…especially if you’re lucky enough to stay in the Coastal Living Beach Home, on Bald Head Island. Toss in 8 of your best friends, a private chef, glorious weather, a mystery to solve and you’ve got the recipe for some fantastic memories!

My good friend Terre and I plan events for people all over the world.

From corporate retreats and incentive trips to golf outings and anniversary soirees; as event planners, we’ve done a little bit of everything. But each year in the fall, we treat ourselves and our friends to a spectacular four day get away.

In January, the invitations arrive detailing the theme, location and activities. Each guest is responsible for her own transportation to the area, but after that, we take over with lavish meals, fantastic accommodations, interesting side trips, and special trinkets for everyone. We try to head to places that aren’t the typical destination, and then include events that the normal traveler couldn’t arrange for themselves.

One year our theme was “Unlock the Mysteries of Santa Fe.” Each guest received a vintage skeleton key in the mail, and when they arrived at the resort, their key unlocked a trunk that revealed a special gift. As I recall, that weekend we did a GPS Scavenger Hunt in the mountains, took a class at the famed Santa Fe School of Cooking, and were special guests of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, partaking in a private dinner in the gallery. The final night we arranged for a recording artist to serenade all the ladies with a private concert in one of the suites. We’ve been to the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina for Candlelight, we stayed at the Hotel Del Coronado for a Black and White weekend, and last year our theme was “Red Hot Montreal.”

This year Terre and I decided to try something different. Instead of staying at an exclusive inn, we made arrangements to rent the Coastal Living Beach Home. With beds for 15, 7 bathrooms, large gathering spaces and 3000 square feet of covered porches overlooking the ocean, it sounded like just the ticket! The invitation instructed our group that this year there would be no need for the cha-cha shoes or fancy jewelry. (They didn’t believe us, by the way.) This year sweatshirts, cozy sweaters and warm pajamas were the things to pack. Along with the invite, came a culinary murder mystery novel which our guests were to read prior to departure. Terre and I planned the entire weekend around the recipes and intrigue from this book.

We welcomed the ladies in Wilmington, North Carolina on Thursday evening for a special dinner at Deluxe restaurant. The Basil Garden Gimlet kicked the evening off in high fashion while Thomas, the establishment’s manager and Trinity, the chef, took every care to customize a menu for us that included perfect wines for each course. After dinner, we hopped in our private shuttle and headed to the ferry. (Side note for all of you Jon and Kate fans/haters…our driver gave us some behind the scenes scoop on Kate whom he had driven around last summer. All I will say is this; it appears that she looks out for number one more than numbers 3-10.)

We boarded the ferry to our island home, and once there, hopped into golf carts. The weekend was all we had planned and more. The ladies golfed, shopped and hit the spa. We hopped on a tram for a private tour of the island and climbed to the top of “Old Baldy” lighthouse. We hired an artist who set easels on the front porch, and instructed us all as we recreated in acrylics, a scene from the island. We played games, lots of Bananagrams, and took countless walks on deserted beaches with dolphins splashing and feeding nearby. One day we broke into teams and created videos! Let’s just say, none of us will ever win an Oscar, but they were oh so fun. On our final evening, a chef from the food network cooked a delicious meal as we drank, sang songs from the 70’s and 80’s at the top of our lungs, and remembered all of our earlier trips.

On Sunday, as we boarded the ferry back to reality, our friends begged us to give them a hint of where next year’s trip would find us. But Terre and I were still on island time, and frankly, it’s hard to imagine a better place to share a weekend with your closest friends.

Back to Boston; A Beautiful day in the City

Get away to the City & Explore Victory Park

I love late September in Texas.  The temperatures begin to cool, the humidity drops, and every day is another excuse to play hooky and head outside.  So what’s going on this year? It’s been raining in Dallas for a week.  Yes, we needed the rain, but jeez, enough is enough!  It’s tough to get out and enjoy your pool or take a walk on the local trails when it’s so soggy even the Trinity River is overflowing its banks!

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I might be tempted to use this meteorological anomaly as an excuse to grab a flight out of town to some sunny destination (don’t think I didn’t try).  But as my husband pointed out, I’ve abandoned the Metroplex 3 of the last 5 weekends, and October is shaping up to be a travel-palooza, so this weekend I’ve been grounded.

Trying to think outside the box, I realized that my darling hubby never made the declaration that I had to stay HOME, only that I needed to stay in the Metroplex!  This presented me with a wealth of opportunities.  I hopped on my computer, made some phone calls, and I am proud to say, I’ve got a fun weekend planned.  Feel free to use this as a guide if some weekend you too, need to get away without going too far.

The first order of business was finding a fabulous hotel room surrounded by good places to eat and fun things to do.  I called the W hotel and got a great deal for the weekend.  I can hardly wait to use their “Whatever, Whenever” service.  I’m trying to think up something really obscure to see if they can deliver on their promise.

Next, I had to plan some fun activities.  I’m sure we’ll enjoy a morning swim in the hotel’s 16th floor pool with panoramic views of the city and I’ve scheduled a spa treatment for myself. If the skies clear, we’ll take a walk on the Katy trail, if not we could hit the gym, grab a movie, or simply people watch in the lobby.  My husband would like to try the W’s Acura Experience, tooling around the city in a new MDX.  At some point, we’ll grab a tasty lunch at one of the Victory Park eateries.

For nighttime fun, I checked the American Airlines Center weekend event planner.  Now I’m sure she puts on a good show, but there is not a chance in the world that I could get my husband to see Brittney Spears’ Circus tour at the AAC on Friday night.  So instead, on Saturday, we’ll attend the Ultimate Fight Club Championships. Our college aged son will be envious, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to open my eyes to see what’s going on.  Nevertheless, I’m willing to step outside my comfort zone, and try something new.  Afterward, we’ll head over to the Havana Social Club where my husband can light up a stick and enjoy the company of other cigar aficionados while I throw back some yummy rum drinks in an attempt to forget the horror I’ve just witnessed.   Finally, we’ll hit the Ghost Bar where celebs and beautiful wannabes congregate.  I know from previous experience that they make a mean blueberry martini, but this time I’ll try something a new.

Sunday morning, we’ll cruise over to Gachet Coffee where the White Velvet is the coffee drink of choice and the pastries come highly recommended.  We’ll no doubt review the weekend’s highlights and then hop in our car to make the 25 minute drive back to our suburban home.  When you live in a large city like Dallas, it’s not always necessary to get out of town for a mini-vacation.  There are ample places around town that you’ve probably never explored, so step out, explore and have some fun!

She’s someone’s Grandmother: Meals on Wheels

My Gammy Johnson was a hoot; all 5 feet of her!  For most of her life, she was a single mom raising two kids, working forty hours a week at a time when most moms didn’t work.  Though I’m sure she struggled, you would have never known it to look at her.  She was always dressed to the nines, always in heels (yes, even when we went to the Laundromat) and always had a smile on her face.  From Gammy I learned the thrill of giving to others, the beauty of a gut-wrenching country music song, and how to polka with the best of them at the local VFW.

My Grandmother Chilton always seemed so tall to me.  She had the perfect posture of a southern lady, and I can’t remember her ever saying a negative word about anyone.  She raised a large family with her best friend, my granddad, and always seemed honored to do so.  In her church and her community, she was someone others could count on.  Though her house was always immaculate, she was never too busy to chat with a friend or family member. From Grandmother I learned how to make moist strawberry bread, the fashion statement a great hat can make, and the importance of church in everyone’s life.

Though I miss them both very much, the lessons they taught me and the time I spent with them is not forgotten.  In today’s world when so many people live far away from their families, sometimes it’s the seniors in our communities who suffer the most.  In years past, if family members weren’t geographically close to their aging relatives, there were long-time friends who could lend a helping hand, or provide a meal when times were tough.  Today, sadly, those connections are rare, yet there are still grandmothers, grandfathers and other adults in our community who need a helping hand.

