Have you seen the new windows yet? They look so good!
And we’ve got new drinks (see below)!
And a new General Manager (Steven, he’s lovely)!

You’ve heard me say that Free Parking is endeavoring to be a third place, a place for people to come together whether they know each other or not—remember you can put a green flag on your table to show you want someone new to sit with you! It seems to me that the key element of this is being together. Don’t get me wrong, we have a number of great solo games in the library and sometimes we just need a moment to ourselves, but we humans belong in community, sharing time and food and love. Playing games with your partner or a group is a way to remind each other of our connection.

Besides board games, one of the things I love most is singing in a group—could be “Karma Police” with 5,000 of my closest friends at a Radiohead show or hymns in harmony with 10 others or belting out something ridiculous in the car with my best friend. The key thing about singing together is that we are together.

Recently I was listening to Dear Hank and John, the podcast from John and Hank Green the authors, YouTubers, and humanitarians. I’m going to leave you with this that John said on the episode “We Disagree (but in a cute way)”:

You know how rarely in life things just feel right, like things just feel like everything went the way that you hoped it would go. That was one day where everything went the way I hoped it would go. I was with people I love. I was in community. I was fighting “the terrible disease of loneliness,” as Kurt Vonnegut called it, and it was just magical. I don't care whether you like football or whether you like competitive jigsaw puzzling or whether you don't like competition at all. I just want there to be something that you can love with other people. A third thing that isn't you or them, but is something that you can love together, whether it's poetry or the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle or birding or whatever it is. I just want there to be something like that in your life.

Alice C, board game librarian

Play Quacks (of Quedlinburg)!

Players make potions with wild ingredients to get points, but try not to explode their cauldrons in the process. Quacks is a new classic of deck-building, only instead of cards, it’s lovely clacky bits you put into a bag and press-your-luck pulling them out to put in your cauldron. Can you make the best concoctions in the land? Our copy is one of the new re-release editions with the new, chunky, friendly art!

Try our new Signature Cocktails!

We’ve got four brand new concoctions for you to try:

The Bandido, a chai-flavored White Russian with chai-infused tequila, Kahlua, rumchatta, and garnished with nutmeg, inspired by one of our most popular games in the library;
Sheriff’s Cider, named for Sheriff of Nottingham, is Fireball, sour apple schnapps, apple cider, agnostura bitters, and garnished with a cinnamon stick;
Java Jenga, our take on an espresso martini: dark chocolate, espresso liqueur, and vodka, garnished with a charming stack of wafer cookies;
and the Everdellicacy, a beautiful, fruity drink inspired by Everdell and Free Parking regular Melody, it’s got Dragon Berry rum, blueberry simple, lemon juice and lemonade, and is garnished with sweet dragon berries.

Bring some friends for a game of Quacks and a round or two of these delightful concoctions!