As a writer, I spend so much time, stuck inside, staring at my computer screen, looking a hot mess.
But there’s only so much a girl can take, thus…
This is Getting Out the House, my recurring day trip series, where I take a drive and explore somewhere outside of the house.
Not only is this my chance at a mini-getaway, but since I’m on a budget, I decided to up the ante and see if I can stick to a budget of $20 or less, excluding gas. What’s more, if I go over, I have to deduct the excess from my next excursion, but if I stay under, I add it!
This time I set out for Palm Springs, and, I decided to go alone. Not like the alone where it’s me and the photographer aka my Momma. No, this time it was really just me. So, unfortunately, I didn’t take that many pictures. Even worse, none had me in it – ha!
The Game Plan
- Leave around 9:30am arrive around 11:30am
- Get food immediately
- Visit a vintage store
- Stop by a coffee shop
- Sightseeing maybe
- Head home
This time I started out with $23.94, as I had $3.94 left over from my Sand Diego day trip.
Was I able to stick to this game plan? Did I stay within my $23.94 budget?
Let’s find out…or let me let you find out, because, of course, I already know. Anyway, here we go…
How it All Went Down
Monday, March 29, 2021
Instead of 9:30am, I actually left around 1pm and arrived around 3pm.
It was day one of the murder trail for the former officer who killed George Floyd. I was transfixed by the opening statements, the testimony of the 911-dispatcher, and the Speedway employee. But it was going on longer than I expected, so I hit record. I had to go.
The route I took culminated on CA-111 for an approximately eight mile (maybe longer) final stretch into the heart of the city. There was nothing but flat land, hills and road. I could tell it would be pitch-black by nightfall, and I quickly made a mental note to get the fuck back out of there before that happened.
As this perfect-for-a-horror-film highway emptied out onto N. Palm Canyon Rd—the main thoroughfare for the downtown area—the first thing I noticed was the towering sign for Palm Spring’s aerial tramway. It’s a rotating tram ride up the mountains to Mt. San Jacinto State Park, where you can hike, take in amazing views, stop by their giftshop or grab a bite to eat at a restaurant. Yet at $26.95 for the tramway ride, and $10 for the parking (free for Coachella Valley residents), this adventure was $12.76 over budget, so unfortunately, I had to pass.
Okay, truth be told? I would’ve still done it were they not already booked up days out by the time I found out about this adventure. I’ll definitely be back for that.
Instead, I just kept rolling down the street, deeper into this mid-century modern oasis – might I add with a splash of 80s– until I came across my dining spot.
Where I Ate
On my last day trip, I asked a local for dining suggestions with disastrous results. So this time, I did my usual – I did the research, and the data yielded The Sandwich Spot.
In one of their Yelp reviews, a man even wrote his sandwich was so good it was worth the two hour drive from LA just to get it (homie was not lying).
Another reviewer said his sandwich was so filling he only ate half and saved the rest for later. Just in case, I didn’t eat anything before I left so I could be super-hungry when I got there. I take that back, I did have what I like to call a tropical green smoothie for breakfast around eight in the morning: that’s a handful of baby spinach, a half a banana, ½ cup pineapple chunks, cover it all in some coconut water – all organic if you can—then blend. I got that off of Instagram somewhere.
But anyway, back to my sandwich experience.
This spot was right off of Palm Canyon Rd, tucked in a little alcove with other shops. All of the sandwiches have names—several were tennis-themed like The Serve and Volley, The Rafa, or The Federer. Oddly enough, none of the sandwiches were named after American or women players which seemed a little weird, but anyway.
Prior to planning this trip, I’d really been craving a good, ‘ole, classic sandwich, yet something other than the pervasive chain places you can find everywhere, something more exclusive to the region (turns out, The Sandwich Spot is expanding nationwide, but I didn’t know that then). While there’s only so much you can do to make a sandwich different, this place had something called Dutch crunch bread that sealed the deal for me.
A Dutch crunch roll looks like bread crust imitating dry, cracked sand. I was intrigued. But, when I got there and was told it’s just white bread and the crackly bits on top were more for the look and the crunch than the taste, I went with The Djokovic on sourdough.
Customer service was very good. When you order they take your name, then you wait outside, and a couple minutes later, they bring it out to you.
After my first bite, I was like, eh, this is just a sandwich – not a bad sandwich, but just a sandwich. Then, with each successive bite, that sandwich started to hit different. Whatever crunch I was missing in the absence of that Dutch crunch bread, was replaced by the way they buttered and toasted my sourdough. Combine that with the turkey, bacon, avocado, peppers and whatever else they put on it—no mayo—and I’d found my desert oasis. Suffice it to say, I ate the whole thing.
