With a nine-month job, I'm left with quite a bit of time. While I have the summer technically "off," it's not my favorite time to visit crowded places. I'm the tourist who wants to avoid being with other tourists, as if that were possible. My fall and spring breaks are the best for off-season travel. But, this past summer was different from other summers. I had goals to relax and recover from the culmination of a many-year effort at something big. I tried to relax. I failed. I worked my second, third, and fourth jobs. At one point, I stopped hanging out with everyone and instituted "Quiet in July." That extended to August and into this very hot vacation in the desert.
I love California. I've written this so many times that it feels ridiculous to restate. I enjoy so many different parts of California, and I've been to most regions (a few key spots remain and are on the list for 2025). I'm unsure if it's an unpopular East Coast opinion, but I like Los Angeles. Yes, visiting is different than living, but the light, the trees, the space, the options. Since I grew up in the suburbs, I don't mind the car/driving stuff. Having lived in Philadelphia, I get the "I don't leave my neighborhood" concept. Maybe it's my tendency toward seasonal depression, but forty northeast winters are enough for one person. At some point, it'll really be enough.
As the summer went on, I realized I needed to go somewhere else to relax. It wasn't happening at home. I had wanted to revisit LA since the pandemic, and I wanted to be in the desert. So, Joshua Tree. While I'd been to Joshua Tree three times before, I was eager to spend more time near the park and explore it on multiple days. We figured out a ten-day combination of LA and Joshua Tree, complete with an Airbnb with a pool. I would have no choice but to relax.
The trip started with a long day in LA. At some point in the planning, we realized that the Phillies played at the Dodgers on the first day of the trip. I had started a pinhole project on the Phillies and wanted to explore other stadiums for the project. We landed early, went to the Boy and the Bear Coffee Roastery, and then walked Venice Beach for photography and people-watching. I had a different summer-long photo project on beach towns, so I wanted to stop in Venice for a few reasons. We had beers at a bar on the "boardwalk," took photos of skateboarders, and went to Pizzeria Sei. I continue to try the best pizza places; it was solid, not the best I've ever had for Neopolitan style, but good. Then we drove to Dodger Stadium.
I'd heard the rumors about Dodgers fans: they don't care, show up late, and certainly aren't like Philly Sports Fans. Somewhat hilarious to me, we hit 45 minutes of traffic going to the game, but within a mile of the stadium, there was no traffic. No one was driving to the game an hour before start time. We parked and were first approached by someone else from Philadelphia asking us about parking. It was funny and fitting to hear the Philly accent out there.
I wanted time to walk around the stadium and check out the angles, but our first stop on the top deck was excellent. The light and the view were LA-perfect. We stayed up there until sunset and then walked around the lower levels. Only the daughter of a football coach would want to see and evaluate a stadium. I've been to many stadiums. I have opinions. Dodgers Stadium is one of the original concrete monsters; while Citizens Bank Park is a fantastic venue, I still miss the Vet. Dodgers felt a bit like the Vet, but with the renovations, it felt pastiche, a mix of old and new. You only get the feeling that it seats 56,000 people when you're in the outfield looking towards the upper decks. While it was nice to see the Phillies somewhere else, they lost, and we had to drive to Joshua Tree after the game. We made it by midnight and checked in. Even at night, it was very warm.
I knew it would be hot in the desert in August. I did not know there would be a heat wave and 110 during the day. I've practiced hot yoga for fifteen years. I've taught four ninety-minute classes in one day. I've taken six classes in one day. But, 105 and east-coast humidity is not 110 in the desert. Humans are not made for 110. By midday, it becomes too hot to be outside or have the energy to do anything. In a way, the heat forced me to relax and slow down. It felt amazing.
We went into the park on four different days. The light was different on each visit, and we picked our favorite spots for sunset. We hiked a bit but kept it very reasonable, given the heat. We also took a day trip to Salton Sea and Palm Springs. I've been to both before, but seeing how much the Salton Sea had receded since my last trip in 2019 was interesting. It's still a weird, weird art place. We also stopped by the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum. There's a reason the desert is good for art.
Foodwise, I didn't have high hopes, but was pleasantly surprised. We found excellent food at Kitchen in the Desert, a fun dive bar (Out There Bar) in 29 Palms, had BBQ and saw live music at Pappy and Harriet's in Pioneertown, and had an awesome breakfast at Crossroads Cafe. Also, Joshua Tree Coffee Company is solid.
We spent the last night in LA. I don't exactly know why, but I develop things I must revisit in certain places. I have pilgrimages in San Francisco. I have spots in LA. The Comedy Store is one of them. After drinks at the Snake Pit, we spent a few hours in the Main Room. Then, we went back to our Airbnb in Laurel Canyon. We had a few hours before the flight the following day and grabbed coffee at Go Get Em Tiger in Larchmont.
Overall, the trip was what I needed. Sunny. Blue skies. Far away. Desert-y. A mix of adventure and photography. I finally relaxed. Just two days before the back-to-school meetings began.
