Review: Jake’s Restaurant in Palm Springs

Jake’s
664 N. Palm Canyon Dr
760-327-4400
They are closed on Monday and they usually shut down
for the off-season, during the heat of summer.

http://www.jakespalmsprings.com/

I thought I would include a review that I wrote, but never

published, after the first time we went to Jake’s.

May 2011

Jake’s is an intimate indoor-outdoor setting on the East

side of N. Palm Canyon Dr. in the Design District of
downtown Palm Springs.

I say indoor-outdoor because the dining area is a patio

nestled between two buildings and the tables are surrounded
by shrubbery and flowers.  It’s a beautiful setting for a
romantic dinner.

The bartender is an excellent mixologist.  He doesn’t skimp

on the essential ingredients.  My wife had a perfect Cosmo
and I had a Jack & Coke just the way I like it, plenty of Jack
and a splash of Coke.  The drinks were so good we each had
a second with dinner.

The food was well prepared and beautifully presented.

Bonnie, my wife, had the salmon and I had the shrimp &
scallops.  I would highly recommend both.
The waiter managed to be attentive without intruding on
our evening.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

That was written almost 5 years ago and it’s still true today.

We have eaten at Jake’s on several occasions in that time
span and just recently had Easter Brunch there.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

April 2015

My wife started with a Mexi-mosa (mimosa w/tequila) and

I had a Bloody Caesar.

Most restaurants don’t spend a lot of time on presentation
for breakfast food.  Jakes takes care with all their dishes.

For brunch, I had the 3 Egg Breakfast sunny-side, with

apple smoked bacon, roasted breakfast potatoes
(not the usual hash browns), and 9-grain toast.

My wife had Blackstone eggs, similar to eggs benedict,

but made with bacon and fresh spinach.
It, also, comes with their special breakfast potatoes.

The Weekend Brunch menu entrées range from $10 to $18

The Dinner menu entrées range from $19 to $29
And worth every penny and more.

Jake’s gets one of my few 5-star ratings.

Congratulations:

Co-owners Chris and Bruce,
Head Chef Mario,
and of course Jake.

p.s. Next time we go there I plan to take a package of

treats for Jake.

Coming Soon:  ??? (surprise)

  

First Meeting of the South Palm Springs Improvement Group

That’s not the official name of the group.

As a matter of fact, the group doesn’t officially have
a name, yet.
Maybe that should be the first order of business for
the next meeting?

These “thoughts” are not minutes of the meeting, just

a reconstruction from what my memory provides.

This first meeting took place at the Downtown Starbucks

at 101 S. Palm Canyon Dr.  The consensus was that the
next one should be in South Palm Springs area.
Ristretto in the 500 building on E. Ramon was suggested.
My wife and I went through the 500 Building parking lot
after the meeting, about 4:30, and the Ristretto patio was
empty.
Looks like a good choice.  I’m sure the other patrons at
Starbucks wouldn’t mind.

There were 17 people, representing several neighborhoods

in South Palm Springs; Parkview, Tahquitz River Estates,
Canyon Corridor, Warm Sands, and more.

Thank you David Feltman for chairing the meeting.  I was

prepared to take on that responsibility, if necessary,
but I’m glad you “took up the flag”.

We discussed the Magruder building, the Rock Garden, and

the empty lots that create campgrounds for the homeless.
Thomas Evanson talked about finding used syringes, torn
clothing, and other debris in his back yard, which faces
W. Mesquite.  It was suggested he take pictures as evidence
before cleaning it up.

Chris Luhr and Dr. Jonathan Freeman have contacted Palm

Springs City Manager Dr. David Ready about the current status
of the old Magruder building.  Apparently Dr. Ready
responded that a letter has been sent to the Bureau of Indian
Affairs offering to raze the building and dispose of the debris
at the city’s expense.  As of this date, there has not been a
response from B.I.A.
It was recommended that more people write letters and call
the City Managers office to express concern about the issues
we discussed.  It was further agreed that we need to, if
possible, put pressure on the property owners.

Palm Springs City Council candidate Geoff Kors attended to

get a feel for our concerns and to offer support from within the
government.  To learn more about Geoff, go to:
http://www.geoffkors.com/
He’s supporting us in our early stages of development . . .
we need to support him in his bid for City Council.

Thoughts for the next meeting:

     1.   Bring 2 or 3 friends, if possible.
     2.   Name the group.
     3.   Get an e-mail box for the group to use?
     4.   Set up a web presence?
     5.   Invite local businesses to attend and participate.

