Springtime in the Desert … with Friends!

To fully take advantage of the glorious weather, we jam-pack February with FUN.

Walkin’ And Rollin’ For Friends

Tour de Palm Springs is back, bigger, and better than ever on February 11th! Donate or participate! Choose Friends as your charity and 100% of the proceeds comes to us! THANK YOU!

Ways to Participate:

1) Sign-up to ride or walk as a Friends participant, register with our non-profit code:

FODM23 (located under “Additional Information” section of application).

100% of entry fees are returned to FODM as long as you use the code.

2) Donate directly to Friends’ Pledge Page by this Friday, 2/10

Rockin’ & Rollin’ With Friends

Join us for delightful evening of live music and dancing at The Gardens on El Paseo with Lisa Lynn and the Broken Hallelujahs on Feb 18, 2023 from 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM. Shake a tailfeather or sit ‘n sip a little wine – and help raise funds to support Friends’ mission and programs. Get your tickets soon – it’s very likely we’ll sell out!

Thank you to our sponsors Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs and Terra Nova Planning!

MUSIC IN THE GARDENS … WITH FRIENDS!

Wildflower Walks Start in February

Bright yellow brittlebush blooms on the Randall Henderson Trail.

A sure sign that locals are expecting a fantastic spring, Friends will be leading Wildflower Walks on the Randall Henderson every Monday in February and March!

Learn about our desert spring wildflowers! You will walk about 45 minutes on the Randall Henderson “Wash” trail and learn how to identify the various wildflowers. Sorry no dogs are allowed. Bring 1 liter of water per person. Wear close-toed shoes, sun hat, sunscreen.

RSVP is required and you must bring your ticket with you for check-in 15 minutes prior to start time. Ticket reservations begin 14 days prior to the event.

WILDFLOWER WALKS WITH FRIENDS

HEY… WAIT FOR ME!

The story of the quail family sculpture in Friends’ foyer

by Dick and Suzanne Southard

Having lived in California for 20 years we truly enjoyed watching all the birds especially the quail. My wife suggested that I carve a quail family. We had watched many families and I don’t believe we ever saw one that didn’t have one of the young the trailed behind……that, prompted my carving and it’s name.

When I get a vision I start looking at my wood and decide which wood fits which piece and the same with the bases. I had this large unique piece of Manzanita Root and had wondered how it might be used. As the quail carving progressed I saw it would greatly enhance this piece of art.

I took advantage of the richness and the grain of Butternut and characteristics of the wood to carve the quail. I needed harder wood for the legs and feet so I chose Grapevine, a stronger wood. The top knot, is a slice of Walnut.

I needed a graveled area for the quail to stand on. I discovered a way to make an appearance of sand, by grinding many different woods and combining them to look like gravel.

So the title was clear : “ HEY WAIT FOR ME”

Friends’ February Events + Wildflowers!

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Wildflower Nature Walks

Enjoy learning about our desert spring wildflowers. You will walk about 45 minutes on the Randall Henderson “Wash” trail and learn how to identify the various wildflowers.

RESERVATION REQUIRED

Mondays, February 6, 13, 20, & 27 8:30am-10:30am

Randall Henderson Parking Lot

51500 CA-74, Palm Desert, CA, 92260

Rancho Mirage Full Moon Hike

Grab your hiking boots and join Friends of the Desert Mountains docents on a full moon hike on the Bighorn Overlook trail loop. You will experience the views of our desert mountains in the amazing wash of moonlight and shadows. Astronomers will have their telescopes set up for star gazing. This is a family friendly easy 2-mile hike with 275 feet of elevation gain. The trail is narrow, 2 feet wide and on cobbled desert terrain. No dogs for this hike. RESERVATION REQUIRED

Monday, February 6 7:00pm-9:00pm

Rancho Mirage City Hall

69825 CA-111

Rancho Mirage, CA, 92270

Long Canyon Trail Hike

This is the newest trail to open in the Coachella Valley. The trail is part of Joshua Tree National Park. We will explore the area and learn about the Metropolitan Water District and how they transport water to the Los Angeles area. As we enter the wilderness area, we will discuss how the low desert plants have adapted to the higher elevation. This trail is mostly level with gradual elevation gain. Hike is easy, 2 miles in/out. RESERVATION REQUIRED

Tuesday, February 7 9:00am-11:00am

Long Canyon Parking Area

Long Canyon Rd (dirt road)

Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240

La Quinta Full Moon Hike

Experience a hike by moonlight! See the beauty of the shadows and wash of moonlight over our mountains. We will be looking for all types of night creatures along the trail. Astronomers will have their telescope set-up to view the night sky. This is an easy 3-mile loop hike with 150 feet elevation gain. The trail is 6 feet wide at the beginning and narrows to 2 feet wide with cobbled, uneven desert terrain. No dogs for this hike. LIMITED TICKETS! RESERVATION REQUIRED

