LEXINGTON

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!

Hello Neighbors & Newcomers,

We are thrilled to wrap up our season with an assortment of great events this month, including book club, ladies’ and lads’ nights, coffee talk, lunch bunch, and our great walking & biking groups. We do want to let you all know, however, that we will be cancelling our summer party due to too many conflicting events and scheduling challenges in the coming weeks. We will instead look forward to a fabulous celebration when we come back together in the fall! Stay tuned for more details.

As indicated last month, some board members will be leaving their positions at the end of this month. Positions still open include book club co-chair, Facebook admin, and dog meet-up organizer, plus additional events committee and at-large positions. Members interested in getting more involved should reach out to lncexecs@lexington-newcomers.org to learn more! Special thanks to Debbie Fortin for leading the walking group to date, and welcome to Kelly Reynolds, our new walking group lead.

Note that this will be our last Newsletter of the season as we take our summer hiatus. We look forward to reconnecting in the fall and hearing about everyone’s wonderful summer adventures!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,
Tania Bojanowski, LNN President & Rachel Brownell, LNN Secretary

Upcoming Events

Book Club
Thursday, June 9 at 7pm

Fellow bookworms, join us on Thursday June 9th, for a lively chat about “Such a Fun Age” by Kiley Reid, our June Book Club selection.

A striking and surprising debut novel from an exhilarating new voice, Such a Fun Age is a page-turning and big-hearted story about race and privilege, set around a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both.  

With empathy and piercing social commentary, Such a Fun Age explores the stickiness of transactional relationships, what it means to make someone “family,” and the complicated reality of being a grown up. 

RSVP by June 8th to lexnnbookclub@gmail.com. On the morning of June 9th, 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.

Ladies’ Night
Thursday, June 16 7-9pm

The ladies of LNN take on Mighty Squirrel Brewing Co. (Waltham) this month! To ensure you get any updates, please RSVP to Rikke.

Lads’ Night

Lads’ Night continues its adventures this month! Email Derek to be added to the Lex Mecs distribution list to find out more details about this and future outings.

Biking Group
Wednesdays at 9:30am

Group will 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 (she may also have a couple of bikes to spare if needed). Event is targeted for Wednesdays and will be adjusted (timing, weather, location, length) as needed based on demand.

Coffee Talk
Tuesday, June 21 at 10:30am

Join us for coffee and great company. Please RSVP to Jen to express interest so that you can receive location details and any necessary updates!

Lunch Bunch
Thursday, June 23 at 12pm

Join the crew for a fun lunch out at Seasons 52 (Burlington)! Please RSVP by June 22 8pm to Carol.

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.

Community Events

• To stay up to date on the latest news in between newsletters, please join our Facebook group!
• Enjoy the Lexington Education Foundation’s Celebration for Education Weekend
  • More info here

• Join your friends at Lexington Historical Society’s upcoming All Jazzed Up! Gala on Saturday, June 18, 6 – 10 PM.  Explore the sights and sounds of the ‘Roaring 20s’ at the Society’s 2022 fundraiser for the future Depot transformation. Learn more & get tickets here.
• Take advantage of amazing local summer offerings:
  • The Neighborhood Camp: new, licensed day camp (Jun 27 – Aug 15)
  • Numerous fantastic summer programs in Lexington: Video

The Lexington Farmers’ Market is back! 

Hello Neighbors & Newcomers,

As the sun starts to join us on a daily basis, we are eager to enjoy meeting together more and more outside. And we already did, having a nice evening outside at the Ladies’ night at Revolution Hall, enjoying biking, walking, and more. Please check out our activities of the month down below, and don’t forget to respond to our book club survey for next season as well.

For June, we plan to hold a beach-themed Garden Party on the 17th (more details below), so please mark your calendar! We want to make this party very special – stay tuned for more information.

As indicated last month, some board members will be leaving their position at the end of this season, wrapping up in June. Thank you to Debbie Fortin to taking care of the walking group, to Priyanka Dhaul for her creative skills on our Facebook page, and to Kim Cramer for leading the Book Club! We are looking to replace these positions, find someone to take the reins on bringing back dog meet-up, and get additional volunteers to organize parties/events with Helena and Saskia. This is a lot of fun, does not take too much time, and is a great way to get to meet our Lexington community. If you are interested, please contact us at lncexecs@lexington-newcomers.org to learn more!

I also want to take opportunity to thank our entire board for all their work this year.

