Living Out Palm Springs Wed, November 16, 2022 by Randy Garner Living Out Palm Springs is a new community created for active LGBTQ 55+ adults and their allies. It is under construction and will open Springs of 2023. It is designed to provide a beautiful, welcoming, safe, and inclusive living experience that celebrates the vibrancy of living authentically as an LGBTQ person. This 9 acre oasis will include more than 6 acres of dramatic landscaping, a large event lawn, outdoor dining areas, and walking trails. The landscape architecture creates welcoming community areas rich in color and vibrancy. Living Out Palm Springs will be Living Out’s flagship community created by Loren S. Ostrow and Paul Alanis, owners of Los Angeles-based real estate company, KOAR International. “With the support of the Palm Springs community, it is incredible to witness the progress that has been made for what will be a life-changing residential development for LGBTQ+ seniors and allies,” said Chairman of Living Out, Paul Alanis. “The dedication and hard work of all involved to bring to life these vibrant, safe, and welcoming set of homes is another step to address the needs of the LGBTQ+ seniors. As our flagship location, this will be a model for the expansion of Living Out communities across the country.” New Neighborhoods Living Out Palm Springs has three large living wings that are being reimaged as neighborhoods and given new names honoring LGBTQ+ leaders. Neighborhood Del Martin and Phyllis Lyons Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, lifelong feminists and gay rights activists whose work included cofounding the Daughters of Bilitis, forming the Council on Religion and the Homosexual, and serving in the White House Conference on Aging. After being together for 52 years, Del and Phyllis were the first same sex couple to be married in San Francisco in 2004 and, again, in 2006 when the California Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. Feb. 12, 2004 -Phyllis Lyon, left, 79, and Del Martin, 82, right, both of San Francisco and a couple for 51 years, hold up their marriage certificate outside City Hall after they were married in a civil ceremony in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) Neighborhood Carl Bean Carl Bean was an American singer and AIDS and LGBTQ+ activist, the founder of the Minority AIDS Project in Los Angeles in 1985, and the founding prelate of the Unity Fellowship Church Movement, a liberal protestant denomination that is particularly welcoming to LGBTQ+ African Americans. Archbishop Bean lived his life openly and dedicated his efforts to providing aid to underserved members of society and, in particular, providing a safe place for LGBTQ+ people of faith. Neighborhood Connie Norman Connie Norman, the self-proclaimed “AIDS Diva”, was a pioneering AIDS, gay, and transgender rights activist with ACT UP/LA in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s—long before being a transgender woman was remotely accepted by even the gay community. She worked on the passage of AB101 to prohibit employer discrimination based on sexual orientation and hosted the first daily commercial talk radio show about gay issues in Los Angeles. Alice B. Restaurant The “Alice B.” restaurant at Living Out Palm Springs is scheduled to open Spring 2023 and will be open to all. It will include both indoor and outdoor seating and offer catering services. The menu will showcase the latest and greatest ingredients from around the world with a seasonal Southern Californian approach. The name, Alice B., was inspired by the legendary California-born author Alice B. Toklas, who wrote, amongst other things, a memoir disguised as a cookbook chronicling her life with partner Gertrude Stein. Alice and Gertrude shared a publicly acknowledged and enduring relationship for nearly four decades and, as members of the Parisian avant-garde of the early 20th century, hosted regular salons attended by relative “unknowns” who would go on to become some of the world’s most influential and celebrated artists and writers. Gertrude Stein & Alice B. Toklas Led by Celebrity Chefs Susan Feniger & Mary Sue Milliken Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger are award-winning chefs, cookbook authors, television personalities, and entrepreneurs. Mary Sue and Susan are highly successful individuals as well as an irresistibly dynamic team. From chef to television, their careers began in 1993, as two of sixteen chefs invited to cook with the legendary Julia Child in her PBS series “Cooking with Master Chefs.” They brought their innovative approaches to The Food Network with nearly 400 episodes of the “Too Hot Tamales” and “Tamales World Tour” cooking series, have co-authored five cookbooks together, and were also the original co-hosts of the popular food-centric radio show, KCRW’s “Good Food”. They have both competed on Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters” series, each winning money for their selected charities. “We are incredibly excited to open our new restaurant, Alice B., and bring our cuisine to Palm Springs,” said Susan Feniger. “It’s been an absolute dream of mine to open a restaurant with fantastic food, full bar, and live music so we were thrilled to be the culinary team behind Living Out’s full-service restaurant and piano bar.” Mary Milliken & Susan Feniger Tailwaggers Pets Tailwaggers has served the LA area since 2003 and it considered one of the top pet accessories stores. Gay owned, they have always celebrated the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community by consciously creating a welcoming, safe, and supportive environment for all who work in or visit their stores. This retail store will offer healthy, natural pet care products that are consistent with a holistic approach to pet health. In addition, they will offer full grooming services, doggie daycare, and overnight boarding. Their personal pet concierge services are available for those times when you are away or just want a trusted assistant to walk or feed your pup.
Palm Springs Girls’ Getaway Guide Wed, November 9, 2022 by Randy Garner Are you looking for a fun-filled girls’ getaway? Then look no further than Palm Springs! This desert oasis is the perfect place to stay, relax, enjoy delicious food, and have fun. And with our retro vibes, Palm Springs is the ideal place to getaway and celebrate with friends. Credit: Jamie Everhart Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Not only is Palm Springs renowned for its stunning natural beauty, but we also have a wealth of activities and attractions to make your girl’s getaway fun. Have a Pool Party Palm Springs was built for poolside lounging, so pack the picture-perfect inflatable pool floats. Whether renting a house or staying at a resort, a pool party is a must. If you’re staying in a vacation rental with your private pool, spice it up and let the Cabana Boys make your pool party an event to remember. These guys offer butler and party-hosting services to turn an average day at the pool into a unique experience you can’t wait to tell your friends about. They will serve you drinks and refreshments, take pictures (or pose with you), be Spotify DJs, and help with party/drinking games. Credit: Miller Affect Enjoy a Spa Day Palm Springs girls’ getaway is the perfect opportunity to book relaxing massages and facials for you and your best friends. While there are many incredible options to choose from, definitely consider Estrella Spa at the Avalon Hotel. Besides amazing treatments and massages, the spa also features an outdoor hot tub, private courtyards, fitness facilities, and more lux amenities. The 10,000-square-foot St. Somewhere Spa at Margaritaville Palm Springs offers relaxing massages, facials, salon services, body treatments, tanning services, hair and nail services, and makeup applications. There are 18 treatment rooms and a separate full-service salon. (The spa can host groups having treatments done at the same time.) St. Somewhere Spa The Parker Palm Springs’ colorful midcentury style by Jonathan Adler is a design lover’s heaven. Head past the immaculately-designed grounds to Palm Springs Yacht Club, where you’ll find a charming country club atmosphere with dreamy nautical decor. The 18,000-square-foot spa usually offers sea-inspired treatments. Get Outdoors and Explore Sure, it’s a touristy activity, but riding the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is a must for things to do in Palm Springs. Traveling two miles, the tram ascends from 2,600 to 8,500 feet in just 10 minutes, offering spectacular views of the valley. As you arrive at the Mountain Station, you’ll find observation decks, restaurants, a museum, and the entrance to Mount Jacinto State Park. If you’re up for a hike, escape into nature and continue the day at the state park, where you’ll find over 50 miles of trails. Established in Palm Springs since 1938, Moorten Botanical Garden is a privately owned arboretum created to share the beauty and extraordinary varieties of desert plants with everyone who visits. The featured desert trees, plants, and cacti come from around the world and range in size from miniature to giants. It makes some great photo opportunities to remember your Palm Springs girls’ getaway. Credit: Brianna Broyles Photography A morning hike in Indian Canyon Trails is a great way to start the day. The path around the natural creek in Andres Canyon offers a shorter and shaded. You will find the views absolutely stunning. Or enjoy a shaded stroll through Palm Canyon. Social Cycle is a great group experience perfect for a Palm Springs girls’ getaway. Tours are booked with a two-hour minimum and can be custom-tailored to your needs. Tip: Most resorts offer complimentary bikes to explore the neighborhoods. Take A Walk Credit: Flytographer Treat Yourself to a Shopping Spree You can stop in the flagship boutique of Trina Turk for trendy summer dresses and swimwear. Browse the Shops at Thirteen Forty-Five, where you can find a collection of high-end boutique shops under one roof in the midcentury modern E. Stewart Williams building. Check out the curated collection at Thick as Thieves, a charming, locally owned boutique in a 1920s bungalow. Just Fabulous is also a great gift shop for things like home accents, books, holiday décor, cards, and even pool floats. The Ultimate Palm Springs Shopping Spree. Wine & Dine The food scene is as delicious as it is fun and festive. This desert oasis is home to some of the best brunch spots, happy hours, and restaurants around. So whether you’re looking for a casual meal or a girls’ night out on the town, Palm Springs has you covered. Enjoy Brunch From classic brunch spots to new favorites, here are some great places to enjoy brunch in Palm Springs. Farm offers a great