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Tod Goldberg Palm Springs Life Magazine
This is the time of year when concerned relatives call to check in. We saw that you’re living in the hottest place on the planet. Are you okay?
No, we’re not. No normal person chooses to stay in the desert all summer. You have to want the heat.
A FEW MONTHS AGO, I went on a ride-along with a Joshua Tree park ranger. The desert air was still cool, at least when I climbed into the ranger’s SUV at around 9 o’clock in the morning. By noon, it was just under 80 degrees. Which is nothing for me. I don’t even put on shorts until it’s 85, and even then, it’s a production. Tourists wear shorts when it’s 72, but desert rats, we cherish the two months or so of the year that we actually get to wear a pair of pants.
“Grab a bottle of water,” the ranger said. We’d parked a good 5 miles off the main road and were going to hike across a flat expanse of sand and creosote toward a place I’d only heard talk of: a ravine filled with domestic relics that were washed away by a flood sometime last century.
“I’m good,” I said.
“Grab a bottle of water,” she urged again, “you don’t realize how hot it is and how far you’re going to be walking.”
Ever dutiful, particularly when a woman with a gun has orders for me, I took a bottle. Fifteen minutes later, I was a little dizzy and breathless, sweating through my jeans; if I’d closed my eyes and turned in a circle, I’d have never found my way back out of the desert. You could die out here, I thought. And of course, if there’s one universal truth about this desert life, it is that despite the beauty and solemnity of the desert, despite the resorts and golf courses, despite Coachella and Stagecoach and the film festival, despite the man-made lakes and surf parks proposed across the valley, this is a cruel and forbidding place if you happen to be outside and without water for too long. It’s not that you could die — you would.
After another 10 minutes or so, we came upon the relics of an old mining district homestead. A sealed well. A gutted refrigerator. The skeleton of a stove. Scattered cups and plates. “How did people live out here?” I asked.
The park ranger shrugged. “Not easily.” She looked at me. “You feeling OK?”
“You were right,” I said. I guzzled down my water. The park ranger nodded. She was wearing a full uniform, body armor, a gun — all that, and she hadn’t broken a sweat. I looked like I’d hiked through the desert wearing an entire rack of clothing from Banana Republic: moderately fashionable if totally inappropriate.
On the way back, the ranger gave me her bottle, too.
The heat has always been cathartic, the arrival of summer a forced slowdown.
I’VE FREQUENTLY THOUGHT about that day in Joshua Tree, not because I was ever in any real danger, but because of how many people make the same mistakes every day. If you aren’t from here, you just don’t know how quickly things can turn south.
We moved to the desert when I was 13. My family had been vacationing here since the 1950s, when both sets of grandparents fled the harsh winters of Longview and Walla Walla, Washington, for Palm Springs and golf, buying homes at Canyon Country Club and renting condos at Villa Alejo. Later, my mother, who yearned for a life of perpetual sunshine, would grow tired of the Bay Area fog and fly south for a life under palm trees.
For me, the heat has always been cathartic, the arrival of summer a forced slowdown, a system reset, a time to reevaluate, to see the world for what it is. So when it came time for me to figure out where I wanted to live for the rest of my life — after college and a decade split between Los Angeles and Las Vegas — I felt pulled back to the desert.
To set roots in sand is, of course, a foolish premise on its face, but I think of what Joan Didion said about living in California: “The apparent ease of California life is an illusion, and those who believe the illusion real live here in only the most temporary way.” I wanted something permanent.
A FEW YEARS AGO, when The Rolling Stones performed at Desert Trip, I remember Mick Jagger standing on the edge of the stage, a swirling 90-degree wind kicking up around him, and announcing, “This is a bit like singing into a hair dryer.” It was October. Fall. The onset of what we call winter. Mick would never last a summer here.
