News from the Triangle Inn Palm Springs

2011 Palm Springs International Short Film Fest To Include Over 40 LGBT Shorts!

2011-06-16T14:38:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Palm Springs International ShortFest, Short Film Festival & Film Market is always a great event, and this year, its roster of 331 films, selected from more than 3,000 worldwide entries, includes 45+ LGBT shorts!

Now in its 17th year, ShortFest 2011 will showcase 64 World Premieres, 58 North American Premieres and 25 U.S. Premieres. The selection of films for screening and competition features star-studded casts and award-winning films from 50 countries around the world. The Event runs from June 21 through 27, at the Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs.

We hope you can join us at the Triangle Inn Palm Springs to enjoy the Festival.

Anything for You
USA, 2010, 10 min. Over a lunch that begins like many they've had before, a discussion between two women unexpectedly turns away from the menu.... more

AWOL
USA, 2010, 13 min.
Days before she’s to be deployed to Afghanistan, Joey goes home to rural Pennsylvania for Christmas and surprises her lover, Rayna. Joey opens up and shares her secret holiday wish, but Rayna has other plans.... more

Baldguy
Norway, 2011, 12 min.
A young guy comes home to his folks with a momentous announcement to make, setting the stage for a fabulous musical set in the streets of a small Norwegian town(!)... more

The Binding of Ishmael
Singapore, 2010, 8 min.
A son’s filial duty is stretched to the limit when his father asks him to return home for help with his younger brother. ... more

Bob
Germany, 3 min.
A little hamster tries to follow his true love around the globe, dreaming of romance in the exotic locales as they go around, and around, and around…. ... more

Cappuccino
Switzerland, 2010, 16 min.
A teen with his eyes on another boy at his school gets a rude awakening after an all-too-brief ‘date’ with the object of his desire in this delightful tale of youthful longing.... more

Carmen Rupe
Australia, 2010, 11 min.
This fascinating documentary introduces us to 74 year old Carmen, an Aussie drag queen and former showgirl who recounts the triumphs and tribulations of her life on stage and off.... more

Change
USA, 2010, 23 min.
On one momentous day in 2008, a young man awaits the results of two decisions that could change his life forever: the election of Barrack Obama and the success or failure of Prop. 8. If only all of life was as open to change…... more

Charlotte
Australia, 2011, 4 min.
After a disastrous blind date, Charlotte must take a hard look at the way the world sees her.... more

Civil Unions: A Love Story
USA, 2010, 4 min.
This short satire imagines a world where marriage doesn’t exist, and civil unions actually constitute a fair and equal happy ending for everybody.... more

The Confession of Father John Thomas
Australia, 2011, 5 min.
In this outrageously graphic animated short, a priest gives confession to a lesbian, which liberates him enough to make his own break from the closet.... more

Cubicle Two
United Kingdom, 2010, 10 min.
Seeking refuge from a group of bullying boys, a gay student finds himself unexpectedly sharing a cubicle with a sympathetic soul.... more

dik
Australia, 2010, 10 min.
When a young boy draws a picture of what appears to be him rubbing his best friend’s ‘dik’, his parents are thrown into paroxysms of guilt and self doubt, accusing each other of all manner of sexual peccadilloes.... more

Dont Brejk Maj Turbofolk Hart

Germany, 2011, 24 min.
In this provocative (and sexy) Serbian drama, mutual attraction and post-nationalist politics come head-to-head with the old ways of thinking, leading to potentially explosive consequences. ... more

Dreaming American
USA, 2011, 25 min.
A handsome young illegal immigrant finds work as a go go dancer in a gay bar while he pursues legal status and a career as an actor in New York City in this contemporary tale about the pursuit of happiness.... more

Everyone Who Hears This Story Gets Laid
USA, 2011, 14 min.
A man delivers a vastly entertaining monologue about his sexual exploits while he was in the army in this strangely compelling one-man show.... more

The First
USA, 2011, 13 min.
A handsome young man has first-time sex with both male and female partners, but is he more drawn to one than the other?... more

Flyers
USA, 2011, 3 min.
For one young woman, coming out seems to be a very public affair. ... more

Further Lane
USA, 2010, 13 min.
Ben, a handsome young handyman, looks after a house in the Hamptons for a wealthy New York businessman and his family, but there’s more to this story of a seemingly simple young guy than initially meets the eye…... more

Half-Share
USA, 2011, 29 min.
Fresh out of a long term relationship, Matt takes a time-share on Fire Island for the summer and must decide whether he can handle his eccentric new housemates on the mythical Isle of Misfit Boys. ... more

Halloween is a Drag
USA, 2011, 10 min.
Palm Springs’ legendary Arenas Street Halloween party is the subject of this lively documentary capturing the night of costumed revelry in all its splendor.... more

Henry & Anthony
USA, 2010, 20 min.
When his young son demonstrates an ever more serious interest in things that little boys are not supposed to be interested in, Henry’s dad grapples with the conflict between his liberal beliefs and his societal instincts as a father. ... more

I Now Pronounce You Husband & Husband
USA, 2010, 20 min.
A fascinating look at the effort of New Paltz, NY mayor Jason West’s effort to wed same sex couples and the subsequent political firestorm and arrest he faced as a result.... more

James Dean
United Kingdom, 2010, 7 min.
A family tries it’s best to get out of the driveway, but one of their daughters has decided it’s finally time to bring out the ‘real’ her.... more

Johnny & Lyman: A Life Together

USA, 2010, 18 min.
Having met on the beach in Santa Monica in 1945, Johnny and Lyman have been partners for more than 60 years. In 2008, they joined 18,000 other gay and lesbian couples in America in applying for a marriage license. This is their story.... more

The Kiss
Australia, 2010, 16 min.
Two girls riding their bikes through the woods on a sultry summer night come upon a fire reservoir tank and decide to take a swim, but learn once they are in the tank that getting out is not as easy as getting in. Winner: Best Short Fiction Film, Best Cinematography, Australian Film Industry Awards.... more

Liv
Finland, 2010, 14 min.
Feisty nine-year-old Liv dislikes her father’s new partner Tony and longs for her deceased mom. When it seems she’s losing the battle for her dad’s attention, she takes an unusual revenge.... more

Loop Planes
USA, 2010, 11 min.
A summer crush has Nick finding love at the carnival despite all appearances to the contrary. ... more

The Maiden and The Princess

USA, 2010, 17 min.
Emmy is the subject of a fairy tale writer who has been reprimanded by the higher powers to start writing stories the ‘right way’ or else. But Emmy won’t be kept down, no matter what authority insists on it. ... more

Marcela
Argentina, 2010, 9 min.
On the eve of her 40th birthday, Marcela chooses to celebrate by listing the 10 most wonderful moments in her life; trouble is after 40 years, she can only come up with 9.... more

Moonless Night
Mexico, 2010, 13 min.
Two men are last seen together on an apartment balcony in macho Mexico, and one subsequently winds up dead on the ground below. Is it murder, or is there more to the story than may come to light?... more

Now Here
USA, 2010, 11 min.
Set in 1985 as AIDS ravaged the gay community in New York City, this moving story recounts the story of Franco, who flirts with reckless behavior on his birthday after the love of his life falls ill with the virus.... more

Public
USA, 2010, 14 min.
A beautiful inner-city teacher faces her own questions of identity when she tries to connect with her most difficult student. ... more

Rubdown
USA, 2010, 12 min.
Andrew, a private detective, is hired by a spa owner to check up on a hot male masseur and make sure he’s following the company’s ‘modesty’ policy. What follows is anything but modest…... more

Shave
USA, 2010, 6 min.
A man checks into a hotel room and proceeds to pursue his fantasy until a phone call abruptly brings him back to reality.... more

The Shower
Chile, 10 min.
Sexy, smart and soulful, The Shower tracks the traumatic final stage of a relationship and the even more frightening question of what’s next. Winner of Best Short Film at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.... more

Snapshot
USA, 2010, 6 min.
In this lovely short story, a woman entertains her daughter’s suitor while her daughter gets ready for the girl’s first date.... more

Some Things Are Worse Than Being Gay
USA, 2011, 7 min.
Leah has a confession to make to her overbearing Jewish parents, but the subject of her confession is not what concerns them…... more

Time After Time
USA, 2010, 4 min.
Two young girls and a boy join in impromptu sing-along but what transpires over the musical notes is more than just a song. ... more

Tsuyako
Japan, 2011, 21 min.
In Japan, 1952, Tsuyako tries to live the life that has been set out for her—husband, children, work at the factory and care for her family. Yet when her friend arrives from Tokyo, Tsuyako finds herself entranced by the dream of a different life. ... more

Twinset
Scotland, 2010, 12 min.
This truly exceptional documentary introduces us to a man living his life as a woman in a small, quaint British town where the elderly ladies of the town accept him as one of their own.... more

Uniformed
Spain, 2010, 18 min.
Lonely Margaret is assaulted daily by numerous ‘uniform’ messages that try to educate her to fulfill a concrete social role. But Margaret has a little secret that, once shared, will elevate her past the uniform. ... more

Vapor
Canada, 2010, 11 min.
Having carefully composed his plans, a Mexican man spends his day living it as he has always wanted to – as a homosexual who accepts himself and his needs. Genie (Canadian Oscars®) nominee for Best Live Action Canadian Short and Jutra nominee for Best Quebec Short.... more

Verona
Canada, 2010, 24 min.
Laurie Lynd (The Fairy Who Didn’t Want To Be a Fairy Anymore) directed this elaborate take off on Romeo and Juliet, with two boys from opposing fraternities falling in love – much to the consternation of their frat brothers.... more

Wild Imaginings
Australia, 2011, 9 min.
A young man deals with his infatuation with his best friend through his fantasy world.... more

Hiking in the Mecca Hills....

2011-05-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

This year’s hike during the May Naked Yoga Retreat may have been our best ever! An energetic (albeit small) group of us went down into the Mecca Hills (the Painted Canyon area to be exact) on a beautiful cloudless day in May, and enjoyed one GREAT hike on the Painted Canyon/Ladder Canyon Loop.

The Mecca Hills sit directly above the San Andreas fault, at the very edge of the North American plate. As a result, the earth, rocks, and mineral deposits in the area have been squeezed, compressed, contorted, and pushed up to the surface many times over the past Millennia.

This almost continuous upheaval, has created a profusion of shapes and colors in the stone and earth that make up the hills - red abuts tan, dark gray abuts pale lilac, orange abuts dark purple.

Add to all that activity, the action of rain and water over hundreds of thousands of years, and the result is a beautiful, if somewhat otherworldly desert landscape with a plethora of deep vertical canyons, sharp cliffs, soft-edged caves, and spectacular rock formations.

Access to the area is relatively easy, and as long as you don’t mind dirt roads, you can get pretty close in to the camping and hiking areas. Our trek took us into the Painted Canyon, where we parked the car, then continued on foot. I saw one snake (nonpoisonous) less than five minutes after we got out of the car. It was seeking the same shade that I was! I let the snake have it....

