Coachella Valley Independent December 2015

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT | december 2015

VOL. 3 | NO. 12

Our Readers Voted on the Valley’s Best Best Businesses, Organizations and Groups.

Here Are the Results.

Page 14

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Mailing address: 31855 Date Palm Drive, No. 3-263 Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 904-4208 www.cvindependent.com

Editor/Publisher Jimmy Boegle Assistant Editor Brian Blueskye Art Director Andrew Arthur Advertising Design Betty Jo Boegle Contributors Gustavo Arellano, Victor Barocas, Max Cannon, Jeff Clarkson, Kevin Fitzgerald, Bill Frost, Bonnie Gilgallon, Bob Grimm, Alex Harrington, Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume, Brane Jevric, Keith Knight, Robin Linn, Tommy Locust, Marylee Pangman, Erin Peters, Dan Perkins, Deidre Pike, Guillermo Prieto, Anita Rufus, Jen Sorenson, Robert Victor The Coachella Valley Independent print edition is published every month. All content is ©2015 and may not be published or reprinted in any form without the written permission of the publisher.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 $1 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, Get Tested Coachella Valley, the Local Independent Online News Publishers, the Desert Business Association, the LGBT Community Center of the Desert, artsOasis and the Desert Ad Fed.

DECEMBER 2015

A Note From the Editor At most alternative publications, the “Best Of” is the biggest issue of the year. Advertising reps and readers tend to love “Best Of”; editors tend to loathe it.

Well, this month, we’re bringing you our second annual Best of Coachella Valley—and while I am indeed an editor, I don’t loathe this issue at all. In fact, it was a lot of fun to put together.

Of course, most alt-paper “Best Of” issues are much bigger and more complex than the Best of Coachella Valley 2015-2016.

That’s not to say there isn’t some heft and complexity here; we do have more than 115 readers’ choice categories, as well as a halfdozen staff picks, and an excellent feature on The Flusters, the group voted Best Local Band. But compared to, say, LA Weekly’s Best of L.A., this “Best Of” is tiny. But it’s bigger than last year’s Best of Coachella Valley. Next year’s will probably be even bigger.

Such is life at a (thankfully) growing, 3-year-old alternative publication.

While I can (and do) quibble with some of the readers’ choice results, I am quite pleased overall. A LOT of readers voted this year; thank you for that. This year’s winners are more geographically diverse, too; there are more eastern-valley businesses taking home awards.

Anyway, I’ve done enough babbling about the “Best Of.” Get thee to Page 14, and enjoy!

On a different note: I want to extend my sincere thank you to everyone who helped Brian Blueskye, Chill Bar and me at our Nov. 17 benefit concert for George and Chris Zander, the victims of a hate-crime attack in downtown Palm Springs.

Performers Paulina Angel, Johnny Elsewhere, The Flusters and Haunted Summer played for nothing or next to nothing; they have my eternal gratitude. Thanks also to everyone who donated raffle prizes, including Desert Rose Playhouse, Dezart Performs, the Desert AIDS Project, Lola’s Signature Touch, Gay Desert Guide, Contempo Lending, Jeffrey Norman and our gracious hosts, Chill Bar and Jacob, Anya and Kevin. (Forgive me, please, if I missed anybody.)

If you could not be there, check out some of Tommy Locust’s photos of the benefit on Page 13. If you want to help out the Zanders yourself, head to the Desert Stonewall Democrats’ GoFundMe effort at www.gofundme.com/qq87utyk. If you want to help after that campaign ends, drop me a line; my email address is below, and my phone number is in the column to the left. I’ll happily get you in touch with the Zanders.

Welcome to the December 2015 print edition of the Coachella Valley Independent.

—Jimmy Boegle, jboegle@cvindependent.com

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Coachella Valley Independent // 3

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DECEMBER 2015

OPINION

KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS For Better or Worse, All of Humanity Is in This Together

www.cvindependent.com/opinion

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By ANITA RUFUS have two local friends who hail from London: Rupert in Rancho Mirage, and Gillian in Palm Desert. They often laugh at how Americans react to their British accent.

“Well,” I tell them, “Americans can’t really differentiate between British, Australian, South African or New Zealand accents, let alone between North and West London. We just assume that if you have that accent, you must be smart and educated.”

Many of us have similar trouble differentiating between Vietnamese and Filipino, Japanese and Chinese, Saudi and Syrian, Egyptian and Liberian. They’re all either Southeast Asian or Middle Eastern or African—if we know enough to make those distinctions.

With what just happened on Nov. 13 (more than 125 dead in Paris), as well as what happened only a day before in Beirut (43 killed) and a couple weeks before that on a Russian plane (224 dead), it’s also difficult for us to differentiate between who is “us” and who is “them.”

I’ve written before about this tribal hangover in our evolutionary journey, whether about “mean girls” or

political correctness or motorcycle gangs or the local “us” versus “them” in Coachella after the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris earlier this year. It feels urgent to me that we consider how important it is for Americans to not only preserve our sense of security, but also act based on our values. If we can be pushed into knee-jerk policies based on fear— not unlike the internment of law-abiding and loyal Japanese Americans during World War II—“they” will have already won. There should be no fear worth abandoning our basic concepts of freedom, equality and respect for human rights.

After the most recent Paris attack—amid reactions that include concerns about accepting Syrian refugees, even if they’re fleeing death and destruction; rushing to commit troops to harm’s way; voicing political rhetoric without acknowledging the need for allies whose philosophies or way of life may be vastly different from ours; and a call to shut down American houses of worship (First Amendment be damned)—I had the great pleasure of interviewing Deepa Iyer (deepaiyer.com), author of a new book, We Too Sing America: South Asian, Arab, Muslim, and Sikh Immigrants Shape Our Multiracial Future. A South Asian American, born in India, Iyer immigrated to Kentucky at age 12. She has served as executive director of South Asian Americans Leading Together and is a senior fellow at the Center for Social Inclusion, as well as an activist in residence at the University of Maryland.

Iyer’s book chronicles some of the shameful incidents that followed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, including Islamophobia in the Bible Belt, the massacre at a Sikh gurdwara in Wisconsin, the violent opposition to an Islamic Center in Tennessee, and the demonstrations against

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building a mosque in Lower Manhattan. She also looks at public policies adopted after Sept. 11, like rampant profiling (as if we could suddenly distinguish between a Muslim and a Hindu—can you?).

Not coincidentally, we’re witnessing campus protests by young people who decry stereotyping, exclusion and hate crimes. The Black Lives Matter movement seeks to highlight institutionalized racism.

Iyer has a particular take on hate crimes: “Hate violence affects everyone in America. A hate crime affects not only the person being targeted, but the entire community to which that person belongs. Acts of hate violence can disrupt and affect even those who do not belong (to) the community being directly targeted.” She cites, as an example, the massacre in Wisconsin, where afterward, nonSikhs also experienced fear and anxiety and felt forced to change some of their behaviors.

Are home-grown hate crimes different from what ISIS is doing? Local bullies want a sense of power. ISIS terrorism is designed to frighten anyone who might be inclined to oppose their desire for power—including other Muslims. As a nation, if we react based on that fear by abandoning our principles and beliefs, including our historical willingness to integrate people from other cultural and religious traditions, then ISIS will have been successful in pushing their notion of “us” and “them.” ISIS wants to be seen as a legitimate state.

Granting that status to ISIS is antithetical to defeating what we should recognize as nothing more than a worldwide hate crime being perpetrated by armed bullies.

In addition to our revulsion at indiscriminate killings, there is at least a smidgen of a desire to distance ourselves from the possibility that in each of us, there still lurks that tribal impulse toward violence against “the other.” Being

“civilized” means we have mostly found ways to transcend those impulses; the choice of how to go forward must be informed by realizing that some members of our species are apparently still “uncivilized.”

We all have Uncle Joe or Cousin Amelia, whom we dread seeing because their behavior becomes obnoxious after the second glass of wine. Still, they are family—no matter how we might like to distance ourselves from the idea that we are in any way like them. It may not be all that different to fear seeing ourselves as capable of being at all like ISIS extremists. Yet abusive bullies live among us.

Despite political finger-pointing (Bush got us into Iraq; Obama pulled us out too quickly), we are where we are, and there are serious questions to be asked: Do we want to rush into combat for the sake of looking tough? Are we willing to once again increase American casualties? What about “collateral damage”—the killing of innocent women and children? Should we implement policies, created out of fear, that restrict the freedom of others, based on nothing more than what they look like, or which religious affiliation they claim, or where they come from? What are the consequences of both intervention and a lack of intervention? How much is already being done that hasn’t been made public?

These are public conversations worth having, and we need coherent and nuanced responses.

We must resist the temptation to see even ourselves as “us” and “them.” If we can’t even distinguish one accent or one nationality from another, maybe it’s time to realize there is no “us” and “them.” We are all Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Unitarian, Jewish, Scientologist, Mormon—and none of the above. We are Italian, Laotian, Moroccan, Polish, Jordanian, Irish, Iranian, Belgian, Ukrainian, Swedish. These are ways of distinguishing and identifying ourselves, but in the end, it’s all “us.”

The challenge is to educate ourselves about each other enough to not let fear turn us against our better natures. We can only hope that our more civilized selves represent the direction of our evolution away from mere tribalism.

We are all Parisian, Lebanese, Russian. Like him or not, Uncle Joe is also “us.” Alas, ISIS is also “us.” For better or worse, we’re all in this together. In the end, there is no “them.”

Anita Rufus is also known as “The Lovable Liberal,” and her radio show airs Sundays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on KNews Radio 94.3 FM. Email her at Anita@LovableLiberal.com. Know Your Neighbors appears every other Wednesday at CVIndependent.com.

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DECEMBER 2015

OPINION

The potted Desert garden Plant Your Garden Edibles Now!

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W

By Marylee pangman

e all move pretty fast these days.

I’m not talking about a physical race (although a lot of Coachella Valley residents are runners and bikers). What I mean is that over the last 50 years, life’s pace has gotten more and more hectic. Even many retirees I come across are very busy.

On the flip side, there is a movement toward “slow food,” across the country and even the world. This movement “officially” started in 1986 in Italy. The slow-food movement strives to build a region’s cuisine and encourages the local farming of plants, seeds and proteins distinctive of the local ecosystem.

As a result, more and more restaurants are sourcing local ingredients. There has also been a huge upswing in home gardens with vegetables and herbs, as well as an influx of chickens at home—and even some home beekeepers!

Those of us who don’t want to have a miniature farm at home can still enjoy a taste of freshness—right out of our own garden.

Winter in the Coachella Valley is a splendid time to be outside gardening, and pots are a perfect way to keep this endeavor manageable, even for the most hectic of lives.

Starting a Potted Edible Garden Place your pots in an area that receives approximately six hours of sun—preferably morning to early afternoon, rather than lateday sun. If you plan to grow anything edible in the summer, your pots will need to be shaded by 11 a.m.

When choosing where to place your edible garden, also consider the proximity to your kitchen. If you have to traipse across a large yard on a busy day, you might not be inspired to do so. If an area closest to your kitchen gets the required six hours of sun, it may be the perfect location.

I always preach that pots should have an inside diameter of at least 18 inches. They need to be large enough to support plants when they are fully grown—and even 18 inches is often not large enough to do so in our intense heat. As always, bigger is better.

Be sure your pots have adequate drainage, with at least one 1-inch hole which you will

cover with a coffee filter or window screen to filter the water as it drains out.

Edible flowers: pansies, nasturtiums, calendula, violas, roses, dianthus and marigolds.

Other Tips: • Cluster your edible pots for easy harvesting and care.

• Water in the early morning.

• Harvest early and often. The more you harvest, the more plants will grow.

• If we do get a cold snap, protect your tomatoes.

• If you start now, you will have some lovely edibles in time for holiday dining: Greens planted now can be harvested in as little as two weeks! Bon appétit!

Your December Potted Garden Checklist 1. Continue to plant winter flowers.

2. Deadhead faithfully, and selectively prune longer branches—especially in petunias.

3. Use your water-soluble fertilizer every two weeks with a hose applicator.

Marylee Pangman is the founder and former owner of The Contained Gardener in Tucson, Ariz. She has become known as the desert’s potted garden expert. Marylee’s book, Getting Potted in the Desert, has just been released. Buy it online at potteddesert.com. Email her with comments and questions at marylee@potteddesert.com. Follow the Potted Desert at facebook.com/potteddesert. The Potted Desert Garden now appears monthly in the Independent and at CVIndependent.com.

Materials Pots: For larger vegetables like tomatoes, broccoli and potatoes, you need one pot per plant. You can mix herbs, greens and other small plants in a large pot.

Soil: Get a quality potting soil from a local nursery. Fill your pots up to two inches from the top.

Fertilizer: Each time you plant, use a timerelease fertilizer and some organic granular fertilizer. When plants are established, use a water-soluble fertilizer every two weeks to keep food available to your growing plants.

Water: Your pots will need water almost daily, so either plan to have your hose on the ready, or hook up the pots to your dedicated pot-irrigation line. They need to be continually moist but not overly wet.

Plants: If you are just starting out, begin with only a few pots. Think about the time you have available to plant, care for and harvest your garden through the next five months.

Plant Choices Herbs: thyme, oregano, bay laurel, cilantro, parsley and mint. Be sure to keep mint in its own pot; it’s incredibly invasive.

Great winter vegetables for the Coachella Valley: tomatoes, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, onions, peas, radishes, potatoes, turnips and all greens, including lettuce and spinach.

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DECEMBER 2015

OPINION

ASK A MEXICAN!

!

Is It Smart for a White Old Fart to Retire to Mexico?

By GUSTAVO ARELLANO www.cvindependent.com/opinion

D

EAR MEXICAN: I’m an old fart with lily-white genes. I lived in Orange County, Los Angeles and the Bay Area for 20 years, yet I had scarcely any interaction with the Latino population. It wasn’t because I was anti-Mexican; I was just apprehensive. I felt like I was the stranger, the one who wouldn’t fit. It didn’t help that I’d hear crap like, “Don’t go to the barrio, man! You might end up dead!”

Strangely, it took some business trips to Monterrey and Oaxaca to change my perspective. These are people doing their best to get by, just like everyone else—with the same concerns and desires. The differences between us were mostly language, world view and style.

Once I got over that, I discovered I was rather comfortable there. In some ways, I fit better there than in my native culture.

Now I’m in the South, and I’m missing a large Mexican culture. I was glad when the housing boom lured Latinos here. If nothing else, I’ve been able to get much-better Mexican food. It’s a joy to be handed Spanish-only menus.

As I approach retirement, I’ve developed a yearning to relocate to Mexico, but not to the resort areas or expat enclaves: I want to go as native as my limited Spanish will let me. I’ll give it a test run, trying a few areas, before making the big jump. Do you have any advice?

Looking for a Peso Parachute DEAR GABACHO: So you’re telling me you didn’t care for Mexicans until you actually hung out with them? And now you’d rather hang out with us than your own kind? Can you tell that to the GOP presidential field?

Since you’re in the South, I’d stay there; the region has experienced the largest Mexican increase, percentage-wise, of any region in the U.S. Specifically, go to Louisville, and tell the U of L’s pendejo president that the only gabacho who ever wore a sombrero well was Homer Simpson—and that’s because his hat was made of NACHOS. DEAR MEXICAN: I live in East Harlem, which over the years has started to look much less boricua/plátano and much more mexicano— tamales have replaced pastels; you hear “güey” more than “mi pana”; and you can barely make out those smooth salsa bongos under the booming oompah of the ranchera music.

I’ve been to Los Angeles and Texas; the

mexicanos and Chicanos around those parts are some bad hombres. Around here, though, I notice that our local mexicanos are as quiet and polite as, say, Indian computer scientists. They say “please” and “thank you”; they never get loud on the train; and they’re always on their way to work or coming home from work.

What gives? Why aren’t New York Chicanos as tough as their West Coast primos? Why are they making the (ahem) native Nuyoricans and Dominican-yols look bad?

Also, a bonus question (because I know you like your queries as packed with questions as Volkswagens packed with gardeners): Who is más badass: a carnal with his khakis pulled up high, or a tíguere dominicano with his Jheri curl and plucked eyebrows?

