The Weekly Grind - March 9th, 2026 Newsletter
- Critical Grind Gaming
- 14 hours ago
- 4 min read
UPDATES
((thinking of making these permanent... what do we think??))
LAST WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS:
Sorry I missed last week's newsletter. It was the first one I'd missed in over a year and I felt pretty bad about it. But I was recovering from a heart...episode... so I'm going to give myself the same grace I would extend to anyone else.
I sincerely wish to thank everyone who's come into the cafe or reached out to me over the last week+.
For those who missed it, I was in the hospital from Wednesday, February 25th, to Saturday the 28th. Then I've mostly been instructed to rest. I had a Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD). Which basically means there's a tear in one of the arteries on my heart, which can be caused by physical or emotional stress.
I'm doing better but I'm trying not to take on too much. I'm trying to delegate a little more. I owe a lot of my ability to relax and recover to my amazing family and the fantastic team here at The Grind.
In related news, I missed my favorite convention of the year, GAMA Expo. But Shaun and Rudy went and had a great time. They learned a lot, networked quite a bit, and brought back some great new ideas for some changes around the cafe - from products, to events, to internal procedures, and more!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
It's been highly anticipated but we're slowly bringing back your favorite smoothie flavors. We've even got some new ones on the horizon! For those who don't know, we're no longer using Dr. Smoothie for smoothies and refreshers. Once we run our of our current product, that's it. That does mean that some of the flavors will be going away, but we'll be getting some new ones from our new supplier, Smartfruit. Right now, we have Strawberry and Mango available. We're working on more in the future and we'll keep you all posted as they become available.
This Week's Event Highlights
This is a quick look at this week's events. And of course any day is Game Day at Critical Grind. Just stop in anytime and find your next favorite game.
Follow our newsletter and socials to never miss an event!
Every link you need to follow us is right here:
SPECIAL EVENTS OF NOTE THIS WEEK:
MAGIC ACADEMY: LEARN TO PLAY - MONDAY - 6PM
MINI-PAINTING - TUESDAY - 3PM
RPG NIGHT - TUESDAY & THURSDAY - 6PM
KID'S RPG NIGHT - FRIDAY - 6PM
LEARN TO PLAY: BOOP - SATURDAY - 1PM
POP-UP GIRL SCOUT COOKIES - SUNDAY - 11AM
This Week's Events Flyers/Details
This Month's Calendar & Specials
MARCH SPECIALS --
Underworld Berry:Â Berry Milk (your choice of berry), topped with Cold Brew
Matcha Love: Strawberry & Raspberry Matcha
Lav-Berry Italian Soda: Lavender & Strawberry Italian Soda w/Blue Curacao Cold Foam
Dubai Chocolate Toast: Nutella, Pistachio, Crunchy Wafers, & Dark Chocolate Drizzle
Cupid's Fire Toast: Avocado, Raspberries, Strawberry Balsamic Glaze, & Red Pepper Flakes
Special Events
Tuesday, March 16th, T.B. Sweet Creations will be here hosting a Cake Decorating Class! It's $48 to sign up and you'll receive, the cake, all supplies needed, instruction, and 1 cafe beverage of your choice. Seating is limited so sign up now to reserve your seat.
RPG Event Updates!
--> KIDS RPG NIGHT
How it normally works: I email the parents directly, hopefully on the Monday before Kid's RPG Night with the link for sign-ups and session descriptions. So if you are a Kid's RPG Night parent, please fill out this form. (if you haven't already)
Please remember Kid's RPG Night takes place the 2nd and 4th Fridays, GMs permitting.
--> Paizo Society Games
Pathfinder Society is played at the cafe every 1st and 3rd Friday.
Starfinder Society is played here every 2nd and 4th Sunday.
Find both those games on Warhorn or in our Discord
--> Discord Looking For Party
Join our Discord and find your next gaming group.
We play RPGs every Tuesday and Thursday, but people will plan meet-ups outside those times as well. Join our Discord and see what games are being played.
Tip: When you join, go to Rules to get verified. Then, VERY IMPORTANTLY: go to Roles-and-Info to select your interests. This is what will unlock the channels.
TCG Event Updates!
Magic League on Mondays and Lorcana League on Sundays (Kicks back off on the 22nd) (Join the Discord for the League Goals)!
To sign up for a TCG Event, just click the photo.
Monthly Mini Painting Contest
Whether you're participating in our contests or just looking for a space to hang out and paint, stop by any Tuesday or Thursday for our Mini-Painting drop-in between 3pm & 8pm. $5 for all you can paint, access to our brushes, and paints, and a free figure to practice on. Or pick up additional figures for only $5 each.
Congratulations to Adam, our winner of the Erosius Mini Contest & Congratulations to Brian K, our winner of the Mania, Mini Contest.
March contest is already going. Stop by soon and pick up Inigo, Catfolk Rogue. Submissions are due back by March 22nd to allow for a full week of voting. Time is ticking on this one. Stop by today to grab your mini!
Signing Off
Thanks so much for taking the time to read this week's Weekly Grind. If there's anything specific you want to hear about at the cafe, let me know!
"Resting is not idleness but a necessary, productive part of the life cycle, often compared to taking a breath or allowing deep roots to grow before spring."