This is my second to last blog post about Palm Springs for this season (in October it will all begin again).
Sharon is at the end of a six week holiday in Palm Springs and she invited me for a sleepover. We began, where all great weekends begin, at Koffi.What got me to town early was this announcement (and Sharon was interested, too), "Plaza Theatre’s Old Seats Available for Free to the Public on February 25 As restoration begins, old seats must go!""The Theatre’s restoration plans call for a slight reduction in the total number of seats, and the new layout will accommodate slightly larger seats with more legroom in addition to expanded ADA compatible seating areas. This event will be the last chance for the public to see the Theatre before the restoration is completed sometime in 2025." It was that last line that made me really want to go. Ironically, this was the first time that I even got to see the Theatre.The Palm Springs Plaza Theatre story begins in true Hollywood style. It was built in 1936 by heiress Julia Carnell (National Cash Register Corporation), who loved Palm Springs but thought there wasn’t enough to do. She solved the problem by buying some land and building the La Plaza shopping complex, the first outdoor mall in American.It was designed by architect Harry Williams, father of renowned midcentury modern architect E. Stewart Williams (who will will discuss later). Ms. Carnell brought Williams out from Ohio to design the entire plaza shopping center and the iconic theater. The theatre’s architectural style is Spanish Colonial Revival, a very popular style in California at that time. When it opened, the theatre was considered to be one of the most modern and luxurious movie theaters in the country.The theatre’s iconic identity was established on its opening to the public in 1936 with the world premiere of the Oscar-winning George Cukor film, Camille, with its legendary star, Greta Garbo, who allegedly slipped into the back of the theatre after the lights went down.What the it became known for from 1991 to 2014 was the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies. I love this description, "The faces of The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies are creased with laugh lines earned through the years and plastered in bright eye shadows and stage make-up. The six men and 11 women that comprise the dance company are considered by many to be inspirational because they're all over 55." I am truly sorry I missed this. We were told that they are not coming back.
The woman, on the left, was one of those dancers and the seats held such memories for her, she had to have some. How very, very cool.I'm excited to see what this historic landmark will become.A stroll through town brought us to the last of my Modernism Week events- the Modernism Yard Sale.Shopping is fun but people-watching is even more rewarding.Sharon introduced me to The Shops at Eleven Forty Five. I have admired this building for years and never took the time to stop. How could I miss this midcentury marvel and the unique wares within?
In 1955 Harold Hicks, real estate developer and Palm Springs City founding father, commissioned E. Stewart Williams to design the Harold Hicks Real Estate and Insurance building at 1345 North Palm Canyon Drive. Emerson Stewart Williams, whom most now refer to as E. Stewart Williams, was born in 1909 in Dayton, Ohio, the son of Harry Williams, a prominent local architect who designed the headquarters for the National Cash Register. Stewart’s father decided to move to Palm Springs in an attempt to ease the distress of his wife, Una, who suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis.
E. Stewart Williams arrived in Palm Springs in 1946 at the age of 38 to join his architect father, Harry, and brother, Roger. Stewart studied architecture at Cornell and received his Masters from University of Pennsylvania in 1933. He then began his professional career in New York in the office of Raymond Loewy, where he worked on projects for the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Raymond Loewy would own a home in Palm Springs designed by architect Albert Frey between 1946 and 1947. Oh man, all so interconnected. I love that about Palm Springs.
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How cool are these cacti? "As a former landscape designer and horticulturist, Dustin Gimbel discovered a passion for plants and gardening early in life, allowing him to work worldwide - from botanical gardens in England to lush specialty nurseries from Washington to Southern California. Over the years, Gimbel used his love of landscape design to transform his creativity into sculptural art. He first experimented with concrete which later developed into beautifully crafted ceramic works of art. Blending modern materials with organic design and innovative style, Gimbel can easily be described as a natural-born artist gathering inspiration at every turn."
Our day concluded back at Sharon's condo for dinner and pajama time. It was a very full explore of Palm Springs. Day 2 promises even more. Fun stuff.
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