Coachella Valley Weekly - April 4 to April 10, 2019 Vol. 8 No. 3

coachellavalleyweekly.com • April 4 to April 10, 2019 Vol. 8 No. 3

J Patron Lucie Silvas Brian Culbertson Waxy Black Magic Flower Power O’Caines Irish Pub pg5

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

CV WEEKLY CELEBRATES OUR 7 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

BY TRACY DIETLIN

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 Kirby Club Crawler Nightlife Editor Phil Lacombe Feature Writers Lisa Morgan, Rich Henrich, Heidi Simmons, Noe Gutierrez, Avery Wood, Tricia Witkower, Jason Hall, Crystal Harrell 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, Angela Romeo,Aaron Ramson, Lynne Tucker, Elizabeth Scarcella, Aimee Mosco, Matt Claborn, Michelle Anne Rizzio Photographers Robert Chance, Laura Hunt Little, Chris Miller, Iris Hall, Esther Sanchez Website Editor Bobby Taffolla Distribution Phil Lacombe, William Westley

CONTENTS CV Weekly 7 Year Anniversary................ 3 Brewtality............................................... 5 J Patron.................................................... 5 Lucie Silvas............................................. 6 Brian Culbertson..................................... 7 Waxy........................................................ 8 Black Magic Flower Power..................... 9 Consider This - Bob Mould................... 10 Art Scene- Chuck Jones & Friz Freleng. 11 Pet Place ............................................... 12 The Vino Voice ...................................... 13 Club Crawler Nightlife .................... 14-15 Pampered Palate - Mamma Gina's....... 16 Good Grub - O'Caines Irish Pub............ 17 Screeners .............................................. 18 Book Review......................................... 19 Safety Tips ............................................. 19 Haddon Libby ....................................... 21 Dale Gribow........................................... 21 Nilz Jiptner............................................ 22 Free Will Astrology............................... 23 Poochella Fest ...................................... 23 Travel Tips 4 U....................................... 24 Cannabis Corner .................................. 24 Cannabis Corner - Puff Parlour............ 26

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even years ago when I started CV Weekly I had no idea what the future would hold; I just knew that I had to follow my dream of starting my own publication. I made a decision and 3 weeks later CV Weekly came to fruition. It was not just my dream, but that of several writers that came on board with me from day one, wanting to bring a new publication to this valley.

From day one our Mission Statement has been: Our goal at CV Weekly is to provide our readers with content that appeals to every age, race, gender, life style and income level. We will cover community events and newsworthy issues with a fresh perspective.

We want to be the ONLY weekly paper that you want or need to pick up for music, movies, live theatre, dining, casinos, business, fashion, sports, mind, body & spirit, health, fitness & beauty, book reviews, politics and culture.

From Palm Springs to Coachella and every city that lies between. We are here to serve the entire Coachella Valley as well as the hi-desert cities.

WHO reads Coachella Valley Weekly?

EVERYBODY does!

I feel that we have accomplished that and we continue to strive to bring our reader’s quality content as well as our advertisers a publication that gets their message out there.

I am extremely proud of my whole team and what we have accomplished together! I also want to thank our loyal readers and all of our advertisers that keep us in business EVERY

WEEK. Without ALL of you we would not be able to continue week after week to deliver this paper to the valley.

So we have several CV Weekly events coming up and I would like to take this space to make sure our readers know about them.

Please SAVE the DATES: 7 Year Anniversary Party - Thursday, April 4 from 6-10pm @ Big Rock Pub. Come out and celebrate this milestone with the CV Weekly team. Free event and open to the public.

Entertainment provided by: Lisa Lynn Morgan, Vinny Berry, Rick Shelley, Derek Jordan Gregg, Chelsea Sugarbritches/Linda Lemke Heinz & Martin Barrera and Lance Riebsomer.

CV Music Showcase (last preliminary round) – Sunday, April 7 at 9:00 pm. Four bands will battle it out to win $200.00 and advance to the Finals. Bands competing are: Matt Claborn, Jetta King, Whyte Frydai and Nolan Lowlife. Free show.

Saturday, May 4 – The CV Music Showcase Finals @ The Hood Bar & Pizza at 8:00pm.

Bands that have already made it into the Finals are: Giselle Woo & The Night Owls, Ormus, Empty Seat, Derek Jordan Gregg, and the band who wins the preliminary round on April 7. There will also be a Wild Card pick from all the preliminary rounds. The winning band will receive $2,000 cash sponsored by The Hood Bar (1,000) and Julie Montante of PSA Organica (1,000) along with a studio recording time with David Williams at Melrose Recording Studio and a Photo Shoot with Steven Young Photography. $5.00 at the door.

CV Music Awards Pre-Show – Thursday, May 30 @ Big Rock Pub- Several bands will perform TBA soon as well as many of the awards in the 44 categories will be given out. $10.00 at the door.

7th Annual CV Music Awards Main Show – Sunday, June 2 @ Hotel Zoso in PS from 5-9 pm with VIP party to follow at 9:15 to midnight. Check out our website at www. coachellavalleyweekly.com in the next couple days for the list of nominees so you can vote for your favorite bands and artists in 44 categories.

We added 4 new categories this year: Latin Band/Artist, Best Singer-Songwriter, Best Radio Personality and Best Radio Station. This year we have the legendary Paul Rodgers (Bad Company, Free, The Firm) coming to accept the “ICON Award”. Accepting the “Pioneer Award” is Jimi “Fitz” Fitzgerald and we will also honor BB Ingle with the “Lifetime Achievement Award” for Promoter. A majority of the awards will be given out at this main event along with several bands performing including: Chelsea Sugarbritches & Lance Riebsomer, Provoked & James Dorris, The CMF’s, Ormus, Grady James, Empty Seat, Keisha D, Steven Rodgers, Desert Rhythm Project, The Sweat Act, Caxton, Giselle Woo & The Night Owls and Derek Jordan Gregg.

There will also be a tribute to Paul Rodgers performed by nominees: Michael Keeth, Vinny Berry, Lisa Lynn Morgan (vocals), Tom Edwards (guitar), Nick Hales (guitar) and Jeff Bowman (drums). Tickets are $25.00 for main awards and $50.00 for VIP after party which includes a multi-restaurant buffet, hosted bar (beer, wine, all cocktails) and music by DJ Guy Worden. All those that purchase VIP tickets will receive a goody bag with Paul Rodgers CD and DVD. Ticket link coming soon.

Thank you for supporting all of our events.

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BREWTALITY

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TJ’S WEIRD BEER REVIEWS/ THE IMPORTANCE OF RESTRAINT

ith the mainstreaming of craft beer culture, inevitable shifts have occurred or are occurring across the fully bloomed and matured American craft landscape, and none could be more welcome than the use of restraint by brewers. I mean, you’d never think that subtlety is a thing in independent craft because it mostly isn’t.

When San Diego’s Green Flash debuted its Palate Wrecker Double IPA back in the earlier 2000’s, it’s 135 IBU’s were rivaled only by cross town rival Stone’s Ruination IPA, an equally extreme bitter boi that boasted triple-digit IBUs. While today’s IPA’s have evolved to tout different gimmicks (such as the IPA brewed with marshmallows that became a viral sensation a month ago), and pastry stouts have managed to infuse the once-rugged Imperial Stout style with more adjuncts and artificial flavors than a hostess fruit pie, sometimes less is more. No style of beer embodies the less is more concept than the Berliner weisse.

Before the understanding of yeast, brewers simply put their wort (cereal grains that have steeped in warm water until the starches deteriorated into sugars) out in fields or orchards where airborne wild yeast could find their way into the brew and work their magic (people literally thought fermentation was magic back then). The normal brewing process involves the boiling of wort one to several hours after steeping, but when left for several days unpasteurized, the wild yeast and

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bacteria already present on the cereal grain would actually begin to ferment and sour the mash even before the inoculation of airborne yeast. By the 19th century, brewing science had evolved to the point where the biermeisters of Berlin, Germany, were able to purposefully rather than by accident create a light, tart, and refreshing wheat beer inoculated with the lactobacillus bacteria, and the Berliner weisse enjoyed popularity amongst those who wanted an alternative to the bitter pale lagers and heavy brown ales of the time.

