The Art of Disappearing for 48 Hours
Not a Girls’ Trip. Not a Retreat. Something Better.
A “girls’ trip” feels too 20s. A retreat sounds lovely, but we’re only retreating from our lives. Don’t even start with “ladies’ weekend.” So maybe I stop trying to name it and just call it what it is: two grown-ass friends in our 50s taking 48 hours to exhale, get our nature fix, and let someone else make the bed.
Next week, I’m heading to Hotel Reset in Joshua Tree with Kelly Atterton—beauty director at C Magazine, founder of Rile, and beauty curator for Covet by Christos. She’s an industry insider and an all-around baddie, but to me she’s a true sister. Pretty sure we’ve moved into ride-or-die territory. I adore her so much and cherish our friendship so deeply I’m dangerously close to getting teary. And yes, me crying about the women I adore is totally on brand.
We’ll both be writing about the trip—Kelly for C Magazine and me right here. Expect two journalists comparing notes poolside, probably over something alcoholic and sparkling, laughing too hard, and probably debating which serums we didn’t need to pack.
Set on 180 acres just outside Joshua Tree National Park, Reset feels like the high-desert answer to (mid)life’s favorite question: What would happen if I actually stopped for a second?
The vibe is modern minimalism with desert soul - clean lines, soft stone palettes, and rooms designed to make you forget you even own a phone. Beautifully minimal, deeply restorative, but never pretentious and all in service to calm your nervous system while making you feel more connected to the surrounding topography. Ok fine - make that Earth and yess, Mother Nature herself.
Round this our with king beds, private patios with fire pits, spa-inspired baths with Jolie-filtered shower heads, and Walden robes so luxe you’ll want to steal them. If you book the Mountain View Suite, you get a stone soaking tub positioned for sunset views that could make you weep or at least cancel dinner plans.
The heated pool and jacuzzi are already being called the best in the high desert, and cabanas plus a poolside bar (coming soon) make it easy to turn “one quick dip” into an all-day event. And while Split Rock Food + Drink isn’t fully open yet, everything I’ve heard points to thoughtful, beautiful food—nourishing without being punishing.
You’re also five minutes from Joshua Tree National Park’s North Entrance, with access to the Cholla Cactus Garden, Pioneertown, and stargazing through Celestron telescopes that I fully plan on nerding out over.
Benjamin Uyeda, Reset’s co-founder and creative director, is the architectural mind behind this oasis. For Reset, the goal was clear: let the desert speak for itself. Every palette, material, and angle was chosen to melt into the landscape, the kind of luxury so quiet you almost don’t notice it. Working alongside him is Gry Space, design studio led by Emi Kitawaki and Jen Whitaker, who focused on interiors that feel effortless: calming neutrals, curated wood tones, and purpose-built furniture that honors both comfort and the desert light. Together, they created a desert hotel that isn’t just built, it’s behaves like it belongs. Modular in construction, maximal in intention.
Midlife isn’t about collecting more stuff; it’s about choosing your energy wisely.
My life right now: Every choice comes with an energy equation: Is this where I want to spend it? Is it wise? Is it worth it?
Reset already feels like a hell yes.
So what do you call two women in their 50s escaping to the desert for 48 hours? I still don’t have the perfect name for it. Then again, Reset already said it for me.
Full report coming soon.