It was Memorial Day weekend 2024 and I was primed for a relaxing 4-day weekend getaway in the paradise of Palm Springs, California. I would be going with my daughter A, son D and daughter-in-law S, for what would become a very “bougie” vacay.
(Note regarding “bougie” which appears several times in this blog post it’s pronounced bou·jee and relates to or characteristic of a person who indulges in some of the luxuries and comforts of a fancy lifestyle; i.e. spends too much on bougie stuff she can’t afford.)
How to Indulge and Get “Bougie” in the Paradise of Palm Springs, California
It was my first time visiting and I was primed for joy and merriment with my three millennials.
According to the team at @visitpalmsprings: “Seeing a place can be a thrill. Doing a place can be a real trip.” And that’s the beauty of it. No matter how fun and outrageous your travel experiences may be, ‘How you do’ that place is what makes it shine. And your personal experiences are one-of-a-kind. How do YOU Palm Springs?– is the question.”
I went to Palm Springs with my family of millennials…and my grand baby to be
Ooh, ooh, ooh, we sure did “DO” our share in Palm Springs in the short time we were there. It’s easy to get your “bougie” on in this live-out-loud kind of town. From start to finish it was a blast.
How did we “DO” Palm Springs? Here’s the scoop:
Rent a house with a pool
It was big bucks but worth it to rent a mid-century house with a pool. Having a pool to jump into to beat the heat was key after our early outings in 90+ degrees. That’s what the temp was during our late May stay and one afternoon it neared 100!
Our AirBnb was perfectly “bougie” Palm Springs. Each room was highly-designed with clean lines and colorful statement decor including Eames, Saarinen, Knoll and Bertoia furniture throughout. I felt like I was transported back to the 70s with the macrame owls on the wall.
Our AirBnb rental was filled with mid-century furnishings
One thing to know in advance when you book a house here is that Palm Springs has strict rental rules and each person must sign an agreement to follow them. No loud music outdoors or partying into the wee hours. That’s reserved for the hotels and nightclubs.
Drink lots of iced lattes and cold brew
There is no shortage of independent coffee shops in Palm Springs and millenials love their lattes. Each morning we went to a different place for an iced beverage. And every day the lines seemed to include longer and longer wait times. So we waited. My favs were Cafe La Jefa, one of Palm Spring’s newest modern coffee houses with a Latin-influenced flair, and Koffi, which is popular with the desert-locals and has good cold brew with oat milk.
Cafe La Jefa is one of the newest coffee shops in Palm Springs
Treat yourself to a French pastry or baguette
OMG speaking of long lines, the queue is a must at Pennisula Pastries. Located in the Sun Center strip mall, it’s the place to go before or after you get your coffee. The French owners knead and bake authentic fresh croissants, baguettes and pastries daily. It’s a feast for the senses from the smell inside the small shop, to the view behind the display counters, to the taste of the French flour and butter in every bite. The biggest challenge is picking a pastry — I wanted to sample them all. My croissant was so good, so good, so good. Baguettes equally superb.
Pennisula Pastry is an authentic French bakery in Palm Springs
Pamper your dog
Palm Springs is where dogs go to be pampered and get “bougie” too. Since my three millennials are dog lovers we made reservations at Boozehounds, where guests can take their dogs. Boozehounds is a large restaurant and is known to be the place “where dogs bring their humans.”
They offer a specialty dog menu and even a Weenie-tini dog martini. We decided to leave my grandpup M at home that evening and dine without a canine in tow. I have to admit that our salads were expensive and not very good. I think the dogs get the better meals at Boozehounds!
Boozehounds is where dogs go to be pampered
Sit and sip a cocktail at the historic Parker Hotel
The Parker Hotel is the epitome of “bougie” Palm Springs. On Sunday evening we showered and dressed to sit and sip at this historic spot. After ordering cocktails from the bar, we planted ourselves in the stylish lounge to watch the bold and beautiful people who were actually staying at the hotel.
Outdoor dining at Norma’s bistro was our choice for dinner, but stopped to peek inside the famous Mister Parker’s restaurant to see its dark and decadent decor.
The Parker Hotel lobby will make you feel like your in the 70s
Palm Springs does have some spectacular hotels especially with the beautiful San Jacinto Mountains as a backdrop. Known for mid-century architecture, there are also some incredible homes in the area — owned by rich and famous celebs from the present and as well as those from the past including Bob Hope, Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra. Guided home tours are available at a price.
There’s a whole lot more to “DO” Palm Springs
There were some other high-points of the weekend including our day trip to Joshua Tree National Park. I had always wanted to see the Mojave Desert and its Joshua trees and jumbo rocks. The park is about a 45 minute ride from Palm Springs. Since the weather was extremely hot, we decided to drive around most of the 3,200 square kilometer area and make stops along the way to do a bit of hiking.
The town of Joshua Tree is about a block long so we made a pit-stop there to check it out and get a cold drink.
Joshua Tree National Park is an easy day trip from Palm Springs
As for other high points, the best meal we had was at Rooster and the Pig. It’s a Vietnamese restaurant that doesn’t take reservations. We had to wait until 9 pm to dine on a Friday night. My Tamarind cocktail went down smooth and our crispy rolls, dumplings, crispy beef, eggplant and fried rice were so good, so good, so good.
When I go back to Palm Springs I want to stay at the “ultra-bougie” Korakia resort
Like all vacays, I wish there were more hours to “DO” Palm Springs in a bigger way. For now I need to save my pennies (or maybe play and win the lottery) so next time I can stay at the “ultra-bougie” Korakia resort.
Judi
Addendum:
Wow-o-wow, when I returned to L.A. I went totally “beyond bougie” when my son D treated me to a Hailey Bieber’s Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie at the totally “bougie” Erewhon’s grocery. Listen to what was in this $19 smoothie: Malk Almond Milk, Zuma Valley Coconut Whip, Vital Proteins Vanilla Collagen Erewhon Sea Moss, Maple Valley Maple Syrup, Hyaluronic Acid, Strawberries, Dates, Avocado, Bananas, Vanilla Stevia, Driscoll’s Organic Strawberry Glaze. It was so good, so good, so good.
Hailey Bieber’s Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie was so good, so good, so good
