Always standing out from the crowd, Tracy is the one wearing orange coat & yellow sneakers.
Yes; it’s a beautiful thing when women build each other up instead of tearing each other down.
We can all use support more than ever right now. So when beautiful and successful design diva of the desert Tracy Turco decided to head up an Entrepreneurial Women’s Club of Palm Springsdespite her otherwise very busy schedule with a baby to boot… I was very pleased to be included on the list.
I’ve always been drawn to strong successful women. They’re such an inspiration and each of these incredible women have something unique to offer. It was a collaboration of getting to know one another, exchanging business cards and finally making plans for the next meetup.
A 1962 mid-century hotel with 12 rooms, The Cheetah Hotel was reinvented by local designer Tracy Turco and her property developer husband Jerry, in 2021. They also own the Art Hotel (most photographed hotel in Palm Springs) & the Tiki hotel with more properties to come including an interactive Mod Museum that will have a roller rink and pizza parlour. Busy people.
We met on the rooftop of the Flannery Exchange which is located in the heart of Palm Springs’ Uptown Design District. The building is a mixed-use space providing desert guests and residents the opportunity to work, play, shop, dine, and celebrate. My favorite new coffee shop (Cafe La Jefa) is right there along with new shops and more to follow.
Erika (wearing striped sweater in photo) and husband Mike Flannery are no strangers to hospitality and design. They also own ACME house company vacation rentals.
The next meeting will be held at a soon to be disclosed local restaurant.
I love stepping into a place that takes my breath away. If there’s rosé to go along with it – all the better.
Here’s another little boutique oasis in Palm Springs that I had the pleasure of visiting. Have a peek at a few photos I took when Chris Pardo, the owner, took me on a little tour.
A Tall Tale (taken from their website):
While traveling in France searching for vintage furniture we happened upon a roadside cart selling flower seeds. Not being fluent in the language we believed we purchased a vintage lineage of seeds. Once back in Palm Springs we planted seeds on property, unbelievably the flowers kept blooming black. Dismayed we had one horticulturist after the other come evaluate the phenomenon with no success. Finally after researching the small town near where we purchased the seeds we came upon an obscure landscaper who we believe they called an expert, the French man named Jacque Cousteau (no relation to the famed underwater explorer). After months of negotiating his travels to the states, he immediately identified the problem was with not the soil but the seedlings which were the fabled fleur noire. The only antedote… Rosé all day.
In Chinese culture, the tiger is the symbol of bravery, wisdom and strength. This year, the Chinese Lunar New Year 2022 starts on February 1.
2022 is the Year of the Water Tiger, which indicates a prosperous year due to the Tiger’s auspicious signs (strength, exorcising evils and braveness).
Chinese people believe that what you do at the beginning of a new year will affect your luck in the coming year. Staying up on Chinese New Year’s eve (January 31st, 2022) and saying good words to your family/friends like Happy New Year after the clock strikes 12 will certainly bring good luck.
The nature of the Tiger is brave, straight forward, born to lead, active, innovative, fearless and rebellious. What this indicates is that 2022 will come with movement, change and hope.
Well I for one sure hope for good changes to come. So moving on from here…
You’re a Tiger sign if you were born in the following years: 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022.
The following horoscope was written by Mina Zheng; Chinese Astrologer and Feng Shui master.
When we complete a 12-year cycle and the animal that corresponds to the year we’re born in rolls around, this often comes with an element of bad luck. It’s something we all have to face, and this year are the Tigers’ turn to face their ‘Own Fate’ year.
It will be a year of change and challenge, therefore Tiger people need to watch out for what they say and what they do this year. Aim to avoid direct confrontation.
For work: You may find yourself too busy or have too many ideas. Aim not to be too ambitious, rather lie low, focus on the basics and work on improving yourself. It is a good year for learning, taking exams and artistic pursuit.
For money: Money comes and goes this year: it is not a stable time for finance. This is the time to review and manage your spending. Things will improve by the end of the year.
For love: Your love journey is not very smooth this year. It can involve heightened emotions. Participate in wedding or engagement and happy events to improve your luck.
For health: Energy is low in this year. There is also chances for injuries, avoid dangerous sports. Be careful with driving. Don’t involve yourself with bad habits or be overly stressed. It is a good year to have your health checked, small surgeries and to look after yourself.
Lucky symbols: The Horse or Dragon Turtle. Red is a lucky color.
