play ball! power baseball
In this issue: welcome to the new palm canyon paradise the paper for people who love palm springs Eat Palm Springs! Restaurant week has arrived. we’ve got it (burp) covered! short attention span? perfect. palm springs short festival is this month! we get some short answers to our brief questions from fest director lili rodriguez tales from the hangar - ian sitren spins a story from the palm springs air museum Play Ball! Palm Springs Power takes the field! downtown development update: don’t worry, nobody else is going to prison (that we know of). yet. city opens new cooling centers so we don’t kill people off over the summer (see below). events to read about while you sweat (or not, if you happen to be in one of the cooling centers) desert tours this fall: Route 66 through the Mojave desert and Amargosa Opera House
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he fireworks were on the field and in the skies about Palm Springs Stadium on June 2 when the Palm Springs POWER held their opening game for the 2017 season, held at home in Palm Springs. The POWER fell behind the SoCal Catch on the very first pitch of the season, but the Catch learned quickly that starting pitcher Jordan Dreibelbis wasn’t a pushover. From the mound, Dreibelbis decided not to be quite so generous after giving up a home run to Catch shortstop Jonathan Ducoff, making Ducoff’s home run the first, and last, score for the Catch on opening night. The POWER went on to clinch the win, 6 to 1, with Dreibelbis only giving out five hits while striking out six batters during seven innings on the mound. Pitcher Bryan Menendez added a strikeout to the list, as did Gabe Gentner. With the POWER’s opening domination of their opponents, they’re in good position to take the lead in the Southern California Collegiate Baseball League. The SCCBL, a six team summer collegiate league, is based out of Palm Springs. It offers an opportunity for top-notch college baseball atheletes to work with top coaches and hone their skills over the summer as they prepare for the next college baseball season. Most folks don’t think of Palm Springs as a baseball city, but the site of the Palm Springs Stadium, and later the stadium itself, home to the POWER, has a connection to the game dating back to the 1950s, when the Seattle Rainiers played on the site’s polo grounds. In 1951, the Chicago White Sox spent spring training at the stadium, followed by the Cincinatti Reds, the Pittsburgh
Pirates, and others. In the early 1960s, the stadium hosted spring training for the California Angels, owned at the time by Gene Autry, who was also a part-time resident of the city. The Angels, who once held an annual exhibition game every April in Palm Springs, had a class-A minor league affiliate team, the Palm Springs Angels, who played at the stadium from 1986 to 1993, followed by the Palm Springs Suns, and beginning in 2004, the POWER. The California Winter League also calls the stadium home during January and February. With former head coach Casey Dill taking over from retiring Harry Gurley as manager, the POWER is preserving continuity within the club, and with John Mauldin and Cody Ducote returning this season, another SCCBL championship may be on its way. In the meantime, is there anything that embodies summertime better than the crack of a bat under a dusky desert sky on a toasty June or July evening, with hotdogs grilling, and a cold beer in hand? Nah. This is as American as you can get. Come on out and partake as the POWER, who have taken multiple championships over the years, try to work their magic on the diamond once again. Get game times and ticket information at palmspringspowerbaseball.com, and bring the family. There are plenty of options for groups and meal combos, and all active military, police, fire, and EMS personnel get free admission with ID, while students and seniors get discounts. With all this, there’s no reason not to... play ball!
welcome to the palm canyon paradise
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elcome to Sun Runner Media’s new upbeat, monthly newspaper, specifically for people who love Palm Springs, whether they’re longtime locals or first time visitors: The Palm Canyon Paradise. The Paradise isn’t your usual Coachella Valley publication. We only cover Palm Springs, with a focus on the Palm Canyon corridor and downtown. The only time we’ll get political is if we have a little fun with current events, but we’re strictly non-partisan, and all we’re concerned with is sharing the people, places, events, and stories of Palm Springs, and doing our small part to help keep Palm Springs as beautiful and welcoming as pos-
sible. It’s a unique city in the desert, and in the world, and we’re all for keeping it that way. I’d like to dedicate this debut issue to someone I have a great deal of respect and admiration for, both personally and professionally—George Zander. George embodied a lot of what is special about Palm Springs, and worked to always make it even more special. The Paradise is a new publication, but I’m not new to publishing, or Palm Springs. Please visit our website at palmcanyonparadise.com to learn more about how you can be part of this paper in so many ways, and thanks for reading. There’s much more to come! – Steve Brown
Stay Cool! palm springs Cooling Centers • Demuth Community Center 3601 E.ast Mesquite Avenue Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. • Palm Springs Leisure Center 401 South Pavilion Road Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. • Palm Springs Public Library 300 South Sunrise Way Monday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Tuesday & Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Thursday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday & Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. • Welwood Murray Memorial Public Library 100 South Palm Canyon Drive Daily: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. • James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center 480 Tramview Road Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. For more information, call Dale Cook in Community & Economic Development at (760) 323-8198.
