Ladies Who Lunch...

Or Brunch....or Dinner......or Breakfast...

As my last post eluded to, I am a HUGE believer in both making new relationships but also building and nurturing current and longstanding ones!

I truly do think that everyone you cross paths with, you do so for a reason. Those people that you then choose to welcome into your life open a wealth of new possibilities through whatever type of relationship may suit...professional, personal, romantic etc...

I was lucky enough to meet a wonderful group of women this past weekend at BlogPodium and I wholeheartedly look forward to growing, nurturing and building those relationships/friendships.

Through social media (see my last post for our new FB page), our blogs, get-togethers (some of us already have a brunch planned here in Guelph in October and I definitely think a treehouse get together is in order) I am sure new friendships will develop and to say I am looking forward to it is such an understatement!

I have written previously about how important my gal pals are to me and over the past few years, they have grown dearer and dearer to my heart for so many reasons. 

I truly am blessed by the wonderful women that surround me and that I am lucky enough to call friends. Whether we were on the ice together at 3 years old learning to figure skate, sitting beside each other in grade 9 homeroom, university roommates/classmates, co-workers at the same company, neighbours...the list goes on....But.. every one of those gals I cherish, adore and I truly miss their smiles/laughs/hugs when I haven't seen then as much as I would like to.

I have found that as we get older, lives get busier, families get larger, careers get more hectic....we turn to lunching, brunching, drinks, dinner etc to get together, get caught up and sit back and breath!

Whether it's around my dining room table with a stack of magazines (thank you so much again BlogPodium), chocolate cake (that my friend's husband made that was truly FABTASTIC!), some fruit and a latte..(and yes, this was breakfast)....it sets a mood of ease, comfort and relaxation. The minutes tick by, turning in to hours and you don't even notice it.

mmmm....chocolate cake, magazines and a latte...the perfect Sunday breakfast with a gal pal!

I am also a HUGE fan of going out for breakfast and brunch. It is the time of day that it allows for great discussion, a relaxed environment, many cups of tea or coffee and time to just focus on the gals (note: always turn off the phones, UNLESS, there could be baby problems at home)...

this is the breakfast pizza at Ox in Guelph...talk about the PERFECT brunch food...oh, and their lattes....TO DIE FOR!!

Then...there's dinner and drinks.... Really, is there anything much better than a fantastic bottle of wine, amazing food and stunning conversation! I think my friends and I have solved many of the world's problems when all of these things fall into line!



note: bottle of wine, amazing bar top, gorgeous stone walls, and a menu that was so yummy fantastic we couldn't decide what to order. 
we spent HOURS there that night my friend and I ...the setting was just perfect for great conversation and lots of laughs.



ambiance is key too (kinda obvious, I know)....this was actually just last night and the lighting fixture and the fireplace just added the little extra "muah" to the room!

To me, my girlfriends are like great design.....timeless, warm, welcoming, steadfast and comforting. Keeping those relationships well nurtured and strong is no different then oiling and maintaining that antique piece of furniture you love so dearly. 

Life has thrown a lot of curve balls my way the past few years and without my friends, I don't know where I would be today! Gals...you all know who you are and I am so utterly thankful to have each and every one of you in my life!

The reason I wrote this post is because I got the sweetest and timeliest message from one of my dearest and oldest friends the other day....I literally opened it up and the tears just started flowing. She and I have spent many, many a day, night, 3am either cooking, lunching, snacking, drinking, chatting, laughing, crying....those simple times have been the best times...and her message to me reminded me of that! Thank you so much Kris...Love ya!

So....get your gals together....throw a dinner party for just the girls (or have an ice cream party where everyone comes in their comfies with a tub of ice cream, cookies, sprinkles and you make sundaes like no other), make reservations and get all dressed up and go for dinner and drinks, or all plan to meet at the local bistro for brunch and coffee (maybe a mimosa too). Keep growing those friendships....building those relationships....these women are in your life for a reason. You have welcomed them into your life...take the time to keep them there!

RR

What a week..a great week :)

Or maybe I should say....what a month!

I have no idea where April went or how May 1st is next week.....

Life seems to get away from us sometimes, but this past Saturday I had the chance to put things on 'hold' and get together with my University Gal Pals here in Guelph. We had a great afternoon chatting, snacking, enjoying some vino...and just having a great time!

For the Gals' arrival, I had bought some tulips (just from the grocery store, nothing fancy) and became enamored with them (as evidenced by the photos below).

They still look great almost a week later.

Then, it was off to a 2 day conference in Simcoe with work. It was a chance to put our work on hold and let my co-workers and I get together from across the province for 2 days of sharing and learning.

We headed to Callahan's Beach House for dinner and enjoyed a gorgeous sunset, amazing fish and fantastic wine/spirits. 

The name just says it all..... ;)

This is going to be a busy weekend too...I'm doing the Spring Sprint for the Canadian Brain Tumour Foundation tomorrow, in memory of a great highschool friend.

What a week...what a great week! 

RR

Gal Pals

I got together with a group of girl friends from university yesterday who I hadn't seen in ages! As we sat there and discussed meeting eachother, getting to know eachother and the past 10 years since we graduated (yes...10 years).....I couldn't help but think how lucky I am to have such amazing women in my life!

Most of them have married, had kids (there were 12 children under the age of 6 there and I'm so happy & proud to be their "auntie") and a lot sure has changed in the past 14 years! As we sat in the back yard, my friend turned to me and said, "it feels like we're at someone's parents' house".....it was a bit surreal.. but also a testament to how though life continues forward, it sometimes feels like it stands still. We are home owners, some are parents, we have careers...we're officially "grown-ups"....a far cry from university life of going to class, house parties and pubs from 10 years earlier!

They are an amazing groups of gals....and I am honestly and truly blessed to have them...and all of my other fantatsically amazing gals pals in my life! Whether we have been friends since birth or have newly developed a friends ship over the past few months/years...THANK YOU for being part of my life....you all help me be who I am, just knowing that you are always there for me!

Thank you again to my gal pals.....you are all extremely phenomenal women...

RR