Tag: Palm Desert

  • Aquifer65

    Aquifer65

    This watering hole is located at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa, the last place Frank Sinatra ever performed. Paying homage to that extraordinary milestone, the lobby bar, Aquifer65, hosts a special Sinatra Smash Happy Hour every evening at 4:05 p.m. While Sinatra tunes play in the background, a large flag featuring the Chairman of the Board’s likeness drops from above and guests are provided complimentary samplings of the establishment’s signature Sinatra Smash libation, making for a truly inspired cocktail experience!

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  • The Body Deli’s Barbie Display

    The Body Deli’s Barbie Display

    In the heart of the Valley’s most prestigious shopping district is a skincare store that has become a destination for doll lovers. That is all thanks to owner Margaret Skarin Clark, who creates imaginatively elaborate displays featuring her extensive Barbie collection, which she has been accumulating for over 60 years. The fantastical exhibits showcase both vintage and new figurines and are changed regularly with the seasons. Pictured is the March 2023 display modeled in honor of Fashion Week El Paseo, complete with clothing inspired by Karl Lagerfeld, Louis Vuitton and Chanel.

  • Chef Tanya’s Kitchen

    Chef Tanya’s Kitchen

    My monthly lunch group’s go-to spot, this vegan gem proves that plant-based can be downright delicious. Everyone I take here is bowled over by the fare, even the diehard meat-eaters. I’m partial to the Egg-y Salad, while my bestie Heidi swears by the Banh Mi & You sandwich. Don’t skip the onsite “kreamery,” serving some of the desert’s best ice cream, or the adjoining pet store, which regularly hosts cat adoptions.

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  • The Living Desert Zoo And Gardens

    The Living Desert Zoo And Gardens

    “Condé Nast Traveler” rated this spot one of the top 10 zoos in the United States, and it is not very hard to see why. But calling it simply a “zoo” is somewhat of a disservice because The Living Desert is so much more! With expansive vistas showcasing animals in their natural habitats, journeying through the 1,200-acre site feels like being on a safari. There are also gardens, ponds, a massive model train exhibit, walking trails, camel rides, giraffe feedings, a butterfly sanctuary, and an animal hospital to explore! The Living Desert is truly one-of-a-kind, offering a new experience each and every visit. The site’s annual Glow in the Park event, one of my favorite desert happenings, is also not to be missed!

  • Luscious Lorraine’s

    Luscious Lorraine’s

    Vegan, gluten-free and, paleo friends – this is the spot for you! Owned and operated by functional nutrition counselor/chef Lorraine Ornelas, the eatery boasts a highly specialized menu offering smoothies, juices, elixir shots, and entrees geared toward every dietary restriction and preference known to man. Need a glow-up, toxin flush or immunity boost? Plant-based, low-carb, celiac? Lorraine has got you covered, no matter what ails you! And the fare is incredibly tasty, to boot!

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  • Palms To Pines Scenic Byway

    Palms To Pines Scenic Byway

    Looking for showstopping views of the region? Head straight to the Palms to Pines Scenic Byway in Palm Desert, a zigzagging thoroughfare that spectacularly winds its way through the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains, offering striking panoramas along the way. A stop at the Coachella Valley Vista Point, a stunning elevated lookout with sweeping views of the surrounding skyline (pictured), is a must. Ascending further along the Byway brings even more dramatic views and eventually leads to Idyllwild, a sweet little enclave with a charming collection of shops, restaurants and cafés to explore.

  • Canyon Creek Mushrooms

    Canyon Creek Mushrooms

    A bonafide mushroom farm in the heart of the Valley? Canyon Creek Mushrooms is certainly the first of its kind! Offering the finest fungal varieties (from lion’s mane to king trumpet to pink oyster), all hand-harvested right on the premises, the zero-waste facility is a one-stop shop when it comes to mushrooms. Best of all? The site offers daily tours of the premises, granting patrons behind-the-scenes glimpses of the entire cultivation process. No reservations required!

  • Miles C. Bates House

    Miles C. Bates House

    Another Walter S. White creation, this modernist one-bedroom pad was designed by the prolific architect in 1955. Featuring a striking undulating roofline inspired by the curving San Jacinto mountainscape surrounding it, the property originally served as an artist’s studio for sculptor Miles C. Bates. After falling into some disrepair, the dwelling was acquired by Stayner Architects in 2018, painstakingly restored, and today serves as a retro vacation rental/event venue known as the Desert Wave House. Outfitted with chic vintage furnishings and décor, including a “personal whiskey and amaro bar,” it is the ideal spot to live out all of your “Mad Men”-esque dreams.

  • Art In Nature

    Art In Nature

    A genuinely singular desert find, this designer showroom, initially established in 1982, is teeming with exquisite art and lavish permanent floral arrangements. A faux botanical dreamland, the custom pieces offered are costly but absolutely stunning. A bit outside your budget? Not to worry! The emporium also stocks a wide array of succulents and floral accessories (I’m talking shelves upon shelves upon shelves!) to craft your own masterpiece! An arrangement I created years back using Art in Nature wares still garners more compliments than pretty much anything else in my house!

  • Jw Marriott Desert Springs Resort Lobby Shop

    Jw Marriott Desert Springs Resort Lobby Shop

    Whenever I find myself at a loss for birthday gift ideas for a friend, I head straight to the Lobby Shop at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort. The stylish boutique sells all of your typical hotel sundries like wine, snacks and first aid items but also offers a fun stash of desert and California-themed pieces, including artwork, purses, clothing, jewelry and more. I always wind up leaving with the perfect gift in hand. Bonus – the Marriott’s other onsite shops (there are eight in total!) are also fabulous!