Checking into the Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach, where we're shooting the cover for our Fall '09 issue, I didn't even make it past reception before seeing my first girlfriend getaway. Note the James Turrell installation in the background.

Last week, we threw an event at Henri Bendel's Chocolate Bar to celebrate the publication of our Spring/Summer 2009 issue. We put together all the ingredients that make a girlfriend getaway so fun—champagne, cupcakes, manicures, horoscopes, and even cute cabana boys!

The turnout was fantastic: 120 people showed up, from TV producers and other magazine editors to writers, tourism officials, and, of course, a few of our favorite travel fanatics and best girlfriends. One lucky attendee won a free trip (for her and her sisters!) to Mexico.

As with any good party, we made sure to have sweet gift bags with plenty of loot—Dashing Diva nail accessories, a bottle of Mionetto Prosecco, a DVD from Oasis Hotels and Resorts, JetBlue luggage tags, and OPI and Body Shop beauty products. And since no GG soirée would be complete without party pics, we've posted a few of our favorites here. Thanks to everyone who put the premiere party together, and thanks to all who came out to help us celebrate in style.

Here are a few of our favorite photos from last week's bash, from guests indulging in free manicures, having their travelscopes read, and getting some cabana boy QT.

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Whether you're headed to the beach with your girlfriends, planning a mother-daughter vacation, or taking a road trip with your best bud, Gigi can help! Send her an e-mail with all the details of your trip. If your letter is selected, you'll be featured in the Ask Gigi section of our fall/winter issue!

We're looking for the hottest cabana boy—and we're relying on you: Send pics to cb@girlgetaways.com. You could see your man candy featured on girlgetaways.com…and feast your eyes on cute guys galore!

See New York from a new perspective when the High Line debuts this June. The urban park will be on top of former train tracks that extend 22 blocks along Manhattan's west side and rise up to 30 feet above street level. With the transformation of the first nine-block section into a walkway that threads through native plants and grasses—other sections are in planning phases—the High Line will be one of the few places to take in views of the Statue of Liberty, the Hudson River, and the Empire State Building without the usual Gotham hustle and bustle.

For the best views of the High Line itself, head to André Balazs's Standard hotel, which opened in December and was designed over, around, and under the promenade: The rooftop restaurant will launch on the heels of New York's newest sensation (848 Washington St., 212/645-4646, standardhotels.com, rooms from $195).

—Riki Markowitz, from the Spring/Summer 2009 issue of Girlfriend Getaways

Just two hours outside of Manhattan is a hotel that comes with two of my favorite descriptors: "boutique" and "beachy." Though not actually on a beach, the Greenporter's laid-back feel, outdoor-heated-pool-across-from-the-wine-bar set up, and proximity to cute boutiques within walking distance means "we're bachelorette party central," says owner Deborah Rivera Pittorino.

And there's plenty to do besides laze by the pool at this thirty-room property—though plenty of groups of visiting girlfriends do just that. Visit the beautiful docks at the nearby waterfront park, browse beach emporium Calypso in town, take a ferry ride to nearby Shelter Island, or imbibe right on site at La Cuvée, the wine bar and bistro that has won awards for its vintages.

Right now the hotel is offering summer rates of $169 a night, so long as you arrive for a mid-week escape. It's an offer so good, I'm actually outing where I'd head, should I come down with an inconvenient 72-hour flu some Tuesday this summer.

And it's definitely where I'd point any friend looking for the perfect spot for a New York-based bachelorette party.

Moleskine notebooks are part of my daily routine—their pocket-sized pads are great for jotting down ideas, drawing quick sketches, or simply writing to-do lists. So imagine my delight when the company launched a new series of city-specific notebooks: The constantly expanding collection (now covering 40 cities, from Philly to Florence) features maps, street indexes, conversion tables, even an international size chart—and plenty of blank pages on which to record your vacation must-sees…and memories. Need inspiration? A few of the notebooks themselves are hitting the road: More than 50 artists, designers, and musicians each customized a Moleskine—like this one by illustrators Judith Glaubitz and Maria Heidepriem—and the traveling exhibition will be on display in Istanbul May 20–June 20 (detour.moleskine.com).

It's a fabulous concept: Professional pampering that won't tax your budget. In fact, this year Spa Week is timed perfectly. It runs from April 13th–19th, 2009, which means you can file your taxes, then head straight to the spa to work out any IRS-related stress.

Why the urgency? Well, during that week, hundreds of spas around the nation will be offering delectable treatments—facials, massages, scrubs—all at specially discounted rates of $50 a pop. So far, day spas in nineteen states (and Canada) are participating.

Head to spaweek.com to register (it's free) and find out what sort of pampering is on offer near you. An FYI to any brides-to-be: There's a special section devoted to anyone about to walk down the aisle. Since I'm saying "I Do" in less than six months, you can bet your candied almonds I'll be snapping up as many beautifying treatments as my wallet can handle.

