Log Management

Let’s shake off the Thursday blues with some easy kilometers. This is a no-drop social run designed to keep the heart rate down and the vibes high. **The Details** Meetup: 18:55 (for a quick briefing) Start Time: 19:00h 📍**Meeting Point:** Guingette Maurice, Parc Du Cinquaintenaire 👟 Target Pace: 6:30 – 7:00 min/km Distance: 5.0 km Effort Level: Conversational. If you can't speak in full sentences, we're going too fast! 📝 Note No Bag/Sweater Drop

Êtes-vous un adepte des logiciels de marketing et souhaitez-vous gérer vos campagnes e-mail et vos indicateurs clés de performance (KPI) en toute simplicité ? Marre de jongler entre plusieurs logiciels pour envoyer des newsletters et piloter vos campagnes marketing ? Cette journée de formation 100 % gratuite, le jeudi 7 mai 2026 à Louvain-la-Neuve est faite pour vous ! Découvrez comment Odoo peut vous aider à centraliser et optimiser votre stratégie marketing. 🚀 Inscrivez vous gratuitement sur notre site : https://www.odoo.com/r/P7N —-------------------------------------------------------------------------- **Les informations pratiques :** Où? Odoo LLN - Rue du Laid Burniat, 5 à 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve Quand ? Le jeudi 7 mai 2026 de 9h à 17h Inscription? https://www.odoo.com/r/P7N Prix ? Gratuit ! Au plaisir de vous y voir nombreux et de vous rencontrer !

Meet and make new Friends after work.

Socializing and Networking 🛜🆕 at PLUX on Thursday. Making new friends and drinking 🚰🎈🎉🚿🌊. Everybody Welocme, locals, expats or new 🆕 in town.

**Experience Deep Relaxation & Mental Clarity with Access Bars®** ​Imagine letting go of stress, overthinking, and emotional blocks—effortlessly. Access Bars® is a gentle, hands-on technique that activates 32 points on your head, helping to release stored thoughts, beliefs, and tension, leaving you feeling lighter, clearer, and more at ease. **Reiki** is a gentle, non-invasive practice that supports deep relaxation, nervous system regulation, and energetic rebalancing. It can help release stress, quiet mental overload, and restore a greater sense of clarity and ease. ​ ​Your Session ​️ Duration: 30min or 60min in total ​ In-Person Only – Feel the full benefits in a calm and welcoming space. ​ ​ Investment in Your Well-being: ​30-min session: 25 EUR or 2 Common Hub Tokens (2 CHT) ​60-min session: 50 EUR or 4 Common Hub Tokens (4 CHT) ​ ​Book your session now and give yourself the gift of relaxation, clarity, and renewed energy! ✨ Booking: [https://koalendar.com/e/access-bars-CHB](https://koalendar.com/e/access-bars-CHB) If you are interested in a session in another time slot, send me a private message and we can book it. **About Your Host:** ​​​This experience is guided by Mara [Regina](https://linktr.ee/reginadgaia) D'Gaia, holistic therapist and access bars practitioner. ​​​ Contact: [integractiveconnections@gmail.com](http://integractiveconnections@gmail.com) https://livingbloom.life ​​​ Follow on Instagram: [@reginadgaia](http://www.instagram.com/reginadgaia)

