Who would’ve thought that Palm Springs, CA would be our winter getaway? I certainly never did. Florida was an option and would’ve been great. Or Hawaii which never fails to enchant. I had offered to stay put for the Winter and work on my painting but Anne pushed for a relief from the bitter cold, endless gray days and seasonal affective disorder. Neither of us had been to Palm Springs though we both knew people who had been regularly and were able to recommend some attractions and a special place for a Valentine’s dinner. Online research had revealed some art galleries, a few gardens and the Palm Springs Art Museum. Our hotel would be the Best Western in Palm Desert, about 20 miles from Palm Springs and closer to La Quinta.

Dr. Johnson needed a lift for his flight to San Diego so we got up a bit earlier, 3 AM!, We took one big bag instead of carry ons since we’ve rented a van this time so that we can come and go much easier. Alaska airlines gets us to Palm Springs airport in 2 paltry hours and Pat was there with a red Dodge van with a folding ramp. Town is mere minutes away where we spy Angel View Thrift Store and stop in for a few minutes. Anne gets a paperback and I’m on the lookout for a glass piece.

We find the museum but it’s too early and head towards the main drag where we notice many storefronts closed and not many people strolling the street. The weather is nice and we end up on a patio of a Mexican restaurant and split some fajitas. Back at the museum and the space is being set up for a dinner function. Only a few areas closed off and we start at the top where the contemporary work is. Fairly light-hearted in mood, with whimsical sculptures and a very life-like nude woman. The classical pieces were Western works by Russell, Remington and wonderful native artists. Many fine works by contemporary native artists too.

The glass collection is outstanding but they shouldn’t have left their Chihuly’s in the outside court as the dust completely obliterated any sparkle. A set of red poles just like the ones outside the Kennedy Center for last year’s VSA Festival. A special exhibition featuring a contemporary architect gave us some ideas about our up coming design. There is a production of Menopause the Musical going on and we check out the Photography room before exiting to brilliant sunshine and hot temps. After checking out a couple shops we load back up and start towards our hotel in Palm Desert. The first room is too small and looks out over the parking lot so Anne talks us into one looking towards a courtyard instead.

By happenstance we’re here for the weekly street fair. Main Street is closed off and people are here from all over. Some excellent street musicians. Dinner is BBQ pork sandwiches with some senior citizens along the curb and some roasted, candied nuts. The temperatures have cooled off considerably but we’re prepared and scope out vendors, listen to an Irish tenor and enjoy the evening scene. It’s been a long day and we’re both pretty exhausted by the time we get back to our room and Anne unpacks and we watch a little boob tube before bed.

Feb. 11

We wake and listen to the news that Mubarek has stepped down from power in Egypt. After 18 years there is a new way but will it help the common man or be usurped by malevolent forces? We head towards our complimentary breakfast where the LA Times has the news that the Egyptian Dictator was continuing to be defiant. How quickly history can change is astounding. We sit in the warming sun and work the crossword puzzle and decide what we want to do. We will stay around Palm Desert today and drive to a couple nearby thrift stores and antique shops. A larger antique mall has many treasures but we don’t find anything we can’t live without. Anne momentarily loses track of her purse here and previously at the museum sculpture court.

I had noticed an Olive Garden Restaurant along the highway and we each have the bottomless soup and salad. Our guide tells us that there are many galleries along El Paseo and it is the local version of Beverly Hills with Gucci boutiques and jewelry salons abounding. Many gallery owners are laid back and enthusiastic about their artists while others are dismissive and distracted. High, high prices and some might even be warranted. Here I find a terrific glass paperweight with dark ribbons of color throughout, made in Poland. We stroll many more galleries but have only seen half of the offerings. We’re ready to kick back with some chips and hummus in our room and catch up on world events. Later we watch a program celebrating Ronald Reagan’s dubious achievements. The parking lot is full of classic hot rods and we learn that a huge show is scheduled for tomorrow.

