LEXINGTON

Hello Neighbors & Newcomers,

Our fall events have been such fun, and we’re excited to keep that momentum going even as the weather cools down! Members had a great time hiking Wachusett Mountain and Mount Monadnock, going for walks on the bike trail and other great local spots, grabbing drinks, coffee, or lunch, discussing the book of the month, and more.

Check out all the great activities for November below and keep an eye out as well for some special events coming in early December, including a night out and a cookie swap. You can also always check the Lexington Neighbors & Newcomers Members Facebook group to get the latest updates. 
Best Wishes,
Tania Bojanowski, LNN President & Rachel Brownell, LNN Secretary

Walking Group
Wednesdays (new day!) at 9:30am

Nov 2: Walden Pond (Should be perfect to return this week for some leaf peeping! Note that there is an $8 parking fee unless you have a park pass.)
Nov 9: Bedford Reservoir (park at 1 Fifer Lane guest parking and we’ll walk over)
Nov 16: Arlington Reservoir (park at Lexington Community Farm)
Nov 23: Lexington Bike Path (park behind downtown Lexington CVS)
Nov 30: Horn Pond in Woburn (parking lot by the boat launch)

Call or text Kelly with any questions (310-497-5532).

Bunco Night
Wednesday, November 9 at 7pm

It’s cold enough to ramp up indoor activities like rolling dice and having fun! Bunco will be the second Wednesday of each month and, for November, that is the 9^th at 7 PM. Please reply to Lara if you plan to participate.

Coffee Talk
Monday, November 14 at 10am

Join us for coffee at Starbucks on Bedford St (Walgreens parking lot), and feel free to bring a friend or neighbor who might be interested in joining LNN! While you are welcome to attend regardless, please send a note to this month’s coordinator, Kelly, so that she can share any updates as needed.

Book Club
Wednesday, November 16 at 7pm

Join us for a lively discussion of this month’s Book Club selection, “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson. We will meet on Wednesday, November 16th.

The Pulitzer Prize–winning, bestselling author of The Warmth of Other Suns examines the unspoken caste system that has shaped America and shows how our lives today are still defined by a hierarchy of human divisions.

In this brilliant book, Isabel Wilkerson gives us a masterful portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human rankings.

RSVP by Nov 15th to lexnnbookclub@gmail.com. On the morning of Nov 16th, we will email the time of the meeting and the address of our host to all attendees. Please bring a drink of your choice and/or snacks to share.

Lunch Bunch
Thursday, November 17 at 12pm

In November, lunch bunch will head to another great location in Lexington, Daikanyama. Email Carol to RSVP by November 16th so that she can make sure to adjust the reservation accordingly and share any updates as needed. Feel free to take a sneak peek at the menu.

Ladies’ Night
Friday, November 18 at 7pm

Let’s say Thanks to each other with a toast to all the wonderful ladies of LNN before the Thanksgiving holiday starts. Join us for Ladies’ Night drinks on FRIDAY, November 18, 7pm at Il Casale. 

Sign up via our brand new Events email address (Saskia and Helena will receive your message): events.lexingtonnewcomers@gmail.com. 

We encourage you to RSVP, as the restaurant would like a heads up if we have more than 15 ladies showing up so they can make arrangements accordingly.

Save the Date: Cookie Swap
Wednesday, December 7

Save the date for our holiday cookie swap. We had so much fun and so many delicious cookies last year that we can’t wait to do it again! Start brainstorming your favorite cookie recipe now!

Save the Date: Winter Gathering
Friday, December 9 at 7pm

Save the date for our December celebration on Friday, December 9th from 7-10pm. 
Sign up via events.lexingtonnewcomers@gmail.com  and bring your spouse. Location TBD. 

Announcements

• A huge CONGRATULATIONS to our own LNN member, Melanie, for being named a 2022 MacArthur Fellow.
  https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2022/10/harvards-melanie-matchett-wood-named-macarthur-fellow/
  https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2022/10/13/wood-macarthur-genius-grant/
   
• Membership: Don’t forget to pay your membership dues for this year ASAP so that you don’t miss out on any of our fun events! Use the QR code below to pay directly with PayPal. Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to Rikke/Membership via email: lexingtonma.newcomers@gmail.com.

