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2026 STEVE CHASE HUMANITARIAN AWARDS HONORING LISA MIDDLETON DAP HEALTH

LISTENING, LEARNING & SHOWING UP JANUARY 2026 | VOLUME 14 ISSUE 1 | THESTANDARDPS.COM | @THESTANDARDPS

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CONTENTS VOLUME 14, ISSUE 1

theStandardPS.com 2026 STEVE CHASE HUMANITARIAN AWARDS HONORING LISA MIDDLETON DAP HEALTH

LISTENING, LEARNING & SHOWING UP

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Volume 14 Issue 1 COVER DAP HEALTH LISTENING, LEARNING & SHOWING UP FEATURE A PIVOTAL YEAR THE MOST IMPORTANT LGBTQ+ ISSUES OF 2025 BOOKS BEST OF 2025

MUST SEE CUTAWAYS A DARK LOOK AT QUEER SURVIVAL IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY FILM PS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL PERSPECTIVE JILL’S THOUGHTS LOOK OUT 2026, HERE I COME

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E XC E L L E N C E I N T H E I N L A N D E M PI R E

Quality Health Care Counts.

You Can Count on Eisenhower Health for Truly Exceptional Performance.

Thank you, U.S. News & World Report, for listing us as one of the “Best Hospitals” in the region and California. We’re grateful to our exceptional care teams and hospital workers whose talent and dedication made this honor possible. We were also recognized for our high quality care in 18 specialties, surgeries and procedures.

• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair • Aortic Valve Surgery • Colon Cancer Surgery • Gynecological Cancer Surgery • Heart Bypass Surgery • Hip Fracture

• Hip Replacement

• Pneumonia

• Knee Replacement

• Prostate Cancer Surgery

• Leukemia, Lymphoma & Myeloma

• Spinal Fusion

• Lung Cancer • Orthopedics • Pacemaker Implantation

• Stroke • TAVR • Urology

We look forward to building on and even surpassing this level of excellence in the coming year and delivering the best possible care to the people we serve.

Learn more about our accreditations and recognitions at EisenhowerHealth.org/Awards.

COMMENTARY The Standard Magazine 400 N Sunrise Way #263 Palm Springs CA 92262 760.831.4869 NINO EILETS Publisher LUCIANO McNULTY Editor MAYA KALABIC Art Director PHOTOGRAPHER David A. Lee AMERICAN DREAMS

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COVER DAP HEALTH: LISTENING, LEARNING, AND SHOWING UP IN SERVICE OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY

BY DANIEL VAILLANCOURT

As the longtime Palm Springs-based community health center welcomes 2026, it continues to look outward, guided by the voices, needs, and leadership of the LGBTQ+ community it was founded to serve. And it all starts with The Chase on February 21.

As DAP Health enters 2026, it finds itself doing what it has done for more than four decades: listening, learning, and responding alongside the local queer community. From its earliest days, the nonprofit has understood that meaningful health care is not delivered from the top down, but built in collaboration shaped by lived experience, trust, and mutual accountability especially within LGBTQ+ populations.

Founded in 1984 by volunteers responding to the AIDS crisis, DAP Health emerged from grassroots activism and collective care.

What began as a lifeline for gay men dying of AIDS and their loved ones has grown into one of the nation’s most respected community health centers, now serving tens of thousands of patients across Southern California, a scale that brings both opportunity and responsibility to get care right.

That growth has brought valuable lessons about how systems must evolve while staying accountable to the communities that built them. It has been about responsibility to adapt, to expand, and to better meet the evolving needs of the diverse communities that have come to rely on us.

Early 2026 reflects that ongoing commitment. A series of events, programs, and service expansions are underway not as milestones to celebrate in isolation, but as opportunities to deepen partnerships, raise critical resources, and ensure care remains affirming, accessible, and responsive.

LISA MIDDLETON

THE SEASON BEGINS WITH THE CHASE DAP Health’s year will open with the 32nd Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, affectionately known as The Chase, on Saturday, February 21, at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Presented by Desert Care Network, the gala returns to its historic February timing, a reminder of the event’s origins and the community spirit that has sustained it for more than three decades. The first-ever annual fundraiser was known as Heartstrings and debuted on Valentine’s Day 1994.

Proceeds from The Chase including raffle ticket sales for the chance to win a diamond bracelet valued at $50,000, generously donated by El Paseo Jewelers directly support DAP Health’s medical and support services, from HIV specialty care and sexual wellness to

mental health, primary care, and gender-affirming services.

This year’s Community Service Award will honor former Palm Springs mayor Lisa Middleton, whose leadership has long reflected values DAP Health holds close: inclusion, housing stability, and public service grounded in integrity. Headlining entertainment by The Temptations will add a celebratory note all while underscoring the event’s deeper purpose, to sustain care that saves lives.

Named for the late Steve Chase, the openly gay interior designer and philanthropist whose generosity helped DAP Health survive its earliest years, the affair is less a showcase than a gathering point, one that invites the community to come together in service of one another.

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DINING OUT FOR LIFE TURNS MEALS INTO MEDICINE Shortly after The Chase, DAP Health’s focus will turn to Dining Out For Life Greater Palm Springs, taking place on Thursday, April 23. Now in its 22nd consecutive year locally, the international campaign transforms everyday meals into direct support for people living with or affected by HIV. Restaurants across the Coachella Valley partner with DAP Health by donating 30% to 110% of their day’s total sales, a model rooted in collective action and shared generosity. Diners, business owners, team members, volunteer ambassadors, and media partners all play a role, reinforcing the idea that community health is a shared responsibility.

In 2025, 65 participating establishments raised nearly $300,000, with every dollar staying local to support HIV prevention, education, and care. The success of Dining Out For Life belongs not to DAP Health but to the restaurants, volunteers, diners, and advocates who continue to show up in full force to turn the one-day annual occasion into care for their neighbors in need.

PRIDE AS HEALTH CARE For DAP Health, participation in Pride celebrations is guided by listening to LGBTQ+ leaders and organizers who understand

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that visibility, joy, and affirmation are essential to health. Research supports what the community has long known: connection and belonging are protective factors for mental and physical well-being.

Throughout 2025 and 2026, DAP Health has strengthened partnerships with Pride organizations throughout Southern California.

That includes proudly participating as Platinum Sponsor of Cathedral City LGBT+ Days this coming March 6-8.

At each event, DAP Health shows up at the invitation of community partners, sharing resources, offering education, and listening to feedback about how care can be improved. The goal is not visibility for its own sake, but fostering continued trust, accountability, and ongoing dialogue.

EXPANDING SEXUAL WELLNESS AND OB-GYN SERVICES Listening to community needs also drives DAP Health’s clinical expansion plans. In partnership with the North County LGBTQ Resource Center in San Diego County, a new sexual wellness clinic and pharmacy will open on their Oceanside campus in early 2026, extending services shaped by years of patient input and community collaboration.

The clinic will reflect years of patient feedback and community

input, offering care designed to reduce barriers rather than replicating traditional models. Services will include free HIV and STI testing, free STI treatment, free PrEP and PEP (including long acting injectables) for HIV prevention, free DoxyPEP for STI prevention, and care always delivered without stigma or shame.

