Roadside Attraction

Maybe I should have written "the" roadside attraction because it's the only building of note on the 60 Freeway between exiting the 91 and before entering the 10 to Hwy 111 into Palm Springs.

Dowling Orchards' farm stand does have a street address - 38021 Hwy 60, Beaumont, CA 922223 - but trust me; it's the only building that is a business fronting the road.

Farm stands are usually devoted to fresh fruits and vegetables and Dowling certainly has those, but they also have tables and tables of packages of nuts, dried fruits and candy - kind of old-fashioned candy such as licorice whips.  They have a variety of handmade fudges as well as brittles - coconut and cashew brittle is my favorite.  Richie likes plain old peanut brittle.   They have a new line of sweet-flavored popcorns - Just Plain Caramel is to swoon over.

The back of the room has shelves of faddy "cute" hot sauces, many labeled "Kick Ass."  Mrs. Renfro's sauces and salsas take up shelf space there, too, but they're a dollar (or more) higher than they are in your local supermarket.  Someone's got to pay to haul them out to this god-forsaken store. 

Dowling's also has the only bathrooms between the 91 and the 10.  They are by no means "fancy" but they are there and usable.  (If you can possibly wait, the Palm Springs Visitor's Bureau has lovely bathrooms with state-of-the-art plumbing.) 

We stopped on the way down to the Springs to show our Brit guests an American roadside  farm stand and we stopped on the way home because I had to get some of that dandy caramel popcorn that Anne had gotten on the way into town.  $2 for a 6 oz. bag. 

Dowling's ... just another part of the lore (and lure) of Palm Springs.