When I got engaged last year, I knew a bachelorette party was on the horizon. The thing is, I sort of hate any type of party centered around me. It causes me anxiety for some reason, the thought of everyone going out of their way to dote on me. I avoid birthday celebrations every year. I even opted out of a bridal shower because I couldn’t bear the thought of making already overly-generous friends spend an afternoon watching me open boxes of flatware and/or having to wrap themselves in toilet paper. Nope.

But as I started thinking more about a bachelorette party, the idea grew on me. Having my best girlfriends in one place at the same time? What could be bad about that? My wonderful sisters planned the whole soiree, spent at a gorgeous home in Palm Springs.

We spent the weekend exactly how I had imagined it: hanging around the pool, drinking delicious cocktails, taking all the pictures, eating nacho cheese Doritos, enjoying much needed catch up sessions and indulging in the kind of easy conversations you can only have with your best friends. It was, in a word, perfect.

But back to the cocktails! I think my only job that weekend was to create a Palm Springs-themed cocktail. I decided to go with a daiquiri—not the super-sweet blended kind but a slightly tart and semi-tropical version. I made these adorable beach ball stir sticks by Studio DIY to top off the poolside beverage. Palm Springs was a dream, and I already can’t wait to go back!

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Pineapple Daiquiri
makes 2 cocktails

• 4 oz rum
• 4 oz pineapple juice
• 3 oz lime juice
• 2 oz demerara simple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake until very cold, about 20 seconds. Strain and serve up in a martini or coupe (or over ice in a plastic cup if you’re poolside!), garnish with a pineapple wedge.

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Sip + Skim: Palm Springs Edition

• We went on the hunt for the Instagram-famous pink door—and found it! Of course, jumping photos were a must.

• Brunch at Cheeky’s was a smash hit—less for the overly-hyped bacon flight and more for the bloodys in a boot (pictured above). Watch out for the bell pepper garnish—they’re soaked in vodka for an extra (unexpected) kick.

• The cocktails at Workshop Kitchen + Bar were unreal: We tried the Mountaineer, the Palm Springer, and the seasonal Ancient Mariner (check it out on their dinner menu), all of which were exceptionally thought out and well-crafted. Michelle, the sweeter-than-pie bar manager, even shared her housemade grenadine recipe—a blend of pomegranate juice, orange flower and rose waters—that I am itching to recreate.

• You can’t leave Palm Springs without hitting up Great Shakes, home of the most insanely delicious milkshakes. We snagged the blueberry lemon lavender, s’mores, and caramel banana graham—each topped with a mini donut. Naturally.

• If you’re planning a stay in PS with a large group, I highly recommend renting a vacation home from Mod Mansions. They manage some of the most beautiful properties in the city, and our rental, The Cuckoo’s Nest, was so perfect we barely left the house (and pool) all weekend.