A Berliner weisse is much more delicate than the sharp and acidic sour ales that most people have tasted, the commonality in American brewing practice being the addition of fruit

to both styles. Complimenting the profile of a lightly sour beer can be tough when the flavors of the beer itself are so easy to overpower (which is why German tradition is to add fruit syrup to the pint as the beer is being served, rather than to add fruit to the whole batch).

One American brewery that has been releasing Berliner weisse annually is Fort Bragg’s Lost Coast. Known for their flagship beers like Acme pale ale and Old Rasputin imperial stout, Lost Coast has only recently began bottling and distributing their seasonal Berliner weisse series, and the Cranberry-Quince version was sitting on the shelves at my local Trader Joe’s. A quince is like a pear, did you know that? I didn’t know that. I had to look it up.

CRANBEERY-QUINCE BERLINER WEISSE – 4.1% ABV, 0 IBU, Lost Coast Brewing Company, Fort Bragg, CA. APPEARANCE: Bottled in a clear 22 oz bomber that shows off the almost rosecolored hue that this beer possesses. Blush would be the best descriptor for it. Produced a slight, thin cap of foam when poured, which dissipated quickly and left the smallest ring of bubbles around the edges of the glass. 4.5/5 NOSE: Light and delicate fruitiness. Apple and cranberry, some graininess detected behind the tart sweetness. Even when warmed, there wasn’t much to discern from the anemic bouquet offered. 2.75/5 TASTE: Wonderful. Bright and tart up front; lightly acidic, fruity. The fruit flavors follow the

BY AARON RAMSON nose with apples, cranberry, and pear all being evident in the mouth. The back end of the palate is all cereal; wheat and even corn are evident. Light noble hops detected at the very end, woody and soft. I’ve never had a beer that is so distinctly fruity on the from end and grainy on the back end. The sourness is extremely subdued, which is what distinguishes a Berliner weisse from a traditional sour, and this is one of the very best I’ve tried. 5/5 MOUTHFEEL: Medium-thin with high carbonation. Works well in context to the style and gives the beer a very refreshing feel. 4.25/5 OVERALL: Thank god for craft beer because without it I’d have no idea what a quince or a cumquat tasted like. The pear-like flavors of quince pairs perfectly with the sharper flavors of cranberry, but it’s the skill with which these flavors are infused in the beer is what makes this product so special. I highly recommend it for fans of sours and those who appreciate the subtleties of a well-made pinot grigio. Truly one of the best beers I’ve tried in a while, Lost Coast’s Cranberry-Quince Berliner weisse is seasonal, and available for only a limited time.

I picked this bottle up for $5.49 from the Palm Desert Trader Joe’s, and it is an incredible deal.

J PATRON BRINGS COACHELLA SOUND TO SXSW AND BEYOND

EP & SINGLE DROPS

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aw as the desert, and as colorful as the culture he embodies, Camilo Gomez, better known in the music world as J Patron, shares in a storied legacy of successful immigrants creating something from nothing.

He says it was a relative of his Dad’s, who helped the family find a home in the Coachella Valley. He was four years old when the family needed to escape the brutality of the cartels in Columbia.

“We could have gone to New York or L.A., like so many other Columbian families did, but we ended up in the desert. I remember thinking there was nothing out here...and it was hot as f*^k! We could have been by the beach, but our relative convinced my dad to come to the Coachella Valley instead,” he laughs. “Now, I see the beauty and appreciate this place so much, especially after being on the road. It’s home and feels good to be here because it’s not New York or L.A!” Gomez eventually found himself studying MultiMedia Design in college, seaside in San Diego, and blended this experience into his artistic development.

Fresh off a tour that included two official SXSW shows in Austin, TX, Camilo Gomez, says this was the first “official” performance at the massive multi-media arts festival that draws nearly 500,000 attendees from around the world. “I’ve been going to SX(SW) for the past four years but this was the first ‘official’ show.

I’ve performed every year at ‘unofficial’ shows

PHOTO BY KM PHOTOGRAPHY

and there is definitely a difference between the two. The unofficial in some ways is better because it comes from the culture. The crowd that goes is really into it. Texas shows up! The promoters that put it together really throw a party! Peligrosa is a DJ crew that promotes and they throw bad ass parties. It’s invite only and they bring a line-up of the top Latin American and U.S. talent to perform. There are always surprise guests, too, that no one knows about until they hit the stage. It’s a great turnout!”

Gomez says that the official has a lot more polish with press and media and that platform definitely opens doors to new opportunities

and outlets especially because media from all over the world are in Austin to discover new music and talent. “Some artists complain a bit because it can be a lot to handle and gets a little crazy, but I think everything is really what you make it. I know I had a great time and was able to expand my opportunities. I have a great team around me, too, so that helps a lot. It’s truly a blessing.” With his two official SXSW gigs, J Patron dropped his latest EP at the festival.

Since early 2000, J Patron has crafted a sound that has been heavily influenced by Reggaeton, a style that originated in Puerto Rico. Throughout his musical journey of discovery, Camilo reconnected with his roots in Cumbia, a folkloric rhythm and dance from his native Columbia and blending Hip Hop and Latin Trap. “It’s been an evolution of sound in my music. I don’t want to just create the same thing but to explore and discover different styles and sounds. When I was younger, I didn’t feel like I could do that but as I’ve matured as a musician, and learned more about the industry, I see the evolution helps you become a more complete artist.” He says the music changes as do the crowds that show up and the community around the different styles. “The dance crowd versus hip hop, have their own vibes. I love both and each community of artists has their own thing, too.

Playing in South America or Mexico, the vibe is more collaborative and the (crowd) spends way more on merch!”

He has arrived. “I don’t feel like I’m chasing

BY RICH HENRICH

after it, anymore. I hate that feeling. I feel like I am here. I don’t have a Grammy and I’m not on a Billboard but I’m where I need to be. My family is happy. My girl is happy. That’s all I need. I feel good where I’m at. I look around rooms I’m in, full of people creating- it’s fun! I’m making music with a lot of talented people, some have Grammy’s and that’s cool.

I’m making the music that keeps me inspired and I hope people out there are, too. I have a team now and the only other job I’m keeping is graphic design!”

His single (with DJ Bass), “Tesero Ojo,” (Third Eye), drops Friday, April, 5th. “This song is about your dream becoming your life when you realize your life is a dream. It’s about opening up and realizing, we are all one,” says CV talent J Patron.

JPatronMusic.com

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LUCIE SILVAS–ALL IN ALL PERFORMING FRIDAY, APRIL 5TH AT THE WEDBUSH GARDEN JAM MUSIC FESTIVAL

BY NOE GUTIERREZ

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ou can make every effort to categorize the music of Lucie Silvas but in doing so you will come to nothing. She is all of it: Americana, ’60s Motown, Vintage R&B, Brass-Backed Country-Rock, Retro-Country, Pop, Country and Alt. British singer-songwriter Lucie Silvas will light the way like only she can for Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real and Los Lobos at the Wedbush Garden Jam Music Festival at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Friday, April 5, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. on the main stage. You can see the full line-up and purchase tickets at gardenjamfestival.com.

Coachella Valley Weekly spoke with Silvas by phone from her home in Nashville, Tennessee.

CVW: You’re no stranger to the Coachella Valley, having performed at Stagecoach in 2016.

Silvas: “It’s so absolutely beautiful there. It’s so stunning. I would like to come back to Stagecoach Festival!”

CVW: How are you preparing for your trip to the Coachella Valley for your Garden Jam appearance and subsequent tour?

Silvas: “I’m at home in Nashville. I’m rehearsing today getting ready for this tour.

Kind of experimenting, there are wires everywhere in my studio with different things set up. Pretty sure I’m just gonna short circuit the whole thing. I’m not very technical. I’m plugging things into places and wondering why they’re not working.

It’s complicated.”

CVW: You’re opening the main stage on Friday night at the Garden Jam Music Festival opening for Los Lobos and Lukas Nelson. Any thoughts?

Silvas: “I really really love Lukas Nelson.

I know he’s been around for a while but I haven’t heard all of his music. More recently, I’ve been hearing a lot more of it.

Obviously, he’s got a stunning voice and I really love this latest album that he put out.

