2 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
DECEMBER 2021
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Mailing address: 31855 Date Palm Drive, No. 3-263 Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 904-4208 www.cvindependent.com
Editor/Publisher Jimmy Boegle staff writer Kevin Fitzgerald coveR and feature design Dennis Wodzisz Contributors Charles Drabkin, Max Cannon, Kevin Carlow, Katie Finn, Bill Frost, Bonnie Gilgallon, Bob Grimm, Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume, Clay Jones, Matt Jones, Jocelyn Kane, Kay Kudukis, Matt King, Keith Knight, Cat Makino, Brett Newton, Greg Niemann, Dan Perkins, Theresa Sama, Andrew Smith, Jen Sorenson, Robert Victor The Coachella Valley Independent print edition is published every month. All content is ©2021 and may not be published or reprinted in any form without the written permission of the publisher. The Independent is available free of charge throughout the Coachella Valley, limited to one copy per reader. Additional copies may be purchased for $5 by calling (760) 904-4208. The Independent may be distributed only by the Independent’s authorized distributors. The Independent is a proud member and/ or supporter of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, the California Newspaper Publishers Association, CalMatters, DAP Health, the Local Independent Online News Publishers, the Desert Business Association, and the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert.
CVIndependent.com
Happy holidays, everyone—and welcome to the eighth annual Best of Coachella Valley issue. While the BOCV section—which starts on Page 14—already contains some staff-pick awards, including several of my own, I’d like to offer up a few more here. • Best Storyteller in Local Journalism: Independent staff writer Kevin Fitzgerald. Regular readers know Kevin’s byline well— he’s been writing for us for 8 1/2 years now, and he’s been our staff writer for 2 1/2 years. Regular readers also know how good he is at explaining the stories behind the stories when it comes to valley organizations. In this issue, for example, he shines a light on the Palm Springs Air Museum—the Best of Coachella Valley readers’ pick as Best Local Museum; you can find that on Page 28. In the News section— on Page 8, to be specific—he tells the story behind the Animal Samaritans’ capital campaign, and explains why this longtime local nonprofit must expand in order to, among other things, provide more veterinary care in a valley that badly needs it. • Best Local Journalist Who Can’t Yet Get Into Half of the Venues He Covers: Independent contributor Matt King. The Independent is blessed with a fantastic group of talented and knowledgeable contributors, but Matt is, by far, the most prolific of the bunch. He’s our primary music writer, and because he’s a highly regarded local musician himself, he knows where to find the stories that need to be told. In this issue alone, he penned a feature on Bob Gentry, the Best of Coachella Valley readers’ pick as Best Local Musician (Page 22); six Best of Coachella Valley staff picks; and our entire music section, including five features, our Lucky 13 Q&As, and The Venue Report. Not only is Matt prolific; he’s an amazingly talented interviewer and writer. This is all pretty impressive for someone who’s not yet old enough to legally buy a beer. The Independent is very fortunate to have Matt as part of the team—as are you, our readers, who get to enjoy all of his fantastic coverage. • Best Graphic Designer: Dennis Wodzisz. Dennis has been doing the Independent’s cover and feature-story design for a year now—and if you look at the last 12 issues, you’ll instantly see how amazingly talented he is. He deserves special props for his design of this year’s Best of Coachella Valley logo. Few designers could come up with such a bonkers, yet colorful, yet amazing look for a logo. • Best Newspaper Readers: You. In the last year, you’ve picked up our print edition, visited CVIndependent.com, read our Indy Digest newsletter and supported our advertisers in record numbers. Some of you have also directly supported us via our Supporters of the Independent program. All of us here thank each and every one of you for helping us get back on our feet throughout 2021. Please enjoy this December 2021 print edition of the Coachella Valley Independent. Don’t hesitate to drop me a line at the email address below if you have questions, comments or suggestions. —Jimmy Boegle, jboegle@cvindependent.com
DECEMBER 2021
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 3
21DOHC8080_Bestof_CVI_FllPageAd.indd
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4 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
DECEMBER 2021
OPINION OPINION
THE XX FACTOR S
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION
Meet Sallyanne Monti—author, producer, philanthropist and general badass
BY KAY KUDUKIS
allyanne Monti was born and raised in Brooklyn. Her family lived in Bensonhurst, also called Little Italy. Monti is a terrific storyteller, a skill she learned from her grandmother—a chatterbox with whom she shared a bedroom as a child. Bensonhurst wasn’t mafia-adjacent; it was mafia central. “They were the mafia amongst your neighbors, the underlings,” Monti says. These guys—the ones who carry out the orders, not the decision-makers—held meetings in Bensonhurst’s Italian coffee shops and bakeries. “There were shootings there constantly, people being killed,” Monti says. “My aunt lived across sent an email to an incorrect address. It the street, and they would hear gunshots all reached Mickey Neill in San Francisco; she the time. The police would ring their bell and replied. That response began a long-distance say, ‘What do you see?’ And they say, ‘We saw relationship that eventually blossomed nothing.’” into something neither of them could have Although Monti skipped sixth-grade and was imagined. the valedictorian of her high school graduating “I was so ingrained in, ‘You have to grow class of more than 900, her family had no up, get married and make babies, and live that thoughts for her beyond marriage and babies. heterosexual life,’ that I couldn’t even fathom They’d pay for a wedding, but not college. the thought that I was possibly attracted to Monti met her boyfriend, Frank, at a women,” Monti says. “I never had a conscious wedding. She was 15; Frank was 19. Two years thought about that.” later, Monti graduated from high school and Her book, Light at the End of the Tunnel: A eagerly took a job on Wall Street at Chase Bank, where the company offered to reimburse Memoir, tells their story. It’s a wild ride, with her for her college education. It was a dead-end twists, turns, roadblocks and torturous doubts along their journey to find each other. job, however, so she switched to Philadelphia Thanks to some karmic intervention, Monti International Bank, which offered the same and her family ended up moving to Alameda reimbursement. Within six months, she in 1996 (“One year and one month after we became a supervisor—while still 18 years old. met!”), right down the street from Neill and Frank proposed, and when she was 19, her husband. Monti eventually divorced her Monti said “I do” in front of 250 of her closest friends. I’m kidding. Monti says she knew about husband; Neill divorced hers later. After a commitment ceremony in 2000, 25 percent of the guests at her wedding. Monti and Neill began volunteering for By the time she was pregnant with her Equality California. The couple’s focus was first daughter, she’d completed three years of marriage equality, and on Feb. 16, 2004, they college while running her own department at the bank. She and Frank would eventually have were the 834th same-sex couple to be married at San Francisco City Hall. Their journey two more girls, then a boy … before something was published by the San Francisco Chronicle kinda crazy happened. and picked up by Time magazine when their In 1995, the 34-year-old wife and mother
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Sallyanne Monti: “I was so ingrained in, ‘You have to grow up, get married and make babies, and live that heterosexual life,’ that I couldn’t even fathom the thought that I was possibly attracted to women.”
marriage rights were revoked in August of the same year. While in Northern California, Monti had her own consulting business and was pulling in six figures a year. She was also extremely active in the LGBTQ community, producing and promoting high-profile events with leading LGBT community-based organizations, while also working in public relations and audience management for Showtime’s The L Word and Queer as Folk television series. Her “bag of tricks” included producing monthly nonprofit literary/music/comedy events, with the proceeds donated to charity. She co-produced She Rocks 2005 music festival on the San Francisco City Hall lawn, showcasing five female-fronted bands. On June 16, 2008, California’s Supreme Court ruled that barring same-sex couples from marriage violated California’s constitution. They married for the third time on Sept. 9, 2008. Two months later, the issuance of samesex marriage licenses was halted due to voter passage of Proposition 8—a state constitutional amendment barring further same-sex marriages. On June 26, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court threw out Prop 8, making same-sex marriage again legal in California. Their children were grown by now, and the couple moved to Costa Rica. In 2016, they moved to Palm Springs—where Monti began her creative-writing career. Monti has co-edited multiple anthologies, and has written for them, too, including short stories “The G
Spot” and “Happy Apples.” Now retired from corporate life, Monti continues to give back to the community. She volunteers as director of marketing for the Golden Crown Literary Society, a leading lesbian literary organization, and for the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert, among others. During the pandemic, she organized a 24-hour online entertainment festival with entertainers both local and from around the planet. She also performed, playing her guitar and singing. I asked her why she devotes so much of her time to philanthropic efforts, as opposed to charging for her services. “Like any other person in the world, as you evolve as a person and grow and mature, you take with you knowledge, resources, connections, people. … I’ve always really felt strongly about sharing that,” Monti says. “I fully believe that we are all colleagues, not competitors. We should share everything we have with each other. When I’m not on the planet anymore, wouldn’t it be great to have people think, ‘Wow, that person was really what she said she was’? That’s really something that’s very important to me, personally, that I’ll continue to do until I get dementia.” Hopefully, that will never happen. I want to hear this badass tell me stories in this lifetime and beyond. I’m selfish that way. For more information, visit www.sallyannemonti.com.
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 5
DECEMBER 2021
Eisenhower IS HERE
Eisenhower Family Medicine
They have the same eyes, smile, and taste in movies. And the same family physician. FROM PEDIATRICS TO GERIATRICS, Eisenhower Health’s Centers for Family Medicine can meet nearly all of your family’s medical needs in one convenient location. A physician trained in Family Medicine treats routine illnesses, helps patients manage chronic conditions, and makes sure everyone keeps up with recommended screenings and immunizations. Our team has seasoned faculty physicians and talented residents working side by side, so patients get twice the attention and expertise. Better yet, our doctors are backed by the extensive resources of the Eisenhower Health network, including excellent specialists and our renowned Medical Center. So get your family an Eisenhower family medicine physician — and make staying healthy a family affair.
Find the right doctor for you by calling 760-773-1460 or visiting EisenhowerHealth.org/Family today.
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6 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
DECEMBER 2021
OPINION OPINION
HIKING WITH T A
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION
The Indian Canyons are a perfect place to enjoy nature this time of year
BY THERESA SAMA
re you looking for some great trails to share with a group of friends—holiday visitors, perhaps? Whether you live in the Palm Springs area or are just visiting, the Indian Canyons are a must-see—and they’re especially great to hike between October and June. The Indian Canyons are on tribal land managed by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. The nature preserve is open for day visits (no overnight camping) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last vehicle in at 4 p.m. Ranger-led interpretive hikes are offered from October through June. Visitors pay a modest entrance fee and can enter by car, bike, horse or foot. As Daniel Polk, a social-equity and environmental-health writer and researcher, perfectly pointed out: “It’s well worth it!” horseback-riding and picnics. There are plenty The Indian Canyons are Polk’s favorite place of great spots for meditation, too. The upper to take guests who are visiting the desert. “It’s canyon offers an easy 2-mile out-and-back hike, just a few miles from downtown Palm Springs, starting and ending at the Trading Post. but it feels like it’s a world away, serene and • Andreas Canyon has an easy, 1-mile secluded between the rock faces and stately scenic loop hike that runs along the creek and palms,” he said. among the world’s second-largest California As secluded as the Indian Canyons are, they host some of the most-popular trails near Palm fan palm oasis, offering spectacular views of unusual rock formations, sycamores, Springs—more than 60 miles of hiking trails, cottonwoods, willows and wildflowers. The in fact. Here are three hikes within Indian trail begins at the information board and Canyons that are good for all ages. ends at the parking area. It is excellent for • Murray Canyon offers an easy-tophotography, bird-watching, and maybe a moderate hike at just less than 5 miles. It picnic stop at one of the tables along the trail. follows along the stream under a cool tree The Trading Post offers trail maps (some canopy and is mainly known for ending at can also be found at www.indian-canyons.com/ the Seven Sisters waterfall, a perfect spot to trail_maps), souvenirs, books, refreshments take a break and have a picnic lunch before and more. heading back. As it is less traveled, Murray On a recent visit, Polk brought two guests Canyon is known for its isolated beauty. If to see Palm Canyon. He noted that from the you’re lucky enough, you may spot peninsular parking lot, before descending downward, you desert bighorn sheep or other wild animals can enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the canyon, where that roam the high ground above the canyon. a canopy of towering palms proliferates, with Also, according to the Indian Canyons website bunches standing shoulder-to-shoulder. “These (www.indian-canyons.com/indian_canyons), are, of course, the California fan, the only palm the endangered least Bell’s vireo bird is known native to the Western United States,” he said. to nest here. “On the canyon floor, after a short stroll down, • Palm Canyon is a 15-mile-long area offering many moderately difficult trails of great we found the air is cool and calm, with the trees’ dried palm leaf skirts seeming to filter out beauty that wind deep into the canyon and intruding sounds. The sandy bottom, almost like make for amazing exploring experiences, hikes,
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Palm Canyon. Photo courtesy of Daniel Polk
beach sand, seemed to also slow us down.” Polk mentioned a sudden yet exhilarating experience that he and his guests encountered while hiking Palm Canyon—and it’s a great reminder that one must always watch one’s step. “While walking back, my hiking companions and I were stopped by a gentleman in front, who pointed into the brush: ‘Careful! There’s a rattlesnake!’ Sure enough, we saw the tail end of a thick yellow diamondback. It was not in a hurry, and we left it in peace—though more mindful to watch our every step.” Polk and his guests continued on to check out Andreas Canyon. “After parking, we walked over to a large granite slab with depressions— mortars—worn into its surface by centuries of grinding.” The Cahuilla historically used such mortars to grind acorns and mesquite beans, staples of their traditional diet. “Setting out, we followed Andreas Canyon, which offers a leisurely loop trail that wanders beside the streambed, sometimes coursing lazily, yet
steadily in the shade and sometimes pouring into several small pools. More water can be found here than in Palm Canyon, typically. The sound of flowing water, whether a trickle or roar, especially in the desert, is magical, inviting you to pause, sometimes in meditation and sometimes in wonder.” Nickie Nicolas is a fitness and wellness coach with her own business, FitbyNic (www.facebook. com/fitbynic). She has been a Coachella Valley resident for 30-plus years, and has walked, hiked and biked all over the valley—and is a big fan of Indian Canyons, where she often assists clients on their first hike. She said that once, back in the mid-to-late 1990s, she even saw a small herd of wild horses. She said she finds the canyons to be a great place to escape from her busy lifestyle and enjoy the beauty and serenity. “I don’t wear headphones or listen to music; I listen to sounds of the desert, which are beautiful,” she said.
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 7
DECEMBER 2021
THE
33RD ANNUAL
P ALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
JANUARY 6 – 17 FESTIVAL BOX OFFICE | INFORMATION CENTER 789 E Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs
OPENS DECEMBER 22, 9 AM
(Dec 19 for PSIFS Members) Call 760-778-8979 - Operators available Mon-Fri, 9 AM - 5 PM
PASSES ON SALE NOW! Enjoy priority entry to screenings & more
PalmSpringsFilmFestival
@PSFilmFest
@PS_FilmFest
#psiff2022
PSFILMFEST.ORG CVIndependent.com
8 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
DECEMBER 2021
NEWS
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS
PROTECTING PETS O
by kevin fitzgerald
n a recent workday afternoon, Tom Snyder’s phone rang. Shortly after the Animal Samaritans CEO answered and began speaking with the Independent, he exhaled and said: “I was just on a call with a potential donor for the capital campaign. He wants to help us out in a big way. That’s all I’ll say for now, until it materializes. But it sounds very promising.” That capital campaign is on Snyder’s mind a lot these days. The funds are being sought to build a much-needed new Pet Adoption and Humane Education Center on the Animal Samaritans campus in Thousand Palms. The proposed 16,000 square-foot structure—with an additional 3,000 square feet of outdoor space—will require $5.5 million to $7 million in complete. Thus far, a bit more than substantially in the intervening 43 years. $1 million has been raised. “In the 1980s, (the founders) were given The new center is badly needed. “(Animal some land on Ramon Road in Thousand Palms. Samaritans has) outgrown our small no-kill That’s where they built the Animal Samaritans shelter on Ramon Road,” the organization’s low-cost spay-neuter-vaccine clinic,” Snyder website says. “We’re in need of a facility that said. “Currently, that building is still (in use as can house more animals, accommodate dogs a “no-kill” shelter) there next to the In-N-Out of all sizes, allow for robust on-site exercise, Burger … It served as both the clinic and the has room for behavior training, and is better shelter until the 1990s. Then, in 2003, Animal designed for the care and comfort of the Samaritans was gifted five acres of land in animals who need us.” Pet-ownership numbers in the U.S. have been Thousand Palms, and that’s what is currently on the rise for quite some time. A July 23, 2021, our animal campus. You will find the Riverside County Animal Shelter on a portion of the report from Statista.com stated: “Household land (we gifted) back to Riverside County in penetration rates for pet ownership in the 2003. In return for our gift, they continued United States have increased over the years, going from 56 percent in 1988 to approximately the infrastructure and stubbed in power lines underground, water lines and sewage (pipes). 70 percent in 2020.” They built that out for us, so that (we could However, pet ownership was increasing utilize it) when we were ready to build. well before 1988. It was ever-increasing pet “In about 2009, we were able to start members that, in part, spawned the creation building our new Thousand Palms veterinary of Animal Samaritans, a nonprofit that was clinic, which we finished in 2010,” Snyder said. incorporated in October 1978. “That’s the existing building on the animal “We were founded by a group of local animal campus there with our logo on it. That’s our lovers who were committed to reducing the primary veterinary clinic. In 2015, we initiated overpopulation of animals in some of our local the Indio veterinary clinic. That facility is just animal shelters,” Snyder said. “At the time, off of Jackson Street on the north side of the there was one (shelter) in Indio that was said to freeway. Then, in 2019, we paid off the 30-year have very deplorable living conditions for the animals. They didn’t have enough food or water, loan on our Thousand Palms veterinary clinic in just 10 years, so we became debt-free. And or enough shade in the summer, and they were in 2020, we finished the expansion of our Indio overcrowded. clinic property. We lease the building (there), “But (the founders) really were focused on but we expanded by another 1,200 square feet. affordable spay and neuter (services), as well Now we have 3,600 square feet in total there in as education in terms of how to treat animals, Indio. It’s a smaller version of what we have in and how to recognize neglect and animal Thousand Palms.” cruelty. So those were the two primary pillars, In early 2020, Animal Samaritans launched or foundations, of the organization: Humane the aforementioned capital campaign to education for our future pet owners, and build the new Pet Adoption and Humane affordable spay, neuter and vaccine (services) Education Center. Then … well, you know for the animals to reduce overpopulation and what happened next. unnecessary euthanasia in the shelters.” “We got a little waylaid with COVID,” Snyder To this day, those priorities remain. Animal said. “It was a scary time, and nobody wanted to Samaritans provides animal companion therapy get out and meet face-to-face, so it was hard to to senior citizens living in nursing homes or raise money pre-vaccine.” assisted-living facilities, and humane education Now that things are more open, Animal programs in local schools. However, both the Samaritans has returned to in-person portfolio of services provided, and the physical fundraisers for the organization’s annual footprint of the organization, have grown CVIndependent.com
Animal Samaritans expands its efforts to make the Coachella Valley a better place for animals and their people
Some of Animal Samaritans’ animal companion therapy dogs were big stars during Greater Palm Springs Pride. Courtesy of Animal Samaritans
operating costs—including the 12th Annual Men of the Desert event, at the Palm Springs Air Museum on Sunday, Dec. 5. Generaladmission tickets are $200. “That is our signature and largest event,” Snyder said. “Also, typically, it is the most profitable fundraiser for us. We’re not sure what to expect after last year. We had to do a virtual version last year, which was a lot of fun, but it wasn’t the same. … We will be at the Palm Springs Air Museum, and that will be a first for us. It’s a nice venue, because it’s so spacious. … At this year’s event, I’ll be talking about our capital campaign and trying to get people excited about supporting it. It’s an opportunity that we don’t want to miss, because we have a lot of longtime supporters and first-time supporters attending.” Not only does Animal Samaritans need more money for the capital campaign; it needs more for operating expenses, too. Even though 80-90% of Animal Samaritans’ annual charitable income is spent on services, Snyder said, the escalating cost of payroll and benefits for employees has become a concern. Animal Samaritans employs seven veterinary doctors at their Indio and Thousand Palms clinics, and they’d like to hire another four—if they can find and afford them. “There’s been a national shortage of veterinarians for several years, and it’s been continuing,” Snyder said. “The population keeps growing in terms of pet ownership, but the number of doctors is not increasing to match that number. Right now, there are many more job openings for veterinarians than there are veterinarians to fill them, and it’s difficult for Animal Samaritans to
compete with the corporate giants like VCA and Banfield. They’re advertising locally and have signing bonuses up to $100,000. That’s from a recent ad that I saw for Banfield. So that makes it very difficult for us.” Our valley is home to thousands of lowincome and senior pet owners who often can’t afford high-quality care. For many of them, Animal Samaritans provides the financial assistance that they need. “Most of what we do in that regard is grantfunded,” Snyder said. “We utilize our status as a 501(c)(3) charity to apply for grants from established foundations that really want to support spay and neuter services. Also, we have a good deal of success getting money to help senior pet owners. … Still, many people who have jobs and are working have a hard time paying for veterinary care, because it’s expensive, just like human medicine. We have the Animal Care Fund, which is not agespecific. That’s kind of my favorite one, because anybody, even those working full-time, still may not be bringing in enough money to care for a compromised pet who has a chronic condition that needs medicine or treatment each month, or needs a surgery. “Even as a nonprofit … we want to be able to retain top doctors and support staff, so that we can give pets the best care that we can. You know, it’s not low-cost, low-quality. It’s highquality, affordable pet care that we want to be able to do.” For more information, visit animalsamaritans.org. For tickets or more information regarding the Men of the Desert event, call 760-601-3930, or visit animalsamaritans.org/mod.
