Esplanade Lifestyle - Lake Club | Jan/Feb 2023

LIFESTYLE

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Kaitlyn Aldridge Lifestyle Manager 941-237-0258 Kaitlyn.Aldridge@TeamEsplanade.com

Alexis Perez Community Association Manager Alexis.Perez@TeamEsplanade.com

Tony Sahyoun Resort Manager 941-487-0075 Tony.Sahyoun@TeamEsplanade.com

MEMBER SERVICE

EsplanadeLakeClubLifestyle.com 800-720-0028

Hours: Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

COMMUNITY INFO

Esplanade Lake Club 11621 Venetian Lagoon Drive Fort Myers, FL 33913

TAYLOR MORRISON SALES

Sales Gallery Mon-Sat, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sun, 12 - 6 p.m.

Berch Gannon: 239-253-4273 BGannon@TaylorMorrison.com

Christine Mangano: 239-565-0030 CMangano@TaylorMorrison.com

Joanna Ritchie: 239-443-8161 JRitchie@TaylorMorrison.com

Krista Edwards: 239-560-6303 KEdwards@TaylorMorrison.com

PULTE SALES

Isabel Lord Sales Consultant Isabel.Lord@Pulte.com 239-788-4821

SEAGATE SALES

Jeff Garard JGarard@SeagateDevelopmentGroup.com

Letter From the Lifestyle Team

KAITLYN ALDRIDGE YOUR LIFESTYLE MANAGER

Happy New Year Lake Club!

Wow can you even believe it is 2023? This year, I am making the resolution to bring new activities and events for all of you to participate in. I am excited to say that with the opening of our brandnew Resort Amenity Campus there are many more opportunities to make new connections with neighbors and friends and find more fun here at Lake Club.

To start this year on the right foot, we hope you join us for our monthly Member Mingler. This month the theme is family favorites! Bring a family favorite recipe or your culture’s signature dish and share with your neighbors. We will also be taking our first offsite kayaking excursion for a change of scenery to celebrate National Florida Day. We’re definitely not forgetting our four-legged family members, as we’ll be getting together for pups and pints at the Bark Park!

There are so many exciting activities and events that are on the horizon this year and I cannot wait to see all our Lake Club Members enjoying the amenities and participating in all things Lifestyle.

I would like to kindly remind everyone that as our community grows, it is extremely important to register for all activities, as well as cancel any registrations, in a timely manner. This allows us to accurately anticipate the total attendance and ensure the most enjoyable Lifestyle programming for our Members! Sometimes activities and events require a participation minimum, so we also want to make sure we are meeting certain guidelines to host these activities.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or suggestions you may have. We are always looking to bring new things to enhance your Lifestyle here at Lake Club! We’ve had many Members make some great suggestions for events and I am happy to say you will see some of those added to our calendar this coming year!

Tony Sahyoun

YOUR RESORT MANAGER

Tony comes to the Esplanade Lake Club community from a career in the hospitality industry, specifically in hotels. He was the Wyndham Hotels & Resorts General Manager of the Year in 2008, but was more excited when one of his Room Attendants won Heart of the House Employee of the Year as well. His hotel took away two of the five awards that year and was a finalist in another category.

He grew up in hotels, but never thought he’d follow in his father’s footsteps during those summers he worked for his dad. In between semesters at the University of Texas, Tony worked as a Front Desk Clerk and, as they say, the rest is history.

Born in Canada, he was raised in Alexandria, Virginia, graduating from TC Williams High School. That’s the high school from which the movie, Remember the Titans was based. After spending more than 40 years in Texas, Tony and his wife Julie moved here from Austin last year to be closer to family.

Desiring a change from the hotel environment, Tony got his license and was a Community Association Manager for the past 14 months before joining our team. His number one goal in bringing on future associates is to create a culture of service for the Members by treating everyone with the respect they deserve, providing an atmosphere where team members enjoy coming to work, while still holding them accountable. He is a hands-on manager and you are likely to run into him more at the pool straightening lounge chairs, or assisting in the Bahama Bar, than in his office.

