Ah… Galentine’s Day. The day in which Instagram and local brunch hot spots are flooded with droves of women, “whooping it up” in honor of female friendships and projecting the spirit of, “ladies celebrating ladies”.  This unofficial holiday was created in 2010 by Leslie Knope, a character in the hit show Parks and Recreation, to bring together her closest lady friends the day before Valentine’s Day to leave their husbands, boyfriends, (and Tinder dates) at home to “come kick it, breakfast-style”. If Galentine’s Day doesn’t sound awesome enough, Parks and Recreation is the same show that also introduced me to October 13th’s “Treat Yo Self” Day; the day in which you quite literally treat yourself to anything and everything because you can and YOU DESERVE IT DAMNIT!  For those of you who know me well, you know that if there’s anything in this world that I like most, it’s brunch, hanging with my ladies, and any excuse to celebrate life. And a day that intentionally celebrates my friends and our friendships while simultaneously providing me with awesome drink specials….  well, honey, count me in!

To no one’s surprise, I consider myself a, “Girl’s Girl” and this identity is one that I’ve grown more into as time has progressed. In college I was in a sorority with 250+ women and lived in a house with upwards of 60 women at one time. While many people think that this sounds like a literal nightmare and would never willingly subject themselves to that amount of bathroom waiting time and clogged hair drains, if I could do it all over again, I absolutely would. I thrive on Girl’s Nights that prioritize wine, cheese, and therapeutic venting on the couch, and I still have group sleepovers with friends from high school. To put it simply, I value and prioritize female driven relationships that are not only empowering, but also supportive and foster safe spaces for sharing emotions and experiences. When I am struggling, I find refuge in my closest girlfriends and I am no stranger to sending affirmations of love and positivity to the women in my “tribe” who are going through a difficult time in return. While I have many strong options that can be controversial at times, I believe wholeheartedly that society has benefited upon pitting women against each other via shame and comparison, all the while, creating unrealistic expectations for women,  harboring a breeding ground for “mean girl” behavior and insecurity. And while I know that I alone cannot change the overall attitude of society overnight, I sure as hell can create a culture of unconditional love, security, and acceptance for the friends I have in my life.

Although Galentine’s Day was a week, (and many vodka sodas) ago, I wanted to write this blog to share my experience and to tell the story of why this day is so meaningful to me.

I remember November 9th, 2019 as clear as a crystal. I had been dumped by my ex-boyfriend at the time, and I was DEVASTATED. I’m talking, “the sky is falling, the world will cease to spin, I will inevitably die alone” kind of feeling provoked by my broken heart and breakup songs playing on repeat in the background. Besides my mother who intercepted the initial 5:30 am call of inconsolability, the people who I turned to immediately for solace were my closest girlfriends. I called any and every woman in my life who could rally behind my exhausted and tear soaked ass to lift me up from my pits of despair, loneliness, and self loathing. When the time came to show up and “walk the talk”,  they showed up tenfold with words of love and support, bottles of wine and white claws, and playlists filled with Lizzo and Ariana Grande. I didn’t have to walk alone on this journey through heartbreak and navigate through all the heavy feelings that accompany a breakup by myself;  I had a support network of friends who genuinely cared and wanted to see me rise again from the ashes. (As I write this now, a myriad of people come into mind who were by my side during this time and a lifetime of thank-you’s and shoutouts would never be enough to express my gratitude. You all truly are my heart and I am thankful everyday that I found such amazing people in this lifetime.)

As the reality of life, sans boyfriend, became more clear, the panic of returning to the rat race of single life began to settle in simultaneously. My mind immediately jumped to the upcoming holidays being spent alone, and I began envisioning my Instagram feed on Valentine’s Day filled with happy couples posting about their celebratory night and montages of all the memories they’ve cultivated over the years. I was dreading the impending social media highlight reel of “successful” relationships, and the holiday’s reminder that I was SURELY going to die alone, probably in an exceptionally dramatic fashion, and most certianlty clutching a bottle of nice champagne.

The thought of spending Valentine’s Day weekend alone in my Chicago apartment, crying and ordering takeout was too much for freshly broken up with brain to process, so I immediately reached out to one of my best friends Sammy Jo and we cultivated the ultimate plan 3 months in advance: Galentine’s Weekend NYC Extravaganza. It may have only been November, I couldn’t let this breakup get the best of me, and I knew that time was long overdue with one of my best friends anyway. Hell, we both needed the pick me up to lift us up from our men problems, and who better to share the commiseration with than with a girl who understands you on the deepest level? In addition and more importantly, Sammy was turning 30 soon, and she deserved to be celebrated for all that she is and all that she means to me.

I met Sammy Jo in Ibiza while traveling throughout Europe to attend a music festival called Tomorrowland. We had briefly seen (but mostly heard about each other) through mutual friends that we had crossed paths with en route to Belgium. We were both notorious, loud, American party girls who were making names for themselves and it was only fitting that we became fast friends once we began to talk. I remember how kind and open she was when we first met in our hostel, and it felt as if I had known her for years even if it was only for a few minutes. As time went on, our friendship blossomed and we found out quickly that to the core, we are so similar. Raised both as only children, we view the world through similar lenses and there’s a sense of deep understanding between us. Not a day goes by where we don’t talk, and she is someone who’s opinion and presence is valued wholeheartedly in my life. She is forever part of my “tribe” and a sister to my soul.

We spent a long weekend in NYC devoted to the things we loved and that made us genuinely happy. From seeing the musical Chicago on Broadway, to drinking wine and eating 1am pizza in hotel room robes, going to a Red Haute party at the illustrious House of Yes, and dancing to Galantis in colorful wigs, we reminded ourselves that friendship really is the best medicine and what we need most in this lifetime. We watched hungover reruns of Sex in the City in her Brooklyn apartment and drank Cosmopolitans in honor of the friendships and fabulousness of the show. To top the weekend off, we even went ice skating at Rockefeller Center, a goal date that I’ve been scheming to do and have failed to accomplish since 2017! This past weekend and the spirit of Galentine’s Day is a mere reminder that fostering strong friendships is vital and of the utmost importance to me. When I think of my life and the memories thus far that stand out and warm my heart, there is almost always a girl in my life that is right by my side along for the ride.

WE deserve to celebrate each other and to be celebrated, and my opinion is that Galentine’s Day shouldn’t just be restricted to one official day on February 13th. So crank up the girl power anthems (I’m thinking circa 1997 Spice Girls), pour yourself and your gal’s some Cosmopolitans (or whatever drink you fancy), and celebrate the friends in your life who lift you up. This day is for us ladies, and I’ll always drink to that ❤