I’m just excited to see him live. I saw him play at the Grande Ole Opry not that long ago I was sitting there side stage watching and it was incredible just to hear him up there with his acoustic guitar. He’s got such a groovy and unique sound. He’s got that country twang and he’s got a lot of soul and the blues in everything that he does, that’s just my favorite thing in the world.”

CVW: What should music fans expect from your performance at Garden Jam Music Festival?

Silvas: “Expect a lot of energy. Some real stripped down moments where I like to play some of the ballads I have. It’s quite a dynamic set and showcases the new album.

And there are a few covers that we do that we really enjoy. It will be our first time there. It’s all band and it’s stripped back!”

CVW: What do you have planned for the rest of 2019?

Silvas: “I have tour dates throughout the year, but this next tour with Tom Odell, he’s a British artist, for a lot of dates, I’m doing

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something really cool, I’m going out by myself with just my keyboard, a set-up and a few little things. It’s something I’ve never done before. It’s a different kind of set and different sound. A lot of my songs I wrote this way. It shows people back to the basics of how I wrote them. It’s what I consider to be a challenging move because playing piano by yourself is very different from playing guitar. It’s a completely different instrument and dynamic. Going up there and all that and finding ways to present yourself solo and on piano is challenging but kind of exciting.”

CVW: You seem to be an artist who thrives on vulnerability. Your lyrics from the album E.G.O. on the song “Black Jeans” say it all for me, “Ain’t no consolation prize/I hate it when you size me up/Oh, it’s about time you see me with my cards face up.” Now you’ve stripped down to piano and vocals for the tour with Tom Odell.

Silvas: “Very much so. I’ve done it a million times but I’ve never done an entire set like that. Your’e right about that, there’s a vulnerability. I feel that when the band goes off stage and I’m left on my own there.

But if you get your head out of it, the last thing you want to do on stage is think. You just want to open your mouth and sing.

There’s a reason why you’re singing this song and you want to get back to that.

Usually I get myself into that. Sometimes there’s things you can’t control, a crowd that’s tough or you’re thinking about crazy random shit in your head that you can’t get rid of. A lot of the time, the vulnerability is a good thing ‘cause it brings out that genuine

side of what you’re doing, there’s nothing contrived about it. If you make mistakes, you make mistakes. To this day, I haven’t had one performance where I haven’t made mistakes. The main thing is the energy of what you’re doing.”

CVW: I think you’ll agree that mistakes are a common thing with live performance. I’ve spoken at length with both Jimmie Vaughan and Toby Lee about it. What is your perception on musical miscalculations?

Silvas: “With my band, it’s a lot of different genres. When you make subtle mistakes that’s when people are like, ooh, is that supposed to be happening or if you really do play through it, at least that means you probably went for it, you had your whole heart in it. When you have a little trepidation that’s when you make lots of mistakes. You have to go into it confidently thinking if I mess up, then I mess up. Also, I’ve worked with so many drummers in my time.

The guy I’ve been working with recently is so incredible with tempo if anyone is gonna drag it, it’s me or I sometimes rush, he keeps me in check. Funny thing is, when you’re playing by yourself, you can have that freedom. You’re not going to be out of time with anyone, and you can certainly drag a song, that’s something I need to keep in check, because there are moments where you can take your time with a song and be like, ‘OK I just turned a four minute song into a nine minute song’. I kind of do that anyway. Start again or change parts or change songs. I’m not very good with setlists. It’s not that I’m disorganized; I just

don’t want to make a decision. We learn lots of songs together and we’re ready for anything really. Because I get bored if the sets the same all the time. I just want to do things off-the-cuff, they’re ready for that.

With having to change basses or retune guitars, that’s the hard part for the band, it can be complicated and you can’t move through sets quickly.”

CVW: From my perspective, your music is cultured and earthly. There can be an overabundance of effort to categorize your music when all you need to do is listen. You’ve lived around the world and travelled it as a musician as well. Does the world shape your music?

Silvas: “My parents are also welltraveled. My dad is English and also grew up in New Zealand. My mom is Scottish.

They met in Italy as they were travelling separately.

They’ve lived in Nairobi, Johannesburg, England, Scotland, and back in New Zealand with my two sisters. We’ve moved school a lot; we’ve moved houses a lot. By the time I was 25 I think we had moved 17 times, which was so nuts. Yet, we were just like that, as three girls, me and my sisters we were encouraged to be independent and do what we wanted to do, we all left home pretty soon, I was on the road as a backing singer by the time I was 17. My parents were great like that, very liberal and freespirited people, moving around certainly opens your eyes to changes and what life could be and not get too narrow-minded in what life is supposed to be and be kind of open. There’s still so much of the world I want to see and want to experience. I think it naturally happens without even realizing.

When I was growing up in New Zealand as a kid, I was listening to a lot of American and British music. Some of my favorite singersongwriters or artists, David Bowie or Elton John or The Beatles and Dusty Springfield have definitely influenced me and I felt they do give you a different perspective. I never really wanted to do one thing or be a one-trick-pony and that kind of makes it harder.”

Don’t miss Lucie Silvas and band at 6:30 p.m. on the main stage Friday night April 5, 2019! luciesilvas.com gardenjammusicfestival.com

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

BRIAN CULBERTSON–A MAN OF MEANS PERFORMING SATURDAY, APRIL 6TH AT THE WEDBUSH GARDEN JAM MUSIC FESTIVAL

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azz and Rhythm and Blues pianist Brian Culbertson will be performing at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 6th, 2019 on the main stage at the Wedbush Garden Jam Music Festival preceding Jimmie Vaughn and Buddy Guy. Just another day in the life of multi-instrumentalist Culbertson.

Now based in Chicago, Culbertson, and his signature fashion and hairstyles, are well known to Coachella Valley residents as he has performed here for years. Prior to his set at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Saturday, he’ll have performed six shows in five consecutive days on the East Coast.

He’s flying in on Saturday morning from Philadelphia and is ready to bring his ‘Sunday best’. I spoke with Culbertson by phone from his home in The Windy City.

CVW: What has it been like for you in Chicago?

Culbertson: “It’s 56 degrees and sunny. I just had a nice walk through the neighborhood. I moved to Chicago about three years ago. I went to college there. I was in L.A. almost twenty years and now I’m back in my old stomping grounds. I kind of missed the vibe of the big city. It’s a lot different than LA. I go to a lot of shows much more than I did in L.A. because it’s so annoying to drive. Here, I don’t even have a car, it’s great, I walk everywhere.”

CVW: How are you feeling about the Wedbush Garden Jam Music Festival?

Culbertson: “I’m stoked. It’s an interesting mix of rock, blues and jazz. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of those types of festivals. Most fests are more narrow.”

BY NOE GUTIERREZ

CVW: Do you still come out to the West Coast often?

Culbertson: “I’m in SoCal every month or two. We’ve done a million shows out there. I’m in L.A. for rehearsals or recording, meetings, I still get my hair cut there. I’ve done shows in the Coachella Valley at least once a year. The McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, a lot of different venues, it’s always fun. It’s a little nuts, but you do what you gotta do. I like the vibe and the feel out there. There’s a calming sense when you drive out to the desert. It’s a nice change of pace. I look forward to it. The fans are really cool.”

CVW: Your band is always the finest of the lot. Tell us about them.

Culbertson: “A lot of the guys in the band are fairly new, new sax player, guitar player and bass player. I have my core drummer Chris Miskel and keyboard player Eddie Miller that have been with me almost 20 years. There’s great new energy in the band. You’ll see on stage there’s choreography and it’s a very entertaining show. Up-tempo, funky. We are doing long jams and stuff.”

CVW: You’ve performed your music around the world and with so many artists like Michael McDonald, Chris Botti, Barry Manilow, Herb Alpert, Natalie Cole, Maurice White (EWF), Chuck Brown and Bootsy Collins. What should we expect from your set?

Culbertson: “We were just in Asia for two weeks, Japan, China, Korea, they were going bananas out there it was pretty awesome. I curtail the set lists differently in different countries. Last time I was in Korea, I’ve been known to throw in some old school R&B covers, Earth Wind & Fire, or something like it, that goes over really well in the states, as you can imagine, but over there, they were staring at me like they had no idea what the hell I was playing, I was like, alright, dually noted. Then I went into my instrumental songs and they go bananas. Most of the audience out there is around twenty years old. They’re like young music students, I found out they practice to my songs as college entrance exams, it’s so bizarre.”

