If you love celebrities and golf, the Frank Sinatra Celebrity Golf event is a great way to spend a few days in the California desert.

As with many celebrity golf events, the Frank Sinatra is presented in a five-player team gross and net scramble golf tournament that has recently found a home at the Eagle Falls Golf course in the heart of the California desert.

Just outside of Palm Springs in the east end of the Coachella valley is the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, home to the tournament’s three nights of parties as well as a spectacular luncheon and fashion show that keeps everybody involved in one way or another. The first night there is a pairings party where the amateur golfers a treated to a feast in the Fantasy Springs Events Center. There I got to mingle with such celebrities as baseball greats Rollie Fingers and Steve Garvey, along with actors like Joe Mantegna, Tim Reid, Kevin Sorbo and Barry Williams, and there was also former football stars such as Vince Ferragamo and Tommy Kramer.

In making up each team, there was one celebrity and four amateur contestants that combined each day to make up the full team. The team of four amateur players remain together for two consecutive days while the celebrity contestant changed teams on the second day so to bring a different flavor to the experience.

The festivities kicked off Thursday night with a dinner and pairings party that had all faces in attendance enjoying an Italian gourmet meal. On that first night I was paired with Fred “The Hammer” Williamson. Fred is a former football star who played for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders. He appeared in both Superbowl I and Superbowl IV. From there he went on to fame as an actor and producer having appeared in over 80 movies.

The “Hammer” as he likes to be known as, played as the celebrity in my amateur group and along the way gave me golf tips that helped me shoot one of the best rounds of my life. As it turned out Fred, who is quite a golfer and from what I was to learn had recently won the NFL retired players annual golf event, was the overall two – day champion of the tournament.

To close out the first day of golf, there was another dinner followed by a Live & Silent Auction. That night I sat back and watched the faces that came out to the event and the camaraderie that came with it. Tired from all the festivities, I went up to my room on got a good nights sleep ready for another great day of golf.

On the final day, we played a second round of golf. This time my team was paired with Elke Sommer. Elke is quite a lady and takes her golf quite seriously. That evening, the event was wrapped up with a reception followed by an award dinner and then a Night Cap Party that was invitation only. In between the mouth -watering food and charity auctions, there was entertainment that included singers and comedians.

The Frank Sinatra Starkey Hearing Foundation Celebrity Invitational, which is dedicated to the memory and music of “Old Blue Eyes” Frank Sinatra and benefits the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center at the Eisenhower Medical Center. It is fantastic fun – filled event that are sure to create memories that will last a lifetime. A must stop on your next Palm Springs vacation.

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My wife and I first started visiting Palm Springs in the late 1970’s. We rented a small condominium on Ramon Road near to downtown which we’ve kept for many years. From our first visit we knew we would return to the Palm Springs and the California desert many more times and we have. It was on one of these trips we discovered the Palm Springs International Film Festival which has become famous around the world.

In the words of the Festival’s Vision statement the “….. society strives for a world in which enlightenment, knowledge and tolerance prevail.” The festival if nothing else, is enlightening.

In 1994 we happened upon the Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films now in its seventeenth year and the largest short film festival in the United States. Now commonly known as the Shortfest, it attracts an incredibly eclectic group of industry people and films which now exceed over three hundred screenings each season from filmmakers from over 40 countries.

Last year nearly 15,000 people attended the festival. Today it includes twenty awards in six categories. First place winners are available to be considered by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and those winners in the action and animation categories are automatically eligible for consideration. Three of the recent films to have been screened are Nine, Precious and the Hurt Locker.

While it has been said that the Shortfest, which typically runs in June, is a spin off of the International Film Festival which is held in January of each year, to us the Shortfest stands on its own. In fact, almost 50 of the short films have gone on to be Academy Award nominees. In addition, each year $70,000 in prize money is awarded. Awards are given in the category of the “Best of the Fest” and “Future Filmmaker.”

On your next vacation to Palm Springs and the desert resort cities make a point of attending seminars and for George the receptions where he likes to gab with others who enjoy not only the films but the wonderful festival itself. There are year ’round screenings and special events and a library of films totaling at least 2,200 short films, known as “The Short Film Market” which is available at the Festival’s viewing facilities and industry, filmmakers and the press are encouraged to take advantage of the amazing collection of films available.

Learn more about where to go and what to do on your next Palm Springs vacation. Stop by Mitchell Sussman’s site where you can find out all about Palm Springs and the California desert resort cities.

