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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 1990)
Nightlife gets into full swing around 11 pm and goes until 4 am. Key West has some of the best night-clubbing you can find anywhere ... all part of a friendly and romantic setting. Key West has the advantages of being easily acces sible, and has none of the health hazards and poor communications of many of the Caribbean islands. The weather is ideal year-round and Key West is especially cost effective in the summer. Closer to home are Palm Springs and the Russian River, playgrounds for Los Angeles’ and San Francisco’s lesbians and gays,* respectively. Palm Springs is ideal during the late fall through early spring for most vacation bound tourists. Summer tends to get a little warmer than most like. If, however, you enjoy hot days and cool nights Palm Springs can be very cost effective during the summer months. Activities include sunning, golf, tennis, shopping and sightseeing. A trip to Palm Springs must include the Aerial Tramway to the top of Mount San Jacinto. The temperature variation is astounding and what a way to cool off and see some beautiful sights on a hot summer afternoon. By all means. Palm Springs vacations would not be complete without eating at the world- famous Billy Reeds. This is located at the North end of Palm Springs between Indian Ave. and Palm Canyon. A fair warning —they don’t take reservations so a wait is always in order. They have a nice piano lounge for your entertainment while waiting. This is a restaurant with mixed clientele but is lesbian and gay supportive. El Mirasol Villas is a great place to stay with wonderful hosts. . West Hollywood: Gay urban village A place that loves gays and lesbians and celebrates the fact. The Ramada West (which has a Cher fixation), the Mondrian (very chi-chi), the hen West Hollywood incorporated.in Hyatt and the Sunset Marquis are the plush hotels. If you have got the bucks and would get 1984, it was dubbed “the First gay city.” And until such time as Castro Street, off on hearing Eurythmie snoring through the Greenwich Village or Chicago’s New Town wall, go for it. The best suites approach $300 declare themselves independent cities as well. per day, but smaller rooms with less spectacular West Hollywood will likely remain America's views of the smog can be had for around $100. only gay city. West Hollywood is food-lovers heaven. In Rainbow and lambda flags line the main less than two square miles, the city has street, Santa Monica Boulevard. Gay and squeezed more than 100 restaurants. Some ex lesbian partners are eligible for city-paid health cellent, if expensive, food stops are: the French insurance. The Five-member city council has Quarter (great for breakfast), Hugo’s (breakfast had as many as three gays on it at once. The also), gay-owned La Fabula (muy Mexicans), city publishes a pamphlet on how to avoid the Rose Tatoo (lesbian-owned) and Trumps getting gay-bashed and lists gay bars in every (très Hollywood). guide to local nightlife. Apart from walking, which is a pastime West Hollywood is eager to encourage, other diversions include art galleries, theaters, clubs and bookshops. Galleries showing contemporary art include Margo Leavin, Stuart Regen, Taylor-Gratzer and Earl McGrath. The lesbian-owned Double KK Gallery on La Cienega, just steps over the border into Los Angeles, features “American folk art and vintage design.” Well-known clubs include the Roxy, the Comedy Store, Carlos ‘n Charlies and the Whiskey A Go Go. The futuristic PaciFic Design Center—the pride and joy of West Hollywood—boasts more than three million square feet of interior showrooms. If your tastes are more suited to three million ways to pierce your anatomy, run, don’t For men, West Hollywood is the quintessen walk—to the Gauntlet. But don’t blame us if tial ghetto. From one end of the city to the you blush looking through the sample books. other, a gay bar is never more than two blocks Freshly pierced, you might stroll Sunset Strip away. See any gay guide for details. (just where was number 77?), although the There is only one pure lesbian bar (the natives prefer to careen down it in a Mercedes Palms), but West Hollywood dykes do stalk the 450SL, preferably red. sidewalks. This may be as good as public girl- According to city officials. West Holly cruisin’ gets. wood, in addition to its indigenous charm, is BY REX WOCKNER AND PAT BECHDOLT W centrally situated lor seeing the rest of Southern California. Cruisy boy beaches in Santa Monica and Venice are about a half-hour away by car. Scores more bars are scattered throughout Los . Angeles, along with other gay attractions, such as A Different Light bookstore on Santa Monica in the gay Silver Lake neighborhood. On the general tourism scene, there are, of course, such things as the Universal Studios tour and the ubiquitous pastime of stalking stars. An “urban village” vacation in West Hollywood offers unlimited nightlife, non-stop food, the thrill of hanging out where STARS hang out (with the ever-present possibility that you will rub elbows with Harry Hamlin or Kim Basinger at any second), and the unusual feeling of being extra welcome because you arc gay- City officials estimate that 35 percent of the population is gay or lesbian. It is not quite enough to give heterosexuals a taste of their own medicine but it’s a lot more comfortable than Akron. Now open in Palm Springs. A year round private resort for GENTLEMEN. EL MIRASOL VILLAS A P riva te R eso rt H o tel Discover our magic ... ... 2388 East Racquet Club Road Palm Springs California 92262-2629 619-322-6170 800-73-LEGACY Glorious mountain views, with Pool and Jacuzzi in a discreet, private, beautifully landscaped resort setting. 17 A/C rooms with phones and TV from $75.00 Reservations Required VISA/MC Accepted Clubhouse and mini convention facilities available Ladies welcome at Smoketree Villa - 619-323-2231 why so m any o f our guests return year after year. ( 8 0 0 ) 3 2 7 -2 9 8 5 525 Warm Springs Drive Palm Springs, CA 9 2 2 6 4 (6 1 9 )3 2 7 -5 9 1 3 in CA (Color Brochure Upon R equest) i just out ▼ 2 5 T August 1990
