Palm Springs – Where the Flintstones meet the Jetsons

We spent a warm and sunny week in ultra-cool Palm Springs, California.  Where mid-century modern butts up with desert rockiness. Cadillacs drive slowly through town with well-tanned, silver hair drivers.  Martinis are the preferred drink, steak is on every restaurant menu and orange is the favorite color.   We stayed at the Palm Springs Tennis Club, designed by the famous mid-century architect Quincy Jones (no the other Quincy Jones).  And where Dean Martin, Lucille Ball and Frank Sinatra played tennis and presumably got drunk by the pool.

Click on photos to view  larger.

 

    We swam in the pool – but without drinking.

 

 

 

Ray played tennis almost every day.  He’s playing in the very furthest court…I couldn’t get a good photo…

Our unit was in this building.  The resort is nestled up against the San Jacinto Mountains.  You could touch the side of the mountain from our deck.  Only downside of being in the shadow of the mountains – it gets dark at 3:30 PM. We had visiting wildlife – a roadrunner – click on photo and look carefully.

 

 

 

 

 

Went exploring the neighborhoods – even went through an open house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contemplated Palm Spring’s take on gardening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discovered a former Holiday Inn renovated by designers apparently high on crack cocaine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even Palm Springs’ municipal buildings are “say what?” ultra cool.

When here, one can appreciate why Palm Springs was and still is, the playground for the Hollywood/Rat Pack set.  Nothing beats the warm sun, brilliant blue skies and hip surroundings.

So true — ha!

“Reading on the plane” by Marc Rosenthal

Lake Tahoe Hiking

Just returned from a week up in Lake Tahoe.

Did some nice hikes, and as you can see, we caught the Aspens just at their peak of color.

Woke early one morning to a light dusting of snow…which melted by the time we finished breakfast.

In our opinion, Lake Tahoe is at its best in the fall after all the summer visitors have left.

Very quiet and we often had the trails all to ourselves.  (Click photos to view larger.)