July Activities and Events at the Villages of Citrus Hills

As we roll right into the dog days of summer, you might catch yourself feeling like you don't want to leave the house. But that is a big mistake here at the Villages of Citrus Hills, because our activities calendar for the month of July features a great list of fun and exciting things to do across the community.

So, before you resign yourself to spending the next month indoors, make sure you put some of these great events on your calendar and RSVP with the Activity Center!

Social Events

Smarty Jones was the big winner at last month's Trivia Challenge, but that title will be up for grabs again on Tuesday, July 18 in the Hampton Room. Dinner for this month's event will feature London Broil Topped with Béarnaise Sauce, Chicken Marsala Oven Roasted Potatoes, Veggies, and Dessert!

There will be another Flicks & Floats night at the Activity Center Pool on Friday, July 21. This month, the feature film is Me Before You. Showtime is 8:30 pm, and there will be plenty of buttery popcorn for everyone!

Our friends over at the Tiki Bar have a number of different social events planned for the coming month. They will be hosting an Illinois Happy Hour on July 27 from 4 pm to 6 pm. Then they will also be hosting block parties for the Belmont Hills Neighborhood on Thursday, July 6 and for all the Brentwood Neighborhoods on Thursday, July 20.

Arts & Education

The Citrus Hills Vacationers Club is planning a group trip to The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art on Saturday, July 22. In addition to taking in all that the museum has to offer, there will also be time for shopping in Winter Park!

The Vacationers Club is also planning a trip to the Straz Center for the Performing Arts to see Motown The Musical in August, so you will also want to mark that on your calendar and be sure to reserve your tickets as soon as possible.

Golf & Tennis

The big golf event for July will be the Stars & Stripes Open at Skyview on Tuesday, July 4. This tournament will feature men's, ladies', and mixed foursomes competing with 3 best balls on red flag holes, 2 best balls on blue flag holes, and 1 best ball on white flag holes.

Many of the serious golfers in our community will spend their summer working to improve their game, and a great way to do that is to participate in one of the free clinics with Golf Pro Wayne Larsen. This month, Wayne will be hosting beginner clinics on July 10, 11, and 12. Then he will move on to intermediate clinics on July 11, 18, and 25.

July is also a great month to practice your tennis game, and you can learn all of the basics at the Free Beginner Tennis Clinic at the Skyview Tennis Center on Tuesday, July 11 at 11 am.

Dinner Specials

You definitely don't want to miss the Patriotic Buffet that Skyview Restaurant has planned for Tuesday, July 4. The buffet entrees will include Memphis Blue Ribs, Honey Barbecued Chicken, and Firecracker Grilled Salmon with Tropical Fruit Salad.

Two other festive holiday celebrations that you should note on your calendars this month are the Thanksgiving in July dinner at Skyview Restaurant on Tuesday, July 18 and the Christmas in July dinner at The Grille on Tuesday, July 25. Both specials are set to include all of the holiday classics you might expect!

The Grille will also be hosting a Taste of Cuba dinner on Thursday, July 27 from 5 pm to 8 pm. This meal will include Spicy Black Bean Soup, Cuban Chicken and Rice, and Red Snapper.

If you are looking to pamper yourself during the month of July, BellaVita has got you covered with Detox Stem Cell Facial Treatment and Massagarita specials.

Whether you are looking for social interaction, exposure to the arts, a little competition, a great meal, or just some quiet spa time, there are plenty of options to keep everyone busy here at the Villages of Citrus Hills this month. Make sure you don't miss out on any of the action!

Where to Retire Magazine Names Citrus Hills a Top 50 Community

We are proud to announce that the Villages of Citrus Hills has once again made Where to Retire Magazine's list of the "Top 50 Best Master-Planned Communities in the United States." The magazine spends more than a full year researching this list, which comes out in their summer edition every other year, so we are thrilled to announce that we have made the cut once again!

