"Desert Sun Resort" (AKA Desert Shadows 2.0) Hits Mainstream Media

The famed “naked bridge” attracted international attention in 2003, and a few jokes from Jay Leno, when it opened. The 140-foot-long pedestrian bridge crosses over Indian Canyon Drive and allows resort users to cross in the buff, shielded from view by a 66-inch protective canvas.

Debra Gruszecki, The Desert Sun

PALM SPRINGS - The sun has set on Desert Shadows Resort & Spa, a clothes-free retreat on Chaparral Road, but only because there's been an ownership change.

The resort, known for its famed Lee Baxandall Memorial Bridge - the "Naked Bridge" or "Bridge of Thighs" - over a main thoroughfare into Palm Springs, noted in its Web site that it had closed.
Reservations weren't being accepted, it said.

But Michael Williams, hotel manager, said Tuesday that it only appears that way: The naturist resort will reopen Friday as the Desert Sun Resort.

The ownership transition was not seamless, Williams said.

That's because John and Elizabeth Young, who bought the resort at an April 8 auction, learned afterward of the need to negotiate the purchase of furnishings in the resort that included office equipment and the phone line for reservations, Williams said.

"Our phone service arrives on Thursday,'' he said. "We've had a few people getting a bit panicky over their future reservations, and we're doing everything we can at this time to confirm these reservations over our personal phones."

The Youngs, naturists for about five years, declined to cite the purchase price at this time.
Former owners Linsu Corp., which filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California in Riverside in late 2007, could not be reached for comment.

Privately owned Desert Shadows condominiums are not linked to the sale, Williams added. However, the condominiums are connected to the grounds and, in that way, are impacted by the transition.

Initially, the condo association was leery but concerns since have been allayed, Williams said, noting, "We're all working together to bring this property back to its glory days."

From the Shadows to the Sun: Desert Shadows will Re-Open as Desert Sun Resort

From an e-blast from Cheri Alexander, well-connected naturist leader:

Re-opening of DSI as " http://www.desertsunresort.com/ " by new owners Desert Sun LLC
John and Elizabeth are the new legal owners of the resort as Desert Sun LLC, and condo owners and residents at the resort.

The facility will be opened as a family naturist and nudist resort allowing singles soon as the required permits and licenses, and inspections, furniture, and fixtures are in place.

The new Resort web site reference: http://www.desertsunresort.com/

Refer to the new web site for new contact, phone, and reservations, opening, and planned events.

List of what will be available soft opening this weekend:

The rooms are in fine shape and have all received or are receiving a thorough cleaning.

The phones should be operational upon (PBX) installation today Tuesday, 4/22/2008

The condo rental pool is being slowly formed. At least one of each condo type in the rental pool is available now, more are expected by the weekend.

They'll try to provide some food, perhaps pizza, perhaps a BBQ, perhaps ordering out, but it's definitely BYOB for now.

It's possible that one pool or hot tub might be under maintenance at various times during the weekend.

They are still on track to having everything up and running by the holiday weekend.

What's not available:

The restaurant, Spa, in-room Movies on Demand.

The state of the in-room and condo rental cable TV is unclear at the moment. The status of the volley ball pool, new poles and net is unclear at the moment.

Please check the website http://desertsunresort.com/ and phone # 1 (800) 960-4SUN before arriving. 1533 Chaparral Road, Palm Springs, CA 92282

Cheri Alexander
PO Box 90836
Columbia, SC 29290
http://pages. prodigy.net/cheridonna

This is welcome news to all naturists. The website looks great, and we're happy that it's being re-established as a family naturist location. The couples, no children policy of the previous owners was a departure from the long-standing prior owners.

Desert Shadows Situation Hits the Mainstream Press

Desert Shadows nudist resort closes in Palm Springs

Desert Shadows Resort & Spa, a clothes-free retreat at 1533 Chaparral Road, has closed, according to its Web site.

The Web site for the clothing optional resort on Tuesday said Desert Shadows also is no longer accepting reservations.

Calls to the resort at 1533 Chaparral Road, Palm Springs, are not being answered.

The Web site adds, "any guest who has a deposit holding on a reservation will be contacted soon."

The action comes several months after its owners, Linsu Corp., filed a "statement for financial affairs" with the federal bankruptcy court in Riverside. Linsu filed for Chapter 11 protection in October 2007.

Naked Pandas Take Over Florida! (Or at Least They're Trying)

Group Seeks To Market Nudist Offerings

By JULIA FERRANTE
The Tampa Tribune
Published: April 21, 2008

DADE CITY - A group of local naturists wants to share their secret: Pasco County is a nudist Mecca.

"The naturist community is a diamond in the rough," Marcia Stone, a member of the grass-roots group http://www.pandabare.org/, told the Tourist Development Council on Wednesday. "We want to market Pasco County as a nudist destination. We need to let them know what we have."

PANDAbare, which stands for Pasco Area Nudist Development Association, is reaching out to local organizations for support. Stone and organization president Paul Brenot asked the TDC on Wednesday for a $15,000 grant to promote Pasco as a nudist destination through its Web site.
Pasco has about a dozen nudist communities, including Lake Como, Caliente and Paradise Lakes, all of which are in Land O' Lakes and double as year-round resorts, Brenot noted.

The TDC, which makes recommendations to the county commission, told Brenot and Stone they do not award grants to organizations for general promotion through a Web site but encouraged the group to seek a grant to promote a specific event they want to advertise.

"We look at funding different sporting events," County Commissioner Jack Mariano, chairman of the TDC, told Brenot at a meeting at the historic Pasco County Courthouse. "We've never done anything like this at all. ...I don't see an event here. I see this as a promotional thing that's not event-tied."

TDC member Jack Phethean of the Little Everglades Steeplechase said the TDC allocated funds to promote events that encourage overnight stays at hotels in Pasco.

"We need a hook," Phethean said. "If you have a specific event, fine, but just as an ongoing special event, that's where we have a roadblock."

Toby Caroline, a TDC member representing clothing-optional Paradise Lakes Resort, said she encouraged PANDAbare to focus its pitch on specific events, such as a volleyball tournament and a car show.

State law says revenue from a 2 percent tax on hotel stays and short-term rentals may be used for activities, services, venues or events that promote tourism, Pasco Public Communications Manager Eric Keaton said.

"They don't have an event, but they do have a service, which is the Web site."

PANDAbare.org lists nudist-friendly businesses, resorts and events at local nudist communities.

Reporter Julia Ferrante can be reached at (813) 948-4220 or jferrante@tampatrib.com.

More (Hopeful) News About Desert Shadows

The activity pool, one of four pools, at Desert Shadows. From www.clothesfree.com

Cheri Alexander, well-known in nudist/naturist circles, posted two entries today about the unfolding Desert Shadows saga.

Here's the first. time-stamped at 10:14 AM EST:

This is from the home page of their website http://desertshadows.com/"Desert Shadows Is Closed. We are not accepting reservations. Pleasewatch our web site for up-dates. Any guest who has a deposit holding aroom reservation will be contacted soon."

I was told that moving vans were there this week taking out room furniture,restaurant equipment, office furniture, light fixtures, etc.We do not know when or if they will re-open as they filed bankruptcy. Iwould assume you will learn if they re-open on their website.We are sorry to see them close. Having a place like Desert Shadowsclose can give the wrong impression that nude recreation is not as popularas it once was. This is not true.

Cheri Alexander
PO Box 90836
Columbia, SC 29290
http://pages.prodigy.net/cheridonna.

Then this was posted at 12:45 PM the same day:

Because the company called "Desert Shadows", legally known as Linsu, which was controlled by somebody best described as a "con artist", finally lost the property in a contested bankruptsy sale to Desert Sun Resorts, LLC, controlled by a couple that own villas there. They decided to shut down the resort at that time rather than cooperate in a smooth transition to the new owners. Right now, they've publically said that they won't leave until thrown out by the marshall or similar legal process, which is underway.

As soon as that can happen and the necessary permits and insurance canbe obtained (1-2 weeks from now most likely), the resort will reopen possibly with a new name if they can't buy the old one from Linsu's trustee (the court authorized the appointment of a trustee last Thursday).

Cheri Alexander
PO Box 90836
Columbia, SC 29290
http://pages. prodigy.net/ cheridonna

Ms. Alexander's opinions are her own; we hope for a complete recovery on DS's part, whatever name it may bear.

DESERT SHADOWS IS CLOSED!

This is now on the website of Desert Shadows in Palm Springs, CA:

Desert Shadows Is Closed. We are not accepting reservations. Please watch our web site for up-dates. Any guest who has a deposit holding a room reservation will be contacted soon.

A quick websearch revealed no additional info; I will post more as I become aware of it.

DS is one of our favorite places; we hope this is temporary.

If You Can Get Past All the Nervous Laughter...

...I actually found the bodily self-loathing of this one woman rather sad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmI_-kqcs9A

Bizarro and Nudes at the Museum

From Sunday, April 6, 2008