Sun Runner Desert Gift Guide 2015

giftsfrom the desert

The Spiritof desert giving

introducingthe joshua tree tortoise telegraph

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THE JOURNAL OF THE REAL DESERT $1.95 Nov/Dec 2015

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SUNRUNNERTHE Desert Gift Guide Issue

Still free in the Mojave!

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Boots & Burgers/ Arizona Style

Christmas gift giving in americaseems to turn intoan orgy of consumerism,waiting in line to mobbig box chain storesfilled with imported, mass producedgadgets and gizmos,all alike.

but in the desert,if you know where to look,you can find treasuresno big box store can match.

here’s our guide to better, smartergift giving, desert style,supporting those who keep it unique,and to making happier holiday memorieswith family, friends, and co-workers.

The holiday season from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day is one of our favorite times of the year. It’s a time to get together with friends, family, and col-

leagues, to celebrate, and the desert has some excellent places to host a holiday party, family gathering, or to just enjoy a special night out. One of our favorite places to bask in the holiday spirit, is the historic 29 Palms Inn, on the Oasis of Mara in Twentynine Palms. The Inn serves up a classic Thanksgiving dinner, buf-fet style, from 2 to 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving, going beyond the call of duty with fresh seafood, including oysters and Dungeness crab, house made desserts, and handcrafted cocktails. Live music by Bev & Bill will be jazzing up your turkey day, and advance reservations are required. For Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, the Inn offers a special holiday dinner from 5 to 9 p.m., taking reservations for large parties only. What we love is the capability for the Inn to host your own special holiday party or family gathering in the tent (where many Sun Runner events have taken place over the years). The Inn’s chefs and event staff can customize a dinner party, lunch, or formal dinner, with entertain-ment, for any size group. And there are mid-week specials! Of course, if you’re looking for stocking stuffers that everyone will love, pick up 29 Palms Inn gift cards at any amount—they’re welcome gifts any time of year.For reservations and information, call (760)367-3505. For getting the whole family into the holiday spirit, we recommend checking out Wild Lights at The Living Desert, which runs November 23 through New Year’s Eve. The Liv-ing Desert, which is always wonderful, really brightens up those dark winter nights during Wild Lights, and works its own seasonal magic: www.livingdesert.org.

2015

Detail from a custom table by cory hamilton at artfx & furnishings, old town yucca valley.

3www.sunrunnersw.com Nov/Dec 2015

get inthe spirit


No, we haven’t really figured out what it is about pumpkin spiced

everything that folks have found so appealing, but if you’re out and about and you want the best pumpkin spiced latte in the hi-desert, then it’s tme to head on over to Café Ma Rouge in Old Town Yucca Valley. Not only is it delicious, but it’s organic as well, using free-trade organic coffee beans, organic milks, and organic syrups. Yum! I f you stop in at Ma Rouge you must gaze into the depths of their baked goods case. Their pies, quiche, and other goodies are perfect holiday treats, for gatherings, or for yourself. They’re all baked fresh at Ma Rouge, with no preservatives or additives, and they’re made from organic ingredients whenever possible. Down the road in Old Town Yucca Valley, Rainbow Stew offers tasty goodies from local hi-desert bakery, Aunt Cindy’s Cookies. Don’t worry—if they run out in store, you can order cookies and cookie mixes (so you can bake your own), online at www.auntcindyscookies.com. Check out the 14-inch Giant Cookie Mix Set that provides what you need to be able to bake your very own cookie that’s bigger than your own head! Natural Sisters, in downtown Joshua Tree, serves up all kinds of yummy treats, including the best vegan pies in this galaxy! Joshua Tree Health Foods not only has plenty of great gift ideas and stocking stuffers, from Anna Houghton’s Anna’s Bananas dolls, to Elise Kost’s jewelry, clothes and accessories, Paleo and Sacred chocolates, and even organic beers, but

they also offer an excellent selection of biodynamic organic wines perfect for your holiday table. Biodynamic wines are not just good for you, but they tend to have more vibrant tastes and usually rank superior in taste, body, and aroma, to their organic counterparts. Joshua Tree Health Foods also carries organic small batch-roasted coffees from Joshua Tree Coffee Co.—just what Santa needs after

a long, hard night at work! If you find yourself in need of tasty seasonal cocktails to add to your holiday cheer, then we recommend a visit to the 29 Palms Inn, where tasty craft cocktails abound.


