Palm Springs Retreat

I am sure most of you have been to Palm Springs somewhere in your past. We were regulars there for a while, since my Aunt had a boss with a big house there in Palm Desert. We have been there a few times as well. It is no secret that winter is the best time to go, otherwise it is like Vegas and Scottsdale in the summer, TOO hot.

Palm Springs looks rather old and tired these days. Most of the fancy stores are closed or moved to Palm Desert. Palm Desert is the place now for hotels, restaurants, and shopping. Alot of young professionals now have weekend places in Palm Desert, since it is pretty close to LA. My cousins in OC bought a place there recently as well.

Palm Desert looks much like Scottsdale when it started to grow like crazy. It also has the blonde hair, snazzy cars, and plastic surgery as well. But it has a good vibe, and there is plenty to do. Golf and tennis are high on the list. Shopping, biking, swimming, and rock climbing are also popular. My golf trips there have been just as much fun as other nice places. The golf ball goes a long way in the desert air. Bob Hope's moutaintop home is visible form most locations in the Valley. The stars seem so much closer in the clear, dry desert air.

Nothing is inexpensive here, or as our friend Debbie says, "cheap and cheerful". It is on the pricey side for most accomodations, and dining. Golf is as expensive as Scottsdale, as most courses cost well over $100 in prime winter slots. But always remember one thing. When you enter a business or golf course, or hotel, you are likely to be the youngest one there!!! Isn't that great news?

We were able to find some great dining and shopping in Palm Desert at El Paseo, like Tommy Bahama, one of our favorites. Tommy also has a cafe here that is just like to ones in OC, Maui, and Scottsdale. We like it so much, we ate there twice. Steakhouses were the primary fare for many years, but now the yuppification has taken place, and smaller, healthier portions are avilalbe everywhere.

The gondola ride up the Palms Springs Aerial Tramway is a must do and see. The entire Coachella Valley can be seen. The importance of water is quite evident. Golf courses and made made lakes are everywhere. From here, camping, hiking and nature walks are avilable. Remember to bring your camera. It was Francis Crocker, in the 1930's, that envisioned this engineering feat. It was completed in 1963 after numerous technical and funding issues.

Believe it or not, Spring Break is a big deal here. I guess between the warm weather, and party atmosphere, it is a good, inexpensive place for kids that can't make the trip to Fort Lauderdale. I have been there when the parties go all night. Make sure you stay away if you want to get some sleep, or a seat in a bar or decent restaurant. But it is fun watching all the coeds try to make appearances on "Girls Gone Wild",

I had numerous business trips here over the years. One of the best was the Palms Spring Spa Hotel. The entire spa experience is a little intimidating at first. But about a dozen of us went through together. The creepiest part is the cooling room. It is as dark as night, and dozens of cooling beds or cots are placed in this huge room. The trick is to find a cot with nobody in it. I think it is so dark because it was coed, and the only cover is a small towel. I would have given anything for a small flashlight or lighter!!!

One night, a bunch of us from a business meeting had dinner at a great Mexican restaurant downtown. Then we headed out to a fancy nightclub on the edge of town, on a small hillside. I am sure you have seen it or been there yourself. One of the single guys, John, was just a crackup. After an hour or so there, he said he had talked to several single women. The only problem, as he explained, is that all of them were grandmothers!!!! We just laughed, and told him to dance with the youngest one.

But the sun and sand create a nice atmosphere for relaxation. It was awful having to wear a suit during the day. But, at night, the shorts and aloha shirts make their appearance, in even the most conservative of business meetings. One friend of mine, Burt, had to go out and buy a swimsuit since he did not bring one. He accidently left it in my rental car when I got to the airport. So I had my secretary back home mail it to his house. His wife was not too happy to see a swimsuit arrive in the mail from an unknown person. I did noy realize that my secretary put her name on the return address spot instead of my own. It was not pretty trying to explain that to his wife!!!!

This area also has a plethora of cutsie golf carts. By this, I mean that the golf carts are shaped like Mercedes, or Corvettes, or Mustangs, with bright and cheerful colors. What a crack up to see the ladies' outfits match their golf bag and golf cart!! The residents drive them from their condo to the golf course and back. I don't think they ever walk anywhere.

When I first played at La Quinta, which has several courses, I was just a beginner. I think it is the 16th or 17 hole on the Dunes course that has a sign, reading: "This is the hardest golf hole in the U.S." Well, lucky me, I hit a couple good shots, made the putt, and par'd the hardest hole in the country. It had to be beginner's luck, but in golf, you take the good, and lucky, with the bad, and unlucky.

When we go back, we will definitely take or rent mountain bikes, or ATV's. We will also visit a smaller spa than the one I went to many years ago. But we will shop until we drop at El Paseo in Palm Desert. And we will eat at the Tommy Bahama Tropical Cafe at least twice!

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