Travel Guide to Palm Springs (On a Budget)

Ever wanted to visit a desert oasis of mid-century modern architecture and retired gay men? Now's your chance! Here is my college-student guide to a weekend in Palm Springs. Two or three days is the perfect amount of time to spend here. (This is a long post, get ready.)

on the way

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• If you are driving to Palm Springs via the 10 freeway, you will pass the iconic Cabazon Dinosaurs! It is free to take a picture with them, but they also have a extra park with a small admission fee. 
• Also in Cabazon, you will find the Cabazon Outlets, a large outdoor outlet mall featuring designer stores as well as favorites such as Vans. 
• Grab a famous banana-date shake or some dried fruit at Hadley Fruit Orchards.
• Take Route 66 instead for even more roadside attractions!

Mr. T-Rex!

There's a gift shop inside this one!

Me posing w/ my ex!

 Off the 10 Freeway, Hadley has those sweet little dried fruit arrangements you can send to your grandma. It's also close to a gas station and fast-food places if you need to fill up!

to stay

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Honestly, you're not missing out if you don't stay at a fancy hotel! There are plenty of cool options on Airbnb, bed and breakfasts, and inns all within the area. 

There are some cool hotels you definitely should visit though!

• Hard Rock Hotel----don't let its discrete appearance fool you. Its grand lobby is full of rock memorabilia and has a cute gift shop where you can even purchase a day pass to use their pool! It's a walk away from downtown as well. 
• The Saguaro is probably the most well-known and picturesque hotel in Palm Springs! Its colorful and eclectic 50s-style attracts thousands of spring-breakers and Coachella-goers. It's the perfect destination for trendy LA yuppies. Take a walk around outside, order a drink at El Jefe (the bar), or take a dip in the pool (open to the public!) We made the mistake of trying to have a relaxing day at the pool on Memorial Day weekend- let's just say I've never seen so many drunk 20-something year-olds in one place!
• The Parker is even more pretentious than the Saguaro, so I only went to take photos! It is really beautifully decorated. So bohemian-chic.
• The Korakia Pensione is your quiet Moroccan getaway tucked behind the downtown. Another high-end hotel, but much less intimidating. 

Outfits worn by RHCP, The Cure, and more.

My handsome boi in the beautiful hotel lighting.

 Located a little farther from the downtown area, The Saguaro is still only a 10 minute drive down Palm Canyon.

So colorful I want to take a picture of everything!

The Parker lobby

Views of the Korakia

to shop 

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• Downtown Palm Springs is a cute place (the only place) to walk around in the evenings; I love the sock store!
• I will be making a post of all the thrift stores I went to! The few vintage stores I got to visit were very pricey & had mainly 70s apparel. 
• The Uptown Design District has its share of mid-century stores and galleries.

to see & do 

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• The pink door! 1100 E Sierra Way, Palm Springs (someone actually lives there, so be respectful!)
• The Visitor's Center has plenty of touristy brochures and souvenirs, not to mention it's a beautiful structure. 
• Moorten Botanical Garden and Cactarium is a beautiful visit and is only $5! A quiet succulent garden owned by a sweet elderly couple. They have tortoises, birds, and you can even buy succulents to make your own garden! Across the street from some Polynesian-inspired architecture if you're into that.
• Palm Springs Art Museum(s); Architecture and Design Center----I never even knew this existed! Admission to the Architecture and Design Center is free, and the Palm Springs Art Museum (a few blocks away) is $5 for students, or $12.50 for adults. This was the highlight of the trip for me!! Spent a good 2 hours total here. It's so much bigger than I expected. They even had some pieces by Miro, Picasso, and more!
• The Aerial Tramway was expensive, but worth it. It takes you all the way up to the top of the mountain, and you can see the entire Coachella Valley. You get dropped off at the top and you can eat a bite or have a drink at the cafe before you head down! Really cheesy & touristy, but super cool!
• I've been to the Living Desert Zoo before, and it is so fun! Didn't go this time, but it is definitely worth it. Leave a few hours for this one.

