Palm Spring Chosen One of 20 Best Places For Snowbirds

Expedia recently came out with their list of the 20 best places snowbirds Winter in the U.S..  Palm Springs was on the list, and with an average January high of 71 degrees, the city had the highest average January temperature with the exception of the two Hawaii destinations.  Following is what the article had to say about Palm Springs:

Sunshine and palm trees await in this desert haven. No matter the season, it’s always the right time to order a cocktail and lounge on a chaise poolside in Palm Springs. However, the winter months are arguably the best time to visit as the desert heat eases up, leaving ideal temperatures perfect for all the best things to do in Palm Springs, like a stroll through the Palm Springs VillageFest and a hike on Andreas Canyon Trail.

Snowbirds love to: Stake a spot at the trendy Ace Hotel & Swim Club when a DJ’s on deck, and venture to nearby Desert Hot Springs for a pampering spa day—relaxation just hit new levels.

To read the entire article, please click on the following link:  https://viewfinder.expedia.com/features/20-best-places-snowbirds-winter/

New Modern Luxury Palm Springs Hotel Opens Today

Palm Springs is excited to welcome the opening of The Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel in downtown Palm Springs on November 17,  serving as the anchor to the City’s downtown revitalization project.  This seven story trend-setting property with 153 rooms is set to offer visitors a unique experience in this exciting location.  The light-drenched guestrooms and suites feature floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the magnificent views of the San Jacinto Mountains and glimmering desert.  The Rowan includes two restaurants, three bars, and over 16,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space.

Greeting you in the lobby is the Window Bar surrounded by bookshelves with a relaxed vibe.  On the first floor you will also find Juniper Table, a casual all-day Mediterranean café featuring seasonal and organic ingredients.  For those looking for grab-and-go, a barista provides coffee, fresh juices and light takeaway items as well as a concise menu of made-to-order cold and hot items. By mid-day the menu moves to sharable snacks, salads, sandwiches, cheeses and select entrees.

Head to the seventh floor rooftop and you’ll experience 4 Saints’ Restaurant, a mix of sophistication and convivial spirit. Perched on the tallest rooftop in Palm Springs and adjacent to the pool, the restaurant will boast stunning views of the San Jacinto Mountains and Coachella Valley.  The restaurant incorporates global cuisine with a strong French influence, presided over by executive Chef Stephen Wambach, formerly of the Four Seasons in Chicago.

Guests and locals can visit High Bar, a bungalow-filled retreat and chic poolside lounge.  The rooftop pool, the only one of its kind in the Palm Springs area, is surrounded by daybeds with canopied misters, and cabanas, all boasting a 360 degree view of Palm Springs. 

New Film Festival Comes to Palm Springs November 9 - 11

A new film festival that showcases animated movies is coming to Palm Springs this month.  The above picture is actually taken from the animated short, "Rocket Man", featuring Elton John’s iconic song of the same title.  The film festival is called the Palm Springs International Animation Festival (PSIAF), and will feature 273 animated shorts and six full-length animated films. 

The festival is the brainchild of Brian Neil Hoff who started the event in his own backyard:  

In 2008, Hoff (a Palm Springs resident), held the first Backyard Film Festival behind his house complete with pop-up screen and projector. “When I launched [the Backyard Film Festival] in November 2008, I initially received 10 submissions, most of which were from animation directors I had kept in contact with over the years,” says Hoff. “They had additional shorts they wanted to submit, and after some intense work gaining Hollywood’s trust, we started to see the entries pour in.”

Hoff began to organize his thoughts over the next nine years. He created a method of logging entries and established communication with filmmakers. He developed relationships with animation magazines and blogs. Finally, he pitched the idea to Dimitri Halkidis, Boo2Bullying’s president and founder who was a recent recipient of the Palm Springs Human Rights Commission Community Service Award.  To learn more click on this link: https://www.palmspringslife.com/animated-expression/

Like many of you, I was disappointed when in 2014/2015, the Agua Caliente Indian Tribe demolished the historical Spa Hotel in downtown Palm Springs.  The Hotel, which opened in 1963 and had 229 rooms, was a classic mid-century modern building.  Its hot mineral spas tapped into the hot springs that Palm Springs got its name from.  I really considered this a huge loss to the area.  I'm now reconsidering...

On October 7, Agua Caliente Chairman, Jeff Grubbe, announced a new cultural center, spa and bathhouse will be built on the former Spa Hotel site at the intersection of Tahquitz Canyon Way and Indian Canyon Drive.  After the demolition of the venerable old hotel, I remember thinking that I hope they include access to the hot mineral springs with whatever they build there.  I'm very interested in what they mean by bathhouse.  Could they possibly have a public bathhouse right in the middle of downtown Palm Springs?  I'm afraid the article I read didn't go into much detail about it.  Here is what it did detail:

The cultural center will include outdoor activity spaces for people to learn about the tribe and the role the hot springs played in shaping Palm Springs. A path called the Oasis Trail will offer a taste of "the distinctive character, geography, flora and beauty of the nearby Indian Canyons. 