farm-to-table menu with a cute outdoor patio in central downtown. It is a top-rated French restaurant with a charming Provence style. They are known for their sweet and savory crepes, brioche French toast, and various fresh omelets. Please make a reservation as this is very popular. Cheeky’s is one of the most popular breakfast stops in the Uptown Design District. They don’t take reservations, so there’s almost always a wait. They are known for specialties like their scrumptious bacon flight. It’s a bit of a hipster vibe with a full bar serving morning margaritas and their famous spicy bloody mary. Spencer’s is more formal, with a beautiful patio tucked up against the San Jacinto Mountains. It is best known for its variety of benedicts, including the popular and often hard-to-find lobster benedict. Pair with a refreshing mojito or bellini for that extra kick. Pinocchio’s, in contrast, is very casual and known for its budget-friendly bottomless mimosas. Great for larger parties with plenty of outdoor seating. Wilma & Frieda’s menu is based on family recipes and upscale comfort food. It has a refined atmosphere on the second floor overlooking Palm Canyon. Try their churro waffle or signature griddled meatloaf and eggs. They also make house-made pop tarts! More Brunches Sip Early Evening Cocktails When the sun goes down, you have no shortage of options for where to toast with friends. Palm Springs has a great cocktail culture and many places to explore. Seymour’s is a beautiful and rich speakeasy at Mr. Lyons. It features lush interiors, moody lighting, and a sneaky unmarked side entrance. Credit: Seymour’s V Wine Lounge is a beautiful mid-century style lounge serving boutique California wines, small production international wines, craft beers, throwback cocktails, and a small, cheese-heavy (yum!) menu. Bootlegger Tiki serves hand-crafted Tiki cocktails in a dim but playful atmosphere. See all the hippest Tiki hangouts. See the Happy Hour List Make a Dinner Reservation After drinks or happy hour, head over to a local restaurant and continue the fun. Eight4Nine offers several beautiful, private spaces and perfect for celebrating life’s special moments. The food is contemporary American, and you’ll love the unique white and pink décor. It’s also great for rehearsal dinners. LuLu California Bistro is also the life of the party. Their mezzanine level dining rooms can be arranged to suit the needs of your private party with seating available large groups. They can make dreams come true with top-notch food and service, custom menus, beautiful décor, and excellent audio/video equipment. Blue Coyote Grill is a classic Mexican restaurant with a huge outdoor patio. They are well known for their wild margaritas, which pack a punch. The restaurant is very casual and friendly. The Tropicale is a popular mainstay with locals and visitors alike. You will feel welcome with its coral-colored exterior and Tiki torch entry. While the interior is more formal with classic high-back booths, the massive outdoor patio is the way to go for a party. They also have a great happy hour, but get there early as it’s trendy. PS Air Bar is another fun, hidden treasure with different weekly programming. You can call ahead to make your reservation. It’s unlike anything you will experience anywhere else. Where to Stay for your Girls Trip The beautiful thing about having your girls’ getaway in Palm Springs is that nothing is that far away. Larger Resorts Some good reasons to stay at a large hotel are that they often have a variety of amenities, such as a swimming pool, a fitness center, a restaurant, and a spa. Most also offer a reward program. They usually have a large staff that can provide concierge services and help with any needs you may have. List of Large Resorts. Small Hotels & Inns We consider hotels with less than 50 room boutiques. They often offer a more unique and intimate experience than a large chain hotel. Plus, the staff will focus more on providing you a personalized experience. You can even choose your architecture style such as historic, midcentury modern, or Spanish/Mediterranean. Palm Springs has a large collection to choose from with almost 60 properties. You can even take over a small hotel like the Tiki Hotel, the Art Hotel (right next door), The Marley, Hotel El Sid, or the beautiful Limon Palm Springs. List of Boutique Resorts Hotel El Sid. Credit: Abbie Mae Photography Something in the Middle Mid-size may be the way to go. Not too large and not too small. We have over 30 to choose from. They may have more amenities than smaller hotels but are still small enough to offer a more personal experience than a large hotel. List of Mid-size Hotels Avalon House Rentals Privacy and built-in communal gathering spaces, plus the ability to prepare your meals and/or bring in a private chef or catering. Almost all homes have a pool and a nicely appointed backyard to hang out. Plus, having a group under one roof is always specialMarch-Mayan excellent. House Rental Agencies. No matter what you’re in the mood for, you’ll find it in Palm Springs. So what are you waiting for? Grab your best gal pals and start planning your Palm Springs girls’ getaway today! You May Also Like: Plan Your Spring Getaway
Downtown Park Earns Excellence Award Mon, November 7, 2022 by Randy Garner The Palm Springs Downtown Park has won the 2022 Award of Excellence for General Design from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). Landscape Architecture’s highest honor, this award celebrates design excellence, sustainability, climate adaptation, resiliency, and design value. Out of 506 entries, 28 winners were chosen. They were designed by Los Angeles-based multidisciplinary architecture and design firm RIOS. Community-centered Design Palm Springs Downtown Park is an inviting 1.5-acre urban oasis for residents and visitors to Palm Springs. The park lies in the ancestral homeland of the Agua Caliente band of the Cahuilla people, who seasonally migrated between the shady palm groves and meltwater creeks of mountain canyons in summer and the hot springs and temperate climate of the valley floor in winter. The park is also located on the historic Nellie Coffman’s Desert Inn site. An early booster of Palm Springs, Coffman stressed the space, stillness, solitude, and simplicity of Palm Springs. Nellie’s “four S’s” would inspire the park’s design, which amplifies the intrinsic qualities of this extraordinary place to immerse visitors in the multisensory beauty of the desert and celebrate Palm Springs’ legacy as a destination for health, nature, and pleasure seekers. The park consists of three spaces: the Palm Grove, the Outcrop, and the Theater. Each offers distinct programmatic capacities and reveals facets of the region’s dynamic geology, distinctive vegetation, and rich history. The Palm Grove The densely planted Palm Grove satisfies the need to achieve thermal comfort in the extreme heat of summer days. The tight arrangement of over 130 Washingtonia Filifera, California’s only native palm, was inspired by team hikes to Palm Canyon on the Agua Caliente Reservation. The canyon’s sandy floor and continuous canopy formed a cooling cathedral that significantly influenced the Downtown Park’s identity. The design team measured air temperatures inside and outside Palm Canyon and mapped the spacing of its palms. Most of the palms retained their frond skirts except where a fire had burned them off and charred their trunks. Some had even been struck by lightning, creating a sinuous trunk form known as a “snake palm”. For the park, palms of varying heights were selected for their unique and irregular forms and composed to create shady social eddies of varying sizes. 3D modeling of seasonal shade scenarios ensured coverage throughout the year. Custom aluminum park furnishings stay cool to the touch and are left loose for users to “follow the shade” throughout the day. Visitors can move them around. After dark, the grove is illuminated to glow like a lantern, inviting park users into the cooler evening hours. The Outcrop Team hikes in Tahquitz Canyon offered an up-close experience of the colorful banded rock formations offering striking views from the valley floor. The team abstracted this geology into a custom “sedimentary” finish for shotcrete vertical walls and pre-cast concrete modular seat blocks that retain slopes and form gathering spaces in the park. The uplifted geologic layers of the Outcrop reflect the amber tones that make up the San Jacintos, reddish and rumpled sandstones along the base, and desaturated and smooth granite along the top. Meandering trails rise with a landform at the east as the Outcrop becomes the backdrop for the park’s dramatic centerpiece, a powerful cascade inspired by Tahquitz Canyon’s iconic waterfalls. In front of the waterfall is an interactive water feature of jets and fog emitters that cools the heart of the park while bringing the magic of surrounding mountains into the urban core. The Outcrop’s westernmost extent contains park restrooms and a police substation fully integrated into the geologic structure. The Theater Park visitors flock to the shade of the Palm Grove and the relief of the Outcrop’s water features to beat the heat during the day, but at night, as temperatures come down, the Theater comes to life. This space honors the cultural heritage of Palm Springs. The theater hosts an array of events, from live performances, lectures, film nights, and music festivals, taking place on an elevated stage with a capacity of over 1,000 people on the event lawn and amphitheater seat blocks stepping up into the Outcrop. A palm frond-inspired shade canopy frames the stage and has a dramatic backdrop of the Palm Springs Art Museum and the San Jacinto Mountains. Materials The materials and the plantings in the park are rooted in the character and natural history of Palm Springs. Local ‘Palm Springs Gold’ stone was sourced from a quarry 10 miles away and used as boulders, cobble mulch, concrete topcast, and decomposed granite to complement the hues and tones of the surrounding mountains. Climate-appropriate native and regional desert plantings were specified to provide ecological habitat, attract native pollinators such as monarch butterflies and hummingbirds, and showcase the desert’s biodiversity. Mesquite and Palo verde trees provide shade and anchor a more arid and sculptural palette of ocotillo, agave, and barrel cactus on the Outcrop. Hesperaloe, bulbine, and desert milkweed are among the more colorful species in the Palm Grove planting areas, which also contain a series of rain gardens receiving and filtering all stormwater from the park. Armrests on the seat blocks increase accessibility while offering pops of vibrant color sampled from the blooms of the surrounding flora. Plant List ‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verde – Parkinsonia x ‘Desert Museum’ Deglet Nour Date Palm – Phoenix dactylifera ‘Deglet Nour’ Thornless Hybrid Mesquite – Prosopis x ‘Phoenix’ Hybrid Fan Palm – Washingtonia x ‘Filibusta’ California Fan Palm – Washingtonia filifera Variegated Foxtail Agave – Agave attenuata ‘Variegata’ Desert Milkweed – Asclepias subulata Tangerine Stalked Bulbine – Bulbine frutescens ‘Tiny Tangerine’ Sundrops – Calylophus hartwedii v. fendleri Sierra Starr Fairy Duster – Calliandra ‘Sierra Starr’ Sierra Gold Lemon Dalea – Dalea capitata ‘Sierra Gold’ Black Dalea – Dalea frutescens ‘Sierra Negra’ Rock Verbena – Glandularia pulchella Desert Dusk Hesperaloe – Hesperaloe parviflora ‘Desert Dusk’ Desert Flamenco Hesperaloe – Hesperaloe parviflora ‘Desert Flamenco’ Pink Parade Hesperaloe – Hesperaloe x ‘Perfu’ ‘Pink Parade’ Mexican Honeysuckle – Justicia spicigera Lindheimer Muhly – Muhlenbergia lindheimeri ‘Autumn Glow’ Mexican Oregano – Poliomintha maderensis ‘Lavender Spice’ Big Bend Yucca – Yucca rostrata Whale’s Tongue Agave – Agave ovatifolia Purple Three Awn – Aristida purpurea Desert Milkweed – Asclepias subulata Desert Marigold – Baileya multiradiata Sundrops – Calylophus hartwegii v. fendleri Grey Desert Spoon – Dasylirion wheeleri Golden Barrel Cactus – Echinocactus grusonii Brittlebush – Encelia farinosa Ocotillo – Fouquieria splendens Yellow Yucca – Hesperaloe parviflora ‘Yellow’ Desert Lavender – Hyptis emoryi Chuparosa – Justicia californica Creosote – Larrea tridentata Lindheimer Muhly – Muhlenbergia lindheimeri ‘Autumn Glow’ Deer Grass – Muhlenbergia rigens Hardy Spineless Prickly Pear – Opuntia canacapa ‘Ellisiana’ Desert Mallow – Sphaeralcea ambigua Arizona Rosewood – Vauquelinia californica Soaptree Yucca – Yucca elata You May Also Like: And the Winners Are…
A Better City for Pets Fri, October 28, 2022 by Randy Garner Palm Springs is a Certified City in the Better Cities for Pets program. This program helps cities be pet-friendly so more people can enjoy the benefits of a life with pets. We are committed to pets and pet owners and continuously adapt new ways to improve how they live, work, and play. With more progressive pet-friendly policies in place, we believe we are helping to change hearts and minds. Palm Springs Animal Shelter Partners across your city are working together to reduce pet homelessness and get more pets in loving homes. The Palm Springs Animal Shelter plays a leading role in providing programs for animals, pets, and pet owners. Choosing to adopt an animal rather than buying from a breeder or pet shop is the easiest and best thing you can do to help reduce the number of unwanted pets. They also offer a public vaccine and microchip clinic every Thursday from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm. Their Pet Food Bank currently partners with Mizell Senior Center’s “Meals on Wheels” Program, AAP Food Samaritans, Well In The Desert, and Bloom In The Desert Ministries to provide needed food to pets. Pet-Friendly Housing Palm Springs doesn’t have breed bans or other significant restrictions for pets. This makes it a great place for pet owners to live and visitors to stay, as they will not have to worry about their pet being discriminated against or banned from certain areas. Residents have pet-friendly housing options with minimal restrictions or unreasonable fees. Some of these housing options include apartments, townhomes, and condos. Additionally, there are many vacation rental homes and hotels that are pet-friendly. Arrive Palm Springs allows pets with no pet fee. Dogs and other friends are encouraged for their guests at The Rowan and their employees offer treats plentiful. If they can fit in the elevator, they are always welcome and free. Pets are welcome at Margaritaville Resort, including cats and feathered friends for no fee. The resort provides designated pet relief areas with complementary disposal bags. All Pet Friendly Hotels Dog Parks Palm Springs has pet-friendly green spaces for people and pets to get healthy exercise and connect with each other. The Palm Springs Dog Park is located behind City Hall. The park consists of 1.6 acres of fenced-in rolling grass with fire hydrants, dual purpose canine/human drinking fountains, picnic tables and benches made from recycled materials, solar lighting and shade structures. Dogs run and play leash-free. There is a separate play area for small dogs. Ruth Hardy Park is also pet-friendly. This open park is used for many different activities, including dog walking. The area is 22-acres in total, featuring tennis, basketball and sand volleyball courts, plus picnic tables and grills. Please ensure Fido is leashed at all times. There are also common areas throughout Palm Springs where humans can hand out with their pets. Dog Friendly Dining Palm Springs is fortunate to have sunshine almost every day. With that comes a lot of outdoor dining and patios that are dog friendly. Boozehounds is the newest on the block and is where dogs bring their humans. It’s a contemporary, multifaceted space where people can socialize with their pups. Their 7,000 sq. ft. venue features a dog-friendly open-air atrium, along with a cabana bar and patio. Named after the owner’s dog, Spencer’s offers an upscale outdoor dining experience where you can sit under the fig trees at pet-friendly tables with Fido. Spencer’s serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch. Another restaurant named after the original owner’s dog is Jake’s. Dogs are welcome at outdoor tables and will be given water bowls and dog biscuits. Cheeky’s is very popular and located in the Uptown Design District. They are known for their signature breakfast and brunch fare, along with plenty of dog-friendly seating. Just down the road is Eight4Nine Restaurant & Lounge. Fido is welcome to join you at an outdoor table. Eclectic and tasteful, their outdoor patio not only offers beautiful views of the San Jacinto mountains, it’s also one of the largest outdoor patios in Palm Springs. LuLu California Bistro is colorful and offers an expansive outdoor patio in the center of downtown. Their mister’s keep it cool for everyone even on those hot days. Escena Lounge & Grill has spectacular views and an expansive outdoor patio with plenty of space. All Pet Friendly Dining Things To Do Leashed dogs are welcome to join you while you visit Moorten Botanical Garden. This dog-friendly, historic botanical garden opened in 1938 and features several rare cacti. Visitors can also view crystals, colorful rocks, ancient fossils, pioneer and gold mining relics, and cacti of varying sizes from miniature to giant! The dog-friendly Palm Springs Air Museum is home to one of the world’s largest collections of flyable WWII aircraft and from Korea and Vietnam. All exhibits in the air-conditioned hangars are rope-free, allowing visitors to get an up close look at these historical marvels. In addition to the aircraft, exhibits and activities allow visitors of all ages to gain a fresh perspective of World War II. Friendly, leashed dogs are allowed to tour the attractions. Credit: No Home Just Roam
Escape to Palm Springs Fri, October 28, 2022 by Randy Garner By Kevin Perry If you’re looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life, Palm Springs is the perfect place for you. Serenity has cemented our city as the ideal place to wash away your worries. Rejuvenate at a perfect pace unparalleled by any other getaway. Palm Springs is the pinnacle of escapism. History of a Healthy Escape Relaxation bubbles up from deep within our landscape… literally. Natural hot springs put Palm Springs on the map. They were discovered by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians who have lived in the area for centuries. Agua Caliente means “hot water.” The springs are a vital part of their culture, and they believe that the water has healing properties. In the 1900’s, health seekers from all over the world began flocking to Palm Springs to experience the benefits of the hot springs. They would stay at Welwood Murray’s Palm Springs Hotel and enjoy the hot water he had leased from the Indians. First bathhouse, 1910. Credit: Palm Springs Historical Society. Nellie Coffman stayed at the Palm Springs Hotel in 1908, and while she liked the visit, she thought she could provide much better accommodations, so she purchased the Desert In in 1909. She, her husband Dr. Harry Coffman, and two sons, transformed the Desert Inn into a restorative respite for those suffering tuberculosis, asthma and arthritis. However, as medicine advances and cures for tuberculosis are found, Nellie converts her Desert Inn into more of a luxury resort. Your stay included your meals, and Nellie was a great cook. Guests who escaped to Palm Springs loved it and spread the news of their great stays at the Desert Inn. It became increasingly popular by the wealthy, social elite, and famous stars of Hollywood. She would later add an Olympic size pool, expand the dining room and add more rooms. [This was located in the blocks that surround the Kimpton Rowan Hotel] She would be a major influence on Palm Springs until her death. Earl Coffman, Nellie Coffman and George Roberson circa 1926.PHOTO COURTESY PALM SPRINGS HISTORICAL SOCIETY Hollywood Escapes El Mirador Hotel is later opened which also helped put the town on the map as a Hollywood destination. The relaxed atmosphere and natural beauty of the area appealed to many stars, who began spending time there both to work and to play. The Racquet Club would later open and cement Palm Springs as Hollywood’s Playground. It became a welcoming wonderland of celebrity activity. Hollywood stars could escape to Palm Springs from the hustle and bustle of Tinseltown and enjoy some rest and relaxation. The town was also convenient for stars who were working on films in nearby Los Angeles. Superstars like Rudolph Valentino, Rock Hudson and Cary Grant could shed their pretense and live their respective truths, if only for a glorious weekend. Palm Springs is an escape in every sense of the word. You can get away from judgment, you can get away from obligation, and you can get away from the everyday… let us count the ways. Rock Hudson at the Racquet Club Escape on Horseback In addition to the fact that silver screen legends have lived in our hometown since the advent of cinema, we also embrace the best that film has to offer. As Westerns ruled the box office, Palm Springs became a living, breathing movie set filled with cowpokes and stallions. Walt Disney owned a home in Smoke Tree Ranch before he opened Disneyland. Later, personalities like Gene Autry continued to establish Palm Springs as a western theme aesthetic, and nowhere is that legacy more vibrant than at Smoke Tree Stables. Mr. and Mrs. Walt