Coachella Valley Independent December 2018

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT | DECEMBER 2018

VOL. 6 | NO. 12

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PAGE 12

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DECEMBER 2018

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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 3

DECEMBER 2018

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Before I get to all of the greatness that is the Best of Coachella Valley stuff herein, I need to bring up the stories you’ll find on Pages 8 and 9, because they have to do with one worst tragedies in modern California history—and the fact similar tragedies are likely to keep happening over and over again due to our new reality.

As of this writing, the Camp Fire in Northern California’s Butte County has claimed 83 lives—a number that is sure to rise, since more than 500 people have not yet been accounted for. More than 18,600 buildings—the majority of those homes—have been destroyed, including almost the entire town of Paradise.

Editor/Publisher Let’s put that in perspective: Paradise Jimmy Boegle and Desert Hot Springs are about the same size in terms of population. Paradise Assistant Editor is larger than Rancho Mirage. And it’s essentially gone.

Brian Blueskye The story on Page 8 comes to us compliments of our friends at the Chico coveR and feature design News & Review. It starts out with one Beth Allen of the most harrowing, terrifying and heartbreaking stories of survival and loss best of coachella valley logo design that you’ll ever read. It concludes with a link to a GoFundMe page for Chico News Mark Duebner Design & Review staffers who lost their homes in the Camp Fire. This one holds a special Contributors place in my heart—not only are these Stephen Berger, Max Cannon, Kevin fellow newspaper people; I started my Carlow, Melissa Daugherty, Katie Finn, career working for the News & Review company, so I ask you to contribute if you Kevin Fitzgerald, Colette Fontainne, Bill can. Thank you.

Frost, Bonnie Gilgallon, Robin Goins, Meanwhile, life goes on here in our Bob Grimm, Michael Grimm, Dwight amazing Coachella Valley—and that brings Hendricks, Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume, me to the Independent’s fifth annual Best Brane Jevric, Keith Knight, Brett Newton, of Coachella Valley readers’ poll.

Dan Perkins, Guillermo Prieto, Laurel A record number of people voted in this year’s two rounds of polling, and I Rosenhall, Anita Rufus, Ashiah Scharaga, am excited to present the results of that Jen Sorenson, Robert Victor vote, along with features on some of the winners, and some additional “Best The Coachella Valley Independent Of” selections by Independent staff and print edition is published every month. contributors.

I have a lot of people to thank here, All content is ©2018 and may not be including Beth Allen, who did the published or reprinted in any form layout for the whole Best of Coachella without the written permission of the Valley section; and Brian Blueskye and publisher. The Independent is available Kevin Fitzgerald, who contributed our free of charge throughout the Coachella features. Huge thanks also go to all of our Valley, limited to one copy per reader. fantastic advertisers—and most of all, to the readers who navigated nearly 130 Additional copies may be purchased categories on our ballot to vote. for $1 by calling (760) 904-4208. The Please join us to celebrate all of our Independent may be distributed only by winners at the Best of Coachella Valley the Independent’s authorized distributors. Awards Show, taking place at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 12, at Copa Nightclub in The Independent is a proud member and/or supporter Palm Springs. After we give out the awards, of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, Best Local Band winner Avenida Music will CalMatters, Get Tested Coachella Valley, the Local perform; admission is free.

Independent Online News Publishers, the Desert Welcome to the December 2018 print Business Association, the LGBT Community Center of edition of the Coachella Valley Independent. the Desert, and the Desert Ad Fed. Thanks for reading, as always, and please have a fantastic and fruitful holiday season.

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DECEMBER 2018

OPINION OPINION

KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS S

BY ANITA RUFUS

ome people are heroes without meaning to be, and modestly claim afterward: “We got lucky!”

Robyne McCarthy Taylor was flying for Qantas, based in her native Australia. Born and raised in Victoria, Robyne, now 66, joined Qantas after trying a secretarial job in Melbourne after high school.

“I was 21 when I joined Qantas,” she recalls. “I trained with a group of really quality people—we were the youngest girls they had ever employed. We’ve remained really close throughout the years.

It was when the (Boeing) 747s came in. I was one of three girls, ‘flight hostesses,’ who flew on each flight along with 12 male ‘stewards.’

“We had to sign a contract on our application about whether we wanted to retire at 35 or at 55. I was only 21, and thought that surely by 35, I’d flight, heading to Bahrain. David was sitting be willing to go. But the stewards didn’t have to in front of me heading to London. I thought, sign a contract. They also could get promoted ‘What a nice-looking gentleman. Why can’t I into cushier jobs. We had the babies and toilets, meet someone like that?’ There was a magazine and didn’t get counted for seniority that would rack in front of him, so I got up to see if he had lead to better positions and pay.” warts or anything like that. He didn’t. I said, Taylor was a member of the union specifically ‘Didn’t I see you last week in Tahiti?’ He said, for the “girls,” while the “boys” had their own.

‘No,’ and went back to his Wall Street Journal. At “I attended meetings, and we finally said, our stop, I stayed on board, but he was walking ‘Let’s go after them.’ We wanted equality, around and had time to think about it. When he access to promotions, the chance to rise to be came back … well, we were together for about pursers and more money. Australian men were 24 years, married for 20 of them. very chauvinistic, and they would say, ‘I’m not “He was living in New York at the time, and taking any orders from a Sheila!’ They didn’t he didn’t like me being away so much, so I asked think we’d win it. for some leave-of-absence time. I told him he “We got a female judge … and we got lucky!” had to come to Australia to meet my mother.

Taylor is a 25-year resident of The Springs She actually said, ‘What are your intentions with in Rancho Mirage. She and her late husband, my daughter?’ He was a total gentleman with banker David Taylor, moved to the desert from such a good sense of humor. He said, ‘I intend Chicago after some friends convinced them to to sleep with her as much as I can.’ Once his come and visit. divorce came through, which had begun before The couple met, naturally, on a plane. me, I stayed in New York.

“I had gotten fed up with flying and got a “After we were married, we were in London. cushy job—I was kind of a flight spy,” she says.

Because I was still in the union, I said I wanted “I had been involved with a London-educated to go to Paris to help choose the new Qantas gentleman from Bahrain. … He wasn’t part of uniforms. For 12 years, we had worn lovely a royal family, but high up there. Anyway, I was dresses designed by (Emilio) Pucci. I didn’t speak sitting in first class on a Sydney-to-Singapore French, but I thought I had made it clear at Yves Saint Laurent that I didn’t want to see a single kangaroo anywhere! Three months later, when we opened the boxes, there were kangaroos all over. It was the worst moment of my life,” she says, before suddenly going quiet and serious.

“Other than the death of my father. We were very close.”

Robyne and David traveled all over Europe while living in London, and after he retired, they took lots of cruises. “To be honest,” she smiles, “I never want to see another airplane as long as I live.”

Worst passenger ever? “David Frost,” she says Robyne McCarthy Taylor with a dog from Guide Dogs of the Desert. without hesitation. “He insisted on sleeping on

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION

Meet Robyne Taylor, a champion of women’s labor rights—and animals

the floor.” Best passenger ever? “Sammy Davis Jr. He was wonderful!”

Taylor’s involvement in the local community largely revolves around animals. “I was on the board of Guide Dogs of the Desert and with Loving All Animals, and I’ve supported the Cancer Center for Animals in Chicago. I’m also very lucky to have my little Lola (her dog) in my life. My husband died nine years ago, and Lola has been with me 7 1/2 years.”

Taylor says she has tired of being charming since David’s death. “I had to be all my life. I’ve become a bit of a recluse,” she says. She hates computers, still sends handwritten notes, and stays in touch with a large group of good friends. Plastered to her garage’s inside walls are pictures, large and small, of key events in settings all over the world, surrounding her chic red convertible.

Taylor is not afraid to stand her ground and fight, no matter how blithely she waves off her accomplishments. She recalls when the settlement check from Qantas—after the case had finally been resolved six years later— arrived in the mail.

“I opened it, and you know those phony checks they send to rope you into something?

I thought that’s what it was. David looked at it and said, ‘It’s a real check, for $50,000!’

“We were just lucky.”

Anita Rufus is also known as “The Lovable Liberal.”

Her show That’s Life airs Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m. to noon on iHubradio, while The Lovable Liberal airs from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Email her at Anita@LovableLiberal.com. Know Your Neighbors appears every other Wednesday at CVIndependent.com.

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DECEMBER 2018

OPINION OPINION

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION

THE PAIN RETURNS

BY COLETTE FONTAINNE

T

he last two years have been like a horror movie playing out in super-slow motion. Even though progressives made some fantastic gains on Election Day, I find myself exhausted and sad. And ever since Brett Kavanaugh, it’s gotten worse.

I’ve stopped watching the news—any news. However, I still scroll through comment sections on Facebook, and I hear conversations in bars, at the grocery store, at the office … and I am horrified, because now we are talking about rape—specifically, rape in the 1980s.

Things were a lot different in the ’80s. We were taught through film, TV and books that rape was something that happened to you in a dark alley, or at a rest stop, or in a parking lot, usually late at night, by a total stranger (often came in a few times and eventually asked me out on a date. black). We were taught that good girls didn’t I said yes. I got dressed up—a black miniget drunk, didn’t dress provocatively, didn’t skirt with ruffles, spike heels and a leopardgo out alone, and never brought men back print blouse. We went to the club where I to their homes—because that was “leading worked, and we had a lot of drinks. We danced him on,” and if something happened, we were a little … and he was so attractive. “asking for it.” It wasn’t until later in the He took me back to his house. We smoked decade that we started to discuss what we pot and drank some more, before he offered to called “date rape.” I’m not sure why we had to drive me back to my apartment. Once there, I qualify it with the word “date” to separate it invited him in. from “real” rape.

Yes … I invited him in. I was attracted to I was 19, with an infant child, working as a him. I wanted the night to continue, and if I cocktail waitress in a busy nightclub. He was tall with blue eyes and adorable blond curls. He am being completely honest, I have to admit I

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I’d left behind the trauma of being raped 30 years ago—until recent events brought it back

was considering getting intimate with him.

I was not given a choice.

We sat on my couch, and he started kissing me hard—too hard. I tried to pull back, but he had my head in a vise-like grip. He forced his tongue down my throat … and I knew. Before he pushed me down, I knew. I put my hand on his chest and tried to push him away, but he was strong and determined. I decided not to push very hard, because I was afraid he would make it worse if I did.

I had an out-of-body experience. I could see him on top of me, as if I was looking down from the ceiling. Thankfully, it was over very quickly. He came, got up and pulled up his pants. He kissed me on the forehead, told me he’d had a great time and walked out my front door. I heard him drive away.

I lay there for a long time, paralyzed. I took that famous scalding hot bath, and I cried dry, wracking tears until the tub got cold. All those warnings I’d heard came back to me: Why hadn’t I listened? I was stupid and foolish.

I was never going to tell anybody what I had “let” happen. We whispered about those girls. “She was raped” somehow meant she was tainted, ruined. We thought of her as dirty and slutty—completely deserving of her fate: “Well she should have KNOWN better.”

We didn’t report our rapes in the ’80s.

To report meant being labeled as a slut, as damaged, as dirty. To report meant getting essentially raped again in an emergency room, by a doctor collecting “evidence.” Reporting meant going to court to get emotionally raped by your rapist’s lawyer and possibly the judge. To report meant everybody knew and whispered behind your back. To report was the equivalent of putting yourself on trial for the crime of being raped.

I was in denial. I prayed no one would ever find out. I started to have the nightmares. I was walking down the street in broad daylight, and I would see him. He was always wearing all-black, always silent. He would see me, and I would try to run, but my legs wouldn’t move, and he would catch up to me, push me down and rape me right there on the sidewalk. The street was typically one from my childhood, a street I had taken on walks home from school.

The rape was always much more physically violent than the one I had experienced.

Depression and a suicide attempt followed.

I was in a locked ward for eight weeks for my own protection.

It came out during a therapy session. My therapist looked at me with such compassion, and said, “Honey, you were raped. You were

raped, and it wasn’t your fault.” This simple statement rocked my world. The dreams disappeared, and I stopped blaming myself for what happened. But I still felt tainted, soiled. I am one of tens of millions of women who had this experience.

Years went by; decades went by. Today, I don’t often think about the time I was raped— or at least I didn’t until the Supreme Court hearings.

Tens of millions of women, like me, have been triggered. Millennial women are crying out #metoo. Even some men are now revealing the truth about the rapes they have experienced. This can lead to anxiety, depression, a return of nightmares, and reliving the rapes.

Those of us going through this need compassion, nurturing and unconditional love. Please believe us when we tell our stories, even if we can’t remember the details, dates and names. Please reassure us that we are not ruined, not dirty. Remind us that it wasn’t our fault. We need you right now. We need men to believe us, to show us that not all men are violent. We need to heal from the freshly re-opened wounds we are experiencing; whether you thought Ms. Ford was telling the truth is not the issue. Rape is the issue.

The time has come to change the language we use. We used to say, “No means NO.” Now we must learn to say, “Only yes means yes.”

I left my rape behind for 30 years. I’d have left it alone forever if I could have—but perhaps this is my chance to finally be free.

I can make a decision to feel those feelings without harsh self-criticism. I may not want to, but I get to process my rape today. As scary as it is, I can allow those petrified feelings to thaw and really feel them for the first time. I’m not anywhere near there yet, but I have hope that such a day will come soon—the day when I can finally set myself free.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 7

DECEMBER 2018

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DECEMBER 2018

NEWS

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

A CALIFORNIA APOCALYPSE A

by ashiah scharaga and melissa daugherty

nna Dise slammed her hand into her car’s steering wheel, crying out for her father, Gordon, as he ran into their blazing home in Butte Creek Canyon.

She tried desperately to get the car to start, but it was no use. Worse yet, she was running out of time, and her dad wasn’t coming back out. One of the last things Dise saw before grabbing her two dogs and running for her life from the spreading Camp Fire was her childhood home’s kitchen disintegrating.

Dise called 911, but emergency personnel couldn’t get to her. To survive, she needed to find a way to outwit the blaze. She found a ditch and hunkered down, using what little water it held to douse herself and her beloved pets, Luna and Dise’s cellphone battery had died, so she Sirius, as embers rained down upon them. walked to a neighbor’s house and waited for Hours went by, and Dise, terrified the help to arrive. She heard chainsaws in the flames would consume her, stayed on alert as distance—the sound of Cal Fire personnel she spent the night outside. working their way through fallen trees—and “I had to stay awake and watch which way was rescued around 7 a.m. the fires were moving, all the hot spots,” Dise’s harrowing story would be she said on Nov. 9 at Chico’s Neighborhood unfathomable were it not for the fact that Church, one of several locations temporarily so many other Butte County residents can housing evacuees and others rescued from the relate to it. Indeed, tens of thousands of deadly Northern California blaze that ignited residents fled for their lives, as the Camp the previous morning.

Fire bore down on the Paradise and Magalia In the early morning light, under a blanket ridge communities of Butte County, as well of smoke, Dise hiked back to her house. as several surrounding hamlets, including There, she found its charred, skeletal remains Concow and Butte Creek Canyon. As of Nov. and the car “all melted down.” There was no 23, 83 were confirmed dead, with 563 people sign of her father. unaccounted for.

“I don’t even think I saw my dad’s bones, The blaze started the morning of Nov. but I know he was in there,” she said.

8 east of Paradise in the Plumas National Inexplicably, a bag of family photos she’d Forest. The cause is still under investigation, abandoned was “untouched, no burns or but one of the primary questions is whether anything.” That, along with her canine an issue with a nearby high-voltage power line companions, provided some comfort. is related. Already facing billions in lawsuits “We lost everything except for each other,” for allegedly sparking other California she said. wildfires—including the Tubbs Fire in Napa,

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EXP 1/19

Evacuees of the Camp Fire tell tales of survival and loss

Sonoma and Lake counties in October of last year—PG&E reported to the California Public Utilities Commission that an outage occurred just before the first calls of the Camp Fire came in to authorities.

It spread quickly in the parched foothills, pushed by low humidity and high winds that blew embers for miles, triggering fires throughout the region. As of Nov. 23, the firestorm had destroyed more than 18,400 structures. It had consumed more than 153,000 acres, according to Cal Fire.

A

mid the gray, post-apocalyptic landscape, particularly in the residential portions of Paradise, streets leading to the few main arteries exiting to the valley below were strewn with vehicles. They’d been abandoned by occupants who’d been stopped in gridlock traffic and had no choice but to get out and try to outrun the fast-moving flames.

Some of the automobiles were so scorched that their make and model were unrecognizable. Only shells remained, and in some cases, trails of melted aluminum oozed on the asphalt below. Several were crushed by collapsed power polls or trees. Still others appeared eerily unscathed.

James Betts witnessed the confusion and panic first-hand. Huddled with other evacuees at Neighborhood Church the day after escaping the flames, he described how quickly the fire moved through his Paradise neighborhood and how fortunate he was to make it out.

He, along with a friend and several family members, including his grandmother and nephew, were alerted to the fire by loud explosions. Outside, they saw flames down the street and drivers backed up on the roadway, honking and yelling.

Nobody in Betts’ group had a car.

“I was screaming at people, begging them, ‘Please stop,’” he said. “It was like Armageddon outside. It was nuts.”

A stranger driving a pickup truck finally pulled up and all of them, plus their animals, piled into the bed. “We’re so lucky, we really are,” Betts said. “I gave him the biggest hug in the world. I don’t even know his name.”

Betts was echoed by fellow Paradise evacuee Oscar Albretsen, an epileptic who also was without transportation. “I honestly thought I was going to burn to death,” he said.

Rescue came in the form of his neighbors, who made room in their vehicle for Albretsen and his cat, Nibbler.

The scene he described on the downhill ride

Anna Dise, 25, and her dogs, Luna (pictured) and Sirius, spent the first night of the Camp Fire dodging burning embers and numerous blazes. Her father, Gordon, did not make it out alive.

Ken Smith/ken-the-pen.com

to Chico is surreal—a wall of fire on either side of the roadway, which was dotted with charred deer carcasses, abandoned cars with pets inside, and homes burning or burned to the ground with only their chimneys intact.

Albretsen’s last glimpse of the landscape in no way resembled his hometown.

“It’s beautiful, and a town where people are so good to each other,” Albretsen said. “Now it’s starting to dawn on me: Everybody lost everything.”

A version of this piece originally appeared in the Chico News & Review. Please consider donating to the GoFundMe campaign for employees of the News & Review who have been affected by the fire at www.gofundme.com/help-our-news-ampreview-family.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 9

DECEMBER 2018

NEWS

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

‘I DON’T WANT TO SEE ANY MORE DIE’

T

by laurel rosenhall, calmatters

he sun was beginning to set as Jim Wood stepped out of the examination room at the Sacramento morgue and walked into the lobby, white surgical booties covering his shoes.

He’d keep working there late into the night, but was taking a short break from the solemn task of identifying bits of human remains gathered from the rubble of the horrific Camp Fire.

Wood is a forensic odontologist—a dentist specially trained to identify dead bodies by examining teeth. He’s also a Democratic state assemblyman from Sonoma County. Those dual responsibilities have put him on the frontline in tackling two enormous, heart-wrenching puzzles: identifying the people who perished in Butte County in California’s deadliest wildfire, and figuring out what state policies could prevent such catastrophes in the future.

“I thought that last year was really, really awful,” Wood said of the wine-country fires that killed 44 people, including some whom he identified through dental records. “I don’t think anybody expected that this year would be way worse.”

This summer Wood served on the special legislative committee that crafted a $1 billion plan to prevent wildfires—an amount he argued wasn’t sufficient for the massive task at hand.

For years before he was elected to the Legislature in 2014, Wood was a family dentist.

Along the way, he sought extra training in forensic odontology and eventually became one of just 100 people in the United States who are certified at the highest level in the trade. He traveled the country to help identify victims of America’s worst disasters, including Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and the Sept. 11 attack on New York.

More recently, Wood has put his skills to use a lot closer to home. Last year, he helped identify victims of the massive fire in Santa Rosa, just down the road from his house in Healdsburg. Last week, he was surveying the damage in Paradise, where the Camp Fire killed at least 83 people and destroyed 13,800 homes. Now, with the Legislature out of session, Wood is stationed at the coroner’s office in Sacramento, part of a team of forensic specialists who are examining the remains arriving from Paradise in body bags.

Assemblyman Jim Wood, left, surveys Camp Fire damage in Paradise with Loren Lighthall, principal of Paradise High School. COURTESY OF JIM WOOD

Teeth. Roots of teeth. Metal crowns and porcelain fillings.

“Most of what I’m seeing today are the roots of teeth. In these really hot fires, the enamel, or the white part of the tooth, often pops off the tooth,” Wood explained as he spoke in the lobby of the morgue.

“While those roots and parts of the teeth will survive, the jaw bone that supports the teeth is often burned away. So what we get are a bunch of teeth, but no way to associate them. So we use our knowledge of anatomy and the shapes of teeth, and I reconstruct. I look for a way to figure out how they would have looked in the mouth.”

Wearing a white lab coat and rubber gloves, Wood arranges the dental remains on a big examination table. After he reconstructs a mouth, the next phase of detective work begins: Gathering dental X-rays and other records of people on the missing-persons list, and matching those images to the remains in the morgue.

