Coachella Valley Independent January 2022

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

Editor/Publisher Jimmy Boegle staff writer Kevin Fitzgerald coveR and feature design Dennis Wodzisz Contributors Max Cannon, Kevin Carlow, Robert Crane, Melissa Daniels, Charles Drabkin, Katie Finn, Bill Frost, Bonnie Gilgallon, Bob Grimm, Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume, Clay Jones, Matt Jones, Jocelyn Kane, Matt King, Keith Knight, Kay Kudukis, Cat Makino, Brett Newton, Greg Niemann, Dan Perkins, Theresa Sama, Andrew Smith, Jen Sorenson, Robert Victor The Coachella Valley Independent print edition is published every month. All content is ©2021-2022 and may not be published or reprinted in any form without the written permission of the publisher. The Independent is available free of charge throughout the Coachella Valley, limited to one copy per reader. Additional copies may be purchased for $5 by calling (760) 904-4208. The Independent may be distributed only by the Independent’s authorized distributors. The Independent is a proud member and/ or supporter of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, the California Newspaper Publishers Association, CalMatters, DAP Health, the Local Independent Online News Publishers, the Desert Business Association, and the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert.

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There are a lot of positives about publishing a monthly newspaper compared to publishing a monthly or a daily. For one thing, we only have to layout, print and distribute the publication once per month, as opposed to doing all of that monthly or daily … but you probably figured that one out already. There are negatives, too. For starters: A month is a loooooooong time, especially when stuff starts getting weird out there. I am writing this on Dec. 23. As of now, the state of the pandemic in the Coachella Valley is OK-ish. COVID-19-related hospitalizations, case counts and virus levels in wastewater are all more or less steady. Omicron is beginning to cause havoc in other parts of the U.S., but it’s not doing so much here. Yet. I am pretty sure that while this issue is on newsstands, some degree of havoc will come. As for how severe it will be, I don’t know. Will we have a shutdown like we did in March 2020 or December 2021? I doubt it. Will we have some closures and event cancellations due to the virus? We almost certainly will. In these pages, we have a bunch of fantastic coverage of upcoming events— all of which, to our knowledge, were still a go as of this Dec. 23 writing. However, things can (and will) change fast with this virus, so make sure you verify that events are still on, and venues are still open, before you go anywhere. I encourage you to watch CVIndependent.com, and specifically our Indy Digest newsletters on Monday and Thursday, for updates. We’ll bring you the latest news on what’s going on (or NOT going on) in the Coachella Valley, just as we have throughout the pandemic and beyond. If you haven’t gotten your vaccine booster shot yet, I strongly encourage you to do so. Please mask up, and be extra kind to retail workers, restaurant employees and everyone else you encounter in public. These are uneasy times, and kindness is needed. I hope that by the time the deadline arrives for our February issue, the state of the pandemic will be calmer and more settled. Of course, I’ve had similar hopes since we put our April 2020 print edition to press … and more often than not, my hopes have been dashed. SARS-CoV-2 has proven to be a nasty adversary. Welcome to the January 2022 print edition of the Coachella Valley Independent. As we kick off our 10th year of publication, I ask you to please be safe and careful during these uncomfortable times—and, as always, thanks for reading. —Jimmy Boegle, jboegle@cvindependent.com


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OPINION OPINION

THE XX FACTOR A

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION

Meet Jeni Eskridge, a recently retired drama teacher who touched countless students’ lives

BY KAY KUDUKIS

33-minute drive outside of Manhattan is a little town called Saddle River, N.J. It’s an idyllic enclave where high-powered executive types go to raise their families. It’s where Jennifer (Jeni) Eskridge spent most of her formative years. Although Jeni was born in Riverside, Dad’s career relocated the family a few times before they put down more permanent roots. They were in Michigan for a few years, and then General Motors offered to pay for Dad’s MBA. He was accepted into the Harvard Business School, and the family moved to Cambridge, Mass., where he graduated with highest distinction and was named a Baker Scholar. Many kids would complain about being uprooted so many times, but Eskridge is grateful for when Eskridge started preparing for her turn. the experience. “We moved through so many states, cultures and communities,” she says. “I She made an appointment with the dean of humanities at UCR. learned to adapt. I also learned to appreciate “I walked into his office, and I said, ‘Hi, that the world was not the same everywhere.” this is my story. I really believe I can add Mom was a 1960s housewife who doted on something to this university.’ Can you Dad, looked good on his arm, and kept the home fires burning. When Eskridge expressed imagine the audacity?” she says with a laugh. Within six months, she was enrolled in an interest in singing, Mom made sure she UCR and working on her degree. And, as it studied with the finest Juilliard vocal coaches often goes, her husband bailed on their deal. money could buy. The now-single mother completed her degree “I thought I was going to go on Broadway,” in three years, all while raising two children, Eskridge says with a wistful sigh. “I had working full time and volunteering at a rapeopportunities to do that … but something set crisis center. me back, and I left the performing arts.” She moved her family to Palos Verdes and That something was a brutal attack during took a job as the assistant public information the summer of her sophomore year at Miami officer for the Los Angeles Municipal Court. University in Ohio. It left her emotionally “I produced the in-house Amicus Curiae, their broken and suffering from severe postnewsletter,” Eskridge says. “I also wrote traumatic stress disorder. She went home, speeches for judges and created pamphlets.” put her Broadway dreams away, and took jobs In the late 1990s, she met her next working retail, in a place where she felt safe. ex-husband. After two years, it was over, At 25, she married, and had a son the and she once again sought the comfort of following year. She and her husband had a home, renting a house close to her parents deal. You know the one: She works and raises in Rancho Mirage. She became involved in the kids while he gets his degree, and then community theater almost immediately, but he’d do the same for her. They moved to Riverside, where he enrolled what she really needed was a job. “Literally within the first four months, at the University of California, Riverside it goes from community theater, to being (UCR), with her parents generously footing offered a role at the high school, and then the bill. He was a few months from finishing

CVIndependent.com

Jeni Eskridge (upper right) performs in the 2002 Coachella Valley High School production of Scrooge.

the high school principal coming to me after a production of Scrooge and saying, ‘We’re looking for a drama teacher,’” Eskridge says. She spent much of the next 19 years— including stints at Coachella Valley and Desert Mirage high schools—helping the youth in our valley grow to know themselves and their strengths through the creativity of performance. Eskridge has so many accolades that you’d be reading all day if I listed them. Instead, I will tell you how I learned about her: I recently interviewed Liliana Rodriguez, the artistic director of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, for another publication. On my submitted list of questions, I asked if she’d ever had a teacher who influenced her in a positive way, or someone she’d like to shout out. “I saw this question, and I definitely want to respond. Jeni Eskridge was just the best,” Rodriguez replied. “An excellent educator, but also a really good friend to all of us. When we graduated, her family gave scholarships to a few of us students.” Eskridge plays that last bit down. “I wasn’t going to mention that,” she says, modestly. Around 2014, Eskridge’s father was diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer.

“His brain basically turned on him at the end,” she says. He petitioned Washington state for death with dignity, and on June 5, 2015, his entire family surrounded him, with her mom holding him until he let out his last breath. Recently retired, Eskridge is now in the low-residency MFA program at the University of California, Riverside, studying creative writing and performing arts with an emphasis on stage plays. “The plan is to write about my mother,” Eskridge says. “We clashed for many years. She had old-fashioned beliefs, and I wanted her to be what I wanted for all women, you know?” Mom was more Phyllis Schlafly to Eskridge’s Gloria Steinem. “She was always the supporting role in my father’s life, and he was the superstar,” Eskridge says. “In the end, though, she’s the most dynamic, supportive woman that I could have ever had in my life.” I look forward to hearing her stories. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with nine words of wisdom that Eskridge learned at the tender age of 5—nine words she embraces; nine words she has imparted to all her students; nine words we all need to heed to help us achieve our bliss: “If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.”


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DON’T LET OTHERS GUESS YOUR AGE SECRETS

MAKE THE EASY CHOICE

THE #1 CHOICE COMFORT AIR

By Shonda Chase, FNP Nurse Practitioner, Co-owner, Artistic Director and Advanced Aesethetic Injector at Revive Wellness Centers in Palm Springs and Torrance, and Medweight, Lasers and Wellness Center in Irvine

O

ne of my pa�ents had a woman come up to her while they were both jogging. The woman complimented her on how young and beau�ful she looked. This pa�ent works really hard—and her diligence with me is making her a superstar pa�ent! I’m talking “Kardashian results” superstar! She has a wonderful personality, and she’s a “head-turner” in her mid-40s. The jogger then asked my pa�ent: “How old are you?” My pa�ent responded: “How old do you think I am?” You can already see where this is going, can’t you? This ques�on can’t be answered to anyone’s sa�sfac�on. You can’t know how anyone sees themselves when they look in the mirror. If you guess too high, the person will might feel insulted. If you guess too low, then they’ll think you’re placa�ng them. If you’re a woman reading this, you know how sensi�ve we are about our appearance. To be fair, this interac�on happened between joggers, during a workout—not at a photoshoot! Professional ligh�ng, hair and makeup ar�sts, and a good photographer with Photoshop can take 20 years off of a person’s appearance. Secret No. 1: Don’t ever ask the impossible-to-answer ques�on: “How old do you think I am?” Secret No. 2: For all of you who are u�lizing all of the healthy aging tools we have, just say, “Thank you so much.” Secret No. 3: Happiness is obviously more than skin deep. But if your appearance doesn’t reflect how happy you are, the opportuni�es to turn back the aging clock and keep it there with the help of aesthe�c medicine are remarkable. To finish the story: The jogger’s answer to my pa�ent’s ques�on was 40. My pa�ent wanted to hear mid-20s. When she’s all put together for an evening out, she s�ll gets carded on occasion. I count each of those occasions as a win. Next month, I’ll share the latest secrets about the most effec�ve treatments for younger skin. Un�l then, keep the Secrets. Our Revive Wellness Center loca�ons are in Palm Springs (760325-4800) and Torrance (310-375-7599); www.revivecenter.com. Our Medweight, Lasers and Wellness Center office is in Irvine (949-586-9904); www.medweightandlasers.com.

You can email your individual ques�ons to Shonda Chase FNP, or Allan Y. Wu MD, Revive’s cosme�c surgeon, at shonda@revivecenter.com.

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JANUARY 2022

OPINION OPINION

HIKING WITH T I

BY THERESA SAMA

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION

The Lykken Trail is easily accessible with great views and workout options is by far my favorite part, as it is much less traveled; you are completely surrounded by the beauty of nature, and you can feel a deep sense of serenity. I’m not a fan of going the other (flatland) direction that goes toward the dam. It’s a bit flat and boring for me, and much less of a workout. However, the option is there! The great thing about the North Lykken Trail is that you have many options, both in terms of direction and mileage. The South Lykken Trail is a moderate section of 4.4 miles, or 8.8 miles out and back, with an elevation gain of just more than 1,000 feet. You can start at the north end of the trail, at the west end of Mesquite Avenue, south of downtown Palm Springs. The south end begins off of South Palm Canyon Drive, just before Bogert Trail. Regardless of the end at which you start, you’ll encounter a climb on switchbacks that will take about 30 minutes—if you’re in fairly decent shape. South Lykken is just as heavily trafficked as the North Lykken Trail.

f you are in the Palm Springs area, and you’re looking for a great outdoor workout to help you shed those extra pounds you inevitably gained during the holidays, the Lykken Trail is an excellent option. The Lykken Trail is broken into two sections, North and South, with both offering various approaches of entry and exit along the way. If you’re an early riser, you can catch some of the most amazing sunrise views. Also, if you’re lucky enough—as I fortunately have been a few times—you may come across a spectacular view of endangered peninsular desert bighorn sheep. If you do spot the bighorn sheep (or any desert animal), please remember that you are in their territory. Be careful; keep your distance; and do not disturb them. flat meadow lands on the other side. There’s The North Lykken Trail is accessible within a huge boulder at the base of the mountain walking distance of the center of downtown trail. You can’t miss it! It, too, makes for a Palm Springs. A big part of the North Lykken perfect stopping spot. You may want to take Trail actually hovers right above downtown, a moment there and climb upon the boulder, overlooking beautiful Palm Springs. Views have a snack, enjoy the beauty around you, extend beyond downtown into the Coachella and just meditate for a bit. Valley to the east as you experience the hills From there, I like to continue on, staying on just below the San Jacinto Mountains. You the trail that leads toward and then along the can start your hike at the Palm Springs Art rocky hillsides, heading up into Chino Canyon Museum, on the Museum Trail. It meets the and yet another picnic table area. I must say North Lykken Trail near an area with picnic that this section of the North Lykken Trail tables, and it’s all a little more than 3.5 miles out and back, with Ramon Road being the turnaround point. You can also take streets from the end of Ramon back to the museum, making it about a 4-mile loop. From the museum, this trail is steep, rough and rocky until you reach the picnic tables, about 1 mile away at just less than 1,000 feet of elevation gain—and the trail is heavily trafficked. From the tables, you can choose to go either north or south. Either way, be careful, as the Lykken Trail intersects with the Skyline Trail for a short bit just beyond the picnic tables, then veers off, so be sure to stay right if continuing north, or stay to left at the fork (rock pile) if continuing south. Otherwise, you’ll end up on the Skyline Trail (aka Cactus to Clouds)—a day trek up into the backcountry and to the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, or even to the top of San Jacinto Peak, more than 20 miles one way. As AllTrails points out, that trail is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. It may be a bit easier to start your hike at the trailhead at the west end of Ramon Road. It’s about 1.5 miles from there to the picnic tables, but still moderately challenging. Regardless of the starting point, the tables are centrally located and make for a great stop to take a break, have lunch or a snack, and enjoy the amazing views. If you started at Ramon, from the tables, you may continue on to the north (remember to stay right at the fork), down the other side of the mountain trail and into Chino Canyon, where it will turn into steep, rocky terrain on one side, and The view from the North Lykken Trail above the museum. Theresa Sama CVIndependent.com

One of my favorite parts of this trail is finding the perfect spot overlooking Tahquitz Falls. If you listen to the sounds of nature while you hike, and if the timing is right, you might be lucky enough to hear the serene sounds of the 60-foot waterfall. Once you hear the waterfall, it’s a fairly easy hike down to locate it—and it’s totally worth taking a moment to enjoy the tranquility as you look down on the Tahquitz Falls from high above. Dogs are prohibited on the Museum Trail, the South Lykken Trail and the North Lykken Trail. Also, please keep in mind that we are still in the midst of a pandemic, so be considerate, and wear a mask when you meet someone along the trail; use hand sanitizer; and try to keep your distance. There is no shade, so remember your hat, sunscreen and more water than you think you might need, even during the cooler months. Always wear good hiking shoes, as parts of the trail can be challenging. I hope to see you on the trails soon!