We continued on into the Canyon, which had several large groupings of shrubs, grasses and small trees (mostly Palo Verdes), and saw quite a number of Hummingbirds, as well as several Western Tanagers (that were clearly dressed in their Spring mating colors).

The males were beautiful – bright red heads, yellow bodies, black tails, and wings that were yellow with black stripes. Females were less colorful – mostly soft yellow and gray.

Tanagers are song birds, and these were singing joyfully. The hummingbirds were raucous as well; chattering after us to keep moving and leave their small hidden nests alone.

Following the stone arrows on the ground, we entered the ladder Canyon – a deep vertical canyon carved out of the solid rock by water.

The way is steep in places; so steep in fact, that you have to climb a series of ladders to access the trail. Portions of the trail are just wide enough for one person to pass, and the walls on either side rise up hundreds of feet above you. Pretty amazing!

After some rigorous walking (they said this was an easy/moderate hike, but I’d hesitate to take just anybody on it), we came back out into the open at the top of the hills above the Painted Canyon.

The view was spectacular. You could see the Salton Sea to the West and South, as well as the surrounding Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains.

Our descent was a loop trail that eventually brought us back to the ladder Canyon, where we crawled back down the ladders and back into the Painted Canyon.

I highly recommend this hike, and am looking forward to exploring the area further.

Joshua Tree National Park - A New Adventure!

2011-03-09T16:19:00.000-08:00

The other day we took a ride up to Joshua Tree National Park with a couple of new friends who had never been to the park before. It’s always fun to introduce people to Joshua Tree, both because it’s one of our favorite places, and because people are always so amazed by it.

The park is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. It was first established as Joshua Tree National Monument in 1936, and was elevated to National Park status on October 31, 1994. It’s definitely a study in contrasts. Elevations in the park range from a low of 536 feet to a high of 5,814 feet and encompass almost 800,000 acres.

It’s hard to pick a favorite area within the park, but if we just had to, it would probably be (at least for me) the Jumbo Rocks area near the 29 Palms Entrance. This area, punctuated by boulders the size of office buildings that are piled up on top of each other, look like nothing so much as a set from the Flintstones (maybe that’s even where the animators got their inspiration for Bedrock).

In any event, geologists believe these giant granite boulders were born more than 100 million years ago, and slowly emerged from the earth as wind and water eroded the soil around them. Seems like a plausible explanation, especially when you look at other areas of the park where the process exists in less finished stages, but it’s hard to imagine the amount of time required to change a landscape so dramatically.

The Joshua Tree forests themselves also tend to amaze people - especially those from the East Coast. Joshua Trees, for anyone who hasn’t seen them, look like giant Yucca plants that have grown up to be tree-size, with multiple branches coming out of a single central stalk. There’s just nothing quite like seeing an entire landscape filled with thousands of Joshua Trees, especially when they are blooming (which has, by the way, just begun).

Wildflower season is still a couple of weeks away this year in Joshua Tree, but you can already see the signs that it’s going to be a great wildflower season. The ground is still damp, and all sorts of green plants have emerged. Desert blooms are always spectacular, and the ones in the Joshua Tree National Park are no exception. For the best wildflower watching, we generally recommend that people enter at the Cottonwood entrance (East of Palm Springs on Interstate 10). Cottonwood starts out in the low desert and climbs up gradually. Each new elevation brings a new group of wildflowers and cacti, along with a new and often vibrant color palate.

Each time we visit Joshua Tree National Park, we try to check out a new turn-off, and there are hundreds of them. We also like to visit favorites like Split Rock, Skull Rock, Hidden Valley and Key’s View (where, if it’s really clear, you can see the Salton Sea, and all the way to Mexico). Makes it tough, because as we add new favorites, each visit takes longer! :)

Winter Weather...a Study in Contrasts...

2011-03-04T09:24:00.000-08:00

One of the amazing things about living in the desert during the Winter months is getting to see the snow at the tops of the mountains and the flowers blooming here in the valley.

We've had several heavy snowfalls this year, but thankfully, none of the white fluffy stuff has come down below 4,000 feet. That means we get to enjoy it from afar (unless we get adventurous and ride the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to the top of Mount San Jacinto or drive up to Big Bear for some skiing).

Better yet, lots of snow up there and a little rain down here means we'll have water to replenish our water table and Spring Flowers blooming all over the desert in just a couple of weeks.

Not to say we don't already have some flowers. We do. The citrus trees are already blooming and their scents are wafting through the air, the jasmine (my favorite) is beginning to bloom, and the flowers in the gardens are up and in full bloom.

We've also been busy in the vegetable garden - enjoying fresh lettuces, beets and carrots while anxiously awaiting the potatoes, squash, beans and tomatoes! We can grow some sort of veggies pretty much year-round, and do pretty well, despite limited space, thanks to David's diligence and green thumbs!

Not to say we don't have seasons either. We have them too. There's a definite change in the air already, and lots of the bulb plants are coming up now that the night-time temperatures are getting warmer and the days are getting longer.

This week, the weather is particularly nice with daytime temps in the low eighties and nighttime temps in the high fifties.

Lots of events are coming up. Springtime in Palm Springs is filled to overflowing with things to do, both in terms of special events, and in terms of just being able to enjoy the natural surroundings. Life is good, and it's a great time to be here!

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with us at our May Naked Yoga Retreat!

2011-02-15T14:47:00.000-08:00

Join us May 5th through May 10th, for our Spring 2011 Naked Yoga Retreat.We’ll celebrate Cinco de Mayo Yoga-Style with two of our most popular Yoga Instructors – Ken Breniman and David Oliphant.

Enjoy up to five days of yoga magic, hiking, swimming, sunning, mingling, and making new friends. Choose from three day, four day or five day packages that include lodging, classes, some meals, and lots of fun!

Complete details, including the schedule and pricing packages are available at: www.triangle-inn.com/may_yoga

Time Machine: 1987

2011-01-23T13:58:00.000-08:00

Long after it opened as the Impala Lodge, and long before it reopened as the Triangle Inn Palm Springs, the Inn was converted into apartments.

The Triangle House was rented as a separate home, and units in the two hotel buildings were turned into eight separate rental units. Lots of changes, including the addition of the mailbox unit (still in place as you enter the Inn), and the installation of separate phone lines and separate electric meters were made in order to accommodate individual renters.

We don't know exactly when the Inn was converted into apartments, but our good friend Bob Hoven (the now deceased publisher of MegaScene), told us that it was definitely rented as apartments throughout most of the 1970s and 1980s when Palm Springs, like Las Vegas, Reno, Atlantic City and other resort destinations that had seen their heyday in the 1950s and 1960s saw significant declines in their popularity.

Bob told us he had wonderful memories of visiting the then-owner of the property, who lived in the Triangle House for a portion of that time. Bob said he held wonderful parties, although Bob was quick to admit that many of this memories from that time were a bit foggy, not because of his age, but rather because of the variety of recreational drugs available at those parties!

We still don't know too much more about that period of time than Bob told us, but we were fortunate, about a two years ago, to come into contact with a fellow who rented the Triangle House in the late 1980s.

He, and a couple of elderly (and reportedly highly eccentric) ladies were, in fact, the last renters to occupy the property before Matthew and Kevin (our predecessors) purchased it, rehabbed it, and opened it as The Triangle Inn. We asked lots of questions about the property, and he shared what he knew with us.

He also promised to return with some photos he had form when he lived in the house, and, in fact did so a year later.

The photos in this blog are from 1987, two years before the property became the Triangle Inn, and although you'll find some of them to be very different, you'll also find a number of quite familiar things that are still very much a part of the Inn today. We hope you enjoy this glimpse into our past!

Happy Birthdays Joel and Jonathan!

2011-01-23T09:19:00.000-08:00

The year was 1971....

Seems like a long time ago at this point, but it was only 40 years ago that the mothers of Joel Markovits and Jonathan Keiser found themselves in the process of giving birth to two young men who would eventually become friends and celebrate the date in Palm Springs with a Disco Birthday Extravaganza!

We were thrilled that they chose the Triangle Inn Palm Springs (actually, the Desert Dream House) as the site for their birthday celebration.

Joined by friends Brian Monroe, John Hausman, Michael Smith, David Salinas, Allyn Miller Chris Gent and Sergio Nunez, they celebrated in style the entire weekend (even discovering in the process that we had yet another birthday boy staying here at the hotel).

A great time was had by all, the decorations were amazing, and the outfits were, well, it was a celebration of the seventies, after all! :)

December (and Christmas) 2010

2010-12-27T12:41:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody!

Hope you all had a GREAT holiday! We had a nice quiet Christmas Day here at the Inn (lots of food and a little napping!). We've also had a nice December overall, made better by some wonderful weather the second week of December (highs in the 80s), and our second annual Winter Yoga Retreat!

On December 17th, we welcomed back our great instructors, Ken Breniman, David Oliphant, and Tim Nguyen, for a reprise of their incredible Summer 2010 Retreat, and although we had some mighty strange weather during the retreat (can you say lots of rain!?!?!), I think everyone had a great time. Our own David (Scheide) took a bunch of the guys up to Joshua Tree for a hike (as we did last Summer), and from all reports, it was also a lot of fun!

I, of course, got to do no yoga this round, because I was producing a local holiday event for my clients at the Palm Springs Cultural Center - The Magic of Christmas, starring The Young Americans. It was an amazing show - three sold out nights - and everyone from the retreat got to come see the show on Saturday night!

This project has been keeping me busy since this Summer - a major production, and enough to tell me that I don't ever want to get into the business of producing shows. What an undertaking! Whew!

I marched with The Young Americans in the Festival of Lights Parade this year as well (after a generator disaster in which not one, but two generators failed on us).

A quick Plan B got us into the parade, albeit a bit later than planned, and with a new, mostly undecorated truck (but with lights and sound for the performers).
I learned a lot about Fire Marshals during this process too - more than I probably ever wanted to know, but you live and learn, and now I know several things I never knew before!

Stephen's been busy, as usual, with this year's Film Festival (which opens January 6th). It's been harder this year than ever, mostly because the film selections and information has been coming in so late. Stephen ended up working all through Christmas eve, Christmas Day, and is still tied to his desk even as I write! :)

My other December project (and Stephen's, since I have this tendency to volunteer him for things sometimes), was Coyote Stagecoach's production of A Tuna Christmas. It was also a lot of fun, and although not as commercially successful, was still a wonderful experience.

The guys are great, and their goal of creating a new equity theatre in Palm Springs is to be lauded. It's tough to do in a small town, especially given our seasonality, but they are well on their way! (They also made the run a benefit for the Palm Springs Animal Shelter - a project which most of you know is near and dear to our hearts).

And, before I forget, there was another really BIG thing this December. Well, really things. David grew some of the BIGGEST sunflowers I think I've ever seen, and, of course, I had to capture them.

It took some major coaxing (alright, begging), but I did finally get him to pose with one of the sunflowers just to give a perspective on how tall they actually grew. To say the boy has a green thumb is an understatement!

Lots more coming up as we move into the new year - 2011!

Time definitely flies....

