The Shamel Residence (1961)
PHOTOGRAPH BY J. GETTY TRUST
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN
As Monacelli Press prepares to publish Master of the Midcentury: The Architecture of William F. Cody this fall, its promo materials acknowledge the first monograph devoted to the desert modern architect is “long overdue.” Photographs of extant and now-lost structures mingle with renderings and drawings for architectural commissions and plans for vanguard building systems in a tome replete with insights into beloved structures and a retrospective of those we miss.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MONACELLI PRESS
“Of the architects who made Palm Springs a crucible of midcentury American modernism, William F. Cody (1916–1978) was one of the most prolific, diverse, and iconic,” according to the publisher. “His projects — from icons like the Del Marcos Hotel (1946), to inventive country clubs like the Eldorado (1957), to houses for celebrities (Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Walt Disney) — pushed the boundaries of engineering, with beams and roof slabs so thin that his buildings seemed to defy gravity.”
The architect’s daughter, Cathy Cody, design historian Jo Lauria, and architectural historian Don Choi — the team that curated Fast Forward: The Architecture of William F. Cody, the exhibition at the Architecture and Design Museum in Los Angeles — authored the book, which releases Sept. 7 and is available to pre-order.
The Shamel Residence (1961) and St. Theresa Catholic Church show architect William Cody’s range. They are placed within the context of his full body of work in an upcoming book co-authored by his daughter.
PHOTOGRAPH BY DARREN BRADLEY
Galora founder Ryan Xavier is “on a mission to share neighborhood bounty.”
SHARING IS CARING
There’s a new word in town: Galora. The founder of the share-what-you-have company would like to see its reach grow as rapidly here as it has in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Jose.
“I have seen a staggering amount of wasted fruit,” says Ryan Xavier, who moved to Palm Desert last year. “We believe the pervasive problems of fruit waste, food insecurity, COVID-19-related loneliness, and the environmental impact of industrialized farming and shipping can all be mitigated by empowering individuals to share or trade what they are already growing directly with their neighbors.”
Locally, the notion has been catching on. After a recent Los Angeles Times feature and an appearance on San Diego’s CBS 8, “We have seen people sharing fruits, backyard eggs, pies, and home-cooked meals,” Xavier says. “Gogalora.com and our app make it easy to become directly involved by making an impact on these important issues in a way that is rewarding and instantly gratifying.”
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF GOGALORA.COM
Among the 1,500 listings Galora members have created are those offering seasonal produce and fresh-baked bread.