To order a FREE copy of the Palm Springs Gay and Lesbian Visitors Guide, visit www.palm-springs.org/guiderequestform.aspx . You should receive your copy of our guide within two to three weeks

United Kingdom Residents can order a FREE copy of the Palm Springs Visitors Guide by emailing requests to palmsprings@humewhitehead.co.uk

Germany, Austria, and Switzerland Residents can order a FREE copy of the Palm Springs Visitors Guide by emailing requests to info@palm-springs.de

Read the following little diddy and ask yourself if you think it’s true.  Even better, leave a comment and tell me what it made you feel…

Better to eat beer and franks

with cheer and thanks

than sprouts and bread

with doubts and dread.

It’s sometimes recited a little differently and is often credited to a “wise old man once said…”  But to me it’s simple and powerful.

Raw Food Diet

Eating only raw foods is something I think everybody should experience. Not eating animals or their “product” is another important thing for people to experience. Both open some kind of awareness portal that can have long-term affects on how you see the planet, it’s food, and yourself.

Perhaps it will cause a sudden flash and with moral certitude you will disavow flesh consumption until the day you yourself perish.  Or maybe your connectedness with flora and fauna will instead manifest itself in greater reverence for whatever passes your lips. Either way you are going to get closer to understanding what food really is, and how much of it you actually need.

Vegan-ism

If you are a vegan, and you’ve never spent a few weeks or months eating only raw vegan foods I would really encourage you to do so.

Years ago (many many) I read “Diet for a New America” and it influenced me enough as an 18 year old that I became “a” vegan.  For a little over one year the only qualifier I used when deciding what to eat was whether or not it contained anything from an animal.

It was one of the least healthy periods of my life.  I got fat.  I felt shitty.  I was eating  mass quantities of stuff that is downright bad for you; processed soy products, low quality wheat gluten, and other “proteins” whose SOLE “value” are derived from the fact that they aren’t from animals.  Sugar in all it’s many forms is also vegan…

Some vegans I have met eat very healthy, feel great, and wouldn’t feel right eating any other way.  They eat their greens and they do agave instead of table sugar and corn syrup.  They get protein from quinoa, spinach, and raw nuts.  They limit the amount of “vegetarian” fried foods they eat (like McDonald’s french fries).  And they are not stuffing themselves with soy protein isolates, seitan, and tofu.

But many others aren’t eating any more veggies than the meat & potatoes crowd, and from a health standpoint have just substituted one “bad” thing (industrial toxic meat & dairy) for another (industrial toxic soy & other bullshit–potentially carcinogenic fake foods).

If you’re a conscious healthy vegan eater, more power to you for making a decision that’s congruent with your point of view.  And congrats on choosing a lifestyle that causes less harm to sentient beings and obviously makes a substantial positive environmental impact as well.

But…if you’re the second type of vegan, please don’t try to take any credit for  lessening your negative impact on the planet.  Do some research into the environmental havoc of your industrial vegan food.  You may be very surprised.

Meat-less versus Less-meat

Once, while waiting tables in San Francisco, I encountered a man who knew exactly what he didn’t want to eat.  He was originally from India, and was ordering food for his large family. The soft spoken patriarch looked me in the eye and asked me to please listen closely.  He wanted to make sure I was paying attention and understood fully his one request.  I’ll never forget the way he put it…

“My family doesn’t eat anything with a family.”

Fair enough!  I thought it was a simple eloquent way to express it, and a nice take on life. So they eat cheese and eggs and butter and don’t mind if there is milk in the pizza dough. But under NO circumstances would they ever consider eating even a tiny bite of pepperoni…

Are Baby Animals Harmed Making SALT!?

Interestingly though, it doesn’t have anything to do with health.  It’s another ethics based dietary choice.  And while a nice sentiment, it also doesn’t necessarily ensure that animals haven’t been harmed in the process of preparing his families dinner.

The issue we all face with food is that there is so much “information” being thrown around (my blog included) that it’s become nearly impossible to compare mangoes to mangoes.  Think about it.  How could someone compare the ethical, environmental, and personal health impact of any two people?

Could you honestly argue that someone eating countless chemically processed, cleared rain forest grown, soy patties, whose ingredients have been shipped from the other side of the planet, is eating better than a family who  mindfully includes some hormone and antibiotic free, free range, organically fed meat from a local source they know and trust?

What I propose

What if the individual goal is simply more conscious eating and less judgment in general?

Me? I need nothing.

That question/statement brings us full-circle back to having periods in ones life where regardless of whether we are a Jain Monk or a Tyrannosaurus…we eat mostly raw, and mostly vegan.

Not necessarily as an end in itself, or permanently; but because it may be the easiest way to learn exactly what works for us, and how to be the healthiest, happiest,  ascetics  or flesh-eating dinosaurs that we can be.

———————————————

If you are curious…today I ate: a blueberry smoothie, a nectarine, some raw pistachios, and a weird green/cacao smoothie.

It’s 5 am and I never went to bed.  In a few minutes my girlfriend will wake up and go to yoga and in a couple hours I’ll be filling up reusable cloth hippy bags with loads of fresh organic produce from the Palm Springs Farmer’s Market!

Who's for dinner?

