Table For One

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I just returned from a brief vacation—three days in the Virginia mountains. It was my first solo trip. Or rather, first solo vacation. I’ve travelled alone for business, but have always shied away from the idea of vacationing alone. On a business trip, I may be eating dinner alone at the bar but it should be quite obvious I’m not in Orangeburg, SC for a relaxing get-away, so there was never any awkwardness. But eating at a renowned local tavern in a quaint VA town where people are sporting “I ❤ VA” t-shirts and everyone is holding hands and taking selfies, red alert: Solo single female traveler in your midst.

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Late Night

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A couple of my girlfriends came over last night, just to hang out, watch movies, talk and drink wine. We ended up skipping the movie and focused more on the talking and wine drinking, catching up on each other's lives.

We'd been talking for a couple of hours when one of the women looked at her watch and said, "Oh my gosh, it's 9:40. It's getting late." My other friend jumped up and started collecting plates and wine glasses. 

I looked at them with tears in my eyes.

"I love you guys so much," I said. "9:40 pm and you think it's late. You are SO my people." 

We all travel to the beach together in the summer and it's perfect because we're all the same age and all on the same schedule. Up early, bed early. If we make it past 11 p.m. we congratulate each other on a long and rowdy night. 

Laugh now, but this is your future. 

Cheers,

Dena

 

Beach Weekend

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Two weeks ago I visited Ocean Isle Beach with four of my girlfriends. All of us are in our forties. That’s an important point to remember as we move forward.

We arrived Thursday night and did the requisite drinks and seafood (and drinks) dinner and called it a night so we could hit the beach early. We woke up, donned our bikinis, packed a light lunch—Bloody Marys counting as a light lunch—and faced our first big decision of the day. What level sunscreen to use?

It’s a tough call. On one hand, prolonged sun exposure leads to accelerated aging with fine lines, wrinkles and age spots.

On the other hand, we all look phenomenal with a tan.

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