It’s been difficult, Wood said, because many dental offices in Paradise burned up in the fire, and with them burned the records that could help identify victims. But he’s scouring other sources for X-rays that were saved electronically.

Some 563 people remained on the missingpersons list as of Nov. 21, a number that has been fluctuating dramatically.

Mark Essick, sheriff-elect of Sonoma County, said Wood was a key player in helping law enforcement identify victims after the fires there last year. The sheriff’s department calls him in to help solve other cases that involve dental remains. “He’s kind of a wizard,” Essick said. “He’s magic at what he does in helping us identify people.”

In between the infernos of last year and this year, Wood served on the special legislative committee focused on wildfire prevention.

With his calm demeanor and measured tone of voice, he sat through long hearings on forest management, utility liability and emergency alert systems. He pushed for spending more money on thinning forests, something he said would benefit his rugged district that stretches from Santa Rosa to the Oregon border.

California legislator Jim Wood confronts the effects of wildfire by helping identify the dead

During the hearings, Wood didn’t publicly discuss his work identifying constituents who died in the brutal flames. But at one point in a late July hearing, he lost his patience.

“People are dying,” Wood said to Public Utilities Commission President Michael Picker, who had just described a lengthy bureaucratic process for approving utilities’ fire-mitigation plans. “I don’t want to be here five years from now, when millions more acres may have been burned in California, and many, many more lives have been lost, wondering what the heck were we doing. So I apologize for my passion.

But … this is my district. This is where 44 of my constituents died, and I don’t want to see any more die.”

Authorities said 16 of last year’s fires involved Pacific Gas and Electric equipment, creating the possibility that the company will face billions of dollars in liability. PG&E and other utilities were intensely lobbying the wildfire committee this summer, seeking a change to liability laws and a plan to help them avoid bankruptcy

by spreading their costs out over time. In so doing, they showered politicians with campaign contributions, San Francisco Giants tickets and steakhouse dinners.

Wood was the only fire committee member to return PG&E’s campaign donation, forgoing its $1,000.

The cause of the Camp Fire has not yet been identified, but PG&E reported problems with its electrical lines outside of Paradise just before the fire broke out.

Wood is urging that wildfire prevention continue to be a focus when the Legislature reconvenes. He wants the state to do something big—and quick—though he acknowledges that he doesn’t yet know what that should be.

It’s likely to be a painstaking process, but as Wood heads back into the morgue’s exam room, he seems to have become accustomed to painstaking work.

CALmatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California’s policies and politics.

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10 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT www.GayAndLesbianPages.com

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

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

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I

love the Benefit Cosme�c ads for all kinds of reasons. I love the film noir-style art and the classic ’30s and ’40s era of adver�sing.

This par�cular ad is so amusing, right? And it illustrates my Christmas gi�s to you, our reader: secrets on to how to protect yourself from fake products that some nefarious injectors might use on pa�ents.

Most medical prac�ces are trustworthy and deliver exactly what they say they’re injec�ng and can fully assure you that, “They’re Real, Honest.”

But in a mee�ng with some Allergan execu�ves, they commented about the piles of fake Allergan products that are delivered to them by the U.S. Department of Customs and Border Protec�on every week.

My prac�ces purchase all of our injectables directly from the manufacturer. I’m always glad when pa�ents ask me to show them the packaging that I’m taking their injectable from; I show them how to authen�cate a product. Here are some things to look for: 1. Precise, holographic manufacturer s�ckers on the box.

2. Lot numbers and expira�on dates on the box that match the lot numbers and expira�on dates on the syringe’s packaging.

3. Ask the injector about the prac�ce’s ranking by the product manufacturer. The na�onal ranking is based on the amount of product a prac�ce purchases. If the prac�ce is in the Top 500 of prac�ces in the U.S., you’re in good hands, because that prac�ce is purchasing the product directly from the ranking manufacturer. (To illustrate, my prac�ce’s ranking was No. 37 out of 36,000 prac�ces na�onwide in 2018.)

4. “Botox Par�es” where someone who “comes from Mexico” is injec�ng at “low prices.”

You want to protect your face by only going to medical prac�ces that purchase FDA-approved fillers. This holiday season, don’t keep this secret to yourself—share it with your friends so they don’t get some unknown substance injected into them.

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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 11

DECEMBER 2018

NEWS

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/NEWS

DECEMBER ASTRONOMY

Venus amazes in the morning twilight,

Planets and Bright Stars in Evening Mid-Twilight while bright winter Forthe December, 2018 stars debut at night

I

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

n December 2018, Venus is an outstanding predawn sight for the unaided eye, as well as binoculars and telescopes.

Who would fail to wonder at the sight of brilliant Venus near a predawn crescent moon?

Separated in time by about a month, Venus-moon pairings on Dec. 3 and Jan. 1 provide easy chances to locate Venus in the daytime with the unaided eye. Telescopic views reveal Venus’ changing phase—28 and 48 percent on those respective dates—coupled with a shrinking apparent size as the planet recedes from Earth.

Venus, about 25 percent full in early December, gleams at magnitude -4.9, as bright as it ever gets. Rising in a dark sky more than three hours before sunup, it’s truly very impressive!

At dawn: On Saturday, Dec. 2, an hour upper left of Jupiter on Dec. 21—look for the before sunrise, Venus appears 17 degrees to striking pair 26 degrees to the lower left of the lower left of a waning crescent moon, and Venus. Thereafter, the order of the three planets 7 degrees to the lower left of blue-white firstis Venus-Jupiter-Mercury. magnitude star Spica. On Monday, Dec. 3, The moon returns to the morning sky, low Venus will appear only 4 degrees to the lower in the west-northwest in dawn mid-twilight on right of the moon. To catch Venus at its best, Dec. 22. The waning gibbous moon will pass I am leading sky-watching sessions in Palm 8-12 degrees to the left of the Twins, Pollux Springs from 5 to 5:45 a.m. on both those and Castor, on Dec. 24, and 3 degrees to the mornings, if sky is clear, on the pedestriansright of Regulus, heart of Leo, on Dec. 26. A fat only bridge over Tahquitz Creek, at Camino Real crescent moon, just past last quarter (half-full) between North and South Riverside drives. phase, will appear within 7 degrees to the upper On Dec. 4, the moon has moved 10 degrees left of Spica in Virgo on Dec. 30. to the lower left of Venus, and Mercury is At dusk: Mars is high in the sky, halfway visible in binoculars 17 degrees to the lower left from horizon to overhead, in the southern of Venus. On Dec. 5, the last old crescent moon sky in December. Although fading slowly easy to see with the unaided eye is 22 degrees from magnitude 0 to +0.4, Mars shouldn’t be to the lower left of Venus, with brightening confused with any star this month, while the Mercury just 4 degrees below the thin moon. red planet passes through the background of Mercury then begins a nearly month-long Aquarius and Pisces, which include no stars appearance low in the east-southeast to brighter than magnitude 3. Saturn can be southeast, to the lower left of Venus. glimpsed very low in the southwest to westOn Dec. 6, if skies are very clear just 30 southwest in early December. minutes before sunrise, if you use binoculars In early December, the Summer Triangle and have an unobstructed view toward the eastof Vega, Altair and Deneb is still well up in southeast, you’ll have a chance to spot a very the western sky. Fomalhaut, mouth of the thin, old crescent moon only 17 hours before Southern Fish, is in the south. The earliest new, rising 35 degrees to the lower left of Venus harbinger stars of winter—Capella in the and 10 degrees to the lower left of Mercury. northeast and Aldebaran lower in the eastWe might even spot Jupiter just 3 degrees northeast—have arrived. Aldebaran, eye of to the lower right of the hyper-thin moon. I Taurus and “Follower” of the Pleiades star have selected a site in a residential area on the cluster, is at opposition to the sun on Dec. 1 and high slopes of northwestern Palm Springs with visible from dusk to dawn. an excellent view of these rare events on the The waxing moon appears at dusk as a morning of Dec. 6; watch the Independent’s thin crescent very low in the southwest to social media for an announcement. west-southwest, 3 degrees to the lower right From Dec. 7-21, the moon is absent from the of Saturn on Dec. 8, and 9 degrees to the morning twilight sky. Within a few days, Jupiter upper left of Saturn on the next evening. The becomes easy for unaided eye, staying 9 degrees moon appears almost half-full, 4 degrees to to the lower left of Mercury through Dec. 11 the lower left of Mars, high in south on Dec. as both rise higher daily. For several mornings, 14, and almost full, 3 degrees to the upper the arrangement of three planets from upper right of Aldebaran in the east, on Dec. 20. On right to lower left is Venus-Mercury-Jupiter.

Dec. 22, the full moon appears very low in the But Mercury, entering the far side of its orbit east-northeast at dusk, opposite to the sun’s beyond the sun, passes just 0.9 degrees to the direction below the west-southwest horizon.

Castor

December's evening sky chart.

ROBERT D. MILLER

Capella

Pollux

Aldebaran Betelgeuse

Vega Deneb

E

W Rigel Altair Mars 29 22 15 8 1 1

Saturn 8

15

Fomalhaut

Evening mid-twilight occurs

By then, Orion’s Betelgeuse Rigel have when Sun is 9o belowand horizon.

Dec. 1: minutes after sunset. appeared above the42eastern horizon.

The rest 44 " stars " soon " follow. Watch of early winter’s15:bright 31: 43 " " " for their risings a little later in the evening in December, or in twilight by mid-January, in this order: Castor, Pollux, Procyon and finally Sirius, the brightest nighttime star. Sirius completes the nearly equilateral Winter Triangle with Procyon and Betelgeuse.

After nightfall: Here’s an easy chance to see our solar system’s two outermost planets.

At the end of evening twilight, as soon as the sky becomes fully dark, 5.7-magnitude Uranus is visible in binoculars, closely north-northeast to north of 4.3-magnitide Omicron in Pisces.

Point your telescope at Mars, and you’ll find eighth-magnitude Neptune in the same lowpower field for four evenings: within 1 degree east-northeast of Mars on Dec. 5; one-third of a degree east-northeast of Mars on Dec. 6; one-third of a degree west-southwest of Mars

S

Stereographic Projection

on Dec. 7; and 1 degreeMap west-southwest of Mars

by Robert D. Miller on Dec. 8.

Star parties: The website of the Astronomical Society of the Desert at www. astrorx.org has a listing of our evening star parties at two locations. Sawmill Trailhead, our high-altitude site (elevation 4,000 feet), will have a star party starting at dusk on Saturday, Dec. 8. Our primary, more-accessible star-party site is the Visitor Center of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, on Highway 74, within 4 miles south of Highway 111 in Palm Desert. Our next monthly star party there is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 15, from 5 to 8 p.m. Wishing you clear skies!

Robert C. Victor was a staff astronomer at Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University. He is now retired and enjoys providing sky watching opportunities for a variety of groups in the Coachella Valley.

CVIndependent.com

12 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

DECEMBER 2018

BEST LOCAL MUSICIAN

World Gym

Runners up: 2. Giselle Woo 3. John Stanley King 4. Justin Ledesma 5. Nick Hales

Runners up: 2. 24 Hour Fitness 3. EOS Fitness 4. Planet Fitness 5. In-Shape

BEST LOCAL VISUAL ARTIST

BEST YOGA

Sofia Enriquez

Urban Yoga

Runners up: 2. Elena Bulatova 3. Nancy Worthington 4. Cristopher Cichocki 5. Marconi Calindas

Runners up: 2. Power Yoga Palm Springs 3. Yoga Central 4. Bikram Yoga Plus 5. Bikram Yoga Palm Desert-El Paseo

BEST MOVIE THEATER

ARTS BEST ART GALLERY

CODA Gallery

Runners up: 2. Heather James Fine Art 3. Shag 4. Beatnik Lounge 5. Michael Weems Collection

BEST INDOOR VENUE

McCallum Theatre

Runners up: 2. The Show at Agua Caliente 3. Fantasy Springs Special Events Center 4. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace 5. The Hood Bar and Pizza

BEST OUTDOOR VENUE

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens Runners up: 2. Empire Polo Club 3. Fantasy Springs Rock Yard 4. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace 5. Rancho Mirage Amphitheater

CVIndependent.com

McCallum Theatre

Runners up: 2. The Coachella Valley Art Scene 3. La Quinta Arts Foundation 4. C oachella Valley Repertory Theatre 5. CREATE Center for the Arts

BEST LOCAL BAND

Avenida Music

Runners up: 2. Frank Eats the Floor 3. Mega Sun 4. The Flusters 5. Sunday Funeral

BEST LOCAL DJ

DJ Day

Runners up: 2. TIE Alex Harrington DJ PWee 4. Sugarfree 5. Pedro Le Bass

BEST BOWLING ALLEY

Century La Quinta and XD

Fantasy Springs Bowling Center

Runners up: 2. Mary Pickford Is D’Place 3. Century The River and XD 4. TIE Camelot Theatres Regal Rancho Mirage Stadium 16 and IMAX

Runners up: 2. Palm Springs Lanes 3. Canyon Lanes at Morongo 4. Yucca Bowl

BEST MUSEUM

Runners up: 2. Not So Innocent 3. Gear Leather and Fetish 4. Q Trading Co.

Palm Springs Art Museum

BEST LOCAL ARTS GROUP/ ORGANIZATION

BEST GYM

Matt King

2. Palm Springs Air Museum 3. Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert 4. Coachella Valley History Museum 5. Agua Caliente Cultural Museum

BEST PRODUCING THEATER COMPANY

Palm Canyon Theatre

Runners up: 2. Coachella Valley Repertory Company 3. Desert Rose Playhouse 4. Desert Ensemble Theatre Company 5. Coyote StageWorks 6. Dezart Performs

LIFE IN THE VALLEY BEST LOCAL ACTIVIST/ ADVOCACY GROUP

Boys and Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley

Runners up: 2. Palm Springs Animal Shelter 3. LGBT Community Center of the Desert 4. Desert AIDS Project 5. L-Fund

BEST SEX TOY SHOP

Skitzo Kitty

BEST AUTO REPAIR

Ramona Tire and Service Center Runners up: 2. Andy’s Auto Repair 3. Lou’s Automotive 4. Downtown Shell Palm Springs 5. Singh’s Automotive Repair

BEST CAR WASH

Quick Quack Car Wash Runners up: 2. La Quinta Car Wash 3. Executive Car Wash 4. Airport Quick Car Wash 5. Desert 100 Percent Hand Car Wash

BEST PLANT NURSERY

Moller’s Garden Center Runners up: 2. Vintage Nursery 3. Bob Williams Nursery 4. Lotus Garden Center

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 13

DECEMBER 2018

The votes are in.

You, the readers, have spoken.

Now it's time to celebrate.

6 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 12 at Best Nightclub winner Copa Nightclub 244 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs Awards followed by a performance by Best Local Band winner Avenida Music Free and open to the public!

CVIndependent.com

14 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

BEST PET SUPPLIES

DECEMBER 2018

BEST LOCAL NEWS

STAFF PICK

PetSmart

KESQ News Channel 3

Runners up: 2. Petco 3. Bones ’n’ Scones 4. Pet Oasis 5. PoshPetCare

Runners up: 2. K MIR Channel 6/NBC Palm Springs 3. CBS Local 2

Best Comfort Food in a Desert Dining Wasteland TWO GUYS PIES

BEST ANNUAL CHARITY EVENT

BEST LOCAL TV NEWS PERSONALITY

Bryan Gallo, KMIR Channel 6/NBC Palm Springs

I moved to Morongo Valley a year ago from the Bay Area … and my taste buds have been suffering terribly in this desert wasteland. Nearby Yucca Valley is more of a mecca for fast food (including ridiculous overexcited buzzing about the recent opening of a Popeye’s Chicken) than any sort of place for fine dining.

However, all is not lost.

I am in the midst of a comfort foodgasm over my discovery of Two Guys Pies, aka TGP. Specializing in brick oven ’za, Guy and Guy, the two guys behind Two Guys Pies, promote A Two Guys Pies employee hard at work. Shawn Smith rock ’n’ rolling all night and ’za-ing every day. Their double-decker pepperoni pizza ranked 24th in the world at an international pizza expo just last year!

Aside from the delicious pizza, Two Guys has salads, pastas and sandwiches … all with creative rockin’ names like Sound Tomato Garden, Bon Chovies, The Hungry Rollins Band, Spinach Tap, Weird Al-Fredo, Run DMCaesar, etc. The Basket Case bread balls with Love Potion No. 9 dipping sauce are an absolute must-have.

It’s hard for me to refrain from eating at TGP every night. My only complaint: It closes at 4 p.m. on Sundays. 56969 Yucca Trail; Yucca Valley; 760-418-5075; 2guyspies.com.

Palm Springs Pride

Runners up: 2. Desert AIDS Walk (Desert AIDS Project) 3. McCallum Theatre Annual Gala 4. Evening Under the Stars (AAP-Food Samaritans) 5. Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards (Desert AIDS Project)

BEST PLACE TO GAMBLE

Augustine Casino

Runners up: 2. Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa 3. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino 4. Morongo Casino Resort Spa 5. Spotlight 29

Runners up: 2. K aren Devine, KESQ News Channel 3 3. Patrick Evans, CBS Local 2 4. B ianca Rae, KESQ News Channel 3 5. H aley Clawson, KESQ News Channel 3

BEST RADIO STATION

Jammin’ 99.5

Runners up: 2. Q102.3 Classic Rock 3. Mix 100.5 4. 93.7 KCLB 5. Big 106

STAFF PICK

Best Seafood Towers and Tostadas MARISCOCO’S CULIACAN Because I am a west valley resident, I don’t get down to the east valley that much … but I can tell you that an east valley trip is coming soon. In fact, it’s probably already happened by the time you’ve read this.

The reason: I have a huge, honking hankering for the food at Mariscoco’s Culiacan.

The last time I was at this Coachella mainstay, I ordered the tostada especial: an individual-sized plate of delicious, fresh and cool seafood, including shrimp, abalone, octopus, fish, sea snail and scallops—plus The tostada especial. Jimmy boegle cucumbers, onion, avocado and other ingredients—all mixed in with Mariscoco’s special smoky-tasting sauce. It was really, really good.

Still, I looked longingly at the seafood towers—including many of the aforementioned ingredients, and then some—as they went by to other tables. These huge creations are meant for more than one mere mortal … so next time I go to Mariscoco’s, I won’t be going alone.

Hey, west valley friends: How about a short road trip? We can meet our east valley friends at Mariscoco’s. 51683 Harrison (Cesar Chavez) St., Coachella; 760-3985666; www.facebook.com/mariscocosymaristorresculiacan760.

—Jimmy Boegle CVIndependent.com

—Beth Allen

BEST LOCAL RADIO PERSONALITY

BEST COMICS/ GAMES SHOP

Bradley Ryan, Mix 100.5

Game Stop

Runners up: 2. Jeff Michaels, Q102.3/Big 106 3. Bill Feingold, KNews 94.3 FM 4. Randy Houston, The Big 106 5. Joey English, KGX 99.1 FM/920 AM

Runners up: 2. Desert Oasis Comics 3. Comic Asylum 4. HooDoo!

BEST BOOKSTORE

Barnes and Noble

Runners up: 2. TIE Rancho Mirage Library Book Nook The Book Rack La Quinta 4. Sagebrush Press

BEST RETAIL MUSIC/ VIDEO STORE

The Record Alley

Runners up: 2. Palm Springs Vinyl Records and Collectibles 3. Vista Music and Video

BEST HOTEL POOL

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Runners up: 2. The Saguaro 3. Riviera Palm Springs 4. Renaissance Palm Springs 5. Arrive

BEST URGENT CARE

Eisenhower Medical Center Urgent Care Runners up: 2. Desert Oasis Urgent Care 3. Executive Urgent Care 4. TIE Centro Medico Urgent Care MedPost Urgent Care

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 15

DECEMBER 2018

BEST INDOOR FUN/ACTIVITY

Escape Room Palm Springs

Runners up: 2. Get Air Trampoline Park 3. Laser Oasis 4. Desert Rocks Indoor Climbing Gym

VALLEY PROFESSIONALS BEST DOCTOR

Dr. Lisa Bodon

Runners up: 2. Dr. Timothy Jochen 3. Dr. Amanda Curnock 4. Dr. Geoffrey Block 5. Gennady “Henry” Nosovitsky, PA

BEST EYE CARE

Milauskas Eye Institute Runners up: 2. Dr. David Esquibel (Desert Vision) 3. Dr. Greg Evans (Evans Eyecare) 4. Old Town Optix and Optometry

BEST DENTIST/ ORTHODONTIST

Hospitality Dental and Orthodontics Runners up: 2. D r. Frank Hernandez (Hernandez Dental) 3. D r. Larry Kunkle (Palm Desert Dental Center) 4. D r. Natalie Le (Palm Springs Modern Dentistry) 5. Dr. Ray Cros (Cros Dental)

BEST PLASTIC SURGEON

Dr. Mark Sofonio

Runners up: 2. Dr. Timothy Jochen 3. Dr. Suzanne Quardt 4. Dr. Natalie Driessen

BEST ATTORNEY

Walter Clark

Runners up: 2. Barbara Barrett 3. Christopher Heritage 4. Emily Benjamini 5. James Jackson

BEST AIR CONDITIONING SERVICE

TIE Comfort Air General Air Conditioning

Runners up: 3. Nexgen Air Conditioning and Heating 4. Blair Heating and Air 5. On Call Air Conditioning and Heating

BEST PERSONAL TRAINER

Jaime Jimenez

Runners up: 2. Bob Ross 3. Paul Zapala 4. Valery Neuman 5. Michael Benthall

BEST ELECTRICIAN

Desert Pro Electrical

Runners up: 2. Hegge Electrical Contractors 3. Electrician4Hire 4. Collins Electrical Services

Rep. Raul Ruiz

BEST CHIROPRACTOR

Runners up: 2. Daryl Richardson 3. Nazemi Chiropractic 4. Vincent Savarese

Barbara Carpenter

BEST PUBLIC SERVANT

Runners up: 2. Brandon Wertz 3. Ted Guice 4. Francisco Serrato

Jim Cox

BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT

Runners up: 2. La Quinta City Councilman Robert Radi 3. Palm Springs Mayor Robert Moon 4. Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia 5. Palm Springs City Councilman Geoff Kors

STAFF PICK Best Local Event for Car Lovers MCCORMICK’S PALM SPRINGS COLLECTOR CAR AUCTIONS Keith McCormick is a classic-car guru, and whether you’re looking for a rare foreign vehicle or a domestic beauty from the ’50s, a Porsche or a Corvette, chances are you can find one at McCormick’s showroom on Indian Canyon Drive downtown Palm Springs—or at his twice-a-year car auction.

