Organic Foods

🎶 Live Music Night at Divino – Every Tuesday 🎷 Experience Live Music in the cozy ambiance of Divino! Join us at 6:00 PM for an unforgettable evening filled with great tunes, exquisite Northern Italian cuisine, and your favorite wine and cocktails. Whether you’re unwinding after a long day or celebrating a special night out, our Live Music will hit all the right notes. Reserve your table now and let the music move you! 📍 Located in the heart of Glover Park inside the Glover Park Hotel 2505 Wisconsi Ave NW ✨ FREE PARKING (ask our host for code to access parking garage)

Lunch at Pinstripes Restaurant in N. Bethesda Pike & Rose. Free parking is available in all garages or outdoor lots for up to two hours (street parking not included). Enjoy Buy One Get One Free Tuesday on any item. Share it or take it with you. BOGO bowling is also available if anyone wants to bowl before or after lunch.

Hi all, I'll be working at Reed-Cooke on Tuesday mornings. Please join as it works for you!

I enjoy visiting the Fairfax location, so this week we’ll venture further east into Falls Church. There’s free parking and plenty of seating. Grab a drink and a pastry with me and we can talk about the weather, indoors and out. (No discussions on politics, religion or potentially controversial topics. We're here to relax and have fun. Just be respectful and we'll be alright. Pay your own way, and enjoy!)

**Please Note:** This game has limited slots, and you must RSVP. If the event is full, please signup for the Waitlist, and you will be moved up as people update their RSVPs. In ***Viticulture***, the players find themselves in the roles of people in rustic, pre-modern Tuscany who have inherited meager vineyards. They have a few plots of land, an old crushpad, a tiny cellar, and three workers. They each have a dream of being the first to call their winery a true success. Please RSVP so we can account for Snacks.

Had to shift this to a TUESDAY (instead of the usual Monday). Also, please note it is ONE WEEK FROM TODAY and RSVP's are open NOW. Hope you can make it! Maxwell Park is 4 blocks from the Mt Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center. 🍷 RSVP Please: --Thee are a limited amount of spots and if you are on the "going" list it means we are holding a space for you. --**If your plans have changed, please edit your RSVP (even if you are on the waiting list),** so that someone else gets sufficient notice to attend in your place. --We track our attendees list, and a late drop or no show might affect your participation at future events. **Waitlisted Friends!** \*PLEASE\* keep an eye on this page and your messages, especially close to the day of the event. Thanks! *Note start time of 6:15 PM!* Please plan to arrive on time. 🍷 What is blind wine tasting? In a blind tasting you use your sense of smell, sight, and taste to try to deduce which variety(wine grape) is in your glass. 🍷 Do I need to be a wine professional? Definitely not - this group is experience diverse and we welcome both wine newbies and wine pros (and everyone else in between). 🍷 How does this work? --Please arrive slightly before 6:15pm to grab a seat. --Maxwell Park will serve us two wine flights: 3 white wines around 6:20 pm and 3 red wines around 7:30 pm. Each flight is $20. Food and other wines are also available for purchase. --We will discuss each flight as a group and try to reach somewhat of a consensus. Then comes the *big reveal* where we discover if our guesses were right. Full vaccination is required, masks are optional. Unfortunately, while we will try to be as careful as possible, we cannot promise that this will be 100% Covid risk free, please keep that in mind when deciding whether or not to attend. Stay home if you are experiencing any symptoms of Covid 19. Please keep an eye on this event for possible changes. Hope to see you there ! \~ Linda Lists of possible wines: [White Wine Varieties](https://www.mastersommeliers.org/sites/default/files/ES%20Tast-CMS%20Probable%20List%20of%20Examinable%20White%20Grape%20Varieties-NEW_2015.pdf) [Red Wine Varieties](https://www.mastersommeliers.org/sites/default/files/ES%20Tast-CMS%20Probable%20List%20of%20Examinable%20Red%20Grape%20Varieties-NEW_2015.pdf)

