Dahvi's Weekend Debrief (6/22/25)
Hotel-hopping through SoCal, enduring the wrath of 90210 tourism, the quietest weekend of the year
Greetings from the most productive weekend of 2025? I’m pretty sure this is the first time all year that I’ve had literally zero plans. Life is weird in that sometimes I feel so busy I barely have time to reply “thank you!” to an email, and then other times I can go 48 hours without receiving a single text. I’m not even joking. Yeah, so the last seven days are a prime example of that. Like, this week was so insanely busy I’m not sure I even saw the light of my computer. And now, with the weekend coming to a close, it’s like I’ve been closed off from the world. And not that I’m complaining. I desperately needed alone time and screen time (not of the TikTok kind, though of course it still made its way in).
Many of my Saturdays or Sundays are clear during the weekends, but there’s usually something on one of those nights, which then overflows into the lack of productivity the following day. But this weekend, nada. I got so much done in just Saturday alone. So, having no social interaction does have its perks. I think I wrote five articles this weekend. I also have minimal plans on Mon and Tues, so by Wed when things get back up and running, I should be on track. It feels good.
At my previous jobs (full-time jobs), I never understood the drowning feeling. Even though I did plenty of work and always met my deadlines, once I was done I was done (for the day, for the weekend, for the holiday, whatever it may be). I didn’t have these lingering interviews and assignments. But I realize that’s because we spent eight-hour work days just sitting in front of a computer. You have nothing to do except get things done. We’re definitely in a new era of productivity, but I would choose this life any day.
Anyway!
I do have to tell you about this week though… So, Friday was super chill, but before I locked myself away for the next 72 hours, I popped into the Polly Pocket x Cider collab event at Alfred in Beverly Hills. The outing was super cute. They pre-gifted each guest with the select of their choice from the collection so we could wear it at the event. Everything onsite was pint-sized, including croissants and lattes. And of course all the 18-year-old influencers looked absolutely adorable, while me + Amanda had our Spanx (err… Body By Julia) shapewear locked and loaded. Cider pieces are designed for the ultra tiny (something I learned the hard way when I got influenced during lockdown thanks to social media). But nevertheless, super cute.
Event aside, the odd thing to me was how congested it was in Beverly Hills. Is it crazy that after all these years, I’ve never seen it that way? I’m always in Beverly Hills for meetings and appointments and I’ve never seen the dark tourist-y side of things. Perhaps it’s because I frequent the area at 11am on a Tuesday? I don’t know, but I was honestly having anxiety. It was giving Hollywood + Highland (OK, jk, not even close, but it was a different feeling than I’ve gotten there prior). It was also the first weekend of summer (*cough* more on that in a bit), and it was 5pm on a Friday, so maybe that brought out the droves?
Anyway, earlier in the week was extremely packed. I visited two resorts. On Tuesday, I picked up Ashley and we drove to the Montage Laguna Beach (I know, iconic!). The hotel had me in for an overnight stay on behalf of Skin Design London. The hotel was promoting a partnership with the brand and offering its SDL Face Tight Facial. I’m in love with the brand’s Face Bath Cleanser, a decadent balm-to-oil first-step in a double-cleanse routine. I always forget spa products are spa products for a reason! They feel so luxurious. Rooms at the hotel start at $1,218 per night, so when I say it was a pinch-me moment, it was. As you’d (hopefully) expect, customer service was exceptional, and my visit inspired me to do a new series (maybe for TikTok?).
I’m thinking of starting a series called “The Little Things” where I share super niche tidbits about a hotel that really stand out to me. I go on a lot of these overnight stays, and it’s funny the things that will pop out. Like of course the views are great and the burgers are out of this world, but what are the odds and ends no one thinks about?
This is the randomest thing ever, but at Montage Laguna they provide travel-sized shave kits in the bathroom drawers, and well it was life-changing. First off, I can’t tell ya how many times I’ve been nicked by a BIC! Secondly, razors in general aren’t kind to me, and shaving gel does me no favors. I decided to give the Montage’s nameless razor a go (it had a chic wooden handle), and when I tell you this was the best shave of my life, I’m not joking. I couldn’t believe it. They did however, include a branded shave cream and I immediately dashed to Amazon to order a full size. Please take my word for it, this fragrance-free cream is everything. It’s by the Italian brand Proraso. Never heard of it prior, but it will be stocked under my sink. On that note, if you have any razors to recommend, PLEASE DO SO! They don’t have to be boughie, they just need to work. Oh, and another thing is they serve the freshest raw veggies I’ve ever had—ever. Wow.