He has said more than once, to more than one person, “I haven’t been this excited about a new challenge in a very long time. For however long it lasts, I hope this is my last job. I am looking forward to getting to know more Members by name and create that resort-style atmosphere they are looking for here at Esplanade Lake Club.”

Around Town

ARTFEST FORT MYERS

February 3-5 | Friday: 6 - 9 p.m. | Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Downtown Fort Myers | artfestfortmyers.com

ArtFest will once again enliven the Fort Myers waterfront. Enjoy exceptional art by more than 200 selected artists, plus lively entertainment, delicious food, and fun children’s art activities. Overlooking the beautiful Downtown Fort Myers riverfront and yacht basin, this FREE art event welcomes all members of the greater Southwest Florida community. *Please note this is a local event and not hosted or sponsored by Esplanade in any way.

Seaside Social and Amenity Center Grand Opening

Unwind in the simple elegance of a seaside social while refreshing your senses with delectable bites, thirst quenching sips and serene sounds. More details coming soon!

We Want to Meet Your Furry Friends

Please join us for the following pet-friendly events!

WAGS & WALKS

Monday, January 23 | 9:30 a.m. Sales Gallery

Join us as we gather our four-legged friends for a beautiful walk through the community. Bring along your water and your furry friends. Our walk will begin at the Sales Gallery and end at the Dog Park for some puppy play time.

PUPS & PINTS

Friday, February 3 | 5:30 p.m. Bark Park

Join us for our first ever Pups and Pints! Head to the Bark Park for Yappy Hour. Bring along your favorite beverage; while you enjoy your drink, the pups will play!

WANT TO FEATURE YOUR PET?

Contact your Lifestyle Manager to be featured in the next edition of the Lifestyle Magazine. Answer a few questions about your furry, feathery, or scaly friend and share a couple pictures.

Strawberry Sugar Scrub

This easy DIY sugar scrub makes a great self-care gift this Valentine’s Day. The recipe makes two eight-ounce jars.

INGREDIENTS

» 1 cup cane sugar

» 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries

» 3/4 cup coconut oil, room temperature

» 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Add the freeze-dried strawberries to your food processor bowl and blitz them until it becomes a fine powder. Set it aside.

2. Add cane-sugar, room temperature coconut oil and vanilla extract to your mixing bowl.

3. Mix the contents of your bowl with a spoon until combined, then add the freeze-dried strawberry powder until all ingredients are combined.

4. Spoon into your glass jars and it’s ready to use!

FOOD

TRULLI PASTA

Onsite once a month. 239-263-8009 trullipasta.com

BETTER THAN A BISTRO

Onsite Every Other Tuesday, 2:30 - 6 p.m. - Bob & Jay: 781-985-9859 betterthanabistro.com

FRESH CATCH FISH COMPANY

Pre-order fish for delivery onsite. Call: 941-276-5115 freshcatchfishco.com

HOME SERVICES

ZINGA’S

DRY CLEANING

PRISTINE FINE DRY CLEANING

10% Off Dry Cleaning, Tailoring & Alterations Contact: Scott Boyd 239-263-3600 bestdrycleaningnaples.com

Cooking & Cocktail Series GRILLIN’ & CHILLIN’ & 3 PILLARS OF PIZZA

Our Members have thoroughly enjoyed our Cooking & Cocktail Culinary Series this past year. Patrick wowed the crowd by grilling up some delicious steaks and smoking a few old fashioned cocktails. He also took the cake, or shall we say slice, with his homemade pizza paired with some tasty wines! We cannot wait to see what Patrick comes up with this year, but one thing for sure is that these special events will sell out so be sure to register!

