Leslie Manton to a friend online ~ Girl*friends '08
"This past weekend I spent 2 nights at the Beekman Arms in Rhinebeck, NY, with my sister Bodge, Katie and Karen Ansbro, Maria Sheehan and a few women I had never met. Karen (Ansbro) Leone organizes wonderful weekend trips for women. Anyone is invited to go and she does all the work. All I had to do was send her a check. Anyway, I thought you may want to be included in her e-mail list because it's a wonderful way to get together and look forward to a special weekend with your girlfriends. I know how close you are to your friends and that you aren't living in the same areas. That's why Karen originated this. It all started with her core best friends getting together each year (Bodge, Maria and her sister Katie) and each year it was extended through word of mouth. Sometimes there may be only 8 or 10 women, like this past weekend, sometimes 40, as it was recently in Vermont. Next year will probably be at the Equinox Resort and Spa in Vermont.
She also organizes mom and daughter trips (called Ladies 'n Lasses), womens bike trips (Spinning Divas) and the Girl*friends trips. You can check out her website at www.goandgroove.com <http://www.goandgroove.com/> .
I was thinking how fun it would have been if you were there this weekend!! She organizes things to do, but it's all optional. Hang in a group or do your own thing. We all had a fabulous dinner together the first night, then some of the girls went to the Culinary Institute for dinner on Saturday night. Bodge and I and a friend of mine opted out for a movie instead. It really is great fun!"
Kayla Biltucci ~ Spinning Divas'07
It was a great trip - can't wait to see what you put together for the next
Spinning Divas tour!!! That canal idea sounded like a fun and interesting one...
I enjoyed meeting all the other ladies!
The trip was one of the best - many great memories - the inns were fabulous - all three - I especially liked the William Henry Miller Inn - what a great place. I would have like to have stayed and "lounged" in any one of the three for longer. Favorite eats - Sheldrake Point and the Tapas restaurant in Ithaca - probably will go back to both at some point. The little extras you provided were so well thought out - loved the direction cards and the water bottle. Amy was terrific - hope to connect with her and the bike group sometime. All in all it was a fabulous, very affordable, luxurious way to go on an exhilarating bike ride!
Karen - you do such a wonderful job of putting it all together -
I could go on and on - Bravo!
Elizabeth Howse ~ Girl*friends '06
"Karen, I commend you for the wonderful job you always do!
This was my second year and I had another great time.
It comes at a great time of year ~ after summer and pre-holiday rush.
Thanks for the memories!
Maria Sheehan ~ Girl*friends '05
"I had the most wonderful weekend ~
I feel so lucky to have such great friends. I only wish we lived a bit
closer. I have a feeling my life would feel so much more whole.
There is nothing in the world that beats how it feels to just be together.
It get down to the simple things in life; being with people who know you,
love you, accept you, help you laugh at yourself ~ it's so comforting ~
thanks Karen for coming up with the idea of doing this. I don't know
if we would have been this good about getting together if it wasn't for
Girl*friends. It's nice to know the memories didn't end in our 20's.
We've got some pretty funny new ones to add to the roster!"
Kelly McCarthy ~ Girl*friends '02
"When Karen told me about Girlfriends Weekend for the
first time, I was very enthusiastic about going! Besides Karen, I think I'm
now the only "girlfriend" who has attended all four years. I'd always had
visions of organizing just this kind of weekend for my friends; but of
course, I never got around to it! With Karen to do the planning (and she
does a wonderful job!), it is the easiest, most stress-free and enjoyable
mini-vacation you can imagine. In years one, two and four, I was joined by
Marianne, my best friend from college. The third year, my dear friend Shelly joined me. We loved meeting
new women from all over the country-we knew they'd be nice since they were
friends with Karen! Needless to say, all three of us thoroughly enjoyed
ourselves! Each year, I've reconnected with some of the same women who have
attended in the past and met some nice new friends. I love being able to go
off during the day with my friend, and then join the other attendees to
compare stories in the evening. The facilities and surroundings are always
beautiful, the food is amazing (perhaps too good?) and it is such a treat
not to have to plan much of anything for few days-you just show up!!!
Thanks, Karen!"
Colleen Piccone ~ Girl*friends '01
"Girl*friends is one of the highlights of the year for
me! I look so forward to it and would never think of finding excuses why I
couldn't attend. Karen does all the work, I just mark the dates on my
calendar and send her the check! I live one hour from two very close college
friends, but we find it difficult with our busy schedules to see each other very
often. So we set aside one weekend just for us. We just show up and have
fun! We have done different things each year on our own, and then enjoy
meeting and socializing with the other girl*friends at dinner.
Can't wait
until Oct. to be with my girl*friends, Glo and Peg!"