there’s more paradise online! www.palmcanyonparadise.com 1
Tales from Paradise
Eat Palm Springs! Restaurant Week spices up June 533 Viet Fusion 1775 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 625 760-778-6595 $29 dinner
Jake’s 664 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760-327-4400 $15 lunch / $29 dinner
Al Dente Trattoria Toscana & Bar 491 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760-325-1160 $29 dinner
Johannes 196 S. Indian Canyon Drive 760-778-0017 $39 dinner
Alicante Spanish Mediterranean Cuisine 140 S. Palm Canyon Drive 760-325-9464
jusTapas 301 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760-835-5878 $29 dinner
Blue Coyote Bar & Grill 445 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760-327-1196 $20 lunch / $29 dinner
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by Steve Brown
f there’s something Palm Springs has been blessed with that we can all appreciate, it’s the city’s vast selection of excellent restaurants and watering holes (the Rat Pack would be proud). And while Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week highlights restaurants across the Coachella Valley, we just want to focus on the fine dining establishments found here in Palm Springs. Why? Because that’s what we’re about. Restaurant Week is a wonderful way to get out and explore the diverse selection of dining options we have here in Palm Springs, and here at The Palm Canyon Paradise, we call this “research.” We are dedicated souls (burp), having dined and wined at quite a few of these establishmments over the years, from 533 Viet Fusion and the Blue Coyote, Cafe Europa, Copley’s, Europa Restaurant, Johannes, Kaiser Grille, King’s Highway, and Lulu, to Pomme Frite, Rick’s, Sammy G’s, The Steakhouse at Spa Resort Casino, Tropicale, and Trio. But clearly, from the list to the right, we have much work left to do, and disappointingly, we may not make it to every restaurant between now and June 11. Though walletwilling and the creek don’t rise, we’ll try. With special menus that highlight retaurant offerings, you can find special menus for two course lunches beginning at $15, and three course dinners starting at $29. That doesn’t include tax or gratuity, or your drink tab, which we hear can be sizable. But whether you’re in the mood for classic American comfort food, or an ethnic specialty, or world class fine dining, Restaurant Week provides you with the opportunity of the summer to get out and experience the best of what Palm Springs can dish out. Don’t go, however, just for the food, but the full Palm Springs experience. When you dine at Copley’s, for instance (where I had a birthday dinner some years ago), you dine at the 1940s Cary Grant guesthouse (eat their ice cream whenever offered, it is divine), and you get the Palm Springs experience served up with your meal at no extra cost. Some Palm Springs restaurants are inherently part of the Palm Springs experience, whether it’s Melvyn’s, or Spencer’s, Johannes, or Le Vallauris. Others are welcome newcomers, keeping the mix fresh and invigorating. We love them all. While you’re out and about this Restaurant Week, make sure to snap that photo of a meal you absolutely love, and share it with us at publisher@sunrunnersw.com. Make sure to tell us what it is, where it’s at, who you are (if we haven’t met already), and who you were with. We’re planning regular dining features to highlight our Palm Springs restaurants, bars and nightclubs, chefs, mixologists, and their—and your—favorite creations and concoctions. Dining and nightlife are central to the classic Palm Springs lifestyle, and we want to make sure to share it with our readers because it’s really a shame to not enjoy such incredible talent and skill (burp). Chefs and mixologists (bartenders), are often artists, and their talents are some of what’s at the core of an authentic Palm Springs experience. So stop reading and get out and eat! Restaurant Week runs only through June 11, and Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week has a wonderful website where you can search for restaurants and even reserve tables at many. Hopefully, we’ll see you out there at one of our delectable dining establishments soon.
