Plus, does it seem sex could be nearly always on the minds of all gay men there, but especially the eldergays -- or at least the sexually compulsive trying to re-live their youth? Seems it could be too distracting for some or most. Maybe it's mostly the visitors, not so much the residents?
I've never visited, but have researched it, and it seems it's somewhat easy to fall into the drug and party scene. I am not interested in that and never have been. (But I liked cruising and bathhouses in my younger days.) But is the drug and party scene very prevalent, and even sad, amongst the affluent and not so affluent gay men who relocate there? Are most in competition for the rare young guy?
It seems most gay men would have to be wealthy and retired from pretigious jobs in order to fully enjoy living there, whether year round or just in the nice months; is there actually a place for a "basic gay"? And a bear at that? Most are fit and tanned?
I have a Bachelor's degree from a good school but have never had a prestigious career or really any career, just blue-collar and administrative assistant jobs. Would I be a misfit amongst my "fabulous" peers?
I am from the northeast since age 11, and grew up in the midwest briefly before that, but mainly the Boston area as an adult. So, maybe California, whether the cities or Palm Springs, would be too different for me after all of these years?
Thanks for any info, fellow gays!
| by Anonymous | reply 396 | October 10, 2022 8:12 PM |
I live in LA and I've visited PS about 5 times over 30 years for work.
I can't stand it. Even if I had tons of money I wouldn't go there; there's nothing to do. It's boring. It's HOT or it's COLD.
I'm 59 (look younger) but I suppose if I wanted to feel younger I'd go to PS and hang out with guys in their late 70s and 80s.
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | March 28, 2022 5:30 AM |
OP, seems like you're concerned about the wrong things, at age 62.
Where do you live now? Do you pay state tax where you are? California is not cheap.
Did you crunch your numbers? I'd be more worried about being able to afford it. (Sounds like you're more worried about being a basic gay.)
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | March 28, 2022 5:56 AM |
Sedona, Arizona is a much better place to retire, OP.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | March 28, 2022 6:04 AM |
Palm Springs brings in a lot of 1) cliquey LA queens and 2) provincial SF queens (lately).
A good friend has lived there since 2004. He says by the time they get there, most gays drop a lot of the attitudes from home, but not always and not entirely.
Another friend who lived in Rhode Island for an extended period mentioned the "MASShole" phenomenon with Boston gays. Boston is also known for having that provincial SF attitude of sticking to people you've associated with your whole life.
You may be an exception, but if you've never lived in CA, it may be somewhat of a culture shock to you.
Have you considered Puerto Vallarta? It's quite the destination these days. It gets folks from all over, but we've always found an abundance of guys from non-coastal areas that are very approachable and much more down to earth that the coastal queens.
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | April 13, 2022 11:32 PM |
Grow where you’re planted
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | April 13, 2022 11:35 PM |
Plant you own tree, even if it is of those fruit bearers.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | April 13, 2022 11:37 PM |
62 is the new 39. You might just meet an old millionaire. Good luck!
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | April 13, 2022 11:42 PM |
Just bought a home in Rancho Mirage. It's being built. We will move in Sept. I could give a fuck about gay cliques. No interest in superficial gays and/or their substance issues. There are many gays in the community we bought into. I hope they are nice but if not they get to watch my back and ass walk away from them. I have no time or energy for gays with attitudes. Been there done that in LA most of my life. I'm moving out there to escape the unending noise that is LA and to be quiet.
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | April 13, 2022 11:48 PM |
Go live in public housing
| by Anonymous | reply 11 | April 13, 2022 11:49 PM |
4 months per year are beastly hot, even though it's dry desert. If you have a pool and good ac, it's fine. Very clean, laid back, no children and relatively safe. Lots of early bird dinner specials and lots of gay ole entertainment. I enjoyed it the few times I've been.
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | April 13, 2022 11:52 PM |
[quote]Even if I had tons of money I wouldn't go there; there's nothing to do.
Once you reach a certain age, all you want to do is lay out by the pool, enjoy the perfect weather, go for walks, shop and eat at restaurants. If you want more than that, then LA and San Diego are a short drive away. I'd much rather visit LA than actually live there.
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | April 13, 2022 11:59 PM |
I moved back to the PNW after living in Palm Springs for 12 years. It is ungodly hot, the triple digit temps start in April and last until October or so. Definitely visit several times before moving. There's a lot I liked about the desert, but it's just not a place to live full time.
| by Anonymous | reply 14 | April 14, 2022 12:00 AM |
OP I moved to Palm Springs in early 2020 from 25+ years in San Francisco, arriving here just before the pandemic really hit. I'm still (barely) under 50, self-employed and brought my remote work for Bay Area clients with me. Overall it's been a very good move. I came here both for a change of pace away from city life, as well as thinking ahead to caring for an elder parent where we can actually afford to live closer together here when that becomes necessary. I also got very lucky and was able to buy a home, even at the height of covid buyer demand from more and more people flocking here from cities.
In my case it helped that I already had a few friends living here, so there was a bit of a social circle already here for me. But I've found that most folks I've met here are pretty friendly and expats from somewhere, so that's usually a good icebreaker. It's fairly easy to avoid the cliquey LA types and growing number of obnoxious bridal parties by just going sparingly to the Arenas bars.
The desert climate definitely takes adjustment, but if I could do it after decades of SF fog built up in my bones I'm confident anyone can do it. Best of luck!
| by Anonymous | reply 15 | April 14, 2022 12:04 AM |
[quote] I'm 59 (look younger)
Don't change Eldergays!
Don't ever change!
| by Anonymous | reply 16 | April 14, 2022 12:05 AM |
I was there recently and was amused by their Walk of Fame downtown, with plaques in the sidewalk similar to Hollywood Boulevard. The two that made me laugh were Larry Storch and Kathy Garver from "Family Affair."
| by Anonymous | reply 18 | April 14, 2022 2:35 AM |
Anyone else find the OPS post a bit odd? He “did research” and came up with PS being all about older guys trying to relive their youthful party scenes. Huh? Well of course there are guys of all ages who party in PS, and many more who live pretty, well, quiet lives: friends, hiking, tennis, home making. Palm Springs (the entire Coachella Valley), is quite beautiful in its way and other than the hot summer, very comfortable. Like most nice places and not as nice it’s what you make of it, not what it makes of you.
| by Anonymous | reply 19 | April 14, 2022 3:07 AM |
The entire Coachella Valley is like hell. Fake, hotter than an oven and full of disgusting people.
| by Anonymous | reply 20 | April 14, 2022 3:49 AM |
PS is boring once you have visited a few times. It’s very gossipy for people who live there because there is literally nothing else to do.
| by Anonymous | reply 21 | April 14, 2022 4:03 AM |
"I have a Bachelor's degree from a good school but have never had a prestigious career or really any career"
Gurl, no! That's hard to believe, given the rest of your post.
| by Anonymous | reply 22 | April 14, 2022 7:01 AM |
I’m interested to hear about these early bird dinner specials as we don’t have these in the U.K. What times are they, are they good value, what type of establishments do them?
| by Anonymous | reply 23 | April 14, 2022 12:29 PM |
OP, at 62, you must have some ideas or hopes of what you expect or want your life to be going into the future. You say you have never been there. So go there. Take the next 2 years to visit PS area during different times of the year to see if this is something you could make your forever home. And also think about your interests. How to spend your time, what you'd be doing. Laying out by the pool gets tedious. Always think of ways to feed your brain or it will atrophy and die. Driving around the area is not difficult. Bike riding, tennis, golf, etc. the usual resort area activities ae easily available. As for a social life, I know from personal experience that no matter where you go it is difficult to build one from scratch. So I'm saying don't back into this. Explore and plan. It's really a pain in the ass to move somewhere, and after two or three years you realize this was not for you.
| by Anonymous | reply 25 | April 14, 2022 12:43 PM |
All my uber drivers in PS were elderly. A lot of supermarket cashiers were too. Depressing.
| by Anonymous | reply 26 | April 14, 2022 12:46 PM |
You should just rent a place there for a bit and check it out for yourself rather than relying on message board anecdotes. Any enclave with gays will have its share of bitchy queens, sex fiends and drug addicts, but all you need is a handful of good friends who either don't indulge to excess or can do so without involving you. Who cares whether your career is/was prestigious--you're self-sufficient with your own interests and personality, right? That's all that matters. Are you worried you might gravitate towards unhealthy behaviors as a coping mechanism for depression/loneliness?
| by Anonymous | reply 27 | April 14, 2022 12:47 PM |
The only way to research a place is to actually go there and see it under non-optimal conditions. This is true whether it's a neighborhood in your city or a far off location. I picked my current DC neighborhood only after visiting it at night, because I had some concerns about safety.
Visit Palm Springs in the dead of summer and decide is it too hot? Does it seem like people socialize? Is there enough to do? What do things cost? Can you find a decent supermarket and places to buy other necessities? Personally I can't imagine living there or most other traditional "God's waiting room" destinations, but I've been there. Too many old people. Mostly cultural wastelands. You may have a different opinion but you'll only know if you visit and do it when it isn't at its best.
| by Anonymous | reply 28 | April 14, 2022 12:48 PM |
As a visitor, I had several men stop me in the street and in stores for conversation. They were clearly bored and wanted to chat, they weren't being sleazy or trying to pick me up.
| by Anonymous | reply 29 | April 14, 2022 12:48 PM |
OP, at 62 you have a window. But it will close quickly. Give yourself 2-3 years max, to make a decision. Maybe you can start spending a month there in Winter and another in summer. I have been there to visit family at Christmas and it was awful. Cold and rainy. But the scenery was spectacular for this Chicago boy.
| by Anonymous | reply 30 | April 14, 2022 12:55 PM |
You might want to check out Wilton Manors in Ft Lauderdale area, OP. It's like a high-class Palm Springs, and the beach is nearby.
| by Anonymous | reply 31 | April 14, 2022 1:35 PM |
"As a visitor, I had several men stop me in the street and in stores for conversation. They were clearly bored and wanted to chat, they weren't being sleazy or trying to pick me up."
My version living here for five years.
As a resident, I had many men stop me in the street and in stores for conversation a quick ball grab, or an invite to just "hang out with them and their husbands. They were clearly predatory and wanted transactional sex where they leave the front door unlocked and want you to just walk in and fuck them then leave. Also, they have no qualms about having you come over because they are interested in your professional services and then hit on you, wasting your time. The ones that come in from the coast are loud, obnoxious, and toxic mostly. but other than that, not sleazy. Just self-absorbed.
| by Anonymous | reply 32 | April 14, 2022 2:02 PM |
R31 Wilton Manors is "high class"? It's a drug infested dump with lots of addicts and hangers-on, as bad a Palm Springs in summer, no culture. no good restaurants...avoid FL if you possibly can.
| by Anonymous | reply 33 | April 14, 2022 2:51 PM |
People who know both well seem to see Wilton Manors and Palm Springs as similar. They both have miserable summers and an "upscale" image, along with a lot of hustlers looking for sugar daddies.
| by Anonymous | reply 34 | April 14, 2022 3:16 PM |
Palm Springs is not cheap these days, are you sure moving there is even within your budget OP?
| by Anonymous | reply 35 | April 14, 2022 3:25 PM |
Wilton Manors is not "upscale"...I live there.
| by Anonymous | reply 36 | April 14, 2022 3:28 PM |
R1 is 59 but "looks younger" LOL
I guess we're supposed to just take your word for it, huh? Please, missy.
| by Anonymous | reply 37 | April 14, 2022 3:32 PM |
You may want to try out a few motorized wheelchairs to see what your future will look like there.
| by Anonymous | reply 39 | April 14, 2022 4:17 PM |
No. Don't. It's boring and unbearably hot July-October. There's not much to do except drink, party, golf, shop, pool, gossip. The city of PS is depressing and flat and Cathedral City is even worse. I like Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage's planned communities better for a vacation spot - not to live.
| by Anonymous | reply 40 | April 14, 2022 4:25 PM |
My friend lived in PS and said he couldn't even go to the gym without some queen grabbing his crotch. He shudderes when I mention I would like to live in PS.
| by Anonymous | reply 41 | April 14, 2022 4:31 PM |
I'm sorry to burst your bubble but, all worries about any particular "scene" aside, it's unlikely you'd be able to move here.
There are virtually NO places to rent in Palm Springs or any of the nearby cities. The ones that are available are 3K a month or higher.
There are virtually NO homes for purchase in the area. Inventory is extremely tight.
Finding a job in a field other than hospitality (hotel or casino) or some sort of retail/restaurant scenario is virtually impossible. Unless you are already employed and are able to work remotely, I would not count on finding something that matches your skills here.
The market is incredibly tight because when the pandemic hit, every fucking person in LA and SF that ever fucking LIVED decided, "Hey, let's move somewhere where it's less dense and cheaper!" And now PS is more dense and more expensive.
I don't live in the city of Palm Springs and quite frankly, although I loved all my vacations and trips before I moved here, I wouldn't want to live there now. All the cool midcentury neighborhoods (especially my favorites, Deepwell and Twin Palms) are being hit hard by a one-two punch of crime and homelessness.
There's a diverse cross section of guys in PS - not all muscle marys or scene queens as your post sort of suggests - a lot of older single and coupled gay men here who aren't involved at all with the clubs/bars or any kind of drug or party scene - same with a number of "bear" events that are not always party related. There's not many here <40 and the under 40 crowd that is here is primarily a straight one. If you are saying it's easy for you to fall into the party/drug scene, it sounds like that would be an issue for you no matter where you'd live.