2022 here we go! I like the numbers. They appear more balanced.
Summing up the year so far…
words to live by
The theme of this year is letting go. Letting go of what cannot be controlled. For starters; to stop putting pressure on myself and on others to do more, be more and maybe just BE is in itself, a bit of a challenge. Expectations have changed big time. Energy wasting explanations too – like letting go of a need to explain when there is really no need to explain.
We’ve all experienced many unforeseen events and changes in the past almost two years and this year will be no different because change is constant and we have to deal with the good along with the bad. It’s only the uncertainty that is puzzling and seems to be trying everyone’s patience.
This year kicked off with a kick in the chest of a few less people in my life – two amazing women I know have passed. Even some friendships have changed. Some have lessened, some have strengthened and one has unexplainably disappeared from my life. Nothing is as it was, and yet everything is as it should be (except finding out about the untimely passing of my friend Ruth). Just trying to accept things as they are is a test to human nature along with a testament to strength.
Humans are disappointing. We can watch all the blood, graphic violence & soft porn on every day TV shows, but we have to watch our personal opinions on social media.
As the symbolism behind the number 2022 suggests: set priorities in life and use your energy and time on them exclusively. Avoid thinking about unimportant things as this will only waste your time and take away energy that can be used in a much more useful way. Only draw in honest people to your life. Don’t dismiss the importance of lessons from the past. If you are aware of your eventual mistakes, you will know things to avoid in the future. Fear can only block you from achieving what you want, so ignore it. Be fierce, confident, and trust your instinct. For example, our own beliefs and idealizing people that are obviously not good for us can teach us not to ignore what our instinct is telling us. If you trust your gut, that means you believe in yourself. So believe in yourself!
Alison Bechdel in “The Secret to Superhuman Strength” writes:
“Peel it back far enough and beneath every obsession, every compulsion, every peculiarity of being, every creative act and every destructive act, there is the kernel of some universal human struggle or longing — usually for love or for control, the twin faces of the elemental human heartache: we are born to die, and in the meantime life is one great uncertainty throughout which we are fundamentally alone, no matter the people and possessions we surround ourselves with.
How these universals manifest, however, is to a large extent a product of the time and place into which chance has deposited us.”
In “Superhuman Strength” you can feel that Bechdel knows that she doesn’t have that much control. But perfection is not the point, which is the point. Control is an illusion; the secret is to let go. – part of New York Times book review.
Wherever we go, we take ourselves with us – Walt Whitman.
You can follow the right path or you can take a rocky road – which is okay if it’s ice cream.
Wishing you the Merriest of Christmas and a toast to this holiday season. Here’s hoping that 2022 brings you happiness, good health, and most of all, HOPE for normality in our lives once again. Have fun as often as you can. Cheers!
Only in Palm Springs will you be able to find Christmas Tree Ornaments in the likeness of fashion icons such as Anna Wintour and Karl Lagerfeld, music legends like John Lennon, TV idols like Lucille Ball and sex symbols like Marilyn Monroe. And of course other frivolous and fabulous embellishments to adorn your modern day tree.
ornaments available (or were available because believe it or not, they sell out fast) at just fabulous. A one stop shop for all things you never knew you needed but you definitely want.
We spent the better part of the day/evening in this amiable little town which is only about a 35 minute drive from Palm Springs and had dinner at a chic Mexican restaurant called…
La Quinta is a small resort city in Coachella Valley, known as one of the leading golf destinations in the States. Known for incredible year-round warm and dry climate and superb shopping, world-class golf at more than 20 golf courses, biking through the valley among the orchards and vineyards, and dining at a number of first-class restaurants.
Summing it up: elegant boutiques, gourmet dining, wine and olive oil tasting bars, art galleries, and charming cafes. Upstairs are offices and businesses, creating a fine balance between work and pleasure. There is always something going on in Old Town La Quinta, such as music on weekends, the Art Under the Umbrellas art show, Taste of La Quinta, and very popular Sunday Certified Farmers’ Market.
Summing it up: vacationidea.com sums it up best with the best of the best:
Golden Grapes, a popular Palm Springs wine festival returned (after a long hiatus) on December 4th, 2021, to celebrate the best of small-lot, organic, bio-dynamic, sustainable wineries throughout California. Tickets sold out fast. The event was hosted by two well known local hangouts; Ace Hotel & Swim Club and Dead or Alive Bar + Shop – both within walking distance to where I live lucky for me.
