We just returned from a week’s vacation in sunny Southern California. We timed it for spring break week, not so we could “party like it’s 1999” but because we had no kids to watch that week! Yow! We wanted some warm weather and we got it in Indio, with temps in the mid -80s. So nice.
We went from Friday to Friday and our first destination was Indio, in the desert but nestled like an oasis with Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta and other cities. We spent five nights there and then two in Hollywood. Here’s what we did, mostly…
Friday March 22nd
We hit the road early, since it’s quite a ways to drive. Road trips are fun though, so no worries. About halfway there, we stopped briefly in Bakersfield for gas and also for lunch. Lassen’s Natural Foods there has a deli inside that serves a variety of options, many of them vegetarian and/or vegan. Sufficiently stuffed after that, we traveled the rest of the way, through desert, hills, forest, and more desert, until we got to our first destination, the Worldmark Indio. We checked in to our very nice room (actually living room with large kitchen area, bedroom, and bathroom). We took a pleasant walk around the resort, since the weather was beautiful and warm. So nice and warm, in fact that we went to the pool (one of them) and swam for a while, even though it lasted until after 9pm. Then of course we needed a snack back in the room and some rest.
Saturday March 23rd
We drove to nearby La Quinta for the Art Under The Umbrellas event. Lots of vendors and craftspeople showing their wares. We looked at all that and then sampled some flavored oils and vinegars from a local place, buying a couple in the process. Then we had lunch in nearby Palm Springs at one of my favorite mini-chains in that area, Native Foods. Everything is vegan but you wouldn’t really know it since everything that I’ve tried there has been really good and nicely presented too. Check out their menu. Next up, we stopped at a few thrift shops in the general area, looking for bargains. Seems like we never leave empty-handed either. We also stopped in a health foods store to check out their deli menu for possible future use, then went to Trader Joe’s for some supplies to take back to the room. By the time we got back there it was evening but nice and warm again, so we had another trip to the pool. Being in a pool at night is very relaxing, since most of the kids from earlier were gone. Then we had a snack back in the room and another day was done.
Sunday March 24th
We had reserved a one-bedroom for the first two nights, but there were none available for the other three nights, so we needed to change rooms, to move to a studio. It was still really nice, although the first one they tried to give us had a funky balcony that we couldn’t really see much from. When we finally got into the right room it was a much better view and a few floors above some “river rapids” that sounded soothing to listen to. Anyway, while we were waiting for the room, we went to their time-share presentation and got a free lunch and a $75 gift card. Hey, we had to kill some time, might as well get fed and paid! Then they also gave us a key to the pool so we could wait there. No problem with that, and and it was a great afternoon too. For dinner we drove to Palm Springs, to the Palm Greens Cafe. They have a few meat dishes for those who are still carnivores, and a lot of vegetarian and vegan food. It was pretty tasty too! Than back to the room to sit on the balcony, check Facebook (haha), and relax for a bit.
Monday March 25th
We had some food in the room and then headed out to face the day. First stop was a bookstore in Palm Springs that was pricey and we didn’t buy anything. Then a thrift store, then lunch at Native Foods. Mmmm. We checked out a few other thrift stores in the area just for fun and then stopped at Trader Joe’s for some food and beverage supplies. We went back to the room and relaxed for a bit then to the pool for a while. And then back for more relaxing! Tough routine today but you have to find some downtime in once in a while!
Tuesday March 26th
Once again we started the day with a snack in the room. The weather in Indio and Palm Springs was in the 80s every day and wonderful. We lounged by the pool for a while, relaxing with more much-needed downtime. Next up, we took a trip to the Cardenas mercado (a mexican market). After getting a local guy to interpret for us (thank you, mystery man), we bought some fresh, just-made tortillas and sopas and then headed to Costco to get some gas. For once at a Costco, there were no lines at the pumps. Inconceivable! We cruised a bit then we stopped at Target to get some Easter stuff for the grandkids for later in the week. Then it was a tasty dinner at Peppers Thai Cuisine, known for it’s many vegetarian and vegan options. Somehow the day was gone and we headed back to the room .
Wednesday March 27th
The last morning here. We checked out of the resort vowing to come back another time to this really nice place. Our next destination was west, to the City of Angels, but first we stopped in nearby Palm Springs for a vegan breakfast at the Palm Greens Cafe. Then it was on the road again (as they say), just a couple hours to LA. We checked into our hotel in Hollywood. It was a Best Western “Plus”, but the decor set it apart, with pictures of famous movie stars and musicians everywhere. Yeah, lots and lots and lots of them, even life size ones in the elevators. I’ll get some pictures posted here soon. We walked over to nearby Hollywood Boulevard and wandered down the Walk of Fame for a while, looking at all the famous names in the the stars on the sidewalks. I’ve seen this before but it’s still cool. We stopped at the famous Chinese Theater and saw the handprints, footprints, etc of the movie stars (Marx Brothers, woot!). Then we walked back on Sunset Boulevard to Amoeba Music, billed as the largest record store in the world and who am I to argue with that. It’s possibly the best too. Much later, with the credit card still smoking from overuse, we went almost next door to the Veggie Grill. It’s an all-vegan restaurant chain though they don’t advertise it that way. Check out their menu. Anyway, it was delicious and we made a mental note to try their other locations whenever we were near one. None in the Sacramento area, sadly. After dinner we walked back to hotel band called it a day. A good day.
Thursday March 28th
Below the hotel was the 101 Coffee Shop, which was supposed a hipster dive where stars sometimes hung out. Well, it was a coffee-shop type restaurant and they did have a couple vegan breakfast options but we didn’t see any stars. Seemed like a bit of hype but whatever. The food was decent though. Today we were totally tourists and took a tour of the Homes Of The Stars and also the Hollywood Sign. Sure it’s a cliche tourist thing but we had never done it and it was fun. Yep, the sign was cool, and yep, some of the stars had some pretty awesome homes. The next stop was supposed to be the Grammy Museum, but due to other events nearby the parking situation was very expensive and equally difficult. Since we had seen the museum a few years before, we decided to scrap that idea. Instead we ended up at The Last Book Store, which, while not exactly last, was quite huge. Both floors. Some hours were spent wandering there, and we found a bunch of bargains, especially in the upstairs dollar-book attic. That took us to near dinner time and went went back, a bit out of our way, so we could stop at a different Native Foods location, this one in Santa Monica. Once again, the food was great. We saw a bit of the city heading there and then back to the hotel. This was our last full day of the vacation but it was not over yet.
Friday March 29th
We checked out of our hotel and said “goodbye, dahlings” to Hollywood. See ya next time. But we were not done with the trip yet. We had some day plans before the drive home, so went went west, first to Santa Monica for a lunch stop at that location of the Veggie Grill. Mmm, I wish I had their food right now! Then a bit more west to the famous Venice Beach. We hadn’t been there before either, so we spent a couple hours strolling the boardwalk, checking out all the vendors, artists, and many strange folks who hang out there. It takes all types, that is for sure. But then it was time to think about heading home. We went north, through some crappy LA traffic (again), stopping at the roadside Costco in Van Nuys for some gas. Ah, the normally long gas pump lines were back and we waited. Then it was on the road north once again. We made a brief pit stop in Buttonwillow (yes, really) for a few veggie Samosas at a very unlikely Indian Restaurant (to go). Next stop? Home. And so, until the next vacation…
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