Palm Springs Flavor LOCAL CHEFS DISH IT UP MAY, 2014 | VOLUME 2 ISSUE 5 theStandardps.com
Contents VOLUME 2, ISSUE 5
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twitter.com/theStandardPS PALM SPrINGS FLAVOr LOCAL CHEFS DISH IT UP
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PHOTO BY DAVID A. LEE DESIGN BY MAYA KALABIC
Volume 2 Issue 5 cover 2ND ANNUAL FOOD ISSUE. PALM SPrINGS FLAVOr; LOCAL CHEFS DISH IT UP FeaTure FOOD & WINE MAKING THAT PErFECT MATCH nuTriTion IS GLUTEN-FrEE THE WAY TO GO? Travel TAKING A CULINArY JOUrNEY ALONG THE CA COAST
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Commentary
The Standard Magazine 1111 Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs CA 92262 760-831-4869 Nino Eilets Publisher Luciano McNulty Editor Maya Kalabic Art Director Photographer David A. Lee Contributors Chris Astrala, Linda Bergersen, Andre Carthen, Chris Heritage, Lee Lynch, Dennis Mason, Forrest Murphy, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Stephanie Smith, Ken Toth & George Zander www.thestandardps.com Editorial Credits : BrandPoint, Huffington Post, LGBTQ Nation & Project Publicity The Standard Magazine is published monthly. Opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of the Standard or its staff, advertisers or readers with exception of editorials. Publication of the name or photograph of any person, business or organization in articles or advertising in the Standard is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such person, business or organization. The Standard disclaims any responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Advertising rates are subject to change without notice. The Standard reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to reject any advertisement for any reason including, but not limited to poor taste. It is the policy of The Standard that we only publish letters to the editor that are signed by the author and verifiable by phone number. We can reserve the right of anonymity upon request. The letters need to be original, in good taste and free of libel as well as edited for clarity and grammar. Letters are subject to editing by The Standard that also reserves the right to decline print. Please forward your letters to: info@thestandardps.com The views expressed is not necessarily those of The Standard. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. No portion of the publication may
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cover
Palm Springs Flavor
the 2014 Chefs of the Desert By Chef Andre Carthen
They’re hot, succulent, savory, sexy and delicious…and their food is good too! Yes, I’m talking about this year’s Chefs of the Desert and I’m very happy to say that I’ve had them all…their food, that is. Like the people that flock to our fabulous city, the flavors our chefs are bringing to the table are classic, edgy, explosive, tantalizing, and traditional with an urban twist. From a sunrise breakfast, to dinner during one of our magnificent sunsets or crystal clear starlit nights, the flavors are ingenious, a fusion of experience, creativity, farm fresh and made with a little love. What use to be a dining wasteland, is now becoming a culinary
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oasis. Palm Springs is not just the playground of the rich and famous, it’s also the hipster hangout of those in the know. Whether it’s cocktails with appetizers, hanging by the pool or a fabulous elite party, PS is no longer just for spring break, golf and convalescence. It’s become a global destination, a mecca of modernism, a premier for International Films, Coachella, White Party; Weddings … each with its own flavor and our chefs are bringing the heat! Their dishes speak for themselves, so we wanted to do a little fun Q & A of things you might not know, and see how the chefs pairup with the same 5 questions.
Cover execuTive cheF jaSon MoFFiTT Bernie’s Lounge And Supper Club, Palm Springs Ca 292 E Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92264 Phone: (760) 537-7082
execuTive cheF/oWner andreW coPley Copley’s On Palm Canyon 621 N Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262 Phone: (760) 327-9555
A Coachella Valley native, Chef Jason Moffitt began his culinary career at the age of 17, when he attended the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena. Upon graduation, Jason began working for the upscale FrenchVietnamese restaurant, Le Colonial in Beverly Hills. From there he ventured south to San Diego where he landed a job for James Beard Award-winning Chef, roy Yamaguchi. Jason’s commitment to his craft ultimately led him to become the Chef Partner of roy’s in Woodland Hills. Feeling like there’s no-place like home, Jason returned to the Coachella Valley. Where he began working as Chef De Cuisine for an exciting new restaurant, Catalan in rancho Mirage. During his brief time at Catalan, Jason helped to elevate the cuisine and assist them in receiving numerous accolades and the award of “Best New restaurant” for the Coachella Valley. Jason also had the privilege of meeting Geoff McIntosh and rand Howell, and the concept of Bernie’s Lounge and Supper Club began to take shape. His approach to creating the discerning menu you’ll find at Bernie’s was to revisit his love for traditional American fare and reinvent the classics, using modern cooking techniques and the highest quality ingredients, all while staying cutting edge. Jason is dedicated to building long lasting relationships with local farmers, purveyors and guests, all of whom contribute to the continued success of Bernie’s Lounge and Super Club
Andrew’s 20-year culinary career has spanned the globe. Upon earning a degree at Westminster Culinary College in London, he gained experience at the world-renowned Savoy and Park Lane hotels.
FAVOrITE UTENSIL: Sous Vide Professional Thermo circulator from Poly Science. These machines are essential for dinner service and they help to create a more flavorful and tender product.
I have always been inspired by the many different countries and cultures that I have experienced.
Following his time in London, Chef Copley was recruited by the Grand Hyatt on the Sunshine Coast in Australia, which received the Petrees Award for #1 restaurant in the state for the three consecutive years he was commissioned there. He then jetted to the U.S. to join the ritz Carlton in Maui followed by the ritz Carlton in San Francisco, which won the honor of #1 formal dining room during his tenure. Chef Copley made his way back to Hawaii as Executive Chef of the Lodge at Koele where his refined creations helped earn them the title of #1 restaurant in Hawaii for three straight years. Wanting to turn a dream into reality, Chef Copley settled in the desert and opened his own restaurant, Copley’s. With rave reviews and accolades to his name and restaurant, it’s not surprising that Chef Copley is a major player in the culinary world and a contributor to media such as restaurant & Hospitality, rachael ray Magazine and NBC. FAVOrITE UTENSIL: Salmon Knife
FAVOrITE INGrEDIENT: roasted Garlic FAVOrITE INGrEDIENT: I am inspired by Fresh, Local, Seasonal and Sustainable ingredients and the hardworking individuals that help bring these products to my back door. FAVOrITE INGrEDIENT: Pork: of all kinds!
FAVOrITE LATE NIGHT COMFOrT FOOD: Sushi…sometimes a little hard to come by late at night, especially in the desert. (smile) WHAT WOULD YOU BE IF YOU WErEN’T A CHEF: If I wasn’t a chef, I would want to be a medical profession (doctor/ paramedic)
FAVOrITE LATE NIGHT COMFOrT FOOD: Tonkotsu ramen- It’s hearty, flavorful and warms my soul! WHAT WOULD YOU BE IF YOU WErEN’T A CHEF: A poor struggling artist/world traveler.
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Cover cheF / oWner Michael BeckMan Workshop Kitchen + Bar 800 N. Palm Canyon Dr. Suite G, Palm Springs, CA, 92262 Phone: (760) 459-3451
English Lit grad gone culinary, Michael’s ease in four languages parallels a well-travelled and seasoned skill set in the kitchen. Beckman studies at the Paul Bocuse Institute in Lyon, France, and apprenticed at the fourneaux of the 3-star Michelin Lameloise in Burgundy. Chef de partie at ritz-Carlton’s Vitrun in Berlin, Germany under Chef Thomas Kellerman (Tantris, Munich; Kastell, Hotel Burg Wernberg), Michael has cooked as a private chef in Los Angeles the past several years, where he’s focused on the farmer’s markets of Santa Monica & Hollywood, as well as the city’s burgeoning cocktail culture.
execuTive cheF Mark van laanen Trio and The Purple room 707 N Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262 Phone:(760) 864-8746
Chef Mark comes to Palm Springs with 3 successful restaurants (in Northern Wisconsin) under his belt. He moved to Palm Springs where he met his Partner Tony Marchese in 2007. Both having a huge passion for the business of food, flavor and fun… they opened TRIO in 2009. And now with the addition of the Purple room, Mark says, “It’s been a big success and a wonderful 5 years working in such a sharing community and neighborhood. We are looking forward to many more years”. My favorite utensil, is my knife I could not work without it.
COOKING UTENSIL YOU COULD NOT LIVE WITHOUT: My Vita Mix. I love ripping through soups, sorbets and purees with it. No other blender gets such silky results.
What inspires me for recipes is our traveling. All of the wonderful beautiful smells tastes and sites all over the world. My favorite ingredient is Salt It makes food taste so much better.
WHO Or WHAT INSPIrES YOUr rECIPES: Mostly the farmer’s market. The seasons prompt me to adapt new recipes and dishes for Workshop’s menus. It’s important to go out a lot too...to places in our niche to keep fresh ideas going. Cooking, like any art, is often a dialogue between existing trends and fresh ideas. FAVOrITE INGrEDIENT: Toss-up between good, rich, unfiltered olive oil and pecorino romano. FAVOrITE LATE NIGHT COMFOrT FOOD: I’m a sucker for quesadillas. My brother and I have quesadilla flipping contests. Just something I grew up with. WHAT WOULD YOU BE IF YOU WErEN’T A CHEF: When I was a senior at USF studying English Lit, I was torn between heading to grad school for a Masters or P.H.D. to teach; being a DJ; or moving to Europe to jump into French Kitchens. Although I’m sure many would have benefited from his teaching and others would have dance their butts off as he vibrated the dance floor as the best DJ any White Party would have ever heard, we all are extremely, deliciously grateful for his choice in exploring the culinary world.
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My late night comfort food is getting a great hand tossed pizza and a cold beer away for my restaurant and enjoying some good conversation with some good friends. And if I were not a chef I always wanted to be a TV anchor broadcaster or a Hand Model !
cheF/oWner vicTor rodrigueZ Casa de FrIDA (ArTSY LATIN CUISINE) 450 S Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262 Phone: (760) 459-1681
Chef Victor has drawn upon his own cultural heritage of handed down family recipes to create dishes that are distinctive and memorable. Like the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, his creations become a self-portrait, with a story in every dish. Frida’s – a destination restaurant featuring Chef Victor’s own unique artisan Latino cuisine. A fusion of fresh ingredients and culinary influences from Mexico, Spain, France, Central/South America, Cuba, and the Caribbean.
