In the publishing industry, the opportunities to travel for work are generally few and far between and usually take you to "exotic" locations such as Fairfield, PA. Or maybe Chicago. In January. And now that I'm a freelancer, "business travel" has become another way of saying "a vacation that somehow gets written off." So getting to fly down to Palm Springs this last Friday on behalf of one of my clients, Vendome Press, was a rare treat.
The trip was to review the first pass color proofs for Vendome's upcoming book Sunnylands: America's Midcentury Masterpiece with the staff of the Sunnylands Center & Gardens. More than just a stunning example of midcentury architecture and interior design, Sunnylands is known as the "Camp David of the West" and has played host to a number of presidents, including President Obama, both when they needed to get away and for high-level summits. It's really a fascinating place, and the visit was quite useful for the color proofing as I was able to see all the colors in the house firsthand. And having the chance to tour the nearby Joshua Tree National Park on Saturday was an added bonus.
Of course, to balance out this truly unique experience, I have to figure that the next time I get to travel for business, I'll be going to Fort Wayne, IN. Or maybe Phoenix. In July.