Ask Lindsay: Your Desert Questions, Answered —Donuts, Disney & Dining Out

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Ask Lindsay, where I’m answering your latest questions about everything from where to snag a New Orleans staple in the Valley to my favorite local historic hotels. Enjoy!

XO, Lindsay

Where can I find beignets in the Valley?

My friend (and current Leadership Coachella Valley president) Nicole asked me this question recently after her daughter was assigned a report on the state of Louisiana for a class project. And while we sadly don’t have any Cafe du Monde outposts in the Valley, there are still plenty of places to snag a stellar beignet.

Q’s Creole & Soul, a Louisiana-inspired pop-up and catering concept, serves up fresh, made-to-order beignets in the authentic New Orleans style at various spots across the desert, including VillageFest, Foodie Fridays and the Palm Springs Certified Farmers’ Market. Their handcrafted doughy delights are served plain (my preferred way), with chocolate, berry, or caramel sauce, or as mini versions (pictured). But perhaps best of all, Q’s boasts a beignet bar that can be booked for parties and events! Maybe a little over the top for a class project, but pretty epic nonetheless!

Additional options include L’Atelier Cafe in downtown Palm Springs, which serves beignets filled with raspberries or Nutella.

Palm Springs eatery Jimmy B’s offers housemade, fresh-cut beignets during breakfast hours, topped with powdered sugar, strawberries, blueberries, Chantilly cream (yum!), and agave syrup.

The bakery case at Palm Desert’s La Provence Patisserie & Café is lined with plump dark chocolate-filled beignets that are as beautiful as they are indulgent.

And DJ’s Louisiana Kitchen occasionally offers homemade beignets (alongside other New Orleans staples) at his popular pop-ups throughout the Valley.

What are your favorite historic hotels in the desert?

This is a tough one! As someone who absolutely eats up local history, I’ve stayed at—and toured—more historic desert hotels than I can count. And while there are dozens of wonderful properties in this Valley worthy of a visit, these five have left the biggest impression on my heart thanks to their fascinating backstories, beautiful settings, and special memories I’ve made there over the years.

The Ingleside Estate – Originally built as a private home in 1922, this intimate retreat combines beautiful grounds with some of the richest Hollywood history in the desert. The guest list is pretty much unparalleled—Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston honeymooned here, Frank Sinatra was a regular at onsite eatery Melvyn’s, and opera singer Lily Pons lived on the property for more than a decade. It’s also where my husband and I got engaged, which means it’ll always be one of my favorite places in the Valley.

The Willows (pictured) – Literally built into the mountainside, this historic property was originally crafted as two private estates by architect William J. Dodd in 1925. With just 17 rooms and a wealth of original details, it’s one of the desert’s most intimate and unique lodgings. My family spent Christmas here a few years back, and it remains one of our most memorable getaways. In fact, it was around The Willow’s fireplace, while talking with fellow guests during the nightly happy hour, that I became inspired to start Everything Palm Springs. So, for me, staying here was life-changing!

Korakia Pensione – Many moons ago, my husband and I booked a two-night stay here for our anniversary. When we woke up on the morning of check-out, we simply couldn’t bear to leave. So we booked another night . . . and then another night . . . and then another, with two nights quickly turning into a week. Comprising three historic private residences (are you noticing a theme here?), Korakia is nothing short of magical. Between the sprawling grounds, gorgeous Moroccan-inspired architecture, and old movies screened each evening outdoors, this oasis offers a stay unlike any other in the desert.

Casa Cody – Palm Springs’ oldest hotel (and one of its most charming) was founded by Harriet Cody, an in-law of famed Wild West figure Buffalo Bill, in the 1920s. Expanded multiple times over the years, the property boasts countless notable historic elements, including a cottage originally built as athlete housing for the 1932 Olympics, an ancient adobe home once occupied by both Lawrence Tibbett and Charlie Chaplin, and the only known remaining section of the Whitewater Ditch water system. Painstakingly restored by the Casetta Group in 2017, it beautifully bridges Palm Springs’ past and present. We recently booked a day pass here for our anniversary, and the staff couldn’t have been more welcoming—offering an incredibly thoughtful historical tour of the grounds when asked. I’ve also attended events here over the years, and it’s one of those places that always feels deeply connected to the story of the desert.

La Quinta Resort & Club – Easily my favorite staycation spot in the Valley, my husband and I have checked in here more times than I can count. I never tire of perusing the grounds and soaking in all the history. This past December, I attended the annual historical walking tour led by longtime former GM Judy Vossler and her daughter Lisa—who practically grew up at the property (the resort’s own Eloise). I couldn’t get enough of their stories about the countless luminaries – Greta Garbo! Frank Capra! Clark Gable! – who’ve traversed the resort’s fabled pathways.