I've lived here for a few years now. I have mixed feelings about it. I love the 6 months of the year we've just had. Summer is not great but it can be livable with some planning and some getaways. My biggest adjustment is that I can no longer walk everywhere. The more affordable areas to live (all southeast of PS) are all "suburban" in terms of needing a car. But it's still gay friendly here. I live on a street where all the residents are gay men. All nice people, no drama, no constant parties. That part is really perfect.
| by Anonymous | reply 42 | April 14, 2022 4:34 PM |
Why would anyone want to move to one of the hottest cities in the nation when we're in a global warming crisis and we know it will be uninhabitable in 20 years?
| by Anonymous | reply 43 | April 14, 2022 4:36 PM |
[quote] along with a lot of hustlers looking for sugar daddies.
Why do you think I live there?
| by Anonymous | reply 44 | April 14, 2022 4:37 PM |
It’s too damn hot for many months of the year in the desert. Have you considered retiring to Puerto Vallarta? Climate is better. Costs are less than California. Lots of gay and gay-friendly people live there happily full-time.
| by Anonymous | reply 45 | April 14, 2022 6:24 PM |
Someone really, really, really, really, REALLY wants us all to move to Puerto Vallarta.
| by Anonymous | reply 46 | April 14, 2022 6:28 PM |
...and while PV may be cheaper, it shares some of the same issues with PS. It works as a part-time vacation home or for retirees, but it would be hard to live there year round. Like PS, its main industry is tourism and hospitality, so anyone working outside of that would need to work remotely.
| by Anonymous | reply 47 | April 14, 2022 7:08 PM |
OP, try Wilton Manors or St. Petersburg in FL. Cheaper, low taxes, lots of oldsters like my husband and me. The former is sleazier, the latter is more expensive.
| by Anonymous | reply 48 | April 14, 2022 8:02 PM |
Puerto Vallarta has become quite the destination for older gays.
Partner and I have spent time in both PS and PVR. Both have their pros and cons. Palm Springs is the US and offers all the amenities/necessities OP would need/want save for anything ocean-related. Puerto Vallarta is in "Mexico" with all the misconceptions Americans have of it (some valid, some not so), and it offers the an expat-friendly infrastructure (including healthcare) and more entertainment options that Palm Springs (it's not just a haven for retirees), from casual to high-end.
I'm leaning towards Puerto Vallarta simply because those ocean breezes just can't be ignored. It's crazy how expensive both become during the pandemic, though.
It's a tough call for us. Fortunately we are about two decades shy of retirement so we have some time to think about it.
| by Anonymous | reply 49 | April 14, 2022 9:05 PM |
You know, if you do a lot of party drugs, I bet you'd stop worrying so much.
| by Anonymous | reply 50 | April 14, 2022 9:42 PM |
maybe Yuma ?
Yuma, AZ Weather averages Month High / Low (°F)Rain June106° / 69°0 days July110° / 77°0 days August109° / 77°1 day
| by Anonymous | reply 51 | April 14, 2022 9:56 PM |
Here you go R23-
Generally specials are offered between 4-6 in restaurants.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 52 | April 14, 2022 10:17 PM |
Yuma R51? As in the Trumpster place full of rednecks/conspiracy theorists? Yes a few Marines there do training. But if you are not a Magat and a conspiracy theory follower, Yuma will be hell.
| by Anonymous | reply 53 | April 14, 2022 10:21 PM |
One thing that really sucks about Palm Springs and surrounding areas: there are really no decent restaurants whatsoever. A few are OK, but because it's such a tourist vibe in PS you get a lot of tourist food - basic diner food, essentially. (I mean, no one goes to Sherman's for the food - they go for the outdoor seating and the scene, and maybe the desserts.)
And then once you leave there and go through Palm Desert/Rancho Mirage/et al it's all Anysuburb, USA. Cheesecake Factory, PF Chang's and so on.
There are maybe a handful of nice white tablecloth type places, but a lot of the rest is just not good.
| by Anonymous | reply 54 | April 14, 2022 10:35 PM |
Palm Springs has a more West Coast vibe to it. The more sophisticated East Coasters head to Wilton Manors.
| by Anonymous | reply 55 | April 14, 2022 11:03 PM |
It's Florida, bitch. No sophistication to be found.
| by Anonymous | reply 56 | April 14, 2022 11:11 PM |
^^^ save for bitchy agin NYers going on ad nauseum about their old place ar 7th & 11th or Upper North Side or whateva
Wilton Manors struck me as a place where aging drug users went to die
And soooo far from the beach...
| by Anonymous | reply 57 | April 14, 2022 11:49 PM |
PS is great but upkeep on a house is really large. But you're still close to LA, Vegas, SD, etc.
| by Anonymous | reply 58 | April 14, 2022 11:58 PM |
W Manors is a sad, drunky place to decamp. St. Pete's is much better, livelier and not far from Tampa. Yes, a little cooler in winter, but not too bad.
If you have never visited the low desert, OP, you must go there in Summer and Winter and see if you can deal with both.
| by Anonymous | reply 59 | April 15, 2022 12:19 AM |
OP do you have issues with self control? Even if all the things you've heard are true and most of the old homos in PS are sex crazed, that doesn't mean you have to indulge. Obviously there are normal gay men in PS who don't need sex and drugs every day, all day.
| by Anonymous | reply 60 | April 15, 2022 12:22 AM |
Why do people complain about summers in Palm Springs? I'd much rather have sunny days with heat than frigid winters with snow and ice, or horrific thunderstorms, hail, tornadoes, flooding and hurricanes that you have in the South.
| by Anonymous | reply 62 | April 15, 2022 3:14 PM |
The heat is bearable but you have to modify a lot of every day life to live with it.
1) Limit timing out outdoor activities after early morning - late afternoon 2) AC 3) Pool 4) Sun damage to house/outdoor furnishings 5) Dust management (it is the desert)
I like heat & warmth but you get "over" it very quickly once you've felt the intensity of 105+ degrees on you and bouncing back from the concrete.
Most people have grown up with cold/wet/storms, but the desert heat is not something common for many people.
And, yes, these adjustments costs $$$$. (A friend actually doesn't run his AC at all - he's on a budget - but he also invested in heat resistant window film and an awning, also helps that he has high ceilings and doesn't face the sun. However, in early spring when the winds kick in (literally feels like a hurricane) he has to dust daily. Some parts of PS gets such winds (its in a valley).
It's very much a force to deal with. And yes, it in the winter it gets to be freezing as well.
| by Anonymous | reply 63 | April 15, 2022 3:54 PM |
If you are on a budget you most likely will be living in the windy areas, which are cheaper.
Desert Hot Springs used to be methy and violent, but it might be better now- and that would be cheaper too.
| by Anonymous | reply 64 | April 15, 2022 4:00 PM |
Desert Hot Springs = Bronx level of "Living in NYc" for "Living in Palm Springs"
= that's not Palm Springs
Most of the valley is gross and methy. Even PS.
Oh yes, it too has CA's homelesness issue creeping up.
| by Anonymous | reply 65 | April 15, 2022 4:13 PM |
I wouldn't recommend DHS.
The only way OP could potentially make it work was if he found a roommate situation. Not impossible, but not easy to find at any age.
| by Anonymous | reply 66 | April 15, 2022 6:26 PM |
People joke about dry heat, but it can be very pleasant or at least bearable in the shade. There's a cafe here called Koffi - I have gone many days at 3 pm - the warmest part of the day - to get an iced coffee or smoothie and then took it outside to consume. As long as you're sitting in the shade, it's OK.
The most unbearable time happens only rarely, when you have both heat and humidity. We almost never have humidity, but when we do it's somehow related to Pacific monsoons. We had about a week or so of those days last year and if you so much as stepped outside it was like a sauna.
| by Anonymous | reply 67 | April 15, 2022 6:30 PM |
How long does an ice cream cone last in the shade?
| by Anonymous | reply 68 | April 15, 2022 7:34 PM |
Visited many years ago. It was so hot that our bottles of wine exploded in our trunk. Nice visit but couldn't imagine living there
| by Anonymous | reply 69 | April 15, 2022 8:21 PM |
"I'm 59 (look younger)" 🤣 Classic DL
| by Anonymous | reply 70 | April 15, 2022 9:26 PM |
[quote] How long does an ice cream cone last in the shade?
Not very long in the heat, of course, but about as long as it did when the temps got to the high 90s in Chicago.
And most shops in PS sell shakes. Great Shakes is the best!
| by Anonymous | reply 71 | April 16, 2022 1:53 AM |
R12 early bird dinner specials? What the fuck are you talking about? No there aren't. It's definitely NOT Florida. I can't think of a single place in PS that has early bird dinner specials - and I live there part-time for years.
| by Anonymous | reply 72 | April 16, 2022 1:57 AM |
R52 - none of those places have early-bird specials. That search result is for listing that have 'special' in the restaurant listing.
I've been to almost all of those restaurants - there are no early-bird specials.
| by Anonymous | reply 73 | April 16, 2022 2:05 AM |
R54, there are lots of good restaurants in Palm Springs- have you even been there?. Love all the riff raff bad mouthing it on this thread- keep the trash away!
| by Anonymous | reply 74 | April 16, 2022 3:35 AM |
R74 Um, I live there.
I just don't agree. A lot of it is very middle of the road or bland. It's not to say that there's nothing good, but a lot of what is raved about is just very basic. Asian food is so bland here.
I do enjoy all the restaurants by the team that did/does Roly China Fusion and several others. Farm is solid and so are a few others.
But as someone who used to live in one of the best restaurant towns in the country, it has been a huge adjustment.
| by Anonymous | reply 75 | April 16, 2022 4:12 AM |
so why don't a few people open a few good restaurants there? - surely there are plenty of rich old people who'd come
| by Anonymous | reply 76 | April 16, 2022 4:17 AM |
R75 is wondering aloud why a town of 45,000 people doesn't have the same amount of fine dining options as a city of several million.
There are plenty of good restaurants in Palm Springs - but are there any with Michelin stars? None that I can think of. But PS isn't a stuffy place.
Most restaurants need to keep a middle-range and wide menu to appeal to tourists year-round. I would say the offerings are similar to what you'd find in downtown Ft. Lauderdale or some other tourist areas.
| by Anonymous | reply 77 | April 16, 2022 3:13 PM |
I wouldn't like to live with older guys who think about nothing but sex.
| by Anonymous | reply 78 | April 16, 2022 3:17 PM |
R77 No, I didn't "wonder aloud." I was aware of everything you've said here, and have said pretty much the same as you. Of course it won't have the same scope of a food scene.
I'm not stomping my feet and having a fit about it, but yes, it is aimed at tourists, and thus it is kept very middle of the road. I just don't agree when people say "oh, PS is filled with great restaurants!"
People rave about, say, Sherman's, and it's not even as good as a Denny's with most of its dishes. So maybe I'm a snob....I'll admit to that.
There are some OK lunch/dinner options here but the only frustration I have as a resident is that the breakfast options are somewhat limited or very blah. And honestly, breakfast is kind of hard to fuck up.
| by Anonymous | reply 79 | April 16, 2022 3:18 PM |
[quote] so why don't a few people open a few good restaurants there? - surely there are plenty of rich old people who'd come
PS (and surrounding areas) is not very welcoming to new businesses. Part of it is the Indian tribe, which owns big chunks of land. And part of it, from my observations, is that the mob still has a presence here.
Also, while there are more year round residents (like me) this place does lose a big chunk of population between July 1 - end of September. That's not always welcoming to small businesses that need to have 12 months of business to survive.
There always needs to be a place like Lulu, which is their local chain and basically the PS version of Cheesecake Factory. Of course the big pretty tourist spot is needed with a great people watching view. I just think they're still adjusting to people living here year round, so maybe once that takes root, they will have some better fare for the residents.
As a coffee fiend I am surprised that there are so few coffee places. PS could probably host a half dozen more breakfast joints and cafes and they'd still be filled to the brim!
| by Anonymous | reply 80 | April 16, 2022 3:26 PM |
[quote] I wouldn't like to live with older guys who think about nothing but sex.
The vast majority of the people that live in Palm Springs are married/partnered men. They are not thinking about "nothing but sex."
You being surrounded by a room full of old horny men while you were begging someone to touch your gunt at CCBC does NOT = every gay man in Palm Springs in the history of ever.
| by Anonymous | reply 81 | April 16, 2022 3:29 PM |
[quote]As a coffee fiend I am surprised that there are so few coffee places. PS could probably host a half dozen more breakfast joints and cafes and they'd still be filled to the brim!
"Mary's Pancakes" - just an idea.
| by Anonymous | reply 82 | April 16, 2022 3:31 PM |
[quote] early bird dinner specials? What the fuck are you talking about? No there aren't. It's definitely NOT Florida. I can't think of a single place in PS that has early bird dinner specials - and I live there part-time for years.
Mary! So what if a restaurant did have early bird specials.
| by Anonymous | reply 83 | April 16, 2022 3:31 PM |
[quote]Also, while there are more year round residents (like me) this place does lose a big chunk of population between July 1 - end of September. That's not always welcoming to small businesses that need to have 12 months of business to survive.
Sounds like pop-up places could do well there.
[quote]And part of it, from my observations, is that the mob still has a presence here.
That's awful.
| by Anonymous | reply 84 | April 16, 2022 3:33 PM |
R79 - I'm not going to disagree about Sherman's. Their desserts are really good, but I've never understood the hype. But, in fairness, I can say that about 90% of Jewish delis.
If you're looking for some decent old school Jewish favorites, this is pretty much it - except maybe Manhattan in the Desert.
