Mimosas and Memories in Palm Springs

There are few things better than driving down highway 111 with the windows down. With a temp of about 75 and not a cloud in sight, the cool breeze flowing through the car is both relaxing and invigorating. The sun on my arm and face usually burns, but I never mind. The wind blows my hair in my eyes, but I don't move it. The trick is to keep both front windows rolled down about half-way so that the cross breeze will reach you in the drivers' seat. Being alone on this drive can only be beat by having a great friend in the passenger seat. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start here:

Last Thursday, I flew out to California to visit Palm Springs for a few days. My parents had already been there for a week, and I was happy to catch the tail end of their trip. Not only that, but one of my favorite DC friends, Beth, was coming out for the weekend! The last time we went, United Airlines screwed Beth oh so badly, erm, flight-wise, and they gave her a free flight. What better place to go than Southern California for the weekend? Most of my weekends in Palm Springs (and generally on vacation) revolve around food, wine and great conversation. I felt this weekend would be no different.

After my arrival and a quick lunch on Thursday, my parents and I played 9 holes of golf. I didn't play that great, but I also hadn't played in months, so I'm using that as my excuse. Also, a bee decided to be a total asshole on the fourth hole and STUNG ME. I have never been stung by anything, and it hurt, Charlie. Luckily, there was wine at the condo and I was able to nurse myself back to health that night.

9th hole. I should have gotten out of the cart, but I was still traumatized by the bee sting.

Beth didn't arrive until Friday night and my parents were in a golf tournament all day Friday, so I wondered around downtown Palm Springs, ate lunch at Trio's Restaurant, whose fish tacos were incredible, and then went back and swam in the pool until it was time to head to the airport. Beth and I went to dinner at a place called 3rd Corner, which is a wine shop and restaurant. They let you walk through the wine displays and pick your own bottles. We chose a cabernet and a pinot noir, since they said anything we don't drink they'd cork and we could take home. Music to our ears. We dined on pasta and drank our wine, catching up and talking about my olden times in DC.

Bar art at Trio's made from children's toys. I was very amused.

The rest of the weekend was spent much the same as our dinner at 3rd corner, eating, drinking and talking. On Saturday, we went back into Palm Springs to walk around and eat brunch at a place called Cheeky's. This place has a bacon flight that we really wanted to try. That's right. Bacon. Flight. It was as delicious as only bacon can be. We walked around and visited a few small museums, then headed back for a dip in the pool and hot tub before dinner with my parents.

Dessert Meat.

Museum displaying the contents of an old general store. This was the pharmacy section. Entry fee: 95 cents. No joke.

A 50-foot Marilyn Monroe in Downtown Palm Springs

On Sunday, we saw some family friends, drank some more, swam some more, and found a hole-in-the-wall Italian place for a yummy last supper. Washing the weekend down with mimosas on Monday morning, all four of us reluctantly headed to the airport to go back to our lives. I'm always sad to leave California, but I'm so happy I was able to hang out with Beth and enjoy the sunshine before the winter to come. When it gets too cold in Abilene, I'll just have to think of that drive down 111.

Paper placemats = great food.

Red wine as the sun went down. Basically heaven.