Whiskey

**Meet new people in a relaxed, inclusive and welcoming space! 🤗** **(FREE EVENT).** Join us as we return to one of our favourite drinking spots in Brunswick East to spend a Friday night of chilled mingling over drinks.🍻 The moment you walk into **CRAFTSMAN'S CORNER**, you can't help but feel the welcoming vibes – like entering your local, even though it might be your first time there. Owner Alex is not only a super friendly guy, but he also makes one hell of a cocktail (try his Lemon Meringue Pie! ). 🍹🍸 There are also plenty of tasty bar eats to order on the day if you are feeling peckish. 🌮🍔 **Happy Hour (7pm - 8pm):** **$10** Beer / Wine + Bubbles / Basic Spirits 🍺🍷🥃 **$15** Cocktails 🍹 (select – TBA which ones the day) Come along for some drinks and conversation with new people in a relaxed environment. If you are coming alone, you don't need to worry about not knowing anyone. **Most people attend our events solo!** Just remember, we are all there for the same reason – to meet new people and have fun. 🎉 Check out Melbourne Mingle on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/melbourne_mingle) or [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567494869532) 👀

Hi Radiant Ladies, Join us for a refreshing Saturday walk at Ruffey Lake Park. 👭 Walk at your own pace 🐕 Dogs welcome ☕ Coffee after 🌦️ We walk every Saturday (unless it’s pouring) New ladies welcome. See you! 

Leanne & Lyn 💕

It will not be like any other running race. If you push we will support you to go for a full marathon distance. As said .... It will not be a race, rather it will be more like any hash runs with markings, checks, on backs. It's a social running encouragement and mind over matter. Marathon virgins, non FRBs, Walkers all welcome along with Garminators. The idea is to run 7-8km legs between one stop to another. Regroup & refresh at each station for drink stops & continue again. If anyone wants to take break or discontinue can take the train to next stop or final venue. You do not have to do the full 42km but we encourage all to try so you push your boundaries and do longer distance then you think you can do. When its not a race, you take breaks to regroup & refresh you can go more then you think you can do. So why not give it a try. And those who does marathon runs for you its your day to support another person to push their limit to run beside you. Route: \# START: Pascoe Vale station\, leave 9:00am \* Stop 1: Batman station (7.1km), leave 10:10am \* Stop 2: Merri station (15.9km), leave 11:30am \* Stop 3: Collingwood station (Gahan Reserve) 22.7km, leave 12:40pm \* Stop 4: Burnley station (31km), leave 2:10pm \* Stop 5: Port Junction Tram stop (79 Whiteman rd) (37.6km), leave 3:10pm \# FINISH: West Beach Pavilion \(St Kilda Beach\) 42\.2km\, around 3:45pm Start time is 9am. Please RSVP (by May 15th) for this event as some logistics (drinks/snacks) involved for this event arrangement. Run fee $20. Includes drink & refreshments during stops. T-shirts available (approx $50) if we have sufficent numbers. First batch of T-shirt already ordered. More details at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1173583984859097

Sunday Evening Meditation 5.30 to 6.30pm Join us in our cosy centre in Carlton North. Whether you are new to meditation or an experienced practitioner you are welcome at these relaxed and informal sessions. Simple instructions are provided and you can sit in a chair or on a cushion. Masks optional but not mandated. Bring your own sealed drink bottle. $10 for workers or $5 for concession. Find out about our activities. Incense and other dharma books and items for sale 803 Nicholson Street, Carlton North. Website: https://melbourne.rigpa.org.au/

Once a month Elni hosts our Port Phillip and Bayside socials. It’s a great opportunity to meet others. Our emphasis is on fun and enjoying each other’s company whilst supporting anyone who might need it. We each pay for our own food and drinks. This time, we’ll meet for dinner at Dendy Deli in Brighton — a relaxed local spot on Church Street known for its Mediterranean and modern Australian café style menu, with grills, salads, seafood, pasta, desserts and good coffee. We’d appreciate it if you could update your RSVP the day before so we can provide an exact headcount for the reservation. The table is booked under the name Elni. We hope to see you!