]]> http://otrwjam.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/its-not-every-day/ Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:23:31 +0000 ramblinmanjimj http://otrwjam.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/its-not-every-day/

that a guy turns 69 years old…but it’s happening to me today.

I’m pleased to report that I’m happy, healthy, warm and in love with a really great gal!

My life partner Mary and myself.

Although she is not currently with me in Palm Springs, CA, because she’s at home preparing for a two-week trip to Thailand with her 15 year old grandson Mason…life is still good. She’ll re-join me in Tucson, AZ on January 9th for a 9+ month trip to the east coast.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2009
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com

For all of you film buffs who just can’t wait for the Palm Springs International Film Festival to open its doors this January 2010, from the 5th through the 18th, here’s a free event to help hold you over.

The Palm Springs International Film Society has joined efforts with the Friends of the Rancho Mirage Public Library in order to bring a new monthly event to the Coachella Valley in 2009. The Behind the Scenes filmmaker speaker series highlights the unsung heroes of the big screen. You know their films, now meet the people behind them.

Each event is free and will be held at the Rancho Mirage Public Library. The next event, titled Film Editing, will be held on December 8 and will feature Dylan Tichenor.

His selected Filmography includes: Doubt, There Will Be Blood, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Brokeback Mountain, Cold Creek Manor, The Royal Tenenbaums, Unbreakable, Magnolia, Hurlyburly, Boogie Nights, Jazz ‘34.

Dylan Tichenor began his career as Geraldine Peroni’s assistant on numerous Robert Altman films including The Player and Short Cuts, and ultimately completed her work on Brokeback Mountain when she passed away while editing. He has been nominated for an Academy Award for There Will Be Blood and numerous American Cinema Editor awards for his body of work, and has established himself as the editor of such renowned directors as Paul Thomas Anderson, Wes Anderson and M. Night Shyamalan.

Visit http://www.ranchomiragelibrary.org/ for more information.

Free wine tasting at Hunters nightclub in Palm Springs, the first Wednesday of each month. That’s tonight, at 6pm. View details here: http://twitpic.com/ru9×1

Bogle Vinyards Merlot is the $5 wine of the month. Be a wine of the month VIP, ask bartender for details.

No matter what brand of politics float your boat, you’d probably agree that California is “progressive.”  This is where the hippies, potheads, vegans, homosexuals, Scientologists, surfers, health nuts, and out of work actors roost.  Californians can’t wait to plug their cars in, or even trade them in for bamboo beach cruisers that they valet at the Farmers Market. Right?

NOT in Palm Springs.

There are a lot of gay men here…but other than that I feel like I’m anywhere BUT California.

Smoking–Rat Pack style

One example is smoking.  California is famous for leading the country with it’s tough public & workplace smoking bans.

I grew up in San Luis Obispo–one of the very first places to go smoke-free.  I remember as a kid all the restaurant and bar owners bitching about it, and wondering just how the hell they were going to stay in business if people couldn’t smoke in their establishments.  Go to San Luis Obispo today and you will find one of the nation’s few thriving economies, a beautiful downtown packed with pubs and bars that Cal Poly students frequent, and lots of people eating out in some great locally owned restaurants.

Because of the smoking legislation, California is a different place today.  Less people smoke, and people who do, smoke less. Except here in Palm Springs.

Go to the downtown PS Starbucks, grab a frappucino and find a seat outside on the patio. Now start coughing.  Spastic coughing fits perhaps.  I can’t tell you how long it had been since I’d seen an ASHTRAY on a patio table in California.  Cigarette butts overflowing from the trash can top onto the ground almost everywhere I go…

Palm Springs seems to be emulating Euro-style around the clock smoke-athons. Maybe that’s not shocking where you live, but for me it was like  finding out the place I just moved to doesn’t have running water.

When I go to a house party, or am getting smashed with friends in Vegas, I really don’t care that people around me are smoking.  It truly is their prerogative.  Get me drunk enough, I might even ask for a puff or two.

One of my favorite things about hanging out in Tijuana is this famous little cigar shop on the main drag.  My buddy and I always start our day there (usually around 2pm) with some fresh espresso and a cigar chosen by one of the pretty and friendly shop girls.  But when I’m at a frickin’ Starbucks in GD California? Doesn’t make any sense.

Palm Springs is REALLY hurting financially.  This is a seasonal place that makes oodles of moolah IF the rest of the country (and Canada) is raking it in.  Business owners here are lamenting the lackluster tourist turnout so far this year (Palm Springs “High-Season” is roughly Halloween through April).  And the visitors who are making the trip are spending very little.  Pure speculation here–and YES I know there are other factors–but I can’t help wonder how this place would be different if they started promoting Palm Springs (a place that used to be a SPA destination) as a healthy vacation Mecca…

Hate bikes and people who ride them?

Then move to Palm Springs!  I’m exaggerating a tad, but compared to the the rest of SoCal, the Central Coast, and practically ALL of NorCal; Palm Springs is ass backwards when it comes to bikes.

There is a “bike trail” here that is supposed to loop bikers around town.  It’s 100% RECREATIONAL and it’s mostly on sidewalks.  That’s not biking.  Trying to ride my bike to Farmers Market this morning was a logistical mess.  The official “bike routes” don’t lead to anywhere I’m trying to get to (Sad considering the Farmers Market is in the MALL’S parking lot).

