When my boyfriend's out of town, I have to admit, it's hard to figure out what I'm supposed to do with my spare time. Especially when he's traveling somewhere epic, like I don't know, Cancun, Mexico!
If you're sensing a twinge of salt, you're damn right. *sighs* But unfortunately, there's this weird rule that girlfriends aren't allowed on bachelor trips, so my invitation never came.
Nevertheless, when the boys are away, the girls will play, so the ladies made plans to fill their weekend.
I had to go home for a quick visit with my mom, who was celebrating a birthday, but when I returned on Sunday I knew I would have to get out of the house so I hit up some gals I knew I could depend on.
After a couple drinks, I remembered why girls' nights and pajama parties were so much fun. For one, you can get as drunk as you want and cry as much as you want, and you won't get on their nerves.
And for a few fleeting moments, I could take my mind off of how much I missed my boo thang.
What started as an easygoing, almost sleepy conversation, quickly turned into a trip down memory lane as we Ubered to one of my old hangouts — Prohibition. I've been a few times for drinks since my earlier years in Charlotte, but it's been few and far between. After all, Pro is one of those bars that quickly became the sloppy college bar that only questionable adults went to.
But there we were on a slow Sunday night living our best lives laughing and talking our heads off — sure, it was I who was doing most of the rambling, but how else was I going to keep my mind off things?
The best part of the night was that there was no drama to be had in sight, and I chalk that up to the fact that there's nobody to argue with when the guys aren't around.
And I'm sure my boyfriend felt the same way sipping drinks at the pool while looking out at ocean waves. Yes, I'm still bitter.
Nevertheless, girls' nights are perfect for ladies that want to switch it up every now and then.
You don't have to wait for a bachelor or bachelorette party to make it happen. Trust me, your significant other will thank you. (Sorry for hogging all of your attention, lover.)
I put together a few ideas for a solid date night in the Queen City with your gal pals:
Treat your tastebuds to fancy cuisine. Finally, it won't be awkward to respond to your waiter or waitress with, "That'll be separate checks, thanks." I'd add La Belle Helene Uptown to your bucket list. You can get dolled up and pretend you know how to pronounce everything on the menu.
Imbibe delectable cocktails. Stiff drinks make for great conversation, or gossip, with your gals. But beware, your girlfriends are a lot less likely to cut you off. I was reminded of the perfect place for an elevated vibe and delicious libations — The Broken Spoke.
Pretend to be an art connoisseur. If you're lucky, your partner has an appreciation for something other than football. If you're not, BFF date night is perfect for activities like going to an art show. I was hoping to be in town for the SOMA art exhibition at Camp North End this past weekend, but naturally parental birthdays are more important. Hopefully, they'll have another soon, because I heard it was epic.
Pick up a new hobby. That will also make your significant other happy. Your boo may not be interested in pottery making, cooking classes, SkillPop courses or beading. But there's a silver lining. At least one of your pals will want to try all the things with you. And the Queen City has more than its fair share of classes for you to take.
Sweat it out. Maybe your squeeze prefers hitting the gym. But your friends will help you brainstorm any physical activity that will make working out fun. Try out a hip-hop spin class at CycleSouth or take a hot yoga class at Arrichion.
My boyfriend is my best friend, so I often have a hard time making time for my girlfriends. And knowing some of my girlfriends, they have a hard time with it, too. Enough with the excuses. It feels like it's been ages since I've hung out with a couple of my girlfriends and that has to change. Stop sending each other memes and snaps. Plan your next girls day or night this week.
What do you like to do when you need some girl or guy time? Share it with me.