COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT | FEBRUARY 2020
VOL. 8 | NO. 2
In February, the cultural spotlight shines on architecture and fine art: It’s time for Modernism Week and Art Palm Springs
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COMPLETE DETAILS INSIDE!
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FEBRUARY 2020
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 Beth Allen Contributors Max Cannon, Kevin Carlow, Katie Finn, Bill Frost, Bonnie Gilgallon, Andrea Gomez, Bob Grimm, Michael Grimm, Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume, Matt Jones, Matt King, Keith Knight, Andy Lara, Carlynne McDonnell, Brett Newton, Dan Perkins, Guillermo Prieto, Anita Rufus, Jen Sorenson, Robert Victor The Coachella Valley Independent print edition is published every month. All content is ©2020 and may not be published or reprinted in any form without the written permission of the publisher.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, CalMatters, Get Tested Coachella Valley, the Local Independent Online News Publishers, the Desert Business Association, the LGBT Community Center of the Desert, and the Desert Ad Fed.
The email arrived in my inbox at 4:17 p.m. “Valentine’s Day at (restaurant name redacted) is a Sweet Deal!” the subject line said. The email, from a public-relations rep hired by the restaurant, was seeking news coverage. It included a photo, a copy of the Valentine’s Day menu at (restaurant name redacted), and other info. I sighed, deleted the email—only because we’re not doing any sort of Valentine’s Day-dining coverage—and moved on with my day. Why, you might ask, did I sigh? Well, we’ve given (restaurant name redacted) coverage before it opened. And we’ve given it ample editorial coverage since it opened. However, that restaurant—which has decided it needs the services of someone whose job it is to obtain media coverage—has not given the Independent a dime since it opened several years ago. Not for advertising. Not for Palm Springs Craft Cocktail Week (which, hey, is coming up again; see the details in the special section in the center of this issue). Not for anything. In fact, the management doesn’t even respond to our emails. The Independent is not alone here; I see very little advertising by this restaurant anywhere. This disconnect is a problem. In order to give you, our readers, the fairest coverage possible—in order to serve you best—we decide what to cover without considering what’s happening on the advertising side. Had we been doing Valentine’s Day dining coverage, we’d have included the information from (restaurant name redacted) right alongside restaurants that have spent a dime or more with the Independent. Some restaurants don’t need PR or advertising; they, through word of mouth or reputation, have enough business. However, those restaurants are decidedly in the minority, and (restaurant name redacted) is apparently not one of those restaurants, seeing as I keep getting emails from a PR person on their behalf. So … what would happen if all restaurants acted like (restaurant name redacted) did, and spent money on a PR person, but no money on advertising with the media sources that hired PR person is emailing? Well, those media sources would die. And the PR person would have nobody to email. A similar situation is taking place with social media. I’ve had far too many businesses tell me they’re not spending money on “traditional media,” but instead are advertising on Facebook, Instagram, etc. … where they share and promote the coverage given to them, for free, by traditional media. It’s simple, folks: If you value media—like, say, newspapers such as the Independent— you need to support us. Otherwise, we’ll die. Printing, distribution, restaurant news … that stuff costs money. It ain’t cheap. On that note … thanks to all the advertisers who have made this, the February 2020 print edition of the Independent, possible! As always, thanks for reading. Please contact me at the email address below with questions or comments. —Jimmy Boegle, jboegle@cvindependent.com Cover photo by John Orlin
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FEBRUARY 2020
OPINION PETS
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION
A NO-KILL FUTURE? I
It’s a no-brainer—virtually all pets should be spayed or neutered
BY CARLYNNE MCDONNELL
n January, Gov. Gavin Newsom called for California to become a “no-kill” state by including $50 million in his budget for the University of California at Davis to create a new grant-based system to help shelters achieve the goal of no longer euthanizing treatable cats and dogs. Making California no-kill is an outstanding and commendable goal. Animal shelters almost always kill animals simply because of a lack of space. Hold times for animals in a shelter can range from no time at all for animals surrendered by owners, to five days or less for an unchipped stray, to 10 days or more for a microchipped animal. Hold times are up to the discretion of the shelter manager or shelter veterinarian—and animals that show any sign of illness or unfriendliness often end up on a euthanasia list. location/transportation,” she said. It’s a matter of simple math: The only way AAL performs spay and neuter services at to reduce the animal-shelter population is to its clinic in Joshua Tree; before the mobile reduce the number of animals. services became available, people had to travel Mimi Mitz has been the president of the there. Morongo Basin Humane Society in Joshua “Mobile spay and neuter has made a huge Tree for the better part of 30 years. difference,” she said. “Spay and neutering, and reducing Farnik recommends spaying and neutering backyard breeders, (are all) important to cats and dogs at eight weeks or 2 pounds. I reduce the animal overpopulation,” she said. asked Farnik if she had any wishes for AAL. “There are three animal shelters within 10 “One wish would be to have another spay miles of each other, and all three are always and neuter clinic come in and help out,” full, all of the time. If unwanted animals are she said. “It takes a lot of planning, and not in a shelter, they are on the street.” we service communities in Banning and There’s another reason to spay or neuter Beaumont, the Morongo Basin, the Coachella your beloved animal: It can prevent medical Valley and even as far as Imperial.” issues. I asked Dr. Rachel Reedy, of Carter Each low-cost mobile clinic session costs Animal Hospital in Cathedral City, about around $3,300 to put on; between 27 and 33 the top reasons to spay and neuter. “First, male and female cats and dogs can be seen to avoid more puppies or kittens,” she said. per session. Clinics are underwritten through “Second, to prevent mammary and ovarian grants and donations. cancers in females, and prostate cancer in Even with all of these wonderful spay and males; third, for behavioral reasons: to reduce neuter services, the need is greater than the aggression in both males and females.” amount provided. To get to no-kill status as a We are fortunate in the Coachella Valley community, we must first get spay and neuter and high desert to have access to low-cost laws enacted. We must curtail backyard spay and neuter services. We have the Animal breeding by creating laws and regulations Action League (animalactionleague.net), that register and monitor these breeders—or located in Joshua Tree, which provides lowban them outright. We must educate people cost spaying, neutering and vaccines (plus about the medical benefits behind spaying, other services). AAL was founded in 1989, and the devastation to female dogs when started providing mobile services in 2005, they have mammary or ovarian cancer. So and has spayed and neutered more than many un-spayed dogs end up in shelters 55,000 cats and dogs. Think about it: The with mammary masses and horrendous number of dogs and cats that did not end tumors—and their discomfort and pain are up in a shelter as a result of AAL’s work is heartbreaking. incredible. What can you do to make a difference? AAL works with SNIP Bus (www.snipbus. First, adopt, don’t shop. Save a rescue org) and Molly’s Miracle, a mobile spay and beloved’s life. Go to a shelter, and bring home neuter hospital built by S.O.A.R. (Society’s a wonderful woof or meow. Second, if you buy Outcast Animal Rescue), to provide low cost from a breeder, make sure it is a legitimate clinics. The need is great; check the calendar and legal breeder. Check out the way the at www.animalactionleague.net. animals there live, and how they are being I asked Melody Farnik, the director of the treated. Cast-off and dumped breeder dogs Animal Action League, why people don’t get are commonly found in shelters—often in their pets spayed or neutered. “Education terrible physical condition. and not knowing the reality and severity of Third, spay or neuter your animal as early the problem, as well financial constraints and
as possible. Unless you are a legitimate breeder, there is no reason not to do so. Ego is not a reason. Finally: Donate to your local animal shelters and rescue groups— organizations like AAL, that work toward a no-kill animal future.
Carlynne McDonnell is the founder and CEO of Barkee LaRoux’s House of Love Animal Sanctuary, a senior animal sanctuary and hospice in the Coachella Valley. She has been rescuing animals since she was 4 years old.
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FEBRUARY 2020
OPINION OPINION
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION
KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS S
Meet Ramona Rowley, an extraordinary artist and free spirit … and then there are the peacocks
BY ANITA RUFUS
he left her native Missouri/Kansas at the age of 25 for San Francisco in 1970. She describes her artwork as “abstract impressionist,” and creates sculpture with a slightly sexual bent. She has lived in a sprawling home in Thousand Palms, which she hopes one day will be a museum, for more than 30 years. Oh, and did I mention the peacocks? Ramona Rowley, a vibrant 75 years old, envelops you with a warmth and openness that is both refreshing and unusual. She and her brother were born in Kansas City, Mo., and raised in Kansas City, Kansas. “My dad was in the Navy and didn’t even see me until I was a year old. He had been raised want. It was too hard to be an artist in Kansas.” on a farm in Kansas, got his education A mutual friend introduced Rowley to in agriculture, and ended up as dairy another artist, a Spaniard named Manuel commissioner,” Rowley said. “My mom was deArce—and thus began a lifelong relationship. also raised on a farm and became a teacher, but “We lived together for 34 years before we she had always wanted to be a hairdresser. She went to school and opened a salon in our home. ever married,” she said, her eyes sparkling as “The real secret is that she had always wanted she talks about her beloved late husband. “He had a wife when we met. I had a boyfriend, and to be an actress. She was very beautiful, loved we were just friends. I was the only American in children, always had flowers on the table, and our group of friends. It was ’70s San Francisco. always had a house full of everybody’s kids. My We were sitting on the floor and talking parents had dated since the ninth-grade. nonstop about art. He gave his wife a baby “I wasn’t encouraged to love art. My that she wanted, and we wanted to be artists. grandmother was the first to call me an artist, It turned out that everyone made the right and I had a second-grade teacher who told my choice. I think we followed not our egos, but mom about a picture I had done. I was 18 when our souls. I saw (a fine-art) painting (for the first time). “When we met, Manuel didn’t like abstract It was (one of) Monet’s Water Lilies. I couldn’t art. He had trained at the school in Spain where stop standing in front of it. I took art history, all the great masters had trained. When we looked at lots of photographs, and realized the left San Francisco, I had been doing ceramics difference when you’re standing in front of a for over 20 years, using pink clay, whites and piece of art.” browns, sometimes lapis (a blue gem) or shells After a summer session at Washburn from the ocean, and colors that changed from University, and in spite of the fact that the glazing and with metal leaf.” University of Kansas had an art department What brought Ramona and Manuel to the that beckoned, Rowley attended Kansas State. desert? “Manuel loved Palm Springs,” said “My dad had graduated there, and if I had Rowley. “He used to stop here on the way to do gone to (the University of Kansas), I would exhibits in Arizona and Texas. have been a traitor!” she said. “In the desert, I started out as a painter. Rowley had a first marriage (“to get out Manuel and I were huge influences to each of the house”) and began working at the other, more about being artists rather than Menninger Foundation. Her husband was a in the art itself. At 5 p.m., when the light therapist there in the children’s hospital, and changed, we would take my art and set it on Rowley worked as an adjunctive therapist the table, have a glass of wine and take the time focusing on art and horticulture, working with to see what I had done that day. He never gave the occupational therapists. critiques, but he would say, ‘Do you mind if I “My office was in the greenhouse, and I got turn this (ceramics piece) over?’ They would to watch bougainvillea blooming when there often have more power one way or the other. was snow outside. Everybody was jealous,” “You need to find the colors: They tell you Rowley laughed. “I wasn’t just doing art, although I enjoyed it. My job was to help people what to use. I reflected the sky and earth in Kansas. In San Francisco, it was blue and grey; to be creative. You have to learn to be alone I was painting torsos in lavender, blue and grey, and spend time dedicated to finding what your with lots of full, round shapes. I’m a woman colors are.” and intuitive; he was a Spaniard and very Rowley made the break and moved to San colorful. Manuel was using bright colors in San Francisco in 1970. Francisco, but the desert environment changed “I found my life,” she said. “I was 25 and what he saw.” going forward to explore who I am and what I
Ramona Rowley with Houdini.
The house Rowley shared with deArce has their paintings, large and small, throughout, along with Rowley’s pottery and specialty pieces on the walls and shelves. Canvases stand along every surface. “I’d like this to be a museum someday,” Rowley said. “I’d like to keep working for the next five years, then be doing exhibitions and classes. “I had tried to tell my parents that I didn’t want to go to college, that they should send me to Europe. When my mom was 80, we were in Europe. She said to me, ‘We made a mistake. We should have sent you to Europe.’ Last year, I got to see Botticelli in Italy. While my legs are still good enough to travel, I’d like to go to different cultures and find out how people become who they are.” Among many exhibitions and collections, Rowley’s art is included in the permanent collection at the Mingei International Museum in San Diego. She is also a photographer. Rowley candidly talks about how her art suffered after deArce died in 2017.
“I had no joy in my life for almost three years. My paintings were bad,” she said. “Luckily, I was finally able to find a new ‘friend.’ Now I can channel the muses again. When I do that, I never do a bad painting. I’m finally ready to sign these pieces.” Did I forget to mention the peacocks? On the sprawling cactus-laden grounds surrounding her house, Ramona has 11 peacocks roaming freely, including Houdini, a rare white peacock. “I raised him from a baby. We even dance together; the males dance, you know,” she said. “We discovered Houdini wasn’t male when an egg was laid in the house. Oh, well.” Ramona Rowley is a free spirit, a dedicated artist and a warm and lovely human being. And then there are the peacocks … Anita Rufus is also known as “The Lovable Liberal.” Her show That’s Life airs weekdays on iHubradio, while The Lovable Liberal airs from 10 a.m. to noon Sundays. Email her at Anita@ LovableLiberal.com. Know Your Neighbors appears every other Wednesday at CVIndependent.com. CVIndependent.com
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NEWS
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS
NOT A DONE DEAL T
by kevin fitzgerald
he settlement that would resolve a lawsuit accusing the city Palm Desert of not complying with the 2001 California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) is not so settled after all. The first public forum—held by the city to explain the two-district settlement, proposed in December to plaintiffs Lorraine Salas and Karina Quintanilla—gave attendees the impression that breaking the city into two voting districts was a done deal. However, after a conversation with Palm Desert City Attorney Robert Hargreaves, I now understand that it’s not a done deal: If a resident believes that a total of three, or four, or five districts would provide a better solution to the lawsuit, then it is still possible for a resident to push for those changes. In other words … everything is still on the negotiating table—and that negotiating table seems to be standing on wobbly legs. “We were very displeased with the city’s offer to do one (new) district,” said Quintanilla, a co-plaintiff in the lawsuit driving the city’s attempts to transition to a districtbased system before the November election. “It almost seemed kind of patronizing (for the city) to say, ‘All right, fine, we know we’re not in compliance, and if we go to court, they’re going to make us do it anyway. So how about if we do just one district?’ That seemed very odd to us. … It seemed that the City Council was failing to understand that we’re a series of communities with different needs. We were not at all pleased with the settlement offer, but we felt it was best to let the public know what the city’s intentions were. It would be best to just save the tax-paying residents more (potential legal) fees by settling instead of continuing this in court. (Agreeing to settle) was done knowing that no matter what we did, it would still need to be presented in public meetings. So, we felt that this was just the very first step.” What are the next steps from here? For example, if a more-diverse City Council is the goal, should the city consider perhaps adding a district in the northwest area of Palm Desert? According to the demographic map distributed by the city, Latino residents make up some 25 to 65 percent of the total population in several neighborhoods in that area. After all, if the plaintiffs or other residents resist the current, two-district direction, then the whole matter could wind up back in court—and ultimately, in the worst-case scenario, the court could decide to draw the map itself. Mayor Pro-Tem Kathleen Kelly said she feels that the two-district plan puts the city on a path to a short-term resolution without litigation, and a longer-term future marked by flexibility and accommodation. CVIndependent.com
“As a resident, I would tend to favor an ‘at-large’ system, acknowledging that there could be some advantages to a ‘district’ system,” Kelly said, adding that she was speaking only for herself and not the entire council. “In response to the lawsuit, there was certainly a need to try to be accommodating, to hear the plaintiff’s concerns, and try to structure a system that would be responsive to that. What resulted was really a hybrid system, which will give us in Palm Desert the opportunity to experience, perhaps, the advantages and disadvantages of both systems. Once everyone has had some shared experience, and some basis for comparison, there’ll be further discussions that will be informed by that experience.” Why, then, did the city seemingly create confusion and misconceptions by leading residents to believe a two-district future was a done deal? For instance, an early January postcard from the city requested residents’ attendance at the first public open house on Jan. 15. It stated, in part: “Starting in November 2020, Palm Desert will move to a two-district City Council system. … The Open House on Jan. 15 offers an opportunity for you to tell us what’s important in the transition.” Sounds like a done deal, right? During her introductory remarks at that open house, Palm Desert City Manager Lauri Aylaian told the audience: “Our immediate fear was that we’d divide ourselves up into five districts, because we have five council members. We would have individual portions of Palm Desert fighting against one another to get the same money, to get the same resources, to be able to do the projects that they want to do in their areas. We thought we’ve been so well-served by working together; we don’t want to lose that.” Later in her remarks, Aylaian said: “We were able to reach the terms for a settlement agreement with the plaintiffs who had filed the suit. Now, we’re on to the next part, which is how do we make the settlement work, and the CVRA work, and represent the best interests of Palm Desert? So what
Despite misleading statements by the city, Palm Desert’s new two-district voting system is still up for discussion
we came up with was completely different from what other cities have done. We have proposed a two-district solution, rather than dividing the city up into five—which is what most of the other cities in California have done. … We’ve been working on it for a long time, and we were able to implement a twodistrict solution.” Again … sounds like a done deal, right? This was furthered by a slide in the onscreen presentation made by the city that read: “Today’s meeting—purpose—inform the community about the City’s New Election Process and learn from community members what’s important for them as we undergo this change.” There’s yet another element of the city’s plans that plaintiff Quintanilla is not so sure about: a desire to move to a “ranked choice” voting system: According to Ballotpedia, “A ranked-choice voting system is an electoral system in which voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots. If a candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, he or she is declared the winner. If no candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated. First-preference votes cast for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the second-preference choices indicated on those ballots. A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won a majority of the adjusted votes. The process is repeated until a candidate wins an outright majority. This system is sometimes referred to as an instant runoff voting system.” Quintanilla said now was the time for Palm Desert residents to speak out if they don’t like these proposed changes. “Like I said, when we received the settlement (agreement from the city), we were very displeased. Very displeased,” Quintanilla said, “But I finally came to the understanding with myself that this was a settlement. It’s not meant to be (a situation) where both parties are delighted with the process. It’s supposed to be a middle ground—not as far to the middle as we might have hoped, but again, it was our intent to make this first step and to open the door to this conversation. Now, it’s up to the rest of the city’s residents to come forward and say, ‘We don’t like this,’ and then they can speak up against that ranked-choice voting (proposal) and decide that’s not what they want.” The city’s second open house is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 12, at a venue yet to be
Palm Desert election-lawsuit plaintiff Karina Quintanilla: “It was our intent to make this first step and to open the door to this conversation. Now, it’s up to the rest of the city’s residents to come forward and say, ‘We don’t like this.’”
