March Activities and Events at the Villages of Citrus Hills

While March Madness is most commonly meant to describe the wild action of the annual NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, it is also a fitting description for everything happening around the Villages of Citrus Hills this month. The folks at the Activity Center are really pulling out all of the stops to keep us all moving as we officially head into Spring 2019.  

Whether you’re looking for fun social events, exciting learning opportunities, competitive sporting competitions, or delicious dinner specials, you can find all of that and more around our community this month. Let's jump in and take a closer look as some of the events you are going to want to mark on your calendar.  

Social Events

A favorite local rock band, Rocky and the Rollers, will be performing in the Hampton Room for the Sock Hop on Tuesday, March 5. This dance party will feature a cash bar, and themed dress is encouraged but not required, so don't hesitate to break out those leather jackets and poodle skirts.

 One social event that will be taking place outside of the community this month will be the Deep Sea Fishing Excursion to Tarpon Springs on Sunday, March 10. This trip will take members out on a massive 85-foot cruiser for some of the best fishing in the world.  

You won't want to miss the Dinner Show with Marc Black the following week on Tuesday, March 12. Learn the history of music with the award-winning musician who toured with the Doors, Van Morrison and more. The dinner will include Caprese-Stuffed Chicken and Roast Pork Loin Dijonnaise.  

All of our local trivia junkies will be back in action for Tasty Trivia Tuesday on Tuesday, March 19. This month's theme is "movies," and the dinner will feature London Broil with Mushroom Sauce and Baked Haddock.  

Art & Education 

Steven Davis will be the speaker for this month's Florida-Friendly Landscaping Seminar on Thursday, March 14 at 1 pm. Steven is the Florida-Friendly Landscaping Coordinator for the Citrus County Department of Water Resources, and he will be leading a discussion on how to incorporate Florida-friendly landscaping practices into your yard.  

Doc Talk will also be back this month with a lecture from Dr. Gerilyn E. Cross in the Activity Center Auditorium on Wednesday, March 27 at 6 pm. Dr. Cross will be presenting a wide range of information concerning hormone health and how it relates to different types of diseases.  

Local crafters will have their creations on display at the Spring Farmers' Market & Craft Fair on Sunday, March 31 from 10 am to 2 pm in the Activity Center Parking Lot.

This is one of the can't-miss attractions each and every year. Gourmet foods, craft and live entertainment by Mark Welzel. 

Golf & Tennis 

This month's golf calendar is going to start out with a fun one when the Four-Leaf Clover Open gets going on The Meadows course at 8:30 am on Saturday, March 2. Everyone involved will get to play their round and enjoy lunch afterwards.  

Things will get much more competitive on March 6 and 7 when the 2019 Skyview Ladies' Club Championship tees off. This two-day stroke play event will be flighted by handicaps and is open to all female Skyview Golf Members.  

The Citrus Hills courses will be hosting their own competitive event later in the month with the Citrus Hills Couples Championship on March 14 and 15. This will be a 36-hole better hall tournament open to all Citrus Hills gold and social members.  

The Skyview Tennis Center is also going to be busy this month, and that will start with their Free Beginner's Tennis Clinic on Tuesday, March 12 at 11 am. Then there will be a Spring Break Tennis Social on Sunday, March 24 that will include mixed doubles from 1 pm to 3 pm followed by lunch and beverages.  

Dinner Specials

Skyview Restaurant is pulling out all the stops with their dinner specials this month. You can enjoy an Asian Night Buffet on Tuesday, March 5, Lobsterfest on Saturday, March 9, an American Wine Dinner on Monday, March 11, and Foods of the Forgotten Coast on Thursday March 14.  

There will also be a St. Patrick's Day Dinner at Skyview Restaurant on Sunday, March 17 that will feature Slow-Cooked Corned Beef and Cabbage, Baked Cod, Irish Bangers and Mash, and Stout Braised Lamb Shanks.