CVW: You recently released a live concert video. Tell us about the issue.

Culbertson: “The studio album is called Colors of Love, we went out on tour and filmed the show in Vegas and we released that on Blu-Ray video a month ago and an accompanying double-CD. April 19th the digital version is being released on iTunes, Amazon Video, and other platforms.”

CVW: You are recognized for producing all of your music and have a significant history of producing other artists. How do you do it all?

Culbertson: “Some artists, with how they grew up, are just focused on playing their instruments. I was not as focused on playing piano; I was more focused, as a kid, on songwriting, arrangements

and producing tracks. That was really my upbringing was more in that vein. Then I started making records. I really knew exactly what I wanted. It didn’t make sense for me to hire other producers because that’s how I got my start at 12 years old making tracks with a little drum machine. I just grew up that way. I used to produce for other artists but my touring and recording schedule is so heavy I simply don’t have time. Producing records is a large time commitment. Even one song can take a week when it all comes down to it. You’re recording, doing the arrangement, writing the song and then mixing. I’m barely trying to keep up with my own records.”

Along with being the consummate Jazz/R&B/Funk pianist, trombonist, writer, producer, wine maker, philanthropist and influencer, Culbertson is founder of The Napa Valley Jazz Getaway (June 5-8, 2019) and Chicago Jazz Getaway (September 19-22, 2019). He is Artistic Director, host and the featured performer. Along with Culbertson and his band, he welcomes to the Napa show Sheila E, Euge Groove, Eric Darius, David Benoit, Oleta Adams, Marcus

Anderson, Adam Hawley, Selina Albright, Cecil Ramirez, DJ’s Rick & Russ w/CJ Flash and many more still to be announced!

For the Chicago event he welcomes Nick Colionne, Eric Darius, Lindsey Webster, Nicholas Cole, Marcus Anderson, and Marqueal Jordan. Plus Brian’s Band and more still to be added!

Brian exclusively plays Mason & Hamlin pianos and Roland keyboards. brianculbertson.com chicagojazzgetaway.com gardenjammusicfestival.com

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WAXY–PAVING A NEW PATH

BY NOE GUTIERREZ

PHOTO BY STEVEN YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHY

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obbie Waldman is the guitar and voice of staunch desert rockers WAXY. It may appear that they have been out of frame for some time but they return to The Hood Bar & Pizza for a FREE show on Saturday, April 6th in full focus providing support to their rock and roll kin, Black Magic Flower Power. I reached out to Waldman to inquire about the noticed inactivity.

CVW: What has WAXY been up to?

Waldman: “Where should we begin?

Well, we finished a new record, it’s called

Betting On Forgetting. We are all very proud of it. It was a long project, too long. In the end though, we feel it’s a worthy group of songs. We’ve also started ANOTHER record, which will hopefully be recorded by the end of the year. I’m just trying to find a place to do it. Many new songs and fresh grooves have been written. The hardest part is just putting everything else aside to focus on it. At our age, everything has to be scheduled, not like when we were kids!

I’m also working on a string of shows in Europe for October of 2019. Very excited

about that! WAXY hasn’t been on the road in years, regretfully. WAXY will also go to Toronto in November and be a part of Indie Week Music Festival. Cherish Stevenson, who grew up in the desert, has an amazing venue called, Cherry Cola’s Rock ‘n’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge, and she always lets us play. Cherish is amazing! A one in a million type of a person.”

CVW: What’s your history with the guys in Black Magic Flower Power?

Waldman: “To know the Black Magic crew is to love them! I’ve been friends with the band for 7 or 8 years now. When Brandon Henderson, who is a bad-ass, was booking at The Hood Bar & Pizza he called me one night and said, ‘You’ve got to get down here. There is this rad band playing the biggest kick drum I’ve ever seen!’ Now if you’ve known me for a while you know I have a love affair with large kick drums. The bigger the better…sort of. Anyway, that was enough to lure me in, we’ve been friends ever since. Dustin, who sings and plays guitar, is a righteous dude and a straightshooter. I really respect that. I respect all the guys, Dean on drums, Keith on keys, Ryan on guitar also and Aaron on bass with Kelsie P keeping the peace and keeping everything going. That band is a family. I envy that! That’s always been my fantasy in

PHOTO BY DRE NAYLOR

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making music but for better or worse that has not been the path for WAXY.” CVW: What do you mean by that? What has been WAXY’s path?

Waldman: “WAXY has been playing music and making records since 2006/2007. We’ve done some cool things over the years but never caught that wave. What I mean by that is a working band makes a record once a year/18 months... tours that record... plays festivals... does interesting side projects, and before you know it, that’s your life. It’s that transition from a hobby to ‘this is how I earn a living’. That dream is still alive in me but certainly not a reality. When you don’t have enough action people come and go. As a result WAXY has had many band member changes through the years. With that said, playing with Jeff Bowman has been a dream. Jeff plays with many bands but still finds the time to bang the skins in WAXY. Not only is he a world-class drummer but he’s also a wonderful human being and a friend. I’m very fortunate to play music with him. In that spirit of change, Robert Bowman will be playing with us. He is a welcome addition to the band. Robert is going to be playing bass for a while. He’s a perfect fit and it’s been really fun being creative with him. Super cool!” waxy-music.com

MUSIC

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

BLACK MAGIC FLOWER POWER – HEADS BOBBIN’ & HIPS SWAYIN’

lack Magic Flower Power will be performing at The Hood Bar & Pizza on Saturday, April 6, 2019 with desert dwellers WAXY as they continue their trek across the United States in support of their ‘Retro Psychedelic Quality Boogie Rock’. Their only available song, “Funky Town Sex Machine,” is what you would expect with a title like that. It incorporates all that is danceable with the funkiest portions of stoner rock available. I was able to talk to their courageous conductor, Dustin, who, along with the band now reside in Tucson planting their brand of rock in the Arizona desert until the hipsters water that down too!

CVW: What’s your sentiment about your return to the desert?

Dustin: “We’re super-stoked about getting back to the desert. It’s a second home to me. I’m very excited to keep it alive there.

The scene is so up and down. I try to make a point to pop in and add my two cents.”

CVW: You have some unique and longstanding desert connections.

Dustin: “I did a record there with Brant Bjork, I spent about a month total there, living there hanging out, and out playing shows and as a kid popping in, this is like twenty something years ago. I pop in and feel the vibe; I’ve played a gig with Fatso Jetson there, Waxy. It’s just kind of being such a follower of that scene as a youth before this shit was hip I was going there way back in the day to just feel the energy, I did a tour with Vista Chino, I’ve got the meat. Everyone, all the old timers, to a bunch of Brant’s old band members who I really appreciate, that’s my tie there, I’ve always felt the scene is open arms to us.”

CVW: Stoner rock and the “desert music scene” has expanded globally since the early 90’s when Kyuss reigned. Trying to keep the music wholesome seems to be a main goal for many of the artists who began their careers at that time.

Dustin: “It’s a very neat scene and I have a lot of respect for it. Maybe you’ll detect a little bitterness in me now. The scene has become so hipster that it kinda puts a weird taste in my mouth. I try not to talk like that but how did this all happen? I’m glad the desert is getting attention but I think only a small percent really understand what it was all about because it’s not just about Kyuss and Black Sabbath you know, like heavy

blues, it was about the earthlings?, Fatso… weird music, it was about a kind of freedom; how I always looked at the desert scene, it was psychedelic.”

CVW: I believe in what you’re alluding to. The diversity is immense if you see the “desert music scene” in its entirety.