There is nothing more beautiful to me than the desert at about 10 o’clock at night, deep into July, when the temperature slides below 105 for the first time. I like to get into my car, put the top down, turn up the AC, fill the stereo with old Kyuss songs, and drive the empty streets. Everything is still, yet somehow the air feels like an animate object you have to cut through. Sometimes I’ll just roll, following the road where it takes me — into the darkness outside of Whitewater or up past Lake Cahuilla or through the old-money neighborhoods of Palm Springs, the ghost of Cary Grant cruising beside me, the stars flicking above like memories, the laws against light pollution good for these haunted nights.
On nights like these, the heat is a companion, but not an easy one. And it’s certainly no illusion. There’s always a moment of pure euphoria when you turn off the car’s AC and the heat drops in front of you like a wall; you realize that technology has made the world easier. But the desert is always waiting, just the same, for you to make the wrong move.
Joan Didion also said, “Stories travel at night in the desert.” A desert life is hard. It’s that duality that makes me love this place, this desert the tourists will never really know, when you park your car at the side of the road, hear the yowling of coyotes in the distance, and recognize that you are in a timeless place of savage, incessant, fluid, dry, and somehow welcome heat.
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This to us seems like a no-brainer, yet time and time again, we see out-of-the-area agents attempting to represent clients in an area that they are not familiar with, and it’s a great disservice to the client. If a person is selling their home, they will not use someone who is not local and an expert in their area, so why would they do it when purchasing?
Where my team is located, in the Palm Springs area, this problem came to a head during the past couple of years. The proximity to Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego makes it appealing to agents who want a weekend in the desert combined with showing a few homes. And now that the market is so slow, there are a lot of hungry agents out there looking for any way to generate some income.
As a Realtor, you have a fiduciary duty to your clients; this practice certainly does not support that duty. I’ve lived in Newport Beach, Los Angeles, etc.…but if I had a client that wanted to purchase property in those areas, I would refer the client to an agent in that area as that’s the right thing to do.
Unless the agent has a vacation home in the area, knows it well, and consistently and recently sells homes there, or perhaps recently lived here and then moved away, there is no way that they will know all the intricacies involved. They don’t know the pros and cons of each City, development, golf course, orientation of the property, vendors, amenities, and rental rules, to name a few, not to mention the culture of each community. Heck, even agents that are located locally may not know these things, which is why you want experienced representation. As a Buyer, you need to know these things to make an informed decision.
In addition, the chances of them driving 2 hours to come out and then 2 hours back for the home inspection, any additional inspections, walk-throughs, and dozens of other things that might come up are slim in our experience. And guess who they ask to do their job for them? This is another reason that local agents don’t care to work with out-of-the-area agents. Not only do they not know the local market, they also may not do their job.
Today, I showed one of my listings for an out-of-the-area agent and his clients. The agent was a very pleasant guy, but he knew nothing about the community that my listing was in, had never been there before, was 15 minutes late because he was relying on GPS to get him there, and didn’t know where the entrance was. I felt terrible for his clients. Luckily for them, I do know everything about the community, and they and their agent had a lot of questions that I was happy to supply them with. However, those Buyers will be out of luck on any of the homes he was showing them where the Listing Agent was not there.
If you are an out-of-the-area agent, send us your buyers, and we’ll take excellent care of them and send you a referral fee.
If you are a Buyer with a friend who is a Realtor that you want to be part of the deal, have them contact us. We’ll take care of you and your Realtor friend. You’ll get the representation you deserve and your friend will have done the right thing by you and get a referral fee.
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★ ★ ★ ★ ★
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Sherman’s Deli & Bakery.
PHOTO BY BRANDON HARMAN
Whether you’re after a loaded sandwich, a leafy salad, a fabulous brunch, or an upscale meal for a special occasion, you’ll find what you’re looking for right here in Greater Palm Springs. Here’s where to take a bite out of the local culture this summer.