The new museum building will hold approximately 48,000 square feet of gallery space, including areas for art and cultural artifacts, changing exhibits, an education center and garden.

The new spa and bathhouse will include about 40,000 square feet of spa treatment rooms, men's and women's bathhouses, a salon, fitness center, outdoor mineral pools and tranquility garden.  To read the full article, please click here.

I just learned about a local activity that you can do while vacationing in the Palm Springs area. I never knew this existed. It is so different and exciting sounding that I had to write about it.
Imagine gliding over the Coachella Valley in a glider.  On this glider tour, you can see everything from the San Jacinto and San Gorgonio mountains in the west to the Salton Sea in the east and from Joshua Tree National Monument in the north to rugged Toro Peak and the Santa Rosa Mountains in the south.

Palms to Pines Gliding operates a unique airplane that takes off under its own power, then transforms to a glider at altitude. The advantages of a powered glider: It doesn’t require a tow to take off and can land safely at will at any airport. It’s truly a one-of-a-kind experience.

“Once you’ve caught the thermal updrafts you soar with the eagles,” says Chris Dabolt, the owner of Palms to Pines Gliding.  He has been a glider pilot for nearly 35 years with commercial and flight-instructor ratings.

Palms to Pines Gliding operates from the privately owned Bermuda Dunes Airport. Dabolt selected the airport because of its large runway, friendly and helpful staff, and proximity to the local mountains and deserts, which provide both spectacular views and the ideal conditions for gliding. Click the following link to learn more about this great Palm Springs activity: https://www.palmstopinesgliding.com/

In the year since golf legend Arnold Palmer’s death, Sept. 25, 2016, there’s been a subtle change in the atmosphere and a healthy uptick in business at the La Quinta restaurant that bears his name.

“There seemed to be a lot of people coming to pay respects,” says Dustin Nichols, general manager of Arnold Palmer’s Restaurant, an estate-like establishment in Old Town La Quinta known for its sprawling outdoor patio and Palmer mementos lining every wall. Palmer himself was a frequent guest during season, often lingering to speak with his fans. “There was definitely a lot of nostalgia. And the patrons seem even more interested than usual in all the memorabilia we have, telling the story of Mr. Palmer’s life and career.” Arnold Palmer’s Restaurant re-opens Sept. 21 after its summer hiatus.

The restaurant will wait to mark the first anniversary of its namesake’s passing with a potential charity event later this year, Nichols says. In the meantime, we’ve rounded up eight suggestions for Arnie’s Army to pay homage by visiting some of his landmarks in the desert.

1. Learn the King’s desert history.

“I just like it here,” Palmer once said about the Greater Palm Springs area in a 2014 Desert Sun article marking the restaurant’s 10th anniversary. “It’s the most wonderful place in the world. I came here in 1955 and I never left.” While there was no substitute for his native Latrobe, Pennsylvania, the desert was for many years the King’s true second home.
The story of how the young Pennsylvanian professional touring golfer discovered the desert in 1955, hauling a trailer with his wife Winnie riding shotgun, is one of the highlights of Palm Springs Golf: A History of Coachella Valley Legends & Fairways, a must-read for Palmer fans by veteran Desert Sun columnist Larry Bohannon. The story details how Palmer made this place his own and shaped its golf development for decades. 

To Read More, click on this link:

My last article was about how event tourism, starting with the Coachella Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach Country Music Festival, put the Palm Springs area back on the map.  It really caused the Palm Springs tourism renaissance.

Coincidentally, a new event/festival was just announced that sounds rather interesting.  Like Coachella and Stagecoach, there is a large music element to the event.  Like Palm Springs, its all about the retro and pool parties.  The event is called "Vintage Vibe", and it takes place October 20 - 22 2017.    Here is how the event promoters describe it:

Set in glamorous Palm Springs, California, famed getaway destination of the icons of Old Hollywood, VintageVibe FESTIVAL is a celebration of the evolution of American style and pop culture, which we consider anything pre-1999. The 60k square foot indoor (air-conditioned) marketplace will include vendors who not only represent eras gone by, but also new and innovative vendors who nod to the stylings of yesteryear in their products and design. The show will also feature several renowned headliners that have the "VintageVibe" such as Shannon and The Clams, Generationals, Nick Waterhouse, Best Coast, and others each night of the 3-day festival.