The beauty of the desert is revealed in words and images through the creative talents of one hi-desert

couple, poet Cynthia Anderson and photographer Bill Dahl. Together, Cynthia and Bill have created some collaborative works that weave Cynthia’s poetry and Bill’s im-agery into delightful books that make perfect gifts for any desert fan. You can pick up copies of their books in the hi-desert at Rainbow Stew, in Old Town Yucca Valley, or out at The Raven Bookshop, on the highway in Twentynine Palms. Outside the hi-desert, you can eas-ily find and order their books on www.blurb.com. Just search for Cynthia An-derson. You can find out more at www.pencilchollapress.weebly.com, and you can see more of Bill’s photography at www.billdahlphotography.com.



Out here in the desert, it’s hard to even imag-ine there being so much water you could hide a whole civilization underneath it, but

author Robin Maxwell pulls it off with her latest novel, Atlantos. Atlantos is not just another Atlantis fantasy novel. As Graham Hancock noted: “I wasn’t expecting much from an Atlantis-themed novel, but Robin Maxwell’s Atlantos is a tremendous, exhilarating, unputdownable SURPRISE with deep and engaging characters and such a clever plot full of twists and turns and unexpected challenges. These qualities, and the sheer sustained craftsmanship of the author from first page to last, combine to make Atlantos a bril-liant read. But beyond that, this unique novel offers a plausible, completely unexpected explanation of the Atlantis mystery, and with it some real food for thought for anyone interested in the secrets of humanity’s forgotten past.” Robin continues to surprise us readers with the ease from which she moves from the world of Anne Boleyn, to Irish pirate queen Grace O’Malley, to Leonardo da Vinci’s mother, to Juliet Capelletti, of Romeo and Juliet fame, to Jane, of Tarzan and Jane fame, often turning to strong female charac-ters, whether historical or fictional. If you want a real treat for the holidays, you can actually arrange a weekend getaway with the author. You’ll stay at their High Desert Eden accom-modations, enjoy gourmet meals, go on nature hikes and tour the Pipes Canyon and Pioneertown areas, and spend time discussing Robin’s bestsell-ing novels and the art of writing historical fiction and even science fiction, with Robin in person. Get more information on Robin and her books and where to purchase them, at www.robinmax-well.com.

Share a little warm desert cheer and send the best of the real desert to friends and family wherever they are. Subscriptions to The Sun Runner are now

$12 per year, or only $20 for two years. International subscriptions are $24. Want to support your independent desert media? Subscribe yourself and join our base of subscribers around the country. You can use the form toward the back of this issue, or you can go online and order on our website at www.sunrunnersw.com. If you prefer a digital subscription, just visit us in the Travel and Lifestyle sections at www.Magzter.com, and you’ll have the enhanced digital editions ready to download to your tablets, phones, or desktop. When you subscribe, you support the work here at The Sun Runner, and our efforts to promote our commu-nities, stick up for our wild lands and cultural resources, and our ongoing sharing of desert destinations and road trips to encourage you to discover your desert.


David Haldane has had a long career in journalism, begin-ning as a reporter for the Berkeley BARB, and winding up with the Los Angeles Times for 23 years, back when the

Times still had editorial staff. He’s written for a broad range of publications, and he’s somehow wound up in Joshua Tree, on his way to the Philippines. Don’t ask—read his book instead. Haldane’s memoir, Nazis & Nudists, is an entertaining romp through the Sixties and Seventies (without romanticizing the period) that brings you along for the ride, through the heyday of activism in Berkeley, to finding love, and his own personal “green leafy space,” on a remote island in the Philippines. He weaves together his personal experiences in a narra-tive road trip through his past that makes for a great read. You travel to exotic (and then, not so exotic) places and gain a fresh perspective on those he encounters along the way—Arnold Schwarzenegger, Joanna Leary, a young Bernie Sanders, and many more icons of the times. Nazis & Nudists is well paced, enlightening and entertaining, as well as poignant, and often hilarious. Haldane’s journey is sometimes intensely personal as well. It might not be so much about following your heart, as finding it. If you have an interest in the culture of America during the 1960s and ‘70s, and you enjoy a good read, this is one ride you want to take. Nazis & Nudists is available through all major booksellers. If you would like a signed copy, please contact us at [email protected].


