I'm back from my annual trip to Southern California to meet up with my folks and search for spring wildflowers. We usually travel in late March for the best chance of seeing flowers but, due to unusual circumstances, we weren't able to meet until late April. This year was a "super bloom" year because of the spring rains, but I had accepted the fact that the desert and hills would be velvety brown and the blooms long gone. I was fine with that, because the best part for me is the chance to hang out with my parents, explore our favorite haunts, and enjoy their zest for life. Turns out, I got to enjoy both!
Heavy winter and spring rains had closed several key roads, including parts of the Palms-to-Pines Highway, and access to Whitewater Preserve and Bautista Canyon. This meant missing some of our favorite outings, but we adapted quickly. We visited Palm Springs on three separate occasions (giving us a chance to savor the mid-20th century experience).
We typically stop at the Tramway Gas Station visitor center, originally a gas station that was designed by Albert Frey and Robson Chambers and built in 1965. The roof is a "hyperbolic parabolic of steel I-beams and corrugated metal roofing supported by steel tubular pillars." It's an iconic landmark for your entry into Palm Springs, and located at the base of the road leading to the tram up Mount San Jacinto. They have a great assortment of information about Palm Springs, books on mid-20th century architecture and style, souvenirs, and a kiosk for buying tickets for Aqua Caliente Indian Canyons.
We spent a pleasant afternoon exploring the Palm Springs Art Museum and immersing ourselves in the contemporary art exhibits. My favorite is still the small collection of California Impressionist and old west paintings. A few are typically on display, but not nearly enough in my opinion. The paintings capture the light and atmosphere of the desert and the sweeping expanses of land before it became so developed and congested. We lounged in the two sculpture gardens, enjoying the breeze and shade in the 101 degrees afternoon!
We also visited the Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center (a first time visit for all of us). We saw the special exhibit on Hugh Kaptur (1931 - ) called "Organic Desert Architecture". I had a chance to study the architectural drawing for "Firehouse 4", including the landscape design and plant list. Kaptur is still working in the Palm Springs area.
My Example
We ate at Maracas Cantina a couple of times (one of our favorite Mexican restaurants). They have delicious food, attentive staff, generous Margaritas, and patio seating with a great vantage point for watching people. Plus they are right across from See's candy, where we purchased an assortment of favorite chocolates for dessert. We got in on the Thursday night Villagefest and joined in strolling the booths, and sitting to watch the crowds and listen to the street performers. We learned later that our daughter-in-law from Seattle was in town for a destination bachelorette party the same day, and did the stroll later in the evening! |
| Palm Springs exit |
Heavy winter and spring rains had closed several key roads, including parts of the Palms-to-Pines Highway, and access to Whitewater Preserve and Bautista Canyon. This meant missing some of our favorite outings, but we adapted quickly. We visited Palm Springs on three separate occasions (giving us a chance to savor the mid-20th century experience).
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| Snow topped Mount San Jacinto and wind turbines on the desert floor |
We typically stop at the Tramway Gas Station visitor center, originally a gas station that was designed by Albert Frey and Robson Chambers and built in 1965. The roof is a "hyperbolic parabolic of steel I-beams and corrugated metal roofing supported by steel tubular pillars." It's an iconic landmark for your entry into Palm Springs, and located at the base of the road leading to the tram up Mount San Jacinto. They have a great assortment of information about Palm Springs, books on mid-20th century architecture and style, souvenirs, and a kiosk for buying tickets for Aqua Caliente Indian Canyons.
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| Tramway Gas Station |
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| John W. Hilton's "Enchantment of Sunrise" (1960, from the Christiansen Collection of 20th Century California Art) |
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| John Anthony Conner's "Dawn at Palm Springs" (1935) |
We spent a pleasant afternoon exploring the Palm Springs Art Museum and immersing ourselves in the contemporary art exhibits. My favorite is still the small collection of California Impressionist and old west paintings. A few are typically on display, but not nearly enough in my opinion. The paintings capture the light and atmosphere of the desert and the sweeping expanses of land before it became so developed and congested. We lounged in the two sculpture gardens, enjoying the breeze and shade in the 101 degrees afternoon!
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| Enjoying shade in the Palm Springs Art Museum sculpture garden |
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| Alive!, by Jeffrey Gibson and Aaron Hansen (from Desert X, 2017) |
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| Shady sculpture garden |
We also visited the Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center (a first time visit for all of us). We saw the special exhibit on Hugh Kaptur (1931 - ) called "Organic Desert Architecture". I had a chance to study the architectural drawing for "Firehouse 4", including the landscape design and plant list. Kaptur is still working in the Palm Springs area.
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| Palm Springs Architecture Museum |
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| Hugh Kaptur: Firehouse #4 |
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| Landscape design for Firehouse #4 |
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| Sharing a Margarita at Maracas Cantina |
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| Margarita at Maracas Cantina (three straws!) |
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| Enjoying the street fair across from Maracas Cantina |
Another new experience was shopping at the Angel View Thrift Store. A neighbor recommended it for the quality of the items. We had fun combing through the books, videos, and vintage clothes (notable were the Lucite high-heeled shoes, tulle party dresses of the past, and men's button down dress shirts).
We were surprised at the construction going on - a new condo complex on the outskirts of town, and several new building or renovation projects on the main drag running through town. I was pleased to see they are keeping with the mid-century modern theme that is so iconic for Palm Springs.
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