December Activities and Events at the Villages of Citrus Hills

Just as we were starting to get used to 2016, the entire year has flown by and it’s time to start thinking about 2017. But even though the new year is right around the corner, there is still plenty of time to have some fun with all of the great events that our friends at the Activity Center have planned for the month of December.  

You might be looking for your favorite regular events like the Shabbat Dinner Club, Coffee and Canvas, the Free Beginners Tennis Clinic, or you might be more interested in once-a-year festivities like our annual New Year’s Eve party. Either way, we’ve got you covered with a packed calendar this month! 

Social Events 

We will kick off the holiday season with a festive holiday party at Skyview Restaurant from 6 pm to 9 pm on Tuesday, December 13. The party will feature a fabulous menu that starts with an Artisan Cheese and Fruit Display and ends with some amazing seasonal desserts. There will also be live music provided by our good friend Charlie De.

The Shabbat Dinner Club will be getting together on Friday, December 23 in the Garden Room at The Grille where the doors will be opening at 5:30 pm and dinner will be served at 6:15 pm. This month, diners will have the option of choosing from Chicken Piccata or Stuffed Tilapia Bercy.

The biggest party of the year will be the New Year’s Eve Celebration in the Hampton Room on December 31. This is a formal affair where black ties are optional, but the fun is mandatory! The evening will feature a fabulous dinner of Prime Rib and Napa Chicken, as well as professional DJs, a live band, and a live feed of “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” in Times Square. 

Arts & Education Activities 

The speaker series will be back on Monday, December 5 at 1 pm in the Activity Center. This month, our guests will be B.J. Darvis from the UF/Citrus Cooperative Extension and Steven Davis who is the Citrus County Florida Yards and Neighbors Coordinator. Our guests will be discussing how to maintain your yards using Florida-friendly landscaping techniques.

Local artist Vanessa Fuller-Brown is at the Activity Center on Tuesday, December 6 for another installment of Coffee & Canvas. This month, the class will be working on replicating Georgia O’Keeffe’s “White Calla Lilies on Red.” If you have never been to a Coffee & Canvas event before, this is a great time of year to start. For just $60, members will be provided will all the supplies they need to recreate this classic painting.  

Golf & Tennis 

Vendors representing Ping, Callaway, Wilson, Cleveland, Mizuno, Cobra, and Taylor Made will all be on hand for Demo Day at the Skyview Driving Range on Saturday, December 3 from 9:30 am to 3 pm. This is a great opportunity for golfers of all skill levels to try out some of the latest and greatest equipment, and even preorder some items that haven’t hit the market yet!

You can learn how to really put those new clubs to use by attending any of the Free Golf Clinics that are planned for the month of December. Golf Pro Wayne Larson will be instructing beginner golfers on December 5, 6, and 7. Then intermediate golfers will be invited to attend on December 13, 20, and 27. All clinics start at 11 am.  

Ready to put those new golf skills to work? Skyview will be hosting their Husband & Wife Championship on Monday, December 5. Then they will be having their annual Cross Country Golf Tournament, which is an absolute blast to participate in, on Friday, December 16.

The Oaks Course will be hosting the St. Nick Open on Saturday, December 10. This shotgun start tournament benefits Toys for Tots, and everyone attending is invited to bring an unwrapped toy to donate.

Dinner Specials 

As if you weren’t already going to have too much food to eat over the holiday season, there are also some amazing dinner specials lined up at each of our restaurants this month. Sunday Brunch will be back at Skyview Restaurant on December 18, and then you won’t want to miss out on their Brazilian Steakhouse Night on December 27.

The Tiki Bar will be hosting a Caribbean Christmas Buffet on Thursday, December 15 from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The island-style menu will feature Coconut Garlic Shrimp, West Indian-Style Chicken with Sauce Cien, Curried Goat, and lots of Caribbean sides. There will be live music from Steel of the Night.  

The Grille is having “A Taste of Asia” on December 6 that will give you the opportunity to try a wide range of Asian cuisine. They will also be hosting a fabulous New Year’s Eve dinner with entree selections of Blackened Scallops, Prime Rib, Surf & Turf, Stuffed Chicken, Ahi Tuna, and more!

Should you happen to find some time for yourself this month, you might want to make an appointment at BellaVita Spa, where the specials this month include a Cinnamon Enzyme Exfoliation Treatment, a Cranberry Spa Pedicure, and a Holiday Escape Massage. Any of those three choices would be an excellent way to finish out a wonderful year here at the Villages of Citrus Hills!

How to Get the Most Out of Living So Close to Disney World

Many people who choose to move to the Villages of Citrus Hills do so because of the great weather, reasonable cost of living, and overwhelming number of options for golfing. But the fact that Walt Disney World is located only an hour and a half away is definitely a factor that many residents come to appreciate over the years.  