determined. “It’s about taking action when it needs to be (taken), because there are greater goals to focus on,” Quintanilla said. “That’s what Lorraine and I were doing. Our city is right in the middle of Coachella Valley. We’ve got College of the Desert. We’ve got Cal State (San Bernardino). We’ve got UCR (the University of California at Riverside). We’ve got many opportunities here, and we need to be able to respond to the needs of the growing valley. So our decision was that, instead of having this tied up behind legal back and forth, and closed-door sessions and private conversations, it was time to let this (proposal) come to a community forum.”
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FEBRUARY 2020
NEWS A REPORTING TRAILBLAZER H
by JIMMY BOEGLE
ank Plante is a familiar name and face to Coachella Valley residents who follow the news. He’s a political analyst for NBC Palm Springs, and recently stepped down from The Desert Sun editorial board after a five-year stint. Despite that familiarity, most people don’t realize how much of a trailblazer Plante has been throughout his career. The Detroit native has worked in print, radio and TV, and is best known for spending 25 years at KPIX-TV in San Francisco. He retired from the station in 2010 and later moved to the Coachella Valley. Here’s where the trailblazing part comes in: Not only was Plante one of the first openly gay TV reporters in the country; at KPIX, he helped tell the world about the horror and pain of the burgeoning AIDS epidemic. The station’s “AIDS Lifeline” project, done in the early days of the epidemic, was honored with a Peabody Award in 1996—one of journalism’s highest honors. Plante and his work were featured in the film 5B, a recent documentary about the first-inthe-world AIDS ward at San Francisco General Hospital in the 1980s. It’s because of this work that Plante is being honored by the Desert AIDS Project with the Arts and Activism Award at the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, on Saturday, Feb. 8. Plante recently spoke with the Independent about the award, his career and the state of journalism in 2020. Congratulations on the award from the Desert AIDS Project. What was your response when you found out you were going to be honored at the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards? I was absolutely thrilled. It’s a big deal to me. The thing about being a reporter, as you know, is that when you do a story—even if it’s a great story that you’re proud of—it’s forgotten, because the news changes the next day or the next week. My AIDS reporting—I’m proud of it, but it was a long time ago, so to have it acknowledged again 30 or 35 years later, it really means the world to me.
Hank Plante, being honored with The Associated Press Mark Twain award as Reporter of the Year.
Tell me how you first started covering the AIDS epidemic. Did that begin when you started at KPIX? I did a few stories before then, but at KPIX—that’s where I worked for 25 years. San Francisco was ground zero of the AIDS epidemic, with more cases per capita than any spot in the Western world. I wanted to cover it, because it was more than a story to me. I was one of the first openly gay TV reporters in the country. These were my friends who were affected. Covering AIDS was a way for me to channel my anger and my grief over the disease. I didn’t feel quite so powerless. I’ve found that it’s difficult to cover something in which you have a personal stake. How did you balance that difficulty—covering a topic that had such personal meaning to you—with the fact that it needed to be covered? You’re absolutely right. It wasn’t easy. There were many times when I would be at San Francisco General doing a story, and I’d have to go out in the hallway and compose myself, because I started to tear up. Or I’d be in somebody’s apartment who was dying, and I’d have to go out and compose myself— because I’m not there to cry. I’m not there to be an advocate, and I didn’t want to lose any credibility. … I hate the word “objective,” because I don’t think there is such a thing. … I mean, we see things through our own eyes. So that’s always going to be there, but still, I had to be a professional. I had to be a professional. So, yeah, it was difficult. It was very difficult.
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS
Desert AIDS Project honoree Hank Plante talks about his long and varied journalism career
years—from 1981, when it was first reported on in the medical journals, through 1996, when protease inhibitors came along. Since then, it’s been mostly good news medically. Now we have so many wonderful drugs, like Truvada, also known as PrEP, which pretty much prevents people from getting HIV if they take it regularly. Truvada is made by a California company, Gilead Sciences. Merck, another pharmaceutical company, is now developing an implant under the skin that dispenses similar drugs so that people don’t even have to take the pill. You just need the implant changed occasionally. That’ll be especially helpful in Third World countries, where taking medicine on a daily regimen isn’t always possible, for a lot of reasons. Johnson and Johnson, which financed the film 5B that I’m so proud of, this year is testing a potential AIDS vaccine in the U.S. and in Europe; they’ve already had great results testing it in Africa. So we are seeing the beginning of the end of the epidemic, at least in America. There are serious problems and challenges for communities of color and in the Third World, so we can’t let our guard down. But this has been all good news for the last several years. You’ve done a little bit of everything, working early in your career at The Washington Post, and doing both TV and radio. What are your thoughts on the state of journalism today, given the fact there have been so many job losses? You caught me on the right day to ask that question, because I just learned that the chain of weeklies where I started as a reporter is shutting down. … They were around the beltway in D.C., and in Maryland and Virginia. This was a great chain of weekly publishing. Bob Woodward began there. I worked there. Ron Nessen, who
became a White House press secretary, worked there. They turned out a lot of very successful people—but you know, this is the age we live in. It breaks my heart, and I don’t think that the readers understand what it’s costing them. When it comes to the public arena, reporters are the only friends you’ve got. These politicians are not always looking out for your interests. … You think about the stories not getting covered. I had a political consultant in Sacramento tell me, “We love to see fewer reporters here in the state capital.” He said, this is a quote: “It’s like driving down Interstate 5, and there’s no California Highway Patrol.” What is going to save journalism? I don’t know. So far, what seems to be working best is when these private, rich people buy newspapers. We’re seeing this in Los Angeles. Jeff Bezos of course, bought The Washington Post. We need angel investors to really step in. It’s not something that the government’s going to do, nor should they. I don’t know. I do think that the tech companies have an obligation to help in some way. They’ve got to start paying somehow for the news that they, as they call it, “aggregate.” I call it plagiarize. You know, Google and Facebook—they call themselves tech companies, which is B.S. They’re not tech companies; they’re media companies. They’re in the advertising business, and they’re not paying for the content that they’re getting rich on. So that’s got to be fixed. The 26th Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards take place at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, 277 N. Avenida Caballeros, in Palm Springs. Tickets start at $500. For tickets or more information, visit www.desertaidsproject.org/steve-chasehumanitarian-awards-2020.
Now, 30-plus years later, being HIVpositive is not a death sentence. Yes, people still die from the disease, but in most cases, it can be managed. Tell me about your perspective after covering this for so long—and how the AIDS world, for lack of a better term, has changed over the years. I have to tell you, I am really, really thankful that I have lived long enough to see the beginning of the end of the disease. The worst of the epidemic, as you know, went for about 15 CVIndependent.com
10 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
FEBRUARY 2020
NEWS
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS
UNEVEN IMPROVEMENT B
by kevin fitzgerald
ack in October, a mulch fire ignited at the Sun Valley Recycling Center near Thermal, on land owned by the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians. The smoke plagued schools and neighborhoods for several weeks, creating health concerns for thousands of residents in the eastern Coachella Valley. Communities and school boards called for help—and one of the organizations that answered that call was the recently expanded Desert Healthcare District, led by newly elected Board President Leticia De Lara, and Chief Executive Officer Conrado Barzaga. “There were funds (accessible to the DHCD) that were identified for clean air and to address some resulted … (by facilitating) their coordination.” of the air-quality issues related to the fires that This would not have been possible a couple of were burning in the east valley last October,” years ago: In November 2018, Coachella Valley De Lara said during a recent phone interview. residents voted to expand the Desert Healthcare “Our CEO, Conrado, was able to identify these District beyond its original, antiquated Cook funds and some partners who could bring Street boundary, all the way to the eastern end some immediate health-care resources to the of the valley. Since then, seven districts were residents, including Borrego Health, Clinicas re-drawn and approved by the DHCD board, and de Salud del Pueblo, federally qualified health directors were put in place for each. As 2019 clinics, the Coachella Valley Unified School drew to a close, the DHCD was starting to make District and the Torres Martinez Desert its supportive influence felt in these historically Cahuilla Indians tribe. Also, (Barzaga) was able underserved east valley communities. to identify some funds that were set aside to In another recent dangerous health-related address issues like this in the future, and (allow incident that drew substantial attention, the potential responders) to avoid the chaos that
CVIndependent.com
The Desert Healthcare District’s expansion is leading to good things—but a serious funding disparity needs to be addressed
management of the Oasis Mobile Home Park in Thermal proved to be incapable of supplying reliable access to clean drinking water for its nearly 2,000 residents; the drinking water drawn from wells on the property, also owned by the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, was found to contain unacceptably high levels of arsenic. Immediate attempts to import clean water proved insufficient. “At our December meeting, we allocated some funding to be used in partnership with the county of Riverside to address some of the water-quality issues affecting the mobile home park in the Thermal area,” De Lara said. “And we also funded a request from Martha’s Village back in October. So, those are some examples of what’s already been accomplished” in the expansion territory. The arrival of the DHCD as a new funding option in the east valley is welcomed by established nonprofit health service providers working with east valley residents, including the Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine (CVVIM). “It’s nice to see new things happening,” said Doug Morin, the executive director of CVVIM, in a phone interview. “There’s about $300,000 for east valley funding. So, when you consider all the (health-care-related) charities serving residents in the east valley, (the funding) is limited, but anything is better than nothing.” Morin said he had just submitted an application for a $50,000 grant to be used to defray the costs of the east valley patient services his nonprofit provides. He hopes his proposal will get approved by the DHCD board in February. However, when compared to the roughly $120,000 annual grant that CVVIM has received from the DHCD to serve its west valley population, the geographic discrepancy in available support becomes apparent. De Lara said the disparity comes from the fact that funding going toward efforts within the previous DHCD boundaries is not being reduced to fund efforts in the expanded portion. “We’re continuing to provide the same level of funding for the west valley. … We are continuing to address homelessness and (work) for a regional solution,” she said. “We believe that in the west valley, there are some major gaps in services (for the homeless).” According to the June 30, 2018, audited financial statements, the total outlay of funds to west valley grant recipients was $5,076,039 for fiscal year 2018, the last full fiscal year prior to the expansion eastward. However, efforts by the DHCD to raise comparable funds to support east valley service grants are
DHCD Board President Leticia De Lara.
foundering. Given this reality, it’s impossible for the grant levels to reach parity across the valley without cutting the grants to providers serving west valley residents. However, as De Lara indicated, that is not a likely scenario for the DHCD board to pursue. Morin sees his CVVIM as somewhat unique among Coachella Valley health-care service nonprofits, because it has served residents at both ends of the valley for years. He said the distinction and disparity between funding levels for the original DHCD territory and the new expanded territory is obvious and challenging. “Their max funding request (for the recent proposal he submitted to serve east valley patients of his clinic) was $50,000, which is what I requested,” he said. “They don’t have that restriction on the west valley, because, of course, they have more funds for the west valley.” How can the DHCD address this funding imbalance? “I think we’re realizing that there’s going to be a need to include other partners,” De Lara said. In the past, DHCD representatives have approached Riverside County and the state government about various tax strategies designed to generate the new revenues necessary to fund the annexed east valley needs. However, that outreach has so far proved fruitless. “The possibility of going to the voters or the county for some assessment is something that we have not discussed, so I wouldn’t feel comfortable saying where we’re at on that, because we’re nowhere,” she said. “But in the last board meeting (of 2019), we actually approved two positions to take the lead on exploring funds and grants to help support the work that we’re going to be doing on behavioral health. So I think that we’ll start with grants to try to generate more revenue.”
