Recent Events

Friday 8th December

Traditional

Christmas Lunch

with all the trimmings

We return to the excellent

THYME by Ruccola in Alvor

Arrival from 12:30 for lunch at 13:00

Christmas Menu:

Welcome drink: Bucks Fizz or Soft drink

Starters –
   Garlic Mushrooms or
   Prawn Cocktail or
   Vegetable Soup

Main courses –
   Traditional Christmas lunch -

    Roast Turkey or Beef with all the trimmings
           or

    Salmon with sparkling white wine sauce, herbs and

         caviar

           or
   Vegetarian -  Filo basket, with stir-fried vegetables

    and sweet & sour sauce
 

Desserts –
   Traditional Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce

           or

   Cheesecake with red fruit coulis

Coffee with a mince pie

Includes Wine or 2 small beers, water

PRICE
€50.00 per person (€55.00 for non-members and guests)

This is the same as last year!

We will be doing table assignments,

so if you want to sit on the same table as special friends

please tell us when you book and we will do our best.

(Maximum 8 people per table)

The restaurant capacity for the meal is 50 people.

Update 19 October:

We are pleased to say that we have received a preliminary confirmation that Father Christmas expects

to join us again this year after his recent absence.

Booking is now closed.

Thursday

16th November

Lunch

We return to the great value ASIA-TOKYO

restaurant in Praia da Rocha for Lunch

As with our previous visits this is an

'all you can eat'

meal served to the table.

The menu will include

- Sushi - Chinese dishes and Ice Cream to finish.

12:30 for lunch starting at 13:00

Price of €22 for members

(€24 for non-members)

includes: wine/beer water and coffee

This is only €2 more than in 2021,

which is a bargain.

Booking is now closed.

Thursday 26th October

Traditional Car Treasure Hunt

(aka Motor Meander)

with Lunch

Meet at the coffee shop

(known locally as Pedro's)

behind the market in Algoz

from 10:00 to 10:30 am for

Registration and Coffee.

First competitors depart 10:45

the last by 11:15.

Approx 40Km drive over 1 1/2 hours

following cryptic clues

The Simple Rules:

• Each car must have a minimum of 2 and maximum of 4 (adult) occupants, at least one must be a CASA member.

• All non-member guests must take part in the same car as the inviting member.

• The three teams solving the most clues along the route will win a prize plus hold one of the silver cups until the next Treasure Hunt

The Treasure Hunt is planned to take each team about 1 1/2 hours,

it is NOT a race or rally.

The lunch destination will be

O Foral restaurant in Foral

(about 5km north-east of Algoz)

Full lunch including a welcome drink (Sangria)

wine, beer, soft drinks, coffee.

The lovely lunch menu offered to us by

O Foral is:

Couvert -

Bread, Butter, Olives, Carrots, Tapas, Chef's Surprise

Starter choice of -

Melon with smoked ham or Vegetable soup

Main course choices -

Sea Bass with potatoes and vegetables in the oven

Vegetable Curry

Roasted loin of pork with plums

Fried beef with pepper sauce and fries

Chicken merengue  "Napoleon"

    (Chicken Stew made with cream, brandy and mushrooms)

Sweet / Desert -

This will be served as a buffet - a range of dishes will be presented on a buffet table for everyone to choose.

Prize-giving will take place during lunch

PRICE  (members & non-members)

Lunch Only -- €25

Treasure Hunt with Lunch  -- €27

Last day for booking = Friday 20th

please specify starter & main choice

for each person

AND a fun name for your 'team'.

Booking is now closed,

We have 10 cars taking part and 33 for the lunch.

Wednesday 20th September

Traditional

'English Afternoon Tea'

to celebrate the end of the summer

(and the tourist season!)

Terrace of the Club House at

Vale De Milho Golf Club

Carvoiero

Your tea (as photo above) will consist of:

Assorted selection of finger sandwiches

Fresh made cakes

Scones with fresh cream and jam

Unlimited tea or coffee

Two glasses of prosecco

Arrival from 2 o'clock,

1st glass of prosecco served when you arrive,

sandwiches & 2nd glass served at your table from half past.

