Girl's Weekend in Palm Springs: A Desert Getaway Guide

Whether you're seeking poolside relaxation, or an adventurous getaway filled with sightseeing and shopping, Palm Springs is the ultimate destination for a getaway trip. Every summer, my best friends and I have our annual Palm Springs vacation, and I'd love to share some of our favorite activities, places to stay, eat, and shop.

Choosing the right place to stay is key as much of your time is spent enjoying the comfort of your accommodation. Marriott’s Shadow Ridge Resort has by far been my favorite place to stay. I enjoyed sleeping in free from the worries of daily life, and waking up to the breathtaking view of the mountains stretching across the desert horizon. My friends and I would gather to cook breakfast, whipping up the most buttery, fluffy pancakes while chatting about the day's adventures ahead. It felt like the ideal life—carefree mornings spent cooking with friends, surrounded by stunning views, and savoring each moment without a worry in the world. This resort is ideal for lounging with your friends, it offers leisure amenities, a pool just steps from the room, and the perfect blend of home comforts and Palm Springs luxury.

More Iconic Spot Suggestions:

• The Parker
• Korakia Pensione
• The Westin Desert Willow Villas

One of the highlights of a Palm Springs trip is the opportunity to relax by the water under the desert sun meanwhile enjoying a refreshing drink. This is the perfect time to unwind, sun-bathe while enjoying the beautiful desert landscaping, catching up, and taking pictures.

In addition to lounging by the pool, a trip to Palm Canyon Drive is an absolute must! This shopping district is the heart of Palm Springs', it offers a delightful mix of high-end boutiques, vintage shops, and mouthwatering restaurants. Throughout our visit, it's tradition to have an adventure day starting with brunch at FARM, where the poached eggs are so perfectly done, they practically melt in your mouth. After brunch, we make a mandatory coffee stop at Cafe La Jefa to fuel up for a day of shopping. Sephora is always the first stop, followed by H&M, and we wrap up the day by exploring the antique shops, hunting for one-of-a-kind souvenirs.

More things to do:

• Hike Indian Canyon
• Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
• Spa Day at Sec-he

Finding the best spots to eat is crucial on every trip and Palm Springs never disappoints. Every meal I have had in each of my visits are delicious. Below are some of the best restaurants in Palm Springs that you should try.

• Brunch at FARM
• The Heyday
• Birba

Palm Springs is the ultimate destination for a getaway, offering the perfect blend of adventure and relaxation. Whether you’re sunbathing by the pool, indulging in spa treatments, or exploring the desert, every moment is an opportunity to create unforgettable memories with your loved ones. Don't forget to use this guide if you plan on visiting Palm Springs next summer!

Study Aboard In Barcelona

 Study Abroad In Barcelona 

This summer, I studied abroad in Barcelona with the CSUF: CTVA 360 and HCOM 320 Summer 2024 program. This trip truly transformed my life for the better as it allowed me to indulge in a new culture and develop lifelong relationships. My time in Barcelona began as a challenge since I had never been away from home for such a long time, let alone travel to an entirely different country with people I didn’t know. When I reflect on the person I was before the trip to who I am now, I can say that I have become a better version of myself. 

Living alone with a group of strangers, who are now some of my best friends, posed difficulties as we all had to adapt to a new culture and navigate a place foreign to us. However, we shared beautiful experiences like going to Primavera Sound and traveling to Nice and Paris France. Experiencing “first timers” like trying new foods and visiting enchanting places like The Sagrada Family together is what made our group’s bond stronger. 

I never imagined that I could fall in love with a city’s floral street tiles or its wonderful sense of community. Although I did love the city, I think it’s the people who inhabit it that made me feel at peace with an overwhelming sense of happiness. It was a place that pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to discover parts of myself that I didn’t know existed. Most of all, I feel extraordinarily blessed to have been able to experience such a life-changing opportunity with the people in the program. My study abroad group truly made this trip the absolute best and I don’t think that I would have loved it as much if it wasn’t for them. This trip and the fun memories that it allowed me to create have fostered strong emotions of love for our world, more than I could have ever imagined. 

"Malibu Rising" by Taylor Jenkins Reid Review

As Taylor Jenkins Reid continues to grow in popularity from her literary fiction novels, she tends to not fail her readers. Reid has been releasing books that continue to be shelved by adoring fans.