Tuesday, February 7 7:00pm-10:00pm

La Quinta Cove Trails Parking Lot

Calle Tecate at Avenida Bermudas

La Quinta, CA, 92253

Night Sky Stars Observation

Friends of the Desert Mountains astronomers will be setting up their telescopes and are inviting you to their “star party”. A clear night sky offers an ever-changing display of fascinating objects to see stars, constellations, bright planets, a full moon, and sometimes special events like meteor showers or an eclipse. While observing the night sky, occasionally we might see the international space station moving over the Coachella Valley. NOTE: OVERCAST SKIES AND HIGH WINDS CANCEL THIS EVENT. RESERVATION REQUIRED

Tuesday, February 7 7:30pm-10:00pm

La Quinta Cove Trails Parking Lot

Calle Tecate at Avenida Bermudas

La Quinta, CA, 92253

Herb Jeffries Trail Interpretive Hike

Celebrate Black History month hiking the Herb Jefferies Trail. This urban trail begins on a narrow, uneven, uphill climb and intersects with the Bump-n-Grind. We will loop back on the Hopalong Cassidy Trail. This hike is rated moderate. Elevation gain is 650 feet, approximately 2 miles roundtrip. RESERVATION REQUIRED

Wednesday, February 8 8:30am-10:29am

Cahuilla Hills Park

45825 Edgehill Dr, Palm Desert, CA, 92260

Randall Henderson Trail Interpretive Hike

Our guides will take you on a hike through the SRSJ National Monument! This trail is in a sandy wash, can be narrow and on uneven desert terrain. You will have two options: hike all 3 loops of the trail approximately 3 miles round trip with an elevation gain of approximately 250 feet, OR hike 2 loops of the trail approximately 2 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 200 feet. This hike is considered easy to moderate. RESERVATION REQUIRED

Thursdays, February 9, 16, & 23 8:30am-11:00am

Randall Henderson Trailhead

51500 CA-74, Palm Desert, CA, 92260

Art Smith Interpretive Hike

Our docents will take you on a guided hike through the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument! There is a chance to see the endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep with one of their newborn lambs. The trail is about 2 feet wide with some cobble. The distance may be 3-4 miles with elevation gain of 500 to 850 feet. This hike is considered strenuous.

RESERVATION REQURED

Thursdays, February 9, & 23 8:30am-11:00am

Randall Henderson Trailhead 51500 CA-74, Palm Desert, CA, 92260

Hidden Palms Oasis Hike

During the springtime this wash area usually has abundant wildflowers. You leave the wash and climb the mud hill. At the top it opens to a spectacular view of Salton Sea. The trail is flat until you reach the top of the ravine and hike down into the oasis. You will enter the oasis to enjoy the many California fan palms and wildlife habitat. You will exit Hidden oasis and follow the sandy wash towards Horseshoe oasis. The trail leads up a steep incline and loops back to the trail. 3-mile hike with an elevation gain of 400 ft. RESERVATION REQUIRED

Friday, February 10 8:30am-11:00am

Pushawalla Palms Trailhead

Thousand Palms Canyon Rd

Desert Hot Springs, CA 92241

Indio Hills Badlands Trail Interpretive Hike

This trail offers a spectacular loop through a classic badland topography formed by thousands of years of erosion and an active San Andreas Fault. You’ll hike through slot canyons, in the shadow of tectonic up tilts, sandy washes, switchbacks, short but steep incline and along a prominent ridge with 360 views from the Salton See to San Gorgonio Mountain. The distance is 5 miles with an elevation gain of 600 feet. RESERVATION REQUIRED

Friday, February 10 9:00am-12:30pm

Friday, February 17 8:30am-12:00am

Indio Hills Badlands Parking Lot

Golf Center Parkway & Ave 42, Indio, CA 92203

Tour de Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley

Support Friends of the Desert Mountains by walking or riding in the Tour De Palm Springs and registering with our non-profit code FODM23. Your registration fee will help protect our local mountain views, hiking and biking trails, and unique wildlife found nowhere else on Earth! Choose from the several routes, either biking or walking.

