January 2023 Newsletter

Hello Neighbors & Newcomers,

Happy New Year! We wish you a warm welcome to 2023 and hope that you had a fabulous holiday season. Thank you for coming out to our December events and making them such a blast. See below for some fun photos from December and info on all the great activities we have planned for January. Looking forward to hearing about everyone’s holiday adventures!

You can also always check the Lexington Neighbors & Newcomers Members Facebook group and our recently resurrected Instagram to get the latest updates. 
Best Wishes,
Tania Bojanowski, LNN President & Rachel Brownell, LNN Secretary

Walking Group
Wednesdaysat 9:30am

Jan 4: Meet on the bike path behind CVS in downtown Lexington
Jan 11: Meet in Horn Pond Parking Lot in Woburn (by the boat launch, for mapping purposes)
Jan 18: Meet on the bike path behind CVS in downtown Lexington
Jan 25: Meet in the Minuteman Visitor Center Parking Lot in Lincoln

Reach out to Kelly with any questions.

Walking Group
Wednesdays at 9:30am

Jan 4: Meet on the bike path behind CVS in downtown Lexington
Jan 11: Meet in Horn Pond Parking Lot in Woburn (by the boat launch, for mapping purposes)
Jan 18: Meet on the bike path behind CVS in downtown Lexington
Jan 25: Meet in the Minuteman Visitor Center Parking Lot in Lincoln

Reach out to Kelly with any questions (310-497-5532)

Bunco Night
Wednesday, January 11at 7pm

The always-popular game night returns! Please email Lara to sign up and receive further details.

Ladies’ Night
Thursday, January 12 at 7pm

The ladies will convene for another fun night on the town at Revolution Hall. RSVP via email to receive any last minute updates.

Please save the date as well for our upcoming ladies’ nights on February 8th & March 23rd!

Book Club
Thursday, January 19 at 7pm

Happy New Year! Let’s get together on Thursday, January 19th, 2023  to talk about our Book Club selection, “Pachinko” by Min Jin Lee.


In the early 1900s, teenaged Sunja, the adored daughter of a crippled fisherman, falls for a wealthy stranger at the seashore near her home in Korea. He promises her the world, but when she discovers she is pregnant — and that her lover is married — she refuses to be bought. Instead, she accepts an offer of marriage from a gentle, sickly minister passing through on his way to Japan. But her decision to abandon her home, and to reject her son’s powerful father, sets off a dramatic saga that will echo down through the generations.

Richly told and profoundly moving, Pachinko is a story of love, sacrifice, ambition, and loyalty. From bustling street markets to the halls of Japan’s finest universities to the pachinko parlors of the criminal underworld, Lee’s complex and passionate characters — strong, stubborn women, devoted sisters and sons, fathers shaken by moral crisis — survive and thrive against the indifferent arc of history.

Now also a beautifully produced Apple+ TV series. 

RSVP by January 18th to lexnnbookclub@gmail.com. On the morning of January 19th,  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. 

You can also always check our website to get a sneak peek of the upcoming books for the rest of the season, in case you want to get a head start!

Coffee Talk
Friday, January 20 10am-1pm

Join us for coffee at Caffè Nero (85 Middlesex Turnpike standalone location, NOT the one in the mall), 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.

Save the dates for our upcoming coffees as well (subject to change):

  • February 10th @ Via Lago
  • March 24th @ Caffè Nero

Lunch Bunch
Thursday, January 26 at 12pm

In January, lunch bunch will head up to Bedford to Tashan. 

Tashan meaning “style” brings the energy of India’s thriving culinary scene to Bedford, MA, and the greater Boston area serving reinvented and refined Indian classics.

Email Carol to RSVP by January 24th so that she can make sure to adjust the reservation accordingly and share any updates as needed. Take a sneak peek at the menu here: https://www.tashanbedford.com/. And save the date for next month: Feb 9th.

Announcements

  • Munroe Center for the Arts 
    Winter Art Classes (Semester runs Jan 9 – Mar 19). We’re pleased to highlight both RETURNING FAVORITES & NEW OFFERINGS for both youth and adults – read more and register now www.munroecenter.org
    February Vacation Camp (Feb 20-24): registration is open now, with SUMMER CAMP registration open January 9th! Plan your schedule now at munroecenter.org/camps!
  • Lexington United Soccer Club registration opens mid-January. Town soccer registration happens earlier than you may realize. If you are interested in learning more, please visit their website.
     
  • Looking to get more involved?? 
    If you are interested, please reach out to events.lexingtonnewcomers@gmail.com.

December 2022 Newsletter

Hello Neighbors & Newcomers,

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you’re looking forward to some time to relax and recharge as we near the end of the year. We have several exciting activities planned for the holiday season, and we would love to see you there! Please check out more info below on the always-delicious cookie swap, a fabulous end of year celebration at Il Casale, and more.

You can also always check the Lexington Neighbors & Newcomers Members Facebook group to get the latest updates. 

Happy Holidays from the LNN Board, and we wish you all a brilliant New Year!
Best Wishes,
Tania Bojanowski, LNN President & Rachel Brownell, LNN Secretary

Cookie Swap
Wednesday, December 7 10am-1pm

Join us for our holiday cookie swap. Bring two dozen of your favorite cookies to share and enjoy with your fellow bakers! This was such a fun and delicious event last year, and we cannot wait to do it again. If you are willing, you might consider bringing the recipe to share as well.

RSVP to Pam by Dec 6th to receive location details.

Winter Gathering
Friday, December 9 at 7pm

Join us for our Winter Gathering on Friday, December 9th from 7-10pm at Il Casale. Wear some festive attire and enjoy a drink with neighbors! Sign up via email and please let us know if you’ll be bringing your spouse/+1.

The bar area will be reserved for our party. LNN will be ordering light appetizers, and it will be a cash bar. We hope to see many of you there!

Book Club
Thursday, December 15 at 7pm

Join us for a lively discussion of this month’s Book Club selection, “The Reading List” by Sara Nisha Adams. We will meet on Thursday, December 15th.

An unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb.

RSVP by Dec 14th to lexnnbookclub@gmail.com. On the morning of Dec 15th, 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
Wednesday, December 21 at 12pm

In December, lunch bunch will enjoy another excellent Lexington location, Town Meeting Bistro in the Inn at Hastings Park. Email Carol to RSVP by December 19th so that she can make sure to adjust the reservation accordingly and share any updates as needed. Also, save the date for January lunch on Jan 26th.

Walking Group
Wednesdaysat 9:30am

Dec 7: No walking group, but go ahead and walk (or drive) over to the Cookie Swap instead!
Dec 14: Meet in Long Pond Parking Lot in Winchester
Dec 21: Meet in Minuteman Visitor Center Parking Lot in Lincoln
Dec 28: No walking group – enjoy the holidays!

Call or text Kelly with any questions.

Announcements

November 2022 Newsletter

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.

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 9th 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

  • 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.

October 2022 Newsletter

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.

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: https://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).

September 2022 Newsletter

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.

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!