To celebrate my thirtieth birthday, two of my best friends and their respective husband and boyfriend joined David and I for a weekend in the desert. We’d originally tossed around ideas like a big Vegas to-do or a winery daytrip, but my birthday falls right in the midst of my crazy season at work, so I really just wanted to relax.
While we’d typically stay at the Ace or the Saguaro, we rented a lovely house in Palm Springs on AirBNB for this trip. With lots of indoor and outdoor space, privacy, and amenities, it was the perfect home away from home.
We spent the majority of our time laughing and lounging in and around the pool. There were lots of Pimm’s Cups, many bottles of rosé, and soca music in the sunshine.
The cornhole and card games got seriously competitive. The smack talking, even more so.
Heading to stroll, shop, and have brunch at Cheeky’s (bacon flight and blueberry corn pancakes for the win), Erin and I couldn’t help but laugh at our color-coordination.
I adore firepits- they take me back to my Girl Scout days. So we ended each night with a fire and some s’mores.
I always find people’s roasted marshmallow preferences so curious. I like mine totally molten but barely tan- David capitalizes on all the ones that go up in flames.
We had cocktails at Bar en route to my birthday dinner at Birba. We go every time we’re in Palm Springs- the pizza there is incredible. It’s so popular now, but it was great despite the crowd, and the timing of our late dinner worked out perfectly to have birthday cake at home for dessert.
I prepped three layers of this lemon-blueberry goodness at home in LA, double-wrapped it, and brought it along. A hand mixer and homemade bourbon vanilla made quick work of some delicious cheesecake whipped cream frosting.
It was topped with the most outrageous little firework-candle hybrid. It bloomed and spun and played happy birthday (for hours) and was so ridiculously over the top. Might need to become a birthday tradition.
We capped the weekend with brunch at Workshop Kitchen + Bar before hitting the road back to the city. That lobster breakfast burrito was just scrumptious, as were the huevos rancheros and blue crab benedict.
And of course, no road trip to the desert is complete without a stop (or two) at Hadley’s for date shakes and wasabi sunflower seeds.
I’m so very spoiled that my beloveds were willing to spend vacation days and dollars, to fly and drive to shower me with gifts and good wishes. The weekend was the perfect balance of relaxation and revelry, a fabulous way to welcome my 30th year, and definitely this birthday girl’s wish come true.
loveRavayna
