By Sharon Whitley Larsen
Palm Springs has long been a playground for the rich and famous, attracting Hollywood stars such as Bob Hope, Lucy and Desi, Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra and U.S. Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon, Ford, Clinton and Obama.
And it's a fun getaway for the rest of us, too, including Canadian and Midwest snowbirds: those seeking warm weather, year-round tans, manicured golf courses, inviting pools, fine cuisine, gorgeous orange sunsets, shopping, and live entertainment (led by the renowned McCallum Theatre).
This trendy desert oasis about 100 miles east of Los Angeles — visited by thousands each year, who also flock to nearby Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta and Indio — has become an international draw for tennis and golf tournaments, art exhibits, and music and film festivals. The famed Coachella Festival is a two-weekend, sellout April event that draws megastars and music fans from around the world.
Palm Springs International Airport caters to some 1.8 million passengers each year, with high-season nonstop flights from several U.S. and Canadian cities. Those who drive in from the west on Interstate 10 are greeted by gigantic windmill farms that flank the landscape — and which are available to tour. There's something for everyone here, including a ride on the world's largest rotating tramcar 6,000 feet up Mount San Jacinto, with cooler temps for hiking and dining.
Roger Scaife of South Yorkshire, England, is one tramway fan.
"I love to take the tram to the top of the snow-capped mountain for the most breathtaking view," he said. "As a Brit who loves America, I have had the pleasure of visiting Palm Springs twice in the past few years. My wife Carolyn and I have fallen in love with this desert town. Welcoming, easygoing, lovely people; a choice of good-quality restaurants surrounded with the most wonderful mountains. And when the sun sets and the shadows hit the mountains, it creates a magic that you have to see to believe."
A part-time desert rat, I have visited the desert regularly the past few decades, and I even briefly lived here. I've witnessed the area unfold to an international destination — including the redevelopment now underway in downtown Palm Springs.
Although the high season runs generally from Oct. 1 to May 30, the sizzling summer (when, in the past, many stores and restaurants would pretty much shut down) is now a draw, with tourists dropping in to stay at high-end hotels offering sharply discounted rates.
Karen Smith Takizawa of Tokyo often visits her mother in Palm Desert during the low season because of her university teaching schedule.
"Tokyo is hot and humid during the summer," she said, "so — weatherwise — it's a case of 'out of the steam bath and into the oven.' Despite the heat, I still enjoy the shops and restaurants on El Paseo, particularly the ones with sweeping views of the valley, and a dip in the pool at sunset can't be beat."
Then, at summer's end, the activities really kick off.
"Palm Springs is home to many signature events in fall and winter," noted Mary Jo Ginther, director of the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism. That includes the Modernism Fall Preview, Greater Palm Springs Pride Parade and the Festival of Lights Parade.
"Kicking off 2016, our city comes alive with glitz and glamour as the iconic Palm Springs International Film Festival returns Jan. 1.
"This year we're celebrating Frank Sinatra's 100th birthday in mid-December with events and parties throughout Palm Springs," she said. "Palm Springs is proud to celebrate the legacy he left in our great city. Several hotels and restaurants, including Riviera Palm Springs and Purple Room Palm Springs, are hosting events in honor of Ol' Blue Eyes. In addition, the Palm Springs Art Museum's Architecture and Design Center is hosting a 'Meet the Museum: The Rat Pack Experience' during Modernism Fall."
I recently revisited the impressive Palm Springs Art Museum, which houses more than 7,000 items, including works by Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. Until Dec. 13, 2015, it's hosting a fascinating Brooklyn Museum touring exhibit: "Killer Heels: The Art of the High Heeled Shoe" — the only stop on the West Coast. Covering the 300-year history of high-heeled shoes, the exhibit, with more than 110 contemporary high heels and 50 historical designs, includes a pair of feather-trimmed mules once worn by Marilyn Monroe, a pair of fairy-tale glass slippers — even a pair of unique horse fur and hoof shoes, which intrigued me. Wearing my comfy flats, once I observed the art and architecture of some of the exotic footwear with sky-high heels, I quickly realized why it's dubbed "Killer Heels." Of course, "some were designed not to be worn," one staffer quickly pointed out, much to my relief.
