Find Southern Hospitality and Victorian Ambiance at Girls B&B Getaway

Enjoy a Pajama Day... or Two!! Call your gal pals, pack your PJ's and prepare to be pampered! Have an old fashioned slumber party and spend the day getting spa services in the privacy of your own suite! Blessings On State B&B will tailor a package to your specific needs. Step back in time in our century old Victorian style home. Gather the girls and sit and visit on our front wraparound porch. Take a walk down the street to Duncan Park. Spin over to Springfield to tour the Lincoln sites.

Located in the historic district of Jacksonville, IL, this B&B offers many charming architectural details, including five original fireplaces, a carved Victorian staircase and chandeliers in every room! Chocolate is always in abundance, and you'll be treated to a four-course gourmet breakfast, afternoon appetizers and cookies and milk. Step back in time as you dine on bone china, fine crystal and sterling silver. Come experience Southern Hospitality in the heart of the Midwest!

For more information or to make a reservation, visit Blessings On State at http://www.getawaygirltravel.com/.

Best Places for Girls (and Dogs) Getaways

After our Girls (and Dogs) Getaway to Miami, we had several requests for recommendations to the best pet-friendly hotel packages in the U.S. Here is what we found for every type of pet owner, pet and destination imaginable!

Super Hero Pet Getaway at EPIC Hotel in Miami
Where the Miami River meets Biscayne Bay, the EPIC Hotel (www.EPICHotel.com), a Kimpton property, is located in one of Miami's most flourishing neighborhoods. There is an energizing buzz to the physically beautiful and culturally thriving environment here. Yet the surrounding waterways soothe the soul. This dynamic contrast helps define the area, giving it a unique and vibrant atmosphere. With attention to every detail, the EPIC has not forgotten about our four-legged friends with their fantastic pet getaway with no additional charge to bring your pet. This two night package includes:
Sleeping accommodations, pet bed and food and water bowl for use during stay, pet toys, Super Hero Pet welcome gift, complimentary Paw Treat Hour, continental breakfast for two in Area 31 daily for humans ($25.00 credit).
Choice of two pet services:
Pawdicure and shampoo from spa service
One hour daily dog play time
One hour daily dog walk at Flamingo Bark park
90 minute massages for two humans

BONE Appetit at Firesky Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, AZ

It's reigning cats and dogs at the FireSky Resort & Spa (www.FireskyResort.com). Bosco, Director of Pet Relations, is a three-year-old Cocker Spaniel that frequented the FireSky Resort & Spa before being offered this elite position. Bosco enjoys serving as a host alongside his Pet Ambassador, Wendy Zane. Enjoy the pampering you both deserve with this package, which includes:
Beautifully appointed accommodations (either patio or courtyard); arrival treat, including Bosco's Brew (a pet-friendly beer), gourmet doggie treats, a top-quality chew toy and a logo leash; use of our desert doggie bed and water bowl during your stay; human companions enjoy morning coffee and tea service in living room, daily newspaper delivered to room, hosted evening wine reception, 24-hour access to in-house fitness room, standard high speed wired and wireless Internet access, and of course, enjoyment of the pool and gardens
All pets welcomed: Welcome board with pets' names arriving that day, dog walking/sitting services available, exercise area within walking distance, complimentary goldfish upon request, no additional charge for pets, no deposit required, list of nearby veterinarians upon request, pooper Scooper bag and walking map, in room bowl for food and water, Doggie Bed for use during your stay.

Su'Ruff Camp – Loews Coronado Bay Hotel, San Diego
Teach your dog to ride the waves like a pro at Coronado Dog Beach! Then, enjoy deluxe accommodations, a Surf & Turf room service pet meal, plus board shorts and bandana for your dog. Rates start at $449/night. Loews Coronado Bay is the San Diego choice of every pet lover. Put simply: Loews loves pets. As part of the Loews Loves Pets program, your VIP (Very Important Pet) will be waited on hand and paw, traveling in first-class comfort. At Loews Coronado Bay, you have everything you need to feel right at home with your four-legged friend:
Gourmet room service menus for cats and dogs, prepared by our award-winning Master Chef Creature comforts like specialized bedding, leashes, collars, litter boxes (and litter), pooper scoopers and more; Tail-wagging amenities such as dog-walking routes, pet placemats, water bowls, treats, doggie poop bags and more; Purr-fect indulgences like rawhide bones, catnip and scratch poles; Pet-walking and pet-sitting services; and Loews Surf Dog Competition.

You can also see Spot surf during the Loews Surf Dog Competition, the first of its kind. There's no dog paddling for these surf dogs-they are invited to hang 20. If your pooch is a surfing champion, you could win a getaway at Loews Coronado Bay Hotel…and endless bragging rights that come with owning the waves of San Diego. For more information, visit http://www.loewshotels.com/.

