February 2013

Dionne Warwick to Attend Whitney Houston Film Screening

Whitney Houston and Dionne Warwick come from the same family tree, The Drinkards, who are profiled in the opening film of the American Documentary Film Festival.

Tachevah Concert Will Fill Gap Between Coachella Dates

The Spa Casino and Resort in downtown Palm Springs will host a free outdoor concert and block party April 17 sandwiched between Coachella Music and Arts Festival dates.

Luxury Pet Care is Worthy of Command to 'Stay'

By Jim Powers

Amenities once deemed for only people are now common for pet boarding, like Pilates, a heated pool, massages,and wellness programs.

The Cool Kid’s Guide to the TEDActive Conference

By Ebony March

TED, which attracted speakers like the late Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, spawned TEDActive, a gathering of innovators and curious leaders meeting annually in the Coachella Valley.

Weekender: Kathy Griffin, Modernism Week, Frankie Valli

By Jim Powers

Weekender helps plan out your weekend in Palm Springs and the desert resort cities with concerts, events, restaurants, nightlife, clubs and the world of entertainment only found in the desert.

'For the Record' Pays Musical Tribute to Film Directors

Featuring Penny and Garry Marshall, the Coen Brothers and Robert Zemeckis, this L.A.-based musical troupe sings the songs from the movies they directed.

Couple's Love of Mid-Century Look Began in Palm Springs

By Jim Powers

Originally designed by Howard Lapham and built in 1956 as an apartment hotel, The Desert Star in Palm Springs has morphed into a condo association.

Red Dress Party Benefits LGBT Center Services

Michael Holmes of 'The Judy Show'will host the second annual event, which encourages solidarity by wearing red as a symbol to support people who have been ostracized.

Splashy Saguaro Hotel Colors Reflect Desert Wildflowers

By Jim Powers

A year after the paint job and debate, the Saguaro Hotel in Palm Springs has gone from being chastised as being too splashy to representing the city's fun side to visitors.

Wine Expert Michael Green Leads Grand Tasting Event

Three wine seminars will take place daily during the Grand Tasting of the Food & Wine Festival Palm Desert in March.

Joshua Tree Houses Make Living Simple

By Jim Powers

Tim Disney’s home sits off a road that leads to Joshua Tree National Park, a steel framed pre-fabricated living quarters and guest house that rests amongst stacked boulders and stark desert landscape.

Tickets Still Available for Modernism Week Events

While many tours and parties are sold out, Modernism Week enthusiasts can still enjoy a variety of opportunities.

Photo Gallery: Modernism Show, m modern Gallery

By Jim Powers

Modernism Week in Palm Springs is in full swing, engaging enthusiasts and newcomers alike with one-of-kind style.

Modernism Week Off to an Elegant Start

By Jim Powers

Modernism Week got off to a splashy start Thursday with the start of Illuminated Modern and the opening party at Frank Sinatra's Palm Springs house.

The Cool Kid’s Guide to Modernism Week

By Ebony March

Modernism Week is all about architecture, but you still need to eat, shop and determine the best places to enjoy the event.

Artist Finds New Resolve After Liver Transplant

By Jim Powers

After undergoing a liver transplant nearly a year ago, La Quinta artist Tom Savage finds himself in a better place physically and emotionally.

Weekender: Modernism Week, Bonnie Rait, Date Festival

By Jim Powers

Weekender helps plan out your weekend in Palm Springs and the desert resort cities with concerts, events, restaurants, nightlife, clubs and the world of entertainment only found in the desert.

Grammy-Nominee Moby Will Sit on Modernism Panel

Moby’s records have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, but he has a real passion for L.A. architecture.

Save-A-Pet Slates First Fundraiser

By Steven Biller

Founded in Desert Hot Springs 30 years ago, Save-A-Pet will conduct a fundraiser tennis tournament and auction April 7 at Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage.

Artist's Work Tests Line of Realism

Marc Sijan's one man museum exhibitions have broken attendance records throughout the country. His hyper realistic sculptures have been collected and exhibited throughout North America, Europe and the Middle East.

Pan Am Still Flies Thanks to Actor's Collection

By Jim Powers

Major Crimes actor Philip Keene remembers when flying offered a sense of escapism. His Pan Am collection will be part of Modernism Week at The Saguaro Palm Springs.

Cold War Kids Fine Tune Intense, Emotional Sound

By Ebony March

Since Cold War Kids' inception in 2004, it has wowed the college music charts and impressed crowds from Coachella to Reading Festival in the UK.

Artist's Desire to Engage Audience Spurs Studio 55 on El Paseo

By Carolyn Moloshco

After more than 30 years in the agricultural business in Oregon, artist Joe Graziano has taken his dream public with the opening of his Palm Desert studio.

Mitch's on El Paseo Serves Variety of Appetites

By Marissa Willman

Mitch’s on El Paseo began serving lunch and dinner at the beginning of February, breathing new life into the former site of Augusta Restaurant with a culinary concept that offers Japanese dishes.

10 Places to Take Someone Special for Valentine's Day

By Jim Powers

Whether you're looking for a quick hit with flowers or a full-fledged getaway weekend, here are some Valentine's Day choices to consider for you and your Sweetheart.

Rider Hopes Tour de Palm Springs Helps Sanctuary Take Flight

By Judd Spicer

Chelsea Lee Gilbert is making her first ride in Saturday's Tour de Palm Springs, hoping to shed exposure on The Landing Zone Parrot Sanctuary run by her parents.

