Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Palm Springs Weekend - Happy Birthday, Lady J!

A few weeks ago, the lovely Lady J had a birthday celebration that included a full weekend itinerary of fun things out in the desert.  

First stop, her downtown studio to introduce all the weekend participants.  

Second stop, Lady J's favorite quesadilla truck downtown!  We had delicious hot quesadillas and plenty of horchata for the fifteen or so of us who were there.  


Third stop, we piled in cars to make the drive out to Palm Springs.  A mid century modern house in the Sunmor neighborhood awaited us.  112 degrees also awaited us.

Here's a little photo tour.










Fourth stop - salt water pool!

Soon it was time to clean up and get ready for dinner.  We were off on an adventure to honkey tonk western land.  Western wear required.  I borrowed my roommate's boots.


We had about an hour drive, off into the desert land.

We got to Pappy and Harriets!






There's the birthday girl.

She and I split the rib plate and definitely couldn't eat it all.  I love a good plate of messy ribs!

Time to put on our dancin' shoes.

Then we went out back to discover a whole huge yard and space to hang out.

 The boys gave us a lap dance.


Half the gang was engaged in a game of pool.

Jared drew a pic of Abe.

We headed back to the house to find more guests from LA had joined us!  They snuck in through the backyard and got into the house since we weren't home.  Smart?  Or creepy?

Oh, there was a Jean-Michel Basquiat in one of the rooms?  I'm supposing it's authentic?

Lady J got some beautiful flowers for her birthday.

Kate and I had gone to the store the day before to stock up on some goodies.  I made breakfast for the gang (eggs, bacon, hash browns, orange juice) and then we set off back into the desert for something rather unusual.  

Kenley was driving in from Utah and was going to meet us.  Her phone died, I sent her directions.  See how far out we were, in the middle of nowhere?

Out in the middle of this nowhere is a thing called the INTEGRATRON.

According to their website, The Integratron is an acoustically perfect tabernacle and energy machine sited on a powerful geomagnetic vortex in the magical Mojave Desert.  Are you intrigued yet?

It was built by a guy who held annual spacecraft conventions and when aliens from Venus visited and invited him onto their ship, he learned this rejuvenation technique and built this dome to practice that rejuvenation.

Our gang went out there to participate in a Sound Bath. Amazingly, lots and lots of other people were out there too.


The first session had filled up, so we had a bit of a wait for the next session to start.  It was hot, and we tried our best to stay cool.





Finally, it was time to go in.  This is the lower level (thankfully with air conditioning and water) where you remove your shoes and climb up the ladder.

Upstairs, you're in the dome.  Grab a mat and lay down.


The leader of the session was going to play these quartz singing bowls.  Each tone corresponds to a major chakras of the body.  


Was it weird?  Nah, not really.  I think I feel asleep.  The bowl playing goes on for about half an hour, and then you're left to rest for another half an hour.  I woke up feeling relaxed.  If anything, it was just nice to meditate and have nothing to do in a quiet, calm room.

Here's the whole gang.  Why am I squatting down?  So weird.



Time to jump on the road again.  Pit stop for drinks.

I didn't buy the Laker water.

Our car veered off for some vintage shop under the most appropriate sign.


Torture chair?

Who owns/buys this stuff?

Back on the road.

To the Ace Hotel for lunch.


I ordered a dish with figs.  It didn't taste as good at it looked, but it was okay.



Birthday cake time!

At which point, I need to come home to LA, because I had about 30 hours to unpack, repack, and get on a plane to NYC.  Adios, Palm Springs.  I really like you.

Saturday night entailed a talent show - did I leave just to get out of it?  Nah....but I missed a glittery good time!

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