Pets in the City…for a Good Cause in Chicago
Pets need to get away and enjoy a little pampering too. Bring yours with you—Hotel Monaco (www.Monaco-Chicago.com) is a pet-friendly hotel. Package includes:
Overnight accommodations
Pet bowl and bed for the evening
Pet massage book
Pet goodie bag with bottled water, snacks and a Kimpton leash for those long sightseeing walks
$5 of proceeds donated to PAWS (Pets Are Worth Saving), a non-profit no-kill humane organization in Chicago
Package must be booked 5 days prior to arrival. Guest is responsible for any damages or pet items taken from the room during stay.

Dog Go Grrreeen in Orlando
As part of its commitment to the environment, Loews Hotels (http://www.loewshotels.com/) encourages even its furriest guests to do their part in promoting responsible, sustainable consumption (literally). The new Loews “Grrreen Dog” package features a specially created “Dog Gone Green” room service meal, a veterinarian approved healthy feast which mixes locally grown ingredients from neighborhood farms with a lot of love. The “Grrreen Dog” package launched on Earth Day (April 22, 2009) and features several additional earth-friendly components. Available April 22 – September 5, 2009, “Grrreen Dog” package rates vary by hotel, starting at $119 per night. The package includes:
·A one-night stay at one of Loews Hotels for guests and their pet; Orlando options include Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando
·“Dog Gone Green” room service meal with local ingredients (see recipe below)
·A Loews Hotels 100 % organic cotton bandana made by Go Doggie Go Green™
·A Zogoflex™ Huck, an environmentally-friendly toy by West Paw Design ®

Pet Massages at the Loews Don CeSar Beach Hotel is the St. Pete Beach
As part of the Loews Loves Pets program, your VIP (Very Important Pet) will be waited on hand and paw, traveling in first-class comfort. At Loews Don CeSar Beach Hotel, you have everything you need to feel right at home with your four-legged friend:
Gourmet room service menus for cats and dogs, prepared by our award-winning Master Chef
Creature comforts like specialized bedding, leashes, collars, litter boxes (and litter), pooper scoopers and more; Tail-wagging amenities such as dog-walking routes, pet placemats, water bowls, treats, doggie poop bags and more; Purr-fect indulgences like rawhide bones, catnip and scratch poles; Pet-walking and pet-sitting services; Dog massages by a professional canine massage therapist, who works closely with you in the comfort of your room to design personalized treatment for your special "family member." For more details, visit http://www.loewshotels.com/.

PHOTO: Hanging "paws" at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort's Su'Ruff Camp in San Diego, CA.

Memory Log Captures Montana Getaways

Girls Getaway to Montana hostess Lisa Celantano asked everyone to write on the large log that is in the middle of her living room as a way to capture all the memories shared by visitors to the Flatpenny Inn. What a great idea!!! As I relived our adventures here the past few days, I decided the leave the following words on the Memory Log:

The Getaway Girl will never forget this fabulous Girls Getaway to Montana at Flatpenny Inn. Thank you for your hospitality, generosity and inspiration as you help women “Leave Your Baggage at Home.”

What a wonderful trip with a wonderful hostess!

For more details about the Flatpenny Inn, visit www.vacationrentals.com/vacation-rentals/34602.html.

Row Row Row Your Boat!

Grab a paddle and let’s row! We were all very excited about today’s All-American rafting trip down the Yellowstone River. What a way to celebrate the Fourth of July! We arrived at Rubber Ducky River Rentals to pick up our large blue raft, paddles and life jackets. With the raft loaded, we were ready to hit the rapids. We unloaded our equipment, got a quick rowing lesson from our guide Jeff and we were on our way. It was a gorgeous day with the sun shining! During our trip, we saw a lot of wildlife such as deer, Canadian geese and white pelicans. We stopped for a picnic lunch and to collect colored stones. As soon as we got back in the raft, it seemed that the weather had changed. After a few small rapids (large enough for some of us to get wet), we started to realize how cold we were. “How much further Jeff?” we asked. “About two hours,” he replied. As we sang songs (or at least parts of them) and played a very long game of “I’m going on a picnic” we forgot how cold we were. We were very excited to see Carter’s Bridge, and we quickly landed the raft and looked forward to getting home soon for some hot showers.

As we waited for Audrey’s car to be opened, Audrey came around the corner to tell us she left her car keys in the truck, which was parked up the river where we launched. We were all stunned and amazed that none of us thought reminding her so we could have avoided this glitch. So, our 3-hour float turned into a much longer trip. Lisa and I agreed…next time the rafting trip can be much shorter and we won’t leave keys in the wrong car.
After some hot (and not so hot showers), we went to the neighbors house for a great BBQ cookout to celebrate the Fourth of July. Angela and Bruce were amazing hosts, and Bruce kept bringing more and more food to us. I thought I was going to explode J! It was a very nice dinner, and a wonderful way to end our fabulous Girls Getaway to Montana. We left there very full and read to pack our things and prepare for our early morning flights home.

Rodeo Wine Cowboys and More!

