Okay, so it’s not just me! The Atlantic reports on “Pandemic Brain”. I could find myself relating after thinking age was the perilous reason I was having trouble recalling names of my neighbors, passwords and what it felt like to go to a mixer.
From their story, “The comedian Kylie Brakeman made a joke video of herself attempting to recall pre-pandemic life, the mania flashing across her face: “You know what I miss, is, like, those night restaurants that served alcohol. What were those called?” she asks. “And there were those, like, big men outside who would check your credit card to make sure you were 41?”
One of the events I cherished each year was the “Red Dress/Dress Red” party for the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert. It was not only the juxtaposition of “cross dressing”, it was the sense of oneness that we experienced.
On this week’s #ILoveGayPalmSprings podcast, we reminisce about those days with celeb fitness guru Craig Ramsay and The Center’s Raul Rodriguez, and Shann Carr previews what she would have been wearing last year or this had the event transpired. Instead, RD/DR goes virtual like the rest of our world this weekend. I’m pretty sure we’ll be gathering at the air museum next March. Will our COVID brain have forgotten life in lockdown by then??
Brad Fuhr, your Gay Desert Guide
#ILoveGayPalmSprings
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Bears and Bowties Virtual Speed Dating
Roar! It’s a bear party and all are invited! Gay Desert Guide’s Fun & Games Dept. and TheMenEvent.com present Bowties & Bears Brunch Speed Dating with Alexander Rodriguez on Sunday, March 21 at 1:00 p.m. on Zoom. Bears, cubs, otters, pandas, wolves, and even salmon are invited to put on your best bow tie and join us for our special brunch edition of Speed Dating. We’ll make it a dapper day with quick dates, fun ice breakers, and plenty of honey. (What’s a salmon? Join us and find out!) Get tickets and SAVE 25% with discount code GDG25.
I Love Gay Palm Springs Podcast – Episode 89
We are Red! John Taylor, comedian Shann Carr and Brad Fuhr of GayDesertGuide.com are joined by Kevin Kauer and Tyler Huang from queertique.com, Jimmy Boegle at CVIndependent.com is in the house with local news. We are RED-Y for the theCenterCV.org Virtually Red Weekend with Raul Rodriguez, Development Manager from The LGBTQ Center and fitness expert Craig Ramsay, actor/comedian/author Jason Stuart checks in for some laughs, and Alexander Rodriguez has sassy movie news from LaLa Land.
The #ILoveGayPalmSprings Podcast is broadcast on Facebook Live at its new time, Fridays at 11:00 a.m.! Our podcast is brought to you by City of Palm Springs Small Business Financial Aid Program.
The#ILoveGayPalmSprings Podcast is also available on Apple TV, Roku TV, Amazon FireTV and Android devices via OutAt.tv. Tune in Friday mornings at 10:00 a.m. (or later on-demand) to stream us to your TV. You can also listen on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio and more!
Virtually Red Dress Weekend
Since the LGBTQ Center can’t hold their annual Red Dress Dress Red Dance party in the usual way this spring, they are keeping the spirit alive with a Virtually Red Dress Weekend on March 20 & 21. Choose a physically-distanced activity of your choice and get active while engaging in peer-to-peer fundraising to raise $100,000 for the Center’s Community Food Bank! Fitness Influencer Craig Ramsay will guide you with virtual warm-ups on both days and lead a Virtually Red Dress 5K Run/Walk. There will also be a Virtually Red Food Drive, (10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday) supporting The Community Food Bank, a free show from Improvables of the Desert, and a Head Over Heels Virtual Dance Party featuring DJ Galaxy! More info
James Baldwin: From Harlem to Hollywood
Gay Desert Guide’s Fun & Games Dept. and TheMenEvent.com present James Baldwin: From Harlem to Hollywood on Sunday, March 21 at 11:00 a.m. on Zoom. Professor J. Ken Stuckey will take you on a trip through James Baldwin’s career, his impact on other artists and intellectuals, and how he continues to inspire to this day. He was a bestseller in the 1960s, but his willingness to speak the truth about race and sexuality in American life made his work timeless while taking a tremendous toll on the man himself. Get tickets
Desert X 2021 Now Open
Delayed by over a month due to concerns about COVID-19, Desert X 2021 is now open March 12 through May 16 in the Coachella Valley. The exhibition explores the desert as both a place and idea, acknowledging the realities of people who reside here and the political, social, and cultural contexts that shape their stories [Check out what’s new this year]. The site-specific exhibition is free and out-of-doors, providing a safe visitor experience, featuring newly-commissioned projects that build on themes explored in previous iterations as well as look deeper at the histories, realities, and possibilities of the Coachella Valley and its many communities. More info
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Palm Springs Public Library Online Auction
The Friends of the Palm Springs Public Library are holding an Online Auction from Monday, March 15 through Sunday, March 21, featuring gift baskets, vintage dinnerware, artworks, succulent gardens, and books, plus interesting sponsorship opportunities! More info