Shake off the workday and train with a welcoming crew of internationals and Brussels professionals. This is a **co-hosted session with F45 Brussels**—fast, fun, and coached circuit training that fits perfectly after work. **Why join?** * **Community vibe:** Friendly, social, in English. * **All levels welcome:** Coaches demo every move with **easier/harder options**. * **Time-smart:** 45 minutes, full-body, high energy, great music. * **Accountability:** Come with the group, leave with endorphins. **What we’ll do** 1. Quick intro & warm-up 2. **F45 functional circuits** (intervals that mix strength + cardio) 3. Team finisher & cool down 4. Optional post workout social drink/rooftop bowling nearby (meet new people, not just new burpees 😉) **Good to know** * **When:** Thursday, **6:30 PM start** (arrive 6:15 to check in) * **Where:** **F45 Brussels** (Brussels Central Station) Galeries Ravenstein * **Bring:** Clean trainers, towel, water bottle * **Fitness level:** Beginner to advanced (scalable stations) * **Capacity:** Limited spots — **RSVP required** * **Price:** Free weekly tryout **Who this is for** * New in Brussels and want a **friendly fitness + social** routine * Busy professional looking for a **structured, coached** workout * Sunday Vacations regulars who want to stay fit for hikes & trips **About F45** F45 = **Functional 45-minute training**: coach-led, station-based, results-driven. Expect variety, technique tips, and a positive team atmosphere. See you on the floor at 6:30! 💪🏽✨ By joining this event, you agree to the Sunday Vacations [Terms & Conditions](https://www.sundayvacations.com/terms), [Privacy Policy](https://www.sundayvacations.com/privacy) & [Code of Conduct](https://www.sundayvacations.com/code)

Run rival whale-watching tours competing for the best sightings. Predict whale movements and outguess competing boats. A light bluffing game driven by clever guesses. [How to Play](https://youtu.be/Z2KDTy13pic?si=RnsMb3FxSPhTDnTX) [BGG](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/388413/whale-to-look) Everyone is welcome! No previous experience or game knowledge needed — I’ll explain all the rules before we start.

Come and join **your fellow peers** to have a good time **practicing** **writing code** to get better at writing code in your real jobs. We’ll start off with **koffiekoeken** and form pairs to do the Game of Life Code Kata. After 45 minutes we’ll delete all our code and talk about new insights you’ve gained. Then we’ll pair up with new people and do it all over again but with new constraints applied, like not using conditional expressions, or committing code on green within 2 minutes. At some point we’ll break for lunch and we’ll figure something out for dinner too. ## **What to bring?** This event is very hands-on and it’s always better to come prepared. Bring your laptop (and peripherals if this helps you code better). Make sure you’ve installed GIT, and some programming languages you like. Here are some kickstarting code repositories you can already clone to see if they are usable for you on your machine: [https://github.com/SoftwareSandbox/coderetreat-kotlin](https://github.com/SoftwareSandbox/coderetreat-kotlin) [https://github.com/SoftwareSandbox/coderetreat-java17](https://github.com/SoftwareSandbox/coderetreat-java17) [https://github.com/SoftwareSandbox/coderetreat-elm](https://github.com/SoftwareSandbox/coderetreat-elm) [https://github.com/TimmyGilissen/coderetreat-dotnetcore](https://github.com/TimmyGilissen/coderetreat-dotnetcore) ## **Schedule** 08:30 Welcome with koffiekoeken 09:00 Kick-off, facilitated by Vincent Verhoeven and Tim Schraepen 09:30 First kata 12:30 Lunch break 13:30 More kata’s 17:30 Closing ## **Is this event for me?** If one or more of these apply to you, I’d say you’ll have a good time and learn something new: * You’re a student and want to learn from people that code for a living * You want to improve your coding skills * You want to learn how to improve your AI context/harness engineering via software crafting skills * You’ve never done Test Driven Development before * You’re experienced and want to pair with somebody outside of your team * You’re very experienced and want to help your peers grow their coding skills ## **Practical Info** Our host of the day is Unlockd and along with sponsoring the food and drinks, they’ve lent their office space (desks, monitors, meeting rooms, …) to help you become a better software developer. Unlockd is an agency specialised in building (mobile) apps for any screen. They focus on collaboration with clients who appreciate creating value through small iterations. They do this for mobile, web, desktop and embedded devices. In small teams they focus on app development but include all involved 'edges' like back-end/middle layers, embedded/BLE interfaces, design, dev ops, app store publishing and optimisation, production monitoring, etc. They've build apps for Hubo, Standaard Uitgeverij (Strips), Lava (fruite & vegetable auctions), Classified Cycling and many more.

