Happy Fourth of July! We hope you have a fun and safe holiday!
What’s a dreamy text vacay, you ask? Well, I am currently experiencing a beautiful getaway to Culebra, Puerto Rico via texts from my sister.
Right now, my sister and her family are vacationing on this remote island off Puerto Rico. I wanted to know more about their destination so I did a little quick RG travel research, and Travel Channel described it thusly:
The charming archipelago 18 miles east of Puerto Rico’s mainland has no major hotel chains or stores — and likes it that way. It prefers to own one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, a Calypso vibe and waters teeming with sea turtles and tropical fish.
Our family is one of adventuresome spirits. We like to just pick up and go. My father was a pilot and my mother a stewardess with one of the first major airlines, National. I even hear there were some gypsies in my family history. Wanderlust is in our spirits, calling us to get on the plane, train, automobile, golf cart or scooter to find blue skies.
My sister found some azure blue ones at Culebra. How much fun to live and dream in text streams from fellow Resort Girls. It is one way to make this techno world a bit more colorful. Hearing that little beep now makes me wonder just where they are exploring. My sister sends me many photos with my lovely niece, Frances. Frances is a fashion student and part-time model. You may see her face often in Resort Girl as she is one of our RG models!
This text stream made me dream of sunny Resort Girl days, seeing Frances with her RG gal pal enjoying the beauty of this remote land and with a cold one in hand!
Cheers to a text dream vacay that breaks up our day and takes RG minds to faraway places. Be sure to text your RG gal pals on your next dream vacay!
Every Friday, this Resort Girl attends a beginner one-hour tennis clinic taught by Tennis Director and Pro, Mike Sutcliffe of Palmetto Bluff Resort in Bluffton, S.C. One of my Resort Girlfriends started up this class as a fun, carefree way for our plantation’s RGs to learn, or get back, their tennis game.
Thankfully, Mike agreed to teach the class for us. He played for the College of Charleston, and previously taught at South Beach Racquet Club and Wexford Plantation on Hilton Head Island, S.C., as well as at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. This makes Mike a Resort Guy to Know.
I am glad to know him personally, as he is getting my tennis game back through a series of 10 private lessons in addition to the group class. Trust me, there are many improvements to go in my swing and such, but he has given me the skills, but mostly the confidence, to want to play again.
As with most sports, your mind plays a big role, as much as body skills do. Here are two RG quick sports tips, I picked up and wanted to share from Mike’s clinic this week that hit both my mind and body:
- Follow Through: In life and in sports, this is very important. Mike kept coaching us all to see our elbows on Friday. (You say what?!) Follow all the way through a swing until your elbow is at eye-level. This technique worked for me! My shots had been coming up short of the net until my elbows came into view and followed through on each one. Try it!
- Accelerate: Be aggressive – on the courts, that is. As women, I think we sometimes tend to hold back and especially in a class with our fun RG friends. But, in most cases, in order to achieve the best tennis shots, acceleration and aggression is a good thing. Mike keeps telling me to accelerate through my swing and to hit the ball back hard to him. It definitely improved my shots and gained me some points.
Both of these concepts were easy for me to comprehend, as Mike pointed out to me that they are part of a golf swing. And, being a seasoned golfer, it made sense. Many times one sport compliments another, and it’s often easier to pick up a skill in one sport by relating the techniques of another.
So, get your tennis game back on the move, by suggesting and starting up a beginner Resort Girl tennis lesson at your club or community courts. It is a fun way to socialize, build skills and enjoy the outdoors.
And when visiting Palmetto Bluff, take a tennis lesson with Mike Sutcliffe on the 8 beautiful clay courts surrounded by the beauty of the Low Country. You can contact him at 843-706-6635.
When I visited the Resort Girl dream home, the bubbling bathtub made me think of how much fun bubbles are…
Memories came back of my childhood days – making soap bubbles from either the pre-made bottle or homemade. The visual delight of blowing and seeing those watery, soapy bubbles in so many beautiful forms fly away from me was always amazing and delightful. And as an inquisitive child, I pondered how this beauty occurred.
Bubbles are cool… bubbles are soothing… bubbles are fun! Bubbles are freeing and most of all – relaxing. In a world of videos and technology-created bubble images dancing across our computer screens, the ones created by nature are becoming rarer. Just think, all it takes is a bit of soap and water and some cleansing deep breaths.
Other soothing bubbles come from a cool soaking tub, a bubbling pool or hot tub, an icy soda pop and even a fizzy, fancy cocktail. Okay, I’ll admit it – I have also taken up a rubber duck collection. What a fun way to remember a relaxing hotel bubble experience floating away in your own RG home bubble bath.
