Spring is truly beautiful in the desert. There is still snow on the surrounding mountain peaks. The air is crisp and clean with cool mornings and warm afternoons. Storms that come through Southern California arrive in the desert as gusty winds and puffy clouds. There is seldom any precipitation unless the storm is very large. This is what is called “the season” in the desert. Everyone from New York to Calgary and all points north, east or west come to the desert to sit in sidewalk cafes or outdoor patios and talk via cellphones to their frozen friends back home. So much for desert climatology…..
For the sake of convenience and sanity, I have rented a house about a mile from the restaurant. This takes the sting out of the two hour drive from my house in San Diego. This is my first experience at opening a restaurant this far away from home. Having been married for almost 30 years there are a few challenges to this distance.
First off, I am lucky that Mrs. Moore loves the desert and is willing to visit at the drop of a hat. My youngest son, Lucas, is graduating from high school this year so the need of a father on the home front is less today than in previous years. My wife and I will soon be empty nesters and I must admit that this situation did have some bearing on my ability to even consider a remote location such as Palm Desert.
Second, my semi bachelor existence is taking a little adjustment. Events such as shopping for groceries, doing the laundry and cooking my own meals are no longer taken for granted. Either I do them or they don’t get done. I have grown use to the idea that my recycling bin fills faster than my trash can. I suspect this has something to do with my beverage consumption. The local watering hole is Cactus Jack’s. This is a friendly bar and restaurant with great employees who remember your name after your first visit. The food is good (especially the prime rib sliders), the drinks are strong and all the customers seem eager to engage in a conversation. The best part is it’s only about a block from my house.
Lastly, the most difficult part about opening a restaurant this far from home is finding the right people to help in the remodel. After 30 years in the business in San Diego, I have established trusting relationships with contractors, suppliers and different trade people. These relationships have been established through much trial and error but unfortunately they are 120 miles away. Though I am for the most part my own contractor, I still needed the services of an experienced restaurant contractor to help guide my way. It was a stroke of good luck that such a person was introduced to me in the beginning of this project. It has been through this person that I was introduced to my other trades people such as electricians, plumbers, flooring and the like. It seemed important as a foreigner in Palm Desert to not bring in outside people for my remodel but instead use local help. Palm Desert is a relatively small area and the word about town spreads fast. It seemed prudent to befriend the local community instead of being an outsider who is too good for the locals to hire them. The only exception to this was my refrigeration contractor. A good refrigeration contractor is an endangered species. Once you find one you trust, you guard him with your life. A good “refergod” is part mechanic, part chemist, part physics professor and needs to be well versed in electricity, plumbing, air balance and math. This location has 2 walk-in refrigerators, 1 large walk-in freezer, 2 line refrigerators with multiple compressors and 9 reach-in refrigerators, one large ice machine, 9 air conditioning units and a new temperature controlled wine vault. Did I mention that all of this equipment has been turned off the past 3 years? I have known Mark, my “refergod”, for 20 years and he knows refrigeration. Mark also likes to explain everything in detail which drives me up a wall because all I want him to do is fix the damn thing but such is the ways of a “refergod”. To date he has spent 6 days in the desert working on all of my refrigeration and will probably spend 6 more before his work is done. He has his own key to the bachelor pad and is on a first name basis at Cactus Jacks. You will understand the importance of this person when your refrigeration quits on a warm (110 degrees) summer Saturday night. It is his job to make sure that this does not happen.
Hi There!
I am a big fan of your site in OB– I have been a loyal patron, bringing everyone from my parents to my boyfriend for a glass of wine or leisurely dinner since I started living in San Diego in 2005.
I just discovered that you are in the developing stages of a new location in my hometown of Palm Desert! My mom will be thrilled. I mentioned to her that you may be in need of some contractors in the Valley– she is a 15+ year-resident of Palm Desert (as am I) and is a Real Estate agent with Vine Property Group. She would be happy to share with you some trusted referrals if you would like. Contact her @ Desiree@vinepropertygroup.com. Thank you for providing such wonderful spaces for great food, family, friends, and of course, wine!
I’m really enjoying reading your posts on the Palm Desert location! This one was especially fascinating since I don’t think customers (myself included!) really think about all that goes into a well-functioning restaurant.
