Shame on the Moon is a great place for the holidays
I have many a favorite restaurant in Rancho Mirage, but the one I come back to the most is invariably Shame On The Moon. Patrons travel from all over the…
DetailsIndio Tamale Festival
Deciding what to do in December in the Palm Springs Valley is easy when you remember that the first weekend of this holiday month starts off with the amazing Annual…
DetailsLULU California Bistro Unveiled in Palm Springs
The wait is over yet the buzz continues. Officially open for mere hours as I write, LULU has already been christened the “sexy Palm Springs sis” of Rancho Mirage’s insanely…
DetailsGolf at Westin Mission Hills – Overcoming Fear of the Dimpled Ball
Few things in my life have intimidated me more than golf—even though I live in the Palm Springs Valley, where this game is the game of choice for a huge…
DetailsAnnual Indio Powwow – Cabazon Band of Mission Indians
I love the annual Indio Powwow, hosted by the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians each Thanksgiving weekend at the Special Events Center of Fantasy Springs Resort & Casino. Having grown…
DetailsBabe’s Bar-B-Que and Brewhouse in Rancho Mirage
My ferocious appetite for meat is well-known, so a visit to Babe’s Bar-B-Que and Brewhouse in Rancho Mirage puts me squarely in hog heaven. Founded by the late Donald W.…
DetailsWild Lights at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
A holiday tradition taken to the nth degree is my idea of fun, and the WildLights Holiday Festival at The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens never fails to deliver. Although…
DetailsSunstone Spa at Agua Caliente – A Recommendation
Professional massage therapist Sam, of Sunstone Spa at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage, knows that some of you may be intimidated by the bodywork experience, whether you’re…
DetailsSnow Birds in Rancho Mirage
From bed I watched the dawn light slowly illuminate Reba’s lovingly manicured Mediterranean garden and the mountain beyond – blissfully grateful for the Eden we call home. The first rays…
DetailsJennifer’s Kitchen and Catering in Rancho Mirage
Jennifer’s Kitchen and Catering in Rancho Mirage recently saved my life. Well, not literally, of course, but in a way for which I will forever be grateful. For months I had been planning the big birthday dinner of my BFF Tom—a special meal with a special menu chosen for just a very special group of friends. But then it happened—I got the call from my favorite client who just HAD to have her guest rooms redone tout de suite. Turn down work in this economy? I don’t think so. So I moved to plan “B.”
There was no other option for me than to call on Jennifer Johnson, the chef extraordinaire who runs a tight ship catering some of the best intimate dinner parties and over-the-top weddings in the Palm Springs Valley. I stopped over to her great lunch café on 111, where we sat and chose my future soiree’s menu while I munched on an amazing Tuna Melt. This intimate birthday fete was to be for an even dozen on my condo terrace, and thankfully this was a foodie crowd so we could be a bit more adventurous than the usual (but always delicious) crab cakes that seem to be a staple of catered food.
Jennifer’s food feels far from catered fare. First off, it’s about as “green” and organic as you can get from a caterer. But the choices are almost limitless. Jennifer sent her best staff member to take care of us, a wonderful Southern gentleman named Jackie who did an outstanding job taking care of our every culinary and service need. We started with passed hors d’oeuvres of Risotto and Fontina Croquettes and Deep-fried Green Olives stuffed with Sausage and Goat Cheese, then moved on to a refreshing salad of Arugula with Caramelized Pears and Toasted Walnuts. For the main course, Tapenade-Crusted Rack of Lamb (sublime) and an amazing Three-Cheese Vegetable Lasagna (for the non-meat-eaters) were served. Needless to say, Jennifer’s special Three-Chocolate Mousse Torte was the showstopper that all expected after such an incredible meal.
I love to cook and I love to eat. Cleaning up, not so much. So this experience with Jennifer and her crew was a win-win for everyone. Who knows? Maybe someday I’ll need her for MY special wedding… In the meantime, I’ll stick to her for my dinner parties. And by the way, the guest rooms of my favorite client were done in record time, and look divine.
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