This has been an epically weird week with plenty of twists and turns…but that’s just the way I like it. Never a dull moment in sight! My trip to Palm Springs was for work but Kat, Gala and I were determined to knock that all out as fast as possible so we could unwind and explore the city beyond the confines of our mid-century modern compound.

Working from sunrise to sundown every day, we wrapped up our project two full days early, just as the weekend hit.

We used the break to venture across the city, stopping into book shops, galleries and boutiques stuffed to the brim with amazing, colorful mod furniture. It was toasty enough to go coatless and bare-legged, a marked difference from Portland, where a massive snowstorm had hit! I wore this neon coral dress every chance I got.

There’s art everywhere in Palm Springs. I love it.

Back at our pad, we goofed off and did some just for fun photoshoots with Richard from FX Media.

Kat found these Wonka-esque shades for less than 20 bucks at a local boutique!

I celebrated my day off with a very dramatic look, complete with a Crown and Glory flower crown. This is the dress I wore.

As daylight quickly faded, I knew we had to finally put our turquoise fire pit to use. I talked our group into engaging in the ultimate All-American night-time activity: making s’mores. Gala, Kat and Richard had never done it so I gleefully explained all the steps. With no paper plates in sight, we carefully stacked our finished s’mores on a silver platter.

As our stay in Palm Springs wound down, Joey and Rocky came by for a visit. As we walked Rocky around the neighborhood, I was completely bowled over by its beauty. A lot of people envision Palm Springs as one big, never-ending desert but this view tells a different story.

After Palm Springs, I headed off to LA with Gala. On our way, we pulled off the freeway to see the Cabazon Dinosaurs. A perfect Monday afternoon activity. 😉

As we settled into West Hollywood for the night, Gala and I took a long walk across the city, peering into gallery and boutique windows. I was totally enamored by this portrait of Liz, complete with glittery hair.

We’d been hearing rave reviews about Lemonade (isn’t their website awesome?) and it didn’t disappoint. Served cafeteria-style, there’s a fantastic mix of healthy options and guilty pleasures. My guilty pleasure? The white truffle mac and cheese. So incredibly tasty. I’m still thinking about it!

The next day, Gala found out she’d have to leave a day early due to weather advisories. That left us just one day to knock out our entire list. We made our way to the Ace Hotel, Bottega Louie, Shareen Vintage, Scent Bar, Tender Greens, Chateau Marmont and finished our night off with massages.

Newly opened, the Ace Hotel is beautiful, with brass tables, a checkerboard floor and one of the best breakfasts in town. I’ll be sharing much more about it very soon!

We also stopped into Bottega Louie, a place I’ve been obsessing about for years. If Marie Antoinette owned a dessert shoppe, this would be it. Unable to resist the temptation, I walked out with a box of rainbow-hued macarons all to myself.

After criss-crossing the city, we stopped into the Chateau Marmont for drinks. It was my first time there and otherworldly in the best possible way. The only way I could possibly sum it up is that it’s an Art Deco version of Disney’s Haunted Mansion. Pristine. Beautiful. Magical. Mysterious. I ordered a drink called the Blood & Sand which was incredibly potent.

The next morning, I woke up at the crack of dawn to send Gala on her way. As soon as she was out the door, I had an email from Kat and Richard, letting me know that all their flights to London were delayed and that they were stuck in LA for the day. The best surprise ever!

We had the best breakfast at Urth Caffe, people watching and reminiscing about our adventures in Palm Springs.

After that, we strolled past boutiques, taking in all the sights. The coolest storefront? Paul Smith.

And with that, I’m ready to wind down and get back to work. Bah humbug! It’s always hard to say goodbye to your friends, especially when they live thousands of miles away.

Signing off from sunny LA with much more to come soon! — Shauna