Please join us for our fun and friendly monthly VSDC Vegan Potluck in downtown Silver Spring MD, at the DC border, on Sunday, February 8th. It will start at 12 pm and go until 3 pm. There is no charge to attend the event but you will be expected to bring vegan food or drink to share. **Items to bring to the potluck:** \- Vegan potluck dish \(no animal products of any kind\) to share\. For food quantity\, please bring 4 to 6 times the number of servings times the number in your party\. \- A serving utensil for your dish \- Ingredients list or recipe for your dish \- ***Please print or write it out in advance*** \- Beverage for yourself or one to share \- To help reduce waste\, bring your reusable plate\, cup\, and utensils [VSDC will provide drinking water.] Please Note: \- Be sure to help leave the space clean before leaving the potluck and take the containers and utensils you brought with you\. *\- Vegans do not consume any animal products or byproducts \(no meat\, chicken/poultry\, fish/sea animals\, eggs\, milk or dairy products\, honey\, etc\)\.* **LOCATION** Eastern Village Cohousing, 7981 Eastern Ave NW, Silver Spring MD 20910. Enter into the front door and walk into the Community Room. **PARKING** Yes, there should be free street parking on Sundays in this residential neighborhood. Also there is free parking in the parking garage adjacent to 7981 Eastern Ave. *Please read and follow all parking signs.* **METRO** This location is accessible by public transport. It is 0.6 miles from the Silver Spring Metro station on the Red line. ***Please plan your trip in advance and ask any questions at least one day in advance. The organizers will do their best to answer questions but ones on the day of the event will be difficult for responses.*** Email potluck@vsdc.org for questions or to help plan future potluck events. VSDC Thanks Rodney Elin for arranging for this wonderful space! ***Don't be a no show! If your plans change, update your RSVP.*** **VSDC: More Than A Meetup** We are delighted to have you as part of The Veg Society of DC Vegan Meetup group, and we look forward to seeing you at our events. Did you know that [VSDC](https://vsdc.org/%20) is a nonprofit organization with membership benefits? With VSDC membership, you will save money at area restaurants and businesses, attend VSDC member-only events, and, most importantly, support us as a clear and consistent voice for improving the lives of all beings through community building and education centered on the benefits of a vegan diet and lifestyle. The membership fee is minimal, but the impact is significant! [Join today](https://vsdc.org/membership/)! **Ways to Stay In Touch with Us** Thank you for being part of our Meetup presence and bringing like-minded people together. We invite you to: * Become a [VSDC member](https://vsdc.org/membership/) to save money at area restaurants and support us in being a clear and consistent voice for improving the lives of all beings through community building and education centered on the benefits of a vegan diet and lifestyle. * Sign up for our[ monthly e-newsletter](https://vsdc.org/about/newsletter/) to hear more about our activities. * Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/vegsocietydc/) or [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/vegsocietydc/) to engage with us. **Interested in Volunteering with VSDC?** VSDC offers many events each month, thanks to the dedication of our event planning team. Would you consider volunteering? To learn more and get started, [please visit our website](https://vsdc.org/volunteer/). **Only Vegan Food, Please** While VSDC welcomes people wherever they are on the path to an all-plant, vegan diet and lifestyle, it is our policy that only vegan food be served and consumed at our events. If you would like to [explore a vegan diet or get support in making lifestyle changes, consider these resources](https://vsdc.org/exploringvegan/). **Liability Waiver and Code of Conduct** When you sign up to attend, you automatically acknowledge [VSDC's Liability Waiver](https://vsdc.org/activity-waiver/) and commit to follow the code of conduct found at [Policies - VSDC - Veg Society of DC](https://vsdc.org/policies/). **VSDC. Creating communities. For your health, the animals, and the planet.**

