Villa Sundance has a great kitchen, as well as a hardwired gas grille.  If you decide to take advantage of the kitchen, the house is a short five minute drive away from both Bristol Farms and Ralphs.  If you want to stock up on good wine or adult beverages in general, Total Wine & More is about a ten minute drive away.  Lastly, there’s always Costco, which is one exit away east from Cook Street on Interstate 10.

If you want to dine out, there are a lot of choices close by, and use Yelp, but here are a few of our favorites.

If you’re looking for cheap and within five minutes, you’d be surprised at what you can get at CJ’s Diner.  Another inexpensive but decent diner experience is at JT’s Diner which is even closer.  A little bit more money, but not a bank breaker is Pizzeria Villagio.  Their pizza is pretty good, but their pasta dishes (my favorite is the lasagna) are very good.

Want dirt cheap but great Mexican food?  Look no further than El Ranchito Taco Shop.  Don’t fear the fast food nature of the place, it’s worth it.

In the mood for brunch?  Give Wilma & Frieda’s at El Paseo near Saks a shot, but beware, their wait times can be brutal.  If you find yourself hungrier than you’re willing to wait, across the street is Cafe de Beaux Arts, a French bistro that has done the job for the wife and I when we didn’t have patience for Wilma.  I’m also a bit embarrassed to admit this, but the restaurant at Tommy Bahama in El Paseo is great.

Looking to spend a bit more?  There’s always Morton’s or Cork Tree in the same development as the Ralph’s mentioned above, Ruth’s Chris on the 111 near El Paseo, or The Kaiser Grille.

Sometimes taking a drive is nice, and if you want to head to Palm Springs, Lulu California Bistro does not disappoint.

If you’re feeling adventurous, just explore around El Paseo.  We are yet to have a bad experience doing that.  Let us know if you find any favorites while you stay, and we’ll add them to the list, including an attribution, so people know who to blame.