Last week, I embarked on a journey so harrowing, so otherworldly to a place where heaven and hell exist together on Earth. Of course, I’m talking about the Coachella Music & Arts Festival.
As a test of strength before attending the festival, you must first visit both JFK and LAX airports. (And as punishment, you must do it again, in reverse, on the way back.)
There’s been a lot of conversation online about the insanity that must take over your body to compel yourself to take out a loan on a ticket (starting at $649 for GA and $1,399 for VIP), to that I say, there are easier ways to admit you don’t have a friend in the industry that can hook you up with free artist passes. And that’s ok! Live your truth, and I’ll live mine.
The fun began in LA before driving down to the festival. We grabbed dinner at the new Melrose Hill hotspot Bar Etoile and did some dress shopping at Happy Isles for my friend Callie’s upcoming big day. As we walked into our appointment, we passed 2/3 Haim sisters walking out of theirs. A good omen for what was ahead of us.
Our home away from home in Palm Springs was a mid-century oasis. Callie has a knack for tracking down the best Airbnbs with so few reviews, you think it’s fake. They never are, and we’ve never had a bad stay or had to break the bank. There were fresh grapefruit and Meyer lemons on the trees, ready for our taking, and a pool, hot tub, and outdoor fireplace waiting for us every morning and evening.
Other than seeing Kenny and JaNA from Love Island US at the wristband pickup booth, not much of note happened that first night, so let’s just get into the fest….
DAY 1
What I wore: oversized vintage Route 66 denim shorts, Paloma Wool knit halter, tan campus-style boots, silver Balenciaga city bag (a mistake that wrecked my back, but not one I learned from), and vintage Gucci shield shades
Who I saw: Lady Gaga (duhhh), MARINA, Glixen
Celebs I stalked: ??? genuinely I do not remember
Friday started with breakfast tacos and some pool time. My friend Kate reps the band Glixen so we needed to be at the festival grounds nice and early. Day one was the longest and hottest of the fest—we got there at 1:30 PM and left at 1:30 AM, and the temp topped out at 105 degrees.
Due to the heat, we spent a lot of time backstage at the Sanora tent, taking advantage of the shade, air conditioned bathrooms, and occasional free beer. I ate half a slice of Prince St. Pizza that was so foul and not at all like the actual Prince St, and on a whim Callie and I broke off from the group to explore the Absolut Vodka activation (lol). It was filled with people taking photos of themselves with the Paris Hilton-themed room—fabulous people watching and actually decent drinks (we got the Sliving Cosmo). The DJ was a former Bachelor contestant and there were inexplicably decorative shower heads everywhere. I felt alive in the Absolut Vodka activation.
DAY 2
What I wore: Vintage long black Rabbits Rabbits Rabbits dress, floral fringe sarong, Prada Sport belt bag, black cowboy boots, DANNIJO necklace gifted by my friend Sydney that ended up irritating my skin due to excessive sweat from the desert heat. Half-way through the day I wrapped it around my boot which gained me a lot more attention
Who I saw: Charli XCX (and Troye…and Billie…and LORDE), T-Pain, Weezer
Celebs I stalked: Mark Hoppus, Julia Fox, Anya-Taylor Joy, Gabriette, Ariana Maddix, Benito Skinner, Mary-Beth Barone
We awoke on Saturday already missing the night before and immediately turned on the live stream to rewatch Lady Gaga’s performance (something I’ll be doing again this Saturday), before getting ready and heading to the fest. Today, we decided we wanted to get drunk and enjoyed the free drinks Kate snuck out of the agent’s garden for us. After a life-altering experience at T-Pain, we camped out for Charli and had prime standing room right next Lorde’s entrance on stage. After hanging out celeb spotting in the artist compound we headed home to hot tub and Domino’s pizza, a real heavenly duo.
DAY 3
What I wore: Vintage D&G Jeans baseball tee with “Rebel” spelled out in rhinestones, the same denim shorts and Balenciaga bag (sealing my fate) from day 1 and the cowboy boots from day 2
Who I saw: Arca (and ADDISON RAE), Amyl and the Sniffers, Jennie
Celebs I stalked: Cara Delevigne almost plowed down my friends in her SUV. She continued to honk loudly and rudely at everyone on her way out of the fest.
Sunday we were spent and there wasn’t anyone we were dying to see until that night so we decided we’d throw a pool party at our Airbnb. We invited friends and Kate’s coworkers and made margaritas by the pitcher. Then we headed to the fest with just enough time to grab a drink (at the Absolute Vodka activation!!) before we lost our minds over Arcamarine. That night we returned to our hot tub to rest our bones and recover from the tens of thousands of steps we took all weekend.