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Acton/Boxborough Times
August / September 2008
Contents
President’s Letter
Dear Newcomers and Neighbors,
I hope that everyone is enjoying a great summer! It’s hard to believe that it’s almost over… As I sit down to write my first president’s letter I am filled with honor and excitement. For my family, Acton-Boxborough Newcomers and Neighbors (ABNN) has been a place where we’ve met so many wonderful people who have made this community truly feel like home. I hope that ABNN can do the same for you!
We have an absolutely fantastic board this year as well as strong and creative Interest Group leaders. A wonderful year full of activities has already been planned. One of the things that we have decided to do is to bring back the very popular Dinner Dance. The theme this year will be Mardi Gras and you can only imagine what fun that will be! We will also be trying out a new scavenger hunt event in the springtime. We will be forming teams and going around the local community trying to find strange things and photographing them for the end of hunt party, which is sure to bring some laughs! (Can you find a lady kissing a pig?) Some other activities planned are the President’s Cocktail party, Welcome Back and Open House cocktail parties, and a Year End BBQ, to name a few. Not to be forgotten are all of the activities planned by our Interest Group leaders: Book Group, Lunch Bunch, The Dining Group, Ladies Night Out, Men’s Night Out, and the ever popular Wine Tasting. There are two new groups forming this year, Day Trippin’ and Neighbors to Neighbors. You can read more about these fabulous new groups later in this newsletter.
With all the events and activities planned, I hope you will take a few minutes now to renew your membership. We’ve made it easy for you to do by either going online at www.abnewcomers.org or by just mailing in the form in this newsletter. In order to get your family information into the ABNN Directory, which is a very useful tool, we kindly request that you submit your renewal by September 30, 2008.
Finally, I would just like to extend a sincere thank you to Sue and Rob Huson, who hosted a wonderful Wine and Beer tasting this summer and to Erik and Peggy Molander, who as usual did a fantastic job in selecting a nice variety of “beverages” to try. Also, thanks to Kim and Louis Montella who hosted the very enjoyable Flag Day International Year End BBQ. Merci Beaucoup!
I look forward to seeing you all in the fall at our Welcome Back Open House on Sunday September 28th at Scupper Jacks!
Cheers!
Alison
Calendar of Events
September 2008
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Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
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Potluck Party |
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Lunch Brunch at Nancy’s Airfield Café |
Day Trippin Peabody-Essex Museum (PEM) in historic Salem |
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Board Meeting, Kim’s House |
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Autumn Open House & Cocktail Party!! |
October 2008
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Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
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Wine Tasting – Germany & Austria |
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Board Meeting, Peggy’s House
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Dining In |
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Book Group meeting 7:30 p.m. |
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November 2008
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Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
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Dining Group – Restaurant |
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4 |
5 |
President’s Cocktail Party – Alison’s |
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Board Meeting, Susi’s
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Wine Tasting – All Presidents |
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Special Events
Open House
Acton-Boxboro Newcomers & Neighbors…Opening Doors to Friendship!
Please join us in welcoming prospective members at our
Autumn Open House & Cocktail Party!!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
7 PM to 9 PM
Scupper Jack’s Restaurant
3 Nagog Park (Off Great Road), Acton, MA
978-263-8327
Hors D'oeuvres will be served along with a cash bar.
Board members and representatives from all special interest groups will be on hand to provide information about our events, activities, and interest groups. The club is a great way to meet new people, attend interesting events, and build lasting friendships! Come on out and discover what a wonderful community you have chosen to be a part of!
Please RSVP to Kim Montella at: vp@abnewcomers.org or 978-266-0245 by September 22nd.
We hope to see you all at Scupper Jack’s on September 28th!!
Upcoming Special Events
Please come join us for this year’s President’s Cocktail Party on Saturday, November 8th, 2008, at the home of Alison and Luc Clement (111 Stow Street, Acton). Save the date to enjoy a great evening with friends.
Some of our other planned future events include a Dinner Dance and a Scavenger Hunt in early 2009. More details for these events will follow in future Newsletters.
Book Group
Time to hit the books again! Book Group engages us in the pleasures of reading and the enjoyment of gathering with friends to share our thoughts. The group decides selections and the discussions are informal, so come join the conversation! Some ideas in the air for this year include short stories, Poetry Reading Night and a return to one of the classics we may have missed (or would like to revisit).
Our first meeting will be on Tuesday, October 21st at 7:30 p.m. at which time we’ll be discussing The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen, winner of the 2001 National Book Award for fiction. The novel tells, with much social satire and dark humor along the way, of the reluctant convergence of a contemporary American family “for one last Christmas.” Franzen’s prose is brilliant and provoking.
“Franzen is a great connoisseur of the dysfunctional family, and this is the unifying theme in The Corrections. Alfred and Enid Lambert and their three children guide us through all the beauty and ugliness that is passed down from generation to generation.” -Blogcritics
"The Corrections is a lumpy, strange, singular work, very much of this moment even as it harks back to a kind of American novel long deemed extinct... It's a vivid reading experience of tremendous texture and dimension, a masterwork of observed detail. - Andrew O'Hehir, Salon
Contact Susan Spector at at book@abnewcomers.org.
