Palm Springs: Cultural Oasis

Chances are when someone mentions Palm Springs, you immediately think of leisurely days of golf, tennis, and relaxing by the poolside of a posh resort. More adventurous travelers may think of it as the starting point for spectacular hiking on Mt. San Jacinto or in Joshua Tree National Park. In either case, the focus is on the sporting life, leaving finer pastimes, like going to museums and film festivals, out of reach and out of mind.

Not any more. Along with the cacti and azaleas blooms a full-fledged arts and culture scene. Chalk it up to a combination of Old Hollywood legacies, attractive real estate prices, and a tourist industry seeking new ways of drawing visitors.

By far, the most spectacular example of this is Palapas at Araby Cove. Starting life as the Neel Nursery over 50 years ago, the owners have inserted working artists' studios throughout the shaded, well-groomed grounds. Visitors can now come and see artwork being made, view sculptures and installations, and talk to the artists about their craft. It is a fascinating place, as exquisite gardens mesh with artistic expression, from glassblowing to sculpture to poetry.

While Palapas shows off many of the visual arts, the Nortel Networks Palm Springs International Film Festival, held every January, brings cachet. Awards have been given to such luminaries as Nicholas Cage, Sean Connery, and Randy Newman at the festival's black tie event. This event is followed by the International Short Film Festival in August.

Not that the arts are limited to a specific place and time in Palm Springs. In fact, one of the more ubiquitous facets of the Palm Springs arts scene is the resurgence of interest in mid-century architecture, which is readily viewable throughout the city.

Many mid-century architects, such as Albert Frey, designed many of the buildings still standing in Palm Springs today. For a double dose of the arts, visit Frey's original "Tramway Oasis Gas Station", which is now the Montana St. Martin Art, Design and Sculpture Gallery.