Jim Jennings House, Deepwell, Palm Springs

I went to the unveiling of the Jim Jennings-designed and Blue Sky Homes-material sourced materials home in Deepwell.  The party was thrown by Palm Springs Modern Committee, and really was a chic home- I was really impressed by the delicate details of the home's design- particularly the lacy perforated ceiling finish, which directs AC air through it entirely, rather than through single vents.  The house picks up right where the Wexler/Harrison Steel houses left off, and expands entirely.  The vertical steel walls around the courtyard look so much like the steel guest houses from the Alexander's Twin Palms development.  Very cool concept.  The house is listed for sale at $1.3 million, which is breathtaking in itself.  Can't wait to see it sell.

Sparrows Hotel Palm Springs

I was able to get to Sparrows Hotel yesterday- though their not opening until September, thanks to hang-ups in the renovation with the City of Palm Springs.  I can't wait to have a cocktail in the original barn on the property.  Once a western-themed motor court hotel that was built either in the late 1940's or early 50's depending on who you talk to, this is now a tony design-driven boutique hotel designed by the former owners of the Korakia hotel in Palm Springs.  Josie Smith, owner, was kind enough to give us a tour and show us into her on-site shop, which has opened in advance of the hotel.  Totally digging the summer camp hoe down chuckwagon dinner vibe!

Desert Center: California Ghost Town and Modern Ruins

Desert Center's history is as colorful as it currently is colorless.  Nearly a ghost town, there are a few inhabitants left in this village that was founded in 1921.  Now that everyone seems to have pulled up and left- even all the gas stations are closed, the town remains remarkably intact.  It's just on the outskirts of Lake Tamarisk, which was built by Kaiser Steel.  Check out the full history of Desert Center on Wikipedia, and get out there for a drive- it's only about an hour East of Palm Springs. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_Center,_California

My favorite quote from the founder of the town is: "If You Don't Believe Me, You Can Go To Hell, or Visit Me in Desert Center in August!"

Was definitely worth a stop on my way back from Phoenix Modern.

Coachella Music Festival 2013

I went to Coachella this year with low expectations.  Anytime I hear a load of buzz about something, I figure that the sheep are at at it again, baa baa baa about something new.  Aside from getting in and back out (it's a long and difficult process, have patience), it was one of the most fun things that I've ever done.  It's like a combination rock concert, cocktail party, fashion show, and art installation.

For three days (12-hour days), I stood with friends and ate and drank and listened to some of the best live music I've heard in a long time- OMD, New Order, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs (my favorite), Rodriguez, Violent Femmes, Youth Lagoon, Stars, Divine Fits, Alt-J, Modest Mouse, La Roux...I think you get the picture.  The light shows with each performance was amazing, lots of space to move around and dance, and the crowds are very friendly.

When you get tired of the music, you can stroll around the Polo Grounds, taking in the major art installations: a midcentury moder-esque house with images projected on it at night, a HUGE lycra snail that creeps about the grounds after dark, a hippo-operated powerplant, and a praying mantis/crane/dj booth. 

The food is pretty great for a large-scale festival (over 80,000 people attend): Taiwanese bao with fried chicken, Pink's hot dogs, paella, french fries with a garlic aioli and crab meat- I spent a lot of time eating!

The best part of this whole thing is that everyone is SO YOUNG.  It's a whole new generation of people coming to Palm Springs to have a great time, and taking all these memories of their fun back home.  It's so great that this next group of really young people have re-discovered the magic of the desert.

I can't wait to get my tickets for next year!

Pompeii De Las Palmas: Palm Springs Pied-à-terre

Italianate Regency Midcentury

Enjoy Your Last Days In Pompeii

You don't have to be at the foot of Mount Vesuvius to have a smoking hot time- check out Pompeii De Las Palmas!  This is a short sale, will be listed at $160,000, but sure to go over asking price.  To see the prior listing from a few years back, click HERE.

Like its sister property, Villa Roma at the South end of Palm Springs, this was also built in 1966.  There is a very Caesar's Palace colonnade around the swimming pool with a magnificent view of the mountains from Old Las Palmas.  This is a one bedroom, two bath condo, approx 850 sq. ft.  There are only nine units in this complex on West Stevens Road.  HOAS are $275.00 monthly.

To schedule a showing (will be a one-day, blue-light special event), call Matthew @ The Paul Kaplan Group at 760-969-2278

Palm Springs Modern Committee: Desert Two Unveiling; Jim Jennings Architect

The Palm Springs Modern Committee invites you to an exclusive unveiling of a remarkable new all-steel home in Deepwell Estates designed by noted modernist architect Jim Jennings.

This first public showing of Desert Two (the second of Jim Jennings' desert projects) will take place from 6-8 pm on Saturday, April 27. Cocktails and light fare will be offered during the reception.

