Tessel

We have taken more than a year off due to the pandemic. Our old favorite cafe in Bethesda is now closed so lets try the Panera Bread down the street on Wisconsin Ave. Please come and join us for some double deck pinochle, assuming (of course) that you have been inoculated for Covid-19 and you are willing to follow the current guidelines of the business on mask wearing. We will start the first game about 6 pm. We play 300 point games so the second game will likely start just after 7 pm, and we will rotate tables if we have more than 4 players. Card players of all level are welcome. We play primarily 4-handed double deck Pinochle but other variants are have been tried on occasion. Games go from 6 pm until Panera closes, which currently is 9 pm. This event is scheduled to repeat every other Wednesday night. Please don't wait until the last minute to RSVP.

We play on alternating Wednesdays from 6:30-9:00 at Continues Arcade (and bar and restaurant) in Alexandria. Bring your board or play one of ours. Beginners and the chess-curious welcome.

We invite you to an engaging evening of wine, cheese and lively conversation around NYT Editor's Choice ***All The Worst Humans: How I Made News for Dictators, Tycoons, and Politicians,*** a bridge-burning, riotous memoir by Phil Elwood, a top PR operative in Washington who exposes the secrets of the $129-billion industry that controls so much of what we see and hear in the media—from a man who used to pull the strings, and who is now pulling back the curtain. **From Goodreads:** After nearly two decades in the Washington PR business, Elwood wants to come clean, by exposing the dark underbelly of the very industry that’s made him so successful. The first step is revealing exactly what he’s been up to for the past twenty years—and it isn’t pretty. Elwood has worked for a murderer’s row of questionable clients, including Gaddafi, Assad, and the government of Qatar. In *All the Worst Humans*, Elwood unveils how the PR business works, and how the truth gets made, spun, and sold to the public—not shying away from the gritty details of his unlikely career. This is a piercing look into the corridors of money, power, politics, and control, all told in Elwood’s disarmingly funny and entertaining voice. He recounts a four-day Las Vegas bacchanal with a dictator’s son, plotting communications strategies against a terrorist organization in Western Africa, and helping to land a Middle Eastern dictator’s wife a glowing profile in Vogue on the same time the Arab Spring broke out. And he reveals all his slippery tricks for seducing journalists in order to create chaos and ultimately cover for politicians, dictators, and spies—the industry-secret tactics that led to his rise as a political PR pro. Along the way, Phil walks the halls of the Capitol, rides in armored cars through Abuja, and watches his client lose his annual income at the roulette table. But as he moved up the ranks, he felt worse and worse about the sleaziness of it all—until Elwood receives a shocking wake-up call from the FBI. This risky game nearly cost Elwood his life and his freedom. Seeing the light, Elwood decides to change his ways, and his clients, and to tell the full truth about who is the worst human. As always, please feel free to join even if you have not finished the book - no stress :-) All attendees are asked to please bring one of the following: 1. A bottle of wine 2. Cheese and Crackers 3. An alternate beverage or nosh of your choice Host will provide glasses, wine opener, plates & napkins. To enhance the opportunity for great conversation, we would like to keep the group small. Please feel free to sign-up to meet us along with up to 2 friends. 📚 Exciting Updates for 2026 Book Club! 📚 Starting in January 2026, we’ll be implementing a new system for book recommendations that will make our reading selections even more collaborative and engaging! **Book Recommendations:** From January through October, members can submit book recommendations at each meeting, via email, text or Meetup DM. All suggestions will be added to a shared Google Sheet, which will include links to Goodreads and other pertinent information for each book. [LINK to 2027 BOOK LIST](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18AC_FH9bGGxyH6v7Rw36EvPtKtVl5e_N/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102804280893316002961&rtpof=true&sd=true) **Voting for 2027 Reads:** Our voting for next year’s book selections will take place during the November 2026 meeting. Members in attendance will have the opportunity to cast 12 votes for their favorite picks. If you’re unable to attend the November meeting, you can still participate! Simply submit 6 votes via email, text, or DM through Meetup before the start of the November meeting. **Announcement of Selections:** The chosen books for 2027 will be revealed at the end of the November meeting. We’re excited about this new process and can’t wait to see the amazing book recommendations you all have! 📖✨ PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE COMMITTED TO ATTEND WHEN YOU RSVP FOR THIS EVENT. 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 us. In the event you do not communicate and are a no-show, your ability to RSVP for future events will be restricted. Thank you in advance for your understanding. If you are unable to join us in June, we hope you'll remain interested and join us for an evening in the future. Looking forward to wine & cheese with you soon - happy reading!