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FEBRUARY 2020
NEWS
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FEBRUARY ASTRONOMY
The three bright outer planets Planets and Bright Starstogether—and in Evening Mid-Twilight are coming what For February, 2020 Thishappened sky chart is drawnto forBetelgeuse? latitude 34 degrees north,
I
but may be used in southern U.S. and northern Mexico. N
By Robert Victor
n the western evening sky, Mercury reaches one of its highest positions at dusk for 2020. In the predawn darkness of Feb. 18, the moon covers and uncovers Mars. Meanwhile, all three bright outer planets—bright Jupiter, with Mars to its upper right, and Saturn to its lower left—are gradually coming together in the southeast before dawn, until their rare, once-in-20years compact gathering in late March! You won’t fail to notice brilliant Venus well up in the west-southwest to west at dusk. Mercury makes an appearance to its lower right. Mercury shines at magnitude -1 on Feb. 1, fading to magnitude 0 on Feb. 13, and magnitude +1 by Feb. 17; it then dims rapidly and drops into bright twilight within a few days. Mercury lingers 24 degrees from Venus Feb. 4-11. The revolution of the planets around the sun is counterclockwise, dusk in July. as viewed from above the northern side of the For three consecutive mornings, Feb. 18-20, solar system. Fast-moving Mercury and Venus the waning crescent moon appears close to each are gaining on Earth and coming around from of the three bright outer planets. In fact, on the far side to near side of the sun. This causes Feb. 18, before dawn, the moon actually occults Mercury (but not cloud-covered Venus) to fade (covers) Mars. It’s the bright leading edge of as the planet displays narrowing crescent phases the moon that covers Mars, so an optical aid on the near side of its orbit. Mercury appears at will be needed. From the Coachella Valley, greatest elongation, 18 degrees from the sun, Mars will disappear behind the leading bright on Feb. 10. edge of the moon at 3:36 a.m., and reappear Sirius, the “Dog Star” and brightest of the at the moon’s unlit side at 4:30 a.m. Note the nighttime stars, twinkles vigorously in the disappearance occurs very low in the sky, only 5 southeast. It is the lowest member of the huge degrees up as seen from our valley. By the time Winter Hexagon of stars of first magnitude of reappearance, the moon and Mars will be 14 or brighter. In clockwise order, they are Sirius, degrees up the southeast. The next morning, on Procyon, Pollux (with fainter twin Castor Feb. 19, the moon will be close to Jupiter, and just 4.5 degrees away), Capella (nearly on Feb. 20, close to Saturn. overhead), Aldebaran, Rigel and back to Sirius. As you observe these events before sunrise, Betelgeuse is normally the brightest star inside imagine you are on the forward side of the boundaries of the Hexagon, but something Spaceship Earth in our orbit around the sun. has happened to this star! At the time of this The sun is below the horizon to your left, while writing, Betelgeuse appears barely as bright as our spaceship is gaining on the three bright Bellatrix, the other shoulder of Orion. Keep an outer planets ahead of us. We’ll overtake eye on Betelgeuse, comparing it to other stars of Jupiter and Saturn within a week of each other known brightness; refer to the resources posted in July, as we pass between those giant planets at the end of this article at CVIndependent.com. and the sun. They’ll appear at opposition, 180 Other bright stars in February at dusk degrees from the sun, and so when the moon include Deneb, the last star of the Summer appears near them in July, it will appear full. Triangle to slip away in the northwest, and Not until October will we overtake fast-moving Regulus, heart of Leo, at opposition to the Mars, and see a full moon near the red planet. sun on Feb. 18. There are wide pairings of the crescent Jupiter is the brightest morning “star,” with moon and Venus on Feb. 26 and 27. You Mars to its upper right, and Saturn emerging can also look just before sunset for Venus in early in February to Jupiter’s lower left. daylight, 10 degrees to the upper right of the Ranking next after Jupiter in brightness are moon on Feb. 26, and 6-7 degrees to the lower golden Arcturus, high in the southwest, and right of the moon on Feb. 27. blue-white Vega, high in the east-northeast On Friday, Feb. 7, author and columnist to east. Look for Spica in the southwest, far Dennis Mammana will present an astronomy below Arcturus; Regulus, sinking in the west to lecture, “From Darkness Comes Light,” at the west-northwest; reddish Antares, heart of the Portola Community Center, at 45480 Portola Scorpion, in the south: and the stars Altair Ave., in Palm Desert. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and Deneb completing the Summer Triangle in for refreshments, and the talk begins at 7 p.m. the eastern sky. By observing the sky at dawn Check the website of the Astronomical in February, we can get a “sneak preview” of Society of the Desert at www.astrorx.org the stars in the positions we’ll see them in at for more information on the lecture and a
February's evening sky chart. ROBERT D. MILLER
Deneb
Regulus Pollux Castor
E
Capella
W
Procyon Betelgeuse
Aldebaran Venus
Rigel
29 22 15 8 1
15 8 Mercury
1
Sirius
Fomalhaut
Canopus
Evening mid-twilight occurs
schedule ofwhen star Sun parties. is 9O below horizon. Feb. 1: 41 minutes after sunset. The primary, more-accessible location 15: 41is the " " " Center of for our star parties Visitor 29: 39 " " " the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, on Highway 74, within 4 miles south of Highway 111, in Palm Desert. Our next session there will be on Saturday, Feb. 29, from 6 to 9 p.m. Sawmill Trailhead, our high-altitude site (elevation 4,000 feet), will have a star party starting at dusk on Saturday, Feb. 22. The list of star parties on the society’s website includes maps and directions for both locations. Star parties can be cancelled in poor observing weather. Also, remember to check the Impromptu Star Parties link on the Astronomical Society’s webpage. I’ll be offering sky watches in Palm Springs at the pedestrian bridge over Tahquitz Creek at North Riverside Drive and Camino Real, and at other locations. Some sessions be held in the daytime or at dusk to observe the
S
Stereographic Projection
changing phases of Venus, and some in the Map by Robert D. Miller predawn to follow the gathering of the three bright outer planets. Abrams Planetarium publishes a monthly Sky Calendar with an evening sky map. Subscriptions are $12 per year at www. abramsplanetarium.org/skycalendar for three printed issues mailed quarterly. The March 2020 issue of the calendar will feature the rare compact gathering of the three bright outer planets in predawn skies, and Venus ascending to its greatest height in the evening sky. Wishing you clear skies! Robert C. Victor was a staff astronomer at Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University. Now retired, he often collaborates with John S. French on the Sky Calendar, and enjoys providing sky watching opportunities for a variety of groups, mostly in the California desert and in Michigan. CVIndependent.com
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Midcenutry
Magnified
Tips and tricks on enjoying Modernism Week on a budget and/or at the last minute By Kevin Fitzgerald If you want to join in the fun of the annual 11-day celebration of midcentury
architecture and design known as Modernism Week, we have good news and bad news. First, the bad: The week, taking place from Feb. 13-23, has gotten so popular that a lot of events have been sold out for weeks. Now, the good: The week, now in its 15th year, has gotten so big that there are still tickets available for an array of tours, lectures, sales and parties—including a host of free and lowercost events. Lisa Vossler Smith is the executive director of Modernism Week, a nonprofit organization. Smith and her team, including more than 450 volunteers, will produce hundreds of events and activities across the Coachella Valley over those 11 February days. “This is my seventh year (working for) Modernism Week,” Smith said. “I’ve been involved with the organization since its beginning. My husband and I volunteered for years with Modernism Week before I came on staff. … It’s near and dear to my heart, and I’m really looking forward to our 15th anniversary.” In recent years, Modernism Week has realized impressively rapid growth in attendance levels, which has led to increases in revenue—for the organization itself, the charitable scholarships and grants it funds, the vendors at the sale events, and countless merchants throughout the Coachella Valley. “We can tell already that it’s going to be a big year,” Smith said about the 2020 events. “Our sales have been strong, and we’re on pace with last year, when we had 152,000 attendees. So we feel really confident that we’ll have at least the same size crowd or even larger. “Over the last seven years, our (attendance) growth has been 20-30 percent each year.” Modernism Week events are not limited geographically to the Palm Springs city limits. “We’re in Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Rancho Mirage, Cathedral City, Palm Desert and Indian Wells,” said Smith. “There’s midcentury-modern architecture throughout the valley that the architects were working on in the same era. We’ve had homeowners and businesses participate by conducting tours in all of those communities throughout the Coachella Valley.
The Modernism Yard Sale, taking place at H3K Home on Sunday, Feb. 23, is one of the most popular free events.
CVIndependent.com
Modernism Week’s Community and Meeting Place (CAMP), open for free to the public, should be the first stop for anyone looking to enjoy the week for the first time. ALL PHOTOS BY David A. Lee
That’s part of our continued growth—that we’ve been able to expand into other cities outside of Palm Springs.” The Modernism Week team estimates that about a third of all tickets are purchased by locals, so we asked Smith for tips and advice. “I would tell people to figure out what day they’re available, and then look at our website and sort by that date to see what tickets are available for that day,” she said. “If you’re looking to go on multiple days, then try to see a little bit of everything. Try to take a house tour; take a walking tour, and learn a little bit about the history of Palm Springs. Go to a lecture, and learn about architecture and design globally. And then certainly go to a cocktail party and have a martini by a pool at an architecturally significant house. Touch on all the cornerstones of our activities, which are all related to midcentury architecture and design throughout the Palm Springs area.” While a single ticket to some of the swankier events can run upward of a couple hundred bucks, there are many free or low-cost events and activities—although it’s important to head to the website to get tickets even for the free events. “Free and low-cost events are something that Modernism Week is always committed to maintaining, because we really want to invite the whole community to experience Modernism Week,” Smith said. “So whether someone’s into architecture or classic cars or vintage furniture, there’s something happening for everyone.” If you’re convinced that you want to attend an event or two, then Smith offers this additional bit of advice. “Always, my recommendation to attendees is that (when they arrive), go to CAMP”—that’s the Modernism Week Community and Meeting Place, located at 575 N. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs—“and figure out what you want to do, what tickets are available, and then you can purchase them right there at our box office,” Smith said. “Also, during the event, our
The Vintage Car Show, a free event featuring classic vehicles from the midcentury era, takes place from noon to 3 p.m., Monday, Feb. 17.
Many attendees get into the spirit of Modernism Week by dressing up in midcentury-themed attire.
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 13
FEBRUARY 2020
THE PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING DRAMA BY
LYNN NOTTAGE
The Vintage Trailer Show, at 1555 S. Palm Canyon Drive, takes place Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 22 and 23; tickets are $25.
website home page has a link to tickets still available for that day, which will make things easier for people to find events last-minute.” If “free” is your favorite way to go, then take note: “I love the Modernism Week Vintage Car Show, which is a free event featuring a great selection of lectures for people who are interested in learning,” Smith said. “The show attracts a large and diverse (collection) of cars. It’s really popular, and we’ve been doing it for many years. “Also, the Modernism Yard Sale is really fun. It’s on the last day of 2020 Modernism Week. People from all over Southern California come in and have a flea market in the H3K parking lot.” As for lower-cost events: “All of our lectures at the Annenberg Theater or at CAMP are priced between $12 and $15, and you can see close to 80 lectures scheduled throughout the week. “People really treat (their time at Modernism Week) like they’re going to summer camp. They show up every morning at CAMP, attend some of the lectures, and then they take off on their tours in the afternoon. It really is like having a spring break for adults. And almost every day, the Dreamboats (musical group) are playing at happy hour. They’re a wonderful throwback rock ’n’ roll band that actually gets people up dancing—even though it’s only 4 o’clock in the afternoon.” Finally, there is one event that Smith wanted to point out that’s important for the community as a whole. “The Palm Springs School of Architecture event is a big deal, because Cal Poly Pomona and College of the Desert are going to collaborate to offer an undergraduate program in architecture at the new Palm Springs campus,” Smith said. “This event, which is free and open to the public at the Annenberg Theater (at the Palm Springs Art Museum at 10:30 a.m., Friday, Feb. 21), is actually the public announcement about that collaboration. … The collaboration with Cal Poly Pomona will not only allow local COD students to pursue an architectural degree, but it will also bring a reciprocal program with students from Cal Poly Pomona, who will be able to use the campus in the desert as a lab for architecture. So, it’s really, really exciting. “These kinds of programs are at the very core of why Modernism Week was founded. Locally, we’ve had such a strong group of grassroots supporters for the architecture and design community that it was everyone’s dream that someday, we would have architecture students who would graduate from the desert and then come back to work here as architects in the future.” Modernism Week takes place from Thursday, Feb. 13, through Sunday, Feb. 23, at locations valley-wide. For more information, including a complete schedule and ticket information, visit www.modernismweek.com.
DIRECTED BY
MICHAEL SHAW
FEBRUARY 28-MARCH 8 PEARL McMANUS THEATER in the Palm Springs Woman’s Club
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FEBRUARY 2020
Art on an International Stage Art Palm Springs offers local galleries a chance to reach a worldwide audience—without leaving home By Andrea Gomez
The Coachella Valley is home to picturesque mountains, gorgeous blue
skies—and an ample number of residents who can afford fine art. Therefore, it’s no surprise that Palm Springs has become a beacon for art-lovers in Southern California and beyond. The art scene is vibrant and bubbling with growth, with dozens of art galleries here, as well as numerous art shows—none more prestigious than Art Palm Springs, the annual five-day art exhibition and show at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Scheduled to coincide with Presidents Day weekend and Modernism Week, Art Palm Springs attracts a growing number of art-lovers each year. While exhibitors from all around the globe take part, Art Palm Springs is special and personal to the participating galleries that call the Coachella Valley home. “For us, it’s (important) because it’s the regional fair. We are pretty much at home, and it’s nice to get to play in our own sandbox,” said Alec Longmuir, director of art at Melissa Morgan Fine Art, a contemporary art gallery located in Palm Desert. Melissa Morgan Fine Art focuses on contemporary artwork with an international roster of well-known artists, featuring works that patrons would normally see in Los Angeles, New York, London or Paris galleries. Longmuir said that although the gallery travels all over the world for different types of art fairs, Art Palm Springs feels different. “It’s near and dear to our hearts; we like the organizers very much,” Longmuir said. The relationship between the festival and the gallery has always been interactive, even throughout the various management changes within Art Palm Springs. “The first year we did it, we did a big retrospective for Andy Moses, and they honored him at the fair,” Longmuir said. (Andy Moses and his father, Ed Moses, were Art Palm Springs’ Artists of the Year in 2018; in fact, Andy Moses graced the cover of the February 2018 edition of this very newspaper.) “Then last year, we did an exhibition for Anthony James, who has been all over the news as of late.” James’ sculptures and installations are known for experimentation with light and color—and received major attention during the 2019 Art Palm Springs. “We’ve had a good turnout,” Longmuir said. “We are always happy to support (Art Palm Springs), and they’ve supported us.” Galleries participating in an event like Art Palm Springs need to not only show off art that meshes with the aesthetic of the gallery; they need to show off art that’ll appeal to the attendees. “We know what sells!” Longmuir said. “We know that we are in Palm Springs, and in the desert, some people have a higher net worth acquired, so they can afford some great artwork.” While Melissa Morgan participates in a variety of shows and fairs, Art Palm Springs is the only major art show in which Barba Contemporary Art participates, owner Michael Barba said. “We’ve been involved for a year,” said Barba, whose gallery is located on Indian Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs. “The quality of art that they show is really great. When I opened my gallery, I believe I was approached by them—and it was a natural fit.” Barba said his gallery focuses on contemporary abstract art. “About half of our artists are local, relatively speaking,” Barba said. “They are local to the Coachella Valley, Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree and Palm Springs. There are a lot of paintings, but we also have sculptures and other arts.” It’s important to replicate the gallery experience in the exhibition booth at the fair, Barba said. “We bring to the fair art that is representative of the art that you would find in the gallery,” he said. “I try to make the booth at the fair feel like another room in the gallery, so that if CVIndependent.com
Anthony James’ sculptures and installations received a lot of attention at Melissa Morgan Fine Art’s space at Art Palm Springs last year.
someone walks into the booth, or they see it from the convention center, they can have an idea of what the gallery feels like, and what they can expect if they come into the gallery.” Barba said Art Palm Springs offers his gallery exposure to a wider range of art-lovers. “It’s a local event, and I think it’s good exposure for the gallery,” Barba said. “A lot of people, whether they come downtown or they just come for lunch, they might not necessarily wander around looking for art galleries. But people who go to the fair are going there specifically for art.” In other words, the fair is a form of advertising. “It’s a way people can be introduced to (the gallery),” Barba said. “Obviously, sales are ideal, but the main reason why we are in the fair is exposure. It’s a form of advertising, and it is a way of reaching people who are interested in what we are selling.” Five-time Art Palm Springs exhibitor Jorge Mendez, of Jorge Mendez Gallery in Palm Springs, carries contemporary art and deals directly with established artists who have exhibited before at other museums or galleries. He agreed that the fair helps his gallery receive attention from art-lovers it wouldn’t otherwise receive. “It’s a great experience and great for exposure for the rest of the valley.” Art Palm Springs is the only large fair at which Jorge Mendez exhibits. Mendez said he does so because it allows him to share the limelight with renowned artists—from places as far away as Asia and Europe—without ever having to leave home. “(I exhibit) only because it is a very reputable fair,” he said. “It’s basically in my backyard, so it’s very easy for me to transport the artwork.” Art Palm Springs takes place Thursday, Feb. 13, through Monday, Feb. 17, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, 277 N. Avenida Caballeros, in Palm Springs. Single-day admission is $25; VIP tickets, which include the Thursday night VIP reception and are good for admission throughout the festival, are $100. For tickets or more information, visit www.art-palmsprings.com.
