Where should the TOTV Monthly meetings be?
 

I sounds like Crispers in Southern Trace Shopping Center will be closing at the end of this month.

Where would be a good place to have our 3:00 PM monthly meetings each third Friday?

TooJays | Original Gourmet Deli

I picked Toojay's. There are a number of these here in the Villages.

Locations | TooJays

Really like Lil Bits Cafe but they close at 2:00 PM on most days.  

I suppose the time can be modified too for this meeting on each month's 3rd Friday?

One of the nicer things about meeting at Crispers was being able to sit outside and form a circle with our chairs and allow each person to introduce themselves and where they moved from.

Maybe the new owners will allow us to meet there too.

I think TooJays is a good idea because they have an outside area to sit and there are three locations. However, we would/should have to order something to eat and we have always met at three. I am not hungry at three. Crispers was very accomadating to us over the years, many didn't order anything and most just had a cold drink.

Not on your list, but a good central location and a business that will probably be there for many more years. They have a glassed in room in the back, and usually about 2 to 3:00 they are not as busy, I would suggest Paneras at LSL. If you're not hungry since you might have eaten lunch already, they do offer pastries and coffee.

We will have to see what goes in where the Crispers is.

Part of the problem with other places than Crispers is tipping and the need for the restaurant to keep the flow of customers coming in-and-out.

Maybe, we could switch to various TOTVers houses??? That would not work for me and our house though. Private reasons which I need not share.

That looks like a good option. :coolsmiley::)

Panera Bread

Why not at one of our community pool's?

That's a great idea Nucky. I suppose someone could get catering from some place or just get some pizzas or something else delivered to the pool if they would accept that kind of an address? Or someone could order, pick it up and bring it back.

Have to find a pool that does not have very active social groups at it.

I think THAT is an EXCELLENT IDEA!

And we could probably get take out from a number of these restaurants if we are so inclined. NYPD Pizza - Locations

When this was started, Crisper's was the only restaurant that would accommodate us since we never knew how many people would be showing. Crisper's basically chose the time since they didn't want us tying up the restaurant at lunch. It will be difficult to accommodate an unknown number of people, especially since several will not want to eat anything. The reality is that few, if any, restaurants are going to want to accommodate a large group that doesn't want to eat anything.

Doing it at people's homes would not be practical. Again, there is the unknown number of people, plus tiring to accommodate seating for a very large group. Another factor would be the simple fact that it would be a lot strangers in your home. Not a wise risk.

The problem with the pool is no indoor facilities if it gets too hot or too cold, plus folks using the pool aren't going to be too thrilled if we take up most of the chairs. The other alternative would be to get a rec room. We could then order food or have pot lucks or just leave it at coffee and water.

Some of the pools are quite empty at certain times of that day but the Rec Center seems like a better choice given the weather problems as well as snowbirds and pool crowding at certain times of the year.

There is also the option of making the TOTV meetings more separate as to location like one for the north, central, and south so that it is easier for people to get to them. The people could still come where there location of the meeting is further away if so inclined.

Smaller crowds too for the restaurant, pool or rec center to deal with.

And how about doing a movie rather than a meal as an option for some Friday afternoon? The movies that have been around for a few weeks often have many seats available?

Redwitch has a great idea there with the various meeting rooms. We do have plenty of options. Out of respect I think it would be nice for us to see what Baileysmom has to say. She and Don have been holding the group together as of late.

Of course, they should have the most input into what happens because of the work she and her husband has been doing for the TOTV people.

There are always many options. Crispers at the 3rd Friday of the month at 3 was very easy to remember and it seemed seldom very crowded but for us. I have not been to one of these meetings since 2013 or so.

:thumbup: I've always found the movies a great place to go to talk and socialize. I'm thinking they may get upset if you try to put the seats in a circle.:oops:

Different strokes for different folks. There is always the option of lunch and a movie.

And at the Crispers meetings I anyway would often just wind up talking to the people at my table along with visiting with the people I had already met at one of these things like -- KathieI, Redwitch, Donna along with her husband , Barefoot and her husband Fireboy, and some other people.

Once in a while a very strong personality would be at one of these and kind of take over the conversation. That would happen when Talk Host or one of his Administrators showed up. And sometimes they would buy lunches for the people there.

Well said, again. I haven't attended in quite some time and in fact I have never met Tal in person. Ellen and Don are wonderfully responsible to host this group every month. Usually there are about fifteen people who will show up and occasionally when the owners of TOTV send out an email there are more.

I will have to meet you sometime graciegirl. You are one of my favorite people on here. Been really busy of late doing a lot of writing here and there, and there as well as over there. Taking a break from part of it but TOTV looks pretty good for what I was trying to do so I can shift my efforts somewhere else soon.

where to meet
 

Bob Evans in Colony has a meeting room So does Panera

That's quite an accomplishment to get that many people on here.

