Coachella Valley Weekly - March 29 to April 4, 2018 Vol. 7 No. 2 by CV Weekly

coachellavalleyweekly.com • March 29 to April 4, 2018 Vol. 7 No. 2

R.M. Observatory PS Comic Xpo Abigail Carter Great White I.W. Music Fest El Rodeo Cafe pg5

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March 29 to April 4, 2018

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Coachella Valley Weekly (760) 501-6228

publisher@coachellavalleyweekly.com coachellavalleyweekly.com facebook.com/cvweekly twitter.com/cvweekly1 Publisher & Editor Tracy Dietlin Art Director Robert Chance Sales Team Domingo Winstead, Elizabeth Westley Club Crawler Nightlife Editor Phil Lacombe Feature Writers Lisa Morgan, Rich Henrich, Heidi Simmons, Noe Gutierrez, Avery Wood, Tricia Witkower, Jason Hall, Steve Brown, Kristen Elaine, Olga Rodriguez Writers/Contributors: Robin Simmons, Rick Riozza, Eleni P. Austin, Craig Michaels, Janet McAfee, Bronwyn Ison, Haddon Libby, Dale Gribow, Laura Hunt Little, Sam DiGiovanna, Rob Brezny, Sunny Simon, Dr. Peter Kadile, Bruce Cathcart, Flint Wheeler, Denise Ortuno Neil, Dee Jae Cox, Patte Purcell, Rebecca Pikus, Angela Romeo,Aaron Ramson, Elizabeth Scarcella, Jennifer Jank Photographers Robert Chance, Chris Miller, Esther Sanchez, Laura Hunt Little Website Editor Bobby Taffolla Distribution Phil Lacombe, William Westley

CONTENTS Taste Of La Quinta.................................. 3 Ranch Mirage Observatory................... 5 Ken Jeong at Agua Caliente.................. 5 PS Comic Xpo.......................................... 6 Abigail Carter.......................................... 6 The Craft - Easter Brunch....................... 7 Art Walk & Wine Tasting - feat. AMP..... 7 Theatre - 2 Across................................... 8 Great White at Big Rock Pub.................. 8 Indian Wells Music Festival.................... 9 Consider This - Chris Price................... 10 Art Scene - Steve Shigley..................... 11 Pet Place................................................ 12 The Vino Voice ...................................... 13 Club Crawler Nightlife.................... 14-15 Good Grub - El Rodeo Cafe.................. 16 Screeners ............................................. 18 Book Review ....................................... 19 Safety Tips ............................................ 19 Haddon Libby....................................... 21 Dale Gribow.......................................... 21 Sports Scene......................................... 22 Brewtality ............................................. 22 Free Will Astrology............................... 23 Mind, Body & Spirit.............................. 23 Ask The Doctor.................................... 24 Life & Career Coach............................. 24

March 29 to April 4, 2018

TASTE OF LA QUINTA: SATURDAY, APRIL 7 FROM 1-4PM AT THE NEW LQ CIVIC CENTER CAMPUS

aste of La Quinta is returning for a 9th year to tempt the crowds with its delectable offerings. This year is sure to be even more delightful than past events. Imagine sipping on some of the valley’s best wine and sampling the fare of some of its best restaurants, all the while enjoying live entertainment in a stunning new venue - the LQ Civic Center Campus, featuring a cooling water feature and art installations. What could be better? Grab some friends and join the fun on Saturday, April 7th from 1pm to 4pm. The $29 Food Ticket allows you to enjoy samples from a wide variety of the valley’s premier restaurants. A $39 Combo Ticket will allow you to enjoy the delightful beer garden and sample the valley’s premier wines. Live entertainment and a new venue will provide the perfect backdrop for all a fabulous afternoon. If you haven’t visited the Civic Center Campus, prepare to be dazzled. Enjoy meandering along the walking path, drink in hand, admiring the mountains in the background and swaying to the music. The event is organized by the Greater Coachella Valley and La Quinta Chamber of Commerce, which is excited to see how the event has grown. “Taste of La Quinta is a fantastic experience for everyone involved,” says Joshua Bonner, President and CEO of the Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce. “We are really excited this year to see it move to its new venue in the Civic Center Park. Enjoying the beauty of La

Quinta, while sampling great food is a pretty good way to spend a day.” Restaurants scheduled to attend include: Burgerim Restaurant El Ranchito Restaurant Fantasy Springs Resort Casino French Rotisserie Cafe La Quinta Resort & Club - Adobe Grill Rosati’s of La Quinta Stuft Pizza Bar & Grill The Grill on Main Murph’s Gaslight Bermuda Dunes La Quinta Brewing Co. Rock n Baja Shrimp Cocktail And many more! Ticket available at tickets.gcvcc.org/e/ taste-of-la-quinta.

March 29 to April 4, 2018

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RANCHO MIRAGE OBSERVATORY DEDICATION

unday afternoon, less than a week after the Spring Equinox, over twelve hundred people – young and old -gathered beneath the brilliant blue firmament with a white waxing gibbous moon 238,900 miles away visibly hanging above the Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory, and watched in awe as the clean aluminum dome rotated and opened to the cloudless desert sky. “Today, we enjoy a perfect convergence. A fantastic city, its great library and the incredible new observatory,” said David Bryant, Director Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory. “We celebrate for many reasons. Our eyes watched it from a concept to what stands before us today. Now, it will let our eyes see into distant galaxies in our universe.” Built along the edge of the White Water wash on highway 111 adjacent to the awardwinning library, the Rancho Mirage Observatory is an exciting addition to the Coachella Valley. “Rancho Mirage has the only observatory at a public library in California. There are no limits to Rancho Mirage’s spirit,” said Bryant. “This observatory represents a vision. It also represents strong intellectual values. Life-long learning is our mission. All ages and interests can find a home at our observatory and library.” Bryant thanked city officials, the audience, parents and children for attending. He complimented architect Charles Martin for the observatory’s beautiful design and the way it united both facilities. In his brief presentation, Bryant quoted graphic designer Milton Glazer, Griffith J. Griffith and Stephen Hawking. “Educators have given us a decade of STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Ladies and gentlemen, this is what stem looks like at Rancho Mirage public library,” said Bryant to enthusiastic cheers and applause. “For ten years, I’ve called our library a house of ideas. Now the house of ideas has a young new neighbor. A House of Stars, bringing nightly views of the sky and its light.” Just a few years earlier, Marilyn Bauer, a Rancho Mirage resident had a flashback at a city planning meeting. Bauer, who grew up in Canada, loved to visit the McLaughlin Planetarium in Toronto. Thinking about how special the trips to the observatory were for her, she made the suggestion to build one here in the valley. “The idea just popped out,” said Bauer. “There is no age or gender discrimination with an observatory. It is something everyone can appreciate and enjoy.” Councilmember Dana Hobart heard Bauer’s voice that night and at Sunday’s observatory dedication presented her with a plaque of appreciation reading the inscribed: “To acknowledge her inspiration for an observatory to expand our own understanding of the universe and to enhance the intellectual life of Rancho Mirage.” Bauer graciously accepted the recognition. “My motto is, you reach for the moon and you get a few stars, but this is more than I ever imagined,” said Bauer “Have fun and an adventure with your friends and family. To everyone in the city and cities beyond, embrace it.” Also receiving a plaque was Dan McKenna, formally of Mount Palomar Observatory, who helped champion and direct the project.

With Palomar for 11 years, McKenna is now a professor at California Institute of Technology. Rancho Mirage Observatory is hoping for an arrangement with Cal Tech to take advantage of the city’s new telescope. McKenna’s plaque was inscribed with: “In appreciation of Dan McKenna Superintendent of Mount Palomar Observatory and California Institute of Technology for the guidance through the universe and this remarkable project. Harvest its starlight and convert it to knowledge.” “Our spirits are so lifted to see the interest and enthusiasm for this project,” said McKenna. “It’s gone from a task of building an observatory to now the fun part. What are we going to do with it? How can we, in the same way that we defied convention by building it, continue this effort to make it the most extraordinary public observatory on the planet at this time and the best ground based facility for the public? This is the exciting part.” McKenna added, “With this telescope, not under the pressures of the academic committee, but in concert with the academic community to help mentor, and bring out those who wish to express their creativity by understanding more of the universe and those who really just want to get acquainted with the place that we hold.” Sharing his concern about light pollution, McKenna deputized everybody present to be an ambassador regarding light efficiency without affecting the environment. He encouraged the audience to be aware and ask: How much light do we need, when do we need it, and where do we need it? Eric McLaughlin, bespeckled, young and cherubic, is the city’s first astronomer. “It is the mission of this library and observatory to inspire and enable everyone to pursue knowledge and learning throughout their lives,” said McLaughlin. “With the opening of this observatory, a new path into this facet of knowledge and a new gateway into understanding … has been completed. The observatory’s cutting edge optics and automation allows for the imaging of billions of stars with a push of a single button.” Within the large dome there is a state-ofthe-art CDK 700 PlaneWave Telescope with an optical diameter 700mm mirror (27.56 inch). Images taken from the telescope will be rapidly available inside the observatory, in the main library and via the Internet. The observatory is equipped with a sophisticated weather station and an array of monitors. The telescope can be operated remotely from anywhere in the world. The dome is referred to as the “Cosmic Office.” From the street, there are two visible

BY HEIDI SIMMONS

domes. One houses the telescope while the other is purely aesthetic -- housing a bathroom! The efficient and compact facility is constructed of natural materials that include Brazilian hardwood, custom cement, steel and stone. A variety of new programs will be available beginning in April. The observatory will host stargazing events, special guests and features, while also building relationships with local schools, clubs and surrounding communities. The observation deck has four sensorsensitive stabilized pads equipped with electrical connections for personal telescopes with computerized systems. Anyone with a telescope will be able to view, record and process images. The Rancho Mirage library is acquiring additional telescopes including a solar telescope for viewing the sun. Through the use of Rancho Mirage telescope, McLaughlin expects to see many people with a burgeoning interest in astronomy. “There is a variety of ways in which one can express the wonder that they have experienced here,” said McLaughlin. “I look forward to seeing you.” Keynote speaker Rick Armstrong, son of astronaut Neil Armstrong, spoke about his life living with a dad who walked on the moon. “It was my dad’s job,” said Armstrong. “As a kid, it all seemed normal to me. Lots of people in my neighborhood worked for NASA. I was 11

March 29 to April 4, 2018

COMMUNITY

years old, and I didn’t realize how interested the rest of the world was, and how much inspiration the space program provided. I do now.” Armstrong shared the vivid memory of a nighttime launch that illuminated the sky like it was day saying no photographic images could capture the moment he witnessed. He added how much his father would have appreciated the city’s observatory, and wished the city and community every success. Rancho Mirage Poet laureate, Dorothea Bisbas delivered her poem specially written for the occasion, “We Are All Made of Stars” transporting the audience into the vast and beautiful universe with her transcendent and magisterial verse. To bring the presentations to a close, Gerald Collucci sang the timeless, powerful and moving love song, “Fly Me to the Moon.” City Councilmembers cut the ribbon to the observatory and tours were given until 4:00pm. Moon Pies and Space Ice Cream were served to the lively music of The Ken Dahleen Jazz Quartet. The Rancho Mirage Observatory is the first of its kind research level facility in the Coachella Valley and will provide an opportunity for experts and novices alike to explore the universe. “Today, our observatory and telescope have changed Rancho Mirage and the Coachella Valley forever,” said Bryant. “We celebrate the universe together!”

KEN JEONG TO MAKE PREMIERE COMEDY AT THE SHOW AT AGUA CALIENTE CASINO RESORT SPA THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018 AT 8PM. TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

cclaimed comedian, actor, producer and writer Ken Jeong, known for his scene-stealing abilities in The Hangover trilogy, Knocked Up, Role Models, Pineapple Express, Step Brothers and more, will make his casino premiere with a comedy performance at The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa on April 12. Since his feature film debut playing “Dr. Kuni” in Knocked Up in 2007, Jeong has gone on to a number of memorable roles in a series of successful comedies. From his first major part in Role Models to cult comedy hits Pineapple Express and Step Brothers, he has established himself as one of today’s top comedic stars. In 2009, Jeong appeared as the Asian-mobster “Mr. Chow” in The Hangover, which earned him 3 Teen Choice Nominations and a MTV Movie Award. Jeong has performed regularly at the

Improv and Laugh Factory in Los Angeles, and has been seen on a number of television shows including The Office, Entourage, MADtv, and Community. He was the lead in the ABC sitcom Dr. Ken, for which he was also the creator, writer and executive producer. Additional credits for Jeong include the films Crazy Rich Asians, Transformers 3, Bob’s Burgers, and Ride Along 2. With all seats 125 feet or less from the stage, the extraordinary design of The Show, now celebrating its tenth year, creates an intimate space for experiencing legendary performances. Tickets to see Ken Jeong range in price from $20 to $40. Available at www. HotWaterCasino.com or by calling (800) 5853737. The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa is located at 32-250 Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage, CA.

