One Salon

Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them. The One Salon is a social, cultural, intellectual gathering every week that focuses on engaging in stimulating scheduled talks and wonderful ad hoc conversations with each other. At its core, Salon is a weekly gathering with an open environment full of thought... ful, creative, and passionate people. But that doesnt begin to capture the energy of Salon. Salon is a place to learn, to draw inspiration, and to be surrounded by doers and creators. It is a place to let our creativity run wild, to expose ourselves to new topics and new viewpoints, and to inject serendipity into each and every week. With eight chapters and growing, Salon is also growing to become an international community around these values, so that a Saloner can visit any city and immediately have a community of people that hold our values important. To many attendees, their experience at Salon has become an integral part of their week and even their lives. But whether someone comes every week or for a single evening, Salon is thought-provoking, fun, and provides a unique experience for every attendee. Every night is unique and every night is memorable. Each week there are both regulars and new-comers, and everyone knows to expect the unexpected. We start the night by breaking reality, playing games taken from the improv world to loosen up and allow us to share a bit about ourselves. Most Salons include a scheduled talk, on topics as diverse as Tango, Creativity, Healthcare, or Rhetoric. Some talks are meant to teach, some to create an experience, and some to inspire. All talks however, invite participation - either through activities, discussion, or thoughtful responses. While Salon is planned around a talk, it is only a diving board - the real magic of Salon happens between the attendees. We create an open environment, bringing together a group of thoughtful, creative, and passionate minds - and we just let sparks fly. The original Salon was started in Palo ...Read More