Before our eyes, a smorgasbord of retailers serves up bountiful choices for the seasonal flow of visitors and the ballooning number of full-time residents. Nationally branded and one-of-a-kind boutiques can be found from downtown Palm Springs in the west end of the valley to Old Town La Quinta in the east end.
Change extends beyond the spate of presidential politics. This has been a transformational year for art galleries, especially on El Paseo in Palm Desert, where several dealers have been moving into bigger venues and sharpening their exhibition schedules in a fashion bespeaking the resilient strength of fine art amid economic uncertainty.
Palm Springs Life raises a martini (shaken, not stirred) to 007 and the Bond girls who graced John Lautner’s Elrod House in the film Diamonds are Forever. The flowing architectural lines lead the eye from one beautiful space to the next. We revisit the scene to show off the form of so many fall fashions. Jackets have structured silhouettes, dresses accentuate the body with strong lines, and women once again look feminine and romantic, yet strong.
Pro and celebrity tournaments — including the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, the Frank Sinatra Countrywide Celebrity Invitational, and Kraft Nabisco Championship — fix the eyes of the golf world squarely on the Coachella Valley for several months each year. The fabled courses that host these tournaments become magnets for enthusiasts who visit the desert to test their game on some of the most beautiful and challenging layouts.
Since June 13 and until Nov. 27, a rare planetary transit forces the truth to make itself known. We are getting an intensified dose of reality. We must rouse ourselves from this rapturous lecture and proceed to lab. 2008-9 bring an unprecedented majority of Earth influence. Not since 1989 and 1994 has Earth been effective. The following remains relevant through Sept. 2009. For a personal reading, e-mail me at sherrylnova@aim.com.
The hike from Southridge Drive and Highway 111 in Palm Springs takes you up the west end of the Santa Rosa Mountains above the exclusive houses beyond the gates on Southridge. They include the former abodes of William Holden, Steve McQueen, and David Janssen, as well as the flying sauceresque house where Bob Hope entertained large crowds (a particularly popular postcard image when the roof was copper).
Seventy years ago, filming was ready to begin on one of Hollywood’s most beloved movies, The Wizard of Oz. Palm Springs has a special connection to the making of this classic. Relive the magical journey of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion as we take you back down the Yellow Brick Road.
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