Coachella Valley Weekly - February 18 to February 24, 2016 Vol. 4 No. 48

News

Music

Movies

Dining

PSHS Band

Conga Beth

Community Events

coachellavalleyweekly.com • February 18 to February 24, 2016 Vol. 4 No. 48

Warburton Celebrity Golf

pg 8

pg 9

pg 10

DJ Sugarfree

pg 11

LQ Arts Fest

pg 13

February 18 to February 24, 2016

2

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

Coachella Valley Weekly

coachellavalleyweekly.com publisher@coachellavalleyweekly.com facebook.com/cvweekly

760.501.6228

Publisher & Editor Tracy Dietlin Art Director Robert Chance Sales Team Deborah Evans Classified Manager & Nightlife Editor Phil Lacombe Features Writer Lisa Morgan, Rich Henrich, Heidi Simmons, Denise Ortuno Neil, Judith Salkin Writers/Contributors: Robin Simmons, Rick Riozza, Craig Michaels, Bronwyn Ison, Haddon Libby, Janet McAfee, Rachel Montoya, Angela Janus, Dale Gribow, Raymond Bill, Jack St. Clair, Rob Brezny, Eleni P. Austin, Noe Gutierrez, Sunny Simon, Dr. Peter Kadile, Bruce Cathcart, Julie Buehler, Flint Wheeler, Laura Hunt Little, Lola Rossi, Dee Jae Cox, Patte Purcell, Esther Sanchez, Rebecca Pikus, Angela Valente Romeo, Janet Newcomb, Alex Updike, Jenny Wallis, Uncle Ben Photographers Laura Hunt Little, Scott Pam, Lani Garfield, Chris Miller, La Maniaca, Esther Sanchez Distribution Phil Lacombe, William Westley

Contents Schmidy’s Tavern.....................................3 Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year........7 Warburton Celebrity Golf Tournament...8 IHS Performing Arts Center....................8 PSHS “The Spirit of the Sands”...............9 PSHS String Quartet - Beatles Musical...9 Backstage Jazz - Conga Beth................10 DJ Sugarfree..........................................11 Consider This - Emitt Rhodes................12 Art Scene- La Quinta Arts Festival........13 Pet Place.................................................14 The Vino Voice .......................................15 Club Crawler Nightlife...........................16 Art Scene - Spectrum Indian Wells.......20 Obama Protesters .................................21 Boxing at Tortoise Rock Casino............23 Boxing at Fantasy Springs Casino........23 Safety Tips..............................................24 Sports Scene..........................................24 Haddon Libby........................................25 Dale Gribow...........................................25 Ask Jenny ...............................................26 The Dock.................................................26 Will Donato- Walk To End Alzheimer’s....25 Free Will Astrology................................27 Mind, Body & Spirit ...............................27 Beauty....................................................28 Life & Career Coach ...............................28

Schmidy’s Tavern Closing

RENT DOUBLED ON COMMUNITY-CENTERED BUSINESS, forced to close their doors, music is silenced

February 18 to February 24, 2016

By rich henrich Cover Photo by scott pam

W

e often speak about “community” as a sense of place, a gathering of diverse minds aligned by a shared value system to look out for one another. We take pride in our community and we work hard to build a place full of vitality and robust with friendliness. We strive to know our neighbors in our community and we often come together in times of need to support each other. This is what communities do - they help each other and celebrate each other. This is the story of a business that did everything right in their community yet must close their doors. The saddest part of this is discovering they are not the anomaly but increasingly becoming the norm in the Coachella Valley.

As local governments and economic development think tanks work tirelessly to build “community” and bring businesses into their towns that will enhance the quality of life, provide cultural opportunities, add jobs and entertainment, Palm Desert and Coachella Valley residents prepare to say “good bye” to Schmidy’s Tavern, an exemplary example of a community-centered business. “It’s just sad. It really is but when your rent gets raised over 100% in a year, a small business can’t sustain that kind of blow,” says Dennis Ford, the owner of the popular restaurant, tavern and music venue. He says he started working to negotiate a new lease in September of 2014, knowing the lease would be up in March of 2015. It took Realty Trust Group, a multi-generational private real estate equity investment firm, based in Murrieta, CA, until December 2014 to respond. Then a counter offer was rejected and by March of 2015, Schmidy’s Tavern was operating month-to-month without a lease and a 50% increase in rent. Recently, another anchor property, Outback Steakhouse had a similar rent hike. “We’re not a big corporate chain, it’s just my wife and me. We put our retirement into this and were succeeding but there’s just no way we can keep our doors open with over 100% increase in our rent,” says the dejected Ford.

As of this printing, Realty Trust Group has not responded to our inquiries to understand the recent rent hikes at the Palm Desert properties. According to their website, their mission is to “acquire and manage a diversified portfolio of high quality well located trophy properties.” The vision of the company is “to wisely steward the limited resources entrusted to us with integrity and purpose.”

Photo By Esther Sanchez

On the home page, a quote reads: “Provision, Stewardship, Tenant Satisfaction, Earned Profit, Significance.” Their “About Us” page reveals a bit about their values and strategy along with their history.

Our Values: • Responsibility – Our actions always reflect knowing we are held accountable for building with and improving on the resources entrusted to us.

• Trust – We uphold the interests of our tenants, our communities, and the vested partners in all our dealings.

• Relationships – We value the people and companies we work with to accomplish more together.

• Creating Value – We best serve others by working to create and preserve value in the communities we invest in.

Our Measurables: • Our tenants prosper, and communities enhanced by our investments.

• We weather financial storms and cycles by our conservative use of debt and cash reserves.

Photo By Esther Sanchez

• We achieve above average returns over competing property types in the same market over the longer term. We accomplish this by our expertise, diligence, patient capital, and trusted professional relationships we bring to the table.

• We practice generosity. Our profit has purpose beyond ourselves, and we steward those resources and opportunities with the same diligence.

Schmidy’s Tavern opened their doors nearly three years ago in Palm Desert. In the past three years, owners Dennis and Kathy Ford have made plenty of new friends, helped encourage the upswing in the local music scene, booked both national and international acts, opened their stage to young musicians needing a space to perform recitals for parents, family and friends and perhaps most impressive, have held numerous benefit concerts to support area non-profits. One of the keys to building healthy, thriving communities, according to Alan Webber, co-founder of Fast Company, is the ability to contribute to local non-profits. And as a policy advisor who helped shape the success of Portland, OR, he definitely understands the role of government in changing people’s lives and how business impacts individual lives- for better or worse.

For the past couple years, local musician, father and head of Concert for Autism, Josh Heinz has held his event at Schmidy’s Tavern.

Over the past couple years, nearly $15,000 has been raised for local non-profit Lumpy’s Foundation, an organization that helps support families with autistic children pay continue to page 5

3

February 18 to February 24, 2016

4

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

SCHMIDY’S continued from page 3

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

Photo By Steve Young

for therapists. “Kathy and Dennis have been great supporters of the local music scene and tremendous supporters of Concert for Autism.

They really helped us expand last year,” says Heinz of the Palm Desert venue that helps raise money for autism and so many other important local causes and events, such as AMFM Fest. It is difficult to assess what the loss of this business will mean to the nonprofit community and community that has formed around the friendly, inviting and supportive establishment that Dennis, Kathy and their awesome staff have created but the impact will be felt and the quality of life in the desert will undoubtedly slip a couple notches.

“We’re losing a quality restaurant, a place for craft beer and cocktails and an important music venue,” says Jack Kohler, who’s been booking music in the desert for over ten years.

“Our goal was not to get rich. We just wanted to meld in, get along and have fun.

We put our retirement into this,” says owner Kathy Ford. “We weren’t planning on doing music,” hands-on owner Dennis Ford says of the tavern. “We did it kinda as a favor but when I saw the crowd come in, I told Kathy, we need to do live music, that’s the secret to success here!” His voice echoes with pride and glee. Dennis says they’re most surprised at how many friends they’ve made in the nearly three years of being open. “It means a lot to have so many people willing to support us. It’s just difficult because even if they could help us for a month or two to keep our doors open, it wouldn’t be enough. With the way things are, the Canadians aren’t down here like they have been and while that doesn’t directly support our business, a lot of people who do come in depend on those dollars. It hasn’t been a good season. We’d need $25,000/ month to stay in business with the current rent and that’s not looking likely.” His voice is somber.

“Schmidy’s is really the last of their kind,” Photo By Esther Sanchez

says music booker Jack Kohler. “Dennis is the most gentle-souled dude I’ve ever met. He’s been nothing but supportive to the music scene from bands to karaoke and recitals. He’s totally community focused and that’s the saddest part about the closing.” The scene will lose more than just a venue, as the neighborhoodgathering place will send patrons into the proverbial valley to wonder in search of a new “community.” The closing of Schmidy’s Tavern will cut options for entertainment and an important launch pad for valley talent.

“No venue offers the hospitality or pay out like Schmidy’s. For the few local promoters that are interested in keeping desert music alive, the venues are fading and this ebb will definitely impact the local music scene. It’s really an equal opportunity venue and one of the last indie artist supported venues for original music,” says Kohler.

Jack Kohler and his cohorts are planning a four-day festival in late March along with his company Fortune Finder Music Group to help support Schmidy’s on their way to new horizons. “It will be our way to say thanks to Dennis and Kathy for what they’ve done for the local scene. They’ve done so much for this community and are great people. It’s sad that they have to close their doors. It doesn’t make sense. This is our way of bringing some positivity into a really unfortunate situation.” For any bands that want to play and participate in this event, connect with Jack on Schmidy’s Facebook page or reach him through FortuneFinderMusic@gmail.com.

“Maybe we should have raised our prices last year,” ponders Kathy Ford. “We’ve always done what we felt was best for our customers,” says Dennis, “and if we doubled our prices like the rent was doubled on us, it wouldn’t be right. So, we sucked it up and hoped for a better resolution. That’s not happening. The owners seem to have a different business plan.” According to their value statement, their plan to not negotiate a reasonable lease with Schmidy’s appears to be out of line with: • Trust – We uphold the interests of our tenants, our communities, and the vested partners in all our dealings.

• Relationships – We value the people and companies we work with to accomplish more together.

• Creating Value – We best serve others by working to create and preserve value in the communities we invest in.

And their measurable don’t seem to fit the picture that’s been painted with Schmidy’s Tavern either: • Our tenants prosper, and communities enhanced by our investments.

It’s gut-wrenching to see all the effort and investment of time, energy, creativity and hard work be halted by invisible hands. Like in the classic Fritz Lang sci-fi Metropolis the Head and Hands need to work together but they need a mediator, a heart to unite the two and form an alliance all people can celebrate. “This is not right! What’s sad is we’re not the first business in the valley that this has happened to. If anyone has a clue on what we can do to keep our doors open, we’re willing to listen,” pleads Kathy Ford. “It’s been admirable to see Dennis’ growth and I want to see that success continue. We need help. We don’t want to close our doors.”

If you can help the Ford’s please reach out to them. Part of the responsibility of a community is to stand up for what’s right and help our neighbors in need. The Ford’s, the local talent and the patrons of Schmidy’s Tavern are doing all they can. Let’s help save a business that supports music and our local non-profits and let’s demand that business practices in this community are held to our community values. It might be easy to look at a spreadsheet and determine to raise the rent but this is not just about raising rent, this is about forcing an important hub of our community out of business. It is time for those who support local music and a quality venue to ask questions and demand a solution be worked out to keep Schmidy’s Tavern open.

Haven’t we lost enough businesses already?

Haven’t we lost enough venues? It’s time to help our neighbors, the ones who’ve helped our community in so many ways keep their doors open. Please join in the fight for what’s right! Do not let the music die! We all share a responsibility in keeping the music scene alive.

Please join Schmidy’s and tell everyone you know about the situation they face in Palm Desert. Call on the Chamber of Commerce.

Call on the City Council and let them know how critical this business is to our Valley.

-------------------------------------------------Tracy Dietlin: (owner & publisher CV Weekly) This is the most difficult issue I’ve had to put together in almost 4 years of publishing this paper. Phil and I wanted to put Dennis & Kathy Ford on the cover for several reasons: To honor what they have done for the community in the last 3 years they’ve been in business, let the community voice how much they love them and will miss them, to give them a proper goodbye, and to possibly reach the ears of anyone who might be able to turn this situation around.

For Phil and me, Schmidy’s has become more than a bar to us, but a second home.

Dennis & Kathy became more than advertising clients very early on and became very dear friends. We have celebrated our business Anniversaries together for the last 2 years, making it difficult to celebrate our 4 years of publication April 1, when they will be closing their doors March 31 instead of celebrating their 3 year mark.

I celebrated my last 2 birthdays there. Phil has booked numerous shows there. It’s a very sad time for all of us but mostly for Dennis & Kathy as they are the ones actually losing their business. Over the last 3 years they have helped many bands build a following, many

February 18 to February 24, 2016 benefits like Concert for Autism and Street Life Project raise much needed funds. And when Musicians Outlet burned down last year they were there for us to have a benefit to help raise money to assist in saving that business. I wish there was more that we could do to give back all they have given us. Phil and I will miss hanging out on the patio with Dennis & Kathy.

While there are other bars and music venues to go to...the Fords are irreplaceable! They are family! We love you both!

Below are some comments from a handful of people that have been closely involved with Schmidy’s and the Fords. While there were many more who wanted to comment we only had so much space. CV Weekly will keep readers posted on the “End of the World” festival that will take place at Schmidy’s March 24-27, as they unfold. Mark your calendars so you can come out and send Dennis & Kathy off with a bang!

Phil Lacombe: (#2 at CV Weekly/Talent Booker at Schmidy’s) It saddens me to think about this place not being open. I just want to thank Dennis and Kathy for always allowing me to book local and out of town talent there. It has been one hell of a ride. You guys will truly be missed.

Thank you for all you’ve done for this music community. It never went unnoticed. Good luck with your future ventures.

Lisa Morgan: (RBuckleRoad, Lisa Lynn & Country Gentlemen/music writer CV Weekly/ talent booker at Schmidy’s) I remember like it was yesterday, talking to Dennis and Kathy Ford for the first time just after they took ownership of Schmidy’s Tavern in April of 2013. Their wide eyed excitement having taken the leap to pursue a dream was contagious. We spent so much time talking about live music, especially the original bands as well as how he wanted to nurture the bar back into its full, awesome potential. Dennis said he was committed to bringing live music in all genres every weekend, and he never went back on that. No matter how hard times got, the Fords were people of their word and their commitment to local music was golden.

I can’t think of my own recent music life, as a performer, booking agent, or promoter without Schmidy’s and the Fords. And I can’t even begin to calculate how much money was raised for various charities within their walls over the years. I owe so much of my own personal growth to them, their open door and open hearts. I would not be the same without them. It was a safe place to showcase new music and ideas among friends; a place to grow and network with fellow creators. It was a place to see desert icons like Terry Reid, Jesse Hughes, Nick Oliveri and so many more.

They made a huge impact in a very short time; their indelible mark on this community, this local music scene, and every individual they called friend, will never be forgotten.

Josh Heinz: (Blasting Echo/Founder & Promoter of Concert for Autism benefit/host of Schmidy’s Open Mic) From the very first time I met Dennis, I knew he was a stand-up guy and a straight shooter. I met him in the first few months he took over and from the outset he wanted it to be a great music venue. continue to page 5

5

February 18 to February 24, 2016

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

SCHMIDY’S continued from page 5

They wanted to help the music scene in the desert grow. And they did. They provided a venue for so many bands to get their start or just have a place to play. Some bands may have had it a lot tougher trying to break in at other places, but Dennis and Kathy wanted to give everyone a chance.

They also catered to every genre you could think of, not just rock, hard rock, metal and punk. They had jazz shows, R&B, country, reggae, classic rock and hip hop. They would also put on shows with underage bands, when no other venue would do those.

Certainly, for me, the benefit shows mean a lot. Dennis and Kathy gave us free reign of the place for the last two Autism Benefits. And each year we raised more money. And that’s great. But it was the vibe that we had each year. They really provided an environment that made everyone feel great about being there and taking part. Our benefit was only one of several that Schmidy’s hosted. And that just goes to show the heart that they have had for our community.

I’ve been fortunate enough to host the open mic there for over a year and a half.

But Dennis had the open mic going there well before I took it on. Rob Lawrence, Lance Reibsomer and Vanessa Reddin all did their time running it. It certainly says something about Dennis and Kathy’s love for the music scene that they kept it going. Open mics can be hit or miss. Sometimes busy. Sometimes not. I’m sure it wasn’t a great money maker for them, but they still wanted it to be a weekly thing, at a time when no one else around here would do that anymore. Open mics provide new or inexperienced talent to hone their craft, while giving more seasoned players an outlet to work on new stuff or refresh old ideas. You never know who you will meet or what new talent you will be exposed to. It will be sorely missed.

The sad thing is that this hurts everyone.

It hurts all the bands. If you think that on the average Friday and Saturday, each night would have 3 bands on the bill. So now - every

Photo By Steve Young

weekend - you will have 6 less bands being able to get out there and play. That in turn hurts the fans of local music. It gives them less variety of music to go see.

It also hurts the scene. When a really good venue closes it only makes it look like the scene can’t sustain itself. And the truth is that, yes, people should be more supportive of live music and live music venues. But in this situation that isn’t the problem. The problem is a greedy landlord who is willing to raise the rent to such an obscene amount that it is impossible to continue.

