Author Archives: admin

Hello Neighbors & Newcomers,

We hope you all had a fun-filled Thanksgiving and got a chance to enjoy some of our November events. We were so excited to bring Bunco Night back and are looking forward to getting Lunch Bunch geared back up as well. Both the ladies and the lads have nights out, plus we have a couple of holiday special events planned for this month.
 
Look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming events, and we wish everyone a wonderful holiday season!

We always welcome your ideas and feedback. Any questions or comments, feel free to email us at lncexecs@lexington-newcomers.org or post ideas/thoughts to the Lexington Neighbors & Newcomers Members Facebook group.

Kindly,
Your Newcomers & Neighbors Board

Upcoming Events

Ladies’ Night
Thursday, December 9 at 7pm

Join the ladies of LNN again at Revolution Hall (along the Minuteman Bikeway, 3 Maguire Road).

We will order some shared bites for the group. Drink cards and additional food may be purchased individually. 

Please RSVP to Saskia to ensure we are able to communicate any info as necessary.

Lads’ Night
Thursday, December 9 at 7pm

Don your favorite ugly sweater and join the Lex Mecs at Waxy O’Connor’s for their December outing. To receive further details, email Derek to be added to the Lex Mecs distribution list.

Cookie Swap
Friday, December 10, 10am-1pm

Hurry up and get your favorite cookies in the oven for the cookie swap! Please plan to bring 2 dozen cookies to share (in small bags for easy swapping if possible), and take others’ creations home with you in exchange. Email Pam by December 9th to RSVP and receive details.

Lunch Bunch
Monday, December 13 at 11:30am

Lunch Bunch is back!! Please join us at Concord’s Colonial Inn at 11:30am to enjoy lunch and festive conversation. Email our new lunch bunch host, Carol, by December 9th to RSVP.

Book Club
Thursday, December 16 at 7pm

Join us for some holiday cheer and lively conversation of this month’s book club selection, Less by Andrew Sean Greer, on Thursday, December 16th, 2021.

Winner of the Pulitzer Price and New York Times Notable Book of 2017

Who says you can’t run away from your problems? You are a failed novelist about to turn fifty. A wedding invitation arrives in the mail: your boyfriend of the past nine years is engaged to someone else. You can’t say yes–it would be too awkward–and you can’t say no–it would look like defeat. On your desk are a series of invitations to half-baked literary events around the world.

QUESTION: How do you arrange to skip town?

ANSWER: You accept them all.

What would possibly go wrong? Arthur Less will almost fall in love in Paris, almost fall to his death in Berlin, barely escape to a Moroccan ski chalet from a Saharan sandstorm, accidentally book himself as the (only) writer-in-residence at a Christian Retreat Center in Southern India, and encounter, on a desert island in the Arabian Sea, the last person on Earth he wants to face. Somewhere in there: he will turn fifty. Through it all, there is his first love. And there is his last.

Because, despite all these mishaps, missteps, misunderstandings and mistakes, Less is, above all, a love story.

RSVP by December 15th  to lexnnbookclub@gmail.com.  Once you RSVP, we will send you the address of our host home the day before the meeting.

Holiday Sip & Stroll
Friday, December 17, 7-9pm

Join us for warm drinks at a LNN member’s backyard 7-8pm, then stroll through the neighborhood to see all the beautiful holiday lights 8-9pm. Email Lara to RSVP, and she will share specific details, including location to meet, closer to the event. Pro tip: Bring a mug you can hold to drink from, that also keeps your fingers warm on the walk!

Walking Group
Tuesdays at 9:30am

Weekly location will be sent to the walking group email distribution prior to the hike. Please reach out to Debbie with questions!

Hello Neighbors & Newcomers,

The Lads and Ladies had a great time in October, and many members also enjoyed a waterfall hike & chocolates and another excellent book club discussion.
 
We are so excited to see both new and familiar faces back out again and are looking forward to our next month of fun events (see below). We look forward to seeing you!

