TheStandard vol7 issue1

DECEMBER JANUARY 2019 2018 VOLUME VOLUME67ISSUE ISSUE12 1 THESTANDARDPS.COM

THANKS TO THE CHASE 25 YEARS OF LOCAL IMPACT /////

STEVE CHASE HUMANITARIAN AWARDS THE ICONIC BARRY MANILOW PERFORMS

CONTENTS VOLUME 7, ISSUE 1

theStandardPS.com twitter.com/theStandardPS facebook.com/theStandardPS instagram.com/theStandardPS HOW CAN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS HELP WITH HIV? FEATURE PAGES 16-17

Volume 7 Issue 1 COVER THANKS TO THE CHASE 25 YEARS OF LOCAL IMPACT COVER STEVE CHASE HUMANITARIAN AWARDS THE ICONIC BARRY MANILOW PERFORMS FEATURE HOW CAN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS HELP WITH HIV FEATURE BEAR HUGS FOR PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL BEAR CONVERGENCE RETURNS INSIGHT GET FINANCIALLY FIT IN 2019

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COMMENTARY

The Standard Magazine PO Box 2074, Palm Springs, CA 92263 760.831.4869 Nino Eilets Publisher Luciano McNulty Editor Maya Kalabic Art Director PHOTOGRAPHER David A. Lee CONTRIBUTORS

Steven Boyce, Jeff Dorta, Mona Elyafi, Jenna Fletcher, Dann Foley, Thomas Grawt, Jill Langham, Keith Patterson, Connor Pondavis, Christina Vronay Ruggles, Martha Tang, Terri Schlichenmeyer & Jonathan Shuffield

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COVER

25TH STEVE CHASE HUMANITARIAN AWARDS

FEATURING A PERFORMANCE BY MUSIC LEGEND BARRY MANILOW

BY STEVEN HENKE

Attendees of The 25th Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards will be treated to a special performance by pop music icon Barry Manilow. Barry Manilow’s unparalleled career encompasses virtually every area of music, including performing, composing, arranging and producing. A Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, Manilow has triumphed in every medium of entertainment. Having sold more than 85 million albums worldwide, Manilow is one of the world’s all-time bestselling recording artists. The GRAMMY®, TONY®, and EMMY® Award-winning musician has had an astonishing 50 Top 40 singles including 12 #1s and 27 Top 10 hits. In 2017 Barry Manilow received the BMI Icon Award and is ranked as the #1 Adult Contemporary Artist of all time, according to Billboard and R&R magazines.

The Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards gala has raised millions of dollars to care for people living with HIV. First organized by and named for famed interior designer Steve Chase – a former D.A.P. donor, volunteer, and board member – the gala is a highlight of the desert social season and kicks off the night prior with an exclusive VIP pre-party at the Palm Springs Art Museum honoring major donors and celebrity guests. Preceding the VIP Party, The City of Palm Springs will honor Chase as a humanitarian and designer with a Palm Springs Walk of Stars Dedication in front of the museum.

Chase’s philanthropy has had a lasting impact on the environment, arts & culture and healthcare through his support of the Living Desert, Palm Springs Art Museum, and Desert AIDS Project. Leaders of the three non-profits will speak about the lasting impact of his support during the dedication ceremony.

This year’s awards will posthumously honor Steve Chase with Steve Chase Humanitarian Award honoring the impact 25 years of fundraising has made at Desert AIDS Project. The evening will also honor Geoff Kors and James Williamson’s marriage to community service when they are presented with the Partners for Life Award on February 9 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Kors and Williamson have a long history of community leadership, focusing their time and resources on social and political issues as varied as LGBTQA+ rights, education, and healthcare. Long-time supporters of Desert AIDS Project, both are members of Partners For Life. Locally, Williamson served on the Palm Springs School Board and Kors is a member of the Palm Springs City Council. D.A.P. Chief Development Officer, Darrell Tucci explained why this award is so important. “Few individuals have made a lasting impact in our community with the purpose and clarity of Geoff and James.”

Co-chairs Kevin Bass, Patrick Jordan and Lauri Kibby have been planning this year’s gala for more than a year with an eye to reinventing the format of the evening. The party begins with red carpet arrivals LIVE on NBC Palm Springs at the Palm Springs Convention Center at 5:30pm. The Steve Chase Fashion Experience

GEOFF KORS AND JAMES WILLIAMSON

will feature Palm Springs Fashion Editor, Susan Stein, Ethylina Canne and other special guest commentators. The awards kick off at 7:00 PM and will feature a performance by Barry Manilow followed by the after-party.

To reserve your place at the party for the 25th Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, go to www.stevechase25.eventbrite. com or call 760-992-0445.

JANUARY 2019 7

COVER

Desert AIDS Project remains committed to a bold but achievable target: 90-90-90: Treatment for All By 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status.

People can carry the HIV virus for years and not know it. The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested. Your support enables D.A.P.’s Get Tested Coachella Valley program to provide free and confidential HIV testing at hundreds of community events and dozens of test sites – from health fairs and food banks, to Walgreens and D.A.P.’s sexual health clinic, The DOCK. By 2020, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy.

Thanks to attendance at the Steve Chase and other fundraising events, Desert AIDS Project ensures that newly diagnosed HIV positive patients receive the medications they need to survive and thrive, and regular follow-ups to safeguard their well being. D.A.P.’s Patient Assistance Program secures critical HIV and other medications at reduced cost.

By 2020, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.

To suppress the virus to an undetectable level, an individual must start on medication as early as possible and stay on it for a lifetime. This can be challenging when facing other serious challenges. That’s the driving force behind D.A.P. Total Care – the comprehensive combination of health and wellness services which are uniquely tailored to each individual – including medical, dental, mental health, social services, support groups, substance abuse counseling, and much more – all conveniently provided under one roof at D.A.P.’s Palm Springs location.

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2019 STEVE CHASE HUMANITARIAN AWARDS SPONSORS 25TH ANNIVERSARY SPONSORS Elgart Aster & Paul Swerdlove, Desert Care Network, The Desert Sun, Grace Helen Spearman Foundation, Living Out, Reaction Marketing, Walgreens STAR SPONSORS Mark Adams, Annette Bloch, Brush Palm Springs, Jean-Daniel Kermelly & Gerry Battle, Here Media, Edward & Marie Lewis, Natural Retreats, NBC Palm Springs SUPPORTING SPONSOR Steven Anders / The Elizabeth Firth Wade Endowment, Bank of America, Jim Burba & Bob Hayes, Desert Oasis Healthcare, Diageo, Lynn Hammond, Heather James Fine Art, ITEX of the Desert, Barbara & Jerry Keller , Lauri Kibby, Rabobank, Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel, UC Riverside School of Medicine, Wells Fargo, White Cross Pharmacy BENEFACTOR SPONSOR Freehold Communities, Gilead Sciences, Annette Guzman, Heffernan Insurance Brokers, Image360, Patrick Jordan, Frank Kurland, Laboratory Corporation of America, Perry McCay, Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, Revive Wellness, Ann Sheffer & Bill Scheffler, Sysco Riverside MEDIA CV Independent, Gay Desert Guide, Palm Springs Life, Promo Homo TV, Rage Monthly, The Hollywood Times, The Standard Magazine

About Desert AIDS Project Desert AIDS Project (D.A.P.) is a Federally Qualified Health Center in Palm Springs, CA offering D.A.P. Total Care – a combination of medical, dental, counseling, social services, support groups, alternative therapies, in-house pharmacy and lab, and other health and wellness services. D.A.P.’s sexual health clinic, The DOCK, offers STD testing and treatment, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), PostExposure Prophylaxis (PEP), and HIV and HCV testing. D.A.P.’s Get Tested Coachella Valley campaign, the nation’s first region-wide free HIV testing and access to care initiative, was recognized by the White House for helping to bring about an AIDS-free future.

D.A.P. has earned a “Four Star” rating from Charity Navigator for the sixth consecutive year – landing D.A.P. in the top 6% of nonprofits rated. The distinction recognizes that we exceed industry standards in terms of our financial health, accountability, and transparency.

Visit www.desertaidsproject.org, www.thedockclinic.org, and www. gettestedcoachellavalley.org to learn more.

About Steve Chase Steve Chase founded Steve Chase Associates, his Rancho Mirage interior design firm, in 1980, following a lengthy and noted affiliation with Arthur Elrod Associates of Palm Springs. An acclaimed designer, Chase was active for many years in community organizations, including the Desert AIDS Project, the Palm Springs Desert Museum, The Living Desert Reserve, and The McCallum Theatre. During his firm’s formative stages, Chase offered design, consulting, and purchasing services to the McCallum Theatre, confirming his longtime passion for the performing arts. In addition, numerous projects were undertaken at The Living Desert Reserve where Chase was a Board Member. Chase worked closely with Reserve administration, offering both design and financial support for additions including Eagle Canyon and the Meerkat Café. Chase

contributed $2.5 million to The Living Desert Reserve for construction of an administrative center and a collection of California landscape art. In addition, he gave $1.5 million and 132 works of art to the Palm Springs Desert Museum, which opened the Steve Chase Art Wing and Education Center in 1996.

