Drive-by Vacay in Palm Springs #CAMomsEscape

Going to Palm Springs? Here’s a list of what to do if you’re short on time! Drive-by Vacay in Palm Springs #CAMomsEscape

 Drive-by Vacay in Palm Springs #CAMomsEscape

No casualties, just me, a fellow blogger and less than 48-hours in Palm Springs

So, we arrive in Palm Springs. There isn’t much time. So we have to extract as much fun, sun and excitement (read trouble) as two women on the run can get into. Which begs a few questions. What are we to do? Where will we eat? And more importantly, where are we going to stay?
At times planning a trip is so needlessly overwhelming. So I’m here to help. You know, offer useful tips and advice about what to do in Palm Springs on a much abbreviated time schedule.

First, you have to book a hotel. But not just any hotel will do, right? But if saving money is the sole objective you could go super-duper dirt cheap and risk bed bugs, black mold and an unspectacular experience. So, if you’re feeling lucky go ahead and roll the dice. But don’t complain if it comes up snake eyes.

Or…

Now, there are lots of options to choose from in Palm Springs; from inexpensive digs to supa’dupa’ balla’ status, ergo, which means ritzy and expensive. But, (there’s always “a but” isn’t there) I did my homework and found a solid and workable solution. And it offers the best of both worlds. Really? Yes, really. The Hyatt Palm Springs struck a good balance between economy and luxury. It is a good choice and I highly recommend a stay. So, if you find yourself trying to make up your mind keep this lil’ kernel of information tucked away in your frontal cortex for future use.
We stayed at the Hyatt Palm Springs for two days and it was wonderful. I can vouch for the polite, profession and customer friendly staff. Check. The clean, orderly and comfortable rooms. Double-check. And finally, the hotel’s on-site bistro, SHARE Small Plate, with its deliciously prepared food and great service. Triple-check. You can read more of my review on the Hyatt in Palm Springs here.

Of course, you will always find a place to shop:

After a hearty breakfast at SHARE Small Plate Bistro, Deb and I wondered around town. We were told by Hyatt’s Concierge to check out the El Paseo shopping district. We found miles and miles of stores, including names such as Kate Spade, BeBe, Lucky Brand Jeans, Gucci, the Apple Store and more! As we weaved our way in and out of different stores, I had the feeling that El Paseo reminded me of Rodeo Drive in Hollywood. The shops, the people, the fancy cars, and views was a scene directly out of “Pretty Woman”. It’s a good thing we fit right in with our Mazda CX-5!

Where there is good food there is good times:

Now, let’s get down to forks and spoons. I am talking about a universal need here. Food. We all got to have it, and what is a vacation if you aren’t experiencing some good eats? Think about it, all of the interesting places you’ve visited over the years,. typically there is good food tied to those experiences too. At times the food and where you ate it is the most enduring memory, no? So sit back loosen you belt, grab a napkin for some mouthwatering food reviews. Bon appétit.

It’s no secret, I’m a foodie!

While it is true there are a lot of beautiful places to see in Palm Springs let’s train our eyes on the local eateries for a while: the bistros, cafes, pubs and other grub hubs synonymous with good places to eat.

{Courtesy of Hacienda Catalina & Beach Club }

You’ll love the vibe of this local favorite. And if size matters the 7,000 sq. ft. Hacienda Catalina & Beach Club will not disappoint. Although it’s big it does so without being boisterous and overbearing. The seating areas are ingeniously compartmentalized, with design features which make each space shine and stand out for its intended purpose, entertaining. Inside it is dark and sexy with a Dias Los Muertos décor, yet still well-lit enough to allow patrons to take in the stark mysterious beauty of this place. There is a delicate balance at play here between darkness and light, hard lines versus intricate touches, and it works.

You’ll also notice the interesting and skillfully constructed artwork by world famous artist Angelina Christina. There are also modern accents like the fire places and in-wall flat screen televisions. You’ll be intrigued too by the eccentric features like the wallpaper, which came from the owner’s personal home. Sounds a bit pretentious, but wait until you see the wallpaper, it totally fits right in.