Dustin: “I have such a large record collection from there and nothing sounds the same, the new hipsters have kind of made it one thing and that always rubs me the wrong way. It’s not just this one sound. If you listen to Brant’s early records like Local Angel, basically, it’s like an acoustic record, the early The Desert Sessions, there’s a bunch of weird-ass-shit on there, I try to look at the big picture of what was produced versus this little microscope with Kyuss. I’m a huge Fatso Jetson fan, I never hear anyone fuckin’ talk about them. It always kinda blows my mind. ‘Boomer’ was the real Godfather of the scene but he barely gets mentioned. That song, “Light Yourself On Fire,” is one of the best songs ever written! I remember when that song came out and I found it, I think I listened to it 100 times in a row, this is like a perfect song and then I go to my distro in L.A. and Mario Lalli works there, I’m like WOW, it kinda blows me away. I’ve done shows with Yawning Man in Canada, I run into everyone in the scene. I know Cherish Stevenson, we play Cherry Cola’s Rock ‘n’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge all the time, we’re real tight with Jesse Hughes, we stay at his house every time we’re in LA, we’re kinda in with those guys as outsiders.”

CVW: Tell me the hypothesis behind Black Magic Flower Power.

Dustin: “It’s a new project. A lot of people think it’s a band name change. It’s a brand new project. It happened naturally. I began to write differently it made a lot of sense to start fresh. What I’m doing now is kinda like Stoner Disco. There’s a lot of influences in it, you can still hear the psychedelic, but I think it’s desert, it’s all kinda mashed together, I’m using tons of funk elements, dance elements and still poppy melodies its Boogie Rock man.

It’s very dancy. I did a show with House of

Broken Promises in Vegas and they related what we were doing to Brant’s music, even though I think it’s a little more dancy. It’s like Brant Bjork and the Operators but a little more disco. A hard disco operators vibe happening. Over the last 30 years of music, I’ve been growing into this. It’s all connected.

It was so natural when I just started writing in this vibe. This is what I’ve been looking for. This is still super-stonery but it gets you head bobbin’ and your hips bobbin’ and I’m like, oh, this is cool. And when you study old funk, the underground funk scene, from the late 60’s the early 70’s, it is very reminiscent of the whole underground stoner rock scene that happened, it was hippy, psychedelic, just people that like to have a good time.”

CVW: You’ve gone as far as to seek a new environment to root the band.

Dustin: “We’re based in Tucson, Arizona.

New project, new town. We’re in the desert now ourselves and a lot closer to the Coachella Valley. I chose Tucson because it’s a little higher elevation, not quite as hot. I look at Joshua Tree over the years and I thought about moving there but it was getting a little hip and I was trying to avoid hipsters, they kind of rub me the wrong way. We all moved.

Portland got super hip. I love Portland and I love the Northwest but when things get hip I think the writers and creatives say it’s time to go exploring somewhere else and that’s what I’m doing with the geographical move and the new project. The stoner scene is very saturated now, I just want to do a hard branch-off, and it seems like the scene is still keeping us intertwined with it, so hopefully this new project is an inspiration simultaneously. It’s a lot bigger genre than just the blues scale.”

CVW: What are your plans the rest of the year with touring and new music?

Dustin: “Were on the road through September. Letting everyone know about the new project via the road because people still follow us. We want to see everyone in person and show them the new project in person and then we start tracking the record in September. I have one more single recorded

BY NOE GUTIERREZ

that will be released soon and two videos for each of the songs.”

CVW: I don’t see band names anywhere on-line. With a name like Black Magic Flower Power who needs names right? Tell us about your band.

Dustin: “They have big smiles on their faces all the time. They’re fucking killer musicians and I wouldn’t be able to do this without them. I’ve been with my guitar player for 13 years, my drummer is coming up on ten years. We’ve been through many projects together. The other two dudes I’ve been with at least 6 years now. We’ve been a family for 6 or 7 years now with the same line-up so it’s been cool.”

CVW: There’s a whole back-story to this band that we’ll avoid for now but you have turned really fine wine into nectar of the stoner gods my friend.

Dustin: “This project was caused by negativity from a certain group and we are super positive and super fun because of it.

I’m gonna write the funnest happiest music I can now. The response has been superkiller. Monster Magnet came out to a show in Kearney, Nebraska. They had a day off after playing Omaha, and came to see us.

They said they had been trying to catch us for so long. They were into it; they were digging the new vibe. Everyone is kind of digging it.

It’s neat to be moving forward and the peers I really respect are telling us we’re on to something pretty cool. It’s been a long time coming. We’re getting older and little more mature in finding what I’ve been looking for as a writer. I’m pretty stoked on it.”

CVW: You’re performing with our mutual friend Robbie Waldman and his band Waxy.

Dustin: “I’ve known Robbie for a long time. He’s another connection to the scene we have. He’s a big part of the community.”

CVW: Tell us about long-term plans for BMFP. Dustin: “We talked to Brant about getting on his fest next year so hopefully that will happen. We’ve done London and Berlin Desertfest before and we are looking forward to returning. People hit us up all the time to get back to Europe. We just talked to John Gist and he’s doing as much as he can in the Vegas scene so we’ll be hitting there as well. I love the community and I like that everyone is really trying to keep rock and roll alive, that’s the most important thing. We’re just passing on a language for the younger generation, we can’t let this shit die or its game over.” blackmagicflowerpower.bandcamp.com Upcoming shows 4/4 – Phoenix, AZ – The Lunch Box 4/5 – Oceanside, CA – The Pour House 4/6 – Palm Desert, CA – The Hood Bar & Pizza 4/7 – Los Angeles, CA – Redwood Bar & Grill

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

CONSIDER THIS

“I’m clutching my stories, a satchel full, a cache of indignation, where did I put my sense of misplaced rage?”

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hat’s Bob Mould having a moment of self-refection on “The Final Years,” a song from his new album.

About 40 years ago, the Minneapolis music scene produced a holy triumvirate of Punk bands, Husker Du, the Replacements and Soul Asylum. All three bands started in garages, toured in grotty vans, played in dive bars and sometimes slept on the floors of enthusiastic fans. They also graduated from indie labels to the majors, and each enjoyed critical acclaim, and a modicum of success. Inevitably, these bands broke up, as bands do. Solo careers were launched, and some continue to thrive to this day.

Such is the case with Bob Mould. Born in upstate New York, in 1960 his family migrated to Minnesota and he ended up attending Macalester College. In 1979 he formed Husker Du with bassist Greg Norton and drummer Grant Hart. Bob played lead guitar, he and Grant split songwriting and vocal duties.

Named for an obscure Swedish board game, the trio made a name for themselves locally and were quickly signed to SST Records. The California label’s roster included seminal bands like Black Flag, Minutemen and Saccharine Trust.

Husker Du established a sound that fused Hardcore Thrash with a sharp sense of melody. They made five records on SST, including Zen Arcade a groundbreaking, double LP released in 1984. The following year, they left SST for Warner Brother Records, where they made three more albums.

The three-piece toured relentlessly and the mainstream press began to take notice.

College Radio became a viable alternative to commercial stations, introducing artists like R.E.M., Love And Rockets, Robyn Hitchcock, Camper Van Beethoven to discerning music fans. As Husker Du’s fan base increased, their success laid the groundwork for the next wave of bands like Sonic Youth, Dinosaur, Jr. and the Pixies. Ultimately, they paved the way for

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BOB MOULD

“SUNSHINE ROCK” (MERGE RECORDS)

the Alternative and Grunge movements that exploded in the early ‘90s.

Even as they tasted success, the intense rivalry between Bob and Grant became intractable and Husker Du called it quits in 1987. Bob immediately jump-started a solo career, releasing his debut, Workbook in 1988 and quickly returning the next year with Black Sheets Of Rain. Acoustic, introspective and reflective, each album was the complete antithesis of the melodic thrash style he pioneered with the band.

Going solo had its advantages, certainly Bob enjoyed the autonomy, but he seemed to miss the band dynamic. By the early ‘90s, he founded the Power Punk trio, Sugar with bassist Dave Barbe and drummer Malcolm Travis. Drafting off the indie-cred he had earned with Husker Du, the new band’s sound was commercial without compromise.

Signed to the Rykodisc label, they released two long-players, Copper Blue and File Under Easy Listening, along with the Beaster EP. But the sweet success of Sugar quickly soured when Spin magazine publicized the open secret that Bob was gay. By 1995, the band had amicably parted ways.

