Feb. 2 Daily Briefing: Money for art and shade, a new grocery store is sprouting, books our readers recommend, and more

Well it’s Groundhog Day. Again. If you’ve watched the film by the same name as many times as one of us has, you may be contemplating life’s deeper meaning, rebirth, the human condition, or the the merits of self-improvement today. You might also find it strange that we focus on Gobbler’s Knob to see if Punxsutawney Phil will bring good or bad news to residents of colder areas. Here, we’re waiting for Mojave Maxine, a tortoise at The Living Desert who enters brumation in November and usually leaves her burrow around this time to remind us that warmer weather is coming. No matter what’s on your mind today, we’re just happy for anything that helps break up the winter doldrums!

🎶 Setting the mood: “Glory” by Gabriels (The song is already great, but just wait until you hear what happens about two minutes into the song. – Kendall)

LEADING OFF

$180K approved for new art, ‘Beautiful Shade’ for parks

Palm Springs parks will soon be bursting with new pieces of art, some of it functional.

Driving the news: During their meeting on Thursday, the Public Arts Commission voted to approve $100,000 for art in Victoria Park and the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center and another $80,000 for the “Beautiful Shade” project to bring beautiful and functional art to city parks.

Looking back: The idea for the shade project was first floated back in November. Most parks already have utilitarian shade structures that provide some relief, but the new art would beautify the park as well as provide shade.

• There are no specific parks in mind for the beautiful shade project.

Dive deeper: Arts Commission funds will pay for the Initial designs and prototypes. Later, Measure J taxes or other city funding will fund the manufacturing of the pieces. 

By the numbers: The $80,000 would be split between several artists creating pieces with different budgets. The commission is looking for at least one project in the $5,000 tier, another in the $15,000 tier, and one in the $50,000 tier.

• Depending on how many submissions they get, they can split up the rest of the money accordingly.

What to watch for: The commission estimates that a call for artists will go out in June for the two projects at Victoria Park and the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center. If everything is approved swiftly, the art could be up as soon as April of next year.

• The artist can use the $50,000 however they see fit. They could spend it all on one $50,000 project or on five $10,000 projects.

Dive deeper into what “Beautiful Shade” can mean for the city, especially for marginalized residents.

BRIEFLY

🥕 New grocery store sprouting in Palm Springs

Developers representing Sprouts Farmers Market, a chain grocery store, filed paperwork with the city last month to open a branch in the former Bed Bath & Beyond store in The Springs shopping center near Gene Autry Trail and Ramon Road.

• City staff approved minor architectural changes for the store. They call for tenant improvements of the building in order to house both a Sprouts and a second tenant yet to be determined.
  
  
• In a letter to city planning services, a representative from the architecture firm working on the project described the improvements in more detail: They intend to keep the exterior design as-is as much as possible while adding details like paint that fits the Sprouts brand.
  
  
• Bottom line: This will be the first Sprouts in Palm Springs, but the third in the Coachella Valley. The company opened a branch in Indian Wells last October and has another location in La Quinta.

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YOUR WEEKEND

ALL WEEKEND

Palm Springs Readers’ Festival
Friday – Sunday | Hotel Zoso
Join fellow bookworms for a weekend of talks, panels, and book signings from more than a dozen influential authors. ($40)

“Mid-Century Moderns”
Friday – Sunday | Revolution Stage Company
Catch this homegrown musical comedy this weekend at Revolution Stage Company. (Tickets start at $55, but you can get $20 off using promo code REV20 at checkout.)

“Cabaret”
Friday – Sunday | Coachella Valley Repertory
CVRep performs “Cabaret,” the eight-time Tony Award-winning musical that takes place in Berlin in the twilight of the jazz age. ($50)

“The Lifespan of a Fact”
Friday – Sunday | Desert Ensemble Theatre 
It’s your last weekend to see the Desert Ensemble Theatre perform “The Lifespan of a Fact.” The story follows the fact-checker of a renowned essayist. Throughout the weekend, the two come head to head in a comic battle over facts versus truth. ($37)

Cinema Francais Palm Springs
Friday – Sunday | Cultural Center
The Desert Film Society invites you to immerse yourself in a weekend of captivating French cinema featuring an array of feature-length and short films by acclaimed French filmmakers (with English subtitles). ($15)

TODAY

Certified Farmers’ Market
8 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Camelot Theatre
The market returns to its outdoor location, with local farmers and vendors offering fresh agri­cul­tural and related products.

PS Woman’s Club Annual Patio Sale
8 a.m. | Palm Springs Woman’s Club
The Palm Springs Woman’s Club is hosting its 19th annual Patio Sale. The items for sale come from the group’s 150 members, and the funds raised go towards their charitable work, including scholarships for local high schoolers.

Black History Committee 14th Annual Awards Gala
6 p.m. | Margaritaville
The gala will recognize individuals and organizations in the community who have allied or contributed to the success of African American achievements in Palm Springs. 

SUNDAY

Palm Springs Vintage Market
8 a.m. | Camelot Theater
This monthly market features unique and quirky furniture, décor, clothing, accessories, and more. Enjoy the shopping, or just browse and take in the music and food. ($5)

SAVE THE DATE

• Agua Caliente Lecture Series: Basket Starts on Feb. 7 at the Agua Caliente Cultural Center.
  
  
• Rock the Park: A Tribute to David Bowie on Feb. 7 at the Downtown Park.
  
  
• Tour de Palm Springs on Feb. 10 in Downtown Palm Springs.
  
  
• Modernism Week from Feb. 15 through Feb. 25.
  
  
• Palm Springs International Jazz Festival on Feb. 24 and 25.
  
  
• Palm Springs Woman’s Club Scholarship Luncheon at the Hilton on March 27.*

*Sponsored listing

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AND FINALLY …

You may remember that last month, we piggybacked off The New York Times idea of asking its readers to name their favorite books about California by asking our readers to name their favorite books about Palm Springs. 

Looking back: We asked, and you delivered, sending in more than a dozen suggestions of books about the city, that somehow featured the city, or were written by authors who live here. We compiled that list here and even threw in a few with no connection to the city other than our readers like them.

Zoom in: We also asked where you liked to read in the city. Most of you who answered that question mentioned that your patio on a nice sunny day is your favorite place to curl up with a book. But the Palm Springs Library was a close second, and even the Top of the Tram got a vote.

But wait: Not only have we compiled the list, but our friends at The Best Bookstore in Palm Springs have agreed to stock up on each and every one, just in case you’re interested in filling your bookcase. Once the books are in, they’ll even have a display of books “As recommended by readers of The Palm Springs Post.”

• As if that weren’t enough book love, make sure to check out the bookstore’s first-ever Palm Springs Readers’ Festival, running today through Sunday.