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Cover WHAT IS THE COOKING UTENSIL YOU COULD NOT LIVE WITHOUT: My Hands WHO Or WHAT INSPIrES YOUr rECIPES: My Mother and Grandmother
execuTive cheF Warren cordoBa riviera Palm Springs resort & Spa 1600 North Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA Phone: 760-778-6659
FAVOrITE INGrEDIENT: LOVE FAVOrITE LATE NIGHT COMFOrT FOOD: GUAVA QUINCE AND CHEESE WHAT WOULD YOU BE IF YOU WErEN’T A CHEF: I can’t imagine anything other than this; FOOD IS MY PASSION!
cheF/oWner Tara laZar Cheeky’s, Birba, Jiao 622 N Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262 Phone: (760) 327-7595
It all started with CHEEKY’S homemade breakfast, made the way we like it. Who knew it would be the way you like it too! We buy it local, make it from scratch, and don’t make too much of a fuss about it. Simple, fresh and delicious. Building on the success of Cheeky’s, this restaurateur/ entrepreneur has expanded her culinary world with Birba (the lighter side of Italian) and Jiao (Asian fusion), both with rave reviews and favorites among the locals. Our Menus are designed from the experiences of the things that inspires us: food, drink, art, music and design. Our eclectic interests and taste are what make us unique, and it’s that uniqueness that we hope to bring to you. WHAT IS THE ONE COOKING UTENSIL YOU COULD NOT LIVE WITHOUT? Tongs WHO Or WHAT INSPIrES YOUr rECIPES? My mother FAVOrITE INGrEDIENT? Butter, chives FAVOrITE LATE NIGHT COMFOrT FOOD? Spicy Korean instant ramen WHAT WOULD YOU BE IF YOU WErEN’T A CHEF? racecar driver
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Chef Warren studied culinary arts and kitchen management at New England Culinary Institute - C.I.A. Pro chef, Chef de cuisine, American Culinary Federation - Certified chef de cuisine. On his way to Executive Chef for Noble House & resorts he mastered his craft at The Port royal Club, L’Aberge Del Mar, and the Viceroy Palm Springs. It is our great future that he has chosen to make the riviera Palm Springs resort & Spa his home…for the moment. WHAT IS THE ONE COOKING UTENSIL YOU COULD NOT LIVE WITHOUT: mini Offset spatula WHO Or WHAT INSPIrES YOUr rECIPES: I have so many great childhood memories, particularly of family and food. So I’m inspired by those and the seasons. FAVOrITE INGrEDIENT: Bacon double smoked - come on who doesn’t like bacon? FAVOrITE LATE NIGHT COMFOrT FOOD: ramen - easy, lite and I can add whatever I like to it. WHAT WOULD YOU BE IF YOU WErEN’T A CHEF: Writer
cheF / oWner Mindy reed Zin American Bistro and Alicante, a Spanish Mediterranean Bistro. 198 S Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262 Phone: (760) 322-6300
Zin American Bistro is a modern new world version of a traditional French Bistro. A marriage of French Passion with my American Sensibility! Owner of Zin American Bistro and Alicante, Mindy reed has made her mark in Palm Springs as a successful entrepreneur, active community member and a best friend to the LGBT community. “I have always loved cooking, wine and food and been a workaholic. I loved working in restaurants but really wanted to be part of something I could be proud of and have more control of my life (what did I know?)”.
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body adornment and more…
HEPHAESTUS
PALM SPRINGS' PREMIER DESIGNER JEWELRY GALLERY
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cover Her passion for quality and great food come thru in both restaurants but in completely different ways. At Zin, it’s a little more high end without being fancy or expensive. The food is a little more complex, the wine list much bigger, linen table clothes but still topped with paper for that bistro feeling. The specials change almost daily and the menu is more driven by the Chef. At Alicante it feels more like a little sidewalk European Cafe. Casual; you can just stop in for a drink and tapas or stay for dinner. Mindy’s community service is equaled by none. In 2010, 2011 and 2013 she participated in the Aids LifeCycle Ride, a 7-day cycling event from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise money for the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center and the San Francisco Aids Foundation. A top 25 fundraiser two years, she has raised over $36,000 for this important cause. She is currently training for the 2015 ride. Honored for her support of equality in the 2011 Gay Pride Parade as Community Grand Marshall, Mindy is an example of how straight allies and the LGBT community can work together to improve the lives of all.
Luis A. Vega, Executive Chef at Zin American Bistro. Zin American Bistro and Alicante, a Spanish Mediterranean Bistro. 198 S Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262 Phone: (760) 322-6300 Luis started his career back in 1990 in the Coachella Valley area. Working in the restaurant business has always been natural for Mr. Vega. After graduating from the University of Mexico he moved to Palm Springs and learned fine Italian cuisine at Bruzzi Italian Restaurant. Moving to St James Restaurant for the next 10 years, he developed his love for Indian cuisine. From there he moved to Johannes Cosmopolitan Cuisine and dedicated himself to perfecting his skills under award winning and Winner of one of the Best Chefs in America, Chef Owner Johannes Bacher for the next 13 years. At Zin, with his love of the art of cooking he is bringing his own personal style of American Fusion Cuisine.
If you haven’t eaten at any of the above-mentioned establishments, you owe it to yourself to do so. Believe me you won’t regret it. In fact you might find yourself becoming a regular at many of them or even all.
food + music
Wine and food Making a perfect match
If you have ever stood before an aisle of wine completely baffled by what to serve at your next dinner party, you are not alone. Whether red or white, dry or sweet, the options can be overwhelming. Two wine experts from The Art Institutes system of schools have teamed up to help you navigate the wine aisle like a pro. “It’s no longer necessary for wine to be just for special occasions,” says Chef T. Stella Bernard, certified wine professional and an instructor for The Art Institute of Tucson. For her, the first step is demystifying wine, and she says there is something for everyone’s taste. She encourages experimentation, which will help evolve your palate, but cautions against being dissuaded or oversold by the package. “Don’t be turned off if it comes in a box or has a screw top. Don’t worry if it doesn’t have a cork.” According to Chef Bernard and Chef Bradley Owen, a certified
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sommelier and instructor at The Art Institute of California - Orange County, a campus of Argosy University, you need to match the acidity, flavors and body of the wine to the dish with which it will be served. “The old adage of white wine with fish and red wine with meat is true and false,” he says. This will be true 80-90 percent of the time, but depending on how the dish is prepared, there are always ways to break this rule. He adds that chicken and pork are crossover proteins, which could work with whites or reds depending on preparation. Acidity is very important, and Owen explains that you want to match the acidity of the wine with the acidity of the dish. Fish prepared in a traditional way works well with white wine, but when prepared with something like mushrooms or with red wine influences, you can move to a lighter red. Filet mignon, typically served with a red wine, can be paired with a white when served with a salad with
high-acidic vinaigrette. When matching flavors, Bernard recommends reading the back of the bottle. She says the same words that describe the wine should describe the food. For example, wines containing cherry flavors would go with something juicy such as a barbecue, since cherries are sweet and juicy. Strawberries are softer and would go with a more subtle dish, while black currants are more intense and would pair well with foods like venison, sausage or pepper steak. A simple way to remember this is the brighter the fruit on the label the lighter the food that goes with that wine, and the heavier or darker the fruits on the label the heavier the food. The body of the wine is the weight of the wine or the way it feels in your mouth. Owen says this body should also match the body of the food. Grapes have different body and richness based on the growing climate and decisions made by the wine makers. When looking to pair wine with meat, Owen recommends asking what you are pairing it with and what cut of meat is it. He says a rib eye with lots of fat, richness and flavor will need a wine with a rich body, such as cabernet sauvignon. A filet, which is less flavorful, could pair with a less full-bodied wine, such as a pinot noir. With red wines, tannins are a consideration when looking at food pairings. Tannins come from the grape skins and provide the natural astringency found in red wines. Bernard says heavy tannin wines go well with heavy proteins such as red meats. Regionality can also help you find the perfect complement, by pairing wine from the same area as the dish you are eating. For instance, if you are eating a French dish, consider a French wine. “Don’t be intimidated about going into the wine shop,” Bernard says. She encourages you to start with what you like, and don’t be afraid to ask for help from the people in your local wine store. “The wine you like is the best wine.”
feature
San Diego’s LGBT Film Festival Celebrates 16 Boy Meets Girl
John Apple Jack
10 Year Plan
Tru Love
FilmOut San Diego’s 16th Annual LGBT Film Festival will take place from May 30 – June 1, 2014. Twenty-five films will be screened during the three-day film festival at the historic North Park Theatre in San Diego. Eighteen films will have their premiere with FilmOut San Diego along with award-winning films from both the Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals, along with independent features and a variety of short films. Q&A’s will follow many films with director and cast members in attendance. The Opening Night Film and Party will take place on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 7:30pm and our Closing Night Film will end the festival on Sunday, June 1, 2014 with the Closing Night Party after the film. Filmmakers and talent representing more than half of the films plan to attend the festival and will participate in audience Q&A’s after their respective screenings. A complete list of all filmmaker contacts is listed below for press interviews. FilmOut San Diego annually affirms the ongoing integrity and boundless imagination of our community and the artists who tell our stories. The Board of Directors believes its work is an integral part of an ongoing effort to build a vibrant, affirming and sustainable LGBT community in San Diego County. Thanks to our Media sponsors for this year’s event: CICA, ABC 10/Azteca San Diego, SDGLN/SDPIX, LIVE Magazine, Flawles, Gay San Diego/SD Uptown News, Mance Creative, AIB, GSDBA, RAGE, The Standard Magazine, Do It in Gay San Diego & San Diego Commission for Arts & Culture. Liquor Sponsors: Stella Artois and Smirnoff. Host
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Hotels: Sommerset Suites, Town & Country Resort. Party Venues: Sunset Temple, West Coast Tavern. Opening Night Film: Eric Schaeffer’s Boy Meets Girl stars Michael Welch, Michelle Hendley & Alexandra Turshen West Coast Premiere Opening Night Party at: Claire de Lune’s Sunset Temple 3911 Kansas Street, San Diego, CA 92104 Directly across the street from the theatre 10:00pm to midnight. Closing Night Film: Monika Mitchell’s John Apple Jack U.S. Premiere Closing Night Party at: West Coast Tavern 2895 University Avenue, San Diego, CA 92104 In the lobby of the North Park Theatre): 9:00pm to 11:00pm. For complete festival ticket info, screening updates, volunteer information and sponsorship, please visit us at www.FilmOutSanDiego. com and follow us on Facebook at FilmOut San Diego or on Twitter at @FilmOutSD. IF YOU GO FilmOut San Diego 16th Annual LGBT Film Festival Location: North Park Theatre 2891 University Avenue, San Diego, CA 92104 Dates: May 30 – June 1, 2014 Opening Night: Friday, May 30, 2014 at 7:30pm Ticket Info: www.FilmOutSanDiego.com
Starting May 15th
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Where Palm Springs Sleeps! 1900 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262
Reservations & Special Offers Call 760.322.3757
TheMonroePalmSprings.com
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Ready to Party in August?
