Holden Beach, South Carolina

We're having a great time in Holden Beach. Sitting on the dock.



Riding in the pimp van.



Hanging out with the cute munchkins.



Sitting in the sun.



Chelaxing.



And makin' some shrimp and grits. Mmmm.

We could be anywehere right now. But Holden Beach is just right.

Fayettenam?

The first time we came to Fayetteville for my good friend's wedding, we all said it was the first and last time we would be in Fayetteville. The best restaurant we could find was IHOP. There seemed to be a strip club or a payday loan center every 10 feet. The wedding itself was fabulous, but Fayetteville seemed to be lacking other social opportunities.



I have made it back to Fayetteville a second time, and I have to say, my opinion has changed. I think Fayetteville is a lot like Great Falls. It is a blue collar town with a military base. It is not be a mecca for foodies. There is no Nordstrom. No cute parkway bustling with trendy boutiques. But if you dig a little deeper both of these towns have a lot to offer.



The neighborhood my friend lives in is quaint, tree lined and beautiful. It is filled with southern houses that would look ostentatious in the west, but look perfectly fitting down here. Antebellum Bon Lemon photo shoot anyone? There are beautiful flowers everywhere, perfectly manicured lawns, a lake, and a golf course. What's not to love?



As in Great Falls, you have to make your own fun, but Fayetteville is filled with good people and pockets of beautiful places. I guess I will stop calling it Fayettenam. Now, on to the beach!

Semester at Sea Reunion

Ten years ago, I circumnavigated the globe on a ship on Semester at Sea. My Semester at Sea friends and I experienced 9/11 together, cheating cab drivers, fabulous restaurants, the townships of South Africa, a private party with Fidel Castro, monsoons off the coast of Japan, and many a night looking at the sea.

The bond you make on Semester at Sea reminds me of what it would be like to bond with friends in boot camp. You have crazy times and boring times, and through it all, you've just got each other. We can pick up after many years without missing a beat. My SAS friends (SASers as we call ourselves) have been getting together regularly for the past ten years. Sometimes for vacation. Sometimes for weddings. Now that everyone is older, it is harder to schedule a wild weekend in Vegas or a ski trip to Jackson Hole, so this year we went for something a little more sedate. A "bring your kids if you want and we will drink wine and catch up girls' weekend."

I am currently in Dallas, waiting to board my flight to Fayetteville to reunite with my Semester at Sea friends in Holden Beach, North Carolina. Our friend has a beach house there and it seemed like a natural place to congregate. I can't wait to see these girls! There is never a dull moment. I (almost) finished my taxes and sent all of my Bon Lemon postcards on the last leg of the flight. Thank goodness for laptops and having a mobile business! I can get just as much done here as I do at home. (But there may be some breaks for sauvingon blanc this weekend :) See you soon!