Once he had been “outed,” Bob embraced his Gay identity. Returning to his solo career he recorded six solo albums between 1996 and 2009, he also made time to become a scriptwriter for the WCW, (that’s World Champion Wrestling, to you). A version of his “Dog On Fire” song, performed by They Might Be Giants has been the frenzied theme for “The Daily Show” since the late ‘90s.

In 2011, he wrote “See A Little Light: The Trail Of Rage And Melody.” A candid autobiography, the opening paragraphs find our hero staying at a Gay, clothingoptional Hotel in Palm Springs, anticipating his Coachella debut.

That same year, his music was celebrated at Walt Disney Symphony Hall in Los Angeles. The line-up of artists performing songs from his solo cannon included Margaret Cho, Grant Lee Phillips, Dave Grohl, the Hold Steady and Ryan Adams. In 2012 he signed with Merge Records and released Silver Age, which featured bassist Jason Narducy and exSuperchunk drummer, Jon Wurster. The album actually climbed to #52 of the Billboard Top 200.

He used the same line-up on his next to efforts, 2014’s Beauty & Ruin, and Patch The Sky which arrived two years Later.

Each record dealt with the death of a parent. Now he has returned with his 12th solo effort, Sunshine Rock. The record’s first four tracks careen out of the speakers with an explosive urgency.

The title track kicks off the 12-song set with a locomotive rhythm, sugary backing vocals and a fusillade of guitars. Wry and wildly romantic lyrics set the scene; “I feel a cool breeze blowing through my beard, I roll the top down falling on my back, I hear

BY ELENI P. AUSTIN

your heartbeat in my ears.” As whiplash guitars swirl cyclonically, roiling bass and thumping drums provide a sonic backstop.

Following the break Bob offers this urgent carpe diem; “Life is but a dance inside the power plant, so when the lights go down and people fade away, there is no second chance, there is no second chance/I reach into the sky and grab the nearest shooting star, breaking it in two, I hand my half to you.” A sustained power chord acts as a melodic bridge to the next song.

“What Do You Want Me To Do” amps up the energy with a pummeling backbeat, ricocheting bass lines and wind-milling guitar. Bob’s mien is equal parts sarcastic and indignant as he demands “What do you want me to do? I’m stranded in a forest of barely formed intentions, and you, you left me waiting for way too many years/ When You land in eternity I hope you save a little place for me.” A feedback-y outro segues into the deceptively titled “Sunny Love Song.”

Marauding guitar riffs match a walloping backbeat and slivery bass. As Bob recalls a failed romance the mood shifts from winsome to rueful to introspective within a few deftly turned phrases; “It’s a long, long way from California to Berlin, so filled with melancholia/Winter came and paralyzed me, thrown like gravel over ice/I’m like a Polar Bear crawling through the Tundra of some penumbral paradise.”

There’s a bit of a sea change on the break as emotional clouds part over carnival keys and a slashing guitar solo. The tune barely winds down before flowing into “Thirty Dozen Roses.”

This barbed mea culpa is powered by thrashy guitar, serpentine bass and a blitzkrieg beat. It’s a slab of the anarchic Punk sound Husker practically invented.

Here, Bob’s idea of an apology is to explain “some days my brain blows up in an elegant way.” As distorto guitars rachets up the tension, a measure of sincerity is added to the mix; “I’m such a lousy prick to you, chocolate doesn’t faze you anymore, you found a sweeter filling, this is rotten to the core/The swollen hollow of my wobbly heart, thirty dozen roses, that might be a start.”

The album’s best three songs slow the action, offering an uncharacteristic respite

from the trademark calibrated chaos. The aforementioned “The Final Years” blends stately keys, a propulsive rhythm and shimmery guitar. To paraphrase Olivia Newton John, has Bob Mould ever been mellow? The answer here is a surprising and resounding yes.

“Sin King” seems like a not-so-subtle dig at the current White House resident, and a clear-eyed comparison between him and the grown-up that had the gig before him. Chiming guitars, rumbling bass and a flailing beat bookend every verse. The current combative political climate has resulted in a haze of malaise; “Years ago we used to be so proud and free to speak our thoughts out loud/Now all this ugly friction, it wears and tears me down.”

Finally, “Camp Sunshine” has to be the sweetest song Bob Mould has ever recorded, a jangly slice of nostalgia cloaked in feathery acoustic riffs, twinkly glockenspiel and a tick-tock rhythm. The lyrics paint a picture of a bygone era when “the days I get to spend making music with my friends are always most important to me.” He also acknowledges the ravages of time; “I think about the kids I used to see, some get sick and pass away, others find a different place to play.” Ultimately, this wistful reverie offers some hard-won wisdom; “People get together, people fall apart, people do the best they can/We can’t predict the future, we can’t forget the past, just enjoy the moments that we have.”

Other interesting tracks include the cautious optimism of “Irrational Poison,” the penitent hopscotch of “Lost Faith” and a feedback-drenched version of the Shocking Blue’s “Send Me A Postcard.” Meanwhile, “I Fought” serves as a combative elegy to Grant Hart. His erstwhile sparring partner and Husker Du-mate died in September of 2017, following a battle with liver cancer.

The album closes with “Western Sunset.”

Something of a blustery denouement, it features cello and lush orchestration. The lyrics act as a backhanded expression of gratitude; “Music floats in the sky then it disappears (I don’t know how) So grateful you gave me time to bend your ears (But it’s over now)/I wasn’t trying to reinvent the wheel (the wheel was fine), only want you to know how I really feel (it’s yours and it’s mine).”

Ten years in, it feels like Jason Narducy and Jon Wurster have become Bob’s perfect partners in crime. This is a solo album in name only. Sunshine Rock perfectly distills Bob Mould’s past and present. It should be no surprise that the guy who lovingly covered “Love Is All Around” (a.k.a. the theme from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”), with Husker Du, could craft a record that perfectly calibrates the bitter and the sweet.

ARTSCENE

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

BY ANGELA ROMEO

HOW TO BE A LOONEY TUNE: THE WORK OF FRIZ FRELENG AND CHUCK JONES

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n an age before computer graphics, hand drawing each frame or cell, one by one, created animation. It was a time consuming process that yielded unforgettable characters and films. Opening April 6 through April 15 the Chuck Jones Gallery will host a pop at The Gardens, 73545 El Paseo, (lower level by Saks Fifth Avenue), Palm Desert. The Pop-Up features the work of lauded animation artists, Friz Frelang and Chuck Jones.

The opening event is April 6 from 3 – 5 pm with a talk at 3:30 from the daughters of these legendary artists: Hope Freleng Shaw, Sybil Freleng Bergman, and Linda Jones Clough.

These three grew up with the characters that were part of a several generations’ collective memory.

“We are thrilled to host the daughters of both Friz Freleng and Chuck Jones, two legendary animation directors who brought the world such unforgettable Looney Tunes characters as Bugs Bunny, Sylvester & Tweety, Porky Pig, Wile E. Coyote & Roadrunner, Pepe Le Pew, Foghorn Leghorn, not to the mention the Grinch, Tom and Jerry, and Pink Panther!

They will share wonderful first hand stories of the golden age of animation and present never before seen original animation art from the families’ personal collection, as well as limited edition prints” said Michael Fiacco, gallery director.

Isadore “Friz” Freleng was a pioneer of animation at Disney where he worked with the Disney brothers when they first established the Disney animation studio.

He won four Oscars for the films Tweetie Pie (1947), Speedy Gonzales (1955), Birds Anonymous(1957) and Knighty Knight Bugs (1958). Other Freleng cartoons, such as Sandy Claws (1955), Mexicali Shmoes (1959), Mouse and Garden (1960) and The Pied Piper of Guadalupe (1961) were Oscar nominees.

In addition to his Oscar winning Looney Tunes cartoons, as a principal of The DePatie– Freleng Studio, in 1963 they created create

the opening titles for the feature film The Pink Panther. Freleng produced a short cartoon starring the character, The Pink Phink (1964), which won the 1965 Academy Award for Best Short Subject (Cartoons) Freleng hired Chuck in the late 30’s. In addition to colleagues they were lifelong friends.

Jones made over 250 films, won four Academy Awards, and was nominated for six others. Jones has been honored a Museum of Modern Art retrospective, two honorary degrees and countless honors including France’s greatest creative honor—Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. His cartoon shorts, What’s Opera, Doc?, Duck Amuck and One Froggy Evening, have been inducted into the National Film Registry next to a select honored group of other great American film masterpieces.

