Traveling the world is so important. It can open your eyes up to different foods, cultures, and people that you may have never been exposed to. That's why the theme for our Activities Department in 2024 is "A Year of Global Discovery". Communities will "travel" to many countries throughout the year, exploring and learning about a different one each month. So far, there have been many exciting events and education opportunities in several of our communities.
Merrill Gardens at Huntington Beach (CA) and The Pines, A Merrill Gardens Community (CA) focused on the United Kingdom. The Pines held an amazing event where residents got to enjoy and learn about "British Pimm's" cocktails. This fruity, yet simple drink tastes like summer and is a classic in the UK. To make this drink, you will need Pimm's No. 1 and sparkling lemonade. Top it off with some orange chunks, strawberry slices, a bit of cucumber and mint, and voilà! They look beautiful and taste even better.
Merrill Gardens at Huntington Beach (CA) hosted an incredible tea party complete with biscuits and snacks — this event looks like a classic British afternoon!
Truewood by Merrill, Taylorsville (UT) and Merrill Gardens at Ballard (WA) decided to travel north to Norway. Merrill Gardens at Ballard explored a local Scandinavian Speciality Store in Seattle. This store has been open since 1962, providing the Pacific Northwest with traditional Scandinavian goods and representing Nordic culture. It looks like an adventure!
They also asked a few of their residents, Lois and Kelly, to hold a presentation about what it was like to live in Norway. How extraordinary to hear what Norway is like from folks who used to LIVE there! They got to enjoy traditional Norwegian snacks and take a look at some wonderful treasures straight from Norway.
Over in Florida, Truewood by Merrill, Charlotte Center decided they wanted to indulge in some Italian food — so they learned all about Italy! They enjoyed some delicious pizza and wine while learning about the history of the country. The wine was a Chianti, which comes from a specific part of Tuscany, a region between Florence and Siena. Our mouths are watering by the look of that pizza! Yum!
That is all for now — but stay tuned throughout the year for more awesome pictures of our communities "traveling" around the world!