One of my favorite desert stops is Sunnylands, once the Rancho Mirage home of Walter and Leonore Annenberg. This mega estate — visited by British royalty, Princess Grace, Margaret Thatcher and many U.S. presidents — is a desert paradise. As Nancy Reagan once observed, "There's no other place like it, anywhere."
In Palm Desert, the Living Desert, celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2015, is unlike any "zoo" you've seen. On 1,200 acres, plants and animals native to the desert abound — and it even has a massive outdoor model railway. Docents are on hand to let children and adults "pet" various creatures, explaining their habitats and daily lifestyle.
As for dining, my husband and I love a longtime local favorite, Billy Reed's in Palm Springs, and if you crave Mexican food, Las Casuelas is also a local legend, run by the Delgado family (who own two restaurants in Palm Springs, as well as two in Palm Desert and one in La Quinta). The original in Palm Springs opened in 1958.
We also love dropping in on The Nest in Indian Wells, a popular local hangout since 1965. Not only do they have a great happy hour, with food items around $6, but the music performed by pianist-owner Kevin Henry and longtime entertainer Tim Burleson is amazing. Often they're joined by other musicians on the sax, trumpet, guitar, drums or trombone as energetic locals and tourists cram the tiny bar dance floor. Server Rosalie, the ultimate professional — on the scene for nearly three decades — is a local legend: If we stroll in after a year's absence, she'll point to me and say, "Chardonnay!" and to my husband: "Vodka tonic!"
And be on the lookout for the occasional celeb when you drop in here or at any of the other popular desert rat hangouts.
WHEN YOU GO
Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism: www.visitpalmsprings.com
Palm Springs Art Museum (free admission Thursdays, 4-8 p.m.): www.psmuseum.org
Palm Springs International Film Festival: www.psfilmfest.org/index.aspx
Palm Springs Village Fest: www.villagefest.org
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway: www.pstramway.com
Palm Springs Air Museum: www.palmspringsairmuseum.org
Palm Springs Windmill Tours: www.windmilltours.com
Modernism Fall: www.fall.palmspringsmodernism.com
Modernism Week (midcentury home tour): www.modernismweek.com
Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade: www.psfestivaloflights.com
Elvis Presley's Honeymoon House Tour: www.elvishoneymoon.com
Other area sites and activities:
Sunnylands (be sure to book ahead online): www.sunnylands.org
Coachella Festival: www.coachella.com
Stagecoach Festival: www.stagecoachfestival.com
Indian Wells Tennis Garden: www.iwtg.net
La Quinta Arts Festival: www.lqaf.com/cultural-events/la-quinta-arts-festival
The Living Desert: www.livingdesert.org
McCallum Theatre: www.mccallumtheatre.com
On this trip we stayed at the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort and Spa, a quiet oasis on gorgeous grounds, a relaxing getaway for golf, swimming, spa treatments, dining: www.westinmissionhills.com.
We've also stayed at the Desert Riviera: www.desertrivierahotel.com.
Indian Wells Resort Hotel (founded by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in 1957): Frank DiSalvo, who performs songs by Frank Sinatra and other popular legends, entertains here at Frank's Place from mid-October to late May. Check website for schedule and information; reservations recommended: www.indianwellsresort.com.
Where to dine (our favorites):
Billy Reed's: www.billyreedspalmsprings.com
The Nest: www.gotothenest.com
Las Casuelas: www.theoriginallascasuelas.com and www.lascasuelas.com/history.html
The Cliffhouse: www.laquintacliffhouse.com
Tack Room Tavern, Empire Polo Club: www.empirepoloevents.com/tack_room_tavern.php4
Where to shop:
The Shops on El Paseo, Palm Desert's version of Rodeo Drive: www.theshopsonelpaseo.com/index.php
Cabazon Outlet Mall, about 20 minutes west of Palm Springs, offers a massive spread of designer stores, but don't wear killer heels: www.cabazonoutlets.com
Sharon Whitley Larsen is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com
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