Palm Springs – Smoke Tree Ranch is one of those neighborhoods that stands out like no other in the desert. It is considered by many to be the ultimate example of exclusivity, notoriety and prestige, dating back to the 1930s. A relaxed, casual and rustic lifestyle can be found here at Smoke Tree Ranch.
Smoke Tree Ranch’s pristine landscape
Smoke Tree is so private and tucked away from view that many Valley residents don’t even know it is there or have never ventured behind its guarded entrance gate. Encompassing approximately 300 pristine acres of desert, Smoke Tree boasts an amazing array of 93 luxury residences and the 20 acre Smoke Tree Guest Ranch, which is located at its center. The homes are represented by a variety of architectural styles, all blending harmoniously in with their natural setting.
Buying opportunities in Smoke Tree Ranch do not come along often . . . and there are new homes currently under construction. Owning in Smoke Tree affords you the opportunity to join the Ranch Club and enjoy it’s recently renovated clubhouse, restaurant, swimming pool, tennis club, on-site hotel/bungalows for guests and access to Smoke Tree Stables.
This historic neighborhood offers an unmatched lifestyle enjoyed by many celebrities of the past, including Walt Disney. It is conveniently located ten minutes away from downtown Palm Springs and the Palm Springs International Airport and Interstate 10 are an easy 20 minutes from Smoke Tree – making travel outside of the desert easy and accessible.
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Palm Springs – There are many wonderful communities in Palm Springs with charm and history, harkening back to the glamorous Old Hollywood days. Alta is not one of those communities . . . instead, it is a master planned community of 67 semi-custom Contemporary homes in the scenic and serene area of South Palm Canyon.
Alta was designed by award winning architect Narendra Patel in the mid 2000s with a goal to “design homes that promote a three-dimensional reflection of the inner landscape of a settled mind.” Patel’s end result was an array of floor plans offering state-of-the-art amenities and the Ultimate in Contemporary desert living.
The homes found in Alta are for the discriminating buyer and architectural enthusiast. These homes feature walls of glass which disappear into their adjacent walls, revealing the seamless indoor/outdoor lifestyle Southern California is so well known for. Other luxury amenities include built in sound systems, water features, solar panels and more.
The views from Alta are breath-taking, as it is nestled in the shade of the towering San Jacinto Mountains with Indian Canyons to the South. “Old Town” Palm Springs is minutes away by car and Interstate 10 and the Palm Springs Airport are a quick 20 minute drive.
Alta homes offer three flexible floor plans ranging from 2,875sf to 4,783sf with plenty of options such as guest casitas, gym, butler’s pantry, pool and hardscape packages, etc. Alta’s professional Design Center staff will work with you in choosing fixtures and finishes that are of highest quality and style.
Is your interest piqued? Then you will want to contact Kim Kelly with HK Lane Real Estate to tour you around Alta and show you the unique and one-of-a-kind homes for sale there. 760-285-3578.
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Palm Springs – There is a new small boutique hotel being planned for construction on North Palm Canyon Drive being planned by Ezra Callahan – a young early employee of Facebook. It’s being touted as a potential clubhouse of sorts, a la Ace Hotel, for those who love style and green construction.
Arrive Palm Springs – may be soon to arrive
The 32-room hotel will be called Arrive Palm Springs. There are other partners in this exciting project – a Seattle architect, a Denver-based restauranteur, and two men working in redevelopment in Los Angeles. Once the plans get approved through the city, these developers are saying they want to break ground early in the new year and be open by the 1st of July.
The project’s architect has said that “Arrive will cater to the next generation of global travelers influenced by culture, fashion, design and sustainability.” He also says that Palm Springs was targeted for this project because of “its appreciation and affinity for modern architecture, design-oriented population and geographic positioning as a world class vacation destination.”
That pretty much says it all. And it’s likely that Arrive Palm Springs will stay in the same genre as Palm Springs’ modernist architectural traditions. In addition, the hotel will be built so as to receive LEED Gold label certification, with its 32 pre-fabricated guest rooms. There will also be a restaurant and two additional retail buildings to encourage more pedestrian traffic on North Palm Canyon Dr.
Exciting things on tap for our Valley indeed !!!
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Yesterday morning, fourteen dogs from the Palm Springs Animal Shelter were flown to Oregon where shelters are less crowded and there’s a greater chance for adoption, according to local animal volunteers. Otherwise, they may have been euthanized.
The dogs were shuttled out to the tarmac at the Palm Springs International Airport before 7am, where they were readied for transport by Wings of Rescue – a group of pilots who donate their services and aircraft to transport shelter animals to rescue organizations throughout the western United States.
There were Chihuahuas, Terriers and mixed breeds, all traveling in individual carriers. These dogs were chosen because they’ve been at the Palm Springs Animal Shelter for a long time. They were flown to the Humane Society of Redmond, OR, Hope’s Haven near Salem OR and Oregon Dog Rescue.
It’s hard to believe that the Oregon shelters are running short on dogs available for adoption, when our Palm Springs Valley here has such an overpopulation of dogs needing homes. The Oregon shelters have successful spay and neuter, fostering and adoption programs – and this frees up space for more rescues to come in.
