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Palm Springs After Dark: Five Amazing Stops

While Palm Springs may be best known for its sunny skies and daytime activities — such as hikes and walks, bike rides, shopping sprees, and leisurely swims in gorgeous pools —its nightlife is just as abundant and enticing. There are many fabulous bars and nightclubs open until the wee hours, but here are five ideas for your nighttime excursions — from the inspiring and romantic to the hopping and rocking.  These are all classic Palm Springs experiences.

The Purple Room Supper Club is one of my favorite spots for both stellar entertainment and delicious food and drinks. Located in the Trinidad Hotel, the Purple Room will carry you back to the rat pack era of the sixties, when celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Junior crooned on its stage.  There are live shows every night (except Mondays) and all the ones I’ve seen have been wonderful.  On Sundays, owner Michael Holmes presents the Judy Show, a wildly popular parody of Judy Garland’s television show. Other nights feature a variety of talented performers. You can enjoy the shows while savoring classic supper club fare (shrimp cocktails, prime rib, etc.) and specialty cocktails that are reminiscent of days gone by.

Seymour’s is an iconic speakeasy secretly hidden within Mr. Lyon’s, a popular upscale steak house. The secret entrance and dimly lit ambiance harken back to Prohibition days when patrons could sneak in to enjoy illicit alcoholic beverages in an intimate setting. This clandestine bar serves original craft cocktails as well as classic Prohibition-era cocktails, such as my favorite, the Last Word, made with gin, Green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and fresh lime juice. Vintage film clips above the bar add to the feel of days gone-by. This is the perfect place to wind down after a night on the town in Palm Springs. I’ve met the most interesting people at Seymour’s and the bartenders are personable and full of entertaining stories.

The Casablanca Lounge at Melvyn’s, adjacent to the charming Ingleside inn, is another special place where you can immerse yourself in the Hollywood glamour of the fifties and sixties. After a classic dinner at Melvyn’s, where tableside cooking is featured, you can adjourn to the lounge for an after-dinner drink, a lively piano bar, and perhaps a little dancing. You can just imagine Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe sipping martinis at this favorite getaway from the hubbub of Hollywood.

Moxie’s on Sunday nights is the place to go for a rocking, hip drag show called Foxie at Moxie — widely celebrated as one of the best drag shows in Southern California (also featured during a Sunday brunch). The rotating, talented cast of gorgeous, talented queens will entertain you while you sip on craft cocktails and nibble on delicious appetizers.  There is also live music and dancing on Friday and Saturday nights. The casual rooftop bar is a great place to relax and soak up the midnight skies. For a memorable, authentic Palm Springs experience you can’t miss Moxie’s.

Toucan’s Tiki Lounge is another swinging nightclub where something is hopping every night of the week. This trendy spot features Palm Springs’ longest continuing drag show, Tomi Rose and the Playgirls. Each night has a different theme, such as Latin Fever, Jungle Boogie and Pop Diva Karakoke, and, if you’re lucky, the “Go Go Boys” dancers may make an appearance. The drink specials are creative and fun.

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Instagram-able Palm Springs Small Hotels: Sparrows Lodge

Sparrows Lodge pool on a sunny day

We’re back with the next feature in our series on Instagram-able small hotels in Palm Springs, featuring the rustic chic Sparrows Lodge.

Originally built in 1952 as Castle’s Red Barn by MGM actor Don Castle, the property was a popular getaway for Hollywood stars, and rumor has it that actress Elizabeth Montgomery (best known as Samantha in the original “Bewitched” television series) was married there.

After passing through various ownerships and doing stints as Catalina Palms and El Rancho Lodge, the property was again purchased and a major renovation was completed in 2013, resulting in a beautiful property that combines luxury with summer camp vibes and lots of Instagram-friendly photo ops.

The 20-room property, located in south Palm Springs, features the ‘50s original barn, now renovated to house a bar and lounge seating. Exposed redwood beams, concrete floors with hand-inlaid pebbles and functional wood window shutters lend a cabin-y vibe to both the exterior and interiors. Rooms are outfitted with custom-made redwood beds featuring plush mattresses topped by Swiss Army blankets, as well as metal footlockers and leather butterfly chairs.

A rock wall acts as a divider for the bathroom area, which includes enameled horse troughs for bathtubs and an open shower made of concrete and inlaid pebbles.

Most guest rooms have private patios, and two larger suites offer a little extra space and luxury: the Owner’s Suite, with a large sitting area and a sunken bedroom area with a functional fireplace, and the Cabin, with a kitchen and dining area separate from the bedroom.