• Looking to get more involved?? 
  
  We organize many recurring events like Book Club, Ladies’ Nights, Walking Groups, and more, but we would love to offer new, one-off events to our members too. 
  
  We realize that committing to a year round volunteer role may be too much for some, but organizing a one-off event might be something you’d like! We are a volunteer-run organization, and we welcome your help. 
  
  Is there a type of event you would really enjoy this year? Something that you love to do or a new activity that you have been looking for others to try with you? Perhaps it is a trip to a museum, concert, evening of dancing, cocktail workshop. 
  
  We have a playbook to help you get started and of course are available to answer any questions to make organizing as easy as possible.
  
  If you are interested, please reach out to events.lexingtonnewcomers@gmail.com.

Hello Neighbors & Newcomers,

It was such a pleasure to celebrate the end of summer with 55 of our fabulous members at our recent Caribbean Night party. Fall is in full swing now, and we’re really excited to keep up the great spirit with more fun offerings that we have in store for you in October! See below for more details.

Our board members want to reiterate our passion to make a difference and bring you new activities. We are still looking for members to take some positions, such as leading our Coffee Talk. It is great fun, and you will have support from our board members. You can reach out for more information to lncexecs@lexington-newcomers.org.

Friendly reminder that membership fees are due by October 31st. You will find below the QR code for ease of payment. With this membership fee, we are able to offer many great subsidized events, like our festive parties, appetizers at ladies’ and lads’ nights, and more.

Also, please keep an eye out for some special events coming in early December, including a night out and a cookie swap. More to come on these! You can also always check the Lexington Neighbors & Newcomers Members Facebook group to get the latest updates. 

Best Wishes,
Tania Bojanowski, LNN President & Rachel Brownell, LNN Secretary

Walking Group
Tuesdays at 9:30am

Oct 4: Horn Pond in Woburn – meet in the parking lot
Oct 11: Meet on the bike path behind CVS in Lexington
Oct 18: Walden Pond – meet in the parking lot
Oct 25: Meet on the bike path behind CVS in Lexington

If it’s raining, we’ll go mall walking in Burlington instead! Meet inside the entrance next to Shake Shack. 

Call Kelly Reynolds with any questions (310-497-5532).

Wachusett Mountain Hike
Thursday, October 6 at 9am

We are excited to offer a beautiful fall hike, coordinated by LNN member, Shelly Xuan. We will meet at Starbucks on Bedford street at 9 am and will carpool to Wachusett Mountain, which is one hour from Lexington. This mountain height is 2006 feet and the trail is short and contains basically boulder steps. It will take one and a half hours to complete. Please wear nice hiking shoes and bring drinking water and a lunch bag, as we will have lunch at the summit. We plan to return to town between 1:30 to 2 pm. Please RSVP to Helena.

Bunco Night
Thursday, October 13 at 7pm

Always a fan favorite, Bunco returns this month! Register via email to Lara. No expertise necessary, just come and join in on the fun!

Lunch Bunch
Wednesday, October 19 at 12pm

In October, lunch bunch will head to Fiorella’s Cucina in Concord, which serves gourmet Italian dishes in a rustic yet elegant atmosphere. Email Carol to RSVP by October 17th so that she can make sure to adjust the reservation accordingly and share any updates as needed. If you’re anxious to check out their delicious menu, please take a sneak peek here.

Book Club
Thursday, October 20 at 7pm

Join us for a lively discussion of this month’s Book Club selection “Violeta” by Isabel Allende. We will meet on Thursday, October 20th.

This sweeping novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea tells the epic story of Violeta del Valle, a woman whose life spans one hundred years and bears witness to the greatest upheavals of the twentieth century.

