Project 365: Day 57

Day 57, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

For music lovers, opting to skip Coachella and do a party-only excursion is a tough decision. The obvious pros (money saved, leg muscles spared, obnoxious concert-goers avoided) don't really lessen the bummer of missing the amazing assortment of live music. Or do they? Coachella's YouTube channel allowed me to watch most of my favorites on our laptop in cool comfort, and my Sunday jaunt to Palm Springs consisted of pool lounging, swag collecting, dancing and (free) drinking and eating. Granted, I did see Kanye and PJ Harvey live because it would have been absolutely madness not to. But seriously, just hit the parties and follow my definative guide:

Mist Lounge (Noon-1:30)
At the Agua Caliente Casino, one of the first casinos off the 10 freeway driving into Palm Springs from LA, this three-day party promised a swimsuit fashion show and celebrity DJs. Since we hit it first, it wasn't exactly packed, but there was the expected array of perky boobies in bikinis, tribal tattooed muscle boys and mirrored sunglasses reflecting off of everything. Even though the DJ, Josh Madden (Good Charlotte's guys non-twin bro) was pretty good, the loud beats he was spinning were too hard and too thumping for the noon time lounger crowd. He deserved a better slot. Also, the drinks were not free. We left around 1:30.
The Look: Tight bods, skimpy swimwear and high heels.
The Swag: BCBG sunglasses on every lounge chair.
The Talk: "In LA everybody looks like Paris Hilton, don't they?" No. No they don't.

Lacoste L!ve Pool Party (1:45-3:45)
With all the hub-bub about wristband checkpoints driving into the vicinity of the polo field, we were apprehensive about attending any event too close. A couple of party invites (Belvedere, Vestal, Flaunt) touted themselves as being near it, but thankfully, they weren't so close that we had to encounter traffic. In fact (fest-goers be jealous) we were able to avoid traffic all together. Lacoste's event was one of the most crowded, however, requiring parking several blocks down from check-in.
The Look: High waisted shorts. Floppy hats. Mismatched separates.
The Swag: Lacoste towels and wristbands, HTC Coachella Survival kits (earplugs, sunscreen, wipes, deodorant, mini flashlight)
The Talk: "Bro! I just had a great idea. I want make t-shirts that say, "Bro-Chella!"

Vestal Village (4-5)
By the time we arrived at this shindig sponsored by the ubercool watch company, it was close to triple digit heat. The party, at another sprawling desert estate, offered DJs spinning in a bright red and blue Red Bull-sponsored DJ booth. We'd hoped to see Junkie XL, but he wasn't on deck. A camping area saw lethargic bodies lounging about while a small PBR-can-littered pool area packed in a fashionable and friendly crowd. But it was dwindling and it appeared most were leaving or had left for the fest.
The Look: LOTS of script/word tattoos.
The Swag: Paul Mitchell samples, Pull-In bathing suits and towels.
The Talk: "It's satan's balls hot."

A Club Called Rhonda/Scion shindig at Ace Hotel (6-8)
The Ace Hotel scheduled events all weekend, under the name Desert Gold, but the most flamboyant and shamelessly foxy flocked to the rager thrown by LA's own A Club Called Rhonda. The polysexy pool party had some of the most interesting clothing statements (and we mean statements) we've seen in one place, period, not just in Palm Springs. Hedonism oozed from the every corner of the packed party: couples making out, girl posses doing shots, femmy fellows grinding on each other. One gal overindulged in something and had to be carried out by an ambulance. Many were kicked out for not having the proper wristband. This was "the place" to be if yow weren't at the fest, for sure.
The look: Multi-colored hair, caftans, cutouts, Technicolor nail polish... the more unique style, the better.
The swag: none. This bash was -refreshingly- not about celebrities or product placements or corporate sponsors, though Sailor Jerry's had a big presence at the bar.
The Talk: "I'm officially off the wagon. Whoo-hoo!"