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!

January 24th, 2023 Dinner - MIRAGE

The Tampa Bay Vegetarians are happy to announce the opening of their 2023 year with a meal at an outstanding restaurant on Tuesday, January 24th! We have awarded it several times in the past with our "Favorite Restaurant of the Year" award. We're speaking of Mirage, the Persian restaurant located at 2284 Gulf to Bay Blvd. in Clearwater. As in the past, we will have an outstanding vegetarian (mostly vegan) buffet with Greek Salad, Tabbouleh, Shiraz Salad, Babaganoush, Falafel, Parsley, Dill Rice, Veggie Kabobs, Green Beans, Baklava, and other delicious offerings.

The cost will be $20.00 per person, including tax. There will also be a $2.00 non-member fee, which can be avoided by becoming a member of the Tampa Bay Vegetarians. A membership for a year is $12.00 for one person or $15.00 for a family at the same address. The dinner begins at 7:00 pm, with registration starting at 6:30.

Following the meal, our speaker will be renowned writer of vegan cook books and fitness books Ellen Jaffee Jones, whose topic will be "How to Have a Healthy Immune System on a Vegan Diet." 

To reserve your place for this dinner, you must let us know before Saturday, January 21.  Send your name and the names of anyone accompanying you to sd56@tampabay.rr.com to be assured of a place.  Give us your name and the name(s) of anyone accompanying you.  We don't require payment in advance, but you must let us know if you need to cancel.  To cancel, please call Debby at 727-432-3327.

We look forward to seeing you!

August 23, 2022 Dinner - QUEEN OF SHEBA

 After 2 1/2 years of craving the delicious Ethiopian food of the Queen of Sheba, the Tampa Bay Vegetarians will finally meet for dinner there on Tuesday, August 23, at 7:00 p.m.  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 don't want to miss.  The TBV members have voted the Queen of Sheba their favorite restaurant of the year several times.

The restaurant is located in Temple Terrace at 11001 N. 56th Street.  For those of us in Pinellas County, there is a wonderful new route to take.  Go east on Park Blvd., which becomes Gandy Blvd, then continue straight onto the brand new overpass and bridge that take you to Tampa with no stops or lights, and then turn left (north) onto 50th Street, which becomes 56th, the same street that the restaurant is on.  It's a much faster way to go than it used to be.  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

COST OF THE DINNER IS $17.00 PER PERSON (TAX & TIP INCLUDED)

Please make reservations by going to http://www.tampabayvegetarians.com and clicking on the CONTACT button.

WE MUST HAVE ALL RESERVATIONS AT THE LATEST BY SATURDAY, AUGUST 20.  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.

July 26th Dinner - AMARTI THAI (PALM HARBOR)

Greetings Tampa Bay Vegetarian members and friends. We hope this finds you well. It's that time again to reunite for a TBV dinner. 

Are you ready to reunite and try once-per-month dining experiences of consistent and good-quality food? Are you ready to share and/or listen to others' experiences of their everyday life? Are you ready for the return of keynote speakers that motivate and inspire us on vegetarian, vegan, and overall health and wellness topics? Are you ready to give your opinion on and vote on the best restaurant of the year and join in on raffle drawings again? 

If so, we are getting together for a Thai dinner on Tuesday, July 26th, at 6:30 PM at Amarti Authentic Thai restaurant in Palm Harbor. This restaurant is vegetarian and vegan friendly and rated number one for Thai restaurants in Pinellas County. The dining room is well-decorated, and attractive, with a nice ambiance.  Seating will begin at 6:30 PM. You will check in and pay for your dinner at the cashier first after looking at the menu and choosing your specific sauce of saute, curry, noodle, or fried rice (several options are listed on the menu for each sauce, curry, noodle, and rice preference.) to compliment your choice of crispy tofu OR veggie dinner. The cashier will guide you through your options. 

As you know, The Tampa Bay Vegetarian members have been consistent (" marked by harmony, regularity, or steady continuity." like a consistent style of painting... something that stays the same.) with meeting up ...whether it be an official or a non-official dinner. The group has been meeting for dinners once per month for healthy dining experiences for over 30 years. The members are a group of members that are consistent with nourishing their souls and minds with healthy eating, healthy relationships, and continuing education on well-being. The TBV members haven't forgotten the things, people, experiences, and moments we have shared and will continue to share. Life is our blessing. Let's make the most of it now because it's all we are really guaranteed. The moments we share together are the greatest gift. 

With the TBV group, your strengths, challenges, and your hopes are accepted and seen through the eyes of love. Practicing consistency makes us focus and more aware of what we like to do. Great things happen to our minds and souls when people come together over common interests. The speakers encourage us with healthy ideas teaching us how to mentally and physically supply more healthy energy to our bodies, etc. Therefore, with the utmost pride for our group, we are bringing the keynote speakers back in August 2022. 