Saturday, February 11 6:00am-5:00pm

S. Palm Canyon Drive between Tahquitz & Baristo

Palm Springs, CA, 92262

Indian Palms at Coachella Valley Preserve Adaptive Sports Hike

Join SoCal Adaptive Sports, Friends of the Desert Mountains, and Desert Recreation District volunteer docents on a hike for persons with disabilities at Indian Palms at Coachella Valley Preserve. This trail is 1.2 miles out and back. We will be checking for spring wildflowers to be blooming. Elevation is about 50 feet. Trail is easy. Register through the Desert Recreation District. For more information contact Michael at 760.469.9207 or mike@socaladaptivesports.org. RESERVATION REQUIRED

Saturday, February 11 8:30am-10:30am

Coachella Valley Preserve

28402 Thousand Palms Canyon Rd, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92241

Star Party at the Monument

Join the Astronomical Society of the Desert for fun “sky tours” and direct observations of the night sky through telescopes and binoculars at the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto National Monument. This is a family event. Minors must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

NOTE: OVERCAST SKIES AND HIGH WINDS CANCEL THIS EVENT.

RESERVATION REQUIRED

Saturday, February 11 5:00pm-9:00pm

Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center

51500 CA-74, Palm Desert, CA, 92260

Lecture: Plants Live in the Desert: How do They Do That

People use umbrellas and shade hats to avoid the hot sun, carry jugs of water with them for drinking, and spray sunscreen all over themselves to protect their skin from damaging sunshine. Learn about some of the desert plants that are super survivors and the various ways they are able to live in the brutal summer heat of the desert.

RESERVATION REQUIRED

Sunday, February 12 11:00am-12:00pm

Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center

51500 CA-74, Palm Desert, CA, 92260

Lecture: Only 8 Light-Minutes from Earth, A closer look at our nearest star

The closest star to us is the SUN. It is about a mere 93 million miles away from us in the center of our solar system. Since life on the third rock depends on this fortunate distance, let’s take a close look at our star. This presentation will cover some history of discovery, solar anatomy, and probable origin. Meet on the Visitor Center patio.

RESERVATION REQUIRED

Sunday, February 12 1:00pm-2:00pm

Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center

51500 CA-74, Palm Desert, CA, 92260

Lecture: We All Live Downstream………

Friends of the Desert Mountains will be delivering a presentation that discusses the general concepts of where our water comes from and how our water is used in the Coachella Valley. They will be discussing items such as the Salton Sea, the Colorado River, the underground aquifer, and how we interact with these systems during a time of unprecedented drought.

NO RESERVATION REQUIRED

Monday, February 13 2:00pm-3:00pm

Rancho Mirage Library

71100 California 111, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270

Kim Nicol Trail Hike

This trail is partially located on an active sand dune. We will be looking for spring wildflowers that only grow in this environment. The area is also home to several species listed on the Coachella Valley Endangered or Threatened list. Hike will be 2-3 miles long.

RESERVATION REQUIRED

Tuesday, February 14 9:00am-11:00am

Kim Nicole Trailhead Parking Area

Corkhill Rd & 20th Ave, Cathedral City, CA 92234

Nature Walk at Blixseth

Join Friends’ docents for a nature walk in Blixseth Mountain Park. We will share fun facts about desert flora and fauna. As well as interesting information about the Native Cahuilla people. This is a leisurely ½ mile narrow walking path on uneven terrain with no elevation gain and little shade. This path is friendly to dogs on a leash. RESERVATION REQUIRED

Wednesday, February 15 8:30am-9:30am

Blixseth Park

71255, Mirage Road, Rancho Mirage CA, 92270

Interpretative Guided Hike, Chuckwalla Trail

This trail meanders through the rolling foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains above Rancho Mirage and Cathedral Canyon. You may see a few wildflowers along the trail. There are many unique desert plants. You will learn about their adaptations to desert and summertime survival. Our volunteer leaders will share information about the National Monument and some local history. The distance is 3 miles with an elevation gain of 400 feet. RESERVATION REQUIRED

Friday, February 17 9:00am-11:30am

Rancho Mirage City Hall Parking

Lot 69825 CA-111, Rancho Mirage, CA

Star Party in the Mountains

Join the Astronomical Society of the Desert for fun “sky tours” and direct observations of the night sky through telescopes and binoculars. This is a family event. Minors must be accompanied by parent or guardian. Etiquette: please do not touch equipment unless requested. No white lights near telescope field. NOTE: OVERCAST SKIES AND HIGH WINDS CANCEL THIS EVENT.

NO RESERVATION REQUIRED

Saturday, February 18 5:00pm-9:00pm

Sawmill Trailhead Parking Lot

HWY-74 at Pinon Flats Transfer Station Road, CA, 92561

Music in the Gardens: Lisa Lynn & the Broken Hallelujahs

Come out for an evening of wine and live entertainment and support Friends of the Desert Mountains. All ticket purchases will help protect our local mountain views, hiking and biking trails, and unique wildlife!