Where to Retire describes itself as "America's foremost authority on retirement relocation," so they definitely know their stuff when it comes to featuring the best of the best master-planned communities. The magazine was established in 1992, and it has since helped more than 700,000 Americans locate the perfect destination for their retirement.

This year's "Top 50 Best Master-Planned Communities in the Unites States" article points out that the competition among active adult communities is tougher than ever. There are more and more communities boasting popular amenities like pools, trails, and fitness centers, as well as dog parks, communal gardens, and the availability of green homes. With such fierce competition, it is truly an honor to be included on the magazine's short list of the very best of the best communities.

In addition to all of the standard amenities that you will find across all of the very best master-planned communities, the article also points out that Citrus Hills offers exceptional year-round weather and a location that offers quick access to the Gulf Coast and a number of beautiful parks, which makes outdoor activities extremely accessible. It also highlights the brand new PrimoVito Fitness Center, our four stunning golf courses, and all of the fun you can have with friends at the Tiki Bar!

Residents Fred and Meg Spurlock were quoted in the feature describing what it was that sold them on relocating to the Villages of Citrus Hills. For them, it was all about escaping the traffic around their Maryland home for the quiet and relaxing atmosphere of Florida's Nature Coast. The article also highlighted the fact that Fred enjoys the amenities like exercise classes while Meg is involved in painting classes and a number of women's groups.

One of the more interesting requirements for making the Where to Retire list was that all of the featured communities had to have plenty of room to maintain their current growth. With only 1,680 of the 2,500 planned homes currently built, there is still plenty of room for our community to expand for years to come.

While we are incredibly honored to be featured among the very best of the best master-planned communities, anyone who currently calls the Villages of Citrus Hills home already knows that the community delivers everything it promises and more.

June Activities and Events at the Villages of Citrus Hills

Memorial Day weekend has come and gone and we are heading straight into the heart of summer here at the Villages of Citrus Hills. This is typically the time of year where things slow down a bit for us, but you will be happy to learn that there are still a lot of great things planned for the month of June.

On top of all the fun activities and events happening, there is also going to be some construction activity over at BellaVita as the entire fitness facility is scheduled to get a major upgrade. The construction is expected to last about two weeks, and the facility will look brand new when everything is finished.

Let's take a closer look at some of the exciting events and activities that the Activity Center staff has planned for the month of June!

Social Events

We're going to be starting off the month of June on a festive note with the Bella Notte Italiana Dinner Show on Thursday, June 1 in the Hampton Room. The menu for this event will feature Chicken Parmesan, Baked Lasagna, and Sausage and Peppers. There will also be classic Italian music entertainment from Duo Romantico following dinner.

Mentalist Eric Anderson will be performing in the Hampton Room on Tuesday, June 6. Members attending this event will be treated to a unique blend of magic, comedy, and mind tricks that will include some amazing sleight of hand tricks and fire eating. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the show starts at 7 pm!

This month's installment of Flicks & Floats is scheduled for Friday, June 16. Members and guests will be gathering around the pool to watch the hysterical Central Intelligence on the big screen. This show starts at 8:30 pm.

The Brain Trust were the big winners at last month's Trivia Challenge, but that title will be up for grabs again this month on Tuesday, June 20. If you think you have what it takes to take the trivia title, get your team together and we'll see you at the challenge!

The Tiki Bar is hosting a Singles Social Happy Hour for all of the singles in our community from 4-6 pm on Tuesday, June 27. If you are looking to meet other singles, this is a perfect opportunity to have some fun and do just that!

Golf & Tennis

June isn't typically a busy month on our golf courses, but there are three big tournaments that you definitely want to participate in this month.

The action starts with the Summer Open Tournament on the Citrus Hills course on June 3. Then the Skyview course will be hosting the two-day Men's Pinehurst Major Championship Event on June 12-13 and the U.S. Impossible Tournament on Saturday, June 17.

If you are looking to make some improvements to your game this month, golf pro Wayne Larsen will be hosting free clinics for beginners on June 5, 6, and 7. Then he will be back to work with intermediate golfers on June 13, 20, and 27.