March 29 to April 4, 2018

PS COMIC XPO

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EVENTS

LOCAL MUSIC SPOTLIGHT

ABIGAIL CARTER

hat is the PS Comic Xpo? The last several years have seen an absolute explosion of Comic Conventions spanning the country. All of which vie for our attention and love. So, what is the PS Comic Xpo and what makes us so different??? The difference is that our focus is and always will be YOU…The fans! PS Comic Xpo brings together the best of Pop culture with a twist of edgy fun with Concerts, Comedians, Hypnotist, Museums and so much more. We are dedicated to creating a Comic Xpo that families can attend and fans walk away with more than they ever experienced at any other Comic Xpo. It’s not about making the money, or being the biggest, but we will certainly always strive to be the best. Many of us have been living in the desert most of our lives, we know our community and we know what it wants. We don’t always get a chance to get into a San Diego or New York Comic Con, so we want to bring that experience home to you! This year we are bringing Sean Astin as our headliner, known for Samwise Gamgee in the ‘Lord of the Rings’ Trilogy, Mikey Walsh in ‘The Goonies,’ the title character ‘Rudy’ and his latest role as Bob “The Brain” Newby in ‘Stranger Things’. We will have the Twisted Toons!, a hysterical mashup of the best voice talent impersonating characters (real or imagined) reading from a movie script. These are just a few of the things we are bringing to you and it’s only the first show! Did you know actors have more talents than what we give them credit for? Three of our guests kick off the weekend at our concert and DJ party Friday night, June

22nd. Featuring Jess Harnell (Animaniacs, Transformers) with his band Rock Sugar, Jeremy Shada (Adventure Time) and his band Make out Monday, and DJ Carlos Ferro (Gears of War). You can then see all of them on Saturday and Sunday as they will be on the show floor signing autographs along with our many other celebrity guest. Show hours on the website, so mark your calendars for June 22nd – 24th, because PS Comic Xpo is going to be THE Comic Convention in the desert. Our VIP holders will be allowed early entrance to the event as well as priority VIP seating to all the Saturday and Sunday events, the VIP packages also include a shirt and lanyard (Limited Number available) There are also Concert Passes, Saturday, Sunday and Weekend Passes. Pick what works for you and if you want more you can always upgrade later. We have some of the best vendors and displays including Sean Rich of Tortuga Trading coming to the Xpo, see real pirate weapons that were used in the movies ‘Pirates of the Caribbean.’ See you this summer! - PS ComicXpo Team

bigail Carter has straight ‘A’s and is a magnificent musician. Outstanding desert guitarist and bluesman John Carey saw beyond the tangibles thanks to mutual friend Kathleen Sunshine O’Brien. John recently announced a guitar giveaway, which he does often, to a deserving young person. Kathleen was the go-between after seeing John’s Facebook post. Kathleen explained, “Abi’s mom, Andrea F. Engel Carter, saw my post about John giving away a guitar to a student and she messaged me and said she would love Abi to have the opportunity to win it.” John shared, “Abi was one of 12 young people that submitted their grades along with an essay on why they deserved this beautiful guitar.” Kathleen concurred, “The message it sends is if you work hard and do well in school, special opportunities may come your way when you least expect it.” Abi was awarded the gorgeous Schecter electric magenta guitar at Woody’s Burger in Palm Springs during one of John’s performances. Abi was invited by John to plug in her new guitar and performed with him and his band. Abi understands the need for education to be a priority. John identified that in Abi. “I chose Abi because of her overall plan to achieve greatness through education and understanding that education comes first.” Coachella Valley Weekly spoke with both John and Abi about the extraordinary experience. CVW: What did you feel when you found out that you were chosen to receive the guitar? Abi: “I was so genuinely shocked. I had never been involved in anything like this before. John Carey’s absolute selflessness baffled me so much to the point where I started crying. It was such a humbling moment for me.” CVW: John, what message do you hope this sends to other young people? John: “I hope that young people understand that there’s always someone watching what you do, whether it’s right or wrong. It’s better to be rewarded in a positive way than in a negative way.” CVW: You received a lot of comments on Facebook about how deserving you are of this award. How does that make you feel? Abi: “The constant support of my friends and family members continues to motivate me to become who I want to be. Knowing I already have people who will support me in what I want to strive to be is incredibly reassuring. I’m so grateful to have such a group of encouraging people constantly surrounding me.” CVW: Your mom was the motivator for all of this. How much does your mom inspire you? Abi: “My mom has always been my number one fan. She is always right beside me in every fight. Whether it’s a small piano recital or singing at large events, she is always cheering me on. She is my rock, my motivation, and who I strive to be like. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without

BY NOE GUTIERREZ

her guiding me along the way.” CVW: What one thing can you share with other people your age that has proven successful? Abi: “I had the honor of performing in Open Call at the McCallum Theater with my mother about two years ago. It’s a competition in which people from around the valley can compete to perform in the final show. We won “Best Vocal Act” that year. I can’t take full credit for it all, but it will always be my favorite moment ever performing. Having my mom by my side and seeing her happier than ever will forever be a moment I will cherish.” CVW: You are a musician yourself and a wonderful one at that. Where would you like to take your talents? Any chance you’ll incorporate the guitar into your performances? Abi: “I have always had the goal of making people smile, whether I’m singing back-up vocals in a small restaurant or in stadiums with a guitar or piano, I’ll have deemed myself successful as long as it gives happiness to others.” CVW: When will we see the Abi Carter & John Carey show again? Abi: “I received the guitar at a restaurant named “Woody’s” in Palm Springs where Mr. Carey performs with his band every Sunday and Monday. After he gave me the guitar, he asked me to come up on stage and sing a song while playing my new guitar with him and the band. I hope to be able to perform with them again sometime soon.” CVW: John, you are the prime example of giving back and paying it forward. What else can adults do to help the younger generation maintain this attitude of giving? John: “Adults can begin to understand that these young people are our future and we have to make a commitment to them so that love and positivity remains the number one focus. For the last five years I’ve given away some type of instrument or guitar pedals for cancer auctions or people that just need it. I will continue to give every year, rewarding young people for their hard work.”

LOCAL BUSINESS

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March 29 to April 4, 2018

BY CRAIG MICHAELS

ENJOY AMAZING VIEWS FOR EASTER BRUNCH AT THE CRAFT RANCHO MIRAGE

here are so many great reasons to dine at The Craft Rancho Mirage this Easter Sunday. Treat yourself and your loved ones to a first-class culinary experience prepared by Executive Chef Erick Hernandez who prides himself in using only fresh ingredients to create his hand-crafted menu items. His partner John Trad said, “We’re going to create an amazing Easter brunch experience.” The Craft is located inside the S Club at 71777 Frank Sinatra Dr in Rancho Mirage and

is well-known for its high-rise condominiums. Open to the public for the first time this season, this restaurant, like the condos, have some of the best views in the desert. Everywhere you look you’re treated to lush greens, fairways and mountain views. While you’re dining at The Craft you feel like a member of a country club without having to pay for the expensive dues. The combination of the great views, great food and great music will make this an Easter Eggstravaganza. This year Easter falls on April 1st but the

brunch buffet will be no joke! If you can’t decide whether to have breakfast or lunch, why not have both? Breakfast lovers can choose from griddle items like Pancakes and French Toast, plus Classic Benedicts, Bacon, Sausage, Scrambled Eggs, Potatoes O’Brien, Huevos Rancheros, Roasted Peppers and Sausage and an Omelette Station. If you’re more of a lunch person, grab a plate and hit the Salad Station then pile on some Dinner Rolls, Sugar and Spice Salmon, Chefs Vegetables, Scallop Potatoes, Three Cheese Ravioli and top it off with a Chilled Seafood Display. Meat lovers will salivate over the Prime Rib and Honey Ham Carving Stations. Since it is all you can eat, why not round out your breakfast or lunch with Chef’s Selection of Seasoned Desserts, Cookie Platters and Fruit Tarts. Then wash it down with some orange juice or a complimentary glass of champagne. The Easter brunch will be complimented by local favorite, Keisha D performing from 11am to 3pm. Kids make sure you tell your parents to get there in time for the Easter Egg Hunt from 12pm to 1pm with the Easter Bunny. The is a great brunch for the whole

family with kids 5 and under FREE, Kids 6-12 $17.95 and Adults $46.95. The brunch runs from 10:30am to 3pm. Reservations are encouraged. For Info call (760) 328-2111. Make sure you like The Craft on Facebook to stay up to date on special promotions. Written by: Craig Michaels Productions (760) 880-3848

AMP TO HEADLINE FINAL ART WALK EVENTS & WINE TASTING OF THE SEASON BY CRAIG MICHAELS

f you’ve missed out on the Art Walk and Wine Tasting events at the Art Place, Palm Desert Design District, you’ll have one more opportunity to check out this FREE event Wednesday April 4, 2018. From 4pm to 7pm guests who are 21 and over can enjoy complimentary wine tasting by Desert Wine Shop on 111. There are amazing treasures to be found in the boutique galleries filled with unique art and decor. You will be amazed watching artists create one-of-a-kind sculptures and glass art right before your eyes. The Art Walk and Wine Tastings have benefited local charities each month and April will be no exception with a portion of the proceeds going to (AMP) the Academy of Musical Performance. AMP was created in 2015 by a committee of volunteers involved with Coachella Valley Community Trust, with seed funding by a grant from Goldenvoice. The goal of this contemporary music education program is to enrich the lives of young musicians living in the Coachella Valley by fostering productivity and social responsibility through creativity, communication and collaboration in the development and enhancement of musical performance and concert production

skills through participation in a “rock band” style educational setting. AMP is known for its outstanding summer program featuring the Valley’s top musicians teaching in small rock band format. They work on their performance and concert production skills through rehearsals, workshops, individual instruction, and live performances. On April 4th, for the final Art Walk & Wine Tasting of the season, you will be able to see many of the students of AMP perform throughout the evening. If you get hungry while you’re listing to the live music and viewing the art, you can snack on hot dogs, pretzels, shaved ice and more. This will be a great way for The Art Place, Palm Desert Design District to wrap up a successful season and say thank you. The center is located near the Hovley Ln Post Office at 41801 Corporate Way in Palm Desert. Make sure to “like” The Art Place on Facebook to stay up to date on other special events and exclusive offers. For more information about this event or The Art Place, Palm Desert Design District, call: (760) 880-3848 or visit them online at: artplacepd.com. Written by: Craig Michaels Productions 760 880-3848

March 29 to April 4, 2018

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THEATRE CVREP TO PRESENT “2 ACROSS” “SMASH HIT COMEDY OF CROSSWORDS AND ROMANCE.” APRIL 25-MAY 20, 2018 BY JERRY MAYER

he Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre (CVRep) has announced it will present hit TV Writer/Producer Jerry Mayer’s delightful two-person play, 2 ACROSS. In keeping with this season’s CVRep theme of ROMANCE, REAL OR IMAGINED, 2 ACROSS is Jerry Mayer’s smash hit comedy of crosswords and romance that asks the burning question, “Can a crossword puzzle change your life?” Jerry Mayer is a playwright with several decades’ worth of television comedy credits. An executive producer for “The Facts of Life,” he wrote for “Bewitched,” “The Bob Newhart Show,” “M*A*S*H,*” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” and “All InThe Family.” Two strangers board a San Francisco BART train at 4:30 a.m. They’re alone in the car, each is married, both are doing the New York Times crossword. She’s an organized, sensible psychologist. He’s a free-spirited, unemployed ad exec. She is a crossword pro, he always quits. When he tosses his puzzle away, she snaps, “Crosswords are a metaphor for life, those who finish, succeed, those who don’t, fail.” This starts an eighty-minute ride described by critics as “Hilarious,” “Witty,” “Romantic,” “Poignant,” and “Wonderfully entertaining.”

EVENTS

GREAT WHITE PLAY BIG ROCK PUB APRIL 8

reat White fans rejoice – this iconic band stops into the Coachella Valley on April 8 for a rare, intimate acoustic performance at Big Rock Pub. I had the chance to speak to original guitarist Mark Kendall about what to expect from this special concert. CVW: Will this be your first time playing at Big Rock Pub? MK: “Yes, the first time playing there. We mostly play a lot of casino amphitheater type shows, and festivals over in Europe and around the country. So usually if we play a small place like this we do it acoustically instead of bringing full production into a small place. We do our songs in a different way. It’s rare. We do 60-70 shows a year and we might do 2 acoustic. We enjoy it because it gives people a chance to get a different look at our songs, with acoustic guitars as opposed to blazing electric guitars. It strips the songs down and it’s just fun. The intimacy of playing a small place is special. When you’re in a band, you want to play stadiums every day but you know the audience wants to see their heroes up close. It’s fun for the fans. We try to make it like Storytellers and take questions from the audience if there’s anything they always wanted to know. It’s not so serious, not arena rock. When we go on those Monsters of Rock cruises, all the rules are out the window. It’s not a constructed thing and we are mingling with 4,000 people. We get to talk to the fans and meet a lot of people. They have stories – I got married to one of your songs, I did your laundry in 1986

“Recommended! A charming, characterdriven comedy strives to entertain and succeeds admirably.” – Los Angeles Times “A winner!” raves Showmag.com. “A witty, poignant play!” exclaims the Palisadian Post. Says Founding Artistic Director Ron

Celona, “I wanted to present 2 Across at CVRep because when I first read this romantic comedy, I thought, ‘What a perfect way to end our season theme of ROMANCE, REAL OR IMAGINED, with a warm-hearted story of how opposites attract and how life gives us opportunities if only we would take advantage of them.’ Take a chance on an unexpected meeting -- you never know -- it could be the love of your life (or not).” Directed by veteran Director/Actor Deborah Harmon, who directed the world premiere of 2 Across at the Santa Monica Playhouse, CVRep’s 2 Across runs approximately 90 minutes and will be presented without an intermission. The twocharacter play will feature Andrea Gwynnel and Joel Bryant, who returns to CVRep after appearing last season in Later Life (in multiple roles). 2 Across will enjoy a four-week run from Wednesday, April 25 through Sunday, May 20, 2018 at Coachella Valley Repertory. The theatre is located in The Atrium, 69-930 Highway 111 in Rancho Mirage. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30pm, with 2pm matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $48 (Previews), $63 (Opening Night), and $53 for all other performances.