Routing bikes onto sidewalk routes is dangerous. Sidewalks and bikes just don’t mix.  Not only is it unsafe and unnerving for other pedestrians, the cyclist is in danger every time the sidewalk intersects with driveways and the road.  Any concept that bikes have the right of way is lost and instead bikes on sidewalks reinforces the idea that bicycles are marginal and even maligned transportation.

I’ve been in Palm Springs for a little over three months now and I have only seen one die-hard bike commuter.  She rides a bright pink 10-speed all over the place and even does so during the SUMMER!  Good on you whoever you are.

The newer and very popular ACE hotel in Palm Springs is one of the first signs of possible renaissance here.  They turned the old Denny’s into a hip organic gourmet diner, Wealthy Orange County Dad’s bring their families to hang out for a weekend, and young L.A. hipsters wear skinny jeans even by the pool.

And ACE bless their hearts thought it would be cool to offer groovy beach cruisers for their guests to ride around Palm Springs on.  I’m literally embarrassed when I see these poor tourist trying to make their way from the hotel to the downtown area.  You can see the terror in their eyes as they are forced onto sidewalks, almost run over by weaving snowbirds, and buffaloed by impatient locals.  It could be such a neat addition to this beautiful place where you can ride around in shorts on Christmas day. But instead it’s a joke and definitely not cool.

Like inferior produce?

You’re a match for Palm Springs!

Until I found the Farmers Market I was literally aghast at how bad the produce is here.  This is CALIFORNIA dammit.  A place overflowing with great food.  Order a salad in most Palm Springs eateries and prepare yourself for lackluster greens, tossed with inferior oily dressings, and topped with nearly translucent cherry tomatoes.  A travesty.

Vintage Los Angeles Farmer's Market...Very Sexy!

Walk into the grocery stores and find not ripe for another month citrus, sad little (or non-existent) organic sections with even less ripe avocados and fruit [it's like the store manager says "if we're gonna order this here expensive organic shit we best get it green as hell so it lasts till we sells it].  There is no Whole Foods in the entire extended area. My local health food store carries almost no produce, and when they do it’s only for 1/2 the year!  Even though the store OPERATES a cafe & juice bar requiring fresh organic produce–INSANITY.

And the worst part?  So much healthy-beautiful-delicious produce is grown right here and in the surrounding communities!

What Palm Springs needs

I’ve thought about this almost every day since moving here.  Writing about the negatives of Palm Springs isn’t meant to detract from what makes this place so cool.  But, it’s light years behind the rest of California, and I think I know why…

Palm Springs needs more young people.

Sinatra's Palm Springs House Which You Can Rent! See The Piano Shaped Pool!

The old rat pack crowd living here is awesome.  I find them endlessly fascinating.

The gay men who have turned Palm Springs into their own Mecca have done a lot to bolster Palm Springs economy and make it a better place to live.  The working class who live here (that’s me) are the glue for the whole thing.  Almost everyone I’ve met here is friendly, personable, and fun.  They are also attracted to this PLACE and want to be here. But…

There are VERY FEW young people.  The average age here is forty four.

A lot goes into making a place that attracts young artists and thinker types (jobs/venues/etc.), I know that.  But simple things like getting this place healthier, more progressive, and accessible would go a long way.

The best case scenario I could see for Palm Springs would be adding a University (UCR has an extension campus in Palm Desert and there is a sad dilapidated but very popular community college there as well–but Palm Desert is another world away from Palm Springs even though they are so close) .  Even a small college would really balance out Palm Springs culture and business.

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians own much of the Palm Springs area and operate profitable gaming establishments including a large casino smack in the middle of downtown.  It would be interesting to see them invest in the community (which they do in other ways) by investing in a totally new kind of University.  Think of the possibilities for tribal promotion, grants, scholarships, etc.

The Coachella Valley is loaded with the very rich.  It’s hard to convey how much wealth is hidden away in the canyons and country clubs here.  And a lot of those individuals would be eager to have some campus buildings named after them I’m sure.

Thanks for reading my unsubstantiated, pulled from my ass, and probably way too long rant about my new home town!  If you live in the Palm Springs area, or have visited, please share your take!

Tomorrow I’m going to share with you some new ideas I’m having about the best way for me to continue eating raw after I finish my 60 day 100% raw-food challenge.

I think it may be very helpful for a lot of other people too, who are trying to figure out a simple way to have more raw foods in their life, and maybe even eat mostly raw…

Ron Baron’s 22nd Annual Home Design and Health Expo is being held at the Palm Springs Convention Center December 4th, 5th and 6th and will be offering many valuable freebies.

In addition to over 200 Home and Health Exhibit booths, the expo will be giving away great prizes including free vacation packages. The first 50 people each day will receive a 4-day, 3-night trip to San Felipe, Mexico.

The first 100 people each day will receive an entertainment book loaded with special offers from local restaurants and more.

There will be free seminars and workshops and parking and admission is free. For more information, contact 760-320-7505.

