The Paul Kaplan Group is excited to sponsor Leisure Life Weekend for the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation (PSPF),  a celebration of south Palm Springs’ unique collection of midcentury “lifestyle” condominiums. This weekend and tour will also bring attention to the little known Canyon Country Club Colony, Canyon View Estates, and other communities that the general public is unfamiliar with. 

Included in the weekend is the publication of a PSPF tribute journal (authored by board member Erik Rosenow) which places these fascinating condominiums in their respective social, historical and architectural contexts. Through rarely-seen vintage photographs and advertisements, the tribute journal captures the allure of the “leisure lifestyle” and the glamor it promised to middle-class home buyers.

The celebratory weekend kicks-off with a swanky Friday evening cocktail party. The Saturday house tour focuses on the Canyon View Estates condominium complex (designed by architect William Krisel) but features the best of other notable south Palm Springs condominium developments. The Sunday house tour of the Kings Point condominium complex shows how the lifestyle condominium phenomenon matured into modernist designs bordering on the “lavish.”

Schedule and Tickets

“Leisure Life” Weekend Multi-pass includes one ticket to
all events below (a $25 savings)

Friday, March 22

5-8PM Opening Night Cocktail Party

Join us for an enjoyable evening at one of the largest golf course-adjacent units in the Kings Point condominium complex. This stunning modernist home, designed by architect William Krisel in 1967, has been recently renovated and features beautiful interior design by Luis Ortega (principal of Luis Ortega Interiors). Upon arrival guests will be greeted with a “country club cocktail” specially created to celebrate the weekend. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and champagne will be served.

Saturday, March 23

10AM-4PM House Tour

Take a fascinating tour of more than a dozen condominium units in south Palm Springs’ that capture the midcentury “leisure lifestyle.” Included are units found in Canyon View Estates (1962) and Villa Roma (1964), among others. Refreshments will be served at the last tour house in Canyon View Estates. “Leisure Life” tribute journal author Erik Rosenow will be available to sign journals and answer questions. Price includes a copy of the 32-page journal and a collectible tour map. A one-hour lunch break is scheduled.

Sunday, March 24

9AM-12:30PM Champagne Breakfast & House Tour

To complete your “Leisure Life” Weekend experience, join us for a champagne breakfast at The Indian Canyons Golf Resort (formerly the Canyon Country Club) designed by midcentury architect Donald Wexler in 1962. After breakfast enjoy a tour of several condominium homes in the nearby Kings Point condominium complex designed by architect William Krisel in 1967. Price includes a copy of the 32-page journal and a collectible tour map.

Click here to purchase tickets and for more information on Leisure Life Weekend.

The Paul Kaplan Group represents homes in all of the neighborhoods featured on the Leisure Life Weekend tour.  For a highlight of various listings, click here.  Or call us at 760-459-1396.  The Paul Kaplan Group is a boutique real estate firm in the heart of Palm Springs, specializing on mid-century and modern homes.

The Paul Kaplan Group in Palm Springs, is exited to be partnering with Raymond | Lawrence in their innovated new retail venture in the heart of the Uptown Design District.  Known as the hot spot for design related shopping, the Uptown Design District is one of the most popular retail destinations in Palm Springs .  The Paul Kaplan Group will be part of the new joint retail experience at the new Raymond | Lawrence, along with other unique design related enterprises.  As well as representing real estate, we’ll also have architecture books, Dvd’s and other  related merchandise, focusing around Palm Springs design.  The Grand opening event is scheduled for April 19th. 

Read below for more info:

PALM SPRINGS – April 3, 2012: Raymond | Lawrence, an innovative retail incubator located in the heart of the Palm Springs Uptown Design District, will host a grand opening celebration on Thursday, April 19 from 6 to 9 pm at 830 North Palm Canyon Drive. The event will be a benefit for AIDS Assistance Program.

 “The incubator will provide an integral tool to help us foster the growth of design and lifestyle-oriented businesses that are new to Palm Springs and will bring even more variety to the uptown design district,” explains co-founder Larry Abel. “The synergy of the District has been building for quite some time now, and we feel this concept will help solidify the area’s reputation as yet another thriving component of the current Palm Springs renaissance. This is all about fostering creativity, uniqueness, an entrepreneurial spirit, and exclusivity.”

Raymond | Lawrence will include ‘pop-up’ stores for a variety of retail businesses, some of which are already established enterprises in other cities, and some that are new concepts. There will be home décor, furniture, accessories, textiles and bedding, men’s and women’s fashion, shoes, and jewelry, along with private concierge, real estate and architectural bookstore, and interior design services. A café and an international newsstand will make Raymond | Lawrence a destination for lovers of style.

