Your Desert Questions, Answered — Happy Hours, Holiday Feasts & How It All Began

It’s time for another round of Ask Lindsay! This month, we’re talking happy hours, Thanksgiving feasts & the story behind Everything Palm Springs. From where to sip and savor to how this whole adventure started, I’ve got your questions covered!

XO, Lindsay

Favorite happy hour spots in Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage?

I recently had the best time being interviewed by my good friend (and fellow Leadership Coachella Valley board member) Kelly Tweedie for her Women You Should Know YouTube series. (If you haven’t watched yet, you can here!) After filming wrapped, she asked if I had any recommendations for a good happy hour in Palm Desert or Rancho Mirage and, of course, I was only too happy to oblige!

Red Barn – While this spot sadly doesn’t serve food, the specialty cocktails are as creative as they are delicious. (Marci’s Magic is especially fun!) And the ambiance is utterly gorgeous.

Ristorante Mamma Gina – My husband and I discovered this El Paseo favorite’s happy hour over a decade ago, and it quickly became a staple. While the prices aren’t quite what they were back then (what is these days?), it’s still a great deal. And the Wild Mushroom Soup is a must!

Piero’s PizzaVino – Another longtime favorite for my husband and me, the happy hour menu here is plentiful and you pretty much can’t go wrong with any of the offerings, especially the Fried Zucchini Blossoms, Burrata Cheese, and literally any of the pizzas!

Tommy Bahama Miramonte – A bit outside of Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage, but well worth the drive! The lobby bar serves my favorite appetizer in the entire Valley: a hummus and whipped feta dish that is truly out of this world.

The Wine & Cheese Shop on El Paseo – While not technically a happy hour spot, the sandwiches, pinsa (Roman-style pizza) & charcuterie boards here are incredible, not to mention the wine selection. It’s the perfect place to linger over a few shared plates, and anytime I’m in the vicinity, I can’t resist popping in for a bite.

Kitchen 86 – I’ve sung this restaurant’s praises several times in this newsletter, but the Boom Boom Chicken and Boom Boom Shrimp are just that good – and the prices can’t be beat. Bonus – the pizza offerings are also excellent!

Wally’s Desert Turtle – I recently visited this longtime desert landmark for the first time during an EMERGE Palm Springs event and was practically drooling over the lounge menu. Deviled Eggs, Wild Mushroom Soup (are you sensing a theme here?), Shoestring Truffle Fries and Cauliflower Ceviche? Yes, please! I sampled the ceviche, which was excellent, and promptly made a note to return.

Double Date (pictured) – While I’ve yet to actually dine here, I popped into this newish restaurant at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas recently and was truly wowed by the ambiance. With trees growing between booths, clerestory windows, and gorgeous murals, the place has the feel of an atrium. And those Parmigiano-Reggiano Roasted Garlic Rolls are absolutely calling my name!

Willie’s Modern Fare – Another spot I haven’t tried for happy hour yet (though I have enjoyed their excellent high tea!), but I’ve heard wonderful things. Plus, any restaurant with Buttermilk Fried Chicken on its happy hour menu is worth a visit in my book!

Which local restaurants are serving Thanksgiving dinner this year?

My good friend Nicole recently texted me while researching which local restaurants are open on Thanksgiving, suggesting it would make a great topic for Ask Lindsay. So here we are! Turns out, there’s no shortage of desert eateries serving up a holiday feast. Read on for a few that caught my eye!

DSRT CLUB – Nicole’s go-to T-Day spot! She’s celebrated here with her family for years and particularly raves about the Branzino (pictured). This year’s menu includes a traditional turkey dinner with all the fixings, along with other favorites. ($75 per person)

Mr. Lyons Steakhouse – This Palm Springs landmark is serving up its annual Thanksgiving feast, with offerings including Parker House rolls, Mary’s Turkey, Prime Filet and Wild Scottish Salmon, plus a tempting selection of pies. ($125 per adult, $70 per child under 12)

Morgan’s in the Desert –  La Quinta Resort is celebrating 100 Years of Holiday Magic with a special Thanksgiving menu at its signature restaurant, featuring Herb Turkey Breast, Hokkaido Scallops, and Braised Bone-in Short Rib. Don’t miss the resort’s annual tree lighting on November 29! ($110 per person)

Lavender Bistro – One of the desert’s prettiest dining spots is offering a prix fixe menu featuring traditional turkey, Braised Pinot Noir Short Ribs and Crispy-Skin Scottish Salmon. ($95 per person)

Peaks Restaurant – Give thanks at 8,516 feet by booking a meal at Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s Mountain Station, with options including Oven-Roasted Turkey, Pan-Seared Salmon and Filet Mignon. ($79 per adult, $39 per child; tram fare not included)