DAP Health is also expanding access to inclusive OB-GYN services. Its Palm Springs Family Health practice is relocating to the Sunrise campus, where providers trained in culturally competent care will serve a large swath of the local population, including lesbians and pre-operative transgender men, communities that have consistently shared concerns about discrimination and barriers in traditional health care settings.

These changes reflect lessons learned directly from patients: that preventive care works best when people feel safe, respected, and understood.

HONORING THE PAST WHILE SHAPING THE FUTURE DAP Health’s approach to the future remains rooted in remembrance. Each year on World AIDS Day, the organization partners with artists, advocates, and peer organizations to honor lost lives and acknowledge the work still yet to be done.

Recent observances included its December 1, 2025, display of AIDS Memorial Quilt panels honoring late queer activists Pedro Zamora of “MTV’s The Real World” fame, pop artist Keith Haring, and others. A candlelight vigil, plus national virtual programming developed in collaboration with Philadelphia’s Mazzoni Center, also attracted many community members. These moments were about the organization’s responsibility to carry history forward with humility and resolve.

MORE THAN SERVICES, A SHARED ECOSYSTEM Progress happens because of organizers, volunteers, providers, and advocates who often work behind the scenes, holding DAP Health accountable and pushing it to do better. From Pride organizers and restaurant owners to health systems and LGBTQ+ organizations, progress is made together.

In 2025, DAP Health joined a national consortium of fellow AIDS service organizations and LGBTQ+ health centers to share advocacy strategies and mutual support during this challenging political climate where so many from the queer community feel shunned or outwardly attacked.

Internally, many of DAP Health’s 1,000 team members identify as LGBTQ+, ensuring lived experience continues to inform care.

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COVER

Community support also flows through the nonprofit’s four Revivals thrift stores, where 100% of proceeds are reinvested into services shaped by community need.

Housing, too, is part of this shared ecosystem. Vista Sunrise I and II on the Sunrise campus provide stable, affordable housing for people affected by HIV/AIDS and chronic illness, reinforcing DAP Health’s long-held belief that health begins with dignity and security.

A CLEAR THROUGH LINE From The Chase to Dining Out For Life, from Pride partnerships to expanded clinical services, DAP Health’s early 2026 activities share a clear through line: listening, learning, and building alongside the LGBTQ+ community.

For DAP Health, the work ahead will be measured not by scale or recognition, but by whether community members feel heard, respected, and better served. That work continues, guided by listening first and acting with humility.

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because LGBTQ+ health matters

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February 12-22, 2026

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BOOK REVIEW ALWAYS OVERBOOKED, HOLIDAY EDITION

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER Your dad sent you a penny the other day, minted in his birth year.

They say pennies from heaven are a sign of some sort, and that makes sense: you’ve been thinking about him a lot lately. Some might scoff, but the idea that a lost loved one is trying to tell you he’s okay is comforting. So read the new book “Are You There, Spirit? It’s Me, Travis” by Travis Holp, and keep your eyes open.

Ever since he was a young boy growing up just outside Dayton, Ohio, Travis Holp wanted to be a writer. He also wanted to say that he was gay, but his conservative parents believed his gayness was some sort of phase. That, and bullying made him hide who he was.

He also had to hide his nascent ability to communicate with people who had died, through an entity he calls “Spirit.” Eventually, though it left him with psychological scars and a drinking problem he’s since overcome, Holp was finally able to talk about his gayness and reveal his otherworldly ability.

Getting some people to believe that he speaks to the dead is still a tall order but whatever, Holp indicates. Spirit helps naysayers, as well as Holp himself.

Spirit, he says, isn’t a person or an essence; Spirit is love. Spirit is a conduit of healing and energy, speaking through Holp in symbolic messages, feelings, and through synchronistic events. For example, Holp says coincidences are not coincidental; they’re ways for loved ones to convey messages of healing and energy.

To tap into your own healing Spirit, Holp says to trust yourself when you think you’ve received a healing message. Ignore your ego but listen to your inner voice. Remember that Spirit won’t work on any fixed timeline, and its only purpose is to exist.

And keep in mind that “anything is possible because you are an unlimited being.”

You’re going to want very much to like “Are You There, Spirit?

It’s Me, Travis.” The cover photo of author Travis Holp will make you smile. Alas, what you’ll find in here is hard to read, not due to content but for lack of focus.

What’s inside this book is scattered and quite repetitious. Love, energy, healing, faith, and fear are words that are used often – so often, in fact, that many pages feel like they’ve been recycled, or like you’ve entered a time warp that moves you backward, pagewise. Yes, there are uplifting accounts of readings that Holp has done with clients here, and they’re exciting but there are too few of

them. When you find them, you’ll love them. They may make you cry.

They’re exactly what you need, if you grieve. Just not enough.

This isn’t a terrible book, but its audience might be narrow.

It absolutely needs more stories, less sentiment; more tales, less transcendence and if that’s your aim, go elsewhere. But if your soul cries for comfort after loss, “Are You There, Spirit? It’s Me, Travis” might still make cents.

“Are You There Spirit? It’s Me, Travis: Life Lessons from the Other Side” by Travis Holp c.2025, Spiegel and Grau $28.00 /240 pages

JANUARY 2026 19

FEATURE A PIVOTAL YEAR: THE MOST IMPORTANT LGBTQ+ ISSUES OF 2025

BY CHRIS ASTRALA

By 2025, LGBTQ+ rights stood at a crossroads. Around the world, hard won protections faced renewed political opposition, while activists, communities, and local governments mobilized to defend visibility, healthcare access, and civil rights. The year was defined not by a single event, but by a convergence of legal battles, cultural backlash, and global human rights struggles that reshaped the lived realities of LGBTQ+ people.

More than any other issue in 2025, transgender rights; particularly access to gender-affirming healthcare dominated political debate. In the United States, proposed federal and state-level policies sought to restrict or eliminate access to puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and other forms of care for transgender minors.

From the United States to Europe, Africa, and Central Asia, 2025 revealed how fragile progress can be—and how resilient LGBTQ+ communities remain in the face of systemic pressure.

The most important LGBTQ+ issues of the year centered on healthcare, legislation, free expression, corporate influence, global criminalization, and mental health, all unfolding amid a highly polarized political climate.

Supporters of these policies framed them as protections for children, while medical associations and LGBTQ+ advocates argued that such restrictions ignored decades of clinical research and interfered with family based medical decision-making. The resulting tension turned healthcare into a legal battlefield, with lawsuits filed by states, advocacy organizations, families, and healthcare providers.

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The Central Battleground: Transgender Rights and Healthcare

For transgender youth and their families, the impact was deeply personal. Many reported delays in care, increased anxiety, and fears of being forced to relocate to states with stronger protections.

In some cases, clinics reduced services or closed entirely due to funding threats or regulatory uncertainty.

Healthcare access in 2025 was no longer only a medical issue it became a defining civil rights struggle.

A Surge of Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation in the United States At the state level, 2025 saw one of the highest volumes of antiLGBTQ+ bills ever introduced in U.S. history. These bills targeted a wide range of issues, including: • • • • •

Restrictions on transgender participation in school sports Limits on changing gender markers on official documents Bans on drag performances in public spaces Constraints on discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in schools Rollbacks of non-discrimination protections

While not all proposed bills became law, the sheer volume contributed to an atmosphere of uncertainty and fear. Even in states where measures failed, the legislative process itself had consequences normalizing hostile rhetoric and forcing LGBTQ+ people to repeatedly defend their legitimacy in public hearings and courtrooms.