Chase’s introduction to the Desert AIDS Project followed his Board work with The Design Alliance to Combat AIDS (D.A.C.A.) in Los Angeles. The impact and need for local community services was apparent early, and Chase was committed to serving the desert community following his departure from the D.A.C.A. Board. He was an annual participant in the Desert AIDS Walk and he was instrumental in bringing “Heartstrings” to the Coachella Valley in 1992. This production was followed by “A Valentine’s Gala” in 1993, when Betty Ford, Joan Krok, and Chase were honored for their longtime compassion and personal dedication to the Desert AIDS Project and its clients. Chase introduced his friends, business associates, and clients to the Desert AIDS Project and encouraged their financial and personal involvement. This introduction led to the dedication and donation of the private residence of Joan Krok to the Project, a significant donation that allowed the Project to expand and broaden its mission.

The Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards honors Steve Chase’s commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS. IF YOU GO Date: Saturday, February 9, 2019 Location: Palm Springs Convention Center Red Carpet Arrivals, Cocktails Silent Auction: 5:30pm Dinner, Awards & Entertainment: 7:00pm After Party: 9:30pm Attire: Black Tie or Creative Formal Attire

JANUARY 2019 9

COVER

THANKS TO THE CHASE 25 YEARS OF LOCAL IMPACT

BY JACK BUNTING

Many would agree, we’ve made so much progress since the earliest days of AIDS, but with conditions. Culturally and legally, being LGBTQ is not as dangerous as it once was, although hate crimes still occur. Living with HIV is no longer a death sentence, but stigma remains. And when it comes to access to care, countless numbers of Americans continue to fall through the cracks, despite better medications and the ACA. Without community will and leadership from heroes willing to step outside their own comfort zones, the needle doesn’t move enough to change much of anything for the better. It takes someone like the late Steve Chase (1942-1994), renowned interior designer and art collector, and his very public devotion to helping people struggling to stay alive in the choking shadow of AIDS in the Coachella Valley.

Each year through his namesake gala, Desert AIDS Project (D.A.P.) acts to keep Steve Chase’s benevolent spirit thriving.

Like so many other wealthy, successful, and handsome gay men of his time, Steve Chase could have opted for the safe comfort of silence. He had a magnificent home with several large closets he could have opted to hide in. He had money and connections across the globe. He could have ignored what was happening. Instead, he became the most iconic benefactor D.A.P. has ever known.

“Steve could make a connection with anybody,” said Kathy McCauley, one of D.A.P.’s founders and its first RN. According to many who were there, lesbians worked the hardest to help bring relief to the gay men who were dying of AIDS in the early days of the epidemic. Regardless of their jobs, they organized and mobilized the community, and were often the first ones to comfort the dying when others were too afraid.

Nurse McCauley liked Steve Chase instantly, and because she wore many hats, finding housing for patients and fundraising were included in her job duties. The two would regularly view apartments they were considering for patients who were either kicked out of their homes or unable to find housing because of their HIV status.

“The apartments are fine,” he’d say. “But they must have remodeled kitchens; the residents will need to have a place where they’ll want to cook and eat.”

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Even then, housing and food insecurity represented huge areas of need for the clients of D.A.P., and it remains the same today. But seemingly, Steve Chase knew that the solution is community involvement.

By looking at a few of the countless acts of generosity over the last 25 years at The Chase gala, we can honor those who have indelibly changed the lives of those less fortunate, and we can see part of the evolution of Desert AIDS Project as we know it today.

campus in Palm Springs daunting.

By providing a discreet location with culturally competent staff who understand and empathize with the East Valley community, D.A.P. is using an old tactic from the early days.

According to Kathy McCauley, D.A.P.’s first clinic at 610 S. Belardo Rd. was doing the same thing—operating discreetly. Located behind the same complex where Revivals Palm Springs is today, Sun Plaza was the home to The Desert Sun newspaper back in those days. Due to stigma, they operated without signage or advertising.

“They had no idea what we were doing in there,” said McCauley.

“They would have closed us down immediately. It’s funny that there were reporters working there,” and no one seemed the wiser.

Thanks to The Chase in 1998, local philanthropists responded by enabling the acquisition of our current 44,000 square-foot campus in Palm Springs to meet the demand to serve more and more people struggling to get the care they needed. Overcrowding at the old clinic on Vella Rd. was hampering efforts to adequately serve the need.

But the Vella Rd. clinic, opened a decade earlier, had been a breath of fresh air for many reasons. Unlike the Belardo Rd. clinic, which had to operate in secrecy, the Vella Rd. clinic was able to operate in plain sight of the community. In fact, it was resplendent.

Steve Chase’s notoriety, passion and financial support had begun changing the lives of those struggling with HIV / AIDS. Silk wallpaper and near-priceless paintings by artists like Cézanne created an atmosphere so dazzling that, perhaps for just a moment, patients suffering from AIDS were made to feel as though they were important and worthy of beauty.

Thanks to The Chase in 1994, D.A.P. was able to open a satellite office in Indio to provide HIV screening, as well as early intervention and case management services. Cultural taboos, language barriers, and distance can make the trip to the D.A.P.

Steve Chase had built a thriving practice on the magic created by thoughtful interior design. Seeing serenity in the eyes of a D.A.P. client with AIDS as he or she gazed at the features of the Vella Rd. office likely was its own reward.

Despite vacation rentals, casinos, and resorts, the Coachella Valley is a tough place to live for low-earning residents regardless of their HIV status (e.g. $24,000 per year for a single, or $41,566 for a family of three). One accident or illness can mean the loss of employment or housing, leading to a chain reaction that translates into diminished health and functioning.

People living with HIV today have the privilege of a full life expectancy, but only if they are taking medications consistently, have restful sleep, a roof over their heads, nutritious meals, and meaningful engagement with others. Getting behavioral health assistance from a culturally competent psychologist or counselor when necessary is also vital.

D.A.P. is in its largest expansion ever. Currently it serves about 4,500 clients, but by 2020, that number will rise to about 10,000.

The need is great, as poverty is a common thread linking all our clients, regardless of HIV status.

JANUARY 2019 11

COVER Thanks to The Chase in 2001, the Morris and Lila Linsky family acted to address food insecurity for patients of D.A.P. Difficulty finding and keeping work is very common for people living with HIV, but thanks to the Linsky family, more than 300 D.A.P. clients are given healthy food, grocery vouchers, and dietary guidance every month.

Thanks to The Chase in 2007, philanthropist Philip Caplin helped fund the new Vista Sunrise Apartments on the D.A.P. campus.

This was a major step toward making D.A.P.’s holistic vision for treating the whole individual, a reality. It also was in line with the original vision, shared by Steve Chase.

In the earlier days of the epidemic, it wasn’t just residents who faced housing discrimination. Local humanitarians who tried to house them faced just as much backlash, and possibly worse. Moved by community action, Fred Hardt turned the Palm Springs hotel he owned into a respite for AIDS patients. His residents were isolated and given poor treatment by a medical system that was still years away from understanding the HIV virus or how to treat people who have it.

Dr. Bruce Lloyd, one of D.A.P.’s founders and its first physician, described a time when doctors were either too afraid to treat an AIDS patient, or they were outright forbidden to attend to them.

Both he and Kathy McCauly, then an RN, had been told by their supervisors at the County of Riverside that they were not allowed to see AIDS patients. This did not deter them from volunteering and then working full time for D.A.P. Bob Edwards, a resident with AIDS living at Fred Hardt’s hotel, told The Desert Sun in 1984 “I ran into prejudice, ignorance, and selfishness among hospital attendants,” he said. “But it wasn’t their fault; they don’t know any better.”

Although the Palm Springs City Council eventually rescinded its efforts to close Hardt down, Hardt would soon lose his hotel because of finances and eventually would lose the battle with the virus himself.

It didn’t last long, but Hardt’s humanitarian gesture helped spark a movement to ensure those living with HIV / AIDS had housing.

Thanks to The Chase in 2008, philanthropists Georgia and Gerald Fogelson funded the first adult HIV-specialty dental clinic in Riverside County.

Thanks to The Chase in 2012, philanthropist Annette Bloch funded a cancer care center dedicated to specialized HIV-related

12 THESTANDARDPS.COM

cancer research, screenings, treatment and prevention.

Thanks to The Chase in 2015, our community and donors open The DOCK, a walk-in clinic that provides HIV and STD testing, treatment, and prevention.

