Last night about 10:30 I sent out an email with a link to download the new and much improved 2010 version of Complete Guide to The Villages to more than 600 people who have bought the book and registered to receive future updates.

The feedback so far for the 2010 edition has been astounding:

“Really appreciate the update! Thanks.” – Diana Ballard

“Thank you very much for the update. I appreciate it. I enjoy any news I can get about the Villages. I hope I can move there someday ” – Debbie Mallas-Smith

“Thanks for the update. Anyone who lives in The Villages or is contemplating a move to The Villages, needs to read your book. GREAT JOB…Thanks!” – Tom Higgins

“I have enjoyed the book and look forward to reading your updated version.” – Dave Peuquet

“I enjoyed the hard cover book. Just received it recently. I find the information really useful and read many things I probably would not have thought of. My wife and I will be visiting The Villages in March so we’ll begin to see if it looks like the place for us!” – Jeff Plamann

“Ryan, We always appreciate and look forward to your updates! We visited the Villages again this past November and can’t wait to return. Thanks again for your update! We always read them from beginning to end!” – The Pedersen’s

Selling books is great, but the feedback and interaction I get with great people all over the country is really what makes it all worthwhile.

Last year in The Villages was typical of what one has come to expect from this truly active “active adult” community. There were festivals and plays and evening town square concerts, bicycle and motorcycle rides, golf carts drill teams and even a drive-in holiday parade. There was woodworking and walking, model train events and health fairs.

Perfect games were bowled, softballs were pitched and pickleball was played. Funds were raised for children, vets and pets. There were classic car cruise-ins, new construction and a bevy of new places to eat (including Gator’s Dockside, Cody’s Roadhouse, Red Lobster and Sonny’s BBQ).

All the while, national events played out and brought their influence to the area — bank bailouts, reeling hits to the auto industry and small businesses, the death of a rock star and a new President.

January 2009 started out with a cold snap in The Villages. The Circuit City in Rolling Acres Plaza ducked and bobbed, trying to survive news of the chain’s nationwide closings. Also, State Farm, one of the largest insurers in the state, announced it would stop home and business coverage in Florida, leaving several Villagers scrambling for alternatives. (They’ve just recently decided to stay). Meanwhile, The Villages was only a short step away from becoming the number one pickleball community in the nation.

In February, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at its lowest level in more than six years and President Obama signed a $787 billion economic rescue plan. And, though not necessarily a sound economic plan, thousands turned out to play Powerball, now available in Florida. The first live television broadcast of the Powerball lottery drawing was held in Spanish Springs Town Square.

In March, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, visited The Villages for polo’s famed Camacho Cup. The rivalry match between US and Mexico was played for the first time in more than 20 years at The Villages’ own world-class polo stadium. Tennis great Billie Jean King also made an appearance in March, speaking about diabetes at The Villages’ Healthy Living Expo.

April was teatime in The Villages. Joining groups across the nation, some Villagers staged a “Tax Day Tea Party” near Lake Mira Mar to protest too much government spending and too many taxes. The Swine Flu got its first US victim, in Texas, and General Motors announced plans to cut nearly 21,000 jobs and to scrap the Pontiac brand. Also in The Villages, construction began on the new Seabreeze Recreation Center, near Buena Vista Blvd.

School let out for the summer in May, and The Villages’ recreation department revved up their Camp Villages, giving residents a novel way to spend time with their grandkids. Patriotic Villagers turn out at any number of Memorial Day activities, both somber and festive, and area residents begin to gear up for hurricane season.

In June, Florida law enforcement began pulling drivers over simply for not wearing their seat belts. Previously, it took another offense to stop a driver, with seatbelt tickets issued as an unfortunate add-on. The Villages’ Wellness Center finally moved into its new home in the La Reina Building at Spanish Springs. And on June 25, Villagers joined the nation in shock and grief over the death of actress, Farrah Fawcett and singer Michael Jackson.

During the first half of 2009, America was trying to re-stabilize from economic hard times, but new business, construction and attitudes stayed strong in The Villages. With summer starting to peak, Villagers continued to take the economy in stride. There was more: more fetes, festivals and fundraising; more golf, golf carts and go-getters; more books, bowling and new business – and politicians and pundits a plenty.

July kicked off the summer festival and art show season. The Fourth of July was celebrated in the town squares and The Waterfront Inn at Lake Sumter Landing earned an Expedia Insider Select 2009 hotel designation. The national award is given based on reviews from Expedia travel site users.

“Cash for Clunkers” was the big news in August. Auto dealerships in The Villages reported strong sales during the first part of the year, bucking the national trend, but they also had several takers for government’s used car rebate program. Also in The Villages, ground was broken for the Morse Boulevard construction project.