Disney looking at building plans for their home in Smoke Tree Ranch. With a variety of tours and rides available there’s something for everyone at Smoke Tree Stables. From scenic desert rides through Andreas Canyon to educational tours about the area’s history and wildlife, your sure to have a memorable experience on horseback. “In terms of scenery, it’s spectacular,” declares stable operator Stacey Johnson. But the beauty of the trails extend from visual grandeur into an all-consuming escape for the soul. “Horses tend to mirror our own behaviors,” she continues. “So people get to experience their behaviors in real time. And it also offers them an opportunity to sort of reflect and then maybe make some adjustments that they’re noticing while working with the horses.” Off the Beaten Path There are many modes of transportation that can take you from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Red Jeep Tours provide an open-air passport from the comfort of Palm Springs to the majesty of Joshua Tree, Indian Canyons and the San Andreas Fault, just to name a few options. Explore the iconography that defines the northern ridge of town with the help of Palm Springs Windmill Tours. Get up close and powerful with the turbines that keep Coachella Valley running strong. Snap selfies, ask questions, and elevate your escapist experience! Or ascend even further into the stratosphere with Skywatcher Star Tours, a guided experience that brings the cosmos into sharp focus through a uniquely PS lens. Now that you’ve gazed at the galaxies, bring your perspective back down to earth for Five Star Adventures. You’ll be whisked away to a mid-modern wonderland of architectural excellence and celebrity gossip. Cavort with the likes of Lucille Ball, Liberace, Elvis and Marilyn as you walk in their glittery footsteps in an escape from reality. It’s unreal! Bikes, Hikes and Likes! Woven around the celebrity esteem of Palm Springs, you’ll find a maze of amazement. Cycling paths criss-cross our city, lending safety and possibility to your visit. Flex your pedal power with some help from Bike Palm Springs, a retro rental house stocked with vintage wheels. Choose your color and color yourself impressed! Even the storefront of this local landmark is Insta-worthy. Pose with your besties before setting off on a traditional ride OR upgrade your journey with an electric bike. Zap to it! Here’s a self-guided bike tour through South Palm Springs. If hiking is more your speed, step up to the majestic mountain trails perched just at the edge of downtown. Tahquitz Canyon, for example, boasts tribal art along the rock walls. The fascinating etchings usher you to a seasonal waterfall, so plan your trip and plan for transcendence and be sure to bring water. You can also wing it with a birdwatching trek to Andreas Canyon or go green with the verdant views of Murray Canyon, both in Indian Canyons. No matter which path you choose, you’ll be a Social Butterfly in no time. Post your pics and share your escape with all of your (envious) followers! A Pampered Escape Looking to relax and rejuvenate? What better way than to unwind and be pampered at a spa day. From luxury resorts to serene day spas, there’s something for everyone looking to pamper themselves. Weather you’re looking for a massage, a facial, or just some time to unwind in a tub, you’ll find it all here. The St. Somewhere Spa at Margaritaville is full-service and perfect for those seeking a spa with a more relaxed, yet modern feel. The Estrella Spa at the Avalon is an excellent choice for those looking for a spa with a more unique setting. The Palm Springs Yacht Club at The Parker is a luxury spa that offers a variety of services, including massages, facials, and body treatments. The spa also features a sauna, steam room, and pool. St. Somewhere Spa And don’t forget pool time!
Pride of Architectural Preservation Fri, October 21, 2022 by Randy Garner Historic Preservation and Sustainability are Natural Partners. Preservation and reuse of historic buildings reduces resource and material consumption, puts less waste in landfills, and consumes less energy than demolishing buildings and constructing new ones. Over the past decade, advances in high performance or “green” buildings have been numerous, but primarily have focused on new construction. As a result, the preservation and adaptability of historic and older buildings has not always been at the forefront of the ‘green’ movement agenda. Historic buildings can be upgraded with new technologies to maximize energy performance. Historic features such as windows can be repaired and restored for higher efficiency. In addition to saving existing resources and historic character, historic preservation means environmental, cultural and economic benefits for Palm Springs. We now have the window technology for floor-to-ceiling glass walls that allow us to experience the beauty of the desert. We can save them, and have them without huge energy bills or cantilevered roof structures. The midcentury modern houses with glass walls were seasonal residences, almost uninhabitable in the summer. Today’s year-round residents can have an updated design that is smart in its use of resources. Palm Springs believes architectural preservation, progressive design, and sustainable building practices are compatible goals. When we talk about sustainability in architecture, what could be more sustainable than rehabilitating and preserving our amazing catalog of existing, architecturally significant structures? This can be done incorporating green building technology. Architect Sean Lockyer, part of a new generation of desert designers, admires Frey’s Palm Springs residence (known as Frey 2). “It is a model for more sustainable, affordable small houses that utilize the beauty of their surroundings,” he says. “It’s a house that — through the richness of context, details, and materials — reads and lives like so much more.” The future of the city’s architecture is directly connected to preservation of existing buildings. According to architect Doug Hudson, “What we save and preserve is just as important as what we build,” he says. “One need only look at the success of Modernism Week as evidence. It draws thousands of visitors from all over the world. They come here to celebrate and experience our architectural history. We need to keep that momentum going in historic preservation and our new architecture.” By architect William Cody Kaptur Plaza – Example Kaptur Plaza is a great example of recent Palm Springs architectural preservation. It was the winner of a 2019 Preservation Design Award for Restoration. Award recipients are selected by a jury of top professionals in the fields of architecture, engineering, planning, and history, as well as renowned architecture critics and journalists. In making their decision the jury made note not only of the workmanship, but of the tremendous community involvement, stating, “this exemplifies a distinct moment in architectural time, and does a lot with natural cooling. The community rallied to save it, and it’s great that people in Palm Springs are really putting their money where their mouth is, preserving their heritage.” Palm Springs Plaza Theater – Looking Ahead Originally built in 1936, the structure was used for film premieres and screenings and was the venue for nationally broadcast radio theatre programs and other performances by Bing Crosby, Amos ‘n’ Andy, Jack Benny, Bob Hope, and Frank Sinatra, among many others. In its later years, the theater was home to the critically acclaimed and revered “The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies.” Over the decades, the building has deteriorated, so the City of Palm Springs has initiated a capital campaign to restore the beloved structure to its former glory. A fundraising campaign was kickstarted by a very generous donation of $5 million from David C. Lee. Recently, an anonymous donor has pledged an additional $2 million and issued a matching challenge to the city. The City of Palm Springs is contributing $2 million and the state is providing $2.5 million. Plaza Theater is a Class 1 Historic Site, so city ordinance dictates a careful process for alterations. Any work done to the building cannot significantly impact or materially impair the character-defining features of the historic resource, and must contribute to restoring the historic resource to its original appearance. When restored, the Plaza Theatre will be the only place available for the entire community to come together and utilize it as an affordable community venue showcasing diverse programming for all people, promoting multi-cultural programming in film, music, live theater, educational, comedy and entertainment for all. Palm Springs Architectural Preservation Organizations The Palm Springs Preservation Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate and promote public awareness of the importance of preserving the historical resources and architecture of the city of Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley area. The foundation is known for its publication of tribute journals dedicated to various desert architects and builders of the area such as William F. Cody, E. Stewart Williams, and the Alexander Construction Company. The tribute journals also celebrate Spanish colonial revival and Polynesian architecture, popular design styles featured in Palm Springs. Holding a prominent part in Palm Springs’ Modernism Week, the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation sponsors and holds many events in the area to educate the public on the importance of historical preservation and architectural appreciation. The Historic Site Preservation Board (HSPB) recommends potential historic sites and districts to the City Council, while fostering public awareness and appreciation of the City’s rich cultural and architectural heritage. Municipal codes made by the Palm Springs City Council are put in place to preserve and protect areas and specific buildings of the city that paint the picture of Palm Springs’ cultural, social, economic, political, and architectural history. Palm Springs Modernism Committee is a non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation and preservation of Desert Modern architecture and design. They accomplish this through education, advocacy for threatened buildings, promotion of heritage tourism, and the celebration of successes in preservation and adaptive reuse. PS ModCom has become one of the key players in turning the city into an architectural destination. Members of the committee also conduct annual modern home architectural tours and assist property owners restoring and upgrading historic buildings. William Cody’s masterpiece, the Abernathy Residence, a Class 1 historic site built in 1962.
