First Up at Morgans

Fans of Rattlesnake can finally dry their tears: Jimmy Schmidt and his A-team are back at Morgans in the Desert at La Quinta Resort and Club. Or, we should say, will be back as Winewomen were honored by last night's fab debut sneak preview dinner by Schmidt, Chef Brian Recor and sommelier Francois Cinq-Mars in support of Shelter From The Storm.

In case you weren't able to join us, plan to scout out Morgans' soft-opening beginning in early December before they officially open around Jan. 26th. Schmidt & Co. have already hit their stride as we savored exquisite cheese, olives and spiced nuts for starters with Pommard Champagne, followed by a floral-scented local fig salad accented by pink grapefruit-perfumed St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc.

Next came the double-whammy: entrees of Maine über-scallops with extra-terrestrial spaghetti squash and duck breast with wild mushroom risotto and crispy onions, served with 2007 La Crema 2007 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Pinch us, but not too hard - dessert's coming.


Pastry? Coming up, as Schmidt's team rolled out chocolate truffles with a big whiff of espresso shot on the finish, mini-chocolate mousse towers, two-bite fruit tarts and choco-laced strawberries that made us weak in the knees. Morgans' able staff kept us tanked on coffee and tea for the ride home.

Lovely Kate Spates introduced Shelter's moving video about the good they do and a prayer by a Sheltered sister, who tucked in her children at night thankful for an "average day" – a deep comment to remember on days when we're sidetracked by silliness.

Thanks to Jimmy, Kate, Michelle, John, Kathleen, Francois and all who made this debut night so magical. We'll be visiting you all season long – welcome back!

Encore at Miramonte

We had such a blast at last month's Winewomen & Song event at Miramonte that we're going back on Thursday, November 12th for a South African wine safari and more of Chef Nyerick's delights.

Our October 23rd event featured elegant and talented Romanian soprano Angela Bunea who filled the perfect night air with magical coloratura under a starlit sky. Accompanist Gale Enger, a virtuoso performer himself, provided signature polish to the performance. We thank Lola Rossi for wrapping the lovely lady in red's powerful voice in crisp sound and ethereal lighting.

At tables atop the Mediterranean Lawn, antipasti towers offered tempting treats to accompany Novas 2007 Chardonnay. Novas features wines made with organically grown grapes from Chile's Casablanca Valley. The gently oaked Chardonnay was crafted with a smidge of Viognier to add subtle tropical notes alongside refreshing citrusy fruit. Your Winewomen consensus: delicious and versatile.

Main courses were paired with a 2005 Novas blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Chile's warmer Central Valley. We enjoyed its ripe berry and dark cherry fruit with smooth tannins – a perfect accompaniment to chef's slow-roasted Black Angus sirloin.

Well in the Desert President Arlene Rosenthal gave thanks for our fundraising efforts and recapped the charity's outreach programs and support for the working poor, homeless and our less fortunate neighbors. Thank you, Arlene for all you do! Mark your spring calendar for Opera Arts' Opera Under the Stars dinner and show at the Renaissance Esmeralda on Saturday, April 17th.

Season is definitely upon us with two WinewomenPSP events this month. On Thursday, November 12th, a Miramonte encore on the Piazza: South African wine tasting safari courtesy of 4 Wines Plus More with special appetizers paired to each of five exquisite wines by Chef Nyerick. Details in our flyer here. If you haven't had South African Pinotage, don't miss the gold-medal winner we'll be serving from Clos Malverne – reserve today for this nearly sold-out event.

We'll post more information soon about our Friday, November 20th wine dinner at La Quinta Resort and Club's new Morgans in the Desert. Join us to welcome back chefs Jimmy Schmidt and Brian Recor to the desert culinary scene! You remember Jimmy and Brian from our Go Red for Women February event at Rattlesnake. Reserve with Kathleen today for this important event to benefit Shelter from the Storm. Welcome to the season of giving!

WinewomenPSP at Desert Woman's Show

Visit us at booth 202 at this weekend's Desert Woman's Show at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa. We're planning plenty of fun and show specials: Hand-crafted, original sterling silver and genuine Swarovski crystal wine charms.

We have eight colors to match your wine taste, or not. Heck, they're so gorgeous, you'll want to convert these wine charms to earrings or wear them as pendants. Find your fancy in champagne, rosé, pinot noir, bordeaux, malbec and more. At only $12 for one or two for $20 tax-inclusive, you can delight all the wine lovers on your holiday gift list.

After you visit the food and wine pavilion, visit our booth to try out our new WinewomenPSP logo wine aerators. Not only will they smooth out any rough spots in your wine, they'll also instantly aerate your wines to make them ready to enjoy as soon as you can pour. Can you drink to that? We thought so, too. Besides, they're so pretty on their cork-bottomed bases that you'll want to display them at home. Each aerator is dishwasher safe and comes with its own travel pouch so you can take it with you to restaurants or parties. You won't want to leave home without your wine friend.

WinewomenPSP member price is only $40 each ($45 for non-members) but don't forget: When you renew your membership, this logo aerator is your free 2nd anniversary gift! If you're not a member, sign up at the show for two years and you'll not only get your gorgeous wine bottle necklace welcome gift, you'll also receive your logo aerator. Make it your Halloween - Holiday combo!

Also, don't forget to pick up event flyers and sign up for our two faboo November events. Come to our first South African wine safari at Miramonte's Piazza on Thursday, November 12th. Chef Nyerick will prepare irresistible nibbles paired to each of the five exotic wines. On Friday, November 20th, we'll be treated to Executive Chef Brian Recor's debut at the new Morgans in the Desert at La Quinta Resort and Club. Join us to welcome back the former Rattlesnake chef de cuisine for a sneak preview wine dinner at what's sure to become La Quinta's culinary beacon.

We'll be at Esmeralda's Emerald Ballroom from 10 AM until 5 PM Saturday and Sunday. See you at the show!