In September, word-champion pool player Allison Fisher shot a few games with Villagers at a Savannah Center event. After an exhibition, players paid $20 each to take on the champ, with proceeds going to the local Ladies Billiards Association. The Villages’ Charter School celebrated its 10th anniversary and the Coldwater Creek store opened in Lake Sumter Landing.

Federal stimulus dollars helped put one enterprising golf cart dealer in the national spotlight in October. Using loopholes in the program, The Villages Cart Man devised a plan for Villagers to “Get a Free Golf Cart or make $2,000 doing absolutely nothing!” Meanwhile Villagers got baseball. The Lake County Black Bears, based in nearby Leesburg, regularly competed against the other three teams in the Florida Winter Baseball League.

Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin returned to The Villages in November to sign copies of her autobiography, Going Rouge. Mike Huckabee and John Beck also visited the Lake Sumter Landing Barnes and Noble to promote their books. Glenn Beck wrote Arguing with Idiots, and Mike Huckabee penned the holiday tale, A Simple Christmas. Also in November, construction on a new a VA healthcare facility was well underway. The 90,000-square-foot Villages Outpatient Clinic is expected to serve area veterans by sometime in 2010.

Polo wrapped up for the year in December, with almost 23,000-plus people having attended the matches. Ground was broken for The Villages Sumter County Service Center, which is slated to be the new home of The Villages Public Library and several government offices. Area business reported strong holidays sales and Villagers celebrated the season with a drive-in parade, with cars and golf carts lining the grounds of The Villages polo club. Tragedy stuck, however, as an early morning fire broke out in a home in the Village of Southern Trace. The home was destroyed, but the two residents and their dog were rescued from the fire.

Moving into 2010, The Villages once again began the new year with a cold snap – this time with snow. The weather though, has never been a barrier to Villagers enjoying their more-than-active-lifestyle. Already this year there have been performances, sporting events and efforts to raise funds — pickleball for cancer, a blood drive for Haiti… As always in The Villages, there is more to come. Be sure to subscribe here to get all of our updates and the latest news about The Villages.

The opportunity to learn something new is one of the things residents value about The Villages. For a number of Villagers, polo is one of the new things they have discovered. With a polo stadium in their “backyard,” Villagers turn out en mass for the matches. They fill the stands, line the field with lawn chairs and tailgate (from their golf carts) before the action. It seems that once exposed to this fast-paced equestrian sport they become instant fans.

Basically, a polo match consists of several chukkers, or periods, each lasting seven minutes. During a period, four players on horseback from each team take the field and, using a long-handled mallet, try to score by knocking a hard plastic ball through their opponent’s goal. The game was originated in Persia around the 5th Century B.C. (or earlier, according to some experts) and was originally used as an exercise to train cavalry units.

Polo has been a part of The Villages for the last decade. The active-adult community not only has its own polo team, but a state-of-the art polo stadium. The Villages Polo Stadium has three fields and an exercise track, 15 paddocks and team locker rooms. The Villages hosts Spring and Fall matches, and draws some of the largest crowds in the US, with more than 30,000 spectators a year. With the stadium comes executive boxes, television coverage, a booster club, and even the occasional visit from royalty — as was the case when Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, came to watch the 2009 Camacho Cup.

Revived after a 21-year hiatus, The Camacho Cup is one of the many high-profile matches played in The Villages. The renowned event was first played in 1941 and is a match between the US and Mexico. More than 4,000 fans were on hand for the March 2009 event, which was won, late in the game by Mexico (16-15). The Villages has also hosted a women’s world cup event and several smaller matches.

Since polo is a new sport for so many in the area, The Villages Polo Club devotes a part of their web site to a Polo 101.

Accompanying the tutorial is a glossary of lingo for the sport, where newbies can find out the meaning of terms like bump offs, spares and made ponies, and learn that, though called “ponies,” polo mounts are full-sized horses.

Right now, The Villages is preparing for it’s Spring season, which runs mid March through May. The fall season continues from September through November.

Might want to think twice about leaving that snow shovel behind when you move to The Villages. Lots of areas in Florida including The Villages got a winter dusting this morning. Just had to post a picture here…this doesn’t happen very often

When one first thinks of shopping options in The Villages, the two town squares are the first locations that come to mind; Spanish Springs Town Square with its southwest flair, and Lake Sumter Landing Market Square, with its cozy seaside feel. These mixed-use commercial areas were especially designed for The Villages seem to offer most anything a Villager could want — fast food to fine dining, movie theaters, groceries to gifts and shops for everyone from the pampered pet to the home decorator or avid golfer.  However, there are other retail and professional areas in The Villages – all just a quick car ride or golf cart trip away.