If you love Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, try some of the local delicacies that have been featured on the show. Sherman’s Deli & Bakery is an authentic Jewish deli with locations in Palm Desert and Palm Springs, where Guy Fieri tried turkey pastrami and latkes. At Chúla Artisan Eatery in La Quinta, he tried the owner’s family recipe for chilaquiles and a green chile Monte Cristo. Pablo’s Tacos & Beer in Indio earned the show’s stamp of approval for its tacos and Mexican street food, and Grill-a-Burger in Palm Desert was hailed for its Devil’s Revenge burger (with habanero-pepper relish and fried serrano chiles) and the cabbage-topped turkey Buddha Burger.
Beautiful Day.
PHOTO COURTESY BEAUTIFUL DAY
If you’re on a plant-based diet, you’re in luck. Nature’s Health Food & Café in Palm Springs is a long-standing favorite, offering a fully vegan menu. Chef Tanya’s Kitchen in Palm Springs and Palm Desert will turn carnivores into plant lovers with diverse meat-alternative offerings, including a pastrami-style sandwich. Stop by Chef Tanya’s Kreamery, located next door to the Palm Desert location, for vegan ice cream. Delicious food and healthy choices come together in La Quinta at Beautiful Day, the latest concept from chef Justin Jenkins. Wildest in Palm Desert and Palm Greens Café and Lulu California Bistro in Palm Springs devote generous portions of their menus to veggie selections.
Spencer’s Restaurant.
PHOTO BY BRANDON HARMAN
Celebrate your special occasion in a special place. Le Vallauris Restaurant in Palm Springs serves elegant French cuisine in a beautiful garden setting with an extensive wine list. Spencer’s Restaurant, tucked at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains, offers a fine-dining experience featuring classic American cuisine; the large patio is climate-controlled. Workshop Kitchen + Bar in Uptown Palm Springs features a sleek, modern ambiance that earned a James Beard Award and pairs it with creative, farm-to-table dishes. Mastro’s Steakhouse, located on El Paseo in Palm Desert, is perfect for a sophisticated and indulgent dinner of prime steaks or fresh seafood; there’s live music nightly in the buzzy lounge. For a spectacular setting, head to La Quinta Cliffhouse, where you can enjoy cocktails and California cuisine perched atop a cliff while taking in stunning mountain scenery.
For a summery spin on your caffeine fix, visit Café La Jefa in Palm Springs for a Mexican-style café de olla or nearby Ernest Coffee for a citrus-infused latte made with lemon bitters. At Sixth Street Coffee in Coachella, you can sample a cold brew lemonade, lavender rose latte, or horchata latte. If you like cuddles with your coffee, head to Frisky Business Cat Café in Palm Springs, where a menu of gourmet drinks pairs with adoptable kitties.
Indulge in a leisurely brunch at one of Greater Palm Springs’ popular cafés and restaurants. In the heart of downtown Palm Springs, French Miso Café is known for its French and Japanese cuisine, including brunch classics like eggs Benedict and Japanese specialties like a bento box. Nearby, Farm is a French-inspired local favorite where diners enjoy farm-to-table dishes made with locally sourced ingredients in a stunningly cozy setting. Wilma & Frieda, located in Palm Desert and Palm Springs, is always a good choice for brunch; the menu is all about comfort food with a twist, like the Chicken & Waffle Benny or the homemade “pop tarts.” Azure Palm Café in Desert Hot Springs prepares fresh options, including a Green Goddess Salad and Keto Quiche. For a truly luxurious bite, check out Norma’s at Parker Palm Springs for decadent dishes like the Zillion Dollar Lobster Frittata with caviar. J’s Deli in Palm Desert serves breakfast all day, from cheese blintzes to lox with latkes.
Farm.
PHOTO COURTESY VISIT GREATER PALM SPRINGS
Sample a variety of flavors with easy-to-share plates. Trio Restaurant in Palm Springs marries its contemporary and casual atmosphere with small plates meant for passing, including a selection of vegetarian and gluten-free options. Catalan Mediterranean Cuisine in Rancho Mirage serves delicious Spanish-style tapas, including house-marinated Spanish olives, grilled bread with roasted bone marrow, and the signature paella, made with seafood, chicken, and chorizo.
Morgan's in the Desert.
