EVENTS
Fantasy Workshop
RSVP on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fantasy-writing-civic-imagination-workshop-tickets-1988286380086
Learn more at https://www.thisoceanbetween.art/ or my LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliviarpowell/
Join me in writing new fantasy stories...but actually be co-creating the real world we want to live in.
Love fantasy stories?
But tbh tired of the same plots and far-out worlds? Wish you didn’t have to go from rags to riches or save the entire universe just to make things better for your community, your family? Still believe, despite it all, that fantasy (in all its flavors) is essential and expansive and can be more than just escapist?
Also love our world?
But overwhelmed by the scale of change, worn out by the news, and not sure where to start to actually make things better?
In this workshop, we’ll use fantasy symbols, themes and worldbuilding techniques to reimagine real-world systems of community, power and resource sharing and collectively create the stories we’ll need to guide us. No writing or civic experience is required; just your wild imagination and desire for a better world!
A few special notes:
Help support Cafe Zing and the community they're building – treat yourself to a hot drink or pastry to enjoy during the workshop.
While this first workshop is free, your feedback will be greatly appreciated.
Anything we create together during the workshop will be free for any participant to take, remix, build upon, use in their own creative work, etc.
About Olivia, your facilitator:
I'm someone who grew up with story, always wondering what else stories can be and do. A being for whom narrative served as both world and frame, both method for being and mediator with reality. Someone, or something, quite like a character from a story by the sea, looking out at the ocean (or somewhere in between).
I think a lot about the stories I grew up with and how these stories have reflected, influenced, shaped and reinforced my sense of what's possible in the "real" world. This makes me think of the stories I wish I had growing up and the stories I want to help create for generations in the future.
So, with an intense thoughtfulness, playful curiosity, and poetic sensibility, I wander across and between roles and realms, helping others:
Cultivate their awareness of where/when/how imagination and stories shape their relationship with Life
(Re)develop their skillfulness and confidence with imagination and storytelling
Co-create experiences that nurture wonder, expand potential and bring regenerative systems to life.
LIVE MUSIC: First Light
FIRST LIGHT playing LIVE MUSIC at cafe zing!
“a guitar, violin and bass trio playing a unique blend of original instrumental jazz and jazz-adjacent music”
cost: come on in and grab a treat or a drink from cafe zing!
you can listen to First Light here
LIVE MUSIC: Paul Barringer and John Lockwood
Paul Barringer on keys at cafe zing!! Joined by renowned bassist John Lockwood!
ps. cafe zing! has a 1 drink minimum :P
BYO CRAFT NIGHT
our monthly bring your own craft night at cafe zing!
Come draw, sew, knit, sculpt, collage, or even do some metalwork with friends!
PS cafe zing! has a 1 drink (or treat) minimum :)
Chess Night
Chess Night is officially every 4th Wednesday of the month at Zing! (not a tournament, just a chess night)
sign up here
bring your friends, and bring your own chess set & clock if you have one :)
p.s. Be sure to get yourself a drink or a tasty treat from Cafe Zing! :P
LIVE MUSIC: aka RAT
aka RAT (she/they) is a house DJ based in Boston. She draws on her love for RnB and mixes disco house, groovy house, and ambient house.
Join us at Zing for an ambient/lounge mix by aka RAT!
cost: please grab a drink or treat from Zing :p
LIVE MUSIC: Just Friends
Marina, Zach, and Colby are three Somerville-based musicians who play a variety of genres (jazz, singer-songwriter, soul) and are excited to play an acoustic set at the lovely Cafe Zing!
Cost: get yourself a drink or treat from Cafe zinG!
LIVE MUSIC: Russell & Nair
A mix of jazzy pop and Bollywood songs
COst: grab a drink or a little treat from Zing!
Remixing the News
For all those who have frustrated by feeling like victims of the daily bombardment of news headlines that get more cruel and more farcical every day, "Remixing the News" is a collaging event that will allow us cut and paste the current horrors into something more hopeful, more horrible, more absurd, more chaotic, so we can regain some sense of control over the storylines of our lives.
LIVE MUSIC: Ruth Rappaport!
Folk music at Cafe Zing! with guitarist and vocalist Ruth Rappaport!
Come enjoy some sweet tunes and be sure to grab a drink or treat from cafe zing :)
Book Swap!
Love books? Want to meet new people? Come to the book swap!
Bring a book (or two! or three!) you’ve read or board game you’ve played to the swap and leave it with a stranger. Leave with your new favorite title! We’ll sit at the big table, answer some bookish ice breakers, and then swap books.
Cost: grab a drink or treat from Cafe Zing!
Board Game Night!
