Desert Festival Flies Forward - Page 2

Vossler Smith was less successful at including some home tours in this year’s Modernism Week celebration of modern master John Lautner. Two of his most notable local creations have sold in recent months after being overpriced for a few years on the market: the Bob and Dolores Hope home and the Elrod House, famously featured in a James Bond film. The week includes a gale of Lautner-themed activities but no access to either of the houses, which consecutively broke the record for most expensive home ever in the desert.

“We tried ten different ways to try and work something out, but maybe in future years,” sighed the executive director, nonetheless proud of the numerous Lautner celebrations in the 2017 festival.

“Each year for about the past six years, Modernism Week has been able to dedicate a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Fame for one of the notable Desert Modern architects,” she boasted of a tradition that continues with the Lautner dedication ceremony planned at 2 p.m. Friday, February 17.

The festival includes lectures on the architect’s work by authors Alan Hess and Adele Cygelman, and interior designer Tracy Beckmann, who incidentally bought, restored, and renamed Lautner’s iconic Desert Hot Springs Motel. Now the Hotel Lautner, it will open for tours February 19 for a $125-ticket party that night.

Anyway, as a sailor might say, the best wind blows early in the day. And he might say the same of tickets to Modernism Week as of last year, for which the organization quotes an aggregate attendance of 77,500 from 47 states and 14 countries.

“The tours of Sunnylands [famous 200-acre estate in Rancho Mirage] and the gardens sells out first...The signature home tours always sell out fast,” Vossler Smith points out. On the other hand, she adds, “A lot of people really don’t tune in until February.”

Promising that the festival website, modernismweek.com, updates instantly, she assures potential visitors that there is still plenty of room in several activities for someone with the spirit willing to catch a desert zephyr and get carried away by the best annual mid-century modern festival around. Again, February 16 through 26.