Move over coffee—tea is the new artisanal beverage in town. Gourmet tea bars are popping up across the country, and with gleaming wood counters and custom-crafted blends, these aren't the fusty salons of yore. Not only do these new cafés provide a great spot to chill out and catch up with your friends during your getaway, they have even more enticing offerings, too: tea tastings, tea workshops, tea-infused chocolates, as well as tea-themed treatments (at adjoining spas). If you happen to be in the following cities, be sure to leave yourself enough time to stop by one of these cool spots: Teance in Berkeley, Royal/T in Los Angeles, Remedy Tea Bar in Philadelphia, and Silk Road Tea in Vancouver.

If you're feeling the need for a girls-only vacation, you're not alone! 40 percent of women are planning on taking a trip with their girlfriends soon. And, conveniently, Dreams Resorts & Spas are offering a year-long special to pamper you and the girls.

Book a three-night stay online at one of their ten hotels throughout Mexico and the Dominican Republic and use the promotional code GIRLFRIENDS to receive a complimentary "dream girlfriends getaway" package—originally worth $200. My favorite is the package you can get in Mexico. It includes chocolate-covered strawberries with champagne on arrival, a manicure and pedicure spa service for each guest, daily morning yoga sessions, a decadent breakfast with mimosas, and finally, a printed group photo to remember the trip.

The only problem? You might not want to come back.

—Isha Dandavate

Well, if there's one silver lining to the weak economy, it's that hotels are ready to woo travelers with everything they've got. Right now, an entire section of Mexican coastline is conspiring to get you on the phone with your girlfriends to make a south-of-the-border break to their swim-up bar.

The sale is in Riviera Nayarit. Here are two offers I wouldn't mind digging out my cutest summer dresses to take advantage of:

The Four Seasons Punta Mita
Splurge on a two-night stay between now and December 21—note: you have to arrive on Sunday or Monday—and bliss out for a third totally free. fourseasons.com/puntamita.

Hotel des Artistes
Book an oceanfront suite for three nights anytime between now and November 14th, and you'll get a complimentary fourth night, plus a free breakfast. hoteldesartistesdelmar.com.

P.S. The current exchange rate—1 U.S. dollar to 15 pesos—only sweetens the deal.

I never fully appreciated how appealing a girlfriend getaway could be until I became a mom. This weekend, as I struggled to keep my infant daughter fed, changed, and shielded from the sun on our first family getaway at the Fontainebleau in Miami, I was surrounded on all sides by groups of women who seemed to be having loads more fun than me. (Not that I wasn't having fun. Simply being with my husband and daughter that much was a thrill…But still.)

To my left at the pool one day, a group of women from New York struck up a conversation with me about my daughter. They had all left theirs at home. They told me this as they flagged a pool boy to order another round of frothy, fruity cocktails, before heading to the spa. They said they thought they would miss their babies more than they did. But in fact, they were having a ball, and not thinking twice about it, thank you very much.

I was thrilled to see the resort, just having completed its much-touted $1 billion restoration, overrun with all types. Young families, fabulous big-spenders from South America (bless them and their cash)—and most importantly, groups of women realizing that in these crappy times, ordering a couple cocktails from a hot pool guy seriously serves its purpose.

Leading ladies are taking over the Great White Way in the coming months. Wonder which show is right for your next Big Apple tour? Here's a brief round-up of five new productions with wow potential:

9 to 5
What: In a musical version of the 1980 film, three working girls plot revenge on their chauvinistic boss, belting an original score by everyone's favorite double-D diva, Dolly Parton.
When: Previews from April 7, open-ended run begins April 30
Woman to Watch: The West Wing's Allison Janney and Wicked-veterans Stephanie J. Block and Megan Hilty
Women to Bring: Coworkers, job-hunters, anyone who's ever visited Dollywood

Dividing the Estate
What: This dark comedy by Horton Foote looks in on a dysfunctional Texan family fighting over the inheritance from their tight-fisted—and still very much alive—mother.
When: Currently in previews, November 20 to January 4
Women to Watch: Established stage actress Elizabeth Ashley, who plays the matriarch, and Hallie Foote (the playwright's real-life daughter) as the greediest member of her brood.
Women to Bring: Sisters with a sense of humor

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Lately, I've been fantasizing about rounding up a bunch of girls for a long weekend getaway. Being an only child, I missed out on those big family vacations that make for a lot of great memories—the kind of moments you can also have with your best girlfriends. There's just one problem. Most of my friends don't exactly get along with each other. I know because some of them were gracious enough to be my bridesmaids and I have a feeling they're all secretly praying that I stayed married forever. It got me thinking: Given that so many of us have friends from different stages in our lives, my situation can't be all that unique. What's the secret to keeping everyone happy—and your sanity?

What's the one place on the planet that always makes you swoon? At GG we believe that some of the most beautiful places on earth shouldn't be reserved for newlyweds. So, go on, tell us yours!

Cast your vote here.