Sweden

Svalbard isn’t on most people’s bucket lists—but it should be. At 78° N, this remote Arctic archipelago offers stunning glaciers, tundra, and endless daylight. Polar bears roam the pack ice, Arctic foxes prowl the tundra, and Svalbard reindeer graze among snowfields. For birders, it’s a world of extremes—alive with Thick-billed Murres, Dovekies, Northern Fulmars, and Ivory Gulls patrolling the ice edge. In June, Alex Pellegrini led a small-group expedition there with *Caretta Inspired Nature Journeys*, a nonprofit helping wildlife “one trip at a time.” Join Alex for breathtaking photos, close encounters, and stories from the top of the world. The meeting will be at the Hap Arnold Center, College Park Airport. It will start at 7:30PM, the door opens at 7:00. Free and open to the public.

As part of the [DC Francophonie](https://www.francophonie-dc.org/event-list) Cultural Festival, the Embassy of Belgium invites you to a screening of "Rumba Royale" a historical drama set in pre-independence Congo. After the film, co-director and co-writer Hamed Mobasser will sit for a Q&A session, followed by a small reception with Belgian beer! Event registration is free, but capacity is limited. **To reserve tickets, [click here](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rumba-royale-screening-and-qa-tickets-1983568476710?aff=oddtdtcreator).** Set in Léopoldville (now Kinshasa) in 1959, “Rumba Royale” follows a photographer drawn into the city’s most exclusive nightclub as Congo approaches independence. Inside the club, music, politics, and desire collide, with rumba mirroring the tensions of a society on the verge of change. The film will be in French with English subtitles. This event is organized in partnership with Embassy of France - La Maison Française.

Please do not arrange to play earlier than the scheduled start time UNLESS you are able to stay till the end of the event, we do not want people leaving early and creating uneven numbers. Hello members, Tennis has become much more popular since the pandemic started and court space has been harder to come by. Following these simple rules will help everyone get the most out of MoCo Topspinners Meetup. • If you RSVP for an event, please attend that event or cancel at least two hours before the event starts. Members that no-show will receive one warning then will be benched (suspended) from events for two weeks. Three no-shows can result in a permanent ban. (No-shows create uneven numbers and prevent folks on the waitlist from playing. Please do your part to un-RSVP as soon as you know that you cannot attend an event.) • Members must have a way to communicate with organizers and hosts. This can be through the Meetup app messages or by providing other contact info. • Any member can ask a host or organizer to have their skill rated for event attendance purposes. You will not be allowed to participate in events higher than your NTRP rating. (We may try to limit numbers or have multiple events on a given day to accommodate players of different skill levels and also to help alleviate the court availability problem). • All members shall conduct good sportsmanship and be courteous to other members at all times. • Sexual harassment, racism, sexism or any kind of intolerance will not be tolerated and will result in the permanent ban from the group. • If member receives three warning infractions, the member will be suspended from the Meetup for a period of one month. If a member is suspended twice (six warnings), that member will be permanently banned and any membership dues will then be forfeited. • If you are scheduling to play with others outside of a MoCo Topspinners event, and you know that there is a MoCo Topspinners event scheduled for that day at that time, please try to use courts other than the courts where the event is scheduled, or move your time so that it does not conflict with the Topspinners event. For a list of complete rules and definitions you can see the MoCo Topspinners front page. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact us. We are hoping for a fun season but we may have to wait for courts and leave earlier than we are used to. Please be patient as we adjust to this new normal and try a few different things that will hopefully help the situation. Happy playing! If you would like to attend this event you must be a of minimum 3.0 level. USTA guidelines prior for signing up for the Meetup: https://assets.usta.com/assets/1/15/ExperiencedGuidelines_02142011_V2pdf.pdf • What to bring Tennis Balls, Racket, and Water.

