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Desert Golf Magazine
Desert Golf Magazine
- Cool Cocktails, Hot Happy HoursThe Valley turns...
Cool Cocktails, Hot Happy Hours
The Valley turns ‘off-Season’ back onTemperatures have soared well over 100 degrees and all of the movie stars, diplomats, moguls and other seasonal residents and visitors have flown away. Traditionally the desert in summertime becomes, well, a desert—hot and empty. But the amazing thing is, summertime can be the best time of year to live in or visit the Palm Springs desert resort region.
First of all, the desert becomes itself in summertime. The region reverts to its original secret, seductive, secluded kind of place where heat settles and everything slows way down. The fans turn more slowly, the breezes flow more slowly and always carry the miraculous refreshment of a nearby mister. Everyone moves more slowly and a sort of general laziness sets in, as if a spell has been cast over the land and its inhabitants.
It seems to happen suddenly. Those of us who have lived here for a few years know it’s coming; we feel the heat rise, we notice birds flying north in their vast v-shaped formations like the arrow of time itself and if we have children, we gear up for the end of the school year and a blaze of summer activities.
Yet for me, summer always arrives at a specific moment on a particular day. Abruptly, it seems, the whole valley is quieter, stiller and you can hear yourself breathe and think. That summer stillness is good for contemplation and for intimate conversations, for slowly savoring a cold drink or a light meal. It’s also a fantastic time to savor the great bargains that proliferate throughout the valley.
When summer arrived this year, I was sitting on the patio at Stuft Pizza Bar & Grille in Old Town La Quinta on an afternoon in early June. I had found a shady spot under some trees whose little blossoms drifted gently over me like snow. A few brave, diurnal birds hopped among the bricks and brush, poking for crumbs. I was working on an assignment but frequently sat back to enjoy the hush. Relax, I told myself, don’t rush, don’t fight the heat, let your blood and thoughts run slow and easy. I sipped from a glass of Stuft’s signature Honey Blonde Ale, light and frothy. When a friend joined me, we shared a favorite custom martini and the most delicious glass of deep-red, fruit-filled sangria. Stuft runs a terrific happy hour every day from 3 to 6 p.m. with substantial discounts on well drinks, house wines, draft beers, appetizers and small plates. And the pizzas and salads remain ever popular.
In the old days, desert restaurants and businesses closed during the summer months. A few, like Wally’s Desert Turtle in Rancho Mirage and Vicky’s of Santa Fe in Indian Wells, still do. But most establishments stay open, and many of them lure—or reward—the courageous year-round residents and summer visitors by providing ‘off-season’ specials on food and drink.
Piero’s Acqua Pazza, at the River in Rancho Mirage, offers indoor-outdoor seating. The patio overlooks a glowing stretch of water and twinkles with white cafe lights at night as the moon hangs over the nearby San Jacinto and Santa Rosa mountains. Piero’s has a great happy hour and mouthwatering lunch, dinner and appetizers year-round, but the summer specials really sizzle. Starting in June, all day and all night Sunday through Thursday, patrons are tempted with a three-course summer feast for $19.95, which includes appetizer, entrée and desert. The summer early bird menu (3 to 6 p.m. daily) features two courses from $15.95. Hours vary slightly, but the vibe is always chill and so are the drinks.
Arnold Palmer’s, near the cove and Old Town La Quinta, is a happening place all year, too, but also offers tantalizing off-season happy hours Monday through Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. There are discounted menu items and cocktails, as well as house wines, which cost a mere $7. Every Thursday during summer there are half-off specials on bottles from the restaurant’s wine cellar. Nightly entertainment (Tuesday through Saturday) by the smooth, gorgeous Kevin Henry, along with a world-class aura created by the stunning general manager and hostess, Dodi Henry (who happens to be Kevin’s wife), make for an unforgettable evening.
Then there’s the venerable Tommy Bahama’s Tropical Cafe at the Gardens on El Paseo in Palm Desert. Bartenders here concoct one of the best mai tais in the valley (a great summer libation) and horde a top-shelf rum “locker” that looks and drinks like it came straight off a Caribbean pirate ship. Tommy’s tends to expand its happy hour during the summer, and its “Lite Summer Nites” menu, available June through September, features lighter fare and prices.
