Poolside From PS

These Things About PS: April 2026

Like many humble hamlets, Palm Springs is a town with countless eccentricities, unique characters and personality quirks which might be better stuffed in a laundry basket than hung out for all to see. That said, I am pleased to share some things I’ve learned about Palm Springs that are unique to our little hot haven.

What do you set your thermostat to? Every spring and fall, this becomes the topic of discussion. Although personal comfort boils down to individual preference, it is always engaging to see comments from those who like it hot: “My thermostat is never set below 85” or cold: “Call me a wuss, I keep mine at 65.”

Who does your pool? In my previous hometown, L.A., there was a running joke, “People here are always looking for a better job, relationship or apartment.” Out here, we always seem to be looking for a better pool guy, landscaper or solar panel cleaner.

The Fuller Brush Man would go broke here. In the old days, we had party lines where folks could pick up a phone and gab about annoying things. Today, we have Next Door, which has replaced the dial up as the local kvetch corner.

My favorite topic? Strangers knocking on doors to solicit business. Here, descriptions include cop-style rap sheet descriptions: “Suspicious, tall white man wearing striped Sears Service shirt. Couldn’t see his eye color. He was wearing sunglasses, possibly Gucci, which I would never be caught dead in.”

We live amidst a hot bed of criminal activity. Again, if you frequent Next Door, you will quickly discover how rampant crime is in our city, how things have really gone downhill the past 50 years and how everyone walking their dog is in actuality casing somebody’s home.

Locals receive different treatment. When I tell people I’m “local,” there is a change in demeanor, kind of like when you go to Hawaii and tell someone you are the third cousin of brother Louie Aloha. Once it’s established that you don’t disappear with the first heat wave, the service gets better, friendlier and more Ohana-like.

August is the time to get out of town. Anyone who’s lived here for while will tell you that if you are planning to travel or take a vacation from your permanent vacation, August is the time to do it. I personally love July, when all the visitors leave and PS is like a ghost town, but the soupy monsoony flows of August can be a bit much – and they wreak havoc with hair.

Hiker’s right of way. Anyone who hikes out here knows the rule of the trails – those going up have the right of way on narrow trails. Or, is it the other way around? I can never remember.

It’s easy to spot visitors. It’s always easy to spot visitors – they’re the ones making a left turn against a red light or talking incessantly on their cell phones, a cup of Koffi in their hands, while taking morning strolls. They are also frequently seen stocking up on bottles of Beaujolais at Albertsons on weekends.

We’re a “hi” town. One of my favorite things about PS is how everyone seems to say “hi” or “wave” at you. Gardeners, pool guys, plumbers or passerbys all share the same kindness by acknowledging those they encounter. It’s like we all have some insider knowledge about how fortunate we are to live in such a kind and beautiful place – and that we want to share that knowledge with others.

And, with that, I end this as Poolside from PS.