Smells like foodie spirit…

Even though the HC&BC is easy on the eyes I got distracted by the wonderful smell of cooking food. I came in famished and I was a hungry woman determined to leave with a full belly. Therefore I was much more interested about what was going on in the kitchen. I’ll say this, one look at the menu and you’ll want to try one of everything. It all looks and sounds so scrumptious. So after much thought I whittled it down and decided on having one of the Street Tacos Plate. The Hacienda Steak Tacos ($16) was an assemblage of tender adobe grilled steak, fresh chile de arbol salsa, onions and cilantro served with rice and beans. The portions were generous (afterwards I was stuffed) and I washed it down with a deviously icy and delicious house Margarita. Yum.

One of the many cool things about this place is by day it is a down-tempo hot spot where you can enjoy lunch. I recommend eating or drinking anything in the sun-drenched pool area. There are cabanas and an outside bar where the bartenders serve up a variety of fruity, ice cold and delicious concoctions as well as popular beers and hard liquor. Also, the bar stocks over 80 types of tequila. So if you like tequila this is a great opportunity to discover some new favorites. There is an on premise DJ day and night for shakin’ what your momma gave ya’. And speaking of night, after the sun goes down this place really comes alive.
So, I came for the food but I found out I enjoyed the atmosphere too. No doubt HC&BC serves up some of the best Mexican Cuisine this far north of ciudad de México. No lie. I give the food double-thumbs up. Plus, having a meal by a crackling fireplace made for a wonderful and cozy dining experience, possible even a romantic feel. (Take a look at the menu here)

A unique characteristic about this restaurant is its versatility; it pulls double-duty as both an accommodating family restaurant and the perfect place for a romantic date-night for couples. They are several different venues to choose from: whether your hosting a baby shower, wedding reception, bachelor or bachelorette party, or a business function. Small or large catered events, HC&BB has what you need. And if you’re lucky the occasional Hollywood celebrity has been known to dine here too. Yep, it has been known to happen.

Even though I was impressed with the place as is, management assured me there was a lot more to come in the future. This means, I’ll have to come back for another visit to Palm Springs. Yeah, like that’s going to be a problem.

{Courtesy of Bar}

Raising the bar at the Bar:

After we left the Hacienda Cantina & Beach Bar we still felt restless and decided on a nightcap. The Bar came highly recommended so we headed over for a drink or two (or three, maybe even four, but you can’t prove a damn thing).
Understand this; the Bar is not your typical, well, bar. This fine establishment isn’t of the dive bar variety, far from it. Instead what you’ll find is a well thought out space that manages to be both cool and relevant. This is the go-to venue where such artists like Kanye West have blessed the stage. Yes, it isn’t LA, but that is exactly the point.

The Bar is still very much a watering hole:

A friendly place where everyone may not know your name, but they’re still warm, friendly and inviting; more than willing to serve up a much needed drink and small talk. The barkeep we spoke to was knowledgeable and helped select our drinks. He made a good case for Whiskey and I went for it. Now, I am typically a Moscato girl, and whiskey isn’t anything I am familiar with.  Needless to say it blew my socks off, so much so I couldn’t even hope to finish it. Yes, I am kind of a light weight when it comes to whiskey (lesson learned).

All in all,  Bar was a good time and I would definitely recommend it for a fun night out.

{Also by Angelina Christina}

Short but sweet. Cool Sweet

Even though we didn’t spend a great deal of time in Palm Springs, doesn’t mean we didn’t have fun (we had a blast) nor does it mean you can’t stick around for more and explore. Whatever your “thing” is you can surely find it in Palm Springs. From food to golf courses check out these fun places. If your idea of teeing off on the greens is something you want to do, then you can do it to your heart’s content at one of the many Palm Springs lovely locales.

Fun fact: Palm Springs has more golf courses per capita than any other place in the whole wide world. There are roughly (no pun intended) 110 local golf courses where you can get your swing on at.
There are so many choices when it comes to bars, pubs and lounges in Palm Springs. Too many to list here, so I’ll let Yelp do the heavy lifting for me. I am posting the top 10 according to local reviews. Remember these are customer rated joints: Yelp’s Top Ten Eateries  in Palm Springs.

And let’s not forget.. Palm Springs is home to the Dinah Shore event. This year’s celebration will include The Ultimate Must-See, Must-Experience 25th Anniversary of Dinah Shore. It takes places April 1st- 5th, so if you’re in the area you should definitely go. I heard about this event from the locals, and I’m intrigued. Girl power to the fullest!

Be sure to check out VisitPalmSprings.com and VisitGreaterPalmSprings.com to find more information on where to eat and what to do on your visit