**NOTE: most of the regulars no longer RSVP to the Meetup. You'll usually find at least a half dozen of us playing chess, regardless of how many attendees are listed. Come on by!** Fairfax Chess Club meets on Wednesday at Patriot's Pub & Grill in downtown Fairfax City. People start showing up around 6 PM and stay as late as they please. Please bring your own chess set if you've got one, as our extra chess sets live at other venue for the time being. (If you don't have a chess set, however, I'm sure you'll still be able to get in a game with someone who's brought one.) Patriot's is located at: 10560 Main St, Fairfax, VA 22030 See you soon!

Discover the path to stress management, life's tranquility, and self-improvement through Heartfulness Meditation. Embrace relaxation, meditation, and emotional detoxification practices to unlock your best self. Join our free sessions every Wednesday at 730 PM at MD. Experience the profound benefits of these simple yet powerful practices. Commit to a few months of meditation and witness the transformative impact firsthand. We eagerly await your presence at these enlightening sessions.

It's supposed to be nice this Wednesday, so may as well try a new rooftop bar! **Location Info:** Good Fortune (Hotel Heron Rooftop) 699 Prince St. Alexandria, VA 22314 Rooftop Menu: [Good Fortune - Menu](http://chrome-extension//efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/%5Bhttps://heronalexandria.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Good-Fortune-Menu_031026-3.pdf%5D(https://heronalexandria.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Good-Fortune-Menu_031026-3.pdf)) In the unlikely event that it does rain Wednesday, we also have these other spots inside the hotel: **Kiln -** The bar/restaurant right inside the front door of Hotel Heron. Has wrap-around windows and a full view of Washington St. Happy Hour here is from 3-6pm, with a $20 Kiln Burger + Beer of Choice deal along with some other food/bev deals if you get there in time. Food and drink menus here: [Kiln - Menus](https://heronalexandria.com/dine/kiln/) **Francis Hall** \- the secret cocktail bar in the back hallway of the hotel\. From the entrance\, go up the steps past the hotel reception desk\, take a left and go down the hallway\. The entrance to the bar has a few lanterns sitting on the floor\, so you know which door it is\. **Francis Hall opens at 6pm, and are drinks only, so grab food on the roof or Kiln if you need a snack.** Francis Hall Cockail Menu here: [Francis Hall - Drinks](http://chrome-extension//efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/%5Bhttps://heronalexandria.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Francis-Hall_Beverage-Book_051625.pdf%5D(https://heronalexandria.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Francis-Hall_Beverage-Book_051625.pdf)) ### **🚇Transit:** Take the yellow or blue lines to King St. Metro, and then walk all the way down King St. It's about a 0.8mile walk, or you can wait for the King St. shuttle (looks like an old red trolley car). The trolley stops every 2 blocks, take it to either S. Columbus St. or S. St Asaph St. From there, walk to Washington St and take it 1 block south to the corner of Prince St. \#\#\# 🅿️**Parking:** Parking is metered on most blocks within Old Town, or have a 2 hour parking limit until 11pm. Be observant of permit parking only areas, or time limits, and your zone for ParkMobile if you're in a metered zone.

Join us at the Chess Center offices (Suite 118, entrance on 2nd Avenue) on Saturday afternoons from 1:00 – 5:00pm ET for open play. Players of all abilities and ages are welcome. * Non-Members: $5.00/player table fee for the day. * Chess Center [Members](https://chessctr.org/membership/) always play for FREE ($0.00). Check our social media ([Twitter](https://twitter.com/uschess) / [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/USChessCenter)) for closure announcements: The Chess Center is closed on major holidays. We also have chess sets, clocks, and [used chess books](https://chessctr.org/usedbooks/) for sale.