At the same time, several states moved in the opposite direction, strengthening protections for LGBTQ+ residents. These

states passed shield laws to protect access to healthcare, expanded anti-discrimination statutes, and reaffirmed support for inclusive education. The result was a sharply divided national landscape where LGBTQ+ rights varied dramatically by geography.

Federal Advocacy and the Push for Comprehensive Civil Rights In response to mounting rollbacks, federal LGBTQ+ advocacy efforts intensified in 2025. Lawmakers reintroduced comprehensive civil rights legislation aimed at explicitly prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, education, healthcare, and public accommodations.

Although passage remained uncertain due to political gridlock, the reintroduction of such legislation served as a symbolic counterweight to state-level restrictions. It also highlighted a key theme of the year: LGBTQ+ rights were no longer a niche issue, but a central question of national civil liberties.

For many advocates, the struggle in 2025 underscored the limits of piecemeal protections and the urgent need for consistent, nationwide standards.

Culture Wars, Visibility, and Free Expression Beyond legislatures and courtrooms, cultural expression itself became contested terrain. Drag performances, Pride events, and LGBTQ+-themed public programming faced increased scrutiny and restrictions in several regions.

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FEATURE

Supporters of these limitations often framed them as issues of public morality or child protection. Critics argued they were thinly veiled attempts to erase LGBTQ+ visibility from public life.

For LGBTQ+ communities, especially queer artists and performers, these debates struck at the heart of identity, creativity, and free expression.

The debate over corporate involvement revealed a broader question that defined 2025: Who bears responsibility for protecting LGBTQ+ rights when political and economic winds shift?

Pride celebrations in 2025 took on heightened significance. In many cities, Pride events became acts of defiance visible reminders that LGBTQ+ people refused to retreat from public space, even amid growing hostility.

While much attention focused on the United States, 2025 was also a troubling year for LGBTQ+ rights globally. Several countries enacted or proposed laws criminalizing same-sex relationships, restricting LGBTQ+ advocacy, or banning Pride events altogether.

Corporate Retreat and the Politics of “Rainbow Capitalism”

In parts of Europe, legislation framed as protecting “traditional values” restricted public assemblies and expression related to sexual orientation and gender identity. In parts of Africa, samesex relationships remained criminalized, with new laws intensifying penalties and enabling harassment, arrest, and violence.

One of the more subtle but significant shifts of 2025 was the retreat of corporate support for LGBTQ+ causes. After years of highly visible Pride campaigns, many companies reduced or eliminated LGBTQ+ branding, sponsorships, and public statements.

Executives cited political polarization, consumer backlash, and safety concerns. Activists, however, criticized these moves as evidence that corporate allyship had always been conditional present when profitable, absent when controversial.

This rollback had real consequences. Corporate funding has long supported Pride events, LGBTQ+ nonprofits, and community services. As sponsorships declined, organizers struggled to maintain programming, particularly in smaller cities and rural areas.

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Global Setbacks: Criminalization and State-Sponsored Discrimination

Central Asia also saw renewed efforts to introduce “antipropaganda” laws that would censor LGBTQ+ media, restrict education, and justify discrimination under the guise of national identity.

For LGBTQ+ people in these regions, the consequences were severe ranging from loss of employment and housing to imprisonment and forced exile. International human rights organizations warned that such laws emboldened vigilante violence and silenced already marginalized communities.

Institutional Accountability and Reckoning With the Past Amid these challenges, 2025 also brought moments of institutional reflection and accountability. In several countries, public officials acknowledged historical discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, particularly by law enforcement and state institutions.

While apologies could not undo past harm, they represented a meaningful step toward recognition and reconciliation. For older LGBTQ+ individuals many of whom lived through criminalization, police harassment, or forced secrecy these moments validated experiences long dismissed or ignored.

Such acknowledgments also reinforced an important lesson of 2025: progress is not only about new laws, but about confronting history honestly.

LGBTQ+ People in Vulnerable Systems: Prisons, Schools, and Healthcare Another defining issue of the year involved LGBTQ+ people navigating institutions not designed to protect them. Reports of discrimination against transgender prisoners highlighted ongoing failures in correctional systems, including harassment, unsafe housing placements, and denial of basic dignity.

raising concerns about student safety, mental health support, and community belonging.

Healthcare systems also struggled under political pressure, with providers caught between ethical obligations and legal uncertainty.

These institutional challenges revealed how policy debates translate into everyday harm or protection depending on implementation.

Mental Health and Community Well-Being Across all these issues, mental health emerged as a unifying concern. Studies and community reports in 2025 showed rising levels of anxiety, depression, and fear among LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly youth and transgender people.

Hostile political rhetoric, threats to healthcare access, and social isolation compounded existing disparities. LGBTQ+ mental health professionals emphasized that the stress of constantly defending one’s right to exist had tangible psychological costs.

At the same time, community-based support networks proved vital. Mutual aid groups, LGBTQ+ clinics, online spaces, and grassroots organizations filled gaps left by institutions, demonstrating the enduring strength of chosen family and collective care.

Conflict, Resistance, and the Road Ahead

In education, the rollback of diversity and inclusion programs led to the closure of LGBTQ+ resource centers at some universities,

The LGBTQ+ story of 2025 was not one of linear progress

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FEATURE

or total regression—it was one of conflict. Rights were challenged, defended, lost, and reclaimed simultaneously across different regions and institutions.

The fight to defend LGBTQ rights continues, and in many ways feels more urgent now than it has in years. Under the current administration, we are witnessing deliberate and coordinated attempts to roll back protections that were not freely given, but hardwon through decades of courage, resistance, and sacrifice. Rights that generations before us fought tirelessly to secure often at great personal risk are once again being questioned, weakened, or outright targeted. This reality is both infuriating and deeply exhausting.

For many of us in the LGBTQ community, this moment brings a profound sense of déjà vu. The progress we were told marked a turning point now feels fragile, conditional, and subject to political convenience. Marriage equality, bodily autonomy, access to healthcare, freedom of expression, and even the right to exist safely in public spaces are increasingly treated as negotiable.

When leaders frame our lives as “debates” or “ideologies,” they reduce our humanity to talking points and embolden forces that thrive on fear and misinformation.

What makes this moment especially painful is the knowledge of how much it took to get here in the first place. The victories of the past were built by people who marched when it was dangerous,

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who spoke when it was unsafe, who loved openly when doing so could cost them their jobs, families, or lives. Many never lived to see the freedoms we now defend. To watch those gains threatened is not just a political concern it is a betrayal of that history.

And yet, despite the fear and fatigue, this is not new terrain for our community. LGBTQ people have always had to fight to survive, to be seen, and to be protected. We have organized in the shadows, cared for one another when institutions refused to, and turned grief into action time and again. The very fact that these rights exist at all is proof of our resilience and our power.

Still, resilience should not be mistaken for endless endurance. It is okay to be tired. It is okay to feel angry, scared, or overwhelmed.

