Bed and Breakfast Stay – Casa Cody Nov. 20 & 21, 2013
When you first get on the property you are stunned at how far down the street it goes, but the website is very misleading, it looks a lot smaller then the true layout. It is a sprawling compound filled with lots of nooks and crannies that takes up a whole city block. The hot tub is nettled in between two of the cottages, and is hard to find if you don’t ask someone.
There is so much history here, dating back to the 100 year old Francis Crocker Adobe on the property. Casa Cody’s founder Harriet Cody, came to Palm Springs in 1916. She arrived on a horse drawn gypsy wagon along with her health-seeking husband who was Buffalo Bill’s first cousin, the hotel opened in 1932. In the early 1900’s when few non-Indians inhabited Palm Springs, Harold Bryant Cody and his wife Harriet, came to find a new home in heart of the California Desert.
Many celebrities have stayed in the standing on its own cottage; Elke Sommer, John Phillips, Mickey Spillane. Montie Montana was a guest; trying out his rope tricks in the garden. Another very famous celebrity cowboy actor Tom Mix took shelter at Casa Cody as well. In the 40’s General Patton took over one of the wings as his office, and trained his troops for the North African Campaign. The property started out just being the Casa Cody house but by the 1980’s owner Frank Tysen bought the adjacent properties, one owned by actress Polly Bergen and another owned by Mrs. Winter. I stayed in the original Casa Cody property and then moved to the newly renovated Mrs. Winter house in a small studio. Frank Tysen wanted to always keep every thing at Casa Cody very authentic, to its original architecture.
There is a self-guided tour of Casa Cody, with the highlights being, the Adobe House, built in 1910, McCallum Era Irrigation Ditch, which got ruined in 1893, The Crocker Cottage, built in 1940. Then you have the Olympic Cottage built in 1932, The Apache Lodge built in 1950, and The Winter House, built in 1936.
Casa Cody is a romantic, historic hideaway nestled against the gorgeous San Jacinto Mountains in the middle of Palm Springs Village. Adobe hacienda architecture decor is inspired by Santa Fe and other desert cultures. They have managed to keep the original hacienda designs. The Winterhouse studio had a bit more of a modern flair. There were a few things that needed to be fixed overall in the Casa Cody large studio, but all and all it is a great find in Palm Springs. You know what they say: location, location, and location, right around the corner from the heart of downtown Palm Springs.
Casa Cody
175 S Cahuilla Rd
Palm Springs, CA. (760) 320-9346
www.casacody.com
Lunch at Backstreet Bistro – Nov. 20, 2013
LaVane, the owner has he real message here, provide great food that will change your life, and in her situation it has. She lost 48 pounds in 4 months in the last year, and is talking the talk, and looking great walking the walk. Her method is “Fit 42”, and she even has a whole menu called “Get Fit”, dedicated to this weight reduction system. Their slogan is “Give us 42 days and we will change your body.” She wanted to provide an eating method for people that are already part of the diet, who won’t feel guilty about having a nice meal out.
Morgan Becker, my gracious server, is considered part of LaVanes family. She says that LaVane has taken her under her wing, and considers her one of her daughters. It shows, everything Morgan does is with pride, the kind that comes from pride of ownership, even though she does not own Backstreet Bistro. She has been well trained, and was a standout in my lunchtime experience.
All of their breads come from a local bakery Bosch Bakery, and most of their ingredients are from local products.
Here’s what I tried:
Spinach Shrimp Salad with fresh spinach, red onions, walnuts, black olives and Gorgonzola tossed in raspberry vinaigrette. This salad is packed with large tiger prawns, and the spinach is very fresh. A nice light lunch with few calories, exactly what the doctor ordered.
The President Salad with chopped romaine, turkey, Swiss cheese, dates, walnuts, grapefruit and Mandarin oranges tossed with a honey poppy seed dressing. It is so beautiful and rustic, with both citrus, and dates, and walnuts, this salad is a keeper.
Rueben Sandwich Classic Reuben on Rye. Thinly sliced pastrami, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing served on marble rye. Really terrific, what an amazing Reuben and I have had my share.
Sand Dabs, two fillets pan seared and topped with lemon caper piccata sauce, served with choice of sautéed spinach. Just about the best Sand Dabs ever, what an accomplishment.
Backstreet Bistro’s menu is completely different during evening hours, mostly Italian menu items. I did not have the opportunity to try this time around, but maybe on my next visit.
“Home” is what the locals call Backstreet Bistro, and you can see why. It is very comforting place. The have Live Jazz every Tuesday from 7pm to 10pm. Next time I am in the desert I will for sure come by and try the Italian food with some live Jazz to match. This place will be one of my regular stops.
Backstreet Bistro
72820 El Paseo,
Palm Desert · (760) 346-6393
http://backstreet-bistro.com/
