1992: The Inaugural
Year
Deb, Nance and Stef set sail on Friday. Stef's cosmetic bag alone
took up the entire trunk, and weighed more than Deb and Nance's
combined luggage ensemble. Nance sat in the back seat with the rest
of the cargo.
The inaugural dinner took place at Il Verde (which will also host
the 5th Anniversary dinner), and the champagne and laughter flowed
freely. A quick stop at the winner's circle at A.C. Race Track,
a shoe-cleaning fiasco in the parking lot (Note: Stef does NOT allow
horse poop in her car) and then off for an evening on the town.
The rest of the gang arrived for a beautiful beach/pool day on Saturday.
Stef met a man ...they built a beautiful sand castle together and
exchanged phone numbers. Then his mommy told him he had to come
in for a nap.
We enjoyed our first Happy Hour at the pool, accompanied by Chef
Bushman's elegant "Dip in Round Rye". We continued a second Happy
Hour in the room. Dinner (and the third Happy Hour) was at the Brigantine
Beach Club and was wonderful, thanks to the special attention given
to Nancy Lopez and her LPGA friends.
We did some gambling, saw the Comedy Show and had a little bit of
bubbly to celebrate Deb's marriage. Oh, we did a little laughing,
too !!! And the lounge singer at Harrah's was absolutely FABulous
... waving, saying hi ... she really worked the room !!
Sunday came much too quickly. We had lunch (and cocktails) at the
marina. Some of us went home, some were dragged out of the casino
at closing time kickin' and screamin'. Legend has it that the party
arrived home sometime Monday, but nobody knows for sure.
Since we found ourselves already making plans for Year Two, it can
safely be said that a good time was had by all.
ATTENDEES: Deb, Nance, Nan, Stef, Susan and Natalie
1993: The Winnebago
This year was pretty much the same as last year, with the addition
of the Winnebago. And what an addition it was !!
On Saturday night, Susan drove us around ... and around ... and
around ... and around the lighthouse 'til we were all good and sick.
We tried to get into the Brigantine Beach Club again but it was
too crowded. Good girls that we are, we didn't want to just sit
at the bar and drink, so we cruised the island looking for someplace
else to eat ... no luck. We wound up back at the BBC (there was
some sort of episode with the valet parking attendant, but it's
all a blur now and the details escape me). So we sat at the bar
and (surprise!) drank until our table was ready.
That was the year Cheryl made her first appearance. She had to see
what all the fuss was about with this Girl's Weekend. After her
golf tournament, she and "Pat" joined us for dinner. We think Cheryl
had fun (she doesn't say too much) because she laughed a lot and
she has come back every year since.
Then the Winnebago took off for lands unknown. Of course, by now
we had all had many cocktails, and what a sight we were (the movie
"The Dream Team", with the van full of escapees from a mental institution,
is the visual I always get). We eventually landed at Trump Castle.
Again, we went around ... and around ... and around the parking
garage (we formed a relationship with the Bell Hop, who waved each
time we passed by the front door) until Susan finally dropped the
anchor in some obscure parking area surrounded by garbage dumpsters.
We gambled (and had cocktails) until we were all ready to leave
... everyone except Susan. Without missing a beat, or even looking
up from the game, she tossed us her keys from her seat at the Poker
table and waved us home. Since nobody wanted to drive the tank,
we all piled into a cab. Susan pulled an all-nighter. We're not
sure what time she stumbled in, but we're pretty confident that
her head had just barely hit the pillow when we woke her up to go
to breakfast. She was fresh as a daisy for the rest of the day.
Also worth mentioning is that 1993 was the year that Stef (the Avon
Lady) went undercover with a fully developed mustache. It was a
very traumatic experience for her, but she got through it with make-up
and wine. The weather was perfect, and a wonderful time was had
by all ... again.
ATTENDEES: Deb, Nance, Nan, Stef, Susan and Cheryl
1994: The Lost Weekend
We have very little recollection of anything that happened this
year.
But from what we could piece together, we do know that this was
the year of Stef's sister's wedding. So that brings to mind the
Friday night dinner at Il Verde ... Stef, Nance, Deb and Ellen.
When the waiter asked us if we wanted dessert, Stef huffed, "My
God !! Have you seen the dress I have to get into?" The waiter walked
away in total embarrassment.
Susan left early on Saturday because Arianna, who was staying in
Lavalette, missed mommy.
This may have been the year that we went out for dinner in Nan's
mini-van but got stuck in traffic downtown...something happened
with a nail-clipper, an incident between Stef and Deb ??? Can't
remember the details.
That's all anyone can remember. We don't even have any photos to
document anything. Perhaps the heavy drinking is destroying our
brain cells. COCKTAILS, ANYONE ???
ATTENDEES: Nance, Stef, Susan, Ellen, Deb and Nan ( and lots
of big hair)
1995: The Sex Seminar
The Nancys left their homes in opposite ends of the state on Friday,
tracked each other's mile-marker progress via cell phone, and arrived
at the A.C. Expressway at precisely the same time to wave to each
other while stopped in traffic. Ain't modern technology grand ?!?
1995 was very memorably the year that Susan gave the Poolside Sex
Seminar*. Ellen and Susan bonded on this subject, sharing with us
very detailed accounts of personal experiences ... actually more
than we really needed to know. It was a very well-illustrated study.
Cheryl and Stef's Great Golf Cart Caper was the topic of discussion.
The scars seem to have healed nicely, and Cheryl doesn't seem to
harbor any bad feelings about the whole incident.
Was this the year that Nan B. had to have a Whopper at 2:00 A.M.
?? We dropped her at Burger King and took off once she got inside.
When she came out, she wandered around the parking lot trying to
stop us as we continued to circle the building.