Sustaining this fight requires more than outrage it requires rest, mutual support, and solidarity across movements. Defending our rights means showing up in ways that are sustainable, whether that’s through voting, organizing locally, supporting advocacy groups, educating others, or simply taking care of one another.

This moment demands vigilance, but it also demands remembrance. We remember those who came before us, and we honor them by refusing to surrender what they fought to build. The battle continues not because we have failed, but because justice is something that must be defended again and again. And as history has shown, when our rights are threatened, our community does not disappear we rise.

because health equity matters JANUARY 2026 25

FEATURE PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 37TH EDITION

BY DRAKE STEIN

The Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF), long regarded as one of North America’s most influential showcases of international cinema, is set to run January 2–12, 2026. Known for spotlighting global filmmakers and serving as a key stop on the awards-season circuit, the Festival will present 169 films from 72 countries and territories, including 53 premieres across multiple categories.

The Festival will open on Friday, January 2, with Calle Malaga, directed by Maryam Touzani, and close on Sunday, January 11, with Glenrothan, directed by and starring Brian Cox. Screenings and events will take place across Palm Springs, including the addition of the historic Plaza Theatre as a new Festival venue.

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Opening night honors Calle Malaga, Touzani’s Spanishlanguage debut, featuring a celebrated performance by Carmen Maura as an aging woman living in Tangier who fights to preserve both her home and her identity. Touzani is expected to attend the opening, which will screen at multiple Festival venues.

The Festival’s closing night selection, Glenrothan, marks the directorial debut of legendary actor Brian Cox. Cox also stars alongside Alan Cumming as two estranged brothers who reunite in their picturesque Scottish hometown, bound together by the traditions of their family’s whiskey distillery. The closing night screening will take place at the Richards Center for the Arts at Palm Springs High School, with Cox in attendance.

CALLE MALAGA

GLENROTHAN

Founded in 1989, PSIFF has earned a reputation as a premier platform for international storytelling, particularly for films vying for Academy Award® recognition. This year’s lineup includes 44 International Feature Film Oscar® submissions, reinforcing the Festival’s role as an early indicator of awards-season contenders.

In addition to its opening and closing selections, the Festival will host a robust slate of programs with filmmakers and talent expected to attend. Highlights include King Hamlet with actor Oscar Isaac and director Elvira Lind; Kim Novak’s Vertigo featuring actress Kim Novak and director Alexandre O. Philippe; The Housemaid with director Paul Feig; and She Dances, with Audrey Zahn, Steve Zahn, Rick Gomez, and Mackenzie Ziegler present. Other anticipated titles include Elvis, Rocky & Me: The Carol Connors Story, All That’s Left of You, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, It Would Be Night in Caracas, Steal This Story, Please!, Palestine 36, and The Last Viking, among many others.

New for 2026 is the launch of Gateway Films, a retrospective series celebrating movies that ignited a lifelong love of cinema.

The program is curated by actress Diane Kruger, film critic Leonard Maltin, director Paul Feig, PSIFF programmer Therese Hayes, and late actor Udo Kier.

BAD PAINTER

Additional highlights include a German Country Spotlight, featuring films such as A Land Within, Amrum, Bad Painter, and The Last Spy; a Family Day presentation at the Mary Pickford Theatre with Arco, KPOP Demon Hunters, and Zootopia 2; and an After Dark lineup showcasing genre-forward titles including The Book of Sijjin and Illiyyin and The Plague.

The Festival will also emphasize regional storytelling through its Local Spotlight selections and a new edition of Close-Ups, presented in collaboration with film journalist Dave Karger.

“Our 2026 lineup is a celebration of the stories that move us, challenge us, and remind us why we love movies,” said Lili Rodriguez, Artistic Director of the Palm Springs International Film Society. “At Palm Springs, the joy comes not just from the films, but from the conversations and shared moments that bring people together year after year.”

The complete Festival lineup and ticketing information are now available at psfilmfest.org. Festival passes can be purchased online, and the box office can be reached at (760) 778-8979.

JANUARY 2026 27

LGBTQ people are among the many subgroups of Americans known to experience high rates of food insecurity.*

*The Williams Institute

The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert provides food for 30,000+ people annually.

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JANUARY 2026 29

BOOK REVIEW BEST OF 2025

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

This past year, you’ve often had to make do.

Saving money here, resources there, being inventive and innovative.

It’s a talent you’ve honed, but isn’t it time to have the best? Yep, so grab these Ten Best of 2025 books for your new year pleasures...

and the Deep Blue Sea: A Veteran’s Memoir” by Khadijah Queen (Legacy Lit, $30.00). It’s the story of one woman’s determination to get out of poverty and get an education, and to keep her head above water while she goes below water by joining the U.S. Navy. This is a story that will keep you glued to your seat, all the way through.

Nonfiction Health care is on everyone’s mind now, and “A Living: WorkingClass Americans Talk to Their Doctor” by Michael D. Stein, M.D. (Melville House, $26.99) lets you peek into health care from the point of view of a doctor who treats “front-line workers” and those who experience poverty and homelessness. It’s shocking, an eye-opening book, a skinny, quick-to-read one that needs to be read now.

Self-improvement is something you might think about tackling in the new year, and “Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy” by Mary Roach (W.W. Norton & Company, $28.99) is a lighthearted – yet real and informative – look at the things inside and outside your body that can be replaced or changed. New nose job? Transplant, new dental work? Learn how you can become the Bionic Person in real life and laugh while you’re doing it.

If you’ve been doing eldercare or caring for any loved one, then “How to Lose Your Mother: A Daughter’s Memoir” by Molly Jong-Fast (Viking, $28.00) needs to be in your plans for the coming year. It’s a memoir, but also a biography of Jong-Fast’s mother, Erica Jong, and the story of love, illness, and living through the chaos of serious disease with humor and grace. You’ll like this book especially if you were a fan of the author’s late mother.

The science lover inside you will want to read “The Grave Robber: The Biggest Stolen Artifacts Case in FBI History and the Bureau’s Quest to Set Things Right” by Tim Carpenter (Harper Horizon, $29.99). A history lover will also want it, as will anyone with a craving for true crime, memoir, FBI procedural books, and travel books. It’s the story of a man who spent his life stealing objects from graves around the world, and an FBI agent’s obsession with securing the objects and returning them. It’s a fascinating read, with just a little bit of gruesome thrown in for fun.

Another memoir you can’t miss this year is “Between the Devil

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FICTION Speaking of a little bit of scariness, “Don’t Forget Me, Little Bessie” by James Lee Burke (Atlantic Monthly Press, $28.00) is the story of a girl named Bessie and her involvement with a clovenhooved being who dogs her all her life. Set in still-wild south Texas, it’s a little bit western, part paranormal, and completely full of enjoyment.

“Evensong” by Stewart O’Nan (Atlantic Monthly Press, $28.00) is a layered novel of women’s friendships as they age together and support one another. The characters are warm and funny, there are a few times when your heart will sit in your throat, and you won’t be sorry you read it. It’s just plain irresistible.

If you need a dark tale for what’s left of a dark winter season, then “One of Us” by Dan Chaon (Henry Holt, $28.00), it. It’s the story of twins who become orphaned when their Mama dies, ending up with a man who owns a traveling freak show, and who promises to care for them. But they can’t ever forget that a nefarious con man is looking for them; those kids can talk to one another without saying a word, and he’s going to make lots of money off them. This is a sharp, clever novel that fans of the “circus” genre shouldn’t miss.