Each year fifty plein air painters from as far away as Maryland and Pennsylvania converged on the intimate little desert town of La Quinta were a group of talented artists painted for six days at Desert Plein Air where they each competed for prizes as well as the opportunity to exhibit and sell their work.

The week-long series of events includes a Quick Draw Competition, the Grand Unveiling at the Hyatt Hall of Champions in Palm Desert and the two-day Umbrella Show.

The Desert Plein Air has given artists from around the country a platform to show their work. Sponsored by the City of La Quinta and the Laguna Plein Air Painters, a portion of the proceeds are donated each year to benefit the La Quinta Foundation, a non profit charitable organization that is dedicated to providing education, art and cultural opportunities for children, youth and adults.

There are rows of paintings filling the room as patrons get the opportunity to view the still wet pieces of artwork as well as sharing a chat or two with the artist as they enjoyed the delicious gourmet spread that was served. There were awards for Best of the Show along with overall awards of excellence and the Quick Draw Award.

There are also lectures on such topics as the life of an artist and the work that is produced from past artists. The lecture series has included suck speakers/painters as Karl Dempwolf, Nikki Basch Davis, Camille Przewodek, Charles Waldman, and Tom Zephyrs to name a few.

The hectic schedule that was non-stop from day one concluded for the artists with the Umbrella Show. Here they were able to exhibit new work as well as recent paintings, allowing the casual observer a full array of portraits. Rows upon rows of booths were resurrected for the occasion in the colorful and fruitful gardens were the waterfalls displayed the flowing crystal clear waters. Some of the creations included deep deserts, towering mountains in full scope, scenes of produce fields that depicted the Coachella Valley lifestyle, of course the incredible Joshua Tree National Monument, the array of life at the Living Desert, and the whitewashed adobe architecture that is a signature of the Palm Springs-Palm Desert landscape.

If you are looking for artistic inspiration the Desert Plein Air event a must on their next trip to Palm Springs and the California desert resort cities.

Learn more about where to go and what to do on your next Palm Springs vacation, then visit Mitchell Sussman’s site on how to choose the best value for your next Palm Springs vacation.

Like a fine cream the Palm Springs Exotic Car has risen to the top of the list of annual exotic car auctions held across the country.

The auction features classic and “one of a kind” cars, which today have emerged as one of the most popular investments rivaling investments in gold and art. The most recent Palm Springs event was held this past March in sunny Palm Springs, California the so – called “Playground of the Stars.” Beginning with an early Friday night reception celebrated with Mumms Champagne for sellers and VIP bidders alike, what followed over the course of the next three days was a one of kind event for a life – long classic car enthusiast like myself.

A cottage industry has emerged of investment portfolios and investment funds focused exclusively on classic automobiles. Cars with an underlying intrinsic value are “packaged” the way other securities are. Investors in the funds will not be able to use or even drive the cars but can view and “stroke” the investments at featured events around the world. Two of today’s hottest and priciest examples are the Aston Martin DB4GT from the 60’s and the Ferrari GTO. Selling prices can reach the millions. A GTO, one of only 36 ever made recently sold for 26 million dollars.

One of the factors in making this year’s Palm Springs event one to remembered was the sheer number of cars and bidders attending. Like owners who are cashing in their gold, exotic car owners have opened up their garages in these difficult economic times resulting in some absolutely amazing deals. One of the not to be believed steals of the show was a 1972 Thunderbird, which sold for only $1,260. Granted it need work, but the body was in good shape and the part alone had to be worth five that amount. In contrast a 1952 Schwinn bicycle went for over $3,000.

Sold at the auction was everything from Rolls Royce and Bentley to vintage muscle cars, roadsters, motorcycles and other classics. One of the most interesting cars offered at this March’s event was a 1976 Batmobile that was used in the television series starring Adam West.

One of the featured vehicles was a 1966 Rolls Royce owned by singer/songwriter Trini Lopez and nearly identical, save for the color, to the one used in the award winning film “Blow Up” starring David Hemmings and Vanessa Redgrave. The bidding for Trini’s car goat as high as $125,000.00, but Trini, who is a Palm Springs resident and who was also on hand for the event, had a reserve that was somewhat higher. So he’ll have to wait until next auction to see if there is a bidder out there who will pay Trini’s price, which I’m told was $200,000.00 The highest priced sale at this year was $131,250 which was for a Shelby GT500 KR from 1968.

If you are interested in selling an extoc at an auction like this one important aspect is the documentation of the auto’s history and maintenance. A fully restored 1957 Buick, with papers authenticating restoration expenses went for $76,650.

