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Ever heard of a Mom-cation? It’s really the best thing ever. It’s a getaway– just for us– that allows us to come back afterwards and be the best Mommies we can be. These time-outs can be taken alone or with friends. They can be long or short. Over-nighters or just a few hours of down-time. We find that time spent with our girlfriends, talking and doing things we enjoy, really re-charges our “Mom batteries” so we can come back to our families refreshed and reenergized. Sometimes something as simple as a yoga class, a walk on the beach, or a luxurious massage makes us feel like we’ve been away for a week! Other times may call for an out-of-town jaunt. The whole point is to plan something indulgent and fun– and then ENJOY it! There’s no point in doing it if you’re going to feel guilty about it. If the kids are happy and safe while you’re taking a break, that’s what counts… Go for it! (And send us a postcard!)
 
The Javelinas take over Napa (in front of the Culinary Institute of America)
ADVENTURE, FOOD, HEALTH, PASSION & THE BIRTH OF THE JAVELINAS
- Debbie Fisher, Contributing Writer
Last year, six women decided to go on a traditional, yet luxurious girls' trip to the Canyon Ranch Spa to recharge our souls, get some sleep, learn a few things and take care of our bodies for a weekend. We are a loosely connected group with vastly different backgrounds, and what we all discovered in each other on this getaway was a shared enthusiasm for life. In order to continue our time together and further our exchange of ideas, we started a cooking club and playfully named ourselves “The Javelinas” after the pig-like rodents that run amuck at Canyon Ranch.
For over a year now, we have been cooking together every month in each others homes. When it is your turn to host, you select a cookbook and assign recipes that will make up a meal. You pour some wine or a signature drink, make or bring your recipe and sit down to dissect what everybody made. All of the meals have been outstanding. A few of the dishes have been disasters. At one dinner, we all shucked oysters. For the holidays, we celebrated traditions from around the world. We cooked from the Sopranos Cookbook, Barefoot in Paris and Bouchon. We have attempted and perfected food from the South, the Northwest, France and Italy. We have tasted brie ice cream with poached pears, puffy gougeres, spa-style crab cakes, homemade gnocchi, baklava, melt in your mouth ribs over gorgonzola polenta and banana cream pie. The eight macaroons that survived out of the recipe for fifty were tasty. The four-hour quiche was divine and will most likely never be made again. We have learned about ingredients, methods, how and what can be cooked in advance for a party, what our children will try and recipes we will make over and over again.
The beauty of our system is that each person is only responsible for one thing and it’s all done for an enthusiastic and appreciative crowd. Hosting is the best and we all fight for the privilege. We show no mercy when delegating the recipes and hard-to-find ingredients. New kitchen gadgets are a bonus! Hosting means you get to set the table according to theme and find ways to surprise and indulge your friends.
Recently, we decided to take a trip to Napa, where we took a cooking class at the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) and sampled many of the local restaurants and wines. We are pretty sure that our group left a lasting impression on the residents of Napa! We had dinner at Bouchon and then recreated our meal the following week, complete with authentic “props” (the restaurant’s actual menus and even their signature etched carafes). As you can imagine, we were very happy Javelinas in wine country and I have a feeling we will be back very soon, if we haven’t been banned by the locals for over-enthusiasm!
Scheduling has been easier without the guys, but husbands and boyfriends are included a few times a year. They became jealous of our fun and formed their own group, the MPDs, or Malibu Prairie Dawgs. I know, I know– grown men, acting like teenagers– but we say, why not? In fact, our little group has inspired others around town to create their own versions, and I encourage you to do the same.
The beauty of the Javelinas is that it is a chance to grow, to have a creative outlet in this very busy world. Some of us work, some of us don’t, but all of us have very full lives. Not one of us has ever said, “I’m too busy.” Instead, it’s always, “what can I do next?”
Although our dinners have never included our children, we talk endlessly about them and learn from each others stories and insights. Being a Javelina makes us better mothers, because we have a special community in each other. When we take a night off from the routine of mommy-hood (or even a weekend to go to a spa or to the wine country!), we come back somehow better and more interesting people. We re-commit to our children and our families every time, full of renewed friendships and passions, and with bellies full of fantastic food! |
