On this post, a few days in the desert at the Indian Wells Tennis tournament, and Sunnylands.
Well, It’s been a bit of a whirlwind week traveling Monday to go to Indian Wells to the BNP Tennis Tournament and coming home on Thursday. I feel a bit behind and thought I’d have time to blog, so I am a bit hurried, but I hope you’ll enjoy some of the lovely parts of the Palm Springs and beyond.
We touched down early on Monday in Palm Springs.The tournament didn’t officially start until Wednesday, but our friends we were meeting wanted to go on Tuesday with grounds passes and catch some qualifier matches and see the pros up close on the practice courts.
Max and I flew from the Bay Area and got in Monday late morning. Max had wanted us to go see some wildflowers at a nearby preserve, but when we got up there we realized entrance was $25 a person, and also our rental car AC was not working well and it was near 90. I wasn’t keen to do a big hike in the desert at those temps, so I snapped a pic of some flowers and we headed into downtown Palm Springs to kill some time before we checked into our Airbnb.
I’m always amazed at the mountains and the amount of golf courses and pools in Palm Springs!
Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta, and Indian Wells, Coachella, Rancho Mirage, Cathedral City, Indio and Desert Hot Springs are all adjacent small towns in the Coachella Valley and all very close to each other. Palm Springs is the biggest city and has a very fun downtown area with many great design shops. We had just missed Modernism Week, which happens every February and October is a great time to tour some of the mid century modern masterpieces down here.
My first stop there, Trina Turk has one of the coolest stores with home, and fashion for men and women. I love that she now carries vintage fashion as well. I spied this orange Joseph Magnin dress (my mom’s favorite store), in perfect condition with the prettiest embroidery. Unfortunately an 8 in the 1960’s was pretty small and I could not get into it. I loved so many things here and Trina’s new tennis line too. I ended up taking home these super soft pajamas.
Trina also carries Vera scarves, incredible swimwear, and wonderful pillows and home accessories. Her ‘Poolside Gossip’ collection she has now is so stinking cute and based on the Slim Aarons’ Palm Spring photo of the same name. She recently had one of the women from that original photo, in store to launch the collection..
I love her pillow collection and I have a few. They are stunning in person with their embroidery. The website does not do them justice. She also has Mario Luca Gisuti drink ware from Italy in her shop. You can also find it here and here.
Trina recently unveiled a Palm Springs home called Soleil House she restored to its glory. She came across this crumbling home during a pandemic year walk. It was finally done and open to the public on Saturdays in March. I wish I could have seen it.
I love the whole downtown Palm Springs. You can find a great mix of design shops that cater to mid century aesthetic, and also fun vintage fashion. The Starbucks is really nice with outside misters so you can get an icy drink and stay cool. We even found a cheeky ice cream + cookie shop.
Afterwards we stopped at beautiful La Quinta Resort to see the shops and grab a cold drink. It is so beautiful there! This is another good place to stay at as it is very close to the tennis grounds.
The BNP Paribas Tennis Tournament
It’s been a few years since I’ve been down to the BNP tournament. We had exceptionally very warm weather (high 80’s) for this time of year. Last time I was there, the mountains were covered with snow and we wore puffer jackets, pants and scarves and had rain too! This time was so warm, we had to take a two hour break in the shade to cool down at lunch. An 87 degree day feels at least ten degrees warmer in a stadium.
The second day, I wore a white tennis skirt I had thrown into the suitcase just in case. I had bought a light white t shirt at La Quinta I wore with it. I wore this long sleeve linen button-up to keep the sun off me without being too hot. I was much cooler that way and noticed a lot of others wore tennis clothes, and also lot of women used a button up to deflect some of the sun. Max said he was happy in his dark workout shirt, but darker colors are much warmer.
Some of the highlights for me – watching Taylor Townsend in a great singles match. She is one of my favorite players and I am so excited she’s moving up in singles, after being number one in doubles for some time. I also saw Chris Eubanks a former player and one of the best commentators on the Tennis Channel. He could have not been nicer. He’s hugely taller in person at 6’7! We watched Sinner warm up and many good up and coming young players.
For more on Indian Wells and how it grew from a small local tournament, this timeline is fun to scroll back to 1976 and where it was once held and who sponsored it over the years. My friend Erin and I were grateful to have fans and sunscreen they gave out.
Max’s school friend Greg got a house that was less than half a mile walking distance to the tennis gardens. It slept 11 and we had a busting house with tennis lovers aged 26 to 80 something, each doing their own thing.
