Tea and Tomes Book Club
2030-04-21 16:00 - 17:00 UTC | The Philosopher’s House, 117 W Fairview Ave., Johnson City, 37604
Tea & Tomes is a Book Discussion Community with a twist: participants all read different books, selected from a common category, and then share insights with the group as a whole. All are welcome to join in the 3rd Sunday of each month.
Come eager to contribute, or just enjoy High Tea amidst Good Company.
1st gathering
Category: Children’s Book/YA Novel
Up-coming categories will be group-selected
How to register: No registration needed, drop-in
Cost: Food/beverage purchase encouraged to support teahouse nonprofit OR 5.00 donation at tea counter.
Location: Living Room/Fireplace, 1st floor
Organizer contact: Email rhodyjane@hotmail.com.
Upcoming themes:

August 16th
A book turned into a movie
(preferably where one has already seen the movie, but not read the book)
September 20th
An Epistolary=A book written in the form of letters

Steeped in Stories Author Meetup
2030-04-23 17:30 - 19:00 (America/Halifax) | The Philosopher’s House, 117 W Fairview Ave., Johnson City, 37604
Monthly meet up for local authors on 2nd and 4th Tuesdays: The goal is to be in community and encourage fellow authors on their current projects. We’ll do group feedback, discuss local events and collaborations, and have various discussion topics on the craft of writing, and the business of selling, books.
Feel free to drop in, but if you’d like to get on the email list to request feedback on a project or hear specifics about each month’s topic, email Marvin.
The suggested payment for this event is a $5 donation to Philosopher’s House or the purchase of food or drink.
How to register: Drop-in OR email Marvin: marvin@marvinlchoffman.com
Location: 2nd floor, drawing room
Cost: 5.00 donation at tea counter or food/drink purchases encouraged.

Mandarin Language Class
2030-04-23 18:00 - 19:00, 2030-04-30 18:00 - 19:00, 2030-05-07 18:00 - 19:00 UTC
Description: Mandarin Chinese is the single largest first language in the world, with over 941 million native speakers, and has become an invaluable language for anyone to learn, whether they’re interested in engaging with Chinese business, learning more about Chinese politics, wanting to study deeper into Chinese culture, or just fascinated by language! This course will function as an absolute beginner course in Mandarin Chinese. Learning objectives will be to be able to read and pronounce pinyin, to learn very basic grammatical structures, very basic day-to-day vocabulary, begin to recognize and reproduce some characters, and be able to hold simple, introductory conversations. No prior Mandarin knowledge is necessary. If there are more advanced learners who would be interested in more advanced material, please contact the instructor.
How to register: Advanced registration is greatly preferred as class does have limited seating. See instructor contact for registration.
Cost: Food and drink purchases encouraged OR 5.00 donation at tea counter to support our nonprofit.
Location: Parlor, 2nd floor
Materials needed: A notetaking device (laptop, tablet, notebook, etc.) . We will be using Integrated Chinese Level 1; Part 1, 4th edition, which is available in print and eBook formats from several sources. You can also use a previous edition, as those are readily available and less expensive. We will use Simplified characters in the class, as that is used in Mainland China and elsewhere. As that series has both textbooks and workbooks, be sure to select the textbook. If you have questions about the suitability of a version, feel free to contact the instructor.
Instructor Contact Information: Please text Heather at (208)215-6738

Chess Club
2030-04-24 18:00 - 19:00, 2030-05-01 18:00 - 19:00, 2030-05-08 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Halifax)
Make new friends and play chess! This group meets weekly in the main room. All levels welcome.
Materials Required: None
Location: Living room/Fireplace area, 1st floor
Cost: Food and drink purchases encouraged to support nonprofit
How to register:Drop-in.
Instructor Contact Information: Joegumina@hotmail.com

Guided Ana Pana Breathwork Meditation
2030-04-25 12:00 - 13:00, 2030-05-02 12:00 - 13:00, 2030-05-09 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Halifax)
Guided group meditation Thursdays at 12. Open space for anyone looking to practice silent or guided meditation. Open to all. Beginners welcome. We will be focusing on ana pana/natural respiration/nostril breathing. Lots of silence, but some gentle guidance into the practice
How to register: Register through this donation button, or drop-in. https://square.link/u/rsQey2gI
Cost: Sliding scale donation to support teahouse nonprofit (2.00-8.00) OR food/drink purchases encouraged.all are welcome regardless of ability to pay https://square.link/u/rsQey2gI
Location: Classroom/meditation space, 2nd level
Organizer Bradley Dargan:
“I am a Yoga practitioner and instructor with over 15 years of meditation experience. Breath and mindfulness meditations have been an integral part of my wellness over the years, and I would love to share practice with anyone interested in meditation.”