Scones & cakes served when you are ready

(so they can be served fresh).

Price €17 each for members.

Booking will close afternoon of Thursday 14th Sept.

Booking is now closed.

Our second attempt at something completely new for the CASA Autumn season saw 21 members gather at the Vale de Milho Golf Club for our " Traditional English Afternoon Tea". The weather turned out to be perfect for us, the previous extreme heat - and the rain - held off, and we enjoyed a very pleasant afternoon on the terrace with views of part of the golf course.

The sandwiches were excellent - the cucumber sandwiches naturally with the crusts removed – and went down very well with the Prosecco and endless pots of tea. Considerable discussion arose about the correct order to apply jam and cream to a scone, but no consensus was reached. The delicious cakes, presented on lovely bone china tea stands, were likewise eagerly devoured, the vast supply of food being reduced to just a handful of left-over sandwiches. There was much laughter which seems to indicate a successful event and one of our American members was delighted and intrigued by their introduction to this fixture of traditional English fare. It seems likely that we will be repeating this next year!

Many thanks to the very friendly and helpful staff for their hard work and support.

8th September

2 1/2 hour hands-on Art

(painting) session

with respected tutor

Tracy-Jane Pooler

Members price of €17.50 for the session includes:

Tuition with all art materials provided

Whatever you produce is yours to take home

1 coffee/tea/soft-drink from the cafe

Fun!

No matter if you have never held a brush in your life,

or want to 'brush-up' a technique

All levels welcome

5th September -

Booking has now closed

we have 10 budding artists booked.

10:30 to 13:00

Roosters Bar near S.B. Messines.

Roosters serves snacks / 'English pub food'

and will be open for lunch afterwards

(optional, not included in the price)

Max 12 people for the lesson,

no limit for any lunch

As all food is prepared to order -

if you want to lunch we suggest

pre-ordering this when you arrive

as this will reduce your waiting time.

For 'significant others' with nothing much else

to occupy you for a couple of hours:

1. large off-road car park,

2. the cafe/bar will be open,

3. plenty of seating (inside or out),

4. free WiFi,

5. well-stocked charity bookshop

(in aid of the local Bombeiros)

- what's not to like?

On September 8^th a small group of the more artistic CASA members gathered at 'Roosters' restaurant (on the N270 between Messines and Paderne) for an art lesson given by Tracy-Jane Pooler. The subject was a woodland scene executed, believe it or not, in black Quink ink and salt! Our members however proved to be up to the challenge, producing some credible images. Comments from our artists indicate that they enjoyed the session and some look forward to a future session working with another medium. After two and a half hours thirsty work the challenge was passed over to the kitchens when most of the group sat down with Tracy for a well earned lunch.

The event kicked off the CASA autumn schedule of just five events, the first two being new for the club – the second being just a couple of weeks away when we experiment with an 'English Afternoon Tea' (with the addition of prosecco of course) at Vale De Milho Golf Club. This will be followed in October with our traditional Car Treasure Hunt and Lunch – assuming that last years winners return our silver trophies in time!

Friday 7th July

Dinner at

  O' TASCO  restaurant

North of Portimao-Penina

Maximum 30 people - first come etc.

This dinner is now fully booked,

booking is closed.

19:15 for 19:45

MENU
 

Couvert

Bread, toasts, cheese, sausage, olives, butter,
sardine pate, home made paté, boiled shrimps

Main Courses

Grilled prawns with rice and salad;
Turkey strogonoff with rice;
Grilled chicken breast with mushroom sauce,
fries & vegetables;
Pork medallions with pepper sauce,

fries & vegetables;
Grilled fish (bream or sea bass)

with potatoes & vegetables)

Desserts

(to choose on the day)

Chocolate or mango mousse,

Crème caramel,

Sweet of the day,

Fruit salad,

Ice cream,

Pineapple
 

Includes wine, beer, soft drinks, water & coffee.

