EPISODE 79: 10 ACTIVITIES THAT NEED TO BE A PART OF YOUR NEXT VISIT TO THE COACHELLA VALLEY

In this week's episode of Living in the Sprawl: Southern California's Most Adventurous Podcast, host Jon Steinberg shares his list of 10 activities that need to be a part of your next visit to the Coachella Valley. His list includes: eating at Melvyn's, Arnold Palmer or Copley's, visiting the Palm Springs Walk of Stars and the Forever Marilyn statue, visiting the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, doing an architecture tour, visiting the Shields Date Farm, visiting the Desert Living Zoo, going on the Aerial tram, doing the Sunnylands tour, getting pool time and golfing.

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Transcript

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Hello listeners and fellow explorers. This is living in the sprawls lovely and talented producer slash wife, Lisa Steinberg. I wanted to thank all of you for your continuous support of the show. As a new podcast on the scene, John and I self-support the logistics and research that go into the show. The number one way to support the show is to rate, review and share this podcast with everyone, you know, Many of you have been doing this and it has helped immensely. I also invite you to check out our website and the show notes for other ways to support the show. We are currently working with companies. We currently use ourselves. To get discount codes for our listeners and support the show in the process. These companies include. Every table, just CBD store, gold belly cats, botanicals, and so much more. By using the links on our website, you are letting them know we sent you an intern, supporting the show. You can also support us on Patrion and pod fan. Please check out the website@livinginthesprawlpodcast.com. For updates on companies we are working with our testimonies links codes and new living in the sprawl merchandise Again thank you to all of you our lovely listeners for tuning in every week and allowing us to do what we love Without further ado you're humble correspondent John steinberg Hello, and welcome to another edition of living in the sprawl. So the California is most adventurous podcast. I am as always your humble host and correspondent. My name is John Steinberg joined in tandem. By my lovely and talented producers slash my wife. Her name is Lisa Steinberg. We are the team here at sprawl enterprises, Ray, to bring you yet another exciting. For Ray. Into the expansive, sometimes daunting slash intimidating terrain that we have lovingly dubbed the sprawl. On today's show. We head out to the desert. Where we examine. Some of our favorite activities. That you can get up to. In the Coachella valley. When I was a kid, there was something. Majestic about the desert. Be it the. Sunsets that looked as though they'd been painted by. Someone working in the Italian Renaissance period. The prevalence of. hanging out. Poolside. Simply put being in an Oasis. After all. This is Riverside county. And yet the Coachella valley. Any particular Palm Springs bears little resemblance to Riverside. In the 1940s. Those. Getting away for the weekend. Found much to appreciate. In the Coachella valley. It became. One of the preeminent resort. Areas in the United States. Serving as a hotbed. For golf, tennis. Leisure see you Senate poolside. Hiking and all things desert related. Many outsiders, no of the Coachella valley because of the music festival as was covered on a prior episode of the podcast. But there's a great deal to appreciate beyond. Coachella and stagecoach. We're going to tell you. About our picks for the 10. Must incorporate activities that you should wedge into your next visit to the Coachella valley. Nine cities. A ton of officially recognized unincorporated areas. Uh, population hovering around thousand. There's a lot to be covered. Where to start. Let's begin. At number 10. As we break down the 10 essential activities in. The Coachella And number 10. Have a quintessential. Desert dining experience of the old school variety. What do I mean by this? I mean, tableside service. I mean, Prime rib. Steak. Oysters Rockefeller dishes that he will not see. Uh, populating menus. Along. The sunset strip. A couple of places to keep in mind, maybe check on reservations before. Heading out to the desert. And these would be Melvin's, which has been around for decades covered on a very early episode of the podcast. A great place to get yourself a baked Alaska. And if you don't know what that is. Don't feel ashamed. Neither did I, until I ordered it. And dare I say, it's an experience not to be missed. Copley's which is on the newer side. But as a restaurant. Located at the former estate of Cary grant here, you can get your hands on that traditional. What I would characterize as classic. Desert fair. Also Arnold Palmer's restaurant in Lakita, all things Arnie. Can be found at Arnold Palmer is restaurant. Including some snazzy shirts, hats, and for super fans. You'll be interested to know. There's a. Golden bust. Of Mr. Palmer inside. A great spot for an Instagram picture. At number nine. The downtown