Getting the Most Out of Palm Springs Pride

Palm Springs Pride happens this weekend, with block parties on Saturday, a parade on Sunday, and additional events on both days. To get in the spirit of P.S. Pride, we caught up with three gay businessowners in the city and grilled them for suggestions:

Ranz Weinert, owner of Tropicale restaurant
Weinert, who describes the food at 6-year-old Tropicale as "world cuisine with a tropical twist," says the Gay Pride street party at Ramone and Sunrise is a blast, and the parade down Palm Canyon Drive is not to be missed. "My favorite places to go during Pride would be the other gay-owned restaurants," Weinert says, "Trio, Azul, Wang's."


Stephen Monkarsh, owner of the Just Fabulous store
Monkarsh's classy collection of furniture, books, and home accessories is a shopping must in Palm Springs. Besides his recommendations for Pride meals at places like Thai Smile and the Viceroy pool, Monkarsh says there are plenty of great events at his store this weekend. "Make sure to stop by the Just Fabulous store on Friday, November 1 from 5-8 p.m. for a special, VIP book signing and reception with legendary photographer Tom Bianchi, who will sign his latest best-seller Fire Island The Pines – Polaroids 1975-1983," Monkarsh tells us. Just Fabulous will also have a booth at the Pride festival, with many LGBT authors signing their works, including Patricia Nell Warren, Michael, Childers, and Felice Picano. "Pat Loud, signing her new book in tribute to her son Lance Loud, called Lance Out Loud, [will also be there]."


Tony Marchese, owner of Trio restaurant
Trio, located on trendy Palm Canyon Drive, is now in its fourth year of operation, serving midwest comfort food tweeked with California style. Marchese says he's happy that Palm Springs waits until November to hold its Pride celebration, because it's simply too hot in the summer. "They do a great job, they have a wonderful festival down at the high school, in a big stadium, and they got bands playing, and all kind of vendors," Marchese says. "And then the parade is on Sunday and last year they decided to come further north, so then now you get to sit at our patio at Trio and watch it."

Also, our sister magazine, Out, is hosting a party with American Express on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Saguaro Hotel; the event benefits the LGBT Community Center of the Desert. Be there!