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Palm Springs: The ManAboutWorld Insiders Guide Palm Springs’ heyday may have begun with the early movie stars of TV, but the town’s gay renaissance began in the 1980s, when gay Angelenos started buying the mid-century modern homes in a then seedy and run downtown. Today, Palm Springs is a stylish and popular weekend getaway in season, from September through May, and never more glorious than it is right now. When LA is a “chilly” 68-70° in the winter and spring, Angelenos head to sunny Palm Springs for warm swimming pool weather. Despite its reputation as a major gay destination, at times it seems like there’s not much there, there — because there isn’t. Palm Springs is still a relatively small city, with a population of under 50,000 residents. The few gay bars and clubs it has are often deserted mid-week, even in season, and when the temperature soars in the summer, the town really slows down. But that slow pace is at the heart of Palm Springs’ appeal. This is a place to go when you want to do little more than relax by the pool, under a stunning vista of mountains and desert. There’s also tennis and golf, and just enough other active, cultural and shopping distractions for those who can’t sit still, and a large concentration of mid-century modern design, making it a world capital for those who share that fetish. For gay visitors, Palm Springs offers the largest concentration of gay resorts in the world: 22 small hotels and guesthouses catering primarily or exclusively to gay men. Here you can bask poolside in the congenial and often clothing-optional company of gay compadres. These resorts run the gamut of quality and sexual temperature, and we’ve inspected and rated every one of them to make your selection easy. WHEN WE GO Palm Springs biggest attraction on the gay calendar is W​ hite Party,​ h​ttp://www.jeffreysanker.com/2013-wp-main.html ​April 24-27, 2015, a long-running circuit party that now bills itself as the world’s largest gay music festival, and whose Sunday afternoon T-dance is one of our favorite California parties. Other annual events of note include C​ inema Diverse!,​ http://cinemadiverse.org/ ​the gay film festival in September; The P​ alm Springs International Film Festival http://www.psfilmfest.org/index.aspx ​in January, and their S​ hortfest ​h​ttp://www.psfilmfest.org/ ​in June; H​ eat Week,​ http://www.road-shows.com/american_heat.php ​a (straight) motorcycle convention in October; the bi-annual ​Classic Car Auto Auction ​h​ttp://classiccars.com/auction-central/129cc-mccormicks-palm-springs-collector-car-auction-auctions.html ​in October and February; and the F​estival of Lights Parade ​h​ttp://psfestivaloflights.com/ ​the first weekend in December. Many Europeans escape to Palm Springs for weeks or months at a time, and many of the gay resorts offer rooms with cooking facilities for long-term guests. But for us, Palm Springs is a perfect long weekend, an easy, lazy getaway (especially from the west coast) filled with sun, sex, rest and relaxation. ABOUT THIS GUIDE ManAboutWorld Magazine provides inspiration and information for gay men who love to travel. We’re powered by a team of 75+ Global Correspondents, who provide the savvy, inspired and opinionated recommendations that will make your travel decisions easier to make, and more rewarding. We’re not available in print or online — we’re a digital-born magazine built for iOS and Android devices — with high-resolution imagery, embedded video, slideshows. We really want you to see it in it’s full digital form, so check out the magazine with a free 3-month subscription h​ttp://bit.ly/MAWPDF.​ We’ve been publishing on iPad and Android tablets since 2012, and we launch mid-April 2015 on iPhone and Android phones. This PDF offers just the down and dirty information for Palm Springs. ● WHERE WE EAT ● WHERE WE PLAY ● WHAT WE SEE/DO ● WHERE WE WORKOUT ● WHERE WE STAY Happy Travels! – Billy, Ed + Kenny Cover Photo: (cc) R​ ichard Thomas WHERE WE EAT Despite Palm Springs’ historic Hollywood connection and its recent surge in sophisticated resorts, the dining scene here still falls short in the big name/big experience restaurant category. The big resorts boast some very atmospheric restaurants, but they often take advantage of captive guests with high prices and inconsistent service. But for a small resort town, the options are quite numerous and varied. And when it comes to comfortable casual dining, Palm Springs excels, with lots of locally-popular eateries that offer better-than-decent food with better-than-average service. Cheeky’s ​h​ttp://www.cheekysps.com/​ This is our favorite breakfast and lunch spot. Conveniently located downtown, there’s