about Toastmasters?** We're Free Spirits Toastmasters - an established club that meets twice monthly on Sundays from 3:30 - 5:00pm. **Meet us and join a meeting in action at our Open House on Sunday, June 14th from 3:30 - 5:00pm.** No need to get fancy - come as you are and enjoy refreshments with a casual, friendly, and encouraging group. *This year is our 30th Anniversary!* What Free Spirits Toastmasters Club is all about: * Build confidence speaking in front of people, * Learn the art of interesting conversation, * Have fun and build skills to speak "off the cuff" and through prepared speeches, * Members supporting other members in bettering ourselves, * A rich learning environment - our members span a wide range of ages, backgrounds, careers, languages, and life experiences! * A hybrid (in person and via Zoom) meeting option means you can join us remotely if unable to attend in person. **So that we can plan quantity for food and drink, please RSVP soonest by text to 703.795.2967 or by email to officers-5160@toastmastersclubs.org.** #PublicSpeaking #BestSelf #Confidence #Friends #Leadership #Learning #PositiveFeedback

**Italian Renaissance Art at National Gallery of Art - Guided In-Person Walking Tour Hosted by Deirdre** Sunday, June 14, 2026 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM EDT National Gallery of Art 6th and Constitution Avenue, Washington, DC 20565 **Meeting Point: West Building Rotunda, on the main floor**, just off Constitution Avenue Entrance. Please plan on arriving on site early and allow time for Metro delays, parking, walking to the meeting point, security screening, restroom beforehand if you need it, etc. Look for our host **Deirdre** and a group of friendly people. If you arrive late the tour will be in the **Italian Renaissance galleries** on the main floor of the West Building. Please note that this is a live **in-person** guided walking tour of the Italian Renaissance Art Exhibit at National Gallery of Art, this is not an online/virtual program over Zoom. Also, this is a limited space and there’s currently **a wait list**. If you are no longer able to attend, please be considerate and cancel your RSVP so someone else can take your place. Thanks! *** Right here, in the heart of Washington, DC, is one of the most magnificent collections of **Italian Renaissance Art** outside of Italy. Some of us may have even visited some of the galleries once or twice when family was in town but may not have fully understood how revolutionary these artists were. Our guide will be **Deirdre**, a member of the non-profit community organization Washington DC History & Culture. While not an art historian, her approach to this project is show what Art was in the Middle Ages and the huge leap that occurred during this brief period of time known as the Renaissance. The tour will take about one hour allowing time at the end for questions. This program is presented by the non-profit community organization Washington, DC History & Culture: Experience the history and culture of Washington, DC - and the world! *** **Registration**: FREE and all are welcome including children and groups. As this is a very limited space event, please keep your RSVP up-to-date if you're no longer able to attend. **Weather**: The event is inside the National Gallery of Art. **Total Walking Distance:** We will be standing/walking for an hour. There is some benches in the various galleries but it is limited. **Photography/Recording.** Photography is generally permitted. Please stay at least two feet away from all artwork, and of course, do not touch. **Metro**: Archives (Yellow and Green lines) **Parking**: There is street parking, but it is limited. **Meeting Point**: We will meet at 10:30 am in the Rotunda. Look for Deirdre. She will be wearing a green dress. Note: we recommend arriving at 10:00 am when the Museum opens to have enough time to get through security. **Additional Questions**: Anything that can’t be answered by the above event description, Google, or common sense please let us know.

