Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/548772
humming galleries and design stores. e pool area, with white loungers and umbrellas, is a tranquil oasis, with wa- ter wall fountains and beautiful gas replaces adding to the ambiance. Two popular restaurants share space with the hotel: Birba, a happening evening spot o ering elegant pizzas and pastas; and Cheeky's for breakfast and lunch. e highlight of tasty takeout from Cheeky's was a roasted yam sandwich with feta, cilantro, red onion and tomato. Both restaurants adhere to a 100-mile-radius rule for ingredients, using only local, organic produce. e hotel's buildings are another stellar example of recy- cled architecture. Alcazar manager Robert Hunt notes that "the property has been preserved and updated" from the days when it served as a 1920's-era retreat for women. Landscaping focuses on drought-resistant plants, and Hunt points out oth- er green friendly hotel features: "We recycle the water in the fountains, use green laundry and cleaning products, and o er organic bath products in biodegradable containers." e hotel also provides free Townie bikes to guests. Nearby, another locally sourced, organic eatery, Workshop, o ers farm-to-table cuisine, such as heirloom carrots stud- ded with dates, goat cheese, walnuts, chermoula and spicy green onion, delights a buzzy crowd dining in an industri- al-chic setting housed within yet another repurposed Spanish Colonial building. SAVING WATER AND CATCHING WIND B oth hotels incorporate drought-tolerant landscaping, as does Moorten Botanical Gardens, which hosts around 20,000 annual visitors. Clark Moorten runs the family business, which showcases desert plants from cacti to suc- culents. "I think Palm Springs is doing quite well in terms of changing from lush, water-consuming gardens to beautiful, more desert-like gardens," Moorten says. "Just seeing what we have here inspires people." Natural gardens are also abundant in the area. At Indian Canyons' Palm Canyon, hummingbirds dart among visitors traversing slow moving streams and rocky hills, passing be- neath giant fronds in the world's largest fan palm oasis. e steeper Tahquitz Canyon trail comes with a reward at the end of a trek past petroglyphs and grinding stones—a delightful 40-foot waterfall. e Agua Caliente Cahuilla Indian tribe that once populated these canyons is determined to preserve and maintain the natural beauty of the area. It's not only history and water that the Palm Springs com- munity is working to preserve; its energy, too. e San Gor- gonio Wind Park, the oldest in the U.S., houses some 2700 wind turbines, which convert wind into mechanical energy to produce electricity. Low pressure created by desert oor heat merges with cool air from the ocean a hundred miles west. e wind is forced between the mountains and into the pass where the turbines hum and spin. It's an eerie feeling to stand on the edge of the vast empty desert watching the giant blades whirl. Perhaps the biggest pleasure of our trip was a fresh un- derstanding of the Palm Springs area as an eco friendly and eco-e cient destination. Preservation and restoration in a re- gion bent on alleviating drought and providing a healthy en- ergy source were aspects of the desert community's laid-back lifestyle that were new to us, aspects that makes a stay in this sunny city even more appealing. august/september 2015 31