McCormick is an import himself: He moved from the outskirts of Liverpool in England to Palm Springs in 1981.

Keith McCormick. BrANE JEVRIC “I’ve been into the cars since I was 18,” he said. “Moving my exotic car biz here was a no brainer: It was the same (here) as in England, except for the sunshine and no rain over here.”

In 1985, he put together the Palm Springs Vintage Grand Prix and Concours d’Elegance show to help promote local tourism.

“We raced the vintage cars where now the new Convention Center is,” he said, proudly pointing out that he himself owns a cool Ferrari 488 GTB. The McCormick family—with his wife and son, Jason, working alongside—has put together 65 Palm Springs Collector Car Auctions so far. The event is held twice a year, in February and November, with more than 500 cars at each event.

The McCormicks sell and ship cars all over the world, from Japan to Germany.

“We have sold Sinatra’s, Liberace’s and Elvis’ cars—even the Batmobile,” McCormick said with a grin. “Classic cars are like art to me—it’s like looking at ‘Mona Lisa,’ but a lot less expensive.” www.classic-carauction.com.

—Brane Jevric

Thank you, Coachella Valley Independent readers, for again voting us the Best Producing Theater Company!

Producing Hairspray, Nov. 30-Dec. 16

538 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760-323-5123 PalmCanyonTheatre.org CVIndependent.com

16 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

DECEMBER 2018

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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 17

DECEMBER 2018

FASHION AND STYLE BEST CLOTHING STORE (LOCALLY OWNED)

Oooh La La

Runners up: 2. Bobby G’s 3. Trina Turk 4. Wil Stiles 5. Grayse

BEST RESALE/ VINTAGE CLOTHING

BEST ANTIQUES/COLLECTIBLES STORE

Misty’s Consignments Runners up: 2. Victoria’s Attic 3. The Estate Sale Co.

BEST JEWELER/ JEWELRY STORE

Tiffany and Co.

Runners up: 2. El Paseo Jewelers 3. Leeds and Son 4. Hephaestus

BEST HAIR SALON

Revivals

J. Russell! The Salon

Runners up: 2. Angel View 3. Goodwill 4. Plato’s Closet 5. Unity Home

Runners up: 2. Brush Palm Springs 3. Dishwater Blonde Salon 4. Wondercuts Inc. 5. A lankara, an Aveda Lifestyle Salon

BEST FURNITURE STORE

Mathis Brothers

Runners up: 2. Revivals 3. Ashley HomeStore 4. Mor Furniture for Less 5. West Elm

STAFF PICK

Best Weekend Culinary Classes WABI SABI JAPAN LIVING One of my favorite places to hang out is Wabi Sabi Japan Living. It may sound weird that I like to hang out at a small Japanese-goods store, but don’t judge.

Not only does Wabi Sabi have great merchandise; the owners, Darrell and Sam, offer amazing classes on how to enjoy and use their products. Check out the website for dates and times; the classes are usually held on Saturday afternoons. I have been to the bonsai tree and ramen classes …

Wabi sabi facebook but I have yet to attend the class I want to take most of all: the sushi-making class. You learn how to make three rolls by actually making them … then you get to eat them! You have to sign up early; the class fills up quickly. Wabi Sabi also offers sake and Japanese-grilling classes.

Not only do Darrell and Sam know what they are talking about; you can feel their passion. Take note: Wabi Sabi is set back off of the road a bit; look for the Rising Sun flags. 258 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-537-3838; www.wabisabijapanliving.com.

—Dwight Hendricks

72996 El Paseo, Palm

(Comer of Highway 111, Monte

CVIndependent.com

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DECEMBER 2018

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Best Local Musician

The Kids Are Alright Frank Eats the Floor’s Matt King, 17, is pleasantly surprised to be the readers’ choice as the Best Local Musician

By Brian Blueskye

M

att King of Frank Eats the Floor was shocked when he learned he was voted Best Local Musician by the readers of the Coachella Valley Independent— beating out local greats including Giselle Woo and last year’s winner, John Stanley King.

After all, King is not even out of high school yet—but it goes to show how Frank Eats the Floor is quickly developing an enthusiastic fan base.

King credits his older brother for spurring his interest in music.

“When I was 5 or 6, my brother played in this metal band called Fistful of Glass, and there are pictures and videos of me sitting on the front porch behind the drum set,” King said. “Music has been an integral part of my life, whether I’ve been watching it or listening to it—or in recent years, playing it. I always wanted something to do within music, and I started my record collection when I was 12.

I went to my first concert at 14. My love for music really started when my brother showed me the Beatles.”

King and I discussed his influences, and he was extremely attentive when I suggested some musicians and bands for him to check out.

“The Beatles influenced me for sure. There was a point in time I knew all of their songs and no songs by other bands,” he said. “I started to branch out, and I went from The Beatles to hip hop and rap. I listen to Eminem, Jay-Z, Kanye and all of that.

“When I first started playing bass, I was trying to emulate pop and hip-hop beats into my bass-playing. When I met the rest of the guys in Frank Eats the Floor, they expanded my mind and showed me all these other bands, like Primus and The Doors, that have shaped my style.”

King said he easily related to the bass guitar.

“Les Claypool of Primus has this great quote about how the bass was just the crown he picked out of the box, and I feel like that relates to me, too,” King said. “My brother played guitar, and the bass-player in the band was not that great, so it made me think, ‘I could do that! It doesn’t seem that hard!’ The bass just sort of found me, I guess.”

King is a senior in high school. I asked him what he plans to study in college, and whether it will be related to music.

“It is application season, and I’ve been

Matt King. BRIAN BLUESKYE

trying to get all my stuff together,” he said. “(I am interested in) something along the lines of music, but something I can combine with performing arts, because I’ve been doing drama during my four years of high school as well. It’d be awesome to have music as a path for a career, but one of the problems I’m having now is this success that I’m seeing at 17: Will it translate to 20-year-old me?

30-year-old me? It’s hard to tell, and it’s hard to tell if it’ll translate if I go to Los Angeles, San Diego or somewhere out of state.”

King was said he was humbled to even be a finalist in the Best Local Musician Category.

“I’m huge fans of Sunday Funeral and Justin Ledesma. I love Nick Hales of Sleazy Cortez, Giselle Woo and John Stanley King, and they’re all amazing people in our local music scene,” he said. “I’m really grateful to have been paired with those names, and winning is not setting in with me yet.”

Given that college is approaching, King said the future of Frank Eats the Floor is uncertain.

“We just released our album, and we started promoting it. But as for next July, it’s time for me and Aleks (Romo) to go to college, and that’s what we’ve been talking about,” King said. “We’re trying to make a plan where we’re able to pick this back up every month or every

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 19

DECEMBER 2018

few months and still work as long as everyone is down. But it’s really starting to come down to the time when people grow up and grow out, which happens. The future is uncertain, but I think it’ll work as long as we all put in the work and try to make the Frank Eats the Floor train go for as long as we can.”

King said he’s enjoying the ride on that aforementioned Frank Eats the Floor train.

“Being onstage in drama is fun, but being onstage playing music and singing my songs is a step above,” he said. “My favorite memories of high school are kids coming up to me, saying, ‘Hey! You’re in that band, Frank Eats the Floor! “School Food Sucks!”’ Aleks doesn’t like to own up to it that much, but I think it’s cool being in high school and playing in a band.

The only downside would be the fact that we were sort of looked down upon by some of the people around here, saying, ‘You can’t play this venue! You’re too young!’ Some people say that we’re just a novelty act. But we’re just having fun right now.”

Frank Eats the Floor will perform as part of the CV Music Showcase at 9 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 2, at The Hood Bar and Pizza, 74360 Highway 111, in Palm Desert. Admission is free. For more information on Frank Eats the Floor, visit frankeatsthefloorfetf.bandcamp.com.

BEST SPA IN A RESORT/HOTEL

The Spa at Desert Springs (JW Marriott)

Runners up: 2. O mni Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa 3. Two Bunch Palms 4. Miracle Springs Resort and Spa 5. F eel Good Spa at the Ace Hotel and Swim Club

BEST DAY SPA (NON-RESORT/HOTEL)

Revive Wellness Center

Runners up: 2. Studio M Salon and Spa 3. Desert Serenity Float and Spa 4. Bliss Chakra Spa

STAFF PICK Best Pizza Joint You’ve Probably Never Heard Of PIZZERIA BAMBINOS I’m kind of shocked that Pizzeria Bambinos wasn’t a Best Pizza finalist this year. But then again … this fantastic pizza joint seems to be flying under the figurative radar. In fact, it may be the valley’s best kept pizza secret.

Maybe it has to do with the location; this small pizzeria is tucked away in the same shopping plaza as Big Lots in Cathedral City, and has limited seating … but it makes fantastic Pizza bambinos facebook pizza, with other delicious options as well. 69040 Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City; 760-770-0505; pizzeriabambinos.com.

—Brian Blueskye

BEST FLORIST

My Little Flower Shop Runners up: 2. Indio Florist 3. The Flower Company 4. Mami’s Floral Boutique 5. Vaso Bello Celebrations

BEST TATTOO PARLOR

Bloodline Tattoo and Body Piercing Runners up: 2. Anarchy and Ink Tattoo 3. Oasis Tattoo and Body Piercing 4. Strata Tattoo Lab 5. Solid Tattoo

BEST EYEGLASS/ OPTICAL RETAILER

Costco

Runners up: 2. Milauskas Eye Institute 3. Desert Vision Optometry 4. America’s Best 5. Panache Optical Gallery

STAFF PICK Best Tapas and Wine Hideout COUNTER REFORMATION AT THE PARKER PALM SPRINGS With its semi-mandatory valet parking, fancy-schmancy main restaurant and wellheeled celebrity clientele, the Parker Palm Springs can be a bit intimidating … despite the hotel’s ostensible casual-hip vibe.

However, we’re madly in love with Counter Reformation, the hotel’s cozy wine bar, featuring friendly service and great music.

The door to the bar is hard to find—head toward the pool and take a left—but discovering this well-designed and inventively Catholic-themed spot is serendipity. The wine choices are not extensive, but the se- The Jamón Iberico at Counter Reformation. lections are diverse and interesting enough. Jimmy boegle And at the prices … well, at the Parker, at least, they’re bargains.

We’ve sampled about half of the tapas on the menu, and everything so far has been delicious. These small plates, along with the free loaves of fresh-baked bread and the complimentary olives and cornichons, can make for a filling meal … a meal you can partially work off during the walk back to your self-parked car on the street outside. 4200 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-770-5000; www.parkerpalmsprings.com/food-and-drink.

—Jeffrey Clarkson

CVIndependent.com

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BEST HIKE

OUTSIDE! BEST PUBLIC GARDEN

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens Runners up: 2. Sunnylands 3. Moorten’s Botanical Garden 4. Shields Date Garden 5. El Paseo

Dick’s Sporting Goods

Runners up: 2. Tahquitz Canyon Trail 3. L a Quinta Cove to Lake Cahuilla Trail 4. Ladder Canyon Trail 5. South Lykken Trail

Runners up: 2. Big 5 Sporting Goods 3. Yellow Mart

BEST PARK

Palm Desert Civic Center Park

BEST PLACE FOR BICYCLING

Joshua Tree

Runners up: 2. Tahquitz Creek Loop 3. Bear Creek Path (La Quinta) 4. Palm Canyon Epic

Runners up: 2. La Quinta Civic Center Park 3. Ruth Hardy Park 4. Demuth Park 5. Sunrise Park

BEST OUTDOOR/ CAMPING GEAR STORE

BEST RECREATION AREA

Palm Desert Civic Center Park

Runners up: 2. Mount San Jacinto State Park (Top of the Tram) 3. Tahquitz Canyon 4. Lake Cahuilla Recreation Area 5. Cathedral City Town Square

BEST SPORTING GOODS

Bump and Grind Trail

Big 5 Sporting Goods

Runners up: 2. Dick’s Sporting Goods 3. Yellow Mart

BEST BIKE SHOP

Palm Springs Cyclery

Runners up: 2. Joel’s Bicycle Shop 3. Tri-A-Bike 4. BikeMan 5. Pedego Electric Bikes



THANK YOU FOR VOTING US

BEST OF COACHELLA VALLEY 2018-2019

BEST KIDS’ CLOTHING STORE

Old Navy

BEST PUBLIC GOLF COURSE

Desert Willow Golf Resort

Runners up: 2. Palm Desert Country Club 3. SilverRock Resort 4. The Lights at Indio GC 5. Classic Club Golf

FOR THE KIDS BEST PLAYGROUND

Palm Desert Civic Center Park Runners up: 2. La Quinta Civic Center Park 3. Demuth Park 4. Ruth Hardy Park 5. Ironwood Park

BEST PLACE TO BUY TOYS

Target

Runners up: 2. The Children’s Place 3. Carter’s 4. Gap 5. Crazy 8

BEST RESTAURANT FOR KIDS

Chuck E. Cheese’s

Runners up: 2. Shakey’s Pizza 3. Red Robin 4. Old Spaghetti Factory 5. Laser Oasis

BEST PLACE FOR FAMILY FUN

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens Runners up: 2. Boomers 3. Laser Oasis 4. Get Air Trampoline Park 5. Escape Room Palm Springs

Runners up: 2. Walmart 3. Mr. G’s Toys and Expressions 4. The Lumpy Bunny

WE OWE IT ALL TO YOU our valued customers. Thanks for making this year and every year a truly memorable one.

CALL THE GENERAL!

760.343.7488 CallTheGeneral.com

Lic #686310 CVIndependent.com

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 21

DECEMBER 2018

BEST PLACE FOR A BIRTHDAY PARTY

Chuck E. Cheese’s

Runners up: 2. The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens 3. Laser Oasis 4. Get Air Trampoline Park 5. Shakey’s Pizza

FOOD AND RESTAURANTS BEST CASUAL EATS

Café 54 at Augustine Casino Runners up: 2. Lulu California Bistro 3. Eureka!

4. TRIO Restaurant 5. Bongo Johnny’s

BEST CATERER

Lulu California Bistro Runners up: 2. Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge 3. Katherine King Catering and Special Events 4. TRIO/Liquid Catering 5. Lynn Hammond

BEST DINER

Café 54 at Augustine Casino Runners up: 2. Goody’s Cafe 3. Keedy’s Fountain Grill 4. Rick’s Restaurant 5. Sunshine Café

BEST ORGANIC FOOD STORE

Trader Joe’s

Runners up: 2. Sprouts Farmers Market 3. Clark’s Nutrition and Natural Foods 4. Whole Foods 5. Nature’s Health Food and Cafe

BEST DELICATESSEN

Sherman’s Deli and Bakery Runners up: 2. TKB Bakery and Deli 3. Manhattan in the Desert 4. Real Italian Deli

READERS' CHOICE

Best Local Band

A Family Matter Avenida Music’s success has been part of the plan since before most of the members were even born

By Brian Blueskye

F

Avenida Music.

or Avenida Music—voted as the Best Local Band by readers of the Independent in the annual Best of Coachella Valley poll—music revolves around family.

The band includes three brothers—and may be the only local group to be the subject of a song by another local band (Frank Eats the Floor). Avenida Music has played all over Southern California for weddings and corporate events, and has a weekly residency at the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells.

When I sat down with Josiah Gonzalez (piano/synth), he told me some fascinating stories about the musical journey that led to the formation of Avenida Music.

“The band is composed of two of my brothers (Vincent and Samuel), myself and Sean Poe (also of the Hive Minds),” Josiah Gonzalez said. “My brothers and I have been playing music together since we were 9 years old. My dad scrounged money together to get us lessons and instruments, and we were playing in church or just for fun. We’ve been playing for about 15 years together.

“We all found ourselves back in the Coachella Valley after college and decided we should continue to play. It started as a cover gig for my aunt’s birthday party; she wanted us to play some Beatles tunes. We liked doing it so much that we started playing with friends and playing in garages in 2015. We had no idea what we were doing and were just looking for some gigs playing covers.”

Avenida, like some other local bands, is named after an element of a local neighborhood.

“We spent the first two or three months playing in a garage trying to come up with a name. We couldn’t come up with anything anybody liked,” Josiah Gonzalez said. “We went through 50 or 60 different options no one could agree on. We were originally playing

in Cathedral City, and every other street is called Avenida something. We thought, ‘Why not Avenida?’ It stuck.”

While Avenida Music started off playing covers, it is not just a cover band … although when you see “Avenida Music” on the bill, you should expect covers.

“We do have original music. We made an interesting pivot after we picked up Sean,” Josiah Gonzalez said. “We started playing covers and original stuff, but it was hard to differentiate. … When we started making more money as a cover band, we decided we really needed to focus on that. We wrote our five-year plan based on the idea we’d play corporate gigs and weddings. Over the last couple of years, we’ve been writing original stuff—and that’s what we’ve been working on right now in side projects not named Avenida Music. We really try to separate the two to remain consistent in what we do as a band.”

The Gonzalez brothers had no choice but to play music growing up.

“That was predetermined. Literally: Before we were born, our parents decided what instruments we were going to play, and when they were going to have us,” Josiah said.

“They knew they wanted a quartet that had a piano, bass, drums and a sax. They ended up with four boys (each) two years apart. …

My dad has been a minister for most of his life, and he would do jobs for people, saying, ‘I’ll do your landscaping for free if you teach my son how to play piano.’ That’s how he got all of us lessons. We’d come out of the womb, and two years later, they’d be introducing us to the instrument as if it was propaganda, like, ‘Isn’t the piano great?’ We all ended up playing those instruments, and we all still do play those instruments.

“They didn’t let us quit. I tried to quit piano a couple of times, and my parents said,

‘We’re sorry, but that’s not really an option.’

I’m grateful in retrospect. They made sure to tell me, ‘We work really hard to make to get you these lessons, and this is something you will carry with you for the rest of your life.’”

The Gonzalez brothers’ parents believed music would help instill character.

“I remember being really scared, because they were making me play in a convalescent home. I got really mad and said I didn’t want to be playing in convalescent homes and church events for old ladies,” Josiah said. “I was about 11 or 12, and my dad told me, ‘I didn’t work this hard to get you these lessons so you could go hide in a corner and play by yourself. Your job is to go use this gift you have to help other people.’ To this day, that is one of the things I remember. … It made an impression on me, and it really resonated as to why we still play music today. The reason we play is not for us; whatever we have is to be used to bless other people.”

Josiah Gonzalez said he was surprised to learn Avenida Music had been voted Best Local Band.

“We were blown away when we were nominated and when we won,” he said. “We have a big family; my dad has six brothers and sisters, as well as a lot of cousins. But I think more than anything, we’ve really tried to be as supportive of other musicians as much as possible, and we’re really grateful, because some people reciprocated that and voted for us. … We’re really grateful that people appreciate what we do and the music we do.”

BEST CUSTOM CAKES

BEST DESSERTS

BEST ICE CREAM/SHAKES

Avenida Music will perform at the Best of Coachella Valley Awards Party at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 12, at Copa Nightclub, 244 E. Amado Road, in Palm Springs. Admission is free.

For more information on Avenida Music, visit www.littlestreetmusic.com.

Nothing Bundt Cakes

Sherman’s Deli and Bakery

Cold Stone Creamery

Runners up: 2. Over the Rainbow 3. Pastry Swan Bakery 4. Sherman’s Deli and Bakery 5. Jensen’s Foods

Runners up: 2. Nothing Bundt Cakes 3. Pastry Swan Bakery 4. French Corner Café 5. Over the Rainbow

Runners up: 2. Ben and Jerry’s 3. Great Shakes 4. Lappert’s Ice Cream 5. Kreem CVIndependent.com

22 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

DECEMBER 2018

BEST DATE SHAKE

STAFF PICK

Best Sandwiches Inside a Convenience/Liquor Store LARRY’S GOURMET MARKET AND DELI From the outside, Larry’s Gourmet Market and Deli looks like a run-of the-mill liquor store, selling the usual stuff. But … go inside, and you’ll see Larry’s is an unexpected, family-run treasure chest.