One night Greg made dinner for all of chicken and rice bake and it was fantastic. Another night we ordered Thai. Like most desert houses it had a pool and this one did too. Was a nice place to soak our hot feet or swim after a long day in the heat. In the mornings my friend Erin and I had our coffee out there too.. Serenity now!
The last night we decided to show our friends La Quinta Resort and had Mexican at the excellent Adobe Grill. We walked around after and enjoyed the pretty pink geraniums and bougainvillea all over the property and checked out the fancy tennis court, where many pros practice while staying here. A few years ago Bjorn Borg and McEnroe were spotted having breakfast in the buffet area during the tournament! It was a warm night and felt like summertime. The Adobe Grill is so good and is a fun spot with a huge patio and a buzz during the tournament. The people watching is 10/10 there.
I wore a French Connection short outfit (you can still get top at the Rack and a similar set here), and my mini boat tote from Juliet! The spa is also excellent here and I wish we had time to go. I wrote about it on my BNP guide.
Sunnylands -the Annenberg Estate
I’ve always wanted to get to this special spot that has hosted presidents and heads of state from around the world for decades. The Annenbergs built Sunnylands on a barren desert space and created an oasis of green and beauty. Walter Annenberg was the publisher of TV Guide and a former US Ambassador to Britain. His wife was also an ambassador and head of protocol for the Reagans. Walter and Lee Annenberg frequently hosted both political leaders and famous entertainers at Sunnylands. During the Annenbergs’ lifetime, eight U.S. presidents, from Eisenhower to Obama visited the estate. The Queen, and other royals and American and foreign diplomats have met here to find common ground and solutions in this beautiful setting.
There is a great video of the 6,000 sf mid-century home by A. Quincy Jones. You can book a tour a month ahead and tickets are open the 15th of the month prior. They were sold out the day we came, but it is free to wander the grounds and see the incredible gardens. There is also a gift shop and a pretty cafe to grab a coffee or sandwich. Max and I watched a small film of the Annenberg’s lives and how this center came about. I have to say seeing all those former presidents and leaders taking peace and their role in it seriously was a more than a bit depressing given what we have now.
There are also bird tours to take. We saw a Vermillion Flycatcher, a beautiful red bird that is rare. Max was pretty excited!
Walter and Lee at their home and a view of the mountains and gardens from the visitor center.
I hope to get back to see the house one day. More about Sunnylands and how to visit on their site. They are open Wed -Sundays and September through early June.
Sunnylands Book
This book, Sunnylands about the Annenbergs, their lives and this incredible estate is a gorgeous book! It’s a fantastic one for your library if you are a fan of California, vintage decor, and mid-century design. I bought a very heavy copy at the visitor center (Max was ready to shoot me with my carry-ons), and I guess I am glad I did now as it is sold out at most places I look. I am linking to the dreaded A here as that is the only place I see it available.
On my beauty radar…
I just changed foundations and got a new primer and lipstick too. Love RMS beauty. The ingredients are all clean and Rose Marie a famous makeup artist gives the best video tips with each of her products. It may be the best primer I have ever tried. It feels like a smooth butter on, but no oily or heavy. I also got her ReEvolve foundation which I wasn’t sure about at first as I thought it was too heavy, but I needed to use much less than the normal amount and spread right after the primer. When I am feeling drier I mix a bit of the primer in with it. I love how it stays and looks natural, but covers. I use less than a pea size for the whole face and use a patting motion to get it softly blended. Adore the twist up pumps which were so easy to take on this trip and don’t leak. I also have their Boardwalk Betty bronzer that is the perfect pinky tan. It goes on light and you can build the coverage. I appreciate that since most bronzers can be too orange and heavy. The under eye concealer/creme is a lovely Refresh eye brightening creme that comes with a ball applicator. A smidge of this goes a long way and really helps. RMS is a clean brand and
Other things…
Frank & Eileen has a new collection with Liberty of London and the shirts couldn’t be cuter. I especially love this blue floral, which would be adorbs with denim or a with pair of shorts, and also comes in a long shirtdress, but there is a tiny pink Liberty flower print. I also spotted this darling print on their site (not Liberty, but close) on sale for $77.
So much has happened this week. I am at a loss about the state of this country. One good thing was Kristi Noem is out finally after scamming us with so much. The bad thing is her replacement is possibly worse.
