Since his birthday was overshadowed by the filming of a certain music video, boyfriend and I decided to celebrate ours collectively last week with a trek round the under-appreciated Southern California desert. First destination: Salvation Mountain. We could use a little saving.
Despite questionable googlemap directions, we managed to pull up just in time to meet the creator Leonard Knight himself. Having made the mountain out of nothing but dirt, hay, water, and old paint over a decade; this 90+ year old man is a walking demonstration of enlightenment, faith and love. He is calmer and kinder than you could possibly imagine, like a regular Slab City Ghandi. Though we claim no particular religion, the faith and dedication that created this monument is even more extraordinary than the mountain itself. The only real ritual here is to donate your old paint; Leonard was excited that we brought colors. The mountain is huge, with walk through tunnels and rooms to impress. To die without seeing this would be a true pity, so please get your ass out there.
Despite questionable googlemap directions, we managed to pull up just in time to meet the creator Leonard Knight himself. Having made the mountain out of nothing but dirt, hay, water, and old paint over a decade; this 90+ year old man is a walking demonstration of enlightenment, faith and love. He is calmer and kinder than you could possibly imagine, like a regular Slab City Ghandi. Though we claim no particular religion, the faith and dedication that created this monument is even more extraordinary than the mountain itself. The only real ritual here is to donate your old paint; Leonard was excited that we brought colors. The mountain is huge, with walk through tunnels and rooms to impress. To die without seeing this would be a true pity, so please get your ass out there.
This plaque almost made me cry. Leonard deserved it.
Next stop was the Lizard Tree Library at Slab City. This...fascinating little town is located directly behind Salvation Mountain and is populated only with people who want to escape the world and live in a 120 degree anarchist paradise. There are no paved streets, no running water, no restaurants, no phones or electricity. But there is of course a Christian Center, and a magnificent theatre made of recycled trash! Open 24/7 the library, filled with quirky literature and lots of spiders, is run entirely on the honor policy. We dropped off some old books, wandered around, got way too hot for coastal long-hairs and moved along.
Next stop was the ever charming Salton Sea. Situated in between El Centro and Palm Springs, this massive lake is one of Southern California's saddest stories. Once a vacation epicentre for the rich and famous of the 1960s, the sea is almost 40 miles long and 20 miles wide. There are tiny islands scattered across it that would be ideal for vacation homes and water activities, if the sea weren't so polluted and rancid that it kills most of it's animal inhabitants.
Cut off from all other water sources in the 70s, the Salton Sea stormed and flooded in the early 1980s, wiping out most of the remaining visitor's structures. It has been left to rot and poison North America's rare bird populations who come to feed and drink, as this is one of Southern California's last undeveloped wetlands. Every so often the fish mostly die from botchulism, making for fantastic pictures and an unbearable smell. What's left of the Salton Sea and the once thriving communities surrounding it are beautifully disgusting ruins and a very tragic story. See more in this awesome documentary narrated by John Waters.
The fact that a body of water this size is sitting, wasted in the middle of a land in constant drought is mind blowing and sad. The inhabitants are kind and very brave to live there in the heat and the smell. Most don't have other options but some choose this life, and almost everyone there believes that the initiative set up by Sonny Bono prior to his death will someday restore the sea to it's original glory.
We really enjoyed our visit and will definitely go back. The beach was quarantined but we went anyways. Crunchy with high salt and fish scale content, the sand seems coarse and eerie. The whole thing is absolutely gorgeous. A shoreline without people is a tough concept to understand if you're from California, but the ghost town appeal holds it's own weight.
There's a bar called the Ski Inn at Bombay Beach with $2 beers and a comfortable back patio. We could have purchased property on the sea that very day, they are so cheap. A psychotic idea or not, we consider it. At the least it would be a fantastic base for desert activities and photo shoots.
And now for less bleak, consumer-centric fun in Palm Springs! The ever-marvelous Jack booked us at the Movie Colony Hotel, which is a super fun 21+ spot smack in the middle of Downtown Palm Springs. In addition to noteworthy architecture and adorable furnishings, the hotel pool and jacuzzi are open 24 hours and they have a free cocktail hour each evening. This was super fun since we were the lone Americans in a hotel full of travelling Euros, and everyone came out for a cocktail chat. I made sure to pack only my 70's Palm Springsy best, so I spent a lot of our extremely lazy time in fancy old lady mumus and ridiculously tall platforms.
As for fun activities in Palm Springs; thrifting and eating take the cake. Since it was my bday, Jack insisted on a 12 store thrift shopping spree, which certainly resulted in an afternoon nap on our private sun deck.
In review, star items included the perfect fitting black floor length 70s event gown, beaded sweaters galore, the perfect pair of olive green military boots for winter, a stark white Chanel sweat suit for resale, and a pair of what seem to be dark teal polyester metal/chain embellished...mariachi pants. It sounds crazy, but they look fantastic on.
Incredible treasures and rest obtained, we hit the trendy bars and restaurants that Palm Springs boasts. I tried a lot of fancy girly drinks and snacked on light appetizers.
Short reviews:
Lulu's was amazing. With an all day happy hour and deliciously fresh menu, it's an absolute go-to. Favorites included the House Mojito and the Tuna Tartar Tower.
Jake's is another favorite delicious spot. We were saddened to have found it later in the trip-I cannot stress enough just how delicious it was! Favorites included the Horse Raddish Bloody Mary.
Cheeky's and Birba: owned by the same company, sitting right next door to one another. Cheeky's for breakfast and lunch, Birba for dinner and drinks. Everything was incredibly yummers, not to mention locally farmed. Why leave that block? Favorites included the Oh Nancy! vodka beverage with muddled lemon, and the Habanero Margarita for the boy.
The Chop House was our big meal. A classic steakhouse with a fun twist, they wrecked us with a gigantic steak for the boy and a perfect rack of lamb for yours truly! A muddled strawberry martini (muddling is so hot right now) and a birthday chocolate mouse...and it was bed time.
Trio had a fun and eclectic vibe where everyone seemed to already be friends. Favorites included their Russian Mule (a favorite everywhere for me) and the fact that they encourage liquor sampling before one orders.
The Ace Hotel is Palm Spring's newest hip-est spot. We found it entirely adorable but the service and drinks left plenty to be desired and there were cockroaches everywhere! The coolest parts were probably the classic trailer taco truck next to the pool, and the unpleasant yet absolutely beautiful tattooed hipster girls running around.
Before a 30 oz Steak
...and after.
Overall, the Imperial Valley and Palm Springs was an amazing trip, as were the strangely foggy drives to and from. If you are sick of the plastic thrills in Las Vegas, try the dirt and decomposing thrills of the Salton Sea! Or the illogically green lawn thrills of Palm Springs.
One last note: Currently obsessed with South African Zef group Die Antwoord, we had very little else on our speakers which was the perfect sound track for a high energy/ghost town/hot summer/bright colored dive bars kind of trip.
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