…Transform Our Lives, Work, and World (2024) by Jamie Metzl, 432 pages [Genetics] • Paperback • Hardcover • Kindle • Audiobook • Library: [https://fcplcat.fairfaxcounty.gov/search/title.aspx?ctx=1.1033.0.0.1&pos=1&cn=615082](https://fcplcat.fairfaxcounty.gov/search/title.aspx?ctx=1.1033.0.0.1&pos=1&cn=615082) Check the How To Find Us section for Zoom Link **(Remember, the Zoom Link is different each month, do not bookmark)** ### Review “In Superconvergence, Jamie Metzl takes readers on a magical journey through the science of the intersecting genetics, biotech, and AI revolutions, deeply explores the implications, and challenges us to think creatively and proactively about what comes next. Very few books are absolute must-reads. This is one.”―Siddhartha Mukherjee, assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University and author of The Gene: An Intimate History "During the 25 years I have known Jamie Metzl, he has always been ahead of the curve. There is no one better to help us understand and prepare for the fast-approaching technological revolutions. Superconvergence is brilliant. I can't recommend it more strongly."―Sanjay Gupta MD, bestseller author, neurosurgeon, and Emmy-award winning chief medical correspondent (CNN) "Our world is defined by our science and technology—whether we like it or not. The question now is not whether to use these powers, but how best to use them. In Superconvergence, Jamie Metzl takes us on a journey through the new capabilities that are radically transforming ecosystems inside us and around us, challenging each of us to get personally involved with building the future we want."―Beth Shapiro, University of California Santa Cruz evolutionary biologist and author of Life as We Made It: How 50,000 Years of Human Innovation Refined―and Redefined―Nature "In a fine counter-blast to the pessimism of today, Jamie Metzl lays out just how spectacular the future of humanity and planet can be if we harness innovation responsibly and imaginatively to create what he calls the 'spiral of progress.'"―Matt Ridley, author of How Innovation Works, and co-author of Viral: The search for the Origin of Covid-19 “A page-turning journey through space and time that shows us how our lives will be changed by imminent technological advances we once only dreamed of.”―David Sinclair, Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, and author of Lifespan: Why We Age―and Why We Don't Have To “The superconvergence of the genetics, biotechnology, and AI revolutions provides spectacular opportunities for building a better world. It also represents an almost limitless investment opportunity. We were excited to collaborate with Jamie Metzl, one of the world's great experts on how these aspirations can best be realized, including in capital markets. Superconvergence is a master class for imagining, investing in, and building a future we'd like to inhabit."―Jeremy Schwartz, Global Chief Investment Officer, WisdomTree “A clear examination of a transitional moment in the story of life on Earth…. Metzl capably describes recent developments in genetics and biotech and looks at how AI is providing an analytical engine of unprecedented power…. An important book in which the author sets out a path for the future based on his experience and expertise.”―Kirkus “Erudite, optimistic, and timely.”―Science Magazine "[In Superconvergence] Mr. Metzl has identified an important truth: that the convergence of new technologies is galvanizing us to reimagine how to meet urgent challenges in medicine and the environment. It’s a compelling opportunity—provided we manage to sidestep self-induced catastrophes along the way."―The Wall Street Journal ### About the Author Jamie Metzl is a leading technology and healthcare futurist and the founder and chair of OneShared.World. He is the author of Hacking Darwin: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity and four other books and was a member of the World Health Organization expert advisory committee on human genome editing. Jamie previously served in the U.S. National Security Council, State Department, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee and with the United Nations in Cambodia. His work has been featured by most major media organizations around the world, including 60 Minutes, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Fox, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, the Times of London, Le Monde, and Paris Match, and his podcast interviews with Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman, and others have reached tens of millions of listeners. He lives in New York City. Visit Jamiemetzl.com.

Pack up a blanket, lawn chairs and a picnic dinner - or grab takeout at a local restaurant! Join us at the gazebo for a laid-back evening of good music and good times with your neighbors. Jameson Green Band delivers soulful Americana infused with rock, country, and blues influences. Their performances combine heartfelt songwriting, rich instrumentation, and an easygoing stage presence that connects instantly with audiences.

This is an in-person event hosted by Sahaja Yoga meditation. We offer free meditation sessions and everyone is welcome to join and experience the peace within!

Life will always bring moments of uncertainty, change, and challenge, but within each of us is a quiet strength that can remain steady no matter what is happening around us. Join Sister Jenna for an uplifting and empowering workshop designed to help you reconnect with your inner resilience, restore clarity, and strengthen your spiritual foundation. This session will explore how to stay calm under pressure, protect your inner peace, and respond to life’s challenges with courage, compassion, and stability. Come discover how to become unshakeable from the inside out. Sunday, June 14th, 1:00pm - 2:30pm. Brahma Kumaris Meditation Museum - Virginia, 14020 Thunderbolt Pl Suite 200, 2nd floor, Chantilly, VA. Free Event. Sister Jenna is the director of the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Museums in Silver Spring, MD and Chantilly, VA.

