Girls' Weekend

My friend Jens married the perfect girl for him. Jami is a little wild - but also a great mom. She is responsible but also likes to party like no one else I know. For Jami's bachelorette party in 2004, she invited me to a girls' weekend over at Crescent Bar.

Ever since that first "Girl's Weekend," we've returned to CB nearly every year. We go the weekend before Memorial Day weekend and spend 2-3 nights. This is the same weekend a big men's golf tournament takes place. If you don't know Crescent Bar, it is a total party scene. It is basically an oasis along the Columbia River where it is super hot & dry in the summer. There are a few condo developments, a trailer park, boat launch and campground. It is the land of jacked up trucks, cut-offs and Busch Light.

For us (there are 7-8 women that go each year), it is a chance to party like we're still in our twenties, flirt with middle-aged men and lay by the pool all day drinking mimosas. It is kind of ridiculous actually. We talk dirty and swear tons. All too much alcohol is consumed in addition to loads of junk food.


It's a blast though and these women - most of which are wives and/or mothers - party like no other friends I have. They shock me, embarrass me but overall they make me laugh my ass off.

On our second day there, most spent all day by the pool. I went out for a bit in the morning, but then retreated away from the sun inside for a much needed nap. By evening, we made cocktails and all gathered around the pool. A bunch of the golfers - the middle-aged ones we see every year that we've actually become friends with - hung out with us too. I don't think they've ever seen or heard the likes of us! The golf tournament was having it's awards ceremony that night and they were cooking up dozens of steaks. I asked one guy what kind of steaks they were cooking. He said sirloin. I guffawed and gave him a bunch of shit that if they wanted to impress women they shouldn't cook sirloin. CB really brings out a particularly snarky part of my personality I must admit.

We were all pretty hungry but too buzzed and lazy to actually make dinner. We talked one of the guys into bringing us some steaks. He did, but they were kind of dreadful. The meat was actually OK (I don't mind sirloin to be honest), but it was obviously not salted. Finally we talked another guy into bringing us brats. These were the bomb - especially since we were in need of salt given how hot is was over there (over 100!).


All in all it was a fun weekend. The alcohol and sun exposure probably took a few years off my life, but at the time it seemed worth it...