Price will be  €27 for members and €29 for non-members.

Last day for booking was 29th June,

booking is now closed.

Please specify your main course choice.

_____________________________

Friday July 7^th saw a sell-out group of 33 members and guests arrive at O'Tasco for C.A.S.A.'s last spring 2023 event. We had been warned ahead not to arrive earlier than we had booked as the staff might not be available, however we were very pleased to find everything ready – including the bar being open – on arrival of the committee and a few very keen early-birds. As soon as all 33 had arrived the service promptly started and continued non-stop for almost three hours. The food was excellent, the grilled fish in particular producing gasps of amazement. The range of deserts on offer was vast - making a choice was not easy. The location on the covered patio at the front of the restaurant was a good choice, the recent heat-wave was ameliorated by a gentle breeze making for near perfect conditions for an evening meal. A lot of friendly chatter throughout the meal indicated we had a happy crowd and all those we asked said they had had a very enjoyable meal and a good time. A great choice of venue – but then we have been here before so knew we would be fine. Our great thanks to all the staff at O'Tasco for the excellent service and a most enjoyable evening.

Our program will continue, after the summer break, with TWO  new events in September.

Friday 9th June

Hawaiian-style

Luau / Dinner

A CHOUPANA

EN-125 near Mexilhoeira Grande

ANOTHER new event for CASA!

Our normal 'dress code' for dinners is relaxed!

you are invited to dress up (eg fancy shirt / grass skirt!)

** this is not compulsary **

but we will provide a pre-made lei for everyone

and a prize will be given to the most

entertainingly outfitted man and woman.

The event will include a demonstration of Hawaiian Luau

dancing - including 'poi ball twirling'.

It should be fun!

Food will be served over several courses with choices available,

To include:

Price is €30 for members,  €32 for guests

Last day for booking is Tuesday 6th June

We will be seated at three tables with a maximum of ten people at each,

thus a maximum of 30 people in total.

The cash bar will be open for anyone wanting pre/post dinner drinks.

If you arrive before 6:30 please wait in the bar area

(the area to the right)

for us to complete preparations.

The meal and included drinks will be served from 7.

Tuesday 16th May

Casa da Vinha

Vale Fuzeiros, S.B. Messines

Lunch with a quiz

Arrival from 12:30, Quiz will start at 13:00

The quiz will be set by one of our members and will be in four rounds.  You do not need to be a brain surgeon or nuclear physics expert - although the questions are in four themed sections all will be 'General Knowledge' level.

Casa da Vinha is a family-run traditional Portuguese restaurant serving good quality Portuguese-style food and is tucked away in the small village of Vale Fuzeiros, a few kilometres west of S.B. Messines. From the restaurant conservatory, where we will be sitting, there are lovely views south towards the hills.

Friday 21st April

Winery Tour with Tasting,

Cheeses and Charcuterie.

Silves area

Wine tasting at Cabrita Wines

near Silves

Join us for a CASA wine tasting on Friday, 21 April at Cabrita Wines near to Silves.

This will be an afternoon visit, commencing at 4.30 pm and will last about 1½ hours.

The visit will include a guided tour of the vineyards, cellar and barrel cellar, followed by a commented wine tasting of three wines from the Classic Cabrita Wines range accompanied by a light refreshment of delicious cheeses and charcuterie from local producers.

You don’t want to miss this new event! Here’s what ‘Vogue’ magazine had to say about Cabrita Wines: "The winery, which was founded in 2007 and produces whites, reds, and rosés, offers tastings in a second-floor space that’s replete with polished wood and beautiful vineyard views."

As this event does not include a meal we will provide a few suggestions for local restaurants which you might like to try for dinner afterwards, or a lazy lunch before.

PRICE:    €25 for members, €27 for non-members.