JANUARY 2022

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NEWS

LIFE-SAVING DELIVERIES A

by kevin fitzgerald

s 2022 arrives, the United States has been dealing with an ever-changing COVID19 threat for 22 months now—and few groups have been as negatively impacted as homebound senior citizens. For many of these seniors, their only regular human contact has come thanks to the volunteers and employees of Meals on Wheels. “When COVID-19 hit, millions of older adults found themselves more vulnerable and in need of urgent support, practically overnight,” the Meals on Wheels America website explains. “Meals on Wheels rose to the challenge to deliver 19 million more meals and (serve) an additional 1 million seniors. By July 2020, the emergency meals if they were needed, because people couldn’t get out and were concerned Meals on Wheels COVID-19 Response Fund about their health. We worked with them enabled us to successfully scale our efforts here in the central Coachella Valley, mostly in (nationwide) to serve 47% more seniors than Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and pre-pandemic and increased the number some in La Quinta. Also, some of the cities of meals we distributed by 77%. Meals on had been (participating in) the Great Plates Wheels America sent $31.3 million directly program, which ended (earlier this year). to the frontlines during the pandemic. That’s Individuals who had been in that program more than 1,000 grants to support 628 local transitioned over to our program or other communities. Our impact spanned the nation MOW programs here in the valley. Definitely, and went into the communities that needed we have seen an increase in need.” it most.” Mizell’s Winter said its MOW program Here in the Coachella Valley, the Meals on home-delivers about 325 meals per day, Wheels programs, which operate out of some area senior centers, answered the call, and have across the entire length of our valley. The Mizell MOW was one of the recipients of kept up with the fluctuating demand since. a much needed financial grant from the “We’re in it for the duration, right?” said aforementioned Meals on Wheels America Wes Winter, the executive director of the COVID-19 Response Fund. It enabled Mizell Center in Palm Springs, during a recent Winter’s team to purchase another delivery interview with the Independent. “So whatever vehicle to help meet the increased demand. the demand is, we’re going to meet it. It’s not Another 350 or so daily meals are provided as high now as it was initially back when this via Mizell’s takeout meal service, run out of the all hit us in March of 2020. Back then, our center’s kitchen in Palm Springs. Mizell was numbers skyrocketed very quickly, from about getting ready to start welcoming clients back 450 meals a day to about 800 meals a day. We for congregate meals soon—but the arrival of hovered at 800 for quite a while; that (number omicron has put those plans on hold. represents) home-delivered meals and what Winter has to rely on a stable team of used to be congregate meals. Remember that employees and volunteers to prepare the pre-COVID, folks used to be able to go into a food, package it and get it distributed to congregate meal site, sit down, dine with their those in need. friends and have a very social lunch time. But “At times, it’s been hard to hold on to once COVID-19 hit, all of the congregate sites staff,” Winter said. “We have lost some people that we supplied meals to, including our site that we loved dearly who, for whatever here at Mizell, switched over to takeout meals. reason, chose to move on. But we’ve been able Folks have to come pick their meal up. … Our numbers are down now to about 675 meals per to replace them, so our staff census is about the same as it was. … The staff on the Meals day, which is not as high as it was at the peak, on Wheels program have been absolutely but it’s still higher than it was before. I have a feeling that it’s going to hover around this level amazing. All the way from the kitchen staff to the MOW administrative staff, to the drivers, from here on out.” everybody understands just how important Jack Newby is the executive director of their program is, and they’ve stuck with it. the Joslyn Center, which provides about 65 We have had very little turnover there, maybe meals per day to its MOW homebound senior one or two employees.” participants. At the Joslyn Center, Newby relies completely “The program has grown, and there on a volunteer group to get meals delivered. have been some changes,” Newby told the “Usually, each volunteer will pick one or Independent. “Earlier this year, we worked with two routes a week. Their dedication is the the county of Riverside to supply people with CVIndependent.com

Coachella Valley’s Meals on Wheels programs continue to offer food, human contact and more to homebound seniors

Mizell’s kitchen prepares healthy meals for Meals on Wheels program participants. Courtesy of Mizell Center

backbone of our program,” Newby said. “We’ve been fortunate that if a volunteer calls in, and they are unable to deliver for us that day, we are able to find someone else to help us out, even on short notice. So we’re very fortunate with our volunteers, and we’re always looking for more to help us out. One of the biggest logistical challenges of the program is keeping the volunteers scheduled and getting everything out on time. … Delivery drivers (drop off meals) to every customer once a day, five days a week. If people need frozen meals to eat over the weekend, then we provide them with those, too. “Actually, we just completed a survey of our Meals On Wheels clients. So many people are experiencing increased anxiety around issues related to COVID-19 as well as the (security of) their food situation. Over 90% of the respondents said that our MOW program had reduced their anxiety, since they didn’t have to be concerned about where they could obtain their meals.” While many MOW recipients no longer have to worry about food, isolation continues to be a huge problem as the pandemic drags on and on. “Loneliness is the biggest impact that we’re seeing,” Winter said. “The (clients who get)

home delivery are unable to get out and about in the community. … They really depend on folks coming to them, so it’s been hard for them. They really are missing that physical contact, whether a hug or a handshake that they used to get. We hear about that all the time from our delivery staff. “Over the last several months, we’ve seen that sheltering relax quite a bit. We’ve opened our doors, and people are coming in. Because many of the homebound people are vaccinated now, they’ve been able to invite friends and family into their homes again. You know, the Omicron variant has just gotten here, so I don’t really know if that’s changed anything for these participants yet.” Newby said his staff and volunteers have doubled down on their efforts to make sure Joslyn’s MOW clients feel connected. “We’ve always known that the isolation experienced by seniors who receive Meals on Wheels is a real issue,” Newby said. “We have a supplemental calling program where we call all of the clients to touch base with them and find out if they need anything. For instance, if they need any other kind of social service assistance, we connect them with that. … We try to take a kind of holistic approach, and the response from them has been very


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CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS positive. We can help relieve some of the stresses that they’re experiencing around COVID-19, and their inability to have visitors since many of them are in very frail health.” Another major challenge involved helping MOW recipients get vaccinated. “Earlier in 2021, one of the things we did at Mizell was hold two COVID-19 vaccine clinics here in our building. The people who came to those clinics had, by and large, been sheltering at home for an entire year,” Winter said. “No exaggeration: We had people bursting into tears when they came through our doors to get their shots. It was partly because they were so relieved that the vaccine was available to them, but also because they were so happy to see other people. It’s been very hard on seniors to be sheltering at home alone.” Of course, MOW clients who are homebound could not get to the center for a clinic. “We have worked with the Desert Care Network to get folks lined up with appointments, then staff from the Desert Care Network went to the homes of our participants and actually gave them their vaccination in their home,” Winter said. “After we’d done that, the county of Riverside stepped up and did the same thing with our team members who connected other participants with county personnel, who then went to homes to administer the vaccines.”

As the country faces uncertainty caused by hyper-contagious omicron variant, we asked both Winter and Newby if they had a message they wanted to deliver to their Coachella Valley neighbors. “Through the end of January 2022, we are in our annual appeal mode, if you will,” Newby said. “So people can go online to joslyncenter.org and designate that they want their contribution to be used to support the Meals on Wheels or our Penny’s Pantry food bank programs. Any kind of financial support between now and the end of January would be appreciated.” Winter responded: “Particularly here at the holiday season, the first thing that comes into my mind is gratitude. Our senior participants have been so well taken care of by the community during this very unusual time. When March 2020 came along, and we had to close our doors to the public, we were really worried about what was going to happen. Would we be able to stay afloat during this time, and how long would it last? … The public just stepped up. We got calls from people who we hadn’t heard from in a long time. We heard from new folks who came into the fold. So, we’ve been taken care of very well by the community here in the Coachella Valley. We are so grateful for that. People are eating every day because of that help.”

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A Mizell Center Meals on Wheels employee brings a meal to the home of a participant. Courtesy of Mizell Center

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NEWS

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

CIVIC SOLUTIONS

New ways of park planning are sprucing up underserved parts of the Coachella Valley

by melissa daniels

L

ive in the desert long enough, and you can begin to tell the time by the colors in the sky. Golden hour. Lavender hour. Sunrise. Shouldn’t we all have more places to enjoy such vistas—whatever census track or municipal government in which we live? A new wave of state grants is poised to make that happen. More than $44 million is coming to the Coachella Valley as part of a $549 million infusion of parks grants going to more than 100 communities across California. Called the Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program (SPP), it’s the largest-ever parkrelated grant program in California history—and possibly U.S. history, according to the office Valley will support parks in Cathedral City, of Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia. Coachella, Indio and Thermal, aiding a muchSPP is fortified with more than $350 needed and long-overdue process to provide million in funds from Proposition 68, which equitable amenities in areas where year-round voters passed in 2018. The vote authorized residents live. While visitors to our resorts a $4 billion bond that includes the creation and golf courses may enjoy lush, maintained of more parks and recreation opportunities landscapes, most locals may not: The reality in underserved areas. This in and of itself is is that many of those landscapes are locked a new way to think about how to prioritize behind private gates. And investment for development: Instead of funneling money to community amenities like public parks in the same places it has always gone, why not places like the desert have been historically direct new resources to places where there difficult secure. have been historic gaps? Noelle Furon, public information officer The Coachella Valley is one of those for the Desert Recreation District, said parks places. The SPP grants to the Coachella

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The Desert Recreation District opened Oasis del Desierto Park in Oasis in October 2021. It’s one of three parks the district has opened in the eastern Coachella Valley in recent years. Courtesy of the Desert Recreation District

and recreation grants in the past have been hard to come by, because they tend to go to denser communities. Why? Parks in heavily populated areas will likely wind up with more visitors, meaning more per-capita use of each grant dollar—but this kind of scoring system leaves out more rural and sparsely populated areas like the desert. “That’s been one of the biggest challenges in building these parks,” Furon said. The Desert Recreation District received a grant for $4.5 million toward the construction of Thermal Community Park as part of the SPP program. The funds will help pay for acquiring the land—which last sold for $432,000 in 1994, according to county records—and building out amenities, as well as ensuring “invisible” infrastructure upgrades like water and sewer lines are installed and operational. This project marks the third park the district has worked on in the eastern Coachella Valley, following North Shore Community Park in 2018, and Oasis del Desierto, which opened in October 2021. It’s also the third time the district will work with Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI), a community and development design nonprofit that works in under-resourced communities. KDI focuses on advancing equity during the planning process by bringing residents into the process sooner, and having discussions about neighborhood needs and wants. Plans for Thermal Community Park, at the corner of Church and Olive streets, includes a new playground, a jungle gym, tennis

courts, basketball courts, a baseball field, a soccer field and more. These particular plans were selected out of three drafts that were drawn up following five planning and design sessions—held in Spanish—with residents in the area. Furon said the district works with KDI to hear directly from residents. “We want the people who live in the area, who are going to be using the parks, to have input on what resources and amenities are included,” Furon said. “It’s key that they have a say in the designs.” Such planning may sound like simple foresight to those who come from a private business background, and governments will point to public comment sessions as avenues for participation. But these often are not accessible to people who are working, caring for their families, or confronted with a language barrier. Several new parks won’t make up for generations of disinvestment. But if we are going to build a new way forward, we may as well start by ensuring all residents have safe and public places to enjoy—that they’re able to claim as their own. Melissa Daniels is a writer and digital media consultant who has called the Coachella Valley home since 2019. She’s originally from Rochester, N.Y., and spent several years covering state government and politics in Pennsylvania before moving to the West Coast in 2016. Her work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, Forbes, and many other print and digital publications.


COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 11

JANUARY 2022

We’re proud to be called special in so many specialties! Count on Us for Exceptional Care

Awarded by experts. Earned by our care teams. Inspired by you. As we come to the end of year two of the COVID-19 crisis, our superb doctors and staff continue to provide top-notch, awardwinning care. Once again, our teams’ talent, dedication, and impressive outcomes have earned the attention of U.S. News & World Report, and we are proud to be recognized for a broad range of specialties. But that’s only a sample of the recognition we have earned this year, for everything from nursing excellence to LGBTQ equality. We are grateful to our amazing care teams Welcome, for their unwavering dedication. And we thank the many members of this community who inspire us to always aim higher. Kaiser Permanente Members, to Eisenhower Health!

It’s my pleasure to introduce you to everything Eisenhower Health has to offer. On this page, you’ll find information to help you navigate our health system based on your personal needs — we provide just about every service you might require. Please work with your primary care provider with Kaiser Permanente for accessCount to Eisenhower’s on Us specialty services. I’m proud to say that Eisenhower has been repeatedly recognized forincluding Exceptional designation for high quality care and patient safety, Magnet ® Care for the excellence of our nursing teams — the only hospital in Riverside County to earn this distinction. Whether you require an expert specialist, urgent or emergent care, Best Regional Hospitals or surgical services, Eisenhower Health is here for you. We have Centers of Excellence in cardiovascular, cancer, orthopedics and neuroscience. U.S. News & World Report, Our newest addition is our state-of-the-art Family Birth Center, where 2021-2022 we welcome new babies to the world every day.

elcome,

In keeping with the world-class care for which we are known, we provide a healing environment in our hospital and clinics to help you feel comfortable and safe. While this sheet provides a brief overview of Eisenhower Health, I invite you to visit www.EisenhowerHealth.org/KP to learn more about our services. Most of all, I hope you feel welcome and cared for at Eisenhower Health — we are excited to have you.

Accredited Stroke Center Accredited AccreditedPain Chest Pain Center Chest Center byquality therating American Five-star from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services College of Cardiology

Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospital by Fortune and IBM® Watson Health® Gold Seal of Approval® for Total Hip and Knee Replacement Certification by The Joint Commission

President and CEO of Eisenhower Health

Magnet Recognized by American Nurses Credential Center

39000 Bob Hope Dr, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270

pleasure to introduce you to everything Eisenhower Health has r. On this page, you’ll find information to help you navigate our system based on your personal needs — we provide just about ervice you might require. Please work with your primary care er with Kaiser Permanente for access to Eisenhower’s specialty s. I’m proud to say that Eisenhower has been repeatedly recognized h quality care and patient safety, including Magnet ® designation excellence of our nursing teams — the only hospital in Riverside y to earn this distinction.

er you require an expert specialist, urgent or emergent care, ical services, Eisenhower Health is here for you. We have Centers ellence in cardiovascular, cancer, orthopedics and neuroscience. west addition is our state-of-the-art Family Birth Center, where come new babies to the world every day.

ping with the world-class care for which we are known, we e a healing environment in our hospital and clinics to help you mfortable and safe. While this sheet provides a brief overview of ower Health, I invite you to visit www.EisenhowerHealth.org/KP to more about our services. Most of all, I hope you feel welcome and or at Eisenhower Health — we are excited to have you.

nt and CEO of Eisenhower Health

39000 Bob Hope Dr, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270

Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospital by Fortune and IBM ® /Watson Health®

EisenhowerHealth.org

OCT21 51129

Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality by Human Rights Campaign

Accredited Stroke Center certified by the Joint Commission and the American Heart Association as a Primary Stroke Center

Other Recognition from U.S. News & World Report Accredited Stroke Center Accredited Chest Pain Center Five-star quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality by Human Rights Campaign

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Gold Seal of Approval for Total Hip and Knee Replacement AorticCertification Valve Surgery by The Joint Commission Back Surgery EisenhowerHealth.org (Spinal Fusion) Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospital by Fortune and IBM® Watson Health® ®

Massiello

Five-star quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality by Human Rights Campaign

Martin Massiello

er Permanente Members, isenhower Health!

Gold Seal of Approval ® for Total Hip and Knee Replacment Certification by The Joint Commission

OCT21 51129

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Colon Cancer Surgery

Knee Replacement Diabetes Lung Cancer Heart Attack Surgery Heart Failure Pneumonia Hip Replacement Stroke Kidney Failure

Learn more about our services at EisenhowerHealth.org

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JANUARY 2022

NEWS

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CV HISTORY P

A look at the Coachella Valley’s long and storied movie and TV history

by greg niemann

alm Springs has long been known as a favorite place for Hollywood stars—but it’s also been a favorite of producers and moviemakers. Numerous movies, television shows, commercials and videos have been filmed in our desert oasis with its dramatic mountain backdrop since at least 1915. That first known movie filmed in Palm Springs in 1915 was Lone Star Rush, directed by early Palm Springs homeowner Edmund Mitchell. The cast and crew were hosted by Nellie Coffman at The Desert Inn. In 1918, silent-screen vamp Theda Bara starred in the popular Salome, filmed in the Coachella Valley. Around 1919, an old William Mary Jo Churchwell, in Palm Springs, The Landscape, The History, The Lore, reported: Fox Western was filmed in Palm Springs. In “At the same time, the tourists came like 1920, the incomparable Rudolph Valentino, they had never come before, a great goggling heartthrob of silent movies, filmed a French crowd more attracted to the jungle made by Foreign Legion movie in several locations in Hollywood than the canyon made by nature. and around Palm Springs. His most famous For six weeks the film crew struggled to keep movie, The Sheik (1921), was also shot in the them out of the shots.” Coachella Valley. During the 1950s, several episodes of In 1922, The Covered Wagon with Ernest Torrence was filmed near Palm Springs, prompting Lucille Ball’s hit TV show I Love Lucy were filmed around Palm Springs. The religious many other silent films to follow suit. themed The Big Fisherman with Howard Keel Many movies were made locally in the go-go was also filmed in the valley in the ’50s. decade of the 1920s. One was filmed on the In 1962, the big-screen comedy It’s a Mad, grounds of The Desert Inn, providing spectator entertainment for the village children. In 1923, Mad, Mad, Mad World, with a host of stars, Torrence starred in another Palm Springs made was filmed around Palm Springs. The opening scenes were shot on Highway 74, the curvy film about an African safari. road above Palm Desert. In 1926, William Powell and Shirley Mason That same year, a movie was filmed in Palm starred in Desert Gold, filmed in several valley Springs about Palm Springs: Palm Springs locations. Weekend starred Connie Stevens, Stefanie During the 1930s, Amos ’n’ Andy began Powers and Robert Conrad as teenagers broadcasting their popular daily radio show having fun in the desert city. from the El Mirador Hotel. During the 1960s, numerous Lost Horizon, directed by Frank Capra, was TV-production scenes were shot in the valley, filmed in Palm Springs during the winter of for shows including The Dating Game; I Spy 1935-36. An engaging movie, Lost Horizon with Robert Culp and Bill Cosby; a Merv was written by James Hilton in 1933 and is Griffin special; Mannix; and The FBI. Several the story of five people who come across the of these featured scenes aboard the new Palm mythical and elusive Shangri-la, where people Springs Aerial Tramway. never age, in a Tibetan valley. The waterfall In the 1970s, the James Bond flick they encounter—which is the essence of the Diamonds Are Forever featured a scene from a unspoiled Shangri-la—is the waterfall of Southridge home. Tahquitz Canyon. Movies partially filmed in the valley during A dramatic scene called for a horse and the 1980s included American Gigolo, Fraternity rider on top of the falls, but there was no trail to get the horse up there, so the movie people Vacation, Less Than Zero, Lethal Weapon 2, Rain Man and Pacific Heights. For television, enlisted the aid of the McKinney family, Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers filmed owners of Desert Nursery. They had hoists numerous scenes for Hart to Hart at the La and winches to move large palm trees—so Quinta Resort and other valley sites. they just winched the horse up. By the 1990s, movie and television people In 1938, Paramount Pictures came to Palm were coming to town regularly to set up shop. Springs and filmed the first jungle movie ever Palm Springs played a central role in the TV made in Technicolor, Her Jungle Love, with series P.S. I LUV U, starring Connie Sellecca. Dorothy Lamour and Ray Milland. While TV movie Dead Silence (1991), also known Palm Canyon south of Palm Springs is not a as A Death in Palm Springs, featured 200 jungle, the movie people took care of that by residents as extras. transplanting $20,000 worth of rare tropical In 1993, TV movie Fugitive Nights: plants, trees and vines. About the filming, CVIndependent.com

