Fever Dream

What did I know about Palm Springs before wandering out there? People seem to like going there and it’s the desert. Done, that’s it. There are a lot of places in California I still have yet to see, but with just a two-hour drive, it seemed pretty easy to squeeze in some time to relax in the desert. A five-day jaunt into the unknown turned into something quite memorable.

Looking at the forecast leading up to my trip felt a bit surreal. What does 117 degrees even feel like? 

• The Bath & Body Works hand sanitizer I usually keep in my car morphed into a bloated contortion of plastic overnight. 
• Some lucky person may have witnessed the dance I did when I got into my car after forgetting to put the sun shield up. Thighs, hands, shoulders, *bumps head*… It was the rhythmic moves of burning new parts of your body with each breath. F*ck leather seats.
• Dry heat is misleading. Everything seemed rather bearable at first as I roamed downtown well-hydrated, when suddenly my body was very clear that we were overheating… right now.
• I chose to ride the aerial tramway over 8,000 ft into the air and up a damn mountain, despite a fear of heights, for a reprieve (well worth it).
• My car’s highest reported thermostat reading: 124 degrees

To those itching to point out that it is, in fact, a desert, I remind you that even so, this was a heat wave for this time of year! Climate change is real. Furthermore, those who know me also know that I would choose a hot climate over a cold one ANY DAY. So, in summary, I was far from deterred in finding joy amidst the rays of death. 

• It was my first time seeing an interstate sign that said we were going towards “Other Desert Cities” instead of a specific metropolitan area. (Confusion and generally “tickled”, probably a better summary than joy here.)
• Date shakes taste like any other fruit shakes, aka delicious.
• Beautiful scenery – mountains, fruit trees, hummingbirds and even lizards – always puts me in a good mood.
• Unexpectedly awesome ribs for the win on a lazy evening.
• A hammock and a good book can cure most things.
• Frozen cocktails from Tommy Bahama will cure everything else.

As much as I don’t like people, generally speaking, this trip was a good reminder that humans are fascinating and if I set everyone’s bullshit aside, I’m always interested in a good laugh and a good story. I stayed at Les Cactus, a cute adults-only, boutique hotel, just a few minutes away from downtown, discovered by a friend. I was a bit weary of their many rules, but the hotel was extremely well-kept. The decor was gorgeous and inviting, and each room was unique – confirmed by a tour offered generously by one of the staff members. With the exception of Saturday when it seemed completely overrun by white people desperately baking beneath the sun as I peered with curiosity through the blinds of my window, it was usually very quiet and low-key. I kept to myself for the most part except for chatting with the staff, who were very friendly, until towards the end of my stay when I also connected with two different groups of ladies by the pool.  

Before I go further, I should introduce “Vacation Gabrielle;” she’s a different chick. I’ve known her most of my adult life and when she’s in charge, you can not ruin her good time. She’s friendly, playful, patient if not unbothered, and she does whatever she feels like doing whenever a mood should strike her. My new goal is to just be “Vacation Gabrielle” all the time. Not only is she well-liked, but she FEELS great. Challenges seem small and/or hilarious, time and other restrictions become light suggestions to a Queen who has the final say. Be like “Vacation Gabrielle.” 

A friend suggested that Tommy Bahama was an excellent place for frozen drinks and people-watching. I already trusted said friend, but it would be an understatement to say that this recommendation did not disappoint. I am unashamed to share that I went to Tommy Bahama during their daily happy hour every day of my trip save one. Not only are the drinks delicious, but the food was surprisingly very good! To top things off, Vacation Gabrielle became friends with everyone who worked there, quite unintentionally, but it made future visits incredibly fun complete with warm welcomes and free things, which makes even regular Gabrielle a happy-ass camper. 

As I prepared to check-out from Les Cactus on my last day in Palm Springs, I had a final chat with Camila, who worked there and had endured my miscellaneous questions & prodding on a regular basis for days now. She was super young, I think 20, and I was impressed with her strength. Forever a college counselor, I asked her what she wanted to accomplish in her future. She seemed touched that I asked and shared that she wanted to run her own hotel or hotels in Mexico one day. I’ve never felt so sure someone was going to be so kick-ass at something until that moment and I told her so, along with my plans to be a future guest. As we exchanged our goodbyes and I shared how I had enjoyed my stay and the wonderful people I met, she told me how other guests had told her how much they loved me and that she thought I was the most popular person at the hotel. It all seemed so touching and so ridiculous at the same time, I actually doubled over from both shock and overwhelm! I thought about the deep conversations of the night before with ladies I had just met over glasses of smuggled-in tequila (against one of the many hotel rules I referenced earlier) by the pool, well past closing time (another rule). A good reminder that you don’t always know, let alone control, the impact you have on others.

It was a trip full of the unexpected, and I loved it. Be like Vacation Gabrielle.

Photos: Top – view from near the top of San Jacinto Peak, Gallery – various sights from Les Cactus and the view from the Aerial Tramway on it’s way up.