Thanks to The Chase in 2016, our community and donors helped launch the D.A.P. Hepatitis Center of Excellence to manage, support and cure those living with Hepatitis C, which kills more Americans today than HIV does.

How Did Steve Chase Build His Empire In Palm Springs?

Steve Chase had built a thriving, 20-person interior design business based in Rancho Mirage with international clients before his death in 1995. His success did not happen overnight. After beginning in interior design in L.A., Chase was hired by Arthur Elrod, the premier interior designer and founder of Elrod and Associates in Palm Springs. For 15 years, Chase was able to further develop his style, his reputation and his cache of international clients who trusted his vision implicitly.

Arthur Elrod and Associates was responsible for the interiors of some of the most notable country clubs, hotels, and midcentury modern homes in the Coachella Valley. Beginning his firm’s Palm Springs legacy with Lucy and Desi’s Rancho Mirage home in the 50s, Elrod was designing the interior of the hilltop Bob Hope Estate in Palm Springs, at the time of his death in 1974 by a drunken driver.

Perhaps most notable is the Elrods’s own home, the Arthur Elrod House, also designed by architect John Lautner. It is featured in the 1971 James Bond movie “Diamonds Are Forever”. As 007 outmaneuvers Bambi and Thumper in the film, viewers can drink in mid-century design elements throughout, as well as footage of a much less developed Coachella Valley floor below. Elrod was close friends with Bob and Dolores Hope, and both of their iconic homes, designed by architect John Lautner, are in the same-gated neighborhood-overlooking highway 111.

JANUARY 2019 13

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JANUARY 2019 15

FEATURE

HOW CAN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS HELP WITH HIV?

BY JENNA FLETCHER

Many people living with HIV use alternative therapies.

According to one source, over 70 percent of people with HIV in the United States have tried alternative treatments, and many people use them regularly.

Certain health insurance plans may cover some alternative medicines, such as chiropractic and acupuncture therapy.

While alternative treatments do not cure HIV, they may relieve symptoms and can improve a person’s quality of life. However, not all alternative medicines are safe. Some alternative treatments may have side effects or interact with medications. Always talk to a doctor or healthcare provider before trying alternative medicine.

Can Alternative Therapies Help?

When used alongside traditional medication, alternative treatments may help relieve some of the symptoms of HIV or AIDS. Physical therapies may help improve a person’s movement, help them relax, and enhance their overall health. While other therapies, such as Reiki, aim to help restore a person’s energy flow.

Like meditation, this therapy treats the whole person but does not directly target HIV. Some healthcare providers support the use of alternative therapies to complement conventional treatment while others do not.

Alternative medicines cannot cure or stop the progression of HIV, and most of the evidence presented is anecdotal. No major research studies support the use of any alternative therapies to directly treat symptoms of HIV. Alternative treatments are not disease-specific. This means that an alternative therapy treats the whole person, not just the illness.

For example, meditation may help a person with HIV relax and reduce stress. This can have a positive impact on the person’s overall health, but it does not specifically target HIV.

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Alternative Therapies And Natural Treatments There is a range of natural treatments a person can try to ease HIV symptoms and medication side effects and to make them feel better, overall. Many people do experience positive results from using these therapies. However, there is little research into their safety and effectiveness, and they are not a substitute for medical treatment.

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS INCLUDE: Relaxation techniques Meditation is a relaxation technique that can help to reduce a person’s anxiety. Many people living with HIV have higher anxiety and stress levels compared with the general population. Meditation can help alleviate some of the anxiety associated with HIV. Physical therapies Physical therapies can help a person to relax, de-stress, and improve movement.

According to one source, people living with HIV have higher rates of mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, than

the general population. This can significantly affect a person’s quality of life. Physical therapies can help boost people’s mental and physical health.

PHYSICAL THERAPIES INCLUDE: Sports or Medical Massage Yoga Chiropractic care Acupuncture Having a massage may promote relaxation, which can help alleviate anxiety and stress often associated with HIV. A small-scale 2016 study provides some evidence that yoga might help to reduce depression and improve CD4 counts in people with HIV who were also receiving antiretroviral therapy. However, this study lasted just 1 month and had only 40 participants, so its results are limited.

Acupuncture involves inserting very thin needles into specific points on the body. Practitioners believe that these needles release pressure points, which may help a person’s body produce chemicals to reduce pain.

Herbal medication and supplements Herbal medications and supplements are available to buy over the counter. Although some manufacturers claim that their products have healing properties, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not regulate supplements, and few scientific studies support their effectiveness.

People should exercise caution before purchasing herbal supplements and medications as they can be dangerous. This may be because of a person’s preexisting health complications or because they interact with HIV medications.

There is very little evidence to support the use of herbal medications and supplements. When research does exist, companies or organizations that have a specific interest in promoting the products often fund it. Always speak to a healthcare provider before using any herbal supplement or medication.

Medical marijuana Medical marijuana is not legal in all parts of the U.S. However, some people who have access to it find it helps to improve appetite, alleviate pain, and reduce nausea associated with HIV medications, particularly older antiretroviral drugs,

People should talk to their doctor before using marijuana as an alternative treatment for HIV to ensure it will not interfere with any of the other drugs they are taking.

Studies on the use of medicinal marijuana on people with HIV have produced a variety of short-term outcomes. However, there is not enough long-term data to know the safety and effectiveness of its use to treat symptoms of HIV or AIDS. It may not be suitable for some people, including those with prior substance use disorders.

Risks Some therapies provide virtually no risk. Some of the safest therapies include: acupuncture massage yoga meditation visualization Before taking any additional supplements, a person should always speak to their healthcare provider about any potential issues with their HIV medications. It is essential to remember that just because something is natural does not mean it is safe.

Taking herbal remedies and supplements can be particularly risky because there is not enough scientific research into their safety and effectiveness unlike usual medicines, the FDA does not regulate them for ingredients and doses. Dosage and strength can vary greatly between manufacturers and they are not designed to treat specific illnesses, such as HIV

Summary Some people find that alternative treatments and natural therapies can complement HIV therapy. Use caution and speak to a doctor or the care team before starting alternative treatments.

Alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, yoga, meditation, and massage can help a person to relax, manage pain, and improve mental and physical health.

There is no evidence that alternative therapies can cure or stop the progress of HIV, so always use them alongside conventional antiHIV treatment.

Contribution to this article by medicalnewstoday.com

JANUARY 2019 17

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BOOK REVIEW

ALWAYS OVERBOOKED

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

It’s not a good fit.

You saw it and loved it, but now you know the truth: it’s too small or too large. Too brassy or too muted. It’s the wrong color or the wrong neighborhood or just not you. It doesn’t fit because maybe, as in the new memoir “Trans Figured” by Brian Belovitch, it’s the wrong gender.

In his family of almost all boys, Brian Belovitch stood out because he lacked something his brothers had in abundance: hypermasculinity.

Belovitch was soft and “chubby” with curls and long eyelashes and was often mistaken for a little girl as a preschooler, which was just fine with him. He enjoyed his femininity, even though he knew that it would get him a beating – if not from his brothers, then from his father.

Even as a young child, Belovitch says, he was overly curious about sex, and especially about the male body. He recognized early that girls held “no interest” but boys were another matter. He was in fourth grade when he had his first sexual encounter, with a slightly older male classmate.

By his early teens, Belovitch had discovered alcohol and shoplifting.

He’d run away a few times, and visiting gay clubs near his Rhode Island home was, for him, a natural next step. After a traumatic coming-out to his family, he moved in with a man he considered his first real friend; it was through Paulie that Belovitch met a community of trans women.

And that was when “Natalia” was born with “great joy…”

She was beautiful, sexy, “my own special creation,” says Belovitch of him as a trans woman. As Natalia, she was the toast of New York, a model and actress thanks to hormones, silicones, pilfered clothing, and a desperate need for love. Belovitch got married as Natalia, and divorced; she led him to prostitution, heroin, cocaine, alcohol, HIV, and an attempted suicide. He was Natalia when he reached out to friends and sought therapy. As Natalia, he took “a… look at the direction in which my life was heading.”

Belovitch was Natalia when he realized that he was “feminineinclined,” but Natalia had to go…

Toward the end of this totally frank memoir, author Brian Belovitch says that if it wasn’t for the AIDS epidemic, his “story would be as common as salt.” Readers may find that arguable, since “Trans Figured” goes well beyond unique.

Beware, though, that it’s going to put you through the wringer.

Belovitch is completely open about the abuse he experienced, and his recounting can be graphic. Beware where you read this book,

because it contains nudity inside. Also know that nostalgia for the 1970s may hit you but that’s going to include a breathlessly steep plunge into memories of cocaine, promiscuity, and epidemic.

Still – without giving too much away – there’s a happy ending to this memoir, one that manages to educate readers as it oddly entertains them with stories of times past. It’s a happy ending well deserved and well told and, considering the overall uncommonness of “Trans Figured,” it fits.

