“California Joe” & Key Lime Pie @ Sherman’s
Hace 4 horas, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 37 °C
The "California Joe" is a signature, hearty breakfast scramble made with 3 eggs, cheese, sautéed onions, mushrooms, and hamburger. It is locally famous in Palm Springs and exclusively served at Sherman's Deli & Bakery… and, is was delicious 😋 and HUGE! Like most meals in USA!
Thought we’d chance a ride up on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. I am so glad that we did because it turned out to be one of the highlights of our time here.
With temperatures sitting around 35°C down on the desert floor, stepping off the tram into air that was almost 10 degrees cooler was an absolute delight. We spent a couple of leisurely hours wandering the mountain trails, taking in spectacular views across the Coachella Valley. Looking down over the vast desert landscape from above really gives you a sense of just how enormous and beautiful this part of California is.
One of the unexpected highlights was discovering the Jeffrey Pine trees. Apparently they are famous for their scent and, sure enough, when you get close to the bark they give off the most wonderful aroma of butterscotch and vanilla. Unfortunately, this immediately reminded me of the slice of Key Lime Pie I had spotted earlier in the day sitting temptingly in the cake cabinet at Sherman’s Deli.
Once we returned to Palm Springs there was only one thing for it.
I went straight to Sherman’s and ordered a slice.
Key Lime Pie is something I’ve always wanted to try and I have to say it was absolutely delicious. The key lime custard was tangy, zippy and refreshing, sitting on a crunchy graham cracker base. The fluffy meringue topping was wonderfully indulgent and finished with delicate shards of white chocolate.
That said, it was also unbelievably sweet. The sort of dessert that is probably best shared between two people.
Did I share it?
No.
Did I regret not sharing it halfway through?
Possibly.
Did I still manage to eat almost all of it?
Absolutely. Sheer willpower.
It was all washed down with a lemon iced tea with free refills, which somehow made complete sense at the time.
The perfect mid-afternoon treat before spending a couple of relaxing hours by the pool, soaking up the sunshine and doing absolutely nothing at all.
Some days on holiday are about ticking off famous sights. Others are about mountain air, pie and pool time.
Today was definitely the latter.Leer más
Happy 100th Marilyn 👠
30 de mayo, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
This morning was a very slow start after a big G & T night out! 🍸🥴
We finally crawled out and wandered in 30° heat down to the main drag and had a huge breakfast 🥞 serving of delicious orange ricotta pancakes with whipped cream, tangy mandarin segments, blueberries 🫐 all smothered in maple syrup. Washing it down with ‘hair of the dog’ Bloody Mary. Both hit the spot!
The rest of the day was one of those unexpected travel days where you stumble across something completely unique simply because you’re in the right place at the right time.
Mid afternoon we jumped aboard the fabulous Drag and Fly Tour, which turned out to be a fantastic way to explore Palm Springs. We cruised around town in a theatre style bus with picture window, checking out the homes of the stars while learning plenty about the history and stories behind this desert oasis. The stars of the 50’s had to be within 2 hours of the film 🎞️ studios so Palm Springs became their perfect destination. Our drag queen host was hilarious and kept everyone entertained with her on-bus performances, adding just the right amount of sparkle and sass to the experience.
As if that wasn’t enough excitement for one day, we wandered into downtown Palm Springs to discover the city celebrating what would have been Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday. In a wonderfully Palm Springs twist, an incredible 1,037 people dressed as Marilyn gathered together and officially broke the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of Marilyn Monroes in one place. We had absolutely no idea this was happening when we planned the trip, so it felt like a bonus attraction that had been thrown in just for us.
After all the excitement, the afternoon called for a much slower pace. We headed back to our complex and spent a couple of blissful hours by the pool, wine in hand, doing very little other than soaking up the sunshine and enjoying the warm desert air. Sometimes the best travel moments aren’t about ticking attractions off a list but simply sitting back, relaxing and appreciating where you are.
A fabulous tour, a world record, Marilyn Monroe everywhere you looked, and a lazy afternoon by the pool. Not a bad way to spend a day in Palm Springs.Leer más
Bacon 🥓 Flights & indulging Nights
29 de mayo, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Today was one of those wonderfully relaxed Palm Springs days where there was no rush, no schedule and no pressure to be anywhere except exactly where we wanted to be.
Mark and I started the morning with breakfast at ‘Cheeky’s, which is famous for its “bacon flight” – five different bacon flavours served together for tasting. It is certainly a clever concept and a lot of fun to try, and naturally we couldn’t resist ordering one. While the bacon flight was an experience in itself, the rest of the breakfast was fairly average. In all honesty, once the sausage and egg had cooled down, they became quite difficult to enjoy, which probably says a lot about the quality of the food. Still, it was worth visiting simply for the novelty of tasting bacon in so many different varieties.
