secret supper club

The Ivy in Victoria is today’s venue….the original venue is closed for refurbishment. Reliably good, the set menu is around £20 but I suspect we’ll end up paying more than that with service and drinks. They’ve got my credit card details so please let me know you need to cancel your attendance by the beginning of that week. Phew. I’m exhausted having had to manage this !

The first rule of WRITE CLUB is that you do not talk *during* WRITE CLUB. This very simple meetup is based on the premise that public and peer accountability enables more productive writing than sitting at home and getting distracted by the fridge. We will write/read for an hour in silence. (I will be writing thought experiments for my other meetup group: [THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBS](https://www.meetup.com/thought-experiments-in-pubs)) If you'd like to hang out afterwards, or if you prefer just to hang out, I have another event immediately afterwards in the same place :-) You can find that here: [HANGING OUT AT THE SOUTHBANK](https://www.meetup.com/experimentsin/events/312667892) We'll make use of the fantastic indoor public spaces on London's South Bank (The Southbank Centre, The BFI Cafe, The National Theatre Cafe, etc) to spend time in the company of other people. There are plenty of places to buy refreshments, but you can also bring your own if you prefer. This first event will take place in the foyer of The Southbank Centre. You can find us by looking out for a big red flag with THE SUNRISE CLUB emblazoned on it (though this clearly isn't THE SUNRISE CLUB! If you want to find out about that, you can do so [here](https://www.meetup.com/the-sunrise-club/).) WHATSAPP GROUP - [https://chat.whatsapp.com/BpMwnRev0H237KMx4uPnek](https://chat.whatsapp.com/BpMwnRev0H237KMx4uPnek) Looking forward to meeting and writing with you :-) Bonny

### Join an intimate and stylish evening at **The Aubrey**, the opulent Japanese izakaya at the **Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park**. This exclusive dining experience brings together **20 guests** for a night of **great food, engaging conversation, and new connections** in one of London’s most luxurious settings. [You must pay for your ticket to join here](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1980182807081?aff=oddtdtcreator) Indulge in a **curated Japanese menu**, starting with an arrival cocktail, followed by a selection of exquisite dishes designed for sharing. Whether you're a foodie, a social butterfly, or simply looking to meet like-minded people in a relaxed yet elegant atmosphere, this is the perfect setting to connect over an unforgettable dining experience. **The Menu – £49 per person** 🍸 **Arrival Cocktail** *(1 per guest)* 🥢 **Starters to Share** * Peppers * Spicy fried cauliflower 🍣 **Second Course to Share** * Avocado Maki Roll * Salmon & Hamachi Maki Roll 🔥 **Main Course (Choose One)** * Duck Teryiaki * Salmon * Mushroom Rice 🍰 **Dessert to Share** After dinner, the night continues! Guests are invited to **join our exclusive mixer at the bar**, where you'll have the chance to **mingle with 60 Cocktails & Conversation guests** and keep the conversations flowing **till late**. This **elegant, social dining experience** is designed for those who appreciate **good food, great company, and meaningful connections**. Whether you come with friends or solo, our hosts will ensure you feel welcomed and engaged throughout the evening. 🔸 **Limited to 20 guests – your ticket reserves your seat at the table and is non-refundable. Dinner (£49) and any additional drinks will be charged separately by the venue.** [You must pay for your ticket to join here](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1980182807081?aff=oddtdtcreator)

IN PERSON SEMINAR - THE PLANETARY ARCHETYPES WITH NIC KOLESTRUM **We'll see how the seven days of Holy Week have a unique meaning for the idea of the 'Incarnation,' whereby eternal divine archetypes became expressed in history. Do we recognise the planetary being of the days in what happened? Although it begins on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Saturday; the Sunday after, of the Resurrection, has also to be included. He will be arguing that the Last Supper was on Wednesday not Thursday so be prepared to be shocked!** ***Nic spent a couple of years at Emerson College a long, long time ago then of late he has come back to appreciate Steiner's teachings. He was a math school leacher for some years and a research fellow at UCl for fifteen years. He's an author with an interest in Hermetic studies and his book 'Secrets of the Seven Metals' is quite relevant to this talk.*** All Welcome, No Need to Book, No Charge. This event will not be recorded. DONATIONS There is no charge for online or face to face events, except for Workshops involving extra cost. Voluntary donations towards our overheads are gratefully received and can be made either by Paypal or by Bank Transfer to a Nationwide account held for this purpose: PAYPAL: to SUE PEAT at suejoanpeat@gmail.com BANK TRANSFER: ACCOUNT NAME: ADRIAN HOTTEN ACCOUNT NO: 31466776 SORT CODE: 07-01-16 Many thanks.