A Palm Springs-area film shoot early in the 20th century. Photo courtesy of the Palm Springs Historical Society

Danger in the Desert, which was based on a Joseph Wambaugh novel, was filmed here. Wambaugh, a former Los Angeles cop, was a Rancho Mirage resident who has written two novels with Palm Springs-area settings: The Secrets of Harry Bright and Fugitive Nights. A Charlie Sheen movie, Terminal Velocity, was filmed around the Palm Springs windmills in 1993. Even the TV series Rescue 911 came to town, to film a re-creation of a fallen hiker. Scenes were filmed at the Moorten Botanical Garden and in the Indian Canyons. In 1997, the movie City of Industry, about a big diamond heist that took place in Palm Springs, was filmed here. In 2001, some indoor scenes for the new Ocean’s Eleven movie with George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts were filmed in an Old Las Palmas home. In a way, the movie business has gone full circle. Old Las Palmas and the Movie Colony are the sections of Palm Springs where the early stars came to escape the movie business. Now the spotlights, cameras and current stars of the movies have come back to those same areas to make movies for new generations. During one recent year, 88 film permits were issued by the city of Palm Springs to film at locations like Palm Canyon Drive, the Indian Canyons, the windmills, the Palm

Springs Aerial Tramway, the Palm Springs International Airport, and even City Hall. Those permits included feature films, an MTV series, numerous television shows and documentaries, and numerous commercials. One huge irony: The 2020 movie called Palm Springs—directed by Max Barbakow, and starring Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons and Peter Gallagher—was a critical darling, nabbing two Golden Globe nominations and appearing on many critics’ year-end-best lists. However, Palm Springs was not filmed anywhere in the valley. The project apparently secured a lucrative tax credit—which required that it be filmed in Los Angeles County. Ergo, producers were forced to film in Santa Clarita and Palmdale. Non-Californians likely did not notice—but locals did. Maybe if a movie called Palmdale is ever made, they’ll come to the Coachella Valley to film it. Sources for this article include Palm Springs: Why I Love You by Tony Burke (Palmesa Inc., 1978); Palm Springs, The Landscape, The History, The Lore by Mary Jo Churchwell (Ironwood Editions, 2001); Palm Springs Confidential by Howard Johns (Barricade Books, 2004); and the Palm Springs Historical Society.


COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 13

JANUARY 2022

NEWS

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

JANUARY ASTRONOMY

The month offers lots of moon-

Planets and Bright Stars in Evening Mid-Twilight planet For pairings—and January, 2022 a rare chance

J

to view Venus as a crescent

This sky chart is drawn for latitude 34 degrees north, but may be used in southern U.S. and northern Mexico. N

By Robert Victor

anuary begins with Orion rising sideways at dusk, and an exodus of naked-eye planets from the early evening sky—from four down to just Jupiter. The morning sky begins with one planet, faint Mars, and adds brilliant Venus in the second week. New moons on Jan. 2 and 31 make the moon’s cycle of phases neatly fit within the calendar month. January’s evening sky: The year opens with a fine display of four bright planets spanning an arc of 38 degrees in the southwest sky at dusk. On Jan. 1, starting with the lowest and progressing to upper left, they are brilliant Venus, Mercury, Saturn and Jupiter. Choose a spot with unobstructed views toward the west-southwest horizon to catch the two planets. Even if your view is blocked, you can still spot Venus, because it’s brighter than magnitude -4, and easy to find in the daytime using just a pair ly equilateral Winter Triangle. If you look while of binoculars. Protect your eyes! Be sure the sun Sirius is still very low, you can still see the entire is hidden before you search for Venus. On Jan. 1, Summer Triangle in the northwest to west. In when Venus sets within an hour after the sun, order of brightness, its stars are Vega, Altair try for it in the late afternoon or at sunset, and Deneb. within 12 degrees to the upper left of the sun. January’s morning sky: In early January, Venus is unusually close to Earth and backlightbefore Venus emerges, the brightest points of E ed, and shows a crescent shape easily resolved in light are golden orange Arcturus, high in the binoculars. On Jan. 3, the crescent is only 1 persoutheast to south; blue-white Vega, climbing cent illuminated. With each passing day, Venus in the east-northeast; and yellow Capella, low appears closer to the sun, sets earlier and disin the northwest. Capella, Castor, Pollux and plays an even thinner crescent. On Jan. 4, Venus Procyon form an arch sinking in the northwest is within 8 degrees above the late afternoon sun. to west. Spica is in the south to southwest, 33 Mercury begins the year at magnitude -0.7, degrees from Arcturus. Regulus is in the westquite bright, and fades slightly to magnitude ern sky, 37 degrees to the upper left of Pollux. -0.5 as it reaches its highest position, 5 degrees Altair rises just north of east before midto the lower right of Saturn on Jan. 8. Four days month and competes the Summer Triangle with later, on Jan. 12, Mercury, at magnitude 0.0, Vega and Deneb. Around Jan. 15 each year, the approaches within 3.4 degrees to the lower right figure is equally visible at dawn and at dusk. of fainter Saturn at magnitude +0.7. The event Antares is low in the southeast at dawn at is called a quasi-conjunction, because Mercury the start of January each year. On Jan. 1, Mars approaches Saturn, but won’t pass it until after is 5.6 degrees to the left of Antares. About 40 retrograding and returning to overtake it, in the minutes before sunrise, look for the old cresmorning sky in early March. cent moon, 2 percent full, 12 degrees to the Mercury fades to magnitude +1.0 by Jan. lower left of Mars and 15 degrees to the lower 15, and very quickly in following days. Saturn left of Antares. holds steady in brightness, but drops lower on Mars in January moves eastward against the its way to solar conjunction on Feb. 4. Before background of zodiacal stars by 0.7 degrees per then, Saturn sets in mid-twilight on Jan. 24. day. During the second week of January, Venus Jupiter then becomes the only naked-eye starts to be visible in the morning. On Jan. 8 evening planet, until it, too, disappears, in the and the days immediately following, use binocuthird week of February. lars or a telescope to observe the emerging thin The eastern evening sky is filling with wincrescent Venus, again taking care to look only ter’s bright stars. Low in the eastern sky, 19 when the sun is completely hidden. degrees apart, are Orion’s brightest stars, blueThe moon in January: We’re in the midst white Rigel, his foot, and reddish Betelgeuse, of a period, lasting from mid-November 2021 his shoulder. Midway between them, look for through mid-May 2022, when all of the five three stars in a nearly vertical line, marking the bright planets appear within 90 degrees of the Hunter’s belt. As the days pass, if you observe at sun. Accordingly, all moon-bright planet conthe same stage of twilight each evening, Orion junctions involve a crescent moon. rises higher, making room below for his “Dog Astronomical new moon, invisible, occurs on Stars” to appear: Procyon, rising a few degrees Jan. 2 at 10:33 a.m. Just 31 hours later, at dusk north of east; and Sirius, the “Dog Star” itself, on Jan. 3, the young, 3 percent crescent moon rising in the east-southeast. will be 4 degrees up in southwest to west-southSirius, Procyon and Betelgeuse form the near- west. Venus will then be setting 12 degrees

January's evening sky chart. ROBERT D. MILLER

Pollux

Castor

Vega

Capella

Deneb Procyon Betelgeuse

Aldebaran

W Altair

Rigel Sirius 1

Jupiter 15 8 Saturn

22 1

29 8

15

15 22

1 Venus

8 1 Mercury

Fomalhaut

S

Evening mid-twilight occurs farther towhen the right. Sun is 9 below horizon. For three watch the waxing crescent Jan.evenings, 1: 43 minutes after sunset. 43 the " planets. " " On Jan. 4, Satmoon ascend15: past 41 " to" the"right of the 8 perurn is within31: 6 degrees

cent moon and slightly lower. Mercury is within 13 degrees to the lower right of the moon. Jupiter is 16 degrees to the moon’s upper left. On Jan. 6, the moon is at 24 percent. Jupiter is 13 degrees to its lower right. On Jan. 12, the moon is 4 degrees to the south of the Pleiades star cluster, while Mercury pauses 3.4 degrees to the lower right of Saturn in a quasi-conjunction. On Jan. 13, the moon passes 6 degrees north of Aldebaran. On the evening of Jan. 16, the moon is 7 degrees from Pollux and Castor, the bright “Twin” stars of Gemini, and appears only 3-4 degrees south of Pollux the next morning. On Jan. 17, the full moon rises a few minutes before sunset.

Stereographic Projection

After the full moon, Map follow waning moon by the Robert D. Miller each morning through Jan. 30. On Jan. 20, the gibbous moon (93%) is 4 degrees north of Regulus, heart of Leo, the Lion. On Jan. 27, the 28 percent crescent moon is within 7 degrees to the upper right of Antares, heart of the Scorpion. On Jan. 30, the 4 percent crescent moon is 13.5 degrees below and slightly to the right of Venus. Mars is 10 degrees to right of Venus and slightly lower. Illustrations of many of these events appear on the Abrams Planetarium Sky Calendar. To subscribe for $12 per year or view a sample, visit www.abramsplanetarium.org/skycalendar. Robert Victor originated the Abrams Planetarium’s monthly Sky Calendar in October 1968, and still produces issues occasionally. He enjoys being outdoors sharing the wonders of the night sky. CVIndependent.com


14 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

JANUARY 2022

ARTS & CULTURE

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PHOTOGRAPHY LEGEND

An exhibit with Michael Childers’ works—both old and new—christens a new Yucca Valley gallery

By CAT MAKINO

T

he inaugural exhibition of the nonprofit Hi-Desert Cultural Center at its Joshua Tree Gallery of Contemporary Art, in collaboration with ARTCO, will feature works by legendary photographer Michael Childers and Gordon Clark through Sunday, March 13. EMERGENCE features Childers’ newest body of work, Nude Fusions (2021); photos of celebrities Andy Warhol and Grace Jones; and selections from his LA Drag Ball (1974), the famous drag party with costume designers, set decorators, industry professionals, and creative people Childers shot for Italian Vogue. There are also photos of the Palm Springs White Party series (2002) that have said. “It brought dignity to gay people,” adding never been shown before. that the younger gay generation has forgotten “The photos are moving and stunning,” about the groundbreaking film. Anne Sholtz, volunteer CFO at the Hi-Desert Schlesinger died in 2003, just two years Cultural Center. after the couple moved to Palm Springs. Childers’ credits include more than 200 “It was a huge adjustment when John died. magazine covers, including Elle, Vogue, GQ and It was like having an arm cut off,” Childers said. Esquire, and Elle. He served as a photographer “But he set me free to fly, and I did that. That’s for Andy Warhol’s Interview and After Dark what he wanted me to do. I came through it. I magazines, and has created some of the most was released and allowed to be me again. I was renowned portraits of the world’s biggest a partner to someone who was so famous and celebrities. talented that I had to find myself again.” Childers said during a recent interview that while his brothers and sisters became lawyers Childers’ New Work and doctors, his life quest was to have a great There is a stunning photo of Wyoming in Nude artistic adventure. Fusions, featuring a nude melded with the “I got into the UCLA film school; it was scenery where Childers spent 10 days recently. pretty heady,” Childers said. Francis Ford “The beauty of Wyoming’s landscape was Coppola and Jim Morrison of The Doors were inspiring,” he said. “Some of our world is so among his fellow students. beautiful. We need to treasure it.” The show at the Joshua Tree Gallery is a Although not a “techie,” Childers has “a time capsule of LGBTQ history, showing embraced digital photography. “Anyone can wonderful strong portraits of gay life spanning be a photographer these days, since the phone 50 years—a celebration of gay life that I love,” cameras are good and getting better, and also Childers said. “There was an innocence and sweetness of the ’70s. The looks at the LA Drag have a zoom,” he said. “(Digital photography) Ball were very special; it wasn’t just street drag. is extraordinary, sharper than the original photograph. It’s a whole new vocabulary we The show is a slice of LGBTQ history and gay liberation. The gay world is actually much more have been given; 10 years ago, museums wouldn’t show digital, but now they do.” conservative now than it was in the 1970s and While anyone can perhaps be a photogra’80s—having children, etc.—but I love the pher, nobody else has Michael Childers’ eye for celebration of gay life and love.” the perfect shot. His advice is to train your eye Childers met his partner of 36 years, movie to see things that other people don’t see—to director John Schlesinger, in the late 1960s. find the unique beauty in people’s faces and Schlesinger was proud of their relationship, landscapes. and he insisted that Childers come with him to “However, most importantly, besides luck, glamorous Hollywood parties and premieres. talent and timing, is being prepared for that “I was terrified. I was 23, and John was big chance if you’re lucky to have it,” he said. 41,” Childers said. “We got looks of disdain Black and white, or color? “I used to love black from some of the conservative Hollywood and white; now I love color,” he said. “The influestablishment, but things have changed since then. It’s so different today, another world. Gay ence of Hollywood glamor—I photographed the most beautiful women in the world.” liberation changed everything.” Famous men, too, like Sir Laurence Olivier. Schlesinger’s 1971 movie Sunday Bloody “He hated that I came in that close, but he Sunday was at the forefront of gay liberation. trusted me,” Childers said. “‘I assume you’re “It was the first time gays were portrayed as going for that mean upper lip, young man,’ he normal, caring people, not freak shows, or had said to me.” to commit suicide in the third act,” Childers CVIndependent.com

A photo from Michael Childers’ Nude Fusions series (cropped).

And David Bowie. “I can pinch myself now— the biggest highlight of my life,” Childers said. He spent a week with Bowie and jazz guitarist/ composer Pat Metheny at Bowie’s studio in Switzerland –producing the music score for the movie The Falcon and the Snowman, starring Sean Penn, and directed by Schlesinger. Bouncing Back Childers is still recovering from a serious case COVID-19. He was exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in New York while rehearsing for his annual One Night Only charity show at the McCallum Theatre. He flew back the next day to Palm Springs and tested positive three days later. His case was so serious that he was placed on a ventilator for four days at Eisenhower Medical Center. He credits his survival to the great care he received.

“I almost didn’t make it, and I’m grateful that I’m still here,’’ he said. “It’s a miracle.” While he is still suffering from some long-term effects of COVID-19, he remains enthusiastic. “I’m blessed with a lot of energy. I still have things that I want to produce and create, especially in the art and photography world,” he said. EMERGENCE will be on display at the Joshua Tree Gallery of Contemporary Art, inside the Yucca Valley Visual and Performing Arts Center, 58325 Highway 62, in Yucca Valley, through Sunday, March 13. The exhibit’s Grand Gala will take place at 5 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 22. The gallery is open from 1 to 5 p.m., Thursday and Friday; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday; private showings are available by appointment. For more information, visit www.jtarts.org.


COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 15

JANUARY 2022

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JANUARY 2022

ARTS & CULTURE

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BACK ON THE BIG SCREEN

A chat with Lili Rodriguez, the Palm Springs International Film Festival’s artistic director, about this year’s plans

By MATT KING

T

he pandemic is still raging—a fact that has caused the Palm Springs International Film Festival to yet again change things up. There was no festival in 2021—you know why—and the 2022 festival was scheduled to include the return of the star-studded Film Awards gala at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Kristen Stewart, Jennifer Hudson, Andrew Garfield, Lady Gaga and many other marquee names were slated to show up, walk the red carpet and accept awards in front of a crowd of about 2,500 people. Then came omicron. On Dec. 20, festival organizers announced it was cancelling the 2022 have to remain flexible and adjust if anything Film Awards, and would instead partner is necessary.” with Entertainment Tonight for a televised A proof-of-vaccination requirement is celebration. common at events these days, but PSIFF That’s the bad news. The good news is that as of our press deadline, the screenings portion organizers made other changes to assure the screenings are as safe as possible. of the Film Festival is still taking place—with “We’ve shrunk our programs a little masks and proof of vaccination required— bit to make room between screenings for from Jan. 7-17. cleaning, and to make sure that people have Several days before the Film Awards event plenty of time to check in and show proof of was cancelled, I spoke to Lili Rodriguez, vaccination, and aren’t rushing to the next the artistic director of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, about the return of screening,” Rodriguez said. “We’re at 129 films this year, and in 2020, we had 192 films. the festival in the midst of a pandemic. We’re also staying at 70-75% capacity in all the “I think everyone who prepared the event venues. You’re not going to go into a theater was hoping that our numbers would go down,” that’s packed with people. We want to make Rodriguez said. “They’re not going down. sure that people have enough room to spread We’re still in a pandemic, but because there around if they feel more comfortable that way.” are vaccinations, and people were getting The tagline for the festival this year is vaccinated and returning back to the theaters, “Welcome Back.” we knew we could pull this off. We’re taking “We missed a year, and we miss our all of the precautions that we could take. We’re audience,” Rodriguez said. “Some of the movies doing proof of full vaccination—that means are from 2020 and 2021, because we’ve been two doses for us. We’re also asking people to working on this for two years. This year, we keep their masks on indoors. For us, it really have three new sidebars, and one of them will was about just keeping a close eye on what was probably be a permanent sidebar, Cine Latino. happening around us. We’re still doing that. We’re not beyond the pandemic, and I think we It just makes sense for the desert to have a

A scene from festival film Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over.

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A scene from festival film The Duke, starring Helen Mirren and Jim Broadbent.

section for Latinx perspectives. “More on the celebratory side, we have two programs that highlight entertainment, so we have a section on music, to put people in the mood, and then we have a section on movies, and movies about movies. That’s one of the ways that we’re welcoming people back.” The weirdness of the last two years caused Rodriguez and her team to make some changes in the way films are chosen for the festival. “There was a lot to choose from, and every year, we certainly leave some movies behind that we wish we could fit,” Rodriguez said. “… There’s a new way that these films are coming out (streaming), and (producers) are not holding off to play more festivals. We usually only show movies that haven’t been available theatrically, but make exceptions for some of the films in the awards. We played what we wanted to play this year. We have one or two titles that are older than 2020, but those titles are films that have not played around a whole bunch. They haven’t been available in the theaters or on streaming, so they’re movies that played and kind of went away because of the pandemic.” The pandemic also had an effect on the films themselves. “Filmmakers make films about what they see around the world, so we’re seeing it (the pandemic) in the movies,” Rodriguez said. “But if you look through the program, and you read about what these movies are about, there isn’t one topic that ties them together. We try to do that on purpose. We’re showing films for different types of people—films that run the gamut and are different genres. We don’t

want to pigeonhole ourselves into a particular narrative. … I don’t want to watch 10 or 15 movies all dealing with the pandemic. I don’t think other people want to watch that, either.” While the PSIFF focuses on films, large and small, from around the world, organizers each year pick some Local Spotlight films, made by filmmakers from the area. “I think the most we’ve done in the past is three, but we have five excellent films that are shining a spotlight on our local community here,” Rodriguez said. “I think it’s a really fantastic way to bring the community back into focus.” While this year’s festival will be different in a lot of ways because of, well, you know, Rodriguez and her team are adamant that it will still be the same old festival that patrons have loved for years. “I think the pandemic gave us all time to reflect on what we’re doing, and think about what else we can do,” Rodriguez said. “We have those conversations every year after a festival. We do wrap meetings, and we talk about what went right and what we could have done better. It’s wonderful to do it again. The festival itself is an established institution that has things that work with it. I don’t know that we’re changing too much, truly, because it works—and that’s what our audience likes, and that’s what we like.” The Palm Springs Film Festival is scheduled to take place from Friday, Jan. 7, through Monday, Jan. 17. For tickets, updates and more information, visit www.psfilmfest.org/ film-festival-2022.


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THE BEST OF TIMES

Childhood difficulties motivate painter D.J. Hall to celebrate pleasure and visual fantasy in her hyper-realist works

By ROBERT CRANE

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.J. Hall gazes at the shimmering pool water, the centerpiece of the natural setting at her Cahuilla Hills home designed by her husband, architect Toby Watson. “I’m a pleasure pig. I admit it,” says Hall, a spirited 70. “The pool is flawless. It’s like the pool of my childhood.” Renowned for her exquisitely executed portraits of eternally youthful, beautiful people— celebrating the good life by the pool, at the beach or having lunch—Hall is arguably the art world’s ambassador for Southern California. The Palm Desert artist’s large photo-like oil paintings have been shown in 25 solo exhibitions and more than 100 group exhibitions as far away as Japan ending. and Germany. Sizable prices have been paid “Light is how we see,” Hall says. “I’m by 15 major corporations and art museums, painting the process of vision. Beautiful, warm including Bank of America, Kemper Insurance, light is what makes me happy. The desert New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, offers intense light. I’m happy as an artist here, and the Palm Springs Art Museum, where Hall and I’m happy as myself here.” had a 35-year retrospective in 2008. “It’s a real visual fantasy that I create,” says all attributes her obsession with pleasure Hall, who also maintains a Watson-designed to her childhood. Happiness was not an contemporary home in Venice, Calif. “It’s the initial ingredient of Hall’s upbringing in Santa best of times people can possibly have—the Ana. An only child, her parents divorced when food, the wine, the beautiful clothing, the she was 2 years old. The roles of mother and happy expressions. daughter reversed when Hall found herself “In my early work, I saw women as the taking care of a young adult wracked with fear, enemy. This has to do with the fact that my anxiety and phobias. mother and grandmother were so insecure as It was during a trip to visit her paternal women. They saw every woman as being in grandparents at their new vacation home in competition with them. The way to compete Palm Desert when she unlocked a creative was to be physically attractive.” door. Except for an occasional background cameo “I remember the first day driving through by Hall’s husband of 48 years, men are no Palm Springs. It was November 1960,” she longer part of her artistic landscape. “My main visual reference is women. They’re says. “I remember seeing light hitting white, much more intriguing,” Hall says. “There’s a lot pale green and pink walls. I instantly felt a more expression in women’s faces and a greater sense of relief.” As a pre-teen, Hall began sketching and variety of women’s hairstyles. Let’s blame it drawing from her grandmother’s Vogue and on Madison Avenue. The image of a woman is Town and Country magazines. She wanted to be what’s used to sell everything in our society. I able to do likenesses. learned how to draw from that imagery, and Happiness arrived in the shape of a Madison Avenue taught me well. It sounds swimming pool. Hall’s grandparents would strange, but I can’t help but sit and stare at celebrate her birthdays with luxuriously women I consider attractive. “I paint blondes, because they are everyone’s elaborate parties. The pool’s water conveyed a sense of well-being and peace which years later idea of what a successful woman is. I look for would become important motifs in Hall’s work. women with great clothes, great teeth and a “My attraction to my work is the desire wonderful pair of sunglasses.” to have a perpetual summer,” she says. “I’m Hall’s quest for the perfect subject has taken always painting summer light and playing out her from the Coachella Valley to Jamaica, past, wished-for memories and the fantasy life Mexico, Hawaii, Las Vegas and Marina del that my mother would have liked to have had Rey. “I’m creating a fantasy of the ideal life for for herself.” myself. If I paint beautiful women enough, Hall went on to attend the University I’ll be a beautiful woman. If I paint blondes, of Southern California (her parents’ alma somehow, I’ll stay blonde. If I paint young mater), where she led a double life, of sorts: women, I’ll stay young.” In art class, she did abstract work to satisfy However, Hall admits her true subject her instructors; on the sly, she painted realist matter isn’t women, per se; it’s light. Her images for her own pleasure. She had found search for the perfect illumination is never-

H

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D.J. Hall hard at work. Leslie Bertram

her art. After graduating magna cum laude in 1973, Hall started to paint large canvasses detailing affluent people on vacation. She would photograph her subjects lounging and soaking up the sun at resorts. Hall would use the best parts of the photos—a face here, a hairstyle there, a body over there—to construct on canvas her own vision of the good life. Canvasses that were 4 feet wide and 6 feet tall would take her four to six months to complete—with her spending 50 hours a week in her studio. At first, a young and rebellious Hall painted social commentaries against that lifestyle by showing every vein, wrinkle and blemish. Now, decades later, the art world’s appreciation of Hall—combined with the fact that she’s made a good living doing what she loves to

do—has tamped down the nettle of Hall’s early adulthood. Her models and art collectors are her friends now.

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hile their contemporaries worried about coming up with the rent, the careers of Hall and Watson took off—with big New York shows at the renowned OK Harris gallery for Hall, and dozens of home designs in Southern California, Mammoth and Nashville, Tenn., for Watson. After purchasing income properties in Venice in the ’70s and ’80s, Hall and Watson directed their attention toward the Coachella Valley. Hall believes there was divine intervention in their purchase of the late, legendary choreographer-director Busby Berkeley’s Palm Desert home, two blocks from her now-deceased grandparents.


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ARTS & CULTURE “As an adult, on my birthday, I would go with my husband to the desert and stay at (a) resort. My late grandmother, my late father, my cats and Mrs. Berkeley (Etta Dunn) wanted me to have this house,” Hall says. “Mrs. Berkeley passed away the day we closed escrow.” The simple but comfortable home was built in 1957 and features a pool area that was the center of much entertainment. The Berkeleys loved the getaway abode, according to documents and photographs Hall found at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences library. Many years ago, one guest of particular interest would turn out to be future Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. “If these walls could talk,” Hall says. The openness of the home led Hall and Watson to invite fellow artists such as Bruce Everett, collectors including Albert Contreras, models and writers (like the Los Angeles Times’ Suzanne Muchnic) to the desert for long weekends. The martini shaker that the Berkeleys left behind was used often. A battle with Lyme disease nearly ended Hall’s career in the ’90s. In constant pain, she was limited to 15 minutes of painting a day at her lowest point. Hall turned to lecturing to young artists trying to find their strokes. She enjoyed a stint at Los Angeles’ Otis College of Art and Design, followed by a longer run at Loyola Marymount University. She taught life drawing and watercolor plein air painting, among other classes. “At LMU, I was required to teach charcoal

“Heat” by D.J. Hall.

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drawing, which is something I have avoided forever. Well, I fell in love with it!” she says. Hall has done small portraits of her husband; artist Craig Krull (who owns her Los Angeles gallery); and artist Don Bachardy (with Christopher Isherwood in the background). After a strict regimen of physical therapy and medication, the effects of the Lyme disease subsided, and Hall is producing more work than ever—paintings, drawings, sketches (featured in a recent plein air show at the California Heritage Museum in Santa Monica), boxes and panels.

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hile Hall and Watson still own the Berkeley house, their current home is in the Cahuilla Hills, overlooking the Coachella Valley. It came to be after Hall and Watson saw the five-acre parcel (equal to 44 lots in Venice) with a view, wildlife including bighorn sheep, and the “change of colors and shadows throughout each day and a constant light show throughout the year,” as Hall put it. Possibly Watson’s farewell design, the airy, 2,400-square-foot steel-and-glass structure took nearly 15 years to design and develop, and was built in 2014, providing Hall with her largest studio to date. When she isn’t working, Hall is in the pool—where she recently shared space with a rattlesnake—or on a solo hike in the mountains above the property that “hooks up with Art Smith or the Bump and Grind” trails. “I feel so happy here. I call it ‘the happy

“Conjurer” by D.J. Hall (cropped).

house.’ The good memories I have from my childhood and adolescence filter into my current experience.” Hall says. “My first romantic situations happened in Palm Desert.” Watson isn’t smiling as much. He is concerned about dealing with neighbor Kempa Collection’s 9,000-square-foot Kempa Villa, complete with a heliport and celebrity Virgin CEO Richard Branson moving into the area.

H

all, meanwhile, has work to do—until she steps away from her latest commissioned painting, changes into a two-piece swimsuit and dives into the 80-degree pool. “I was brought up with this façade, this idea that you have to be forever beautiful and young,” says Hall. “I have these crazy moments when I really believe it’s my responsibility to get my thighs back down to the thighs of a 14-year-old.” Hall feels the worst promise ever made to women is that they can have it “all.” “It’s really unfair what has been put on us. … We’re looking at 14-year-old models online and in magazines and trying to compete with them,” she says. “I’m an artist first, but I’m still working on becoming a woman. It’s still emerging. It’s sort of frightening, but I’m still growing up. Years ago, my husband suggested I keep the initials in my name, because, at that time, it was a man’s world in painting. It was probably better not to be overtly woman. Plus Debby, which is how I’d always thought of myself, sounded pretty unprofessional. It never occurred to me that I could be Debra.” Back in her studio, Hall is at work—hair in a ponytail, eye glasses in place, plastic gloves on, sun visor sitting askew on her head. Her new project is three small canvasses for three Coachella Valley residents: Katherine Hough (chief curator of Hall’s 35-year retrospective at Palm Springs Art Museum), Leisa Austin (Imago Galleries) and Jessie French. Hall uses paint made by Utrecht, Holbein, Grumbacher, and Winsor and Newton; chooses

from nearly a hundred brushes of all sizes; and stretches her canvasses. Eternal youth has been compromised, and time is of the essence. “After decades of finding models; choosing wardrobe, props and locations; planning; scripting; and story-boarding my photo shoots, and then directing for hours out in blasting sun and heat, it’s great now to develop my ideas and resulting reference images mostly on my laptop and Cintiq,” says Hall. In 2018, Hall was approached by art dealer Christian Hohmann with the idea of having a “dialogue” with an artist from 100 years past— German expressionist Max Pechstein. Hall responded to Pechstein’s “distinctive oeuvre in a life spent documenting the people and places of the late 1800s and early 1900s in Germany” with her own images of “women enjoying the leisurely lifestyle of Southern California … exploring the intersection between his populace and hers.” “I gave myself the permission to experiment and play around with many ideas that I have been floating for decades,” Hall says. “I love paying homage to my favorite artists.” Hall says that painting and drawing the human figure is the hardest thing an artist can do. “I’m less vicious in my work now, because I’m accepting myself more,” Hall says. She’s also more secure: “A hundred years from now, when the current curators are gone, I expect my work to be hanging in more museums. It’s not going to end up in the trash heap.” D.J. Hall’s autobiographical paintings and drawings of her youth (including birthday parties) can be viewed at Melissa Morgan Fine Art in Palm Desert. Hall’s paintings and drawings circa 2000s can be viewed at Imago Galleries in Palm Desert. Hall’s Max, the Project, her transhistorical encounter with German expressionist Max Pechstein; large paintings (desert/pool imagery); and more can be viewed at Christian Hohmann Fine Art in Palm Desert. CVIndependent.com


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SHIRLEY SPEAKS By JIMMY BOEGLE

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hen I asked Cindy Williams—best known as Shirley Feeney on Laverne and Shirley— whether it was a blessing or a curse for her to be so closely identified with the role, she didn’t hesitate with her answer. “It’s a blessing,” she said. “It’s a total blessing. It’s not like I played Hannibal Lecter. I was on a show that delighted people, and that was our intention, to make people laugh, so people approach me with the best of themselves. It’s an absolute blessing.” Her discussion of the hit sitcom will be a large part of her new one-woman show, Me, Myself and Shirley, which is coming to the Palm Springs Art Museum’s Annenberg Theater owned a house here for many, many years for four shows, from Thursday, Jan. 20, in Palm Springs, and now I live in Desert through Saturday, Jan. 22. The Palm Springs Hot Springs, and have lived here for about performances will serve as the kickoff of 12 years. … I was in Las Vegas doing a show an 18-city tour for Me, Myself and Shirley (Menopause the Musical) for five years, so I through April. was living there. But I have my little house in While Williams will be traveling quite a Desert Hot Springs, and I love it.” bit over the next several months, she won’t There’s much more to Cindy Williams than have to go far to start the tour: She’s a proud Shirley Feeney. Other TV credits include Room resident of Desert Hot Springs. 222; Love, American Style; Law and Order: “I used to rent a house here when I was SVU; 8 Simple Rules; and, of course, Happy doing Laverne and Shirley, and I’d spend Days. She’s got numerous big-screen credits, my weekends down here,” she said. “Then I

Cindy Williams kicks off a tour of her onewoman show with four Palm Springs performances

including The Conversation, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and American Graffiti, directed by George Lucas. She’s had success onstage, starring in numerous national tours, including that of Grease; she also enjoyed a Broadway stint in The Drowsy Chaperone. It was her work as the Rev. Mother Mary Regina in productions of Nunsense and its sequels that led to the premiere of Me, Myself and Shirley in June 2021. She was set to play the role in a Nunsense production at the Wick Theatre in Boca Raton, Fla., when producers decided a show with a smaller cast would be best in these times of COVID-19. “Danny Goggin, who wrote Nunsense, called me and said, ‘Why don’t you write your onewoman show now?’” Williams said. “And I said, ‘What one-woman show?’ Anyway, I did, with (Greater Tuna producer) Charles Duggan, and then we went into the Wick and took over the Nunsense spot, since it’s just one person onstage. We did that for three weeks at the Wick, and that’s how it came about.” As the press release for Me, Myself and Shirley enthuses, “Williams will chronicle the stories, the secrets, the embarrassing moments, and the highs and lows of her life

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Cindy Williams in Me, Myself and Shirley. Amy Pasquantonio

in Hollywood” during the 90-minute show. While Williams will touch on a variety of subjects—including her unsuccessful audition for the role of Princess Leia—much of the second half focuses on Laverne and Shirley. “The audience’s response was just beautiful, because everybody laughed at the same things that they’d laughed at 40 years ago,” Williams said about the Laverne and Shirley clips. “That was just a wonderful, beautiful blessing of a surprise.” At the conclusion of each show, Williams does a Q&A with the audience. “At every Q&A that I have done—which has been, like, 21 of them—they always ask me if we got hurt on the show,” Williams said. “That surprised me. They always ask how old I am, and I’m waiting for them to ask how much I weigh.” Me, Myself and Shirley will be performed at 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday, Jan. 20 and 21; and 2 and 7 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 22, at the Annenberg Theater at the Palm Springs Art Museum, 101 N. Museum Drive, in Palm Springs. Tickets are $55. For tickets or more information, visit www.memyselfandshirley.com.