Join Storyteller TaraTheBard on a magical storytelling adventure in Bluebeard's Bride, a femme horror tabletop role-playing game published by Magpie Games. In this story-focused game, each participant takes on one aspect (sister) of Bluebeard's Bride from the famous legend: witch, animus, virgin, mother, or fatale. Together you'll navigate Bluebeard's house and the horrors within, at last coming upon a forbidden room. The setting for this story is the year 1776 in Virginia, United States, as the colony experiences its revolution. Unlike the published editions of the game, this session focuses on the topic of empowerment through witchcraft. Because of this, in this session, one participant must occupy the role of witch. This game is friendly for gamers of all experience levels! Safety mechanisms, off-limits topics, character creation, and rules will happen at the start of the session. Please feel free to bring comfort items such as fidget spinners, blankets, or tea. As this is a story tabletop adventure and not a larp, costumes are not required -- however, they are always welcome! Pens, character sheets, and dice, and all game materials are provided. No preparation is required. 18+ only. All genders welcome! Subject matter will not include depictions of SA or slavery, but will explore serious, gender-based subject matter. Because this event is strictly limited to 5 participants, you must register here on Meetup to play. Please be sure to update your registration as soon as possible should you be unable to attend, as there has been a lot of interest in this event. You're welcome to download the core book materials from the publisher for free: https://magpiegames.com/products/play-materials-corebookbbb?_pos=5&_sid=ee39e96dd&_ss=r *Learn more about the game from the publisher here:* https://magpiegames.com/pages/play-bluebeards-bride **Meet your host: Tara!** Tara C. is a storyteller and witch specializing in narrative magic and story-based shadow work. Her professional background includes a career in writing, marketing, live action role play (larp) design, and publishing. Tara holds a BA in English from McDaniel College. Her publications include "American Banshee: Poetic Offerings," co-authorship of "The Poe Project" (a one-man play) and thousands of high-ranking blog posts and articles online. She enjoys spending time with her pug, reading and watching time-traveling romances, and traveling to Iceland.

Dulles South Toastmasters club meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of every month at Gum Spring Library with the meeting hours 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm. Club Officers will be in the room at 3:15 pm to answer your questions and provide information. Guests are welcome. Pleas join us!

Jujutsu

Venez apprécier l'ambiance chaleureuse d'une conversation en français autour d'un verre de vin et d'apéritifs. C'est ouvert à tous quelque soit votre niveau, que vous soyez intermédiaire/avancé ou bien que le Français soit votre langue maternelle. ***GRAB A DRINK AND YOU WILL BE ALL SET TO FLEX YOUR LANGUAGE CAPACITY. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST A DRINK OR FOOD :) To get the event going and show support. We know that you like our events. P.S. : We have non-alcoholic drinks as well.*** We have a tiny venue and we hit capacity often and early arrival is suggested. We have the discretion to decide entry. It is irresistible, to enjoy French convo with a glass of wine, appetizers and drinks. The Event is open to all levels of French language, from intermediate to native fluency. This is mainly a social for Intermediate/Advanced/Native Speakers. It is not as such to learn a language. Beginners, if you want to learn a language, reach out to us ([info@merevents.com](http://info@merevents.com/)). We have a school and will arrange you a class. ***AFTER THE HAPPY HOUR, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!***

Bonsoir à tous! Venez nombreux pour causer autour d'un repas ou d'un verre chez La Madeleine. On n'a que deux règles: (1) qu'on y parle exclusivement le français et (2) qu'on achète quelque chose à boire ou à manger (c'est La Madeleine qui le demande). Merci et à bientôt!

