Anyone Remember the TV Show Hotel?

For some crazy reason, last night I had a flashback to 1983 when a new TV show called "Hotel" premiered on ABC as a movie special. It was a new soap opera set in the fictitious yet elegant St. Gregory Hotel in San Francisco. The story was based on the popular novel "Hotel" by Arthur Hailey. The premier featured a mega all store cast, including James Brolin, Connie Selleca, Anne Baxter, Bette Davis, Morgan Fairchild, Mel Torme, Shari Belafonte, Shirley Jones, and Erin Moran, among others. I remember really liking this show a lot when it first came out. It started an early fascination with grand old hotels that has continued to this day. Hotel was kind of a cross between The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Dynasty and Dallas, all rolled into one. I thought I'd show two YouTube clips from the premier episode movie. If you want to watch all of it, the rest of the episodes are all there on YouTube to view! I hope you enjoy this flashback:

and here below is part 2...

I hope you enjoyed these two clips....and the flashback
-Rick Rockhill

How About a Dash of Spiritual Enlightenment?

Dear Readers: the following is not a paid post. I am writing this "just because"...
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In downtown Palm Springs, there is a very special place called Crystal Fantasy. I have no real-world connection to this store, but I actually do, on some level that I cannot explain. I've never questioned these sort of things in my life. I just go with the ebb and flow of life's tides. And so out of the blue comes this post today. I probably should have first called Joy, the owner to ask if she wouldn't mind me writing about her store, so I'll have to apologize for being presumptuous the next time I drop in. Rather than me try to describe Crystal Fantasy, I thought I'd use Joy's words, directly from her website:

"Our mission is to spiritually uplift our community, and work towards a greater good. We help those seeking spiritual healing and enlightenment find the path that will lead them to a higher power. We support our fellow man and community and hope to serve as a guiding light. " Sound like a place you'd like to know better? Well, read on...

Crystal Fantasy is a fun store to visit and browse for a spell. They sell all sorts of magical things, including: fairies, mermaids, wizards and dragons, candles, incense, jewelry, ethnic and relaxation music, books on world cultures and spirituality, greeting cards, as well as minerals and crystals from around the world. She has an impressive array of fantasy art by artists such as Amy Brown, Karen Bagnard, Melody Pena, Pat Kwake, Josephine Wall, Jessica Galbreth, and others. It is one of those stores where you can easily get lost within its treasures!

Aside from all that fun stuff, Crystal Fantasy hosts all sorts of in-store events, readings, spiritual advisers, etc. This year is the 2nd Annual Palm Springs Body Mind Spirit Celebration. Billed as "a life changing weekend of inspiration and enlightenment" it is an event not to be missed. If you ever needed a reason to plan a weekend in Palm Springs, this would be it. Our weather in October is most pleasant, and most of the tourists/snowbirds have not returned yet, so it is a perfect time to visit the desert. Here is the schedule of events:

Palm Springs Body Mind Spirit Celebration Weekend:

Friday October 2, 2009

6:00pm-9:00pm

Crystal Fantasy Enlightenment Center

268 N. Palm Canyon Drive, downtown Palm Springs California

Music - Food - Fun

Meet the Artists

Meet the Readers

$10 in advance - $15 at the door

Saturday October 3, 2009

10:00am-8:00pm

Features over 20 classes and workshops and 20 exhibitors including spiritual counselors, healers, wellness professionals, Reiki, Theta Healing, mediums, astrologers, tea leaf, palmistry, tarot, massage, aura photos, authors, artists, musicians, aromatherapy, jewelry, crystals, goddess wear, and more!

Sunday October 4, 2009

10:00am-6:00pm

Features over 20 classes and workshops and 20 exhibitors including spiritual counselors, healers, wellness professionals, Reiki, Theta Healing, mediums, astrologers, tea leaf, palmistry, tarot, massage, aura photos, authors, artists, musicians, aromatherapy, jewelry, crystals, goddess wear, and more!

PLUS RAFFLES EVERY HOUR, Featuring Hay House Publishers!

So with all that going on, don't you just want to come to town for a visit? If you do, please let me know, I'll meet you there!

