We really did have the best of intentions. After 2.5+ years of living in a pandemic, we tried to schedule our first Girl’s Night Out at the Ocean View Fishing Pier’s top deck in August.
We planned it. We had the food ordered. The venue set. We were thinking happy thoughts about orange crushes and sunsets and getting back to an event, frankly, that is really important to us. (All too often, after all, we hear about how women lose friends or even just can’t afford to go out for a drink during their divorces.)
But then the forecast came out. It showed rain in Norfolk right at the time of our event. And, maybe rain wouldn’t have been SUCH a big deal if it also wasn’t for Covid-19 which, like it or not, is still a factor. At the time – and even now, actually – the number of cases were pretty high. At the Ocean View Pier, the only alternative to top deck dining is inside dining – which is fine, if you’re part of a four, five, six, or even ten person group. But, as such a large group, being in such close quarters, especially with the Covid numbers we were seeing at the time, felt crazy.
We decided on Monday before the Wednesday event, in order to give us enough time to make sure everyone knew – and no one showed up for a non-event. It’s always hard to make those types of decisions in advance; you never know, after all, exactly what the weather will do.
Of course, at the time, I also didn’t know that I’d test positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday morning, either. In any case, I couldn’t have gone. And, then, it DID end up raining, which definitely made us all feel like we made the right call, even as we were pretty disappointed and frustrated to cancel our first event back.
We rescheduled for September 14th – which is coming up really soon! We’ll still be at the Ocean View Fishing Pier; we love the top deck, and it’s usually (or, in olden days, before the pandemic) one of our most popular events.
If you’ve never been, yes, it is a fishing pier – but, before you get to the fishing pier, there’s a restaurant. To the right, there’s a bait shop, to the left, you go through a door, and you’re in a restaurant. Straight ahead, and to the left, there’s a set of stairs that takes you up to the top deck. There are gorgeous panoramic views, gliding picnic tables, giant Adirondack chairs, and a covered area where food will be served. We provide the food, and a drink, and all you have to do is hang out. There’s no real agenda; it’s not an opportunity to discuss divorce and custody, except as you do in a social situation. It’s just a chance to connect with other women, unwind after a long day, and enjoy the beautiful views.
I hope you can make it!
Either way, I also hope you’ll join our VIP group, where we feature the pictures from our Girl’s Night Out events. We don’t share them on our website or regular social page, because we’re sensitive that some (many? All?) of our friends who attend might prefer if we didn’t. So, we share in our private, closed group. You can come to the group to connect with people in between events, or to make a plan to catch up, to check out the pictures, or to get more information about upcoming events.
For more information, or to register to attend our next Girl’s Night Out, visit our website, visit our VIP group page (make sure you fill out the membership questions or I won’t be able to approve you!) or give us a call at 757-425-5200.