And to be fair - I will agree with you partially and provide my list of "why do people eat here?" places: Zin, Kaiser Grille, Las Casuelas (the most basic Mexican food ever), Rio Azul, and a handful of other places that should be taken over by people who could do a much better job. But that's the downtown strip catering to middle of the road tastes.
| by Anonymous | reply 85 | April 16, 2022 3:35 PM |
I agree that PS does not have great restaurants. I've lived in cities that do have good restaurants and there is no comparison. I'd say that Santa Fe, New Mexico, has better restaurants than PS.
[quote] so why don't a few people open a few good restaurants there? - surely there are plenty of rich old people who'd come
Rich, old people don't necessarily have adventurous or sophisticated palates.
| by Anonymous | reply 86 | April 16, 2022 3:35 PM |
[quote] Rich, old people don't necessarily have adventurous or sophisticated palates.
They sure don't. And they're always going to be a big chunk of who's eating out.
But we also have a LOT of younger people moving here, and a lot of expats from LA, SF, etc. So I'm hoping over the next few years the scene grows just a little bit. I don't expect Michelin star dining extravaganzas everywhere I turn. But some of these places don't even hit the Golden Corral basic level at times!
R85 Amen, sister. Someone raved about Rio Azul and it was in my top five WORST experiences anywhere. Bad service, food that was as exciting as a Lean Cuisine, and a dingy, dirty place. No thanks!
| by Anonymous | reply 87 | April 16, 2022 3:47 PM |
[quote] "Mary's Pancakes" - just an idea.
I was about to say "Hamburger Mary's" but then again that joint ain't known for its food either.
I do need to go to Oscar's - I hear they are gay owned and do a decent brunch, but the few really decent brunch joints can have 2 hour waits, and I've never been able to make it into Oscar's.
| by Anonymous | reply 88 | April 16, 2022 3:49 PM |
Oscar's food is awful, but there are good places like Eight4Nine, Copley's, and Johannes.
| by Anonymous | reply 89 | April 16, 2022 3:52 PM |
R89 Yes, Johannes is wonderful.
I want to try Eight4Nine, that's the local company that is gay owned/operated and also does Roly Fusion, 1501 Gastropub, and just opened Willie's in Rancho Mirage. They can be booked out w/reservations but hopefully as the snowbirds leave I can try a few of those.
Thanks for warning me that Oscar's may not be so great - I've had so many people rave about a place and then it turns out to be terrible. LOL
| by Anonymous | reply 90 | April 16, 2022 3:57 PM |
Sedona AZ might sound like a great place to retire but Arizona is actually a dangerous place for elderly folks. They have some of the lenient laws to protect elders from predatory guardianship agencies, that steal money and keep the elders away from their family. Unless you have durable power of attorney AND your agent is close by, you run the risk of being removed from your home without your consent and put into an adult home AND be billed for it. Beware!
| by Anonymous | reply 91 | April 16, 2022 3:58 PM |
I'm always amused when I read these threads about Palm Springs. Sound like so many people have come for the White Party or some party weekend, stayed in a clothing-optional resort and then scream that it's just older gay men looking for sex.
If you go looking for it, you will find it. But the vast majority of gay men in PS are 50+, partnered, workout, go out to dinner or drinks with friends and pretty much live low-key, relaxed lives.
Now, with any city with thousands of gay male tourists visiting every weekend, there's always guys who want to 'make the most' of their vacation and whore it up a bit. And plenty of locals who take advantage of the constant new arrivals. It's that way in any gay destination.
| by Anonymous | reply 92 | April 16, 2022 4:03 PM |
Exactly, R92. The White Party is in a few weeks and I'm sure that any one landing here for that weekend won't have to look hard to find cock or their chemical alteration of choice.
I'm not saying it's all Ozzie and Harriet here - there's sex in almost any gay scene in any city. There's a few clothing optional resorts and I think there's a bit of an escort trade here - someone I know visits here every January and always seems to be able to find a new "friend" easily. But most of that is about the people who visit here, not much of that is about residents. It's not like people go to check their mail in assless chaps.
| by Anonymous | reply 93 | April 16, 2022 4:08 PM |
[quote] I do need to go to Oscar's - I hear they are gay owned and do a decent brunch
What they do is called a "Bitchy Brunch" where a bunch of drag queens come out and annoy you while you're trying to finish your club sandwich and fizzy water.
| by Anonymous | reply 94 | April 16, 2022 4:08 PM |
Drag brunches are everywhere. Also more for the straights/visitors.
| by Anonymous | reply 95 | April 16, 2022 4:10 PM |
R95 - can confirm, the drag thing has taken over too much in PS. It's sad that Toucan's is now just pretty much a drag show.
If there are drag queen performing while you eat, the quality of food will be shit and it's mostly about the bloody marys to get you through the hangover.
But straight women eat it up. I reason it's because a) their husbands / boyfriends won't go to gay bars and they want some excitement or b) they can watch something and not listen to their men drone on over breakfast. And it's now practically compulsory for girls weekends - again because of a or b.
| by Anonymous | reply 96 | April 16, 2022 4:18 PM |
I understand there are a lot of clothing optional resorts there. How are those?
| by Anonymous | reply 97 | April 16, 2022 4:22 PM |
R97 - there used to be around 20 of them, but I think a few have closed due to airbnb. Quality varies - but many are very busy, even in the summer. People seem to get to know the hosts/owners and it becomes like a family.
| by Anonymous | reply 98 | April 16, 2022 4:25 PM |
I miss the non-clothing optional resort called East Canyon. It changed its name and has new ownership, but it used to be run by this very handsome daddy from NYC.
It had maybe 20ish rooms and the staff was only there between 7 am and 7 pm. Once you checked in you could just come and go like it was an airbnb. It was just so relaxed and pleasant. Gay but very mellow, cocktails welcome but no big swinging drug or sex scene.
| by Anonymous | reply 99 | April 16, 2022 4:34 PM |
OP, don’t listen to these bitchy queens. Like any place, you manage your expectations. You don’t need to have a huge estate, there are actually really nice modular homes available. I know that sounds awful, but you would be surprised. You can get a condo for around $300, small in size, but close to everything.
There are all kinds of activities and things to do, even in the summer. This is a benefit from living in a place with lots of retired folks like yourself. There are also many decent places to eat, from restaurants at the many resorts, to Belgian, to authentic Mexican. Check out the Palm Springs POV YouTube channel, it’s helpful.
Yes it could be all about sex, but doesn’t have to be. Every time I’ve visited, probably about 20, locals have been warm and welcoming.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 100 | April 16, 2022 4:36 PM |
[quote] You can get a condo for around $300, small in size, but close to everything.
?????
Did you mean $300K?
You might have been able to do that 5 years ago, but not in this market.
| by Anonymous | reply 101 | April 16, 2022 4:41 PM |
Also, lower-priced condos are usually on Indian land (long story, Agua Caliente Indians own checkerboard sections of the city). They are subject to lease renewals every 100 or so years... some of which lapse as soon as 2060 or so.
With the real estate frenzy in CA, wonder what sorts of terms Indians will be looking at.
| by Anonymous | reply 102 | April 16, 2022 4:45 PM |
[quote]I'm 59 (look younger)
DLers make me laugh.
| by Anonymous | reply 103 | April 16, 2022 4:48 PM |
R102 Most of us will be long gone before those leases end.
We didn't really want lease land but couldn't pass up the house. It's a wee bit more complicated timing wise for financing but not impossible.
| by Anonymous | reply 104 | April 16, 2022 4:56 PM |
R102 - meh - the Indians only charge a monthly fee. They're not going to tear it down to develop something else - particularly in residential areas.
Oh - and speaking of the Indian tribe that rakes in all this money from land rent and THREE casinos - I've seen reliable reports that there are a little over 400 members. That's it.
| by Anonymous | reply 105 | April 16, 2022 4:56 PM |
A lot of the new builds that are in the 350-400K range or thereabouts are in the northern part of PS, and that area is known for being very windy. The rule of thumb is the farther south you get, the better, and for sure in PS, live somewhere south of Vista Chino (and as far away from I-10 as possible).
If you think you can deal with daily wind gusts of 30-40 mph then go for a northern property.
| by Anonymous | reply 106 | April 16, 2022 4:58 PM |
They don call it Embalmed Springs for nuthin hon.
| by Anonymous | reply 107 | April 16, 2022 5:33 PM |
I'm fine with zero pretentious douchey "high end" restaurants in the PS area. There are plenty in LA and thankfully I'm leaving. I'm moving out to RM in the fall. I'm great with good normal places to eat. Foodie people/queens are fucking exhausting!
| by Anonymous | reply 108 | April 16, 2022 5:37 PM |
Bless our heart. I’d start with learning to speak and write English OP and then once you’ve managed that then worry about the drug scene in Palms Spring.
| by Anonymous | reply 109 | April 16, 2022 5:37 PM |
R96 Senior Karens ! Geriatric Drag Queens!
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 110 | April 16, 2022 5:38 PM |
[quote] As a resident, I had many men stop me in the street and in stores for conversation a quick ball grab, or an invite to just "hang out with them and their husbands. They were clearly predatory and wanted transactional sex where they leave the front door unlocked and want you to just walk in and fuck them then leave.
I hope you gave them a good piece of your mind, and let them know you're not that kind of girl!
| by Anonymous | reply 112 | April 16, 2022 5:41 PM |
Try spending a weekend there, OP...
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 113 | April 16, 2022 5:41 PM |
I had to work and live there for a month on a project. I found several cliques. There is what I call the caftan set. Rich gay men who are fat and can afford to pay for the G and Tina to attract the older muscle party set. Sort of mini white parties every weekend. There is the muscle mary set, men 50+ who are roided and growth hormoned up to where they all look almost neanderthal. As hot as they look neck down, waist down I found they were bottoms for a reason. Nary a hard-on to be seen. There is a drag clique. A lot of LA drag queens have places in PS or stay in PS with friends. Finally there is the snowbird set. Gays who only live in PS when it is winter wherever they are from. Typically older couples but not always. There is a very odd mix of heteros too. I had run into some minor celebs who live there as well as super gay Ross Matthews. I will say there is zero lack of opportunity to get laid. I could fire up scruff and find a muscle mary to plow in 15 minutes or less but it was rare if anyone other than myself was under 40. I was like a unicorn there but I never fucked as much muscle as I did in PS.
| by Anonymous | reply 114 | April 16, 2022 5:52 PM |
OP, just identify as trans when you move there.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 115 | April 16, 2022 5:58 PM |
[quote] Foodie people/queens are fucking exhausting!
I'm not a foodie, but....you'll see when you get here. *sigh*
| by Anonymous | reply 117 | April 16, 2022 6:08 PM |
[quote] They don call it Embalmed Springs for nuthin hon.
Or "God's Waiting Room" lol
| by Anonymous | reply 118 | April 16, 2022 6:09 PM |
So are there early bird specials in Desert Hot Springs or Cathedral City
| by Anonymous | reply 119 | April 16, 2022 6:19 PM |
r117, I know. I go to the Coachella Valley enough to know what's up with restaurants there. They are not that bad, IMO. No offence. Luckily my husband is a great cook and a foodie. Yes, he's exhausting too.
| by Anonymous | reply 120 | April 16, 2022 6:25 PM |
[quote] So are there early bird specials in Desert Hot Springs or Cathedral City
No.
Both of those places are filled with dispensaries and smell like reefer 24/7. They could give a fuck about Grandma's 4 pm special.
| by Anonymous | reply 121 | April 16, 2022 6:51 PM |
I wouldn't wait - prices are surging w/ multiple offers. I'm 41 and from LA, but have always held PS as my plan B. I know people back in the day who had a nice, rent controlled apt in LA and a very nice house w/ a pool in PS for under 600K. Those days are gone. A nice house is averaging around 800K and that is not transparent pricing, meaning hoping to spark multiple offers. I remember the summer of 2020, staying at a clothing optional resort of San Lorenzo and when I would go for walks, I would literally see couples moving in, "in escrow" signs going up with just a few days of my visit. There are still options, but I don't think there will be for much longer. Palm Canyon has become so much nicer and also much more corporate in terms of shopping than it was 5 years ago.
Hell, even a quick weekend visit to PS is not what it once was. Aside for all the clothing optional resorts closing down with the exception of a small few, the prices are insane for a weekend. Everything I am seeing is at least $300/night (this is outside of the spring festival season). It's now 1000+ for 3 days in the desert in an OK accommodation. PS used to be the easy, cheap, getaway. My favorite place, Tortuga del Sol, closed last year and I was literally devastated. It was my home away from home in PS and would stay there for sometimes a week plus. PS is getting very expensive as just a destination.
| by Anonymous | reply 122 | April 16, 2022 7:06 PM |
R122 The costs for hotels/resorts is off the charts almost everywhere these days. It's been that way since things slowly started to reopen in 2021. We went to a resort in Newport Beach that was a real splurge - $700 a night in 2016ish - and is now, wait for it, 2500 a night. Same room....just price gouging.
As for the real estate, it's been insane for a few years, too. The short term rental market has really affected PS negatively and there are next to no regular year round rentals available ANYWHERE in the Coachella Valley. The market is incredibly tight for sales too. Friends of mine from back east looked at a shithole in Palm Desert and it was sold the next day for almost 100K over asking. It's just insane.
