Christmas in the Desert

December 24~25

We really felt Christmas was going to be very hard without our kids and while we missed them so much, we really did end up having a nice day.  Went to Christmas Eve Mass at a lovely church in La Quinta, St. Francis Asissi...mobbed, but very, very joyful.  Just couldn't do the fondue that we have done for umpteen years for dinner, but made a Bouef Bourguignon the day before.  Making that in Tor has some issues, mainly when I sear or saute something on high heat, it usually sets the smoke alarms off!  So, I started it in the outdoor kitchen, which I have vowed since we've been here, that I will never live without again!

Christmas morning we saw snow!  Okay, far away on the mountain tops we saw snow....it's was a brillant, sunny day in the mid-60's, palm trees swaying...really miss Kelly, Chip and Ian and miss them opening our gifts to them.  Anyway, we did just fine with our little faux tabletop tree which we found great ornaments for and a wreath for the door and our stockings hung with care!

We had to keep it down this year as we have very little room to put anything else.  Gave Rick a Sunday golf bag so we can throw in a few clubs and walk a few practice holes.  Rick gave me a gorgeous Indian turquoise and silver necklace slide I coveted in Tubac, AZ. We exchanged many games of the board and video variety...my personal favorite is the Wii Iron Chef America that Rick found.  And he also bought "us" a new home entertainment center with surround sound for Tor since he's never liked the way the DVD player worked.

We sat outside by the fire and then brunched on a recipe I had filed away for a Smoked Turkey, Apple, Cheddar Egg Casserole....it was great....we topped off the meal with mimosas made with the oranges we picked  in Tucson.....too tasty!

We had dinner reservations at  Le Vallauris, (levallauris.com) which had scored near perfect ratings in Zagat's,  in Palm Springs.  It's a very pretty spot...the outdoor patio where everyone was eating has walls topped with glass that rise about 12 feet...there's no ceiling, but the room is almost covered by the branches of a half a dozen ficus trees that must be 20 feet tall with trunks the size of an oak tree....never seen them that large.  Since the temperature plummets as soon as the sun goes down, the room is also liberally covered with outdoor heaters.

The food is good, but, to me, doesn't merit the raves.  Our appetizers are the best part and then it seems to go slowly downhill from there.  My foie gras ravioli is perfect,  Rick's ahi tuna tartare is good and large enough for an entire meal.  Both entrees are fine, his a filet, mine a lamb tenderloin, but don't leave us rhapsodizing.  Dessert is a very bland trio of creme brulee for Rick, and an uninspired presentation of mixed berries for me.  What we disliked most about the experience though, was we were seated next to a table of  very thick-necked men who everyone was hovering over...consequently our service was terrible.

Splendiferous is the name given to the extravagant Christmas decorations on Minerva Road in Cathedral City.  The residents of about a three block long section have banded together to create quite a show.  It was a lovely way to cap off Christmas Day.

Merry  Christmas to all from the desert.