New Service: Dry Heat Resorts is excited to offer our guests five-star concierge service provided by KEY. When you stay in our properties you have the convenience of KEY Concierge- the one-stop-shop for all of your itinerary needs before and during your stay in Palm Springs. KEY Concierge offers essentials such as pre-arrival grocery delivery + stock the bar, private chef, in-home massage, babysitting, etc. In addition to these, KEY helps facilitate local curated experiences such as ATV excursion, San Andreas fault tours, hot air balloon trips, personalized yoga session, golf t times, pool toys & refreshments or a sunset hike + picnic and more. To kick-start your Palm Springs visit, take advantage of the convenience KEY Concierge provides with pre-arrival grocery delivery. It’s what “home away from home” should feel like. 

Click on the following link to view a sampling of essentials and curated local experiences; http://www.dryheatresorts.com/concierge.htm

Desert Flippers on HGTV

If you are one of the many people out there who enjoys the Palm Springs area as well as watching real estate house flipping and house makeover shows, then I have the perfect tv show for you: HGTV’s Desert Flippers (recently renewed for its 2^nd season) stars husband and wife Wisconsin-transplants who buy dilapidated Palm Springs homes and turn them into California Desert Oasis’.

Season one premiered in August 2016 with eight episodes.  During this season, the picture-perfect duo faced a myriad of challenges – from scorpions and snakes to marijuana growing rooms and unseasonable weather - to transform eye-sores and vacant homes into stunning real-estate. 

For season two, they are filming 10 episodes.  They have finished 8 homes and have another 2 in the works all across the desert in La Quinta, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Cathedral City and Palm Springs. 

The couple, Eric and Lindsey Bennett, are supposedly going bigger, badder and bolder in the second season:  knocking down walls, creating kitchen islands and installing pools are all part of season two which premiered on Thursday, July 20.

Unique Boutique in Downtown PS

It's not often that you find a store that will make you designer-quality custom made leather goods, is it?  Or how about custom made shirts or belts.  Well, I heard about a little boutique in downtown Palm Springs that does just that and visited the store to see for myself.

The boutique is called V & G Collective.  It's a specialty clothing boutique and leather studio located in Downtown Palm Springs.  They also have a "pop-up" store at the Ritz Carlton in Rancho Mirage.  One of the first things I noticed was the sewing machine behind the counter where Steven Nash, one of the store's two owners, was sitting.  Steven is a very friendly guy who enthusiastically told me about how they create custom items in their store such as leather bags, bracelets and even very stylish looking shirts.  I actually was very tempted to get this one shirt he made as I thought it was very nice.  The t-shirt and jeans guy inside of me wouldn't let me though.  Having written that, if you are into fashion and having clothes nobody else has, I think you'll like this small and unassuming shop.

The store carries both men's and woman's fashion brands along with beautiful hand selected jewelry and accessories. Their leather studio allows customers to create beautiful one of a kind specialty pieces including belts and HipWear.

They actually have what they call their custom belt bar.  At the bar, customers get to select leather, buckle and hardware to create something unique and customized to their unique tastes.

V & G Collective was started by Gayle Bindman who combines her love for fashion and design with her amazing personalty and retail skills to create a shopping experience like no other.

The store is located at 457 N Palm Canyon Dr in downtown Palm Springs.  It is located in this shopping center called The Palm Springs Galleria which features a number of mom & pop shops where you can browse and buy art, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry and a curated selection of art and design books.

As a small business owner myself, I like to support small businesses in the Palm Springs area.  I especially like to support them when they offer superior products and services.  Well, I've come across a new downtown Palm Springs small business that I strongly believe is a place you should all visit when you are in town. 
                                                                          
Owned and operated by Felix Tipper, Tipper's Gourmet Marketplace, is a great place to have a casual ,and al fresco, breakfast, lunch or dinner.  You can also order his gourmet food to be delivered to your vacation rental using an App called Postmates.  Boxed lunches to go, catering, sandwich platters, wine pairing, curated gift baskets and more are also available.  In addition to their regular menu, Felix is always mixing things up with weekly specials.  For example:  the other day I had a balsamic chicken sandwich with arugula  on a focaccia roll that had such a unique flavor I couldn't stop complimenting Felix.  Forget about plain old potato salad for your side.  At Tipper's Gourmet Marketplace, you can have the "Loaded Potato Salad" instead.  I had it and it was like having a hot loaded potato skin except in cold potato salad form.  Absolutely delicious. 

If you love breakfast sandwiches, how does fried egg, gruyere cheese, bacon, tomato and aioli on lightly toasted sourdough sound to you?  Breakfast bowls, bagels, burritos and veggie burritos are also available or you can try their housemade quiche (s).  At Tipper's Gourmet Marketplace, gourmet coffee is also available to enjoy with your breakfast. 

For lunch, enjoy a freshly made salad or take your taste buds on a European vacation with one of their baguette sandwiches. Pair any lunch or dinner with a glass of wine or an ice-cold beer for the perfect Palm Springs lunch. 

In addition to having a great meal, the marketplace offers fine wine, cheese, crackers and an assortment of other retail items you can take with you to your vacation rental.  Tipper's Gourmet Marketplace is located at 276 N. Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs.  It is across the street from the Hyatt hotel in the back of the Henry Frank Arcade.  To call ahead for pick-up, they can be reached at 760-322-6666.