For one thing, the deli is really good. We’ve enjoyed everything we’ve gotten there, but our favorite is the meat-filled Don Veto specialty sandwich (pictured here).

Larry’s also has a variety of interJimmy Boegle esting gourmet items you might not find elsewhere. One example: On a recent trip, we got a box of delicious rose-flavored Turkish delight candy.

Along with a nice variety of beer and hard liquor, Larry’s carries a respectable wine selection that goes from very cheap to the $100-a-bottle range. There’s even a refrigerated wine room in the back that feels great in the heat of summer.

Just don’t go to Larry’s looking for lottery tickets. They don’t sell them … which, for us, classes up the place. 2781 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-832-7188; larrysgourmetmarket.com.

—Jeffrey Clarkson

Thank you for again voting me the Best of Coachella Valley!

BEST VEGGIE BURGER

Shields Date Garden

Native Foods Café

Runners up: 2. Hadley’s 3. Oasis Date Gardens 4. Great Shakes

Runners up: 2. Lulu California Bistro 3. King’s Highway at the Ace Hotel and Swim Club 4. TIE Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge Bongo Johnny’s

BEST FROZEN YOGURT

Yogurtland

Runners up: 2. Tutti Frutti 3. Beach House 4. Jus Chillin’ 5. Eddie’s Frozen Yogurt

BEST BAKERY

TKB Bakery and Deli Runners up: 2. Aspen Mills 3. French Corner Café 4. Carousel Bakery 5. Peninsula Pastries

BEST BARBECUE

Babe’s Bar-B-Que and Brewhouse Runners up: 2. Jackalope Ranch 3. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace 4. Smoke Tree BBQ 5. Zobo and Meester’s

BEST BURGERS

Café 54 at Augustine Casino Runners up: 2. Tyler’s Burgers 3. Grill A Burger 4. Eureka!

5. Bongo Johnny’s

BEST SANDWICH

TKB Bakery and Deli

Runners up: 2. Sherman’s Deli and Bakery 3. The Sandwich Spot 4. Manhattan in the Desert 5. Real Italian Deli

BEST PIZZA

Bill’s Pizza

Runners up: 2. Stuft Pizza Bar and Grill 3. Blaze Pizza 4. Giuseppe’s Pizza and Pasta 5. Piero’s PizzaVino

BEST WINGS

Buffalo Wild Wings Runners up: 2. Wingstop 3. Babe’s Bar-B-Que and Brewhouse 4. Smoke Tree BBQ 5. Jackalope Ranch

BEST BAGELS

Panera Bread

Runners up: 2. Townie Bagels 3. Sherman’s Deli and Bakery 4. Manhattan in the Desert 5. Bristol Farms

STAFF PICK

Best New Band MEGA SUN

DRE#01487985

CVIndependent.com

Barbara Carpenter Phone: 760-322-2286 Mobile: 909-268-8417 jjbarbara1@gmail.com

Mega Sun arrived in early 2018—and the group quickly earned the admiration of the local music scene.

The band’s sound reminds of stoner rock, circa the early ’90s, and the group’s live shows are always loud and fantastic.

The power trio is currently in the process of completing some recordings. I’m excited to see what this band will do in 2019 … and beyond.

—Brian Blueskye Mega Sun. Brian Blueskye

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 23

DECEMBER 2018

BEST SMOOTHIES

TIE Fresh Juice Bar Jamba Juice

Runners up: 3. Juice It Up 4. Koffi 5. Palm Greens Café

BEST BUFFET

Café 54 at the Augustine Casino Runners up: 2. Grand Palms Buffet Agua Caliente 3. Fresh Grill Buffet at Fantasy Springs 4. Oasis Buffet at Spa Resort Casino 5. Potrero Canyon Buffet at Morongo

BEST LOCAL COFFEE ROASTER

Koffi

BEST BREAKFAST

Broken Yolk Café

STAFF PICK

Runners up: 2. Elmer’s 3. Wilma and Frieda’s 4. Keedy’s Fountain Grill 5. Rick’s Restaurant

Best Place to Pretend You’re on the Set of a David Lynch Movie OPEN-MIC NIGHT AT THE PALMS RESTAURANT IN WONDER VALLEY

BEST CALIFORNIA CUISINE

Lulu California Bistro

Runners up: 2. Acqua California Bistro 3. Kaiser Grille 4. TRIO Restaurant 5. Purple Palm Restaurant at the Colony Palms

BEST BRUNCH

Café 54 at the Augustine Casino Runners up: 2. Wilma and Frieda’s 3. Broken Yolk Cafe 4. Escena Lounge and Grill 5. Bongo Johnny’s

Solar Q&A

Runners up: 2. Coachella Valley Coffee Co. 3. Joshua Tree Coffee Company I know I should explore solar, but BEST COFFEE SHOP I’ve been procrastinating. What will Koffi motivate me to take the next step?

The best Runners up:motivation should be the you can expect with solar. In 2.savings Starbucks for just a little bit of your time, 3.exchange IW Coffee can reduce your average electric bill 4.you Ristretto 25-50 percent—and just 5.anywhere Joey Palmfrom Springs that money yourJuice pocket 6.keep Sip Coffee Houseinand Bareach month. Then you can take your time deciding what to do with the savings!

If you decide BesttoKaraoke move forward PEABODY’S CAFÉ quickly, your system can be Valley is certainly not sufThe Coachella upfering and running from a lack of talented professional before the But huge singers. if you’re not a professional … summer bills it’s hard to carry your shower out on the hit.town If you lease, with you, so check out Peabody’s you’ll enjoy Café on Friday and Saturday nights for nokaraoke. money down;Even freeif you don’t want to croon yourself, installation; you can kick back and hear some great and, with … and some not-so-great singers. singers Renova SunPower, fixed payments There and is a great music selection, and the DJ foris20 years, which means a nice guy. The fun startsasatelectric 7:30 p.m., prices continue to go up, savings but get there early—it fillsyour up fast! will increase as well!

Enjoy the menu and bar while you’re

BEST CHINESE

system, and if you lease, the company P.F. Chang’s you lease from takes it, lowering your 2. JOY atpayment.

Fantasy Springs monthly Solar companies also 3.

City Wok have some panels in stock now that were 4. B obby Chineseand/or Kitchenpanels here beforeMao’s components and Bar were subject to the new tariff—so that 5. Newyou Fortune Asianpricing Cuisineright now. means have great

Wow. How much time are we talking?

Give Renova a call, and we’ll look at your roof while you’re on the phone and give you an initial evaluation.

Assuming things look good, a site survey at your home will collect detailed information about roof dimensions, tilt and shade, as well as a few other items, like the condition of your electric panel.

We can also get on the phone with you and SCE to get your past usage; that, combined Jimmy boegle with the site survey, will allow us to create a precise, customized waiting for your turn on the mic; Peabody’s proposal that will show you exact costs OK—pretty good points.

Anything else? has killer Bloody Mary’s. Heck, bring your friends and make a night of it! 134 S. Palm and savings.

Yep! The full 30 percent Federal Tax Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-322-1877; www.peabodyscafeandbar.com.

That’s it! If you decide to move Credit is still in full effect until the end forward, installation takes only 2-3 days, of —Dwight 2019. If you purchase, you receive Hendricks depending on the size of your system. the Tax Credit to lower the cost of your

STAFF PICK

Paid advertisement brought to you by

The Palms is one of those middle-of-nowhere places that’s really a groovy hangout. It’s a throwback, with very affordable booze—$1.50 for a can of Pabst beer; $3 for a domestic bottle; shots starting at $4—and cheap, tasty eats (the onion rings and fried zucchini are delish), all in an atmosphere that’s weathered, worn-in, kooky and cool.

Every Friday at 7 p.m. (with signups starting at 6:30), The Palms hosts an open- Guitar-player Karl Van Dyke performs at The mic night, where there’s a good chance Palms’ open-mic night. reality may become fuzzy—all in the name COURTESY OF JOSEPH BARRETT of “entertainment.” Spoken word, comedic acts, genuinely gifted musicians, not-so-gifted musicians … there’s something for everyone. You may witness folks like “Grannie”—a toothless senior in a cute wig and cowboy hat—crooning “Stand by Me,” a cappella, in a gruff, “I’ve been smoking a pack a day for the last 60 years” voice. The Palms’ open mic is truly strange and endearing at the same time. The Palms Restaurant, 83131 Amboy Road, Wonder Valley; 760-361-2810.

—Beth Allen

Thank you for again voting CODA GALLERY Best Art Gallery

73400 El Paseo Palm Desert, CA 92260 codagallery.com • 760.346.4661 Representing contemporary artists since 1987 CVIndependent.com

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BEST GREEK

DECEMBER 2018

BEST FRENCH

BEST INDIAN

BEST SEAFOOD

Greek Islands Restaurant

Le Vallauris Restaurant

Monsoon Indian Cuisine

Fisherman’s Market and Grill

Runners up: 2. Nina’s Greek Cuisine 3. Athena Gyro 4. Evzin Mediterranean Cuisine 5. Koutouki Greek Estiatoro

Runners up: 2. Si Bon 3. L’Atelier Café 4. Cuistot Restaurant 5. Joey Palm Springs

Runners up: 2. India Oven 3. Sam’s Indian Food and Pizza

Runners up: 2. Café 54 at Augustine Casino 3. Pacifica Seafood Restaurant 4. Mitch’s on El Paseo 5. Roy’s

Best All-Female Band THE AFTER LASHES

—Brian Blueskye

Nicolino’s Italian Restaurant Runners up: 2. Ristorante Mamma Gina 3. Ciro’s Ristorante and Pizzeria 4. Il Corso 5. Venezia Restaurant and Pizzeria

STAFF PICK

I have enjoyed watching the all-female four-piece band The After Lashes improve its sound over the course of 2018; in fact, every time I take in one of the group’s shows, I’m pleasantly surprised by how much the talented band has improved since I first saw The After Lashes.

Why has the band improved? The members of The After Lashes put in the work. Combine that hard work with talent, attitude and energy, and The After Lashes are amazing.

BEST ITALIAN

BEST JAPANESE

Kobe Japanese Steakhouse Runners up: 2. Okura Robata Grill and Sushi Bar 3. Shogun Restaurant 4. Shabu Shabu Zen 5. Otori Japanese Cuisine

BEST KOREAN

Maru Korean B.B.Q. and Grill The After Lashes. Brian Blueskye

Runners up: 2. JOY at Fantasy Springs 3. Umami Seoul

BEST SUSHI

Dragon Sushi

Runners up: 2. Okura Robata Grill and Sushi Bar 3. Sam’s Sushi 4. Misaki Sushi and Grill 5. The Venue Sushi Bar and Sake Lounge

BEST STEAKS/STEAKHOUSE

Ruth’s Chris Steak House

Runners up: 2. LG’s Prime Steakhouse 3. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar 4. The Steakhouse at the Spa Resort Casino 5. Chop House at Jackalope Ranch

BEST THAI

Thai Smile Palm Springs Runners up: 2. My Thai 3. Pepper’s Thai Cuisine 4. Le Basil 5. Thai House

BEST VIETNAMESE

Pho Vu

Runners up: 2. Rooster and the Pig 3. 533 Viet Fusion 4. Fuzion Five 5. Watercress Vietnamese Bistro

STAFF PICK Best Auto Service for Honesty’s Sake CAM STONE’S AUTOMOTIVE Cam Stone’s Automotive in Palm Desert is the kind of auto-service shop every woman dreams of—at least women (and men) like me who know little to nothing about car repairs.

The people at Cam’s do good work, are honest, and never seem to recommend anything you don’t really need. And if money’s really tight … you can ask them what absolutely, positively has to be done; they’ll let you know how far you can push the part you can’t afford to have replaced today before a major mishap occurs.

Guy Allchin (pictured here with his family), who runs it, and Karl, his excellent sidekick, are straight-up guys who explain things so you can understand them and so you can make the best decisions to keep your wheels on the road. 74867 Velie Way, Palm Desert; 760-568-2999; camstonesautomotive.com.

—Anita Rufus CVIndependent.com

DECEMBER 2018

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 25

CVIndependent.com

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DECEMBER 2018

STAFF PICK

READERS' CHOICE

Best Artery-Clogging Meal THE DISCO SUPERFRIES AT BLACKBOOK

Best Local Charity

If you’ve ever been hungry while in downtown Palm Springs, you know there are many, many options for food … but when my friends and I are in the mood to be bad, we always pick the cardiac special of disco superfries at Blackbook on Arenas Road.

These little yummies are a home run every time. Think nachos … but instead of chips, you get fries!

That’s right—fresh fries topped with gooey cheese, sour cream, tomatoes and hot sauce.

You can share them, or you can make them a meal—you get a whole small cookie sheet of them! The disco superfries. Jimmy boegle Warning: This is an item that’s just begging to be shared, so even if you’re alone and intend the superfries to be your meal … you will always have “friends” magically appear, even if you didn’t bring any with you.

315 Arenas Road, Palm Springs; 760-832-8497; blackbookbar.com.

—Dwight Hendricks

Thank you for voting us as having the Best Breakfast in the Coachella Valley! broken yolk cafe palm springs 262 s. palm canyon drive broken yolk cafe la quinta 78340 highway 111 CVIndependent.com

Building Kids Now The Boys and Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley make the lives of 6,000 children in La Quinta, Indio, Coachella and Mecca better each and every year

By Kevin Fitzgerald

O

n a recent sunny but cool weekday afternoon, more than 200 children and teens, ages 7 to 18, were busy inside the President Gerald R. Ford Clubhouse at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley in La Quinta.

Just as they do every weekday afternoon during the school year, the kids happily immersed themselves in one of the myriad activities and programs offered here and at the other BGCCV outposts in Indio, Coachella and Mecca. (There are two other separately managed clubs in the valley: the Boys and Girls Club of Cathedral City, and the Boys and Girls Club in Palm Springs.) Sounds of laughter, chatter and serious discussion filled the rooms where kids can do their homework, learn about technology (including robotics), play sports and much more.

“The beauty of the Boys and Girls Club is that we give all of our children a place to belong—a place where they feel like they can be useful, a place where they get some positive influence from good, positive people, and where they can feel like they’re accomplishing great things,” said Siah Nix, a 22-year BGCCV veteran who is the unit director of the Ford Clubhouse.

Earlier in the day, BGCCV CEO Quinton Egson talked to me at his administrative office in Palm Desert. Egson, who has worked with the club for 36 years in various capacities, explained how the different program options at each of the clubs are developed and implemented.

“When we first went out into Mecca in 2012, we were sitting at a table with maybe eight to 10 teenagers, and I asked, ‘By a show of hands, who’s going to go to college?’

Nothing. I guess their aspirations were to finish high school, which is commendable, and then go to work. So we saw a need to make sure that the kids were prepared to go to college. We started a series of programs called Next Step Prep, Goals for Graduation and College Bound. Fast forward, and now we have over 40 kids who have gone to college out of Mecca.

“Academics is really big at all of our clubs.

We help kids with their homework and make sure that they are ready to get promoted to the next grade. Grade progression is important, as

is the goal that they graduate on time with a plan for the future.”

Nix said the Boys and Girls Clubs have adapted as technology has advanced.

“Now all children have laptops or tablets at their schools,” Nix said. “So we have specific computers that are designed just for them to do their homework if they don’t have their laptop or tablet with them. There are no excuses now for not doing the homework.

“We’ve made it into an incentive program based on how much time they put in here doing their homework. We count every 15-minute interval they spend here, and at the end of the month, we have an incentive party for the top 10 children participating. Children watching from outside the classroom see these children doing something different from the norm and enjoying this party atmosphere, and they inquire as to how they can become a part of that experience. Then we tell them all that’s required is doing your homework, and we get more kids wanting to join in. Initially, they just want to be a part of that party—but we know that having them get their homework done right after school when the learning is still fresh in their heads is important.

“Also, now when the kids go home, they can enjoy quality time with Mom and Dad,” Nix added with a smile.

In recent years, the BGCCV has made a daily meal service a priority as well. “(During the school year) we’re open from 2 to 7 p.m.,” said Egson, a College of the Desert graduate who was the 2017 recipient of the prestigious national Boys and Girls Clubs of America’s Herman Prescott Award, for visionary leadership and exemplary field work.

“During the summer, we’re open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to accommodate the working parents. We started feeding our kids dinner every night during the school year, because we saw that the kids were getting their best meal each day at their school’s lunch. Now they can get a second good meal at our place.

Also, in the summer, we give the kids both free breakfast and free lunch. When a kid is hungry, he’s not worried about getting an ‘A’ in class. What l try to do with our team is assess our kids constantly in conversations and by keeping our ears to the ground. Then we can

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 27

DECEMBER 2018

BEST OUTDOOR SEATING

Jackalope Ranch

La Quinta Brewing Co.

Runners up: 2. The Tropicale 3. Lulu California Bistro 4. Spencer’s Restaurant 5. Copley’s on Palm Canyon

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

BEST LATE-NIGHT RESTAURANT

Café 54 at the Augustine Casino Runners up: 2. Lulu California Bistro 3. Eureka!

4. King’s Highway at the Ace Hotel and Swim Club 5. Bongo Johnny’s Siah Nix (left), the Boys and Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley’s La Quinta Clubhouse unit director, poses in the technology/robotics lab with youth member Makaila, who holds one of the members' self-made robots, and a technology instructor who wanted to be identified simply as Q. KEVIN FITZGERALD

meet them where their needs are—and once we can meet them where their needs are, we can help them get to where they should be.”

Such a multifaceted organization delivering services on such a grand scale—more than 6,000 youth members are served by the four BGCCV facilities annually—requires a substantial fundraising effort. Egson explained how his group raises the required $3.5 million each year.

“Just recently, we had a special event called Putting Party With a Purpose. We did the glow-golf thing at Indian Wells Golf Resort and we had about 200 people there,” Egson said. “It was excellent. We raise about onethird of our annual budget with events, and they give us a chance to introduce ourselves and our mission to a lot of people. We do a lot of grants as well; we’re working over 20 grants right now. Also, we do private donations. We get out there, and we shake the trees.

“Every year, in my mind, we start at zero and we have to raise that $3.5 million. We’ve been around since 1966, so through trial and error, we’ve been able to put together some reliable funding sources to help us be a sustainable organization.”

Major fundraising events planned for the near future include the Sports Heroes Luncheon (which may become a dinner event)

sometime in January 2019, and the annual gala called the Grand Auction, slated for March 9, 2019.

“It’s going to be at the Hyatt in Indian Wells,” Egson said. “That’s our signature fundraiser, so to speak. Last year, we raised over $1 million. We draw about 600 to 700 people who know what they are there for.”

Any child between the ages of 7 and 18 can become a member by getting registered online or at a BGCCV clubhouse; membership fees vary based on the ability to pay. Adults can volunteer by calling or contacting the BGCCV via the website.

“You have to go through a background screening,” Egson said. “… Next, we hook you up with our volunteer coordinator, who takes you through a little questionnaire to determine what your goals are for volunteering. Finally, we put you in the right spot, and we get you started. A lot of times, we help volunteers share their passions with our youth.”

It’s obvious a lot of great work is being done at the clubs to keep local kids on the right path.

“One of my life’s philosophies is to build kids now, so that we don’t have to fix adults later,” Egson said. “It’s hard to fix adults.”

For more information, call 760-836-1160, or visit www.bgcofcv.org.

BEST MEXICAN

Las Casuelas Terraza Runners up: 2. Fresh Agave Mexican Bar and Grill 3. Rincon Norteno 4. Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill 5. La Tablita

BEST SALSA

Las Casuelas Terraza Runners up: 2. Rincon Norteno 3. Fresh Agave Mexican Bar and Grill 4. Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill 5. Pueblo Viejo

BEST BURRITO

Las Casuelas Terraza Runners up: 2. Chipotle 3. Fresh Agave Mexican Bar and Grill 4. Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill 5. Casa Blanca

SPIRITS AND NIGHTLIFE

BEST UPSCALE DINING

Native Foods Café

Spencer’s Restaurant

Runners up: 2. Palm Greens Café 3. Chef Tanya’s Kitchen 4. Wildest Greens 5. Luscious Lorraine’s

Runners up: 2. Morton’s The Steakhouse 3. E ight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge 4. Wally’s Desert Turtle 5. Johannes

BEST PLACE TO PLAY BILLIARDS

The Hood Bar and Pizza Runners up: 2. The Beer Hunter 3. Neil’s Lounge 4. Big Rock Pub 5. Red Barn

BEST COCKTAIL MENU

The Tropicale

Runners up: 2. TRIO Restaurant 3. Tonga Hut 4. Seymour’s 5. Truss and Twine

BEST CRAFT COCKTAILS

TRIO Restaurant

Runners up: 2. Bootlegger Tiki 3. Seymour’s 4. Purple Palm Restaurant at the Colony Palms 5. Truss and Twine

BEST GAY/LESBIAN BAR/CLUB

Toucan’s Tiki Lounge

Runners up: 2. Chill Bar Palm Springs 3. Hunters 4. Blackbook 5. Bongo Johnny’s

BEST HAPPY HOUR

The Tropicale

Runners up: 2. Stuft Pizza 3. La Quinta Cliffhouse 4. Lulu California Bistro 5. Jackalope Ranch

BEST DIVE BAR

The Hood Bar and Pizza BEST BEER SELECTION

BEST VEGETARIAN/VEGAN

BEST LOCAL BREWERY

Yard House

Runners up: 2. Burgers and Beer 3. The Beer Hunter 4. Eureka!