The Grille will also be going all out for St. Patricks Day with specials like Irish Stew, Black and Tan Pork, Corned Beef & Cabbage, Scallop Pie, Roasted Lamb Shanks, and Lamb Shepherd's Pie.

BellaVita

And if you happen to find any quiet time for yourself during this busy month, you should also plan on heading down to BellaVita Spa. They will be running a 24 Karat Gold Revitalizer Facial and a Wrapping-Up Winter Massage Special this month.

With so much to do this month, you’ll have to pick and choose which events are the ones that deserve a spot on your calendar. Good luck deciding, and have fun at whichever activities you choose to attend!

Weekend Getaway: New Smyrna Beach

Residents here at the Villages of Citrus Hills typically feel that the Gulf Coast offers the best version of the Florida retirement lifestyle, but that doesn't mean that a weekend trip to the Atlantic Coast isn't warranted every once in a while.  

With its crashing waves and laid-back atmosphere, New Smyrna Beach is the perfect destination for Gulf Coast beach bums looking to head east for a relaxing weekend getaway. If that sounds like your idea of a good time, this is our best advice for making the most out of your trip.  

Places to Stay in New Smyrna Beach

TripAdvisor.com doesn't always get it right in their rankings of the best hotels in a particular area, but we think they are right on the money in having The Black Dolphin Inn ranked at the top of their list for New Smyrna Beach. This stunning bed and breakfast will cater to your every need and have you staying right near all of the action downtown.

If staying on the beach is more of a priority for you, then the Atlantic Plaza comes highly recommended in New Smyrna Beach. These oceanfront condos will have you sleeping within steps of those famous Atlantic Ocean waves.  

Things to Do in New Smyrna Beach 

The beach is one of the popular tourist attractions in New Smyrna Beach, and we highly recommend planning to spend the bulk of your weekend enjoying the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean. You will find that surfing, boogie boarding, and body surfing are all popular here, but strolling through the sand looking for shells can be just as enjoyable if you don't want to get wet.

In between beach sessions, you will also want to check out some of the many local art galleries that you will find around town. New Smyrna Beach is known as a "small art town," which means that there are lots of independent local artists that have come together to create a very unique cultural community.

Places to Eat in New Smyrna 

In keeping with the theme of everything else, you will find the restaurant scene offers a fantastic selection of casual restaurants serving up world-class food paired with some truly outstanding wine lists.  One of the popular restaurants is SoNapa Grille, which is known for their Lobster Bisque and their wine list, but won't disappoint you with anything in between those either.  

Other popular restaurants include The Garlic, which has a special approach to all of your favorite garlic-forward dishes, and Norwood's Eatery & Treehouse Bar, which is definitely one of the coolest destinations in town.  

This is just the tip of the iceberg of the fantastic dining you will find in New Smyrna Beach, which makes this a perfect destination to revisit.  

With fantastic restaurants, first-class lodging, and one of the best beaches you will find along the Atlantic Coast, there is no reason not to make the two-hour drive for a weekend getaway as often as you can. When are you going to be taking your next trip?

7 Benefits Of Building A New Home In Villages Of Citrus Hills

One of the biggest questions faced by many people who are relocating to Florida is whether they are better off to build a new home or buy an existing one. 

While there are advantages to both options, building a new home has certain key benefits that just can’t be matched when buying an existing one. 

Here are the seven top benefits of building a new home instead of buying a resale.

Choose the Exact Look and Floor Plan 

When you choose to build your new home from scratch, you get to build it the way you want it. You will have the option to choose the ideal floor plan you want and you will also be able to choose the materials and color schemes that fit your personality.  We have 6 brand new floor plans for Terra Vista. 

Personalize Each and Every Detail 

Another big selling point for new home construction is that you will have the ability to personalize many aspects of your home. Adding features like a pot filler above the stove or a particular type of recessed lighting in a certain spot are easy to integrate when they are added before the walls go up. 

New Homes Have Warranties 

Should anything go wrong with your new construction home in the first few years, it will almost certainly be covered under your warranty. The same cannot be said with a resale home, where what you see is often what you get and you could be opening yourself up to tremendous risk if something goes wrong down the road.  