December Happenings

2010-10-18T11:59:00.000-07:00

Join us December 16th through the 20th for our second annual Winter Naked Yoga Retreat! We're bringing back Ken Breniman and Tim Nguyen from San Francisco, and David Oliphant from Las Vegas to recreate the magic that made this year's Summer Retreat such a success.

We've also added a half day hike to the schedule because everyone enjoyed the Summer Joshua Tree extension so much. Our own David Scheide will be leading the hike, which will include a partner stretching session, led by Ken and Tim.

Want to know more?
Visit Winter Yoga on the web!

Plus, Take a Peek at What's
Coming Up In December!

Annual Festival of Lights Parade - Dec. 4th.

"A Tuna Christmas" Dec. 2 - 19.

The Palm Springs Cultural Center presents

The Young Americans in the Magic of Christmas Dec. 17th, 18th & 19th.

SHOP TIL YOU DROP!

Downtown Palm Springs is filled with boutique and specialty shops with unique gifts, one of a kind collectibles, chic clothing boutiques, & some great LGBT shops - R&R Menswear, Don Vincent, Just Fabulous, the Palm Springs Aloe People, GayMart, Gear Leather, BearWear, Palm Springs Piercing, and Q-Trading to name a few!

The Uptown Heritage District is filled with an incredible collection of art galleries, antique dealers, restaurants and furniture stores.

The Desert Hills Premium Outlets, just 15 minutes away, offer some of the very best bargains on name brand clothing and other gifts.

Palm Springs Cocktail Challenge Winner Announced!

2010-09-13T19:11:00.000-07:00

Mary Jo Ginther and Bella

As many of you know, this year, the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism created a unique promotion for the LGBT community: The Palm Springs Pool Party and Cocktail Challenge! It's been lots of fun (I got to host one of the preliminary events, held at The Lobby Bar in Seattle) and it's a great way to promote our city to our community!

Georgie

Last night the finals were held at Georgie's Alibi Palm Springs, and all I can say is that a great time was had by all (and especially by our judges who had to taste 21 - count 'em 21 cocktails and still come up with a winner (not to mention add up their scores!!!). I got bunches of photos - some I'll share here - and some you can see on my facebook page.

Bella da Ball, one of our local drag celebrities was the hostess and emcee. Bella (and her non-drag persona Brian) are actually incredible ambassadors for Palm Springs (in addition to being the host/hostess with the mostest!). Bella made sure everyone was happy and having a great time

Georgie and his staff, our hosts for the evening, created a great atmosphere, complete with kiddie pools for the dancers (wearing skimpy swim suits, and sometimes just barely wearing them). We were also joined by the local branch of the Human Rights Campaign, and the Desert Gay Tourism Guild (the organization with which I am very involved personally) as well as Dick Haskamp from Streetbar, who was one of our judges (and is just about the nicest guy you could ever hope to meet). Matt Link was another Judge. Matt, who used to be the Editor of OUT, writes for publications, gay and mainstream, all over the country. We're lucky to have him as a local resident! :)

We also got to host one of the contestants - Andy Santiago from Micky's in West Hollywood. Andy and his partner, Grant Landry came in just for the night. They were both really sweet, cute as buttons, and Andy was a great contestant (but then all the guys were).

All in all, we had quite a diverse group of cities that were represented. Will Douglas, from Las Vegas, represented Charlie's, and definitely had the BEST SHIRT! :) He was a really nice guy. Jae Cho represented Sidetrack in Chicago, Dale Phillips represented BJ's NXS in Dallas (and went shirtless for the crowd - I gotta go there!), Jeff Willey, representing The Lobby Bar in Seattle (I must confess I was a little biased because I'd done the event there (and had such a great time with Curtis, Paul, Joshua and the ever so FAB Glamazonia)!

Also represented was San Diego's Bourbon Street (whose contestant, Sean Brunle won second place!!!), and of course Georgie's Alibi Fort Lauderdale, whose contestant, Scott Newell was the first place winner!!!

Come And See Us In September...or October...or November! :)

2010-09-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

September is a GREAT time to "Come Back To The Pool!"
September is shaping up to be a busy month here in Palm Springs; making it a great time to join us here at the Triangle Inn Palm Springs! Here are just a few of the reasons to come and see us in September...

Summer Splash continues through September 30th!
Continue to enjoy Summer Splash savings throughout Palm Springs with FREE Summer Splash Splash Passes.

September 12, 2010: Palm Springs Cocktail Challenge. The winning bartenders from eight cities across the country compete to win the National title!

September 24-26, 2010: Cinema Diverse: The Palm Springs Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. "Baby Jane?" You Betcha! It's not the old classic, but it's bound to become a new classic! And it's only one of the great films in this year's line-up! Visit Cinema Diverse to find out more!

Plus, Take a Peek at What's Coming Up Later This Fall!

OCTOBER:

TING X - It's hard to believe it's been ten years since a few guys from the Naturists M4M AOL Chat Room got together at the Triangle Inn Palm Springs to chat in person for the first time!

Healthy Friction!
Host Bill Faulkner brings Healthy Friction back for a Fall 2010 Gathering. We learn something new every day! Edging. Gooning. Who knew?

Halloweenies!
Join us for our annual Nearly Naked Costume Party! It's always great fun, it's VERY creative (how could it NOT be?!?), and it's usually full of surprises! And after all, where else can you go to get "UN" dressed for Halloween?

NOVEMBER:

Greater Palm Springs PRIDE! - November 4th - 8th

Leather PRIDE - November 11th - 14th

Plus....

Don't Miss Our Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner and Celebration
November 25th - 28th
Looking for something totally different to do this coming Thanksgiving? Join us at the Triangle Inn Palm Springs and soak up some sun while we do the cooking!

We celebrate the very best of Thanksgiving every year in our very own grand (naked) tradition! No family! No drama! And no guilt! Just relax and enjoy Turkey and all the trimmings in the buff and/or in pool!

DECEMBER:

Festival of Lights - First Weekend in December

Winter Yoga Retreat - Coming December 16 - 20, 2010.

The Holidaze! - December 24th, 2010 - January 2nd, 2011

Happy Nude Year!!

Triangle Inn Palm Springs Summer Yoga, Massage & Wellness Retreat

2010-06-05T16:27:00.000-07:00

Summer Yoga, Massage and Wellness Retreat
August 5th through August 9th (with Optional Joshua Tree Extension).

Join world-renowned yoga and fitness instructors for four days of naked yoga, pilates, stretching, massage, tantric explorations, and fitness consultations - all within our compound.

Schedule (subject to change):

Thursday, August 5th -
Welcome and introductions for those who arrive on Thursday.
Social Hour
Dinner (with group or on your own)
Midnight Swim and hot tubbing! :)

Friday, August 6th -
Morning Practice
Breakfast
Mid-day Session
Lunch (with group or on your own)
Afternoon Session
Social Hour
Dinner (with group or on your own)
Midnight Swim and hot tubbing! :)

Saturday, August 7th -
Morning Practice
Breakfast
Mid-day Session
Lunch (with group or on your own)
Afternoon Session
Social Hour
Group Dinner at the Triangle Inn Palm Springs
Movie Screening
Midnight Swim and hot tubbing! :)

Sunday, August 8th -
Morning Practice
Breakfast
Mid-Morning Session
Lunch (with group or on your own)
Afternoon Session
Some departures.
Social Hour
Dinner (with group or on your own)
Midnight Swim and hot tubbing! :)

Monday, August 9th - Wednesday, August 11th -

Joshua Tree Extension (Join us for some high desert hiking, naked yoga, photo sessions and more!)

Monday, August 9th
Morning Practice
Breakfast
Departures or Lunch
Afternoon hike
Naked Photoshoot
Social Hour
Group Dinner at the Triangle Inn Palm Springs
Movie Screening
Midnight Swim and hot tubbing! :)

Tuesday, August 10th
Breakfast
Drive up to Joshua Tree National Park
Hiking/Lunch/Exploring Big Rocks
Naked Photoshoot/Naked Yoga
Social Hour
Group Dinner at the Triangle Inn Palm Springs
Midnight Swim and hot tubbing! :)

Wednesday, August 11th
Breakfast
Departures

Joining us will be:

Ken Breniman, San Francisco, CA - Ken Breniman has practiced yoga for over 8 years and became certified with Yoga Alliance as a RYT-200 after graduating from Yoga Tree's Yoga Teacher Training program in 2006. In the Bay Area, Ken offers a weekly Naked Men's class. Ken provides eclectic Non-denominational Hatha yoga guidance, honoring a variety of traditions, such as Iyengar aligment principles, invigorating Kudalini Kriya, and playful Acroyoga-inspired partnerwork. Ken's 'day job' is that of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Ken is currently working on his Yoga Therapist certification at the Ananda Seva Mission in Santa Rosa, CA that focuses on Structural Yoga that allows for the practice to be personalized for each participant to optimize health and healing.

Tim Nguyen, San Francisco, CA - Tim Nguyen is a very talented Exercise Physiologist with years of experience in personal training with a special gift for motivating and inspiring people to reach their true potential. Tim has a B.S. from Berkeley in Immunology and a Master's of Science degree from San Francisco State University in Exercise Physiology. Tim brings his diverse knowledge of anatomy, physical fitness and nutrition to the Yoga retreat so that each participant can benefit from personalized assessment and goal setting so that he can build on his yoga practice and other healthy activities.

David Oliphant, Las Vegas, NV - David Oliphant, RTY (Registered Yoga Teacher) is the founder of Men's Naked Yoga Las Vegas which currently meets 3 times a week. David received his yoga certification in 2006 and has taught yoga in many cities around the country and no resides in Las Vegas. Most of his classes are Hatha Flow yoga involving poses, breathing, meditation and relaxation. The classes provid a physical workout, an emotional and mental cleansing, and an opportunity to reconnect spiritually. David also practices Thai Yoga Bodywork. Thai Yoga Bodywork is more energizing and rigorous than more classic forms ofmassage. It is also called Thai yoga massage or bodywork, because the therapist uses his or her hands, knees, legs, and feet to move the client into a series of yoga-like stretches. Many people say Thai bodywork is like doing yoga without any work. Muscle compression, joint mobilization, and acupressure are also used during treatment. People describe Thai bodywork or massage as both relaxing and energizing.

For more information, or to book,

call us at 800-732-7555

Big Muscle Summer Splash Party - Palm Springs!

2010-06-01T17:23:00.000-07:00

BIG MUSCLE
Summer Splash Party Palm Springs

July 2 - 5, 2010

The DGTG has teamed up with Bill and Andy from BIGMUSCLE.com to create our first-ever BIG MUSCLE Summer Splash event, and the Triangle Inn Palm Springs is one of the Host hotels! Join us over the Fourth of July weekend for sun, fun and BIG Muscles!

Schedule of Events:

Thursday, July 1st - Happy Hour Welcome Party @ Streetbar - Appetizers, T-shirt giveaways and drink specials for early arrivals and local BigMuscle members with wristbands.

