December 2023 Holiday Luncheon
The luncheon was held at the Cheval Country Club with approximately 90 members attending. There was a lovely buffet followed by a holiday themed trivia game as well as bingo. Door prixes were given out and we collected donations for our 2023 charlty.
December Dunedin Holiday Home Tour
Dunedin offers wonderful homes decorated for the Holidays. After touring the homes (no photos allowed), the group had a casual lunch at one of the many cafes in downtown Dunedin.
September Weeki Wachee Tour
The Little Mermaid was performed in the water and on the stage by the mermaids & mermen of Weeki Wachee. The adventure boat tour afterwards was educational and relaxing. Lunch in the cafe was full of laughter and good food.
August Tour of Historic Tampa Theatre
Tampa Theatre was built in 1926 and is the only fully restored theatre in America. The group received a full tour including backstage.
July Dunedin Day Tripper to Beatles Museum
We spent the day in Dunedin shopping, touring the Beatles Museum & enjoyed a great lunch. All you need is love, good friends and lots of fun.
June Gad-Abouts Visit to Imagine Museum
We enjoyed our tour of Imagine Museum with its spectacular collection of contemporary glass art from around the world.
May Gad-Abouts Exploring Tampa Bay Harbor
We enjoyed a 90 minute Tampa History Cruise and explored one of Florida’s most picturesque harbors. The cruise included views of popular museums, million dollar homes and the famous Plant Hotel on our way to see the pirate ship known as Gabriella. The crew provided us with excellent commentary and history of the Tampa Bay harbor area.
OUR FLOWER POWER PARTY IN APRIL WAS A GROOVY NIGHT!
WE ENJOYED DINNER, MUSIC BY DJ JOHN D’AURIA, DANCING, COSTUME CONTESTS, AND PRIZES AT
THE WESTCHASE GOLF CLUB
IT WAS TOO COOL AND FAR OUT TO BRING BACK THE DAYS OF FLOWER POWER, WOODSTOCK, THE AGE OF AQUARIUS
AND
PEACE, LOVE, AND ROCK ’N’ ROLL
Marilyn Schwartz and Judi Yokum hosted our April Couples Wine Tasting which was a amazing evening! The theme was "Women in the Wine Industry”. Twenty-eight wine lovers enjoyed tasting delicious wines along with special appetizers and treats to enhance the flavors of the wines. At the end of the evening, Brenda Corneliussen brought out a beautiful cake that she made, which was topped with a wine glass "spilling out wine" across the top. The cake was made with Merlot and was very artistic and decadent! To top it off, Kim Stebbings offered us Belgium Dark Chocolates to pair with our wines. Oh, what a night!
GO TAKE A HIKE!
Dead River Conservation Park
Lace Up Your Boots and Grab a Walking Stick!
“Newcomers Hiking Group is drawn to nature first, people are just an accessory to the activity! Truth is, avid hikers all tend to get along, we know it going in.” ~ Kim Amburgey, Hiking Chair
Being outdoors gives us energy, makes us happier, helps us to relieve the everyday stresses of our overscheduled lives, opens the door to creativity, and helps us to be kind to others. Whether you’re embarking on a leisurely nature walk or an extremely challenging climb, going at it with a partner, family member or group of friends creates a shared experience that can help strengthen the bonds between you.
Hiking also encourages people to be more present. After all, in order to hike and not accidentally break a leg, people typically put away their phones and other screens. By removing those outside stimuli, there’s more space to genuinely connect with the people or person you’re hiking with.
The Peace Sign Trail
Present with Nature
A DAY TRIP TO TARPON SPRINGS
What could be better than taking a trip on an exciting narrated dolphin cruise down the beautiful waters of the Anclote River? On a Gad-About activity, we spotted dolphins, several of the 43 species of birds, the Anclote lighthouse, and other historical sites. Our beach excursion allowed us to disembark on the Anclote Island (accessible only by private boat or ferry service) to stroll the beach and look for optimal shells and sponges.
The cruise, fresh air, and activities spawned our hearty appetites! We navigated our way to Hellas Restaurant where we all delighted in our greek entrees followed by ordering pastries to go from their bountiful selections.
VIVA ITALIA!
Casual Lunch at Maggiano’s Little Italy Restaurant
Mama Mia!
We loved getting together to relax and savor good conversation, laughter, and a scrumptious meal!
THE COLUMBIA RESTAURANT, YBOR CITY ESTABLISHED IN 1905
Wow, our ladies know how to do it up! Our September Formal Lunch at this venue was top shelf. From Sangria to The Original 1905 Salad (crisp lettuce with a julienne of baked ham, swiss cheese, tomatoes, olives, grated romano cheese and the Columbia’s famous garlic-infused dressing) to Arroz con Pollo (chicken with rice) to Boliche (roasted eye of round with light gravy) served with Seasonal Fresh Vegetables and Platanos (fried sweet plantains) followed by Mango Mousse Cake for dessert! Heavenly :)
Our guest speaker was the renowned “Max” Herman of Ybor City Tours, who regaled us with tales of the amazing, hilarious, and often shocking history of this historic area of Tampa.
Today, this five-generation family-owned landmark is Florida’s oldest restaurant and the largest Spanish restaurant in the world. The original location boasts 15 dining rooms and 1,700 seats.
BOOKS & BITES!
Our September Organizational Meeting to select new books for 2022 - 2023 was a huge success. The meeting was chaired by Leslie Randall and Sue D'Auria, and hosted by Kathy Moloney. Twenty-four of our ladies who are passionately enthusiastic about books attended, of which some shared recommendations of books that would fit the genre of our book club. Once the selections and facilitators were chosen, the ladies enjoyed a delectable potluck brunch! You can view our 2022 - 2023 book club selections here.
"HALLOWINE” 2022 WAS A SUPER SPOOKTACULAR EVENING!
Crystal Weary hosted the event which was attended by 25+ ladies. Unique Halloween themed bottles of wine, food and candy pairings, along with a wide range of fang-tastic decorations elevated the experience from fun to a full out bash. Yes, Ghouls Just Want to Have Fun!
TAPPING INTO THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHEESE MASTER, MICHAEL LANDIS AT OUR OCTOBER FORMAL LUNCHEON…
increased our enjoyment and appreciation of cheese by broadening our knowledge of cheesemaking and our understanding of provenance. He introduced a variety of different cheese and then delivered answers to frequently asked questions, such as:
When you are planning a holiday cheese board or simply shopping at your local grocery, how do you select and serve cheese that will increase your enjoyment? Once you get it home, how do you best store your purchase - do you need a home cheese cave? And, what should you serve alongside to bring out the best flavors? When a cheese has mold on it, is it still good?
We’re looking forward to the unveiling of our next formal luncheon… don’t miss it!