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Broken Yoke Cafe – Palm Springs 262 S. Palm Canyon Drive 760-318-9655 $15 lunch Cafe Europa Palm Springs 301 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760-835-5878 $15 lunch Cantala at Riviera Palm Springs 1600 N. Indian Canyon Drive 760-778-6659 / 866-588-8311 $39 dinner Chi Chi at Avalon Hotel & Bungalows 415 S. Belardo Road 760-318-3012 $39 dinner Chicken Ranch 515 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760-832-6682 $20 lunch / $29 dinner Copley’s on Palm Canyon 621 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760-327-9555 $49 dinner dish Creative Cuisine 1107 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760-322-7171 $49 dinner Draughtsman at Arrive Palm Springs 1501 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760-507-1644 $25 lunch / $39 dinner Eight4Nine Restaurant & Lounge 849 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760-325-8490 $29 dinner Escena Lounge & Grill 1100 Clubhouse View rive 760-992-0002 $39 dinner Europa Restaurant at Villa Royale Inn 1620 S. Indian Trail 760-327-2314 $49 dinner Il Giardino Ristorante Italiano 333 S. Indian Canyon Drive, Suite K L 760-322-0888 $39 dinner
Kaiser Grille – Palm Springs 205 S. Palm Canyon Drive 760-323-1003 $20 lunch / $39 dinner King’s Highway Diner at Ace Hotel & Swim Club 701 E. Palm Canyon Drive 760-325-9900 $39 dinner Le Vallauris 385 W. Tahquitz Canyon Way 760-325-5059 $49 dinner LG’s Prime Steakhouse – Palm Springs 255 S. Palm Canon Drive, Suite B2 760-416-1779 $49 dinner L’Olivo Italian Bistro 333 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 105 760-327-0382 $29 dinner LuLu California Bistro 200 S. Palm Canyon Drive 760-327-5858 $20 lunch / $39 dinner Melvyn’s Restaurant at Ingleside Inn 200 W. Ramon Road 760-325-2323 $20 lunch / $39 dinner Michael Holmes’ Purple Room 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive 760-322-4422 $39 dinner Mister Parker’s at Parker Palm Springs 4200 E. Palm Canyon Drive 760-770-5000 $49 dinner Mod Cafe 515 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite B9 760-699-7714 $15 lunch / $29 dinner Moxie Palm Springs 262 S. Palm Canyon Drive 760-318-9900 $29 dinner Mr. Lyon’s Steakhouse 233 E. Palm Canyon Drive 760-327-1551 $39 dinner Palm Greens Cafe 611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 6 760-864-9900 $15 lunch / $29 dinner
Peaks Restaurant at Palm Springs Aerial Tramway One Tram Way 760-325-4537 $49 dinner Pomme Frite 256 S. Palm Canyon Drive 760-778-3727 $39 dinner PS Underground (Secret location) 760-636-8442 $49 dinner Purple Palm Restaurant & Bar at Colony Palms Hotel 572 N. Indian Canyon Drive 760-969-1818 $49 dinner Reservoir at Arrive Palm Springs 1551 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite B 760-507-1640 $25 lunch / $39 dinner Rick’s Desert Grill 1596 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760-325-2127 $15 lunch / $29 dinner Rio Azul Mexican Bar & Grill 350 S. Indian Canyon Drive 760-992-5641 $29 dinner Sammy G’s Tuscan Grill 265 S. Palm Canyon Drive 760-320-8041 $29 dinner SHARE Small Plate Bistro at Hyatt Palm Springs 285 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760-969-6026 $15 lunch / $29 dinner SO•PA at L’Horizon Resort & Spa 1050 E. Palm Canyon Drive 760-323-1858 / 800-377-7855 $49 dinner Spencer’s Restaurant 701 W. Baristo Road 760-327-3446 $39 dinner The Kitchen at Hard Rock Hotel Palm Springs 150 S. Indian Canyon Drive 760-969-6645 $25 lunch / $39 dinner The Steakhouse at Spa Resort Casino 401 E. Amado Road 760-250-1804 $49 dinner The Tropicale Restaurant & Coral Seas Lounge 330 E. Amado Road Photos, top left: outdoor dining at Copley’s radi760-866-1952 ates pure classic Palm Springs; below left, one of $39 dinner Copley’s delectable creations; top right, scallops ThreeSixty North Bar & Grill served up at Le Vallauris; above, spice up your life at 360 N. Palm Canyon Drive rio azul; below, chef Johannes Bacher may be from 760-327-1773 austria, but they can’t have him back! We need him, $39 dinner and the restaurant that bears his name, here in Palm Springs! Trio Restaurant 707 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760-864-8746 $29 dinner Watercress Vietnamese Bistro 415 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760-832-9927 $15 lunch / $29 dinner Workshop Kitchen + Bar 800 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite G 760-459-3451 $49 dinner Zin American Bistro 198 S. Palm Canyon Drive 760-322-6300 $29 dinner 3