Enjoy music by Lisa Lynn & the Broken Hallelujahs, respected and well-known musicians in the Coachella Valley and Joshua Tree music scenes. The band describes its style as “y’all-ternative country, rock and soul.” This one-hour concert takes place on the center lawn in front of Saks Fifth Avenue at the Gardens on El Paseo. Wine service will begin at 5:15pm, with entertainment taking the stage at 6pm.

For ticket purchases visit The Gardens on El Paseo website.

For more information call our office at 760.568.9918.

Saturday, February 18 5:15pm-7:00pm

The Gardens on El Paseo

73545 El Paseo, Palm Desert, CA, 922

Jane’s Hoffbrau Oasis Hike

A 3 mile out-and-back trail near Cathedral City. This is a popular trail for hiking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of the day. Hiking poles are suggested as trail can be uneven. Trail is moderate difficulty.

RESERVATION REQUIRED

Tuesday, February 21 9:00am-11:00am

Goat Trails Parking Area

Palm Hills Rd, Palm Springs, CA, 92264

Lecture: Flora of the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa National Monument

Volunteer Only Event

The dramatic elevation changes in the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains give rise to five life zones, home to a diverse array of plants. Learn about the naturally occurring native plants in our local mountains. Meet on the patio of the Visitor Center, space is limited. Call For more information contact Monzerrat at 760.568.9918 or mloza@desertmountains.org.

RESERVATION REQUIRED

Thursday, February 23 12:30pm-1:30pm

Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center

51500 CA-74, Palm Desert, CA, 92260

Moon Country Loop Trail Interpretive Hike

We will begin our trek at Coachella Valley Preserve hiking through the oasis along the San Andreas Fault to McCallum Pond. We will do a stopover at the pond before heading up the trail to Moon Country. The area is rich in geology and history. Along the way you may find one of several endangered species. During springtime a wide variety of wildflowers can usually be seen. This 5.0-mile hike is rated easy with an elevation gain of 250 feet. Bring your camera, wildflower books, picnic lunch, and 2 liters of water per person. RESERVATION REQUIRED

Friday, February 24 8:30am-12:00pm

Coachella Valley Preserve

29200 Thousand Palms Canyon Rd

Thousand Palms, CA 92276

Foothill Trail in the Cove

Enjoy this easy-moderate hike in the La Quinta Cove. From the parking lot, we will trek the 3/4 mile to the levee and then begin hiking a loop trail along the edge of the foothills. This part of the trail offers great views across the Coachella Valley. We will continue along the trail to the ridge above Bear Creek Wash to the Cove Oasis and trails end. RESERVATION REQUIRED

Fridays, February 24 9:00am-11:30am

Calle Tecate & Avenida Bermudas

La Quinta, CA 92253

2023 Wildflower 5k Trail Fun Run/Walk

Families and friends, come out and start your day with a 5K TRAIL FUN Run/Walk on the Randall Henderson Trail. All ages are welcome! This family fun event is about experiencing nature at its best, with beautiful spring wildflowers and breathtaking views of the Santa Rosa mountains. Sorry no dogs or strollers are allowed on the trail.

Friends of the Desert Mountains is celebrating 35 years of conservation in the Coachella Valley.

Entrance fee is $35.00 per person and includes a t-shirt.

REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Sign-ups end at 6pm on Friday, February 24.

For more information call our office 760.568.9918.

Saturday, February 25

Registration: 7:30am

Race: 8:00am-9:30am

Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center

51500 CA-74, Palm Desert, CA, 92260

Long Canyon Trail Adaptive Sports Hike

Join SoCal Adaptive Sports, Friends of the Desert Mountains, and Desert Recreation District docents for a hike for persons with disabilities, their family and friends on the Long Canyon Trail. This is the newest trail to open in the Coachella Valley. This trail is part of Joshua National Park. We will then enter wilderness area where the desert plants show how they have adapted to the higher elevation. Trail is mostly level and very gradual elevation. We will hike about 3 miles total round trip. Register through the Desert Recreation District. For more information contact Michael at 760.469.9207 or mike@socaladaptivesports.org. RESERVATION REQUIRED

Saturday, February 25 8:30am- 11:30am

Long Canyon Parking Area

Long Canyon Rd (dirt road)

Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240

Yoga with a Ranger

Join a National Monument park ranger, for an outdoor fun yoga flow for all skill levels. Connect with the landscape through a sequence of physical postures, movements, and breathing techniques that also strengthen your body and mind. Poses commonly mimic Earth, animals and trees. This outdoor activity is routinely performed barefoot. Bring a yoga mat or towel, water, and sunscreen. Meet on the Visitor Center patio. RESERVATION REQUIRED

