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Southern California Desert Road Trip


Wind farm

Wind farm

Since it’s Memorial Day weekend here in the United States, I’m taking a few days to do a southern California desert road trip to Palm Desert and Joshua Tree.

The winds were incredibly strong yesterday and I almost lost my hat when I stopped to check out the turbines at the AES Wind Generation in nearby Palm Springs.

Hotel Lautner room - sitting area at night

Hotel Lautner room – sitting area at night

My first stop: Hotel Lautner in Desert Hot Springs. Owner/Designer Tracy Beckmann is incredibly friendly and has renovated a mid-century modern classic into her own little Shangra-La in the desert. There are a variety of hotels in Desert Hot Springs, but Hotel Lautner is the most stylish of the bunch. It’s really more of a private pied-a-terre than a full service hotel, but the award-winning renovation of the 1947 property designed by famed architect John Lautner is seriously impressive and makes it a nice place to bunk in the area.

Here are a few images from my first day in the desert.

Hotel Lautner - outside

Hotel Lautner - Front door room 3 vertical

Hotel Lautner - desert flowers

Hotel Lautner – outside with desert flowers

Hotel Lautner - groovy outdoors bbq area

Hotel Lautner – groovy outdoors bbq area

Groovy kitchenette of room at Hotel Lautner

Groovy kitchenette of room at Hotel Lautner

Groovy kitchenette of room at Hotel Lautner

Hotel Lautner room - funky succulent

Hotel Lautner room - groovy lounge area

Hotel Lautner room – groovy lounge area with a funky succulent

Hotel Lautner room

Self-portrait in room 3 of Hotel Lautner

Self-portrait in room 3 of Hotel Lautner

Hotel Lautner - groovy patio

Hotel Lautner – groovy patio

Wind farm drive by

Wind farm drive by

Tracy Beckmann and Charlie the dog

Tracy Beckmann and Charlie the dog