“It’s also a big day at Pala Spr-
ings airport,’’ added the captain,
“for we're taking in the first wide
body.””

«In row nine a raan nudged his
wife and said in a stage whisper:
“That must be you, Mabel.’””

Leaving Mabel’s husband to his
fate, tne passengers spread
themselves around Palm Springs,
wany of them to hotels which were
part of Wardair Holidays’ one-
and two-week packages, while
others went their own ways to
long-stay condos where they would
spend the winter in 85-degree
California bliss.

Peak season is January to April,
when the movie stars and moguls
flee the smog of Hollywood for the
clear, dry air of Palm Springs,
which in turn has always seemed
expensive. Nowhere in the valley
will you find a motel, for example;
the word is forbidden by law to
keep up the tone.

Rather, Maxim’s has a Rolls-
Royce at the airport to pick up
guests who wil! luxuriate in its
marbled suites, while out at Indian
Wells the 335-room Hyatt Grand
Champions resort offers tennis
with Boris Becker. But there’s
more to Palm Springs. There's
Don and Mary Robidoux, who
operate Le Petit Chatezu (619-
325-2686), 10 rooms of Mediterra-
nean-style imagination hidden
behind bougainvillea-covered walls
a mile from downtown Palm Spr-

ings.

The draw here is sunbathing
sround the pool, ‘‘au naturel,’’ for
which guests pay U.S. $89 to $105
for comfortable rooms with cook-
ing facilities. However, a delicious

. breakfast is served, which I samp/-
ed fully clothed. Don says sun-
bathers are different from nudists
who tend to be overweight, un-
‘tightly and swoppers.

while Maxim’s has a superb
covcierse in Richard Baxter-Jones;

a

Rio ‘dan ngerous

From page 22

called me alout ouying Turkish
carpets on his spring cruise in the
Med: Look. for carpets that have
some percentage of cotton fibre —
the pure weol ones don’t stand up.

The puse silk carpets are meant
for wali hangings, not for the
floor. Asad, 160 knots per square
inch is quality.

and Sandra Peterson at the Grand
Champions is an ace at getting tee
times at the more sought after golf
courses such as PGA West; Don
knows his way around town. He

travel
talk

David Wishart

Pe
leads desert hikes and bike rides,
and when it comes to night life can
disprove the notion that Palm Spr-
ings is dead at night.

The problem, in fact, is choos-
ing the right places. There’s
Zelda’s, Cecil's and Situations
catering to different age groups,
with the Chi-Chi Club the best
all-around spot. If you like pubs
try the Saloon opposite Sharona

Lodge, an attractive hotel used by -

Wardair Holidays.
Eating out in Palm Springs was
an eye-opener. There are some

CHERRY

Your Family,
Health, Wealth
And Happiness
For 1989.

“Working For Your Success.”

I Wish You And

SUSSEX GROUP - S.RC. Realty Corporation
2996 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C.

photo submitted

Plenty to do and see
in balmy Palm Springs

PALM SPRINGS — The Airbus 4310 captain came on the
blower with the usual laconic drawl to say he hoped we were
enjoying the champagne which was to celebrate Wardair
Holidays’ first flight from Vancouver to Palm Springs.

very special places like the patio of
Le Vailauris in Palm Springs or
Jasmine’s at the Grand Champi-
ons, but it is also possible to eat
well for a modest amount.

Hamburger Hamlet’s on Palm
Canyon Drive served the best
burger I have ever had, while for
imaginative, California cuisine at a
reasonable price you can’t beat the
Sonoma Grille at the Embassy
Suites Hotel.

Ken Irwin is the sort one
associates with Palm Springs. He
owns La Mancha, possibly the
most exclusive resort in town: an
elegant retreat of villas with their
own convertibles and swimming

pools.

Elizabeth Taylor and Joan Col-
lins are among the guests who en-
joy the pampering, the tight secu-
rity and the only croquet iawn in
Paim Springs. Over lunch, Irwin
says he has seen big names walk
around in bathrobes and curlers.
“They can relax here,’’ he adds.

And like Le Petit Chateau, some
of his guests like to sunbathe and
Swim au naturel. ‘I had one
guest,’’ says Irwin, ‘“‘who was stay-
ing in the villa next to Elizabeti
Taylor, and he told me he had this
terrible temptation to peek over
the wall.’’

J knew the feeling a little later as
I read by the pool of my villa.
What if Elizabeth Taylor was just
over the wall?- I looked around. La
Mancha provides bathrobes, the
best hotel slippers in the world,
luxurious bathing towels, but
nothing really useful like a
beachball. I went for a swim. The
pool was large, with a jacuzzi too,
but the idez wouldn’t go away.

Then it hit me like a cold shower
— supposing Elizabeth Taylor was
over the wall, but was wearing
curlers? Or it might be Mabel.

BOUTON

Office: 984-9711
Pager: 645-9549

23 -- Sunday, January 1, 1989 - North Shore News

ELEGANT PRIVACY is the hallmark of La Mancha Private Clubs and
Villas in Palm Springs, Catifornia.

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10% off from Jan Srd - 15th
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“Starting January 3/89

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THE CORPORATION OF
THE CITY OF
NORTH VANCOUVER

ADVANCE PAYMENT OF TAXES

The City of North Vancouver has adopted a bylaw which
makes it possible for property owners to pay their property taxes
in advance and to receive interest on the advance payment under
the following conditions:

Advance payments may be made only between January 2rd
and Januar; 31st, 1989 inclusive.

A minimuni peyment of $25.00 is required.

Interest will be allowed from the cate payment is received
to July 4th, 1989 inclusive.

Non-taxable interest will be applied to the current year
taxes.

The rate of interest to be applied on monies received by
the Collector will be the Prime commercial lending rate of interest
charged from time to time by the Royal Bank of Canada, minus
two percent.

For further information, please contact the City of North

Vancouver Tax Department. Telephone 985-7761, Local 316,
between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.

City Hall
141 West 14th Street
North Vancouver, B.C.
V7M 1H9

A.K. Tollstam
Treasurer-Coilector