L-R: Actor Robert Wagner, his wife Natalie Wood (1938 - 1981) and host Frank Sinatra (in eyepatch) pose together during a surprise 21st birthday party held for Wood at Romanoff's, Hollywood, California, July 20, 1959. (Photo by Murray Garrett/Getty Images)

It was New Year’s Eve, 1958, and Peter and Pat Kennedy Lawford were celebrating at a private party at Romanoff’s in Beverly Hills, a popular spot with Hollywood stars. The Lawfords sat at the most prestigious table in the room with Frank Sinatra, Natalie Wood, and Robert Wagner. Pat was dazzled by Sinatra’s charm and basked in his attention. Sinatra was thrilled to be in the presence of the sister of the fast-rising Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts.

Host Frank Sinatra (L) wears an eyepatch, laughing with actor Peter Lawford and his wife Patricia Kennedy (1924 - 2006) during a surprise 21st birthday party held for actor Natalie Wood at Romanoff's, Hollywood, California, July 20, 1959. (Photo by Murray Garrett/Getty Images)

Pat had only known Sinatra since August, when she met him at a dinner party at the home of Gary and Rocky Cooper. Since then, Sinatra had swept the Lawfords up into his orbit.

“Sinatra suddenly stood at the center of Pat’s and Peter’s lives.” [1]

Sinatra had become such a fixture in Pat’s world that, by the time she gave  birth on November 4, she decided to give new baby Victoria the middle name of Francis, in honor of her newest and dearest friend, Francis Albert Sinatra. 

The Lawfords not only saw Frank at least twice during the week, but, on many weekends - at Frank’s insistence - they made the 120-mile drive from their Santa Monica home to his Palm Springs estate. The Lawfords always kept the same bedroom at Sinatra’s Rancho Mirage compound. Frank made the Lawfords so at ease that they left some of their casual clothing in the bedroom closet.

Back at Romanoff’s, the new year was blowing in chilly and Pat was wearing a low-cut gown. As the night worn on, she and Natalie grew weary. But Sinatra didn’t want the night to end. He suggested they move the party to his place – two-and-half hours away at Rancho Mirage! Pat gasped at the dread thought. It was only a fifteen minute drive from Romanoff’s to her home!

Peter Lawford recalls the evening:

Teen idol Frank Sinatra, caricature by Al Hirschfeld

When [Sinatra] went to the gents’ room, the girls said that it was too chilly to go that night. They preferred driving in the morning, but then we said, ‘Who’s going to tell him?’ Knowing his temper, Pat out and out refused to say anything, and Natalie didn’t even want to be in the same room when he was told. Finally, R.J. [Robert Wagner] insisted that I be the one to do it, so when Frank got back to the table, I explained as gracefully as I could that we’d prefer joining him in the morning.

Well, he went absolutely nuts. ‘If that’s the way you want it, fine,’ he said, slamming his drink on the floor and storming out of the restaurant.

I rang him up the next morning and his valet…answered and whispered hello. He said that Frank was still asleep because he hadn’t gotten to bed until five a.m. Then he said, ‘Oh, Mr. Lawford. What happened last night? I better tell you that he’s pissed. Really pissed off. He went to your closet and took out all the clothes that you and your wife keep here and ripped them into shreds and then threw them into the swimming pool.’ That gives you an idea of Frank’s temper….” (2)

Evidently, Frank first tried to make a bonfire of the Lawford’s clothes.  But the fire wouldn’t get going, so, frustrated,  he tossed everything in the pool. (1)

Peter was distraught at the loss of his favorite aged blue jeans. Pat consoled him. “We’ll age another pair. Just make sure you don’t take them down to Frank’s.” (1)

(1) Leamer, Laurence. The Kennedy Women: The Saga of an American Family. New York: Random House Publishing Group, 1994.

(2) Kelley, Kitty. His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra. New York: Bantam Books, 1986.

Readers, for more Sinatra, check out: “Sinatra: From Donkey to Elephant”

Visit Las Casuelas Terraza’s Mexican restaurant, in downtown Palm Springs each week for their Monday Night Football Fiesta and enter their weekly drawing to win a free pool table.

Happy Hour, featuring free appetizers, is from 4:30 to 6:30pm. Radio station EZ-103 offers giveaways including T-shirts, event tickets and sports memorabilia from 5:00 to 7pm.

Weekly prize winners are also entered into a grand prize drawing at Las Casuelas Terraza’s Super Bowl Event on December 28. The grand prize is a pool table from Gameroom Gallery. Winner must be present to win.

Las Casuelas Terraza is located at 222 South Palm Canyon Drive. Call 760-325-2794, visit www.lascasuelas.com or stop by the restaurant for complete details, rules, restrictions and other information.

This article leans towards my career based expertise but relates to any business with assets that need protection from catastrophic fire loss.

Choosing the “best” fire suppression technology is not a simple task. A good starting point is to discuss your risks and operations with your insurance carrier. The large insurance companies have consulting engineers available who will have direct experience with the various systems. Your insurance carrier has a vested interest in getting you the best possible advice.

The fire department’s primary concern is life safety, not contents. Their interest in your suppression system relates to safe exit of staff and visitors. It must protect the structure from collapse, which would endanger the lives of the fire fighters. Protecting the contents is therefore the responsibility of the owner.