✨Nayestones Sale ✨ 🗓 Friday, May 8 & Saturday, May 9 ⏰ 11:00 – 18:00 ✨ A special moment in Brussels ✨ Come discover, create, and be inspired ✨ We are delighted to invite you to an exclusive event at Aroz Jewelry, in collaboration with Nayestones. 💎 Discover Nayestones For two days only, explore the brand’s refined creations, design your own personalized jewel, or simply enjoy a moment immersed in the world of gemstones. 💫 Where you can give a second life to your gold Bring your old jewelry and transform it into a unique, contemporary piece, redesigned and handcrafted by Natalie — keeping your story alive in a new creation. 🔍 Gemology Atelier (FREE – limited spots) Dive into the fascinating universe of precious stones: meanings, symbols, and history — with a personalized touch based on your birth date. 🗓 Saturday, May 9 • French session: 10:00 – 11:00 • English session: 14:00 – 15:00 📩 Registration via DM 📍 Aroz Jewelry 50, rue du Tabellion 1050 Ixelles, Brussels [Check on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DXXAK_lCIDu/?igsh=MXN0ZjRqcGM0cTJ4dQ==)

Let's meet to write ! Schedule : 11:00 - 11:30 am : Presentation tour. Share briefly with the group about your project and your "goal of the day". 11:30 - 13:30 : Let's write ! 13:30 : Conclusion tour. Did you achieve your goal of the day ? See you soon !

This hike takes us through the ***heart of the Ardennes*** from Vielsalm to Trois-Ponts. We start in Vielsalm, a town known for its ***deep forests and Ardennes traditions*** and follow mostly woodland paths along the ***GR 5*** and the **Promenade du Sanglier**. In Stavelot, home to the ***impressive Abbey of Stavelot*** we join the ***GR 14 for the final stretch*** leading us through ***rolling valleys*** to our destination in Trois-Ponts. ***After our hike*** we continue our good habit of ***taking a nice beer/pancake/snack in a local pub*** in Trois Ponts before returning to Brussels. **Please don't forget to pay Maikel a drink :-)** We will walk at ***an average speed of 5km/h*** both on paved and unpaved roads. ***I’ve never walked this road before so it’s possible that there are some mistakes in the planning***. This means it could become longer. ***●●Meeting point*** We meet at ***08h45 in front of the Starbucks in Brussels Central***. The train ( IC507-Eupen) leaves from ***platform 3 at 09h00***. It arrives at ***09h59 in Liège-Guillemins*** where we change to train ( IC5310 - Troisvierges) leaving from ***platform 4 at 10h07***. We arrive at our ***destination Vielsalm at 11h12*** and start our hike to Trois-Ponts. ***●● Train tickets*** \- single ticket Brussels to Vielsalm \(14\,90 € weekend / 09\,00 € with train card\+\) \- single ticket Trois\-Ponts to Brussels \(14\,90 € weekend / 9\,00 € with train card\+\) ***●● Trains back to Brussels*** There is a train from Trois-Ponts to Brussels at ***17h02, 19h02 and 21h02***. ***LAST TRAIN = 21h02*** **●● Specifics** distance: \~ 29 km elevation gain: \~ 548 m net walking time ***(breaks are not included here):*** \~ 6h00 level: ***intermediate – hiking expercience is an advantage*** ***In the unlikely case of too bad weather we may cancel a hike even few hours before the event. If this must happen we will of course update the Meetup website and send out an email to those registered. So, it is important to have access to either the [Meetup](http://meetup.com/) website and/or your emails.*** **●● *What to bring*** \- warm comfortable hiking clothes – *waterproof hiking shoes* \- extra socks to change \+ compeed for blisters \- enough water \(min 2 l\) and food for lunch/breaks \- sun protection oil\, tick repellent\, a hat and sunglasses OR a raincoat (please consult the weather forecast on [www.meteo.be](http://www.meteo.be/)) **\- some cash money to pay Maikel a drink ;\-\)** **●● *Basic rules*** Please RSVP only if **you really intend to come**. And if your plans change **update your RSVP** so other people still have the possibility to join. This is basic courtesy towards others. **People who cancel at the last day (24h) or don’t show up for the hike will be blacklisted for future hikes.** **When you are on the waitinglist it means you should not come to the hike. When there is no +1 function it means you can't bring any guests. Everyone should register for him/her self.** **●● Acknowledgement of member responsibility and release of liability** **By signing up for this event you agree to release the organizers from any responsibility and liability in all claims. As the participation is strictly voluntary and you freely choose to join, it is the responsibility of individuals participating to ensure that they are fit enough and have adequate coverage to protect themselves.**