Many of the valley’s hotels have restaurants well worth visiting, too, and you might even want to stay over for a treat. At the Renaissance Esmeralda in Indian Wells, for example, you can take part in a daily tradition at Glo, the indoor pocket bar. Each afternoon at 5 p.m., bartender Tim Duval creates a new exotic drink for the patrons on hand. If you’re a summer guest at the Renaissance Esmeralda you’ve no doubt gotten a super deal on the room; best of all, you can lounge by a series of pools and waterfalls and even a beach for the kids, sipping cocktails by the chlorinated sea. Once you’ve tasted Duval’s latest exotic drink, you can finish up with excellent sushi or tapas—yummy, light treats for a hot summer day.
Ah, the Parker Hotel/Spa/Resort, in Palm Springs. Is there any place as heavenly, famous, infamous, exotic and enticing? Among the deals this summer is the Glutton’s Delight, which includes a $200 credit toward a meal—preferably at the unfathomably decadent and delicious Mister Parker’s dining room. If you’re more in tune with spa pleasures, there’s also a Spa Junkie’s Delight, with the same credit to be used at PSYC Spa during an overnight stay.
No matter where you live or stay, arguably the very best spot in the Coachella Valley for a sweet cocktail, cool staff, magical setting and most awesome sunset views is the Cliffhouse in La Quinta. This place is an institution that feels like a rustic date palmer’s ranch with firepit, waterfalls, winding stairways and rich, Spanish-Inn ambiance. In summertime, the Cliffhouse happy hour on bar food (fabulous burgers, seafood, pasta) extends from 4:30 to 7 p.m., and runs all night Sunday and Monday. All the staff and bartenders are in the groove, and Tyler Cotton, in particular, is known for enslaving patrons with a luscious passion fruit or espresso martini. The main attraction at the Cliffhouse, however, is the view. If you sit in the dining room or bar late in the afternoon as the shimmering, sulphuric sun melts over the mountaintops to the west, you’ll feel like you’ve come home, and you’ll never want to leave.
Joanna Beresford is a contributing writer to Desert Golf Magazine
- World Travel: China
World Travel: China
China offers visitors an unparalleled cultural heritage and a country poised at the edge of tomorrowThe world has long recognized China as a major tourist attraction, but perhaps never more so than this year when the country takes the spotlight as host of the 2008 Olympics. With the dollar still weak against the Euro, China and all of Asia become even more enticing for affordability, in addition to a rich and ancient cultural heritage that offers much to travelers.
China’s capital, Beijing, is probably the most popular visitor destination in the country. Beijing is home to Tiananmen Square, the Imperial Palace, Ming Tombs, Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace. Portions of the Great Wall, which stretches more than 4,000 miles, are less than 40 miles from the city. Within Beijing there are many tour operators offering package deals to see city highlights, but self-exploration offers adventure at your own leisure as well.
Tiananmen Square is the heart of Beijing and where government officials reside. The square has its own historical legacy and is the leading entrance to the magnificent Imperial Palace (also known as the Forbidden City), one-time residence of China’s emperors. The Imperial Palace is definitely a must see, although it can be quite repetitious with 980 buildings.
For the most unique experience and a wide array of sensations, the Temple of Heaven is a key destination. At sunrise, people from the local community come for Tai Chi, sword fighting and ribbon dancing, and the playing of the erhu, ancient variation of a violin, seems to awaken the Temple gardens. For many visitors this is among the most exiting and rewarding encounter with the Chinese culture.
The Summer Palace, on the outskirts of Beijing, is an enchanted place of lush gardens and serene lakes with boats from which visitors can take in the astonishing beauty of the setting. Nearby are the Ming Tombs, burial site for thirteen dynasty emperors with its celebrated stone animal walkway.
China’s greatest ancient achievement is arguably the Great Wall, which more than one million people visit every day. The most visited section is Badaling, resembling a dragon’s back rising and falling over the cascading mountains. There is almost no limit to the ways you can experience the wall; visitors walk, run, hike, climb and even sleep on the ancient stones with special tour companies.
While Beijing has more than enough to fill a vacation, it is merely the gateway to what China has to offer. The country’s most beautiful landsc