While I’m not exactly loving these insane desert temps (hello 124 degrees! – someone get me a pied-à-terre in a cooler climate stat!), there is still plenty to rave about currently in the Coachella Valley, including some supreme nachos, playing tennis in the footsteps of legends and a whimsical Googie sign that promptly made me sit up and take note! Read on for five of my favorite recent findings across greater Palm Springs.
XO, Lindsay
While on the hunt for stellar nachos in the Valley recently, I came across an Instagram post by The Unemployed Eater asserting the best variety can be found at Blackbook. Having now sampled them myself, I can affirm that claim is correct! The popular Arenas Road watering hole, known as “the home of the original Palm Springs style nachos,” serves up its premier offerings on a cookie sheet one layer deep, resulting in the ultimate chip-to-topping ratio, with a crunch that truly reigns supreme!
BANK OF AMERICA RESTORATION
Palm Springs’ landmark Bank of America building, designed by Rudi Baumfeld in 1959, recently reopened after a lengthy restoration. Deemed “the most beautiful bank in America” upon its inception, the structure is even more striking today, with stylized mid-century furnishings, revitalized wood paneling, and newly poured terrazzo flooring. Be sure not to miss the original coin scale, which remains intact and accessible for customers to test out themselves!
HAINES PACKING COMPANY
Sushi-grade fish has finally arrived in the desert via Haines Packing Company, a family-owned Alaska-based seafood processing establishment that recently opened a storefront in La Quinta. The shop’s selections, all caught in the Alaskan wild, are fresh-frozen, aka “frozen rapidly after capturing at the peak of quality . . . ensuring the fish has the same quality it would have had if eaten on the dock with the fisherman at landing.” From halibut to salmon to freshly cracked jumbo lump crab meat, the options are vast and insanely sumptuous.
While driving along Indian Canyon recently, the bulbous signage affixed to the Drift hotel literally stopped me in my tracks and I had to pull over for a closer look. The piece, which spells out “DRIFT” via five whimsical globe lights, was created for the chic lodging by the Folklor branding/design firmand fabricated by locally-based Best Signs Incorporated. Calling to mind the Googie signage of yesteryear, the installation is an arresting nod to the city’s mid-century roots.
INDIAN WELLS TENNIS GARDEN
Always wanted to play tennis like a pro? Now is your chance because the Indian Wells Tennis Garden is not just a venue for the BNP Paribus Open, but a year-round tennis and pickleball club, where $25 secures visitors and locals alike a day of playat one of the pavilion’s professional-grade Garden courts! Those who don’t feel like participating in a game but still want to catch a glimpse of the world-famous facility can grab a meal at Nobu (pictured right, courtesy of Amy Bonaduce of The Clipboard of Fun), which offers unparalleled views of Stadium 2.