Wings over Palm Springs
The Madras Maiden
Historic WWII B-17 Visits Palm Springs
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by Steve Brown
t’s not often I get a note offering me a free flight, let alone one on a B-17 Flying Fortress, the legendary heavy bomber of World War II, so when the Liberty Foundation’s note popped up in my inbox, I had to read it several times. Finally, it sunk in: I was going to fly in a B-17, something I had always dreamed about doing since I was a boy watching 12 O’clock High. When the day came, a high wind warning was slated to take effect just after our flight time. The Madras Maiden, one of only a dozen remaining B-17s that still fly, hadn’t arrived at the Palm Springs Air Museum yet. Would fate interfere with my once in a lifetime chance to be a waist gunner? Luckily, Lady Luck was on my side this time, and while takeoff was a bit bouncy, I’m sure it was nothing like the flak faced by these bombers as they headed over their targets in Europe durin g the war. After we climbed to maybe 1,000 feet, things smoothed out remarkably well and all of us “crew” got up to explore the interior of the bomber. None of it lasted nearly long enough, of course (nothing like those 12 hour missions over Germany), but there was time enough to get a feel for this wonderful airplane. What must it have been like to see the fighter escorts turn back when their fuel ran low, leaving a droning formation of bombers on their own, heading deep into enemy territory? Or to be the lonely tail gunner, who had to crawl back to his position? Or the ball turret gunner, hanging in place on the underside of the plane, thousands of feet above the ground, looking down, and looking for enemy fighters? The Liberty Foundation, and our own historical treasure, the Palm Springs Air Museum, help people like you and I connect with real history, which means connecting with real people. As magnificent as this plane is (and the museum is working to restore its own B-17, Miss Angela, to flying condition, but right now you can still explore its interior inside the hangar), it really is the stories of the people who flew in them, and their relationship with these stalwart machines, that brings history alive. Years ago, I did a freelance story for America in World War II magazine on the Palm Springs Air Museum. I was taken more with one aspect of the museum than anything else. Despite being a lifelong fan of World War II aircraft, it was the docents who made the museum special. And it remains so today. My tip? Spend a day at the Palm Springs Air Museum, and take your time with the planes and exhibits. But when a docent approaches, spend plenty of time with them, because you won’t just learn something about the exhibits, but you’ll learn something, something quite admirable, about our country, and maybe even yourself. I did. For more information on the Palm Springs Air Museum: palmspringsairmuseum.org. For more photos and video of my ride on the Madras Maiden: sunrunnersw.com/singlepost/2017/04/27/Palm-Springs-welcomes-the-incredible-Madras-Maiden.
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Wings over Palm Springs
Lt. Col. Bob Friend
The Tuskegee Airmen and Bob’s “Bunny”
Story & Photos by Ian L. Sitren
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irst you hear it, somewhere in the sky. It commands attention, you look up and keep looking as it grows louder. Then there it is, a fast moving silver and red aircraft maybe streaking along the mountains to the west or dropping down to the airport.