And that brings us to the worst part. The people this hurts the most are the employees of Schmidy’s and Dennis and Kathy themselves.

They poured three years of their lives into this place. It’s their livelihood that is in question.

They have to figure out how to pay their bills and put food on the table. They have been so giving to us and the community. As a friend to them, I’m very sad that this has happened and I wish the future for them is much brighter.

And I’m willing to help them in any way.

Noe Gutierrez: (Aphrodisiac Jacket, Wyte Gye/talent booker at Schmidy’s) Dennis and Kathleen Ford have allowed me to be a part of the Schmidy’s family for the past couple of years. When they approached me about booking and producing shows I had an idea of what I wanted to accomplish.

They gave me full artistic control and during this short time we created some unique live music moments together. I just want to tell them that I love them and that their efforts will never be forgotten.

Marcus Smith: (aka Johnny Sugarbritches/ talent booker at Schmidy’s/Famous Psychos) How can you sum up what a couple of genuine, kind hearted and honest people like Dennis and Kathleen Ford are in a couple paragraphs? You can’t. There’s no possible way to explain how this valleys music scene has taken off because of these two. There is no way to thank them for everything they do, and let us do, to entertain ourselves on any given weekend. One time I had this idea. I wanted to mix genres of music.

We had done our first show at another local spot which was fun. However, I couldn’t get the go ahead to do a mix genre show. I tried everywhere. I finally approached Dennis and he said without hesitation, might I add, “Absolutely, I don’t think it’ll work, but let’s try it out.”

It worked, it was amazing. There were tons of people behind the scenes making it happen as well, but it was that initial “yes, please Johnny, destroy my bar with your crazy ideas” that got me started in my new hobby. Fast

Photo By Scott Pam

6

forward two years and Schmidy’s is the only place I have booked shows. It saddens me that we will no longer have this wonderful outlet to do as we please.

Not only are we losing a great, nay THE BEST venue, we are losing a friendly place to stop in during a bad work day. Bartenders that do not sugar coat our whining by enabling us to continue to whine. A friendly smile and a handshake from the most honest human being I have ever come in contact with. We are losing a second home. Thank You Dennis and Kathy for everything! Words can never express my Gratitude!

Chelsea Sugarbritches: (Long Duk Dong/5th Town) Dennis and Kathy have been an integral part of local bands being able to have a voice these past 3 years. They have ALWAYS had an open door, open mind policy about booking shows.

An anything goes kind of policy that proved to us all that they were in this for the love of music and people. When Dennis announced they were going to have to shut the doors, my heart was broken. Schmidy’s is where we all feel at home. We’re a family. Schmidy’s is our Cheers. I can’t begin to express how much love and appreciation I have for Dennis and Kathy and what they’ve accomplished the past 3 years. I refuse to say this is the end. It’s the beginning of a new adventure and I hope we all get to continue to be a part of it. Love you guys! Xoxoxo Esther Sanchez: (Techno Hillbillies/music writer CV Weekly/talent booker at Schmidy’s) Last week I logged into facebook as usual and at the top of my newsfeed was a post from Dennis Ford informing us of the fate of our beloved Schmidy’s Tavern and my heart broke over the news. What Dennis and Kathleen have done in support of local musicians is immeasurable. The obvious is true...they set up a situation that has given a platform for local artists, both established and aspiring, to perform when the vast majority of other venue owners do not see the benefit of doing so. But those of us who have had the pleasure of working with them know it is so much more than that. Many locals have heard me say that the Fords have become the cool Aunt and Uncle of the Coachella Valley music scene.

Caring, supportive, patient and open-minded, I have seen them give opportunities to many wonderful people when nobody else would.

As a performer who is proud to have had the opportunity to utilize Schmidy’s stage on many occasions, I can say with all honesty that it’s been so much more than a bar where you can catch a band with your burger and beer.

It is a haven for musicians and music lovers alike; a sanctuary for friends to come together and make lifelong memories. As a promoter, I have said many times that the Fords welcomed me with open arms and for whatever reason, trusted me and pretty much let me do whatever I wanted. These are just a few of the many reasons that I have enormous love for them and their heart for our community. The CV Music scene is taking a harsh blow and is truly in mourning. Now is the time for us as a community to give back to the Ford’s some of the unprecedented support they have shown us.

Randy & Cindy Hewitson: (owners of

Musician’s Outlet) So sad to see another Desert Icon Go! It’s so unfortunate because Dennis and Kathleen were always there to support any cause. Lots of money was raised there and was because of their desire to do two things ....one was giving local bands a place to play and the other was to have a venue that was available to raise money for locals in need. They sure helped us right after the fire we experienced in July 2015. Thank you Dennis & Kathleen!

BRIDGER: (Katie Cathcart, Jim Cathcart, Jacob Miller, Dan Wheat) Kathy and Dennis, Thank you for giving us and the local music scene an amazing venue for the last few years. In a valley where opportunities can be slim for a musician, you’ve provided not only a stage but a home for many of us. Thank you for the selflessness, sacrifice, and support. Schmidy’s Tavern will always be a part of us. BRIDGER will miss you.

Cheers.

Dan Wheat: (Bridger, Sweat Act) Dennis and Kathy have provided us with such a great place to be and express our artistic values. They are such a dynamic duo.

They’ve welcomed me and anything I’ve been involved in with the greatest open arms.

Losing this establishment is really going to leave its mark on us all. We love you, Dennis and Kathy. Cheers.

SWEAT ACT: (Troy Whitford, Chris Long, Dan Wheat) Schmidy’s has always been a warm spot in our hearts. Dennis and Kathy have been more than welcoming, accommodating, and supportive for us. We’ve played more shows there than anywhere else and it is completely heartbreaking to be losing the venue we’ve called home.

PERISHMENT: (Bobby, Tommy, Aaron and Ruben) Schmidy’s Tavern has played a massive part in getting Perishment where we are today.

Back in May of 2014 Dennis and Kathleen took a chance and booked our CD release show, really not ever hearing us or knowing us personally. That show helped change everything for us. From then on we built a strong relationship. They always respected us, our genre and embraced ideas show-wise that we threw their way. We will always be grateful for everything the Fords have done for us and the entire scene. We love both of you and wish nothing but the best in your future endeavors!

Cheers!

Rob Lawrence: (Upper Class Poverty/ Acoustic Sessions at Schmidy’s) It’s hard to imagine what the last 3 years would have been like if Dennis and Kathy had not decided to move here and purchase Schmidy’s Tavern. They have contributed greatly to a music scene that lacks quality establishments to perform live music. Since day 1 Dennis has told me his objective was to make Schmidy’s Tavern a “music venue” over all else. And I think most would agree that his objective became a huge success. From their dedication to live bands every weekend, to monthly acoustic shows, to weekly open-mics, to large benefit shows, Schmidy’s Tavern has become a staple in the Coachella Valley music scene. And, I for one am extremely proud to have been a part of it. Dennis and Kathy have

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com always welcomed me with open arms. In the beginning of their tenure I was able to host a monthly acoustic show called “Acoustic Sessions” which allowed local artists to come out and showcase their music in an acoustic format. My band, Upper Class Poverty, has had the privilege of gracing their stage numerous times as well. Not to mention all the casual nights jamming at Josh Heinz’s “Open Mic.” As a musician, I feel it is invaluable to have establishments like Schmidy’s Tavern in our community. Not only has it provided a stage to perform on it has allowed me to meet so many amazing people that otherwise I may never have had the privilege of knowing. People that appreciate the same things I appreciate. And I honestly feel the reason it has attracted such a great crowd is in large part due to the owners, Dennis and Kathy. They truly have poured their hearts and souls into creating their dream.

And this has allowed for others, including myself, to live our dreams one show at a time with them. I will certainly miss the stage, the people and the amazing staff. But most of all I’m going to miss hanging out with Dennis and Kathy out on the patio between sets, shooting the shit, talking about what comes next. As disappointed as I am to see the doors close at Schmidy’s Tavern, I am truly thankful for all the good times that were had during it’s time in the light. Thank you, Dennis and Kathy, for 3 amazing years. Whatever your next endeavor, as long as it is pursued with the same diligence and passion as you had for Schmidy’s, I have no doubt it will be a success.

Ben Crowson: (Right On Right On/Uncle Ben’s Podcast) Local music scenes are only as strong as the clubs that provide places for bands to play. Sadly, our local scene is going to be a little weaker come April when we say goodbye to Schmidy’s Tavern in Palm Desert.

Schmidy’s will always hold a special place in my heart for the hospitality they showed my band, our friends and families, and fellow performers. There’s more to operating a bar than just providing a place to drink. The staff at Schmidy’s always went the extra mile to make sure it wasn’t just a place to watch music and grab a quick bite; it was a destination for locals to be seen and heard. From their open mic nights to their sold-out shows with our famous local rock alumni, Schmidy’s provided a safe, fun atmosphere for all types of music and talent. As our local scene gets bigger and stronger, one cannot help but think it will struggle just that much more without a place like this. So from all of us in Right On Right On and our extended families, we would like to say thank you for all you have done, you will be missed.

Travis Meadows: (Nashville singersongwriter) I loved this place from the first time I stepped foot in it. I’ve played in places all over the US ...Schmidy’s is one of those rare places that has soul. You feel it, feed off of it. It makes you perform better because of the energy in the room. The world is a better place because of venues like this.

Morgan James: (host/promoter of CV Open Mic Competition/Pocket Yellow/band manager) I knew moving the CV Open Mic Competition

to Schmidy’s Tavern would be great for my event. Kathy and Dennis have always been very gracious to the local music scene in the Coachella Valley. My band, Pocket Yellow, has been included in several line ups there and I have performed at Schmidy’s regular open mic night as well. Kathy and Dennis have always been open to hosting events at their venue and have made Schmidy’s Tavern a well-known place for local music shows. I am so happy to have gotten to know Kathy over several months and shared personal conversations as she is very genuine. Working with Dennis on the professional side of things was great as I respect his straight forward thinking. The CV Open Mic Competition gained popularity at Schmidy’s Tavern and I will always be grateful to Dennis and Kathy for embracing local music with open arms. I wish you both the very best as you move into this next phase of your lives.

Josh Fimbres: (Thr3Strykes, The Dirty X’s) I’ve wreaked rock n roll havoc upon the Ford’s and they’ve always welcomed me back.

They remind me of my folks man, real down to earth, come-as-you-are hip HIP people. Thank you, Mr. & Mrs. Ford, true proprietors of local entertainment and positivity.

Giselle Woo: (Giselle Woo & the Night Owls) Schmidy’s always welcomed us with open arms. Dennis and Kathy always treated us like celebrities. I remember many times them providing an ice chest full of beer and water for the performers. See, not every venue does this, so it made them stand out to me, it showed me that they were grateful to have us and respected us, they did what they could to make sure we had a good time performing.

I remember hosting open mic here years ago, then my good friend Vanessa Reddin took over and now closing Open Mic out with a bang, my fellow music loving friend, Josh Heinz has made something special about Open Mic night at Schmidy’s. I’m sad to see it go, but I hope that Dennis and Kathy know how much I appreciate what they have done to support local causes and local musicians. Wishing you two all the luck and good fortune the world has got to offer. Cheers to the whole staff!

Thanks Schmidy’s, you will be missed.

Ronnie King: (producer/musician) I have a great memory of walking into Schmidys the first time and the girl bartender made me feel right at home. I had an amazing hamburger and listened to the band and forgot I was in the desert. Great people, wonderful music venue supporting Local....hope the Desert Hierarchy looks at this as a loss to our Music Community...

February 18 to February 24, 2016

Community

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF PALM SPRINGS ANNOUNCES ITS 2016 YOUTH OF THE YEAR

B

oys & Girls Club of Palm Springs is pleased to announce that Palm Springs High School senior Samantha Torres will be its recipient of its 2016 Youth of the Year award. The gala, held annually to honor one student, will be Thursday, March 3, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Hilton Palm Springs (400 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way).

The Youth of the Year award is Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs’ way of recognizing one exceptional member for serving the Club and community, demonstrating academic success, exhibiting strong moral character and working toward future goals. To be eligible for this award, candidates must have been a member of the Club for two years, an affiliate of the Keystone Club, and a senior in high school prior to submitting the application, and able to deliver a speech to the four judges for evaluation.

“We have had the pleasure of watching this young woman flourish within the walls of our Club for many years now and we are so excited to see what her future holds,”

By carissa Cascio

said Terry Tatum, President of Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs. “She is a shining example of what a true leader is and we are thrilled to call her our winner.”

Torres, currently the Keystone Club’s president, first became a member in elementary school and attributes her leadership skills, independence and perseverance to her time spent in various programs at Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs. Torres plans to attend University of California, Riverside to study Business Administration all while continuing to volunteer with the community’s youth, which is one of her greatest passions.

The gala is open to the public. All funds raised go directly towards keeping membership costs low, necessary maintenance repairs and support the overall growth of the Club. Tickets are $75 per person or $750 for a table of 10. To purchase tickets, go to bgcps.org/donation/ index.html. For more info, call Andrea Madrigal at (760)327-1304 ext. 301 or visit bgcps.org.

Photo By Steve Young

7

February 18 to February 24, 2016

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

eventS Star-Studded Warburton Celebrity Golf Tournament Bringing 75 Celebrities, One-of-a-Kind Music Events and a 5K to the Desert March 6-13

By Andrea Carter

T

he sixth annual Warburton Celebrity Golf Tournament will return to the desert from March 6-13, bringing in more than 75 stars, songwriters and rock legends for a weekend of golf and one-of-a-kind music events – kicking off with a 5K Run/Walk.

The event has grown to become “St. Jude Week in the Desert,” all to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, which is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other lifethreatening diseases. The tournament and its events will be held at JW Marriott Desert Springs and Classic Club in Palm Desert.

Tournament host, actor Patrick Warburton, perhaps best known for playing Puddy on Seinfeld as well as the star of the syndicated sitcom Rules of Engagement, the voice of Joe on Family Guy and numerous movie roles in movies like Ted and Ted 2, The Tick, Disney’s The Emperor’s New Groove and Planes: Fire & Rescue, and DreamWorks’ Mr. Peabody & Sherman, brings together many of his celebrity friends to highlight a star-studded weekend in the desert raising much-needed funds for kids battling pediatric cancer and other lifethreatening diseases. Warburton stars in a new series coming out in March 2016, called Crowded – also starring The Good Wife’s Carrie Preston, who will be making an appearance at the tournament.

Children from all 50 states, including California, and around the world receive care at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. St. Jude also freely shares the breakthroughs it makes, so doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children.

It will cost nearly $1 billion this year to run St. Jude, and 75 percent of the funding comes from the public. Thanks to events like the Warburton Celebrity Golf Tournament, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

8

This year organizers hope to raise more than $1 million to support the St. Jude mission.

“St. Jude Week in the Desert” will kick off with a 5K Run/Walk, on Sunday, March 6, at the Classic Club. Registration is at 8 a.m. and the Run/Walk will begin at 9 a.m., with a Fun Run for kids beginning at 8:40 a.m. The 5K will feature refreshments, live music by a local band of 13-year-old rockers called D-Tension, and the winner will receive two tickets to the Friday Night Jam Session. Other medals and prizes will be presented, as well. Registration is $40 for adults 18+, $30 for kids ages 6-17, and children 5 and under are free.

Celebrities will begin arriving on Thursday, March 10, for Songwriter’s Night – which will be held at the JW Marriott Desert Springs at 7 p.m.

This will be an evening with a group of renowned Nashville songwriters telling the stories behind their biggest hits, along with performing those hits. New songwriters this year include Liz Rose, who co-wrote a number of hits with Taylor Swift including “Tim McGraw” and “You Belong with Me” as well as the 2016 Song of the Year, “Girl Crush.” Another new addition is Leslie Winn Satcher, who recorded two albums of her own and has co-written several singles for such artists as George Strait, Martina McBride and Vince Gill. Other songwriters scheduled to appear include Tim Nichols, who penned Tim McGraw’s iconic #1 hit, “Live Like You Were Dying” and Jo Dee Messina’s “Heads Carolina, Tails California;” Bob DiPierro, who had huge #1 hits with “American Made” performed by the Oak Ridge Boys, “Southern Voice” performed

by Tim McGraw along with “Coming Home” from the movie soundtrack, “Country Strong;” and Kelley Lovelace, who wrote the smash hit “All-American Girl” performed by Carrie Underwood as well as huge Brad Paisley hits like “Ticks,” “I’m Still a Guy” and “Camouflage.”

The event will be hosted by HLN morning news anchor, Robin Meade. Tickets are $100.

Friday night’s Jam Session has generated a lot of buzz as “the best event in the desert” because of its unique line-up of Rock-and-Roll Hall of Famers and other famous rock recording artists who perform some of their hits in what becomes essentially a 4+ hour rock-and-roll variety show. Scheduled to perform this year are Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Alice Cooper, Don Felder (The Eagles), Robbie Krieger (The Doors), Steve Cropper (Blues Brothers/Booker T & the MG’s), Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Danny Seraphine (Chicago), and Alex Lifeson (Rush).

