Acton/Boxborough Times
December 2007
A/B Newcomers &
Neighbors Club
Contents
Acton/Boxborough Newcomers & Neighbors Club
President’s
Letter
Winter has unofficially arrived (official arrival date is December 22) in New England and everyone is busy getting ready for the holidays. It’s hard to believe that we are approaching the end of another calendar year, but certainly not the end of the ABNNC year. You guessed it – it’s time for our mid-year event and this year will be the 2nd AABNNCGWGMN! So mark your calendars now and book the babysitter for Saturday, February 2nd. You won’t want to miss out of this event (please see full details in the newsletter under Special Events).
Other upcoming events for December are: Book Group and Lunch Bunch. And January and February are packed full of events to keep you from getting cabin fever this winter. Just below my letter is a calendar of upcoming events for December, January and February but you will need to scroll down below the calendar to find the write-up for a particular event.
Happy Holidays,
Brenda
Calendar
December 2007
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Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
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12 Book Group-7:30pm
RSVP deadline for Lunch Bunch |
14 Lunch Bunch Potluck luncheon at Kathy’s starting at 11:30am |
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27 Deadline for newsletter articles to Alison vp@abnewcomers.org |
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January 2008
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Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
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6 Dining In RSVP deadline for Potluck dinner |
9 Board Meeting 7:30pm @ Melanie’s |
12 Dining In Potluck @ the Clement’s 7pm |
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15 RSVP deadline for Book Group |
16 RSVP deadline for Clue Game |
17 RSVP deadline for Wine Tasting |
19 Wine Tasting @ the Spector’s 7:30 pm |
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23 Clue Info Night @ New London Pizza in West Acton |
Book Group |
12:01 am Clue Week begins |
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New
Year, New Board
Looking to get more involved in the ABNNC this year? Then look no further – we have some positions still open! If you are interested or would just like to know more about the club, please contact Brenda at president@abnewcomers.org or (978) 298-5007. We’re looking forward to getting to know you better!
Special
Events
SAVE THE DATE SAVE THE DATE SAVE THE DATE
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2008
The fun continues for the 2nd AABNNCGWGMN – translation: the 2nd Annual Acton/Boxborough Newcomers & Neighbors Club Guess Who Game Mystery Night. For those that participated last year, we had a great time! For those that want to see what all the excitement is about, you now have your chance! The event is scheduled to take place between January 26 and February 2, with a grand finale dinner at the Westford Regency on Saturday, February 2 at 7:00 pm SHARP! If you’ve never played this game before, it is a great way to get creative, meet other members of the club and have a wonderful time.
"The kick-off for the game is January 23rd, when at least one member of each team should plan to stop by New London Pizza in West Acton. This brief meeting is to distribute instructions and go over the game with each participating team (or individual). Alison and Jeannine will be at New London from 7 to 8:30pm, please plan to stop by anytime during those hours. If you are unable to make it on the 23rd, but would still like to play, please contact Jeannine at specialevents@abnewcomers.org to make other arrangements"
Watch your e-mail inbox for an eVite. In order to ensure everyone has what they need to play, there will be a January 16 RSVP requirement.
Dinner
Group
Do you enjoy sharing a good meal and
conversation with friends?
Let’s kick off the new year with a great big Pot Luck at the home of Alison
& Luc Clement, 111 Stow Street, Acton on Saturday January 12, 2008 at
7pm. All Dining In Members are invited plus anyone else in Newcomers who
may be interested in joining this great group of diners. The Clement’s
will provide the main course and others who wish to attend are asked to bring
either an appetizer, salad, or dessert. We will have a “jolly”
time! Please note that there will be no regular Dining In on January 5th.
Following this GREAT BIG pot luck in January, the smaller Dining In Groups will
resume on March 1st . (February is a very busy month!!)
Please RSVP to Peggy Molander at pdmolander@gmail.com or 978-263-0929 by January 5th and let me know what you’d like to bring..ie. appetizer, salad, or dessert as well as whatever you wish to drink.
Cheers!! We hope to see you at the Clement’s!!
Peggy
Wine Tasting
Tapas Party: Celebrating the Wines of Spain Saturday January 19th
In mid Winter my Scandinavian soul yearns for the warmth of the Costa del Sole and the early evening ritual of having Tapas (appetizers) with friends before a (very) late night dinner. Spanish wines have seen a marked improvement over the past four vintages and are extraordinary values. We will be tasting six Spanish wines to enjoy the different varieties and regions.
David and Susan Spector will host the event. We will begin the festivities at 7:30 PM and encourage you to bring a wine friendly appetizer to share. If you have a favorite Spanish Tapa that you like to make that will enliven the event even more. The fee will be $20 per person and as always, there will be no charge for the non-drinking designated driver. We encourage everyone to enjoy the evening by drinking responsibly.
