TRAVEL TUESDAY / DIPPING INTO THE DESERT FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Robolights (above) is an art installation in Palm Springs, California. It consists of sculptures made by artist Kenny Irwin Jr. starting in 1986 and surround his house at 1077 E Granvia Valmonte. All the sculptures are made from recycled materials.  At 70,000 annual visitors on average, Robolight is estimated as the largest residential, private Christmas lights display in the United States.

By Jennifer Silva Redmond, Author of Honeymoon at Sea. Next in a continuing series of liveaboard (and off) adventures. 

When our good friends who have a house in Palm Springs invited us for the holidays, we jumped at the chance to jump ship and leave the boat behind for a few days. It's always nice to spend time at their home, lovingly named Blisters, regardless of the weather but there's so much more to do there when it isn't summertime hot. 

First we picked up a rental car and then had to tackle the three-hour drive, heading north amongst the hordes of others then turning east with a mass of cars all being funneled onto the I-10 freeway that leads to Palm Springs. 

 Arriving at Blisters, we greeted Neil and Brad, and Otis their handsome and exuberant Goldendoodle. We quickly stashed our bags in the guest room and went straight out to the pool’s hot tub, which they had warmed up to 100 degrees. We stepped in to the bubbling water, each of us clutching the cold cocktail we’d been handed. 

The starry night was perfectly clear above us, and the scent of citrus blossoms wafted to us from the lime, lemon, and grapefruit trees in their backyard. Quite soon all the stress of the drive had melted away. We four always indulge in plenty of Mexican food when we get together and this weekend was no exception. 

For dinner we went to El Mirasol Cocina Mexicana (above), which sits right on a busy avenue but feels tucked away—and the food is fabulous. Russel picked cheese enchiladas and I got chile rellenos and we all four shared bites of delicious Chile Verde and Shrimp Picado. There’s nothing like sitting on a patio and watching the pretty people go by as you munch a freshly dipped chip and sip a tangy Skinny Margarita. It’s the perfect combination of relaxing and entertaining. 

The next morning started with a walk out at Whitewater Preserve (above), a spacious ramble with great mountain views that make it worth scrambling over the rocks. On previous trips we’ve hiked down at the Indian Canyons, just south of Palm Springs, winding our way through the palm tree-lined canyons. That’s the right spot for a shady stroll on a hot summer day, but on this weekend we had such cool weather there was no need to seek a shady oasis. 

 Lunch was Mexican again, but this time it was take-out from a great little place in a strip mall not far away. We had street tacos with black beans and rice, with lots of salsa picante and some spicy Bloody Marys to wash it all down, all consumed out in the back patio while Otis dashed and splashed after balls thrown into the pool. 

 Of course, walking around in downtown Palm Springs was necessary to burn off lunch so we’d be hungry for dinner later. The best way to feed our minds and spirits was visiting a couple of art galleries and some trendy interior design shops. Russel and I love to follow along and “shop” in places like that, taking in all the cool house and garden decor stuff that we will never need on our boat, but which are so much fun to look at. 

We always find the cinemas when we visit Palm Springs, even if we are not there in January for Palm Springs International Film Festival (left). You can always find great new movies running in one of the town’s many theaters, but after making and consuming a big salad and pasta dinner that night we four were happy to retreat to Blisters’ gloriously colorful living room, reclining on the comfy leather couches and watching Oscar Nominated DVD screeners on the big-screen TV. 

 The next morning they took us to a gorgeous golf course, so the four of us strolled and took pictures of the views while Otis trotted alongside, tired out from his earlier game of fetch with Neil in the adjacent park. Then it was home for a deli-inspired feast of sandwiches with potato salad, cole slaw, and all the fixings. 

We debated doing more shopping in town but decided on driving over to take the just-under-15-minute trip on the rotating cars of the famous Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (above) up the side of San Jacinto Peak. On this clear winter day, the views of the Valley were stunning. At Mountain Station, we walked into Mount San Jacinto State Park, strolled around in the snow and shivered a bit, then went back down the mountain to where it was 60° and sunny. 