“Trans Figured: My Journey From Boy to Girl to Woman to Man”

by Brian Belovitch c.2018, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. $24.99 / $38.99 Canada 232 pages

JANUARY 2019 19

INDESIGN IT’S TIME TO HAVE FUN, AGAIN

BY DANN FOLEY I am not one of those guys lives with much negativity. I have always believed in the, Glass Half Full” adage. 2018 brought us a daily dose negativity and hatefulness to a point that had even me struggling to find humor. That all changes today!

Happy 2019! There is every reason for optimism at work, at home and in our community. A new Congress will, once again protect our rites, further the cause of equality and inclusiveness and accountability. Today is truly a new day. So, the question most on my mind is, how do I bring that into my everyday life and home. How do I outwardly share and show my optimism? Well, as I always say, you don’t have to start over to have a fresh start. Here are some thoughts on where to begin to show the new you in the new year.

A fresh start for my new year always begins with a plan. What changes do I want to see at home? Where do I want to update my look?

How do I implement these changes with minimal disruption to my life?

The Plan A: Keep it simple. Just like those new year’s resolutions of more exercise and less bad food fall to the wayside too quickly, the same can happen at home. Don’t make your goals any bigger than what you can attain on your own.

Paint. A fresh color in any room of your home can change your life! If you don’t want tackle the whole room, try an accent wall.

Refresh. Sometimes all you need is a fresh coat! If you are choosing to stay with your existing color(s) one coat of paint is all you need. Quick and simple… I love it!

Tip: if doing an accent wall(s) make it contrasting and choose a color that makes a statement.

Trim: One of my favorite tricks to freshening up any space is to paint only the doors in a contrasting color. My go to for any interior doors is, black! It may sound drastic but trust me, it’s not.

It is sophisticated and works the same for both contemporary and traditional settings.

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Tip: Do NOT paint your hinges!

Tip: Do NOT paint the door jamb or frame, just the door.

Hire a Professional: one wall, all walls or just your doors, do it right. When you are only doing one coat or just an accent wall or doors the cost is very reasonable and you don’t have any of the hassles.

Tip: Make sure you/your painter uses a fine quality roller on walls for a cleaner coat.

Plan B: Make your goals attainable. If you focus on a plan and set aside a budget amount that you can live with, chances are you can/ will pull off your update. Remember, simple is good and inexpensive is great!

Fabric: From Pillows to bedding, nothing changes up your look faster than pattern and color. A new set of throw pillows on the sofa or even just one statement pillow changes your perspective.

New bedding can elevate the entire room and your spirits! Never underestimate the healing qualities of either of these items.

Tip: When buying new pillows for any room choose BIG. 22” or 24” square is best. Always choose down blend over foam for both look and comfort.

First Impressions: I talk about this one often. Frist impressions for your home begin at your front door. Sweep, clean and refresh!

Try a new door mat, clean your lanterns and put in fresh bulbs. Find large scale colorful pots to flank your door. One coat of fresh paint on your front door and a new handle is almost as good as new house!

Tip: Be mindful of the wattage of the bulb in your lantern. Too many houses have light that is just too bright and harsh on the face.

No matter where you start, no matter how many or few projects you choose to take on…make sure to have fun! Remember, we are bringing fun back for 2019. When you are choosing things for your home and spending your hard-earned money, it should make you happy. Your choices should bring a smile to your face. My steadfast rule when making any selection for myself or my clients is, if I don’t love it, I won’t buy it.

Live Well and Laugh More!

Happy New Year, Dann www.foleystinnette.com Designer Dann Facebook / Youtube / Instagram / Twitter / Pinterest

JANUARY 2019 21

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What better way to create a futuristic environment than by living like an astronaut in your own home. You can do exactly that with the new Flotation Tub with ZERO DIMENSION from TOTO. Made from proprietary Galaline man-made marble, the stylish tub combines a luxury spa aesthetic with space-age technology that simulates zero gravity by offering bathers a weightless experience. After more than a decade’s research, TOTO discovered that a unique posture - with the reclining body stabilized and the hips, knees and ankles flexed - reduced the joints’ mechanical energy/load to nearly zero. Astronauts sleep in this position; it enables the most relaxing rest possible. Cerebral blood flow studies show activity in the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex - the part of the brain responsible for language - is dramatically reduced, enabling a meditative state.

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Space-age aesthetic is all about blending minimalistic features with high-tech devices, allowing for a seamless transition between design and innovation. But why stop with just the bathroom?

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Make everyday life more efficient with a home automation system, a rapidly growing innovative technology that allows users to manage various household settings with one single command.

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By incorporating an innovative and design-forward centerpiece like TOTO’s Flotation Tub, along with additional subtle, sleek tech accessories and gadgets into your living space, the space-age, futuristic home can become your reality.

JANUARY 2019 23

FEATURE

INTERNATIONAL BEAR CONVERGENCE

GIVING A BIG BEAR HUG TO PALM SPRINGS

Bears are coming out of hibernation and are heading to the International Bear Convergence (IBC), the premier winter event for Bears & admirers in Palm Springs, California. The event will take place on February 7-11, 2019. This desert oasis opens its arms and welcomes thousands of frisky, furry bears, their friends & their fans to Palm Springs.

The four-day event will come to life with DJs, live entertainment and thousands of bears from around the globe. The last five years have been hugely successful and expect more of the same in 2019 with record-breaking attendance. “This year, being our 6th, we will be pulling all the stops so expect us to mix it up a bit” “In addition, we will again receive a Proclamation from the City of Palm Spring presented to us by City councilman JR Roberts on Thursday February 7 at 1:30pm in front of Hotel ZOSO” adds co-producers Nino Eilets & George Frank. We appreciate the recognition from the city for what IBC contributes to Palm Springs.

During the day kick back and enjoy themed pool parties sponsored by Hunters, Chill Bar & Toucans Tiki Lounge, with music

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provided by world renown DJ’s at the fabulous Hotel ZOSO pool.

With multiple bars, cabanas, outdoor-lounge areas and our new sun deck area overlooking the action at the pool, you’re destined to have a fantastic day. After the sun goes down, evenings will heat up with three high-energy dance parties.

Saturday’s main dance event, Nasty Nineties, will feature a live performance by the amazing dance club queen, superstar Inaya Day. This year we will once again feature the very popular, Populart; presented by Modern Bear, a pop-up art show highlighting well known artists including a great reception Saturday afternoon featuring retro disco/80’s music and surprise “Bearlesque” routine.

Sunday night, the closing party, will be a party to remember presented by Bearcules. Get ready for an evening of Roman decadence and debauchery. You definitely don’t want to miss this one!

Plus several surprises through out the weekend. So don’t wait; the host hotel is just about sold out and currently has a waiting list. Attendance was over 2500 last year and is expected to grow

exponentially in 2019. IBC will again take over Palm Springs! Passes are still available on line and if you miss the deadline you may still purchase passes at the hotel. You can also buy tickets for individual events the day or evening of the event at the door. Go to www.ibcps.com for more information.

Forget shoveling snow and get out of the cold and plan on hanging with the guys in Palm Springs, CA in February for IBC 2019!

You know you want to!

Potions of the proceeds from this event will go to Sanctuary Palm Springs & AIDS Life Cycle

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PSP FOCUS RAISING ZOEY, A FREE COMMUNITY FILM SCREENING California LGBT Arts Alliance, in partnership with East Coachella Valley Pride, will host a free community film screening and panel discussion of the independent documentary “Raising Zoey” on Saturday, February 9, 2019 at Bagdouma Community Center in the City of Coachella. The all-ages, family-friendly, and bilingual event will feature a screening of the documentary, a light reception, and panel discussion on family LGBTQIA+ acceptance within the Latinx community with Zoey Luna, her mother, Ofelia Barba and the director of the documentary, Dante Alencastre.

Released in 2016 and featured at landmark festivals such as Outfest in Los Angeles and the British Film Institute’s London Film Festival, “Raising Zoey” follows the story of 13 year-old trans activist Zoey Luna who wants nothing more than to simply go to school, learn, have fun with her friends in Downey, CA. Unfortunately, ignorance and intolerance have not always made this easy. With the help of her mother Ofelia, her older sister Leticia and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Zoey fought school officials for her right to self-identify in school. Even in the face of bullying and endless teasing from both school officials and students, Zoey determinedly continues to live her life as she is and tells her story in the hopes of helping others persevere in living their authentic lives.

Dante Alencastre, the filmmaker, says “Ofelia’s fight reminded me of my own mother, also a single immigrant mom who brought me to the U.S. so I can have a better life than in my native land, Peru. [...] This film is a love letter to all instinctively, loving parents who raise their non-conforming children. Zoey and I, although generations apart, share a kinship of being the recipients of such love and parental devotion.”