Friday night, July 2nd - Tool Shed Muscle Party- Happy hour pricing on well drinks and domestic beers, from 10pm till midnight for all the guys with wristbands. Shot Specials for shirtless BigMuscle guys!

Saturday, July 3rd - CCBC - Noon to 5pm. 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND BBQ & PNN RADIO T-DANCE. MR YANKEE DOODLE DANDY CONTEST, at 3PM. $5 off admission to guys with wristbands.

Saturday Night, July 3rd - Club W - Fourth of July Cook-out: Free hotdogs, Happy Hour Prices, Drink Specials - 5pm - 8pm.

Sunday July 4 from 11am until ??? - Georgie’s ALIBI - $4 Bloody Mary specials $3 Mimosa specials, and Happy Hour Drink Prices.

Sunday Afternoon Pool Parties - Host Hotels - Check them out!

Monday – Departures.

Summertime is Coming!

2010-05-30T16:14:00.000-07:00

The days are getting longer, the Roadrunners are getting friskier, and the nights are getting warmer. In Palm Springs, that can only mean one thing: Summertime is coming!

For Palm Springs visitors, Summer is considered the “value” season. That means it’s a good time to get great deals, and enjoy a relaxing sunny vacation. But in recent years, our “value” season has become filled with almost as many great events as “high” season.

Take a gander at some of our Summer Fare:

Restaurant Week 2010: Starting Friday, June 4th, and continuing through Sunday, June 13th (Michael’s birthday), restaurant week is a culinary celebration featuring restaurants from the entire Valley - Palm Springs to Indio!

Participating restaurants offer three-course menus at the fixed price of either $24 or $36 per person (tax, beverages and gratuity are not included).

Don't miss this exciting opportunity to experience some of the best restaurants the desert has to offer.

Restaurant Week is the perfect time to visit your favorite restaurant or try something new, as chefs prepare delicious three-course meals for your dining pleasure at a fixed price. Want to know more? Visit http://www.palmspringsrestaurantweek.com/

2010 Palm Springs Int'l ShortFest: Be in Palm Springs from June 22nd through the 28th, to see the best selection of short films and the most exciting lineup of seminars, special presentations and receptions at the largest event of its kind in the country!

The Palm Springs International ShortFest is renowned worldwide for the extraordinary community of filmmakers it attracts, and for the quality and scope of its programming.

ShortFest 2010 will present more than 300 short films from over 40 countries. Discover more at: http://www.psfilmfest.org/

Palm Springs Summer Splash: Starting June 1st, and continuing until September 30th, Palm Springs Summer Splash is a Summer-long Promotion sponsored by the LGBT tourism community. The 2010 Edition of Palm Springs Summer Splash promises to be the best ever! We’ve even made a deal with American Airlines and Alaska Air for special discounts on airfare this Summer, and a deal with Enterprise Rent-a-Car for special rates on rental cars!

Sponsored by the Desert Gay Tourism Guild, Summer Splash brings Greater Palm Springs area hotels, restaurants, bars, retailers, promoters and entertainment venues together to create a vibrant and varied line-up of special offers and special events.

So come on! Jump in and join the Fun!

And don’t forget to ask for your FREE SPLASH PASS - a FREE Discount Card that offers discounts and savings at bars, shops, restaurants and attractions all over Palm Springs and other desert cities.

For more information, visit http://www.palmspringssummersplash.com

Spring TING V Bids a NAKED Bon Voyage to Shann Carr and her crew!

2010-05-24T17:09:00.000-07:00

The men from TING have had a special pace in their hearts for comedian Shann Carr ever since she made a surprise appearance at Fall TING, and performed her stand-up act in front of a crowd of over fifty naked gay men!

So once we realized that TING V’s dates coincided with the launch of Shann’s Summer Land Cruise, we just had to do a special naked bon voyage for Shann and her crew! Photos are attached!

About Out For Laughs: The Land Cruise.

Shann Carr’s Out For Laughs: The Land Cruise is currently motoring through cities across the US from May to mid-August, sprinkling fun-loving gay comedy out onto the landscape of gay (and not-so-gay) America.

Shann and her sidekick, aspiring comedian, Ken Cypert, a self proclaimed hillbilly from Arkansas, now residing in NYC, are performing at gay events, large and small, including pride celebrations, summer festivals and various truck stops and dive bars along the way. They're frolicking with other gay & lesbian performers and interacting with the locals they cross paths with - all the while capturing everything on film. And when they’re done, all of it goes 'in the can' to create a comedy/reality series called "Out For Laughs: The Land Cruise."

Want to know more? Visit www.shanncarr.com and follow the adventures of the BIG pink RV!

Shoots...of all kinds!

2010-05-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

We’ve been fortunate recently to have a number of wonderful (and hot!) photoshoots here at the Inn, so we thought we’d share some of it with you....

First, we had a visit from our friend tony Jones - an incredible photographer who is based in New York. Tony came to see us as part of a West coast junket - part vacation - part family visit - part work - and all fun!

He did a number of shoots while in and around Palm Springs, and graciously agreed to shoot some photos for us as well.

Our model, Bob, is, as you can see, not only a natural in front of the camera, but also quite photogenic (and hot - did I mention hot?).
Bob’s a local guy who’s just doing modeling as a sideline while he’s in college, but you can tell he loves the work, and the camera definitely loves him (especially when in the talented hands of Tony Jones.

See more of Tony’s work at: Tony Jones Photo.

Next, we had a mid-week visit from the guys at www.realguysexposed.com!

You can see some of their work on their website, and read a bit about their trip on their blog.

I have to say that was one photoshoot I thoroughly enjoyed hosting! :)

Finally (at least for the moment), our friend Robert Black came by (during Healthy Friction - total coincidence!) to do a jack-off video (which our other friend Anthony Duran shot).

I have to say all the guys who were staying at the Inn enjoyed the show, and it set a great tone for their weekend! Robert’s a great guy and a hot man.

You can see more of him at Robert Black.

Wildflower Watch in Southern California: Anza-Borrego State Park and the Salton Sea

2010-03-21T16:48:00.000-07:00

I promise that I am not obsessed with the whole wildflower thing. Well, ok, maybe a little. But I enjoy Spring in general, and I particularly enjoy it here in Southern California when the wildflowers are in bloom.

Lots of people are convinced that we don't really think we get seasons in Southern California, but I can promise you that we do. They're just a bit different from the seasons in other parts of the world....

A couple of days ago, I drive down to the Anza-Borrego State Park with our friends (and soon to be neighbors) Larry and Ed Sogolow. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the largest state park in California. Five-hundred miles of dirt roads, 12 wilderness areas and miles of hiking trails provide visitors with an unparalleled opportunity to experience the wonders of the California Desert.

The park is named after Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and the Spanish name borrego, or bighorn sheep. It's located just about an hour+ south of Palm Springs in San Diego County.

The park features washes, wildflowers, palm groves, cacti, badlands, and sweeping vistas. It also runs almost right up to the Salton Sea - yet another of Southern California's interesting micro climates. But that's another story.

This Winter was rainy, which generally means a good wildflower season. And starting last week, the weather really warmed up, and that brings the blooms out.

I've included some of the pictures I took on our recent trip, and have uploaded many more of them on an album you can view at your leisure. If you want to come out, there's still time. Wildflower are peaking in the next couple of weeks in the lower elevations but will continue to flood the desert with color all the way up to the high desert and Joshua Tree for at least another month.

Yellow flowers that you'll see include (but are not limited to) creosote bush, brittlebush, palo verde, desert sunflowers, dune sunflowers, barrel cactus, desert dandelions, century plants and bladder pods.

Pink and purple flowers include Arizona Lupine (which are featured in several good shots), sand verbena, desert aster, chia and monkey flowers.

The Ocotillo were also in full bloom while we were in Anza-Borrego, and we got quite a few shots of them as well.

We also took some time to explore the badlands that are part of, and adjacent to the park. They always remind me of the old westerns I used to watch as a kid.

Some of the box canyons will definitely look familiar to you if you love that genre of movie and/or remember shows like the Virginian. I had a major crush on actor Doug McClure (RIP) who played Trampas on that show! Actor James Drury wasn't bad either! But I digress...

Finally we took a detour and went down to the Salton Sea. If you want to see a surreal world, you need look no further. Block upon block of infrastructure, but with no buildings. Entryways marking planned communities that never got built.

Block after block of empty and/or abandoned buildings. Abandoned docks, boats left to rot in the mud, some rather interesting churches, homes and a million birds!

And despite it all, there is a tragic beauty to the Salton Sea. To see the Salton Sea sitting in the middle of the California Desert is quite an experience!

Check out our March newsletter

2010-03-17T21:10:00.000-07:00

March Newsletter

St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-12T19:32:00.000-08:00

In Honor of St. Patrick’s Day (and fair haired men, whether they be Irish or not)!

As many of you know, Stephen and I just returned from Detroit, and from his induction into the St. Andrew’s Society - a heritage and service organization for people of Scottish ancestry.

Quite an honor for him, especially considering that he is the third generation of his family to be inducted into the St. Andrews Society.

Stephen is descended from a long line of Scots on both sides of his family, and carries the Boyd surname - well-known among Scots.

But his heritage is not just Scottish. Rather, like most Americans of Western European descent, he is descended from a diverse melting pot of people from Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, France and Ireland.

I share a similar background, although my own mix is a made up of people from England, Germany, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Netherlands and Ireland.

With that in mind, I felt it was entirely appropriate for us to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and our mutual Irish heritage with a special tribute to fair haired men, no matter what their particular lineage.

There are a dozen or so hotties of exactly that type included here in our blog. And if you like them here, you're going to want to see more of them.

Good news! They also appear uncensored in a new photo album I’ve created on our Social Network:

www.triangleinnpalmsprings.com

I hope everyone enjoys the eye candy and joins us in a virtual toast in honor of St. Patrick’s Day (and fair-haired men)!

After all, there’s an old saying that everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day!

And finally, for those of you who are members of our social network, take a minute to visit the new photo album (and add a photo or two if your own favorite fair-haired hottie)!

I know you have them.

Some of you even fit the description!

Come on. You know who you are. :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Michael

February Newsletter

2010-02-15T16:08:00.000-08:00

Join us for Wildflower Season!

Our unusually wet January (we got our annual allotment of rain in one week!) means we're in for a great wildflower season. Join us this Spring to see an amazing sight - the desert in bloom!

Hundreds of varieties of wildflowers will be blooming over a period of several weeks beginning in early March and continuing through April. If you've never seen it, you're in for a treat.

The Indian Canyons and Joshua Tree National Park should be fantastic places to see wildflowers, as will nearby Anza. Snow melt will fill all the streams with water and make our already beautiful waterfalls even more striking.

Lots of foliage, wildflowers in abundance, great views, and, of course, the opportunity to go for a hike, take your clothes off, and snap a few pictures all make this year's Spring a great time to visit!

Got a Special Event Coming Up? Check out our Desert Dream!

As some of you may already know, we have a beautiful four bedroom house located adjacent to our hotel compound.