Other legends on the line-up include Kim Carnes,

Skunk Baxter and Tom Johnston (The Doobie Brothers), Micky Dolenz (The Monkees), John Elefante (former lead singer of Kansas), Wally Palmer (Romantics), Tommy Thayer (KISS), Phil Solem (The Rembrandts), Robin Wilson and Jesse Valenzuela (Gin Blossoms), Dave Brock (The Doors) and Robin Meade (Headline News anchor, “Morning Express with Robin Meade”). Celebrity Jam Session tickets can be purchased for $150. Tickets sold at the door (if available) will be $200.

“This tournament is so extraordinary because of the way it incorporates musicians – we keep hearing consistently there is no other event like this in the desert,” said Clarke Rheney, tournament chairman. “We have rock and roll legends and hall-of-famers who come out to this event to share their music and do their part to raise money and awareness for the kids of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.”

Other commitments for celebrities who are scheduled to appear at the golf tournament include actors Kevin Nealon, Richard Kind, Scott Baio, Richard Karn, Carrie Preston, John O’Hurley, Kevin Sorbo, Sam McMurray, Kurt Fuller, David Leisure, Galen Gering, Bruce Thomas, Pauley Trickey, William Devane, Raymond Cruz and Brian Thompson; and athletes like former NFL pros, Sterling Sharpe and Kordell Stewart; Major League baseball players, Steve Garvey, Scott Erickson, and Kurt Bevacua; and NHL Hall of Famer, Grant Fuhr.

Golf tournament entries are $2,500 per player.

The Saturday Soiree will feature red carpet

appearances that evening by many of the celebrities involved with the tournament, as well as a dinner and dancing to music by the band, Sixwire & Friends, the featured band on the television show, Nashville. Tickets for the Saturday Soiree are $250.

Event sponsors include Castelli’s Ristorante, Classic Club, Enterprise Holdings, the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation; Michael Shubert & Associates, News Channel 3/CBS Local 2, Prime Source Entertainment Group, Shakti Warriors, Sixwire and Tito’s Handmade Vodka.

Presenting sponsor for the 5k Run/Walk is HighTower Palm Desert, hosted by Classic Club, with additional sponsors as follows: Anthony Vineyards, Desert Empire Insurance Services, Godecke Clark, Hyde’s Air Conditioning & Heating and Pro-tech Mats Industries.

“National is proud to help sponsor the sixth annual Patrick Warburton Celebrity Golf Tournament to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” said Rob Connors, vice president of brand marketing for National Car Rental. “For nearly two years, we’ve worked closely with Patrick to promote the National brand, and we are happy and honored to support him in raising money and awareness for such an important cause.”

The Warburton Celebrity Golf Tournament is the second highest grossing golf tournament for St. Jude nationwide.

For more information or to purchase tickets to any of the shows or register for the golf tournament, visit thewarburton.com.

Indio High School Performing Arts eventS Center Grand Opening and Dedication SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, February 27, 2016 at 7:00PM

I

ndio High School announces the grand opening of their new Performing Arts Center on Saturday, February 27, 2016 at 7pm. This special night will feature the dedication of the Main Stage to Circle Theatre Acting Company founder J. Roderick Basehore. Ceremonies will include remarks

by Indio High School Principal Rudy Ramirez, Fine Arts Chair, Gail A. Douglass and Judith Rogers Basehore. Students and Alumni will join Mr Basehore’s family and friends in an evening of special performances including a video tribute. In addition, attendees are invited to tour the new, state-of-the-art facility and enjoy refreshments served in the two adjoining theaters which comprise the Performing Arts Center.

The ceremony is open to the public.

Tickets are $20.00, benefitting the J. Roderick Basehore Scholarship Fund. For

reservations, please contact Gail Douglass at: gail.douglass@desertsands.us Phone: (760) 775-3550. The Performing Arts Center is located at, 81-750 Ave 46, Indio, CA 92201. Press should be set up by 6:45PM as the ceremony begins promptly at 7:00PM

eventS

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

February 18 to February 24, 2016

By craig michaels

Big Band Dinner Dance Benefit for PSHS Music Program

T

he Palm Springs High School Music Department consists of more than five hundred music students that encompass the band, choir, orchestra, guitar, and visual teams. In 2015, the “The Spirit of the Sands” was named a GRAMMY FOUNDATION® Signature School Community Award Winner selected from more than 2000 school across the country.

More than eighty percent of the band members are on the school honor roll and one hundred percent of the group’s graduating seniors qualify for colleges or university. Other notable credits include performing for and with Barry Manilow, Max Weinberg, Suzanne Somers, Carol Channing, and have opened for the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

With more schools struggling to get funding for their music programs, fundraising has become essential to keep music alive in the classrooms. “The Big Band Spectacular” dinner and dance sponsored by the PSHS music department is your chance to help support future musicians here in the Valley. The evening will feature fabulous food and dancing to live jazz from the Great American Songbook provided by the PSHS Swings Jazz Band. Attendees will also have a chance to bid on gift baskets

Building 2248 East Ramon Road, Palm Springs.)Tickets are available at the PSHS band building or online at the band website: www.psband.org. Silent auctions items are still being graciously accepted as well as monetary donations. For more information,

call Brian Ingelson, Director of Bands, Palm Springs High School: (760) 778-0417.

Craig Michaels Productions (760) 880-3848

and silent auction items from local retailers.

In addition to raising funds for uniforms and band equipment, the group will be embarking on a tour to Croatia and Slovenia this spring. The band will be doing several Formal Performances as well as informal cultural exchanges with bands form throughout both countries. The band will conclude its exciting tour in Venice Italy!

The band appreciates the community support for recognizing the educational value and curricular significance that music education plays in the public schools of the Palm Springs Unified School District as well as the ongoing budget challenges facing music programs. Tickets are still on sale for this spectacular event happening February 26th at 6:00 p.m. (PSHS Performing Arts

Award-winning Beatles musical at Annenberg Theater sells out

Second show added on February 27; Discount tickets offered

M

usical retelling of Beatles story through the eyes of manager Brian Epstein features the live music of renowned tribute Abbey Road; Palm Springs High String Quartet to join touring show on stage for five songs.

The February 26th showing of In My Life - A Musical Theatre Tribute to the Beatles at the Annenberg Theater is sold out and a second show has been added on Saturday, February 27. All tickets may be purchased at a discount of 20 per cent off with the promo code “Fab4” through February 15. Tickets for the second show are on sale now.

In My Life is the nationally touring musical biography of the Beatles through the eyes of manager Brian Epstein, featuring the live music of renowned tribute band, Abbey Road. The show is widely considered by industry insiders to be the most unique Beatles show in decades. The show is appropriate for all ages.

More than just a Beatles tribute concert, In My Life gives the audience a chance to “be there” at pivotal moments in the extraordinary career of the Beatles: Liverpool’s legendary Cavern Club, The Ed Sullivan Show, Shea Stadium, Abbey Road Studios and the final live performance on the rooftop of their Apple Corp offices.

With manager Brian Epstein serving as narrator, In My Life allows the audience to

get a glimpse inside the world of the Beatles from their point of view, as well as hear some of the greatest songs ever written.

Historical settings such as the Cavern Club are established on stage with videos and images which play behind the actors and musicians on a video screen.

Palm Springs High students Branden Figueroa, Alex Salazar, Alex Moore and Camille Gaede will join the band for the songs “Eleanor Rigby,” “Yesterday,” “A Day in the Life,” “Hello Goodbye,” and “Hey Jude.” In a special touch, “Yesterday” is played as a scene in which the Paul McCartney character plays the song for

the first time for Beatles producer George Martin, with the songwriter explaining that he envisioned a string-quartet accompaniment.

With their tight harmonies, flawless renditions, custom–tailored costumes, vintage instruments, Liverpudlian dialect and precise attention to detail, they recreate the magic of the Beatles, including the Fab Four’s cheeky personalities and familiar onstage banter. In My Life takes the audience back to February 1964 when America watched the Beatles for the first time on The Ed Sullivan Show, playing “I Want To Hold Your Hand.” Progressing

eventS

through their various musical stages, the audience re-experiences the psychedelic era of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the creation of the haunting “Blackbird” and the raucous rock and roll of “Revolution.”

“The show delivers!” said the L.A. Times.

“If you see one tribute show, see this one – smart and loads of fun,” said the O.C. Register. “This is the ticket for you,” said the Idaho Statesman. “The most original of all the shows on the Beatles,” San Diego Theatre Review. Abbey Road performed a three month residency at the Harrah’s Reno showroom and recently concluded a two month residency this summer at the Harrah’s Laughlin showroom.

The show in Palm Springs is part of a 125 city tour through the U.S., Canada and Australia.

The multi-media musical comes to the Annenberg Theater on Saturday, February 27 at 7:30pm. Tickets are regularly $35/$45/$55 but may be discounted by 20 per cent with the promo code “Fab4” through February 15. Tickets may be purchased online at annenbergtheater.org, by phoning 760.325.4490 or at the theatre box office located at 101 N Museum Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262. The box office is open Wed-Fri 10am-4pm. The show is appropriate for all ages.

9

February 18 to February 24, 2016

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

backstage jazz

Conga Beth the Worlds Sexiest Percussionist!

By patte purcell

F

emale percussionists are rare, and to find one that is also a vocalist is even more uncommon. Beth Tschantre being young (25 years old), talented, beautiful and experienced is quite a find. This stunning young lady, who looks like a fitness model, just appeared on American Idol and even though she didn’t win, she placed in the top 100 contestants and certainly brought a lot of attention to herself.

This young talent has been a full-time performer and singer since she was 16 years old, when she sang in her family’s band at the Atlantis Casino in Reno, 6 nights a week!

How’s that for experience?

Beth comes from a big family; her mom and stepdad had 6 kids between them when they got married and added 2 more for a total of 8 children. It was her mom’s dream to become a musician and so they formed a family band. They gave Beth her congas at age 16 as a birthday present and offered her a spot in their band, Turquoise. They performed 60 songs a night that included blues, rock, even disco, giving Beth an array of musical experience. She played drums, and along with her sisters sang background vocals. She also performed lead vocals as she and her sisters and mom switched off.

This family act continued until her parents divorced. She then moved to L.A. to continue her career.

10

Dubbed ‘The Worlds Sexiest Percussionist’ she plays with LA DJs where she adds a sexy vibe to their act.

She and her mom, Tiger Lyn, continue to write music together and plan to produce a CD together. Her mother has already had success as a recording artist when she released an independent CD. Tschantre auditioned for America’s Got Talent at age 18 and felt it was a great experience, but that she needed more practice. She also tried out for X Factor. She still plans to try out for The Voice. She also co-wrote a song for an independent film called “America’s Still the Place,” which is currently doing well in film festivals.

After an introduction from her aunt, she was approached by photographer and videographer, Jack Guy (Marlboro Man), who wanted to produce a video with a conga remix of “Moves like Jagger.” This sexy video features beautiful women in sexy lingerie, and shots of Beth playing the congas. It had more than 30,000 hits in 30 days.

This very talented, sweet and darling girl is poised for greatness. We are pleased to include her as one of our core band members of the Celebrity Jazz Jam series at Desert Willow. Her first appearance will be on ‘Latin Night’ on Monday, Feb. 22 from 5-8. She will be singing and performing congas on the songs “Black Magic Woman” and the finale, “Rhythm is Going to Get You,” with all of the band members. In addition, she will be playing congas on some of the other artist’s songs.

She will continue on with the next jam on Monday, March 21, with our ‘Standards’ night. This talented lady brings a sexy and fun vibe to the Celebrity Jazz Jam series.

You can find out more about Conga Beth by visiting here website at congabeth.com For tickets to Celebrity Jazz Jam visit purplepass.com/celebrityjazzjam2 or contact me at 702-219-6777.

Patte Purcell - Muze Muzic pattepurcell@yahoo.com 702-219-6777

LocalMusic Spotlight

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

February 18 to February 24, 2016

By esther sanchez

Q & A With A Desert Mixtress SUGARFREE

D

on’t let the name fool you, she is not only sweet to look at...Noemi Rodriguez, AKA, Sugarfree is an up and coming DJ on the Coachella Valley Music scene whose candy-coated DJ sets are so delectable they might leave you with a toothache. A desert pixie with an edgy vibe, the Indio HS alumni has been making a way for herself in the male dominated art of DJing as more than just a novelty; Sugarfree has been building the skills necessary to play with the big boys.

Sanchez: How did you discover the art of DJing?

Rodriguez: Music has always been my passion. Since middle school I used to be the one making CDs for my friends all the time and introducing them to new music. When I was 21, I met my friend Ashlee who had DJ equipment at her house and I started messing around with it. It was as if I had found the

Photo By George Duchannes

love of my life! It was such a magical moment for me that I went out to buy my own gear.

Not long after, Ashlee and I started mixing together as a duo at desert raves and I threw house parties on my own.

Sanchez: Regardless of what many folks might think, DJ mixing is a skill that takes work and training. How did you learn?

Rodriguez: Ashlee taught me a few things she knew but, overall I learned how to beatmatch and do effects on my own by listening to DJ mixes and watching tutorials on YouTube. I guess I’ve always been musically inclined. I used to sing in choir groups at church and whenever I would pick up an instrument I learned things quickly so, I guess it came pretty naturally to me. That said, the tips I got from her and other DJ buddies, really helped.

Sanchez: What do you think about our local music scene?

Rodriguez: To be honest, I sometimes find myself frustrated by the current, local scene due to what seems like a lot of lean towards “mainstream” sounds that are radio-friendly.

Don’t get me wrong, there is music on the radio that I really enjoy but I am a big fan of electronic music and that is mainly what I like to play. It’s hard to play that kind of music without someone going up to me asking for hip hop so I sometimes feel the need to throw one in just so no one complains. I don’t like feeling like I can’t just be myself the whole time and it’s hard not to feel like that in this valley. I guess I’m just not the type of DJ that wants to please a crowd by playing only what they like. I’m the type of DJ that wants to be able to play what I like, have the crowd enjoy it and embrace something new.

To break the monotony and showcase my versatility, I occasionally do special sets of other genres, but in the end, EDM has my heart. BART Lounge, where I am a resident DJ, is the best because they give me the freedom

Photo By George Duchannes

of expression to let me be me! Overall, I really do admire a lot of the artists in this valley who have been working their butts off to get to where they are at now and even though we might not produce the same genres of music, I think we should support each other as artists and help each other grow.

Sanchez: In your 8 years as a DJ, do you have a favorite memory?

Rodriguez: Favorite memory? It’s hard to choose just one, but what is always memorable to me is when people approach me after a set to let me know that I made their night by playing good music. Seeing their smiles on their faces is what keeps me going.

Sanchez: What do you think about the evolution of technology and how it affects what you do?

Rodriguez: Just as the music its self is continually evolving and changing, the technology that DJs use to perform their job is also changing. Many DJs out there who

started back in the days when only vinyl existed will argue that you’re not a real DJ if you don’t know how to spin vinyl and will not take you seriously. In my opinion, it’s not about what you use… it’s how you use it. If your heart is in it, it will sound good no matter what you use. I’m not gonna lie, I used to have a problem with DJs who only used laptops to mix, but then I saw the passion and hard work some of these people put into their craft and I decided to check myself and admire them instead.

Evolving technology can be a little intimidating to us DJs because of the fear that it can pretty much take over our jobs/ careers. There are machines out there who can do what we do but that’s why I think it’s important to stand out. Be unique. Create your own style. If you sound like everyone else, you will soon be forgotten and be replaced by a machine.

Sanchez: What can the readers do to experience what it is that Sugarfree creates?

Rodriguez: Currently, as I previously mentioned, I am a resident DJ at BART Lounge in Cathedral City. I’m there 2-3 times a month and we have a monthly event going on right now which is 90’s night. It is one of the best monthly events around. People love the 90’s! The next one will be on the 26th of this month. That’s when I play 90’s hits.

(Alternative Rock/Pop/R&B/Electronic). I also do private events at hotels, houses, and other venues at least twice a month. Other than that, people can hear my mixes online where I produce my own music under the moniker, Twelfth Moon.

Sanchez: Is there anything you would like to add?

Rodriguez: Just that, music is my world.

It has picked me up in the darkest moments of my life. My wish is to radiate that love through every set I perform. soundcloud.com/djsugarfree1986 mixcloud.com/DJSugarfree2 facebook.com/9Sugarfree9 instagram.com/tw3lfth_m00n twitter.com/djsugarfree1986

11

February 18 to February 24, 2016

Consider This

EMITT RHODES

B

72840 Hwy 111 #171 Palm Desert, CA 92260 760-341-2017 www.recordalley.com

12

by Eleni P. Austin

“Rainbow Ends” (Omnivore Records)

eing a Rock & Roll wunderkind is tough business. Just ask Brian Wilson, or Michael Jackson. Early success and adulation is a heady cocktail, but the hangover can last decades.

Emitt Rhodes was born in Decatur, Illinois, but grew up in Hawthorne, California, 20 miles from Hollywood, the working class suburb also spawned the Beach Boys. By age 14, he was playing drums in a local band called the Emerals.

It was 1964 and Beatlemania was sweeping the country, so they became the Palace Guard.

For a brief time they backed TV star Don Grady, (one of “My Three Sons”), before he moved on to Yellow Balloon. As soon as Emitt mastered the guitar he quit the Palace Guard, forming the Merry-Go-Round with his high school friend Gary Kato.