We always welcome your ideas and feedback. Any questions or comments, feel free to email us at lncexecs@lexington-newcomers.org or post ideas/thoughts to the Lexington Neighbors & Newcomers Members Facebook group.

Kindly,
Your Newcomers & Neighbors Board

Upcoming Events

Book Club
Wednesday, November 10 at 7pm

Join us for wine, snacks and a friendly conversation of this month’s book club selection, Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson, on Wednesday, November 10th, 2021.

This historically inspired novel follows the life of Pheby Delores Brown, an enslaved woman forced to barter love and freedom while living in the most infamous slave jail in Virginia.

Pheby is promised freedom on her eighteenth birthday, but instead of the free life she envisioned for herself,  she is sent away from the plantation where she was born to the infamous Devil’s Half Acre, a slave jail in Richmond, Virginia, where enslaved people face the most cruel of treatments.  To survive, Pheby will have to outwit the Jailer while sacrificing much in the process.

RSVP by November 8th  to lexnnbookclub@gmail.com.  Once you RSVP, we will send you the address of our host home before the meeting.

Lads’ Night
Thursday, November 11 at 7pm

The Lex Mecs continue to have fun outings in Lexington and surrounding towns. To learn about upcoming events, email Derek to be added to the Lex Mecs distribution list.

Coffee Talk
Thursday, November 18 at 10am

Join us for coffee in the yard. This event is open to both current members and non-members interested in learning about what LNN offers. Feel free to bring along someone new to Lexington or someone looking to expand their community. See you there!

Please RSVP to Jen.

Bunco Night
Thursday, November 18 at 7pm

We are so excited to revitalize Bunco Night, hosted at a gracious fellow member’s home.

Maximum of 16 participants, so get your RSVP in right away to Saskia!

Ladies’ Night
Thursday, December 9 at 7pm

Join the ladies of LNN again at Revolution Hall (along the Minuteman Bikeway, 3 Maguire Road). We had too much fun for one night, so we’ll be doing it again in December!

We will order some shared bites for the group. Drink cards and additional food may be purchased individually. 

Please RSVP to Saskia to ensure we are able to communicate any info as necessary.

Dog Meet-Up

Please email Rachel, if you haven’t already, to be included in group emails about upcoming dog meet-up info!

Walking Group
Tuesdays at 9:30am

Weekly location will be sent to the walking group email distribution prior to the hike. Please reach out to Debbie with questions!

Those interested in additional Lexington walks can also check out CLC’s Fall Walks. 

Membership for 2021/2022

Please remember to check your email inbox and/or spam folder if you have not yet renewed your membership.

Please check your email, and proceed to pay your membership as soon as possible. In case you cannot find these documents, please reach out to: lexingtonma.newcomers@gmail.com

Please also let us know, should you no longer wish to be a member, so we can update our membership records accordingly.

Hello Neighbors & Newcomers,

We had a delightful Fiesta hosted by Upasna and Gaurav! Big thanks to our hosts and to our stellar events committee for the organization. The first book club of the season also had a great turnout to discuss The Midnight Library.
 
As we settle into the new school year and are back to our work routine, LNNC has put together fun activities and events for October, including a Ladies’ Night, Lads’ Night, and waterfall + chocolates excursion, as well as our great recurring activities.

We always welcome your ideas and feedback. Any questions or comments, feel free to email us at lncexecs@lexington-newcomers.org or post ideas/thoughts to the Lexington Neighbors & Newcomers Members Facebook group.

Kindly,
Your Newcomers & Neighbors Board

Upcoming Events

Ladies’ Night
Thursday, October 28 at 7pm

Join the ladies of LNN at Revolution Hall (along the Minuteman Bikeway, 3 Maguire Road), which has a great vibe, a self-serve beer & wine wall, and fun cocktails & food as well. There is indoor and outdoor seating, plus cornhole, ping pong, and shuffleboard.

We will order some shared bites for the group. Drink cards and additional food may be purchased individually. 