Join us in our cosy new centre in Carlton North. Whether you are new to meditation or an experienced practitioner you are welcome at these relaxed and informal sessions. Simple instructions are provided and you can sit in a chair or on a cushion. Masks optional but not mandated. Bring your own sealed drink bottle. $10 for workers or $5 for concession. Find out about our Centre's activities Browse our bookshop for books, incense and dharma items. 803 Nicholson Street, Carlton North. Website: https://melbourne.rigpa.org.au/

There's no better way to spend a Sunday arvo than drinks at Bad Shepherd in Cheltenham. ☀️ Come along, relax, and meet some great people from the Bayside community. Good vibes guaranteed. Whether it's your first event or you're a familiar face, come on down and introduce yourself. See you there!

start time updated to 11am. please see deets above.

Join us as we get together to see Paul Rudd in the latest comedy-drama-musical from John Carney, POWER BALLAD! The film follows a washed-up wedding singer, a fading boy band singer and a stolen hit song. Here’s a description, trailer and plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: Rick, a washed-up wedding singer, and Danny, a fading boy band star, bond over music and a late-night jam session. When Danny turns Rick's song into a hit, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves. Power Ballad is written/directed by John Carney, the master of the modern musical and creative mind behind Once, Begin Again and Sing Street! It stars Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu and Jack Reynor. BUZZ & ACCLAIM: The film premiered to rave reviews at this year’s Dublin International Film Festival where critics call it “a sure-fired crowd-pleaser” that “just might be the feel-good hit of the year!” Others say, “Paul Rudd delivers a career-best performance in this charmer” that’s both “hilarious and deeply moving!” SUMMER OF ICE CREAM, VOL 2: SHAKE NO. 8! Ranked the #1 Ice Cream Shop in Columbus in 2024, this is the perfect place to kick off our Summer of Ice Cream and grab a sweet treat after the show! Their menu features an array of traditional, specialty and vegan shakes, hot cocoa, and more! You can check out their full menu here: [https://www.shakeno8.com/menu.php](https://www.shakeno8.com/menu.php) PLAN: We’ll plan for a 7pm-ish showing and will meet in the lobby area about 20 minutes before the show. Once showtime is announced, advance ticket purchase is advised! Once you have yours, please list your seat number in the Comments section of this event. We'll head to nearby Shake No. 8 immediately following the show! Should be a fun one, Dan

**Welcome to Drunken Philosophy** a casual, curious social discussion **Optional topic for this meetup: What's up with all the AI hate?** A recent survey found that 74% of Americans have a negative view of AI, and I want to know why. Come out and debate whether AI is good or bad. My hot take: a labor-saving tool that could potentially help cure cancer gets called dangerous because it might raise unemployment or cause a speculative investment bubble, that tells you a lot more about capitalism and the economic system we live under than it does about the tool itself. As a computer programmer, I think AI is a wonderful tool that has increased my productivity by at least an order of magnitude. I'd go so far as to say Claude Code is the best tool I have ever used. Debate me and name a better one. Is AI potentially dangerous? Yes, but so are a lot of tools. Chainsaws. Steam engines (early ones would occasionally explode and kill everyone in the room). Do you think cavemen sat around debating whether fire could be used as a weapon or for self-harm, and decided not to discover it? I have two friends who hate AI for opposite reasons: one thinks it's a fad and not useful, and the other thinks it's going to take over everything and cause human extinction. Come out tonight, have a friendly debate, and make some friends. No lectures. Friendly crowd. Drop in for one drink and stay if it's fun.

Join us for a relaxed and enjoyable brunch at 17 Arrows Kitchen and Bar! This is a great opportunity to meet new people, enjoy good food, and ease into the weekend with great conversation. Whether you’re new to the group or it’s your first event, you’ll feel right at home.

**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.