A Lovely Ladies Day Trip
As with most things in life, this trip started with a Facebook Ad! I checked and can officially say the idea was birthed on January 22, 2017 and it appears we started planning right there in that post.
I will note that this was more than 10 weeks before the actual outing as a reminder to myself and others that these types of events take a lot of time. The good news is, now that we’re SIX years in, through a lot of hard work, trial and error and 5 years of early mornings (my least favorite time of the day). I have been able to tweak and refine this “Lovely Ladies Day Trip” into a mostly seamless excursion, rain or shine!
The Date: It all starts out fairly bureaucratically, the Tulip Trip date is set to coincide with the Spring Break of Desoto ISD. My dance pals still teach dance on Saturdays, so I choose the one Saturday that I know they will all have off so they can enjoy with us. (Free Saturdays are sacred in the dance school world, I gave it up during the COVID and haven’t looked back!) From there, anyone who wants to attend just needs to place a deposit with me to save their seat on the bus. Then we wait and watch the weather so we can decide the appropriate Tulip Trip Ensembles.
Dress Code: The Tulip gods are with us!
The morning usually is a little chilly, but the day develops into a beautifully sunshiny afternoon. The Tulip Gods have always been on our side and even the one time it rained, it was only just a little bit and we were prepared!
Casual layers are usually best, but you have to mindful of your shoes. You wouldn’t think this was the case, but tulips are planted in red sandy dirt, so you must govern your shoe choices accordingly. Absolutely no white if you know what’s good for you. I usually go for “Spring Backyard Chic” Stylish yet comfortable.
Please note: Even though it’s a ladies trip this is not a fashion show. We’re all showing up as our authentic selves for a time free of judgement. You don’t need your full face and your baddest bag. Bring your kindest heart and clothe yourself in a beautiful spirit and you’ll be perfect.
Tulip Trip Tailgate: We’re in it to Win the Day, so of course we have to start with a tailgate party. We all meet up at the designated location a little blurry eye but excited. I provide an assortment of individually packaged breakfast items including the official Mimosa Bar! We have whatever my heart dreams up during the planning phase, yogurt parfaits, salmon and cream cheese bagels, chicken and waffles, etc. There are always a few fan favorites. NEW THIS YEAR, I’m going to pair it with a Coffee Bar as well. After we meet and greet and take our last potty breaks, we load up on the official Tulip Trip Transport! The Mimosa Bar and all of the snacks go with us as we’re off on our adventure filled day.
The Tulip Fields of Texas: We arrive in style at the tulip farm, our Mercedes Sprinter is always a showstopper and we never have to worry about parking. Once we enter, there are rows and rows of tulips to explore! Honestly, it’s unlike anything you have ever seen. So many flowers and some that don’t even look like tulips. It’s very easy to get overwhelmed, so before you leave Dallas, decide on a flower budget now and stick to it!
After we have picked our tulips and taken a million pictures with friends old and new, we meet at the flag pole to take our traditional Troop Group Picture, this one is for the record books so smile pretty.
Then we hop back on the bus and head to our next destination which changes every year but always includes lunch! Sometimes it’s at Fortunata Winery, sometimes Western Son Distillery and last year it was a lakeside soiree at Lake Ray Roberts. No matter the destination, there’s always something to see and of course more food!
After we have enjoyed our lunch together, we hop back on the bus and head back to Dallas. You would think after 7 hours together (and honestly doing a lot of eating and drinking) we would all get cozy and nap on the way back and you couldn’t be more wrong! Usually, the trip back turns into musical Karaoke and old school jam session. But this year I hope we can engage in a rousing game “Dirty Minds!”
Once back in Dallas, the troop is truly pooped! We find our cars exactly where we left them and then head home with great memories and slightly wilted flowers. At the farm they encase them in a weird gel that helps them stay alive until you get home so once you rinse off the goo and put them in water, they perk right back up!
And usually once I’m home and have had a good shower, so do I!
As you as you can see, it’s a full, festive and delightful day trip. Each year we welcome ladies from ages 25 to 75 from all walks of life. We all join together, embrace the day and take a break from “doing” and enjoy some time just “Living!”
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