**This talk has completely sold out in advance and no door tickets will be available. You can catch the same talk at Highline RxR on March 15th, when plenty of tickets remain for sale.** [Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Celtic Mythology,”** an exploration of the beliefs of a people whose influence spread far beyond the British Isles, with Larissa “Kat” Tracy, past president of the American Society of Irish Medieval Studies, former editor of its journal, *Eolas*, and visiting assistant teaching professor of English at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-celtic-mythology](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-celtic-mythology) .] The Celts inhabited lands stretching from the British Isles to parts of France and the Holy Roman Empire. Their influence can be seen in the art of the Vikings, in the rich oral and literary traditions of the Irish, Welsh and Bretons, and in the modern renaissance of Celtic culture. But who exactly were they? Get into the minds of the Celtic people by learning about their myths and beliefs with Larissa “Kat” Tracy, a scholar of Old and Middle Irish and Middle Welsh language and literature and published translator of Old Irish texts whose dynamic and fascinating talks have earned a considerable following among Profs and Pints fans. Dr. Tracy will delve into early medieval literary records that tell stories of the Tuatha de Danann, a godlike people who invaded Ireland and then were defeated themselves. She’ll offer a new perspective on faeries, banshees, and leprechauns by describing how the ancient Otherworldy people once believed to inhabit the western realms of Ireland were diminished or demonized into figures of popular folklore. You’ll learn how the ancient God of the Sun become one of the “little people” guarding cauldrons of gold and bestowing luck, how immortal beings of majestic stature shrank to small winged creatures in the back of gardens, and how supernatural women associated with the “people of the mound” became screaming harbingers of death. We’ll explore how medieval literary texts inspired later legends and became adapted into folklore. You’ll gain an understanding of how the medieval Catholic Church’s growing power led local people to reimagine their ancient gods and goddesses as Christian figures like Saint Bridget and Saint Patrick. You’ll gain an appreciation of how the Celts gave rise to living traditions that survive in modern popular culture through the preservation of languages, storytelling and music enjoyed all over the world, and renewed interest in goddesses like Brid and celebrations like Samhain. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: From “Riders of the Sidhe,” a 1911 John Duncan painting of the Tuatha Dé Danann.

This is a regularly held in-person integration circle and a supportive container that centered on psychedelic experiences. We co-create a space of inclusivity, compassion, and care for all. We gather to help each other integrate our journeys, find "the others", and or seek wisdom about altered states of consciousness. Arrive ready to share honestly, openly, and from the heart. Bring your insights from journeys to unpack or your questions about plant medicines and psychedelic experiences to ask the more experienced journeyers. At 7 pm we will do a short grounding exercise and a brief check-in/ice breaker. At 7:15 pm we will begin the integration circle with honest and open processing of psychedelic experiences. Your facilitators are trained in psychedelic integration and or other coaching/facilitation modalities but we are not mental health professionals, we are community members called to service in mutuality. The event is by donation as we do need to pay for the space and supplies used. The suggested donation is $10-$20/person (cash, Paypal or Venmo). Surplus above and beyond covering costs will go towards future community event facilitation and or materials.

Danceintime runs Cuban Salsa Classes & Social Dancing Every Saturday, all year-long. Come at 1:15 pm to sign in. Stay till 4 pm. Some of us go out for coffee or a bite to eat afterwards and everyone is welcome! $15/person. Cash, PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, or Card accepted. Chevy Chase Baptist Church; 5671 Western Ave. NW; Washington DC 20015. NOTE: Enter through back corner door of the church. Danceintime classes are great fun. The dance moves are beautiful, fun, and our class creates a bonded community... Check it out! Class will be held every Saturday in December....celebrate the holidays with dance! For more info: danceintime.com/classes Questions? Contact Barbbernsteintalks@gmail.com

