Dust & Echoes: Lost in Palm Springs
okay, so i’m pretty sure i’m running on fumes and lukewarm coffee. 5377995 and 1840020501 - don’t ask. it’s just… a thing. the air here is like, 24.85 degrees, feels like 23.78, minimum 23.78, max 26.25. pressure’s 1016, humidity’s 15, sea level’s 1016, ground level’s 1019. yeah, that’s… there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. i just checked and it’s a perfect, unsettling stillness.
palm springs. honestly, i wasn’t expecting much. i’d heard whispers - mostly from a guy at a dive bar in las vegas who’d clearly had one too many tequila sunrises - that it was all fake. like, a meticulously curated mirage of mid-century modern and aggressively cheerful people. and you know what? he wasn’t entirely wrong. it’s… shiny. painfully so.
but there’s something else. a layer of grit beneath the chrome. i spent yesterday wandering around downtown, dodging golf carts and trying to look like i belonged. i ended up at this little record store, ‘vinyl vibes,’ which was crammed with dusty 70s funk and forgotten soul. the owner, a guy named silas with a permanent squint and a collection of vintage sunglasses, told me someone told him that the original mid-century designs were actually inspired by the architecture of abandoned military bases. wild, right? check it out: Vinyl Vibes Website.
found a killer motel - the ‘desert bloom’ - it’s got this weird, slightly decaying charm. the wallpaper is peeling in all the right places, and the pool is perpetually shaded. it’s not fancy, but it’s got a soul. i’m sharing a room with a guy named leo who’s a taxidermist. don’t ask. he’s… intense. if you get bored, Los Angeles is just a short drive away.
seriously, the vibe here is… strange. like everyone’s trying really hard to be cool, but it’s coming across as slightly desperate. i overheard a group of influencers arguing about the best place to get a prickly pear margarita - apparently, it’s a thing. someone told me that the Joshua trees are actually sentient and communicate through subsonic vibrations. i’m not saying it’s true, but… i’m not not saying it’s true.
i spent the afternoon exploring the air and water park - it’s… an experience. a lot of screaming kids, a surprising amount of chlorine, and a general sense of manufactured fun. i grabbed a hot dog from a stand near the entrance - it was surprisingly decent. i’m thinking of checking out the Moorten Botanical Garden tomorrow. Moorten Botanical Garden.
*Pro-Tip: Bring a hat. Seriously. The sun is brutal. Also: don’t trust anyone who tells you the pool is heated. it’s not.
found a little taco truck called ‘el sol’ - the tacos were actually pretty good. i heard that the best time to visit is in the fall when the temperatures are cooler. i’m trying to avoid the peak tourist season. i’m currently sitting on my balcony, listening to the crickets and contemplating the existential dread of being a slightly-too-tired travel blogger.
Important Note:* Don’t wear white. You will regret it. Seriously.
I’m heading out to explore the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Apparently, it’s the highest rotating tram in the world. who knows? maybe i’ll find some answers. or at least a decent cup of coffee. Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.
and that’s it for now. i need to go refill my coffee. and maybe apologize to leo.
check out Yelp for some local eats: Palm Springs Yelp
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