The Luxury Travel Magazine
The Luxury Travel Magazine
As you’ll read in our Palm Springs Guide, visitors typically fall into a few camps. You’ve got your aficionados of Mid-Century modern design and fashion and others who can’t get enough of that global “bohemian chic” vibe unleashed by Coachella. And then there are those who of natural wonders, wellness and the great outdoors. One thing you’ll see in our guide to Palm Spring is that visitors all have one thing in common, however, is that they are strongly rooted in nostalgia. And yet as we stand in 2021, isn’t it so àpropos that nostalgia for all of these yet seem more attractive than ever?
Whether you’re heading out to Palm Springs for a weekend or a week, just choose your adventure, open your mind, rent a car (preferably a convertible), enjoy this exceedingly colorful change of scenery and check out its many hidden gems along with familiar haunts such as the three branches of the Palm Springs Museum of Art.
In fact, there’s so much adventure packed into this desert oasis that we’ll begin with all things that continue to make the “Palm Springs lifestyle” so alluring.
WHERE TO STAY
Those who want to experience Palm Springs’ as its first fans did will appreciate the grandeur and intimacy of The Willows, with only seventeen guestrooms and is only open for a limited number of stays from September to May. As one of the oldest structures in the Palm Springs area, The Willows has that “if these walls could talk” appeal: Marion Davis, Charlie Chaplin and other luminaries were regulars. As you may expect, the décor, the food and the ambiance bridge the century between cinema’s ‘golden age’ and today.
In North Palm Springs’ “Design District,” the Skylark Hotel’s 28 rooms and the original 1950s building’s structure is updated with a palate of mellow blues, greens and ivories midway between pastels and crayon brights. Each cool, crisp room is furnished with mahogany and walnut mid-century Danish reproductions, a decadently cozy custom made pillow top mattress, LED flat screen televisions, and high-speed internet. The San Jacinto mountains provide a postcard backdrop for the pool area. Just outside the front and back doors, the city’s most refined boutiques, art and furniture galleries, vibrant murals and public art await.
The Palm Springs Hotel, anchoring the south end of downtown, delights with its cheerful and bold orange, gray, silver and black desert-modernist architecture and inspired combinations of 50s, 60s and contemporary “urban arts district”-inspired décor. In addition to its great location, it boasts Apple TV, attentive staff and a perfectly maintained pool with complementary beverages and snack. Each room features interesting mood lighting and its own art, some with icons like Frank Sinatra and Bridget Bardot in their Mid-Century prime.
The current owners, who acquired the property in 2001, artfully transformed the 13-room 1950s motel into (perhaps) one of the most authentically Moroccan escapes in North America. Each room is its own oasis, with most of the hand-crafted textiles, furniture, light fixtures and artwork curated and purchased at the source in Morocco–many at collectives benefitting single women, widows and moms who are crafting the pieces. Inside the charming lounge at the front end of the inn, you can enjoy some of Desert Hot Springs’ incredible ethnic to-go food while enjoying “Casablanca.” Thanks to the beautifully decorated pool and covered spa, patio area and the adjoining Spa Garden, it wouldn’t be surprising if you decided to spend a full day enjoying the surroundings. Above and beyond an extremely friendly staff, oft replenished supply of Moroccan lemonade or tea, and the benefits of two ‘Far-Infrared Dry Saunas,’ which the owners say offer a penetrating heat which moves throughout your entire body.
"
"There’s so much adventure packed into this desert oasis that make the “Palm Springs lifestyle” so alluring."
Wining and Dining In Palm Springs
Eight4Nine Restaurant & Lounge
Blend an interior designer’s fever dream with a lot of local color, and you get Eight4Nine Restaurant & Lounge. The main room and massive patio blend together seamlessly, while private rooms and smaller dining spaces inside the venue each have their own conversation-starting surroundings. The drink and food menus follow suit with beautifully presented dishes, sassy desserts and jewel-like cocktails. That said, some of the most straight-forward dishes are the kitchen’s strongest.
Flanking of one of the city’s hottest higher end boutique properties, Del Rey endeavors to put the romance back into date nights with its dark, atmospheric twelve-seat oak and marble bar, vinyl booths and an eclectic mix of artwork and furnishings. This flows into an outdoor patio illuminated with a fire pit, and both areas are tiled together with colorful tiles and iron fixtures. It is much inspired by Southern Spain’ taperías as it is Palm Springs, with highlights that include (list a few dishes) as well as zesty cocktails and a sublime sangria.
When it comes to a special occasion destination that’s at once not too fussy and uniquely atmospheric, you can’t go wrong with a locally-beloved steakhouse (though reservations, understandably, will be necessary). Beyond its cache, it also has its central location in Downtown Palm Springs and outdoor patio going for it as well as its epic USDA-Prime Porterhouse steaks cured in an on-premise dry room, on its own or enriched with butter, Bearnaise or peppercorn sauce. Prime alternatives to steaks include Poupon Lobster Tail, King Crab Legs and its oven roasted chicken breast.
This Palm Spring standout eatery has its culinary roots in Osaka, Japan (via the owners, who hail from the area) and specializes in flavorful high-end “Japanese Tapas,” house-made dipping sauces, sashimi, and variations of the interactive traditional dish built into its name. Those familiar with Japanese cuisine and newcomers alike will get a kick out of the DIY experience, choosing a soup base, vegetables, and proteins and then cooking up the components after a few minutes of instruction.