En la Gran Manzana DEAR IN THE BIG APPLE GABACHO: I’ve written often in this columna about New York City’s unique Mexican makeup—read my book, and then read legendary food critic Robert Sietsema’s New York in a Dozen Dishes, which tells in better detail the history I’m about to recap here. The quick summary, of course, is that the vast majority of mexicanos in NYC come from the states of Hidalgo and especially Puebla, estados de Mexico historically associated with nice, industrious raza. Even the secondand third-generation kids tend to be more polite than, say, the spawn of folks from Jalisco and Nuevo León, who dominate the Mexican culture of California and Texas, respectively; Jalisco and Nuevo León are renowned for machismo.

The poblanos moving to New York put the rest of us Mexicans to shame with their upstanding character, their pioneering ways (let’s see you try to hold on to your Mexican culture far away from the Southwest), and their gargantuan cemitas poblanas (reference Sietsema).

Who’s more badass than a Chicano or a Dominican wannabe? A poblano—or, better yet, a poblana.

Catch the Mexican every Wednesday at CVIndependent.com. Ask the Mexican at themexican@askamexican.net; be his fan on Facebook; follow him on Twitter @gustavoarellano; or follow him on Instagram @gustavo_arellano!

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DECEMBER 2015

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Developer Nejat Kohan: Mayor Pougnet Discriminated Against Me HARC MAY BE CALLING The Economy’s Getting Better—but Not for CVEP december astronomy

www.cvindependent.com/NEWS Darrell Miller at Lakewood in 1979. JIM GOODRICH

The El Gato Classic, a signature skateboarding event, returns to downtown Palm Springs for a second year.

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UP IN THE AIR CVIndependent.com

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DECEMBER 2015

NEWS

MILLIONS DOWN THE DRAIN

Nejat Kohan Thinks He Was Discriminated Against By the City of Palm Springs While He Tried to Renovate a Historic Hotel www.cvindependent.com/news

N

By BRANE JERVIC ejat Kohan is an Iranian Jew who, like many immigrants (myself included), came to this country in hopes of creating better life.

Kohan’s dream was to become a big-time developer. One of the first projects he was involved with here in the desert was the reconstruction of the historic Spanish Inn—nowadays known as Triada—the iconic hotel on Indian Canyon Drive in Palm Springs.

The property has been a hot spot for Hollywood celebrities since 1939. Lana Turner and Elizabeth Taylor frequented there, as well as Howard Hughes and Alan Ladd. In 1995, Los Angeles-based investor Hormoz Ramy bought the deteriorating hotel; Kohan stepped in as his business partner in 2002. Kohan threw all of his financial resources, time and energy into the reconstruction, he said.

“The project I was working on was a massive undertaking,” Kohan said. “There are three complexes within the 65,000-square-foot lot. The underground parking alone is 14,000 square feet.”

Since the property was a historic site in the famed Movie Colony neighborhood, the renovation was done slowly and carefully.

“Many of the hotel’s precious 1930s tiles have been restored to their original condition,” Kohan

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said. “Most of the damaged Spanish barrel roof tiles were replaced by ones from old 1930s homes located in the L.A. area. It took a lot to make it right.”

While Kohan was focused on the details, the city of Palm Springs began placing requirements on the developers—including the Movie Colony Traffic Calming Program.

“At first, I considered the city’s request for a traffic plan as a normal procedure when such

reconstruction was under way,” Kohan said.

“The city approved the shared cost of the street improvement with the clause about reimbursements.”

According to Kohan, the deal looked fine on paper, as the city’s demands obligated other surrounding properties to contribute; both the Spanish Inn and the Colony Palms Hotel were asked to put in an estimated $100,000 each.

But by 2007, as Kohan has indicated in documented complaints to the city, trouble was brewing.

“The city approved a covenant for Colony Palms Hotel, reducing its share for the street improvement from $109,000 to $45,000, without my knowledge,” Kohan claims. “That left me to cover the $362,000 cost for that project and then seek reimbursements from several surrounding properties.”

Meanwhile, the cost of the street improvements skyrocketed.

“In 2008, I finished the street plan at the cost of over half a million,” Kohan said, “and the Spanish Inn reconstruction was delayed by it for two years.”

By 2010, according to Kohan, his complaints to the city regarding reimbursement were accumulating—with no visible results. Kohan said he was quite desperate, and that is when the city’s mayor, Steve Pougnet, called him.

“On Monday, Sept. 27, 2010, Steve personally called me around 5:30 p.m.,” Kohan said. “He said: ‘This is Mayor Pougnet. I’m going to come visit your project, the Spanish Inn, right now!

Would you also make a check for $500 to my campaign?’ I told him: ‘Yes!’ “The mayor came in a few minutes, and I toured him around,” Kohan continued. “The mayor told me that he was impressed with the progress of the project,” which was then about 80 percent completed. “I gave him the check. He spent about 10 to 15 minutes with me at the Spanish Inn.” Kohan gave at least three other checks to Pougnet, too—all dated on the 27th day of

a month, starting with a birthday check on Pougnet’s birthday, April 27.

“I attended the mayor’s birthday party in one of his friend’s homes and again donated the money to Pougnet’s campaign,” Kohan said.

“Later, I was invited to a party at the mayor’s residence and contributed again to his campaign.

I did feel that I was obligated to donate to Steve’s campaign in order to get his attention to Spanish Inn problems, particularly to the city’s agreement for the traffic plan.”

But it was all for naught.

“The city never paid anything for the traffic plan which was imposed as a pre-condition for building permits,” Kohan said.

After funding $7 million as a construction loan, the lender stopped financing the Spanish Inn project in 2011, Kohan said.

“I have lost about $2 million in my Spanish Inn investment and general contracting fees,” Kohan said. “Furthermore, there are some claims and liens up to $6.5 million for my personal guarantee. In 2011, the Pacifica Group bought the Spanish Inn in a trustee’s sale for $3.5 million.”

In 2012, the Los Angeles Times reported that the Colony Palms Hotel, about the same size as Spanish Inn, sold for $15 million.

Kohan said he questions Pougnet’s actions.

“I think I was discriminated against, and I believe that the discrimination was based on my origin,” Kohan said. “I also absolutely believe that Pougnet took advantage of my situation as a developer when he asked me for the donation.”

Pougnet did not initially respond to various requests for comment. However, after the initial version of this story was posted at CVIndependent.com, Pougnet sent responses to some questions that had been emailed to him. He said he recalled receiving one “unsolicited contribution from Mr. Kohan in 2010.” In response to a question about whether he discriminated against Kohan, Pougnet responded: “Absolutely not!”

Marcus Fuller, the Palm Springs deputy city manager and city engineer, confirmed the street modifications were a requirement imposed on both the Spanish Inn and Colony Palms Hotel by the City.

Today, Nejat Kohan is no longer a developer.

He is now an attorney—with an emphasis on business law and construction.

Coachella Valley Independent // 9

DECEMBER 2015

NEWS

Time for a checkup HARC Is Getting Ready to Once Again Look at the Coachella Valley’s Overall Health www.cvindependent.com/news

By JIMMY BOEGLE

I

f you live in the Coachella Valley, you may receive a phone call sometime early next year from a nonprofit called HARC—Health Assessment and Research for Communities.

HARC’s new board president, Bruce Purdy, says it’s vital for you to take that call, and answer all of the survey questions that follow—even if the questioning is lengthy and a bit tedious.

“The data we’ll collect will ultimately support and improve the health and well-being of the residents of the Coachella Valley,” he said. “It will provide an objective picture of the health of citizens in this community, and help create programs and policies that will help improve health of a whole lot of residents.”

It’s HARC’s job to conduct this survey of residents every three years, and then compile and release the results.

So, why’s it so important to have this data?

“We believe that in the last five years, grants have provided roughly $12.8 million in support to local nonprofits that used HARC data to justify their requests,” Purdy said.

It’s Purdy’s experience with one of those nonprofits, the Desert AIDS Project, that led Purdy—a semi-retired development economist—to get involved with HARC. Purdy sits on the Desert AIDS Project’s board, and saw how helpful HARC’s data was to DAP. “We’ve gotten so many grants because (we) have really good, analytical data (from HARC),” he said.

David Brinkman, the CEO of DAP, encouraged Purdy to join the HARC board, Purdy said. Dr. Glen Grayman, the chief population health officer and regional medical director of Borrego Health, had been the president of HARC’s board since it was founded in 2006, and oversaw the first three HARC surveys.

When Grayman decided it was time to hand over the reins to someone else, Purdy was tasked with becoming that someone else.

Purdy became the HARC board president in October.

The last HARC survey, conducted in 2013, showed the Coachella Valley’s collective

HARC board president Bruce Purdy: “We believe that in the last five years, grants have provided roughly $12.8 million in support to local nonprofits that used HARC data to justify their requests.”

health badly needed improvement. It showed a third of local adults between the ages of 18 and 64 didn’t have insurance. The data also showed high rates of hypertension, high cholesterol and binge-drinking, and that cancer rates and the number of children living in poverty were on the rise.

Of course, a lot has changed in the last three years. The economy has improved, and the Affordable Care Act has given more adults access to reasonably priced insurance plans. Purdy said he’s curious what the 2016 numbers will show.

“I’m really interested to see if the increase in people covered by Obamacare has helped, hurt or not changed at all the health and wellness of people in the valley,” he said.

Purdy said HARC is “inundated” with requests from nonprofits for various questions to be included in the survey. He said the 2016 survey will include deeper questions regarding two matters on different ends of the age spectrum: childhood obesity/earlyonset diabetes; and the various health issues the valley’s older snowbird population is facing.

Purdy said the survey includes about 160 questions, and that he hopes to get more responses than the 2,000-plus received during the 2013 survey. Kent State University will again conduct the survey.

“We are very proud of and excited about the work we do,” Purdy said.

For more information, visit www.harcdata.org.

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DECEMBER 2015

NEWS

A precarious partnership Some Cities Are Ending Support of the Valley’s Business-Development Organization www.cvindependent.com/news

By KEVIN FITZGERALD At the recent 2015 Coachella Valley Economic Summit, hosted by the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP), roughly 700 representatives of the valley’s elite employers listened to rosy reports about the current economy.

According to presenter Michael McDonald, of Market Watch LLC, job growth in the valley is at its highest level since 2005. Employment in the leisure, hospitality and health care sectors is at a 15-year high, while hiring in the professional/ business services sector is higher than it has been since 2008. Median home prices have rebounded to match prices in early 2008, when they began the free-fall precipitated by the widespread economic downturn.

It was a good day for CVEP, founded in 1994 “to promote a diversified, year-round economy by facilitating programs that stimulate job

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creation in key industries through business attraction, retention and expansion, and unite business and education leaders to create well-trained and educated future workforce.” CVEP published its first Economic Blueprint, described as “an ambitious, forwardthinking, market-based strategy to advance the region through the downturn (of 2009-11) and position it for long-term growth and prosperity,” back in 2009.

“The Coachella Valley is kind of an oasis that’s friendly to business (in a way) that you don’t get in other parts of our state,” CVEP’s director of marketing, Steven Biller, told the Independent.

“CVEP can do things as a group and as a region that the cities can’t do individually, because they don’t have the budgets or our negotiating leverage.

“The cities expect us to bring them business

and create jobs. That’s how we’re judged, and we’re trying to get the valley workforce built up to be able to take those jobs.”

CVEP has adopted a three-pronged approach to achieve these goals: Workforce Excellence, an effort to improve the local workforce through advanced educational and career opportunity; the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which assists startup and established businesses; and the iHub, which launches businesses and hopefully creates local high-paying jobs.

CVEP officials claim these efforts are paying off. At the SBDC, since 2010, more than 355 jobs have been created, with 223 jobs retained and more than $25 million in loans and equity generated. At the iHub, more than 30 companies have received assistance, resulting in 100-plus new full-time jobs. Through the Workforce Excellence program, 136 business organizations have engaged with valley high schools to impact career and college aspirations of 3,331 students—while providing 2,152 scholarships.

“We have a low college-attendance rate here in Coachella Valley, and CVEP is fighting that,” Biller said. “We give out between 300 and 325 college scholarships a year to kids going to community college and university. … We tend to have more scholarships available than we have kids applying for them. That’s a big story: There’s so much money being left on the table, it’s crazy.”

While the local economy is doing well, not all is well in CVEP’s world. Back in 2009, five-year funding agreements were reached between CVEP and Coachella Valley’s nine independent municipalities. Several cities have since reduced their funding commitment to CVEP—or eliminated it completely. Coachella, La Quinta, Indian Wells and Desert Hot Springs discontinued the funding, while Cathedral City ceased specific support of the iHub program, but continues its $25,000 annual contribution to CVEP overall.

Representatives of Indian Wells, Coachella and Cathedral City expressed a recurring theme: Budget shortfalls forced the funding curtailments.

Indian Wells City Manager Wade McKinney told the Independent: “The city’s economic position has been significantly affected by the recession and by the loss of redevelopment, and so our support to many Coachella Valley organizations was eliminated. We created a

community grant program with a fixed funding level of about $250,000, which increases consistent with city annual revenue increases.”

Would CVEP would be eligible to receive any of that available funding? “I believe they are eligible; you just have to be a non-profit, but I don’t believe they’ve applied to us for any grants,” McKinney said. “It’s certainly very competitive, and we receive lots of applications.”

CVEP’s Biller had a different take: “Indian Wells can find the money, but they just don’t want to,” he said. “Now they should, because what about all the people working in their resorts? Do they want good hospitality and hotel and restaurant work staff?”

Coachella City Councilmember V. Manuel Perez explained: “What caused us to make the unfortunate decision to opt out of CVEP for 2016 was the need for budget cuts. We had to cut our fire and police budgets, so we felt compelled to make cuts in other areas as well. Unfortunately, CVEP was one of those.”

Biller perceived a somewhat different cause for the Coachella City Council decision: “In the cases of La Quinta and Coachella, which just dropped their funding support, they’re more interested in retail business development, and we are not a retail organization, except through the SBDC. So those two cities are going to take the $10,000 each that they were giving to CVEP annually and make their own strategic choice to create a new entity they call the East Valley Coalition, and do their own retail outreach. The East Valley Coalition happens to be based in CVEP’s Indio office. So, although it sounds antagonistic, it’s not.”

Biller said he hoped cities would see the light and begin funding CVEP again at some point.

“Hopefully, in the future, people will understand that they should be part of a regional strategy, because a rising tide lifts all boats,” Biller said.

“We’re not going to stop providing scholarships to the kids in Coachella and La Quinta. We’re not going to stop serving businesses that come to us.

We’re not going to stop anything. That would be crazy, because it goes against everything that CVEP is about.”

Coachella’s Perez agreed with Biller. “This new East Valley Coalition’s main focus will be economic development in the eastern Coachella Valley, which is one of the priorities of the new Coachella City Council,” Perez said. “But we want outcomes that we can measure for success. It is my hope and the hope of the city that, after this year, we go back to CVEP.”

Coachella Valley Independent // 11

DECEMBER 2015

NEWS

SKATER SHOOTER

Photog Jim Goodrich Is One of the Legends Appearing at the El Gato Classic www.cvindependent.com/news

D

By BRIAN BLUESKYE uring the rise of professional skateboarding in the late ’70s and ’80s, one man involved in the industry became known not for riding a skateboard, but for the photos he took of skateboarding’s rising stars.

Meet Jim Goodrich. He’ll be one of the legends appearing at the El Gato Classic in Palm Springs, taking place Friday through Sunday, Dec. 4-6.

During a recent phone interview, Goodrich explained how he became a photographer.

“It really was an accident,” Goodrich said. “I had a photography class when I was in high school, but I was sort of a kid without direction back in those early days. My brother started skateboarding, and that’s what got me interested in it. I got a homemade board and didn’t really know anything about the skateboarding scene. I played around with photography while I was in high school and never really thought about it. I just wanted to skate like all kids do.

“I don’t know if I would say I wasn’t very good at skating. … Living in San Diego, skate parks hadn’t really come along quite yet, and I was skating in competitions, doing slalom with some of the best skaters in the world.

I was always pushing myself beyond what my skills were back then, and I kept falling and breaking body parts.

When my arm was in a cast, I decided to buy a cheap little camera and take pictures of my friends.”

Warren Bolster, of Skateboarder Magazine, is responsible for giving Goodrich entry into the photography world.

“Warren Bolster was a local in La Costa, so I saw him and got to know him,” Goodrich said. “I started bringing my slides up to La Costa to the skate park and showing them to the skaters. Warren walked over one day and said, ‘Hey, can I see those?’ He asked me if it would be OK to take some of them and put in the magazine. Of course, as a young kid, I’m going, ‘Ohhhh yeah!’ Six months later, he hired me on staff at the magazine. Given I was working at the magazine, it became tough to skate, because every minute I was skating, I was missing out on getting that one shot that would be in the magazine. Over the next year, I was skating less and less, and shooting more and more” During the ’80s, Thrasher magazine was showing skateboarders doing higher aerials and crazier tricks as the sport continued to evolve.