COURTESY LA QUINTA RESORT & CLUB
Seek out local favorites to take in the full flavor of Greater Palm Springs. The colorful, lively El Jefe Desert Cantina at Saguaro Palm Springs serves Mexican street food such as cochinita pork and chicken tinga tacos and regional desserts like date bread pudding. In Rancho Mirage, Las Casuelas Nuevas serves traditional Mexican fare in a festive setting, and Coachella Bar in downtown Coachella draws locals for chavelas and Mexicali-style hot dogs wrapped in bacon. Excelling in fresh SoCal cuisine, Palm Desert’s Cork Tree uses locally sourced ingredients, and La Quinta’s Morgan’s in the desert promises contemporary-leaning favorites such as fig salad and soups made with local bounty.
Smokin' Burgers & Lounge.
PHOTO BY MOLLIE KIMBERLING
If it’s protein you crave, these restaurants have mastered the art of grilling and glazing. Smokin’ Burgers & Lounge in Palm Springs serves 100 percent, never-frozen Angus beef patties with a variety of toppings, while Bubba’s Bones & Brews in Cathedral City specializes in pulled pork sandwiches slathered in sweet barbecue sauce. Sullivan’s Steakhouse in Palm Desert sets a swanky mood for entrées such as rack of lamb and dry-aged, long-bone ribeye. For a hibachi show, dine at Kobe Japanese Steakhouse in Rancho Mirage. (They serve A5 Japanese wagyu.)
Need help deciding what to try? Download the free Summer Eats Pass from Visit Greater Palm Springs to check in at participating eateries around the valley and become eligible to win $50 dining gift cards. Winners will be drawn weekly from June 13 to Sept. 4.
The Colony Club.
COURTESY THE COLONY PALMS HOTEL AND BUNGALOWS
What’s better than dining alfresco? Dining poolside! Sol y Sombra at The Paloma Resort in Cathedral City features Mediterranean-inspired cuisine served alongside sunbathers and stunning mountain views. The Colony Club at The Colony Palms Hotel and Bungalows in Palm Springs prepares an array of fresh and vibrant dishes along with classic cocktails. Meanwhile, Roly China Fusion offers poolside dim sum and Asian-inspired classics at Del Marcos Hotel in Palm Springs. At the Ace Hotel & Swim Club in Palm Springs, a funky and relaxed vibe is always on order; you can take a table by the pool to scope out the crowds over handcrafted cocktails and fresh eats from the hotel’s Amigo Room bar and King’s Highway diner. For a colorful and wonderfully chic experience, head to The Pink Cabana at the Sands Hotel & Spa in Indian Wells to enjoy French-Moroccan cuisine and drinks in a gorgeous setting.
Liz Ostoich.
PHOTO BY AARON JAY YOUNG
Restaurateur Liz Ostoich is known for offering fresh, gourmet eats and fabulous cocktails at her four Palm Springs hot spots: Farm, The Front Porch at Farm, Tac/Quila, and Clandestino.
MORNING:
After waking up at Korakia and enjoying a gourmet coffee on the patio with a view of the mountain, bike to Zin American Bistro, Grand Central, or Wilma & Frieda. Nothing starts the day like a colorful mimosa and eggs Benedict.
NOON:
Palm Springs Art Museum is a desert treasure. Its rotating exhibits honor modernists, California plein air, and local contemporary artists such as Phillip K. Smith III. Follow your museum visit with a modernism tour with Michael Stern of The Modern Tour and a treat at Great Shakes. Salted caramel is my favorite!
NIGHT:
After a well-deserved nap, enjoy walking downtown Palm Springs to scope out the many art and architecture installations and grab dinner at the trending Bar Cecil. I recommend it for the lively conversation and engaging staff.
Is produce really less flavorful and nutritious than it used to be? Why?