Please RSVP to Saskia to ensure we are able to communicate any info as necessary.

Lads’ Night
Thursday, October 14 at 7pm

Join the lads of LNN at Via Lago (1845 Massachusetts Ave) for a make-your-own-Oktoberfest gathering.

The Lex Mecs shall stay local this time to increase the numbers and allow for a little more consumption for those who wish to cycle or even walk to the pub.

Questions: Email Derek to be added to the Lex Mecs distribution list.

Fall Outing
Saturday, October 16 at 1pm

How would you like to have a walk in the fall foliage, find a waterfall and then eat some nice candies or chocolates?

October 16^th you are invited to join other LNN members to meet up at 1pm to drive to Danforth falls, walk to the falls, and then have snacks at Colonial Candies.

This is a family and pet friendly event. Anticipate a 45-minute drive to and from the Bolton area (carpool options available) with a return to Lexington about 4-5 PM.

To RSVP email Lara.

For more information about the locations:
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/massachusetts/danforth-falls
https://www.colonialcandies.com/services

Book Club
Thursday, October 14 at 7pm

On Thursday, October 14th, join us for wine, snacks and an discussion of this month’s book club selection, Klara and the Sun.

From Kazuo Ishiguro, the best-selling author of Never Let Me Go and The Remains of the Day, comes a stunning new novel—his first since winning the Nobel Prize in Literature—about the wondrous, mysterious nature of the human heart.

From her place in the store, Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass on the street outside. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her, but when the possibility emerges that her circumstances may change forever, Klara is warned not to invest too much in the promises of humans.

In Klara and the Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro looks at our rapidly changing modern world through the eyes of an unforgettable narrator to explore a fundamental question: what does it mean to love?

RSVP by October 13th to lexnnbookclub@gmail.com. Once you RSVP, we will send you the address of our host home before the meeting.

Coffee Talk
Thursday, October 21 at 10am

Join us for coffee in the yard. This event is open to both current members and non-members interested in learning about what LNN offers. Feel free to bring along someone new to Lexington or someone looking to expand their community. See you there!

Please RSVP to Jen.

Walking Group
Tuesdays at 9:30am

Weekly location will be sent to the walking group email distribution prior to the hike. Please reach out to Debbie with questions!

Those interested in additional Lexington walks can also check out CLC’s Fall Walks. 

Dog Meet-Up

If you’re interested in the dog meet-up, please email Rachel by Oct 8th to be included in a poll to find a time and location most convenient for all participants this month!

Membership for 2021/2022

A small ask from the membership team to check your email inbox and/or spam folder, as we have heard that some membership emails and payment requests may have fallen into the spam folder.

Information regarding membership renewal was emailed early September and payment requests were emailed a few days later (directly from PayPal).

Please check your email, and proceed to pay your membership at your earliest convenience. In case you cannot find these documents, please reach out to: lexingtonma.newcomers@gmail.com

Please also let us know, should you no longer wish to be a member, so we can update our membership records accordingly.

Announcements

Seeking:

• Your input on events! Complete the survey here. 
• Dog Meet-Up Organizer (Email if interested)

We hope you and your families had a nice break and this message will find you well. We want to kick off this new season with an in-person welcome back party. Please do not forget to RSVP. The LNN board is actively discussing activities for the coming months, and also remains committed to the safety of our members and our community.

As a Board we’ve decided to return in September with safe, socially-distanced activities and continue those while weather permits. We want to let you know that you should receive an email to renew your membership for the 2021-2022 year. 

We really hope to see you at this month’s events!  Any questions or comments, email us at lncexecs@lexington-newcomers.org or feel free to post ideas/thoughts to the Lexington Neighbors & Newcomers Members Facebook group.

Kindly,
Your Newcomers & Neighbors Board

Welcome Back Fiesta!!

 It’s time to reconnect in person after the summer! Join us for outdoor music, sangria, and tapas. Note that this is an adults-only event and we will follow current CDC/Lexington guidelines for Covid safety. Can’t wait to see you all!!

