Local Politics

Greetings from the capital! Every Saturday at 7:30 PM, people from all walks of life — students, diplomats, travelers, locals — gather to unwind and connect. [[[Click this whatsapp groupchat link to join](https://chat.whatsapp.com/Gf89PPYe3RMAK6Z7SGf5or)]] Our age range is mostly 20s to 30s. If you enjoy discussing culture, politics, travel, or just want to practice a new language, this group is for you. A perfect blend of diversity and dialogue, right in the heart of D.C.

To Attend: 1. RSVP; then 2. Register via: [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/embassy-event-evening-at-the-residence-of-the-ambassador-from-nepal-tickets-1980832342860](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/embassy-event-evening-at-the-residence-of-the-ambassador-from-nepal-tickets-1980832342860) Experience this beautiful part of Asia without ever boarding a plane! Tonight, you can join the diplomats and step on Nepalese soil to experience their fantastic culture without ever getting on a plane! This is truly a beautiful and unique embassy. We have a fantastic opportunity to tour one of the most attractive embassies in Washington D.C., housing the diplomats of our Asian friends! FEATURING: 1. **NEPALESE BUFFET:** Enjoy a special taste of cuisine from Nepal prepared by a native chef! 2. **OPEN BAR:** Experience a variety of wines, beer and other nonalcoholic drinks commonly found in Nepal 3. **LIVE MUSIC AND DANCE PRESENTATION:** Experience an extraordinary dance presentation unique to Nepal. 4. **DIPLOMATIC GREETING:** Hear from leading diplomats as they officially welcome you to the embassy. Network with the diplomats on hand to answer any questions about Nepal 5. **NEPALESE ART:** One of the most fantastic elements of this embassy is the wide array of Nepalese paintings, sculptures, unique buildings, and the unique architecture of the building itself. 6. **NEPALESE FILM:** A special cultural and tourism film will be previewed highlighting the beauty and culture of Nepal *Note: The event is presented as a cultural event organized by us at the Embassy of Nepal. Your registration fee is used by Things to do DC solely to present diverse cultural events to our membership. No part of the admission fee is related in any way to the Embassy of Nepal or staff at the Embassy. We appreciate your support of our events!* ## SUGGESTED ATTIRE Smart Casual. Preppy at a Minimum. (Jeans, T-shirts, Sneakers or other Casual Wear are not Acceptable) To Attend: 1. RSVP; then 2. Register via: [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/embassy-event-evening-at-the-residence-of-the-ambassador-from-nepal-tickets-1980832342860](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/embassy-event-evening-at-the-residence-of-the-ambassador-from-nepal-tickets-1980832342860)

DC Code and Coffee is an inclusive, informal co-working session. It's community-led and community-run by devs, for devs. People of all skill levels attend. Whether you’re dev-curious, aspiring, or a professional developer, we’d love to have you! Come chat or learn to code on a Sunday afternoon with coffee and cool-inclusive people. Bring your laptop! We typically meet every month on the weekend. **Join our online community!** For all things Tech in DC and to get latest updates and tech events from the DMV area, join the [DCTech Slack](https://dctech.chat/). All DC Code & Coffee announcements are in the #dccodecoffee channel **How it works** Near the beginning of the event, we do an introduction circle. You say your name, what you can help others with, and what you would like help with. You can also share job opportunities. After the introduction circle, everything is self-organized. **Event Host and Directions** TEMPORARY LOCATION! We'll be meeting at West End Library for February.