Let us meet up for a language exchange. We will give out name tags. You write your name and what language you speak and what language you would like to exchange. ***GRAB A DRINK AND YOU ARE ALL SET TO FLEX YOUR LANGUAGE CAPACITY. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST A DRINK OR FOOD :) To get the event going and show support. We know that you like our events. P.S. : We have non-alcoholic drinks as well.*** We have a tiny venue and we hit capacity often and early arrival is suggested. We have the discretion to decide entry. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. HOW IT WORKS : We will try to assign tables for each represented languages and will direct attendees to their respective tables accordingly. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. Rules to abide : 1. Event is free and 21+ (bring ID). 2. Be respectful to your counterparts and give them a chance to exchange with others as well. 3. We all are native speakers of one or two languages and be willing to help others and try to accommodate as much as possible. 4. If you don't speak the other person's required language, LEAVE THEM ALONE. 5. Rude or aggressive members are removed from the group at an organizers discretion. 6. This is a face-to-face language exchange event. DO NOT try to arrange an online meeting, by using the comment box or direct message. 7. Most of our members complained about people writing in the comment box. Since it sends notification to all attendees. If you have any questions, send a message to the organizers. Don't write in the comment box. 8. We have ZERO TOLERANCE for solicitation. We don't allow anyone to run their own agenda at the Event. If you are interested to promote/sponsor/collaborate; contact us via (info@merevents.com). 9. When you get there, we will greet you and take you to your respective group. 10. Don't be shy of your local languages. We have diplomates assigned to different countries, who would love to practice your languages. 11\. Be patient for the first 30 minutes\, up until we form your respective language group\. 12\. We will have a registration station and check you in\. 13\. This is mainly a social for Intermediate/Advanced/Native Speaker\. It is not as such to learn a language\. Beginners\, if you want to learn a language\, reach out to us \(info@merevents\.com\)\. We have a school and will arrange you a class\. Also\, if you are a native speaker and would like to teach your language\, apply by email\, we are hiring\. ***AFTER THE EXCHANGE, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!***

Enjoy a vibrant and engaging dance experience that blends global rhythms and diverse styles. This class combines elements of Bollywood, Latin, and other dance forms into a smooth, easy-to-follow flow designed to get you moving and grooving at a comfortable pace. Perfect for all levels, this class focuses on fun, relaxation, and connection with the music while giving you a gentle workout. Join us for a refreshing and enjoyable dance session! (Please wear socks). Friday, April 10th from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Held at the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Museum – Virginia, 14020 Thunderbolt Place, Suite 200, Chantilly, VA. **FREE EVENT - Registration Required at [https://shorturl.at/KJoXv](https://shorturl.at/KJoXv)** *Support the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Museum with your tax-deductible* *contribution.* **[CONTRIBUTE](https://www.meditationmuseum.org/contribute.html "https://www.meditationmuseum.org/contribute.html")**

**In a time of division and isolation, come be part of the community that's rebuilding the town square, one table at a time.** **This dinner in particular will be very special as we celebrate America's 250th birthday. How better to honor a semiquincentennial of democracy that spending an evening practicing it?** In BreadBreakers, we use the common space of the dining table to have conversations where neighbors can **hear, be heard, and know one another.** If you're hungry for good conversation and deeper community, join us for a Community Dinner in Reston and help blaze the trail to a healthier, more connected society and democracy. Here’s how it works: For just two hours, multiple tables of people set aside the need to "win" and instead focus on sharing, listening, and connecting. Guided by experienced table hosts, we'll tell our stories, try to understand each other, and practice being in community with those with different views or backgrounds. **At this dinner, participants will get to choose between three different topics, including some current events.** Topics range from the political, to the "slice of life", to the spiritual, to the philosophical, to the off-the-wall - but no matter which table you choose to sit at, you can be sure it'll be like no dinner conversation you've had before! You can also **suggest a topic** by emailing us at BreadBreakersInfo@gmail.com. Food will be provided for free. For those who wish to provide a donation to help fund BreadBreakers, you can [give here](https://pushpay.com/g/restorationrestonumc?fnd=pO6G-N7oO7FH7Mp1u-x6mA&fndv=Lock&r=No&lang=en&src=pcgl) or at the event. We'll have vegetarian and gluten-free options available. If you have any additional dietary restrictions (Celiac Disease, vegan, etc.) please let us know at BreadBreakersInfo@gmail.com so that we can implement the appropriate food handling procedures. **Join us, invite a friend, and be a part of the movement to mend our fractured society and normalize a better way of talking with one another.** BreadBreakers, an initiative by [Restoration United Methodist Church](https://restorationreston.org/breadbreakers) in Reston, VA, is a religiously inclusive community. We are a collaboration between people of all faiths and stripes. Our leadership, volunteer team, and community include people who attend Restoration and people who don't.