One of my favorite trips of the last few years was a girls getaway to the Cayman Islands last spring. In honor of a milestone birthday my mom, sister, and I flew to Grand Cayman to celebrate. In fact, all three of us have March birthdays and we couldn't think of a better gift than to travel together. Although we are frequent visitors to the Caribbean none of us had been to the Cayman Islands. We rented an apartment through Airbnb and a car as well. Each day we chose a new beach on our map and hit the winding island roads. We visited Rum Point, had a memorable dinner at The Lighthouse in Bodden Town, walked the Seven Mile Beaches, snorkeled the Coral Garden, wandered through the Queen Elizabeth II Royal Botanic Park and visited with the stingrays. When we found Smith's Barcadere beach we knew we had the location for our birthday party. The Barcadere is a South Sound beach on Smith Cove near George Town with a community atmosphere and a secluded, private feel.
We rented a simple wine crate from The Flower Dell and decorated it with foraged shells, Honey Silk Co. ribbon, and a conch shell that had been fished out of the water for us that day on our boat ride to Stingray City. We all agreed that we would rather eat cheese than cake! We bought a small raspberry tart from Icoa and made a large cheese plate. Local honey balanced a strong Danish blue cheese from Castello and sweetened a Rosenborg brie. Garlic and herb goat cheese and local pepper jelly on fresh bread added a savory element. A crisp Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand was shared. After being attracted to the wanderlust-y label we fell in love with the flavor (and may have bought several more bottles!). We brought small presents for one another. My gift was Mediterranean Honeysuckle perfume by Aerin. As we watched the sunset together with a gentle breeze from the ocean surrounding us, we felt happy, fulfilled and truly grateful to be together.
When women see photographs of this party, I hope it inspires them to hop on a plane for quality time with their own mothers, daughters and sisters. One of the things I admire most about my mother (and her mother before her) is the way they have cultivated a love of travel in me by showing me how to explore new landscapes and cultures. I'll never be afraid to catch a flight to uncharted territory thanks to the strong women in my life.
DETAILS
Florist & Rentals | The Flower Dell
Wine | The Seeker
Bakery | Icoa
Invitation | Paperless Post