So many of the farming operations have gone under a corporate structure. There’s a [saying] in agriculture: “For a tree or plant to produce its highest quality, the farmer’s shadow has to fall on the plant.” The only way that happens is the farmer has to be there. If there’s no shadow, there’s no quality. … I remember [saying], “I do not like dates.” Then, I changed my phraseology. I said, “You know, it’s not that I don’t like dates. I don’t like lousy dates.” I learned how to make them taste even better. I used my agricultural knowledge. There are many things you can do to get quality fruit, to nourish the tree. Our goal is to get our dates into the hands of as many people as possible. Because if you like dates, once you taste one of our dates, you tend to like them more.
— Sam Cobb, farmer and owner, Sam Cobb Farms in Desert Hot Springs
Gabino’s Creperie.
PHOTO COURTESY GABINO'S CREPERIE
If you want a quick and healthful lunch, place an order at one of these eateries. On the Mark Palm Springs, a gourmet market and deli, stocks an array of artisan cheeses, pâtes, and other picnic items and also makes sandwiches to order. Down the street, Gabino’s Creperieserves salads and savory crêpes from a walk-up window, while Townie Bagels tops their water-boiled bagels with lox and other sandwich fixings. In Indio, sandwich-focused TKB Bakery & Deli was named by Yelp as the No. 1 restaurant in America in 2018, beating out even Michelin-starred destinations.
Looking for libations somewhere off the beaten path? Greater Palm Springs is home to a few speakeasies and underground bars. The aviation-themed PS Air Bar inside the wine and liquor store Bouschet in Palm Springs features bartenders dressed as flight attendants, airplane seats for lounging, and flight-themed cocktails. Nearby Truss & Twine presents a modern, industrial-style spot with desert-inspired bites and imaginative sips, and Tailor Shop uses bitters, florals, and fresh ingredients to create contemporary drinks. At Parker Palm Springs, Counter Reformation wine bar offers a global menu, and Seymour’s, tucked behind a curtain in Mr. Lyons Steakhouse, sets a moody scene for its inventive concoctions.
The Penney & Parlour.
COURTESY THE PENNEY & PARLOUR.
Order a creative cocktail inspired by recipes from the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s at GiGi’s Palm Springs, a Tulum-meets-Beverly-Hills restaurant at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains. The Penney & Parlour at Desert Island Country Club in Rancho Mirage features a library of rare spirits and a light-bites menu to enjoy while listening to a live pianist. For summer spritzes and craft cocktails, Little Bar in Palm Desert is another lively spot. (Try the key lime pie martini!) If whiskey is your jam, look no further than Blackbook, which stocks more than 450 bottles alongside beer, seltzers, and hard kombucha. Open late on El Paseo in Palm Desert, the elevated Libation Room lounge attracts an interesting mix of locals.
La Quinta Brewing Co.
COURTESY LA QUINTA BREWING CO.
With three locations in Greater Palm Springs, La Quinta Brewing Co. serves a variety of award-winning beers. Coachella Valley Brewing Co. in Thousand Palms uses locally sourced ingredients for their brews, and Taproom 29 at Coachella’s Spotlight 29 Casino serves theirs at precisely 29 degrees. In Palm Desert, Desert Beer Company pairs a laid-back atmosphere with rotating taps. For a side of barbecue with your beer, head to Babe’s Bar-B-Que & Breweryin Rancho Mirage. If tacos are more your style, choose Luchador Brewing Company in Cathedral City. And if you’re more of a vodka or bourbon-whiskey person, pick up a locally distilled bottle of Racquet Club Spirits, available at stores around the valley.
Delicias Mexican Cuisine.
PHOTO BY MOLLIE KIMBERLING
In the desert, margaritas are perfect after a warm, sunny day by the pool. Bar Chingona in Palm Springs offers three options: classic, watermelon, and diabla with habanero syrup. Sample more than one flavor with a tasting flight at Tac/Quila in Palm Springs (spicy cucumber, watermelon tamarind, pineapple passion fruit, and hibiscus pineapple) or Delicias Mexican Cuisine in Desert Hot Springs (prickly pear, watermelon, passion fruit, and pineapple guajillo). Azúcar at La Serena Villas in Palm Springs makes a mean blood orange margarita with tangy fruit purée and tequila reposado. And remember the lime margaritas. Those in the know head to Las Palmas Mexican Cuisine in Desert Hot Springs for the $4.95 weekend special.