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 9
2021-2022 EVENTS
DECEMBER 2021
DATE
EVENT
Dec 4
Palm Springs Festival of Light Parade
Dec 4-5
Indio Tamale Festival
Dec 5
Animal Samaritans' Men of the Desert Fashion Show
Dec 6
Paws n' Claus Annual Pet Food Drive & Social
Dec 7,8,10,11,12
Barry Manilow's A Christmas Gift of Love V
Dec 9
Keisha D's One Desert Night
Dec 10-11
Desert Air
Dec 10-12
PS Gay Men's Chorus: Sparkle Twinkle Jingle!
Dec 12
STRUT Awards Gala presented by OutTV
Jan 6-17
Palm Springs International Film Festival
Jan 27-30
Oasis Music Festival
Jan 29
Art Party, Palm Springs Art Musuem
Feb 12
DAP Health's Steve Chase Humanatarian Awards
Feb 17 - 27
Modernism Week 2022
Feb 18
Palm Springs Air Museum Gala
Feb 24-28
International Bear Convergence IBC 2022
Feb 25-27
McCormick's Palm Springs Exotic Car Auction
March 19
The Center's Red Dress Dress Red Party
Mar 19-25
Fashion Week El Paseo
Mar 25-27
Palm Desert Food & Wine
Mar 25 - 27
Cathedral City LGBT Days
Mar 31
Cesar Chavez Breakfast
Mar 31
Stepping Out, College of the Desert
Apr 2nd
Faux Fur Ball Gala
Apr 15-17
Coachella 2022 Weekend 1
Apr 22-24
Coachella 2022 Weekend 2
Apr 28
Dining Out for Life: DAP Health
Apr 29-May1
Stagecoach 2022
Apr 29 - May 2
White Party Palm Springs
April 30
AAP Food Samaritans' Evening Under the Stars
May 6-8
Palm Springs Hot Rodeo
May 12
Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast
Nov 4-6
Palm Springs Pride 2022
Celebrating All The Colors In The Rainbow
For the latest events, visit GayDesertGuide.LGBT CVIndependent.com
10 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
DECEMBER 2021
NEWS THE LOCAL CLIMATE CRISIS T
Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia talks about his takeaways from the recent U.N. Climate Change Conference
by kevin fitzgerald
he 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, resulted in a “final communique,” signed by representatives of the 197 countries, on Saturday, Nov. 13. In the agreement, the nations pledged “to accelerate the fight against the climate crisis and to commit to tougher climate pledges,” according to CNBC. While some hailed the agreement reached in Glasgow, Scotland, as containing important milestones, many others said it would not do nearly enough. California sent a large delegation of officials to attend a portion of the meetings and events. District 56 Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, who represents the eastern Coachella Valley and regarding the issue of clean transportation,” Imperial County, was part of that delegation. he said. “That presented the (context in A veteran of two previous COP conferences, which) to talk about our district, and the Garcia has been influential in the passage of opportunities to recover lithium for purposes at least seven state bills addressing climateof battery storage and electric vehicle battery change mitigation and the restoration of production.” California’s natural resources. He recently He said the issue of heat, and the goal to spoke to the Independent about his experience keep any average global increase below 2 at the conference, including how it differed degrees Celsius over the next decade, was a from previous conferences. frequent discussion topic. Garcia said that “One difference, I’d say, is that there in January, he plans to start working on was some enthusiasm that the United legislation to create a heat-event-ranking States government would be present in the system, similar to the system used to evaluate conversation,” Garcia said. “The last four years the relative strength of hurricanes and the have been very unique in the sense that there potentially dangerous impacts. The system has been an absence of commitment from our federal government to work hand in glove with would also gather data. “Data leads to other actions, right?” other nations to address global warming and Garcia said. “Data leads to centralized efforts climate change.” to mitigate and minimize the (negative) Garcia also said it was different to have outcomes. It leads to the isolation of resources “sub-nationals”—states in the U.S. and other with the intentional purpose of deploying countries—playing a larger role. them to these areas that have been highly “California—which is the fifth-largest economy in the world, and home to innovation ranked as a really hot place in California, where significant human health damage, and also and technologies that have been attributed with helping to address the issues of renewable economic damage, (could occur).” While Garcia could point to no other energy goals and climate improvements— immediate legislative actions in California has a story to tell,” Garcia said. “There was that were spawned by the COP26 experience, a lot of enthusiasm in our discussions with he mentioned the benefits yet to be derived delegations from Germany, from India and from previous legislation and environmental from Scotland. We met with a number of objectives. different (non-governmental organizations). “The work that we are already involved … I think the real takeaway was that in, like the lithium recovery effort, is part of there is a need for greater investments in a strategy that would help meet California’s underdeveloped nations, which is the same (goals for) deployment of 5 million electric argument that we make in California for our vehicles on the road, and 250,000 infrastructure economically disadvantaged communities that charging stations,” Garcia said. “We’ll need are disproportionately impacted by the climate power to charge these vehicles, and that changing. could be deployed from renewable energy like “Here we are in November, and it’s over geothermal here in Southern California. … We 90-some degrees (in the Coachella Valley). So, are ambitiously planning to achieve 100% of our clearly, there is something happening that renewable energy goals. That’s going to require we must plan for in order to ensure that our different technologies even beyond solar, existence will remain in place as we know it.” wind and what we know today. … At COP26, Garcia said the challenges that climate we learned about offshore wind (technology) change will create in the Coachella Valley that’s taking place in Europe and how that’s were foremost on his mind—as were the become a major focal point of some nations in opportunities that could be created here. their efforts to go green. Also, we got to hear “For us, there was a lot of discussion CVIndependent.com
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS
Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia takes a selfie during a street demonstration outside of the COP26 conference.
about the issue of carbon neutrality and carboncapture technologies. So, it’s going to require a diverse portfolio of renewable energy. Now, can California do more? Most definitely. From an economic standpoint, and from a permitting and processing standpoint, we’ll be focusing on these issues, particularly pertaining to the Salton Sea lithium-recovery efforts.” COP26 was the subject of massive media coverage—and large demonstrations in Glasgow. Garcia said those calls for action from the streets had an obvious impact on the conference. “I was involved in one (demonstration) at the University of Glasgow,” Garcia said. “I walked right into a little protest and was talking to students from other parts of the world who just feel—and I don’t disagree— that there’s been a lack of investment and action by the entire world. … You can always look at it through the lens of, ‘It’s not enough,’ and since some of the main countries who failed to have a presence in (this year’s) conversation are serious polluting nations, there’s a high level of frustration among young people and families who care about this issue.” It’s not a coincidence that the two mostpressing global issues of today—climatechange mitigation and COVID-19—are a source of major concern in the more disadvantaged communities around the world. “The reason why certain populations were more susceptible to getting COVID-19 was because of underlying health conditions that are either hereditary, or result from environmental damage,” Garcia said. “Whether it’s about breathing emissions in the air because they live by the freeway, or drinking contaminated water, it’s the same population that is coming together
to speak up and ask for more.” Garcia said Southern Californians can do their part to help mitigate the effects of climate change. “Whether it be knowingly or unknowingly, everyone is doing their (part) to reuse and recycle, which is great,” Garcia said. “But for us, it (needs to be) about how we build our communities in terms of the type of transportation systems we can develop. Some 70% of the emissions we are trying to reduce come from our transportation system. There are technologies and cleaner fuels that are being developed right here in our community. Imperial Western Products (located in Coachella) recovers fatty oils and other disposable foods that are turned into diesel fuel. So there are efforts under way.” “Yes, driving an electric vehicle is contributing to helping the environment, but our goal in the Legislature is to make sure that we can make that an opportunity for everyone, because currently, that isn’t the case. … We know, too, that there is still a lot of education (to be done) around the issue of the environment. I’ll bring it back to this issue of extreme heat. We’ve got communities out here that have had an interruption of power during some of the hottest days of the summer. So, how we plan properly for those circumstances is really what this (heat event) legislation is about. How do we deploy resources to these highranking geographically hot areas of our state? We have alert systems for air-quality issues, for hurricanes and for earthquakes, so we want to treat this issue of extreme heat through the lens of a public-health crisis, and not just an emergency reported as another hot day in the Coachella Valley and Imperial Valley.”
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 11
DECEMBER 2021
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12 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
DECEMBER 2021
NEWS
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS
CV HISTORY V
The story behind the Coachella Valley’s first golf course, designed by oilman Tom O’Donnell
by greg niemann
isitors to Palm Springs often ask about the Spanish-style house that sits on a ledge of the mountain—right above downtown. The golf course that sits below the house isn’t quite as visible, but the two landmarks are related, and the man behind them both is Tom O’Donnell, an oilman who left lasting tributes to Palm Springs. Thomas Arthur O’Donnell (1870-1945) was a Long Beach wildcatter who got rich in oil fields in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, as well as Mexico, in the years before World War I. It is said that he arrived in California from his native Pennsylvania penniless, but he was worth millions when ailing health brought him to Palm Springs in the early 1920s. more than $200,000 (in 1926 dollars) bringing He stayed at The Desert Inn and became a close friend of Nellie Coffman, who established in Bermuda and rye grasses, fertilizer, shrubs, bushes, sand and palm trees. He added large the resort in 1909 originally as a sanatorium. tamarisk trees to enshroud the course in O’Donnell bankrolled the expansion of The privacy. Desert Inn, and in exchange, Nellie leased Many of today’s golf courses are laid out by him the land on the hill behind the hotel. This leading pros and expert course designers. Not reportedly became the first land lease in Palm here. O’Donnell got a few buddies, including Springs history that did not involve an Agua Capt. J.F. Lucey, a Texas oilman, and John Caliente member. Kline (who remained the groundskeeper There, the famous home “Ojo del Desierto” for years), and they designed the course (Eye of the Desert) was built in 1925. The themselves. After seeing how far they could Mediterranean revival home, designed by drive and chip, they placed the greens at William Charles Tanner, was designed to be distances with which they felt comfortable. consistent with the buildings of The Desert Their system worked well enough to create Inn below. a challenging nine-hole, par-35 traditional The Desert Inn is gone now, originally course. The hardest hole is a par-5 472 yards, replaced by the Desert Fashion Plaza and the Desert Museum. The Desert Museum has since while the easiest is a par-4 274 yards. It is considered a tight course with fast greens. morphed into the Palm Springs Art Museum, The private O’Donnell Golf Club became and the mall was torn down to make way exclusive and has limited membership through for various downtown development—most the years to about 250, with charter limits recently a new city park, which was officially at 300. Membership has included some of dedicated in October 2021. the city’s most prominent names, including The house on the hill is still an “eye over the desert” and a Palm Springs historical site. With Bob Hope and Kirk Douglas, with many other celebrities playing the course as guests. a red-tile roof, stucco walls, a broad porch and Presidents Eisenhower and Ford have played an open second floor veranda, it looks much the O’Donnell Golf Course. Early tournaments the same as it did in the 1920s, and today at the intimate course attracted golfing’s top hosts various leased events. stars, including Ben Hogan, Ken Venturi, and Even though O’Donnell suffered from Babe Didrikson Zaharias. respiratory ailments—one report indicated he O’Donnell did more for Palm Springs than had tuberculosis—he still kept active. He sat open the first golf course. He bought shares on several presidential commissions and was a in the Whitewater Mutual Water Company founding member of the American Petroleum and got involved in numerous civic ventures. Institute. He coordinated the drive to raise $26,000 to O’Donnell loved golf, however, and there build the Welwood Murray Memorial Library, was no course in the desert at the time, personally donating $10,000 of that amount. so he was often seen swinging clubs and He helped establish the Palm Springs Desert practicing shots on the lawns between The Museum (now the Palm Springs Art Museum) Desert Inn’s cottages. Since he was a wealthy and the first hospital. During the Depression, he man, he soon did the obvious thing—he built had a road built up the side of the lower slopes his own course! With his house finished, he of the mountains to the location of long-time bought 33 acres of land against the mountain Easter sunrise services. While his plan was immediately to the north, specifically for his originally to build another home there, the road own golf course. helped provide employment for residents. But Later expanded to 40 acres, the private his greatest gift to the city was his golf course. nine-hole O’Donnell Golf Course opened for Tom O’Donnell loved his course with a the winter 1926-27 season. O’Donnell spent CVIndependent.com
The O’Donnells with Nellie Coffman. Photo courtesy of the Palm Springs Historical Society
passion. After his health deteriorated so much in the late 1930s, he considered closing it, but he constantly visited it and sat around there, even though he couldn’t play. When he saw his friends enjoying themselves so much, he decided to keep it open. He reportedly wanted to donate it directly to the city, but was afraid leaders might be tempted to use it for something else, like a park or a civic center. So the shrewd businessman figured out a way to make it happen. In July 1944, less than a year before he passed away, he leased the golf course land for 99 years to 25 Palm Springs friends and homeowners. A lease proviso stipulated that if the land was to be used for anything other than a golf course, it would require unanimous approval of the 25. He later deeded the land to the city, subject to that 99-year lease. Those 25 people became the board of trustees of the course, and has included some prominent Palm Springs pioneers and merchants, as well as a few celebrities, including Bob Hope. O’Donnell received a huge tax break, and the city continues to this day to receive rent payments and a use tax. As O’Donnell feared, attempts have been made by organizations and civic leaders on several occasions to break the lease, for various reasons—but the lease structure prevailed. Tom O’Donnell died at the age of 74 in
February of 1945. Services were held at noon on March 2 on his beloved golf course, with many prominent citizens in attendance. While a golf course was opened at El Mirador in 1929 for several years, it would be 20 years before the valley received its second permanent golf course, the 9-hole CochranOdlum course—expanded to 18 holes in 1974—on Floyd Odlum’s Ranch in Indio. Over the next few decades, golf courses sprang up like wildflowers after a wet winter. By the late 1970s, the Palm Springs area boasted more than 40 golf courses, making it the world’s No. 1 desert playground. During the year 2001, the 100th golf course opened in the desert, giving the Coachella Valley floor the appearance of a green quilt from the air. Today, there are more than 130 courses— and it all started with a can-do oilman who built that first course hard against the San Jacinto Mountains in downtown Palm Springs. And thanks to his shrewdness, it will be there at least until the year 2043. Sources for this article include Nellie’s Boardinghouse by Marjorie Belle Bright (ETC Publications, 1981); Palm Spring History by the O’Donnell Golf Club; Palm Springs Legends by Greg Niemann (Sunbelt Publications, 2006); Palm Springs Public Library archives; and Palm Springs Limelight News, 1945..
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 13
DECEMBER 2021
NEWS
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS
DECEMBER ASTRONOMY
Venus is the celestial headliner,
Planets and Bright Stars in Evening Mid-Twilight along with the Geminid meteor For December, 2021
V
shower and the start of winter
This sky chart is drawn for latitude 34 degrees north, but may be used in southern U.S. and northern Mexico. N
By Robert Victor
enus is December’s headliner. The planet is bright enough to see with the naked eye during daytime—and creates a spectacular pairing with a crescent moon. The month also offers an eye-catching lineup of three evening planets all month, with a fourth joining the party before Venus checks out in early January. A few hours of dark, moonless skies coincide with the year’s best meteor shower. And we get two celestial gifts on the last day of 2021: a compact dawn gathering of an old crescent moon with a planet and its namesake star; and the Dog Star reaching its high perch in time to howl at midnight. Our evening sky map shows the positions of the naked-eye planets and the brightest stars at mid-twilight, when the sun is 9 degrees below the west-southwest horizon, nearly 45 minutes after sunset. Throughout the month, a lineup On Dec. 1 at dusk, look for the Summer of three planets dominates the southwest Triangle of Vega, Altair, and Deneb, in order quadrant of the sky. Brilliant Venus, in the of brightness, well up in the western sky. southwest to west-southwest, anchors the A line from Vega to Altair, 34 degrees long lower right end of the lineup. In the first two and extended 31 degrees to the south, ends weeks, Venus gleams at magnitude -4.9, as at Saturn, which is then 18.1 degrees to the bright as it gets, and fades to magnitude -4.3 upper left of Venus and 16.5 degrees to the E at month’s end. Jupiter, next in brightness lower right of Jupiter. at magnitude -2.3 to -2.1, marks the upper Other bright stars: Look in the south to left end of the lineup. Jupiter’s distance from south-southwest at dusk for Fomalhaut, Venus is 34.5 degrees on Dec. 1, shrinking to mouth of the Southern Fish, 22-20 degrees to 31.4 degrees on Dec. 14, and expanding to the lower left of Jupiter. Watch for yellowish 37.5 degrees on Dec. 31. Saturn, at magnitude Capella, the Mother Goat star, ascending +0.7, lies between the two brighter planets. in the northeast, and red-orange Aldebaran, Follow the moon at dusk Dec. 5-18. The ascending in the east-northeast to east, 31 arrangement of the moon and three bright degrees to the lower right of Capella. planets is especially attractive as the moon As December progresses, watch 21 degrees grows from a thin young crescent, 15 degrees below and 26 degrees to the lower right of to the lower right of Venus on Dec. 5, through Aldebaran for Orion’s two brightest stars, 19 first quarter phase, when the moon is half full degrees apart: Reddish Betelgeuse, rising and 23 degrees east of Jupiter, on Dec. 10. The north of east, and blue-white Rigel, rising very best evening is Monday, Dec. 6, when the south of east. Within 45 minutes after you first 11 percent moon appears 2.6 degrees to the spot them, look for the “Twin” stars of Gemini, lower left of Venus at dusk. Don’t miss that! Castor and Pollux, 4.5 degrees apart, rising For several hours that day, we are presented farther north, 30-34 degrees below Capella. an easy opportunity to spot Venus in the The Geminid meteor shower reaches its daytime. Try looking when the 10 percent peak in the predawn hours of Tuesday, Dec. crescent moon passes due south, 30 degrees 14. The bright waxing gibbous moon sets up, on Dec. 6 about 2:19 p.m. Venus will then before 2:45 a.m., leaving 2 1/2 hours of dark appear 3.2 degrees to the moon’s upper left. skies for excellent viewing of “shooting stars” The moon will close in on Venus until they until dawn brightens. The tracks of Geminids, set, more than 2 1/2 hours after sunset, when extended backward, will all radiate from a they’re 2.4 degrees apart. common point not far from Castor. On the next evening, Tuesday, Dec. 7, Winter begins on Tuesday, Dec. 21 at 7:59 Saturn will appear 5 degrees to the upper right a.m., when the sun stands directly over the of the 19% crescent moon. On Wednesday, Tropic of Capricorn. Palm Springs has its Dec. 8, find Jupiter within 7 degrees to the lowest midday sun of the year that day, when 29% crescent moon’s upper left at dusk. Four the sun passes directly south, 33 degrees above hours later, when they’re about to set, they’ll the horizon, at 11:44 a.m. be just more than 5 degrees apart. A fourth planet, Mercury, adds its bright One week later, on Dec. 16, the 96% moon presence (magnitude -0.7) the last 10 days of is 5 degrees from the Pleiades and within 9 month. On Dec. 22, find it 12 degrees to the degrees of Aldebaran. On the next evening, lower right of Venus. On Dec. 25, Mercury is find Aldebaran within 8 degrees to the lower 7 degrees below Venus. On Dec. 28, Mercury left of the 99% moon. passes 4.2 degrees south (to the lower left) of
December's evening sky chart. ROBERT D. MILLER
Castor Pollux
Capella
Aldebaran
Betelgeuse
Vega
Deneb
W Rigel
Altair
1
Jupiter 8 15
22 1
Fomalhaut
Evening mid-twilight occurs Venus. On Dec.Sun 30,isMercury appears 5.5 degrees when 9 below horizon. to the leftDec. of sinking Venus, and on Dec. 31, 7 1: 43 minutes after sunset. 15: 44upper " " " degrees to Venus’ left. 31: 43 " stars " in "morning twilight The four brightest
S
in December, in order of brightness, are Sirius, visible early in the month, until it sinks below the horizon in the west-southwest; Arcturus, very high in the east to east-southeast; Vega, climbing in the northeast; and Capella, dropping lower in northwest. The only morning planet is Mars, which is faint—magnitude +1.6 to +1.5—low in east-southeast to southeast. Watch for the emergence of brighter, 1.1-magnitude Antares, heart of the Scorpion, within 8 degrees below Mars that morning. By Dec. 24, Antares is 5 degrees to the lower right of Mars. On Dec. 27 and 28, Mars passes 4.5 degrees north (to the upper left) of the star. In a beautiful compact gathering on the morning of Dec. 31, Mars and Antares
29
8 15 Saturn
29
22 1
8
15
Venus
29 22
29 Mercury
22
Stereographic Projection
are 5.2 degrees apart, with a 7Robert percent waning Map by D. Miller crescent moon between and slightly above them, slightly more than 3 degrees from each. Follow the moon in the morning sky Dec. 18-Jan. 1. On Dec. 20, the 98% moon is 10-11 degrees below Pollux and Castor. On Dec. 21, the 95% moon is 3.5 degrees from Pollux and 8 degrees from Castor. On Dec. 24, the 75% moon is 5 degrees from Regulus. On Dec. 28, the 34% crescent moon is 5 degrees from Spica. Illustrations of many of these events appear on the Abrams Planetarium monthly Sky Calendar. To subscribe for $12 per year or to view a sample copy, visit www. abramsplanetarium.org/skycalendar. Robert Victor originated the Abrams Planetarium’s monthly Sky Calendar in October 1968, and still produces issues occasionally. He enjoys being outdoors sharing the wonders of the night sky. CVIndependent.com
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DECEMBER 2021
BEST MOVIE THEATER Mary Pickford Is D’Place Runners up: 2. Century La Quinta and XD 3. Camelot Theatres at the Palm Springs Cultural Center 4. Century at The River and XD 5. Regal Palm Springs BEST LOCAL DJ DJ Galaxy Runners up: 2. DJ Baz/Barry Martin 3. Eric Ornelas 4. Alf Alpha 5. Alex Harrington 6. Alex Updike
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES. As we sent our Best of Coachella Valley issue to press in November 2020, we were approaching some of the darkest days of the pandemic. COVID-19 cases were surging; hospitalizations were starting to rise; struggling businesses were only able to operate at diminished capacity. This all continued to worsen—and on Dec. 6, Southern California was placed under a stay-at-home order that limited restaurants to takeout, closed most service-based businesses (like barber shops and salons) and limited retail capacity to 20 percent. These closures would remain in effect through the holidays and into the new year. Today, life is much different. Yes, SARS-CoV-2 is very much still a concern and a problem, but most of us are vaccinated now, and therefore largely safe from the worst of COVID-19. As a result, we have most of “normal” life back. All businesses are open, and probably won’t be again forced to close—meaning the winners and finalists listed on these pages won’t have to celebrate their Best of Coachella Valley success behind a locked door. It’s worth repeating: What a difference a year makes. This year’s Best of Coachella Valley is different in yet another way: We have a fantastic new partner, News Channel 3. They promoted the heck out of voting this year, and helped us get a record number of votes. Thank you to them—and be sure to watch News Channel 3 for their special Eye on the Desert coverage of the Best of Coachella Valley. Finally, we need to thank our many, many readers who took the time to vote this year. We understand a ballot with 130 categories can be daunting, and we deeply appreciate the time you took to tell us about the valley’s best. To the winners and finalists whose names appear in these pages: Congratulations. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Thank you helping make the Coachella Valley such an amazing place to live. Welcome, everyone, to the Best of Coachella Valley 2021-2022. —Jimmy Boegle, jboegle@cvindependent.com
PRESENTED BY CVIndependent.com
BEST OUTDOOR VENUE The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens Runners up: 2. Fantasy Springs Rock Yard 3. Rancho Mirage Amphitheater 4. Empire Polo Club 5. Agua Caliente Cathedral City BEST LOCAL BAND The Gand Band Runners up: 2. Giselle Woo and The Night Owls 3. John Stanley King 4. Allies 5. Avenida BEST LOCAL MUSICIAN (INDIVIDUAL) Bob Gentry Runners up: 2. Chris Lomeli 3. John Stanley King 4. Kal David 5. Justin Ledesma BEST MUSEUM Palm Springs Air Museum Runners up: 2. Sunnylands 3. Children’s Discovery Museum 4. Coachella Valley History Museum 5. La Quinta Museum Note: The Palm Springs Art Museum was inadvertently left off of the final-round voting list of finalists. We apologize for the error.
