When Frank Tysen bought Casa Cody 25 years ago with Therese Hayes, he couldnt imagine ever wanting to live in Palm Springs. It was far too quiet to be anything more than a weekend getaway from his home base in Los Angeles.
My, how times and Palm Springs have changed.
You think its a quiet life here but scratch the surface and theres always something happening, he says, sitting by the pool after breakfast. He picks up one of the entertainment guides as proof of his assessment that any night there are at least a dozen places that have live music.
His favourites include Melvyns for its Rat Pack-style jazz or the more funky Woodys, a gourmet burger joint in the former Greyhound bus station that features jazz and blues after dark. Ace Hotels resident DJ is making the monthly Pool Party a must for the growing number of younger people wanting to kick back in the desert while the Curve Hotel invites you to step into the fun.
And thats just whats happening on a regular basis. Palm Springs hosts several film festivals (which Therese Hayes often helps organize), architectural events including Modernism Week, art exhibits, touring shows, the Coachella Music and Arts Festival and two of the biggest annual LGBT celebrations (The Dinah Shore Weekend and The White Party).
Yet for all of the ways Palm Springs is constantly re-inventing itself to stay current (and survive the economys highs and lows), its history has always been the foundation of its appeal.
People love the vibe of nostalgia and old Hollywood, Tysen says. They sit around the pool like Marilyn Monroe used to. Its the charm of yesteryear.
A former urban planning professor, hes sat on Palm Springs planning committee and knows how much pressure theres been to tear down some of the citys most historic buildings in order to make room for condos and hotels. Its when you have people who come here that want to make a lot of money you have trouble, he says. Palm Springs is what it is today because of the people who have fought to ensure that it doesnt become another cookie-cutter housing development along Palm Canyon Drive. It doesnt happen by itself.
