A Working Mom’s Guilt-Free Getaway

Last Friday, I took off for a girls’ weekend in New York City. It was the first time I went on a trip without my husband or daughter (other than a couple of quick business trips) in two years. All I can say is, OH MY GOD, IT WAS SO FUN!

For three and a half days, I was totally, blissfully independent. All I had to worry about was feeding myself (at restaurants), getting myself to the next destination, deciding what to buy (or not—so… many… good… stores), not gaining too much weight, and attempting to cram years of funny stories and conversation—the kind you can only have with the very best of old friends—into a single weekend.

After traveling with our daughter last fall, I couldn’t believe how easy it was to drive, park, get on an airplane, snooze on the airplane, get on a train, and take a cab to my friend Meg’s office. Back in the day (or BC, Before Child), I might’ve thought, “Gee, all this changing modes of transportation and lugging a suitcase through the big city is hard.” Ha! With only my purse and suitcase to carry, and my pal Michelle as my companion, the trip was practically effortless.

Because my New York friends Meg and Donya have such fabulous (not to mention resourceful) taste, I didn’t even have to worry about entertaining myself or logistics. They just magically knew what we would like and how to get there (via subways and walking), so all I had to do was go with the flow.

And go I did! We covered a lot of ground in our weekend. Shopping in Soho, eating at amazing but not pricey restaurants, watching a Tony-winning Broadway show (half-price, thanks to Donya’s sweet employee discount), meeting interesting new friends of friends, and getting showered with confetti at the Chinese New Year parade in Chinatown. Everywhere we went, there were interesting things to see, smell, do, and make fun of (including a dude in a disastrous Christmas sweater, picking his nose while on a date at The View revolving restaurant). GOOD TIMES.

I don’t think there was one minute during this trip that I wasn’t having fun. Even getting smooshed in the parade crowd or waiting for a subway train. I just loved the energy of the city, the laughter among my friends, and the freedom of being independent me for a while.

When Monday rolled around, and it was time to return to the Nati, I was definitely ready. I missed my girl and my hubby something fierce. It felt right to slide back into my usual family role, hugging my sweeties and my pets, settling into the comfort of our home again. Except now, I feel more reenergized—more like the old, fun-loving me than I have felt in a long time.

Get more NYC tips from Cara’s girls weekend getaway post.