Tanya Petrovna, board member of the Friends of the Palm Springs Animal Shelter, says that the number of animals in our local shelters needs to be reduced and that the humane solution is to transfer the animals to a better situation.
The pilot, Yehuda Netanel, says that his canine passengers travel well. The flight to Oregon would take about three hours, and he said that eventually, the dogs lay down and go to sleep.
The volunteers were hoping to transport 17 dogs yesterday, but there just wasn’t enough room on the plane. Three of the dogs had to go back to the shelter in Palm Springs.
Heartbreaking. Hopefully these dogs will find homes soon !!!
Kudos to these wonderful volunteers who give of their time, money and heart to help protect and preserve the lives of animals. Our hats are off to you !!!
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I haven’t been to Cabot’s Pueblo Museum
in Desert Hot Springs . . . but I’ve been told that it is one of the jewels in our Palm Springs Valley here and not to be missed. So, some friends who are familiar with it are taking me on Sunday to peruse this local treasure, so I’m studying up on it before I go.
Cabot’s Pueblo is a structure or home – handmade by a man named Cabot Yerxa from objects that were reclaimed or found. The four story high structure was built in Pueblo style, has 5,000 square feet and 35 rooms, 150 windows and 65 doors. The building possesses many unique and interesting features, as some windows and doors were collected from abandoned homesteads and reassembled for use in this home. Yerxa also used buckboard wagon parts, old telephone poles and other building materials in a very creative manner.
Cabot Yerxa founded Desert Hot Springs and was a homesteader there from 1913 until 1918. He is also responsible for discovering the “miraculous” hot water aquifer that lies under Desert Hot Springs and from which sprang a whole tourist and resort industry capitalizing on these readily available healing waters.
Upon visiting Cabot’s Pueblo Museum, guided tours take visitors on a journey through the life of Cabot Yerxa and his family. You will see artifacts they collected from their adventures spanning back over a hundred years. You will also hear Yerxa’s stories from his travels to the Dakota Territory, Mexico, Alaska, Cuba, France and throughout California and the Southwest.
The museum is open year-round for single tours, prearranged group tours and special events. Hours are Wednesday to Saturday from 9am to 1pm. Tours are scheduled at 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30am. Tickets are $11, first come, first served.
Cabot’s Pueblo Museum is located at 67-616 E. Desert View Avenue in Desert Hot Springs. For more info, call 760-329-7610.
I can hardly wait until Sunday, to tour this incredible historic treasure right in our own backyard !!!
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Seems that tourists are keeping in step with Global Warming . . . as Palm Springs hotel operators have noted elevated growth for the months of May and June, when tourism typically tapers off. What used to considered “off-season” around here is looking more and more like “on-season.”
The city has worked on creating partnerships with Germany and the UK . . . and it’s paid off, as more and more tourists from those two countries have been visiting Palm Springs during the summer months.
A Viceroy Hotel representative has commented that weekend traffic has been strong at their hotel, especially drive-in traffic. Also, a strong international representation has been noticed, particularly from the UK.
Recent data released from the city of Palm Springs shows that the number of visitors to Palm Springs last summer was up 25% from the previous year 2010. Since last year at this time, tourists have spent $15.1 million in Palm Springs and are projected to spend about $3 million more than that in this next year. And that’s no small potatoes!
These tourism dollars are being spent in the obvious places such as restaurants, resorts and hotels . . . and also at one of Palm Springs’ most iconic destinations – the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which sees a lot of activity from locals trying to escape the heat (at this moment, it’s 80.8 degrees at the top and it’s 113 degrees in Palm Springs).
Besides being popular with Europeans, Palm Springs is also attracting tourists from south of the equator, such as Australia, where it is winter right now.
It’s a beautiful thing, that the summer heat we locals complain about and dread is another man’s paradise. Go figure.
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Some say that we have “Beverly Hills” right here in our very own Coachella Valley. It is the community of Old Las Palmas and it is one of Palm Springs’ oldest neighborhoods. Once a citrus grove, this historic neighborhood was developed in the 1920s by a father and son, Alvah and Harold Hicks.
Old Las Palmas gained the distinction of Coachella Valley’s “Beverly Hills” as this community has the highest number of celebrity owned homes in Palm Springs. Some of the rich and famous associated with the area are Kirk Douglas, Donna Reed, Lily Tomlin, Liberace, Sidney Sheldon and George Randolph Hearst, to name a few.
Old Las Palmas is comprised of over 300 homes with large lots and well-manicured homes. It is bordered on the west by the San Jacinto Mountains and North Via Monte Vista; on the east by North Palm Canyon Drive; on the north by West Stevens Road and on the south by West Alejo Road.
The neighborhood mixes the old with the new and all the homes are bound by their rich history. The homes in Old Las Palmas are more accurately distinguished as estates, rather than just homes. One of the largest estates in the community is situated on a 4 acre parcel.
The architectural styles featured in Old Las Palmas range from Spanish to Colonial to Palm Springs Modern. Many of the estates are gated, with lush landscaping and swimming pools. The community is tucked close enough to the mountains so as to be shielded from the winds and fabulous views are afforded.