Mari Collier appears, for all purposes, to resemble a nice, little old lady from Twentynine Palms. But boy,

can appearances deceive! Mari (who really is sweet, with a laugh that makes you kind of wonder if she knows more about extraterrestrials than she’s let-ting on), was possibly abducted by aliens or something, because she’s cranking out science fiction blockbusters that just make you scratch your head when you meet her in person. She has a series, the Chronicles of the Maca, which includes several volumes now—Earthbound, Gather the Children, and Before We Leave; along with Man, True Man, and her Twisted Tales From the Northwest (which we could have added to, had Mari inquired). The Chronicles of the Maca series is, as Greg Gilbert, a trustee and professor emeri-tus at Copper Mountain College, notes, “original and compelling literature.” Mari essentially bends the sci-fi model to inter-ject aliens into 19th century America, and she did this long before the movie Cowboys & Aliens, hit the screen. This genre-bending author is adding up the five-star reviews on Amazon.com, while gathering quite a fan base, and deservedly so. When she’s not posting brief comments on social media about the subtleties of the coloring of the desert’s morning sunrise (if she’s up in time to see it), she works hard on stranding aliens in the Old West! You can find Mari’s books on Amazon, and Barnes & Noble online, most are avail-able in both softcover and e-book formats. Bundle up the Chronicles of the Maca for someone on your list who enjoys sci-fi and the frontier!

Roger Naylor is one of the premier travel writers of the South-west. He’s the author of Arizona Kicks on Route 66, Death Valley: Hottest Place on Earth, as well as Boots and Burgers, An

Arizona Handbook for Hungry Hikers. Roger explores Arizona one trail—and one restaurant—at a time. He’s fun and informative, and loves his job. Roger’s books are available in Arizona stores and on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. For more information, visit www.rogernaylor.com.

http://www.rogernaylor.com

These days, we text, we e-mail, we poke, we comment, and few of us seem to find the time to actually write something and send it off to someone. But oddly, we love it when someone writes something

and sends it to us. Desert photographer Cheryl McDonald puts the im-ages she crafts and makes a series of beautiful greeting cards she calls “Cards With a View.” Cheryl’s cards focus on the stunning beauty of nature and the sea-sons in the desert and Sierra, as well as our favorites - the Abandonment Issues series that includes scenes from Bodie, Darwin, Dunmovin, Death Valley Junction, Randsburg, and even Burro Schmidt and Bickel Camp. A set of five cards is $20, and makes an excellent gift for desert lovers. If you order five sets, you’ll receive a signed 8x10 print of your choice free.Order at www.cherylmcdonaldcreative.com.


On the dusty Mane Street of Pioneertown, you can find a busy and inspiring hive of creativity and clay, called MazAmar Art Pottery. Here you’ll encounter

Thomas and Amara Alban and their dedicated crew of pot-ters making some truly unique and colorful pottery, from bowls and platters, to vases, tiles, little shot glass things, tumblers, and their hallmark Joshua tree mugs. There’s really nothing like usable art work to elevate the mundane world of every day life to a new level. Here at Sun Runner World Head-quarters, we serve food out of handmade bowls onto handspun plates, while drinking from handmade mugs and tumblers from MazAmar. These one-of-a-kind affordable works of art, infused with love, and a love of creation, are ideal gifts for the holidays.Order early at www.mazamar.com.


Want to send someone a taste of the real desert? Then head on out to China Ranch Date Farm in Tecopa, near Death Valley.

China Ranch is a large and magical oasis where more than 1,500 date palms, some unique to the ranch itself, thrive near the Amargosa River. Their gift shop is open 9 to 5 daily (except Christmas day), and the ranch makes an excellent spot to picnic and hike if you’re in the Tecopa area, with the added bonus of having the desert’s best date shake waiting for you when you come back from exploring a slot canyon or hunting for the track of the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad. If time is short and you can’t make it out to China Ranch, you can always order their dates and date goodies online. Their date samplers are divine, or you can order deglet noors, black dates, halawy, khadrawy, medjools, China Ranch Gold, or China Ranch hybrids, by the pound. You literally cannot get some of these dates anywhere else. Then there is the highly addictive (don’t say we didn’t warn you) date bread, and date cookes. This is our favorite desert gift pack, and no, you cannot ever have enough date bread from China Ranch. Period. We’re not proud. Our mailing address is on the back cover. This stuff is sooooo good. We’ve been good almost all year! Santa! Order from www.chinaranch.com, and tell Brian and his crew The Sun Runner sent you.