Outdoor amenities at Sparrows Lodge include a saltwater pool and spa, a fire pit and horseshoes, and guests can enjoy spa services in the Massage Tent. There are hammocks throughout the property, as well as bikes available for guests to use their stay.

Daytime dining is available in the Barn Kitchen, along with outdoor seating surrounded by fruit trees. Chef Gabriel Woo also preparestwo special family-style dinners each week: a chicken dinner on Wednesday evenings and a steak dinner on Saturdays.

The property is very pet-friendly, so you can bring your furry friends along for some fun in the sun!

If you’re heading to Sparrows Lodge, just look for the nameless sign bearing two small birds and you’ll know you’ve reached this laid-back and inspiring retreat.

Stay tuned for our next installment as we explore the most Instagram-able Palm Springs small hotels!

 

Images via Instagram, Jaime Kowal and Camron Carrier.

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Amin Casa Palm Springs

Amin Casa is steeped in Hollywood history. Once the private retreat of Hollywood star Gloria Swanson, it has been lovingly restored and is now one of Palm Springs’ most glamorous boutique hotels. During a recent visit, blogger Marie-Annick couldn’t stop daydreaming about what it would have been like to visit Amin Casa in the 1930s.

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Royale Redux: Portland hoteliers breathe new life into Villa Royale, a beloved Palm Springs getaway.

John Janulis is not the first guy from the Pacific Northwest to fall in love with Palm Springs (nor will he be the last) but he is the latest and greatest, making a splash with the sleek and seductive renovation of an old Hollywood haunt tucked away on the south end of town.

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Amin Casa is your home away from home

Amin Casa exterior

Amin Casa embodies the quiet sophistication of Palm Springs, with a twist of old Hollywood glamour.

Once the residence of actress Gloria Swanson, Amin Casa made its debut in the Historic Tennis Club neighborhood in November 2016, following several months of major renovations both inside and out. “Amin” means “ours” in Tagalog, while “casa” is Spanish for “home,” and owners Ramon Bautista and Nelson Cooley want it to feel like “your home away from home.”

“On property, guests will find the relaxing, club-like ambiance and genuine, heartfelt hospitality they have come to treasure,” Ramon said.

The compound dates back to the 1920s, and when fully occupied, the property only accommodates 14 guests, adults only. The bungalows come with living rooms, kitchens complete with microwaves, coffeemakers, blenders, and dishes, eco-friendly toiletries, and bathrobes and slippers, plus the Swanson residence with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a fireplace, and the property’s largest kitchen. There are stunning gardens, fountains, a swimming pool, cabanas, and an outdoor dining area with a grilling station.

Above all else, Ramon and Nelson, who have experience at some of the finest hotels in the world, strive to give the patrons of Amin Casa one thing: “Intuitive, gracious service provided by a staff passionate about pleasing our guests.”

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They found their Place in the Sun

A Place In The Sun Hotel

A Place In The Sun Hotel

Norma and Ron Van Meeteren didn’t set out to own and operate a hotel, but in October 1999, the couple found themselves embarking on an exciting journey now in its 20th year.

At the time, Norma and Ron had been selling real estate and doing property management in Palm Springs for 16 years. They learned about a property that was going to be converted into a hospice but had fallen out of escrow. Most of the units were like apartments, with living rooms, bedrooms, full kitchens, and private walled garden patios, and since the Van Meeterens were experts in residential income properties and had clients looking for apartment buildings, they arranged a meeting with the seller.

“To make a long story short, ten days later we were the proud new owners,” Norma said. “It’s been quite the journey, but our exceptional staff and happy guests make it all worth it.”

A mid-century boutique inn, A Place in the Sun Garden Hotel was built in 1951 as a retreat for the production crew working on the movie A Place in the Sun, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Shelley Winters, and Montgomery Clift.

“We get to meet so many interesting people, from all walks of life.”

The property has 18 units, with standard studios, one-bedroom bungalows with kitchens, living rooms, and private patios, and a 1,300-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom bungalow with a large kitchen, fireplace, and private jacuzzi. There is free fast internet, a heated saltwater pool, spa, artificial turf putting green, and a poolside gazebo with misters and heaters.

For Norma, getting to know the people who stay at A Place in the Sun is the best part of owning such a unique property.

“So many come back again and again, year after year, and it’s like welcoming back friends,” she said. “Many have happy memories of coming to A Place in the Sun as a child, and now are grown and bringing children of their own. We get to meet so many interesting people, from all walks of life.”

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Palm Springs In The Movies

Palm trees and rocks against a blue sky in Indian Canyons in Palm Springs, California

A destination for movie stars since the silent film era, Palm Springs has also long been on the short list for location scouts in search of substitutes for desertscapes around the world.

