More Vintage Car Porn from The Oldsmobile Homecoming through the Palm Springs Lens!

I think I may have found a new Wagon to shuttle my clients around!

I spotted this slick wagon at the Oldsmobile Homecoming Car Show + Swap Meet  this past weekend:

And like I always say, everything in life is in the details:

I think my clients would like the option of having a snack or a cocktail while looking at homes, don't you? 

Downright nifty. 

The two tone effect may be good for the  Paul Kaplan Joshua Tree Outpost office. 

I think this one may be the High Roller Car - put all those other agents tooling around in their Bentley's to shame:

Then, there were these:

Did anyone say Steve McQueen?

If this Lime Green beauty doesn't say Palm Springs, I don't know what does!

And this tricked out one for date nights:

And this one for day-to-day errand running:

Or this one:

Then there was this snazzy interior:

And this classic which would look goood on any road, in any driveway, and improve ones looks by 50%, guaranteed:

All in all a terrific Father's Day Weekend, and if you love Oldsmobiles, this is THE show to attend. 

A big Thank You to my Father for instilling the love, respect and appreciation for these beautiful cars (and all cars!) 

Thank you Dad, and let's do it again next year!

ROAD TRIP!

Here's a sneak peek at how I spent Father's Day weekend with my Father:

In Michigan!

At the Oldsmobile Homecoming!

Seriously, my head was going to explode

More pics tomorrow!

Cherry Pie, Earth WInd & Fire, John Lautner: And How Was Your Week?

Usually around this time of year, things start slowing down: the snow birds start packing up and heading back east (or to Canada); the frenzy of the weekends come to a manageable pace.

Not this year though; this week has been busy, busy, busy -- it seemed that people had forgotten to buy their houses before the season ended, and the week was spent running around quickly negotiating deals, handling inspections, and signing closing papers.

Much needed Pie Buffet at the 10:00am Paul Kaplan weekly staff meeting

Pie really makes any meeting all the better. I can't recommend it enough. 

Pie is the nectar of the Gods. 

 Later in the week, a few of us from the office headed out to Desert Hot Springs

for a work/play outing 

at 

The Hotel Lautner !

HUGE thanks for the invite by Interior Designer Tracy Breckmann and Art Bar Curator/Artist Danny Heller for a looksy and some cocktails.  

Making our way to Desert Hot Springs

The buildings were designed by the iconic Architect John Lautner in 1947

I encourage you to read the rich history on this historical hotel HERE

 Over the years, it changed hands, and in 2008, was saved and brought back to its much deserved glory by Interior Designer Tracy Breckmann and 

furniture designer Ryan Trowbridge. 

They spent 3 1/2 years meticulously restoring the property. 

Thanks to our hosts Tracy and Danny for a great time!!

This is a "must stay at" on the Desert List!

#TGIF:

Friday Night was a #TBF when some friends and I went out to Indio to see 

the GREAT

Earth, WInd & Fire!!!

Here are their  TOUR DATES.

GO SEE THEM. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.

THIS IS GUARANTEED FUN. 

If you do not have fun, you might want to see a therapist -- because that means there's something very wrong with you. 

The friends that I saw Earth, Wind, & Fire with own a clothing line called

 Ruffskin which have shops in the U.S. and one in Amsterdam. 

Last year, they shot one of their campaigns on my newly purchased wagon. Honestly, I had forgotten all about it until Friday night when they showed me the souvenir postcards that are placed in their shops for customers to take home.

Behold:

Note: the Washington Plates are still on.

Who knew a wagon could be sexy like this?! 

And to finish this crazy week, last night was dinner at my favorite 

Old School Palm Springs Restaurant: Lyons English Grille 

Here's Victor of Lyons Grille singing on the the last night of the season. 

Note Buckingham Palace Guard and Princess Diana in the background...

Bye Victor, have a great summer! 

I'm already looking forward to opening night next season!

Oldsmobiles: Palm Springs Edition

My Dad and I won 2nd Place at The Oldsmobile Car Show in Ohio for the restoration of a

 1957 Olds

circa 1980-ish

That's me holding the award and needless to say, 

a love affair and hobby was born.

Since that day I have bought, restored, driven (and eventually sold) about 130 vintage vehicles. Of course, most were done here in Palm Springs which might very well be the classic car capital of the nation.

Thanks to my Father who taught me the ins and outs of classic cars as well as a great deal of respect for the craftsmanship of these beautiful vehicles.

Come Father's Day Weekend, Dad and I are heading out to Lansing, Michigan for the world's largest 

Oldsmobile Homecoming Car Show     

A dangerous place for anyone obsessed with Oldsmonbiles as I am! I can't wait!

Palm Springs Modernism Week 2014 Wrap Up - PART 1

Modernism Week 2014 was busier and had more events than ever before. Here are some highlights - more to come!

There was Fashion!

Deja Vu Vintage Finery put on a Fashion show titled
"Jet Set"

(Pan Am was a really great airline. Those were the days when Airlines actually enforced dress codes!)

Here I am looking a little like the Hawaiian Punch guy...

 Cars! Art! Rock N Roll!

I was honored to help curate a Feral Car show titled "Driven" with feralcars.com founder Bob Merlis at the Stephen Archdeacon Gallery

Photo courtesy of Paul Kaplan

Hosted by the legendary Billy F. Gibbons Founder and member of ZZ TOP, with drawings and paintings of the open road/car noir art*** by artist Eric Nash. 

DRIVEN co-conspirators: Matthew Reader, Bob Merlis, Billy F Gibbons, Eric Nash

Photo by Christina Patoski

The Artist Eric Nash in front of his Portrait of a Feral Wagon

Photo courtesy of feralcars.com

Cocktails!

Photo courtesy of FeralCars.comPura Vida Tequila for everyone! Poured by Sara!

Photo Courtesy of Eric Nash 

Thank you to everyone for joining us on this special night!

***Thanks to Bob  Merlis for the description of Eric Nash' art for the evening!

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.