mid-century modern neighborhoods
The Coachella Valley offers mid-century Modern Homes in cities other than just Palm Springs. The recent re-awakening of our love for anything mid-century, has swept the Coachella Valley, states Kim Kelly, local Realtor. One of our most popular tourist events is our Modernism Week. During the week, tours of mid-century Modern homes designed by the likes of Donald Wexler, and William Krisel, are offered to the public. Walking neighborhood tours are also featured, but because the Modernism week is based in Palm Springs, many people don’t realize how many of our Coachella Valley cities offer spectacular examples of this architectural style. If you’d like to check out some of our mid-century modern home areas, give Kim Kelly a call at 760-285-3578, or send me an e-mail at kjkpolo@gmail.com
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Palm Springs Art Museum’s newest addition – Architecture and Design Center
Palm Springs Art Museum is getting ready for a new season with a growing list of exciting changes. If you enjoy art, or even if you just love to get out and do things around the Valley and check out what’s new, then you’ll want to keep up with what’s going on with the Palm Spring Valley’s premiere Museum.
NEW ADDITION IN DOWNTOWN PALM SPRINGS
The latest change at the Palm Springs Art Museum is the opening of The Architecture and Design Center located in the hub of downtown Palm Springs. The classic Midcentury Modern International Style building that houses the Center is in itself a work of historical art, having recently received Historic Site designation. Modernism is trending now, especially in Palm Springs, where it’s popular Modernism Week held twice a year in the spring and fall attracts participants from all over the world. Not surprising, since Palm Springs has the world’s greatest concentration per capita of Midcentury Modern architecture.
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LOOKING FOR A “STAYCATION” LOCATION?
Two Bunch Palms famous for its mineral water grotto.
Palm Springs Valley is such a jewel, as it is home to compelling locales like Two Bunch Palms resort. I’m always surprised how many full time desert residents I talk to have never made the short drive to Desert Hot Springs to partake of Two Bunch Palms’ unique offerings. Once there, you feel like you are in a place out of time. Two of the Resort’s most famous offerings are their artesian mineral waters, revered by people from all over the world, and its illustrious history involving the notorious gangster Al Capone.
Personally, I go to Two Bunch to “take the waters,” as many refer to the mineral lithium rich hot springs that naturally occur in the Palm Springs Valley from the ground underneath. The lithium has an amazingly soothing effect that’s hard to describe . . . it’s something you have to experience firsthand. Many people come to Two Bunch just to float in the grotto, equipped with a good book and a cold beverage, as you must keep yourself well hydrated while immersed in the hot water for any length of time. It’s easy to drift off into a dreamlike state and there’s a quiet hush around the waters, with a sign posted asking for silence to be observed, or at least quiet whispering. You will never sleep better or feel more relaxed than after a soak here.
WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO DO AFTER A SOAK AT TWO BUNCH?
Two Bunch Palms dates as far back as the 1930s when Al Capone and his gangster buddies hung out there, it was their desert hideaway. Once you’ve visited the Resort, nestled amid native palm and tamarisk trees, it’s easy to understand why they were drawn to this little oasis. Since that time, Two Bunch has also served as a hideaway for many of Hollywood’s celebrities and those seeking a relaxing respite away from the public eye. It was acquired by new owners in 2012 and has been updated and improved to attract an ever-growing number of guests. How about a walk through the labyrinth to calm and center your mind? Take a stroll in nature around the grounds and you’ll find the turtle and duck ponds, so soothing. There is a menu of amazing spa treatments, maybe a mud bath today? Yoga in the yoga dome and other fitness classes are available for those with energy to work off.
A light-filled and natural ambiance sets the tone at farm to table restaurant, Essense
FARM TO TABLE RESTAURANT AND THE COMFIEST OF ACCOMMODATIONS
As a guest at Two Bunch, you’ll want to eat healthily. . . that’s what their guests typically desire. And for most of us, eating is an adventure and an important part of any vacation. Two Bunch’s newly renovated restaurant, Essense, offers fresh organic dishes in a comfortable natural wood and stone environment. Sharing plates is encouraged and all part of the dining experience. And as for accommodations, the Resort offers 70 newly renovated rooms and suites scattered around the 77 acre property. Some of the rooms are conveniently situated close to the soaking grotto and restaurant/spa area and others provide a more private setting. All rooms are outfitted with energy efficient sustainable elements and fixtures . . . and the organic linens complete the ambiance.
BEFORE THE BUSY SEASON SETS IN . . . INDULGE
Two Bunch Palms resort is waiting for you to discover it! They offer Special Packages, so let yourself be enticed into a little trip to where you don’t know what time it is, and you don’t really care . . . AND it’s located conveniently right down the road from your Palm Springs Valley home. You’re worth it, and I assure you, you’ll be back again . . . the waters are addicting!