• What we'll do We plan on meeting at Grace Presbyterian Church at 9:30 AM on Saturday to assemble care packages and help people who have very little and help them survive. This would be a great time to bring a friend or your children to do something good for humanity. After we assemble the 120 backpack care packages, we plan to have coffee and snacks, socialize and then drive to DC to distribute the backpacks. If you choose to go with us, we'll return about 1:00 pm. Looking forward to seeing you all at the Meetup. • How can you help? \- You can contribute money\. Make checks out to Grace Presbyterian Church\, marked for Help the Homeless and mail to David Retherford\, Grace Presbyterian Church\, 7434 Bath Street\, Springfield\, VA 22150 or bring the money to the Meetup and put it in the basket there or give it to me\. \- Winter items: coats\, jackets\, sweaters\, gloves\, scarves\, thermal socks \- You can also donate clothes and personal care articles at the Meetup or during the week\. Just leave them on the stage\. \- Clothing \(New or gently used\) \- Men and Women socks \- Men and Women underwear \- Men and Women shirts \- Men and Women pants \- Anything to keep warm and dry\!\!\!\! Other Items: -Backpacks (new or gently used) -Roll of duct tape • What to bring A willing attitude and if it’s cold, some warm clothes. • Important to know \- All are welcome\! The Handicap entrance is through the Tower door \(Door 2\) in front\. \- All others can enter at the North parking lot\. \- If you are looking for something eventful to do on Sunday\, check out the services at Grace\. \- We’ll tell you about any other Grace volunteer opportunities at the Meetup [https://www.gracepresby.org/](https://www.gracepresby.org/)

Artistic Artifacts hosts **Open Stitch sessions EVERY Thursday evenings** from 5:30 - 7:30 pm — join us! This is a drop-in, bring your own hand stitching project and the necessary supplies (or you can knit, crochet... whatever needle arts you like). There’s no fee to attend, no instruction nor agenda — just a time to spend with other creatives! Visit our website for all our class & event information: **[https://artisticartifacts.com/collections/wk](https://artisticartifacts.com/collections/wk)**

Join us for an afternoon of chess in a fun and relaxed setting. Players of all ages and skill levels are welcome! Club boards are provided. Bring your own clocks or use Chess.com's Chess Clock app. We generally meet in the blue room, which is to your right after entering. If we're not in the blue room we're at the far left near the beer tanks in the back corner.

**NOTE: AN RSVP ON MEETUP DOES NOT SERVE AS A BOOKED SPOT. YOU MUST BOOK VIA LINK BELOW TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT.** **You must book your spot through our website: [[Booking Link Here](https://www.lesbifriendstravel.com/events/spritz-and-blooms)]** Florals, cocktails, and good company. That is the whole vibe. Lesbifriends Travel is teaming up as the June event partner for Spritz & Blooms, a signature garden party experience created by lead floral designer Alexandra Taylor of Taylor Made Blooms, with creative direction by Danielle René. We are transforming the Lesbifriends house into a floral utopia with bouquets you build yourself, signature wine spritz cocktails, light bites, and a special live solo performance by DMV queer singer/songwriter KattLandia. Come sip, mingle, and play in the flowers with your community. **Event Details** 📅 Date: Sunday, June 28, 2026 ⏰ Time: 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM 📍 Location: The Lesbifriends House, Southeast DC (address shared with confirmed guests) 💸 **Cost: $75** **What's Included with Your Ticket** Designer-led Bloom Bar to build your own bouquet Three drink tickets for our signature Spritz Bar (wine spritz cocktails and mocktails) More drinks will be available for purchase Light bites and charcuterie A live solo performance by KattLandia An afternoon designed for community and connection **Attire: Garden Party Chic** Think florals, pastels, linens, whites, neutrals, and vibrant colors. **Who This Event Is For:** Black queer women and non-binary folks who love getting creative with their hands, sipping something delicious, and meeting new people in a chic, sunlit, garden-style environment. ✨ Lesbifriends Travel invites you to come as you are, celebrate Pride with your people, and make it a tradition. Claim your spot here: **[Spritz & Blooms](https://www.lesbifriendstravel.com/events/spritz-and-blooms)**! Note: By attending this event, you agree to being photographed. However, if communicated, we will try our best not to capture you in photos and post you publicly. That request must be communicated ahead of time/at the beginning of the event to photographer and host.

