Every February, hundreds of mid-century Modernism devotees flock to Palm Springs for the annual Modernism Week. The event closed this weekend, but not before Angel City Press authors provided food for midcentury thought and inspiration that will last throughout the year.
Beloved Charles Phoenix was in Palm Springs all week, leading his sold out “Super Duper Double Decker Bus” tours around Palm Springsland (a Phoenixism for the Springs). His popular book Southern California in the 50s: Sun, Fun, and Fantasy is a wonderfully whimsical way to carry home that tiki vibe found throughout the desert oasis. A foodie these days, Charles hosted the turquoise-and-blue themed Charles Phoenix Cake & Cocktails at the Monkey Tree Hotel.
Author and neon-aficionado extraordinaire Eric Lynxwiler presented Southern California’s neon history to the modernism crowd. As explained in the book he co-wrote with Tom Zimmerman Spectacular Illumination: Neon Los Angeles, 1925-1965, neon is “the postwar symbol of modernity and prosperity.” His illustrated talks about neon continue to be a crowd favorite among midcentury affectionados, and he and Tom talk about neon year-round, so check out angelcitypress.com to see their next talk. If you just can’t wait, Eric’s Flickr site is an excellent source of vintage neon.
While Marc Appleton, Bret Parsons , and Steve Vaught’s new book about architect Gordon B. Kaufmann centers on structures in Los Angeles, coauthor Vaught included Kaufmann’s design at La Quinta in his list of exceptional Palm Springs architecture.
An excerpt from Vaught’s popular blog Paradise Leased:
Palm Springs and its surrounding environs have had many famous residents and visitors throughout the years from movie stars to captains of industry and even ex-presidents. The area is also home to some great historic architecture and there are a number of places that were designed by some very talented and well-known architects.
The Angel City Press catalog has a host of titles that can satiate the mid-century taste of the serious architectural enthusiast (don’t miss Crestwood Hills: The Chronicle of a Modern Utopia), as well as the fashionable retro fan reminiscing about winter days by the Palm Springs’ pools (so much to see in Hollywood Poolside: Classic Images of Legendary Stars).
Find more titles to swoon over at angelcitypress.com