“Craig Stecyk is famous for a quote: ‘Go for what you know you can’t make,’” Goodrich said. “If I ever get my book finished, that’s definitely something I’m going to include, because I think it’s pretty priceless and pretty telling. But my philosophy was: It really mattered to me if the skater could pull off the trick. … I was really reluctant to shoot a skater I knew was just going for something for the photo, but couldn’t pull it off. We had this dialogue on Facebook when fans talk about my photos. They’ll ask, ‘Did they make that?’ My response 40 years later is, ‘Of course there’s no way for me to remember in certainty on any given shot.’ But one thing I can always say is, ‘That skater was able to pull off that trick, but he may not have

pulled off the one that was in that actual photo.’”

Goodrich said he’s not sure whether digital technology has made a substantial impact on skateboarding photography.

“In the early years of the digital cameras, they didn’t have a good dynamic range, so you’d end up with a lot of whites blown out, and the darks didn’t have detail,” Goodrich said. “The quality of the photos didn’t come close to film. But as the technology has advanced, it became better. Because I have a better camera, I totally embrace digital and don’t miss film. I feel like it has the dynamic range now.

“From the standpoint of working in any industry as a digital photographer, it’s cheaper, and it’s almost necessary, because clients expect to see the photos on a laptop in the scene. I would say there are too many positives with digital. Whether it’s made skate photography better or worse … it’s immediate; it doesn’t cost anything to speak of; and in some ways, it’s made a lot of photographers really sloppy. You can afford to motordrive or to shoot hundreds of photos and not be concerned about getting the shot you wanted to shoot, because you’re shooting so many photos that an idiot could get the peak action. … But I totally embrace digital now.”

These days, many print skateboarding publications are gone or on their last legs.

“I dealt with it on a very personal level with Skateboarder Magazine. In 1979, skateboarding was slowing down, and I don’t think anyone saw it was going to crash,” Goodrich said. “I went through the change with that on a very personal level at Skateboarder Magazine. In order to attract new advertisers, because some skate companies were going out of business, they went to BMX to rock bands to anything else they could cover to generate additional advertising revenue. … It was definitely a difficult transition, as it was dying and (relaunched as) Action Now, and I quit, just because I wasn’t interested in shooting the other things they were covering, but also because I couldn’t make enough money to support myself. ”

Goodrich said he agrees with El Gato Classic founder Eddie Elguera’s philosophy of honoring the past and championing the future. He said he’s looking forward to this year’s event after missing the inaugural event last year due to illness.

“I don’t go to too many skateboarding events; a lot of it is just too commercial for me,” Goodrich said. “I generally usually go to see my old skateboard friends, but I was really bummed I missed (the El Gato Classic) last year. I was really excited when Eddie said he was doing another one this year.

Guys like Steve Caballero, Lance Mountain, Tony Hawk and Mark ‘Gator’ Rogowski all came in during the early ’80s, and that really was the true renaissance of skateboarding, where it really found its roots, and we found out who we were. I do Steve Caballero at Mount Trashmore in love events like 1985. JIM GOODRICH Eddie’s that bring the old school and the new school together.”

The El Gato Classic will take place Friday through Sunday, Dec. 4-6, at various places in downtown Palm Springs; ticket prices vary. For tickets or more information, call 760-8323388, or visit www.elgatoclassic.com.

CVIndependent.com

12 \\ coachella Valley IndependeNT

DECEMBER 2015

DECEMBER ASTRONOMY

NEWS

Watch for a Moon-Venus Event on the Morning of Dec. 7 www.cvindependent.com/news

By ROBERT VICTOR In evening twilight in December, the Summer Triangle is well up in the west, getting lower as the month progresses. Its brightest member is blue-white Vega, at its northwest (lower right) corner. Altair marks the southern point of the Triangle, and Deneb the northeast corner, above Vega. Follow the Summer Triangle within the first hour after sunset until mid-January, when Altair sinks into the twilight glow.

Solitary Fomalhaut, marking the mouth of the Southern Fish, drifts low across the southern sky in December’s evening twilight.

From late in December’s second week into early January, try to find Mercury very low in the southwestern twilight glow; binoculars make the search easier.

Yellowish Capella climbs in the northeast, while to its lower right, ascending in the east-northeast to east, we find red-orange Aldebaran, eye of Taurus the Bull. This star is at opposition to the sun each year around the start of December, so as we gaze at that star, we face almost directly away from the sun. Low in the east below Taurus, rising into view during twilight in late December, we find Orion’s two brightest stars: reddish Betelgeuse marking one shoulder, and blue-white Rigel marking his upraised foot. Robert Frost, in the opening lines of his poem The Star Splitter, described the scene: “You know Orion always comes up sideways. Throwing a leg up over our fence of mountains … .” Rising just a bit later from Southern California are Pollux and Castor above it, the bright stars of Gemini, the Twins.

In December’s morning twilight, Venus, in the southeast, ranks first in brilliance. Next is Jupiter, high in the southern sky. Third is twinkling Sirius before it sets in the west-southwest, and next is a nearly three-way tie between Arcturus very high in the east to southeast, Vega ascending in the northeast, and Capella sinking in the northwest.

Before Rigel sets south of west, look for the Winter Hexagon. In clockwise order beginning at Sirius, its other members are Procyon, Pollux (with Castor), Capella, Aldebaran, Rigel and back to Sirius, with Betelgeuse inside. At month’s end, all that remains of the Hexagon in morning twilight is an arch, in order from west to northwest: Procyon, Pollux (with Castor) and Capella.

Regulus marks the heart of Leo the Lion, chasing the Hexagon across the sky. Regulus is within 0.5 degrees north of the ecliptic (plane of Earth’s orbit). Following Regulus and in line with it is an almost straight lineup of the planets Jupiter, Mars and Venus, and finally Saturn, emerging in the southeast by the middle of December.

Blue-white Spica, only 2 degrees south of the ecliptic, appears not far off the lineup of planets: Venus passed 4.2 degrees north of Spica on Nov. 29; contrastingly colored, dim, red Mars will pass 3.6 degrees

CVIndependent.com

north of that star on Dec. 23. By the latter date, Antares will have just emerged, some six degrees to the south (lower right) of Saturn.

One additional star appears on our December morning twilight chart: Deneb, rising in the far northeast late in the month, to the lower left of Vega.

Watch for these events: Friday, Dec. 4, morning: Jupiter is 5 degrees to the upper right of the moon.

Saturday, Dec. 5, morning: Mars is 5-6 degrees to the lower left of the moon.

Sunday, Dec. 6, morning: Spica is five degrees to the lower right of the moon.

Monday, Dec. 7, morning: Spica is midway between Venus and Mars, 10 degrees from each. A spectacular close conjunction of the crescent moon and Venus occurs in morning twilight. Continue observing after sunrise and witness a daytime occultation of Venus by the moon. From Palm Springs, binoculars and telescopes show the leading sunlit edge of the moon covering Venus well up in the south-southeast to south at 8:09 a.m., with the trailing dark edge of moon (invisible in daylight) uncovering Venus well up in southsouthwest at 9:59 a.m. Outside that interval, when Venus isn’t covered, this is a great chance to use the moon to help locate Venus in the daytime! Telescopes show Venus in gibbous phase.

I will hold three different sky watches, if the sky is clear, on the morning of Monday, Dec. 7: The first will be held from 5:15 to 5:45 a.m. to view the pairing in a dark sky before sunrise, as well to observe Jupiter, Mars and the bright stars; the next is from 8 until 8:10 a.m., to watch the bright edge of the moon cover Venus; and the last is from 9:55 to 10:05 a.m., to watch the invisible dark edge of the moon uncover Venus. All three watches will be held in Palm Springs, on the pedestrian bridge crossing over Tahquitz Creek, at Camino Real between North and South Riverside drives, three blocks north of Cahuilla Elementary School.

After Dec. 7, the waning moon can be followed for two or three additional mornings. On Thursday, Dec. 10, 40 minutes before sunup, try for the very thin old crescent, only 20-21 hours before new, very low in the east-southeast. Binoculars will be helpful for spotting it, and possibly emerging Saturn, rising within 3 degrees to the moon’s lower right.

Also watch for Saturn 6.2 degrees north of Antares (the minimum distance) on Monday, Dec. 21; Mars 3.6 degrees north of Spica (the minimum distance) on Wednesday, Dec. 23; and the moon 3 degrees to the lower right of Jupiter on the year’s final day.

Illustrations of these events appear in the Sky Calendar. For more information, visit www.abramsplanetarium.org/skycalendar.

The Astronomical Society of the Desert will host a star party on Saturday, Dec. 5, at dusk at Saw Mill Trailhead, at elevation 4,000 feet in the Santa Rosa Mountains. The society also hosts monthly star parties at the more conveniently located Visitor Center of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument; the next is on Saturday, Dec. 19, from 5 to 8 p.m. Get more information at www. astrorx.org.

Robert C. Victor was a staff astronomer at Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University. He is now retired and enjoys providing skywatching opportunities for school children in and around Palm Springs.

Coachella Valley Independent // 13

DECEMBER 2015

NEWS

www.cvindependent.com/news

SNAPSHOT

Around 8:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 1, Equality California field manager George Zander and his husband, Chris Zander, were leaving Hunters Nightclub on Arenas Road in downtown Palm Springs. They were holding hands when an unidentified male began to shout anti-gay slurs at them. The man then walked away.

When the Zanders reached the corner of South Calle Encilia and East Tahquitz Canyon Way, the man returned with an accomplice and attacked them.

In the resulting scuffle, Chris Zander suffered a concussion, as well as cuts and bruis-

es. George Zander, 71, was knocked to the ground and suffered a broken hip.

On Thursday, Nov. 12, Palm Springs police announced they had arrested Keith Terranova, 35, of Palm Springs. Among other things, he was charged with committing a hate crime.

As of our press deadline, police said the investigation—and, presumably, the search for a second possible attacker—remains active.

The attack hit close to home, for all sorts of reasons, here at the Independent. Editor/ publisher Jimmy Boegle is a friend of George, and both Boegle and assistant editor Brian Blueskye play in the same softball league as

Images From the Independent’s Benefit Show for George and Chris Zander at Chill Bar

Chris. We felt the need to do something to help.

With the help of Chill Bar, we assembled a benefit show, hosted by activist and counselor Richard Noble. On Tuesday, Nov. 17, Paulina Angel—a good friend of the Zanders—kicked off the event, and was followed by ukulele master Johnny Elsewhere. The Flusters—just voted the Best Local Band by Independent readers—then played a full set. Finally, Haunted Summer also played a full set, wowing the decent-sized crowd.

Thanks to donations and raffle proceeds, the show raised $564—a modest but helpful

PHOTOS BY TOMMY LOCUST sum. The proceeds were given directly to the Zanders, to assist with their mounting medical bills.

It should also be noted that on the night before, the Palm Springs Leather Brotherhood 2016 joined forces with the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus and Copa Palm Springs for a successful benefit concert for the Zanders; and that the Desert Stonewall Democrats ran a successful GoFundMe campaign to raise reward money for information regarding the suspects, and for the Zanders’ medical bills.

Here are some pictures from our benefit show.

Haunted Summer

The Flusters

Haunted Summer’s Bridgette Seasons

Johnny Elsewhere

Host Richard Noble and Independent publisher Jimmy Boegle, holding a donated shirt from Boy Pup Creations CVIndependent.com

14 \\ coachella Valley IndependeNT

Arts Best Art Gallery Coachella Valley Art Scene Runners up: 2. Heather James Gallery 3. CODA Gallery 4. Archangel Gallery 5. Hohmann Fine Art Best Indoor Venue McCallum Theatre Runners up: 2. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace 3. The Hood Bar and Pizza 4. The Show at Agua Caliente 5. Fantasy Springs Special Event Center Best Local Arts Group/Organization Coachella Valley Art Scene Runners up: 2. McCallum Theatre 3. Palm Springs Art Museum 4. La Quinta Arts Foundation 5. Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre Best Local Band The Flusters Runners up: 2. IIIZ (formerly The Yip Yops) 3. War Drum 4. Thr3 Strykes 5. R. Buckle Road Best Local DJ Alf Alpha Runners up: 2. DJ Day 3. Alex Harrington 4. House Whores 5. One4All/Tommy Locust Best Local Musician (Individual) Jesika Von Rabbit Runners up: 2. EeVaan Tre 3. John Robbins 4. Steve Madaio 5. Kal David

CVIndependent.com

DECEMBER 2015

On the surface, this “Best Of” package may seem pretty simple: It’s a list of winners and finalists in more than 115 categories, as voted on by Coachella Valley Independent readers, along with a handful of staff picks and photos—with a feature on the Best Local Band thrown in for good measure.

But if you look a little deeper, you’ll see these results paint a fairly interesting picture of the Coachella Valley as it stands today. For example: The fact that such varied and diverse local bands, musicians and DJs were chosen by our readers as winners and finalists points to an increasingly varied and diverse local music scene. If you peruse the places selected as winners and finalists in the various food and restaurant categories, you’ll discover the vast majority of them are locally owned places—pointing to an increasingly good local food scene.

On the flip side, you can find hints of deficiencies in the valley as well. For example: Because there are only three finalists in the Best Indian food category, one can guess there aren’t all that many Indian-food joints in the Coachella Valley. (In fact, you can guess there are probably three, give or take.) And a chain won in the Best Chinese category. ’Nuff said.

I could go on and on, but I won’t; I’ll simply leave you to the results instead.

Oh, one more thing (maybe two): Thank you to all of the many, many readers who voted—and congratulations to all of the winners and finalists.

Welcome to the Best of Coachella Valley 2015-2016!

—Jimmy Boegle, jboegle@cvindependent.com

Best Local Visual Artist Sofia Enriquez Runners up: 2. Michael Murphy 3. Elena Bulatova 4. Ryan “Motel” Campbell 5. Michael Weems Best Movie Theater Century Theatres at The River Runners up: 2. Cinemas Palme d’Or 3. UltraStar Mary Pickford Stadium 14 4. Camelot Theatres 5. Regal Rancho Mirage Stadium 16

Runners up: 2. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace 3. Empire Polo Club 4. Fantasy Springs Rock Yard 5. La Quinta Civic Center Best Theater Company McCallum Theatre Runners up: 2. Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre 3. Desert Rose Playhouse 4. Coyote Stageworks 5. Dezart Performs

Life in the Valley

Runners up: 2. College of the Desert Street Fair 3. Palm Springs Certified Farmers’ Market (Saturday) 4. Palm Desert Certified Farmers’ Market (Wednesday) 5. Palm Springs VillageFest Best Local Activist/Advocacy Group/Charity Palm Springs Animal Shelter Runners up: 2. Desert AIDS Project 3. Coachella Valley Rescue Mission 4. LGBT Community Center of the Desert 5. Mizell Senior Center Best Gym World Gym Palm Desert Runners up: 2. In-Shape Cathedral City 3. EOS Fitness Palm Springs 4. Palm Springs Fitness 5. World Gym Palm Springs Best Public Servant Congressman Raul Ruiz Runners up: 2. La Quinta Mayor Linda Evans 3. Palm Springs City Council Member Ginny Foat 4. Palm Springs City Council Member Paul Lewin 5. La Quinta City Council Member Robert Radi Best Yoga Studio Bikram Yoga University Village Runners up: 2. Coachella Valley Art Scene 3. Urban Yoga Best Bowling Alley Fantasy Springs Bowling Center

Best Museum Palm Springs Art Museum

Best Alternative Health Center Palm Springs Healing Center

Runners up: 2. Palm Springs Lanes 3. Canyon Lanes Bowling at Morongo

Runners up: 2. Children’s Discovery Museum 3. La Quinta Museum 4. Coachella Valley History Museum 5. Agua Caliente Cultural Museum

Runners up: 2. Desert Hot Springs Health and Wellness Center 3. Neuro Vitality Center (formerly the Stroke Recovery Center)

Best Auto Repair Desert Classic Cars

Best Outdoor Venue The Living Desert

Best Farmers’ Market Old Town La Quinta Certified Farmers’ Market

Runners up: 2. TIE Andy’s Auto Repair Palms to Pines Automotive 4. European Auto Service 5. OMAG Automotive Machine

Coachella Valley Independent // 15

DECEMBER 2015

Best Car Wash Elephant Car Wash/Rancho Super Car Wash Runners up: 2. La Quinta Car Wash 3. TIE Airport Car Wash Desert 100% Hand Car Wash 5. Red Carpet Car Wash Best Plant Nursery The Living Desert’s Palo Verde Garden Center Runners up: 2. Moller’s Garden Center 3. Moorten Botanical Garden 4. Bob Williams Nursery Best Pet Supplies PetSmart Runners up: 2. Cold Nose Warm Heart 3. Petco 4. Bones ‘n’ Scones 5. Pet Oasis Best Annual Charity Event La Quinta Arts Festival

Runners up: 2. Paint El Paso Pink (Desert Cancer Foundation) 3. Evening Under the Stars (AIDS Assistance Program) 4. Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards Gala (Desert AIDS Project) 5. McCallum Theatre Annual Gala Best Place to Gamble Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa Runners up: 2. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino 3. Morongo Casino Resort Spa 4. Spa Resort Casino 5. Spotlight 29 Best Local TV News KESQ News Channel 3

fast food CAN be healthy!