Have you been following our Gay Desert Guide crushes on social media? Every Monday and Wednesday we are highlighting our man and woman crushes, which vary from local to global. Our Man Crush Monday this week is David White, and Woman Crush Wednesday is Misti Rausch! Click their images here to read more about them and see a fun video reel, and keep up with all our crushes by following @GayDesertGuide on Facebook and Instagram
Living Well Through Assistive Technologies
PALS (Planning Ahead for LGBTQ Seniors) presents the seminar: Living Well Through Assistive Technologies on Saturday, March 20 at 10:00 a.m. Back by popular demand, Kevin and Ricky will share tips and tricks to navigate an increasingly digital world. Whether you want to better engage with friends/family, need tools to address physical limitations or are simply looking for new ways to be entertained, there are many virtual options that can benefit seniors during the coronavirus outbreak and beyond. More info
Elevation Mammoth
The Elevation Mammoth Gay Ski Weekend is going on this week, March 17–21, at Mammoth Mountain, of course looking very different for obvious reasons of safety and COVID guidelines. There will be an expanded apres-ski outdoor experience, with reduced capacity and booking ahead required for lift tickets as well as apres-ski. Proof of vaccination or recent negative COVID test required. More info
“Beautiful Thing” and “Perfumes” at the Drive-In
The Palm Springs Cultural Center’s Outdoor Cinema Experience presents the throwback LGBTQ comedy/love story “Beautiful Thing” on Saturday, March 20. Shy Jamie and athletic Ste are teen boys in the London projects, discovering life…and each other. On Friday, March 19, a chauffeur lands a driving job with a perfumer who struts around like a diva, in “Les Parfums.” Bring your own chair, reserve a picnic table, or car spot. Get tickets
Mary Pickford Theatre Reopens
Indoor movies are back at Mary Pickford Theatre in Cathedral City, now allowed to operate at 25% capacity as Riverside County has advanced to the red tier of the state’s reopening framework. Kick back in their stadium-style power recliners and enjoy the concessions you love, knowing they are doing everything as safely as possible, meeting or exceeding the CinemaSafe industry standards. Catch awards-season darlings “Nomadland,” “Minari,” “The Little Things,” “Judas and the Black Messiah” and more! Get tickets
WildLights Makes a Spring Return
WildLights returns to the The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens – with a spring twist! WildLights of Spring will take place nightly through March 28. Guests will take an illuminated journey around the Zoo with an enchanting assortment of lighted animal sculptures and vantages of select habitats including the emus of the Australian Adventures. A portion of the African Safari loop will be open for guests to see cheetahs, zebras, African wild dogs, and other animals. The event also will feature new music for the light zones, and guests can take a spin on the carousel and make s’mores around a fire, for an additional fee. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase. Tickets are on sale now and advanced purchase is required. Get tickets
Rancho Mirage Certified Farmers’ Market
The Atrium in Rancho Mirage plays host to the new Rancho Mirage Certified Farmers’ Market, every Friday from 8:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. Shoppers can expect about 40 vendors with a variety of options including fresh fruits and vegetables, floral, baked goods, artisan clothing and gifts, meats, poultry and fish, coffee and teas, soups, pizza, tamales and more. Mask-wearing and social distancing required. More info
Test Drive and Save Lives
Animal Samaritans has teamed up with KPLM The BIG 106, The Bruce Titus Foundation, and Volkswagen of Palm Springs to better the lives of local animals in need. When you test drive a new vehicle at Volkswagen of Palm Springs, now through May 31st, The Bruce Titan Foundation will donate $25 to Animal Samaritans for EVERY test drive! More info
LOOKING AHEAD
Palm Springs Art Museum Reopens April 1
It’s been a full year, and the Palm Springs Art Museum has finally been given the approval to reopen on Thursday, April 1 with updated galleries and 5 new exhibitions. New visitor hours are: Friday–Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Thursday 10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., closed Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays. Capacity is limited to 25%, tickets must be reserved online in advance, and numerous COVID-19 safety measures will be in place. The Architecture & Design Center, Edwards Harris Pavilion will reopen in September with the exhibition The Modern Chair. More info
Next Week: Virtual Events at The Center
Looking for connection in this time of self-isolation? The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert continues to connect people, using the technology of group-meeting platform Zoom, which you can use on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Here’s just a taste of the programs they are hosting:
Social Caring in the Face of Quarantine with Alexis Ortega – Mondays at 11:00 a.m.