If you are looking to host a corporate retreat, wedding, party, family reunion or any other type of event in the Palm Springs area, there is a new event venue, built within a 1955-built bank in downtown Palm Springs, that embodies the mid-century modern lifestyle of Palm Springs.

 

TheBank, built in 1955 as The Coachella Valley Savings and Loan, is Palm Springs newest and most unique event venue. The building retains all of it original character making it a true mid century experience for any type of event. Upon entering TheBank you're taken back to 1955 with original black terrazzo floors, circular walk-in vault with stone facade and free form terrazzo stair case. The second level, the former banking floor, is a large open space with 20-foot high ceilings and floor to ceiling windows overlooking South Palm Canyon Drive with yet another circular walk-in vault. TheBank can accommodate any type of event.  Cocktail parties, sit down dinners, dancing, live performances, DJ's, movie premiers, photo shoots, car shows, product launches and many more.

The architect of the building,  E. Stewart Williams, is one of the more famous Palm Springs mid century modern architects.  Among his major projects are the Oasis Office Building, Coachella Savings and Loan (I and II), Crafton Hills College (in Yucaipa), Santa Fe Savings Bank and the Upper Mountain Station of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. In addition to the Frank Sinatra House (his first residential commission), Williams has designed numerous architecturally significant private residences throughout the Coachella Valley.  His most dramatic public building is the Palm Springs Desert Museum. It’s first phase was designed in 1976.

I visited The Bank Palm Springs yesterday as they held a Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce meeting there and was blown away by how authentic most everything was.  I remember going to banks as a child in the 70's and 80's in similar buildings.  Without questions, this venue will take you back to those days and offers a fun, retro, unique space to have your next Palm Springs event.

The Bank if located at 383 South Palm Canyon Dr. in downtown Palm Springs.

Palm Springs was recently voted the #1 hippest mid-sized city in American!

There is no universal definition of "hip." For some, it's hipster - that ironic cool that has been perfected by the likes of Brooklyn and Portland. For others, it's trendy and fashion forward, showing off the latest, chicest clubs, restaurants, and boutiques, a la Miami or LA. And while big cities are often known for being hip, smaller cities get passed over, but that shouldn't be the case. To find the 10 hippest mid-sized cities, gogobot, a popular travel website, grabbed the U.S. cities with ranks #100-900 by population according to census data and sorted them by the preferences of their "Trendsters Tribe". They're smaller, sure, but each celebrate cool in their own unique way.  Following are the top ten hippest mid-sized cities in America:

1. Palm Springs, CA: Why it's hip: Once upon a time, Palm Springs was known for being a retirement haven where the post-employment crowd liked to spend their vacations and golden years. Boy, has that changed. While it's still Baby Boomer-friendly, it's now also LGBT-friendly, foodie-friendly, mircrobrew-friendly, and millennial-friendly.

Where to go: You can get a taste of the new and trendy at many stay, eat, and play options in the city. For hotels, try the Colony Palms or the Avalon. (Better yet, stay at a Dry Heat Resorts vacation rental and eat and play at the hotels).  Get some shopping done at Trina Turk Boutique, and take in a little modern culture at the Palm Springs Art Museum. For fancy cocktails and late-night eats, try Tropicale and Bootlegger Tiki.

2. Napa, CA: Why it's hip: Sure, there's wine. But Napa is so much more than that. Once a sleepy town and quick stopover for those on their way to the wineries, the city itself is now its own destination, with blocks packed full of boutique hotels and spas, upscale eateries from celebrity chefs, tasting rooms, shops, and art galleries.

To find out what the other Hippest Mid-Sized cities in America are, Click here to read the entire article...

The 2016 Palm Springs International Film Festival is in full swing and doesn't end until January 11.  The Black Tie Awards Gala, which kicked off the festival on January 2, featured A-list stars like Johnny Depp, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Rooney Mara and Saoirse Ronan.  While I watched the red carpet walk on TV, I recognized an actor being interviewed whose face I knew, but whose name was a mystery.  He is a character actor who I remember as playing villains in movies and tv shows.  I even think I've seen him in tv commercials and music videos.  Here is his picture; 

Does he look familiar to you?

He looked very familiar to me and then the interviewer mentioned that he lived in Palm Springs.  This caused my ears and interest to perk up because I'm always interested in knowing about famous people living in Palm Springs since I make a living off of Palm Springs tourism.  People are fascinated with celebrity and Palm Springs has a well know historical celebrity past.  This definitely sells the city to older vacationers, but new blood is always good.  Not that this particular 71 year old actor will draw the attention of those under 30, right.  But, he is a celebrity and does currently live in Palm Springs. 

Anyway, this Palm Springs celebrity's name is Udo Kier.  He was born in Cologne Germany, has appeared in over 200 films and has lived in Palm Springs since 1991.  In 1966, Kier was cast in the lead role for the film Road to St. Tropez.   One of the most important films in his early career was Andy Warhol's Frankenstein in 1973.   Another film, Blood for Dracula in 1974, was done by Warhol's studio and produced by Roman Polanski.  Kier played the lead roles of young doctor Frankenstein and young count Dracula.  Other films that people may recognize him from include Blade, My Own Private Idaho, Ace Ventura Pet Detective and Armageddon.   

What I mainly recognize him from is the 1992 video for Madonna's song "Deeper & Deeper".  This happens to be my favorite Madonna song, and I remember him playing this mysterious villain who had the most compelling eyes.  

Remember to rent a luxury vacation rental from Dry Heat Resorts whenever you visit the California desert.