Splash House returns for a long weekend of poolside fun.
PHOTO BY KRISTINA BAKREVSKI
June 2 / The star rapper and flautist who makes us dance with hits like “About Damn Time” and “Truth Hurts” will bring her Special Tour to Acrisure Arena with “Big Energy” rapper Latto.
June 2–11 / We love an excuse to restaurant-hop. During this annual event, eateries across the Coachella Valley serve prix fixe menus and offer deals.
June 4 / Students will showcase their work at the Palm Springs Cultural Center for this annual event.
June 9–11 / A long weekend of DJ-spun pool parties takes over three hotels in Palm Springs by day and the Palm Springs Air Museum by night.
June 16 / The multiple-time Billboard Award winners from Mexico’s banda breadbasket will light up Acrisure Arena in the early days of summer.
June 16 / Eight-time country chart topper Lee Brice will play hits like “I Drive Your Truck” and “Memory I Don’t Mess With” at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio.
June 16 / This Oklahoman found the spotlight on Instagram and TikTok, then produced his own comedy special, available for streaming on YouTube. See his Grow Up tour at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage.
June 18 / Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall burst onto the scene in the aughts with two inescapable mega-hits. Expect to hear “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” and “Suddenly I See” when she heads to Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneertown.
June 18 / This bluegrass titan has leveled rooms with her sound for decades, picking up a Grammy and becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry for good measure. She’ll perform at Palm Springs Cultural Center with her band The Rage.
June 18–23 / Cool off in the nearby mountain town of Idyllwild while learning about Indigenous cultures. This week of programming, free to the public, features a variety of presentations focusing on the role comedy plays in Native communities, as well as artisan markets and stand-up sets.
June 20–26 / Palm Springs International Film Festival’s yearly celebration of micro-movies comes to the Palm Springs Cultural Center for a week of talkbacks with directors and talent and, of course, a packed lineup of screenings.
June 24 / Are these “One Week” hitmakers oddball humorists? Or are they just Canadian? Find out when they play Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.
June 24 / The record-setting player whose iconic form is forever immortalized as the official logo for the NBA shares stories from the basketball court at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage.
Through July 2 / The Architecture and Design Center in Palm Springs brings attention to the subtle architectural genius of wood framing through models, photos, furniture, and a full-scale structure.
Through July 16 / In his Outburst Project exhibition at Palm Springs Art Museum, Tajh Rust presents portraits of Black individuals from Brazil, Senegal, and New York. The intimate works invite viewers to wonder what emotions prompt the subjects’ contemplative expressions.
June 7–July 29 / Original works by local artists will be on display at the Stephen Baumbach Gallery in Palm Springs. Plan to visit on opening night for a reception with bites and beverages provided.
Keep up with all Greater Palm Springs events by checking our calendar!
Matt Dillon and Patricia Arquette star in High Desert from Apple TV+.
PHOTO COURTESY APPLE TV+
For almost as long as people have been wandering into it, the desert has served as a backdrop to personal reinventions.
Festivalgoers blow into town for a weekend designed to indulge the most camera-ready versions of their repressed ids. Architects venture to the desert to experiment with new forms against a seemingly blank slate. Con artists move out to the hinterlands to steal a bit of glamour from the stark landscape’s closeness to death and dub themselves shamans.
If anyone could use a reinvention, it’s Peggy Newman. The protagonist of High Desert — the latest series from Apple TV+, which premiered May 17 —is a former drug dealer and recovering addict barely holding on to the scraps of a once-ritzy life in the Coachella Valley. Starring Patricia Arquette, the series from writing team Katie Ford, Nancy Fichman, and Jennifer Hoppe-House picks up several years after a dramatic DEA raid on Thanksgiving upends Peggy’s life (and just weeks after the death of her mother).
