Second Annual BFF Trip to Bal Harbour, FL

Last January, my friend Rebecca's dad passed away. I told her I'd be wherever she needed me to be - Minnesota, where he lived, or Brooklyn, she she lives - but they weren't having a memorial ceremony until spring.

Instead, she asked, would I be willing to come on vacation with her for a long weekend? She had her annual solo trip planned, but she didn't want to be alone.

Of course I said yes - because I love her & I love a sunshiny vacation, especially during mid-winter in Cleveland. It was such a nice, relaxing, rejuvenating time, & it didn't hurt that we stayed in a very fancy hotel.

So this January, we decided we should do it all over again.

We went back to the same area, Bal Harbour, FL, but this time we stayed in a different hotel, a Ritz Carlton. It was the off-season, so upon her arrival, Rebecca was upgraded... to an amazing, luxurious suite that was bigger than her New York apartment & very nearly bigger than my Cleveland one.

We were there from Tuesday through Friday, just a few days, but they were a few of the most relaxing days in recent memory.

Life had been feeling pretty stressful - I'd recently completed my big work conference, made some big life changes, & learned that the coworker with whom I worked most closely was leaving upon my return - but somehow, I didn't even realize how stressed I'd been.

Until I wasn't.

We spent all day doing... well, nothing, really.

We sat on the beach & read books & caught up & ordered fresh-squeezed juices poolside.

We ate breakfast at the patio restaurant every morning, & at night, we rotated between hotel restaurants. More than once, we ordered dessert.

We slept in just a little each morning. We fell asleep watching Netflix fairly early each night. And in between, we mostly wore bathing suits & workout clothes & didn't do a damn thing.

And it was glorious.

I had no idea, at the time what I was coming home to - sooo much more stress - which makes me even more appreciative for those brief few days of respite. And during these dark, gloomy days of February, I'm holding onto just a little bit of that Florida sun to see me through.

I feel so fortunate to have been able to take this trip with Rebecca not once but twice now. Will be able to do this every year? Heck, I don't know. But for two years in a row, at least, I've been lucky enough to go all-in on tuning allll the way out - focusing on nothing but friendship & feeling refreshed.