Kendall’s Cafe: Borrego Springs’ Cozy Classic Diner

Actor Jon Hall, Borrego’s new honorary marshal (center), with the October 1949 Borrego Sun at the opening of Hoberg’s Desert Resort. From left: Sun publisher Paul Strand, Paramount starlet Mari Blanchard, actress Beverly Tyler and Jack Benson of Benson Tours. Photo by Gaylord Johnson, Borrego Sun, November 1949. Courtesy of the Fred Jee Collection.

Please join the Civic Foundation for its annual Old Borego Days celebration No, Borrego is not misspelled in the title above. This is the way Borrego was spelled back in 1928, when the first post office opened in what is now called “Old Borego.” The site is located at 1580 Rango Way. Please join the Civic Foundation for its annual Old Borego Days celebration of the historic heart of the Borrego Valley on Sunday, November 8, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The turnoff from Rango Way will be marked with a sign. Please note that no restrooms are available. Visitors will be able to enter the old post office and general store, originally run by Eslie Wynn, and view a fascinating video from the 1950s extolling the virtues of life in Borrego Springs. One of the first homes in Borrego Springs will also be open for public viewing, offering a nostalgic look back at life in the community’s earlier years. In addition, Borrego Springs Elementary School fourth graders, who study California history, will have their essays on display. Three students will receive awards for their writing on “Borego Now and Then.” Ram Media Foundation, the nonprofit behind the Borrego Sun, will also share display items from its archive, offering another glimpse into the valley’s past. Old Borego Days Sunday, November 8, 2026 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. 1580 Rango Way, Borrego Springs

Sheri Garcia and Ben Nourse work the grill during a previous Borrego Days Hot Dog Cookout at Borrego Outfitters. The annual community event returns Saturday, October 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Photo: From the 2015 Borrego Sun online edition, "Borrego Springs - April 1956, Acres Of Blooms"

From the Borrego Sun online edition, 2015 - In this photo, Chef Jacobs looks over a menu with Beverly Burnand and Mrs. Ron Chaney.

Borrego Springs Yacht Club Brings Model Sailboat Racing to Rams Hill Borrego Springs is home to an unusual desert pastime: model yacht racing. The Borrego Springs Yacht Club was founded in 2010 by Steve Luckman and Dennis Daoust. The club has grown to about 40 members and operates at a pond on the former nine-hole golf course at Rams Hill. Members race V32 sailboats, 32-inch non-motorized model boats controlled remotely through their sails and rudders. The boats were manufactured in California for decades but are no longer in production. Races typically draw 16 to 20 boats, with courses marked by duck decoys used as buoys. The racing season runs from November through May, although members can practice throughout the year. Six club events are held during the season, including Opening Day in November, the Pacific Cap in January, the Invitational in February, the Misplace Race in March, the Powder Puff in April and the Tequila Bowl in May. Winners receive trophies that are held until the next event. The club also maintains a palapa-style clubhouse and hillside seating overlooking the pond, providing space for members and spectators during race days. Membership was listed at $250 per year. The Borrego Springs Yacht Club offers a distinctive local version of sailing, combining competition, model boat craftsmanship and community activity in the desert. If you have any interest, contact Dennis Daoust at captain-havoc@earthlink.net .

Mid-century design and a community vision that began in 1965.

This column first ran ahead of the 50th annual Pegleg Smith Liars Contest in April 1998. Phil Brigandi, a longtime desert historian and four-time contest winner, died in 2019.

Borrego Springs Thrifting for a Cause: Support Veterans at Bargain Barn.