We woke up Friday morning to a cool breeze and warm sun shining on us. We did a quick run/walk down and then up the mountain and returned to the Flatpenny Inn for some pushups overlooking the Absaroka Mountains of Southwest Montana. After our workout, we drove to Bozeman for some more shopping and our massages at Summit Chiropractic & Massage. Many thanks to Alicia for working the kinks out and massaging our sore “front calves.” My favorite store, Ruby Slippers (117 E. Main Street), featured some super cute shoes, jewelry and clothing items. With our bodies totally relaxed, we drove back to Flatpenny for a late lunch and to rest up for the evening’s rodeo festivities.

We all had fun getting “gussied” up for the rodeo. After some group photos, we drove to town to see some of the world’s best cowboys and cowgirls strut their stuff in Livingston. We watched cowboys get bucked off horses and bulls, which proved to be fully entertaining for the two-hour show. Tatiana and I were thrilled to find some “Rodeo Wine” that was served in Pabst Blue Ribbon cups…gotta love it! At 10 p.m., they turned off the arena lights and started the fireworks show. After the fireworks, we hit the Livingston nightlife with stops at The Sport (to see our friend Chuck) and at the Hiatt House (to listen to our friends “The Max” play). Many thanks to The Max for re-naming “Mustang Sally” to “Mustang Casey.” You guys are the best!

At 2 a.m. it was time to head home. Tanya needed to use the restroom but we convinced her to wait for the quick trip home. Just as we were pulling up to the Flatpenny, we got stopped by the world’s longest train. As we laughed uncontrollably (and for no real reason), Tanya got out of the truck for a quick dance/squirmish and photo opp with the train. Good times!

Going Topless in Livingston at the Round Up Parade

Our Thursday began with pilates on the porch, which was a great way to wake us up and take in the beautiful scenery. After homemade waffles for breakfast, we drive to downtown Livingston to meet the Yellow Bus for a tour of the town (the girls opted to go topless). We learned a lot about the history and the role Sacajewea and the Lewis and Clark Expedition played in developing Livingston, as well as the role the town plays as the “gateway to Yellowstone.” It was interesting to note that Livingston had a Red Light District area that was “operating” until 1948, and residential lots originally sold here for $25. Thank you Jack and Vern for an excellent tour.

After the tour we got settled in for the big Round Up Parade, which celebrates the beginning of the Livingston Rodeo this weekend. Ted Turner served as the Grand Marshall and rode a dappled gray horse through the streets of Livingston and right in front of us. The parade was fully entertaining and full of celeb sightings. Margot Kidder (Superman) rode a bicycle dressed as the Statue of Liberty (she is a resident here). We also saw Greg Germann (Ally McBeal) and Missy Pyle (Dodgeball) who was nice enough to take photos with us. The parade was also full of bag pipe bands, outfitters, and local celebrities who all dressed to the parade theme “Like A Rhinestone Cowboy.” Once the parade ended, we drove back to Flatpenny Inn for some R&R.

After some downtime, I went for a ATV ride up the mountain where I saw deer and a grouse (bird I had never seen before). Then it was time for Lisa’s special dinner of make your own pizza, which Tatiana said was like Italian Quesadillas. We loved the pear, tomato & provolone cheese…YUM! And just when we thought we couldn’t eat anymore, the campfire lit up and the ingredients for smores were passed around the campfire. To avoid overeating, I think I am going to bed.

PHOTOS: Girls Gone Topless on the Yellow Bus Tour. Casey Wohl & actress Missy Pyle at the Livingston Round Up Parade.

Rise and Shine Mountain Mamas!

We woke up thrilled to see the incredible view outside the Flatpenny Inn of the Abrasoka Mountains. It is absolutely beautiful here. Despite our long day yesterday, we were ready for our early, four-mile mountain hike. Lisa’s energy is contagious and almost infuses you (I will stress “almost”). I felt really out of shape when I got winded after the first mile, but Lisa assured us it was mostly the altitude.

After showers and a delish pasta lunch of Sun Dried & Artichoke Hearts over Angel Hair (thanks Lisa), we drove to downtown Livingston for some shopping, sightseeing and bar investigation…with one brief stop at the famous Paradise Valley Pop Stand for the renowned Huckleberry ice cream…YUM!

Livingston is a very cute town, and when roaming the streets, you feel as if you have gone back in time about 50 years. We made purchases at Wild West Clothing and the Livingston Merchantile (http://www.livingstonmerchantile.com/), and then stopped at The Office Lounge & Liquor Store for a drink. After their power went out, we re-located to The Sport, where Chuck Tanner has just re-modeled this great local hangout. Chuck’s hospitality and the great low-key vibe kept us here for hours! After a few $1 beers many of us started to think we were pool sharks. After a ton of fun here, we once again re-located to the Hiatt House for a sneek peek at the band playing there all weekend, The Max. After taking a few of our requests so we could sport our moves, we ordered a pizza at the bar, ate it in 5 minutes and headed home completely exhausted after a grand Girls Night Out.

PHOTO: Mission accomplished. We made it to the top of our four-mile hike to enjoy the gorgeous view.