1) After falling asleep just after midnight giggling over my late-night pool plunge, I was unavoidably wide awake at 6:15. There was nothing to do but get up, make the coffee, and sit out by the pool writing my morning pages. After all, I was planning to adopt a siesta lifestyle for this week’s visit — and that means an early start!
Charlotte Greenwood in the drug-induced Busby Berkeley finale of The Gang’s All Here. IYKYK.
2) The day really dissolved into conflicting nap times, adjusting to the change in time zones, and morning glory muffins. No, that is not a euphemism — really! — but a muffin recipe involving carrots, pineapples, apples, and heaven knows what else. Absolutely delicious.
3) After a cocktail hour in the pool, we three dressed and sallied forth to the Palm Springs Art Museum for their Free Thursday (or whatever it’s called). I had not yet visited, and it’s quite an interesting modern art collection. “Meditations in Glass” presented several sculptures in glass; “The varied works in this exhibition invite contemplation and stimulate daydream and reverie.” Some I found quite wonderful, others invited me to contemplate what on earth the artist was thinking.
What if all these bottles had been filled with Victorian cocaine cough syrup? Would this be a crack house?
3a) But my absolute favorite was the exhibition of Norman Zammitt paintings, Gradations, which seemed to incorporate all the good aspects of 1970s design. That might sound like a contradiction in terms, but I promise — his work is incredible.
WHOOSH!
4) From the museum we passed by the controversial statue of Marilyn Monroe and her mind-bending pantyline to a street fair along the main drag. The first thing we noticed was a brass ensemble playing that perenially cheerful selection “Like a Bridge Over Troubled Water.” One notices the heat — as that snarky gym instructor asks in The Women, “How does she avoid it?” — but walking at a stately pace helps. I was familiar with this street from previous visits, and it was fun to see all this bustle.
4a) We saw a sweet old doggie wearing actual shoes on all four paws trotting along with its owners. Apparently the pavement here gets way too hot and shoes are needed to prevent paw burn. The more you know . . .
4b) The restaurant we had targeted for dinner was closed, so we reversed ourselves back to the garage. I particularly noticed a booth selling beeswax candles on the way back and thought, “My God, aren’t they risking their entire inventory in this heat?!”
5) We ended up at a speakeasyish place in a strip mall, Paul Bar/Food, which is just the sort of place I like. And we got there just in time, as I was starting to get a wee bit hangry. The place was jammed, but they squeezed us into a long thin table at the back before very long. In due course I demolished a New York strip steak with frites — grrrrrr! — and a bourbon and soda while my friends tried out the fish (salmon for one, trout for the other) and manhattans. The vibe got more relaxed and welcome as the place slowly emptied. I hope we go back.
6) All this nothing to do wore me out and it took only a quick dip in the pool before I slunk into the casita for a sound night’s sleep.
Dave made me do this.