BEST INDOOR VENUE McCallum Theatre Runners up: 2. Palm Springs Art Museum 3. The Show at Agua Caliente 4. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room 5. CVRep Playhouse BEST ART GALLERY AutoErotica/Michael Weems Collection Runners up: 2. Coda Gallery 3. Heather James Fine Art 4. Janssen Artspace 5. Melissa Morgan Gallery BEST LOCAL ARTS GROUP/ ORGANIZATION McCallum Theatre Runners up: 2. Palm Springs Museum of Art 3. CV Rep 4. Desert Art Center 5. Create Center for the Arts 6. Palm Springs Opera Guild BEST PRODUCING THEATER COMPANY Desert Rose Playhouse Runners up: 2. Palm Canyon Theatre 3. CVRep 4. Desert Ensemble Theatre 5. Dezart Performs 6. Desert Theatricals BEST LOCAL VISUAL ARTIST Tysen Knight Runners up: 2. Zach Fleming-Boyles 3. Trevor Wayne 4. Ryan Campbell 5. Marconi Calindas
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 15
DECEMBER 2021
BEST LOCAL VIRTUAL THEATER EXPERIENCE Dezart Performs' Mental Amusements
by his annual tradition of visiting Coney Island in New York, Vinny uses a combination of psychological tricks and illusions to take you on an amazing and entertaining journey through the mind.” Our reviewer, Valerie-Jean Hume, logged on to the show feeling rather skeptical. But by the time it was all over, she was elated. “I myself have lost three friends in the last two weeks, and the relief it gave me to participate in an event like this and not think about politics/ vaccines/headlines/statistics for a whole hour felt like two weeks at the beach,” she wrote. “The power of theater to restore, rejuvenate and educate is nothing new—but after nearly a year without any of it, we all felt sort of … reborn.” Powerful words for a rare powerful virtual pandemic production. Props to Dezart Performs for pulling it off. —Jimmy Boegle
We here at the Independent make an effort to review all non-school-related local theatrical productions that 1) are open for two weekends or more, and 2) are being performed by companies that grant us review tickets. Of course, we didn’t review much of anything during the darkest days of the pandemic. Almost 15 1/2 months passed between our March 16, 2020, review of CVRep’s The City of Conversation (the final local show to close before the stay-at-home orders) and our June 28, 2021, review of Desert Rose’s Playhouse’s The Miss Firecracker Contest (the first local show to open after theater was again allowed in California). In between those dates, we did one, and only one, review of a show that met our qualifications—and it was a rave. In January 2021, Dezart Performs teamed up with “mentalist” Vinny DePonto to present Mental Amusements, “a virtual carnival of the mind,” over parts of three weeks. Dezart touted the show thusly: “Inspired Vinny DePonto starred in Dezart Performs’ Mental Amusements.
BEST LOCAL ACTIVIST/ADVOCACY GROUP/CHARITY Palm Springs Animal Shelter Runners up: 2. LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert 3. Boys and Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley 4. DAP Health 5. Guide Dogs of the Desert BEST INDOOR FUN/ACTIVITY Escape Room Palm Springs Runners up: 2. Get Air Trampoline Park 3. Escape Games at The River 4. Anytime Indoor Golf
BEST HOTEL POOL The Saguaro Runners up: 2. Renaissance Esmerelda Resort and Spa 3. Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage 4. Ace Hotel and Swim Club 5. Margaritaville Resort Palm Springs BEST ANNUAL CHARITY EVENT Faux Fur Ball (Palm Springs Animal Shelter) Runners up: 2. TIE Evening Under the Stars (AAP-Food Samaritans) Desert AIDS Walk 4. Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards (DAP Health) 5. McCallum Theatre Annual Gala
BEST LOCAL SPECIALTY RETAIL SHOP Destination PSP Runners up: 2. Crystal Fantasy 3. Sunnylands Gift Shop 4. Wabi Sabi Japan Living 5. Peepa’s Palm Springs BEST BOWLING ALLEY Palm Springs Lanes Runners up: 2. Fantasy Lanes Bowling 3. Canyon Lanes at Morongo BEST PLANT NURSERY Moller’s Garden Center Runners up: 2. Lowe’s Home Improvement 3. Moorten Botanical Garden 4. Bob Williams Nursery 5. Palo Verde Garden Center BEST YOGA Urban Yoga Runners up: 2. Coachella Yoga, Therapy and Wellness 3. Power Yoga Palm Springs 4. Hot Yoga Plus Palm Springs BEST SEX TOY SHOP GayMart USA Runners up: 2. Not So Innocent 3. Skitzo Kitty 4. Gear Leather and Fetish 5. Perez Images BEST RETAIL MUSIC STORE Palm Springs Vinyl Records and Collectibles Runners up: 2. Guitar Center 3. Gré Coffee House and Art Gallery 4. Dale’s Records 5. Finders Keepers Records BEST RADIO STATION KGAY 106.5 Runners up: 2. Q102.3 Classic Rock 3. The Eagle 106.9 4. Big 106.1 KPLM 5. Channel Q 103.1 BEST STAYCATION HOTEL La Quinta Resort and Club Runners up: 2. Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage 3. ARRIVE Palm Springs 4. Avalon Hotel and Bungalows 5. Miramonte Indian Wells Resort and Spa
BEST PLACE TO GAMBLE Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage Runners up: 2. Agua Caliente Palm Springs 3. Agua Caliente Cathedral City 4. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino 5. Augustine Casino 6. Spotlight 29 BEST LOCAL RADIO PERSONALITY Patrick Evans, KPSF The Studio 100.9/AM 1200 Runners up: 2. John Taylor, KGAY 106.5 3. Bradley Ryan, Mix 100.5 4. Mike Mozingo, Mix 100.5 5. Rich "Da Coach" Gilgallon, Q 102.3 BEST MARIJUANA DISPENSARY Joy of Life Wellness Center Runners up: 2. Libra 3. Atomic Budz 4. TIE The Vault Dispensary and Lounge West Coast Cannabis Club 6. Four Twenty Bank Dispensary and Lounge BEST COMICS/GAMES SHOP Comic Asylum Runners up: 2. Interstellar Comic Books 3. Desert Oasis Comics BEST CAR WASH Quick Quack Car Wash Runners up: 2. Elephant Car Wash 3. Airport Quick Car Wash 4. Desert 100 Percent Hand Car Wash 5. Harv’s Car Wash BEST GYM World Gym Palm Springs Runners up: 2. In-Shape 3. EOS Fitness 4. 24 Hour Fitness 5. Anytime Fitness BEST PET SUPPLIES Bones-N-Scones Runners up: 2. PetSmart 3. Cold Nose Warm Heart 4. Petco 5. PoshPetCare
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16 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 17
DECEMBER 2021
BEST SPA IN A RESORT/HOTEL Sunstone Spa at Agua Caliente Runners up: 2. TIE The Well Spa at Miramonte Indian Wells Omni Rancho Las Palmas 4. Agua Serena Spa at the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells BEST NAIL SALON Palm Springs Fine Men’s Salon Runners up: 2. Lovely Nails 3. Pretty Nails 4. TK Nail Salon BEST EYEGLASS/OPTICAL RETAILER Costco Runners up: 2. Milauskas Eye Institute 3. Desert Vision Optometry 4. Panache Optical Gallery 5. Desert Vision Center/Dr. Keith Tokuhara 6. America’s Best BEST FLORIST My Little Flower Shop Runners up: 2. Rancho Mirage Florist 3. Jensen’s Foods 4. Indio Florist 5. Blooming Events Florist BEST RESALE/VINTAGE CLOTHING Revivals Runners up: 2. Habitat for Humanity ReStore 3. Angel View 4. The Fine Art of Design 5. Bazar BEST ANTIQUES/COLLECTIBLES STORE Misty’s Consignments Runners up: 2. Antique Galleries of Palm Springs 3. Victoria’s Attic Antique Mall 4. Consign Design
BEST FURNITURE STORE H3K Home+Design Runners up: 2. Mathis Brothers 3. Revivals 4. PS Homeboys 5. Desert Patio BEST HAIR SALON Palm Springs Fine Men’s Salon Runners up: 2. Brien O’Brien Salon 3. Heads Up Hair Designs 4. Salon 119 Beauty and Spa 5. Adrian Alcantar Hair Studio and Spa BEST JEWELER/JEWELRY STORE Tiffany and Co. Runners up: 2. El Paseo Jewelers 3. Leeds and Son 4. Hephaestus Jewelry 5. La Quinta Jewelers BEST TATTOO PARLOR Adornment Runners up: 2. Desert Rose Tattoo Parlor 3. Anarchy and Ink Tattoo 4. Iron Palm Tattoo Parlour 5. Strata Tattoo Lab
BEST EXPRESSION OF PRIDE AND LIVING LIFE AGAIN Yvette Mattern's Global Rainbow, During Palm Springs Pride Yvette Mattern’s Golden Rainbow light sculpture has been displayed throughout the world since 2009, in places ranging from London to Berlin to Tulsa, Okla. But it had never been to the Coachella Valley before its appearance from Nov. 5-7, 2021, during Greater Palm Springs Pride. It was the perfect piece of art, in the perfect place, at a perfect time. The sculpture’s “base” was at Amado Road and Palm Canyon Drive, from which seven colorful rays of light were beamed down Palm Canyon and over the Pride festival space, extending for miles Yvette Mattern’s Golden Rainbow soars over to the south. Palm Canyon Drive. Credit: Jimmy Boegle It was powerful, beautiful and so perfect for Palm Springs Pride. While many other 2021 Pride festivals around the world were postponed or severely scaled back for the second year in a row, Palm Springs Pride, due to its later date on the calendar, proceeded pretty much as normal. It was a celebration of joy, of relief, of being able to gather together again after so many months of isolation and darkness—and Global Rainbow, somehow, was the perfect representation of all that. Congrats to Ron deHarte and the other folks at Greater Palm Springs Pride for pulling off an amazing celebration—with Global Rainbow presiding high over it all. —Jimmy Boegle
BEST CLOTHING STORE (LOCALLY OWNED) Destination PSP Runners up: 2. Trina Turk 3. Wil Stiles 4. Shirley’s Boutique 5. Glossy Boutique BEST DAY SPA (NON-RESORT/HOTEL) Palm Springs Fine Men’s Salon Runners up: 2. Desert Zen Day Spa 3. Salon 119 Beauty and Spa 4. Organic Glow Skin Studio 5. Laulima 760
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BEST BURGER Grill-A-Burger Runners up: 2. Tyler’s Burgers 3. Tony’s Burgers 4. Gastro Grind Burgers 5. Bongo Johnny’s
BEST COFFEE SHOP Koffi Runners up: 2. Starbucks 3. IW Coffee 4. Elmer’s Restaurant 5. Gré Coffeehouse and Art Gallery
BEST BAKERY Aspen Mills Runners up: 2. Sherman’s Deli and Bakery 3. Peninsula Pastries Palm Springs 4. Over the Rainbow 5. Jensen’s Foods
BEST KOREAN Umami Seoul Runners up: 2. Sam’s Korean BBQ 3. U Grill Korean BBQ 4. Maru 5. K-Tofu House
BEST FROZEN YOGURT Lappert’s Ice Cream Runners up: 2. Beach House 3. Jus Chillin’ 4. Tutti Frutti 5. Yogurtland
BEST OUTDOOR SEATING Spencer’s Restaurant Runners up: 2. Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge 3. Lavender Bistro 4. Bongo Johnny’s 5. Sunnylands Cafe
BEST VIETNAMESE Pho Vu Runners up: 2. 533 Viet Fusion 3. Rooster and the Pig 4. Fuzion Five 5. La Baguette
BEST CALIFORNIA CUISINE Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge Runners up: 2. Lulu California Bistro 3. Spencer’s Restaurant 4. Wally’s Desert Turtle 5. Bongo Johnny’s
BEST CUSTOM CAKES Over the Rainbow Runners up: 2. Nothing Bundt Cakes 3. Sherman’s Deli and Bakery 4. Pastry Swam Bakery 5. Jensen’s Foods
BEST LATE-NIGHT RESTAURANT Blackbook Runners up: 2. Lulu California Bistro 3. Kitchen 86 + Bar 4. Little Bar 5. Kaiser Grille Palm Springs
BEST LOCAL MUSIC SUPPORTER Coachella Valley Brewing Co.
BEST SUSHI Okura Robata Grill and Sushi Bar Runners up: 2. Sandfish Sushi and Whiskey 3. Joyce’s Sushi 4. Misaki Sushi and Grill 5. Otori Sushi 6. Taka Shin BEST CHINESE Roly China Fusion Runners up: 2. City Wok 3. Wang’s Chinese Cuisine 4. JOY at Fantasy Springs 5. China 8 6. Canton Bistro La Quinta BEST BREAKFAST Wilma and Frieda’s Runners up: 2. Elmer’s Restaurant 3. Rick’s Restaurant and Bakery 4. Keedy’s Fountain Grill 5. Bongo Johnny’s BEST ORGANIC FOOD STORE Chef Tanya’s Kitchen Runners up: 2. Whole Foods 3. Clark’s Nutrition and Natural Foods Market 4. Sprouts Farmers Market 5. Nature’s Health Food and Café BEST LOCAL COFFEE ROASTER Koffi Runners up: 2. Joshua Tree Coffee Company 3. Coachella Valley Coffee Company
As 2021 went by, and vaccine shots got in arms, people started coming out of their homes and slowly returning to something resembling a sense of normalcy. Notable musicians and entertainers were able to quickly find their footing again—but local artists had a harder time finding places to perform in front of real, live, in-person human beings. Thankfully, local musicians had someone in their corner. One of the first venues to start hosting outdoor, socially distanced shows was Coachella Valley Brewing Co., and the performers have been strictly local. Taproom manager Wesley Gainey serves as the booker, and he has provided a platform for artists across different genres throughout the whole year. While other venues have again started hosting local bands, CVB’s choice to feature a plethora of different acts, multiple days a week, for most of this year, makes them worthy of a Best of Coachella Valley pick. I commend the brewery for shining a light on local music. —Matt King Grins and Lies performs at CVB. Credit: Esther Sanchez
CVIndependent.com
BEST FRENCH Le Vallauris Restaurant Runners up: 2. Pomme Frite 3. French Corner Cafe 4. La Brasserie Bistro and Bar 5. French Rotisserie Cafe BEST SALSA Cardenas Market Runners up: 2. Las Casuelas Terrazza 3. Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill 4. La Tablita 5. Rincon Norteno BEST SANDWICH Sherman’s Deli and Bakery Runners up: 2. TKB Bakery and Deli 3. The Sandwich Spot 4. Real Italian Deli 5. Aspen Mills 6. Bongo Johnny’s BEST GREEK Santorini Gyro Runners up: 2. Yianni’s Greek Taverna 3. Athena Gyro 4. Nina’s Greek Cuisine 5. Koutouki Greek Estiatorio BEST BARBECUE Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace Runners up: 2. Babe’s BBQ and Brewhouse 3. Brown’s BBQ and Soul Food 4. Bubba’s Bones and Brews 5. Smoke Tree BBQ BEST DELICATESSEN Sherman’s Deli and Bakery Runners up: 2. Manhattan in the Desert 3. The Real Italian Deli 4. TKB Bakery and Deli 5. On the Mark BEST BRUNCH Spencer’s Restaurant Runners up: 2. Lulu California Bistro 3. Wilma and Frieda’s 4. Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge 5. Bongo Johnny’s 6. Jake’s
DECEMBER 2021
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 19
Palm Springs Chef and Restaurateur Chad Gardner welcome you to Roly China Fusion, a bar and restaurant featuring modern Chinese cuisine with an Asian fusion twist! 1107 N. Palm Canyon Drive • 760-548-0041 • www.rolychinafusion.com CVIndependent.com
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BEST BURRITO El Ranchito Taco Shop Runners up: 2. Las Casuelas Nuevas 3. El Taco Asado 4. Casuelas Cafe 5. La Casita
BEST STEAKS/STEAKHOUSE Ruth’s Chris Steak House Runners up: 2. The Steakhouse at Agua Caliente 3. Mr. Lyons 4. LG’s Prime Steakhouse 5. Kaiser Grille
BEST CATERER Sherman’s Deli and Bakery Runners up: 2. Lulu California Bistro 3. Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge 4. Lynn Hammond Catering 5. F/10 Catering and Events
BEST JAPANESE Kobe Japanese Steak House Runners up: 2. Okura Robata Grill and Sushi Bar 3. Sandfish Sushi and Whiskey 4. Shabu Shabu Zen 5. Musashi Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar 6. Joyce’s Sushi
BEST DINER Elmer’s Restaurant Runners up: 2. Rick’s Restaurant and Bakery 3. Bongo Johnny’s 4. Keedy’s Fountain Grill 5. Sunshine Cafe BEST VEGETARIAN/VEGAN Chef Tanya’s Kitchen Runners up: 2. Native Foods Cafe 3. Luscious Lorraine’s 4. Palm Greens Cafe 5. Wildest Restaurant and Bar
BEST THAI Thai Smile Palm Springs Runners up: 2. Peppers Thai 3. Le Basil 4. My Thai 5. Talay Thai
BEST SEAFOOD Fisherman’s Market and Grill Runners up: 2. Pacifica Seafood Restaurant 3. Eddie V’s Prime Seafood 4. Oceana Restaurant
BEST VEGGIE BURGER Chef Tanya’s Kitchen Runners up: 2. Native Foods Cafe 3. Tyler’s Burgers 4. Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge 5. Bongo Johnny’s
BEST UPSCALE RESTAURANT Spencer’s Restaurant Runners up: 2. Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge 3. Copley’s on Palm Canyon 4. Wally’s Desert Turtle 5. Le Vallauris Restaurant 6. Bar Cecil
according to Yelp, Tripadvisor & OpenTable WE ARE ONE OF THE VERY BEST with 9,000 Sq feet keeping you safe is easy OPEN DAILY FROM 11AM - 3PM & 5PM - 9PM 849 N PALM CANYON DRIVE . PALM SPRINGS EIGHT4NINE.COM 760.325.8490 CVIndependent.com
BEST INDIAN Monsoon Indian Cuisine Runners up: 2. India Oven 3. Its Taste of India
BEST BUFFET Fresh Grill Buffet at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Runners up: 2. TIE Emperor Buffet Rockwood Grill at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa
BEST BAGELS Townie Bagels, Bakery and Café Runners up: 2. Sherman’s Deli and Bakery 3. Panera Bread 4. The Bagel Drop BEST MEXICAN El Mirasol Runners up: 2. Las Casuelas Terraza 3. El Taco Asado 4. Casuelas Cafe 5. Pueblo Viejo 6. Casa Mendoza
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 21
DECEMBER 2021
BEST DESSERTS Sherman’s Deli and Bakery Runners up: 2. Billy Reed’s 3. Jensen’s Foods 4. Peninsula Pastries 5. Wally’s Desert Turtle
BEST PIZZA Bill’s Pizza Runners up: 2. Stuft Pizza Bar and Grill 3. Giuseppe’s 4. Upper Crust Pizza 5. Billy Q’s
BEST ITALIAN Mario’s Italian Cafe Runners up: 2. Ristorante Mamma Gina 3. Castelli’s 4. Johnny Costa’s Ristorante 5. Spaghetteria
BEST WINGS Buffalo Wild Wings Runners up: 2. Wingstop 3. Bongo Johnny’s 4. Tony’s Burgers 5. 360 Sports at Agua Caliente
BEST ICE CREAM/SHAKES Lappert’s Ice Cream Runners up: 2. Great Shakes 3. Kreem 4. La Michoacana Ice Cream Parlor 5. Monster Shakes
BEST CASUAL EATS Sherman’s Deli and Bakery Runners up: 2. Lulu California Bistro 3. 1501 Uptown Gastropub 4. Bongo Johnny’s 5. Tony’s Burgers
BEST DATE SHAKE Shields Date Garden Runners up: 2. Great Shakes 3. Hadley’s 4. Windmill Market 5. Oasis Date Gardens
BEST SMOOTHIES Fresh Juice Bar Runners up: 2. Great Shakes 3. Jamba 4. Fruit Wonders
BEST VEGETARIAN/VEGAN BEST VEGGIE BURGER BEST ORGANIC FOOD STORE
CHEF TANYA
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PALM SPRINGS 706 S Eugene Road Palm Springs, CA 92264 760-832-9007
PALM DESERT 72695 CA-111 Suite A6 Palm Desert, CA 92260 760-636-0863
BEST CREPES, EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE WHAT YOU THINK OF AS CREPES Gabino's Creperie When I think of a crepe, I think of a thin little thing, filled with fruit, or chocolate, or Nutella. Well … the crepes at Gabino’s Creperie, a little hole-in-the-wall near the Palm Canyon Three yummy Gabino’s crepes. Drive curve in south Palm Springs, are not Credit: Jimmy Boegle that. No. Instead, these crepes are thick and covered with crispy melted cheese. They’re curled up like a waffle cone—with high-quality, savory ingredients stuffed inside. One of Gabino’s bestsellers is the chicken pesto crepe, filled with chicken, American cheese, lettuce, cherry tomato, red onion, pesto and a jalapeno/cilantro “secret sauce.” It’s so, so good. And so filling: A large crepe will set you back $14, but it’s worth every penny. I am what they call a “big eater,” at least when I want to be—and I certainly wanted to be while devouring this crepe, but I was stuffed by the time I finished my last bite. Trust me: Gabino’s Creperie offers some of the west valley’s most delicious and most unique eats. Go. Go now. —Jimmy Boegle CVIndependent.com
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BEST LOCAL MUSICIAN Bob Gentry
“… It’s so exciting and surprising anytime something good like this happens. I’m still kind of pinching myself in a way, because, after not doing music for 10 years—at least professionally, or even semi-professionally— now to do it again, and to suddenly have people kind of seem to care about it, it’s very cool. It’s awesome.” When we spoke to Gentry in October 2020, just before the release of Back on the Horse, he talked about how he moved to Palm Springs intending to be done with music. He started taking photos—building a successful realestate photography business—and was content with music being in the past. However, that began to change when he received a Facebook message from Kirk Pasich, the co-founder of Blue Elan records. The rest, as they say, is history. Gentry’s been working hard to promote Back on the Horse and Fortune Favors as best he can through the pandemic. “I’ve done five videos for the album already, and they were really low-budget,” Gentry said. “It was just me and a friend of mine quickly doing stuff around the house, or on the horses. It was nothing major. These days, you can pretty much do a cheapy video just to have people watch something. It’s crazy, because people really want to watch music. If you have a video for something, the odds of them actually listening to the song increase a million percent.” The newest music video, for his song “That Life,” premiered on Nov. 11. “I have a friend in real estate who’s been wanting to shift gears a little bit, and I said, ‘Would you want to do a video for me?’” Gentry said. “He took his knowledge from real estate and did a much-higher-budget video
PINCHING HIMSELF Bob Gentry looks forward to the next phase of his career’s third act: performing in front of crowds by Matt King Bob Gentry is not new to music,
nor is he new to the Coachella Valley. However, he is a newcomer to the local music scene. The country-pop singer/songwriter spent time in the ’90s rocking with Moisture, before going solo in the 2000s. After spending most of the 2010s out of the music biz, he started over just before the insanity of 2020 arrived. EP Back on the Horse and album Fortune Favors kickstarted this new era of his career, and his mix of Beatles-esque vocal lines with poppy country has been a big hit—especially among our readers, who voted Bob Gentry as the Best Local Musician. CVIndependent.com
“You’re kidding,” Gentry said after we told him the news during a recent phone interview. “I mean, I was shocked when they told me I got nominated. I don’t even know what to say. The last award I think I won was in 2006, an L.A. Music Award. It’s very, very unexpected, and very cool—and to whoever voted for me, that’s so awesome.” Gentry explained why such recognition, to him, is “the biggest reward of all.” “These days, there’s not much money in music, with streaming music and things like that, so the biggest reward to me is when someone actually listens to the stuff, comments on it, says something about it, likes it and tells someone about it,” Gentry said.