Dungeons and Dragons (Group 1)
2030-04-25 18:00 - 20:00, 2030-05-02 18:00 - 20:00, 2030-05-09 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Halifax) | The Philosopher’s House, 117 W Fairview Ave., Johnson City, 37604
Join us as we explore the wonderful world of tabletop adventure games, Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition. Beginner focused, no pressure gaming for ages 18+. Contact instructor for more information.
Materials Needed: None to start, see instructor for details
Where: Parlor space 2nd floor
Cost: 0-5.00 sliding scale suggested donation to support the space, OR food/drink purchase appreciated.
How to register: Drop-in permitted, first come-first serve so advance registration preferred. See instructor contact info below for registration. 8 person max
Instructor contact information: Barbara at msixteenatoo@gmail.com

Dungeons and Dragons (Group 2)
2030-04-25 18:00 - 20:00, 2030-05-02 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Halifax) | The Philosopher’s House, 117 W Fairview Ave., Johnson City, 37604
Join us as we explore the wonderful world of tabletop adventure games, Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition and others. Beginner focused, no pressure gaming for ages 18+. Contact instructor for more information.
Materials Needed: None to start, see instructor for details
Where: Drawing room space 2nd floor (walk through Parlor and down hall)
Cost: 0-5.00 sliding scale suggested donation to support the space, OR food/drink purchase appreciated.
How to register: Drop-in permitted, first come-first serve so advance registration preferred. See instructor contact info below for registration. 8 person max
Instructor contact information: Mercy at dungeonlogistics@gmail.com

Vegan Potluck
2030-04-25 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Halifax) | The Philosopher’s House, 117 W Fairview Ave., Johnson City, 37604
Calling all vegans and/or vegan curious! Join us for a community potluck. Please bring ONLY vegan dishes to share.
Materials required: Vegan covered dish or dessert to share. Please list ALL ingredients on notecard to set next to dishes. Ice water provided. Please bring your own cutlery and plates to minimize waste.
Cost: Beverage purchase encouraged to support nonprofit OR donation to teahouse. All are welcome regardless of ability to pay.
How to register: Drop-in, come a bit early if you wish to order drinks at tea counter.
Location: Classroom/meditation space, 2nd floor.
Host: James Uraski juraski130474@gmail.com

¿Hablas Español? Spanish Language Club
2030-04-26 18:30 - 19:30, 2030-05-03 18:30 - 19:30 (America/Halifax)
*NOTE: First Fridays will be at a local restaurant outside the teahouse.* Please check here or text instructor for location the week of First Fridays.
Conversational Spanish with Laura and friends. This is an opportunity to practice Spanish with several native Spanish speaking people, and form a community with activities like potlucks, game nights, etc… while speaking/learning Espańol.
All levels welcome, even if you speak no Spanish!
How to register: Drop-in
Location: Drawing room, 2nd floor (except First Fridays which are rotating on location)
Cost: Free. Food and drink purchases encouraged.
Materials required: Notebook if you prefer. No materials needed.
Organizer: Text Laura Lopez at 423-383-6547

Drawing and Tea Social
2030-04-27 16:30 - 17:30, 2030-05-04 16:30 - 17:30 (America/Halifax) | The Philosopher’s House, 117 W Fairview Ave., Johnson City, 37604
Drawing and Tea Social: We support and appreciate each other’s artistic journeys. We have weekly challenges, sketchbook tours, art mentoring and more.
When: Saturdays at 4:30 – 5-30p
Location: Tea Table, 1st floor
Organizer contact: Benjamin Abbott with The FADE Initiative. Email: benjaminabbott3@gmail.com or Laura Carlson at Laura@fadeinit.org
What to bring: any dry art and dry materials you would like to work on (Pencil, charcoal, pastel are ok. Please refrain from bringing any glitter or wet medias such as ink or paint.)
Seating is limited, and dependent on which room we will occupy: 10 people maximum can attend.
Learn more and RSVP at https://fadeinit.org/events

Silent Book Club JC
2030-04-28 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Halifax)
Last Sunday of each month from 2-4pm, unless otherwise noted
Join us for the Johnson City Silent Book Club‘s monthly meetup – in-person at the Philosopher’s Teahouse
Bring any book you want (or – they have an extensive donated library to pluck an impulsive choice from!) and order something to eat or drink.
The format: We start at 2pm, with the first 30 minutes spent informally getting settled and chatting, then an official hour to silently read together, then the last 30 minutes opened up for further friendly discussion if desired. (You can find the link on our Facebook page, if this option is desired!)
Materials Required: A book you enjoy reading
Location: Living room/fireplace area, 1st floor
Cost: Free. Food and drink purchases encouraged
How to register: Drop-in

Instructor Contact Information: Emily/Katt Sikora at emilyskatt@gmail.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064632796037

Business Book Club
2030-04-28 18:00 - 19:00 UTC | The Philosopher’s House, 117 W Fairview Ave., Johnson City, 37604
Welcome to our Business Book Club! The last Sunday of every month, we will meet at The Philosopher’s House at 6pm to discuss the current month’s book.

