Author: lindsay

  • Old Town Artisan Studios

    Old Town Artisan Studios

    The mission of this 16,000-square-foot facility is to make art accessible to all Coachella Valley denizens, including students, senior citizens, veterans, Alzheimer’s sufferers and those with disabilities. Founded in 2009 by Victory Grund, the studio has certainly made good on that endeavor, with countless classes, workshops and exhibits offered regularly at the gorgeous property, eager patrons trying their hands at everything from needle felting to glass-blowing to paint-your-own pottery (my personal favorite) at both indoor and outdoor learning spaces. Come December, the complex is transformed into an adorable holiday-themed Gingerbread Lane, with special events like Santa visits, cookie decorating, ornament painting, and more taking place each Saturday.

  • Pappy + Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace

    Pappy + Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace

    Located 30 miles north of Palm Springs, this eatery is a bit out of the way but is a must-stop if you’re heading to Joshua Tree or Yucca Valley. Boasting a vibrant and thoroughly unique high-desert vibe, the historical movie set turned biker/burrito bar turned bustling restaurant/fabled live music venue is hip, happening, and standing-room-only most days. And don’t let the place’s ramshackle appearance fool you – the food served on the premises is some of the best you’ll find in the entire greater Palm Springs area. As such, Pappy + Harriet’s has attracted the likes of everyone from Paul McCartney to Helen Mirren to Emma Stone.

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  • La Quinta Museum

    La Quinta Museum

    A charming venue filled with an array of exhibits and displays chronicling the history of the city of La Quinta, this fun and informative spot is a great place to spend an afternoon – especially during the summer months when it is too hot to be outside. The site also hosts a plethora of regular events, including music nights (held al fresco in the gorgeous courtyard), author readings, educational lectures, genealogy meet-ups, movie screenings and more! There is always something exciting happening at the La Quinta Museum!

  • Crossroads Cafe

    Crossroads Cafe

    Another out-of-the-way spot, this one is also worth the drive, especially if you are visiting Joshua Tree. Featuring an eclectic menu with a slew of vegan and plant-based options, the food is truly out of this world, and the atmosphere is extremely welcoming. The chicken tacos are my personal favorite and, while no longer listed on the menu, are still readily available to patrons in the know.

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  • “Heavy Metal” Sculpture

    “Heavy Metal” Sculpture

    This aluminum statue, modeled after a rocking-out Saguaro cactus, was created in 2022 for the Power Trip heavy metal festival by sculptor/ frequent Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival contributor Don Kennell and his wife, Lisa Adler. The following year, the piece was relocated to a grassy patch in downtown Indio and now acts as a cheeky attraction, beckoning visitors to pose for photo ops beneath its prickly foliaged fingers.

  • “Happy Alley”

    “Happy Alley”

    Just down the street from the “Heavy Metal” cactus, you’ll find “Happy Alley,” another whimsical art installation featuring colorful umbrellas strung across a tiny downtown Indio alleyway. Crafted by the city’s Human Resources and Public Works departments, the display is a vibrant and joy-inducing addition to the local art scene – not to mention a fabulous backdrop for pictures.

    Happy Alley

  • Bob Hope House

    Bob Hope House

    Crafted by John Lautner in 1979, Bob Hope’s infamous former house, one of the area’s most recognizable landmarks, sits perched like a beacon above the 111 Freeway in Rancho Mirage. While tucked behind gates in the ultra-exclusive Southridge Community, hikers can catch an up-close-and-personal view of the place while venturing along Araby Trail (chronicled in my attractions section above). And it is certainly worth a looksie! Canopied under a draping cement plaster roofline marked by a 60-foot circular opening, the gargantuan 25,000-square-foot residence is Lautner’s largest and most ambitious commission ever. It is also one of his most contentious, requiring more than six years to complete, mainly due to design disagreements with the Hopes, with the comedian famously lamenting of its otherworldly shape, “At least when they come down from Mars, they’ll know where to go.”

  • Loretta Young House

    Loretta Young House

    Two-time Academy Award winner Loretta Young purchased this Deepwell Estates property in 1993 with her third husband, Jean Louis (the prolific fashion designer responsible for Marilyn Monroe’s infamous “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress). During the actress’ seven-year tenure on the premises, she is said to have regularly tended to the hedges herself (using a pair of scissors, no less!) and decorated both the interior and exterior with a plethora of angels each Christmas.

  • Frank Sinatra Estate

    Frank Sinatra Estate

    Legendary singer Frank Sinatra called this pad, known as “Twin Palms,” home for nearly a decade, beginning upon its completion in 1947. Designed by iconic architect E. Stewart Williams (his first residential commission!) and featured in the 1950 Joan Crawford movie “The Damned Don’t Cry,” the property is most famous for being the site of what Sinatra’s second wife, Ava Gardner, called “the most spectacular fight of our young married life.” The primary bathroom sink still bears the scars from that row in the form of a large crack (pictured in the gallery below), the result of a champagne bottle the singer threw at Gardner during the melee. Today, the site is utilized as a special events venue/vacation rental and is available for private tours, making it one celebrity home that is fully – and fabulously – accessible to the public!

  • Joshua Tree National Park

    Joshua Tree National Park

    A day trip to Joshua Tree National Park, located about 40 miles northeast of Palm Springs, is a must for any desert visitor! While the entire 800,000-acre park is worth checking out, offering some of the most beautiful scenery known to man, there are a few stand-out spots that shouldn’t be missed, including the aptly-named Skull Rock (pictured), Jumbo Rocks, Arch Rock, the Cholla Cactus Garden and Keys View, an awe-inspiring lookout point featuring panoramic vistas of the entire Valley, with even the San Andreas Faultline visible on a clear day! (Note – there are three entrances to the park. The address above denotes the visitor center for the entrance closest to downtown Palm Springs.)