Please RSVP to Erik Molander at epmolander@gmail.com or call 978-263-0929 by Thursday January 17th.
The results of the November wine tasting provided some surprises. Many of your friends loved the balance of crisp fruit and acid in the 2004 Firesteed Pinot Gris. To Oregonians, Pinot Gris is a very common “everyday wine” and at $15 per bottle it is a very appealing value. The disappointment of the evening to the group was the 2006 Chateau Ste. Michele Eroica Dr. Loosen Riesling. I was expecting this 92 point wine to be worth its hefty $26 price tag. Well, so much for the experts! The Pinot Noirs were exceptional and their price reflected their quality. The 2005 Rex Hill and 2005 Adelsheim Pinot Noirs (both $45 per bottle)were judged the best of the evening. The 2006 Montinore Estate Pinot Noir was OK and an appropriate value at $19 per bottle. If you like the Rex Hill or Adelsheim Pinot Noir you should try the Owen Roe Sharecropper Pinot Noir (around $32 per bottle)
Have you found a great value in wine? Please email and I'll put your recommendation in my next missive
SAVE THE DATE: Saturday February 9th, 2008 – Annual Champagne Tasting!!
Ladies
Night Out
A big THANK YOU to Sharon Ettori for hosting December’s LNO at her boutique – Jeri James! A great time was held by all not to mention a few nice purchases of clothing as well!!
Book
Group
Book Group next meets on December 12th for some holiday cheer as we discuss The Mammy by Brendan O’Carroll. Grab a copy and join us-- it reads very quickly, with many laughs sprinkled throughout this tale of 1960’s Dublin. The title character is as endearing as any you’ll come across.
On January 24th we’ll meet to discuss Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. It’s the fictionalized account of Mamah Cheney, the woman who had a long and scandalous affair with Frank Lloyd Wright. From the book jacket: “In this ground-breaking historical novel, fact and fiction blend together brilliantly…Nancy Horan gives full weight to their dramatic love story and illuminates Cheney’s profound influence on Wright.” With attention to period detail and architectural insights, this should be a most interesting selection.
And looking ahead to the February meeting (date TBD), we are reading Sky Burial by Xinran. This poignant story tells of a Chinese doctor who joins the Chinese Army to search for her missing husband in Tibet, commencing a deeply transforming thirty-year odyssey.
Kindly RSVP for the December meeting to Susan Spector at book@abnewcomers.org and directions will be sent to you.
Dining
Out
Another interest group that is back by popular demand is Dining Out! The ABNNC is once again trying out great restaurants all around Boston and the surrounding area. Last month we enjoyed an absolutely wonderful meal at the Capital Grill in Burlington. We had the best table in the house, impeccable service, outstanding wines, and scrumptious food! It was an evening that will not be forgotten.
On February 16th 2008 the group will once again try to venture to one of Boston’s finest restaurants, called Clio Restaurant (www.cliorestaurant.com). The group tried to go there last month but too many people signed up after the deadline and the restaurant was unable to accommodate us. Clio is located at Mass Ave. & Commonwealth Ave. We will be meeting at 8:00pm!
So PLEASE RSVP to Shirlee at ss.stein@verizon.net by Friday February 1st
Hope to see you there! Shirlee
Lunch Bunch News
DECEMBER
In December, the annual Lunch Bunch Holiday Potluck will be held at the home of Kathy Kennedy-Brown, 4 McKinley Drive, in Acton, on Friday December 14, starting at 11:30. All ABNN members are welcome to attend, and it's okay if you need to arrive late or can only drop in for a short while. Please RSVP to Kathy at membership@abnewcomers.org by Wednesday December 12. Each person attending will be assigned some food to bring. If you have a preference, please sign up early. So, get in the holiday spirit and join us December 14!
If you know of someone who might be interested in joining ABNN, please invite them to come. They're allowed 1 free event to check us out, but please let me know by the RSVP date.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Kathy
JANUARY
Mark your calendars for Wednesday January 16th when Lunch Bunch will meet at NOON at Serafina Ristorante, located at 195 Sudbury Road, Concord, MA 01742.
Delightful Tuscan fare, an enviable wine list, and exemplary service
"Classy but not pretentious...worth discovering" Boston Globe
"What a find in suburban Concord." ZAGAT
Check out the website at http://www.serafinaristorante.com/index.htm . I’ve just had a delicious lunch there and it really is “worth discovering”! Please RSVP to Alison at vp@newcomers.org or 978-841-9944 by Friday January 12.
I hope that you can make it!!
Alison
Acton/Boxborough
Newcomers & Neighbors Club
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Board Members 2007–2008 |
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President |
Brenda Mulcahy |
(978) 298-5007 |
president@abnewcomers.org |
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Vice President |
Alison Clement |
(978) 841-9944 |
vp@abnewcomers.org |
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Treasurer |
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