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Palm Springs premieres it’s newest restaurant EIGHT4NINE Restaurant & Lounge today with a noon ribbon cutting sponsored by the City of Palm Springs, Chamber of Commerce and Local Celebrities. If you’re a foodie, the opening of a new local dining establishment is always exciting… especially one that has received the kind of hype that EIGHT4NINE has. The event today is being held in from of the new eatery located at 849 N. Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs.
It should be fun to see the attending local celebrities attending, including Bella DaBall, Gavin MacCleod, celebrity photographer Michael Childers and last but not least, Carol Channing. The public is invited and encouraged to attend and you can stay and make a reservation for lunch.
Now, what makes this restaurant so special? It promises to be a respite… an intimate hideaway where you can mingle and talk while enjoying a glass of wine and an appetizer or dinner in an environment that is both relaxing and welcoming. And we all crave that kind of experience with the busy lives we lead.
Palm Springs lucky to have chic new place to dine and unwind called EIGHT4NINE
The EIGHT4NINE menu is a celebration of West Coast Modern American Cuisine and they will offer signature dishes that absolutely make your mouth water. Chef will offer a daily prix fixe dinner menu and for the casual customer, a HAPPY DAYS menu will be available every day, all day long in the lounge.
Palm Springs is fortunate to be offering this new dining venue, described as “Primitive yet cutting edge; ageless and contemporary.” That is provocative enough to have me making a reservation sooner than later… how about you?
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The grand entry to the La Quinta Hotel & Spa
The famous La Quinta Resort & Spa in La Quinta, California truly is world renowned. The City of La Quinta, the “Gem of the Desert”, is one of the only cities that can claim to have gotten it’s name from a Hotel! Many of my desert buyers request to tour and write offers on the surrounding housing communities because they LOVE living near the Hotel and it’s many amenities.
There are many communities to choose between if you wish to be near the La Quinta Hotel. Many buyers choose to live within the Hotel community itself! They might be interested in the La Quinta Spa Villas, the Tennis Villas, Santa Rosa Cove, and just next door is the Legacy Villas. Legacy Villas and also the Spa Villas are lock and leave condos, which also rent very well as luxury lease units.
The Golf course communities include The Citrus, The La Quinta Country Club, Haciendas and La Quinta Fairways. A short mile away are several more golf course communities.
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52100 Avenida Ramirez La Quinta
The La Quinta Cove is one of the most beautiful and protected “Cove” areas of our beautiful Desert valley. There were not many of the original Historic Casitas built between 1936 and approx. 1942, and this one is from 1936. 52100 Avenida Ramirez is especially unique in that it comes with the original, signed architectural drawings of the original home. The current owners found the plans in the kitchen wall when they remodeled the kitchen.
Take the Tour here www.cpgtours.com/34872
Located on a double lot of approx. 10,000 sf, completely fenced, and with a new Master bedroom & Bathroom to increase it’s size to approx. 1200 sf, this Artists’ retreat is terrific! The current owners are Local Artists’ and have customized the home with beautiful and unique features throughout. Complete with a detached double garage, and an attached Studio with a half bath, the grounds are expansive. The backyard offers vegetable beds, mature trees and a beautiful wood-burning PIZZA OVEN.
The La Quinta Cove offers a local park, tennis courts and a lap pool, the La Quinta Museum, dog parks and best of all..hiking trail heads and miles of biking!
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Casa de Liberace
Palm Springs’ first and oldest neighborhood, Old Las Palmas, is a community that stands out among the rest. Whether you’re looking for your first home or investing in international real estate, Old Las Palmas has broad appeal for anyone who wants to live the Palm Springs lifestyle.
Located west of Palm Canyon Drive in central Palm Springs, Old Las Palmas dates back to the the mid-1920s, when it was first developed father-and-son builders from New York, Alvah and Harold Hicks. The development was designed to make the most of the bucolic and winding streets, beautiful landscape and the gorgeous views of the picturesque Dry Falls Canyon and the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains.
The 300 plus homes in the development boast unique and spectacular architecture that has attracted notable residents throughout the years, fostering a rich history that is hard to match and ideal for those investing in international real estate. Homes range in design from Spanish-style ranches and Mediterranean villas to Mid-Century Modern and large estates. The secluded location provides peace and quiet, serving as a respite for its diverse residents.