Mulberry Grove Plaza – Mulberry Grove is a retail shopping center anchored by Publix super market and Beall’s Outlet. There are fast food and casual dining options and other clothing and retail stores. There is also a Circle K convenience store where you can grab those must-have items.

Spanish Plaines -Spanish Plaines is a retail shopping center anchored by a Publix grocery store, which also has a liquor store. In Spanish Plaines you can get specialty pet food at Whole Earth Pet Supply or grab a sub and pick up a movie at Blockbuster. The plaza also has a dry cleaner and a UPS shipping store. This shopping center is close to The Villages Regional Hospital and Denny’s.

La Plaza Grande – Here you can find fast food favorites like KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Burger King and Wendy’s, plus other casual dining choices like Applebee’s. You have two grocery choices with both Publix and Winn-Dixie, and clothing store choices ranging from Belk to the clearance center for Beall’s, and Darlene’s Factory Outlet.

Rolling Acres Plaza – Rolling Acres is home to Target. If you can’t find what you need there, try the variety of clothing stores (TJ Maxx, Beall’s Outlet and Ross), Petco, Walgreen’s or one of the home stores like Pier One or Mattress Giant.  There is also a Staples office store, a CVS pharmacy and The Villages Golf Shop. Grab a bite at Chick-Fil-A, Carrabba’s Italian Grill or at Outback Steakhouse.

Colony Plaza – Colony Plaza serves as the southern entrance to The Villages from the Florida Turnpike in Sumter County. It’s anchored by Publix Supermarket and offers a variety of professional services (a bank, barber shop, vision centers, a chiropractor and an insurance agency, plus, Properties of The Villages, the place to buy your home in The Villages). You can purchase your own golf cart at The Villages Golf Cars, and you might be able to pick up that air freshener for the rear view mirror at the Dollar Outlet. McDonalds and Subway are among the food options here.

Southern Trace – Southern Trace Plaza is anchored by Publix Supermarket and Bealls. Here you can find ACE Hardware, Miracle Ear, BonWorth and professionals like a doctor, dentist and chiropractor. Eat at IHOP, Crisper’s (soup, salad and sandwiches), Beef-O-Brady’s neighborhood pub, or Taco Bell.

Buffalo Ridge – Buffalo Ridge was named 2007’s Best New Retail Development in Central Florida by the Orlando Business Journal. This power center is anchored by the Wal-Mart Super Center and readily connects with The Villages golf cart trail via cart tunnels at CR 101 (near Beall’s) and 103 (near Wal-Mart). Get your hair or nails done here, take the dog to the vet or get your car fix. Grab a bite at Olive Garden, Steak-n-Shake , Red Lobster, the Golden Corral buffet or the more up-scale Bonefish seafood restaurant. Services include Allstate and Edward Jones.

For more on Publix and Winn-Dixie see Grocery Shopping in The Villages. Sweetbay Supermarket, another grocery store in The Villages is also profiled in a separate article.

To bring shopping and socialization to residents of The Villages, developers of the community built two main town squares, Spanish Springs Town Square, with its southwest flavor, and Lake Sumter Landing Market Square.

Much like its sister square, Lake Sumter Landing Market Square combines shops and services and provides an arena for performances and community events, but this time with the look and feel of a small seaside village, complete with a waterfront and a lighthouse. There is live entertainment every night, and many special celebrations throughout the year.

Lakeshore Drive runs along Lake Sumter and connects with Old Camp Road to encircle the shopping and recreation area. In total, there is 510,555 square feet of restaurants, specialty retail and office space, anchored by the 8-screen Old Mill Playhouse.

Restaurants and lodging are located to take advantage of the lakefront views. The 120-room boutique hotel, Waterfront Inn combines old Florida charm with modern amenities and luxury. Among its up-scale offerings are hi-speed Internet, flat-screen TVs and 300-thread count sheets. There is a lobby lounge, serving light fare with its drink specials, and the hotel’s signature restaurant, Amelia’s, where guest can order up Southern cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Other restaurants along Lake Sumter include: Cody’s Roadhouse, a chain, possibly familiar to those from North Carolina or Maine; RJ Gator’s, a seafood grill, featuring alligator dishes, coconut shrimp and Key lime pie; and the casual dining, Lighthouse Pointe.

Cody's In Lake Sumter Landing. Photo Courtesy The Villages Daily Photo.

Other dining options in Market Square are studded among the shops and offices. Choices include Sonny’s BBQ, Johnny Rocket’s burger joint, Redsauce (Italian), pizza, Asian food, ice cream, subs, a tea room and a chocolatier. Plus, a TGI Friday’s is on the way.