 After dark on Sunday, it was time for some holiday fun. Neil had been telling us about Robolights and we just had to see it. Eccentric artist Kenny Irwin has created a very special brand of sculpture installation/event, which is almost impossible to describe—a guy with a penchant for baby dolls and other sorts of cultural icons has stuck everything including the kitchen sink together into bizarre tableaus and then lit it all with a zillion watts of lighting. You pay a few dollars per person—well worth it to wander through this plastic wonderland full of odd, scary, strange items, all arranged in weird and humorous ways. From outside it might look garish and overdone, but once you're inside, it's quite extraordinary—it is definitely overdone, but that is the point. It sounded like a bad joke when Neil first described it to us—an avid art collector himself, Neil’s taste can be quite avant garde—but we were definitely glad we went. It’s not like anything else I have ever seen, and I would highly recommend it for anybody going to Coachella Valley. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robolights  

Unfortunately, Monday morning Neil and Brad had to go back to Los Angeles so they could go to work, so we were on our own after hugs, pics, and goodbyes. Then it was off to The Front Porch in downtown where Russel and I shared a lovely meal at a sunny outdoor table. My bagel and lox plate was delicious (and so perfectly Palm Springs) and I got to try a bite of Russel’s cheesy spinach omelette. Then we strolled around to look at stores. From the Just Fabulous gift shop, which was all that and more, we strolled down to The Best Bookstore in Palm Springs (above). Seriously, that’s the name of the place, which was new to us, and it really was a great bookstore. Just catty corner across the street was the historic Welwood Murray Memorial Library, so we just had to “check it out.” 

We walked further down the avenue, doing some window shopping, and a few minutes later, we stopped in to the McCallum Adobe which houses the Palm Springs Historical Society. Inside, we perused the cool books and read all the plaques. After that, it was time for delicious ice cream at Great Shakes (below), only a few steps away. 

 

My dear husband, Russel is always interested in going to see old airplanes—we two have been to museums as far away as Pensacola, Florida, and as close as San Diego. Thank goodness we didn’t have to try and talk our friends into going to the Palm Springs Air Museum which was just a short car ride away. And, yes, I did enjoy it, especially seeing the P-51 Mustang (“Cadillac of the Sky!” as young Christian Bale cried in Empire of the Sun), I’d love to buy Russel a flight on a Mustang but at $2,000 an hour, that experience will have to wait for the next windfall. 

But we could feel like high-rollers for the price of a cocktail at Melvyn’s (above), at the Ingleside Inn Estate—just a couple blocks off the busy main boulevard but which feels a world away—and that is where we headed next. This lovely hideaway is one of the few remaining places in Coachella Valley where you can order a classic cocktail like a Ramos Fizz or a Boulevardier and not be met with a blank face and a “huh?” On a previous visit years back we’d been serenaded by a quartet playing old standards, but today found us among a very small group at the quiet, dimly-lit bar, which made the setting perfect for a low-key happy hour. The steak-heavy menu was tempting, but we decided not to stay for dinner, as we had leftovers to consume back at Blisters. We perused the vintage photos on the walls on our way out of the building, then stepped out to the street to find the sun setting over a city sparkling with holiday lights. 

 The final stop on our Palm Springs itinerary came the next morning, when we stopped about a half hour after tearfully leaving Blisters, which we knew would be going through a major renovation before we saw it next. In Cabazon, we stopped at the Desert Hills Premium Outlets for some serious shopping. There are dozens of discount outlets in the two malls and the stores include some of our favorites like Columbia and North Face. Later we packed our purchases in the trunk and headed south again, already missing our favorite desert home-away-from-home. We’ll definitely be back, and hopefully very soon.

Notes: An earlier version of this essay was originally published in Womancake Magazine in 2024; it is reprinted here with the permission of that publication. 

 Enjoy Womancake Magazine at: https://www.womancake.com/ 

 Follow Jennifer’s Substack at https://honeymoonatsea.substack.com/ "Honeymoon at Sea: How I Found Myself Living on a Small Boat" can be purchased online or please feel free to order it at your favorite bookstore. 

P-51 Mustang on display at the Palm Springs Air Museum

MEDIA MONDAY / CONGRESS MULLS SUPREME COURT TERM LIMITS

The Supreme Court building is at 1 First Street, NE, Washington DC on First Street NE between East Capitol Street and Maryland Avenue.  It's directly across from the U.S. Capitol and just north of the Jefferson wing of the Library of Congress.