Attention, Social Butterflies Wed, October 19, 2022 by Randy Garner Great Instagram Locations in Palm Springs If a photo opportunity pops up and you don’t post it on Instagram, did it even happen? Half the fun of traveling is showing off your dazzling destinations on social media! Luckily, our eye-popping vistas and jaw-dropping attractions offer enough selfie worthy selections to fuel your feed long after your visit ends. So, ‘Gram with gusto at the following picturesque Palm Springs places… A Warm Welcome What better way to start than at the iconic Palm Springs Visitor Center. Credit @theprint_thief Next to the Visitor Center is our beautiful Welcome Sign which makes a great backdrop. And there’s also another photo opportunity at the Palm Springs mural just behind the Visitor Center. Those Colored Doors If you’re on Instagram, then you’ve probably seen the famous Palm Springs colored doors. The Palm Springs colored doors are one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. People come from all over to take photos of these colorful doors. And it’s not just tourists; even celebrities have been known to snap a selfie with these doors! You will find these throughout the city, but with a concentration in the neighborhoods of South Palm Springs. https://visitpalmsprings.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/11121501/Visit-Palm-Springs-visitpalmsprings-Instagram-colored-doors-reel.mp4 Colorful Places If you like color, then the place you’ll want to stay is at Saguaro Palm Springs. Not only are they know for their pool parties, there are photo opportunities throughout the property. Credit @colormecourtney One of the most photographed edifices in town is the iconic entryway of The Parker. Characterized by a sunny orange door flanked by dreamy white lattice, this landmark is your portal to popularity – just snap, post, and voila! Credit @graymalin Public Art You’re ready for your close-up! Now’s your chance to star alongside one of the most iconic silver screen personalities of all time, Marilyn Monroe. Her towering likeness draws film fans and pop culture enthusiasts from all over the world. Pose against the San Jacinto Mountains or swivel around and capture downtown in your background. Any way you turn, you’re in the lap of legacy! https://visitpalmsprings.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/11121504/public-art-reel.mp4 In fact, our visionary vistas are peppered with public art. Even the benches in Palm Springs evoke desert whimsy and inviting vignettes. From the floral brilliance of Tysen Knight’s work to the pop-art realness of Emeline Tate’s benches to the playful patterns in designs by Paul Andrew Berry and Ernesto Ramirez, these seats will get you on your feet! Right downtown next to The Rowan is our PS I Love You sign, where you can become the “I” in I Love You. This is a great location because there is public art all around. But no selfie-respecting shutterbug should miss the opportunity to take flight with the rainbow-drenched Angel Wings downtown. Colette Miller created the inspiring initiative back in 2012, and her brainchild has since flourished into a global phenomenon. When you perch between these celestial appendages, you are part of a truly transcendent flock! Next-Level Views Indian Canyons in Palm Springs are a must-see for some spectacular social media content. The canyons are home to a variety of plant and animal life, and the views are simply breathtaking. Indian Canyons is sure to please. https://visitpalmsprings.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/11121501/Visit-Palm-Springs-visitpalmsprings-Instagram-indian-canyons-reel.mp4 Credit @halesyah Credit @travelwith.dna From swirls to twirls, take a spin with Palm Springs Windmill Tours. Just as the churning turbines have powered classic movies like Rain Man, they will also electrify your vacation photos! Credit @asyatravels For ultimate elevation, the Aerial Tramway is your ticket! Explore the mighty mountain ridge and discover photo opps on high. Depending on the time of year, you can see snow, waterfalls and even endangered species like bald eagles and bighorn sheep. Your portfolio will be wild and your followers will be totes jelz! Credit @luis_ivol Architecture & Design Star power shimmers from every corner of Palm Springs. You can selfie the day away at Frank Sinatra’s Twin Palms Estate. Don’t forget to include a shot of the piano-shaped swimming pool! Elvis Presley’s honeymoon hideaway. You’ll be the king (or queen) of Instagram! This is a private residence, so please take your images/video from the street. If your feed is more understated, consider a trip to Kaufmann Desert House, an architectural marvel. You’ll recognize this from one of the locations in the movie Don’t Worry Darling.
Palm Springs Certified Farmers’ Markets Mon, October 10, 2022 by Randy Garner Where Local Flavors Flourish Every Saturday morning beginning at 8 am, the Palm Springs Certified Farmers’ Market brings local farmers and vendors together to showcase the fruits of their labor. The market features farm fresh fruits and vegetables and artisan food products. Other items include such things as herbs, cheese, pastries, honey, nuts, olive oil, and fresh cut flowers. During October through May, the market is outdoors at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, who also helps sponsor the event. In warmer months (June – Sept.) it moves indoors to the Palm Springs Pavilion (401 S. Pavilion Way), just a couple of blocks away. Community Based Palm Springs has such a really wonderful and vibrant community,” declares Lauren Wolfer, Program Director of the Cultural Center. And here we have just a gorgeous, fabulous, international resort destination. But at our core, it is a small town and you really feel that experience at the Farmers’ Market. We have just an amazing customer base. People really treat our market like a grocery store. They come every week and they have their favorite farmers and their vendors and they really support us.” Community is a two-way street, and the Certified Farmers’ Market collaborates brilliantly with the many organizations that fall under its loving umbrella. “As a nonprofit, we support other nonprofits,” says Kari. “We invite others to come and table during our Saturday Farmers’ Market event. So you can meet the vector organization from the city, or the Master Gardeners to answer questions.” Chiming in pleasantly, Lauren continues, “Any money that is spent at the Farmers’ Market, anytime you choose to buy your groceries at a Farmers’ Market, you are directly putting money in the hands of the people who made your food and getting to meet the person who’s directly responsible for growing or raising your food. And that keeps that money here in the community. And not only does that have really profound ecological benefits, it really strengthens those community ties. Everybody eats.” More Than Fruits & Veggies The Palm Springs Certified Farmers’ Markets is mostly comprised of small family farms from all over the region. They produce some of the freshest, most nutritious produce that’s available in the region. But if you’re thinking that the weekly event is merely a collection of fruits and vegetables, think again! “We offer fish,” announces On-Site Farmers’ Market Manager Kari Kalinich. Vendor Highlights Robynn Joy Company – Robyn makes really exquisite candles and bath and body products. She also has remarkable nut brittles and toffee that are made with a special recipe to make them non-GMO. Most others are made with corn syrup, which is a big GMO product. She also has this really amazing candy that she’s developed specifically for the Palm Springs Farmers’ Market customers. Credit: Robynn Joy Arriola’s Tortilleria – Did you know Arriola’s is Southern California’s oldest tortilleria? This local favorite has been featured on KCRW’s Good Food for their exceptional tortillas and tamales. Don’t miss the classic beef tamales with red salsa, but they are also big fans of the queso and green chili variety! Enjoy them hot at the Palm Springs Farmers’ Market or take home a dozen for an easy weeknight meal. Olive Oil- The number one most-requested product is finally back at the Market thanks to Branch and Vine, a family company offering first press olive oils direct from Napa, and barrel aged vinegars infused with California sourced produce. Use them in your favorite recipes or drizzle on any dish just before serving for a major flavor boost. Farm Fresh Pickles & Jam – What’s more traditional than farm fresh canning? The Farm Stand Oak Hills preserves local small farm produce at peak flavor for you to enjoy all year long without the addition of artificial preservatives. Their delicious jams, jellies, pickles, relishes, and salsas will transport you to a simpler time. Soap and Skincare Refill Station – Eliminate excess waste and packaging from your life with It Refills’ sustainable collection of handmade vegan, cruelty-free skincare, haircare, and cleaning products. You can bring any empty container with a lid to be refilled or purchase a new container to get started. It Refills makes it easy to go green. New Blooms – This is a new flower farm based right here in the Coachella Valley. You’ll swoon over their market bouquets composed of freshly cut roses, sunflowers, zinnia, and even fresh herbs. Come early to snag one of their jumbo size sunflowers before they sell out. Dry Beans – Another market newcomer, Ian’s Farm has several varieties on offer, including Navy, Peruvian, Red Kidney, and White Cannellini. All just in time for those delicious and hardy fall soups and stews. Ian’s Farm also brings an abundance of locally grown, pesticide-free produce grown in neighboring Ontario. Keeping It Seasonal In late summer through fall, enjoy a wide range of apples. Apricots are more abundant late spring through early summer. Artichokes, spring and again early fall. Arugula is available all year, but best in spring and fall. “In the summertime, different farmers will have beautiful stone fruit, beautiful melons,” swoons Lauren. “We have fresh corn. All of these seasons are short, so folks need to hurry in because that’s part of the beauty of it. Something will come into ripen and it’s brought to market, and then that might just be for a few weeks. But we have fantastic gourmet mushrooms that are grown here in the Coachella Valley.” Many resorts in Palm Springs include kitchenettes, if you are so included to stir up a colorful and fresh meal. Others have refrigerators, allowing you to create healthy salads or stock up on local fruit for a later snack. Fresh baked bread and artisan cheeses also make a great packed lunch to enjoy at the new downtown park. Discover What’s New at the Palm Springs Cultural Center Seven Spots for Healthy Eats in Palm Springs