Jones created some of the classic cartoons of all time, including Bully for Bugs, Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2 Century, Duck Amuck, Rabbit Seasoning, The Scarlet Pumpernickel, Robin Hood Daffy, A Scent of the Matterhorn, and Feed the Kitty.

In 1965 he won an Academy Award for The Dot and The Line. The film is the story of a romance boy meets girl, loses girl, wins girl in the end but the characters are geometric shapes. An uncool nerdy Line competes with an über-cool hipster Squiggle for the affections of a flighty Dot. The underlying theme and lesson are timeless.

Jones also created and directed some of the most popular and critically-acclaimed animated television specials in the history of the medium, including Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Horton Hears a Who, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, Mowgli’s Brothers, andThe White Seal.

The Chuck Jones Gallery Pop-Up, featuring the work of Friz Freleng and Chuck Jones, is located at The Gardens, 73545 El Paseo, Palm Desert and runs through April 15th. For more info visit chuckjonesexhibits.com.

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

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PET PLACE CHRISTINE MADRUGA, THE HEART OF RESCUE

t was a career that spanned 21 years that ended on December 15, 2018, when Christine Madruga hung up her leash for the last time after saving and adopting over 10,000 homeless animals.

She left the Pet Rescue Center shelter in Coachella that day with a heavy heart, but looking forward to taking care of her husband and her own life. Christine’s beloved mother passed away last year, but not before asking her daughter to slow down and spend time on herself and with family. Animal rescue can be a consuming task, with animals in need arriving at any time and possible needing emergency medical care, the stream of those in dire need never ends. Holidays and family occasions are put “on hold” to save another little life.

What inspires the army of weary animal rescuers to keep working to comfort one more frightened abandoned dog? What inspires someone to drive hundreds of miles to save an animal’s life when it’s about to be euthanized at a shelter? What inspired Christine Madruga to work tirelessly, sometimes 365 days a year, to build one of the most respected and successful rescue operations in the Coachella Valley?

Growing up with dogs and cats, Christine Madruga understood the magical bond they share with us humans. Dogs comfort us when we are sick, they serve as eyes to the blind, and they bring joy to depressed and troubled

MEET PAPI Amazing kitten Papi is leash & harness trained ready to take a walk with you! This 8-mo old playful fellow was rescued by www.lovingallanimals.org, call (760) 834-7000 to meet him.

MEET MIMI Adorable Mimi was found in the streets by a good Samaritan, and no one claimed her. Just 1 ½ years old, this precious Chihuahua girl is a real charmer.

She adores all humans and other small dogs. At Loving All Animals Pet Rescue Center, www.lovingallanimals.org call (760) 398-7722.

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souls. They live joyfully in the moment, they have much to teach us, and greatly enhance our lives. Christine’s summers were spent riding horses at her aunt’s home in Ventura, and she developed a love for those magnificent creatures as well.

An accidental injury to her cat’s leg led to Christine’s career with animals. While still a college student, she rushed her cat into

Desert View Animal Hospital after it was caught between a fan blade and the radiator.

Her cat was cured, and Christine ended up getting hired as a part time kennel attendant.

She recalls, “I would hurry to feed and clean the animals so I could watch Dr. Jackson doing surgeries. One day, he signaled to me to help, and I quickly learned how to assist in surgery, take x-rays, do lab work, and answer the phones.” Christine Madruga’s career as a Vet Assistant began officially in 1976. When young vet, Dr. Gary Homec, branched out to start his own practice at Valley Animal Clinic in 1978, Christine went with him. She left the animal business later that year to raise a family, but was called back in 1997.

1998 was the pivotal year when Christine found her life’s purpose. It was heartbreaking for her to witness sick and injured animals coming into the vet clinic for treatment, only having them return to county animal control afterwards. The Coachella Valley, then as it is now, is awash in wonderful homeless dogs and cats whose only crime is not having a home. Christine felt compelled to do something to help these homeless and helpless creatures.

Christine’s rescue was launched with four cages at the back of Valley Animal Clinic.

Eventually, she acquired a spacious property in Coachella, and The Pet Rescue Center was born. The animals came in from overcrowded Southern California shelters where some

BY JANET McAFEE

would have been euthanized, some were unclaimed, matted and confused strays, others, had owners who were deceased or unable to care for them for a variety of reasons. Sadly, a few were thrown over the property wall, callously discarded.

Christine knew Mike Russell, president of Loving All Animals, very well and reports, “Mike was my one and only choice to take over The Pet Rescue Center and continue my work. It feels good to watch your dream live on, and see animals continuing to be rescued and adopted at this location. I want to thank everyone who made the Pet Rescue Center what it is today, the amazing volunteers, the donors, all the friends, and the adopters. The shelter is now called Loving All Animals Pet Rescue Center, and I love watching my dream live on through the work of a new group of rescuers.”

This week we honor Christine Madruga, who will always have the heart of a rescuer.

She inspires others to join the army of rescuers who will one day soon make our Coachella Valley a “No Kill” community.

Contact Loving All Animals to find out how you can volunteer at their shelter or be part of their life saving foster team, (760) 8347000, www.lovingallanimals.org.

Janetmcafee8@gmail.com

THE VINO VOICE

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

BY RICK RIOZZA

REVISITING BELLA VERONA

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can’t believe it’s been a year since I was whooshed away to Verona Italy to enjoy the largest annual Italian wine festival known as VinItaly. Enthralling and magical, delicious and over-whelming, the entire experience was an event of a lifetime that easily encourages another look at this charming city and wine region.

I’ve heard from many of you readers this past year who read the two columns I wrote from my trip, “A Very Merry Gentleman in Verona”, and, “From Verona With Love,” and who are considering traveling to the region this year or soon enough and/or are interested in the famous wines therefrom.

Ancora!—prego! Please allow me to reminisce again: I was always more of a Southern Italy type-guido with family connections and the love of the Mediterranean waters washing about the shores in Napoli, Sicilia, Sorrento and scintillating other sites. But when I landed in Milano, just south of the snowy Alps, and ventured the east-bound train to Verona with the Alps still right on my left side, my Italian heart nuzzled up to the North.

I know Venice, Florence, and Rome all get the fanfare but one can appreciate the same la dolce vita experience when visiting the moderate size Verona with its Roman-era architecture, history, and rich culture. And then of course, we have the romance and escapades of Romeo & Juliet, and Dante’s Divine Comedy where in verse he calls Verona “the Italian City of Love”.

Actually, getting in and out and all-around Verona is ten times easier than with the larger famous cities of Italy. One can enjoy an entire old town walk-about in one day that include stopping for lunch, gelatto, espresso, an apero, and an al fresco dinner with beautiful views of parks, towers, buildings and the Roman arena—the largest outside of Rome.

One of the de rigueur visits is the Antica Bottega Del Vino wine bar which has been open since 1890. This is where vino lovers get their strength in Verona (outside of

VinItaly on the other-side of town in April).

Unbelievably, they have a 4,500-selection wine list to order from, which contains most of the great premium wines of Italy and around the world for that matter.

As you’d expect, Antica Bottega is so much fun and lively that there are always a group of folks milling around the front door even when there’s plenty of room inside. And within the bottega, one can wander to rooms that open to other rooms which are filled with wine bottles from the 1800s, 1900s, and this new century. Allora!

One can simply walk up to the bar and order a glass of one of the day’s 30 or so recommended wines that are scrolled on the chalkboard. And order up as well scrumptious plates to accompany your quaffs. Or you can sit at a table and mangia the more substantial Venetian pasta or beef cheeks braised in Amarone.

And speaking of Amarone—this being il grande vino di Verona, the most potent form of Valpolicella, nuanced sweet but dry, dense fruit and a touch bitter, the results of drying selected grapes off the vine to make concentrated wine, is the climax of every Veronese feast. Well—at Antica, you can find at any time some daring Amarone from decades past or from last week’s barrel overture.

