Oasis Hotel - Palm Springs, California

121 South Palm Canyon Drive - The remainder of the 1925 Art Deco Oasis Hotel.  The Hotel was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright's son, Lloyd Wright.

House 849 - Palm Springs, California

849 North Palm Canyon Drive - Cool building housing a cool home decor store.

Santa Fe Federal Savings & Loan - Palm Springs, California

300 South Palm Canyon Drive - A magnificent modern building designed by E. Stewart Williams in 1960.  Gorgeous in its simplicity.  Hard to notice in the picture is the "floating" concrete path just below the windows.  The great screens are of particular interest to me.  When this photo was taken it was home to Wessman Development.

The Falls Prime Steakhouse - Palm Springs, California

155 South Palm Canyon Drive - Great sign.

Caliente Tropics Resort - Palm Springs, California

411 East Palm Canyon Drive - Love the tropic tiki feel of this motel.

Relief Detail - Palm Springs, California

I can't remember exactly where these reliefs were located but I love them.

Mod House - Palm Springs, California

So many things to love about this mid-century home but the thing that really sucked me in was the great front lawn.  The geometric shapes of varying gravel and grass (plus those fantastic planters on sticks) create a look that thrills me.

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Mountain Station - Palm Springs, California

While I like the valley station for the tramway, I love the mountain station.  It's got that wonderful mid-century vacation getaway feeling.  It always makes me think of the scene from North by Northwest in the lodge at Mount Rushmore where Eva Marie Saint shoots Cary Grant. 

On approach to the mountain station, finally.

Isn't this a beautiful staircase

An exterior fireplace.

On the other side of the wall, an interior fireplace.  I can just imagine sitting here a smoking jacket sipping on a cocktail with a fire roaring and the wind howling outside on a cold winter's evening.

Outside the station heading walking down to the hiking trails.

View of the city below.  Hey, I think I can see our hotel!

I'm taking a quick break before our hike

View from the tram car before leaving the mountain station.  That's a long way down!

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Valley Station - Palm Springs, California

Of all the things to love about Palm Springs, the Aerial Tramway into the San Jacinto mountains has to be near the top of the list.  The fact that a short, and scenic, ten minute ride can take you from the blistering desert into a refreshingly cool and beautiful forest is just amazing. 

On the approach from the parking lot.

Inside the station.  The anticipation is building.  I love these windows!

There's the station way down in the valley behind the cable support tower.  As far away as the station is, we've still got a long way to the top.

A view from the tram on the return to the valley.  There are the windows that provided the great view from inside the station.

I repeat, love the windows!

A gentle mountain stream meanders under the station.

View from inside the tram car before leaving the valley station.  We're headed somewhere way up there.  I can't even see the mountain station.  For someone with acrophobia, like myself, this was a little uncomfortable.  I just tried to focus on taking pictures of the great scenery and not the fact that I was suspended thousands of feet above jagged cliffs in a glass box on a wire.

Coachella Valley S&L / Chase Bank - Palm Springs, California

499 South Palm Canyon Drive - From 1961 and designed by E. Stewart Williams comes this mid-century gem.  I don't know why I didn't get any daytime pictures but aside from the crappy security lights all over the building, this does have a pretty nice nighttime look.

Mid-Century Homes - Palm Springs, California

St. Theresa Catholic Church - Palm Springs, California

2800 East Ramon Road - St. Theresa Catholic Church was designed by William F. Cody.  The church website places the buildings completion in 1968 but other sources placed its construction in the early to mid 1970's.

Tramway Gas Station - Palm Springs, California

2901 North Palm Canyon Drive - Once a gas station, now the Palm Springs Visitors Center, eternally fabulous.

Dinah Shore Residence - Palm Springs, California

432 West Hermosa Place - Architect Donald Wexler's 7000 square foot modern masterpiece was built for Dinah Shore in 1963-1964.  While I was only able to get a shot of the front, you can see some great photos of the interior here.  Just click on the photographs tab and scroll through the pictures.  The street side of the house is brick but the rear of the house is all glass offering beautiful views of the San Jacinto mountains.  The house is on the market for just under $6 million.

Ship of the Desert - Palm Springs, California

1995 Camino Monte - This Streamline-Moderne home dates form the 1930's.  The name obviously derives from the fact that the house from a distance looks like a great deco ocean liner cruising across the desert floor.  The home was designed by Adrian Wilson & Earl Webster.

Sorry about the glare on these.  I should have put the window down!

Kaufmann House - Palm Springs, California

470 West Vista Chino - This 1946 masterpiece was designed by Richard Neutra for Edgar J. Kaufmann who owned Kaufmann's Department Store.  Edgar J. Kaufmann is also notable for commissioning another famous piece of architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater in Pennsylvania.  For more about Richard Neutra visit here.  With a little digging you can find some great photos and renderings.