Saturday, February 25 9:00am-10:00am

Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center

51500 CA-74, Palm Desert, CA, 92260

Tortoise Talk & Walk

The Randall Henderson Trail is habitat for our endangered desert tortoise. A National Monument Park Ranger, will lead you on this 2-mile loop hike. The trail is in a sandy wash on uneven desert terrain and 2 feet wide. You will learn many interesting tidbits as you search for the tortoises on the trail. At trails end, you will have the opportunity to visit with the Visitor Center’s desert tortoise ambassador Bowser, at his burrow. RESERVATION REQUIRED

Tuesday, February 28 9:00am-11:00am

Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center

51500 CA-74, Palm Desert, CA, 92260

Pacific Crest Trail at Snow Creek Hike

Join Friends guide on a hike on the spectacular Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail and learn about some of the epic resources unique to the Monument! Moderate hike through desert wash, 300-foot elevation gain, 2.5-miles round trip. Trail is moderate difficulty. RESERVATION REQUIRED

Tuesday, February 28 9:00am-11:00am

Pacific Crest Trail Snow Creek Trailhead

Snow Creek Canyon Rd & Falls Creek Rd Whitewater, CA 92282

Coming Up in March

– – – – – – – – – – –

COACHELLA VALLEY WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL

We are excited to invite you to the 16th annual Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival!

We will be gathering together in Palm Desert on March 4th, and also offering fun virtual options as well – we have once again planned the festival to be even more accessible to everyone wanting to Connect to the Land.

This FREE event celebrates wellness, recreation, safety and the outdoors. Featuring local artists and exhibitors, a kids’ zone, beer & wine garden with live music, food & beverages for purchase, raffles and much, much more! For more information call our office at 760.862.9918.

Saturday, March 4 9:00am-4:00pm

Palm Desert Civic Center Park

43900 San Pablo Palm Desert, CA 92260

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https://www.palmdesert.com/4516-2/

Nobu Indian Wells

The Nobu restaurant on-site at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden will permanently open on a year-round basis to the general public beginning on Monday, February 13. The world-famous Japanese restaurant located in Stadium 2 will open its doors to diners and remain open year-round, serving up its world-famous dishes outside the annual tournament dates for the first time.

The Nobu Indian Wells menu will feature the restaurant’s signature blend of traditional Japanese dishes with South American ingredients, and include favorites such as the Yellowtail Jalapeño and Tiradito, numerous sashimi and sushi selections, and hot entrees like Black Cod with Miso.

Reservations will be available starting Monday, February 6th via OpenTable or at (760) 200-8185.

HOURS OF OPERATION:
Monday – Tuesday: Closed (Open Feb. 13th and 14th)
Wednesday – Thursday: 5pm to 9pm
Friday & Saturday: 5pm to 10pm
Sunday: 5pm to 9pm

DIRECTIONS / PARKING:
78-200 Miles Ave
Indian Wells, CA 92210

Please enter Gate 2 from Washington Street for parking/valet.

BOOK RESERVATION

Sensei Porcupine Creek – Rancho Mirage

Introducing Rancho Mirage’s premier wellness resort, Sensei Porcupine Creek (just a short 20-minute drive from the Indian Wells Tennis Garden). This intimate desert retreat offers tennis enthusiasts the opportunity to unwind in luxury at an intimate desert retreat offering spacious villa and hotel room accommodations and enriching wellness programs.

Benefit from Sensei Porcupine Creek Tennis Optimal Wellbeing Program designed and tailored to each individual with instruction from the Director of Tennis, Caroline Vis, a former Professional who will lead you in two private lessons with video analysis and guided footwork and match play sessions.

This beautiful desert retreat features peerless tennis facilities that match the professional courts of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, and this five-day program is ideal for Level 3.0 tennis players and above (as ranked by the NTRP).

Over the course of your five-day stay, you will focus on your overall well-being through 1:1 sessions on mindset, nutrition, yoga, and fitness, as well as insightful assessments and four-plus hours of personalized tennis instruction on world-class hard and clay courts. Sessions with your Tennis Pro will focus on stroke mechanics, footwork and match play while assessing your serve, ground strokes, volleys, overheads, spin, and consistency of shot placement.

As the week progresses, you will incorporate improved techniques across every aspect of your game.

Whether your intention is to improve your tennis game with daily lessons or relax and rejuvenate with a more flexible schedule, Sensei Porcupine Creek has a variety of accommodations and packages to suit your preferences:

LEARN MORE

Finding the perfect retirement home.

The beautiful, well-versed 83 year old lady, fully dressed every morning at 8 am sharp, with her hair done in fashion and perfectly applied makeup, is moving to a retirement home. Her husband recently died, which motivated her move.