“Don’t Worry Darling” Filmed in Palm Springs Mon, October 3, 2022 by Randy Garner Palm Springs filming locations. By Randy Garner Don’t Worry Darling is a new psychological thriller film that takes place in a 1950’s fictional California town called Victory. Official Trailer <br /> <span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span></p> <h2>Why Palm Springs?</h2> <p>The location plays a role in telling the story. While the neighborhood you see looks too picturesque to be real, in does, in fact, exist in real life. It’s not a tame and controlled conservative suburban life. Victory is a spectacular place full of opulence. It depicts something of a secret society in America, so it doesn’t represent traditional 1950s America or its values. As such, the production team descended upon Palm Springs, the longtime playground of the Hollywood elite, to create their desert utopia. A land of ever-present sunshine, blue skies and midcentury architecture galore, the area proved the quintessential backdrop for the storyline.</p> <h2>The Storyline</h2> <p>The Victory Corporation is building a city called Victory. It is meant to be a suburban utopia complete with sprawling greenbelts, a clubhouse, a sparkling pool and even an onsite boutique. Victory residents will want for nothing and have little reason to every leave. It is the one place to stay and be safe.</p> <p>The storyline follows Alice (portrayed by Florence Pugh) and Jack (played by Harry Styles), who are a married couple with a troublesome relationship. They just moved to Victory, a company town created by and paid for by Jack’s new employer, Frank (played by Chris Pine). While Jack and his colleagues go to work on the “Victory Project”, their wives are left to enjoy the beauty and luxury of their community.</p> <p>Here’s a look at some more specific Palm Springs filming locations in Don’t Worry Darling.</p> <h3>The Kaufmann House</h3> <p>The Kaufmann House was used was for the home of Victory Corporation founder, Frank, portrayed by Chris Pine. The home is fragile and extremely valuable, so much care had to be take to ensure nothing was damaged. This included bubble wrapping portions of the home and having docents in every room.</p> <p>Department store owner Edgar Kaufmann hired architect Richard Neutra to design a desert home for his family. A decade earlier, Frank Lloyd Wright had built Fallingwater for Mr. Kaufmann. But Kaufmann, having seen Taliesin West, thought that Wright didn’t understand desert design and chose Neutra instead. The home turned out so well, that when Wright saw it, he admitted to that is was beautiful (uncharacteristic of him). The building remains the most famous in Palm Springs in terms of international recognition. The flat roof, steel frame, and glass walls embody one prominent version of Modernism by using sharp, clean, lines and contrasting them to the rugged slopes of Mt. San Jacinto as a backdrop.</p> <p>When photographed by Julius Shulman, the Kaufmann House became an iconic image of modern architecture. The north wing is the guest’s quarters, separated from the rest of the house. The secluded west wing is the service wing.</p> <p>It would be purchased by Joseph and Nelda Linsk. She was the glamorous woman wearing yellow depicted in legendary photographer Slim Aaron’s iconic photograph highlighting the good life in Palm Springs, dubbed “Poolside Gossip.” In 1968, Eugene and Francis Klein, owners of the San Diego Chargers, purchased it. Then in 1973, Barry Manilow purchased the property and owned it until 1993.</p> <p>Beth and Brent Harris become the new owners and were eager to restore the property.They found a home once originally open and light-filled now dense and dark thanks to 2,200 square feet of additions that turned courtyards into interior spaces. The iconic upstairs room visible from the street, an open-air deck that really is one of the house’s main features, had its views of mountains and palm trees blocked by air-conditioning compressors. Linsk addition, designed by William Cody, was compatible and relatively seamless, but removed the glass corridor to the master bedroom and drastically reduced the amount of light to the interior. Modernist furnishings selected by Neutra were replaced with those chosen by prominent Palm Springs interior designer Arthur Elrod.</p> <p>The Harris’s dismantled the crumbling fireplaces and numbering each stone for reassembly. To repair gashes in the walls of Utah sandstone, the firm convinced the original quarry in Utah to return to a long-closed portion of its site so the color and texture of the new stone would match that of the old. To find a source for mica, a crystalline sand which workers applied to the house’s exterior to provide a subtle, starry-night glow, the architects had to work with the U.S. Bureau of Mines.</p> <p><strong>Can I Visit? </strong>The Kaufmann House is privately owned and not available for tours or a rental. However, you can take a peek of the home by driving by 470 West Vista Chino.</p> <h3></h3> <h3>Canyon View Estates</h3> <p>This is where Alice and Jack live in the film. Their residence was on a circular cul-de-sac with their neighbors’ houses facing inwards on the perimeter. For filming at this location, every driveway had to be cleared for blocks and blocks of non-period elements. This affected the daily routine for hundreds of people and property owners.</p> <p>Canyon View Estates was designed by Dan Palmer and William Krisel. These local architects also designed Ocotillo Lodge, Las Palmas Estates, Kings Point and Racquet Club Estates. The “House of Tomorrow” was designed by Krisel for Robert Alexander and his wife Helen. They made it their personal residence and lived in it until their premature death in a plane crash in 1965. The house later gained fame as the honeymoon home of Elvis and Priscilla Presley.</p> <p>The design of these quaint one-story duplex-style condominiums offered floor-to-ceiling windows, and characteristic Palm Springs geometric stonework. It included post-and-beam construction, open floor plans in which the living room, dining room and kitchen flow together. Built in six stages in the 1960s by developer Roy Fey, it has a utopian neighborhood feel, with a shared pool, spa and green space. It includes 180 units with attached carports.</p> <p><strong>Can I Visit? </strong> Properties in Canyon View Estates are privately owned and few are available as a vacation rental. However, the neighborhood is not gated, so grab a cruiser bike and explore.</p> <h3>Palm Springs City Hall</h3> <p>The Palm Springs City Hall was shown briefly in the film. It is centrally located and just steps away from the Palm Springs International Airport, another beautiful midcentury modern style building.</p> <p>Palm Springs City Hall was one of Clark, Frey and Chambers’ most important public buildings, built between 1952 and 1957. Although a collaborative effort with the local architectural firm of Williams and Williams, the building’s initial phase was primarily the design work of John Porter Clark and Albert Frey. An unusual detail of the council chamber is its corner treatment consisting of projecting concrete blocks cut at a diagonal at every other paired row, which allows the blocks to cast light and shadow.</p> <p>Albert Frey was a leading early architect to Palm Springs and left a large design footprint on the city. His own residence, Frey House II, is also an architecturally significant building as was willed to the Palm Springs Art Museum upon his death. It is perched above Palm Springs with sweeping views and is available for tours through the museum.</p> <p><strong>Can I Visit? </strong>Palm Springs City Hall is a popular spot on Palm Springs’ midcentury modern design tours, but visitors are also welcome to walk around and take photos. It is located at 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way.</p> <h3>Palm Springs Visitor Center</h3> <p>Look for the Palm Springs Visitor Center, which was also shown briefly in the film. Like City Hall, it was also designed by architect Albert Frey. In 1965, it began as an Esso gas station situated in North Palm Springs. With a swooping and wing-shaped roof, it immediately captures the attention of visitors as they arrive in the city. In the 1990s, the building was converted into an art gallery, and subsequently taken over by the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism.</p> <p><strong>Can I Visit? </strong>Yes – and while you’re there, you can pick up a little something special at the gift shop.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> Why Film in Palm Springs? The location plays a role in telling the story. While the neighborhood you see looks too picturesque to be real, in does, in fact, exist in real life. It’s not a tame and controlled conservative suburban life. Victory is a spectacular place full of opulence. It depicts something of a secret society in America, so it doesn’t represent traditional 1950s America or its values. As such, the production team descended upon Palm Springs, the longtime playground of the Hollywood elite, to create their desert utopia. A land of ever-present sunshine, blue skies and midcentury architecture galore, the area proved the quintessential backdrop for the storyline. The Storyline The Victory Corporation is building a city called Victory. It is meant to be a suburban utopia complete with sprawling greenbelts, a clubhouse, a sparkling pool and even an onsite boutique. Victory residents will want for nothing and have little reason to every leave. It is the one place to stay and be safe. The storyline follows Alice (portrayed by Florence Pugh) and Jack (played by Harry Styles), who are a married couple with a troublesome relationship. They just moved to Victory, a company town created by and paid for by Jack’s new employer, Frank (played by Chris Pine). While Jack and his colleagues go to work on the “Victory Project”, their wives are left to enjoy the beauty and luxury of their community. Credit: Merrick Morton Warner Bros Pictures Palm Springs Locations The Kaufmann House The Kaufmann House was used as the home of Victory Corporation founder, Frank, portrayed by Chris Pine. The home is fragile and extremely valuable, so much care had to be take to ensure nothing was damaged. This included bubble wrapping portions of the home and having docents in every room. Credit: Merrick Morton Warner Bros Pictures Department store owner Edgar Kaufmann hired architect Richard Neutra to design a desert home for his family. A decade earlier, Frank Lloyd Wright had built Fallingwater for Mr. Kaufmann. But Kaufmann, having seen Taliesin West, thought that Wright didn’t understand desert design and chose Neutra instead. The home turned out so well, that when Wright saw it, he admitted that is was beautiful (uncharacteristic of him). The building remains the most famous in Palm Springs in terms of international recognition. The flat roof, steel frame, and glass walls embody one prominent version of Modernism by using sharp, clean, lines and contrasting them to the rugged slopes of Mt. San Jacinto as a backdrop. When photographed by Julius Shulman, the Kaufmann House became an iconic image of modern architecture. The north wing is the guest’s