Donna and Larry Charpied are not only desert trea-sures and true heroes for their role in the decades-long battle against the Eagle Mountain landfill, the

world’s largest garbage dump proposed for the border of Joshua Tree National Park. They’re also California’s only certified organic jojoba farmers, running the LaRonna Jojoba Company. Out near Desert Center and Eagle Mountain, the Charpieds have perfected commercial growing of organic jojoba, and making 100 percent pure organic jojoba oil. Jojoba is one of the desert’s underutilized commercial crops. Similar to sperm whale oil, jojoba has many appli-cations from industrial, to pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications. Most of us use it for skin care, where it works great on dry skin. It is said to be helpful with improving skin conditions as well, and it’s also a great hair conditioner. It can also be used for makeup removal, easing the pain of sunburn, as well as for a bath oil or massage oil. Guys can use it before shaving to prevent razor burn. And a little goes a long way. Jojoba oil is true desert gold, with no additives or contaminants, and for anyone who is trying to maintain smooth, supple skin out here, it makes for a great gift. You can order at www.laronajojoba.com.

If you’re looking for a good cause to support, and you’re a fan of native crops of the Southwest, then you should place Native Seeds/SEARCH on your shopping list. You can find

everything from Holy Mole, to San Pedro River Salsa, Sonoran Blend Granola, Elderberry Cocoa, chiles and chile powders, herbs, teas, mesquite poppy seed scone mix, pinole, corn flour, indigenous beans (many from the fantastic Rancho Gordo folks), and corn, ready to use in your winter cooking. There are seeds for you to grow your own Southwestern crops, as well as health and beauty products made from native ingredients. All of this supports Native Seeds/SEARCH and their mis-sion to preserve the varieties of native plants of the Southwest for future generations. They have a seed bank of more than 1,800 varieties of arid-land adapted agricultural crops, many of them rare or endangered. To order, visit their site at: www.nativeseeds.org.


A lot of us enjoy knowing the gifts we give and receive help support something dear to our hearts. Support-ing local, independent desert businesses is vital, and

it is also important to support our non-profits, our perform-ing arts and cultural groups, community organizations, environmental advocacy groups, and others. Here’s a sampling of some of the organizations you may want to consider this season. Please remember, many local museums and organizations have wonderful gift shops that directly support their operations as well. We recommend stopping in and shopping, as well as getting to know these incredible resources in our communities.And remember—it’s all about the spirit of giving.

Support/ & Give

Hi-Desert Nature Museum, Yucca ValleyThe museum was forced to drop its gift shop after budget cuts from the Town of Yucca Valley reduced their person-nel, but this little museum that could, still can. They work miracles for the community with their family friendly pro-gramming, lectures, exhibits, and special events, which are mostly free for the community. You can become a sponsor/member for as little as $15 per year.www.hidesertnaturemuseum.org

29 Palms Art Gallery/Twentynine Palms Artists’ Guild,Twentynine PalmsLocated in a 1936 historic adobe, the Twentynine Palms Artists’ Guild is the oldest arts organization in the hi-desert, founded in 1951 by a group of eminently respectable desert artists, including John Hilton. The gallery is home to regular arts exhibits, as well as art classes and events. Membership begins at $25, and the gallery has a delightful gift shop as well.www.29palmsartgallery.com

The Old Schoolhouse Museum/Twentynine Palms Historical Society, Twentynine PalmsFrom restoring the old Hastie Bus to conducting oral history reviews and much more, the historical society has created a fascinating museum, hosts lectures and special events like the fantastic Weed Show. They’re working on a museum expansion project that would provide the community with a larger event space for lectures and other happenings. You can become a member for as little as $25, and membership gets you the Schoolhouse Journal.www.29palmshistorical.com

Mojave Desert Land Trust, Joshua TreeThe MDLT is actively purchasing and caring for desert lands across the California deserts, preserving them for future generations. Membership begins at $25. www.mojavedesertlandtrust.org

Shoshone Museum, ShoshoneA lovely small museum in one of our favorite desert towns, with lots of big stories to tell! Meet Shoshone’s local mammoth, and enjoy a great gift shop and book-store. There is a Shoshone Museum Association on Facebook, but there is no membership information listed and no online store, so it’s time for a Black Friday road trip! You can catch China Ranch while you’re at it! (760)852-4524

The Amargosa Conservancy, ShoshoneThe lands around the Amargosa River are ecologically valuable, and they’re beautiful too. The Conservancy works to protect, preserve, and educate desert lovers as to the necessity to preserve this area for future generations. Membership begins at $35 per year and if you’ve ever hiked the area, you know it’s priceless.www.amargosaconservancy.org

