Springtime in the Coachella Valley is, well, gorgeous! I doubt it was quite this beautiful when “discovered” during the westward expansion and travel was by horse drawn wagons with no deodorant nor my beloved air conditioning. However, today it is beautiful. One spot in particular is Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, California.
Heart-Healthy Elixir in Ojai
Looking for a heart-healthy day trip that is a short (and scenic depending on your route) drive from Los Angeles, California? Head to Ojai! Nestled in the rustic hills of this laid-back community is Ojai Olive Oil Company, a family owned and operated fully organic and sustainable treasure.
Puff Party Delight
It’s deadline day for the first Cooks in the Kitchen contest. The ingredient was semi-sweet chocolate and the instructions were to let your mind wander. Since my comfort zone is more with the savory side of things, I opted to challenge myself with a sweet recipe. Alas, the “Puff Party” was born. It is fast, easy, and delicious. Here’s how:
Now that’s a mouthful!
Have you ever been tongue-tied, feeling like your tongue weighs hundreds of pounds and just won’t let you speak correctly? Welcome to the world of the magnificent Gray whale.
These gentle giants of the ocean have 3,000 pound tongues, now that is a wet kiss! Their massive tongues are used to lick off the amphipods (small shrimp-like creatures) which they suck up from the ocean floor that, in turn, gets stuck to their baleen “teeth” (baleen is bristle, a similar substance is found in human hair and fingernails). Gray whales also have hearts that weigh nearly 300 pounds. Maybe this is why their underwater callings sound so heavy-hearted and yet so confusing?
The Sparkling Jewel of Palos Verdes
There is beauty and then there is Palos Verdes, California beauty. Nestled within the hillside, sitting atop the rugged cliffs that meet the Pacific Ocean sits Wayfarers Chapel, better known to locals as “the glass church.”
A Prickly Stop in the Desert
Cactus (noun) is defined as “a succulent plant with a thick, fleshy stem that typically bears spines, lacks leaves, and has brilliantly colored flowers” (this sounds strangely similar to some Hollywood characters I have met, but I digress). This definition only scratches the surface of these fascinating plants and lacks the depth of beauty and variety these beautiful, unusual, and quirky plants offer. To experience that, head over to Moorten’s Botanical Garden founded in 1938 in Palm Springs, California.
Doubting Thomas
How great it is to have the doubters of this world, a plethora of doubting Thomases! It is through their careful examination and reflection that we have learned, discovered, and reasoned a multitude of things. This term is widely used to describe a person who demands proof before he/she will believe something, but people rarely think about its origin. Seeing it is the start of the Lenten season for Christians, it is the perfect time to discuss the origins of the term “Doubting Thomas.”
Look up into the sky!
I stumbled upon the Sydney Observatory as I was walking back “home” to my hotel in Darling Harbour. My stay in Sydney, Australia was an unexpected one as my ears ruptured during the decent into Sydney airport from Perth on my way back home to Los Angeles and the airport doctor grounded me, literally. I was not able to fly until my ears had time to heal. My coping mechanism, explore the city! It’s amazing what you discover when you are grounded in a foreign land.
Brush Away Tooth Decay
Did you know that the most widespread human disease in America is tooth decay? It affects 98% of Americans so don’t skip on brushing your teeth both morning and night AND don’t forget to floss! It may keep you from gumming your food in your “golden” years.
Fact from Tidbits of Coachella Valley, 9/29/2013 issue
Craving pizza?
Ah, back to a post on my beloved topic…food!
On a recent trip to Palm Desert, my husband and I stopped in at our local, favorite pizza spot, Billy Q’s. It is one of the few pizza establishments that can still be called a “neighborhood joint”…don’t let the lack of a neighborhood confuse you. As the wafts of delicious pizza smells greet you at the door, one of the staff gives you a friendly “hello” and suddenly you feel like a regular who has just dropped in for a bite at their friend’s place.
