Publishers Letter

Tom Brewster

Welcome to the 2012/2013 Palm Springs Life Desert Living Edition. This hefty volume contains an abundance of useful information and celebrates the best of the California desert lifestyle — from the majestic Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument to rich offerings in fine art, dining, and shopping; sophisticated fashion; luxurious architecture and design; exciting attractions; celebrity sightings; and blissful spa indulgences.

While most visitors and residents experience the area as a contemporary oasis, the Native Americans remind us that “the Cahuilla landscape” — including the mountains, coves, and dunes from San Gorgonio Pass to the Salton Sea — is a sacred place where their ancestors explored, settled, and prayed. “Getting to know Cahuillaland is especially urgent now that a host of elders — the last links to the Native landscape — have died in recent years,” writes Ann Japenga in “Greetings From … Cahuillaland!” The story encourages us to look at the area from a different perspective, using the ancient sea line, old trails, petroglyphs, and enchanted boulders and peaks as points of reference.

Another way to experience Palm Springs and other resort cities is through its wealth of celebrity and architecturally significant houses. In “The VIP Treatment” we point you to brilliantly designed properties that you can pursue for vacations, retreats, and special getaways. The houses of so many iconic celebrities — including Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Lucille Ball, and Bing Crosby — welcome guests for long weekends and extended stays. 

Some of these houses are among the 83 properties in the new Palm Springs Modern: Mid-Century Architecture Tours mobile app (see “Modernism Goes Mobile”). Palm Springs Life and Palm Springs Modern Committee partnered to create this essential guide, which includes three narrated tours, as well as richly drawn profiles, photographs, videos of modern residences, commercial and government buildings, and even gas stations.

The enduring spirit of the midcentury aesthetic has an unquestionable magnetic quality, seducing visitors to become residents, who then immerse themselves in sleek, retro design and the leisure lifestyle it represents. In an effort to explain the phenomenon, photographer James Schnepf set out to “Meet the Moderns” — new and longtime residents who have made architecture and design an essential part of their identities.

In the desert, however, innovative design was born on natural beauty, which remains the No. 1 reason people seek the Palm Springs area to relax and play. More than fun in the sun, this destination also draws people who need medical procedures and a bright, healthy climate to recover from them. In “Destination Medicine” Deputy Editor Janice Kleinschmidt reveals how state-of-the-art medical facilities tout the appeal of the desert’s healing climate to attract patients from afar.

This issue also includes the finest shops, restaurants, art galleries, spas, golf courses, attractions, and more. Turn to the Desert Guide for insider tips, only-in-the-desert experiences, events, listings, and an easy-to-use map.

And visit 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 to have it all at your fingertips.

Throughout 2013, we’ll celebrate many anniversaries in print and online. The City of Palm Springs turns 75 years old, Palm Springs Aerial Tramways turns 50, McCallum Theatre turns 25, and Spa Resort Casino turns 10. Our editors and photographers are preparing special features that I’m sure you’ll want to see throughout the year, in which Palm Springs Life turns 55.

We hope you like what you see and subscribe to our monthly edition. By doing so, you will receive the 2013/2014 Palm Springs Life Desert Living Edition and special publications such as Palm Springs Life Art + Culture, Dine Out, Vitality (formerly Medical Guide), Weddings, and more. Call 800-775-PALM or visit www.palmspringslife.com.

Enjoy your Palm Springs Life!