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ARTS & CULTURE

HISTORY COURSE

Preservation Mirage educates residents on Rancho Mirage’s architectural legacy in order to protect it

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by cat makino

hat do Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, Lucille Ball, the Marx Brothers, Hoagy Carmichael, and Gerald and Betty Ford have in common? All these icons had homes in Rancho Mirage, a city filled with midcentury houses and other buildings designed by renowned architects, including William Krisel, William F. Cody, A. Quincy Jones, Edward Durell Stone, E. Stewart Williams, Hugh Kaptur and Wallace Neff. The nonprofit Preservation Mirage was formally founded in 2017. The organization “celebrates important and historic architecture in Rancho Mirage while promoting its appreciation and preservation,” according to the Preservation Mirage website. To this end, the organization just published an Architecture Map, which was and Luella Maslon was demolished, with city mailed to all city residents in November. It’s permission, by its new owners. The home also for sale at preservationmirage.org for $5. had been designed by architect was Richard “Our first reflex is to tear down older Neutra, a Jewish Austrian-American architect buildings, that newer is better,” says Melissa considered among the most prominent and Riche, Preservation Mirage’s board president. important modernist architects. At the time, “We need to understand that the significance The New York Times Magazine said: “In a move of these homes and buildings is that they are that has stunned, outraged and saddened pieces of art. If we keep tearing them down, admirers of modern architecture, the city of we’ll end up looking like Walmart. Our goal is Rancho Mirage, Calif., recently approved the to make people understand what they have, or demolition of an important 13-room house what is next door; then they are less likely to designed by Richard Neutra in 1963.” demolish them or severely remodel them. Preservation Mirage aims to prevent similar “People ask us for advice on obtaining cultural vandalism. historic designations. A recent example was “The demolition of the Maslon house visiting a Thunderbird Country Club home and spurred the formation of the city’s Historic discovering it was a previously unidentified Preservation Commission,” says Bob Berg, house by architect A. Quincy Jones. It now has a board member of Preservation Mirage. a historic designation.” “Rancho Mirage will not stop a resident from Rancho Mirage has a rich history of famous demolishing their home or making changes developments joining homes with golf courses. to an existing known historic resource if These country clubs were the first in the United the proposed changes are within the city’s States to put homes on golf courses and led to building codes; however, they will lose the invention of golf carts, says Carol LeFlufy, a their historic designation. The hope of our board member of Preservation Mirage. Preservation Mirage organization is to grow Thunderbird Country Club—whose our membership to such an extent that our management claims the Ford Thunderbird was voice will be heard when we’re trying to save a named after it—and the Tamarisk Country historic resource.” Club have impressive architectural legacies and The group currently has 400 members but is interesting claims to fame. Tamarisk Country growing rapidly, Berg says. Club was built in 1952 with 65 original investors, including Jack Benny, George Burns, For more information, visit preservationmirage.org. Danny Kaye and the Marx Brothers. Ben Hogan was the club’s first golf professional, and it hosted the Bob Hope Classic golf tournament numerous times. Tamarisk came into being, in part, because Thunderbird was a restricted club—in other words, Jewish people and minorities were not allowed. When Frank Sinatra’s great friend Sammy Davis Jr. was denied membership, Sinatra joined Tamarisk, which quickly became known as the Rat Pack’s playground. The importance of preserving this history and important architecture came into focus in 2002, when a Tamarisk Country Club home The Thunderbird cottages, designed by William F. Cody. Photo courtesy of Preservation Mirage that had been owned by art collectors Samuel

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FOOD & DRINK

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CAESAR CERVISIA JASON DAVID HAIR STUDIO

I

By brett newton

LOVE YOUR HAIR

didn’t find 2021 to be a great year, but let me count my blessings: I have a new job; I have my family; my friends and I are all still alive; and I have a lovely Vienna lager from Enegren in my glass as I write this. Unfortunately, I really can’t mention much about the local craft-beer scene in my list of blessings. Club and Cook Street The good news is that it still exists, with most Country of it surviving the pandemic thus far. Unfortunately, as the pandemic continues (if there were onlyPalm a shotDe orsert something that one could take to combat all this!), these businesses will continue to suffer, because people don’t come in 760-340-5959 as often. I know I haven’t been going out. was the brewing manager at Hangar 24 in This can lead to a vicious cycle, where fewer Redlands before coming here in 2019—and www.jasondavidhairstudio.net customers means a bar’s beer selection gets that shows in the beers. CVB has had a bumpy weaker and weaker, making it less and less road since letting go of founding brewer likely that my friends and I will go. Chris Anderson, and it hasn’t quite made it What I’m trying to say is this: The scene back to the place where it was when Chris needs some help. manned the brewstand, but Eric’s beers are Let’s begin with the breweries. I will do solid. I think the taproom vibe could use an something I’ve never done before in this upgrade, though, but I was an employee there column and list the local breweries in order for four years, so this could be a subconscious according to beer quality. I have ties to many of “familiarity breeds contempt” thing. these places—but ultimately, the measure of a 2. Las Palmas Brewing: This small, plucky brewery is what’s in my glass when I’m there. brewery makes some nice stuff. Any place that 1. Coachella Valley Brewing Co.: Head makes a good Belgian-style table beer and brewer Eric Beaton knows what he’s doing—he a saison—and has them on tap at the same

The Coachella Valley continues to be a frustrating place for lovers of craft beer

time—has my heart. Stop in and check them out. They also do wine, I am told, but there is another columnist for this publication who would be preferable to turn to regarding that. 3. Babe’s Bar-B-Que and Brewery: This would have been at the bottom of my list up until a couple of years ago, when Juan Higuera (formerly of Coachella Valley Brewing) began brewing there. The flagship beers have all been cleaned up, and some of them are even better than they were when they were at their previous best in the distant past. Full disclosure: I now work at Babe’s as a bartender and resident certified cicerone. Babe’s also has the added benefit of fantastic food and a full bar, but we’re talking beer here. 4. Desert Beer Company: Devon Sanchez has made his own thing in north Palm Desert, and his brewery has a loyal local following. Unfortunately, some of the beers I have tried were flawed; more than one contained diacetyl, a compound that likely signals incomplete fermentations. Others were fine but just not my bag. They did do a great tamarind saison collaboration with Las Palmas. I certainly

Despite the departure of original brewmaster Chris Anderson, Coachella Valley Brewing (whose “vintage logo” taps are shown here) still makes the valley’s best beer. Erin Peters/CVI file

haven’t had everything Desert Beer Company offers, however, and if you like the beer, don’t let me stop you. 5. La Quinta Brewing Company: If we were talking about the brand new, beautiful brewery, or the nice satellite tap rooms, or the great guest taps one can often find at those taprooms, La Quinta Brewing would be at the top of the list. We are talking about the beer, however, and I have been disappointed by and found flaws in much of what I’ve had in recent years. I did not do research on recent releases, so I recommend going to the new brewery in Palm Desert—again, it’s lovely—to try for yourself. La Quinta is the most successful of all these breweries, and I am rooting for them, in no small part because their locations are some of the best spots to get a beer in the area. There is at least one more place in the valley that offers house beers, and that is Taproom 29 in the Spotlight 29 Casino. From what I understand, there are plans to brew onsite eventually, but at the moment, their own beers are contracted out to another brewery. I have not been yet, due in large part to the continuing pandemic, but friends tell me the guest taps are well-curated, and the whiskey selection is great. In the new year, I will be looking to talk with the person who started it—but please go yourself, and let me know what you think. As for craft beer bars … there really is very little to say here. I’ve mentioned the great liquor stores that have taken to stocking interesting beers (University Village Food Mart and Rancho Liquor Thousand Palms), and they are still worth checking out. The Amigo Room at the Ace Hotel has a solid (but pricey) craft lineup—but there is a precipitous fall-off from there. Eureka! in Indian Wells used to be pretty good, but … well, I’ve just given up on their beer selection. It’s clear that it’s probably the least-profitable of the things they do, and they act accordingly. If you operate a bar that has a great beer selection, please reach out to me so that I can give you some well-deserved love. Similarly, if you want some guidance for creating a superior tap list, reach out to me, and I will be overjoyed to help you. I truly am rooting for everyone to make, and serve, great beer here. Great beer often leads to more great beer—and everyone wins. Brett Newton is a certified cicerone (like a sommelier for beer) and homebrewer who has mostly lived in the Coachella Valley since 1988. He can be reached at caesarcervisia@gmail.com. CVIndependent.com


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FOOD & DRINK

ON COCKTAILS A

BY kevin carlow

new year is upon us! This one has to be better, amirite, people? I’m sure you’re focused on making that happen for yourself and those around you—and perhaps getting into better health is one of your goals. Well … I happen to have a few cocktails right here that will make you healthier and fitter! Yup, just drink these magical cocktails, and you’ll be on the path to better health, or my name isn’t Santos L. Halper! OK, sorry for trolling you there. I’m sure you’re well aware that drinking isn’t healthy—but if you want to cut some sugar and excess calories glass; add an olive or three. from your regular tipples, there indeed are Before you e-mail me, yes, I know the some fine options! “real” dirty martini is a fine drink. Actually, All right, let’s get this one out of the way. the olive and the brine came as a package It’s probably the most-ordered cocktail in deal back in 1901 when New York bartender the Coachella Valley, just ahead of vodkaJohn O’Connor—a bartending name if I’ve sodas, margaritas and (if you count them as ever heard one—was trying to snazzy up the cocktails, as I do) chavelas: It’s the dreaded dry martini. The martini itself was still in its dirty vodka martini. The favorite of Palm formative years, and O’Connor, as the widely Springs bachelorette parties and east valley told story goes, got the inspiration to muddle cougars alike, this drink “ain’t going nowhere,” an olive in the mixing glass with the gin and as they say. Luckily, (mostly) gone are the days vermouth. Later, he added a little olive brine. of getting the brine straight from the garnish This marriage of olive and martini lasts to this tray, with a side of dead fruit flies, little day, and they’ve become a thrupple with blue pimento pieces and dirty bartender fingers. cheese—much to the chagrin of bartenders Trust me: You don’t want to know where my who loathe adding cheese to their well-crafted hands were back then, much less the drunks martinis. Resistance is futile. who treat the garnishes as a self-serve snack Unlike his counterpart, Winston Churchill, tray. Hopefully that was disgusting enough to who preferred that the bartender simply look at make you consider a more-classic martini, but the vermouth bottle and never touch it, Frankif not … I can’t believe I am doing this … lin D. Roosevelt liked his gin with a little more 2 1/2 ounces of vodka going on. He even turned Churchill and Joseph 1 ounce of olive brine Stalin onto the recipe; I would have loved to Shake hard; fine strain into a chilled martini have been a fly on the wall at that party!

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If you want to cut your sugar and calorie intake but still imbibe, consider martinis and their cousins 2 ounces of London dry gin 1 ounce of dry vermouth 1/2 ounce of olive brine Stir with lots of ice; strain into a martini glass or a “Nick and Nora”; add an olive. Plymouth or London dry gin are the classic choices, but any juniper-forward “New World” gin will do just fine. The dry vermouth is, well, dry—meaning low in sugar. If you replace half of the vermouth with gin, you get a dryer martini, conveniently called a “dry martini.” As for the vodka version, far be it from me to preach on the subject, but my vodka preference is a Polish or other Eastern European style. Many of the vodkas from that part of the world are rye-based, and that gives them a low glycerine content. While glycerine can make vodka more luscious—and I really enjoy some wheat vodkas (especially Russian ones)—wheat is my second choice to the sharp, racy rye varieties. Corn and potato vodka come in third and fourth, respectively. The mouthfeel and sweetness of corn is all wrong for a dirty martini. As for potato vodka, it’s a mixed bag; don’t roll the dice. Now, what about all that salt?! Yes, these drinks are high in sodium, but alcohol is a diuretic, so you’ll probably expel most of it anyway. Just don’t have too many, I guess. You can leave the brine out of these for the standard martini model. If making a dirty Gibson—my preference—make sure to still use the olive brine instead of the onion brine, or go really light on the onion brine … three dashes at the most. (A Gibson, for the uninitiated, is simply a martini with cocktail onions instead of olives—easy peasy!) How about something more refreshing? That’s when I turn to “Colonel Joe” Rickey. Rickey was a politician and all-around colorful character who was a regular at a bar called Shoomaker’s in Washington, D.C. According to an article at Imbibe.com, the bartender made this really simple mix of rye whiskey, seltzer water and lime juice for Rickey, who had a second one—and also got the cocktail named after him. It’s now much better known as a gin drink, but try the whiskey version, too. I kind of like it better, to be honest. 1 1/2 ounces of gin 3/4 ounce of fresh lime juice Build over ice in a highball glass; top with seltzer; add a lime twist as a garnish. It’s so easy that anyone can make it! Sometimes I build the drink first with the seltzer, gin and ice before adding the lime. Fresh lime is critical. Ideally, squeeze it over the glass to get the oils expressed; that does

A classic Gibson at Billy Reed’s. Kevin Carlow

the same thing as a twist and saves you a step. Aside from trying it with rye, tequila is an obvious choice, and you can also muddle a few raspberries into the glass for a killer variation. I grew up on sugary, nonalcoholic “raspberry lime Rickey” concoctions; you don’t see them much outside of the Northeast, but they are mighty tasty. If you’re doing the “low carb” thing, raspberries, lime, soda and gin won’t mess up your program … if you stop at one or two. (I’m not a doctor; this is from personal experience, and your mileage will vary.) If you want to keep going with the creamy, sugary holiday cocktails for a little bit longer, go ahead; your bartender loves you just the way you are, especially if you’re patient and a good tipper! Happy New Year! Kevin Carlow can be reached at CrypticCocktails@gmail.com.