Back by popular demand!! We’ll have a few games available, but feel free to bring your favorite game to play with friends and strangers. From Candyland to Gloomhaven, all levels of complexity are welcome. Rumor has it some of your favorite baristas will be there playing Dutch Blitz :p
RSVP here!
ps - be sure to get yourself a drink or a treat from the cafe! :D
MUSIC: Danny Sea
Danny Sea is a well-known cellist in the New England music scene. Inspired by bands like Crooked Still, his music blends folk rock and bluegrass through a creative, innovative approach to the cello. Joined by Sam Vittetoe on bass and Elias Cardoso on guitar, the group performs both original tunes and songs.
cost: be sure to grab a drink or treat from Zing! ;p
LIVE MUSIC: Yani Batteau
Yani Batteau is Americana Soul.
Her roots run deep encompassing the sounds and lore found in her history of the hill in Kentucky. Where people live in the holler and drink moonshine.
Yani plays the open back banjo claw hammer style with a unique picking stretching the “traditional “ sound.
Her rustic voice and clear delivery is matched with her original songs. She will take you on a journey of love, redemption, and the everyday experiences that we all share.
Cost: be sure to get a lil something from zing! :p
Chess Night
Chess Night is officially every 4th Wednesday of the month at Zing! (not a tournament, just a chess night)
sign up here
bring your friends, and bring your own chess set & clock if you have one :)
p.s. Be sure to get yourself a drink or a tasty treat from Cafe Zing! :P
Horoscope Readings with Susan DeLeo
Get your horoscope read by Susan DeLeo!
All Things Galactic and Earthly
Astrology is the Ancient practice of reading the map of the Cosmos at the time of your birth to help Reveal and Navigate your:
• Mission and Purpose
• Strengths, Gifts and Challenges
• Career and Relationships
• Transits: How current outer Planets are affecting your Life
20 minute Reading - $30
30 minute Reading - $40
Be sure to grab a drink from Cafe Zing!
Pottery With a Purpose: Pottery Workshop
Hosted by Pottery with a Purpose
Love coffee? Love getting creative? This beginner-friendly pottery workshop blends both. Dive into hand-building pottery your own one-of-a-kind ceramic coffee mugs, tea cups, or espresso cups. With step-by-step guidance from an expert Pottery with a Purpose host, you’ll learn pottery basics, how to create and decorate ceramic mugs, and how to add handles and surface designs that make each piece uniquely yours.
You’ll make 1–2 mugs, tea cups or espresso cups that we’ll professionally fire and glaze so they’re food-safe and waterproof — perfect for your favorite cozy-weather drink. Plus, enjoy a complimentary drink from Cafe Zing!'s beverage menu to sip on while you sculpt!
Mahjong Night!
Come over and play Mahjong with friends and strangers! Beginners and seasoned players are equally welcome. We'll have a friend providing two Mahjong sets and instruction in Hong Kong style mahjong for those who have never played.
If you have your own set, please bring it! We have a couple of sets, but lots of people show up to this event. :)
RSVP here! RSVPs are optional but they help us get a sense of how much space to reserve.
Free! Just be sure to get a little something from Cafe Zing!
BYO CRAFT NIGHT
our monthly bring your own craft night at cafe zing!
Come draw, sew, knit, sculpt, collage, or even do some metalwork with friends!
PS cafe zing! has a 1 drink (or treat) minimum :)
MUSIC: Armand Aguilera
Armand Aguilera is a jazz guitarist from Barcelona, currently studying at Berklee College of Music. Armand combines improvisation and story telling with new sounds, engaging jazz and flamenco roots.
Cost: get yourself a little something from Cafe Zing! :p
MUSIC: Rob Laurens
Rob Laurens, with Sean Staples on mandolin
Winner of the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Award for Songwriting, Rob writes songs that harken to Appalachian ballads, country blues, and spirituals, as well as contemporary Americana, resulting in what has been described by Folk Radio WUMB 91.9 FM as “the rare ability to write songs that seem like they’ve always been there.” Samples from his Boston Music Award-nominated debut album, “The Honey On the Mountain,” as well as his latest release, “Jubilee,” can be heard on his website.
Cost: grab a drink or treat from cafe Zing! :)
Chess Night
Chess Night is officially every 4th Wednesday of the month at Zing! (not a tournament, just a chess night)
sign up here
bring your friends, and bring your own chess set & clock if you have one :)
p.s. Be sure to get yourself a drink or a tasty treat from Cafe Zing! :P
LIVE MUSIC: Patten Street Duo
Join us for Patten Street Duo!
Teresa and Guilherme met four years ago and have been making music ever since. Their love of evocative rhythms and melodies inspires a rich and sincere sound.
Guilherme Foracchi, originally, from Brazil, came to Boston to study Jazz at Berklee. Some of his influences include Joe Pass and Wes Montgomery. He also has strong roots in Brazilian Jazz and Samba.
Teresa Foracchi grew up in a musical family in the Midwest. She began singing The Blues as a child. Her first vocal influence was Odetta. As a young adult, she fell in love with Billie Holiday and renewed her passion for Jazz. This combination of influences merges to create these soulful renditions of classic songs.
