Tampa Bay Vegetarians March 2025 Dinner - Carmelita's

The Tuesday, March 25 dinner of the Tampa Bay Vegetarians will be a bit different from our usual dinners.  We will order from the menu, and there will not be the traditional $2 fee for non-members.  You will pay your own tip.  The restaurant for this dinner will be Carmelita's Mexican Restaurant at 7705 Ulmerton in Largo.  As always, everyone at the TBV tables must eat vegetarian or vegan food.  Seating begins at 6:30 pm, with the meal starting at 7:00 pm.

To give you an idea of some of the menu items that our members have enjoyed at Carmelita's in the past, they are:

     Veggie Tostados with Guacamole      $14.49

     Spinach Enchiladas  (For vegan, ask for no sauce or sour cream.)     $13.99

     Vegetarian Chimichanga  (For vegan, ask for no cheeses or sauce.)    $13.49

     Veggie Tacos (Choice of flour or corn tacos;  for vegans, ask for no corn.)    $12.49

     Avocado Salad  (For vegans, ask for no corn,)    $14.99

ALL MEALS COME WITH COMPLEMENTARY CHIPS AND SALSA. 

ALL MEALS COME WITH A CHOICE OF 2 SIDES: Salad, Black Beans, Pinto Beans, or Corn (The corn is not vegan.)

Please let us know, as always, if you are planning to attend the dinner so that there will be enough tables and chairs reserved for our group.
Call Steve Dante at 727-224-8731 or email him at sd56@tampabay.rr.com.

We look forward to seeing you!

Tampa Bay Vegetarians April 23rd Dinner - Lotus Vegan

We will have our Tuesday, April 23, dinner of the Tampa Bay Vegetarians at LOTUS VEGAN RESTAURANT, 6575 Park Blvd. North, Pinellas Park. As many of you remember, this is an excellent Vietnamese vegan restaurant.

The dinner will be served family-style and will include:

• FRESH SPRING ROLLS (one for each person)
• GOLDEN SOUP
• SINGAPORE NOODLES
• MIXED VEGETABLE DELIGHT
• FRESH CHICKPEA CURRY with WHITE RICE
• CHOW MEIN
• FRIED RICE
• ICED TEA & WATER

The cost of the meal for members is $18.00 per person, including tax and tip. Beverages other than iced tea and water will be available for an additional charge.

There is a $2.00 additional fee for non-members of the Tampa Bay Vegetarians. In lieu of the $2.00 non-member fee, you can join for April through December for a pro-rated fee of $8.00 for an individual or $11.75 for a household (cash only, please). The membership fee and the non-member fee are used to pay for the speaker's dinner each month, for paper plates, cutlery, etc. for our yearly picnic, for costs of printing the monthly flyers, etc. Whatever is remaining at the end of the year is used to lower the cost of our annual December holiday dinner party for all of the members.

Please make your reservation no later than noon on Saturday, April 20, by calling Steve at (727)224-8731, Sheryl at (727)623-4372, or Debby at (727)432-3327. This is the way to guarantee that a seat will be held for you at the dinner. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT to cancel your reservation if, after having made it, you find that you will be unable to attend the dinner. We don't require advance payment, but this is the only way in which we can continue to do this! We work hard to negotiate special prices for the dinners of the TBV, but we must be fair with the restaurants.

Our special speaker at the April 23rd dinner will be physical trainer/coach Pete Chapman, who will speak on:
Muscle is the Organ of Longevity
How to Build Muscle and Maintain Good Posture as a Vegetarian
Best Ways to Boost Memory and Mood Naturally

We look forward to seeing you at this dinner!

Tampa Bay Vegetarians March 26 Dinner

The Tampa Bay Vegetarians will have their March dinner on Tuesday, March 26, at one of their all-time favorite restaurants, Mirage.  It is located at 2284 Gulf to Bay Boulevard in Clearwater, with plenty of parking behind the restaurant.  Mirage has won the TBV award on several occasions for FAVORITE RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR.  If you haven't been there yet, you are in for a treat!