Miguel Navarro, Community Engagement Manager of LGBT Community Center of the Desert, says “Raising Zoey is a valuable asset both as an educational tool and as an outreach film for raising awareness in the Latinx Community. Our Trans loved ones still encounter ostracism and hostility every day. Therefore, we must help construct further visibility, dialogue and thought, in order to generate safe communities. Raising Zoey brings light on true happiness when one lives an authentic life through love and support.”

Presented in partnership with LGBT Community Center of the Desert, East Coachella Valley Pride and Alianza Coachella Valley, with the generous support from California Humanities, a non-profit

partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the California Arts Council. Visit www.calhum.org and www.cac.ca.gov California LGBT Arts Alliance — www.calgbtartsalliance.com The California LGBT Arts Alliance promotes social justice, advocates for cultural equity, increases public understanding of diversity and presents artists whose work reflects the LGBT community’s lives and experiences.

LGBT Community Center of the Desert, East Coachella Valley Pride, and Alianza Coachella Valley www.thecenterps.org and www.alianzacv.org Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of California Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. www.calhum.org

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PSP FOCUS 10TH ANNUAL “HOLLYWOOD’S BIGGEST NIGHT” PARTY BENEFITING AAP – FOOD SAMARITANS In celebration of the 91st annual Academy Awards, TRIO Restaurant in Palm Springs will host the TENTH annual “Hollywood’s Biggest Night” Oscar night party to benefit AAP-Food Samaritans at 4 pm on Sunday, February 24, 2019. The glittering evening will include signature ‘orange carpet’ arrivals featuring a group of paparazzi, and a special greeting from dynamic hostess and local celebrity, Bella da Ball. The Oscars® pre-show and awards presentations will be viewed on special screens throughout Trio’s bar and restaurant areas. For reservations, please call 760-325-8481 or visit aapfoodsamaritans.org.

DAN SAVAGE’S 14TH ANNUAL HUMP! FILM FESTIVAL IS COMING TO PALM SPRINGS Dan Savage (creator of the Savage Love sex advice column, the popular Savage Lovecast podcast, the ITMFA campaign, and the It Gets Better Project) is bringing the HUMP! Film Festival to Palm Springs for the first time, on February 8th and 9th, 2018.

The HUMP! Film Festival has been bringing audiences a new kind of porn since 2005. The festival features short dirty movies—each less than five minutes—all created by people who aren’t porn stars but want to be one for a weekend. The filmmakers and stars show us what they think is hot and sexy, creative and kinky, their ultimate turnons and their craziest fantasies. Our carefully curated program is a cornucopia of body types, shapes, ages, colors, sexualities, genders, kinks, and fetishes—all united by a shared spirit of sex-positivity.

HUMP! is a celebration of creative sexual expression. You will see films at HUMP! that shock you. You will see films at HUMP! that make you laugh. And you will see films at HUMP! that turn you on. You will also be touched by the sincerity and vulnerability with which these films are lovingly made. HUMP!’s main mission is to change the way America sees—and makes and shares—porn.

HUMP! has become a national phenomenon selling tens of thousands of tickets, screening in over 50 cities across the United States and Canada.

“We are so excited for this year,” Savage says of the festival.

“You know how they told us that this election was the most important election of our lifetimes but this year it was really true? Well, we’re always telling you that this year’s HUMP! is the best HUMP! ever but this year it’s really true. The HUMP! Jury was blown away by the hilarity, hotness, diversity, and quality of this year’s films and we can’t wait for you to see them.”

HUMP! audiences are diverse, sex-positive people. They’ll be laughing, squealing, and occasionally peeking at the screen through their fingers. But seeing HUMP! with this type of crowd is a fun, unforgettable, and liberating experience. The 2018 HUMP! Tour will be in Palm Springs on February 8th and 9th at the Camelot Theatres.

For info go to www.humpfilmfest.com.

JANUARY 2019 29

PSP FOCUS 2019 PS HEALTH RUN & FITNESS EXPO

The Palm Springs Health Run & Fitness Expo has now become one of the largest events of its kind in Southern California and is the perfect way to start out the New Year. Join nationally recognized health and wellness speakers, healthy food demonstrations and over 80 vendors showcasing the latest in nutrition, exercise techniques and healthy food booths selling everything from smoothies to salads to vegan specialties on Saturday, January 26 from 8:00a.m. - 1:00p.m.

Fun for the entire family!

The racecourse is a USA Track and Field certified 10K and 5K with every registrant receiving timed run, breakfast, t-shirt, registration bag and finisher’s medal. The 1K Fun Run is FREE to kids under 12 and registration is available on race day, Saturday, January 26. Each participant under 12 will receive a bib (NONTIMED) and a finisher’s medal. Anyone over 12 can register on race day and get the full 5K package, which includes: timed run, breakfast, t-shirt, registration bag and finisher’s medal for only $35, or 10K package for only $45.

Individuals and Teams Can Register Online: REGISTER NOW! Palm Springs Health Run & Fitness Expo New shoes or socks for homeless and under-privileged. Sign-up for the $35 walk option that includes: timed run, breakfast, t-shirt, registration bag and finisher’s medal or you can opt to walk for FREE (no frills option.)

Special events and areas include: Media Superstar’s Food Challenge Demonstration, Pet Companion Healthy Pet Zone, LifeStream Blood Bank Drive, Playworks Game On - Tag Zone, rock climbing wall, walk on water and much, much more!

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Join us as we celebrate two outstanding individuals who are leaders in the health and wellness in the Coachella Valley, Kristal Granados, Executive Director United Way of the Desert and Laura Del Sarto, Publisher Desert Health at the honorees luncheon.

Tickets are only $30! For sponsorships, exhibitor booths & luncheon tickets visit www.PalmSpringsHealthRun.com or for press inquiries, please contact Jeff Hocker, Executive Producer, Hocker Productions at 760-409-1530 or jeffhocker1@gmail.com. The Palm Springs Health Run & Fitness Expo is a Hocker Productions event.

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FEATURE

WHY BOTHER TO EXERCISE

BY KEITH PATTERSON

The New Year is here and you started it with by saying “ I will get in shape this year” But things start to happen. The world is just too busy. And your life, well forget about it, there’s just no time in the day when you can manage to squeeze a little bit of exercise for weight loss into your schedule. Someone is always calling and interrupting your exercise routine anyway. The emails are not going

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to answer themselves. The bills need to get paid and don’t you really deserve to spend some quality time watching television. That’s pretty harmless stuff, right? And it’s your life anyway and what right does someone have to tell me how I should be eating or exercising or doing anything for that matter.

Any of those ideas sound familiar at all?

If they do not, count yourself lucky. Because thoughts like these seem to appear out of thin air just when you decide to start an exercise program to lose some weight. It is almost like there is a hidden force in their minds that jumps right out in front to prevent them from starting an exercise program.

Of course, exercise helps you lose weight. The amount of weight you are going to lose depends on the type of exercise you do and the amount and the intensity. But for sure, if you increase the amount of physical exercising you are doing, you are going to burn more calories and that is a good way to drop some pounds.

Now, if you eat more than you did before with the rationalization that since you are working out you can eat more, you are probably not going to lose any weight at all. But in general if you exercise more and eat less, some weight is going to vanish into thin air.

Exercise contributes to the amount of fat loss you can experience.

How hard you work out and how long your exercise periods are for can really influence the amount of calories you burn and the amount of pounds you lose. For instance if you investigate interval training on the internet you will find out that short bursts of high energy exercise are good for burning fat.

Long slow exercise like walking or jogging is also good for weight loss, but probably not at the same rate that you would release weight with interval training. There are even some interval training regimens that have you working out really hard for only 10 seconds and then resting for 10 seconds.

This kind of exercise can really get your heart pumping and astonishingly you will only need to do this for a couple of weeks to see real changes in your physique.

For sure, you will want to consult a medical professional before starting this kind of intense physical training. It is one thing to want to lose weight and quote another to work out so hard that you develop some other kind of physical issue. That is not the kind of change you need.

Starting a new physical workout schedule is the kind of thing that will really change the way you look and feel. You will also find that your entire mood change. You feel better, you feel more alive and you will feel the kind of happiness that comes from knowing you are doing something good for yourself.

Increased energy, increased happiness and decreased weight; those sound like terrific reasons to start an exercise program to lose weight as soon as you can. No reason to delay all those benefits and once you start you will never want to go back to the way you were.

JANUARY 2019 33

WELLNESS

THE ROAD BACK

BY JILL LANGHAM

Hello All & Happy New Year! Here’s hoping that you are all feeling energized and refreshed and ready to take on what 2019 has to offer.

Last month Arnold Schwarzenegger wrote an article about the “shape of America.” In it he talks about his own “wake-up” call after his recent heart surgery. He admits that he had let himself get completely out of shape to the degree that he not only had to have surgery but also had to learn to breath properly. He was taught breathing techniques to ensure that he breathed into the bottom lobes of his lungs to avoid the onset of pneumonia that often occurs especially in older people after having their chest cut open.

