It’s no mystery why so many people come to Palm Springs during the North America winter. While much of the country is suffering through the latest polar vortex, Palm Springs is framed by brilliant blue sky, the dark mountains rising behind the town contrasted with the bright green grass of the golf courses and the profusion of flowering plants and shrubs. And of course, there are the palm trees.
One of the newest sights in the downtown strip is the Marilyn Monroe sculpture. It stands 26 feet tall and weighs 34,300 pounds. The sculpture of stainless steel and aluminum was created by American artist Seward Johnson as part of his Icons Revisited series. It was unveiled in Chicago in July 2011, then transported to Palm Springs in May of 2012. The patina applied to the sculpture creates a very realistic looking skin tone.
While in Palm Springs, we were fortunate to be able to connect with Gene DeBuno, a very close friend of Valerie’s family who now lives in Palm Springs. We enjoyed a nice lunch with Gene and his granddaughter Keri at Billy Reed’s restaurant.
Second Act 
My parents live in Palm Desert and love it!
It’s a beautiful place, just has 3 months or so when it’s super hot.