The exclusive community has been home to many movie stars, musicians, Hollywood moguls, designers, artists, entrepreneurs and CEOs who retreat to Old Las Palmas to get away from their busy lives. It has always attracted a large number of glamorous celebrities, especially during the 1950s. The impressive list of other celebrities who lived in Old Las Palmas includes Gene Autry, Donna Reed, George Randolph Hearst, Kirk Douglas, Alan Ladd, Sidney Sheldon, George Hamilton, Joseph Barbera, Harold Mirisch, William Powell, Rona Barrett, Rudy Vallee, Leo Spitz, Harold Robbins, Jack Warner, Sidney Korshak, Kitty Carlisle and Lily Tomlin, among many others. For example, the world-famous Liberace bought Alvah Hicks’ renowned home and transformed it into the opulent Casa de Liberace, where he lived until his death in 1987. image: irishfireside.com
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Palm Springs has long been a favorite among celebrities, politicians and professional athletes for decades due to its gorgeous weather and vacation-atmosphere. Likewise, the consistent celebrity presence and rich, exciting history attracts visitors from all over the world, in particular, those who are interested in buying luxury international real estate properties. Visitors come for a vacation and fall in love with the Palm Springs Valley—and it’s not difficult to understand why.
One of the fun attractions that people of all ages enjoy are the celebrity tours in Palm Springs. It’s a great way to see the region, or to take a break from work or wind down after a day of looking at La Quinta homes for sale. There are two very popular tours, among many others, that often catch the eye of visitors, especially those who come from abroad for a holiday or to view luxury international real estate properties.
The Grand Tour is a favorite among residents and visitors. The two and a half hour tour bus ride displays the rich and luxurious history of the desert cities, offering glimpses of some of the most amazing estates in Palm Springs, including those of Frank Sinatra, Walter Annenberg and the Marx Brothers, among many others. The Grand Tour runs from Monday through Saturday all year long, and costs $44 for adults, $40 for seniors, and $19 for children 14 and under. Private tours are also available, starting at $79 per participant. For more information, call 760.770.2700.
Another ultra popular attraction is the Palm Springs Elvis Honeymoon House Hideaway. Guided tours highlight the marriage of Elvis and Priscilla Presley and take guests through extensive memorabilia and old photographs of Elvis “in the Building.” Knowledgeable tour guides share interesting stories about the couple and a short film features highlights on the mid-century-modern architecture of this famous building. In addition, visitors are shown the famous escape route that left paparazzi staking out the house speechless as the famous couple flew to Las Vegas to marry. Box lunches are available upon request. For more information, call 760.322.1192.
Click here if attractions like these have you inspired to view listings of La Quinta homes for sale.
image: elvishoneymoon.com
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The Movie Colony is home to some great historic Palm Springs homes for sale!
Likewise, when owners list Palm Springs homes for sale, often times, they are thrilled to discover that the neighborhood itself boosts their asking price. Studies have shown that home values rise significantly in historic districts, from between 5 and 30 percent per decade. While the posh areas of Coachella Valley offer a wide-ranging selection, from modern options in Palm Desert and La Quinta real estate properties to the country club vibe found in Indian Wells real estate, some find that living in a neighborhood where Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra or Cary Grant once resided holds a special allure.
When a neighborhood is designated as historic, it help ensure that your real estate investment will be protected over time, as there are explicit design limits on demolitions and exterior remodeling that doesn’t fit in with the character of the neighborhood. The goal of the historic designation is to foster an improved image of the community; this extends to protecting the area against specific threats of development that are not in line with this image, while encouraging reinvestment and development that is cohesive with the community as a whole.
When there is reinvestment and positive development in any area, whether it’s among Indian Wells real estate or a historic neighborhood in Palm Springs, this can only have a positive effect on the cumulative value of the properties in the area. So while you may not be searching for a historic designation, make sure to assess the neighborhood as a whole when you’re buying a new property.
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Rancho Mirage – The Renaissance is a very high end guard-gated enclave of custom estates built from 1993 to present, complete with all the amenities necessary for living the perfect desert lifestyle.
Its convenient location just off of historic Clancy Lane puts The Renaissance within walking distance to The River – with its array of restaurants, Starbucks, movie theaters and boutique shopping.
The estate homes in The Renaissance are for the discerning buyer looking for privacy, security and the ultimate desert lifestyle. There are still lots available for custom home development and the average size home here is 6,000sf. Some of the exclusive residences at The Renaissance have their own tennis courts, along with private pools and spas, lush and manicured landscaped grounds . . . and of course, spectacular mountain views.
This highly desirable community is also only minutes from the McCallum Theatre, Eisenhower Medical Center, El Paseo Shopping District and “Old Town” Palm Springs. The Palm Springs International Airport, major desert commuter routes . . . and easily a 15 minute drive away from the I-10 freeway.
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