He described it as a totally humbling experience, perhaps much like his newsworthy divorce and illegitimate child fiasco.

But, his message was one that I took to heart especially at this time of year that focuses on new beginnings. He admitted that not being able to walk a few steps without becoming short of breathe really WOKE him up!

He realized that he needed to set short term goals for himself.

He found that if he could walk one more step each day that eventually he could walk to the end of the hallway. From there it was out the door to the end of the driveway until he finally could walk to the nearest corner. Imagine if you will Mr. Universe, the Terminator, taking baby steps! It’s quite an image in my mind.

Fan or not, our past Governor, actor, activist, world champion of Bodybuilding came from a home where he was considered second place, a junior to his older brother whose father thought walked on water. That’s an accomplishment and is worthy of paying attention to in my mind.

I attended one of Arnold’s talks at his Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio in 2001. It was here that I heard him say, “I owe every success in my life to the discipline it took to be a competitive Bodybuilder.”

Those words really resonated with me especially then and I believed helped me stay focused during the 10 years that I competed.

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Like so many others, I have found my resolve slip away and saw a much less disciplined “Jill” appearing before my eyes. In some ways I began to relax and that was good but then I noticed that my vigor for working out and doing cardio was also slipping. According to those around me, I’ve been told I look younger than my years. It’s both a curse and a blessing because on one hand you can get away with more, but as of late I began seeing things on me that I know are a result of having slacked off from the routines that I’ve spent the last 40 years perfecting. So, when I read the article by Arnold it was a reminder and a wake-up call for me to put one foot in front of the other and take that next step to my own rehabilitation.

All my Best, XOXO Jill, Your Dancing Queen

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JANUARY 2019 37

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INSIGHT

5 WAYS TO GET FINANCIALLY FIT THIS NEW YEAR In 2019, many Americans are planning for a “better me” in the year ahead. Gym memberships and diets are at the top of many lists, but what about financial health? Losing debt can be just as important as losing pounds, and financial fitness just as important as physical fitness.

According to a new survey from Marcus by Goldman Sachs(R), 74 percent of Americans think their financial well-being has an impact on their overall health and 64 percent feel they are not in the best financial shape they could be. On top of that, half of those surveyed (50 percent) think it’s easier to get into better physical shape than financial shape and 59 percent consider tracking expenses and budgeting to be more stressful than trying a new workout.

Although New Year’s resolutions to improve financial fitness may seem daunting, they are achievable, and their effects can be significant. While it is important to pump iron and feel great physically, it is equally beneficial to pump up your savings and take steps to secure your financial future. Here are five simple ways to help achieve better financial fitness in 2019: 1. Trim down debt: Eliminating debt is a worthy goal shared by many - 78 percent of those surveyed would rather get rid of their debt than lose weight. Consider instead a debt consolidation personal loan that offers fixed-rate, no-fee personal loans that could help save on interest when compared to high-interest variable rate credit cards.

2. Set a realistic budget: Every financial fitness plan should start by establishing a budget that is both effective and achievable. The first step in creating one is to identify your essentials like mortgage or rent, car payments, tuition loans - and determine how much each of these expenses cost you per month. Next, average your spending in key categories that occur on an ongoing basis, such as food, gas, clothing, commuting costs and your gym membership. Combine those two figures to determine what your actual expenses and monthly budget are, and any money left over can be considered discretionary. Part of each month’s discretionary budget should be dedicated in advance to savings. Financial fitness introduces a level of discipline to help people make a proactive commitment to saving each month.

3. Shred unwanted subscriptions: With a budget in place, it’s all about tracking expenses and ensuring that your spending aligns with what your budget requires. There are many free tools that can help do the work, such as the personal financial management app Clarity Money, which monitors recurring expenses and helps with eliminating unwanted subscriptions. Keeping a tighter rein on your spending makes it easier to trim costs and stick to your budget year-round.

4. Pump up your savings: Look for savings accounts with higher rates that can help your money make more money where there is no minimum deposit required, making it an easy way to begin growing your savings with the cash you already have.

5. Find a workout partner: Working out with a partner at the gym helps to establish shared goals, while encouraging accountability.

The same is true for financial fitness. Your path to better financial health could accelerate if you can partner with a family member, friend or significant other who’s also interested in their financial wellbeing. Plan monthly check-ins, arrange mini-competitions for saving more and organize “no spend days” together. You’ll keep each other responsible and build positive mutual support along the way.

For more information on approachable solutions to your financial management, head to Marcus.com.

JANUARY 2019 39

TRANSCENDENCE

NEW YEAR NEW ME

BY CHRISTINA VRONAY RUGGLES

If you’re reading this, it is 2019. Happy New Year!

Once we get three weeks into the glorious month of January, my calendar will mark a very special occasion for me. Hopefully, soon, you’ll join me in attaching a minor significance to this timeframe.

It will mark 2 years of proper, no going backsies, down-withthe-closet, existence of Christina. Your little window into one person’s world began, in earnest, 2 years ago, by the end of this month. That, overall, is a very small time period, I won’t deny. I’m at a nearly 1 to 10 ratio for time lived as Christina to time lived in “the before”.

For me though, these past 2 years have been a whirlwind, and no time has felt longer than now. It’s a symptom of youth, surely, and a symptom of new experiences being thrown at me. And believe me, have some of those experiences have been thrown at me!

Some Assembly Required One of the more… amusing things about being transgender, at least on my end of things, is the forced creation of a new identity. I would argue that the realization that your whole concept of gender being a bit off, would spark a few questions along the lines of “Who

40 THESTANDARDPS.COM

am I?” And not “Who am I?” in the context of philosophical debate about one’s metaphysical existence, but more “Who am I?” in the context of what shoes to wear that day.

Because as a transgender person, that question gets real complicated, real fast. And it’s not just shoes, dear reader, it’s hair, shirts, makeup, tucking, binding, pants, socks, gait, voice, hand motions, actual emotions, how you eat, how you smile. Every miniscule detail of one’s existence, which one learned from childhood and beyond, can and often are questioned. Do I eat too much like a boy?

Is this shirt to femme? I don’t have money for a binder, my tits are going to be everywhere if I don’t where a bra, but the dysphoria.

Do I tuck, do I tape, or do I shove those little testosterone-producing demons back up inside me and hope the skinny jeans hold them in?

Is my peeing wrong? How do the other girls pee? How do the other boys pee? Do they care about the noise of my pee? Do I? Did I just assume another bathroom goers’ gender?

Basic, easy questions to pester yourself with as you try and fail to pass. Those early days can be rough, when you’re still trying to figure out your style and try new things and do the things teenagers

do to grow and learn about themselves. Except you may be an adult.

That needs food on the table, rent to be paid, and chores to be done. You may not have the luxury of being a youngster who can spend hours in front of the mirror, trying things and looks, after doing a smidgen of algebra homework. Or maybe you never even had that experience and building an identity is an even more strange and overwhelming task, now that you must do it under pressure.

Many days you’ll leave the house with outfits so ridiculous you’ll cringe in embarrassment for years, simply thinking of them.

Or you’ll cry as you realize proper clothes are out of reach, much less hormone treatments. You’ll quake in fear as it dawns upon you that your employer absolutely cannot find out about any of this, and so you go to work to receive a paycheck, and brutal non-stop psychological evisceration as you’re forced to live out the lie of a gender you’ve now seen through. These are the pressures that bear down upon a fragile identity. And most of us persevere and become amazing, amazing people.

As always, these experiences of mine, are far from universal, not every transgender person has these experiences, but, again, I hope to use this platform to build empathy and understanding for cisgender peoples who may have trouble understanding the nittygritty aspects of being born this way.

Home Sweet Home As a queer theory inhaling, feminist debating, semi-raging lesbian woman of this era of Internet and social media, I don’t believe in coming out exactly. I think it’s rather queer that the straights demand we announce it from the rooftops so that they can know about what type of chests and bits we may or may not prefer.

As a transgender lesbian, I didn’t have to come out to my family as a lesbian. I just kept on dating girls. What a blessing.

That transgender bit, admittedly, was something that required a bit more of a formal notice to the ol’ family unit. Especially since I wanted those spicy new feminine pronouns and name calling. It wasn’t my family who got the news first though. It was my 2 roommates, who I had literally just moved in with, Drew, and Annie. After that I told my friends, then prepared to tell my upcoming professors, and so on and so forth.

Drew and Annie though, were some of the first to know. I felt safe telling them because Annie had already ranted about wanting to beat a homophobic coworker in a back alley, and Drew was as gay as the sky is blue, in his own way. Annie was solidly bisexual herself, so clearly, in that 3-bedroom house, I had a solid dose of gay to inject myself into.