There is simply no other attraction on the planet that is quite like Disney World. Whether you visit the parks with grandchildren, grown children, or as an adult couple, there is a never-ending and always-changing collection of things to see and do that will take your breath away time and time again.  

In order to help you get the most out of the fact that you will be living right up the road from the theme park destination that people travel to from around the world, we put together six key tips that particularly apply to local residents.  

Invest in an Annual Pass 

Disney World goes out of its way to take care of Florida residents by offering annual passes that come at steep discounts to purchasing tickets at the gate. Locals can purchase a “Weekday Pass” for as little as $13.66 per person each month.

If you want access on the weekends too, that price goes up to a little over $25 per person, which is still a huge discount for anyone who plans to visit more than a few times each year. 

Take Advantage of the Off-Season 

Since Disney World is such a kid-focused destination, most families tend to visit during the summer months when school is out. But since you are planning to live here all year, you will have the advantage of enjoying the parks during the winter months when the crowds are much lighter.  

Some of the best times to visit the park are in the fall right after the new school year starts, during the holiday season from Thanksgiving to Christmas, and right after the New Year and into early February.  

Stay On-Site Once in a While 

Living just a short car ride away means that you have the luxury of driving down for the day and then heading home at night. But you are definitely doing yourself a disservice if you don’t make it a point to stay at the parks at least a few times every year.

Disney World is the gold standard for every measure of service and customer satisfaction, and the onsite hotels are no exception. Staying in the onsite hotels also adds even more “magic” to the Disney World experience.

Learn Which Rides Differ from Park Hours 

As a local resident who takes advantage of the great deals Disney offers on annual passes, you are going to get to know each of the parks a lot better than most of the people who are only able to visit once every few years.

Using your “insider” information to your advantage, take note of which rides open and close at times that are different from the main park gates. You might also want to keep notes on which rides have longer lines at different times of the day.  

There’s an App for That 

Whether or not you bother to keep your own notes, you can have access to lots of great notes that other people have collected over the years by taking some time to download all of great Disney World apps that work as virtual tour guides.

There are literally dozens of these apps available for iPhone and Android, so take some time to search for the best ones and you will be amazed at how they enhance your Disney experience.  

There’s More Than Just Disney

It’s also important to remember that there is even more to the Orlando theme park scene than the four major Disney parks. You might also want to make plans to explore SeaWorld Orlando, LEGOLAND, and Universal Studios throughout the year.

Whether you are looking to spoil your grandkids or happen to be a kid-at-heart yourself, there is no limit to the fun and excitement you can find at Walt Disney World, just a short drive away from the Villages of Citrus Hills. 

Make sure that you do everything you can to take advantage of living so close to this magical destination.

November Activities and Events at the Villages of Citrus Hills

Just like that, the summer months have faded into our memories and the holidays are right around the corner. In addition to all of the regular monthly events and activities that are usually on the calendar, we also have quite a few seasonal things to get excited about here in the month of November.  

Whether you are interested in getting together with friends to enjoy a show, learning something new, taking down one of the big golf tournaments, or just grabbing a great bite to eat, the Villages of Citrus Hills has got you covered this month! 

Social Events 

The first big social event of November will be “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”, sponsored by The Vacationers Club. This hysterical murder mystery will have you at the edge of your seat throughout the entire evening on Saturday, November 12 at The Straz Center for the Performing Arts.  

This month’s Trivia Challenge will be held on Tuesday, November 15 in the Hampton Room. As always, the doors will open at 5:30 pm with dinner being served at 5:45 pm and the contest starting at 6:30 pm.

The Shabbat Dinner Club will be back on Friday, November 18. This month, dinner will include your choice of Beef Brisket or Bourbon Salmon, and each choice will be paired with soup, vegetables, potatoes, and Carrot Cake.

Members who are looking for a great day trip will want to reserve their tickets to see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, November 27. Tickets are available at the Activity Center and they include round trip transportation, a pregame tailgate party, and a ticket to the game.

Arts & Education 

DocTalk will be back on Monday, November 7 at 1pm in the Activity Center Auditorium. Dr. Nishit Choksi will be discussing “Physicians Insights on Heart Conditions,” which should be very helpful for anyone struggling with a heart condition.  

There will also be a new Wednesday lecture series with Dr. Joe Coffey discussing the “Challenges Facing the New President.” No matter who is elected, we can all agree that they have a mammoth task ahead of them!

Local artist Vanessa Fuller-Brown will be instructing members on replicating Vincent Van Gogh’s “Mulberry Tree” at this month’s Coffee & Canvas event on Wednesday, November 9 starting at 10:30 am.

