This Morning found us leaving the cold ocean winds of Santa Monica for warm and desertlike Palm Springs.

But first we had to make a little detour: As one of us take a more than average interest in textiles, fabrics and quilting, a visit to LA’s textile and fabrics district and the famous “Santee Alley, LA’s Premiere Outdoor Shopping Experience” as it is fond of calling itself, is a MUST!

The Entrance to Santee Alley
The Santee Alley crowds

Just a few miles outside Los Angeles the scenery changed; gone were the concrete, the tall houses, the industrial plants and all the heavy traffic. Instead we found rolling hills, green meadows and empty roads.

Gradually the green disappeared and the countryside took on a dusty, desertlike appearance.

Desert fog outside Palm Springs
Desert fog outside Palm Springs

The main thing that this drive is famous for is the Factory Outlet, or rather Factory Outlets, because there are two of them right next door to eachother. The Desert Hill and the Cabazone Outlets are more or less the same complex.

The Cabazon Outlets
The Cabazon Outlets

There are all kinds of brand-shops and the prices are pleasant so it is really worth a stop if you’re in the mood for some grade A shopping.

Palm Springs !

 

Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Marilyn - Downtown Palm Springs
Marilyn – Downtown Palm Springs

 

 

The city of Palm Springs is basically just one long street, Palm Canyon Drive, that’s where everything is happening, the rest is more or less just residential areas. We had booked at The Hotel California, just south of the city center. That turned out to be one of the happiest choices we made through the entire three-week jouney. This hotel gives a whole new dimension to the words hospitality and customer care. HIGHLY RECOMENDED!

The center of Palm Springs is more or less like any other tourist-town, shopping, eating and entertainment, but it does display a sort of flair. Maybe it’s just my imagination, knowing that the rich and famous used to come here, but there is a sort of laidback atmosphere here. There are a few more privately owned shops and restaurants providing another style than standard suppliers.

When going to Palm Springs, it is important to:

  1. Remember sunglasses
  2. Take your time, don’t hurry.
  3. Avoid the midday sun
  4. Book a room or a town-house at the Hotel California! (Or maybe their sister hotel, the Desert Riviers near by)

 When planning a trip to Palm Springs, it is important to:

  1. Avoid the summer months (june through september)
  2. Stay there on a Thursday night, (there is a street market on thursdays)
  3. Plan to spend more than one day
  4. Book a room or a town-house at the Hotel California! (Or maybe their sister hotel, the Desert Riviers near by.

Palm Springs; An Image Gallery:

 

Tomorrow we shall go to a western town movie set caclled Pioneer Town and then to the Palm Springs Street Market in the evening

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