A book I want to read and have heard great things about is Erasing History. This book is about how fascists rewrite history to control the future, something happening every day in America right now.
While we are distracted by these wars and killings of schoolchildren, Trump has more plans for the White House and they aren’t good. If you are someone who doesn’t want our White House to look like a stadium sized conference center, read this gift article this week in the NYTimes.
If you missed last week’s post, I shared the beautiful Pottery Barn x Kravet collection, Anthropologie t-shirts that I bought lately, and thinking about my mom.
Have a beautiful weekend,
Kim
Please stop by Elizabeth and Juliet’s blogs for more good things…
PINECONES AND ACORNS
MAKE MINE A SPRITZER
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Good morning Kim,
It looks like you had a wonderful adventure in Palm Spring. I am embarrassed to say that I did not know that Coachella was a town, I thought it was just the name of the music festival. Anyway, I remember your previous trips and this one looks a lot warmer. Love all of your spring/summer warm weather outfits.
Trink Turk is one of my favorites too, and Vera scarves(I have a few) and i.Magnum how fun. I am sure that dress would have been beautiful on you Kim.
Sunnylands ís such a beautiful house, it is unfortunate that you were not able to visit the inside. I have not been myself but have admired it from afar. I am going to watch the video.
The F&E Liberty collection is beautiful!!!! I am going to have to hold myself back from ordering anything.
Have a beautiful day Kim.
xo
Hi Elizabeth! I didn’t know it was a town either! Aren’t Vera scarves cool?
I need to go back to that house. Hope you had a lovely week.x
What a great post! I enjoyed every topic. Thank you.
Hi Megan! Thank you so much.x
Great post, I enjoyed reading about Palm Springs and must put it on my list of places to visit. I would especially like to see Sunnylands as I have an Annenberg connection. My husband spent most of his teaching career at The Peddie School; Walter was a 1927 graduate and major donor to the school over time, culminating in a gift of $100 million in 1993. This money was transformative for the school. In the late 90’s he donated his art collection to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and we attended a gala celebration for him there one evening, not quite like the Met Gala but still fabulous.
Cathy it’s so lovely you have to go! Wow neat to hear about the Peddle School. Walter sure did spread his wealth to so many places making huge difference in so many ways. I wish the billionaires of now would do even a small bit of what he and Lee did. He literally changed the world for better in many ways.
So neat you went to that gala too. Thanks for sharing.
Hello Kim, I travel wistfully with your posts through my former Northern and Southern California haunts. Could you please share your adorable off the plane outfit with us (even the beautiful long necklace)? You have the most amazing ability to pull outfits together that look so adorable and chic! Also, I wanted to put the March 28th national No Kings protests on everyone’s radar. I’m planning my sign messages already. We must uphold our constitution and hold our state leaders accountable for how they have stood by silently allowing the Trumpian mess to unfold. November! Thank you for your strong courageous voice in these times.
HI Tiffany! Aw glad you found the blog. SO many wonderful things to see in this state!
You are so nice. To the airport I wore these pull on black pants from Vuori …
https://go.shopmy.us/p-46389618
My jacket is a zip up Wilson Tennis jacket that I bought a year ago. I don’t see it anymore anywhere, but this is similar in looks and cute:
https://go.shopmy.us/p-46393744
My tank is this one:
https://go.shopmy.us/p-46394582
The necklace is from Ippolita and it’s two that I hooked together. They no longer make it, but they have one on Poshmark here:
https://go.shopmy.us/p-46398711
I agree thank you for sharing the NO Kings! I am going to reshare that and remind us all next week.
You are awesome. Thanks for being out there. xoxo
Thank you Kim for your generous links! So appreciate your time on this. Hey, if Max comes up with an analog to digital family photo system, I’d (along with your dear readers) love to hear his thoughts on that his approach. My daughters and I are currently undertaking this project for my mom’s boxes of photos that go back generations. What an interesting process this is. Full of emotions, memories and uncovering stories of two purple hearts from grand uncles. Back when the US went to war for clearly stated reasons and for liberation. Here’s to the hope of peace! Best wishes from MT.
Tiffany
So, the first public comment period for the Epstein ballroom has passed, but 97% of the comments received were negative. If you want more information, Laurel Bern talked about it and shared the letter she sent to them, I’ve linked below. We may have another chance to weigh in.
Urgent! March 4th Deadline for Public Comments for the WH East Wing Project! – Laurel Home https://share.google/66w9UmBNGmOjNlXrM
Thank you! I met Laurel Bern before. I had no idea about this. Appreciate it.