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FEBRUARY 2020
CVI SPOTLIGHT: FEBRUARY 2020 The Gay Old West: Desert Rose Prioritizes Physiques Over Singing for ‘Those Musclebound Cowboys’
Y
ee haw, little dogies! If’n you’re hankering for a Western-flavored good time, slap on yer best bib and tucker, and mosey on down to the Desert Rose Playhouse! Those Musclebound Cowboys From Snake Pit Gulch are a-waitin’ on you, buckaroos! The sold-out house of patrons for the opening weekend of this world premiere sashayed into the theater in high-falutin’ denim, Stetsons and boots. The mood is immediately set by the piped-in sounds of great country Western music from stars like Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette, Hank Williams and Patsy Cline. Interestingly, the stage and house at DRP have been completely reimagined for this production. The now-sprawling stage area features different levels that include a saloon, a set of stairs and even a hoosegow. (That’s “jail” to you whippersnappers.) A dividing curtain, which can be drawn across the stage at an angle, creates a backdrop that hosts small scenes. The reason for this is explained by playwright Andy Halliday in the printed program: The play was not originally envisioned like this; it was “cut down” for the DRP production, which changed the timing. Each scene transitions into the next without pause—which is actually how Shakespearean plays were originally enacted. This speeds up the play, and the flow allows the entire show to be filled with mini-scenes that keep the action moving nicely. So here’s the premise: What if the Old West was … all gay? Why not? In this imaginary town of Snake Pit Gulch, the writer has mixed the classic stereotypes of the Drunken Sherriff, the Sneaky Villain, the Fresh and Innocent Farm Boys, the Young Troublemaker, and so on—and then thrown in a visiting Femme Fatale. It’s a recipe for pure melodrama. But gay, as one may expect
from the valley’s only LGBTQ playhouse. And it’s a musical—with lyrics by CJ Critt and music by Frank Schiro. The musical director is hardworking Jaci Davis—in an outrageous mustache and bowler hat—who not only serves as the accompanist for all the songs, but even doubles as the bartender in one scene! Alas, the mic-ed sound of the keyboard sometimes overpowers the singers. It doesn’t take long for the audience to realize that only a couple of the members of the enthusiastic seven-man cast are trained singers. Well … can you imagine doing the casting for this play? With a title like this one, the crucial emphasis was obviously on musculature rather than vocal skills. So the singing voices are mostly not … operatic, let’s say. Kai Brothers plays Sam Cantrell, a naïve farm boy. Brothers is an actor who knows how to use his bright eyes to his advantage, and seems at home in this role. His big brother, Evan Cantrell, is played by Clay Sales, a professional dancer and bodybuilder (those quads!) with a degree in computer science—go figure—whose flawless skin and shaven head drew much approval from the audience. The boys head off to Snake Pit Gulch, where they meet such characters as the sheriff, called Wheezy, played by Tom Warrick. Warrick plays Wheezy as an alcoholic who vows to quit drinking. The goal is to solve the mystery of a vanished deed to a gold mine—and the next time we see him, he is suffering a ghastly case of alcohol withdrawals. Warrick is a rare breed—an actor whose innate confidence allows him to play silly comedy, and who is fearless about appearing ridiculous. That’s a gift. “Topeka” is the nickname of another of the town’s characters, played by Rob Rota. He is very believable as a flirt and a troublemaker who claims to have been raised by wolves
A scene from Those Musclebound Cowboys From Snake Pit Gulch.
and who rationalizes his promiscuity on the basis that he has never experienced true love. He gets to do a song with lots of double entendres. Michael Pacas devours the role of Big Jack Slade, the mandatory villain, although he modifies the usual nastiness of such roles and instead plays him as more of a slick, crooked businessman—in superbly toned shape. Mark Fearnow plays Scully Jones, a character who keeps popping up unexpectedly, along with a couple of other roles. Fearnow quickly establishes himself as a professional singer; his versatility and powerful, beautifully managed voice are refreshing. But it’s Anthony Nannini who dominates the show. He plays Daisy LaFleur, a Pinkerton detective who goes undercover—in drag, of course. Wearing the most fantastic huge-skirted gowns and thigh-high boots, he switches hair colors from a ratty red to a prettily coiffed blonde, and handles his costumes smoothly. With his signature athleticism, Nannini bounces and leaps amazingly around the stage, and survives countless pratfalls on cue. The play is directed and choreographed by Robbie Wayne, and much is made of the
Gay Rodeo Association lending items and props to this play—including, on opening night, an actual horse! The legendary Phil Murphy again lends his considerable skills to the lighting design, cleverly creating smooth transitions between scenes. Matt Torres is the costume designer, deftly handling a multitude of enormous challenges—mostly decisions about the amount of skin shown. The story is at times a bit confusing, but that doesn’t slow anybody down. There are misunderstandings and switches in the relationships—but it’s not about the plot, because that’s not what you came for. You came to laugh and see them thar muscles, right? You won’t be disappointed. As one of the characters exclaims: Holy corn pone! Those Musclebound Cowboys From Snake Pit Gulch is performed at 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m., Sunday, through Sunday, Feb. 9, at the Desert Rose Playhouse, 69620 Highway 111, in Rancho Mirage. Tickets are $34 to $37. For tickets or more information, call 760-202-3000, or visit www. desertroseplayhouse.org. —Valerie-Jean Hume
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FEBRUARY 13-17, 2020 Palm Springs Convention Center
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ARTS & CULTURE AMBIENT, PASSIVE, PLEASANT L
Zach Fleming-Boyles heads to the Backstreet Art District to combine his music and his art for the first time
By andy lara
a Quinta High School has produced many creative people, including singer/actor Tyler Hilton and singer/model Aubrey O’Day. While Zach Fleming-Boyles has not yet reached their levels of fame, he has accumulated local recognition—and he has a lot of big plans for 2020. He lives in Palm Springs with his two parakeets and works as the manager of school programs at the Palm Springs Art Museum, but in his spare time, he is a painter and musician. Using the moniker The Fat’s Sabobah—a name he the Coachella festival. But I’ve never been to claims “has no meaning” and is “search-engine Coachella. The city, yes, but not the festival. optimized”—he’s been making what he calls Crowds aren’t really my thing.” “ambient techno” since 2003. Fleming-Boyles grew up in the desert as an Fleming-Boyles played his first show in only child, and his parents instilled in him a four years at Bart on Dec. 30, and he is now love of performance. His mother was a writer, branching out and performing/exhibiting public speaker, teacher and performer; his in new and exciting ways. He will have an father was a drummer. exhibition at the new Tim J Leary Studios “I’ve always had a compulsion to make music,” at the Backstreet Art District throughout he said. “It’s been second-nature for me.” February, with a reception at Backstreet’s First He got started in the art world by doing Wednesday Art Walk on Feb. 5. From noon to 5 graphic and web design, before moving to paint. p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, Fleming-Boyles will “I think if you want to improve at something, perform his music as The Fat’s Sabobah at the you have to do it every day,” he said. gallery; he’ll also DJ songs that inspired him. He did just that, graduating with a degree in His paintings focus on a common desertart practice from the University of California dweller: the cactus. He has painted works as at Berkeley in 2009, where he focused on small as 4 by 5 inches, and as large as 5 by painting, performance and sound art. How 5 feet. He works with an almost-scientific about his technique? approach (always using live cacti as references), “There’s a lot of glazing, a lot of layers, and said he paints every day after work, building up the image one layer at a time, and spending three to four weeks on each painting. letting the colors underneath shine through,” Painting daily gives him a way to stay grounded Fleming-Boyles said. “My professor once said if in a traditional medium, he said, which enables I was born 500 years ago, I’d fit in with the old him to experiment in other ways. masters and their style.” “(The cactus is) a resilient object in one of He considers the Richard Diebenkorn, the most inhospitable places on the planet,” Giorgio De Chirico, René Magritte and Marcel Fleming-Boyles said. “The fact that they thrive Duchamp his biggest inspirations. in this environment—I think that’s fascinating. “I’m a big fan of the surrealists—and the They’re such bizarre plants, really alien-looking, desert is an extremely surreal place, especially which contributes to the whole surreal feeling growing up here,” he said. “I don’t know; maybe of the desert.” it’s the sun that gets to everybody and makes Fleming-Boyles counts Cristopher them a little bit weird. It’s a beautiful place. Cichocki—another desert-inspired artist, who Sometimes, when you’re out there in nature, is taking part in this year’s Coachella Valley out there in the desert, it feels like there’s Music and Arts Festival, aka Coachella—as a something out there. I don’t want to say magic, mentor, friend and inspiration. but it’s something. It’s definitely a surreal place.” “The whole neon orange I use in my Fleming-Boyles has previously exhibited at paintings is inspired by his work,” Flemingthe Coachella Valley History Museum in Indio, Boyles said. “He’s using all those day-glo colors, and at Flat Black Art Supply in Palm Desert. too. He’s taken his art to a more-conceptual His paintings are currently up at RD RNNR realm than me, with how he works with the (pronounced “roadrunner”), a new restaurant desert and how the desert influences his work. in La Quinta. He has also participated I feel I’m more of a straightforward guy who in “crowd-sourced art” in the form of an says, ‘This is a cactus.’ His work with the Salton experiment: He expanded a painted dot one Sea, and his installations, and all the colors are millimeter in size for every Instagram “like” it dreamlike, or more of like a nightmare scenario. received. Over the course of nine days, the dot It’s fascinating. got 452 likes—meaning he concluded with a “I’m looking forward to what he does for 452-millimeter dot. CVIndependent.com
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Zach Fleming-Boyles. George Marruffo
“I had a lot of fun experimenting and generating social-media interactive art,” he said. “It was fun to watch people’s reactions to the dot. People were cheering it on. I learned that art should be more interactive. People respond well if they feel they are contributing to the creation of art.” As for his music, his first band was a ska/ punk project in middle school called the Jaywalking Superheroes. The drummer from that band, Jon-Paul Lapeña, introduced Fleming-Boyles to Benjamin Benitez, the singer with a Coachella-based indie-rock band called Courtesy Knave (which to this day has a cult following); he performed with the band through high school. Around the same time, he also began composing electronic music as The Fat’s Sabobah, a name he said is just a “random thing my friend said. And I thought was just a funny thing.” He considers his music to be “ambient techno,” a term he said is oxymoronic. “My music started very tongue-in-cheek and instrumental, but I started adding lyrics and pop sensibilities, which are a new direction,” he said. “The songs serve as a musical diary of sorts.” Today, his setup is minimal—yet peculiar and tactile. He has a preference for analog synths and drum machines; he plays a Korg MS2000, a synthesizer he describes as “archaic.” But it works for him. As for inspiration, he credits Björk, Animal
Collective, Aphex Twin and The Postal Service as his favorite artists—and Daft Punk’s Discovery (2001) for igniting his interest in electronic music. Shortly after that album came out, he acquired a version of the digital audio workstation Fruity Loops and began making his own electronic music. In 2002-2003, he produced music for the game Flash Flash Revolution, an online Dance Dance Revolution simulator through which he made an internet friend named For Great Justice/SpookGoblin, with whom Fleming-Boyles credits for inspiring him to continue pursuing electronic music. Today, almost 20 years later, Fleming-Boyles has just more than two hours of material. He said the reason for his infrequent performances is that he dedicates more time to painting. “I wouldn’t even be doing electronic music if I was a better musician,” he said. Today, he considers music as his escape from painting—and at Tim J Leary Studios, his art and music will finally intersect. This will be the first time he displays his art and performs in one space. He said he recognizes some similarities between his approach to painting and producing music. “The way I work with color, and layering colors on top of each other, is very similar to how I layer various tones, melodies and rhythms in my electronic music,” he said. “I also consider my paintings to be ambient, passive and mostly pleasant—I would hope—and I think my music is that way, too.”
PALM SPRINGS CRAFT COCKTAIL WEEK 2020
The Raspberry Tart at Farm.
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PALM SPRINGS CRAFT COCKTAIL WEEK 2020
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PALM SPRINGS CRAFT COCKTAIL WEEK 2020
Welcome to the Fourth Annual Palm Springs Craft Cocktail Week Q: How does it work? A: Bars and restaurants across the Coachella Valley create a special craft cocktail—some create a whole special menu—or highlight one of their existing craft cocktails from Jan. 31 through Feb. 8. Some participants even sell the special cocktails at a discount! The participants then donate at least $2 from the sales of that special craft cocktail to our beneficiaries: The Desert AIDS Project’s Food Depot, and the LGBT Community Center of the Desert’s Community Food Bank. This is the fourth year of Palm Springs Craft Cocktail Week, and this week is our biggest ever. Find up-to-date details at PSCraftCocktails.com. Have questions? Call us at 760-904-4208! Q: What’s the Palm Springs Craft Cocktail Championship? Participating bars and restaurants have the option of sending one of their top bartenders to the Palm Springs Craft Cocktail Championship! This year, 10 participants (subject to change) are sending a bartender to compete for both the Championship and the Audience Choice trophy. (Yes, attendees get to try all of the drinks!) It takes place at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 5, at Moxie Palm Springs. Find more details on Page C5, and click on “Championship” at PSCraftCocktails.com for updates and to purchase tickets! A portion of the night’s proceeds go to our aforementioned beneficiaries, which you can learn more about on Page C10.
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Media Sponsor Open daily 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday 6 to 9 p.m. 6 La Plaza • 760-322-2724 Farmpalmsprings.com CVIndependent.com
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WINNER Best Dive Bar Best Place to Play Billiards
Homemade NY Style Pizza • Burgers • Hot Dogs Sandwiches • Salads • Appetizers •Beer • Wine • Cocktails
Happy hour daily 2-7 p.m., all day/nite Tuesday Nightly entertainment Outdoor patio
Open at 11:30 a.m. daily 74360 Highway 111, Palm Desert • (760) 636-5220 www.facebook.com/HoodBarAndPizza
71680 Highway 111 #F Rancho Mirage 760-779-5000 shabu-shabu-zen.com Offering the Sakura Cherry Blossom with sake mixed with blood orange soda and topped with a mint leaf, for $9! Other Craft Cocktail Week drinks will also be available!
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The Big Event
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WE NEED YOU; YOU NEED US READ US. FOLLOW US. ADVERTISE WITH US. SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS. BECOME A SUPPORTER OF THE INDEPENDENT. GET MORE INFORMATION BY CLICKING THE SUPPORTERS LINK AT CVINDEPENDENT.COM OR CALLING 760-904-4208
The fourth annual Palm Springs Craft Cocktail Week Championship will take place at Moxie Palm Springs on Wednesday, Feb. 5. The valley’s top bartenders will compete live for the coveted championship, as well as the Audience Choice award. Tickets include bites of food and tastes of all the competing cocktails; tickets are $40 in advance, or $45 at the door if any remain. Sponsored by George Dickel Rye Whisky and DeLeon Tequila, and benefiting the Desert AIDS Project and the LGBT Community Center of the Desert. The participants (subject to change): AC3: Cheyne Tiszai Bernie's: Jared Collins Farm: Carlos Argumendo (the 2019 Champ!) Giuseppe's: Rob Learned (the 2018 Audience Choice winner!) Jake's Palm Springs: Juan Hurtado Lulu California Bistro: Enrique Garcia Moxie Palm Springs: Rachel North Purple Room: Aaron Pond Tac/Quila: Jonathan Garcia TRIO Restaurant: Candyse Johnston Judges: Leslie Barclay, George Dickel Rye/DeLeon Tequila Brad Fuhr, Gay Desert Guide Raul Rodriguez, LGBT Community Center of the Desert Darrell Tucci, Desert AIDS Project Buy tickets at PSCraftCocktails.com CVIndependent.com
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Participating Bars and Restaurants VIEW PICTURES OF ALL DRINKS AND GET UPDATES AT PSCRAFTCOCKTAILS.COM!
AC3 Restaurant + Bar
Frank’s Bourbon Bar at the Purple Room
Offering the Crystal Clear, with Hornitos Cristalino tequila, fresh lime juice, agave, cilantro and Fresno chiles, for $13! $2 per drink donated to our beneficiaries. 45350 Larkspur Lane, Palm Desert; 760340-6069.
Offering Frank’s Final Word, with hand-picked Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select, green chartreuse, amaretto, freshsqueezed lime juice and burnt sugar syrup, stirred over one large ice cube, and garnished with a thick lemon peel zested and rubbed around the rim of a bucket glass, for $12 (normally $15)! $6 per drink donated to our beneficiaries. 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-322-4422.
Bernie’s
Offering the entire craft cocktail menu, including the Old Black Magic, with Empress 1908 Gin, Fever Tree elderflower tonic, and an orchid, for Giuseppe’s Pizzeria $12! $2 per drink on the craft cocktail menu donated to our Offering the Queen of Hearts, a dry wine cocktail that pairs well beneficiaries. 69830 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage; 760-202-4499. with the type of food at Giuseppe’s, for $10! $2 per drink donated to our beneficiaries. 1775 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; Draughtsman 760-537-1890. Offering a special three-drink Craft Cocktail Week menu! Specifics coming soon to PSCraftCocktails.com! $2 per drink on the The Hood special cocktail menu donated to our beneficiaries. 1501 N. Bar and Pizza Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-507-1644. Offering the Black Forest Martini, with peanutFarm butter whiskey blended Offering the Raspberry Tart, with muddled raspberries, tequi- with Irish cream and la, house-made Mandarin-raspberry agave, fresh squeezed raspberry liqueur, for $12! lemon, limoncello, sweet vermouth and a splash of house-made $2 per drink donated to raspberry-and-lemon-peel-infused mezcal, for $12! $2 per our beneficiaries. 74360 drink donated to our beneficiaries. 6 La Plaza Drive, Palm Highway 111, Palm Desert; Springs; 760-322-2724. 760-636-5220. award-winning
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Jake’s
Offering the Strawberry Kick, with Templeton Rye, fresh lemon juice and agave, shaken with rosemary and poured over a single rock and garnished with rosemary sprig and fresh strawberry, for $14! $2 per drink donated to our beneficiaries. 664 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-327-4400.
Kimpton Rowan
Offering the Bolivian Junglebird, with Bolivian brandy (Singani 63), Campari, pineapple juice, house falernum and cinnamon, for $14, at all of The Rowan’s bars and restaurants (4 Saints, High Bar, Window Bar and Juniper Table)! $2 per drink donated to our beneficiaries. 100 W. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs; 760-904-5015.
GayDesertGuide.LGBT
Lulu California Bistro
Offering The Derby, with Maker’s Mark bourbon, fresh lime juice, dry-orange Curacao and sweet vermouth, for $9.99! $2 per drink donated to our beneficiaries. 200 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-327-5858.
Moxie Palm Springs
Offering the Smoked Berry Bliss, with Sombra Espadin mexcal, fresh blackberries, fresh lemon juice and agave, plus candied basil, for $12! $2 per drink donated to our beneficiaries. 262 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-318-9900.
