The Villages Daily Sun described this museum which opened on Sept. 7, 2021 as “stunning” and “a triumph.”  It’s the only one in the world dedicated exclusively to the American Arts and  Crafts movement which spread across America from approximately 1890-1930. The tenets of the movement are simplicity in design, honesty in materials, hand craftsmanship, and depiction of the natural world, things still widely valued today. 


Founded by local philanthropist and collector Rudy Ciccarello who, along with Alfonso Architects, designed and oversaw the incredible task of creating this five-story, 137,000 square-foot museum.  It is a work of art itself, with incredible architectural elements such as a grand atrium, skylights, and a dramatic spiral staircase—all adorned with period art, light fixtures, windows, fireplaces, and more.


The museum features more than 40,000 square feet of gallery space, as well as a destination restaurant with private dining rooms, a retail store, an upscale café, a children’s gallery, a reference library, a theater, a graphic studio, and an outdoor green space enhanced by original period tiles and fountains.  Feel free to explore as much or as little of this museum as you like.


You can learn more about this museum at:  https://www.museumaacm.org/index.html. Senior group admission cost: $20


Try something new ?????

How about a day in St. Petersburg

Tuesday, Jan. 18 8:30- 7:00


 

​​Jan 18 (TUESDAY)

St. Pete Museums & Pier

Feb 21

Ft. Howard Park/Tarpon Springs

March 21
New Smyrna Beach
April 18
Venice Beach
May 16
Ft. Myers - multi-day trip

While it might be tempting to skip the short documentary film in the theater so that you can get to Chihuly’s gorgeous creations faster - don’t do it. The film is an up-close look at Chihuly’s life and creative process, and watching it will make the rest of your visit to the museum more meaningful. Senior admission cost: $18  

To learn more, visit   https://www.visitstpeteclearwater.com/article/chihuly-collection

You just might find you’ve worked up an appetite, or thirst, when you reach the Pier Point. Teak, a fine restaurant named after a fine tropical hardwood, is the marquee eatery in the elegant building at the end of the Pier. Located on the fourth floor of the Pier Point structure, Teak offers upscale dining imbued with a Florida flair, and lovely views of Tampa Bay and the ever-growing St. Pete skyline. Up on the roof, you can kick back at Pier Teaki, a modern take on the classic tiki bar. At ground level, there’s the Driftwood Cafe, rising nine feet from the Pier Point deck and connecting to the tilted lawn. It’s a casual walkup spot offering ice cream and snacks.

To learn about places to dine at the Pier, visit: https://stpetepier.org/food-drink/


Then, there’s the Birchwood, a 5-minute walk away at 340 Beach Dr NE, one of Beach Drive’s hottest spots and home to The Canopy, St. Pete’s premier rooftop lounge (see the Canopy’s menu at https://www.thebirchwood.com/thecanopy/canopy-menu/.


We will leave for home at 5:30, arriving between 7:00-7:15.

Liability Waiver:  The BBC has a Liability Waiver specific to our club.  This needs to be done only once, not yearly as in the past.  Please click on link below, print and sign, and give the form to your bus leader on this trip or mail it with your reservation form and payment if you have not already previously completed the waiver.

For more information, visit  https://thejamesmuseum.org/permanent-collection/.  Senior admission cost $10 (on Tues.)


After you have educated yourself--and perhaps had your breath taken away--our buses will take you less than 10 minutes away—adding time for people eagerly boarding the bus, of course—to      


 The Pier

where you can

Walk the pier or take the tram                                     Try some craft beer at Hops & Props


Learn at the Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center           Drop a line at the fishing deck


Watch the kids at the playgroundor the Splash Pad       Relax at Spa Beach


Watch the street performers and live entertainment       Go on a Dolphin Cruise


Eat at Doc Fords or the other waterfront restaurants      Get a drink at Pier Teaki at the end of the pier


Learn about the city at the St. Petersburg Museum of History $15    but significant reduction ($11 or 2 people for $17) is available at Groupon.  Copy and paste the below website (yes, the whole thing) into a website search box.  