I talked to someone who was just hired for a residency at the hospital and they're probably going to have to give up that offer, because the closest they could find a rental for $2000/month was almost an hour away. Meanwhile, there's a huge shortage of doctors, dentists, veterinarians, landscapers, and pretty much any and every kind of tradesperson you'd want to engage in the course of living somewhere or owning a home.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 123 | April 16, 2022 7:14 PM |
Indeed R123. I don't know if you are fro SoCal, but there used to be places that were definite splurges, but accessible. One of my favorite places is the Ojai Valley Resort which pre-pandemic you could get a room for a night or two on an off week for about $300+ resort fees. Now there are hardly any vacancies and the rooms are $600-700 + resort fees. It's become cheaper to travel out of state. I wanted a getaway in March and thought about PS, but it was cheaper to fly to Vancouver for a 4 nights at a very nice hotel than to stay in PS. I love the desert, but it's not vastly different than LA - I'm not spending 1500 to stay in SoCal.
| by Anonymous | reply 124 | April 16, 2022 7:20 PM |
[quote] OP, at 62 you have a window. But it will close quickly.
Why?
What sort of window?
| by Anonymous | reply 125 | April 16, 2022 7:24 PM |
R123 and R124 We've spent half that per person traveling to Portugal for a week. Just saw a California tourism commercial (SF here).
It made me think for a second of a staycation, but yeah, remembered how crazy expensive it would just to stay at home effectively.
| by Anonymous | reply 126 | April 16, 2022 7:34 PM |
An affordability window, R125?
| by Anonymous | reply 127 | April 16, 2022 7:38 PM |
I bought a retirement home in Rancho Mirage in Jan. Because it's to be built it's less expenive. It's in a 55+ community, thank God. I bought it for $620.00 and now the model is going for $710.00. That is a crazy jump in price. The builder doesn't negotiate.
| by Anonymous | reply 128 | April 16, 2022 7:39 PM |
Price gouging is everywhere and dumb fucks are still buying. Scalping is the norm now for anything you're buying. An unending wall of 3rd party sellers are in your way.
| by Anonymous | reply 129 | April 16, 2022 7:44 PM |
R128 New development is the way to go in CA. Otherwise you're in bidding territory, and will likely be outbid by $100,000 at least your first 10 offers.
| by Anonymous | reply 130 | April 16, 2022 7:44 PM |
Is Kaye Ballard's house available?
I'd love to see it - there must've been as man gay men as any clothing-optional gay resort in PS.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 131 | April 16, 2022 8:22 PM |
[quote]OP, at 62 you have a window. But it will close quickly. [quote]What sort of window?
A double-hung Gay window, Rose!
| by Anonymous | reply 132 | April 16, 2022 8:26 PM |
OP, again, don’t let these people scare you. Seriously, go on Zillow and look at the condo prices, many can be had for around $300K (happy that I put the “K” in there?) I didn’t mention before that you have to factor in HOA dues, but you get a nice pool and tennis courts for that, and some other great things. If you are in tribal lands, there could be that too, but in my experience, usually isn’t much. A place that I almost put an offer on, it was something like $200/year. Just be patient, and something will turn up. Soon all of your new friends will be trying to tell you how to redecorate!
| by Anonymous | reply 134 | April 17, 2022 1:06 AM |
R134 Please post links. I would love to see where you almost got a place for 200K in the last few years, or where you believe it's available for 300K now.
| by Anonymous | reply 135 | April 17, 2022 2:09 PM |
Zillow shows a number of condos in that price range, including this one below
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 136 | April 17, 2022 2:34 PM |
R135's pretentious asshole tightens up when confronted with the facts...
| by Anonymous | reply 138 | April 17, 2022 2:42 PM |
R135 wouldn’t like these because she can’t have sex parties by the pool with her rotisserie chicken friends.
| by Anonymous | reply 141 | April 17, 2022 3:07 PM |
One of those listings is literally in meth alley.
Another has a land lease expiring in 2046.
You'll find these two qualities alone will poo poo you in social circles.
Been enough times to hear the gossip amongst queens when talking about real estate & who's who & who lives where...
There's a reason why these properties are affordable in CA in 2022....
Some look like original everything from when they were built several decades ago.
Of course, you'll get the invariable ***I don't give a F about anyone's opinions poster* commenting he'd live there, but I'd think twice about these properties.
| by Anonymous | reply 142 | April 17, 2022 3:31 PM |
Also, don't forget HOA dues in the neighborhood of $300 - $500 on top of your mortgage --- forever.
Plus, with properties built in the 60s-70s, they are prime candidates for special assessments due to (often deferred) maintenance.
Our HOA dues have gone from $380 to $700. Many on budgets/fixed incomes feel it.
| by Anonymous | reply 143 | April 17, 2022 3:35 PM |
OP, don’t listen to anyone who talks about “social circles”, this isn’t a Jane Austin novel. Not everyone goes to Palm Springs to be friends with a bunch of former Corporate Connies who are playing the same games in a new place. Go investigate for yourself, and choose a place that YOU like, not what other people like. Yes, there are parts that aren’t nice, but that’s every town. It just takes some patience and a good realtor. I can’t think of anything more depressing than someone like R142.
| by Anonymous | reply 144 | April 17, 2022 4:18 PM |
Thinking outside the box here. It’s 55+, so will tend to be safer (proven by studies), and you’ll have instant friends.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 145 | April 17, 2022 4:21 PM |
R144 On cue
Obviously never been around gay men in the last 100 years.
Or Palm Springs for that matter.
| by Anonymous | reply 146 | April 17, 2022 4:23 PM |
r145 Not living in a trailer, ever.
| by Anonymous | reply 147 | April 17, 2022 4:30 PM |
[R146], I feel sorry for you. I hope you find a place where you feel like you belong, and don’t have the need to fit in. My gay friends are kind men, I don’t bother with the bitchy ones.
| by Anonymous | reply 148 | April 17, 2022 4:32 PM |
If you can afford your life, be active, go see art, eat some good food…who cares if you live in a trailer? Especially if you’re retired, it’s time to stop worrying about everyone else.
| by Anonymous | reply 149 | April 17, 2022 4:36 PM |
Which is which R142?
The place at R140 seemed much nicer --the development seemed nicer too-- and I was wondering why it was so cheap
| by Anonymous | reply 150 | April 17, 2022 5:21 PM |
R135 here.
I'll ignore the sad, morbidly obese cunt at R138 and R141, who apparently lives to sit in her caftan and hiss at others....
There are a few decent options for OP here. Some are VERY small, but I'm glad those are available. But yes, several of these are not in great neighborhoods. I'm sorry if not living in a meth lab or wanting to have a peaceful, quiet neighborhood makes me a "pretentious asshole."
Places that are 1200 sqf or larger are in a much more competitive situation and are hard to come by. And when we've looked at 1/1s or 2/1s that were under 300K before for friends, those are now 400K. That's not something I imagined while sitting in my food stained caftan, this is something that actually happened in PS when we drove friends around to hunt for places.
[quote] she can’t have sex parties by the pool with her rotisserie chicken friends.
This person is clearly mentally ill.....whatever the fuck a rotisserie chicken friend is!
| by Anonymous | reply 151 | April 17, 2022 5:36 PM |
R144 the irony of one with airs of being non-judgmental being hypocratically judgmental - smell you!
The worst kind of gay - I defy labels but I put them on others.
Again, clearly someone who's likely never been to Palm Springs giving advice on a thread about the social dynamics of Palm Springs
| by Anonymous | reply 152 | April 17, 2022 6:16 PM |
R150 That one does surprise me too. I think it may be priced lower because it is really dated compared to most of the other units in that area, but I assume it will go for higher than they are asking, at least 25-50K more if not higher than that.
| by Anonymous | reply 153 | April 17, 2022 6:37 PM |
R140 on Redfin is described as "almost original" and being with the same original family since it was built in 1963. That's real estate code for 1) owners have done little with it since (as is obvious from the pics) and 2) the grandkids are wanting to dump it quick now that Grandpa/Grandma/Gay Uncle is dead.
It's also on Indian land which is a real barrier to equity growth in Palm Springs. It's the one with a land lease set to expire in 2046. Don't undermine the Agua Caliente band knowing that PS is booming and they can easily sell land to a developer, especially in prime locations.
| by Anonymous | reply 154 | April 17, 2022 6:52 PM |
Will just address all of this in one comment. I’ve been to Palm Springs many many many times, in fact, vacationed there growing up. Analyzing the social dynamics of Palm Springs is a waste of time, and reacting to it is even more depressing. Very sad that you don’t understand my rotisserie chicken joke. You’re probably one of those gays that is completely out of touch with what is going on around himself in Palm Springs, to the point where you probably think the Marilyn statue is “cute” or “edgy”. You probably also think that Desert X is “edgy” too.
| by Anonymous | reply 155 | April 17, 2022 7:05 PM |
R155 TL:DR version:
The developers and straights have discovered Palm Springs.
It's over.
| by Anonymous | reply 156 | April 17, 2022 7:15 PM |
Oh and another thing, I know exactly what you look like, Ms. Social Circles. I just have imagine a Lady Elaine hairdo on a rotisserie chicken, and there you are! Sad, sad pink polo shirt not included.
| by Anonymous | reply 157 | April 17, 2022 7:18 PM |
R157 Must be delightful to live in your self-serving bubble of stereotypes.
Let us know when you visit Palm Springs for the first time.
| by Anonymous | reply 158 | April 17, 2022 7:25 PM |
It is VERY delightful. Let us know when you figure out there’s more in Palm Springs than cocktails with the girls.
| by Anonymous | reply 159 | April 17, 2022 7:41 PM |
R155 You're under some sad, mistaken impression that you know me or know my type. I'm a quiet, partnered man who has no interests in scenes. I loathe the Marilyn statue.
My comments, which are all through this thread, are based on my experience of ACTUALLY LIVING HERE.
NO one understands your rotisserie chicken joke.
I will continue to talk to other people in this who actually live here and/or who would seriously consider moving here, not to some queen who spent 5 minutes here and thinks she knows all there is to know about it. Buh bye now.
| by Anonymous | reply 160 | April 17, 2022 7:49 PM |
Won't someone please SHIT IN MY MOUTH RIGHT NOW???!!???!???
| by Anonymous | reply 161 | April 17, 2022 7:49 PM |
There are many aspects to Palm Springs. I have lived there, and my stepsister raised her kids in Palm Springs with her male partner. There is something for everyone.
| by Anonymous | reply 162 | April 17, 2022 7:58 PM |
No one who is quiet and partnered talks about “social circles”. Go have another cocktail, you might finally get the rotisserie chicken joke.
| by Anonymous | reply 163 | April 17, 2022 8:13 PM |
While other tragic figures want to argue about tacky polo shirts, day drinking and other Mean Girls attributes, I direct your attention to posts like R42.
Fun lasts for the blink of an eye, but it is not exactly easy to get through the day to day here for many of the reasons listed at this post. It may look fun, but practicalities can be challenging. I doubt any of OP's considerations were practical ones.
| by Anonymous | reply 165 | April 17, 2022 9:32 PM |
I do wonder what R142 's friends say about her
behind her back
| by Anonymous | reply 166 | April 17, 2022 9:32 PM |
[R165] I think people run into problems in Palm Springs when they don’t have any hobbies. That’s way I brought up those who exist in PS just for their “social circles” and cocktails with the girls. I’ve lived in hot desert climates and spent the summers painting, learning how to throw a pot, planning the garden when it cools off, etc. Even people who live there forget that it’s still a hot, inhospitable desert, despite all the ficus hedges. In fact, it has a beautiful ecosystem of its own, but you have to learn how to adapt like the other desert animals have.
| by Anonymous | reply 168 | April 18, 2022 2:42 PM |
Tom Bianchi seems to keep himself occupied out there.
| by Anonymous | reply 170 | April 18, 2022 6:48 PM |
What's up with the queens that want to bump up this thread by adding nothing besides strange attacks like R166?
| by Anonymous | reply 171 | April 18, 2022 6:55 PM |
R172 Strange, just strange. What adults speak like that, much less gays in Palm Springs? OP should keep these types of individuals in mind... Palm Springs brings out the best and worst in gays it seems.
| by Anonymous | reply 173 | April 18, 2022 8:59 PM |
Honestly! *clutches pearls*
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 175 | April 18, 2022 9:20 PM |
Wilton Manors vs Palm Springs.
Yes, Wilton Manors is wealthier. And has more gays,
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 177 | April 19, 2022 12:08 AM |
But Miss OP is NOT wealthy.
She needs a place where a gurl on a budget can set up a cute little studio.
| by Anonymous | reply 178 | April 19, 2022 1:12 AM |
r177 NOT among gays, however...
| by Anonymous | reply 179 | April 19, 2022 2:48 PM |
R177 - wouldn't that be because Palm Springs is much larger and has a wider population range?
And wouldn't the large number of retirees in both places skew the "average income" figures-- retirees may have a lot in assets, but only take what they need in income.
| by Anonymous | reply 180 | April 19, 2022 2:55 PM |
Speaking of Palm Springs, the White Party is back!
Residents can hardly wait for the influx of COVID, chlamydia, and overdoses!
| by Anonymous | reply 181 | April 19, 2022 3:06 PM |
Palm Springs has a population of 47,000. It is 25 % Latino btw.
Wilton Manors has a population of 12,000, and is 86 % white.
You cannot compare the two at all. One is a city with a sizable minority population. One is a hamlet of mostly retired white males.
| by Anonymous | reply 182 | April 19, 2022 3:07 PM |
I am not sure I would move to palm Springs at this point if I was on a tight budget. While not being in the LA or SF price range it is still very costly these days. The prices went way up over the Covid years. OP might could find an affordable trailer in the Desert Hot Springs area but even that has gotten more expensive.
| by Anonymous | reply 183 | April 19, 2022 3:13 PM |
Palm Springs is also more remote than Wilton Manors. Workers can drive to the latter from most anywhere in the South Florida area. After Cathedral City, the next affordable town in the Coachella Valley is Indio, at least 30 mins away.