The pair managed to recruit a couple of heavy hitters, ex-Leaves bassist Bill Rinehart and drummer Joel Larson, who had just left the Grass Roots. Emitt wrote and sang all the songs, soon they were shopping a demo and signing with A&M Records. Their first single, “Live,” was a huge hit in L.A. and eventually peaked at #63 on the Billboard charts.

Their self-titled debut arrived in 1967. Thick with chiming guitars and cascading harmonies, it was a Baroque bridge between the Beatles and the Byrds. The record performed well locally, but never achieved the success afforded peers like Buffalo Springfield and Love.

In 1969, the band broke up, but they still owed some music to A&M. So Emitt completed a few unfinished Merry-Go-Round songs and created some new tracks. He recorded the album with Wrecking Crew pros like Larry Knechtel, Hal Blaine and Don Randi. Unfortunately, the label shelved the album. With his contractual commitment to A&M complete, he was free to sign with another record company.

Ultimately, Emitt inked a deal with ABC/ Dunhill as a solo artist. He spent his $5,000 advance on recording equipment that he set up in his parents’ garage. Unsatisfied with his final A&M recordings, he opted for the one-manband approach, teaching himself a plethora of unfamiliar instruments. The album was written and recorded on an old Ampex four-track recorder.

Emitt’s self-titled solo debut arrived in early 1970. Beautifully nuanced and hand-crafted, it fit

WESTFIELD MALL

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

in with recent releases from Harry Nilsson, Tim Buckley and Paul McCartney. Critics embraced the record, as did the music buying public; it peaked at #29 on the Billboard charts. The first single, “Fresh As A Daisy,” reached #54.

Not surprisingly A&M, looking to capitalize on the debut’s success, dusted off the album they had shelved the year before. They released it as American Dream. Certainly, its appearance confused consumers and siphoned sales, but it was clear that Emitt Rhodes was a prodigious talent, well on his way to Rock & Roll stardom.

Unfortunately, the contract Emitt signed with ABC-Dunhill required him to release a new album every six months. It seemed like an impossible demand for an artist who not only wrote and played every note himself, but also acted as producer and engineer on each track.

As work dragged on, his label suspended him and actually sued him for $250,000, (basically 50 times his advance), and withheld royalties.

Recording dragged on, but Emitt delivered Mirror in 1971.

Although it wasn’t the effortless masterpiece of his debut, his sophomore album expanded his sonic palette, adding rougher textures on tracks like “Birthday Lady” and “Really Wanted You.” Again he received critical acclaim, but the album stalled at #182.

Legal disputes with his label continued to dog him, and his third album didn’t arrive until 1973.

More pensive and less buoyant than previous efforts, Farewell To Paradise was still a wonderful record. But it was clear his protracted battle with ABC-Dunhill was taking its toll. Rather than continue to sacrifice his peace of mind, Emitt Rhodes walked away from the performing side of the music business. At the tender age of 24 he was done.

Initially he went to work for Elektra Records, engineering and recording other people’s music.

He also recorded people in his home studio. He continued to write and record on his own, but that music wasn’t for public consumption.

In the ensuing decades, people began to discover (or rediscover) Emitt Rhodes genius. Like the band Big Star, he was an artist mostly revered by rock critics and record store clerks. His albums quickly went out of print, so his music became a rite of passage for the discerning few.

Mystery surrounded his legacy. Scraps of information (pre-internet), was passed around along with taped copies of his albums. Here was a brilliant singer-songwriter that the record industry just used, abused and threw away.

The Bangles offered a ringing version of the Merry-Go-Round song, “Live” on their full-length debut, All Over The Place, released in 1984. A year later Rhino released a greatest hits compilation from the band.

By the early 21st century, more compilations appeared, Daisy Fresh From Hawthorne, and Listen, Listen: The Best Of Emitt Rhodes. In 2001, Filmmaker Wes Anderson featured Emitt’s tender “Lullabye,” using it to score a poignant scene in his “Royal Tenenbaums” movie.

Five years later, musician/producer Chris Price met Emitt through a mutual friend. Although he was born a decade after Emitt quit recording, he had grown up in a musical family and was an ardent fan of his music. Chris had just signed a contract with Geffen Records and was hoping that Emitt would produce the album. Those plans

never came to fruition, instead, a friendship blossomed.

Chris would occasionally play his music for Emitt, but was respectful of Emitt’s boundaries.

When Emitt surprised him with lyric sheets and chord charts for about 20 songs, Chris convinced Emitt to let him produce the songs. They even recorded the songs in Emitt’s long-dormant Hawthorne studio.

The result of those sessions is the return of Emitt Rhodes. Rainbow Ends is his first full-length record in 43 years. The album opens tentatively with the spare acoustic intro to “Dog On A Chain.”

After four decades, Emitt’s sunny tenor is a little weathered, but still warm and inviting. As the full band kicks in, shang-a-lang guitar riffs connect with mellotron, clavinet and fluid organ fills. The lively melody and instrumentation belies a tale of woe and heartbreak; “I was led along like a dog on a chain, out in the cold out in the rain/I was led along like a dog on a leash, I did as told while she did as she pleased.”

Although it doesn’t feel like a concept record per se, the entire album is a song cycle charting the end of a relationship. Cracks and fissures begin to appear on both “This Wall Between Us” and “What’s A Man To Do.” The melody of the former splits the difference between Fab Four grandeur and rustic Country Rock. Lush harmonies, peppery horns and a string section crest over a pummeling back beat and stinging guitar licks. This rich aural banquet underscores feelings of suspicion and foreboding; “I’m begging you to listen, I’m reaching out my hand/Come show me what I’m missing, help me understand.”

The latter is anchored by a loping rhythm, Fender Rhodes piano and ambient percussion.

By now, the other shoe has dropped; “Time after time I’ve listened to her lie, time after time after time after time.” In the end, he must persevere, “No easy answer of this I’m sure, my life will change now I’m losing her/And though I’m scared, I’ll catch my breath, there’ll be no tears I have none left.”

Three songs inhabit the purgatory state between marriage and divorce. Post break-up, “Someone Else” cautiously dips a toe in the dating pool. The melody ricochets between quiet, diffident verses and rollicking choruses, as our hero suffers the slings and arrows of unrequited love.

On “I Can’t Tell My Heart” the thread of reconciliation is unraveling. A stormy piano ballad, it offers a potent combination of aching lyricism and a soaring melody. The vibe is vulnerable and emotionally naked, “When you love someone so much it hurts you, you learn to live with the pain/It’s a funny thing that happens,

that I can’t explain.” His entreaties are buttressed by an incendiary guitar solo.

Finally, “It’s All Behind Us Now” offers some closure. A slinky charmer, the Latin Jazz-flavored melody is powered by a stop-start rhythm and phased, flange-y guitar. Here, the mood is relaxed, almost sanguine. It feels as though he let’s go of past indiscretions. “Let’s forget those things we said, say the things we wish we had/ Let’s forget those things we did, do things right this time instead.”

The best tracks here sublimate the heartbreak.

On “If I knew Then” the mien is defiant. This Jazzy shuffle is fortified by a leap-frog backbeat, spiky piano runs and muscular guitar breaks. In the end he vows “If I knew then what I know now I’d make amends, I’d change somehow/Wouldn’t give my heart to just anyone, if I knew then what was to come.”

Bathed in fluttery strings, thumping bass lines and a buttery slide guitar solo, “Isn’t It So” shares some soulful DNA with O.C. Smith’s “Little Green Apples.” It’s a spectral post-mortem, addressing the ghost of relationships past; “I’m still trying to please you even though you’re not here, Still talking to you even though you can’t hear.”

“Put Some Rhythm To It” is actually lighthearted and almost Happy-go-lucky. It’s a loping gambol, accented by blistering lead guitar and jaunty piano runs. The lyrics offer this sage piece of advice: “If you want to dance, if you want to find romance/All you gotta do is shake your ass and put some rhythm to it.”

The album closes with the title track. Forward looking and slightly optimistic, it’s powered by searching guitar chords, twinkly piano, woolly French Horn, mellotron and vibraphone accents plus a chugging backbeat. Despite recent romantic sturm und drang The future holds promise; “I wanna be somewhere in the sun, getting tan having fun/I wanna be with the ones I love, hold them close, give them hugs.” Hopefully this sunny destiny will include more music.

Rainbow Ends offers the same vibrant kaleidoscope of sound that colored Emitt’s early ‘70s music. But instead of operating as a oneman-band, a who’s who of players, back him here.

Once the word was out that he was recording, superstar fans were happy to lend a hand. This includes singer-songwriter Aimee Mann and multi- instrumentalists Jon Brion and Probyn Gregory. Roger Joseph Manning and Jason Faulkner from the Power Pop band Jellyfish, Nels Cline and Pat Sansone from Wilco, and Bangles front-woman Susannah Hoffs.

After a couple of rehearsals, the album was cut live, with the band in the room together, seven songs in one day, four the next. Of course, post-production was more painstaking. But the album manages the neat trick of sounding fresh and familiar at the same time.

It’s tempting to refer to Emitt Rhodes as the Rip Van Winkle or Howard Hughes of Rock & Roll, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Turns out he’s been creating music all these years; he just waited until now to share it with the world.

At the tender age of 20 Emitt sang “I have to say the things I feel, I have to feel the things I say.” Happily, that musical philosophy has never wavered. Rainbow Ends is the first great record of 2016.

art Scene

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

February 18 to February 24, 2016

By kathleen hughes

LA QUINTA ARTS FESTIVAL 2016 SLATED MARCH 3-6

T

he 34th Annual La Quinta Arts Festival, ranked #1 Fine Art Festival the Nation for three consecutive years (2013, 2014, 2015) by Art Fair Sourcebook, is scheduled Thursday through Sunday, March 3-6, 2016 from 10 am to 5 pm at La Quinta Civic Center Campus, 78495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, CA. La Quinta Arts Festival, produced by nonprofit La Quinta Arts Foundation, will present 220 accomplished contemporary artists arriving from 35 states, Canada, and Argentina in media categories including Ceramics, Drawing & Pastel, Fiber/Textile, Glass, Jewelry, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Wood.

The 2016 Featured Artist is Trés Taylor.

A contemporary mixed media painter living in Birmingham, AL, Taylor’s original painting entitled “Citrus Monk” was commissioned as the image for the La Quinta Arts Festival 2016 commemorative poster.

Taylor’s medium is usually tarpaper, which enables him to draw freely, carving in a strong black line. Frequently he uses layers of mud, sometimes Alabama red clay, that give his paintings a rich and yet raw texture. Taylor paints about spiritual seeking. He paints about love, Divine Love, peace, and joy. His subjects are usually monks, couples, and houses — but always the subjects are symbols of love.

Trés has exhibited nationally and internationally. His work can be found in several significant collections including Dupont Pioneer of Des Moines, IA; the Hurn Museum of Contemporary Folk Art of Savannah, GA; and is publicly displayed at Children’s of Alabama, a hospital in Birmingham.

In October 2014, Trés Taylor created a work to celebrate the visit of the Dalai Lama in Birmingham. For this historic occasion, Taylor created a large sculpture aptly named “The Jolly Lama,” an impressive 15-foot tall monk, which served as a greeter for His Holiness.

The Art of Entertainment: To complement the incredible collections of artwork on display, La Quinta Arts Festival will present a variety of musical and performance entertainers that will delight the crowds. Surprising new attractions include Lana Chromium, a fine art body painter — winner of GSNTV’s “Skin Wars” — who will demonstrate her extraordinary talents on Saturday from 11 am to 2 pm. Lana will be accompanied by art model and dance artist Khalia Frazier, who will interpret Chromium’s painting through original dance and movement. Another new act is The Flusters, performing Indie Surf Rock Music Friday afternoon from 2 pm to 5 pm.

Returning favorites include: Classical Flamenco Guitarist Milton Merlos Jr., and Karamanta Music by Oscar Reynolds, best known for playing the Bolivian pan flutes and guitar simultaneously. Both are slated to perform Thursday through Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm. Also returning is The Steve Madaio Band performing Smooth Jazz Favorites on Saturday and Sunday afternoon from 2 to 5pm. A complete entertainment schedule is available at LQAF.com.

Fabulous Festival Fare: La Quinta Arts Festival has partnered with some of the top eateries around to offer the ultimate casual dining experience. Restaurant Row will feature Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Fisherman’s Market & Grill and Shanghai Reds. The Corner Pub will offer Westcoast Hofbrau brats and more, plus a wide selection of high-end craft beers and wine. Lighter fare will be available at Island Bar and Meadow Bar, along with well-known vendors E & E Pel’s Italian Ices, Pasquini Espresso and Brandini Toffee’s luscious hand-dipped ice cream. Stella Artois, the official beer of La Quinta Arts Festival, will be served at all bar locations on site.

Ticket prices are: Adults $17, Multi-Day Pass $22, Children under 12 are free. Tickets may be purchased in advance at LQAF.com, continue to page 20

13

February 18 to February 24, 2016

PET PLACE

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

by Janet McAfee

THE ACCIDENTAL RESCUERS, A VALENTINE TAIL

O

ne amazing local couple celebrated Valentine’s Day in a special way.

David and Leigh Kirk share a home with their foster daughter and an assortment of family and rescue cats. They are the founders and operators of ForEverMeow, a charity that saves the lives of countless homeless cats and kittens.

The couple met by chance while working in Washington D.C. It was a Halloween evening in the late 1990’s. David recalls, “I had no idea how my life was about to change.” Meeting the love of his life was only the first of two major changes for David that day. David had owned dogs, but never had a cat until he met Leigh and her amazing cat named Poodie.

David was quick to fall in love with Leigh.

When asked how he fell in love with cats, David quickly responded, “By living with one named Poodie.”

David explains how their shared love for Poodie led to their animal rescue work.

“Most people in animal rescue got into it through their love for a special animal, usually the loss of a pet that touches them deeply and inspires a desire for greater helping and giving. And so it was with us….the loss of Poodie in 2007 took us on a journey of selfdiscovery across Africa and India….moved us

from San Francisco to Palm Desert.” David and Leigh each have a paw print with the dates of Poodie’s life tattooed on their hands.

In 2005, Leigh began volunteering with the cats at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus, our county shelter. They were shocked to discover that the live release rate for cats at the shelter was less than 20%. They learned that in one recent year over 1,000 underage kittens were euthanized at the shelter. A public shelter is unable to provide the round the clock bottle feeding required by these motherless babies. The Kirks began fostering some of the animals to save them, and started recruiting more foster homes.

Their common purpose brought them closer as a couple. They had a shared mission, and it took them down a path they traveled together. They joined the ranks of thousands of other “accidental” animal rescuers who become part of an army to save animals once they discover that adoptable, loving cats and dogs are being euthanized in America’s public shelters.

ForEverMeow was launched when the Kirks realized they could save more cats by incorporating as a 501(c)(3) charity. They began a search for the “purrfect” property that could accommodate their own pet cats

and growing rescue operation.

In 2014, David applied his skills acquired as an executive in the Silicon Valley computer industry to develop power point presentations about the crisis facing our homeless cats and dogs. The couple attended Best Friends’ “No More Homeless Pets” conferences, conducted more research, became experts on TNR (trap, neuter, return), and assumed a leadership role in the movement to create a “No Kill Coachella Valley”.

In 2015, they added a kitten nursery, one of less than a dozen in the US, to their rescue operation. The couple partnered with the county shelter, Riverside Department of Animal Services, to save almost 400 cats and kittens from euthanasia, often accompanying

Precious Prancer Still seeking a Valentine?

This happy Manchester Terrier boy will dance his way into your heart!

Prancer is 16 lbs of doggie love. Loving All Animals rescued him from the shelter.

Contact (760) 834-7000.

pretty panda Precious Panda will purr her way into your heart this Valentine season! This sweet mellow Tuxedo girl is the “purrfect” companion for someone seeking a loving cat.

Rescued by ForEverMoew.

Contact (442) 234-8405.

14

animal control officers in the field. Feeding and medicating tiny underage kittens can mean an 18-hour day, and they fight to save every frail tiny creature.

David reports, “By March, we realized that we had jumped right into the deep end, and the tsunami that is the Coachella Valley kitten season was crashing around us. As much as we’d researched, planned, and visited other kitten nurseries and connected with neo-natal experts, here we were in this thing together, and not sure at all if we could swim. But that’s us – when we discover shared passion, decisions of the heart overrule all fears. We continue rescuing cats because life without that shared, burning passion would be less than complete.”

Rescuing animals is a labor of love. David and Leigh Kirk are blessed to be working together on this effort, where each of them understands the heart and mind of a rescuer.

Leigh Kirk sums it up, “We stay rescuing cats because the joy we get from saving them and enriching the lives of their adopters melts away all the personal sacrifices.” You can make a tax deductible donation to this worthy organization and view their adoptable animals at www.forevermeow.org.

Jmcafee7@verizon.net

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

February 18 to February 24, 2016

by Rick Riozza

Madame, Monsieur -- Dinner is Poured!

O

ne of the most relaxing and enjoyable things to hear at supper time is the popping of the cork (or the turning of the screwcap?), the splashing of wine into the decanter or wine glass, and perhaps, the sweet prayer of thanking the Lord for the blessings of the vine.

For so many of us, enjoying a nice glass or bottle of wine at dinner is seen as one of life’s great pleasures. And every meal— no matter what the spread: haut-cuisine, fast food, comfort, or El Bulli lab food, any accompaniment of wine further bumps up the gustatory pleasure.