💳 **AI eCommerce Masterclass — Passive Income Blueprint — Set it up once. Earn every day.** *Built around AI tools that are available and affordable today* **What you produce in this session:** - A marketing funnel that runs on autopilot from day one - Passive income infrastructure built around AI automation - AI-driven product research tools that find winning products automatically For professionals who want to add a passive revenue stream without a second full-time job, this blueprint session removes the manual complexity entirely. With a guided end-to-end store build, you produce a passive income vehicle — an AI store that runs while you do other things. **⚠️ Quick note:** Your rsvp here is not a registration confirmation, so click below to register — completing that form is what holds your seat — spots run out faster than you expect so register now, and full registration is what holds your seat not the RSVP. ### [🔗 BOOK YOUR SPOT](https://aiventurelab.org/product/AIEcommerce?city=Columbus&groupurlname=cafe-conversation-and-french-films-for-our-community&startgmtdatetime=2026-06-30T22:00:00Z) --- Passive eCommerce income is a build-once earn-always model — grab your place and learn to build a store AI can run for you, and everything you build is yours to keep and scale. 📦 *The store that earns while you sleep starts here.*

This is a time where players of all ages, and skill levels can gather and enjoy a nice Sunday full of Chess!

This is an in-person meeting. At this meeting you will get answers to depression and anxiety. Find out the source of them and how to get rid of them. Did you know that unwanted emotions like anxiety, depression, unhappiness, loneliness, hopelessness, anger, fear, or feelings of irritation don’t just fall on you for no reason. They are not random occurrences that simply happen to people's minds. They are definitely not due to a chemical imbalance in your brain from some nebulous chemical reaction "by chance". Your negative emotions are the symptoms of the painful experiences that you have which are not healed, and which are still affecting you. The effects of these painful experiences are exacerbated by the pressures or difficulties of the other problems in your life. Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is created by the Hubbard Dianetics Foundation of Central Ohio and Church of Scientology of Central Ohio.

Private Group. Closed to the Public Knowing ourselves and understanding our abilities is the first step toward wielding our gifts with control and accuracy. In subsequent classes we will verify and hone our talents with activities and discussion. These are hands-on workshops and participation is expected. The goal of our series will be to develop expertise in areas of particular interest such as mediumship, channeling, divination, healing and, etc.. Our ultimate directions will be determined by class members as we evolve. I look forward to sharing and discovering with you. - Cynthia

Click Here For More Videos: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/17bwkttXhV/ *********************************** Salsamante Dance Academy will be at Swerve Every Tuesday Night to share the Rhythm & Energy of Bachata & Salsa. These are Beginner Level lessons to get you comfortable and understand the two dances. Spread the Good News to all. Swerve Dance & Fitness Complex 640 Lakeview Plaza Blvd A, Worthington, OH 43085 Bachata 7pm-8pm Salsa 8pm-9pm $15 - One Lesson $20 - Both Lessons

Based on the novel Roadside Picnic, it is NO picnic, but rather one of the masterpieces of world cinema. Andrei Tarkovsky's 1979 Soviet sci-fi classic, recounts the expedition of a writer and professor led by a mysterious guide called "The Stalker." to a futuristic wasteland called "The Zone." Dripping with existential dread, it continually presents strange occurrences that will have us debating the meaning of what we've just viewed right through the ending. *Stalker* (1979) can be streamed for free on HBOMax, the Criterion Channel or Kanopy. It's also available for rent on Amazon Prime and AppleTV. The Columbus Library has two copies on disc.