Benefits of Walking

Walking is a great way to improve or maintain your overall health. Just 30 minutes every day can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance. It can also reduce your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers. Unlike some other forms of exercise, walking is free and doesn’t require any special equipment or training. You carry your own body weight when you walk. This is known as weight-bearing exercise. Some of the benefits include:

» Increased cardiovascular and pulmonary (heart and lung) fitness

» Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke

» Stronger bones and improved balance

» Improved management of conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, joint and muscular pain or stiffness, and diabetes

» Increased muscle strength and endurance

» Reduced body fat

To get the health benefits, try to walk for at least 30 minutes as briskly as you can on most days of the week. ‘Brisk’ means that you can still talk but not sing, and you may be puffing slightly. Moderate activities such as walking pose little health risk but, if you have a medical condition, check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program of physical activity. Article source: betterhealth.vic. gov.au/health/healthyliving/walking-for-good-health.

Highlighting the Good

We would like to extend a special THANK YOU to all the Members who participated in the Esplanade Connect projects we completed this past year in 2022. The projects included the Spring Cleaning Supplies Clean Out, the Back to School Supply Drive, Laces of Love, and Toys for Tots.

This coming year we would love to help the community you love. We know that our Members are passionate about connecting with the local community through philanthropic opportunities and charitable giving. We want to share the ways you are making our community a more positive place! Contact your Lifestyle Manager with opportunities, stories and photos of your most recent charitable efforts or ones that we can get involved in!

Upcoming Events

Take a peek at the lineup of events we are planning. All events and activities are subject to change. Please visit esplanadelakeclublifestyle.com to see the most up-to-date information on upcoming events.

CARDS & COCKTAILS

Thursday, January 12 | 6 - 8 p.m.

Sales Gallery

Enjoy a night of friends and friendly competition with a card and cocktails night! Bring along your favorite beverage as we get together to play a variety of card games! All skill levels are welcome as this will be a great opportunity for you to learn a new game. Some of the games that may be played are Canasta, Hand & Foot, Bridge, Euchre, pitch and even poker! Games will vary that evening depending on who would like to play what, but fun will be had by all. Registration is required and we must meet a minimum of 12 Members to host.

POSE & POUR

Friday, January 13 | 6 p.m.

Sales Gallery | $8 Per Member, $10 Per Under Contract or Guest

Do you want to improve your strength, balance, and flexibility all while having a little fun? Join us for our first wellness class of the year. Yoga is an excellent form of exercise to improve flexibility. Registration is required and a minimum of 6 Members to host.

FAMILY FAVORITE POTLUCK

Thursday, January 19 | 6 p.m.

Sales Gallery

Are you new to Esplanade or want to get to know more Members in your community? Bring your favorite beverage and an appetizer or dish to share that is either a family favorite or even your culture’s staple. We love getting to know our Members and what better way to get to know someone than through delicious food! Registration is required and we must meet a minimum of 20 Members to host.

KAYAKING WITH MANATEES

Saturday, January 21 | 9 a.m. Offsite

Gather with your Lake Club friends and neighbors for a morning paddle. This 2-hour guided tour explores local sea life and meanders through the mangrove tunnels. All skill levels are welcome. Be sure to register in advance for this event. Both tandem and single kayaks are available.

KNIFE SHARPENING

Wednesday, February 1 | 8 a.m. Sales Gallery Parking Lot

Steven from Kitchen Kutz Mobile Knife Sharpening will be onsite offering state of the art knife sharpening services ($6 per knife), restoring your tools of culinary craftmanship to their most optimal razor sharpness. Knives may be dropped off in the morning and picked up before 12 p.m.

FOOTBALL TAILGATE

Sunday, February 12 | 4:30 p.m. Sales Gallery

Join us for a great afternoon filled with football, tailgate food (hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, cole slaw, potato salad, and dessert), and corn hole. Wear your favorite team colors and represent where you’re from! Have a blast bringing your favorite beverage as we enjoy our version of the tailgate before the big game!

Upcoming Events

Take a peek at the lineup of events we are planning. All events and activities are subject to change. Please visit esplanadelakeclublifestyle.com to see the most up-to-date information on upcoming events.

NOT SO NEWLY WED GAME

Friday, February 17 | 6 p.m.

Sales Gallery

In honor of Valentine’s Day we would love to put your love to the test!