Not to mention Wilton Manors is a bedroom community. Don't think there is a full range of businesses there as you will find in Palm Springs, so lower paying jobs are taken out of the equation.
Ask South Floridians what they think of Wilton Manors' being "wealthy"
| by Anonymous | reply 184 | April 19, 2022 3:16 PM |
Let’s define what’s “affordable”, since most of you are millionaires. I would say an affordable house is in the $300K - $400K range.
| by Anonymous | reply 185 | April 19, 2022 3:19 PM |
R180 Exactly...there is no comparison. The gay population is much wealthier in PS; there are not 4 and 5 million dollar homes in WM.
| by Anonymous | reply 187 | April 19, 2022 3:20 PM |
There are no 300-400k homes in Palm Springs.
Condos and trailer homes, maybe.
Homes these days start at minimum $600k - and that's for a major fixer upper.
It's a shame the pandemic brought all the buyers that it did. Palm Springs used to be attainable for the average gay guy even just 5 years ago.
| by Anonymous | reply 188 | April 19, 2022 3:25 PM |
There are parts of Palm Desert and La Quinta that are affordable as well. The only disadvantage is that you may not have a pool, but there are many resorts you can go to for that. Being over 55 is a huge advantage, I bet if OP would say what his budget is, we could find something.
| by Anonymous | reply 189 | April 19, 2022 3:25 PM |
Yes, might be a condo, but some are very nice, and better for someone as they age. Less garden and maintenance hassles.
| by Anonymous | reply 191 | April 19, 2022 3:27 PM |
We have been looking for a condo, but can't find anything in downtown PS for under 325-350 in a decent area. Plus monthly fees.
| by Anonymous | reply 192 | April 19, 2022 3:36 PM |
You may want to study the previous PS link:
“Let's be a group of gay friends gathering for a long weekend at Palm Springs”.
It will tell you all you need to know.
And where to buy kaftans in PS.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 193 | April 19, 2022 3:54 PM |
PS is over. All the gays are heading to Puerto Vallarta.
This morning in my Gay PVR Facebook group some 65 year old Muscle Mary announced his leaving PS for PVR, complete with shirtless pic of himself in rainbow-themed Daisy Dukes (and saggy steroid leathery skin).
Brush up on your Spanish chicas!
| by Anonymous | reply 194 | April 19, 2022 4:04 PM |
Enjoy! I'm a beach person, and could never live where it's crazy hot for months on end, all windows shut and AC blasting.
Unless you can afford it as a winter getaway. On the plus side, you can live by Lucie Arnaz- who watched Mame on Easter, and forgot how good it was.
| by Anonymous | reply 195 | April 19, 2022 4:29 PM |
Ok, here it comes, "PV is sooo dangerous!!!" If it's not in a million dollar house, you girls are NOT happy.
| by Anonymous | reply 196 | April 19, 2022 4:44 PM |
Fun to visit but I'll never pay California taxes again. No thanks.
| by Anonymous | reply 197 | April 19, 2022 4:54 PM |
r63 "...when the winds kick in (literally feels like a hurricane) he has to dust daily."
Nope. That's a fucking hassle. That's a deal breaker right there.
| by Anonymous | reply 198 | April 19, 2022 5:19 PM |
^ Because it's a desert, you have dust storms in the desert. There's also snakes, scorpions (rarely see these) and spiders of many varieties. The great part are the quail, morning doves and roadrunners. I've only seen a desert tortoise once. Again, I think many people move there, and ignore where they actually are, similar to the insta-stars moving to Yucca Valley. Remember that the water is in short supply, too. Palm Springs receives most of their water from the Colorado (disappearing every year), and claims to replenish the large aquifers underneath. These aquifers are no where near as full as they have been, and you can see how many desert species are dying in places like Borrego Springs. The water levels have gone from something like 50' below the surface to hundreds of feet below in the recent past.
| by Anonymous | reply 199 | April 19, 2022 8:52 PM |
And they are building a giant lake there. They care sooooooooooo much about water don't they?
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 200 | April 19, 2022 9:00 PM |
Oh and a surf park because the first thing I think about is surfing in the Coachella Valley. They really care about conserving water there. Don't they.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 201 | April 19, 2022 9:02 PM |
Again, the straights and families have discovered PS.
Move over gays, your time is up!
When the original All Worlds went straight swingers, that was the nail in the coffin for me.
And now a Disney-themed location?
Not paying $800k to move into that mess.
| by Anonymous | reply 202 | April 19, 2022 9:07 PM |
Straights fuck up everything!
| by Anonymous | reply 203 | April 19, 2022 9:18 PM |
Demand is driving up price
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 204 | April 20, 2022 1:09 PM |
"OP might could find an affordable trailer in the Desert Hot Springs area"
Yes, and he could always stop by the neighbor's trailer to borrow a cup of meth if he needed to.
| by Anonymous | reply 206 | April 20, 2022 1:47 PM |
La Quinta seems to be the most desirable and prettiest area. Just look at that gorgeous mountain view. I don't think you have views this spectacular in Palm Springs.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 207 | April 20, 2022 3:43 PM |
You can actually get that view pretty much most of the valley.
You also don't have to drive for half an hour if you stat in PS proper.
| by Anonymous | reply 208 | April 20, 2022 3:59 PM |
[quote] La Quinta seems to be the most desirable and prettiest area
No, it's not. That particular estate is nice, and does have a nice view. And there are nice (but exclusive) areas in PS, Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage, too.
But LaQuinta is, for the most part, Trumpy Suburbia Anytown, USA. It's very much like its neighbor Palm Desert, which is also Trumpy Suburbia Anytown, USA. The main difference between the two is that PD is mostly retirees, and LaQuinta is more younger families and *gasp* brown people.
| by Anonymous | reply 209 | April 20, 2022 4:03 PM |
^^^ Yes. It's amazing how Anywhere USA Palm Desert & Rancho Mirage are, and Republican.
Behind gated communities full of white straights, needing to drive everywhere for anything (amenities are far & clustered to keep poor & colored riff raff - ie., workers & patrons at arms length), and the actual amenities themselves (Big Box & chains), you might as well be in Phoenix or Dallas.
There's a reason gays don't venture beyond Cathedral City en masse.
| by Anonymous | reply 210 | April 20, 2022 4:37 PM |
Gays don't venture beyond Cathedral City because there isn't an opportunity for sex like there is in PS and Cathedral City. It has nothing to do with politics. I used to visit my friend in Rancho Mirage, and really enjoyed it. She had a house with a nice salt water pool, and we'd go to one of the excellent restaurants nearby. I've never felt unsafe anywhere in the valley, even enjoy exploring Indio. As far as the gated communities are concerned, I think you're exaggerating their meaning.
| by Anonymous | reply 211 | April 20, 2022 5:42 PM |
Then why aren't gays owning and renting beyond Cathedral City? Surely they're not all sex fiends and surely some of them can afford two homes in Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage.
Your account of getaways to Rancho Mirage are pleasant, but we're talking about living there full time. What's your experience with that?
And what's your explanation for the gated community? I mean, there's really only one and it's not "we like stopping at the gate to admire it opening and closing as we come and go."
| by Anonymous | reply 212 | April 20, 2022 6:05 PM |
{Quote] La Quinta seems to be the most desirable and prettiest area
Incorrect. It's where "the Help" live. Next to Indio it's the least expensive place for normal people to live on that side of the C Valley.
| by Anonymous | reply 213 | April 20, 2022 6:30 PM |
Well, first, there are more gays than you realize in Rancho Mirage, I know several wealthy older couples that live there. I still think that sex is the primary factor, but there aren't as many gay themed establishments outside of Palm Springs, and it's certainly not as campy. Gays love camp.
Everyone I know that has lived in Rancho Mirage has loved it. I've never heard anything negative about it, no nosy republican neighbors or anything like that. For me personally, I have friends who are Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, etc. Most people are friendly if you listen to them, and treat them like human beings.
Gated communities are fine with me. They're gated for safety, but also because the amenities are intended for the residents who pay for them only. They're also part of the evolution of communities in Palm Springs, where people wanted a place to escape or retire to. Some excluded minorities, but that's in the past now, and the City of Palm Springs is doing things to reimage its past, and acknowledge where things went wrong (and they went very wrong at times). I think it's a way of containing and making sense of the open desert, sometimes ignoring it, when you look at it in terms of a landscape. It's more complex than just saying it's a device to exclude people.
| by Anonymous | reply 214 | April 20, 2022 6:32 PM |
I'm moving to Del Webb RM. Lot's of Str8 and gay couples and singles in the community. Thank god it's 55+!
| by Anonymous | reply 215 | April 20, 2022 6:35 PM |
I want to add something else, I never understand this fear that people on datalounge have to venture outside of exclusively gay areas. It's like they're at an all-inclusive resort, and they're afraid to leave and meet the locals. Especially confusing coming from the "no apologies, no regrets!" types. I love to do go past the gayborhood because I get to meet people who are different than me, and I like adventure. You never know what you'll find, there are some great local joints in Indio, for example, with great food. In Desert Hot Springs, there's a funky Michael Rotondi designed hotel, and relaxing hot springs. Don't miss out on anything!
| by Anonymous | reply 216 | April 20, 2022 6:38 PM |
OP: how grizzled, jaundiced and desiccated do you wish to be?
| by Anonymous | reply 217 | April 20, 2022 6:42 PM |
R216 Maybe they want a sense of belonging, community, "their place?"
Especially for older gays, they've faced a lifetime of marginilzation and exclusion - de jure and de facto.
| by Anonymous | reply 218 | April 20, 2022 6:48 PM |
Even if you've been excluded and marginalized, being afraid of the world and sequestering isn't the answer, and it certainly doesn't help create any change.
| by Anonymous | reply 219 | April 20, 2022 6:54 PM |
Gays brought homes there because they could be free there. They brought into the exclusive communities when the hollywood elite left. Hollywood developed this enclave so they could be out of the public eye. Now, housing seems really expensive in PS again, but for what?
I wonder where the lgbt community and artists will go next?
| by Anonymous | reply 220 | April 20, 2022 7:02 PM |
I have to laugh about the food complaining. Sherman's is like Denny's? You must be joking, or don't get out much. Or know shit about Jewish style delis.
Ron Burkle bought the Bob Hope house, as well as Le Vallauris (sp?) restaurant. There are plenty of decent places to eat.
| by Anonymous | reply 221 | April 20, 2022 7:04 PM |
Where is the next LGBT Mecca? Where is the next LGBT and artist enclave?
| by Anonymous | reply 222 | April 20, 2022 7:08 PM |
r219, you sound young. Gay history has the answers to what you're asking. There are reason for some gays behavior. Not all act in that way including myself but I absolutely understand why they do what they do.
| by Anonymous | reply 223 | April 20, 2022 7:11 PM |
La Quinta is the most exclusive and desirable town in the Coachella Valley. It's where the most billionaires have bought homes, like Apple's Tim Cook, Lucian Grange, the Kardashians, Nike's CEO Phil Knight, Rande Gerber and Cindy Crawford.
All of these Coachella towns are within a short 30 minute drive from each other, so I don't know why some of you think that gays have to live in PS if they want any kind of gay nightlife.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 224 | April 20, 2022 7:12 PM |
r224, for the 2nd time you're trying to sell LQ as something as it's not. You are linking gated communities that are small in numbers compared to the rest of LQ. Up until covid LQ was the best value for the money for regular people.
| by Anonymous | reply 225 | April 20, 2022 7:16 PM |
R221 I know Jewish delis well.
Whether we're looking at it as a breakfast joint or a deli, their food is fucking TERRIBLE.
I'm sure your fat, smelly ass does have diarrhea if you eat that basic bitch shit.
| by Anonymous | reply 226 | April 20, 2022 8:14 PM |
Manhattan in the Desert is far superior to Sherman's.
| by Anonymous | reply 227 | April 20, 2022 8:33 PM |
Who cares about Jewish delis when you can get steak tartare at Pomme Frite. It's delicious, great location too.
| by Anonymous | reply 228 | April 20, 2022 8:43 PM |
Palm Springs is so extremely gay that there are two separate LGBT radio stations: local KGAY on AM and FM and nationally syndicated (Audacy) Channel Q on FM.
As a rural gay, my head would likely explode like that first time I went to Chuck-E-Cheese with all the singing animatronics. Gay overload.
| by Anonymous | reply 230 | April 20, 2022 9:42 PM |
The best station in Palm Springs used to be KWXY, which I would always listen to while driving around, or at home while working, thinking of my next visit. Sadly, it's no longer operating, and it makes me sad. Instead I listen to BBC Radio 2, because there is no acceptable easy listening alternative.
| by Anonymous | reply 231 | April 20, 2022 10:19 PM |
[]…there are more gays than you realize in Rancho Mirage, I know several wealthy older couples that live there…
Compelling insights from a focus group of one.
| by Anonymous | reply 232 | April 20, 2022 10:26 PM |
The Eagles will open this new venue in PD soon.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 233 | April 20, 2022 10:33 PM |
Asking this, because I'm just curious. Why does it bother some people on this thread that someone who is gay might not want to live next to other gay people? Why can't they live just 30 minutes away from a concentrated area of gays? What if they found an affordable house or condo to buy, and they decide to occasionally go to a gay bar or club, but don't want to live next door? Is there some sort of invisible fence that one can't cross?
| by Anonymous | reply 234 | April 20, 2022 10:43 PM |
I’m 61 and have been visiting Palm Springs since I was a young boy. My parents built a house in Rancho Mirage in the seventies. My straight brother has been living in the house since his divorce and retirement ten years ago. He belongs to the Indian Wells Country Club. He says about the only place in the greater Palm Springs area that straights have a chance of being in the majority is the dining room at Indian Wells.
| by Anonymous | reply 235 | April 20, 2022 10:54 PM |
r234, why does it bother you so much that some people disagree with you? I've lived my entire life outside of the gays areas in five different cities and everything is great. BUT there are some gays who don't want that and find comfort in being/living in a gay areas. Great! It there's choice and they have that right.