Feb. 12

After breakfast we load up the back end of the van and have a glitch with the ramp. Anne manually unfolds it and makes a call to the rental office. Once retracted, it seems to operate fine. Before making it out to the car show we head to a nearby college for an enormous street fair. Hundreds of products to look at and the level track gives me a good workout. The sun is blazing though and I can tell my brow is getting scorched. Anne buys a black, shear wrap, a beautiful glass heart and a magnifying mirror that attaches to the mirror with suction cups. I see some nice fossils but don’t acquire anything. Back in the van and drive to La Quinta where the car show is in full swing. Park under the shade of some lemon trees and hit the pavement.

The car culture of Southern California is in full flower and the beautiful rides are a unique sight. Row upon row fill the infield and we’re happy to stick to the perimeter where the pavement makes the going easier and marvel at the rolling art sculptures. Lunch consists of hotdogs under an umbrella before making our way up the back side with trick motorcycles, Chevy’s by the score and custom jobs that gleam with flames and pinstripes. We try to tackle the infield but the grass is a bitch to push through and we only make it halfway through before giving up and heading back towards the exit. I’m really cooked now and can feel my skin tightening around my skull. A very different crowd exists here with blue jeans de riguer and tee shirts sporting fantastic illustrations. A far cry from the collagen injected lips of the El Paseo grand dames.

We still have one more festival to attend on the other side of La Quinta. Art Under the Umbrellas is in old town and is blessedly in the shade of the surrounding buildings. One man has collapsed from the heat no doubt and is being attended to. The hand made jewelry, art glass and pottery are similar to pieces seen in El Paseo but it is a festive atmosphere and we’re glad to take a break for a beer and a gin and tonic in a local inn. We hear the strains of a steel drum and follow our ears to a park nearby where a musical band is entertaining a lawn full of appreciative listeners. Craggy mountains are all around and we head towards the Cliff House where we will have our Valentine dinner in a couple days. Happy hour is much more economical and there is a pleasant outdoor patio adjacent to the sheer rock face. We share some calamari, chowder and salads.

It’s not late but we’ve done a lot so are happy to go back to our room, watch a little tv movie and do all the writing up until now. My sunburn has my head pounding slightly and some lotion is soothing.

Feb. 13

We’re in no great hurry to rise and have no specific plans for the day. Anne requests a room change to a handicapped space that will give us a bit more room. Oatmeal for breakfast and work a crossword puzzle. Once we’ve changed rooms we load up and head out. We stop at a mall in Rancho Mirage for wine tasting and enjoy some moments with the knowledgeable proprietor. We pick a special vintage for a future celebration and head towards a nearby restaurant where we wait a bit for a seat near the water pool. Anne catches up with home folks via phone calls. Everyone is tired of the cold and a storm whipped through and threw many out of power. Our friend Janet will begin chemo therapy soon for lung cancer and will be a constant in our prayers. I have a cobb salad and Anne enjoys quinoa stuffed acorn squash. We then load and drive up into the San Jacinto Mountains stopping at a couple open houses along the way. Anne is surprised at how low prices seem to be in spite of a mildly recovering economy and we fantasize about living here during the long Seattle winters.

The drive up into the hills feature the stark beauty of the area with scrub plants, delicate, orchid like flowers and towering palm trees bordering the avenues. We stop at a couple turn outs to relish the view of the valley and surrounding mountains and then unload at an interpretive area that features an almost accessible path with signs describing the natural flora and how it was utilized by the local native tribes. It is very quiet and we spy a few geckos scuttling along the hot rocks.

We descend to the main drag, stop briefly at a drug store and then on to Trader Joe’s for dinner fixings of chips and hummus and a bottle of champagne to celebrate tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day. I read a bit of my book, the Last Templar and we watch the Grammys in spite of lousy reception. a full tribute to ailing Aretha Franklin. Justin Beiber mania but he fails to win best new artist.

Feb. 14

We’re pleased to relax, start our day at a mellow pace and let the day unfold naturally. I had written a one page story as my Valentine gift to my love and we would share it during our dinner at The Cliff House later in the evening. It featured a more provocative theme than many of my poems celebrating our love but I didn’t consider it vulgar, merely a reflection of the desire that she elicits from me on a regular basis. I had thought we might see some gardens but the one we check out isn’t accessible and not all that inspiring. We continue through Palm Springs and the visitor center at the base of the road leading to the Palm Springs Rotating Tramride. The dizzying trip is breathtaking and rather adrenaline pumping when the car crosses one of the towering supports and sways as it continues its ascent.