Revel Public House
Offering the Golden Thyme Out; price and description at PSCraftCocktails.com! $2 per drink donated to our beneficiaries. 140 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760325-9464.
Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill
Offering the Tamarindo Margarita, with fresh-made tamarind juice, Avión blanco tequila, fresh lime juice, and a mixed salted rim, for $10! $2 per drink donated to continued on next page
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Participating Bars and Restaurants
our beneficiaries. 350 S. Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760992-5641.
Shabu Shabu Zen and Sake Bar
Offering the Sakura Cherry Blossom with sake mixed with blood orange soda and topped with a mint leaf, for $9! Other drinks to be added for the week. $2 per drink donated to our beneficiaries. 71680 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage; 760-779-5000.
Tac/Quila
The heart and soul of Mexico
415 N. Palm Canyon Drive • (760) 417-4471 Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. every day • www.tacquila.com
Offering La Muerte, with mezcal, house-made roasted-almond syrup, house-made passion-fruit syrup, fresh lime juice, fresh grapefruit juice, Angostura bitters and cinnamon, for $14! $2 per drink donated to our beneficiaries. 415 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-417-4471.
TRIO Restaurant
Offering The Orange Impulse, with kaffir-leafinfused Tito’s vodka, agave nectar and fresh lime juice, with a gin-mint foam topper and lime zest, for $14! $2 per drink donated to our beneficiaries. 707 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760864-TRIO.
The Tropicale
Offering the Tropical Margarita, with muddled papaya, mango and pineapple, mixed with El Tesoro Blanco Tequila, a splash of triple sec and fresh mango puree, for $16! $2 per featured drink donated to our beneficiaries. 330 E. Amado Road; Palm Springs; 760-866-1952.
Zin American Bistro
Drink info coming soon to PSCraftCocktails.com! 198 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-322-6300. CVIndependent.com
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Brunch at Palm Springs’ only rooftop restaurant. Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Rowan 100 W. Tahquitz Canyon 760-392-2020 Reservations via OpenTable
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Moxie Palm Springs is a locally owned neighborhood bar designed to offer downtown Palm Springs an all-inclusive place to gather and celebrate; to find cheers and perhaps something new; to enjoy libations and games amongst friends—and to break in your dancing shoes! It is our mission that with every unique cocktail, every bit of food, and every opportunity for people to gather, the force of life that is Moxie is able to shine through.
Our Beneficiaries LGBT Community Center of the Desert's Community Food Bank
• daily happy hour • weekend entertainment • event specials 262 S. Palm Canyon Drive Downtown Palm Springs 760-318-9900 moxiepalmsprings.com
The Community Food Bank @ The Center is a flagship initiative that provides nutritional assistance for those in need. The Community Food Bank @ The Center provides food assistance to all qualified individuals without discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, religion, political persuasion, national origin, disability and/or covered veteran status. Every Thursday evening, the Center hosts a clean, safe and accessible Food Bank that provides FREE groceries for up to 275 households each week. Since 2008, The Community Food Bank @ the Center has been providing fresh produce, baked goods, meat, canned goods, dairy and more to low-income Riverside County residents in need of food assistance. The distribution of food happens at 610 S. Belardo Road.
Desert AIDS Project Food Depot
330 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs 760-866-1952 • Thetropicale.com CVIndependent.com
The Desert AIDS Project believes “food is medicine,” because a healthy diet, along with medication and doctor visits, is an important part of staying healthy while living with HIV. That’s why DAP operates its onsite Morris and Lila Linsky food depot, which provides both bags of groceries as well as food vouchers to fill the gap between what clients need and what clients can afford.
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COCKTAIL WEEK FEATURE: CRYSTAL CLEAR Hornitos Crystaliano Tequila, Fresh Lime Juice, Agave, Cilantro & Fresno Chilis BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER, HAPPY HOUR & THE BEST CRAFT COCKTAILS IN THE HEART OF EL PASEO SHOPPING DISTRICT
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Frank’s Bourbon Bar is a proud sponsor of Palm Springs Craft Cocktail Week
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PRESENTS
2020
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FOOD & DRINK
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Chartreuse, made by monks for centuries, may or may not work as medicine—but it definitely works in delicious drinks
BY kevin carlow
t’s the good ol’ plague time of year: If you haven’t been sick recently, you almost certainly knew somebody who was. Seriously, people: If you would all stop “giving up” drinking after New Year’s Eve (or New Year’s Day brunch), I think we could all avoid this. Skeptical, are we? Well, allow me to expound the wonders of the miracle liqueur, Chartreuse! If you read this column on a regular basis, you know I tend to avoid naming specific brands. This is an independent paper, and also the liquor companies don’t pay me. Sometimes, however, naming a specific brand is unavoidable—like when a spirit has such a unique flavor and proprietary process that there really are no substitutes. The king (pope?) of those brands is Chartreuse. It’s made under the supervision of monks, who follow mysterious protocols and recipes known only to them. It has been around long enough to have a color or two named after it, so that’s pretty OG. Most importantly to my theme: If you had been sick in the mid-to-late 1700s, had the means and happened to live a horse’s ride from a particular monastery in France, you probably would have been counting on it in some fashion for your recovery. OK, enough of the fanboying and apocrypha: Let’s get to the bottom of the green bottle. It turns out the history of this stuff is pretty interesting. If you want to read the entire thing, it’s available on the company website (Chartreuse.fr/en), but I will summarize it here. In 1605, Duc d’ Estreés gave the gift of a mysterious manuscript containing a recipe known as “The Elixir of Long Life” to a certain order of monks known as Carthusians (named after the Chartreuse Mountains, which became “Charter-House” to the English)—specifically, the ones residing in a small monastery outside of Paris. The order, founded by St. Bruno, encourages a life of silence and solitary living. I could go on, but since few people are as fascinated by the history of Western Monasticism as I am, let’s move along. The manuscript was confusing and complex, but a certain brother “cracked the code” of the manuscript in 1764, creating the “Elixir Vegetal de La Grande-Chartreuse,” a version of which is still made today. Sadly, this version is not available in the U.S.—but if anyone wants to smuggle a bottle in from France for me, I will pay you handsomely. Anyway, this “elixir” became quite a local sensation, and the monks eventually came up with a more readily consumable version we know today as Green Chartreuse, which has an all-natural green hue. This version contains 130 herbs, and the secret to its color is closely guarded. However, due to a couple of centuries of revolution, intrigue, monastic orders being expelled from France, Napoleon, nationalization and later privatization, the recipe did pass through
many hands at various points. All we need to know, for the purpose of this column, is that in 1840, the monks made a sweeter, less-potent Yellow Chartreuse—and ignited arguments among cocktail geeks 160 years later as to which version was the “real” one for the cocktail recipes of antiquity. The monks are back in charge of production, with two brothers entrusted to mix the herbs. As for the herbs, I covered a few of the key ones in a recent column—but I know you’re here for the drinks. So here are a few of my favorite modern recipes using each type of Chartreuse. (If you wonder why I left out the Last Word cocktail, well, I’ve been doing this column since 2016, and that would be beating a dead horse at this point.) The Greenpoint 2 ounces of rye whiskey 1/2 ounce of sweet vermouth 1/2 ounce of Yellow Chartreuse 1 dash each of angostura and orange bitters
The Chartreuse Swizzle 1 1/2 ounces of Green Chartreuse 1 ounce of pineapple juice 3/4 ounce of lime juice 1/2 ounce of falernum Mix in a tall, Collins-style glass with crushed ice using a swizzle stick, if you have one; otherwise, a barspoon works fine. You want the outside of the glass to be frosty; for easy handling, you can wrap a bar napkin around the outside. (I like to make mine look like a bandanna, but that’s optional, of course.) I like a mint garnish, but anything goes, including a lime wheel, pineapple or even basil, to switch up the aromatics. This one is from Smuggler’s Cove in San Francisco and is on the short list of “drinks I wish I’d invented,” but the credit goes to Marco Dionysos. Order one, and watch your bartender get giddy (or perhaps run to the back to Google it … no judgment; I’ve been there). If you make it at home, I suggest buying a spice-forward falernum, and not Taylor’s lighter version. Taylor’s will work in a pinch if you don’t
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want to make your own falernum. It’s better, though, to find yourself a bar with the “real stuff”; it makes for a much-more interesting cocktail. I am not a doctor, and the preceding does not constitute medical advice. Besides, everyone The Chartreuse Swizzle. Kevin Carlow knows only hot toddies cure the common cold. Enjoy some Chartreuse anyway! Kevin Carlow is a bartender at Truss and Twine, and can be reached at CrypticCocktails@gmail.com.
Opens February 21!
Stir; serve up with a twist of lemon. This one was created for the bar Milk and Honey by Michael McIlroy. This was one of the first of the New York “rye-revolution” drinks I encountered, right around the time I tried the Redhook. They had a theme going here: Manhattan variations named after Brooklyn neighborhoods. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s made with the green stuff; if they try, slap them away with a slice of greasy pizza. The Naked and Famous 1 ounce of mezcal 1 ounce of Aperol 1 ounce of Yellow Chartreuse 1 ounce of lime juice Shake; serve up; and it’s pretty enough without a garnish. I featured this one in a column last year on “four-part drinks” if you want the history, and it’s still in my regular rotation. People just can’t seem to get enough mezcal these days, so I thought I would mention it again. CVIndependent.com
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By brett newton
adies and gentlemen, the state of the local craft-beer scene is … puzzling. I’ve racked my brain for ways that I can approach this topic, and I’ve decided to just write what comes to mind. I wonder if it will get me in as much trouble as last year’s version of this column did. (Caring if it gets me in trouble, however, is something I cannot bring myself to do.) I’ve done something unusual for me and made a resolution for the new year: I’m trying a more Buddhist approach, to not let what could or should be happening (in my opinion, of course) cause me to suffer over what actually is happening. I don’t want my hopes for the craft-beer scene to overshadow what good exists here. comical game of musical chairs in the local With that ominous foreword, let’s get this brewery world. This is the spot where I show on the road. should note that I work for one of the local There have been some positive changes breweries, and I don’t like to mention names over the last year. Before I began writing this, when discussing them in this column due to a Will Sperling at the Ace Hotel and Swim Club possible appearance of bias. I feel like I’m just announced a barrel-aged beer festival, also as hard—if not harder—on my own brewery featuring ciders and meads, coming in March. than the others, but I’d rather just avoid the Some of the participants should include De whole issue. That being said, strap in for this Garde, Mumford, Bottle Logic, Bagby Beer roller coaster: A long-time head brewer went Company and Superstition Meadery (which over to another local brewery. The former makes world-class meads like the Peanut brewery then promoted someone with minimal Butter Jelly Crime, which is life-altering in its experience to the position of head brewer, and deliciousness). This is, by far, the best news for then proceeded to hire a head brewer from the valley’s beer scene, as we were deprived of a different local brewery to be the assistant the Rhythm, Wine and Brews festival last year brewer. I wish I were making this up as some (for a laughable reason). However, the RWB, sort of Twilight Zone episode for my own Props and Hops, and Brew in LQ festivals are amusement, but I am not. I hope it somehow really just get-togethers that also include some leads to better beer from all the parties craft beer, if I’m being honest. involved (and it tentatively seems to have This past year has seen an influx of some done so for one of the parties). Stay tuned and great breweries’ beers ending up in stores and decide for yourself; you’ll just have to forgive on tap in select places. I’ve noticed expanded my skepticism in this regard. lists of beer—like some of Bottle Logic’s barrelA series of beer dinners happened courtesy aged releases—at places like Whole Foods, of the Juniper Table at the Kimpton Rowan which stocks all of the beer cold. I cannot stress in Palm Springs. I helped with one over the how important that last point is. I just wish summer, and the food was fantastic. However, the Tap-In Taproom inside the Whole Foods they made the common mistake of just picking would get beer on draft that’s half as good some beers they liked and somewhat blindly as what’s on the shelves. (Remember, Brett: pairing them with these amazing dishes. Concentrate on what is and not what should be.) Overall, it turned out fine, but as far as beerIn other news, there was a somewhat pairings go, it was less than ideal. This is a
point I wish I could get to every chef who wants to put on a beer dinner: There is more to pairing beer with food than picking a beer, using it in the dish, and then pairing said beer with that course. I’ve been to events where the beer and the food was really well-paired, and it’s a magical experience for which every chef and beer-lover should strive. The best part is that there are so many right answers to the question of what to pair with any given dish; the only limits are beer availability and one’s imagination. The desert really has some amazing restaurants of all stripes, and I would love to see a proper beer dinner in the near future. In fact, if I have my way, there may be one soon enough. My last compliment and criticism is aimed at Eureka! Burger in Indian Wells. Last year, they changed some of the (in my opinion, far too many) “permanent” taps, and it resulted in the appearance of some beauties such as Modern Times’ Black House coffee stout, Beachwood’s Citraholic IPA, and Melvin’s 2x4 double IPA. They then proceeded to put the permanent beers they replaced on their rotating taps and sell them on their “Steal the Glass” nights for months afterward. As I’ve stated before, Eureka! is a place I frequent; I love the staff, the food, the whiskey, the cocktails and sometimes the beer that is on tap. However, I don’t think they prioritize craft beer very highly (and I’m fairly certain it’s not their leading moneymaker), and I don’t think the people making the decisions on which beers to purchase know much about the subject. Despite all of this, it is still a place I recommend, and I hope they will eventually “get it.” We now have considerable resources for bars here to have a killer craft lineup. The Amigo Room at the aforementioned Ace Hotel is leading the way in this respect.
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The opening of the Desert Beer Co. is one of the positive developments in the local craft-beer scene. Desert Beer Co. Facebook
I still have hope for our beer scene. It has grown a bit in the past year, including the opening of two small breweries, Desert Beer Company and Las Palmas Brewing. I have also seen some plans for another, larger brewery that I hope will happen sooner rather than later—but that is all I can say about that here. I bring it up only to say there is more change on the horizon, and I want to help build our craftbeer scene into something special and worthy of being in the shadow of the neighboring giants in Southern California. Higher standards, hard work, some imagination, some time and a bit of luck, perhaps, is all we need to get there. Brett Newton is a certified cicerone (like a sommelier for beer) and homebrewer who has mostly lived in the Coachella Valley since 1988. He currently works at the Coachella Valley Brewing Co. taproom in Thousand Palms. He can be reached at caesarcervisia@gmail.com. award-winning
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The second Palm Springs Wine fest proved the meaning of ‘California wines’ is shifting—in a most welcome way
JASON DAVID HAIR STUDIO
I
By KatieLOVE finn YOUR
HAIR
love California wine—but perhaps not in the way that you think. California wines are often described with adjectives like powerful, jammy, oaky, buttery, ripe, intense and concentrated—but it’s descriptors like these that make my stomach turn and have me reaching for the nearest can of Modelo. Yes, the flavor that have become Country Club andprofiles Cook Street synonymous with mainstream California wines are the veryPalm attributes I loathe in a wine. De sert In the world of wine geekdom, loving California wine—in all its over-extracted glory—is often associated with being a pedestrian midwives: The winemakers are simply there 760-340-5959 wine-drinker: You needed a wine to punch to guide the process along, protect the wines you in the face with its flavors and aromas in from harm during the various stages, and www.jasondavidhairstudio.net order to appreciate it. Bigger is better, right? interfere only to prevent tragedy. Otherwise, This is how the California wine industry you stay out of the way and let nature do its defined itself and how it found unparalleled thing. The result? Wines that are wild, diverse, success with the cocktail-to-wine converts. energetic and unapologetically honest. But there is another wine story beginning Much to my delight, I’m not the only desert to emerge—a story that is compelling and denizen who has a passion for the avant-garde exciting, being written by young, innovative wine styles making a splash in the Golden winemakers who are consciously choosing to State. Christine Soto of Dead or Alive wine break away from convention and forge a new bar in Palm Springs decided in 2018 that she California wine style. was going to create an entire wine festival This is the California that I love. These are dedicated to the “new California.” But this the wines that are creating a new definition. wasn’t going to be just any old trade tasting. That said, I would be remiss if I failed to No … she assembled a roster with the greatest acknowledge that this “new” style is really not emerging talent in the state, all under the new at all. very hip roof of the Ace Hotel and Swim Club These winemakers are embracing the in Palm Springs. way wine was crafted for hundreds, if Anyone who’s ever been to a large-scale not thousands, of years, before chemicals wine-tasting knows that, more often than and flavor manipulation—before “recipe” not, you will hold your glass out and receive winemaking and a desire for wines to always your taste from anyone but the winemaker. taste the same from year to year. Wines Sales reps, suppliers, importers, a temp from were supposed to be different, depending on the tasting room—all are decent ambassadors the vintage and where the grapes were from. of the wines they represent, but let’s be Wine was a time capsule that so beautifully honest: There’s nothing quite like having a reflected a time and place that could be one-on-one conversation with the person revisited with the pull of a cork. responsible for creating what’s in your glass. A friend of mine once used a brilliant This is just one of the elements of Golden analogy to describe this winemaking mindset. Grapes, as the Palm Springs Wine Fest is also He likened these guardians of the grapes to known, that make it so special.