On Saturday, we noticed a group of studly young men by the pool
and overheard that they were from Union. We struck up a conversation
with them. Cool as we are, we figured we probably knew a lot of
the same people. After exchanging quite a few names with not a hint
of recognition on either side, one of the guys said "Maybe you know
my mother...". End of conversation !!
Stef had another lip episode. Oddly enough, she had something in
her traveling pharmacy to take care of it.
Deb's poolside Pina Colladas were a big hit. Surprisingly, we all
had a few.
The highlight of the weekend was a wonderful performance in the
lounge of Trump Castle, The Wave. We wandered in to innocently listen
to the band and have a nightcap. Little did we know that this was
where the "ladies of the evening" made their client connections.
It was fascinating. We spent hours watching business transactions
transpire ... it was quite a learning experience.
And a wonderful time was had by all ....
ATTENDEES: Deb, Nance, Nan, Stef, Susan, Cheryl and Ellen (hair
is considerably "smaller")
* seminar \=sem- -nar\ n [G,fr. L seminarium seminary]
1: a group of advanced students studying under a professor with
each doing original research and all exchanging results through
reports and discussions 2: an advanced or graduate course often
featuring informality and discussion
1996: or whenever ...
This was a very quiet year ... are we getting older or what ???
Our next meal seemed much more important than (Good Lord!) cocktails.
Not ten minutes would go by without mention of some sort of food.
On the trip down on Friday, Deb and Nance followed each other, but
kept in touch by phone all the way, reporting on asshole drivers
("What's with this lady in front of me? Don't these people know
who we are???) and other assorted subjects. Just a mere mile from
the Islander, Deb makes a frantic call: "Stop at Burger King - I
gotta pee !!!". Well, as long as we're here, we might as well eat
!!
We partied hearty on Friday night, but by Saturday night we were
all wiped out... can't do two nights in a row anymore. We were all
tucked in bed, watching T.V. by midnight. And though there was plenty
of room on the couch, Cheryl slept on the floor - she says it helps
a bad back.
Patrick is the subject of ALL conversations. Could this be it for
Stef? By now, we all know that it is. Just don't plan the wedding
for June, Stef. We do have our priorities !!!
A whole new Susan arrived this year. The Sex Manual was replaced
by a Spiritual Guide. Ellen had nothing to report on this subject.
Stef's lip was trouble-free.
The Brigantine Blast made it's Happy Hour debut at poolside. We
were the envy of everyone. The 10-gallon vat was empty in no time
.... A-LO-HA !?!?
We observed a group of older women in one-piece, skirted swim suits,
bathing caps and kerchiefs chatting on the steps of the pool as
they dipped and splashed. They played Canasta, noshed all day and
cackled like hens. We fear this may be us in 20 years.
The weather was ideal ... again. And though it was quiet, it was
a well-deserved rest for all of us, and a wonderful time was had
by all.
ATTENDEES: Deb, Nance, Nan, Stef, Susan and Cheryl
1997: Taboo
This year marks Deb's 5th Wedding Anniversary, but we have been
coming to Brigantine for 6 years. Since we couldn't seem to remember
anything about 1994 and missed last year's anniversary, we decided
to make believe that this was our 5th anniversary ... anything for
a celebration !! We have plenty of bubbly to celebrate Deb's Anniversary,
Stef's engagement, Susan's new house and our reunion. However, last
minute developments prevented Nan and Susan from coming this year.
Deb and Nance arrived early Friday. Everyone else had last minute
engagements that night, so it was just the two of us and we cancelled
the second room. When we realized that the room we kept only had
a double bed (Eek, it was only our first date), we moved everything
to the other room (down 2 flights, and up 2 flights). We agreed
it was well worth the effort.
Deb and I and four Rolling Rocks spent a beautiful day on the beach.
Dinner for 2 at Il Verde. Deb was the perfect date, not mentioning
my feet or anything. We watched cooking shows 'til 1:00 AM.
Stef & Cheryl arrived bright and early Saturday. Next came Ellen
and then Dawn arrived with a flourish for her inaugural year.
Stef's engagement ring was blinding. We had to put extra sun screen
on because of the reflection on the water.
We toasted Stef's engagement with a bottle of bubbly before going
to dinner at The Old Waterway Inn. Instead of waiting for a table
on the outside porch, we ate inside. We were starved, so we sacrificed
the atmosphere for a quicker seating (my, how our priorities have
changed !!). We made a short stop at Harrah's to do a little window
shopping. Of course, Stef made an actual purchase - the first of
many gifts for new nephew Jacob.
We went to the room and played Taboo for hours. Almost every clue
began with the words "This is something Stef has ...", or "This
is something Stef does ...". However, the best laugh of the night
came when Stef needed her team to guess the word "comma". Her clue?
"Karen Ann Quinlin was in a ...". We all knew how poor Karen Ann
was in that "comma" for such a long time. I personally found that
to be the highlight of the weekend.
ATTENDEES: Deb, Nance, Stef, Cheryl, Ellen and Dawn
1998: The Il Verde Chronicles
Nan B. arrived in Spotswood from Branchville at 9:30 A.M., and it
was off to meet Deb on the Parkway. Needless to say, we stopped
to pick up lunch. We decided that we really didn't each need
a sandwich, so we just got 2 .... 2-footers, that is. And of course,
some chips and beer. We arrived at the Islander to find that our
room wasn't quite ready, so we had lunch by the pool. The lifeguard
called us "ladies", which we didn't appreciate at all. We checked
in at 1:00, and promptly headed for the beach. Nan remarked that
she was having a wonderful time.
The Nancys did some swimming, and as we were leaving the water,
noticed the Beach Patrol interrogating Deb on the matter of Beach
Badges, which we didn't have. Busted! We never missed a step, just
turned around and disappeared back into the water. When the fuzz
had left, we emerged from the ocean, seaweed and all. Deb had handed
quite a line of BS to that innocent, naive young thing, and she
bought it. We left the beach soon after when the storm approached.