Please join the [Veg Society of DC](vsdc.org) Animal Rights Discussion and Education Group for another great discussion. The next event will be the third and final event in our series on Theories of Change in the Animal Rights movement. We will apply theory to practice and discuss the campaign to prohibit the sale of foie gras in DC through a ballot initiative. We are excited to welcome a speaker who is on the forefront of this effort and to hear from them firsthand how this initiative fits into their organization’s theory of change! Afterwards, we hope you’ll join us for dinner at DC Vegan. **What is the Animal Rights Discussion and Education Group?* If you’ve been looking for a way to educate yourself on animal rights and issues affecting animals in our world today with the support of a like-minded community, then this group is for you. The VSDC Animal Rights Discussion and Education Group will discuss thoughts, questions, concerns, and news related to animal rights. It seeks to provide a safe space for discussions around issues affecting captive animals, farmed animals, animals used in research, wild animals, companion animals, and more. All are welcome, from those well-versed in animal rights philosophy and issues to those who are just starting off on their journey and are curious to learn more. Please come with an open mind, an open heart, and a willingness to engage with diverse opinions with curiosity and respect. The plan is for the group to meet every month, alternating between Zoom and in person. The topic of each meeting and any accompanying materials will be planned in advance and posted in event announcements via this VSDC meetup group. Participants are encouraged to offer topic ideas and materials for discussion at subsequent meetings. **Date / Time:** Saturday, February 7th, at 4:15 pm. **Location:** Pea Street Yoga Studio (right above DC Vegan, where we will eat dinner afterwards!) *Email 'ARdiscuss@vsdc.org' for further information.* **VSDC: More Than A Meetup** We are delighted to have you as part of The Veg Society of DC Vegan Meetup group, and we look forward to seeing you at our events. Did you know that [VSDC](https://vsdc.org/%20) is a nonprofit organization with membership benefits? With VSDC membership, you will save money at area restaurants and businesses, attend VSDC member-only events, and, most importantly, support us as a clear and consistent voice for improving the lives of all beings through community building and education centered on the benefits of a vegan diet and lifestyle. The membership fee is minimal, but the impact is significant! [Join today](https://vsdc.org/membership/)! **Ways to Stay In Touch with Us** Thank you for being part of our Meetup presence and bringing like-minded people together. We invite you to: * Become a [VSDC member](https://vsdc.org/membership/) to save money at area restaurants and support us in being a clear and consistent voice for improving the lives of all beings through community building and education centered on the benefits of a vegan diet and lifestyle. * Sign up for our[ monthly e-newsletter](https://vsdc.org/about/newsletter/) to hear more about our activities. * Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/vegsocietydc/) or [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/vegsocietydc/) to engage with us. **Interested in Volunteering with VSDC?** VSDC offers many events each month, thanks to the dedication of our event planning team. Would you consider volunteering? To learn more and get started, [please visit our website](https://vsdc.org/volunteer/). **Only Vegan Food, Please** While VSDC welcomes people wherever they are on the path to an all-plant, vegan diet and lifestyle, it is our policy that only vegan food be served and consumed at our events. If you would like to [explore a vegan diet or get support in making lifestyle changes, consider these resources](https://vsdc.org/exploringvegan/). **Liability Waiver and Code of Conduct** When you sign up to attend, you automatically acknowledge [VSDC's Liability Waiver](https://vsdc.org/activity-waiver/) and commit to follow the code of conduct found at [Policies - VSDC - Veg Society of DC](https://vsdc.org/policies/). **VSDC. Creating communities. For your health, the animals, and the planet.**

**Join a work party to organize the Velocity Bike Co-op warehouse on the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon.** Mike Pattisall, Velocity's business manager, will guide volunteers in improving the space where we work. You don't need to be there the whole time. Just come when you can, and wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty with bicycle grease. **Help keep the warehouse organized so there's space to work on bikes on volunteer nights!**