Sandlands makes “forgotten classic California varieties, primarily grown in decomposed granite (sand), from regions and vineyards that have been farmed for many generations but have remained the outliers of California viticulture,” according to the Napa winery’s website. Katie Finn
Needless to say, the Palm Springs Wine Fest—dedicated to the fierce and determined California wine successors—is indeed a success. This December marked the second year of this gathering of talent—and for the second year, I found myself positively giddy as I wandered around the room, more than just a little bit star-struck. To my surprise, the winemakers and principals were just as happy to be here as I was to see them. Over and over again, I heard comments about how fun this tasting was, and how great the consumers were. They were so impressed with the thoughtful and genuinely curious questions that were being asked. The energy was palpable, and the vibe in the room was electric and brimming with happiness. There was zero pretense or snobbery—just a room full of passionate people, with the creators and the consumers equally appreciative of each another. Trust me when I say that this is not the norm. Many of the winemakers hadn’t been to Palm Springs in years. Some hadn’t been here since a childhood vacation, and others had
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never visited our sunny paradise. One thing was for certain, though: Everyone I spoke to said they love it here and want to come back. So, at the end of the event, we were left with happy winemakers, coming together in a stunning location, interacting with fun-loving and inquisitive patrons. Sounds like a good time to me. I have no doubt that Golden Grapes, or the Palm Springs Wine Fest, or whatever you want to call it, is going to become one of the most important wine gatherings in the country. It goes well beyond simply tasting fun, esoteric wines, and is actually setting a higher bar for future winemakers and producers—and represents a shift in consumer wine awareness. Now, I just need to be patient and wait for next winter to roll around. It just keeps getting better and better. 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. award-winning
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FOOD & DRINK INDY ENDORSEMENT This month, we declare that every day is taco Tuesday! By Jimmy Boegle
WHAT The carne asada tacos WHERE Baja Springs, 1800 N. Sunrise Way, Palm Springs HOW MUCH $1.69 separately; $8.99 combo plate (as shown) CONTACT 760-322-9988 WHY They’re packed with yummy meat. Tacos … is there a more popular food in the United States today? When you have the best basketball player on the planet, LeBron James, making “Taco Tuesday” a social-media sensation—to the point where he actually tried to trademark the term, but the application was denied because the phrase is too ubiquitous— that says something. Did you know, however, that tacos were not the first Mexican food to become popular in the United States? Friend of the Independent Gustavo Arellano, now a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, literally wrote the book on the subject: Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America. In 2012, he spoke with KCRW about how tacos became popular thanks largely to the food scene in Los Angeles—especially the birth of the taquito at Cielito Lindo on Olvera Street in 1934. This happened, however, well after chili became huge in San Antonio, and tamales were a craze in San Francisco. While the Coachella Valley’s restaurant scene has its pluses and minuses, we’re blessed with a lot of good Mexican food—especially tacos. It’s often said that the best tacos can be found in unexpected, hole-in-the-wall places, and while this is not always correct, it is in the case of Baja Springs: This small market, tucked away on Sunrise Way just north of Vista Chino in Palm Springs, has been churning out great tacos (and other Mexican fare) for years—but I only recently discovered it when the place came up on a food-delivery app. Pretty much every imaginable meat is stuffed into corn tortillas at Baja Springs, from chicken to fish to tripe to cabeza. While I haven’t been able to try all 12 of the tacos on offer, I can vouch for the fantastic carne asada tacos. They’re delicious—and only $1.69 each. All hail the great taco!
WHAT The Taca tacos WHERE The Sandbox Kitchen, 72301 Country Club Drive, No. 110, Rancho Mirage HOW MUCH $3.50 each CONTACT 760-565-6044; www.facebook.com/ TheSandboxKitchen WHY Perfect meats. At first, there was Taca Tacos, run by a young couple named Daniel and Aimie. Taca Tacos catered various parties and events—and began earning rave reviews. “Our food quality is something that we pay close attention to, and we serve nothing but the best!” Daniel wrote on Facebook. “Even our meats are cut by hand (by me!) to reduce as much fat as possible and ensure top quality. Our salsas are made with the freshest ingredients, and our tortillas are made the day of the event.” Then, in mid-2019, came The Sandbox Kitchen, a brick-and-mortar restaurant owned by Daniel and Aimee, in the strangest of spots—at the back of a medical/office building near the Eisenhower Medical Center campus. The Sandbox Kitchen offers breakfast items, salads, sandwiches—and those acclaimed tacos. I love a good taco, so I decided I needed to check out The Sandbox Kitchen. After one failed attempt (I tried to go on a day the restaurant was closed for a private party), I finally managed to make it for a post-holidays lunch. I ordered three tacos, Taca-style (which means they come with minced cabbage, crema fresca and chipotle aioli, and quesito)—one each with carne asada, chicken and al pastor. (Cauliflower tacos are available, too.) After a 20-minute wait—I arrived just after several other parties had ordered, apparently—I had my tacos … and I instantly understood what the Taca Tacos buzz was all about: The chicken was juicy and delicious; the carne asada was flavorful with a variety of textures; and the al pastor was fantastic—with a hint of a spicy kick. In summary … all three meats were perfectly prepared—and The Sandbox Kitchen has a new fan. CVIndependent.com
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ALMOST OPEN: ASIASF/PALM SPRINGS, TAKING RESERVATIONS FOR FEB. 8 AND BEYOND After visiting the original AsiaSF, I completely get it now. When it was announced last year that AsiaSF—a 22-year-old San Francisco cabaret and dinner theater featuring transgender women as servers/performers—would be opening its second location in Palm Springs, I was a little confused. Even after PR extraordinaire David Perry introduced me to founders Larry Hashbarger and Skip Young on a trip they made out here, I didn’t fully understand was AsiaSF was all about. So on a recent trip to San Francisco, I asked Perry if he could get me, my husband and two friends reservations to a Saturday-night AsiaSF show. He obliged (and got our meals and drinks comped, I should disclose)—and now, I understand: At AsiaSF, it’s all about the party … in a very good way. After a brief wait in the downstairs lounge—where the music was thumping—our party was seated in the dining/cabaret area. Our fantastic server soon came and took our drink order; all the drinks are named after the server/performers, so, of course, I had to order the drink named after her. Dinner at the San Francisco location is a three-course, prix-fixe deal, that for parties less than six costs $44 to $69, depending on the show day and time. You pick a starter, a main course and a dessert. (Parties of six or more get a family-style meal.) I ordered the seared ahi, the filet mignon and the lime tart, respectively. After we ordered, the announcer asked the packed house who was celebrating a special occasion. There were a couple of parties celebrating anniversaries; more parties celebrating anniversaries; and a lot of parties celebrating bachelorette parties. Then the music started; the crowd started cheering; and the first performer came out. These are not your normal, run-of-the-mill lip-sync performers. These trans women are beautiful; their routines are choreographed by Ronnie Reddick—and they’re wearing gorgeous outfits designed by Julian Mendez Couture and Prime Kreations of Los Angeles. The food came out after several songs, and it was quite good—rubber chicken, this ain’t—and though the portions weren’t exactly huge, the three courses filled me up. As dessert arrived (along with another round of cocktails), a second series of performers rocked the bar top/stage. By the time the show was over—a little less than two hours from start to finish— everyone was cheering. It truly was a good time. Given that Palm Springs has become a destination for people seeking a good time—bachelorette parties especially—I have a feeling AsiaSF/Palm Springs is going to do quite well. “Palm Springs is rightly known as one of the world’s top destinations for celebrating fun, fashion, food and family,” said Hashbarger in a press release. “AsiaSF is all about all of that. We’re a perfect fit for the desert: an oasis that not only entertains but also educates and enlightens people about the transgender experience and human diversity.” The AsiaSF/Palm Springs experience will be just a bit different than the San Francisco experience. For one thing, the space here is many times larger than the original South of Market SF space— including a poolside, outdoor event space being branded as the Sonoran, and spacious bar/lounge/ nightclub spaces. The opening preview party for AsiaSF/Palm Springs took place on Jan. 24, and after a series of invite-only test dinners for nonprofit partners like the Transgender Community Coalition, the LGBT Community Center of the Desert, Dezart Performs and Sanctuary Palm Springs, it will open its doors to paying customers on Saturday, Feb. 8. Asia SF/Palm Springs is located at 1555 S. Palm Canyon Drive. For reservations or more information, visit www.asiasf.com.
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IN BRIEF Peabody’s, at 134 S. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, has changed hands. Longtime owner Debby Alexander will be departing the karaoke and Bloody Mary haunt as of Feb. 1. Debby, you’ll be missed! Visit www.facebook.com/PeabodysPalmSprings for more. … Finally! The flagship location of Aspen Mills Bread Co., at 555 S. Sunrise Way, is again open after a lengthy fire-related closure. Get more details at www.facebook.com/AspenMillsBakery. … Now open at 49990 Jefferson St., Suite 110, in Indio: Tu Madres Cantina and Grill. It’s the sister restaurant to Cork and Fork and neighboring Heirloom Craft Kitchen; learn more at www.facebook.com/tumadrescantina. … Now open in the former Domo Sushi location at 13440 Palm Drive, in Desert Hot Springs: Sushi Bella. Call 760-219-1533 for more details. … Okura Robata Grill and Sushi Bar has a new location: 78480 Highway 111, in the old Las Casuelas Quinta space. Get the 411 at okurasushi.com. … A tip o’ the hat to Bongo Johnny’s Patio Bar and Grill, at 301 N. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, for efforts to be environmentally conscious. For starters, the restaurant has started using metal straws, and has switched from single-use half-and-half containers to metal pitchers. Learn more at www.facebook. com/bongojohnnys.
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26 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
FEBRUARY 2020
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Instigator talks about its influence and an upcoming new album Best Coast brings feel-good rock to The Alibi Palm Springs The Melvins bring 35 years of genre-bending to Pappy and Harriet’s the lucky 13: Meet a new frontwoman and a veteran frontman
February 2020 By matt king
www.cvindependent.com/music
After a lineup and vocals change, Throw the Goat works on a new album
Michael Feinstein
OLD GOAT, NEW TRICKS 29 photo by Keleigh Black
CVIndependent.com
The Venue REPORT
February is the month of love! It’s also leap month, so you have an extra day to enjoy all the amazing entertainment coming to the valley. Who doesn’t love that? My favorite event in Indio returns for its 74th year this month: The Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival makes its way to the Riverside County Fairgrounds February 14-23. The musical headliners this year are funk legend George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic (Feb. 15); Mexican banda icons Banda Machos (Feb. 16); an entire ’90s themed night featuring Vanilla Ice, Coolio, Tone Loc and Young MC (Feb. 21); breakout country star Chris Janson (Feb. 22); and fifth-generation Mexican mariachi band Mariachi Sol de Mexico. (Feb. 23). For just $10 (with discounts), you get these great musical acts, plus rides, food and countless other activities! For tickets or more information, visit datefest.org. Many notable acts are set to grace the McCallum Theatre stage; the theater has shows on 25 of the 29 February days! From Wednesday, Feb. 19, through Sunday, Feb. 23, you have six chances to come witness The TEN Tenors in action, performing new show Love Is in the Air, which will showcase their versions of the greatest love songs of all time. The Australian group has sold out the McCallum more than 30 times! Tickets are $50 to $100. At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 28, fivetime Grammy nominee Michael Feinstein is returning to Palm Desert. Experience music from the Great American Songbook with a show that has landed Feinstein many TV specials, and even a White House gig! Tickets are $70 to $130. McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert; 760-340-2787; www.mccallumtheatre.com. Fantasy Springs is hosting some premier music entertainers in February. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 1, Mexican treasure and mariachi titan Pedro Fernández is coming to continued on Page 31
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 27
FEBRUARY 2020
MUSIC
CVINDEPENDENT.COM/MUSIC
A MOVEMENT IN MOTION By Matt king
I
play in a couple of bands, and whenever I get recognized on the street, it’s a humbling experience. I feel honored that all of the hard work I’ve put into my music is paying off— especially when people tell me they love my band. But a few of those encounters have started with the person saying: “You’re from Instigator, right?” I am not—but I take the confusion as a compliment. In only a short few years, the local band has grown from a high school garage band could’ve squeezed inside of his body.” into a full-fledged force. The group’s thrashNow that the band members are post-high metal stylings and shared vocal duties create an school adults (sans new addition Willman), electrifying mix, and are available to blow out they have to face the music … literally. your speakers anytime via 2018 EP Built to Defy. “There’s less time for practice, because Listen to tracks like “Power” and “Tied Up” for we have to pay rent and go to our (college) some heavy vocals, head-banging instruments classes,” Wadlund said. “Being an adult forces and piercing guitar-solo sandwiches. The you to be out of the band for a little bit, but we release of the music launched them into local all try our very best to still meet.” stardom; the band has graced seemingly every Fischer added: “Our schedules are a little valley stage at least once, and has even been more flexible now, because we don’t have to catapulted into out-of-town shows. go to school in the morning, so we can always And, yes, you can count on there being a practice in the morning and still be able to go mosh pit. to work and pay our rent.” Instigator is Mark Wadlund on vocals and Has the addition of high-schooler Willman guitar; Jaxon Fischer on vocals and guitar; and thrown a wrench in any plans? Garrison Calkins on bass. Original drummer “Nick’s a good kid and has passed all his Joe Boomer recently departed; the new classes so that during his senior year, which is drummer is Nick Willman, of Pescaterritory this year, he gets out at (noon),” Wadlund said. and Silver Sky. “More often than not, that’s when we are just “We all met at school—La Quinta High waking up.” School,” Wadlund said during a recent sit-down That is a true fact: I met with the boys for with the band. “A girl had introduced me to the interview at 1 p.m. at Starbucks, where Jaxon, saying that he liked metal—and being they had their “morning coffee.” that I liked metal, I had to say what’s up. We I was curious when the members realized sang the riff to Slayer’s “Chemical Warfare” for the true potential of the band. five minutes, and then we became best friends. “Honestly, at our very first show,” Fischer said. “We saw Garrison around school wearing Added Wadlund: “We were playing for over (Metallica album) Ride the Lightning shirts and a year just practicing and writing songs, so our saw that he played bass, so we decided to get first-ever show, at The Date Shed, went really, together and jam. We then found Joe from the really well. We were also very nervous, but we drumline a few months later. This all happened pulled through and had an amazing set.” about four years ago.” Fischer said: “We did a cover of ‘The At that time, Wadlund and Fischer were Conjuring’ by Megadeth and ‘Black Magic’ by sophomores, while Calkins and Boomer were Slayer. I thought we played a lot of the songs freshmen. Little did they know what they’d horribly, but everyone thought we were really become. good, so it made us think, ‘We could do this.’” The band members talked about the favorite Wadlund conceded that their egos may have show they’ve played. been a little over-inflated in their early days. “The FACELIFT shows are pretty fun,” said “People think that you’re much better than Fischer, referring to the local punk band. you really are when you’re younger,” he said. “They’re crazy, gnarly backyard shows. It’s a “We started when we were 16 and 17, and mosh pit going on the whole time, and all the had our parents drive us around to all of the kids are just going wild.” shows. Now we’ve grown past that, and we’re Added Wadlund: “Yeah, we opened up for good because we practice. Yeah, we were good Doyle, guitarist of the Misfits, at the Whisky when we were young, but the real turning a Go Go in Los Angeles. It was the second point is being older and still being really good time we played there, and we even got to meet and impressing people. When you’re an adult, Doyle before the show. He’s 7 feet tall, very you get the most authenticity (in terms of vegan, and very buff. Garrison and I both feedback). People aren’t authentic with kids.”
A new album is coming soon. The members have returned to Brian “Puke” Parnell of Throw the Goat, who produced their Built to Defy EP. “Our producer is the busiest guy in the world; he doesn’t have a day where he’s not doing anything,” he said. “We’re on the very last inches of the mastering process. Compared to our first album, this album is going to be unbelievable. This new album is so fucking good that it will blow away what you think anybody in this valley can do. I want this to be something that the Coachella Valley can be proud of. I can’t wait for everybody to hear it.” When the Independent last featured Instigator, about a year and a half ago, Wadlund said he wanted to instigate a movement within the valley through music. So far, so good. “My mom used to work at La Quinta High School,” Wadlund said. “She would speak to admins and teachers, who would talk to troubled kids and tell them about Instigator. They’d tell them a story about these kids in high school that started this band to get their
Instigator talks about its influence on the scene, and an upcoming new album frustrations out into music. We played at the high school at a bunch for rallies, and we’ve definitely inspired kids there. … We exposed everyone to this extreme thrash metal that most of them didn’t even know existed. Just having it in front of their face with the doublebass drum kit and the Marshall stacks changed their lives.” Yeah, Instigator is indeed instigating something in this valley … hence my occasional encounter with someone asking me if I am part of the band. “It’s so easy for people our age to have this big ego and think that we are the shit, but that’s not the truth behind us and who we are,” Wadlund said. “We are excited to be doing this—not because no one else is, but because it’s something that we want to do, and we know it’s bettering the community. It’s getting people together that would not normally be together at all, for the sake of music and happiness.” For more information on Instigator, visit www. facebook.com/instigatorofficial.
