Oh what has Mindy done?

Well for that answer, you'll have to read this and then go see her in person!

Mindy Reed- owner/restaurateur of ZIN American Bistro and Zini Cafe Med has gone and raised the roof on her ZIN American Bistro at 198 South Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs. Well, not literally raised the roof, but almost. The indoors became the outdoors and the new patio was born.

What happened is Mindy came up with a new design/decor concept for her flagship eatery by taking it apart and putting back together again as an indoor/outdoor place to hang out, dine on some great food and have a good old time.

It all started with doing a little facelift as she calls it- a "freshening" of things so to speak. Well, one thing led to another and what she ended up with is a new restaurant/bistro that fulfills her every fantasy. Gone is the former sidewalk entry into the large dining space. Now as you approach the restaurant, it welcomes you into the heated outdoor patio dining area in the winter and mist-cooled in the summer. And its a winner!

Slick design elements include a coffered ceilings with 10 ceiling fans, indirect recessed lighting, custom decorative ZIN lighting sconce that are really trick, a custom-built bar (done by Mindy's Dad) with a unique oak wine barrel stave fascia and so much more.

For indoor dining and private parties, the inside room can be closed off with moving walls of glass doors but during normal business hours, it all flows from the patio to the inside and back out again. A unique and functional design feature for sure.

As always, the menu and the food stands out with its fresh approach, unique presentation, expert preparation and attention to detail. Mindy and her chef hunt out locally grown organic ingredients as much as possible thus ensuring the freshest food available. And they take so much pride in all that they do by cooking expertly and presenting the food in a way that makes your eyes light up.

We attended the pre-opening party and had a great time. My dining partner and I shared The Roasted Beet Salad (we ALWAYS order it because it's so good). He had the marinated grilled Hanger Steak cooked medium rare and I had the Grilled Shrimp with Chipotle Sauce, risotto and sautéed fresh spinach. Both dinners were done to perfection. For dessert we shared the Apple Tart Tatian and the Belgian Chocolate Mousse Pie. We left there both happy and very sated to say the least.

If you haven't tried ZIN in the past or if you've been away for a while, make a go of it soon. You will be glad you did and tell Mindy you saw it here on our website!

ZIN is my ZEN (Zen emphasizes experiential wisdom in the attainment of enlightenment). When dining, cocktailing or just hanging out, ZIN American Bistro is definitely an enlightened choice.

More photos are are located HERE

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Who doesn't like a great deal??? Next time you're in Palm Springs, you may want to check out this store and restaurant!

LUSH COUTURE: Women's Clothing and accessories...EVERYTHING IS $16 OR LESS!!!

LULU: One of the hippest, coolest, yummiest new restaurants in town! The Best Happy Hour in Town...because you can get regular menu items in their bar, for discounted prices. Food is delicious! Staff is extremely courteous!

There is also a lot of natural beauty here! Palm Springs is one of those places that people may come for an event, and possibly fall in love! Here is a sampling of a recent sky configuration that was just too good to pass up!

And while you're here, if you need to find the best real estate bargains, or that modern and slick getaway that is a bit architecturally significant, I'd be happy to help!

Today I had lunch at a local hangout where I even got to see the Red Hat Ladies Luncheon! Yup! Very true...It's called Old Creek House. It's a great place to eat...! Service was great, location superb, at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains, so what a view! Patio was beautifully landscaped with flowers and a fountain, too...and the food was yummy.

I had the Berkeley Sandwich with Sweet Potato Fries...I would recommend the sandwich, especially for those Vegan Eaters! It has avocado, too! The Ice Tea, hit the Spot!

Pricing is moderate..ranging from $5-6 to about $13-14 for lunch, depending on your dish. Located across the parking lot from Stein Mart on Palm Canyon Drive... ENJOY!

The other day I was having lunch with an acquaintance downtown at one of the many sidewalk cafes when she asked, "Why is there a statue of Sonny Bono?" First I was confused as to why she would make such an inquiry then I wondered if maybe enough time has gone by for his legacy to begin to fade.

My earliest memories of Sonny and Palm Springs are way back in the 80's when we would have brunch at Bono's restaurant on Indian Canyon Drive. It seemed like he was always there greeting guests and making sure the patrons were happy. I remember admiring him as he seemed to be a very caring and sincere man. It was obvious he loved the town and he loved living here. Ultimately he ran for mayor and won. Today the restaurant is abandoned and was excluded from the multimillion dollar Riviera renovations. It sits behind locked gates overlooking long forgotten tennis courts. When I stopped by to take a look a raven flew out from beyond the roof line and its ominous presence took on an almost haunted feeling.

