15 Jan 2015
2015 marks 10 years of Modernism Week & 100th birthday of former resident Frank Sinatra
As host of the star-studded Palm Springs International Film Festival and Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the city of Palm Springs is already famous for attracting swarms of visitors to its most exciting events – and this year will be no exception with two significant anniversaries shining the spotlight on this quirky Californian desert city.
First on the agenda is Modernism Week, a retro celebration of the city's mid-century modernist heritage, which is marking its 10-year anniversary in 2015. Dubbed “Coachella for architecture”, Modernism Week sees iconic houses and buildings open their doors to the public, inviting them to enjoy 11 days of films, parties, talks and tours inside some of the city's most extraordinary mid-century homes. Running from 12th-22nd February, this eclectic event will transport visitors out of the 21st century and straight into a bygone era with the chance to see exteriors and interiors preserved just as they were from the 1940s and 60s.
A living open-air museum, Palm Springs boasts one of the biggest collections of mid-century modernist architecture in the United States. From municipal monuments to private houses and celebrity hideaways, including the one-time homes of Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and Dean Martin to name just a few, these wonderfully-preserved buildings reveal a style defined by steel, concrete and glass that came to be known as “desert modern”, and are evidence of Palm Springs' Old Hollywood celebrity appeal.
Added to this, the city of Palm Springs will be celebrating another important anniversary in 2015: the 100th birthday of Frank Sinatra, one of the city's most famous former residents. Visitors can expect special events and parties to mark the occasion plus celebrity tours taking in some of his most popular old haunts.
Born on 12th December 1915, Sinatra made his first million in 1946 and celebrated by commissioning a modernist house in the Palm Springs Movie Colony neighbourhood, where Bob Hope, Cary Grant and a host of other big names once owned houses. Today, visitors can live like a star themselves and rent Sinatra's home for a private stay. This example of celebrity history still features the piano-shaped swimming pool he had built outside, as well as a chip in the sink from where he was rumoured to have smashed a champagne bottle during an argument with his then-girlfriend, Hollywood actress Ava Gardner.
Those who prefer to uncover Palm Springs' rich Hollywood history on a guided or self-guided tour will find traces of Sinatra at venues all over town. These include Melvyn's restaurant where he had his own table and where owner, Mel, today regales customers of the time Ol' Blue Eyes spent there; Johnny Costas, an Italian eatery, where Johnny himself can usually be found sharing stories from when he was Sinatra's personal chef; and the Riviera Palm Springs Resort & Spa which raises a poolside flag at 5pm every day to mark happy hour, in homage to Sinatra who would hoist a Jack Daniel's flag in the garden of his Palm Springs home to signal his famous neighbours Bing Crosby and Joe DiMaggio when to pop over for cocktails.
“We are super excited about these upcoming events,” said Mary Jo Ginther, director of the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism. “Our modernism and celebrity histories are hugely important to us as key features that helped to put Palm Springs on the map – and we want to encourage as many visitors as possible to help celebrate these with us in 2015!”
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About Palm Springs
One hundred miles east of Los Angeles, Palm Springs is a desert playground with year-round sunshine, blue skies and stunning natural beauty. Nestled beneath California's San Jacinto Mountains, the city is famed for its Hollywood legacy, Native American heritage and huge collection of mid-century modern architecture. The desert oasis boasts a wealth of adventurous hiking trails and historical canyon tours, as well as chic boutiques, world-renowned golf courses and unique experiences, including the chance to stay in the former homes of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley.
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Press Contact
For media information and images, please contact Sarah Habicht or Guy Hough at Hume Whitehead on 0845 498 9987 or email: sarah@humewhitehead.co.uk / guy@humewhitehead.co.uk.
