I would spend the 4th of July in a different country every year, if I could. As far as I am concerned, I do not acknowledge this holiday for reasons other than the obvious at the moment (Roe v. Wade). As a black woman, independence in this country always had an asterisk with terms and conditions attached to it. I am not here to talk about all of that though. I type this from the comfort of my bed as I reminisce and reflect on the Julys of 4th’s past.

In another episode of Cali-fun-ia, I want to highlight this road trip to Palm Springs. I’ve been numerous times, and each time had its own special moment but it’s funny how my perception of Palm Springs changed so drastically over the years. I went a few times in college and thought “OMG how boring,” because I was so used to a much faster paced environment of vacation and partying, so I didn’t appreciate it for the gem it truly is. Insert Coachella here; festival life and the calm vacation feels of chilling poolside made me love Palm Springs even more.

I want to make Palm Springs in the summer a yearly tradition. Last year was no different but that is a blog post for another day. It’s a great location to bond with your girlfriends, get closer to your lover bae or if you are in California, have a cost-effective vacation weekend. I found the sickest Airbnb that comfortably housed 6 girls, with a beautiful pool. Grab your favorite floaties, bring your sexiest swimsuits and have a hot-girl, hot-boy summer.