“When the Harvest Comes” by Denne Michele Norris (Random House, $28.00) is a wonderful romance, a boy-meetsboy with a little spice and a lot of strife. Davis loves Everett but as their wedding day draws near, doubts begin to creep in. There’s homophobia on both sides of their families, and no small amount of racism. Beware that there’s some light explicitness in this book, but if you love a good love story, you’ll love this.

Another layered tale you’ll enjoy is “The Elements” by John Boyne (Henry Holt, $29.99), a twisty bunch of short stories that connect in a series of arcs that begin on an island near Dublin. It’s about love, death, revenge, and horror, a little like The Twilight Zone, but without the paranormal. You won’t want to put down, so be warned.

If you need more ideas, head to your local library or bookstore and ask the staff there for their favorite reads of 2025. They’ll fill your book bag and your new year with goodness.

Happy New Year!

JANUARY 2026 31

MUSTSEE FAME AND FALLOUT A DARK LOOK AT QUEER SURVIVAL IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

BY FRANK DOLL

JAMES AND JASON

Independent queer cinema has long been a space for uncomfortable truths, and filmmaker Mark Schwab is leaning fully into that tradition with his bold new feature, Cutaways, arriving February 3 on Amazon Prime and Vimeo on Demand. Fresh off its world premiere as the Centerpiece Film at the 2025 SF Queer Film Festival, Cutaways is a sharp, provocative, and often darkly funny exploration of ambition, relevance, and the moral compromises artists are pushed to make just to keep creating.

Set in Los Angeles, Cutaways stars Silas Kade as Evan Quick, a once-respected indie filmmaker whose career implodes after a social

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media backlash leaves him professionally untouchable. With rent due and opportunities evaporating, Evan makes a choice he never imagined: directing an adult film as a means of survival. What starts as a reluctant gig quickly spirals into something far more destabilizing, forcing Evan to confront power, ego, and the uncomfortable realities he’s been avoiding about himself and his creative compulsions.

For Schwab, the story is deeply personal. He describes Evan as a distorted mirror image of himself; a version born from a timeline where everything went wrong. That question of desperation, of how far an artist might go to keep working, is the emotional engine of

SILAS, JAMES AND JASON

DIOGO HAUSEN

JASON CACERES

SILAS KADE

FERNANDO

JANUARY 2026 33

MUSTSEE the film. While the setting may raise eyebrows, Schwab is clear that Cutaways is not a film about pornography so much as it is about the entertainment industry itself, using the adult film world as a microcosm of Hollywood’s brutal hierarchies and power imbalances.

The ensemble cast brings that world vividly to life. Fernando delivers a compelling performance as Andy, a former child star and queer Latinx performer determined to reclaim control over his image and career. Diogo Hausen plays Ryan, a physically confident yet emotionally fragile performer whose optimism hides deeper vulnerability. And cult favorite James Duval makes a striking return to edgy queer cinema as Sammy Slade; a manipulative producer whose presence upends the entire set. Duval, who will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Donnie Darko in 2026, gives what Schwab calls a career-highlight performance: equal parts charming, chilling, and darkly funny.

Jason Caceres rounds out the cast as Trace, Sammy’s much younger boyfriend, an ambitious climber willing to sacrifice his morals for a shot at fame.

Balancing psychological drama with biting humor, Cutaways refuses to offer easy redemption arcs or tidy conclusions. Instead, it presents a raw portrait of queer artists hanging on by their fingernails, driven by an almost existential need to keep creating, no matter the cost. Schwab, whose past work includes Shadows in Mind and Exteriors, approaches the material with empathy rather than judgment, grounding the film in respect for those who persist even when the industry gives them nothing back.

Unsettling, funny, and uncomfortably honest, Cutaways is a film that will resonate with anyone who has ever chased creative survival in a system stacked against them.

Cutaways premieres February 3 on Amazon Prime and Vimeo on Demand.

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JANUARY 2026 35

PSP FOCUS >> CVREP-NEW YEAR BEGINS WITH ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS

Coachella Valley Repertory wrings in 2026 with Richard Bean’s award-winning One Man, Two Guvnors, his 21st century take on Carlo Goldoini’s classic 1746 play, The Servant of Two Masters.

Performances of One Man, Two Guvnors are January 14-February 1, 2026, and tickets are on sale now. Howard Shangraw, Director of CVRep Conservatory and Outreach Programs makes his mainstage directorial debut (Shangraw also directs all youth and family productions). The cast includes Peter Fanone as Francis Henshall, Clare Blackwelder as Rachel Crabbe, Rob Kellogg as Stanley Stubbers, Antony Ferguson as Harry Dangle, Nick Apostolina as Alan Dangle, Tom Flynn as Charlie Clench, Clare Blackwelder as Rachel Crabbe, Hannah Sedlacek as Pauline Clench, Haley Kooyman as Dolly, Joshua Rach as Gareth, Jabriel Daniels as Lloyd Boateng, and Douglas Scott Sorenson as Alfie.

One Man, Two Guvnors is about an out-of-work skiffle musician who winds up employed by two guvnors who have conflicting goals: Rachel Crabbe posing as her recently deceased twin brother, Roscoe, to hide from the police and deal with her father, and Stanley Stubbers, a posh criminal who is Rachel’s boyfriend (when she isn’t posturing as Roscoe), and, awkwardly, he is Roscoe’s murderer. That’s not even the half of this thoroughly funny and improbable romp that does, indeed, have a happy ending. Audiences are urged to sit back in CVRep’s plush, comfy seats and enjoy the rollicking good fun.

Coachella Valley Repertory is a non-profit, professional regional theater in Southern California’s Coachella Valley, serving the communities of Cathedral City, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, Indio, and others. It holds SPT status with Actor’s Equity. CVRep produces innovative and thought-provoking theater of substance, new works as well as boldly reimagined productions of

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ROB KELLOGG, PETER FANINO, CLAIRE BLACKWELDER, HANNAH SEDLACEK & ANTONY FERGUSON

works from contemporary repertory. Its repertory includes plays, musicals, concerts, special events, and a yearly Summer Cabaret Series. For info visit www.cvrep.org

PSP FOCUS >> THE L-FUND JOINS THE CENTER! The L-Fund’s dedicated leadership team is making the move, too. Co-chairs Mei Ling Tom and Robbin Burr will join The Center’s board in January, and Dr. Karyl E. Ketchum—a longtime California State University Professor of Gender and Sexuality Studies and L-Fund board member—will lead The L-Fund as its new Director.

“We are entering a new era,” said Mei Ling Tom, co-chair of The L-Fund’s Board of Directors. “For years, The L-Fund has been driven by passion to uplift cis, trans, and queer-identifying lesbians in need. Now, by merging with The Center, we are amplifying that mission with greater capacity, stability, and a renewed vision.”

THE L-FUND’S LEADERSHIP TEAM, MEI LING TOM, DR. KARYL E. KETCHUM, & ROBBIN BURR

The L-Fund and The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert have officially merged!