It's a great option for groups, birthday parties, receptions and/or for other special events. It can easily accommodate 8 to 10 people (or more if you use a roll-away).

Larger groups can also overflow into the hotel, and/or, if you prefer, the house can be completely separated from the hotel and its grounds.

Relax and Rejuvenate with our Pampered Pleasures Package Offer!

Our Pampered Pleasures Package is a great way to relax and escape the pressures of daily life. You'll enjoy three nights accommodations, expanded continental breakfast daily, two free passes to the Palm Springs Art Museum, and two ninety minute massages!

It's all just $579.00, plus tax.

Call today! You deserve it!

We have a number of additional packages available.

Click here to see them all!

*Does not include Transient Occupancy Tax

Catching up with thebeardedguy.com

2010-01-11T18:54:00.000-08:00

2009 handed out a lot of lemons, but one friend of ours turned his lemons into lemonade in such a unique and innovative way that we wanted to share his story. His name is Mitchell Koonce, and he is a Graphic Artist living
in San Francisco.

During 2009, Mitch became an unemployed Graphic Artist, and like many folks, spent lots of time trying unsuccessfully to land a new job in an economy gone mad.

After several months of searching, Mitch decided to strike out on his own and take charge of his destiny - and so thebeardedguy.com was born!

thebeardedguy.com offers a variety of t-shirts, tank tops and aprons that have been imprinted with messages that are meant to bring a smile to the face of anyone (with an open mind) who sees them. They’re fun, they’re irreverent, and they’re ever so gay (in a twisted sort of way)! In short, you’ll LOVE THEM!

A little bit more about Mitch...

Mitchell Koonce is a 42 year old gay man (with his two dogs, Peanut and Turkey) living in the beautiful city of San Francisco, CA. After years of creating mainstream graphics for middle America, he decided to create a line of t-shirts that were markedly different than anything he could find in most stores.

Although he’d constantly been told his ideas were “too far out of the box, or too aggressive” he decided that there was a niche for fun, silly, sexually-orientated designs intended for people who were not afraid of being or expressing their sexual practices on a simple t-shirt.

It all started after being laid-off. Because of the economic down-turn of the Bush years, work was difficult to find. With the help and support of friends, especially David Wilson, Mitch took the leap to start the bearded guy designs.

Launched in July of 2009, the bearded guy designs has become a retail destination for gay men, open-minded straight people and lovers of fun t-shirts...who just so happen to like funny, silly, sometimes a little offensive sayings and logos.

Mitch’s goals in life are actually pretty simple. Live life to its fullest, smile every day, take care of his little ones, love his friends and family, and hopefully make some people laugh a little in the process.

His products are not about brain surgery or solving the problems of the world. They’re just fun!

Want to see more? Visit thebeardedguy.com

2010 Palm Springs International Film Festival - LGBT Programming (and Weekend Weather forecast).

2010-01-08T15:01:00.000-08:00

(....and on another note, did I mention that it's going to be sunny and in the mid-seventies all weekend? Time for your Winter Tan Update!)

LGBT Film Screenings:

Adrift (Vietnam)110 minutes (US Premiere)
Thursday, January 14, 1:30 PM Regal Cinemas 1
Saturday, January 16, 4:30 PM Regal Cinemas 1
A sensual story of tangled loves in modern Vietnam explores sexual awakening, lesbian desire and
marital infidelity.

Big Gay Musical (USA) 90 minutes
Saturday, January 09, 8:00 PM Camelot Theatres 1
Tuesday, January 12, 1:30 PM Camelot Theatres 1
Themes of love vs. sex, and featuring a real Broadway musical cast and a cameo by Michael Musto distinguish Big Gay Musical as an icon of the genre.

Brotherhood (Denmark)
90 minutes (US Premiere)
Saturday, January 16, 4:00 PM Regal Cinemas 5/4 Sunday, January 17, 4:00 PM Regal Cinemas 5/4
Former Danish servicemen Lars and Jimmy are thrown together while training in a neo-Nazi group… events take a darker turn when their illicit relationship is uncovered. Winner, Best Film, Rome Film Festival.

City of Borders (USA) 66 minutes
Wednesday, January 13, 4:00 PM Palm Canyon Theatre

Friday, January 15, 11:00 AM Palm Canyon Theatre
City of Borders documents Jerusalem’s gay community’s struggles to hold a gay pride celebration in the Holy City. Winner, Teddy Award, Berlin Film Festival.

Different From Whom? (Italy) 106 minutes
Tuesday, January 12, 7:30 PM Regal Cinemas 1
Wednesday, January 13, 4:00 PM Regal Cinemas 5/4
Friday, January 15, 12:30 PM Regal Cinemas 7
A slapstick comedy about a handsome gay politician, paired with a conservative woman in a campaign for mayor—and an affair that shakes their lives.

Dzi Croquettes (Brazil) 95 minutes
Wednesday, January 13, 1:00 PM Camelot Theatres 2
Saturday, January 16, 10:00 AM Camelot Theatres 2
Sunday, January 17, 4:30 PM Camelot Theatres 1
A revealing documentary about a Brazilian dance and theater group resembling an all-male, 1970s version of the Ziegfeld Follies.

Eyes Wide Open (Israel) 90 minutes
Friday, January 08, 4:30 PM Camelot 1
Sunday, January 10, 4:30 PM Annenberg Theater
Tuesday, January 12, 9:00 AM Annenberg Theater
A taboo-breaking drama about a married butcher who falls in love with a seductive younger man in Jerusalem’s insular ultra-orthodox community.

Gordos (Spain) 120 minutes
Tuesday, January 12, 7:00 PM Regal Cinemas 5/4
Wednesday, January 13, 10:00 AM Regal Cinemas 5/4
Sunday, January 17, 7:30 PM Regal Cinemas 1
Five people deal with the common difficulty of being overweight and soon become a tasty study about guilt, fear, love and passion.

Handsome Harry (USA) 95 minutes
Thursday, January 14, 7:00 PM Annenberg Theater
Saturday, January 16, 5:00 PM Camelot Theatres 3
A psychological mystery about lost love, forgiveness, and the stifling effect the “code of silence” has over men and their relationships.

I Killed my Mother (Canada) 100 minutes
Sunday, January 10, 8:00 PM Regal Cinemas 2/3
Saturday, January 16, 7:30 PM Regal Cinemas 1
Sunday, January 17, 1:30 PM Regal Cinemas 1
A hilarious, corrosive and ultimately touching debut drama about a gay teen’s embattled relationship with his manipulative mother. Prize winner at Cannes last year.

Is it Just Me? (USA) 93 minutes (World Premiere)
Friday, January 15, 9:00 PM Regal Cinemas 1
Saturday, January 16, 1:30 PM Regal Cinemas 1
Blaine stumbles upon what might be his perfect match in an online chat room—only to find that he’s been chatting to him under his go-go dancer roommate’s profile…

I Love You Phillip Morris (USA/France) 100 minutes
Thursday, January 14, 7:30 PM Camelot Theatres 1
Friday, January 15, 1:30 PM Camelot Theatres 1
Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor are madly in love in this deliriously daring and hilariously entertaining story of a con man (Carrey) continually breaking out of jail to be with his man (McGregor).

La Mission (USA) 118 minutes
Thursday, January 14, 4:00 PM Annenberg Theater
Friday, January 15, 1:00 PM Annenberg Theater
Peter Bratt’s powerful and moving film is a love letter to the vibrancy and daily struggles of San Francisco’s Mission District.

Mediterranean Food (Spain) 102 minutes
Saturday, January 09, 9:00 AM Annenberg Theater
Monday, January 11, 4:30 PM Camelot Theatres 1
Wednesday, January 13, 12:00 PM Annenberg Theater
A delightful romantic comedy prepared with the finest ingredients: a pure heart, a sexy cast and a lot of delectable haute cuisine.

On These Shoulders We Stand (USA) 75 minutes
Friday, January 08, 4:00 PM Palm Canyon Theatre
Saturday, January 09, 1:30 PM Regal Cinemas 1
A historical account of early gay life and activism in Los Angeles told by the people who lived it. Winner, Outfest Special Programming Award for Freedom.

Paulista (Brazil) 83 minutes (World Premiere)
Friday, January 08. 6:30 PM Palm Canyon Theatre
Saturday, January 09, 10:00 AM Palm Canyon Theatre
The story of three young people in search of love amid the frantic pace of São Paulo.

Plan B (Argentina) 103 minutes (US Premiere)
Tuesday, January 12, 4:00 PM Palm Canyon Theatre
Wednesday, January 13, 10:00 AM Palm Canyon Theatre
When conniving Bruno gets dumped by his girlfriend he decides to win her back by hook or by crook in this clever, witty comedy.

)To Die Like a Man (Portugal/France) 134 minutes
Friday, January 15, 7:30 PM Camelot Theatres 1
Saturday, January 16, 1:30 PM Camelot Theatres 1
Transsexual cabaret star Tonia has it tough. Among all the other drama, her body is rejecting the surgical and hormonal transformations that made her famous.

The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls (New Zealand) 84 minutes (US Premiere)
Thursday, January 14, 7:30 PM Regal Cinemas 5/4
Saturday, January 16, 2:00 PM Regal Cinemas 2/3
Sunday, January 17, 6:30 PM Regal Cinemas 7
Yodeling lesbian twins from New Zealand, Jools and Lynda Topp bring kooky Kiwi sense of humor, political potency and snazzy country music stylings.

Festival Box Offices are located at the Regal Cinemas Palm Springs Stadium 9, 789 Tahquitz Canyon Way or the Camelot Theatres, 2300 E. Baristo Road.

For a complete schedule as well as venue information and to purchase tickets, visit psfilmfest.org or call 800.898.PALM.

Celebrating the New Year...

2010-01-02T09:52:00.000-08:00

The celebration of the New Year is the oldest of all human holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. Around 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon (actually the first visible crescent) after the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring) and lasted for eleven days. In general, it would seem that the beginning of spring is a completely logical time to start a new year. After all, it is the season of rebirth, and of planting new crops

Conversely, January 1st, the day we celebrate the New Year, has no astronomical nor agricultural significance. It is purely arbitrary and more closely associated with the mid-winter celebrations of ancient Northern European tribes.

Traditional Foods for New Year’s Day (at least as far as we're concerned)....

Cooked Greens: Cooked greens, including cabbage, collards, kale, and chard,
are consumed at New Year's in different countries for a simple reason — their green leaves look like folded money, and are thus symbolic of economic fortune. It's widely believed that the more greens one eats the larger one's fortune next year.

New Year's Day 2010, we had mustard greens and spicy swiss chard (homegrown)

Legumes (Black-eyed peas, red beans and navy beans in this case): Legumes including beans, peas, and lentils are also symbolic of money. Their small, seed-like appearance resembles coins that swell when cooked so they are consumed with financial rewards in mind.

In the Southern United States (where I grew up), it's traditional to eat black-eyed peas or cowpeas in a dish called hoppin' john (which means served over rice and topped with chopped green onions).