Let's move through our own pace/mood. Each of us is the chosen to choose our own way through self-care. With that, be part of the magic and love ( friendship and community)  and join us on July 26, 2022, at 6:30 PM. It is our understanding that the food at Amarti is very fresh, hygienic, and very tasty. 

So,... What's for dinner? Your choice of crispy tofu OR veggie style dinner with jasmine rice AND your one choice of 7 saute or 7 curry sauces, or a choice from 6 noodle styles, or a choice of fried or basil rice. The choice of saute or fried rice with veggie or tofu dinner is $21.00 and one of 7 curry sauce choices or noodle styles is $22.00 with the veggie or tofu dinner. The proportions are abundant in size, so you will be able to make two meals out of one and take the second meal home for lunch the next day if you wish to. 

Each dinner is prepared mild, medium, very spicy, or not spicy. Please specify to the cashier when paying at the register if spicy is preferred or not.  Water will be served. You will pay first at the cashier and choose your choice of sauce, noodle, or rice from the menu. You will choose if the dinner will be crispy tofu with veggie or veggie style dinner without tofu. 

Please go to the site to reserve your seat. The address of the restaurant is: 

Amarti Thai Restaurant

                                                                                            

The Shoppes of Boot Ranch (in a shopping center)

328 East Lake Rd 

Palm Harbor

We are looking forward to seeing you there!

May 24th Dinner - ACROPOL FAMILY RESTAURANT

The Tampa Bay Vegetarians invite you to dinner at ACROPOL FAMILY RESTAURANT on Tuesday, May 24, at 7:00 p.m.  The cost of the dinner, including tax and tip, is $12.00 per person, and there will be 2 meal choices:

1. VEGGIE BURGER WITH FRENCH FRIES (VEGAN)

2. SPINACH PIE WITH GREEK SALAD (VEGETARIAN)

All meals served with bread ansd water. 

Our guest speaker is still TBD - a follow up will be sent once confirmed. 

The restaurant is located in Largo at 1170 Starkey Road (just south of East Bay Drive). 

All reservations must be made by Saturday, May 21th.  If you need to cancel your reservation after that date, please contact Debby at 727-432-3327.

If you plan to attend the May 24th dinner, please sign up by going to our blog, http://www.tampabayvegetarians.com, and clicking on the CONTACT button.  We will look forward to seeing you! 

April 27th Dinner - ZOM HEE

RVSP Options:

1. Call Debby (727-432-3327)

2. Reply through the website "Contact Us"

3. Email tampabayvegetarians@gmail.com

4. Online form (click here)

The Tampa Bay Vegetarians invite you to a family-style dinner at ZOM HEE Chinese Restaurant on Wednesday, April 27, at 7:00 p.m.  Although our dinners have always been on the fourth Tuesday of the month, Zom Hee, which used to be open every day of the week, is now closed on Tuesdays.  Since it is one of the favorite restaurants of the members of our group, we have decided to make an exception in order to have one of our special meals there.  The cost of the dinner, including tax and tip, is $17.00 per person, and the menu will include:

                                Sour Cabbage Soup (no bean curd),

                                Vegetable Lo Mein,

                                Szechuan Broccoli,

                                Vegetable Delight (without pancakes),

                                Sauteed Mixed Vegetables,

                                Temple Favorite (a tofu dish),

                                Sauteed Green Beans,

                                Dry Noodles,

                                Steamed Rice,

                                Dessert: Fresh Fruit & Almond Cookies,

                                Hot Tea and Iced Water will be served.

Our guest speaker will be announced within a few days.

The restaurant is located at 9015 Park Boulevard in Seminole.  It is just a couple of blocks west of Starkey in the rear of a strip mall.  It is a large, comfortable restaurant with attractive Chinese décor.

You will check in with one of our members in the lobby and will then proceed to the cash register to pay for your meal.  This makes things easy when we are ready to leave, since we don’t have to wait to pay.  Also keep in mind that the tip is included.  Although hot tea and iced water are included in the price, other drinks are available for an extra charge.  You will pay the waiter for any drinks other than tea.

The yearly membership fee is $12.00 for one person and $15.00 for a couple who live at the same address.  Because the ongoing TBV members paid in 2020 for an entire year before the Covid virus closed everything down, they their membership to the end of 2022 is already paid.  New members will pay the pro-rated fee of $9.00 for one person and $11.25 for a couple.          

Non-members pay $2.00 each at the registration table.  If they decide to join the TBV before the end of the evening, the $2.00 already paid will be subtracted from the membership fee.  Our membership fees are used to pay for the dinners for our guest speakers, for the rental charge for a pavilion for our yearly picnic, for paper and ink for our flyers, etc..

All reservations must be made by Saturday, April 23.  If you need to cancel your reservation after that date, please contact Debby at 727-432-3327.

If you plan to attend the April 27 dinner, please sign up by going to our blog, http://www.tampabayvegetarians.com, and clicking on the CONTACT button.  We will look forward to seeing you!  All reservations must be made by Saturday, April 23.  If you need to cancel your reservation after that date, please call or text Debby at 727-432-3327.