Thursday, May 10, 2012

the desert

For our anniversary we went out to the desert this year.  
We kind of love us some desert.  

This is the third year in a row we've chosen to spend celebrating our marriage in one of the most inhospitable environments in all of California.

Usually we go to The Ace hotel in Palm Springs because it is the one time of year we can pretend that we are hipper than we really are.   They play good music at the pool (think; The Shins, Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire) and the sticky toffee pudding is abnormally good.
Although, I can't tell a lie, the major drawback from staying at that particular hotel is that it does come with its fair share of d-bags.  

This year it was booked solid.
It is almost as if they did not get the memo that it was our anniversary.

Instead we stayed in a pretty crappy hotel in Desert Hot Springs.  Admittedly I am a hotel snob.  I'm not ashamed of it though.  Generally hotels sick me out because I know that even the nice ones are still germ-laden bodily fluid-filled boxes of filth. 
The one we stayed at was particularly disgusting.  
But it was closer to Joshua Tree State Park, which was why we went out there this year.

It was beautiful and, ahem, deserted.  
Like, more beautiful than I thought was possible for a place that only receives 4.5inches of rain a year.  
The weather was cool (low 70s) and so we ended up hiking around for three hours while Clio spent a lot of time zonked out. 



13 comments:

  1. Beautiful pictures! I want to go. Maybe for my next anniversary... I am going to try to forget about what you said about hotels though. Ew, ew, ew! There are some things I know are true, but I never want to openly acknowledge, and the disgustingness of hotel rooms is one of them.

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    1. I know, I know. It is probably one of those things best left undiscussed in polite society:)

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  2. "It was beautiful and, ahem, deserted."

    :)

    Happy Anniversary, again.

    xo CiM

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  3. That is quite a coincidence! I just came back from a trip to the desert, too. My mom and I visited some family in Ridgecrest, and we went to see the Coso petroglyphs. I took almost the same exact photo of the one you posted of the spiky cactus, but I like the light and shadows on yours. Really enjoyed looking at your photos, and I will share mine soon.

    Sorry you had a crappy hotel experience. I'm with you about hotels. Don't get me wrong, I like "roughing" it when I'm camping or backpacking, but if I stay at a hotel, it better be clean, the sheets better be soft, and the pillows fluffy. Otherwise, I may as well go outside and sleep on the ground under the stars!

    You look like you're in awesome shape by the way, and I love how you and Clio are smiling together.

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    1. I know Ridgecrest. That is some serious desert out there. I totally agree with you about the hotel issue v. camping thing. Thanks for the nice words.

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  4. Love the photo of the cross. And all of the other ones too. :)

    Did the desert tell you to forgo the gray and rain in order to stay here? I wouldn't be surprised, because the desert and I have been in cahoots all weekend.

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    1. Oh, that must have been what the whistling winds were whispering all weekend long. Sneaky.

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    2. Also, the photo of the cross was one Leif took. He's got a good eye, that one.

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    3. The cross picture was one of my favorites, also. Go Leif!

      CiM

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  5. Looks amazing. And, bee tee dubs, so do you! Do you love your BOB? Because I love mine.

    What a gorgeous way to celebrate your anniversary. Congrats.

    Also, hotels? Le grand EEEWWWWW. Super skeeve.
    xo

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    1. LOL. Le grand Ewwwww. That is my new favorite catchphrase. Love.

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  6. gorgeous! one of the loveliest places on the planet. soak this stuff in while you can- portland doesn't do joshua trees very well.

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