You can see above an in-process moment from our Saturday Family Crafting event (and below, one of the leaders’ work!). Making things is messy, learning new things is messy. Sometimes even existing is messy, whether because we are figuring ourselves out or because outside forces make it harder. Mess just happens, good and bad.

I heard once that a messy workspace is a sign of intelligence—I don’t know if that was wishful thinking or not, but I do experience a lot of mess when I’m in process. Reorganizing my home game library necessarily means taking the games off the shelves and making piles and dusting—it’s much messier before I’m done. Learning a new skill means physical mess like plumbing supplies or paint and palettes or baking ingredients, and also internal mess—imposter syndrome, hundreds of questions, information overload. It’s like you don’t really know where to focus so you just keep everything at hand just in case. But the messiness isn’t bad, it’s just there as you figure out your path through.

I know that’s true in the midst of hard things as well. And that the Everything you keep at hand in case you need it includes friends and family and even strangers you meet at your local board game bar. All of it can support the path you’re walking.

So bring your friends, bring your enemies, and bring your kids!

Alice C., board game librarian

Game Passports for the kids

Did you know that we have game passports for the littles? It’s true! They get their very own passport with a list of family-weight games and some rules (of course)—each time they come in, they can get stickers in their passport for up to two games played here in the bar. When they get 6 stickers, they get a little toy, and when they get 12 stickers, they get a sweet treat! Ask your librarian for one next time you’re here.

Play Pictures!

Pictures won the prestigious game of the year in 2020 and it’s well deserved, even if the box cover is less than inspiring. there’s a grid of beautiful photos, and each player is randomly and secretly assigned one of them to recreate. The catch is that the materials you’re given to help people guess your photo are severely limited! You might be using two shoelaces to create your masterpiece. Or a pile of tiny, colored cubes, of which you can use only 9. Or you might have a small selection of children’s building blocks. It’s hilarious and creative and messy and so much fun! There are rules for keeping score, but we found at the bar that simply trying to guess each other’s creations was just as interesting. And there are four official expansions with materials like kinetic sand, dice, and felt-and-clothespins to make play even more wild!

Try the new Chameleon cocktail!

Joining our other new cocktails the Sky Team and the Happy Bee is The Chameleon! We’ve infused tequila with pea-flower petals making the gorgeous purple concoction above. You’re served a glass of triple sec, pineapple juice, lime juice, and agave syrup, and when you pour the purple tequila in, it turns pink! Tasty and fun! An excellent accompaniment to a game of Pictures, or its namesake Chameleon.