We will have a plentiful Mediterranean all-you-can-eat buffet, with Greek Salad, Tabouleh, Shirez Salad, Baba Ganoush, Falafel, Dill Rice, Green Beans, Veggie Kabobs, etc., etc.  The delicious dessert will be baklava (made with sugar instead of honey for the vegans among us).  The entire buffet will be vegetarian (actually almost completely vegan).  The owners of the restaurant are giving us a special price of only $20 apiece, including tax and tip, for the entire meal.  If you wish special drinks other than water, you  will pay separately for them.

Non-members of the Tampa Bay Vegetarians will pay an extra fee of $2 apiece to the club, but anyone who wishes to join the club for the rest of 2024 may do so for $10 for one person or $13 for a  family membership (for people living at the same address).
It is the custom of the TBV to have a speaker who will talk for around ten minutes following the dinner on a topic of interest to vegetarians.

If you would like to join us at this very special dinner, you MUST contact either Sheryl at 727-623-4372 or Steve at 727-224-8731.  If you prefer, you may email Steve at sd56@tampabay.rr.com.  We must give the restaurant the correct  number of attendees three days before the event.  If you have signed up for it and then find that you will be unable to attend, please contact us so that we can give the correct number of attendees to the restaurant owner.  

We look forward to seeing you at Mirage!

January 23rd Dinner - Mellow Mushroom

The January 23, 2024 dinner of the Tampa Bay Vegetarians will be held at the Mellow Mushroom, 2630 Gulf to Bay Blvd., in Clearwater. Seating will begin at 6:30pm, with the dinner starting at 7:00pm. 

The price per member is $14.00, including tax and tip (beverages other than water will be self-pay).  Non-members will pay an extra $2.00 per person unless they sign up for membership. 

This dinner will be served buffet-style and will include:

House Salad (2 vegan dressing options)

Bruschetta

Vegan Cheese Pizza (with extra veggie options)

Vegan Cheese Veg-Out Pizza

Vegan Miss Mushroom Pizza

Cheese Pizza

Kosmic Karma Pizza

Veg-Out Pizza  

Loaded Potato Pie Pizza

Water

We MUST have reservations for everyone attending the dinner.  All reservations must be made by 9AM on January 22nd.  Call Debby at 727-432-3327 or Sue Peck at 727-420-0543. Please note when you RSVP whether you are eating vegan or not so we can properly plan for the vegan versus vegetarian pizzas. 

If, after having made a reservation, you find that you will be unable to attend the dinner, please call Debby or Sue right away.  

We will have a speaker – information on that will be sent out later. 

We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, January 23rd!

October 24, 2023 Dinner: Carmelita's

The October 24 dinner of the Tampa Bay Vegetarians will be held at Carmelita's Mexican Restaurant in Largo. It is located at 7705 Ulmerton Road, just east of Belcher, with plenty of parking in front of the restaurant. Dinner will begin at 7:00 pm, with seating available beginning at 6:30. The cost of the meal, including tax and tip, is $19.00 per person (cash preferred). The server will collect from you at the table and will provide a receipt.

There is an additional $2.00 fee for non-members, but you can join for a prorated fee of $3.00 for an individual or $3.75 for a household.  

All reservations must be made by noon Saturday, October 21.  Call Debby at 727-432-3327 or Steve at 727-224-8731 to make your reservation.

The meal will consist of the following:

1.  Separate Chips and Salsa for each person

2.  Choice of Entree
     a.  Vegetarian Chimichanga
     b.  Guacamole Tostada (Vegans: ask for no cheese.)
     c.  Spinach or Cheese Enchiladas (Vegans: ask for no cheese.)
     d.  Veggie Tacos (Vegans: ask for no cheese.)

3.  Choice of Two Sides  (vegan except for corn) 
     a.  Black Beans
     b.  Corn with Butter
     c.  Pinto Beans
     d.  Side Salad with Choice of Dressing

4.  Iced Water Included
     Beverages will be available for purchase.
    
Our guest speaker will be announced within a few days.

