weekend getaway

for my birthday i wanted to do a little getaway with the girls and this was the weekend we had booked months ago. growing up in southern california, palm springs was always the place to go and i went for years and years with everyone but my own parents (they had no interest) and later as a teen for spring break (no comment!) it has always been a mysterious place, super hot, but gorgeous in its own way, rich people and not-so-rich living together. it has the hollywood fifties glam reputation and the retiree golf thing going on. for me, i just wanted a place with a pool so i could swim.

my neighbors recommended this place in desert hot springs (even huell howser has been here for one of his shows on so cal places to visit). it is mid century modern (used loosely, i think it was just built in the fifites) and has these great rooms with a view of the pool at one end and the mountains on the other. there are 8 pools of hot spring water, some are hotter than others and you go from one to the other getting hot then cooling off. after a short time you get a rhythm going, super hot, then cold, then warm, then hot, then warm... changing it up a bit here and there. they also have a sauna (140 degrees!) where you can really roast yourself. there is a freezing pool in the center with a fountain, ice cold but oh so refreshing. the girls went with us from pool to pool (there was even a 1 1/2 foot teeny pool for liz) and somehow we made it through the weekend with minimal meltdowns.

the hotel was full of fire victims (some from gvl) and the smokey air was a reminder of the still burning fires. we saw parking lots full of trailers packed to the hilt with belongings, i wonder if that is all some people have left. i cant seem to escape these fires now can i?