Poolside in Palm Springs

This morning when we took the dogs out for the daily constitutional, we encountered a group of neighborhood birds assembled for what seemed to be an important meeting: We could only guess as to the subject of their chatter, but I suspect it might have had something to do with the clouds overhead, or even the impending stormy weather they herald. In any case, we also spotted these two across the street, oblivious to any conversation but their own:

Desert icon Suzanne Somers was stunning as usual this week as she walked the red carpet at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in a gold-and-black sequined minidress, and at age 71 she got reviews headlined "Wowza! " But Somers and husband Alan Hamel, 81, also revealed that they've "outgrown" Les Baux de Palm Springs , their unique 73-acre compound overlooking Palm Springs. They plan to auction it on January 31 and move to a new 20-acre place elsewhere in the desert. They've been trying to sell the spread for years at prices up to $35 million, but most recently (2017) there were no buyers at $14.5 million. As our friends at Cactus Hugs point out , there is no minimum bid. The Daily Mail (and Daily Mail TV) tell us more:

Welcome to the neighborhood, Desert Palm Achievement Award winner Gary Oldman and wife Gisele Schmidt! Oldman announced the couple were in the midst of moving to Palm Springs when he accepted the award last night at the Palm Springs International Film Festival awards gala . Congratulations on the new home and on the distinguished award for an astonishing portrayal of Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour . Who says you're never a hit in your home town? As you settle in and get to know the desert better, Mr. and Mrs. Oldman, be sure to drop by Lord Fletcher's in Rancho Mirage for dinner. You'll see a familiar face on the wall there. The Palm Springs International Film Festival continues through January 15.

It's only the second day of 2018 and the desert is hopping with Hollywood stars, gathering for the opening gala of the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Now in its 28th year, the festival has come to be seen as a bellweather for the rest of Hollywood's awards season, as well as a place to be seen by adoring fans who've been camped out on the sidewalk for hours in hopes of getting a selfie, or even an autograph. This year's honorees include Mary J. Blige, Timothee Chalamet, Jessica Chastain, Willem Dafoe, Gal Gadot, Holly Hunter, Allison Janney, Gary Oldman, Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan, and the film The Shape of Water . Stephen Spielberg, Meryl Streep, and Tom Hanks will also be in town during the festival for a special screening of The Post , which isn't even in theaters yet. Speaking of newspapers, our local Desert Sun and the USA Today Network have a handy guide for fans on getting the most out of the gala and especially the red carpet . The gala was s...

 From all of us here at poolside, wishing you a happy and prosperous 2018!

Today Palm Springs mourns the loss of one of its most legendary musical stars: the great jazz singer Keely Smith . From here at Poolside, where her platters are spun to this day, we send our condolences to her family and many friends. Ms. Smith was known for such songs as "That Old Black Magic" and "I've Got You Under My Skin," as well as " Palm Springs Jump ." Here she is on The Frank Sinatra Show in 1958 singing, "When Day is Done."   Perhaps our favorite by Ms. Smith and her husband, Louis Prima, are these simple instructions for life:" You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail. You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail. You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail away! " We think that pretty much covers it.