Hazel Staloff
On Dec. 5, 2019, the Roadrunner Grill hosted 42 members of SaddleBrooke’s Singles Club for their annual Christmas Party. The women were resplendent in their holiday attire: sparkles ruled the day. The men eschewed sparkles, but looked their best nonetheless. The elaborate menu included a delicious buffet of salad, short ribs (so tender they could be cut almost by looking at them), mahi mahi, rice pilaf, broccoli au gratin, and apple-blueberry cobbler topped with whipped cream. We enjoyed a return visit by beloved entertainer, singer Manny Herrera. Manny’s wide repertoire included holiday classics and songs by icons of our youth, such as Elvis and Roy Orbison, among others. Manny also sang So Happy Together by the Turtles, who, incidentally, were Tricia Nixon’s favorite band during her White House years (unfortunately the band did not return a comparable admiration for her father’s presidency). So many party-goers sang along with Manny that a karaoke event might be indicated for the future. Attendees ranged from members of long-standing (20-year member Lori Black is paradoxically one of the club’s youngest members as she is still in her fifties!) to people at their first Singles event, such as the dazzlingly pretty Cathy, and the dapper Galen (who self-identified as a denizen of the “swamp” due to his former career in Washington, D.C.). Cathy and Galen were duly (and deservedly) impressed—they attended the next night’s happy hour at SaddleBrooke One and officially joined the club. A huge thank you to the indefatigable Arlene DesJardins, party planner extraordinaire, who organized the event and ensured that a wonderful time was had by all.