Tips and Quips

Today marks the passing of one of Palm Desert’s iconic restaurants.   The Elephant Bar and Grill on Highway 111 closes its doors for good tonight at 10pm.  AND IF THOSE WALLS COULD TALK – oh my gracious great balls of fire – quite a few of us would be in prickley predicaments to say the least.  The “E-Bar”, as we say in local parlance, has entertained multitudes of locals, vacationers, and let’s not forget the myriads of children.  Just think of all those kiddie cups in the shapes of elephant feet and other jungle critters.  At last, those bulky plastic cups that clutter the back of cupboards might find their way to more prominent displays.  Personally, I am forever grateful to the good ol “E-Bar”.  If not for it, I may never have made it through my first year in the desert, working at Shadow Mountain Resort.  As a newbie at the resort, I was laid off two months during the summer.  Thankfully, back in those days, the Elephant Bar had complimentary appetizers if you bought a beer.  Nothing fancy, your basic buffet of banal bar fare:  BBQ cocktail weenies, nacho chips & salsa, veggies & dip, and the like.  Nothing fancy but sustenance when my cupboards were bare and the weather sizzling.  THANK YOU ELEPHANT BAR AND GRILL!  It’s been quite a party.