Into the desert

We landed to 84 degrees and glorious warm sun. A stop at the Visitors Center earned a great dining tip - the fish tacos at Fishermen's Cafe. Best i ever had - maybe because they came deep-fried, not grilled? We could slice each  huge (compared to Eastern) oyster into about 3 bites each - they too came dep-fried and delicious. 

Highlights - catching rays and admiring the mountain views on our patio; getting a sharp bite  on my toe from a resident duck when I didn't feed him; taking a walk around the property that yielded a huge windfall grapefruit from a resident's tree; sitting by the fire pit on the restaurant patio feeling grateful we weren't there on a work trip like the folks small-talking around us; enjoying the good cheap California wine! What different paths our family would've taken if my parents had stayed in their (almost) home state. 

Tomorrow - early golf for Art, a hike at 1000 Palms preserve for me (can't wait to straddle the San Andreas fault), and a visit to downtown to check out  the modernist buzz. And definitely more good food and wine!

Patio view

My windfall grapefruit