5. Amigo Room at the Ace Hotel and Swim Club

Runners up: 2. Neil’s Lounge 3. Red Barn 4. Plan B Live Entertainment and Cocktails 5. Score

CVIndependent.com

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STAFF PICK

Best Place to Avoid If You’re Arachnophobic THE VW SPIDER ON INDIAN CANYON DRIVE AT INTERSTATE 10 When you’re driving by, you can’t help but notice the massive spider looming large in front of a warehouse with “Hole in the Wall” emblazoned across the front. And you may have wondered, like me: What? How? Why? After some sleuthing, I discovered that the 28-foot high, eight-legged hunk of metal formerly fronted a Volkswagen repair shop, Hole in the Wall Welding. The enormous recycled artwork (the spider body is a full-size VW bug) was created by owner/ welder/mechanic/desert rat Bob Miner, who passed away in 2008. The BETH ALLEN repair shop no longer exists, but Bob’s family still resides in the warehouse.

If you’re into kitsch and not afraid of creepy crawlers, this hairy-legged arachnid is a quirky must-see landmark. If you are afraid … avoid Indian Canyon Drive (next to Jack in the Box), just south of the Interstate 10.

—Beth Allen

DECEMBER 2018

BEST MARGARITA

TIE Las Casuelas Terraza Fresh Agave Mexican Bar and Grill

BEST WINE BAR

Mastro’s Steakhouse

Runners up: 3. Blue Coyote Grill 4. El Mirasol 5. Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill

Runners up: 2. La Fe Wine Bar 3. Dead or Alive 4. Zin American Bistro 5. Counter Reformation at the Parker Palm Springs

BEST MARTINI

BEST WINE/LIQUOR STORE

The Tropicale

Runners up: 2. Sullivan’s Steakhouse 3. Lulu California Bistro 4. Purple Room Palm Springs 5. Zin American Bistro

BEST NIGHTCLUB

Copa Palm Springs

Runners up: 2. The Nest 3. Zelda’s 4. Hunters 5. Costa’s Nightclub at the JW Marriott Desert Springs

BEST SPORTS BAR

BevMo

Runners up: 2. Total Wine and More 3. Desert Wines and Spirits (Go Deli) 4. The Wine Emporium 5. Larry’s Gourmet Market and Deli

BEST BAR AMBIANCE

The Tropicale

Runners up: 2. TRIO Restaurant 3. Dead or Alive 4. Paul Bar/Food 5. Counter Reformation at the Parker Palm Springs

TIE The Beer Hunter Burgers and Beer

Runners up: 3. Big Rock Pub 4. Playoffs Sports Bar 5. Smokin’ Burgers

STAFF PICK Best Album THROW THE GOAT, THE JOKE’S ON US

Homemade NY Style Pizza • Burgers Hot Dogs • Sandwiches • Salads • Appetizers Beer • Wine • Cocktails Happy hour daily 2-7 p.m., all day/nite Tuesday Nightly entertainment • Open at 11:30 a.m. daily 74360 Highway 111, Palm Desert • (760) 636-5220 www.facebook.com/HoodBarAndPizza CVIndependent.com

Throw the Goat had a great year in 2018 after finishing off 2017 on a mind-blowing note: The group won a contest, as announced on New Year’s Eve 2017, put on by Dave Ellefson of Megadeth to release an album on his Combat Records label. The Joke’s On Us was released shortly thereafter.

The name of the album is a reference to the presidency of Donald Trump and has political themes. Produced and recorded by guitarist Brian “Puke” Parnell, the album shows the band going heavier with more punk. It’s a great example of a musical evolution.

While Throw the Goat might confuse audiences who question whether the band is punk or metal, we can all agree: The Joke’s On Us is a great album.

—Brian Blueskye

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 29

DECEMBER 2018

CVI SPOTLIGHT: DECEMBER 2018 Santa Comes to Cathedral City: Snow Fest Promises Holiday Cheer for All

W

hat says “Christmas” more than candy canes, hot chocolate, Santa’s Village and a slide made of “snow”?

While I don’t know the answer to that question, I do know that all of this can be found at the North Pole Village during the second annual Snow-Fest in Cathedral City on Saturday, Dec. 8.

And to clarify: Yes, I did say “slide made of ‘snow.’” More on that later.

“This is the first year that we have duplicated a Santa’s Village theme, and we have had a great city response,” said Jo Anne Kennon, the event organizer. “The CV Rep prop department has built 10 storefronts, and local artists from CV Rep are painting them. They are so cool—and each one has a local sponsor. Special thanks goes out to Ace Hardware of Cathedral City; they ordered everything and are helping build it all. They are our title sponsor.”

The involvement of CV Rep, aka Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre, is a perfect fit, since the renowned company will be moving into the former IMAX theater in Cathedral City’s downtown area in the new year.

“Between Ace Hardware and the CV Rep designers and artists, they took our small idea and made it a million times better,” Kennon said. “This is going to be such a whimsical, fun event, because they made all the difference in the world! The village storefronts will be up for the whole month of December. Christmas music will be playing all the time so that people going to the theater or City Hall can enjoy the music and use (the storefronts) as a picture opportunity.”

There will be a whole lot of festive happenings during Snow-Fest.

“We’re going to have a tree-lighting, a candy-cane drop of 20,000 candy canes, strolling carolers, strolling instrumentalists,

and a holiday market that includes food, arts and crafts, and much more,” Kennon said.

“We’re trying to make this something big and different. We want to create something that covers all the generations. … We want to make this as family-oriented and interactive as possible. We are offering hot chocolate, Mexican hot chocolate and apple cider. Santa will be handing out cookies to some of the VIP guests also.”

Bad news: Santa will not be arriving via sleigh. The good news: He’ll be arriving in a more … shall we say, SoCal way.

“He will make a grand entrance in a convertible Volkswagen,” Kennon said. “The Grinch is coming, too.”

(Cover your kids’ eyes for this next revelation.)

“Both Santa and the Grinch are City Council members,” Kennon revealed, her enthusiasm growing as she spoke. “Santa

Claus will be in his parlor, where he will have his own Christmas tree and a toy box.

Mrs. Claus will be there, as well as a couple of elves. There is also going to be an elf workshop behind the tree in the middle of the village. That is where children will get to make Christmas ornaments out of recycled paper, CDs, ribbon and all kinds of stuff. That way, kids can make ornaments for their own trees at home.”

In the middle of the festival, a stage will feature music—and carolers and others will be stationed throughout the event “so that there will be music everywhere around the village,” Kennon said.

I had to ask: How is this snow slide going to work, seeing as we’re in the middle of the desert? The answer: The snow isn’t really snow.

“It’s in the form of bubbles. We don’t want anyone to get hurt from snowballs, so

there’s going to be a small slide for young kids with the bubble machine, with bales of hay,” Kennon said. “Everything will be covered in bubbles! They will be able slide down the slide like they are in snow.”

While the snow won’t be real, the Christmas vibe will be.

“I’ve seen a lot of Christmas shows where you see carolers standing outside, in front of houses in the snow. But that’s not something we can actually see here. This is the vision that I wanted to bring for everybody to enjoy.”

Cathedral City’s Snow-Fest takes place from 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 8, in Cathedral City’s Town Square Park, just east of the intersection of Palm Canyon and Cathedral Canyon drives. Admission and parking are free. For more information, visit www.snowfest.us.

—Dwight Hendricks

Show this ad, and get one free Moxie Palm Springs appetizer!

Show this ad; buy one Broken Yolk entree, and get the second free!

Broken Yolk Cafe • Moxie Palm Springs 262 S. Palm Canyon Drive Broken Yolk Cafe La Quinta 78430 Highway 111 CVIndependent.com

30 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

DECEMBER 2018

A comic tale of closeted lives by Topher

Payne

Perfect Arrangement The ‘50s were only

fabulous

when no one was looking.

JANUARY 11-20

PEARL McMANUS THEATER, DOWNTOWN IN THE HISTORIC PALM SPRINGS WOMAN’S CLUB

TICKETS: $30-45 • (760) 322-0179 • DEZARTPERFORMS.ORG sponsored by

“PERFECT ARRANGEMENT” IS PRESENTED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

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ARTS

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MAGIC, HONESTLY

Penn and Teller take a break from TV and their Vegas residency to perform at Agua Caliente

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By Brian Blueskye

hen Penn and Teller first started performing in 1975, the duo was unlike anything else out there.

In 2018 … well, there’s still not anything else out there like Penn and Teller. The comedy/magic greats will perform at The Show at the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa on Friday, Dec. 7.

During a recent phone interview with Penn Jillette—of course we interviewed the one who talks—he said they made a conscious effort to be different when they started out.

“Alfred Hitchcock said if you wanted to be a director, don’t see great movies and say, ‘I’m going to do that.’ See bad movies and say, ‘At least I won’t do that,’” Jillette said. “I came out of a background of really disliking magic.

Teller was in love was magic since he was about 5, but I really never liked it. I was a juggler and a musician. I didn’t like magic because of the obvious dishonesty of it. Besides the obvious dishonesty of it … I disliked the lack of thought in magic. Teller and I started a conversation when we first met, and we would think about magic shows, saying, ‘We don’t want to do that.’ It’s like the Sex Pistols when they said they didn’t want to be the Beatles.

Out of that came a kind-of honest relationship with the audience where we occasionally tell them how the tricks are done. We always tell them when we’re lying, and I like to think they never leave the theater believing something we ourselves don’t believe is true.”

Jillette elaborated on their avoidance of dishonesty.

“When you saw a human being cut in half onstage during a magic trick, nobody—and I’m eliminating deeply mentally ill people, or someone who is too young to be at the show— leaves the show believing they witnessed a murder. The same goes with mind-reading and memory tricks. You need to leave the theater with us not misleading you on anything—we try to follow that as carefully as we can. Out of that, the skepticism, the atheism and the comedy comes.”

Penn and Jillette have never been afraid to get political or controversial, be it in their act or on their TV shows—especially Penn and Teller: Bullshit!, which ran on Showtime from 2003 to 2010.

“The nice thing is that our politics tend not to be nowadays in one of the camps that’s fighting,” Jillette said. “We’re both libertarian and atheist. That position is seen by both

sides, Republicans and Democrats, with an eye roll. We’re so socially liberal that not even the Democrats agree with us. We’re so fiscally conservative that even the Republicans don’t agree with us.

“Bullshit! is where most of our politics came out. We were so concerned with being pro-science, pro-rational and pro-human that the politics ended up not being partisan, in a very strange way. I used to go on talkinghead shows as a pundit, but now that there is nothing to talk about on the news except the president—and I have made my position very clear, because I knew the president well—I’m kind of done. … I’m not willing to go on TV now and talk about the latest outrage. I like to remind people now that the world is getting better, and this momentary thing is just a glitch.”

Bullshit! tackled subjects ranging from religions to multilevel marketing to recycling— and a few episodes stirred up intense anger. continued on Page 33

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CONDUCIVE TO CREATION T

By stephen berger

he Desert Art Center sits nestled in two historic buildings on Palm Canyon Drive. Founded in 1950, it is the oldest art organization in the Coachella Valley.

The artists who created it 68 years ago had an expansive vision of their role in society. It wasn’t enough for them to simply express their creativity; they also believed it was important to contribute to their community.

Today, that commitment to both residents The current Desert Art Center president, Ian of and visitors to the valley is realized through Cooke, is a Brit and former horticulturist. He low-cost classes, workshops, programs for now teaches watercolor painting in addition to students, high school scholarships, seminars his other duties. and a gallery staffed by the member artists “We are a very welcoming group,” he said. themselves. The center also provides “Whether you are an accomplished artist, scholarships for seniors and grants to local a beginner, an improver, or simply an art teachers for art materials. lover, our members are willing to share their The facilities themselves are worth a visit. knowledge and expertise. We are open to a Located in one of the first schools built in wide range of artists. You don’t have to be a the Coachella Valley—in 1927 by Frances member to take classes. We want to provide an Stevens—the classrooms, studios and gallery opportunity for everyone, locals and visitors are architecturally and historically important. alike, to learn.

In 1974, the city of Palm Springs purchased “We would like to expand our ceramics the site with a mandate that it be used for program with a dedicated clay space. Also, a education, the arts and children’s programs. purpose-built gallery would allow us to display President Gerald Ford dedicated it as a cultural more of our local, original and affordable art.” arts center.

Some 20 different classes are available The studios and gallery are open spaces during the year, with topics including painting, with high ceilings, filled with light pouring in life drawing, collage, plein-air painting, from large windows. There is an atmosphere stained glass and ceramic sculpture. Some of of stability and serenity—these spaces are the valley’s most-popular artists teach these conducive to the creation of art. classes. Kay Henkel, now in her mid-90s,

The Desert Art Center.

The Desert Art Center’s longstanding mission is to ‘stimulate, educate and nurture the visual arts’ of local residents

teaches and creates ceramic sculpture.

While browsing through the gallery, I was impressed by the high caliber of the works for sale, as well as the moderate pricing. I found myself drawn to a large, luminous landscape of saguaro cacti and mountains.

I noted the artist’s name, thinking it would be nice to speak with her. Around the same time, a woman entered the gallery. One of the two artists staffing the gallery said I should meet her … and she turned out to be Elaine Mathews, the name I had just written down.

She graciously invited me to her home to view more of her work and talk about the center.

Mathews is a California native who grew up in Compton and studied art at Long Beach State University. She taught high school art for 30 years. After taking an early retirement, she and her husband moved to the desert.

“The desert and the light here were a big inspiration for me,” she said. “I started doing large paintings to cover my walls. I took one into the Desert Art Center, and they told me, ‘You’re in.’ I was asked to teach there. I was hesitant, because I’d been teaching for so many years. My husband encouraged me to give it a try. I liked it. It’s adults who actually want to be there.

“I like that the center is a nonprofit and carries only local artists. The city of Palm Springs really supports us. I’ve been teaching there for 15 years now. I also lead the group of plein-air painters. We go all over the valley to paint, and we have a lot of fun.”

After viewing a number of her works, I was in awe of her mastery of light, color and the desert landscape. I’m not alone in that opinion: Mathews was recently selected to be the featured artist at the prestigious La Quinta Arts Festival in 2019.

In addition to classes, the center also offers art-enrichment events, demonstrations and talks. All of these events are open to the public at no charge, while members can also take advantage of friendly and supportive group critiques of their work.

The Desert Art Center offers a two-tier membership. Anybody can be a supporting member, but gallery members must go through a jury process that takes place once a year in the fall. Gallery members can display and sell their work in the center’s gallery. They also staff the gallery on a rotating basis—so when you visit the Desert Art Center or purchase art there, you are being helped by the artists themselves.

A painting of Robert Balance by David Fairrington, part of his Red Kimono II Project.

In addition to the large gallery, there is also a small gallery where up to three members are highlighted in a revolving show, starting on the first Friday of the month.

On Dec. 7, the small gallery will feature David Fairrington and the first public showing of his in-progress Red Kimono II Project. Each painting in the series features a subject from the LGBTQ community draped in a vintage Japanese kimono. After the opening from 6 to 8 p.m., the exhibit will remain on display through the weekend.

Since this is the season of gift-giving, I asked Ian Cooke what he thought about giving art as a present.

“Art is something that stays with us for a lifetime,” he said. “Our appreciation of a work grows over time. It can make a gift that is never forgotten. However, art is a very personal experience. If you want to consider giving art as a gift, I would suggest that you bring the person you’re giving it to into the gallery to see which pieces they are drawn to.

That way, you can be sure that your gift will become a cherished part of their life.”

The Desert Art Center, at 550 N. Palm Canyon Drive, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 760-323-7979, or visit desertartcenter.org.

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ARTS

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CREATING BEAUTY

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

Local artist and filmmaker Tysen Knight shows the incredible talents of homeless street artists

There are a lot of festive things to do in December; here’s a quick primer

T

By brian blueskye

he holidays are here again—and that means there are a whole lot of Christmasthemed events going on.

While we could fill pages upon pages of this newspaper with lists of things to do in December, we’ve selected seven of the most intriguing events for your consideration.

Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade: This is definitely the biggest Christmas-themed event in the Coachella Valley. The parade got its start in the early ’90s and has seemingly grown a little larger every year, with more and more illuminated floats—and participants walking whilst wearing lights! The celebrity grand marshal for this year’s event is Lorna Luft, while the community grand marshals are architect Hugh Kaptor and news anchor Gino Lamont. 5:45 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 1, along Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs; free; psfestivaloflights.com.

Dave Koz Christmas Tour: It’s become a holiday tradition of sorts for the McCallum Theatre to host jazz saxophonist Dave Koz during the Christmas season. Last year, Koz celebrated his 20-year anniversary of holiday touring—and this year, Koz promises some special guests during his musical celebration of Christmas. When I interviewed Koz last year, he explained how much he enjoys performing holiday shows, in part because Christmas music takes him and others back to innocent times in their lives—therefore bringing out the holiday spirit. This is just one of a handful of great holiday shows happening at the McCallum. 8 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 18, at the McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, in Palm Desert; $62 to $102; 760-340-2787; www.mccallumtheatre.com.

Morongo Casino Resort Spa Sleigh Ride Toy Run: This event is a fundraiser for the JJ Johnson Foundation and will feature a performance by the Charlie Daniels Band. The Southern rock and country star is a lot of fun to experience live—and, of course, he does perform some Christmas music this time of the year. Also on the bill: Steel Wool, Second

The Charlie Daniels Band.

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Sight and Gethen Jenkins. Go to Morongo and support a great cause for the holiday season! 1 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 8, at the Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, in Cabazon; $30 to $40, or $25 with a toy donation; 800-2524499; www.morongocasinoresort.com.

Brian Setzer Orchestra’s 15th Anniversary Christmas Rocks! Tour: In each of the last 15 years, rockabilly/swing guitarist Brian Setzer has embarked upon a holiday tour—often with a stop at Fantasy Springs. This is one best musical events of the holiday season, as Setzer puts on a marvelous, high-energy show, featuring Christmas tunes as well as hits from both his orchestra and the Stray Cats.

I’ve attended this show a couple of times, and I promise you’ll have a great time. 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 21, at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, in Indio; $49 to $79; 760342-5000; www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus’ Men in Tights—A Holiday Spectacular: This show kicks off the 20th anniversary season of the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus, and will take holiday-themed music … back to the Renaissance? Yep! After the intermission, prepare to hear holiday songs in a more-modern format, including a country-Western-style performance of “Dreydl Dreydl.” OK then! 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Dec. 14 and 15; and 3 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 16, at the Annenberg Theater at the Palm Springs Art Museum, 101 Museum Drive, in Palm Springs; $25 to $50; www.psgmc.com.

Santa Fly-In and Winter Fun Land: This is a fun annual family event thrown by the Palm Springs Air Museum that features a very special guest—Santa Claus! Santa will meet with children and pose for photographs in a specialty created Winter Fun Land, including snow he’ll bring with him from the North Pole!

11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 8 and 9, at the Palm Springs Air Museum, 745 N. Gene Autry Trail, in Palm Springs; free with museum admission; 760-778-6262; www.psam.org.

WildLights: The Living Desert hosts this annual event every year on selected evenings from Black Friday through Christmas Eve. The park is transformed into an illuminated winter wonderland, complete with entertainment. This is the most festive way to experience The Living Desert for sure! 6 to 9 p.m. on selected evenings through Monday, Dec. 24, at the Living Desert, 47900 Portola Ave., in Palm Desert; $12 for adults; $10 military, children 3-12; free for children 3 and younger; 760-346-5694; www.livingdesert.org.

T

By Brian Blueskye

ysen Knight was surrounded by street art while growing up—and it inspired him to become a street artist himself.

Now living in Palm Springs, Knight has helped bring street art into the mainstream.

He’s also an actor and a filmmaker, and his first street-art documentary, The Art of Hustle: Street Art Documentary, made the festival circuit—winning some awards along the way.

A follow-up, The Art of Hustle: Homeless Street Artists Documentary, is in post-production and could hit screens as early as January.

Meanwhile, Colliding Worlds Fine Art Gallery in Cathedral City is currently showing an exhibit of Knight’s art During a recent interview, Knight discussed how street art inspired him.

“I discovered I was good at art around the ages of 10 to 13. I showed my parents, and they seconded it, and it took off from there,” Knight said. “I grew up in New Jersey near Philadelphia, and I had family in Northern New Jersey across from New York. We would go to New York and get on the subways, and I was exposed to graffiti and street art in the subway trains. For a kid who was creative, that fascinated me.

“I took those images back and had a couple of friends in my neighborhood who were also artists. We would airbrush on jeans and try to look cool. We would get spray-paint cans, and I would show them what I would see in New York City, and we would try to replicate those images. It was really big in New York in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s.”