This year was the most successful event in the history of the event according to the founder Keith McCormick whose son Jason is now one of the driving forces behind the success of the event. Keith and his son have now hosted over fifty auctions in twenty-five years in the Palm Springs area dating back to 1985, the inaugural event. Keith a successful entrepreneur in the British Isles yearned for the beauty of the desert and came to Palm Springs in 1981.

Over the years the Palm Springs Exotic Car Auction has become recognized as one of the leading shows of its kind in the world.

Want to find out more about Palm Spring Exotic Car Auction, then visit Mitchell Sussman’s site and learn more about the Palm Springs Exotic Car Auctin and where to stay and what to do on your next Palm Springs vacation.

Camelot Theater, located on storied Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs is home of the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival each year in mid to late May. The festival features film interpretations of many of the wonderful mystery novels written by Lyons during his lifetime. These works ranged from the obscure to the eclectic and typically were seen through the eyes and the perspective of the criminals about whom he wrote. His works were heavily weighted with crime and the sexuality of the period.

A former Palm Springs city councilman, Lyons, co-founded the festival with his friend Craig Prater in 2001. The Festival, which lasts for three days features many b-movies from the forties and fifties and includes interviews with Hollywood stars some of whom acted in them. Later, Lyons added more current films such as “Pulp Fiction” in 1994 which he liked to call “Neo Noir”.

Lyons was born in Los Angeles in 1946, moved to Palm Springs when he was eleven and graduated college in 1967. He worked in the family business for a time and then began to write mystery novels. In his first novel “The Dead are Discreet”, he began his career-long interest in the seedy side of criminal activity. The New York Times lauded his “pungency of his style, the neat planning and the avoidance of hokum”.

Lyons hosted the annual festival dressed and often wore so called “gangster” outfits and the audience dressed in “mob” attire as well. He often invited other mystery writers such as Mickey Spillane and Hollywood actors such as Rhonda Flemming and George Montgomery who stared in the film “The Brasher Doubloon” to attend and speak to groups of his aficionados.

This year I’m especially anxious to see the screening of “Experiment in Terror” the Blake Edwards directed film starring Glenn Ford and Lee Remmick.

This years opening was hosted by Stephanie Powers, star of the hit television series “Hart to Hart” which co-starred Robert Wagner. Miss Powers will be present for the showing which was released in 1962 and will also stay for a question and answer session as do all of the Festival hosts.

Hollywood stars have previously attended the festival including June Lockhart, Don Murray, who appeared in a Hatful of Rain” in 1952, Julie Garfield, daughter of John Garfield who appeared in the 1952 production of “He Ran All the Way” and Tommy Cook, actor and producer of “Cry of the City” released 1948.
All screenings will take place at Camelot Theaters located at 2300 E. Barristo Road in Palm Springs.

Want to find out more about where to go and what to do on your next Palm Springs Vacation , then visit Mitchell Sussman’s site on how to choose the best Palm Springs vacation for your needs.

In my last trip to the California desert I had a chance to see the annual Winter Gathering and Pow Wow. The immense array of colors, the beating drums, the enlightened dance, the forever spirit, and the history all came together at the Spotlight 29 Casino in December at the Twenty Nine Palms Band of Mission Indian’s reservation.

This Indian Gathering and Pow Wow is a weekend spectacle that was food for my senses the moment I entered into the Spotlight Showroom with feeling of ‘Welcome’ definitely in the air. Started in 1997, the Winter Gathering and Pow Wow is where both Native Americans and non-Native Americans came together to dance, sing, socialize, and honor the great Indian culture that has existed even before this country was founded by European explorers.

This weekend event drew near or over 5,000 spectators and featured around 270 dancers and eight drum groups from the United States and Canada. The master of Ceremonies kept us first-timers informed while the drum groups kept the beat. The Grand Entry was as regal and spirited as one might imagine. A prayer was then followed by the entrance of the flags, then the dancers made their way in as the host drums sings the opening song that can be felt down in the pit of ones stomach. At that moment, it was then time to become an observer or an active participant and join the circle so to move your feet and your soul.

One of the most interesting parts of the event are the dance contests, which they have for specific styles and age groups with the top winners receiving cash prizes. As this sacred movement took place, there were vendors present in a number of areas whose booths supplied food that included fry bread and Indian tacos, along with music, jewelry, souvenirs, leather, beadwork, and arts & crafts.