My coming out wasn’t some big event. I, unsurprisingly, don’t recall the exact moment of telling them, I just sort of knocked, said to call me Christina, and call me a girl, and they began complying.

The Christina bit wasn’t too much of a jump, as they had just begun to learn my name, after calling me Jesus for the past week or two.

JANUARY 2019 41

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RESTAURANTS VILLAGE PUB 266 S. Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.323.3265 www.palmspringsvillagepub.com NATURE’S HEALTH FOOD & CAFE 555 S Sunrise Way Suite 301 Palm Springs, CA 92264 760.323.9487 www.natureshealthfoodcafe.com SHERMAN’S DELI & BAKERY 401 E Tahquitz Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.325.1199 www.shermansdeli.com RÍO AZUL 350 S. Indian Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.992.5641 www.rioazulpalmsprings.com 849 849 N Palm Canyon Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.325.8490 www.eight4nine.com COPLEY’S ON PALM CANYON 621 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.327.9555 www.copleyspalmsprings.com WORKSHOP KITCHEN & BAR 800 N. Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.459.3451 www.workshoppalmsprings.com

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DINE | DRINK | DANCE Palm Springs LULU CALIFORNIA BISTRO 200 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.327.5858 www.lulupalmsprings.com

CHEEKYS 622 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.327.7595 www.cheekysps.com

PURPLE ROOM 1900 E. Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.322.4422 www.purpleroompalmsprings.com

POMME FRITE 256 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.778.3727 www.pomme-frite.com

EL MIRASOL 140 E Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.323.0721 www.elmirasolrestaurants.com

CHILL BAR 217 E. Arenas Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.327.1079

THAI SMILE PALM SPRINGS 100 South Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.320.5503 www.thaismilepalmsprings.com

RICK’S RESTAURANT 1973 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.416.0090 www.ricksrestaurant.biz

TRIO RESTAURANT 707 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.864.8746 www.triopalmsprings.com

PINOCCHIO IN THE DESERT 134 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.322.3776 www.pinocchiops.com

THE TROPICALE 330 E Amado Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.866.1952 www.thetropicale.com

BARS AND NIGHT CLUBS

ZIN AMERICAN BISTRO 198 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 760.322.6300 www.pszin.com LULU CALIFORNIA BISTRO 200 S Palm Canyon Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.327.5858 www.lulupalmsprings.com

HUNTERS NIGHTCLUB 302 East Arenas Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.323.0700 www.huntersnightclubs.com TOUCAN’S TIKI LOUNGE 2100 North Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.416.7584 www.toucanstikilounge.com

STREETBAR 224 E. Arenas Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.320.1266 www.psstreetbar.com THE TOOL SHED 600 E. Sunny Dunes Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.320.3299 www.toolshed-ps.com STACY’S AT PALM SPRINGS 220 E Arenas Rd Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.620.5003 BLACKBOOK BAR 315 E Arenas Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.832.8497 www.blackbookbar.com QUADZ 200 S Indian Canyon Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.778.4326

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COMING UP NEXT MONTH MODERNISM:

IT’S A STATE OF MIND JANUARY 2019 43

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EVENTS CALENDAR TG MONDAYS. TRANSGENDER SOCIAL EVENT Every second Monday of the month, Transgender Social Hour discussing advocacy, transitioning & HRT. Allies, respectful admirers, and transgender umbrella all welcome. Portion of proceeds to benefit the Raina Chessman Fund.

For more info www.transcc.org JAN 26 L-FUND 5TH ANNUAL GALA, SISTERS ARE DOIN’ IT FOR THEMSELVES. PALM SPRINGS Agua Caliente Resort will be the host of the 5th Annual The L-Fund Gala Fundraiser Dinner Dance. The festivities commence at 5pm and will honor Jewelle Gomez, Denise Highlet, Ann Wilson,& Edith Grossi. Entertainment provided

by Elaine Gibbs & Her All-Women Band. For tickets and info visit www.l-fund.org or call 760-304-8487

STARTING JAN 11 DEZART PERFORMS Dezart Performs, one of the Coachella Valley’s preeminent theatre companies, recognizes that the performing arts enrich the life and culture of a community, promote greater understanding and provoke insightful discussion. For a complete calendar of events and show times visit www.dezartperforms.org or call 760-322-0179

DBA EVENTS WWW.DESERTBUSINESSASSOCIATION.ORG

THE JUDY SHOW. PURPLE ROOM SUPPER CLUB PALM SPRINGS The spirit of Judy Garland is alive and well and in Palm Springs at the famed Purple Room Supper Club every Sunday at 7:00! This blend of hysterical comedy and outstanding music explode into an evening of nonstop belly laughs, glamour and high camp, as celebrated entertainer Michael Holmes parodies Judy Garland, who in her 1964 television variety show, played host to some of the greatest female icons of the Golden Age of Hollywood. www.purpleroompalmsprings.com

ONGOING >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

JAN 24-27 2019 SOUTHWEST ARTS FESTIVAL. INDIO The 33rd annual Southwest Arts Festival will be held on January 24-27, 2019.

The celebration will showcase the best of traditional, contemporary, abstract fine works, pottery, glass, fine art painting and more.

Featuring over 250 acclaimed artists showing traditional, contemporary and abstract fine works of art and quality crafts, the festival is a major, internationally recognized cultural event. See interactive art displays, enjoy live music, and a variety of food and beverages. www.gcvcc.org for info

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CERTIFIED FARMERS’ MARKET Certified Farmers’ Market Palm Springs Camelot Theatre Parking Lot Saturdays 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m Certified Farmers’ Market Palm Desert Adjacent To The Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce 72559 Highway 111 Wednesdays 8:00 AM TO 12:30 PM For more information, please visit www.certifiedfarmersmarkets.org or call 844-7FARMCV (844–732-7628).

CHILL BAR PALM SPRINGS A warm and fabulous twenty first century modern venue located on Arenas, suited with multi faceted rooms for any celebration.

The gorgeous island bar is surrounded by hi-definition video entertainment and a comfortable designer lounge. Chill on the patio enjoying music and refreshing beverages with friends after a game of pool, or come by and say hello to our friendly staff. Open for business seven days a week. Get out of the heat, and come join us! Happy Hour (From Open to 7pm) and Late Happy Hour (From Midnight to Last Call) www.chillbarpalmsprings.com

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EVENTS CALENDAR

THE SUNDAY BAND W/ SPECIAL GUESTS. PAPPY & HARRIET’S PIONEERTOWN The Sunday Rock + Roll Service is a Pappy and Harriet’s institution celebrating the healing powers of music and community! Every weekend the club’s favorite singers and players get together and trade songs. Come join us to see Victoria Williams, Gar Robertson, Carol Ann Crandall, Damian Lester, Bob Furgo, Rachel Dean, Ryan Norman, Caleb Winn, Danny Frankel and other talented locals performing for your drinking and dancing pleasure. With a come-as-you-are vibe, Sundays have seen great special guests like Robert Plant, Lucinda Williams, The Jayhawks, Rickie Lee Jones to name a few. www.pappyandharriets.com

BLACKBOOK The sleek industrial styled BlackBook Bar located in the heart of the gay strip on Arenas now has Happy Hour everyday from 4-6pm and NAUGHTY hour from 10:00 PM-midnight.

During these times you cam enjoy specials such as $5 pint glass well drinks, $1 off all bottle and draft beer, and $2 off all wines by the glass! www.blackbookbar.com

OSCAR’S CAFÉ & BAR Located in the heart of downtown Palm Springs on the corner of Tahquitz Canyon Way and Indian Canyon, Oscar’s has a huge outdoor patio with lots of umbrellas for shade and misters to keep you cool, too.

You can beat the heat any time of year and enjoy the views of Palm Springs. On Saturday and Sunday from 8am – 2pm, enjoy a $9

Bottomless Mimosas (juice included), a single $2 mimosa or a $5 Bloody Mary with brunch, during which both our full breakfast and lunch menus are available. Also join us for Sunday Funday Weekly Tea Dance 4pmClose! Live entertainment weekly visit our website for details. www.oscarspalmsprings.com

LIPSTICK AT COPA Thursday nights at Copa just got a little hotter with a new show at the new showroom inside Copa. The Hot New Lipstick show is a raucous affair where the audience is encouraged to participate in singing, clapping, dancing, partying and celebrating special events. Featuring performances by Charles Herrera, Pinkie Meringue Shimmer, Marina Mac, Sassy Ross, Dion Khan, and Cherilyn, and emceed by the fabulous Bella Da Ball, this show will not disappoint. For ticket info and schedule of performers visit www.coparoomps.com

HUNTERS NIGHTCLUBS® Palm Springs, Palm Springs’ go-to gay bar and dance club, has been leading the way in full-out fun for 20 years now! And we keep it pumping, making it better for you all the time with our unparalleled event line-up. We enjoy having

the desert’s most sought-after and friendly DJs, full-on themed events, and a staff that has it all without the attitude. And of course, we are proud to hold the longest happy hour in the entire Valley. Remember: Size Matters. Come by for our happy hour from 10am – 7pm. Yes, that’s right: 9 hours long! For a list of all events and specials visit www.huntersnightclubs.com

SUNDAYS “The Playgirls” at Toucans Tiki Lounge featuring Tommi Rose. Performances on Sundays at 8 & 10pm.These darling Divas of drag really deliver with their very own brand of entertainment to packed houses. Special guests appear weekly.