than my previous ones. We found a place on Airbnb, made sure that it was OK with the hosts first, and just filmed the song on location with the band. I’m happy with it. “Everyone always says it’s their favorite track on the album, but it really is my favorite track, because it’s about giving up on music and coming back. … It’s about giving up on that life, which was the music life and the identity that I had. Here I am coming back to it, although when I wrote the song, I didn’t know I was going to come back to it. It’s a really personal song.” Gentry is now moving on to the next phase of his third act—performing live. “I’ve played live (recently), but only on television things,” Gentry said. “I did one called Oasis in the Desert. It’s a TV show where we went out in Joshua Tree along with a band and a couple of other artists on the label, and we filmed it. This was right at the height of COVID, before the vaccines, so we needed a lot of COVID tests. The other concert I did was a Rusty Young tribute concert, who was the lead singer of the band Poco. I did one of his songs as a tribute, because he passed away. They flew in all these people, and we did a Poco tribute DVD that’s coming out. “As far as shows, I need shows. I have a band now. I’m working with some guys here in town, and we’re doing our weekly rehearsals. I’ve been out, and I know what kind of bands play in certain places, but I’m not sure where I fit. I don’t know whether I need to go through booking agents or just call people up—but I’m at that point where I’m ready for that.” He’s so ready to perform, in fact, that he’s trying to slow down his efforts to write new music. “I still always write, but I’m kind of waiting for the next stuff to come out, because I don’t want to overdo it,” Gentry said. “I don’t want to get sick of it. The last album took a year and a half to get released due to pandemic stuff, so I had like a year and a half of listening to these same songs over and over, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, man, I’m so tired of my own stuff.’ I’m still writing, but I think right now, I need to get out there and play, and perform the album and push that. “I really want to see what people react to live. When you record something, it’s way different than performing it. Sometimes, you’ve got the best recording in the world, but when you play it live, you don’t get the same feedback, and vice versa. I’m really anxious about that.” For more information, visit BobGentry.com.
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 23
DECEMBER 2021
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READERS OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT & VIEWERS OF KESQ NEWS CHANNEL 3 VOTED:
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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 25
DECEMBER 2021
BEST LOCAL LIVE BAND Fever Dog It’s been really fun to watch Fever Dog evolve over the past few years. What started as psychedelic-tinged stoner rock has now morphed into sparkly, riff-tastic glam rock on the band’s latest album, Alpha Waves. Singles like “Freewheelin’” and “Hold on You” combine with standouts like “The Demon” and “King of the Street” to make this listen a scorcher from start to finish. While the album is fantastic, however, it’s Fever Dog’s live act that really puts the group over the top. What is the work of just Danny Graham and Joshua Adams in the studio comes alive onstage with the help of Facelift’s Quanah Lienau and Instigator’s Jaxon Fischer. The fourpiece—decked out in makeup, tights and spangles—have electrified venues this year. Don’t miss a chance to catch these show-stopping riff-rockers in action! —Matt King
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BEST DENTIST/ORTHODONTIST Dr. Scott Shepherd (Palm Springs Family and Cosmetic Dentistry) Runners up: 2. Dr. Armound Mahmoudi (Tahquitz Dental Group) 3. Dr. Carolyn Izu (Desert Dental Excellence) 4. Dr. Kianor Shah (Desert Dream Dentistry) BEST ATTORNEY Walter Clark Runners up: 2. Christopher Heritage 3. Eric Rudolph 4. Barry Regar BEST PERSONAL TRAINER Ted Guice Runners up: 2. Jaime Jimenez (One Eleven Conditioning Club) 3. Brandon Wertz 4. Jay Nixon 5. Alvin Crowe
DECEMBER 2021
BEST PLASTIC SURGEON Dr. Timothy Jochen Runners up: 2. Dr. Mo Zakhireh 3. Dr. Suzanne Quardt 4. TIE Dr. Bruce Chisholm Dr. Scott Aaronson BEST LOCAL HOME IMPROVEMENT COMPANY Ace Hardware Runners up: 2. Lowe’s Home Improvement 3. The Home Depot 4. Flooring Innovations 5. Farley Pavers 6. CS Patio Covers BEST AIR CONDITIONER REPAIR Comfort Air Runners up: 2. Timo’s Air Conditioning and Heating 3. Desert Air Conditioning Inc. 4. General Air Conditioning 5. Titan Heating and Air Conditioning
Thank you Coachella Valley ... for your confidence in me and your support! I love my work and you are the reason why!
TedGuice.com 831-236-6656 Ted@ TedGuice.com
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BEST PLUMBER Roto-Rooter Plumbing and Water Cleanup Runners up: 2. General Air Conditioning and Plumbing 3. Roto-Rooter 4. Coachella Valley Plumbing, Heating and Air 5. Randal’s Plumbing 6. Tommy Rooter Plumbing BEST CHIROPRACTOR Nazemi Chiropractic Corporation Runners up: 2. Dr. Jim Cox 3. Pain Relief and Wellness Center (Stephen Krupey) 4. Go Healthcare BEST AUTO REPAIR Sergio’s Automotive Runners up: 2. Pete’s Automotive 3. Palm Springs Tire and Automotive Center 4. Exotic Car Service 5. European Auto Service 6. Encore Automotive BEST AUTO DEALERSHIP Jessup Auto Plaza Runners up: 2. Honda of the Desert 3. Fiesta Ford 4. Exotic Motor Cars 5. Palm Springs Hyundai BEST DOCTOR Dr. Laura Rush Runners up: 2. Dr. Kristen Mondino 3. Dr. James Adams 4. Dr. David Morris 5. Dr. Clayton Barbour BEST EYE DOCTOR Milauskas Eye Institute Runners up: 2. Dr. Gregory McMahill (Costco) 3. Dr. David Esquibel (Desert Vision Optometry) 4. Dr. Keith Tokuhara (Desert Vision Center) 5. Dr. Aaron D. Adame
BEST VETERINARIAN Dr. Rachel Reedy, Ridgeline Veterinary Clinic Runners up: 2. Dr. James H. Clark 3. Dr. Robert Reed, VCA Rancho Mirage Animal Hospital 4. Dr. Terry Hicks, Palm Desert Pet Hospital 5. Dr. Kathryn Carlson, Village Park Animal Hospital BEST FLOORING/CARPET COMPANY Flooring Innovations Runners up: 2. Carpet Empire Plus 3. D & D Carpet 4. Magsam’s Floors And Blinds 5. Mod Floors BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT Shann Carr Runners up: 2. Palm Springs Home Team 3. Mary Gomez 4. Lupe Valdivia 5. Paul Zapala BEST SOLAR COMPANY Renova Solar Runners up: 2. Hot Purple Energy 3. SunRun Solar 4. Free Volt BEST PEST CONTROL COMPANY Frazier Pest Control Runners up: 2. Bug Guys Pest Control 3. Rudy’s Pest Control 4. Dewey Pest Control 5. Western Exterminator 6. Renegade Pest Control BEST PUBLIC SERVANT Rep. Raul Ruiz Runners up: 2. La Quinta Mayor Linda Evans 3. Palm Springs Councilmember Geoff Kors 4. Palm Springs Councilmember Christy Holstege 5. Palm Springs Councilmember Grace Garner
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 27
DECEMBER 2021
BEST DARK DEPICTIONS OF THE VALLEY WE LOVE Palm Springs Noir In the introduction to Palm Springs Noir, a short-story collection released on July 6, 2021, by Akashic Books, editor Barbara DeMarco-Barrett made a big promise. “The stories in this collection come on like the wicked dust storms common to the area. More than half are by writers who live here full-time; all have homes in Southern California,” she wrote. “They know this place in ways visitors and outsiders never will. These are not stories you’ll read in the glossy coffee-table books that feature Palm Springs’ good life. There is indeed a lush life to be found here, but for the characters in these stories, it’s often just out of reach.” Sounds intriguing, no? But could the authors featured in this collection produce the compelling and knowledgeable stories, all starring the Coachella Valley, as DeMarcoBarrett promised? The answer: a resounding yes. Given the level of talent involved— participating writers included T. Jefferson Parker, Janet Fitch, Tod Goldberg, J.D. Horn, Ken Layne, Alex Espinoza and many others—it’s no surprise that Palm Springs Noir delivers. The Independent published an excerpt from Michael Craft’s “Check-In,” and not only did the wellwritten story grab one’s attention; it was unquestionably local. The narrator is a gay man, pushing 60, who moves here to reinvent himself, and finds himself working for a vacation-rental agency. When we meet him, he’s helping a highmaintenance May-November couple, in town for Modernism Week, at their high-priced short-term rental. That’s about as Palm Springs as Palm Springs gets. —Jimmy Boegle
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BEST MUSEUM Palm Springs Air Museum
AIRY AND EDUTAINING
The Palm Springs Air Museum takes flight as both a ‘flying museum’ and a safe, in-demand events space by Kevin Fitzgerald P-63, P-51 and C-47 planes fly in formation.
If you’re a resident of (or visitor to) the
accomplished our mission.” According to Bell, the Air Museum, now in its 26th year of operations, “edutains” roughly 150,000 patrons per year. He said the Air Museum team was excited to learn about the Best Museum selection. “We appreciate the fact that folks see the value in the facility and understand that we’re part of the fabric of the Coachella Valley,” he said. “I think probably one of the reasons, if not the biggest reason, (that we won) is we are part of the fabric of the valley. We do a lot of local participation. We do a tremendous amount with children on education, science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. … We want to get kids excited about the future of flying and space flight—because that’s where we’re headed, to Mars and beyond. So it’s wonderful that this happened, and we are very appreciative.” Heather Gage, the Air Museum’s events manager, said the museum team works hard to offer all attendees a great experience. “We try to be the gold standard,” she said. “There are not a lot of places in the valley like ours. … We have an amazing team One of the Palm Springs Air Museum hangar spaces. of people who work on all of our exhibits and fly our aircraft. customer-friendly and easy to manage. We are We have wonderful volunteers that we love, one of the few ‘flying museums’ of our type and we couldn’t do it without them. We’re that is left in the United States. So, if we can very lucky to have volunteers who are very inspire people with our collection and how we passionate about the museum and the planes.” operate it, and we do that in such a way that The museum’s expansive hangar exhibition they are excited about learning, then we have Coachella Valley who wants to be entertained and educated simultaneously, you’re in luck— because we have the popular Palm Springs Air Museum. How popular, you ask? Well, the readers of the Independent and viewers of KESQ News Channel 3 picked the PSAM as the valley’s Best Museum in the Best of Coachella Valley 2021-2022 poll. “We operate in what I would call the ‘edutainment’ space,” said Fred Bell, the managing director of the PSAM, during a recent interview with the Independent. “If we can expose kids and individuals who come to the museum to concepts—ranging from history and the humanities, to technical pieces about how airplanes operate and how they fly—then they’re learning while they’re here without being hit over the head with it. “We work hard to have a facility that is
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halls and extensive outdoor tarmac sit right clothing or a military uniform required—is next to the Palm Springs International slated to take place on Feb. 18, 2022, and will Airport. These days, as everyone is trying to be hosted by actor Joe Mantegna. find their way back to a sense of normalcy “This (year’s event) will be focused on despite the lingering presence of COVID-19, ‘Above and Beyond,’” Bell said. “It will focus the museum’s spacious and open spaces have on our F-117 stealth fighter, which is coming attracted both visitors in soon. We’re in the wanting to feel safe, process of finishing and clients looking for that exhibit space a safe venue for large now. Also, we’ll have a public events. group of cutting-edge “We were always a honorees. Usually, we popular venue prior have eight honorees, to the challenges of and a number of them COVID-19,” Bell said. are going to be test “I think (early Air pilots.” Museum supporter and The excitement in visionary) Bob Pond Bell’s voice was evident selected this site on as he described the the airport, because impending arrival of it is truly spectacular, the Lockheed F-117 with the view of the Nighthawk. About 60 mountains and the of them were built as open space with the part of a top-secret facility. Certainly, program, and they today, people have played a role in the Palm Springs Air Museum Managing Director Fred Bell. become more aware of Persian Gulf War of their surroundings and 1991. their space, and our 100,000 feet on 10 acres, “They were officially retired in the early and our ability to open up those (hangar) 2000s,” Bell said. “But that airplane was about building doors and essentially be outdoors, the most cutting-edge technology for its time. has had an impact on people who are sensitive It’s going to be an airplane that really inspires to having the ability to spread out.” people, and a lot of folks have tremendous In recent months, the Air Museum has interest in that stealth technology. The hosted a wide range events, from afterparticular airframe—the tail number is 833— hours Splash House parties to the LGBTQ has the second-highest (amount of) combat Community Center of the Desert’s Center time in the stealth-fighter fleet, as far as the Stage gala. On Dec. 10 and 11, it will be the number of combat missions it flew. We picked venue for Desert Air, a music and dance it up at the Tonopah (Test) Range, which festival co-created by Splash House and is up in what people talk about as Area 51 Coachella producer Goldenvoice. and Dreamland (in Nevada, about 140 miles Unquestionably, one of the largest and northwest of Las Vegas). We’ve been working most important annual public events held at on it now for about year getting it ready, the PSAM is the Air Museum’s own Annual and we’re just in the process of finishing the Gala. The upscale social event—with black-tie hangar for it. The James R. Houston Pavilion
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will be where that aircraft is housed in its own exhibit hangar.” Although the museum offers visitors the opportunity to actually fly on several of its planes for a fee, Bell broke into laughter when asked if the public would be able to purchase a stealth flight experience. “No, the military would not be happy with me if we did that right here,” Bell said. The Air Museum even offers edutainment to people who can’t physically make it to the venue: The 24/7, 365 “PSAM Cam” offers camera perspectives on both the PSAM tarmac areas and the neighboring Palm Springs International Airport, accompanied by live audio transmissions between the airport’s control tower and pilots. “I remember as a kid, I went to a restaurant called the Proud Bird over in Los Angeles,”
Bell said. “You could go there to have lunch, and they had little headphones, and you could listen to the control tower while you watched the airplanes take off. I never really forgot that. So, we thought, ‘Why don’t we let people look in?’ One camera view is right on our ramp, so you can see people moving around, and the airplanes. Then there’s another feed that’s right on the terminal, and you can see the jets leaving to take off, and you can hear (pilots and air traffic controllers) talking. There are a lot of aviation folks who really enjoy that, and I know a number of people who actually use that as their screensaver at home. They put it up, and they just let it run all day long. It’s quite popular.” For more information, visit palmspringsairmuseum.org.