Save Energy With New Technologies 

Whether you are selflessly concerned about protecting the environment or more interested in protecting your bank account from high energy costs, the modern green technologies that will be included in your new home will actually be able to do both!

 Your new home is sure to have energy efficient appliances, and it may also feature energy saving technologies in its roofing materials, windows, and ventilation system. 

Modern Style and Design 

Building a new home instead of buying a resale also guarantees that you are on the cutting edge of the most modern style and design in the industry.

At Villages of Citrus Hills you will have all of the design features that are popular today like granite countertops, open concept kitchens, elegant master suites, and covered lanais. 

Lower Maintenance Costs 

Simply put, new homes will require less maintenance. Your home will already have a fresh coat of paint and a brand new roof, air-conditioner and appliances, so those types of maintenance projects and replacements will not be necessary until years down the road. You will also be able to design your landscaping in a way that can help you save on maintenance there as well.   

You’re the Only One 

Another advantage of purchasing a new home is the feeling of knowing that you are the only person who has ever lived there. You won’t have to ever consider what might have happened in the home before you lived there. Everything will be brand new and built just for you. 

Building a new home from the ground up gives you the ability to create the home of your dreams where every detail matches your expectations. 

While there are pros and cons to both building a new home and buying a resale, for most people the benefits of building a new home far outweigh any potential drawbacks.

Gulf vs. Atlantic: Which Florida Coast is the Best Retirement Location?

The decision to enjoy your retirement years here in Florida is one of the best ones you will ever make, but it is actually only the first in a series of choices that become more and more essential to finding the ideal retirement destination for you.  

After choosing to pursue a Florida retirement, the next question that you are going to have to answer is which of the two coasts you would prefer to enjoy here in the Sunshine State. And while you really can't go wrong with either option, everyone seems to have their own preferences depending on how they rank different factors.  

To help you make that second decision with a little more confidence, we have collected some of the biggest advantages that each Florida coast has to offer and put them all in one place for you to process.

 Atlantic Coast Advantages 

One of the most significant advantages that comes with choosing the Atlantic Coast side of Florida is that you are going to be able to enjoy the waves that crash on those beaches. If you are passionate about surfing, boogie boarding, or body surfing, this is a huge plus.  

In addition to having bigger waves, the Atlantic Coast is also home to several places with larger city-style amenities. With destinations like Jacksonville, Daytona, and Miami up and down the coast, there is no shortage of exciting things to see and do along the Atlantic Coast side of Florida.  

Gulf Coast Advantages

They say that one man's trash is another man's treasure, and we have found that for everyone who prefers the bigger waves of the Atlantic Coast, there is also someone who prefers the calmer waters over on the Gulf Coast. If a relaxing morning of standup paddle boarding is what gets you going, this is the place to make it happen.  

Another huge selling point for the Gulf Coast side is the fact that all of the beaches along the west side of Florida are absolutely stunning. You won't find white sand beaches anywhere in the world that are nicer than the ones right here along the Gulf Coast.  

Because there are fewer major cities and tourist attractions along the Gulf Coast, you will find that the communities on that side have less tourists and more reasonable housing, which makes the Gulf Coast a more appealing destination for many retirees.  

Based on the fact that the Villages of Citrus Hills is located on the Gulf Coast side of Florida, it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that we feel it is the better retirement destination.  

But with all of the advantages of both sides right in front of you, we think you are probably going to do just fine making your own decision.  

And no matter where you might prefer to end up, there is no arguing that just about everyone who makes the decision to move to Florida ends up being happy with their decision.

February Activities and Events at the Villages of Citrus Hills

Between Groundhog's Day, the Super Bowl, and Valentine's Day, the month of February is already filled with all kinds of exciting events, but we are adding even more fun to the mix this month here at the Villages of Citrus Hills.  

