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F e at u r i n g
10 Yin yoga Yin yoga is a workout for anyone looking to increase flexibility and strength.
Plus
4 Valentine’s Day Many Villagers still love the romance of the holiday.
6 Right at home Villagers choose decorating ideas to fit their lifestyle.
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Going topless For Glenn MacKinnon of The Villages, nothing gets his motor running like convertibles. STORY: JAMES COMBS // PHOTO: FRED LOPEZ
Love for convertibles: I was born in Detroit and would see all kinds of convertibles, including 1953 Corvettes and 1955 Ford Thunderbirds. I told myself as a kid that one day I would own a convertible. First driving experience: My mother and I moved from Detroit to Puerto Rico after my father died in 1961. She owned a Morris Minor convertible, a British car that had a four-speed manual transmission and an engine that was just a little larger than a bread box. Although the car didn’t accelerate well, I learned to drive in it. Unfortunately, we lived
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The Villages gives residents an opportunity to partake in everything they could possibly want to do.
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on the beach, and the car rusted to pieces because of all the salt in the air.
Convertibles you’ve owned: I’ve had a 1966 Corvette convertible and a 1983 Mustang convertible. I currently own a 1968 Pontiac Catalina convertible and a 2017 Buick Cascada. The Buick came with all the safety features, has enough room for four adults to sit comfortably, and features a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine. It’s as quiet as any hardtop car.
Convertible camaraderie: I am a member of The Villages Convertible Club. It’s a great opportunity
to meet new people and visit new destinations in Florida. Since joining, me and club members have driven to the Stetson Mansion in DeLand, Medieval Times in Kissimmee, and the McLeod House Bistro in Inverness. I am also a member of The Villages Region Antique Automobile Club of America.
Living the lifestyle: ZiZi, my wife of 45 years, and I moved to The Villages in March 2017. I love everything about it—the town centers, the recreation centers, and the well-manicured neighborhoods.
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Villagers still celebrate Valentine’s Day with cards, flowers, and chocolates. Some also go out to dinner. A few decorate front doors with hearts or display a flag to mark the day.
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Do hearts throb for Valentine’s Day? Surprisingly, many Villagers still love the romance of the holiday. STORY: JOE ANGIONE
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n decades past, Valentine’s Day was a big deal for my wife and me. It was a time to officially reaffirm love for each other with a card in the shape of a big red heart filled with words of passionate love. Plus, I’d give her a box of chocolates and if I had a few extra bucks, some red roses. However, after 55 years of happy marriage, and the shared knowledge that we love each other every day, our attention to Valentine’s Day has mellowed some. Why should Valentine’s Day be a special day on calendars? The website history.com explains: “The day of romance we call Valentine’s Day is named principally for a Christian martyr, St. Valentine of Rome, dating back to the fifth century.” According to Wikipedia, St. Valentine was in prison for performing weddings for soldiers forbidden to get married. While imprisoned, he healed the daughter of his jailer, Asturias. Just before his
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death, he wrote her a letter and signed it “your Valentine” as a goodbye. Valentine’s Day was first associated with romantic love in the writings of Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century, when chivalry flourished and courtly love was an inspiration. But is Valentine’s Day too tainted by commercialism? Not for most Villagers. Here, the observance of this day of romance is a remembrance of love that endures. Villagers tell me Feb. 14 is still a meaningful day for spouses to show love remains strong and is for all time. They say they still celebrate Valentine’s Day with cards, flowers, and chocolates. Some also go out to dinner. A few decorate front doors with hearts or display a flag to mark the day. All agree Valentine’s Day has a sincere purpose that’s more than retail. And it’s not necessary to spend money to celebrate. Most important is expressing love, which can be as simple as an extra hug and a big kiss. One neighbor notes, “Valentine’s Day can be a lovely reminder to cherish love. Like many other holidays, it’s only as commercial and promotional as people choose to make it.” Another friend adds: “We celebrate Valentine’s Day because romance is fun, love is wonderful, and life is short.” I think most Villagers agree Valentine’s Day means being in love and showing love are among the greatest experiences of our lives.