AGM and Dinner

Friday 17th March

at

Recanto dos Mouros,

Silves

Booking is now closed

In a quiet corner behind the Castle in Silves,
stands this restaurant, which has
become a reference in the national
gastronomic scene. The privileged location,
overlooking the castle walls, and the rustic
and welcoming space, give a special charm
to the delicious food.

(The road works which caused access difficulties

in 2022 are no longer a problem)

The AGM will take place prior to dinner and will

include elections to the committee.

All members are encouraged to attend the AGM

which is your annual chance to have a voice.

Schedule and Dinner Menu

Booking is now closed, we have 35 booked.

On the 17th March 33 members of CASA gathered at Recanto dos Mouros in
Silves for the club's Annual General Meeting and a dinner.   A report from our Chairperson regarding the last year's activities, and some challenges we have faced, was followed by a brief financial report from the Treasurer and Honorary Auditor.   During the 2022 AGM, new committee members were selected due to several existing members standing down for personal reasons. This year all but one of the committee indicated they would continue in position.  We are pleased to
say that we did elect a new Membership Secretary, though we continue to be
in need of an additional person on the committee to assist with some
of the booking procedures as well as helping to choose venues for the
activities.

The outline of a coach trip for late October was presented, which would include for the first time visiting four cities in both Portugal and Spain, in the central Iberia region.  Further details will be issued in our next club Newsletter - and on our website. We hope there will be sufficient interest for this trip to go ahead.

With the official part of the evening completed we were able to relax and enjoy an excellent meal served by the restaurant staff. This being our fourth time at Recanto dos Mouros, the food was delicious, and much enjoyed.

As a final note from this meeting, some members have felt that our full name 'Carvoeiro Association for Social Activities' has, over four and a half decades, become somewhat inaccurate, as we now cover the whole of the Western Algarve. In light of this, we asked members earlier to suggest new names retaining the short acronym  'CASA'.  A vote was taken, and a new name was selected from a shortlist of nine which had been suggested:-  'Club for Algarvian Social Activities' is our new name!

[Some photographs follow]

2023

Pre-Valentines Lunch

Friday 10th February

at 

Solar do Farelo

12:30 arrival for lunch at 13:00

Your menu:

      Couvert

Price for members - €29,  non-members €31

Limited to the first 34 bookings only

due to space limitations.

Saturday January 21st

CASA Traditional 

"After Hangover"

Dinner

Big Red's Steakhouse

in Alvor.

Following your weeks of

celebrating Christmas and the New Year

with too much to eat and drink

-

Join us for some

"Hair of the dog ...."

The Alvor beach is just a short walk away

if you need some fresh air before/after your meal.

Menu

Couvert

.....

Vegetable Soup

Or

Goats Cheese in a filo basket with red onion marmalade

......

BBQ Spare Ribs

Or

Chicken Kiev

Or

Seafood Bake    (white fish, salmon & prawns)

.....

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Or

Apple Crumble with custard

Wine and Water included.

Pre/Post dinner drinks can be purchased at the bar.

Members price -  €28

Arrival time 18:30 for service starting at 19:00.

As is our long standing tradition CASA started 2023 with our annual 'After Hangover Dinner',  the purpose of which is to celebrate survival of a Christmas holiday season consisting of more eating and drinking than is good for us!  It does tend to incorporate the old adage of taking 'A hair of the dog that bit you' as a cure.   Big Red's Steak House in Alvor did us proud in this respect - not only was the food superb but the portions were huge,  a number of participants leaving with doggy bags containing left over ribs or chicken!   
As with most restaurants post-pandemic Big Red's was slightly short staffed, but those working made up for their lower numbers by working flat-out for three non-stop hours.  Our sincere thanks to them all for their efforts to make the evening such a success.  Our 43 members occupied the larger room while other customers filled the smaller.

Over our next few events we will be working towards attracting more members;  Brexit has unfortunately driven a significant number of UK members back to their roots, some other nationalities have not yet returned to Portugal since they retreated  'home' during the pandemic, we hope to see some of these returning this year.  Meantime we have some space for new members to join us for more events centred around just being 'social'  in convivial locations.