Lots of people taking pictures here! Basic, but whatever.

Visitor Center building designed by Albert Frey.

The "world's first" catctarium! There's an outside section as well.

The architecture sector of the Palm Springs Art Museum. Fun fact: I fell in the parking lot before taking this picture.

The gorgeous inside of the Palm Springs Art Museum. So many cool pieces. Complete with three levels plus an outdoor sculpture garden.

 Mid-century modern furniture design.


The tramway station is located just up the road from the Visitor Center.

Unbeatable views. You can stay up at the top however long you want! Trams run down at every half hour.

to eat & drink

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• Sherman's is my family's go-to. Not the trendiest place, but this family-owned Jewish deli and bakery has everything from latkes to corned beef hash. Reasonably priced. 
• I like the bar/grill atmosphere of Brickworks in downtown. Used to be called Matchbox pizza! Located upstairs next to Ruby's Diner, enjoy an outlook of the downtown plaza.
• Las Casuelas has good traditional Mexican food, and live music plus dancing in the evening.
• One of the trendier places, Koffi fills your breakfast & organic coffee needs. Overpriced? A little, but enjoy the outdoor seating area in the back!
• I don't know of any bars besides the ones at the hotels, and most of the clubs downtown are gay clubs so take your chances there! 

 Even Sherman's fits in with the eternal 60s aesthetic of Palm Springs.

Koffi located between downtown & the Uptown Design District!

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Thanks for reading & hope you find your way to Palm Springs one day!

Happy travels,

--Courtney

Earth Day Reflection

Hey everyone! I really wanted to do a cool challenge or post this Earth Day, but I just got a bit overwhelmed. Can we really make a difference in this world? Does taking a shorter shower really do anything? 

I don't know the answers to these questions, but I definitely want to modify my lifestyle to be more sustainable and eco-friendly. I just wanted to make a quick reflection of my current lifestyle and set some goals for the future! I broke everything down into categories for an easier read.

I. CLOTHING 

This is a big one, y'all. Fast fashion may be *good* for the economy (except most manufacturing is outsourced now), but we as Americans consume SO MUCH. According to a Penn State article, it takes approximately 9,982 gallons to produce a single pair of jeans. My goal, which I have been following pretty well, is to only consume secondhand clothing. New purchases could be limited to 5 items per year. I think I can manage that! It is so easy to get caught up on trends and make impulse buys at the mall. Buying clothes from sustainable brands is unfortunately not currently affordable for the common consumer. (Are sustainable brands elitist?)
Furthermore, I enjoy sewing and making clothes as well! (See my latest sewing tutorial??) Textiles contribute so much to pollution! I have recently learned that fashion is the #2 most polluting industry and that synthetic textiles are made from chemical processes similar to fossil fuels. The average American produces 70 pounds of textile waste annually according to the Council for Textile Recycling. It's pretty bad. So this means that as a sewer, I would like to sustainably source my textiles: buying fabric from thrifts, recycling other garments, and buying organic cotton.

II. FOOD
Approximately 30 to 40 percent of food in America is wasted. I believe it is about 20 to 30 percent for produce. Food is definitely something I take for granted. Not wasting food, buying organic, and buying local produce all can help in reducing food waste and promoting sustainable eating. Spending money is like voting. Whether you purchase a 20-pack of bagged potato chips or buy a potato from a local farmer is a huge difference.  Processed foods and pesticide spraying in the agriculture industry are as prevalent as ever. Cast your "votes" carefully. Notice that there are more organic items popping up in grocery stores that wouldn't typically sell organic foods? It's because the demand for organic foods has increased recently. Hopefully this means that organic options won't be so expensive in the next couple of years.
I want to learn how to grow my own foods and compost too. Right now I just throw my orange peels away in the garden, but I think I can do better.