In addition to those standard holiday events, we are also filling up our calendar with all kinds of social events, competitive sports, and great dinner specials. Let's take a look at some of the biggest things happening around the community in the month of February.  

Social Events

If you have been thinking about getting involved in one of the many Activity Clubs that meet all over the Villages of Citrus Hills you will definitely want to attend the Activity Club Showcase in the Activity Center Auditorium on Sunday, February 3 starting at 1 pm. More than 50 of our most popular clubs will be set up there discussing the things that their members are passionate about.  

Lunch & Learn will be back on Tuesday, February 5 with Sabrina Watson talking about the basics of essential oils and how you can use them for health support, food flavoring, and aromatherapy. Lunch for this event will include a BLT with Avocado in a wrap and Potato Salad.  

The meal will be much more substantial when the Shabbat Dinner Club meets in the Garden Room on Friday, February 8 starting at 5:30 pm. This meal will feature Sliced Sirloin and Broiled Salmon along with Garden Salad, Parsley Steamed Red Bliss Potatoes, Glazed Baby Carrots, and Cake.  

The most hysterical dinner in February will almost certainly be the Comedy Dinner Show featuring Sonya White in the Hampton Room on Tuesday, February 12. Dinner for this event will include Boursin-Stuffed Chicken and Sliced Sirloin in Mushroom Sauce with a laugh-out-loud comedy show to follow.  

Mah Jongg players won't want to miss the Mah Jongg Madness Tournament in the Activity Center Card Room on the morning of Tuesday, February 19. Signups for this event are already open, and seating is limited to 13 tables of four.  

Tuesday, February 19 will also be the date for this month's Tasty Trivia Tuesday in the Hampton Room. The theme this month is "science" and the menu will include Pot Roast and Chicken Maryland.  

Golf & Tennis 

Golfers can celebrate Valentine's Day on Groundhog Day at the Citrus Hills Valentine's Open on Saturday, February 2. This fun tournament will kick off on The Meadows Course at 8:30 am and entries will include drinks and lunch.  

Following the Valentine's Open, the competition is instantly going to heat up with the Skyview Men's Senior, Super Senior, Legends, and Super Legends Tournament on February 4 and 5. That will then be followed by the 2019 Citrus Hills Men's Club Championship on February 14 and 15.  

Of course, if you aren't quite ready to be taking on the best golfers in our community, you might want to think about joining the "Newbie" Nine-Hole Golf League that plays every Thursday or attending one of PGA Teaching Professional Mary Slinkard's Free Golf Clinics this month.  

Anyone looking to get involved in the Skyview Tennis Center community this month can learn more about everything that happens there by participating in the Free Beginner Tennis Clinic on Tuesday, February 12 at 11 am. You don't even need to own a racket in order to come play! 

Dinner Specials 

The dinner specials are going to revolve around the major holidays this month, and that is going to start off with the Groundhog Day Specials running all day at Skyview Restaurant on Saturday, February 2. If the groundhog sees his shadow, the special will be 2 for 1 drinks. And if he doesn't see his shadow, all bar menu appetizers will be buy one, get one half off! 

Things will be even wilder at the Tiki Bar this weekend as they host their annual Super Bowl Party on Sunday, February 3. They'll have the big game on all of their TVs and are planning a fun tailgate menu that they will be serving from 3 pm to 8 pm.  

If you are looking for a special meal on Valentine's Day, you will have plenty of options to choose from between Skyview Restaurant and The Grille. Skyview Restaurant will be serving an elegant meal for two that will be accompanied by live jazz music, and The Grille is planning a fancy a la carte menu with live entertainment by Jack Dempsey.  

BellaVita Spa 

Still looking for more ways to fill up your February calendar? Make sure that you find time to stop by BellaVita Spa for the Facial Spa Special and the February Bouquet Massage that they are going to be featuring this month.  

Between all of the fun social events, the competitive golf tournaments, and the holiday-themed dinner specials, this is going to be a busy month here at the Villages of Citrus Hills. We can’t wait to see you enjoying these activities and events!