We have a full schedule of social activities each month, ranging from lunches and happy hours to games nights, discussion groups, trivia, and our Speakers Forum.
All events are open to all Mensa members, and to guests who accompany Mensa members. Events in public places (restaurants, theaters, etc.) are also open to prospective members. RSVPs are not required, except as noted.
The calendar of activities in the Oracle (our monthly newsletter) may include additional events that are open only to Mensa members and their guests. To view the Calendar in the Oracle, please visit American Mensa’s local group newsletters webpage. Have your Mensa log-in info (email address and password) ready.
Once a week, we send an Email Blast — “This Week in OC Mensa” — that lists the activities for the next seven days to each member with an email address on file with American Mensa.
Mensa members: You can schedule your own activity or get-together in next month’s calendar by submitting a Calendar entry to our Calendar Editor at: calendar@ocmensa.org
Note: To protect the privacy of our hosts, home addresses, personal email addresses, and phone numbers are not listed on this website. Current members of Orange County Mensa can access this information in the current Oracle newsletter or the weekly eBlast.
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
1:00 PM South of the Border
Join us south of the border (the border being the El Toro Y) for a south-county lunch. RSVP not required. Look for the black-and-yellow “M” sign on the table.
Location this month: Minato Sushi, 23505 El Toro Rd, Lake Forest
Directions: Exit I-5 at El Toro Rd, head inland a half mile; on the left
Contact: Tom Streeter
Thursday, January 2, 2025
12:00 Noon First Thursday Lunch
Please join us at Cafe Rose Express. Typical full lunches priced from about $8 to $25. Fresh salads & pastries. Full lunch menu with daily specials. We’re welcoming, good natured and friendly. If the weather is nice, we may be outside in the shade. Look for the M on a yellow background.
Location: Cafe Rose Express, 1570 Scenic Ave., Costa Mesa, 949-478-8777.
Contact: John Kerr.
Saturday, January 4
7:00 PM Open House Party
Come join your fellow Mensans for a fun get-together at the home of Greg De Hoogh and Nancy Hand. We’ll have food, wine, beer, and soft drinks. Mensa members and their accompanied guests only. $5 each.
Location: Laguna Hills.
Contact: Greg or Nancy
Wednesday, January 8
12:35 PM LuncH with a Capital H
We’ve been coming to Hollingshead’s for 3 decades! Great sandwiches and beer if you’re a midday beer kind of person. We’re a week late because of the holiday.
Location: Hollingshead’s Deli, 368 S. Main St., Orange. Behind Victory Diner. North of the 22 Fwy, south of Chapman. Look for Deli sign in the corner of a small shopping center.
Contact: John Olsen
Sunday, January 12
10:30 AM Atheists United Orange Co., Second Sunday Brunch
The conversation is enjoyable and unstructured among like-minded friends. We order brunch from the menu. We are open to the public, free parking at the hotel.
An RSVP is appreciated.
Location: The restaurant inside the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 4545 MacArthur Blvd., Newport Beach. (The cross street is Birch, near the airport.)
Contact: Joyce Farmer
3:00 PM OCM Board Meeting – Zoom
The Board is meeting to handle the business of Orange County Mensa. This meeting will be via Zoom and all OC Mensa members are welcome to attend. You can attend on a computer, smart phone, or tablet. If you prefer, you can listen in on a landline phone. If you plan to attend, RSVP to Bill Shaddle to receive the login information/link for joining the meeting.
Contact: Bill Shaddle, OCM President
Monday, January 13
10:00 PM Calendar and Oracle Deadlines
Submit February calendar entries to the Calendar Editor at Calendar@ocmensa.org .
Submit February Oracle entries (articles & photos) to the Oracle Editor at Editor@ocmensa.org .
Wednesday, January 15
1:00 PM South of the Border
Join us south of the border (the border being the El Toro Y) for a south-county lunch. RSVP not required. Look for the black-and-yellow “M” sign on the table.
Location this month: Asia Buffet, 23552 El Toro Rd, Lake Forest
Directions: Exit I-5 at El Toro Rd, head inland a half mile; on the right.
Contact: Tom Streeter
Saturday, January 18
2:00 PM Games, Puzzles, Origami, & Conversation
Join us for a fun and relaxing afternoon hanging out with your fellow Mensans. There will be an assortment of things to do. We’ll have board games to play, as well as jigsaw puzzles for group puzzling. Or, challenge your mind with a variety of 3-dimensional brain-teaser puzzles. Or, try your hand at origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. Those who don’t want to get involved with puzzles or origami or a game can spend their time visiting and conversing.
Location: Garden Grove
Contact: Marti Reis
Deadline for “Dinner & a Play” Reservations
See January 24 event.
Friday, January 24
5:45 PM Dinner & a Play
Join us for dinner at Urban Plates in Fountain Valley at 5:45 pm. After dinner, we’ll carpool to the Costa Mesa Playhouse to see a performance of the 1998 Pulitzer Prize winning drama, How I Learned to Drive, by Paula Vogel. A block of tickets at $15 each has been reserved.
Directions: Take the 405 to the Brookhurst Street exit, and head south. Urban Plates is one block south on the left (east) side.
Contact: Pam Zinner, no later than 1/18 to RSVP and reserve your ticket.
Sunday, January 26
10:45 AM Brunch Buddies
Join us for brunch with this new SIG. This month we are going to Bosscat Kitchen & Libations. Wide range of brunch options and the Flaming Hot Cheetos Bloody Mary. Please note: Brunch time can often mean wait times. Please RSVP for this event no later than 48 hours before so we know who plans to join us before getting a table/reservation.
Location:. Bosscat Kitchen & Libations, 118 W. Chapman Ave., Orange
Contact: Valerie Spear or John Olsen.
Wednesday, January 29
12:30 PM (almost) FREE LUNCH
Join us for Japanese inspired burgers, fried chicken, rice bowls, craft beer and other tasty options at Ojai Burger.
Location: Ojai Burger. 238 W. Chapman Ave., Suite 100, Orange. Free parking garage one block north on Lemon.
Contact: John Olsen
Deadline for Nominations to OCM Board
The last Wednesday in January is the deadline for volunteering to serve on the next OCM Board (April 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026).
Contact: Any member of this year’s Nominating Committee:
Chair: Roger Schanzenbach,
Kristine Calitri
Dave Wade
