Hobbies

Join DC Metro Crafts for our mid-month meetup. Bring your own cross stitch, knitting, crochet, or other portable craft. The Southwest Library is half a block from the Waterfront Metro. We're upstairs in Conference Room 2 at 5:30pm. Take the elevator to the second floor and the room is on your left. If you take the stairs, take two rights and the room is on your left.

I'm not so sure about planning a St. Patrick's Day sip & stitch, but Chicken is totally down for it. Aslin doesn't have any events listed for Mar. 17, and it is a very big space so I'm sure we can make it work. Aslin has a large selection of craft beers and soft drinks, as well as a menu of pub-style food. I think I have one piece of green clothing, which I will probably forget to wear anyway. I don't have any green projects to work on. I'm focused on my red hat! Hope to see you there!

Bring a friend, bring family, and bring that neighbor that you kinda know... Come one, come all for some free table tennis. Note: Because we have been playing regularly for years, members tend not to RSVP. If there are any questions, feel free to message.

I have been pretty quiet here for a minute, but recently started going to the weekly Commander night at Hobby Place and really enjoy it. The right balance of competitive and chill. They get a sizeable turnout, no entry fee (though I highly encourage buying a pack or two to thank the store for hosting). Format appears to be a range of difficulties, I know a few top tier decks are floating around, but most players seem chill and play say 3-7 range on a 1-10 scale. Its also nice to see a store hosting in this area. Its metro accessible and lots of parking on the block around it. From Braddock Metro: * Simply walk East on Wythe St for 10 minutes, the store is on your left. Driving: * Its at the corner of the N Washington St and Wythe. Get there and drive around the block to find street parking. I'm told they will stay open until after midnight for Commander. I've stayed as late as almost midnight, despite the store closing at 9pm. Big kudos to the store staff for being that cool.

Come the whole time or if you just spend 30 minutes. All are welcome. You are welcome and encouraged to bring your own coloring supplies but, if you don't have any, I will have plenty and am happy to share! (coloring books, colored pencils, and markers). Part of the mission of this group is to provide us an opportunity to check out AND SUPPORT local businesses. So, please don't bring any outside food/drinks and, while purchasing something isn't at all a REQUIREMENT to participate in the event, I do strongly encourage you to try something from the vendor :) I look forward to seeing and meeting you there! ***\*\*DISCLAIMER*\*\*** Photos may be taken during the event to be shared here on Meetup so feel free to let me know if you'd like to be excluded from them.

Ready for a fun night out where you make your own artisan pizza AND craft cocktails? Join us at The Commentary for a hands-on cooking and mixology experience! 📍Address: 801 N Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA 22203 During this interactive class, you'll: ✨ Learn how to make authentic Italian-style pizza 🍕 Create your own delicious pizza from scratch 🍹 Step over to the craft cocktail station and learn how to mix a signature drink 🥂 Enjoy the food and drinks you just made with the group This class is guided by the restaurant’s culinary team and pizza experts, making it a fun and relaxed way to learn new skills while meeting great people. 💰 Cost: $55 per person 👥 Spots are limited to 16 people only 🔞 Age: 21+ 🎟 Buy your ticket [here](https://thecommentaryarl.com/artisan-pizza-craft-cocktails-march-2026/) When purchasing your ticket , make sure you choose the march 21st 7pm times slot. Whether you come solo or bring a friend, it’s a great way to socialize, learn something new, and enjoy amazing pizza and cocktails together. 👉 RSVP early if you’re interested — these classes fill up fast!

Join us for an exciting evening of fun, laughter, and learning at our Indoor Pickleball Play & Learn event! No experience? No problem! Whether you've never picked up a paddle or you're just looking to have a blast, this event is for you. All you need is a pair of non-marking sneakers (to keep the courts and your knees in tip-top shape) and a spirit ready for some social fun. If you have paddles, feel free to bring them along. Event schedule: **30-minute Introduction:** Get checked in to the facilty, learn the basics of pickleball and get ready to play! **1 Hour of Court Time:** Get on the court with 6 players per court - 4 will play while 2 observe, learn & rotate in every few minutes. **30-Minute Decompress & Social Time:** Wind down at the onsite restaurant & bar, where you can refuel, hydrate, and be social! This is all about having a good time, making friends, and enjoying the game. So come prepared to laugh, learn, and maybe even discover your new favorite sport! Don't miss the chance to dive into the world of pickleball - bring your friends or come solo - everyone is welcome! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. We can't wait to see you there! We'll reconfirm RSVP's again before the event to avoid no-shows and allow those on the waitlist an opportunity to join. **WAITLIST:** Meetup does not allow a waitlist for paid events. If this event fills and you are interested in adding your name to the waitlist, please send host a message through the app. We look forward to a fantastic night filled with strategy, skill and socializing!