In 1918, Salome starring Theda Bara was filmed in the Indian Canyons (now the preserve with crazy good hiking). It wasn’t the first documented movie shot in Palm Springs — that was The Heir to the Hoorah in 1916 at the same location, directed by Cecil B. De Mille’s brother, William Churchill De Mille. The only copy of this film is in the Library of Congress. You can find the somewhat bizarre synopsis here.

The next two movies are both on streamers, and both shot in Palm Springs at Tahquitz Canyon’s waterfall. This area was used as a stand-in for Shangri-la in the 1937 film Lost Horizon (starring Jane Wyatt) and subbed for the Sahara Desert in The Sheik (1921) starring silent film heartthrob Rudolph Valentino. He became a frequent guest at The Palm Springs Hotel after it was purchased by the White sisters.

Tahquitz Canyon waterfall

Tahquitz Canyon’s waterfall. Courtesy of Visit Palm Springs

Cornelia White was integral to Valentino not being convicted in a crime of a scandalous nature. Here’s the story: Valentino’s divorce decree to actress Jean Acker stated he could not remarry for one year after their divorce, but Valentino’s love for costume designer Natacha Rambova was reckless and apparently lawless, because one day before the year was up, they eloped to Mexico. Their honeymoon was spent at The Palm Springs Hotel, and somebody snitched. At trial, White testified that Rambova spent the night with her and not Valentino, who slept on the porch. As the marriage wasn’t consummated, Valentino was acquitted of bigamy.

But we’re not here for salacious stories (at least not today). We’re here for the movies that were filmed in and around Palm Springs and I’m gonna give you the locations of some of the places that still remain today. Let’s go!

The Damned Don’t Cry! (1950) starring Mommie Dearest herself, Joan Crawford, playing a gangster’s moll. This film noir is set at her boyfriend’s “Desert Springs” getaway. The home was actually the Twin Palms Estate, a.k.a. the main residence of Palm Springs’ most famous resident, gangster-friendly Frank Sinatra. It’s in what is called The Movie Colony neighborhood where — you guessed it — a lot of movie stars had homes. 

Frank Sinatra standing next to a microphone

Frank Sinatra. Photo courtesy of Pixabay

Sinatra’s is a class one historic site designed by E. Stewart Williams and built by the Alexander Company, the one/two punch that solidifies its mid-century modern provenance. You can drive past it at 1148 E. Alejo Road, and if you get to the website fast enough, you can book a tour of it during Modernism Week. A wee bit of apocryphal gossip: a crack in the vanity of the main bathroom supposedly happened when Ava Gardner threw a champagne bottle at Frank during one of their famous fights. (Rent the movie on Prime, Apple, YouTube, Vudu.)

Palm Springs Weekend (1963) — Forget Daytona Beach and all the other Floridian hotspots where the spring break beach movies were set, this film has Connie Stevens, Troy Donahue, and the Girl From U.N.C.L.E., Stephanie Powers, partying in Palm Springs. Still standing locations: the police station at 200 S. Civic Drive and Margaritavilla (known as The Riviera at the time) at 1600 N. Indian Canyon Drive. (Rent on Vudu, Apple TV, Amazon Prime.)

Diamonds Are Forever (1971), starring Sean Connery as Bond, used Palm Springs as a stand in for the South African portion of their hijinks. Most importantly, the marvelous summer home of billionaire brainiac Willard Whyte (Jimmy Dean) is still standing and also a class one historic site. The Elrod Home at 2175 Southridge Drive is architecturally significant, designed by starchitect John Lautner. Unfortunately you can’t go in, and you can’t really get to it. It’s way up on a bluff and it’s gated. The best way to see it is from East Palm Canyon and look up. (Do not do this if you are the driver, ‘k?) 

The "Diamonds are Forever" poster

The “Diamonds are Forever” poster.

It’s right next to Bob Hope’s house (also designed by Lautner), the spaceship looking residence you can spot while heading east on Highway 111. Your best chances to go in, or at least see the outside closer, are during Modernism Week, but it’s not a sure bet. A definite bucket list item for any Bondophile though. (Movie is available on premium streaming subscriptions only.)

American Gigolo (1980) — Besides the fact that this is about a male prostitute, a bit of a switcheroo for Hollywood, it is remembered (fondly) by many for its full-frontal nude shots of Richard Gere. As for Palm Springs? When he and Michelle (Lauren Hutton) come for the weekend they stay at 2389 S. Yosemite Drive in the Indian Canyons neighborhood. If you’re a golfer, you can actually play a round at Indian Canyons North Course and get closer than a driveby. If you’re a man who enjoys full-frontal nudity, check out our men’s swimsuit-optional boutique hotels. (Movie available on premium streamers Paramount & MGM and to rent on Prime, Apple, Vudu.)