Effective July 1, 2026, this partnership means that The L-Fund’s vital programs, which support cis, trans, and queer-identifying lesbians in the Coachella Valley area, will continue to grow—now with even greater resources and reach.

Don Zuidema, chair of The Center’s Board of Directors, added: “By uniting The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert and The L-Fund, we strengthen a shared mission rooted in support, equity, and resilience for our entire community. Together, our combined reach and resources ensure that every person has access to the advocacy, care, and opportunity they deserve.”

Community response has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic, including from The L-Fund’s founding members, who gathered at town halls this fall to celebrate this exciting next chapter.

Together, we’re building a stronger future for our community— and we can’t wait to see what comes next.

advertise with us

thestandardps.com

JANUARY 2026 37

MODTIME PALM SPRINGS MODERNISM SHOW RETURNS AS MOST WELL-ATTENDED EVENT OF MODERNISM WEEK

BY BOB BOGARD

VLAZE

AMARA RUGS

The Palm Springs Modernism Show will return as the most well-attended activity of Modernism Week in February 2026. The popular event will feature a record 140 dealers presenting the best of vintage 20th century and compelling 21st century designs at the Palm Springs Convention Center February 13-16, 2026. Weekend admission for the show is $35 online or at the door. Admission includes return entry all weekend and a show catalog. Show hours are Saturday 10 am–6 pm, Sunday 10 am–5 pm, and Monday 10 am–4 pm. The Palm Springs Convention Center is located at 277 North Avenida Caballeros in Palm Springs. Valet parking will be offered at the front of the Convention Center on Saturday and

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CREDENZA AMBIANIC

Sunday for $15. There is no valet parking on Monday due to the Vintage Car Show, another featured event during Modernism Week which will take place from 12 pm–3 pm in front of the Palm Springs Convention Center. Self-parking is available for $10 per day. More information is available at www.palmspringsmodernism.com.

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT Ò USONIAN LIMITED EDITION TRAVEL TRAILER ON DISPLAY For the first time ever, Presenting Sponsor Airstream Inland Empire will offer tours of the exclusive Frank Lloyd Wright Ò Usonian Limited Edition Travel Trailer during the Modernism Show hours,

METAL WORKS

including the Preview Party. This Limited-Edition Travel Trailer is unlike anything on the road today. Pushing the iconic Airstream design to the next level in style and innovation, it delivers unparalleled charm, the instantly recognizable riveted Airstream exterior shape, and an interior informed by the singular work of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Designed in partnership with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, only 200 of these numbered Limited Editions will be built over the next two years – making it a collector’s item that will be cherished for generations while delivering one incredible travel experience after another.

“Each year the Modernism Show gets bigger and better,” said Rosemary Krieger, President of Dolphin Promotions. “Over the last two and a half decades this popular show has emerged to be one of the best shows offering unique and rare midcentury modern furniture and accessories. This year we have even more vintage dealers than ever. Several years ago, we began integrating retro-inspired modern alternatives to great acclaim. I am proud that the show continues to be the most well-attended event of Modernism Week.”

“The Palm Springs Modernism Show is one of the most popular Modernism Week activities,” said Lisa Vossler Smith, CEO of Modernism Week. “Our guests continue to value the exciting array of unique items that are available at each one of these successful shows. We celebrate the Modernism Show as the top US destination

MODFIRE

for midcentury modern design aficionados to return and discover exciting new finds year after year.”

PREVIEW PARTY An exciting early buying preview benefiting Modernism Week will take place on Friday evening, February 13 from 6–9 pm. This premier event promises an unforgettable experience featuring a full open bar, complimentary valet service, savory hors d’oeuvres, and live music to set the mood. Guests will preview and shop the world-class collections before the show opens to the public, all while reveling in the vibrant atmosphere of the most celebrated party of Modernism Week. Preview party tickets are $150 in advance and $175 at the door and include return entry to the show all weekend.

Proceeds from ticket sales benefit Modernism Week, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.

Modernism Show sponsors include Presenting Sponsor Airstream Inland Empire along with Silver Sponsor Bidsquare and Supporting Sponsors Abell, Amara Rugs, Brand G Vacations, Freightforwarding. com, and John Moran. Media Sponsors include Atomic Ranch, California Home & Design, California Homes, Incollect Magazine, and Palm Springs Life Magazine.

For more information and a full list of exhibitors, visit www.palmspringsmodernism.com or email info@dolphinfairs.com.

JANUARY 2026 39

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2026 EVENTS SCAN ME

DATE

EVENT

Jan 2-13

Palm Springs International Film Festival

Jan 3

Palm Springs International Film Awards

Jan 7

Rock the Park - Bee Gees Forever

Jan 10

Firebirds / KGAY Pride Night Celebration

Jan 10

THRIVE: A Path to Well-Being / The L-Fund

Jan 16-17

Dina Martin in Chariots of Fire / PS Cultural Center

Jan 21-22

An Evening with Bianca Del Rio / The Plaza Theatre

Jan 23-25

Southwest Arts Festival / Empire Polo Club

Jan 24

Palm Springs Health Run & Wellness Festival

Jan 24

Art Party 2026 / Bob Mackie

Jan 31

DHS Downtown Concerts / Madonna Tribute: So Madonna

Jan 31

INFO-A-GO-GO 2026 / PS Pavilion

Feb 4

Rock the Park / Bruno and the Hooligans

Feb 7

Tour de Palm Springs in Coachella Valley

Feb 10

Palm Springs Speaks / Cheech Marin

Feb 12-22

Modernism Week

Feb 12-26

Intersect Palm Springs / Art & Design Fair

Feb 13-15

Palm Springs Modernism Show / Convention Center

Feb 15

Desert Winds Freedom Band / Gala “Isn’t it Romantic”

Feb 19-21

Desert Symphony 37th Annual Gala

Feb 19-23

International Bear Convergence

Feb 20-22

Palm Springs International Jazz Festival

Feb 21

The Chase dap Health

Mar 1-15

BNP Paribas Series

Mar 6-8

Cathedral City LGBT+ Days / David Archuleta

Mar 13-18

Fashion Week El Paseo

Mar 14

Luck be a Lady / Renaissance Palm Springs

Mar 21

Red Dress Dress Red / The Center CV

Mar 28

Faux Fur Ball PS Animal Shelter

Apr 10-12 & 17-19

Coachella 2026 / April 10 - 12 & 17 - 19

Apr 23

Dining Out For Life

Your Insiders Guide To All Things LGBTQ+ In The Coachella Valley!

GayDesertGuide.LGBT JANUARY 2026 41 KGAYPalmSprings.com

PERSPECTIVE LOOK OUT 2026, HERE I COME

BY JILL LANGHAM

Hello all and Happy New Year! How was your 2025?

Mine was tough.

It began with the sudden death of one of my best friends on January 1st, which set a tone for the rest of the year. I started the New Year at home alone and sick from Norovirus and then got the news about my friend. Enough said. I was in a deep depression for the better part of winter and began to come out of it when my other best friend and friend to many worldwide, died a very sad and lonely death up on our mountain here in Palm Springs. I had tons of support from all of you and managed to take a number of trips to visit my closest and oldest friends on the East coast who helped soothe my broken heart.