Whether at a restaurant or at home, there are three classic dinner wines we can always enjoy. Here’s my take on them: Bordeaux & Steak. For any of you who lived or worked around the Newport Beach or Orange County area in the 70’s, 80’s, & 90’s, you’ll remember The Arches Restaurant off of Pacific Coast Highway and Newport Boulevard, where the boulevard drives out onto the Balboa Peninsula.

That restaurant served a killer Steak au Poivre—the classic pepper steak. They did it old style with a final flambé at the dinner table—I think it was a cognac they lit it up with. That definitive cracked pepper, brandy/ cognac, butter, beef broth, and Dijon mustard collaboration with a rare to medium-rare New York cut or a medium-rare filet mignon cut was the bomb. Paris, New York, or California –it was the same savor!

I remember one late afternoon while my son Paolo and I were driving around—he was nine years old then, and we stopped over to The Arches to enjoy the steak. I figured my son was now old enough to taste what a great food and wine pairing was all about.

I ordered a bottle of Château Lynch-Bages to go with the meal. As to a menu priced wine, it was one of those excellent Bordeaux that didn’t cost an arm and a leg. For the record, it was Pauley’s first Bordeaux—he would later amass a huge Bordeaux collection that I still dig into.

And not to worry, the kid tried a cute little glass, and, thought about the taste, and went on to order a Coke.

Anyway, Lynch–Bages has always impressed me as one of the ultimate steak wines. It’s always very elegant, polished, balanced and full-bodied with cassis, cigar box, red and black fruits, blackberry, spice,

with a touch of smoke, truffles, stone aromas, and that crazy seam of graphite—that’s the Lynch Bages style through the years. If you let it sit for a while, layers of complexities come into play.

In very great vintages, the wine is a powerhouse. It comes from the Pauillac region of Bordeaux, the same that produce the world famous wines such as Lafite Rothchild, Latour, Mouton-Rothchild, and Pichon Lalande.

However, I remember ordering a 1983 Lynch-Bages with lunch at a Chamber of Commerce function. As I looked around, everyone else was ordering tea and sodas to the consternation of the waiters. I was happy to oblige the staff who provided great fanfare opening the wine at the group table.

Some of the chamber members looked at me with expressions that questioned, “Don’t you work?” Others with nice smiles shared my wine.

But for that year, the wine was on the lighter side with pronounced pomegranate flavors. It was perfect for lunch and brightened things up!

Côtes du Rhône & Roasted Chicken.

Wonderful and tasty foodie-style roast chicken is on the menu again in so many households and is one of the most fun dishes to enjoy with wine—it pairs with almost anything. The chicken really lets the wine shine.

As we’ve recently highlighted with the E.Guigal article, a Côtes du Rhône (Hills of the Rhône) is from the South of France where the Grenache grape is dominant and so flavorful with its characteristic notes of black pepper, cherries, earth, herbs, raspberries, plums, and spices. That’s a made in heaven marriage with roast chicken—yeah?

And remember, the French have been pairing this meal for centuries. For who does chicken better than the French? No one! I mean even before the Franks took over and named their country, for eras beforehand, the terrestrial was called “Land of the Chickens”.

Romans called it “Gallo” (Chicken-land); the ancient world called it “Gaul”.

Beaujolais/Dry Lambrusco & Bistro Fare.

Originally and generally, one enjoyed “bistro fare” at all the famed and hole-in-the-wall bistros in and around the City of Lights, Paris.

It was wildly well prepared meals of offal, head-cheeses, pork skins, tripe, frog legs

and escargots (snails) and the like that were cooked with garlic and great wine sauces.

The rich weren’t eating this stuff, but the bourgeoisie were taking it down because it was just great comfort food.

And the wine of choice that was even as cheap as the grub was Beaujolais from the Burgundy region that was less expensive than the Bourgogne and the Bordeaux.

Now the world cooks “bistro” but the wine remains the same. Anyone who has tried the “Beaujolais-Villages” (we’re not talking ‘bout Beaujolais-Nouveau—the party wine) from any of the Beaujolais regions comes away with the realization that a light to medium body red with “rustic” comfort food, along with charcuterie and salumi (cooked coldcuts from pork) is intoxicatingly delicious.

Along similar lines, is dry Lambrusco.

Again, we’re not talking about the youthful party wine sweet sparkling Lambrusco.

Authentic dry Lambrusco provides the same epiphany as a good “Cru/Villages Beaujolais”.

Both wines are dry but fruity with notes of black cherries, flowers, grapes, plums and a touch of earth.

Dinner’s served! Bon Appétit & Cheers!

15

February 18 to February 24, 2016

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

­­THUR FEBRUARY 18 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bobby Furgo & Co. 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Reunion w/ DJ Day 10pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Bill Marx & Doug MacDonald 7pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Piano Bar 6pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Dancing & DJ 9pm open 6pm-2am THE BLOCK; CC; 760-832-7767 Open Mic Hosted by Robert Poole 7pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Live Entertainment 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CORKTREE; PD; 760-770-0123 Michael Keeth 6-9pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm FISHERMAN’S GROTTO; PD; 760-776-6533 Barry Baughn and Bob Gross 6:30pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 T.B.A. 7:30pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Chris Lomeli 6:30pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Open Mic 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-3456466 Frank DiSalvo 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Punk Rock Night 9pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 7pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Hot Rox LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Country Night w/ TBA 8pm

THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-9991995 Quinto Menguante 8-1am MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Mondo Drag, Pow! And The Dirty Fences 9pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Game Night & Open DJ Table 9pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Jason Weber 4:30pm, P.S. Jump 8pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 DJ Dracer 9pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 Open Mic hosted by Josh Heinz 9pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 The Smooth Brothers 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341-3560 Dude Jones 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 T-Bone Karaoke 8pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Tony DiGerlando 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Flyer 4-6pm, Carolyn Martinez Trio 6:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-9pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Laurie Morvan Band 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJ Bigster 8pm

FRI FEBRUARY 19 19TH HOLE; PD; 760-772-6696 Dude Jones 9pm 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Dana Larson 6:30pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Dia w/ DJ Kris Holmes 10pm AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Art of Sax 8pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 The Gilmore & Bryan Show 7pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Fleet Easton 7:30pm BAR; PS; 760-537-7337 TBA 9pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 DJ and Dancing 9pm Open 6pm-2am BISTRO 60 @TRILOGY; LQ; 760-501-0620 The Carmens 6pm BLUE BAR, SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-7755566 Lady Eris 8pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 The Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT CASINO; PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael Wright 9-1am

16

CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm DATE SHED; IND; 760-775-6699 Insecure Alex and Nylon Waves 9pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm FISHERMAN’S GROTTO; PD; 760-776-6533 Gina Carey 7pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 House Band 8:45pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Up The Pups Benefit w/ Moribund, Brain Vat, The Kathy’s and Fight Like a Girl 8pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Bill Ramirez 6:30pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-3456466 Frank DiSalvo 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Live DJ 8:30pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 8pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Palm Springs Sound Company in the afternoon, Hot Rox in the night LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Six Hot Live 9pm THE LOUNGE; AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-9991995 DJ 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Southbound and Co. 8pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760-3450222 Off Da Cuff 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Johnzo West & The Wayward Souls 8pm PEABODY’S CAFÉ; PS; 760-322-1877 Karaoke 7:30pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-228-1199 T.B.A. 9pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Comedy Night w/ Jason Stuart and Jennie McNulty 7pm, Bobbie Eakes 9pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 TBA 9pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 Alchemy, Caxton and Ideation 9pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 The Carmens 8-11pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 9pm SMOKIN’ BURGERS; PS; 760-883-5999 Ron James 6pm SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin Rock 10pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341-3560 Demetrious and Co. 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 TBA 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Pat Rizzo 6:30pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760-3282300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm VIBE; MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951-755-5391 The Rick Whitfield Band 10pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Meet The Corwins 5:30-7:30pm, John Stanley King 8pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 T.B.A. 1:304:30pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am, DJ Anwaar Hines 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 TBA 5:30pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 Michael Keeth 6-10pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 TBA 9pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Rose Mallet 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 Girl’s Night Out w/ The Men on the Hollywood Strip 9pm

SAT FEBRUARY 20 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bev & Bill 6:30pm 19TH HOLE; PD; 760-772-6696 Karaoke w/ T-Bone 9pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 DJ Aaron Castle noon poolside, DJ Nina Tarr 10pm AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Art of Sax 8pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Cabaret Open Mic 7:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Denise Carter 7:30pm BAR; PS; 760-537-7337 TBA 9pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 DJ and Dancing 9pm open 6pm-2am BLUE BAR; SPOTLIGHT 29; IND; 760-775-5566 DJ 9pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Gina Carey 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT CASINO; PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael Wright 9-1am CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm

DATE SHED; IND; 760-775-6699 Passafire and Brewfish 8pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm FISHERMAN’S GROTTO; PD; 760-776-6533 Jack Ruvio 6:30pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 TBA 8:30pm THE GROOVE LOUNGE; SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-775-5566 DJ 8pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Up The Pups Benefit w/ Glock Lesnar, Panzram and Rogue Ogre 8pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Bill Ramirez 6:30pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-3456466 Frank DiSalvo 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 T.B.A. 8pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 8pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company,in the afternoon,Hot Rox,in the night LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Six Hot Live 9pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-9991995 Bump Town 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm MITCH’S ON EL PASEO; PD; 760-779-9200 Michael Keeth 12-3pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Lucky Tongue 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760-3450222 TBA 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Shadow Mountain Band 5pm, AJ Hobbs 8pm PEABODY’S CAFÉ; PS; 760-322-1877 Karaoke 7:30pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-228-1199 TBA 9pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Kristie King “Everybody Loves Doris Day” 7pm, Kal David, Lauri Bono & The Real Deal 9pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 TBA 9pm RIVIERA; PS; 760-327-8311 Michael Keeth 7-10pm ROUTE 74 @ PUEBLO VIEJO; PD; 760-6742171 Live Band TBA SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm

February 18 to February 24, 2016

SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 Tribe-O and Mikey Reyes 9pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 The Carmens 8-11pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 9pm SIDEWINDER GRILL; DHS; 760-329-7929 Karaoke w/ Milly G 6pm SMOKIN’ BURGERS; PS; 760-883-5999 Ron James 6pm SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin Music 10pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341-3560 TBA 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 TBA 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Darci Daniels 6:30pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760-3282300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm TRYST; PS; 760-832-6046 Gutter Candy 9pm VIBE, MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951-755-5391 DJ Hektik 10pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 The Carmens 6:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 Rob & JB 1:30-4:30pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am, DJ Anwaar Hines 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Chris Lomeli 8pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 Michael Keeth 6pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 8pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Stanley Butler Trio 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJs 9pm continue to page 22

17

February 18 to February 24, 2016

18

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

February 18 to February 24, 2016

19

February 18 to February 24, 2016

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

Spectrum Indian Wells Art Show Debuts, Coincides with BNP Paribas Open Tennis Tournament

Brand new four-day art event with cutting-edge artwork, entertainment, and special performances timed with the tennis tournament

S

pectrum Indian Wells, with presenting sponsor UBS Financial Services, is a juried contemporary art show taking place in the Coachella Valley in Southern California that will run from Thursday, March 17 to Sunday, March 20, 2016. Spectrum Indian Wells is a four-day fine art experience featuring top galleries and artists, happening during the final weekend of the renowned BNP Paribas Open, which drew over 456,000 affluent tennis fans from around the world last year.

“We are thrilled to premiere one of our newest art shows, complete with entertainment and innovative art, to be strategically timed with the BNP Paribas Open,” said Eric Smith, president and CEO of Redwood Media Group. “We chose the Coachella Valley in California because, every spring, hundreds of thousands of visitors

attend the tournament bringing in a vast high-net-worth crowd that’s eager to have an experience that extends beyond the tournament and we think seeing and buying great artwork is the perfect match.”

The show will take place at the Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa, a lavish resort nestled against the backdrop of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains, just a couple of miles from the Indian Wells Tennis Garden where the tournament takes place.

Exhibitors include top galleries, art publishers, and established art studios from across the U.S. and around the world, with mediums ranging from paintings and photography to sculpture, glassworks, and more. Presenting sponsor UBS Financial Services will be inviting their international, national and local clients to early viewings and private parties within the show. UBS will also sponsor a lavish VIP

LA QUINTA ARTS FESTIVAL continued from page 13 or at the gate. Free parking is available in designated areas throughout the Village of La Quinta, along with paid valet ($12) and selfparking ($8) options. No pets allowed with the exception of service animals.

La Quinta Arts Festival is presented by La Quinta Arts Foundation (LQAF) in partnership with Premier Sponsor the City of La Quinta.

Major corporate sponsors include Rabobank, and La Quinta Resort as Official Resort Hotel Sponsor.

Event proceeds have to date funded LQAF scholarship awards totaling $1.2 million to students pursuing an education in the visual arts. More Info: LQAF.com, 760-564-1244, facebook.com/LaQuintaArtsFoundation.

About La Quinta Arts Festival: La Quinta Arts Festival was ranked the #1 Fine Art Festival in the Nation by Greg Lawler’s Art Fair SourceBook in 2013, 2014, and 2015.

Presented by La Quinta Arts Foundation, La Quinta Arts Festival is one of the oldest and most esteemed art shows in the country, consistently ranked among the top art fairs held in the United States. Now in its 34th year, the four-day festival will feature the original works of over 220 artists, musical and stage performances, as well as delicious local food and drink. La Quinta Arts Festival is held in the unmatched outdoor lawn setting in La Quinta’s Civic Park.

About La Quinta: In addition to the annual Festival every March, visitors and residents alike are drawn to the iconic La Quinta Resort Hotel for respite and desert hospitality. Old Town La Quinta with an array of boutique

20

shops and restaurants, golf at SilverRock Resort and the unparalleled natural scenic mountains and trails extend the La Quinta experience. There’s something for everyone in La Quinta, the Gem of the Desert, located a short drive east of legendary Palm Springs, CA. About Art Fair SourceBook: Now in its 22nd year of publication, Art Fair SourceBook™ is the bible of the industry. Art Fair SourceBook exists to create an independent one-stop resource for artists and artisans that enables them to more confidently, efficiently, and effectively select the events most likely to optimize their profits. The SourceBook is the most comprehensive guide to the top-selling art fairs and craft shows.

About La Quinta Arts Foundation (LQAF): LQAF is a non-profit organization incorporated in 1982 whose mission is “Promoting and Cultivating the Arts.” This is accomplished by producing nationally acclaimed visual and performing art events, forming meaningful partnerships within the community, and providing cultural, education and personal growth outreach programs to all citizens of the Coachella Valley and beyond. Visit us at www.LQAF.com for more information.

lounge, providing tournament attendees and high-net-worth clients a place to relax and rest.

The theme for Spectrum Indian Wells is [EXPANSE]: A vast landscape of artistic imaginings. Against an expansive desert backdrop, world-class artists and galleries pursue the pinnacle of creative vision. Tickets for Spectrum Indian Wells Opening Night Preview are priced at $50 online and $60 at the door. General Admission tickets are $20 online and $30 at the door. Free General Admission will be granted to anyone with a ticket to the BNP Paribas Open. For more information on Spectrum Indian Wells, please visit www.spectrum-indianwells.com.

SHOW HOURS: Opening Night Preview: Thursday, March 17, 2016 | 5pm – 9pm

art Scene Open Show Days: Friday, March 18, 2016 | 12pm – 7pm Saturday, March 19, 2016 | 12pm – 7pm Sunday, March 20, 2016 | 10am – 5pm VENUE: Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa 44400 Indian Wells Lane Indian Wells, CA 92210 ADMISSION COST: Trade and Press: Free with pre-registration.

VIP Opening Night: $50 online | $60 at event.

VIP Opening Night plus 3 Day Pass: $75 online | $85 at event.

General Public: One-day pass $20 online | $30 at event. Three-day pass $25 online | $35 at event Student/Senior: One-day pass $10 online | $15 at event. Three-day pass $15 online | $20 at event Children (up to age 15): Free.

Spectrum Indian Wells, launching its premiere in March 2016, aims to reach hundreds of thousands of art fans via exhibition, education, and special events. Taking place in Indian Wells, California, Spectrum Indian Wells brings a much-needed arts-and-culture element to an area and time of year rich with sporting events and music festivals. The four-day contemporary art show is owned and produced

by Redwood Media Group (RMG). For more info, visit spectrum-indianwells.com.

PALM DESERT’S NEW GALLERY LAZZARO: INNOVATIVE SPACE FOR ART, INVITING PLACE FOR ART LOVERS

An innovative gallery concept by the design team of Lawrence Lazzaro and Nicholas Hertneck allery Lazzaro is not your typical gallery. Think interior design showroom with the cerebral vibe of a salon centered around great art. Located in The Art Place in Palm Desert, the factory loftturned-gallery offers an ambiance of intimate elegance with an industrial edge.

Lawrence Lazzaro and Nicholas Hertneck, owners of Nicholas Lawrence Design, created the space with mindful attention to the overall gallery experience. Plank-style flooring, designed in flow patterns, gently guides people through four distinctive gallery spaces, and strategically placed antiques and furnishings throughout create a sense of scale and what the art might look like in a home.

