Is there really anything better than rounding up your squad and sneaking out of town to a private resort to live it up for a long weekend? Endless laughter, poolside cocktails/mocktails and making new memories... The answer is no! Nothing compares to recreating those epic slumber party nights with the ones that know you better than anyone else.
When we heard that our gal pal and expecting mother, Whitney Eve Port was searching for the perfect San Diego hotspot to unwind and relax with her sisters before her new born arrives, Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa immediatly came to mind. Spanning 45 lush acres of gardens, trails, olive groves, casitas and more, this Mediterranean inspired, all-suite property offers the finest accommodations, service and programming that San Diego has to offer. Whether you're in the market to plan a sister gathering of your own or simply need a serene sanctuary to be pampered, take notes from the Port girl gang.
Photography by Cole Moser | Venue: Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
Hey ladies! Lets dive in... Who’s the oldest, youngest?
From oldest to youngest: Our brother (Who was not on our sister trip) Ashley, Whitney, Paige and Jade is the youngest.
Any nicknames while growing up?
Ashley: Ash, Ashdoggy, Cashcrop and Cashmoney (Whit's exclsuive nick names)
Whitney: Whit, WhitieTittie (Mom's nicknames), Lilwhittie (aol screenname)
Paige: P, Peewee, PP, Paigey, PartyPort
Jade: Jadey, Jadora (combo of first and middle name - Jade Dora)
Jackie: JacksterB, Wacks
What was your best vacation as a family?
Every year since Whit was a baby we went to Missouri. Lake of the Ozarks to be exact. Our family bought a lake house there and when we were very young we would go for an entire month. Once we got older two weeks and over the years it has dwindled down quite a bit. The flight is 3 hours and then an additional 3 hour drive, so it is hard for all of us to go together. Since our dad passed away we have only been once because it is just too wrapped up in all the family memories of our childhoods! Meeting new friends from the Midwest and vacationing at the same time every year created bonds with people we would have otherwise never met. Definitely made us a little bit more down to earth!
Favorite girl's getaway?
Recently we went to Riviera Maya for Paige's Bachelorette. (Oct 2016). While hanging out at the pool during the day Paige burned the soles of her feet and could barely walk. After dinner and a stop on the shopping promenade for a different pair of shoes and multiple healing creams everyone decided to go back to the hotel and chill. After about thirty minutes everyone realized we didn't come all the way there to hang in the hotel. So the sisters along with the dozen or so friends got a wheelchair for Paige and pushed her a few blocks to a night club. Moral of the story is nothing holds us or PartyPort back!
How do you guys support each other now in your careers?
Ashley: We are always there for one another. We have a text chat called "cuzzies" (Jackie, the only cousin named it haha). We are always sending pics, asking questions and just updating each other about what is going on in all of our lives. Every ones significant others get along and are really good friends as well which makes it even easier when we all go out together. Whitney and Paige worked together full time for years and now it is more part time, but they are always involved. Jade is a social media account manager, so she sources Paige and Whit's expertise on brand building. Lastly, Jackie is a hairstylist and when she is not in the salon with her clients, or even doing Whit's hair for events she is helping the girls and I do our hair!
Peronally, Whitney includes me on almost every creative project she does. Whether event planning, gift wrapping, photo shoot styling, art- you name it, anything she or the girls ask, I do! I coordinated every one of my sister's weddings from Whit's Nov. 2015, Jade's Feb. 2016 and finally Paige's Nov. 2016. Three sister weddings in one year! I Still can't believe I did that with all of my other clients but I wouldn't want it any other way! (I feel like it could be a Hallmark channel movie) Still trying to do a mag/blog feature on it!
Whitney, as an expecting business women, what is some positive/helpful advice you have to give to fellow mothers-to-be that are entrepreneurs?
I think the most helpful advice I could give would be to focus on being mindful and present. I originally signed up for a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Seminar to help me get rid of bad headaches in January. Coincidentally, I got pregnant right before and taking the class has helped me so much throughout my pregnancy. It is soooo important not to constantly be planning ahead or thinking about the past during pregnancy but being in the moment and enjoying the process. We can't plan how the baby is going to impact our busy lives, so we must just take it one step at a time.
How has your sister bond helped you through life/careers?
I think we would all say having three sisters is like having three UBER BEST FRIENDS! We are there for each other no matter what. We all have our unique ways of supporting and showing up and even if we aren't physically there each one of us knows they are supported!
How often do you try to do sister getaways?
Although Jade lives in Chicago and Jackie in Nevada they always come in town for special occasions! We added an extra day to the front and end of each one of the girl's bachelorettes for just family alone time. When Jade comes to LA which I think may have been 19 times during the year of their three weddings we always drop everything (within reason and spend countless hours together). However aside from this past weekend our last scheduled for no reason getaway was five years ago when we went to Cabo for a week.
Girl's Getaway fever getting the best of you? Check out some other trending hot spot locations for your next squad gathering here.
Photography by Cole Moser | Venue: Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