Bubbles add cheers to your life and relaxation. And as Resort Girls, we need to Relax! So think Bubbles!
One of my first shots in my beginner photography class was of my resort girlfriend Lee Ann paddle boarding off into the sunrise. It was a powerful scene to see her glide along the river’s water into the orange-tinged skies.
Lee Ann’s peaceful image stays in my mind and inspires this Resort Girl to want to experience this sport. The yogi in me wants to add the yoga touch. Yes, you can actually do Yoga Paddle Boarding. Lee Ann also does yoga on her board as she is a trained yoga instructor.
One local place that teaches this (and also holds classes for the experienced) is Jiva Yoga on Hilton Head Island, SC.
I frequent Jiva for my cranial massages with Susan and have always noticed the cool paddle boards stacked outside the massage room.
The official name is called Stand Up Paddle (S.U.P) Board Yoga and there is a SUP Community.
Doing some RG Research, I found an excellent article called the 10 Reasons you should Try Stand Up Paddle Board.
The article states the reasons to experience S.U.P are not only to experience a fun to a challenging workout, but also to be empowered and calmed while being one with nature. Sounds SUP-ER to this Resort Girl.
I must try S.U.P – and soon!
Please let me in! I asked Resort Girl Julia to see her fiancée’s latest luxe resort home. Nathan Cameron is a prominent custom home builder in the Bluffton, S.C. area, and Julia and Nathan kindly agreed to my request for a personal tour. I find such delight in viewing beautiful spaces, including home designs and interiors. This custom home has also been expertly decorated and furnished, adding to my anticipation.
Located near the May River, where summer breezes and captivating views are within a RG’s steps, Nathan’s vision was to design a home blending a historic look and a modern vibe (like many restored urban lofts.) He succeeded in this graceful yet eclectic (and slightly edgy) design on Nottingham in the Barge Landing area of Palmetto Bluff, S.C.
As I was graciously welcomed in, my eyes first set upon the impressive brick kitchen backsplash wall. It surely made a splash, and so did many of the other natural elements of this inviting cooking and entertaining space. There are wide open areas with so many places to sit, relax, chat and enjoy the views from the impressive set of windows.
The natural elements used throughout Nathan’s home range from brick to reclaimed wood floors, barn piers and even down to a portal window in the back pantry. Yes, besides a completely spectacular open design kitchen, there is a fully equipped back pantry to keep clean views. Nathan believes in linear design with all edges square and even under cabinet mount outlets. This back pantry is accessed via a dutch door containing a service refrigerator, and all items needed to prep and store a multitude of food, plating and entertaining items. And to top it off, this space opens up to the grill porch for easy pass through of your grilling goodies.
Off to explore other areas! The wet bar area is accented with wood and smoky mirrors and, get this… leather wallpaper. I couldn’t help but touch it, it felt and looked so smooth. The home office was any writer’s dream with quiet quarters for great ideation time, enclosed by an impressive handcrafted metal wall. And the guest suites are so inviting with swinging beds in one room. I had to hop on one and experience it! Plus, there’s a playful yet luxe bunk bed room that would have any group of kids eager to escape to. It was even equipped with a built-in TV. In total, the home has (get this) 11 beds. Quite a place for entertaining family and friends for a low country weekend!
Next, Julia next took me down to the master suite, and sweet it was. To the right, the master bath has an exquisite wall tile showcasing a made for two (or more) shower designed with open walls, heated floors, and ledge windows creating an open sunny oasis. If an evening of bubbles is what you desire, then the soaking bath with air bubbles is a quiet way to wind down any Resort Girl’s day.
Turning to the master bedroom, we passed his and hers closets. We then entered the room surrounded by full-length windows, allowing one to soak in the low country oaks and moss, making for a relaxing day or night. But best of all, the room has what I want to call chillin’ deck door access. This covered porch with a great swing also has an oyster-shelled fireplace with a big screen TV and many comfy seats for family or entertaining.
Once on that porch, it was time to see the crystal blue pool, contrasting with flaming fire pits encasing it. There is even a serene cabana for Resort Girl reading or maybe even painting our nails. I am going to have to have Julia and Nathan ask me back to dip into those pleasures, as it was raining cats and dogs that day. However, even with the downpour, it was an inviting, low country experience as listening to rain drops on any porch is sweet music to this RG.
This was just a sneak peak at the beautiful home, as there are so many intricate, unique accents and architectural elements to mention. It was a dreamy experience. To find more about this home and many more of Nathan’s dream homes go to Cameron and Cameron.
And yes, Nathan has just put this dream home up for sale so maybe this could be your Resort Girl destiny. View more pictures here.