– things like that.” CVW: What’s the craziest story you’ve heard? MK: “For me with my heroes, I’ll hear a song on the radio and I know exactly where I was and I think it’s that way for people that like our music that certain songs remind us of a time in their life.” CVW: “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” came out when I was in 5th grade and they always used to play it at roller skating, so that’s what it reminds me of. MK: (Laughs) “That is so cool. I know from being a fan myself I’m the biggest geekiest fan ever. I’ve met most of my heroes and I’m so happy they’re so down to earth. A band

For more information, call 760-296-2966 or visit the website at cvrep.org. THE COACHELLA VALLEY REPERTORY THEATRE is a non-profit, professional regional theatre. It is the only theatre in the Coachella Valley that has Small Professional Theatre (SPT) status with Actor’s Equity.

BY TRICIA WITKOWER

like ZZ Top or Billy Givens are huge influences on tons of guitar players, it’s like they don’t realize how important they are or how big their influence is but to me it’s a huge deal to meet them and I’m so happy how kind, soulful and down to earth they are. The guys that want to be on that level might not be very nice.” CVW: It’s like with dogs, the beta dog is typically the aggressive one, where the alpha is calm and keeps the betas in line. MK: “Exactly. An alpha dog doesn’t even realize it. He’s not all egoed out because he’s already doing so great. I’ve been on a bus talking to Johnny Winter explaining how massive he is to me and how much he made

me want to improve and play guitar. You don’t want to meet your hero and have them be total jerks.” CVW: What can fans expect at your Big Rock performance? MK: “They will feel like they got to know us. We’ll be more candid. We’ve been trying to play California more. We’re doing the Cherry Festival in Banning. We all live out here except for Michael our keyboard player. I’m 40 min from Palm Desert so it’s fun to play California and hopefully run into a few of the old fans that saw us when we were up and coming. We are ready to play our hearts out. I always try to impress people as opposed to just being entertaining, but I want people jaws dropped and feeling they really got their money’s worth. I get excited – not nerves – but I’m anticipating the moment. We really aren’t tired of playing all our hits because it’s a new crowd and we continue to make new music so that keeps our energy up. If you were a painter and every year you sold the same painting you might tend to go through the motions but if you make new paintings but make the old ones available you’ll contribute to your own art to avoid being an oldies band.” Get your tickets now – spots are limited and will sell out! tickets.thebigrockpub. com/e/great-white-unplugged.

EVENTS

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March 29 to April 4, 2018

BY TRICIA WITKOWER

“INDIAN WELLS MUSIC FESTIVAL” KICKS OFF MUSIC MONTH APRIL 6 & 7

pril begins “Music Month” in the Coachella Valley (also known as Festival Season) and with it there’s an event to suit every taste. Those who love huge name artists, crowds, and really short jean shorts flock to Coachella (Weekends 1 or 2, take your pick). Those who prefer their music with a twang and a great pair of cowboy boots scoot over to Stagecoach. For true music lovers who want to see some of the most talented rock/blues/jazz/country musicians in an intimate and refined setting, there’s the Indian Wells Music Festival in the Indian Wells Tennis Gardens. This popular festival has been on the Coachella Valley scene for two decades and has only gotten better with each year. This newly-expanded event is now two days long instead of one and is multi-genre, giving concert-goers the chance to see high caliber music talent in a rare and intimate setting. Friday, April 6, starts out with Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers, who recently released their first studio record. Mindi, two-time Grammy-nominated saxophonist, teams up with Randy Jacobos on guitar and vocals, Sweet Pea Atkinson on vocals, Rodney Lee on keys, Derek Frank with bass and vocals, and Third Richardson on drums and vocals. The powerful synergy of this collaboration is as funky as it is smooth with all of the talent packed into this group. Following them, are The Fabulous Thunderbirds whose blues rock sound has been wowing fans for over four decades. This high-energy group is considered the quintessential American band and their shows are as much fun as their songs are

LOBALLY-CELEBRATED JAZZ MUSICIAN

JON BATISTE WITH THE DAP KINGS

(Top 40 hit “Tuff Enuff” was featured in several movies). Headlining the night is Grammy award-winner Jonny Lang. A blues prodigy, Lang released his first album at 15, which subsequently went platinum. Lang has shared the stage with such musical legends as The Rolling Stones, BB King, Aerosmith, and Buddy Guy, but will be closing out night one of the festival on his own. On Saturday, April 7, California native Sandra Lynn opens up the night’s performances with her sweet voice and upbeat country singles. Following her is the Robert Cray Band. Robert Cray is a five-time Grammy winner, Blues Hall of Famer, and a damn good musician whose sound is at the same time fresh and familiar. Headlining the night and closing out the festival is globallycelebrated jazz musician, Jon Batiste with the Dap Kings. This multi-instrumental Juilliard trained musician comes from a long line of musicians from his home state of Louisiana and is the perfect conclusion to this fantastic weekend of music. Jimi “Fitz” Fitzgerald, who puts this event together and makes it better than ever each year, has teamed with the City of Indian Wells, who is now title sponsor. Fitz, who has produced festivals and television his whole life, has worked in all forms of music, including jazz, rock, blues, and country – all of which this festival covers. He found there was a market of music-loving fans that weren’t being served in the Coachella Valley – those who wanted an intimate setting in an upscale atmosphere. With the IW Music Festival, all 2,000 seats are reserved (and shaded).

Attendees can choose to purchase VIP tickets, which have their own bars. Once purchased, guests can sit in their seat or wander around the main bar and concession stands. Said Fitz, “Those who have been to this event know how cool it is to turn the pavilion into a performance space. The artists themselves are really excited about this event. They love the multi-genre aspect and are all fans of each other. A lot of them will be there both nights to listen to the other acts.” He suggests visitors to check out host

hotels Westin Mission Hills Resort and Spa, JW Marriott Desert Springs, and The Miramonte Resort and Spa. “This is the perfect way to kick off Music Month. It gives people who aren’t normally festival-goers a classy weekend of music, food, wine, and art. It’s an unusual opportunity to see all these various type of talent in one weekend in this intimate a setting.” The Tennis Gardens underwent a beautification program that made the grounds warmer, more welcoming, and beautiful, called Lifestyle Village. In Lifestyle Village, festival-goers can enjoy sculpture installations, fine art, food vendors, and more. In between music sets, guests can grab delicious eats from various food vendors, such as Fisherman’s Market (also the presenting sponsor) and Wildest Greens. They can walk the grounds and visit with world-class painters, jewelry designers, and other artists. World-famous artists, Tony and Karen Barone, are doing a sculpture installation on grounds. The gates open at 4:30. Opening acts start at 6:30PM each evening and there are 30 minute breaks between acts. Attendees can take advantage of free parking. To find out more and to purchase your tickets, go to indianwellsmusicfestival.com or call The Box Office 1-800-999-1585.

GRAMMY AWARD-WINNER

JONNY LANG

March 29 to April 4, 2018

CONSIDER THIS

CHRIS PRICE

BY ELENI P. AUSTIN

“DALMATIAN” (OMNIVORE RECORDINGS)

here are certain musicians that you would (metaphorically) follow into battle; Artists that chase their muse, leapfrogging genres, defying expectations, radically redefining their style at the risk of alienating record labels and radio programmers. David Bowie and Prince were like that, Joni Mitchell too, until she sorta retired. Elvis Costello continues to confound conventional wisdom, tackling any musical idiom that strikes his fancy, be it ‘60s Soul, Country, Baroque Pop, Classical, Roots Rock or Jazz. (Seriously, name another musician that has created new music with a string quartet, Burt Bacharach and the Roots). Chris Price is a musician who is quickly attaining that kind of loyalty from his evergrowing fan base. Not to say that his new record, Dalmatian, wildly recalibrates his style. Just that his music feels so fresh, yet familiar and, yes, magical, that fans are ready to pledge allegiance to this protean talent. Kristian Price Perez was born in 1984 and came from a musical family in Miami, Florida. His dad was a Grammy winning producer and along with a sister and three younger brothers, he grew up with a recording studio in the house. Early musical influences included his dad, the Jackson 5 and the Beatles. He took up piano as a toddler and mastered guitar as a teen. Self-taught, he figured out chords on the fretboard by placing the guitar flat on his lap. He continues to play any stringed instrument using this unconventional technique. He fronted his first band, actually a duo, The Drop-Outs, before he hit puberty. He cycled through a series of bands and joined his high school’s award-winning Rock Ensemble where he became life-long pals with kindred spirits like Fernando Perdomo and Roger Houdaille. By now, he began investigating eclectic styles like Bossa Nova, Brazilian Psychedelia and Free Jazz. He also drilled down on antecedents like Emitt Rhodes, Harry Nilsson and Nick Drake. By 2005, Chris, drummer Alex Ibanez and his brothers Mikey and Corey formed a four-piece simply known as Price. Their sound coalesced around the mid ‘60s music they’d grown up loving. Relentless woodshedding and constant club dates built a loyal following. Labels came calling and they signed with Geffen and

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

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relocated to Los Angeles. Once in L.A. they began recording with acclaimed producer Tony Berg. Although Price generated considerable buzz, (a slot at SXSW, song placement on a couple of high profile soundtracks), Geffen inexplicably shelved their record. Eventually, Chris landed on his feet, connecting with Taylor Locke, former guitarist for Rooney. As part of Taylor Locke & The Roughs he played and toured behind two wellreceived albums. After that modest success he was ready to embark on a solo career. As fate would have it, someone stole Chris’ Blackberry. Dorking around with his new iphone, he recorded a song and was astounded by the quality of the recording. Adding a fourtrack recording app he made an entire album on his hone. That solo debut, “Homesick” was released in 2012. The novel approach to making the record got people’s attention, but the music sold itself. It also opened the door to production gigs for a couple of musical idols, Linda Perhacs and Emitt Rhodes. Linda was infamous for recording the Folk/Psych masterwork Parallelograms in 1970 and then disappearing from the music industry. Coaxed back into the studio in 2012, she recorded her first sophomore effort, The Sound Of All Things Natural with Chris behind the boards. Emitt had been hailed a teenage wunderkind in the late ‘60s. After making a record with The Merry-Go-Round and recording three sublime solo albums, he walked away from the music industry in the early ‘70s. He was waaaay under the radar when he was introduced to Chris by a mutual friend. Unable to persuade Emitt to produce his music, he was just as happy when a friendship blossomed. When Emitt completely trusted Chris, he revealed that he’d never stopped creating music. With Chris’ encouragement, they began recording in Emitt’s backyard studio. Assisted by a cadre of well-known L.A. musicians and long-time fans, the album Rainbow Ends arrived In early 2016 to unanimous acclaim. Even as he was working on other projects, Chris never stopped writing his own music. With a backlog of 30 songs he went back into the studio and self-produced his sophomore effort Stop Talking. Pared down to 14 tracks, the record was a sublime synthesis of his myriad influences. Released in early 2017, it appeared on several year-end critics’ lists. Chris returned to the producer’s chair for Linda Perhacs’ third album I’m A Harmony and Jeffrey Gaines’ latest release, pithily entitled Alright. Now he’s surprised his fans by releasing Dalmatian, an effort comprised of outtakes from the Stop Talking sessions, along with a couple of new tracks. The album opens with a bit of studio chatter that’s loose and playful and kind of foreshadows the relaxed atmo of the entire record. Musically, Dalmatian kicks into gear with the surprisingly scabrous “Sick Boy.” Fuzzy electric guitar sidles around jangly 12 string acoustic fills, kaleidoscopic keys and a thumpy beat. The lyrics sketch out a portrait of a real American Psycho, surviving on a combo-platter of sex, guns and death. There’s little room for

