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| Tish Rabe. Photograph by Meredith Fullter |
How I Landed in Mystic like Dorothy in the Land of Oz and Became a Nice Girl
By Tish Rabe
When my husband and I decided we would like to move to a place where I could write and enjoy a beautiful view and he could fish, we focused our search on the Connecticut shoreline. With two children in the Boston area and two children in Manhattan, we knew Mystic would be, well sort of, in the middle, so we moved here in 2011.
In the past, when we moved with our kids, within weeks we met their school friends and their parents and making friends was easy. When we moved to Mystic, I described it as “dropping into a new town like Dorothy into the Land of Oz”. We truly knew NO ONE and although my husband was thrilled to put his boat in at Spicer’s Marina and start to learn about all the great fishing in the area, I felt like a fish out of WATER!
Then, I met Lisa Saunders, who, like me, is an author so we connected during a book signing. She invited me to my first Nice Girls gathering. I learned from her that the criteria for being a Nice Girl is you have to live in the general area of Mystic and be … well… NICE.
It was an eye opening experience for me! Over the years, I’ve gone to a lot of parties in New York City where there are authors, publishers, even one for singers (I have my own band Tish Rabe and Friends), but this was different. That night I met women who did an amazing array of things! Some were authors, yes, but I also met women who sold real estate, were financial planners, taught Spanish, wrote songs, caught lobsters, sailed to far off places to move boats for owners, etc.
That potluck was simply fascinating. I would NEVER have met these women if I hadn’t been invited to be a Nice Girl. Along with the monthly pot lucks, we take walks together, kayak, go to Happy Hours and love spontaneous get-togethers.
Now I feel at home in our wonderful town. Thank you Nice Girls!
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ABOUT TISH RABE
Tish Rabe is the best-selling author of over 170 books for children including titles for Disney, Sesame Street, Curious George, Clifford, Huff and Puff and many more. Following the death of Dr. Seuss, Tish was selected by Dr. Seuss Enterprises to create “The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library,” a series of rhyming science books for early readers. She has also written over 300 songs for children. Trained as a professional singer, she heads her own local band, “Tish Rabe and Friends,” and is a mom, step-mom and grandmother.
Learn more about Tish's books, visit: www.tishrabe.com
Tish, I meet women in other places but the atmosphere of a pot luck attended only by nice women creates a comfortable, creative, supportive environment. I didn't move here from New York but was pleasantly surprised by the combination of food and fun at that first gathering and have been attending for years. So glad you adapted to a slower lifestyle in this darling nautical town while looking to create fun memories. Mystic really is magical... perfect for a creative genius like you.
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