-Rick Rockhill

Hollywood Inside Scoop: The Christmas Movie in Production

Since the early 1940's, Palm Springs has maintained close ties to Hollywood. Even today, many actors, directors, writers, producers, and cinematographers have a home in Palm Springs or visit on weekends. Its just a quick 90 mile drive east of Los Angeles to experience the peace and serenity of the desert and escape the prying eyes of the paparazzi. Being The Palm Springs Savant, my social circle includes a number of Hollywood insiders; actors, publicists, agents, managers, and the "movers-and-shakers" within the entertainment industry.

While I certainly write about public experiences and photos with celebrities here on this blog, discretion is essential. I never breach trust of a friendship or the sanctity of someones personal life. Every so often I get the inside scoop on things and can share them publicly right here on this blog. Such is the case with a fantastic new film currently in production. The photos here in this post are exclusive behind the scenes photos taken on the movie set! It is an awesome film called The Christmas Movie, a marvelous story written and directed by Dan Gordon and punctuated by a prestigious and talented cast. Photo below: actress Linda Gray on set of her latest film in production.

The Christmas Movie stars Emmy nominated, Golden Globe winner and German Bambi award winner (German Oscar) Linda Gray; Academy Award winner Cloris Leachman; Academy Award nominee Elliot Gould; Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Lanie Kazan; three time Golden Globe award winner and four time People’s Choice award winner Cybill Shepard; comedian Fred Willard, instantly recognizable from the indie feature hits “Best in Show,” “Mighty Wind,” and “For Your Consideration;” Olesya Rulin co-star of all three “High School Musical” movies (remember my friend Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens were also in High School Musical); singer Gene Simmons whose Kiss fans alone make up a nearly rabid demographic; and the incomparable Della Reese, singer/actress and star of "Touched by An Angel".

The Christmas Movie is the story of pregnant young Mary, who’s had all the trappings of an upscale life, but it’s only when she finds herself in a small New Mexico town, in a downtrodden trailer park, that she learns the real meaning of
love, sacrifice and family. I've read the script. It is entertaining and funny, yet reinforces family values in a non-controversial manner. Photo below: scene from the set of The Christmas Movie, in production August 2009.

CLICK THIS LINK: Sneak Peek: Behind the Scenes of 'The Christmas Movie'

Why do I think The Christmas Movie will be a success? Well aside from a terrific story, an incredible cast, and first rate producer, the film has a top notch director. Film buffs will no doubt recall Dan Gordon's impressive track record: Academy Award nominated “The Hurricane” (Denzel Washington for Best Actor); “Wyatt Earp” (starring Kevin Costner, Dennis Quaid and Gene Hackman); “The Assignment” (starring Sir Ben Kingsley); “Murder in the First” (starring Kevin Bacon, Christian Slater and Gary Oldman); “Passenger 57” (starring Wesley Snipes); etc. In addition, Gordon’s plays have appeared both in the West End of London (the stage adaptation of “Rain Man,” nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actor); and most recently “Irena’s Vow” on Broadway (nominated for an Outer Critics’ Circle award for Best Play of 2009). In addition, Gordon was nominated for the Cable Ace Award for Best Screenplay and Best Picture for the HBO motion picture “Gulag,” starring David Keith, Malcolm McDowell and David Suchet. In addition to the Dan Gordon's directing skills are complimented by cinematographer Michael Goi, a two time ASC nominee.

Since this is an independent movie, it probably won't have all the big movie budget hype. I thought I'd start blogging about it to to see how it gets picked up by the Blogging community who may be interested in these actors and create a buzz about a film in production. The Hollywood Reporter just posted a brief article about The Christmas Movie being in production, and Entertainment Tonight posted a clip from the movie set. I have these exclusive photos from the set that I've included here in this post!

No doubt you like Elliott Gould, Linda Gray, Lainie Kazan, Cloris Leachman, Della Reese, Oleysa Rulin, Cybill Shepherd, Gene Simmons and Fred Willard, so you'll be interested in seeing this film with such a great cast. Once I get a clip I'll post it on the blog. In the meantime, check out the clip from ET above and if you are a fan of any of these actors, do me a favor, write a little post on your blog and link back to this post. I'd like to see what happens. You remember that shampoo commercial on TV- "and they told two friends, and they told two friends, and so on, and so on..." ah you get the picture. So will you help me out and do a post too?