Join us to enjoy Marcus DC, located in the Morrow Hotel in NoMa / Union Market neighborhood -hailed as one of the area's top dining destinations (2026 Washingtonian 100 Very Best Restaurants List), recognized as America's most beautiful new restaurant of 2025 by Robb Report and recognized for Executive Chef Anthony Jones who was named Rising Chef in the 2025 Eater DC Awards. It features a unique menu blending modern American cooking with Ethiopian and D.C. **The Washington Post** (Sietsema) While a number of dishes explain why Marcus DC is a hard reservation, the most riveting is a shareable entrée that’s the taste equivalent of a three-ring circus. Order Mel’s crab rice, and out comes a round pan of Carolina rice infused with obe ata, a rousing Nigerian red pepper and tomato sauce. The surface of the grains is colored with glossy bell peppers, okra stinging with hot sauce and spidery-looking, tangy fennel. Mounded on top is blue crab finished with béarnaise sauce mixed with uni — rich on rich, the top hat to complete the outfit. Like a proper paella, some bites are crisp, others are soft. Each forkful delivers a riot of flavor. Lucky diners get the bonus of having the largesse presented by Anthony Jones, the restaurant’s executive chef. A son of Maryland, Jones pays tribute to his family’s favorite crab shack, Mel's Crabs, near where he grew up in Calvert County with one of the best dishes now playing in Washington. Yes, I’m obsessed with it. We should all have more obe ata and sea urchin butter in our lives. The man behind the restaurant's name is Marcus Samuelsson, the famous talent behind Aquavit and Red Rooster in New York whose portfolio embraces 15 restaurants. Born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden, the chef, 54, prefers talking about Marcus DC, set in the sleek Morrow hotel near Union Market. And rightly so: He’s in a hot spot of the best kind now — so much foot traffic! Such an inviting interior! — serving some of the most personal food of his career. He’s supported by a cast of locals, foremost Jones, whose attention and enthusiasm surface in every exchange and every dish. This being the Mid-Atlantic, much of the food originates from the water. Here come slices of fluke arranged in a circle with watermelon radishes and golden plantain crisps, buoyed by a fetching green pond: green apple and cucumber juice, as revivifying as the combination sounds. The kick on the plantains? Berbere, the Ethiopian spice blend. Browned scallops alternate with fleshy mushrooms and pickled white asparagus in another appetizer, this one set against a mole that’s a touch nutty and smoky. The airy-creamy green dollops? A whip of serrano, scallions and more. If you like spice, the kitchen has you covered. Throughout the menu, the kitchen deploys little accents that nudge plates from good to great. “Swediopian” is fusion at its finest: silken cured salmon and charred cucumber around which a server pours goldenberry broth, light yet assertive with ginger, mint and lemon juice. A sail of crisp injera makes for a fun finish. Samuelsson’s restaurants all serve cornbread, although it differs from location to location. For Marcus DC, the tall slices are tinted with blue corn, lashed with honey and presented with yassa butter, a spread of caramelized onion, preserved lemon and Dijon mustard that goes down like sunshine. The combination pretty much sells itself. The most widely consumed fish in Sweden makes another appearance in a select entrée, salmon crisped in the pan and so tender it falls away at the touch of a fork. Glazed with nori and gochujang, the fish arrives on a pale yellow butter sauce that pops with orange roe and gains color with minced chives. More fancies come courtesy of chunks of pickled daikon and little scrolls of sheer daikon wrapped around seaweed salad. Sweden meets Korea meets Japan. The strong ensemble cast reminds of my first dinner, when a server talked up Samuelsson’s far-flung interests. I recall the only continent he left out in his introduction was Antarctica. Just as Le Clou, the newcomer’s predecessor in this space, represented an uptick in French restaurants around town, Marcus DC rides a welcome wave of Black chefs sharing their stories, notably Kwame Onwuachi at Dogon and Eric Adjepong at Elmina. (Gone but not forgotten: Danielle Harris at the short-lived Almeda in Petworth.) As much as the menu, the interior helps tell Samuelsson’s story; the dining room is alive with colors that weave those of his youth with those of his travels. I love the spacious curved booths, the handsome bar and the open kitchen animated by cooks “in the city and of the city,” as Samuelsson puts it. Friends have spotted the top chef multiple times on the Acela en route from New York to D.C. He’s in town a fair amount. Samuelsson might like to know he has a great ambassador in the personable Jones, 36, who previously cooked under his boss at Red Rooster Overtown in Miami and knows his taste and his standards. This isn’t just a fishing hole, by the way. There’s roast chicken on the menu, because a hotel restaurant almost demands it. A glaze of sweet-tangy mumbo sauce brings it home. There’s a pasta, too, tossed with smoked clams and crisp snow peas and showered with pecorino. A meal could be made of the sweet potato, a side dish with star power: The smashed vegetable is made elegant with crème fraîche and shimmering salmon roe. Samuelsson’s secret weapons extend to executive pastry chef Rachel Sherriffe, whose sweet résumé includes Rooster & Owl in Washington and Jean-Georges in New York. At Marcus DC, she seduces diners with an intriguing rice pudding whose crisp notes come from puffed rice and whose green hue and breezy accent stem from Thai basil. An oval of yogurt sorbet and ginger lime jelly add cool and spark to the bowl. (The bite in the jelly? Sherriffe, who plays up savory notes in her handiwork, sneaks cayenne into the jiggle.) A dome of warm plum cake, flavored with almond paste and subtly nutty with teff flour, arrives with a scoop of cardamom ice cream and a crimson pool of sorrel jus that acknowledge both Samuelsson’s background and her Jamaican heritage — “Everything diaspora,” says Sherriffe. Looking forward to sharing this experience with you! ***Check out the menus [here](https://marcusdc.com/marcus-dc#menu)***[.](https://marcusdc.com/marcus-dc#menu) 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 March 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 Marcus!