Tender Loving Christmas/Tender Loving Cause, Yucca ValleyMara Cantelo is a one woman army dedicated to feeding the hungry, tending to the shut-ins, and ensuring the spirit of Christmas lives on in the hi-desert. She, through what appears to be sheer willpower, organizes a free Christmas buffet every year and feeds thousands, with toys for the kids, music, Santa, and lots of love. She’s incredible—she can warm any Scrooge’s heart! TLC is having meetings Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Yucca Valley Community Center to prepare for this year’s feast. You can donate food, money, or time. Call Mara at (760)333-2413 to help.

Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, Palm SpringsThis powerhouse of a local museum is incredible. The museum not only inspires people to learn about the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, but it introduces a vari-

Look for the Morongo Basin Historical Society’s 2016 calendar at shops throughout Old Town Yucca Valley.



ety of relevant issues, while bringing the spirit of Native cultures alive through their exhibitions (including online exhibitions), collections, archives, research educational programs, and great events like their Singing the Birds Festival, and Native FilmFest. The first Native American museum to be part of the Smithsonian Institution Affili-ations Program, this relationship has proved valuable on many levels, and all of us reap the benefits. Member-ships begin at $30, and yes, their gift shop is impeccable. www.accmuseum.org

Malki Museum, Morongo Reservation, BanningThe Malki Museum is California’s first museum founded by Native Americans, and it’s one of our favorites. Located on the Morongo Reservation, the Malki offers exhibits of Cahuil-la history and culture, a native plant garden, an excellent gift shop, and books. Lots and lots of books, especially since this is the home of the Malki-Ballena Press. The museum hosts a variety of events, including their annual agave harvest and roast, Kéwet celebration, and fall gathering. You can enroll in conversational Cahuilla classes, learn basket making, and more. Memberships begin at $30, which also gets you a 20 percent discount on all Malki-Ballena Press publications. www.malkimuseum.org

Maturango Museum, RidgecrestThe Maturango Museum is your local desert museum on ste-roids. What don’t they offer here? They have ongoing exhib-its about natural history, geology, and cultures of the region, revolving artist exhibits, educational programs, classes, spe-cial events, art tours, and tours of Little Petroglyph Canyon. Their gift shop is top notch, with lots of petroglyph inspired artwork. Memberships begin at $50, which includes free museum and membership-only event admission, as well as discounts on gift shop purchases, and museum activities, including the petroglyph tours. In addition, as a member you can visit additional museums that have a reciprocal agreement with the Maturango, for free. It’s a great deal! www.maturango.org

Main Street Murals, BarstowBarstow’s downtown features a variety of exemplary historic murals that depict the heritage of this crossroads of the Mojave. Main Street Murals is behind these, and also works with the Desert Discovery Center in Barstow to provide arts and educational programs for youth. They do a superb job and their Crazy Cactus program was a huge hit. Member-ship begins at $25, and if you’re in Barstow, make sure to visit the gift shop at the Desert Discovery Center.www.mainstreetmurals.com, www.desertdiscoverycenter.com

Route 66 Mother Road Museum, BarstowLocated at the Casa del Desierto Harvey House train sta-tion in Barstow, the Mother Road Museum is a wonderful museum packed full of Route 66 history. The gift shop is a must for roadies, and a nice variety of Route 66 gifts are available online. Memberships begin at $25, and if you’re going shopping in the gift shop, it gets you 10 percent off, so join first, shop later. If you’re a trainwatcher, bring a picnic lunch (from Poorky’s on Route 66!) and hang out at the Harvey House for a while. www.route66museum.org

California Route 66 Museum, VictorvilleAnother Sun Runner favorite, the California Route 66 Mu-seum is a fascinating museum of Route 66 history, with a focus on the Mojave and the road through the Victorville area. Plenty to see and do, including getting your picture taken driving a hippie VW bus on the road. The gift shop is great, and memberships begin at $10. You can also shop online for fun roadie gear and support the museum.www.califrt66museum.org

Morongo Basin Cultural Arts CouncilThe MBCAC is the leading arts organization for the hi-desert, producing the annual Hwy 62 Open Studio Art Tours, as well as numerous gallery exhibits around the Joshua Tree Gate-way Communities throughout the year. Memberships begin at $35, and you can sponsor an artist for a year, also at $35. www.hwy62arttours.org

