SHAG: Palm Springs 2008

Inspired by the photos Martha Stewart posted from her recent trip to Palm Springs, I want to share some shots from our trip there last Thanksgiving. I think it might be my most favorite place in the world—well, at least one of my favorite places.

It was like taking a trip back in time—the amount of Mid-Century Modern architecture there is incredible. We were able to sneak into the Parker Palm Springs (recently decorated by Jonathan Adler) and tour the Robert Alexander House where Elvis and Priscilla Presley honeymooned.

First, we inhale some jet fuel getting out of LAX.

Four hours of LA traffic later we reach the desert and are greeted by the windmill farms. FRESH AIR!

At Albert Frey’s City Hall (1952) I find clean lines integrated with nature, as well as beautiful typography that makes my head spin with modernist delight.

Frey used metal piping as a functional design element. Not only does it look cool, it also shields the windows from the hot morning sun while still allowing some natural light in.

I couldn’t resist…

Frey also designed these aluminum, prefab houses.

Unlike most of the other famous homes, the Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway (I feel silly even typing that) is surprisingly easy to get close to. The drive isn’t gated and the neighborhood is quite unassuming. Sure, it is a neighborhood of Alexander houses. Every other one is a Swiss Miss like this:

But tucked into the Vista Las Palmas subdivision is the Alexander house most people know and recognize. Sadly, the tour covered only a small part of the house and focused mainly on its association with Elvis. However, I did get some shots of the most impressive room—the circular living room.

I’m not into Elvis, but it was pretty cool to see these:

After the tour we stopped by an antique store for some window shopping. There we were tipped off to head to The Parker where we would be able to get onto the grounds even though we were not guests.

Fun with shadows.

Beautiful concrete sun screen.

Jonathan Adler mixed mid-century modern pop with Peruvian textures to create the desert oasis of my dreams.

Next we moved on to William F. Cody’s 1947 Del Marcos Hotel.

The lobby (can I have all of this furniture, please!)

Then to the site of Fred Monhoff’s Biltmore Hotel. Unfortunately, most it was destroyed in 2003; however, the exterior of the main building has been somewhat preserved or rebuilt.

Next on the list: Rudolf Baumfeld’s 1959 stucco, steal, wood, and glass tribute to Le Corbusier’s Chapel at Ronchamp—City National Bank Building (now Bank of America.)