In order to help our members get a better grasp on new technology, there will be a Tech 101 seminar and workshop on Thursday, November 10 and Friday, November 11 in the Activity Center Card Room. This entire event will be focused on “The Do’s & Don’ts of Windows 10.” 

The Activity Center will also be hosting a Vacationers Club meeting on November 14 and a meet and greet event with The Greener Side Haven Animal Shelter on November 30. 

Golf & Tennis 

As the weather is cooling down, the golf is definitely heating up at all of the courses across the community. The first big event this month will be a 2-Day Major Men’s Better Ball Tournament on Monday, November 7 and Tuesday, November 8.

You should also mark your calendars for the Giving Thanks Pro Shop Scramble on November 12, the Ladies’ Citrus Cup Championship on November 18, and a VIP Championship Event on November 28.  

In addition to all of those big tournaments, you are also going to want to make a note that December 3 will be the next Demo Day at the Skyview Driving Range.

At the Skyview Tennis Center, there will be a Free Beginners Tennis Clinic on Tuesday, November 8. Then the Skyview Mixed Doubles Championship Tournament and Burger Bash is scheduled for the weekend of Friday, November 18 through Sunday, November 20.

Dinner Specials 

Two dinner specials that you definitely don’t want to miss at Skyview Restaurant this month will be the Fall Harvest Wine Dinner on Tuesday, November 15, and the New England Clambake on Tuesday, November 29.

Then there will be Thanksgiving specials at both Skyview Restaurant and The Grille on Thursday, November 24. Skyview Restaurant will be serving a sit-down Thanksgiving Dinner, while The Grille will be offering a buffet-style meal.  

The Grille will also be serving a Comfort Food Buffet on Thursday, November 3 and a Taste of Italy meal on Tuesday, November 22, so you will want to mark those on your calendar as well!  

Spa Specials

In between prepping for the holidays and attending all of these fantastic events and activities, you might also want to take advantage of the Hot Stone Swedish Massages and Peppermint Patty Spa Pedicures that are going to be on special at BellaVita Spa all month long.

It looks like you have an exciting, fun-filled month ahead of you!

Drop The Puck: Your Tampa Bay Lightning Season Preview

After what has felt like one of the shortest summers ever, the Tampa Bay Lightning are back in action when the puck dropped on Thursday, October 13. And after falling just one game short of the Stanley Cup Finals last spring, that game didn’t come soon enough.  

The team that fell just short of beating the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins will be bringing back almost the exact same lineup this season, with a few notable upgrades. As long as they can stay healthy, there is championship upside in Tampa Bay next spring.  

Key Players to Watch This Year 

Steven Stamkos - After skating through trade rumors for more than a season now, Stamkos chose to stay with the Lightning and signed a massive free agent deal during the offseason. Look for the captain to be back in action anchoring the top line.  

Jonathan Drouin - Set to become a restricted free agent following this upcoming season, there is a lot of money to be made if Drouin can put together an entire season of scoring like he did in the playoffs last year.

Nikita Kucherov - As a restricted free agent that didn’t agree to a deal all summer, we have to worry that the status of Kucherov’s contract is creating a distraction in the locker room. It’s also possible that general manager Steve Yzerman could ship him out of town because of it.  

Tyler Johnson - TJ scored nearly 30 goals just two seasons ago, but something wasn’t quite right for pretty much the duration of the 2015-2016 season. He says that it was a lingering wrist injury and that all systems are go to get back to scoring goals for the second line this season.   

Ben Bishop - Expect Bishop to get the Stamkos treatment as this year’s “player in the last year of his contract.” Rumors are going to fly all season long, but as long as Ben is healthy and productive in the net, expect him to be the goaltender the Bolts look to in the playoffs.

Andrei Vasilevskiy - The Lightning’s uber-talented backup goaltender showed impressive form after taking over for an injured Bishop in the conference finals last spring. He then signed a 3-year extension this offseason. If anything happens to Bishop, this young goalie is more than capable of stepping up.

 Storylines to Watch 

In addition to the storylines that are related to individual players, there are three key things that are going to make or break the upcoming season for the Tampa Bay Lightning.  

First and foremost, the team needs to be more explosive with scoring, particularly on the power play. Tyler Johnson returning to form could be a big factor there, but look to see if the rest of the team can chip in as well.

The second major story to watch this season will be whether or not the Bolts are able to get any impact from their youngest players. Slater Koekkoek is the guy most people expect to contribute in his first full season, but watch for other young players to come up from their farm team, the Syracuse Crunch, over the year.  

Finally, the Lightning are going to have to do something about the fact that they have two outstanding goalies and the expansion draft is looming following the season. If the team is playing well, they likely will keep Bishop for another playoff run and risk losing Vasilevskiy in the draft. But if injuries slow this team down, there is a good chance Bishop gets traded for more young talent.  