JANUARY 2022

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VINE SOCIAL JASON DAVID

A meeting with an inspirational woman made me realize how lucky I am to do what I do

HAIR STUDIO

By KatieLOVE finn YOUR

HAIR

“Do what you love, in the service of people who love what you do.” —Steve Farber

I

was introduced to this quote a couple of months ago, and I haven’t been the same since. In November, I was invited to an intimate dinner party at a dear friend’s house so we Country Club and Cook Street could meet a woman named Glodean Champion. https://www.glodeanchampion.com/ Palm black De sert Glodean comes with an impressive resume. She is a Six Sigma belt (I had to look up what that meant), motivational speaker, life coach, mentor, educator and masterful storyteller. She is also an accomplished author, and young760-340-5959 Black girl growing up in Watts during when we met at this small gathering of the riots of 1965. www.jasondavidhairstudio.net girlfriends in Rancho Mirage, we were there Throughout the evening, Glodean to experience her debut novel called Salmon entertained us with stories of how the Croquettes, a moving coming-of-age story of a book came to fruition, how the characters

Glodean Champion with Katie Finn.

developed in her mind, and the amount of love, time and research she put into it. Meanwhile, we were eating a home-cooked meal of salmon croquettes (natch), blackeyed peas, cornbread and coleslaw, prepared by Glodean and our wonderful friend and hostess for the evening, Jacqueline Harth. To say it was a magical and eye-opening night is an understatement. But what struck me most was a quote, rather similar to Farber’s quote, that Glodean shared with us at the end of the evening. In the most warm and loving way, she said, “Go do what you love, and service the people who love what you do.” Yes. A thousand times, yes. This quote made me reflect on my own career. At a time when many of us make resolutions for how to be better, or break a bad habit, or live a better life, this quote kept resonating in my head. I began my career in the restaurant business just like every other sommelier. Back in the day (I’m not sure how it’s structured now), you had to be affiliated with a restaurant or hotel to even apply to take the exam through the Court of Master Sommeliers. I find this ironic, because in a restaurant or hotel, the wine aspect of the day-to-day business becomes very small. When I was in my early 20s, I moved to Maui, Hawaii. I had been working as a manager/sommelier for the Roy’s in Newport Beach when there was an opportunity to become a cellar master for a new restaurant opening in West Maui. Hmm … an allexpense-paid move to Maui, where I get to create my own wine program? Let me take four seconds to think about that. Of course, there was also a boy involved. I was madly in love, and it just so happened that the boy I was in love with was a chef and got a job in Maui at the same time. Unfortunately, the general manager of the new West Maui restaurant didn’t exactly agree with the owner about having a female cellar master. After he briefly reviewed my extensive wine-program proposal, we had a short interview which seemed more perfunctory than inquisitive, at which time he offered me a position as a cocktail waitress. I was a certified sommelier with management experience, and I had moved 2,500 miles away … to be a cocktail waitress? No. No thank you. Devastated, I immediately called my friends at Roy’s, and within a few days, I was working at the location in Kahana. Positioned in a

small strip mall on the second floor, this restaurant was iconic on the island, and it was a wonderful job … but I was right back where I started. For the most part, I was happy. But the downside of being a manager/sommelier in a restaurant is that very little of your time is actually dedicated to wine. Aside from preshift meetings where I chose a bottle or two off the list to explore with the team and learn more about, and the occasional time when a server would ask me to go to a table to help the guests choose a bottle for the evening, I was far busier helping bus tables, seat guests, deliver drinks and run food than I was actually talking to people about wine. Was I loving what I was doing? No. Turns out, the boy I moved there with was a bad guy who broke my heart. That wound up being the best thing that could have ever happened to me. After a few sleepless nights in Maui, contemplating where I could go, where I wanted to go, and where I should go, the answer became clear. It was time to go home. I needed to come back to the Coachella Valley. This place has always been magical to me. I feel strong here. Rooted. Capable of anything. I left the restaurant business and devoted my career to wine. Just wine. All the time. That devotion led me to a move from the Coachella Valley to Napa, where I met some of the most influential people in the business—and more importantly, I met my future husband. And he’s a really good guy. It turns out, two kids later, he’s a really great dad, too. As if it couldn’t get any better, he understood my love of the desert and agreed to leave Napa, and move back to my magical Coachella Valley. As for me, well … I found this really cool little wine shop in Palm Desert, and they needed some help. I started there in January 2018, working just a couple of hours a week. I’m now one of the owners. And I can say in no uncertain terms: I do what I love. And I have the immeasurable joy of servicing those who love what I do. My wish for everyone this New Year is to find their passion; listen when opportunity knocks; take a deep breath; have a glass of wine; and go for it! Katie Finn is a certified sommelier and certified specialist of wine with two decades in the wine industry. She can be reached at katiefinnwine@ gmail.com. CVIndependent.com


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FOOD & DRINK INDY ENDORSEMENT We devour an empanada from Peru, and enjoy a delicious bit of Japanese/Mexican fusion By Jimmy Boegle

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WHAT The Peruanas empanada WHERE Mi Cultura, 44795 San Pablo Ave., Palm Desert HOW MUCH $2.50 for one, $12 for six CONTACT 760-636-1707; www. miculturacuisine.com WHY The depth of flavor. I was running errands early on a Sunday afternoon, and I was hungry. As I made a drop-off in the San Pablo area of Palm Desert, I realized exactly where I wanted to go to quench said hunger: Mi Cultura. I’d been there once before, not long after the start of 2021, with my friend Debra. I loved everything we had—yet I hadn’t been back since. It was time to change that. In a small shopping center that also includes The Real Italian Deli and a coin laundry, Mi Cultura serves up all sorts of delicious Peruvian and Colombian fare, from empanadas to ceviches to tallarin (stir-fried noodle) dishes to saltados (stirfried meat) entrées to rotisserie chicken and beyond. I chose to order a Peruanas empanada ($2.50) and the aguadito (a rice, chicken and cilantro soup, $3.50-$6.50), as well as the mixto ceviche (fish, shrimp, mussels and calamari; $19). Everything I ordered was endorsementworthy. The aguadito was magical, melding savory (chicken) and fresh (cilantro) flavors. The mixto ceviche was delicious, if perhaps slightly heavy on the onions. But the bites I kept thinking of over and over again on my drive home came from the empanada. Mi Cultura offers three types of empanadas: Colombianas (with beef, potato, cilantro and green onion); queso (with cheese and chives); and my choice, the Peruanas (with either shredded chicken or beef, bell peppers, green olives and boiled egg; I chose the beef). Mmmm. It had everything one could possibly desire in a savory hand pie— meatiness, saltiness, earthiness and spice. My only regret is that I ordered just one— and that I didn’t get a whole other dozen to go.

WHAT The spicy tuna tostada WHERE Sandfish Sushi and Whiskey, 1556 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs HOW MUCH $18 CONTACT 760-537-1022; sandfishps.com WHY It’s delicious—and a lot of food. Sandfish Sushi and Whiskey has become one of our go-to restaurants when we’re in the mood for a splurge meal. The service is great; the fish is impeccably fresh; and where else in the Coachella Valley can you dine al fresco, with a lovely mountain view, while sitting in a shipping container? (They’re included in the parklet that takes up part of the former parking lot.) “Splurge” is the key word here. When you spend $24 for a signature roll, and $15 for a cocktail, and so on, the tab adds up fast. It’s worth it, yes—chef Engin Onural has proven himself many times over at Sandfish and Palm Desert’s The Venue— but I am an underpaid journalist with a limited budget. However, there is one dish that I’d happily go to Sandfish and order even when I wasn’t in a splurge mood: the spicy tuna tostada. It’s easy to miss on the menu, listed as it is—sixth in a list of 11 appetizers, without a description. In fact, I may have missed it on my recent visit if it hadn’t been included as part of the omakase meal I’d enjoyed during a previous Sandfish trip. Here’s a description that can be found on an online Sandfish tasting menu: “crispy gyoza topped with spicy tuna, teriyaki sauce, spicy aioli, scallions and feta.” Yummy, right? Well, here’s the budgetary kicker: For the $18 price, you get not one, not two, but four spicy tuna tostadas. It’s a lot of food—so much so, in fact, that it could serve as an entrée despite its humble, no-description “appetizer” menu listing. Go. Enjoy fresh fish and mountain views while sitting in a shipping container— without emptying your wallet.


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JANUARY 2022

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Restaurant NEWS BITES MARKET

By charles drabkin TWO SPIRITED COMPANIES OPEN IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY Good news for people who love both cocktails and supporting local businesses: The Coachella Valley is home to two new distillers! Tony and Milena Hazell have opened The Palm Springs Spirits Co., and are currently producing gin and vodka. The award-winning spirits are being served at restaurants throughout Palm Springs and can be purchased at liquor stores across the valley. Visit palmspringsspirits.com to find out where you can get some. Separately, Brian Harke and Matthew Winks have created Racquet Club Spirits, inspired by their love of cocktails and their Palm Springs home. The company is currently producing a vodka and a straight bourbon whiskey. Visit racquetclubspirits.com for more information. ASIASF PALM SPRINGS SLATED TO REOPEN AFTER 21-PLUS MONTHS AsiaSF Palm Springs opened at 1555 S. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, to great fanfare in February 2020, offering amazing three-course dinner shows featuring transgender women performers in a gorgeous space. Well, we all know what happened a month or so later: AsiaSF, and all other restaurants, were forced to close—and AsiaSF Palm Springs has been closed ever since. Presuming omicron doesn’t mess things up, we have good news: AsiaSF is slated to finally reopen on Friday, Dec. 31, for a New Year’s Eve party. Admission costs $75, and the event goes from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Normal service resumes Friday, Jan. 7. Keep your fingers crossed, and visit palmsprings.asiasf.com for reservations, menus and more information. IN BRIEF The city of Indio recently announced that at least two new restaurants—a sushi restaurant and a grill/taphouse—are coming to city-owned land near Miles Avenue and Towne Street. The city is also planning on bringing music, entertainment and artwork to the area to attract more foot traffic. Watch this space for updates as plans develop. … Also in Indio: A second location of Taco Shop 760 has opened at 81096 Highway 111; the first is located at 46490 Calhoun St. This taco place specializes in birria, be it traditional birria tacos with consommé (broth), “kesatacos” (birria tacos with cheese), or even pizza birria for two or three people. Check ’em out at www.instagram.com/tacoshop760. … New to Indian Wells: India Kitchen, at 74901 Highway 111. Neel Joshi, who “reinvented” the Paradise Valley Café in Mountain Center, is exploring his Indian heritage with traditional dishes like chicken tikka masala, and more unconventional offerings like a New Zealand rack of lamb cooked in the tandoori oven. Get details at indiankitchenindianwells.com. … D’ Coffee Bouteaque has opened at 73131 Country Club Drive, in Palm Desert, near Sherman’s. The coffee shop and café looks gorgeous on social-media photos; call 760-636-1702 with questions. … The second Palm Springs Pinot Noir Festival will take place not in Palm Springs, but in Palm Desert—specifically, at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa, 74855 Country Club Drive, on Saturday, Jan. 8. More than 60 wineries will be offering tastings; tickets start at $125. Visit palmspringspinotfest.com to get them. … The Slice, at 72775 Dinah Shore Drive, in Rancho Mirage, has new owners, and a slightly different name: Slice Italia. Former owner Jack Srebnik announced the sale via social media on Dec. 2; visit www.theslicepizza. com for more details. … Artist, designer, hotelier and style icon Tracy Turco plans to add restaurateur to her impressive list of accomplishments with Disco Pizza, inspired by a recent trip to her husband’s native Italy. Turco also plans on having an automat for desserts: Open the door, and out pops a cannoli! It will be located next to her new Modernism Museum, at 370 N. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs. I can’t wait to see how things progress. Visit TracyTurco.com for more. … In more pizza news: The space formally occupied by Venezia, at 2500 N. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, will soon be home to Osteria Palmina, sister restaurant to the acclaimed Puglia Italian Restaurant in Lake Arrowhead. It sounds like a fitting replacement for my former “go-to” restaurant. Visit www.pugliaitalianrestaurant. com to learn about the sister restaurant. … New to the former Peabody’s space, at 134 S. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs: The Thirsty Palms. Breakfast will be served all day, and lunch and dinner options will focus on Italian, Swiss and American cuisine. Learn more at thethirstypalms.com. … Two new restaurants have come to Yucca Valley: Diner 62, at 55405 Twentynine Palms Highway, offers sandwiches, burgers and other meaty fare; it’s now temporarily closed due to omicron, but will hopefully reopen soon. Call 760-820-1562 for updates. … Just down the road at 57069 Twentynine Palms Highway is the simply named Thai and Lao Cuisine, which opened its doors in November. Find out more at 760-369-9566. Got a hot tip? Let me know: foodnews@cvindependent.com.

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Blue Sun hopes debut album ‘Worst Case Scenario’ helps the band move beyond the backyard scene The Brosquitos are back with remastered old music, a new mindset and big plans the venue report: the temptations, 98 degrees, slipping into darkness—and much more! Earthless Brings Longform Psychedelic Rock and a New, Two-Song EP to Pappy and Harriet’s

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MUSIC AND HISTORY

Organizers of the Oasis Music Festival want to show off Palm Springs’ extensive entertainment legacy

32 CVIndependent.com

The Milk Carton Kids are scheduled to perform on Thursday, Jan. 27, at the Plaza Theatre. Jeff Roffman Photography


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MUSIC

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DIY AND DETERMINATION

Blue Sun hopes debut album ‘Worst Case Scenario’ helps the band move beyond the backyard scene

By matt king

T

he Coachella Valley’s backyard show scene allows bands to build followings while developing serious DIY skills, because everything is fueled by determination. Unfortunately, the pandemic pretty much halted the backyard scene—but one local band is carefully bringing back underground shows, while making moves to get more widespread attention. Blue Sun is a four-piece featuring guitarist/ care of. It’s teaching us a lot, too, because if vocalist Madison Ebersole, bassist Erik we ever do play a bigger show, we have a really Ebersole, guitarist Nick Mund and drummer good idea of how things work, and that way, we Eduardo Gallaga. Since 2018, the band has don’t get dicked around or anything like that.” played varied backyard shows, bringing a Mund added: “Some bands can just pay all unique and shifting sound every step of the this money to have all these companies do way. While Blue Sun’s sound is rooted in indie/ this and do that, but for us, we don’t have alternative rock, the band has experimented that money. Either we do it ourselves, or we with psychedelic tones (see “Desert Shade”), don’t do it at all. For this last show we played, punk prowess (“Quit Your Job”) and even we probably put at least 20 hours into yard reggae vibes (“No Sense”). work and raking and moving trees to make After Blue Sun released debut album Worst everything accessible. We could have paid Case Scenario on Nov. 27, I talked to the band someone to do it, but we don’t have those (minus Erik) over Zoom about their sound. resources.” “We’re trying to do something completely Blue Sun has been playing more as of late original,” Ebersole said. “It’s kind of awkward outside of the backyard scene. The band when people ask, ‘What genre is your band?’ appeared at the Indio International Tamale I don’t really know what to say. It could be a Festival and is set to grace The Hood Bar and list of, like, 20 different things. We’re kind of Pizza stage alongside Slipping Into Darkness just like, ‘Call it what you will,’ because all of us on Friday, Jan. 14. don’t really stick into one genre, per se.” “We didn’t really plan to grow in the backyard Crafting a unique and protean sound is a scene; we kind of had no other choice,” Gallaga daunting task for any band. said. “We tried making it in the venue scene, but “I mean, what hasn’t been done already?” I feel like we didn’t get the opportunity. We’re Gallaga said. “One of my friends was saying just trying to jam and show people our songs, that these new songs sound like Blue Sun. and all the venues that we hit up didn’t even There are completely and totally different look into us. We’ve been doing everything we genres, but the coming together of those can, and that’s why these events that we’ve been genres sounds like Blue Sun. We’re kind of throwing have been pretty huge. They’ve had landmarking this sound.” about 200-plus people—more than some bars Ebersole said everything the band has or venues can hold.” accomplished so far is the result of hard work Added Ebersole: “There have been a lot of by the tight-knit group and good friends. times where I’ll reach out to venues or bigger “It kind of sets us apart from a lot of other bands for shows and get turned down. It got to bands,” she said. “We don’t have screena point where I said, ‘We want this so bad; let’s printing friends and stuff like that, but the do whatever we can, pull together whatever friends we do have get together with us and resources that we have, whatever little money help us hand-make our own shirts. We’ve got we have, and just make it all happen.’ That way, a great friend who is really good at Photoshop, we don’t have to rely on anybody else.” Timothy Burr, who has just been killer to have Ebersole said she hopes that a year from on our side. Anytime we draw up a picture or now, Blue Sun is only playing backyard shows something, we take it to him and shoot him for fun. some cash, and he’ll digitize it for us. We do a “Backyard shows are great to keep you lot of it ourselves, but we also have this group connected to your community, but our goal of really good friends who help us out so much, is definitely to go somewhere big with this,” and it all really saves us a lot of money so that she said. “We don’t like working jobs. Eddie we can save up to throw big events. has kids, and we’re getting older. I’ll be 30 in a “We use a lot of our money to throw these few years, and I don’t want to sit around and big shows. We pay people to use their private just fuck around. I’m trying to really, really properties and make sure everyone’s well taken take this seriously and take it as far as we can

Blue Sun.

possibly go, for however long we can.” Worst Case Scenario shows more confidence in both songwriting and performance compared to the band’s two EPs, and is the result of a surplus of musical creativity over the course of the pandemic. “We just built it up through time,” Gallaga said. “We had just dropped (2020 EP) Haunted Garden, and we had a release party planned for The Date Shed. That was so big for us, and we were so ecstatic about it—but the day before the show, everything shut down. We still had band practice every week, and new songs just started coming out. Everyone was coming in with ideas, and we started putting the songs together.” Worst Case Scenario also features increased self-recording confidence and expertise. “For our first EP, Wishin’ We Were Fishin’, we paid a good buddy to record for us, because we had no idea how to do any of that,” Ebersole said. “After that, I was like, ‘Man, I bet we can do this ourselves, and not feel pressured by being timed in the studio or anything.’ We invested in software, microphones and cables, and we did Haunted Garden, which was completely experimental as far as production—trying to throw in little sound effects, and learning how to pan things.