Knight said he saw many of the iconic images painted by New York City’s most-

Tysen Knight.

famous street artists.

“When I was a kid, I would see a lot of those images—but I couldn’t pinpoint who did it,” he said.

Today, artists such as Banksy, Shepard Fairey, Anthony Lister and Ben Eine have taken street art into a whole new level of mainstream respect.

“Those guys were able to push it up to the forefront and actually made galleries take a look at this stuff. Banksy and guys of that nature made gallery owners think, ‘Whoa, this stuff actually has value,’” Knight said. “Over time, no one cared about it. You’d put up a beautiful piece of artwork, whether it was legally or illegally, and they would spray-paint over it, or the city would come and cover it up. But now that these guys are able to push the culture into the mainstream, I think it’s actually a beautiful thing. Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring were setting the groundwork, too, but now guys like Banksy and Shepard Fairey have taken it to a whole different level, and you can go to auctions and see a Banksy piece go for the same price as a Picasso piece.”

Knight explained the premise behind his second documentary, The Art of Hustle: Homeless Street Artists Documentary.

“I had a little stint of homelessness for a couple of months. I ran into a street artist in downtown Palm Springs who goes by the name of Skratch,” Knight said. “He was selling this weird abstract art, and I was drawn to him.

I started talking to him, and he said, ‘I sell my art. I need to make $15 a day so I can get continued on next page

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ARTS & CULTURE Tysen Knight

continued from Page 32 something to eat and take care of myself.’ … I “It’s very small, and it’s very contained,” he gave him my business card, and he called me. said. “I was fortunate enough to meet a local I had him involved in the first documentary. tattoo artist, and he was able to navigate me When I showed the film, everyone was really through the street-art scene here. It’s very intrigued by Skratch. small and nothing compared to major cities. In “I want to shed a light on people whom most fact, you could probably count all of the people people overlook. I got back into contact with on one hand.”

Skratch and said, ‘I want to do a documentary Knight is now helping a new generation on you.’ I filmed him for about nine months, learn about art. and I was fortunate enough to meet two other “I was fortunate enough to meet the art homeless street artists. It’s fascinating how coordinator for the Palm Springs Unified talented these people are; to be in that situation School District. I sat down with her and told and be able to create, it’s pretty amazing. This her what I had going on, and she said I would film is taking people on a journey to show be the perfect candidate to mentor young boys that although these people are homeless, and through this art program,” he said. “We visit you overlook them every day, they’re actually five different middle schools, and there are talented and creating beautiful things.” five of us all together. We do art, drum, dance, Knight said he was humbled by Skratch. spoken word and photography. … We’d go to “A piece that Skratch would spend hours on, all the different schools with the canvases and he would sell it for $5. There’s art on Sotheby’s teach kids how to paint, and talk to them, going for $100 million; a Banksy piece that was mentor them, see what their likes and dislikes shredded went for some ridiculous amount are, and go from there. of money. At the end of the day, they’re all “I feel I’m at the point in my career where creations. To see someone create something I’m able to create art and give back, and and only charge $5 for it, I was like, ‘Wow!’ inspire young people to explore their talents— That was a really humbling experience for me especially in a time like now, when everything to see that. People were actually purchasing it.” is divided.”

I asked Knight how big the street-art scene is in the Coachella Valley.

For more information, visit www.tysenknight.com.

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Penn and Teller continued from Page 30 “People often ask us who got the most upset after an episode of Bullshit!, and I must tell you that this fills me with shame,” he said. “We expected Christians to be a problem, but many Christians practice what they preach, and their reactions were very gentle, very kind and very understanding. But the Sept. 11 truthers and the chiropractors were out of their fucking minds. There were a couple of nuts who didn’t like the Sept. 11 show and threatened, of all people, our prop guy. The police had to be called and showed up at the offices, which is very strange.

“The chiropractors were very aggressive and claiming boycotts, which is a perfectly reasonably way to react.”

There were subjects Showtime refused to allow Penn and Teller to tackle.

“Scientology was one of them, because they were scared,” Jillette said. “Showtime and the lawyers told us, ‘You don’t fuck with Scientology,’ because there have been some bad things that happened. We also wanted to do that book The Secret that Oprah was promoting. (Showtime) didn’t want us doing that because of some sort of publishing entanglement that would have made us at odds with other parts of the company—not so much that we could affect their commerce, but that it

could be a conflict of interest and may violate other contracts.

“We wanted to do one on reality shows like Big Brother and The Apprentice, but it’s impossible to get the footage—as we’ve seen with our president, because it’s incredibly locked down by legal teams.”

Penn and Teller remain busy these days, including their Las Vegas residency and their show Penn and Teller: Fool Us, a magiccompetition show on The CW. “We’ll be shooting all of the Fool Us episodes in early February and March,” Jillette said.

“Teller and I are writing material to put in our show. We’re at a point now where our show is changing, and (new) material is going in every week, so it’s really fun. Teller and I are in our 60s now, and it’s supposed to be a time when you calm down—and we’re now writing material faster, better and crazier than when we were on Saturday Night Live, David Letterman and Broadway.”

Penn and Teller will perform at 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 7, at The Show at the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, in Rancho Mirage. Tickets are $45 to $65. For tickets or more information, call 888-999-1995, or visit www.hotwatercasino.com.

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FOOD & DRINK

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CAESAR CERVISIA T

By brett newton

he year is 1994. Nelson Mandela has been elected president of South Africa; Amazon.com is founded by Jeff Bezos; the Chunnel between France and the United Kingdom is newly opened; famed athlete and actor O.J. Simpson is in a white Ford Bronco going somewhere with his friend Al Cowlings; I am a junior at Palm Desert High School, just getting into craft beer.

OK, it wasn’t yet “craft beer”; it was called “microbrew” back then, and it was beginning to gain traction with the public thanks to breweries like Samuel Adams and Sierra Nevada.

Enter Erik Neiderman. He decided to be way ahead of his time, and opened the Palm Springs Brewing Company in downtown Palm Springs.

To put this in some context, San Diego’s craft- through the website of the company for which he now works. He was kind enough to answer beer scene was just getting under way. Today, some of my questions via email. there are more than 150 breweries in San Diego County … and three here in the desert. That fits How did you get started with brewing? my definition of “ahead of the curve.”

I was in the restaurant business for a few years.

However, as I began looking into the I had been vacationing in San Diego, where brewery, I became troubled by the utter lack one of the first brewpubs, Brewski’s, opened. of information about it. Sure, I got returns for I wasn’t much for beer in those days. A friend the current Palm Springs Brewing Company suggested I try this new microbeer. After that, I beers at Revel Public House (this incarnation wanted to open my own place. isn’t brewing beer—yet; Mason Ale Works is contracted to make the brews at the moment), What was your training? but the only thing on the first PSBC I could I was trained by a handful of brewers. I didn’t find was an interview with Erik Neiderman’s attend a trade school or university for brewing father, Andrew, by Palm Springs Life magazine. sciences. Back then, I think only UC Davis had a Andrew Neiderman is the author of many program. After my first few months of training, books including The Devil’s Advocate. The article I hired a brewer to work with me when I opened mentions the brewery briefly, but nothing of the original restaurant/brewery. That was substance.

This meant I needed to roll up my sleeves and actually called BrewMeisters. get to work. I asked my friend Joshua Kunkle, What were the beers/breweries in what was librarian and president of the Coachella Valley known as “microbrewing” you enjoyed?

Homebrew Club, where I should go next—and Josh found a breadcrumb thanks to the Internet We primarily brewed English-style ales. From Archive’s Wayback Machine: It was Palm Springs a business perspective, lager- or pilsner-style beers didn’t seem practical, although later on, Brewing Company’s website from the 1990s, we did brew a few varieties. My favorites where shown here. (It’s so beautifully ’90s that it old English style; (I’m) not sure if they would made me nostalgic for the old modem dial-up be considered “microbrewing.” … Going to the sounds.) It was a good start, but I needed to Great American Beer Festival back in the early keep digging. days was such a treat. We would meet homeI eventually tracked down Erik Neiderman

A quest to learn more about the (now defunct) granddaddy of local brewers— the Palm Springs Brewing Company

brewers trying to make a go of it. I tasted some amazing beers back in those days.

When did the brewery open, and when did it ultimately close?

(We were) open in 1994, closed the restaurant in 1996 (sold it, actually), and continued to brew offsite and bottle and keg until 2001. We had built a 500-barrel production plant off of Gene Autry Trail.

What were some of your favorite/proudest moments there?

The people. Everyone was new to the idea, and everyone contributed to making something of it. It wasn’t easy, since most people had been a fan of Bud or Coors. When we sold our first keg off-site, I think I was most proud of what we did: Someone else wanted to tap and serve our beer at their establishment.

Why did the brewery close down?

We sold the restaurant off in 1996 to focus on off-site production. We built the 500-barrel production plant with the first in-line pasteurizer, for shelf-stable microbrew. We turned the production plant into a home for the little guys as well. We dedicated 150 barrels of fermentation to “Mom and Pop” shops that couldn’t afford a bottling line and allowed them to come in to brew and finish the beer. We would then bottle it for them. That is how we made money besides selling our own products around the desert.

In 2001, I was approached by a company that made soda. We started to produce soda for them on the side. This led to more soda, and eventually, they brought me a product to produce that was called Energy, in a brightgreen package. We made a deal to build a larger plant in Indio just for their products. That

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“BESTS” AWARDED TO

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A screenshot of an archived version of the Palm Springs Brewing Company website.

took us out of the beer business; I handed most of my products and clients to a friend in the high desert. He still operates today: Indian Wells Brewing Company, (run by) Rick Lovett.

Oh, and that “Energy” drink in the bright green package ... they changed the name from “Energy” to “Monster.”

Y

ou may have noticed I’ve changed my sobriquet (there’s a $10 word for you) for the column to Caesar Cervisia—Latin for “beer emperor.” This was done at the behest of a certain organization that wanted me to either use my full title (Certified Cicerone™) or something else entirely. The name I chose (thank you, Joaquin, for the suggestion!) seemed appropriate for two reasons: First, it’s been a year since I started writing this column, following in the footsteps of The Beer Goddess, Erin Peters. But alas, I am no immortal, so I settled for “emperor.” Second, the name I was forced to change was derived from Latin, so it seemed poetic to use it myself. Salutaria!

Brett Newton is a certified cicerone (like a sommelier for beer) and homebrewer who has mostly lived in the Coachella Valley since 1988. He currently works at the Coachella Valley Brewing Co. He can be reached at caesarcervisa@gmail.com.

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VINE SOCIAL

South African wines are hard to find— and they’re unapologetically eccentric

JASON DAVID HAIR STUDIO

By KatieLOVE finn YOUR

P

HAIR

bright stone fruit and creaminess of chenin blanc with the floral, citrus blossom notes and perfumed honeysuckle of viognier. It was a delightful way to start our evening!

We moved on to try the Remhoogte “Honeybunch” chenin blanc from the Stellenbosch region. The estate was founded in 1812 on the slopes of the famous Simonsberg Mountain; this property was not noted for its grapes at first, but rather the discovery of one of the largest diamonds ever found on Earth. The diamond was purchased by the Queen of England and sits proudly among the royal jewels. Because of this discovery, the Remhoogte family acquired the capital to plant vineyards and create one of the finest estates in Stellenbosch. The wine is rich and golden with flavors of preserved lemon, pear and chamomile tea.

After a little nosh of salmon canapes and mini meatballs, we were poured the De Grendel rosé. There is nothing more beautiful than a glass of coppery pink rosé, and the aromatics wafting out of my glass were already making my mouth water. It’s a 50/50 blend of cabernet sauvignon and the country’s signature red grape, Pinotage. There was not a whiff of animal fur or bandages to be found; this rosé is all juicy strawberries, bubblegum and zippy grapefruit deliciousness.

The last wine of the night was a 100 percent Pinotage called Vantage by Remhoogte. What exactly is Pinotage, you ask? There is a very good chance you’ve never had this obscure little grape—and a pretty good chance you’ve never even heard of it. It was created in 1925 as a cross between pinot noir and cinsault—the latter otherwise known as hermitage. Combine those two words, and you get Pinotage (like Bennifer or Brangelina). But unlike its parents,

eople often ask me what my favorite wine is. For me, that’s like asking me to pick a favorite child; on most days, that would be impossible. So much of what I drink depends on the weather, or what I’m eating, or my mood in general.

I do, however, have a favorite wine-producing country, and it might be what you’d expect.

Country Club and not Cook Street My love affair with South Africa began about 16 years ago.Palm I wasDe sitting in a ballroom in sert Monterey, Calif., surrounded by other would-be sommeliers preparing for our exam. I knew

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South760-340-5959 African wine-tasting in Palm Springs, I immediately bought my tickets and circled the date. I had never heard of the “place” in www.jasondavidhairstudio.net Palm Springs hosting the tasting, but I figured maybe this was a new place. How exciting!

It took me and my friends circling the block twice, walking up and down the street while staring at our GPS, and finally wandering into an alley before we noticed a small group of people congregating by a door. Eureka! This must be the place!

As we opened the solid industrial door, we were faced with a narrow staircase. There was no signage, and there were no people, but there were three bottles of wine sitting on the bottom stair. We figured that was a good indication we were in the right place. Not knowing any better, we ventured up the flight of stairs … and right into someone’s living room. Oh, shit.

I sheepishly walked over to a couple and explained that I was looking for Mood Wine.

“Don’t be silly! This is Mood Wine! Grab a glass!” they exclaimed while getting a good chuckle out of my mortification. Phew. Within seconds, we were greeted warmly by Patrick and Jake, who graciously welcomed us into their home and quickly filled our glasses.

Our first wine of the night was Bloem from the Cape of Good Hope—a chenin blanc, known as steen in South Africa, blended with viognier. Named after the Dutch word for flower, this aromatic white combines the

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it isn’t soft and silky and feminine; it’s hearty and bold and meaty. It’s ripe and textured with a dense mouthfeel. This is the signature grape of South Africa, and aside from a little grown on the Sonoma Coast, you typically won’t see it anywhere else. People tend to have a very strong reaction to the wine and will either love it hate it. But the best examples show that South Africa is capable of producing some of the most exciting wines in the world.

The world of wine is becoming more and more homogenized, where every country is making cookie-cutter wines to appeal to a global palate—but South Africa is unapologetically eccentric, and I have learned to embrace those aromas that simply can’t be re-created anywhere else.

South Africa is a country of unmeasurable persistence. They overcame devastating phylloxera (aphids that kill grapevines), wars, economic destruction and the most crippling act of Apartheid. What this wine region has accomplished in the last 20 years, most countries couldn’t achieve in 100. South Africa truly embodies passion and perseverance—and that’s something to which we can all raise a glass.

Katie Finn is a certified sommelier and certified specialist of wine with more than 15 years in the wine industry. She can be reached at katiefinnwine@gmail.com.

award-winning

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very little about South Africa as a wineproducing nation—and this was going to be an introduction I would never forget. As I stuck my nose in that glass and inhaled deeply, I remember immediately … gagging. The putrid smell of rotten raspberries wrapped in bandages, with a slight animal-fur note, is something that still makes me shudder all these years later. Little did I know that I would grow to love that stinky little grape, called Pinotage, and everything else grown in that wild and wonderful country.

As my wine career progressed, I discovered that the wines from South Africa are not putrid or vile or gag-inducing at all. The reds are powerful and complex with a unique set of aromas that are savory and rich. They have aromas of blackberries and plums, sweet tobacco and black tea. Yes, they can be a little gamey and earthy, but not in an offensive way—instead, they are intriguing and mysterious. The whites are crisp and confident with bright fruit and a subtle herbaceous element. They were unlike anything I had ever tasted, but not in a pejorative way. I wanted more and began drinking everything from South Africa I could get my hands on.

That said … even with all the advancements in wine-making, marketing and distribution coming from South Africa, getting my hands on a good bottle is easier said than done.

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FOOD & DRINK

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ON COCKTAILS A

Let’s raise a toast to the great Charles H. Baker and the other cocktail-writing greats

BY kevin carlow

ll those we list cannot please every reader, naturally … anisette, kümmel, tequila, Hawai’ian okolehao—all have their enemies and champions. No, the best we can hope to do is thumb over our battered field book, our odd scrawled-upon bar chits, menus and scraps of notes from bygone days, and construct therefrom a sequence of drinks which for this reason or that, stand out in memory beyond their fellows. —Charles H. Baker book by Baker was originally known. Baker I’ve often mentioned the influence that (1895-1987) wasn’t a professional bartender; he certain books have had on me throughout was more like one of the well-traveled cocktail my awakening as a craft-bartender and drinknerds we get at the bar from time to time. writer. Without them, I would still be fumbling His modus operandi was to go to a far-flung along, trying to balance drinks by seeing how locale, have a drink—be it at an expedition base many lemon wedges and sugar packets made camp or a colonial hotel or wherever—and try the perfect lemon drop. to re-create both the cocktail and the moment.

I know I stand on the shoulders of giants— This is a 1930s version of a blogger, discussing some still writing, and others long passed. which Calcutta hotels are better for the I have many bartending and culinary books epicurean, and which drinks are appropriate for on my shelf, and between my second or third what prep-school alumni gathering—a blogger copy of Imbibe! and my dog-eared paperback of who sounds variously like Sax Rohmer, an elated Kitchen Confidential is a slim hardcover of Jigger, Frasier Crane and a wistful C. Montgomery Beaker, and Glass; Drinking Around the World by Burns. There is a good deal of humor in his Charles H. Baker. grandiloquence, however, and thankfully not There are bar books, and then there is The as many cringy racist and chauvinistic turns Gentleman’s Companion, as the aforementioned

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of phrase as you might imagine in a book of foreign travel from 90 years ago. He is engaged with his subjects, and happily gives credit to a Tagalog-speaking bartender in Manila as quickly as a British naval commander for a good drink.

Mostly, it’s his passion for travel, cocktails and comradery that make this book such a unique read. No drink goes without some background of where it came from and who, if known, created it. Also, the drinks are pretty well-constructed for a fellow who was trying to piece drunken episodes back together. Still, I usually tweak the recipes a bit to make them more suitable to the modern palate.

If this introduction wasn’t reason enough to look into a copy for your favorite cocktail nerd’s collection, let me share with you a few interesting recipes from its pages. The parentheses are my own, and recipes are abridged for space. Many are worth a mention for the name alone.

TURF COCKTAIL NO. II (Baker relates an outing at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay from February 1931 to preface the recipe.)

We had won all of 67 rupees on this gold-cup, 23,000-rupees race, and were feeling very horsy and turfy, and tired of the “chotapegs”—just plain Scotch and not-too-cold soda, without ice of the last few days—and were open to suggestions.

One jigger (1 ounces) of dry gin One pony (1 ounce) French (dry) vermouth 1 teaspoon of absinthe 1 teaspoon of maraschino Dash of orange bitters Stir like a martini and serve in a Manhattan glass, ungarnished.

MEXICAN “FIRING SQUAD” SPECIAL (During a visit to Mexico City in 1937, Baker and friends find themselves bored with their highbrow guides and head to the Ill-famed La Cucaracha bar.)

And finally on one occasion we broke off by ourself (sic), sought out this bar—where an aristocratic native oughtn’t to be seen!—ordered things in our own way.

Two jiggers of tequila Juice of two limes 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of grenadine, or plain gomme syrup (use a quality, preferably homemade grenadine) 2 dashes Angostura bitters Use a tall Collins glass with shaved ice, garnished with a flag of orange slice, pineapple and cherry. (I recommend making this into two drinks and shaking it a bit with crushed ice.)

A Mexican “Firing Squad” special. KEVIN CARLOW

TIGER’S MILK NO. 1 (Baker and associates in Peking, 1931.)

Yes, we coasted in through the break in the huge breath-taking battlements of the Tartar Wall, to the station of the Water Gate. We got that strange lift under the heart all men get when they step from the world we know straight back into the heart of a city dating for thousands of years.

2 1/2 jiggers old brandy 1-2 teaspoons of sugar or grenadine 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 1/2 cup of milk Shake with ice and strain into a goblet. (This was a particular favorite of Baker.)

Finally, for the morning after, Baker gives up a wide range of “Pick Me Up” cocktails, a common euphemism in those glory days when it was expected for one to have a tipple in the morning to shake the demons from the night before.

ILE de FRANCE SPECIAL The field of the great gray Morning After is one which this same civilized mankind is trying to graduate from undiluted hair of the dog that bit him, to something less regurgitative.

Build in a champagne flute: 1/2 teaspoon fine sugar 1/2 pony (1/2 ounce) of cognac Fill with very cold champagne Top with a dash or two of yellow chartreuse If things go awry, Baker also offers steps to relieve a bloodshot eye, restore someone from fainting, “alleviate apparent death from toxic poisonings,” and even revive a man found hanging; this advice is adjacent to tips on pairing caviar and oysters and how to store and serve claret. It makes one wonder at the type of parties we missed out on being born in these less-cavalier times.

Kevin Carlow is a bartender at Truss and Twine, and can be reached at krcarlow@gmail.com.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 37

DECEMBER 2018

the

FOOD & DRINK INDY ENDORSEMENT This month, we enjoy delicious treats at opposite ends of the price spectrum

Ingredients your body

can recognize and utilize!