ambiguity when the chorus announces “He’s just a piece of shit.” “Fever Dream” and “Roller Coaster” offer yin yang perspectives on the vagaries of romance. On the former, Chris is literally a one-man band playing piano, acoustic guitar and effects. A shimmery symphony in ¾ time, the lyrics parse the exquisite pain of falling in love; “You play a game that you’re sane, but it’s clear what’s become of you now, you let your soul go down the rabbit hole/Part of you wants to escape but you don’t know how, it’s a fever dream it winds you like a top and it doesn’t stop.” The latter is powered by a stuttery, four-onthe-floor beat and urgent guitars, it shares a little musical DNA with the ELO classic, “Sweet Talkin’ Woman.” Here the mercurial mystery of new love is supplanted by the dull day-to-day of domesticity. Invariably, familiarity breeds contempt and personalities clash; “You’re black and white, I’m shades of gray/It’s raining cats and dogs but it’s a fine, fine day for a roller coaster, living with you.” The sweet slide guitar solo undercuts the enmity. Three tracks start with a Post Punk/Power Pop paradigm and build from there. The sadsack sentiment of “I Won’t Be Loved” is blunted by a boinging, Pogo rhythm, gangly guitars and sprightly organ colors. Lyrics like “I won’t be loved…you won’t be mine” end up a selffulfilling prophecy, for a guy who feels like “Only a guest in my time.” If Nick Lowe, Abba, the Archies and the Four Tops had a musical love child, it might sound like “Discount Love.” Here, a Soulful, sugar-piehoneybunch beat pulsates under rubbery bass lines, pounding piano, Sugar-Sugar-y layered vocals, and self-deprecating wit. Newly single, a guy advertises his romantic wares for a low, low closeout prices; “For discount love, you’ll get more than you bargained for, when you promise forever more, I’m practically giving it away…love/I’ve forgotten what love was worth, so you’ll make a killing if You get here first, it’s like I’m just throwing it away, discount love.” “Breakfast Cruise” is also wickedly funny. Anchored by a walloping backbeat that recalls Elvis Costello’s “No Action,” tensile bass lines and angular guitar, the track also features a soaring string section and honeyed, Beach Boy-esqe harmonies. The lyrics offer a droll account of an epicurean boat trip that hijacks more amorous pursuits; “Scrambled eggs and a croissant, steak with the accoutrements, I know without a doubt they’ll have to cart us out/ Peach Mimosas ‘till I’m sick, stomach filling up with bricks, I’ll have to thank the host before I’m comatose.”

Chris wears his ‘60s influences on his sleeve for three tracks. Going completely solo on “The Dream Is Over (But We’re Just Waking Up),” his fidgety piano notes mirror the anxious tone of the Fab Four’s “I Want To Tell You.” His stacked, sunshiny vocals take the sting out of soul-searching lyrics like “Set aside the inner child with open eyes and realize that you and I can never go back to where we were when we were 24.” “Peculiar Lake Superior” is something of a pocket symphony that echoes “SMiLE” era Beach Boys. Winding Piano runs collide with stylophone and mellotron accents. The lyrics are a bit of a Jabberwocky that uses the Great Lake as a metaphor for feeling overwhelmed; “Peculiar Lake Superior, discovering you’re inferior, the horrible truth just like a great wall/ The closer you are to being free, the farther you are from sanity, the fog on the lake it decimates all.” Finally, “Uncle John” displays the black comedy instincts and trenchant songcraft that recalls the late great Harry Nilsson. Aside from some assistance from his musical soul brother Fernando Perdomo, Chris keeps it spare here, just piano and some effects. Although the titular Uncle John seems suicidal as he perches on a window ledge, as Voiced by Fernando, he insists this isn’t the case; “Don’t patronize Me, I’m enjoying a cool breeze/Go about your day, everything’s ok!” Possibly the sweetest song here is “I’ll Follow Her Anywhere.” Suffused with sundappled acoustic guitars and misty harmonies, it wouldn’t seem out of place on a AM ‘70s Gold radio station, sandwiched between Andrew Gold and Stephen Bishop. Delicate, but never cloying, this sincere encomium pledges undying fealty, insisting “Without you I’m lost and adrift, so let me stay close to you.” The record closes with “The Angels Of Buena Vista,” a tongue-in-cheek tribute to all who toil in the company town of Burbank. It’s a strictly solo affair, with Chris underscoring his plaintive vocals with piano and marxophone. Dalmatian was produced and mixed by Chris. For the sake of brevity, it’s tempting to say he played everything, but specifically, that list includes acoustic six and 12 string guitars, electric guitar, slide guitar, piano, synths, harmonium, bass, organ, stylophone and marxophone. (Phew). The album includes contributions from guitarists Kyle Fredrickson and Emeen Zarookian. Fernando Perdomo and Corey Perez switched off on bass, Ben Lacourt pounded the drum kit and Alex Jules added backing vocals. Nadeem Majdalany conducted a string section consisting of Kate Wolfberg, Corinne Olsen and Matt Fish on violin, viola and cello, respectively. Typically, albums that spotlight outtakes offer up interesting ephemera and leftovers that didn’t quite make the cut. Dalmatian is the exception to that rule. Funny and sweet, endlessly inventive, the record stands on its own merits. Chris Price’s music is reliably catchy, clever and soulful, and, the best part is, it feels like he’s just getting started.

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ART SCENE STEVE SHIGLEY ART, TESSERACT, AND NO RULES BY ANGELA ROMEO

arhol famously said, “Art is what you can get away with.” Sadly the factors most overlooked in arts are true talent and passion. Too often in the cult of the amateur we accept mediocrity for “art”. Steve Shigley has both passion and talent. Shig, as he is known, is a self-taught abstract metal sculptor, fabricator and painter. With a “no rules” approach, Shig takes his art to the depth of his imagination. A perfect piece is one that both he and the observer enjoy. His body of work is impressive. His earlier works include Joshua Tree Sculptures and The Bells. The largest of the yuccas, the Joshua Tree grows only in the Mojave Desert and grows nowhere else in the world. The starkness of Shig’s sculptures evokes the mysticism of the Joshua Tree. The work is reminiscent of the burned trunks of the wildfires that have plagued California, yet the pieces exude life. It is from the ashes that new life emerges. There is reverence and respect in the work. The Bells are born from the upcycling of reclaimed tanks that vary in size and shape. Each bell emits its own unique sound. Constructed with the skill of a craftsman mixed with the soul of an artist, the bells, in their simplicity, are rich in tonality and form. As with any true artist, boundaries are nonexistent. To that end one need only to look at Shig’s sculpture for the recent Bombay Beach Biennale. This yearly event is an uncurated curated event that celebrates life that thrives on the shores of the Salton Sea. This year Shig was challenged to create a Tesseract. What is a tesseract? It is defined as a fourdimensional analog of the cube; a cube within a cube where the inner cube is one-half the size of the outer cube creating an illusion of infinity. “This piece is my first large scale commissioned work. It is a work of public art, a direction I wish to explore,” said Shig. “I created a 20 foot cube with a 10 foot cube constructed inside. We believe this is the largest such tesseract in existence.” “The challenges were two-fold. Firstly I had never constructed a tesseract nor

March 29 to April 4, 2018

had I ever constructed a piece of this scale. The work was constructed at the site. Sitespecific installation requires that all material and equipment be brought in. Work is done is whatever conditions are present, sun, wind and rain. The end result was worth the sleepless nights.” “The Salton Sea is a landmark that draws people. Bombay Beach is drawing artists. It provides a unique opportunity for artists to create visual impact.” “My new work is using the controlled chaos of what I learned at Bombay Beach and from creating the Tesseract. I am over the perfect 90-degree angle. I am looking at finishes, material, colors and seeing tremendous possibilities. Pushing myself keeps me creative,” continued Shig. Shig is currently preparing for a month long artist in residency program outside of Paris, France at the Chateau O’quevue. He was invited to create the first outdoor steel sculpture on the grounds, and to help establish a metal shop for future artists to use. “I was approached through my Instagram account. The owner of the chateau has asked me to create a piece that will be the start of their sculpture garden. This is a new challenge that I look forward to undertaking.” For more info on Steve Shigley and his work, visit www.sshigley.com. His work is also available at Colliding Worlds Fine Art Gallery, 68895 Perez Road, I 13, Cathedral City.

March 29 to April 4, 2018

PET PLACE

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BY JANET McAFEE

DRAVEN, A ‘PURRFECT” MATCH FOR TRACY & PHIL

id you know that Tracy Dietlin and Phil Lacombe, our wonderful Publishers of the CV Weekly Magazine, are major animal lovers? They promote adoption programs to help homeless dogs and cats get wonderful new homes. The Dietlin-Lacombe household has always included a bevy of felines. On February 27, 2018, I submitted a fabulous fellow, a 4-month-old black kitten named Shaq, as an adoptable cat for the CV Weekly’s Pet Page. I did not know that Tracy and Phil were checking out each cat on the Pet Page with a serious intent to adopt. Tracy explains, “We lost our wonderful cat Pepper after a long battle with diabetes on October 18, 2016. I was devastated, but as much as I missed him, I knew it would be awhile before we would adopt another one.

MEET BIJOUX Beautiful Bijoux will greet you with a happy purr at Petco on Hwy 111 in Palm Desert. This 6-month old playful kitten was rescued by www.ForeverMeow.org, call (760) 335-6767.

MEET WAYLON Waylon is the perfect pup for an active family with children. He loves to play games and go for long walks. Still a puppy at 9 months old. Rescued by www.lovingallanimals.org from the Desert Hot Springs Animal Center. Call (760) 834-7000.

And we still had Buttercup, our 17-year-old Persian who is not very sociable to humans or other felines. Last month I started looking at the cats for adoption every week on our Pet Page, in spite of still missing Pepper terribly. When I saw Shaq’s photo I knew immediately he was the one for us. He had Pepper’s golden eyes, and he was also black. From the moment I held him, I was in love with this little fellow. He was equally smitten with us, showing love and affection toward both Phil and I.” We don’t know anything about the first 4 months of this cat’s life. Though no doubt terrifying at the time, getting caught in a cat trap turned out to be a stroke of luck for the stray black kitten. The cat trap was placed by a Loving All Animals’ cat foster parent outside her apartment complex. She delivered the adorable little fellow to Mary Ewing, director of Loving All Animals’ Whiskers & Purrs cat rescue program. Mary quickly realized he was not a feral (unsocialized) cat. In a family foster home, the animal’s lovely personality emerged. He was vetted, neutered and readied for adoption. Mary explains that when feral unsocialized cats are trapped by volunteers, “They are evaluated by veterinarians, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and then returned to their original outdoor location. This allows them to live out their lives, but unable to

reproduce, in this animal-friendly alternative to reduce community cat populations.” Known as “Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return” (TNVR), this program protects public health and saves taxpayers money. These cats are no longer kenneled and euthanized in public shelters. “Adopting Shaq to Tracy and Phil was a pleasure,” Mary recalls. “I got to know Tracy already because she helped me with two other strays. Knowing what a cat lover she was, and then having the opportunity to meet Phil, it became evident very quickly that Shaq was being adopted into a very loving and forever home.” Tracy and Phil named their new cat Draven,

after his raven colored coat. There are uncanny similarities between Draven and the couple’s previous cat, Pepper. Both animals do an interesting little dance when they drink out of their water bowls, tapping their left foot then their right foot. Like Pepper before him, Draven does not like to dine alone, and waits for Tracy to be nearby before eating his cat food. Like Pepper, Draven likes to watch television, with Draven favoring programs featuring other animals. Tracy reports, “Draven is so much like Pepper it’s unbelievable. He will jump up on my lap, put his paws on my chest, nuzzle my neck with his head and take a nap. He wants to be with Phil or me all the time, making sure he gives both of us an equal amount of time and affection.” A new pet does not take the place of a pet who passes away. But a new loving pet like Draven fills the hole in one’s heart. If Pepper could send a message, he would want his humans to choose a stray, unloved cat to honor his place in their hearts and home. A playful kitty like Draven reminds us that a cat can be complete joy in a fur coat. For more information about adopting a cat, contact Mary Ewing at Loving All Animals, (760) 8347000 or view their adoptable cats at www. lovingallanimals.org. Jmcafee7@verizon.net