MUSIC: Possibilities
Possibilities is a project that explores hard-swinging improvised music using themes and ideas from the great composers of the Jazz tradition as a launching pad into the unknown.
Brian Price: Sax
Nick Isherwood: Bass
Colby Sherwin: Drums
Cost: Grab a drink or treat from Cafe Zing!
LIVE MUSIC: The Heather Mumford Project
The Heather Mumford Project is the latest collaboration by a group of seasoned musicians, led by Heather on vocals, uke, and fiddle. Their music is a beautiful Americana harmony of Country, Bluegrass, Folk, and Blues, including some original material. Come for the pickin’ & grinnin’ — and playing the blues so sad, you’ll cry.
You can find them on Soundcloud or Instagram!
Band Members:
Gary Kemp – Resonator Guitar, Vocals
Harris Kendrick – Guitar, Vocals
Sam Kendall – Mandolin, Vocals
Heather Mumford – Vocals, Ukulele, Fiddle
Reid Plouffe - Bass
Book Swap!
Love books? Want to meet new people? Come to the book swap!
Bring a book you’ve read or board game you’ve played to the swap and leave it with a stranger. Leave with your new favorite title!
Cost: grab a drink or treat from Cafe Zing!
Banners Project!
Come join the Banners Project from 5-7! Just show up and help sew a part of a banner with fellow community members. No expertise required!
Cambridge Wildlife Arts launched the Banners Project in April 2025. They’re bring sewing circles to libraries, parks, and neighborhoods, where anyone, even beginners, can cut, embroider, or sew to contribute to this collaborative art project.
At this one, we’ll be collaboratively sewing a banner for the No Kings protest on 3/28!
ps: grab a drink or treat from Zing to give you the focus and energy you need to get crafty ;)
Horoscope Readings with Susan DeLeo
Get your horoscope read by Susan DeLeo!
All Things Galactic and Earthly
Astrology is the Ancient practice of reading the map of the Cosmos at the time of your birth to help Reveal and Navigate your:
• Mission and Purpose
• Strengths, Gifts and Challenges
• Career and Relationships
• Transits: How current outer Planets are affecting your Life
20 minute Reading - $30
30 minute Reading - $40
Be sure to grab a drink from Cafe Zing!
LIVE MUSIC: Na’ama Lion and the Longy Flute Ensemble
Na'ama Lion performs on Baroque, Classical, Renaissance, Medieval, and modern flutes in the Boston area.
cost: be sure to grab a little something from Zing! :p
LIVE MUSIC: Ruth Rappaport!
Folk music at Cafe Zing! with guitarist and vocalist Ruth Rappaport!
Come enjoy some sweet tunes and be sure to grab a drink or treat from cafe zing :)
Board Game Night!
Back by popular demand!! We’ll have a few games available, but feel free to bring your favorite game to play with friends and strangers. From Candyland to Gloomhaven, all levels of complexity are welcome. Rumor has it some of your favorite baristas will be there playing Dutch Blitz :p
RSVP here!
ps - be sure to get yourself a drink or a treat from the cafe! :D
LIVE MUSIC: Janet Connerney
Join us for an acoustic set by local singer songwriter, Janet Connerney! Janet is a folk rock musician who plays original music as well as covers. She’s played at Club Passim, The Burren, Sally, O’Brien’s, and more!
You can learn more about Janet here!
Chess Night
Chess Night is officially every 4th Wednesday of the month at Zing! (not a tournament, just a chess night)
sign up here
bring your friends, and bring your own chess set & clock if you have one :)
p.s. Be sure to get yourself a drink or a tasty treat from Cafe Zing! :P
BYO CRAFT NIGHT
our monthly bring your own craft night at cafe zing!
Come draw, sew, knit, sculpt, collage, or even do some metalwork with friends!
PS cafe zing! has a 1 drink (or treat) minimum :)
Mahjong Night!
Come over and play Mahjong with friends and strangers! Beginners and seasoned players are equally welcome. We'll have a friend providing two Mahjong sets and instruction in Hong Kong style mahjong for those who have never played.
We'll also have someone instructing up to two games of American style!
RSVP here! RSVPs are optional but they help us get a sense of how much space to reserve.
This is a free event, but we'd love if you grabbed a little drink or treat from the cafe!
Long Now Boston
Long Now Boston is an organization about deep time - the far distant past and the deep future. We're interested in what might happen beyond the horizons of reasonable prediction and what might have happened in unrecorded pasts. We'll be getting together to talk about books, articles, podcasts, and other sorts of consumable media relating to these sorts of ideas.
You can learn more about Long Now Boston HERE
LIVE MUSIC: First Light
FIRST LIGHT playing LIVE MUSIC at cafe zing!
“a guitar, violin and bass trio playing a unique blend of original instrumental jazz and jazz-adjacent music”
cost: come on in and grab a treat or a drink from cafe zing!
you can listen to First Light here
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