Tag Archives: Modernism Week

Modernism Week – Vintage Airstream Trailer Tours

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Events and tagged with , , , , , ,

IMG_7181The closing weekend of Palm Springs Modernism Week featured two days of vintage airstream tours. Dozens of people hauled their restored travel trailers here for us to line up to take a peek inside at their handiwork.

IMG_7144The Decoliner looked like it landed here from another planet. (It was Oregon, actually.) Randy Grubb builds amazing custom cars — Jay Leno bought one — and he made this beauty in 20 months with the front cab of a 1950 COE, 455 Oldsmobile engine, and 1973 GMC motor home chassis.

IMG_7146The inside of it was just as groovy. Those little windows are part of the stairs that lead up to the flying bride. That’s right, you can drive it from the top.

IMG_7153Each trailer had its own unique style. One of my favorites was this 18-foot-long 1964 Airstream Bambi Two, probably because it reminds me of an Anthropologie store. The design was inspired by the Sierra Foothills and the modular furniture was made from salvaged local wood.

IMG_7162Owner Kristiana Spaulding rents out the trailer for commercial shoots and special events, plus she designs jewelry featuring (what else?) trailers. We also saw other airstream enthusiasts turning their passion into businesses by selling themed magnets and t-shirts.

IMG_7205It’s so easy to admire these shiny symbols of the open road (with a few of the comforts of home). RV connoisseurs would have been excited to see this rare (so I’ve read) 1965 Dethleffs Beduin, but I was more thrilled with what I spotted inside.

IMG_7199There was a retro tableau set up in the dining area, complete with ceramic tikis. They looked great with the tropical plant print on the seats.

IMG_7224The Palm Springs High School band program had set up a bake sale and there were also vendors like Vintage Roadside and a dude that made these neat neon signs (and whose business card I’ve unfortunately misplaced). Airstream Life magazine had organized this event for the past three years, but this was the last time they’ll be directly involved. I’m hoping next year will be just as memorable. (Oh yes, we’ll be back.)

Modernism Week – Palm Springs Architecture Bus Tour

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Tiki Sites and Stores and tagged with , , , ,

IMG_6952One of the most popular events during Palm Springs Modernism Week seemed to be the architectural double-decker bus tours. They were scheduled twice a day throughout the week and some sold out fairly quickly since there were only about 50 spots on the top level. (We got our tickets about a month in advance.)

IMG_6904You could venture out to some of these places on your own by purchasing the map produced by the Palm Springs Modernism Committee (available online and at the visitors center for $5). However, you wouldn’t have the higher vantage point where you can peek into walled yards with impeccable pools and mod furniture.

IMG_6910JR Roberts (Boccardo Roberts Architecture and Design) was an invaluable skipper on our three hour tour. Our weather was anything but rough, though. It was 80-something degrees by the time we departed at 9 a.m.

IMG_6916One of our early stops was the iconic Kaufmann house from 1947, designed by Richard Neutra. The history of its restoration is fascinating, including the re-opening of a quarry in Utah to match the original stone. (Sidenote: A print of Slim Aarons’ photo of a 1970 pool party at the house hangs at Hula’s Modern Tiki in Phoenix.)

IMG_6915The Alexander House was dubbed “The House of Tomorrow” by Look magazine in 1962, but it’s more famously known as Elvis Presley’s “honeymoon hideaway.” (The restored estate is open for guided tours — and you could even be like The King and rent it out for a honeymoon.) William Krisel designed it as a series of circular spaces, and it was originally built to be the personal residence of Robert Alexander of the Alexander Construction Company.

IMG_6956The Alexander Construction Company built more than two thousand mid-century modern homes in the Coachella Valley with Krisel’s architectural firm Palmer & Krisel, who designed many more in California and Nevada. Krisel has even consulted on recent restorations, like this Twin Palms house. Apparently that groovy geometric garden was part of the original plans! (Check out the inside on Design Furnace’s blog.)

IMG_6963Our guide was very entertaining, relating celebrity gossip and greeting people at yard sales as we passed. He even showed off a wicked sense of humor when an ambulance drove by with its sirens blaring and he said something like: “Looks like another mid-century house will be on the market soon.”

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I was very pleased that he pointed out these three tiki torches on Palm Canyon Drive, which are all that remains of the Palm Springs branch of Don the Beachcomber that opened in 1953. (Jeff Berry‘s book Sippin’ Safari has some great stories about it, like gold-plated chopstick cases for the celebs.) The Royal Hawaiian Estates and the large A-frame of the Caliente Tropics hotel could have been other tiki points of interest, but our route just barely bypassed them.

IMG_6965We’re house-hunting in Los Angeles now, and I’m afraid Palm Springs totally spoiled me with all of its amazing architecture. Even the fast food joints are located in some striking buildings. This one is a KFC!

Modernism Week – Mid-Century Mermaids: A History

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Events and tagged with , , ,

IMG_6900This was the first year I had the pleasure of attending Palm Springs Modernism Week, a series of events celebrating the architecture and culture of the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s. There were dozens of home tours, lectures, films and cocktail parties from February 16-26. Curiouslaydee and I were there for the closing weekend and some fun in the sun at The Riviera, but first we headed down Palm Canyon Drive to the Ace Hotel on Friday night.

IMG_6894The Vintage Roadside duo of Jeff Kunkle and Kelly Burg traveled down from Portland to share several years of research and interviews in a special sold-out presentation entitled “Mid-Century Mermaids: A History.”

IMG_6837They gave an overview of aquatic shows, from the 1939 New York World’s Fair and Billy Rose’s Aquacade (where Esther Williams was discovered) to mid-century mermaid attractions (like Weeki Wachee Springs, pictured) and porthole lounges (hotel bars with windows into the resort’s pool) to newer ventures like Sacramento’s Dive Bar and the aquarium at the Silverton Casino Hotel in Las Vegas.

IMG_6844The pictures were fascinating and there were many interesting stories to go with them. A Shell gas station sign was apparently used to make a mold for these giant shells at Aquarama, a now defunct tourist spot in Missouri. (There was also mention of a topless Star Wars themed show at the Reef in San Diego!)

IMG_6847Up front they had two tables displaying mermaid memorabilia, like this blue costume from Sip ‘n Dip in Montana (possible setting for a future reality show), a guitar from Weeki Wachee Springs (still in operation!), vintage bathing suits and a gold tail from Aquarama.

IMG_6854Following the presentation, the crowd surrounded the pool adjacent to the conference room for a special underwater and pyrotechnic performance by Marina the Fire-Eating Mermaid.

IMG_6868Marina and her MeduSirena Pod of fellow fish-tailed entertainers have a standing swimshow engagement every Friday night at the Wreck Bar in Fort Lauderdale, and she also performs at special events like Tiki Oasis where she’s even held classes on underwater movement for aspiring mermaids.

IMG_6889_2Marina was stunning, of course, but what really blew me away at this event was discovering how many mermaid attractions there were/are across the country. My favorite example was the porthole lounge, but Marina told me there are only three remaining in the U.S. They may be more nautical in style, not really “tiki” per se, but they seem to have that same sense of South Seas escapism that we love about tiki bars.