“Since our first business is interior design and architecture, we approached the gallery as interior designers and architects and questioned every aspect along the way,” Lazzaro explained.

The design team also renounced the customary white interior favored by many colorful and immediate, which appeals to our galleries, painting the walls Farrow & Ball’s designer/architect aesthetics. With closer Hague Blue — a deep blue-gray that makes study, his work is provocative and intimate, everything look brighter, according to Lazzaro. and these aspects appeal to our art collector “It silhouettes people beautifully and makes the selves,” Lazzaro said of the gallery’s debut show.

“We like the idea of representing artists whose art really pop.”

On February 19th, from 4pm – 8pm, Gallery work appeals to us as both art collector and Lazzaro celebrates its grand opening with designer/architect.”

Gallery Lazzaro • The Art Place Desires of the Collective Unconscious; the 41801 Corporate Way, Ste#13 Works of David Stanton. Enjoy stimulating art Palm Desert, CA 92260 and conversation, and lite appetizers and adult 310.246.8090 libations. gallery@nicholaslawrencedesign.com “Stanton’s work is exciting and engaging,

G

Community

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

February 18 to February 24, 2016

Article and photos By esther sanchez

Obama Visits The Coachella Valley For ASEAN Summit Hundreds Gather To Protest In Rancho Mirage

O

ver the holiday weekend through Tuesday, Sunnylands Center and Gardens, AKA, “The Camp David of California,” hosted President Obama and numerous world leaders at a summit for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Hundreds of protesters, mostly of Thai and Cambodian descent, traveled from all over the US to Rancho Mirage with the purpose of calling attention to various issues including but not limited to human-rights abuses in their homelands, the US government’s relationship and trade-practices with Southeast Asian nations and the stances the US government has taken regarding issues affecting citizens of Southeast Asia.

In addition, there were also a few pockets of protesters who showed up with other agendas such as immigration reform. It really was a mixed bag and I wouldn’t blame anyone for finding the situation confusing.

To be honest, I spent several hours with the demonstrators and left more confused than I was when I arrived.

Thank the Google gods, I was eventually able to make some sense out of a lot what was being talked about and I admittedly felt somewhat guilty for having such little understanding for so much of what is happening in other parts of the world. As a nation, the US is about as narcissistic as it gets and we often pay no attention to circumstances in other countries unless we feel as though they somehow affect us on a personal level. I was surprised to find separate groups of people who emigrated from the same country of origin, who were there representing opposite opinions on the same issue. At times, debates among them would become heated.

The majority of demonstrators I was able to interact with were of Cambodian and Thai descent. Many spoke of how they loved their homelands but were proud to be Americans. The Thai demonstrators were

16 year-old Kayleigh McCormick and her father, Bob, who is of Thai descent, traveled from Washington DC to join the protest.

clearly the most divided, and I soon learned to identify their groups by what they were wearing. In a nutshell, the “Red Shirts” are against the longstanding monarchy in Thailand and want to abolish it along with a hundred-plus year-old law, “Article 112” which basically prohibits any speech that is critical towards or deemed offensive to the King. Punishments for not following 112 can be severe, including decades in prison or worse.

The “Yellow Shirts” (many of whom also wore camouflage) for the most part are conservative, traditionalists who support the King, believe he has the best intentions for Thai people, and that anyone who criticizes him and the monarchy are disloyal, divisive and deserving of the consequences set by article 112.

There was talk of gross violations of human rights, corruption, greed, patriotism, rebellion and everything in between.

The messages the demonstrators were attempting to publicize were passionate, yet varied from group to group. In order to avoid diminishing, devaluing or misinterpreting their intended agendas, I decided to let the people represent themselves and promised them I would quote them directly while doing my best to include opposing opinions equally. (Trust me, many of them wanted me to give my word on that.) Dozens of them were happy to talk to me and be photographed but declined to give their names. Some joked that it wasn’t worth doing so because, like most Americans, I would probably find their names too difficult to pronounce anyway.

Kayleigh (Red Shirt): “In 2014 there was a military coup which successfully overthrew the democratically elected Prime Minister of Thailand who was exiled and replaced with someone who is basically a military dictator.

The King is nothing but a pawn of the government. He is close to 90 years-old, in poor health and hasn’t been seen in months.

Technically, the Prime Minister, judges, military leaders, etc., are all supposed to report to the monarchy which is why there are no checks and balances. They are able to control everything in ways that are of no benefit to the people. They make decisions

that benefit the 1% and the government officials and are getting rich while doing nothing for the citizens of Thailand.

My issue with the stance taken by those in the yellow shirts is that they are here in the US now enjoying the freedom democracy brings, yet they want to deny those same rights to those still in Thailand.”

Bob (Red Shirt): “We simply want Thailand to be for Thai people. Currently, it has been taken over by those who are hiding behind the King. The King is really a symbolic image that is well respected in Thailand but they are abusing his power. The wealth of the monarchy is enormous and it is hoarded to the point that there is very little left for the citizens. The former prime minister who was democratically elected and won by a landslide was making major changes in the system which is why the coup happened.

The new constitution calls for senators to be appointed rather than elected. Those appointed leaders make the decisions that affect everyone.”

Female Yellow Shirt Protester #1: “You have the law to protect Obama’s rights. They want to say bad things about our King.”

Esther Sanchez: Do you want the people of Thailand to be able to say whatever they want about whomever they want?

Female Yellow Shirt Protester #1: “No. We want (article) 112 to stay, to protect our King’s rights.”

Male Yellow Shirt Protester: “We have our own legislature that is exceptional.”

Female Yellow Shirt Protester #1 (interrupting in attempt to help clarify due to language barrier): “In our culture we respect authority, highly. Even our father and mother…nobody can say anything about them.”

Female Protester #2. (not pictured below/seen in video): “Our King is still under the law in Thailand. He doesn’t have any power at all. He still has to follow the law. We respect him because he has done so much good for us in the past. The government makes the law. Here they have free speech, but in Thailand they must have respect...everybody knows that our King always does good for us and they don’t want to mention so much about him because he is the top...The people (red shirts) who are on his side (exiled prime-minister), they got paid (to attend the protest). We came all this way because of our hearts. Nobody paid us.”

View a video clip of the protesters’ comments and debates about Article 112 at youtube.com/watch?v=EE_r17zY7_I

“Yellow shirt” Thai immigrants who came from Buena Park, CA. to show support for the Thai Monarchy

21

February 18 to February 24, 2016

CLUB CRAWLER NIGHTLIFE continued from page 17

SUN FEBRUARY 21

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bob Garcia 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Pizza Party Music Presents After School Special noon, Comedy Night w/ Joe Monde 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Sunday Brunch w/ Carolyn Martinez 11:30am AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 The Judy Show 7:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Motown, R&B and Funk 6pm-2am BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Steve Madaio 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT; PS; 888999-1995 Nash with Quinto Menguante 9pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Joe Jaggi 6pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Radio 60 & Friends 3-6pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Ted Herman’s Big Band 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Open Jam 6pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company, in the afternoon, Hot Rox, in the night MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Sunday Jam 4-8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Golden Era Karaoke 4-7pm, Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 7:30pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Longest Running Jam Session in the valley. Hosted by JB, Sign up 6pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 The Sunday Band 7:30pm PETE’S HIDEAWAY;PS; 760-322-6500 The Evaro Brothers 7pm

PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Kristie King “Everybody Loves Doris Day” 1pm, The Judy Show 7pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Eddie Gee 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 The Myx 6pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 7pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 John Stanley King 6-9pm VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 TBA 6pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 The Smooth Brothers 5:30pm

MON FEBRUARY 22 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 The Luminators 6pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Bill Marx 6:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Mood Deep House Lounge 6pm-2am CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Joe Jaggi 6pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Larry Capeloto 6pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Hot Rox NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 7pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Industry Night w/ DJ Tone 2pm-close SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 T-Bone Karaoke 8:30pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 T.B.A. 6pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Jazz Supper Club Series w/ Sweet Baby J Al 6:30pm

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-2am, Michael James & 3sum 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Tony Grandberry 6:30pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Trish Hatley & Barney McClure 6pm

TUE FEBRUARY 23 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Dana Larson 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Ace Karaoke with Kiesha 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Eric Lindstrom 7pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Bella da Ball Dinner Revue w/ guest performers 7:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Open DJ Night text 760-799-8800 to sign up 6pm-2am BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Joe Jaggi 6pm CORKTREE; PD; 760-770-0123 Michael Keeth 6-9pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm FIRESIDE LOUNGE; PS; 760-327-1700 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm FISHERMAN’S GROTTO; PD; 760-776-6533 Chuck Alvarez 6:30pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Karaoke hosted

by Phillip Moore 9pm INDIAN CANYONS GOLF RESORT; PS; 760833-8700 DJ Randy Johnson 6pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Michael D’Angelo 6:15pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Ted Quinn’s Open Mic Reality Show Jam 8pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 7pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Palm Springs Sound Company NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am

THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Tim Burleson 7:45pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Open Mic Jam w/ Jimi Heil 7pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Ladies Night 7pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Jason Weber 4:30pm, Rose Mallett 7pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 T-Bone Karaoke 8:30pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Demetrious and Co. THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Douglas McDonald 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Mike Costley and Trio 6:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 Tequila Tuesdays 9pm VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Chris Lomeli 6pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 The Stan Watkins Dixieland Party 6pm

WED FEBRUARY 24 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Daniel Horn 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Caitlin Anne Webster 8pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Pro Jazz Jam w/ Shelley Yoelin 7:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Piano Bar 6pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Beer Pong Contest 6pm-2am BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Michael Keeth 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm FISHERMAN’S GROTTO; PD; 760-776-6533 Gina Carey 6pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm

(760) 340-2840 www.triabike.com

Open Daily 10 am - 6 pm Sunday 12 - 5pm 44841 San Pablo (West Side of Street), Palm Desert, CA 92260

S and G

PUMPING SERVICE

Septic Tank & Grease Trap Pumping Sewer & Drain Cleaning Odor Control

22

760-404-6325

INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Open Mic w/ Rich Bono & Poupee Boccaccio 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Live Music KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Open Mic hosted by Amy Angel 6:30pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Hot Rox MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 “Sing Jam” w/ Mikael Healey 8pm MITCH’S ON EL PASEO; PD; 760-779-9200 Michael Keeth 12-3pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Golden Era Karaoke 4-7pm, Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Roger Lemieux 5pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-288-1199 Karaoke w/ KJ Ginger 8pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Michael Holmes Jazz Trio 6:30pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 Dude Jones 9pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 The D Phillips Band 6pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Straight Ahead Jazz 6pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Open Mic w/ Les Michaels 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Lizann Warner 6:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-2am, Nite Fixx 9-2am WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 Karaoke 9pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Chuck Alvarez All Star Session 6:30pm

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

TORTOISE ROCK CASINO PRESENTS ULTIMATE VIEWING PARTY FOR HBO CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING By jessica Rees

FEATURING JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT. Watch Live In Casino Saturday, February 27 at 7 p.m.

T

ortoise Rock Casino is proud to present the ultimate viewing party for HBO Championship Boxing featuring the Junior Welterweight Championship fight between Terence Crawford and Hank Lundy. HBO Championship Boxing will be shown live in Shelly’s Lounge on Saturday, February 27 at 7 p.m.

The feature fight of the night has undefeated Terence “Bud” Crawford defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) Junior Welterweight title. He claimed the title last year with a win over Thomas Dulorme and successfully defended it beating Dierry Jean this past October.

Previously, Crawford was a three-time WBO

Lightweight Champion before moving to Junior Welterweight.

His challenger, “Hammerin” Hank Lundy, started his professional career in 2006 and quickly rose to 10-0. He has defeated former world champions including David Diaz and Rich Abril. He lost two straight bouts before bouncing back with a win last year over Carlos Winston Velasquez to capture the World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Lightweight title.

Another fight on the card features Felix Verdejo vs. William Silva in a 10-round Lightweight battle. The fights will take place at the at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and the action will be shown live on Saturday, February 27 at 7 p.m. in

February 18 to February 24, 2016

sports Scene

Shelly’s Lounge (21+). Seating is on a firstcome, first-served basis. After the fight, stay and play on one of Tortoise Rock Casino’s 400 slot machines or twelve table games.

Tortoise Rock Casino can be found by taking a right on Adobe Road at Highway 62 going east. Everyone 18 years of age and over can join the non-stop sizzling gaming action at Tortoise Rock Casino. For more information, visit www.TortoiseRockCasino.com.

By christopher Lavoie “RELENTLESS” ANTONIO OROZCO IS SET TO FACE MIGUEL ACOSTA ON MARCH 25 AT FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO, INDIO, CA. LIVE NATIONALLY ON BOXEO ESTELAR ON ESTRELLA TV. Tickets on Sale Now!

F

resh off an exciting victory over former three-division world champion, Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto on the undercard of Matthysse vs. Postol on Oct. 3, “Relentless” Antonio Orozco (23-0, 15 KOs) is ready to gain a shot at a world title in 2016 when he takes on former WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Miguel “Aguacerito” Acosta (29-8-2, 23 KOs) on March 25. The 10-round welterweight fight will be broadcasted live nationally on Boxeo Estelar on Estrella TV, from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.

“I’m excited to get back in the ring on March 25,” said Antonio Orozco. “I have had some great fights at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and on Friday, March 25, I’m preparing for a great one as well.”

“Antonio Orozco had a fantastic year in the ring in 2015, defeating veteran Humberto ‘La Zorrita’ Soto and top contender Emmanuel Taylor,” said Oscar De La Hoya, chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “We have high hopes for Antonio in 2016 and believe he is on a path to fight for a world title soon. His next fight against Miguel Acosta on March 25 will get him one step closer to that goal.”

In the televised co-main event, newly signed Golden Boy Promotions fighter, Andrew “El Chango” Cancio (16-3-2, 12 KOs) of Blythe, Calif. will fight in a 10-round featherweight fight.

Hoping to make air time on Estrella TV, Edgar “Kid Neza” Valerio (5-0, 3 KOs) of Los Angeles, will be participating in a six-round swing bout.

Undefeated top prospects round out the non-televised undercard, which will stream live on Ring TV. First, Jason “El Animal” Quigley (90, 8 KOs) of Donegal, Ireland is scheduled for an eight-round middleweight bout; St. Louis, Mo.’s undefeated welterweight KeAndre “The Truth” Gibson (14-0-1, 6 KOs) will fight in an eight-round fight; Emilio Sanchez (11-0, 8 KOs) of Pacoima, Calif. will participate in an eightround featherweight bout; Indio, Calif.’s Marco Magdaleno (2-0, 1 KOs) will be engaged in a fourround event and opening up the night, Whittier, Calif. Pablo “The Shark” Rubio (4-0, 3 KOs) will fight in a four-round super bantamweight bout.

Opponents will be announced shortly.

Ranked number five by the WBC and fourth by

the IBF “Relentless” Antonio Orozco of San Diego by way of Tecate, Baja California, Mexico holds impressive victories over former world champion Stevie “2 Pound” Forbes and Martin “El Brochas” Honorio, and seasoned fighters Ivan Hernandez and Miguel “El Anestesista” Huerta have propelled Orozco to the top of the super lightweight division. In 2015 Orozco, started off the year with an impressive unanimous decision victory over the dangerous super lightweight contender Emmanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor in May. Orozco showed his boxing skills and dominance in the ring. Most recently, the undefeated fighter was seen in the ring in an impressive unanimous decision victory over former three-division world champion Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto on Oct. 3, 2015. The victory solidified Orozco as a serious threat in the division now on route to obtaining a shot a world title in 2016.

Hailing from Philadelphia, by way of Miranda, Venezuela, Miguel “Aguacerito” Acosta has had a long career full of up’s and downs. A professional since 1999, Acosta became the WBA Lightweight World Champion over then undefeated Urbano Antillon in 2009. The Venezuelan, defended the title once before losing it to Richar Abril in 2011.

Since then, Acosta has been fighting consistently looking for another opportunity at a title but has come up short. Now, with a fight against one of the top fighters in the division in Antonio Orozco, a victory could propel him back into the title game.

A professional since 2006, Blythe, California’s

Andrew “El Chango” Cancio has had a successful career facing some of boxing’s toughest featherweight contenders. The talented 27-yearold holds victories over perennial contender and 2000 U.S. Olympic Silver Medalist Rocky Juarez, the battle tested Jerry “The Corpus Christi Kid” Belmontes, and is coming off an impressive seventh round knockout of tough warrior Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado.

Hailing from Balleybofey in County Donegal, Ireland, the 24-year-old Jason “El Animal” Quigley had an outstanding amateur career becoming the first Irish fighter to win a Silver medal at the AIBA World Amateur Boxing Championships in 2013. “El Animal” started his professional career in 2014 and has quickly garnered attention by ending each fight via knockout against Howard Reece, Fernando Najera, and Greg McCoy. Quigley has continued his wins-by-knockout streak by impressively taking down Lanny Dardar, Tolutomi Agunbiade, Joshua Snyder and Michael Faulk. Most recently, Quigley fought Marchristopher Adkins in November winning the bout via unanimous decision.

24-year-old welterweight prospect, KeAndre “The Truth” Gibson, of Saint Louis, Mo. who now makes his home in Las Vegas, has become quite popular in Texas, where he won impressive victories over John Nater and Jose Hernandez. In January 2015, Gibson took on Nicaragua’s Nelson Lara winning the fight via unanimous decision.

