Dudes in the Deep End: A Weekend in Palm Springs

Hopefully you've got yourself a group of friends, who despite the passing years and varied life paths still find a way to get together. The opportunities may be less frequent, the outings more (or less) age-appropriate. But you all make it happen, because, well... it has to be done.

A couple weekends ago, Josh, Dan, Pat, and I - buddies since college - hit the road, driving two hours east of L.A. for a much needed getaway to Palm Springs (thank you wives, children, and Darlene for the help and understanding). We landed in our modern mid-century vacation rental late in the afternoon, just in time to fire up the grill and enjoy the magic hour panoramic vista of the San Jacinto Mountain range from the backyard.

The spot - a 1957 William Krisel designed mid-century modern home in Sunmor Estates.

There's not a whole lot to do in the mid-summer heat of the Coachella Valley. Which made it perfect for us four, since the preferred activity is hanging out and kickin' it. Pontificating. Conversating. About anything and everything, from fatherhood to alien abductions, 90's alt-rock to 19th century American imperialism.

Pat and Josh poolin' it beneath a San Jacinto Mountain panorama.

Blame our Berkeley roots, when an average evening had us sitting around a box of greasy pizza sticks, rollin' deep and shootin' the $h#% late into the night. You didn't want to be the first to bow out because you didn't want to miss anything. So into the wee hours we'd go, eyes half-cocked but charging hard.

Here we are a decade-and-a-half later, and not a whole lot has changed. Although thankfully, (most of) our tastes have graduated to more sophisticated fare. Dan and I made the most of it, kicking out some tasty eats - seared scallops, grilled skirt steak, slow-roasted spare ribs, fresh corn salad. Frozen pizza and root beer floats were ready on standby, you know... in case of emergency.

Sweet and smoky glazed spare ribs.

Corn, tomato, and sweet onion salad.

Dan's pan-seared scallops with a white wine reduction.

The strange thing about the four of us is that hanging out isn't necessarily easy. We're a unique bunch of opinionated and unapologetically funky dudes. But there's something dynamic, self-regulating about the four of us together. Like somehow in the midst of all that talking, all that pool soaking and outdoor lounging, we're keeping each other grounded, inspired, humbled, and laughing the whole way through.

Magic hour. Photo by Ap.

On the way back, we crammed into the booth of a packed In-N-Out just outside of Banning. My thoughts instinctively began to return to the various obligations that awaited me back home. One of us said something hilarious and I snarfed a burger wad out of my mouth and down into my tray. Older? Sure. But still charging hard 'til the bitter end.

So break out your pool noodles. Raise those mai tai's to the sky. Here's to good friends.

Until next time.

Cheers. 

The more things change, the more they stay the same. A Whistler-Blackcomb hot tub, circa 2000.


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