The starting point for choosing a fire suppression system is a risk analysis to reduce the potential for a fire. Many hazards can be eliminated or reduced. The second objective is to mitigate the damage and to facilitate the recovery effort associated with the type of suppressant used. Regardless of which system is chosen, quality of installation and maintenance is critical. Your insurance carrier can also assist with testing and maintenance procedures. The following is an overview of the common suppression systems:

Wet pipe – A well-designed system will include flow monitors and pressure gauges to monitor the pressure on both sides of the valves when closed. Once the pipe flange seals set after installation and the system is monitored and maintained, it is highly reliable. There are probably more wet pipe systems than any others. They have an excellent track record and of course fast response. As long as it is not a deluge system, heads release as needed at a predetermined temperature as the fire progresses. Wet pipe systems should be discharged monthly (to the outside through an external valve), and pumps, valves, pressure gauges and alarms verified at that time.

Dry pipe and pre-actioned dry pipe and combinations thereof are considered to require more maintenance than wet pipe. Corrosion is a problem in systems with air or nitrogen in the pipes. However, they do have a place in freezing environments. There is a slight delay before water gets to the head at the rated volume and pressure. As with wet pipe, flow and pressure monitoring will alert you to problems. The pre-actioned systems are activated by sensors, and water release can be total or zonal with the heads releasing from the heat of the fire. Pre-action systems rely on smoke detection to get the water into the pipes. If the detection monitoring fails, the system is not activated. Both dry and wet pipe require that water be shut off manually.

Water mist systems are highly efficient but the technology is expensive. Small diameter piping is a plus and the use of a mist reduces damage to materials stored.

Fast response systems respond at an early stage of a fire. There are numerous types (release controls and heads) in this class of system.

Gas flooding systems are activated by temperature and smoke detection sensors. The gas is released under tremendous pressure. Statistics Canada is reported to have damaged certain records (shredded them) that were stored adjacent to the discharge nozzle. In computer rooms gas pressure is reported to have sent heavy floor tiles flying. These systems require that the room be extremely well sealed (doors, windows, ducts, piping, etc.) to achieve and hold the required concentration of suppressant. If the detection system fails there is no gas release. Should there be an equipment failure and the tank is discharged, there is no back-up. This is a major problem if the fire restarts itself. The length of time to get a tank recharged is a period of complete vulnerability.

Clearly the most important aspect of fire suppression is the sensing technology and monitoring (both technology and human, in-house and external). The next most important aspect after design is installation and maintenance. Every aspect of installation must be carefully monitored and inspected.

In one project, water pressure to sprinklers in a large records storage room was supplied by two 750 gal/min. pumps. The seals on the pumps were not evenly tightened during routine maintenance, which damaged the seals and the shaft alignment after about two years. Parts and repairs took almost one month for each pump. When a pump was out of service, there would have been an inadequate water supply to fight a major fire but sufficient for a small blaze. With shafts out of alignment, the pump might not have lasted long enough to combat a fire.

The pump and valve room should be well secured to avoid sabotage. Main supply valves should be locked open to avoid sabotage. Pumps require back-up power supply – vulnerability.

At the end of the day there are no perfect solutions. You wrestle with options, choose one and accept the vulnerabilities. The protection of your structure, materials and people is reliant on good monitoring technology and safeguards, routine and thorough maintenance and a disaster recovery plan.

Have your valuable items reviewed by the experts from Bonhams And Butterfields Auctioneers and Appraisers on Decemer 1st.

The specialists in paintings, sculpture, prints and photographs will visit Palm Springs December 1 for their monthly appraisal event.

By appointment only. Contact Aynsley Lynn at 1-323-436-5412 or aynsley.lynn@bonhams.com .

Forget what I said before. I went to my high school reunion. Thanks to Facebook.

On Saturday, I was on Facebook and noticed that photos from the Friday night pre-social were posted. Flipping through the 40-or-so pictures I started to really want to see some of the people shown laughing and drinking. Just then…

“What’s up?” says M.

“I think I’m bummed that I’m not going to my reunion,” I reply.

“Why don’t you go? I’ll watch Baby A.”

“Really?”

Yes, he was serious. It was 2 PM. The party started at 6:30 PM, three hours away. Showered, dressed, and a bit nervous, I made it. Glad I did. I surprised a few people (since apparently they read this blog). But the important thing is that I saw the people I wanted to and reconnected with others that I had forgotten about.

When I left the over-riding thought I had as I drove the three hours back to LA was that I went to school with some remarkable people who are doing great things in the world  around them. I’m proud to a member of a class that has accomplished much.

It’s been a lovely Thanksgiving weekend here in the desert. A dear friend came for a visit and we have made the most of our time together, getting out, as we have, to do a little exploring.

Friday was spent at the Living Desert, a botanical garden and zoo in the Coachella Valley. I had been once before but that was during the extreme dog days of summer and the exhibit I was most interested in was closed. On this sunny and mild fall afternoon, however, the butterfly enclosure was the highlight of the day just as I knew it would be.

On Saturday morning, we woke to rain which was quite a surprise as I’ve been told not to expect much of it here. There was even a moment when we thought the change in the weather might thwart our plans for the day. But our ride on the spectacular Palm Springs Aerial Tramway instead took on an almost magical quality because, waiting up there in the San Jacinto Mountains, just 10 minutes or so above the desert floor, was the pristine, frosty goodness of the first snow of the season.