August 20-24, 2014
Meet & Greet at Pine Knot Pier Pool Parties Guest DJ’s Bears and Beer Sunset Cruise All Male Bartenders FEATURING COLTON FORD Host Hotel Northwoods Resort WWW.BBAWEEKEND.COM 10% OF TICKET SALES ARE DONATED TO AAP OF PALM SPRINGS
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psp focus Comedy Night at the Purple Room Comedy Night Palm Springs™ now in its fifth year announces its next show on Saturday, May 17, at the legendary Purple Room with top comic stars Shawn Pelofksy of NBC’s Community, E!’s Chelsea Lately, and Showtime’s Lip Service and Marie Delprete of CBS’ King of Queens, Nickelodeon’s NickMom Night Out and Sirius Extreme XM’s Bad Advice. The monthly stand-up comedy show features the latest stand-up comics from Los Angeles and New York’s top comedy venues. Many of the performers have also appeared at clubs in Las Vegas, San Francisco, Chicago and London. Scheduled to appear: Shawn Pelofsky Shawn Pelofsky is the renowned headliner comic and the “Queen of Atlantis Cruises.” She has recently returned from performances on voyages to Europe, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, the Caribbean, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Korea and Japan. She can currently be seen on LOGO’s The Gossip Queens. Shawn’s other television and film credits include Community (NBC), Lip Service (Showtime), Chelsea Lately (E!), Pretty Hurts (LOGO), to name a few. Shawn wrote and stars in the worldwide You-tube sensation, Lady HaHa and has a new comedy album, Lady HaHa. She has opened up for greats such as Bill Maher, Margaret Cho, Richard Lewis, and Huey Lewis and The News. She was also a finalist for The Comedy Central Laugh Riots and The Funniest Woman in Orange County. Shawn performs regularly at The World Famous Comedy Store in LA and in La Jolla, The Hollywood Improv, Akbar and Downtown Comedy Club and in the top comedy venues around the country. She has been featured in Montreal’s Just for Laughs Comedy Festival and in the all-female hit comedy tours, Pretty Funny Women, Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad at Bleeker Street Theater in NY and The Hot Tamales produced by Eva Longoria. She has traveled all over the world to entertain the troops in places such as Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo, Guantanamo Bay, Korea and Japan.
Marie Delprete Marie DelPrete is an accomplished actress, writer and standup comedienne. Marie won FameCast’s top $10,000 prize as season
four’s Comedy Fenom. She’s the first-ever female standup to win the prestigious award. Marie’s offbeat, highly original act has become a fixture at comedy clubs in the Los Angeles area, including The Hollywood Improv, The World Famous Comedy Store, Ice House and many others. She’s been described as “the love-child of Andy Kaufman and Gilda Radner” by actress Nichole Hiltz (Smallville, The Riches) and hailed by industry pros as a bright star to watch: “That’s some funny-ass shit!” says Bill Bellamy, host of Last Comic Standing, “Look out for her ‘cause she is one funny girl!” Her television appearances include a guest-starring role in CBS’s hit comedy, The King of Queens. She’s a familiar face on Nickelodeon’s new comedy network, NickMom, both as a standup on NickMom Night Out, and in her own original Mom Confessions spots airing on Parental Discretion. Marie recently wrapped photography on an independent feature film, Commander and Chief. Marie began her comedy career in improvisation, graduating from the Second City Conservatory Program. She performed in sketch comedy reviews at various venues around L.A., including stints at Second City L.A., and Comedy Cocktail at the famous Hollywood & Highland complex. In the 1960s, the Purple Room at Club Trinidad was the club where Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr. performed and came with their friends to eat, drink and play. Purple Room is located at 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive (Hwy 111 across from Smoke Tree Village Shopping Center) in Palm Springs, CA. “Comedy Night Palm Springs™ has already become a hit,” exclaimed Tony Marchese, Purple Room co-owner with Mark Van Laanen. “Our customers are excited to see comedians from TV and film perform live on our stage, and to be able to meet and talk with them in person is icing on the cake. Marchese added, “The show makes for a perfect, exciting evening of cocktails, dinner and sidesplitting laughs.” Reservations are highly encouraged. Please call 760.322.4422 or go online at www.purpleroom.com for reservations. This dinnerand-a-show package includes a delicious three-course meal, comedy show and free valet parking for just $50. Dinner seating begins at 5:30 and show starts at 7:00.
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I fought my way back from addiction. Carl, D.A.P. client
D.A.P. treats and supports the whole person Like everyone, I’ve made lots of mistakes in my life. One of the biggest was letting alcohol and crystal meth consume me for a time. It led me into unsuccessful relationships, homelessness, and even ignoring my HIV medication therapy, causing me to lose one of my eyes. With the help of a counselor at Desert AIDS Project, I’m in recovery and am proud of my accomplishments at College of the Desert. I may have lost an eye...but I’ve never seen more clearly than I do today.
This and more...all under one roof Thanks to your generous support, Desert AIDS Project has been saving lives for 30 years. Please continue to help by donating at desertAIDSproject.org, joining one of our annual giving programs, or by saving the date for one of our upcoming fundraising events. Queen of the Desert | May 28, 2014 Summer Mixer & Dance Party | July 24, 2014 Desert AIDS Walk | October 18, 2014 Dancing With The Desert Stars | November 15, 2014 World AIDS Day | December 1, 2014
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desertAIDSproject.org
psp focus Cycledelic - A City of Palm Springs Bike Month Event Cycledelic is a new nighttime bike ride celebrating Bike Month in the May in the City of Palm Springs. Riders are encouraged to wear colorful, fluorescent and glow-in-the-dark clothing for the ride and light up their bikes. The event takes place Thursday, May 15, 2014 and coincides with the weekly VillageFest in downtown Palm Springs. This will be a FREE, fun and easy downtown loop bike ride suitable for all ages. While supplies last, bike lights and glow-inthe-dark decorations will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Cycledelic t-shirts will also be available for sale. All bike riders
are required to sign a waiver, wear helmets and obey all traffic laws, signage and routes for Cycledelic. Bike riders should gather at the festival area located at the Northwest corner of Tahquitz Canyon Way situated between Palm Canyon Drive and Belardo Road starting at 6:00p.m. A short instruction seminar will be given at 7:00p.m, which focuses on bike safety, tips to navigate vehicle traffic and what gear should be worn for nighttime riding. For more information visit www.YourSustainableCity.com
Palm Springs Desert Resorts Restaurant Week Founded in 2007, Palm Springs Desert Resorts Restaurant Week highlights the diverse dining and leisure opportunities in the city of Palm Springs and surrounding communities of the greater Coachella Valley. In just six years, this annual event has grown from fewer than 30 participating restaurants, hotels, and attractions to more than 100. Restaurant Week offers over two weeks of its signature “Eat. See. Stay.”experience featuring exclusive dining, hotel, spa, and attraction deals. The event runs from May 30 thru June 8. Restaurant Week Uncorked is a new feature of our annual Palm Springs Desert Resorts Restaurant Week; this event was added last year and is held the Wednesday & Thursday nights before the first night of Restaurant
Week, serving as the official event that “Uncorks” Restaurant week. Participating restaurants will offer specialty-themed dinners, where every course will be paired with a different wine, beer, or spirit. The restaurant can decide if they would like to offer a traditional wine dinner, beer dinner or offer specialty cocktails. For more information and a full list of participants, please visit www.palmspringsrestaurantweek.com
Streetbar Artwall Project Streetbar Artwall Project presents a series of new paintings by longtime contributing artist Michael Brown. Michael has been Asst. mgr. and bartender at Streetbar for 14 years and exhibits yearly for The Art Wall. Sales from his sell-out shows have benefited education funds for The Desert Art Center, The Palm Springs
Animal Shelter and The AIDS Assistance Program. Michael’s work is always powerful and deliberate in palette and subject. The show runs May 7 through June 3 at Streetbar, 224 E. Arenas Rd., Palm Springs, CA. 92264. An Artist reception will be held Wednesday May 7 at 6 PM. For Information about The Artwall Project, contact drfar@aol.com
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news national
Celebrating 24 Hours of Rainbow Giving Give OUT Day 2014: 2nd Annual National Day of LGBTQ Giving In two weeks, the 2nd annual Give OUT Day (www.giveoutday. org) will bring together over 400 LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer) nonprofits and thousands of donors to support the LGBTQ community. “Give OUT Day offers a chance for our country to come together and support the hundreds of LGBTQ groups – community centers, arts groups, organizers, clinics, student clubs, sports leagues and more – that support our diverse and amazing community,” said Bolder Giving’s executive director Jason Franklin. “I’m excited to see the momentum building after our amazing launch last year, we have even more groups participating and I’m hoping we’ll raise over $1 million for LGBTQ equality on May 15th.” Give OUT Day is a 24-hour online fundraising competition that unites the LGBTQ community nationally to raise critically needed funds to support the diverse array of LGBTQ nonprofits. Organized by Bolder Giving, a NYC-based nonprofit that works to inspire people to give, and powered by Razoo, the leading online donation platform, Give OUT Day offers hundreds of LGBTQ organizations across the country to take part in a shared 1-day fundraising campaign to raise money and awareness for the LGBTQ community. “Give OUT Day is an unparalleled opportunity for even small LGBTQ nonprofits to reach new donors. And, at the same time, by making information on the nonprofits so readily available, Give OUT Day empowers both long-time and newer donors to support causes they care about,” said Roger Doughty, Executive Director of the Horizons Foundation, sponsor of two of the nine prize boards around the country. In 2013, the inaugural Give OUT Day engaged almost 5,500 donors who gave over $600,000 to 400+ groups from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington DC. Even more encouraging, over one third of all donors discovered a new group to support on Give OUT Day and 13% were first time donors to an LGBTQ organization. Additionally, 81% of participating groups reported receiving gifts from new donors and 82% reported raising larger donations from their current donors. “One of the best ways to help create long lasting change is to support LGBTQ non-profits for the outstanding work they do in
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every part of our nation every day. That’s why the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is delighted to partner with Bolder Giving for the second annual Give OUT Day and to have launched nonprofit recruitment at our annual conference, Creating Change. I encourage everyone to give back, regardless of how big or small, to move things forward,” said Rea Carey, Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Give OUT Day 2013, powered by Razoo, is a 24-hour day of giving running from 12am-11:59 pm EST on May 15th. In addition, the top 3 groups national receiving gifts from the most unique donors will receive additional cash prizes, as will the top three groups in each of eight states/regions with prize boards – Minnesota, Oregon, Arizona, South Florida, Bay Area (2 boards), New York City, the Pacific Northwest, and the US South. The Kevin J. Mossier Foundation and an anonymous donor provided lead funding for Give OUT Day 2014. Local prizes were sponsored by the Horizons Foundation, North Star Fund, Our Fund, Kevin J. Mossier Foundation, and an anonymous funder. “Less than 5 percent of the LGBTQ community currently gives to LGBTQ causes, according to research from the Horizons Foundation and the Movement Advancement Project,” said Charlie Rounds, Give OUT Day Founder and Trustee of the Kevin J. Mossier Foundation. “Give OUT Day promotes a new way of giving by harnessing the power of social media and Razoo’s crowd funding platform to inspire thousands to contribute within a 24-hour giving challenge. Give OUT Day aims to raise awareness of the need to support LGBTQ nonprofits and elevate the level of LGBTQ philanthropy.”
