It began with a grueling week of nonstop work. The New York Toy Fair was a huge annual event for my friend Susan’s toy company. So as we flew from Los Angeles for the biggest sale opportunity of the year, we knew we would be going nonstop. As two entrepreneurial souls we dove deep, honing our pitch about the 16+ game options to a quick 5minute spiel, and with matching outfits and big smiles we relished making this the best year ever. I love to sell so Susan brings me along to let an old friend wrangle in more customers.
But what we planned after the show, is really where this story is going. We spent our first free night celebrating our hard-earned success at the iconic TWA hotel at JFK airport. It was a stellar option for an early morning flight to Turks & Caicos. We were craving leisurely walks on a soft, sandy beach, dozing in the shade under the comfort of an umbrella but more about that later. The TWA hotel was truly an experience. We were jettisoned back to our youth when TWA was the premier airline and the hotel décor and vibe captured many of our fondest memories. The Twister room was a big hit along with the Connie bar that has you leave the building to climb aboard a replica of an old TWA plane.
An oh dark hundred flight time had us up, up and away to the relaxing and rejuvenating part of our travels. We chose Turks & Caicos and the highly rated Ocean Club resort as the get-away destination to reward ourselves after the grueling schedule of Toy Fair. We were exhausted and so happy that we decided to go somewhere to recharge for a few days.
Turks and Caicos did not disappoint. The turquoise beaches, soft white sand and mild bay made for an idyllic stay. We found ourselves spending most of our time lounging by the water, taking in the views of parasailers, paddle boarders and the big blue sea. Even the one overcast morning was a nice relief from the sunnier ones. The warm tropical breeze, spectacular cloud patterns and blue skies were just what the doctor ordered to lull two tired business women into a dreamy, restful spell.
While the Grace Bay area of Turks & Caicos is lined with lots of lovely looking resorts, fun outdoor dining options and plentiful water sports, we chose the Ocean Club resorts because of their thoughtful commitment to their community. I am always drawn to businesses with a philanthropic bent, so when I heard about this resorts, Pack for a Purpose Initiative, I knew we had found the right place. Guests are offered an opportunity to bring school supply items with them to donate to the local Turks & Caicos school children. As we had just come from the Toy Fair, we were able to collect a suitcase full of flash cards, workbooks and games for pre-school and elementary age kids from a variety of generous exhibitors.
Another interesting community project Ocean Club supports is Potcake Place, a dog rescue center on the Island that encourages island visitors to take a dog out for a walk and even take one home, as this organization is working tirelessly to reduce the number of homeless pets on the island.
After just a few days on Grace Bay’s famous 12- mile stretch of pristine, white sand beach and several swims in the crystal-clear turquoise sea, we were ready to return to real life. The gift of giving ourselves permission to recharge after working hard was a lesson well learned.
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