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Right at home Villagers choose decorating ideas to fit their lifestyle. STORY: CHRIS GERBASI // PHOTOS: FRED LOPEZ
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illagers always bring a little—or a lot—of themselves to the community when they relocate, and their personalities are typically reflected in every aspect of their lives, from their golf carts to their lawn ornaments to their social clubs. Home decorating is no exception. Home interiors in The Villages are becoming more personalized to reflect the owner’s lifestyle, decorators say. “With decorating, you’re personalizing the house to suit your likes and dislikes, and to bring in things like pictures to make it more homey,” says Fran Mendelsohn, owner of Drab to Fab in The Villages.
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Decorating trends are dictated by location and the type of home, Fran says. The Villages’ homes have contemporary designs, and Villagers are following suit with modern approaches as they shed outdated belongings from their northern homes. After Susan and Tom Hayes moved from a traditional New England home in Connecticut, they had a blank slate to decorate at their Village of LaBelle house. “It’s challenging. It’s all like one big, open concept,” Susan says of decorating a Villages home. “Where does one room end and another one start?” Working with Lois Fuzzell, owner of Decorating Den Interiors in Fruitland Park, the couple
had two goals: they didn’t want the interior to look like an old person’s home, and they didn’t want it to look like they just dropped in their old furniture whether it fit or not. So they ditched most of their furnishings, except furniture from their Connecticut bedroom, which had been successfully remodeled to look like an upscale hotel room. At the new place, the couple had the interior and ceilings repainted, bought new rugs to replace old oriental rugs, got window treatments to frame the view of the nearby golf course, and added uncommon touches like a “statement piece” chandelier in the dining room, Susan says.
We wanted it to be comfortable and we wanted it to be modern. —TOM HAYES
They’re happy with the results. Susan calls the finished look “contemporary casual,” while Tom describes it as casual yet elegant. “We wanted it to be comfortable and we wanted it to be modern,” he says. Lois refers to the typical Villages interior as “tailored casual,” reflective of the laid-back vibe of a retirement village. In its 49th year, Decorating Den does many projects in The Villages and offers full-line decorating from concept to completion, specializing in custom window treatments and bedding. Lois hears a lot of talk among decorators and clients about the retro appeal of mid-century modern, which refers to mid-
20th-century developments in architecture and interior design. It’s a style with sleek angular lines combined with curved forms, slubby tweeds, textured weaves, and mid-tone wood finishes, and it’s perfect for the smaller spaces of downsizers like Villagers. “A lot of clients are going with this style, and it works well with Florida,” Lois says. “It’s very natural, open, and airy.” Villagers also love the outdoor life. Lanais and patios are common and, accordingly, outdoor living designs are popular, not just for matching interiors but some outdoor fabrics also are being used inside, Lois says. New technology in fabrics and frames is leading TOM AND SUSAN HAYES
now it just seems to be a lot simpler with cleaner lines, not a heavy look,” she says. As most Villagers are transplants from outside Florida, many don’t want to bring all their furniture with them because they’re typically moving into smaller houses. Fran helps them with downsizing decisions such as which pieces to keep, how to place them in the home, and how to choose artwork and accessories to go with the furniture. She also helps clients select a palette of colors and ties the whole look together. “They moved from up north and their colors are kind of dark and they want to come and pep things up a little bit, make it a little more cheery and summery,” Fran says. “There are quite a few people who like the Florida influence; I wouldn’t say beachy as such, but a little more colorful.” Four years after moving to The Villages from the Pittsburgh area, Linda and Greg Zimmerman still are making the transition from
Photo: Fred Lopez
to more stylish, functional, and durable outdoor furniture. “They want their outdoors to feel like it’s a continuation of their interior,” Lois says. As some Villagers transition from full-time work, they may choose to work part time, engage in computer-related hobbies, or become more active in social media. As a result, Decorating Den is designing more in-home offices. “A lot of residents use at least one of their rooms as a home office, and they’re becoming more functional and versatile—it could also be used as a guest bedroom or a TV room,” Lois says. The offices don’t necessarily look like offices, she says, but they are warm and inviting workspaces with leaner looks as opposed to traditional chunky desks and cabinetry. Most Villagers are getting away from large, heavy furniture in all rooms, says Fran, who has been decorating for 25 years overall and four years in The Villages. “There were trends of really heavy, gaudy type interiors, and
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What we have here is what we use. Comfort is our No. 1 goal. —LINDA ZIMMERMAN
northern to southern décor in their Village of Pinellas home. But they’re enjoying the process, Linda says. Their courtyard villa is smaller than their former house but roomy. They replaced much of their furniture after the move, and Lois helped with window treatments, furniture arrangement, and accessories. Linda says she particularly loves how the dining room and kitchen turned out. “We like clean lines,” she says. “It’s not very formal, it’s more of a cottage look. It’s eclectic. It’s not cluttered. What we have here is what we use. Comfort is our No. 1 goal.”