I hope we can work something out with respect to finding a place to go after Crispers closes at the end of May 2017.

Please keep giving us ideas about what can be done.

I remember a small group of us Lynnhaven neighbors-- about 16-- had a room in Nancy Lopez all to ourselves. Probably kind of pricey and the time allowed to socialize would be limited as they would need the room for the next group of guests. | Legacy Restaurant at the Nancy Lopez Country Club

We were in the Domingo Room. Kind of cool but probably quite impractical for TOTV. Event Concierge | Legacy Restaurant at the Nancy Lopez Country Club

I am sorry Crispers is closing, they have been nice offering their patio and sometimes interior for our meet and greets. I never felt a pressure to purchase anything, most people don't so that was a good thing. I would agree that Panera in LSL would be a good choice because they do have a patio that they wouldn't mind us gathering on. I am also willing to give up the hosting of this meeting, they are not well attended and often conflict with other activities that Don and I do. I just volunteered to do this so if with the new location anyone else wants to step up I would be fine with it. I would miss the few regulars who show up but fewer and fewer come on a regular basis. I will see what happens and be at this months meeting.

Lake Sumter Landing might be an easier meeting place now in 2017. Seems a little more to the center of the Villages now.

I would think that this would be great advertising for some Villages' area restaurant to be featured in various threads as the 3rd Friday meeting place.

The Panera's in Lake Sumter Landing would be more centrally located and it has larger seating areas. At least we shall be at this month's meet and greet.

Hopefully people will talk while there about where to have the next 3rd Friday TOTV meeting. :D

Ellen is right about the lack of attendance lately at the monthly meetings. If so few people are not interested in attending for whatever reason than personally I don't see the need to continue these meetings.

John

All,

I can only attend meetings over the summer due to a conflict the other 9 months of the year. I am open to what ever the group decides, all of the suggestions on the ballot appear reasonable. I like the idea of a rec center, as this provides the possibility of an indoor meeting. my wife occasionally attends and she really does not like the heat. Also, if a rec center is chosen, this could be bring a snack to share, and whatever you want to drink.

If a restaurant or similar is chosen, we liked the idea of ordering take out at the end of the meeting and then going home.

I hope the group can stay together, I was looking forward to see you all again over the summer.

VT

Looking back at some older pics of gatherings long ago the attendance was really high and normally a fairly sized group. It's been declining since. The 4 years we been here now I've only met maybe 30 to 40 regular posters. Disappointing but not a problem. People generally don't want to attend and have other plans.

A thought.....Colony has a covered pavilion with picnic tables which can be moved around. Washrooms within 50 ft. and parking within 100 feet. water fountains also, or byob.

Whatever venue is chosen, cost is a factor. Would Panera or some other restaurant be willing to give a space for free even if no one buys anything? I have been to a few Crispers meets and never saw anything except maybe a cold drink being purchased by a couple of members.

I used to attend Sunday night trivia at City Fire. Trivia players filled most of the restaurant. Very few bought food. Most had a beer or two. Some players just ordered ice water and extra lemon and made lemonade-and never tipped the waitress. City Fire finally said ENOUGH and Sunday trivia rents space from Canal Street Rec Center.

Dunkin donuts on 441 near the hospital has a meeting room.

You are going to need a fact finding committee before anything of substance can be discussed . I doubt you will find any restaurant that would provide a room unless they had a guarantee of a set amount of money to pay for the room.

is there a charge to use a rec center room?

I like the pot luck idea, villagetinker. If it is more of a share-a-meal social occasion, maybe more would attend.

Another thought: Seabreeze rec center has an outdoor covered picnic area.

I agree they have a meeting room

Rubicon. I wanted to get a dialog started about this so that we can look at this topic from a lot of angles. And this Villages is so much bigger than when the group decided on Crispers in 2008.

The last meeting I went to was about 5 or 6 years ago in the summer when the temp was 97 degrees and they decided to set outside except about 8 of us who sat inside. Not exactly a social get together....

Gee, I have enjoyed the four or more Crisper gatherings that I have attended as a snowbird. Now that I am finally a permanent resident of TV to present my case as such in all discussions, there may not be a gathering?

I would enjoy meeting in a rec center closer to the current center of TV with face to face discussions of current interesting forum topics as well as meeting people. Invite a TV official to tell their story at a meeting!

Well said Barefoot. The growth of the villages does have an inpact and I believe TOTV grew as more and more people were looking for answers concerning their move here. There are a lot of members here Ellen and I wish we got to meet.