Visitors fee is £10 per session. Bank transfer to: Vib Wataranan 02140973 04-00-04 Feather shuttles included. Please pay online at least 24 hours before the session starts, to avoid being removed. Club sessions take part in the large sports hall on 6 courts at: The King's Club, Woodhayes Road, Wimbledon Common, SW19 4RJ If you RSVP and don't pay, and don't turn up without marking yourself as not going, you will immediately be BLOCKED from attending future sessions for having wasted a space. Games are arranged using a peg board. There is plenty of street parking. For more details check out our website: www.penguinbadminton.co.uk Or visit our Facebook Page Or WhatsApp Vib on 07711 643 116

Happy New Year! Dinner Club is 15 years old this year and to kick-off another year of gathering together in the spirit of friendship and fellowship - we will be going to Pizza Express on The Strand - just opposite Charing Cross Station. January is always a tricky month. Money may be scarce due to the excesses of Christmas and we are in the height of the winter season. So, to help combat these things, Pizza Express offers us something standard and something familiar. You are welcome to pre-dinner drinks at Retro Bar on George Court (just off The Strand) from 6pm. Dinner at Pizza Express is at 7.30pm. I do not need pre-orders but if you want to check out the menu you can do via the Pizza Express website (see the link below). [Pizza Express menu](https://mobile-pay.pizzaexpress.com/london-450-strand/restaurant-menu/main-menu) As always, we split the bill between the number attending - no matter what is ordered or who has what dishes or drinks. To secure your place - you will need to RSVP and pay a deposit of £11. £10 goes towards your meal and the remaining £1 covers Meetup and PayPal costs (the

This month we are reading The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera. He weaves an unforgettable story of love, desire, freedom, and responsibility, set against the political upheaval of 1960s Czechoslovakia. Through a small circle of intimately connected lives, the novel explores timeless questions: Do our choices matter if they happen only once? Is freedom exhilarating—or terrifying? And can love survive without sacrifice? Philosophical yet deeply human, sensual yet sharply intelligent, this novel invites readers to reflect on identity, relationships, and the meaning we attach to our lives. كائن لا تُحتمل خفته، ينسج ميلان كونديرا قصة لا تُنسى عن الحب والرغبة والحرية والمسؤولية، في خلفية الاضطرابات السياسية التي شهدتها تشيكوسلوفاكيا في ستينيات القرن الماضي. ومن خلال دائرة صغيرة من شخصيات ترتبط مصائرها بعمق، تطرح الرواية أسئلة إنسانية خالدة: هل لخياراتنا معنى إذا كانت لا تتكرر إلا مرة واحدة؟ هل الحرية متعة خالصة أم عبء ثقيل؟ وهل يمكن للحب أن يستمر من دون تضحية؟ رواية فلسفية وإنسانية في آنٍ واحد، حسّية وعميقة، تدعو القارئ إلى التأمل في الهوية والعلاقات والمعنى الذي نُضفيه على حياتنا. We will meet on the 24th of January 2026 to discuss it . English hard copy: https://www.foyles.co.uk/book/the-unbearable-lightness-of-being/milan-kundera/9780571135394 English soft copy and audiobook : https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-unbearable-lightness-of-being-5?utm_source=google_action Arabic audiobook : https://www.audiobooks.com/m-audiobook/572195 See you all there and happy reading .

Join us at Bishops & Brews by Yas Queen! Chess Club for a relaxed Sunday afternoon of chess over a cup of tea! Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, come hang out with us and enjoy some friendly games of chess in a queer friendly space. We are generously supported by ODAC/Old Diorama Arts Centre/@olddiorama, our fantastic venue near Euston/Warren Street station. More about us on yasqueen.uk Instagram yasqueen.chessclub Yas Queen! Code of Conduct: We are an LGBTQ+ club. All allies are welcome. We reserve the right to exclude anyone from our events in case of any behaviour (at our events or otherwise) which does not support our aim of creating a safe space for LGBTQ+ club members.