In his second fight of 2015, Gibson faced Jorge Ramos in an eight round fight winning the bout via unanimous decision in the undercard of Canelo-Kirkland on May 9, 2015. Gibson was last seen in the ring on October 2015, defeating Tom Howard via knockout.

Pacoima, Calif.’s super bantamweight Emilio Sanchez made his professional debut in 2013 in first round knockout of Luis Alfredo Rodriguez starting out a string of first-round knockouts throughout 2013. Since then Sanchez has maintained his momentum, showing his power and his intelligence in the ring. 2015 was a busy year for Sanchez, fighting five times in front of his hometown crowd at the Belasco Theater. The 21-year-old is last defeated Juan Hernandez in December 2015 via knockout and will be looking to continue the trend when he fights in his first

fight of 2016.

Edgar Valerio is determined to become a force in boxing since making his professional debut in September 2012. Valerio is part of the rising local talent from Los Angeles, and has fought all of his professional fights in the region before a hometown crowd. In August 2014, Valerio secured a unanimous decision victory over Adrian Rodriguez and in his first fight of 2015, Valerio defeated Justin Lopez via knockout. Now, Valerio is ready to continue his undefeated trend when he fights on March 25.

Las Vegas native Marco Magdaleno comes from a fighting family that includes brothers Diego and Jessie, and after a stellar amateur career, the hard-working southpaw from Indio made his professional debut against another newcomer to the game, Lancaster’s Phillip Bounds defeating him via knockout. The 23-year-old fought at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino for a second time in December of 2015 defeating Derick Bartlemay via unanimous decision. Now, the southpaw will be looking to keep his undefeated record when he fights in front of his hometown for the third time.

Hailing from Whittier, Calif., Pablo Rubio Jr. fought three times in 2015 after making his professional debut at the June 4 edition of LA FIGHT CLUB with a win against Julio Rodriguez.

Previously, Rubio fought in the 2014 USA Boxing Junior and Youth Open in the youth lightweight class at 123 lbs., and has sparred with the likes of undefeated World Champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz. Rubio is determined to make a strong start for his second year as a professional fighter with another victory in 2016.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and are priced at $45, $35, $25 and can be purchased at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at fantasyspringsresort.com.

Antonio Orozco vs. Miguel Acosta, is a 10-round welterweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD. The Boxeo Estelar broadcast will air live on Estrella TV at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The card will also stream live on EstrellaTV.com and on YouTube via Fenomeno Studios. The Ring TV live stream will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

23

February 18 to February 24, 2016

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

safety tips

by Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

Put Your Heart Into It!

F

ebruary is American Heart Month and Cardiovascular Disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with one in three deaths caused by heart disease and stroke reminds Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. These conditions are also leading causes of disability preventing people from working, enjoying family activities and living normal lives.

With more than 2 million heart attacks and strokes a year, and 800,000 deaths, it’s important you start taking some preventive measures one step at a time: Stop smoking. Quitting smoking is the single most important thing a person can do to live longer. Cut down on salt. Too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease. Watch your diet. A healthy diet can help to reduce the risk of developing heart disease, and can also help increase the chances of survival after a heart attack.

Monitor your alcohol. Too much alcohol can damage the heart muscle, increase blood pressure and also lead to weight gain. Get active. The heart is a muscle and it needs exercise to keep fit so it can pump blood efficiently round your body with each heartbeat. Check with your Doctor first

before starting a rigorous exercise program.

Manage your weight. Carrying a lot of extra weight as fat can greatly affect your health and increases the risk of life-threatening conditions such as coronary heart disease and diabetes. Get your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked. The higher your blood pressure, the shorter your life expectancy. Learn to manage your stress levels. Check your family history. Many times our past (family history) predicts our future.

Make sure you can recognize the early signs of coronary heart disease.

Tightness or discomfort in the chest, neck, arm or stomach that comes on when you exert yourself but goes away with rest may be the first sign of angina, which can lead to a heart attack if left untreated.

For more information, contact your physician and visit www.cdc.gov/features/ heartmonth/index.html Happy Heart Month!

Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

sports Scene

by Flint Wheeler

PGA Tour Talent Stacked For The Next Decade...

H

ow can someone say “Golf is boring”? Perhaps because there are no more super stars? I don’t think that’s a feasible statement. With the 2016 PGA Tour well on its way through the West Coast swing, the crop of young players starting to make their stamp on the game is ever more evident. The young guns of today hold the key to the future of golf. If Tiger Woods was a hurricane that took the PGA Tour by storm, then these whippersnappers are the storm season that will stay around for a very long time.

I think these 5 golfers have the ability to do it… to be the breakout golfers.

Not Tiger (unfortunately) and not Phil (not in this article, at least). The only person over the age of 30 is Justin Thomas. With his win in Malaysia, Thomas finally got the monkey off his back. I say finally loosely.

At the age of 22, Thomas didn’t have to wait long, although his college resume and early success on Tour indicated a win would come. His age was eerily representative of how much money he won in 2015–$2.2 million.

Thomas’ game will take another jump forward in 2016, where he’ll likely exceed 10 top-10 finishes and a trip to East Lake and the Tour Championship. Ahh, let’s

24

not burden the kid. Let him play and just watch… the results will come.

Let’s ignore the obvious for a moment.

We’re all eager to see how Jordan Spieth follows up his monstrous 2015, which included five victories, two majors, the Tour Championship, four runner-up finishes and more prize money than any golfer in history.

The fact that he did it all at age 21-22 made it more impressive. But the more I think about Spieth in 2016, especially through the lens of last year, the more I consider alternate paths.

There are no guarantees in golf just as there are no guarantees in life. What I mean is that 2015 could very well be the best season Spieth will ever have. Are we prepared to accept that? At this young age Spieth has earned patience to go with the expectations. Still, how he performs in 2016 and beyond shouldn’t change the legacy he’s already left.

A group of rising young stars decided to take their golfing talents to Europe when they turned pro a few years ago now.

Among them was Brooks Koepka. It became an attractive place to learn how to become a professional. It was the theory of getting comfortable with the uncomfortable.

Koepka, with others, did just that. And for

the Koepka camp, it’s paying its dividends.

The 2015 season was Brooks’ first full season on the PGA Tour. With a win that February in Phoenix and great play all summer, including great finishes in the majors, he vaulted his name to inside the world’s top-20 players. Regardless of how you feel about the official world golf rankings, Koepka’s play has been among the best in the world. With his distance (4th on the PGA Tour in 2015), he has the talent to be elite. If his iron play and his putting can match that of his peers, he’ll be a household name by next year this time.

Each of the past two years, 2014 and 2015, could be classified as Rickie Fowler’s “career year.” In fact, ever since bursting on the scene as a loudly-dressed, flamboyant motor star on the Tour in 2009, Fowler has continued to improve. Now the 5th-ranked golfer in the world, the only thing missing from his resume is a major championship– aside from a Ryder Cup. He famously notched top-5s in every single one of those pesky majors in 2014. In 2015, he won thrice (three times) worldwide.

As for 2016, Fowler sits just outside today’s “Big 3” of Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy. He’s proven he can compete on any venue, in any conditions

and under any amount of pressure. It’s the adrenaline junkie in him.

I think Fowler’s the guy to watch for a couple different reasons: 1- He’s going to win a major this year… and 2- if he doesn’t, the microscope will get bigger and bigger.

Both are reasons to watch Rickie in 2016.

After narrowly missing out on qualifying for the Web.com Playoffs last season, which would have given him a chance to earn a PGA Tour card for 2016, Ollie Schniederjans now faces a more difficult path to obtain tour status. Like Spieth before him, he’ll rely on sponsor exemptions to play in a select number of PGA events. It’ll be worth watching how the former Georgia Tech star, and hatless-wonder, reacts.

Spieth was able to earn his place thanks a stunning run of early results that included a win at the Quad Cities. We now know that his maturity and poise under pressure drives his game as much as his physical talent. Like Spieth, Schniederjans is a 22-year-old Texan.

We don’t know, however, if Schniederjans carries the same traits.

As for Rory McIlroy, who did not make my list… sorry Rory... money and fame sometimes takes its toll on athletes (See the entire NBA).

Haddon Libby

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

February 18 to February 24, 2016

Homage to Andy Rooney

F

or those of you who don’t know who Andy Rooney is, he had a threeminute commentary piece at the end of the television program 60 Minutes for thirty-three years until just before his death five years ago at the age of ninetytwo. His segments were rich in satire and observations of everyday annoyances.

Here is my homage to Mr. Rooney…

We are quickly approaching the end of Black History Month. Given that Blacks make up about 12% of the American population, it makes sense that we would give them a month-long celebration. It’s the least we can do after slavery and all.

Hispanics make up 17% of our ‘legal’ population but they don’t have a month or two in their honor. I wonder why. All they get is Cesar Chavez Day on March 31st and that’s not even a holiday. Maybe we can give Hispanics the month of May and half of June and use the rest of the month to celebrate Americans of Asian descent. I think they might like that.

While I’m at it, 5% of all Americans have been in prison. Did you ever wonder why one in three black males can expect to spend time in jail yet almost no one from the mortgage fraud crisis ended up in jail? I don’t think this is a black or white issue - it’s

more of a green issue. Those with money and power seem to play by a different set of rules, don’t ‘cha think?

I’m told that you can find a depressed Angelo Mozilo, the disgraced head of Countrywide, wandering around the ultra-exclusive Madison Club in La Quinta.

Supposedly, he is upset that many of his old friends don’t want to be around him anymore.

Poor fella. Too bad I don’t feel sorry for him.

I also want to feel sorry for Martin Dolemo and his Saxony Group. He is that guy who rents lots of billboards. While he seems awfully good at self-promotion and proclamations as to his development prowess, not a lot gets done. In case you don’t remember, he has announced a Fashion Center and a Convention Center and some Grand Valley project and a Mortgage Company and a Commercial Real Estate something or another and some kind of Film Production Studio and 14,000 new jobs and a four star hotel in downtown Cathedral City and, well, I’m sure there is more.

Where does someone get the money to fail so often like that? I read on that Internet Google thing that Dolemo had a billion dollar project in Calgary that never

Dale Gribow On The Law DID OBAMA CREATE MORE DUI’S?

P

resident Obama’s trip to our Desert will arguably result in more DUI’s.

However an argument can be made both ways. You could argue that all of our local law enforcement will be out protecting the President and his entourage and thus leaving fewer officers to patrol the streets for bad drivers and other crimes.

Because of expected demonstrators law enforcement from other counties has also been called to assist. Thus we will have had the greatest presence of police ever this last week.

However, the officer’s focus was on protecting the President and they “might ignore” minor traffic violations which often result in a DUI. Traditionally an officer sees someone speeding or weaving and when the officer stops the driver they smell alcohol.

A stop gives the police probable cause to investigate further and ask the driver to exit the vehicle. Upon exiting, the officer may smell alcohol and or observe the driver having trouble getting out of the car and standing. The police will use that to argue they now have the right to give the driver a field sobriety test....and eventually a chemical test.

During meetings/golf, the officers have a lot of down time. While driving down 111 in Rancho Mirage on Monday, I saw 12 RSO officers just waiting and talking to one another. When the President “moves” they then have to focus

on him. Otherwise with all their down time they might act upon serious vehicle violations. When they smell alcohol the DUI procedures start.

This expanded presence is similar to DUI saturation patrols. The Coachella Valley is DUI sensitive because we have more DUI fatalities in the CV than anywhere else in California...per capita. There should have been more arrests and fatalities over the last week because of the President and his entourage.

The idea behind a saturation patrol is that a large number of law enforcement officers will “make their presence known” by conducting stops, targeting inebriated, distracted, aggressive and speeding drivers, as well as those with seatbelt or cell phone violations.... the whole nine yards of traffic violations. The protection of the President is arguably the biggest saturation patrol possible.

An impaired driver makes many mistakes.

They are not aware, unless they read my weekly legal columns, that the field sobriety and breath test at the scene are optional. Thus you do not have to take the walk the line, finger to nose, alphabet and other sobriety tests. Likewise the breath test at the scene (unless you are on probation) is optional.

A potential DUI driver should be cooperative and politely explain “attorney Dale Gribow advised them not to talk without their lawyer’s permission.” Thus the driver remains the Good Guy and the Lawyer is the Fall Guy. The driver should explain “they understand

got done. If I were him, I’d go a little bit under the radar for a while and try and get something done.

People talk. That’s all I’m saying.

Lastly, what’s the deal with that treaty that President Obama wants to sign that ‘levels the economic playing field’ with a number of poor Asian nations? I don’t know about you but I’m thinking that American workers are going to have an awfully hard time competing against $0.50 an hour workers. I’m sure the big corporations like it. That treaty is downright Republican of the President. I doubt that will help in getting through a replacement to Supreme Court Justice Scalia.

Still, we should trust those in power to do what’s best for you and me. I won’t even

Field Sobriety and Breath Tests at the scene are OPTIONAL. If that is correct Mr. Officer, then I elect not to take them. Then explain that they are happy to cooperate with law enforcement and take a blood test.”

Whether you call it buzzed, drunk, faced, blitzed, deuced, loaded, it is all the same.

You do not have to be drunk but merely under the influence. Remember: THINK DON’T DRINK.

bring up the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments as we are still in Black History Month and basking in the glow of Valentine’s Day. If you want to know more about that forty yearlong secret government test that allowed syphilitic black men to suffer, use that Internet Google thing.

Haddon Libby is Managing Director of Winslow Drake, an investment advisory firm and can be reached at hlibby@ winslowdrake.com or 213.596.8399.

If you have questions or ideas for future columns please contact Dale Gribow at 760 8377500 or dale@dalegribowlaw.com.

DALE GRIBOW - “TOP LAWYER” - Palm Springs Life 2011-2016 (DUI and PI) 10.0 AVVO Perfect Peer Rating “Preeminent” - Martindale Hubbell Legal Directory “Best Attorneys of America” Selected by “Rue” (Limited to Top 100/State) “DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE OR TEXT AND GET A DUI OR ACCIDENT, CALL A TAXI OR UBER...IT IS A LOT CHEAPER THAN CALLING ME”.

25

February 18 to February 24, 2016

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

ask JENNY

by Jenny Wallis

“it bugs me just thinking about her.. ”

H

i Jenny, I wanted to write in because I have a situation going on at work that I need your help with.

You offer great advice on romantic relationships, but I’m hoping you can help me with one that is not romantic.

I have a great bunch of people who I work with; all of them are funny and helpful. I think all in all, we are a great team. But one of the workers (she has been part of the firm a lot longer than myself), is absolutely annoying and positively dreadful! I can’t stand her negative attitude or how she is constantly judging people and things.

The personality she presents to the clients is totally fake, it bugs me just thinking about her! I try to let it go and remind myself that I am not her nor am I anything like her, but man does she annoy me.

Do I just need to accept that there

are people in this world who I am not going to mesh with? Or should I try to talk with her and resolve this by talking it out?

Thanks, - Heather K. -----------------------------------------------Hi Heather, Sometimes relationships with coworkers can be anything but pleasing and fun! They are people who we have to work with every day, that we tend to spend more time with than our own spouse or even our children. Our co-workers are people who we are supposed to get along with and even “respect their opinion!” More often than not, we find that we disagree with how they manage things in the office or object with their work ethic altogether.

We are constantly being challenged by people who display things we don’t like or wish we could change. But let me offer this to the equation, maybe all the qualities your co-worker has and keeps presenting to you, are the same qualities you have. After all,

Health&Fitness

by marissa wilman

Healthcare Providers and Staff Invited to Learn about H.I.V. Prevention Pill: PrEP

C

oachella Valley healthcare providers and medical staff are invited to learn about the daily HIV prevention pill known as PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) from nationallyrecognized PrEP educator/advocate Damon Jacobs and Get Tested Coachella Valley Program Manager Ralph Gonzalez at the PrEP Summit for Providers.

The free event will be held at Desert Regional Medical Center’s Sinatra Auditorium (E. Tachevah near Miraleste) in Palm Springs from 5PM–7PM on Monday, February 29.

The CDC estimates that one in three primary care doctors and nurses haven’t heard about PrEP, an FDA-approved prevention method to prevent acquisition of HIV. [SOURCE: CDC Vital Signs, Dec. 2015] The PrEP Summit for Providers will cover frequently asked questions including the CDC guidelines. Attendees will also enjoy a complimentary light supper.

Desert AIDS Project Medical Director, David Morris, MD, will introduce the Summit’s featured speaker, Damon Jacobs, a New York-based Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and HIV prevention specialist. Jacobs is best known for championing the use of PrEP through his media interviews including MSNBC, NPR, and the New York Times.

He is featured as one of the 35 “Leading HIV Activists” by The Advocate Magazine, and one of the 12 “Influential Voices in HIV/AIDS for 2015” by Healthline Magazine.

Gonzalez is an HIV prevention specialist and PrEP advocate who oversees the HIV testing program for Get Tested Coachella Valley, a 3-year, $5-million campaign aimed at ending the spread of HIV in the community through routine testing.

26

“Although PrEP has been FDA-approved since 2012, it’s taken some time for information about this HIV prevention tool to reach healthcare providers and the community,” Gonzalez said.

“Damon Jacobs speaks from the consumer point of view about his experiences and overcoming challenges regarding PrEP. His perspective gives medical professionals valuable insight into consumers’ questions.”