The highlight of the weekend was the "incident" at Il Verde. The
group met Susan at the restaurant. In hindsight, it probably wasn't
a good idea to actually meet there, since we hadn't seen each other
in a while, and had had a lot of catching up to do.
After 30 minutes of raucous laughter, we were approached by Felix.
"I know you ladies (there's that damn word again) are having fun,
but we've had complaints from other guests. Could you please stop
laughing?". Well, that was the wrong thing to say ! That was just
fuel for our fire. It was really quite painful to try to suppress
the laughter without passing liquids through our nasal cavities.
And trying to figure out who the POOP-HEADS were was very entertaining.
Luckily, we had allies in the waitress and bus girl. They were trying
to give us hints as to who had complained, and whispered "They're
gone" when the culprits had left. Then Felix tried to make up and
buy us after-dinner drinks. We told him "No, thank you. We'll go
somewhere else". Ha. All-in-all, it made for a fun, and very
funny evening.
We killed some time in the casino, then headed back to the room
to play games. To Stef's utter amazement, Nan re-enacted the "comma"
clue and Stef hit the floor in hysterics.
The rest of the weekend was rather quiet, but very relaxing. Nan
remarked hourly that she was really having a nice time. Stef shared
a little more about her honeymoon than we really needed to know,
but we saw the entire country of Italy in pictures. And our alcohol
consumption has dropped off ... five of the six bottles of wine
were returned home to be aged for next year.
As usual, the weather was ideal. Plans for next year were discussed
....perhaps to include Monday, too. The longer, the better.
ATTENDEES: Deb, Nance, Nan, Susan and Stef
1999: Jackpot Party
This was the year of STAMPEDE and JACKPOT PARTY. We
had sooooo much fun playing those slot machines. We couldn't contain
our excitement when the three noisemakers came up and "YMCA" or
"Macho Man" would play. Bystanders thought we were the floor show
for the evening. Even the nearby cashiers were enjoying the excitement.
We certainly weren't "Party Poopers".
Stef and Cheryl did not join us this year due to family matters,
one of which was little Brian. I'm guessing that next year, when
Stef is tearing her hair out over the little fella, she'll be chompin'
at the bit to get here.
For a record-setting ninth year in a row, the weather was gorgeous
!!!
ATTENDEES: Deb, Nance, Nan and Susan
2000: The New Millenium
This "Girl's Weekend" thing has really caught on. It's no longer
a weekend, but a 4-day, 3 night getaway. We decided that arriving
on Thursday would be even better. So Nancy, Deb, Nan, Susan and
Stef began the mini-vacation on Thursday, and Cheryl and Dawn joined
us on Friday.
Nan was MIA on Saturday…she had to "run" home to Culver Lake, a
mere 4 hour drive, for her big performance, then drove 4 hours back
so as to not miss a thing. What dedication! ... or is that desperation?
This was the year of the Great Taboo Caper. While Stef and Susan
were off getting manicures, massages, pedicures, etc., and Dawn
was at the pool, the rest of us practiced Taboo clues that all pertained
to Dawn's new beau and Stef's new house and family life, all taken
from information gathered from conversations the night before. It
took hours of rehearsal and clandestine quizzes, but we pulled it
off … well, almost. When we finally played, Dawn was flabbergasted
and extremely amused, but Stef was suspicious from the get-go and
kept asking why we were taking cards from that special pile.
And, of course, this year will go down in infamy for ~ The Invasion.
Little did we know that The Islander had accepted reservations for
"special guests", who, fully clothed, dominated the pool the entire
weekend. This put a serious damper on our Happy Hour. And, of course,
there was the fecal matter which closed the pool. Wasn't that special
?!?
ATTENDEES: Deb, Nance, Nan, Stef, Susan, Cheryl and Dawn
2001: The End of a Decade
Making arrangements for our 10th anniversary this year was certainly
a lesson in futility. The Islander had changed hands and was only
rented on a weekly basis, so the search was on for a new home. I
was about to give up on the search when Ethel from The Islander
advised me that she could get us one room for the weekend. So our
anniversary party was on again !!!
The cast this year was to include Nancy, Nan, Susan, Stef, Deb,
Cheryl and Dawn. Unfortunately, a week before the big event, Deb
was notified that she had to attend a sales meeting in Massachusettes
on Thursday and Friday, but would join us on Saturday. Nan met me
(and Mom) late in the day on Thursday. We took Mom to Taj to catch
the bus home and made sure she was safely secured on the bus before
heading back to The Islander. The sun was now coming out, so we
were anxious to get to the beach. Now, where is the car? After a
short search and rescue, we returned home and went for a lovely
swim in the ocean … just me, Nan and a hairy guy. He was very impressed
with "the twins", and Nan pointed out that it was WOW ~ Whip 'em
Out Wednesday, er Thursday ?!?!.
Stef joined us on Thursday night, and Cheryl, Dawn and Susan arrived
at various times on Friday. We went to see Earth, Wind and Fire
then grabbed a bite at the Hard Rock Cafe, and played some slots.
During the show, the concept of "Champagne" was born. The Brigantine
Buddies were about to become back-up singers & dancers. It was decided
that rehearsals would take place poolside the next day. This scheme
never materialized.
Saturday was a "beauty day". The weather was "iffy" most of the
day. Cheryl and Susan went to have massages, manicures and pedicures.
I, on the other hand, went to "The Spa at Unit 130" and Nan gave
me my first French Manicure. It was magnificent !!! I couldn't wait
to show it off. Oh, and we all got tattoos ...