Hi everyone, This coffee morning event is @MIR Concept Coffee Store! Saturday, 9 May 2026, from 10:00 - 13:00. MIR opened its doors about 4 years ago, right off Place Jourdan. Doriana, the owner, is a super nice host, and is excited to have our group as her café. The café is very beautiful and has great coffee, and many yummy food options. Their Instagram channel: https://www.instagram.com/mirconceptstore/ **The address is:** MIR Concept Coffee Store Rue Gray 4A 1040 Etterbeek *** 1. The **prime time** of the event is **10:30 - 12:30**. That's when most people will be there. 2. When you enter the gallery, it's either on the right-hand side or left-hand side of its hallway, depending which entrance you take. 3. If you intend **to join past 12:00** (high noon), then there is no need to register. Just come and join! 4. **DON'T forget to cancel** if you can't join! 5. **Please, be respectful towards each other during the event. (And after ;))** **As always, feel free to follow us on INSTAGRAM!** [https://instagram.com/weekendmorningcoffee?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==](https://instagram.com/weekendmorningcoffee?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==) **THE STRUCTURE of THE EVENT:** * I will post the event on Saturday/Sunday evening for the following Saturday. * I send out a reminder to everyone on Friday. * There is sometimes a waiting list. * In case RSVP is closed (once there are 10-15 people on the waiting list), I might reopen it on Friday, depending on the number of cancellations in the meantime. * **For everyone on the waiting,** please check your status and messages on Friday evening the latest. I message everyone on the waiting list on Friday. * **Please, move to "not going" AS SOON AS you know that you can't come anymore, that includes everyone who is on the waiting list.** **IMPORTANT:** * **Please, be respectful towards each other during the event. (And after ;))** * When you register yourself, be careful not to register accidentally a +1 guest (unless you bring a guest). It happens very often. * If you have any questions then, message me. *** **A MESSAGE FOR NEWCOMERS:** *In the three years of hosting this coffee group, I have met many people who struggle with anxieties when coming to an event for the first time. Sometimes, it took them more than one attempt before being able to join.* *Occasionally, people reach out to me before the event, and I have always been grateful for that as it offers the opportunity to communicate with each other and to find the best and most gentle way for that person to join the group.* *I would like to encourage everyone who struggles with this to contact me before. It would really be too bad if you can't join us, as it mostly gets better the second or third time you come.* *In addition to that, if you arrive and notice any signs of nervousness or fear, you can always let me know right then.* **THANK YOU AND SEE YOU ALL ON Saturday!**

Join us on our weekly Sunday run to get your day started on the right foot. Whether you're a first-timer with the Brussels Runners or a familiar face, we can't wait to see you there! What to Expect: Distance : \~15-16 km. Pace : \~6 min/km. Mixed Terrain : A combination of dirt paths, forest trails, and possibly some road sections. Scenic Views : Enjoy the beauty of nature as we traverse diverse landscapes. Good Company : Run with like-minded individuals and make new friends. Post-Run Coffee : Optional post-run gathering for refreshments and camaraderie. **No Bag Drop** Acknowledgement of member responsibility and release of liability. By signing up for this event, you agree to release the organizers from any responsibility and liability in all claims. As the participation is strictly voluntary and you freely choose to join, it is the responsibility of individuals participating to ensure that they are fit enough and have adequate coverage to protect themselves. Questions and comments are welcome.