The trips continued throughout the summer right up to the beginning of Fall, where I traveled with two more of my Besties and

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with the help of Social Security, was able to keep everything going Late October, I was surprisingly invited to join an acquaintance on a trip to Southeast Asia which I happily accepted and again was away for another 3 weeks. To all that I say, I am extremely lucky to have such wonderful friends and friendships and want to take a moment to thank you all for looking out for me. It was a tough year.

We, as a nation, have suffered greatly this year with the start of a 4-year reign of one of the most heinous, self-absorbed humans to occupy this planet. I could go on but, I won’t. The good that has come out of this horrible dictatorship is that we are coming together not only here in Palm Springs but around the country, standing up for democracy and for the most part calmly demonstrating that we are the PEOPLE. Just a few weeks ago, the community showed up to challenge the City Council in Palm Desert and peacefully protested

more Republican based prejudices against the Gay Community and won! We can’t ever stop fighting for diversity. Just ask TARGET! But this is a New Year and it’s time to re-evaluate and re-state our intentions. My intention is to dance more. Now you may find that surprising, but this past year found me doing the least amount of dancing that I have done in the past 20 years. For the most part I have been bored with Happy Hour and spent many Friday nights down at the Thompson Hotel Bar looking for a new sound to move my hips to and found it right up until my first trip. But upon my return found that they no longer had a DJ playing there during the summer months, so again, I was grounded. If it weren’t for Bunker on Saturday nights, I might not have danced at all on the weekends. Arenas, for the most part caters to the straight community, and the music reflects it all weekend long. Dicks has some great DJ’s as does Hunter’s and CHILLBar but the dance space leaves much to be desired and then throw in screaming Bridal Parties and you can just count me out.

Like many of you, I am anxiously awaiting the opening of the EAGLE and look forward to spending most of my weekends in Cat City, which brings up my last concern and hope. Pre-COVID, we had the BUZZ Trolly/Bus which I believe ran from Sunny Dunes to Via Escuela, allowing anyone who may have had too much to drink or

those without money for Ubers, etc., to catch a ride from Toolshed all the way down to Toucan’s Tiki Bar. According to Palm Springs Police Services Manager, Heather Topliff, we’ve had 232 DUI arrests in 2025, (these results were given to me on December 22, 2025, and do not include either holiday or holiday weekend, so I am certain that they would have been even higher). Comparing this to the last 3 years that the BUZZ Trolley/Bus was in service, I was given the following numbers. Back in 2017 there were a whopping 304 DUI arrests, (including the holidays), 2018 of there were 224, while in 2019 that number was cut in half at 117! That is significant, especially because it is almost 7 years later and we are all 7 years older! I think we need to take all of this into account and rally the City Council’s in both Palm Springs and Cathedral City to re-instate the BUZZ Trolley/Bus. Let’s be proactive and nip this in the bud right now.

I will continue to travel in 2026 and already have 2 cruises and 2 trips planned and will of course keep you all in the loop. I will be starting a podcast as well so please stay tuned for more updates.

I wish you all the best in 2026.

XOXO, Jill, your soon-to-be dancing, DQ

JANUARY 2026 43

CALENDAR

JAN 2-12 PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. PALM SPRINGS, CA Now entering its 37th year, the Palm Springs International Film Festival has a wellestablished reputation as one of the most prestigious and well-attended film festivals in the country. The Festival has long secured its place on the world stage as the portal for the very best in world cinema, welcoming more than 136,000 enthusiastic filmgoers to Palm Springs every year. www.psfilmfest.org

JAN 11-18 ASPEN GAY SKI WEEK. ASPEN, CO Aspen Gay Ski Week is the premier gay & lesbian winter travel vacation event in Colorado. Not only is it a great vacation destination but also it is a fundraising event for local and national LGBTQ organizations.

Aspen Gay Ski Week has gained the reputation of hosting the most exclusive and explosive winter entertainment. Worldrenowned DJ’s, indoor & outdoor pool parties, debauchery that will take you into the morning hours just in time to hit the slopes. www.gayskiweek.com

JAN 15-19 SIN CITY CLASSIC. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA Originally called the Sin City Shootout, the event began is 2008 as a softball tournament. Over the years, it has grown

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to 240 participating softball teams as well as 21 additional sports. In 2026, we intend to make Sin City Classic the best ever experience for the athletes who participate and we expect over 6,500 athletes to join in on the fun. www.sincityclassic.org

JAN 16-19 MID-ATLANTIC LEATHER WEEKEND WASHINGTON, DC Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend is a threeday long party and event with participants that now number in the thousands. The heart of the weekend is the historic Saturday evening cocktail social, MAUL Cocktail Party.

MAUL Cocktail Party is the weekend lynchpin gathering from which all other weekend events evolved. www.leatherweekend.com

JAN 21-25 WINTER RENDEZVOUS. STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT, VERMONT The largest and longest-running gay ski event in the northeast offers amazing discounts on lift tickets, rentals, lessons along with non-stop action; daily après-ski, wine tastings, pool party, champagne reception, downhill drag race, bonfires, hot tubs, spa treatments, dance parties, ice sculptures and more! www.winterrendezvous.com

FEB 19-23 INTERNATIONAL BEAR CONVERGENCE. PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA Are you ready for a party? Bears from around the world are coming to Palm Springs to make a big splash! Top entertainment and DJs are expected to draw in thousands from surrounding cities. International Bear Convergence Palm Springs has become the “must attend event in Palm Springs”. With attendees coming from all over the globe, it truly is an International event. www.ibc-ps.com

treatments to be had, wellness programs, culinary experiences, art galleries and abundant people watching opportunities throughout the resort. www.whistlerpride.com

JAN 17-24 AROSA SKI WEEK. AROSA SWITZERLAND The annual Gay Ski Week in Arosa, one of Switzerland’s most enchanting winter resorts.

Come experience Swiss hospitality, the charm of a true mountain resort and glamorous parties while you’re enjoying yourself with various activities throughout the week. There is a wide range of accommodations. Don’t forget to order your event pass for the week, or do you want to miss the foam party, a fondue night at the mountain hut, a classical piano concert, the pool party, our cabaretnight or the drag- queen ski race?? www.arosa-gayskiweek.com

JAN 25-FEB 1 WINTER PRIDE WHISTLER 2026 WHISTLER, CANADA BC Our winter gay pride week features a packed event: skiing, snowboarding, parties, dances, social events and much more. The charming European inspired pedestrian village makes getting around easy to experience activities for Non Skiers & Riders or for those that need a break. Whistler offers an abundance of activities from inner tube sliding, dog sledding, snowmobile tours, bungee jumping, to flying through the forest like a Jedi Knight on one of the Zip-line courses. There are hundreds of spa and body

JAN 18-FEB 8 MIDSUMMA FESTIVAL 2026 MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA Don’t miss Melbourne’s most famous familyfriendly community day that kicks off summer’s beloved three-week Midsumma Festival season. Midsumma Carnival will serve-up a tasting plate of performances and personalities from the festival program – in one giant showcase – with something for everyone. Check out sports displays, get pooch-smooched at the famous Dog Show, or test out your favorite songs in the Lipsync Limelight competition. Food trucks, bars and stalls galore, all top-full of treats to keep you hydrated, fed and in the community spirit. For complete schedule visit www.midsumma.org.au