Our anniversary dinner was at the Harbor View in Trump Marina. Though
it was raining most of the time, nothing could put a damper on our
special night, except for the absence of Deb. She had called to
say she wasn't going to make it. As we were seated for dinner, we
were advised by our captain that we would be enjoying a champagne
toast this evening, compliments of Brian. What a schmoozer !! Nan
made a lovely toast, which was greatly appreciated, and then we
toasted Deb. Waiter Manny came to take our drink orders, and I showed
him my manicure. Avyello, the server, came to the table and I showed
him my manicure. He set up a private smoking section for
Nan and Susan. The busgirl came and I showed her my manicure.
When Manny took our orders for dinner, I made sure I pointed quite
deliberately to my menu selection to accentuate my manicure. Everything
was delicious, including Nan's ROL. Our wait staff was extremely
friendly, but usually just one joke behind the rest of us. We did
"shots" for dessert. I believe we had a midget chef because everything
was so tiny...the little corns in the salad, even the bananas in
our Bananas Foster.
We then played a little "Jackpot Party" and headed for The Wave.
The band was great (Don't Call Me Francis), and we danced the night
away….
Though the weather was not the best that we've had in our 10 years,
it could have been worse. And it was a great weekend, with lots
of laughs and reminiscing. And we got the good news that we can
have The Islander again next year, so let "The Next Decade" begin…
ATTENDEES: Nance, Nan, Stef, Cheryl, Susan and Dawn
2002: Stef Buys a Fan
Susan was to arrive at Atlantic City Airport on Thursday afternoon.
So Nan and I went to pick her up. It was like the "Wings" airport.
There was nobody there. So Nan and I made a sign that said "Chapman"
and stood waiting for Susan to arrive. We couldn't stop laughing,
just the two of us standing there with the sign, we couldn't wait
for Susan's reaction. So here she comes strutting along, not a soul
in sight except for us ... and she walks right by us. Evidently,
as we soon found out, the on-board cocktails had been flowing freely.
It was extremely hot that weekend, and, as luck would have it, our
air-conditioning wasn't working properly. So Stef bought a personal
fan so that she wouldn't perspire while getting ready to go out.
We had dinner at the Harbor View in Trump Castle where Susan got
the special bonus of glass in her dinner. That was our last visit
there.
It was an otherwise uneventful trip, evidenced by the fact that
one of only three pictures taken to document the weekend was of
all of our shoes. But it was a lovely time, nonetheless.
ATTENDEES: Deb, Nance, Nan, Susan, Cheryl and Stef
2003: Let's Take a Cab
Sadly, Nan mixed up the dates and realized two weeks before our
trip that her church show was the same weekend. So she was going
to have to leave on Friday night.
Deb and I arrived at around 11:00 Thursday morning. Nan picked up
Susan at Newark Airport and arrived at 1:30. Susan had a previous
"engagement" for the night, so Nan, Deb and I ate at Caesars and
played the slots for awhile where Nan was the "big winner" of the
evening.
We were a little bored, so decided to call Susan. We thought maybe
she was bored, too. So we called her cell phone to say "Whatcha
doin'?". But she was busy and couldn't really talk. But we could
sense that she was really happy to hear from us.
Stef arrived in the morning, Susan "came home" around noon and Cheryl
arrived just in time for Happy Hour. I introduced my new Sangria
recipe and it was a hit … we were quite buzzed before we even left
for dinner.
Dinner at Steve & Cookie's in Margate was very nice. Nan headed
home and we walked to Memories Night Club. Upon entering the establishment,
we immediately realized that this was The Home for the Aged, and
just wasn't for us. By the time we got our drinks, we had already
called for a cab. The "cab" was a SUV with no A/C (in 90 degree
heat) and the window was duck-taped closed. Stef called Nan and
we were all laughing so hard that Stef could not speak, prompting
Nan to ask "Are you in jail?".
We went back to the Islander (Stef suggested that we keep Cheryl
in the car because she said we would "lose her" if she went upstairs),
got Stef's van and went back to the Wave. We were shuffled off to
the Old-Timer's bar in the back to wait for a table. The crowd at
this particular bar consisted of a man that reminded me of my 85-year-old
Uncle Tom, an Elvis look-alike, and a guy with NO ASS that was hitting
on me. We finally got a table, had a few drinks and headed home.
Saturday we all slept it off poolside (after Cheryl and Susan had
massages), and had some more Sangria. We went to the Blue Martini
in Bally's and all had a martini of some sort - the bar was very
cool and the band was good. We had dinner at Prime Place and then
went back to the Blue Martini. This band was even better. And we
were also entertained by the chicken-haired girl trying to dance
without the bouncer seeing her. Funny stuff, and a great weekend,
as usual.
Weekend Topics of Conversation:
Susan's size J breasts
Nan's size 2 body
Nancy's new janitorial job
ATTENDEES: Deb, Nance, Nan, Stef, Cheryl and Susan
2004: The Cavalier
Nan arrived at Susan's house EXTREMELY early. Susan was very tired
and hung over and seemed unappreciative of Nan's eagerness to be
checked in early. They got to Brigantine at 10:00. Deb and I arrived
at 11:00, and met them at the condo.
Nan dazzled us with her brand new car. We, along with the valet
attendants at Borgata, were impressed with the car's amenities:
Crank windows
Candle map lights
Outside temperature gauge (the one finger option)
The four of us lounged at the pool and were thrilled with the new
pool area. First of all, there was abslutely no construction or
renovations going on ... ah, peace and quiet (or so we thought).
Secondly, there were all new lounge chairs, tables and umbrellas,
a new Trex deck, new fencing and landscaping. It was very impressive,
and very comfortable.
Nan and Susan wanted to see Borgata, so Deb used her comp points
to treat us to dinner at the Margarita place. We spent some time
gambling, then headed home.
Unfortunately, Stefanie could not attend this year, and she was
truly missed. Cheryl missed her flight home from South Carolina
on Friday, but hopped on the next flight, and came down right from
the airport. We waited for her to arrive - just in time to leave
for dinner at Steve & Cookie's. Very enjoyable.