New Year's Day 2010, we had barbecued black-eyed peas partnered with red beans and navy (white) beans.

Pork: The custom of eating pork on New Year's is based on the idea that pigs symbolize progress. The animal pushes forward, rooting itself in the ground before moving. Roast suckling pig is served for New Year's in Cuba, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, and Austria.

Pork is also consumed in the United States, where thanks to its rich fat content, it signifies wealth and prosperity. New Year's Day 2010, we had roast pork, cooked with a combination of onion, beef and chicken stock.

Rice: A traditional good luck food in Asian Cultures, rice is on our menu today purely as an accompaniment to the legumes. Still, we can give it an “unofficial” nod as a good luck food for New Year’s Day celebrations, due to its significance as a top food source throughout the world.

Painting the Triangle Inn Palm Springs...

2009-12-27T18:27:00.000-08:00

We have been fortunate since we've owned the Triangle Inn to have several folks either photograph it or paint it, so when one painter from Stuttgart shared his interpretation of the Inn with us we decided to share it with all our friends.

The artist is Heinz Stoewer. Heinz spent much of his life as a successful lawyer and banker in Germany, but he decided in his forties to explore his artistic side. So he boldly quit his corporate job and studied painting at two art academies in Germany. Since that time, Heinz has worked successfully as an artist with solo exhibitions all over Germany.

The source and basis of Heinz' work is nature in all aspects; from a small piece of stone to large vistas. Inspired by his travels to the American Southwest, he has concentrated on scenes and images from this environment. The resulting paintings are very personal impressions and choices of what Heinz finds during his travels.

The Triangle Inn painting is part of a series that started with more abstract impressions of canyons and deserts and has now expanded to focus on the conflict between nature and civilization in the harsh desert environment, including midcentury architecture and design in the Coachella Valley.

Heinz' paintings are photorealistic with some impressionistic and abstracted elements. They are all done in acrylic on canvas in medium to larger sizes.

HOLIDAZE 2009 - Friends, Food and Fun!

2009-12-26T18:04:00.000-08:00

The Holidays this year were great fun here at the Inn (as was the entire month of December - we had a GREAT Yoga Retreat, and a Big Birthday Party), plus Thanksgiving and Christmas!

For Thanksgiving, it was all about the bird(s), with three turkey breasts; each done in its own theme, and each with its own set of side items to match. I love to cook but had never done just Turkey Breasts before (both because I like the dark meat and because I'd always worried that they'd be dry), but I have to say that these turned out great!

I did a Cajun Turkey (a recurring theme this year...) with Sausage, a Savory Turkey with Fresh Sage, Apples and Onions, and an Orange Rosemary Turkey (one of my favorites) - a variation of a favorite Gourmet Magazine recipe. The turkeys came out so pretty I almost (that's right - almost) did not want to cut into them.

Thanksgiving dinner was not as busy as it's been some years because lots of folks did not arrive until Thanksgiving Day, but it was still festive and lots of fun.

After dinner, the tryptophan kicked in but not so much that it kept everybody from going out to explore the bar scene here in Palm Springs. (Some of them even got "caught" by one of our local bar rags - I have the pictures to prove it - and I have to say the guys were feeling no pain when that particular photo was taken! :)

David has been decorating for Christmas since Thanksgiving week (and has not stopped n the interim). I think we have used more lights and more decorations this year than we have ever have (not that there is a shortage of decorations in storage). It looks great - even David's "art" tree.

I did the Christmas tree (my decorating contribution) in turquoise and silver - new colors (inspired by a package of ornaments I saw at Target - lol!). The tree turned out just great (Even though Stephen and David kidded me about the tree topper I got - they said it was a dunce hat).

For our Christmas meal this year, we decided to have sort of a split Lunch/Dinner so we could enjoy the sunshine out by the pool. I always like to include a Honeybaked Ham for Christmas (but still managed to also serve a Cajun Turkey - this time the whole turkey - not one, though, that I had to make from scratch, thank you Honeybaked!).

I confess that I got a bit carried away with the side items this year - braised Brussels Sprouts and Carrots with Bacon Drippings and Kumquats, Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic and Gorgonzola Cheese, Dirty Rice, Corn and Black Beans, Baked yams and Sourdough Biscuits - but it was all good (even if I had so many choices I could barely get a spoonful of each onto my plate).

Alan and Michael brought Broccoli casserole, Robert Lundy brought his Cherry Cranberry dish, and Bryan brought eighteen kinds of Christmas Cookies, plus a homemade Lemon pie, a homemade Cherry pie, and homemade vanilla ice cream.

Trust me, none of this is low fat. I will be paying for it on the stairmaster for months but it's worth it! Add to that a birthday cake for Charlie House and Alan Drucker and you can see why everyone needed a nap after dinner!

Palm Springs Festival Of Lights Parade

2009-12-13T12:56:00.000-08:00

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

The Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade started on December 5, 1992 and has become a favorite Palm Springs Holiday Tradition. It is always held on the first Saturday in December (which usually coincides with the Annual Tamale Festival in Indio).

The Festival of Lights Parade was the vision of a small group of community members who wanted to offer the community an event that would allow everyone to enjoy the holiday season. Many of those individuals are still involved with the parades’ production.

Every year the parade grows bigger and better. When it started, there were approximately 12,000 spectators and only 32 entries - mostly lighted automobiles and marching groups.

Now the parade attracts well over 80,000 spectators and hosts over 100 entries of all types. Fabulously lighted floats, big rigs, equestrians, bands, autos, and celebrities now entertain crowds of spectators from all over Southern California. You will also find visitors from around the world enjoying the Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade.

The 2009 Parade Title Sponsor is The City of Palm Springs, and the Presenting Sponsor is the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

Naked Yoga Retreat coming to the Triangle Inn Palm Springs in December

2009-11-23T18:44:00.000-08:00

In just a few weeks, we'll be hosting our December Naked Yoga retreat, and we're really excited to be featuring two incredible yoga instructors from San Diego (in addition to our own local favorite - Scott Sarber).

Our longtime friend Peter Smith joins fellow San Diegan, Paul Tucci for some incredible yoga classes that will help take the stress out of the Holidays!

Peter Smith has practiced yoga for 9 years and taught for 5. His classes consist of hatha yoga asanas and focus on alignment. In addition, Peter adds intention to the asana practice so that students develop sensitivity and a discriminating body mind awareness. His classes are good for beginners and more advanced students!

Paul Tucci, Hatha Yoga Teacher, has been doing yoga for 10 years and has studied yoga with both Ana Forrest (Seattle) and Eric Schiffman (LA). What brought him to yoga was his curiosity. What kept him there was the path of healing his body & mind. Years of back pain receded as he learned the yoga poses. He brings this compassion to both the new and experienced students, as well as the students with injuries. He currently teaches for FIT-X, the SD Yoga Loft, The La Jolla Sporting Club, and is the director for the SD Men's Naked Group in San Diego.

Scott Sarber teaches yoga in Palm Springs, and has a regular weekly class at the Triangle Inn Palm Springs on Saturday mornings. His yoga influences include Kundalini, Iyengar, Ashtanga and Anusara. He says his Greatest Teacher has been his beautiful, compassionate daughter, Jacquelyn. Scott is a devotee of AMMA, and is Yoga Alliance Registered. He is also a AFAA Certified Personal Trainer and AFAA Trained Spin Instructor.

Event Details are as follows:

Dates: December 11-13, 2009

Location: Triangle Inn Palm Springs

Cost: Special rates are available. Call for details and to book your reservation.

THREE NIGHT PACKAGE:
Three nights lodging (Fri., Sat., Sun.)
Six yoga classes (a la carte - sign up on arrival), plus individual instruction as available
Breakfast

Lunch (optional add-on)
Social hour

TWO NIGHT PACKAGE:
Two nights lodging (Fri., Sat. or Sat., Sun.)
Four yoga classes (a la carte - sign up on arrival), plus individual instruction as available;
Breakfast

Lunch (optional add-on)
Social hour

Reservations and information:

800-732-7555 or 760-322-7993

2009 Nearly (OK, mostly) Naked Halloween Party!

2009-11-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

This year's Nearly Naked Halloween Party ended up being mostly naked (which suited everybody just fine!). Mark, Dan, Stephen, David and I shopped, decorated, and costumed ourselves into oblivion but the result was a FABULOUS Party! Lots of fun and lots of great guys.

It was really great (for me) to get to meet some local guys. Stephen and I tend to get tied to the hotel sometimes, and often miss out on the locals scene. What a blast, though. Dan set up a Crime Scene with Yellow Caution Tape and Mark marked out bodies (and body parts) with black tape on the pavement. The rest was a combination of skulls, jack-o-lanterns and everything else Halloween.

We were all also quite happy that this year the weather worked in our favor ad gave us a nice warm (ish) night. Last time we had a Nearly Naked Halloween Party we all just about froze to death (and trust me, naked men and cold weather do not make for good eye candy - can you say turtle?). :)

One of the very best parts of the night was the Shadow Dancing. Dan brought over his set-up (from his Birthday Party). It was really fun (to be a viewer - I left the dancing to the folks (like Andy, Jallen and more) who were good at it.

I have to say it would be an excellent TING event (HINT. HINT.) for Spring TING 2010. Michael and Clyde got a bit of it on their iPhone so hopefully they will send it to me and I can post it.

Pictures (the ones I took) are up on the Triangle Inn Social Network. If anybody eldse took some, feel free to post them!

Best,
Michael

PS - Next week is PRIDE, then there's LEATHER PRIDE, then Perry is visiting, and then it's Thanksgiving! Did I mention that last night was NEARLY a full moon? :)

Autumn Dilemmas in Southern California - or - What to wear to a Nearly Naked Halloween Party...

2009-10-25T13:50:00.000-07:00

Autumn has arrived in Southern California! I know this because the nighttime temperatures have dropped below 75 degrees, the gardeners are scalping the lawns in order to plant Winter Rye, the Farmers' Market is open again, and election signs are sprouting up everywhere.

There are other things. Stores are putting out long sleeved shirts and sweaters, Home Depot has started clearing space for their Christmas display (even before Halloween, mind you), and all the restaurants are changing their menus to include things like Winter Squash Soup, Roasted Pumpkin Souffle, and Sauteed Leeks.

Without true Autumn weather, SoCal has to signal the change of seasons as best it can. And for those of us who moved here expressly FOR the warm, wonderful and mostly unchangeable weather, those are exactly the sorts of signals we like to see. When everyone else is starting to look for snow flurries, we're wondering if we should start heating the pool. While everyone else is worried about the next big Hurricane, we're planting our Fall Gardens. All in all, Autumn (and Winter, for that matter), is a strange and wonderful thing.

Here at the Inn, we're preparing for Autumn pretty much the same way everyone else is. We've got beans, potatoes, tomotoes, carrots, beets and eggplants growing in the garden, the fig tree is loaded down with figs, and the fruit on all the citrus trees is ripening. We're also getting ready for the Autumn holidays - Halloween, Greater Palm Springs PRIDE, Leather PRIDE, and Thanksgiving. It's one special event right after another, starting with our Nearly Naked Halloween Party.