Once again I would like to thank the following people

who attended the meeting:

Bill Post
Bonnie Findley
Brigett & Tony Z
Chris Luhrs
Danuta Ballinger
David Feltman
Dawn Bern
Gary Johns
Geoff Kors
Jim Forneris
Jon A. Pierson
Dr. Jonathan Freeman
Lyn Tessler
Thomas Evanson

If I miss-spelled your name, please let me know

so I can correct it.

Thanks to Dr. Freeman for compiling the sign-in list

and sending it to me.

Review: Maracas in Palm Springs

This Mexican food restaurant is in the front of the

Downtown Plaza, where Falls and Matchbox are
located, at 155 S. Palm Canyon Drive.

They have indoor seating, side patio seating, and outside

seating in the front.  We took a table in the front this time
so we could watch the tourists.
A couple years ago WE were the tourists.

The house margarita comes in a large(schooner size)

or small(regular size) margarita glass.  The margarita
is very tasty and slightly sweet compared to others
I’ve had.  For this reason, I would definitely opt for salt.
They also have a full-service bar.  Since it was still
afternoon and I had to drive home, we each had a
small margarita.

They immediately bring chips and a bowl of spicy salsa.

This time, my wife had the shrimp enchilada.  She said

it was stuffed with good size shrimp, not just “flavored.”
I had the two-item combo of beef soft taco and chicken
enchilada.  They definitely don’t skimp on the meat.
I could barely finish it and I’m a hearty eater.

Both meals come with rice and refried beans.

The sauces are tasty without the over powering “heat” you
get some places.  If you want it spicier just put on some
of the salsa that comes with the chips.

In the past we have gone there earlier in the day and, if

it’s early enough, I have the machaca.  It’s made with
nicely seasoned shredded beef, unlike some restaurants
that use ground beef.  This comes with rice, beans, and
tortillas.

The service is timely, friendly, and attentive.

The noise level depends on the seating area, but it’s
never been so loud as to be intrusive.

Two regular size margaritas and our meals came to

about $34 (+tip).  Very reasonable.

I would give them 4½ stars.  Only because my

5-star ratings are very few and far between.

Coming soon

Review:  Jake’s (Easter Brunch this year)

Review: Spencer’s Restaurant in Palm Springs

The following is the review my wife wrote on the Open Table site.

“I tried to make a careful and informed choice for a restaurant for my husband and me to celebrate my birthday. Spencer's received many positive reviews for both food and atmosphere, which was frequently described as romantic.

My first mistake, I believe, was agreeing to take an inside table. To me it did not provide the special feeling I was looking for. If I go there again I will wait for an outside table to be available.

At a restaurant described as perfect for couples and romantic, I did not expect to have a family with children seated less than two feet away. It is probably just my expectations that made the experience more negative than it ordinarily would have been.

Food and drink was a little more positive.

I had mushroom risotto with grilled shrimp. I enjoyed it as a very good dish but not outstanding. My husband had a steak with a baked potato which he enjoyed but again not outstanding. For an up-scale restaurant, the presentation on the plate was very dull. The service was excellent. Not rushed, but with a feeling being able to relax rather than being slow.”

**************************************

I was less impressed with the whole experience than my wife.

Quiet?  No.

Romantic?  Not really.

I thought the service was slow.

Our drinks took so long, I thought the bar was several blocks away.

Directly over my wife’s head was a mirror wall which gave me
a great(?) view of the kitchen doors.  It took so long to get our
dinner, every time a server came out the doors I found myself
praying it was our food.
That’s very distracting when you’re having drinks and dinner
with a beautiful lady.

My steak was tender and perfectly cooked, but, the
presentation would have given Chef Ramsey apoplexy.

My wife, being the very generous person she is, gave them
3 stars.

I would probably say closer to 2.

JMNSHO

BICYCLE TRAFFIC SAFELY

Why is traffic safety ONLY the responsibility of the driver of the car?

It is not my intention to pick on bicycle riders.

I’m just sick-and-tired of being picked on BY them.

As usual our government goes off half-cocked in their attempts to convince us that they have our best interests at heart.

Don’t just encourage people to ride bicycles for their health . . . Encourage them to do it safely by obeying traffic laws and using common sense.

How about riding at night without lights or reflectors and wearing dark clothes.

Maybe common sense isn’t so common any more.

My dad taught me that “horse sense” is just “stable thinking”.

Numerous times, while driving, I have narrowly avoided a collision with a person riding a bicycle on the street.  Usually it’s because that person is doing something patently unsafe and illegal, like running through a yield sign, stop sign, or red signal light.  On each of these occasions the cyclist:  1. Glared at me;  2. Yelled at me;  3. Gave me the one-finger salute;  4. Occasionally all three.