There will also be a Free Beginners Tennis Clinic on Tuesday, June 13 at 11 am.

Dinner Specials

The Belmont Stakes is scheduled for June 10 this year, and The Grille is celebrating the race by hosting a "Belmont Steaks" viewing party. They will have choice cut grilled New York Strip Steaks with Rosemary and Parmesan on special for $15.

Both Skyview Restaurant and The Grille will be hosting Father's Day specials on Sunday, June 18. Skyview will be having a traditional brunch buffet, and The Grille will be serving steak and seafood dinners from 5-8 pm.

Tuesday, June 20 is going to be New Orleans night at Skyview Restaurant. Entrees for this special night will include Cornish Game Hens, Roasted Red Snapper, Chicken Clemenceau, and Filet Medallions.

The Tiki Bar will be having a Taste of the Islands special on Tuesday, June 29 that will feature Jerk Chicken, Fried Red Snapper, and Bahama-Momma Pork, along with live entertainment courtesy of Island Girl Bickley Rivera.

If you should happen to find any extra time to pamper yourself during the month of June, you will definitely want to take advantage of specials like the Aromatic Rose and Jasmine Facial and the Refreshing Citrus Massage that will be available all month long.

Make sure you take a few minutes to write all of the events and activities that interest you on your calendar and have a great month of June!

Memorial Day Cookout: 6 Grill Ideas That Blow the Burger Out of the Water

Thanks to the great climate in Florida, we have the luxury of keeping our grills out all year round here at the Villages of Citrus Hills. But there is just something about Memorial Day Weekend that gives all of us the itch to break out the tongs and fire up the charcoal.

Most backyard cookouts feature some combination of hamburgers and hot dogs. If you are looking for a new idea to set your big holiday party apart from all of the others, we’ve got five grill ideas that will blow those burgers and hot dogs right out of the water. Let's fire up the grill!

Baby Back Ribs

Hamburgers and hot dogs are the most popular cookout foods because they are among the easiest things to throw together in a hurry. But when you really want to impress your guests, pork ribs are the way to do it.

The key to making the best ribs in town is to take your time and cook them low and slow. If you can get your grill down below 225 degrees, you can cook them right there for five or six hours.

Alternatively, you can cook them in the oven for the first five hours and then move them out to the grill for the finishing touches.  One of the most important things to remember when prepping your ribs is that you always want to make sure to remove the thin membrane on the bone side of the meat. This will allow all of the flavor from the rub, sauce, and smoke to work its way right into the meat.

Steaks

Throwing a nice Ribeye or T-bone steak on the grill is always going to be looked at as an upgrade from your basic hamburger, but many people are intimidated by the different levels of doneness that each of their guests might prefer.

Understanding the subtle differences between medium rare, medium, and medium well can be a challenge, but you can pick up the ultimate cheat sheet for that challenge in the form of a meat thermometer for just a few dollars.   Many newer thermometers have the regions for different levels of doneness marked right on them.

So, with your new thermometer in hand, you can feel confident that you are serving steaks to your guests exactly how they like them!

Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños

You can also get creative on the grill with appetizers.  One popular idea is to take halved jalapeños that have been stemmed and seeded and stuff them with a mixture of cream cheese and shredded cheddar cheese. Wrap the peppers with par-cooked bacon and throw them on the grill until that bacon gets nice and crispy. Your guests will beg you for this simple recipe.

Stuffed Turkey Burgers

If you are expecting your guests to be a little more health conscious, you might want to go with turkey burgers instead of hamburgers. You can instantly jazz up this healthy alternative by mixing in any combination of diced vegetables and garlic that you prefer.

Just chop up some peppers, onions, and garlic and mix them in with the ground turkey before you make your patties. If you really want to wow the crowd, add a little BBQ sauce into that mixture too!

BBQ Chicken Thighs

Another food that would be a lot more popular at cookouts if people weren't so intimidated by it is chicken thighs. Where chicken breasts tend to dry out on the grill, the dark meat that you get with a thigh will stay moist for much longer.

Once again, the thermometer is your best friend here. Make sure that you are getting your chicken up to 165 degrees before serving it, but don't go too much further than that!

Chicken thighs are extremely versatile. You can combine all kinds of flavors through different rubs and sauces. So, put out a few different options to give your guests some variety, and they'll still be talking about your chicken at the Fourth of July party.

Shrimp Skewers

And last but not least, seafood.  A very easy addition to the menu and always a crowd pleaser.  Put a few shrimp on a skewer, add a few vegetables if you like, and in a few minutes, they’re ready to eat.  Brush on a little marinade or have dipping sauces out on the table and you’re all set.

No matter what you are making, a Memorial Day Barbeque is always a good time with family and friends.  But it’s always fun to try something a little different and to go the extra mile. 

These 6 suggestions just might do the trick!

Fresh Air: Great Patio Seating in Citrus County

The summer months are right around the corner, but we don't have to wait for summer to enjoy a meal out on the patio here in Citrus County. Residents of the Villages of Citrus Hills enjoy great weather throughout the entire year, and we are always looking for great local restaurants with patio seating.

If you are looking for a new idea for a dinner that involves open-air dining, here are some of our favorite options in Citrus County.

Skyview Restaurant and The Tiki Bar 

No surprise here! Some of the best patio seating options can be found right here inside the Villages of Citrus Hills.

The lanai at Skyview Restaurant overlooking the 18th green of the Skyview course is a wonderful spot to relax with your favorite beverage, friends, and take in a breathtaking sunset.

And then there’s the Tiki Bar at The Grille, a resident favorite with live music, a great menu, and handcrafted drinks to satisfy any thirst. It's 4,500 square feet of fun with spectacular sunsets thrown in at no charge!

 

Peck's Old Port Cove

Any list featuring local restaurants with excellent outdoor seating in Citrus County has to include Peck's Old Port Cove. This popular spot has been serving up delicious seafood at the end of North Ozello Trail for years, and the stunning view from their patio never gets old.  In addition to the perks of dining on their patio, guests at Peck's also get to see some beautiful scenery as they make their way out to the restaurant. This makes the trip out feel like a vacation, even though it's not very far from home.

Stumpknockers Restaurant

Another local seafood restaurant that is also known for their waterfront view and outdoor seating is Stumpknockers Restaurant, located right on the banks of the Withlacoochee River.

This is a popular destination for tourists who are heading out on boat tours, but locals know that they also boast one of the most inviting outdoor seating areas in all of Citrus County. We recommend pulling up a chair next to one of their fire pits and enjoying your fried seafood next to the fire.

Vintage on 5th

When it's time to celebrate a special occasion, Vintage on 5th is one of the classiest options in all of Citrus County. But many people make the mistake of dining inside, rather than out on their porch.  The food is going to blow your mind no matter where you sit, but adding the excitement of eating outside takes the Vintage on 5th experience to an even higher level.

 

 

McLeod House Bistro

Another fine dining favorite in Citrus County is McLeod House Bistro, where you will find entrees like Boursin Raspberry Stuffed Chicken and Pan Seared Duck Breast with a Port Wine and Berry Sauce.  In addition to their fantastic food, McLeod House Bistro offers a romantic outdoor dining experience on their deck sitting under the stars.

Margarita Breeze

The place to be for a great sunset is this riverfront spot offering views of Kings Bay.  Keep your eyes open for a glimpse of the dolphins and manatees that play in the bay.  The casual outside seating includes a tiki bar and a large covered patio with a menu featuring fresh seafood, pasta and steaks.

Whether you are looking for the best views in Citrus County, some fantastic high-end dining options, or a quick bite to eat at a local picnic table, there are all kinds of restaurants with outdoor seating to choose from in Citrus County. The best way to decide which one is your favorite is to make sure to visit all of them!