EMBRACE MODERN ARCHITECTURE IN PALM SPRINGS, CALIF.
WHY GO: With about 350 days of sunshine a year, Palm Springs is a veritable oasis for hiking and outdoor activities, including biking, jeep adventures, excellent golf and tennis. Evoking retro-chic stylings and a touch of golden age Hollywood glamour, Palm Springs of recent years has been busily reinventing itself. Whatever your fancy, from eclectic shopping to superb restaurants and elegant resorts to a stellar cocktail scene, the little city that blossomed in the desert has all this going on and so much more.
EXCEPTIONAL TO-DO’S: The ideal time to visit is during the winter months when temps are more temperate and the event calendar is especially active. There’s the 28th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival in early January and the four-day, mid-January PGA Career Builder Challenge golf tournament in nearby La Quinta. But it’s Modernism Week, held over 11 days each February, that is perhaps the most anticipated of all wintertime events. Celebrating mid-century modern design, art, fashion and culture, this annual festival includes home and garden tours, films and lectures, vintage travel trailer exhibits and nightly parties. WHERETO EAT: For all-day breakfast in a bustling indoor/outdoor setting, head to Cheeky’s for a piled high platter of chorizo and queso fresco-loaded chilaquiles, and a side of the signature flight of bacon featuring rotating flavours. At Ace Hotel & Swim Club, grab a local specialty, the date shake, with a shot of bourbon for a boozy version. WHERE
TO STAY: Designed in 1960 by Albert Frey as a hotel getaway for celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and Lucille Ball, The Monkey Tree Hotel has been lovingly restored to its mid-century modern glory, with 16 rooms, a private courtyard and Scandinavian spa.