I have no doubt that, had a collision occurred, the cyclist would have sued ME even though it was his/her fault.

I assume they expect drivers to grant riders ownership of the road and declare them above the law.  “Share the road” means just that - SHARE.  Using the public streets safely is the responsibility of EVERY participant.

When are we going to require adult bicycle riders to attend traffic safety classes, take a test, be issued a license, and procure liability insurance before riding a bicycle on a public thoroughfare?

Motorcycles only have 2 wheels and THEIR riders have to meet strict requirements.

To be fair, bicycle riders should have to meet the same requirements as operators of motorcycles, cars, and trucks; including maintaining liability insurance.

Don’t even get me started on pedestrians who cross the street in the middle of the block without looking.  Or cross against the red light or the “Don’t Walk” sign.

How about the ones who force cars into oncoming traffic by walking two or three abreast in the street when there is a perfectly good sidewalk not 2 feet away???

Maybe they just don’t understand: SIDEWALK.  As in WALK on the SIDE of the road . . . where it’s safer . . . DUH.

 

My rant for the day.


Coming up:  A review of Spencer's Restaurant in Palm Springs.

The truth about Reaganomics…!!!

The truth about Reaganomics…!!!

Republicans are the masters of the "Big Lie Principle"
You make the lie big enough and repeat it often enough and everybody will believe it.

Reaganomics was created to bring about one thing; consolidation of power and wealth and the cyclical economic collapse.
Reaganomics is a golden-plated Trojan horse; shining and pretty on the outside and rotten to the core on the inside
In fact, Reaganomics was meant to devour our Democracy and our Middle-Class.

Reagan ushered a new era of grotesque income imbalances and wealth inequalities by declaring a war of attrition on the middle class!”

How did they do it?

They borrowed Calvin Coolidge policies from the Roaring 20s
Because these socio-economic cycles appear every 2-3 generations.

Why?

Because that’s the nature of their world of financial system.
That’s how they control the creation of our currency, our credit, our banking system, our finance and our economy.
The last one ended in the Great Depression and that is where we are heading now.

In this cycle, this is where they are:

1.  They already took over Washington, the Federal Reserve, and the Treasury and have been using them towards this goal for the last 35 years.

2.  They deregulated and privatized everything in the world.

3.  They expanded Globalization and shipped most of our manufacturing jobs overseas, they cut marginal tax and effective corporate tax, they took control of our currency and credit and have embarked on a massive money printing schemes to increase their balance sheets and power.

4.  They also debased our education to dumb us down in order to reduce our dissent.

5.  They attacked and destroyed much of our Labor Unions which are the first line of defense of our Middle Class.

6.  They left only low wage jobs with no benefits, poor working conditions and then asked us to be content with an ever diminishing quality of life.
This created a historical wealth and income inequality.

Meanwhile:

1.  They created a colossal government and consumer debt bubble that cannot be serviced.

2.  They also created a multi-trillions dollar market of Collateralized Instruments that they used to collapse our financial system; and now, they control an unregulated derivatives market that is worth 1,500 Trillions of dollars that has been called the ultimate weapon of mass destruction.

We have delayed the coming depression but we cannot avoid it.
The financial crisis of 2009 was a prelude of something bigger to come…
The last Depression ended with Fascism in Europe and WW2.
We rejected Fascism and embarked on the New deal.
The choice is before us today.
We must do something about this.

We cannot change Republicans that is for sure.

But, we can change our Democratic Party and rid it of all corporate puppets which we call “Wall Street Democrats”…

Together, we must fight back, our survival as a people and as a nation is what at stake…

It is up to us now.

We are Legions, we are “Open Rebellion Democrats” and we are going to take our country back…!!

                   Dr. David Alameel,

                   University of Texas at Houston,
                   University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

More on this subject coming this way . . .

CONTROL YOUR LIFE

Other people are only able to control your life WITH YOUR CONSENT.

I DON'T CONSENT!

Without pointing any fingers or playing the "blame game", I have unilaterally decided that I WILL control my life.

I am a member of several "lists".  I post and comment on other posts on each.  If you're my age, you probably remember them being called "bulletin boards".

They are a "place" online where people with something in common can "gather" to exchange pleasantries and information, ask and answer questions and generally have an "over the back fence" or "over the front hedge" conversation.

The "something in common" could be personal background, neighborhood, crime watch, bucket list, etc.  Almost anything.