***Join us for an evening in an electronics lab where we will attempt to run clean scans of gold samples, and then clean up that data with post processing.*** This is a high sensitivity experiment, and we do not plan on being successful so early. But we've had promising results lately - so we will be putting in the time. We are NOT meeting at our usual location, but rather at Steve's house/lab. If you RSVP, you will get a DM with the address but it's located in Silver Spring. We will attempt full, clean lab - clean tip repeated scanning tests to see what we can learn and improve. We will experiment with online attendees, but if all possible showing up in person is strongly encouraged. Online join link is: - [https://meet.jit.si/mocomakers](https://meet.jit.si/mocomakers) Our community is building (and documenting for other teams) how to build a scanning tunneling microscope using a mix of common and 3D printed parts. This will allow us to scan and visualize a single atom - an ambitious we are doing over the course of a few months. The MoCo Makers community is one of the most innovative and competent groups in Maryland, and we've done everything from [publishing cancer research](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38136356/), to [launching products](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gotim/cozy-curvy-multi-contour-pillow), [winning grants](https://covidinfocommons.datascience.columbia.edu/awards/2014255), and inspiring thousands. Now our biggest challenge yet has appeared. We are building a Scanning Tunneling Microscope, that will allow us to scan and visualize single atoms. To get a better idea of what we are doing, see our reference project here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N3OqTEq08g](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N3OqTEq08g) All starting CAD, code, and reference files should exist. However, let's be the first Maker community to document the build process and share it with learners around the world. We will be publishing our work here -[ https://hackaday.io/project/202816-qt-panda](https://hackaday.io/project/202816-qt-panda) If you need a ride, let us know.

We're playing board games at Your Hobby Place, a Friendly Local Gaming Store in Old Town Alexandria. Feel free to bring your own games. They also have their own library of games available for play. We start at 6:00, but your group can certainly show up earlier. The store closes at 9:30. Snacks and drinks are available for sale, and several good restaurants are nearby. Free parking on Wythe St. and Columbus St. The store is 1/2 mile east from the Braddock Road Metro station down Wythe St.

Details Location: Crimson Whiskey Bar (Either the downstairs whiskey bar, or main floor bar, TBD) The purpose of Thinkers and Drinkers is to facilitate casual but meaningful and interesting conversations with other people in a face-to-face setting. The topics cover a wide variety of issues and are different for every meeting. While conversations may get heated at times, we ask that all members be respectful of each other and refrain from personal insults. Here's the updated version: *** **Topic: Reasons to Be Excited (A Technology Optimism Round)** It's easy to doom-scroll your way into thinking the world is falling apart. And honestly, some of our recent meetings haven't helped. So this time, we're flipping the script: what technology are you actually *excited* about? This isn't a request for blind techno-utopianism. Skepticism is welcome. But the goal is to spend some time on the genuine wins and promising horizons, because there are more of them than the headlines suggest. Here's a quick tour of some things worth being optimistic about: * **AI in everyday life** — Love it or hate it, AI tools are genuinely saving people hours of tedious work. From coding assistants to writing tools to writing this very event descriptin you're reading now to AI that sits inside your spreadsheets and email, the practical applications are moving faster than most people expected even two years ago. The question is less "will this be useful?" and more "who actually benefits, and when?" * **Clean energy's quiet boom** — Solar and battery storage have had a decade of jaw-dropping cost reductions. The U.S. added more renewable capacity last year than any year on record. It's not fast enough for some, but the trajectory is real. * **CRISPR and gene editing** — In late 2023, the FDA approved the first CRISPR-based treatment for sickle cell disease — a condition that has caused lifelong suffering for millions of people with very few good options. It's the first of what could be a long list of genetic diseases that are now, for the first time, actually curable rather than just manageable. * **Lab-grown meat** — Chicken and beef grown directly from animal cells, no slaughter required. It's real, it's been approved for sale in the US, and while it's still expensive and not yet on your grocery shelf, the cost curves are dropping fast. Whether you care about animal welfare, climate, or just think it's cool, this one is quietly wild. * **SpaceX and the new space economy** — Reusable rockets went from fantasy to routine. Launch costs have dropped by an order of magnitude in 15 years, opening the door to satellite internet in remote areas, new science missions, and yes, eventually humans on Mars (whether or not that excites you). * **Brain-computer interfaces** — Still early, still expensive, but Neuralink and others are giving paralyzed patients the ability to control devices with their thoughts. The sci-fi shelf life on this one is getting shorter. **Questions to Consider:** * Is there a technology you were skeptical about that has actually won you over? What changed your mind? * Which of these feels most overhyped — and which feels *under*hyped? * Are the benefits of new technology reaching people broadly, or mostly concentrating among the already-fortunate? * Is optimism about technology a luxury? Does it depend on where you live, how much money you have, or what you do for work? * What's something small and unglamorous — not AI, not space — that has genuinely made your life better recently?

