Cooking

Easter Monday still free? Come join us for a walk between two of Utrecht's most beautiful castles! 🏰 We start from the bus stop Haarzuilens, Kasteel de Haar and make our way through nature to Slot Zuylen, two stunning spots that are worth a visit any time of year. The walk is around 2,5-3 hours and there will be plenty of time to explore both castles and take a break in between. A nice way to spend a hopefully sunny day, get some fresh air, and meet some new people along the way.

If you are living in The Netherlands, by now, you may well have noticed the amount of open water. If you enjoy cycling in the city, you may wish to feel safer as you navigate the bridges and canals. And you may also want to get ready for visiting the beach, pools or the many lakes this summer. Learning how to swim takes approx 1 year and it all starts with the very first lesson. New comers enroll via our website and pay € 30,50, this is the first lesson and a goody bag. After the class you agree with the personal swim coach how to continue to obtain your final objectives. Enrolling is only possible via [www.your-personal-swim-coach.nl ](https://www.your-personal-swim-coach.nl/)hence a rvsp via meetup is not enough.

A great ride along the Vecht and Gein rivers. You will love this route. Please ride single file along the winding river as there can be cars around each corner. **Route:** https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/441606271 GPX: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17-T_pT_GH3QKSFcH1WWgfArvxSdAkVzO/view?usp=sharing **Afterwards:** Drinks at Polder https://maps.app.goo.gl/tbt5DDG7YLU3uWvaA **Rules:** \- Download the route to your cycling computer so you can always find your way home \- Make sure to arrive on time \- Before you ride\, decide as a group how you want to ride: you can split up in a fast and a slow group or stay together\, but make sure to discuss what pace you are going to ride and whether you are going to wait if someone is slower than the group\, or not\.

Samen sporten, gewoon voor de fun, elke week een divers programma, met allerlei verschillende sporten. Je hoeft niet de beste te zijn, maar wel zin hebben om samen te spelen en te leren. Tijdens een training doen we verschillende spelletjes, basketbal, voetbal. volleybal, spikebal, honkbal. Kom je ook, de bal ligt bij jou!! Eerste keer meedoen is altijd gratis, daarna kan je beslissen of dit voor jou is, of niet!! Dus kom een keer proberen. Kan je niet op deze dag, we sporten ook op andere dagen nl Zondag om 9:30 of Maandag om 20:30 Stuur mij een berichtje als je op die dagen een keer wil proberen! The amount of people rsvp'd to this game doesn't match the real number of people at the event, as Meetup is only used for promotion purposes.

New Year, New Sport! 🏐 ​Whether you've never played volleyball before or it’s been many years since you last hit the court, you are very welcome to join our Beginner Group! ​We train every Monday at 9 PM at Gymnasium Bibian Mentel in Zeeburgereiland. ​Come learn the basics, get moving, and meet new people in a fun, relaxed environment. ​Get more info here: ​WhatsApp Group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/EnPEK1bHLiTGdpqz6Vtbm4 ​Instagram: @brazucavolley

This is one for the early birds, but gets you back into the city by 7.45-8am, so you can still make it in time for work. **Route:** https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/441546437 GPX: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L3O5N_7rzLdy8d5QbCsnhMnY0EyudJ2n/view?usp=sharing **Afterwards:** Coffee at Coffee Company https://maps.app.goo.gl/WDTpAJ6TurQwFANd8 **Rules:** \- Download the route to your cycling computer so you can always find your way home \- Make sure to arrive on time \- Before you ride\, decide as a group how you want to ride: you can split up in a fast and a slow group or stay together\, but make sure to discuss what pace you are going to ride and whether you are going to wait if someone is slower than the group\, or not\. \- The end of the route is a coffee stop that opens at 7:30am so you can socialize

We’ll go for a relaxed 45-minute walk through Amstelpark, following the designated paths. With spring in full bloom, the park is looking especially beautiful—perfect for a refreshing stroll and good company. 🌸 🌷 🌹 🪻 🌿 After the walk, we can grab a drink at the mini golf & pancake restaurant, which is also the meeting point🥞🍹 Please bring comfortable shoes and only sign up if you are really joining. Looking forward to seeing you there!