Proposed Limits Set at 18-Years 

GUEST BLOG / By Newsweek's Senior Crime and Court Reporter Robert Alexander--A bill proposing term limits for Supreme Court justices has received a boost late last week after Representative Mike Levin, a California Democrat, announced his support for the measure on social media. 

The legislation, titled the Supreme Court Term Limits and Regular Appointments Act of 2025, was introduced in the House on February 6 and referred to the House Judiciary Committee. 

The proposal would reshape how long Supreme Court justices wield power and how often vacancies occur, altering an institution whose rulings have lasting national impact. 

By replacing lifetime appointments with fixed 18-year terms, the bill aims to create regular, predictable turnover and reduce the political intensity surrounding individual nominations. 

Supporters argue the change would limit the concentration of judicial power while preserving independence through continued service as senior justices. The measure also raises broader questions about the balance between the presidency and the Senate and reflects increasing scrutiny of the Court’s role, legitimacy, and accountability in American governance. 

What To Know 

The bill, H.R. 1074, would establish 18-year terms for Supreme Court justices and create a regular appointment schedule. Under its provisions, the president would nominate one justice during the first and third years following a presidential election, resulting in a new appointment every two years. 

The proposal is sponsored by Representative Ro Khanna of California and has multiple Democratic co-sponsors. 

In a post published December 11 on X, Levin said he was “proud to cosponsor a bill to set 18-year term limits for Supreme Court justices.” He wrote that “an 18-year term, with one new Justice appointed every two years, will bring balance and predictability,” adding, “No more strategic retirements. Just a steady, fair process that restores trust.” 

How It Would Change The Supreme Court 

The legislation would not require current justices to leave the Court. Justices appointed before the bill’s enactment would be exempt from the new term limits and would not be counted toward the nine-justice panel exercising judicial power, according to the text. 

After completing an 18-year term, newly appointed justices would be deemed retired from regular active service and designated as senior justices. As senior justices, former members of the Court could continue to perform judicial duties when designated and assigned by the chief justice, a system the bill models on existing practices in other parts of the federal judiciary. 

Levin highlighted this feature in his post, writing that justices would “continue contributing as senior judges, the same way it already works across much of the federal judiciary.” The bill also includes a provision addressing Senate confirmation delays. If the Senate does not act on a Supreme Court nominee within 120 days, it would be deemed to have waived its advice and consent authority, and the nominee would be seated automatically. 

Political And Legal Outlook 

Supporters argue that the measure would align the Supreme Court more closely with practices used by state courts. Levin wrote that “nearly every state uses some form of term limits or reappointment for their highest courts,” and said the proposal would “strengthen the system without politicizing it”. He also argued that lifetime appointments give individual justices “extraordinary power for far too long,” while term limits would “modernize” the Court and make it more accountable. 

The idea of Supreme Court term limits has circulated in Congress for years. A similar bill was introduced during the 117th Congress [2021-22] but did not advance. As with previous efforts, the current proposal faces legal and political questions, including whether such changes could be enacted by statute alone or would require a constitutional amendment. 

At this stage, H.R. 1074 has not received a hearing or a committee vote. Its prospects remain uncertain in a divided Congress, where changes to the Supreme Court have historically drawn intense scrutiny. 

What People Are Saying 

California Democrat Mike Levin on X wrote: “I’m proud to cosponsor a bill to set 18-year term limits for Supreme Court justices.” 

When asked about proposals to change how the Supreme Court is structured last year, a Trump campaign adviser said the then-GOP presidential nominee believes “the nomination of a Supreme Court justice is the most important decision an American President can make” and that he would continue appointing judges who “interpret the law as written.” 

What Happens Next 

The bill now sits with the House Judiciary Committee, which would need to hold hearings and advance it before any full House vote. If it were to pass the House, it would still need Senate approval and the president’s signature. Even then, the proposal could face court challenges over whether Supreme Court term limits can be imposed by statute rather than by constitutional amendment, leaving its ultimate future uncertain.