We were heading home when we started talking about Lucy, the Margate
Elephant. We headed in what we thought could be the right direction.
At a light, we asked a man in a car, "Excuse me...where is the elephant?"
He told us 1/2 mile down the road, so off we went. Lucy looked marvelous
!! It was worth the little jaunt.
Saturday was a little overcast, but we had our Jean's Jewels Poolside
Pizza Party (we discovered pizza delivery to the pool !!!) and rested
all day. We had also found out that the Beach Bar is being torn
down to be replaced by homes. Seems we discovered the pizza thing
just in time.
Deb and I had gone on a reconnaissance mission in the morning to
find a restaurant that I wanted to go to. We discovered the Booze
Cruise. So, we set sail that night at 6:30 for a one hour tour (a
one hour tour), then ate dinner on the upstairs porch of the Back
Bay House. Had a great sunset toast and a nice meal as the sun went
down. Great view of Borgata, Trump Marina and Harrah's. And made
some new friends that were also having a girl's get-together. We
then went to Bally's, gambled, had a drink at the Blue Martini,
then went home.
We went to breakfast on Sunday, then hung out at the pool for awhile
since they said we could use the room until 2:00. We decided that
we are going to add Sunday night to our itinerary for next year
so that we don't have to rush out ... then we'll have another whole
day to hang out. Of course, that may also allow us time to do that
fishing excursion or jet-ski party that we discussed for next year
...
It just keeps getting better and better ~ yo,yo !!
ATTENDEES: Deb, Nance, Nan, Susan and Cheryl
2005: The Fifty-Cent Dress
Thursday
I arrived on the island around 11:00, and was on the beach by 11:45.
Deb arrived with lunch around noon, and Nan arrived soon after and
picked up Susan from the airport.
Two snags in this years activities:
1. Stef couldn't make it until Saturday as Marc's surgery was on
Thursday
2. The pool was CLOSED (!!) due to sink holes and would not be open
at all for the weekend. Major inconvenience!
The four of us sat on the beach all day including Happy Hour (Sangria
and cheese & crackers) at 6:30. Susan and Nan took Deb and I out
for dinner for our birthdays. We never found the Opa Grill, so decided
to eat at the Chinese restaurant, Mr. Ming's, in Bally's. We gambled
for a while, and then headed home.
Friday
Cheryl arrived in the morning while the rest of the girls were at
the spa, but spent three hours on the phone with an irate customer.
We had salads delivered for lunch, ate in the room because it was
SO windy on the beach, then spent a few more hours being plastered
with sand.
We went to the Back Bay House for dinner (Nan really likes
Margaritas now) then went to Trump Marina to gamble for a little
bit and were all in bed by 11:15. Oh, the excitement!!
Saturday
Stef arrived in the afternoon with her hatbox. Deb had made reservations
at Cesca at Harrah's for dinner. We had a drink in the lounge nearby
first, and it was like a scene from The Sopranos ... Nan was hit
on by a polyester-clad grey-haired man with white shoes and no socks.
While watching a bachelorette party on the dance floor, he remarked,
"Remember when we were young?" This comment did not go over real
well since he could possibly have been one year older than the boardwalk
...
Dinner at Cesca was excellent, and the birthday cake was a very
nice surprise. We did a little window-shopping and then Stef and
I sat in the lounge while the others gambled for an hour, then home
we went.
Sunday
Cheryl, Stef and I left early on Sunday, and Nan, Deb and Susan
stayed until it was time to get Susan to the airport. It was worth
having the room for the extra night because they were able to take
their time after spending some time on the beach.
All-in-all, except for Stef's short appearance and no pool, it was
a wonderful weekend. Great weather, AGAIN!
No matter what obstacles we face, we overcome them and just getting
together and catching up makes it all worthwhile.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Nan's pre-weekend cell phone update
"Girl's just wanna have fun" on the bikes
"Thanks, Jap"
The fifty-cent dress
Deb trying to get through the door with her beach chair
"Save the heels, take the wheels"
My "peeing my pants" at Back Bay House
ATTENDEES: The Six Muskateers ... all for one and one for all!
2006: Training
Another magnificent weekend in the books ...
Some of the many highlights:
The Training Schedule and Survival Kits
Brokeback Brigantine
The shower
The new pool, complete with mood lighting
We've found a new home ... Ocean View Unit 114
Susan: "Is there a boardwalk here?"
Our new theme song: "Save the Last Dance for Me"
Admiral Bushman
The Girl's Weekend Training Schedule was a big hit
this year. Thanks to Stef's brain-child at our Christmas get-together,
the girls really took their training seriously and rallied all weekend.
And they didn't even take naps!
Nan and I arrived Thursday morning and spent the day at the pool.
We picked Susan up from the airport at 4:00, and Deb arrived shortly
after. We had dinner at the Café in Borgata (they only have one
dressing / one sauce), and the girls were given permission by their
trainer to make it an early night since they needed to rally for
the weekend.
Stef bought a new truck this year to be able to transport all of
the "props" and "favors" to The Islander, and arrived early Friday
morning. There were numerous bags being moved in upon her arrival,
and a crew was brought in to help with the task. Obviously, Operation
Bring Less Sh*t was a huge failure.
After spa appointments, we all lounged at the pool until Cheryl
arrived in the afternoon, at which time the "Girl's
Weekend Survival Kits" were distributed. It was a beautiful
day, but we needed to leave poolside early for our Happy Hour Cruise.
Big disappointment this year ... not so "Happy" (through no fault
of ours), but more like a long sightseeing tour and promo. However,
we made it a "Happy Hour" anyway, and celebrated Nan and Susan's
"big" birthdays with a little bit of bubbly.