This coffee morning event is @ The Unusual Café! Sunday, 10 May 2026, from 10:00 - 12:30. It's limited to 30 attendees. Therefore, please, **cancel if you can't join anymore.** The Unusual opened its doors in February 2025. It's a wonderful specialty coffee bar that also specialises in Belgian hot chocolates. Each month, they create a new special hot chocolate. It's run by a super nice staff that has created **a community place** that is more than just a café. **The Instagram channel:** https://www.instagram.com/theunusual.brussels/ **Website:** https://theunusual.be/ **The address is:** The Unusual [Rue Montagne aux Herbes Potagères 49](https://maps.app.goo.gl/2JZKjKSQ43GAwebs5) 1000 Brussels *** 1. The **prime time** of the event is **10:00 - 12:00**. That's when most people will be there. 2. If you intend **to join past 12:00** (high noon), then there is no need to register. Just come and join! 3. **DON'T forget to cancel** if you can't join! 4. **Please, be respectful towards each other during the event. (And after ;))** As always, feel free to **follow us on INSTAGRAM!** [https://instagram.com/weekendmorningcoffee?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==](https://instagram.com/weekendmorningcoffee?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==) **THE STRUCTURE of THE EVENT:** * I will post the event on Saturday/Sunday evening for the following Saturday. * I send out a reminder to everyone on Friday. * There is sometimes a waiting list. * In case RSVP is closed (once there are 10-15 people on the waiting list), I might reopen it on Friday, depending on the number of cancellations in the meantime. * **For everyone on the waiting,** please check your status and messages on Friday evening the latest. I message everyone on the waiting list on Friday. * **Please, move to "not going" AS SOON AS you know that you can't come anymore, that includes everyone who is on the waiting list.** **IMPORTANT:** * **Please, be respectful towards each other during the event. (And after ;))** * When you register yourself, be careful not to register accidentally a +1 guest (unless you bring a guest). It happens very often. * If you have any questions then, message me. *** **A MESSAGE FOR NEWCOMERS:** *In the three years of hosting this coffee group, I have met many people who struggle with anxieties when coming to an event for the first time. Sometimes, it took them more than one attempt before being able to join.* *Occasionally, people reach out to me before the event, and I have always been grateful for that as it offers the opportunity to communicate with each other and to find the best and most gentle way for that person to join the group.* *I would like to encourage everyone who struggles with this to contact me before. It would really be too bad if you can't join us, as it mostly gets better the second or third time you come.* *In addition to that, if you arrive and notice any signs of nervousness or fear, you can always let me know right then.* **THANK YOU AND SEE YOU ALL ON Saturday!**

Practical AI for Power BI Developers A year ago, “agentic AI” was mostly hype for Power BI teams. Today, it deserves your undivided attention. For Power BI pros, there is now a real opportunity to reduce repetitive development work, accelerate delivery, and help developers do more, but only when strong DataOps practices are in place to make AI workflows effective. This session is a no-nonsense introduction to effective AI patterns for Power BI and Fabric development. Along the way, we will make sense of the growing pile of terminology, including skills, plugins, hooks, and MCP. You will see examples of how modern AI tooling can help with development tasks across Power BI and Fabric, along with the prerequisites, guardrails, and DataOps principles needed to use it responsibly. Whether you're burned out on AI hype or already using Copilot CLI daily, this session will show you the foundations that are finally making AI-assisted development genuinely useful.

**Building a great product is one thing—building momentum behind it is another.** Join **Senior Product Manager Adam Solaiman** and **User Experience Manager Tyson Smith** for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to turn complex ideas into scalable products inside large organizations. In this session, they’ll share how teams move from ambiguity to execution—navigating organizational complexity, aligning stakeholders, and continuously evolving products after launch. You’ll walk away with insights on how to: * Build and sustain momentum across teams * Adapt to changing priorities without losing direction * Scale products thoughtfully in complex environments Whether you're driving a new initiative or growing an existing product, this conversation will give you practical strategies to keep things moving forward. Come connect, learn, and swap stories with fellow product professionals. \-\-\- Food and drinks will be provided by Switchbox, our generous host. Free parking will be available at the front and back sides of the Switchbox Office.

