Modernism Week Wrap up Part 2: Brise Soleil? Did someone say Brise Soleil??

The Desert Sun did an 11-Part mini web series titled "Modern Love" on Mid-Century Architecture for Modernism Week, and asked me to participate. I ended up doing four of these really fun, stylish, super short 00:59 (!) second videos.

Here is one where I discuss Brise Soleil  (Broken Sun)  the "fragmented" walls that are an architectural detail, but also provide functionality.

Example of Brise Soleil

Me in mid-desciption. Glad my jacket + shirt work, but in this screen grab, it looks like I have a little black eye! 

Bravo to Marilyn Chung who did the videos - they're stylish, informative, short, to the point, have fun music, and I had a great time doing them! And a big thank you to Lyn Lieu for the great write up!

New Listing, Indian Wells Country Club, $749,000

Bright Fun Resort-style midcentury home in prestigious Indian Wells Country Club. This house has many special features, among them being a view of four fairways and a second kitchen for party preparations or caterers. This 3 bedroom, 3 bath home features designer wall coverings and mirrors throughout maximize lighting. High clerestory windows in the entry hall lead to a living room (with fireplace!) that overlooks the Regency pool and golf course and mountain views. You'll enjoy waking up in the master bedroom with the same fantastic views.

Palm Springs Modern Committee Fall Home Tour 2013

I spent part of Saturday touring homes for PSmodcom's Fall tour, with such homes as 1961 by Home Lab, the new Dee Residence in Rancho Mirage by architect Lance O'Donnell of o2 Architecture, and a recent renovation of a rear patio unit at The Ocotillo Lodge, which was designed by Palmer and Krisel and built by the Alexanders (one of my favorite condo complexes, there are plaques with celebrity names on the doors, harking back to when it was a favorite weekend haunt of celebrities).  This one had a "Dinah Shore" in gold on the door.  The Estrella Swim club house in Indian Canyons was a crowd-pleaser.

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.

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.

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.

Post Palm Springs Modernism Week: Dwell Magazine Dinner

As part of Palm Springs Modernism Week's celebrations, Dwell magazine contacted The Paul Kaplan Group to arrange a dinner party at six separate architectural homes.  The dinner party was underwritten by Lincoln Motor Company, and was catered by Workshop Bar + Restaurant in Palm Springs.  60 attendees were invited, among them architectural aficionado Moby.  I was a guest at the home of Liz and Frank Malinka, where we dined after cocktails at the Fontinell, the former Max Factor family compound.  The Malinkas own a 1963 Charles DuBois-designed Alexander in Vista Las Palmas.

Post Palm Springs Modernism Week

One of my favorite events every year during Palm Springs' Modernism Week is the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation's Retro Martini Party.  This year it was held at the Abernathy house, designed by William Cody in 1962.  Everyone dresses to the nines at these, arrives in vintage cars, and most are in vintage clothing.  It's a perfect Palm Springs evening, and I always look forward to the really fantastic homes that they hold this event in each year.

The Fontenell, Palm Springs

The Fontenell is one of the most exciting renovations that I have seen in a long time.  The stunningly curated furnishings of the already dazzling property only makes it seem more like a time-warp.  This multi-unit stucture was once the Max Factor family compound.  One of my favorite features are the original eye-height turquoise refrigerators and the doorbell/clock combos.  Look for it to be a regular venue for the hippest events in Palm Springs this season.  For more information, visit their facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/thefontenell

Palm Springs Real Estate: A Quincy Jones Condo

I still have vivid dreams about living in this sleek white space.  Windows on every side, glimpses of sky and mountain from every clerestory window.  Space-age furnishings.  All that is missing is Rosie the Robot Maid.  Visit the full listing at: http://www.paulkaplanrealtor.com/details.php?mid=170