Throughout the event you will hear drums thundering away in a harmonious rhythm, it is meant to draw the bodies out with the good songs created to move the bodies in unison. The weekend brings the beat of life to the forefront.

The Winter Gathering and Pow Wow presents the casual observer with the opportunity to expand their soul while moving their feet in an intimate and personal nature that is one with the group.

So on your next vacation to Palm Springs and the California desert cities be sure to take in the annual Winter Gathering and Pow Wow.

Want to find out more about where to go and what to do on your next Palm Springs vacation, then visit Mitchell Sussman’s site on how to choose the best value in a Palm Springs vacation for your needs.

If you are a golf enthusiast, on your next vacation to Palm Springs and the desert resort cities of Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, Indian Wells and Indio you should take in the Eagle Falls Golf Resort in Indio, California.

Part of the Fantasy Spring Casino complex in Indio, Eagle Falls was designed by renown golf architect Clive Clark. Carved out of the desert is a beautiful golf course that is full of elevations, water features and foliage rarely seen on a public golf course.

Eagle Falls is an 18 hole course with three sets of tees, for the ladies, high handicappers and pros. The distances range from 5,729 to 6,715 depending upon whether you set up at the Falcon, Hawk or Eagle t – boxes. At par 72 the course is tough but fair.

My favorite hole was the par five 18th. It has a spectacular working waterfall, hence the name Eagle Falls.

Behind the 18th green and off in the distance I spied the twelve story tower of Fantasy Springs Casino hotel.

The course has three par fives, three par threes a myriad of sand traps and desert brush for the errant tee shot. According to the guys in the pro shop Eagle Falls was named the desert’s best value course two years in a row by Greenskeeper.org. It is also the site of the Frank Sinatra Celebrity golf event, benefiting the Barbara Sinatra Children’s charities and the annual Playboy Golf scramble.

The day that I was out the sun was shining bright, but it was a little windy making the course all the more challenging. My playing partner and I got a special rate because he was staying at the casino hotel, but for those not staying at the casino the regular rate that time of year is about $75 dollars, less if you want to try one of the twilight rates.

The pro shop is not much to look at, but it was fully stocked with the latest gear. There is also a snack bar and attractive girls selling food and drink on the course. There are golf carts with GPS trackers built in so you don’t have to guess how far your ball is to the nearest hazard or green.

When you are done, you can go over to the casino to gamble the night away.

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The world – famous Palm Desert Golf Cart Parade is one of the most colorful annual events in the California desert. Originating in the early 60’s, it was started by several individuals here in the desert who just wanted have some fun in the summer months. It eventually was changed to the early fall to avoid the immense heat that made dressing in costumes baking in the sun unbearable. The parade was not an every year event until 1983.

Originally known as a “Christmas in July” for the benefit of local residents who found the summers boring. Now the annual parade has grown with over 10,000 spectators. And the world has become aware of the event too, with information requests from the Philippines, France, Germany, and Japan.

The parade route moves westbound on the famous El Paseo Drive from San Luis Rey to Ocotillo. There was ample parking for all spectators as all the shops along El Paseo provided parking lots behind them as well as a double-decker parking structure just behind the Gardens on El Paseo.

The Palm Desert Golf Cart Parade has been described as a mini Rose Bowl Parade with carts decorated in an assortment of colors with tissue paper streaming into the wind instead of roses along with marching bands, colorful clowns and other marching groups like cheerleading squads, dance groups and cycling clubs to name a few who took part in the festivities. And the kids had a part in the event too, with face painting, crafts, and a rock-climbing wall being some of the activities that brought laughs and fun to the young. And it was all free.

The event jumps off with an early morning pancake breakfast in the Bank of America Parking lot that had a lot of maple syrup to go around. This is followed by entry check in that began just outside the Union Bank on El Paseo and San Luis Rey. Judging of the carts then started along with the custom Golf Cart Show & Expo.

There parade demonstrates that the nature of a golf cart is much more than just a golf tool to get players from hole to hole. Then after we all enjoyed the vendors and the refreshments booths as well as the children activities, the Awards Ceremony takes place with the winning golf carts earning accolades and trophies in a number of different categories. Then the senior shaded & VIP seating was opened up that led to the Parade stepping off. The reserved seating featured concierge service that provided snacks and drinks throughout the parade event. But more importantly this is where they is no rush to find a seat and get the best spot to view the host of attractions.

The Palm Desert Golf Cart Parade would not be possible without the strong support of such sponsors like the city of Palm Desert, the Auen Foundation, The Desert Sun, local television & radio stations, and the Eisenhower Medical Center. This is an event that Coachella Valley written all over it and is an excellent way to get a feel for the desert and what it has to offer.

