SlimStones,

I think people are way too judgmental these days.

I can tell by just looking at them.

Slim Guys and Dolls,

Here in Palm Springs Californee, it's been hot.

How hot?

The goats here at Slim's Shady Trailer Park are only giving evaporated milk!

But if you're worried about your flip flops melting on the asphalt as you cross the parking lot to see the Slim Man Chase Huna Rat Pack Duo in Palm Desert, worry no more!

Valet parking is Free for All Slim People.

And it's free to get in!

Sure, it'll cost you about $100 to get out, but admission is gratis. On the house. Our treat!

Come see the Rat Pack Duo at Larkspur on a Saturday night. Baby, it's cool inside!

Call 760.340.6069 for rezzies.

Humphrey's has Standing Room Only tickets left... which are some of our favorite seats in the house.

Get a couple now!

And the last Laguna Show of the season is Tuesday, September 1.

Festival of Arts, here we come for our Big Finale!

Get tickets now before they sell out!

CLICK IT FOR A TICKET

AND NOW THE REAL NEW

REAL NEWS FROM

SLIM'S SHADY TRAILER PARK

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

by Slim Man

(in 1,000 words or less...I hope)

Remember when your loved ones showed you endless mind-numbing photos of their vacations?

And bored you to tears doing a play-by-play of every single detail?

Well, here ya go, Slim People.

From your Uncle Slimmy...

I have a tough time with vacations, Slim People. Relaxing doesn't come naturally. Even when I'm supposed to be taking time off, I somehow find a way to work.

I'll book a concert. Design a book cover. Practice guitar. Make phone calls. Check emails.

Apparently my idea of a vacation is doing the same stuff I always do... but in a different zip code.

I left Palm Springs on Wednesday, July 15. Destination? Baltimore, Maryland. Or as we Baltimorons say, Bawlmer, Merlin!

Both flights were smooth. I even scored an exit-row seat. Contrary to everything you see on the internet, there were no fistfights, no drunken idiots, no crazies trying to open the emergency door mid-flight.

How disappointing!

I spent the flight designing the cover for my debut novel.

Yes...novel.

A couple years ago I wrote a screenplay called I Got You Babe. It won some awards and I decided to turn it into a book. And every book needs a cover.

By the time we landed at BWI, I had one. A rough draft, yes, but not a bad start! 

Hit Man Howie Z picked me up and we went to his house and watched the Orioles play baseball. They won in the ninth inning. 

Let's go Os! 

The next day I had lunch with my longtime friend Kathy McCabe, the filmmaker behind Good Ol' Freda, the wonderful documentary about the Beatles' secretary, Freda Kelly.

I ordered a soft-shell crab sandwich.

Soft-shell crabs aren't exactly photogenic. It looked like a tarantula on toast! Legs hanging out. Claws waving at you.

I don't care. I love 'em!

That night I met some old friends at La Scala in Little Italy.

Chef Nino brought out his signature Shrimp Toast.

This isn't Chinese shrimp toast. No. This is Eye-tralian!

It's one big shrimp sitting on a slice of toasted baguette, drizzled with Cognac sauce and topped off with melted provolone cheese.

I'm not a big fan of cheese on seafood. Except for the Filet-O-Fish at McDonald's!

And now add Nino's Shrimp Toast to that exclusive list! Delizioso.

Friday, I spent the day with my friend Rei, an incredibly talented graphic designer and filmmaker. He took my rough book-cover sketch and transformed it into something magical.

It's amazing what happens when a professional gets involved.

I've discovered that's true of book covers.

And haircuts. 

Saturday was my day to hang with the family. Slim People, nothing charges the batteries like hanging out with my nieces, nephews and their crazy kids.

We had a wonderful dinner and then one of the nieces announced she had a new makeup kit.

Guess who became her first customer?

When she finished, I looked less like Dean Martin and more like Cher.

Sunday was showtime. Encore was jam-packed, and the band was smoking. Not sure what they were smoking, but I wish they would have saved me some!

Keep in mind, this is the same band that played on the first album...

Back in 1492!

It felt so great to play once again with the OG.

The Original Group!

BIG thanks to everyone who came to the Big Slim Show. You caught a good one!