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THE VINO VOICE

BY RICK RIOZZA

DUCK POND SIGHTING IN THE DESERT

nyone who loves and adores the Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley already knows well about Duck Pond wines. Actually, we can modify that further: What Pinot Noir lover hasn’t already enjoyed the famed Oregon wine that joined in to set the standard in the area a couple of generations ago. Just to prick our minds again—and to possibly alert our new vino enthusiasts in the valley, let’s reminisce back to the original ducky times in Dundee when the Fries family set up shop. Check out their website at www. duckpondcellars.com. As their winery history notes state: “Despite its status as one of the larger wine producers in Oregon, Duck Pond Cellars remains small at heart and is a family-owned winery through and through. Originally from California’s Central Valley, lifelong farmers Doug and Jo Ann Fries moved their young family to Central Oregon. In 1984, they purchased property along the banks of the Willamette River in Dundee, Oregon, where they planted a 500-acre hazelnut orchard. As devoted wine aficionados, they also planted a small 13-acre vineyard with the hopes of producing a few hundred cases of their own wine.” In 1990 son Greg Fries began college at UC Davis with the intent to study agribusiness but changed his focus to learn the art and skills of winemaking. As daughter Lisa neared her own college graduation, the four family members crafted a plan to begin their own small winery in Dundee which opened its doors in 1993. The initial offerings totaled around 1,000 cases, which were mostly hand sold by the family to their tasting room customers. In the early to mid-90s, the family continued

acquiring land throughout the Northwest that they felt would be suitable for vineyards. In Oregon, the family has focused exclusively on Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. Wishing to try their hand at warmer-climate varietals, they purchased a large parcel on Eastern Washington’s Wahluke Slope where they planted a wide variety of grapes including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. The family’s Washington State brand, Desert Wind, launched in 2001, showcases the exceptional fruit from the area. Okay—so how fortunate was it for me to hang out with no other than the lovely wine wise gal Heidi Daniels and her staff this last weekend at the Palm Desert Food & Wine festival. And talk about location, location: when entering the south side of the Grand Tasting Tent—voila! At first sight, at the wine booth in front of us, the goo-goo-eyed guests got to dive right into the pond of delicious wine. Listening in on Heidi’s real spiel about her Duck Pond, Desert Wind & Fries Family Wines that she was pouring at the event, I witnessed firsthand all the enthusiastic responses. As one would expect, the wine’s loyal fawning fans agreed and chimed in with Heidi, and, could speak on and on the quality themselves! Those who had no doubt heard of Duck Pond but hadn’t really experienced a glass—well it was their lucky day. Before we get onto the wine chat, I know many of you appreciate hearing about the wines consumed—but granted, it’s kind of an after-the-fact thing. So let’s keep the party going, for Heidi will be decanting her Duck Pond line-up this Friday, March 30th, from 4 to 6pm at Desert Wine Shop on 111 (formally Dan’s Wine Shop) in Palm Desert 760-674-0305. The tasting is only $5. Duck Pond Pinot Gris 2016 This is just a charming fresh wine where you can “taste the grape”. It displays aromas of nectarine, lemon zest, elderflower & melon and finishes with flavors of white peach, backed by Granny Smith apple and gooseberry acidity. Duck Pond “Rosé of Pinot Noir” 2017 This limited production Willamette Valley

March 29 to April 4, 2018

Rosé was made in the traditional saignée method—which brings out the best in the crowded rosé game. Robed in brilliant salmon pink color, look for aromas of guava, jasmine flower and abundant strawberry that flows into the palate with a crisp backbone of citrus. As Easter weekend came quickly this year, this is the perfect time to announce this wine as my Easter dinner pick. It’s the rosé that will bring both red and white wine folks together. While at the Food & Wine Fest, I matched this Rosé of Pinot Noir with steak, poké, whipped potatoes, various vegetarian dishes—you name it! With its fresh acidity, it was textbook food & wine pairing Duck Pond Pinot Noir 2016 This is one the most recognizable Pinot on the market shelves with its patented bright berry-cherry fruit. The compact tannins are

present to succor a firm blackberry and black cherry core, following with a clean crisp finish. Duck Pond “Dundee Hills” Pinot Noir 2016 With its ducks all in a row, this wine opens with aromas of bright red cherry, blackberry, ripe strawberry and subtle notes of smoke that follow into the palate with a silky-smooth finish laced a hint of cedar. Yet another Easter dinner wine! Problem is: there were only 64-six packs available in California!—which is dwindling down—so act! Duck Pond “Reserve” Pinot Noir 2016 This “Reserve” is the “big brother” of the above and offers another layer of complexity and pure expression of Willamette Valley. The wine is lively, with aromas and flavors of ripe cherry, black raspberry and spice. In its final flavor finale, enjoy the balanced acidity and just enough French oak to influence the lush finish. Pairs nicely with duck breast, lamb or cedar plank salmon. And yes!—it’s my final Easter pick. Bon Appétit & Cheers! Rick is the valley’s somm-about-town entertaining and conducting at restaurant venues, wine events and tastings. He is the brand ambassador to The Historic Galleano Winery and this April he’s off to Verona attending the VinItaly 2018 Wine Festival. Ciao Bella! Contact at winespectrum@aol.com

March 29 to April 4, 2018

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THUR MARCH 29

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bobby Furgo & Co 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Discoteca w/ DJ Victor Rodriguez 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Francesca Amari, Bill Marx and Doug MacDonald 6:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Piano Bar 6pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Insomniac Crew Presents: Stevie Crooks, Million, Ttereve and Addemup 9pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Barry Minniefield 7pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 John Stanley King 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CATALAN; RM; 760-770-9508 George Christian 6-9pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Kristy King 7-10pm CORKTREE; PD; 760-779-0123 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 EUREKA; IW; 760-834-7700 TBA 8-10pm FISHERMAN’S GROTTO; PD; 760-776-6533 Barry, Bob and Riz 6:30pm GADI’S RESTAURANT AND BAR; YV; 760365-6633 Open Mic Night 7pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Chris Lomeli 7pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Open Mic 9pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 TBA 9pm

LA QUINTA OLDTOWN TAPROOM; LQ; Giselle Woo 8-11pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Hot Rox LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Country Night w/ Arnie Newman 8pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888999-1995 Quinto Menguante 8-1am MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm MOXIE; PS; 760-318-9900 Rick the Piano Man 6pm 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 Elijah Ocean 8pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Desert Noise Presents: Dirt Boys w/ Rob Lawrence, Buzz BLVD and Upper Class Poverty 9pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 DJ Worden 9pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 The Smooth Brothers 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Dude Jones 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 T-Bone Karaoke 8pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Wayne Boyer 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Robert Salisbury 5-7pm, Steve Oliver 7:3011pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Alex Santana 5-8pm THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 DJ 7pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 Linda Peterson 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJ 8pm

FRI MARCH 30

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Fast Heart Mart 6:30pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Full Moon Party 7pm, C. Love AKA Zouyina DJ Set AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Art of Sax 8pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Shelley Yoelin Group 6:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Friday Night Sour Hour w/ Pink Lemonade Drag Show 9pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Bricktotaface Presents: Dessert R&B Party w/ DJs Dxsko and Akthadj 9pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Barry Minniefield 7pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Hi Fi Music Academy 8:30pm BLUE BAR, SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-7755566 DJ Double A 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 CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CATALAN; RM; 760-770-9508 George Christian 6-9pm

CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Denny Pezzin 7-10pm CLUB 5; IND; 760-625-1719 DJ 9pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm DESERT FOX; PD; Terra Firma 8:30pm ELECTRIC SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-2281199 DJ Ceddy Cedd 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 6pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 The Myx 8:30pm THE HARD ROCK HOTEL PS; PS; 760-3259676 Esjay Jones Presents: Acoustic Sessions w/ D Tension 8pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Upper Class Poverty, Mal, Skitzo Attack and Lucid Lion 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Keisha D 7pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Bob Allen 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Karaoke 7:30pm KILO’S CANTINA; TP; 760-835-1363 Liquid Dreams – EDM Event 9pm 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 Common Ground 9pm THE LOUNGE; AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888999-1995 DJ Jerry 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm MOXIE; PS; 760-318-9900 Eevaan Tre 6:30pm, DJ Pedro Le Bass 9:30pm 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 Rockaholics 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760345-0222 Hotwyre 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Ted Z and The Wranglers 8pm PEABODY’S CAFÉ; PS; 760-322-1877 Karaoke 7:30pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Kal David, Lauri Bono and the Real Deal CD Release Party 8pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 Guttercandy 9pm RIVIERA; PS; 760-327-8311 Michael Keeth 7:30pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm 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 Smooth Brothers 8-11pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 9pm SMOKIN’ BURGERS; PS; 760-883-5999 Ron James 6pm

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SOLANO’S BISTRO; LQ; 760-771-6655 Michael Madden 6-9pm SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin Rock 10pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Demetrious and Co. 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 Alyce Bowie 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Pat Rizzo & Dennis Michaels 6:30pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm VENUS DE FIDO; PD; 760-834-7070 Mark Gregg 6-9pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Meet the Corwins 5:30-7:30pm, John Stanley King Show 8pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Boys Night Out w/ DJ House Whores 7pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 Michael Keeth 5-7pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-932-4300 Crown City Bombers 8pm THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 Rob Martinez, Todd Ashley and Lisa LaFaro Weselis 6:30-10pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 Rose Mallett 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJ 9pm

SAT MARCH 31

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bev & Bill 6:30pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 C. Love AKA Zouyina DJ Set 11am poolside, Whitney Day and DJ Lina 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 on the Green Open Mic 7:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Denise Carter 7:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Super Sonido w/ Alf Alpha and Friends 9pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Barry Minniefield 7pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Hi Fi Music Academy 8:30pm BLUE BAR; SPOTLIGHT 29; IND; 760-7755566 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 CATALAN; RM; 760-770-9508 George Christian 6-9pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Denny Pezzin 7-10pm CHILL BAR; PS; 760-327-1079 TBA 9pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm DATE SHED; IND; Core 10, Annabelle Asylum, Drop Mob Decapitate the Kause and DJ Rowlow 8pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm ELECTRIC SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-2281199 DJ Ceddy Cedd 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 6pm

THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 TBA 8:30pm THE GROOVE LOUNGE; SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-775-5566 DJ 8pm THE HARD ROCK HOTEL PS; PS; 760-3259676 Esjay Jones Presents: Global Sessions w/ David Macias and Friends 8pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Slipping Into Darkness, The Flusters, Ocho Ojos, Project Mayhem and Yoni 8pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 The Carmens 7pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Bob Allen 6pm KILO’S CANTINA; TP; 760-835-1363 El Mayo De La Sierra – Corridos y Nortenas 9pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 8pm LA QUINTA BREWERY; PD; Black Water Gospel and Town Troubles 7pm 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 Common Ground 9pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888999-1995 Adrian Crush and the Elab Band 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm MOXIE; PS; 760-318-9900 Derek Jordan Gregg 6pm, DJ Pedro Le Bass 9:30pm 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 Boneyard 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760345-0222 Off Da Cuff 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Shadow Mountain Band 5pm, Sara Petite and the Sugar Daddies 8pm PEABODY’S CAFÉ; PS; 760-322-1877 Karaoke 7:30pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Trish, Hans and Phil 8pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 DJ Wardon 9pm RIVIERA; PS; 760-327-8311 Andy Cahan 6pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm 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 Smooth Brothers 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; 760-3413560 TBA 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 The Refills 9pm

March 29 to April 4, 2018

THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Dennis Michael 6:30pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm VIBE, MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951-7555391 DJ 10pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Rose Mallett & Co. 5-7pm, Kal David, Lauri Bono & The Real Deal 7:30-11pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Live Music 6pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 Michael Keeth 6pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-932-4300 Crown City Bombers 8pm THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 The Refills 7pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 The Stanley Butler Band 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJs 9pm

SUN APRIL 1

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bob Garcia 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Whitney Day and DJ Lina 11am poolside, and 10pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Jazz Brunch w/ Trish Hatley and Barney McClure 11:30am AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 The Judy Show 7:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Fusion Latin Night w/ DJ LF and Friends 9pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Brian Denigan 7pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 TBA 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT; PS; 888999-1995 Nash with Quinto Menguante 9pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm continue to page 20

March 29 to April 4, 2018

GOOD GRUB

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LASSO IN FLAVORS AT EL RODEO CAFÉ

antastic Mexican food flavors await in the heart of Palm Desert at El Rodeo Café. If you’re not paying attention, you could easily drive by the little hole in the wall on San Pablo without even noticing it. Sitting in Palm Desert’s older part of town, San Pablo North of Hwy 111 is mostly a street to get to a bigger vein of traffic. But just like you should stop and smell the roses sometimes, you should also slow down and check out what is on the side streets such as small eateries like El Rodeo Café. El Rodeo Café has been spinning out delectable Mexican food favorites for many years from its tiny space. The cozy dining area with a rodeo theme, has several tables, counter seating and even some sidewalk tables outside. On my visit in the late afternoon, most of the tables were filled with happy diners, giving praise about the amazing food upon their exit. For me, as a measure of a great Mexican restaurant, I will order their Carnitas if available. At El Rodeo Café, I saw that they did have Carnitas and went ahead and ordered a taco filled with the delicious meat and some refried beans, which is also an item on my Mexican food measuring scale. The taco was offered with cilantro and onions, and I opted for both. The taco was ample, and came out with the beans by its side with sprinkled Cotija cheese. El

Rodeos Carnitas were excellent, overloaded with all of the deep rich flavors that make me addicted to the pork dish. The meat was succulent, moist and had perfect bits of crust in it, without any dryness. Basically, it gave me the yummies. Their beans were pleasing as well, smooth and rich, accompanying the taco nicely. El Rodeo Café’s menu goes well beyond my precious Carnitas, expanding to breakfast, lunch and dinner. Menu items encompass selections such as Omelets and Breakfast Burritos and even Pancakes for breakfast. For lunch and dinner, selections blend such as a variety of hard or soft Tacos (Carne Asada, Fish, Chicken, Al Pastor, Shrimp and more), Burritos (Chile Verde, Chili Colorado, Chorizo, Bean and Cheese,