**Please make a reservation on [dayofus.com.](http://dayofus.com./) This is a paid event.** DayOfUs brings strangers together for unforgettable dinners. Every week, we curate group dining experiences at great local restaurants — you + five new faces. No awkward planning, no group chats that go nowhere — just good food, good vibes, and conversations that matter. ### **Here’s how it works:** 1. **Take our quick quiz** in the DayOfUs app to share your preferences. 2. **We match you** with a group of like-minded people. 3. **We book the restaurant** — you simply show up and enjoy. 4. **You leave with new friends** (and maybe a new favorite restaurant). ✨ **Not a dating app** – we’re all about human connection and building friendships. ### **Why Join Us?** * **Effortless** – We handle all the planning. * **Fresh every week** – New people, new restaurants. * **Personality-based matching** – Not just random pairings. * **Local & traveler friendly** – Whether you’re new in town or just looking to meet more people. **📅 This listing is for awareness only — bookings are made through our app or website.** ✅ **Join today and get 10% off your first dinner** with code: **MEETUP10** **Download the Day of Us app**: [App Store Link](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/day-of-us-meet-new-friends/id6748222136 "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/day-of-us-meet-new-friends/id6748222136")💻 **Or sign up on our website**: [dayofus.com](https://www.dayofus.com/?utm_source=eventbrite&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=toronto&utm_content=diningtable "https://www.dayofus.com?utm_source=eventbrite&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=toronto&utm_content=diningtable") Your registration does not include your individual food and drink purchases. You will pay for your own order. ## **FAQ** **Do I pay here on Meetup?** No — we don’t take bookings here. Please sign up through our app or website to join a dinner. **Is this a dating event?** Nope! Our focus is on genuine friendships and expanding your social circle. **Do I need to come every week?** Not at all. You join whenever you’re free and feel like meeting new people. **Refund Policy** Refunds are available when you cancel at least 48 hours before your scheduled dinner (handled through the app).

Hey all! My name is Sarah, I'm a romance girlie in my twenties, and welcome to the Mostly Romance Book Club! I am a big mood reader so assigned books at book clubs don't really do it for me. I wanted to create a space where anyone can come with whatever book they want, meet new friends, and chat about what they've been reading. When: First and third Thursday of every month, starting in February. 7-8:30 pm. Schedule: First 30 minutes: Introductions and chat about all things books Next 45 minutes: Silently read your personal physical book, ebook, or audiobook (yes audiobooks count :)) Last 15 minutes: Chat some more and wrap up the meeting

Love this place.

**Special Event!! Seating will be earlier than normal - 7:30 will allow 20% of your dinner proceeds to be donated to I-ASC. RSVP IS REQUIRED.** We’ve been invited by Mike Smith and Elizabeth Vosseller to participate in a Dining for Dollars (DfD) fundraising event for I-ASC (International Association for Spelling as Communication) on Thursday, November 20, from 5–8 PM at Piero’s Corner in Herndon. Member sponsored by Amy Burns. **How it works:** * Patrons dining in or carrying out between 5–8 PM will have 20% of their meal purchase donated to I-ASC. * To qualify, DT diners would need to be seated by around 7:30 PM * A semi-private area at Piero’s will be set aside for our group. **About I-ASC:** I-ASC (International Association for Spelling as Communication) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a clear mission to expand communication access for nonspeaking individuals worldwide. Their work centers on Spelling to Communicate (S2C), a method that builds motor skills for spelling and typing as alternative communication. Public records (GuideStar, Charity Navigator) show strong transparency and nonprofit status.. Elizabeth Vosseller and Mike Smith are long-time DT members, which provides additional confidence and alignment with our values of supporting our own community. ✅ **RSVPs are essential, darling:** Please RSVP on our Facebook or Meetup pages so we can spill the tea to the restaurant about how many fabulous guests to expect. We always keep a few extra seats for our spontaneous divas, but trust—RSVPing is the move! We can't wait to see your gorgeous faces, share some laughs, and enjoy the pasta together—see you at the table, love! 💋🍷✨

