Here is what we know so far . . .
That’s how the agenda started for our three-day women’s book group retreat in Palm Desert. What we didn’t know so far was how much we would hike, visit interesting sites, and savor delicious meals.
Alluring Palm Desert options include shopping at the profusion of consignment stores or on El Paseo, hitting the theaters and the nightlife or visiting the wonderfully wild Palm Springs Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. Golf courses and tennis and pickle ball courts are also captivating draws to the area.
One would assume that we six women, all grandmothers, would hover over cocktails around the pool. Not this group. We chose to delve into exploring trails and discussing literature on this visit. Powdery brown sand, pockets of avocado green brush and palm trees greeted us on our hike at the Coachella Valley Preserve. The preserve, 17 miles east of Palm Springs, is 20,000-plus acres and offers more than 25 miles of hiking trails. Bearded palm trees and the creatures who thrive in them surrounded us. We spotted a road runner nest and a coyote.
A tranquil early morning walk before sun becomes too intense is the Palm Desert Civic Center Park where there are whimsical bronzes dotting the grounds. They are in the forms of a man fishing in a pond and another lying on the grass. The Holocaust Memorial exhibit with sculptures representing victims standing on a Star of David is a stark contrast. A replica of a barbed-wire fence encircles this moving display.
Since Palm Springs and Palm Desert are about ½ an hour’s drive apart, it was easy to make time for the Palm Springs Art Museum. Henry Moore sculptures lure visitors in the door to the featured neon light exhibit. Picasso sculptures, Dale Chihuly art glass, and Western art are staples.
After hikes, we earned lunch at several places including Shields that serves dates in shakes, salads, and ice cream. It opened in Indio in 1924 and is a Palm Desert-area institution. Toasted bagel slices and pickles on each table greeted us when we stopped for lunch at J’s Deli in Palm Desert. Breakfast is served all day, and the Asian chicken salad is lavish. One dinner out was at Tropicale, a revered restaurant in Palm Springs. Try their “iced big ass shrimp cocktail,” to understand “big ass.”
We will gather again soon, knowing that Palm Desert will offer a myriad of choices for activities.
