A Night Away                          

After talking about it for months it was finally time for a ladies weekend getaway to Palm Springs. I tend to choose my weekend plans based on how far I will be from the masses and how acceptable it is to not shave my legs. Typically the further away and the longer my leg hair the better the weekend will be. However this weekend was different. Palm Springs is not just a place; it’s not just any other resort town where you burn to a crisp by the pool as you are served martinis and listen the Frank Sinatra…well it is that but it’s also so much more. Palm Springs is a feeling, its color, its shape, it changes yet always is familiar.

We checked into The Saguaro on a Saturday afternoon just in time to watch the sun dip behind the mountains from our balcony.  After a quick drink at  El Jefe we took the shuttle Downtown to Birba. Birba is just about everything you would want in a Southern California bistro. Outdoor seating with great lighting, a gas powered fire pit, good wine selection, and cute waiters with man buns. After dinner we explored the strip and ended up at Lulus, a fabulously bright and open establishment which is equal parts sleek and whimsy. We ended the night at the ACE hotel, its distressed aluminum marquee letters shining out as a beacon to those who need a hopelessly hip place to lay their perfectly disheveled heads. I joke because I love; the little hipster woman in me has always wanted to stay at the ACE hotel. Although The ACE was everything I expected it to be as the hipster Mecca of Palm Springs – taxidermy bear in the bar I’m talking to you – it also surprised with its warmth and charm. Perhaps it is just the Palm Springs essence seeping though the woodwork; every inch of the Hotel has a sense of chill relaxation and laid back acceptance of all the patrons. After  exploring the ACE’s grounds we headed back to rest our heads for the night.

The Saguaro at Palm springs is what humming bird dreams are made of. Row after row of brightly colored balconies looking over a turquoise blue pool. The grounds manicured with emerald green hedges which are speckled with bright orange, red and yellow flowers.  The humming birds flit about, their little jet propelled bodies clearly doing much more important things than us as we laze about the pool. Although the pool is quiet in the morning the surplus of color and the frantic movements of the humming birds cause the whole scene to vibrate. We spend enough time by the pool to feel the burn of the sun’s rays, and dip our toes in the water. As we begin to pack up our room we are one step closer to the real world, luckily no stay is complete in Palm Springs without brunch.

Pinocchio’s is not hard to find. Just look for the vibrant pink fuzzy and fringed umbrellas that shade the busy little brunch spot. Pinocchio’s is worth the line and there is no shortage of excellent “people watching” as you wait for your table. Expect impromptu salsa dancing and beware the bloody marys, they are no joke. We enjoyed our eggs served in various forms of Benedict and headed out for one more stroll down the strip, including a detour at Palm Springs Fudge and Chocolates.

Palm Springs; a capital of relaxation, old fashion charm, and new hipness that make it the perfect place for a quick weekend getaway. Only an hour away but so far removed from the pace of the inland valleys. Time moves slower here, maybe that’s  because so much of Palm Springs seems frozen in the past. Palm Springs may be the undisputed capital of Mid-century Modern but don’t expect a total time lock.  Rat pack class and stylish sensibility are thrown right up there with the painfully hip and new. The classic Palm Springs community mingling with young city kids looking for a weekend away from LA. The result is an ever evolving city, the trends come and go but at its nucleolus Palm Springs will forever hold onto its fabulous and glamorous past.