Join us to enjoy an exclusive 5-course tasting menu ($100/pp) at Chef Edward Lee's groundbreaking restaurant - **Shia** \- in the Union Market District\! Note from SHIA: Due to our committment to sustainability and preventing food waste, we prepare specific ingredients for each guest daily. A charge of $85 per guest will be applied to any cancellations within 48 hours of the booking. $85 Event Registration fee will be applied to each guests's bill. Event registration fee is only refundable if the seat is filled by another guest prior to the dinner. Thank you for your understanding. \*\*Note from Shia re:Dietary Restrictions:\*\* Due to the inclusion of ingredients integral to Korean culture and cuisine, we ***cannot*** accommodate the following dietary restrictions: celiac, soy, legume, nightshade vegetable, or allium. We ***can*** accommodate vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, seafood allergies, shellfish allergies, and nut allergies. The adjusted dishes our chefs have created for these dietary restrictions will be vegetarian, as we do not have the ability to substitute proteins. Individuals with aversions to seafood may not fully enjoy the experience, as a large portion of our menu is seafood-based at this time. Please note that our kitchen operates on a minimal-waste, sustainability-driven model. This means we do not stock additional ingredients for last-minute changes. If we receive notice less than 48 hours before your reservation, we may need to omit elements of dishes rather than substitute additional ingredients. Please let us know right away so we can prepare with care. **The Washington Post** (Sietsema) Over my decades-long watch, few restaurant genres have witnessed more changes in and around Washington than Korean. Back in 2000, the majority of sources were in the Virginia suburbs, where the menus mostly revolved around tried-and-true mandu, bulgogi, seafood pancakes and barbecue. Before the rise of social media, restaurants that specialized in certain dishes **—** say, Tosokjip in Annandale, known for its grilled fish and stews **—** existed under the radar, supported primarily by the Korean community, recalls restaurateur Danny Lee, one of the agents for change on the D.C. scene. Over the years, practitioners started cooking outside the lines and experimenting with fusion. The arrival of Lee’s Chiko and Anju in the District saw chefs feeding us Korean fused with Chinese American ideas and serving upscale homestyle cooking. Service (and alcohol beyond beer and soju) became a priority at restaurants including Ingle Korean Steakhouse in Vienna, and Korean chefs, following the lead of the trailblazing Atomix in New York, hopped on the fine-dining bandwagon with tasting menus. I miss the short-lived Incheon in Annandale but welcome the youthful Onggi in Dupont Circle. Since November, chef and cookbook author Edward Lee is pushing the envelope even more, with a gem called Shia — “seed” in Korean — tucked in the Union Market District. It’s a slip of a place with a dozen seats in the front bar and nearly double that number in a narrow dining room behind a slatted maple door. What distinguishes Shia from the pack is that it’s part of the chef’s nonprofit, the LEE Initiative, originally introduced as a mentoring program. Further, Shia is experimenting with all manner of limited-waste and sustainable practices, which is why some drinks arrive sans garnishes, and there’s no gas and zero plastic. After the kitchen turns them into pulp, used cocktail napkins and printer tickets enjoy afterlives as postcards and coasters. No one preaches here, by the way; they just quietly set good examples. Lee wants his clientele to experience Shia as a restaurant vs. a lecture hall. “This is how we say hello,” says a server as he places a little cup in front of us, trailed by a snack: a hot oyster and scallop bundled in jin, or seaweed. The dish, which you eat with your hands, marries hot seafood, cool Asian pear and spicy ssamjang, an exquisite bite that’s gone as fast as you can read this sentence. The contents of the cup, a tea made with soju and dried omija berries, are refreshingly sweet-tart. Guests seated at the bar are offered a five-course menu; those seated in the dining room, host to the open kitchen, receive seven courses. Shia remains enough of a tough reservation that I’ve been able to secure a seat only in the lounge, a serene space with gold lights, a concave ceiling and wallpaper that depicts clouds mingling with mountains. Scrolls of amberjack arranged on thin red rings of fermented fish paste