This year, Halloween falls on a Saturday, the party is taking place on Halloween itself. Our friends Dan and Mark are co-hosting it with us and our friend Geno is coming over to do a (naked) book signing an hour before we start the party. Geno's just published his first novel, and the fact that the book signing is particularly appropriate, given that it's about a naked dick (errr., detective), and because Geno's an avid naturist. The book signing commences at 7pm, and the party starts at 8pm.

There's only one problem I'm struggling with at the moment - what to wear, or, more specifically, what to wear to a nearly naked Halloween Party? Now don't get me wrong. There have been years when we've hosted this party that I had no trouble deciding what to wear. But this year, for some reason, I'm just having what, in any other situation, might be described as writers' block.

Suggestions? Photos to share from your own exploits at similar events? I could use the input and/or the inspiration.... Email me.

Best,
Michael
Triangle Inn Palm Springs

My Takes from the MegaMuscle Photo Expo

2009-10-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share some of my shots from the Mega Muscle Photo Expo we hosted this past weekend at the Inn. I should probably call them outtakes because all the photos the photographers took are so amazing, but some of mine actually turned out pretty good considering that they were behind the scenes candids taken with my ever-dependable (as long as I remember to charge the battery) Canon Powershot SD550.

I have to say that the weekend was absolutely amazing. Brian, Kenny, Anthony, Jason, and everyone else on the MegaMuscle team are absolute sweethearts, the models were great fun as well, and gracious to us as well as to the guests, and, of course, my buds Tal and Ron from Sweat UnderGear were fun as well.

I'd have to say that a good time was had by all, especially the photographers who came to the expo to shoot. I cannot wait to see some of their work, having watched their set-ups. We had incredible weather all weekend - perfect Palm Springs sunshine, blue skies and warm but not too hot temperatures.

Sunday was especially fun around the Inn because the photographers were shooting here and at our house next door. There were definitely plenty of reasons for (Canadian) Thanksgiving around the pool, as everyone who was here will gladly attest.

Handsome Lucas gave our friend Gage a copy of the Playgirl that has him on the cover. He's also on the inside in a scorching photoshoot that's part of the annual 2007 calendar.

Brian was also a hoot. Even though he shared stories of all his exploits with the ladies he was completely comfortable hanging out with all the guys and had as much fun as everybody else.

Eric was also a favorite and quite a cut-up. He definitely gets the "Best All-Around Bud" Award.

Then again, all the guys were great. Not a one that wasn't fun, friendly and professional.

I only have one question. When can we do it again? ;)

Michael
Triangle Inn Palm Springs

2009-10-14T17:43:00.001-07:00

Clothing Optional YOGA for men.

2009-10-05T13:26:00.000-07:00

We've got YOGA on our minds. We're working with nationally known yoga practitioners to put together monthly YOGA get-aways (three nights, breakfast, lunch, and two yoga classes a day).

We've got a variety of visiting instructors as well as our regular instructor Scott Sarber (Sat. AM class). Call or email for more information.

Mega Muscle Photo Expo

2009-09-05T11:21:00.000-07:00

Join Us at the Triangle Inn Palm Springs
during the Mega Muscle Palm Springs Photo Expo!

It’s being produced by Mega Muscle, and sponsors include Tom Bianchi, SWEAT Undergear, Kiehl’s, 7post, Gold’s Gym and us!

That’s right! We’re proud to be a sponsor of the Mega Muscle Palm Springs Photo Expo, and we’re looking forward to welcoming them to Palm Springs!

Here are the details, and some background:

The Mega Muscle Palm Springs Photo Expo
October 9th, 10th and 11th, 2009
Palm Springs, CA

The Mega Muscle Photography Events launched to allow photographers of all levels to work with the top models of Mega Muscle and creative forces who guide the company's direction. One of the unique opportunities in attending these events is the chance to shoot in different cities with all of the logistical details handled for you. Mega Muscle has produced hugely successful events in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, Colorado and Vancouver and now we are relaunching our events and heading to...PALM SPRINGS!

Join us on October 9th for a very special cocktail reception in honor of the Mega Muscle Photography Expo hosted by world renowned fine art photographer Tom Bianchi! Mr. Bianchi is inviting all of the models and participating photographers to his home for a chance for everyone to get to know each other prior to the weekend's events. Then get ready to shoot in one of the most photogenic cities in all of the U.S. From outstanding architecture to the stunning natural landscapes, the only thing that could make this photo experience better is of course - the men of Mega Muscle!

Want to know more? Visit www.mega-muscle.net and check out the Events section!

Sponsors

Mega Muscle would like to give special thanks to our sponsors and partners. Their involvement in supporting the Mega Muscle Photography Expo in Palm Springs is invaluable.

A very SPECIAL THANKS to photographer Tom Bianchi who is hosting the Mega Muscle opening night reception for all photographers, models and crew who will be participating at the Mega Muscle Photography Expo in Palm Springs. He is a legend in the industry and we are honored by his generosity. For more informationon Tom Bianchi and his work, please visit his official site at www.tombianchi.com.

Sweat Under Gear is the official underwear sponsor for the Mega Muscle Photography Expo in Palm Springs, CA. Not only does Sweat generously outfit all of our models in their fantastic product but they are providing all attendees with a generous package that includes several pairs of their underwear for our Expo participants to take with them to use in their future projects. For more information, please visit www.sweatundergear.com.

Mega Muscle is proud to include Kiehl's as an official sponsor. We only use Kiehl's hair products for our models and their entire line of skin and body care is without equal. Kiehl's products are made from the finest ingredients on earth. For more information, please visit www.kiehls.com.

Amazed by those fantastic video images captured at the Mega Muscle events? They are the work of 7post productions, a videography and editing company based in Los Angeles. To see the versatility offered you by 7post, visit www.7post.us.

Mega Muscle is happy to include Gold's gym among our key partners. Gold's Gym not only serves as the location for most of our fitness videos, but also serves as our primary fitness location when we have expos or workshops in the U.S. To locate a Gold's Gym near you, visit www.goldsgym.com

Calling All Dollys!

2009-09-04T13:14:00.000-07:00

Cinema Diverse To Host Dolly Parton Look-Alike Contest.

Ladies (and gentlemen), do you look like Dolly Parton? Do you want to? Now you can (and you can win a prize for doing it)!

If it’s always been your dream to look like Dolly Parton (even for one night), or if you’re just looking for an interesting way to spend the evening (and maybe win a prize or two), then pull out your best Dolly gown, don your biggest and blondest Dolly wig, and get yourself over to the September 17th screening of THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS at the Camelot Theatres.

We’re holding a Dolly Look-Alike Contest to celebrate our revival screening of the film. There are two divisions (one for men and one for women), and there will be a first place $200 cash prize for each division (along with some really great second and third place prizes)! There’s also a $100 cash prize for audience favorite, so bring your friends!

It’s that easy. Just come to the screening, sign in, walk the catwalk, introduce yourself to the audience and tell them why you should win, then relax and enjoy the movie. Afterward, head over to the Hotel Zoso for our Dolly Party where our Hostess and Emcee Bella Da Ball, along with our Celebrity Judges, will announce the winners winners, and prizes will be awarded.

For tickets and information about the screening of THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, and for information about the Dolly Parton Look-Alike Contest, visit www.cinemadiverse.org.

Tickets are available for purchase at the Camelot Theatres Box Office, 2300 E. Baristo Road, Palm Springs, CA, 92262, or by calling 760-325-6565.

Cinema Diverse To Screen BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, On Thursday, September 17th. Also don’t miss the DOLLY PARTON Look-Alike Contest!

2009-09-04T13:12:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, September 17th, Cinema Diverse, the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival • Palm Springs, will host a revival screening of the perennial favorite, BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, and Dolly Parton Look-Alike Contest. This is the last in the new three-part September Screening Series (the Festival opens the following Thursday, September 24th), and promises to be a fun-filled (and raucous) evening!

BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, starring Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton, was an instant audience favorite when it first came out; at one point, almost reaching cult status with movie-goers and Dolly fans alike. And now it’s back on the big screen at the Camelot. Come and enjoy the movie the way it was meant to be watched, and take a gander at all the Dollys that will be in attendance vying for audience favorite!

For tickets and information about the screening of THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, and for information about the Dolly Parton Look-alike Contest, visit www.cinemadiverse.org.

Tickets are available for purchase at the Camelot Theatres Box Office, 2300 E. Baristo Road, Palm Springs, CA, 92262, or by calling 760-325-6565.

Cinema Diverse To Screen Madcap Comedy, THE RITZ, On Thursday, September 3rd.

2009-08-27T16:21:00.000-07:00

Cinema Diverse - the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival • Palm Springs To Screen Madcap Comedy, THE RITZ, On Thursday, September 3rd.

Actress KAYE BALLARD to host VIP Reception.

On Thursday, September 3rd, Cinema Diverse, the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival • Palm Springs, will launch its new September Screening Series with a revival screening of the madcap comedy, THE RITZ. Local favorite Actress Kaye Ballard, who starred in the film, is scheduled to host a VIP Reception in advance of the screening, and provide an introduction the film, along with some great quips and anecdotes. “You know it was the first time a woman used the “F” word in a major motion picture,” Ballard laughs, “And of course I was the one who said it.”

Tony Award Winner Terrence McNally (LOVE! VALOUR! COMPASSION!, MASTER CLASS) adapted his Broadway hit farce, THE RITZ, to spicy screen life with many of the show's zany original cast members: Jack Weston, Jerry Stiller, Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham (AMADEUS) as a screaming queen to end all screaming queens, a young and buff Treat Williams, and the legendary Rita Moreno (WEST SIDE STORY). Moreno, who will be appearing live at the Palm Springs Art Museum's Annenberg Theater this coming November, reprised her Tony Award winning performance in the movie version of THE RITZ as the clueless Googie Gomez, a supremely aggressive but hopelessly untalented Latina who sees her potential stardom rising out of the attention she receives by performing in a New York City gay bathhouse called THE RITZ!

Acclaimed director Richard Lester (A HARD DAY'S NIGHT, PETULIA) directed the film version of THE RITZ, and served up an exercise in manic mayhem based on the story of a Cleveland sanitation company owner who is "married to the mob,”and inadvertently crosses his gangster brother-in-law. To avoid his brother-in-law’s hitmen, he “hides” in the "safest place in the world" - a gay bathhouse. So turn up the steam heat, break out the bath towels, check into THE RITZ and get ready for a true laugh riot!

For tickets and information about the screening of THE RITZ,
and the Special VIP Reception with KAYE BALLARD, visit www.cinemadiverse.org.

Tickets are available for purchase at the Camelot Theatres Box Office, 2300 E. Baristo Road, Palm Springs, CA, 92262, or by calling 760-325-6565.

News from the Triangle Inn Palm Springs

2009-08-24T14:27:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for LABOR DAY?

We still have a couple of rooms left for our annual Holiday Celebration,
and we’re planning a North Carolina Style Pulled Pork Barbecue
on Sunday, September 6th.

