It's with rather heavy hearts that we set out for our first RV trip of the year - a week in Palm Springs at the Happy Traveler RV Park. (I'm still bursting into tears numerous times a day, as is Mike, but each day is getting a bit easier, and we're thankful for that.) The primary attraction during this trip is the Palm Springs International Film Festival, which runs from January 3 - 14. We elected to stay at the Happy Traveler RV Park primarily because of it's terrific proximity to both the Film Festival's theater venues and downtown Palm Springs. Being so centrally located means we can walk or bike to most of the film festival events, as well as into Downtown Palm Springs, with its array of fun and interesting shops, bars and restaurants.
The RV park itself offers a lovely swimming pool and spa, plus full hookups, WiFi, laundry and a clubhouse with TV (very important this visit - Mike's beloved Notre Dame will be playing in the BCS Championship on Monday night), all for the very reasonable weekly rate of $290.
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| With weather predicted to be in the mid-70's during our stay, we expect to spend a good amount of time enjoying the Happy Travelers lovely pool area. |
We spent $60 to purchase a 6-pack of movie tickets, which I've already exchanged for two tickets each to three different foreign films. I'm a bit squeamish about movies - I don't enjoying anything with over the top violence or sex, particularly in a room full of hundreds of strangers, thank you very much - so I chose the three films very carefully to ensure no such moments!
We're also attending a one hour onstage discussion with Tom Hooper, the director of Les Miserables, and Eddie Redmayne, the actor who played Marius, followed by a viewing of the movie. This will be my second viewing of Les Miserables within two weeks, and I'm as excited to see it the second time around as I was the first. I've read all 1463 pages of Victor Hugo's magnificent masterpiece, as well as seen the live stage production, and yet I still completely enjoyed the recently released movie - the message within the novel is timeless and bears repeating, and the movie really is that good.
As a result of all my holiday cooking and baking, it looks like I can avoid cooking altogether this trip, and simply reheat a variety of leftovers. This means that the weekly amount I normally allocate for groceries can instead be spent dining out, my reward for being so diligent about cooking everything from scratch in December. I did a search on Yelp for "Great Cheap Eats in Palm Springs" and came up with a list of places that should be fun and memorable without breaking the bank.
We have many more fun things planned in addition to hanging out at the Film Fest, including a trip to Joshua Tree National Park, a visit to the Palm Springs Art Museum, and a tour of a wind turbine farm.
But for now . . . we're off to the movies!
We're also attending a one hour onstage discussion with Tom Hooper, the director of Les Miserables, and Eddie Redmayne, the actor who played Marius, followed by a viewing of the movie. This will be my second viewing of Les Miserables within two weeks, and I'm as excited to see it the second time around as I was the first. I've read all 1463 pages of Victor Hugo's magnificent masterpiece, as well as seen the live stage production, and yet I still completely enjoyed the recently released movie - the message within the novel is timeless and bears repeating, and the movie really is that good.
As a result of all my holiday cooking and baking, it looks like I can avoid cooking altogether this trip, and simply reheat a variety of leftovers. This means that the weekly amount I normally allocate for groceries can instead be spent dining out, my reward for being so diligent about cooking everything from scratch in December. I did a search on Yelp for "Great Cheap Eats in Palm Springs" and came up with a list of places that should be fun and memorable without breaking the bank.
We have many more fun things planned in addition to hanging out at the Film Fest, including a trip to Joshua Tree National Park, a visit to the Palm Springs Art Museum, and a tour of a wind turbine farm.
But for now . . . we're off to the movies!
I just read/watched Les Miserables, too! I loved the movie, but, Woo, the whole Waterloo section of the book was a slog, I have to admit. But I did it! For me it was the literary equivalent of a marathon. The part of the marathon where you think it's never going to end...and then it does! Yay!
ReplyDeleteIt was fun to watch the movie after reading the book. Then you know all the intricate ins-and-outs of the relationships and, er, other things (I don't want to be a spoiler).
Sounds like a fun time in Palm Springs!
Tessie, I think your description of Les Miserables as feeling like a marathon at times is spot on. I did actually enjoy the section on Waterloo, but the minutia about the life of nuns, and the sewers of Paris did get to me I'll admit!
DeleteI saw the live production twice - one before reading the novel, and once afterward. What a difference in being able to catch the intricacies of the novel as they were woven into the musical reading the novel made!
I cried and cried throughout the movie, my gut response to the wisdom that makes Les Miserables the timeless classic it is.
Tamara,
DeleteI want you to know that I have deleted my blog. I will return eventually, but for now I will take a breather. Apparently, a blog that I had linked in my sidebar was contaminated with Malware and Google denied access to my blog to prevent spreading the virus. I probably could have contacted Google to remove the link, but I felt safer just deleting the blog altogether.
I will continue to follow you and a few other favorites and you are always welcome to contact me by email. I think you have it.
Have a wonderful time in Palm Springs and take lots of pictures. It all sounds just perfect.
Suzanne, I would definitely like to remain in touch - you have so many interesting life changes coming up! I don' t have contact info for you though so is there a preferably way I can reach you going forward?
DeleteEnjoy your time in Palm Springs. Glad to hear you liked Les Miserables. I loved the onstage production but haven't gotten to see the movie yet.
ReplyDeleteThe Film Festival is turning out to be wonderful fun. More here when I return home - working off a mobile device while here has definite limitations!
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