The sheer flurry of desert happenings never ceases to amaze – even during the hot summer months! The Coachella Valley is certainly a treasure trove of activity for anyone hoping to partake, and there has been plenty to keep me busy as of late, from tours of an area mushroom farm to a night visit to the Rancho Mirage Observatory to La Quinta’s new gourmet market. Read on for more information on these attractions, as well as two additional favorite recent local discoveries.
xo, Lindsay
MUSHROOM FARM TOURS
Fun fact – there is a mushroom farm in the CV! Known as Canyon Creek Mushrooms, the zero-waste, 4,500-square-foot facility hand-harvests ten different fungal varieties on the premises, including lion’s mane and king trumpet, all of which are delectable! Even better? Free tours are offered to the public daily on a pop-in basis, granting highly informative behind-the-scenes glimpses of the entire cultivation process, including visits to the lab and incubation and fruiting rooms. No reservations required!
EL TORO LOCO
A gourmet market has arrived in La Quinta! A spectacular addition to the neighborhood, El Toro Loco, located in the La Quinta Village shopping center, is stocked with everyday staples (think cereal and pasta), as well as upscale fare (including premier cheeses) – most offered at surprisingly affordable prices. The produce is fresh, the meat and fish high-end, and the confines charming and well laid out. It is a thoroughly inviting spot to shop for essentials and specialty foods.
OBSERVATORY PUBLIC EXPLORATION NIGHTS
Every Thursday and Saturday, the Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory hosts one of the desert’s most unique events – Observatory Public Exploration Nights (O.P.E.N.), offering guests a chance to examine the desert’s evening skies via its research-grade PlaneWave Instruments CDK700 telescope, as well as three 9.25″ telescopes. The views of the moon through the magnified lenses are especially striking, each marking and crater mind-blowingly visible! Bonus – library card holders can even check out an Orion StarBlast 4.5” Astro Reflector telescope for star-gazing at home!
REATIVE CLASSES WITH ELAINE
Always wanted to learn the art of mandala dot painting? Now is your chance, thanks to Creative Classes with Elaine. Taught by Elaine Printz at Good Neighbor Trading Post + Made Art Studios in Palm Desert, the sessions are fun, informative, and therapeutic, with instructions broken down into easy-to-follow steps along with regular reminders to breathe in and out. I recently took the Christmas in July class and walked away with a new hobby and an ornament I could not believe I had made myself!
ABANDONED PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOS EXHIBIT
Lovers of all things abandoned should head straight to the La Quinta Museum, where the new Abandoned Planes, Trains & Automobiles exhibit (on display now through November 16) features haunting images of objects left discarded across California’s deserts. Dramatically captured and impeccably lit by photographer Ken Lee, the exhibit highlights everything from deserted airplanes to rusted out movie props to a precariously positioned bus. It is not to be missed! Best of all – entry to the museum is always free.