One of my favorite articles in my newspaper career combined a few things that were rare for reporters: a press junket, unlimited column inches, and an editor who encouraged a strong personal voice in feature writing.
Which is how I ended up writing about my weekend trip to the Parker Palm Springs, a hotel that once had been the Merv Griffin Givenchy Resort & Spa but had recently been revamped by designer Jonathan Adler.
The Parker’s playful premise was that instead of checking into a hotel, you were visiting the property of your wealthy aunt: “She is fun, but not in an in-your-face way,” the press materials said. “At first, some of your friends don’t really appreciate her and cannot make sense of her contrasts, but after a while her charms come through to everyone.”
From the moment I pulled onto the grounds, I knew I was out of place. This was a hotel that will charter private helicopter flights for guests who don’t want to deal with the annoyances and rabble of a public airport, while the most expensive thing in my duffel bag was a $45 pair of sneakers.
But rather than feel self-conscious about it, I leaned into the idea that I really was staying at some rich aunt’s place, getting to poke around and see everything through eager and fresh eyes. Kind of like starring in your very own Saltburn, without the malice and murdering!
After the article ran, Jonathan Adler sent me a handwritten thank-you note, which delighted me so much that I’ve held onto it all these years later. I came across the card a few weeks ago when I was transferring my old portfolio and tear sheets to a new storage system, and it reminded me to go revisit the article that inspired it.
I’ve been back to Palm Springs dozens of times in the decades since this was published, and although I’ve driven past the Parker, I’ve never returned to visit the property itself. I might have to at least schedule a dinner there sometime, to check out how much has changed or stayed the same since I last visited my dear imaginary aunt.
By Sam Mittelsteadt 