The Experience Insider

This months tennis tip is provided by USPTA Director of Tennis Mary Fink at WCI’s The Colony Golf & Country Club in Bonita Springs, FL.

The Benefits of Proper Hip and Trunk Rotation for the Forehand Groundstroke

Many tennis players make the mistake of attempting to hit the ball using only their arm.  By doing this, not only is the chance for injury increased, but both control and power will be greatly diminished. Click to continue reading »

This recipe is provided by Executive Chef Desmond Maguire at WCI’s Hammock Bay Golf & Country Club in Naples, FL.

With summer comes mornings on the golf course and afternoons lounging at the pool.  Here’s a summer favorite for you to enjoy at home or to impress your guests! This has been a favorite of our membership at Hammock Bay and Chef Desmond is happy to pass on the recipe  for your enjoyment.  Happy cooking!

Fococcia with Steamed Mussels

Fococcia

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 pinch ground black pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup mozzarella

Stir  the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil and black pepper in a large bowl. Mix in the vegetable oil and water.

When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Punch dough down; place on greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Brush top with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm

Steamed Mussels

4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion diced or shallots
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
4-5 lbs. mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
1 cup white wine
couple pinches of pepper
couple pinches of salt

Heat a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add oil. Add the onions when oil starts to smoke and. Sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, mussels, wine, parsley, salt and pepper. Cover pan immediately.

Give pan a good shake, and let steam for about 2 minutes. Check to see if the mussels have opened; if not, let steam for another minute.

If some mussels have not opened, discard them. Don’t cook any longer than 3 minutes because mussels are very easy to overcook and  become rubbery.

Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

This month’s featured wine was selected by Assistant Director of Food and Beverage Jessica Cruttenden at WCI’s Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, FL.

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is a terrific summertime white wine.  It is dry, crisp and refreshing; best served chilled to 42-48 degrees that pairs well with many cuisines.  Many good bottles are available from each of the main Sauvignon Blanc-producing regions of France (Bordeaux & Loire), California, New Zealand, Chile & South Africa. Click to continue reading »

During the next month, I am offering a special facial called Fire & Ice, which provides a deep exfoliation (especially good for acne-prone skin), while also hydrating the skin. It finishes off with a cooling sensation to leave your skin glowing and looking healthier than ever. This is one hot facial you won’t want to shy away from.

What is your favorite spa treatment indulgence?

Wow - did we have a seafood extravaganza at The Bay Club! We recently introduced few new member events at the Club, with our Bubba Gump Shrimp Night kicking off the fun-filled calendar of events. Next up, we have our annual Member Tree Trimming Party. This year we are also having our Marina Members deck their boats with lights to share in the holiday spirit. It should be quite a spectacular spectacle out on the bay and in the Club. We are also looking forward to other themed dinner, fun activities including our themed New Year’s Eve Party.

What memorable event comes to mind that you are looking forward to attending this holiday season?

Our residents look forward to the calendar of events this season, such as the Holiday Cart Parade the first week of December. Our residents deck their golf carts with all the trimmings for a contest of the most festive golf cart. They also parade throughout the community showing off their decorated masterpieces. It is definitely the most wonderful time of the year!

What are you most looking forward to this holiday season? Are there any events or activities you have planned?

Throughout the week, we enjoy the company of many of our members dining at The Bay Club. I just introduced a brand-new menu for The Bistro and at our tiki bar. There are  new culinary concoctions, along with popular menu items from our older menus. I enjoy hearing the members’ feedback on their dining experiences. I strive to cater the menus to fit their favorite dishes and ideas. Our goal is to exceed our members’ expectations and offer a one-of-a-kind dining experience.

What is cookin’ in YOUR kitchen? Or maybe at your favorite restaurant? Let me know what is your favorite dinner dish.

I am very excited to see all of the boats in our marina. It creates a wonderful boating community on Tampa Bay. This holiday season, at Westshore Yacht Club Marina, we plan on decking the boats with lights with the holiday spirit in mind on December 18.  It should be a great way for our members to showcase their boats and be part of the holiday cheer throughout The Bay Club. In addition, it should be a great night to enjoy the company of neighbors and fabulous food.

Have any of you been involved in a boat parade before? If so, when, where and how did it go?

As we head into the Holiday season, we tend to let things pile up on us and become overwhelmed with daily stresses. This is not a good thing, so I always recommend to our members to press the “reset” button to clear your head. At Spa Nautique, we do our best to help avoid the holiday burnout feeling and offer fantastic relaxation services during this time of year, along with key techniques to bring out your personal best!

Do you have any special techniques to ease the stresses of the holidays?

Pelican Preserve has so much to offer each resident who lives here. We have pool parties, outdoor concerts, nature walks, fitness classes, spa treatments, golf tournaments, arts and crafts classes and much, much, more! I truly enjoy being a part of the all the excitement through providing our residents with memorable, fun experiences in and outside the Club.

Speaking of outside the Club, we just completed a sprint triathlon in the beginning of September in Venice, Florida. The entire Pelican Preserve staff participated, as well as residents, family and friends. There were also several residents who came to the event just to cheer us on. We have been training all summer, so there was great anticipation of this event through our physical and mental training.

Have you participated in an event with fellow residents in your community? Do you have any questions you would like to ask about Pelican Preserve or the amenities we have here? Let me know and be sure to check back often, as you never know what adventure the residents will be on next or what happenings you will want to keep up with, or better yet join in on!