-Rick Rockhill

The Saturday Seven: Summertime Things in Palm Springs

In my capacity as The Palm Springs Savant, I am known for dispensing sage wisdom advice and recommendations for things to do here in Palm Springs. Certainly at work, back in San Diego people ask me all the time about what is happening in our fair desert community. I receive e-mails from people around the world asking for my opinion, so I created a separate blog with all sorts of info as a reference site. I realized that I'm about due for a seasonal pitch about Palm Springs, which was the inspiration for this week's scintillating edition of The Saturday Seven: Summertime Things in Palm Springs

#1 Check out The Living Desert A fabulous collection of plants, animals, birds and reptiles all found in the desert life.

#2 Visit the Indian Canyon trails or hike somewhere. (Check out that link)

#3 Take A Ride on The Palm Springs Tramway- Its a breathtaking view of the valley and mountains, and at least 30 degrees cooler than the desert floor.

#4 Shop for Vintage, Retro and Mid Century-Modern Collectibles

#5 Golf, Golf and More Golf- Just go early, before it gets too hot!

#6 Visit the Palm Springs Art Museum

#7 Tour The Palm Springs Walk of Stars - Its a fun stroll along the Palm Canyon Drive area

Bonus Entry: Hit the Spa Resort Casino- make the Indians richer! Of course there are lots of resources to help you find more information: Check out this one.

Take it from me, a visit to the Palm Springs area can be unique and very relaxing. Just do your homework ahead of time so you find the hidden gems and really cool stuff. And if you keep your eyes peeled, you just might see Brad Pitt or some other celebrity enjoying a martini with friends. ;-)

-Rick Rockhill

Caption Needed for Swamp Bike Photo

I'm asking for a sentence or caption about this bike, which I affectionately call "Swamp Bike". Actually it came out of the canals in Venice, Italy. Anyone care to submit something fun or clever about it? It can be a story, a "faux fact", a caption or anything you like. I'll give it a go to get things started:
"Having chased Ursula, the Sea Witch out of the Lagoon on his Swamp Bike, Aqua Man gave the Little Mermaid a ride to school." Sheesh, that was lame. you give it a go.
Have fun...

Just When You Thought You'd Seen It All..Here Comes Aspray

I ran across this video on my friend Stephen's blog yesterday, and it was so ridiculous that I just had to share it here on my humble little blog as well. Mind you, it may well be a fine product but the video is just too bizarre. Then again I suppose how else does one tackle delicate issues such as this? Take a look-see for yourself at Aspray and tell me what you think.

I suppose the makers of Aspray are genius in a way. After all, people like me are posting this video on blogs an giving them free advertising. So who has the last laugh? I suspect they do.

Palm Springs Pot...

Lest you think I only write glamorous stories about our lovely desert community, here is an interesting news item that The Desert Sun newspaper reported yesterday:

Following up on a tip, apparently local authorities discovered some 13,000 marijuana plants growing on a parcel of government land management property and a local ranch just outside of Palm Springs. It was reported that no one was arrested and whoever was growing the crops must have recently abandoned the grounds. The growers were stealing water from a creek to provide the necessary half gallon of water needed each day per plant, for a total of 6,500 gallons of water per day, which is a lot considering we live in the desert. The newspaper said the law enforcement officials ripped the plants out of the ground to destroy them. I briefly wondered why they didn't just burn the crops, but I quickly came to my senses.

Here's the amazing part: There were more than 13,000 pot plants growing, at a rate of $3,500 per plant, the street value was $45 million! Can you even imagine? Who knew that the stuff was so expensive. Since I've never used marijuana (nor do I wish to do so) I was baffled by this number. I guess I live a sheltered life when it comes to illegal contraband. Anyway, so there is another side of our desert community for you. Do you have any interesting stories about your community, city or town? C'mon, spill the beans and fess up here with a comment.

