Time Marches On...

Dear International Friends,
It's already September again - 2018. As many of you know, I was away for the summer and Alicia took care of business, as usual, in my absence. Thank you!
Some of you were still traveling, but we had a good turn-out at our last luncheon last week: 20.
We'll continue to meet at Brio's in the St. John's Town Center on every first Wednesday of the month (unless it is the 4 July like this year!) If you want to join us and are looking for directions, please go to their website: https://www.brioitalian.com/index.html.
Time: between 11.30 - 12 PM for a sit-down at noon.
I'll be sending invitations a week before the next luncheon and appreciate a timely RSVP if you like to attend.
Look forward to seeing you next month!
Cheers, Siggy

Can't believe it's November!

Heard that several times today. Yes, Christmas is creeping up on us again. We've been getting together for 11 years now! And our 4th year at Brio is drawing to a close.

We had a great turn-out today, service was impeccable, food great (as far as I've been told). No complaints! Au contraire, compliments to the restaurant today.

A special welcome to 3 new ladies: Ulla from Germany, another Margarita from Mexico - we have 2 now! and to Mavis from the UK. A Danish lady, Birte?, approached us and wants to join us next time...coming from Brunswick, GA! And we're expecting Annedore from Germany again who will visit here with Petra for a while.

Hand out the new cards that I brought today to other new prospects, please. The more the merrier! Even though it will be our December = Christmas meeting, there will be no extra or special activity like exchanging gifts or party games which were suggested. You may dress Christmassy if you like, though 👍.If somebody has photos, please send them to me.
See you next month in Brio.

 

Dear Ladies!

Yet another year has passed. Our lunch club has been in existence for 10 years now! We average about 20 members who join us each month. And by members I just mean friends who like a good meal and a chat. Some of you have become good friends. It's always nice to chat with women from your own country, isn't it?

Recently I posted a number of photos of our members on our Facebook site. If you are an Expat from anywhere in the world you are most welcome to join us every first Wednesday of the month at Brio Tuscan Grille in The Town Center of Jacksonville. You will find directions there how to get to that restaurant. There is no other obligation, no membership fee, no kitty for...Just a friendly social.

Please pass it on to any other Expat you know and invite her.

Just ordering new flags for our latest members from Russia, Moldova and Panama. The more - the merrier!

Best wishes for another successful year of great socializing!

Christmas Lunch 2015

Another year of wonderful lunch meetings gone! We're all enjoying our current venue and had a great time. This lunch was made special because some of you, my friends, stepped out of your way to also celebrate my birthday. What a surprise you had in stall for me!

(with our newest member Martha)

I wish you all a happy holiday season and good health and peace for 2016!
2016 looks promising with several new ladies - mostly German - joining us in January. You know my motto: The more the merrier! I sincerely hope we'll see some of you who haven't shown their pretty faces in a while.

Venue remains the same: Brio's Tuscan Grill in St. John's .

Meet & Greet: 11.30 a.m.

Sit-down: High noon.

Open-ended.

So see you all in force in January. And have a nice, gentle slip-over into the new year as we say in German: Guten Rutsch!

Time Flies

And here it is again, fall with its beautiful weather. I can't believe I neglected this site for over a year.
Does anybody have pictures from their home country for us? I'd love to put them up here. Here are some lovelies we encountered while "en Alsace."


Our next luncheon is coming up on 7 October with a Meet & Greet at 11.30 and a Sit-down at 12 PM.  
We're still happy with the venue: Brio's in the Town Center.
RSVP!

Here are the directions:

BRIO ST.JOHNS TOWN CENTER
	4910 Big Island Dr. Jacksonville, FL 32246                     (904) 807-9960 For directions go to : http://www.brioitalian.com/locations.html    See you there!

Greetings from Europe

Don't miss our next lunch 6 August at the usual place, Brio's Tuscan Grill in he St. John's Town center.We sit down at 12 noon, please arrive a few minutes early for a Meet & Greet!

In the meantime, I'm enjoying some German fare. Next stop is Amsterdam in the Netherlands.Will post the occasional picture here. Follow our footsteps on http://intrepidhomeswappers.blogspot.nl/
Stay safe!

Happy 4 July!

Happy Independence Day to all my international friends! Although most of us come from a different country somewhere on this globe, we've all adopted the USA as our home. And tomorrow is the 4th July where we celebrate with our families here. Lets face it, there are more and more trouble spots around the world; therefore a word of thanks for the freedom we enjoy, especially as women.

We had a superb lunch meeting yesterday. About 15 ladies were present., some are on vacation -as usual. I, myself will be traveling for the next two months -- Home Swapping as you know.
Marilena kindly agreed to send out the invitations for August and September; please RSVP to her...And she has the flags, the symbol of our cosmopolitan diversity.

Our lunch meetings are taking place in the ever-tasty Brio Restaurant in St. John's town center on the first Wednesday of each month at 11.30 a.m. for a Meet & Greet and sit-down lunch at noon.