After a quick shower
in the Marina bathrooms, we set off for a sunset dinner at The Backbay
Ale House. It was a beatiful night. We were all fairly buzzed by
then, but I think the food was pretty good and we were definitely
having fun. Decided to go to Taj to get Nan's boss' cell charger
from Lost and Found. That project was unsuccessful, but Susan proceeded
to make a killing at Let It Ride. We left there and went to Harrah's
for a nightcap and a little more gambling.
It was becoming evident by Friday night that the two month training
program had clearly paid off for the girls. We had a very early
5:00 start, and they were still rallying well after midnight. We
didn't get to sleep until 1:00 am.
Saturday was a lazy morning. Cheryl and I went for a bike ride to
check out the golf course for next year's "outing". It was a fairly
cloudy day, so we just relaxed poolside for most of the day. The
sun came out just in time for "Happy Hour". Carla joined us for
a quick drink and gave us some exciting new ideas for future trips.
We had dinner at Mr. Mings at Bally's. Afterward, gambling was the
plan. As Stef and I headed to the Blue Martini for a nightcap and
some music, we turned to look at our group, standing there so eager,
anxiously awaiting the announcement of the assigned meeting time.
So wide-eyed and enthusiatic ... like a litter of little pups huddled
together, so obedient ... looking to their mentors for approval.
Stef and I simply could not have been prouder. Here it was, well
after midnight, and were they yawning and moping? Absolute not!
They were as enthusiastic as if the night had just begun. We just
couldn't help but kveil. Our prodigies had grown up to make us so
proud.
We all met up at the Blue Martini where Cheryl committed the Cardinal
Sin of looking at her watch and announcing that it was after 1:00
AM. But it didn't phase her or anyone else. We continued to watch
the floor show: "Miss Fabulous" and the Brokeback dancers.
Another late night … in bed at 2:00 am. So proud!
I think the absolute final proof that the training had paid off
and that our "flock" was now a well-oiled partying machine was when
I walked downstairs on Sunday morning and Stef was
wide awake and busy packing up her stuff and Cheryl
was still sound asleep on the couch, snoring away ... a complete
role reversal!
And as Sunday ticked away (another beautiful day), we all went home,
one by one. And another wonderful weekend will be etched in our
memories.
Fall 2006: A New Adventure
Highlights:
"1 we stop for a nightcap, 2 we go home" ... the survey ... the
fork ... the "gays" at Harrah's ... the "gays" at Adam Good Crab
Shack (was there a convention we didn't know about?) ... the Paparazzi!
Click here
for "What we did in the Fall"
Deb and I arrived on Brigantine around noon, though Deb would have
preferred leaving her house by 6:00 AM. We unpacked the car, had
a beer and went shopping at Reynolds.
We met Cheryl at Unit 114 to let her in so she could sleep off her
jetlag. We picked up Susan at The Trop where she was staying for
her convention, and the 3 of us got manicures at 2:30. Susan also
got an orgasmic pedicure.
Stef arrived around 4:00. Nan had found something much more fun
to do for the day (one word ... Marty!) before coming down to meet
us, but completed the group, arriving around 5:30. We had a few
beers and caught up on things, and got to Carmine's at The Trop
for our 8:30 reservations. I got myself in the doghouse for not
waiting on line for a gift for Deb in the country store. But I think
I made amends later when I went back to get it. We gambled a bit
after dinner, then headed home to watch Dancing with the Stars
for awhile before hitting the sack.
We awoke on Saturday to a beautiful crisp fall day. We piled into
the FunMobile and headed to Cape May, arriving around noon. We cruised
a bit, parked, shopped a bit, had Bloody Mary's and lunch at Jackson
Mountain Café, had some fun with Nan's travel fork, shopped a bit
more and headed home. Arrived at Dunkin' at 7:00 to get some eye-openers.
Personally, I thought everyone was going to nod off and rallying
the troupes would be difficult. But they rallied!! We went out around
8:30, had drinks and appys at Cuba Libre and stayed until we couldn't
stand the annoying screaming a minute longer.
While the others gambled, Stef and I did an unsuccessful bar crawl
until we finally found a spot at ADam Good Crab Shack. Lucky for
us there was a lesbian wedding party and a girl who knew only two
steps and did them for one solid hour. It made for some good visual
entertainment. We left to meet the gang at midnight, and as we walked
past the bar, they were singing "Save the Last Dance for Me". It
was a sign ... we had to stay out!
When it was suggested that we go to Harrah's for a nightcap, nobody
wanted to make the decision. So Stef came up with the perfect decision-making
procedure ... duke it out! One finger, we go for a nightcap,
two fingers, we go home ... majority rules. Unfortunately for
Nan, everyone else wanted to stay out. So we headed over to Harrah's
and saw a FANTASTIC band and some other unexpected entertainment.
Had fun dancing and observing a couple of gays (ok, I finally conceded
that they were actually dancing with each other and weren't just
trying to pick up babes), lesbians (was there a convention or what?)
and drunks (not including us). Another first this weekend ... we
closed the club. And that was just as Susan won back a good chunk
of her losses! Everyone was happy.
So, as we were walking to get the car at 3:00 and complaining how
about how difficult it was going to be to get up for breakfast the
next day, the suggestion was made to have breakfast then so we didn't
have to get up in the morning. Fantastic idea! But, we had to duke
it out to be fair. One we go for breakfast, two we go home.
This time Nan was game, but Cheryl was fading quickly and was outnumbered
5-1. In defense of both of them, they were the two that really were
the most fatigued … what with Cheryl's jetlag and Nan's, well, let's
call it "activity" the night before and her long drive down. But
they were both troopers, and the gang rallied again. So we headed
for breakfast.
Nan's fork was a big hit. Ok, I'm laughing again now just thinking
of that fork sneaking over to nab the toast at the next table. So
funny! Got back to the room at 4:00. Stef broke her toe, which sobered
her up quite a bit. There was complete silence and darkness within
a half hour of arriving home.