Other shops and offices in Lake Sumter Market Square (as of October 2009) include:

Offices and Personal Services:
The Villages Sales and Information Center,  Citizen’s First Mortgage, AAA Travel, The Villages Insurance, a title company and the investment company, Sabal Trust. Personal services include a barbershop and a hair salon and spa.

Clothing and shoes:
Bass shoes, Izod, VanHeusen, and specialty shops like Caribongo, which sells clothes and accessories that change colors, and Natural Discoveries which sells clothes made from natural fibers.

Market Square can’t be beat for home and gift options. They have stores that sell scrapbooking supplies, She Scrapbooks, and one that sells treats for the pooch–and the cat. (The Grateful Dog). The Purple Pig’s gift offerings include things like messenger bags, travel mug and inspirational items. GarVinos sells wine and cigars. If you need that ring or brooch, you can pick one up at Arden’s Fine Jewelry. And don’t forget the card from the Hallmark shop.

To get around The Villages, stop into Village Golf Carts for your own street-legal golf cart. And if you need a ride to or from the airport, Villages Transportation has a shuttle service.

When you’re ready for groceries, Sweetbay Supermarket can be found in Market Square, and the next time a famous politician comes out with a book, catch up with them (or at least buy the book) at the Sumter Landing Barnes and Noble. The bookstore has had recent visits from Glenn Beck, Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin, who visiting The Villages for a second time, on her Going Rogue tour.

Barnes & Noble - Lake Sumter Landing. Courtesy The Villages Daily Photo.

Find live images of Lake Sumter Landing Market Square via their web cam.

For some in The Villages, preparing for the holidays with temperatures in the 70s is a new adventure. However, following the lead of The Villages old-timers, residents are learning to celebrate the season without snow.

Winter in The Villages. Photo courtesy The Villages Daily Photo.

This week there was a menorah lighting at Spanish Springs Town Square and a Christmas parade beginning at The Villages Polo Club. Another parade and Winter Fest, also took place in the neighboring town of Wildwood. More decorations came out and more holiday lights are appeared in windows. There were Christmas teas, school kids singing, gift exchanges – and yes, lines at the post office.

While ‘tis the season, there was, of course, was more happening in The Villages this week besides Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations. There was a pet adoption day at The Buffalo Ridge Animal Hospital and a group of veterans on bicycles road through the area.

The pet adoption day was part of a Central Florida pet adoption effort sponsored by the animal hospital and Petco. More than a dozen area rescue groups were on hand with dogs and cats needing homes – and they found them. Early reports from the Buffalo Ridge staff indicate about 20 pets will be moving into The Villages.

While Villagers were adopting pets, more than 150 wounded veterans embarked on a 6-day, 350-mile ride from Tampa to Jacksonville as part of Ride 2 Recover. The ride will raise money for indoor and outdoor rehabilitation programs for injured veterans. As the riders reached Lady Lakes and Wildwood, local American Legion Posts provided meals.

And then there were sports. Fall season neighborhood softball come to an end and, both men and women’s teams finished up the last of their 72 holes to close out the 2009 The Villages Golf Championship.

The Senior State Games, however, dominated the sports news. Sunday’s track and field events closed the nine-day competition. More than 1,700 athletes competed in 23 events with Villagers placing in a myriad of events. Results from the Senior Games can be found at the Florida Sports Foundation web site.

Villagers have many entries in the games’ record books, but five residents dominate their sports. In conjunction with the state games, The Florida Sports Foundation named the most awarded athletes over the last decade. Five residents of The Villages, all women, were on the list. Categories taken by Villagers included track and field, pickleball, horseshoes, golf and badminton.

Activities are abundant for residents of The Villages – golf, pickleball, tennis, daily live entertainment at the town squares, polo, lectures, clubs of all varieties and service groups. If that is not enough, the community also has The Villages Lifelong Learning College, a program offering personal enrichment for active adults.

Offering classes all year, with new courses beginning each moth, the motto of the college is “No tests, grades, pressure. Just Fun.” And fun they have, with students learning how to do everything from how to twirl a baton to how to be a clown. The residents even seem to have fun learning serious subjects too; taking real estate classes and learning the details of social security.

The college was created to provide a forum for intellectual stimulation and exchange and to enhance the students’ awareness and involvement in life. While the school does “educate,” 70 percent of the students at TVLLC say they take classes for the socialization.

The physical base for the school is located in The Villages High School, but classes are held at more than a dozen locations throughout the area. As well, classes take field trips to local museums and attractions, and even excursion to places like The Holy Land, and to Utah, to research genealogy.

