By Maxine Sommers

While flying into Palm Springs I was impressed by the view of this small community from the air … a multitude of green lawn patches surrounded by vast desert lands—the city, a bright oasis in the middle of seemingly nowhere.

As the plane approached for a landing I was struck by the rather Alice-in-Wonderland design of the airport terminal. After visiting the city for a week I concluded it seems to blend in with the design and attitude of the natives.

It's not uncommon to see movie stars and celebrities sashaying around town looking for all the world as though they have never had a care in the world. The men top the cool-looking-scale sporting multi-colored golfing attire while the women have adopted a sleek California manner of dressing with a vengeance. Ladies walk with an attitude … bronzed bodies, dressed all in black, blonde hair styled in a short, straight sophisticated cut—each person appearing to be totally satisfied with their current station in life.

Logistically, Palm Springs is a perky town approximately 110 miles east of Los Angeles. Hearing the words, Palm Springs, brings visions of movie stars, well tended golf courses, fabulous shopping, sleek restaurants decorated with a kaleidoscope of bright colors and—last but not least—the town itself smack-dab in the middle of a lot of arid land—with sand, rocks and the ever-ready baking sun. To add to the topical diversity, the city is surrounded by the San Bernardino Mountains on the North, the Santa Rosa Mountains on the South and the San Jacinto Mountains to the West. An absolute natural fortress of towering peaks. > Continued

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