William Burroughs, 2/5/1914

Wondering how to properly celebrate the birth of William Burroughs?  Shoot some heroin in the eighth floor bathroom at the Chelsea Hotel.  Or if that's too authentic for you, take a trip to the sanitized Beat Hotel in Desert Hot Springs California. An upscale, commercialized version of the original Beat Hotel in Paris, the Beat Hotel is an intimate hotel with eight guest rooms and a pool and spa.  And furnishings are actually from the "Beat" period.  (See, an actual typewriter! Apparently you have to bring your own bongo drums.)  Beginning this weekend the hotel kicks off the InterZone Beat Festival, an homage to the Beat Generation.  Highlights of the event include Beat-related photographs and a performance by Grant Hart, Huskur Du founder and long-time friend of Burroughs.