Monthly Archives: January 2013

Jamon serrano – Tinto

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Jamon serrano - Tinto
Andalusian mountain cured ham, egg salad, guindilla peppers. Summer prix-fixe menu $38
Tinto, Palm Springs CA

I can’t really complain about jamon serrano – I love the stuff! I really liked the texture of th eggs salad too. It was super silky and very tasty.

Our overall experience at this restaurant was a mess though. We had an early reservation because we had a flight next morning, and it was rocky from the get-go. We were the first people in the restaurant and the clueless hostess decides that she wants to sit us at some sad table surrounded by two rows of booths. Hello! This place was pretty empty throughout our dinner so I’m not sure why she wanted to seat us at such a shitty table in the first place. Thank goodness our server let us move to a more comfortable table. I will say that he was amazing – very friendly and accommodating. If it wasn’t for him, I think this dinner would have been a complete bust.

Marinated mantequilla olives - Tinto
Marinated mantequilla olives. Complimentary
Mmm, I love these olives!

Wooden fence, Joshua Tree National Park
Wooden fence, Joshua Tree National Park.

Bloody mary – Circa 59

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Bloody mary - Circa 59

Standard bloody mary. $7
Circa 59, Palm Springs CA

Circa 59 is the restaurant at the popular Riviera Resort Palm Springs and I gotta say, that for a nicer venue, this placed sucked! The service was horrendous and the food (posts to come) was disgusting and simply a slap in the face. Places that keep their business solely on popularity are just sad. I’m not sure how they maintain guests with such horrible service and food! It took forever to get water, order, receive our first drinks, get our food, have it cleared, get our check, pay for brunch, etc! I think our brunch took 3 hours because nobody seemed to be working. What a joke!

Succulent plant centerpiece - Circa 59

Succulent plant centerpiece.

Sequin artwork, Riviera Resort
Sequin artwork, Riviera Resort. Perhaps it’s Sammy Davis Jr.?

Chile seared shrimp – Jiao

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Chile seared shrimp - Jiao
Vermicelli noodles, tomatoes, green onions, mint, cilantro, crushed peanuts, rice wine vinegar. $11
Jiao, Palm Springs CA

Mmm, this was tasty! The shrimp were tender and delicious and all the noodles and herbs kept the dish super light. A great, summery dish – noms!

Lychee iced tea - Jiao

Lychee iced tea. $3

Black sesame shortbread cookies - Jiao
Black sesame shortbread cookies. Complimentary with check

Grass fed burger – Cheeky’s

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Grass fed burger - Cheeky's
With bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato on a brioche bun, served with pesto fries. $11
Cheeky’s, Palm Springs CA

Mmm, this was delicious! The burger patty was juicy and tender and I love their bacon at Cheeky’s. The pesto fries were a little greasy but they had so much flavor that it was easily forgiven.

Condiments - Cheeky's

Condiments.

Forever Marilyn by Seward Johnson

“Forever Marilyn” sculpture by Seward Johnson.

Asiago cheese bagel – Park Rock Cafe

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Asiago cheese bagel - Park Rock Cafe
With light cream cheese and fresh fruit (kiwi, cantaloupe, grapes, strawberry).
Park Rock Cafe, Joshua Tree CA

This little cafe is adjact to the Joshua Tree visitor center and the woman who was working the counter was super friendly. This bagel wasn’t the freshest bagel ever, but I appreciated that it came with fruit (which I wasn’t expecting) so it was a great value.

Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Cener sign
Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Cener sign.

Cholla Cactus Garden (Cylindropuntia bigelovii, Cactaceae)
Cholla Cactus Garden (Cylindropuntia bigelovii, Cactaceae) filled with Teddy Bear chollas – watch out!

Chilled veggie summer roll – Jiao

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Chilled veggie summer roll - Jiao
With sweet and sour pepper sauce. $7
Jiao, Palm Springs CA

I really liked this roll. The addition of ripe mango was great and the pepper sauce kept everything bright and fresh. We were looking for light fare so this was perfect!

Place settings - Jiao
Place settings.

Backyard lemon tree
Lemon tree in the backyard on a typical Palm Springs day.

Tangerine wheat ale – Cheeky’s

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Tangerine wheat ale - Cheeky's

A refreshing citrus ale, Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat combines Lost Coast Harvest Wheat with natural tangerine flavors. Brewed with a combination of wheat and crystal malts, and finished with Perle hops. ABV 5.0%. $4
Cheeky’s, Palm Springs CA

As you may know, I’m not a huge beer drinker but this was really tasty and refreshing! The tangerine flavor wasn’t overpowering, but it added just enough brightness to make things interesting. Yum!

Silverware - Cheeky's

Napkin ring with silverware.

Red cactus flowers (Cactaceae)

Red cactus flowers (Cactaceae) at the Joshua Tree National Park visitors center.

Pre-flight snacks – Red Carpet Club

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Pre-flight snacks - Red Carpet Club
Cape cod vodka cocktails, Chex mix, Tillamook cheeses, Pepperidge Farm crackers. Complimentary
Red Carpet Club, San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

I’m so glad when I fly on United with David cause then we can relax at the Red Carpet Club before boarding and enjoy free cocktails and snacks. Yay!

Flying brain sticker
Flying brain sticker on an elevator door at the airport.

Maple donut – Philz Coffee

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Maple donut - Philz Coffee
Philz serves a variety of vegan organic donuts from Pepples Donuts. $2.
Small Soooo good coffee. $3
Philz Coffee, San Francisco CA

Ok, I need to stop eating Pepples donuts because there’s just way too much glaze and it hurts my teeth to bite through them. But I will never stop drinking Philz coffee – it’s like crack!

Lion King opening curtain
Lion King opening curtain, Orpheum Theatre.