“In Palm Springs, they think homelessness is caused by bad divorce lawyers.” — G.B. Trudeau

This dream I had the other night was so intense. I was living in Palm Springs at an over-55 adult community complex called the Tiki Kon. Everything was perfect. Breakfast, hit a few balls, play golf, relax at the clubhouse grill with my golf buddies over a glass or two of bodacious white wine. A trip to the spa to loosen up those weary muscles, then over to a neighbor’s house for cocktails before dinner at a local spot. (In my dream it was an Italian joint, but anything would do.) Have dinner, enjoy the stars from the coolness of your own patio, then call it a night and do it over again the next day.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?

For some reason I’ve got Palm Springs on the brain. While I’ve driven through it – you can’t miss it if you take the I-10 out of Phoenix and head towards San Bernadino – I’ve never stayed there but hope to some day. As a “baby boomer” Palm Springs is more than just a golf vacation or weekend getaway: it’s an ethos, a concept of a mid-20th century care-free lifestyle where everything is just, to quote Frank Sinatra, “ring a ding ding“. Palm Springs conjures up the image of recreation of every kind, lounge jazz, cocktails, and easy living. Not to mention one of the last vestiges for mid-century modern architecture that I’m just itching to see one day.

And since the PGA Tour stops in Palm Springs this week for the Humana Challenge, I thought it might be fun to use this week as an excuse to toss up a few posts on anything remotely having to do with Palm Springs. Maybe some year I’ll be able do the reporting “on location”, but this year the Richard hacienda will have to suffice. So stay tuned.

Ring a ding ding!