Palm Springs | Desert Modern Oasis

I am completely enamored with Palm Springs, California. This Old Hollywood, Mid-Century Modern, desert oasis awash in palm trees, pools, and fine art galleries, shining with bright aqua blues and vibrant oranges surrounded by majestic mountains gives off the best vacation vibes, ever.

Stay @ The Twist. Please look no further than these sparkling clean, perfectly decorated in Palm Springs modernism Airbnb apartments located in the Uptown Design District of Old Las Palmas - close to downtown yet secluded from the noise.

At The Twist you can count on your desert pool party guests to be a flamingo, a swan and a peacock. Perfect companions! There's a king bed, a full kitchen, a luxurious couch, a patio with a fire pit, and bicycles to enjoy at your leisure.  

Bob got me a fish-eye lens! I was using it for the first time on this trip and having so much fun with it. I feel like the distorted images work well with this colorful vintage vibe?!



We strolled by artist Elena Bulatova's gallery in Laguna Beach and then again in Palm Springs. Those LOLLIPOPS and that Popsicle are everything! All of her art installations were majorly eye-catching. 



The stylish galleries, retro boutiques, and interior design shops along Palm Canyon Drive reign with a cool sophistication - although I admit we mostly window shopped. (Not wanting to miss a moment of that desert sunshine!)

A lot of my love for this city can be attributed to where we stayed and the neighborhood we were immersed in right outside our door. We didn't have much of an agenda when in town besides quality relaxation time at the pool and a bike ride to see the area. As style, design, art, furniture, and décor is such a major part of this cities vibe, it was great to have a home base that embodied the local flare!



I would recommend travelers with a similar mindset pass on the strip of overpriced hotels located south of downtown. The hotel pool party scene is enticing - but rooms are smaller costing almost double the price and the location (when we drove by) didn't seem nearly as picturesque. I was so close to booking The Ace Hotel and The Saguaro on different occasions before I actually read some of the reviews and before I stumbled upon The Twist. 



I love mid-century modern architecture so biking through Old Las Palmas and The Movie Colony really solidified the vibe of Palm Springs as I imagined it and made me really, really happy. 
 

The entrance to Frank Sinatra's house, below!
 

These houses have perfected mid-century modern style in every element; from the cacti, succulent and rock gardens, to the mailboxes and the house numbers. Everything speaks to you as a unique piece of modern art. The QUARTZ rock garden at the radical hose below was so enchanting.

The Coachella Valley is an amazing part of California and I'm so glad we decided to spend some time here. Thanks for being so wonderful, Palm Springs!

Joshua Tree

Pure desert magic! Joshua Tree is my new favorite place. The beauty of the Mojave and Colorado Desert landscape here is next level. (Or could you tell by my barrage of photos!?) We arrived through the parks North entrance via the town of Twentynine Palms. Having done limited research a quick stop at the Oasis Visitor Center to get our bearings and plan out our day was worthwhile. All the photos are actually in order of how we explored the park, beginning with a hike.

Lost Horse Mine + Lost Horse Loop Trail - To the historic 10-stamp mill and gold mine is 4 miles out and back. We opted to continue on the 6.5 mile loop which offered grand vantage points at elevation and then sloped gently down into the flat desert - a wilderness of Joshua Trees, Beavertail Cacti, and Jackrabbits. Parking at the trailhead is limited -  plan to come early or to wait for a space. There are a number of hikes in the park for all levels so if one lot is full, always a good idea to have a backup hike planned. Ryan Mountain is a popular hike not far from here and had an equivalent rating level with less mileage but more elevation gain.

Keys View -  from an elevation of 5,185' an overlook of the expansive Coachella Valley and the San Andreas fault.

Jumbo Rocks - the infamous skull rock and other massive boulders.

Cholla Cactus Garden - natural cactus garden filled with mesmerizing ombre colored cacti clusters. 

Ocotillo Patch - beautiful desert plants not to be missed. I later heard the deserts are experiencing an unprecedented 'super bloom' this year and felt really grateful to have witnessed all the cacti and desert flowers in such an event.

Cottonwood Spring - Located at the southern end of the park - we took a short walk to check out the palm trees. These palms are the largest I've ever seen with a massive, towering presence. There are more hiking trails here that head out to Lost Palms Oasis. 

We exited the the park onto Route 10, heading west past the towns of Coachella, Indio and Palm Desert to reach our next destination - Palm Springs. We only spent one full day in Joshua Tree but it has forever changed me, similar to how Iceland did. That feeling where the energy of a place really seeps into your soul and you connect with the earth on a deeper level. It's crazy to think back on the last couple years of international travel and to come to the (obvious) realization that some of the most incredible places to visit are right here in the United States. I love that.