news INTERNATIONAL
United Nations goes ‘Bollywood’ in latest effort to promote LGBT rights Last week the United Nations human rights office launched the latest phase of its global fight against homophobia: a Bollywoodstyle video called “The Welcome,” accompanied by an appeal from the U.N. Secretary-General to end the prejudice that forces millions of LGBT people to live in fear or hide in shame. Unveiled at a press conference in Mumbai, the organization’s Free and Equal campaign championing LGBT equality and an end to homophobia, the two-and-a-half-minute clip stars Bollywood actress and former Miss India Celina Jaitly. Making her musical debut in the clip, Celina was last year nominated by the High Commissioner for Human Rights as a UN Equality Champion, in recognition of her support for LGBT rights. The video release and press conference marked the Free and Equal campaign’s launch in India, following its inaugural kick off last year in South Africa. “The Welcome” tells the story of a young man who brings his boyfriend home to meet his family for the first time. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sent a message in which he expressed his support for the campaign and his solidarity with India’s LGBT community. Delivered by Charles Radcliffe of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the message also reaffirmed Mr. Ban’s staunch advocacy to end prejudice and intolerance against LGBT persons. Commenting on the launch, High Commissioner Navi Pillay said
she was delighted to see the Free & Equal campaign extended to India. “LGBT people have historically been marginalized and subjected to discrimination and violence in India, as elsewhere,” she said. “But change is coming.” She noted that in the past few months, India had witnessed an unprecedented level of public debate relating to the rights of LGBT people. “As awareness grows, attitudes will change. We need to do all we can to hasten change by challenging the myths and misinformation that get in the way of understanding. That is what this campaign is all about,” said Pillay. In December, India’s Supreme Court struck down a 2009 lower court decision that decriminalized gay sex. The ruling dealt a blow to gay activists who have fought for years for the chance to live openly in India’s deeply conservative society, and has drawn sharp criticism from human rights advocates worldwide.
Northern Ireland again rejects efforts to legalize same-sex marriage Courtesy of LGBTQNation The Northern Ireland Assembly last week rejected a motion to join the rest of the United Kingdom in legalizing same-sex marriage. The vote — 51 against and 43 in favor — marks the third time in the past 18 months that lawmakers have rejected efforts to legalize same-sex marriage, making Northern Ireland the only part of the UK which has not legalized marriage equality. “Politicians in Northern Ireland who continue to block marriage rights for same-sex couples are like latter-day King Canutes, trying in vain to hold back the tide of equality,” said Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International. “With politicians continuing to block equality, it is now inevitable
that same-sex couples in Northern Ireland will take a legal challenge on the basis of inferior treatment with regards to the right to marry and found a family,” he said. Opposition to the measure was led by the Catholic Church, whose bishops had urged politicians to reject “marriage equality” for same-sex partnerships in Northern Ireland while the Church of Ireland restated its opposition to any change to the traditional definition of marriage. Elsewhere in the United Kingdom, same-sex marriage became legal in England and Wales last month, and Scotland passed a similar law in February that comes into effect in October.
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LEGALLY SPEAKING
Paving The Road to Ruin After You’re Gone By Christopher Heritage
You control many things that happen after you die. Did you know that? For example, even if you don’t have a Will or a trust, you do have an estate plan. You have chosen to let the state decide what to do with your belongings – your car, bank account, house or pets. You have made a decision to let a court determine who your heirs are, and how their lives are by your choice. If you have created a Will or trust, you have a very different plan that will outlive your life, often by generations. You have directed what your executor or trustee must do after you die, and what your family and friends will or will not inherit from you. You control the future of those you leave behind. Estate planning is not an event; it is a process that continues as long as you live, and beyond your incapacity or passing. It is always a work in progress, and requires your attention to every detail to make sure the plan is a good one, and your wishes are carried out. In addition, it only works well if you make it work. I often talk about the sad situations that occur when people don’t plan properly for their personal and asset protection. However, the risks of creating Wills or trusts and then not keeping them current can sometimes be far worse. Outdated documents can really jeopardize the future of those you care about. Births, deaths, marriage, remarriage, a new job, selling or buying a house, changing bank or investment accounts, disposing of automobiles, home furnishings or jewelry, new laws, even just getting older – all of these and many other events can affect the terms of your Will or trust. Each event should trigger a review of your documents to see if they need to be revised or updated. Let’s see how real misery can be caused by the failure to update or review old Wills or trusts. First, overlooking a very simple update costs one man a small fortune: Fred named his trust as beneficiary of his IRA many years ago. His spouse, Walter, was the beneficiary of the trust. Then the law changed, giving Walter the right to continue Fred’s IRA as his own, if it went directly to him and not through the trust. But Fred didn’t update the beneficiary designation or his trust, and he passed away. The $250,000 IRA was left sitting in the trust. As beneficiary of the trust, Walter must now take distribution of the full amount of the IRA all in one year, and will pay a huge portion of it in taxes.
Much more serious harm can come when someone doesn’t review how the restrictive terms of a trust could really play out: Felicia created a trust 15 years ago, naming her partner Kay as successor trustee, and some relatives as beneficiaries of her estate. The two of them envisioned a long life, growing old together, and Felicia wanted to protect Kay, so she provided that Kay would retain the house until her death, and made the trust irrevocable. When Felicia died at a much younger age than expected, Kay continued living in the house, and, still young, recently found a new partner. They want to start their new life by selling the house and buying one of their own, but she can’t do it. The house is owned by the trust, the terms are irrevocable – it is Kay’s only if she lives there until she dies - and the property, or the proceeds from its sale, must then pass on to the other beneficiaries. Kay must continue to live there for the rest of her life, or walk away now with zero equity or assets of her own. You really do control the future of your relatives and friends. Please review and update your plans often, so they will benefit and not ruin the lives of those who outlive you.
This article is part of an ongoing series of articles pertaining to legal issues relevant to the LGBT community, and is intended for general information purposes only – not legal advice. Christopher Heritage is an attorney in Palm Springs and San Diego, who focuses on LGBT estate planning, domestic partnerships, same-sex marriage, probate, trust administration, and bankruptcy. He welcomes questions and comments and can be contacted at 760-325-2020 or at chris@heritagelegal.com
may, 2014 27
weLLness
The devil iS in The deTailS!
