A Return to Palm Springs: Day 1

We returned to our desert oasis for an overnight due to an annual event we have been trying to get to for years- The Walk of The Inns.

The Walk of the Inns is a free, self-guided walking tour to explore the local hotel holiday scene. The event creates a welcoming atmosphere that celebrates the spirit of the community and the exceptional hospitality that defines Palm Springs. But more of that later. We had the entire day to fill with activity and exploration.

We began our Palm Springs day, as we tend to do, in the delightful garden courtyard of koffi. There is something magical about this spot.
I mean, look at my view when I gazed upward. Gorgeous!
This coffee location was conveniently located near our next destination, Our Lady of Solitude Church. We had learned of it at the library lecture we attended on Monday.
It was at that presentation where we learned the sad tale of actor Jackie Coogan, a man we knew growing up, as Uncle Fester of The Addams Family. Oh man, he was so much more than that. John Leslie "Jackie" Coogan (October 26, 1914 – March 1, 1984) was an American actor and comedian who began his film career as a child actor in silent films. His role in Charlie Chaplin's film The Kid (1921) made him one of the first child stars in the history of Hollywood. He worked extensively, earning millions. He later had to sue his mother and stepfather over his squandered film earnings and provoked California to enact the first known legal protection for the earnings of child performers, the California Child Actor's Bill, widely known as the "Coogan Act".

By the time Coogan was a young adult in 1936, he was featured in the MGM short film Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs with the actress he would marry the following year, Betty Grable (who knew?!). Like the couple’s marriage altogether, their 1937 honeymoon in Palm Springs was relatively brief as they had to get back to Hollywood to work. That said, the greater Palm Springs clearly had something to offer Coogan later in his life, as he dismissed the smog (and baggage, hopefully) of Hollywood for the desert in the late 1960s.

I love this photo that was captioned, "Coogan lying on the hood of his 1968 Ford Country Squire station wagon.  With Coogan is George Barris, who added functioning hood scoops to help cool the car as Coogan drove to and from his house in Palm Springs." Such history found in such unlikely places (on a church pew, for instance).

Our next explore was at the Palm Springs Art Museum's Architecture and Design Center.
So Near, So Far—the first solo museum exhibition of Los Angeles artist and designer Ryan Preciado—features newly commissioned furniture, lighting, and sculpture that emerged from Preciado’s dialogue with the story of Manuel Sandoval, a twentieth-century Nicaraguan-American carpenter.
"Sandoval’s work brought him into contact with key figures of modern American architecture. He was a member of the Taliesin fellowship and collaborator of Frank Lloyd Wright, R.M. Schindler, and Alvin Lustig. Sandoval’s ambivalent experience of these partnerships draws attention to the silences of architecture’s traditional archives and invites new reflection on what it means to create in dialogue with others."



Cultured Magazine says of this piece, "In researching the carpenter’s work, Preciado was inspired to recreate a dining set originally designed by Sandoval. Like his oeuvre as a whole, the piece is a material representation of community and lineage—an homage to one of the many people who shaped him."
Manuel Sandoval's collaborations with the architectural giants are underrecognized and scantily documented so it is with this exhibit that Ryan introduces the world to a very talented artisan. Interesting stuff.
On to our home for the night- The Cole. I have passed this groovy sign numerous times since it was installed in 2019. I have always wanted to stay there so tonight was the chance!
The Cole was not always The Cole. When it opened in 1959, the Bahama Hotel was considered “one of the most unusual of Palm Springs hostelries”, according to a Desert Sun article from January 1959. In announcing the opening of the $300,000 two-story, 30-room hotel, owners Arthur and Amy Nelson Lee also prominently listed “refrigerated air conditioning and television for all rooms”.  A highlight also had to be its midcentury pedigree, notably architect Hugh Kaptur who was credited for the exterior decor. Raymond Devore, a San Clemente draftsman, designed the building.
The current owner, Mark Weis, transformed the Bahama from its original state which offered 15 rooms with kitchenettes and 15 regular hotel rooms. Mr. Weis eliminated those kitchenettes, created five floorplans, and kept the midcentury vibe with a colorful, clean look thanks to help from H3K Design in Palm Springs (one of my favorite stores in which to wander).


I can't believe we finally made it! Woohoo.
Okay, the reason why we were here... The Walk of the Inns. After gathering a map, we set forth to explore everything from mid-century modern marvels to stunning Mediterranean retreats, where the participating hotels were showcasing their unique styles and warm hospitality, providing an insider’s look at the distinctive architecture for which Palm Springs is renowned.
Casa Cody is the oldest operating hotel in Palm Springs, founded in the 1920s by Hollywood pioneer Harriet Cody, cousin of the illustrious Buffalo Bill. The designated Class 1 historic site is composed of historic structures and four freestanding homes: Olympic Cottage, which formerly housed athletes during the Los Angeles 1932 Summer Olympics; Winter’s House, an original 1930s California Ranch House; Adobe House, a true adobe built in the early 1900s and one of a handful of remaining adobes documented in Palm Springs; and the quaint and cozy Harriet’s Cottage, one of Casa Cody’s most requested homes. Additional accommodations are available in the 1950s Apache Lodge built by actress Polly Bergen and units transplanted from the estate of Francis Crocker, the “Father of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.” Wild!
One of our favorites was the Talavera. It began as “The Wigwam” in the 1920s and is now described as a Boho chic boutique hotel which offers an intimate escape that is perfect for romance, personal retreats, and solo travelers. Every room boasts a private hot tub. It was so fun to wander around this property. There were lots of "Ohhh, I want to stay here!



The Lucille, another favorite, was reimagined in 2023, but has a history that stretches back over 100 years. Originally built in 1921, it has been welcoming guests for a century, including Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, who frequented it with their family. Formerly known as El Poco Lodge, Lucille Palm Springs’ new name is a nod to one of its most famous guests.
Desi Arnaz Jr. reportedly took his first steps on the patio of Villa 4, which was watched over by Lucy and Desi. What fun history!



Amin Casa Hotel "embodies the luxury of life in Palm Springs." This impressive property dates to the 1920s and ’30s and was once the home of Hollywood screen legend and award-winning actress Gloria Swanson. Miss Swanson was married six times, with numerous affairs. It has been rumored that “Joseph Kennedy slept here.” Hmmm, I'm not sure much sleeping was happening.







The last stop on our Inn tour was La Serena Cottages & Sequoia Bungalows (c. 1936 / 1939 Spanish Colonial Revival). The two “motor court apartments” were combined sometime after 1962 and are now known simply as La Serena Villas. This sprawling hotel resides on over an acre of exquisitely landscaped grounds.
The Walk of the Inns was an evening of community. Steve said being on the streets, en masse, was like Halloween for adults. It was a wonderful opportunity to see what hides behind the doors of these unique places and to have a reason to spend the night in Palm Springs. It will not become an annual tradition but it is one we are happy to have check off our must do list.

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