keep flowing and flowing. The group’s self-titled album runs for longer for an hour, even though there are just seven BEST NEW LOCAL ALBUM The Holy Corrupt by The Holy Corrupt songs. Pressing play transports the listener into a soundscape of heavy and thunderous riffs that one could find on the devil’s personal The Holy Corrupt is the type of band that I playlist. Tracks “Inflicter of Karma” and “The never anticipated becoming part of Coachella Witch is Coming” are my personal favorites. Valley music scene—yet now, I can’t imagine —Matt King the desert without the group. Donny Browne from Rogue Ogre is on guitar/vocals; Alex Gerber from Allies is on drums; and the doomy-est and heaviest rock is front and center. Browne’s pedals and riffs sound like they’re being produced by three guitars, making the absence of a bassist unnoticeable, while Gerber’s consistent backbeat helps the jams The Holy Corrupt performs at CVB. Credit: Esther Sanchez
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COPA Valley of the Sun Omelet
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BEST BEER SELECTION Yard House Runners up: 2. La Quinta Brewing Co. Taprooms 3. Bongo Johnny’s 4. Bubba’s Bones and Brews 5. The Beer Hunter 6. Eureka! BEST DIVE BAR Blackbook Runners up: 2. Chill Bar Palm Springs 3. Hair of the Dog 4. Neil’s Lounge 5. The Hood Bar and Pizza BEST MARGARITA TIE Blue Coyote Grill Las Casuelas Terraza Runners up: 3. Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill 4. Armando’s Dakota Bar and Grill 5. La Tablita 6. Bongo Johnny’s
BEST "NEW" LOCAL BAND Stoner It’s not always easy for veteran rockers to pull off successful revamps, but for the members of Stoner, it seemed to happen pretty easily. The band—featuring Brant Bjork, Nick Oliveri (both of Kyuss fame) and Ryan Gut—got together for the Live in the Mojave Desert filmed-concert series, released earlier
BEST NIGHTCLUB Copa Nightclub Runners up: 2. Hunters Palm Springs 3. Chill Bar Palm Springs 4. The Nest 5. The Village Palm Springs BEST BAR AMBIANCE PS Air Bar Runners up: 2. Paul Bar/Food 3. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room 4. Little Bar 5. Bar Cecil BEST WINE BAR V Wine Lounge Runners up: 2. Zin American Bistro 3. Cork and Fork 4. Le Fe Wine Bar 5. Dead or Alive
this year, and has since gone on to open up for Clutch’s 2021 tour, and release a debut album, Stoners Rule. The album is as riff-tastic and fuzz-filled as one would expect, but it also offers a whole new level of kick-assery. From head-banging tracks like “Nothin’” and “Evel Never Dies,” to the ever-so-jammy 13-minute epic “Tribe/ Fly Girl,” the members of Stoner achieve new heights—while still remaining a huge part of rock history. —Matt King
BEST GAY/LESBIAN BAR/CLUB Hunters Palm Springs Runners up: 2. Blackbook 3. TIE Streetbar Chill Bar Palm Springs 5. Toucan’s BEST PLACE TO PLAY POOL/BILLIARDS Hunters Palm Springs Runners up: 2. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace 3. The Hood Bar and Pizza 4. The 19th Hole Bar and Restaurant 5. Plan B Live Entertainment and Cocktails BEST MARTINI Paul Bar/Food Runners up: 2. Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge 3. TIE Melvyn’s Restaurant Lulu California Bistro 5. Kaiser Grille BEST HAPPY HOUR The Tropicale Runners up: 2. Lulu California Bistro 3. La Quinta Cliffhouse 4. Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar 5. Little Bar BEST SPORTS BAR 360 Sports at Agua Caliente Runners up: 2. Burgers and Beer 3. The Beer Hunter 4. The Village Palm Springs 5. AMP Sports Lounge BEST WINE/LIQUOR STORE Total Wine and More Runners up: 2. BevMo! 3. Bouschet 4. Dead or Alive
Stoner performs during the 'Live in the Mojave Desert' filmed-concert series. Credit: Miroslav Peric
BEST LOCAL BREWERY La Quinta Brewing Co. Runners up: 2. Coachella Valley Brewing Co. 3. Babe’s BBQ and Brewery 4. Las Palmas Brewing 5. Desert Beer Company
BEST MUSIC ARTIST WHOSE CAREER IS ABOUT TO BLOW UP Israel's Arcade
Israel Pinedo. Israel’s Arcade is probably the valley’s worst-kept secret. Israel Pinedo has received ample Independent coverage before, but for those not in the know: He is on track to hit a million streams … before he even turns 21. After filming the Hermano Flower Shop concert, the indie/electronic-pop prince branched out to take opening slots for bands in San Diego, Los Angeles and Santa Ana. Israel’s Arcade’s self-titled recent release expands on his brand of mosh- and dance-worthy pop, while providing the same sing-along components that have made his music so easy to revisit. This next year is likely to be even bigger for Israel’s Arcade. We are looking forward to the day when we can truly say that “we knew him when.” —Matt King
BEST COCKTAIL MENU Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge Runners up: 2. Blackbook 3. Bootlegger Tiki 4. Bongo Johnny’s 5. Seymour’s 6. Little Bar BEST CRAFT COCKTAILS Paul Bar/Food Runners up: 2. TIE Bar Cecil Bootlegger Tiki 4. Seymour’s 5. Little Bar 6. The Reef CVIndependent.com
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BEST PLACE FOR BICYCLING CV Link Runners up: 2. Palm Springs (general) 3. La Quinta Cove 4. TIE Joshua Tree Indian Canyons BEST PUBLIC GARDEN Sunnylands Runners up: 2. The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens 3. Moorten Botanical Garden 4. Rose Garden at Empire Polo Club BEST PARK Ruth Hardy Park Runners up: 2. Palm Desert Civic Center Park 3. La Quinta Civic Center Park 4. Wellness Park 5. Liberty Park
DECEMBER 2021
BEST MOVE BY AN ARTS ORGANIZATION CREATE Center for the Arts The Independent has covered the growth of the CREATE Center for the Arts over the last five years, from its nascent start as part of Debra Ann Mumm’s Venus Studios and Art Supply, into its development as a full-fledged, multi-pronged arts nonprofit. In that time, CREATE has called several different buildings home. It’s now located at 73600 Alessandro Drive, in the building that formerly housed the Venus Healing Arts Center and the pet-centered Venus de Fido gym and wellness center. That’s all I knew when I walked into CREATE’s current home for the first time back in February … at which point my jaw literally dropped. Not only is the building huge—a whopping 20,000 square feet—it’s gorgeous and perfect for CREATE. It’s got spaces for painting, for sculpture, for gardening, for printmaking, for fiber arts, for filmmaking, for yoga, and even for 3-D printing and virtual reality. Most recently, Aspen Mills Bakery opened in the café space at CREATE. Yes, there’s a café space there. And we don’t have space to talk about the salt cave … so we’ll leave that for another time. As the year has gone on, CREATE has been hosting more and more classes, activities and exhibits—and I’ll be surprised if CREATE isn’t the valley’s top hub for hands-on arts by the time 2022 comes to an end. Heck, it may be already. A tip o’ the hat to Debra Ann Mumm and her team for finally giving the Coachella Valley the vibrant and comprehensive arts center it so badly needs—and deserves. —Jimmy Boegle
BEST HIKE Indian Canyons Runners up: 2. Tahquitz Canyon 3. TIE Bump and Grind Trail Lykken Trails 5. Museum Trail BEST BIKE SHOP Palm Springs/Palm Desert Cyclery Runners up: 2. Bike Palm Springs Rentals 3. Joel’s Bicycle Shop 4. Tri-A-Bike 5. Big Wheel Tours BEST SPORTING GOODS Dick’s Sporting Goods Runners up: 2. Big 5 Sporting Goods 3. Yellow Mart 4. Turner’s Outdoorsman
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The Cloud Room during the CREATE Center for the Arts’ move-in phase. Credit: Jimmy Boegle
BEST OUTDOOR/CAMPING GEAR STORE Big 5 Sporting Goods Runners up: 2. Dick’s Sporting Goods 3. Yellow Mart BEST PUBLIC GOLF COURSE Desert Willow Golf Resort Runners up: 2. Marriott’s Shadow Ridge Golf Club 3. SilverRock Resort 4. Cimarron Golf Resort 5. Classic Club Golf BEST RECREATION AREA Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Runners up: 2. Indian Canyons 3. Whitewater Preserve 4. Lake Cahuilla Recreation Area 5. Mount San Jacinto State Park
DECEMBER 2021
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The great care you need, close to home Kaiser Permanente is proud to announce Eisenhower Health as our new affiliated hospital in the Coachella Valley. LGBTQ patients want a provider they can feel comfortable with and just be themselves. I’m proud to be a Kaiser Permanente doctor specializing in caring for our specific local community. From HIV treatments, to hormone therapy, to surgical and mental health referrals, I understand the unique challenges that you face. Working at Kaiser Permanente inspires me because I can help empower members to be the best they can be.
Dr. Laura Rush, D.O. Family Medicine
My understanding of the community helps me guide and care for you as a whole person so you can thrive. Enroll now in Kaiser Permanente and thrive.
Learn more at kp.org/coachellavalley CVIndependent.com
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TAKE THE INDEPENDENT CHALLENGE 1. Peruse the Independent. Look at the quality of the writing, the layout, the topics, etc. 2. Do the same with any other local publication. 3. Compare. J. Scott Shepherd, D.M.D. Jeff Tom, D.D.S.
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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 35
DECEMBER 2021
THANK YOU COACHELLA VALLEY BEST RESTAURANT FOR KIDS Chuck E. Cheese’s Runners up: 2. Red Robin 3. Shakey’s Pizza 4. TIE Upper Crust Pizza Old Spaghetti Factory
BEST KIDS’ CLOTHING STORE Old Navy Runners up: 2. JadaBug’s Kids Boutique 3. The Children’s Place 4. The Lumpy Bunny
BEST PLACE TO BUY TOYS Target Runners up: 2. Walmart 3. JadaBug’s Kids Boutique
BEST PLACE FOR A BIRTHDAY PARTY The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens Runners up: 2. Get Air Trampoline Park 3. Chuck E. Cheese’s 4. Boomers 5. Shakey’s Pizza
BEST PLACE FOR FAMILY FUN The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens Runners up: 2. Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert 3. Boomers 4. Escape Room Palm Springs
BEST PLAYGROUND Palm Desert Civic Center Park Runners up: 2. TIE Ruth Hardy Park La Quinta Civic Center Park 4. Demuth Park
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BEST NEW LOCAL SONG "Double Up" by Koka The band Koka has been a dominant part of the local indie scene for a while. The group’s résumé of backyard shows and impressive streaming numbers recently helped Koka land a few slots playing out of town, further adding to the band’s success. Earlier this year, the band released “Double Up,” another stunning addition to the band’s indie-pop discography. Each Koka. song Koka has released has seemingly expressed more and more confidence, both in terms of production and songwriting. “Double Up” shines at being both a dance-able catchy tune, and by pushing the boundaries of an indie track with super-cool operatic background vocals by lead singer Edith Aldaz. Bassist Sebastian Camacho and guitarist/ synthesizer Ubaldo “Uba” Norzagaray yet again provide banging instrumentals, resulting in a song that’s seemingly perfect for any occasion. Koka’s done it again. —Matt King
Thank you for voting us Best Comics/Games Shop! 44829 San Pablo Ave. • 760-636-6711 Comicasylumpalmdesert.com CVIndependent.com
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All Shows On Sale Now!
The Australian Bee Gees Show
NEW SHOW!
A Tribute to The Bee Gees Sat, November 27, 8pm
Presented through the generosity of Brooke & Dan Koehler
NEW SHOW!
Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour 2021
Starring Jonathan Butler, Richard Elliott, Rick Braun and Introducing Rebecca Jade Sun, December 19, 7pm
Presented through the generosity of Rachelle & Wayne Prim
NEW SHOW!
The Doo Wop Project Wed, January 19, 7pm
Bernadette Peters Tue, February 1, 7pm
NEW SHOW!
Lewis Black
It Gets Better Every Day! Sun, February 6, 7pm
Photo: Norma Jean Roy
Straight No Chaser The Open Bar Tour
Wed, February 23, 7pm Fri, December 3, 8pm Sat, December 4, 2pm & 8pm Sun, December 5, 2pm & 7pm You Can’t Stop the Beat! HAIRSPRAY, Broadway’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon is back on tour! Join 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960’s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world? Don’t miss this “exhilaratingly funny and warm-hearted musical comedy” (The New Yorker).
Order online
mccallumtheatre.org
NEW SHOW!
Melissa Etheridge One Way Out Tour
Tue & Wed, March 29 & 30, 7pm
March 29 – Presented through the generosity of Janet Grove & Carol Greer Gigli
Proof of vaccination or negative PCR test within 72 hours for entry into the McCallum Theatre. For updated information on health and safety protocols, please visit www.McCallumTheatre.org
Order tickets by phone
760-340-2787
73000 FRED WARING DRIVE, PALM DESERT • BOX OFFICE HOURS: MONDAY-FRIDAY, 9:00am-5:00pm Follow us
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Photo: Joey L.
NEW SHOW!
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 37
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ARTS & CULTURE
ALCHEMY OF ART
R E A L I Z I N G T H E D R E A M. T O G E T H E R .
After taking up abstract painting at the age of 42, Wyman Lancaster finds success
W
by cat makino
yman Lancaster was working as a project manager at an Orange County construction company—and he decided he’d had enough. “(It was) 100 percent stressful. Brutal,” he said. He decided to move to the Coachella Valley and became the lead art placement coordinator for Colin Fisher Studios, an art and design gallery in Cathedral City. “I looked at all these paintings around me hanging on the walls and felt this is something I could do,” Lancaster said. “I knew I could do it. Then it all came together like a perfect storm.” At the age of 42, Lancaster took up painting—and after only a year and half, his paintings started selling enough for the self-taught artist heard from his birth mother for the first time to make a living. through her attorney. Though he hasn’t called Lancaster will join fellow abstract artists her yet, he has given the attorney permission Janet Cass and Aaron Finkbiner for the show to pass along his information. Composition—Light, Movement and Inspiration For now, he’s enjoying his success. As a at the JJ Harrington Gallery in Cathedral City. surfer, Lancaster said he misses the ocean, but An opening reception will take place on Friday, he loves being in the desert because of its big Dec. 3, and the exhibit will be on display art community. He also said he wanted to pass through Christmas Day. along a message to readers: It’s never too late Lancaster primarily works with acrylics, to make a change in your life. charcoal and pastels to create his abstracts. “I like where I am now,” Lancaster said. Admiring Spanish painter Antoni Tapies, “My life is 100 percent less stressful, and I Spanish Basque sculptor Eduardo Chillida and appreciate how simple and easy it is now.” American abstract artist Gabriel Rivera, colors Mike Harrington, the owner of the JJ are important to Lancaster: They must flow Harrington Gallery, says Lancaster remains and have balance. humble. “Wyman has a way with colors—colors most “In fact, when I’m talking to clients about people would not put in proximity, but they his work and his level of success, he’ll just walk just work with him,” said Vince Jelineo, an away,” Harrington said. art collector and interior designer. “That’s the alchemy of art.” Composition—Light, Movement and Lancaster talked about his process. Inspiration will be on display from Friday, Dec. 3, “I’ll start with the background, mixing through Saturday, Dec. 25, at the JJ Harrington paints, then create shadows and depth,” he Gallery, 68895 Perez Road, Suite I-4, in Cathedral said. “I won’t have any thoughts; I let things City. There will be an opening reception from 6 to happen organically. I just go for it, what I’m 9 p.m., Friday, Dec. 3. For more information, visit feeling at the time. Then it’s trial and error. I www.jjharringtononlinegallery.com. don’t complete a painting until I feel it’s good. I have to be happy with it.” Jelineo said Lancaster approaches the canvas intuitively, making intentional choices with his eyes and his rhythm in the moment. “He lets (his ideas) percolate under the surface, and that is a true artistic impulse. He’s very expressional. You can almost see the artist creating these energies that he puts on canvas.” While Lancaster lets things happen organically … that doesn’t mean things happen all the time. “If nothing comes up, I won’t paint,” he said, adding that he stopped painting once for four months. Lancaster is currently going through a nerve-racking time. He was adopted when he was 6 months old, and recently “Untitled Abstract 61” by Wyman Lancaster.
THE 2010 OLIVIER AWARD-WINNING PLAY BY
KATORI HALL
DIRECTED BY
MICHAEL SHAW
JANUARY 14-23 PEARL McMANUS THEATER
in the Palm Springs Woman’s Club
CVIndependent.com FOR TICKETS, DEZARTPERFORMS.ORG • (760) 322-0179 THE MOUNTAINTOP is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.
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350 S. Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs Open at 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday Order at rioazul.pay.link CVIndependent.com
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 39
DECEMBER 2021
FOOD & DRINK BARBECUE AND BREWS S
BY andrew smith
ince opening in 2002, Babe’s Bar-B-Que and Brewery has established itself as an iconic Coachella Valley restaurant. It’s a testament to the legacy Don Callender imagined many years earlier—and his son, Lucky Callender, is now looking to expand that legacy. Don Callender’s fortune was built through the Marie Callender’s brand he created. After selling that concept, however, he wasn’t ready to settle into retirement. “My dad had a series of concepts in the mid-1990s,” Lucky said. “We split time between Newport Beach in the summer and the desert in winter.” things forward for the next decade. When The River was being built in Rancho Every element of Babe’s was intentionally Mirage, the owners approached Callender—who designed as a showpiece. From the outside, just happened to have something in mind. In you’ll immediately see the giant silo that holds the 1990s, breweries didn’t sell their beers in the grain for the beer. Then there are the three taprooms like they do today; you had to visit bronze pigs—one named Lucky, the others after a brewpub if you wanted to taste beer at the Don’s two dogs—that have become Instagram source. That saw the growth of chains like celebrities over the years. The interior features BJ’s, Oggi’s, Karl Strauss and Gordon Biersch. vaulted ceilings and an exhibition kitchen. But Don wanted to create a better restaurant/ It’s decorated with an elaborate mix of brass, brewpub concept. bronze, copper and black marble. “He really liked beer, but he was more “My dad really liked bronze,” Lucky said. “He of a cook and a baker,” Lucky said. “He got had over 30 bronze statues in his backyard.” on this barbecue train and started messing That love of bronze flows over to the around, making all different kinds of meats restaurant, including the pigs outside, the rail and desserts. He was always bringing different around the kitchen and the bar, and the pigs on things home for us to try. every booth. It’s a spectacle that you can’t help “Babe’s was a $6 million buildout in 2002. but admire on every visit. He didn’t build it to make money. He built it Babe’s a multisensory experience. Outside, as his ‘shop.’” the gentle aromas of hickory hardwood and Babe’s became Don’s legacy, the culmination pecan smoke waft out across Highway 111. of a decade of experimentation. Due to his Inside, the Southern Pride rotisserie smoker sits declining health and his eventual passing in on full display in front of the kitchen. It holds a 2009, Babe’s was the only restaurant the family whopping 120 racks of ribs. was able to maintain. Babe’s succeeded, in Slow-smoked and prepped in a Memphis part, due to the affluent local community and dry rub, the ribs take center stage. Baby backs tourism. It was also due to the commitment of are smoked for five hours; the St. Louis-style the management team that continued to drive ribs are smoked for six. It’s the less-trendy, more-traditional St. Louis ribs that really stand out. This is a fattier cut, something the smoker takes full advantage of in inducing extra flavor and juiciness. The menu offers wet or dry ribs, but you really need to get the sauce. It’s more than the sum of the parts: Adding the barbecue sauce to the ribs on the grill induces a magical chemical reaction, adding exponentially to the flavor profile. An even bigger surprise is the boneless beef short rib. Seven hours in the smoker results the most decadent, rich and tender meat you’re ever likely to experience. The short-rib dinner is delicious, but you’ll also find it in several formats and combinations. Try the short-rib sandwich with spicy barbecue sauce, fried onions, and mozzarella for an explosion of flavor. The pulled pork sandwiches are another The Southern Pride rotisserie smoker sits on favorite. A 13-hour smoking process delivers full display in front of the kitchen—and holds a unrivaled succulence. whopping 120 racks of ribs. Andrew Smith
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/FOOD-DRINK
Don Callender opened Babe’s nearly 20 years ago—and his son Lucky is now honoring Don’s legacy while building his own
Beyond the traditional barbecue fare, Babe’s takes things a step further with several creative fusion-style dishes. A choice of meats is available on the signature BBQ salad; the menu also offers reimagined sandwiches, burgers, seafood and steaks. There are comfort-food elements from the Marie Callender’s past, too. The pies, with their delectable sugar crust, are always a hit; my favorite is the rhubarb. The cast-iron skillet cornbread is soft and delicious, accentuated with sweet corn, green chiles and honey butter. And then there are Don’s tamales—chicken, brisket or goat cheese—wrapped in soft sweetcorn masa, and garnished with turkey chili, tomatillo sauce and cheese. The beer program has morphed and flourished over the years. In 2002, palates dictated lighter styles. The Honey Blonde and Blackfin Lager that have been signatures since Babe’s opening are still favorites today—but the brews are now much more complex. The Belgian Vanilla Blonde won a medal at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival in 2014. Current
head brewer Juan Higuera came from Coachella Valley Brewing Co. and is highly regarded. He’s added a popular hazy IPA to the portfolio, and he’s been working in out-of-the box ideas like a strawberry banana pastry sour. Look out for his upcoming seasonal porters—variants that will include gingerbread pastry and pumpkin spice. If you’re just stopping by for a beer, Babe’s offers an extensive list of appetizers, including items fried okra, brisket mac and cheese, jambalaya, wings, and the famous baked yam with honey butter and pecans. It’s been a coming of age for Lucky Callender. He was just a child when his father passed away. After graduating college (and developing a love for homebrewing), he purchased full rights to the restaurant in 2018. He hopes to expand the Babe’s brand further, and also has a second, non-Babe’s concept in the works. As such, he hopes to maintain his father’s legacy—while also carving out one of his own. For more information, visit www.babesbbqbrewery.com.
