Five Things I’m Currently Loving in the Desert

I’m all about an independent bookstore, so I’ve long been a fan of this spot — the Valley’s sole indie option! — owned by married local authors Paul Bradley Carr and Sarah Lacy. After a disheartening A/C debacle this past summer (which sparked a full-blown community rescue effort), the store has relocated to a new, even more charming site in the historic La Plaza center. It’s definitely worth a visit if you haven’t been! While there, be sure not to miss the staff picks table — always my favorite corner to peruse. Bonus: I hear Paul’s  latest book is an absolutely thrilling ride!

Join me in wishing bienvenue to Les Filles (French for “the girls”)! Launched in June by the wife-and-wife team of Candice Levy and Paola Balbini, who hail from France and Italy, respectively, the menu blends the best of both countries’ cuisines — pastries, gourmet sandwiches, and other sumptuous delicacies handmade fresh each morning. My mom recently tried her first cornetto here — the Italian cousin to a croissant — which was perfectly flaked with the subtlest hint of orange blossom. Not only is the fare sublime, but Candice and Paola are some of the friendliest hosts around, even sending me home with a massive loaf of their signature focaccia on my first visit! Fun fact: the duo met 18 years ago while vacationing in the desert — at a bar just steps from the spot where they now run their café!

On paper, I’m not exactly this Old Town boutique’s target demographic — I’m neither a golfer nor very active (my exercise routine consists solely of nightly walks while listening to true crime podcasts). But my friend Heididragged me in recently and I was immediately smitten! Alexandrite Active & Golf Wear carries a range of sporty ensembles perfect for walking, plus my favorite flip flops, Archies (which I practically live in!), and an entire section devoted to Liverpool, a brand I was previously unfamiliar with but am now officially obsessed! Think affordable, classically adorable professional wear. The shop is definitely worth a visit — even for decidedly not-sporty types like me.

Craving some pumpkin spice? ’Tis definitely the season, and no one is delivering better right now than Cali Rosina Tea Shop, thanks to their delicious pumpkin matcha! Handcrafted with ceremonial grade matcha, real pumpkin purée, warm spices, and raw agave — then topped with their signature plant-based pumpkin cold foam — each sip tastes like a slice of pumpkin pie in a cup. I tried one on the recommendation of my friend (and realtor extraordinaire) Jolie Leydekkers, and even though I’m diabetic and could only sample a small bit, it was absolutely worth the extra insulin! If you want to try one for yourself, act fast — the offering is a seasonal special that disappears after Thanksgiving.  Bonus: the tea shop has a whole lineup of festive treats — and the holiday décor couldn’t be cuter!

If you love music and wine, this vinyl listening bar in Indio is for you! Intimate, dimly lit, and moody in all the right ways, a friend and I popped in one recent cold, rainy night and were immediately warmed. With Japanese jazz spinning on the turntables, natural wines flowing, and plenty of tucked-away spaces to listen and sip, the place proved the perfect kind of cozy. We wound up chatting the night away with owner Adrian Romero (who is also behind local favorite Hermano Flower Shop) and our fellow barmates, feeling more like we were in a chic friend’s living room than a downtown Indio bar. With different tunes being spun nightly and specially curated events held on the regular, no two visits to this local hotspot are ever the same.