The Polite Traveler

Hello Polite Travelers, On the CA road again for a journey to Palm Springs from Davis, CA.  Those of you who know these freeways, know it takes time to travel short distances.  So, we overnighted in Arcadia before heading out the next day to our destination.  Arcadia is one block over from Pasadena.  In fact, you wouldn’t know which town you are in if not for the signs.  In SoCal, it’s one town/city right after another.  There’s not much reason to visit this area unless you need a rest.  It’s full of people, stores, roads, and cars. The room was simple and clean, which made me feel comfortable staying there.  Omicron had just hit, and I was a tad concerned about exposure.  Shockingly, not many wear masks in this hub of CA —could be dangerous for we oldsters.  Well-appointed with a large mini-fridge and microwave, I was surprised the electricity in our room was substandard.  We had issues charging our electronics.  Not a huge issue, but still. A Girl’s Gotta Eat Even thoug

Dear Polite Traveler, The initial indication that this museum would be first-class was outside its doors.  Fenced and crawling in front of the museum are ten world-famous David Černý's " Babies " created to draw our collective attention toward how we dehumanize ourselves.  Within the same area is The Fault Line Meditation by Everette Solomon aka JEVPIC .  Ingeniously, his installation reflects CA’s San Andreas Fault while also helping us understand that “the fault is just a fault” and not to dwell on our mistakes, but to understand them, learn from them, and move forward.  Beautifully lit up at night, this brilliant art installation spoke to me as none has in quite some time.  Is that a car resting on its front bumper? A car balanced on a pool of water, Gonzalo Lebrija’s  History of Suspended Time (A monument for the impossible) is a wonder.  It’s a must-see, if just for the fun of it.  Whoa!  Marilyn is Ginormous! Forever Marilyn, By Seward Johnson, is

The Tale of Our Trip to Palm Springs Dear Polite Travelers, At least 5000 years, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians inhabited Palm Springs before white people came to claim large portions of it for themselves.   Due to presidential decree, they are—again—considered the largest landholder of the land they previously roamed unincumbered.   This back and forth of the land, people, and culture are just three of the unique qualities of this majestic, dramatic site.   And I couldn’t resist a visit, especially since tourist information boasted its measures to curb Covid.   For me, this was a let’s-travel-slam-dunk.   Information Stop Our first stop was the visitors center right off highway 111.   It’s a small historic building with a dramatic San Jacinto Mountains backdrop.   I was looking for information about the Rat Pack I grew up with from the early ‘60s.   Yes, I’m that old.   We learned their influence was everywhere, especially concerning Marilyn Monroe.   Other

  Dear Polite Traveler, Learning about Grand Central and its historical importance during our Heart of the City Tour of Palm Springs, we decided to stop in for a glass of wine at their elegant bar.  We felt safe to do so due to the requirement of Covid vaccine verification cards.  Because we stopped for dinner earlier, we settled for a glass of their house Chardonnay at $11 for a generous pour.  While we sipped, we toured their extensive art collection in their banquet room.  In one word, “Wow!” My only regret is not dining there.  The menu looks amazing. Step Back in Time at the Tropicale Ah, but to have more time.  This is another restaurant I wished we had more time to explore, but it wasn’t to happen this trip.  We did stop for their Mediterranean Hummus, Tabbouleh & Warm Pita for $14 and the luscious Backhouse Chardonnay from the Central Valley for $10 per glass.  The music was energizing as well.  Will We Return? Both are a definite must if we return to the

  Dear Polite Travelers, We visited Sherman’s Deli and Bakery during Covid, so we were pleased to find ample seating outdoors.   Requesting a secluded table away from others, we settled in for an early dinner after a long drive from our rainy days to sunshine and ordered one glasses of their house Chardonnay, $9, and a beer, $5.50, for my hubby.   Perusing the meat-filled menu, we chose one of our favs: a corned beef sandwich for $19.  Since we’re older and cannot eat much, we shared.  Good idea since the sandwich was substantial, piled high with tender, flavorful meat.  It was served with dill pickles and coleslaw.  Both paired perfectly with the sandwich.  Enjoying the meal immensely, we decided to return to try a few items we noticed in Sherman’s awe-worthy bakery case.   Note Sherman’s is an old-school Kosher Deli serving large servings.  Some of which are not on many menus, like tongue and egg salad with chopped liver.   These are not something I enjoy but many of

  Dear Polite Travelers, Many of us from the ‘60s grew up with the Rat Pack as our idols.  I was no different.  So, when the opportunity arose to visit Palm Springs—home to their playground—my hubby and I jumped into the car for the nine-hour drive.  Once in the much warmer climate, we found Covid had closed our hotel’s restaurant, which meant a daily search for dining possibilities.  Luckily, Palm Springs is drenched in dining excellence.   Since we were beat from the drive, the first night, we settled on Sherman’s Deli directly across the street from our hotel .  Excellent, but not something I wanted more than once. Go Early & Sit in The Bar Area Through our daily scouting, we came upon Sammy G’s Tuscan Grill.  I was especially impressed with their ample outdoor seating area and quaint interior.  Due to Covid, we didn’t want to sit near others, so we chose a secluded table in the corner of the bar.  It was near enough to people watch and yet far away enough to f

  Not the Best, But Near Downtown Dear Polite Travelers, Besides their boutique properties, Hotels by Hilton, like Hampton Inn, Doubletree, and Embassy Suites tend to offer a varied number of free amenities—some simple, some more elaborate, such as an evening cocktail hour at the Embassy Suites.  Some are visibly and tangibly more formal than others.  Hilton’s, though, are typically snazzy and darn-right special.  Tale of Two Hiltons Take the stately Hilton Los Angeles/Universal Studio.  In my post of our stay not long ago, I described it in one word: Wow!  Floor to ceiling, wall-length window in our large, 21st-floor room...yep, wow.  And because our stay was pre-Covid, we could sit at the bar, enjoy happy hour, and eat at any of the on-site restaurants without worry.  Compare this hotel with the historic, but less impressive, Hilton Palm Springs and...well there’s no comparison.  Sorry, Hilton.  I still love you, but this hotel doesn’t completely represent your excellent