Palms Springs 411

[+ Reisr30]

I’m getting sick and tired of winters in NY. Is Palms Springs a good place to live? Tend to be more of a low key single guy (outgrown the bar scene and definitely not into partying) but not yet on my death bed or a hermit. Would love to hear what people think...

[+ Reisr30]

I’m getting sick and tired of winters in NY. Is Palms Springs a good place to live? Tend to be more of a low key single guy (outgrown the bar scene and definitely not into partying) but not yet on my death bed or a hermit. Would love to hear what people think...

[+ azdr0710]

several forum members live in, or are very familiar with, the Palm Springs/Coachella Valley area and I hope they chime in......

 

since I was a tiny kid, I've been in the area periodically to visit family friends and, more recently, to attend the forum weekends.....though I know I'm on vacation and that skews things, the vibe I feel there is always very relaxed and comfortable.....there is a tiny bit of a snobby/chichi tone that creeps in to some of the touristy "boutiques" of downtown Palm Springs itself and you'll see the occasional Bentley roll by with a well-tanned, gray-haired guy at the wheel.....but there are regular joints cheek-by-jowl with those boutiques in downtown PS that tone down that attitude and I never feel like it's a snob-haven at all.....an important thing to keep in mind is that the entire region, the Coachella Valley, has a very wide variety of economic levels and housing that keep it, even Palm Springs itself, from being an exclusive "enclave" like Palm Beach or Beverly Hills.....several immediately adjoining "other desert cities", Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, and La Quinta, have excellent reps and are home to many more people than Palm Springs itself.....and very well-located Cathedral City offers excellent real estate value, relatively....seems to be a healthy mix of various ethnic backgrounds, though there is the not-unexpected economic segregation......except during major events (at which outsiders predominate) like Indian Wells, the White Party, and the many music festivals, the local vibe is laid-back and easy-going......locals go to work, retirees hit the golf or tennis, and all enjoy the weather......quiet summer, though certainly very warm and bright, is manageable because of the low humidity

 

even outside Palm Springs proper, the gay scene is relatively pervasive, very low-key, and seems entirely accepted and normal (my observation)....there is no "gayborhood", but, rather, the entire area is it, it seems.....but this vibe may ebb and flow with the seasons and with the appearance of visitors to the various events and I wouldn't flaunt a boa and hold hands out at the Pilot truckstop on nearby I-10 or in downtown Indio

 

http://millerworks.weebly.com/uploads/8/0/3/3/8033086/3874427.jpg?348

Edited May 29, 2018 by azdr0710

[+ azdr0710]

several forum members live in, or are very familiar with, the Palm Springs/Coachella Valley area and I hope they chime in......

 

since I was a tiny kid, I've been in the area periodically to visit family friends and, more recently, to attend the forum weekends.....though I know I'm on vacation and that skews things, the vibe I feel there is always very relaxed and comfortable.....there is a tiny bit of a snobby/chichi tone that creeps in to some of the touristy "boutiques" of downtown Palm Springs itself and you'll see the occasional Bentley roll by with a well-tanned, gray-haired guy at the wheel.....but there are regular joints cheek-by-jowl with those boutiques in downtown PS that tone down that attitude and I never feel like it's a snob-haven at all.....an important thing to keep in mind is that the entire region, the Coachella Valley, has a very wide variety of economic levels and housing that keep it, even Palm Springs itself, from being an exclusive "enclave" like Palm Beach or Beverly Hills.....several immediately adjoining "other desert cities", Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, and La Quinta, have excellent reps and are home to many more people than Palm Springs itself.....and very well-located Cathedral City offers excellent real estate value, relatively....seems to be a healthy mix of various ethnic backgrounds, though there is the not-unexpected economic segregation......except during major events (at which outsiders predominate) like Indian Wells, the White Party, and the many music festivals, the local vibe is laid-back and easy-going......locals go to work, retirees hit the golf or tennis, and all enjoy the weather......quiet summer, though certainly very warm and bright, is manageable because of the low humidity

 

even outside Palm Springs proper, the gay scene is relatively pervasive, very low-key, and seems entirely accepted and normal (my observation)....there is no "gayborhood", but, rather, the entire area is it, it seems.....but this vibe may ebb and flow with the seasons and with the appearance of visitors to the various events and I wouldn't flaunt a boa and hold hands out at the Pilot truckstop on nearby I-10 or in downtown Indio

 

http://millerworks.weebly.com/uploads/8/0/3/3/8033086/3874427.jpg?348

Edited May 29, 2018 by azdr0710

[Epigonos]

What I would suggest you do is make a trip out to Palm Springs in early March. That will give you a good idea of what to expect during "the season". I would also recommend that you visit for a few days in late July or early August. That will give you a good idea of what to expect during "the off season"..

I was born and raised in Southern California and I absolutely loathe Palm Springs. I hate desert colors and I hate desert heat. During the heat of summer it is not unusual for the temperature to hit 120. Now some people say that in Palm Springs the heat is dry and thus not as bad as in more humid climates. To my way of thinking that is pure nonsense. I don't care if it is humid or dry at 120 I'm fucking hot and I hate the place.

Our own Oliver probably has the best of all worlds. He arrives in Palm Springs on February 1 and flees the place on May 1. This pattern is quite typical of many mid-western and eastern snow birds.

[+ Charlie]

As always, it depends on your circumstances and tastes. I moved here from the Northeast because I was tired of dealing with snow and ice, and that part of the move worked. But it is not a climatic paradise: the heat can be really oppressive, and it lasts a long time. This year the wind has also been oppressive, like living on the high plains. I like the dry climate, but it can play havoc with your skin and sinuses--I expected to finally get free of my lifelong seasonal allergies, only to discover that I am simply allergic to different things which bloom here. By California standards, PS is a relatively inexpensive place to live, but coming from other parts of the country, you will experience some sticker shock. The Coachella Valley as a whole has many of the amenities of a mid-sized urban area, but it lacks the high culture resources someone from a large city might be accustomed to. When we moved here, we expected to use Los Angeles for things like opera and museums, but we discovered that they are a little too far away and accessible only by car, and we sometimes go for months or even years without ever venturing into the LA area for any purpose. What makes up for it, to me, is the natural beauty of the surroundings (Epigonos and I have very different tastes) and outdoor recreation opportunities.

 

For most of my life, I have been well integrated into the local gay community of the cities I have lived in, but here I am hardly aware of the gay community, because gays are so commonplace, that one hardly sees a gay community distinct from the rest of the community. I find it very refreshing that I never have to explain my relationship with my partner to a salesman or a service provider, because same sex couples are the norm rather than the exception here. There is gay sexual activity here, as there is anywhere, but I couldn't tell you anything about it, because it doesn't impinge on my lifestyle any longer. My impression is that the majority of gays in this area are white, middle class and upper class men, who are older than the average gay male in larger American cities, and many--perhaps most--are in stable domestic relationships, which probably makes it harder for single males to establish themselves in a social circle. It is sort of like living an a good suburb of a Midwestern city, except that the P.T.A. meetings are dominated by gay parents. I would definitely try living here for awhile before committing to live here permanently.

[+ Pensant]

Wasn’t there a big exodus from Laguna to PS about 15 years ago?

[+ Reisr30]

Thank you all. This is great information

[Cord]

I’m getting sick and tired of winters in NY. Is Palms Springs a good place to live? Tend to be more of a low key single guy (outgrown the bar scene and definitely not into partying) but not yet on my death bed or a hermit. Would love to hear what people think...

I’m curious too!! I’m thinking I need to visit PS and check it out! Meet some members who live there, etc!!

[Cord]

Cord Silver