It is the famed World War II fighter, the P-51 Mustang, with it’s powerful RollsRoyce Merlin engine driving it to speeds as high as 440 mph. This specific Mustang is the definitive version, a P-51D with the two-speed supercharged engine and armed with six .50 caliber Browning machine guns. This P-51 is the premier aircraft in the collection of the Palm Springs Air Museum. One of the most iconic aircraft of World War II, this plane has been painted and dedicated to the famed “Red Tails,” the Tuskegee Airmen of the 332nd Fighter Group. These men were the elite and very first all African-American squadron. Look closely along the canopy. You will see inscribed the name of Lt. Col. Bob Friend. Lt. Col. Friend is now 97 years old, and to this day you can often find him here at the museum as well as making appearances across the country. In the air as a ‘Red Tail,” his aircraft in World War II was also a P-51D, and to honor the Colonel, this plane became his, complete with the nose art of bathing beauty “Bunny,” painted by famed aviation artist Stan Stokes. The entire aircraft, now nicknamed “Bunny,” duplicates the Colonel’s aircraft he flew in the war. Friend flew in World War II in Europe as Combat Operations Officer at the squadron and group levels, flying 142 combat missions during his service. He flew wing on Colonel Benjamin Davis (later General Benjamin Davis, the first African American General in the U.S. Air Force). He continued on to a commission in the Army Air Corps, and its successor, the Army Air Forces. His career with the Air Force included serving as Assistant Deputy of Launch Vehicles, working on important space launch vehicles such as the Titan, Atlas and Delta rockets and the Space Shuttle. He served as a Foreign Technology Program Director where he identified and monitored research and development programs related to national security. He was also the Director of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Program, tasked with investigating unidentified flying objects.
Lt. Col. Bob Friend, above, one of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen. The Palm Springs Air Museum’s P-51D Mustang, seen below and at the top, has been made to honor Friend and those who served in World War II in these iconic fighter planes. photos by ian sitren: palmspringsphotographer.com.
Friend retired as a lieutenant colonel from the Air Force in 1971 and then his expertise was utilized to oversee the design and production of space products for the Space Shuttle program, to lead a company that creates components for the International Space Station, and to direct research and development for USAF weapons and missile programs. The Palm Springs Air Museum is dedicated to such inspiring individuals as Lt. Col. Bob Friend, and sharing their history. Indeed, among the more than 300 men and women docents here, you will find the quiet heroes who stand among us. Those who stood at Guadalcanal to those who flew to the edge of outer space. These people are the very special living history among the many exhibits and amazing aircraft at the museum. Now when you hear that special sound in the sky, you know so much of what it represents. Discover more at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
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Finds
4 Short Questions for Lili Rodriguez
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e went looking for Lili Rodriguez, director of the Palm Springs International ShortFest, only to find she’d already left for Cannes without us. While we had already packed and were disappointed to be left behind, we were able to zap off four short questions to France for Lili to answer as ShortFest gets prepared for its 23rd year, June 20-26, at the Camelot Theatre. ShortFest will be presenting approximately 330 films from 47 countries, but the selections have not yet been formally announced (they’ll be announced on Friday, September 9, so you can check our website for the full program after that date). ShortFest is a competitive festival—an Oscar and BAFTA-qualifying festival, with more than 100 shorts that have gone on to receive Oscar nominations. The ShortFest Film Market that runs concurrently, is the only one of its kind in North America, with a library of more than 3,500 film submissions available to industry representatives. In addition, the ShortFest Forum will present three days of panels covering emerging trends and new practices in the global film community. We thank Lili for taking the time from her hectic schedule in Cannes to answer our questions, and we look forward to another great ShortFest. (We’re not jealous Lili ... oh, who are we kidding? Of course we’re jealous.)
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t’s hidden, back behind the plumber’s telescope you can use to spot Lincoln’s profile on the mountainside, way back in the Henry Frank Arcade, but sometimes the best things in life are the hardest to find, no? Gré Coffeehouse & Art Gallery is a small, retro, and inspired and is a great place to chill when downtown on Palm Canyon. Owner Kelly Segre, or just gré, her nickname reflecting her love of black and white portraits, is an award-winning photographer known for those aforementioned portraits. Stunning samples of her photos hang on Gré’s walls, along with works by other female artists. There’s a table towards the back where a game may be underway, or a political conversation readying itself. “Do you know who Noam Chomsky is?,” asked an overly serious young man. “Yeah, I know who Noam is,” I respond, being roughly about 24 times his age. While summer rages outside, Gré serves up cold brew and a variety of iced drinks, as well as frozen ones, including a killer salted-caramel mocha. It’s the perfect place to duck into to escape the heat and anything else that needs escaping. Gré Coffeehouse & Art Gallery, 278-C Palm Canyon Drive. grecoffeehouse.com.