By dr. kenneth toth, BA, MAt, dC, rn, Cpt
Today, we find ourselves involved in a huge conversation as well as growing awareness about what we call the national food supply, and more and more what we perceive it has to do with our health or lack of health. What a challenge it is to even talk about food! It is almost like discussing politics or religion, because it deals so much with belief and hype rather than truthful science and rationality. (Remember, you can structure “scientific” research to give about any result you want depending on your motives.) So, here goes! The culture of food and eating in this country today is pretty much all about producing bigger and bigger profits sometimes at the expense of people’s health. Ouch! I never cease being totally amazed over the near insanity of our food supply. And we all keep hearing about the five servings of fruits and vegetables that must be consumed daily to protect against this and that kind of cancer or various other pathologies. Have you tasted the vegetables lately? Even the organically grown varieties can taste and have a mouth feel like cardboard! Is it any wonder that it’s hard to get kids, not to mention adults, to consume them? Is that why tasty sauces are applied to them? Now, I’m certainly not against eating vegetables. But I find it more than a little disconcerting that vegetables and fruits have been bred and modified repeatedly to give longer shelf life and be almost indestructible while being transported an average of 2,000 miles from field to table under all kinds of conditions. “Locally grown” seems to have been redefined. I just opened a new package of organic, non-GMO frozen strawberries this afternoon, so I thought I’d check the fine print on the beautiful plastic package (I wonder if it contains BPA?) to see if it indicated where the strawberries had been grown. Turkey. Yes, over 6,800 miles away! remember having read somewhere that it is healthiest to eat fruits and vegetables that are in season close to wherever you live? Whatever happened to that? Don’t they grow strawberries anymore in sunny California? I find so many inconsistencies when I try to conduct independent research on the food I consume! I recently found out that if a food product from China (a significant portion of our national food supply) is labeled “organic,” in reality it only means that hopefully pesticides have not been applied to the product. However, there is no real assurance that the land itself or the necessary water and air for the plants are not hopelessly polluted with such tasty things as heavy metals and arsenic. Fact: twenty percent of the arable land in China is polluted and unsafe for growing food. Unfortunately, there is no distinction made by our government regulators between imported organic food and domestically grown organic food. really! That’s
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rather knotty. Why? Because an “organic” product grown in the USA means something. It can be trusted. But if the food is imported, organic may mean something very different as far as quality. Why? Because there is little or no oversight in some other countries regarding whether or not pesticides were actually applied to “organic” food. In addition, there is absolutely no consideration as to whether the environment that the food was grown in or on is dangerously polluted or not. That critical factor is not even addressed. So, what can we do to try to maintain ourselves in the best health possible? Continue to read the fine print. The devil is in the details. Sometimes it’s what is not said on the package rather than what is said! Keep an inquiring mind. Continue to look for answers to the hard questions. Persevere. And do keep up with your daily exercise program, which is more like an additional insurance policy than you might have thought! Dr. Kenneth Toth, BA, MAT, DC, rN, CPT, holds multiple degrees and credentials as a science educator, chiropractor, registered nurse, and personal trainer. He is currently limiting his professional activities to Personal Training/Nutritional Coaching. Dr. Ken is accepting new clients for personal training along with nutritional coaching. You may contact Dr. Ken at 949-235-9408 or ken@kentothfitness.com or on his website at KenTothFitness.com.
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fitness
Nourishment to Exist By Dennis Mason, bft, cpt
Author John Muir once wrote: “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.” This remarkable comment applies to everything infinitely deep within us as well as infinitely outward from us. For example, when you think of the word “nourishment”, what do you think of? Most of us think of food. However, is it the only thing that can nourish us? The answer is no. Immediately I can think of many other things that indeed nourish our entire being. Water is at the top of the list as is the food we eat and the air we breathe. Then, if we look closer, we find that physical activity also provides us with a type of nourishment that is not ingested but rather created by the body and activated by using our muscles as engines. Along with the increase in activity, the body takes in more oxygen then exhales carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. Another form of nourishment for our whole selves comes through interaction with other people around us. In our present day world, I get the feeling that there is an overwhelming form of personal isolationism in and around our daily lives. Something seems to be missing. We are not getting the nourishment we need from one other. In addition, the consequence of missing a major human need is that more tension and stress will be placed upon us. This then, creates a never-ending cycle of energy drain. One way to get balanced again is to nourish your body from the inside and the outside; this will create harmony within yourself. You are balanced. Harmony and balance together is how everything in
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the entire Universe operates. That seems to be a pretty good plan, to me. As such, I try to incorporate it into my overall lifestyle as well as coach others how to practice and perfect their “balancing art”. Having said all that, here is your homework assignment for the month. Practice getting more in touch with yourself on a day-by-day basis. When you work out at the gym be aware of your whole being. Visualize what parts of your body you will be training. Notice how many other muscles and joints come into play than you thought. Think of it as nourishment for your mind, and you will be amazed at the difference you will see.
Dennis is a certified personal trainer and coach with over 30 years’ experience, an NPC bodybuilding competitor, charity cyclist, health and fitness motivational speaker and author. He specializes in Physique Sculpting, and Nutritional Guidance. He also offers Aquatic Conditioning, weather permitting, in your pool or his. “Fitness is more than just a workout.” It’s a LIFESTYLE committed to staying active; eating healthy; reducing stress and having fun. Join Dennis on demand on his internet radio programs, FITNESS & MORE INTERNATIONAL and be taken on a journey to explore new ideas; separate myth from fact and gain new information. Dennis Mason, only on: www.BlogTalkRadio.com/FitnessAndMore For more information regarding his services, please visit: DennisMasonFitness.com or FitnessAndMoreRadio.com. Also on Facebook and Twitter as fitnessradio. Telephone 760 219-5877
medical 411
ASK THE DOCTOR
by Forrest P. Murphy, MD, FACS
Question: I was recently diagnosed with macular degeneration. My retina specialist said it was the ‘dry type’. What is macular degeneration and what does the ‘dry’ mean? ~ Ramona G., Cathedral City, CA
ability to function on the job, drive and all the other visual tasks that we must perform daily. Therefore, it is imperative that ALL persons over 60 have a yearly ophthalmology exam. During the exam, the eye doctor will dilate the eyes to look for this condition. Fortunately, Ramona, you have the milder form and you are already under the care of a retinal specialist so you will be fine. I wish you well!
Answer: Macular degeneration is a very common cause of vision loss and usually occurs after the age of 60. It is the second most common cause of visual loss due to aging of the eye, second only to cataracts. Most people have NO idea that they have lost vision from macular degeneration until it is either obvious to the patient (and therefore well-advanced) or they happen to schedule an eye exam and are told at the exam to their surprise. The macula is a tiny area of the retina located directly behind the pupil on the retinal surface. This surface contains the highest concentration of pigment cells responsible for our daytime color vision and acuity. The degeneration happens on the level of the basement of the retinal membrane and can be diagnosed as either dry or wet. Dry macular degeneration is usually milder than wet and it is more self-limiting and usually only causes minor visual loss and distortion of objects. Wet macular degeneration is more serious and can result in dramatic, sudden loss of vision with great distortion of all objects. Reading can be impossible with wet macular degeneration. It can affect your
FOLLOW-UP to last month’s discussion on allergy: I was gratified by the responses to my discussion of allergies (March 2014 issue). I discovered that many people suffer from springtime allergies and several readers made a point to let me know how much relief they obtained from filtering the air in their environment. I am glad that I could bring some of these helpful tips to light as I have seasonal, springtime allergies myself and do all of those things to alleviate my own ‘spring fever’.
Forrest P. Murphy, MD, FACS is a board-certified Ophthalmologist and board eligible in Emergency Medicine and Anti-Aging. If you have a question for Dr. Forrest, simply send us an email with your question to info@standardps.com. The Content provided in this column is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or care, nor is it intended to be a substitute. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider.
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Nutrition DON’T JUMP INTO A GLUTEN-FREE DIET WITHOUT THE FACTS By Linda Bergersen Gluten-free has become this decade’s nutritional buzzword, but do you really need this type of diet? Not everyone does. But if you’ve been tested, and know you are gluten intolerant, beware of the gluten-free foods on the market; most are not nutritiously sound. Gluten is a component of certain grains: wheat, rye, barley, kamut, bulgar, triticale, spelt, durum, and semolina. It is a natural part of these grains, as lactose is a natural part of milk. We have abused milk in a way that makes its natural sugar known as lactose intolerable to people because of the pasteurization process. It destroys the natural lactase enzyme that aids the digestion of lactose. We have abused wheat in various ways making gluten a bad guy. The wheat grain has been manipulated in a way that creates more gluten content. For fifty years we have been subjected to a wheat hybrid called dwarf wheat. It was developed as a way to help feed third world countries, and now it is in the American diet because it grows and yields product faster; but at the same time it contains more gluten, more starch, and creates more inflammation than the wheat we used to eat. The main problem with wheat and gluten these days is that we all get too much, whether from restaurants, food manufacturers, supermarkets, or home-cooked recipes. If you have been diagnosed with celiac disease, caused by the sensitivity to gluten, you will surely need to avoid the grains that contain it; but also beware of many other foods that have wheat gluten as an additive; bakers love adding it because it improves texture, flavor, shelf life, and many other reasons. Always look for wheat gluten in the list of ingredients on packaged foods. It’s even in pet food. Are you eating gluten-free because you think your health issue is gluten related? Does your gut hurt after you eat? Do you get acid reflux? Are you constipated or have diarrhea? Any problem with the intestinal tract is a major concern, but there are various things that could be causing these issues. The best thing to do is see a physician, naturopath or nutritionist to be tested and evaluated. It could be a problem not related to gluten, and most likely it won’t be corrected just by avoiding gluten. Keep in mind, most intestinal issues are related to diet, and mainly consumption of refined, processed foods. Our gluten sensitivity is growing these days because of the dwarf wheat and the overabundance of refined flours we eat, as
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well as the gluten additive factor. Here is a list of nutritional glutenfree flours you could look for to replace the gluten grains: Almond Buckwheat Coconut Oat Brown Rice Quinoa Amaranth Tapioca Sorghum Soy If you choose to eat gluten-free products, you may be avoiding gluten, but most of the time you will not be getting the nutritional quality ingredients that are most needed. Gluten-free products are often filled with (white, refined) rice flour or rice starch, GMO cornstarch or flour, and potato starch. These are all refined, processed ingredients that have little or no nutritional value, and contribute to weight gain and inflammation. Plus they invariably contain refined sugars as well in the form of glucose, fructose, dextrose, corn syrup, etc. Nutrition is always about balance, and not indulging in too much of any one type of food. Because the food industry has put more gluten in our foods, we are getting too much of this once natural component. It’s very hard to avoid wheat and gluten products because they are everywhere, but here are some suggestions. Try not eating breads at restaurants; cook and bake more with oat or brown rice flour (the lack of gluten in recipes can be compensated with the use of xanthan gum); eat oatmeal, amaranth or brown rice instead of toast, bagels or muffins for breakfast. And always read the list of ingredients on packaged foods to look for the additive of wheat gluten. Since we as consumers have little control on how those in charge manipulate our food, we just have to be careful about what we put into our bodies. By dividing your flour intake between different whole grains, and avoiding all refined grains, intestinal problems may subside. It’s the refined, processed foods that will get you into trouble eventually. Get back to real foods, and your body will love you for it.