• Helena Wennbo and Saskia Houwing for leading our events committee, putting on such fun ladies’ nights, parties, and special events. As well as Lara Kallander for her support on the events committee and taking charge of our popular Bunco Nights.
• Carol Colwell for Lunch Bunch
• Jen Oriel for Coffee Talk
• Liliana Kondracki and Kim Cramer for the Book Club
• Rikke Bitsch-Norhave for Membership
• Mary Reynolds for taking care of our finances as Treasurer
• Rachel Brownell as Secretary
• Prianka Dhaul as Facebook Admin
• Derek Reynolds for hosting Lads’ Nights
• And also, Alexia Duc, Mary Carmichael, Andrea Parrella, and Pam Richter

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

Upcoming Events

Bunco Night
Wednesday, May 11 7-10pm

Join us again in May as Bunco Night returns this month! Please RSVP to Lara to ensure you receive the latest updates.

Biking Group
Wednesdays at 9:30am

Group will 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 but would recommend against fancy road bikes at this time (dirt paths will be saggy). Instead any hybrid bike will do! Please reach out to Alexia to express interest in this or future bike rides (she may also have a couple of bikes to spare if needed). Event is targeted for Wednesdays and will be adjusted (timing, weather, location, length) as needed based on demand.

Ladies’ Night
Thursday, May 19 5-9pm

The ladies of LNN venture to a new spot this month, Row 34! Feel free to join early for some appetizers at the Raw Bar, or pop in later for a drink. We do have limited seats available, so please RSVP to Saskia by May 17th and let her know if you’ll be planning to attend for food around 5pm or just drinks closer to 7pm. 

Lads’ Night

Lads’ Night continues its adventures this month! Email Derek to be added to the Lex Mecs distribution list to find out more details about this and future outings.

Coffee Talk
Monday, May 23 at 10:30am

Join us for coffee and great company. Please RSVP to Jen to express interest so that you can receive location details and any necessary updates!

Lunch Bunch
Thursday, May 26 at 12pm

Join our awesome lunch bunch crew in May. Please RSVP by May 20 to Carol, and she will share more details as the date approaches.

Walking Group
Tuesdays at 9:30am

Walking group is seeking a new lead to help coordinate walks! Please reach out to Debbie with interest in the walks and/or leading the walking group in the future.

Book Club
Thursday, May 12 at 7pm

May’s Book Club will be on Thursday, May 12th, 2022 and we will be discussing “Tell The Wolves I’m Home” by Carol Rifka Brunt. 

1987. The only person who has ever truly understood fourteen-year-old June Elbus is her uncle, the renowned painter Finn Weiss. Shy at school and distant from her older sister, June can be herself only in Finn’s company; he is her godfather, confidant, and best friend. So when he dies, far too young, of a mysterious illness her mother can barely speak about, June’s world is turned upside down.

But Finn’s death brings a surprise acquaintance into June’s life. At the funeral, June notices a strange man lingering just beyond the crowd. A few days later, she receives a package in the mail containing a beautiful teapot she recognizes from Finn’s apartment, and a note from Toby, the stranger, asking for an opportunity to meet. As the two begin to spend time together, June realizes she’s not the only one who misses Finn, and that this unexpected friend just might be the one she needs the most.

RSVP by May 11th to lexnnbookclub@gmail.com. On the morning of May 12th, we will email the time of the meeting and the address of our host to all.  Please bring a drink of your choice and/or snacks to share.

And don’t forget to vote on all the great possibilities of books for next season by filling out the survey! 

SAVE THE DATE: LNN Summer Party
Friday, June 17 6:30-9:30 (Sunday rain date)
 Join us to celebrate the start of summer at our LNN Summer Party!! Our summer party takes place on Friday night, June 17th 6.30 – 9.30pm. (Rain date: Sunday, June 19th 5-7pm) Where: Member’s backyard. Details follow after registration. 
What to bring: your own beverage of choice, and, if you prefer to sit, a beach chair or beach mat. While LNN is not permitted to purchase alcoholic beverages for members, we will offer tapas and non-alcoholic beverages. Dress Code: BEACH. Registration: RSVP to Tania We are looking forward to seeing all of you in June!!

Additional Upcoming Events

• If you have hobbies or activities that you would like to share with other LNN members, please reach out to Helena to share more information and discuss the possibility of hosting an event!

Announcements

• To stay up to date on the latest news in between newsletters, please join our Facebook group!
• Get excited for the Farmers’ Market to gear back up starting in May! 
  • https://www.lexingtonfarmersmarket.org/
  • Munroe Center for the Arts has some exciting events coming up in May, including Rock/Blues Band & Fairy House Making and Fairy Homes & Garden Tour. Find more information on their website [https://www.munroecenter.org/fairyhouses.html].