Customer identity resolution becomes increasingly complex as organizations scale across multiple systems, regions, and data formats. Traditional rule-based approaches often fail to keep up with data variability, require constant manual tuning, and struggle with real-time processing needs. This session presents a practical approach to building a scalable identity resolution pipeline using AWS services and modern AI techniques. The architecture combines data ingestion through Amazon S3 and AWS Glue, transformation pipelines using Spark on EMR, and machine learning models deployed via SageMaker for entity matching and standardization. Graph-based relationship modeling is implemented using Amazon Neptune to improve resolution accuracy by incorporating household and shared attribute context. We will walk through how machine learning models can be used for name and address normalization, how intelligent blocking strategies improve matching efficiency, and how feedback loops can be introduced to continuously improve accuracy. The session also highlights how serverless components such as AWS Lambda can be used for orchestration and real-time processing. **SPEAKER BIO** Mosaic Syed is a Senior Data Engineering and Cloud Solutions Architect with over 20 years of experience designing and delivering scalable, secure, and high-performance data solutions across global enterprise environments. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mosaic-basha-syed-92300856 **CALL FOR SPEAKERS** Learn more: [https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/](https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/) **THANK YOU** *VEEAM* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Veeam*, please visit their website: [https://www.veeam.com/](https://www.veeam.com/) **DIRECTIONS** 8800 Lyra Dr #450 · Columbus, OH go to 4th floor. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

Start your week the right way with Manic Mondays. Giving you an enjoyable Bachata lesson with a push of cool moves. The second hour has Beginner/Intermediate Salsa on 1. You must understand basic Salsa skills to participate. 730pm-830pm Bachata Cool Moves 830pm-930pm Salsa On 1 (Beginner/Intermediate) $15 for One Class $20 for Both Free Parking & Plenty of Dance Space.

**Total Eclipse of the Chart: School Redistricting Dashboards** In this presentation, we will explore the utilization of maps, sets, and SQL within a Tableau dashboard to help provide “what-if” analyses generated through the use of a mapped dashboard, providing different scenarios and the potential implications of these. While in this use case we are focused on a large school district, the concepts of utilizing existing data to explore the future impacts of modifying different geographic boundaries can be useful to many industries, balancing the mix of maps with visual analytics. **About Our Speaker** Robert Kramer is the Data Systems and State Reporting Coordinator at South Western City Schools in Grove City. He has worked there for 17 years, serving previously in the roles of Data Analyst, Programmer, and Operations Coordinator. Prior to working at South Western, he worked as a Systems Engineer at Pinnacle Data Systems in Groveport. He graduated in 2005 from The University of Toledo with his Bachelor’s in Computer Science and Engineering, and a minor in Mathematics. Robert resides in Obetz with his wife, and their 15 and 12 year-old daughters. He was also just elected to his 3rd four-year term on the Obetz City Council. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