III.  TRANSPORTATION
Never drive somewhere if you can walk or take public transport. Unfortunately where I live, there are not many options for public transportation. Taking the bus or train can double or triple your travel time. It's not very efficient. However, next year I am going to commute to school, so I would like to take public transport on certain days or even carpool. It reduces traffic and carbon emissions! Not gonna drive a Prius, no offense.

IV. UTILITIES
I don't quite understand how turning off the lights in the room is eco-friendly or whatever, but I do it anyway! I love using natural light, and I plan to invest in solar panels in the future. Conserving nonrenewable resources such as natural gas is as important as ever. I also read this interesting article in one of my classes on how the recent decline in fertility rates is potentially detrimental for the environment.
Reducing one's "carbon footprint" has become very popular. I remember they did an episode on the Disney Channel show Life with Derek when I was a kid. All these families were competing who had the smallest carbon footprint and the parents were so embarrassed they went to the gas station in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. I don't know, this made more sense in my head.
Still looking for tips to save water! It's so difficult because you need water to do anything. I guess I want to focus on doing laundry more efficiently. Did you know you only need to wash your jeans like every 50 times you wear them? Or maybe it's every 500 times, I forget.

In conclusion, take all this with a grain of (organic/sustainable/fair-trade) salt, I don't want to push some agenda here. I'm laying out some facts, and stating my opinion, but my purpose isn't to persuade anyone! I am increasingly more passionate about sustainability and I hope to share it with others. 

Some good documentaries on sustainability that I would recommend are One Man, One Cow, One Planet; The True Cost (about the garment manufacturing industry); and King Corn. There are a few on Netflix too that I have yet to watch. Sorry! I just really love documentaries. 

Happy planet-saving!

--Courtney

DIY Shorts Made from Recycled Fabric

Hey everyone! I am always looking for free sewing patterns for clothes that I would actually wear, and recently I found Peppermint Mag via Pinterest! They just happen to be a magazine specializing in "style, sustainability, and substance!" I originally was attracted to their site because of the free patterns (ngl!). BUT, they also have some really amazing articles that you should check out! (Can you tell I want them to sponsor me?!)

Anyway! My spring break project that I wanted to tackle was to bring this shorts design to life! They are drawstring shorts to wear to the beach/during the summertime!

This is how they came out!!

My design!

I am terrible at making patterns from scratch, so I was overjoyed to come across the "Get Shorty" pattern from Issue 27! Click on this link to see their free printable pattern page! It comes with a free pattern download and super clear instructions for assembly!

http://peppermintmag.com/other/sewing-schools/ 

I bought this awesome striped linen fabric from a garage sale, and I was also able to salvage some dark blue chambray-like fabric for the accents! (Since I ran out of space for the pockets!) You could easily make these shorts without the pockets; which I was tempted to! However, the pockets were actually very simple, and it makes the shorts look much more professional. 

I did make some minor adjustments to the pattern, so I wanted to document my process! I also just wanted to brag about how my shorts turned out!!

My design sketch!

Placing the pattern on the fabric... on the opposite way of the grain! I really wanted the stripes to be vertical. So I did some research, and you can work against the grain as long as your fabric does not have a nap or stretch!! I ended up not using the hem bands from the pattern, and they are not necessary! I also didn't have enough room for the waistband so I doubled over the fabric and cut it in two parts and then sewed it together.

Adding some darts in the front and and back because I'm dumb and cut the waistband too small.

Pockets!! I was afraid to attempt the pockets, but I'm so glad I did!! I chose a different fabric for my pockets, mainly because I didn't have enough striped fabric! Even though the pocket fabric is a thicker textile, it still worked out really well!

Here are the shorts fully assembled! I made a few more adjustments as you will see.

I measured and cut off the hem to straighten it out. I ended up not using the hem bands either! I picked about an inch of stitching from the edge of the shorts to make a side slit. Then, I used a basting (long) stitch to temporarily hold it in place.

