Pechanga Is More Than A Casino: Journey Celebrates 5 Years

I didn't find out just how beautiful and serene the Inland Empire is until a few weeks ago.  My adventures in the IE have been limited to driving by and seeing it from the freeway or heading out for one day outings.  We tend to measure things in California by two things:  travel time (aka traffic) and miles.  The beauty of living here is that everything is in our backyard.  From the beaches to the mountains... there is something to do for everyone.  I promise you, the travel time is worth it.  Being completely removed from city life for 24 hours was exactly the peace and inspiration I needed.  Thank you Pechanga Resort & Casino for inviting me & my family out to learn about Journey at Pechanga!  Happy 5th Anniversary Journey!  My biggest takeaway:  Pechanga is more than a casino.

2 Queen Bedroom is spacious.  Some of the Pechanga Resort amenities:  24-hour Room Service, complimentary Valet parking, wireless internet, heated pool and hot tub with private sun-deck cabanas, sauna, 24-hour fitness center and business centers...  Our room amenities:  fully-stocked mini-bar, personal coded safe, Flat screen LCD televisions featuring on-demand movies...  Loved our view of the golf course.

My child loves traveling.  He was just as happy to see this bathroom!

After checking in and making sure the family was comfy, I had to run (literally) to Journey at Pechanga to make it for lunch.  (You could take a shuttle or walk)  It was well underway and I scarfed down my amazing steak so I wouldn't be late to my first workshop.  (Later found out that Chef Chong uses organic and farm to table so no wonder my lunch was so freakin' good!)         
My first workshop was meeting Tessa and Honey - Border collies that were brought on at the course (and made actual team members with real Pechanga access badges) as a kinder, gentler way to get rid of mud hens that if left unchecked, overpopulate and leave acidic, toxic droppings that create big messes and damage turf.  Tessa and Honey, highly trained canines, run the course for about four hours each day and scare away the mud hens from Journey’s many lakes and water features.

Superintendent John Martinez and his staff of 23 course ambassadors use no pesticides and minimal chemicals to ward off bugs, invading plants and other forces of nature.  Amazed that Journey at Pechanga is so eco-friendly!  I got to pet Tessa and Honey and they were so sweet!  Love!

Since Temecula is very hot in the Summer, Tessa and Honey's coats are trimmed down!

My next workshop was learning about golf from Journey Director of Golf and PGA Pro, Scott Mallory.  I'll be honest, my knowledge of golf was limited to the movie Billy Madison, miniature golf and Tiger Woods.  Having learned about a few clubs, exploring the golf course and actually watching Scott Mallory nuke it (golf lingo, obviously) - I have a better understanding of the sport.  It was what I always assumed it to be, relaxing.  Instruction at Journey can start as young as 3 years old with their Tiny Tees program in the Junior Golf Academy.

My fancy ride.

My last workshop for the day was The "19th Hole" in the golf course's clubhouse - Journey's End.  Chef Daniel Chong-Jimenez was a major adopter of farm to table food movement since the late 2000s and makes it his mission to serve flavorful and energizing meals to visiting golfers and guests.  Chef Chong showed us how to make easy banana and orange juice smoothies with 3 ingredients:  bananas, orange juice and ice.  

Simple and delicious!  I had 3 glasses!

This was actually my breakfast the next morning but wanted to keep it with Chef Chong's recap since it was so good!


I'm working on three more posts on our quick getaway to Pechanga - stay tuned for my thoughts on the rich heritage and culture.  For now, you can read about our dinner Paisano's at Pechanga