The TVLLC curriculum is made up of regular classes, a special speakers series, day trips and the excursions.

The classes are reasonably priced. Some short classes are less than $40, with the average class hovering around $80 (for a six-week session). Residents of The Villages can join a Patron Advantage program ($50 person or $75 for two at same address) and get early registration and a discount on classes, speakers and day trips, saving roughly $3 per class over the resident fee.

The range of topics taught at TVLLC far exceeds clowning around. There are classes where students can learn hands-on art techniques, art history, theater, crafts (from quilting to beading), dance, finance, history, languages and computers (including how to manage your Ipods and peripherals).

There are cooking classes, music classes (from band to bagpipes to learning the mountain dulcimer) and parapsychology (dreams to feng shui). There is philosophy, psychology (serial killers of Florida), religion, science, and sports and hobbies (fly tying to dog obedience).

Agricultural classes are offered through the University of Florida Extension Services (care of palm trees and how to hire landscape help), and the University of Florida College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers classes on things like forensic anthropology and the history of Florida Barge Canal.

While the range of topics covered is wide, the students drive the curriculum. Typically qualified area residents and professionals propose (and teach) the classes. When a class is proposed, the course description is placed in The Villages newspaper and on the school’s web site. When 10 or more people show interest in the class, it’s added to the schedule.

One thing about the The Villages Lifelong Learning College is that the activity and opportunity for socialization doesn’t necessarily end when the class is over. Students have been known to work with The Villages recreation department to create groups to practice what they learned. A dance class, for example may evolve into a monthly dance.

Whatever you are interested in, and whatever you know well enough to teach, The Villages Lifelong Learning College may be the place to share that knowledge and to meet the neighbors.

After taking a good look at The Villages you may decide that it’s not for you. That’s o.k., The Villages isn’t for everyone. But if the Central Florida area is where you want to retire there are several communities near The Villages that you might want to consider.

A distinct feature of The Villages is the Spanish Springs Town Square. One of the two town squares in The Villages, Spanish Springs has a southwest flavor. With adobe-colored shops surrounding a central meeting space, complete with viga-studded walls and a gazebo, Spanish Springs resembles a traditional plaza like one might find in Santa Fe – with the fountains and palms trees adding a Florida twist.

Main Street winds around the integrated, mixed-use commercial area, proving access to a variety of shops, restaurants and offices, including a Sales and Information Center for The Villages.

A band plays in Spanish Springs Town Square. Photo courtesy The Villages Daily Photo.

Aside from the shops and offices, Spanish Springs is home to Marriott’s extended-stay hotel, Towne Place Suites, to Church on the Square, and the eight-screen Rialto Theater, where residents of The Villages enjoy a discount.

Dining options in Spanish Springs abound. Choices include the familiar (Ruby Tuesday, Panera Bread and Starbucks), McCall’s Tavern, the Florida-themed Gator’s Dockside, the Caribbean-flavored Margarita Republic, pizza, ice cream and TooJay’s, a sit-down deli. A Mexican restaurant, Ay! Jalisco, also just opened.

Other shops and offices in Spanish Springs Town Square (as of October 2009) include:

Offices:
Citizen’s First Bank, Hertz rentals, The Villages Insurance, and health facilities like The Villages Wellness Center, Curves, a chiropractor and a hearing aid center. Plus, personal services like a barber and beauty salon and Viva Nails and Spa can also be found in Spanish Springs.

Clothing and shoes:
Chico’s, Turtle Bay, Foot Solutions, and your source for The Villages logo-wear, Banner Mercantile.

Home and Gifts:
Kirkland’s, The Olive Tree, All Fine Things, and the boutique wine store, Put a Cork in It.

Sports:
The Golf and Country Club administration, Golf USA, a bowling pro shop and Spanish Springs Lanes.

While the offices and shops draw residents to the square, classic car fans congregate in Spanish Springs each month during their “cruise-in” and Villagers turn out for live entertainment. Spanish Springs has free entertainment every night, plus, parades and special celebrations throughout the year, from Cinco de Mayo to Halloween.

Villagers also enjoy a variety of musical performances at Church on the Square, a prominent Spanish Springs landmark. Resembling an old Spanish mission, the non-denominational place of worship adds to the square’s southwest ambiance.

During the holiday season, Church on the Square also hosts a Holiday Countdown. This series of daily, evening performances features music ranging from big band and Celtic to Elvis-style rock and roll. The concerts are $2, with proceeds, this year, going to a local charity that helps provide food for the less fortunate. A performance schedule for The Church on the Square can be found here.

Get a live image of Spanish Springs Town Square via the web cam.