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FOOD & DRINK
ON COCKTAILS I
The grasshopper and its cousins are sweet, creamy and as old school as old school gets
BY kevin carlow
t’s time to drink like a granny. Respect to all the two-fisted martini grandmas out there, but some drinks have a reputation as being “doilies and hard ribbon candy” material. But, hey, not every drink has to be hip and macho, so this month, for part two of my series on forgotten drinks, we’re going to discuss drinks that are sweet, creamy and lower in alcohol—but wicked on the waistline. (It’s the holidays; treat yo’self!) How did this column come along, you ask? I was walking around my neighborhood and saw one of our local Cretaceous period-sized cream parlors, and fill them up with mintygrasshoppers and thought: “I haven’t had a green goodness. Good times. grasshopper in forever! I should write about Don’t let the cheesy green color and sugar it.” So let’s hop right in! content fool you: This is a real, old-school “How’d they finally get to ya?” drink! According to the “home of the original,” “They gave me a grasshopper.” Tujague’s in New Orleans, the grasshopper “What’s a grasshopper?” was invented by owner Philibert Guichet for “Let me see. Two parts gin, two parts brandy, a New York cocktail competition in 1918. one part creme de menthe …” The grasshopper came in second (leaving me Sorry, Robert De Niro; you got the recipe wondering what came in first!), and has been wrong. I can’t think of this drink without on the menu at Tujague’s ever since. This is remembering this scene from the 1998 car their recipe: commercial-cum-heist movie Ronin—and I 1 ounce of Bols white creme de cacao couldn’t remember how to make this drink 1/2 ounce of Bols dark creme de cacao correctly for years because of it. 1/2 ounce of Bols green creme de menthe This creamy and irresistible cocktail always 1/2 ounce of Bols white creme de menthe takes me back to my first “real” bar job. The 1/2 ounce of heavy whipping creme boss and I decided to not end the night with Shake with ice and strain into Champagne a half-bottle of Jagermeister each anymore (I flute; top with 1/8 of an ounce of brandy. was young, and it was a ski town; don’t judge!) I haven’t tried the drink with this exact and instead would fill the blender with cheap recipe. I have a feeling the Bols brand might creme de menthe, creme de cacao, ice and have something to do with making this cream. We’d get two of those fishbowl glasses formula use four different cordials when two usually only found in margarita joints and ice would do. I have always just used green creme
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A grasshopper variation with Fernet. Kevin Carlow
de menthe, creme de cacao and cream (all equal parts), sometimes with a splash of brandy. I shake it over crushed ice; dump it into a cool stemmed glass or a brandy snifter; and top with a slapped bit of mint. Nowadays, I don’t use Bols, although I used to; instead, I use something more craft, like Tempus Fugit. (As always, not sponsored; I just love the product.) The problem with using natural products is that you won’t get the green color, but a couple of drops of green food coloring will fix that, if you care. You can always blend it, or strain it, and it will be a real crowd-pleaser at your next holiday function. Try adding Fernet or Chartreuse—or the combination of which that we cheeky bar types call “fartreuse”—to add a little more pop! Now let’s move on to the “Stinger.” Is there any drink that’s more “Roaring ’20s” than this? This is an all-timer for me. It goes back so far that we don’t actually know where the drink came from! As always when I run aground, I look to David Wondrich. In a column for Esquire, he states that this drink definitely goes back well past Prohibition (creme de menthe to cover up the cheap hooch, anyone?) and was well-established as the drink of choice of the upper crust by the early 20th century. It was a favorite of Reginald Vanderbilt and hotshot fighter pilots alike, according to Wondrich. Try NOT to feel rich and cool while ordering one of these, much less drinking one. You should absolutely make this drink at home, and it’s so easy that even a Vanderbilt wouldn’t feel taxed by the effort. It’s smooth enough for a “nondrinker,” but boozy enough for the rest of us. 2 ounces of brandy (or gin, or white rum)
3/4 of an ounce of white creme de menthe (use Tempus Fugit) Shake with ice; dump into an old fashioned glass or strain into a coupe, you titan of industry! No garnish. Let’s end with a delicious drink that hardly anyone orders anymore, the “Smith and Kearns.” Eric Felten’s How’s Your Drink? (my newest bar-library purchase) states that it comes from the Blue Blazer in Bismarck, N.D., back in 1952. The bartender, Gebhard “Shorty” Doebber, whipped it up for a couple of hungover oilmen with the last names of “Smith” and “Curran” as a curative. One can kind of see how over the years, “Smith and Curran’s” with a slur or a Midwestern accent could easily become “Smith and Kearns.” This midcentury gem never really left the heartland, where it is still ordered often, but anywhere else, it makes it onto the “forgotten and underrated” list. It’s another easy one, too! 2 ounces of creme de cacao 1 ounce of heavy cream Shake with ice; dump into a rocks glass; add soda. There’s no garnish for this one, although I have been known to add a cherry to complete the “malt shoppe” vibe. You don’t even have to shake it; you can just build it. You could definitely crank it up with brandy or Demerara rum, if you wanted. It turns out your Nana’s cocktails are pretty “OG” after all! Just keep her away from rogue reindeer this time of year. Kevin Carlow can be reached at CrypticCocktails@gmail.com.
DECEMBER 2021
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 41
SECRETS FOR WHAT’S AHEAD IN 2022
By Shonda Chase, FNP Nurse Practitioner, Co-owner, Artistic Director and Advanced Aesethetic Injector at Revive Wellness Centers in Palm Springs and Torrance, and Medweight, Lasers and Wellness Center in Irvine
Patio and indoor dining takeout 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday-SUNday 1775 E. Palm Canyon Drive (760) 778-6595 www.533vietfusion.com
“What a good idea!” is the phrase I hear all the �me from my pa�ents when I answer their ques�on, “What’s new?” Here are the good ideas that were new in 2021: • QWO injec�ons to permanently treat cellulite. • RHA 3 fillers for ac�ve people and ac�ve parts of our faces. • Restylane’s new Contour dermal filler. Both of these new fillers have resulted in no records of pa�ents developing granulomas from COVID or COVID vaccine injec�ons. Here’s what is going to be very hot 2022: Secret No. 1: Injectable fat without liposuc�on. Before 2006, the only “filler” we had available was a pa�ent’s own fat. We’d extract the pa�ent’s fat and re-inject it where the pa�ent had lost volume in their face. The results were really good … but the fat didn’t last very long. We now have a pure, pre-processed fat that can last for years! It doesn’t require an extrac�on step, and we use blunt-�pped cannulas. This means there’s a very low risk of bruising with this comfortable procedure. The injectable fat I’m using is called Renuva. I can inject it almost everywhere I normally inject fillers. Fat has always been a preferred filler because of the elegant results it produces. Secret No. 2: Renuva solves the problem of fat’s longevity. As men�oned above, legacy fat transfers lasted only a few months. Renuva can last years in the right areas. Secret No. 3: Renuva doesn’t require the fat-removal step. Renuva saves the cost of fat extrac�on, a cosme�c surgery procedure performed by a surgeon. Secret No. 4: Renuva’s longevity makes it a perfect op�on for face and body improvements, including the back of hands. Secret No. 5: Renuva u�lizes a blunt-�p cannula procedure by advanced injectors. This greatly reduces the risks of bruising and vascular occlusions for added pa�ent safety. You’re going to be hearing a lot more about Renuva—but you can enjoy the benefits of it before anyone else by calling me for an appointment at Revive in Palm Springs. Next month, I’ll share the latest secrets about the most-effec�ve treatments for younger skin. Un�l then, keep the Secrets. Our Revive Wellness Center loca�ons are in Palm Springs (760-3254800) and Torrance (310-375-7599); www.revivecenter.com. Our Medweight, Lasers and Wellness Center office is in Irvine (949-5869904); www.medweightandlasers.com. You can email your individual ques�ons to Shonda Chase FNP, or Allan Y. Wu MD, Revive’s cosme�c surgeon, at shonda@revivecenter.com.
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CAESAR CERVISIA JASON DAVID HAIR STUDIO
I
By brett newton
LOVE YOUR HAIR
n recent months, we’ve enjoyed some virtual journeys: I pick a country and take a look at it from the perspective of beer (which is not unlike how I choose to travel for real). After visiting Belgium and Germany—both with extremely rich histories in beer—we’re heading to the United Kingdom. Many styles we cherish now in the U.S. have roots in the U.K., and one of the most important inventions in beer’s history comes from England. So enough Country Club and Cook Street introduction—let’s dive in. Palmmeans De sert It makes sense to start at the beginning, and technically, that brown ale—“brown porter” in particular. This was the dominant style in England for centuries, but there was an 760-340-5959 issue with its recipe: The brown malt required way to use fire to indirectly toast or roast malts. to make it was very inefficient regarding the This saved brewers lots of money by giving www.jasondavidhairstudio.net amount of sugars that could be extracted in them a way to use a much smaller portion the mashing process. A significant proportion of brown malt, fired indirectly, alongside the of pale malt, which is much more efficient, majority pale malt, and still get the desired had to be used, but if too much was added, the color and flavor that was desired. beer’s prized color would be diluted. What’s While we don’t have any living examples of more, the malt had to be direct-fired, and that what the old brown porters tasted like, we do meant smokiness. have some similar options today. The Taddy Then came Daniel Wheeler and his gameporter by Samuel Smith—get used to seeing this changing invention of the drum roaster—a brewery mentioned here—and Fuller’s London
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The latest stop on our virtual beer journey takes us to the United Kingdom for some fantastic porters, stouts and ales
porter are two shining examples. Samuel Smith’s oatmeal stout and imperial stout both deserve mention, since stouts are merely the bolder cousin of porters, with some added strength and roast to the mix. The rich, dark fruity flavors of raisin, plum and prune all dance together with the roast, and the earthy, woodsy hops find a welcome home on my palate. Now, for actual brown ales: As I planned this column and did research (and yes, I consider buying English beer “research”), I quickly realized that I was going to come off as a shill for Samuel Smith Old Brewery. There are a couple of reasons for this. One, their beer is widely available locally; and two, I absolutely adore their beers, and I’m happy to have another chance to drink them whenever the opportunity arises. It is with this caveat that I come to Samuel Smith’s nut brown ale. Every time I have one, I am greeted by an old friend who smells of rich toffee; fruity malt goodness with a hint of pear and apple; and just a touch of pepper from the hops. It is one of my all-time favorites. Newcastle Brown Ale also deserves a mention here, because it, too, played a part in awakening my interest in beer. Unfortunately, ownership has changed couple of times, and the last few times I’ve tried one, it was a sad, watery husk of the beer it once was. Let’s avert our eyes from such things and quickly move along to pale ales. We travel to Burton upon Trent, where the pale ales (known as “bitters” since the early 1800s) gained a reputation for being of the highest quality— Bass Ale in particular. This was due to the sulfates in the water, which allowed the beers to be more aggressively hopped and helped the beers gain more clarity. Once the water was analyzed, breweries in other regions began adding brewing salts in a process that became known as “burtonisation.” As the popularity grew, the opportunity to export brought with it the need to make the beer survive the journey unspoiled. I won’t elaborate here, as I discussed this particular topic in depth earlier this year, but suffice it to say that the need to strengthen and add more hops is what helped create the India pale ale style. But enough history … we’re here to drink, right? Samuel Smith steps in again and shows us the way. Their organic pale ale and their India ale are both supreme examples of the style (in my mind, at least), and they are both available year-round in our area. Though it might seem gimmicky, the band Iron Maiden (I might be biased, because I have been a fan for decades) collaborates
with breweries to make beers, with very good results. The Trooper is an extra special bitter made by Robinsons Brewery, inspired by “The Charge of the Light Brigade” (which, if you’re familiar with their music, is completely appropriate and fitting). It’s a relatively dry beer with a slight citrus note, a little grassy finish, and a biscuity caramel malt note underneath. I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask my friend Andrew Smith—fellow beer writer, Independent contributor and Englishman—about his experiences with English beer. “It was a different scene when I lived in England,” he said. “My pub years were 1989 to 1998. We didn’t have the choices that were around today. Most pubs were still in the ‘tied house’ model. Even though we were drinking English bitters, corporations were taking over, and cask ale was waning away.” The “tied house” model meant pubs only served a particular brewery’s beers. “For the most part,” he continues, “pub choices were limited. You’d have to drink the house bitter, and if you didn’t like it, they usually had Guinness on tap or Newcastle in a bottle.” He also mentioned a visit in the 2000s by which point the tide had turned, with the help of the Wetherspoons pub chain and its continual rotation of different beers. I also asked him what his impression was of Samuel Smith, my favorite English brewery. “When I first discovered their oatmeal stout, it was a groundbreaking moment in my craftbeer discovery. I wrote something back then: ‘It was on my doorstep and I never even knew it,’” he said. This confirmed to me that I indeed wasn’t crazy, and that their beers are just that good. Andrew also mentioned that Samuel Smith’s popularity was waning in the U.K.—and it’s because of their willingness to import to the U.S. that the company found a second life. There is so much more to say here about British beer. English barleywines, strong ales, stouts and more are all worth exploring— not to mention the burgeoning craft beer scene that ripped a page out of the American playbook and draws from not only its own heritage, but others’ as well. Alas, I only have so much space—and you already have enough “research” to do thanks to this column. Brett Newton is a certified cicerone (like a sommelier for beer) and homebrewer who has mostly lived in the Coachella Valley since 1988. He can be reached at caesarcervisia@gmail.com
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 43
DECEMBER 2021
FOOD & DRINK
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VINE SOCIAL JASON DAVID
Your life experiences shape what you smell in a glass of wine
HAIR STUDIO
A
By KatieLOVE finn YOUR
HAIR
hhh, yes, aromas of dried figs, wrapped in sage, with just a hint of sweet pipe tobacco and macerated cherries. I’m picking up nuances of passionfruit dusted with salt, and the slightest note of cantaloupe on the finish. Country Club and Cook Street I … uh, just smell wine? Palm De sert If that last quote is something you’d say, you’re not alone. I am often asked how it is that I can smell such diverse aromas in wine. While I detest snobbery and loathe anyone who would of our760-340-5959 lives. Your grandmother’s pie cooling in wax poetic about their cabernet to simply the kitchen. That new car. Your son’s hockey www.jasondavidhairstudio.net undermine others in the room, the truth is, bag. Your dad’s aftershave. Your mother’s rose these aromas in wines do exist. And, yes, you garden. Every one of those smells, good or can learn to identify them as much as any bad, carries with it a memory. other wine-drinker. So how do you take that catalog of lifelong The key word here is learn. No one is born aromas stored in your brain and apply it to knowing about wine. And like all things in wine? It’s really quite simple: Stick your nose life, the only way to learn is by doing—or, in in the glass and inhale. Close your eyes; swirl this case, drinking. Not a bad type of “school,” the glass; and do it again. Trust yourself. You if you ask me! cannot be wrong. If you think a wine smells I was once taught that the human nose can like your backyard after a rain, then that’s smell more than 10,000 different aromas. what it smells like. Period. If someone else And what’s more, we can train our brains tastes the same wine and says it tastes like to correctly identify around 2,000 of those lychee nuts, then it does. Your brain cannot smells. That’s 2,000 words to describe what’s remember a smell it’s never experienced, so in your glass. I find that amazing. if you’ve never had a lychee nut, nothing is That same teacher also taught me that going to smell one. smell is our most powerful sense. It’s Don’t worry about tasting the wine. While the sense that is most connected to our it’s the fun part, it’s not the important memories. I always assumed it was sound; you part. Your mouth can only taste five things: know that moment when a song comes on sweetness, saltiness, sourness, bitterness and the radio, and you’re immediately transported that thing they call umami, or savoriness. to a place in time? That’s such powerful Those are sensations, not aromas. Those feeling—yet after learning that it was my nose elements work together with your olfactory that was most transportive, I began to think system to identify flavors, but without the about all the aromas we experience every day nose, the tongue doesn’t matter.
So you may be wondering why a sauvignon blanc from New Zealand smells like grapefruit, or why pinot noirs have a red cherry aroma—and I’m happy to tell you that there is actual science behind this. It all comes down to chemistry: On a molecular level, the aroma compounds in wine are almost identical to aroma compounds in things you already know. If you smell aromas like orange blossoms, citrus peels, eucalyptus, rose petals and peppercorns, you’re experiencing compounds called terpenes. Wonder why that cabernet franc and some Chilean wines smell like green bell peppers? Those are pyrazines, and they are very common in certain grapes. These aromas come from the grape itself and are common in other plants, fruits and vegetables. Other aromas happen during fermentation. When the sugar converts to alcohol, aroma compounds vaporize and are free to waft around. Scents like apples, pears, strawberries and raspberries are called esters, and these
fruity smells get released once the grape juice turns into wine. There are a host of other aroma building blocks, like thiols, sulfur and lactones, that all contribute to the overall dynamics of flavors in wine. These happen through oak aging, over time in the bottle, or during fermentation. Chemistry aside, no matter how the smells get in there, or what caused them, the most important thing to remember is that what you’re smelling is your lifetime of memories. It’s your history, and experiences, and travels, and childhood. That wine might not smell the same to anyone else, and I think that’s kinda awesome. Now go stick your nose in some wine—and see what happens! Katie Finn is a certified sommelier and certified specialist of wine with two decades in the wine industry. She can be reached at katiefinnwine@ gmail.com.
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FOOD & DRINK INDY ENDORSEMENT On this month’s menu: a flawless French dip for lunch, and perfect pho for dinner
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WHAT The French dip sandwich with fries WHERE Michael’s Café, 35955 Date Palm Drive, Cathedral City HOW MUCH $14.95 CONTACT 760-321-7197; www. michaelscafecatcity.com WHY It’s a flawless version of a classic. Because I am an incredibly lucky person, I’ve been fortunate enough to eat at some of the world’s finest restaurants—places with Michelin stars, celebrity chefs and walletdraining prices—and I have thoroughly enjoyed most of those meals. But if I am being completely honest, I must say I’ve enjoyed meals just as thoroughly at less-expensive, less-pretentious places. Heck, I’ve even enjoyed meals as much at places that would be considered dives. This was all going through my mind as I ate a delicious French dip sandwich during a recent lunch at Michael’s Café in Cathedral City. Now, Michael’s isn’t exactly a dive. (Unless you’re Trina Turk, how could you think any place with a Marilyn Monroe-focused decor is a dive?) But this long-standing breakfast and lunch joint isn’t exactly fancy, either. The fare is standard diner/deli stuff—breakfasts, sandwiches, burgers, salads and such—and there are advertisements for varied businesses laminated into the tables. Nonetheless, some of the stuff coming out of the Michael’s Café kitchen is pretty close to perfect. My colleague Kevin found no flaws with his omelet, nor did I have any quibbles with that aforementioned French dip sandwich. The restaurant uses Vienna-brand meats, so not surprisingly, the roast beef was excellent. The French roll in which the meat was placed was good, and the au jus was just right—not too salty, yet not too watery. Even the accompanying pickle and fries were superb. The plate of food pictured here has no pretention. None of the ingredients are rare or hard to find. Nobody in the Michael’s Café kitchen had to have any specialized culinary skills to prepare and assemble the food. Nonetheless, it was about as enjoyable as a meal could possibly be.
WHAT Pho with steak eye round and meatballs WHERE Fuzion Five, 285 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs HOW MUCH $11.75 CONTACT 760-322-6162; fuzionfive.com WHY It’s a perfect bowl of food. Someone once told me that they didn’t like having pho during the summer, because the weather was too hot to eat hot soup. I don’t remember who told me this, nor do I remember when it was told to me. However, I do remember distinctly thinking: What in the hell is wrong with you? In my humble opinion, a hot summer day is a fine time for pho. So is a cold winter night. So are all of a day’s 24 hours, 365 days per year. Pho, when done right, is a perfect bowl of food—and they certainly do pho right at Fuzion Five. This downtown Palm Springs restaurant in recent years has become one of our main go-to takeout/delivery options, and we’ve never gotten a bad bite of food from the place. For some reason, however, we’d never before dined in at Fuzion Five—until we did so one recent Monday evening. We had a lovely time; the service was great, and I got a delicious Manhattan from Fuzion Five’s full bar. But, of course, the pho was the star of the show. We both ordered the pho with steak and meatballs, and it was amazing. It all comes down to the broth. According to Fuzion Five’s website, the broth simmers “for over 14 hours with five Vietnamese spices and roasted shallots and ginger.” The result of all that time and love is a whole lot of umami deliciousness. If, for some reason, pho’s not your jam, two things: 1: What in the hell is wrong with you? 2. Fuzion Five has you covered, offering a menu full of Vietnamese, Lao and other Asian specialties. In other words, no matter the weather, there’s no excuse to not eat at Fuzion Five.
