As much as this city blooms with new resorts, homes, & shops. The feel and design will forever remain. I do have a short list of favourite hotels, and the past two years The Saguaro Palm Springs has proven to be one at the top of my list! (along with Movie Colony, Ace, & etc..)













































































I always enjoy staying here, as yoga is every morning at 8am. The pool is open late,  along with every single room having a colorful scheme, and balcony viewing the city, pool, or desert mountain tops. This is one of the newer hotels Palm Springs has to offer. The simplicity makes it all worth the while. Bravo JDV!
 

I've been lacking my weekly baking, as summer days have just been so scorching here in Southern California. Although this time of month, I knew I had to suck it up and bake my little heart away for this coming Birthday Party for all three of my God Daughters.




















Finally I have perfected my brownie making recipe. There has been numerous times I've baked brownies.. The outcome would be too dry, too mushy, or too much cocoa (if there is ever such a thing). This time around I just happened to get lucky, and baked my best batch yet! I whipped up two batches in a 8" square pan with this recipe:

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (I used the dutch-process)

1/4 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 large egs

1/2 cup flour

2/3 cups of crushed walnut (optional, but I always love adding this in!)

I kept them in the oven in less than an hour, and let it cool. Then easily removing from the 8" baking pan I cut them into squares, sprinkled over powdered sugar, and placed them into pink polka dot cupcake liners. I brought these brownies along with a Bunt vanilla walnut cake, & confetti cupcakes I made the day of the birthday bash. It was all a great summer treat!