Girlfriends EnTourAge – Cleveland read Sara Gruen’s well-written story last year. This year we’ll be attending the movie event. Click here to join us for this popular dinner and a movie event on April 23rd at 3PM.

About The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

A spellbinding amalgam of murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue.

It’s about the disappearance forty years ago of Harriet Vanger, a young scion of one of the wealthiest families in Sweden . . . and about her octogenarian uncle, determined to know the truth about what he believes was her murder.

Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently at the wrong end of a libel case, is hired to get to the bottom of Harriet’s disappearance. Lisbeth Salander, a twenty-four-year-old pierced and tattooed genius hacker possessed of the hard-earned wisdom of someone twice her age—and a terrifying capacity for ruthlessness to go with it—assists Blomkvist with the investigation. This unlikely team discovers a vein of nearly unfathomable iniquity running through the Vanger family, astonishing corruption in the highest echelons of Swedish industrialism—and an unexpected connection between themselves.

It’s a contagiously exciting, stunningly intelligent novel about society at its most hidden, and about the intimate lives of a brilliantly realized cast of characters, all of them forced to face the darker aspects of their world and of their own lives.

Join Girlfriends EnTourAge Travel Club for our monthly Virtual Book Club meeting! This is a great way to get to know Girlfriends EnTourAge members from the comfort of your own home.

Participation is easy. Pick up a copy of this month’s book. Read. On the scheduled book club date grab a cup of coffee, tea, or vino. Then pick up the phone, dial the conference room number and VOILA! – you’re in. It’s as simple as making a call to a friend.

Purchase your copy on Amazon and join us to share your thoughts about the book on Sunday, May 22nd at 4PM Eastern.

Reserve your space today by clicking here!

Girlfriends EnTourAge read Eat, Pray, Love during our most popular Virtual Book Club to-date. Afterward we enjoyed a meal at a local, Italian-inspired restaurant.

About Shanghai Girls

In 1937, Shanghai is the Paris of Asia, full of great wealth and glamour, home to millionaires and beggars, gangsters and gamblers, patriots and revolutionaries, artists and warlords. Twenty-one-year-old Pearl Chin and her younger sister May are having the time of their lives, thanks to the financial security and material comforts provided by their father’s prosperous rickshaw business. Though both wave off authority and traditions, they couldn’t be more different. Pearl is a Dragon sign, strong and stubborn, while May is a true Sheep, adorable and placid. Both are beautiful, modern, and living the carefree life … until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth, and that in order to repay his debts he must sell the girls as wives to suitors who have traveled from Los Angeles to find Chinese brides.

As Japanese bombs fall on their beloved city, Pearl and May set out on the journey of a lifetime, one that will take them through the villages of south China, in and out of the clutch of brutal soldiers, and across the Pacific to the foreign shores of America. In Los Angeles, they begin a fresh chapter, trying to find love with their stranger husbands, brushing against the seduction of Hollywood, and striving to embrace American life, even as they fight against discrimination, brave Communist witch hunts, and find themselves hemmed in by Chinatown’s old ways and rules.

At its heart, Shanghai Girls is a story of sisters: Pearl and May are inseparable best friends, who share hopes, dreams, and a deep connection. But like sisters everywhere, they also harbor petty jealousies and rivalries. They love each other but they also know exactly where to drive the knife to hurt the other sister the most. Along the way there are terrible sacrifices, impossible choices and one devastating, life-changing secret, but through it all the two heroines of this astounding new novel by Lisa See hold fast to who they are – Shanghai girls.

RSVP for the event by clicking the button below. Purchase a copy of Shanghai Girls on Amazon.

Click Here to RSVP

I’m sure you have a million reasons why you can’t possibly get away for a day or two with the girls–you have that covered. What we will go over in this article is why a girlfriend getaway is not a luxury but a necessity in todays soceity where women are expected to multi-task from dusk to dawn (not to mention all the stuff we have figured out how to do while we are sleeping).

Top 10 Reasons You Need A Girlfriend Getaway

1. You have something to celebrate! Be it a special birthday (29, AGAIN!) a great new job, or you have recently unloaded a heavy weight (boyfriend, husband or those 10 extra lbs. you’ve been carrying around) what better way to celebrate than with the women who probably helped you get to where you are today.