This is why I volunteer for our local Meals on Wheels program.

The seniors, or handicapped adults, who I visit at lunch-time are more grateful for the one on one conversation than they are for the hot meal.  For many, the Meals on Wheels volunteers are the only people they speak with on a daily basis.  The recipients of the meals always thank me profusely for taking the time to talk with them, but truly, I feel blessed for having the chance to make a small difference in someone’s life.

Before my kids left for college, they rode along with me on Mondays.  Now that both of them are gone for the school year, each time I ring the doorbell of another home, I know there will be a quick conversation about how the kids are doing.  In turn, I’m always ready with an update or photo.  If you have a young child who is not yet in school, what a great example you could set if he or she accompanied you on a Meals on Wheels route!  The added benefit is the conversation that inevitably take place back in the car about how blessed your own family is.

If your heart is open, and you have an hour that you are willing to give, call the Lewisville Senior Center – 972-219-5050. They can set you up once a week, or once a month.  My route never takes more than 45 minutes to complete, but the benefits last so much longer.

Corny Dogs and Pig Races: The State Fair is back in Town

Let’s be honest.  If there’s one thing that we Texans love most about our state, it’s autumn.  The kids are back in school and nighttime temperatures dip into the 70’s.  We begin to forgive and forget the oppressive heat our great state has just dragged us through.  It’s like what they say about childbirth.  Once that beautiful baby is in your arms, you forget all the pain.  October in Texas, is the beautiful baby.

With limitless sunny days and humidity a forgotten foe, our spirits lift as we once again, step outside to explore the world beyond air conditioning.  Sure, we still throw on shorts and tees, but we dare to toss a cardigan or a sweatshirt in our truck.  Texans are usually hospitable folks, but when the temperatures get cooler, they’re downright genial. My husband thinks I’m crazy, but I swear that drivers are friendlier on the fall roads.  I see less “speed-up-to-cut-in-front-of-you-moves” followed by pantomime cursing and more “go-on-ahead-of-me-nods” with acknowleding wave-backs.  Aint life great?

Armed with the knowledge that you’re less likely to be a victim of road rage in the fall, I’ve got a suggestion for you.  Load up the troops and head on down to the Great State Fair of Texas!

Now I personally know some of you who think the place is filthy, the people are trashy, and the food is unhealthy.  You’re right on all three counts!  It’s a fair, for goodness sake!  There aren’t supposed to be white table cloths, everyone looks like trash by the end of the day covered with a thin layer of Texas dust, and no one ever promised that a helping of fried butter (you read correctly) or fried coca-cola (yummy, I swear) was going to be good for you.  But I beg you to think less of how much antibacterial hand wash you’ll need, and more about the great memories you could create with your family.

I grew up in Indiana, and every year my mom and dad and I went to the State Fair.  Sure, it’s not as big as the Texas State Fair, but there’s just as much fun to be had.  We always went to the different barns to check the prize-winning animals.  The world’s largest hog was a big draw, the sheep smelled horrible, and the different horses were beautiful.  My dad and I rode a few of the rides, while my mom watched from the sidelines.  The tractor pull was always fun to see, as well as the exhibits in the different halls sprinkled throughout the fairgrounds.  Junk food was devoured.  Lemon shake-ups, elephant ears, and sweet roasted corn on the cob were favorites, but we never once left the fairgrounds without an Italian sausage sandwich or two.   These are great childhood memories for me, and I’m sure if you take your kids down to Fairpark in October, you can create some fun yearly traditions and fond memories as well.

