New Year's Eve at Melvyn's

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