No one, other than the list owner, should try to LIMIT these conversations to what THEY think is appropriate.  Like:

"Who do you know that can repair my barn door?"  or
"How do you fix a leaky faucet?"  or
"Have you seen my little lost dog/cat?"  or
"Be aware there some strange (looking) people in the area."
While these ARE legitimate subjects for conversation, they are certainly NOT the ONLY things to be talked about.  Putting arbitrary limits on a list is a sure way to kill it.

Religious and political discussions should be kept to a minimum because they are strictly a matter of personal opinion and it's guaranteed someone else will have the opposite opinion.  These conversations can and will result in someone's feelings getting hurt.  GET OVER IT.  The trick is to not prolong the p***ing contest.

Take your best shot and then walk away from the thread.

When you talk to your neighbor over the back fence most people will joke around a bit.  There is nothing wrong with this.

 

 

 

NO THIRD PARTY, except the list owner or the list owners duly appointed representative, has the right to remove someone's post or tell someone;  "Don't post that", "Don't comment that way".

A short while back I made the mistake of allowing someone on a list to push one of my buttons.  I left a list because a third party was offended by a comment I, jokingly, made to someone else and told me it was "inappropriate" to joke with anyone.

That button has been disabled.

I'm going back on the list.  I will make every effort to be neighborly.

If I say something on that list, another list, or this blog that offends you,

you may take your best return shot.

After that:  TALK TO THE HAND

 

 

Coming Back?

Hi everyone,

Now that we're retired, I'm considering starting to post to this blog again.
I'm not sure what I'm going to blog about, yet.

Bonnie suggested I need something to do besides the numerous projects at
the new (thoroughly used) residence in Palm Springs and harassing her.

The local online bulletin board, Nextdoor, has caused me to change
my reference PS(Palm Springs) to PP(Peyton Place).
I have never encountered so much "drama" in one place.

Use "comments" to weigh-in on what you would like to hear.
Also, let me know you still get my posts.

I'll check the comments in a couple days, if I can figure out how.  The format
on the site has changed considerably since I used it last.

… Life After War …

BOOK REVIEW

I also posted this review on Amazon.com

I haven’t blogged for almost a year, however, I am going to review not just one book, but a series.

On my Kindle, I have read the first four books in the “Life After War” series by Angela White.  These books deal with America after a nuclear / chemical / biological war.

 

Book One: “The Survivors” immediately hooked me.  Within the first few pages the characters start coming to life with a vibrance normally reserved for later chapters.  They are individuals, each with a story to tell, who interact with the others in unique ways.  You can’t really see how all of them will come together as the story progresses, but rest assured “all will be revealed”.

Book Two: “On The Road” continues to follow the story lines as they converge.  Like most of us, each of these characters carry their personal EMOTIONAL baggage … revealing each item, working through it, then throwing it away on the side of the road.  They each also discover talents they didn’t know they had or refused to acknowledge.

Book Three: “Safe Haven” where the stories begin to converge.  The charismatic leader.  The Marine who becomes his second in command.  The lady who is determined to find her son.  The other Marine who didn’t know he had a son.  The hard-as-nails cop with the heart-of-gold.  The slaver from south of the border determined to conquer America and populate it with his bastard children.  They all have deep, dark secrets they don’t want revealed to the light of day.

Book Four: “Adrians Eagles”.  We now get a glimmer of what the future may hold.  The characters aren’t just filling out, they are growing.  With each passing day some of them find an amazing inner strength that helps them do what’s right inspite of, or because of, the possible consequences.

I believe I may have become a thorn in Angela’s side.  I have been bugging her about …..

you guessed it:

Book Five:  (not named, as of this writing).

Angela:  What are you doing wasting time reading this … get to work!  :-D

God In Schools …

Someone should put this to music,

     Red

A teenager in Arizona wrote this:

(He got an A+)

The Pledge of Allegiance
And The Lord's Prayer
Are not allowed in most
Public schools anymore
Because the word 'God' is mentioned..... 

"New Pledge Of Allegiance"

Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd. 

If scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That's no offense; it's a freedom scene..
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice. 

For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all..
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited by the state. 

We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks...
They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.
It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong,
We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong..

We can get our condoms and birth controls, 
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles..
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed, 
No word of God must reach this crowd. 

It's scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school's a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!
          Amen

St. Luke 12:9
”But he that shall deny me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.”

9/11 … WHAT A WAY TO START YOUR BIRTHDAY !!!

Our oldest son Michael will never be able to forget September 11^th, it’s his birthday.