2. It’s time to branch out and try something different. You’ve had countless days of the same routine; wake up, feed the kids, get ready for work, commute, work, come home, make dinner…you get the picture. Time to change your routine even if it is only for 2 or 3 days. Trust me you will feel recharged and re-energized maybe upon return you will appreciate your routine or maybe you’ll tweak it a little.

3. Travel with no extra baggage meaning boyfriend/husband and kids. Yes they are the center of your universe but taking time to charge your battery will make you a stronger person and that helps everyone

4.You are way to serious, responsible and you frown too much. It is so fun to let your hair down and it also gives your frown lines a rest!

5.It will give you the push you need to take yourself out of the comfort zone. You would think about rock climbing or zip lining on a work day in lovely suburbia but put you and a couple of friend on a resort weekend in Sedona and you’d be game for anything. Especially if you are promised an hour long massage when it is over.

6. Release yourself from the guilt. It’s hard to feel guilty for doing something for yourself and being self-indulgent if you are not actually looking at the people you feel you are neglecting. Try not to phone home either! You deserve this and there is no need to make excuses!

7. Being a woman in today’s society is a marathon not a sprint–most women will spend 17 years caring for children and 18 years helping an elderly parent. Is 1 weekend a year going to hurt? No, in fact it will help you build reserves for the rest of the race.

8. You could potentially be saving over $1,000. The cost of 1 therapy session twice a month for 1 year could be as much as $1,700. Plan a Girlfriend Getaway on a budget as small as $200 can be just as therapeutic and just way more fun.

9. You need the sleep. According to a 2004 Harris Poll conducted for Tylenol PM, almost 70% of the women polled said they get 6 hours of sleep or less per night during the work week. A couple days away from the rat race with the girls would provide a great opportunity to catch up on those zzzzzz’s.

10. You don’t have time for all the self-help and how-to books that are piling up on your nightstand. Instead of spending all those hours pouring over books, go away with the girls for great conversations. It could fill a book all the advice, tips and life lessons your girlfriends have to offer. Whether you need advice on losing weight, dealing with a colicky baby, a moody teenager or a difficult boss chances are your friends have been through it and can tell you what worked for them and what did not.

We have just laid out 10 fantastic reasons to take a Girlfriend Getaway. Here is our guarantee–do it once and you will be planning your next one before the trip is even over.

Valerie McDermott is mother of 2 and co-founder of http://million-dollar-mama.com home of the B.Y.O.G! (Bring Your Own Girlfriend) Getaway Guide. For great ideas on where to go and special offers from the top Girlfriend Getaway Destinations go to http://www.million-dollar-mama.com and sign up for the weekly Million-Dollar-Mamazine newsletter where Girlfriends Go To Getaway!

How long has it been since you’ve had an all girls trip? A popular travel trend these days are the girlfriend getaways and mother daughter vacations or ya-ya’s as some people call them.

Because this trend is so popular, you can find specialty themed and priced vacation packages for almost every city and vacation destination.

This is article II of my girlfriend getaway series. In this article, you are going to read about six destinations that make absolutely perfect getaways…

* Puerto Vallarta

* Las Vegas

* San Francisco – Napa

* Dallas

* New York City

* Sunny Isles, Florida

Puerto Vallarta-

You might not know it, but Puerto Vallarta is the second largest beach resort in Mexico. It’s easy to get to with usually just one connecting flight from any major US city. One of the things you’ll appreciate about PV is that the city’s historic district offers old Mexico charm. You will be able to enjoy seeing and interacting with locals at the zocolo, where they set up shop. Besides normal touristy stores, the locals bring in many handcrafted items from blankets to hammocks for you to choose from and bartering is a fact of life.

Beaches remain Puerto Vallarta’s largest attraction and if a pampered beach vacation is what you want, do some research on the Villa Premier Hotel and Spa, the Marriot Casa Magna Puerto Vallarta, and the Plaza Fiesta Beach Club. These are some of the most popular and all have great getaway packages to choose from.

Las Vegas-

There are not many cities in the world that tout sheer excess, but you can find anything and everything in Las Vegas. In the southern tip of Nevada, amid the arid Mojave Desert, lies Las Vegas. It’s persona exemplifies an excess of money, life and energy. With that said, Las Vegas provides many privileges for tourist who love Las Vegas for its late night bars and clubs, casinos and world class shows. Developers are constantly trying to outdo each other and that means the best of everything for you. Want vacation satisfaction? Leave knowing you have seen and done the best of the best? Give Las Vegas a try when planning your next all girls trip.

San Francisco and the Napa valley-

San Francisco and the Napa valley have some of the best bed and breakfast and hotels anywhere. This area is already known as an international destination with quality attractions like the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the well known San Francisco Museum of Art and, of course, Fisherman’s Wharf. Try the Coit Tower for exhilarating views of the Bay. Away from the tourist spots, San Francisco offers many interesting places to visit, like Napa valley… the world renown wine producing region of California.

Napa Valley is located in Northern California and is one of the largest producers of world class wines. It’s a well known fact that the soil and climate in Napa valley is conducive to growing many varieties of grapes. It’s a real treat to visit any one of the vineyards and take a tour. Wine making is a science and if you like your wine, these tours make you appreciate it even more.

Do a little research online and you’ll find some really helpful information regarding Napa Valley. Just type in “napa valley events” (in quotes) to get a schedule of upcoming activities to help plan your chick trip.

Dallas

Another great destination for a mother daughter vacation is Dallas, Texas, especially if you have your mind set on a spa vacation. Dallas has three great Spa’s worth mentioning. One of Dallas’ finest spa’s is the Koffee house. Well known regionally for it’s variety of treatments, you can have you body pampered with unusual wraps like the sushi and Koffee kup wraps. For more information search for Koffee Spa.

Dallas locals in the know recommend the Spa at the Crescent. Body treatments include soothing paraphin dips, body brushing and skintonic body contouring to help treat cellulite. There are over 75 wonderful and soothing treatments available.

For those that want to splurge a bit and only want top of the line, consider the Dallas Colon Therapy and Spa. Their website mentions the “Set-Me-Free Aloe Vera & Herbal Body Wrap.” The Aloe Vera and herb inch loss (lose 4-12 inches) is a healthy inch-loss program and method of taking off inches and tightening skin in just one hour. Hey, if this works, count me in. You can get more info on their website by typing the above name, in quotes, into any of the major search engines.

New York City-

There is always something going on New York. New York has one of the greatest museums in the US… The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Spend a day wandering thru it’s amazing works of art and spectacular exhibits. Broadway offers some of the world’s greatest plays. And what girlfriend getaway would be complete if you missed visiting a few of the major studios hoping to spot a celebrity. New York is one place where you can shop until you drop, so don’t leave until you visit Macy’s and Bloomingdales. Even the thrift stores give you plenty of shopping opportunities.

Sunny Isles Florida-

Located on a stretch of beautiful beach between Fort Lauderdale and ultra-hip South Beach in Miami, you’ll find Sunny Isles, Florida. It’s still a well kept secret, but the fact is the scene is changing in Sunny Isles, Florida. Once a sleepy little resort area, the funky, 50′s motels and small beach front hotels are giving way to luxury apartment towers and hotels. The atmosphere in Sunny Isles is still casual and fun. Not much has changed on the Newport Fishing Pier or the nine-hole, Par 3 golf course.

Sunny Isles Beach lies between the Intra coastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. Travelers seeking the ultimate of South Florida, experience the best of both worlds. Funky but chic, this tropical barrier island surrounds you with the best of everything. Your Ya-Ya vacation can include a lazy day at the beach and a hot night on the town with electrifying entertainment, world class shopping and international cuisine… It’s all right there in Sunny Isles, Florida.

So there you have it; six fun and exciting vacation ideas for you’re next girlfriend getaway. Pick up your phone and start planning that chic trip or mother daughter vacation you’ve been thinking about. It’s great therapy turning thoughts into reality. Have fun!

Terry Hudson is a freelance travel writer and webmaster. His popular http://www.5daytrips.com travel site is a welcome destination for travelers looking for tips on fun five day trips, short mini vacations, and quick getaways including wedding and honeymoon destination ideas.

But for me it isn’t. Nope. No way.

Here’s why…

1. My husband implements a strategy for packing our bags. Not just, “What needs to go in the carry-on, honey?” but for every.single.thing we are taking with us. I seem incapable of packing, according to him, because I don’t naturally ball up underpants and jam them inside my shoes in order to save a centimeter of space. I don’t think of clever ways to use the cups of my bras to nestle travel-size bottles of shampoo. It doesn’t cross my mind to shove pantiliners in the pockets of my 4 year old’s shorts.

