Publisher's Letter - Welcome

Photo By Tom Brewster

This issue packs tons of useful information for visitors and serves as an indispensable reference for the ever-increasing number of year-round residents. A veritable user’s guide to the Coachella Valley, Palm Springs Life showcases the best of the desert — page after page of celebrity houses, extreme adventures, sophisticated fashion, world-class shopping, fine art and dining, and exciting attractions.

The most dramatic and distinguishing quality of our area is its mountain perimeter — the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. Once you’ve been here for a while, you’ll be able to identify the major peaks: San Gorgonio, San Jacinto, and Mount Eisenhower. Meanwhile, noted landscape photographer Tom Brewster and writer Ann Japenga have collaborated on a series of outstanding photography and storytelling to show you the beauty, history, and future of this natural treasure. Their feature, “Into the Wild” (page 64), reveals how the two mountain ranges gained national monument status while wowing us with inspiring, jaw-dropping photography.

“Think of a national monument as a national park — but with fewer logo mouse pads and key chains,” Japenga writes. “Because of these mountains’ exemplary history, topography, and plant and animal life, they are deemed important to the nation. The monument designation links the Coachella Valley to the grand history of American conservation — to John Muir, Aldo Leopold, and Henry Thoreau.”

Look for this beautifully photographed series to continue in each issue of Palm Springs Life throughout the 2010/2011 season.

While the beauty of the mountains lulls us into a peaceful state, let’s remember who first turned us on to this desert paradise: celebrities who made Palm Springs their playground — and often their home.

“The Road to Fame and Fortune” (page 56), by Greg Archer, offers a fascinating look at celebrity houses and party pads that have become legendary desert lore. In addition to his insight into the houses’ owners, architecture and design, and famous visitors, the article includes photographic blasts from the past, as well as new views of several iconic properties.

We selected celebrity houses (addresses included!) that you can see from either a guided tour or from your own vehicle at your own pace. Luminaries may pass on, but as Archer says, “Fascination with celebrity never dies.”

This issue also steers you to the finest shops, restaurants, galleries, golf courses, spas, attractions, and much more. We encourage you to turn to the Desert Guide, which includes insider tips, advice, and listings, as well as a yearlong calendar and helpful maps for easy navigation.

You can now download the free Palm Springs Life app, a handy tool that places Palm Springs Life, Desert Guide, and the website at your fingertips and provides new special offers every week. It’s a valuable resource that we hope you will reference with great ease and frequency.

We hope you’ll want even more and subscribe to our monthly print magazine. By doing so, you will receive the 2011/2012 Palm Springs Life Desert Living Edition and a variety of supplements that inform, advise, inspire, and entertain. Call 800-775-PALM

Enjoy your Palm Springs Life!