Join us for the Not So Newly Wed game and see how well you know your partner. Compete for prizes provided by your Lifestyle Team. Bring along your favorite beverage for this fun competition trivia style game night.

Monthly Member Meetings

FAT TUESDAY MARDI GRAS MINGLER

Tuesday, February 21 | 6 p.m.

Sales Gallery

Join us for another Member Mingler, this time with a special Mardi Gras twist! Feel free to bring along an appetizer to share as well as your favorite beverage. Your Lifestyle Team will provide the Mardi Gras flare with king cake and live jazz entertainment. Registration is required and we must meet a minimum of 20 Members to host.

COFFEE & CONVERSATION

Tuesdays, January 10 & February 14 9:30 a.m. | Sales Gallery

Join your Lifestyle Manager for a relaxing and informative meeting over Zoom. Find out what’s happening on the social scene. Bring your questions and suggestions.

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

Wednesdays, January 25 & February 22 11 a.m. | Virtual

Join your Community Association Manager and discuss neighborhood happenings in a relaxed and social atmosphere. Please contact your CAM to attend.

ESPLANADE 101

Wednesdays, | January 25 & February 22 2 p.m. | Virtual

New Members can meet with the CAM and Lifestyle Manager to briefly discuss HOA and Lifestyle topics outlined in your Member Handbook. Sign on with your questions.

New Year, New Recruits ... Join In!

Poker, Mahjong, Canasta and so many more! We are looking to organize a variety of card groups as well as mahjong and pickleball. If you are interested in creating an interest group or social club, please reach out to your Lifestyle Manager. We need a minimum amount of interested parties for each group in order to host properly. Stay tuned to your weekly Lifestyle emails for updates.

TENNIS CLUB

Any Member interested in organized or drop in tennis activities, this group is for you! Our tennis group is hoping to form teams in league play for the future as well! If you are interested in being a part of our Esplanade Lake Club Tennis Group, please reach out to Member Joan Zitzke at tomandjoanzitzke@gmail.com.

Tips to Maintain Your New Year’s Resolutions!

Are you making a resolution in the new year? Warning: More than half of all resolutions fail, but this year they don’t have to. Here’s how to identify the right resolution to improve your life, create a plan on how to reach it, and become part of the small group of people that successfully achieve their goal.

» Pick the Right Resolution – Choose a measurable goal that is obtainable.

» Create Your Plan – Have clear action steps to complete that goal.

» Start When You’re Ready – No one said you have to begin on January 1.

» Track Your Progress – Try having a resolution or goal partner that way you have accountability to someone other than yourself.

» Learn from Your Mistakes – Don’t let set backs hold you back from continuing on with your goals.

According to a 2009 study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, it takes 18 to 254 days for a person to form a new habit. The study also concluded that, on average, it takes 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic. So, all it takes is a first step to create something new.

14-Day Healthy Habit Challenge

Start the New Year off right with this 14-day challenge to jump start your health and wellness goals.

» Day 1: Listen to a podcast about healthy habits.

» Day 2: Create a step goal and achieve it daily (strive for at least 8,000 steps per day).

» Day 3: Commit to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity.

» Day 4: Identify your vices and abstain.

» Day 5: Drink more water (drink half your weight in ounces).

» Day 6: Meditate for 10 minutes every morning.

» Day 7: Go “screen-free” for at least 1 hour before bed.

» Day 8: Stretch before bed.

» Day 9: Sleep at least 7-9 hours.

» Day 10: Exercise your brain (start a puzzle or complete a crossword).

» Day 11: Avoid grocery shopping on an empty stomach and have a list.

» Day 12: Create a meal plan for the week.

» Day 13: Feast on meals with seasonally inspired fruits and vegetables.

» Day 14: Try a new Fitness Class!

National Bloody Mary Day W

hether it’s your go-to hangover cure or just your favorite cocktail for Sunday brunch and game day, the Bloody Mary is an absolute classic. To celebrate National Bloody Mary Day on January 1, we are showcasing a delicious recipe! If you try this recipe at home on National Bloody Mary Day, share it with us on our Facebook page and you will be entered to win a prize!