"
"Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley would not be what it is without the desert sands, mountains, vegetation and hot springs that took shape through the world’s history"
Things to Do In Palm Springs
From the day Walter Annenberg (founder of “T.V. Guide”) and wife Leonore moved into Sunnylands in 1966, what happened behind its doors became the stuff of legend. New Years’ Eve and pool parties were a who’s who of “Golden Age” Hollywood. However, the Annenbergs also devised the compound to serve as the “Camp David” of the West, becoming a site for political summits and state dinners, and welcoming almost every U.S. president along with other world figures including The British Royal family. A complete guided 90-minute immersion into the Annenbergs’ charmed life and tastes ($48 per person, with advance reservation) or a 90-minute guided garden tour (offered Wednesday through Sundays for $20) open an amazing time capsule filled with pop culture and political intrigue. There is als an expert-guided “Birding on the Estate” expedition Thursdays and Saturdays ($38 w/reservation). Parking, access to the grounds and other programs are free to the public, giving Sunnylands an added community center element to it. Its wellness program includes Friday yoga and Saturday tai chi (10 a.m.).
Artist and gallery owner Steven Janssen recently upgraded and reopened his creative home-away-from-home as a by-and-for artists destination–evidenced by its discreet location off Palm Springs Boulevard and around the corner from the soon-to-be upgraded Hotel Zoso. While the location builds confidence with A-list art collectors (Jennifer Aniston, Chelsea Handler, Mario Lopez, Lucy Liu, Michael T. Weiss, Brian Bowen Smith, Kevin Mazur and Kevin Huvane among them), seek it out to view his own gorgeous abstracts as well as pieces from the best artists and photographers you’ve not yet heard of or who are known but re-emerging with exciting new pieces.
The Shag Store is not technically a museum, but one could spend an hour or two admiring the clever approach Shag (né Josh Agle) brings to his canvases and prints presenting the Palm Springs ethos at its grooviest and most colorful. He blends pop culture (not just the usual suspects of “Old Hollywood” in far out settings, but also the Rolling Stones, Beatles and Bowie) with the architectural and interior design elements that show why Palm Springs is still a collective of cool.
Cabot’s Museum is an unusual hybrid of history museum and inspirational design destination. The Hopi inspired Pueblo in the heart of Desert Hot Springs was built by Cabot Yerxa (b.1883) on a stretch of land he homesteaded in 1913 and lived in until his 1965 passing. In building it, Cabot gathered reclaimed materials for 10 years from as far east as the Salton Sea, north to Morongo Valley, south to Palm Springs and west to White Water. The Pueblo is four-stories, 5,000 square feet and includes 35 rooms, 150 windows and 65 doors, with many unique features including windows and doors collected and reassembled from abandoned homesteads, old telephone poles, buckboard wagon parts, and many other materials that end up becoming greater than the sum of all of the parts.
Essential Shopping in Palm Springs
Trina Turk, Mr. Turk and TTResidential
Los Angeles-based designer Trina Turk’s Palm Springs block-covering presence houses the ultimate trifecta of Palm Springs chic, where trendy and timeless harmoniously coexist. Shoppers will find her signature patterns mid-60s and early 70s flavored prints in men’s and women’s attire as well as an eye-popping collection of housewares and gift items. The one-story building was built in 1962 by desert modernist architect Albert Frey holds the three connected boutiques while the white surfaces, bright lemon-yellow walls, and strong prints tie the shopping experience together.
If you are looking for the real deal in all wearable things Mid Century modern, Hippie chic or preppie resort, you’ll find it in this cozy enclave.
Anybody wanting to bring a touch of Palm Springs into their home, meanwhile, should check out Destination PSP (www.destinationpsp.com), celebrating Modernism with books, clothing, home accessories and décor, gift items and other conversation pieces.
The Shops at Thirteen Forty Five
The Shops at Thirteen Forty Five skimming Palm Springs’ “Design District” is a treasure trove of artist-made clothing, accessories and decorative items with the creators selling out of their own pocket-sized spaces. Arguably, the heart of this distinctive assemblage of boutiques is Soukie Modern , created with love by owners Kenya Knight (who is also the owner of a successful Los Angeles modeling agency) and Moroccan-born Taib Lotfi (who sometimes can be seen weaving investment rugs integrating North African and European techniques with a variety of locally sourced and imported fibers). The retail experience is broken down in a similar fashion to the “souk” marketplaces of Marrakech, from an enchanted space for clothing and fashion accessories to a cheery, sunlit area with eye-catching home goods to a tea room where you can sip Moroccan mint tea while surveying the couple’s pride and joy–the aforementioned investment rugs–while making friends with other discerning collectors from nearby communities and folks coming in from the big city.
Owner Stella Adena’s Rancho Mirage-based boutique is the destination to cultivate a year-round (not just concert season) desert wardrobe or “good-vibes” ambiance. Much of the space is dedicated to local designers and artisans, with the space being a collage of wearable boho-styled clothing (for every family member), home décor, gourmet foods, and unusual gifts when you want to do better than the mug or refrigerator magnet route. The shop’s signature tee shirts are the main draw among those seeking the perfect “only in Palm Springs” gift.
Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley would not be what it is without the desert sands, mountains, vegetation and hot springs that took shape through the world’s history. In the next instalment, we’ll dive deep into the area’s timeless underpinnings for those who consider hiking shoes lightweight athletic gear their favorite wardrobe staples or who come to the area specifically for springs, the spas and a path to a healthier lifestyle.
SEARCH