Palm Springs area. Specifically the walk of stars and the forever Marilyn statue. Again, topics covered on prior installments of the show. But to double down. Visitors. To the desert. Associate the region with people like old blue eyes, Marilyn Monroe. The aforementioned Cary grant. And the litany of old school, Hollywood stars who would flock to the desert. When the weather came around. So here. You've got the. 27 foot tall statue of Ms. Marilyn Monroe. Adjacent to that is the Palm Springs walk of stars. Noting. Figures like former mayor Sonny bono. President Eisenhower Ford. And Nixon that used to frequent the desert. During off times. It's a cool sight to see. Two for the price of one, if you will, and it'll ground you. In that famed. Old-school glory that is embodied by the city of Palm Springs. And number eight, check out an event. Or something. At the Indian Wells tennis garden. This is the second largest. Venue. For spectators. That's exclusively designed for tennis to be found anywhere in the world. Second, only to the Arthur Ashe stadium in flushing Meadows, where the us open is played. Now this. Uh, famed. Tennis garden. Please host to the annual BNP Paribas open played. Every March. And every big name that you can think of has played at the facility. 16,000 plus. Seats populate the grounds. It's truly a sight to behold. As I mentioned tennis. Is one of the defining activities to be found. Out in the desert. And there's no better place. To acquaint yourself with. The history of tennis and the Coachella valley, then at the Indian Wells tennis garden. Uh, number seven, check out the mid century, modern architecture. That has helped too. Really put this region. On the map. So when the money really started to trickle in. Big name, boldfaced architects. Soon followed. If you can make it out for February's annual modernism week, that would be ideal. But if you can't. Even a cursory. Drive around. Some of the crazy estates. Dotted throughout the Coachella valley. Will suffice. The efforts. Of notable architects. Like Albert Frey. East Stuart Williams, John Lockner. Paul R. Williams. In our beloved Richard Neutra. Are on full panoramic display. You've got to check out the Kaufman desert house. Which actually just served as a filming location. In the movie, don't worry, darling. They kind of make it difficult for you to get a great vantage point. But. High walls be damned. You can still see. The architectural Marvel. That is the. Kaufman. Oasis house designed by Richard Neutra. A lot of the houses. On the crazier end. Yeah. They're in gated communities. The Bob hope residents, for example. The second property associated with Frank Sinatra in Rancho Mirage. These are in gated communities. But if you want, you can actually stay the night. At the twin palms, a state that formerly belonged to old blue eyes himself. Which. Is one of the coolest. Private homes to be found anywhere. In the Coachella valley. At nearby shops. Souvenir stores, et cetera. There's really an emphasis on the mid century, modern period. You can get postcards with. Some of the houses that we've discussed. To let your friends know that you in fact, saw these homes in person for yourself. Number seven checkout. The iconic, mid century, modern architecture. In the Coachella valley. Uh, number six, visit the shields date farm in India. As I mentioned, there are nine. Officially recognized cities in the Coachella valley. Indio being one of them in India is where the Coachella valley music and arts festival as well, stagecoach, that's where they take place. But in addition to those MBO, you could also find. A wonderful passage. Into the quirky history of the region, this being the shields date, farm. It's been here since the 1950s serves. As a real. Cultural. Beacon for the area. And we'll teach you all about. One of the best exports to come out of the area, that being the date. If you're wondering. Where did they get all those ingredients for delicious date shakes? The answer is the Coachella valley. And the best place to learn about. All of this as well as a great spot to sample. Some delectable fair. Is at the shields date farm. In India. And number five. Visit the living desert zoo and botanical gardens. Here you'll find a wide swath. Of animals native to the region. You'll come face to face with giraffes. Reptiles. If you can handle it. So beautiful cactus guy. Again, doubling down on the idea of this being a true Oasis. There's a lovely botanical garden. On the premises. It's not a conventional zoo by any stretch of the imagination. It's a place that could really truly only exist. In the desert. Number four ride the Palm Springs, aerial tram from the city up to the top. Of Mount San Jacinto. And the 1960s, there was really only. One way to even get to the top. Of this majestic peak you had to. Hike like hike with a capital H. So in the 1960s. The Palm Springs, aerial tram. Was. Drempt into reality. It's one of only three. Such aerial trams to be found anywhere in the world. The others are located in Switzerland, in South Africa. And it's this two mile ride through the sky. From Palm Springs. Into the Sanderson. Wilderness