Abel and co-founder Raymond McCallister have partnered with building owner Peter Mahler to enhance the concept of modernism for the 21st century lifestyle. Mahler is Managing Director of El Paseo Holdings LLC and has been instrumental in the revitalization of the Uptown Design District. ASI (Art – Style – Innovation), sOUP Home, Crate, Made 2 Measure Fashion, Paul Kaplan Modern Real Estate Group, Fit to Print, K. Berwick, Pavilion, Kateyln Grace, LASC, and a new concept by Royale Projects are among the initial ‘pop ups’ to be included.

The new venture has already been praised by Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet, Downtown Administrator Tammy Perezchica, and the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce for the anticipated positive economic impact, and the way landowner and entrepreneurs have come together for the good of the community.

Abel and McCallister are also the co-owners of Abel McCallister Designs, an award-winning event production company with offices in New York & Los Angeles that produces pop-up shops, corporate events, and red carpet parties for clients such as L’Oreal, Chase, Patrón Spirits, FOX, PEOPLE, Netflix, Entertainment Weekly, Disney, Hellmanns, and Audi. This talented duo appeared on Oprah designing her first edible set, made entirely of pure Godiva Chocolate. Since 2004, they have been working to create brand experiences at high profile entertainment-related events nationwide. In May, a division of Abel McCallister Designs, ‘Socialize Palm Springs’ will offer special events production of the highest caliber in the Coachella Valley. “Up until now, we’ve only done corporate events and have turned down all requests from charities, weddings, or other non-corporate events,” says Abel.  “Now, as a way to further our commitment to the Coachella Valley, we’re launching a branch of the company that will focus exclusively on social and charity events in the desert.” The showroom for Socialize Palm Springs will be located in the former ASI space at 668 North Palm Canyon Drive, and will soon be producing its first major social event, a spectacular society wedding celebration.

“Everything in our current retail store in the Uptown Design District, ASI, was inspired by an event we created,” McCallister added. “We had received ongoing requests from clients and event attendees who wanted to purchase the furnishings and décor used to create our unique environments. So when we purchased our weekend home here in Palm Springs in May 2009, we thought doing our own pop-up retail shop would be a welcome respite from our cross-country trips and work. Little did we know how quickly we would come to love the people of Palm Springs and eagerly seek to become a permanent part of the community.” Now ASI will become part of their larger vision for Uptown Design District: Raymond | Lawrence. “It’s almost as if ASI was the incubator for Raymond | Lawrence.”

For more information about The Paul Kaplan Group, Inc. visit www.PaulKaplanGroup.com .

Déjà Vu Vintage Finery will celebrate its grand opening by hosting a fashion show on February 16, 2012 to kick off The Palm Springs Modernism Week. The theme is “Jet Set Style-Mid Century Fashion,” with looks inspired by early historic Palm Springs hotspots such as the Racquet Club, The Chi Chi Club and other haunts of Palm Springs illustrious star-studded past. The evening features a silent auction of vintage clothing, purses, and accessories .  A pop-up store at The Ace Hotel will make many of our fabulous designer fashions available throughout the weekend. Proceeds from the event will benefit The Palm Springs Preservation Foundation.

The event will take place at The Ace Hotel & Swim Club at 701 East Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs 2/16/2011 at 7:00PM.
Tickets are $20.00 and available for purchase on the website www.dejavuroom.com or by calling Déjà Vu Vintage Finery 760.699.5365

We never want a repeat of 2009 in Palm Springs, what felt like the depths of the Recession….  The good news, is that things are picking up in Palm Springs, as reported in The Desert Sun this past week.   The following are highlights of the article that shows Palm Springs is experiencing an economic recovery.

Palm Springs has experienced a surge in tourism; tax revenue from hotel stays up 17.7% from 2010 to 2011,  and new airline routes by Virgin America connecting the city with New York and San Francisco are expected to open up the link for visitors from the East Coast.    

Real Estate is also on an upswing in Palm Springs.   Housing prices are  up over 10% from 2009 to present, showing an ever increasing demand for Palm Springs Real Estate.  People are scouring the market for great deals on vacation homes, after a few years’ drought of buyers waiting for the economic climate to improve.  The Paul Kaplan Group experienced record sales in 2011, to become #1 in sales for the year in Palm Springs.  2012 is proving to be as robust with over 21 homes sold by the Paul Kaplan Group in January, as buyers flock to the desert to buy 2nd homes, and vacation homes.