Adopt-A-Native-Elder Program, Park City, UtahThis innovative program supports traditional Navajo elders who live in remote portions of the Navajo Nation, often in hogans, raising sheep and living off the land. The minimum sponsors are asked to provide for their adopted Elder is a Rainbow Food Box Set or Food Certificate for $103, twice a year, but gift certificates for groceries are available starting at $25. But this program goes far be-yond providing food for Navajo Elders. Many Elders also weave traditional Navajo rugs, and Elders began asking for someone to sell the rugs they make. Now, in addition to an annual rug show and sale, you can shop online for unique hand woven rugs and baskets, with all proceeds going directly to the Elders. Definitely a far better gift, with far greater benefit, than what you can find at a big box store. www.anelder.org

The Well in the Desert, Palm SpringsSome folks work miracles, and The Well in the Desert is a fine example of what dedicated ordinary people can accom-plish. They provide hot meals, emergency food assistance, and a broad array of services to those impacted by poverty, including the working poor, the homeless, seniors, handi-capped, and others in need throughout the western end of the Coachella Valley. We can’t say enough good things about these folks. Contribute what you can, and find out more at www.wellinthedesert.org.

FIND Food BankFIND is Food In Need of Distribution, the only regional food bank serving eastern Riverside and southern San Bernardi-no counties. FIND distributes more than 10 million pounds of food assistance annually to around 90,000 people every month through a network of more than 100 community partners—food pantries, soup kitchens, after-school and summer care, senior centers, faith-based organizations, and homeless shelters. With FIND, every $1 donation equals seven meals. You can even text “FIND” to 20222 to easily donate $10—70 meals. Isn’t that a great way to celebrate? www.findfoodbank.org

These are, by no means, our only suggestions for organizations to support. The more we invest in our communities, the better life is for all of us. Please remember your local no-kill animal shelters and animal rescue operations this holiday season too!


In the heart of Old Town Yucca Valley is a shop that proves beyond a doubt that a small, inde-pendent business run creatively, is a far better

choice for our shopping dollars than any big box retailer. ArtFX & Furnishings not only carries the work of dozens of desert artists, but is also home to the creative design genius of Carlos Reyes. Carlos designs everything from Joshua tree themed ear-rings and pendants, to lights, bags, sconces, and much more, then works directly with jewelers and artisans in Bali to bring his designs to life. The result is a fascinating blend of the colorful visions of desert artists and Carlos, with gifts for every budget and style.


Old Town Yucca Valley is truly blessed with some great shopping options. One shop that stands out is Rainbow Stew, which is a bit of a salamagundi of gifts, jewelry, books, essential oils, incense,

candles, local artwork, locally produced greeting cards, sage, lotions, crystals, and much more. But Rainbow Stew is more than a store. You can get your chakras balanced, relax to a crystal sound bath, chant for peace, join a flute circle, or even an energy healing circle. Watch for their annual Holiday Art & Craft Fair on Saturday, December 12!


One of the most intriguing and welcoming shops of Old Town Yucca Valley is Tamma’s Magic Mercantile. Here, you can find vintage goods, collectibles, yard art, local

art, jewelry, cowboy boots, furniture, lighting, and all sorts of goodies! We pretty much furnished an entire cabin from Tamma’s, and it’s almost impossible to go in there without finding something you absolutely must have. Smart shoppers know too that prices here are far more reasonable than down in the lower desert. Oh, and you can find collectible Star Wars merchandise at Tamma’s, too! This is gift country!

Ground Control Hobbies in Old Town Yucca Valley can make most of us feel like kids again. Remote control cars, drones (large ones with HD video cameras and

wee ones (see above), art supplies, model trains, rockets, model kits, paints and art supplies, telescopes. We can’t say it enough—skip the big box and get out there and patronize these excellent desert businesses. They’ll provide you with great gift options you’ll never find in stores that are big for nothing, and they provide the kind of service you’ll never get when you shop in a box, and you’ll meet some great neighbors too. Plus Star Wars. You can still get Star Wars stuff. Right in Old Town Yucca Valley. Happy gift hunting!

Need the coolest vintage clothing, original jewelry, and accessories? Shop The End in Old Town Yucca Valley!

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Try Sagebrush Press Bookstore in Old Town Yucca Valley!

http://www.29palmsinn.com

Documents

Sun Runner Desert Gift Guide 2015