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VOTED 10 BEST IN THE COUNTRY BY

Runners up: 2. KMIR Channel 6 3. CBS Local 2

Acai and pitaya bowls – grab-n-go and packed with all-natural ingredients, no sugar goodness.

Best Local TV News Personality Bianca Rae, KESQ News Channel 3 Runners up: 2. Ginger Jeffries, KMIR Channel 6 3. Patrick Evans, CBS Local 2 4. Jenifer Daniels, CBS Local 2 5. Gino LaMont, KMIR Channel 6 see BEST OF CV Page 16

Raw, organic juices all made to order. Try our famous “BOMB” that everyone is talking about.

Ingredients your body can recognize and utilize!

All Natural Ingredients • Healthy Fiber Naturally

STAFF PICK Best Pastries Peninsula Pastries The cute little shop at the end of Palm Springs’ Sun Center strip mall isn’t a place to go for a co-worker’s last-minute birthday sheet cake, nor is it a place that serves trendy cupcakes.

No, this place is something much more unique.

Owners Helene and Christophe Meyer import flour from France to make classic French baked goods like croissants, turnovers, tarts and baguettes.

Yes, there are cakes, but they’re on the fancy side—think chocolate ganache, lemon-raspberry and Grand Marnier.

On most days, bread is available fresh from the oven at 1 p.m., but on Saturdays and during the peak of season, you may want to order ahead to avoid the disappointment of arriving at the bakery—and finding your favorite variety sold out.

—Jeff Clarkson

No Purée’s or Preservatives • Homemade Almond Milk No High-Fructose Corn Syrup

Now Taking Phone Orders

PALM DESERT Corner of Hwy. 111 & Monterey

LA QUINTA Washington & Hwy 111

760.837.9777

760.777.4666

PALM SPRINGS Corner of Sunrise & Ramon

DOWNTOWN PALM SPRINGS Near Tylers burgers

760.883.5888

760.778.3444

F r e s h J u i c e B a r .co m CVIndependent.com

16 \\ coachella Valley IndependeNT

DECEMBER 2015

BEST OF CV continued from Page 15 Best Radio Station KCRW 89.3 FM

STAFF PICK Best Band Transformation CIVX It’s been a turbulent couple of years for local band CIVX. The group played its first show in early 2014, and basically achieved overnight success: CIVX won a slot at the downtown Palm Springs Tachevah Block Party in 2014, and found itself playing Coachella just a few days later.

But all good things eventually come to an end. Earlier this year, CIVX parted ways with frontman and bassist Nick Hernandez. Guitarist Dillion Dominguez took over lead vocals—a move that forced CIVX to reshape its sound and write new material. The remaining members recruited Dominguez’s jam buddy, Clay Samalin—originally a guitarist—to replace Hernandez on bass.

The results of all these changes: CIVX came out on top, playing a session for Jam in the Van, releasing a cassette that included new single “In Trance,” and turning in some fantastic live performances. Dominguez has come a long way since stepping into the role of frontman, while Joel Guerrero’s drumming has become tighter and more intense.

Our prediction: CIVX will continue to make great strides in 2016. We can’t wait.

—Brian Blueskye

Runners up: 2. Q102.3 Classic Rock 3. Mix 100.5 4. The Bull 98.5 5. K-News 94.3 Best Local Radio Personality Jim “Fitz” Fitzgerald, 103.9 FM The Breeze Runners up: 2. Jeff Michaels, Big 106 (KPLM) 3. Bill Feingold, K-News 94.3 4. Dan McGrath, 103.1 Sunny FM 5. Joey English, K-News 94.3

Best Hotel Pool Ace Hotel and Swim Club Runners up: 2. Riviera Palm Springs 3. Renaissance Indian Wells Resort and Spa 4. La Quinta Resort 5. The Saguaro Best Sex Toy Shop Skitzo Kitty Runners up: 2. Not So Innocent 3. Red Panties Boutique

Fashion and Style

Best Bookstore Barnes and Noble

Best Clothing Store (Locally Owned) Bobby G’s

Runners up: 2. Crystal Fantasy 3. The Book Rack 4. Just Fabulous 5. Revivals

Runners up: 2. Grayse El Paseo 3. Wil Stiles 4. R&R Men’s Wear 5. Glossy

Best Retail Music/Video Store Record Alley

Best Resale/Vintage Clothing TIE Angel View Revivals

Runners up: 2. Best Buy 3. Barnes and Noble Best Comics/Games Shop Desert Oasis Comics

Runners up: 3. Gypsyland 4. Resale Therapy 5. The Fine Art of Design

Runners up: 2. Barnes and Noble 3. JB Sports and Varsity Jackets

see BEST OF CV Page 17

Bring in this ad and receive 10 percent off for Bad Behavior

73640 Highway 111, Palm Desert | www.skitzokitty.com CVIndependent.com

Coachella Valley Independent // 17

DECEMBER 2015

the best local band

‘Independent’ Readers Pick The Flusters as the Year’s Top Local Act

By BRIAN BLUESKYE It’s been quite a year for The Flusters.

The band formed in January. Soon thereafter, the group was booked to play its first live show, at Doo Wop in the Desert on Valentine’s Day. Now, just months later, The Flusters have been voted the Best Local Band by Coachella Valley Independent readers.

Frontman Doug VanSant said The Flusters came together after he carried around broken and busted love songs in his head for six years; those songs are now being pieced together to form The Flusters’ debut album, A Bird Named Chaos. VanSant is originally from Philadelphia and lived in Seattle for several years; he had been in the desert for a year before he began to seek out band mates to join him an indie surf-rock band. During a recent interview in Palm Desert, VanSant (guitar, vocals), Danny White (guitar), Chris O’Sullivan (drums) and Mario Estrada (bass) discussed their quick success.

“When we found out that we won, I thought, ‘What’s next?’” White said about the Best of Coachella Valley honor. “This is great, but what are we going to do next? We’re always moving forward.”

White then answered his own question: The recording of the album comes next.

“I’ve never done it before, other than crappy recordings that I’ve always done on phones or anything to record on,” White said. “I’m excited to get into a studio to do it the way we want to do it, and do it until it’s right.”

The Flusters have played more than 20 shows this year—and have not had to ask for a booking; the band has always been invited by venues or promoters.

“It’s still really hard to look at, and it’s weird,” VanSant said. “It seems like a long time ago—and it wasn’t a long time ago; it was less than a year ago—when we played our first show. We’ve said in interviews before that we’ve grown a lot, but I just can’t believe that we are received the way we are by the community. The members of the Hive Minds were hanging out with me in my living room before we played a show—one of them wearing a Flusters shirt. … It’s hard to say, ‘Yes, we deserve this as a band.’”

VanSant said The Flusters always have one specific goal in mind.

“For me, the master plan has always been to just come correct,” he said. “If you come correct, you find your real sound; you play it with all the heart you have in you; and you believe in what you’re doing, to the best of your ability.

We all do it as a unit, and we just keep being professionals. That’s a lot of why people take us seriously.”

VanSant’s surf-music vision has resonated with the other members, all of whom hadn’t played that kind of music before. O’Sullivan comes from a metal background, for example.

“We’re all growing,” O’Sullivan said. “I hear things in the sound and the music that I can’t achieve yet—not skill-wise, but just because I’m still developing for this group. For just this

BEST OF CV continued from Page 16 Best Furniture Store Mathis Brothers Runners up: 2. Revivals 3. Misty’s Consignments 4. Mor Furniture for Less 5. Scandinavian Designs (formerly Plummers) Best Antiques/Collectibles Store The Estate Sale Co. Runners up: 2. Misty’s Consignments 3. Antique Galleries of Palm Springs 4. Victoria’s Attic Antiques 5. The POP Shop Best Jeweler/Jewelry Store Leeds and Son Runners up: 2. El Paseo Jewelers 3. The Jewelry Bar 4. Hephaestus 5. B. Alsohns Jewelers Best Hair Salon J. Russell! The Salon Runners up: 2. Dishwater Blonde 3. Brien O’Brien Salon 4. Razors 5. Revive Salon Spa Best Spa JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa Runners up: 2. La Quinta Resort 3. Two Bunch Palms Resort and Spa 4. Studio M 5. Miracle Springs Best Florist My Little Flower Shop Runners up: 2. Rancho Mirage Florist 3. Palm Springs Florist 4. The Flower Company 5. Vaso Bello Celebrations

group, I’m relearning stuff I haven’t touched in years. I’m picking up my rudiments again—a lot of jazz rudiments and Latin percussion.

There’s some really sophisticated Latin percussion we could include.”

Estrada said he, too, is learning and has changed the way he plays music.

“I’ve always sort of been a sloppy bassist,” Estrada said. “… This has really changed my playing style. It’s way more precise. There’s a part in our song ‘Little Mexico’ where I do a bit of a run. We had a practice one day, and I was just like, ‘What am I doing? I’m not doing my part by playing this as precise and clean as I can.’ I sat down and got the fingering down, and I never did that before. I’m being forced to do this in a good way, to where I feel better as a bassist and better as a musician.”

VanSant explained what he hopes to see from the band when it begins to record.

“We curate our sound very carefully,”

VanSant said. “I think about every tone and every single note that’s hit. In the studio, it’s just going to get more involved, and we can add more layers to it. I’m super-excited, because our live show is a thing here on the left, and our studio album is this thing on the right. They’re both going to be great, and they’re going to be great for different reasons. I like to orchestrate, and it’s going to get very orchestral.”

While The Flusters obviously have numerous fans, VanSant remains humble and said he is surprised every time he meets someone who likes the band.

“I’ve heard from several people: ‘You have no idea how good you guys are!’” said VanSant. “I never think, ‘OK, well, you’re damn right!’ It’s just not the way I feel in my heart. … We clearly have no idea how many people we touch. This surprised the hell out of us.”

Best Tattoo Parlor The Tattoo Gallery Runners up: 2. TIE Adornment Piercing and Private Tattoo Strata Tattoo Lab 4. Art and Ink Tattoo Studio and Design 5. Contrast Tattoo Studios Best Eyeglass/Optical Retailer Costco Runners up: 2. Desert Vision Optometry 3. Ooh La-La de Paris 4. Desert Eyecare Center 5. Old Town Optometry

Outside!

Best Urban Landscaping Sunnylands

see BEST OF CV Page 18

CVIndependent.com

18 \\ coachella Valley IndependeNT BEST OF CV continued from Page 17 Runners up: 2. El Paseo 3. Palm Springs (downtown) 4. Rancho Mirage (general) 5. Palm Springs International Airport Best Public Garden The Living Desert Runners up: 2. Sunnylands 3. El Paseo 4. Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden at the PS Art Museum Palm Desert 5. Palm Desert Community Gardens Best Place for Bicycling Palm Springs (general) Runners up: 2. La Quinta (general) 3. Frank Sinatra Drive Best Recreation Area Joshua Tree Runners up: 2. Idyllwild 3. Indian Canyons 4. Whitewater Preserve 5. Tahquitz Canyon Best Hike Indian Canyons Runners up: 2. Bump and Grind Trail 3. Painted Canyon 4. Palm Springs Art Museum Trail 5. South Lykken Trail Best Park Palm Desert Civic Center Park Runners up: 2. La Quinta Civic Center Park 3. Ruth Hardy Park 4. Demuth Park 5. Francis Stevens Park Best Outdoor/Camping Gear Store Dick’s Sporting Goods Runners up: 2. Big 5 3. Yellow Mart Best Bike Shop Palm Springs Cyclery Runners up: 2. Palm Desert Cyclery 3. Tri.A.Bike 4. Mike’s Bike Truck Best Sporting Goods Dick’s Sporting Goods Runners up: 2. Big 5 3. The Sports Authority Best Public Golf Course Indian Wells Golf Resort Runners up: 2. Desert Willow Golf Resort 3. Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort 4. SilverRock Resort 5. The Lights at Indio GC

CVIndependent.com

DECEMBER 2015

STAFF PICK Best Local Musical Collaborator DJ Day DJ Day (Damien Beebe) has been holding down Thursdays in the Amigo Room at the Ace Hotel and Swim Club with his ¡Reunión! nights for several years now. While the DJ and producer is probably best known for ¡Reunión!, he’s gained a worldwide fan base due to his travels.

He’s also well-known for one other thing: He truly believes in the spirit of collaboration. For starters, he often shares his for ¡Reunión! night with other local DJs, such as Aimlo, Pawn and Pedro Le Bass.

Earlier this year, I interviewed Aloe Blacc, who has worked with DJ Day in the past. “He’s a great human being, and working with him is very easy,” Blacc said about DJ Day. “We both love the same music, and we speak the same language.

He sends me examples of music and songs he’s really interested in, and I try to make music that he’ll like. One of the markers I use in the studio is, ‘Do the musicians I’m working with really like this, and will my real friends like this?’ It’s not all the time that I hit that mark; sometimes I take a lot of risks, but for the most part, I think I’m making my buddies and DJ Day proud.”

Far too many DJs these days have a “me first” attitude. DJ Day does not—and that’s a beautiful thing.

—Brian Blueskye

For the Kids Best Playground Palm Desert Civic Center Park Runners up: 2. La Quinta Civic Center Park 3. Ruth Hardy Park 4. Demuth Park 5. Cathedral City Town Square Best Place to Buy Toys Toys “R” Us Runners up: 2. Target 3. Mr G’s For Kids 4. Big Lots

Runners up: 2. Wet ’n’ Wild 3. Children’s Discovery Museum 4. Boomers 5. Chuck E. Cheese’s Best Place for a Birthday Party The Living Desert Runners up: 2. Children’s Discovery Museum 3. TIE Boomers Chuck E. Cheese’s 5. Peaks Restaurant (Top of the Tram)

Food and Restaurants

Best Kids’ Clothing Store Old Navy

Best Casual Eats Eureka!

Runners up: 2. Revivals 3. Crazy 8

Runners up: 2. Lulu California Bistro 3. Stuft Pizza 4. Bill’s Pizza 5. Pho 533

Best Restaurant for Kids Chuck E. Cheese’s Runners up: 2. Red Robin 3. Islands 4. Ruby’s 5. Burgers and Beer Best Place for Family Fun The Living Desert

Best Caterer Lulu California Bistro Runners up: 2. Lavender Bistro 3. Dash and a Handful 4. Desert Cities Catering 5. Lynn Hammond Best Diner Keedy’s Fountain Grill

Runners up: 2. Elmer’s 3. King’s Highway at the Ace 4. John’s 5. Bit of Country Best Organic Food Store Whole Foods Runners up: 2. Sprouts Farmers Market 3. Clark’s Nutrition and Natural Foods 4. Nature’s Health Food and Café 5. Harvest Health Foods Best Delicatessen Sherman’s Runners up: 2. Manhattan in the Desert 3. Clementine Gourmet Marketplace and Cafe 4. Real Italian Deli 5. It’s a Deli Best Custom Cakes Over the Rainbow Runners up: 2. Sherman’s 3. Manhattan in the Desert 4. Pastry Swan Bakery 5. Exquisite Desserts Best Desserts Manhattan in the Desert Runners up: 2. Sherman’s 3. French Corner Cafe and Bakery 4. Over the Rainbow 5. Pastry Swan Bakery/Fix a Dessert House Best Ice Cream/Shakes Great Shakes Runners up: 2. Cold Stone Creamery 3. Ben and Jerry’s 4. Keedy’s Fountain Grill 5. Lappert’s Ice Cream Best Date Shake Shields Date Garden Runners up: 2. Great Shakes 3. Palm Greens Cafe Best Frozen Yogurt Beach House Runners up: 2. Tutti Frutti 3. Yogurt Island 4. Jus Chillin 5. Eddie’s Frozen Yogurt Best Bakery Aspen Mills Runners up: 2. Nothing Bundt Cakes 3. French Corner Cafe and Bakery 4. Over the Rainbow 5. Frankie’s Old World Italian Bakery Best Barbecue Babe’s Bar-B-Que and Brewhouse see BEST OF CV Page 20

Coachella Valley Independent // 19

DECEMBER 2015

“You’ll fall in love with Lulu.”