https://www.groupon.com/deals/st-petersburg-museum-of-history-1-7?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=US_DT_SEA_GGL_TXT_ALP_SR_CBP_CH1_NBR_d*things-to-do_g*st-petersburg-museum-of-history-1-7&template=regular&bypass=true&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxZ2E2K_A9AIVlc3ICh06DAEhEBEYASAAEgL2V_D_BwE

 Copyright. Barefoot Beachcombers Club.  All rights reserved

2022 Beach Trips


Finallyyou may chose instead to be inspired by


The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art


which provides experiences through art depicting the peoples, landscapes, and history of the American West, and wildlife of the world. More than 400 premiere works of art including sculpture, paintings and jewelry are on display in the museum’s 26,000 square feet of gallery space.


Over the past 200 years, artists from a variety of backgrounds have captured elements of the culturally rich and expansive American West in many ways. In addition to traditional paintings and sculpture, Western art can take the form of jewelry, quilts, baskets, pottery, photography, film, and so much more.  The Jewel Box gallery features premier examples of Native-made jewelry. 


The deep-rooted history, diverse cultures and plentiful wildlife provide endless inspiration for artists. Western art from generations ago helped shape our earliest perceptions of cowboys, Native Americans, and the land itself. Some of these perceptions still echo today. More recent artists of Western America have added perspectives that shed light on little-known histories, sometimes challenging long-held assumptions. Above all, Western art is storytelling and an important part of American culture and art.

Orrrrrrrr,you might prefer to visit theChihuly Collection to fall in love with the visually dazzling glass art created by artist Dale Chihuly who famously said, “I never met a color I didn’t like.”  You will appreciate the full rainbow of colors in his and other talented artisans’ meticulously blown and assembled glass sculptures which are dreamy, abstract interpretations of sea creatures, submerged landscapes, and floating tumbleweeds. Some are enormous individual sculptures - while others are intricate collections of many smaller pieces.


Its 26 beautiful acres seamlessly combine the peaceful blue waters of Tampa Bay with the vibrant greenery of downtown St. Petersburg’s parks promising limitless fun for everyone, from first-time visitors to long-time residents.  We’ll tease you with more about the pier later in this invitation.


But first, we’ll offer you a visit to your choice of three memorable museums.   Let’s start with an invitation to tour a unique collection at


The Museum of the American Arts & Crafts Movement

**To open the printable versions, move your cursor to the left hand side of the blue or green button.  Your cursor will then turn into a hand.  Once it does, click on the button and the print version will open in a new window.

Copyright. Barefoot Beachcombers Club.  All rights reserved

If this trip interests you and you are fully vaccinated prior to January 4th, print the reservation form (click on green button below) and mail it along with your check (made out to the BBC) for $28 per person to the address below.  On January 9th, we will conduct our lottery and you will be notified shortly thereafter of your seat confirmation or waitlist status.


Barefoot Beachcombers Club (‘BBC’ will also suffice)
333 Colony Blvd. #110
The Villages, FL 32162


You could instead hand your addressed envelope to a person at the counter at Safe Ship in Colony Plaza, saving you the stamp and ensuring that the mail does not delay your form.

 

In lieu of swimming in 60-degree water, let’s enjoy an opportunity to visit some of St. Petersburg’s most exciting museums, followed by an afternoon at the

           St. Pete Pier, a gleaming new attraction on the city’s picturesque waterfront. 

It’s an exPIERience !

I/we would like to go to St. Petersburg with the BBC on Tuesday, January 18th.  Enclosed is my $28 check (pp). 

Print your name(s):   __________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________

I/we wish to be on the bus with these friends (name up to four) ___________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________


I/we still have a credit with the BBC and I would like to use that credit.  _______


Please provide a phone number that the Club could use in the event we needed to

reach you during the beach outing:   ______________________________


I am or will be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by January 4th ___________

                                                                                                                                        (initials)

The museum I think I’d most like to visit is (this is not a firm commitment):


The Museum of American Arts and Craft Movement ___________

The Chihuly Collection  _______________

The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art ___________



(Why Tuesday ???– some of the museums are not open on Monday.)