4910 Big Island Dr.
Jacksonville, FL 32246

(904) 807-9960

For directions go to : http://www.brioitalian.com/locations.html

 
S. brought up the topic of recruiting more members via  membership drive through Meet-up.There would be costs involved to cover a minimum membership fee of $45 for 3 months. Drop me a line if you think it's worth it and if that's what you 'd like to do.

I wish you all a good, safe summer! Thank goodness, we were spared by "Arthur".  May that season pass quickly and without any dangers! See you all in the fall!
 



 

April Luncheon

A good time was had by all! Our April luncheon brought a new visitor/member. Everybody loved the venue, now in our own "chambre separee". Hope to see all back healthy in May!

Welcome to 2013!

Happy New Year to all my international friends! I have an inspiring article on my writers website WGT about a new year and new opportunities if you're interested. Check it out: www.Writersgettogether.blogspot.com.
Our next meeting is already tomorrow--as usual the1st Wednesday of  the month. You requested a new venue- you got it!
We'll meet at 11.30 at

BRIO ST.JOHNS TOWN CENTER

4910 Big Island Dr. Jacksonville, FL 32246 (904) 807-9960  For directions go to : http://www.brioitalian.com/locations.html    See you there!

IWO - International Women's Organization: The Original

Time flies whether you're having fun or not. We're looking forward to our October meeting, 3rd. We'll  meet at Seasons 53 in the St. John's Town Center. And it will be Christmas in no time. Dread the thought!

Lynda from Ireland sent me this link here yesterday asking if I was a member of this club. Yes, I was! Apparently, they are still going strong.

http://www.limerickiwo.com/index.html.

King John's Castle, Limerick

Indeedie, I was a member there for 6 years .This gave me the idea to start one of my own here in Jacksonville when I couldn't find one.
A couple of photos from this year's trip to Germany: 

  In Krakau on the lake in Meck-Pomm.

  From our balcony in the Black Forest

             Typical architecture in Strasbourg just across the border into France.

Happy May and Mother's Day!

Sorry I missed our last meeting. So glad we had a good turn-out in spite of technical problems with my email. Thanks to Alicia who always jumps in to help out! Our next meeting is a few weeks away, but I'm announcing it here already : June 6th at our new and obviously popular venue Seasons 52.

Just wanted to show you two more photos of Germany where we're going for our next home swaps. You have the address in case you want to follow our steps again:www.Intrepidhomeswappers.blogspot.com.
Season 2!

                                                           
That's on the Baltic Sea in what used to be the former East or GDR. And this is the house we're moving into for 3 weeks.
In the meantime, have a good month of May and happy Mother's Day!

March Luncheon

Spring has sprung and that should be the end of cold nights (while they are still freezing in most of our home countries...:) Our March luncheon should be very nice affair at a new venue.
Lynda and I followed Heather's advice and tested a really nice restaurant, almost in the same location where we were in the St. John's Town Center: Seasons 52. I only knew its dinner menu.
I hope they'll have something for everyone. When we were there they were surprisingly busy. Why surprising? Because it was mid-week.
They booked us in for Wednesday next week, March 7th...and every other month till July. I told them to hold it...We'll be the judge of that. Room is no problem, neither is parking. Here is its website, address and directions.
We'll meet as usual at 11.30 for a sit-down at high noon. Bring a friend, use those cards I'm always so busily printing. Don't forget to book a seat.
See you all there and then!

Happy 2012!

Wishing you all a happy and healthy new year, I'm inviting you to our next luncheon next Wednesday, 4th January at our new place "Osaka". For directions click on this link!
We'll meet at our usual time at 11.30. The place is spacious enough and has a great selection of food, hopefully to please everybody.
Look forward to seeing you all there. Sigrun

Happy Holidays!

Our Christmas luncheon came and went.We had a lovely 2 hour session at Blackfinn's and enjoyed a new member from Romania, a lively, friendly lady by the name of Lena. And what is even better: she wants to brings more of her friends.
Allow me to include a little story in the Christmas spirit here that I recently wrote on my blog. Our German members can relate to it:The Charm of Christmas Markets. Just click on this link under the title. It's on a new blog that I started about 3 weeks ago; an interesting read on a variety of topics even if you're not a contributing writer.
Thank you, Sally, for providing us with this picture of last Wednesday's luncheon.
In January, our first Wed falls on the 4th. We 'll meet at Osaka, another restaurant for a change.
These are its details:
Osaka Japanese Restaurant 11701 San Jose Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32223-0756

Winn Dixie Plaza

(904) 886-7778
Please join us at 11.30 A.M. It's a spacious restaurant with
delightful food and ample parking.
Until then: A happy and healthy new Year! See you in 2012!