PCP: What are you most looking forward to this ShortFest? LR: Meeting the filmmakers! The energy they bring is by far what makes ShortFest so special year after year. We are also expanding our Virtual Reality to two full days which is no doubt going to be fun. The VR Lounge will be at the Riviera on Thursday and Friday and is completely free to the public. PCP: What do you like most about the medium of short films? LR: I love the freedom short form gives filmmakers. There isn't the pressure of a featurelong film, they don't necessarily have anyone telling them what to do... they can get pretty creative and original and they can really show us who they are as filmmakers. PCP: What does the Film Market do for filmmakers at the festival? LR: The Film Market is a great opportunity for filmmakers! It's the only film market exclusively set up for shorts so it's an excellent networking opportunity. Essentially, the Market puts your film in front of the right people, even if you didn't make the festival as an Official Selection. We have festival programmers and other industry who come to the festival and just go see films in the Market. Part of programming with limited slots means that we can't take everything and there are some great films you can still find in the Market. PCP: How does the Oscar and BAFTA qualifying aspect of the festival benefit participating filmmakers? LR: Films that take the jury awards in those select categories are automatically eligible to submit to the Oscars or BAFTA for consideration. It's a direct line to two of the most prestigious film awards in the world! For more ShortFest information and tickets call 760-778-8979 or visit psfilmfest.org. Look for The Palm Canyon Paradise at Short Fest, and send photos of your ShortFest moments to us at publisher@sunrunnersw.com.
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Have a Palm Springs photo or story you’d like to share with our readers? Send it to us at: publisher@sunrunnersw.com. We would love to hear from you! Have a Palm Springs-related special interest you’d like to see in the paper? Let us know. We’re always looking for editorial contributors.
Paradise picks Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week Through Sunday, June 11. Various locations. Special lunches and dinners at fantastic restaurants in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. See our website, palmcanyonparadise.com for Palm Springs restaurants, and dineGPS.com for valley-wide information.
Bring a hat and sunscreen. Limited cabanas and tables are available at all venues, email vip@splashhouse.com for details. Separate tickets are available for the night events at the Palm Springs Air Museum, doors open at 9 p.m. For full line up and tickets, visit splashhouse.com.
Alex Santana at Wang’s in the Desert June 6, 13, 20, 27, 3 – 8 p.m. OK, so maybe you thought about going because they’re International Taco & Tequila Tuesdays at Wang’s. Good enough. But hey, our suave and extremely talented musical friend, Alex Santana, is playing at Wang’s Tuesdays too, so now there are two perfectly good reasons to go to Wang’s on Tuesdays through June (and into July), from 3 to 8 p.m. Wang’s in the Desert, 424 S. Indian Canyon Drive. 760325-9264, wangsinthedesert.com.
Remembering Pulse: Palm Springs Vigil June 10, 10:30 - 11:15 p.m. A community-wide vigil, moment of silence, and show of solidarity with the Orlando and Latin LGBT community a year after the horrific Pulse Nightclub attack. Organized by the LGBT Community Center of the Desert. 300 E. Arenas Road. 760-416-7790, thecenterps.org.