BTW, you do realize the majority of gays in the US live OUTSIDE of gay city/town centers.
| by Anonymous | reply 236 | April 21, 2022 3:08 AM |
Is Coco's still open in Palm Springs?
| by Anonymous | reply 237 | April 21, 2022 3:18 AM |
[quote]Where is the next LGBT Mecca? Where is the next LGBT and artist enclave?
Let's ask Stefon!
| by Anonymous | reply 238 | April 23, 2022 9:17 PM |
R42: "There are virtually NO homes for purchase in the area. Inventory is extremely tight. "
So are the realtors.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 239 | April 23, 2022 9:43 PM |
[quote] you do realize the majority of gays in the US live OUTSIDE of gay city/town centers.
The sad, fat, tragic ones do, I'm sure.
| by Anonymous | reply 241 | April 24, 2022 2:05 PM |
[quote] Again, the straights and families have discovered PS.
Is this true? Where have you read or heard about this? I live in suburbia now and this is exactly what I want to get away from.
| by Anonymous | reply 242 | April 24, 2022 6:14 PM |
It's not really straights and families per se - it's more that people from LA decided to move here to escape the pandemic. Hopefully they all go back to where they came from.
| by Anonymous | reply 243 | April 24, 2022 7:54 PM |
It seems like every adult friendly place has become infected with families from the suburbs and their awful children. I can easily see that happening to Palm Springs.
| by Anonymous | reply 244 | April 24, 2022 8:01 PM |
Look, OP, relying on the words of my wise old mother, when you dine out, you go for a late lunch. Eat your main meal then. At night you eat light. Maybe a bowl of cereal or a salad. So if you have a hearty lunch, (Lunch is always cheaper than dinner) you'll be fine.
| by Anonymous | reply 245 | April 24, 2022 11:44 PM |
I’ve liked visiting Palm Springs, mainly to see friends who live there. Yes it’s crazy hot. Yes there are showy gay cliques but they’re easily ignored. It just sort of in the middle of absolutely nowhere. Plus, California running out of water. Tax rates are high compared to the much of the US.
I recently visited St Pete’s in Florida and was so impressed by the gay friendly atmosphere, but it’s Florida. it’s quickly getting expensive. Global warming means it’ll soon be under water.
Arizona maybe?
| by Anonymous | reply 246 | April 25, 2022 12:06 AM |
[Quote] It seems like every adult friendly place has become infected with families from the suburbs and their awful children. I can easily see that happening to Palm Springs.
Lots of gays with kids have second homes there already
| by Anonymous | reply 247 | April 25, 2022 12:07 AM |
R246, not in our lifetimes.
| by Anonymous | reply 248 | April 25, 2022 12:16 AM |
R246 Arizona gets water from the Colorado River, which is the same water source that feeds Southern California.
The only difference between AZ and Palm Springs is that AZ is more Republican/QAnon. In almost all other ways it's the same. Prices may be somewhat less in Phoenix, etc. but they're rising just about everywhere.
| by Anonymous | reply 249 | April 25, 2022 1:13 AM |
It's lovely, I had a mother who lived there once!
| by Anonymous | reply 250 | April 25, 2022 3:16 AM |
Dear [R236]
People can live wherever they choose, and I'm ok with other viewpoints. What bothers me are old queens telling people to live in a certain place, in a certain house so that they can be in the correct "social circles". Or, the attitude that gays can't live in the same neighborhood as straight people, because they might not have the exact same political views.
| by Anonymous | reply 251 | April 25, 2022 5:44 PM |
^^^ Looks like someone is having a meltdown, I hope he has some dolls at home.
| by Anonymous | reply 252 | April 25, 2022 5:49 PM |
Which type do you recommend? Barbie? Madame Alexander?
| by Anonymous | reply 253 | April 25, 2022 9:26 PM |
R253, Madame Alexander of course. Barbie is so Kardashian!
| by Anonymous | reply 254 | April 25, 2022 10:26 PM |
Have lived in Rancho Mirage just over 2 years. Great location - right in between the gay life of Palm Springs and the slightly more uptight but lovely Palm Desert. People are friendly as long as you don't push in with attitude. No, it's not LA - it's a small town with a small town feel, especially in off season. If your into it, the valley as a whole is very spiritual, and the skies and mountains are breathtaking.
Of course, we couldn't afford buying in here now - COVID years have almost doubled what we initially paid. I'd say if you want to move, wait a bit. Inventories should go up and prices should go down, if just a bit, although I doubt if a crash is in the future. Lord, I hope not.
| by Anonymous | reply 256 | April 25, 2022 10:53 PM |
If so. why don't you sell your place and cash in now, R256?
| by Anonymous | reply 257 | April 26, 2022 12:02 AM |
I bought my RM home in Jan. It's being built now. The builder just released new prices this week for the last phase of the community and my model is up 100,000. over what I bought it for a few months ago. Sick!
| by Anonymous | reply 258 | April 26, 2022 12:17 AM |
Sadly there is no bubble and if you sell now you will have no decent place to go to.
| by Anonymous | reply 259 | April 26, 2022 1:06 AM |
I think we're near the top of the bubble in the area.
Some homes here are really asking for the moon but I don't think they'll get it.
| by Anonymous | reply 260 | April 26, 2022 1:11 AM |
I like to read about where people live and if they like it or not and what it is like to live in a specific place.
| by Anonymous | reply 261 | April 26, 2022 1:20 AM |
The straights are taking over, and they ask dumb fucking questions like this.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 263 | April 26, 2022 4:12 AM |
R258 *waves* haaaay gurl! lol
I'm over near DaVail. RM seems to be a popular site for development these days, what with the Disney community.
| by Anonymous | reply 264 | April 26, 2022 3:13 PM |
If I sold right now, I wouldn't have a clue where to go next. Have ideas for retirement, but not there yet. Need an in-between that makes sense, not just moving for the heck of it.
Shout out, DaVall! Who knew so many of my neighbors visit.
| by Anonymous | reply 265 | April 26, 2022 5:43 PM |
Now that the kids are all out of the house my conservative brother and his uptight Christian wife are considering relocating to Palm Desert. I detest them so much I've decided against moving to PS or anywhere near them. I am looking for other areas to move.
| by Anonymous | reply 266 | April 26, 2022 5:56 PM |
What a shame that you can't move somewhere because your brother is there. Are you worried that he and his wife will show up at CCBC when you're enjoying another gentleman?
| by Anonymous | reply 267 | April 26, 2022 6:09 PM |
Buyers today get the short end of the stick. Top of the market pricing, seller's market, and 5%+ interest rates.
Not to mention their property taxes will likely be double that of most of their neighbors... forever.
Speaking of R263, soon those parents will be posting about "bad schools and family-hostile environments." They'll be clamoring for more playgrounds, family-centric housing (so focus will be on McMansionvilles that empty nesters and single gay men will have no desire to own or maintain).
Oh and property tax increases for better schools and playgrounds, at the expense or retirees and older gay men.
We were looking 5 years ago (albeit prematurely as we're mid-40s). Letting that market cool down and see what it turns up like.
| by Anonymous | reply 268 | April 26, 2022 6:51 PM |
Have you heard of PS High, R268? It is a pretty big school, with almost 2000 students. Yep, and all those students have parents in PS and many have siblings. Oh, and half are...Mexican! Are you really frightened now??
There have always been families in PS. My family had been visiting PS since my childhood, and I lived there as an adult. My stepsister raised her kids there.
| by Anonymous | reply 269 | April 26, 2022 10:04 PM |
Oh and R268 the fasted growing group in PS is not pampered white gay men such as yourself. It is Mexican/Latino, they are young and have more kids than whites.
Get ready for a bumpy ride there!
| by Anonymous | reply 270 | April 26, 2022 10:06 PM |
[Quote] the fasted growing group in PS is not pampered white gay men such as yourself. It is Mexican/Latino, they are young and have more kids than whites.
Who do you think are doing all the construction and maintenance work out in the Coachella Valley? Not white people.
That's why they are the fastest growing group.
| by Anonymous | reply 271 | April 27, 2022 1:58 AM |
R258, there is no bubble. That was funny...
| by Anonymous | reply 272 | April 27, 2022 6:38 AM |
Here's your PS realtor for this tight market.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 273 | April 27, 2022 6:41 AM |
Kim Kardashian asses on men are disturbing.
| by Anonymous | reply 274 | April 27, 2022 1:09 PM |
[quote] there is no bubble
oh but there is
| by Anonymous | reply 276 | April 27, 2022 5:35 PM |
I'm 62, but look 22 and a half
| by Anonymous | reply 278 | April 27, 2022 8:49 PM |
I almost moved to PS a few years ago (from the midwest), and at the last minute changed my mind when I thought about the staggering heat and not knowing anyone there, also no clue what I would do for work. I ended up getting fully refunded for a month of an Air Bnb. But now here I am years later.. still not sure where to go next.
| by Anonymous | reply 279 | April 28, 2022 3:10 PM |
"Wilton Manors is a hamlet"
LOL. There is no end to DLers lame attempts at pretentiousness.
Wilton Manors is neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale that, due to the vagaries of how South Florida was developed, is not an actual part of the city of Fort Lauderdale.
| by Anonymous | reply 281 | April 28, 2022 3:24 PM |
PS is not perfect, for sure. Almost everywhere in the country has some pluses and minuses about it. It can be hard to make new friends here, but that is true of any tourist area. Many of the people that are here are only part year residents due to the heat.
Too many people come here in winter, fall in love with it, buy a place and then turn around and sell it 2 years later, because they hadn't properly considered the actual practicalities of living in a place like Palm Springs.
I thought we considered them before our move and still there have been things that surprised me. There's a huge shortage of workers in several key areas like healthcare - made worse by COVID but apparently not a new shortage. And you simply cannot, for love, money or your firstborn, find ANYONE to do ANYTHING relating to landscaping, home repair, home remodeling or the like. There are so, so, so many resorts, etc. paying those people thousands a day to show up and do their thing and none of them want to come by and work on your pissy little project. Which is why so many homes here still look old, dated and stanky.
| by Anonymous | reply 282 | April 28, 2022 5:07 PM |
Helpful R282. I’m always surprised no one considers health care in retirement. I can’t imagine not having access to a top notch hospital and decent health care. Yet so many retirement areas are remote and lack medical and other support services. PS isn’t bad compared to many - but you do point out the unique things about it that many seem not to consider.
There is no ideal place. I’d prefer to have 2 cheap places - city and country.
| by Anonymous | reply 283 | April 28, 2022 5:54 PM |
How's Palm Spring compared to Fort Lauderdale?
There are so many elder gays in Fort Lauderdale.
| by Anonymous | reply 284 | April 28, 2022 6:05 PM |
[quote] Seattle ?
Seattle is a pit of misery right now. And I get why it looks attractive on paper.
But climate change has impacted Seattle hard, and the extremes have thrown the city into chaos. Most places don't have heat or AC and aren't insulated for either, but there have been massive snows the last several years and last year, temps got up to 115 F.
Plus it is teeming with homeless people. In a way that just dwarfs any sort of support for them.
| by Anonymous | reply 285 | April 28, 2022 9:16 PM |
Calling Wilton Manors a "Hamlet" was to give it a sheen of the Hamptons. As pointed out by posters above, Wilton Manors is considered by some to be higher class than Palm Springs because of all the ex-New Yorkers there, and with that goes some pretentiousness.
| by Anonymous | reply 286 | April 28, 2022 10:19 PM |
[quote] The straights are taking over, and they ask dumb fucking questions like this.
R263, I think that Reddit poster (looking for a nice dinner spot in PS for "spouse" and 7-month-old baby) may be a gay man. User name is Koinman2017 and refers to "spouse."
| by Anonymous | reply 287 | April 28, 2022 10:36 PM |
If your scene is alcoholic Republicans who fuck their friends' boyfriends, you're home in PS!
| by Anonymous | reply 288 | April 28, 2022 11:22 PM |
Wilton Manors is filled with trashy concrete block red neck houses. How it is a gay haven is befuddling., At least PS has some natural and architectural interest. Wilton Manors is an overpriced dump in a red state surrounded by trashy Florida people. The only thing it has going for it is a concentration of gay bars. Not sure why anyone would choose it over PS - except for the taxes. But if you are so concerned about taxes, neither is right.
Wilton Manors is a dump surrounded by trash. PS is a a desert oasis in a beautiful liberal state.
| by Anonymous | reply 289 | April 29, 2022 3:47 AM |
Don't move to Palm Springs if you don't love heat! The winters are mild and pleasant, but half the year is scorching hot. You have to really be a hot weather person to enjoy living there.
| by Anonymous | reply 290 | April 29, 2022 3:52 AM |
Early bird dinners are great. It really pays to be 55 or older. You get so many breaks.
| by Anonymous | reply 291 | April 29, 2022 3:58 AM |
I have not seen an early bird dinner in the years, plural, I've lived in PS.
| by Anonymous | reply 292 | April 29, 2022 4:29 AM |
R289 Best description of Wilton Manors ever!
| by Anonymous | reply 293 | April 29, 2022 2:34 PM |
You just know that the Trans are going to move in to both places and take them over!