Day Trippin' !
We are adding a new interest group this year: Day Trippin'! How many of us live in this wonderful area (25 miles outside the lovely city of Boston!), and never take in the local sites until someone from out of town comes to visit? We may all be guilty of that! Let's explore the sites in our wonderful city and surrounding towns together! We hope to have a day trip scheduled every month to visit a museum, historical landmark or town, park, sporting event, shopping area, the theater…the sky's the limit! Depending on the trip or activity, we will be encouraging you to bring your spouses and kids too!! We will organize carpools for the trips…any ticket and/or parking fees, & meal costs are the responsibility of the attendee. If you have a destination that you've been wanting to visit, just email your suggestion to daytrips@abnewcomers.org and hopefully, we'll squeeze it in!
Join us on our maiden day trip on Saturday, September, 13th, 2008, as we head off to the Peabody-Essex Museum (PEM) in historic Salem, MA to take in
Wedded
Bliss, The Marriage of Art and Ceremony
"Celebrate art inspired by
wedding traditions from around the world. See it all – breathtaking
gowns, royal jewels, paintings by Pablo Picasso & Marc Chagall, photographs
and more in this once-in-a lifetime exhibition!"
This exhibit "explores the wedding as a source of inspiration for the creation of art in cultures around the world. The complex beliefs and emotions surrounding the matrimonial experience are reflected in three centuries of art and culture from the United States, Asia, Africa and Europe. The full spectrum of the matrimonial experience - from courtship, engagement, and pre-nuptial arrangements to wedding rituals, ceremonies, and anniversaries - is richly represented."
The PEM opens at 10 am and the entrance fee is $15. We will plan on leaving Acton around 9 am, tour the PEM, have lunch at a local eatery (suggestions welcomed!), and then wander the historic, eerie streets of Salem…perhaps we'll see a witch or two! We should return to Acton around 4 PM. Please RSVP by September 5th to daytrips@abnewcomers.org . Please note if you are willing to carpool and , if so, how many people you can take with you! Let's spend a wonderful day exploring Wedded Bliss!
Peabody Essex Museum
161 Essex Street, Salem, MA
978-745-9500
Pem.org
For more information, Kim Montella at daytrips@abnewcomers.org
DINNER GROUP
Welcome to the Dinner Group! This year Dinner Group will include a rotation of Dining
In (in members' homes), Dining Out (at restaurants), and Potluck Parties. If
you'd like to receive email reminders for Dinner Group events, please check the
box for Dinner Group on your membership form or send an email to dinner@abnewcomers.org. However, all
adult ABNN members are invited and welcome to attend our events. With a few
exceptions, dinners will be planned for the first Saturday of every month.
Here's what we've got planned so far:
Saturday, September 6 at 7:30 - Potluck Party (RSVP by Wednesday, Sept
3)
This will be the dinner group grand gala kick-off party, held at the home
of Kathy and David Brown, 4 McKinley Drive, Acton. Please RSVP to
dinner@abnewcomers.org or call
Kathy at 978-635-1731. When you RSVP that you can attend, you'll be assigned a
dish (appetizer, salad, main course, dessert) to bring. Please also bring your
own beverages and if you intend to drink alcohol, please designate a driver.
Hope you can come!
Saturday, October 18 - Dining In (RSVP by Wednesday, Oct 8)
This will be a sit down dinner held in multiple members' homes, depending
on how many sign up. The host will provide the main course and guests will be
assigned a dish to bring. This is a great way to get to know other members in a
small group setting. Please RSVP to dinner@abnewcomers.org
or call Kathy at 978-635-1731. When you RSVP, please indicate if you are able
to host and how many will fit at your table. This will be a BYOB event, so if
you're not hosting and intend to drink alcohol, please designate a driver.
Saturday, November 1 - Dining Out
We will dine at a restaurant to be determ ined. Please give me your input
at the grand gala kick-off party, Sept 6, or send me an email at dinner@abnewcomers.org and hopefully
we'll create a good list of restaurants with varied price ranges and locations
that the group would like to try out.
Saturday, December 6 - Potluck Party
Can you host this event? Please let me know at dinner@abnewcomers.org I look forward
to seeing you all at as many dinners as possible!