After breakfast we spent the late morning just wandering along North Palm Canyon Drive, enjoying one of my favourite holiday activities – browsing shops, trying on clothes and people-watching. Palm Springs has such a relaxed and stylish atmosphere, and there always seems to be something interesting around every corner.
A particular highlight for Mark was visiting Seaplane, a fantastic clothing store specialising in unique and limited-edition pieces. His day was made when he unexpectedly met one of his idols there. 😜🌈 It was one of those genuine holiday moments that you couldn’t possibly plan. Mark left with a new shirt and I suspect I may be returning over the next couple of days to purchase one myself.
The afternoon was exactly what Palm Springs is made for. We returned to our accommodation, spent time lounging by the pool and enjoyed the refreshing coolness of the water while soaking up the peaceful desert atmosphere. Sometimes the best travel memories come from simply slowing down and appreciating where you are, and this afternoon was a perfect example of that.
As evening arrived, we headed out to Arenas Road, the vibrant heart of Palm Springs’ LGBTQ+ nightlife. The atmosphere was electric, with music spilling out onto the street and people enjoying the warm desert evening.
We absolutely loved Quadz, which was packed with show tunes, singalongs and a crowd that clearly knew every word. It was impossible not to have fun there. We also spent time at Hunters, where the energetic atmosphere and talented dancers ensured there was never a dull moment. Both venues delivered exactly the kind of Palm Springs nightlife experience we had hoped for.
By the end of the night, we were laughing, celebrating and simply enjoying being on holiday together. It was one of those days that perfectly captured everything we love about Palm Springs – quirky food, great shopping, poolside relaxation, wonderful people and a nightlife scene that knows exactly how to show visitors a good time.
Another fantastic day in the desert. 🌴☀️🍹🏊♂️✨Leer más

ViajeroI can recall you said that you didn’t think that 4 days here would be good!? It’s the bomb 💣 We could both move here! I’ve never been to anywhere like this before! It’s almost like it is tailor made for the gays!!! I’ve been trying to work out what it is: and the conclusion I’ve reached, the “closet” gays of the 50’s era came here, could be themselves and it made it what it is today!?! Just a theory
A (delayed) Desert 🏜️ holiday
28 de mayo, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
Everything was going perfectly from ordering the Uber 🚙 to pick us up from the hotel to the very impressive Amtrak train 🚆 service from Anaheim to Union Station in Los Angeles. What a brilliant service with a cocktail 🍸 bar and a daily ‘happy hour’ and a well stocked cafe with Valerie the friendly attendant!
Our current experience with wait staff and shop and transport attendants is very positive; welcoming, helpful and kind! We have also found that tipping 💵 is not as widely expected or asked for as we thought… That could change as we get to other cities of course.
The wheels fell off at the beautiful art deco inspired Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles where we were to catch the 9:45 am bus to Coachella Palm Springs… It was delayed by 10 minutes then 20 then one hour turned into 2, then rescheduled to afternoon. Just quietly, a clientele taking the bus are probably not familiar with the Beverly Hills or Melrose Hills… ‘Rough as guts’ is perhaps an understatement! 😳🚫⚠️
Discovering that we had time to kill I decided to avail myself of what interesting area could be nearby and stumbled upon a true gem!
Just across from the grand old Union Station, I wandered through the colourful and historic Olvera Street — often described as the birthplace of Los Angeles. Lined with vibrant Mexican market stalls, festive decorations, traditional music and the delicious smell of fresh tacos and churros drifting through the air, it felt like stepping into another world away from the bustle of modern LA. With its relaxed atmosphere, historic buildings and lively cultural spirit, it turned what could have simply been a transport nightmare into one of the most unexpectedly charming and authentic moments of the journey 🇲🇽
We finally rolled into the desert 🏜️ oasis of Palm Springs and instantly slipped into holiday mode. Dinner at Trio Restaurant absolutely lived up to its award-winning reputation — the shrimp 🦐 pasta was nothing short of divine, rich with lemon 🍋 flavour and beautifully presented, all enjoyed amongst fabulous retro Palm Springs vibes that felt like stepping into another era.
The night only became more fun at Bootlegger Tiki where creativity was clearly on the cocktail menu. Our signature drink arrived in a Thai noodle box complete with chopstick-style straws and a fortune cookie declaring: “Your fortune will be… you will get lucky in Palm Springs.” Safe to say, the city already feels full of magic, character and playful charm.