Rick O'Rick piano, Hit Man Howie Z bongos, David Rhen sax, John E Coale drums

On Monday, Howie and I headed to Ocean City to meet our buddy Marky Mark, who had rented a house on the beach.

We played Frisbee. Walked on the beach. Swam in the ocean. Flew kites.

Here's the shocking part: I left my phone in the bedroom. On purpose.

At first, I kept reaching for it like a phantom limb.

Then something strange happened. I stopped thinking about it.

It was wonderful. Liberating!

Tuesday morning, I hit the beach. 

As I was doing my breathing exercises, I felt something wet hit the top of my head.

I thought maybe a flock of seagulls was taking aim at the Slim Melon. 

When I looked up, I noticed some dark clouds.

And then the skies opened up like a busted fire hydrant. Massive rain. Thunder. Lightning. I loved it--we don't get many thunderstorms in Palm Springs! 

That evening Hit Man and I went to a little crab shack and got a couple dozen steamed crabs. 

Marky Mark made steamed shrimp with enough Old Bay to season the Atlantic Ocean.

A beasty seafood feast! Everything tasted incredible. Comfort food, Bawlmer style! 

The next day the surf looked a little rough but inviting.

I went bodysurfing...

The first wave grabbed me, spun me around like sneakers in a dryer, and slammed me onto the shore.

When I finally resurfaced, I had enough sand in my shorts to qualify as beachfront property. 

That afternoon Howie and I drove back to B-Mo. On the way we stopped at a stand and got some home-grown tomatoes and sweet corn. She's a-so nice!

Thursday, we went back to La Scala for The Rat Pack Show, a benefit for Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital.

Over the past 16 years, we've helped raise over $100,000 for kids in need of health care.

At the end, Nino auctioned off a Slim Man Party Package. Two molto generoso people paid a ton of dough for the swag bag, and every dime went to a great cause.

On Friday, my flight got cancelled. Howie and I handled it like pros.

We ate crab cakes and watched the Orioles!

Saturday, I flew back.

The first leg landed in Las Vegas 30 minutes early. The pilot said, "Folks, we were lucky to get a gate. Maybe you should try your luck playing slots!"

So that's what I did. 

I walked over to the first slot machine I saw, put in five bucks...

And won $32.50. 

True story. I walked away undefeated!

When I boarded the plane for Palm Springs, I was feeling lucky.

Lucky to be up $32.50, yes. 

But luckier to have a week of family, friends, the band, the Slim People, baseball, beach time, and crabs...

And discovering I can survive without staring at my phone every five minutes!

I landed in Palm Springs with a full heart. 

And that's the best kind of souvenir you can bring home.

It's all about love.

Who loves ya?

Uncle Slimmy

PS: Did I mention it's been hot in Palm Springs? Like 114 degrees! What do you cook when the temps are boiling?

Make poached salmon! With a quick easy homemade aioli.

You can eat this chilled or room temp.

Here's the YouTube video.

She's a-so nice!

SEE THE VIDEO!

The Slim Man Rat Pack Duo

Every Saturday in August



LARKSPUR GRILL

SHOWTIME 6 PM

Larkspur Grill at Hotel Paseo

45400 Larkspur

Palm Desert, CA 92204

760.340.6069

Come see the Rat Pack Duo!!

Slim Man sings. Chase plays sax.

We have a cool video screen that shows hundreds of vintage photos of the Rat Pack, Vegas, Palm Springs, old album covers, travel posters and postcards from the 1960s.

Come check it out!

It's fun. Ain't that a kick in the head!

See you there!

https://www.larkspurgrill.com

SUNDAY AUGUST 9!

THE SLIM MAN BAND RETURNS TO HUMPHREY'S IN SAN DIEGO!

NAT SCOTT DRUMS, ALFONSO OLACHEA PIANO, CHASE HUNA SAX

GET STANDING ROOM TICKETS RIGHT HERE BEFORE THEY SELL OUT:

HUMPHREY'S TICKETS

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 1!!!

LAST LAGUNA SHOW OF THE SEASON!

Get tickets now before they sell out.

SHOWTIME 5:30 PM

Get tickets right HERE!

CLICK FOR TICKETS

CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR ALL GIGS. AND MERCH!

BUY A CD! GET A COOKBOOK!

PEACE, MAN!