My first visit to the Palm Springs area was 20 years ago and to put it frankly, I disliked the experience. As I remember, it was 121 degrees and my little ’85 Honda Prelude didn’t have AC (I had just arrived from Minneapolis, who really needs it there?). It was a miserable day, I roasted and I couldn’t wait to get out.
I made my assumption then and there; it was always going to be hot, there was very little to do and in my judgemental mind, there were too many octogenarians present to make it anything other than, b-o-r-i-n-g.
FUNNY, HOW TIME AND AGE CHANGES YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON... WELL... PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING. I recently spent six days getting to know the city I had
judged so harshly and to say the least, I am happy that I had the opportunity to do so. I’ve been to Palm Springs many times over the course of the last 20 years, but for the most part, it had more to do with meeting friends at a private house and hanging by the pool, carousing in the many bars on Arenas, which by the way, is still a whole lot of fun, or going to be a part of the White Party. Again, an event that is plenty of fun and by the way, coming up in April. This time around, I made a conscious effort to step outside of what I had come to know about the city and its offerings. It was a good plan and because of it, I was pleasantly surprised.
THE TRIP OVER To get there, I took a route I hadn’t been on in a very
long time. The freeway makes it so
easy...And so mind- numbingly boring. For a more scenic route, head east on Interstate 8 and look for the exit for Highway 79 to Julian, it’s a bucolic, winding, two-lane byway worth every curve. Once through Downtown Julian, highway 79 and 78 merge until tiny Aguanga, where you jump on highway 371 and finally 74 to Palm Desert. It takes a little over an hour to reach Julian and a little over two to reach Palm Desert, but the beautiful landscapes are so worth the extra time. The precarious mountain route and the stunning views of the Coachella Valley always put me in mind of the lush landscapes of America’s great turn of the century Hudson River painters. Remington, Bierstadt and Moran; their rich vistas, dark craggy canyons and the amber, rose and plum hues so unique to the California landscape. Interestingly enough, a lovely, must-see collection of which, can be viewed at the Palm Springs Art Museum. Check it out at
psmuseum.org. For the first two days, I checked in to the lovely Santiago Resort at 650 E. San Lorenzo Road. Their brochure says, “We are a luxury getaway where men come to hit pause, be spoiled and rediscover the bliss of completely giving in to
the moment.” A blissful getaway for sure and as advised, I totally hit pause and gave in to the spoiling. I loved the resort and its amazing staff, their central location is minutes from Downtown and the resort is blissfully quiet. Pristine surroundings, a lovely pool, spa and a firepit, fit for lazy lounging, of course with cocktails and your vat of must-have sunscreen! The room’s price includes yummy breakfast options and a lovely afternoon bonus: a delicious, fresh boxed lunch. For more information or to book a reservation, go to
santiagoresort.com.
UP, UP AND AWAY “Would you like to ride in
my beautiful...” Tramway? This was a treat, and something I cannot believe I’d missed over the years. The world’s largest tramcar “Spins you right round, baby right round...” Rotating as you take the breathtaking journey up Chino Canyon’s sheer cliffs: 10-minutes to the Valley Sta- tion at 2,643 ft. and then 8,516 ft. up to the Mountain Station. Wicked fun, but bring your cold-weather gear; it’s usually 30-40 degrees cooler at the top. For more information, go to
pstramway.com.
DRAG ME OUT One of the many entertain-
ing things Palm Springs does well is theatre and drag. There are many shows available and the one I chose first was Lipstick Thursdays at the Copa Room with Pinkie Meringue Shimmer, as one of the headliners (you gotta love that name, don’t ya?). I’ve been to my share of drag shows, but I have to say Pinkie really knows how to get her “shimmer on.” It’s worth every dollar you offer... I’ll let you decide where to stuff it. Make sure to check out the many other performance offerings at the Copa (cue the Barry Manilow music)! For more informa- tion on events, go to
copapalmsprings.com. Dinner followed and it brought me right across the parking lot to the Tropicale & Coral Seas Lounge. A colorful, updated ‘50s sensibility that follows the Copa’s vibe (both are under the same ownership), with silhouetted views of the San Jacinto Mountains and a dining patio that was bustling with friendly diners partaking of their large, varied menu. I tested their Crispy Boneless Southern Fried Chicken, with corn mashed potatoes and buttered
MARCH 2016 | RAGE monthly 33
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