Western Living Magazine
The Room: 3 Beautiful Mud Rooms That Work Overtime
The 101: How to Choose the Right Window Coverings
This $150K Nelson Kitchen Renovation Trades Castle Vibes for Spanish Revival Style
Don’t Let Tomato Season End Without Trying These Recipes
3 B.C. Wines to Drink This Fall, From Big Reds to Sparkling
How to Support Summerland’s Wineries One Bottle at a Time
The Past Is Always Present in Québec City
Where to Wine and Dine Around Kelowna in 2026
Farm to Glass: 13 Kelowna Spots That Celebrate Okanagan Bounty
In Living Colour: 7 Silver Chrome Home Finds That Shine
10 New Furniture, Lighting and Decor Finds for 2026
In Living Colour: 8 Striped Home Finds for Summer
PHOTOS: Party Pics from our 2026 Designers of the Year Awards Party at Inform
Introducing the 2026 WL Designers of the Year
Robert Ledingham Memorial Award 2026: Schédio Spaces
Anyone have $4.5 million?
Thanks to the pandemic, we haven’t spent as much time checking in on Western Canadians’ fave winter getaways as we usually do. On the upside there is some cautious optimism that travel may be easing back into some semblance of normal. On the downside, our go-to spots are slammed with American visitors and prices are seriously elevated€”and nowhere more so than real estate, where Palm Springs has been leading the surge. So believe me when I say the $4,500,000 the sellers are asking for this historic house is actually not that bad a deal.
Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra were all synonymous with the golden era of Palm Springs. One of Frank’s houses €”Villa Maggio€” is still for sale, Bob’s famous John Lautner residence is the most recognizable house in the valley and this is Bing’s compound. It’s set on over an acre in Thunderbird Heights, a gated community that blends old-school charm with luxe properties (a certain ex-President is a rumoured resident). And Bing had a nice slice of it.
Well, let’s start with the positives: it’s huge. 6 bedrooms, 5 baths, 6,700 square feet. And the principal rooms are likewise very expansive€”check out how much room there is in that master bedroom. The kitchen has clearly been redone (there’s not much mid-century left in any part of the house), and while it’s traditional, it’s also pretty swank. And there’s a full screening room€”to watch White Christmas in, no doubt.
READ MORE: Sinatra’s Bonkers Desert Compound Is For Sale
Well, the decor needs an update. You maybe don’t need to move walls, but some bathroom refreshes (goodbye glass brick!) and surface refreshes are in order.
If Bing isn’t enough, there’s the fact that the casita is named after its frequent guest, JFK, who also was rumoured have had a “one-on-one” meeting with Marilyn Monroe in said guest house. So there’s that.
The complete listing is here.
Neal McLennan is the wine and spirits editor for Vancouver and Western Living magazines, where he susses out the wonderful (and occasionally weird) options for imbibing across Western Canada.
Are you over 18 years of age?
Get the latest headlines delivered to your inbox 3 times a week.