This Modernism Week event is going to be one that Steve and I will return to next year! "Come celebrate the Royal Hawaiian Estates’ summer exterior facelift at Tiki Tête-à-Tête a Cocktail Party! Donald Wexler and Richard Harrison designed this iconic Polynesian-themed oasis with Modernist ideas in 1961."
Designated as Palm Springs’ first historic residential district, this community continues to lovingly restore its famed and archetypal buildings with additional “tiki apexes”, “flying sevens”, and roofline “teeth” and "ladder extensions", along with an original exterior color palette. Hollywood’s movers and shakers have owned units here, including comedian/actor George Jessel, who (legend has it) regularly hosted Hawaiian-themed poolside parties with Vegas showgirls serving martinis and models floating on giant blocks of ice.Steve and I toured this historic playground last June. That post is full of information."Stroll through the grounds of this newly refurbished, desert-tropical community while strutting your finest tiki-inspired, South Pacific attire. Gather at the west pool for light snacks, wine, and cocktails, featuring Royal Hawaiian signature mixology creations!"I loved the costuming.I even got to be a paparazza for Helene Verin, a designer of shoes, wallpaper, rugs, pillows, and tiles. Her work has appeared in countless books and publications. Verin is an adjunct professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, where she lives (when not living at the Royal Hawaiian) and is a recognized expert on Beth Levine (long before Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin, Beth Levine was designing shoes that were objects of desire and even lust. Levine, who introduced mules, stilettos, and fashion boots to the American market, was a visionary). What you don't see in this photo is Steve who is holding the leash of Ms. Verin's dog so she could have the perfect image for her instagram! Hysterical.Our delightful company for the evening was Rebecca and Timothy, a couple we met earlier in the day while on our walking tour.The host for the fête was Sven Kirsten, a famous expert on Tiki culture and a resident, as well.After lounging about the pool, we took a short break from the party to tour the interiors of what was supposed to be only three tiki/vintage styled homes. We misunderstood the signage and ended up on the doorstep of Eric and Anna's fantastic home. While they were part of the daytime tour, they were not scheduled to have visitors in the evening. They welcomed us in anyway. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.Besides the awesome opportunity to see their home, we learned that Eric grew up in South Lake Tahoe. He lived there for the first 20 years of his life (STHS class of '87). Small, small world."Appreciate the community’s vaulted ceilings, sliding glass doors to outdoor lanais, clerestory windows, and desert-tropical vegetation."The second home was spectacular, too. The host was welcoming and loved sharing all his treasures. Oh boy was there some coveting going on.
I was surprised that the owner of the third groovy pad opened her clothes closet. I wanted it all. You can't just have the decor; you have to have the outfits to match.And the dishware it turns out!
After the drooling, I mean touring, we returned to the party and continued the “tête-à-tête” with like-minded tikiphiles while enjoying vintage Hawaiian music! We were promised the possibility of seeing a merman. Oh boy, I was not disappointed.I have one more post to blog about our first day of Modernism Week. I still can't believe all we did/saw/experienced. This is a fabulous event. The week isn't even over yet, and I am anticipating next year!
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