We will end promptly at 7pm (teahouse closing time) but feel free to come at 5:30pm get to know each other before hand. We want any one who loves learning to join us, drop in for only the books that interest you or put it in your calendar for all 12 months.

How to register: No registration needed. Drop-in
Cost: Food/beverage purchases encouraged to support teahouse nonprofit. All are welcome regardless of ability to pay.
Location: Fireplace/Living Room, 1st floor
Organizer: Jenna Tamayo at 1jenna.tamayo@gmail.com
Our year of books:
January: Radical Candor
February: The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team
March:The Innovators Dilemma
April: Good Strategy, Bad Strategy
May: Financial Intelligence
Juney: Psychology of Money
July: The 80/20 Principle
August: Unreasonable Hospitality
September: Net Positive
October: Hooked
November: The Hard Thing about Hard Things
December: The Slight Edge

Monthly Figure Drawing Class and Meetup
2030-05-01 16:30 - 18:00 UTC
Master the Human Form
Whether you are an aspiring artist or a seasoned professional, understanding the human figure is a cornerstone of artistic development. Join our monthly live, in-person Figure Drawing Class and Meetup to refine your observational skills and learn to capture the nuances of the human form with confidence.
Class Structure
Each monthly session provides a structured yet flexible approach to your creative growth:
– Instruction (4:30 – 5:00 pm): A 30-minute beginner’s course focused on a specific introductory topic.-
– Open Studio (5:00 – 6:00 pm): A one-hour practice session with a live model to help you apply what you have learned.
Topics
Each month, the instructor will focus on different introductory topics to help you build a robust set of drawing skills. These are unscheduled. Register or join our newsletter for up-to-date information.
– Classes from 4:30 – 5:00 pm
– Open Studio from: 5:00 – 6:00 pm
Location: Classroom/Meditation Space, 2nd floor
Email to Register: laura@fadeinit.org
Pricing Details
Starts at 28.00 for meetup only, varies by amount purchased and member/nonmember status.
– Pre-Order: Secure your spot by pre-registering before the class date.
– Series Pricing: Best value! Bundle any three (3) classes of your choice.
For all pricing details and structure, please visit our website:

https://www.fadeinit.org/event/monthy-figure-drawing-class-and-meetup/

Advanced Level Japanese Language Table
2030-05-02 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Halifax) | The Philosopher’s House, 117 W Fairview Ave., Johnson City, 37604
Come practice Japanese! This immersive group includes native English-speaking community members, native Japanese-speaking community members, and ETSU students in the Japanese language program. No expectations, just a relaxed time to practice your Japanese! While group members have varying levels of Japanese proficiency, all conversation will be in Japanese only, no English allowed!

Location: The Meditation Room, 2nd floor
Materials Required: None, conversation-level proficiency in Japanese
Time: First Thursday each month, 5-6pm
Cost: $5 suggested donation at tea counter or support with drink/food purchase.
How to register: Drop-in only. No registration.
Instructor contact information: Junko Arnold, tezuka@etsu.edu

Poetry Writer's Workshop
2030-05-03 15:20 - 17:20 UTC
*This group is currently full, but if you would like to be added to the waitlist please email Kayla at nichols.kmichelle@gmail.com *
This bi-weekly sharing circle is open to poets of all levels. Participants are encouraged to share their poetry in a friendly, constructive, and welcoming atmosphere. Attendees often discuss poetic themes, share resources and book recommendations, and discuss local poetry-related events. Occasionally, the group will offer a prompt for inspiration or have free writing time together. Contact facilitator for more information.
How to register :Advance registration required. See instructor contact below for registration.
Location: Drawing room, 2nd floor (through Parlor and down hall)

Materials Required: Writing notebook or laptop/tablet.