Join us for a fun-filled outdoor happy hour as we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! This event will feature local Irish Latin band, [La Unica](https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.launicamusic.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7CMallory.Cary%40montgomeryparks.org%7C59638d37d8b9425b03e908de417edcb2%7Ca9061e0c24ca4c1cbeff039bb8c05816%7C0%7C0%7C639020210283802438%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=faXLR93xz4nDMcJ6sPpeJQA1UdNcfZedkkEnQ2bjxNI%3D&reserved=0), craft brews, and several food trucks. Whether you’re Irish or just Irish-at-heart, come celebrate with us. la Unica is a five-piece band that plays carefully-selected covers and originals in a high-energy style that turns shy guests into party animals. La Unica’s outstanding musicianship and unique “Irish Latin Rock” style greatly expand the band’s repertoire. The Washington Post called La Unica a “pan-genre party band”, and their fans call them exciting, creative, and high-energy. Bring a chair.

We thought of one of the interesting things that can be enjoyed at this time of the year. We will be meeting at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church for a "Fish Fry" in Marian Hall on Friday, March 27th at 5:00 PM. It might be fun for you to experience what has become a tradition on the Fridays before Easter. They will have fried fish or baked fish, French fries and Cole slaw, as well as beverages, all for $16.00 for adults. They will have other beverages and desserts available for sale, as well. We have never tried this, and sometimes there are quite a few people at these events so we hope that we will be able to find each other easily. I'll try to have signs outside Marian Hall that Identify our group. We hope to have you join us!

Hosted by Wild Ones Columbus How to Install a Bog Garden, with David Marsolo Saturday, March 14th, 2026 10:00 am to 12:00 pm (Eastern Time) Innis House (Inniswoods Metro Park) , 940 S. Hempstead Road, Westerville, OH Public Welcome Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking A bog can serve the same functions as a traditional rain garden but has the advantages of being low maintenance, climate resilient and attractive for a much longer part of the year. David Marsolo is a long time Wild Ones member. He has been maintaining artificial bogs at his suburban Westerville home for about 20 years. He will describe how to install a bog and fill it with many interesting native plants including pollinator and host plants https://columbus.wildones.org/calendar-of-events-and-programs/?wo_event_id=11160

Let's grab some coffee/food and share a morning chat! The East Market has an ample parking lot and outdoor and indoor seating. Grab a cup of coffee from Winston's Coffee & Waffles or on your way to East Market and meet us on the second floor - table behind or east of the elevator. Per what this group is about: "Everyone is welcome! International transplants to Columbus who want to improve language skills, Columbus residents who want to discuss international travel and culture, and anyone who enjoys getting together for good conversations."

