Main Content

Sheri’s Palm Springs Area Blog

Whether it be real estate updates, restaurant reviews, events, or highlights of unique homes in Palm Springs, follow Sheri as she covers all that Palm Springs and the surrounding area has to offer.

Tennis In The Palm Springs Area

Rancho La Quinta Country Club

The Palms Springs area has always been a Mecca for tennis. Once known as as the "Playground of the Stars" the desert now boasts over 300 courts for public, private and club play. Many of the golf and gated communities in the Valley feature active tennis programs. Fitness, tennis and social memberships are available at a number of top-rated clubs and resort lifestyle communities. Top photo: Rancho La Quinta

Popular Tennis Communities
Andalusia at Coral Mountain, La Quinta
Bighorn Golf Club, Palm Desert
Heritage Palms Country Club, Indio
PGA West, La Quinta
Lake Mirage Racquet Club, Rancho Mirage
La Quinta Resort & Club
Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage
Palm Desert Tennis Condos
Palm Valley Country Club, Palm Desert
Rancho Las Palmas, Rancho Mirage
Rancho La Quinta Country Club
Silver Sands Racquest Club, Palm Desert
Sun City Shadow Hills, Indio
Trilogy, La Quinta
Vintage Club, Indian Wells
Woodhaven Country Club, Palm Desert

Indian Wells Tennis Gardens
You can also choose to play where the pros play–The Indian Wells Tennis Garden, home to the BNP Paribas Open (formerly the Pacific Life Open) provides a world-class facility for the ardent tennis player. The Tennis Garden features 20 hard courts, 2 Har Tru clay courts, a member lounge, fitness and locker rooms for its members and guests to enjoy. Memberships are available monthly, seasonally, and annually. The staff can match you up with other players of like ability or bring your own game. The club also offers discounted rates to visiting hotel guests. Call the Pro Shop at (760) 200-8200.

From Sheri Dettman
In Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog, Tennis Anyone?

Dining Around The Desert: Cooking With Class, La Quinta

The Open Kitchen (guest dining tables just of out view here)

And now for something a little different on our desert dining scene. Cooking With Class in La Quinta offers gourmet cooking classes, fine dining, food, wine tastings, and more. They strive to use only local, sustainable, and organic products whenever possible. Themed dining events are also offered one or two days each week. My husband Bill and I have enjoyed several of these dinners over the past two years.

On Wednesday evenings Cooking With Class offers their weekly Cork & Fork dinners where diners can choose from six delectable small plates and six different wines by the glass. The Cork & Fork menu changes weekly and you can preview the upcoming menu online. While no reservations are required, we were told there is a lineup at 5:30 on most Wednesdays. We choose to arrive at 7 PM, which worked well except that they’d run out of one item. The upside was that we doubled up on the small plate we enjoyed the most. We look forward to returning for several upcoming Wednesdays.

Shoot The Moon Small Plate Sampler

Diners at Cooking With Class can order a la carte from the menu or go for their ‘Shoot the Moon’ sampling with six small plates for just $55 for two. We ‘Shot The Moon’ and enjoyed all six plates including a wonderful creamy tomato soup, House cured Scottish salmon, a short rib grilled cheese, shrimp and grits, and a birthday cake martini for desert (not ours; this week was Cooking With Classes 3rd birthday).

In summary, Cooking With Class has great people, wonderful food and a nice relaxed atmosphere that’s refreshingly different than most restaurant scenes. The open kitchen used for all cooking classes is front and center so it’s a bit like eating at the chef’s table. Be sure to check out the variety of classes offered throughout the week, which range from ‘Simply Trader Joe’s’ and ‘Tamale Cooking’ to ‘Cook Like a Chef’ taught by Former First Lady Betty Ford’s personal chef. Some classes fill up quickly so don’t wait until the last minute to sign up, which you can conveniently do right on their website. Several wine dinners are also available each month.

Cooking With Class is located at 47875 Caleo Bay Drive, La Quinta, behind Walgreens at the corner of Washington and 48th Street.

> View ALL Desert Dining Suggestions Here

From Sheri Dettman
In Dining Around The Desert, Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog

Just Offered: Painted Cove Contemporary Opportunity at $725,000!

79100 Big Horn Trail, La Quinta
3,849 Square Feet
Lot Size: 12,196 Square Feet
4 Bedrooms / 5 Baths
3 Car Attached Garage
'99 Construction
MLS ID: #21423097
Recent HOA: $210 Monthly

Painted Cove is a small gated enclave of just 76 mostly contemporary homes. Located in the heart of La Quinta, the Painted Cove community offers nearby access to a myriad of activities including dining, shopping, golf and tennis. This home is priced well under market and is the largest floor plan currently offered in the Painted Cove community.

Update on 2011-03-17 16:23 by Sheri Dettman
Sale Pending in only 2-Days! (contingent period)

From Sheri Dettman
In Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog