JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

So Paul and I made a quick dash to Joshua Tree National Park. Paul lives in Desert Hot Springs, just above Palm Springs on the Little San Bernardino Mountains. From his house it's about 20 minutes to Joshua Tree, just around the hills, thru Yuca, CA and you're there. The irony is that Paul lived in Palm Springs for 3 years (before moving back to LA for 5 or so) and he's now been back in PS for 5 months -- but had never been to the Park!

Once there, we joked that it was literally his back yard -- because if you look on Google at Paul's neighborhood, if you hiked (or dune buggied, which Paul would like to do) you'd be in the Park in just a couple of minutes. Literally I'd say it's about a 1K yards from Paul's House, just up over the Little San Bernardino Mountains that line his well, actually, front yard -- because Paul's backyard / pool overlooks Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley.

Joshua Tree is amazing. And the topography really does alter just 20 minutes up from Palm Springs. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a Joshua Tree growing in Palm Springs or along the route from L.A. to the Valley.

Not to be surprised there is no mobile phone service while in Joshua Tree. And just as well if you ask me.

I was most surprised by the huge rock formations. Were they left there by glaciers? Did the sand / desert once reach to the top of the formations, but years of erosion exposed them? Some of the formations actually look like piles of rocks. Were they stacked by ancient settlers (or Martians...)?

All and all it was a great quick jaunt. We only spent an hour driving thru the park as we had to be back down in the valley to meet our other friend Paul due in from L.A. for the week.

Since DJ wasn't able to make it to Joshua Tree 'cuz he had left for home by the time Paul and I went :-( we hope to come back together sometime soon. And hell -- when you've got great friends, warm weather, and a 50% gay population awaiting you, Palm Springs (with its Gay Mayor) isn't too shabby a place to visit.

J'ADORE STEVE JOBS & APPLE, INC.

OK so every other blogger across the country will have said it better than I, but I have to make note of yet another Apple first, the iPhone. If you haven't watched Steve Job's address from this weeks MacWorld SF, you can do so here. It's worth the watch...because you won't believe what this phone can do.

You think you are carrying around a phone? You think you have an iPod? You think you have a PDA or a Palm device? Think again.

No keypad. That's ridiculous. No stylus. That's so last miliennium. Just use your finger dude...and it's running the full Mac OS X platform for iTunes, movies, and Web graphics.

I know, I know...as gadget hungry as I am, I will wait and not be the FIRST one with one, as it always pays off to see if there are any bugs to get out.

But one thing I will say...they've done it again. Until, that is, the iPhone Mini!

GRAUMAN'S CHINESE THEATER

DJ and I woke early his first morning in Los Angeles (despite his very late arrival the night earlier). He and I were both counting down the hours until he came to CA -- as I'd been traveling for over a month prior. So needless to say we were both very excited to embark on an adventure that would include two nights in LA and the rest in Palm Springs.

As soon as we awoke I surprised him. He didn't know where we were going. We quickly threw on (likely black) T's and khaki shorts. I told him we needed to go out for coffee and some orange juice, his favorite drink...


Of course the stars were the first to be seen. Dick Van Dyke. Mary Tyler Moore. Stars of radio, stage and screen. Then the theater. It was a fun little detour... The nostalgia. The names of times gone by. And all the names we've come to love.

Yep, you guessed it, Grauman's. Kind of a guilty pleasure you might say. Although neither of us had ever seen it, my main excuse (if I need one) is that it was literally a block from where we were staying at my friend's in West Hollywood. We took it all in for what it was...and now we can both say we've been there, together.

HAPPY NEW YEAR; WEST COAST

Happy New Year!!

I have to admit, being in the California Time Zone I paid more attention to Time Square at 9pm than I did just 5 minutes ago when it became midnight here in Palm Springs. (Of course that could have something to do with the fact that the man I love was back East, and 9pm for me was Midnight for him!)

Paul Schruender (my friend, host, and former roommate from back in Boston...see pic below), Jason, Dan, Flip, Roger and I were a posse tonight and went from one (fabulous) mid-century modern house-party to another. There was a (kinda quiet) dinner on Cabaleros and Chia (beautiful house, some funny guests) and then we went to the Hot and Dry party on Camino Real. Unbelievable house. Saw about five people I knew from Provincetown. Saw a couple actors (one from 'Noah's Ark' on Logo) and the friends I've made while spending time at the local AA clubhouse here in Palm Springs.

We dashed into a club after (The Barracks -- a local leather bar) but it was mostly a walk-thru. Paul and I were home at midnight West Coast, hugged (I wished him a happy 13th anniversary -- yep he's a New Year's Resolution baby), we're now eating turkey hot pockets and heading to bed.

So 2007 is upon us. It is going to be a great year, I can just feel it. It even sounds better than two thousand six...TWO THOUSAND SEVEN. You can tell, can't you? It's going to be amazing.

Love to all, now, at the 8th minute of the new year!!

Christopher