Girls’ Trips
This last weekend I got the chance to get away on a girls’ trip with a few high school girlfriends and some I’ve met later in life. It was a weird time to get away because the holidays are here and December just always feels crazy. But it came at the perfect time because my children are older, the cooler weather was ideal, and my husband is a rockstar when it comes to making sure I come home to a clean house - God bless him! A girls’ trip always feels like therapy to me. Although we did some shopping and were active with a rock climbing activity, my favorite part was sitting around in our matching pajamas (monogrammed by my dear friend Betsy of @monogramsofvero), drinking wine, and talking. It seems that is the common denominator when it comes to girls’ trips — just being with your friends without the responsibilities of home and being able to share. I learned all kinds of things from these ladies - 1) look into NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) for kids this summer 2) it’s ok to buy salmon from Sam’s Club but you have to have your husband cook it outside on the grill 3) start IPL laser treatments STAT. And those were just a handful among countless little tidbits. The text thread we created for the trip has continued through this week, and the text exchanges are priceless. Oh, and another thing we confirmed - our phones really listen to us. Very creepy.
I wanted to share this little blurb about my weekend because a trip away with girlfriends is so good for the soul, and as the New Year approaches, I encourage you to plan something with your girlfriends to just get away from it all and be together. With the craziness of this time of year, getting something on your schedule that is just for you makes such a difference to your mood come early January. You certainly don’t need to board a plane to make this happen. It could even be an old-fashioned sleepover at one of your friends’ homes. If you can get away, lock in your dates now. I like the hotels.com app and it has a great option for booking a room and paying once you check in. Coming from Vero Beach, I prefer a Palm Beach or Winter Park getaway for something close by. In Palm Beach, the Ben Hotel is a great location and has a fun rooftop pool scene. They have a watermelon tequila drink that is beyond amazing. On the island, you can score a decent rate at the Palm Beach Historic Inn which is a stone’s throw from Buccan (make reservations on Resy before you even secure a room). There are also some fun new places near City Place - Harry’s and Adrienne’s Pizzabar are both great for dinner. For Orlando, the Alfond Inn in Winter Park is the perfect spot. You can easily walk to Park Avenue, have dinner at Prato, and be sure to check out the adorable The Grove boutique while there. The owners are the sweetest and the vibe there makes you never want to leave. Check out the Park Plaza Hotel too. - very old school.
The bottom line is this - make plans and stick to them. Life gets so busy, and having a trip away with girlfriends to look forward to is the light at the end of the hectic holiday tunnel.
Cheers,
SaraBee