The couple also added a “lovely” lanai with a hot tub and plenty of seating for the times when they entertain, Linda says. Entertaining is a given for most Villagers, and Fran likes to find out those kinds of details about her clients. Knowing her clients helps her design a room, because every home interior is as distinctive as each homeowner’s personality. “Here in The Villages, it’s almost like one big family,” Fran says. “People entertain, neighbors come over, people gather, so you have to have a friendly home that’s not too formal. You don’t want people walking in and feeling like they can’t sit on your furniture.”
GREG AND LINDA ZIMMERMAN OLIVIA SAVOIE AND DOUG THARP
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Yin yoga Yin yoga is a workout for anyone, especially those looking to increase flexibility and strength. STORY: LEIGH NEELY // PHOTOS: FRED LOPEZ
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d and Louise Hanlon are ballroom instructors and dancers in The Villages. However, they make sure they’re feeling their best by attending weekly Yin yoga classes led by Clint Harris. “I think he’s a wonderful instructor,” Louise says. “He explains what you’re supposed to do and why you should do it. He also talks a lot about anatomy.” Ed adds, “I think it helps with our ballroom dancing.” Rather than deal with the familiar poses of Hatha yoga, Yin yoga is designed to work with the connective tissue called the fascia, the thin material that covers every muscle. “Hatha is physical yoga. You’re building muscle mass, strength, and bone density,” Clint says. “Yin is a great counter to Hatha on your fascia. It’s almost a friction, a film that allows muscles to pass by each other.” Clint says as people age, the fascia shrinks more than muscles do, and a full range of movement is needed to keep that mobility. “We move into a position, an active stretch but only as far as you can go and relax,” Clint says. “You find your sweet spot, the yin edge, and find the relaxation so your muscles begin to soften.” Yin yoga has a slower pace than other yogas, and the postures, or asanas, are held for a longer time. For beginners, it may be just 45 seconds or so, but more advanced students may stay in one position for five minutes or more. The point is to
build endurance to hold the pose longer, allowing the fascia to stretch. Clint began yoga classes just prior to retirement and laughingly says he did a rare thing for a man—he listened to all the instructions and set out to do it properly. He became so interested in yoga that he went into teacher training. When he retired, he taught classes regularly at the local health club. He has more than 200 hours of training in various yoga styles. Yin yoga is based on the Taoist concept of yin and yang—complementary principles in nature. Yin is stable and unmoving, the hidden aspect of things, while yang is ever moving and changing, revealing aspects of nature. The one requirement of Yin yoga is the relaxation of the muscles around the connective tissue to get a stretch. That’s why students must not push further than the body allows and attain longer poses as the connective tissue grows stronger. Clint, who is 67, retired in 2015 and began teaching classes in Beverly Hills, Michigan, where he lived. When he and his wife, Priscilla, moved to the Village of Lake Deaton later that year, there were no Yin yoga classes, and he decided to fill the need. The interest in his class has produced such growth that he now teaches two classes, but has no plans to do more than that.