Peggy makes ends meet via a series of odd jobs that include working as a historical reenactor in a slowly drowning version of Pioneertown and working in the office of equally precarious private investigator Bruce (Brad Garrett). Fichman hatched the idea for the series years ago, originally setting the drama around Tucson and another Old West stage show.
“This [show] has been around forever,” Hoppe-House says. “Originally, Nancy wrote it with her sister. When [her sister] passed, [Nancy] was looking for ideas for the eulogy and pulled out this script.”
Fichman and Hoppe-House reworked the script, eventually getting it in front of Patricia Arquette. And it was the soon-to-be star of the show who pushed for High Desert to be set in, well, the High Desert.
Arquette took them on a whirlwind tour of the area, including Pioneertown and Joshua Tree’s World Famous Crochet Museum, Hoppe-House recalls. Arquette’s point was that the occasionally glitzy and always intimidating California desert was much more suitable for an oddball like Peggy. The showrunners agreed.
Hoppe-House notes that the desert is “full of prophets and fugitives and people who don’t want to be found” yet also carries the legacy of midcentury high society and celebrities like Frank Sinatra. It’s where Peggy is because it’s exactly the sort of place a lover of fine things who nevertheless finds herself drawn to troubled souls would end up.
In Fichman and Hoppe-House’s vision, the worn-down glamour of Yucca Valley and the surrounding area is reflected in nearly every aspect of the story. Every endeavor Peggy undertakes is on the verge of collapse and held together by her sheer tenacity. She soldiers on in her do-over like the comically battered and somehow still running sedan she drives around in the early episodes, mirroring Arquette’s own fight to get the series made.
“Patricia sunk her teeth into this and refused to let go,” Hoppe-House says. “She took it to [executive producer] Ben Stiller. She fought for this, and we owe everything to her, really.”
In a perfect blending of story and setting, the resulting show harks back to midcentury Southern California noirs, something the “elevated thriller” writing veterans are more than familiar with. Like the purifying work of sand and sun, they’ve blasted away the murky contours of Los Angeles and revealed their ultimately sorta-funny core. The story is perfectly tuned for Fichman and Hoppe-House, who have spent decades working in Hollywood and have crafted a story that seems truly tired of artifice, glitter, and other forms of bullshit.
“We’ve been doing this for a really long time,” Fichman says. “I’m glad the show is happening now. I worry for people who [become successful] too early.”
Just ask Peggy. Burning too bright too soon led to her fall from a Palm Springs hobnobber to a semi-legal private eye on line at a High Desert methadone clinic. Still, you get the sense that Peggy’s trying to make the most of her new life and bring everyone else with her.
“She takes care of the broken birds around her,” says Hoppe-House.
“Everybody wants a Peggy in their lives,” Finchman adds.
The thing about attempted reinventions is this: They are never quite complete, especially when you’re trying to leave behind the crab bucket of long-term substance abuse. The desert can sandblast a person down, peeling away layers of artifice, but the core is still there. The festivalgoer is still an Angeleno at heart. The architect’s inspiration turns into something thoroughly urban. The con artist’s grift is laid bare. Even sober and working, Peggy is still the type of person who can’t suppress her need to live loudly, like when she uses a sudden windfall to buy a dune buggy to get around town.
As Peggy attempts to will herself out of her midlife morass and leave behind her criminal past, the people around her get dragged deeper and deeper into a web of murderous art-world criminals, huckster gurus, and loveable drug dealers.
You never lose the sense that Peggy and her thinly veiled bulldog ferocity are going to make it out, though. She’s the type to pickpocket plumbers in service of friends and rob pills from charlatans to make enough for a night of bingo. In short, she’s a survivor, and she sees to it that the people she loves survive, too.
This is underlined in an early episode when Peggy sees a flower growing out of a cactus and is overwhelmed. (The fact that she’s likely tripping on LSD is irrelevant.) In a bit of dialogue that could easily sum up Peggy and the show’s whole thesis, Arquette tells the delicate plant about itself: “You’re going to outlive us all.”