and lemon juice are topped with little balls of foam that taste like kimchi “air.” (The finishing touch demonstrates Shia’s no-waste goal; the cloud is excess liquid from making kimchi, passed through an aerator.) The lovely fish dish is a spin on the refreshing Korean summer dish mul hwe, to which a delicate, fresh-tasting green chip is added. (The fillip turns out to be hand-harvested gamtae, the rarest of seaweeds in Korea.) We miss the small plate when it’s gone, but only until the pork belly replaces it. Finger lengths of the braised meat share a canvas with abalone and clams scattered on a soothing porridge of barley, buckwheat, millet and three kinds of rice infused with dashi. “Try to get a bite in each bite,” a server coaches my party. Rising from the center is a little tower of fierce white kimchi, which the server says to save for last, “but you do you.” Some nights look like an evening out in Seoul. My visits found different generations of Koreans sharing Lee’s handiwork, a reality the chef addresses with menus printed in Korean as well as English. The owner sees adventure-seeking younger Koreans come in to check the place out, then return with their parents to share the novelty. The Korean menu is meant to make older customers “feel at home.” Surely the saengseon contributes to the sentiment. A square of seared braised sea bass — line-caught, of course — lounges in a liquid salad of crisp greens and broth and practically demands my return engagement. The intoxicating flavor of the soup springs from what Max Chuvalas, who shares the executive-chef title with Chaelin Lee, calls a “fish tea,” an elixir coaxed from fish scraps and white kimchi juice. I also admire the duck, glazed with Korean mustard and presented so the sliced meat alternates with same-sized pieces of gently crisp mountain yam. The accompanying steamed rice, offered in a raised wooden bowl and bulked up with ginkgo nuts, aster, shepherd’s weed and thistle, nearly steals the show. The greens are another salute to sustainability: “Where Americans might see weeds, Koreans see edible flora,” says Chuvalas, who comes to Shia from Dirty Habit but has worked in fine-dining restaurants before. Those who opt for five courses choose between the fish and the duck. The seven-course plan includes both indulgences. My strategy at the bar with a companion has been to order one of each and share tastes. When I first started as The Washington Post’s critic, Asian desserts were mostly predictable. Green tea ice cream was almost always involved. Shia demonstrates how far the scene has come, with endings including bruleed bananas staged with banana chips, same-flavored ice cream and soy chocolate sauce, a fruit salad that changes with the season but always looks like a brilliant orchard, and a honey tuile hovering over apricot foam. The longer script in the dining room embraces extra sweets — caramels and what tastes like a pecan pie from Korea (pine nuts and dates are involved) — revealed in a handsome mirrored box. In recent years, chefs of all stripes have gotten better about offering tasting menu portions that are neither too tiny nor too filling. No one feels compelled to go to the Golden Arches after a meal at Shia, nor will they feel the need to let out their belt. “I’m 53,” says Lee. “As I get older, I don’t have the patience for 20 courses and three hours” of sitting and eating. The chef feels that seven courses, the max here, honors “efficiency and variety.” Hear! Hear! And go! Go! Looking forward to sharing this experience with you! ***Menus change seasonally***. Please see latest menu and information on new dishes on menu on OpenTable[ here](https://www.opentable.com/r/shia-restaurant-washington) and [Instagram page](https://www.instagram.com/shia_dc/). We ask that ALL folks honor their RSVP. If you are unable to attend after sending in a YES, please update your status so that others may join. In the event our group incurs a fee for no-shows / late cancellations, your ability to RSVP for future events will be restricted. Thank you in advance for your understanding. **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. In the future, we will vary the days of the week and the types of restaurants so that we can attract many different types of diners. Feel free to make suggestions for future meet locations. All diners will pay their own tab. before departing the event. If you are unable to join us in February we hope you'll stay interested and join us for a meal in the future. Looking forward to catching up with you for a fantastic dinner at Shia!