**History** The history of [Blendon Woods Metro Park](https://www.metroparks.net/parks-and-trails/blendon-woods/) began long before its 1951 opening, rooted in a landscape of rugged ridges and deep ravines that made the land unsuitable for traditional farming. In 1945, a report proposing a metropolitan park system for Franklin County specifically highlighted these cliffs of Bedford Shale as some of the "wildest land in the vicinity". Following this recommendation, the recently formed park district purchased the first 229 acres in early 1949. Because the terrain was so uneven, developers had to cut a mile-and-a-half-long roadway through dense woods just to bring in heavy equipment. This initial preservation effort ensured that the mature second-growth hardwood forests remained largely untouched by the urban expansion spreading toward Westerville. Opening day arrived on Labor Day, September 3, 1951, marking Blendon Woods as the second park in the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks system. The final push to open was a frantic race; the State Highway Department only finished the primary gravel access road four days before the gates opened. Early staff members, consisting of just four full-time employees, had to hand-dig pit toilets and learn construction skills on the fly to build the first picnic shelters. Despite the dusty conditions and limited facilities, the park was an immediate success, drawing massive crowds from across Central Ohio. By the end of the 1950s, annual visitation had already climbed to over 190,000 people. As the surrounding suburbs grew in the 1960s, the park faced severe overcrowding that threatened its natural habitats. In response, Franklin County voters passed the first Metro Parks levy in 1960, providing the funds necessary for a decade of steady expansion. During this era, the park nearly doubled in size, growing from 264 acres to over 570 acres by 1968. Planners also addressed a critical water shortage by collaborating with the U.S. Soil and Conservation Service to build a lake in 1964. This body of water originally served as a temporary reservoir before its role shifted toward conservation and wildlife support. The 1970s marked a transition toward the specialized wildlife and educational focus for which the park is known today. In 1971, the Walden Waterfowl Refuge was established around the 11-acre Thoreau Lake, creating a sanctuary that remains restricted to provide a quiet habitat for migratory birds. A formal nature center was also developed during this period, expanding on the guided Sunday walks that had been a park staple since the early 1950s. The park’s famous "Monarch Mansion" also became a prominent fixture, starting a long tradition of raising and releasing thousands of monarch butterflies each September. These initiatives cemented the park’s reputation as a premier destination for birders and nature enthusiasts. In more recent decades, Blendon Woods has continued to modernize while maintaining its wilderness character. The 10-acre Natural Play Area was added in 2017, encouraging kids to explore the ravines and woods off-trail. This was followed by the opening of a $1.5 million inclusive playground in April 2025, designed to accommodate children of all physical abilities. The nature center also underwent major renovations to include immersive, three-dimensional exhibits and a new butterfly house. Today, the park encompasses 653 acres, preserving a unique geologic and biological corridor amidst the bustling Westerville and Northeast Columbus area. **Map of the Park** Here is a map of [Blendon Woods](https://www.metroparks.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/BLN_map_Inclusive-Playground-and-Butterfly-Trail_May-2025_1980px.png). **Summary** For this event, we will hike the Lake View, Hickory Ridge, Ripple Rock, Overlook, Brookside, and Sugarbush Trails. This sounds like a lot, but it will really be only a little over five miles. Blendon Woods has a few hills here and there, but it's not one of the more strenuous metro parks. **Where We'll Meet** We'll meet just in front of the Nature Center. This is about a mile into the park from the main entrance. You have to go past the Ranger Station and the Shadblow Reservable Area to get to it, so don't stop too early at the Ranger Station and get it confused with the Nature Center. **After the Hike** Afterward, we will head over to [Forbidden Root Restaurant & Brewery](https://forbiddenroot.com/restaurants/columbus-ohio/) at Easton for [drinks](https://forbiddenroot.com/restaurants/columbus-ohio/#dinner-menu) and [food](https://forbiddenroot.com/wp-content/uploads/Cbus-Food.pdf). We should be there by 5 if you can't make the hike and just want to join us for drinks. The brewery's actual address is [4080 Worth Ave, Columbus, OH 43219](https://www.google.com/maps/place/4080+Worth+Ave,+Columbus,+OH+43219/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x88388a86d10b6619:0x4d42b470a5cf11d3?sa=X&ved=1t:242&ictx=111); however, I recommend pointing your GPS to the [Worth Garage](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Worth+Garage/@40.0542293,-82.9137962,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x88388b4df6082825:0x17582f0eccd9dda1!8m2!3d40.0542293!4d-82.9137962!16s%2Fg%2F11rzfvvv8b?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQxNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) across the street. Parking in this garage is free as long as you're not on the first floor, and it is literally right next to the brewery.

Join us for a practical, beginner-friendly guide to choosing the right large language model. We’ll compare major models like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Llama, talk about when to use hosted APIs versus local models, and break down the tradeoffs around cost, speed, quality, privacy, context windows, coding ability, and reliability. You’ll leave with a clearer mental model for picking an LLM based on your actual use case instead of hype, benchmarks, or brand names. No deep AI background required. LOGISTICS AND PARKING: The talk starts at 7:00 PM. The first half hour is reserved for everyone to get set up and mingle. Free pizza and drinks! The cheapest parking option is to find street parking, which will only cost you a few bucks. Otherwise, park in the nearby veteran's museum lot for $8. It's highly recommended you avoid the nearby $15 garage parking.