DJ in the sound booth. Every Sunday Complete list of events www.toucanstikilounge.com For a complete calendar of community events visit our Media Partner, O’Bayley Communications.

CLICK ON LOGO WWW.OBAYLEY.NET

JANUARY 2019 45

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EVENTS CALENDAR

JAN 3 - 14

PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. PALM SPRINGS, CA Now entering its 30th year, the Palm Springs International Film Festival has a wellestablished reputation as one of the most prestigious and well-attended film festivals in the country. The Festival has long secured its place on the world stage as the portal for the very best in world cinema, welcoming more than 136,000 enthusiastic filmgoers to Palm Springs every year. www.psfilmfest.org

to 240 participating softball teams as well as 21 additional sports. In 2019, we intend to make Sin City Classic the best ever experience for the athletes who participate and we expect over 6,500 athletes to join in on the fun. www.sincityclassic.org

action; daily après-ski, wine tastings, pool party, champagne reception, downhill drag race, bonfires, hot tubs, spa treatments, dance parties, ice sculptures and more! www.winterrendezvous.com

FEB 7 - 11 JAN 13 - 20

ASPEN GAY SKI WEEK ASPEN, COLORADO Aspen Gay Ski Week is the premier gay & lesbian winter travel vacation event in Colorado. Not only is it a great vacation destination but also it is a fundraising event for local and national LGBTQ organizations.

Aspen Gay Ski Week has gained the reputation of hosting the most exclusive and explosive winter entertainment. Worldrenowned DJ’s, indoor & outdoor pool parties, debauchery that will take you into the morning hours just in time to hit the slopes. www.gayskiweek.com

JAN 17 - 20

SIN CITY CLASSIC. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA Originally called the Sin City Shootout, the event began is 2008 as a softball tournament. Over the years, it has grown

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JAN 18 - 20

MID-ATLANTIC LEATHER WEEKEND WASHINGTON, DC Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend is a threeday long party and event with participants that now number in the thousands. The heart of the weekend is the historic leather formal Saturday evening cocktail social, Leather Cocktails. Leather Cocktails is the weekend lynchpin gathering from which all other weekend events evolved. www.leatherweekend.com

JAN 24 - 27

WINTER RENDEZVOUS STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT, VERMONT The largest and longest-running gay ski event in the northeast offers amazing discounts on lift tickets, rentals, lessons along with non-stop

INTERNATIONAL BEAR CONVERGENCE. PALM SPRINGS, CA Are you ready for a party? Bears from around the world are coming to Palm Springs to make a big splash! Top entertainment and DJs are expected to draw in hundreds from surrounding cities. International Bear Convergence Palm Springs has become the “must attend event in Palm Springs”. With attendees coming from all over the globe, it truly is an International event. www.ibc-ps.com

Our National Media Partner, Queer Forty, is the online magazine for the LGBTQ over40 community. Its mission is to inspire and support older LGBTQ people to keep living amazing lives! www.queerforty.com

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EVENTS CALENDAR spa and body treatments to be had, wellness programs, culinary experiences, art galleries and abundant people watching opportunities throughout the resort. www.gaywhistler.com

JAN 20 - FEB 10

JAN 19 - 26

AROSA SKI WEEK AROSA SWITZERLAND The annual Gay Ski Week in Arosa, one of Switzerland’s most enchanting winter resorts.

Come experience Swiss hospitality, the charm of a true mountain resort and glamorous parties while you’re enjoying yourself with various activities throughout the week. Don’t forget to order your event pass for the week, or do you want to miss the foam party, a fondue night at the mountain hut, a classical piano concert, the pool party, our cabaretnight or the drag- queen ski race?? www.arosa-gayskiweek.com

MIDSUMMA FESTIVAL 2019 MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA Don’t miss Melbourne’s most famous familyfriendly community day that kicks off summer’s beloved three-week Midsumma Festival season.

Midsumma Carnival will serve-up a tasting plate of performances and personalities from the festival program – in one giant showcase – with something for everyone. Food trucks, bars and stalls galore, all top-full of treats to keep you hydrated, fed and in the community spirit.

More info at visitwww.midsumma.org.au

FEB 26 - MAR 6

SITGES CARNIVAL. SITGES, SPAIN Carnival has to be Sitges’ wildest party. Even though it is on in February it is still the hottest party in town! On the most popular days you will find thousands of partygoers dancing on the major streets across the town. Gay boys and girls from the 4 corners of the world descend on our little town and party the week away! Sitges Carnival is one of the world’s top 10 carnivals and attracts more than 250,000 people to Sitges over 7 days with amazing parades, shows and parties. This is one winter festival you don’t want to miss! www.gaysitgesguide.com

JAN 20 - 27

WINTER PRIDE WHISTLER 2019 WHISTLER, CANADA BC Our winter gay pride week features a packed event: skiing, snowboarding, parties, dances, social events and much more. The charming European inspired pedestrian village makes getting around easy to experience activities for Non Skiers & Riders or for those that need a break. Whistler offers an abundance of activities from inner tube sliding, dog sledding, snowmobile tours, bungee jumping, to flying through the forest like a Jedi Knight on one of the Zip-line courses. There are hundreds of

JAN 30 - FEB 4

ARENA MUSIC FESTIVAL. PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MEXICO Arena is Mexico’s biggest gay and lesbian dance music festival. This year ARENA Music Festival is being held in Playa del Carmen on Rivera Maya. It will be 6 days of all out fun, music and much more with 13 special parties!

Come join us on the beautiful beaches of Playa del Carmen as we celebrates ARENA’s 5th year with a blow out. This is the 2019 winter event you won’t want to miss. www.arena.mx

Our international media partner, FNQ Magazine, www.fnqmagazine.com Cairns gay lifestyle and travel publication that gives Australia and the world a taste of gay life in the tropics, sponsors the International Calendar. www.go2gaycairns.com

JANUARY 2019 47

2018-2019 Season

A Choral Celebration Of Stonewall APRIL 26-28, 2019

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR:

Douglas C. Wilson

PRINCIPAL ACCOMPANIST: Joel Baker

June 2019 will mark the 50th Anniversary of The Stonewall Uprising. PSGMC has joined with 20 choruses throughout the United States to commemorate this pivotal point in the LGBT movement by commissioning a major choral work to tell the story of the men and women who banded together for a common cause.

In addition to this commissioned work, PSGMC will perform songs, which have inspired people to work for equality and freedom for all. “Quiet No More� will celebrate the bravery of suffragettes,the dedication of blue and grey collar workers, the work of Harriet Tubman, an abolitionist and political activist, who freed slaves through the Underground Railroad and the peaceful protests of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Palm Springs Art Museum Annenberg Theater

760-325-4490 www.PSGMC.com

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FOUR FANTASTIC DAYS OF POOL PARTIES, DANCE EVENTS, AND CAMARADERIE, AND OF COURSE A LOT OF FUN, FROLIC & FUR

Hosted at the HOTEL ZOSO

Weekend Passes & Room Reservations at

www.ibc-ps.com

JANUARY 2019 49

PHOTO REWIND HOLIDAY SHENANIGANS PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE STANDARD STAFF

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PHOTO REWIND HOLIDAY SHENANIGANS PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE STANDARD STAFF

JANUARY 2019 51

PHOTO REWIND KATE KENDELL’S FAREWELL PARTY PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID A. LEE

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PHOTO REWIND DAP PARTNERS FOR LIFE PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID A. LEE

JANUARY 2019 53

Saturday, January 26, 2019 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Ruth Hardy Park, Palm Springs

10K and 5K USATF Certified Course 10K 8:00 a.m.

5K 8:30 a.m.

5K 9:00 a.m.

United Way of the Desert Weekly Walk #4

1K Fun Run 9:30 a.m.

FITNESS EXPO 100+ Vendors Demonstations Honoree’s Luncheon SPONSORS

PalmSpringsHealthRun.com 54 THESTANDARDPS.COM

A Hocker Productions Event

PHOTO REWIND SANCTUARY PALM SPRINGS HOLIDAY SOCKS PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID A. LEE

JANUARY 2019 55

FIND YOURSELF AT REVIVALS

VOTED BEST FURNITURE STORE 56 THESTANDARDPS.COM