The new legend of Samantha Davis

PALM SPRINGS, CA - When I first arrived in Palm Springs, running around with a crew of cool white boys, I kind of felt like I was part of the new rat pack or something...  It was definitely part of the initial allure. 

My first visit was for business - the Arrive Hotel specifically, so we spent our first day touring all of the major hotels in Palm Springs.  In one afternoon we walked through a dozen hotel lobbies and there was something about the way we all strut past the valets and the poolsides that made me feel like I was rehearsing for a Hollywood movie.  Emphasis on Hollywood.

Later that day, over drinks at the Sparrows hotel, a rustic retreat for the "in the know" crowd, someone made the obvious comparison to the Rat Pack and we all agreed - which would then make me the obvious pick for Sammy Davis, Jr. as the only black person in the group.

By the end of the night, "Sammy" had morphed into "Samantha," and while I'm not one for alter egos, "Samantha Davis" was born.  At the very least, the name is much easier to use at valet parking than the mouthful that is "Athalie" or "Laguerre."

Fast forward a few weeks from that night, when buying a house in Palm Springs, it seemed like an obvious sign from the universe when my top choice was on Davis Street.  Samantha Davis, strikes again! 

So as I finish decorating this house on Davis Street, I think a lot about the kind of person this Samantha Davis might be.  She is the kind of girl who fills the refrigerator with champagne, loves gold and hot pink, and once upon a time bought a white baby grand piano from a vintage sale on New Year's Eve.