They are truly Agents of Satan!
I'm so glad so many Dataloungers are on the case, cataloging their every misdeed or possible misdeed.
| by Anonymous | reply 296 | April 29, 2022 2:45 PM |
Datalounge should start their own retirement community.
| by Anonymous | reply 297 | April 29, 2022 2:59 PM |
Regarding the comment about Wilton Manners being surrounded by rednecks, do you realize that Palm Springs is as well? You've got Desert Hot Springs and the whole High Desert to the North, the Salton area to the South, the Inland Empire to the West, lots of rednecks and all kinds of trashy people around. The adjacent San Bernardino Mountains have many, many rednecks. Every been to Big Bear? TRASHY! But that is ANY place in the United States. I think people who didn't grow up in California don't understand that it's mostly trashy, dumb people, who are usually really friendly and fun to be around. Watch a couple Huell Howser shows, and you'll see what I mean.
| by Anonymous | reply 298 | April 29, 2022 3:22 PM |
Just asked a friend who is from Ft. Lauderdale - Wilton Manors is mostly surrounded by old Jewish retirees and Caribbean immigrants.
The exact quote was "What rednecks? It's Fort Lauderdale. Rednecks haven't lived there in forever. They can't afford to."
| by Anonymous | reply 299 | April 29, 2022 3:52 PM |
[quote]Datalounge should start their own retirement community.
They did, but it burned down in a grease fire.
| by Anonymous | reply 300 | April 29, 2022 10:20 PM |
How anyone could think Wilton Manors is on Palm Springs' level is beyond me. Pure delusion.
What celebrities own homes in Wilton Manors?
Does Wilton Manors even have a hotel, much less the resorts, like Palm Springs?
What events take place in Wilton Manors?
I went once. All the gay bars are clustered in one sad looking strip mall. You cross the ugly parking lot, cross an ugly street, go over one block, and it's the nicer gay bar. No beach in sight, despite being in South Florida.
You NY queens just need to stop.
| by Anonymous | reply 301 | May 3, 2022 4:18 PM |
OP, can you sell your body to science and get the money now?
That should provide a nice nest egg.
| by Anonymous | reply 302 | May 3, 2022 4:20 PM |
I'd still take Palm Springs over Wilting Manparts.
| by Anonymous | reply 303 | May 3, 2022 4:25 PM |
How about the suburbs of Vegas?
| by Anonymous | reply 304 | May 3, 2022 4:26 PM |
We go to Vegas periodically for shopping and medical stuff. The whole valley seems to me to be all one city without suburbs. Yet the whole city seems to be a suburb itself, except for the Strip and a very small downtown section. It's extremely hot in Vegas for half the year, as are Palm Springs and Phoenix.
I don't see any compelling reason to live in Las Vegas, unless you are employed by the gambling / hotel / entertainment industry there. That industry makes many billions of dollars each year, but it mainly goes to the owners. I don't see any reason to retire there as there's not much else there.
And there is a lot of crazy traffic, a substantial homeless problem, and a thousand detours with a million traffic cones. Every street is aleays under construction, indefinitely. The orange traffic cone is the state flower of Nevada.
But is you're in to that whole "plastique" Vegas scene, like Liberace was or Lily Tomlin's character "Bobbie Jeanine," then I guess Vegas has a sort of tacky glued-on glamour that might be entertaining in retirement.
| by Anonymous | reply 305 | May 3, 2022 5:21 PM |
I keep reading about these family-friendly water park developments coming to Palm Springs.
| by Anonymous | reply 306 | May 3, 2022 6:22 PM |
OP, do you really want to move to a city built in the middle of a HORRIBLE desert, and is artificially kept green by bringing water from elsewhere? Look at the hideous surroundings of Palm Springs... Do you really want to move there?
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 307 | May 3, 2022 6:42 PM |
^ Why is the desert "horrible"? You sound like you need an education. Some of our biggest environmental disasters are a result of people who don't understand deserts.
| by Anonymous | reply 308 | May 3, 2022 7:43 PM |
The desert is quite rejuvenating.
Once you get over the rhetoric of "it's the desert!" you'll start viewing most things as petty and miniscule.
Palm Springs was a lovely weekend getaway when I lived in LA 2000-2010. Now it's just another tourist trap and soon to be suburban haven.
| by Anonymous | reply 309 | May 3, 2022 8:03 PM |
R301, Wilton Manors is part of Ft Lauderdale, which has far more resorts, mansions, yachts, and billionaires than Palm Springs.
| by Anonymous | reply 310 | May 3, 2022 8:09 PM |
R310 Sit down. Wilton Manors is an independent city.
| by Anonymous | reply 311 | May 3, 2022 8:17 PM |
In name only, R311. It's like West Hollywood.
| by Anonymous | reply 312 | May 3, 2022 8:18 PM |
R311 WTF does that even mean. Just stop.
No one around this thread has ever said WM = FTL = WM.
You're embarrassing yourself.
| by Anonymous | reply 313 | May 3, 2022 8:20 PM |
Wilton Manors has its own mayor and council, its own police force, and is certainly NOT part of Fort Lauderdale.
| by Anonymous | reply 314 | May 3, 2022 8:25 PM |
R282, that complaint is true in every single urban(e) local all over the world. It ain't just PS.
I have homes in SF, Seattle, Auckland, and Portland ME, and there is absolutely zero reliability anywhere with regard to landscaping. I end up doing a lot of it myself (badly). It's gotten even worse with the recent economy and labor shortages.
Many of these complaints about PS apply to many other places, but lots of you queens haven't been around the block very much.
Manscaping, though. That's easy to come by! LOL.
| by Anonymous | reply 315 | May 3, 2022 11:12 PM |
R301, Palm Springs also has no beach, by the way.
And the gay bar scene is pretty slim too.
You're right about the events scene, though.
| by Anonymous | reply 316 | May 3, 2022 11:16 PM |
[quote] No beach in sight, despite being in South Florida.
The beach is a 15 minute walk from Wilton Manors.
| by Anonymous | reply 317 | May 3, 2022 11:55 PM |
A 15-minute walk is not in sight.
Why are the Wilton Manors queens so pushy about their hamlet.
It wreaks of insecurity and trying too hard.
| by Anonymous | reply 318 | May 4, 2022 12:18 AM |
What's up with the Hisstopher hating on Wilton Manors?
It's a part of Fort Lauderdale that has a separate government like West Hollywood and LA.
It's unfair to compare it to Palm Springs which is its own self-contained small city
| by Anonymous | reply 319 | May 4, 2022 12:27 AM |
Glad to see Wilton Manors getting the bashing it deserves. It’s a crime that the gay Mecca for Florida - and thus East Coast retired gays - is such a dump and is not even on the beach. St Pete would be preferable. Not sure why everyone settles in Wilton Manors.
| by Anonymous | reply 320 | May 4, 2022 2:50 AM |
I want hot, I don't want snow anymore and I sure as shit don't want humidity as if I would ever set foot in Florida anyway.
| by Anonymous | reply 321 | May 4, 2022 2:55 AM |
R309 Ignorant Brit here so please be kind. I’ve never been to a desert area before, isn’t it kind of scary? Could you go for a walk in the desert in the cooler months or is it too easy to get lost? You sometimes read of people getting lost in the Australian desert and they find the car and bodies weeks later.
| by Anonymous | reply 322 | May 4, 2022 10:25 AM |
Palm Springs is fully developed. Not like Death Valley, CA. There is a huge sprawl of development everywhere. Hiking is done on the far outskirts - like Joshua Tree. Hiking trails are not that remote - you will not be left to die of thirst if you go for a walk.
| by Anonymous | reply 323 | May 4, 2022 12:22 PM |
R323 Joshua Tree is about an hour north of Palm Springs. There are quite a few people who won't make that trek, if only because it's so close and "home" - it's like us in San Francisco... Napa is lovely and all, but it's a real pain to get to on most weekends. Like a former boss who moved to Santa Monica, a block from the beach, she never went! I guess the mentality is "we can go anytime."
Joshua Tree has many different trails, and is manned by the national park service. We went in September once when it was 120 degrees. We returned to our car from a short trail to find a ranger investigating it to make sure everything was ok (a few days earlier someone died because they went off road, got a flat, and tried to walk for help - he would have been better off staying by his car). Occasionally you will hear of deaths like that, by they are usually folks who don't heed normal precautions (don't hike between 10am - 6pm during the summer, stay on marked trails, let someone know where you'll be, etc). Same with Death Valley which is HUGE and much more isolated (but utterly stunning). Some of the trails are 3-5 hours out and back, and some involve elevation.
There are several trails on the outskirts of Palm Springs proper (not many, but they are there). During the winter, they are a lovely hike. During the summer, locals restrict their hikes to pre-8am (seriously). It can easily get to be 90 degrees by then.
The desert can be lovingly diverse and mindblowing. From above, you can see how manufactured Palm Springs is - literally an oasis in the middle of the desert.
I'm saddened of all the influx and development coming in - as a lifetime CA native, we know once that happens there is no turning back. (Look at Las Vegas, yuck).
| by Anonymous | reply 325 | May 4, 2022 2:09 PM |
Indian Canyons are a lovely site for an an al fresco BJ after brunch
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 326 | May 4, 2022 2:55 PM |
I'm young so it's not for retirement, but are there any other majority gay cities/places aside from PS? Or cities that are known to have big gay communities? I come from Europe and I'd like to visit a place where I can feel free among "peers".
| by Anonymous | reply 327 | May 4, 2022 9:19 PM |
Umm….West Hollywood, The Castro, Boystown Chicago
| by Anonymous | reply 328 | May 5, 2022 1:45 PM |
[QUOTE] I'd like to visit a place where I can feel free among "peers".
The fantasy is better than the really.
| by Anonymous | reply 329 | May 5, 2022 2:21 PM |
Watch out, these queens will tell you which "social circles" you need to hang out with. Follow their advice, and you'll end up looking like a rotisserie chicken in a speedo at age 40.
| by Anonymous | reply 330 | May 5, 2022 4:32 PM |
I'm going there tomorrow.
| by Anonymous | reply 331 | May 5, 2022 4:57 PM |
[331] Have fun tomorrow. Getting hotter (102 for the high) but the evenings are amazing. Once the sun tucks down behind the mountains, you might actually be chilled.
| by Anonymous | reply 333 | May 5, 2022 10:41 PM |
[quote]…at the last minute changed my mind when I thought about the staggering heat and not knowing anyone there, also no clue what I would do for work.
So you considered moving to Palm Springs and the climate and the people and a job weren’t any of your first thoughts? WTF?
| by Anonymous | reply 334 | May 6, 2022 1:30 AM |
In fairness, people often move someplace supposedly idyllic without a plan, although they usually have a job (or if older), a retirement fund/income. Retirement destinations often seem to have lots of sad looking types who probably did something like this.
| by Anonymous | reply 335 | May 6, 2022 2:11 AM |
No way I'd live in an inferno for months on end, a/c blasting all day. If you can afford PS as a second home, maybe.
| by Anonymous | reply 336 | May 6, 2022 2:36 AM |
R328 Boystown is that place of which a video posted in another recent thread shows a horde of black savages jumping on cars and twerking in the middle of street? And that is a gay friendly/safe/desiderable place to be for a gay man?
| by Anonymous | reply 337 | May 6, 2022 7:35 PM |
I would rather retire to Italy or Spain. Nice weather and hotter guys than ones you'd find in PS.
| by Anonymous | reply 338 | May 7, 2022 8:31 AM |
[quote]I would rather retire to Italy or Spain. Nice weather and hotter guys than ones you'd find in PS.
Sweetie, you'll be old an retired, the hot guys will never see you.
| by Anonymous | reply 339 | May 7, 2022 11:02 AM |
Palm Springs has near perfect weather. Yeah, it gets very hot in the Summer, but so does half of the country. If you live anywhere in the South, then it's not much different.
| by Anonymous | reply 340 | May 7, 2022 8:45 PM |
Palm Springs seems trashy.
| by Anonymous | reply 341 | May 7, 2022 8:49 PM |
I was in Rancho Mirage yesterday and it was 100 and was fine. A little windy but good. I breath better out there. My asthma does act up when I'm out in that area. Is that unusual?
| by Anonymous | reply 342 | May 7, 2022 8:53 PM |
R342 If its windy it may be a combination of the dust and spring seasonal allergies that's doing you in.
| by Anonymous | reply 343 | May 7, 2022 9:43 PM |
r434, I meant I do better out in Rancho Mirage than I do in where I live in LA.
| by Anonymous | reply 344 | May 7, 2022 10:56 PM |
Will the wind blow up my caftan?
| by Anonymous | reply 346 | May 7, 2022 11:29 PM |
I'm sticking with Laguna Beach, thank you. PS has already had some of the hottest days on record in the last couple years.
| by Anonymous | reply 347 | May 8, 2022 12:24 AM |
R347, So has every place on earth, not just PS. The entire planet is getting hotter due to climate change. Summers in the southern part of the country are worse than in PS because of the overwhelming humidity. The 100+ temps of PS are easier to take than the humid 90+ temps of Florida, Atlanta or Texas.
| by Anonymous | reply 348 | May 8, 2022 12:47 AM |
This "it's 100 degrees in early May and it's fabulous" nonsense is pathetic.
| by Anonymous | reply 349 | May 8, 2022 12:48 AM |
In looking at condos for sale, it seems none allow pets??? That would be such a deal breaker, we need our babies.
| by Anonymous | reply 350 | May 8, 2022 3:36 PM |
R338, I always thought I would live abroad in retirement. Checked out Mexico, DR, CR, Portugal, Cambodia, Vietnam, etc. Three months into retirement I developed some serious health issues which required multiple hospitalizations. Fortunately Medicare covered everything. But it made me realize that health insurance would be an out-of-pocket expense when living abroad, especially with pre-existing conditions, since Medicare does not cover healthcare outside the US. And the quality of healthcare available to ex-pats living abroad needs to be factored into your choice of countries. Just something else to keep in mind when determining where outside the US you want to live.
| by Anonymous | reply 351 | May 8, 2022 3:56 PM |
R351 Several of those countries have good, affordable private health insurance that expats can purchase, Mexico being one of them. It's one of the reasons we are looking at Mexico. Further, it is very close to the US one can still return to the US to take advantage of Medicare if necessary.