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traveL
When Travelling, eaT Where The localS eaT
By george W. ZAnder
The month’s issue is about food, wonderful food. There is a strong correlation between travelling and where you will choose to eat. It is simple- Eat where the locals eat. Cast aside every chain or franchise where you might attempt to stop. Just say no. The other hard and fast rule is to eat the local specialties. The places described are the best local spots and recommended by the folks who live in these beach towns. Starting on the coast in northern California, and working south, these are amazing gems. Save this article for your next trip. Let us start with the infamous Samoa Cookhouse in Eureka. Built in 1893, in the heart of Northern California’s fishing and lumber industries, it remains the last surviving cookhouse in the west. You will also find a logging museum. Those in the logging industry, along with anglers and many assorted blue-collar workers still mostly patronize the restaurant. In uber charming Mendocino there are many excellent restaurants, but there is one amazing spot- the 955 Ukiah Street – which stands above the rest. In this restaurant, the focus is on sustainable and organic ingredients. They have a long history with local growers who year round bring in seasonal goodies, both domestic and wild. Then we come to one of the greatest boardwalks… progressive Santa Cruz. The Beach Street Café is across from the boardwalk
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on the beach. The food is amazing, all local, and unique dishes. Everything is superb, but the clam chowder is wonderful. In addition, everyone gossips! You will learn much more about Santa Cruz than at any museum. Moving south on Highway One, you will arrive at Seaside just north of Monterey. The absolute best local place on the Peninsula especially because you will be looking for seafood, is the Fishwife on non-descript Fremont Blvd. Hands down, you will taste the best calamari ever. And they produce a homemade habanera sauce that is amazing-so amazing they sell it by the bottle to take away! Leaving Carmel, continuing on south to Big Sur, do not miss a stop at Ventana. The restaurant sits high atop the cliffs and overlooking the ocean. The meals are all prepared from sustainable food from area farms and purveyors. The view plus the amazing feast, superb. Fresh fish and seafood is de rigueur in Morro Bay at the southern end of the Big Sur Highway. The perfect local’s spot- Tognazzini’s Dockside restaurant and Fish Market. Perfect view of the rock, sea lions and seagulls. Great food and fun folks! In downtown Pismo Beach, search for the perfect little dive on Pomeroy Street, Splash Café. The place serves more than 20,000 gallons of clam chowder a year. The chowder is great but the Ahi Tuna Sandwich is the one that will have you going back for seconds!
travel
Continuing south on US 101, you will come to drop dead gorgeous Santa Barbara. There are many spots to eat of course, but do not miss the Santa Barbara Shellfish Company. It is on Stearns Wharf. Stated as a fish shack in 1980, it maintains its fresh fish atmosphere. Rachel Ray ate there and proclaimed it California’s best! The fresh cracked crab and oysters will place you into euphoria! And you can sit on the same barstool as Rachel…. Such a great deal. Sitting on a bluff overlooking the Ventura-Los Angeles County Line with an address in Malibu is the convenience store/biker and surfer bar named Neptune’s Net! They serve fresh lobster, crab, oysters and shrimp. The view of the ocean, interesting people and the amazing food at reasonable prices make this a do not miss! EVA’s-a Caribbean Kitchen is overlooking Highway 1, but just across from the ocean. . From their tropical libations, lively Jamaican music, and food from authentic recipes, will make you love this place. The menu is huge- you will remember the Jerk BBQ Salmon for the rest of your life. The tropical libations might make the details of your meal a bit foggy- do not miss the Dark and Stormy- dark rum and ginger beer! Point Loma, home to southern California’s largest fishing fleet, which has some amazing restaurants especially for you and your travelling companions who cannot get enough seafood while driving
along the Coast. The Venetian is very special- it has been at this one location since 1965 serving amazing seafood along with its famous pizza. Think caramelized scallops and tons of garlic on a pizza. It doesn’t get better than that! On Shelter Island, sits the truly excellent Bali Hai. It has a very authentic South Seas approach to the menu, especially all those tropical cocktails. The food is marvelous and detailed- you must try the Thai Spring Rolls with the world’s best dipping sauce- using plum wine. Someone in your party needs to order the walnut shrimp. There is the best sweeping view of downtown San Diego, and it is perfect for slow, romantic walks along the beach. Just east of Point Loma is the best, freshest spot for seafood in San Diego- now that is quite a statement in a place like this city, but it is so true! The Blue Water Seafood Market and Grill. Can we say this has the best fish taco in California? Yes. Every day the seafood is fresh-caught be that local fishing fleet. It is so fresh and amazing flavors come off that grill. Plan to wait in line, but it is truly worth the wait! Follow the rules and enjoy. Bon appétit.
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From Inside The Boudoir
Dinah Shore 2014 A Look Back
by Stephanie Brooke Smith
Dinah Shore 2014…just…wow! That really is the best word to sum up all of the amazing people, activities, events, music, dancing, and energy that was everywhere throughout this event. There were so many interesting and unique people from all over the world located in one place to celebrate what the Dinah Shore Weekend represents: women who love women being able to be exactly who they are and to be proud of it. According to Club Skirts, the group responsible for putting on the annual Dinah Shore Weekend, “The Dinah 2014 was all about celebration, living out loud and transforming lives. The legendary annual 5-day event not only provided a life changing experience to all attendees offering them the freedom to be who they truly are and gain a tremendous amount of self-worth.” I have to agree with this assessment about Dinah 2014 after observing it firsthand and speaking with several of the other women present throughout the event. Women from all over the world came to this one place to celebrate together and take advantage of the chance to be who they are without an ounce of fear of rejection, judgment, or being misunderstood. So many different types of women made up the thousands that came through Dinah 2014. Not only were there multiple nationalities present, there were women of all different shapes, sizes, and religious beliefs all coming together to celebrate what unites themtheir love of women. Among this varied collection of women, there were some who had been to Dinah before, but more often than
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not, I came across women who had never been to Dinah before, dubbed ‘Dinah Virgins’ by popular demand. These ‘Dinah Virgins’ didn’t let their newbie status affect their experience one bit. They celebrated just as hard, if not harder, than the ladies who had been there before. To gain a more in depth understanding of the ‘Dinah Virgin’ experience, I spent my time talking with those ladies about their experience so far and if they would come back again. Every single one of them said they were loving life and enjoying every second of Dinah 2014. To add a little more color to this point-of-view, a group of three best friends from Texas brought me into their fold. I was able to experience the ‘Dinah Virgin’ experience firsthand and observe how these ladies saw the event and what they thought about all that was going on and all of the people they were encountering. They had a blast! Not only did they get to meet tons of different lesbians from all over the world, they were able to celebrate with these new people and express their joy through drink and dance. There didn’t seem to be anything better than drinking, dancing, and listening to good music to show exhibit their pride, unity, and love of the human experience. With everything going on at all of the events: the loud, bass filled music, a sea of beautiful women, the availability of alcoholic beverages-you might think it would be somewhat of a sensory overload, but that was not the case according to these ladies. They loved that there was so much going on, so much to watch
and so many new things to experience. Even some of the headliners were ‘Dinah Virgins’ at Dinah this year! Tegan and Sara for example, spoke on this fact prior to their performance before the Black Party. They said that they have always wanted to come to Dinah Shore and this was the first year they were able to come. Tegan mentioned that they were having a great time and that she very happy to see that Dinah Shore was drama free this year. It seems that all of you lovely ladies out there definitely made a good impression-cheers to drama free Dinah 2014! In addition to ‘Dinah Virgins,’ there was another term that I learned about from one of the three ladies from Texas: ‘lesbian larvae.’ According to her, this term refers to new lesbians, or baby lesbians-those that haven’t been out for very long. I actually ran into several newly out lesbians at Dinah 2014 and they were celebrating right along with all the other ladies, demonstrating their pride and self-acceptance through their dancing and overall frivolity. As you can see, there was a wide variety of women at Dinah 2014. The best part about this is that they were all celebrating side-by-side, coming together to demonstrate their pride in who they are and being able to show their love for themselves. The most notable aspect that I took away from Dinah 2014 is that these women learned to love themselves and to not be ashamed of who they are or whom they love. These amazing women learned to be proud of themselves, their journey that brought them to this point in their lives. They learned that it really is okay to be yourself, to accept yourself for all that you are and all that you are not. Dinah 2014 helped to empower all of these beautiful women in a variety of ways. I hope that they took this empowerment home with them and do their best to incorporate it into their everyday lives-I know I am. Now that we are all back in reality, it is easy to fall into our old habits-I know that more than most people. My hope for all of you, my challenge for you, is to bring the experience of Dinah 2014 into your lives. Use what you learned there and apply it to your lives, practice self-love each and every day, practice loving others, and practice accepting the truth about yourself and those around you. I promise you that you will not be sorry. Which of you ladies out there are brave enough to take on my challenge?
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The Amazon Trail
Single in the Age of Marriage Equality By Lee Lynch
What good is being gay when you have no one to love? What good is gay marriage when you’re single? During the periods I was single, I watched a lot of films, at home, alone. The selection process had to be very cautious. Romance was out. Drama too, as my emotions were too raw after breakups. Suspense and mystery were iffy; I’m more easily spooked when I don’t have someone to protect. Sci-Fi creeped me out. Comedy was about the only choice left. Goddess willing and the creek don’t rise; I won’t ever be single again. I’m not sure I could survive all the great news about winning our rights to marry. Some of us enjoy the freedom of bachelorhood, others decidedly don’t. Some of us are better off single than attached to the wrong person; others would rather be imperfectly hitched than be Netflix’s best customer. I thank my very lucky stars for the perfection of and perfect match with, my sweetheart. Way back when, Robin Tyler titled her comedy album, “Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Groom.” It was just a joke thirty-five years ago, but now it would bother me to be in that situation. Then I think about Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry, and veteran gay marriage groundbreaker as far back as the landmark Hawaii marriage case, Baehr v. Miike (1990 to 1999). The entire time he was pioneering our way to marriage equality, he was single. It was only in 2002 that Wolfson found his mate and 2011 when they legally wed in New York. All those years he worked for a goal that might never have benefitted him. I’m sure he’s not the only one. The funds required to reach our victories could not possibly come only from gay couples. Butch bachelors and maiden femmes and free-spirited gays have contributed to the miracles of the 21st century. They’ve attended the marriages, stood up for the betrothed, and even performed the ceremonies. So why do I feel guilty? Why do I want to tone down the hoopla just a bit, so those who need to can escape? Why do I feel protective of these masters of their own fates? I fear my answer lies deep in the cultural imperative to marry. Throughout history the spinsters and
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old maids, the old bachelors and mama’s boys have been pitied and looked down on for their lack of mates. Young women’s lives were focused on snagging husbands and young men’s careers depended on having wives.
