Palm Springs Weekend

This weekend my dear friend, Jen-Jen, and I packed our bags and spent a few days bonding, pampering ourselves, and absorbing the sublime radiance of the desert. We stayed at the Aqua Soleil Hot Springs and Spa in Palm Springs. Friday we checked in, delivered our luggage to our room, then headed to a fabulous Asian meal.

Jen and I ate at Wangs in the Desert—I know the name is a little silly—but the food was amazing! We enjoyed a appetizer of seared ahi and garlic roasted edamame. For the entrees we ordered vegetable chow mien and kung pow tofu. The chow mien was made with crunchy noddles underneath a bed of roots and onions, which were sauteed in a creamy, white sauce. This dish was much different and much tastier than I expected. I am not traditionally a huge tofu fanatic, but let me tell you—this combination rocked!!!! The kung pow tofu entree was made with breaded and fried tofu pieces, diced peppers, onions, and peanuts. It was all tossed together and sauteed in a sweet and savory teriyaki sauce. This food was delicious, but the best part of the meal was the dessert. We devoured a pumpkin, cranberry cake concoction that was mind-blowing. The moist and flavorful layers melted in my mouth. The top was somewhat of a cream-cheese frosting. All of the flavors worked marvelously together and complimented one another. It was the perfect combination of October flavors!

This restaurant is pretty rad because running through the middle of it is a coy fish pond—or stream, you might say. There is a small bridge to cross over from one side to the next. The atmosphere is fun and lively without it being overly loud making it difficult to talk. Friday night was "boys night out", so Jen and I enjoyed the lovely, gay eye-candy that surrounded us.

Saturday morning we rise(d) and shine(d) early so we could attend a free yoga class courtesy of the hotel. We were a bit surprised when we arrived and the teacher was a 70 year old man. I immediately knew I would be out yoga-ed by an elderly man and I wasn't sure if I was prepared for that. And sure enough—for an hour—he kicked my ass. His name is George and he lives across the street in a 55+ mobile home community. He had surgery only 5 weeks earlier to remove build-up in his right hip due to arthritis, but he was still more flexible, balanced, and graceful than myself. He spoke of his trips to India to study yoga and shared the hows and whys of how yoga changed his life. He seemed like such a gentle soul with so much wisdom and life experience. When the class was over Jen and I invited him to breakfast with us, so we could thank him for such a fulfilling hour. George settled for a cappuccino, while I got some scrambled eggs, fruit and yogurt. Jen got huevos rancheros that were paired with zesty roasted potatoes. (George was very confused as to why I was taking pictures of our food...)

After lunch we bid adieu to our new friend George. He was a social butterfly who has never been married or had any children (I referred to him a as player). At noon Jen and I had an appointment to get a couples massage at the hotel spa. We arrived and met with our masseuses, Nina and Linda. Linda was my massage therapist who was very sweet and polite. She was probably in her late 50's or early 60's and was I curious if she would have the strength to really dig in and relieve my discomfort. Our massage was 60 minutes and when it was over I wanted nothing more than for it to start over again. It was THE BEST massage I have ever received—and I have enjoyed my fair share of massages over the years. She focused on my muscles and pressure points while using long, firm strides that I hadn't experienced before. She would contort my limbs in unique positions that allowed her to better access my problem areas. When it was finished I was sad, but completely relaxed. 

After our massages Jen and went back to the room and lounged around, girl-talking (literally) for the next few hours, until we got ready for dinner. Saturday night we went to dinner at Kobe Japanese Steak House. We enjoyed a drink at the bar while our table was being prepared, then sat at the sushi bar and enjoyed an assortment of rolls and sashimi. For dessert we ordered cheesecake which was very basic, but tasty nonetheless. 

After dinner we got back to the hotel and watched Shallow Hall by the pool. The hotel uses a projector and a large inflatable screen to play movies by the pool on the weekend nights. It was a really fun experience! You could swim in the pool or sit in the Jacuzzi and still see and hear the film. We swam around in the pool with our strawberry margaritas and finished the movie. Once it was over we made our way to the spa and relaxed for another hour or so. Then it was off to bed. 

Sunday morning we slept in an extra hour or two then went down to the cafe for breakfast. Jen ordered tofu and peppers. It appeared to be tofu sauteed in onions, broth, and a variety of bell peppers. Jen—a bit of a tofu conosour—felt the it was a bit too watery for her taste. I ordered a Denver omelet full of veggies and cheese. The potato slices they Incorporated into the dish were wonderful! We also ordered a side of pancakes and fruit to share. The pancakes were warm and fluffy, so I can't complain. After breakfast we packed up our stuff and headed home. Luckily there wasn't much traffic, so we were able to get back into town by the early afternoon. We had so much fun getting away, relaxing and focusing on ourselves for the weekend. Spending time like this with good people really makes you grateful for the special relationships we have. I am incredibly thankful for the supportive group of people I surround myself with. It really makes life a whole lot easier (and happier)!