Spencer’s Restaurant – Dine under the stars on the restaurant’s iconic patio while enjoying a special Thanksgiving feast of Oven Range Free Range Tom Turkey with all the trimmings or Grilled Swordfish or Walnut-Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb. ($85 per person)

Copley’s on Palm Canyon – Another beautiful Palm Springs eatery with an equally beautiful patio, this spot (rumored to have once been Cary Grant’s guest house) is offering a prix fixe menu with Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Free-Range Turkey, Sesame-Seared Tofu and Orange-Scented Roasted Half Duck. ($96 per person)

Eight4Nine Restaurant & Lounge – Celebrate in style with a four-course prix fixe feast featuring traditional turkey, Grilled Scottish Steelhead, Cider-Brined Duck Breast, and a decadent assortment of desserts. ($82 per person)

Mister Parker’s – Chef Pedro Baroso and Director of Restaurants Miguel Herrera have dreamed up an elevated take on the traditional Thanksgiving meal, complete with seasonal cocktails featuring bourbon and warming spices. ($175 per person)

Escena Lounge & Grill – This Palm Springs eatery is offering a Build Your Own Thanksgiving Feast with everything from Roasted Fennel to Sweet Potato Gratin to Mushroom Wellington and Butternut Squash Pot Pie, accompanied by some of the desert’s most spectacular views! ($85 per person, $40 per child 12 and under)

Wally’s Desert Turtle – This Rancho Mirage institution is hosting an elegant evening, with dishes including Diestel Farm Turkey, Center-Cut Filet Mignon & Braised Eggplant. ($85 per adult, $45 per child)

The Purple Room – Enjoy great tunes and great food at this legendary supper club’s T-day feast, which features Herb Roasted Turkey Breast, Vegan Tortellini and Short Ribs, accompanied by the Pam Phillips Jazz Quartet performing holiday favorites. ($99 per person)

Zin American Bistro – One of my favorite downtown Palm Springs eateries is serving a three-course meal featuring its Classic Mushroom Soup (one of my go-tos—see, I told you there was a theme!), traditional Thanksgiving turkey, and a selection of lamb and fish dishes. ($82.99 per adult, $39.99 per child 10 and under)

What inspired you to start Everything Palm Springs?

I get asked this question on the regular, so figured there was no time like the present to share my origin story!

In late 2022 and mid-2023, I lost my father and my longtime writing job, respectively. I’d spent years chronicling filming locations, but losing two such huge presences in my life made me yearn for a change. Then suddenly, I started hearing my dad’s voice telling me to “write about the desert.” Every morning I’d wake up and could practically feel him whispering in my ear. The push kept getting stronger and stronger, but I couldn’t quite pinpoint what form it should take.

Flash forward to my mom’s birthday in November 2023. We were celebrating with several of her local friends at Adobe Grill, one of my favorite restaurants, beautifully situated on the grounds of La Quinta Resort, and I was shocked to learn that two of them had never visited the hotel before! As someone who loves nothing more than strolling its grounds, grabbing a coffee and feasting on enchiladas verdes under the stars, I couldn’t fathom that longtime residents were missing out on such a gem. It got me thinking about ways to inspire locals to explore more of their own backyard.

Flash forward once again to Christmas 2023, which my mom, husband, and I spent at The Willows. The intimate 17-room hotel hosts a nightly happy hour with guests gathering all together around the fire, and once our fellow travelers learned we were locals, the questions started flying. Where should they shop for Palm Springs-inspired gifts? Was the restaurant they’d booked for Christmas dinner any good? I love nothing more than playing unofficial concierge, so I was only too happy to answer.

One evening, a fellow guest remarked that there really wasn’t a website offering easy-to-navigate local recommendations, broken down by city and category. And I thought, I can do that!

After years of spending weekends playing tourist around the desert with my husband, I was certainly well-equipped for the job! So when we returned home on December 26, I got to work. Just a few weeks later, Everything Palm Springs was born!

It’s since grown far more than I ever could have imagined and fulfilled me in ways I never thought possible. It’s honestly one of the best things I’ve ever done and I’m endlessly grateful for my dad’s encouragement from above and the way all those little pieces somehow fell into place.

I love sharing this corner of the globe (and internet!) with you, celebrating all that I love about this magical place we are so lucky to call home and getting both locals and visitors alike excited about all this Valley has to offer. So thanks for being here!

Thanks for reading!

That’s a wrap on another round of Ask Lindsay! Thanks for sending your questions my way and being a part of all this. Have something you’d like me to answer next time? You know where to find me! ◡̈