To top it all off, our accommodation is absolutely top-notch — stylish, relaxing and the perfect complement to what is shaping up to be an incredible Palm Springs weekend.Leer más
Disney after Dark ✨ 🌙
27 de mayo, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Paint 🎨 the Night Street Spectacular 🥳🌅 a variable smorgasbord of sound light 💡 and colour! 🪄
…Walking out of Disneyland for what I think may be the last time, I felt nothing but gratitude — for the Sunday nights as kids sitting around my grandparents’ television watching Disneyland with my family, particularly cousins, for that unforgettable first visit in 1997 with our loyal and faithful friend Scott “Dame Betty T Rose”, and now for one last day together laughing, people-watching (judging 😉) and reliving the rides that somehow stitched themselves through so many chapters of life; because in the end, Disneyland was never really about castles or fireworks at all, but about the people you shared the magic with along the way.Leer más

ViajeroSpectacular! (…to be honest, after 12 hours inside Park, I was realising how much older I am! lol 😜)

ViajeroI think I would feel old at Disneyland too! But it’s like Grand Canyon you can’t not do it!

ViajeroIn reflection, or should I say on reflection… You really have to do it once because there’s nowhere else on earth where hot men, people of all shapes and sizes are walking around wearing mouse ears and jumping onto moving pirate ships and giant caterpillars and flying elephants… Nobody is judging anybody or making anyone feel silly for doing it it is almost like a giant stage and everyone is performing! And, doing whatever the fuck they want! You have to experience it once!
Mouse Ears & Sore Feet 🏰
27 de mayo, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Disneyland - The only place on earth where thousands of adults willingly stand in fenced cattle corrals for 90 minutes to experience a two-minute ride… then walk out smiling and immediately join another line.
Where people of every age happily wander around dressed as Snow White, Donald Duck, Darth Vader and Tinker Bell without a single person batting an eyelid.
There are honestly more strollers than human beings. Entire traffic jams caused by tiny people wearing mouse ears.
You can get sprinkled in fairy dust by a teenager working at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo Boutique. Although by about 4pm my feet hurt so much I was far too grumpy 😾 to be glittered ✨ by anyone.
A fridge magnet costs about $15. Lunch requires what feels like a small mortgage repayment. Popcorn 🍿 somehow smells permanently in the air, no matter where you are. The catering team must pop enough popcorn every day to feed an entire country.
And yet… there’s still something strangely magical 🧙🏻♀️ about it all.
We started at 8am and launched straight into the Indiana Jones ride, wandered through Star Wars, floated along on the Mark Twain Riverboat, climbed through Sleeping Beauty’s Castle 🏰 and went “hi-ho hi-ho” with the Seven Dwarfs.
Grown adults flying through the air on Dumbo elephants 🐘 Sitting in giant spinning teacups ☕️ Buying bubble 🫧 wands shaped like Ariel, Minnie and Cinderella while bubbles 🫧 float through Main Street like some kind of fever dream.
The entire day became one giant exercise in refreshing the Disneyland app trying to secure Lightning ⚡️ Lane bookings every two hours like it was the stock exchange.
Frontierland. Fantasyland. Main Street. New Orleans Square. Tomorrowland… which honestly should probably be renamed Yesterdayland because some of those rides feel gloriously frozen in 1955. But maybe that’s part of the charm too.
And then there’s the wonderfully awkward fact that Disneyland still contains so many things that probably shouldn’t survive a modern focus group. Cowboys and “Indians”, It’s a Small World 🌎 with giant smiling dolls representing entire countries in ways that feel wildly stuck in another era — Mexicans in sombreros, Chinese dolls in traditional hats, every stereotype imaginable cheerfully sailing past to an endlessly repetitive soundtrack.
And somehow… nobody even seems remotely bothered by it. Not in an angry way. More in a collective understanding that Disneyland exists in its own strange little nostalgic time capsule where the outside world’s arguments are temporarily suspended for a day.
We even saw the original bench where Walt Disney supposedly sat when the idea for Disneyland first came to him.
And standing there, amongst the chaos and screaming children and adults in matching family T-shirts, it did hit me what an extraordinary thing he created. A place that has made billions of dollars, yes… but also billions of memories across generations. Grandparents bringing grandchildren. Parents reliving childhoods. Couples returning decades later.
Then nighttime arrived and the whole park changed personality completely. The lights came on, castles glowed, music echoed through the streets, fireworks exploded overhead and suddenly the exhaustion faded for a little while. Disneyland at night feels softer. More nostalgic somehow.
It was crowded. Expensive. Overstimulating. My feet are absolutely destroyed.
But it was also fun 🤩 in a way that’s hard to properly explain unless you’ve been there.
And yet, walking out at the end of the night, I realised something quietly and without sadness — I think that was probably my last Disneyland visit.
