Publisher's Letter - September 2011

Coachella Valley Preserve

TOM BREWSTER

Welcome to the 2011/2012 Palm Springs Life Desert Living Edition, our annual celebration of the bright, colorful, and action-packed California desert lifestyle. This issue packs tons of useful information for visitors and serves as an indispensable reference for year-round residents. A veritable user’s guide to the Greater Palm Springs area, Palm Springs Life showcases the best of the desert — from the majestic Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument to world-class art, shopping, and dining to exciting attractions and blissful indulgences.

One of the most compelling but little-known facts about this idyllic resort destination is that it’s surrounded by a ring of 14 distinctive areas that includes the San Gorgonio Wilderness, Whitewater Preserve, Coachella Valley Preserve, Joshua Tree National Park, Salton Sea, and other lands. In “A Perfect Circle,” writer Ann Japenga and photographer Tom Brewster circumnavigate our “urbanized” slice of the desert, “traveling entirely in the wilds,” according to the writer. “This hidden ring makes the Coachella Valley a great place to live, lending a sane balance of civilization and wildness. It also makes for an epic journey, either virtually or on foot.”

While the mind-boggling diversity of wildlife and awesome beauty offer discovery and tranquility, let’s remember who first turned us on to this desert paradise: celebrities who made Palm Springs their playground — and often their home. When celebrity intersected with the desert’s favorite pastime, golf, a different kind of wildlife emerged.

“Mixing professional golfers, celebrities, and desert sunshine with loud pants is pure alchemy for the greater Palm Springs area,” writes Sheila Grattan in “Stars on the Links.” “If Midas himself controlled all the desert’s marketing dollars, he couldn’t come close to affording the priceless network images of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Arnold Palmer, Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, and other celebrities cavorting in the dead of winter and signing autographs in shorts and cotton shirts.  Will next-generation celebrities keep pro-am golf alive? Read more of Grattan’s report online at www.palmspringslife.com.

This issue also steers you to the finest shops, restaurants, art galleries, spas, golf course, attractions, and much more. We encourage you to turn to the Desert Guide, which includes insider tips, only-in-the-desert experiences, events, rich listings, and an easy-to-use map.

Please visit our website — www.palmspringslife.com — for the most up-to-date calendar of events and articles that will help you optimize your stay. From the website, click to the Apple iTunes store to download the free Palm Springs Life app, a handy tool that places Palm Springs Life, Desert Guide, and the website at your fingertips.

We hope you’ll want even more and subscribe to our monthly magazine. By doing so, you will receive the 2012/2013 Palm Springs Life Desert Living Edition and special publications such as Palm Springs Life ART+CULTURE, Dine Out, Weddings, Medical Guide, and more! Call 800-775-PALM or visit www.palmspringslife.com.

Enjoy your Palm Springs Life!