the good life

---

Recently I reunited with three college friends (two of them also high school friends) for a ladies’ weekend in Panama City Beach, Florida. Christy, who was my roommate all four years at Penn State, owned a beachside condo there and invited her three pale New England friends down. We jumped at the chance. White sand beaches, clear blue water, palm trees swaying in the breeze - YES, PLEASE. 

Although we hadn’t seen each other in four years, we immediately picked up where we left off. 30 years of maturity slipped away, and we were 21 again on Spring Break. All I knew of Panama City Beach was what I saw watching the MTV show “Floribama Shore.” The show follows a group of young Southerners renting a beach house at PCB who spend the majority of the time either fighting or being blacked-out drunk in cheesy tourist bars. I knew I wasn’t in for a classy destination, but I anticipated non-stop fun and laughter, which is exactly what I got. 

It started the moment I stepped off the plane and was in the bathroom when a text from Christy came in. “Dude, I just totally attacked a stranger because I thought it was you.” I burst out laughing in the stall. 

Kara and Trish came down a day after me, where I promptly warned them that Christy drove like a maniac and I almost drowned in the “serene” ocean the day before when Christy coaxed me out into the waves with a large inflatable tube.  

“You just need to get past the breakers and then it’s so peaceful,” she told me. “You just float with your drink and relax.”  I was in a full panic as wave after wave kept coming towards us at a fantastic rate. I struggled to keep up with Christy, holding my water bottle full of margarita high above my head while pulling the tube along with the other. Suddenly an enormous wave swelled directly in front of us, and I froze in terror. Christy turned and screamed “RUN!” as she frantically made her way to shore, trying to outrun the tidal wave. I was immediately enveloped by it, turned upside down and my bikini bottoms slipped to my ankles. 

So much for peaceful floating. The rest of the trip was a series of hilarious moments, including when Kara, Trish and I insisted on hitting the beach right after the clouds parted after a morning of torrential downpour. No sooner did we spray on our SPF 50 when the clouds rolled right back in as if on cue, and we were running for our lives for shelter in the driving rain, clutching our towels, chairs, beach bags and of course, drinks. The line for the elevator was crowded with other foolish tourists who thought they, too, would sneak a beach day in, so we huddled around a garbage can soaking wet, sipping our White Claws. 

“It’s going to stop,”  Trish said, and within a few minutes, that’s exactly what happened. Naturally we headed back out and set up shop again, enjoying the hot Florida sun that dried us almost instantly. You can probably see where this is going. Ten minutes later, the monsoon returned and we were once again sprinting for shelter. I think I laughed so hard I peed my pants, not that anyone would notice. We were drenched. 

Being the ideal host, Christy took us for a drive one day up 30A, promising scenic views and pretty coastal towns. We were all for it. Soon the tourist traps, beach side bars with names like “Harpoon Harry’s” and “Sharky’s”, and roadside sunglass shops disappeared. It felt like we just entered another country. Beautiful white houses along tree-lined streets with ocean views all around. Not a sunburned redneck in droopy jean shorts in sight. 

Christy took us to Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach, and Seahaven, the town where the hit movie “The Truman Show” was filmed. It truly looked like a movie set. Everything was picture perfect. We drove through the streets, staring in awe at the beautiful homes and perfect lawns, many with warm gas light lanterns flickering from tastefully decorated front porches. Christy finally turned the music down. 

“When I visit places like this, I think ‘where did I go wrong’?” Kara remarked. We all chuckled a little.

I leaned back in my seat and felt the warmth of the sun. We were so lucky to be here with each other, laughing at old memories while creating new ones. From the drunk people in the elevator clutching beers at nine in the morning to Trish chasing a runaway tube across the beach (it got away) to the tidal waves to the expected yet still unexpected downpours, it was the perfect vacation. 

No, Kara, you’re doing everything right. We’re already living the good life. 

We’ve been social distancing for months, and with Winter now a distant memory, Spring in full bloom and Summer just around the corner, the desire to get out and enjoy life has never been stronger. 

So help me if I get invited to another Zoom Happy Hour. Sure, they were fun in the beginning. We all showed up in funny outfits, picked silly screen names, put up hilarious fake backgrounds. Everyone talked at once and no one really listened. I found myself downing three White Claws in 30 minutes, all at 4:00 in the afternoon. I’m over them! 

I’ll admit it - I want to get out.  I want to go to the beach, I want to sit outside and sip cocktails, I want to go to a rooftop bar. I want concerts, backyard BBQs, tailgating. I want to LIVE.IT.UP. 

The (seemingly) good news - these activities do seem to be on the horizon. I live in Massachusetts, which is a COVID-19 hot zone, so we’ve been quite a bit more cautious than many other states. We’re just starting to open up, and there are a lot of rules. It can get exhausting but the rules and the caution are necessary. It literally is a matter of life and death. 

Here are some ways to start easing back into the fun: 

Picnics: Ah, the good old-fashioned picnic. It’s time to get back to simpler times and pack up a blanket, a cooler and some delicious treats and head to your nearest park or beach. Make sure to follow social distancing rules and just get out in the sunshine and fresh air. 

Real Happy Hours:  Start small. Have one person over. Have two people over. Maybe have three people over. Sit outside at a safe distance from each other, mix some fabulous cocktails (scroll down for some awesome recipes), put on your best Spotify playlist, and let the good times roll. 

Get Active:  If things are starting to go back to normal, it’s time to get your normal body back. Like virtual happy hours, overindulging was fun at first but it’s grown old.  The weather is beautiful, so step up the walking, hiking, running, bike riding, etc. It will make you look and feel fabulous. 

Support Local Businesses:  If stores are open, venture out with your mask and help these hard working folks get back on their feet. Restaurants have a lot of new rules but it’s worth it to sit outside and enjoy a nice meal. 