'KAFKA ON THE SHORE' by Haruki Murakami 'The aging Nakata, tracker of lost cats, who never recovered from a bizarre childhood affliction, finds his pleasantly simplified life suddenly turned upside down. There is a savage killing, but the identity of both victim and killer is a riddle. Kafka on the Shore follows the fortunes of two remarkable characters. Kafka Tamura runs away from home at fifteen, under the shadow of his father's dark prophesy. The aging Nakata, tracker of lost cats, who never recovered from a bizarre childhood affliction, finds his pleasantly simplified life suddenly turned upside down. Their parallel odysseys are enriched throughout by vivid accomplices and mesmerising dramas. Cats converse with people; fish tumble from the sky; a ghostlike pimp deploys a Hegel-spouting girl of the night; a forest harbours soldiers apparently un-aged since WWII. There is a savage killing, but the identity of both victim and killer is a riddle. Murakami's new novel is at once a classic tale of quest, but it is also a bold exploration of mythic and contemporary taboos, of patricide, of mother-love, of sister-love. Above all it is an entertainment of a very high order.' ***Please read the book and join us for a lively discussion (in English) about the contents during our afternoon book club meeting.*** \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **PLEASE NOTE:** This is an IN-PERSON event in Amersfoort, The Netherlands. Please cancel your attendance in advance if you are unable to join, so that those on the waitlist can participate. Looking forward to seeing you all IN REAL LIFE then! Best regards, Sandra

**You're Invited: Bite by Bite Project second workshop!** **Join our 2nd Bite by Bite Workshop!** **A big thank you to everyone who joined our first session—your energy made it truly special!** **✨ Now, let’s keep going…** **🌱 “It is not a waste”** **🗓️ April 10 | 🕕 18:00** **📍 Rosa Buurcentrum, Utrecht** **Together, we’ll explore creative ways to reduce food waste and build more sustainable, healthy food habits—with hands-on inspiration from a cooking instructor on how to use leftovers.** **🌍 Part of the Bite by Bite Project, a 3-workshop series to co-create ideas for a more sustainable food future in Utrecht. These first two workshops are just the beginning—the perfect lead-up to our final session on May 4, where we’ll co-create with communication and visual experts to design impactful ways to engage our community around sustainable diets.** **👥 Open to Utrecht residents & campus communities (UCU & Science Park)** **👉 Register: https://forms.gle/xX2tAmy4S8KjMToN7** **Let’s create change—bite by bite.** **What to Expect:** **Event Details:** *Date & Time: FRIDAY, 10 April, 2026, 17:00 – 22:00 - Location: Rosa Buurtcentrum, Malakkastraat 6, 3531 HM Utrecht *Audience: Utrecht residents, Utrecht Science Park, and International Campus (UCU) communities. - Cost: Free! Just bring your recipe and enthusiasm. **Ready to make an impact?** **[Please make sure to fill in the registration form to secure your spot!](https://forms.gle/xX2tAmy4S8KjMToN7)** The Bite by Bite project will host three workshops, as a partnership between Utrecht University Medical Centre, Utrecht University College, The Pit, and Being Well Catalysts (Our Cooking Club), funded by the Planetary Health Seed Grants.