[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Venezuela’s Future—and Ours,”** an analysis of how the Trump administration’s intervention in Venezuela will affect that nation, the U.S., and the rest of the world, with Ernesto Castañeda, Director of the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies and the Immigration Lab at American University. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/nv-venezuela-future](https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/nv-venezuela-future) .] On January 3rd, after a long military buildup, the United States used special forces to seize Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their residence in Caracas, Venezuela to stand trial here on criminal charges. The development marked a major turning point in our relationship with Venezuela and the rest of Latin America and raised a host of complex questions, not just for Venezuelans living inside and outside that country but for American citizens and other nations of the world. Coming to the stage to break down what all of this means is Ernesto Castañeda, a scholar of Latin America who has given several excellent Profs and Pints talks on immigration policy and has given dozens of interviews to media outlets around the world in the wake of the U.S. raid. In a talk offering informed perspective on the latest news developments, Professor Castañeda will discuss various theories about why the U.S. conducted the operation to get Maduro out of Venezuela. He’s put our nation’s current plans for Venezuela into context by touching on previous U.S. military interventions in Latin America and beyond. Professor Castañeda will look at the implications of recent events for U.S. politics and U.S. citizens and what such developments tell us about the balance of power in the United States. He’ll examine the distance between decisions made by the White House and public priorities, touching on how it all relates to our immigration policies and our views about peaceful protest and democracy. He’ll consider how the Venezuela raid and our actions since have altered relations between the U.S. and other nations and provide scenarios about what the future might hold. (Door: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image by Canva.

Oasis recording artist LESSON ZERO plays The Evening Star Cafe's Number 9 Lounge, 2000 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Va. Saturday, January 31 from 8:00 to 10:00 PM. Admission is free and street parking is available. For more information, see [www.youtube.com/lessonzero](http://www.youtube.com/lessonzero "http://www.youtube.com/lessonzero") and [www.reverbnation.com/lessonzero.](http://www.reverbnation.com/lessonzero. "http://www.reverbnation.com/lessonzero.")

We'll check out Caboose Commons: 2918 Eskridge Rd, Fairfax, VA 22031 Please have a picture profile so we can recognize you in the meetup. Please only sign up if you're sure about attending this meetup, and please update your RSVP as soon as possible if you need to cancel, thank you!

## 🌆 Thrive: A Curated Singles Night (Ages 28–42) **Part of the *Cuffed by Cupid* Match Series** 💘 A four-event winter singles series leading up to Valentine’s Day. 🗓 **Saturday, January 31** ⏰ **8:00 – 10:00 PM** 📍 **Eighteenth Street Lounge — Washington, DC** *** You’re building your career. Your community. Yourself. And maybe you’re also ready to meet people who are doing the same — and actually *get it*. **Thrive** is a curated singles night for people in their late 20s to early 40s who want more than surface-level banter. This event is intentional, relaxed, and thoughtfully structured to help real conversations happen naturally. We use our **Matchbox compatibility quiz** to guide up to three curated matches throughout the night — no speed dating, no awkward games, and no pressure to perform. After hosting **12+ events for over 373 guests**, we’ve refined the flow, questions, and hosting so the experience feels smooth, social, and genuinely enjoyable. *** ### 🎟️ IMPORTANT: Tickets Required RSVPing “Yes” on Meetup does **not** guarantee entry. All attendees must purchase a ticket on Eventbrite to attend. (The ticket link will be shared in the event comments and confirmation message.) *** ### 💫 How It Works • Arrive, grab a drink, and complete a short compatibility quiz on your phone • Our Matchbox system uses values, goals, and personality to curate up to **3 matches** • Matches are revealed in relaxed rounds throughout the evening • Plenty of time to mingle with the full group before and after This is structured enough to make meeting people easy — and relaxed enough to feel natural. *** ### ⏰ Event Schedule **8:00 PM** – Arrival & check-in **8:15 PM** – Compatibility quiz opens **8:45 PM** – Matches revealed **9:00 PM** – Match #1 **9:20 PM** – Match #2 **9:40 PM** – Match #3 **10:00 PM** – Open mingling 👉 Please arrive by **8:30 PM** to be included in matchmaking. *** ### 👗 Dress Code Smart casual to semi-formal. Sweaters, boots, blazers, jumpsuits — look polished, feel comfortable, and come as yourself. *** ### 📋 What You’ll Need • A smartphone with internet access • Arrival by 8:30 PM • An open mindset — we’ll handle the rest *** ### 🛡️ Safety, Access & Policies • Venue is upstairs with **limited accessibility (stairs only)** • This is a **safe, respectful, and inclusive space** • Disruptive behavior or harassment will result in removal • Photos and video may be taken for community promotion • Refunds available up to **4 days before the event** (Eventbrite policy applies) *** ### 💬 Why Thrive Works You’re not here to waste time — but you’re also not rushing it. Thrive is designed for people who care about depth, direction, and meeting others in a similar phase of life. 📸 Follow along: **@dmv.experiences**

