Modernism Week in Palm Springs is a captivating celebration, a vibrant homage to Mid-Century Modern design, architecture, and the leisurely lifestyle that defines this iconic era. Nestled in the sun-drenched oasis of Palm Springs, this event is more than just a showcase; it’s an immersive journey through time and creativity, where the sleek lines of Modernist architecture meet the boundless spirit of mid-20th-century optimism.
As you stroll through Palm Springs during Modernism Week, you are transported into a world where design and architecture are not mere forms of expression but a way of living. The city, renowned for its rich concentration of impeccably preserved mid-century modern structures, has become a living museum. Each building, from the iconic homes to the commercial structures, tells a story of a time when simplicity, functionality, and harmony with the surrounding landscape were paramount. Architects of the era, like Richard Neutra, John Lautner, E. Stewart Williams, and more, are celebrated for their visionary works and for crafting a legacy that profoundly shaped modern living.
The event’s tours, whether self-guided or expert-led, offer a rare opportunity to step inside private residences and landmark buildings that are usually hidden from public view. Imagine walking through these classic mid-century modern homes, where the seamless integration of indoor and outdoor spaces exemplifies leisure living. Take a twilight tour of the Frey House II, perched on a hillside, where the use of glass and space blurs the line between the home and the rugged desert landscape. Head to the Vista Las Palmas neighborhood for a tour of the newly renovated Alexander Estate. This incredible property is known as the House of Tomorrow and was the oh-so-stunning hideaway where Elvis and Priscilla Presley spent their honeymoon in 1967. Next, it’s over to the Deepwell neighborhood, where you can tour one of the first homes built in 1954 by architects Donald Wexler and Richard Harrison of the notable Wexler & Harrison architecture firm.
Modernism Week brings multiple speakers and presentations on various subjects from Bar Keeps: A Collection of California’s Best Vintage Cocktail Napkins, Essential City: A Futuristic Exploration of Desert Cities, Preserving the Bauhaus Legacy on Cape Cod: Saving Marcel Breuer’s Summer Home, John Wayne, Hollywood and the American West to The Direction of Sculptural Ceramics in Architecture by legendary Stan Bitters.
Whether you’re looking for a quick getaway or the perfect place to gather with friends and family, a Los Olivos wine-tasting weekend and a trip to the Santa Ynez Valley checks all the boxes. The just over two-hour trip from Los Angeles lands you in this peaceful and picturesque small California town that is a haven for wine lovers, foodies, and anyone who wants to play rancher for the day.
The area is home to some of California’s finest wineries, tasting rooms, and notable restaurants. Offering everything from amazing farm-to-table cuisine, Bar Le Cote, Los Olivos Wine Merchant Cafe, and Industrial Eats (in Buellton only 10 minutes away) to unique experiences feeding ostriches and emus at Ostrichland USA and horseback riding along the rolling hills offered up by Vino Vaqueros. Take a walk down Grand Avenue to explore the area’s charming boutiques, taste some of the local produce, and stop by the Carhartt Cabin for a glass of estate-grown Pinot and hang with the locals. Whether it’s oil from Olive Hill Farm or wine from one of the many wineries and tasting rooms, the epicurean in each of you will be delighted while visiting this area filled with so much we love about California.
Don’t miss the Los Olivos General Store at 2900 Grand Avenue, right in the middle of town. Here, you can stock up on oh-so-wonderful smelling candles, curated bath and body items, and books on living the ideal rancher lifestyle, complete with recipes, cocktails, and cutting boards. Have a seat in one of the welcoming Adirondack chairs and take in all this quaint piece of paradise has to offer.
In honor of French architect Le Corbusier and the seaside holiday house he built for his wife in 1952 on the Cote d’Azur across the bay from Monaco – husband and wife team, Anotnis Choudalakis and Sofia Mavroudis, built their own pair of cabins in Kissamos, Crete. Although miles from Le Corbusier’s Le Cabanon in the south of France, they carry the spirit of the original, celebrating minimalism and the sanctuary of nature referring to these cabins as a “personal utopia, hidden from the world but near beaches, celebrating the islands slow living.”
Sited perfectly on the hillside, with their glass facing facades and set amongst hundreds of lush olive trees these cabins seem to come alive at sunset.
Lounge away the afternoon… the perfect spot to take in the endless olive trees and incredible views of the mountains and the sea.
Looking to check out, relax and rejuvenate, head to the Ka Bru Beach Boutique Hotel & Villas in Barra Grande, Bahia. This Brazilian secluded luxury boutique hotel located in the state of Bahia, is an intimate beachfront hotel experience nestled at the entrance of Brazil’s third-largest bay, the stunning Camamu Bay.
With a bold modernist design, locally sourced organic products, and warm, welcoming climate the Ka Bru Beach Hotel is the perfect spot to soak up the quieter side of Brazilian culture.
Here in the southern part of the state, you will find idyllic seaside villages that attract vacationers and divers alike. There are tropical forests, rivers and ecological preserves as well as coral reefs and endless beaches.