For more information, Kathy Kennedy-Brown at dinner@abnewcomers.org
Lunch Bunch
Let's kick off the Lunch Bunch this year with some delicious food at Nancy’s Airfield Café on Wednesday September 10, 2008 at noon. This restaurant is often described as the “hidden gem in Stow”. Arthur Treff of Boston’s Phantom gourmet recently wrote this about Nancy’s:
“Nancy's Air Field Cafe, on the other hand, is run by a real gourmet cook, and her place just happens to be on an airfield. Sure, you can get a burger, but you can also get a lamb burger or turkey burger, and they'll come with homemade sweet potato french fries cooked in peanut oil. They'll also come with a side salad of field greens topped with caramelized chipotle walnuts and cafe maple-balsamic vinaigrette. I can't believe that I have flown all over the Northeast and have not discovered this little gem until now.” Nancy’s is located at 302 Boxboro Rd, MA. You can check out the menus at get directions on the website: http://www.nancysairfieldcafe.com
Please RSVP to Alison Clement at lunch@abnewcomers.org or (978) 841-9944 by Monday September 8, 2008.
When you pay your club membership dues, please sign up for Lunch Bunch! Signing up puts you on our e-mail list and is not an obligation to attend lunches. These are some of the local restaurants that we visited last year:
Papa Razzi, Concord
Fruitlands Tea Room, Harvard
Karma, Westford
Not Your Average Joes
Monsoon, Acton,
Serafina’s, Concord
Vincenzo’s, Concord
So, please come and join the Lunch Bunch! You’ll be glad that you did!! This year we might even try to do some breakfasts to mix things up a bit!
For more information, Alison Clément at lunch@abnewcomers.org
Ladies’ Night Out
Ladies, It’s time to get back together and hit the town! This year, we will aim to have 3 or 4 events that are certainly to be crowd pleasers. Watch upcoming newsletters and emails for a fun time with the other ladies in the club!
For more information, Anne Mascarin at lno@abnewcomers.org
Men’s Night Out
Once again, we will look to resurrect the Men’s Night Out. Ideas are already flowing – will it be snow tubing at Nashoba? Maybe a visit to a brewpub? Certainly the whisky tasting. . . Do you have ideas about events you’d like to see or help to organize? Please let us know. Watch future newsletters for events designed specifically for the men!
For more information, contact Tony Mascarin at mno@abnewcomers.org
Wine Tasting
The Wine Tasting Group is looking forward to another great year under the careful direction of our leader, Erik Molander. This year’s schedule of events include the Wines of Germany and Austria; All the President’s Wines (Thomas Jefferson and French Wines); A Bordeaux Tasting; the ever popular Champagne and Chocolates; Thunder from Down Under (wines of Australia and New Zealand) and a Summer Solstice celebration with the wines and beers of summer. Make sure to indicate ‘Wine’ on your membership form and join us for these fantastic events.
For more information, Erik Molander at wine@abnewcomers.org
Neighbor to Neighbor
Need a lift to pick up your car from the garage? Just had a baby and would love to have a home cooked meal? Then Neighbors to Neighbors is who to call. Just moved to town and don’t know a good dentist, plumber or gardener?? Then Neighbors to Neighbors is who to call.
Neighbors to Neighbors is a two-part group that assists those who need a helping hand and offers advice on who to call within the service industry. For example: Should a club member need a recommendation in the service industry, NTN group will try to provide the answer. The questions will be filtered through the interest group leader and if needed, the NTN interest group members will be asked for recommendations. It’s sort of a “Newcomers Angie’s list”, but no one pays an extra fee to join. Neighbors to Neighbors Group also consist of club members that can lend a helping hand to fellow club members. The group consists of ABNNC members that are willing to cook a meal, or give someone a lift in a pinch. Some of us don’t have family around to help, but we do have a support group within Newcomers.
If you would like to get involved with this group or know of someone that needs a helping hand, please contact Christine Macdonald at ntn@abnewcomers.org
ABNN Board
Acton/Boxborough Newcomers & Neighbors is run by volunteers from within the Membership and the 2008-2009 Board.
Members are:
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Position |
Name |
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President |
Alison Clément |
president@abnewcomers.org |
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Vice President – Interest Groups |
Jeannine Stearns |
vp@abnewcomers.org interestgroups@abnewcomers.org |
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Vice President - Publicity |
Kim Montella |
vp@abnewcomers.org publicity@abnewcomers.org |
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Treasurer |
Leah Russell |
treasurer@abnewcomers.org |
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Secretary |
Carole Buysse |
secretary@abnewcomers.org |
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Membership |
Open |
membership@abnewcomers.org |
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Special Events |
Peggy Molander Susi Wyss |
specialevents@abnewcomers.org |
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Newsletter |
Sue Huson |
news@abnewcomers.org |
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Webmaster |
Luc Clément |
webmaster@abnewcomers.org |
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Past President |
Brenda Mulcahy |
pastpresident@abnewcomers.org |
Email the board using board@abnewcomers.org
ABNN Interest Group Leaders
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Position |
Name |
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Book Group |
Susan Spector |
book@abnewcomers.org |
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Dining Group |
Kathy Kennedy-Brown |
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Day Trippin’ |
Kim Montella |
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Ladies Night Out |
Anne Mascarin |
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Lunch Bunch |
Open |
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Men’s Night Out |
Tony Mascarin |
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Neighbors to Neighbors |
Christine Macdonald |
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