Join a club, they said. You’ll meet like minded people, they said. Well, they were right!
It’s good to step out of your comfort zone — away from the same routine and schedule. One of the best ways to do this is to join a group. The question is, which one?
Once you start researching clubs in the area, you'll see that there are a lot to choose from. Opt for the ones that sound intriguing and attend a meeting or two to see if they’re a good fit. Our local libraries offer a range of clubs to consider.
Do you like to cook? Sea Girt and Brielle libraries each hold a monthly Cookbook Club. The Sea Girt Cookbook Club lets participants choose a recipe from any cookbook; the members then make the recipe at home to share with others at the meeting.
At the Brielle library, the host patron selects a cookbook from the library’s catalog, and each participant chooses a recipe to make and share.
A look at the libraries' events page will show you the upcoming clubs and activities. The Brielle library hosts Midday Book Club, which is held monthly on Mondays. The featured book this month is What's Mine and Yours: A Novel by Naima Coster. Copies are available at the library.
Love to travel? The Brielle library also hosts monthly travel discussions. The next featured destination is Hawaii. Even if it’s just to dream or to visit one day, join the Travel Talk Club and exchange notes, ideas, and stories.
The library also offers the Intergenerational Art Club, a unique small-group art class for seniors and youths to come together and work on a common project.
The Asbury Park library posts their calendar on the website — look in the bottom right corner. There you will find events and clubs to try. The Crochet Club meets Thursdays at 11:30am. They also offer Tai Chi classes on Fridays at 10am.
Join the Open Mic Night at the Point Pleasant Boro library, where you can bring your writings, poems, and musical instruments. The library also hosts the Open Our Mind Book Club on Wednesdays at 6pm.
The Kelly-McKenna Gallery in Spring Lake hosts a monthly Art Book Club. This is a dream for art lovers, artists, and anyone interested in any aspect of art! A recent book discussion was on Leonardo Da Vinci by Walter Isaacson. This book is chock-full of information that can be inspirational to today's reader. The book is also being turned into a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
One can learn so much from the books featured in the Gallery’s Book Club!
Sweet Tease Tea Room in Belmar combines a Book Club with a Tea of the Month Club. Books are selected for their connection to some of the most famous tea estates in the world or love stories set in the opulent tea rooms of the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Book Club meetings are held in the morning and evening on the second Thursday of the month. The $20 fee includes tea samples and food pairings. Guests also receive a 1 oz. bag of tea to enjoy at home.
Until next time, peace!