Indio, California: Gramps and I returned the kids back to their parents before noon (OMG: Lucy woke at 6:30a!) and returned pronto to the Motorcoach Country Club to attend the much-anticipated open houses. "Lots of Dreams" is held once or twice a season so the builders can showcase their work and the owners can show-off their exquisite tastes - while offering their guests cocktails and food.
Building codes have changed drastically since we planned our simple covered pavilion in 2011-12. Now regulations permit sliding glass walls, which then allow climate-controlled interiors. Air conditioning. Vented gas fireplaces. Every year owners conceive fabulous new floorplans and innovative ways to maximize the covered square feet allowed on their lot. (The build-out square feet is determined on lot sizes. Most lots are the same size and permit around 400 square feet. Larger lots - usually corner lots - can have larger buildings.) Each lot is also allowed a casita. The casita can only be 9x13. Most owners put a bathroom/office/murphy bed/storage/washer and dryer in their casita.
We toured through many of the open houses this afternoon and I took too many photos, so I offer a few below:
You know something is up when this is the parking situationon the corner from our lot. (The yellow flowers are ours.)
One of the largest lots at MCC has once again been remodeled by Kurt of Unique Islands for the new owners. As stated above, due to the lot size, the owners are allowed a larger build-out. This is the living area.Note all the glass doors and air conditioning on the ceiling.
Gorgeous kitchen. Dave is returning from inspecting the casita.
The rear garden is HUGE. It has a large pool, hot tub, quite a bit of lawn... and...
a large bar area and outdoor kitchen. Just lovely!
Look who we ran into at another lot - long-time Reader, David, vacationing at MCC from Oklahoma.
After walking to the above extra-large lot on the corner, we continued around the canal to visit a normal-sized lot near the Yacht Club:
Living Area - beautiful tile, granite, brick, back-splash combo!
Kitchen and dining - with a view towards the canal.
Outdoor dining - with a hot tub on the left
View of this lot from the canal
After making the half-mile circuit on foot, we hopped in our golf cart and went to explore the open houses on the west side of the resort... stopping by the Liberty Coach display for a little snack - Caprese Salad Cups - catered by the Motorcoach Country Club restaurant.
We also saw a build-out with a never-seen-before (by me) center dining countertop bar:
Great use of space and such beautiful stone, tile, etc. People have such great taste.
Another corner lot has again been remodeled, except the owners have two (adjoining) lots on this corner and have combined the two back gardens to make what appears to be an actual city park! It is gorgeous and shady and is filled with fountains, swimming pools and inviting spots to rest your weary legs after spending a day at this event-and-exercised-filled resort.
The RV is kept on the southern lot. This lot is used for cars, golf carts, toys, etc.
There is a swimming pool on the right as you enter the covered pavilion
And a covered seating area (with fire pit) on the left.The casita holds an office with built-in cabinets.
Entering the kitchen/living area
Lovely! Huge!
Impressive kitchen as well. The lit rectangle on the left is not a television, but some sort of enclosed bubbling water features... think aquarium without fish.
So restful
Outdoor kitchen and another view of the garden. Note the round fountain (center)...
Captain Jim went back to take a photo of the fountain in the evening - it is a fire+water feature! Who thinks of this stuff? Amazing! (Thank you, Captain Jim.)
By now, we were thinking our humble campsite is not fit for even a Brownie outing, but we trudged on... especially since one site had a taco truck and another had a brewery truck dispensing microbrews!
For years, a large pie-wedge-shaped lot has sat without any improvement. We were excited to watch as our contractor, Arnold Castro of Desert Isles, began constructing a build-out on this big lot:
So pretty and so many flowers and palms!
Kitchen with room for bar seating and a dinette
Living Area with view to outdoor seating
To Infinity and Beyond
Later, I snapped this photo of the campsite from across the canal
Another extra-large lot at the end of a canal has once-again been bought/sold/remodeled. This campsite offers afternoon shade over the pool and beautiful views down the waterway.
The owners have motorcycles:
Living Area: again, beautiful tile work and lighting
Massive pool and an outdoor kitchen/bar
They also win for the most amusing signs!
Okay, one more. And it's another good one.
Normal-size lot. Well-planned living space.
Wood-paneled ceiling!
New this year: lighting in shampoo alcove!Pretty mosaic behind the toilet. Why do men get to have all the fun?
Pop-up outdoor television
This infinity pool is the best I've seen today. Yes, I am sight-impaired, but it is basically impossible to see where the pool ends and the lake begins. Fantastic!
That is all my bandwidth carrier will allow! So many photos today. Sorry Not Sorry. It is always so impressive to me what people can dream. I hope you enjoyed the Lots of Dreams.
Until my next update, I remain, your camping correspondent.
RV PARK: The Motorcoach Country Club