Instigator. Greg Gendron
CVIndependent.com
28 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
FEBRUARY 2020
MUSIC
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RELATABLE ROCK B
By matt king
est Coast is back: It’s been five years since the Los Angeles-based rock duo of singer Bethany Cosentino and instrumentalist Bobb Bruno put out a proper album—and it’s been pretty lonely without them. The band’s 2010 debut, Crazy for You, exploded onto the music scene, with tracks like “When I’m With You” and “Boyfriend” becoming indie gems. Headlining tours; opening gigs for acts such as Paramore, Green Day and the Pixies; and the Alibi Palm Springs. release of two more albums only heightened “I think for me, music always sort of serves their popularity, yet we hadn’t heard anything as a therapeutic act,” Cosentino said during a new from the band since 2015 (not counting a recent phone interview. “I always write about 2018 kids’ album). Until now. my experiences and my life, and I try to keep Best Coast recently released two new singles things open in hopes that they are relatable to for upcoming record Always Tomorrow, due other people. A lot of the stuff that I talk about Feb. 21. “For the First Time” is a soft-rock on this record is stuff that I’ve been going tune with sparkling indie guitar and a great through for the past 10 years. It definitely synth line, while “Everything Has Changed” is helped and was very cathartic to get a lot of it a heavier track—yet the singing makes it more off my chest.” of a happy, uplifting song. Both singles feature Cosentino’s lyrics are one of the best parts lyrical content regarding life getting better, and of the Best Coast listening experience. Take will put any listener in a great mood. the emotional verses on “No One Like You”: “If You can catch Best Coast on Feb. 27—right I sleep on the floor / will it make you love me after the release of that new album—at The more? / If I pack up my things and leave / can I
Best Coast.
CVIndependent.com
Best Coast brings feel-good rock to The Alibi Palm Springs
still be the queen to your king?” “I’m always just trying to create something that people can connect to,” Cosentino said. “I feel like the music that resonates with me the most is the stuff that’s relatable—(music) that I can trace back to my own life and own experiences. I try to be a help to people with the music that I make, and I hope that people can relate to it.” Best Coast’s Palm Springs show is the first date on the duo’s first headlining tour in five years. “Touring is very fun, especially when you have new stuff to get out there and share with the world,” she said. “There’s a big shift in energy when you have new music and when you get to come back after some rest. Given that we haven’t done a headlining tour in five years, we are very restless. We’re definitely excited to get back out there and share some new stuff—and old stuff, too. We are stoked to revisit the live vibe.” The band’s name, obviously, references the West Coast. The band has more than a few songs about a love for California; the 2015 record is even titled California Nights. It turns out Palm Springs is a favorite place for the group. “I think the only time we ever played Palm Springs was when our last record came out,” Cosentino said. “We did this big event for Tumblr at the Ace Hotel, and it was really cool. “I love Palm Springs; it’s one of my favorite places to go. It’s an easy, chill, little getaway from L.A. I’m stoked to be playing a proper show there—and we’re bringing this band called Lunch Lady. One of my best friends in the world plays in the band, so it’s cool to get to bring them and expose them to a bigger audience.” With the addition of new songs into Best Coast’s repertoire, I was curious how the duo’s setlists will be organized for the tour. “We’re trying to figure out the best way to keep some of the classics and add in a bunch of the new songs,” Cosentino said. “We’re really excited about this new record, so it’s hard to pick which ones belong in the set and which ones feel like they won’t translate as well to a stage. We’re in the early stages of trying to figure out the exact set list. We’re not going to abandon the stuff we put up before, but it’s pretty tricky trying to figure out how to integrate it all when you have a new record out that you’re so excited to play songs from.” While each record by the band features a similar vibe, the influences differ from album
to album. The two new singles feature a more classic-rock vibe—a departure from previous Best Coast material. “A band that has always sort of been with us and influenced us is Fleetwood Mac,” Cosentino said. “I know it’s not maybe the most obvious influence, but Bobb and I both love Fleetwood Mac so much; we both grew up listening to them from our parents. They’re a band that we’ve always kind of tried to go to and see what kind of risks they took and what sort of changes they made. I think Fleetwood Mac is one of those bands (with which) every record they ever put out was always different than the last. “With this record specifically, we really tried to do something different without abandoning who we are as a core. It’s definitely a bit of growth, and a bit of a departure sonically and musically. We took some risks, and we tried some stuff; this record has a lot of classic rock ’n’ roll influences, which is something we’ve never tried too much of. A lot of bands that came out in the studio that we referenced were Thin Lizzy, Def Leppard, Fleetwood Mac and The Cars. We tried really hard to do our own version of ’70s and ’80s rock. It was cool to work with Bobb and sort of blend our two loves together. There’s a lot of heaviness in the guitars from Bobb—and a lot of poppy softer rock stuff from me.” The end of the 2010s saw Best Coast end up on a few “Best of the Decade” lists—as well as a few “Most Anticipated Albums of 2020” lists. “It’s always really cool to be recognized in any capacity,” Cosentino said. “For anybody to ever tell me that something I created impacts them in any way is always really nice to hear and really makes me feel valued. I’ve been doing this for 10 years, and there have been a lot of times when I’ve wondered if anyone cares. I’ve been my own harshest critic for a very long time. It’s very easy to dip into that headspace of, ‘Does anyone even care what I’m doing?’ To see our name appear on lists like that is always really cool. Not even (just) the lists—sometimes it’s cool just to see people tweet something or send me a little message on Instagram. … It makes me feel special to know that people care about what I’m creating.” Best Coast will perform with Lunch Lady at 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 27, at The Alibi Palm Springs, 369 N. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs. Tickets are $25. For tickets or more information, visit dice.fm.
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 29
FEBRUARY 2020
MUSIC
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NEW GOAT, OLD TRICKS L
By matt king
ocal music fans should be no stranger to Throw the Goat. The semi-local band—it’s based in Idyllwild—has been a dominant force in the music scene since 2011. Its brand of punk and thrash melds well with quirky lyrics on standout tracks like “Havin’ a Beer” and “Beef,” while more-political lyrics on “Melt Away” blend with pounding punk to create a sense of anger. The band went through a major lineup ad campaign,” he said. “It’s especially good change last year, with the addition of Derek that Facebook came out and said that they’re Timmons—of Sleazy Cortez and Death Pretty not going to touch or censor any political Wrapping—on bass, and the departure of ads—so we’re going to take advantage of that lead vocalist/bassist Mike Schnalzer. Brian and make the most-fallacious ads we possibly “Puke” Parnell remains the guitarist, and is can. We’re just trying to make fun of how now taking on lead-vocal duties, while Troy ridiculous it all is.” Whitford remains the drummer. I was curious to ask how Timmons is The band has now performed a handful of adjusting to the group. shows with the new lineup, and I recently sat “It’s been a pretty natural adjustment,” down with the Goat bros right before one of Timmons said. “I haven’t played really punky their practice sessions, which I was intrigued stuff in a while, and it’s been real fun. I had to learn are actually rather busy sessions— to work on my right-hand speed a little bit, that sometimes result in recordings. and it’s a more-aggressive vocal style then “We’re working on a new album right now, I’ve done before, but it’s been easy—and real so we’ve been writing and also going through fucking fun! I liked these guys before, so when the old Throw the Goat repertoire that Derek they asked me to play bass for them, it was still has to learn,” Parnell said. “It’s been a impossible to say no.” combination of learning old songs, learning Added Whitford with a laugh: “That’s the new songs and rehearsing what we already correct answer.” know and play.” Of course, with Parnell taking on the Whitford added: “Puke’s been bringing vocals, I had to know how he was adjusting to songs in that we’ll work on and start to feel the more-demanding role. comfortable with. Then when we go up to “I was just doing backup vocals before, so Idyllwild, at Puke’s studio, if we feel good it’s been an interesting transition,” Parnell enough about the song, we’ll spend the whole said. “I wasn’t going to do an impersonation practice tracking it.” of how the vocals (used to) sound, so I’ve just Clarified Parnell: “We have three new songs been going with what seems right and feels recorded, plus a cover so far.” comfortable. I’ve been working on improving Posts on the band’s social media have my stamina, because I did not have very much hinted that a new record is coming—with the vocal stamina in the beginning—I got very hashtag #votegoat2020 used on every post. tomato-faced and squeaky-voiced quickly. Parnell explained what’s going on. But it’s been working out pretty well, and the “We’re planning on doing our own political- feedback I get, albeit biased, has been good.” During the time I spent with the guys, I noticed how well they all play off each other, and how much fun they seemed to be having. They shared some highlights of their run together so far. “With this lineup, I think our best show was our Idyllwild show in early November,” Parnell said. “It had really great energy. We played for two sets, which we had never done before, with a lot of improv thrown in. I broke a string, so I had to change it while these guys were playing some jazzy number.” Added Timmons: “Another strong contender was our Halloween show, where we dressed up as (local metal band) House of Throw the Goat. Keleigh Black Broken Promises. It was suggested as a joke,
After a lineup and vocals change, Throw the Goat works on a new album
but we thought it was too good of an idea to be a joke. It was our first show (with the new lineup) in the desert, and we were dressed up as another band.” The guys shared some of the new recordings with me, and all I’m legally allowed to say is: They rock. If you think some of the songs mentioned in this article sound heavy, just you wait: Throw the Goat is planning big things in 2020. “We’re thinking about doing releases
throughout the year—putting out some new songs, videos, tours, etc.,” Parnell said. “Then, (we’ll do) more stuff toward election time so we can capitalize on all the weird political shit going on. For the tour, we’re negotiating for one- to two-week jaunts in the Midwest, along the coast, and more! “VOTE GOAT 2020!” For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ throwthegoat.
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AN INFLUENTIAL CONCOCTION F
By matt king
ew bands in the history of music have had a huge lasting impact, yet remained out of the spotlight, like the Melvins have. There’s no denying that the Melvins’ music has influenced many different genres—in part because the band never stuck to one sound. Sludge, metal, grunge, punk and thrash, all combined into one concoction—that’s the Melvins. After more than 35 years and close to 30 plans to stop anytime soon. They’ll return to albums, the Melvins are still here, piercing Pappy and Harriet’s for a sweaty, loud show on ears, blowing speakers and screaming at the Thursday, Feb. 6. top of their lungs—and the band has no “We’ve played there a bunch, I think maybe
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The Melvins bring more than 35 years of genre-bending to Pappy and Harriet’s
four or five times, inside and outside,” said legendary drummer Dale Crover during a recent interview. “I like inside more. Outside is a bit dusty. Pappy’s is always fun, though. We could easily play it once or twice a year. Every time we’ve played, it’s been sold out. The outdoor show we did was a part of the Stoned and Dusted festival with Fu Manchu and Brant Bjork—all that desert rock.” The Melvins are one of the hardest-working bands in music. If the 27-album discography on Wikipedia doesn’t express that enough, here’s more: In 2012, the band did 51 shows, in 51 states, in 51 days. (They made a really cool documentary about it, available on Amazon.) I spoke to Crover about the challenge of translating multiple decades of music into setlists across such frequent shows. “We never really look at our old records and say, ‘Let’s play this one!’ It’s more that we just remember old songs and bring them out,” Crover said. “We always try to have structure to the set: A third of it will be old material; a third will be the middle period, the last 20 years; and a third that’s somewhat new, maybe the last 10 years. Of course, we’ve always played cover songs. It’s just whatever we feel like playing. Sometimes we make setlists too long and have to cut songs. We’re starting fresh this year, so we’ll be concocting a new setlist, and it’ll be fun.” Crover said that with the Melvins, he’s been able to do many things he never dreamed of doing. “Once, we got to jam with Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon at the Roxy,” Crover said. “They actually invited us to the show to play with them, because Sean was really in to the record we had out at the time, Stoner Witch. They even had a song that was Melvins-influenced. It was very surreal but very cool at the same time.” Crover’s “legendary” title is much-deserved simply based on his Melvins work, but it’s important to note his other drumming duties: He has been a part time drummer for Nirvana, OFF! and Redd Kross—and has done two sets a night when the Melvins and Redd Kross toured together. “Redd Kross is different,” Crover said. “It’s definitely not as complicated as Melvins stuff— not as pounding, Neanderthal-style drumming. They’re almost a punk-rock band influenced by the Beatles. It’s Ringo, Keith Moon, Charlie Watts-style drumming, classic ’60s-type drumming. I’ve always been influenced by that stuff, though, so it’s not a new thing. I’ve been into those drummers for a long time. When I
The Melvins. Chris Casella
started, it was Peter Criss, because I was really into KISS, but the Beatles and the Monkees were the first bands I really got into. You can blame Ringo and Micky Dolenz.” The Melvins, unlike most other acclaimed bands, have refused to “sell out.” They have remained humble despite the gigantic footsteps they have left. “Certainly, if the Melvins hadn’t existed, you wouldn’t have one of the biggest bands that the grunge genre had,” said Crover. “We all came from this super-small, isolated area, and we definitely influenced all of those guys for sure. Soundgarden and a bunch of those other bands will cite us as influences, and it’s really cool. It’s weird to think about, and we try to keep our egos in check about it, but we definitely influenced a whole new genre of music.” As for the future, Crover promised this will be a great year for Melvins fans. “Usually, this time of year is when we’re working on recording,” Crover said. “We’re doing a bunch of that, and we have some stuff in the can. We’ve been doing some projects where we have bands we’re friends of, or that we’re fans of, come into the studio, and we’ll record each other’s songs. Not too long ago, we had the band Flipper come in, who were an influence on us for sure. We wrote a new song with them, and we covered some Flipper songs. We just had this band called Helms Alee, from Washington state, come in. We covered one of their songs; they covered one of our songs; we did a new one, and covered a Scorpions song. “We’re also working on putting together a podcast; hopefully that’ll be out very soon. I’m touring with Red Kross soon, and Buzz (Osborne) has a new acoustic record coming out soon, with Trevor Dunn of Mr. Bungle on upright bass.” Melvins will perform with Hepa.Titus and Cunts at 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 6, at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, in Pioneertown. The show is currently listed as sold out. For more information, call 760-365-5956, or visit pappyandharriets.com.
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The Venue REPORT continued from Page 27
town. With singing, acting, composing and conducting under his hat, the ranchera great is sure to put on a great show! Tickets are $49 to $99. Another Latin group is arriving the following weekend: At 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 8, Spanish-rock revivalists Caifanes will take the Fantasy stage. Tickets are $39 to $69. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 22, living legend Sheryl Crow is bringing three decades’ worth of hits to Indio. With more than 35 million albums sold, and nine Grammys won, Crow features singing and songwriting talent that will captivate any audience anywhere. Tickets are $69 to $129. At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 28, soul duo The Righteous Brothers is bringing the ’60s back to Indio. “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” is the most-played song in radio history! Tickets are $29 to $59. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-342-5000; www. fantasyspringsresort.com. Agua Caliente is set to host some great musical entertainers throughout February. On 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 14, the Make It Last Forever Valentine’s Day Show comes to Rancho Mirage. Come get in the loving mood with performances by Keith Sweat, 112, and Next. Tickets are $85 to $115. On Saturday, Feb. 15, at 8 p.m., ’80s soft rockers Air Supply are landing at The Show. Featuring eight Top 10 hits in the early ’80s, Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock can help you re-live the past. Tickets are $40 to $60. On Saturday, Feb. 29, at 8 p.m., famed singersongwriter Michael Bolton will perform. Come listen to a selection of his hits arranged for a symphony orchestra. Tickets are $55 to $75. Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-999-1995; www.hotwatercasino.com. Spotlight 29 is creating all sorts of excuses to party! The Tribute Concert Series continues in February, as you can watch tips o’ the hat to The Eagles, Aretha Franklin, Elvis and Neil Diamond, Fridays at 8 p.m. All the shows are $10, and promise to teleport you back in time to the original artist’s prime! At 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 15, beefcake comes to town in the form of Magic Mike XXL. With dance numbers inspired by Magic Mike movies, this male revue show promises to wow audiences with “choreographed routines, stage presence and steamy showmanship.” Tickets are $20 to $30. Spotlight 29 Casino, 46200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-775-5566; www. spotlight29.com. Pappy and Harriet’s, per usual, has a fantastic slate of music. At 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 20, rock-group The Blank Tapes will bring dreamy psychedelic tunes to Pioneertown. It’s a free show, so money is not an excuse for not being there! At 8:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 21, SASAMI will perform.
