By Kathleen Reynolds | Photos by Diana Alonzo & Fatima Lopez
Jane Fonda said, “Women’s friendships are like a renewable source of power.”
Indeed. In a December 2024 article of the thetorchonline.com, “The Power of Female Friendships: An Irreplaceable Bond” by Alexandra Prettitore, the author says, “Female friendships are just as, if not more, important as romantic bonds in both fictional stories and in real life. They provide a sense of understanding and solidarity, granting women a sisterhood “of support.”
“Women often meet one-on-one when hanging out with their friends, allowing for more personal moments of sharing,” writes Prettitore. “Conversations with close friends usually revolve around life updates and advice, fostering a sense of emotional intimacy. Female friendships allow women to uplift and support each other in a society that often promotes competition between them. An encouraging comment on an Instagram post or a compliment on a new outfit truly goes a long way in female friendships.”
She continues, “Female friendships and the support they provide even have health benefits. Studies suggest that women who go through health struggles such as breast cancer have a higher rate of survival if they have a strong network of friends. Positive female friendships can also improve self-esteem, benefiting overall mental health. This shows the tangible results that genuine support can produce.”
“Women are pillars of strength and emotional understanding in each other’s lives. Any obstacle can be overcome when you have your friends by your side.”
This leads us to Galentine’s Day.
February 13 is officially Galentine’s Day, a day for women to celebrate their female friends. (To those who wish to be gender-neutral, Palentine’s Day is optional.)
If you complain about holidays created by a greeting card company in Kansas City, how about one started by a character in a television series?
In 2010, in the second season, episode 16 of Parks and Recreation, the character Leslie Knope (played by Amy Poehler) introduced Galentine’s Day. It became so popular; the series featured it in an episode the next season.
This year, the far more recognizable holiday, Valentine’s Day, is on a Friday, making Galentine’s day fall on a weeknight. Never fear, there are many ways to celebrate this special day during the workweek by going out for breakfast or drinks after work with friends or observing it on the following weekend.
In Parks and Recreation, Leslie explained the best way for her to celebrate the occasion: “Every February 13, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it, breakfast-style. Ladies celebrating ladies. It’s like Lilith Fair, minus the angst. Plus, frittatas.”
If a traditional brunch at a restaurant is beyond your entertainment budget, how about hosting a girls’ brunch at home? Offer them Leslie’s idea of a frittata (or just eggs, scrambled, poached or fried), muffins and scones, bacon and fruit—how difficult is that to pull off? Or make it a girlie potluck with finger sandwiches, tiny desserts and tea. Tea? Maybe not. Just make it pink.
Cosmos or pink Mimosas might fit the bill.
Mocktail recipes are also abundant and go way beyond pink lemonade. Adding cranberry, cherry, raspberry, strawberry, pomegranate juices or grenadine to berry club soda with a splash of lemon makes a refreshing beverage.
Or get your girlfriends together for snacks and a movie. A short, ridiculous comedy, like the new Wallace and Gromit film “Vengeance Most Foul,” a rom-com, a tearjerker if you’re in the mood, or even a serious movie about a woman you admire (maybe a film like On the Basis of Sex, about Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s early career) with lots of time for conversation later.
A white elephant gift exchange can be hilarious, especially if the gifts are ridiculous—or from an ex.
For the active set, how about a hike in Skyline or any of our other fantastic local parks? Group bike rides, pickleball and bocce ball are all lively and call for refreshments afterwards. More than likely, someone played a fun board game a couple of months ago at a holiday gathering; ask them to bring it along. Make sure it’s fast-paced, easy to learn and packed with laughs. A few to try: I Should have Known That!, Off Topic, and Cards Against Humanity. Mexican Train Dominos is also easy to understand and moves quickly.
If you decide to have your gathering inside, go the extra mile and decorate. Pink and red are typical colors of the day, plus hearts, heart-shaped candies, sparkly ornaments and feather boas to complete the look. A bonus: if you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day, the decorations can serve double duty.
The whole idea is to have fun and, most importantly, to tell your gal pals what they mean to you. It could be in a toast, a brief speech or individual notes. Your women friends are there for the good times, are your cheering team when you’re challenged and offer the shoulders to cry on if things go sideways. Let them know you’re there for them, too.
Enjoy your female friendships and have a delightful Galentine’s Day!
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Sparkling Pink Mocktail
(adapted from mybartender.com)
Ingredients for 2 servings:
6 oz raspberries
4 oz organic lemonade
6 oz lemon lime seltzer water
2 scoops raspberry sorbet
mint
Directions
1. Lay 5 ounces of raspberries on a cookie sheet and freeze for 10 minutes.
2. Place ice and frozen raspberries in 2 glasses. Divide lemonade, seltzer water and sorbet between the glasses.
3. Top each glass with remaining fresh raspberries and a sprig of mint.
Enjoy!
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The Cosmo
(adapted from mybartender.com)
IIngredients for one Cocktail:
1 oz vodka
½ oz unsweetened 100% Cranberry Juice
½ oz orange liqueur
½ oz lemon juice
1 lime wedge
1 teaspoon maple or simple syrup
Directions
1. Place the vodka, cranberry juice, orange liqueur, lemon juice, and
syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 15 seconds until it’s cold. Strain the liquid into a martini glass.
2. Squeeze with the lime wedge and serve.
Enjoy!
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Easy Frittata
(adapted from allrecipes.com)
You only need eggs and milk, then you can add any vegetables, cheese, herbs and meat you like. An easy recipe to remember is 6 large eggs, ¼ cup of dairy, and 1-2 cups of add-ins like vegetables, meat, cheese, and herbs.
Directions
1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Use a skillet with an oven-safe base and handles.
3. Pre-cook ingredients first. Sauté most of your frittata add-ins before the eggs are added; brown bacon o sausage and fully cook potatoes.
4. Beat eggs and add dairy to the egg base. Use dairy like whole milk, cream, sour cream or unflavored yogurt.
5. When add-ins are cooked, pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Mix everything, cook for a couple of minutes, then transfer it to the hot oven.
6. Cooking times can vary. In a 350-degree oven, a 6-egg frittata will take about 8-20 minutes, so keep an eye on it and remove it when it’s just set. The finished frittata should be custardy, fluffy and still pale in color, not browned and spongy.
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