She tells her story in the form of a letter to someone she loves above all others, recounting devastating heartbreak and passionate affairs, times of both poverty and wealth, terrible loss and immense joy. Her life will be shaped by some of the most important events of history: the fight for women’s rights, the rise and fall of tyrants, and, ultimately, not one but two pandemics.

RSVP by Oct 19th to lexnnbookclub@gmail.com. On the morning of Oct 20th, we will email the time of the meeting and the address of our host to all attendees. Please bring a drink of your choice and/or snacks to share.

Coffee Talk
Friday, October 21 at 10am

Join us for coffee at Peets in Lexington, and feel free to bring a friend or neighbor who might be interested in joining LNN! While you are welcome to attend regardless, please send a note to this month’s coordinator, Tania, so that she can share any updates as needed.

Ladies’ Night
Wednesday, October 26 at 7pm

In October, the ladies will meet at Common Craft Burlington! We will be ordering some shared bites for the group. Drinks and additional food may be purchased individually.

Please confirm your attendance to Helena. And save the date for our November 9th ladies’ night at Revolution Hall!

Update from Membership

September marked the start of a new membership period 2022/2023 with a membership fee of $50 per household. We are happy to see that so many of our existing members have already renewed their membership and joined our activities in September. We are also happy to share that 10 new families have joined our club in this new season already.

Most new members hear about us from word of mouth, so if you know anyone who would like to join, please refer them to our website or share this direct link to our sign-up form: http://www.lexington-newcomers.org/membership/

Still need to renew your membership?
All existing members have received a PayPal request to renew membership, so please check in your PayPal app or in your email for this. We kindly ask that you pay your membership now (latest by October 31st) to remain a member and continue to enjoy access to all our fun activities and receive our monthly newsletter.

Pay by Paypal
(See below for QR CODE)
Open this newsletter on your computer (or another smartphone) and use your phone’s camera to scan this QR code icon. A pre-set page will open in your PayPal account for direct payment to Lexington Neighbors and Newcomers. Please enter the amount ($50) and your full name so that we can match your payment with our membership records.

If a QR code is not your cup of tea, just let us know and we can send you a direct payment link.

Pay by Check
You can also issue a check and send it to: Lexington Newcomers Club, 226 Grove Street, Lexington, MA 02420.

Questions?
Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to Rikke/Membership on email: lexingtonma.newcomers@gmail.com
If you do not wish to renew your membership, please also let us know so we can take you off the
newsletters list and update our records accordingly.

Announcements

• Join the Community Endowment of Lexington for the first ever LexDoingGood event! October 22 from 10am to 1pm at the Lexington Community Center. For questions, please contact Mary Ann Sorel, CEL Co-Chair and LNN member, at masorel39@gmail.com.
• Munroe Center for the Arts would like to officially welcome the Fall season – and what better way to do so then to spread the word about some exciting upcoming events? Check out their website for more details, or call their office at 781-862-6040Saturday, October 8th – Say hi to staff during Discovery Day and have fun making some decorative pencil toppers
• Thursday, October 13th – Be on the lookout for the annual ArtWalk displays in business windows across Lexington Center, until Nov 28th
• Saturday, October 15th – Try out an all-ages pumpkin painting event, hosted at the Community Center
• Saturday, October 22nd – Visit during the “LexDoingGood” volunteer fair and find out more about how to join and contribute to our ever-growing volunteer network!

• Looking to get more involved?? 
  
  We organize many recurring events like Book Club, Ladies’ Nights, Walking Groups, and more, but we would love to offer new, one-off events to our members too. 
  
  We realize that committing to a year round volunteer role may be too much for some, but organizing a one-off event might be something you’d like! We are a volunteer-run organization, and we welcome your help. 
  
  Is there a type of event you would really enjoy this year? Something that you love to do or a new activity that you have been looking for others to try with you? Perhaps it is a trip to a museum, concert, evening of dancing, cocktail workshop. 
  
  We have a playbook to help you get started and of course are available to answer any questions to make organizing as easy as possible.
  