SASAMI
Previously of Cherry Glazerr, SASAMI put out her debut solo record less than a year ago—and it is everything an indie kid’s ears can dream of … if ears could dream, that is. Tickets are $15. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown; 760-365-5956; www. pappyandharriets.com. Toucan’s is featuring some great cabaret! At 7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 7, American Idol alum Melinda Doolittle will perform The Great American Soul Book. Expect hits from James Brown, Aretha Franklin and more! Tickets are $25 to $35. Continuing the theme of TV-singing-show alums: At 7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 14, come listen to Love Songs with Miss Frenchie Davis. Is there a better way to put someone in the Valentine’s Day mood? Tickets are $30 to $40. At 7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 21, laugh and get your heart (or liver?) warmed by A Tupperware Party With Dixie Longate. This hilarious show promises to demonstrate uses for Tupperware you never imagined. Tickets are $25 to $35. Toucans Tiki Lounge and Cabaret, 2100 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-4167584; www.reactionshows.com. The Purple Room’s February lineup is intriguing! At 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 7, and Saturday, Feb. 8, enjoy Linda Lavin’s Love Notes show. Come for hits from the Great American Songbook, and stay for Lavin’s stories about her acting career. Tickets are $50 to $60. On Saturday, Feb. 15, Chadwick Johnson comes to town. Expect original music from this Las Vegas headliner! Tickets are $30 to $35. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room, 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760322-4422; www.purpleroompalmsprings.com. The Ace Hotel is determined to make you laugh. The Belly Flop comedy series continues every Wednesday, with Barry Rothbart performing at 9 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 5. Go laugh out loud to Comedy Central and Showtime’s very own talent—and the show is free! Ace Hotel and Swim Club, 701 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-3259900; www.acehotel.com/palmsprings. The Date Shed is featuring local ska group Spankshaft at 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 22. Go support local music, and have a SKAriffic night! Tickets are $10. The Date Shed, 50725 Monroe St., Indio; 760-775-6699; www. facebook.com/dateshed.
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the
LUCKY 13
This month, meet an emerging frontwoman—and the frontman of one of the valley’s hardest-working bands by matt king
NAME Hannah Mills GROUP Milhan MORE INFO In the past year, I’ve had the pleasure of sharing shows with and attending performances by a new band called Milhan. The band will be playing at Little Street Studio in Indio on Thursday, Feb. 20; find out more on Instagram @milhan.music. At the helm of the group is Hannah Mills, whose vocal delivery and reverb-soaked guitar create a dreamscape. What was the first concert you attended? I grew up around a lot of music, but the first concert I remember being really stoked about and begging my mom to take me to was Panic! at the Disco. I had the biggest crush on Brendon Urie, and still do, if I’m honest. What was the first album you owned? An album released in 2002 by Joy Williams of Civil Wars. I was raised in the church, and she was a big Christian artist back in the day. What bands are you listening to right now? The list is so long, so I’m going to break this up into genres. French electronic: La Femme, Paradis, and Agar Agar. World music: Altın Gün, Tinariwen, and Vaudou Game. (Read the rest at CVIndependent.com.) What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? Soundcloud rappers. Sorry, not sorry. What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? Danny Elfman, who just so happens to be playing Coachella this year, so I’m pretty pumped about that! I’m really hoping he plays some Oingo Boingo tunes.
Holland DeschuymerE
NAME Samuel Gonzalez GROUP Avenida Music MORE INFO Avenida Music is one of the hardest-working music groups around. The band has multiple residencies; our readers selected Avenida as the Best Local Band in 2018; and we recently covered the group’s brand-new Little Street Studio performance/ teaching space in Indio. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/littlestreetmusic. The lead vocalist and—depending on when see the band—the possible bassist, guitarist or drummer is Samuel Gonzalez. What was the first concert you attended? When I was in middle school, my brothers and I went to see this Christian hardcore band called Seventh Day Slumber play at this church. What was the first album you owned? When I was a kid, my dad would bring me these EPs that he got at these ministry conferences from bands no one has ever heard of—good stuff, by the way—but when I was in high school, I saved up enough to buy Sound of Melodies, a Christian-rock album from my favorite band (Leeland) at the time..
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head? This question triggers me. My dad has this song that he sings specifically when he wants to piss me off: “Ain’t Got No Home,” originally performed by Clarence “Frogman” Henry, made popular by The Band (prior to Bob Dylan). It’s kind of become a running joke between my dad and me. What band or artist changed your life? Honestly, Tame Impala has played a huge part in my development as an artist. It’s just really inspiring to me that Kevin Parker is able to create such good songs and unique tones with his guitar and drums. You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? I’d love to talk to George Harrison about the book Be Here Now by Ram Dass.
What bands are you listening to right now? I recently have been riding on a Vulfpeck train! I’m super-obsessed with the band right now. What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? I’ve never been a fan of lazy music. Whatever genre it is, you can tell when a song was made lazily, or as a cash grab—and it usually does go viral if it’s catchy enough. What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? Again, I’m on a Vulfpeck train right now. I just recently watched their Madison Square Garden performance on YouTube! It’s so freaking amazing how they run around the stage and change instruments, and just have the time of their lives on up there. What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure? Definitely One Direction. I actually think their
Andrew cabral
later music is solid, and they definitely have a good writing and production team. What’s your favorite music venue? Little Street Studios … just kidding. I really like the Wiltern and the Greek Theatre. What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head? “I know that there’s a meaning to it all, a little resurrection every time I fall. You’ve got your babies; I’ve got my hearses. Every blessing comes with a set of curses. I’ve got my vices; I’ve got my vices versus. I’ve got my vice versus,” Vice Verses, Switchfoot. What band or artist changed your life? Switchfoot—some of the greatest performers and songwriters of our time, in my opinion. People sleep on them because they were a Christian “one-hit wonder” in the public eye, but their music has always spoken to me. You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? “Wanna jam?,” to the next Musician I run into. What song would you like played at your funeral? “I’ll Fly Away.” It’s a classic gospel song they’ve played at all my family’s funerals. Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time? The Nu Nation Project by Kirk Franklin was one of the only albums we had in the car growing up, and we pretty much memorized all 17 tracks. What song should everyone listen to right now? “Back Pocket” by Vulfpeck. Just do it!
What song would you like played at your funeral? “River of Happiness” by Dolly Parton.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure? Not (feeling) very guilty about this … I’m a huge fan of The 1975. I have been since they first released their Facedown EP in 2012.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time? If I had to pick one, it would be Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd; it may seem like a generic answer, but come on—that album can really take you on one hell of a journey. Tell me I’m wrong!
What’s your favorite music venue? I love the Teragram Ballroom in L.A. I just have a lot of fond memories of seeing some great bands perform there, and it’s pretty intimate, so that’s my go-to.
What song should everyone listen to right now? “People” by The 1975! Better yet, watch the music video. CVIndependent.com
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OPINION SAVAGE LOVE
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CUCKOLD ME!
Now that we’re married, my wife keeps putting off indulging in kinks; what should I do?
BY DAN SAVAGE
I
’m a 30-year-old bi male. I’ve been with my wife for five years, and we’ve been married nine months. A month into our relationship, I let her know that watching partners with other men has always been something I wanted, and that sharing this had caused all my previous relationships to collapse. Her reaction was the opposite of what I was used to: She said she respected my kink, and we both agreed we wanted to solidify our relationship before venturing down the cuckold road. Fast-forward a couple of years, and we are in a healthy relationship, living together, regularly visiting sex clubs (though playing only with each other), and beginning to add some cuckold dirty talk to our sex play. Then after I proposed, we got busy … with wedding plans. Sex and experimentation were set aside. Once we got married, we started … looking for a house. Sex again took a back seat. Life has settled down now, and when I bring up my desire to see her with other men, she tells me she’s willing, but the conversation quickly ends. I have suggested making profiles on various websites, but it doesn’t happen. Am I doing something wrong? I fear that saying, “Let’s make a profile right now,” is pushy, and I absolutely do NOT want to be the whiny, pushy husband. Any advice you might have would be amazing. Wannabe Cuckold Growing Frustrated So you don’t want to be pushy where the wife is concerned, WCGF—but you’ll send me the same e-mail a half-dozen times in less than a week. Look, WCGF, some people mean it when they say, “We can have threesomes/go to BDSM
parties/try cuckolding once our relationship is solid.” But some people don’t mean it. They tell their kinky and/or nonmonogamous partner what they want to hear in the hopes that after the wedding and the house and the kids, their husband and the father of their children (or their wife and the mother of their children) isn’t going to leave them over something as “trivial” as a threesome, a public spanking or cuckolding. Complicating matters further: Some people say it and mean it and then change their mind. To figure out what’s going on (and to figure out whether you’re doing something wrong), you’re going to need to risk being a little pushy—not about putting up a profile, but about having a conversation. You’re ready for this to happen; she tells you she is willing; but nothing ever happens. If she does want it to happen, what steps can you take together to make it happen? If she doesn’t want it to
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happen—if she never wanted it to happen— you need her to level with you. Remember, WCGF, she’s the one being asked to take the risks here—it’s her picture you want to put on a profile, not yours; she’s the one who’s going to potentially be meeting up with strangers for sex, not you; she’s the one who is risking exposure to STIs, not you. (Although you could wind up exposed, too, of course. But just because you’re comfortable with that risk doesn’t mean she is.) She also might worry that you’re going to want her to fuck other guys way more often than she’s comfortable with. There are a lot of solid reasons why she might have developed cold feet, and by addressing her concerns constructively—no face pics, no strangers, no cream pies, it can be a very occasional thing—you might make some progress. But if it turns out this isn’t something she wants to do—because she never did or because she changed her mind—then you have to decide whether going without being cuckolded is a price of admission you’re willing to pay to stay in this marriage. I did one of the things you always say is bad, immature and hurtful: I was a jerk to my girlfriend for weeks, because I wanted her to break up with me. I know it was cowardly. I think she is a great woman, but I just wasn’t into the relationship, and I let it go longer than I should have. I felt terrible that she loved me and I didn’t love her back, and I didn’t want to hurt her. My question is this: Why do you think sabotaging a relationship in this way is so bad? I’m glad she hates me now. She can feel anger instead of sadness. I didn’t want to be a “great guy” who did the right thing when the relationship needed to end. I want her to think I’m awful so she can move on with her life. If I said all the right things, that makes me more attractive and a loss. I’ve had women do that to me—break up with me the “right” way—and I respected them more and felt more in love with them and missed them more. I still think about them, because they were so kind and respectful when they dumped me. I prefer the relationships I’ve had that ended with hatred, because at least I knew we weren’t good for each other, and the end was no skin off my back. Isn’t it better this way? Annoying Shittiness Should Help Outraged Lovers Escape
Affiliate Chamber
Being a jerk to someone you’re not interested in seeing anymore in the hopes that they’ll dump you is never OK. It’s certainly not a favor you’re doing them, ASSHOLE, if for no other reason
than they’re unlikely to call it quits at the first sign of your assholery. When someone’s actions (jerkishness, assholery) conflict with their words (“I love you, too, sweetheart”), the person on the receiving end of crazy-making mixed messages rarely bolts immediately. They seek reassurance. They ask the person who’s being an asshole to them if they’re still good, if everything’s OK, if they’re still in love. And those aren’t questions the person being an asshole can answer honestly, ASSHOLE, because honest answers would end the relationship. And that’s not how the asshole wants it, right? The asshole doesn’t want to honestly end things themselves; the asshole wants to dishonestly (and dishonorably) force the other person to end the relationship. So the asshole says we’re good; everything’s OK; I still love you, etc., and then dials the assholery up a little more. Does the other person bolt then? Nope. The other person asks all those same questions again; the asshole offers up the same lying assurances; and the other person asks again and is fed more lies. This sometimes goes on for years before the person being emotionally abused by a lying asshole decides they can’t take it anymore and ends the relationship—often over the objections of the person who wanted out all along! Gaslighting isn’t a term I throw around often or loosely, ASSHOLE, but what you describe doing—and what you’re attempting to rationalize as a gift of some sort—may be the most common form of gaslighting. Nothing about being gaslighted in this manner makes it easier to bounce back after a relationship ends. It makes it harder. Yeah, yeah, your ex “gets” to be mad at you, but she’s going to have a much harder time trusting anyone after dating you, because your assholery will likely cause her to doubt her own judgment. (“What if this guy is lying to me, too?”) These brand-new insecurities, a parting gift from you, may cause her to end or sabotage relationships that could have been great. As for your worry that a person may wind up carrying a torch for an ex who ends things with kindness and respect: Well, torches have a way of burning out over time, and it’s even possible to will yourself to set a torch down, and walk away from it. But the kind of emotional damage done by actions like yours, ASSHOLE? That shit can last a lifetime. Read Savage Love every Wednesday at CVIndependent.com; mail@savagelove.net; @ fakedansavage on Twitter; humpfilmfest.com.
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OPINION COMICS & JONESIN’ CROSSWORD
Decade in Review: Fun Stuff From 2012 and 2013 by Matt Jones Across 1 It’s produced in a Van de Graaff generator 7 Glass with a radio cadence 10 Base times height 14 Garfield cat 15 “As much as you want” 17 Type of music video with a world record set in 2012 by 9,300 participants in Lindsay, Ontario 18 Book-based movie series that ended in 2012 with Breaking Dawn—Part 2 19 Q&A feature, on Reddit 20 Like Dali’s art 22 Spear-shaped fish 23 Need an ice bag 25 8-Down’s need 26 Home of the Nevada Museum of Art 27 Opera highlight 28 Actress Claire of The Crown 29 Becomes dim 30 2012 song that was YouTube’s most-viewed video until “See You Again” surpassed it in
2017 34 Yoko born in Tokyo 35 “___ Nub” (common name of the 1983 song called “Ewok Celebration”) 36 House vote 37 ___ Lipa (“New Rules” singer) 40 What China became the third country to achieve with the Chang’e 3 mission in 2013 43 ___ dab in the middle 46 Suffix with puppet or racket 47 Key West, e.g. 48 Minnow’s home 49 Sign of sorrow 51 Fascinated with 52 Go bad 53 Role for Smith, Cartwright, Kavner, or Castellaneta 55 Athlete’s knee injury site, often 57 Swedish duo with a breakup song that hit No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart in 2013 59 Game that The Price Is Right devoted all six pricing game segments to in a 2013 episode 61 Gillian Flynn thriller published in 2012
62 Bygone Toyota model 63 Drink from a flask 64 Red Sox rival, on scoreboards 65 Jousters’ horses
Afternoon of a ___” (Debussy work) 29 Dessert also known as crème caramel 31 Stooge’s laugh syllable 32 First Family of the Down 1840s 1 Parlor, in La Paz 33 2012 or 2013, e.g. 2 Boat with three hulls 37 Itinerary measure 3 2020 Best Supporting 38 Insecure, in a way Actor Oscar nominee 39 Mature 4 Talking bear film of 2012 40 “Daft Punk Is Playing 5 Occupied, as a lavatory at My House” band ___ 6 “From Peru to ___ hear Soundsystem the power of Babylon” 41 Freshen up, as lipstick (Philippine island 42 Annoying racket name-dropped in 43 Rosemary bits Enya’s “Orinoco Flow”) 44 Milk source, to a kid 7 They receive paper 45 Queer Eye food and assignments wine expert Porowski 8 Crew member 49 Easy basket 9 What a celebrity might 50 Atlanta research use at a hotel university 10 “Who ___?” (Les Miz 51 Arm of the sea song) 53 2012 AFTRA merger 11 Fixed illegally partner 12 Gas in fuel mixtures 54 Chooses 13 Team in a sign-stealing 56 Online outbursts scandal 58 Pos. opposite 16 Taking a sick day 60 Incensed feeling 21 Floor-cleaning robot 24 Sea ___ (Popeye villain) © 2020 Matt Jones 26 Peabody Awardwinning Issa Find the answers in 27 In bygone times the “About” section of 28 “Prelude to the CVIndependent.com!
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36 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT
FEBRUARY 2020
Desert Nightlife is being TRANSFORMED AsiaSF/Palm Springs is now open and accepting reservations
Dinner featuring award-winning Cal-Asian Cuisine Cabaret featuring the world-famous transgender Ladies of AsiaSF Dancing in “The Forbidden City” Cocktails in “The Lotus Lounge” Special events outside by the “Sonoran” pool club
For reservations: asiasf.com / (760) 249-2766 1555 South Palm Canyon Drive. Palm Springs
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