Cost: 5.00 donation to teahouse at tea counter OR drink/food purchases encouraged.
Instructor contact information: Kayla Nichols at 423-571-2949, nichols.kmichelle@gmail.com

Ride JC Meeting
2030-05-03 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Halifax)
Ride JC helps all people be healthier and happier by educating about alternative transit and improving connectedness in the Appalachian Highlands. We encourage everyone to Bike, Walk, Bus, or Roll around their communities through group rides, educational classes, and advocating for infrastructure.
Join us for planning and organizing!
Materials required: None needed.
Location: Meditation/classroom space 2nd floor
Cost: Free. Food and drink purchases encouraged
How to register: Drop-in
Instructor contact:

RideJCTN@outlook.com

Storytelling Open Mic
2030-05-03 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Halifax) | The Philosopher’s House, 117 W Fairview Ave., Johnson City, 37604
Sign ups start at 6:15pm
Theme: TBD
(Note: your story does not have to fit into the theme of community but if you are looking for a creative challenge, feel free to try and match the theme!)

Step into an evening of stories with local storytellers at our brand-new Open Mic series, hosted in our cozy living room space for community, creativity, and connection. From 6:30 to 8:00PM, we invite storytellers to take the mic for 5–7 minute slots. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or taking your first leap, this is a welcoming space to share your voice.
Sign-up opens at 6:15 PM, so come early and grab your spot. Each evening also features a 20-minute set by a featured storyteller, offering a deeper dive into the power of narrative to connect and inspire. The featured teller for this month, and beyond, could be you! Contact Vianna for details. Wander through the teahouse, grab a cup, and let the stories inspire you!
Cost: 5.00 donation to teahouesnonprofit or food and drink purchases encouraged. All are welcome regardless of ability to pay.
Location: Living Room/Fireplace, 1st floor
Host: Vianna Isbister at isbisterv13@gmail.com

Listen up Book Club
2030-05-05 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | The Philosopher’s House, 117 W Fairview Ave., Johnson City, 37604
Join us for this read-aloud book club at the awesome Philosopher’s House! For this read-aloud book club, no one has to read anything in advance, and there’s nothing to prep – just show up as you are, grab a snack or tea at the counter, and enjoy the weirdly wholesome community of a read aloud. I read the first part of a “classic novel” aloud for the group (one I’ve never read before!) – this would be perfect for listener crafts, mending clothes, or coloring books – but there will also be socializing before and after, and of course LITERATURE DISCUSSION (if you like).
How to register: Drop-in (feel free to bring a portable craft project, textile project, or?? to work on during this meetup)
Location: Living room/Fireplace, 1st floor
Cost: 5.00 donation to teahouse nonprofit OR food/beverage purchase. All are welcome regardless of ability to donate/purchase.
Organizer: Emily Katt at Emilyskatt@gmail.com

Follow/join the Listen Up Book Club page on FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585915229733

Be a Good Human Tri-cities Tea and Potluck
2030-05-05 17:00 - 18:30 UTC
Be a Good Human Tri-cities is a multi-cultural social club focused on human rights, based in Eastern TN and interested in fostering community and building bridges between all people in the Tri-cities.
All religions, no religion, all cultures, all genders, all orientations, all ages, all humans interested in building community through cultural events, education, sharing food, and growing friendships based on openness and respect for differences are welcome. Our main method of communication is through our Facebook group. Please answer the group questions to get approved. https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14SxFYCR927/
Our monthly potluck is a chance to meet in person and enjoy a community meal with members and newcomers. All are welcome whether you have joined the FB group already or you’re new to BAGHT. Potluck will have a theme with hands-on project, food, and a tea included each month. Join us for interesting dialogue, community, and delicious food!
How to register: Registration not required, drop-in welcome.
Cost: 5.00 donation to teahouse or drink purchase to support nonprofit. Donations towards projects are always welcome but not required. Requests for supplies will be posted in the FB group. All are welcome regardless of ability to donate.
Location: Classroom/meditation space, 2nd floor for potluck. Parlor, 2nd floor for project. Please let us know if stairs are not accessible for you. If programming allows, we will move to main floor.
Bring: Your own plate/bowl/cutlery/cup to reduce waste. Projects will sometimes have a “bring items” component. All information will be listed monthly along with the theme.
Organizer: Ren Anne at thephilosophershouse@gmail.com
NOTE: Themes are here for inspiration and conversation but you do not have to abide by the theme. All food is welcome regardless, please write out ingredient label or recipe on 3×5 card (provided) for those who might have food restrictions.
February theme: Quiet Lessons
Project:
-Who taught you in quiet ways? What is something important you learned without being directly taught?
Project:
On a bookmark or memory card, share a skill you learned in this manner or talk about the person or situation you learned from.
Add art or doodles if you wish. Take home or add to shared memory box (only if you want to, please add your name if you choose to add to group memory box).
Potluck:
-Bring foods that are comfort foods or foods related to childhood favorites.
Tea:
Calming Chamomile + Lavender
