We are going to Palm Desert on Friday for 6 nights to escape the Seattle gloom. We are going with 2 or mabe 3 other couples for sun, golf and tennis. I am fairly new to golf and am looking for coures that are scenic and not to $$$$. I have played Desert willows and once at PGA west. I got bored or frustrated after about 13 holes.

All the husbands have between 6-9 handicaps, but they are looking at it as more social and fun experience.

We are also looking for restaurants that have good food and casual atmosphere.

Two couples are staying at La Quinta and two in Palm Desert.

We enjoyed Castelli's and Adobe grill for casual last year and we were very disapontiated at Mamma gina's.

Thank you very much








































l

Golf: Try these: Desert Falls (Palm Desert), Indian Palms (South Palm Springs), Trilogy (La Quinta), Shadow Ridge (Palm Desert).

Dinner: I like fish so I like Pacifica (on El Paseo in that shopping center with Saks). Other suggestions are Jillians, Augusta, LG's. There's a branch of the Falls in La Quinta. For a casual place, Romiti's on Washington.

You'll need reservations everywhere.

His season, so it all will be expensive.

Thanks

Any more suggestions?

There are a whole bunch of chain restaurants in the River Shopping Center in Rancho Mirage. I'm not a fan of the Cheesecake Factory, PF Changs, etc but you get the idea.

I've heard better things about the italian place just down the walkway from Cheesecake factory, it's something like Piero's Aqua Pazza.

Try Blend in La Quinta; Rosamarillo's,
Indio on the border with La Quinta; Crosby's in Rancho Mirage; Louisa's Pantry in LQ for breakfast; Stuft Pizza in LQ; Bristol Farms cafe in Palm Desert;

Just a few, lots more out there that are good.

Thanks so much for all the suggustions.
Lots of great food options.

One GREAT place to go would be Arnold Palmer's...it's in La Quinta, fun atmosphere, great food and live entertainment. It's a fun, classy place. I also would have suggested the Adobe Grill - but you've been there! Have a fun trip!

Palmer's is a very lively, fun place with a ton of Arnold golf memorabilia and good people watching.

We love Adobe Grill, The Falls Steak House, and Palmers. Another one is Clint Eastwood's, Hogbreath, in La Quinta.

Wally's Desert Turtle is just amazing. Not cheap, but first-rate, fine dining. Louise's Pantry in La Quinta is great for breakfast.

Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions.

We have had 2 superb dinners at Palmers and Blend.

We are going to play golf at Shadow Ridge, Trilogy and the desert willows course that we did not play last year.

We are all enjoying our tennis and eventhough it is chilly in the AM the sun feels great.

Sally

Sally---

I hoped your visit surpassed your expectations. Thanks for letting us know what worked and please tell us anything that didn't. As a local, I get around a lot, but sometimes a restaurant can have an off night or I haven't been there for a couple months and a chef left, etc and things are headed downhill.

PSL

PSlocal,

We have only been here two nights, but i will report at the end of our stay as I know how things change from year to year. We are also doing some spa treatments.

I will report back on our experiences.

Great.

If you want a funky old desert experience, head over to Shield's Date Gardens located at Jefferson Street and Highway 111 in Indio. The place is like a time warp. There is a soda fountain counter there where you can have a date shake. See the riveting film, 'Romance and Sex Life of the Date.'

For an odd, interesting experience, Cabot's Pueblo Indian museum in Desert Hot Springs.

The Date Festival is also underway at the Riverside County Fairgrounds in Indio. While a lot of it is the typical carnival fare, there are also some very homey exhibits of Coachella Valley agriculture, arts and crafts.

A few more restaurants are Thai Smile, 3 locations in Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage or La Quinta---we like PS best for the food---Keedy's, a hamburger place in Palm Desert, Cosmo's, for Italian food in Palm Desert, Cafe Beaux Arts, Baja Fresh and Yard House at The River in Rancho Mirage.

Have fun.

I apologize for my delayed report on our brief trip to Palm Desert. My computer went blank every time I tried to log on.

Many thanks to all for the wonderful suggustions. We played golf at Fire Cliff at Desert Willows. It was a beautiful course. We also really enjoyed the Silver Rock course at La Quinta. The scenery was breathtaking.

Since we were staying at a Club Interest we depended on Ralphs and tere great deli for breakfast and lunch.

We all really appreciate the extensive restaurant list. Our dinner at Blend was ourstandingand our favorite. The food was very creative and good atmosphere.

Pacifica had fantastic fish, but a little lacking on atmosphere.

Palmers had a really fun atmosphere, very lively and great food.

We went back to the Adobe Grill this and It is hard to beat the setting and live Mexican music. The food was not as good as last year but all else made uo for it

We enjoyed our tennis. I did a couple of tennis clincs at The Desert Marriot along with yoga and palatti's

We hit a very windy week so did not hike in the Indian Canyons or go to Joshua Tree. We went to the Living Desert, art galleries, biked and had great massages's. and relaxed.

We will spend two weeks next year and get more in.

Thank you everybody for the great reccomendations. It is wonderful to have an updated list.

Sally

I am sorry about all my misspellings. I was typing so fast and went back to edit and it got posted. One of those times when you wish you could delete.

again, thanks for all the great information.

Sally

Maybe try Desert Falls? It is fairly dramatic in terms of landform and a lot of grass, so a higher handicap player can do a pretty good "bump and run" game. The only other thoughts that come to mind are the Tahquitz Creek course in Palm Springs and maybe the newly remodeled Clive Clark course at Indian Wells Golf Resort.

Some thoughts on meals: Cosmo's in Palm Desert, Yard House at the River in Rancho Mirage, Crosby's in Palm Desert, Blend in La Quinta (more expensive), Louise's Pantry in La Quinta (breakfast), Tuscany at the Marriott Desert Springs for Italian, Tyler's for burgers in Palm Springs, Bristol Farms Cafe in Palm Desert, or for the truly adventurous, try Mexicali Cafe in Indio for the stuffed bell pepper. It's a dive...but this dish rocks.

Have a blast!

PSL

I can think of lots more probably.

Don't know much about restaurants, but i was wondering around MSN boards lately and saw a post about finding golf courses http://boards.msn.com/Travelboards/t...hreadID=105654

good luck have a great vacation