Not because I didn’t enjoy it. I did.
But because it felt different this time. Like revisiting a place that belongs more to your memories than your future.
And honestly… that feels perfectly okay.Leer más
WeHo & the Enhancement Bar
26 de mayo, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
We knew the gay 🏳️🌈 area of West Hollywood was exactly where we wanted to finish the day — relaxed, fun and full of good energy. So we wandered into the first bar we saw, 33 Taps West Hollywood, and hit the jackpot 🎰 with an incredible ‘happy hour’ taco deal alongside several margaritas and Palomas. Exactly what we needed.
Afterwards we headed to Gym Bar WeHo for more happy hour drinks and ended up chatting with some locals. Fantastic vibe. Warm, welcoming and just easy to be in.
There was also an incredible little free STI check and PrEP caravan set up right on the strip. I was genuinely fascinated and delighted to see it. I ended up having a really good chat with the guys running it, telling them about the company I work for in Australia and how much we need more visible community outreach like this. They were so interested in hearing about the services we offer back home and it turned into one of those unexpectedly lovely conversations you never plan to have.
We also popped into ‘The Abbey’ Bar where we chatted to the bartender and one of the bus boys, who told us that Madonna hadn’t “just randomly turned up” there recently — it had all been planned. They showed us photos of Christina Aguilera performing there also and even pointed out the separate part of the club that only opens on weekends for celebrities. Completely surreal hearing all the stories firsthand.
For the first time since arriving, we both really started to feel relaxed and settled into our own little rhythm and safe space here in WeHo. We honestly could have stayed out all night, but with Disneyland tomorrow, we knew waking up hungover would be a terrible life choice 😉🤪
We’ve now officially become Waymo experts and hailed another one to Union Station hoping to catch a train to Anaheim. None for another hour… so an Uber it was!
Tired. But such a great, great day. Disneyland tomorrow!
Honestly, just a day filled with so much joy 🤩Leer más
Hooray for Hollywood!
26 de mayo, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Jet lag is a bitch. Wide awake at 4am! 😳
Started the day with a delicious breakfast of brioche French toast covered in whipped cream, dripping with orange-flavoured maple syrup, berries and mandarin segments. Decadent, rich and absolutely ravishing.
We bought a daily Metro bus ticket ($5) and used Radical Storage ($20) to stash our bags for the day — which just happened to be inside a West Hollywood liquor store! So us! 🍷 Such a clever and inexpensive idea, letting us explore Hollywood without dragging luggage everywhere.
Mark was slightly worried we hadn’t been given any receipts and that our bags might disappear forever. I reassured him it would all be okay…
We then made the pilgrimage to Hollywood and Vine to track down the three stars 🌟 Mark absolutely had to see on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — Joan Crawford, Bette Davis and Betty White (from The Golden Girls). It took a surprising amount of investigation, but we finally found them and got the photos to prove it!
From there we wandered to the Dolby Theatre, home of the Academy Awards, then onto the TCL Chinese Theatre to look through all the celebrity handprints. We found Judy Garland and Meryl Streep amongst the collection. There’s something strangely fun and nostalgic about hunting down your favourite stars.
We knew we wouldn’t have time to get up close to the Hollywood Sign, so instead we kept catching little glimpses of it between intersections along Hollywood Boulevard.
My personal favourite moment was finding the Las Palmas Hotel — where Julia Roberts’ character Vivian is “saved” at the end of Pretty Woman by Richard Gere’s character, Edward, using the umbrella to pull down the ladder and “save her right back”. Still one of the best lines from the film.
By the way, Hollywood Boulevard itself is a complete and utter hot mess… really dirty, chaotic and nothing like the polished image you imagine from movies 🎥
And yes… we did what we had to do and caught a Waymo driverless car. It felt completely surreal sitting inside while the steering wheel turned itself. The future has definitely arrived 🪐
We headed to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, which was probably the one “too much” mistake of the day. We were starving hungry and everything felt completely OTT — wall-to-wall designer stores like Chanel, Dior, Prada and Louis Vuitton.
After about five minutes we looked at each other, summoned another Waymo, and got the hell outta there! 😳😜☀️
I also finally got to see the Holloway Motel — the very first overseas motel I ever stayed in on my first overseas trip 30 years ago. It’s now operating as a homeless shelter, which I actually think is wonderful, but standing there revisiting the location brought back such an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia. The first place I ever stayed outside Australia… 30 years ago!
It’s difficult to properly explain how excited we both are to simply be in another country, 🇺🇸 walking around on a beautiful sunny day, experiencing all these strange, funny and wonderful little moments.