Click Here For More Videos: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/17vTa7EuwG/ ********************************* The Biggest Salsa Night to hit your mid-week is happening at Latin City Wednesdays. Get the feel of the Latin Beat as your hips and feet groove the right way. As always, we will provide refreshments and food. ********************************* Viva Dance Columbus (2809 Festival Lane Dublin, OH 43017) 830pm-930pm Cuban Salsa Lessons 930pm-Midnight Open Latin Dance Party $15 With Lesson $10 Just Open Dance ********************************** Free Parking, No Need to Bring a dance partner, No Sandals Please and Plenty of Space to Move Around.

Join us as we get together to see SIRAT, an Oscar-nominated Best International Film from Spain that follows a father, accompanied by his son, goes looking for his missing daughter in North Africa. Here’s a description, trailer and our plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: A father, accompanied by his son arrive at a rave deep in the mountains of southern Morocco while searching for his daughter who vanished months ago at one of these endless, sleepless parties. As their search continues, the journey forces them to confront their own limits. The film is directed by Oliver Laxe and stars Sergi Lopez, Bruno Nunez Arjona and Richard Bellamy. TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww-IXHXvS70 BUZZ & ACCLAIM: SIRAT has already won numerous awards, including 4 at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, along with the Chicago, Montclair and Toronto International Film Festivals! It also earned a whopping 11 nominations at the 40th Goya Awards, including Best Film and Director, and was nominated for Best International Feature Film and Best Sound at this year’s Academy Awards. The film is earning a stellar 92% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes which calls it “an unforgettable exercise in tension” and “a brutal reminder that the journey can be more important than the destination.” PLAN: Please purchase your ticket for the 7:00pm showing and we’ll meet inside the upstairs lobby between 6:40 and 6:50pm. Super Tuesday ticket price is just $6.50 (including online fee)! Advance ticket purchase is advised (via Gateway website preferred). Once you have yours, please list your seat number in the Comments section of this event! This one will be a “movie only” event. PARKING: Close, convenient parking is available in the nearby garage (located between 9th and 11th, just off High St). Bring your ticket with you and have it validated at the theater and for $2, you’re covered for the night! Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

ATTIRE : GREEN Feel the luck of the leprechaun this upcoming Latin City Wednesday. Wear you GREEN or you get pinched 😉. Charming you with the best selection of Salsa, Bachata, Merengue and Cha Cha Chá that you can muster. Feel free to bring your own enticing drinks as well. ********************************* Viva Dance Columbus (2809 Festival Lane Dublin, OH 43017) 830pm-930pm Casino Style Salsa Lessons 930pm-Midnight Open Latin Dance Party $15 With the Lesson $10 Open Dance Party Only ********************************** Free Parking, No Need to Bring a dance partner, No Sandals Please and Plenty of Space to Move on the Dance Floor.

The Humanist Monthly Program is our longest running event and still a community favorite. In the old days it used to be called "Going to HCCO" and we still like to think of it as our flagship event. Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. Our March speakers are Molly Gaines and Zack Parrish, co-organizers of the Secular Education Association: They will share their story of how a small group of Ohio parents grew into a national organization tracking released-time religious instruction and other church–state issues in public schools. The presentation will cover SEA’s early wins and hard lessons, what we’re seeing nationally right now, and how local advocates can play a meaningful role in protecting public education. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the landscape — and practical ways to get involved. Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC) The formal presentation will start at noon