Small Town Girl. Big City World.: April 2012

Last weekend my mom come in to town for a visit and we decided to check out Palm Springs. Palm Springs is a desert city within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 111 miles east of Los Angeles (about 2 hours away). The city came a fashionable resort for movie stars in the 1900's because if its micro climate and dry heat.

Within the history of Palm Springs and Hollywood stars lies the Ingleside Inn, where mom and I stayed for the weekend. This Spanish-style estate was built at the foot of the San Jacinto Mountains in 1925 as a personal residence. After changing hands over the years, New York businessman, Melvyn Haber purchased the property in 1975. Visitors to the Inn have included Arnold Schwarzenegger, Elizabeth Taylor and Goldie Hawn. The Inn is absolutely charming, in walking distance to downtown Palm Springs, and has that old Hollywood feel. The pool was my favorite part. A plush lawn with padded pool chairs and a waiter taking drink orders. I felt a bit glamorous.

Other than relaxing by the pool, mom and I also took a trip on the Palm Spring Aerial Tramway. This rotating tramcar elevates you 5,873 feet over the steep cliffs of the Chino Canyon. It was amazing that within 10 minutes we went from 83 degree weather at the beginning of the ride to 40 degrees and snow covered caps at the top of the mountain. At the top you will find amazing views of the Coachella Valley. We had made reservations to eat at Peaks Restaurant at sunset. Our meals were wonderful and it was a very nice evening on top of the mountain.

The next day we decided to bike around Palm Springs. After having coffee at Espresso Cielo (thanks for the recommendation Kathleen) we rented bikes from BIKE Palm Springs and rode probably 10+ miles looking mostly looking at houses and golf courses that are scattered about the city. I love exploring!

We worked up an appetite from biking and decided to check out LG's Steakhouse ("locally owned and nationally known"). We sat out on the large covered patio and enjoyed their famous caesar salad, created at our table (special ingredients: anchovies & worcestershire sauce) and had yummy filet mignons. The steak was very tender and flavorful.

Palm Springs is an amazing place. Mom and I had a wonderful time and talked about doing the trip annually. I can see why the old Hollywood stars flocked to this place. Its relaxed and glamorous, perfect for getting a summer glow and slowing down from this busy life.