Midcentury Chic Flowers in the Desert During ‘Modernism Week'

STRUCTURES THAT ARE SNAZZY, places that boast panache, a rollicking time that has a surplus of razzmatazz? Such things seem almost commonplace in a film that's set in the 1950s or '60s. The houses are ultra-swanky, with their giant windows and rock fireplaces, the chromatic fashion has flourish, and every single design detail, from the martini glasses to the kidney-shaped swimming pools, speaks to an easy elegance. Where, though, can we find that elegance on this side of the silver screen? Two lovely words: Palm Springs. The fact that this resort-dotted destination is where midcentury sophistication still reigns, more than six decades after its heyday, is no secret, but come February? Fans of the era gather for several days of talks, walks, evening gatherings, and architecture tours at the celebrated Modernism Week.

FEB. 16-26... are the 2023 dates, and while a number of tony to-dos are already sold out — that happens quickly with the popular event — you can still find tickets, as of this typing to the House of Tomorrow Tours, an in-depth look at Vista del Palmas (the Rat Pack's "playground"), and a look-around the Lautner compound. Ambassador of Americana Charles Phoenix will present a show looking back at the supermarkets and the retro-fied products of yore, while a celebration of Twin Palms, the area's "first Modernist neighborhood," is also on the stylish schedule. Wherever you go and whatever you do during the 11-day spectacular, count on the whole town to have a certain throwback vibe, with some visitors rocking looks that are more 1963 than 2023. Ready to board a time machine, which likely has some big fins and sleek headlights, back to the middle of the last century? Modernism Week is now boarding.