You're warmly invited to join us for an evening of **dinner and meaningful conversation** at the Alexandria Baha'i Center! Once a month, we gather for a relaxed **potluck dinner** – a wonderful chance to connect without a formal speaker or program. And please, **don't feel obligated to bring a dish**; we always have an abundance of delicious food for everyone to share. Just bring yourself and enjoy the company! For more information about the Alexandria Baha'i Community, visit our website: https://www.alexandriavabahai.org/

Guest Speaker: Susan Prolman, Activism for Animals Post-PAM Animal Action: TBD Please be sure to RSVP here! https://stampede.proanimal.org/events 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.

Do you love Indian food but aren't sure how to begin making it yourself? Or do you need a refresher in Indian cooking ingredients and techniques? Then be sure to join the Mystic Kitchen's "Indian Cuisine 101" class to unravel the mysteries of Indian cooking. We'll start with a tutorial to guide you through five essential ingredients sure to put new spice into your life. Next we'll master a classic Indian meal through step-by-step instructions for making chicken tikka massala, aromatic basmati rice, and saag paneer and a hearty chickpea/lentil dish. The class includes all the recipes and instruction you will need to create your own Indian feast at home.

Start the year surrounded by Love From the Earth—with delicious vegan eats, sweet treats, artisan goods, and a chance to win one of our raffle baskets filled with plant-based goodies. Support small businesses, enjoy great food, and spend a cozy day with the community. We will reserve a table for this group if there is enough interest. Just comment "interest" below. Don’t miss out—see you there! Check [event page](https://www.facebook.com/events/893838639773267/) for a vendor list.

Our group, KIND MEALS, will be picking up the tab for pizzas, at MIKEY'S LATE NIGHT SLICE, on Sunday, February 8th from 12-2pm. We will be trying out MIKEY'S Vegan Fake-ass BBQ Chick'n pizza and Vegan Fake-ass Pepperoni pizza, as well as some other special vegan pizzas that are served there. All the vegan pizzas are covered with Selfish Cow vegan cheese. The pizza is free, drinks on your own. Join us to learn more about **[KIND MEALS](https://kindmealscolumbus.org)** (a 501c3 nonprofit organization based in Cols. Ohio, providing hunger relief services to those in need). All of the food we serve is fresh and vegan! If you love working with community, being of service, looking to hang with some fun like-minded people, and just love to socialize on a Sunday afternoon, join us for some FREE vegan pizzas at MIKEY'S LATE NIGHT on 4th and Main. Mikey said the more the merrier!

Join us on February 14th from 2–5 PM for a cozy and fun Valentine’s Day gathering! Start by grabbing lunch at **Portia’s Café**, then head next door to **The Cozy** for crafts, activities, and a relaxed space to celebrate the day together. **Date:** February 14 **Time:** 2:00–5:00 PM **Location:** The Cozy (next to Portia’s Café)

**It's National Margarita Day!** Let's throw off our winter blahs and bask in the delight of margaritas and mexican food! We'll find a good spot...or, two to gather for drink specials, food and fiesta. [El Vaquero](https://www.vaquerorestaurant.com/menus) on Rte 161 Dublin has a huge bar area where we'll meet. Those wanting to sit down and eat dinner can grab a seat at our reserved table. Those just there for margs and chips n salsa can hang out in the bar. Their wonderful ***Happy Hour lasts til 8pm every night - Jumbo Margarita $9.99 Flavor $10.99!***

Yes, the [Chocolate Café](https://www.chocolatecafecolumbus.com/menu-1?menu=signature-desserts) serves chocolate fondue *(Chocolate Fondue Day is Feb 5th)*! No one does chocolate fondue like they do. It's rich, creamy, and served with an array of fresh fruit and other dipping items. They encourage making it a party! A perfect winter warmup to share with friends! **Chocolate Fondue Kit:** Served with dippers, including marshmallows, Rice Krispie treats, graham crackers, pound cake, strawberries, and pretzels. **COST**: Bring ***$5.00 cash*** to cover your portion of our delightful dessert bar. **EARLY ARRIVALS**: Go ahead and order dinner (before dessert). I love their toasted sandwiches and their soups. **PARKING**: In our parking lot, on the street (but not between 4-6 pm) or behind the Buckeye State Building. [Chocolate Cafe](https://www.chocolatecafecolumbus.com/): A fully stocked amount of *chocolate candies* including truffles, chocolate covered pretzels and chocolate and caramel turtles. We have menu options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Join us for brunch or a late night meal. Soups, salads & sandwiches served daily. Check out our [menu](https://www.chocolatecafecolumbus.com/_files/ugd/7ea733_0ebab62dcfc0435aa189b6d1a3c3ec82.pdf) for more information. We also offer wine, martinis and cocktails! Enjoy a *famous chocolate martini* or hand crafted cocktail, too!