THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden kicks off Tuesday, September 29, from Cleveland. With only 36 days until Election Day, it’s the first chance to see the two nominees square off on a range of issues. The timing is auspicious: In the past few days, Trump nominated conservative judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court just weeks before the election, and The New York Times obtained and detailed two decades of the president’s tax information. Expect to hear plenty about both.

The debates will air live starting at 9 pm ET, with Fox News anchor Chris Wallace moderating. Wallace has announced the six topics he plans to cover over 90 minutes: the Trump and Biden records, the Supreme Court, the coronavirus, the economy, electoral integrity, and “race and violence in our cities.” 

Don’t forget to visit your favorite restaurants and fuel up before this exciting debate!

You can’t beat the deals on Taco Tuesday!!! Check out the Tuesday Specials page on villagereats.com.

BREAKFAST IS BACK AT ALL FMK COUNTRY CLUBS – Bonifay, Belle Glade, Evans Prairie and Orange Blossom Hills.

Evans Prairie & Belle Glade starting Saturday, October 3rd.

Bonifay and Orange Blossom Hills starting Monday, October 5th.

Relax and enjoy the view while starting your day with a great breakfast!

MAGNOLIA’S OYSTER BAR – 201 W. Magnolia St. Downtown Leesburg – 352-323-0093. Monday – Saturday 3pm-10pm. Closed Sunday

Every Tuesday & Thursday. Buy 1/2 lb. U-Peel Shrimp for $8.99 Get 1/2 lb. FREE!

Oyster Special $8.99 dozen on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 3p-7p. Raw or Steamed.

Have you been to Magnolia’s Oyster Bar? If you love oysters this is the place to be. They offer a great deal in a laid back environment. Check it out and tell them that you saw their post on villagereats.com.

Did you read the The Villages Daily Sun today? Gov. Ron DeSantis’ announced yesterday that restaurants can now operate at full capacity.

Are things really getting back to normal? I hope so! If you missed the article, not all restaurants are choosing to operate at full capacity and that’s OK. As the season begins, we need to continue being patient and supportive to each other and our restaurant community. Not only does this mean more opportunities for dining, it also means that our restaurant employees, who have suffered greatly, can try to get their lives back.

Villager Eats is all about Deals & Specials but now it is about giving back to the community. If you use a coupon, please consider giving that money back to the people who prepare your food and bring it to your table. There is a reason why The Villages is known for being Florida’s Friendliest Home Town.

I just love living in The Villages!

Sammy’s Italian Restaurant

I Went to Sammy’s Italian Restaurant for the first time last night with hubby. One side of the restaurant had food, music and dancing and the other side had a more quiet atmosphere. We really enjoyed Richie “Q” Quarantello. He engaged the audience and had everyone either dancing, laughing or teasing him. The pizza was delicious. The crust was freshly homemade and topped with an explosion of flavors. We used our Valpak coupon and saved $5 on a $25 meal. Of course we gave it all back in the tip. I can’t wait to eat a slice for breakfast.

I spoke with Ken, the owner, who was excited with the announcement of opening the doors at 100%. He stated that although the restaurant looks busy, it really isn’t and he is looking forward to things getting back to normal.

Sammy’s Italian Restaurant is truly the place to go for real Italian food and if you are a New Yorker, I think your friends are waiting for you!

Lighthouse Point Bar & Grille at Lake Sumter Landing is have a LOBSTER EATING CONTEST on Friday, September 25th. Watch two randomly chosen guests participate in a 1 hour Lobster eating contest!

You never know, it could be you!

Religious or not, you may know that Fish Friday during Lent is kind of a thing. But do you know why?

It turns out that because, according to Christian teaching, Jesus died on a Friday, fasting on Fridays became a way to honor his sacrifice. However, this type of fasting didn’t mean not eating anything (unlike trendy modern-day fasts). It simply meant abstaining from eating the flesh of warm-blooded animals—since the thinking goes, Jesus was a warm-blooded animal. Fish, though, which are cold blooded were considered okay to eat on fasting days. Hence, Fish on Fridays and “Fish Friday” (among many other religious holidays) was born.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the story behind why so many eat fish on Fridays is that it was one of the most significant drivers of the growth of the global fishing industry, according to NPR:

But fish—well, they’d been associated with sacred holidays even in pre-Christian times. And as the number of meatless days piled up on the medieval Christian calendar—not just Fridays but Wednesdays and Saturdays, Advent and Lent, and other holy days—the hunger for fish grew. Indeed, fish fasting days became central to the growth of the global fishing industry.

When it comes to the practice of eating fish during Lent, there is an additional component. The Lenten diet consists of primarily fish and vegetables—the food an average/poor person could reasonably acquire during the Roman period. Meat was considered an upper-class luxury.

Review our Friday specials tab so you don’t miss out on all of the great Fish Friday Deals.

Keep your eyes open for a new sign hanging in the outside area of the bar at Redsauce. We are in the process of designing the sign and hope to have it up on the wall soon. Thank you Redsauce for promoting villagereats.com.

Get rewards when you visit the above establishments. Available in the App Stores! Google & Apple.

I download the “My Rewards” from my Google Play Store. 1. Search for “FMK My Rewards” on your App Store. 2. Download the App and create an account. 3. Start earning rewards when you dine with us. Don’t forget to enable notifications to receive coupons & specials.

When you visit one of your favorite restaurants above, just click on “My Rewards” App and start saving. There is a barcode in the upper right hand corner of the app that will be scanned by the restaurant which will start saving you money. You collect points with every purchase and earn cash rewards to use at the restaurants.