After many hours of patiently waiting in the hall of the home, she smiled sweetly, when told her room was ready.

As she moved her walker toward the elevator, she was given a detailed description of her small room, including the curtains hanging from her window.

′′ I love it “, she said, with the enthusiasm of a 8-year-old girl who was just handed over a new pet.

– Mrs. Jones; you haven’t seen the room, just wait.

– That doesn’t matter, she replied.

Happiness is something you decide over time. Whether or not I like my room doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged, it depends on how I arrange my mind.

I’ve already decided that I like it. It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have the choice; I can spend the day in bed, going through the difficulty I have with my body parts that don’t work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the parts that do work.

Every day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I will focus on the new day and the happy memories I’ve stored just for this time in my life.

HAPPINESS is like a bank account: you withdraw from it, what you deposit.

So my advice would be to deposit a lot of happiness into your memory account.

Remember these five simple things:

1.- Free your heart from hate/discord.

2.- Free your mind from worries.

3.- Live Simply.

4.- Give more.

5.- Take less.

Escape to the Desert

Known as a hub for music and film festivals, the Greater Palm Desert Resort Area offers many ways to entertain you. Attractions include the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the largest rotating aerial tramway in the world. AND NOW THE NEW ACRISURE ARENA EVENT CENTER WHICH OPENED IN DECEMBER 2022. And you can discover many other ways to enjoy the desert by pick up a copy of the February issue of Inland Empire Magazine at your local major supermarket (including Stater Bros.) or Barnes & Noble.

For a vacation home, surround yourself with breathtaking natural beauty tucked away amid dramatic mountain ranges at Marriott’s Desert Springs Villas and its sister resort, Marriott’s Desert Springs Villas II in Palm Desert. These villas are stylish desert retreats with every amenity you desire. Test your game on 36 holes of championship golf at the adjacent Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort & Spa pristine courses. On site, enjoy the convenience of The Marketplace for deli items, Starbucks coffee, The Grill, and Rockwood Grill. Or choose from five restaurants and two lounges at the nearby Desert Spring JW Marriott® Resort & Spa.

Photo courtesy of Visit Greater Palm Springs

TRAVEL EASILY WITH THE FREE EL PASEO COURTESY CARTS

The newly reimagined El Paseo Courtesy Carts provide FREE transportation all along the famed El Paseo shopping district and its popular stores, art galleries, and restaurants. The golf cart-style Courtesy Carts are the perfect way to be chauffeured and focus on what’s important–the shopping, of course! To use the carts on El Paseo, download the “Ride Circuit” app, available for both APPLE and ANDROID devices.

Spend A Perfect Valentine’s Day With A Perfect Dinner At Wildest

Book Your Table Here!

Meet Assistant Manager- Grace Hill

Grace Hill was born in Southern California and has been a local to the Coachella Valley for the past five years. She has dedicated the past 15 years of her career to the hospitality industry working for Southern

California’s premier restaurants and bars. Grace is an active member of the California Association of Realtors and is passionate about art and nature, and the healing effect it has on people.

When asked about her involvement with Wildest Restaurant + Bar, she often cites her love of interacting with guests while providing a unique and unforgettable atmosphere for those that’s dine with us. When guests are asked about their experience with Grace, we often hear notes about her unwavering positivity, energy, and attentiveness to the dining experience.

Grace echoes the moniker, “Let food be thy medicine”, which perfectly aligns with the values of Wildest Restaurant + Bar, and we are incredibly lucky to feel her impact every day.

Some Of Our Favorite Things

Experience A Rare Library of Michael Browne Wines At Wildest!

Our journey began in 1997. I spent days working at a winery, nights in the restaurant – exhausted and run down, while Sarah worked full-time too. It was tough, for sure. It’s been a long road to get here—from launching Kosta Browne with everything we had to finally realizing our dream of owning a family winery. Today, our forever home stands in Russian River Valley’s heart, pouring 23 years of hard work into our signature wines, CIRQ and CHEV. Refining every step to delicious detail, we’re also in no hurry—taking time to love, laugh, enjoy life with our three wonderful kids—and, of course, drink great wine.

Wildest Restaurant + Bar carries some a Rare Browne Family Wines including a 2010 Magnum Kosta Browne Chardonnay, 2018 Cirq Pinot Noir, 2019 Chev Pinot Noir, and other rare vintages.

Want Your Own Event?

Let us create something special just for you!

Happy Hour | Menu | Reservations

Visit Our Website For More!

