Today is part four in my mini-series "Exploring Palm Springs". Tuesday turned out to be less relaxing than I had hoped. I was up at 5:30, had breakfast and decided to check a few work e-mails and return a phone call or two. By the time 2:00 pm rolled around I was still working, and not happy about it at all. Why I allow work to interfere with a scheduled day off I'll never know. But anyway close to 2:30 I decided to stop working and leave the house to hit El Paseo in Palm Desert. My shopping partner was Regina, a close friend visiting Palm Springs with her family this week. El Paseo is a world famous shopping area in Palm Desert, a neighboring town of Palm Springs. It is a main street type format, with more than 300 first-class retail shops, clothing boutiques, art galleries, jewelers, restaurants and spas. It has a casual elegance, in keeping with the relaxing lifestyle of the Palm Springs desert communities. Even if shopping is not your favorite past time, it's a nice place to stroll along and people watch. Regina and I however set out to do some damage and support the local economy to the best of our ability.
Above left: "Tommy Bahama" retail store. The "Tommy Bahama rooftop restaurant patio has panoramic views of the beautiful mountain scape. Above right: the gardens in front of Saks Fifth Avenue.
Public Art Exhibits too...
Above: I think art is what gives a community character. El Paseo is known for its ever-changing public art exhibits on display in the center of the road. This left close-up is what is in the above right photo.
Lush Gardens are easy on the eyes...
Above: The "Gardens at El Paseo" is a lovely open air shopping area with lush gardens, winding pathways that make for a unique shopping experience.
Walking along El Paseo is so soothing...from the elegant Date Palm Trees, to the beautiful Bougainvillea bushes that line the sidewalks, you feel as though you are in a special place, minus any attitude from stuck up shop keepers or snooty customers. After some shopping and plenty of laughs together, Regina and I enjoyed an early dinner and ended another perfect day in the desert.
-Rick Rockhill
2 comments:
Shopping is a great thing when you want to recharge. Especially when it is MasterCard or Visa. As much as landscaping is attractive, I second your statement on public art.
loved the pics as always. Glad you got away from work for a bit of relaxation. The pics make me wanna run away and visit...lol.
Have a great week.
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