“The right size for a class is 20, but more people keep coming, which is why I decided to add the second class,” Clint says. “This type of yoga is great for people with (multiple sclerosis) or those with fibromyalgia. It’s also very good for men, but there are so few men in the classes.” He says men actually need Yin yoga more than women, but the percentage of men remains much lower than women in his classes. “Yoga is not competitive, and it’s a kind activity. When you wrap into that meditation, the workout is gravy,” he says. “As soon as I take that first cleansing breath, I’m in the zone.” Clint firmly believes Yin yoga can take you back in time. “We have wrinkles because our muscles are so tight. When muscles are loosened, that recues wrinkles. It’s subtle but effective,” he says. It must work because he’s averaging 38 students in both classes. He does wish the yoga craze was penetrating the age group of The Villages like it is the younger generations. “My takeaway is that my students feel better and sleep better. That’s really the whole reason I do this,” Clint says. “Everything about yoga is immediately important to your lifestyle.”
This type of yoga is great for people with (multiple sclerosis) or those with fibromyalgia. It’s also very good for men, but there are so few men in the classes. —CLINT HARRIS
Yin yoga classes Wednesday, 2:30pm Moyer Recreation Center 3000 Moyer Loop The Villages Thursday, 5:30pm Burnsed Recreation Center 4019 Deskin Lane The Villages Instructor: Clint Harris 248.890.2175
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* BVOSOtK yR lE VeI E W
‘Thriving Through Uncertainty’ By Tama Kieves. Life can feel draining and overwhelming at times, and the author aims to guide readers past their fears to experience more joy. STORY: THERESA CAMPBELL
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Tama encourages her readers to discover what we want by exploring new things, meeting new people, and cherishing new experiences.
hriving Through Uncertainty: Moving Beyond Fear of the Unknown and Making Change Work for You” is filled with practical tips from a life coach with 30+ years’ experience who is candid about her own struggles and anxieties, which makes her relatable to the reader. The author’s prose—which ranges from offbeat humor to warm compassion—made me feel like I was having a one-on-one conversation with a wise, dear friend, one I could laugh or cry with, and one who “gets it.” It is refreshingly honest. “Step into the life you didn’t plan. Loosen up your control over everything you think needs to happen,” Tama writes, speaking from personal experience. A Harvard Law School graduate and working with a prestigious Denver law firm, she clearly wasn’t happy. Living the illusion of security, the “established, safe life” was killing her. She experienced freedom when she listened to her heart and trusted her inner wisdom. Of course, Tama had doubts, yet realized her own uncertainty was turning her toward following her passion to be a writer. Since leaving the legal profession, she has penned four books, is an inspirational speaker, and in demand as a life coach, helping people worldwide. “You don’t need to figure your whole life out at once,” Tama writes, adding preconceived ideas of what we “should” be doing prevents us from listening to our hearts. She encourages readers to embrace experiences that bring joy and gratitude, and consider the words of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Albert Einstein: “You can live as though nothing is a miracle. Or as if everything is a miracle.” “I do what I love,” Tama writes—the five simple italicized words in the book that really resonated with my soul. Her words were my calling to seek and savor joyful moments and not let widowhood define me. She encourages readers to discover what we want by exploring new things, meeting new people, and cherishing new experiences.
About the author Tama Kieves is an honors graduate of Harvard Law School who left her law practice to write. She is the bestselling author of “This Time I Dance! Creating the Work You Love,” “Inspired & Unstoppable” and “A Year Without Fear.” She has been in USA Today, on ABC News, Oprah Radio, and other national media. A sought-after speaker and visionary career-success and inspired-life coach who serves on the faculty of premier holistic learning institutes, including Omega and Esalen, Tama also has presented at TEDx.
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