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Restaurant NEWS BITES By charles drabkin THE INDIO INTERNATIONAL TAMALE FESTIVAL LEADS THE WAY FOR THE RETURN OF FOOD FESTS As life continues to return to something comparable to the pre-pandemic world, we are seeing the return of festivals to our valley. This, thankfully, includes food festivals—and the first big one that is back is, in many people’s eyes, the most important one: the Indio International Tamale Festival. The festival will take over downtown Indio on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 4 and 5, bringing in 260 tamale vendors, other food vendors, tchotchke/crafts booths, entertainment stages, dancing, arts, a carnival, a holiday parade and a michelada garden. This year’s fest also reportedly features “the world’s biggest bounce house.” OK then! For those not in the know: The Tamale Festival was founded in 1992 and has been voted one of the Food Network’s Top 10 All-American Food Festivals. Organizers claim to offer the widest variety of handmade tamales anywhere in the world. Some advice: Go with friends, so you can enjoy tamales from a wider variety of vendors. Divide and conquer to make the line more palatable. A shout-out to Indio-based Casa de Silva, which has won multiple awards throughout the years; their pork with red sauce tamales and pineapple-coconut tamales are not to be missed. Visit www.indiotamalefestival.com to learn more. IN BRIEF If you, somehow, find yourself in Indio while not in the mood for tamales, check out the newest location of Mochinut, at 44100 Jefferson St., No C320. With more than 20 locations throughout Southern California, and a lot of others planned, Mochinut may have hit on a winning product. Mochi donuts originated in Hawaii and are a melding of a Japanese rice cake and good, oldfashioned donuts; they’re light and crispy on the outside, with a stretchy, chewy interior. Mochinut also offers Korean rice flour hotdogs—they’re served sort of like a corn dog—with flavors including crispy ramen, potato and Hot Cheetos. If you need to get a deep-fried fix, this is the place to be; details at www.mochinut.com. … Speaking of Korean food, the bluntly named Liquor and Korean Market has opened in Desert Hot Springs, at 19345 N. Indian Canyon Drive, Building 2, Suite C. It’s a convenience store, of sorts, with a variety of noodles, frozen dumplings, condiments and other Korean items. The owner is planning on growing the selection as they figure out what people want; call 760-329-6619 with questions. … The city of Coachella has a new pizza place. The appropriately named Coachella Pizza Company is now open at 49255 Grapefruit Blvd., and is serving both traditional and specialty pizzas, like the “Cachanilla,” with spicy ranch, chorizo, onions and jalapenos. Get more info at www.coachellapizzaco.com, or ring ’em up at 760-3919900. … The River in Rancho Mirage will soon be home to three new eateries. None of them had announced specific opening dates as of our press deadline, so watch for them in coming months. Bobby Botina’s Mexican and American Grille will serve, you guessed it, Mexican and American food. Chakaa Tea Shoppe, which also has San Diego and Thousand Oaks locations, will offer bubble tea, boba and other teas. Finally, Sushi Kawa will serve sushi and Japanese food. Watch www.instagram.com/theriverrm for more announcements from the shopping center. … Tac/Quila, at 415 N. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, will soon open a second, smaller location, just down the street at 175 N. Palm Canyon Drive. The Jalisco-style Mexican establishment—with one of the best parklets to come out of the pandemic—is always busy, and even with reservations, there can be a wait. The limited kitchen size at the original location isn’t big enough to accommodate takeout orders during busier evening hours—so this second spot is good news across the board. Watch www.tacquila.com for more. … Gigi’s Restaurant and Bar has opened at the V Palm Springs, at 333 E. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs. Serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunches, Gigi’s has a beautiful space and a menu offering updated mid-mod-inspired food, like chicken à la king croquettes with saffron aioli and white truffle honey; vegan hearts of palm “crab cakes”; and halibut en croute. Peruse the menus and get more details at www. gigispalmsprings.com, or call 760-980-7000. … Finally, if you are looking for a tasty cocktail, but you don’t feel like mixing them yourself or going out, Buzzbox Premium Cocktails may be your answer. Based in Indio, Buzzbox has a 65,000-square-foot facility, where they tout a zero-waste production system. Buzzbox box cocktails are made without preservatives, and are gluten-free, certified kosher and vegan. With nine classic cocktail flavors—margarita, greyhound, Long Island iced tea, cosmo, mojito, Bloody Mary, whiskey lemonade, hurricane and vodka lemonade—all you have to do is shake and sip. To learn more or find a nearby retailer, visit buzzbox.com. Got a hot tip? Let me know: foodnews@cvindependent.com.
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YIP YOPS marry music with campy horror in short film ‘A Night at the Shack’ the venue report: Dionne warwick, Dave Koz, reverend horton heat—and much more! Luna Negra’s goals for its events: Showcase great performers, and create an accepting community The Regrettes bring meaningful lyrics and an evolving sound to Pappy and Harriet’s
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The owner of AWE Bar wants to create a top-notch venue for both local musicians and big stars
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BIG PLATFORM
The Indio International Tamale Festival returns with a stacked music lineup featuring both national acts and locals
By matt king
T
he Indio International Tamale Festival has long been an annual highlight for many Coachella Valley residents. Every year (except for last year, because, well, you know), food, music and culture combine to create a fantastic—and undeniably local—experience. That said … when the entertainment lineup for this year’s fest dropped, many people— myself included—were flat-out shocked at the high-profile acts on the schedule, including La Sonora Dinamita, Tijuana Panthers and The the opportunity to be a part of the Tamale Red Pears. The local names on the bill are Festival meant it was important for us to impressive, too, including Israel’s Arcade, include locals as much as we can.” Koka, the Sol Suns and many others. Choosing the musicians to share stages with The festival will take place in downtown regional and national acts was no easy task. Indio on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 4 and 5. “Technically, I wasn’t allowed to choose,” I spoke to the festival’s new producer, Gopi Gonzalez said. “My job was to give them Sangha, of CUSP Agency. options, so I put together a list of 30 to 40 “I have been working, producing events bands, singers and musicians of all calibers. and festivals, in the Coachella Valley since On that list, I did highlight some that caught about 2008, so the region is something really my attention, ones that recently dropped an important to me,” he said. “I think the city album or a single, or played a show.” wanted something more out of the event. … The Academy of Musical Performance We want to give everybody an attraction to (AMP), a program that provides students with look forward to—so, obviously, we’ve brought musical education, will also have an onstage a lot of live music to the table. The festival presence. has always had music, but the tamales and the “We have a couple of their bands performing carnival, historically, have been the biggest on the Community Stage,” Gonzalez said. “… attractions of the event. We really wanted to Israel’s Arcade was a part of AMP. I was a judge focus on the culture of the community, and one year for the summer jam that they did, and hone in on the idea that tamales are a vessel Israel (Pinedo, the frontman of Israel’s Arcade) for culture and community.” played in, like, five different bands. I remember Sangha has a lot of big music-festival telling him, ‘Man, you are awesome; keep up experience. He produced the Tachevah music the good work,’ and fast-forward in time to fest and used to work for Goldenvoice, the now, just to see the evolution that he had from producer of Coachella. AMP into being his own artist is amazing. I’d “I’ve been promoting local bands in the love to see that keep happening. By involving valley for quite some time,” Sangha said. “(At AMP in the Community Stage, those artists Tachevah), we had a local-band element, and keep on growing.” some of those local bands, while I worked Pinedo said he is excited about what this for Goldenvoice, had an opportunity to play event could mean to young, up-and-coming Coachella. … It inspired me to make sure performers. there’s progressive platforms for local bands “I feel that in a way, we’re representing a in the Coachella Valley. The intention was to lot of the younger Latino crowd in the valley,” create a platform for local bands and creators Pinedo said. “I think that maybe this event and musicians, and amplify their voices, by is showing that it’s possible to do something pairing some regional acts and touring acts like this. With a lot of the (bigger) names on that speak to a variety of the culture that we the lineup, it can sound really intangible to want to represent at the event.” get there (as a local musician). … I think it’s Andrew Gonzalez is a familiar name in a great opportunity. They were very selective the local music scene thanks to his band, with who they chose to have perform, and Alchemy, which performed all over the it’s a great honor that they chose us to, in a valley—and at Coachella, in part thanks to sense, represent the valley.” Sangha. He’s now working with Sangha via Pinedo said he hopes that the Tamale his Palma City Productions. Festival’s impressive music lineup is a sign of “This year, we took a slightly different even bigger things to come. approach as far as the caliber of bands … but “I think that it’s definitely going to bring we wanted to match that by bringing the a lot more people to the valley,” he said. “I best local artists, vendors and musicians as can see the valley becoming more of a hub well,” Gonzalez said. “I’m a local, so having for more music festivals, and maybe get a lot
Dancers perform at the 2019 Indio International Tamale Festival.
more people moving to the valley and a lot more creatives popping up.” Koka bassist Sebastian Camacho said the Tamale Festival gig is big for him and the band—in more ways than one. “I don’t want to say it’s surreal, but I’m very grateful for the opportunity itself,” Camacho said. “This Tamale Festival … is completely different (this year). It’s an entirely different format. It’s organized similarly to big festivals in terms of, like, it’s not just going under the radar. It means a lot, especially because it’s literally in our backyard. We’re from (the east) side of the valley, and it’s very incredible, because not only is it the first show on that scale that we’ve been contacted to do, but it’s also our first show in about a year and a half. It’s not one of those things where we’re coming back, and we get the opportunity to play some backyard show.” Camacho said sharing a stage with national acts is a huge accomplishment—and a big
opportunity. “It’s a huge honor, because you don’t really know who’s watching, and the fact that people like this are watching us and keeping tabs is incredible, to say the least,” he said. Camacho’s parents helped him realize how big of this show is, he said. “I told my parents that La Sonora Dinamita was playing, and they’re like, ‘Whoa, that’s kind of crazy,’” Camacho said. “It’s just really weird to see my parents’ reactions, because they’re not in the music scene, so if they’re surprised by it, it’s making me think outside of my bubble that I’m in. I’m kind of like, ‘Whoa, this is a pretty big deal.’” The Indio International Tamale Festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 4; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 5, in downtown Indio, around 100 Civic Center Mall. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.indiotamalefestival.com. CVIndependent.com
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BREATHTAKING BAR By matt king
B
ands including Stoner and the Mattson 2 recently had scheduled shows at a brand-new place called AWE Bar, in the Yucca Valley space that was formerly Gadi’s. Then … all of a sudden, the shows were cancelled, rescheduled or relocated—raising questions and adding a level of mystery regarding the new venue. To find out what is going on, I reached out to Clark Fyans, the co-founder and director of AWE. “We were a little ambitious when we were move out to Joshua Tree, which has always trying to get our opening,” Fyans said. “Our been on my radar. first show was supposed to be on Oct. 1. This “I was working for Red Bull Media House building’s really old. It was built in 1960, so as the supervising producer of feature films. I I knew that it was going to be a little bit of a was there for about 10 years, and went from rat’s nest or Pandora’s box—and sure enough, Utah to Alaska to L.A. I started coming out to once I did open things up, I found some things the desert. I was naturally drawn out to the that needed to be improved and brought up to Joshua Tree area and found Pioneertown. I’m a code. We’re hoping to get the building open by musician myself, and I was kind of coming out the end of (November).” here to look for about 10 acres, to put a barn Fyans explained how he would up owning on it so I can play music and have other people AWE Bar. come and play music. … I ended up stumbling “I used to work for Red Bull for a long upon a place in Pioneertown that was, like, 40 time, and I had a really great job with them, acres, and a parcel next to it that’s 40 acres. We but it just got to the point where I felt like I are building a house and a recording studio.” was building things for other people, and not That will be known as the AWE Ranch. Next building things for myself,” Fyans said. “… My came the bar. friends were sitting there just talking, and we “Then I was like, you know, a liquor license came up with this idea of living in awe. I really will be really nice to have up here in case started developing this brand and decided to we ever did an event or whatnot,” Fyans
350 S. Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs Open at 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday Order at rioazul.pay.link The bar at AWE Bar. CVIndependent.com
The owner of Yucca Valley’s AWE Bar wants to create a top-notch venue for both local musicians and big stars
said. “Since it was COVID, a lot of different restaurants were shutting down and not reopening, so I came down to Yucca Valley and found a spot here that used to be called Gadi’s. I went in and talked to the owner for about two or three hours, and by the end of that, we actually made a deal. I wasn’t super-interested in owning a bar-restaurant or music venue, but I walked into the venue part of this building, and it immediately blew my mind away— especially the ceiling. Immediately, I was just in awe. I just stopped talking, and every single person I bring into that room … basically stops in their footsteps, and looks up, and they’re just like, ‘Holy shit.’ I’m not a very religious person, but it reminds me of a church.” Fyans said he prides himself on the quality that both AWE endeavors will have for artists. “I’ve retrofitted the whole venue; I’m really trying to treat it like a full audiophile room,” Fyans said. “I’ve had, like, three audio technicians come in there and say that this is one of the best-sounding rooms they’ve ever been in. We put in a full Meyer system, which is probably the top audio PA system; a full, brand-new board; and built a new proper stage. I have a whole bunch of Hollywood Bowl wood
that I acquired a couple of years back, and I’m going to be using it throughout the whole project. The stage is built out of that.” Fyans said that AWE Bar will fill a need in the high desert. “I think that Yucca Valley needs another spot. Joshua Tree is always kind of rough up here when you come in to try to eat, when everything closes at 8,” Fyans said. “I’m not trying to upscale anything necessarily, but I think there’s a little bit of a gap for a certain kind of food. But the real reason for this is I think the desert just needs another venue. It’s not by any means trying to be a competitor of the Alibi or Pappy’s; it’s more trying to work and create so there can be more drive and more musicians who can play up here.” Fyans said he thinks now is the perfect time for another high-quality music venue in the desert. “There are a lot of local musicians here … from your local, open-mic-Sunday stuff, all the way up to Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal—and I heard that Kanye West just bought a place here,” Fyans said. “You have all these incredible professional touring musicians who are out here, but there are not a lot of places for them to all play. “We really are trying to focus on two different elements. One is trying to provide a space for local musicians to be able to get onstage and play music and hopefully make some income. … We’re also really hoping— with the kind of the vibe, and the energy, and the equipment we’re putting into this—that we will have a lot of underplays and downplays from larger bands who want to come in.” After Fyans expressed his desire to highlight local music, I asked why the events listed at the bar are all strictly 21-and-over affairs. “That’s not necessarily my decision,” Fyans said. “I think that once we get the systems working, we’ll expand. Once you start bringing 18-year-olds into a bar, there has to be a whole other level of scrutiny. Of course, we don’t want underage drinking to be happening, or people to be sneaking in using fake IDs, so once our security gets moving, and we get a system and work out some of the wrinkles, then we can start to expand to have under-21 shows. I’ve got a brand new place, and we just got our liquor license given to us, so we really want to keep things clean.” AWE Bar is located at 56193 Twentynine Palms Highway, in Yucca Valley. For more information, visit awe-bar.com.
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NOT JUST SONGS By matt king
Y
IP YOPS are no stranger to local music fans. The group’s extensive history—including national touring, a Coachella appearance, a couple of Jam in the Van sessions and even a short-lived name change—has been well-documented by the Independent over the course of the band’s existence. When we last talked to the duo in 2019, YIP YOPS had just released a new single, “Sinner,” and were heading off on a month long tour. show in a couple of years at The Alibi, and “As soon as that tour ended, it was like,’ that got cancelled,” Murakami said. “Then the OK, well, what are we doing next?’ And then world changed, and we couldn’t play live, so it we decided to do something much bigger that was just the perfect time to sit back and work we haven’t done before,” said drummer Ross on something so much bigger.” Murakami during a recent phone interview. Making the film, of course, was not easy. Much bigger, indeed: The band went on “I had to figure out what the plot was, and to write, direct and produce A Night at the what the arc of the whole thing was first, and Shack, a short film that vocalist and multithen think about like, ‘OK, this is where this instrumentalist Ison Van Winkle describes character comes in, so there should be a song as “a marriage between the flamboyance and that introduces this character,’ and stuff like musical aspect of something like Rocky Horror that,” Van Winkle said. “We are in the movie as Picture Show, and the self-aware humor of a band, but there are also some instrumental something like Scooby-Doo.” The film will be pieces that establish a feeling. … We had a released via YouTube on Dec. 3. lot of hurdles that kind of came up out of “It honestly just kind of came up out of nowhere, that easily could have just taken out nowhere,” Van Winkle said about the idea to the movie, but we just figured it out. The cast make the film. “We came back from the tour was really flexible and easy, and we were all that we did in 2019, and before then, we were friends, so it worked out. We had to get an really just playing live. We never really sat entirely new cast toward the beginning and back and focused on something that didn’t figure out everybody’s schedules to be able to have to do with instruments. Right before make it all work; that part of it was fucking COVID, I had a general idea of creating an crazy. It was fun, but there was a lot of action. EP-length music video, and then from there, “Fortunately, we were able to get the I just started messing around with a script. I technical aspects pretty direct. We basically had the heart of an idea that I (fleshed) out shot everything on an iPhone, audio and and created scenes, and I was also writing video, so that was nice. … We didn’t have to a lot, too, so the music was kind of fitting worry about external sound and stuff like within the world that was taking off.” that. I didn’t even realize how much really The band anticipated working on the film went into it until we were on set, and people while continuing to perform. Then came were kind of just waiting for us to figure some COVID-19. things out. It’s probably the hardest thing “We were supposed to play our first local that we’ve done. I mean, it’s great; we’re all
Alana Arismendiz, Jacob Gutierrez, Hannah Mills, Kai Morning-Star Zeleznik and Nic Lara in A Night at the Shack.
YIP YOPS marry music with campy horror in short film ‘A Night at the Shack’ really happy with how it turned out, but it took us double the time we were thinking.” The band was recently featured in a 7-Eleven commercial—complete with an insanely catchy theme song—and the duo learned a few things from the experience that were useful for A Night at the Shack. “The 7-Eleven commercial came up in the middle of shooting, so it was a nice little breather where we were going out to L.A. and shooting this super-high-budget, $70 million campaign,” Murakami said. “It’s such a high level where there are literally hundreds of people in the crew, and every person has one very, very specific job. We were seeing that and just being amazed at how that whole machine works. We looked at how well-oiled of a machine that was, and then took certain things from that as we got back into our verylow-budget production, where one person is doing five different things.” Added Van Winkle, somewhat jokingly: “You kind of have to work with what you’ve got, but it was a nice glimpse of what, hopefully, we will be down the line, when we have $70 million.” The fact that they were able to pull off A Night at the Shack definitely boosted the YIP YOPS’ confidence. “It was a learning experience. I think we, as a band, have the flexibility in the future, say, if we want to build off of this or do something similar to it,” Murakami said. “We’ve broken the whole thing open: Whatever the fuck we want to do as a band, or as artists, we can do under the same name. It’s all connected.” Added Van Winkle: “The fact that we made the decision to make this movie really means that we can kind of do whatever we’re feeling at the time. We have a lot of interest and passion on the visual side of things. I don’t think we ever really wanted to just be a recording band, or a song band. Meanwhile, the songs keep coming: YIP YOPS recently released “The Walls,” a song that is not featured in the film but “acts as like a prelude.” And that’s just a start. “There’s a lot of new music that nobody has any idea about; the short film that nobody’s seen yet; and there’s this whole new version of our live show that we’re going to be bringing out at some point,” Murakami said. “It’s all been very internal, and now is the time that we’re going to start showing some people some of these things.” For more information, visit www.yipyops.com.
The Venue REPORT December 2021 By matt king
Dave Koz
The holiday season is here! Please enjoy all that the valley has to offer this month—and stay safe while doing so. Coachella Crossroads is hosting a starstudded New Year’s Eve event. Starting at 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 31, experience “Day One ’22,” featuring performances by E-40, Getter, Saweetie and DJ Diesel, aka Shaquille O’Neal. (Yes, you read that right.) Tickets start at $99, and you must be 21 or older to attend. Coachella Crossroads, 46200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-775-5566; www. coachellacrossroads.com. Fantasy Springs is bringing in some big names this month. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 4, intriguing ventriloquist/singer Terry Fator brings his puppets to town. Tickets range from $29 to $79. Living legend and six-time Grammy winner Dionne Warwick will perform her holiday show, Favorite Time of Year, at 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 17. Tickets range from $39 to 69. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-342-5000; www.fantasyspringsresort.com. The McCallum Theatre is back in The Venue Report! The theater is bringing Broadway back to the valley, starting with the national tour of Hairspray, with five shows from Friday, Dec. 3, through Sunday, Dec. 5. Tickets range from $65 to $135. Barry Manilow is set to perform A Gift of Love V— five different shows that benefit 25 local charities—taking place between Tuesday, Dec. 7, and Sunday, Dec. 12. Tickets start at $200. At 7 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 19, Dave Koz will be joined by some amazingly talented friends for his annual holiday show. Tickets range from $60 to $95. McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert; 760340-2787; www.mccallumtheatre.com. Agua Caliente in Rancho Mirage is offering quite a wide variety of entertainment in December. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 4, music icon Engelbert Humperdinck will continued on Page 52 CVIndependent.com
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A NEW GOTH SCENE
Luna Negra’s goals for its events at Bart Lounge: Showcase great performers, and create an accepting community
By matt king
A
goth scene is developing in the Coachella Valley—and a husband-and-wife duo that goes by the name Luna Negra is largely responsible for that. Edgar and Karla—they declined to give their last name(s)—have been working on creating a goth scene in the Coachella Valley for 2 1/2 years. Their events take place at Bart Lounge in Cathedral City and have featured musicians who cover goth music genres like dark wave, post-punk, death rock and beyond. On We are certainly not gatekeepers, and we’re Saturday, Dec. 4, Luna Negra will feature DJs not trying to be elitist or exclusive. All that we including Danza de Luna, Luna Divina and ask is that if you come to our events, please Dead Romeo. come with an open mind and an open heart. “It’s been a labor of passion, a labor of There is, of course, a warm welcome waiting love,” Edgar said during a recent phone for you, but let it be known that we do not interview. “It’s been something that we have have any tolerance for racism, homophobia, worked at every single day. … It consists transphobia, bigotry, or any form of misogyny of thinking of different ways to feature the or sexism at our events.” broad spectrum of artists who are accessible Edgar said he was drawn to the goth to us, either because they are nearby community when he was going through a geographically, or they are touring through “dark time” in his life. the area. Basically, if we can fit them within “I had been introduced to it before, but our budget, we do our best to make it happen. never really got into it in the way that I did “We also put together shows in such a way during that period of my life,” Edgar said. that the … bands that we select complement “Ultimately, I felt comfort and solace and each other. They don’t necessarily have to empowerment through the music and the sound alike, but definitely create a journey. … community—and that, in a big way, helped We would hope that in the process of having me to get out of that funk.” this experience, people are being introduced Edgar expressed nothing but gratitude to music they have never heard before, and toward Bart Lounge, the home of Luna Negra they will be intrigued enough to inquire about events in the Coachella Valley. the artists, and hopefully those artists will “We did try a couple of different places gain new followers, record sales, merch sales before we ended up at Bart Lounge,” Edgar and new fans.” said. “Ultimately, it takes an owner who is While the events are made with enjoyment as passionate about pushing the envelope in mind, there is an emphasis on community as you are. It takes an owner who is openrather than party. minded, and someone who loves to create or “That’s been one of our most important offer experiences to their patrons. We were quests—to create a community, because very fortunate to meet such people, and the I know that people are here,” Edgar said. owners of Bart Lounge have been incredibly “We would travel for two or three hours to welcoming to us and to this concept. They go to L.A. or San Diego or wherever it may have welcomed us with open arms and given be to see a band that we are passionate us a great amount of creative freedom. about, and while we were going out there, They’ve been incredibly helpful in making we were meeting residents from out here, sure that the events have what they need, and which ultimately got us all talking and that the aesthetic is there for us. They’ve even thinking about why no one is doing this helped by making some necessary upgrades to out here. Having had experience in the past the venue, because we do bring a lot of bands organizing events, I figured, ‘Well, I can do and people from all over Southern California, this.’ I thought the time was right, and it so … they contributed by upgrading the has definitely proven to be. The response speakers, the mixer, the lighting, etc. Overall, we’ve gotten has been really heartwarming, they’ve just been an incredible, unbelievable and I have to say that we were not expecting gift from the universe to us, and we are very anything like this. People get it; people are happy there.” ready for it; and people have been wanting it. On top of planning events, Luna Negra also “The goth scene is not for everyone. We heads up a DJ collective. understand that, and that’s actually a good “There are four of us, and my wife and I are thing, but we certainly want to make it the founders,” Edgar said. “We were the only accessible to anyone who wishes to explore it. two DJs of this style of music in the Coachella CVIndependent.com
Luna Negra.
