Lloyd Wright, Jr. took on. The boutique hotel had only twenty rooms to rent. One room next to the hotel's tower was favored by Loretta Lynn, the Country Music Hall-of-Fame singer and that's why the tower is called by her name.I discovered The Oasis Hotel last week while visiting Palm Springs for the New Year's holiday. The hotel is being redeveloped into an upscale restaurant. I see The Oasis as representative of Palm Springs at this point in its history.
About five years ago a colleague who owned a home in Palm Springs included me on the invitation list for a New Year's party. I admit that I hadn't expected to care for Palm Springs, but I really enjoyed the visit. I was impressed by the stunning natural beauty of the San Jacinto Mountains that tower above the city to the west. Smaller mountains run along the eastern edge of the valley. The air is clear and dry and the lighting is always changing as the sun moves across the valley. With mountains to the east and to the west forming a canyon for the desert cities, the light moves with the sun, reflecting off the mountains.
I've always entered Palm Springs from the northwest, exiting east Interstate 10 onto south Highway 111, right at what I call the "Windmill Farms. " If you've not seen it, there are acres upon acres of giant windmills that were put up by the Department of Energy as an experiment in harnessing wind to produce electricity. There are orderly rows of windmills along the interstate highway approaching Highway 111. But most of the windmills are in flats along Highway 111 traversing north up into the mountains. I am awed by the orderly procession of windmills and find the scene dramatic.
Palm Springs fell into disuse in the late 1960's and the following two decades as Southern Californians became concerned with social issues and were less impressed by glamour and personal excess. The result was that real estate was cheap, plentiful and easy to come by. In the early 1990's as San Francisco Gays started to reach their 60's, and home prices in The City skyrocketed, some began to purchase retirement homes in Palm Springs. Many of the new residents came with pockets full of cash from the equity gained in the Bay Area housing market which was invested in refurbishing mid century homes near downtown Palm Springs.
It seems that the "Gay-factor" is reviving and reenergizing Palm Spring. The city has been rediscovered as a high end Southern California destination. Seeing what I consider to be the tradition Palm Springs residents - leathered 70 and 80-year-old Jewish retirees from Los Angeles - socially merge with retiring San Francisco Gays is an interesting social and visual mix. Palm Springs appears to eagerly embrace its new Gay residents – and their cash. Rainbow flags hang from resort hotel awnings, and bars and restaurants throughout the city. Young Boomer families from Orange County maintain second homes and condos in the area, but typically in the newer cities of Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert.
Over the five years that I've visited Palm Springs I've only gone in the winter months around Thanksgiving and New Year's. The days are short but temperatures have usually moved up into the mid 70's with evening lows dropping to about 55. Although Los Angeles is only 100 miles away, Palm Springs is more temperate in the winter and gets far less rain. I respond to good weather and to opportunities to go hiking, and I find both in Palm Springs. Hiking trails abound along Indian Canyon and in the San Jacinto Mountains.
The desert cities are growing at a rap
id pace and are quickly becoming crowded and the traffic is increasing. Some of the developing neighborhoods look like Los Angeles suburbs, unfortunately. And I'm afraid that the appeal of visiting Palm Springs may fade over the next three or four years. To be honest, getting there by car is frustrating because the drive goes through the so-called "Inland Empire" which is a nest of terrible traffic and a string of overstuffed small cities with large unattractive shopping centers that run along the web of freeways. The freeways are always under construction, a few steps behind the rapidly expanding population.I grew up in the Deep South along the Gulf Coast and had little concept of "the desert" except for a couple of camping trips to Joshua Tree and Anza-Borrego. I had never thought of the desert as a vacation destination outside of a place for experiencing the rugged out-of-doors. But I've come to enjoy spending a few relaxing days in the desert. As Palm Springs becomes "Los Angelesized" I may have to find another getaway place. Ojai, which is near Santa Barbara comes to mind as still attractive and may top the list ahead of Palm Springs.
recommend
Facebook
Twitter
bookmark 
print
Comments: 7
Roland, when I saw the picture of the windmills I was reminded of a Mexican food stand very close to the exit to Palm Springs. One of the best burrito's I've had. I'll have to get back to Palm Springs so I can post the name of the place here at Gather.
Great article
my wife and i were married on groundhog day 1999 at casa cody, a very quaint place within walking distance of the main strip. they have a very large and unusual tree in their side yard - it comes out of the ground and then turns 90-degrees and goes sideways for a few yards before turning up to the sky - we were married on the lawn in our bare feet. ;p
love palm springs - may be going for our anniversary in a short coupla weeks!
san rafael stayed dry enough, but poor san anselmo got a bit flooded - 100 businesses damaged.
take care - great posts!