The view of the valley from the summit is spectacular and we savor the view and each other’s company over lunch. After exploring the different areas, shops and interpretive displays we’re ready to begin our descent when we’re recognized by the manager of the antique mall we visited on our first day. We both realize that it probably wouldn’t take very long to develop a social circle if we lived here and the many art galleries would offer some interesting career possibilities. Once we’re reloaded, we drive around the nearby highlands in search of Elvis’ honeymoon hideaway. We don’t find it but enjoy seeing some of the expensive and dramatic homes in the area. Once we’re back at our hotel, Anne relaxes and prepares our clothes while I sit by the pool and read a bit of my book.

Our reservations at the Cliff House aren’t until 6:30 and at first we’re disappointed because it is after sunset and there wouldn’t be much of a view. Although we are seated in the middle of a dining room with a view of a dramatically lit rocks we are disappointed in the food. Anne’s chicken is fairly bland and my halibut is dry. We shall remember to return for happy hour if ever we’re back but dinner will be elsewhere. Anne takes most of hers with us that I will enjoy for tomorrow’s breakfast. In spite of the full bottle of wine we enjoyed at dinner we open a special bottle of champagne once we’re in the privacy of our room.

Feb. 15

The weather forecast calls for a change and it is much cooler at first but warms up into another glorious day. We watch a bit of Barack Obama’s news conference before breakfast and then load our gear for a long road trip to Joshua Tree State Park. It’s not as far as I had thought it would be and before long we’re blown away at the magnificent rock formations, the startling Joshua trees with their spiky branches and some outstanding panoramas along the way. Anne gets out for photographs and we tour several campgrounds where we can feel the geology up close. It’s a long drive back through the Mojave Desert with a stark beauty unique to the arid wastes and Anne takes a short hike through a cactus garden area especially set aside. After sitting in the van most of the day, I’m anxious to soak up some rays and grab my paperback and sit on our patio for awhile until the sun sinks below the adjacent building. I relocate into a sunny spot and continue my story until we’re ready for dinner and drive to Rancho Mirage for a Thai dinner. A beautiful day with a beautiful lady. We come back to be in our room since it’s pretty cold outside and watch TV and play a game of cribbage. She ends up skunking me.

Feb.16

Our Thai leftovers are perfect for breakfast and we read the LA Times and conquer the crossword. We will stay in Palm Desert today and explore the galleries along El Paseo and drive around the hills to see more architecture. A couple furniture consignment stores feature out of style furnishings and common reproductions of Dali’s, Chagall’s and Neiman’s. The Shepp Gallery has a prime spot on a visible corner and is full of exquisite glass and fine woodworking pieces. The door is wide open and an acrylic stand describes the offerings. We’re the only ones in the shop along with the owner and he is gracious in sharing his knowledge of the artists. As we’re admiring a beautiful set of California scenes in oils we hear a tremendous crash and know instantly that a catastrophe has occurred. A freak gust of wind causes the acrylic stand to tip over and smash into a brilliant reddish vase that had been lined with metallic silver. Priced at over $1,000.00, it is now worthless splinters and the owner tries to put on a philosophic aspect. The artist was coming in today and at least will be paid as if it had sold. The table that it sat on was also broken and it’s an expensive day for the owner. We hunt for other galleries featuring glass and come across some that are virtual museums in their own right.

Our drive around to see custom homes is stymied as the best ones are behind gated entries but there are enough to make it interesting. Back in our room I read some and we have a few snacks before our dinner at Olive Garden.

Feb. 17

After breakfast, we check out and view fabulous art gallery/museum. Morisot, Monet, Van Dongen, Chagall etc. To nearby shopping area for Chipotle lunch, check stores, sit and read book in the sun. Then wander Canyon blvd. Shops til check in time. Drop off van, get upgraded to first class and ride home in high style.

The journey was much better than expected and as long as I don’t think of the cost I’ll remember it as a fun and relaxing getaway. Ty gd