-Rick Rockhill

It's Duncan's Turn for Swimming Lessons

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about Sheldon's Swimming lessons. It's been hot as blazes here in Palm Springs, so a mid-day dip in the pool is just the trick to keep cool. After watching his big brother Sheldon demonstrate his keen water skills, our Young Duncan took his first real swim lesson this past weekend. Duncan has been interested in the pool from the moment he first saw it. Once I had cooled off and done my laps, Duncan approached the edge, signalling his interest to splash around. Understandably, taking the first step was the most difficult. John held him on the top step, handing Duncan to me as we waded further out into the pool. I held Duncan as he looked around, trying to take it all in.

above: after a bit of coaching and kisses on the forehead, I gradually let go of Duncan, allowing him to swim on his own...

above: For 11 weeks old, Duncan was a little champ in the pool! His little webbed toes paddled gracefully, making his way around the shallow end of the pool. It was a brief swim lesson, maybe 10 minutes or so, but just enough to give him confidence and knowledge on how to make his way out of the pool on his own , if necessary.

above: Duncan dripping wet after swimming in the pool. He spent the next half hour drying off outside on the patio with me.

above: With our desert climate being hot and dry, Duncan dried off in no time at all. We sat together on the glider chair, enjoying the indirect sun under the patio shade structure. Duncan was a happy little puppy, and ready for a treat.

-Rick Rockhill

Sunday Art Review: Dessert in Art

Welcome back to a new edition of the Sunday Art Review. I'm pleased to present another fun theme for this week's post. Regular readers of this blog already know that I have a "sweet tooth", and consider dessert a compulsory course when dining. Sometimes I enjoy the anticipation of knowing what is to come after the main entree, and other times (either at a restaurant or at a dinner party) not knowing what's for dessert can be equally thrilling. Back when I was in the confectionery industry, my sitting room had photos of chocolate in picture frames scattered throughout the room. It always delighted guests who found it a most curious subject to be framed. Naturally I thought it to be quite reasonable- after all, I love chocolate, and at the time didn't have nieces to adore in a photo frame. Thus the inspiration for today's theme. Welcome to the Sunday Art Review: Dessert in Art

above: Some vintage French Art: she is holding a plate of biscuits so artfully.

above: more vintage French art. She looks so refined here, so elegant.

above: This is an Italian artist whose name I've mislaid. However, a classic ice cream sundae always makes me smile.

above: Three chefs serving up the best

above: this waiter seems quite proud of his tray.

above: these three waitresses are headed to a table and sure to delight.

Which ones do you like? All comments are free today!

-Rick Rockhill

The Saturday Seven: Places I Get My News

For some time, there's been lots of news in the media about the pending demise of printed newspapers and news magazines. I say codswallop! Well some lousy ones will go away, but the main ones will likely remain an entity for at least another 10 minutes. I mean 10 years. I think anyway (darn it, where did I put my crystal ball?). I for one still enjoy the ritual of thumbing through a newspaper, particularly while traveling on business or on vacation. But is that enough to keep the newspaper industry alive? The reality is the population of people who regularly read newspapers is aging, while younger generations are growing up getting their news from the World Wide Web- the Internets, as it were. We stopped subscribing to the newspaper at home because much of it was old news by the time I received it. I had already seen everything they had to say online. Except for that mattress sale at Macy's, or the special the air conditioning repair man is running. So despite the fact that I enjoy reading newspapers, I just don't do it often enough. I tend to get 95% of my news online, from a very narrow range of websites. I rarely watch TV for news, so these are all websites. This was the inspiration for another scintillating edition of The Saturday Seven: Places I Get My News.

#1 CNN.com: I trust about 75% of what they say. The rest is political spin

#2 GoogleNews: I read it all as fact. I naively assume there is no hidden agenda to what they cover, and I'm happy with thinking that.

#3 MSNBC.Com: News that entertains me. Its colorful, lots of photos and makes me happy for some reason. I'm sure they planned it that way.

#4 FoxNews.Com: "Fair and Balanced" news, right? Or is it? Well I guess it is when you compare it to everything else out there. I trust about 65% of what these guys say.

#5 City Newspaper Websites: Chicago Tribune and the New York Times: I lived in both Chicago and Manhattan way back, and I still consider these both reputable newspapers.

#6 YahooNews: Actually quite comprehensive, fairly objective collection from AP and PRnewswire sources. Trouble is, it just ain't pretty. You need to be in a utilitarian mood to read their news.