The disparate beauty of these two days reminding me of the truth at the core of two of my most frequently-invoked beliefs: life can turn on a dime and change is good. Very good, indeed.

Lots of photos still left to sift through. Will revisit and post a few when I participate in Darlene’s December Views. I’m so looking forward to it!

Cool Light this morning in Palm Springs. It was sunny to the East but a storm cloud was coming over the mountains from the West.

Storm Over Sunlit Mountain

After dinner, we decide to knock back a few in the bar where we were denied earlier. The wedding party has moved on and the weekenders are left to lie by the “Clockwork Orange” fireplace. Jonathan Adler’s design of the lounge with all its George Jetson’s accoutrements creates a very inviting atmosphere to kick back and have a few cocktails. Couples linger in the hanging chairs and sofas sipping their drinks. Shag rugs and tiki wall hangings, great place for people watching and lounging with a lovely lady.

Below are pictures of the lounge area just off the bar and Mr. Parker’s restaurant.

The Pomegranate Martini is slightly sweet but still has a bit of kick. Definitely a ladies drink that goes down easy and comes in a cocktail glass that makes for a pleasantly delicate display. The consistency is just right, or as the women there described it, “It gets you drunk without the alcohol taste.”

As we lie in our sliding chairs over the shag rug I feel like I am on the set of Valley of the Dolls. The women who pass by are all dressed in modern versions of very sixties attire and there is a noticeable lack of the typical LA douchebags and their Ed Hardy shirts. The cocktails and the interior design have an unexpected effect. People here actually respect the environment they are in. The conversations are muted and everyone seems to be focused on enjoying their drinks and the atmosphere that Jonathan Adler has so gently put us in.

I have often heard great reviews about the hotel, the food, the bar and so far all of it has been true. But the entire evening, I can’t figure out what makes this place so different from dozens of other SoCal bars pretending to be somewhere else. It could be the alcohol or the warmth of the Jetson’s fire. It is not that we are in a faux bar of a bygone era like so many Hollywood bars. We are somewhere else. It is a weekend getaway from Los Angeles. It is a real place. The history is real, the atmosphere is it’s own. The feeling of being on that set from Valley of the Dolls ends when you walk the grounds and stop expecting to see exposed plywood and two by fours around every corner. Then it hits me. It is the entire hotel. From the valet, to the entrance, the bar and lounge and of course Mr. Parker’s. The drinks, classic timeless libations with a modern twist serve as the red pill or the blue and down through the rabbit hole you go. A few manhattans, pomegranate martini’s and here we sit among other couples behaving unusually proper for southern California. The women sit up a little straighter and are all in skirts as opposed to their usual Nebraska on the ocean garb of jeans and a t-shirt. They exude a slightly more feminine atmosphere and delicateness as they sip at their vermillion cocktail glasses. The men wear jackets and behave slightly more gentlemanly, as they may have before the years of feminism and the unisex movement. We are in a bar that is a time machine.

 

Tortuga del Sol, Palm Springs, originally uploaded by moleskineboy.

I spent my birthday in Palm Springs the past weekend. Tortuga del Sol is a very quiet resort tugged away in the desert against the backdrop of the mountains. For a good amount of the stay we were the only guests who got to enjoy all the facilities to our own. If you look to the right of the photo, the corner taken up by wicker chairs and love seat was my reading spot. I would peruse Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited (a recommendation thanks to many of you) over coffee when the sun touched on that spot. In the afternoon, the sunny spot fell on the left side of the pool. I would get into the pool with my book propped up on the cement side. I would for hours on ends in the sun while having a drink. Did I tell you that we made our own cosmos? We would much over a nosh on candle-lit table by the pool and walked around the garden. Palm Springs is my winter paradise.

I don't want to be that guy, but someone needs to tell them about their little spelling snafu.

I’ve been told many times that Portlanders seem to have a certain, lets say, “hatred” of Californians moving to their beloved city. I find this somewhat strange since Portland essentially wishes it was San Francisco and since California has been quietly plucking coffee-related ideas from their Northwest neighbors. Okay, okay, so California isn’t copying the Northwest, but It’s just interesting to see a place like the koffi cafe in Palm Springs being praised for providing the the standard amenities that should be found any non-franchise coffee shop. Locally roasted coffee, sustainability, free WiFi, artwork by local artists on the walls. Did I somehow get on a plane for two hours only to land back in the the Northwest?

Sippin' my berry tea thing next to the "pond." Am I with it or what?

No, because this place is clean. They’ve also got this trendy misspelling + lowercase letters thing going on that I’m not sure I’m cool with. Whereas in New York and Vegas they frequently miss the mark entirely, California takes the standard coffee shop core and dresses it up like a UCLA art history graduate student. Even my darling Elevated Coffee doesn’t look this good, and that’s about the classiest damned coffee shop in the greater Northeast Portland area. Not only that, but the folks chillaxin with their MacBook Pros in the koffi cafe actually dress like they could afford them. In the words of Mark Whalberg: “What’s that all about?”

Californians needs to take lessons on being degenerate from Portlanders. Pretentiousness doesn’t just sell itself.

Anyways, I’m taking my MacBook over to Tully’s and getting a Green Tea Latte to sip while I work on my novel. Ciao.