I have to say I was both surprised and disappointed to discover how little supply of organic wines are available for purchase in any of the local grocery stores here; even “Total Wine” the big wine supplier in Palm Desert. This was really my main intention for attending the event…to discover fine tasting, organic California wines. That plus the fact this fest is known among industry insiders as a winemaker’s favorite wine festival.
Even though it was small in size, it was still overwhelming since I was not at all familiar with any of the wineries featured. In actuality, it was hit and miss for me. As with choosing films at a film festival, the movie title (or wine label here) is what first garners my attention. After that, I hope the film (wine) lives up to my expectations. Many times it does not. All in all I enjoyed this outing on a beautiful afternoon with great views. I was able to pace myself and keep it classy, enjoy small bites in between tastings while people-watching. My dog enjoyed it too especially when I shared some of my cheese with her.
It was fun to meet the winemakers and taste the Golden State’s distinct and diverse bounty of grape varietal, style, and terroir, from Shasta to Mendocino, Sonoma to the Sierras, down the Central Coast, all the way to San Diego – and everywhere in between.
How it Began:
Palm Springs Wine Fest was founded in 2018 by Dead or Alive owner, and locally-born-&-raised wine merchant, Christine Soto, as a platform to uplift and evangelize small producers and their conscientiously-farmed and crafted wines within the greater desert community. The inaugural PSWF was also held in December 2018 at Ace Hotel & Swim Club, bringing together over 30 winemakers of California’s new-guard to pour their fresh, honestly-made juice for the wine-loving assemblage – and the rest is history.
oh yeah; there was beer too.
The $75 admission included unlimited tastings (although they recommend you keep it classy but you know how that can go), small bites, and expert insights from the winemakers such as:
Ashes & Diamonds, Broc Cellars, Las Jaras, Scribe Winery, Ruth Lewandowski, Hoxie Spritzer, Inconnu, Nomadica, Minus Tide Wines, Forlorn Hope, Roark Wine Company, En Cavale, Iruai, Ardure Wines, Augur Wine Co, Carboniste, Los Chuchaquis, Stirm Wine Co, Field Recordings, Fine Disregard, Lo-Fi Wines, Penville Wine, Thee & Thou, Raft Wines, Little Trouble Wines, Rootdown Cellars, Es Okay, Cole Ranch, Roark Wine Company, Woods Beer & Wine Co, Origin Wine, Two Shepherds and more.
From where I drank
If you love wine and want to experience something unusual and unique, I suggest getting tickets early next year.
Later that evening…
I attended the BouschetChristmas Party (one of my favorite places for curated wine and tastings, small bites, PS Air Bar) and met a few new friends.
I met Anna Rexia – a flight attendant and entertainer for PS Air Bar.
Sometimes you’re in the mood for glamour and sometimes you’re in the mood for something a bit more gritty, or something you didn’t even know you were in the mood for…something like the wild, wild West…which has its very own style of glamour. Way out in the desert, on our drive back from Joshua Tree, we came across an enchanting Old West Town that was built in the 1940’s and used as a film set throughout the 40’s and 50’s.
a few of the movie posters from what was shot on location here
from the little museum – a rotating display of many movies that were shot in this area.
In 1946, Pioneertown was founded by a group of Hollywood investors,including actors Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. They dreamed of creating an Old West set that was actually a town worth visiting, with 1880s-style false-front façades but interiors that had stuff for visitors to see and do too. Up went (from the outside) frontier stables, saloons, and jails; inside, they housed ice cream parlours, bowling alleys and motels. More than 50 films and television shows were filmed here in the 1940s and ‘50s.
These days Pioneer Town is no longer used to make Old West movies. Instead, it’s a real town with a few houses, restaurants and all the remains of the movie set that you actually walk around. If you’re an old John Wayne and Western movie buff you’ll probably find it quite worthwhile and exciting. At the very least you feel what it was like to live that lifestyle.
While location shooting and businesses here have dwindled, you can still see mock gunfights on Mane Street (pun intended). But the most happening place by far is Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, with surprisingly good live music (Robert Plant and Leon Russell have played here) in a seemingly unlikely setting. This must-see desert find also serves up awesome ribs, plus classic Santa Maria barbecue, burgers, sandwiches and salads.
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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