We’re only up to the 1980s, and I actually skipped through a few decades of films that aren’t particularly recognizable in name or star, and we’ve still got plenty more to go, but we’ve run out of space this month. And I haven’t even told you about the films shot at some of our small boutique hotels yet.

While planning your next Palm Springs getaway, why not peep a few of the above films, then visit the locations when you get here. Fun! And when you stay and shop local you keep Palm Springs keeping on which means good karma!

I’ll see you next time because this will be continued…

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Pack your bags for a Girls’ Getaway to Palm Springs!

Pack your bags! We are off for a Girls’ Getaway to Palm Springs, a city of luxurious, boutique hotels designed to pamper and emanate old world charm from those days of past Hollywood glamour and relaxation.

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Tableside Preparation Highlights Dining at Melvyn’s

Melvyn’s is one of my favorite restaurants in Palm Springs because of its old world ambiance, attentive service, and classic dishes. Dimly lit with white tablecloths and Modigliani paintings enhancing the elegant décor, the setting is intimate, serene, and romantic. The restaurant is located on the lushly landscaped property of the Ingleside Inn, a charming historic boutique hotel which has been around since the 1920s and was a favorite getaway for Hollywood celebrities during the 1950s and 60s.

The stars also relished dining at Melvyn’s and sipping cocktails in the adjoining Casablanca lounge where Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ava Gardner, Spencer Tracey, and Sammy Davis Junior were known to croon a few tunes. Palm Springs was a haven for these famous Rat Pack celebrities and many others since Hollywood had a two-hour rule where if you were under a film contract you could only travel two hours away in case you were needed on a set.

 

Tableside Cooking

During a recent visit, we focused on Melvyn’s iconic dishes prepared tableside. Melvyn’s is one of only a few restaurants in California where tableside food preparation still occurs. My dining companion and I had a special appreciation of our dishes after watching them being prepared right at our table by our personable waiter, Peter Hauxwell, who entertained us during his preparation by describing each step. 

Icy Cold Martinis

We first ordered icy cold martinis (assuming this is what Frank would do).  We enjoyed our cocktails with classic appetizers of Vichyssoise and Escargot, both beautifully prepared traditional dishes. We then embarked on our magical tableside dining experience.

Escargot

 

Wilted Spinach Salad

Peter first prepared a delicious Wilted Spinach Salad. He whisked together bacon and Dijon mustard with a house-made vinaigrette. He then added crisp Spinach leaves that wilted in the savory bacon mixture. He topped this savory salad with chopped boiled eggs, drizzled it all with lemon, and voila! — Our salad was ready to savor. The salad was rich, flavorful, and even more delicious than it might have been because we had observed the special preparation.

 

Steak Diane

Next was the highlight of our meal, Steak Diane, an ageless dish that was reportedly a favorite of Frank Sinatra’s. Peter created an aromatic, cognac, mushroom sauce with shallots and red that briefly and dramatically went up in flames as it was poured over the tender filet medallions (perfectly prepared medium rare per our request). The flames added a lovely smoky taste to the scrumptious filets. To say they melted in our mouths is an understatement.

We had a hard time deciding between Cherries Jubilee or Bananas Foster for dessert, both flambé dishes. We opted for bananas and were not disappointed. Peter first sautéed the bananas and then mixed them with a rich sauce of brown sugar, dark rum, and various spices. The rum produced glorious flames and the dish was ready to serve atop vanilla ice cream, creating a decadent, sweet dish. Peter observed that he felt this luscious dish had aromas of children’s laughter and we couldn’t disagree. We certainly found ourselves exclaiming delightedly during every flaming display right at our table.

After dinner is the perfect time to adjourn to the Casablanca piano bar where you can enjoy live music from local musicians every night and a special jam session each Sunday. You can even dance off some of those calories you just consumed. The vibe takes you right back to Hollywood’s heyday.

 

Sue Montgomery, guest blogger

Susan Montgomery is a travel, food and wine writer who has a special affection for Palm Springs, which is about an hour from her Southern California home. She is on the Board of Directors of the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association and in the last several years, she has published more than 300 articles on her own website and in other publications. Website link:  http://life-uncorked.com.

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The Spa Insider Profile: L’Horizon Resort and Spa

Lizzie Sherman, Creative Director at The Spa Insider, recently interviewed Alyssa McDonald, Director of Spa Operations, to gain an insider’s perspective about what makes a visit to L’Horizon Resort & Spa the perfect choice for a relaxing Palm Springs getaway.  Hint: Prepare to relax just reading about it.

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