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Optima’s Guide to Thanksgiving 2023

As the holiday season approaches, we’re gearing up for a delightful array of activities around the Optima communities. Thanksgiving is a time to embrace the company of family and friends, and both Scottsdale and Chicago offer a fantastic range of activities to make this season truly special. Here are just a few exciting things you can do to celebrate Thanksgiving and welcome the holiday season:

Chicago

The Winnetka Turkey Trot and Turkey Trot Chicago have become cherished Thanksgiving Day traditions. Participants in both races, dressed in festive attire, embark on a thrilling journey through cherished communities, combining fitness and festivity. The lively atmosphere and communal spirit make these events a perfect start to Thanksgiving day.

Glowing pink balls of light string down from a structure and light the surrounding darkness
Lightscape at the Chicago Botanic Garden

Following each trot, join the jubilant crowd at the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade, a beloved spectacle that has graced the city for decades. With vibrant floats, marching bands, and larger-than-life character balloons, this parade captures the essence of the holiday season. Families and friends gather along the parade route, creating memories that last a lifetime.

Cap off the Thanksgiving weekend by welcoming in the rest of the holiday season with a visit to Lightscape at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The enchanting display, combining light and sound, transforms the garden into a magical realm, providing a captivating experience for visitors of all ages. Reservations usually fill up fast, so make your plans now!

Scottsdale 

In Scottsdale, Thanksgiving morning begins with the Phoenix Turkey Trot—a lively event that brings the community together for a morning filled with fun. Participants of all ages join in the spirited run, fostering a sense of cheer that extends beyond the finish line.

A small crowd of people wearing turkey trot t-shirts stand under the finish line sign for the race.
Chicago Turkey Trot

For those seeking outdoor adventures, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve and Desert Botanical Garden offer breathtaking landscapes to explore. Whether you prefer a scenic hike or a leisurely stroll, these natural gems provide the perfect backdrop for a Thanksgiving spent in the heart of Arizona’s beauty.

Complete your holiday experience at the Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale. Whether you’re gliding across the ice at the skating rink or diving into holiday shopping, the district offers a festive atmosphere that captures the spirit of the season.

As we approach Thanksgiving, embrace the season of gratitude, warmth, and togetherness. From the lively Turkey Trots to the grand Thanksgiving Parades, the festive events bring joy to individuals and foster a sense of community — a sentiment we hold dear at Optima. Dive into the enchanting celebrations our communities have to offer and create lasting memories with loved ones that will last forever. 

Neighborhood Spotlights: The Chicago Botanic Garden

It’s no secret that we love the outdoors at Optima. That’s why we are thrilled that our Glencoe office is less than a five-minute drive from the Chicago Botanic Garden, where we’re able to find inspiration and beauty in astounding acres of natural plantlife. To encourage these meditative visits, we have passes for our team to allow them to take a stroll through the gardens for a break and even a lunchtime picnic. 

Open for nearly fifty years, the Chicago Botanic Garden features 27 gardens and four natural areas, sprawling across 385 acres, complete with nine islands and six miles of lake shoreline. With over 2.5 million species of plants, the Garden is a hub drawing people in from all over to visit and learn about horticulture, conservation and sustainability in a beautiful setting. 

The Japanese Gardens on an island at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
The Japanese Gardens on an island at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Year-round, the Chicago Botanic Garden features a garden set into the stones and terraces beneath a cascading waterfall, hidden rooms within their English Walled Garden, a Japanese Garden that’s the perfect place to find a mindful moment and a secret land filled with model trains traversing across bridges and trestles. We are always thrilled to visit their meticulously cared-for collection of hundreds-of-years-old bonsai trees, or to have a drink or bite to eat at the Garden View Cafe overlooking a peaceful pond.

Right now, the Garden is also hosting Lightscape, an enchanting and exclusive U.S. experience. The exhibition brings a mile of immersive ribbons of light, a garden of fragrant fire, a sparkling tunnel and more to an already breathtaking landscape. Also on display, The Orchid Show features 10,000 brilliant blooms in unexpected ways.  

Whether it’s for a breath of fresh air during a daytime walk or to have a picturesque lunch, we are lucky to have our offices so close to this neighborhood gem. 

 

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Maintenance Supervisor

Glencoe, IL





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