Zumba for Beginners with Shaun Samaro – Mondays at 10:00 a.m.
Managing Emotions During a Pandemic with Jill Hingston, Ph.D – Tuesdays at 11:00 a.m.
Fifty+ Fit with Lynn Simonson – Tuesdays at 11:00 a.m.
Prostate Cancer Support Group – 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 4:00 p .m.
Trans Tuesdays with Jill Hingston, Ph.D – Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.
Seated Wellness with Lynn Simonson – Thursdays at 10:00 a.m.
Women’s Chat with Kim Kieler – Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.
Men’s Chat with Stuart Huggins – Fridays at 10:30 a.m.
LGBTQ+ Youth Virtual Hangout with Miguel Navarro – Fridays at 2:00 p.m.
Who Cares: Caregiver Support Group with Perry Wiggins – Fridays at 3:00 p.m.
Full list of The Center’s Zoom programs [here]
Welcome New Partners!
Transport to a world of beauty, tranquility, relaxation, and aesthetics at Donya Medical and Beauty Spa in Rancho Mirage. Enjoy a variety of facilities including an outdoor saltwater mineral spa jacuzzi that will revive your skin, a tea garden, a juice bar, an outdoor dry and steam sauna, and effleurage treatment rooms to improve your circulation, lymphatic and detoxification status. You can get the full beauty treatment with hair, nails, facial, and restorative procedures such as skin tightening, hair restoration, hormone optimization, and the list of available therapies goes on! Learn more
Kevin Crockett of Crockett Law Group is an award-winning personal injury lawyer who understands the impact an accident can have on someone’s life. That’s why he aggressively fights for each of his clients to get the compensation they deserve from insurance companies. Plus, he’s a member of the LGBTQ community. Prior to starting his own firm, Kevin was a senior attorney at one of the largest personal injury law firms in the Southern California area. Kevin started his own firm in order to be more hands-on with each of his clients and stays personally involved in every case. Learn more
- Karen Ocamb Leaves LGBTQ Press for Public Justice Advocacy
- The Trevor Wayne Pop Art Store and Gallery Supports Self-HIV Testing
- How to Navigate Desert X 2021
- New Open Air Shopping Debuts in Palm Desert
- Explore the Sunny Dunes Gayborhood
For a true taste of the Windy City in Palm Springs, look no further than Giuseppe’s Pizza & Pasta. They offer the desert’s best authentic Chicago-style pizzas, traditional hand-tossed pies, and classic Italian fare with dishes as deep as their love for you! Right now they are running a special: spaghetti marinara and a salad for $8.95 (or $10.95 with meatballs or Bolognese). With this HOT DEAL, get a $25 gift card to Giuseppe’s for just $15. That’s 40% off! Get Your Deal
We also have Hot Deals at Monster Shakes, Chill Bar, Destination PSP, Grand Central, Bear Wear, Dickey’s, Johannes, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Mary Pickford Theatre, Bouschet and more! See All Deals