The local Palm Springs economy is further boosted by the high season events:   International Film Festival(this year attracting the likes of Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and George Clooney). We’re gearing up in February, for the annual Modernism Week, celebrating the wondrous architecture of the desert with works by Albert Frey, A. Quincy Jones and William F. Cody.  Tickets for the events are mostly already sold out.   And in April there’s the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival,one of the biggest and most profitable outdoor concerts in the country. This year it extends over two weekends this year from April 13-22 and brings performances by Radiohead, Florence + the Machine and David Guetta.

“Bohemian spirits in search of eternal sunshine and a less hurried urban life have always been at the root of desert migration, and those dreaming of a different life fuel many of the city’s burgeoning businesses — quirky cantinas, mid-century antique shops, lively bars and restaurants,”  says Michael Martin.  The Saguaro Hotel is a vibrant new venue operated by the Joie de Vivre hotel chain, opening Feb. 1, promises to infuse life to the South Palm Canyon area with vibrant guest rooms and lively restaurant. 

Cheeky’s Restaurant has proven one of the city’s tastier success stories and become an eatery known for its creative healthy breakfasts and feel-good foodie lunches. Last year, the restaurant added a pizza eatery called Birba next door, and this year the company has expanded to include the Alcazar Hotel.  Alcazar Hotel sits just west of the city’s downtown stretch, on the edge of the Palm Springs design district amid stylish antique stores, clothiers and art galleries.  Lulu’s, opening this past year in downtown Palm Springs, is a hip trendy new restaurant that has become a popular hot spot for visitors and residents alike.  One of the hot spots in Palm Springs, with a booming successful business, is Trio, voted one of the  top restaurants in town.  They recently started a lunch service which has proven to be very popular.

The recent demolition of the decrepit Palm Springs Fashion Plaza in January, show signs that redevelopment is finally underway in the downtown core of Palm Springs. 

All good news for the recovery of Palm Springs…  Many people including myself,have commented that after a tough few years, it feels like we’re about to experience another Palm Springs Renaissance!  Bring it on!

To Read the full article, click the link below:

Palm Springs Is in Economic Bloom Again

From one of our agents at The Paul Kaplan Group in Palm Springs, Kris Rain:

 Meet Craig and Diane, our new homeowners in Racquet Club Estates, Palm Springs- this cool mid-century home built by the  Alexander Construction Company, is their first home purchase! They did their final walk thru today and brought their dog Winston who walked right in and sat in the pool. Welcome to Palm Springs!

Coachella Valley Water District is gearing up for its annual Landscape Workshop for Home Gardeners. The workshop will feature presentations by experts on converting lawn to desert landscaping, plant selection, efficient irrigation practices There are three different times that the workshop will be offered- November 18 at 8 am or at 1PM; or November 19 at 8am. The $20 registration fee includes a landscaping book, a 3-inch potted plant, and refreshments. For more information, visit www.cvwd.org

Midcentury Modern aficionados get ready! The untouched living room of design legends Ray and Charles Eames wil soon be available for public viewing at the Los Angeles County Museum as part of an upcoming exhibition- California Design, 1930-1965: “Living in a Modern Way.” The exhibition will showcase California’s role in shaping home and interior design in the US. The show will open October 1, and will be available through April. While the living room contents are on display, a complete renovation of the home will take place under the direction of the Eames family, the first renovation since the home’s construction in 1949. More information can be found at LACMA’s website: http://lacma.wordpress.com/

The Stephen Archdeacon Gallery in the Uptown District of Palm Springs will open a new show this evening, the art of Eric Nash. His show, “Palm Springs Noir” will be on display for a limited time.

Eric believes that art is for everyone. He is inspired by the landscapes, myths, moods and moments of Los Angeles and the new American West, as well as various icons and themes he has worked with since early childhood. The interplay of dark and light to create mood has been a constant.

Stephen Archdeacon Gallery
865 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262
760-673-7520

Palm Springs is very excited to be so much more accessible to New Yorkers (who are not known for having the nicest Winters of late)!   Virgin Airlines will now be offering service to Palm Springs from New York with a single stop in San Francisco with same-plane-links. This new route will begin December 15.

Derek Lam, San-Francisco based fashion designer, showed his line at new York’s fashion week- and interestingly enough listed Palm Springs as his inspiration for the line!  He specifically listed the Kaufman house, designed by Richard Neutra as an influence in the program’s notes.  We’re glad that our great city was such an inspiration for a talented designer.