**⚔️ Introduction to Wargaming & Painting Miniature Soldiers at The Arcane Foundry ⚔️** Join me in **The War Room at [The Arcane Foundry](https://share.google/S5i6DYJnJteHWeKtd)** for a laid-back evening of hobby talk and tabletop fun! For just **$25**, you’ll get a **3D-printed regiment of 20 high quality resin models** of your choice to paint — a **$40-70 value!** Bring your creativity, relax, and let’s make something awesome together. This is a limited time promotional offer. All regiments are made to order and require **4-5 hours of production time**, so please give me at least a **5 day notice**, so I can have them ready for you! All miniatures are printed with a commercial license. **Choose one from Below:** * 20 Empire Soldiers * 20 Dwarf Warriors * 20 Elf Spearmen Step into a world where strategy meets artistry — and where every painted figure tells a story of battle, honor, and imagination. Join **Daclaud** at **The Arcane Foundry** for an evening that introduces newcomers and enthusiasts alike to the timeless craft of **tabletop wargaming** and **miniature painting**. My own journey began with a fascination for fantasy — knights in armor, grim and hardened warriors, and monstrous creatures locked in epic battle. That passion led me to **Dungeons & Dragons**, where I painted my first **Basic Heroes set** and felt the spark that comes from bringing a character to life in miniature form. Not long after, I discovered **Warhammer Fantasy** and **Warhammer 40,000**, and I was hooked. The vision of vast armies clashing across the table — each unit meticulously painted, each story unfolding through dice and imagination — became my creative obsession. During this event, we’ll explore the **origins of wargaming**, from its early military simulations to the richly detailed worlds of modern tabletop battle systems. You’ll learn how to **build and customize your own armies**, paint your first figures, and experience the joy of turning strategy and storytelling into a hands-on art form. Whether you’re drawn by the lore, the hobby, or the thrill of commanding miniature legions, this introduction will open the gates to a world that has captivated hobbyists for generations. **🎨 RSVP today and join us at The Arcane Foundry — where every brushstroke and battle tells a story.**

Let’s meet and discuss this fun but moving collection of wildly creative short stories. (Photo credit: TimesNowNews.com)

**SPECIAL PROMOTION**: Buy 3 and get 1 Free! (5 oz glass jars only) Looking for a creative night out that isn’t boring or corporate? Come hang out at **The Arcane Foundry** for an open candle bar and a 3D print paint and sip! Choose something from our 3D-printed shelf — *think ceramic paint-and-sip, but way cooler and with custom models we print in-house.* Or head to the candle bar and pick your fragrances to pour your own **pillar candle or container candle**. Sip complimentary tea, enjoy bakery snacks, and **BYOB wine or beer** while you paint, pour, and make whatever the hell you feel like making. No experience needed — this is all vibes, fun, and meeting new people while creating something you’ll actually want to take home. **Candle Making** (includes vessel, your choice of wick, wax, scented oil, labels and lids) 5oz Glass Jars $15 8oz Candle Tins $25 12oz Glass Candles $35 12oz Amber Jars $40 16 oz Skull or Jack o Lantern Candle Mugs $65 (Limited Edition!) \[www\.thearcanefoundry\.com\]\(The Arcane Foundry\) **All materials included. You just bring yourself (and your drink of choice).** **Payments accepted:** * Credit Card * Venmo: @Daclaud-Lee * Cashapp: $DaclaudL

NFT's are here to stay folks! This is a group for like minded people interested in understanding, leveraging, using, creating for, profiting from, trading too i suppose, NFT's.. everything around them, complexity, fear and exploits, best practices and more. **PLUS** This group will talk AI ART tools, techniques, artists, video, audio, prototypes and more in the AI assisted production space- ART specifically, but we can get into any aspect of some of the cooler things happening in AI in general.

Kevin Rhodus from Lucy Deep Park Northside is coming to talk to us about his extensive neighborhood Christmas light display that is open in November and December every year north of Dublin. 9 houses over 12 acres and over 120,000 individual controlled lights that sync to music which you can tune into on your radio! Quite impressive! https://ldplights.com/ We'll dive into the tech that runs the show -- should be a blast to hear about this very elaborate display! While we continue to pursue a more permanent venue for this Meetup, we’ll be using public library facilities based on availability. This session will be at the Dublin Library in the Meeting Room 2

5:45-7:45 in Conference Room B, Library lower level. Bring your yarn projects, meet new friends. If you plan to attend, please RSVP yes. If you can’t attend, please change your RSVP to no. This helps anyone who is waitlisted and it allows me to have an accurate count of attendees as our space is quite limited. Plenty of parking in the lot, in the overflow lot across the street, and on the street. See you there! Winter Note: If the weather is bad and I have to cancel the Meetup, i will issue the cancellation not later than 3 p.m. of that day.