Chile Relleno among others) which come with rice, beans and cheese inside, with guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo on the side. Quesadillas, Sopes, Tortas and Enchiladas are also offered. One of their most popular dishes are their Chilaquiles Verde (tortillas smothered in green chile sauce). And from the taste of their green chile sauce, there’s no doubt that they are amazing! Different specials are offered daily such as, Burrito de Camaron (Shrimp, rice, beans, cheese and chipotle sauce), or Filete a la Diabla (Fish Filet in a spicy sauce with rice, beans and tortillas). El Rodeo Café also offers wine and beer, including the ever popular Chavela’s to enhance your meal. For excellent Mexican food in the middle

BY DENISE ORTUNO

of old school Palm Desert, check out El Rodeo Café. A fantastic place to lasso in some amazing south of the border flavors! El Rodeo Café is opened from 8am daily and is located at 44-820 San Pablo, Palm Desert, 92260 (760) 346-5046

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March 29 to April 4, 2018

NOW PLAYING: ISLE OF DOGS

SCREENERS

I love Wes Anderson’s quirky and artfully crafted films. He has a knack for extolling and exploring a lost world of childhood. His latest masterpiece (yes, masterpiece) lauds man’s best friend in a striking, visually rich stopmotion cinematic work of art. There’s a lot of emotion and truth about love, loyalty and bravery in a world of

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No. 310

GONE DOG

underdogs and misfits. Writer/director Wes Anderson has fashioned a compelling tale set in Japan when an outbreak of canine flu leads all dogs to be quarantined on an island of garbage. A boy journeys there to rescue his dog Spots (voiced by Liev Schreiber), and gets help from a feral pack of similarly exiled canines. The boy’s brave quest inspires a group of dog lovers to expose a government conspiracy. The extraordinary voice cast also Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, Bob Balaban, Greta Gerwig, and Yoko Ono (!). Don’t miss this wonderful, joyous, film. You have not seen, or heard, anything like it. This is certainly among Anderson’s most heartfelt, and meticulously crafted films. NEW FOR THE HOME THEATER: UP IN SMOKE The ultimate stoner comedy is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The high-larious cannabis culture epic debuted in 1978 when Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong made not only

their feature film debut based on their now legendary comedy routines of the early 70s -their albums sold over 10 millions copies -- but also invented a new film genre. “UP IN SMOKE “ became a smash hit, establishing the pair as the reigning comedy duo of a new generation. Today, the film still has fans rolling in the aisles and maintains a surprising cultural relevance four decades after its original release. A plethora of generous extras includes a terrific commentary by Cheech Marin and director Lou Adler, also an original soundtrack CD and vinyl LP plus oversized and usable “Up in Smoke” rolling papers and much more. Paramount. Blu-ray. PERMANENT Bad hair day? Nope. More like a bad hair life. Set in 1982 in small town Virginia, the main story centers on 13-year-old Aurelie Dickson (Kira McLean) and her parents, Jeanne and Jim (Patricia Arquette and Rainn Wilson). The Dicksons, both individually and collectively, are struggling through major life changes, including adolescence, bad hair and extreme social awkwardness all the while while desperately trying to emerge intact and sane on the other side. This whimsical comingof-age comedy written and directed by Colette Burson has its charming and modestly rewarding moments but is not in the same league as “Little Miss Sunshine” or “Napoleon Dynamite.” The main problem in this triune ensemble of unhappy characters with low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence is that there is no clear goal, neither is there an identifiable antagonist or force holding them back. The choppy narrative suffers from a lack of structure, clear theme and sympathetic protagonists. The acerbic, self-deprecating Rainn has some funny lines and a bad wig as a retired steward of Air Force One now taking

BY ROBIN E. SIMMONS

pre-med classes. Arquette charms as a good mom and lonely wife who makes the most of what appears to be an amazingly life-like fat suit – or not. The funniest thing about this movie is the awkward family photo ad art of the three principle family members sitting scrunched up saddle-like on a piano bench. Brilliant. Too bad the movie is not up to this high standard. Magnolia. RUNNING WILD (1927)

Cowardly accountant Elmer Finch (W.C. Fields) is a milquetoast, browbeaten by his wife, daughter, fat son and even the family dog. When he accidentally throws a horseshoe through a window, the cops are on his tail, and a ridiculous chain of events puts him under the thrall of hypnosis, where he believes himself to be a lion. With his newly leonine strength he visits everyone who shamed and bullied him, and tries to get a raise in the process. Written and directed by the legendarily wit Gregory La Cava (“My May Godfrey”), “Running Wild” still delivers big laughs. Fields (sporting the odd little mustache he favored in his silent films) is always a delight to watch, especially when venting his pent-up rage against his impossible family. The great looking transfer was mastered in 2K from 35mm film elements preserved by The Library of Congress. The fascinating commentary is by film historian James L. Neibaur, author of W.C. FIelds and His Films. The fitting new piano score is by Donald Sosin. Kino Lorber. Blu-ray. robin@coachellavalleyweekly.com

BOOK REVIEW

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“EILEEN" BY OTTESSA MOSHFEGH NOVEL

----------------------------------------------------hen you consider the age of the earth like a clock, humans have been here for less than a minute. Human beings are but a pixel in the expanding universe. Not everyone will leave behind a lasting mark. For most of us, it will be as if we never existed. In Ottessa Moshfegh’s Eileen (Penguin Press, 260 pages), one girl recounts her life and its one remarkable event. The story is narrated by protagonist, Eileen Dunlop, who, as an older woman, recalls her life at age 24. Set days before Christmas in a snowy New England coastal town she refers to as X-ville, Eileen recounts the events that lead up to her sudden departure. Eileen shares that she was an awkward young woman raised in a dysfunctional, conservative Catholic family. Her older sister Joanie had the good looks and outgoing personality. Eileen’s parents consider Joanie a slut because of her interest in boys, so Joanie moved away leaving Eileen to cope with her alcoholic parents. When Eileen went away to college, she thought her life might change, but she was soon called home by her father to take care of her dying mother. After the death of her mother, nothing much changed in the household. Eileen and

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GIRL UNSEEN

her father never sorted her mother’s clothes and everything in the house stayed in its place. The house was never cleaned and Eileen and her father didn’t eat much or prepare meals. Dust, dirty dishes and filth filled the house. When her father lost his job as a police officer, Eileen was required to help him at home. Eileen wore her mother’s old clothing and never took care of her hygiene or spent time on her looks. She supplied her father with booze and her only escape was her drafty attic bedroom with a mattress on the floor where she could read back-issues of National Geographic – and -- her secretarial job at the local boys prison! At the prison, Eileen was in charge of organizing visitations. She liked watching the boys and their sorrowful mothers. She fantasized and stalked one of the prison guards. A virgin, Eileen could only imagine what sex was; it was never explained to her. When Rebecca, a Harvard graduate, comes to the prison as a teacher, Eileen is overcome by the elegance and sophistication of the woman. Rebecca notices Eileen right away and befriends her! Eileen and Rebecca quickly bond over drinks and a mutual interest in one of the young prisoners. On Christmas Eve, Eileen is invited to Rebecca’s home. When she arrives, she sees it is a place completely out of character for the beautiful and smart Rebecca who is behaving strangely. Disillusioned, Eileen is about to leave when Rebecca reveals she needs

March 29 to April 4, 2018

BY HEIDI SIMMONS

Eileen’s help to save one of the boys at the prison. There has been a terrible injustice and Rebecca wants to right the wrong done to the boy by his mother. As bizarre as the situation is, Eileen reluctantly agrees to help! Author Moshfegh does an amazing job creating Eileen’s bleak and ignorant world. The story is compelling because even the character as an adult, lacks a complete understanding of her past circumstances and its impact on her psyche growing up in her home. Eileen is a woman – a person – who goes through her whole life unseen and unloved even when a crime is committed. Eileen’s character reveals her story as a way of being seen – look what I did – I exist/existed. Moshfegh creates a multi-dimensional person who is broken but has survived to confess her

one extraordinary life experience. Moshfegh writes beautifully and it is her prose and deep character study that keep the story utterly involving. Then, on page 222, the reader gets a jaw-dropping plot twist – a real shocker -- that pushes the story over the top in an exciting and surprising way. However, with less than 40 pages left in the novel, the ending loses some of its power and impact on its characters. Eileen, like most of us, looks at her life in retrospect, which gives her perspective. Even the name “Eileen” has subtle context. Although she has nothing and no one on which to “lean,” her name contains the sound “eye” as in “sight and seeing,” as well as the personal pronoun “I.” In Moshfegh’s story, Eileen becomes the center of her universe when she finally embraces and tells her secret narrative. Is Eileen’s life story significant? Did she do something worth reporting? Maybe or maybe not. No matter how unimportant humans may be in the big picture, whether we are seen or unseen, we all make some impact however miniscule during our time on the planet.

SAFETY TIPS

BY FIRE CHIEF SAM DIGIOVANNA

HOP TO IT – EASTER SAFETY!

“

earching for a hidden Easter basket is an activity that children of all ages enjoys, however, there can be a few problems if parents are not careful,” says Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. Candy & Toy Safety: • In order to prevent choking, avoid hard, round candy; thick or sticky candy; or candy with nuts. Caramel, sour balls and jaw breakers can be dangerous because children’s airways are higher and narrower than an adult’s, creating a choking hazard. • Fake grass is not digestible, so keep it away from little children. • Be sure that Easter toys and dolls (such as bunnies, chicks etc) are free of choking hazards. Pieces that can be removed from a doll or toy pose a potential choking danger to small children. Egg Safety: • Eggs are a potentially hazardous food, in the same category as meat, poultry, fish, and milk. In other words, they are capable of supporting the rapid growth of disease-causing bacteria like Salmonella. Before boiling eggs for Easter decorating/painting, they must be kept refrigerated. • Use only clean, unbroken eggs – check when you purchase. Discard dirty or broken eggs. Cool your eggs in cold water or just in the air. Be careful of hot water/scald accidents Egg Hunting: • Do not hide eggs in cupboards or drawers with dangerous products. • Do not hide eggs in, on or under glass. • Do not hide eggs in pre-existing holes in the

ground or trees. • Do not hide eggs in any plant that have thorns or sharp stiff leaves, look potentially dangerous or poisonous. (Rule of thumb: If you don’t know the name of the plant, don’t put an egg in it!) • Do not hide eggs in any animal’s home, food bowl or play area. • Do not hide eggs where pesticides or poisons have recently been sprayed. After hunting – Eggs that show cracks or damage, throw them away. Driving: • Many of us will be traveling to family and friends homes. Buckle up, plan your route and drive safely as we share the road with others. Remember, “Patience is a virtue desired by many possessed by few.” If you keep these few simple tips in mind, you should be able to enjoy a fun, problem-free Easter celebration says Chief DiGiovanna. Have a Happy Easter! Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

March 29 to April 4, 2018

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CLUB CRAWLER NIGHTLIFE continued from page 15 CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Lori Yeary 6-9pm 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 CORKTREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Michael Keeth 6-9pm The Luminators 6pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Radio AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 60 3-6pm Bill Marx 6:30pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Meh, Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm Monday 9pm FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Jack Ruvio 6-9pm Tuzzolino 5:30pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company, in the 2794 Hot Rox afternoon, Hot Rox, in the night LAVENDER BISTRO; LQ; 760-564-5353 LAVENDER BISTRO; LQ; 760-564-5353 Mark Mark Gregg 5-9pm Gregg 5-9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Mikael Healy 8pm 760-325-2323 Sunday Jam 3:30-7:30pm, NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Mikael Healy 8pm Karaoke 8pm-1:15am NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 T-Bone THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry Karaoke 8pm 7pm THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 7:30pm Open Mic 7pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 The SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Randy Sunday Band 7:30pm Seymon 8pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Open Mic 6pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 T.B.A. 6pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Eddie Gee 7pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341Mike Costley’s Jazz Show 6:30-10pm 3560 The Myx 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 The THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 The Might Sweet Nothings 6:30pm Andy Cahan Trio 4-7pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Motown Mondays 6:30pm Darci Daniels and Reggie Vision 7pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 John Stanley King & Trio 6-9:30pm 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Live Music 6-9pm The Bill and Bob Duo 6pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-932-4300 8pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Ace Karaoke THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 with Kiesha 9pm Rob Martinez and Scott Carter 6:30pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 Jessica Taylor 6:30pm John Carey and Friends 6:30pm

MON APRIL 2

TUE APRIL 3

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PUMPING SERVICE

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

760-404-6325

AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Bella da Ball Dinner Revue w/ guest performers 7:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Strictly Vinyl w/ DJ Richie Rich and Friends 9pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Chris Lomeli 7pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Big Rock Big Blues Jam 7pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Michael D’Angelo 7-10pm CORKTREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Michael Keeth 6-9pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm DRINGK; RM; 760-888-0111 Karaoke w/ T-Bone 8pm FIRESIDE LOUNGE; PS; 760-327-1700 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Drag Queen Bingo 9pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Karaoke hosted by Phillip Moore 9pm 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; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Mikael Healy 8pm 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; 760327-4080 Acoustic Open Mic 7pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Randy Seymon 8pm

SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Demetrious and Co. TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 Cinch 6-9pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 John McCormick and Co. 6:30-10pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Alex Santana 5-8pm THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 Acoustic Sessions w/ Lance & David 7pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 Yve Evans and John Bolivar 6pm

WED APRIL 4

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Daniel Horn 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 TBA 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Jazz Jam w/ Doug MacDonald & Friends 7pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Piano Bar 6pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Lucid Wednesday w/ DJ Sugarfree 9pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Chris Lomeli 7pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 The Smooth Brothers 7pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Michael Keeth 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Johnny Meza 7-10pm COACHELLA VALLEY BREWING CO; TP; 760-343-5973 Live and Local w/ TBA 5:308pm CORKTREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Jack Ruvio 6pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm DRAUGHTSMAN;PS; 760-507-1644 Derek Jordan Gregg 8pm ELECTRIC SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-228-

1199 Karaoke 7:30pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Open Mic hosted by Josh Heinz 8pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Karaoke 7:30pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Open Mic 8pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Hot Rox MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Mikael Healey 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760327-4080 Roger & Friends 7pm 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 SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Eddie Gee 8pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 The Myx 6:30pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 Local Artist Spolight 7pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Katheryn White 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Barbara Morrison Piano 4:30-6pm, Barry Minniefield 6:30pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Mikole Kaar 5-8pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-932-4300 Go Bold Jam 7:30pm THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 DJ 7pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 Valerie Geason 6:30pm

HADDON LIBBY

resident Donald Trump may not be the most eloquent, subtle or moral of people (although he is certainly the most confident whether that confidence is based on experience or delusion) but he is the one person in Washington D.C. who is actually trying to do the right thing for the people who elected him. And whether you hate him, love him or could care less about him, Trump is the first President in well over thirty years to put our national interests ahead of campaign contributions and seven-figure speaking gigs. President Trump knows that both the Democrats and the Republicans oppose him in fixing a broken trade system. The only person holding a stance similar to Trump is Vermont senator and Socialist, Bernie Sanders. Think about it - the insurgent Democrat and Republican are the only two in D.C. putting the American worker and our national needs ahead of the self-serving globalistic needs of both parties. To understand this, consider NAFTA our free trade agreement with Mexico and Canada. By signing NAFTA and not fixing it, President Clinton and all subsequent presidents supported the current deal. By signing NAFTA, they gave our car manufacturing industry to Mexico.

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March 29 to April 4, 2018

TRUMP FEELS THE BERN

Making matters worse, the few remaining U.S. made cars that were exported to the European Union (E.U.) were slapped with a 25% entry (tariff) fees while we only charged 2.5% on cars shipped to the U.S. by the E.U. Meanwhile, the E.U. cut deals with Canada and Mexico that gave them the same 2.5% tariffs as the countries of the E.U. This meant that U.S. carmakers needed to move their production to our neighboring countries or face extinction. When we look at China, trade deals are even more heavily manipulated against the United States. Even worse, China has stolen our best ideas and most profitable exports, yet past Presidents have been unwilling to confront Beijing. If we want to reverse the erosion of the middle class and make Americans richer, we have to fix policies, agreements and stances that do just the

opposite. As hard as it is to believe, Trump takes a Bernie Sanders-ish stance on trade. And he is doing it on the heels of a massive tax cut for businesses and individuals meaning that any near-term impact from this ‘trade war’ will have a lowered impact on Americans. Additionally, Trump is initiating this at a time when the forty-three largest economies of the world are all growing - the first time in the history of the world that this has happened. These good economic times are exactly when you fix bad trade deals. With everyone feeling wealthier, it is likely that China and the E.U. will not kill the Golden Goose (or Eagle) as they have far more to lose than us, as we are the ones being cheated thanks to our globalist leaders of the past. Whether you like it or not (or can even believe it), our Commander-in-Chief is doing the right thing at the best time possible. Seriously! I’m not kidding. He is as subtle and nuanced as a jackhammer, but he is doing the right thing. Whether you understand economics or not, I am sure that you will agree that the interests of the Chinese, E.U., corporations and their representatives in D.C. do not align with those of the average middle class American worker.

President Trump is initiating a fight worth having if we want to try and preserve the middle class that we still have while hoping for better tomorrows for our children and our children’s children. Haddon Libby is Managing Partner of Winslow Drake Investment Management and can be reached at HLibby@ WinslowDrake.com. For more information, please visit www.WinslowDrake.com.

DALE GRIBOW ON THE LAW

SPRING BREAK IS HERE AND SO ARE THE COPS

ith spring break comes a larger police presence. Spring breakers mean parties and drinking and that means DUIs and ACCIDENTS. Most readers do not realize the CV has more DUI FATALITIES...per capita, than anywhere else in California. Thus, the Checkpoints and Saturation Patrols, which must meet the proper lawful and constitutional protocols to succeed. 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. With a checkpoint, there is no need for an officer to have Probable Cause to stop you. Normally an officer must have a reason to pull you over. At a sobriety checkpoint anybody can be stopped and requested to take a breath test and produce ID and license. However, this does not mean that if you have failed a breath test or a sobriety test at a checkpoint, all your rights have been compromised. There are procedures and guidelines that all officers at a checkpoint must follow for a DUI test to be held valid. Because of the large number of people

attending parties, dining out and driving, the odds are in favor of the law enforcement that a good percentage of the drivers will have had a drink. Once the officer has probable cause or a reason to stop the driver, if they then smell alcohol they can investigate further. If they see a bag of drugs or a gun on the seat, they can likewise look into the propriety of an arrest for those charges. When stopped the impaired driver usually makes many mistakes. They are not aware, unless they read my weekly legal column, that the field sobriety and breath test at the scene are optional. Thus one do not have to take the walk the line, finger to nose, reciting the alphabet backwards and other so called sobriety tests. Likewise the breath test at the scene (unless you are on probation) is optional. A driver stopped and offered DUI tests should be cooperative and politely say that their attorney is Dale Gribow and he has advised the driver not to talk without calling Gribow at 760-837-7500 for permission. They should explain that “they have been advised these Field Sobriety Tests and the breath test at the scene are optional. If that is correct Officer, then I elect not to take them. Then explain that you are happy to cooperate with law enforcement and take a blood test.” To sum up, with a DUI stop the Officer

asks the driver to exit the vehicle & asks questions. Most drivers (and lawyers) don’t know the Breath Test and Field Sobriety Test (FST) at the scene are OPTIONAL. These tests can only hurt the driver’s case. It is arguable that taking a Blood Test at the police station or hospital is preferable. Many believe with the passage of time the reading will decrease by the time the blood is drawn.......unless the driver just chugged a drink and the alcohol had not yet gotten into the blood system. The average driver is not aware that it takes about an hour for the alcohol to go into your blood stream and about an hour to come out.......but now YOU DO!

I look upon my job as protecting the Constitutional Rights of every American who drinks and drives and gets arrested for a DUI. I do however “Change Hats” when I SUE Drunk Drivers for damages to my Injured or Deceased (Wrongful Death) clients. DALE GRIBOW “TOP LAWYER” - Palm Springs Life 20112018 (DUI) “TOP LAWYER” - Inland Empire Magazine Nov ‘16 10.0 AVVO Perfect Peer Rating

March 29 to April 4, 2018

SPORTS SCENE

his week is a good week if you’re still of the belief and hope that LeBron James will sign with the Lakers this coming summer. The current Lakers have desperately been needing to show some signs of life in order to assure LeBron that there is some sort of foundation in LA. The dream scenario for Lakers fans is still in play in which LeBron and Paul George land in Southern California

BREWTALITY

ne of the more notable IPA’s I’d heard of but never got to try, was Cigar City’s Jai Alai IPA. I am an advocate of drinking local, and will support California brews over out-of-state breweries. Let’s put it this way, I consider a beer from Vermont to be an import. I bleed

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LEBRON & PAUL GEORGE COMING TO LAKERLAND? favorite of LeBron. Brandon Ingram too has been up and down, but all three players still have room to grow and all three players are on their rookie contracts and are relatively cheap. Magic and Pelinka would obviously give LeBron carte blanche here, and could also tell him that they would be willing to trade any of the three young-ins for a proven veteran (ala when LeBron returned to Cleveland and the Cavs dealt Andrew Wiggins for Kevin Love). Also going in the Lakers favor when it comes to potentially landing LeBron this summer is the rumors saying this week that Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is looking to sell the franchise. In other words, Dan Gilbert knows it’s over in Cleveland. He knows LeBron is fleeing this summer and is seeing the value of his franchise diminish in a hurry.

this summer, but Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka will absolutely need to convince both players that there is already solid talent in place. The Lakers are currently riding a three-game win streak, and while that’s not exactly monumental - it is something. Kyle Kuzma continuously plays well especially late in games and has been the surprise of the season around the NBA. Lonzo Ball has had his ups and downs this season, but is a

JAI ALAI IPA REVIEW

red stars and brown bears on a flag. West Coast is the only coast, Cali all day, son!! But it was still a treat to see that my local Trader Joe’s was now carrying the flagship IPA from Tampa, Florida’s heralded brewery. Instagram had piqued my interest with the many users who post photogenic images of the green and yellow can, and I couldn’t wait to share my thoughts on the brew, and rate this beer on a 5/5 system. As I open the can and pour it into a pint glass, an intense orange peel and tropicalhop bouquet hits the nose, a bright and citrusy aroma that promises good things. The malt is there and is just as assertive, a layer of cereal grain and cooked sugar, layered right under the hop smell. Smell: 4.5 The newest style of IPA is the hazy, which can almost look like a glass of calciumenriched orange juice with all the rich and swirling cloudiness that the style provides. There’s none of that here with the staunchlyfiltered Jai Alai. A crystal clear, golden color shows this to be a classic style IPA, with nice lacing and a pillowy white cap of foam that disappeared quickly. Nothing out of the ordinary, and impossible to pick apart from any other classic style of IPA. Nothing wrong with that at all; it’s conventional in appearance and was made to be so. Look: 3.75 The first sip yields the flavor of clementine; those little oranges known affectionately by the brand name “Cuties”.

A resiny hop flavor recalls pineapple and cantaloupe before washing into a bitter and lightly astringent, assertive bite. Jai Alai packs 70 IBU’s into this beer, and there’s no doubt that this beer is given a generous bittering addition of hops. This is a monument of classic style that doesn’t play to current trends. Like all classic American IPA’s, there’s a caramel note to the malt profile that gives an almost marzipan-like flavor to the malt profile. I’m used to the new school of IPA’s that forsake the cooked sugar flavors that were a staple of IPA’s throughout the 90’s and recent-2000’s. It distracts and takes the shine from all the complex flavors that

BY FLINT WHEELER

We’re also learning this week that LeBron is indeed a huge fan of George and is “pissed” that the Cavs did not push harder to trade for him this summer. “What’s really pissing LeBron off is that he felt like the Cavs could have gotten Paul George and Eric Bledsoe and they didn’t get him,” NBC’s Pete Fox, “I’m just telling you, LeBron is there and he’s like, we could have had Eric Bledsoe and Paul George. Instead, we have a draft pick who I’m never going to meet - well, I don’t know about that but I’m not meeting him this year. And we had Isaiah Thomas who is very, clearly hampered, and we had Jae Crowder, who is having the worst year of his career.” Adding to the intrigue is that the Cavs and Lakers are currently talking about a trade ahead of the deadline. It’s highly unlikely it involves LeBron (more than likely it would be the Cavs looking to add a Jordan Clarkson or Julius Randle for this year’s playoff push), but with the way things are spiraling out of control in Cleveland right now it wouldn’t be a stunner if the topic was at least talked about.