I then zig-zagged the hem to prevent fraying (which didn't really work!)

I ripped open the basting stitch, and sewed a topstitch on either side of the slit. I made a small hem on the shorts. For added security, I sewed a tight zig zag stitch (to imitate a bartack) on top of the slits.

Ta da!!! My finished product! I ended up turning over the paper bag waist and making another elastic casing. I totally messed up the stitching in the ditch part, so my paper bag waist was a little too.. baggy.

My beautiful pockets & slits!

So glad I purchased some rope cording for the tie!

That's all for now! Happy sewing!
--Courtney

5 Steps to Becoming a More Sustainable Student

Hi everyone! As you may know, I am a first-year college student living in the dorms. Living in an average residence hall is very expensive, and very wasteful. Here are my 5 tips for eco-friendly student living. (Some help to reduce cost as well!)

1. You'd be surprised how many students use plasticware and paper plates! Don't be lazy---invest in some dish ware of your own! I bought these cute BPA-free utensils from World Market. They are super easy to use and wash! The ends are interchangeable for a spoon, knife, fork, and chopsticks! I also bought a plate from there for a couple dollars and bought a mug from a thrift store! You will minimize waste and save money in the long-run.

2. Use a dish cloth or towel instead of paper towels. Trust me, you'll make so many messes. A reusable napkin/towel helps to reduce waste and makes your dorm feel so much more homey. 

3. Plants help to purify and circulate the air in a room. I used to have a cute little succulent plant but I killed it :( I made this little bamboo tree from an old plastic water bottle! You only need to water bamboo plants once per week! Wow, so eco-friendly!! 

4. Surge protectors help to save energy! Plus, you will definitely not have enough outlets for all your electronics in your dorm! It's super easy to switch off when you don't need it. *ALWAYS* unplug or turn off electronics when they're not in use. (exception: your mini-fridge... that would be a bad idea) Turn off the lights and AC when you leave your dorm. My boyfriend jokingly says that leaving things plugged in creates "phantom energy." You don't want phantom energy haunting you... I guess?

5.  DO NOT USE WATER BOTTLES PLEASE!!! They create so much unnecessary waste. Buy yourself a good thermos---here I am shamelessly featuring my Hydro Flask. Use any thermos that works for you and that is BPA-free. I typically use a large plastic water dispenser, but even that's bad! Our dorm unfortunately lacks filtered water :( Some people use Brita filters, do what you like best! I want to stress this tip the most!!!! This is definitely cost-efficient as well. If you must, try to purchase beverages that come in either glass bottles or bottles from recycled materials. 

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That's it for my tips for being more eco-friendly and sustainable while living in a dorm! What did you guys think? Feel free to comment below with your thoughts or other helpful tricks! Earth Day is coming up and I am so excited!

Happy hunting!

---Courtney 

Statement Eyeshadow Trend

Statement Eyeshadow by courtneynicole23 

There are some things you probably shouldn't thrift, and that includes makeup!!

I've been noticing this trend for the past few months now----monochromatic statement eyeshadow in fruity summer colors. I think we can all agree, thrifting makeup is not a good (read: sanitary) idea. So, what alternatives are out there?? 

I did a little research and found a great directory list of natural and organic eyeshadows, since makeup usually contains a bunch of chemicals. I tried to pick some that are $20 or less because let's be real, makeup is freaking expensive. I'm no where near a beauty guru, but I am (somewhat) capable of swiping a single color of eyeshadow across my lids with some mascara! I feel like this is such a cute and easy trend that can instantly elevate your look!

Many of the featured brands are cruelty-free, gluten-free, organic, vegan, natural, or even come in packaging made from recycled materials!! I think as little as makeup is, it can make a difference to shop eco-friendly. Your face will thank you too!

Happy hunting!

---Courtney