Want to find out more about a Palm Springs vacation, then visit Mitchell Sussman’s site on how to choose the best Palm Springs vacation for your needs.

Whether it is to see the lovely ladies that grace the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage or to take part in the week long festivities that fill the week in one of the premier events on the LPGA tour, the Kraft Nabisco golf event is a must stop on your next vacation to Palm Springs and the desert cities.

Formerly known as the Dinah Shore, for the Hollywood icons love of golf and annual participation, the winners annual pond jump is something to behold. This golf event is one of the four major tournaments on the LPGA Tour. Past winners that have taken home the trophy include Lorena Ochoa, Morgan Pressel, Karrie Webb and the legendary Annika Sorenstam and Amy Alcott.

This past year the Pro-Am event was filled with such stars as Anthony Anderson, Johnny Bench, Alice Cooper and Dennis Haysbert to name a few. Just to get the opportunity to get out and see some of the stars perform on the golf course was a delight in itself as well as comical and funny at times. They do know how to have a fun time and it makes it all that much more of an event not to be missed.

A recent addition was the new Legends Club that kicked off near the 10th tee and the 18th greens. Open all during tournament play week, the Legends Club featured grounds access, a fabulous buffet with a variety of foods and drinks to choose from, free on site parking along with complimentary programs and pairing sheets as well as a no-host cash bar serving beverages of all sorts. The Legends Club was a brand new way to take in the event and it provided spectators like myself that much closer to the action.

Besides the golf, the event and the festivities that surround the event kick off the acclaimed ’spring break for the gay and lesbian community. The tournament was just one of many events that drew thousands of women to the desert for a little fun and frolic in the sun.

With the final hole complete and a champion crowned, it iss then time for the annual leap into Poppie’s Pond on the 18th. This is where the winner grabs her family, her friends, and her caddie and sprinted to the pond for a cool refreshing bath. It was one way to let off some of the competitive steam that had built up and enjoy a little water fun and a memorable conclusion to one of the best events the Coachella valley has to offer.

Looking to find the best deal on a Palm Springs vacation, then visit http://www.palmspringsvacationdiscounts.com to find the best value on your nextPalm Springs vacation.

If you love golf, the Bob Hope Classic is the premier professional golf tournament in the desert to be a part of and a must stop on your next vacation to Palm Springs and the California desert resort cities.

Taking place in the month of January, the PGA’s early tour season gets under way with the Coachella Valley being one of the stops on the tour’s west coast swing. What makes this event such a gem is it’s notoriety for being a celebrity pro-am as well as having five daily 18-hole rounds to go with it.

The Bob Hope has all the action one could ask for, and there is a lot of it, taking place on multiple golf courses throughout the Coachella valley, including the Arnold Palmer Private Course and the Nicklaus Private Course at the PGA West in La Quinta, along with the SilverRock Resort in La Quinta, the Bermuda Dunes Country Club, and the La Quinta Country Club. On my recent visit, I was so close to the action that I felt I could grab a club myselfand hit a tee shot or make a birdie from four feet out.

The courses are beautiful and present an amazing opportunity for the gallery to see some world class golf and their favorite Hollywood celebrities. Besides taking in the professional action that features PGA players like Phil Mickelson, Chad Campbell, Mike Weir and Justin Leonard, the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic’s biggest draw is it’s celebrity Pro-Am competition. It has attracted celebrities such as Bing Crosby, George Lopez, Samuel Jackson, Justin Timberlake, and a number of professional football, baseball and basketball players to give it its personal charm. Next season the event will be hosted by former president and golf enthusiast, Bill Clinton.

This event is a wonderful opportunity to make a week of it and experience golf at it’s best form, involving the serious competition of the PGA with the fun and games that the celebrity Pro-Am brings to the course.

If there is one event that is synonymous with the Coachella Valley, the Bob Hope Classic is such event that continues to sustain and garner accolades for the atmosphere it creates. It’s a breath of fresh air when it comes to the standard set in golf competition and it only makes it that much more entertaining to come out and catch sight of your favorite Hollywood personality hitting one into the water hazard.

On your next golf vacation grab the wife, the kids and make a family event of it and see the pros in action on your next trip to Palm Springs and the California desert resort communities.

Learn more about a Palm Springs vacation. Stop by Mitchell Sussman’s site where you can find out all about where to go and what to do on your next Palm Springs vacation.