Palm Springs & the Static Between Days

okay, so palm springs. it wasn't on the list, honestly. i was supposed to be chasing light in *joshua tree, but my van, bless its rusty soul, decided it needed a 'moment' just outside of cabazon. a very long moment. and palm springs… well, palm springs just was.

it's…beige. a lot of beige. and mid-century modern, obviously. like, aggressively mid-century modern. i’m a vintage clothes picker, so i appreciate a good aesthetic, but it felt like stepping into a catalog. a very expensive catalog. the air itself felt curated. i just checked and it's…a dry heat, apparently, which is a fancy way of saying your nostrils feel like sandpaper.

my mechanic, a guy named ray who smelled perpetually of gasoline and regret, told me the van would be at least three days. three days! so i found this little motel, the kinda place where the ice machine sounds like a dying robot. it’s called the stardust, and it’s…fine. the pool is surprisingly clean, though.

someone told me that the stardust used to be a mob hangout. apparently, there’s a secret room behind the vending machine. i haven’t found it yet, but i’m definitely looking.

spent yesterday wandering around. the palm canyon drive is…something. a lot of boutiques selling things i didn’t know i needed (or didn’t need at all). i did find a killer thrift store though, “retro rewind” - seriously, check it out https://www.yelp.com/biz/retro-rewind-palm-springs. scored a vintage hawaiian shirt for ten bucks. victory.

weather-wise, it’s been hovering around sixteen degrees, but feels like fifteen. the humidity is low, which is good, but the sun is relentless. ray said the temperature swings are wild here - thirteen at night, up to twenty-one during the day. pressure’s normal, sea level’s normal, ground level’s a little lower, apparently. who knew? i’m not a scientist, okay? i pick clothes.

i overheard a couple arguing at a diner about the best place to get a date shake. she was adamant about checkerboard palms, he swore by shield’s date garden. it was…intense.

people here are…interesting. a lot of retirees, a lot of people trying to look younger than they are, and a surprising number of people wearing full-on festival gear even though there isn’t a festival happening. if you get bored, indio is just a short drive away, i guess. i saw a flyer for something called “coachella valley music & arts festival” - sounds chaotic.

i tried to find some good coffee, but everything is either overpriced or tastes like sadness. i ended up at a little place called “koffee kulture” [https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60956-d1034999-Reviews-Koffee_Kulture-Palm_Springs_California.html] - it wasn’t terrible. someone warned me about the parking situation downtown, and they weren’t kidding. it’s a nightmare. seriously, just take the bus. or walk. or steal a golf cart.

a local told me that the real palm springs is hidden behind the bougainvillea and the perfectly manicured lawns. i’m still looking for it.

ray says the van might* be ready tomorrow. maybe. i’m not holding my breath. in the meantime, i’ll keep wandering, keep thrifting, and keep searching for that secret room behind the vending machine. you can find more info about palm springs here: https://www.visitpalmsprings.com/ and here https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g60956-Palm_Springs_California-Vacations.html.

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