Before Aaron and I discovered we were expecting, we were planning to do a trip to Colombia. It had been on my bucket list for a while and we really wanted to go somewhere NEW! Unfortunately there is Zika there so when I found out I was pregnant, I realized that Colombia would be a no-go.

We still wanted to do a trip SOMEWHERE and decided that it would be our “babymoon”. I’m not sure who invented the whole babymoon thing but I am virtually tipping my hat to you right now. The whole concept is about spending time as a couple before your little one arrives and I couldn’t be more down for ANY excuse to go on a trip.

As much as we love trying new places, we were very limited on our options because of Zika so we decided to stick to the place we both love and are familiar with- CALI BABY!

We did three days in LA and three days in Palm Springs which gave us the perfect balance of exploring and relaxation! We visited our regular favourites- Alfred Coffee, Runyon Canyon, Escuela Tacquira, Malibu Cafe, Nobu Malibu, Gjusta in Venice but then tried some new spots like Norah, Republique ( for brunch), Ysabel and Backyard Bowls!

In LA, we stayed at the newly opened KIMPTON LA PEER! It was………..amazing! It is located a short 2 minute walk from Gracias Madre on Melrose and another 5 minute walk to the main hub on Santa Monica Blvd ( think PUMP and SUR). It is a small boutique hotel so you don’t have to worry about the place feeling overcrowded…ever! They also have an amazing on site restaurant and give you free coffee in the morning. My kind of place!

After three jam packed days, we moved onto Palm Springs where we checked into the infamous Parker Palm Springs aka my favourite hotel in the world ( next to Gili Lankanfushi in the Maldives…because duh- Maldives). Our plan here was to just VEG by the pool and the hammocks that fill up secret garden nooks on the estate. We did just that

We did manage to explore Joshua Tree for one day though and as usual- it was magical. We watched the sunset and took in the high level vibes that come with visiting the desert. We then capped our night off by visiting Pioneertown ( a short drive off the main hub if you visit Joshua Tree). We went to Pappy and Harriet’s for dinner where we got the cheapest dinner from our trip and probably the most delish! The whole town is an old country movie set and this restaurant is the only functioning building amongst it. There is live bands performing every week and it is just a special experience overall!

Other places we hit up in Palm Springs that I would recommend: Norah’s for breakfast ( ok this place was in the Parker but it is by far the best breakfast in town!), Birba, SOPA at L’Horizon Hotel, Workshop and Native Foods Cafe ( for a healthy lunch!)We can’t wait to bring the baby to LA and Palm Springs as its the perfect place to travel around and see so many amazing things in a small vicinity!

There is also something about driving in California! Palm trees, ocean views, access to In and Out Drive Thru’s….ha!

We booked a Mazda X 5 as we wanted lots of space for our camera gear and luggage. It was so nice as we don’t own an SUV at home so we felt extra comfortable while cruising around ( the back seat may or may not have became a mini closet for me when i wanted to change outfits).  It also made us realize- since it was a Babymoon and all- that this would be a great car for our growing family. I could practically sleep in the trunk so would be pretty easy to change a baby back there!

Besides the functional features of the car, it looked damn good on the road! With a a panaromic sunroof and the fire red color, we felt pretty cool zipping around!

We started off in West Hollywood where the hotel valet staff even loved pulling up our car. We aren’t biased;)

We drove down to Malibu where we spent the day on the beach and were able to take in the sunset. The drive from West Hollywood to Malibu is a solid hour so we thought we would make a dent in the gas but we still had 3/4 of a tank!

After a few days in LA, we drove out to Palm Springs! This is a two hour drive and sometimes- not too fun- when are you dealing with LA traffic. However we had a great road trip out there as we listed to the in house Siruis Radio and still didn’t have to fill up the tank. It was smooth sailing the entire way.

I’ve done this road trip a few times before so was familiar with the drive. I do want to take a road trip further up the coast one day and hopefully make my way to Seattle! 

We arrived in Palm Springs and thought we would be parking the car for the next two nights as we love to bike around town but it was SOO HOT! It was 113 degrees by 10AM ( above average temperatures) so we stayed in the safe confines of the Mazda with blasted AC touring all the famous mid century houses and stopping for ice cream along the way.

The Madza got a bit of a break for two days when we sipped on cold drinks by the pool and spent some time relaxing but after two days of that, we were ready to hit the road again and head to Joshua Tree. Joshua Tree is about 40 minutes from Palm Springs but you truly feel like you are on another planet there. We entered the National Park just before sunset and zipped through the winding roads until we found the perfect view. We climbed on the roof to get a little higher, blasted our satelitte radio to some low key jams and took in the amazing energy that surrounded us. It was truly an amazing experience

We had the most well rounded So-Cal trip all thanks to Mazda!

My fiancé and I just came back from hanging out in Palm Springs and if I am going to Palm Springs- it means I am also going to hang out in Joshua Tree!

Now if you haven’t been to the desert, you need to go. It makes you feel like you are WORLDS away and offers a calmness like nowhere else. Whenever I do go to Joshua Tree though, I make sure to stop at The Integatron which is the weird dome/spaceship I am standing infront of in the photos above.

The Integatron was built by a man back in the 60’s who believed aliens came to him and told him to construct a white dome in this particular area. Call him crazy- but scientists have noted that the area where the dome is has high frequencies of positive energy and eons. Some people may not believe this but I definitely drank the koolaid.

The dome later sold and it is now being used as an escape for city dwellers. They offer daily “brain baths” which is just as good as it sounds. You take off your shoes,  head up to the top of the dome via ladder and lay down like you do in yoga except with cozy blankets and thicker mats. An instructor then starts to play Tibetan Sound bowls that generate the most amazing noises that allow you to slow your thoughts down. You listen to these sounds for 30 minutes and I would best describe the feeling as a state between sleeping and meditation. When you wake up- you truly feel like you slept for 3 days straight. Heading to Coachella soon? GO THERE IMMEDIATELY AFTER!

The grounds are also really cute with an entire hammock section, cozy couches and inspiring quotes that pop up in different areas.

Check it out here!

Dress: Forever 21

If you are on Instagram, there is a high chance that you have seen the photos from bloggers and tourists alike with this Pink Door! Located in Palm Springs, this house and door has become a popular destination over the last few years for people to come and snap photos infront of.  It’s been so popular, it even has it’s own hashtag now! Type in #thatpinkdoor on IG and you can see floods of people posing infront of it. See people- I am not alone here!

Although my fiancé was questioning my motives, once we arrived there- he was pretty happy we biked over to see it! It is just too pretty and the door itself is massively tall! I held myself back from knocking on the door and asking them if they were hiring a gardender or nanny!

Visit it yourself at: 1100 East Sierra Way