Head to the fair in the late afternoon or evening if possible.  The crowds are lighter, and much of the good entertainment gets started when the sun goes down.  No matter the age of your kids, don’t miss the Pig Races.  Even college aged big kids find it hard to be cool when the dressed up oinkers hit the track.  Same goes for the stunt dog show and herding demonstration, those dogs know how to work a crowd.  From here, make your way over to the rides.  I’ve learned from experience that an empty stomach makes for a more pleasant ride.  Be sure to hit the Texas Star Ferris Wheel, which is so big it can be seen miles away; it’s a beautiful ride at night.  Everyone enjoys the Starlight Parade which begins at 7:15 nightly and is kicked off with the ever impressive U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps.    Colorful floats wind through the fair with costumed characters and moving lights.

Next, I’d go for some good food, and I’ll throw in a tip for free.  Never buy two of anything!  There is so much food to sample at the fair; the idea is to taste a variety, not to get filled up on one thing.  It’s almost sacrilegious to leave the State Fair of Texas, without eating a Fletcher’s Corny Dog, so be sure to hit this famous booth.  This year’s winning fried entries promise to be yummy, so I’ll be trying both the Fried Butter and the Fried Peaches and Cream.

My hubby will want to check out the Classic Corral’s selection of vintage autos.  Each night a different local group displays their beauties, and owners chat with car enthusiasts.  Boys of all ages, including some husbands, will want to stop by East Park Plaza to hop in a simulator and play the video racing game Forza.  This highly anticipated game won’t be released until November, but Texas fairgoers can take their turn in October.

There’s so much to see and do, and a whole month to accomplish it. Take time in October to enjoy the cooler days, spend time with your family, and relish the slower pace of a fair.  Build some memories with your kids and remember another reason why you love this state.  Be sure to tell Big Tex I said, “Howdy!”

Canton is a Carnival: Shopping with a Hesitant Hubby

If you’ve lived in Dallas for more than 5 minutes, you surely know what Canton First Monday Trade Days are.  This is the monthly migration where hoards of suburban housewives pile into Cadillac Escalades and Yukon Denalis heading east on Highway 20.   The Friday morning, before the first Monday of each month, the traffic jams begin to form on 20 just past the Forney exit.  Whether your home is Country French, or Shabby Chic, whether you’re looking for holiday decorations, a new piece of jewelry,  knock-off designer bags, or a new puppy for the family, if it’s not in this town at a severely discounted price, it is not on God’s green earth.

I’ve done my share of damage in Canton.  In fact, a few years back, two of my friends and I decided to play hooky from our part time jobs.  At the end of the day, we had crammed so much into the back of the Suburban, one of my buddies had to crawl on top to load a trellis.  A camera crew from a Dallas TV station rolled up next to the truck and began to interview us.  Suffice to say, we had to come clean with our employers as to where we had been, while the news story replayed all weekend on a local channel.

In my opinion, October has the best Trade Days of the year.  The temperatures are much cooler and all of the new Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas items are on display. The smell of roasted turkey legs is much more appealing when it’s a little chilly outside.  The roads leading into Canton are lined with farmers selling fresh fruits, nuts and veggies.  It really is a gorgeous time of year in North Texas.  As delightful as a crisp autumn day is with your friends as you cruise down the aisles and miles of things you really don’t need, catching up on the latest gossip, the trip is severely stressful when you go there with the one you love the most.  Your husband.

Now as a disclaimer, I must first say that my hubby, Brian, gladly offered to go along with me and he never once complained.   Not when we had to park nearly a mile away in a dirty mud pit and his spotless black car got dirty.   Not when we walked up and down the same aisle four times looking for a booth I’d been told about.  Not even when he stood amidst a gaggle of ladies inside a vintage tent as I painstakingly custom ordered several things.  He really is a trooper, and that almost makes it worse!    You  need to get in a different frame of mind when you take your husband and/or your kids.

Instead of meandering to and from pavilions, stopping to sample soups and jams, trying on cute dresses with your friends, this becomes a search and recover mission.   With my girlfriends, I can spend an hour in one building.  With Brian, I got shin splints as I hurriedly make my way to ground zero, not knowing when the plug would be pulled, and the day trip deemed over.  Even though never a harsh word was spoken, and a smile remained on his face, ladies you know what I mean, this was the definition of pressure!