We frequent your OB location and we’ll definitely be making the trek out to Palm Desert, hopefully in August. We were going to plan a weekend out there, so I purposely wanted to wait until your restaurant was open! We’ll have to check out Cactus Jacks too.
Thanks for the entertaining and informative updates!
Jen
Enjoyed a meal at your SD location on the date of this post. First time in your restaurant and just wanted to drop you a note and let you know how much we enjoyed the experience. I don’t have much of a readership on my blog, but FWIW, I gave you a bit of plug (linked here).
Also apologies to any of the patrons who were sitting in our immediate neighborhood. We had too much fun picking too many wines, and, as I recall, got a little too loud for the room.
Great concept. Great wine. Great food.
fantastic, can hardly wait! Are you near Cuistot?
Say hello to refer god, tell him his office manager really enjoys lunch at your OB location.
Hi John & I know what you mean about Mark aka REFER GOD. Well it goes way back circa early 70′s. When most kids were playing baseball, or riding Schwinn Stingrays, Mark on the other hand was building Lazers ! Yes, Hand-Held, LAZERS. Way before they were sold @ Radio Shack.
If he went to college, he probably would have earned a PHD in electronics or engineering.
Did he tell you about the work he did @ Gulf Atomic or the Space Shuttle program ? He has had a chance to Cool-Off, or Freeze some of the trickest & largest things in So-Cal.
If he didn’t tell you, just make sure he is off your Company Time-Clock when he tells this stuff . . .
Regards, Clyde & Debora Williams
MARK MUSSEN, A GOD? MERE MORTAL? OR A MYTH. AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN THE IN THIS UNIQUE INDUSTRY. IT IS NOT ONLY THE EDUCATION. BUT HIS DEDICATION TO THE HVAC INDUSTRY, THAT STANDS TALL. I HAVE KNOW MARK FOR MY WHOLE CAREER, AS A PARTS AND EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER. HIS FATHER IS STILL SPOKEN ABOUT WITH REVERANCE, IN THIS INDUSTRY, AS HE TRAVELED THE GLOBE AS BOTH CONTRACTOR AND CONSULTANT . MARK HAS ALWAYS BROUGHT A FRESH APPROACH TO ALL THE PROJECTS, HE HAS ASKED FOR IN AVAILABILITY, PRICES, AND QUALITY. HIS LOVES OF HIS BEACH ROOTS, MAKES BOTH A COMPLICATED OR CASUAL CONVERSATION FUN AND UPBEAT. THERE IS NEVER A DOUBT IN HIS MIND. HE WILL TAKE A PROJECT MAKE IT BETTER AND COMPLETE WITH QUALITY WORKMANSHIP . MARK HERE’S TO THE NEXT TIME WE TIP A FEW. THE COMPANY I WORK FOR HAS A HOUSE IN PALM DESERT, AT WASHINGTON AND FRED WARING. OUT THERE OFTEN. WE WILL BE BY, WIFE BIRTHDAY MAY 30TH, WE WILL BE OUT THERE, MIGHT STOP IN. AS FOR CACTUS JACKS. WATCH OUT FOR THERE INDIO LOCATION., AS I HAVE POLLUTED OUT THERE. HAD A MEETING WITH THE RIVERSIDE SHERRIFF DEPT, ON THE REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT FOR THE CRIME MORGUE. NIGHT BEFORE TO THE CACTUS JACKS IN INDIO. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I THINK I DID NOT MAKE THE BEST PRESENTATION. NUFF SAID JOE ESKEY
Mark is a truly special guy, I,m glad he has gotten this blast of fame . His Dad is smiling every time someone reads this blog I’m sure.
I’m reading and I’m laughing! “Refergod” that’s perfect! Yes, I can still see Mark and his Dad walking toward me at the San Diego Electronics show where I was displaying my test chambers, it must have been 1992 or so. Mark was instrumental in bringing my company into the refrigeration manufacturing age. I was converting beer coolers into electronic test chambers, hoping that I never had to repair the refrigerator (cause I didn’t know how). Mark designed a powerful compact system that we are still using today with very few refinements, being assembled by a technician engineer who received his training from Mark. Yep, he’s the guy to call and explain it to you, I personally enjoy the tech talk banter and the napkin drawings and the friendship.
This post is fairly useful. I enjoy the way you write this.