PoolBoy

Have you met Jake?

On Palm Canyon, amongst the boutiques (get it? Ready to eat), this is a caterer’s kitchen with a patio dining room you will want to have at home. Jake’s Ready to Eat proves that good food, ambiance and taste are easy, if you are a gay man with heart. Gay owned, I have noticed that he always makes an effort to make men; couples and gay dads feel at home, unless you are visiting from a red state – in which case you will feel welcomed and very appreciated. Great selection of salads, sandwiches, entries, and deserts that has always impressed every guest I have taken - even New Yorkers who live below 14th! Eat on site, or call ahead foe a take-away order to dine poolside if you are stating at one of the many lux No-Tell Motels in the area.

Kinda-Kosher Coffee Shop

Convenient, consistant quality and nice outside patio with mist for watching the world go by,and a fine menu for a coffee shop. It is not a Delicatessen. My dislikes are that it attracts too many tourists and smoking, noting is baked on site from what I can tell, or it is not noticable. High turn-over of staff, which is not a good sign in a small town.

lots of stars in the sky floating by...

I stopped in when the new facade caught my eye. Well done, inside and out. Okay location in general, great set-back of about 1000 ft I'm guessing from Indian Canyon so no traffic noise at night and lots of stars.Bring your waterprook headset so you can floatin a pool and watch the stars travel past you. It is a terrific blend of mod+mid-century+motel Good luck fellas, you are off to a terrific start.

On the rise

I am there evry so often, as a friend from the UK will stay here on each visit, now that the hotel is on the rise. The renovations seem promising and are over due. There is a lot of potential. Mountain view rooms with NO obstructions (don't stay on the street side),lux pool and on site gym, great gay friendly room services – no questions about needing more and more towels. Enough activities within walking distance that a car is not essential if you are new to PS, guests are more social and mingle than you might expect, which is a plus. Great “in-season” incentives besides reward points. Check out their great specials, such as 50 % off an additional night with Am Ex. Have a look at the pics.

B.Y.O.B.

Bring you own boyfriend, or two. WSV is a terrific get-a-way, but expect you room to come with an adjuring stud or an activity list like a cruise ship and you will be disappointed. On weekends when I have too many houseguests, WSV is one of the places I use for overflow. The staff are A+. Stay here and you will be glad you did. Stay her and bring three or four other couples, friends, fraternity bros, etc and create better friendships. If you do not start the tradition, which of your friends is most like to do it instead?

PAWZ 4 CAUZ PALM SPRINGS

The legacy of many (allegedly) gay celebrity residents since the ‘40s, like Dinah, Merve, Barry and Cole, is the love of tennis, golf, syncopation and pets. Animal rights are a value shared by most people in Palm Springs – even more than plastic surgery and rehab. So, unless you are here for the latter and cannot get away, stop by PAWZ and be inspired to add another pet to your family or adopt for the first time. Do not assume it is just a pet boutique. PAWZ wants you to be more than a window-shopper for a good reason. PAWZ is in the same retail complex as Koffi on the northern end of Palm Canyon. Look out the back entrance of Koffi and PAWZ is at the other end of the path.

What's not to like?

It does not have a gay bar or a hardware store. Twenty minutes before you arrive in Palm Springs, when driving 90 MPH from the West, you will see a small town push right up against the interstate freeway, except it is an outlet mall – next to another outlet mall (Desert Hills Premium Outlets). Cabazon is the smaller of the two with a good mix of familiar retail brands for clothing, followed by accessories, jewelry, furnishing and many housewives - I mean housewares.

Forgive me, for I have Zinned

I have been here too many times for dinner to say I do not enjoy being a Zinner, but Zin is not for everyone. That may be due to some circumstances that you can control. I avoid most restaurants along Palm Canyon for "in-season" Saturday brunch and after 8:00 pm, and Zin on Sunday through Friday for specific dishes I enjoy, like lamb, fish and seasonal items. I skip entrees I have never enjoyed at any restaurant or that give their bistro fare a more eclectic appearance. Not everyone can afford to Zin, since the menu is not cheap or low in calories, but then it would not be such a delicious Zin.

good value for a day of repair

locatd about 30 minutes from PS, at the other end if the street that is Gene Autry Train in PS (near 7 lakes). the Spa has natural hot springs and a good, but basic, range of services at good prices that make it easy to do a head to toe reboot - don't skip the Reflexology and don't get lost

rendezvous with rauch

Word-of-mouth about the Ace is consistent, which is fine for some and disappoints others. Forgettable food, not enough service, rooms look trashed in less than a year after opening and the community pleasure pool for hotel guests, drop-ins, exhibitionists and voyeurs. Oh, it generally hetero, except for the gay event weeks like pride, white party, The Dinah Shore golf tournament.

Yo, is it too much to ask for a Delicatessen categ

As a former New Yorker, I think t is important to recognize that Delis are regional, like a dialect. The first time you are exposed to a new one, you need to pay attention a little more than you normally would on your home turf. If you do, you will catch the nuances and what is different for you to enjoy about the place – it is not the same for everyone. However, if someone speaks you language, but you are not happy that it does not sound the same - - then, go home and as New Yorker’s enjoy saying - - don’t let the door hit your fat ass on your way out. Manhattan in the Desert is very PS, but similar to these Delis in other cities: Center Stage Deli in San Francisco, The New Yorker in Atlanta, Schwartz’s of Montréal, Zucy’s in Santa Monica (until the ’84 earthquake) and Taste of New York in Kaimuki, Honolulu. You catching on to the language metaphor? MID attracts the same great friendly mix of gay men and aging locals as Sherman's, the other larger deli in PS, so each as found its niche. MID has a more complex menu of generally better food. Sherman’s is closer to a New York Coffee shop and not a Delicatessen. You may disagree. It seems that people like one or the other, so let me point your fat ass in the direction of the door because on the way out I think you will like MID’s pastry wall more than Sherman’s small selection. I especially like the fact that MID is close to some of the better hiking trails and just far enough away from downtown PS to be unknown to Desperate Housewives, Hell's Angles and Tweekers. The employees have generally been there for years and like working there and their patrons. I have not found that to be true at Sherman’s. As for what might be slightly different at MID, the Turkey burger with Avocado and blue cheese French fries. Russian potato salad, but it is a bit too mild. As for Tradition!, they’ve got it all – herring and anchovies on toast, Potato latkes, brisket like Aunt Tille used to make and great booths so you can spread out and relax. Here is a secret between you and me, if you are ordering take-a-way from the deli. Give your order to Adam, he will take care of you - if you tell him you are friend of the poolboy, he will hook you up with a mouthful. Another tip for dining in a small town – always tip well. Even for take out.