PrEP is a CDC-recommended therapy for those who are HIV-negative and at substantial risk for acquiring HIV. Daily PrEP use can lower one’s risk of acquiring HIV through sexual contact by more than 90%, according to the CDC. In September 2015, in one of the first and largest published evaluations of the use PrEP to prevent HIV infection in a clinical practice setting, researchers found no new HIV infections among more than 600 patients during more than 2.5 years of observation. [Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases] The February 29th PrEP Summit for Providers is supported by funding from Gilead Sciences, Inc. and is hosted by Desert AIDS Project (D.A.P) and its new sexual health clinic, The DOCK.

characteristics that we see in another, the really annoying ones, are just mirroring us.

It’s pretty heavy to think about, but it is true. There are parts of us that we aren’t proud of and that we would like to hide.

Those same parts of us come out in others who we just can’t seem to shake! Meaning, those annoying people will follow you until you become comfortable with their habits.

A simple way to get rid of this bothersome feeling you get when you’re around this co-worker is to accept. Accept that there are some people who have characteristics that are going to bug us.

Accept that they are showing us what bugs us about ourselves. Most importantly, try to release the need to control, because that is all you wanted to do in the first place, control the bothersome actions! A funny thing happens when you release the need to control things, you release fear and lots of negative emotions that aren’t serving you. The whole reason we feel fear, doubt, worry or even frustration is because we cannot control something. When we accept that we can only control ourselves, we feel a lot more relief. And most likely, we will feel such relief we won’t even remember why we were bugged in the first place. So in the

end, bless that irritating rascal, know that they are just angels in disguise, helping us see what we need to see in ourselves.

As time goes on, you will no longer be faced with the same dreaded co-worker, all feelings will seem to subside.

One last thing, when you have more compassion for others, you’ll have more compassion for yourself.

Namaste, - ♥♥♥Jenny “Many of the faults you see in others, are your own nature reflected in them.”

-Rumi Don’t forget to follow Jenny at www. askjennynow.com, find her on facebook or contact her at 760-505-0952

WILL DONATO TO PERFORM AT eventS by pamela bieri WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S 2016 Saturday, Feb. 27, Palm Desert Civic Center Park

N

ational recording artist/saxophonist Will Donato will perform at The Walk to End Alzheimer’s 2016 on Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Palm Desert Civic Center Park.

Donato has performed at the walk each year for the past several years as a tribute to his mother who had Alzheimer’s disease, and in support of the Alzheimer’s Association that provides support and care for an estimated 11,000 Coachella Valley residents with the disease, and some 33,000 families and caregivers who daily face the challenge of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or related dementias.

The Walk to End Alzheimer’s opens with registration beginning at 8 a.m. Opening ceremonies start at 9 a.m. and the walk gets underway at 9:30 a.m. on a clearly marked course throughout the park, returning to the

amphitheater where a health fair, festivities and awards take place. The website to register teams and individuals is now open at www.alz.org. Click on the Walk icon for the Coachella Valley Walk in Palm Desert.

Donato will perform at approximately 10:30 a.m. when walkers return and before awards ceremonies begin at the amphitheater.

Joining Donato on stage is up-and-coming local saxophonist Chase Huna.

Donato is an award-winning composer whose 2014 CD release, Universal Groove, is his fifth solo CD release on Innervision Records. His current hit radio single, “JAY WALKIN,” produced

by Steve Oliver, is on the Billboard Chart Top 30.

Donato has performed with some of the best known musicians of the genre, namely Al McKay of Earth Wind and Fire, Bruce Conte of Tower of Power, Ricky Lawson Musical Director for Michael Jackson, Steve Reid of The Rippingtons, Steve Oliver, Greg Karukas, Nick Colionne. He also fronted Steve Reid’s Bamboo Forrest for four years.

More than 24 sponsors and health fair exhibitors will be on hand at the 17th annual fundraising walk to meet and visit with walkers, family members, and community volunteers.

The walk benefits the national Alzheimer’s Association’s ongoing programs and services in the Coachella Valley.

Individual, family and friend, and corporate teams are encouraged to sign up now online and start fundraising for Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

The Coachella Valley office is located at 77564 Country Club Drive, Ste. 150, Palm Desert. Local phone number is (760) 996-0006 or online at www.alz.org.

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

Week of February 18

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “Old paint on a canvas, as it ages, sometimes becomes transparent,” said playwright Lillian Hellman. “When that happens, it is possible to see the original lines: a tree will show through a woman’s dress, a child makes way for a dog, a large boat is no longer on an open sea.” Why does this happen? Because the painter changed his or her mind. Early images were replaced, painted over. I suspect that a metaphorical version of this is underway in your life. Certain choices you made in the past got supplanted by choices you made later.

They disappeared from view. But now those older possibilities are re-emerging for your consideration.

I’m not saying what you should do about them. I simply want to alert you to their ghostly presence so they don’t cause confusion.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Let’s talk about your mouth. Since your words flow out of it, you use it to create and shape a lot of your experiences. Your mouth is also the place where food and drink enter your body, as well as some of the air you breathe.

So it’s crucial to fueling every move you make.

You experience the beloved sense of taste in your mouth. You use your mouth for kissing and other amorous activities. With its help, you sing, moan, shout, and laugh. It’s quite expressive, too. As you move its many muscles, you send out an array of emotional signals. I’ve provided this summary in the hope of inspiring you to celebrate your mouth, Taurus. It’s prime time to enhance your appreciation of its blessings!

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Coloring books for adults are best-sellers. Tightly-wound folks relieve their stress by using crayons and markers to brighten up black-and-white drawings of butterflies, flowers, mandalas, and pretty fishes. I highly recommend that you avoid this type of recreation in the next three weeks, as it would send the wrong message to your subconscious mind. You should expend as little energy as possible working within frameworks that others have made. You need to focus on designing and constructing your own frameworks.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): The Old Testament book of Leviticus presents a long list of forbidden activities, and declares that anyone who commits them should be punished. You’re not supposed to get tattoos, have messy hair, consult oracles, work on Sunday, wear clothes that blend wool and linen, plant different seeds in the same field, or eat snails, prawns, pigs, and crabs. (It’s OK to buy slaves, though.) We laugh at how absurd it would be for us to obey these outdated rules and prohibitions, and yet many of us retain a superstitious loyalty toward guidelines and beliefs that are almost equally obsolete. Here’s the good news, Cancerian: Now is an excellent time to dismantle or purge your own fossilized formulas.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “I would not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well,” said the philosopher and naturalist Henry David Thoreau. In accordance with your astrological constitution, Leo, I authorize you to use this declaration as your own almost any time you feel like it. But I do suggest that you make an exception to the rule during the next four weeks.

In my opinion, it will be time to focus on increasing your understanding of the people you care about -- even if that effort takes time and energy away from your quest for ultimate self-knowledge. Don’t worry: You can return to emphasizing Thoreau’s perspective by the equinox.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You are entering the inquisitive phase of your astrological cycle. One of the best ways to thrive during the coming weeks will be to ask more questions than you have asked since you were five years old. Curiosity and good listening skills will be superpowers that you should you strive to activate. For now, what matters most is not what you already know but rather what you need to find out. It’s a favorable time to gather information about riddles and mysteries that have perplexed you for a long time. Be super-receptive and extra wide-eyed!

© Copyright 2015 Rob Brezsny

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Poet Barbara Hamby says the Russian word ostyt can be used to describe “a cup of tea that is too hot, but after you walk to the next room, and return, it is too cool.” A little birdie told me that this may be an apt metaphor for a current situation in your life. I completely understand if you wish the tea had lost less of its original warmth, and was exactly the temperature you like, neither burning nor tepid. But that won’t happen unless you try to reheat it, which would change the taste. So what should you do? One way or the other, a compromise will be necessary. Do you want the lukewarm tea or the hot tea with a different flavor?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Russian writer Ivan Turgenev was a Scorpio. Midway through his first novel Rudin, his main character Dmitrii Nikolaevich Rudin alludes to a problem that affects many Scorpios. “Do you see that apple tree?” Rudin asks a woman companion. “It is broken by the weight and abundance of its own fruit.” Ouch! I want very much for you Scorpios to be spared a fate like that in the coming weeks. That’s why I propose that you scheme about how you will express the immense creativity that will be welling up in you. Don’t let your lush and succulent output go to waste.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Asking you Sagittarians to be patient may be akin to ordering a bonfire to burn more politely. But it’s my duty to inform you of the cosmic tendencies, so I will request your forbearance for now. How about some nuances to make it more palatable? Here’s a quote from author David G. Allen: “Patience is the calm acceptance that things can happen in a different order than the one you have in mind.” Novelist Gustave Flaubert: “Talent is a long patience.”

French playwright Moliere: “Trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.” Writer Ann Lamott: “Hope is a revolutionary patience.” I’ve saved the best for last, from Russian novelist Irène Némirovsky: “Waiting is erotic.”

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “If you ask for help it comes, but not in any way you’d ever know.”

Poet Gary Snyder said that, and now I’m passing it on to you, Capricorn. The coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to think deeply about the precise kinds of help you would most benefit from -- even as you loosen up your expectations about how your requests for aid might be fulfilled.

Be aggressive in seeking assistance, but ready and willing to be surprised as it arrives.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): For a limited time only, 153 is your lucky number. Mauve and olive are your colors of destiny, the platypus is your power animal, and torn burlap mended with silk thread is your magic texture. I realize that all of this may sound odd, but it’s the straight-up truth. The nature of the cosmic rhythms are rather erratic right now.

To be in maximum alignment with the irregular opportunities that are headed your way, you should probably make yourself magnificently mysterious, even to yourself. To quote an old teacher, this might be a good time to be “so unpredictable that not even you yourself knows what’s going to happen.”

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In the long-running TV show M*A*S*H*, the character known as Sidney Freedman was a psychiatrist who did his best to nurture the mental health of the soldiers in his care. He sometimes departed from conventional therapeutic approaches. In the series finale, he delivered the following speech, which I believe is highly pertinent to your current quest for good mental hygiene: “I told you people something a long time ago, and it’s just as pertinent today as it was then. Ladies and gentlemen, take my advice: Pull down your pants and slide on the ice.”

--------------------------------------------------------Homework: What good thing would you have to give up in order to get a great thing? Testify at Freewillastrology.com. Click on “Email Rob.” Rob Brezsny Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

February 18 to February 24, 2016

Mind,body & Spirit

by Bronwyn Ison

WORKING TOGETHER

H

elen Keller’s quote, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” What a powerful statement. To often we believe we can do everything autonomously. In reality we need one another. We need the human connection. We are not meant to be alone but rather help each other in this life. Do you respond positively to others when they are offering to assist or do you reject them?

(I’ve always believed we are not here to survive on our own but rather we are here to help and serve one another.) No one is an island unto him/herself.

Time and again we have witnessed citizens of our country work together in times of need. Reflect back on September 11, 2001. Or, when hurricanes have swept through states and devastated multiple cities. Humans connect and triumph through the tough times.

As an only child, at least for the first fifteen years of my life, I was raised to learn how to do things on my own. Granted, I am exceptionally fortunate to have had a plethora of blessings. However, many of the blessings have not come without diligence. When I became a mother I truly recognized I could use all the help I could get. Fortunately, when my girls were toddler and infants I had help three days a week for about a year. Naturally, I understood the concept of working together prior to motherhood. Yet, I had a new appreciation of truly “working together” when I had

the help of someone else fifteen hours per week. The nanny to my girls afforded me the opportunity to go to the grocery store on my own, run errands or make it to the occasional doctor’s appointment when needed. We worked in tandem. I needed the help and she appreciated the work.

As a business owner I am grateful to have exceptional instructors who are loved and so well accepted in the community. We work together to provide something our community desires. As a single parent I need the help of family and friends. When we get sick it is comforting to know someone is there to assist. Whether working one-onone, we are destined to be there for others in times of need.

Reflect upon your life and reconnoiter when you were in dire straits. Did you receive what you needed? Were your family and friends present? I certainly realized the importance of family and my loyal friendships.

So much more can be accomplished when we work in congruency. Fortunately, I can accomplish so much more when I work with others. Each person contributes unique strengths to any project. Take a look at how you can be there for you family and friends.

“Coming together is a Beginning.

Keeping together is a Progress. Working together is a Success.” Henry Ford Bronwyn Ison is the owner of Evolve Yoga. e-volveyoga.com 760.564.YOGA

27

February 18 to February 24, 2016

BEAUTY

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

by dr maria lombardo

Dr. Maria Lombardo, Lombardo Cosmetic Surgery is located in Rancho Mirage.

She specializes in both surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures including (but not limited to) facial, body and breast surgery, Botox, Latisse, and hCG diet program.

For a consultation or more information, visit lombardocosmeticsurgery.com or call 760-610-8990. Dr. Lombardo will be writing a bi-weekly column for CV Weekly.

What the heck is a “Mommy Makeover”?

W

omen often complain that their bodies change after having children. After pregnancy and breast feeding, the breast and belly often have lingering or permanent effects. The skin can be stretched and lose its elasticity after the pregnancy is over and even after additional weight loss is accomplished.

The breasts can lose volume/fullness and change position after pregnancy too. The “Mommy Makeover” is a phrase that is used to describe the combination of breast and abdominal (belly) procedures to improve or restore the body to its pre-pregnancy condition.

Many people assume that the “mommy makeover” means having a breast implant placed but for those patients who don’t want to increase the size of their breasts, a mastopexy or breast lift can be done. There are many ways to lift the breast: from a small crescent shaped incision above the nippleareola region to adding a vertical and/or horizontal incision in the fold under the breast. The amount of ptosis, or “hanging”, of the breast is how the decision is made as to which lift is needed. A lift and an

28

augmentation with an implant can also be done together if the patient is looking to increase the size of the breast while lifting to a more youthful position.

The second part of the “Mommy Makeover” is the Tummy. Abdominal procedures range from liposuction by itself to “tummy-tucks” or a combination of both.

Again, the degree of skin looseness and the amount of fat under the skin determines which of the procedures is appropriate for each patient.

What are the advantages of doing a combination “Mommy Makeover”?

Combining the two procedures, breast and body, can result in a cost savings but one of the nicest reasons to do two procedures together is that you also combine the healing phase: Two procedures with only one recovery period. Because every patient is different and is trying to reach different goals, the best way to determine if a “mommy makeover” is for you is to schedule an appointment for a complimentary consultation. Dr. Maria Lombardo will discuss what bothers you and to go over expectations for surgery. Call to schedule today! 760-610-8990

Life & career Coach

by Sunny Simon

Life Lessons from The Coach

I

learned recently the late beloved college basketball coach, John Wooden carried around a treasured gift from his father. On a tattered and aged piece of paper was the creed on which he based his life. I was so in awe of it I had to find out more about this Midwestern man who is touted as being “College basketball’s most successful coach” and named by ESPN “Coach of the Century.”

This amazing legend grew up on an Indiana farm. His childhood home had no electricity or indoor plumbing. As a high school basketball hero he led the home team to three consecutive finals. He married a lovely lady who played coronet in the school band. They were married for 53 years. Only death could separate them.

Okay, maybe you knew all that, but I didn’t. His “life list,” the creed his father bestowed upon him consists of seven simple sentences: “Be true to yourself. Make each day a masterpiece. Help others. Drink deeply from good books especially the Bible. Make friendship a fine art. Build a shelter for a rainy day. Pray for guidance, count and give thanks for your blessings every day.”

I now understand how this legendary coach could bring out of best in his players.

He was authentic in a world where truly genuine human beings are rare. He role modeled wisdom, kindness, integrity and love. I also understand he had a very wise father who created a treasure map for his son. Somehow I think that trumps assets in a will. The life lessons teach if you follow the credo, your life will be rich and filled something more satisfying than wealth.

Wooden co-authored a book, “My Personal Best: Life Lessons from an AllAmerican Journey. I want him to coach me so I’m going to read it. But in the meantime, I’ve decided to create my own life list. I’ll borrow some belonging to the coach and add things I need to work on like: Give love completely without keeping score and practice patience daily.

How about you? Would now be a good time to create a life list? I think no matter what your chronological stage of life, it’s never too late to chart a course for the rest of your time on this planet. Invest some time in it this week. As Coach Wooden would remind us, “Never cease trying to be the best you can be. That’s in your power.”

Sunny Simon is the owner of Raise the Bar High Life and Career Coaching. More about Sunny at www.raisethebarhigh.com

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

February 18 to February 24, 2016

Receive The Celebrity Secret Of Permanent Cosmetic Make-Up Once Thought To Be Only For The Rich And Famous Now Affordalbe To Women Of All Ages!!

eyebrows eyeliner lipliner Receive 10% full lip color beauty marks off with camouflage areola pigmentation this ad

760.341.6606 Call Now For A Complimentary consultation

72-880 Fred Waring Dr. A3, Palm Desert, CA 92260

therandbstudios.com/Blo-Dry-Bar facebook.com/BloDryBar

BLO-IT, TOSS IT, WORK IT!

Blow Outs $

30

00

Shampoo + Style in 30 minutes

Call

760-346-8622 72650 Fred Waring Dr, Ste 105 Palm Desert CA 92260

29

February 18 to February 24, 2016

30

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

February 18 to February 24, 2016

31

February 18 to February 24, 2016

32

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com