[PLEASE RSVP ON WOMANSHIP - THE TICKET LINK CAN BE FOUND THERE](https://belong.womanship.co/c/upcoming-workshops/spring-kitchen-ayurvedic-cooking-workshop) **We cook, eat and learn together** In a world that moves fast, the kitchen is a space to slow down. As we linger in the heavy, grounding energy of late winter, a seasonal shift is quietly approaching. Soon, the days will feel lighter and spring’s fluid energy will arrive. However, our bodies don’t always catch up instantly. This "in-between" period often leaves us feeling stuck, heavy, or out of balance. We invite you to the **Spring Kitchen Cooking Workshop**. Together, we will navigate this transition through the art of seasonal cooking, helping you find your natural rhythm for the season ahead. ### 🌿 What to Expect This is more than a cooking class; it is a holistic sensory experience: * **Ground:** Begin with a short grounding exercise to leave the "busy-ness" of the city behind. * **Learn:** Discover the Ayurvedic qualities of Winter vs. Spring and identify what *your* body specifically needs right now. * **Cook:** A hands-on session preparing vibrant, balancing seasonal dishes. * **Eat:** A communal long-table lunch where we enjoy our creations in connection. * **Reflect:** A closing moment of shared wisdom to carry into your daily life. ### 🍴 The Spring Menu We will prepare a menu designed to cleanse, warm, and energize: * **Appetizer:** Ginger Pickle * **Soup:** Creamy Asparagus Soup * **Main:** Beetroot Kitchari * **Dessert:** Seasonal Harvest Fruit Crumble * **Drink:** House-Brewed Herbal Tea We will Cook , Eat and Learn Together ### 👩‍🍳 Meet Your Hosts We are two Turkish friends living in Amsterdam, united by our passion for the healing power of Ayurveda: * **Ece Ertemalp:** A certified Ayurveda counselor with deep expertise in holistic wellbeing. * **Aysegul Cekic:** A holistic life and career coach and a dedicated Ayurveda enthusiast. ### 📍 Practical Details * **Investment:** €90 (Includes all organic ingredients, a full meal, and a take-home seasonal guide). [PLEASE RSVP ON WOMANSHIP - THE TICKET LINK CAN BE FOUND THERE](https://belong.womanship.co/c/upcoming-workshops/spring-kitchen-ayurvedic-cooking-workshop)

Let’s try this popular Italian restaurant in Reynoldsburg. This is the menu: https://scaliristorante.com/#4e468054-0235-43e2-81c2-44e061341e9e

* Second ever book club! April meet up. All are welcome. * The book will be Play Nice by Rachel Harrison (determined by votes from March Book Club. Let me know if you’d like a free digital copy of the book) * This event will be at the main library, meeting room 1B, the location will not be changed for this event due to the number of people attending, we will just add more chairs if needed! * Feel free to come whether or not you’ve started or finished the book ◡̈ * Small snacks will be provided. You’re welcome to bring your own snacks & drinks too! Starting in June I will try to keep future book clubs at the Dublin Library. Now that I understand their reservation system, I will be on top of it with booking that location as soon as the date is released for the month. Thanks for your understanding with the varying locations in the meantime.

Dinner and dancing

**Our April novel is: *The Hong Kong Widow* by Kristen Loesch** **This month’s novel blends gothic atmosphere with historical fiction and chilling horror, set against the haunting backdrop of China. The book is 368 pages in print and 10 hours and 42 minutes on audiobook.** In 1950s Hong Kong, Mei is a young refugee of the Chinese Communist revolution struggling to put her past in Shanghai behind her. When she receives a shocking invitation—to take part in a competition in one of the city's most notorious haunted houses, pitting six spirit mediums against one another in a series of six séances over six nights, until a single winner emerges—she has every reason to refuse. Except that the hostess, a former Shanghainese silent film star, is none other than the wife of the man who once destroyed Mei’s entire life. It is promised the winner will receive a fortune, but there is only one prize Mei wants: revenge. Decades later, the final night of that competition has become an infamous urban legend: The police were called to the scene of a brutal massacre but found no evidence, dismissing it as a collective hallucination. Mei knows what she saw, but now someone else is convinced they know what she did. She must uncover the truth about the last night she ever spent in that house—even if the ghosts of her past are waiting for her there. . . .

Join us for pizza and conversation at Vick’s Gourmet Pizza! 🍕 Good slices, good stories, and plenty of laughs around the table. Come hungry, bring your best conversation, and let’s enjoy a relaxed evening with great company. Extra cheese and extra chatter encouraged! 😄

Join us for our April Book Club gathering where we will come together to discuss *[Stop Me if You've Heard This One](https://www.kristenarnettwriter.com/stopmeifyouveheardthisone)* by [Kristen Arnett](https://www.kristenarnettwriter.com/about) in a safe and welcoming environment. Make new friends who share your passion for books and connect with fellow LGBTQ book enthusiasts.