One of the most exciting parts of living in the Palm Springs area has been the chance to discover so much of the mid-century architecture that has now made the City famous. The Desert was the perfect laboratory for architects to build their new modernist dreams. A booming economy, a new town with no architectural heritage to limit expression and the ideal climate for indoor/outdoor living spaces.

New forms, new patterns and new materials were the palette of this innovative architecture. No pediments, Corinthian columns, or decorative cornices need apply. The town became a bit sleepy during the 1980's and fortunately missed out on much of the Post Modern era. It also was lucky enough to remain relatively intact, if a bit run down.

Appreciation for the City's masterpieces came roaring back in the 2000's. Modernism was once again chic, a reaction against the Post Modern Movement was firmly in place and architectural tourists starting flocking to this playground in the desert.

If you love decay like I do, an area just to the Southeast of Palm Springs is like Disneyland. It is known as the Salton Sea. A huge inland sea formed by an accidental dam break lies in the middle of an arid desert landscape. Is it a mirage? No, it is real. Back in the 1950's, developers from LA saw dollar signs floating before their eyes with a huge undeveloped lake so close to millions of people. They began to sell lots, develop hotels and yacht clubs. Traffic would back up for miles on weekends with vacationers trying to get their boats into the water to fish, water ski and sail.

As the sea had no springs or fresh water inlets, it began to turn very salty, began to smell bad, fish began to die and a real estate crash followed. While some people still live there, holding out hope that the good times will return, the majority of places are abandoned, decaying and photographer' dream. Here are some more images from a recent trip.

Enjoy looking. Check it out some time.

One of the nice things about moving to a new place is the excitement of discovery. Places that long-time residents may not pay too much attention to can be jaw-droppingly beautiful when you see them for the first time. I had a similar experience the first time I went to the Cultural Center in Chicago (home to room after room of Tiffany mosaics and glass domes). I just could not understand why that place was not Internationally famous. The same feeling came over me last week when I visited La Quinta Cove for the first time. Located at the top of the Cove (actually the South end, go figure) is a vista of what the Palm Springs area must have looked like before humans. The scale was hard to calculate, mountains were miles away yet looked like you could touch them. Flowering scrub and cactus carpeted the floor. A vast expanse of desert beauty, all for us to explore and enjoy. No signs, no Walmarts, no litter (thanks fellow hikers), no sign of mankind but a small path leading to infinity.

Go see it next time you are in the area.

Yes, I am a newbie here in the Desert. After years of living in colder climates, I was smitten by the Palm Springs area on a visit last year. I sold my condo in Chicago, quit my job (yikes!) and moved to the Desert. This blog will be about the unfolding of the Desert, like layers of an onion (a more beautiful way of saying this would have been “like a lotus flower”. I am not sure I have actually ever seen a lotus flower, much less an unfolding one).

Join me as I discover what makes this area special. Watch as I take and share photos of my new environment, meet the characters I stumble upon and allow my “new eyes” to be yours.