— THE DESERT SUN

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Open daily 8am for breakfast, lunch & dinner. Sunday Brunch 11am-3pm. Late Nite Fri & Sat 11pm–1am CVIndependent.com

20 \\ coachella Valley IndependeNT

DECEMBER 2015

BEST OF CV continued from Page 18 Runners up: 2. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace 3. Jackalope Ranch 4. Smoke Tree BBQ Bar and Grill 5. CV BBQ Best Burger Eureka!

Runners up: 2. Grill-A-Burger 3. Woody’s Burgers 4. Burgers and Beer 5. Smokin’ Burgers Best Veggie Burger Native Foods Café Runners up: 2. Eureka!

3. Grill-A-Burger 4. Lulu California Bistro 5. Woody’s Burgers Best Sandwich Sherman’s Runners up: 2. The Sandwich Spot 3. TKB Bakery and Deli 4. Manhattan in the Desert 5. Aspen Mills Best Pizza Stuft Pizza Runners up: 2. Bill’s Pizza 3. Piero’s PizzaVino 4. Matchbox 5. Giuseppe’s Best Wings Buffalo Wild Wings Runners up: 2. Upper Crust Pizza 3. TIE Bar The Village Pub 5. Lulu California Bistro Best Bagels Einstein Bros. Bagels Runners up: 2. New York Bagel and Deli 3. Townie Bagels Bakery Cafe 4. Manhattan in the Desert 5. Sherman’s

Best Smoothies Fresh Juice Bar Runners up: 2. Jamba Juice 3. Juice It Up! 4. Koffi 5. Nature’s Health Food and Café Best Buffet Grand Palms Buffet at Agua Caliente Runners up: 2. Emperor Buffet 3. Fresh Grill Buffet at Fantasy Springs 4. Oasis Buffet at Spa Resort Casino 5. Potrero Canyon Buffet at Morongo Best Coffee Shop for Coffee Koffi Runners up: 2. Starbucks 3. Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf 4. Ernest Coffee 5. Ristretto Best Coffee Shop for Hanging Out Koffi Runners up: 2. Old Town Coffee Company 3. Starbucks 4. Ernest Coffee 5. Ristretto Best Tea Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Runners up: 2. Teavana 3. Koffi 4. Starbucks 5. Ristretto Best Breakfast Wilma and Frieda’s Cafe Runners up: 2. Elmer’s 3. John’s 4. TIE Lulu California Bistro Spencer’s Restaurant Best California Cuisine Lulu California Bistro

Hot Classes and Room Temp Classes Showers and Changing Rooms 47 classes per week!

Bikram Yoga, Yin Yoga, Yoga Sculpt, Kids Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Light Yoga, Warm Vinyasana, Teen Yoga, New Moms and Babies Yoga, Mat Pilates, Pilates Power Gym. Bikram Yoga University Village 36869 Cook St., Suite 101, Palm Desert 760-346-BYUV (2988) | byuvpd.com CVIndependent.com

STAFF PICK Best Community Ambassador Clifton Tatum, Mr. Palm Springs Leather 2015 The leather community is full of sort-of-but-not-really contradictions: On one hand, the community has a very sexual and kinky focus. On the other, it’s serviceoriented; you’d be hard-pressed to find many groups that do more fundraising for fantastic local causes.

On one hand, the community is dominated by gay men; on the other, the Palm Springs Leather Order of the Desert recently held a brunch for women during Leather Pride.

Here’s what I mean by sort-of-but-not-really contradictions: Why can’t a group that focuses on kink and sex also focus on helping others? Why can’t women be at home in the leather community?

Until this year’s Leather Pride, which took place in early November, the local leather community’s official ambassador was Clifton Tatum—a strikingly handsome, muscled, 57-year-old retired Department of Corrections counselor.

Tatum perfectly represented the notreally dichotomy of the local leather community: He is sexy as all hell, and looks mighty fine in a jock strap—and he cares, deeply, about the Coachella Valley. He cares so deeply, in fact, that he spent his title year tirelessly raising funds for four local LGBT-youth charities.

In the end, he raised more than $20,000—and bemoaned the fact that he didn’t raise more—all while representing the leather community with class and style in both mainstream and not-so-mainstream circles. (Full disclosure: I helped him at several fundraising events.)

Christopher Durbin, the newly crowned Mr. Palm Springs Leather 2016, has big shoes to fill—figuratively and literally.

—Jimmy Boegle

Runners up: 2. TIE Trio Zin American Bistro 4. Tropicale 5. Copley’s on Palm Canyon

Runners up: 2. Koutouki Greek Estiatorio 3. TIE Miro’s Restaurant Nina’s Greek Cuisine 5. Santorini Gyro Hamburger/Greek Food and Grill

Best Brunch Spencer’s Restaurant

Best French Le Vallauris

Runners up: 2. Lulu California Bistro 3. Escena Lounge and Grill 4. Vue Grille and Bar 5. Tropicale

Runners up: 2. La Brasserie 3. Pomme Frite 4. Cuistot 5. Chez Pierre

Best Chinese P.F. Chang’s

Best Indian India Oven

Runners up: 2. City Wok 3. Wang’s in the Desert 4. China 8 5. New Fortune

Runners up: 2. Monsoon Indian Cuisine 3. Naan House

Best Greek Greek Islands Restaurant

Best Japanese Kobe Japanese Steakhouse

Coachella Valley Independent // 21

DECEMBER 2015

STAFF PICK Best Way to Spend a Monday Night Trivia With Bella da Ball at the Ace Hotel and Swim Club If you’re looking for the staff of the Coachella Valley Independent after 9 p.m. on any given Monday night, chances are you’ll find us in the Amigo Room at the Ace Hotel and Swim Club, sipping cocktails and scribbling answers to random trivia questions on a dry-erase board.

The weekly trivia nights are presided over by Palm Springs’ hostess with the mostess, the fabulous Bella da Ball (aka Brian Wanzek). The crowd varies from week to week, depending on whatever’s happening at the Ace (and whatever’s happening in town in general); the mix is roughly 50 percent locals, and 50 percent out-of-towners.

Some nights are calm and breezy; other times, the crowd can get a little rowdier than you’d expect a crowd to get at a trivia contest.

Then there was that time a bunch of liquored-up employees of a So Cal brewery wandered into the Amigo Room for trivia after a company meeting. It’s probably a good thing Bella wasn’t armed.

Anyway, admission is free, and the top teams always win prizes—usually a $50 gift certificate to the Ace. Try it … and see if you can knock off the Independent and Friends Team. Good luck with that.

—Jimmy Boegle

Runners up: 2. Gyoro Gyoro Izakaya Japonaise 3. Okura Robata Grill and Sushi Bar 4. Shabu Shabu Zen 5. Sushi Domo Best Italian Ristorante Mamma Gina Runners up: 2. La Bella Cucina 3. Mario’s Italian Cafe 4. Giuseppe’s Pizza and Pasta 5. Trilussa Best Sushi Okura Robata Grill and Sushi Bar Runners up: 2. Gyoro Gyoro Izakaya Japonaise 3. The Venue 4. No Da Te 5. Sushi Domo Best Seafood Fisherman’s Market and Grill Runners up: 2. Pacifica Seafood Restaurant 3. Ruben and Ozzy’s 4. Mitch’s on El Paseo 5.Oceans Seafood Restaurant Best Steaks/Steakhouse LG’s Prime Steakhouse Runners up: 2. Sullivan’s Steakhouse 3. The Steakhouse at Spa Resort Casino 4. Outback Steakhouse 5. Chop House

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140 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.325.9464 AlicantePS.com

Best Thai Thai Smile Palm Springs Runners up: 2. Thai Smile of Rancho Mirage (now in Palm Desert) 3. Blue Orchid 4. Pepper’s Thai Cuisine 5. Le Basil Best Vietnamese Pho Vu

MAKE YOUR CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S EVE R E S E RVAT I O N S

Runners up: 2. Rooster and the Pig 3. Pho 533 4. Pho of the Desert 5. Le Basil Best Vegetarian/Vegan Native Foods Café Runners up: 2. Palm Greens Café 3. Nature’s Health Food and Café Best Upscale Restaurant Spencer’s Restaurant Runners up: 2. Wally’s Desert Turtle 3. Lavender Bistro 4. Jillian’s 5. Tropicale Best Outdoor Seating Jackalope Ranch see BEST CV Page 22 CVIndependent.com

22 \\ coachella Valley IndependeNT BEST OF CV continued from Page 21 Runners up: 2. Lavender Bistro 3. Spencer’s Restaurant 4. Le Vallauris 5. Tropicale Best Late-Night Restaurant Lulu California Bistro Runners up: 2. King’s Highway at the Ace 3. Smokin’ Burgers 4. Alicante 5. Gyoro Gyoro Izakaya Japonaise Best Mexican Las Casuelas Terraza Runners up: 2. El Mirasol 3. Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill 4. Pueblo Viejo Grill 5. La Tablita Best Salsa Las Casuelas Terraza Runners up: 2. Pueblo Viejo Grill 3. Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill 4. Loco Charlie’s Mexican Grill 5. Los Pepes Mexican Grill and Bar Best Burrito Chipotle Runners up: 2. El Ranchito Taco Shop 3. El Gallito 4. Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill 5. La Tablita

Spirits and Nightlife Best Beer Selection Yard House

DECEMBER 2015

Best Place to Play Pool/Billiards The Beer Hunter Runners up: 2. Bart Lounge 3. Hunters 4. Neil’s Lounge 5. Palm Springs Lanes Best Cocktail Menu Lulu California Bistro Runners up: 2. Eureka!

3. Bar 4. Zin American Bistro 5. Tropicale Best Gay/Lesbian Bar/Club Toucan’s Runners up: 2. Hunters 3. Chill 4. Tool Shed 5. Streetbar Best Happy Hour La Quinta Cliffhouse Grill and Bar Runners up: 2. Lulu California Bistro 3. Wang’s in the Desert 4. Hunters 5. Tropicale Best Dive Bar The Hood Bar and Pizza Runners up: 2. Red Barn 3. Neil’s Lounge 4. Score 5. Toucan’s

Best Nightclub Bart Lounge

Best Margarita Las Casuelas Terraza

Runners up: 2. Eureka!

3. Bart Lounge 4. Babe’s Bar-B-Que and Brewhouse 5. Gyoro Gyoro Izakaya Japonaise

Runners up: 2. Armando’s Dakota Bar and Grill 3. El Mirasol 4. TIE Los Pepes Mexican Bar and Grill Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill

Best Local Brewery Coachella Valley Brewing Co.

Best Martini Mastro’s Steakhouse

Runners up: 2. La Quinta Brewing Co. 3. Babe’s Bar-B-Que and Brewhouse

Runners up: 2. Melvyn’s 3. The Falls (no longer in business) 4. Zin American Bistro 5. Tropicale

Thank you for voting us Best Breakfast!

73575 El Paseo Drive, Palm Desert

(next door to Saks)

760-773-2807 www.wilmafrieda.com CVIndependent.com

STAFF PICK Best Attention to Detail Shabu Shabu Zen A confession: I was disappointed that Rancho Mirage’s Shabu Shabu Zen, the 2014-2015 Best Japanese winner, did not repeat its firstplace finish in this year’s Best of Coachella Valley. I mean no disrespect to Kobe Japanese Steakhouse, this year’s winner—a restaurant at which I have had numerous wonderful experiences over the years—when I say that Shabu Shabu Zen is my go-to Japanese restaurant in the valley.

Here’s why: The attention to detail at Shabu Shabu Zen, presided over by the always-gracious Miho Suma, is unparalleled. The quality ingredients that go into the various Japanese hot-pot preparations look and taste amazing. The service offered by Suma and her staff is flawless. And you’ll be hard-pressed to find a speck of dust anywhere in her restaurant.

I remember being blown away one day when she talked to me about making her own ponzu sauce. Ponzu sauce is generally just soy sauce and citrus; if Shabu Shabu Zen bought pre-made ponzu sauce, Suma would probably save both time and money—and 99.999 percent of her customers probably would neither notice nor care. Yet she makes her own—because details matter.

As a result of this fantastic attention to detail, not only is Shabu Shabu Zen one of the best Japanese restaurants in the valley; it’s one of the best restaurants, period.

—Jimmy Boegle

Runners up: 2. Copa 3. Chill 4. Hunters 5. Bardot Nightclub Best Sports Bar Yard House Runners up: 2. The Beer Hunter 3. Burgers and Beer 4. Playoffs Sports Bar and Lounge 5. Score Best Wine Bar Zin American Bistro Runners up: 2. La Rue Wine Bar

3. Sullivan’s Steak House 4. La Brasserie 5. 12th Floor Cocktail Lounge and Wine Bar at Fantasu Springs Best Wine/Liquor Store Total Wine and More Runners up: 2. BevMo! 3. LQ Wine 4. Desert Wines and Spirits in the Go Deli Market 5. Fame Lounge Best Bar Ambiance Bart Lounge Runners up: 2. Bar 3. Melvyn’s 4. Tropicale 5. Chill

Coachella Valley Independent // 23

DECEMBER 2015

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CVI SP

DECEMBER 2015

TLIGHT: December 2015

A New Take on an Old Play Playwright Charles Evered is sick of Christmas.

“There’s so little choice for theater!” he exclaimed. “There’s It’s a Wonderful Life, The Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol—and that’s about it.”

So Evered decided to do something about it. The result is his 90-minute one-act play called An Actor’s Carol—a take on Charles Dickens’ famous A Christmas Carol. It will have its world premiere at Joshua Tree’s Hi-Desert Cultural Center on the first two weekends of December. Emmy Awardwinning actor Hal Linden (Barney Miller) and veteran TV and film actor Barry Cutler will star in the first and second weekends of the play, respectively.

“Someone HAD to write it!” Evered declared.

Evered is no stranger to the High Desert.

His play Adopt a Sailor was presented at the High Desert Cultural Center a few years ago, and his work Class was a fundraiser for the theater, which is still trying to rebuild after a devastating blow from Mother Nature: An unprecedented freeze in January 2007.

“What a wonderful venue this theater is,” he said. “There’s no pressure about money or audience size or reviews. The timing fits my schedule perfectly. And Jarrod Radnich and his fiancée, Anne, are marvelous to work with.”

Producer Radnich, the impresario of the Hi-Desert Cultural Center, is equally enthusiastic about An Actor’s Carol.

“We all have a great relationship,” he said. “Our theater is a place where we can experiment with nontraditional staging.

I instantly loved the script for An Actor’s Carol, and I love working with great, talented people. This play is really different.”

Charles Evered, here for the production from his home in Princeton, N.J., fully expects these six performances will result in re-writes of his script. I was lucky enough to be invited to a staged reading of the very first version of An Actor’s Carol, hosted in Palm Springs by serene brunette beauty Kim Waltrip, whose company produced Evered’s first two movies. She told me she and Evered had known each other

CVIndependent.com

charles evered

“for years. Our kids went to the same school!”

At the reading, four actors introduced us to the multiple-role script—an actor’s delight.

The story is about a bitter, nasty actor who plays bitter, nasty Scrooge in some little theater’s production of A Christmas Carol. Like the character he’s playing, he experiences visitations from the beyond when he passes out backstage.

(Yeah, he drinks.) It’s a modernized version of the classic tale, with cell phones, texting and some hilarious references to the 21st century life we know.

Like many who have faced tragedy, Evered chose to deal with life through comedy.

“Art saved my life,” he confided. “I might have gone to Yale … or to jail!”

We race through his resume: Raised in Rutherford, N.J., he lost both his parents early in life. His four siblings have all faced serious challenges, and frankly, some didn’t make it. A deathbed promise to his mother to never start

drinking has been the foundation of his success—along with some fantastic luck.