The fortunate implementation of gay marriage will, I hope, carry over the benefits of the tradition and leave behind the old patriarchal baggage of non-gay marriage. The rules that dictated prohibition of same sex partners on insurance plans, in intensive care units, as foster parents and on and on, were devised out of prejudice and greed. When civilization as we know it was being organized through trial and error, one of the biggest errors was creating a structure based on male inheritance. It forced men to claim as their own women, children, stock, property, currency. Any deviation from that schema was eventually criminalized. Thus, unmarried people, straight or gay, who for the most part did not reproduce and therefore did not pass on ownership of lands or water rights or coins to their own flesh and blood, became criminal deviants. The ability to marry saved non-gays from that fate. But for us, it all went downhill from there. Let’s not make marriage the law of our gay land. Now that some of us have the legal right to marry, we are not suddenly superior to those who choose not to. Love takes many forms in this world; happiness comes in a million shapes. Every one of them is good. Just being gay, for many of us, is enough cause for celebration.
book review
Always Overbooked… By Terri Schlichenmeyer
Once, it was the most natural question in the world: Why? With a child’s usual curiosity, you asked it incessantly. Why are dogs black? Why is the sun hot? Why do birds fly away? Why? You drove your mother nuts. But as you aged, answers came easier and “Why?” grew faint. You didn’t need to ask “why” so much - except, as in the new novel “Frog Music” by Emma Donoghue, you needed the reason for a tragedy. Long after Jenny Bonnet was dead, Blanche Beunon wondered if it was truly an accident that Jenny ran her over with a penny-farthing. Jenny said she hadn’t meant it, but she’d known fully well, who Blanche was; Jenny had seen her dance at the House of Mirrors, which made Blanche oddly embarrassed. So was it really an accident that a wandering woman in men’s clothing became acquainted with a burlesque dancer? That was just one of the things Blanche pondered as she ran. Though she’d only known Jenny for a few days, they’d become fast friends. Even Arthur, Blanche’s amour since she was just fifteen, seemed amused by Jenny’s devil-may-care attitude and by the gun she casually carried in the pocket of her trousers. Arthur’s friend, Ernest wasn’t quite as taken with Jenny – but Blanche wondered if that was because Jenny’s presence seemed to affect their ménage a trios. Then again, Ernest was an odd duck, ever since their circus days. He’d been Arthur’s protégé, his best friend. Once Blanche became part of the Le Cirque d’Hiver, it was just the three of them and Ernest never seemed to mind. Until P’tit was born, until Jenny entered the picture. Those were the things Blanche considered as she wandered the streets
Frog Music author Photo Credit: Nina Subin
of Chinatown, nearly melting from the heat, avoiding buildings quarantined for smallpox. Were things falling apart before she brought P’tit home? Or was it, as Ernest claimed, all because of Jenny and her strange life? How much did Blanche really know about Jenny Bonnet? Or Arthur, for that matter? She wondered, as she tried to find ways to get money to live, and as she remembered the sight of Jenny’s bloody body lying on a bed… With its bounce-around, Pulp Fiction-like format, “Frog Music” is confusing at first. It begins with a spectacularly bloody murder and proceeds with our heroine looking for the man she’s sure killed her friend. But did he? Author Emma Donoghue keeps her readers guessing, but we’re not merely caught up
in a murder mystery. No, Blanche herself is just as much an enigma as the crime she’s trying to solve. I briefly even wondered if the character was imagining her surroundings, so dream-surreal is Donoghue’s writing, at times. And that brings me to the best part: it’s not entirely imagined. This tale is wound around the real unsolved murder of Jenny Bonnet, killed near San Francisco in 1876. That authenticity, a Donoghue signature, lends definite richness to “Frog Music,” making it a book I don’t think you should miss. Why would you? “Frog Music” by Emma Donoghue c.2014, Little, Brown $27.00 / $29.99 Canada 416 pages
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events CALENDAr Maude Chapeau Contestants will vie for a multitude of fun awards including Highest Heels, Best Hair, Wildest Costume, Beauty Queen, and many more, including fan favorite... Media Sponsors Gay Desert Guide, LIVE Magazine, The Standard Magazine. For tickets and info www.desertaidsproject.org
May 8-11 ArTHUr LYONS FILM NOIr FESTIVAL PALM SPrINGS Each year, the festival showcases the best of film noir accentuated by a scintillating array of movie stars who appear on stage for post screening Q&A discussions, autographs and book signings. This unique festival features an eclectic mixture of landmark and obscure vintage movies from the classic film noir era. For Schedule go to www.arthurlyonsfilmnoir.com
May 15 PS SHOrTFEST “SHOOTING STArS” CAMELOT THEATrE PALM SPrINGS As a prelude to the upcoming 20th Anniversary Palm Springs International ShortFest that will take place from June 1723, 2014, the Palm Springs International Film Society will present “ShortFest ‘Shooting Stars” on Thursday, May 15th at 7:30 pm at the Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs. The event is FrEE and open to the public. In preparation for ShortFest 2014, we will host a program of the best of our ‘Shooting Stars’ programming. www.psfilmfest.org
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May 17 PS GAY MEN’S CHOrUS – GALA 15 HArD rOCK HOTEL PALM SPrINGS Celebrating 15 Years Of Musical Magic Starring Emmy® award-winning actor and comedian Leslie Jordan... Best known for his movie roles in Sordid Lives and The Help as well as his sidesplitting role as Beverly Leslie on Will and Grace, Mr. Jordan will present the Palm Springs Premiere of his one-man smash hit Show Pony. The evening will include silent auctions, live auctions, a performance by the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus, and Leslie Jordan in SHOW PONY. For tickets visit www.psgmc.com
May 28 QUEEN OF THE DESErT. rENAISSANCE HOTEL PALM SPrINGS A So-Cal Lip Sync Competition Benefitting Desert AIDS Project. Mistresses of Ceremonies: Dottie Du Bois &
May 2 - june 1 THE HAUNTED HOST, DESErT rOSE PLAYHOUSE, PALM DESErT One of the first contemporary gay plays, The Haunted Host premiered at Greenwich Village’s famed Cafe Cino in 1964. The wild comedy pairs Jay Astor, a flamboyant writer who can’t get over the suicide of his roommate, Ed, with Frank, a fresh-off-thefarm, would-be playwright who happens to look exactly like the dead lover. Wildly funny, touching, campy, and enduring. Performances are Friday & Saturday at 8 PM, Sunday at 2 PM. Tickets are $28 for evening performances and $25 for matinees. Go to www.desertroseplayhouse. org or call 760-202-3000 for performance and ticket info.
dBa May evenTS May 5th Mixer 6:00-8:00 pm Co-Hosted by Grau Vacation rentals & Flavors with Love 119 N. Indian Canyon Drive Palm Springs May 19th Mixer 6:00-8:00 pm Sotheby’s HOM & The 500 www.desertbusinessassociation.org
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EVENTS CALENDAR Sundays “The Playgirls” at Toucans Tiki Lounge featuring Tommi Rose. Performances 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
ongoing >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Copa In a throwback to old Palm Springs’ nightclubs, the Copa is fashioned around an elevated performing stage and a stunning u-shaped bar lined with leather barstools, upholstered booths, and gilded cocktail tables. Sink into the sexy lounge, sip a cocktail, and enjoy the lineup of local and guest entertainers. For weekly schedule visit www.coparoomps.com The Purple Room Supper club, drinks and live music. It’s where Palm Springs plays. Great entertainment nightly and dinner specials. You never know whom you might see at The Purple Room. For monthly schedule and info visit http://purpleroompalmsprings.com
Oscar’s Café & Bar You and your dog(s) are invited to join us every Saturday and Sunday from 7:30am - 2:00pm for a fun brunch on our always dog-friendly patio. Oscar’s Cafe & Bar participates in My Perfect Pet’s “Dine With Your Dog” program, offering fresh, whole, healthy 100% Human-Grade Food for your dog while serving delicious human food for our pet parents! Dog meals are offered FREE with a $2 per meal donation (which benefits local animal nonprofits) 7 days a week at Oscar’s Cafe & Bar. Make your Bow Wow Brunch Reservations by calling Oscar’s at (760) 325-1188. PS: Brunch is also available indoors for those without pets!
Hunters Nightclubs® Palm Springs, Palm Springs’ go-to gay bar and dance club, has been leading the way in full-out fun for 13 lucky years now! 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
Art Walk. Back Street Art District , Discover the Backstreet Art District, on the first Wednesday of every month, the coolest, hippest art destination in the desert. Stroll through a dozen artist-owned galleries and working studios featuring exciting collections of original, contemporary art by nationally and internationally recognized artists including paintings, sculpture, photography, jewelry, ceramics as well as performing arts. ART WALKS are held the first Wednesday of every month during evening hour. www.backstreetartdistrict.com
Wang’s in the Desert. The weekly Wang’s Live Entertainment series features the best in local and regional musical talents. Guests can relax from cabaret and Broadway show performances to upbeat, jazzy showcases on the Zen Patio, with its beautiful stone outdoor fireplace, giant red Buddha statue and lush tropical surroundings. The Sunday series is becoming the new performance showcase for weekends and holidays in downtown Palm Springs. It’s the perfect, casual venue for great music, cool cocktails and of course, a fantastic crowd. For more information about Wang’s in the Desert, visit www.wangsinthedesert.com Tuesdays Bella da Ball Cabaret Variety Dinner Revue at Azul features a different show each week with a cast of male and female vocalists and drag personalities. The highly popular show is hosted and produced by Palm Springs’ area social ambassador, Bella da Ball, and features music-comedysong-dance-costuming-headdresses-photo ops-door prizes-audience participation and more. The 95+ minute production features musical numbers ranging from show tunes to country to pop and everything in between. Don’t miss the fun every Tuesday at 7:30pm! No cover.