Desert Two is a serene, elegant and exquisitely proportioned steel and glass house that tips its hat to the iconic steel homes designed by Donald Wexler 50 years ago in Palm Springs. Come and meet the architect, Jim Jennings, and learn about this new home.  

Like the Wexler homes, Desert Two was constructed of prefabricated steel wall and roof panels. Blue Sky Building Systems developed the house (the photo of the home above is the Jim Jennings residence, built in 2000, and published in Architectural Digest in 2009).

The reception is a membership-building event for the Palm Springs Modern Committee to help strengthen its vital preservation and advocacy programs.  

Tickets are $15 for Palm Springs Modern Committee members and $20 for non-members.  The link to purchase tickets is HERE.

Palm Springs Real Estate Question: What Is Wind?

Invariably, when our looking at properties in Palm Springs, I get asked "What about the wind?"

I'm sure you've experienced wind before wherever you may reside, and wind here is no different.  No one dies of wind in Palm Springs.  Just keep in mind, that it's one of the few weather patterns that we get in the desert on a fairly regular basis.  Contrary to popular myth, even the South End of Palm Springs has extreme wind.  This photo was taken this morning in my backyard in Twin Palms, in the Southern end of Palm Springs.  The last three major windstorms have all come from the South, while at the North end (yes folks, even North of Vista Chino) was relatively windless (at first!).

The wind blew all my chairs over, flipped my glass top dining table over and broke it, and blew pillows all around the yard.  I hope we can rebuild without FIMA's help.

The simple fact is: we get wind.  We don't get snow; there's no ice storms;  there's no rain for weeks on end; there's no hail; no subzero temperatures, just wind.  Our airport doesn't close because of bad weather, you rarely have to reschedule picnics, there are no snow days at school, just wind.

Out With the New, and In With the Old!

Well, I am at it again.  Ebay is a curse and a blessing.  I finally decided that I had to have an Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser.  I found one (a 1972), and bought it late last night.  That means I have to sell my lovely (and often used) 1986 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser.  My clients LOOOOOOVE being shown around Palm Springs in a vintage station wagon (after all, these were de rigueur for all real estate agents in the day (before the advent of the Land Rover as more than a farm vehicle).  I think that wood paneling makes just about any car look better (new Land Rovers included).  Bring back di-noc for all SUVs!  Anyhow, my Vista Cruiser features three glass roof panels that give the back seat passengers a view.  These were inspired by the GMC Scenicruiser buses of the mid-late 1950's. 

I do love being a real estate agent in Palm Springs.  I get to look at cool midcentury modern houses all day, work with clients who are here to have a good time, and drive great vintage cars every day.

Carchitecture; Palm Springs

I really love Instagram.  I do have a BFA in Fine Arts with a focus on photography, but I've never taken so many photos as I do now with instagram.  My username on there is mrmodps if you'd like to follow me.  I really think that my cars look great with the midcentury modern homes here in Palm Springs.  The upper one is a Wexler/Harrison designed home in El Rancho Vista Estates, and my 1962 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight looks snazzy parked in the carport!  I think the black-and-white image looks like it might have been shot in 1962!  The lower one is a painterly image by another agent, Chris Bale.  He's captured my 1986 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser Wagon in the driveway of a Palmer/Krisel Alexander home in Racquet Club Estates.  Palm Springs just makes every image wonderful.

Airstream Dream

I am in love with Airstreams.  I am pretty intent on buying one in the next couple of months and living in it and writing about the experience.  I really love the nautical interiors with the aeronautical exterior.  I do plan on traveling with it, but first to locate the right one: Idealling, 26-30 feet long, rear bedroom, from the late 60's up through the mid 70's.  It's going to be fun- I grew up with trailers; first a Metzendorf, then a Scotty, then a Venture popup.  We did a two-week long journey from Ohio to San Diego and back in 1978.  I had a great time, my sister- not so much.

Palm Springs is the perfect place to try this little social experiment out!  I can totally see all my Bertoia kitchen chairs and my 1960's Brown-Jordan outdoor furniture out under the awnings!

UPDATE:  I bought one!  Check out my new blog about it http://airstream365.blogspot.com/

Wexler Harrison Alexander Steel House, Palm Springs

Every once in awhile I run into a very special home- this Wexler-Harrison-designed and Alexander built folded-plate roof steel house is one of them.  These were built between 1960-62.  It's had some modifications over the years- carport enclosed, and a new carport added to front, the original board-and-batten entry is now inside the house, but you can still see the lines- great spider legs are still hidden in plain sight, along with original bath vanities.  A wonderful rhomboid pool was recently renovated.  There is a floating glass wall that separates the living space from the master bedroom.  This is a true jetset house.  It will be available for sale at $629,000.  Hopefully, a preservationist will snatch up this class one historic site and restore it to what it once was.