Rain, rains go away. Wait! No, I don’t mean that for I have had one of the most beautiful, short road trips I can remember. All our winter rain has brought us a Wildflower Super Bloom. A Super Blooms means that a number of seeds that have laid dormant; perhaps for years, have decided to grow and display their blooms in a most majestic way. The warmer temperatures have urged them to bloomer sooner than most predicted. Packing for my Excursion As a desert rat, an endearing term some of we locals ourselves, I knew I needed to pack a bag for my journey. My bag included: 1. Two water bottles filled to the brim. One learns never to go without water in this region. I was traveling mostly on a major highway and just a short distance. However, accidents have known to cause major backups. Why not be on the safe side? 2. Since I planned on taking lots of pictures, I figured a phone charger was a must. 3. Tennis shoes if I decided I wanted to walk one of the plentiful trains in the area. 4. A snack. Well, maybe I packed two. With sunglasses in hand, phone in its case, along with a pair of reading glasses, I headed out the door for my 40 mile journey East of Palm Springs. My destination is the Southern Entrance of Joshua Tree National Park. When traveling in the area for Palm Springs, if you can, plan your activities after 9:00 a.m. People here have to get to work. So avoid the semblance of any traffic situation by leisurely starting your morning. The sun was shining brightly; the weatherman predicted an 80 degree day. My spirits were high as I headed out on this new adventure. By the way, check your gas gauge. Once you pass the town of Indio, in the distance, there are no gas stations between there and your destination. I was on my way. I quickly noticed anytime there was a piece of land not landscaped for residential or commercial purposes, there were beautiful purple flowers hugging the ground. Taller bushes of yellow flowers cry for your attention too. The canyons in the distance were awash in the color yellow. Note, I have not used flower names, because I don’t know them. However, if you are curious Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Centers have a plethora of books on plants in the area Southern Entrance of Joshua Tree National Park. You can’t miss the sign for the national park. It is about 40 miles East of Palm Springs on Hwy 10. Turn left over the bridge. AND then, you eyes begin to focus on what lies ahead of you—thousands, if not millions of wild flowers, as far as you can see in purple and yellow hues. The park entrance, where you have to pay, is up the road. If you haven’t been to the park, I encourage you to pay the fee and go through the park. I’ve been through it many times. I could tell my adventure to see wildflowers could be filled in this area alone. The pictures I have attached to this blog have not been retouched. I told a friend, I feel like I am in heaven as I text her one of the many pictures that now grace my photo album. Speaking of texting, this area is very spotty for Wi-Fi, so don’t get frustrated if your pictures, attached to a text do not go out right away. Alas, it was time for me leave this wonderland behind me. Though on the way home, I thought about how, if I write and post a blog on this adventure, just maybe it will encourage others to get out of their routine and experience this wonderful gift of nature. Kathy Condon is a travel writer and blogger. She is the Founder of the Palm Springs Insider Guider Her book It Doesn’t Hurt to Ask: It’s All About Communication was named Best Book Finalist By USA Book News Kathy@kathycondon.net 760-902-3094 http://www.PalmSpringsInsiderGuide.com

Your friend owns Kimbals, a clothing and accessory shop in Palm Springs, California. She asks you go on a buying trip to the Garment District of Los Angeles. Now really, what are the chances anyone would say, No? Natta. The day arrived. The weather was checked: Cold but sunny! A heavy sweater should do it. Comfortable slacks and top for ease in out of the car multiple times. Oh yes, the most comfortable walking shoes completed the comfort outfit. Day Bag This is what I included: • Two of my reusable water bottles filled to the brim. I’ve seen way too many documentaries on plastic water bottles to think they would be a good idea to take on this trip or any other trip. • An extra pair of shoes. I find a change of shoes half-way through a walking day makes a big different to my feet and my disposition. • Snacks. Those corn muffins I made from scratch and have in the freezer would be perfect. Also included some almonds, love their portability. Bananas are good too to give you a boost. A welcome fruit for my drag time around 1:30 p.m. • Mobile phone battery charger. Not only do I post pictures of the sites I see, I use my phone to send gift ideas to friends, keep up with text and phone calls. One needs it because before I know it my phone is drained have a 2.5 hour drive back to Palm Springs. First Stop – Often called Chinatown Even if you are not shopping for something, this area of the