If you haven’t made plans yet, why not join us!

Give us a call at 800-732-7555,

or email us at triangleinnps@earthlink.net

_____

Speaking of visiting Palm Springs,
ten airlines already offer year-round service to the Palm Springs International Airport from the following cities:
Bellingham, WA; Calgary, AB; Dallas/Fort Worth, TX;
Denver, CO; Edmonton, AB; Las Vegas, NV; Los Angeles, CA;
Minneapolis / St. Paul, MN; O'Hare / Chicago, IL; Phoenix, AZ;
Portland, OR; Sacramento, CA;
Salt Lake City, UT; San Francisco, CA;
Seattle, WA and Vancouver, BC.

AND, starting this year,
we’ll also have additional flights
and/or extended service to and from:
Seattle/Tacoma service (Alaska Airlines) - Daily, starting Aug. 23;
Chicago service (American Airlines) - Daily, starting Aug. 25;
a 3rd Dallas/Ft. Worth (American Airlines) flight, starting Aug. 25;
Increased San Francisco service (United Airlines), starting Sep. 2;
Calgary, Alberta Canada service (WestJet), starting Sep. 8;
Increased Bellingham service (Allegiant), starting Sep. 22
and Phoenix – More Jets (US Airways) NOW!

_____

September Events:

Cinema Diverse September Screening Series

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
THE RITZ
6pm - 7pm VIP Reception with KAYE BALLARD
7:30pm SCREENING

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
WAITING FOR GUFFMAN
7:30pm SCREENING

WAITING FOR GUFFMAN (Christopher Guest, 1997, USA, 84 Minutes)

"A madcap gem. As touching as it is hilarious." -- Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS
7:30pm SCREENING & DOLLY PARTON LOOK-ALIKE CONTEST
9pm After Party

THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS (Collin Higgins, 1982, USA, 114 Minutes)

Texas has a whorehouse in it?

Cinema Diverse: The 2009 Gay and Lesbian Film Festival • Palm Springs

2009 Film Festival Schedule

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

6:00pm THE NAKED CIVIL SERVANT (78 Minutes)
THE NAKED CIVIL SERVANT (Jack Gold, 1975, UK, 78 Minutes)

"Never keep up with the Joneses. Drag them down to your level. It's cheaper" -- Quentin Crisp

THE NAKED CIVIL SERVANT created a furor in 1975 when it premiered on PBS in North America with both viewers and sponsors threatening to yank their support. It was a film ahead of its time about a man even more ahead of his time. Despite the uproar, the film remained on the air and garnered strong critical acclaim, Emmy Award nominations and a Best Actor British Television Academy Award for John Hurt's extraordinary performance.

7:20pm -- 10-15 Minute Intermission

7:30pm AN ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK (74 Minutes)
AN ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK, DIRECTOR: Richard Laxton

Outspoken, outlandish and utterly unwilling to conform, legendary Quentin Crisp’s tale is the tale of homosexuality in the 20th century. Commonly accepted as the first “out” man in Britain, Crisp’s 1968 biography inspired the 1975 award-winning TV film The Naked Civil Servant, starring John Hurt. But when it comes to the flamboyant performer and king of social commentary, one film could never have been sufficient.
An Englishman in New York (starring Hurt in a reprisal of the role) chronicles the latter third of the icon’s life. Where The Naked Civil Servant was about Quentin’s going against the heterosexual grain in the UK, Englishman is the converse, a moving tale about a man who still refuses to follow the rules, even within the budding gay culture of the 1970s and ’80s in New York.

8:50pm Exit Theatre
9:00pm After Party

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

1:30PM PATRIK, AGE 1.5
PATRIK, AGE 1.5 (Sweden, 2008, 100 minutes, Dir. Ella Lemhagen) Delightful comedy of errors about two gay dads whose dream of starting a family turns into a nightmare when a mistake is made and their adoption of a cute little "baby boy" arrives in the form of an embittered homophobic 15-year-old juvenile delinquent named Patrik.

4:30PM GIVE ME YOUR HAND
GIVE ME YOUR HAND (France, 2009, 80 Minutes, Dir. Pascal-Alex Vincent) Startlingly original, sexy and often times obscure tale of twin brothers (Alexandre Carril and Victor Carril) who experience a severe onslaught of sibling rivalry and the emergence of their repressed sexual egos while on the road from France to Spain to attend their mother's funeral.

7:30PM PORNOGRAPHY: A THRILLER
PORNOGRAPHY: A THRILLER (USA, 2009, 113 Minutes, Dir. David Kittredge) Trippy, psychological creep-show about a gay porn star who mysteriously vanished after deciding to leave the business at the height of his fame in 1995 and a young New York writer who becomes obsessed with investigating the circumstances of the model's strange disappearance some 14 years later.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

9:30AM OUT OF THE BLUE
OUT OF THE BLUE (France, 2007, 95 Minutes, Dir. Alain Tasma) Endearing, beautifully acted, DESERT HEARTS inspired tale of a middle-aged mother and wife (the lovely Mireille Perrier) who leaves her husband only to find an unrealized inner life when she encounters a beautiful, independent, free spirit dancer named Claude (Rachida Brakni).

1:30PM A PLACE TO LIVE: THE STORY OF TRIANGLE SQUARE (Centerpiece Documentary Film)
A PLACE TO LIVE: THE STORY OF TRIANGLE SQUARE (USA, 2008, 84 Minutes, Dir. Carolyn Coal) -- DOCUMENTARY CENTERPIECE FILM Outrageously entertaining, inspiring and highly moving documentary which chronicles the journey of seven brave individuals as they attempt to secure a home in Triangle Square, Hollywood, the nation's first affordable housing project for LGBT seniors. "Best Documentary Award Winner" at Los Angeles's OUTFEST.

4:30PM RIVERS WASH OVER ME (Centerpiece Dramatic Film)
RIVERS WASH OVER ME (USA, 2009, 89 Minutes, Dir. John G. Young) -- DRAMATIC CENTERPIECE FILM Emotionally rigorous, brave account of an intelligent 15-year-old who is forced to relocate from New York City to live with his extended family in rural North Carolina where he chooses to continue to live an open life in a community where sexual, racial and class conflicts rage.

7:30PM LUCKY BASTARD
LUCKY BASTARD (USA, 2009, 95 Minutes, Dir. Everett Lewis) Dark, highly provocative noir tale of a young architect whose carefully designed life spirals out of control after he is picked up by a gorgeous hustler. This twisted, complex, highly sexual come-on of a film is the latest creation from Sundance Prize winning director Everett Lewis (NATURAL HISTORY OF PARKING LOTS, SKIN AND BONE, LUSTER.)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

1:30PM DROOL
DROOL (USA, 2009, 86 Minutes, Dir. Nancy Kissam) A deadpan Southern family gets a radical makeover when a colorful, free-spirit, Kathy K. Cosmetics saleswoman enters their gothic world to liberate some, inspire others and teach all the glories of purple eye shadow. Gorgeous Laura Harring (David Lynch’s MULHOLLAND DRIVE) and sexy Jill Marie Jones (TV’s "Girlfriends") star.

4:30PM THE BUTCH FACTOR
THE BUTCH FACTOR (USA, 2009, 88 Minutes, Dir. Christopher Hines) -- SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PREMIERE! Fast paced and revealing documentary which investigates the complex and intertwining nature of masculinity and homosexuality from the point of view a cross-section of jocks, queens, clones, Bears and gym rats who open up a healthy (and hot) discussion of what it means to be gay and a man.

7:30PM HOLLYWOOD, JE T'AIME
HOLLYWOOD, JE T'AIME (USA, 2009, 95 Minutes, Dir. Jason Bushman) CLOSING NIGHT PRESENTATION Delightful, charming and hugely entertaining laugh riot about a romantic Frenchman who, when burned by love, escapes the gorgeous black and white reality of his cherished Paris for the strange neon glare of the City of Angeles. A sweet, surprising, fish-out-of-water story that ultimately becomes one of the funniest satires of the absurdities of the low-level Hollywood showbiz world ever! Adorable Eric Debets and handsome gay icon Chad Lowe (SAVE ME, 2008 Cinema Diverse Closing Night Film) star. From the makers of KISSING JESSICA STEIN.

2009-08-06T16:22:00.000-07:00

Recently, Stephen and I were invited to participate in www.142days.com - a website and a project designed to give faces to the fight for marriage equality in California. As you know, for 142 days in 2008, gay men and lesbians were allowed to marry in California. That right was granted by the California Supreme Court, effective June 16th, 2008. In November of the same year, gay men and lesbians lost the right to marry after a highly contested and bitter campaign (Prop 8).

We consider ourselves fortunate to have been married during the time the State of California recognized gay marriages, and fortunate that (at least for now), our marriage continues to be valid and legal. But we are sad for the many other couples who were not able to get married duing those 142 days, and now cannot enjoy the same legal status we enjoy.

That's ultimately why we decided to join the 142 days project. The photo at left is from our photo shoot with Bela Dornan, the photographer who created the site. You can find out more about www.142days.com at the website, and more about the photographer at www.sdfaceplace.com

We hope you'll join us in our request for fair and equal rights for all, both at the State level, and at the Federal level. It's time for prejudice and discrimination based on sexual orientation to become a thing of the past, and for equal rights to be granted to all couples wishing to be married.

Alaska Airlines Special

2009-07-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

Hello all -

Stephen and I are thrilled to announce that Alaska Airlines has created a special discount offer for travel to and from Palm Springs! That means you can make last minute plans to come down to see us at the Triangle Inn Palm Springs, AND get a great deal on the airfare from Alaska Airlines!

The Program is part of the Palm Springs Summer Splash Promotion, so you have to book reservations by August 7, 2009, and complete your travel travel by September 30, 2009.

It has a Special Discount Code (EC5050) that you have to use, but it will get you a 10% discount on Alaska Airline's or Horizon Air's award winning service to and from Palm Springs.

Find out more about the program by visiting www.alaskaair.com/gaytravel.

We hope you’ll take advantage of this GREAT Summer Offer. And don’t forget, you’ll also be able to take advantage of our GREAT Summer Offer here at the Triangle Inn Palm Springs. You can find out more about our Summer Offer at www.triangle-inn.com/summer.htm

Between the savings on airfare and your hotel stay, it makes for one great getaway.

Best,
Michael & Stephen

2008-11-28T16:33:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the

Triangle Inn Palm Springs,
and to our blog.

We’re glad you dropped by, and happy to welcome you to this virtual version of our award winning gay men’s resort in sunny Palm Springs, California.

We are proud to offer gay male travelers a private and safe space to relax, unwind and discover the freedom of clothing optional living within our private walled compound.

Take a walk through our gardens, go for a swim in the pool, relax in the jacuzzi, or soak up some sun! That, and much more, is waiting for you here at the Triangle Inn Palm Springs. So take a look around. We hope that after you do, you’ll decide to join us. We'd be honored to be your hosts!

The Triangle Inn Palm Springs.
Make Friends. Maybe More.