It wasn’t even the end of December and already we’ve had several major snow storms, frigid temperatures and long, grey, dreary days… So, there’s only one thing to do! Accept an invitation from my dear friend, Jodi, and head to sunny California for a New Year’s vacation! The week long stay promised everything our winter weary bodies longed for; we weren’t asking for much: Sunshine, outdoor walks, patio lunches, shorts and sandals, outdoor markets and a few good meals. Though I have not been in Palm Springs in over 20 years, I was assured by Jodi that all this goodness was going to be delivered. And boy, she was right! Thanks to Jeff & Jodi’s generous hospitality along with our friends, Mark & Jan , we all relaxed, wined, dined, hiked, some of us golfed, while all of us got to know Palm Springs a little better.

So, without further ado, here’s a newbie’s guide to a week in Palm Springs! Soak in the sunshine & enjoy!

(Check out links in the blog for more info!)

Nature:

We wished to explore the beautiful desert terrain around Palm Springs. We chose 2 easy hikes with opportunities to dip our toes in cool refreshing water. The first was Tahquitz Canyon, south east of Palm Springs. Leading to Tahquitz Falls and back, the trail is just under 2 miles, well marked and pretty easy to navigate. The falls are beautiful and provide quite a photo-Op…

We even saw a wild ram, scaling the rocky terrain with ease and agility, observing us with aloofness and indifference. Keep your eyes open to catch the many fearless hummingbirds fleeting about the canyon. So beautiful and iridescent!

Our second hike was Indian Canyons, which boasted beautiful mature palm trees, a meandering creek, partly shaded and beautifully colored rock formations. We opted for only about 2 mile walk and then turned around, since we wanted to squeeze in some more activities into that day. Just 2 words of caution: the firs 3/4 of a mile of the trail are in the open desert, so dress appropriately for the season and bring water. Also, the trail is shared by horse tours, so watch out for the big animals (pretty docile) and for the droppings (pretty fresh and malodorous).

We also spent a leisurely hour or so exploring Moorten’s Botanical Garden, a small, privately owned garden, featuring the local desert flora and fauna. I even purchased my own little succulents to bring home as my California souvenir!

To do:

Village Fest: An outdoor fair featuring crafts, foods, performers and more, held every Thursday in season on Palm Canyon Drive, from 6pm-10pm

Palm Springs International Film Festival: Held at the beginning of January, this popular event sells out quickly. Diverse films from around the world as well as the US are featured at various cinemas around town.

Palm Springs Mid-Century Modern Tour: Another highly sought out event, held in the middle of February, highlighting the unique architectural style, so prevalent in Palm Springs.

Palm Springs Museum: Includes Modern & Contemporary collections, Architecture & Design collection, Art of the West in America and much more. Museum closed on Weds. Open other days at 10am-5pm, Thurs. 12pm-8pm. General admission $14, 1 hour tours - free with your admission ticket.

Saturday Farmer’s Market: Located on E. Baristo Rd. by the movie theater and open at 8am, this market offers local and seasonally grown produce and products.

Wine Country - Temecula Valley: The six of us ventured to the beautifully sprawling Temecula valley, about 1.5 hours away from Palm Springs for a pleasurable day of wine tasting.

We started with the contemporary Akash estate, featuring an artistic tasting room and modern-design bottles.

We then crossed the road over to Vindemia with its rustic and charming, outdoor tasting area and its warm hospitality.

At Hart Winery we fell in love with the beautiful and affordable wines, as well as the friendly Mr. Joe Hart, the founder and owner, who was on hand to casually discuss the wine, retell his story and make us all feel welcomed.

Next was Doffo winery, where we were impressed with the motorcycle collection more than we were impressed with their wine (even though they won Temecula Valley Winery of the Year 2018). However, we did end up with one bottle of their bubbly to bring home.

Our last stop, for a very late lunch, or an early dinner was at Ponte Winery sprawling estate. Our friends and hosts have had a fabulous meal there before and wanted to share the experience with us. Alas, our dinner left much to be desired: the food was cold, late and flavorless and the service non-existent. The only redeeming quality was offered by the manager, who took full responsibility and offered some compensation. Must have been a bad night… We, however, had a fabulous day overall - full of good wine, great company and lots of laughter!

Shopping:

Cabazon Outlet: About half an hour to 45 minutes outside Palm Springs you can find Cabazon streched out over a few blocks and offering everything from Italian designers, to American brand names and international familiar names like GUCCI (if you are willing to stand in line and get ushered in by a bouncer… yes, no kidding, a bouncer!). Plenty of parking and places to eat as well.

Hadley’s Fruit Orchards: Adjacent to Cabazon outlet, Hadley’s is treasure trove of health foods, dried fruits, nuts and more. House made jams and spreads, breads, candies, crackers and cheeses are only a fraction of the offerings you’ll find. Famous for their date shakes, you can also taste other items at their in house restaurants as well.

El Paseo - Palm Desert: Stroll down a beautiful wide avenue, lined with beautiful stores and plenty of restaurants, to leisurely window shop or do some damage… your choice! I, of course, found a spice shop to spend my money on - Savory Spice with interesting toppings like Whiskey Barrel Smoked Sugar and Crushed Urfa Pepper, I was in heaven! Check it out!

On the Mark - Fine Food & Provisions: All necessities for a spectacular cheese plate, pasta dinner, appetizers and more at your fingertips. The knowledgeable and friendly purveyors provided suggestions for servings, background stories and origin of the products, and their pride and passion for delicious and appealing food was quite evident.

Wine & Dine:

The Elegant:

Pomme Frite: An elegant French menu served in a cozy setting, delicious and whimsical too. The owner is on hand with a big Belgian personality, a bit of a gruff manner and European attention to details.

Del Rey: Step back into the 1950’s and enjoy this restaurant in the villa Royale hotel. Whether you stop for just drinks (like we did) or stay for the meal, make sure to take a walk around the hotel and enjoy the pool area, the unoccupied suites that are available for viewing. You’ll feel like you are walking on a movie set during Hollywood’s golden era!

The Tropicale: Elegant with an extensive drink and entree menus as well as great service, which were all enjoyed tremendously by our whole gang! Focus on contemporary Italian and world cuisines.

The Casual:

Evzin: Middle Eastern food rooted in Greek cuisine. Relatively new, set in a modern sparse dining room. Service inconsistent, but the food and drinks - delicious!

J J’s Mexican Restaurant: Family owned, lovingly made authentic food with gracious and friendly service. Great Mezcal and fabulous Ceviche!

The Kimpton’ Rooftop Bar: Start your evening on the town with an imaginative and yummy drink at the rooftop bar at the Kimpton hotel in downtown Palm Springs. Sit around the pool as you sip your drink surrounded by a gorgeous view of the mountains and the setting sun. Open to non-hotel guests after 4pm.

Koffi: A small, high quality local coffee shop chain, providing a full menu of coffee and tea drinks as well as bakery items, GF items as well.

Elmer’s: Traditional American fare, (breakfast, lunch & dinner) prompt service in a casual atmosphere. Pretty patio in back overlooking the mountains. (GF options are mainly salads)

The Broken Yolk Cafe: Extensive breakfast menu, attentive, irreverent and attentive service, large portions. (Very, very minimal GF options).