Garment District between 1st and 4th and Los Angeles is an experience. Think of huge warehouses with vendor booth upon vendor booth filled with things you equate with Made in China items. Want a fan to cool yourself in summer heat? No problem, you can buy them by the dozen and hand them out to friends at your next hot backyard party. Need ribbon? Every color and size imaginable is available. Party favors? Adorable boxes for favors as your friends go out the door. You get the picture. All these vendors and items produce a sensory overload. Next Stop Near 12th Street and San Pedro Street, we find ourselves surrounded by small boutiques selling their brands. Mannequins beg us to come in to view next season’s lines. Yet, this trip, the goal was to purchase jewelry so their beckoning to us to come in proved to be ineffective. We were on a mission. Now if you want jewelry, this area will most certainly meet your needs. I commented to my friend, since I am a lover of jewelry, this place makes me feel like A little kid in a candy store. Each store has hooks of row upon row of earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. I found a pair of gold earrings I liked, but I wanted it them in silver? No problem, I found a silver pair right next to the gold one. At this point, I knew if it wasn’t there, it would be, more than likely, located in the silver aisle. Thus, I ended up with jewelry I didn’t need, but it was arty and unusual, so how could I leave them behind? Alas, we looked at the clock. If we didn’t head back, we would get stuck in traffic with the in Los Angeles folks traveling to Palm Springs for the weekend. Snack on the Way Home My friend, and driver, was getting weary, so we made a stop at Starbucks. She selected a cheese/fruit plate and we sat there and ate while smiling about our purchases. She was pleased for her next Las Vegas trip tasks had been cut down considerably and she has great new merchandise for the store. As for me, my treasures are still on my kitchen counter. As I finish this article, I am smiling for now it is time for me to open, my bags, and put away my treasures. PS - People ask if you do not have a business can you shop in the Garment District? The answer is, "It depends." In the stores, most likely you will need a vendor number assigned to your company. However, it doesn't hurt to ask. The street vendors are happy to sell you products, which include things such as hats, shoes, toys etc. Kathy Condon is a travel writer and blogger, and founder of the Palm Springs Insider Guide. She was recipient of US Book News Finalist Award for her book: It Doesn't Hurt to Ask: It's About Communication. www.palmspringsinsiderguide.com kathy@kathycondon.net 760-902-3094

It is not often a bunch of 10 foot babies or 8 foot rabbits come to an area at the same time. However, that is the case for our community. Let me explain. DESSERT©WARREN If you are driving on Hwy 111, near Ranch Mirage, don’t be surprised if suddenly you see rabbits somewhat hiding from the Palm Springs sun. These colorful sculptures beacon you to stop and touch them. There is plenty of parking so it easy for you to stop and take playful photos. These nine colorful rabbits are approximately eight feet high. They are made out of highly polished steel and finished in bright colors. They are the creation of Karen and Tony Barone. The artists have work throughout out the world, but proudly call Palm Springs their home. They have always understood public art is important to a community. This warren, a name used to describe a bunch of rabbits, will be on site through the end of the May 2019. Individual rabbits can be adopted and will be taken to their new homes in June. I’m partial to the one named by its adoptive family, Happy. BABIES Behind the new Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs one can find 10 fiberglass black babies with no faces, but barcodes. They are found in the sand of the future home of an underground parking lot in an area we presently call the “The Sand Pit.” It’s located right in front of our beautiful Palm Springs Art Museum. These figures are at least 11 feet long and weight between 200 and 300 pounds. They are placed throughout the area so they look like they are crawling within the space. In one case, one is even crawling up a wall. Fiberglass, in the hot sun, can heat to extremely high temperatures. Thus, visitors are not allowed to touch and interact with them. The artist is David Cerny, Czech sculpture, originally created the “babies” for the Zizkov Tower in Prague. When they were returned, he found a home for them in Palm Springs. Listening to comments from visitors one can hear words such as creepy, disturbing or ugly. Since they were created to represent the societal dehumanization, it appears Cerny has accomplished his goal. Kathy Condon is a travel writer, blogger and founder of Palm Springs Insider Guide. She received US Book News Finalist Award for her book, It Doesn't Hurt to Ask; It's All About Communication kathy@kathycondon.net 760-902-3094 www.palmspringsinsiderguide.com