760-636-0441

Wildest Restaurant + Bar | 72990 El Paseo #3, Palm Desert, CA 92260

Burner: The Exhibition Makes Palm Desert Stop on North American Tour: Artist KEF! to Accompany Collection

CODA Gallery, Palm Desert’s premier contemporary art space, presents, in a limited engagement presentation, Burner: A Group Exhibition of International Street Artists. This magnificent Collection featuring works from globally renowned street artists Dalek, Banksy, Cee Pil, Magnus Gjoen, Reka One, Henri Lamy, KEF!, and Shane Goudreau will be on exhibition and available for acquisition at the gallery from March 4through March 24, 2023. A Do-Not-Miss opening party is planned for Friday, March 3with a live in-person appearance by Superstar Artist KEF! from 4:00-7:00pm. Join us for beverages, music, and dope art. Two additional Artist receptions with the Berlin-based Artist KEF! are planned for Saturday, March 4 from 1-3pm and Sunday, March 5 from 1-4pm. The receptions and exhibition are complimentary and open to the public with RSVPs strongly recommended. This extraordinary exhibition graces the gallery space during all announced events as well as during regular gallery hours. Private appointments & viewings are available upon request, as well as a digital catalog of available works. For more information, please visit www.codagallery.com or call the gallery at 760.346.4661. Click HERE to RSVP.

CODA Gallery

73400 El Paseo Suite B-1

Palm Desert, CA 92260

HISTORY OF PALM DESERT

Palm Desert is a popular tourist destination in Southern California, known for its golf courses, spas, shopping centers, and outdoor activities such as hiking and biking. The area also has many luxury resorts, hotels, and vacation rentals that attract visitors year-round, but especially during the winter months. Additionally, Palm Desert is home to many art galleries, museums, and cultural events that make it an interesting place to visit.

Located in Riverside County, California, Palm Desert is approximately 14 miles (23 kilometers) east of Palm Springs and 122 miles (196 kilometers) east of Los Angeles.

The Cahuilla Indian farmers of the now extinct San Cayetano tribe were the first residents of the area.

In 1920’s, when date palms were planted in the area, the name of the city was changed from Old MacDonald Ranch to Palm Village.

In the 1930’s a few homes were built and lots sold in the area.

When World War II attracted General Patton to Portola Avenue and the Colorado Desert to train for African warfare, no one dreamed the area would one day be a world-class resort destination.

In 1943, residential development connected to Army maintenance camp began in the area. This site was developed into El Paseo, an upscale shopping district resembling Rodeo Drive.

In 1948, the Palm Desert Corporation began to develop real estate in the area.

In 1951, the city changed its name to Palm Desert.

On November 26, 1973, the community was incorporated. At the time, Palm Desert was a master planned community situated in the desert that once stretched from Palm Springs to Indio.

Today many celebrities keep homes in the area including Rita Rudner, the professional golfer Michelle We, Bill Gates, and the late film producer Jerry Weintraub. Palm Desert also serves as a popular retreat for “snowbirds” from colder climates in addition to permanent residents who are attracted to the area due to its affordable and high-valued homes.

History of the Coachella Valley

Time Line of Coachella Valley’s History
1774 – Spanish explorer, Juan Bautista de Anza, passed south of the Coachella Valley through Los Coyotes Canyon in search of a land route from Sonora to Monterey.

1823 – Captain Jose Romero, a Spanish explorer, entered the Banning Pass o look for a land route to Yuma. Not until his second attempt did Romero made it all the way to Yuma.

1863 – The William Bradshaw Trail stage route started through the Banning Pass from Los Angeles to the gold fields of Arizona.

1876 – The Southern Pacific Railroad’s first steam engine made the run between Los Angeles and Indio on May 29th. The next year the line was completed from Indio to Yuma.

1879 – The use of the Bradshaw Trail as a stage route ended with the development of the railroad.

1884 – The New Liverpool Salt Company began operation in 1884 when George Durbrow shipped what he called “white gold” to San Francisco.

1885 – Albert G. Tingman built Indio’s first store northwest of the train depot.

1885 – John Guthrie McCallum and his family were the first non-Indian settlers in the Palm Springs area. McCallum established the Palm Valley Land and Water Company.

1886 – Dr. Welwood Murray opened the first hotel in Palm Springs.

1890 – The first planting of date palms by the U.S. Department of Agriculture took place.

1896 – Edith Mann Ross came to the valley with her family in a covered wagon. During Indio’s Centennial in 1976 she was named Indio’s “First Lady.”

1897 – The first permanent school was built in Indio, an adobe building at the northwest corner of Fargo and Bliss. It replaced the old tent school structure.

1899 – The first commercial grapes were planted by George Durbrow near the corner of present-day Highway 86 and Monroe Street.

1901 – The first newspaper, the Coachella Valley Submarine, was published in a tent in Indio.

