Mahjong tiles clicked at Bella Mia Winery on Sept. 23.
The new brick-and-mortar winery has partnered with NTX Mahjong for a Foundations Training on Sept. 23, where guests of all skill levels were welcome to learn or relearn the game in a low-stakes, informative setting.
“I love that people are supporting us and participating, and I think it's a good addition to activities in the community,” Bella Mia Winery co-owner Laurie Trevizo said.
Of the around 20 guests, some were Bella Mia Wine Club members.
Others heard about it by email, and a few were completely new to the winery, Trevizo said.
Most were new to mahjong. The all-inclusive ticket included two hours of mahjong instruction and play, a glass of wine and light snacks, which Trevizo said felt essential while gaming.
As she drifted from one table to the next, Trevizo checked on the guests.
“I just feel like when I grew up playing games, … we always had chips and dips and snacky things,” Trevizo said.
Debbie Brenner started NTX Mahjong in August, intending to bring more activity to the community and meet people.
Brenner has been playing mahjong for over a year.
The two businesses connected on Facebook and decided to partner for an evening of mahjong.
She first learned about the game over 40 years ago while dating her husband; her mother-in-law encouraged her to play, and she declined.
“At the time, in Michigan, that's all I saw were, like, the older ladies playing,” Brenner said.
A few years ago, after working on a stressful project and feeling consumed by work, she decided to take a mahjong class.
She was surprised to learn how much of a strategy game it was.
After leaving the first class, like many others, she felt overwhelmed by all the new information.
It wasn’t until the second time she went with her daughter that it clicked, as she describes it.
“If you don't play, you'll lose it; you'll be lost,” Brenner said to the guests. “So, that's the one thing I can recommend, whether you learn on your own or you get people together, that you continue practicing. That's one way that you're going to get better.”
Each table had its own mahjong set to learn with, as Brenner taught the game by National Mahjong League standards.
As she explained the rules, she walked around the room, answering questions and helping the tables that needed it.
The next Foundations Workshop at Bella Mia Winery is Oct. 14, and open/guided play is Oct. 21.
To register, go to bellamiawinery. com.
For other updates and events planned, visit Bella Mia Winery on Facebook and @northtxmahjong on Instagram.
