My Town Monday: Palm Springs, CA

I was away yet again this weekend. I know, I know, it's becoming a disease; I fly the coop every Friday. Anyway, this weekend saw me, Child #3 and Child #4 in Palm Springs, CA for a swim meet.

I love Palm Springs, this desert city of about 43,000 people (depending on the time of year) that's surrounded on three sides by mountains. Palm Springs is about 130 miles northeast of San Diego. Almost every day is sunny. And many days are windy. Sonny Bono has been the most famous mayor.

There's quite a bit to do in Palm Springs. I didn't do any of it on this trip because I was pretty much trapped at the pool watching my darling children lunge off starting blocks and swim their little hearts out. All joking aside, this was Child #4's first big swim meet and she was awesome with her pink goggles and turquoise flip-flops. Plus, she really poured on the steam, her skinny eight-year-old arms and legs working overtime. A brave little girl, she even swam the butterfly!

Back to the topic at hand. A very popular attraction is the aerial tramway which zooms you up to the top of San Jacinto Peak (the highest spot in the San Jacinto Mountains which is the 3rd highest mountain range in the state) in about nine minutes. There's the botanical gardens and cactarium and shopping, golf, hiking, yummy eateries. How about some spa time? Personally, I'm up for the whole Head to Toe Indulge. Also, you can take a tour of a windmill farm.Palm Springs is windy. The winds blow west to east in the morning and east to west in the afternoon. There's enough wind that the windmill farm powers Palm Springs and then some. For about $65, you can take a three-hour coach ride to visit the San Andreas Fault. Then again, there's plain old R&R around the pool, with or without libations.

All of this is entertaining and exciting and enticing. Some of it I've done and some is still on my to-do list.

But here's what I REALLY want to do in Palm Springs...



The International Film Festival. Sigh. Unfortunately, I can never figure out a way to escape for a week in January. Despite the fact that I'd be an excellent Palm Springs International Film Festival blogger. I love artsy films. I'd write up all manner of reviews. Plus LA is only about 100 miles away. So, you know there'd be scads of famous actors milling about. I look so nice and normal and non-paparazzi, that I'd be a super successful star stalker (who doesn't skimp on alliteration!).

DH has zero interest in non-Bruce Willis-type movies and even less interest in star gazing. So, some of you people will have to join me instead. Maybe when my kids are a little older?

Now pop on over to to Travis Erwin's blog. He's our Fearless Leader for My Town Mondays. He'll have a MTM post up himself plus a list of links to other Mondayers. And, unlike myself, they'll all have posted in a timely fashion!

And if I haven't visited your blog recently, it's only because I'm way way over-extended. Not a lack of love. Not at all.

Sources: Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism, Wikipedia, Southpoint Travel Guide, Palm Springs Int'l Film Festival