always a line, and it’s well worth the wait. Thai Smile h​ttp://www.thaismilepalmsprings.com/ Our favorite among Palm Springs’ many Thai restaurants. It’s particularly popular for lunch, and very reasonably priced. Trio ​h​ttp://www.triopalmsprings.com/ This self consciously hip restaurant downtown is very gay popular, with a super-friendly and unusually attractive waitstaff. It’s always a fun scene for scoping out the locals, but really best for cocktails; the food is a little pedestrian. Escena Grill h​ttp://www.escenagolf.com/sites/courses/escena.asp?id=876&page=52856 The golf course club house here is open to the public. Very good food, with unbelievable views of the mountains from the terrace. Don’t miss the homemade potato chips and dressing. They’re addictive. Rick’s Restaurant h​ttp://www.ricksrestaurant.biz/ This cuban diner on the north side of town is a local favorite known for its bottomless bowl or cup of soup (if they’re both bottomless, why would anyone order a bowl?) and cuban specialities. We’re particularly fond of the half-sandwich/cup of soup combination, and the patty melt. Spencer’s ​h​ttp://www.spencersrestaurant.com/ This old-school Palm Spring restaurant serves French and Asian-influenced American cuisine. On warm nights, the patio is particularly scenic, though you may need to dine early or late to score a table there. It’s also a good option for lunch. Jake’s ​h​ttp://www.jakespalmsprings.com/ We really like the upscale/creative comfort food at Jakes; really great if you can sit out on the patio — not so much inside by the counter. Birba ​h​ttp://www.birbaps.com/ This sister restaurant to Cheeky’s is fun and festive, with an inviting menu of artisanal wood-oven pizzas. The cozy outdoor seating is warmed by heaters and fire pits, and the atmosphere is fun and lively. Cocktails can be a bit pricey, Workshop Kitchen + Bar h​ttp://workshoppalmsprings.com/ Workshop brings many big city dining trends to the desert: a dramatic, industrial-chic two-story dining room with a long communal table, tapas-sized plates made for sharing, a menu anchored in seasonal and local foods, crafted cocktails and a custom sous-vide station. It’s a welcome addition to the dining scene, a little pricey (as small plates always seem to end up), but definitely worth it for the foodie crowd. The vaulted ceilings and concrete decor keeps sound levels high; eat outside if you’re looking to enjoy an intimate conversation with your food. Farm ​h​ttp://www.facebook.com/FARM.PalmSprings We love the traditional sweet and savory crepes at Farm, open Weds-Sun 10-3 in La Plaza, the historic heart of downtown. Salads, sandwiches and omelets are also on the menu; a little taste of Provence in Palm Springs. Ruben and Ozzys Oyster Bar and Grill h​ttp://www.rubenandozzysoysterbar.com/ The brothers Ruben and Ozzy have been cooking in the desert for more than 25 years; their new eponymous restaurant serves up some of the best seafood in the valley. Sit outside or at the long bar facing the kitchen, and be sure to try the grilled fish tacos. Happy hour pricing after 9pm makes this an even better choice for late night diners. LuLu ​h​ttp://www.lulupalmsprings.com/ We love the inviting atmosphere of the big open dining room fronting Palm Canyon, but the food is uninspired — like it slid right off the Sysco food service truck on to the plate. Mister Parker’s ​h​ttp://www.theparkerpalmsprings.com/dine/mister-parkers.php Set off from the lobby of the Parker Hotel by a heavy velvet curtain, Mister Parker’s is sophisticated, dark and sexy with cool art and a happening vibe. The menu is bistro classic with a twist, at top-dollar prices. Food and service are generally excellent, but not always consistent. Reservations on the weekend are a must, even if you’re staying at the hotel. Johannes ​http://www.johannesrestaurants.com/ Chef Johannes Bacher serves up a modern and sophisticated Austrian-influenced world menu in an unpretentious storefront restaurant. While some may find the atmosphere lacking, Johannes sets the local bar for culinary excellence. Manhattan in the Desert h​ttp://manhattaninthedesert.com/ Palm Springs has two New York-style delicatessens, and our correspondent team is divided between Sherman’s and Manhattan in the Desert. Manhattan is more modern (and it might be just us, but it feels cleaner), with a warmer atmosphere and a south Palm Springs location. Sherman’s Deli h​ttp://www.shermansdeli.com/ Palm Springs has two New York-style delicatessens, and our correspondent team is divided between Sherman’s and Manhattan in the Desert. Sherman’s has a better bakery, more central location, and a more old-time Jewish deli feel.

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