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation as we discuss ***Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World* by Naomi Klein** Here's the summary: What if you woke up one morning and found you’d acquired another self―a double who was almost you and yet not you at all? What if that double shared many of your preoccupations but, in a twisted, upside-down way, furthered the very causes you’d devoted your life to fighting against? Not long ago, the celebrated activist and public intellectual Naomi Klein had just such an experience―she was confronted with a doppelganger whose views she found abhorrent but whose name and public persona were sufficiently similar to her own that many people got confused about who was who. Destabilized, she lost her bearings, until she began to understand the experience as one manifestation of a strangeness many of us have come to know but struggle to define: AI-generated text is blurring the line between genuine and spurious communication; New Age wellness entrepreneurs turned anti-vaxxers are scrambling familiar political allegiances of left and right; and liberal democracies are teetering on the edge of absurdist authoritarianism, even as the oceans rise. Under such conditions, reality itself seems to have become unmoored. Is there a cure for our moment of collective vertigo? Naomi Klein is one of our most trenchant and influential social critics, an essential analyst of what branding, austerity, and climate profiteering have done to our societies and souls. Here she turns her gaze inward to our psychic landscapes, and outward to the possibilities for building hope amid intersecting economic, medical, and political crises. With the assistance of Sigmund Freud, Jordan Peele, Alfred Hitchcock, and bell hooks, among other accomplices, Klein uses wry humor and a keen sense of the ridiculous to face the strange doubles that haunt us―and that have come to feel as intimate and proximate as a warped reflection in the mirror. Combining comic memoir with chilling reportage and cobweb-clearing analysis, Klein seeks to smash that mirror and chart a path beyond despair. Doppelganger What do we neglect as we polish and perfect our digital reflections? Is it possible to dispose of our doubles and overcome the pathologies of a culture of multiplication? Can we create a politics of collective care and undertake a true reckoning with historical crimes? The result is a revelatory treatment of the way many of us think and feel now―and an intellectual adventure story for our times. **Let’s meet at Caboose Commons in Fairfax to enjoy some good discussion and meet new friends.**

**This isn’t just a meetup. This is a full-night vibe.** A new spot for us, but the same legendary Social Sips & Bites energy you know and love. Join Social Sips & Bites for an all-out night of dinner, drinks, DJ-driven music, and dancing-the kind of night where the plan is simple: show up, relax, and let the evening unfold. Early vibes We kick things off with dinner and drinks, easy conversations, familiar faces, and new connections. It’s the perfect warm-up- lots of laughs, great energy, and that unmistakable feeling that the night is about to level up. 9:00 PM - GAME ON The DJ turns it up. The dance floor comes alive. The room shifts from hangout to full celebration. And before you know it, we’re dancing well into the early hours of the morning. What to expect • DJ and dance floor • High-energy music, great food, strong drinks • A welcoming crowd that knows how to have a good time • One of those nights you swear you’re leaving… but somehow stay Come early to connect. Stay late to dance. Lose track of time somewhere in between. This is Social Sips & Bites — and we’re just getting started.

What's better than brunch? Brunch with the LGBTQ+ community, of course! Join the Dulles Triangles at 11:00 AM for a dazzling brunch at **[Amphora Diner](http://amphoragroup.com/amphoras-diner-deluxe/)**, located at **1151 Elden St, Herndon, VA 20170**. This is your chance to catch up with old pals, make some new ones, and bask in the glory of a Sunday well-brunched! Amphora’s menu is as diverse as our community, offering everything from omelets and pancakes to divine bakery treats. Seriously, their pastries are more irresistible than a shirtless Ryan Gosling holding a puppy! **RSVP Required!** Amphora needs a headcount beforehand, and adding seats at the last minute is like trying to squeeze into last year’s pride outfit—tricky! To ensure you get a seat at the brunch extravaganza, RSVP on Meetup or in the Dulles Triangles Facebook group by the day before. Those who RSVP get priority seating, and we promise not to judge if you show up in sequins. Remember to ask for Dulles Triangles when you arrive. Use the links below to RSVP and secure your spot faster than you can say "mimosas." This event is usually held on the first Sunday of each month, but check for updates because we like to keep things as flexible as our dance moves. Keep an eye on the current schedule so you don't miss out!