Sunday morning was a bit trying … difficult getting moving. But
surprisingly, everyone was up by 10:00 am. Luckily, breakfast was
out of the way so we could just sit around and relax and chat. It
was a nice way to wind down the weekend.
I really thought it was going to be tough to top our last Girl's
Weekend in June, but this weekend was soooo much fun. It was nice
to be there in the fall and have a whole new agenda without sitting
at the pool. It was a nice break from our spring routine. And this
only makes me look forward to our next get-together even more!
ATTENDEES: Another Full House
2007: It Is What It Is
Highlights:
"Flashdance" ... the weather ... little unit 102 ... Opa Grille
... I couldn't help but overhearing ... 4th of July ... 2007 Training
Schedule ... 2007 Consolidation Manual
In preparation for continued success in the fitness of the
girls and to prepare for the smaller living quarters in Unit 102,
the trainers issued an Advanced Training Schedule and a Consolidation
Manual to aid the group.
Deb and I arrived at The Islander on Thursday around 1:00. The owner,
Tony, was there doing some work and let us in. The place was filthy,
but I digress...
Nan and Susan were close behind us so the 4 of us sat outside on
the porch catching up on life, waiting for the sun to come out.
It never did. And the pool was closed in the afternoon by the Health
Inspector. What's up with that? We went to the beach for a little
while until we felt raindrops and headed back to the room.
Had "dinner" at the café in Harrah's where we had breakfast last
year. Afterwards, we checked out the new pool where they were having
a "tailgate" party ... band, games, etc. It was a very nice tropical
party atmosphere. Deb introduced us to a great new game in the casino
... the HUGE Wheel of Fortune. Felt like we were sitting in a spaceship.
Cute little benches for two, so Deb and I paired up, and Susan and
Nan paired up. We had fun cheering everyone on. As usual, a crowd
gathered behind us to see what all the commotion was about.
Cheryl couldn't make it this year and was missed by us all. Stef
arrived Friday morning. The pool was now opened (the chlorine level
had just been low) but the sun had yet to appear. We went to Reynolds
(to take advantage of the Going-Out-Of-Business sale), the Beauty
Supply Store and another shop. We wanted to be sure we knew where
the golf course was, so we rode there, then stopped for lunch at
the Crab House in the new Steak 38 Restaurant. Still raining, so
we got manicures / pedicures to pass the afternoon.
Dinner at Opa Grille on the Boardwalk. Excellent! And it was fun,
even though there was nobody there but us. However, we were beginning
to notice that everything was empty. We couldn't believe it on a
holiday weekend ... oh wait, NEXT weekend is Fourth of July Weekend,
according to Deb's records.
We went to Harrah's and played the huge Wheel of Fortune again.
We also had to see what was happening in the lounge, our favorite
spot for unusual entertainment. There was a great band, but unfortunately
it was 11:30 and they were going off. Then on came the fabulous
"Flashdance"! Five 20-ish, fabulously fit girls singing 70's songs
and dancing their hearts out. The Hammer, the Frisbee Throw ...
it was all very exhausting. The non-stop energy just wore us out
until we had to leave the scene.
Saturday was an early day with Stef, Nan and I up at 6:00 to make
a 7:00 tee time while Deb and Susan had 8:00 massage appointments.
We had a blast playing golf, Deb had a great massage, but unfortunately
Susan had a lousy time listening to the hard sell at the Red Door
Spa. We were all poolside by 12:30, but the sun had still failed
to make an appearance. Finally at 3:30, she showed her beautiful
face and we were able to bask in her warmth. It felt so good to
feel the sun ... it even made up for the annoying bugs.
Dinner at Carmine's was good. The Trop was packed, crazy packed,
so we left and went back to Harrah's. Flashdance! was "performing"
again, and we picked up a couple more dance moves. It had been a
long day, so we headed home fairly early.
Of course, Sunday was gorgeous! Nobody had to get an early start,
so we all spent the day. It was nice that we were all able to stay
for a change.
No big events this year, but it was relaxing despite the fact that
the weather wasn't great. It could have been worse ... at least
it wasn't raining for 4 days! But as always, it was fun to just
catch up on everyone's lives ... and laugh!
Winter 2008: A Suite at Harrah's
Friday
Deb and I arrived at Harrah's around noon and checked in to the beautiful suite that
Deb arranged for us. We then visited the hospitality room for a drink (or two) and a
little something to hold us over 'til Stef and Cheryl arrived. We gambled a little,
then went back to the hospitality room for another drink and a little more nibbles.
Stef and Cheryl both arrived in the evening. After eating some more, we ended up in the
lounge at Harrah's. The same cast of characters from June … and as entertaining as
always. But all we really did all day was eat, eat, eat, eat, eat!
Saturday
We took a ride to Stone Harbor on Saturday and did a little shopping, then headed back
to The Pier in Atlantic City where we had some nibbles at the Sushi restaurant
overlooking the ocean. Great setting … interesting food … very enjoyable.
We headed back to the room for a breather and Deb made reservations for the Steakhouse
for dinner. Had a great time sampling all the food (ordered one of everything on the
menu).
Afterwards, we gambled for a little while … well, long enough for
Deb to become the big winner of the night! We headed back to the
lounge to catch the "act" … the group from the short bus (including
the driver), the old man dancer with the comb-over (and his little
lady), the gays, Freddie Kruger and, of course, the disco dancers.
Convinced that the one group were "special needs" folks, I said to Stef, "I think there's
something wrong with them". "No", said Stef, "they're just Jewish. Trust me. Come to
temple … you'll see!".
The Disco Dancers became increasingly annoying, to the point where Stef had to actually
stand in the middle of their dance floor and put her hands on her hips in a huff. That
didn't work, so she and Cheryl went on the offensive. They got on the dance floor and
forced the couple to take their seats. Didn't last long, but it worked for a little
while. As usual, the evening in the lounge was well worth it, and we lasted until 1:45
when the place cleared out.
