You know you've seen it - but who is that lady in yellow?

Poolside Gossip, the 1970 photo that has come to symbolize Palm Springs and the desert lifestyle. This is the story of how that photo came to be!

This episode of A Bert’s Eye View is brought to you by Modernism Week— the celebration of midcentury and modern architecture, design, and culture in sunny Palm Springs, California. Join the fun in October and February with tours, talks, parties, and more—tickets and details at ⁠modernismweek.com⁠.

The information presented in this podcast is for general knowledge and entertainment purposes only. All research that was done and opinions expressed are our own and not necessarily those of Modernism Week.

Episode Transcript

(00:06):
Hey there, and welcome to Upper's Eye View.
My name is Bert and I'm the Buster Operations Manager for
Modernism Week in Palm Springs, CA.
I coordinate all of our double Decker bus tours during our
Modernism Week festivals in February and October.
Many of you have been our guestsand we hope that you'll return.
If you haven't joined us yet, please do.

(00:28):
It's a great introduction to ourcity and its architecture.
While doing research for the bustours, I come across a lot of
information that we just don't have time to share.
This series of podcasts will highlight some of those
interesting details that we cannot cover during your short
time with us. So TuneIn and enjoy a bird's eye

(00:49):
view. If you spent any time in Palm
Springs at all, you've seen it. Most Airbnb's have it hanging on
the wall. Every gallery in town seems to
be selling it. It's on placemats and jigsaw
puzzles. What am I talking about?

(01:11):
I'm talking about slim errands, famous photograph poolside
gossip that depicts two women chatting leisurely in front of a
pool while a third walks over wearing a large white sun hat
carrying a drink. The setting is idyllic, the
afternoon sun is in a perfect spot over the mountains, the sky
Blues pool is as smooth as glassand the people in the photo are

(01:34):
seemingly not aware of the photography or the scenery
around them. This iconic 1970 image is more
than just a stylish capture of two elegant women.
It captures the glamour, architecture and affluence of
mid century Palm Springs. The house is on our bus tours.
It's the Kauffman Desert House, designed by architect Richard

(01:57):
Neutra in 1946. The image appears carefully
composed and staged. But according to the lady in
Yellow, Nelda Lynsk, the pictureis a happy accident.
Nelda and her husband Joe boughtthe Kauffman house in the mid
60s after it'd been vacant for years.
The house was neglected, and Joeand Nelda hired Arthur Elrod to

(02:18):
redesign the interior. The Lynsks returned from a trip
to New York, and the redo was perfect, according to Nelda.
Unlike the Kauffman's, who were very private people, Joe and
Nelda opened the house up to social events, including a
poolside fashion show by Italiandesigner Emilio Pucci.
She recalls that she received a phone call from former neighbor

(02:41):
Slim Errands one day, who said he was visiting the desert.
He asked if he could take a couple of photos poolside and if
she could invite some friends over.
Nelda called around and her model friend Helen JoJo,
Hollywood actress Lita Baron, Lita's adult daughters, interior
designer Arthur Elrod's design associates Hal Broderick and
Steve Chase, industrial designerRaymond Louis and several others

(03:04):
came by for canapes and champagne poolside.
Slim Aaron showed up alone, without a team of makeup or hair
stylist, just a couple of cameras slung over his shoulder,
and he carried a tripod. The early guests, including Lita
Baron and her daughters as well as Helen JoJo, posed for a few
photos and then the champagne started flowing and the guests

(03:25):
relaxed while Errands quietly set his camera on the tripod at
the end of the pool and let the party happen around him,
Fernalda and the other guests, this was just another get
together and they forgot about that photo session until Slim
Errands produced his first coffee table book in 1974,
featuring the photo now known asPoolside Gossip in the Center

(03:46):
spread. The photo quickly became famous
as the embodiment of the Palm Springs lifestyle of leisure and
sophistication. But beyond its visual appeal,
the Aaron's image tells a deeperstory about the cultural
landscape of the 1960s and 1970s.
Palm Springs evolved from the seasonal retreat for Hollywood

(04:08):
stars into a symbol of post war affluence and modernist design.
The people in Aaron's photographwere not Hollywood celebrities
but members of the social elite,people who could afford to take
time during the day to socializepoolside under the desert sun
while drinking champagne. Everyone who looks at this photo

(04:28):
can imagine themselves sitting there chatting to a good friend
while sipping on a drink. The Kauffman House also plays a
vital role in the image. Its stark geometry contrasts
beautifully with the soft curvesof the pool and the human
presence. As one of the most celebrated
examples of desert modernism, the house symbolizes an
architectural movement that prioritized indoor outdoor

(04:52):
living. Aaron's work immortalized not
just the people, but the architectural ethos of an era.
55 years after it was taken, poolside gossip continues to
resonate. It has been reprinted, exhibited
and referenced in countless design magazines, art shows, and
advertising campaigns. Aaron's analog precision using a

(05:14):
camera that saved images on filmand aesthetic discipline feel
both nostalgic and refreshing. His photograph offers a timeless
escape into a world that may never have been entirely real,
but one that continues to inspire visions of elegance,
style and leisure. Not just a picture, Errands

(05:35):
created a mythical image of luxury and design tied to the
sun soaked desert city of Palm Springs.
As for the lady in yellow, NeldaLynsk is still a practicing
realtor in Palm Springs and the unofficial oral historian of the
city. She moved out of the Kauffman
House many years ago and continues searching for the

(05:56):
sculptures of the turtles that are poolside in the foreground
of the photo. She does still have the yellow
sandals that she wore that day. Everyone else in the photo has
passed away, including photographer Slim Errands who
died in 2006, on the walls of vacation rentals, in galleries,

(06:17):
on postcards and coffee mugs. Poolside gossip will continue to
be a visual symbol of Palm Springs and the origin of the
bit of envy by the viewer of itslifestyle and architecture.
Special thanks to the Evergracious Neldolinsk and her
long time friend Gary Johns for helping me put together this

(06:37):
podcast. Support for A Bird's Eye view
comes from Modernism Week, celebrating global modernism and
Palm Springs design each Octoberand February.
[e-mail].