Dates: Feb. 23-25, 2024
Hostess: Kandace Chapple, 231-313-0013
WAIVER: All attendees must sign the Waiver HERE.
Please note: All meals and activities are optional. If you want to read your book and stare at the lake all weekend, PLEASE DO! Take part in everything or escape as you please any minute of the weekend!!! ❤️
DAY 1 – FRIDAY
- 4 pm – CHECK-IN. Please note I will be there at 4 pm for set up, as that is the earliest I can get in. If you come between 4-5 pm, I won’t be “ready” – lol – but you can still come in and I’ll show you your room and you can start your weekend!
- Check-in at Northport Bay Retreat, 6512 N. West Bay Shore Drive Northport, Michigan 49670
- Pull in and unload at the front door of the retreat, then you can park your car in the lot.
- Look for the room with your name marked on the door and get set up!
- Each room has two queen beds and its own private bathroom with shower. Linens, bedding, bath and hand towels and hand soap are provided. Shampoo and body wash/soap is NOT.
- If you bring any cold food, please bring your own cooler. Coolers can go in your room (or you can set your cooler outside on the deck – every room has a door outside to a deck or balcony). There are fridges in the kitchen but I don’t think there will be room for all to share – I will have food and drinks for 40 sassy women in there already lol.
- The house is yours to use – please just clean up after yourself. Last year, I used disposable everything to try to keep dishes at bay. I had visions of being left doing dishes for 40 women, haha. I know now that I was a little heavy handed, teehee – please use the dishes/glassware as you see fit! There is a dishwasher, DW detergent and dish soap. Let’s just be sure all is cleaned up as we go!
- There is an outdoor hot tub! Please have fun! If there are others waiting to use the tub, please limit your gig to 20 minutes. (Or just add them to your party!) When using the hot tub, remember there are certain health risks associated with hot tubs. Use at your own risk. Their housekeepers drain, sanitize, refill and replenish chemicals in all tubs prior to your arrival; therefore, it may not be warm until later that evening. [DO NOT STAND ON THE HOT TUB COVERS. Hot tub covers are for insulation purposes and are not designed to support a person or persons. They will break and you WILL be charged for replacement.] Remember when not using the hot tub, leave cover on so hot tub will stay warm.
- 6:30 pm – Dinner
It’s time to chow! The menu is soup & salad – broccoli cheddar, vegetable barley, or chicken noodle soup in bread bowls, along with the special “TC Salad” from The Kitchen in TC with mixed greens, local dried cherries, walnuts, Gorgonzola cheese and cherry vinaigrette. There will also be Moomer’s ice cream, cookies and wine. If you want a different meal or your own food, please feel free to use the kitchen as you’d like.
- 7 pm – ❄️ Opening Ceremony ❄️
There will be a group toast & introductions – I’m hoping we can do this outside under a full moon or falling snow! There will be a complimentary specialty cocktail that we will make as a group. If you want, you can also make the recipe as a mocktail instead.
- 8-11 pm – Game Night
We can play games, argue over trivia, shoot pool, play ping pong, get in the hot tub, etc. Euchre anyone!!? This evening is a mingler and time for everyone to arrive. There is a wet bar in the basement. I am going to be manning it with authority (I hope) and running a few games for the group at large. Micki from Bright Spot Entertainment will also be hosting Music Bingo – which is fun and hilarious! Bring your own snacks. I will have the cocktail and bottled water – but otherwise BYOB.
DAY 2 – SATURDAY
- 8-10 am – Breakfast. It’s going to be a Jam(mies) Session!
This is a continental style breakfast – help yourself! I will have American Spoon jams and croissants, so we can do a sampling of 6 different flavors. American Spoon is a sponsor and they insist we wear fun pjs while we do the Jam(mies) session lol! The fridge will have yogurt, granola, OJ & bottled water. There’s reg and decaf Folgers coffee (with creamer). You are also welcome to bring additional foods and cook/clean as you would like. Enjoy! There are several stovetops and we don’t have anything on the schedule until 10am. Or sleep in and drink coffee overlooking Lake Michigan, nibbling toast and feeling fab. - 10 am-11:30am – Workshop with Lisa Rigato Coaching! This will be a time for YOU… and mimosas. This workshop is sponsored by Andrea Elliott, owner of First Class Closets! Thank you, Andrea!
