Before I forget, I'd like to share a few photos of how I celebrated New Year's Eve in Palm Springs. The plan was to do an early dinner at Melvyn's restaurant, then head to a different restaurant called Blame it On Midnight to catch their lounge entertainment and midnight festivities. However, after dinner we decided to stay at Melvyn's and skip the other place altogether. We had a great time, but decided to call it a night sometime around 10:30 and went home. Dining at Melvyn's restaurant is a classic Palm Springs experience; it has an old Hollywood feel, rich with history. The walls echo the many celebrities of the past (and present) who have made it a favorite. The walls of the lounge are covered with photos of celebrities who have dined on site such as Lucille Ball, Marlon Brando, Cher, Dinah Shore, John Travolta, Liza Minelli, Clark Gable, Greta Garbo, Barry Manilow, Joan Collins, John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Gary Cooper, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rita Hayworth, Bob Hope, Elizabeth Taylor...and so many more (go ahead catch your breath after that long list).
Above: The entrance to Melvyn's at the Ingleside Inn in Palm Springs. It has such an elegant feel to it, but it is very welcoming and unpretentious.
above left: the entire restaurant ceiling was covered with balloons. It was an incredible festive atmosphere. above right: the lounge, by the piano was packed solid, but there were reserved tables waiting for us after dinner, of course!
above: My idea of a good date. Rich, well dressed ladies who know what cocktail to order, Gin martinis with a twist! Later, we ended up dancing the Cha Cha. I had no idea I'd be dancing so soon in the new year (you may recall my Saturday Seven post about ballroom dancing just last week). I guess that means I can check off that resolution as complete...well, started anyway. New Year's Eve turned out to be a lot of fun, even if I was back home by 10:45 pm!
Xavier Cugat Art: "Dining at Melvyn's" 
Above: This print "Dining at Melvyn's", by Xavier Cugat is hanging up inside Melvyn's. First a little background on Xavier: He was a Spanish born Cuban band leader known as the "Rumba King". He made some great music for dances like the Conga, Mambo, Cha-Cha-Cha, and the Twist when each was the rage with the public. He was known for holding his Chihuahua dog while conducting his band with a baton using his other arm. Cugat and Desi Arnaz were good buddies and would pal around together at Lucy and Desi's home in Palm Springs.
In addition to being a band leader, Cugat was an artist. This piece above was Cugat's caricature of his celebrities who dined at Melvyn's. Look closely...how many do you recognize? Here are the ones I figured out:
Kirk Douglas, David Niven, Abe Vigoda, Buddy Hackett, Vincent Price, Liza Minelli, Phyllis Diller, Ernest Borgnine, Clarke Cable, Red Skelton, Sammy Davis Jr, Cher, Sonny Bono, Bob Hope, Red Skelton, Jackie Gleason, Alfred Hitchcock, Tony Curtis, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, John Wayne, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Groucho Marx, Liberace & Tony Bennett. Did you find any I didn't list? I'm guessing that my new blogging friend Naomi (oldladyinthehills) can fill in the ones I missed. -Rick Rockhill
Last night we rang in the New Year at a party in Pasadena, CA. We spent the night here in preparation for the 121's Pasadena Tournament of Rose Parade. We were guests at a party hosted by Natural Balance Pet Foods, who have a float in the parade today. You may have heard about their float from the news or right here on my blog. It will be certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the World's Longest Parade Float, at 114 feet (34 meters or so). Anyway, you'll read more about the float and parade later today. The party was a lot of fun, dinner, music and a magician who performed and earlier walked around doing close-up card tricks and such. It was a fun evening. We're up bright and early this first day of the new year, getting ready to head to the parade route. I'll be tweeting live on Twitter.com/RickRockhill if you care to follow along.
Happy New Year, and welcome 2009! New Year's Eve turned out to be quite exciting. The night started out at home with some close friends, relaxing over conversation to catch up on the goings-on of life in Palm Springs. We had dinner reservations at my favorite restaurant, Melvyn's (the same place we went for Christmas dinner). It was very busy with a well heeled crowd. Gentlemen were generally in suits or tuxedos; most ladies wore fancy dresses, gowns with sequins or feathers, and were dripping in diamonds and pearls. The entire ceiling was covered with balloons throughout the dining room and lounge which provided a festive atmosphere throughout. After our sumptuous dinner, we hit the lounge to enjoy the live music and a good round of people watching too. Of course I managed to stop for a New Years Eve photo with my usual martini. Next, we went to the home of a MAJOR singer celebrity who invited us to their home here in Palm Springs. I cannot reveal whose home it was, and I did not take any photos (although it killed me not to do so). I want to be invited back, so I shall respect this person's confidentiality. Suffice to say, it was a major thrill to be in his home. The house is perched way up high on the side of the mountain, with a spectacular view of the desert floor. I chatted with this super famous person for quite awhile and really enjoyed the conversation. While at the party, another famous celebrity showed up, a well-known actress who I've always admired. She looked great and was there with her husband. (Sorry to be so clandestine with the details). Anyway it was a fun evening and a memorable way to ring in the new year.
Well it's the last day of 2007. Where did this year go to anyway? Apparently I spent it sipping martinis all over town...see "exhibit A" at left, as most recent evidence. (I'm enjoying a Blue Raspberry Martini with my friend Jim at Melvyn's Restaurant in this photo from last week). All kidding aside, I have always felt New Year's Eve to be quite a solemn ocassion. There is something about the passage of time and the significance of that milestone that makes me feel melancholic. I tend to be reflective and spend time thinking about my life. I am grateful for that with which I have been blessed. I am fortunate to have my health, and good fortune on many levels. So today I shall be mindful of life's blessings, celebrate the end of another year, and welcome in the new one. 
another round of martinis will be in order. Last week when out to dinner at Melvyn's I was recognized in the cocktail lounge by a local reader of this blog. I was being escorted to my table, when out of nowhere I hear someone call out: "Are you Rick Rockhill?" I stopped, turned and smiled and the voice continued: "...from The Palm Springs Savant, right?" We chatted for a few minutes as the rest of my dinner party was seated. I'm always happy to meet people who read this blog. Lately I've been running into more and more, right here in Palm Springs. So if you are reading this, and plan to be in Palm Springs to celebrate New Year's Eve, don't hesitate to say hello if you see me out and about town. I may even buy you a martini!