Friday December 2nd

Thyme by Ruccola

near Alvor

Christmas Lunch

The Christmas meal here last year was just so superb

that we felt that we had to return!

The members price^* of  €50 includes -

* Welcome drink: Bucks Fizz or Soft drink

* Garlic Mushrooms or Prawn Cocktail or Vegetable Soup

* Traditional Christmas lunch -

Turkey or Beef with all the trimmings or
* Seabass fillet with citrus butter & chives
* Vegetarian -

Filo basket, with stir-fried vegetables & sweet & sour sauce

* Traditional Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce or

Almond tart with cream

* Wine or 2 small beers, Water & Coffee with a mince pie!

Father Christmas is unfortunately unable to join us,

however his elves will be dropping off some presents......

*Non-members price is €55.

Thursday 10th November

Dinner at

Cantino do Almareado

in Guia

at 7 for 7:30

MENU

Couvert
Starters:
    Ham and Cheese Board OR
    Vegetable Soup
Main courses:
    Filet of Sole
    Veal Stroganoff
    Vegetable curry
Desserts
    Fruit salad OR
    Chocolate Mousse

Includes:  Coffee, Water, Wine

This was the first time CASA has visited Cantino do Almareado in Guia, by the end of the evening the consensus of opinion was that it should not be the last! Once we got ourselves sorted out with friends seated together and the staff were able to move freely around the room again the service was great and non-stop. The starter for most of us consisted of a board laden with bread, cheeses, cold meats and other nibbles, enough to satisfy anyone. Followed by very tasty main courses and finally the sweet – most of us choosing the chocolate mouse and finding it one of the most tasty in memory. The wine flowed steadily and the conversation and laughter intensified as members caught up with each other's backlog of news. It's two and a half years since we have been able to meet so freely and relaxed over an evening meal. It was great to be able to welcome some new members and guests in such a hospitable atmosphere.

Wednesday 19th October

Car Treasure Hunt 

Motor Meander

followed by lunch.

The Treasure Hunt will start with coffee at

Bar Bacchus

at Porches Pottery

on the eastbound side of the EN125 near Porches.

Registration and Coffee starting from 10:15, first competitors depart 10:45.

The Simple Rules:
 

• Each car must have a minimum of 2 and maximum of 4 occupants, at least one should be a member.
• All non-member guests must take part in the same car as the inviting member.
• The three teams solving the most clues along the route will win a prize plus hold one of the silver cups until the next Treasure Hunt

The Treasure Hunt is planned to take about 1 1/2 hours, it is NOT a race or rally.

The lunch destination will be

Flor do Campo

between Porches and Alcantarilha, this family-run restaurant is located on the eastbound side of the EN125  and has ample onsite parking.

On arrival one welcome drink per person will be served on the terrace, any additional drinks taken while waiting for lunch are not included in the price.

Lunch is expected to be served at 13:00 and the Treasure Hunt prizegiving will take place between courses during the lunch.

Menu:

Couvert

Mains:

• Basquaise Chicken with rice or
• Bacalhau c/natas  or
• Goat cheese salad

Deserts:

• Red Fruit Tiramisu or
• Tarte Tatin

Water, Rose wine, House white wine, Coffee

Price is €22 per person for lunch only

  or €24    if taking part in the Treasure Hunt.

Plus €2 extra p.p. for non-members.

When you book in addition to your lunch menu choices please give us a fun name for your team, these team names and scores will be published here and in the November club newsletter.

Booking is now closed.

We have seven cars taking part in the Treasure Hunt and 26 people for lunch.

The scores of all the teams in place order are:

1.    The Lost Tribe        26 points  & tie-breaker
2.    The Bryanks          26 points
3.    Terrible Trio           24 points
4.    Clueless                23 points     joint with
5.    SuperSeekers        23 points
6.    Newbies                14 points
7.    Intrepid Explorers    5 points     Wooden Spoon winners