“COVID hit, and that was pretty heavy for everybody out there. I kind of went soulsearching, and I would be gone for months at a time. A lot of songs ended up coming out just from me, putting pressure into myself to write. Eventually, we all cliqued back up and were able to start recording a whole album. My brother Erik spent countless hours just studying how to mix and master on his software, and from there, we just disciplined ourselves and put a lot of hard work into recording. It took us two months to record it, mix it and master it.” Even though Blue Sun self-recorded Worst Case Scenario, the members made sure they melded self-discipline along with, as always, hard work. “There was no external pressure. No one was waiting on it, and no one knew anything of it, but we put a lot of pressure under our own asses, and set a deadline date: Nov. 27,” Ebersole said. “Pressure kind of helps the creativity process, and it all ended up working out great. I feel like this album is so significant to us. We all went through a lot of personal shit outside of Blue Sun that all added to the album.” For more information, visit www.instagram.com/bluesuncv. CVIndependent.com


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MUSIC AND HISTORY By matt king

C

oachella Valley is often referred to as the “land of festivals.” However, the city of Palm Springs has largely been left out of the music-festival game. That is, until now. The first Oasis Music Festival is slated to take place Wednesday, Jan. 26, through Sunday, Jan. 30, at 20-plus venues, mostly in the city of Palm Springs. They range from the Plaza Theatre, to the Palm Canyon Roadhouse, “The idea came from: Why don’t we revive to Gré Coffeehouse and Art Gallery, to the the history of Palm Springs being a musical Purple Room. National acts including The playground by creating a new event that Milk Carton Kids and The White Buffalo brings the celebrity excitement and swing will join local talent like Giselle Woo and the to Palm Springs? (We’re) utilizing the Plaza Night Owls and Blasting Echo to create a Theatre, which in and of itself has had so potpourri of musical experiences. All of the much history, and also activating across the events are individually ticketed, and some are city, with boutique hotels with restaurants, free of charge. and other bars and establishments. The goal “The city of Palm Springs has had such a is to position the city of Palm Springs as a rich music history, from Frank Sinatra, to the music, arts and culture destination. We want Rat Pack,” said Paulina Larson, the director to do this through music. The goal would of marketing for Palm Springs Life, which is be that people come here that particular producing the event. “This used to be a music week each year in January, and are able to destination for a lot of Hollywood stars and be downtown, and jump from place to place beyond, and what a lot of people don’t realize hearing live music.” is that there’s a lot of history in the artists The Plaza Theatre in Palm Springs is indeed coming here, but also in the venues at which historic. Its doors first opened in 1936, and they played in. A lot of the venues still here it has hosted Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby today used to have amazing performers. and Jack Benny. Most notably, it birthed the

350 S. Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs Open at 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday Order at rioazul.pay.link Giselle Woo and the Night Owls are scheduled to perform on Saturday, Jan. 29, at the Plaza Theatre. CVIndependent.com

Organizers of the inaugural Oasis Music Festival want to show off Palm Springs’ extensive entertainment legacy

famous Fabulous Palm Springs Follies. The Plaza has sat largely quiet since the Follies closed in 2014, and supporters are currently trying to raise the $10-$12 million needed to fully restore the aging facility. (Learn more at savetheplazatheatreps.com.) A portion of the proceeds from the Oasis Music Festival will go toward that restoration effort. Larson points out that the Plaza is just one of many historic venues in Palm Springs. “When you look at where other musicians played, there are just so many places,” she said. “For example, the Ramon Trailer Park— they have a dome that was built by Bing Crosby. We really wanted to showcase not only what went down in the Plaza Theatre, but also in these other historical buildings that may have converted to other types of businesses that people don’t know used to have great performers.” More large music events as of late are taking steps to include both nationally recognized acts and local musicians—and the Oasis Music Festival is no exception. “It is really important to have local acts, because if we want to be known as a music destination, we also have to have a local music

scene,” Larson said. “Being able to integrate local musicians, bands and artists is critical to the overall goal of the event. We also know so many people from L.A. and a lot of artists have relocated to the desert or have second homes here. We want to be able to have something there for them, too.” The festival website shows off the diversity of music at the festival, by allowing visitors to sort acts by genre, such as alternative rock, bluegrass, comedy and more. “We’re not a genre-specific festival,” Larson said. “We are very diverse, and our lineup is pretty eclectic. We did that for a purpose, because we feel like there’s something here for everybody. There could be discoveries of music, artists and genres that maybe people wouldn’t have made otherwise.” Planning a festival these days, of course, has to be done with COVID-19 in mind. “We actually had this on the plans preCOVID, and when the pandemic hit, we put this on hold,” Larson said. “When things started to open back up, we sort of said, ‘We have to take this risk,’ because as you know, bars, restaurants and music venues were one of the toughest-hit categories, because they were completely shut down. We felt that not only is this going to help our city, but it’s going to really help those music venues who have struggled over the past two years. It has been difficult coming out of a pandemic and trying to plan with music venues and artists, but we felt that we’ve got to double down and help.” Larson said she anticipates the 2022 Oasis Music Festival to be the first of many, and for it to grow as the years go by. “Our long-term vision is for the Oasis Music Festival to not just be about the music,” Larson said. “We can have lectures; we can have so many different elements to Oasis that encompass other categories. We want to make this a music, arts and culture scene, so there is additional programming that could really lend itself to this. For example, the Palm Springs International Jazz Festival saw that we were doing this, and they said, ‘We want to be part of Oasis and lend our jazz festival programming in it.’ That’s just one example, in year one. We have so much opportunity.” The Oasis Music Festival is scheduled to take place Wednesday, Jan. 26, through Sunday, Jan. 30, primarily at various venues in Palm Springs. For tickets and more information, visit oasismusicfestival.com.


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BEYOND THE NOSTALGIA By matt king

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ive to six years ago, local indie-pop quartet The Brosquitos was on a tear. The group played at venues from Schmidy’s Tavern (R.I.P.) to the Hard Rock Palm Springs; they played at festivals including Tachevah, the National Date Festival, and the 111 Music Fest. Debut album Vinyl Image had a stellar release show at the Indio Performing Arts Center; Brosquitos’ CDs and shirts could be found in many places around the valley—my house included. muscle memory that you used to have,” Then came lineup changes and band-name Chavez said. “It’s about learning to play the changes. (We won’t talk much here about songs better than you did before, now that Sleeping Habits or Rival Alaska.) In recent you’re older and more experienced in your years, the group, composed in its heyday of instrument.” James Johnson, John Anthony Clark, Max Clark said the band members are content Powell and Hugo Chavez, has been pretty with reliving the Brosquitos days of old for quiet … until now. now—but that 2022 will bring changes. First at the Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon “We’re going to start writing new music Festival, and then at the Indio International and then start performing that stuff—under Tamale Festival, the quartet was back, using a new name probably, too,” he said. “I also the name Brosquitos, with new takes on their wasn’t familiar with their new music (that old music, as well as some of the stuff that fellow band members made under other came from their time under different names. names), so we revisited the old songs.” I met with the band after their performance Powell said he and his fellow Brosquitos at the Tamale Festival, and we talked about have enjoyed the nostalgia of playing the what led to this renaissance—including the older songs. re-release of Vinyl Image. “We’ve been playing together since we were “We just got hit up to play a show,” Powell 15 years old, and now we’re all around 25,” said. “We haven’t done it in a few years, so we he said. “It’s good to go back to the good old gave it a shot. We practiced a couple of times; days, finish out the year strong, and then it didn’t sound terrible, so we decided to do a develop what we can past that.” couple shows.” Vinyl Image—11 tracks of catchy, indieAdded Clark: “I think we all just wanted pop goodness that have the power to stay in to do music again. James brought me back one’s head for five years, apparently—was in … and after that, we just got together and removed from streaming services once the started practicing for our first gig.” band changed its name in 2018. The group The band members said they aren’t content re-released the album on Dec. 12 with with merely playing old Brosquitos songs as some newer production techniques and well as they did before. mastering—and Brosquitos are apparently “It’s just one of those things where you’ve not yet finished tinkering with it. got to practice constantly and build up the “We’re using a different type of audio

The Brosquitos perform at the Indio International Tamale Festival. Matt King

The Brosquitos are back with remastered old music, a new mindset and big plans engineering software, and it has a really cool feature on it that allows us to kind of dive in a little more without stems, and overall master a whole track,” Johnson said. “We think that it’s a good push to have a remastered old album, and still redo it with some sort of freshness. We want something new to work with, because we’ve all educated ourselves with music far beyond where we were when we were 14 and 15.” Added Chavez: “We all developed different skills during quarantine that we all bring to the table now. When it comes down to remastering these tracks, we said, ‘OK, let’s see what we all learned and what we can put together.’” While the first run of The Brosquitos ended sadly and abruptly, Johnson promised this era will be different. “This time, It’s not going to go away,” said Johnson. “… There’s a whole thing that I don’t even want to get into right now, let alone the band splitting up and all that during that time. (Vinyl Image) has been kept away. We’re going to try our best to kind of not redo but remaster, and try our best to make it as relative as we can.” Added Chavez: “It’s not so much a phase; it’s more about just capturing the energy again.” As for that new music to come, likely under a different name: What should fans expect? “We’re still going to keep playing the old songs, but we’re just trying to make stuff that fits us now—how we are as musicians and just as people,” Clark said. Added Johnson: “What bands, besides the one-hit wonders, want to stick to one album? It’s super-limiting to our creativity. We want to be ready to go beyond that. We have an itch to be back and start trying something. That’s what we’re learning right now, to see where we can meet in the middle with our old technique and our new.” A new mindset is coming along with the new music, Chavez said. “It’s more for the music this time,” he said. “We’re doing this for fun, but we’re also doing this to get somewhere.” Added Johnson: “It was good that we had all of that happen with us, both bad and good. … We’re ready to come back and really be in it for what it’s for. Anything we can do with it now, we’ll be happy. Before, we were pretty burnt out.” Visit www.facebook.com/BrosQuitos and www. instagram.com/BrosQuitos for more information.

The Venue REPORT january 2022 By matt king

The Lettermen

Happy New Year! Well, at least I hope 2022 is a happy new year. I think I speak for everyone when I wish for a much calmer, safer year. What’s mentioned here is an accurate listing of some of the valley’s entertainment offerings for January as of our press deadline. However, with omicron looming, cancellations and reschedules are a possibility—so definitely confirm things before heading off to any show. Fantasy Springs is set to provide a diverse set of performances this month. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 15, two icons of soul combine when The Temptations and The Four Tops share the Indio stage. Tickets range from $29 to $69. Grammy-nominated comedian Bill Burr brings the laughs with his (Slight Return) tour at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 22. Tickets range from $59 to $99. Get ready to dance with Latin sensations Los Huracanes Del Norte at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 29. Tickets range from $39 to $59. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-342-5000; www.fantasyspringsresort.com. Spotlight 29 is gearing up for an unforgettable (hopefully in a good way!) 2022. Rapper/actor/filmmaker Ice Cube is coming to the city of Coachella for a night of hits at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 29. Tickets range from $65 to $185. Spotlight 29 Casino, 46200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-775-5566; www. spotlight29.com. The McCallum Theatre has a packed schedule to choose from this month. At 3 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 16, ’60s vocal group The Lettermen will bring 60 years of hits to town. Tickets range from $35 to $65. Missing Ray Charles? So are the performers behind Ray on My Mind, a concert/theater work that celebrates the life and music of one of the all-time greats; it takes place at 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 20. Tickets range from $25 to $75. Steve Solomon’s hysterical one-man show My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish, and I’m Still in Therapy is set for three shows at the McCallum: 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 25; and continued on Page 36 CVIndependent.com


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PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE By matt king

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f an average song is, say, four minutes long, an hour-long album will have 15 songs on it. If the band is Earthless, and the hour-long album (65 1/2 minutes, actually) is From the Ages (2013) … it has just four songs on it. The three-piece psychedelic-rock group out of San Diego has been crafting lengthy, mostly instrumental songs—including a whole lot of epic, guitar-solo-heavy jams—for the past 20 years, and is getting ready for the release of it and make it sound interesting. sixth studio LP Night Parade of One Hundred “I was living in the Bay Area for the past Demons on Jan. 28. New single “Death to the decade or whatever, and I moved back down Red Sun” clocks in at 20 minutes, and it is to San Diego on the day of the lockdown one of just two tracks on Night Parade of One in March 2020. We didn’t know what Hundred Demons, an album named after a coronavirus was, and everyone was really story/idiom in Japanese folklore in which 100 scared, so we didn’t get together or see each demons parade through the streets at night, other for maybe four or five months. When creating pandemonium. we got into the room together to play, we Earthless is heading on a record-release were just so excited, because we were getting tour, including a stop at Pappy and Harriet’s to do what we love again. I think that brought Pioneertown Palace on Saturday, Jan. 29. an energy to the writing process as well— “This one (Night Parade of One Hundred this yearning to get together and to make Demons) felt more like how we usually write, music again. We weren’t planning on writing where we get into a room, and ideas just anything. The music just started happening, start coming out,” said guitarist/occasional and the next thing you know, we had enough vocalist Isaiah Mitchell during a recent phone material for a record.” interview. “Someone has a rough idea, and The pandemic gave the members of then we play it, and then we kind of develop Earthless a different perspective. Perhaps you

Earthless. Marta

CVIndependent.com

Earthless brings longform psychedelic rock and a new, twosong EP to Pappy and Harriet’s

can relate. “The whole world was shut down,” Mitchell said. “No gigs, no touring, no hanging out with people. When we got together, we had the excitement of playing music just to play music. It was inspiring and made us realize maybe we took things for granted in the past. I think we have a greater appreciation for being able to be together and be a band. Everything kind of has a new meaning now.” I was curious to find out how the band members create structure in their longform pieces. “There are songs that we have that feel like jazz formulas, where you have your theme, and you’ll depart from that, and you’ll solo and go to these different places, but then you’ll always come back to that theme,” said Mitchell. “We have that process, but for Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, we had riffs that we wrote at the practice space, and we married them together. We decided pretty early on that we wanted to tell a specific story about the Japanese folklore of ‘The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons,’ so we wanted it to have this flow to it: a mellow beginning, like a peaceful village kind of vibe,

and then chaos descends the earth and the village … dynamically making it very moving and very liquid, emotionally back and forth, like, gentle, intense, gentle, intense, more intense. It’s just to create mood, but we don’t put a shit ton of thought into anything. We just wanted to tell a story, and however that story is told is how it will go musically.” I’ve seen Earthless live before, and afterward, I joked that the band only performed three songs during the entire show. Mitchell said the members of Earthless try to make the most of their minutes. “I am a fan of that (longer) kind of music; we all are,” Mitchell said. “There are a lot classical pieces that take their time, going however slow it is, but they get there, and that whole journey is so beautiful. That’s the goal. I’m not going to dare say that we’re on point like that, but that’s the goal. Sometimes the shortest path is the best choice, but I like listening to German krautrock, like Neu!—those long, steady jams of not rushing anywhere, but painting a picture, like a river flowing downstream. It’s not a fast rushing river, per se, but it’s going, and you get all this new scenery and dips in the river. Taking your time is just a constant goal and exercise.” Earthless is familiar with the desert, having performed at Pappy and Harriet’s before, and taking part in Stoned and Dusted’s Live in the Mojave Desert concert and live-album series. “Nature is wonderful,” Mitchell said. “Before Earthless ever played at Pappy’s, I would take mushrooms and go out to Joshua Tree, and end up at Pappy and Harriet’s at the end of the night with a fish fry and some really delicious mezcal drinks. It’s just a beautiful, legendary spot, and getting to play there is fantastic. It sounds so good indoors, and we’ve also been able to play in the back. “We played out in the desert when we were younger at generator parties, so getting to play out in the desert in the night sky is, like, fucking incredible. Breaking the silence with super-loud music in the middle of the night is maybe not the kindest thing for everybody, but it feels really good to be a part of it. Joshua Tree, Pioneertown, Pappy and Harriet’s—it’s all a very, very special place.” Earthless will perform at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 29, at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, in Pioneertown. Tickets are $20. For tickets or more information, call 760-228-2222, or visit www. pappyandharriets.com.