INGREDIENTS

» Bloody Mary salt, for rim

» 2 ounces vodka

» 4 ounces tomato juice

» 1/2 ounce lemon juice

» 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

» 2 to 4 dashes hot sauce, to taste

» 1/2 teaspoon horseradish

» 1/2 teaspoon celery salt

» 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

» 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

» Don’t forget to garnish - celery stick, olives, bacon, pickles, the list of choices is endless

DIRECTIONS

1. Place Bloody Mary rim salt on a plate. Rub a lime wedge around the edge of a Collins or Highball glass. Roll the rim of the glasses in the salt to coat the rim. Add ice cubes to the glass.

2. To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add vodka, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, celery salt, sea salt, black pepper and horseradish.

3. Shake well and pour into the prepared glass. Embellish with your favorite garnishes.

NATIONAL CHILI COOK-OFF

Thursday, February 23 | 6 p.m.

Sales Gallery

National Chili Day is the fourth Thursday in February. Naturally, in true Esplanade fashion, we are celebrating! To observe this great day honoring one of America’s favorite winter dishes, we will be hosting our first Chili Cook-Off extravaganza! We’ll need at least five participants to showcase their chili and limitless taste testers! Taste testers will receive one ticket upon arrival to place in the bucket beside their favorite chili. First and second place winners with the most tickets in their buckets will be awarded as our community chili masters. Feel free to bring your own favorite beverages! Registration required. Please indicate in your registration if you’d like to enter the contest or if you are coming for moral support as a taste tester.

Restoring the Gulf of Mexico

From the National Wildlife Federation

The Gulf of Mexico is an incredible haven for wildlife—home to approximately 15,000 unique species of wildlife, including 28 types of dolphins and whales, 49 species of sharks, and five different sea turtles.

The National Wildlife Federation has long worked to improve the health of the Gulf of Mexico for people and wildlife, and to protect the way of life of the 50 million people who live near the Gulf. Over the decades, we have championed the restoration of Louisiana’s rapidlyeroding Mississippi River Delta, advocated for the restoration of the Everglades, and protected freshwater flowing to the Texas coast.

When the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, causing significant harm across the Gulf, we were a leading voice calling for justice for the Gulf and championing using the fines resulting from the spill on comprehensive ecosystem restoration.

We are currently focused on ensuring that key coastal habitats are restored and that we move quickly to increase the Gulf’s resilience to sea level rise and other impacts of climate change—with an emphasis on natural defenses such as barrier islands, oyster reefs, floodplains, wetlands and mangroves. We also advocate for protecting wildlife and natural systems in the deeper waters of the Gulf.

The National Wildlife Federation has a long history of advocacy in the Gulf of Mexico. Here are just a few of our accomplishments:

» Helped secure passage of the RESTORE Act in 2012 in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon disaster--and we are still advocating for the use of Deepwater Horizon penalties on meaningful restoration projects today.

» Contributed to the Louisiana Coastal Master Plan, which addresses the state’s land-loss crisis by restoring wetlands, barrier islands and reconnecting the river with its delta.

» Helped shape the recommendations for more than $1 billion in projects to restore the vast area damaged by the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) shipping canal.

» Championed the comprehensive Everglades restoration plan in 2000 and have continued to advocate for key elements in that plan on Capitol Hill.

» Influenced the creation of Texas’ Coastal Resilience Master Plan.

Read more about how the NWF is helping to protect our waters at nwf.org/Our-Work/Waters/Gulf-Restoration

LIVING WITH WILDLIFE: MANATEES

Date & Time TBD - Stay Tuned to Member Emails Sales Gallery

Swim on by for another wildlife lecture. This time our focus will be all about manatees in celebration of National Florida Day, so be sure to register for this informative seminar on one of our favorite local species. Registration is required.

EsplanadeLakeClubLifestyle.com