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EVENTS CALENDAR
May 9 - 12
Purple Party Dallas, Texas Sensational weekend of dance events featuring electrifying visual performances and music by the world’s most popular DJs. One of the largest nonprofit, all-volunteer charity dance fundraisers in the United States. Dallas is a big city with big ideas, and our LGBT community and culture are no exception. www.purplefoundation.org
May 17 - 18
Long Beach Pride Long Beach, CA Over the past several years, the Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride Festival & Parade has become the 3rd largest in the nation, now attracting over 75,000 participants over the two-day celebration. More than 200 marching groups and floats comprise the parade entries since 1995, representing various religious, human service, governmental and social organizations. www.longbeachpride.com
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Jun 3 - 10 May 23 - 26
Bear Pride Chicago Chicago, Illinois Bear Pride is about to go back to the future. Enjoy reliving the good times from the past 19 years while experiencing all that is the epic 20th year. Try a new dance, break out those new futuristic boxers, or share the best shoulda coulda woulda stories you can muster. Our 20th year combines time-honored traditions with plenty of new fun and excitement, and not to mention hundreds of bears gathered together for a great weekend. www.bearpride.org
Jun 1 – Jul 7
National Queer Arts Festival San Francisco, CA QCC stages an annual month-long multidisciplinary National Queer Arts Festival, documents significant Bay Area Queer arts events on our Website, provides fundraising and other technical assistance services to emerging culturally-specific and gender-specific Queer arts groups, and conducts “Creating Queer Community,” a program that to date has commissioned more than 60 San Francisco-based artists to create new work. www.queerculturalcenter.org
Disney Gay Days Orlando Florida Join Gay Days as we kick off the 24th Gay Days Orlando at The Parliament House on Tuesday, June 3rd. Enjoy music, a fashion show, and special performances by Parliament House entertainers and this year’s Miss Gay Days Pageant contestants. Since 1991, gay men and lesbians from around the world have converged in and around Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida for the Disney Gay Days, an entire week of exciting events centered around area theme parks and attractions. www.gaydays.com
Jun 6
PrideFest Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI It’s an exciting time in LGBT history. Save the dates -- and make your moment at PrideFest Milwaukee 2014! We welcome Lisa Lampanelli, Macy Gray, Sandra Bernhard, Bruce Vilanch, Big Freedia, Steve Grand, Mary Lambert, Chad Michaels, and many, many more to our 27th annual celebration of LGBT culture and community. Volunteers, vendors, sponsors, entertainers and media are welcome to contact us through our website: www.pridefest.com or by email at info@pridefest.com
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events CALENDAr
MAY 21 - 25 MAY 15 - 17
BelgiuM gay Pride 2014 BELGIUM, BrUSSELS Over the years, this event has become a fixed point on the Belgian agenda and in 2013, it brought together 80,000 visitors to Brussels. The Pride4Every1 forms the apothesis of the Pride Festival, which will be held from May 1 through May 17. Belgian Gay Pride provides a celebration of freedom for everyone gays, lesbians, bisexuals, the transgender and intersexual community and our friends, to be themselves, in the heart of Brussels, with an amazing party atmosphere. www.thepride.be
MAY 19 - 26
MaSPaloMaS gay Pride GrAN CANArIAS, SPAIN Maspalomas Gay Pride has become the second largest gay event of Spain (after the one in Madrid). For a week, different cultural and political activities and great parties are held on the island. One of the highlight is the main parade on Saturday May 24, which will take thousands of gay men and women through the streets of Playa del Ingles to the Yumbo Center. At the main square of the Yumbo Center there is a big stage, with big shows, acts and outside dance party. Every day the party continues in the many gay bars and clubs in the Yumbo Centrum. www.gaypridemaspalomas.com
kaShiSh inTernaTional Queer FilM FeSTival MUMBAI, INDIA KASHISH is the only mainstream queer film festival in India. By mainstream I mean where the films are screened at multiplexes and not in some institution or club. This is very significant as it brings LGBT films across the world to the community and audience in general so that there is not only more exposure to queer stories but it also in the longer run spreads awareness and acceptance. www.mumbaiqueerfest.com
MAY 25 - 26
BirMinghaM Pride BIrMINGHAM, ENGLAND Birmingham Pride is a weekend long LGBT festival held annually in the Gay Village on Hurst Street, Birmingham, England: this year is held over the Spring Bank Holiday Weekend - Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th May 2014. It is uniquely the largest LGBT two day festival in the UK - and features a Carnival Parade through the city centre, plus the Main Pride Festival Site features the Nightingale Main Stage, dance arena, cabaret marquee, funfair, community village green, central market street, and the friendliest street party. Birmingham Pride is a celebration of the city’s diverse LGBT community and we offer a warm welcome to all. Have a fun and happy Pride weekend. www.birminghampride.com
MAY 22 - 26
PuerTo vallarTa Pride PUErTO VALLArTA, MEXICO Puerto Vallarta’s annual LGBT event will take place this year on the weekend of May 22nd to 26th, 2014. Vallarta Pride is now a week-long cultural celebration including music festivals, beach parties, fashion shows, mass commitment ceremony and activities in participating bars and clubs. Puerto Vallarta offers an LGBT inclusive atmosphere in the romantic Zone area which is home to many businesses that are LGBT-owned and/or target the consumer, including beaches, tours, activities and restaurants bars and clubs to choose from. LGBT travelers have the option of choosing from gay friendly resorts, hotels, lodges, bed and breakfasts and guest houses. www.vallartapride.com
MAY 28
liSBon Bear Pride 2014 LISBON, POrTUGAL An international encounter for bears and friends in the spectacular city of Lisbon. Parties and fun with optional gastronomic and cultural experiences. http://areismarcos.wix.com/lisbonbearpride
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the3d’s RESTAURANTS
dine | drink | dance { Coachella Valley }
Bars and Night Clubs
Wang’s in the Desert 424 S Indian Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 Phone: (760) 325-WANG (9264) www.wangsinthedesert.com
Las Casuelas Terraza 222 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 325-2794 www.lascasuelas.com
Zin American Bistro 198 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 322-6300 www.pszin.com
Hunters Nightclub 302 East Arenas Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760-323-0700 www.huntersnightclubs.com
Nature’s Health Food & Cafe 555 S Sunrise Way Suite 301 Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 323-9487 www.natureshealthfoodcafe.com
LuLu California Bistro 200 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 327-5858 www.lulupalmsprings.com
Birba 622 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 327-5678 www.birbaps.com
Toucan’s Tiki Lounge 2100 North Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760-416-7584 www.toucanstikilounge.com
Pomme Frite 256 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 778-3727 www.pomme-frite.com
Cheekys 622 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 327-7595 www.cheekysps.com
Rainbow Bar and Grill 216 South Indian Canyon Palm Springs, CA 92262 760-325-3989 www.rainbowbarngrill.com
Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill 350 S Indian Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 992-5641 www.rioazulpalmsprings.com
El Mirasol 140 E Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 323-0721 www.elmirasolrestaurants.com
Trio Restaurant 707 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 Phone: (760) 864-8746 www.triopalmsprings.com
Thai Smile Palm Springs 651 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 320-5503 www.thaismilepalmsprings.com
Hamburger Mary’s Bar & Grille 415 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 778-6279 www.hamburgermarysps.com
Studio ONE 11 Cocktail Lounge 67-555 East Palm Canyon Drive, Suite A103, Cat. City CA 92264 760.328.2900 www.Studio-One-11.com
Trio Restaurant 707 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 864-8746 www.triopalmsprings.com
Rick’s Restaurant 1973 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 416-0090 www.ricksrestaurant.biz
The Tool Shed 600 E. Sunny Dunes Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.320.3299 www.toolshed-ps.com
The Tropicale 330 E Amado Road Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 866-1952 www.thetropicale.com
Pinocchio in the Desert 134 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 760-322-3776 www.pinocchiops.com
Spurline Video Lounge 200 Indian Canyon Drive Palm Springs CA 92262 760-778-4326 www.spurline.com
Sherman’s Deli & Bakery 401 E Tahquitz Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 325-1199 www.shermansdeli.com Acqua Pazza / The River at Rancho Mirage 71800 Highway 111 Suite A167 Rancho Mirage, CA Phone: (760) 862-9800 www.acquapazzabistro.com Azul Restaurant 369 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 325-5533 www.azultapaslounge.com Casa de Frida 450 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 459-1681 www.casadefrida.com Copley’s on Palm Canyon 621 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 327-9555 www.copleyspalmsprings.com
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CominG up neXt month THE TRAVEL ISSUE Q & A: Talking with Rich Campbell, the man behind Atlantis Adventures FITNESS: Sticking to your Diet while on Vacation READ: Great Books to take on a trip.
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A So-Cal Lip Sync Competition benefiting Desert AIDS Project Host Committee Chair: Bella da Ball Mistresses of Ceremonies: Dottie Du Bois & Maude Chapeau
Wednesday, May 28, 2014 Renaissance Hotel * Cocktails/6 pm * Show/7 pm Tickets: $20/general * $30/preferred * $50/front row Visit DesertAIDSProject.org or call 760.992.0440
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Photo Rewind White Party + Tea Dance Photo Courtesy of david a. lee & The Standard Magazine Staff
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It is our hope that this event will not only honor the memory of this American hero but also strengthen coalitions among the many diverse community organizations that work toward equality in the Coachella Valley.
photo by Daniel Nicoletta
Harvey B. Milk LEADERSHIP AWARD
“ELLE K�
KURPIEWSKI Keynote SPEAKER
National Center for Lesbian Rights
Kate
Kendell
charles Herrera
Table Sponsors Student Table Sponsors:
Steven Henke, Desert Business Association
Photo Rewind White Party + Tea Dance + dinah shore weekend Photo Courtesy of david a. lee & The Standard Magazine Staff
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