“Dolce Gabbana, don’t you know
Soy latte, shade-grown”
-Hot Buttered Rum

Le Parker Meridien Palm Springs, opened in 1959 as one of California’s first Holiday Inns. In the 1960’s, Gene Autry purchased it and added five more buildings. Merv Griffin took over in the 1980’s, transforming the property into the Givenchy Resort and Spa—where cops busted Robert Downey, Jr., in room 311. In 2004, Jonathan Adler performed a $25 million make over that brought the hotel’s sixties roots out and added some playfulness to it.

At our table and playing with our penlights I ask our waitress what drinks she might recommend. I request a Manhattan and my girlfriend goes for their signature Pomegranate Martini.

The Manhattan – going for something classic since we are in the proper dark wood and leather dining atmosphere, and what the fuck, it is Palm Springs. Kind of a what would Don Draper, Dean Martin order moment. Not only is the Manhattan a classic made famous by the Rat Pack, it also a perfect drink for a bartender to exhibit their skill. It is a drink that allows for endless variation and creativity. The standard Manhattan is made with whiskey, vermouth and bitters. I order mine with Maker’s Mark and let the bartender decide the rest as the waitress claims it is their specialty.

The cocktail arrives in a martini glass. Never cared for Manhattans in a cocktail glass as I prefer them in an old-fashioned, especially if they are on the rocks. In this case it is probably better that it is in the martini glass as it was shaken in ice but strained out. This way the warmth of the hand doesn’t ruin the drink. The glass is chilled and the drink has a slight slushiness to it. It is has a bit of ruby color to it so it might have some port or cherry juice in it. After a taste, it must be cherry juice. It is slightly sweeter than the average Manhattan but not in Cosmo territory. The Maker’s Mark shines through with a nice coating after the initial sweetness of the drink. All in all a perfect drink and great start to the evening. Would have loved to have had this king of cocktails at the bar but the restaurant ambience is well suited that it doesn’t matter. The night is young and the drink is an excellent start to the blog. A true drinking man’s cocktail. Cheers!

Today’s blog is celebratory (no, I’m NOT a priest)!

Tomorrow will be my 30th day eating ONLY raw food but today I’m feeling kinda…silly!

Over the past month I’ve had some doubts about my sanity…giving up booze, food as I knew it, and coffee SUCKED.

But…I’m feeling pretty damn good right now.  Super good actually.  Energy levels are off the energy level charts–and that’s according to these guys with clipboards who keep following me around.

Tomorrow I’ll weigh myself and post 30 day “before & after pics!”

But right now I want to celebrate my budding transformation and Annie’s Birthday by sharing some fun Birthday pics of her and some crazy cats opening her presents!

Annie’s “Birthday Cake” was delicious Gluten-Free “Black & White” cookies and these unbelievably tasty things called “Fudgies” that I had shipped as a surprise from her favorite Gluten Free restaurant–which sadly is all the way in NYC…the Risotteria.

What's this...?

THE NEW ADAM LAMBERT CD! I HAVE A HAIR THINGY JUST LIKE HIM!

I smell cardboard in the other room...

What the hell did WE get!?!

Sweet! A box! From Urban Outfitters!

Now look into the camera baby, and give me your best Kristen Stewart American Apparel kinda look...Yeah..That's it!

Fortunatley Annie's one leg is on the opposite side of her one arm so she can still do a BIRTHDAY DANCE!

H A P P Y   B I R T H D A Y    A N N I E !

YOU’RE A WOMAN NOW!

Palm Springs, 2009

I couldn’t think of a more perfect place to start a blog on drinking than while having a Manhattan at the Parker Meridien bar in Palm Springs. Palm Springs defined the golden era of West Coast benders from the 1950’s through to the 80’s. Sinatra and the Rat Pack were regulars in the modernist town and practically every hotel from the period mentions, that they drank there. Palm Springs is still the weekend getaway of choice for Angelenos, Hollywood starlets and the SoCal gay community. Mix this crowd with some desert 50’s modernist architecture and a new spin on the sixties style Mad Men design and you have the makings for a great a weekend. Just add alcohol.

We head for dinner at Mr. Parker’s in the Meridien, making sure to get there early so we can have a pre-dinner cocktail. Only valet parking, so we pull up and immediately are immersed into the episode of Mad Men when they come out to LA.

The bar is appropriately opposite the check in desk of the hotel, absolutely brilliant! What better place for a hotel bar than right where you check in? Start the vacation off right. Head straight for the bar but it is jammed with a significantly over dressed crowd. Turns out they are not overdressed but are here for a wedding. No way we are getting to the bar before our reservation. Instead, we decide to head to our table early and order a drink there while looking over the menu. We are seated at a dark table in the back where my girlfriend sits against the wall, framed by a Spanish style painting of a woman with the most perfect breast and on the other side a painting of a woman’s disproportionately long legs and perfect ass. We are handed our menus and pen lights that remind me of my grandfather who used to carry one, not sure why. Probably because he drank in a lot of dark places too.