Life is good. Be reasonable, be responsible and enjoy yourself. You deserve it. 

It's my humble opinion that bourbon makes the best cocktails. Here's another favorite that my husband makes. We first discovered this delicious concoction  at an outdoor Tiki Bar in Providence called Ogie's Trailer Park (remember going to bars? Oh, the nostalgia!), and immediately rushed home to look up the recipe.  While it's considered a classic Tiki drink and often served in Summer, I think it matches every season perfectly. 

The Lion's Tail: 

2 oz. bourbon

4 dashes Angostura bitters

1/2 oz. Allspice Dram

1/2 oz. simple syrup

1/2 oz. FRESH lime juice

Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass, coupe or Tiki cup of your choice.  

ROAR!!!

Here we are, several weeks into social distancing, and I know we’re all going a bit stir crazy. Balancing work, home schooling and family life in general is testing the nerves of even the most stoic among us. As a friend recently remarked, “The last thing I want to do after working all day long is play another (beeping) game of Clue with my kids!”  

I hear ya, girl, I hear ya. 

Why not teach your kids how to entertain themselves?  One fun way to do this is friendly individual competitions. I love design competition shows, so watch a few episodes of “The Apartment” or “Interior Design Masters” on Netflix for inspiration, then challenge your kids to redesign their bedrooms. Give them a time limit (say 90 minutes) and then have the judges - you and your significant other - do a walk through of the finished rooms. Have the kids showcase and explain their designs, then give funny feedback. Maybe you pick a winner, maybe  you don’t. Bonus - the kids clean their rooms while having fun doing it! 

Similarly, you can have a cooking contest, talent show, dance off, and fashion contest. Create a runway and volunteer to model the kids’ designs. If someone is not interested in designing, have them deejay the catwalk and make a fashion show playlist on Spotify. 

Film a show. Perhaps you’re giving Grandma a tour of the newly redesigned house, or have the kids write a script and act in their own masterpieces. Download a video editing app and make a music video. Challenge them to become a YouTube insta-celebrity. Why not? 

Start a book club within your own home. Re-read childhood favorites with your kids and discuss them. “Charlotte’s Web” is one of the best books ever written - you’ll love it as much as an adult as you did as a child. 

Implement “quiet time” where everyone goes off and does their own thing for an hour, then blow off steam with a crazy dance party. Choose a theme day and have everyone dress up. No, “Pajama Day” doesn’t count! 

When all else fails, have the kids create a Spa Day for Mom. Put on a plush robe, soak your feet, have them apply a face mask, and teach them how to give you a massage. Tell them there’s a generous tip in it for them if they do a good job. Don’t forget the champagne. 

Tell the kids you’re not napping, you’re meditating. Ommmmm.

The Corona Virus has us all staying home, which can be challenging when you’re used to being 

out and about. So, when life gives you lemons….make bourbon sours, of course!  My husband strikes gold again with another simple, classic recipe. 

Bourbon Sour 

2 oz. bourbon 

¾ oz. fresh lemon juice 

¾ oz. simple syrup

Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and fill with ice.  Shake vigorously for 30 seconds and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a black cherry or two if you’re feeling fancy. 

Drink to your good health and feel grateful.  Cheers! 

Wow, we are living in crazy times! The extra precautions we’re all taking due to the Coronavirus are making life look a lot different these days. For extroverts like me, it can be hard to practice “social distancing” because we love being around people and being out and about. But guess what? I love being home just as much. As I’ve gotten older, my favorite activity is hanging out with my husband, making a fire, listening to music and reading while we sip cocktails. 

Staying in is fun.  Here are some things to do while you’re social distancing: 

Dance Party! Crank up the music and dance like no one’s watching, because they’re not. 

Read!  It’s time to fall in love once again with this pleasurable activity. Books, magazines, blogs...just settle in with a cup of coffee and a good read and feel more relaxed than you ever thought possible. 

Cook!  What better excuse to stock up the kitchen and try new recipes?  Make something with the kids, fun for the whole family!  

Exercise! You don’t need to go to a germ-filled gym as long as you have YouTube. See my posts under “Feel Good” for my favorite YouTube channels for endless free workouts. Trust me, the results are real. 

Clean!  OK, this one doesn’t sound that fun but hear me out. Take the time to go through your wardrobe and get rid of things you don’t wear. Clean out that junk closet that you walk by all the time and say “someday I’m going to organize that.” Get some fresh air and start prepping your yard for Spring. A little bit of tidying up is incredibly gratifying. 

Social Media!  Connect with family, friends and your favorite celebrities and see what everyone else is doing during these trying times. We’re all in the same boat and thankfully social media is the great equalizer. 

Beautify! Rearrange your furniture, hang pictures, buy some new pillows online, practice a cat eye, give yourself a facial, give your husband a facial, paint your dog’s nails. Shave everything. 

Sex! No list is complete without this. No partner? No problem! 

So, as the saying goes:  Keep Calm and Carry On. Take this time to relax and enjoy life. Cheers! 

My husband Patrick has perfected a handful or so of delicious homemade classic cocktails. As a result of this one, I've become a bit of a "margarita snob" and only want the best.  Say no to sour mix and hello to fresh-squeezed lime juice.  Cheers, Bichachos! 

Makes 2 margaritas: 

• 4 oz. high quality blanco tequila (we like Espolon) 
• 2 oz. Cointreau 
• 1 &  1/2 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes) 
• Lime wedges for garnish
• Coarse sea salt to rim the glass, if desired

Combine tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice into cocktail shaker.  Fill with ice and shake vigorously for 20 seconds, until fully chilled.  Pour into salt-rimmed rock glasses, add ice as desired.  Garnish with a lime wedge.  Drink in the freshness!