It’s not far off to say that Joshua Tree is a vibe as much as a place. On my last morning, as my friend Alex and I walked his dog down to the main drag to get coffee, I remarked that Joshua Tree felt like Bakersfield with a touch of Austin transplanted in the high desert of California, for people who were priced out of Palm Springs.
Alex laughed.
As we rounded the corner and began walking along 29 Palms Highway, we noticed the usual Santa Monica and Venice styled, Lululemon and Vuori clad women, trying to find the trendiest places to sit and record their social media. If Palm Springs is where people go to cosplay as 1960s ingénues, then Joshua Tree is where people go to cosplay as spiritual cowboys. These individuals have never roped a steer – but they own three sound bowls, seven crystal rings, and a serene, sage-scented certainty that they have ascended just far enough above the rest of humanity so that their shit doesn’t stink.
I know this – because I have been there, done that. I’ve taken multiple trips to the The Integratron for sound bath meditations. Looking back on it – it makes me smile. Because now, I have enough self awareness to laugh. Likewise, Alex’s – with his biting British wit – also poked fun at my crystal tendencies – as well as how a Saturday morning in Joshua Tree looks like walking a desert version of Venice Beach’s Abbot Kinney.
As we entered The Dez, I immediately noticed how this was the place for coffee and light breakfast bites on a Saturday morning. Walking up to the counter, I ordered an Iced Vanilla Latte Coffee.
I noticed the distinct curated display of assorted goods. Immediately, the Texan meets upwardly mobile cultural elites aesthetic was on full display.
After a short wait, our coffees were ready.
Sitting on the outside patio, we conversed with fellow patrons who were visiting Joshua Tree from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Surprisingly, the conversation turned to women’s rugby and I learned a lot about the sport that I’d never thought I’d know.
Yes, Joshua Tree is overhyped. Yes, there are a lot of spiritual retreats claiming that you can find yourself in the high desert. However, when you get to Joshua Tree, you realized that it’s not about finding yourself. It’s more about changing your environment so that your mind can relax and listen to your who you are in the moment. Through authentic conversations vs inauthentic experiences for social media sound bites.
For this, I’m happy Alex introduced me to The Dez. Yes, it is a trendy spot. But, with the right conversation – along with the right amount of caffeine – you can experience a connection that goes beyond temporary trends.
The Dez
61675 29 Palms Hwy #3Joshua Tree, California 92252