He aspired to a career in baseball, of all things, but sadly found he was not sufficiently mega-talented in the sport. Oddly enough, it was a job as a janitor while still in high school, which included cleaning up the William Carlos Williams Center for the Performing Arts, that started the wheels turning. It was a shock to find out there were serious rental fees for the script—so he decided to write the plays himself.

He was 18.

He experienced instant approval and success—and then he really did get to study playwriting at the Yale School of Drama.

After graduating in 1991, he received a fellowship that allowed him to work in a Hollywood program sponsored by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment. Spielberg advised him, “Don’t try to please us with your writing. Write from your own heart.”

“Great advice! It made my career!” Evered said.

He eventually went on to teach what he had learned, as a founding faculty member at our own little University of Riverside Palm Desert Center, before moving on to a full professorship at the main campus in Riverside.

So what’s the future for An Actor’s Carol?

After the six high desert performances, the final draft will be printed as a book in January

by Broadway Play Publishing, Inc.—and then it will be available for productions everywhere for Christmas of 2016.

“Christmas needs some fun,” he said. “… I hope An Actor’s Carol will exist forever. I’d like to see it done as repertory theater, so the audience can actually come to see Dickens’ play first, and then the next night, return to see An Actor’s Carol with the same actors, same stage and same set! Wouldn’t that be amazing?”

An Actor’s Carol will be performed at 7 p.m., Friday; and 2 and 7 p.m., Saturday, from Friday, Dec. 4, through Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Hi-Desert Cultural Center’s Blak Box Theater, located at 61231 Twentynine Palms Highway, in Joshua Tree. Tickets are $15 to $24. For tickets or more information, call 760-366-3777, or visit hidesertculturalcenter.org. —Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume

Coachella Valley Independent // 25

DECEMBER 2015

arts & culture

Subpar—Or Sour Grapes?

Newcomers Are Bringing Vibrancy to the Backstreet Art District

“Newtown 26”

The Artists Council Exhibition 2015 is on display through Sunday, Dec. 6, at the Palm Springs Art Museum, located at 101 N. Museum Drive, in Palm Springs. The works are on sale, and 50 percent of the proceeds go toward the museum’s education programs.

Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; and noon to 8 p.m., Thursday. Admission prices vary. For more information, call 760-322-4800, or visit www.psmuseum.org.

www.cvindependent.com/arts-and-culture

T

By VICTOR BAROCAS emperamental artists took to the Internet after the Palm Springs Art Museum announced the works that would be included in the Artists Council Exhibition 2015.

Normally, the complaining ends within a week of the announcement; however, this year, the comments seemed especially fractious. While most selected artists took pride in their inclusion, many Artists Council members who were not included criticized every aspect of the selection process, from the number of jurors to the number of submissions per artist. (Full disclosure: I submitted art to the show which was not selected.)

Some suggested that the museum create a show featuring the rejects. Regrettably, a small contingency made the conversation personal, impugning the integrity and competency of Artists Council peers.

The results of the selection process are now on display for everyone to see. Unfortunately, I found a fair number of the pieces to be derivative, in a way that does not add to an understanding of an artist or school of art. In addition, I felt some included artists need to rethink their message, and how it is expressed. However, since I am in the awkward position of being

a reviewer whose own work was not selected for the show, I’ll focus on the pieces that were decidedly successful.

The narrative presented by Debra Thompson’s assemblage-encaustic “Newtown 26” contains at least two stories: In addition to skillfully honoring the lives lost as a result of the Sandy Hook killings, the artist covers her journey toward a personal understanding and reconciliation of that event in the context of the Second Amendment and the need for the United States to find a better way to address the mental-health needs of its citizens.

Thompson constructed a less-than-pristine American flag out of a series of materials. Some of the 50 white stars are missing.

In their stead, the viewer sees the bottom of shell casings. Old Glory’s white stripes are an encaustic or waxy substance, upon which grayish-white faces of children are presented. As with the stars, a number of faces are replaced with the bottoms of shell casings.

The most subtle and ultimately disconcerting component of the flag is its stripes: The six stripes that would normally be red consist of crayons—bordered by bullets.

Philippe Chambon continues to create visual spaces that are seemingly in constant motion. As he’s done on many other canvases, Chambon employs a limited number of deep, highly saturated and frequently muddied colors in “Reflection No. 34: ‘The Kiss.’” The artist applied purples, blues and greens to this 40-by-40-inch acrylic on canvas to create a merger of geometric and curved shapes. To enhance the dimension-

ality, Chambon outlines each shape or object with black paint. However, it’s his use of brightwhite paint that makes the viewer’s eyes dance around the canvas. Surprisingly absent is the artist’s usual letter-like iconography.

Offering a contrast to the intensity of the works of Thompson and Chambon work is Allison Hunt Ballard’s woodblock relief print “Double Bond (Latere),” from her Trans Isomerism series. In this 30-by-22-inch work on paper with a mustard background, the artist shows two kneeling women with long black hair. Ballard presents one woman in a darker green-grey, while the second woman is presented in a lighter green-grey. A sense of connectedness is created by having each woman wrap her arms around the waist of the other. The message of connection is furthered by the depiction of the two, similarly shaped, overlapping heads.

Inside each woman’s abdominal area sleeps a content, curled-up cat. Do these cats, presented inside a solid-red oval shape, represent wombs?

Bob Hoffmann’s 40-by-32-inch piece “Midcentury Modern” is separated from the less-successful pieces with a midcentury design thanks to its execution. Yes, “Midcentury Modern” contains all of the characteristics of the period (colors, geometric shapes); however, Hoffmann’s use of sewn fabric to develop and execute his creative intent makes the piece a unique addition. Beginning with a grid, the artist deconstructs the space with his use of a creamy-beige fabric. The deconstruction process results in a set of geometric forms, like rectangles, squares and trapezoids. Hoffmann completes his composition by inserting contrasting colored fabric into the open geometric

shapes. While some spaces are filled with shades of the same color (deep blues, lime

green), two complementary colors, such as orange and yellow, are used in others.

Lastly, one space includes what seems like confetti with many of the colors frequently chosen by midcentury designers, architects and artists. The sewn-together pieces of fabric create a softness that is hard to achieve with paint.

The Artists Council Exhibition 2015 does indeed offer museum visitors an opportunity to see some excellent pieces created by local artists. However, it also includes a number of pieces that, in the eyes of some (myself included), aren’t worthy of the Palm Springs Art Museum. Check it out—and decide for yourself.

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26 \\ coachella Valley IndependeNT

DECEMBER 2015

FOOD & DRINK

SNIFFthe CAP

Heavens to (Pairing Vegan Chili With) Murgatroyd!

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Y

By deidre pike ou can make tofu taste like Italian sausage. You can toy with the texture, just a speck, so that a person eating your tofu chili will barely notice the curdled soy product.

This works best if the vegetarian grub is served with a seductive red wine—one that holds up to the challenge, complementing chili, cumin, onion and black beans.

Such a wine is the 2011 Twisted Oak Murgatroyd ($25). Yes, the wine’s name references Snagglepuss, the cartoon critter famous for the line: “Heavens to Murgatroyd!”

The Murg wine is a kitchen-sink blend. It has a funky hue I call Barney purple. Sharply acidic nose. Medium body. Tangy zingy zang on the finish.

I don’t know what’s in it. The bottle copy offers no hints; it merely plays on another Snagglepuss catch line, “Exit stage left.” (The label says: “Don’t Exit! Our animated blend is at the Stage where it is drinkable now, or may be Left for a few years.” The underlining and quirky capitalization is

original to the label text.) Nor does the Twisted Oak website give me clues as to which grape varietals went into this wine.

Wine is complicated, mysterious. So is life. These days, my world is full of intriguing new pairings.

My husband, Dave, and I have lived the commutermarriage life for five years now. That has translated to weekend honeymoons with hiking, cooking, art, music, movies and wine sipped in languid bliss under starstudded skies.

On a together weekend, Dave might leave Reno early, drive all day and meet me at a wine bar for happy hour.

Then we’ll pick up juicy ribeye steaks and grill them on the deck. We’d steam an artichoke for our appetizer.

Bake a loaf of fresh bread. Pop open a delectable cabernet sauvignon.

Anyone jealous yet? You should be.

But the times, they are rearrangin’. In recent months, I’ve transitioned from living alone to living with adult children, their dogs and an infant. This has added a hearty dose of reality to honeymoon weekends.

Dave arrived for a recent visit early and headed straight to the house. I was at work. The dogs barked and wagged. He cleaned, did laundry, made my bed. He held our daughter’s newborn baby—pure bliss—while she kept an optometrist appointment.

We met at a bank to do some financial hoo-ha-ing.

Finally, we went to the wine bar, a teensy bit exhausted.

A 2009 Moonstone Crossing Amador County mourvedre revived us with its earthy fruits.

That night, we ate pumpkin soup and pasta.

The next night, we enjoyed broccoli pizza.

On Day Three, I concocted a giant pot of tofu chili.

Did I mention my adult children are vegetarians? As you might have guessed from the previous mention of steak,

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Dave and I are not. At least not yet.

Our household’s meals are generally vegetarianfriendly. Meat is a rare addition to the menu.

No one is stopping us from eating meat. But given the influence of my new roomies, I’ve been eating less meat—almost no red meat at all. Dave and I had both been complaining about red-meat hangovers. Worse than slight intestinal discomfort is the possibility that something far more diabolical is going on in one’s bowels: Cancer experts who rigorously reviewed hundreds of scientific studies have concluded that red meats are strongly linked to colorectal cancer. Red-meat consumption is also linked to lung, esophageal, stomach and pancreatic cancer.

Yeah, I know. Everything causes cancer. Life is 100 percent fatal.

Changing a diet might mean changing a person’s experience of wine. I enjoy bites of juicy red meat between sips of a fine cab. Tannic red wines, with their astringent mouth feel, pair well with meat. One theory explains that the fatty texture of meat is balanced by the dry feel of the wine.

That said, I feel I’ve barely touched the possibilities of meat-free wine pairings. A vegetarian website offers such pairings for even the reddest of reds. A cabernet sauvignon, for example, might pair well with grilled veggies, barbecue sauces, garlicky things, and aged or stinky cheeses.

Still, I’m drooling over Twisted Oak’s website suggestions for Murgatroyd. The list begins with tri-tip marinated in “Murginade!” (That’s soy sauce, ginger and honey.) They also suggest “a nice cigar lamb osso bucco (and) Asian-style marinated flank steak, served over a bed of angel hair pasta with horseradish cream.”

Oh meat, meat, delicious meat.

Vegan chili + red wine = awesomeness. DEIDRE PIKE

By the way, I ended up calling the winery to find out what’s in the 2011 Murg. After putting me on hold for research, a friendly wine-room employee parsed the blend out at 60 percent petit verdot, 20 percent cabernet sauvignon and 20 petite sirah.

OK, on to the secrets of tofu alteration: To transform tofu from the realm of slices, slabs and cubes, freeze it. This alters the texture of the curdled soy. Thaw it.

Squeeze the water out. Break it up into bits and globs that almost resemble ground beef. Season with garlic, soy sauce and any spices that go with what you’re cooking. I used chili sauce, cayenne pepper, thyme, oregano, dried parsley, salt, black pepper, cumin and fennel. Toss this concoction until the tofu bits are evenly coated. Sear the tofu in olive oil until it gets as brown and crispy as you desire.

I made this batch of chili with tomatoes from Dave’s garden, and beans that I soaked and boiled in salt, pepper, garlic, cumin and Sriracha. I sautéed onions, garlic, bell peppers, jalapeno and two stalks of celery, and tossed those in as well.

Dave said he enjoyed the batch. “Tofu?” he said. “Not bad.”

The wine paired well with the soup’s heat and spice.

Berries, currant and nutmeg are flavors suggested on the wine’s back label, the text of which concludes with one last bit of fun: “Snaggle your puss anytime. Heavens to Murgatroyd!”

Coachella Valley Independent // 27

DECEMBER 2015

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DECEMBER 2015

FOOD & DRINK the

beer goddess

An End-of-Year Look at the Coachella Valley www.cvindependent.com/FOOD-DRINK

T

BY ERIN PETERS he first Coachella Valley Beer Week—which I helped create—recently wrapped up after 10 days of craft-beer events all over the valley. On Nov. 14, the Indio BBQ and Beer Competition took place, and on that same day, La Quinta Brewing celebrated its second anniversary.

Now that these excellent events are over, where in the Coachella Valley can you go to enjoy the ever-expanding craft-beer revolution?

The Ace Hotel and Swim Club keeps up with trends in music, art, food and drink, and the folks in charge have updated the Amigo Room to carry more craft beer again. You can enjoy them in the dim, cavernous space, or brighten up by the pool.

In the northernmost reaches of Palm Desert, you’ll find the beloved La Quinta Brewing Co. and its taproom. On any given evening, you may find a local band playing, or women enjoying Koffi Porter ice cream floats during Ladies Night. The Heat Wave Amber and Tan Line Brown Ale beers recently returned, and the Napoleon barrel-aged beer was released for the brewery’s second anniversary. The biggest news of all: La Quinta Brewing just opened a taproom in Old Town La Quinta!

In Rancho Mirage, Babe’s Bar-B-Que and Brewhouse has been serving up barbecue (just voted as the valley’s best

by Independent readers) and craft beer since 2002. Try the award-winning Belgian Vanilla Blonde Ale, brewed with raisins and whole Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans. Babe’s also offers new, seasonal brews and a nice selection of other Southern California beers in the restaurant bar. Keep an eye

out for the recently released DIPA, a hoppy pilsner, as well as an apricot tripel.

Babe’s neighbor at The River, The Yard House features 155 beers on tap. I’ve recently met knowledgeable bartenders there who will guide you in the right sudsy direction.

Schmidy’s Tavern is a favorite in Palm Desert among the younger crowd. Live music is a constant, and the pool tables are typically full. Enjoy beers on tap like Bell’s Midwestern Pale Ale, Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale and Ironfire Outcast Dead Barrel Aged Imperial Red Ale. Up Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs is a restaurant offering a farm-to-concrete-table dining experience that’s industrial chic and progressive. While the menu at Workshop Kitchen + Bar is heavy with cocktails and duck fat, the spot also offers a nice selection of beer. With a 34-foot-long concrete communal table and lofty woodtrussed cathedral ceiling, you may feel as if you’re sharing beer steins in Bavaria.

The spirit of Sinatra is alive at the Purple Room Restaurant and Stage—but unlike hangouts of the ’60s, this swanky supper club offers a great selection of craft

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beers. In bottles, you can enjoy San Diego beers like Ballast Point Longfin Lager and Stone Pale Ale. On tap, enjoy CVB’s Desert Swarm, Babe’s Blackfin Lager, La Quinta’s Poolside Blonde and many other brews Fame Lounge is an upscale cigar, wine and microbrew lounge located in the heart of downtown Palm Springs. At the bar, you’ll find a rotation of beers on tap. Recent finds: Stone Wootstout 2.0 and North Coast Indica IPA. On Indian Canyon Drive, check out the progressive Vietnamese-American beer bar Rooster and the Pig. Try the banh mi burger with one of the California craft beers on draft. Chef/owner Tai Spendley also has a nice variety of Vietnamese beers in bottles.

What happens when you combine traditional Tokyo cuisine with American and Japanese craft beer? You get the upscale-casual Gyoro Gyoro, at Tahquitz Canyon Way and Palm Canyon Drive. The spot offers a nice selection of craft beers from the states and Japan, along with a variety of fantastic sake.

Beloved farm-to-table brewery Coachella Valley Brewing Co. also celebrated its second anniversary recently.

Sustainability, creativity and passion are key ingredients in these exceptional beers. Be sure to check out head brewer Chris Anderson’s sour program, as well as the brewery’s Profligate Society, which features rare beers. Palms to Pines, the ever-popular Triple IPA brewed with locally foraged spruce tips and coconut palm sugar, will be released around mid-December.

On Highway 111 in Indian Wells, you’ll find So Cal chain Eureka! Currently, Eureka! boasts 20 impressive taps ranging from Stone’s Barrel Aged Brown Ale with Balaton Sour Cherries to Mother Earth’s Imagination Land. Watch for great beer-pairing events.