Weekender: STYX, Itzhak Perlman, Jesse Tyler Ferguson

By Jim Powers

Weekender helps plan out your weekend in Palm Springs and the desert resort cities with concerts, events, restaurants, nightlife, clubs and the world of entertainment only found in the desert.

Director, Actress Have Palm Springs Ties in "Side Effects"

By Ebony March

Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones and director Steven Soderbergh, no strangers to the Palm Springs area, reunite for a steamy, adult thriller in Side Effects.

OperaArts Expands Reach With Annual Special Event

By Jim Powers

This weekend's tribute to opera star Barbara Smith Conrad and her documentary, 'When I Rise', has spurred OperaArts Palm Springs to continue staging such events on an annual basis.

Sean Patrick Flanery-Led Film Sets Up Base in Palm Springs

By Jim Powers

A Hollywood movie crew took over Azul Tapas Lounge Wednesday morning to film a scene from 'Hidden Away', which was drawn to the desert by the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.

Desert Hot Springs Spa Tour: It's What's in the Water

By Marissa Willman

The fourth annual Spa Tour is not about the latest trends, but why Desert Hot Springs calls itself California's Spa City.

CV Rep Plays Are Meant to be Challenging

By Gary Woods

Coachella Valley Repertory's six-play season adds a new dimension to local theatre offerings with topical issues.

Morongo Casino Restaurants Stand Out in the Desert

By Lawrence Karol

A pair of restaurants at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa - Tacos & Tequila and Natural 9 Noodle Company - offer contrasting looks, tastes and ambiance.

Pastry Chef Makes Food Creations on Canvas

By Eric Sakas

Leslee Adams still caters to customers with her pastries, but the Palm Springs High School grad is quickly being noticed for her artistry as a painter.

Opera Star Will Show Her Inspirational Biopic to Valley Audiences

By Jim Powers

Stripped of the lead role in a college opera because of the color of her skin in the late 1950s, Barbara Smith Conrad's courageous stance is the crux of a three-day event by OperaArts in Palm Springs.

Brothers Keep on Shucking, Open Restaurant

By Marissa Willman

Specializing in internationally influenced seafood dishes, brothers Ruben and Ozzy Lopez build on their reputation honed at Beach House, Shanghai Red’s.

Art Attack!

By Steven Biller

Palm Springs Fine Art Fair returns Feb. 14-18 to Palm Springs Convention Center with a lineup of galleries and programs that will inspire, educate, and entertain.

The Ten Tenors

By Ebony March

You will know The Ten Tenors by its bold incorporation of contemporary style, rock ‘n’ roll musical influences, and the time-honored traditions of opera.

Design-Inspired Dining

By Pam Bieri

Modernism has sparked a revival of cool, retro restaurants beyond Palm Springs’ Uptown District.

The Sexiest Chocolate Desserts

By Ebony March

The ancient Mayans are known for a number of contributions to modern society, but none is more cherished than the combination of chocolate and chili peppers.

Calling All Creatives

To some,the Greater Pa Palm Springs area may provide an escape from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. For others, it’s a vast playground with must-sees for creative types.

Ride Like the Wind

Picture a winding road with more curves than Marilyn Monroe as it rises and falls beneath your feet. The 50cc motor scooter you’re commandeering hums and purrs as it hugs each turn. Find your ride at one of these rental locations.

Swing With Sinatra

By Judd Spicer

This month, when not penciling in your own tee times, plan your schedule around the Frank Sinatra Starkey Hearing Technologies Celebrity Invitational. The tournament benefiting Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center celebrates its 25th anniversary Feb. 21-23 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio.

Sleek Home Accessories

By David A. Lee

The communities of Greater Palm Springs are packed with stores of every stripe offering myriad products that evoke the ’50s and ’60s.

The Feel-Good Plan

This Valentine’s Day, try our trio of spa favorites to release stress, soothe your weary mind, and let love flow.

Uptown, Baby

By David A. Lee

Uptown Design District in Palm Springs continues to grow and engage casual window shoppers, to dedicated collectors of all things midcentury modern.

Best Of The Best

You vote. We reveal. That’s how Best of the Best works. You weigh in weekly at www.palmspringslife.com/best on the best people, places, and things in the Coachella Valley.

Modernism Week Arrives

Modernism Week (Feb. 14-24) celebrates the works of visionaries like Richard Neutra, Paul Williams, and Albert Frey to name a few. Participate in lectures, educational events, and parties. Enjoy tours of private residences in places such as William Cody Glass House, commercial buildings, and architectural gems favored by those who admire the midcentury modern movement.

Hot Picks

McCormick's Palm Springs Exotic Car Auctions, Bad Girl Comedian Kathy Griffin, and Musical Theater Diva Elaine Paige.

Space-Age Bachelor Pad Dining

By Pam Bieri

Some of Palm Springs’ hippest restaurants enjoy the spotlight each February during Modernism week. These sharp-looking establishments serve up cuisine and ambiance that celebrates America’s post-war era of optimism and creativity.

Hipster Chic

By Ebony March

Celebrities like Zooey Deschanel, Gwen Stefani, Ryan Gosling, and Lenny Kravitz are known for their signature styles. You can snag their best looks locally.

At The Casinos

When it comes to live entertainment, local casinos rock — literally. Here’s a sampling of what’s hot and happening.

Film Fest Favorite Comes to the Camelot

French director Mikael Buch debuted his romantic comedy, Let My People Go! at the 2012 Palm Springs International Film Festival. Not only did the audience leave a lasting impression on him, but, so did the desert.

Hear Me Roar!

By Ebony March

Say the name “Helen Reddy” to anyone who was around during the 1970s, and they will probably respond by belting out the lyrics to her greatest hit, “I Am Woman.”