‎

Our Christmas Luncheon

It's that time of the year again...The Holidays are approaching fast and our annual Christmas Lunch is coming up. We decided to keep it simple, just in our usual surroundings at "Blackfinns" in the St. John's Town Center. They have looked after us all year in such a friendly way, I didn't have the heart for a change of location. Most restaurants we discussed were more expensive.
For January, however, I suggest a change of venue and move to Osaka, a buffet style Asian- Sushi place that Louise and I checked out last week on my birthday. It's located on the corner of San Jose Blvd. and Loretto Rd. Exact directions to follow shortly.
The food was very good and they had a huge selection of starters, fish and desserts. Salad too!
See you on 7 December at Blackfinn's. Booking in this case is essential.

We're growing -without any growing pains

Last Wednesday we had a terrific turn-out for our monthly lunch group. There were four new ladies with the French contingent growing more than any other country at the moment. And of course, our tiny twins were in attendance even though they slept through the whole fun again. How does she do it? I wish I had could have fed mine some of whatever they are getting!
With a little cooler autumn temperatures, the weather was gorgeous and we sat outside which most people enjoy most in this restaurant (Blackfinn). They are really welcoming and accommodating, considering they had to add two tables on the spur of the moment.
Stories about summer trips were swapped and photos shared. I'd like some here too, please. My home swapping adventure naturally got some interest: Will I do it again? If you're interested in going this route in preparing for a value for money vacation, ask me which website we had subscribed to. Some regular members are still away, one on a trip to Alaska and others in their first residences.
Our next meeting for which I expect new ladies as well (we met them inside) will take place on Wed, October 5. The table is already booked. But please, please let me know how many of you're coming. It may be a bit more problematic inside to add on tables.
Here is a picture where two of our members, hailing from AUS and E went to Berlin together and St. Petersburg.

Back to normal: our exceptional lunches

Just back from my trip. Time flies and our next meeting is approaching fast. As usual, it's the first Wed of the month, ie next week, 7 September. Same place, same time. Here is their website: Let's meet in the Saloon of the Blackfinn restaurant and start catching up with all the news you have before we sit down. Since it's still beastly hot, I will book us inside the restaurant. I look forward to our new members that joined in the meantime.I also want to thank Marita here for filling in for me and running the show in my absence. I believe the flags are in safe Spanish hands...}?
If the new ladies I talked to lately decide to come, we might need new flags: India and Sweden. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Here are some pix from my trip. Feel free to send me some of yours to liven this site up with other parts of the world.

The more - the merrier!

Yesterday we had a great turn-out yet again: 15 plus. Not that I can't count, but by plus I mean these two adorable twins who were born prematurely. They started off their tiny lives well under 2 pounds each, and at now 4 months they've reached eight. Thanks for presenting them to us, Isabel.
Has anybody got better photos of the two angels? A cell clearly doesn't make the best pics. I'm always looking for pictures of members who go back home. It would be nice to see more of your individual countries.
We also had another "Aussie" join us- can't help it! Sorry!
At our end of the table, we discussed the benefits of having dual citizenship. Some of us have become Americans, others have retained their original nationality. It may be worthwhile looking into that matter, as I found out. So we are not only chatting away while lunching and making new friends but exchanging useful information. Thanks to everybody who sent me her recommendation regarding a family doctor.
Have you had a look at becoming a follower of this blog? It's not difficult and I hope you all enjoy our little website.So...Can't wait to see who dares to...
Please note that we meet before sitting down at 12 in the Salon at 11.30 to enjoy our hello's without disturbing other patrons. Just in case the restaurant forgets to mention it to newcomers and you sit there alone at the table.
Happy Mother's Day to whom it may apply! Did you know that it falls on the same date in Germany and America whereas the Irish and UK celebrate theirs in March? Since I lived in all of these countries, my children are sometimes confused or use it as an excuse for forgetting... How about Australia and Canada? Are they sticking to the British tradition? Maybe one of my members can shed some light on that?
Enjoy the beautiful weather and see you in June! Sigrun

Coming and going

Last month saw us say farewell to our longstanding member Vanessa from the UK and this month we regained a new Irish Vanessa plus a new lady from Jerusalem, Violette. We're really getting more and more international. If some of the ladies I approached outside the restaurant could join us as well next month, we'll truly be expanding and the table will even be longer. I heard them speak some unknown language (to me) and got out my LILAC cards to invite them. We were 20 in April outside on the patio. The more the merrier!
I'm posting a couple of photos from March and April.
As of next month, some of our members are going home for their summer vacations, but we usually have a good turn-out just the same. Our next luncheon will be on 4 May. Mark your calendars, ladies! As usual, we'll meet in the Salon at 11.30 and then sit down around noon.

Our February meeting at Blackfinn's

A good time was had by all at our last luncheon on Wednesday. The feedback about the restaurant was so good that the general consensus is to go back there...maybe make it our new home? It's always fun to have babies present and they seem to enjoy the attention they are getting.
I'm ordering 2 new flags, Romania and Taiwan (hoping that Cindy will join us soon again).
I moved Followers up. Signing up is easy and appreciated! Wondering who the other two are who are not members?