I have been dreaming of visiting Desert X for years, and I finally happened to be in the Coachella Valley area this past March. Desert X is a free, contemporary art exhibit created by artists from all over the world that engage with the desert landscapes in the Coachella Valley area. The exhibit runs from March 8th until May 11th, so make sure to get there within the next month if you would like to experience this desert-inspired art.
Visit the Desert X website to read artist statements and find the coordinates for each piece. There are 11 installations this year, and I was able to visit seven of them during my day in Coachella Valley.
So many toiletries are disposable such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, and hair products. But they don’t have to be. The hardest part about switching over to less wasteful products is, in fact, switching over. Once I started using less wasteful products I never had to think about buying the disposable version again. Not only is switching over to non-plastic alternatives sustainable, but it saves you money in the long run too!
1. Buy a Safety Razor
Changing over to a safety razor was one of the best purchases I have ever made. Disposable razors are so wasteful and aren’t very efficient either. I bought a Van Der Hagen safety razor for $20 and I only have to change the razor blade two to three times a year. The razor blades usually cost around $5 for a pack of them, so I can typically go years without running out of blades. The blades are very sharp on the first use, so be careful when shaving with a new blade. The biggest downside of using a safety razor is that I cannot bring the razor blade in my carry on luggage when traveling.
One of my biggest passions is seeing as much of the world as I can, but it would be a lot more expensive without travel credit cards and other travel hacks. I have three travel credit cards all with varying annual fees. Here are the benefits of each one so you can decide which one is right for you:
The Tocumen International Airport has multiple lounge options for those with Priority Pass – three in terminal one and two in terminal two. With so many to choose from, how do you know which is the best one?
While I spent a long layover in the airport, I visited two of them in Terminal One: The Lounge Panama and Copa Club. After spending hours in both of these lounges, I would say Copa Club is the superior one, and here’s why:
Even though both lounges were crowded, Copa Club is much bigger than The Lounge so it’s easier so find a comfy spot to sit. There were also outlets next to most of the chairs in the Copa Club where there are some areas in The Lounge that do not have an outlet nearby. The Lounge felt a little more cramped and didn’t have as many tables as the Copa Club.
The 14-or-so-hour drive from Chicago to Colorado features corn, rolling grasslands, and more corn. I’ve taken two different routes to complete this drive: stopping in Kansas City then going through Kansas or booking it through Iowa and Nebraska. Going to Kansas City adds on a few hours, but stopping in the cute country town with delicious food is always refreshing, but this time I took the quicker way.
Driving from Chicago to Denver typically takes a little longer than 14 hours, and I like to split that drive up in to two days. In the past I rented an Airbnb in central Nebraska, but this time I drove 12 hours in a day to make it to Ogallala. The drive wasn’t too bad until the sun set, and my eyes got heavy. We were about an hour away when winds began to pick up and thunder roared in the distance. Lighting strikes covered the sky, which woke me up immediately. Winds continued to blow, but the rain was letting up when we finally found the small group of cabins. We ran into the cabin to find a warm space with snacks and a hand written note from the host. After a long day of driving and eating snacks it felt good to move from my car seat to a couch. I watched the storm for a bit before falling asleep in a cozy bed with the window open.
RILEY J ROAMS 