Being a girl is really, really hard. We are constantly trying to find the balance between being ourselves and hiding our crazy. We are expected to always have a cute ensemble and never repeat an outfit. We are pressured to carry out our days normally when we actually just broke up with our boyfriend and are on the verge of tears. We are usually criticizing ourselves when we should be overjoyed about how much we have accomplished. There is only one, and I repeat, ONE way to wash away all of the nonsense and truly live in the moment: the Girls Day/Night Out. We have compiled a list of 5 Great Ideas for a Girls Day/Night Out with the help of our 2014 Fab Five Award Winners. Drum Roll Please…
1. Retail therapy is a real thing. I promise.
This age-old theory has been tested and proven: buying shiny new things can make any girl feel better. Planning a G.D.O. to shop in Saratoga will even please your Debby Downer friends. There are tons of boutiques that have one-of-a-kind items, making your ensembles very hard to recreate(nothing is worse than having someone buy the EXACT same outfit you just debuted). Some of our Fab Five Winners for Shopping are home to the BEST designers, on point trends, and have pieces that are worth splurging on during a Girls Day Out. Visit Lucia Boutique, Lola Accessory Boutique, Rockabella Boutique, Violet’s of Saratoga, or Piper Boutique to get your shop on and see why these shops won a spot on the Fab Five List.
2. Girls are sad-eaters, happy-eaters, and celebratory-eaters
A G.N.O calls for any participants to ditch their diets. I personally love Girls Nights revolved around eating. When I am with friends I can actually order what I want and avoid the annoying first date “I just want a salad” blues. From gourmet to pub-grub, this little city holds a whole lot of food! Dress up, pick your place, order some bubbly and indulge! Saratoga has so many delicious options to choose from so thankfully we had our Fab Five Winners for Restaurants to refer to. Locals and visitors alike agree that Putnam’s Restaurant, Alpha Dogs, Chianti II Ristorante, Comfort Kitchen, and Max London’s are your go-to spots for Girls Night: Food Edition.
3. Some Girls Day/Girls Night Outs do have one weird thing in common: boy catching.
Okay, I know the whole point is to go out and have fun with your girlfriends but testing out our man magnetism does make it more interesting. Saratoga has a lot of fun attractions that are likely to attract guys and gals alike. Even if you are in an anti-guy mood these hot spots are probably things you wouldn’t get to experience on your average outing. Whether you’re looking to find a future hubby or just trying to cross something off your bucket list, our Fab Five Winners for Best Attractions will be your guide in planning your Girls Day Out. For this category, our readers voted SPAC, The Saratoga Racetrack, Saratoga Spa State Park and The Saratoga Casino and Raceway among the best of the best. Go get em’ girls!
4. I don’t know about you and your friends but is a “Spa Day” something girls do regularly?
I NEVER get to do something this cool with my friends. I would love to make my Facebook status “Spa Day with the girls” at least once in my life and I am thankful that Saratoga can make this dream a reality! Girls are obsessed with pampering themselves and it would definitely be a nice change to have a professional do it instead of my friend after a few glasses of wine. Some of our Fab Five Winners for Best Salons are Fusion, The Strand Hair Studio, and Sanctuary Spa. As for Spas our readers picked Spa Cascada, Belisama Body Works, and Roosevelt Baths at Gideon Putnam. Enjoy, ladies!
5. Call me old-fashioned, but a night out on the town at a regular old bar is my favorite kind of Girls Night Out
Not only does going out give you an excuse to splurge during your G.D.O (see #1) but it usually is the best place to people watch, dance very, very badly, and crack up at one of your friend’s expense. Since Saratoga is one of the most popular night-spots in the area, our readers probably had a hard time deciding which ones would make it to our Fab Five Winners for Best Bars. Our readers are so dedicated and with many happy hours, nights out, and funny stories they have decided that Peabody’s, The Mine, Max London’s, The Henry Street Taproom, and Gaffney’s should take the top spots. Going to a friends house, swapping outfits, listening to bad but guilty-pleasure tunes, and hopping in a cab to Downtown Saratoga is penciled into my schedule at least once a week–I think you should really consider doing the same.
Your girlfriends have been there for your highs and lows, the good and the bad, and the very, very ugly (remember that guy from junior year in college) so isn’t it time you celebrate all of your memories together? We hope that our 5 Great Ideas for a Girls Day/Night Out sparked your interest and you are currently planning your next outing. Thanks to our readers who helped us pick winners for the Fab Five Awards, the job wasn’t nearly as hard as it should have been. What did you think of our ideas? Have any other things you would add to a Girls Day/Night Out? Comment below and let us know! Check out other fun guides and local favorites on Saratoga.com.