By Jimmy Boegle WHAT The weekday lunch buffet WHERE Emperor Buffet, 69600 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage HOW MUCH $9.99 CONTACT 760-328-9200 WHY It’s cheap with a lot of delicious stuff.

I know that some of you have read what I am endorsing and instantly determined that I must have lost my damn mind.

Is he really giving the high honor of an Indy Endorsement to a free-standing Asian buffet in Rancho Mirage?!

Why, yes, indeed I am.

Here’s why.

I concede that not everything available at Emperor Buffet is great … or even good. The desserts, for example, are bleh, and the sesame chicken—one of my favorite gringo-ized Asian entrées—somehow approaches flavorless.

However, similar things can be said about the menu items at many restaurants: You’ll have hits, and you’ll have misses.

And there are some definite hits—home runs, even—on offer at Emperor Buffet. On the plate pictured here, at the top, you’ll see some pork with snow peas. This dish is flatout fantastic: The peas are crisp; the pork is tender; and it’s all delicious. If I went to any restaurant, paid $9.99 and got a whole plate of this, I’d be a happy camper.

But instead, for $9.99 at Emperor Buffet, I got that and a whole lot more: serviceable sushi rolls, tasty potstickers, compelling crab Rangoon, moist teriyaki chicken, etc.

Look, I get it: Buffets aren’t for everyone.

Some people are squicked out by self-serve food at steam tables. Others are food snobs, pure and simple. But for foodies who aren’t paranoid or snobbish—especially us foodies on a budget—trust me: There’s some truly great stuff to be found at Emperor Buffet.

You may find some duds among the dozens of options … but you’re also going to find some true gems—and you’ll do so in a way that leaves you money left over for your next foodie adventure.

WHAT The spiced Jurgielewicz duck WHERE 4 Saints, inside the Kimpton Rowan Hotel, 100 W. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs HOW MUCH $37 CONTACT 760-392-2020; www.4saintspalmsprings.com WHY The nuance.

Sometimes when I’m hungry, I want to head to the civilized human equivalent of a feed trough and eat. Other times, I want something a little more refined … nuanced … special.

Enter 4 Saints, the gorgeous restaurant on the top floor of the year-old Kimpton Rowan Hotel in downtown Palm Springs. I’ve dined there twice now—twice a year is about what my finances will allow—and both times, I have been blown away by the quality of the food coming out of executive chef Stephen Wambach’s kitchen.

On my most recent visit, the hubby and I sat at the bar and shared the hamachi crudo ($19) and foie gras ($24) as starters.

Both were fabulous; in fact, I doubted that either of our entrées would surpass them.

Then came my spiced Jurgielewicz duck.

(Jurgielewicz is the name of the Pennsylvania family farm that produces the duck—raised humanely and free-roaming—used at 4 Saints.)

It’s not hyperbole when I say it was one of the tastiest dishes I’ve ever had.

Three slices of duck sat on a bed of spätzle and puréed autumn squash, next to red cabbage. It sounds simple—but every single element was perfectly seasoned, cooked and prepared. It seemed like a true sacrifice to spare just one bite so my husband could try it.

Truthfully, I am having difficulty coming up with words to describe the flavors, so I’ll just say this: My mouth is watering as I write this.

Some may scoff at the price tags and modest portions … but trust me: The food being offered at 4 Saints is worth it. That’s where you’ll find me come the next special occasion.

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Restaurant NEWS BITES

By Jimmy Boegle BONGO JOHNNY’S MOVING INTO FORMER CAFÉ EUROPA SPACE; ANTIGUA OPENS IN FORMER GYORO-GYORO SPOT When it comes to some restaurant spaces in downtown Palm Springs, the only constant is change.

Witness the second-floor space at 301 N. Palm Canyon Drive, across from the Hyatt. In recent years, it’s housed both Crave and Plate | Glass; about two years ago, restaurateur Mike Stoltz moved his popular Café Europa in there during the daytime, and introduced a bar/small-plates concept, jusTapas, for the nighttime.

The move turned out to be a mistake, it seems: Café Europa/jusTapas recently closed its doors.

However, the space will not be vacant for long: Bongo Johnny’s (www.facebook.com/bongojohnnys), the Arenas Road mainstay which has been closed since a fire destroyed its kitchen back in March, is moving in, and could be open by January. Owner Robb Wirt had originally planned to remain in the space at 214 E. Arenas Road, but abandoned those plans, he says, due to a lack of responsiveness from his landlord.

Meanwhile, a couple of blocks away, Antigua Kitchen and Bar (antiguapalmsprings.com) has opened at 105 S. Palm Canyon Drive, in the spot most recently occupied by Gyoro-Gyoro Izakaya Japonaise. It’s a new venture by the owners of L’Olivo Palm Springs—an Italian restaurant that’s called 333 N. Palm Canyon Drive home for years—offering “quality American dishes, with locally sourced ingredients and a casual desert dining vibe.” A recent visit revealed tasty food, a décor largely unchanged from Gyoro-Gyoro, and a bar only serving beer, wine and low-alcohol cocktails, since a full liquor license had not yet been obtained.

Oh, and adjacent to Antigua—in the space occupied for years by Starbucks before it moved into new, fancier digs across the street—El Patron Taqueria and Bar is supposed to be coming soon.

Got all that?

All of these changes and moves, naturally, lead to some questions about whether these restaurants can succeed where others have failed. I have no idea what will happen with El Patron—although I am discouraged by the fact that a sign has been up for weeks encouraging people to follow the restaurant’s progress on Instagram and Facebook pages that don’t seem to yet exist—but I am cautiously optimistic about the chances for Antigua and Bongo Johnny’s.

As for Antigua: Gyoro-Gyoro, despite a fantastic location, seemed to be poorly managed throughout its run—including an embarrassing and lengthy closure by the health department. Given the location, and the fact that the owners have a proven track record with L’Olivo, Antigua seems primed for success.

As for Bongo Johnny’s … I do have some concerns. The restaurant had a good, long run on Arenas, but it really flourished when Wirt deftly expanded the hours until 3 a.m. on weekends—taking advantage of its location in the midst of bars and clubs—and started offering delivery. Will he be able to duplicate that success in a location that’s blocks away from all those clubs? I am concerned … but optimistic.

Stay tuned.

IN BRIEF The Shop Café, the family-owned restaurant located at the Aqua Soleil Hotel at 14500 Palm Drive, in Desert Hot Springs, has closed. Management announced the closure on the restaurant’s social media on Nov. 19, but said the family would continue to offer catering services. … New to Palm Desert: Trattoria Mezzomondo, at 73850 Highway 111. Owner Elio Cavallari formerly owned Mezzomondo in Studio City; he closed it, moved to Palm Desert and opened the new place. Get details at mezzomondopd. com. … New to Palm Springs: Taka Shin Japanese Cuisine, at 641 N. Palm Canyon Drive. We have not yet been able to visit this authentic sushi joint ourselves, but our friend Miho Suma, the incredible owner of Shabu Shabu Zen, raves about the place—a worthy endorsement indeed. Call 760-600-5806 for more details. … New to Cathedral City: The Desert Queen, a café serving Southern fare at 35400 Date Palm Drive. All three meals are offered at this cute little place, and we can’t wait to try the homemade meatloaf, as well as the fried chicken … with cornbread! More info at thedesertqueen1.com. … New to La Quinta: The Roblero Pit, serving up “Santa Maria-style” barbecue, Napa Valley dishes and other fare at 79410 Highway 111. View the menu and get details at www.robleropit.com. … And now for something completely different: The JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort, at 74855 Country Club Drive, in Palm Desert, has opened T&T Innovation Kitchen. From a news release: “Dishes change daily, inspired by both time and temperature, encouraging the team to get creative with everything from their produce choices to their preparation process. Furthermore, there’s an unconventional entrance through the restaurant that takes guests through the massive resort kitchen and in through the back of the restaurant—a nod to the anticipation and mystery of speakeasy restaurants.” T&T offers five-course dinners every Friday and Saturday; learn more at www.facebook.com/timeandtemp.

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DECEMBER 2018

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Shawn Ryan brings holiday songs with a comedic, gay-boy slant to the Purple Room the blueskye report: Lyle lovett, tony bennett, barry manilow, black crystal wolf kids—and more! the lucky 13: meet joel daniel, spankshaft's new trombonist—who also rocks the bagpipes The LUCKY 13: Meet t-lick, half of up-and-coming hip-hop duo off kilter

www.cvindependent.com/music

SWEET COLLABORATION

Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Dave Alvin come to Pappy and Harriet’s to celebrate their new album

42

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Solar Q&A

I’m starting to look into solar, and I saw something about tariffs on solar panels. Is that making them more expensive?

The tariffs, which started at 30 percent, will go down each year before a complete phaseout after four years. They took effect Feb. 7 and cover crystalline silicon solar products, the most common material used in solar panels. Two solar companies asked for “protection,” because they believed foreign governments were subsidizing their industries and flooding the market with lowcost products. However, most of the disruption is being felt by companies involved with utility-scale projects—the large solar farms where panel prices are a crucial variable.

Companies that use SunPower panels are currently not being affected by the tariff. SunPower is the only solar manufacturer that was granted an exemption to the tariff due to its superior and patented cell design.

Contractors that use SunPower panels

do not have to pass any costs on to the customer.

That sounds encouraging.

Yes, and not only is the SunPower cell technology different; it’s much better, which is why a SunPower panel is a lot more efficient that a conventional panel. What does that mean for you?

It means that you’ll need fewer panels on your roof to create the same amount of electricity. SunPower is an American company with a 25year comprehensive warranty on their panels, so that’s a huge benefit as well.

Terrific—so what’s next?

It’s a great time to explore solar—and if you decide to move forward and get it installed before the end of March 2019, you’ll enjoy a more beneficial program with SCE than the one that will replace it. A local company like Renova, which exclusively works with SunPower, is a great place to start to get your questions answered and find out how much money solar can save you.

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COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 41

DECEMBER 2018

MUSIC TUNES WITH A TWIST A

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Shawn Ryan brings holiday songs with a comedic, gay-boy slant to the Purple Room

By Brian Blueskye

s I was watching videos of Shawn Ryan singing, I wondered why he hasn’t become the next Michael Bublé. Yes, he sings that well—and the comedic genius he brings to his act makes it even more intriguing.

Shawn Ryan will be performing his show Mistle-Ho with the Kelly Park Band at the Purple Room on Saturday, Dec. 1.

During a recent phone interview, Ryan discussed how the madness of combining vocal jazz with comedy came to be.

“I actually was a theater major in school,” years now, Kelly Park—ended up winning ‘Best Ryan explained. “I went to the American Composer.’

Academy in New York and studied acting, and “We were supposed to go on this little right out of college, I got my first professional cabaret tour in clubs, and these people were job in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The going to foot the bill for it. We waited six contract ended two or three months early, months, and the company went bankrupt. It and I was paid for the entire contract, and wasn’t possible for them to send us all over I thought ‘What do I do now?’ There was a the world. Kelly said, ‘If you can book the cabaret contest in San Francisco at a club that club in San Francisco, I can do all the charts is no longer. They awarded 10 prizes in various for you, and we can do a two-act show.’ That’s categories, and I won ‘Best Singer,’ and my how I got started. musical director—who I’ve worked with for 20 “My part of the deal was booking the club, and Kelly had an old Victorian house that he was trying to flip and sell. He made a deal with me where I painted the interior of the house, and he’d write the charts. I would be painting, and we’d be listening to cassette tapes of people like Mel Torme and people I really admired and wanted to emulate. He wrote the whole show. That was in 1998 or 1999 at the Plush Room in San Francisco, and we got a residency there doing a Sunday show for years.”

After taking the show on the road, they got their first big break in front of a national audience.

“In 2005, we got discovered by America’s Got Talent after they came to our Los Angeles show—and they put us on the air immediately.

They told us it was an audition, but it turned out that it wasn’t,” Ryan said. “It sort of exploded from there. I was actually content being an actor for the rest of my life and not doing any professional singing. I’m a true bass baritone, which doesn’t exist anymore in the theater world; it’s all mostly high tenor.”

There were downsides to the TV show— including some over-dramatizations by producers and the fact that Ryan was outed, something he was not expecting “It was really interesting, because they knew I was a gay performer, because they had come to see me at the Gardenia in Los Angeles, and I’ve always been open onstage. I don’t think there was ever a choice for me not to,” Ryan said. “It didn’t make sense for me to deny it. … But on America’s Got Talent, they never discussed with me that they were going to bring it up on air.

Shawn Ryan.

“I escaped that with very few scrapes and bruises. There were people on that show with me who saw their careers totally change, for better or worse. My husband had worked in reality TV for years before I was on America’s Got Talent, so I heard the stories when he came home. I was clear to the producers that I was probably not going to be the best story, because I grew up in a family that was super-positive, and my mom is a motivational speaker. We didn’t know the words ‘can’t,’ ‘won’t,’ ‘no’ and ‘shouldn’t.’ I wasn’t their cup of tea from the beginning. They look for stories and how they can sensationalize something.”

Ryan still acts, often appearing as the gay BFF or the murderer on shows such as Bones and The Mentalist. He laughed when I brought up the stereotypical roles he’s played.

“About five years ago, I was in an acting class, and the teacher said if you haven’t gotten to play something you want, or you’re being stereotyped, write that role for yourself,” he said. “I wrote a short film called Charlie that got bought by Amazon and shown on Amazon Prime, and they loved it.

It was something so different that I wrote for myself and is a completely different character than I’ve played before. With that sense of freedom and the project came opportunities to play so many different roles now; it really did open up the doors.

“But still, on network TV, the roles my agent calls me about are: ‘You’re going to be the gay best friend.’ Of course I am! I’ve studied that role for years!”

Ryan’s holiday-themed comedy/music show should be a hoot.

“This tour is all in support of our new album, Shawn Ryan Live! It’s a two-disc live album that we recorded back in September.

One disc is completely holiday, and we call that Mistle-Ho—twisted takes on all of the classic holiday tunes.

“Some of them, we don’t even have to do a twist. We do a take on Ella Fitzgerald’s ‘Santa Claus Got Stuck in My Chimney,’ and I didn’t change one word. With a gay boy singing it, it changes the meaning completely!”

Shawn Ryan will be performing Mistle-Ho with the Kelly Park Band at 6 p.m. (dinner with show at 8 p.m.), Saturday, Dec. 1, at Michael Holmes’ Purple Room, 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs. Tickets are $25-$30 plus dinner.

For tickets or more information, call 760-3224422, or visit www.purpleroompalmsprings.com.

The Blueskye REPORT DECEMBER 2018

By Brian Blueskye

Tony Bennett The Christmas season is upon us! It’s a magical yet busy time of the year—so be sure to escape the hustle and bustle, and take in some great events.

The McCallum Theatre has an excellent December schedule. At 7 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 2, country icons Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen will be performing. While Lovett may be best known for once being married to Julia Roberts, he’s actually one of the best things to come out of Texas’ country music scene. Robert Earl Keen is also a fantastic singer-songwriter, known mostly for his Americana style. Tickets are $45 to $85. Are you a fan of the Boss? While Springsteen himself won’t be coming to the valley, here’s the next best thing: At 8 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 6, the Desert Symphony with various guests will be performing Bruce in the USA. This should be a great show. Tickets are $65 to $125. Sometimes during the holidays, you just need to laugh, so it’s good that at 3 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 9, comedian Rita Rudner will be stopping by. She’s performed for audiences in Vegas for a long time. Tickets are $38 to $88. McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert; 760-340-2787; www. mccallumtheatre.com.

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino has some great December events. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 1, the reunited Tony Orlando and Dawn will be performing a special Christmasthemed show. When Tony Orlando and Dawn had their television show in the mid ’70s, they were a big hit. Tickets are $39 to $79. At 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 7, the legendary Tony Bennett will be returning to the Fantasy Springs stage. Trust me: It’s amazing to watch Bennett, now 92, still performing shows that last 90 minutes and beyond. Tickets are $49 to $109. Ready to spice up your December with something a little different? At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 15, Latin pop star Paulina Rubio will be performing. Rubio is a huge star in Mexico and is beginning to enjoy success worldwide. She recently released a new continued on page 43 CVIndependent.com

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MUSIC

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SWEET COLLABORATION J

By Brian Blueskye

immie Dale Gilmore is generally classified as a country artist—but that’s a classification Gilmore doesn’t necessarily embrace.

The singer-songwriter and actor—he played Smokey in The Big Lebowski—is currently on tour with Dave Alvin in promotion of their collaboration Downey to Lubbock, and they’ll be appearing together at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace on Friday, Dec. 7.

During a recent phone interview, Gilmore Nelson, and even recorded a song with the explained his collaboration with Dave Alvin.

Seattle band Mudhoney. He said he’s always “We’ve been really good friends for 30 years,” enjoyed the process.

Gilmore said. “We’re mutual fans of each other, “I’m sure it can go wrong, but my experience but we never played music together until last with it has been very positive,” Gilmore said. year. My booking agent called one day and said, “I haven’t done it routinely, but I’ve done it a ‘What do you think about doing a songwriting number of times through the years. For me, it’s tour with you and Dave?’ It worked out so well always been fun and new. and turned out to be such a good pairing. We “It’s almost like all band music is had so much in common musically that we collaboration, in a sense. The other members hadn’t really been aware of and discovered that of the band might not be well-known, but it’s we both had a lot of blues and folk stuff in us always a collaboration. I’ve heard stories of from when we were learning to play. It was like people clashing, but it’s never happened to me.” an experiment that worked.”

Gilmore is a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism.

Gilmore has collaborated with some of I asked how it influences his daily life. country best-known icons, such as Willie “It’s been something that I’ve been so

Jimmie Dale Gilmore and his friend Dave Alvin come to Pappy and Harriet’s to celebrate their new album

interested and involved in for such a long time,” he said. “It’s not just an influence; it’s a big part of the way I approach life. I just finished a meditation retreat this week. One of the main, core pieces of the Buddha’s teachings is the view of what is life, what is real, and your view of life is what determines your happiness or unhappiness. It’s so pervasive, and it colors everything. This is something we could talk about for hours.

“I view Buddhism not as a religion, but a psychology. I see Buddha as the world’s first great psychologist. I don’t see the Buddha as a religious figure; he himself said he was not— that he was not a god, and was someone who had an insight into the way the mind works.

I believe that from what I’ve learned from it.

There are people who treat Buddhism as a religion and sort of worship the Buddha, but I never have.”

Gilmore explained why he doesn’t embrace the country label.

“I don’t really identify with any particular one brand of music,” he said. “I got labeled as a country singer and was deeply influenced by country music as a child, but when I started learning how to play, I was more influenced by the folk music and the folk blues. … My voice makes people instantly think, ‘That’s country!’

I’ve never identified with what’s called country music, and it’s such a diverse thing, anyway.

But I’ve never felt the label has been accurate.

“Country is such an artificial label, anyway.

If you read about the term ‘country music,’ it was invented as a marketing term back in the

Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore.

CVIndependent.com

early days of recording. Among musicians, it’s always a blend of the influences that come together that you happen to be exposed to in your life. Most of the early, well-done country music recorded in a studio—most of the musicians were jazz-players. Louis Armstrong played with Jimmie Rodgers. Labeling things doesn’t make things accurate and doesn’t reflect the ways things really work.”

After listening to Downey to Lubbock, I heard exactly what Gilmore was talking about regarding him and Alvin going back to their folk and blues roots; the album is fantastic.

While discussing the album, Gilmore also offered a preview of their show together.

“It’s a lot louder and more forceful than people are used to with my bands. It’s very lighthearted fun, and Dave is a very good guitarplayer. There’s variety in it, and it’s kind of a comedy show, too,” he said with a laugh. “Dave’s band is really good, and oddly enough, Dave’s bass-player, Brad Fordham, played with me many years ago when I did the recording with Mudhoney and when I was on Elektra Records.

Lisa Pankratz, Dave’s drummer, is truly great and played with me many years ago here in Austin when she was just a teenager. It’s kind of a reunion with me and the band members.”

Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Dave Alvin will perform at 9 p.m., Friday, Dec. 7, at Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, in Pioneertown. Tickets are $25. For tickets or more information, call 760-365-5956, or visit www. pappyandharriets.com.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 43

DECEMBER 2018

The Blueskye REPORT continued from Page 41

José Feliciano album, Deseo, and is ready to rock. Tickets are $39 to $79. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-3425000; www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa is offering a rather varied December schedule. At 8 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 6, José Feliciano will be performing. He opened the doors for many Latin artists to cross over into the American market—and gain success around the world.

He’s also one of the best guitarists alive.

Tickets are $55 to $75. Do you love game shows? If so, you’re in luck (no pun intended), because at 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 14 a live version of The Price Is Right with guest host Jerry Springer will be coming to The Show.

Remember, this is The Price Is Right, not the Jerry Springer Show, meaning there will be no chair-throwing. Tickets are $40 to $60. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 15, and 7 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 16, the local-resident legend himself, Barry Manilow, will perform two Christmasthemed shows. While the shows should be great, they aren’t cheap: Tickets are $100 to $250. How about dancing on New Year’s Eve? At 9 p.m., Monday, Dec. 31, pop-variety cover band Pop Vinyl will provide the soundtrack as the calendar turns to 2019. Tickets are $35. Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-999-1995; www.hotwatercasino.com.