Artwalk at the Backstreet Art District June 7, 5 – 8 p.m. There is a great group of artist-owned galleries and studios located in the Backstreet Art District, and their monthly art walks are superb. Backstreet Art District, 2600 S. Cherokee Way. 760-8327568, backstreetartdistrict.com. Architecture & Design Center Free Admission June 7, 8, 9, 10, OK, well, everyday through July, thanks to an anonymous donor (Where are they when we need one?) Don’t miss out on exploring the Palm Springs Art Museum’s Architecture and Design Center. After all, it’s fascinating and free (and cool, literally). The center’s closed Wednesdays, open Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Thursdays (VillageFest nights), hours are noon – 8 p.m. Architecture & Design Center, 300 S. Palm Canyon Drive. 760-423-5260, psmuseum.org/architecture-design-center. Free Thursday Nights at the Palm Springs Art Museum Free admission to the Palm Springs Art Museum Thursdays, 4 – 8 p.m., corresponding with VillageFest. Current exhibits include John McLaughlin: The Tamarind Prints; Making it Modern; and, Pat Lasch: Journeys of the Heart. Palm Springs Art Museum, 101 Museum Drive. 760-3224800, psmuseum.org. Tonga Hut Art & Mai Tais Like we need a reason to go to a tiki bar, nonetheless, Tonga Hut gives us one more—weekly! VillageFest nights (Thursdays), from 6 to 10 p.m., Artists Dirk Yates and John Murasky (two smart and talented guys), create and exhibit art, draw live, and tell tales of Palm Springs of yore at Tonga Hut. Whether you want a cocktail to fortify you for shopping the streets of VillageFest, or maybe, you want to escape the streets for a time, you can combine several of our favorite things here on Thursday nights—tiki drinks, tiki eats, great art, and talking story. Check it out! Tonga Hut, 254 N. Palm Canyon. 760-322-4449, tongahut. com. VillageFest Palm Springs’ open air street festival, Thursday evenings, 7 – 10 p.m. VillageFest, Tahquitz Canyon Drive and North Palm Canyon Drive. Villagefest.org Full Moon Party, Drum Circle & Celebration June 9, 7 - 10 p.m. Celebrate the full moon with a drum circle, dancers, and card readers by the pool. Free. Also, check out The Full House Band featuring Nena Anderson, inside at The Amigo Room, 8 p.m., 21+, free. Ace Hotel and Swim Club, 701 E. Palm Canyon Drive. 760325-9900, acehotel.com/palmsprings. David Green’s Musical Theatre University June 9, 8 - 10 p.m. Broadway’s next generation in a delightful and poignant evening of cabaret with show-stopping songs and personal stories, under the direction of Broadway veterans Lucie Arnaz and Teri Ralston. $10. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room, 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive. 760-0322-4422, purpleroompalmsprings.com. Splash House – a Palm Springs Pool Festival Splash House returns, June 9-11! Venues include The Saguaro Palm Springs, Riviera Palm Springs, and Renaissance Palm Springs. Each of these awesome hotels hosts a poolside stage programmed with festival artists. Shuttles run non-stop between venues so you can take your soggy, happy self to another pool at any time. Get a room by the pool and do summer Palm Springs style! Event is 21+, valid photo ID required for wristbands, venue capacity is limited, poolside programming is on Saturday and Sunday, doors open at noon, wristbands must be worn for entry/re-entry, and room packages are available.
Paint Nite: Paradise Sunset III June 15, 7 - 9 p.m. Don’t have decades to devote yourself to being an artist? No worries. Drink wine and paint yourself a masterpiece in one evening of fun with your friends. $45. Also, Unicorn Dreams Paint Nite, June 29. Check paintnite.com for more area events. Ace Hotel & Swim Club, 701 E. Palm Canyon Drive. 760325-9900, paintnite.com. You Make Me Laugh: A Love Song to Gilda Radner June 16, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Francesca Amari’s homage to Gilda, including her classic SNL characters. Not a greatest hits kind of show, but a biography, accompanied by a delicious three-course dinner by PS Underground chef, David Horgen. Oh yeah, and we can’t tell you where it is either. The location is only given out when you make your reservation. Those silly PS Underground folks love their secret locations! $65 plus tax and fee. 760-636-8442, psunderground.com/you-make-melaugh. Palm Springs International ShortFest and Film Market June 20 – June 27 One of our favorite festivals ever! ShortFest serves up more than 325 short films from more than 50 countries, presented in themed programs. More than 100 shorts presented at ShortFest over its history have become Academy Award nominees! Guaranteed moments of greatness presented in air conditioned splendor. Look for more details on our website, palmcanyonparadise.com after the line-up is announced June 9, and go to psfilmfest.org for tickets and more. ShortFest box office is located at the Camelot Theatres, 2300 E. Baristo Road. Palm Springs Community Drum Circle June 30, 7 - 9 p.m. Crystal Fantasy’s monthly community drum circle welcomes all for an evening of fun in a friendly, non-judgmental (which is why we don’t go—people with no sense of rhythm makes us highly judgmental, it’s our fault, but still.....) place of community. Bring a drum, flute, or just yourself and a friend (they have drums for you to bang on, and they sell some dynamite drums there), and relax (we won’t be judging you). Start the weekend by grooving out all the stresses of the week. Crystal Fantasy, 268 N. Palm Canyon Drive. 760-3227799, crystalfantasy.com. Visit our website at www. palmcanyonparadise.com for links to more event information for Palm Springs, as well as additional feature content.
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