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DATE Jan 6 - 17 Jan 8

EVENT Palm Springs International Film Festival The 2nd Annual Palm Springs Pinot Noir Festival

Jan 26 - 30

Oasis Music Festival

Jan 27 - 30

Southwest Arts Festival

2022 EVENTS

Jan 28

The Center's Info-A-Go-Go

Jan 29

Art Party, Palm Springs Art Musuem

Jan 29

Palm Springs Health Run & Fitness Expo

Feb 12

2022 Tour de Palm Springs

Feb 17 - 27 Feb 18

Modernism Week 2022 Palm Springs Air Museum Gala

For the latest events, visit GayDesertGuide.LGBT

Feb 24 - 28

International Bear Convergence IBC 2022

Feb 25 - 27

McCormick's Palm Springs Exotic Car Auction

Feb 27 Mar 7 - 20 March 19

"Isn't It Romantic" Jazz Band Concert & Gala Fundraiser BNP Paribas Open 2022 The Center's Red Dress Dress Red Party

Mar 19 - 25

Fashion Week El Paseo

Mar 25 - 27

Palm Desert Food & Wine

Mar 25 - 27

Cathedral City LGBT Days

Mar 26

The L-Fund's Party Under the Stars Gala

Apr 2

Faux Fur Ball Gala

Apr 9

Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, DAP Health

Apr 15 - 17

Coachella 2022: Weekend 1

Apr 22 - 24

Coachella 2022: Weekend 2

Apr 28 Apr 29-May1 Apr 29 - May 1

Dining Out for Life: DAP Health Stagecoach 2022 White Party Palm Springs

April 30

AAP Food Samaritans' Evening Under the Stars

May 6-8

Palm Springs Hot Rodeo

May 12 June 21 - 27 July 15 - 17 Sept 28 - Oct 4 Nov 4 - 6 Nov 6

Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast 2022 Palm Springs ShortFest

Celebrating All The Colors

In The Rainbow

Out in the Vineyard: Gay Wine Weekend 2022 Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend 2022 Palm Springs Pride 2022 Palm Springs Pride Parade 2022

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The Venue REPORT continued from page 33

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2 and 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 26. Tickets range from $38 to $68. A brand-new production of Fiddler on the Roof has been taking North America by storm, and now it’s coming to Palm Desert for five shows: at 8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 28, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29; and 1:30 and 7 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 29. Tickets range from $65 to $135. McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert; 760-340-2787; www. mccallumtheatre.com. Agua Caliente in Rancho Mirage has three January shows that weren’t sold out at the time of this writing. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 8, Frequent Agua Caliente performer Theresa Caputo brings her “Long Island Medium” experience to the stage. Tickets range from $75 to $140. Pop rapper Flo Rida brings myriad hits to town at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 15. Tickets range from $55 to $75. After the Jan. 29 show sold out, The Show added a second date of Laughter and Reflection With Carol Burnett. There are still tickets left for the show at 8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 28; they cost $65 to $125. Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-9991995; www.hotwatercasino.com. Jazzville and Caliente Comedy continue at Agua Caliente in Palm Springs. As for Jazzville, the January lineup consists of the mambocentric Angel and his Mambokat Combo (Jan. 6), the vibraphonist-led Simon Moullier Trio (Jan. 13), the jazzy genius of the Maria Schafer Quintet (Jan. 20) and swinging sensations Janet Klein and her Parlor Boys (Jan. 27). Shows take place every Thursday at 7 p.m., and tickets start at $10, available at jazzvillepalmsprings.com. Caliente Comedy is set to feature Francisco Ramos (Jan. 7), Jeremiah Watkins (Jan. 14), Marc Yaffee (Jan. 21), and Jason Collings (Jan. 28) You must be 21 to attend, and tickets start at $19.99 at www.eventspalmsprings.com/ caliente-comedy. Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs, 401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs; 888999-1995; www.sparesortcasino.com.

Judge for yourself. ID results a�er one treatment. Revive has ID discounts! Show this ad and get $100 off per area Expires 1/31/2022 650 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way: (760) 325-4800 Torrance Ofice: (310) 375-7599 Irvine Office: (949) 586-9904 www.revivecenter.com CVIndependent.com

Jane Monheit

January’s lineup at Morongo features quite a mix. Country singer Jameson Rodgers brings a few hits you may know at 8 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 13. Tickets are $15. At 9 p.m., Friday, Jan. 14, comedian and actor David Spade will bring the laughs. Tickets range from $59 to $79. One of the hottest boy bands back in the day, 98 Degrees, brings a nostalgia trip to Morongo at 9 p.m., Friday, Jan. 28. Tickets range from $59 to $79. Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 800-252-4499; www.morongocasinoresort.com. Pappy and Harriet’s features plenty of events that are well worth a trip up the mountain. A double dose of blues will rock the desert at 9 p.m., Friday, Jan. 14, when Black Joe Lewis and Cedric Burnside team up. Tickets are $30 in advance. At 8 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 20, indie rockers Tropa Magica and Levitation Room share the indoor stage. Advance tickets are $20. A mix of psychedelic and shoegaze, Lilys come to Pioneertown at 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 22. Advance tickets are $22. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown; 760-365-5956; www. pappyandharriets.com. The Purple Room in Palm Springs is ringing in the new year in style! Performing the music of Ella Fitzgerald, Jane Monheit is set for two performances: at 8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 7, and Saturday, Jan. 8. Tickets range from $60 to $69. At 8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 14, and Saturday, Jan. 15, John Lloyd Young is set to perform a mix of classics and originals. Tickets range from $55 to $65. An intimate evening with Michael Bublé-praised recording artist Brenna Whitaker is set for 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 29. Tickets range from $35 to $40. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room, 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-322-4422; www. purpleroompalmsprings.com. While Oscar’s in Palm Springs continues to host its usual weekly and monthly events, one special event caught our eye. Celebrating the life and music of Bette Midler, Unsung Midler, with hosts country singer Kasey Lansdale and radio personality Alexander Rodriguez, is tribute show of music and stories, at 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 27. Tickets are $25. Oscar’s Palm Springs, 125 E Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs; 760-325-1188; oscars-palmsprings.ticketleap.com. The Hood Bar and Pizza is mixing local talent with an out-of-town band this month. On Friday, Jan. 14, locals Slipping Into Darkness, The Hellions and Blue Sun are set to perform with Oakland-based Psychic Hit. We didn’t get information on the start time or admission cost before our deadline. The Hood Bar and Pizza, 74360 Highway 111, Palm Desert; 760-636-5220; www.facebook.com/ HoodBarAndPizza.


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the

LUCKY 13

Learn about the guitarist for When Tides Turn, and the man who books performers at CV Brewing Co. by matt king everyone loves it, but a lot of people I have played music with seemed to love it. What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? I was supposed to see Nightwish this year, but they canceled the show due to COVID. I have been wanting to see Nightwish with Floor Jansen so bad for years now! What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure? I love Megan Thee Stallion! I know it’s not metal, but it slaps! What’s your favorite music venue? I have never had a bad time at the House of Blues in Anaheim, and it is pretty intimate. You can really get up close to the stage.

NAME Thomas Cazares GROUP When Tides Turn MORE INFO When Tides Turn is one of the hardest-hitting metal bands in the Coachella Valley—and has been for quite some time. The heavy riffs, backbeats and vocal performances make any performance one for the ages. Learn more at www.facebook.com/ WhenTidesTurn. Thomas Cazares plays guitar for the group. What was the first concert you attended? Ozzfest 2001 was the first real concert I attended, featuring some of my favorite bands like Slipknot, Linkin Park and Black Sabbath. It was pretty life-changing. What was the first album you owned? The first album was White Zombie, AstroCreep: 2000, and it was on cassette tape. What bands are you listening to right now? I always have some of my favorite bands in my playlist: Children of Bodom, Cradle of Filth, AFI, Nightwish and St. Vincent. What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? Grindcore. I don’t know if I would say

What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head? “While I waited, I was wasting away,” “The Great Disappointment,” by AFI. What band or artist changed your life? System of a Down was a big influence and life-changing band for me. I was just discovering metal and hard rock. Learning guitar and music really helped me get through hard times as a teenager. I had just gotten the Toxicity tablature book, and that really influenced my playing. You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? I would definitely be asking my favorite musician/guitar player, Alexi Laiho (R.I.P.): “What is your favorite song to perform, and why?” What song would you like played at your funeral? “Till the World Ends” by Britney Spears. Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time? Follow the Reaper by Children of Bodom. What song should everyone listen to right now? “Existential Terror” by Cradle of Filth.

NAME Wesley Gainey MORE INFO Wesley Gainey is one of the people in the Coachella Valley who creates opportunities for local creatives. When he’s not performing himself, he’s booking bands from various genres, and even comedians, to play at the Coachella Valley Brewing Co. taproom, where he serves as manager. What was the first concert you attended? Probably Raffi at (the University of California, Riverside) as a toddler, but on my own, Lollapalooza ’97 at Glen Helen Park with Tool, Snoop and The Prodigy. What was the first album you owned? I had a lot of hand-me-downs from my older brothers, but the first album of my choice was Another Bad Creation, Coolin’ at the Playground Ya Know! What bands are you listening to right now? My Pandora tends to be set to either Soul Coughing, Mac Miller or ’70s funk. What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? Beyonce. Not that I think she’s bad or untalented, but the music never really stood out to me above any other relevant R&B/pop acts. What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? Either Jimi Hendrix, Amsterdam ’67, or DMX at Woodstock ’99. What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure? French alt pop. I love Mathieu Boogaerts. What’s your favorite music venue? The Boogaloo Stage at the Joshua Tree Music

Festival. You can often find me on the bridge that goes over the stage. Side note: R.I.P. to the Elbo Room in S.F. What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head? “It’s a good thing that I’m not a star, and you don’t know how lucky you are. Though the record may say it, no one will play it, ’cause sad songs and waltzes aren’t selling this year,” “Sad Songs and Waltzes,” by Willie Nelson (cover by Cake). What band or artist changed your life? Probably Beastie Boys. Musically and creatively, they showed that genres aren’t required. Hardcore, hip hop, instrumental funk? You can put it all on one album by one band if you want. Creativity, willingness to experiment, and pushing boundaries is what, to me, makes art interesting. You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? I would ask Andre 3000 if he would please make another Outkast album with Big Boi. What song would you like played at your funeral? Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings,” but inevitably, someone is going to put on “Big Tokin.’” Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time? Abbey Road, the Beatles. What song should everyone listen to right now? Because everyone can use a feel-good song, I’ll say, “Crazy ’Cause I Believe (Early Morning Sunshine)” by Len. CVIndependent.com


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CANNABIS IN THE CV

DATA DECISIONS I

by jocelyn kane

f you’ve ever been to a local cannabis retail store—yes, some people still call them dispensaries—you know that you are asked to provide your driver’s license or other ID right after you enter. Much like a bar, the store is making sure you are 21 years or older, as required by the state of California. If you decide to buy anything, you will again need to hand over your ID along with your cash. You may also be added to the store’s customer database. If you are a medical-cannabis patient, it’s possible your medical records are on file there as well. Do you ever wonder if your personal to run businesses legally under a heavy set information, as it is kept on file by the store, of both state and local regulations. Most is safe? What if you purchase your cannabis cannabis-biz folks haven’t had much time to online and use a home-delivery service? Is think about cybersecurity. that risky? I decided to take a look into the An August 2021 article in Rolling Stone subject to find out. confirms the notion that nascent cannabis In October, I met Heather Cortez at companies have less-sophisticated tech MJBizcon, one of the largest cannabis systems—which make them easier to conferences in the country, in Las Vegas. compromise. “POS tech is essential to Cortez works as the director of marketing and cannabis retail operations, which also sales for BrightCyber, a cybersecurity firm makes them vulnerable and ripe targets for focused on small and mid-sized businesses. ransomware or other cyberattacks,” wrote She came to Las Vegas to talk to cannabis author Harrison Wise. businesses about keeping their customers’ Cannabis companies further up the supply data safe from cybercriminals. chain—businesses that grow and manufacture Mostly, she received blank stares. consumer products—are also vulnerable. This is not a surprise. Remember, the Many use highly specialized automation to recreational cannabis industry in California allow cultivators to water, light and humidify is only about 5 years old—a toddler. The plants; others use tech to monitor consistent industry as a whole is learning not only how product and packaging. Threats to these to market and sell products, but also how systems can wreck production, ruin crops and

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A question you should ask your preferred cannabis retailer: How secure is my information? shut down operations for days or weeks. For proof of this, look no further than the attack on Aurora Cannabis, a Canadian-based company, which was hacked in late 2020. Employee data was put on sale online one month later in exchange for bitcoin. On the supply-chain side, one can look to the beer industry for a cautionary tale: Molson Coors was forced to shut down brewery operations, production and shipping in March 2021 due to a cyberattack. How do the bad guys get access? “Most cybercrime begins with a human error,” Cortez said. Many attacks start with phishing—when a bad guy uses an email, text or website to get information by posing as a legitimate or trustworthy organization. In the case of cannabis businesses, an employee might click on a link in an email, believing it to be from a trusted vendor or even a supervisor. Something so simple can allow a cybercriminal access to the store’s point of sale or other internal computer systems that house employee and customer data. Once a criminal is inside, they can use malware to shut down systems, and demand cash to return control to the company (called

ransomware). Cortez said that the average amount of ransom demanded last year from small companies under attack was $55,000. Or the criminals can simply steal personal data—which can be worth quite a bit. What can companies do to secure customer and employee information? Cortez and her team offered these solutions: • Secure operating systems. Don’t link them all to one network. • Use both virtual (cloud) and physical servers—and backup your data! • Don’t forget to do all updates and patches. • Protect the environment proactively. Don’t wait until there is an emergency. • Train employees. Delegate system access only to people who need it. Separate systems, and limit access. Train folks to not click on links that seem too good to be true or that don’t make sense. Pick up the phone and confirm with supervisors before doing something that seems odd. What can customers do? Get to know your local retailer(s), and ask them how secure your information is in their hands. Jocelyn Kane can be reached at jocelyn@ coachellavalleycan.org.


COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 39

JANUARY 2022

OPINION COMICS & JONESIN’ CROSSWORD

“Free Fifty”—that’s 5x10x2 By Matt Jones

short-lived, short-form streaming platform 40 Detach from the dock Across 41 “In ___ called malice, 1 When they’re low, yeah” (The Jam lyric insurance companies that’s almost the are more profitable proper title) 11 Trans Am that talks 46 L&O: SVU co-star 15 Central, with “of” 47 Like two structures that 16 “I Am Not My Hair” map out the same way singer India 52 30 Seconds to Mars 17 Sap singer Jared 18 Haynes with the 53 Like the pronouns documentary The he, she, and they, Velvet Underground grammatically 19 Musical work featuring 54 Rosy assertion historical figures, often 55 St. Vincent’s backup 20 Indigo dye group? 21 Second-hand, 56 Kitten’s scruff alternately 57 The act of not paying 22 Co-star of Thora and attention, old-style Wes in American Beauty 58 House actor Omar 23 Canadian actress Coo- 59 Ferrari model per of Apple TV+’s See 24 Circumvents Down 26 He played Tobias Funke 1 Cruise liner decks with 30 Puff ___ (venomous pools critter) 2 Head of a bowling team? 35 Race a motor 3 Monk known as “the 36 Unilever laundry soap Venerable” brand that’s over 100 4 Counties overseas years old 5 Do some boot repair 37 Basis of the name of a 6 Title ship in a 1997

Spielberg movie 7 Solution strength, in chemistry 8 “Do ___ to eat a peach?” (Eliot) 9 Rome’s port in the Punic Wars 10 Like some hams, at this time of year? 11 ___ Damacy (Playstation game with a ball that picks up everything in its path) 12 Like some T-shirt art 13 Spruce quality? 14 Show with the Season 1 episode Biscuits 25 “Be Kind, Rewind” device 27 Billy Zane’s character in the Netflix miniseries True Story 28 Heeler healer? 29 Japanese light novel series ___ Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level 30 Like an eagle’s beak 31 Outdated headgear for a poor student 32 Children’s cold medicine brand 33 Boundaries between

biomes 34 Citizen Kane studio 38 “C’mon, let’s do this!” 39 Municipality in the province of Padua (and not a Japanese send-off) 42 Supposed occupation of Joe Coulombe, founder of a grocery chain 43 Cigar brand whose name means “best” in Spanish 44 Gets petulant 45 Sue Ann ___, Betty White’s role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show 48 An Impeccable Spy: Richard ___, Stalin’s Master Agent (2019 Owen Matthews book) 49 Future indicators 50 North Dakota State Fair city 51 Wicker basket used in jai alai © 2021 Matt Jones Find the answers in the “About” section at CVIndependent.com!

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40 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

JANUARY 2022

The Doo Wop Project Wed, January 19, 7pm

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Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormè With David Lawrence and Debbie Gravitte

Fiddler on the Roof Fri, January 28, 8pm Sat, January 29, 2pm & 8pm Sun, January 30, 1:30pm & 7pm

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Fri, January 21, 8pm

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Mon, January 24, 7pm

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Bernadette Peters Tue, February 1, 7pm

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Lewis Black Off the Rails

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The TEN Tenors Our Greatest Hits

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February 9, 7pm – Presented through the generosity of Harold Matzner February 12, 8pm – Presented through the generosity of Harold Matzner and Diane Anderson

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