Each year, as we head to our favorite vacation spot, we make a first stop to see some friends in the Pasadena area. Our first year out, we and our friends were sitting down for a meal discussing a song that we’d heard that we thought was quintessentially vacation-like. None of us could place the name of the song, nor the singer, but it got stuck in my head something awful.
As soon as Bryan and I sat down to breakfast on our first morning at the Parker a few days later, the speakers at Norma’s started playing that same song; Agua de Beber by Astrud Gilberto. Finally, the ear worm was released! I quickly Shazam’d the tune.
Over the next 6 days, whether at dinner, shopping in the desert, or sitting by the pool, I found myself grooving along to so many songs, and every time, would whip out my phone to collect them. By the end of our first week in this desert paradise, we had a decent couple dozen songs on our new Palm Springs Playlist that- when we played them and closed our eyes- made us think of sitting poolside under yellow and white umbrellas, or cruising down Palm Canyon Drive.
We’ve just returned from our 7th trip to this tiny desert paradise, and year after year, we continue to add songs we hear while there, jingles on tv or the radio that seem like they’d fit… After so long, our playlist has grown to almost 150 songs and nine hours of play, and just continues to get larger with every trip. I start reaching for this playlist every year when we return from Chicago in July and start planning for September in Palm Springs. It sets the mood, makes me start thinking of spiked lemonade and of palm trees. It has everything from mid-century Bossa Nova to current Scarlett Rose and Stereolab. It’s been my go-to playlist for everything from bad days to our wedding reception, and I’m not sure anything makes me happier. Now, it’s here, for you to enjoy, too.
** this post is not sponsored in any way. all thoughts and opinions are my own **
** first photo via Parker Palm Springs’ instagram **
