The Winner Is: Award Season in Palm Springs!

Check out at this lineup of celebrities: Reese Witherspoon, Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Keaton, Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Brad Pitt and Robert Downey, Jr.

It looks like every supermarket tabloid editor’s dream for front page hot gossip news stories, doesn’t it?

Palm Springs International Film Festival
Palm Springs International Film Festival

Actually, these notables were among the glitterati who recently attended the Palm Springs International Film Festival gala awards festivities at the Palm Spring Convention Center. My husband and I were fortunate to be among the attendees as well, so we got a good dose of star exposure that evening.

Attendance is up
As with many events staged in Palm Springs, La Quinta and the general Coachella Valley area, the film festival awards evening has grown significantly since it started back in 2002. Festival Chairman Harold Matzner told us that night that only 200 people attended the first awards gala. This year, there were 2,400 of us in the audience.

You may have seen some of the winning films throughout the evening. Among the titles honored were “Gone Girl,” “Selma,” “Whiplash,” “The Judge,” “Boyhood,” “Still Alice,” “The Theory of Everything,” “Birdman,” “The Imitation Game” and “Wild.”

If you’re a film buff at all, take a close look at that list. You may want to try to see any you have missed. The Palm Springs International Film Festival is the first movie awards event of the year and many times what happens here gives us a clue as to which actors, directors and producers will be walking away with Oscars in their hands later in the season.

La Quinta Country Club
La Quinta Country Club

January is a busy time
Events on the desert often foreshadow things that occur throughout the year. I don’t know if the film festival organizers selected January in the Coachella Valley because our weather is so nice, but I do know that the professional golfers roll into town this time of year because of the climate.

This year the Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation comes to PGA West and La Quinta Country Club from January 19-25. This was formerly the Bob Hope Classic. I know that our local golfers are anxious to see how the pros look at the beginning of the season.

Will Tiger Woods get back to form? As I write this it’s not known exactly who will play, but one favorite – Phil Mickelson – has said that he’ll be in La Quinta for sure. Last year the Humana field of players ended up claiming 20 PGA Tour titles, including the golfer who won the FedExCup title – Billy Horschel!

As I close today’s article, I want to reflect on how wonderful it is to live in a place where you can attend an event with the celebrities I mentioned in my opening and then play a round of golf on a course that will soon host pros like Phil Mickelson battling it out for their share of a $5.7 million purse.

PGA West Stadium Course
Hole #17 @ PGA West Stadium Course

Live where the pros play
Not only that, you can live in the communities that surround the PGA West and La Quinta CC. And, if you’re familiar with La Quinta, Indian Wells and Coachella Valley real estate, you know that the offerings range far wider than those two. For example, the La Quinta Resort has three great courses and several communities.

The best way to give yourself an introduction to the courses and the communities is to download our free guide to Palm Springs Area Golf Clubs. You’ll see all the courses, towns and communities, as well as restaurants and other notable commercial areas. The guide also include some relative pricing information, for both homes and memberships.

Of course, it’s just a start. When you want to learn more, give us a call and we can answer all your questions.

 

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