Open gaming at Panera! New players welcome. We have many games on hand or you can bring your own. We are happy to teach or learn one of yours.

**Notice the new time. We are now 2-5pm.** Bring your own board games! The MoCo Pride Center has a few games as well. Newcomers welcome! You don't need to know anything, we will teach you how to play! We do not serve food. Note that you can bring drinks and food, but plan to leave the place tidy. Some of us may also get food together afterwards. Info about the MoCo Pride Center: [https://www.mocopridefamily.org/pride-center-home](https://www.mocopridefamily.org/pride-center-home) The Center is close to the **Bethesda Metro Station**. It is on the 2nd floor of the **Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center**. Look for the **blue awning** that says Geste Beer at the cross of Old Georgetown Road -- the front entrance is directly to the left of this awning. The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Service Center has an attached garage, which is accessible on Edgemoor. Go past the Center, then turn right at the stop sign across from the Metro stop. The garage is your first right. Payment is mobile using the ParkMobile app.

Guest Speakers: Liqin and Frank from United Poultry Concerns Post-PAM Animal Action: TBD Chickens and Turkeys: Who Are They and Why Should We Care? This presentation by Liqin Cao and Franklin Wade of United Poultry Concerns will reveal that chickens and turkeys are intelligent, emotional, and social beings with strong family bonds and natural behaviors. It contrasts their rich inner lives with the suffering they endure in modern animal agriculture, urging greater compassion and respect toward them. Join your fellow animal lovers and DC Animal Protection to discuss what’s happening in the animal advocacy scene in DC! This series is a weekly meetup, with guest speakers from all of the major animals rights orgs. We’ll host non-profits such as Pro-Animal Future, International Council for Animal Welfare, DC Voters for Animals, The Humane League, Mercy for Animals and Direct Action Everywhere as well as local grassroots groups like the DC Coalition Against Foie Gras and sanctuaries. We’ll also have special sessions related to health, nutrition and mindfulness! We encourage anyone who is interested in helping animals to attend- no need to be vegan! Come learn about our rich variety of local activism. With protests, outreach, wheat-pasting, signature collecting, leafletting, lobbying, tabling etc. there’s something to match everyone’s comfort level and skill set. Coffee, bagels and community will be provided! Feel free to bring any extra treats to share (no animal products please.) Hope to see you soon! :) Note: Unfortunately, animals are not allowed at our venue. Please leave your furry friends at home.