This list honestly could have been twice as long! Other historic  hotels I love include The Sands, The Parker, Triada, Two Bunch Palms, The Colony Palms, and Avalon Hotel. In fact, I may have to dedicate an entire future newsletter—or Instagram carousel—to the subject!

When will Walt Disney’s plane be on display at the Air Museum?

I’m a huge Disney fan and have been anxiously awaiting the completion of the restoration of Walt Disney’s personal, custom-designed 1963 Grumman G-159 Gulfstream—nicknamed “Mickey Mouse One” or “The Mouse”—which has been on long-term loan to the Palm Springs Air Museum from the Walt Disney Archives since 2022.

Before arriving in the desert, the aircraft had been displayed at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando following its 1992 retirement from active flight. Initially featured on the Backlot Tour, when  that attraction closed in 2014, the plane was relegated to a dusty stretch of the backlot and suffered years of exposure to the Florida elements.

Upon acquiring the twin turboprop (which bears the quite appropriate tail number N234MM), the Palm Springs Air Museum embarked on an extensive restoration project. If you’ve visited the facility in recent years, you’ve probably seen the plane standing behind barricades outside the European Hangar. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve been chomping at the bit to catch a glimpse of the interior, which had been completely stripped during its years in Florida.

The results of the museum’s restoration efforts were recently unveiled during a special D23 event, with the aircraft’s 15 seats, two bathrooms, office, and galley beautifully returned to their original orange-and-gold glory.

Unfortunately, The Mouse isn’t open for regular public viewing just yet. I reached out to the museum to ask when visitors might be able to step aboard, but for now it’s only being made available for special events.

I will definitely be sharing details as soon as it does open for tours, so stay tuned!

What are your favorite local special occasion restaurants?

Adobe Grill is my absolute favorite restaurant in the desert. I’ve mentioned it countless times in this newsletter, and for good reason. Between the light-strung patio, mountain views, and enchiladas verdes, it never disappoints.

Le Vallauris offers gorgeous ambiance—especially on the patio—and even better food.

Spencer’s is another classic special-occasion spot, with a sprawling terrace and consistently excellent fare.

If you like your meals with a side of Hollywood history, Copley’s, located in what was once Cary Grant’s guest house, is hard to beat. Not into Tinseltown? It’s still worth a trip – the food and setting are some of the best in town!

Bar Cecil pairs cheeky artwork and ultra-hip surroundings with truly stellar food. (The bread rolls and homemade chocolate chip cookies are can’t-miss!) So it’s no surprise that this is one of the hardest-to-snag reservations in the desert.

For something delightfully old-school, I love The Sandbar. It’s been one of my husband and my go-to spots for special meals for years.

Lavender Bistro (pictured) earns my vote for the prettiest patio in the desert. You won’t find a higher concentration of twinkle-lit trees—or a better wild mushroom soup—anywhere.

Arnold Palmer’s Restaurant boasts another beautiful patio with solid food and a wealth of the golfing legend’s memorabilia.

Zin American Bistro is hands-down my favorite restaurant in downtown Palm Springs. It’s a place we visit for both celebrations and ordinary evenings out. The menu is constantly evolving, and every visit seems to bring a new must-try.

It didn’t take long for Italica,  a newer addition to the desert’s dining scene, to become a staple. The Indio speakeasy serves delicious food in one of the valley’s coolest settings.

While Trattoria Tiramisu isn’t new (it opened in 2004), I only just discovered it last year and immediately fell in love. Friendly, intimate, and consistently delicious, it promptly became one of my family’s go-tos.

As for restaurants still on my list? I hear both Mister Parker’s and Jillian’s are excellent! I am dying to try Mister Parker’s for the legendary bread service alone!

What movie is currently being filmed in Palm Springs?

This one comes from my friend Kim (the queen of all things historical in La Quinta), who came across a major production shooting on Racquet Club Drive last week. (That’s her photo above.) If you’ve been tooling around downtown Palm Springs recently, you’ve likely noticed the fleet of Star Waggons and production trucks parked all around, as well.

The project appears to be an indie feature called Youth Juice, produced by The Wonder Company and Altered L.A., though further details remain fairly limited. One thing we do know: the film received $1.8 million in incentives through California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program. (Take that, runaway production!)

Palm Springs has a long history of serving as a backdrop for the big and small screens. Other projects filmed in the Coachella Valley in recent years include Behind the Candelabra, Don’t Worry Darling, High Desert, 7 Days in Hell, and (my personal favorite) Mack & Rita. If you’re a movie buff like me, you can learn more about those productions and their local filming locations in the Filming Locations section of Everything Palm Springs.

Thanks for Reading!

If there’s something you’ve always wondered about the Coachella Valley, send it my way. I can’t promise I’ll have the answer immediately, but I can promise I’ll enjoy tracking it down!