JAN 29- FEB 2 ARENA MUSIC FESTIVAL. PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MEXICO Arena is Mexico’s biggest gay and lesbian dance music festival. This year ARENA

Music Festival is being held in Playa del Carmen on Rivera Maya. It will be 6 days of all out fun, music and much more with several special parties! Come join us on the beautiful beaches of Playa del Carmen as we celebrate ARENA’s continued successful events with another total blow out. This is the 2026 winter event you won’t want to miss. www.arena.mx

FEB 10-18 SITGES CARNIVAL. SITGES, SPAIN Carnival has to be Sitges’ wildest party. Even though it is on in February it is still the hottest party in town! On the most popular days you will find thousands of partygoers dancing on the major streets across the town. Gay boys and girls from the 4 corners of the world descend on our little town and party the week away! Sitges Carnival is one of the world’s top 10 carnivals and attracts more than 250,000 people to Sitges over 7 days with amazing parades, shows and parties. This is one winter festival you don’t want to miss! www.gaytravel4u.com/event/sitges-carnival/

This month’s international media partner, Gay Sitges Guide Magazine is the only gay magazine dedicated to Sitges. It’s the perfect way to find out the best places to stay, eat and party! Giving the world a taste of gay life in the Sitges, the guide is a welcome sponsor to our International Calendar. Visit Sitges Gay Guide at www.gaysitgesguide.com

JANUARY 2026 45

the3D’S DINE | DRINK | DANCE RESTAURANTS

www.grandcentralpalmsprings.com

SHERMAN’S DELI & BAKERY 401 E Tahquitz Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.325.1199 www.shermansdeli.com

RICK’S RESTAURANT 1973 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.416.0090 www.ricksrestaurant.biz

KOFFI NORTH (3 Additional Locations) 515 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.416.2244 www.kofficoffee.com

849 849 N Palm Canyon Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.325.8490 www.eight4nine.com

PINOCCHIO IN THE DESERT 134 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.322.3776 www.pinocchiops.com

GRAND CENTRAL 160 La Plaza Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.699.7185

BLACKBOOK BAR 315 E Arenas Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.832.8497 www.blackbookbar.com

BOOZEHOUNDS PALM SPRINGS 2080 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.656.0067 www.boozehoundsps.com

THAI SMILE PALM SPRINGS 100 South Indian Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.320.5503 www.thaismilepalmsprings.com

1501 UPTOWN 1501 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.320.1501 www.1501uptown.com

TRIO RESTAURANT 707 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.864.8746 www.triopalmsprings.com

TAC/QUILA 415 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.417.4471 www.tacquila.com

THE TROPICALE 330 E Amado Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.866.1952 www.thetropicale.com

PS AIR BAR 611 S.Palm Canyon Dr. #22 Palm Springs CA 92262 760.327.7701 www.psairbar.com

ZIN AMERICAN BISTRO 198 S Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 760.322.6300 www.pszin.com

TOWNIE BAGELS 650 E Sunny Dunes Rd #5 Palm Springs, CA 92264 760.459.4555 www.towniebagels.com

LULU CALIFORNIA BISTRO 200 S Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.327.5858 www.lulupalmsprings.com

STREETBAR 224 E. Arenas Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.320.1266 www.psstreetbar.com

ON THE MARK 111 N Palm Canyon Dr. #155 Palm Springs CA 92262 760.832.8892 www.onthemarkpalmsprings.com

EL MIRASOL 140 E Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.323.0721 www.elmirasolrestaurants.com

THE TOOL SHED 600 E. Sunny Dunes Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.320.3299 www.toolshed-ps.com

46 THESTANDARDPS.COM

BARS AND NIGHT CLUBS HUNTERS NIGHTCLUB 302 East Arenas Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.323.0700 www.huntersnightclubs.com TOUCAN’S TIKI LOUNGE 2100 North Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.416.7584 www.toucanstikilounge.com CHILL BAR 217 E. Arenas Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.327.1079 www.chillbarpalmsprings.com

QUADZ 200 S Indian Canyon Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.778.4326 AMP SPORTS LOUNGE 68-718 E. Palm Canyon Dr Cathedral City, CA 92234 760.699.7090 www.ampcatcity.com ROOST BAR LOUNGE 68718 E Palm Canyon Dr #203 Cathedral City CA 92234 760.507.8495 www.theroostcc.com ONE ELEVEN BAR 67555 E Palm Canyon Dr A103 Cathedral City, CA 92234 760.537.3111 www.oneelevenbar.com RUNWAY 68300 Gay Resort Dr Cathedral City, CA 92234 760.537.7800 www.runwayccbc.com REFORMA 333 S. Palm Canyon #2 Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.902.6630 www.reformaps.com DICK’S 301 E Arenas Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.327.0753 www.dicksps.com

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COMING UP NEXT MONTH EVERYTHING’S COMING UP MOD MODERNISM WEEK 2026

JANUARY 2026 47

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SAVE $250 ON ALL TOURS!

MORE THAN 50 GUIDED TOURS AVAILABLE Experience affordable, social, and stress-free travel designed for mature travelers. Our guided tours include accommodations, transportation, baggage handling, sightseeing, entrance fees, a professional Tour Director, and select meals. Just one call and your dream vacation is ready!

Safe, Guided Tours ⋅ Affordable Experiences ⋅ A World of Connections ⋅ 50+ Years of Experience MUST BOOK BY 3/12

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Historic Route 66 – 100th Anniversary

Grand Alaskan Cruise & Tour

16 DAYS STARTING AT $4,099 $3,849*

12 DAYS INSIDE CABIN STARTING AT $3,549 $3,299* BASED ON JUL 8, 2026 DEPARTURE

BASED ON APR 18, 2026 DEPARTURE • Visit must-see sights like the historic starting point of Route 66 in Chicago, the famous Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, and the “End of the Trail” sign in Santa Monica • Explore natural wonders of the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest National Park, and the Painted Desert • Discover Seligman, known as the “historic birthplace of Route 66,” and visit the vibrant Hotel El Rancho in Gallup, where Golden Age movie stars once stayed

• Marvel at Alaska’s natural beauty in Denali National Park • Visit Alaska’s most famous locals at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center • Cruise past the glaciers of Glacier Bay and Wrangell St. Elias National Park • Travel through the legendary Inside Passage

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Greece, Italy, and the Adriatic Cruise Tour

Best of Ireland

14 DAYS INSIDE CABIN STARTING AT $3,679 $3,429* BASED ON SEP 10, 2026 DEPARTURE

12 DAYS STARTING AT $2,999 $2,749*

• Enjoy guided sightseeing tours of Athens, Rome and Florence

• Visit Waterford and the Waterford Crystal factory

BASED ON JUL 9, 2026 DEPARTURE

• 7 night cruise aboard Norwegian Pearl

• Kiss the Blarney Stone and acquire the “gift of the gab” at Blarney Castle

• Discover the famous Acropolis

• Guided sightseeing tour of Dublin

• Spend a day strolling the picture-perfect streets of Santorini

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• Visit the birthplace of the Olympic Games at Olympia

50 THESTANDARDPS.COM

CALL US: 1-877-843-3078

*Per person based on double occupancy & includes tax service/gov’t fees. Ask your Travel Consultant for terms & conditions. Add-on airfare with transfers available for most major gateways.