But remember all the hoopla when Sonny was running for and while he was mayor of Palm Springs? It was great publicity for the area as his mayoral title was announced no matter where he showed up. It is written that he decided to enter politics because of all the bureaucracy involved with opening the restaurant but I also remember a story he told about the remodel of his house in The Mesa. He said he wanted to put in a big picture window to capture the mountain views but was told by the city the window was too large and against current building codes. He said it puzzled him that such building codes would exist to restrict a view. He won the office of mayor and set out to make changes. I'm not sure if he ever did change residential building codes back then or if he made it easier to open a restaurant but I do remember the Sonny Bono Years in Palm Springs.

It was four short years of many changes. The most controversial change of course was that he banned thong bikinis in public and seriously curtailed the "cruising" of Palm Canyon Drive during Spring Break. Those two changes ultimately killed Spring Break festivities and the college kids turned to other sun-filled destinations.

Palm Springs in the 80's seemed to prosper. Our downtown was home to legendary shopping such as Sak's Fifth Avenue, Gucci, Yves St. Laurent and more. It was an age of glamour (and lots of marble and brass) and we dressed up to go out. It was a time when a commercial vacancy was a rarity. It was a time when Cabazon outlet shops didn't exist.

He began The Palm Springs International Film Festival and I remember attending the first year but I don't remember much about that first year. It was new and so we didn't get the caliber of films other festivals did and at that time we were a far cry from Sundance. I'll admit I was a big critic and thought the film festival would eventually fade away but I was wrong. Today it is one of the world's premier festivals attracting celebrity talent, extraordinary talent, well regarded films, red carpets and even TMZ and Entertainment Tonight.

As mayor he also once annouced The Desert Classic. He said there was going to be a residential development and world class golf course constructed on the empty parcel of land at the corner of Vista Chino and Gene Autry Trail. I remember thinking, "Is he nuts? Who on earch would live there let alone play golf there?" Although it took twenty years and has a different name, today that site boasts a popular course open to the public and residential development is happening around it. Once more, Sonny eventually proved me wrong.

He also promoted and began The Palm Springs Grand Prix? Remember that? Cities streets would close for a long week end to encompass races for different types of automobiles. My office was on the corner of Tahquitz Canyon Way and Avenida Caballeros and during the race that intersection became a hairpin curve. All week end long I would listen to the sound of gunning engines and my desk maintained a constant vibration. The air was thick with gas fumes and exhaust and I loved it. It was one of my favorite times in the desert but sadly that event didn't make longevity. The high cost of producing such an event mixed with the growing number of complaints from residents who didn't like the noise and inconvenience sent The Grand Prix into the history books.

After his term as mayor ended, Sonny ultimately ended up as our area congressman. Although he represented a much larger geographic area, Palm Springs remained his home. It was not uncommon to run into Sonny while strolling Palm Canyon Drive. He was a frequent visitor to Village fest and quite often I would see him dining with his family. My last memory of Sonny was at Edgar's Veracruz which used to sit on the corner of Alejo Road and North Palm Canyon. He was there with his children and of course he said hello to every patron with a continual smile. Sonny always seemed happy.

Although many a celebrity has made the desert area home, few have taken the kind of action Sonny Bono was compelled to take. He did a lot for the area and while he was alive we seemed to have media attention and focus... With his help Palm Springs regained popularity and a town that had begun to tarnish suddenly shined. Although he gained a new national personal popularity when he was elected as mayor I don't believe he did it for that reason. Sonny obviously entered politics to make a difference and to set a course of success for the city that he loved. And that is why we have a statue of him downtown.

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36 Hours A Week

Village Pub - 266 S. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs. 1-760-323-3265.

Photo by Gregg Felsen

While a majority of lounges limit live entertainment to weekends or specific nights of the week, Village Pub hosts bands every night. So if it’s a Monday or a Tuesday or a … well, you get the idea … and you get the urge to kick up your heels, just head for downtown Palm Springs — even if it’s after Leno’s show.

Bands play from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Three bars include one on the patio and one upstairs where you can play pool and foosball. The upstairs also has a jukebox, and a DJ spins tunes Thursday through Saturday, also from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Happy hour runs from 3 to 9 p.m., with food specials from 3:30 to 6 p.m.

For late-night diners, Village Pub serves its full menu until 1:30 a.m.

266 S. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs. 1-760-323-3265.