Recently, I read Malibu Rising by T.J.R. and it was captivating. I have read half of her other works and loved every single one of them, so I was looking forward to this specific release. 

The setting of Malibu from the 1950s to the 1980s was enthralling and magnificent. Reid transports you to this world which is also the setting of her other works Daisy Jones and the Six, Carrie Soto is Back, and the infamous The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Some of the characters show up in her other works, which is so fun and feels like an easter egg. 

Malibu Rising is a story of heartbreak, loss, love and family. We follow the Riva family as they navigate the world after the loss of their mother, June. The first half of the novel includes a past and present perspective of when in the past, Mick and June fall in love and then the timeline switches to the present to how the children of Mick and June are living. The Riva kids throw a huge party annually that hosts other famous people, and we see this party unfold throughout the entire novel. The Riva kids were born into the spotlight because of their father Mick, whom we see in other T.J.R. novels. He ends up marrying June and starts his career as a singer and performer. 

As the story progresses, the character relationships become stronger and some relationships get strained. This novel is very character heavy, and the plot is not very present. Reid includes a plethora of diverse characters that are very realistic. They are lovable yet you also hate their flaws. They are complex with their emotions, and although this novel is told in third person, the reader can truly empathize with her characters. 

In my opinion, Malibu Rising is my third favorite of her works thus far. I would rank the ones that I have read as so:

1. Daisy Jones and the Six

2. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

3. Malibu Rising

4. Maybe In Another Life

5. After I Do

I am very excited to read Forever, Interrupted, One True Loves, and Carrie Soto is Back. I will read anything Taylor Jenkins Reid releases, even her grocery list. She is one of my favorite authors, and I cannot get enough of her storytelling. 

Overall, reading Malibu Rising was a treat, and I would highly recommend her works to anyone.

Simple Fun Things to do Over The Summer!

Summer is right around the corner, and school is almost out. If you’re graduating, then that means you will be done with school for good. If you aren’t done this semester, you’ll have a nice summer break before returning in the fall. Either way, every student will need time off to have fun and relax. I’ll mention a few general cost-efficient things that one could do during the summer to help them take the edge off a busy spring semester.

Corona Del Mar Beach

Of course, with the heat already coming in, going to the beach is a must. Any beach will do as long as you have a little space to put your stuff down. You can lay a towel on the sand and sunbathe, maybe get a little tan. Everyone loves looking a little sun-kissed. If you prefer being more active, try finding an area with a net to try out beach volleyball. Or simply run into the ocean! As a kid, I remember going about knee-deep in the water and waiting for the waves to get close enough to jump over them. I would try avoiding touching the white part of the water when I jumped as my little game. Oh, the nostalgia! Oh yeah, I can’t forget building sandcastles! If you have any toys that could help, you bring them. If not, you could honestly use anything with a hole. You could use a bowl or a small Tupperware. I haven’t had a good beach day in a while, so I definitely am going to take my own advice and go this summer.

Community Beach at Hart Park in Orange

Something similar is going to the pool! If you have a pool where you live, that’s even better because you won’t have to go far at all. If you don’t have a pool where you live, try asking a friend or family member that does. If all else fails, there is always a community pool nearby that could work. I know there might be a bit of embarrassment that may come a long with going to the community pool, but it isn’t that different from having the pool to yourself. It adds liveliness and energy.

Color 5K Fun Run at the Angel Stadium 

One last thing you could do during the summer is to invest in physical activity other than the gym. This could be running at a park or trail, playing tennis, attempting basketball, volleyball, or ultimate frisbee, or signing up for fun runs. The possibilities are endless. I say you do something other than the gym because the gym can be boring. You are surrounded by the same machines doing the same workouts. It would be more fun to spice it up just a bit by doing something like a sport. The best thing about it is that it can be very cheap to do! You don’t need a fancy facility to play the sport, you can go to a park and more likely than not there will be a court. All you will need to do is pick the activity and get the necessary supplies, which shouldn’t be much. I plan to play a bit of tennis since I already have a racquet and balls and hopefully attend some fun runs over the summer.

 If you’ve had a stressful spring semester, I hope you will try out one of these ways to relax. As a student, and most likely as someone who works as well, you don’t have a lot of time to have fun. During summer break, you will have more free time to go out and do these activities and live a little bit away from assignments and quizzes. Whether you decide to or not, I wish everyone a fantastic summer and good luck to those graduating!