Escapism, Self-Care, and a Little Rebellion

Phase 1: The Idea

I woke up around 4 a.m. the other day with one very clear thought in my head: How amazing would it be to travel with all of my favorite women?

Not in the abstract. Not someday. Not as a group chat fantasy that never leaves the chat. I mean really do it.

And the answer came to me almost instantly: it would be utterly magical.

That thought didn’t come from nowhere. It came from frustration, overstimulation, and the unmistakable feeling that so many women I know are carrying too much. Caring for too many people. Quietly moving through a world that asks us to be endlessly responsible, agreeable, productive, and, of course, well-behaved.

Honestly, I think a lot of us are tired of the noise. The news cycle. The pressure. The feeling that we always have to be “on,” and that even our rest should somehow be productive.

And that is exactly why I created Miss Behaving with the Scarlet Ladies. An adults-only women’s group cruise extravaganza.

Phase 2: The Vibe

This isn’t just a girls’ trip, and it’s not just a Halloween cruise. It’s definitely not one of those overpacked, performative group trips where you come home needing another vacation to recover.

It’s an escape with intention.

It’s for women who want a little glamour, a little silliness, a little freedom, and a break from being the responsible one for once.

For six nights, the idea is simple: you take care of you.

No school runs. No bosses. No meal planning. No emotional labor on demand. No “shoulds.” Just beauty, fun, movement, rest, connection, and permission to be a whole lot extra, because why not?

That’s also why I chose Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady for this trip. It has exactly the kind of energy I wanted this experience to hold: adults-only, stylish, playful, a little cheeky, and easy in all the right ways. It feels elevated without being stiff, fun without being chaotic, and social without demanding too much from you.

In other words, it leaves room for your own version of a good time.

If your version of “misbehaving” is dressing up, laughing too loudly, and fully committing to a themed dinner look, amazing. Let’s go.

If your version is sleeping in, ordering coffee, staring at the water, and disappearing to the spa, I humbly support that too.

A Note About Community & Intention

I’ve also been thinking a lot about community lately, and that’s part of the idea too. There’s something really special about traveling with women who just get it. Bring your best friend, your sister, your favorite cousin, your grown daughter, or come solo and be open to bonding with new ship friends. The whole thing feels very grown-up girl power to me — a little nostalgic, a little glamorous, and honestly just good for the soul.

Intention and flexibility matter to me. I didn’t want to create a trip that felt like another obligation in a cute outfit. I wanted to create something that felt like a release. A bit of escapism. A touch of self-care. A little rebellion.

And yes, the playful part is the theme, because what bad girl doesn’t love a good Halloween soirée?

At the center of it all is our own little fantasy: Miss Behaving with the Scarlet Ladies. The idea is that we become the mermaid lady ship’s glamorous entourage for the week — slightly mischievous, a little dramatic, beautifully overdone, and fully committed to the bit.

We sail on October 25, and I’ve been imagining it as a loose transformation arc at sea. An Itinerary of Mischief, if you will. We begin in our Villain Era and move through sirens, sea witches, gothic glamour, liquid gold and silver, and finally into the full magic of Scarlet Night and an all-white goddess moment in Bimini.

It’s campy glam. It’s dramatic. It’s intentional indulgence. And seriously, not that serious.

That’s kind of the point.

I think a lot of women need spaces where pleasure is allowed, where play is the purpose, and where joy doesn’t need to be justified.

Phase 3: The Aligned Traveler

So who is this trip actually for?

It’s for the woman who is tired of being everything for everybody, all the time.

The mom who needs a break from always being needed. The nurse who has worked one too many 12s in a row. The corporate over-achiever who is tired of performing competence every waking minute. It’s for the lady who has been holding it together beautifully and would like, just once, to let someone else hold the details.

It’s for the woman who wants fun, but not foolishness. Luxury, but not stuffiness. Community, but also space. A little drama, but only the fun kind.

And maybe most of all, it’s for the woman who misses herself a little.

Of course, no trip is for everyone. If you want a rigid schedule, mandatory bonding, or a highly structured wellness retreat, this probably isn’t your trip.

But if you want a stylish, low-stress, adults-only escape where everything is optional and pleasure is part of the plan, then Miss Behaving with the Scarlet Ladies might be exactly the right kind of medicine.

That’s what I’m creating here. Not just a cruise. Not just a theme. A feeling.

One where you get to exhale, play, and come back to yourself a little. And if that sounds like something you need right now, I’d love to tell you more.