  If you are interested, please reach out to Helena Wennbo (wennbo.helena@gmail.com) or Saskia Houwing (sashouwing@gmail.com).

Hello Neighbors & Newcomers,

We hope you all had a fantastic summer and are thrilled that we got to see many of you at our summer special bonus events! As we kick off the 2022-2023 season, we can’t wait to share all the fun activities we’ll be offering. Please see below for the first set of events, including our big Caribbean Night party, and some information about renewing your membership. You can also always check the Lexington Neighbors & Newcomers Members Facebook group to get the latest updates. 

Best Wishes,
Tania Bojanowski, LNN President & Rachel Brownell, LNN Secretary

WELCOME TO 2022/2023 | Important Notice about Membership

Welcome to September and a new membership period. We look forward to lots of fun events.

Membership for 2022/2023 will be $50 for your household and we have several options for how to pay your membership:

Pay by Paypal in September
(See below for QR CODE)
Open this newsletter on your computer (or another smartphone) and use your phone’s camera to scan this QR code icon. A pre-set page will open in your PayPal account for direct payment to Lexington Neighbors and Newcomers. Please enter the amount ($50) and your full name so that we can match your payment with our membership records.

If a QR code is not your cup of tea, just let us know and we can send you a direct payment link.

Pay by Check in September
You can also issue a check and send it to: Lexington Newcomers Club, 226 Grove Street, Lexington, MA 02420.

Please settle your new membership payment in September so you can take full advantage of all our great activities for this new membership period.

Questions?
Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to Rikke/Membership on email: lexingtonma.newcomers@gmail.com

If you do not wish to renew your membership, please also let us know so we can take you off the newsletters list and update our records accordingly.

Ladies’ Night
Wednesday, September 7th at 7pm

Calling out to all the ladies for our September Ladies Night…our first get together after summer! Hoping to see you on Wednesday, September 7th at 7PM.

We will be ordering some shared bites for the group. Drinks and additional food may be purchased individually. Feel free to bring a friend who isn’t a member.

To make it SPECIAL we are taking you out of town this September!! Well not too far…We will meet at Nosh in Concord. Address is 97 Lowell Road, Concord, MA.

Please confirm your attendance to Saskia.
See you there!

Coffee Talk
Monday, September 12 at 10am

Join us for coffee, and feel free to bring a friend or neighbor who might be interested in joining LNN! Send a note to our wonderful host, Rikke, so that you can receive any updates and location details prior to the event.

LNN Caribbean Night
Saturday, September 17 6:30 – 9:30pm
(Rain date: Sunday, Sept 18 5-7pm)

Join us for music, food, and dancing at the LNN Caribbean Night on Saturday, September 17th 6:30 – 9:30pm! (Rain date: Sunday, September 18th 5-7pm.) Register via email to Saskia. Don’t miss out on this awesome event!

Walking Group
Tuesdays at 9:30am

Sept 6: meet behind CVS in downtown Lexington on the bike path
Sept 13: meet in the parking lot at Horn Pond in Woburn
Sept 20: meet behind CVS in downtown Lexington on the bike path
Sept 27: meet in the Minute Man Visitor Center parking

If it’s raining, we’ll go mall walking in Burlington instead! 

Call Kelly Reynolds with any questions (310-497-5532).

Biking Group
Wednesday, September 14th at 9:30am

Group will take a leisurely ride Lexington-Concord-Lexington on Bedford bike path – Battle Road loop (20 miles) with a coffee/chat break in Concord (for good measure) in the middle. All levels welcome. Please reach out to Alexia to express interest in this or future bike rides. This or future events may be adjusted (timing, weather, location, length) as needed based on demand. And look forward to another ride on Oct 12th. These rides will likely be a beautiful way to catch some fall foliage!

Book Club
Thursday, September 22 at 7pm

Welcome to the 2022-2023 season of LNN Book Club!   For our first meeting, which will take place on Thursday September 22, 2022, we will be discussing “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Gamus.

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results. 

But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo. 

Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist

RSVP by Sept 21st to lexnnbookclub@gmail.com. On the morning of Sept 22nd, we will email the time of the meeting and the address of our host to all attendees. Please bring a drink of your choice and/or snacks to share.

Lunch Bunch
Thursday, September 29 at 12pm

Lunch bunch returns! Email Carol to RSVP by September 28 so that she can make sure to adjust the reservation accordingly and can share location details with you.

Announcements

• Looking to get more involved?? 
  
  We organize many recurring events like Book Club, Ladies’ Nights, Walking Groups, and more, but we would love to offer new, one-off events to our members too. 
  
  We realize that committing to a year round volunteer role may be too much for some, but organizing a one-off event might be something you’d like! We are a volunteer-run organization, and we welcome your help. 
  
  Is there a type of event you would really enjoy this year? Something that you love to do or a new activity that you have been looking for others to try with you? Perhaps it is a trip to a museum, concert, evening of dancing, cocktail workshop. 
  
  We have a playbook to help you get started and of course are available to answer any questions to make organizing as easy as possible.
  
  If you are interested, please reach out to Helena Wennbo (wennbo.helena@gmail.com) or Saskia Houwing (sashouwing@gmail.com).
   
• A fan favorite, Bunco Night, will make its return in October, so keep an eye out for that in our next newsletter!

Hello Neighbors & Newcomers,

Well we just couldn’t stay quiet this summer, as the team continues to plan fun events for you that we wanted to share. We had a great turnout and fabulous time in July with local author, Weina Dai Randel, discussing her latest book.Next week, please join us for a ladies’ night pool party! And of course continue to save the date for our LNN Caribbean Night in September! You can also always check the Lexington Neighbors & Newcomers Members Facebook group to get the latest updates. Have a wonderful rest of your summer, and we’ll be back next month!
Best Wishes,
Rachel Brownell, LNN Secretary

Summer Ladies’ Night
Tuesday, August 16 at 7pm

Join us for a Summer Ladies’ Night on Tuesday 16 August, 7 – 9:30pm. We will meet at Sheila Tweeddale’s lovely yard with pool. 

Bring a drink and dish to share. Wear your bathing suit as we will be enjoying the pool and hot tub. A powder bath is available if needed.

Please RSVP to Saskia by Sunday 14 August. We are looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday!

Save the Date: LNN Caribbean Night
Saturday, September 17th 6:30 – 9:30pm
(Rain date: Sunday, Sept 18th 5-7pm)

Mark your calendar and plan to join us for music, food and dancing at the LNN Caribbean Night on Saturday, September 17th 6:30 – 9:30pm! (Rain date: Sunday, September 18th 5-7pm) Register via email to Saskia.

Hello Neighbors & Newcomers,

We hope your summer is off to a fabulous start! Though we said there would be no further newsletters this season, we did want to bring you this shortened special edition to call attention to a bonus book club event with a local author this month! We also have a sneak peek at next season’s books, as well as some additional reading suggestions from members that might make your summer reading list. Finally, please save the date for our LNN Party in September! You can also always check the Lexington Neighbors & Newcomers Members Facebook group to get the latest updates.

Best Wishes,
Rachel Brownell, LNN Secretary

Book Club
Thursday, July 21 at 7pm

Happy Summer, LNN Members!

We are excited to announce that we are having an extra summer Book Club meeting this month on July 21st! This evening will be particularly fun as we have arranged for our local Lexington author to come who is also an LNN member!! Some of you may know Weina Dai Randel from the walking group or other events. She will be discussing her most recent book, The Last Rose of Shanghai: A Novel.

Brief Description
In Japanese-occupied Shanghai, two people from different cultures are drawn together by fate and the freedom of music…

1940. Aiyi Shao is a young heiress and the owner of a formerly popular and glamorous Shanghai nightclub. Ernest Reismann is a penniless Jewish refugee driven out of Germany, an outsider searching for shelter in a city wary of strangers. He loses nearly all hope until he crosses paths with Aiyi. When she hires Ernest to play piano at her club, her defiance of custom causes a sensation. His instant fame makes Aiyi’s club once again the hottest spot in Shanghai. Soon they realize they share more than a passion for jazz―but their differences seem insurmountable, and Aiyi is engaged to another man.