The Stuft Pizza locations in Palm Desert and La Quinta have become hot spots for watching the game and sipping your favorite suds. The “not just pizza” joint in Palm Desert has 15 taps, two of which rotate with the latest craft seasonals. There’s a reason why pizza and beer are a match made in heaven: The acids and tannins in wine tend to amplify the acidity of tomato dishes.

Wherever you go … take time to savor your beer and enjoy the craft-beer revolution!

Coachella Valley Independent // 29

DECEMBER 2015

FOOD & DRINK the

INDY

ENDORSEMENT

By JIMMY BOEGLE

On This Month’s Menu: A Tasty Mexican Appetizer and an Amazing Veal Dish

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WHAT Aspirins WHERE Burgers and Beer, 72773 Dinah Shore Drive, Rancho Mirage; also located at 79815 Highway 111, No. 101, La Quinta HOW MUCH $7 CONTACT 760-202-4522 (Rancho Mirage); 760775-6494 (La Quinta); www.burgersandbeer.com WHY They’re a delightful, unexpected find.

One expects a place called Burgers and Beer to offer a nice selection of, well, burgers and beer. One could also make an educated guess that a place that offers burgers and beer probably also offers a TV screen, or two, or 16, showing sports.

However, one may not expect a place called Burgers and Beer to offer a pretty darned decent menu of Mexican fare. Yet all of this can indeed be found at our valley’s two Burgers and Beer restaurants.

I’m particularly smitten with one Mexican-ish item on offer at Burgers and Beer: The Aspirins. No, this appetizer has nothing to do with the famous pain medication; instead, these Aspirins are miniature sopes (a thick corn-based cake; imagine a really thick tortilla) topped with beans, lettuce, tomato, sour cream and, joy of joys, chorizo; salsa is served on the side.

Boy, are they tasty. The mouth-feel is interesting as well: The chorizo, sopes and beans are warm, while the other ingredients are nice and cool. The corn cakes are fantastic and add a lot of flavor (although some may find them to be a little thick, and therefore on the verge of overtaking the rest of the ingredients). Seven bucks will get you six of these Aspirins; they’re perfect to share, or can be a semi-light meal for one.

They can be had at either of the Coachella Valley Burgers and Beer locations, as well as the four non-Coachella Valley locations (two in El Centro, and one each in Temecula and Yuma). Try ’em; you’ll like ’em—even if you’re watching your favorite sports team getting creamed.

WHAT The Veal Ingleside WHERE Melvyn’s Restaurant, at the Ingleside Inn, 200 W. Ramon Road HOW MUCH $28.75 CONTACT 760-325-2323; inglesideinn.com/melvynsrestaurant WHY It’s a “famous signature creation” for a reason

A friend is visiting town. He (or she) wants to eat at a place that epitomizes old-school Palm Springs—somewhere swanky, classy. A place that knows its way around a martini.

Chances are you’re taking this friend to Melvyn’s.

Located at the historic Ingleside Inn, once (and occasionally still today) the playground of Hollywood icons, Melvyn’s turned 40 this year. In 1975, Mel Haber bought the iconic property and opened the restaurant; the rest, as they say, is history.

At Melvyn’s, you’ll find a piano lounge, tablecloths, waiters and “captains” dressed to the nines and, yes, tableside preparations. For example, you can watch as the captain makes Steak Diane (filet mignon medallions made with shallots, French mustard and red wine demi-glaze) right in front of you. It was Frank Sinatra’s favorite, they say.

But my favorite dish is an entrée not prepared tableside—although it’s heralded as Melvyn’s “famous signature creation.” It’s called Veal Ingleside.

This veal, topped with avocado and a classic mousseline sauce (think hollandaise sauce, but creamier), is so tender that you will not need a knife; just a fork will do. The mousseline sauce adds a ton of savory richness, which is muted just enough by the avocado.

The main course is served with pasta and vegetables, in case you’re wondering; they’re mere extras on a plate starring an entrée that’s called Melvyn’s “famous signature creation” for a reason.

So dress up a little. Take that out-of-town friend to Melvyn’s. Order a martini (dirty, of course). Encourage that friend to order one of the tableside dishes so you can enjoy the show. And then order the Veal Ingleside for yourself. You’ll be glad you did.

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NOVEMBER 2015 30 \\ coachella Valley IndependeNT

DECEMBER 2015 COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 25

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Coachella Valley Independent // 31

DECEMBER 2015

FOOD & DRINK

RESTAURANT News Bites

By JIMMY BOEGLE www.cvindependent.com/FOOD-DRINK

NEW TO EL PASEO: WP KITCHEN + BAR The Wolfgang Puck Pizza Bar in Palm Desert is no more—but that doesn’t mean the celebrity chef is ditching the Coachella Valley. In fact, he’s chosen the Coachella Valley to launch his newest restaurant concept.

Puck has opened WP Kitchen + Bar in the space at 73130 El Paseo that previously housed his eponymous pizza bar. The restaurant website describes the place thusly: “Wolfgang Puck’s newest restaurant concept (is) serving globally influenced fare in a familystyle format. Inspired by how the acclaimed chef dines and entertains at home, the menu boasts a seasonal offering of small plates, fresh salads, pizzas and handmade pastas, as well as a variety of seafood, steak and other proteins.”

The menu—which really does encourage the family-style dining concept—includes pastas, trout, snapper, chicken and a braised beef short rib, as well as steaks and a decent selection of “salads, soups and shares.” Fans of Wolfgang Puck Pizza Bar, take heart: The menu includes a half-dozen pizzas as well.

Pastas, chicken and fish will set you back between $15 and $23; steaks cost between $34 and $44. You’ll find a kids’ menu and a nice happy hour menu as well.

Get menus, make reservations and learn more at www.wolfgangpuck.com.

OPENING SOON (WE HOPE): WTF AND BUZZ BAR At long last, the former Dink’s is lurching back to life.

As we reported last month, we’ve been hearing rumors that the large, ritzy former Dink’s space, at 2080 N. Palm Canyon Drive— which has been closed for several years now— would soon be reopening.

Of course, we’ve heard this before. In the spring, an announcement was made that the building would open as the W Ultra Lounge within a matter of weeks. That didn’t happen. At one point, we heard that the building would become a restaurant and music venue called Drinks. Nope.

Well, here’s the latest news: The space will become the WTF and Buzz Bar sometime in December. This news comes straight from Independent resident DJ Alex Harrington, who announced on Facebook that he is going to be the resident DJ there “alongside an AMAZING house band.”

We have no other information as of our press deadline. We’re keeping our fingers

crossed, both for Alex and for fans of AMAZING house bands everywhere. Watch this space for details as they emerge.

CHEF JOANE RETURNS TO THE KITCHEN’S HELM AT DISH CREATIVE CUISINE Everything old is new again at Dish Creative Cuisine, at 1107 N. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs: Chef Michelle Heinrich has left to “pursue other interests,” according to an email from the restaurant—and owner Joane Garcia Colson, an attorney-turned amazing chef, is back in charge of the kitchen.

She is pledging to “return Dish to its roots,” when Dish gathered a huge following in its initial location—even though that initial location was a dreary Cathedral City strip mall. Seeing as Chef Joane prepared some of the best bites I’ve ever had at a restaurant, I see this as a very good thing.

Watch www.dishcreativecuisine.com for news on the ensuing changes, or call 760-3227171.

IN BRIEF Watch for a new wine bar, liquor store and tasting room, coming soon to the uptown area of Palm Springs. It’s called Barrel House; watch www.facebook.com/barrelhouseps for updates. … Once again, Rancho Mirage’s Babe’s Bar-B-Que and Brewhouse is teaming up with The Venue Sushi Bar to pair sushi with tasty craft beer. The Sushi + Craft Beer 02 event will take place at The Venue, 73111 El Paseo, at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 1. It’ll cost you $65 per person; get details at www. babesbbque.com. … Speaking of restaurants at The River: Gioia Italian Bistro has opened at the Rancho Mirage shopping center. The menu includes pizzas, pastas and other Italian standards, as well as a few surprises.

Visit www.gioiaitalianbistro.com for details. … After a few starts and stops, Cactusberry Frozen Yogurt and Desserts is open again, in the Smoke Tree Village Shopping Center at 1775 E. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs.

Bring your pet there from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5 and/or 12, to get a free emailed picture taken with Santa. The event on the Dec. 5 is presented by the Palm Springs Animal Shelter; on the 12th, the Humane Society of the Desert is presenting. You can get adoption information and donate while you’re there, too—and enjoy some delicious frozen yogurt while you’re at it! Get more info at www.facebook.com/CactusberryCV, or call 760-832-6127.

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DECEMBER 2015

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THE BLUESKYE REPORT: DECEMBER 2015 DEADBOLT: SLOWING DOWN, BUT STILL CRAZY DESERT ROCK CHRONICLES: LONG LIVE THE EAGLES OF DEATH METAL the lucky 13: paulina angel & mc gabe perez

www.cvindependent.com/music

36

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KEEPING IT REAL

Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real Brings Its Joyful Country-Rock to Pappy’s

Coachella Valley Independent // 33

DECEMBER 2015

The Blueskye REPORT

DECEMBER 2015

By Brian Blueskye

The holiday season is upon us, which means things are hectic, and you may feel the need to escape—or find something to do that doesn’t involve shopping.

Fortunately, there are plenty of great events going on in December (especially in the first two-thirds of the month) for people looking to escape, as well as people looking to celebrate the holidays.

The McCallum Theatre has an awesome December schedule. If you missed Merle Haggard at Stagecoach back in April, you’ll be happy to know the Okie from Muskogee will be coming back at 8 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 2.

Haggard, one of the creators of the Bakersfield sound, has written an astonishing number of great country songs throughout merle haggard his long career. Tickets are $77 to $97. At 7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 15, there will be a performance of The Nutcracker performed by the Los Angeles Ballet. Tickets are $27 to $87. At 3 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 20, country star LeAnn Rimes will sing a Christmasthemed concert. Back in the ’90s, Rimes captured the admiration and support of people everywhere as a star at the age of 13. She’s since carved out a fine career, with two Grammy Awards, a Country Music Association Award, 12 Billboard music awards and an American Music Award to her credit.

Tickets are $37 to $87. McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert; 760340-2787; www. mccallumtheatre. com.

Fantasy Springs BRIAN SETZER Resort Casino has some great holiday events on the schedule.

At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 5, you’ll know

it’s time for Christmas when Mannheim Steamroller returns. This is the 31st year that Mannheim Steamroller has taken its rock and electric-synth style Christmas show on the road; the concert includes dazzling multimedia effects, too.

The group has sold 28 million copies of Christmas albums!

Tickets are $39 to $69. JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 19, it will be time to boogie for the holidays when The Brian Setzer Orchestra takes the stage.

Setzer’s swing/rockabilly holiday shows have become a Christmas tradition; if you haven’t had the pleasure, check it out. Tickets are $39 to $69. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-342-5000; www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

The Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa has a light schedule, but there are two great events you should know about. At 9 p.m., Friday, Dec. 4, Mama, the star of Mama’s Family, and comedienne Vicki Lawrence will be performing a “Two Woman Show.” Brant Bjork and the LowDesert Punk Band Tickets are $20 to $40. If you don’t have plans for New Year’s Eve, you’ll be happy to know that at 10:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 31, former Runaways member Joan Jett and the Blackhearts will be rocking into 2016. Forget attending those expensive parties where you stand in line all night to buy expensive drinks, and create fond New Year’s Eve memories with a legend! Tickets are $60 to $80. The Show at

How Making a Good First Impression Can Improve Our Lives

By Shonda Chase, RN Co-owner and aesthetic director of Revive Wellness Centers Palm Springs and the South Bay area of Los Angeles November’s secret revealed that our goal for patients is to create such a natural result that no one knows what’s been done.

This month, we’re going to share two secrets about how natural results can help people thrive. You’re also going to learn why I’m smiling while I’m treating my patients.

First impressions can accomplish so much in a person’s life. Even if you know someone well, every time you see them, your “first impression” tells you so much about how they might be doing. Do they look happy and vibrant, or sad or stressed?

Also, consider the impact a first impression can have when you meet or see someone for the first time.

We encounter dozens of new people every day. They’re getting a first impression of us while we’re thinking, “What’s that person’s impression of me?”

Now you know why I look like my picture here The first secret this month is: “If we know when I’m helping patients look their best. we look our best, we will inevitably make a much better first impression on others.”

When a patient comes to me, I always consider what my “first impression” is “telling” me about them. Do they look angry, tired or sad? Joyful, rested, attractive and happy? First impressions might not be reflective of what’s going on in a person’s life—but much of the time, it’s all we have to go on.

I’m not surprised when patients point out a small issue that bothers them. I understand they’re usually unaware of the story their face is telling the world—but I can’t help but smile when they ask me about what I see!

While they’re looking in the mirror, I begin lifting the parts of their face that are making them look angry or sad, tired or older. When my fingers show them how we can help defy gravity and the effects of aging, they immediately see how their appearance can better reflect who they really are—for themselves and to others.

The second secret this month is that after treatment, my patients’ mood improves, because subconsciously, they know they look better and make better impressions with others. Their selfesteem increases, and they begin enjoying an elevated quality of life.

I’m smiling during their treatment, because I’m a frequent patient, too. I know they’re going to be more satisfied with themselves when they look better, just as I do. Their increased happiness will also be contagious for the people around them. I’m smiling because I know I’m making more people’s lives better than just my patient’s life.

One of my favorite compliments is when a spouse tells me: “I don’t know what you’re doing, but keep on doing it, because they’ve never been happier.”

Next month, we’re going to share a few secrets about how to help 2016 be one of the best years of your life.

Until then, keep the secrets.

Read the entire article at www.revivecenter.com/blog.

Email your individual appearance and aging questions to Ms. Chase at Shonda@revivecenter.com.

see BLUESKYE REPORT Page 35 CVIndependent.com

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MUSIC

still scary

Deadbolt Has Slowed Down—but the Psychobilly Band’s Shows Remain Crazy

DEADBO

LT

www.cvindependent.com/music

S

By BRIAN BLUESKYE an Diego psychobilly outfit Deadbolt doesn’t tour as much as it used to— but the band continues to put on great live shows. See for yourself when Deadbolt stops by Pappy and Harriet’s on Friday, Dec. 4.

As is the case with many veteran bands, Deadbolt has had members come and go; the two most consistent members are guitarist/vocalist Harley Davidson and bassist Gary Burns. While Davidson was an original member

of Deadbolt, which was formed in 1988, Burns didn’t come on board until the band had been around for about five years.

“Harley (Davidson), R.A. MacLean, and Les Vegas started the band,” Burns said during a recent phone interview. “They started it in Pacific Beach around San Diego. They were fed up with seeing bands and being bored out of their minds, and there wasn’t anything going on that was too exciting. They had an idea of starting their own band and wanted to see some things on the live stage that weren’t happening.”

Deadbolt’s onstage antics have earned the band the moniker “Scariest Band in the World.” Many of the things the members do onstage are unique—and quite entertaining. What are some of those things?

“Bench grinder, skill saw, karate demonstrations and snake-dancing,” Burns said with a laugh. “‘The Scariest Band in the World’ is sort of a self-imposed title. I guess back in the day, Harley thought every band should have a title. ‘Scariest Band in the World’ just happened to fit Deadbolt at the time.”

The Scariest Band in the World has slowed down in recent years. Burns, who recently had heart-bypass surgery, said that’s a result of getting older.

“Currently, we’re not touring extensively,” he said. “We do some one-off shows every once in a while; at least once a month, we’ll be somewhere. We’re lucky enough to where some people will fly us out during a weekend somewhere, and we’ll knock out a show or two, and then we head back home

to reality. Back in the old days, we’d tour quite a bit and would be out on the road for three to five weeks at a time. We’ve been to Europe half a dozen times, and it’s been a lot of fun, but we’re getting older and slowing down. We’ve had some issues.”

While he’s originally from Orange County, Burns knows the Coachella Valley well: He grew up in Indian Wells.

“I moved here with my parents from Orange County in 1975. My dad managed a couple of packing houses in Indio,” he said.

“It was kind of a culture shock coming from Orange County to the desert back then.

Palm Desert had a Sambo’s, a Texaco and the Red Barn. The Red Barn looks exactly the same now as it did back in 1975.”

One thing Deadbolt has never done is play at Pappy and Harriet’s. Burns said the band members are looking forward to their date in Pioneertown.

“It’s us and the Schitzophonics, who are a great San Diego band. They’re a really up-and-coming popular band,” Burns said.

