My mind, body, and soul crave the sun. I have resigned myself to this longing and seek out easy-to-get-to sunny destinations. One of my first winter getaways was Palm Springs, California, a spur-of-the-moment January adventure. I planned for a 3-day, 2-night trip and choose to pack light to allow for flexibility.
I spent my first night at the Courtyard by Marriott using travel rewards points and the next morning, walked a mile to downtown Palm Springs to search for a boutique hotel with some local flare. I walked past and then into The Movie Colony Hotel where the manager offered me a tour. It turned out to be a cozy 17-room hotel with a pool, hot tub, and courtyard where free breakfast was served. The hotel and rooms were newly renovated in a 50’s motif and the rooms smelled clean and were, in fact, clean. I chose to check-in.
The Movie Colony Hotel is within a 1-2 mile radius of homes that once belonged to some of the most iconic entertainers and movie stars of the 1950s, including Nat King Cole, Liberace, Lucille Ball, Dean Martin, Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, and Elvis. The Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway Home is open for tours and events.
I spent most of my time walking and browsing shops returning to The Movie Colony Hotel to sit in the sun and write, then back to downtown for lunch and dinner. A local breakfast favorite was, as indicated by the crowds continually gathered outside, Cheeky’s. I chose to save my calorie intake for later in the day so opted out of the long line and temptation to try their infamous bacon flight, a serving of 5 bacon strips in flavors of cinnamon, BBQ, ranch, applewood, and jalapeno.
For lunch, I was drawn to the upper deck of Bongo Johnny’s and ordered their gourmet Bloody Mary, garnished with an olive, pearl onion, pickle slice…and bacon. It was a meal in a glass.
Bongo Johnny’s, like many West Coast restaurants, has begun serving reusable stainless-steel straws in place of plastic. I have not been able to convince myself that restaurant-provided reusable straws are sanitary so am a little (a lot) disgusted by them. I do not consider myself a germaphobe but have begun carrying a personal stainless-steel travel straw. I had forgotten to ask Bongo Johnny’s wait staff to “hold the straw” so was not able to fully enjoy and finish my drink. I had no issue with the bacon. I am glad I had opted out of Cheeky’s bacon flight.
For lunch, I chose the Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar. It is attached to the retail store of the same name and offered sunny outdoor seating. I ordered a salmon and avocado salad. It was perfect. I was craving pasta for dinner so Sammy G’s Tuscan Grill was the obvious choice for me. A fun surprise was their complimentary aperitif of amaretto and a fresh biscoff (not your Delta Airlines biscoff.) It was a perfect end to a perfect day.
I walked back and forth from the hotel to the downtown area, passing by an art installation of large yellow orbs on the lawn of the Palm Canyon Theater. The signage indicated that it was a venue for the Palm Springs International Film Festival which was in full swing that same week. While living in Northern Utah, I had been introduced to the Sundance Film Festival and it had become a favorite annual event for me. Being in Palm Springs during their film festival and getting to watch an independent film was another one of those surprises that make life just a bit more meaningful.
Getting into Palm Springs via the Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) is as easy as it gets. It is a small airport yet has direct flight offerings from many areas of the country. I could take a day trip just to hang out and sunbathe in this open-air airport. It is the heaven of cozy airports with a dog park and plenty of outdoor eating and seating and surrounded by palm trees. But even heavenly airports are not immune to travel issues.
My return flight was delayed due to maintenance. After sitting in the airport for 2 hours waiting for an update on the expected departure time, I stood in the line of travelers in hopes of booking an alternate flight. While in line I began to feel anxious and fearful at the thought of not making it home that evening and began to feel frustration toward the airline.
In my post entitled, “Exercise and Meditation for the Fearless-ish” I describe how I was introduced to meditation. A few meditative breaths helped me work my way through the feelings of fear and frustration, and when it was my turn in line, I asked the customer service agent to consider arranging a hotel for the night and booking me on a flight the next day. They happily obliged and offered a night’s stay at the Hilton Palm Springs as well as drink and breakfast vouchers. I spent a warm evening enjoying poolside cabana service and alternating between journaling and soaking in the hot tub. The next morning after breakfast and a few hours by the pool, I took the short ride by hotel shuttle to the airport where TSA was a breeze.
When it comes to travel, it’s best to expect the unexpected and just go with it.
“In life, all good things come hard, but wisdom is the hardest to come by.” – Lucille Ball