More than anything, we just feel incredibly grateful and humble to be sharing such a wonderful moment in time!Leer más

Viajero🤣🤣🤣 good point! I told him to lie down but he refused LOL. It is so filthy around there… You’d think they could get an industrial hose once in awhile and give it a clean… Imagine if those stars of past generations came back and see what it has become.!
Santa Monica Memorial Day
25 de mayo, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
With the melodic strains of ‘Children’ by Robert Miles, through my headphones, gently ushering us into LAX, just as it did 30 years ago, we arrived in Los Angeles as the sun ☀️ was rising over the city. Back to the past — arriving three hours before we left Melbourne!
All those YouTube travel tricks ’n tips instantly proved useful ℹ️ We headed straight to the Metro Transit Centre and jumped on the Big Blue Bus 🚎, taking us directly to Santa Monica for just $1.25 — a cheap and surprisingly easy start to the trip.
It was Memorial Day in the States 🇺🇸 today, so everything felt unusually quiet and relaxed. We struck gold when our quaint little hotel, Hotel Carmel — just one block from the beach and Pier — had our rooms ready for our 8:30am arrival. A long hot shower 🚿 was heaven after the 14-hour flight.
A wander along Ocean 🌊🏖️ Boulevard to Venice Beach, shoes off and feet in the sand, with a drip coffee and tuna melt in the warm California sun, was the perfect tonic for the jet lag.
We continued on to Muscle Beach and wandered back at a leisurely pace, stopping at a sidewalk café for a refreshing cider and a chilled Chardonnay while soaking up the atmosphere.
We “…traveled down the road, and back again…” to see 245 Saltair Avenue — the The Golden Girls house! Mark’s only wish-list item! A selfie stick was bought specifically for the purpose of reaching over the owner’s fence, which honestly made the moment even funnier, trying to dodge the owner’s security cameras 😜
We wandered around the Santa Monica Mall before heading out for dinner at Albright’s Beach Club on the Santa Monica Pier for a delicious meal, lingering just long enough to capture a magnificent sunset 🌅 over the beach and that lovely feeling that our first day had already been packed with memories.
After 36 hours with virtually no sleep 💤 and 31,000 steps, we are both absolutely exhausted, slightly delirious, and more than ready to hit the hay.Leer más
L.A Bound ✈️
25 de mayo, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Actually slept last night! Bonus 1!
Will need it after the next 48 hours. Excitedly departing Southern Cross for Southern California 🌴
Check in and Security were seamlessly easy and boarding was speedy & efficient. We both had the aisle seats 💺 and a spare seat beside Bonus 2!
The only non-bonus was the inconsiderate knob that put his eye mask on and reclined his seat all the way back 15 minutes after take-off…
…Salty BBQ snacks & St Hubert’s Chardonnay… 10am local time, BUT, it is actually 6pm in L.A, so, Cheers 🥂
Oh, another non-bonus: the food service - a 150g chunk of brisket served with macaroni and a wooden knife… In case you haven’t heard, balsa wood don’t handle too well in those circumstances!
California Dreaming 💭 ☀️Leer más
Countdown: One Month!
25 de abril, Australia ⋅ 🌙 19 °C
Unseasonably hot weather has Melbourne in a sense of wonder, warmth and Wow! With outdoor recreational fun the order of the day. Mark and I have excitedly locked and loaded all of our activities, filled in our visas, downloaded our essential apps, booked and cross checked our transport. Locked 🔒 and loaded and rearing to go!
…USA 🇺🇸 one month from today! 👏Leer más






























































































































































































































































ViajeroSounds like another great day! I remember wanting to take the famous Tramway but it wasn’t operational when we were there - and Keylime pie is the best!
ViajeroIt was certainly delicious, but I was rolling out of that diner after that! But of course, I had another full dinner at smile Thai… Even the servings at the Thai restaurant were over the top!
Looks bloody hot, but FUN [😈]
Viajero
What a time you are having and what lovely memories you are going to have, some really nice pictures of the pair of you and what a amazing place for you two to see. You write so well you can almost smell the pine trees. Can’t wait for your next post and thanks for letting us share your trip. Cheers Rod