When: Saturday, September 25^th from 5-7pm

Where: LNN member backyard (you’ll be notified of the location once you RSVP).  

RSVP and questions: No later than September 18 to Helena at wennbo.helena@gmail.com. Please indicate the number of people attending.

Men’s Pub Night
Thursday, September 9 at 7pm

Questions: Email Saskia at sashouwing@gmail.com. This will be a recurring event on the second Thursday of each month, if there is adequate interest.

Book Club
Thursday, September 23 at 7pm

Please join us for a lively discussion of Matt Haig’s New York Times bestseller The Midnight Library. 

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. 

In The Midnight Library, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.

RSVP by September 22 to lexnnbookclub@gmail.com. Please note this is a new email. Once you rsvp, you will receive the address of our in-person meeting the day before the meeting.

Welcome (Back) Coffee
Wednesday, September 29 10am-12pm

Join us for a welcome coffee to kick-off the 2021-2022 LNN season.  
This event is open to both current members and non-members interested in learning about what LNN offers. Feel free to bring along someone new to Lexington or someone looking to expand their community. See you there!

Please RSVP to Netice Dokmecioglu 
netice71@yahoo.com

Walking Group
Tuesdays at 9:30am

Meet at Starbucks on Bedford Street for the first walk of the season on September 14! Please reach out to Debbie Fortin (dfortin01748@hotmail.com) with questions!

Dog Meet-Up
Friday September 10 at 4pm

Join us at Chiesa Farm Meadow for a doggie meet-up! Dog owners and dog lovers welcome. 

PARKING: Diamond Middle School (park on Sedge Rd at the trail head – very short hike through a wooded area to the meadow)  – Park and proceed to the meadow, we’ll gather near the hill in the open meadow (there are benches there). 
BRING: leash, waste bags, bug/tick spray, towel for muddy paws
For questions, contact Rachel Brownell.

Membership for 2021/2022

For the coming year, we will again be requesting a membership fee to support the planning and organization of all our fun activities.

An email and a payment request will be send out to all existing members in the coming days, requesting payment either via PayPal (a PayPal account is not required to be able to pay) or via check.

The membership fee for an entire household in 2021/2022 is $50. An early bird special of $45 will run from September 1st to 15th. So keep an eye on your email and make sure to pay as soon as possible to benefit from this 🙂

To maintain your membership for 2021/2022, your payment must be received before October 31st

Changes and updates?
Have you moved or changed your name, phone number or email, please make sure to reach out to us at lexingtonma.newcomers@gmail.com to get this updated in the membership database.

Announcements

Seeking:

• Your input on events! Complete the survey here. 
• Men’s Pub Night Organizer (Email if interested) 
• Dog Meet-Up Organizer (Email if interested)

Dear LNN Members,

We are thrilled to be ending our 2020-2021 season just like old times with an in-person celebration!  Don’t forget to RSVP, if you haven’t done so yet.  It’s been a crazy year, but we got through it, and we want to thank our amazing board for making it possible.  We can’t thank them enough for all their hard work in planning events, tracking membership, paying bills, sending newsletters, etc. (FYI here’s a link to the 2020-2021 board).  We’d also like to acknowledge those who are rolling off the board: Pam Richter, Katie Walter, Sadia Sharif, Natalie Reynolds, Priya Patel, Jyoti Justin, Netice Dokmecdioglu and Angela Benson.

Looking ahead, we are pleased to announce our new board for the 2021-2022 season:

President: Tania Bojanowski
Secretary:  Rachel Brownell
Treasurer:  Mary Reynolds
Membership:  Rikke Bitsch-Norhave
FB Administrator:  Priyanka Dhaul
Parties/Events:  Helena Wennbo, Saskia Houwing, Sue Tousley, Lara Kallander
Book Club:  Kim Cramer, Liliana Kondracki
Coffee Talk:  Jen Oriel
Walking Group:  Deb Fortin
Dog Meet-Up:  Deb Zucker
Men’s Pub Night:  OPEN
At-Large Members:  Alexia Duc, Mary Carmichael, Andrea Parrella

 Note that this will be the last newsletter of the season.  We will continue sending Weekly Happenings for the next few weeks, but then LNN takes a summer hiatus.  We’ll resume activities in September, and you can expect to receive a newsletter in mid-August with details of those events.  We wish you all a very happy, safe and fun-filled summer!  