**[note: ‘registering’ here doesn’t get you a seat; go to [THIS LINK](https://www.coreerocks.com/Events.aspx?ID=Columbus-In-Person-Chapter-Meeting-Build-Your-Network-Get-Mentored-Night-14-2-3-2026) to download your guest pass or just let us know you’re coming]** At our in-person Columbus Chapter meetings, we love to get you next to local investors who aren’t just experienced but also supportive, collaborative, and ready to answer your questions. At February’s meeting, the whole 3 hours is about getting you face-to-face with our experienced local members for some local advice and mentoring. Here’s the whole agenda: 5:00 Free light dinner and networking tables, meet the vendors 6:00-6:15 Buy-Sell-Trade (Members) Guest Orientation (Non-Members) 6:15-8:00 p.m. **Build Relationships + Get Mentored Night!** We bet you’re figured out that the best way to profitably navigate a rapidly-changing market it to get with real people who already know how to find the deals, get them financed, get them fixed, and most importantly, get them sold or rented fast and profitably. That’s why we’re devoting a whole meeting to giving you the chance to build some real relationships with those experienced, supportive colleagues, ask them your ‘big picture’ questions, or even bring a deal that you’re working on to have them give their opinion. You’ll have the chance to sit with these mentors in small groups and make connections you want…we’ve got members who can answer questions on anything from getting financing to rehab to tenant issues, asset protection, wholesaling, shared housing, and more! If you’ve been intimidated by the success and knowledge of these folks (or just didn’t know who to go to for what questions), this is your chance to pick their brains in an easy, structured atmosphere where THAT’S WHY THEY’RE THERE! (If you’re more experienced yourself, how about showing up to BE a mentor for the night? After all, someone helped you when you got started…pass it on!) Members and first-time guests attend free; repeat guests are $35 (and for real, it’s cheaper to just join [HERE](https://www.coreerocks.com/MembershipInfo.aspx) and get ALL the benefits of membership, including a free website for your business and 20 other educational and networking meetings every month than it is to keep paying that guest fee). Register below to reserve your seat! Members and first-time guests attend free; repeat guests are $35; Register at **[THIS LINK](https://www.coreerocks.com/Events.aspx?ID=Columbus-In-Person-Chapter-Meeting-Build-Your-Network-Get-Mentored-Night-14-2-3-2026)** to reserve your seat!

Inspired by the successful events like "Pot Luck in the Park" and "Saturday Mornings @ East Market," this meetup promises a fun and engaging atmosphere where like-minded individuals can connect over a shared love for languages and cultures. Whether you're a language learner, ESL student, or simply passionate about exploring new cultures, this event is perfect for anyone looking to immerse themselves in a diverse and welcoming community. Come join us for an enlightening afternoon of language, culture, food, of course, and connections! (Everyone will individually choose from the buffet and pay for their own meal, by weight.)

Evolve exists to connect women entrepreneurs connect with one another, serve one another, and help one another overcome challenges in marketing, sales, networking, and professional development. [Add to Calendar](evolvecolumbus.eventcalendarapp.com) What to Expect: \~ Welcome team to greet you, introduce you to others, and make sure you feel a part of the group from your very first meeting \~ Welcome & Introductions: 15 second introductions \~ 15 Minute Speaker Spotlight: Member speaker who shares a bit of her story, how she got to doing what she does, and a tangible tip she uses to gain success in her business. No hard selling...no expectations. Simply giving the group an opportunity to get to know her and her journey. \~ 20 Minute Break Out Sessions: Small groups is where we connect best. Extroverted and Introverted alike get the opportunity to share on a deeper level and learn from one another. \~ Take Aways: Hear what the other groups talked about and share resources to grow yourself and your business \~ Grow Time!: Do you need a specific connection to a person, company, or industry? Share it with us! We love to open our networks to one another and grow together! Guests are always welcome. Please contact Mentor Director Donna Schomer at Donna@EvolveWomensNetwork.com for more information. We'd love to meet you!

Let’s meet and discuss whatever comes to mind about one of Tennesse Williams’ most famous plays.

COLUMBUS RECREATION CENTERS require membership fee to play. Register & Pay at the desk when you arrive. $5 day pass is available. I have some extra pickle ball paddles and balls if you don’t have one. Definitely bring your own paddle if you have one and bring some balls if you have them. Legal Stuff: The event hosts/Organizers are just fellow member volunteers. By participating in any event, you assume all risks of liability and injury inherent in these activities. You are responsible for your own safety and for determining if you are in condition fit to participate. You are also responsible for knowing and abiding by all laws and rules during your participation in any event.
 Photos & or Video: by attending these events you acknowledge photos and or video may be taken and used on this and other platforms.