Greetings from Palm Springs

Greetings from Palm Springs!

There was fog very early this morning, a rarity in the desert but the weather turned coldish overnight and I guess the contrast between the cold and the warmth of the morning sun brought in fog.

But, by 8 a.m., it was burning off as I headed out to the gym. Our condo backs up to Mount San Jacinto and is always a glorious sight, especially early in the morning.

After my workout, I headed downtown to see what's new, changed, and the same.



I didn't get very far because I discovered Lush Couture, a very attractive boutique for women where everything is priced at $16...that is EVERYTHING, except one rack of clothing where everything was marked down to $6!!! And the clothing is nice! While I was purchasing a sweater I chatted with the sales person who told me the owner goes to Los Angeles every week and knows people from whom she buys. I still don't quite get it, but their dresses, tops, skirts, jeans, jackets, shoes...you name it..seem to be good quality and I can't believe the prices. The clothing is junior sizes so some bigger women might not find sizes that fit, but there are always shoes and accessories! The store is crowded but the clothing is displayed by color themes...very appealing.

Oooh La La, one of my favorite shops, albeit much more expensive than Lush Couture, is still thriving. Their pink poodle greets customers decked out in a green boa for St. Patrick's Day next week.



Jim and I were in the mood for BBQ. With a little research I discovered Tootie's in Cathedral City, very near the Pickford Theatre where we were going to see The Blindside, one of the few Oscar-winning films we haven't seen. So after the show, we stopped at Tootie's which is on a back street where there are a lot of car dealerships.

It was Pork Ribs for me



and Brisket for Jim.



You order at the counter and your food is brought to you in a paper carton.



Tootie's serves Texas BBQ and our food was good. My sides were Cowboy Beans (Ranch style) and Cole Slaw; Jim had Baked Beans (sweeter beans) and Cole Slaw.

After dinner we chatted a bit with owner Larry Babitz who bought the place a year ago. He's kept it pretty much as it was for the last 8 years, adding a spicy Kick Ass BBQ sauce to complement the sweet one that is always served. I like the hot sauce and even added it to my beans to spice them up. Larry's life has included being a Navy Seal, working on the set of Titanic, and doing food service for several sitcoms in L.A. And now he is dishing up BBQ in the desert. Hope to come back here again next year!!