1901 – Present-day Coachella was established and was known as Woodspur.

1903 – Bernard Johnson planted the first private commercial date palms near Mecca.

1930 – The settlement that was to become the City of Rancho Mirage was started by Mr. E. P. Davies.

1934 – Charlie Farrell and Ralph Bellamy created the Racquet Club Hotel in Palm Springs.

1938 – Palm Springs was incorporated from what was formerly called the Village of Palm Springs.

1941 – Jacqueline Cochran became the first woman to pilot an American bomber across the Atlantic Ocean for delivery in England.

1942 – General George Patton established Camp Young (the Desert Training Center) near Chiriaco Summit to train American soldiers under adverse desert conditions.

1943 – Mary Ann Bundschuh opened a bakery and restaurant in Thermal.

1944 – The Desert Training Center closed on April 30. Its job was done.

1946 – Harry Oliver began to publish The Desert Rat Scrap Book in which he spun tales about a fictitious desert neighborhood.

1946 – Coachella was incorporated as the “City of Eternal Sunshine.”

1947 – Helen Burns opened Helen’s Beach House, a popular resort marina where people met for music and dancing beside the Salton Sea.

1948 – Cliff Henderson and his brothers opened the Shadow Mountain Resort in what is today Palm Desert.

1953
Jacqueline Cochran set three world records testing jet aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base.

1956 – Carl G. Bray opened an art gallery in Indian Wells where he painted and sold his art work depicting desert scenery.

1958 – Albert Frey, a successful architect of “Modernism” buildings, designed the North Shore Yacht Club at the Salton Sea.

1958 – College of the Desert, a two-year college, was founded in Palm Desert. It is one of the 110 community colleges in California, the world’s largest system of higher education.

1963 – Desert Hot Springs was incorporated.

1963 – The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway opened as a way of getting from the floor of the Coachella Valley to near the top of San Jacinto Peak. It was constructed in rugged Chino Canyon and is the largest rotating aerial tramway in the world.

1963 –
Construction began on Sunnylands, the 200-acre estate built by Ambassador Walter and Leonore Annenberg. The property became the vacation site of numerous celebrities and public officials.

1964 – Named after the Hollywood entertainer and movie celebrity, the first Bob Hope Golf Tournament was played.

1967 – Indian Wells was incorporated.

1973 – Palm Desert was incorporated. First named “Sand Hole,” and then Palm Village. In the 1940s, it was an Army Tank and Truck Depot. History of the Coachella Valley]

1973 – The City of Rancho Mirage was incorporated.

1977 – At the end of his presidency, President Gerald Ford and his wife Betty moved to their home in Rancho Mirage.

1979 – Horse rider and trainer Benny Guitron won the World Championship All-Around Stock Horse Championship.

1981 – Cathedral City was incorporated. It was first known as East Palm Springs and as Palm Springs Heights.

1982 – La Quinta was incorporated. It was first known as Marshall’s Cove after John Marshall. Albert Green homesteaded near Washington Street at Avenue 52.

1984 – Dr. Reynaldo Carreon, Jr. donated $100,000 to College of the Desert to be used for scholarships for students of Mexican-American descent.

1986 – Talk-show host and businessman Merv Griffin opened an Arabian horse ranch in La Quinta.

1989 – The Palm Springs International Film Festival began. It is held annually in January.

1992 – The Landers Earthquake was a magnitude 7.3 earthquake that occurred on June 28 with an epicenter on the eastern side of the San Bernardino Mountains near the town of Landers. The quake was described at the time as the largest earthquake to have occurred in the contiguous United States in 40 years.

1992 – Annual Indio International Tamale Festival began. A holiday tradition, the festival has been named to the Top 10 list of “All American Food Festivals” in the nation.

1994 – Sonny Bono, an entertainer and former mayor of Palm Springs, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from California’s 44th district. Following his death from a ski accident in 1998, his widow Mary Bono completed his term. She continues to serve in Congress.

1999 – The Empire Polo Club in Indio hosts the first outdoor Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (Coachella Fest) each April, drawing thousands of music fans from across the country.

1999 – Tour de Palm Springs Charity bicycle races began. Raising funds for Coachella Valley’s non-profit organizations, it has become the largest ride of its kind in the Western United States.

2000 – The Indian Wells Tennis Garden opened. Each year in March, it hosts the fifth largest tennis tournament in the world, the BNP Paribis Open.

2002 – The Palm Desert Campus of California State University opened its first permanent structure on Cook Street in Palm Desert.

2010 – Desert Energy Enterprise Center opened. A part of College of the Desert, its purpose is to inspire green technology and to train the state’s renewable energy workforce.

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