region. There's nothing quite like it. To which I can compare. The experience. You go through to. For scale revolutions. Over the course of your ride, providing. Travelers with optimal views. Of the gorgeous mountain tops. And. Wonderful natural vistas. For an experience unlike any other checkout the palm springs aerial tram. I remember three. To her. The enormous, incredible estate known as Sunnylands. We talked about this on our. Outrageous house's episode sometime ago. Lisa. And I had the privilege of touring the home recently. This. Property, which is over. 25,000. Square feet. Dominates. A portion of land. In the city of Rancho Mirage. Built. For the Annenbergs. The home was finished in 1966. It's played host. Two presidents. C Eisenhower Ford. Nixon Obama. Both bushes. As well as dignitaries from all around the world, there was actually. And extremely rare. Official state dinner held. On site. In the early 1990s. With officials from Japan. There are a couple of different options. For two words, you can too, or. The. Ridiculously large compound. You can get yourself on a tour that emphasizes the gardens in landscape, which surround the property. Or if you are. Short on time. You can just basically check out the visitor center where there's a wealth of information to be learned a great 20 minute video on the history of the property. This. Is a residence unlike really any other, some people refer to it as the Western. Camp David. But most just know it as Sunnylands. Uh, number two. Get yourself some time in the pool. This being the Oasis in the desert, we are very far removed from the Pacific ocean, but fear of not. Swimmers. And lovers of bodies of water. Pool activities. Are very important in the Coachella valley. So important. In fact, That the whole region became. An international destination. For a spring break festivities. And these festivities. We're known to get a little bit rowdy. Tens of thousands. Of college and high school aged. Folks would flock to the desert in search. Uh, fun. Fun in the sun, fun in the sun with a pool. Nestled. Directly in the background. According to estimates, there are over 50,000 pools in the Coachella valley now. Yes. Most of these are. Parts of a private residences. But there are a number. Of options. For those that don't have. At entry point. Into that world. The ACE. Hotel is a great place to start the colony palms. Is another. There are no shortage of pools. And Palm. Springs and the greater Coachella valley, that is where you take advantage. Of the time. That people so enjoy spending in and around these beautiful pools. And at number one on our list of our favorite activities to be found in the Coachella valley. Gulf. There are. Over 120 golf courses in the Coachella valley. Courses that are designed. By the likes of Arnold Palmer. And Jack Nicholas. A number of the golf courses as you would imagine, are part of exclusive country clubs. Like Thunderbird. Which is where. Gerald and Betty Ford. Lived out there post white house lives. And is said to be the place where the golf cart was actually invented. Country clubs. In Indian Wells. Lakita. Palm desert. There are a plethora of them. you could play golf at a number of really terrific. Public courses. The Bermuda dunes. Is a great option. And there are spots to be found. Scattered. Throughout the Coachella valley. The PGA west. Golf courses here. Most famously captured. As part of the soaring over California ride. At the California adventure park in Anaheim. The Coachella valley is home to the annual desert classic. Which has gone by a number of different names. Bob Hope's name was involved. For a while. It was known as the career builder. Event for time. It's currently the American express. Classic. At the end of the day, it's the desert classic. But for those. That love nothing more. Than the peace and tranquility to be found. On a golf course. The Coachella valley is the. Undisputed. Capitol. For golfers. In the state of California. And that's going to do it for another installment of the show. We would like to thank everyone for their continued support of the podcast. It does mean the world to both Lisa and Hop on apple iTunes or wherever you listen to the show, leave us a five star rating and a kind review. That stuff helps us A lot on the business. End of things. I'd like to direct you to our phenomenal website. And it's on this phenomenal website that you could get your hands on the living in the sprawl guide. Living in the sprawl merchandise. My memoir. And so it went is also now available on our website. The Instagram handle is living in the sprawl podcast where we post. Picks from all of our adventures. We invite you to drop us a line and email. And living in the sprawl podcast@gmail.com. On behalf of my self. I am as always your humble host and correspondent. My name is John Steinberg joined by my lovely and talented producer slash my wife. Her name is Lisa Steinberg. The team here at sprawl enterprises. Thanking you from the bottom of our hearts for listening to yet another episode of living in the sprawl. Southern California's most adventurous podcast. Until next time.