As the war escalates, Aiyi and Ernest find themselves torn apart, and their choices between love and survival grow more desperate. In the face of overwhelming odds, a chain of events is set in motion that will change both their lives forever.

From the electrifying jazz clubs to the impoverished streets of a city under siege, The Last Rose of Shanghai is a timeless, sweeping story of love and redemption.

About the Author
Weina Dai Randel is the award-winning author of three novels, The Last Rose of Shanghai, The Moon in the Palace and The Empress of Bright Moon, a historical duology about Wu Zetian. Weina is the winner of the RWA RITA Award, a National Jewish Book Awards finalist, a Goodreads Choice Award semifinalist, and an RT Book Reviewers Choice Award nominee. Her books have been translated into eleven languages.

Born in China, Weina came to the United States at twenty-four, when she switched to English and began to speak, write and dream in her second language. She holds an MA in English from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. She has worked as the subject-matter expert for Southern New Hampshire University’s MFA program and as an adjunct professor for Eastfield College. Interviews with Weina have appeared on WFAA’s Good Morning Texas and in such publications as World Literature Today, China Daily, The Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, Los Angeles Review of Books, and RT Book Reviews. After living in Texas for years, Weina now resides in Boston with her loving husband, two children, and a family of chipmunks in the backyard.

If you are interested in joining us for this event, please RSVP to lexnnbookclub@gmail.com by July 18th. On the morning of July 21th, we will email the address of our host to all attendees. Please bring a drink of your choice and/or snacks to share.

Sneak Peek: Next Season’s Book List

Based on your suggestions and votes, here is our book list for next season (in no particular order):

• “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus
• “The Dictionary of Lost Words” by Pip Williams
• “Pachinko” by Min Jin Lee
• “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson
• “Violeta” by Isabel Allende
• “The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story” by Hyeonseo Lee
• “The Reading List” by Sara Nisha Adams
• “The Invention of Wings” by Sue Monk Kidd
• “The Paris Apartment” by Lucy Foley
• “All My Rage” by Sabaa Tahir

Additional Book Suggestions

In case you are looking for some summer reading, we thought we would also share some of the suggested books from our book club survey that didn’t quite make the top 10 for next season.

• “The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration” by Isabel Wilkerson
• “The Orientalist” by Tom Reiss
• “Last Boat Out of Shanghai” by Helen Zia
• “The Guncle” by Steven Rowley
• “The Paris Library” by Janet Skeslien Charles
• “How the Word Is Passed” by Clint Smith
• “The Art Forger” by Barbara A. Shapiro
• “The Lincoln Highway” by Amor Towles
• “Breath from Salt” by Bijal P. Trivedi
• “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” by V. E. Schwab
• “The Rent Collector” by Camron Wright
• “Nine Perfect Strangers” by Liane Moriarty
• “The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek” by Kim Michele Richardson
• “The Things We Cannot Say” by Kelly Rimmer
• “The Candy House” by Jennifer Egan
• “By The Lake” by John McGahern
• “The Plot” by Jean Hanff Korelitz
• “The Fifth Season” by N.K. Jemisin
• “Beautiful World, Where Are You” by Sally Rooney
• “The Great CEO Within: The Tactical Guide to Company Building” by Matt Mochary
• “My Name is Red” by Orhan Pamuk
• “Fates and Furies” by Lauren Groff
• “Free Love” by Tessa Hadley

Save the Date: LNN Party

Mark your calendar and plan to join us at our LNN Party on Saturday, September 17th 6:30 – 9:30pm. (Rain date: Sunday, September 18th 5-7pm)

We are finalizing the details and will communicate more at a later date, but we wanted to ensure you could plan accordingly, as this is sure to be a great event!