Day 19: Coachella, Weekend 2, pt. 2
Welcome
Yesterday we enjoyed a day off in Palm Springs.
We all spent a good part of the morning catching up on sleep and the sun was already high and hot when I finally got myself organised and left the house to run. The streets were quiet save for the occasional howl of a tradesman’s power tool or the thrum of a pump as pool cleaning teams performed their miraculous work to ensure crystal clear waters. I found a long, straight road that led me to the edge of the mountains and up a shallow slope, gaining me just enough elevation for a spectacular view across the valley, of the wind farms to the north taking advantage of the breeze and of the flat sprawl of Palm Springs, terracotta and greenery. The I-10 transcontinental freeway carves a path across the landscape, an abrupt end to the suburbia that is grey and imposing, populated by endless trucks that scutter along like ants serving a hungry supply chain. The San Bernadino Mounts are rugged and handsome, a definite barrier separating this desert settlement from Joshua Tree National Park.
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Up on this hillside the dwellings were lavish, handsome mid-century houses of stone and wood, beautifully kept gardens and properties laden with a diversity of foliage that masqueraded as a tropical jungle. I ran back down the hill and along more quiet streets and found my way to one of the city’s ‘premier’ neighbourhoods, Old Las Palmas, an opulent mix of hedged and walled properties with houses of a mid 1920s vintage, mostly Tuscan style villas and bungalows. I passed the Liberace house, one of many historic celebrity residences in this part of the town. Just across Palm Canyon Drive is another historic neighbourhood, this one creatively named The Movie Colony; more celebrity residences and handsome architecture but leaning more towards mid-century modern, pristine lawns and abundant topiary.
Back at our Airbnb there was meal prep in full swing. Gabe was at the grill expertly controlling a piece of marinated steak and some large portobellos and Liz was tending to some onions and peppers on the stove. My contribution came in the form of a pineapple carved using the famous Kenny Rogers method the ‘Outrigger’. As far as I know Kenny never grilled an ‘Outrigger’ but I think he would have approved of this piece of fruit preparation innovation. The quartered pineapples looked handsome on the grill and smouldered as the fibres on the skin passed their flashpoints.
Gabe’s taco meal was laid out on the table, and we assembled our plates and carried them outside for an al fresco experience, poolside dining on a warm, spring afternoon. Miraculously there was a pineapple fountain, of sorts, and the charred outrigger could finally find home in a serving ware that befitted its station. I constructed three tacos, a beef, a mushroom, and a sweet potato with peppers and onions, all three of these accompanied by guacamole, beans, salsa, and a dash of lime juice. I made a withdrawal from the pineapple boat and had grilled slices of fruit on the side, and to drink I withdrew a Topo Chico from the fridge, served the way I prefer it, chilled, in the bottle.
The plan was to head into the festival for the evening but as the day grew on and everyone exhausted themselves in the sun the number of committed Coachella attendees began to drop off. The number of committed couch attendees grew at an alarming rate. Once the idea of pizza delivery found its way into the conversation it was all over. I was on my own for the night.
I made my way over to the grounds of the Empire Polo club where I found that there was no shortage of committed Coachella attendees at this location. It was humming along nicely, the bright lights beginning to come alive as the dusk enveloped the valley. The balloon wranglers were having a good day, taking advantage of the lack of breeze, and letting their inflatable arch soar high above the crowds. I watched an evening of music and headed home after seeing No Doubt, arriving back to a quiet house of sleeping travellers.
