PALM SPRINGS, DAY 2

Got up to sunshine and enjoyed it all day. Mostly I just enjoyed being warm and being in the sun. If this is not paradise, I don't know what is. The above and below photos are from right out our condo door.



I went to the fitness center, swam, sunned, read the LA Times at a leisurely pace, and then walked around downtown Palm Springs.

Unfortunately, I did take my photos with my camera but have discovered that I left the computer cable home...I think the Northern California rains have rotted my brain. So the rest of the week is going to be iPhone photos...so sorry...I'll keep taking camera photos and insert them next week. Thanks in advance for understanding.

Palm Canyon Drive, the main drag in downtown Palm Springs, looks pretty much the same.



As usual Oooh La La had its signature poodle out front and J had to say hello to it.



Former Mayor Sonny Bono has his eternal seat downtown in the Palm Springs Plaza.



What I especially enjoy about downtown Palm Springs is there are few chain stores and many unique shops.




Sadly, Mosaic, my favorite store where I always found a gift or some clothes or jewelry, is out of business. I spent some time in The Alley, the "junk" store where I always find treasures at bargain prices.


Today, our "finds" were a funny birthday card and a Solar Calculator.

Dinner was at Shame on the Moon, another of our favorites. The food is American...the menu is creative American comfort food, the prices a good value for a nice restaurant. I prefer seating in the Garden dining room which is quieter. We were able to get a cozy table there this evening. Shame on the Moon is celebrating its 25th season and even in our down economy, remains busy. Veal Meatloaf, Sauteed Calves Liver, Grilled Tilapia, Flank Steak, are just some of Shame's "classics" that are always on the menu and always delish!

I like Shame on the Moon because it combines elegance with fun. Just a look at the cover of the menu, with its fanciful cartoon, puts me in a cheerful mood.



Tonight, we both were intrigued by the evening's special...Veal Piccata with Angel Hair Pasta and Asparagus. That's what we ordered.

All meals come with soup or salad. J chose the evening's special soup, French Onion Soup.

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My choice of starter was a mixed Green Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing.




The Veal was wonderful and the servings so generous, we simply could not indulge in our favorite dessert, the Peanut Butter Pie..good for our waistlines, but we missed having it...Next year...

PALM SPRINGS...OUT OF THE RAIN & INTO THE SUN

Yesterday, we left Walnut Creek at 6:45 a.m. in the rain...yes, it is still raining in Northern California...and arrived for our week in Palm Springs at 3:15 p.m. And, the sun was shining and the temps were in the 80s. Nirvana!

We stopped at TJs for breakfast and lunch provisions and then went to our condo. I iced my knee, put my legs up, and was soon ready to head out to dinner at El Mirasol, our favorite local Mexican place.(140 E Palm Canyon Dr.,Palm Springs, CA; (760) 323-0721)




As always, El Mirasol was hoppin'. It's a local favorite with families and the local gay community...sort of an insider's restaurant but there are always new people discovering it. A bit off the beaten path, it is worth a visit if you love authentic Mexican food and a spirited atmosphere.

We started with a small serving of Guacamole...it looked more like a big scoop of green ice cream...with a bit of salsa, it hit the spot and got us in the mood.



We both ordered the grilled Shrimp in Pipian sauce, a dish that never disappoints and that is special.



Each day, the El Mirasol chefs cook up a fresh batch of this traditional pumpkin seed sauce. If you get here later in the evening, there is a good chance that they will be out of the Pipian...not that there aren't many other delicious items on the menu, but in my week here, I have to have the Pipian at least once.


These photos may be a bit dark because I was using my phone camera rather than my usual camera which has a flash. Hope you can at least experience the essence of dinner at El Mirasol.

George, Being George

I met George Plimpton once, at the wedding of his sister-in-law, a dear friend of mine. I am sure the meeting was not an occasion that George remembered; it was more a courtesy that the bride extended in introducing me to her sister, George, and their twin daughters. There was a nanny present that day also.

But, I've always been intrigued by the life of George Plimpton and the Paris Review, which he founded.

George died in his sleep in 2003, while I was vacationing in Paris. My thought on reading the news was, "How appropriate that I be in Paris when George dies."

Last year, his widow, Sarah Dudley Plimpton, with input from at least 200 people who shared their lives with George, published the book George, Being George.