September 26, 2023 Dinner: Queen of Sheba

The Tampa Bay Vegetarians will meet for dinner on Tuesday, September 26, at 7:00 p.m. at the Queen of Sheba, which is located in the Temple Terrace area of Tampa at 11001 N. 56th Street.  For those of you who are new to vegetarian food and/or to The Queen of Sheba, and if you have never eaten Ethiopian food, you are in for a real treat!  This will be a meal that you do not want to miss! The TBV members have voted the Queen of Sheba their favorite restaurant of the year several times.  The price will be $18.00 per person plus $2.00 for non-members.

The dinner will be served family style and will consist of:

    INJERA (Ethiopian Bread)

    YE KIK ALECHA (red split lentils simmered in onions, garlic, ginger, seasoned with berbere.)

    TIKIL GOMEN (yellow split peas simmered in onions, garlic, and ginger with turmeric powder)

    ALKILT ALECHA (carrots, potatoes, and string beans in a mild sauce)

    MUSHROOM WOT (sauteed mushrooms in a berbere sauce)

    GOMEN (steamed collard greens simmered with minced onion and garlic)

    KEIY SIRE (sliced beets sauteed with onions, tomato sauce, and olive oil  

    DESSERT: Honey Chips (only non- vegan item on the menu))

    ETHIOPIAN COFFEE

Our guest speaker will be announced soon.

 

Please make reservations by contacting Steve Dante at sd56@tampabay.rr.com or at 727-392-0268 or Debby Magill at 727-432-3327.

WE MUST HAVE ALL RESERVATIONS AT THE LATEST BY NOON ON SATURDAY, September 23.  If you find that you will be unable to attend the dinner after having made a reservation, please call Debby immediately at 727-432-3327 so that she can give your spot to someone on the waiting list. 

August 22, 2023 Dinner: Gateway to India

The Tuesday, August 22, dinner of the Tampa Bay Vegetarians will take place at Gateway to India, which is located at 8300 Bay Pines Blvd. in St. Petersburg.  Seating will begin at 6:30 p.m., with the dinner to be served at 7:00 p.m.  Those of you who are long-time members of the TBV will remember that we used to have dinner there every year or so.  There is a private dining room, which we will have for our club, and there is plenty of parking. 

The meal will be served family-style and will include:  Pakora (an appetizer), Tossed Salad, Chana Masala (with Chick Peas), Mixed Vegetables with Curry, Dal Tadkal (with Lentils), Basmati Rice, Naan Bread, and Rice Pudding for Dessert.  Everything is vegan except for the Naan Bread and the Rice Pudding.  The food will be prepared MILD, but hot sauces will be available for those who prefer their food hot.  The cost of the meal is $19.00 per person, including tax and tip.  Non-members of the Tampa Bay Vegetarians will pay an extra non-member fee of $2.00 each, but If you wish to become a member, the pro-rated charge from August through December will be $5.00 for the rest of the year for one person or $6.25 for a family membership.

Our guest speaker will be announced at a later date.

July 25, 2023 Dinner: Marquise

The July 25 dinner of the Tampa Bay Vegetarians will be at MARQUISE, a delightful, small French restaurant in South Pasadena, just across the bridge from St. Pete Beach at 2525 Pasadena Avenue S.  Our group was there for the first time last year, and everyone loved it!  We are returning by popular demand!

 

The owners are Stephane, the chef, who comes from Normandy in the northern part of France, and her husband, Philippe, who is from French Guyana.  Because the restaurant is quite small and cozy, it can accommodate only 24 people.  The entire restaurant will be reserved for our group, and because of that, we must pay in advance to assure that everyone who makes a reservation shows up.  The first 24 people whose checks are received will be the attendees.  If anyone finds out that he or she will have to cancel, the first person on the waiting list will be given that spot, and the original person's money will be returned.  If there are no people on the waiting list, the money will not be returned.  Our club rarely collects money in advance, but this is a special situation.  By the way, there is plenty of parking in front of MARQUISE.

The cost of the meal will be $22.00 per person, including tax and tip.  The dinner will consist of

First course:  Taboule Salad

Choice of Main Course:

·        Vegetarian Ratatouille accompanied by Rice (a popular French dish); or

·        Vegetarian Curry Vegetables accompanied by Rice (a dish from French Guyana)                                                                                                                    

Dessert:  Orange Cake

Please send your check, along with the name(s) of the attendee(s), to the TBV Treasurer, Sheryl Walsingham.  The faster your check arrives, the better chance you have of being one of the fortunate 24 to attend the dinner. The checks must be made payable to MARQUISE and mailed to:

Sheryl Walsingham  (DO NOT MAKE YOUR CHECK PAYABLE TO HER!)

