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