Spotlight 29 has a couple of events worth noting. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 1, comedian Bill Engvall will be performing. He’s one of the Blue Collar Comedy guys (with Jeff Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy and Ron White), best known for his “Here’s your sign!” routine. He’s genuinely hilarious. Tickets are $40 to $60.

From Friday, Dec. 7, through Sunday, Dec. 9, Spotlight 29 will be holding its Annual Winter Gathering Pow Wow. Indigenous people from the United States, Mexico and Canada will be attending this huge event featuring handmade regalia, dancing, songs, arts, food and so on. Admission is free. Spotlight 29 Casino, 46200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-

775-5566; www.spotlight29.com.

Morongo Casino Resort Spa has some holiday events worth considering. At 8:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 15, enjoy the Morongo Holiday Show featuring the George Shelby Orchestra. George Shelby was a member of the American Idol house band for seven seasons and has worked with Toto, Elton John, Sting and many others. Tickets are $99. Looking for something wacky and fun for New Year’s Eve? Well, here ya go: At 8 p.m., Monday, Dec. 31, rock ’n’ roll into the new year with Captain Cardiac and the Coronaries. This band has been playing classic rock and Motown since 1972. Tickets are $45. Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 800-252-4499; www. morongocasinoresort.com.

Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace is rocking throughout December. At 8 p.m., Monday, Dec. 3, it’s going to be a countryrocking Christmas good time when Old 97’s performs. Old 97’s is a noteworthy altcountry band with a lot of great songs—and the group recently put out a Christmas album. Tickets are $25. At 9 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 13, dark-wave band The Soft Moon will take the stage. After checking out the group’s most recent release, Criminal, and some live videos, I have concluded: This band kicks ass, reminding me a bit of 1990s Nine Inch Nails. Be adventurous, and go see this one. Tickets are $16. New Year’s Eve at Pappy and Harriet’s is always an awesome time, and this year should be no exception: At 9 p.m., Monday, Dec. 31, indie-rock band Black Crystal Wolf Kids will help ring in 2019. Don’t expect to be standing still—this is a band that forces you to move around and sing along. Tickets are $20 to $25. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown; 760-3655956; www.pappyandharriets.com.

The Purple Room has some shows that will help you break the holiday blues. At 6 p.m., Friday, Dec. 7, enjoy Lee Squared’s

An Evening With Liberace and Miss Peggy Lee. That’s right: You get two Lees for the price of one, as David Maiocco and Chuck Sweeney put on a musical-comedy show in tribute to the two huge stars. It’s a musical performance with some camp! Tickets are $30 to $40. At 6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 8, actress and singer Joely Fisher will be performing.

You might remember her from the sitcom Ellen in the ’90s; she’s also sang on Broadway.

Tickets are $50 to $60. There are a lot of Elvis impersonators, but at 6 p.m., Friday, Dec. 28, enjoy a special treat—songs from Elvis’ early years, with Scot Bruce. Bruce is a top-notch Elvis performer who is a true dead-ringer for the King himself. Tickets are $25 to $30.

Michael Holmes’ Purple Room, 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-322-4422;

www.purpleroompalmsprings.com.

Toucans Tiki Lounge and Cabaret has started to book some great shows—including some Christmas themed events in December.

At 7:30 p.m., Friday, Saturday and Monday, Dec. 14, 15 and 17, music-comedy duo Amy and Freddy will be performing their Very Divalicious California Christmas. Tickets are $35 to $45. At 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 22, country star Ty Herndon will be performing his Not So Silent Night holiday show. Herndon is known for falling apart in the early 2000s, getting his life together and then coming out in 2014. He’s a fantastic country performer and has three No. 1 singles to his name.

Tickets are $25 to $35 Toucans Tiki Lounge and Cabaret, 2100 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-416-7584; reactionshows.com.

Weekly Entertainment No Ticket / No Cover from 6:30pm-9:30pm

Tuesdays Rose Mallett

Jazz Legend Sings The Music Of Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughn, Duke Ellington & More

Wednesdays Michael Holmes & Kate Campbell

Swinging To The Music Of The Rat Pack Era Special Date Night Menu

Thursdays Sharon Sills Sass, Sex and Songs One Of The Desert’s Most Popular Performers

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Happy Hour

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44 \\ COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT

DECEMBER 2018

MUSIC

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/MUSIC

the

LUCKY 13

Meet a newish member of Spankshaft, and half of an up-and-coming hip-hop duo

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

I would love to not just see, but to share the stage with The Interrupters and The Dollyrots.

NAME Joel Daniel GROUP Spankshaft MORE INFO High-desert ska band Spankshaft put out the long-awaited album Beasts and Goddesses earlier this year—and it was well worth the wait. Despite a series of recent lineup changes, including the departure of drummer Russel Waldron and bassist Brent Simpson, Spankshaft is soldiering on, including a show at The Hood Bar and Pizza on Friday, Dec. 28. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/spankshaft. Speaking of soldiers: One of the new members is Joel Daniel, a music educator, bagpiper and former Marine who now plays trombone for the band.

What was the first concert you attended?

Sounds crazy, but (despite) being a performing artist for my entire adult life, I never really could find the time to go to any major performances until just last year. So I guess you could say that the first “real” concert I attended was Green Day’s Revolution Radio show in San Diego.

What was the first album you owned?

Too-Rye-Ay by Dexys Midnight Runners. I was 12, I think.

What bands are you listening to right now?

The Interrupters, The Dollyrots, Mad Caddies, Less Than Jake, Madness, Mustard Plug, Suburban Legends, My Chemical Romance, Green Day and Evanescence.

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

Today’s “popular” music. It’s over processed with benign lyrics and is simply too easy to digest. Gimme something with a little meat to it—something with chord progressions other than I-IV-V-I, challenging and inspiring instrumental solos, and meaningful poetry in lyrics.

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What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?

Playing sousaphone in polka and Dixieland bands, or rock ’n’ roll bagpipes.

What’s your favorite music venue?

That I’ve played in? The indoor venues would have to either be The Cave in Big Bear or Big Rock Pub. For outdoor venues, it’d be really hard to top the Empire Polo Grounds, where Spankshaft played for Rhythm, Wine and Brews, as well as the Desert Oasis festivals.

Maybe we can make the lineup for Coachella sometime in the near future!

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

“She. She’s figured out, all her doubts were someone else’s point of view,” Green Day, “She.” What band or artist changed your life?

Van Halen. The 1984 album was the first time I discovered music of my own rather than just listening to whatever my parents were always playing. It would’ve been my first album purchase, but my brother had already bought it.

You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?

“What would you like to learn first?” as asked to the rookie band student in high school who has very limited skill, but has the drive, determination and passion to take it all the way.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

Being a professional bagpiper, I most definitely do not want “Amazing Grace” played. With that being said, I’d have to say the slow version of “The Marines’ Hymn” played by a Marine Corps band.

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

Van Halen, 1984. You never forget your first love.

What song should everyone listen to right now?

I think you misspelled the word “album.” I know this is going to sound like a shameless plug, but Spankshaft’s Beasts and Goddesses is absolutely wonderful! … I can honestly say that Brandon Simpson’s songwriting is just so powerful that I honestly listen to Spankshaft’s music just for the pure enjoyment of it—even the album they recorded before I joined the band!

NAME T-Lick GROUP Off Kilter MORE INFO Off Kilter performed at the September CV Independent Presents show at The Hood Bar and Pizza with The Bermuda and Kosha Dillz. It was the duo’s first full live set (after some open-mic appearances at The Hood and the Big Rock Pub)—and they were fantastic. They recently arrived in the Coachella Valley from Santa Cruz; hopefully, there’s more to come. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/offkiltermusic.

Woman in Me is flame. “If It Don’t Take Two” is my favorite song on there, and I probably could recite it word for word. Also, what a babe. I nominate her to be my Babe of the Week this week.

What was the first concert you attended?

Brother Ali in San Luis Obispo.

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

“Chug-a-lug, chug-a-lug. Make you want to holler hi-de-ho,” “Chug-a-Lug,” Roger Miller.

What was the first album you owned?

Kevin Sharp’s Measure of a Man. What bands are you listening to right now?

My favorite band out right now is Orgōne. I drop everything to go see them when they’re in town. My favorite reggae band is Soulwise, straight out of my hometown of Santa Cruz.

Whaddup, Soulwise!

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

I don’t understand mainstream pop radio. It all sounds the same. We’re in the Derek Zoolander era of music, because these artists only have one look and sound!

What’s your favorite music venue?

Moe’s Alley in Santa Cruz. Legendary spot.

What band or artist changed your life?

André 3000. Every aspect of his art and style is different. He’s arguably the greatest lyricist of all time. His originality as a musician and inability to conform has been a huge inspiration.

You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?

Shania Twain, from the cover of The Woman in Me album: “Will you marry me?”

What song would you like played at your funeral?

“Sell Your Dope” by Afroman.

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

Michael Jackson, Prince and James Brown.

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

Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?

I’m a huge Shania Twain fan. Her album The

What song should everyone listen to right now?

Luther Vandross, “Never Too Much.”

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 45

DECEMBER 2018

CANNABIS IN THE CV

LEGAL WEED TURNS 1

As the anniversary of cannabis legalization approaches, the valley is just starting to reap the economic benefits

BY ROBIN GOINS

A

fter California’s legalization of cannabis in January 2018, many people in the Coachella Valley noticed the start of a “Green Rush” of business—and have questions about how it will affect the economics of the valley.

Since this is a new industry in the state, that question can be answered, at least in part, by examining the outcomes in states that already have a history of legalized cannabis, such as Colorado. There is a great deal of data that can be gathered from that state that shows the Coachella Valley may be on its way to—pardon the pun—much greener pastures.

In March, The Denver Post reported the results of a landmark study done by Colorado State University-Pueblo in Pueblo County, which found that legalized marijuana had an unprecedented impact on the economy. It found that the cannabis industry contributed $58 million to the local economy of Pueblo County alone in 2016. Once the costs of the industry were deducted—such as additional law enforcement and social services—the county still netted a $35 million economic benefit.

Other positive outcomes have included an increase in jobs, home values and philanthropic contributions, such as school scholarships and other community investments. A September 2017 article in Denver newspaper Westword reported on a study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison showing that the average property value for homes within a tenth of a mile of a dispensary increased by $27,000 after legalization. Westword reported that the study “also identified some underlying factors that may have increased property values in vicinities closest to dispensaries, including lower crime rates, additional amenities nearby and a surge in housing demand because of Denver’s growing marijuana sector.” The study concluded that the industry had created 23,407 full time jobs in the state by January 2017.

In other words … so far, so good on the economic front. However, newly legal marijuana brings with it more than just business. In 2016,

Andrew Freedman, then Colorado’s director of marijuana coordination—often called the state’s “marijuana czar”—told High Times: “At the end of the day, the debate shouldn’t be about tax revenue. ‘Should we lock up fewer people for marijuana?’ vs. ‘Is this going to create more of a burden on public safety?’—that’s where the debate should be.”

Fortunately, the news thus far is good regarding public safety, too. I have seen no data that suggests legalization had any impact on homeless rates or marijuana use among youth— two frequent concerns in communities when marijuana is first legalized—and some peerreviewed studies show legal marijuana actually decreases crime. A 2017 study published in The Economic Journal concluded: “We show that the introduction of medical marijuana laws leads to a decrease in violent crime in states that border Mexico. The reduction in crime is strongest for counties close to the border … and for crimes that relate to drug-trafficking. In addition, we find that MMLs in inland states lead to a reduction in crime in the nearest border state.

Our results are consistent with the theory that decriminalization of the production and distribution of marijuana leads to a reduction in violent crime in markets that are traditionally controlled by Mexican drug trafficking organizations.”

So … what does all of this mean for the Coachella Valley, as more and more cities began allowing dispensaries and other businesses?

The overall outlook is excellent as the one-year anniversary of state legalization approaches.

Yes, challenges remain as local governments continue to grapple with what they will allow; however, the economic impact cannot be denied: There’s no doubt there are great financial gains to be had throughout the valley as we go green.

Robin Goins is a business consultant for DR.G Consulting and works extensively in the cannabis industry in the Coachella Valley. For more information, visit www.drrobingoins.com.

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DECEMBER 2018

OPINION SAVAGE LOVE

CVINDEPENDENT.COM/OPINION

SEX AND THEN JUST FRIENDS

BY DAN SAVAGE

I

’ve been spending a lot of time lately thinking about myself, my sexuality and my romantic self.

I can log on and easily find someone to fuck. I’m a bear-built top guy. There are ladies in my life who choose to share their beds with me. I can find subs to tie up and torture. (I’m kinky and bi.) What I can’t find is a long-term partner. The problem is that after I fuck/sleep with/torture someone, my brain stops seeing them as sexual and moves them into the friend category. I have friends who I used to fuck regularly, and now, it’s a chore to get it up for them. Sure, the sex still feels good, but it’s not passionate. And when it’s all said and done, they’re still in the “friend” category in my brain. Some of them have suggested being more, but I’ve recoiled. There’s nothing wrong with them, but they’re friends, not potential partners.

I’m 32, and the people I grew up with are If your siblings and friends want to have married and having kids. And here I am not able the kinds of relationships they’re having— to find a long-term significant other. Am I broken? and it is possible some do not—they will feel Should I just accept that, at least for me, sexual no inner conflict about their choices while partners and domestic/romantic partners will simultaneously being showered with praise for always be separate categories? their choices. But what are they really doing?

They’re doing what they want; they’re doing Always Alone what makes them happy; they’re doing what works for them romantically, emotionally What if you’re not like most everyone else? and sexually. And what are you doing? Maybe What if this is just how your sexuality you’re doing what you want, AA—maybe you’re works? What if you’re wired—emotionally, doing what could make you happy. So why romantically, sexually—for intense but doesn’t it make you happy? Maybe because brief sexual connections that blossom into you’ve been made to feel broken by a culture wonderful friendships? And what if you’ve that holds up one relationship model—the been tricked into thinking you’re broken, partnered and preferably monogamous pair— because the kind of successful long-term and insists that this model is the only healthy relationships your siblings and friends have are and whole option, and that anyone who goes a celebrated, and the kind of successful shortdifferent way, fucks a different way, or relates a term relationships you have are stigmatized? different way is broken.

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After I play with someone, I no longer think of that person sexually; am I broken?

Now, it’s possible you are broken, of course, but anyone could be broken. You could be broken; I could be broken; your married siblings and friends could be broken. (Regarding your siblings and friends: Not everyone who marries and has kids wanted marriage and kids. Some no doubt wanted it, AA, but others succumbed to what was expected of them.) But here’s a suggestion for something I want you to try, something that might make you feel better, because it could very well be true: Try to accept that, for you, sexual partners and domestic/ romantic partners might always be separate, and that doesn’t mean you’re broken. If that self-acceptance makes you feel whole, AA, then you have your answer.

I might make a different suggestion if your brief-but-intense sexual encounters left a lot of hurt feelings in their wake. But that’s not the case. You hook up with someone a few times; you share an intense sexual experience; and you feel a brief romantic connection to them.

And when those sexual and romantic feelings subside, you’re not left with a string of bitter exes and enemies, but with a large and growing circle of good friends. Which leads me to believe that even if you aren’t doing what everyone else is doing, AA, you’re doing something right.

By the way … another option if you do want to get married someday: a companionate marriage to one of your most intimate friends—someone like you, AA, who also sees potential life partners and potential sex partners as two categories with no overlap— and all the Grindr hookups and BDSM sessions you like with one-offs who become good friends.

I knew my little brother had an odd fascination with rubber that would likely become sexual. He would steal rubber gloves and hide them in his room, and there was a huge meltdown when our mother found a gas mask in his room when he was 12.

My brother is in his 30s now and has a closet full of rubber “gear” that he dresses in pretty much exclusively. All of his friends are rubber fetishists.

When he travels, it’s only to fetish events where he can wear his rubber clothing publicly.

I read your column and I understand that kinks aren’t chosen, and they can be incorporated into a person’s sex life in a healthy way. But my brother’s interest in rubber seems obsessive. Your thoughts?

Rubbered Up Baby Brother’s Erotic Rut

Affiliate Chamber

If your brother were obsessed with surfing or snowboarding and built his life around chasing waves or powder—and would date only people who shared his passion—you wouldn’t have

written me. Same goes if he were obsessed with pro sports, as so many straight men are, or Broadway shows, as so many gay men are.

The only “problem” here is that your brother’s obsession makes his dick hard—and to be clear, RUBBER, the problem is yours, not his. An erotic obsession or passion is just as legitimate as a nonerotic one. And even if I thought your brother had a problem, nothing I wrote here would result in him liking his rubber any less.

I’m a 28-year-old straight man married to a 26-year-old straight woman. My wife and I were watching a video about sex and the female orgasm, and they were talking about how, unlike men, women don’t have a refractory period after orgasm.

We were confused, because we are the complete opposite. I have never experienced drowsiness, lessened sensitivity or quickened loss of erection after orgasm. My wife, on the other hand, doesn’t even like me kissing her bits after orgasm. She says they feel tender and sore afterward. Is this normal?

Newlywed’s Orgasms Rarely Multiply What you describe isn’t the norm, NORM, but it’s your norm.

Most men temporarily lose interest in sex immediately after climaxing. It’s called the refractory period, and it can last anywhere from 15 minutes (for teenagers) to 24 hours (for old-timers). It’s a hormone thing: After a guy comes, his pituitary gland pumps prolactin into his bloodstream—and prolactin blocks dopamine, the hormone that makes a dude horny and keeps him horny. But some men release very little prolactin and consequently have short refractory periods; a handful of men have no refractory period at all and are capable of multiple orgasms. You don’t mention the ability to come again and again, but you do sound exceptional in that you don’t lose your erection after you come. Your wife also sounds exceptional, NORM, since most orgasmic women are capable of having multiple orgasms—but most women ≠ all women.

(I’ve always loved what groundbreaking sex researcher Mary Jane Sherfey wrote in 1966: “The more orgasms she has, the more she can have—for all intents and purposes, the human female is sexually insatiable.” Emphasis hers.)

But again, NORM, there’s nothing wrong with either of you. Your norm isn’t the norm— and that’s OK. Read Savage Love every Wednesday at CVIndependent.com; mail@savagelove.net; @ fakedansavage on Twitter; ITMFA.org.

COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT // 47

DECEMBER 2018

OPINION COMICS & JONESIN’ CROSSWORD

“Cast of Characters”— all with the help of one person.

Across 1 Celebrity news site 4 “___ the season” 7 Site for some trivia events 10 “So frustrating …”

13 Sugarloaf Mountain locale 14 Coach Parseghian 15 Make up stuff 16 Mauna ___ (Hawaiian volcano) 17 Character co-created by 63-Across 19 Abbr. on toothpaste boxes 20 ___-Wan Kenobi 21 Sasha’s older sister 22 Character co-created by 63-Across 25 “Here, I’ll get that” 27 Auguries 28 Canterbury Tales site 30 Great Lake name 31 Borrow (forever) 32 Starts to drop off 34 Dir. of this clue

35 “Incorrect” 39 Group of characters co-created by 63-Across 40 With “The,” character co-created by 63-Across 42 Character co-created by 63-Across 43 Mexican blanketlike shawl 45 Round fig.

46 Recording 47 Quit being serious 48 Open a little 50 Important 51 Colorado resort town 54 Create cartoons 56 Character co-created by 63-Across 58 Hands out hands 61 He did Solo work 62 Bird bill 63 Late comics maven whose career spanned eight decades 65 Foucault’s Pendulum author Umberto 66 Sport ___ (4x4) 67 Cassis-and-white

wine cocktail 68 December 31, e.g.

69 Court partition 70 It gets steamrollered 71 Magic 8-Ball response 72 Liquor flavored with juniper Down 1 Quick haircut 2 Actress Sorvino 3 Ben Stiller character with signature looks 4 Dish served in cornhusks 5 Glass on the radio 6 Sub, e.g.

7 Lean on the horn 8 Assistant 9 Digital data display 10 Mitt 11 ABC host Roberts 12 Train tracks 18 Zero, in rugby 23 Patriotic memorabilia 24 Former Cowboy Smith 26 Emulated Cicero 28 “Need You Tonight”

group 29 1890s gold rush city 31 Two-letter pair 33 Moved sinuously 36 Get going 37 “I don’t want that” 38 The Book of Mormon co-creator Parker 41 Ballet great Vaslav 44 Pesto ingredient 49 Detection methods 51 Beyond pale 52 First word of a Star Trek opener 53 Wine variety 54 Late Night With Seth Meyers writer/ performer Ruffin 55 Pin in the back 57 EGOT winner Moreno 59 Jeans maker Strauss 60 Noticed 64 Knot up ©2018 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@ jonesincrosswords.com) Find out the answers in the “About” section of CVIndependent.com!

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DECEMBER 2018

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Come experience our delicious food and warm hospitality in Downtown Palm Springs.

760-325-2794

222 South Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, CA 92262 CVIndependent.com