Before anyone poo poos Mexican healthcare, don't undermine the quality of health care the average informed (and yes, funded) American retiree can get there.
Unfortunately, as a member of several expat groups online, Mexico is seeing a lot of hasty, uninformed (underfunded, if at all funded) "financial refugees" fleeing south of the border thinking they can live on Coronas and Nachos for pennies forever. A good number are clear Trumpers (how ironic and sad for Mexico).
| by Anonymous | reply 352 | May 8, 2022 4:07 PM |
I have a friend who lives in Guadalajara and must see his doctor every month in the USA. He flies to Tijuana and then crosses the border by foot. his doctor is in San Diego. He is able to be back home the same day. All a bit of a hassle but he loves living in Mexico.
| by Anonymous | reply 353 | May 8, 2022 4:14 PM |
R348, but I don't live in any of those shitholes
| by Anonymous | reply 354 | May 8, 2022 5:25 PM |
I had four friends who retired to Mexico and within five years all were dead. Oh, and another who went to Costa Rica and he is dead now too. I'll stay in the US of A, thank you.
| by Anonymous | reply 355 | May 8, 2022 5:32 PM |
It really is wishful thinking - all these people retiring to a foreign country / small town because it’s cheap. Just wait until you get an aggressive cancer - you will pray to be back in a major American city with the best, most advanced treatment in the world. Maybe some eldergays are fine just going somewhere to die. But I refuse to live in an area without a top-10 cancer hospital. It’s saved the lives of every one of my elderly relatives many times. (Cancer gene family).
| by Anonymous | reply 356 | May 8, 2022 5:44 PM |
R355 What a simple way of thinking. Move abroad = death.
Typical American mentality.
Care to expound why they died? You seem to suggest it was the countries' fault. Many it was all that "healthy" American living beforehand.
| by Anonymous | reply 357 | May 8, 2022 6:04 PM |
R356 That's a really sad approach to retirement.
Many people retire abroad to truly enjoy their last years with success.
Planning your golden days to be around the closest cancer hospital? How sad.
Abroad, people don't fear death. They fear not truly living.
| by Anonymous | reply 358 | May 8, 2022 6:06 PM |
You can always move back to the USA if you need specialized medical care. Many do just that. I am not sure if it is a great idea to plan your life around a possible cancer diagnosis.
| by Anonymous | reply 359 | May 8, 2022 6:48 PM |
I would have previously suggested Guerneville as gay place for those with little cash, but with climate change, forest fires have become a thing, so best not.
| by Anonymous | reply 361 | May 8, 2022 7:04 PM |
R361 Guerneville also floods with regularity. Not to mention it is overrun with meth heads.
Not sure why those with little cash would want to head there. Sonoma County has experienced massing housing increases due to years of fires, floods, urban flight during the pandemic, small inventory and tech money creep from SF one hour south. It ain't cheap.
| by Anonymous | reply 362 | May 8, 2022 7:07 PM |
Oh dear. You're right. And the hem of a caftan can take up water...precipitously.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 363 | May 8, 2022 7:10 PM |
R359 That is what we plan to do. We fortuantely refinanced our place here in SF just in the nick of time and hope to have it paid off in 15 years at age 60.
Our 60s we'll enjoy our early retirement abroad, renting primarily throughout Mexico as we are familiar with it and its diversity, but staying open to Portugal, Spain, and Turkey, other favorites.
By our 70s, partner and I will likely follow our parents' trajectory and slow down. We may stay put in Mexico, but will never completely close off our US life. We've learned expats often do want/need to come back.
For now, though, and with health permitting, we're not interested in being 70+ in San Francisco (or California for that matter) with its crime, homelessness, ridiculous cost of living, distorted government priorities, and zombies glued to their phones. Coming back to Palm Springs, being stuck in a gated community imprisoned in its manufactured charms stolen from the desert doesn't sound appealing either.
| by Anonymous | reply 364 | May 8, 2022 7:14 PM |
People who retire in Mexico, Costa Rica, or some other Central American country, are not thinking straight. The medical care in those countries is not on the same par as what you get in the US. Their hospitals are dirty and the medical professionals are not as well-educated or trained.
I can't imagine not having Medicare once I get older. Good luck with that.
| by Anonymous | reply 365 | May 8, 2022 7:19 PM |
[quote]You can always move back to the USA if you need specialized medical care. Many do just that.
Because what could be easier than moving to another country while you have cancer and need immediate treatment? A piece of cake, really.
| by Anonymous | reply 366 | May 8, 2022 7:25 PM |
This thread is not about me!
| by Anonymous | reply 367 | May 8, 2022 7:34 PM |
R365 On the contrary, many expats have put more thought into their retirement. Arguably more than those who stay put. They've put in the time and research into relocating abroad, which is no easy feat as R366 mentions. I'm in several expat groups and the amount of education and planning members put into retirement abroad is significant. Of course, some don't grasp all the considerations, but on average, many do and they've formed a community dedicated to sharing information and knowledge.
Many are happing living quality lives truly enjoying what matters in life. They're free and not burdened by American fearmongering and provincialism. Or the countless other banalities of 60+ years of living in the same mindset.
But enjoy the bubble. Retiring for Medicare. That's 'Murica for you.
| by Anonymous | reply 368 | May 8, 2022 7:38 PM |
Or you were smart enough to live someplace you enjoy now, and can afford to stay. That's why we vacation.
| by Anonymous | reply 369 | May 8, 2022 7:45 PM |
I know somone who retired to Thailand who lives the life of an uncrowned king. Staff, hot trade (if one is into yellow velvet), and luxury. All at a fractional price. But they have investments. What happens there when the actual crazed poz king is overthrown is a big question though.
| by Anonymous | reply 370 | May 8, 2022 7:48 PM |
R369 Fair enough, but have you considered some people don't want to stay in the same place for the rest of their lives, especially at the end of it? There's a whole world out there. And vacationing isn't living in a place daily, immersing yourself in the new adventures of a new way of living after decades of doing the same old same old.
Besides, your point doesn't speak to the criticisms of those who retired abroad not thinking straight. Or the quality of life they can enjoy abroad.
| by Anonymous | reply 371 | May 8, 2022 7:52 PM |
R370 Then they find a new place. And likely die with a smile on their faces whenever their time is up.
| by Anonymous | reply 372 | May 8, 2022 7:56 PM |
Do people actually plan their lives around having a possible cancer diagnosis down the road? There are some strange people on DL.
| by Anonymous | reply 373 | May 8, 2022 7:57 PM |
Those who feel compelled to find a less expensive foreign alternative due to American retirement financial constraints are a significant population, and their concerns and priorities will clearly differ from those with significant means who are more intrigued by the idea of a glamorous cultural experience abroad. But, members of either group would be very foolish not to have contingency plans in place for emergent health concerns, legal/political changes in their adopted home, significant currency fluctuations, residency requirements, etc.; that is simply common sense, not paranoia.
| by Anonymous | reply 374 | May 8, 2022 8:08 PM |
[quote] I always thought I would live abroad in retirement. Checked out Mexico, DR, CR, Portugal, Cambodia, Vietnam, etc.
Interesting list, R351. DR, CR, and Portugal -- where a gay guy would retire. But Cambodia and Vietnam -= where a straight guy would retire. (Mexico is a toss up).
| by Anonymous | reply 375 | May 9, 2022 2:38 AM |
Lots of gay guys in both Cambodia and Vietnam.
| by Anonymous | reply 376 | May 9, 2022 2:40 AM |
Having travelled constantly for work for 30+ years, I really have zero interest in a traveling adventure post 65. NYC is still the best place to live in the world with constant stimulation, engagement, greatest food, healthcare, culture, politics. Need a cheap country house to get away. But I don’t get the appeal of living in third world environment in a foreign country at a time when I’m looking for more comfort, not less.
| by Anonymous | reply 377 | May 9, 2022 3:49 PM |
This thread is not about NYC.
| by Anonymous | reply 378 | May 9, 2022 4:07 PM |
[quote]Just wait until you get an aggressive cancer - you will pray to be back in a major American city with the best, most advanced treatment in the world.
[quote] The medical care in those countries is not on the same par as what you get in the US. Their hospitals are dirty and the medical professionals are not as well-educated or trained.
You can find U.S.-trained medical professionals in virtually every country on the planet, and the medical facilities in many cities abroad (Bangkok, to name one) put a lot of American hospitals to shame. It's interesting to see how many Americans still have this outdated notion that we have a monopoly on decent medical care, hospitals, etc.
| by Anonymous | reply 379 | May 9, 2022 5:51 PM |
Bangkok has US boarded MD specialists, but it lacks a culture of continuing medical education--I was involved in public health research in Thailand---Thai docs also over prescribe antibiotics. You cannot find the latest medications or the latest procedures. One of my expat friends left after many years there (close to 30) because of a complex heart problem that needed to be treated in his home country. I wouldn't get too boosterish about medical professionals in "cheap" foreign countries and I say this as someone who considered starting retirement in Thailand. For me, the decisions of long-term expats to return "home" convinced me that it would be too much of an effort to build community there. Once your friends have made their obligatory trip to visit, a lot of expats find themselves really alone in a foreign place and expat communities can be transitory.
| by Anonymous | reply 380 | May 10, 2022 1:53 AM |
R371, I guess I was just lucky to be born in a special place (to me), and live 10 minutes away. I lived in LA for 15 years after college, and a year in England and Italy.
I don't want to move away from my family and friends, and fortunately I don't have to.
Right now, I'm having a drink while I type this- listening to ocean waves and watching sailboats go by. It's a relatively modest 1700SF, one level house and an HOA that takes care of the common areas.
I do switch houses for a month each year with different friends.
To each his own.
| by Anonymous | reply 381 | May 10, 2022 6:22 AM |
[quote]I do switch houses for a month each year with different friends.
🤔
| by Anonymous | reply 382 | May 10, 2022 1:46 PM |
[quote] I do switch houses for a month each year with different friends.
How does that work?
| by Anonymous | reply 383 | May 10, 2022 1:47 PM |
R383, years ago I read about some company that matches you up with comparable places in the US, or Europe. You each stay in the others house, have use of the car, etc. I liked the idea, but not with strangers.
My mom is friends with 2 retired police officers from Ipswich (UK) so I asked if they were interested and it worked out great. Now I do it every year with someone, although COVID ruined it the last couple obviously. My next as soon as it's safe is Mount Martha in Australia.
| by Anonymous | reply 384 | May 10, 2022 5:24 PM |
Good idea, R384. I guess it rests on one having friends in vacational spots, and matching the times both sides want to vacation
| by Anonymous | reply 385 | May 10, 2022 9:20 PM |
This house swap discussion tanked this thread. Oh, and all the cancer talk.
| by Anonymous | reply 386 | May 11, 2022 4:55 PM |
more info on the mob please!
| by Anonymous | reply 388 | May 14, 2022 5:17 AM |
[quote]Brush up on your Spanish chicas!
No, thanks -- I prefer Spanish HOMBRES!
| by Anonymous | reply 390 | October 10, 2022 5:03 PM |
[quote]I was there recently and was amused by their Walk of Fame downtown, with plaques in the sidewalk similar to Hollywood Boulevard. The two that made me laugh were Larry Storch and Kathy Garver from "Family Affair."
You missed DL icon Joyce Bulifant's star? For shame!
| by Anonymous | reply 391 | October 10, 2022 5:04 PM |
[quote]Yes, might be a condo, but some are very nice, and better for someone as they age. Less garden and maintenance hassles.
Isn't that why you have that Latino houseboy?
| by Anonymous | reply 392 | October 10, 2022 5:04 PM |
I'm not wealthy, not at all. and I am in my 60's and I would definitely consider moving there. If I could find a condo. Depends on what you're looking for. You want warm accepting friendly people? Don't go there. YOu want peace and quiet and beautiful surroundings, Go. And do something with your time. I discovered volunteering at the library, and reading to kids was a nice way to spend time and I met some nice people. We're not BFF. But it passes the time. And find a musical group like the Gay Men's chorus or something affiliated with a church. You don't have to be religious to do it. Or volunteer at a hospital. My cousin met her third husband that way. She consoled a man whose wife died of cancer.
| by Anonymous | reply 393 | October 10, 2022 5:10 PM |
Why did "Acrisure" (whatever that is) get the naming rights to that arena? Wouldn't Grindr or Viagra have been more relevant?
| by Anonymous | reply 394 | October 10, 2022 5:31 PM |
[quote] You want warm accepting friendly people? Don't go there.
How exactly is Palm Springs unfriendly? I thought everyone there was family.
| by Anonymous | reply 395 | October 10, 2022 8:10 PM |
I know Suzanne Somers lives in Palm Springs. What other celebrities own homes here?
| by Anonymous | reply 396 | October 10, 2022 8:12 PM |