Deb learned a very important life lesson that night ... you just can't stay drink-for-drink
with Stefanie. She WILL outlast you.
Sunday
Deb and her jackpot treated us to a lovely room service breakfast on Sunday morning, and
all headed home fairly early (after a trip back to the room to get the valet ticket).
As is always the case, it was great to spend quality time together. Thanks so much Deb for
the accommodations and a great weekend! Lots of food … LOTS of drink … and lots of laughs!
ATTENDEES: Deb, Nance, Cheryl and Stef
Spring 2008: Christmas in June
It's Christmas all over again!
Happy holidays, everyone!
CLICK HERE FOR A REMINDER OF WHAT THIS WEEKEND IS ALL ABOUT
CLICK HERE FOR A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM YOUR WEEKEND COORDINATOR!
Highlights of the weekend ...
-
Christmas in June was lots of fun. Everyone brought lots of stocking stuffers, and
Unit 104 was a holiday wonderland with Christmas towels, napkins, plates, garland, trees,
candles and LOTS and LOTS of gifts. And Caribbean Christmas music to set the mood. The Christmas
Corner was a beautiful sight!
- Susan's "meeting". Ha!
- Nan's Bobble-Head Santa with a disability - the damn thing won't bobble
- Bubbles! Weeeeeeeeeee!
- Only one driving incident this year … Is that a Stop sign? Ummm, yes, I believe
the huge red octagonal sign with the letters STOP on it is the universal sign to stop.
- Susan had a never-ending craving for ice cream all weekend. How the hell did she lose all that weight?
- The fashion faux pas of the weekend … Dorks Deb and Nance with the matching tops. Fortunately
there was a martial arts expo going on at the Trop, so everyone thought we were just another team
in the competition.
- Unfortunate incident of the weekend … Cheryl's poor toe. Ouch, that hurt!
- Second unfortunate incident … Stef's unruly curl. So, there we were, the 4 of us, finishing up
on the 17th green, when Stef, standing there with putter and flag in hand, points excitedly to her
shadow on the ground and says "See? Look at the curl, that damn curl! You can see the shadow!!!!"
Okay, Stef, settle down. Her hair was definitely an issue this trip. We had to circle away from
the fountain on the way to Opa to avoid the possibility of frizz from the mist. Very unfortunate.
- Culinary treat of the day … Stef's homemade bagel slices
- Best can't-talk, gotta-pee, uncontrollable laugh of the weekend … Nan and I in Bally's
Ladies Room playing with the wind-tunnel hand dryers, waiting for Susan and Deb to come out of the
stalls. I had to pee again. Laughing again now just thinking about it.
- Best surprise … that the pool is now open until 8:00 on weekends! Yippee! And
that we didn't get busted for poolside alcohol. Of course, our clever little scheme
with the coke cans and Dunkin' Donuts cups probably didn't fool anybody, but at least
we didn't get busted this year.
- Stef's Award Ceremony
- The Cast of Characters at Harrah's:
- MC Hammer and his trophy wife
- Uncle Sam / Disco Danny … puttin' it all out there
- Ray Charles
- KD Lang
Oy, what a group. Hysterical as usual
Another great weekend. Looking forward to our winter getaway!
ATTENDEES: Full staff
Spring 2009: BB Fitness gone terribly wrong
The theme this year was BB Fitness ... the girls of Brigantine Beach.
The Fitness Guide was
published, the Water Aerobics
Program was developed and the instructor's uniform was in place, the
motivational photos were distributed.
But somehow, somewhere, something went terribly wrong. It was the subject that no one dared
to even whisper the entire weekend. Fitness. Ha. Stef made us promise to either ride
bikes or walk on Sunday morning. So Nan and Nancy were up bright and early, ready for the challenge. But Stef slept late, and her window of opportunity
slammed shut at 10:00 when the pool opened. All bets are off when you start cutting into
pool time. Stef did, however, suit up and make an appearance poolside. She looked fabulous and
her intentions were good. But, alas, it was not meant to be. The whole plan went straight to
hell. But since she was dressed for activity, she volunteered to go pick up lunch. Atta girl!
Anyhoo, here are the highlights of the weekend ...
- Our once "quaint" little unit has become the room from hell. Kind of like
a padded cell. Stef spoke up and voted that we go back to the 2-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath
townhouse, OR two pool-side units. Imagine ... her own bathroom! A girl can dream ...
- Nan, Nan, the Maintenance Man fixed our window, the air conditioning and the hot water
heater. Our hero ...
- Rummi-Kube is now the official game of Girl's Weekend
- Wonderful weather...again. We always seem to luck out.
- The Green Pool. Well I guess that's still not as bad as the year of the "fecal matter".
- New eating establishment discovered: Ernest & Son deli was a great find, and they
delivered to the pool on Thursday. The Buffalo Chicken sandwich was yummy, as was the
Corned Beef, Turkey, Cole Slaw and Russian Dressing. Rolls and bread were really good!
- I think we have another keeper in the Laguna Grill. Great view, good food. Who could
ask for anything more? We just have to remember next year, wherever we eat, to split lunches
and dinner entrees. We always get WAY too much food.
- Not a single mention of grapefruit this trip
- Aaron and Judy? I'd like you to meet my wife. Huh?
- Big Mamma singing with the band at Harrah's
- Nan showing off her dental work
- Deb's hair bleaching and Nancy's (I mean "BeNanCe") makeover
- How about Jet Ski's? It wasn't on the agenda and Stef doesn't have a Jet Ski outfit. Soooo, no go ...
- Murmurs of our next "event" being in Florida in January. Now THAT would be an adventure!
- Really!
Though quiet and uneventful, it was another great weekend. Looking forward to the
possibility of doing our Christmas Grab Bag in Florida!
ATTENDEES: Full staff