When my friend alerted me to the book, I bought it immediately and saved it until now, when I had a bit of extra reading time, to savor it.

And savor it I did. The book touches on events in Plimpton's life from his early school days in 1934 until his death. I love the way it is written, with brief interviews by friends, family, associates, lovers, and just people who knew him. The way it is written sometimes makes me feel like I am there with them. But, other times, especially when I read about his social life in New York City in the 1960s, when I was also there working at IBM, makes me feel like I lived in a total other universe. His lifestyle was so different from mine in the same city.

All the same, George, Being George is a fascinating read, whether you have a personal connection to him or not.

CHEESECAKE FACTORY COMES TO WALNUT CREEK

It's not like there isn't a Cheesecake Factory restaurant in just about every major shopping center...but, a week ago, Walnut Creek got its own Cheesecake Factory, a block from Broadway Plaza and less than a block from the Walnut Creek Downtown Century Cinemas.

I like Cheesecake Factory for is huge menu with something to suit just about everyone. Prices are moderate. The decor is always fabulous. For those who might remember Maxwell's Plum in San Francisco, that's what the decor of most Cheesecake Factories remind me of.

One thing that seems to be universal at all Cheesecake Factories is that they do not take reservations and there is almost always a wait and customers put up with it.

J and I decided that our strategy for last night would be to arrive shortly after 5 p.m., presumably before the dinner rush. As we approached, we saw crowds already gathered outside, each person holding a beeper waiting to be called to a table.

We checked in and were told the wait would be 15 minutes. I wandered toward to dining room and noted that most tables were empty. They were gradually phasing the seating, presumably to not overwhelm the kitchen, especially when they've only been open a week.





We were seated in less than 15 minutes and ordered drinks. Warm bread and butter arrived quickly.

Then we ordered.

It was the California Omelette for J. The Jamaican Black Pepper Shrimp for me. J ordered a side dinner salad to start. Our drinks arrived promptly but then we had a wait of at least half an hour before we got our order. Taking a positive approach to what seemed like a very long wait, I noted that it was better to be sitting at our comfortable table with drinks and bread than to be standing with the mobs waiting to be seated.

All our food arrived at the same time...so much for J's salad first.

J's salad was beautiful. His omelette looked rather plain and not that appealing although it was generously filled with Avocado, Sauteed Mushrooms, Green Onion, Tomato, Shallots, Garlic, Sour Cream, and Cheese. He chose sliced tomatoes over potatoes to go with his omelette.




My shrimp dish was accompanied by White Rice, Black Beans, Fried Plantains, and Mango Salsa. A menu option to the Jamaican Black Pepper Shrimp was to have Chicken or half and half. While I ordered Shrimp, I got Chicken and Shrimp...my waiter swore that he ordered Shrimp and offered to take the dish back. I kept it, not wanting another long wait for a replacement. It was tasty and spicy. However, my black beans were not warm...do they pre-assemble dishes such as this?



I had hoped to have a piece of Original Cheesecake for dessert but just couldn't handle it. It our waiter's credit, he suggested I take a slice home.



When the check came, J noticed that he was charged $6.95 rather than $3.95 for his salad with a meal, a lower price because you order a main dish. The waiter corrected it, but it brought home, once again, how you have to check your bill in restaurants.

When we left two hours later, the crowds by the door and outside were so great, it was difficult to navigate our way out.

Will I return? Of course...I like Cheesecake Factory and there is still lots that I have not tried on the menu...I was very tempted by the Cuban Sandwich...their salads are always delicious...the pizzas and the hot fudge sundae at the next table looked amazing. There is a special menu of small plates that I plan to explore in the future. It's a fun and lively place. While the food is good, hearty, and fresh, it is not extraordinary, but given the variety and ambiance and price value, I can live with that. However, if the service is not better when I return to this Cheesecake Factory, I will not be as foregiving.

To its credit, the Walnut Creek Cheesecake Factory may be big but it was not noisy...the artistic sound buffers on the ceiling and other elements acoustic design keep the noise to a level where you can easily converse with your dining companions.

There is plenty of free garage and metered street parking near the Cheesecake Factory. There is also paid valet parking in the adjacent garage that has a direct entrance into the restaurant.

And, if you place a to-go order, there is a special parking area in the same garage where you pull in, call them, and they bring your order out to you. How good is that?