BY AARON RAMSON come from hops, but that’s just the west coast lover in me. Taste: 4 Jai Alai is full bodied with an almost-soft level of carbonation, and has a richness to it that affirms its 7.5% ABV. It coats the tongue and is as substantial as any IPA a I can think of. Jai Alai passes for a double IPA, and might be considered so in the hands of another brewery. Kudos to Cigar City for keeping it real and brewing this one to the top of the style limits. Feel: 4 Overall this is an east coast beer that lovers of west coast style can still get behind. Beer snobs all too often mistake whalez for quality, thinking that hard to find means better in flavor. But Blind Pig, Hop Torpedo, Hop Stoopid, 60 Minute IPA, and Jai Alai are all widely distributed IPA’s deliver the bold and the bitter in the way that Hop heads love. I’ve only recently discovered this beer in my local isles, meaning it’s distribution deal is a new thing, and a good thing for those seeking a new IPA to experience. Definitely one I’d drink regularly, and lovers of any of the aforementioned beers will certainly agree that it’s a worthwhile purchase. Overall: 4.0

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

Week of March 29

ARIES (March 21-April 19): A few years ago, a New Zealander named Bruce Simpson announced plans to build a cruise missile at his home using parts he bought legally from eBay and other online stores. In accordance with current astrological omens, I suggest you initiate a comparable project. For example, you could arrange a do-it-yourself space flight by tying a thousand helium balloons to your lawn chair. APRIL FOOL! I lied. Please don’t try lunatic schemes like the helium balloon space flight. Here’s the truth: Now is a favorable time to initiate big, bold projects, but not foolish, big, bold projects. The point is to be both visionary and practical. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The Finnish word kalsarikännit means getting drunk at home alone in your underwear and bingeing on guilty pleasures. It’s a perfect time for you to do just that. The Fates are whispering, “Chill out. Vegetate. Be ambitionless.” APRIL FOOL! I told a half-truth. In fact, now is a perfect time to excuse yourself from trying too hard and doing too much. You can accomplish wonders and marvels by staying home and bingeing on guilty pleasures in your underwear. But there’s no need to get drunk. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Actor Gary Busey is very sure there are no mirrors in heaven. He has other specific ideas about the place, as well. This became a problem when he was filming the movie Quigley, in which his character Archie visits heaven. Busey was so enraged at the director’s mistaken rendering of paradise that he got into a fist fight with another actor. I hope you will show an equally feisty fussiness in the coming weeks, Gemini. APRIL FOOL! I lied, sort of. On the one hand, I do hope you’ll be forceful as you insist on expressing your high standards. Don’t back down! But on the other hand, refrain from pummeling anyone who asks you to compromise. CANCER (June 21-July 22): In the Scots language still spoken in parts of Scotland, eedle-doddles are people who can’t summon initiative when it’s crunch time. They are so consumed in trivial or irrelevant concerns that they lose all instinct for being in the right place at the right time. I regret to inform you that you are now at risk of being an eedle-doddle. APRIL FOOL! I lied. In fact, the truth is just the opposite. I have rarely seen you so well-primed to respond vigorously and bravely to Big Magic Moments. For the foreseeable future, you are King or Queen of Carpe Diem. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Paul McCartney likes to periodically act like a regular person who’s not a famous musician. He goes grocery shopping without bodyguards. He rides on public transportation and strikes up conversations with random strangers. I think you may need to engage in similar behavior yourself, Leo. You’ve become a bit too enamored with your own beauty and magnificence. You really do need to come down to earth and hang out more with us little people. APRIL FOOL! I lied. The truth is, now is prime time to hone your power and glory; to indulge your urge to shine and dazzle; to be as conspicuously marvelous as you dare to be. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The coming days will be an excellent time to concoct an alchemical potion that will heal your oldest wounds. For best results, mix and sip a gallon of potion using the following magic ingredients: absinthe, chocolate syrup, cough medicine, dandelion tea, cobra venom, and worm’s blood. APRIL FOOL! I mixed a lie in with a truth. It is a fact that now is a fine time to seek remedies for your ancient wounds. But the potion I recommended is bogus. Go on a quest for the real cure. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I expect you will soon receive a wealth of exotic and expensive gifts. For example, a benefactor may finance your vacation to a gorgeous sacred site or give you the deed to an enchanted waterfall. I won’t be surprised if you’re blessed with a solid gold bathtub or a year’s supply of luxury cupcakes. It’s even possible that a sugar daddy or sugar momma will fork over $500,000 to rent an auditorium for a party in your honor. APRIL FOOL! I distorted the truth. I do suspect you’ll get

more goodies than usual in the coming weeks, but they’re likely to come in the form of love and appreciation, not flashy material goods. (For best results, don’t just wait around for the goodies to stream in; ask for them!) SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): There’s a narrow waterway between Asia and Europe. In the fifth century B.C., Persian King Xerxes had two bridges built across it so he could invade Greece with his army. But a great storm swept through and smashed his handiwork. Xerxes was royally peeved. He ordered his men to whip the uncooperative sea and brand it with hot irons, all the while shouting curses at it, like “You are a turbid and briny river.” I recommend that you do something similar, Scorpio. Has Nature done anything to inconvenience you? Show it who’s the Supreme Boss! APRIL FOOL! I lied. The truth is, now is an excellent time for you to become more attuned and in love with a Higher Power, however you define that. What’s greater than you and bigger than your life and wilder than you can imagine? Refine your practice of the art of surrender. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Fifteenthcentury Italian painter Filippo Lippi was such a lustful womanizer that he sometimes found it tough to focus on making art. At one point, his wealthy and politically powerful patron Cosimo de’ Medici, frustrated by his extracurricular activities, imprisoned him in his studio to ensure he wouldn’t get diverted. Judging from your current astrological omens, Sagittarius, I suspect you need similar constraints. APRIL FOOL! I fibbed a little. I am indeed worried you’ll get so caught up in the pursuit of pleasure that you’ll neglect your duties. But I won’t go so far as to suggest you should be locked up for your own good. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Now is a favorable time to slap a lawsuit on your mom in an effort to make her pay for the mistakes she made while raising you. You could also post an exposé on social media in which you reveal her shortcomings, or organize a protest rally outside her house with your friends holding signs demanding she apologize for how she messed you up. APRIL FOOL! Everything I just said was ridiculous and false. The truth is, now is a perfect moment to meditate on the gifts and blessings your mother gave you. If she is still alive, express your gratitude to her. If she has passed on, do a ritual to honor and celebrate her. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian author Alice Walker won a Pulitzer Prize for her novel The Color Purple. She has also published 33 other books and built a large audience. But some of her ideas are not exactly mainstream. For example, she says that one of her favorite authors is David Icke, who asserts that intelligent extraterrestrial reptiles have disguised themselves as humans and taken control of our planet’s governments. I bring this to your attention, because I think it’s time that you, too, reveal the full extent of how crazy you really are. APRIL FOOL! I half-lied. While it’s true that now is a favorable time to show more of your unconventional and eccentric sides, I don’t advise you to go full-on whacko. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Warning! Danger! You are at risk of contracting a virulent case of cherophobia! And what exactly is cherophobia? It’s a fear of happiness. It’s an inclination to dodge and shun joyful experiences because of the suspicion that they will disappoint you or cause bad luck. Please do something to stop this insidious development. APRIL FOOL! I lied. The truth is that you are currently more receptive to positive emotions and delightful events than you’ve been in a log time. There’s less than a one-percent chance you will fall victim to cherophobia. Homework: What quality or behavior in you would most benefit from healthy self-mocking? Write Freewillastrology.com. ---------------------------------------Rob Brezsny Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

March 29 to April 4, 2018

MIND,BODY & SPIRIT

BY BRONWYN ISON

SPRING CLEANING: 1, 2, 3.. LET GO!

his past weekend was only the beginning of my Spring cleaning. It felt so good let go of items that I didn’t realize were bogging me down. How do we know when our stuff is holding us back? When do we know to really let go? Why can it be difficult to release certain items? All of the above questions — I’m with you. I’ve held onto items far too long throughout my life. I suppose some items I’ve held onto out of comfort, while many have sentimental value to them. Those of us who have children, we’ve been collecting art work, handmade trinkets, photographs and more for their entire lives. These keepsakes reside in a special place in our hearts and memories. Naturally, there are some things that will find a special place in our homes or a safe zone in the garage. Spring cleaning encourages organization and clearing of clutter. What kind of purpose is a certain item(s) serving in my life? If you cannot answer the question with honesty then it’s time to release. Years ago, while Spring cleaning, my oldest daughter, asked a poignant question. Does the item bring you joy? She was eleven years old and I found it to be a very mature question. From that point forward, I ask myself, does this item bring joy to my life or is it bringing me down? Truly, it brings a lot of perspective to that moment and thing. You may have heard, if you haven’t used it

in a year, it’s time to let it go. I believe this is circumstantial. I have quite a few items in my closet that I’ve had for years. I don’t wear each of these items every year. However, I love to find an oldie but goody and spruce it up with something new. Especially if you have is a classic piece that never goes out of style. I once heard a friend tell me, I’ve worn the same black dress to multiple events. She went on to say, I wore different shoes, carried a new clutch and changed out my jewelry. Nobody ever knew she had worn the same dress twice. One of my favorite things about Spring cleaning — my junk can become another’s treasure. I donate everything that I believe someone else could enjoy. So here’s to your clearing of the cutter and cobwebs. Happy cleaning to moving forward and letting go! Bronwyn Ison is the owner of Evolve Yoga and bronwynison.com (Online Yoga Classes ON DEMAND) 760-564-9642(YOGA)

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March 29 to April 4, 2018

ASK THE DOCTOR

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BY DR PETER KADILE

Dr. Peter M. Kadile is Board Certified in Family Medicine. He has an integrative, osteopathic medical practice and is also known as the local, house call doctor; Desert House Call Physician. He is on staff at Eisenhower Medical Center and medical director for Serenity Hospice. His office is located in beautiful Old Town La Quinta, 78-100 Main Street, Suite 207, La Quinta, CA 92253. (760) 777-7439. DesertHouseCalls@aol.com. deserthousecalldoc.com.

STAY HEALTHY MY FRIENDS..

Dr. Kadile, I think I got bit by a spider, but my friend thinks the lesions on my arm are from a Mersa infection. What is Mersa? - Elwood, DHS Elwood, I believe you are referring to an infection caused by Methicillin-resistant Stapylococcus aureus. (MRSA). I commonly see patients with skin lesions that can look like an insect or spider bite, but unless you actually see the insect or spider, the lesions may be caused by a bacterial infection. MRSA is a result of antibiotic overuse that has caused the bacteria to be resistant to commonly used antibiotics. The MRSA infection that involves the skin is most commonly acquired within the general community (Community acquired). If you were in the hospital, you may have been infected by MRSA that can cause pneumonia (Hospital acquired). In order to identify if skin lesions are due to MRSA, a culture of drainage coming from the lesions would need to be performed. MRSA lesions can appear like small red and inflamed pimples or bites. The area is generally warm to the touch and may be slightly tender. A fever may be present. If the lesions are not treated with an antibiotic that it is sensitive to, an abscess may develop that may requires surgical draining. The bacteria can even cause deep infections to the bones, joints, heart, lungs and bloodstream. If you suspect you have a MRSA infection, have your physician evaluate the skin lesions and obtain a culture. If the culture results are positive for Methicillin-resistant Staph aureus, additional testing would be performed to determine if any antibiotics could be used for treatment.

Hey Doc, I have a sore throat, runny nose and a cough. How do I know I don’t have strep throat? -Mark, Morongo Valley Mark, the symptoms you are describing sound like the common cold. To verify you don’t have strep throat, a culture on your throat would need to be done. Strep throat

is caused by the bacteria, Streptococcus pyogenes. Symptoms are generally a severe sore throat, “it hurts to swallow”, fever and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. Strep throat generally does not involve a cough or hoarse voice. Antibiotics are the treatment of choice, but strep throat may resolve without treatment. If antibiotics aren’t being used, the infected person can still be contagious for up to 3 weeks even if symptoms resolve. Strep is spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes on someone or shares food or drink.

LIFE & CAREER COACH BY SUNNY SIMON

SETTING UP FOR SUCCESS

hinking about changing positions or embarking on a new career but don’t know where to begin? As a career coach, I find job seekers stumble at the start. Rule number one is begin by mapping out a plan. If you’ve ever planned a major project, you know how important it is to develop a framework and then manage the process with care. Once you’ve establish your goal, drill down by specifying pertinent details of how and when to get it done. Upon launching into action, measure your progress and revise your approach, if need be, to stay on track. Simple, right? Utilize the same process in your career transition with the same discipline you apply to any important personal project. Schedule your job search activities on your calendar. Develop ways to measure your activity. Just as you would in a major project, state an “end date,” then break down your overall search into digestible parts. Bear in mind goals keep you accountable, in control and moving forward. Once you’ve crafted a daily or weekly plan incorporating research, preparation and multiple means of generating leads, you will be in the driver’s seat with several important objectives to work towards. We have a natural tendency to evaluate progress daily, however, the best way to check in on your accomplishments is weekly. If you

have recorded realistic, actionable steps for each week, by the end of that period you have a number of concrete measures to account for, and will feel a sense of accomplishment if you’ve met these goals. You’ll be encouraged knowing you are moving closer and closer to that ultimate goal. Without question, change can bring tremendous opportunity. Equally true are the challenges we face in managing change proactively and positively. Whether we initiate or are responding to change, the idea of venturing into the unknown might be unsettling. Your successful transition requires you to be healthy and energized. Be sure to build in time for reflection and leisure activities. One last point, a job search is a significant undertaking. You don’t have to go it alone. Once you’ve completed a specific action plan, get your friends, family and contacts on your “team.” Let them cheer you on. Nothing compares with the energy you can derive from them. Also, it helps to keep your enthusiasm up and your eye on the goal by visualizing success. Picture yourself as happy in the next phase of your career. Get started today and before long you will reach your goal. I’m on your team too! Good luck! Sunny Simon is the owner of Raise the Bar High Life and Career Coaching. More about Sunny at www.raisethebarhigh.com.

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March 29 to April 4, 2018

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March 29 to April 4, 2018

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March 29 to April 4, 2018