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Published: February 21st 2009
Most people why I would start the trip in Palm Springs since I didn't golf nor was I retired. We made the best of it crashing hotel pools, outlet shopping and eating at dives and delis.
Dives & Delis
Sometimes the best food comes from the most unlikely of places. The Crazy Coyote Taco stand was located near the turn off for the Cabazon Outlet Mall. I initially made fun of it since they had large dinosaur statues in front of the building - similar to the ones in Drumheller. Dinosaurs don't really have anything to do with Mexican food... but if the stand didn't have them I would have missed out on great fish tacos complete with a curry-like cream dill sauce and my new favourite drink - horchata. The only thing I could compare this to would be chai, but this drink is a cold sweet cinnamon vanilla milk like concoction. Delicious!
Keely's parents were also staying in Palm Springs at the time and recommended going to Sherman's Deli in Palm Desert. They were the youngest customers... as were we when we went the next night. The place was packed out the door with seniors who
obviously knew where to get good kosher food with generous portions. Are matzo balls supposed to be the size of your fist? Also, a picture of David Hasselhoff is displayed proudly by the door. Perhaps the thought of encountering him makes the older ladies check their hair and makeup twice in the hopes of running into him at Sherman's?
Villagefest
We were lucky enough to fly into Palm Springs on Thursday - in time for the weekly Villagefest where Palm Canyon Dr was closed for blocks to host various stalls selling art, crafts and delicious snacks. The highlight was the mad fiddler who physically resembled a cross between Conan the Barbarian and Fabio. The atmosphere was set with his wind machine, amplifier and long cape.
Hotel Pools & Timeshares
Keely's parents were staying at the Shadow Ridge Marriott - a beautiful hotel timeshare resort in the Palm Desert area... so we took them up on the offer to use the resort's hot tub after a long day of shopping. The timeshare concept is still beyond me perhaps because I'm not at the stage to own a vacation property. The Marriott hadn't quite convinced Keely's parents to invest but
still offered them deeply discounted hotel rates every time in the hopes of changing their minds. We could have gotten the same Marriott rate but Keely and I would have had to go as a couple. Palm Springs seems to be overrun with various timeshare properties and even our lowly hotel-motel was jazzed up as a spa resort timeshare with the "owner's lounge" offering daily activities.
Random Observations:
The windfarms outside of Palm Springs on the way to Cabazon Outlets are an incredible sight. There are over 4000 windmills in the area generating enough electricity to power Palm Springs. I know there are some in southern Alberta but there are usually no more than 5-10 in an area and not a massive operation like this.
Update: According to a friend in the energy industry, Alberta produces approximately 500 MW of wind generation, whereas California as of 2007 produced about 2400 MW.
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Jonathan
non-member comment
Palm Spring is definitely a surprise
Yea, i think you're right, the windmills are a sight to behold. Never in a million years would I think of going to Palm Springs, but my friend won a free contest on one of the city's promotion website and I was like, "sure, why not" It was A LOT of fun, although I don't golf, but I visited the village fest, and had some great food, and we went rock climbing, that was the surprise for sure. And it was all free!! Actually, that contest site is pretty awesome, I'd do it with my friend again. They're having this thing where every so often they'll have a new contest posted and the winner gets a free trip. And they have a lot of exciting events listed. I think the one right now is called picture perfect where you just post a picture of what a perfect moment in Palm Springs means to you. Just to share the wealth, the website is www.weknowwhatyouneed.com, I entered already, so I hope they pick me again = )