AUTHORS' VILLAGE PALM SPRINGS

I'm having far too much fun for a writer's festival, but then this is no ordinary writer's festival. This is the Authors' Village at Palm Springs Pride, where I spent the afternoon yakking with Violet Quill co-founder Felice Picano (Twelve O'Clock Tales), celebrity photographer (and life partner of director John Schlesinger) Michael Childers (Icons and Legends) and Mark Abramson (California Dreamers.)

Later, with Michael, I attended the book signing at Just Fabulous for Scotty Bowers, whose Hollywood tell-all, Full Service, literally tells all when it comes to Hollywood stars and their sexual proclivities. Can't wait to read it!

Following that, a celebrity fundraiser for HRC (Human Rights Campaign) working for LGBT rights in America had me walking the lawn of a Palm Springs mansion along with stars Zuzanna Szadkowski (Gossip Girl) and Andrew Rannells (The New Normal), as well as looking around to find Lorna Luft (aka Liza Minnelli's sister-sorry, Lorna!), who was said to be somewhere in the vicinity.

Maybe things will calm down tomorrow. I hope not!

PALM SPRINGS PRIDE

Howdy, all!

I finally made it to Palm Springs. I'll be featured in the Author's Village Sat, Nov 3 (1 pm) and Sun, Nov 4 (3 pm.) Drop by and say hello!

Weather is glorious (as always.) Can't wait to meet some of my favourite writers, including Michael Nava, author of the Henry Rios series.

This event is hosted, as always, by the generosity of Q Trading.

FUN ON CASTRO WITH THE GIANTS

I thought I missed the era for practicing civil disobedience on Castro. Turns out I was wrong. I was in a bar when the Giants won last night and a crowd spilled out onto the street and stopped traffic for an hour, while performing acrobatics and tossing toilet paper rolls over power lines. It was a happy crowd, I might add. Elsewhere in the city there were bonfires being lit and pandemonium ensued.

WELL, DID YOU EVAH?

What frills, what frocks!
What furs, what rocks!
That French champagne!
So good for the brain!
(Cole Porter)

Thanks to The International Festival of Authors and the fine folks at Dundurn Books for a very swell party at the Harbour Castle Hilton tonight.

COOL BRAZILIAN JAZZ

If you can picture Jimi Hendrix playing a mandolin and fronting the Pat Metheny Group then you have a vague idea of how the Hamilton de Holanda Quintet comes across. de Holanda's impressive virtuosity was on display last night at Toronto's Koerner Hall in honour of Brazil National Day. Thanks to my friends Peter and Arnon of Melohawk for the treat.

BARBRA, AGAIN

It's a memorable day when you can hear a "new" Barbra Streisand song recorded in 1971.

This is an outtake of a Randy Newman song from the Stoney End album, still one of my favourites, made back when her voice was effortlessly brilliant sounding:

http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/music/2012/08/28/listen-barbra-streisands-new-single.

The single track will be followed up next month with Release Me, an album of outtakes.

QUEBEC'S IMAGES

While the world went to the London Games, contrarion that I am I went in a distinctly different direction: Ville de Quebec. All signs of Quebec's claims to being a Distinct Society were vital, present, and free.

For those who don't know, Quebec City is Canada's Florence--a tiny jewel of Old World charm, beauty and culture. With its cobblestone streets, stone chateaux, ancient fortresses, horse-drawn caleches, and historic battlefields, the city is vibrant and alive.

On any given evening in summer you can take in a variety of street performances, an outdoor showing of Cirque du Soleil  beneath the girders of an underpass, and Robert Lepage's famed Le Moulin a images  ("Image Mill".) This spectacle of light and sound is an impressionistic portrayal of 400 years of the city's history projected across 81 grain silos down on the waterfront.

That's the equivalent of 25 IMAX theatres, if you're trying to visualize it. It's very grand. Very impressive. And free.

Catch it if you can.