Roses in the Garden

No Rose Conference is complete without Garden Tours.  At least one Garden Tour is essential and a large conference such as this one has four tours.  We skipped the trip to Huntington Library and Gardens because it was a long bus ride and we had seen the Huntington in July when we traveled to Whittier for a family wedding.   The gardens are lovely but my favorite aspect of the Huntington is visiting the library.  The ancient, hand painted books are beyond beauty with the crimson, gold and indigo inks used for accent lettering and illustrations.   I can see roses in many different places at an acceptable frequency but these works of art in the library are seldom available.

The other tours that we did not select to join were of Movie Star Homes and the Living Desert and Botanical Park.  I am sure that they were interesting and I probably missed something tremendous but we limited ourselves to one tour.  We chose the Private Home Gardens to see what the local rosarians were up to.  It was a spectacular display of roses in gardens that ranged from a courtyard off of a magnificent condominium to a large yard with hundreds of rose bushes.  I always find the different growth patterns and flower sizes of the local area interesting.  There are roses that I have not seen grown in our Northern California climate.  One mini-flora that seems to be very popular in Palm Springs is Memphis Magic.  While it is a mini-flora and not a miniature, I did not expect to find huge bushes of this rose.  The one pictured below is at least 3 feet tall and as big across.

Memphis Magic

For some reason, I thought that it would be too hot in Palm Springs for the wide array of roses that were seen on this tour.  As I mentioned, there were varieties that we don’t see frequently.  I really like Marriotta which is a mini and was a favorite both at the show and in the garden. 

Marriotta in the Garden

The talks, show and tour in Palm Springs were all delightful.  We were happy to be a part of it and look forward to another national conference in California.  Thanks to all in the Desert Rose Society for  being such wonderful hosts.

Marriotta on the Show Table

The Golf Club at Terra Lago offers special discounted rates to Coachella Valley Residents throughout the year. They define the Coachella Valley to extend from Desert Hot Springs to the West through Coachella to the East. This includes: Palm Springs, Cathederal City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio, and Coachella.

In order to recieve discounted rates as a Coachella Valley Resident you must either SIGNUP FOR A DESERT RESIDENT CARD FROM THE GOLF CLUB AT TERRA LAGO (or their sister course Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort)

This entitles you to the best available rates as a resident as well as the additional benifits extended to Desert Resident Card Holders, including guest discounts, merchandise discounts, resident E-Club specials and more. Visit their website for complete information.

President John F. Kennedy and singer Frank Sinatra at the 1961 Inaugural Gala

Singer and film star Frank Sinatra (1915-1998) grew up poor and lower class in Hoboken, New Jersey. Once he made it big in showbiz (thanks to help from his Mafia cronies), he obsessed about fitting in with the upper class. He wormed his way into politics, using his Hollywood star power to campaign and fundraise for Democratic heavyweights such as Franklin Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. In attaching himself to men of honor, Sinatra hoped to achieve the respectability he craved.

Sinatra had cultivated a relationship with President Kennedy through movie star Peter Lawford, who was married to the president’s sister, Pat.

Pat Kennedy Lawford and British actor Peter Lawford

In March 1962, the president was scheduled to fly to Southern California. Peter Lawford asked Sinatra to be the president’s host at his Palm Springs estate. Sinatra was thrilled. He went straight to work. At his own expense, Sinatra installed a helicopter pad, cottages for the Secret Service, and even a flagpole for the presidential flag.

But the president’s brother Bobby Kennedy wasn’t having it. He was the Attorney General of the United States at the time. When he heard about his brother Jack’s proposed stay at Sinatra’s, he went ballistic. Bobby was making the “most single-minded attack on organized crime in American history” and could not abide Jack associating with someone with mob connections. (1) Peter was the one chosen to tell Sinatra that the president would not be staying with him.

Sinatra did not take the news well. He had a notoriously explosive temper:

“Sinatra vented his spleen by destroying the concrete landing pad with a sledgehammer. He applied a different kind of sledgehammer to his friendship with Peter and Pat [Lawford], banning them from his company….Jack ended up staying at the home of Bing Crosby. Marilyn Monroe flew down to be with the president, spending the night in his bedroom….”

(l. to r.) Peter Lawford, Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, ca. 1961-62

…and Frank Sinatra became a Republican.

(1) Leamer, Laurence. The Kennedy Women: The Saga of an American Family. New York: Fawcett Books, 1994.

For more on Sinatra, check out “Sinatra: Pants on Fire!”

One of the best places to find freebies, here in the desert area, is at one of our local casinos. Stop by, call or visit their websites for weekly deals, discounts, coupons, special offers, sweepstakes, drawings, giveaways and, of course, freebies.

Agua Caliente Casino-Resort-Spa
32-250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage, CA
888-999-1995
www.hotwatercasino.com

Augustine Casino
Avenue 54 and Van Buren, Coachella, CA
760-391-9500
www.augustinecasino.com

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
84-245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio, CA
800-827-2946
www.fantasyspringsresort.com

Morongo Casino Resort & Spa
49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon, California 92230
800-252-4499 or 888-MORONGO
www.morongocasinoresort.com

Red Earth Casino
3089 Norm Niver Road, Salton Sea Beach, CA
760-395-1200

Spa Resort Casino
410 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs, CA 92264
888-999-1995
www.sparesortcasino.com

Spotlight 29 Casino
I-10 at Dillon Road, Coachella, CA
866-3776829
www.spotlight29.com