6791  67th Way N.

Pinellas Park, FL 33781

Please list the choice of main course for each person for whom you are making a reservation.

 

We look forward to seeing you!

June 27, 2023 Dinner: The Italian Touch

If you wish to attend the June dinner of the Tampa Bay Vegetarians, you MUST reserve your spot by June 24 at the latest.

AT OUR RECENT MEETING OF THE TBV BOARD OF DIRECTORS, A DECISION WAS MADE THAT ANYONE WHO SHOWS UP AT A DINNER WITHOUT HAVING MADE A RESERVATION WILL NOT BE SEATED UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS DETERMINED THAT THE RESTAURANT IS ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE EXTRA PEOPLE.

The June dinner of the Tampa Bay Vegetarians will take place on Tuesday, June 27, at the Italian Touch, 8211 46th Avenue North, St. Petersburg.

The dinner will be served at the tables and will include:

     1.   Choice of a House Salad or a Cup of Soup (both vegan)
     2.    A Homemade Italian Roll (vegan)
     3.    Choice of:
               Baked Ziti
               Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce (vegan)
               Eggplant Parmesan
               Fettuccine Alfredo
      4.   Choice of Coffee, Tea, or Soda

We are delighted to announce that our speaker for this June 27 dinner at the Italian Touch will be TBV Board Member Susan Peck, whose topic will be PLANT-BASED RESOURCES.  We know that you will all get a lot out of Sue's presentation!

The cost per TBV member will be $18.00, including tax and tip.

There is an extra $2.00 charge per non-member of the TBV.  However, you can avoid that charge by joining the club for a pro-rated fee of $7.00 for an individual or $8.75 for a household.  That will give you a membership through December 31 so that you will not have any non-member fees to pay for the remainder of the year.

Reservations should be made by NOON on June 24 by calling Debby at 727-432-3327 or Steve at 727-224-8731.  You may cancel your reservation at no charge by calling Debby at 727-432-3327, but please do so as soon as possible so that people on the waiting list can be notified.

 
AT OUR RECENT MEETING OF THE TBV BOARD OF DIRECTORS, A DECISION WAS MADE THAT ANYONE WHO SHOWS UP AT A DINNER WITHOUT HAVING MADE A RESERVATION WILL NOT BE SEATED UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS DETERMINED THAT THE RESTAURANT IS ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE EXTRA PEOPLE.

YEARLY PICNIC OF THE TAMPA BAY VEGETARIANS

Dear Members and Friends of the Tampa Bay Vegetarians,

Our 2023 picnic will take place on Saturday, April 29, in Shelter # 6 at Lake Seminole Park, which is located at 10015 Park Boulevard in Seminole.  Our shelter is in a lovely spot next to the water.

People can start arriving around 11:30 A.M., and we will begin lunch around noon.

JOIN US FOR THE PICNIC!  The TBV will furnish paper plates, cups, cutlery, napkins, ice and water.  If you want something other than water to drink, please bring your own.

Each participant is asked to bring food to serve at least 8 people.  We need salads, main dishes, and desserts.  Please bring a serving spoon for your dish.

When you sign up, we ask that you let us know what you will bring because we do not want everybody to bring the same thing!  If there is not a good balance, we will ask some of you to change your dish.

We are asking everyone to bring a label or a piece of paper to put on or in front of your dish, indicating whether it is vegetarian or vegan.  If you can also list the ingredients, that would be great!

Non-members, as always, will pay a non-member fee of $2.00 at the picnic.  If you prefer, become a member at the pro-rated charge of only $9.00 for an individual or $11.25 for a household.                                
                                                   NO CHARGE FOR MEMBERS

This is the one time of the year when children are welcome to attend, and there is no charge for them!  Dogs are also welcome but must be on a leash.

MAKE A RESERVATION by calling Debby at 727-432-3327 or Steve at 727-224-8731.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THE PICNIC!