Valley that we knew of when we started this, so at first, it was just us DJing the whole night at every event. Luckily, it was not too long after when we were able to introduce another DJ, a local who goes by the name of Dead Romeo. He has been a tremendous help. As you can imagine, running these events and also performing or being a DJ all night long … can be a lot. More recently, we brought in another DJ from Tucson, Ariz., Mijito, so now there are four of us.” Edgar hopes that Luna Negra’s events can help change the perspective people have on goth music. “We’re grateful to be doing what we are so passionate about, and to have it affect people in such a positive way,” Edgar said. “Our events are truly filled with gratitude,
love and appreciation, and we infuse that into everything that we do. I think that the people see it and feel it and reciprocate it, and we are truly creating something beautiful together. We invite everyone who’s curious about goth music to come and check it out. There’s nothing evil about it. People seem to think that “dark” means “evil,” and that’s not true. There are a lot of misconceptions that people will be very pleasantly surprised to learn are simply not correct.” Luna Negra will feature DJs Danza de Luna, Luna Divina, Dead Romeo and AHSATAN at 9 p.m., Saturday, Dec, 4, at Bart Lounge, 67555 E. Palm Canyon Drive, in Cathedral City. Admission is free. For more information, visit www. facebook.com/luna.negra.goth.nights.
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POST-GROWTH SPURT
The Regrettes bring meaningful lyrics and an evolving sound to Pappy and Harriet’s
By matt king
T
he Regrettes were flying high before the pandemic struck. When we last talked to them, in the summer of 2019, the members were fresh off of a European stadium tour with Twenty One Pilots, and about to release their second album, How Do You Love? Of course, COVID-19 put a stop to all touring, but The Regrettes stayed busy in 2020, releasing two singles—“What Am I Gonna Do Today?” and “I Love Us”—that showed the band straying from its punk roots toward electronic pop. coming out of that is exciting. It’s exciting In 2021, The Regrettes continued their to be putting music out from that position, evolution, recently releasing “Monday,” which in that mindset—kind of for the first time, melds The Regrettes’ brand of meaningful honestly.” and reflective lyrics with poppier production. The pandemic forced Night to take a new It’s the first single from the band’s third approach to songwriting. album, coming sometime in 2022. Meanwhile, “It was the first time that I wasn’t taking The Regrettes are embarking on a mini-tour, this kind of rushing approach to songwriting,” titled “Get The F*ck Out of L.A” (a lyric from she said. “I was forced to write a batch of “Monday”), which includes a return to Pappy songs, and sit with it for a long time.” and Harriet’s on Thursday, Dec. 9. At first, she liked what she’d written. But “It’s kind of terrifying, but also like the that didn’t last. best thing in the world,” said frontwoman “(There was) that uncomfortable period Lydia Night during a recent phone interview. of time with a few weeks going by, and then “We’ve been trying to stay as much in the being, like, ‘Oh, wow, that wasn’t even that moment as possible as a band, but naturally, good; let’s go again’—and doing that so many there’s a lot of conversation surrounding, like, times,” Night said. “It’s just something that ‘Oh my god, we cannot wait to tour.’ So now you, normally, when you’re touring all the that it’s actually happening, it just doesn’t time, don’t have space for. I definitely will, feel real yet. I can’t wait—and Pappy’s is also from now on, take that as a lesson … to make one of my favorite venues, so I’m stoked that that time and to be patient with our writing.” we’re doing that this year.” The video for “Monday” features The The mini-tour includes three dates in Regrettes as awkward teenagers at a school Southern California, and the Pappy’s show dance, complete with a ’00s wardrobe and was the only one that hadn’t yet sold out as of production aesthetic. The video also, at times, our press deadline. The title of the mini-tour, features Night, painted pink, with negative and the inspiration for the lyrics, came from messages on her shirt, like, “You Can’t the trapped feeling the pandemic imposed. Dance,” and, “Tonight Will Suck.” “That lyric really came from a place of no “That concept started when the whole hate toward L.A., but just toward the place band went to Joshua Tree for 10 days to that I was trapped in and stuck in,” said write, and to just put our heads together Night. “It was written when COVID was and brainstorm about visuals,” Night said. really, really bad, and I couldn’t see anyone “We listened through a bunch of songs that or do anything, like most people should have I had previously written, too, so it was this been doing. It was more just, like, I need to whole brainstorming writing session, and get the fuck out of my house, but L.A. sounded we ended up writing 10 songs in 10 days. better (as a lyric) than my house.” It was amazing. I felt like we were at such a The Regrettes have never shied from creative peak—and during that time, we had change—yet the change they experienced this night where we wanted to just have some over the pandemic was “intense,” Night said, dance party, for some reason, in the living as she and her bandmates had plenty of time room. We were listening to a lot of music to reflect on things they could do better. from the time when we would have been “I feel like every single section of my life going to middle school dances, like the early was going through this crazy growth spurt, 2000s and whatnot, and we were just talking and it feels really empowering and exciting about how funny it would have been, and how to be on the other side of that,” Night said. much we would love to see our middle school “I’m still constantly growing and changing selves interact at a school dance. That is what and evolving, as we all are, but it feels like birthed the fun side of the video. there was this period of time that was super“The other piece of it is this character intense, and really tricky and hard, and ‘Joy’ and this sort of anxiety that I’m going
The Regrettes. Lissyelle
through. We wanted to introduce that character, me with my body painted pink, because it is definitely going to be a recurring theme throughout the album.” Joshua Tree was an obvious choice for the band’s writing retreat, due to Night’s history in the area. “We all just love Joshua Tree, and I spent a lot of time there growing up,” Night said. “We wanted a place that was easy for us to drive to that’s not too far from home, but feels very different and very disconnected. We found a very beige Airbnb. It was filled with the most random, weird furniture of all time, and it was
kind of a perfect setting, because it was so different. I feel like a lot of times, studios— or wherever you’re going to write if it’s not home—try to have this, and I hate this word, but vibe. They try to have this cool-feeling space, and I think that us being in this space that was so not that totally refreshed us.” The Regrettes will perform at 9:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 9, at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, in Pioneertown. Tickets are $15. For tickets or more information, call 760-228-2222, or visit pappyandharriets.com. CVIndependent.com
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bring 50 years of songs to the valley. Tickets range from $45 to $65. If dancers, acrobats and motorcyclists are your thing, then look no further than Circovia 2.0, taking place at 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 10, and Saturday, Dec. 11. Tickets range from $45 to $80. Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888999-1995; www.hotwatercasino.com. Cathedral City’s Agua Caliente is presenting Lucha Libre Mexicana at 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 11. A full night of wrestling will only cost you $10. Agua Caliente Cathedral City, 68960 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City; 888-999-1995; www. aguacalientecasinos.com/cc. Jazz and comedy continue to dominate the entertainment menu at Agua Caliente in Palm Springs. Jazzville features some heavy hitters this month, including Phat Cat Swinger on Dec. 9, a Christmas in New Orleans show by the Good Time Jazz Band on Dec. 16, and the Sacha Boutros Quartet on Dec. 23. Shows take place every Thursday at 7 p.m., and tickets start at $10, available at jazzvillepalmsprings.com. Caliente Comedy brings the laughs all month long, every Friday at 7 p.m. Some notable acts include: Adam Hunter on Dec. 3, Erik Rivera on Dec. 10, Gene Pompa on Dec. 17, and a “Jewish Xmas Eve Party” with Danny Jolles on Dec. 24. You must be 21 to attend; tickets start at $19.99 and can be found at www.eventspalmsprings.com/calientecomedy. Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs, 401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs; 888-9991995; www.sparesortcasino.com. Morongo’s December lineup is best described by the word “eclectic.” Some highlights: At 9 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 4, actor Rob Lowe comes to Cabazon with his Stories I Only Tell My Friends show. Tickets range from $59 to $69. Country legend Clint Black is set to perform at 9 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 18. Tickets range from $59
to $79. Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 800-252-4499; www. morongocasinoresort.com. Pappy and Harriet’s has a few shows left on its calendar that aren’t sold out yet, at least as of our press deadline. Kick off the month with Reverend Horton Heat and Horton’s Holiday Hayride, at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 1. Tickets are $25. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 11, psychedelic spacerockers Howlin’ Rain come to the desert. Tickets are $18, or $22 on the day of the show. Brazilian singer-songwriter Rodrigo Amarante is set to take the Pappy’s stage at 8 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 16. Tickets are $25. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown; 760365-5956; www.pappyandharriets.com. Tickets for shows at the Purple Room are going fast, so get ’em for these events while you still can! Singing strippers The Skivvies are set to perform their Say It Ain’t Snow show at 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 3, and Saturday, Dec. 4. Remaining tickets are $30. Classical duo Branden and James brings A Christmas Gift to Palm Springs at 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 10, and Saturday, Dec. 11. Tickets remained for just the Saturday show as of this writing, and they are $40. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room, 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-322-4422; www. purpleroompalmsprings.com. Oscar’s Palm Springs is hosting a wide variety of acts this month. At 7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 1, catch Our Dynasty Tales From the Set, a night of behind-thescenes stories from actors Jack Coleman, John James and Gordon Thomson. Tickets start at $99.95. At 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 16, check out Selene’s Atomic Holiday Groove, a holiday variety show starting comedian Selene Luna. Tickets are $30. Oscar’s Palm Springs, 125 E Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs; 760-325-1188; oscars-palm-springs. ticketleap.com.
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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 53
DECEMBER 2021
MUSIC
the
LUCKY 13
Get to know the Best Local Band and Best Local DJ, according to Best of Coachella Valley voters by matt king What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure? The Carpenters, and anything bossa nova. What’s your favorite music venue? Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago, and in Palm Springs, PS Underground. For large venues, the McCallum Theatre and The Show.
NAME Joan Gand GROUP The Gand Band MORE INFO The Gand Band is one of Coachella Valley’s premier cover bands. The members’ musical expertise and extensive repertoire allows the group to play varied genres, at any event, and their jams can go all night long. Independent readers recently voted for the Gand Band as the Best Local Band for the second year in a row. Learn more at thegandband.com. What was the first concert you attended? Beatles at the Chicago (International) Amphitheatre—the band’s first U.S. tour. What was the first album you owned? Meet the Beatles! What bands are you listening to right now? Right at this very moment: The New Mastersounds. In general, I listen to a lot of organ-oriented bands—Booker T. and the M.G.’s, The Meters, Soulive, Larry Goldings— but I like a wide range of music, including a lot of jazz. What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? Hip hop and country music. (Sorry!) What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? Jimi Hendrix. I did see him once, and it was just about the most incredible performance ever.
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head? “If I Had a Hammer” by Trini Lopez, because Gary (Gand) and I produced a documentary film on his life (that we’ve watched at least 100 times during editing) that is going to be released next April. What band or artist changed your life? Organist Charles Earland’s live version of “More Today Than Yesterday” made me want to perform again after a long hiatus. The energy of the crowd is unbelievable. I love live recordings. I love to play live and create an energy feedback loop with the audience. You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? I can’t think of a question, but I would love to have a conversation with James Brown about music in general. I bet he would have been fascinating to talk to. What song would you like played at your funeral? “People Get Ready” by Curtis Mayfield. Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time? Green Onions by Booker T. and the M.G.’s. What song should everyone listen to right now? “Gimme Some Lovin” by Spencer Davis Group. It’s guaranteed to brighten your day. Get up and dance to it! NAME Vincent Corrales, aka DJ Galaxy MORE INFO Vincent Corrales is a staple of the local club scene. As DJ Galaxy, he performs frequently in Coachella Valley and beyond, and is one of the hosts of KGAY 106.5’s Retro Lunch. Our readers are
big fans, as for the third year in a row, he’s been voted the Best Local DJ in our Best of Coachella Valley poll. Learn more at www. vjcproductions.com. What was the first concert you attended? New Order in 1991. What was the first album you owned? Whitney Houston. What bands are you listening to right now? Klur, Dua Lipa, Pet Shop Boys, Dash Berlin, and Lady Gaga, just to name a few. What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? I understand all genres. I can’t understand why people love songs that incite violence, degrade people and divide humanity. I love, understand and appreciate all genres of music, as long as it does not contain the above content. My slogan under my DJ name is “Peace, Pride, Love.” The music I spin and listen to reflects generally on those three simple words. That being said, music is freedom of art and expression. What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? Lady Gaga, Madonna, Beyonce, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Dua Lipa. What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure? I’m a huge fan of musical theater. When I’m not spinning EDM or dance remixes, I’m usually listening to Broadway classics from stage and screen. What’s your favorite music venue? The Hollywood Bowl. It’s where I saw my first concert. Most importantly, it has the best acoustics of any venue, in my opinion. What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head? Hmmm, there are so many. As I type this, I’m thinking about a song that my husband performs in drag as Anita Treadmill: The 1965 song by Jackie DeShannon, “What the World Needs Now Is Love Sweet Love.” What band or artist changed your life? I can’t honestly say that any band or artist has changed my life. However, I’ve been influenced in a positive way by many artists and their lyrics, most recently David Guetta featuring Sia, “Let’s Love.” I’m getting ready to work on an independent music video using this track. All the music and artists I listen to have shaped my entire life. You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? Madonna. I would ask her how she separates
fame from her personal life. I would ask this same question to so many superstars. These days, it seems like all artists are combining both lifestyles. I’m just a small-town DJ, yet, at times, even I feel like the two are always mixed, in a very positive way. What song would you like played at your funeral? The instrumental ’90s trance song by Dario G called “Sunchyme.” You have to see the video to understand the message. The actual music sample is from a song in 1985 called “Life in a Northern Town” by Dream Academy. The video is a message of acceptance and unity. Being that it’s an instrumental track, people at my funeral could come up with their own thoughts to this beautiful track. Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time? I don’t have a favorite album. Sorry. As a DJ, I’m more about singles. Next time, ask me what my favorite single of all time is. What song should everyone listen to right now? There are so many, but right now, my favorite song is an instrumental house track by a band called Klur, “Panorama.” CVIndependent.com
54 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
DECEMBER 2021
CANNABIS IN THE CV
SOBER, SORTA H
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS
The idea of ‘Cali Sober’—forgoing alcohol but using cannabis—works for many … but everyone
by jocelyn kane
ave you heard the term “Cali sober”? It describes someone who has chosen to eschew alcohol in favor of cannabis as a way to relax, unwind and recreate. Let’s turn to that most modern dictionary resource for an exact definition. According to the Urban Dictionary, “Cali sober is defined as a form of harm reduction that excludes the use of all drugs including alcohol and only utilizes marijuana in moderation.” Some define “Cali sober” as a complete lifestyle, including the incorporation of healing arts like yoga and meditation—and possibly the use of psychedelics. In fact, Demi Lovato wrote a song entitled “California Sober,” the lyrics of which other well-known detox and rehabilitation discuss her personal journey of healing and facilities. The desert has long been a place growing—and hint at the use of psychedelics for people to search for “wellness”—and that as part of that journey. “wellness” is big business. Look no further Why would people choose cannabis over than the recently announced $30 million alcohol? For one thing, few people experience expansion of the Betty Ford Center. hangovers after consuming cannabis, while the So how does cannabis fit into all of this same certainly can’t be said about liquor—and when, according to many, “sobriety” only as people age, those negative after-effects of means absolute abstinence—including too much booze get worse. Some cut back or abstinence from cannabis? According to the eliminate alcohol use after being prescribed Alcoholics Anonymous credo, total abstinence medications that contraindicate with alcohol. from all non-prescription drugs and alcohol The popularity of “dry January” is undeniable, is required to be considered “sober,” or in and mocktails are offered on many bar menus recovery. Many other rehab programs also today as people are turn away from alcohol for support and teach this methodology to health reasons. everyone who passes through their doors. The complicated part is the use of the word However … it’s worth noting that Bill “sober.” After all, the word is loaded with Wilson, the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous judgement. The Coachella Valley is sometimes and the co-author of The Big Book of referred to as “recovery valley,” based on the Alcoholics Anonymous, is known to have presence of the Betty Ford Center and many experimented with LSD alongside Timothy
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Leary as a way to improve his conscious contact with his Higher Power. So maybe there’s some wiggle room, at least for some, in the term “sobriety.” Most certainly, some people should not use any mind-altering substances, cannabis included, based on their experiences with addiction and its consequences. Dr. Akhil Anand, an addiction specialist, explains in a recent blog post for the Cleveland Clinic: “For many people who have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, it’s more effective to cut it out completely instead of cutting way back.” Dr. Anand goes on to suggest some questions before toying with the Cali sober idea: Has your substance abuse led to negative consequences in your life? Is there a compulsion to use a substance? Do you have cravings? Is it hard, or impossible, to stop using once you have started? If the answer to some of these questions is yes, then perhaps complete abstinence is the correct path. However, people are different, and we all
need to make lifestyle choices based on our own needs and desires. There is a huge gray area between “staunchly sober” and “overindulgent.” Maybe the ethos of California sober can help define what the future of cannabis use looks like—a spectrum of use that includes actual health benefits mixed with a pleasurable but mild intoxicating effect that can improve social experiences without unpleasant after-effects. While cannabis remains federally illegal, a majority of states have given it the OK in one way or another. If cannabis were considered less of a drug and more of a plant or herb, then perhaps the conversation regarding sobriety would be different. The stigma of 80-plus years of cannabis demonization won’t go away easily—but maybe “Cali sober” is a small step in the right direction. Jocelyn Kane can be reached at jocelyn@ coachellavalleycan.org.
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 55
DECEMBER 2021
OPINION COMICS & JONESIN’ CROSSWORD
“On a One-Name Basis”— five for five. By Matt Jones
History Month ends (it’s actually a 34-day period) 41 Post ___ (afterward, Across in Latin) 1 Light snack 42 Flight board fig. 5 Hoppy beverage, briefly 43 Office drudge 8 Library nook 47 Something ___ entirely 14 “If ___ be so bold” 48 Exit the tub (but not 15 Snare literally, cause that’s 16 App where you’d dangerous) better know your left 49 Wrestlemania location from your right? 52 Birthday candle 17 Comic-strip magician material 19 Lunar module 53 The Daily Show or Late 20 Kool-Aid Man’s Night Mash, e.g. catchphrase 55 Some Netflix offerings 21 Mini golf goal 59 Battle site of 1066 22 Former Shanghai 61 Japanese crime Sharks athlete Ming syndicate 23 Non-dairy dessert 62 December 24 or 31 26 More than a peck 63 Yokel 30 Moral source of 64 Dodges authority, in a way 65 William Gaines’ 32 “(Everything ___) ___ magazine It For You” (Bryan 66 The Book of Mormon Adams power ballad) co-writer Parker 34 The end of school? 35 Chain that merged Down with AMC Theatres 1 Star Trek IV: The Voyage 36 Got progressively more Home director confusing 2 Nebraska city 40 When National Deaf associated with steaks
3 Japanese electronics giant 4 Jekyll’s bad half 5 Where travelers often stay 6 Three-time Women’s PGA Championship winner 7 Teddy’s Mount Rushmore neighbor 8 Repetitive-sounding spear-throwing tool 9 One whose spinning might be out of control? 10 Jake Tapper’s employer 11 Perplexing 12 Two-finger gesture 13 Go off course 18 Tabula ___ (blank slate) 21 Casserole veggie 24 Boorish 25 Renew a skill 26 Danish cheese? 27 “That is,” in Latin 28 Repaired rips 29 They’re almost out of H.S. 30 “Forget it” 31 World Cup cheer 32 Drive forward
33 Fixes a sock 37 Roth of Inglourious Basterds 38 2.5 out of 5, say 39 Skied downhill 40 The Great Grape ___ Show 44 Some long-haired dogs, for short 45 “A ___ on thee!” 46 State, overseas 49 Like some matters 50 Present, as a case 51 Irascible 52 Navigation app that offers celebrity voices 54 Pinball no-no 55 Ombré need 56 Toyota ___4 (SUV model) 57 “Wanted” initials 58 Dirty rain (or rainy dirt)? 59 Dress line 60 Colin in Black and White co-creator DuVernay © 2021 Matt Jones Find the answers in the “About” section of CVIndependent.com!
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56 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
DECEMBER 2021
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