poolside

these are just a few photos i had left from my trip to palm springs - my poolside "outfit". if you can call a swimsuit an outfit! 

hat from the roundtop antique fair (similar), mara hoffman bikini, madewell sandals, elizabeth & james sunglasses

i pretty much stuck to my palm springs packing guide, with only a few additional items.  i also decided not to wear any kind of jewelry when i was tanning - the bracelet/watch tan line is not cute.  i was kinda nervous when i purchased this bikini.  i bought it online so i didn't try it on first, but i was very surprised at how comfortable i felt in this bikini!  my first high-waisted bikini!  what are your thoughts on the high-waisted bikini?   

cheeky's for brunch... or lunch!

we decided to stop at cheeky's for memorial day brunch before heading back to los angeles, as it was only a mile from our hotel and could walk there.  good idea in theory - bad idea in 95 plus degree weather.  cheeky's, located at 622 n. palm canyon dr., is a hip little spot that serves just breakfast, lunch, coffee & pastries from 8am - 2pm, monday - wednesday.

cheeky's makes all their pastries on premises - their house specialty is the croissant cinnamon roll

cheeky's menu changes weekly, and they aim to use seasonal ingredients that are locally grown and organic.  they also make all their own batters, sauces and dressings.  this place is right up my alley!  after checking out their website and reading some yelp reviews, i was sold.  we made the one mile walk, only to find out that the wait was insanely long!  we ended up waiting for over an hour, but it was so worth it!   

pesto french fries - we could smell these during the long wait and had to try them!  the fries were cooked perfectly and the pesto tasted so fresh!  a great combo!

sweet potato fries - i always like to try sweet potato fries when i see them on a menu & these did not disapoint!  thick cut, crunchy on the outside & soft and sweet on the inside!

blta salad with heirloom tomato, avocado, candied bacon & mache - i am definitely going to re-create this at home!  i was worried that the candied bacon would be too candied, but it was very subtle!  just like eating a blt, but without the bread!

indio corn and squash blossom scramble with homemade herb ricotta - this is what my mom got and she said "it was awesome! the homemade ricotta added a tartness that went perfectly with the eggs."  she also was raving about the use of the squash blossoms and how good they were!

our table also ordered the brioche french toast with fresh white peach puree and sweet creme fraiche, custard cheesey scrambled eggs with maple sage sausage & deb's cheddar scone, and the buttermilk & fresh corn pancakes with blueberries.  everyone loved their food and decided that the insanely long wait was well worth it.  like, we wait that long again to eat such a good meal!  

one thing that i wanted to try, but didn't - the bacon flight.  yes, they have bacon flight!  i can only imagine!  bottom line - you must head over to cheeky's for brunch if you are in palm springs!!

liberty & chambray for all

another outfit from the long weekend.  i  decided to go the colorful route for a casual dinner sunday night, mostly cause i was hoping all the color would distract people from my sunburned legs (which doesn't look as bad as it felt).

madewell shirt, liberty of london for target dress, shoemint wedges, elizabeth & james sunglasses, jw hulme bag

i've gotten so much wear out of this liberty of london for target dress, after all these years i still think that was my favorite target/designer collaboration.  remember back when it was actually possible to get something from those target collabs?  ohhh, those were the days!  i won these shoemint wedges back in february during the pose/shoemint valentines day contest.  it took awhile for the prize to arrive in the mail, but it was well worth the wait.  i love the shoes, they are the perfect color & style for the summer!  are you ready for summer yet?  do you have one summer staple you pull out every year?
    

modern pioneer

so its unofficially summer!  i spent the long weekend relaxing by the pool in palm springs working on my tan (or sunburn) and celebrating my mom's birthday.  for her actual birthday dinner we made the drive from palm springs to pioneertown (yes, i was just there a few months ago!) to eat dinner at pappy & harriet's.  i'm pretty sure that when spending the weekend in palm springs its basically mandatory that you make the drive to pioneertown and eat at pappy & harriet's (well if you like good food & good music, but who doesn't?).  

 gap denim jacket, madewell shirt, free people skirt, frye boots (similar), elizabeth & james sunglasses, jw hulme bag

pioneertown is just one of my favorite things to do in palm springs - i've got a few more palm springs photos to share this week!  hope you all enjoyed the long holiday weekend!

packing for the desert (palm springs)

this coming weekend is what we like to call "memorial day weekend" - pretty much the unofficial start to the summer! while many people like to fill the weekend with bbqs, i will be spending the weekend laying by a pool, working on my tan, and maybe drinking a margarita or two in palm springs! 

the real reason for the trip is to celebrate my mom's birthday!  as usual what i'm planning to wear is a pretty big part of the planning process.   since we are mostly going to be hanging by the pool i don't need too many outfits, so i've gathered a few separates that i can mix and match!

1. san diego hat company PBL300 floppy straw sun hat - a wide brim hat is a must for anyone spending an extended amount of time in the sun.  i've spent enough time in the sun without any protection already, so keeping the sun off my face is super important to me.  

2. madewell perfect racerback tank - i love these lightweight tanks from madewell - perfect to throw on over a bikini with some cutoffs & will also look cute with a skirt for dinner!

3. mara hoffman techno animal high waisted bandeau bikini - i've become obsessed with mara hoffman bikinis this season!  i love this kinda retro, high waisted one for palm springs!  

4. free people vegan leather pleated skirt - this skirt is one of my favorite buys for the past few months!  i can wear it with the tank during the day and then throw my chambray over if it gets cool at night.

5. shoemint jill wedges - these are low enough to wear during the day, and cute enough to wear out to my mom's birthday dinner!

6. madewell crisscross boardwalk sandal - i love the pop of color on these sandals!  i will be wearing them all weekend long!

7. hawaiian tropic spf 20 - i think its pretty obvious why i'd pack this!

8. madewell campfire cargo shirt - i basically don't leave the house without a chambray shirt.  its definitely a must have in the closet.  i'll throw it over my bikini during the day!

i'll probably throw in a pair of denim shorts, a summer dress and something to sleep in but thats about it!  hopefully i can stick to this and i won't over pack!  what are your plans for memorial day?  any traditions?

the good ole days (pioneertown + pappy & harriet's)

as i mentioned, the bf and i spent last weekend out in the desert with his grandparents. on saturday night we decided to drive out to pioneertown - a small little village about an hour from where we were staying. 

other than the one road (mane st.) that is pioneertown, there is a motel & and restruant/bar - pappy & harriet's.  after walking down the mane st. (which we did pretty fast, it was so cold & i wasn't prepared!), we went to eat at pappy & harriet's.  it was packed, we had to wait and hour for a table!  luckily there was a bluegrass band playing (they have bands every night, i think) so the wait didn't seem so bad.  once we got our food, we realized the wait was welllll worth it! 

mtn man i found at pappy & harriet's... oh no, just the bf who needs a haircut!

extra points for serving drinks in mason jars.  bf wants to replace all our glasses with jars.

chili fries - literally the best i've ever had!

1/2 chicken w/ veggie of the day (broccoli) and garlic mashed potatoes & gravy.  so good.

i will definitely go back to pioneertown and pappy & harriet's, and highly recommend it to anyone going to the area!  happy friday everyone!