By Fred Robledo

A glance to the memorable past unfurled a view of the optimistic future for the Escena Lounge & Grill, the centerpiece of the 16,000 square-foot clubhouse for the Escena Golf Club which re-opened to rave reviews a little more than a year ago.

Renowned architect Douglas Fredrikson pulled out all the stops with the artful use of glass, steel, concrete, rocks and mirror pools in designing the new look for Escena. Part of the look also includes abstract martini glasses, swizzle sticks, wood ceilings and covered walkways between the pro shop and the lounge, floor-piercing swizzle sticks that pierce

Some would call it a retro design from the 50s and 60s, an era which brings to mind happier times in Palm Springs when the likes of Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and all of their pals used the desert oasis as their personal playground much to the delight of their huge legion of followers.

“We prefer to call the design Mid-Century Modern,” said Mark Tansey, president of the Sunrise Golf Company that manages Escena. “We wanted to recapture the essence of that era when Palm Springs was flourishing.”

Not only was the nostalgic look recaptured, so were customers who started noticing the theme of the design.

What is happening now is beyond the wildest dreams of Tansey, who was just hoping Escena could hold its own in the Coachella Valley where locals barely notice anymore when a new golf development opens.

“I would say more than 80 percent of our customers are non-golfers,” Tansey said. “They come here because this place is unique, and, of course for the ambiance and great food.”

Tansey admitted in the beginning, even some of the locals needed a map to find the place for the first time. Located near the intersection of Vista Chino and Gene Autry Trail, neither the clubhouse or golf course is visible from the street.

“We don't get many people who happen to be driving by and see our place and decide to give it a try,” Tansey said. “We had to market it heavily for the locals and put up signage to make it easier to find. I am sure a lot of people drove around for awhile before finding us.”

Once found, it is obvious why customers keep returning.

When I visited Escena for the first time, I managed to find the entrance to the property on the south side of Vista Chino, then took a drive between plots of land that will obviously be home sites one day, and finally found myself in front of stunning clubhouse.

The first thing I noticed were the spun-steel swizzle sticks that pierce circular cutouts in the roof that illuminate the breezeway of the winged entrance to the clubhouse. Inside the Escena Lounge and Grill, I was greeted immediately and escorted past a circular sports bar to a table where I was treated to stunning views of the golf course framed by San Jacinto and Santa Rosa mountain ranges.

An obvious reason for the success of the restaurant is because Executive Chef Oscar Ayala is one of the finest chefs in the Coachella Valley. He has an extensive menu that reflect the teachings of his South American grandmother who loved to cook. Ayala's menus combine the best of American and South American cuisines and is tastefully presented.

If I had arrived early enough, I could have sampled one of his many omelettes or huevos rancheros.

On this day I enjoyed one of Ayala's lunch specials, an Escena Club Sandwich which features all natural turkey with applewood-smoked bacon and avocado piled high on sourdough bread with lettuce, tomatoes and mayo.

It was easy to see why Escena has become such a local favorite. It's a great place, not only for locals who visit for breakfast, lunch and dinner, for also for an after-golf cocktail or just to relax with friends either on one of the outside patios overlooking pools and the golf course or inside next to one of the cozy fireplaces.

“We want to do even more with the lounge,” Tansey said. “We are planning on having Jazz groups play on Wednesdays and Sundays.”

Can a piano bar be far away?

“That's another thing we might do,” he said. That would bring back more memories of the Rat Pack.

“We're still growing here,” Tansey said. “It's a pretty amazing story. Just a couple of years ago this place had to be closed because of the economic downturn. But our company saw the promise in this golf property and we wanted to create something Palm Springs residents could enjoy again.”

It didn't hurt that the course was designed by Jack Nicklaus or that each hole provided panoramic views of the mountain ranges. The course has four sets of tees and can be played as short at 5533 yards or as long as 7173 yards.

The course features rolling fairways, natural desert-scape plants, towering palms, streams, lakes and gorgeous views in every direction.

The course is already picking up awards. PGATour.com named it the sixth best public golf course in California. Palm Springs Life polled its readers and named it the top public golf course in the Coachella Valley.

With that kind of notoriety, Tansey is not surprised that the word is leaking out to desert visitors looking for new courses to conquer.

“This is going to help our tourism, too,” Tansey said. “Most of the resort hotels in Palm Springs don't have golf courses. We can work with those resorts and offer this place as one of their golf destinations.”

And the little secret Tansey knows is that once tourists play a round as Escena, they are certain to visit the Escena Lounge and Grill and mark it down as a place they have to visit again, and again, and again.

For more information on Escena Golf Club, go to: www.escenagolf.com