#7 BBC News.Com: Probably the most trustworthy, highest quality news out there. I seem to believe everything they report as true and factual. Or at least what The Queen wants us to believe. But that's good enough for me.

Bonus entry:

Bonus entry: Wall Street Journal.Com: My trusted source for business news. It helps for small talk in the Board Room too.

So where do YOU get your news from? Go ahead, weigh in and leave an opinion.

-Rick Rockhill

The Adventures of Sheldon and Duncan

What's better than one poodle going out for an adventure? How about TWO poodles going out for an adventure? Thus begins a new periodic series for the blog, The Adventures of Sheldon and Duncan. Think of it as the dynamic duo, the wonder twins, the double act...well you get the picture. The day started out with Sheldon and Duncan going for a ride. Sheldon of course is an old pro, and makes the journey back and forth between Palm Springs and San Diego twice a week. It was his job to show his new little brother the ropes, as it were. In fact, in this photo, we actually still had a little rope on Duncan, as we were just on our way to the pet store to buy a lead. Duncan did very well in the car, and was fearless as he gazed out the window watching palm trees whizz by as we drove down Palm Canyon Drive...

above: we stopped for a bite to eat at Ruby's Diner and sat on the patio. Duncan and Sheldon sat patiently, and flirted with the waitress. She remembered Sheldon from when he went to Ruby's as a puppy too, just last year.

above: Next up was a trip to Pet Co to buy all sorts of puppy supplies. Duncan got a new collar and lead, organic shampoo, holistic treats and of course, all natural food! Here we are in front of the Quick Tag machine, making new ID tags for both kids. They waited semi-patiently as the giant machine made whirring and grinding noises as it engraved the tags on the spot.

above: Back home, the kids decided it was time to play. Owen joined in the fun and played well with Duncan, who is about the same size! It was a fun time for all. I just love how they all get along so well. Now if only I could train them do chores...

-Rick Rockhill

The Lovely St Regis Hotel in Dana Point CA

Recently I attended a conference in Dana Point, CA, just an hour north of San Diego. It was held at the stunning St Regis Resort at Monarch Beach. The St Regis is a luxury five star hotels overlooking a pristine golf course on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Since I'm local, I drove to the conference during the day, and just admired the grounds from afar. It was a warm sunny day, so most guests were milling around in shorts or swim suits, headed to or from the pool. During the conference break, I was able to enjoy lunch outdoors on the balcony overlooking the grounds, where I took the first three of the four photos here in this post. As I looked around the hotel I wondered if there was a recession at all. From the number of guests on site, I wouldn't have thought they had any empty rooms. As I enjoyed lunch I eavesdropped on multiple conversations (its what I do when I dine alone). One couple were arguing about how the girl caught her boyfriend checking out the waitress. A family were all snapping photos of each other nonstop, in all sorts of poses- debating what would be the best background. An older couple were complaining to each other about the price of a turkey sandwich. I can't say I blame them, after all my salad was $27.

above: a close up of the first photo. I took this one zooming in a bit to capture the view. You can see the blue ocean in the distance...

above: a side view of the well manicured grounds at the St Regis. A feast for the eyes!

above: I found this photo online somewhere. Its a view looking back at the hotel from the pool. The first three photos were taken from the balcony at the middle high tower in this photo. Anyway it was a nice place to attend a conference, I felt like a million bucks when I left the joint. That is, until I climbed into my car and drove back home...

-Rick Rockhill

How Poodles Learn To Be Poodles....

Ever wonder how some animals learn to do things typical of their ancestors? Well wonder no more. In today's busy and modern world, poodles are taking to the world wide web to learn key traits of their noble breed. Here is our young Duncan Diggory, sitting in front of the laptop watching a YouTube video of a black standard poodle playing in the snow. Check out this series of photos, Duncan sat transfixed at the screen of the silly poodle having a grand old time for the camera. It was fun watching Duncan's facial expressions as he watched the poodle on the screen.

Young Duncan was being teased by the onscreen poodle who ran slightly off camera and reappeared. It was great fun for a young puppy learning just what it means to be a poodle.

-Rick Rockhill