Palm Springs Forever. If you don’t know that reference, check here. Earlier this summer when there was more hope regarding vaccinations taking us all out of this nightmare, I had the opportunity to travel to Palm Springs and stay at the Villa Royale. WHAT a beautiful, boutique hotel, with stunning grounds. The original owner sold to the Providence Hotel group in 2016. The new hotel owners blended modern and contemporary elements, but let the stunning landscape and Spanish-California vibe remain center stage.

Joshua Tree National Park is worth the car drive from Palm Springs. The landscapes - there are more than one within the park - are beautiful. Additionally, the Palm Springs Art Museum is fantastic, including the brutalist building that houses all the art. I am a sucker for corrugated concrete. The trip included stops to some local restaurants that one should check out, including where Frank Sinatra use to frequent, Melvyn’s. You can feel the bygone mid-century and late modern era’s of Southern California excess throughout the bar and restaurant. Food was classic steak house and martini vibes.

Walking and talking while snapping local modern era resources.