True Beauty Should Never Be Compared

Stanley, Idaho had been on my list for a long time. There's something enticing about a small town with a population under 500 surrounded by mountain peaks, lakes and hot springs. On the drive up, I found myself fantasizing about life in Stanley. The similarities between our towns are striking. The old west village features a few dirt roads, a great bakery, regional airstrip, phenomenal hiking, dusty saloons and the slow life we are accustomed to in the High Desert.

The trip to Stanley was purely leisure, but it stoked the fire in me that I can't put out.

While the blue skies and unimaginably beauty struck me, what really stuck me was the rare air that our towns have in common. The morning routine, the chatter at the coffeeshop, the smokiness outside the Rod & Gun Saloon and the undeniable strength of community. Stanley, however, is a part-time paradise. The population dwindles with the snowfall, down below 100 people some say. This, no doubt, is part of the allure and this distinction is worth lingering on.

Many of our favorite places have their peak moments and high seasons. Beaches under sunshine and mountains under snowfall. Communities built around industries that ebb and flow with the weather. There's a thinner thoroughfare in places like this.

Living in place full time is simply different. A small town that can sustain its community through all seasons is inherently more structurally sound. As I sat on the porch of my cabin in Stanley, I thought back on the years running the Pioneertown Gazette and the impressive creativity, growth and revitalization throughout the High Desert. The chapters in our story have slowly become much richer and the the waves of seasonality have slowly faded.

Yucca Valley's Moment

Yucca Valley sits at the doorstep of the whole High Desert experiment. It is the gateway to Pioneertown and the Joshua Tree National Park beyond. There has always been a deep sense of community at the mainstay classics-- Frontier and C&S. There's a palpable neighborhood feeling, even when the tourism is peaking.

As we've seen recently, more and more people are betting on that feeling. Some are betting on it by moving here full time and other by starting small businesses.

Matson Ambroise opened its gallery doors and is filled with locals sipping cold brew and playing pool. Nice Dream is thriving with a bold new concept that in another world might be located in Harajuku. The construction is buzzing at Star Cafe and Old Town Public Market. Rumors are swirling that Luna Bakery might be making sourdough pizza one day. A Farmer's Market now occupies the central square every Wednesday. These aren't just new businesses opening trying to make a buck, this is a small corridor in one of the most beautiful places on Earth maturing in service to its neighbors and broader community.

It is with immense gratitude that I return back to the High Desert and see the dream of our collection of small towns for what they are. As independent artists, creatives and entrepreneurs continue adding to the fabric of our neighborhoods, we'll be here to share the stories and support the efforts.

It is the people who make the place, but having a really nice place certainly helps.