Warm regards,
Pam Richter, LNN President

Sip, Sip, Hooray!!

The weather is getting nicer, people are getting vaccinated…. so it’s time to celebrate!!  Join us for an outdoor wine and cheese happy hour.  LNN will provide individually-packaged antipasto boxes, members are asked to bring their own beverage.  Note that this is an adults-only event and that mask-wearing is at each person’s discretion.  It’s been a long time since we’ve celebrated in person, so looking forward to seeing members both new and old!!!
When:  Saturday, June 12 from 5-7pm (rain date is June 13)

Where:  LNN member backyard (you’ll be notified of the location once you RSVP).  

RSVP and questions:  No later than June 4.  Please indicate the number of people attending and if you would like an antipasto box (contains cheese, meat and various snacks). Email Saskia at sashouwing@gmail.com

Horn Pond Nature Hike
Friday, June 4 at 10am

Discover the nature abounding at Horn Pond in Woburn.  LNN’s own Kim Cramer will lead the walk and point out interesting animals and plant life.  We’ll walk for about an hour at a leisurely pace. 

RSVP to Kim at kimwcramer@gmail.com

Kayaking in Concord
Thursday, June 10 at 10am

Come join us for kayaking (or canoeing) on the Sudbury/Concord River.  Meet up at 10am at the South Bridge Boat House in Concord to rent kayaks or canoes ($16 each – cash only).  Then we’ll paddle the river to the Old North Bridge and Minuteman Park and then back again for a total of about 3 miles / 2 hours. Note that this activity is weather permitting.

RSVP to Alexia at aducganis@comcast.net

Book Club
Thursday, June 10 at 7:00pm

Join us for our in-person outdoor discussion of the New York Times bestseller A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende. This epic novel spans decades and crosses continents while following two young people, Roser and Victor, as they flee the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War in search of a place to call home. With Pablo Neruda chartering a ship for two thousand refugees to start over in Chile, Roser and Victor will find that joy and their home might have been closer than they thought all along.

RSVP by June 9 to Priya at priyanpatel@yahoo.com
Once you rsvp, you will receive the address of our in-person meeting the day before the meeting.

Coffee Talk
Wednesday, June 16, 10-12am

We’re back to being able to serve actual coffee and treats!!  Join us in a member’s yard for coffee and socializing.  No need to bring anything, just yourself!  Location details will be provided once you RSVP.

RSVP: email Netice at netice71@yahoo.com

Dog Meet-Up
Tuesdays at 11am

Join us for a doggie meet-up! Dog owners and dog lovers welcome.  We’ll meet at Chiesa Farm Meadow where dogs can roam off-leash.  Optional walk/hike from there. 

Parking available at Diamond Middle School on Sedge Rd.  Look for the trail head sign.  The meadow is a very short hike from there.  It can be muddy, but there’s a large hill that stays dry most of the time.  Bring your leash, waste bags and a towel for wiping muddy paws!  No RSVP necessary.  Any questions, contact Deb at debbra.zucker@gmail.com .

Walking Group
Thursdays at 9am

Spring is here!  Enjoy the fresh air and join us for approximately hour-long walks in Lexington and neighboring towns. Email Debbie at dfortin01748@hotmail.com to be added to the email group and receive the weekly walk details which are typically sent out the night before.

Weekend Bike Ride

Anyone interested in meeting up for an 18 mile / 2 hour weekend bike ride during June or throughout the summer is welcome to reach out to Rikke at borgensvej@yahoo.com.  Late afternoons on weekdays are also possible.  Otherwise stay tuned for more scheduled rides in September.