Kim I grew up in Imperial Valley in the 40s and 50s; it is amazing what the Palm Springs area has become! I love the barrel cactus pictures as they are treasures and the ocotillo. and the landscaping in general. This used to be sand dunes and lizards..some of that is still there in places. The shops are really nice in Palm Springs and Palm Desert and also the cafes. You may see Hollywood stars, vintage clothing , and great antiques. However in the summer it approaches 120 + degrees and evening and night time could still be hot! Everything has to be cooled at a great cost. Better to visit when you did! Thanks, Donnie
Donnie, That area must have seen a lot of changes. What an exciting time to have lived there. It is still sand dunes nearby and crazy to see how well it has been transformed. Max and I went once in September for a weekend and it was 112 and we couldn’t do much at all! xo
Kim! Love your outfit! And you got to meet chris eubanks! We adore him! He’s a great commentator!
You have to pay to see the wild flowers now?
Right? Well it was on land belonging to a tribe, but $25 per person in a car was a lot for a small trail!
Aw thank you… Isn’t Chris cool? He could not be a sweeter person too.
xo
Annie thank you! Chris is a sweetheart. Can you believe they wanted money for the wildflower walk?
Hey, Kim! From around 1990-2015 I played USTA tennis here in Kentucky. In 1999 we were privileged to win the east of Mississippi regional and advanced to the championship tourney at La Quinta. Our motto throughout was to “Shop, Eat, and Play a Little Tennis”. No, we didn’t make “center court” there, but your post brought back great memories of Palm Springs and La Quinta. Although I’m certain dowtown PS looks nothing like ‘99, we small-townies were awe-struck even then. P.S. You rock that frilly tennis skirt!
Blue folks in our little red town are readying our signs for the March 28 NO Kings rally. Sadly, we can add many new egregious assaults on our democracy to our signs. We’re around 200 strong and persistent, though. Keep calling your reps!
Missi, Wow you must have been a good player! I like your motto too. I am all about that. What a fun trip that had to have been to LA Quinta!
PS has even changed a bunch in the last few years. They have some big chains like H&M now which is crazy. I still like the small stores and all the little Mexican restaurants the most.
Thank you for being out there in your red town! We will be out there too, with friends and family.
I agree calling our reps helps! xo
Hi Kim,
Thanks for the lovely update about Palm Springs and Indian Wells. Chris Eubanks and James Blake and Sam Querrey are my favorites to listen too and one day I hope to go to Wimbledon being tennis mad. Have a lovely weekend!
Francesca, Love those guys! I hope you get to Wimbledon too. Yay for tennis. I hope you are getting to enjoy the BNP this week on the Tennis channel. x
What a happy beautiful post today! A welcome reprieve from sad news. We are fortunate to have great places to visit and wonderful sights to see. And the shopping and tennis, delightful.
Gayle you are sweet. Thank you. We are so lucky to live here. xo
Hi Kim,
It looks like from the pics you shared you were having a swell time. Now that Max is retired he gets to have some more play time with you. It’s wonderful to see you guys together. You make such a cute/special couple. The pic of you in front of the barrel cactus is sweet. Bear just planted on in our front yard. We have a tiny front garden because we had a casita built in the front of our home so it takes away more of our garden.
You and Chris together is a fun pic, wowie he is super duper tall.
You must be in your element being in Palm Springs. It’s a hot and happening place. So many people that live in LA enjoy a second home down there or go for a weekend or holiday.
Katherine, I am excited to do more together now that he is home. I would love to see your yard! I bet it is cute.
Palm Springs has a fun vibe! xo
Kim! What an amazing trip! I haven’t been to PS in a while and your photos feel like a much needed tonic. The Trina Turk shop … wow. I love La Quinta, it’s my favorite place to stay in the area. But your Airbnb looks pretty awesome too … and a private pool to yourselves. Love your cute summery tennis viewing ensembles … and you’re adorable next to the towering Chris Eubanks. What a treat to meet him. One of my friends went to the Modernism tour last year and raved about it. I’m going to order that Boardwalk Betty Bronzer … can you believe how warm it’s been? Although you probably feel like it’s a relief from the PS temps. Welcome home, enjoyed today’s dispatch so much! xo
Juliet it sure is a fun place for a getaway and some sun. La Quinta itself is a total treat.
The Modernism tour sounds so neat.
I hope you like the bronzer. It’s the perfect shade!
xo