quarters, separated from the rest of the house. The secluded west wing is the service wing. It would be purchased by Joseph and Nelda Linsk. She was the glamorous woman wearing yellow depicted in legendary photographer Slim Aaron’s iconic photograph highlighting the good life in Palm Springs, dubbed “Poolside Gossip.” In 1968, Eugene and Francis Klein, owners of the San Diego Chargers, purchased it. Then in 1973, Barry Manilow purchased the property and owned it until 1993. Beth and Brent Harris became the new owners and were eager to restore the property. They found a home once originally open and light-filled now dense and dark thanks to 2,200 square feet of additions that turned courtyards into interior spaces. The iconic upstairs room visible from the street, an open-air deck that really is one of the house’s main features, had its views of mountains and palm trees blocked by air-conditioning compressors. Linsk addition, designed by William Cody, was compatible and relatively seamless, but removed the glass corridor to the master bedroom and drastically reduced the amount of light to the interior. Modernist furnishings selected by Neutra were replaced with those chosen by prominent Palm Springs interior designer Arthur Elrod. The Harris’s dismantled the crumbling fireplaces and numbering each stone for reassembly. To repair gashes in the walls of Utah sandstone, the firm convinced the original quarry in Utah to return to a long-closed portion of its site so the color and texture of the new stone would match that of the old. To find a source for mica, a crystalline sand which workers applied to the house’s exterior to provide a subtle, starry-night glow, the architects had to work with the U.S. Bureau of Mines. Can I Visit? The Kaufmann House is privately owned and not available for tours or a rental. However, you can take a peek of the home by driving by 470 West Vista Chino. Canyon View Estates This is where Alice and Jack live in the film. Their residence was on a circular cul-de-sac with their neighbors’ houses facing inwards on the perimeter. For filming at this location, every driveway had to be cleared for blocks and blocks of non-period elements. This affected the daily routine for hundreds of people and property owners. Canyon View Estates was designed by Dan Palmer and William Krisel. These local architects also designed Ocotillo Lodge, Las Palmas Estates, Kings Point and Racquet Club Estates. The “House of Tomorrow” was designed by Krisel for Robert Alexander and his wife Helen. They made it their personal residence and lived in it until their premature death in a plane crash in 1965. The house later gained fame as the honeymoon home of Elvis and Priscilla Presley. The design of these quaint one-story duplex-style condominiums offered floor-to-ceiling windows, and characteristic Palm Springs geometric stonework. It included post-and-beam construction, open floor plans in which the living room, dining room and kitchen flow together. Built in six stages in the 1960s by developer Roy Fey, it has a utopian neighborhood feel, with a shared pool, spa and green space. It includes 180 units with attached carports. Can I Visit? Properties in Canyon View Estates are privately owned and few are available as a vacation rental. However, the neighborhood is not gated, so grab a cruiser bike and explore. Credit: Merrick Morton Warner Bros Pictures Palm Springs City Hall The Palm Springs City Hall was shown briefly in the film. It is centrally located and just steps away from the Palm Springs International Airport, another beautiful midcentury modern style building. Palm Springs City Hall was one of Clark, Frey and Chambers’ most important public buildings, built between 1952 and 1957. Although a collaborative effort with the local architectural firm of Williams and Williams, the building’s initial phase was primarily the design work of John Porter Clark and Albert Frey. An unusual detail of the council chamber is its corner treatment consisting of projecting concrete blocks cut at a diagonal at every other paired row, which allows the blocks to cast light and shadow. Albert Frey was a leading early architect to Palm Springs and left a large design footprint on the city. His own residence, Frey House II, is also an architecturally significant building as was willed to the Palm Springs Art Museum upon his death. It is perched above Palm Springs with sweeping views and is available for tours through the museum. Can I Visit? Palm Springs City Hall is a popular spot on Palm Springs’ midcentury modern design tours, but visitors are also welcome to walk around and take photos. It is located at 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way. Palm Springs Visitor Center Look for the Palm Springs Visitor Center, which was also shown briefly in the film. Like City Hall, it was also designed by architect Albert Frey. In 1965, it began as an Esso gas station situated in North Palm Springs. With a swooping and wing-shaped roof, it immediately captures the attention of visitors as they arrive in the city. In the 1990s, the building was converted into an art gallery, and subsequently taken over by the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism. Can I Visit? Yes – and while you’re there, you can pick up a little something special at the gift shop. Palm Springs Architects & Developers Mid-Century Architecture Self-Guided Tour Filming locations in Palm Springs
Architects Who Built Palm Springs: E. Stewart Williams Thu, September 29, 2022 by Randy Garner By Randy Garner Emerson Stewart Williams, whom most now refer to as E. Stewart Williams, was born in 1909 in Dayton, Ohio. He was the son of Harry Williams, a prominent local architect who designed the headquarters for the National Cash Register. Stewart’s father decided to move to Palm Springs to ease the distress of his wife, Una, who suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis. Mrs. Julia Carnell hired Harry to work on a project in Palm Springs that combined residences, offices, a theater, and retail stores. Harry knew Mrs. Carnell from Ohio, as she was heiress to the National Cash Register fortune. La Plaza Shopping Center, built in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, opened in the heart of the growing desert city in 1936. E. Stewart Williams arrived in Palm Springs in 1946 at the age of 38 to join his architect father, Harry, and brother, Roger. Stewart studied architecture at Cornell and received his Master’s from the University of Pennsylvania in 1933. He then began his professional career in New York in the office of Raymond Loewy, where he worked on projects for the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Raymond Loewy would own a home in Palm Springs designed by architect Albert Frey between 1946 and 1947. After settling in Palm Springs following America’s entry into WWII, his father opened an architectural firm that would be located in La Plaza. He obtained commissions almost immediately. During the war, the firm was responsible for numerous single and multi-family dwellings, medical clinics, a local hospital, a handful of retail stores, a hotel, high school classrooms, restaurants, a Masonic Temple, and a service station, among other projects. Almost immediately, he took on the lead designer role in constructing two modest commercial buildings and his first important residential commission, the residence of Frank Sinatra. In the ensuing five decades of his career, Williams successfully united the warmth of natural materials with the precision of International Style Modernism in designing buildings devoted to client needs while tailored to the local setting. The business name was Harry J. Williams until 1948 when it became the firm of Williams, Williams, and Williams. He was extremely meticulous and participated in all design aspects, including built-ins, light fixtures, mailboxes, and even light switches. E. Stewart Williams passed away in his home in Palm Springs on Sept. 10, 2005, at the age of 95 Stewart, father Harry, and brother Roger Williams. Credit: Palm Springs Historical Society The Frank Sinatra House (1947) – 1148 East Alejo Road In the summer of 1946, a young Sinatra wandered into the firm’s Palm Springs office, requesting a new house be designed and completed by Christmas. However, according to Stewart’s brother Roger, the style of house Sinatra had in mind was a grand big Georgian mansion with columns and stone balustrades. Stewart hated the idea but said, “Frank, what we’ll do, we’re gonna design this thing you’re talking about, but I’m going to lay out what I think fits the desert a little better and let you decide.” A few days later, Stewart presented Sinatra with both designs, and the singer chose the modern ranch-style house Williams had prepared versus the Georgian Revival option. Palm Springs High School – 333 South Farrell Drive In the 1940s, the firm was responsible for the auditorium, gymnasium, and library. The most impressive and important building of the three was the auditorium, which was completed in the mid-1950s. For many years, it served as a key performance venue for the entire Coachella Valley. Stewart was quite proud of the building, mainly because of its fine acoustical qualities specified by renowned UCLA acoustical physicist Dr. Vern Oliver Knudsen. All surface designs focused sound on the seats. Temple Isaiah (1949-1951, substantially altered) – 332 W Alejo Rd For its construction, Stewart chose unpainted concrete block, a humble building material often utilized for basements and garages back east. The initial composition consisted of a one-room synagogue. Of the synagogue, Stewart later commented, “It was just as simple and beautiful as a finished church, or anything else, in its lines. No pretense – just exposed concrete block, both on the interior and exterior walls.” Oasis Hotel (demolished) and Oasis Commercial Building (1953 – 1955) At the southwest corner of Palm Canyon Drive and Tahquitz Avenue, once sat the Oasis Hotel, designed by Lloyd Wright in 1923 for Palm Springs pioneer Pearl McManus. Its minimalist appearance and slip-form concrete construction made it the earliest truly modern hotel in Southern California. Following its purchase by the Western Hotels chain in 1952, the Oasis Hotel was demolished except its distinctive tower and commercial wing, which survive. Williams was hired to design the hotel’s replacement (also called the Oasis Hotel), consisting of 50 guest rooms, a restaurant, a cocktail bar, a card room, and an outdoor patio. Another key part of the program would be an expansive 27,000-square-foot, two-story commercial structure of ground-floor shops with second-story offices (the Oasis Commercial Building, also known as the Oasis Office Building). The design began in 1953, and the entire complex was completed in 1955. This was an important commission with a hefty $1.35 million budget and its prominence in the downtown. The Oasis Commercial Building was inspired by modernist architect Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye in France. It was painted white on a smooth exterior, giving it a striking example of the International Style on such a busy corner. Angled, floor-to-ceiling windows facing Palm Canyon Drive enclose the ground-floor shops, which are deeply recessed beneath the second story to provide welcoming shade. Centering the building was an interior courtyard open to the sky that offered a pleasant setting for al fresco dining. Natural rock cladding on the walls surrounds the courtyard, softening the straight lines of the composition. A passageway provided access between the south end of the building and the original Oasis Hotel tower. Above the passageway was a bridge connecting the newer building to an elevator shaft abutting the older tower. Part of the arrangement with Western Hotels on the Oasis Hotel project involved leasing half of the second story of the Oasis Commercial Building to Williams, Williams, and Williams upon completion. The new space offered many advantages, including a contemporary modern reception room, conference room, and a large drafting room, all bathed in light from the north-facing windows. A three-story, 44-room wing was added in 1964 by William’s. Henry Dally purchased the hotel in 1968. Today, the location of William’s 44-room addition is home to the Palm Mountain Resort & Spa. Credit: Palm Springs Historical Society The Edris Residence (1954) – 1030 West Cielo Drive William and Marjorie Edris had lived in one of the Potter Clinic’s upstairs apartments simultaneously as the Williams family in the late 1940s. Edris was an attorney but also developed real estate. He had accumulated significant hotel properties, including the Olympic and Roosevelt Hotels in Seattle and the Davenport Hotel in Spokane. The two couples became friends and, in 1953, hired E. Steward Williams to build them a winter residence. The parcel chosen was located in a boulder-strewn area in the undeveloped upper reaches of the Tuscany Heights neighborhood. Taking full advantage of the unique location, E. Stewart Williams moved only those boulders necessary to place the house on a flat surface to integrate as much of the natural environment into the design as possible. Although it was a steel frame construction, the house’s exterior was clad in native rock and board-and-batten Douglas fir siding. Native rock was used for the prominent chimney, with the east end penetrating the floor-to-ceiling plate glass wall of the living room with breathtaking views of the Coachella Valley. Boulders, several just a foot away from the pool’s edge, surround almost the entire pool. Harold Hicks Real Estate and Insurance Building (1955) – 345 North Palm Canyon Drive Harold Hicks, the real estate developer, commissioned E. Stewart Williams to design the Harold Hicks Real Estate and Insurance building. Harold Hicks leased the building to his brother, Milton, and it became the Palm Springs Water Company Building in 1961. The building stayed much the same until it was sold in 1978. With a few alterations, it was used as a real estate office and eventually an art gallery. The building currently houses a design collective called “The Shops at Thirteen Forty Five” and the owners are working to keep the architectural integrity intact. Stewart Williams Residence (1955) – 1314 E. Culver Place For his residence, Williams chose a large parcel on the former grounds of the El Mirador Hotel golf course. His immediate neighbors were Albert Frey and John Porter Clark. Although the Frey House (known as Frey House I) has been razed, the John Porter Clark and Williams residences remain hidden behind the gates of a recent housing development. With his dwelling, E. Stewart Williams could fully implement his design philosophy of bringing the features of the environment and landscape into the living space of the buildings and homes. The house is essentially a roof over the garden so the desert can flow through. It was designed to be a shelter in a very harsh climate. At the north end of the house, the outside garden continued into the living room, where numerous boulders surrounded an open fire pit. Unpainted wood surfaces defined interior walls and the built-in furniture Williams integrated into all the rooms. Because the property was situated at the north end of town, Stewart erected a long pebble-encrusted tilt-up concrete wall to block the winds. Artist Dale Chihuly was one of the homeowners. Koerner Residence (1955) – 1275 South Calle de Maria The Koerner Residence was designed in 1955 by Williams for the Vancouver-based couple of Leon and Thea Koerner in the Deepwell neighborhood. Each room featured Williams’ characteristic natural wood built-in cabinets, credenzas, vanities, and dressers. A rock garden and interior pond with a three-tiered metal fountain and contemplative seating area are separated by glass on the south side of the primary bedroom. Coachella Valley Savings #1 (1956) – 383 South Palm Canyon Drive This was William’s first bank commission. The lot was located on the west side of South Palm Canyon Drive. It was relatively small for the program of a reception area, teller stations, offices, conference rooms, lunch room, two vaults, and automobile parking. Stewart’s solution was to raise the building on columns, creating a covered driveway with parking spaces beneath the upper floor and around the west and south sides of the building. Vertical metal louvers designed by Williams that cover the east-facing windows were later installed. The entry lobby has a floating staircase to the second floor. Behind the lobby reception desk is a large steel vault with a twin vault above it on the second floor. Enclosing the vault stack on both floors is native rock cladding, a typical Williams feature designed to soften the straight lines and fabricated materials. Julius Shulman Photography Archive, 1936-1997. Santa Fe Federal Savings and Loan Association (1960) – 300 South Palm Canyon Drive The Santa Fe Federal Savings building appears to float above the surface due to its recessed foundation and cantilevered floor slab. John Wessman later owned the property and used it for his offices. In an arrangement, it became under the ownership of the Palm Springs Art Museum in 2014 and underwent a complete restoration. It is now called the Palm Springs Art Museum’s Architecture and Design Center Edwards Harris Pavilion. Marmol Radziner was the architectural firm responsible for the restoration. They had also been involved in the 1990s restoration of the Richard Neutra designed Kaufmann House. Credit: Julius Shulman. Stewart Williams is seated. Coachella Valley Savings #2 (1961) – 499 South Palm Canyon Drive A site a few blocks south of CVS #1 at the northwest corner of South Palm Canyon and Ramon Road was selected for the CVS #2 location. By this time, E. Stewart Williams was interested in exploring the possibilities of more advanced structural forms, especially using concrete. At the site, a 10-foot grade variance presented a challenge. Williams’ solution was a split-level parking structure at the rear of the building with entrances on both levels. These led to either the main lobby below or the mezzanine above. The mezzanine floor was hung from the ceiling structure, allowing the banking floor below to be completely column-free. The final element was a reflecting pool and fountains that Stewart placed along the entire width of the building at street level. The pool continues under the cantilevered floor slab where the arches touch the ground. At night, with the row of up-lit fountains and recessed lighting behind the arches, the massive structure appeared floating above the water. It is now the home of Chase Bank. Credit: Julius Shulman Sutter Residence (1960) – 1207 Calle de Maria Theodore and Marguerite Sutter commissioned their residence in Deep Well Ranch Estates in 1958 (now the Deepwell neighborhood). He was associated with Baker Oil Tools, a pioneer in oil drilling equipment. They wanted a modern design for a weekend retreat that could be managed without live-in staff. Next door was the more lavish Koerner residence he had done in 1955. While continuing to design large commercial and institutional buildings, E. Stewart Williams designed several custom homes, including the Sutter House. The front of the home included concrete blocks and milk glass to create a privacy screen for the entry. Extensive built-ins and cabinetry designed by Williams meant that interior designer Arthur Elrod only had to provide the basics. It has a Class 2 Historic Resource designation. Photo by Julius Shulman © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004.R.10) Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Mountain Station (1961) The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway was a joint venture of the architectural firms of Frey and Chambers and Williams, Williams & Williams. John Porter Clark served as the coordinating architect. The Williams team, with E. Stewart Williams as lead designer, was responsible for the mountain station. The mountain station design is based on a Swiss chalet style, with angled wings and sloping roofs with large windows to take in views. The building, with its wings and outdoor terraces, is fitted to the topography. The lower base of the building is constructed of reinforced concrete, including the tower that contains the tram’s mechanical equipment and receives the tramway cars. However, the portion of the building above the concrete base is made primarily of wood and glass. Natural rock cladding flanks a monumental metal chimney connecting the two wings. The Palm Springs Desert Museum (1976) The Desert Museum was located in a small downtown building erected in 1958. In conceiving a replacement, the museum’s director and board of trustees organized a fund-raising campaign that would allow for a robust program consisting of an art gallery, natural history museum, and performing arts center. Due to a two-story height limit in Palm Springs at the time, an underground level was necessary to accommodate the 75,000-square-foot building planned for the site. As the early 1980s needed more space, the museum’s administrative functions were relocated to a new, separate building just north of the original building. The Marks Administration Building was designed by E. Stewart Williams and completed in 1981. Then, in 1993, a generous donation from interior designer Steven Chase helped fund a 15,000-square-foot addition to house new galleries, a lecture hall, art storage, and other functional spaces. Williams came out of retirement to design the addition, which opened in 1996. The Palm Springs Desert Museum became the Palm Springs Art Museum in 2005. Erik and Sidney Williams House (1986) – 800 West Stevens Road Home of his son and daughter-in-law. You May Also Like: Palm Springs Architect – Charles Du Bois Midcentury Architecture Self-Guided Tour Palm Springs Architect – William Cody Architects Who Built Palm Springs: Dan Palmer & William Krisel
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