Workshop: Let it out! We’ve all been there – holding back our emotions. We were taught not to cry and also – in some cases – not to laugh and carry on too much either! Have you ever wondered what happens when you hold back emotions? In this 90-minute workshop, we are going to talk about how you carry those emotions, the things they do to our heart, and how to get them up and out. Don’t worry – it won’t be a sad workshop. Because, guess what? DANCING lets emotions out too. We are warning you now: There may be journaling or crying or… dancing. Cue some old time rock’n’roll!
After this workshop, we will know how to recognize things that we need to process – along with the tools to let them out. Your world will improve. And your friendships too – maybe even this weekend! Led by Lisa Rigato, certified life coach and attendee at last year’s MiGirl Winter Retreat – so she knows exactly what she’s getting into! Let’s work on self care, self expression and – your dance moves.
- Noon-12:30 pm – Lunch. We’ll have Jimmy John’s subs, chips and cookies. Thank you, Deanna Russell from Jimmy John’s!!! Deanna’s nickname is Bologna D, please call her that this weekend haha!!
- 1pm: Leave for the hike. We can carpool and caravan. You must have rec passport on your vehicle.
- 1:30-3:00 pm: Hike in Leelanau State Park at Cathead Bay Trails. The trailhead is located north of the house by about 7 miles. The trailhead and parking lot are at the end of Densmore Road, We will turn LEFT onto Densmore Road just. past Woolsey Airport. The parking lot is a half mile down at the end of the road.
- We are hiking Lake Michigan Trail (blue markers). The Lake Michigan Trail is the most popular hike in the park. The 2.2-mile loop offers a picturesque hike through hardwood forests and access to a beautiful sandy beach at Cathead Bay.
- A recreation passport is required for parking. Please purchase if you don’t have one yet, or you may carpool with someone who has one. https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/buy-and-apply/rec-pp
- We are parking at No. 1 on this map.
- 4 p.m.: MANDATORY NAP TIME AS PROMISED.
- 6 pm: Dinner! We are having a taco building night! Catered by The Kitchen, this is a Mexican Fiesta with chicken and pulled pork, Southwest veggie blend, condiment tray with fresh salsa, guacamole, sour cream, black olives, jalapenos, cheddar, lettuce, soft shell tortillas and tortilla chips. Plus, beans and rice topped with cheddar and green onion, and assorted cookies. We won’t starve! There will be wine and bottled water for drinks or BYOB.
- After dinner: I have a few crafts I will bring to share but I want to keep the night informal… plus there’s also games downstairs, the hot tub and general mayhem. You know the drill. BYOB and bring your own snacks. I will also have wine to share… and I think PJs are in order.
DAY 3 – SUNDAY
- 8-10 am – Breakfast. In fat pants. Same as yesterday – continental breakfast and self-serve. Plus, maybe reliving some good stories from the night before, haha.
- 11 am– Checkout time! Please bag all the trash in your room and place in the dumpster. Thank you!
CHECK OUT CHECKLIST:
- Return all furniture to its original location.
- Take any of your food or drink with you.
- Take all trash to dumpster in parking lot.
- Place all used towels in the laundry baskets in bathrooms.
- Strip all used bedroom sheets.
- High five Kandace on your way out.
Packing list:
- Bring your own toiletries – there is no soap or shampoo provided. (Linens/bedding, bath towels, toilet paper and hand soap ARE provided for each room.)
- Snowshoes (if you need to rent a pair, contact Brick Wheels or McLain Cycle in Traverse City or Suttons Bay Bikes in Suttons Bay).
- Cleats/YakTrax that strap to the bottom of your hiking boot. If the trail is hard-packed, we use these instead of snowshoes. It will depend on the weather conditions. Either way, we will be in the woods!
- Outdoor clothes & boots for our snowshoe outing.
- Cooler for any extra food.
- BYOB – I will have complimentary wine, bottled water and coffee. Bring any other drinks you’d like.
- BYOS – Bring your own snacks for game night and any other food you would like.
- Fun PJs to wear if you want!
- Heated blanket if you get chilled from snowshoeing.
- Swimsuit – there is a hot tub!
- A fun attitude, kindness and courtesy for others and LAUGHTER!!!
Food provided for the weekend:
- Sat. and Sun breakfast (Jams, croissants, yogurt, granola and fruit)
- Sat. lunch (Jimmy John’s subs)
- Friday dinner (soup & salad & wine)
- Saturday dinner (Mexican fiesta, dessert, fruit and wine)
- BYO additional food and drink. Enjoy!