He was born September 11, 1971.  September 11, 2001 was his 30^th birthday!

He was working at the construction site of the co-gen plant next to the Boston Airport.  Boston Airport is where some of the hyjacked flights originated.  His boss had given him the day off to celebrate his birthday.  He slept a little late.

When he got up he turned on the TV and, at first, thought he had tuned in to another “disaster” movie.  It didn’t take long to realize he was watching breaking news.  He immediately called his mother who had just gotten up and turned on our TV, since it was three hours earlier here on the west coast.  She immediately woke me up and at first I thought she was kidding.

What a way to start a day.

What a way for the families of the victims to start their day.

What a way to start your birthday.

This morning we are watching all the programs about the 10^th anniversary of September 11^th and Michael is trying to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of his birthday.  Talk about conflicting emotions and déjà vu !

I’m not quite sure how to feel about all this, but, I AM sure Michael has VERY mixed emotions.  Bonnie has tried to reach him, in New Mexico, on the phone.  No luck, yet.

Our prayers go out to all the families of victims of the September 11^th attack.

Our prayers go out to everyone affected by this horrendous event.

Our prayers go out to all Americans.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Thanks to all those who read this.

Thanks to all those who pass it on.

Copy and Paste as much as you like.

1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

1 Peter 5:10  And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Dog - Man’s Best Friend? Or A Link To …?

<<<I use the masculine pronouns “man” and “he” just to make it easier to write>>>

Why is it that most dogs are better people than most people?  It can’t just be loyalty, unconditional love, craving our company, or a willingness to forgive the stupid, unthinking way we treat them sometimes.

There has to be something more.  Some spark of devine guidance only the canine species is endowed with.

Could it just be coincidence that the names dog and God are so similar?  Maybe the original biblical translation was wrong and dog, not man, was the one made in God’s Image?  I’ve asked God about this and He just seems to give me a wink and a little smile.  He doesn’t seem to be offended by the comparison, either.

Dogs are messengers of God.  God's word is not accidental or happenstance.  The writers God chose to communicate His message were inspired divinely to write what they wrote, as they wrote it.  It is no accident there are 40 references in The Bible to dogs.

Dogs are messengers of God in that "dog" specifically and purposefully was selected through divine inspiration to communicate the full measure of God through the context of the 40 Scriptural references or citations in The Bible. Whether Hebrew (kelev), Greek (kuōn), or Aramaic (kalbā), whether literal, metaphorical, or allegorical in syntax, in the context of communicating God's word, dogs are messengers of God.*

W. C. Fields said:  “I never met a man I didn’t like.”

I say:  “I never met a dog I didn’t like.”  “The more dogs I meet, the less I like people. ”

Occasionally, I’ve met a dog who didn’t like me.

Maybe I smelled wrong or looked wrong or sounded wrong.

Maybe I violated his space, uninvited.

Maybe I reminded him of someone who abused him or someone he … just … didn’t … like.

In any case, we just agreed to take diverging paths.

Don’t get me wrong.  Other pets are OK.

Cats come in, eat, and want to go right back out.  Sometimes they will tolerate attention, but, not for long.  They do know how to say goodby:  Tail up and back turned.

Birds sit in a cage, squawk, eat, make a mess all over the floor, and stare at you with one eye.

Rodents can be trained to eat on cue … ?

Fish are …………….. well ……………. fish.

Reptiles are ………… we won’t even go there.

A dog, on the other hand, loves to play with you.  Mountain or beach, backyard or park, with or without toys (toys do make it more fun).

Dogs like to hunt.  Some even like to fish. Although, at times, their patience can be a little scarce.

A dog will, sometimes, be content just to lay his head, or maybe his whole body, on your lap.

The later you get home, the happier he is to see you.

He thinks the best bed for him is that pile of your dirty clothes at the foot of your bed.

When you are ill or recuperating, he will steadfastly stay by your side until you recover.

Dogs have been known to accompany their master’s casket until it’s put in the grave.

A dog doesn’t ask for much.  Food and water, a bath now and then, scritchies behind the ears or down the nose, a loving word, or sometimes just the simple touch of your hand.  Warning:  some dogs resist the bath part.

According to the Bible**, a man is given seventy to eighty years.

A dog is given considerably less.  I think that is so a man can experience the thrill of companionship from more than one dog in his lifetime.

Mark Twain said:  “If dogs don’t go to heaven, I want to go where they go.”

I’m with you there Mr Clemens.

*    http://www.associatedcontent.com/

**  Psalm 90:10   The days of our lives are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.