Should you too, choose to have your spouse accompany you to the promised land one weekend, I have a few tips that should make life easier.
1. Park close to where you plan to exit.  Your hubby won’t mind the walk in because he’ll be curious, but on the way out that car had better be close…especially if you expect him to carry any of your purchases.
2. Today is not the day to find an unfamiliar booth.  Know where you’re going and don’t stop to look at extraneous booths along the way, unless he is interested in them.
3. Plan accordingly.   Food and drink vendors are located everywhere.  I know when it’s just the ladies, we snack at the booths and stop for a late lunch.  Trust me on this one, your husband will snack at all the booths and still be hungry at 10am.  Vendors selling Roasted Corn or Sausage Sandwiches  always seem to have a group of men around them.  Go for it!
4. Finally, if you do not want a new pet for the family, don’t even tell him about Dog Alley.  Our guys are softies at heart, and none of them can resist the puppies.

Above all, try to enjoy the day with your guy knowing that more than likely, he will never ever want to come back here again.  Head back to Dallas with your lighter than usual load and remember that the next Trade Days are only a month away.

For more info on Canton and places to stay: Canton Chamber of Commerce

September 11, The Comfort of the Airplanes

I had just gotten home from my aerobics class and flipped on the T.V.  There was Diane Sawyer, looking a bit concerned, talking about a plane that had just crashed into the side of one of the World Trade Towers in New York.  I hollered at my husband, who was working at home that day, to come in and see what was going on.  The minute he walked in the room, they showed a live video of the second plane hitting the second tower.  We stood there next to each other, 2 feet from the television, as the newscasters began to speculate about what was going on.  We flipped from channel to channel, while the talking heads repeated the same info, and with each passing minute, and each new detail, nervousness gave way to panic.

At the time, we lived directly across the street from the elementary school that my son attended, and about a mile from my daughter’s middle school.  I walked over to the elementary, to see if they knew what had happened.  Coincidentally, as I came through the front door, my son and his 5^th grade class were passing in the hallway.  He ran up to me, whispering, “Mommy.  Did you see what happened in New York?  Do you think the bad guys will come to Dallas?”  I wanted to cry right there, but I could tell he needed reassuring.  “Of course not honey,” I lied, not at all sure what would happen that day.  “How did you hear about it?” I asked.  He said that his teacher had gotten a phone call from her husband, and she had turned on the T.V. so they could watch history happening.  Within 20 minutes, the school district had contacted the elementary schools and instructed them not to mention what was happening, and to turn off all media.  In theory, this was a great plan for the thousands of little ears who went about their day as if nothing significant had happened.  But for the 22 kids in my son’s class, this just added to the “scary” factor.   The school went into lock down as I stood there in the front hallway, and I was escorted from the building.  Parents were pulling into the front drive, running up to the school’s doors, only to have me tell them they couldn’t go inside.

Across town at the middle school, the scene was completely different.  Lockdown had taken place there as well, but many of the kids were crowding around monitors watching the reports all day.  By the time my 7^th grade daughter got home, she was more than a little worried.

At dinner that night, we called both sets of grandparents (one set in Maine, the other in Arizona) just to make sure they were alright.  Once that was settled, the questions started and my husband and I did our best to answer them honestly.  Everyone seemed satisfied as we tucked them into bed and for a special treat they got to sleep in the bunk beds on a school night.  Just as we turned out the light, my daughter said, “Mom, doesn’t it seem almost creepy how quiet it is without the planes flying over our house?”  And you know; she was right.  Some kids live in areas where they can identify varieties of hummingbirds or butterflies, but the reality of living North of DFW is that my kids can identify the carrier operating a plane based on the tail insignia of an aircraft as it passes overhead.  (And not just the biggies in the US; I dare you to stump my kids with an international carrier!)  From 5 a.m. to about midnight, the planes zip over our town, and at some point in our life they had become comforting.  My husband and I crept downstairs, poured  glasses of wine, sat on our front porch swing listening to the silence.

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