Started with: $23.94
Sandwich cost: $10.38
Balance: $13.56
Next Stop Vintage Shop
Is it me, or is vintage shop a fancier way of saying thrift store? Well, that’s what I was seriously hoping. I’d found this place after doing some research on YouTube. And with only $13.56, I was hoping I could walk out of there with a bowl, a wine glass, a little kick-knack – something $8 or less, so I would have money left over for coffee.
The store was called Iconic Atomic, about a minute’s drive down the street from The Sandwich Spot, and right next to the coffee shop I planned on going to afterward.
Finding parking was easy and free on a side road, just a few yards from the entrance. I walked up to the store, not even noticing that there was no one inside and the lights were out, before tugging on the door only to find it closed. I couldn’t believe it. I specifically checked their website before I came to prevent this. Specifically came on a day it said they would be open to get something there.
But alas, they were closed. Oh well.
Pro-tip: Call to confirm hours before you go.
Balance: $13.56
Vintage Store Find: $0
New Balance: $13.56
I’ll Make Up for it With Coffee…Or Not
Right next door was the coffee place I wanted to go to. Well, kinda. I was actually torn between two shops – this one, and a spot further up the street called Koffi. Koffi has this amazing patio behind their shop where you can sit, sip, read a book, maybe do a little people watching and just take in the beautiful day – all against a backdrop of mountains and trees that reminded me of South Africa. You know, from what I could tell from the pictures and video I saw.
But in the end, Ernest’s Coffee won out, enticing me with a menu item of a pistachio rose latte. Doesn’t that just sound interesting and yummy? So I walked a few steps next door from Iconic Atomic, only to find – to my utter shock and dismay –they, too, were closed.
I walked back to my car, frustrated, ready to go home. Then I thought: Wait a minute, I didn’t drive all the way out here just for a sandwich. I had to think of an alternative.
By that point, I had forgotten all about Koffi, which was just up the road, and remembered from my research that there was a Starbucks Reserve in Palm Springs which sells a drink called Tropic Like It’s Hot that’s supposedly only sold at this particular store. So I thought what they hey, let me go try that.
I parked about a block away – more free parking, yay – and walked to the store. When I got there, I waited about 10 minutes in line, only to get to the counter and be told they were all out of Tropic Like It’s Hot.
Say what, now? Don’t they know how to put up a sign or something? Ugggghhh. I didn’t say that though; I just walked out.
Balance: $13.56
Coffee: $0
New Balance: $13.56
It’s Cool
Actually, it was hot—like 93 degrees of desert heat, hot. So when I noticed an ice cream shop across the street, while waiting in the Starbucks line, said to be one of the few places that actually sells authentic Dole whips, it made it easy for me to do a quick exit when Starbucks was out.
As I headed across the street, I was fancying a cool refreshing Dole whip float. But when I got there and noticed it would set me back $9, I opted for something else. Even though it was in my budget, and I would’ve still had about $4 left over, ultimately the float was an afterthought, a substitute for the two other coffee places with unique drinks that I was ready to try but couldn’t. Sure, the Dole whip is a cup of pineapple deliciousness, but I’ve had it before, and I really wasn’t in the mood for it then.
I got a small scoop of horchata cajeta ice cream instead – I wasn’t a fan. Perhaps it was the fact that my mood was soured by that point. I only took a few spoonfuls before tossing it on the way back to my car.
Balance: $13.56
Ice Cream Scoop: $5.67
New Balance: $7.89
On the Road Again
By this time, it was a little after four, and I was ready to get back on the road. It would be about four hours before it got good and dark, but I didn’t want to take any chances with that CA-111 highway. Still, I mustered up the energy to make one last stop.
I wanted a picture of the Palm Springs sign. I had to pass by it anyway on my way back. Oddly enough, I passed by Koffi on the way, and guess what? Yep, it was closed too.
The sign is also on N Palm Canyon Dr, near the visitor’s center, but on the opposite side of the road. I wasn’t using GPS, so I slowed down, trying to pay attention to the cross streets so I wouldn’t miss my turn.
I missed my turn.
And since the street I was on led straight into CA-111, it was a long time before there was an opportunity to turn back around, so I just kept going.
Guess I ended up driving two hours for a sandwich after all.
C’est la vie.
No regrets. At least I got out of the house.
The Pot Thickens
$20 day trip budget + $7.89 balance = $27.89 for my next trip.
Where will I be off to next?
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