Silly me, right?

Maybe because he has triple the beauty products that I do, those miniscule amounts of square footage seem vital.

2. My husband asks me 57 times a day, for the week leading up to our departure, what time we’re planning on getting in the car and what time I’m waking the girls up that morning. I’m not sure if it’s for his own OCD needs or if he feels badgering me to the point of ripping my own hair out is the best way to insure I’m aware of travel times.

3. And that brings me nicely to my next point. How often am I ever late? Doesn’t he know I have gotten myself and two kids ready every single day, on my own, since they were born? And tell me how often I ever forget something they need!

Planning for a vacation is something we moms start doing weeks in advance. We hit the Target Dollar Bins for some new toys, load up on snacks, and grab a few favorite DVDs. We lay out clothes, count diapers and make sure lovies make the cut in the – apparently – highly-coveted suitcase square footage competition. We moms have got it down to a science, so QUIT MESSING WITH US!

4. My husband’s apparently never heard the saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” I’ve been telling him for years that it doesn’t do any of us any good if he burns through Mommy’s Bag O’ Tricks in the first 32 seconds of our trip. If the girls are happily scribbling on their Magna Doodles, let them! If they are content watching their current Backyardigans DVD, why turn to them and tell them you’ll start something new?

Once the bag of tricks is used up, we’re all screwed, buddy. So keep your trap shut and wait until they ask what else it is we have for them.

5. For some reason, my husband thinks it’s wise to frantically ask me, when we’re ten minutes INTO our trip, if I have everything we need. He goes through a roll call of sorts, even bringing up things that no sane person would ever take along. I assure him we have what we need, and then point out that if he was this concerned I’d thought of everything, it would have been helpful if he had asked, maybe, BEFORE we left the house!

6. Given the past 5 points, you’d think that with all his micro-management, he’d continue be right on top of things for the remainder of our travels. But, in fact, the exact opposite is true. As soon as we hit the airport, it’s like he’s never before met these little people, a.k.a. his children.

Me: Can you hand me the wipes?

Him — Where are they?

Me: In the same pocket of the diaper bag where I’ve kept them for the past 4.5 years.

Me: Grab me that bag of goldfish, please.

Him — Who are you going to give them to?

Me: Kate and Maddie.

Him — Do they even like goldfish?

Him — Is this jacket ours?

Him — Do these shoes belong to us?

Him — What time do they go to nap?

Me: Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!

So there you have it. Traveling with my husband is more aggravating, more trying and more exhausting than traveling with my 2 kids. Give me airport tantrums, in-flight diaper changes and lack-of-sleep-induced meltdowns any day.

I’d gladly take them.

Liz Jostes, the voice behind “a belle, a bean & a chicago dog”, is a 30-something, temporarily-retired marketer and stay-at-home mom to 2 girls and a dog. She enjoys traveling, gardening, running and cooking at home. Originally from Chicago, she and her husband have had their own adventures by relocating to TN, then NH and back to TN. She blogs about parenthood, marriage, pet ownership & life in general at BelleBeanChicagoDog.com

It’s easy to lose touch with friends whether it is due to a cross-country move, family obligations, or the demands of our job. But it is never too late to reach out to a friend!

Make a point to reach out to a friend you haven’t connected with in awhile. Don’t let guilt (or hard feelings because they haven’t called you) get in the way. Just do it.

Let her know you were thinking of her. Make an effort to reconnect. Invite her to one of our upcoming girlfriends getaways. What a perfect way to spend time reconnecting with a friend!

To make it even easier, this month we’re offering our National Women’s Friendship Month Membership Special – purchase a Premium Membership for yourself and get one to gift to a friend!

Women’s Friendship Month is also a great time to meet new friends. We’ve got that covered, too! Attend a Girlfriends EnTourAge local chapter event and meet positive, local women who love travel, arts & culture, and international cuisine.

As an added bonus, when you purchase a Premium Membership during Women’s Friendship Month you’ll be entered into a drawing to win a Fabulous New Look Gift Set for you AND your friend. The set features Mary Kay products and includes a lip color, 2 eye colors, and a cheek color – a $36 value!

Purchase your Premium Membership here to get your free membership for a friend and a chance to win a Fabulous New Look Gift Set for both of you!

Celebrate women friends – old and new – all this month. Then cherish them every single day.