“I’ve always wanted to play at Pappy and Harriet’s; it’s always been a dream of mine, and the opportunity is now available, and it’s going to be a lot of fun. We get to live out our high-plains drifter fantasies and paint the town red for the night. The next morning, people will be going, ‘Who were those guys?’”

Burns said attendees can expect all of the things that made Deadbolt famous.

“Lots of sparks and smoke onstage,” he said. “It’s a good time. We tell stories, and it’s voodoobilly—the darker side of the rockabilly family.”

Deadbolt with perform with Schitzophonics and Creature and the Woods at 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 4, at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, in Pioneertown. Admission to the all-ages show is free. For more information, call 760-365-5956, or visit www.pappyandharriets.com.

CVIndependent.com

Coachella Valley Independent // 35

DECEMBER 2015

BLUESKYE REPORT continued from Page 33

Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-999-1995; www.hotwatercasino.com.

Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace has a great list of December shows. At 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 17, Brant Bjork and the Low-Desert Punk Band will take the stage. Bjork, a founder of and former drummer for desert-rock gods Kyuss, performed at Coachella back in April. If you call yourself a fan of desert rock, you need to get your ass to this show—because Bjork delivers live. Tickets are $15. At 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 26, celebrate the day after Christmas with The Evangenitals. If you had a good Christmas, the Evangenitals will make it even better! If you had a bad Christmas, the Evangenitals will have you laughing, therefore lifting you out of your holiday blues. It’s become a tradition at Pappy’s to have GHOSTFACE KILLAH the Evangenitals perform after Christmas, so go partake! Admission is free. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown; 760-365-5956; www.pappyandharriets.com.

The Date Shed has some fun things happening in December. At 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 4, things are going to get festive thanks to EeVaan Tre and the “Holiday Show.

EeVaan and the boys have quite an impressive R&B act, so you know their holiday show is going to be something you don’t want to miss. Admission is free. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 5, the vibe will be quite different, because rapper Paul Wall will be CHICANO BATMAN

performing. The Houston-based rapper has been going since 1998. Tickets are $20 to $23. If you were concerned the Date Shed’s schedule was initially missing some performers who come back year after year … relax: Ghostface Killah is indeed returning to the venue, at 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 19.

Ghostface, a member of the Wu-Tang Clan, performed a hop, skip and a jump from the Date Shed at Coachella back in April, with fellow Wu-Tang member Raekwon. Tickets are $28 to $38. The Date Shed, 50725 Monroe St., Indio; 760-775-6699; www.dateshedmusic.com.

The Hood Bar and Pizza has released a list of nice events for the month. At 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 4 rock/reggae band Fayuca will be stopping by; Machin’ and DJ Alf Alpha will also perform. Admission is free. At 9 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 10, you’ll be happy to know that Chicano Batman will be coming back to perform at The Hood—and, of course, their compadres Slipping Into Darkness are also on the bill. Yay! Admission is free. The Hood Bar and Pizza, 74360 Highway 111, Palm Desert; 760-636-5220; www.facebook.com/ thehoodbar.

Tryst Bar and Lounge continues to diversify downtown Palm Springs’ music offerings, with free shows at 10 p.m. virtually every Tuesday and Saturday. The month’s highlights include Derek Jordan Gregg on Tuesday, Dec. 1; and local metal-punk favorite Gutter Candy on Tuesday, Dec. 22. Tryst Bar and Lounge, 188 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-832-6046; www.facebook.com/trystpalmsprings.

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5:30 pm Champagne Reception 6:30 -8 pm Awards Show 8-10 pm Cocktails & Hors D’Oeuvres DesertAIDSProject.org SPECIAL PERFORMANCE BY Nita Whitaker is a celebrated and award-winning recording artist, stage and screen performer, author and philanthropist. She is a favorite singer of the legendary producer David Foster and was a Hall of Fame Star Search Grand Champion winner.

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DECEMBER 2015

MUSIC

DELIVERING REALITY Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real Pledge to Live Up to the Group’s Name

www.cvindependent.com/music

T Tickets at psgmc.com

Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015 8 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015 3 p.m.

Jewish Community Center 332 W. Alejo Road - Palm Springs Artistic Director:

Douglas C. Wilson

CVIndependent.com

Accompanist:

Additional $5 at door

Joel Baker

By randy harward he members of Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real met at a Neil Young show.

After the concert, Lukas, drummer Anthony LoGerfo, bassist Merlyn Kelly and some friends adjourned to Kelly’s practice pad in Seal Beach, Calif. They jammed into the wee hours and went surfing in the dark. It was so much fun that, when a stingray zapped Nelson, he shook it off to keep the night alive. The next day, he wrote the lyrics for “My Own Wave”: So much left to show / But the

music never slows / It goes and goes.

“We started the band that night,” Nelson said.

After recruiting longtime family friend and percussionist Tato Melgar, the foursome spent the next six months playing on the beach for anyone who’d listen. Then they decided to hit the road.

Nelson wanted the band to pay its dues. “I’d just read (Hermann Hesse’s) Siddhartha—I needed to leave a place of comfort and go out and feel the extremities of both sides of humanity.

I wanted to sleep in cars, on couches, and get to know people. I felt like my parents had already given me a fulfilling life; I didn’t want to have to ask them for money.”

That’s an admirable sentiment, considering Nelson’s father is living legend Willie Nelson.

So in the fall of 2008, POTR lit out in LoGerfo’s old pickup, calling themselves Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real, inspired by a verse from Neil Young’s “Walk On”: Some get stoned / Some get strange / But sooner or later / It all gets real.

On tour, Lukas bared his soul and used his teeth to play ripping extended guitar solos. The crowd embraced POTR’s open, joyful vibe and sincere, raucous countryrock tunes. It took five months before the group saw any money, but finally, proceeds from a soundboard-recorded EP, Live Beginnings, enabled POTR to upgrade from a truck to a dangerously rickety RV. That’s when Willie and his wife, Annie, intervened: “They didn’t want us to kill ourselves in that RV,” Lukas said. The Nelsons gave the band a bus, but left the fuel, maintenance and driver expenses to Lukas and co.

In June 2009, the group released the

Brando’s Paradise Sessions EP, featuring “My Own Wave.” Kelly left, and Corey McCormick joined in time for the band’s eponymous first LP. April 2012 brought the group’s second album, Wasted. The band picked up more new fans—like Neil Young, who came to POTR’s show this time. Although Young and Willie had been friends for years, Lukas “didn’t know Neil that well”—they’d only met a few times, Lukas said. Since connecting backstage, however, Young has become POTR’s guru.

“He’s given us a ton of advice,” Lukas said. “Besides my father, Neil is my biggest influence.”

Mutual admiration led Young to invite the band to back him up on his 2015 album, The Monsanto Years, which is credited to Neil Young + Promise of the Real. POTR toured with Young to promote the record, and will do more shows with him soon. In the meantime, the group is finishing its third album, and has released Realer Bootlegs Vol. 1, a stopgap EP to pacify fans while POTR talks with record labels.

Lukas pledges that he’s all about keeping it real.

“That’s a promise Neil made, and it’s a promise we make: We’ll deliver reality, whether it’s sadness, happiness, boredom, good friends, inspiration,” he said.

“Whatever it is, we’ll deliver it musically.”

Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real will perform with Insects vs. Robots at 9 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 12, at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, in Pioneertown. Tickets: 20. For tickets or more information, call 760-365-5956, or visit www.pappyandharriets.com. This story woriginally appeared in the Salt Lake City Weekly.

Coachella Valley Independent // 37

DECEMBER 2015

MUSIC

DESERT ROCK CHRONICLES

Desert Rock Makes International News—for the Worst of Reasons

The Ea gles of Death CHAPMAN Metal.

BAEHLER

www.cvindependent.com/music

F

By ROBIN LINN riday the 13th of November 2015 will forever be remembered by fans of desert rock.

Of course, we all know what happened on that day: Armed gunmen shot and killed 89 concert-goers, and wounded more than 300 fans, at an Eagles of Death Metal show at the Bataclan in Paris. It was the worst of a series of deadly terrorist attacks in Paris that night.

The hard-edged pop band features frontman Jesse Hughes, with Josh Homme— frontman of the platinum-record-selling Queens of the Stone Age—on drums; both grew up in Palm Desert. The band also includes guitarist Dave Catching, who resides in Joshua Tree at his world-famous recording studio Rancho de la Luna. While Hughes and Catching were on the Bataclan stage on Nov. 13, Homme was not; he had been on the European tour but had returned home to be with his wife, who is expecting their second child.

It was an hour into their set when gunfire broke out. The band was quickly ushered offstage and escaped harm’s way.

However, the band’s merch manager, Nick Alexander was not so lucky: The 36-yearold British resident was shot and killed— and a wave of shock is still resounding in the music community here at home.

“I spent a lot of time with Nick, but the thing about the touring merch job, it’s one of the more thankless jobs,” drummer Patrick Carney of The Black Keys told Rolling Stone; Carney had worked with Alexander, but was not in Paris during the attacks. “You do it because you just want to travel, and you’re interested in meeting new people, and it’s really hard work. It’s not the job you take if you’re into partying. … He was just a sweetheart, that guy.”

Within 24 hours, fans started a socialmedia campaign to launch the Eagles of Death Metal single “Save a Prayer” (a Duran Duran cover on EODM’s latest release, Zipper Down) to No. 1 on the charts. Within 24 hours, the single had risen to No. 5 in Norway, and was No. 1 on Amazon. Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon

said all proceeds from the song would be donated to a charitable organization.

Anyone who didn’t know about the Eagles of Death Metal before the attacks certainly knows about them now.

Unfortunately, that includes some morons.

At the Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Ariz., Pastor Steven Anderson— who has clearly never heard one note of the band’s music—gave a sermon, posted online, in which he referred to EODM as a death-metal band, and the group’s fans as Satan worshipers.

“When you go to a concert of death metal, somebody might get killed!” he said.

“You know, you’re worshiping death! And then, all of a sudden, people start dying! …

Well, you love death so much; you bought the ticket; you love worshiping Satan! Well, let’s have some of Satan’s religion come in and shoot you! I mean, that’s what these people should think about before they go into such a wicked concert.”

Believe it or not, after saying he didn’t condone the shootings, Anderson’s rhetoric then got even worse: “But you know what? Nobody should be at a concert worshiping Satan with this drug-pushing hillbilly faggot. And that’s what he is.”

Here at home, we are happy our friends escaped safely, yet deeply saddened by the loss of the lives of Nick and all of those fans. It’s a testament to the state of affairs in our world that you never know when your time on the planet is up; it could even end at the next desert-rock show.

Read more from Robin Linn, including an expanded version of this story, at www.desertrockchronicles.com.

CVIndependent.com

38 \\ coachella Valley IndependeNT

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MUSIC

the

LUCKY 13

We Head to Indio to Get to Know a Trans-Activist Musician and a Nu-Metal MC

www.cvindependent.com/music

By BRIAN BLUESKYE NAME Paulina Angel MORE INFO Angel is an LGBT-equality activist who lives in Indio. She’s also a singer-songwriter who has been performing since the age of 5. However, she took a lengthy break from live performance—but returned to the stage for the first time in many years at Chill Bar for the George and Chris Zander Benefit Concert, organized by the Independent, on Nov. 17. More info at www.facebook.com/paulinaangelmusicofficial.

What was the first concert you attended?

Cover Girls (at the Date Festival in 1989).

What was the first album you owned?

The Beatles 1967-1970.

What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?

“There in the park, where we used to play, Angels of stone, they would always pray,” “Angels of Stone,”

by John and Mary.

What band or artist changed your life? How? 10,000 Maniacs, I was about ready to commit suicide when I was 14, but what stopped me was their cover of Roxy Music’s 1982 classic “More Than This.” Since then, their music has held a special place in my heart.

What bands are you listening to right now?

Charli XCX, 10,000 Maniacs, Jenny Lewis, and Saint Etienne.

You have one question to ask one musician.

What’s the question, and who are you asking?

To Paul McCartney: Can you produce me?

What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?

Rap.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

“More Than This” by 10,000 Maniacs.

What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?

10,000 Maniacs.

Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?

Love Among the Ruins, 10,000 Maniacs.

What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?

The Partridge Family.

What song should everyone listen to right now?

“Take It Away,” Paul McCartney.

What’s your favorite music venue?

Coachella.

CVIndependent.com

NAME Gabe Perez GROUP Drop Mob MORE INFO The members of Indio’s Drop Mob are proud to call themselves a “nu-metal band.”

Influenced by groups such as Rage Against the Machine, the Beastie Boys and Limp Bizkit, Drop Mob has a fantastic metal sound—with a hiphop edge. More info at www.reverbnation.com/ dropmob5. Meet Drop Mob’s MC, Gabe Perez.

What was the first concert you attended?

My first rap concert was MC Hammer, LOL! My first rock concert was Godsmack with Limp Bizkit.

What was the first album you owned?

Slick Rick, Teenage Love.

What bands are you listening to right now?

Hacktivist and, of course, Rage Against the Machine.

What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?

A lot of the new rap that’s coming out now. I know that “Whip” song is popular, but, wow, really?

What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?

I would love Rage Against the Machine to get back together, but I don’t think that will happen, so I think Eminem would be dope.

What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?

Justin Timberlake. I have to admit that guy is talented. Is there any genre he can’t do?

What’s your favorite music venue?

Coachella. The atmosphere is great, and most of the time, the lineup is great, too. I would love to play for that crowd.

What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?

“Watch me whip watch me Nae Nae.” I CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD! What band or artist changed your life? How? Rage Against the Machine. The energy and power of Zack de la Rocha’s delivery is awesome.

You have one question to ask one musician.

What’s the question, and who are you asking?

Fred Durst: Why did you do it for the Nookie?

LOL. What song would you like played at your funeral?

An original I wrote a few years back called “Fallen Angel.” I wrote for my best friend/brother Hernan Marquez after he passed away. It has a lot of meaning behind it.

Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?

Beastie Boys, Licensed to Ill. Great album. I can play it over and over again.

What song should everyone listen to right now?

“P.O.S.” by my band Drop Mob.

Coachella Valley Independent // 39

DECEMBER 2015

© 2015 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com)

COMICS & jonesin’crossword

Across 1 Comedian dubbed “The Entertainer” 7 Label in a folder 15 Singer Grande 16 Better than usual 17 Meter reader of sorts 18 Makeover, perhaps 19 Houdini, notably 21 Hall abd Oates, e.g.

22 Dodeca-, quartered 23 “In ___ of flowers ...”

27 Ugly Betty actor Michael 29 They go through a slicer 34 Bike turners 37 Lucy Lawless TV role 38 Apprehend, as a criminal 39 Jupiter and Mars, among others 42 Great respect 45 ___ Your Enthusiasm 46 Required 50 Show sadness 53 Work with a meter 54 Twin Peaks actor MacLachlan 55 Easter candy shape 58 Body scan, for short 59 Pie feature, or feature of this puzzle’s other four longest answers 65 Estate

68 More conceited 69 Tableware 70 Make public 71 Artists’ boards 72 Riata loops Down 1 Confined 2 “A Little Respect” band 3 Round and flat in shape 4 Rendezvous With ___ (Arthur C. Clarke book) 5 Hardly fitting 6 Certain chairmaker 7 M*A*S*H actor Jamie 8 “Like that’ll ever happen” 9 California city in a Creedence song 10 Two important ones are a week apart in December 11 Big name in chocolate 12 Bee-related prefix 13 Off-the-rack purchase, for short?

14 Suffix for north or south 20 Give help to 24 McKellen of the Hobbit films 25 Frat house H 26 Connector for a smart device 28 It may be pulled in charades 30 Adjective for Lamar Odom in

recent headlines 31 Travel division 32 Privy to 33 Created 35 “Livin’ La Vida ___” (1999 hit) 36 Adult material 40 “We ___ Queen Victoria” 41 Aug. follower 42 Beseech 43 Word often seen near 42-Down 44 “Slippery” fish 47 Pizza Hut competitor 48 Mountain dog breed 49 Asylum seekers 51 Practice lexicography 52 Boxing arbiter 56 Like first names 57 ___SmithKline 60 Lie down for a while 61 “SVU” part 62 Running in neutral 63 Cold War news agency 64 Cosmetic surgery, briefly 65 Drill sergeant’s “one” 66 ___ moment’s notice 67 Dumbo frame

Find the answers in the “About” section of CVIndependent.com!

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DECEMBER 2015 DECEMBER 2015

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