My wife and I joined as the pandemic’s restrictions were starting to lift and we needed to escape the house and see people. We’ve made friends and it’s become a default destination after date night or when we just need a place to go.
Over the years my relationship with the club has changed. Originally, it was place to hang out outside of my house and meet new people, but since then it’s become my home office away from home, my table top gaming space, and an opportunity to participate in social activities that I would never have planned myself. Wine and whiskey tastings, tea parties (I know, I was surprised too), opportunities to dine out in new and interesting restaurants, trivia nights, and holiday celebrations now dot my calendar.
I think the thing I’ve enjoyed the most during the last three years is that BRC has become my Cheers. It’s a place where people know me. Sometimes I’m happy to sit and have a drink and listen to heated discussions about the best strategies to beat the Wordle or why a particular movie is the best in the series. Other nights, I find myself joining into discussions of the Drake Equation or the Monte Hall problem (often made more entertaining by the consumption of whiskey).
The members are friendly and open and will often invite you into whatever they’re doing, the space is comfortable like a friend’s rec room, and the BYOB design and low monthly fees mean I’m not constantly thinking about the costs.
My wife and I have, at various times, been members of the Columbia Tower Club, the UW faculty club, and the Rainier Club and while they all brought something special to the table, we’ve stayed with BRC because it fits.
