Oh, Coachella! There’s something so magical about the desert heat, the beat of music drumming across the open polo fields, and people from all over the world gathering in one place for one common goal – to jam out to some amazing music! This was my 9th (yes, NINTH) year in a row attending Coachella Music and Arts Festival, and I can honestly say that every year I go, I fall in love all over again with the desert mystique.
We headed out Thursday afternoon, leaving San Diego just before the traffic started piling up, and getting to the desert in time for dinner. We had rented a great house in the Indian Wells Country Club, complete with a pool, golf course, and mountain views. The hubs and I were one of the first people there, as the rest of our group started to trickle in from their day of traveling (from OC to LA, SF to NYC).
This year couldn’t have started any better. The weather, for one, was PERFECT! Usually we (meaning myself, the hubs, and the squad) have to deal with high temps in the triple digits, winds with gusts so strong they’ll knock you down, and dust. So much dust! But this year, we got really lucky! We barely had any wind, which kept the dust from blowing around, and our temperatures were in the high 80’s and low 90’s. Talk about perfect desert weather 🙂
One thing to note, while Coachella almost always has an amazing musical lineup with something for everyone, Weekend One is also all about fashion. This is the weekend where all of the celebrities come to party, there are more day parties and after parties than you can count on both hands, and if you’re wearing last year’s trends, it’ll be noticed (no pressure!!) Good thing I’m a hoarder and I like to hold onto clothes I think will make a comeback…not telling you which pieces are from which years!! Haha.
With that said, us girls in the house had a BLAST putting together outfits and getting ready for the weekend together. Also, literally, getting ready for the Weeknd! As he was headlining Friday night.
Day One was all about the laidback vibes and frolicking in the desert. We took our time getting to the polo fields because it was such a beautiful day, I wanted to enjoy some pool time on my unicorn float! #floaty
Getting to the Polo Fields was a breeze – we used our shuttle driver from last year, and he knows all the tricks of the trade. I definitely recommend going to the Family & Friends Pick-Up/Drop-Off section, as the Uber area is going to be a nightmare. Once inside, we took our obligatory ferris wheel photos and headed straight for the nearest beer garden!
Another thing I love about Coachella is the amazing food and drink options. They have restaurants from all over California come and set up shop. We had Cupcake Vineyards, Shake Shack, and Kogi BBQ, to name a few.
The rest of the evening was a blur of dancing, drinking, and twirling around as we listened to amazing music and laughed with friends. I’ll let the videos and photos do the talking!
Saturday, Jordan and I decided to head to one of our favorite places, The Parker Palm Springs (this is where he popped the question) for the American Express Platinum House Party, exclusive for Amex Platinum and Centurion cardholders. This was such a cool event! They had complimentary cocktails Parker style, tray-passed hors d’oeuvres, DJs and musical guests playing throughout the day, an early morning spin class c/o SoulCycle (didn’t make that…), fortune tellers, pop-up shops, goodie bags, and free Tesla rides to anywhere in the desert. Nicely done Amex!
We had a blast hanging here during the day, sipping on lemon flavored cocktails, and reminiscing on the day I said “yes” before heading into the craziness that is the festival. If you’re an Amex cardholder, I definitely recommend stopping by this party! It was super mellow and a chill way to kick off Day Two.
Saturday evening in the festival was a bit more dustier than Friday, so I came prepared with a bandana to cover my face. Everyone was so excited for the headliner and you could feel the anticipation through the air….will there be a Destiny’s Child reunion?! Beyoncé did not disappoint. Her performance was INSANE. Words can’t describe! And yes!! There WAS a Destiny’s Child reunion!! All of my middle school and high school dreams came true. Check out the photos and videos below!!
I wish I could say Sunday was a day of rest, but….no. Haha. We decided to scope out the Desert Escape party for MoviePass and iHeartRadio at The Chateau at Lake La Quinta. This party was great – it featured a braid artist, free drinks and food, giant lawn games, a candy bar, and all sorts of free goodies (including a portable phone charger, thank you MoviePass). Plus, we got up close and personal for a mini Big Boi concert, which was awesome! Talk about ending things on a high note.
From here, we all took our trusted shuttle to the polo fields for an epic third day. Seeing Eminem live was so cool! Definitely a blast from the past for me – I didn’t realize I knew so many words to so many of his songs!
We also enjoyed walking around the grounds a bit more and observing the super cool art installations, which seem to get trippier every single year.
Monday morning is always bittersweet. Although everyone’s exhausted from such an exhilarating time in the desert, the prospect of going back to reality is always a tough to face. At least there’s one thing we can count on – there’s always next year! Until we meet again, Coachella.
xo