Old Las Palmas is part of Palm Springs Neighborhood Organization Program, and the close knit residents work together in organized beautification and security committees.
Another cool feature about this iconic neighborhood is its ultra convenient location within walking distance of downtown Palm Springs, with its many restaurants, shops, art galleries and other attractions.
It’s worth it to take a little drive around this interesting part of Palm Springs and take in the interesting architecture and lifestyle harkening back to those golden Hollywood days. “Beverly Hills” indeed . . .
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In the Palm Springs area and across the U.S., foreign buyers hunting for safe investments have been flocking to the U.S. housing market, attracted by low the prices here.
International clients accounted for $82.5 billion worth of sales during the 12 months ending in March, according to a survey by the National Association of Realtors . Compare that to the $66.4 billion spent over the same period a year earlier.
These foreign purchasers , mostly from Britain, Canada, China, India and Mexico, made up 55% of all international purchasers. The four states of California, Arizona, Florida and Texas – accounted for 51% of the states in which international buyers purchased homes.
Several factors are driving foreign buyers to purchase in the locations they did, including proximity to their home countries, climate and convenience. It seems the East Coast attracted mostly Europeans buyers while the West Coast attracted mostly Asians. Florida has drawn South Americans, Canadians and Europeans.
There are many happy and proud new Canadian homeowners in our Palm Springs area here. I happen to have new Canadian neighbors across the street from my home. They got a great little Santa Fe with western exposure that’s taking some work to get it back into shape. But, they’re happy with their smoking deal and we’re happy to have nice, friendly neighbors who take pride in their home . . . even though they can only be there six months out of the year. It’s a win-win for everyone.
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We get spoiled with our farmers’ market being right here in Old Town La Quinta – it’s such a unique and quaint venue for surveying all the gorgeous produce of the season… as well as flowers, breads, live plants, organic cheeses, farm fresh eggs and other irresistable goodies.
And while you’re there at the Market, you must of course partake at the Old Town Coffee Shop – sitting outside sipping your latte, munching on a delicious muffin and watching the parade of people and adorable dogs go by. It’s relaxing, it’s beautiful, it’s just the best.
And then … summertime comes, and well, the Certified Farmers’ Markets in La Quinta and Palm Desert shut down because of the heat. But all is not lost, if you don’t mind driving over to Palm Springs on a Saturday morning. The Market has found an indoor venue there and will continue their weekly offerings of incredible fresh local items.
The Market will be held on Saturdays at the Palm Springs Pavilion at 401 S. Pavilion Way (you’ll have to Google it). The hours are 8am to 12:30pm.
For more info, call 760-898-5250 or 760-880-4917. You can also go online at certifiedfarmersmarket.ning.com
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Palm Springs has many cool neighborhoods with much history to write about – Vista Las Palmas is one of those – a scenic and historic Mid Century community nestled up against the San Jacinto Mountains in the northwest side of Palm Springs.
A little of the history – in the late 1950s, a father and son team of George and Robert Alexander of the Alexander Construction Co. built over 1200 “tract” homes designed in what is now called “Southern California Modern” style in the Palm Springs area.
For the times, the homes they built were very modern and included soaring rooflines with elegant minimalist facades – inside they boasted post and beam construction, walls of glass and spacious, open floorplans, capitalizing on the Sou. Cal. lifestyle which flows from the inside to outside.
The Alexanders began constructing homes in the southeast end of Palm Springs, but as they grew more successful, they were building in the Vista Las Palmas area on the northwest side of town near Las Palmas where the wealthy Hollywood crowd had been building Spanish Revival homes.
Also, the firm of Palmer and Krisel built about 330 homes in Vista Las Palmas. Krisel is known for his iconic “butterfly” roof design and their architect is responsible for the distinctive “Swiss Miss” A-frame style found there as well. The mix of design styles in Las Palmas has created one of the most architecturally diverse, yet cohesive communities in Palm Springs.
Also to be mentioned is “The House of Tomorrow” located in Vista Las Palmas- a futuristic style house for the time. It was featured in Look Magazine in 1962 and set a new standard for luxurious living in Southern California. The home became the secret getaway for Elvis & Priscilla Pressley in 1968 – it was where they honeymooned.
In the 1950s, many celebrities from Hollywood designated their homes in Vista Las Palmas as their desert retreat. Some of the elebrities who once lived and played there include Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, Debbie Reynolds, Joan Collins, George Hamilton, Kirk Douglas, Dinah Shore and more.
Today, Vista Las Palmas has become a symbol of Mid-Century Modern design for the distinctive homeowner who wants the relaxed lifestyle of the desert. Owners include full-time residents, Snowbirds and weekenders from nearby Los Angeles. The residents in this iconic picturesque neighborhood share an interest in preserving the history and architecture that is unique to Palm Springs and so perfectly complements our desert landscape here.
Should you be interested in looking at Homes for Sale in the Vista Las Palmas neighborhood in Palm Springs, give Kimberley Kelly, Realtor with HK Lane a call and set up an appointment today.
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