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!

Palm Springs | Eat + Drink

Truss + Twine | Uptown Design District | 800 North Palm Canyon Drive

We arrived to Palm Springs from Joshua Tree on a sleepy Monday evening. I quickly realized 3-4 places on my hit list were either closed (Monday is the industry off day!) or done serving dinner by 8pm. We hit the jackpot with Truss + Twine located a few blocks away and serving food until late. A super dark, industrial, minimalist space, was quietly suffering from lack of a crowd, but the staff turned out to be incredibly welcoming! They got to work shaking up strong cocktails and were eager to serve us from the small plates menu of elevated desert cuisine. 

We drank: Brooklyn ($15) rye, dry vermouth, Amaro Cio-Ciara, maraschino, orange bitters, lemon zest. And drank: Game Changer ($12) gin, lime, cucumber, sugar, onion brine, sea salt, celery bitters. And drank some more: Velvet Touch ($15) Dickel rye, Amaro Nonino, Pedro Ximinez sherry, orange zest

~~~

And we ate! Wagyu Beef Tartare ($18) celery root puree, horseradish, pickled quail egg
Red Snapper Crudo ($10) golden beet, pink peppercorn, shiso pesto 
Smoked Trout Rillettes ($10) trout roe, cucumber gel
Drake Farm's Goat Cheese ($8) bougainvillea dust, Temecula valley honeycomb, cactus confit

Bootlegger Tiki | Uptown Design District | 1011 N Palm Canyon Drive

Does it get any better than a night cap at the Hawaiian themed tiki-cocktail den that happens to be your next door neighbor? From the Pod Thai ($10) with white rum, lime, coconut crème, cardamom lemongrass syrup and soda to the For Luck Sake ($12) with tequila, mezcal, lime, honey, yellow chartreuse, serrano pepper tincture, and basil - these expertly crafted cocktails prove even if you aren't staying right next door, this Palm Springs speakeasy is a must visit.

Ernest Coffee | Uptown Design District

Conveniently located next door to The Twist (our Airbnb) is Ernest Coffee - Palm Springs only independent roasters. This hip, light filled, booze serving coffee shop (it is actually the front for Bootlegger Tiki) was our first stop each morning for fresh brewed Stumptown Coffee alongside chocolate croissants and spinach quiches on the sunny patio. 

Lulu California Bistro | Downtown | 200 S Palm Canyon Drive

Lulu is affirmatively the it spot in town. The large colorful terrace sprawling along Palm Canyon Drive opens to a retro airy bar defined by two massive chandeliers covered in pastel green and purple lampshades. The dining room is awash in all white everything, bordered by tall scalloped booths and lined with Old Hollywood photos. Every seat in the house is packed with breezy lunch dates and mingling locals. Nothing we ate or drank was particularly must visit worthy - Cobb Salad, Asian Lettuce Wraps, a Desert Haze Martini and a Raspberry Mojito, but they do have a vast menu and offer prompt and polished service. Lulu proved a fun, energetic stop for lunch as we continued on our bike ride exploring the city!

Purple Palm | Colony Palms Hotel | 572 N Indian Canyon Drive

The Purple Palm is one restaurant not to miss in Palm Springs. The menu features imaginative California fare and the Hollywood hideaway atmosphere is so incredibly alluring. Fantastic food and excellent wines are enhanced by dining under a cabana overlooking the relaxed pool setting, backed by a gorgeous open interior with towering halo light fixtures and striking purple wallpaper, ceilings, and tiled floors. We had the best time here. A top trip moment for sure!

Aperol on Fire - Aperol, gin, lemon, singed orange
Pinot Noir ($16) | Colene Clemens, Willamette Valley, Oregon

West Coast Oysters ($18) | Kumaia - Baja, California | watermelon mignonette 

Gai Lan ($8) | maitake mushrooms, goat cheese, black garlic, Chile de arbol
Seared Scallops + Smoked Pork Belly ($30) | chanterelles, parsnip, arugula, lemon verbena

Marinated + Grilled Swordfish ($29) | red pomelo, toasted pine nuts, baby spinach, pearl couscous, fresh herbs, saffron yogurt citronette

Our night out followed with drinks at Trio and Bootlegger!

 

Peabody's Cafe | Downtown | 134 S Palm Canyon Drive

Peabody's is a casual café + bar with an outdoor patio. We brunched here on a whim after learning our first choice (Cheeky's - Uptown) was a 45 minute wait. While we might have missed out on bacon flights back at Cheeky's, this runny egg - crispy potato - cheesy refried beans - homemade salsa + hot sauce covered plate of Huevos Rancheros was everything I needed to affirm the choice. 

More on where we stayed and all the desert modern vibes up next!