Barring any major injuries, this Tampa Bay Lightning team is going to be a slight improvement on the outstanding team that took the Penguins to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. They should be thrilling to watch and make a run deep into the playoffs…so get ready for plenty of hockey nights in Tampa!

October Activities and Events at the Villages of Citrus Hills

September came and went in the blink of an eye, and believe it or not we are already rolling into the month of October. That means that we are getting deep into another football season, all of our seasonal friends are coming back down south for the winter, and we better get moving on our Halloween costumes! 

As usual, there is something for just about everyone packed into this month’s activities calendar. Whether you are looking for a great day trip, a fun painting lesson, great dinner specials, or some of the most competitive golf anywhere along the Gulf Coast, you can always chase your passions here at the Villages of Citrus Hills. 

Let’s take a closer look at some of the biggest events happening throughout our community this month.

 Social Events

We will kick off this month’s social events on a competitive note with a Mah Jongg Tournament in the Activity Center Card Room on Wednesday, October 5 at 9 am. There will be a total of 13 tables playing simultaneously to decide who is the best Mah Jongg player in town.  

The Little Black Dress Club will be hosting a Hot Pink Luncheon Party on Thursday, October 6 at Skyview Restaurant. This month, the focus will be on breast cancer survivors.

On Sunday, October 9, our local car and truck enthusiasts will be getting together in the Activity Center Parking Lot. There will be food, music, and vendors, as well as tons of really cool classic cars! 

Speaking of the classics, there will be a group of members taking an “Old Florida” Antiques & Shopping Trip to Micanopy on Saturday, October 15. This day trip will offer some excellent shopping opportunities, as well as an optional historic tour.  

Our monthly Trivia Challenge Night will be on Tuesday, October 18, and it will have a Halloween twist this month with a special prize for the most creative costume!

The Shabbat Dinner Club will be meeting in the Garden Room at The Grille on Friday, October 21 for a fabulous dinner event that includes your choice of baked stuffed chicken or salmon with lemon dill sauce.

Arts & Education 

On Monday, October 10, The Vacationers Club will be meeting in the Activity Center at 10:30 am. This month’s speakers are Kathy Hildebrandt and Darla Fowler from Travel Authority, and they will be speaking about some of the upcoming trips for 2017.

Coffee & Canvas is also back this month, and local Artist Vanessa Fuller-Brown will be instructing the class on recreating Monet’s famous “Garden in Bloom.” As usual, everything you need is included in the $60 price for members.

Golf & Tennis

Golf season is already back in full swing, and there are three big tournaments scheduled for the month of October. That will start with the VIP Card Tournament at The Oaks Course on October 18.  

All the big dogs will be out at Skyview for the Men’s Match Play Championship on Monday, October 24 and Tuesday, October 25. This is one of the biggest members-only tournaments of the year.  

Couples who golf together stay together, and that will be on display at the 12th Annual Couples Championship teeing off on Sunday, October 30. This is a two-day, 36-hole tournament that will determine the best golfing couple in the Villages of Citrus Hills.  

If your game still needs some work, there will be Beginners Golf Clinics on October 3, 4, and 5. Those will be followed by Intermediate Golf Clinics on October 11, 18, and 25.  

Tennis players are not going to want to miss out on the Tennis Taco Fest on Sunday, October 16. This will be a round robin men’s and women’s doubles tournament that is followed by a build-your-own-tacos buffet.  

Those just starting to learn the game might want to attend the Free Beginner Tennis Clinic at Skyview on October 8 at 11 am.  

Dinner Specials 

Since it is the month of October, it makes sense that our friends over at Skyview Restaurant would be planning a few Oktoberfest specials. They will be serving up an Oktoberfest Dinner on October 11, as well as an Exploring the Tastes of Germany Dinner on October 25.  

Skyview Restaurant will also be hosting Sunday brunch on October 16 and October 30.

The Tiki Bar is also getting festive this month. They will be having a formal event called Alfresco on Thursday, October 13 with live jazz music and fancy, high-end food. Then, they will be cutting loose a bit on Monday, October 31 for their Halloween Costume Party.   

In case all of these great events still aren’t enough to fill up your calendar, you might also want to take advantage of the Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte Spa Pedicure that is on special throughout October at BellaVita.  

Looking ahead, there will be a trip to Tampa to watch the Buccaneers host the Seattle Seahawks in November. And you will definitely want to mark your calendars for the 12th Annual Holiday Boutique in the Hampton Room on November 3.  

For a complete list of activities and events please click below for our October club newsletter. 

http://www.citrushillsgolfandcountryclub.com/userfiles/file/October 2016 Connections_ONLINE.pdf