Hotel visits were aplenty this week, as two days later I was swooped up in a shiny SUV and driven to Yaamava’ Resort & Casino 90 minutes outside of LA in the good ol’ I.E. Anyway, it’s a casino… with a twist. Well, first off, it’s a non-smoking casino, which I was impressed by. I wasn’t there to gamble, so had I tried to have a relaxing stay that smelled like Vegas, it definitely would have impacted my experience. But aside from that, its Serrano Spa is a certified five-star establishment, as rated by the Forbes Travel Guide.
I was really impressed by the spa’s partnership with Valmont. ICYMI, I received an $850 Valmont facial in Beverly Hills, if that offers any insight into the prestigious Swiss brand. Speaking of Valmont, Serrano had me in for a Valmont Waterfall Facial (a yet-to-be-listed treatment that focuses on moisture). I was so relaxed I fell asleep. This followed another new treatment, the Augmented Massage by Gharieni—a symphonic massage that seamlessly integrates sound therapy into every treatment. It was tough to get up after that one!
Ok, for my “little things” about the resort, I’ve never had a tastier turkey sandwich. It was a stacked turkey BLT that tasted like it was toasted in butter and smothered with some insanely delicious aoli. Whatever that was, it was bomb. The resort also has a private “Y Lounge,” limited to a certain tier of guests. It was a dream the next morning because I could go up, grab some complimentary coffee, eggs and potatoes, and sprawl out with my computer. There are two large wings of seating areas, and I was totally undisturbed. I felt super focused, and the staff kept coming by to refill my water and coffee.
In between all of this, I somehow made it to a Kosas masterclass in El Segundo on Wednesday. It was amazing. I think these masterclasses that the beauty brands are doing are genius. I’m going to share much more on that later on, but I had such an incredible time. We got to use/take home pretty much every single product in the full Kosas collection, and then capped off the 90-minute event with a photo shoot (see below) from famed photog Max Bronner.
What I love about brand founder Sheena Zadeh’s philosophy on makeup is, let’s amplify our beauty versus dilute it. I feel like so many beauty founders (especially in today’s era) harp on no makeup-makeup. Like, sure, you don’t want to look like a clown, but it’s okay to have fun and play up your natural tones and features. She really hammers that home, and I think it’s important. And yes, of course, if natural glam is what you’re going after, you can easily achieve that with her products, too. But it’s ok if you want to walk out of the house with a noticeably full face of makeup (*raises hand*).
Also at the masterclass, we got to try the brand’s new mascara before anyone else. It’s launching at the end of July. I have to say that’s one product category I don’t get too excited about. But this actually had a unique, non-flaky formula I hadn’t experienced prior. It reminds me of the consistency of the Rare Beauty Brow Gel I’ve been raving about. It just feels different. LOVE!
Ok, a couple more quick thoughts before I sign off… what’s everyone watching? Or, I guess I should say, are you watching the two docs making waves on social media? I haven’t watched Astroworld yet (but I will). Currently in the middle of Alex Cooper. Please share all and every opinion on both!
Lastly, I can’t believe it’s officially summer. I always say it means one season closer to fall. But I need time to go by slower. I’m not in a rush for fall just yet. That said, I warn you that we are officially approaching the time of year when my mental health is triggered beyond belief. I’m deeply affected by the heat/sun (unless I’m splashing around in a pool somewhere fun). Each year I try to tell myself it will be different, but by the time we hit late July - end of Sept, it’s pretty rough. If your mental state is affected by the weather (in one way or another), I’m totally with you. I just have to remind myself it’s only temporary and things will be OK soon.
Alright, thank you for reading! Let me know in the comments if there’s anything I missed. ;) And speaking of missed, if you didn’t catch last week’s post about the true functions of PR and what you should realistically expect by hiring a team, I highly encourage you to read it HERE (it speaks to anyone in business, really. It’s not just limited to publicists or brands).
HAPPY SUNDAY! <3
Polly Pockets did a collab with Lisa Says Gah last year too, interesting to see them hit the high(ish) and lower fashion brands like that.
It’s giving PTSD even *hearing* “Hollywood and Highland” LOL