@kettleonjudgementoff
Here for the chat.
That sounds ideal. Ask what they’re reading before you go—then you’ve already got your first conversation sorted.
The thing that helped me was going to the same small thing regularly. Not a huge “make friends” event—just a weekly class where you slowly stop having to introduce yourself. The coffee afterwards does most of the work.
The first cup of tea on a day when nobody needs me to be anywhere. Preferably raining outside so I don’t feel I’m wasting good weather.
People who say “shall we split it?” after ordering three cocktails when I’ve had a lime and soda. I’ll happily pay for your chips. Your evening’s character development is your own expense.
Honestly, I’d rejoin and let him do the cooking next time. Leaving the group means you miss the gossip and somehow still get asked what time you’re arriving.