Another place to visit is the Osteria Ristorante Ponte Pietra where you can catch some of the loveliest views of Verona, as the eatery is perched on the banks of the Adige River. The local dishes are elegant and delicious—the whole setting is simply romantic. The wine list is strictly Italian (Champagne of course), focused on local Veneto wines such as Soave, Garganega, Bardolino Classico, and Valpolicella.

As I mentioned last year, I rented a Lancia and toured the entirety of Lake Garda, racing about at times like I was in a Lina Wertmüller’s Italian adventure film, and, stopping every so often to sit and enjoy the settings with a glass of the local red wine and then an

espresso doppio to get me back on my way.

The sun was out and the sights were simply spettacolare!

One of the lakeside towns I stopped at was Limone sul Garda. The area is famed for its limes. And the liquor I enjoyed at the bar was limoncino [lee-mon-CHEE-no] The lime version of limoncello. Delish!—I might have had two shots, I can’t remember, but I did my usual hit of espresso for the road.

My entire trip—1st class flight, lodging, meals, and the event, was at the behest of the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce of Texas, who apparently found and liked my Italian wine articles and sent me on my way to represent them. Was I living the dream that week or what!

Just down the road from my luxurious Le Ali del Frassino lodging, are some of the vineyards sourced by Zonin Italian wine company. Now I’ve been a loyal fan of Zonin writing often of their world class wines and sparklers. One of the best examples of both quality and price is the Zonin Prosecco DOC Cuvée 1821 ($13).

We cannot get enough of this delicious refreshing Zonin Cuvée 1821 in our desert!

We carry it at Ralph’s Market here in Palm Springs and I always recommend this prosecco because it’s an especially dry version. Many other popular brands are on the sweeter side.

The Zonin Cuvée aroma signals elegance with a focus of fresh green apple with a squeeze of lemon. On the palate, the wine is wonderfully dry and pleasantly fruity with fresh notes of apple, pear, apricots, and lemon grass along with that characteristic almond finish.

We love it with a Caprese salad, hot & spicy chicken wings, pan-seared salmon with lemon & basil, and, with black pepper, grated cheese & olive oil drenched pasta. It’s also great with light desserts, or as a dessert itself.

Cheers again… from Verona with Love!

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

THUR APRIL 4

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bobby Furgo & Co 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 TBA 9pm AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Tyler Simmons 7-11pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Bill and Doug Duo 6:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 The Seven/Six and CVHC Presents: Facelift, Skull Crack, Dying For It, Dedich and C Four 7pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Rob Carter Trio w/ Brian Dennigan 7pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 CV Weekly’s 7 Year Anniversary Party w/ Vinny Berry, Lisa Lynn Morgan, Lance Riebsomer, Rick Shelley, Chelsea Sugarbritches, Linda Lemke Heinz, Martin Berrera and Derek Jordan Gregg 6pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 John Stanley King 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CASUELAS CAFÉ; PD; 760-568-0011 Johnny Meza and Co. 6-10pm CATALAN; RM; 760-770-9508 George Christian 6-9pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; PD; 760-200-1768 Michael D’Angelo 6:30-9:30pm, DJ 9:30pm COPA NIGHTCLUB; PS; 760-866-0021 Lipstick hosted by Bella Da Ball 8pm, DJs Banks and Ax 10pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm DESERT FOX; PD; Vinny Berry 9pm DESMOND’S @ THE S; RM; 760-328-2111 TBA 5-8pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm EUREKA; IW; 760-834-7700 Derek Jordan Gregg 8-10pm

FISHERMAN’S GROTTO; PD; 760-776-6534 Barry Baughn Blues Band 5:30-8:30pm FRANK’S PLACE; IW; 760-797-8700 Patricia Welsh 6-9pm HENRY’S SPORTS BAR AND GRILL; CC; 760656-3444 DJ 10pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Chris Lomeli 7pm HOTEL PASEO; PD; Michael Keeth 4-7pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 TBA 9pm LANDMARK LOUNGE; LQ; 760-289-6736 DJ Alex Harrington 7pm LA QUINTA RESORT; LQ; 760-564-4111 Steppin Out 6-9pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Hot Roxx 6:30pm LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Country Night w/ South 65 9pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888999-1995 Quinto Menguante 8-1am MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 AJJ w/ Antarctigo Veppucci and Pllush 8pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Alien DNA 9pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Sharon Sills 6:30pm ROWAN; PS; 760-904-5015 TBA 6-9pm 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 6:30pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 Karaoke 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Mike Cosley 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Robert Salisbury 4:30-6pm, The Refills 6:3010pm THE VINE WINE BAR; PD; 760-341-9463 Derek Jordan Gregg 5-8pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Trio NV 5-8pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 An Evening of Jazz 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 Banda Night w/ Banda Sin Nombre and DJ Markuz Area 9pm

FRI APRIL 5

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19TH HOLE; PD; 760-772-6696 Live Music 8pm 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 TBA 6:30pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Jeffertitti’s Nile and DJs Garden and Villa 10pm AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Avenida 7-11pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Live Music 6:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Yo Raps! w/ DJs Captain Osiv, Addemup and Hymn 7pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Bill Gulino 4-7:15pm, Patrick Morris, Brian Dennigan and Leon Bisquera 7:30-11pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Terry Ilous 8:30pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 The Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT CASINO; PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Chase Martinez 9-1am

CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CASUELAS CAFÉ; PD; 760-568-0011 The Myx 6:30-10pm CATALAN; RM; 760-770-9508 George Christian 6-9pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; PD; 760-200-1768 Michael D’Angelo 6:30-9:30pm, DJ 9:30pm COPA NIGHTCLUB; PS; 760-866-0021 Viva Friday’s w/ DJ Banks 9pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm DESMOND’S @ THE S; RM; 760-328-2111 Slim Man 5:30-9pm DRINGK; RM; 760-888-0111 DJ Journee 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; 760-776-6534 Gina Carey 5:30-8:30pm FRANK’S PLACE; IW; 760-797-8700 Frankie DiSalvo 6-9pm GADI’S BAR & GRILL; YV; 760-820-1213 Junkyard and Flexx Bronco 8pm HENRY’S SPORTS BAR AND GRILL; CC; 760656-3444 Karaoke w/ KJ Marjovi 9pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Drag Queen Bingo 7pm, Nurdthug Presents: Live Digital 3 w/ Corea Blue, A.M.F.M. and RowLow 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Keisha D 7pm HOTEL PASEO; PD; Michael Keeth 4-7pm HOT SPOT@SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-7755566 Nacho Bustillos 8:30pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-3456466 Bob Allen 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Karaoke 7:30pm KILO’S CANTINA; TP; 760-835-1363 TBA 9pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 8pm LA FE WINE BAR; PD; 760-565-1430 Lance Riebsomer and Friends 9pm LANDMARK LOUNGE; LQ; 760-289-6736 Morgan Ashley 7pm LA QUINTA RESORT; LQ; 760-564-4111 Steppin Out 6-9pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Hot Roxx 7:30pm LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Rhythm Nation 9pm THE LOUNGE; AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888999-1995 DJ Jerry 9pm MASTRO’S; PD; 760-776-6777 TBA 6:3011pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm MOXIE; PS; 760-318-9900 Eevaan Tre 6-9pm, 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 The Refills 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760345-0222 Agave Bluesmasters 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Jade Jackson and Pablo Dylan 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 Charles Busch 8pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 TBA 9pm RENAISSANCE; PS; 760-322-6000 Derek Jordan Gregg 6-9pm RIVIERA; PS; 760-327-8311 Michael Keeth 8pm

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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 SOLANO’S BISTRO; LQ; 760-771-6655 Michael Madden 6-9pm SONOMA GRILL; PD; 760-340-6600 Denny Pezzin 6-9pm SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin Rock 10pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Demetrious and Co. 6:30pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 Off Da Cuff 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Dennis Michaels 6:30pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm VENUE@VENUS; PD; 760-834-7070 Jazz at the Piazza w/ Greg Vail 5-8pm, Salsa in the Desert 7-11pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 “Meet the Corwins” 5:30-7:30pm, The John Stanley King Show 8pm THE VINE WINE BAR; PD; 760-341-9463 Jack Ruvio 6pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 DJ Galaxy and the House Whores 5pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 Michael Keeth 5-7pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 Rose Mallett 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 Fantasy Friday w/ DJ LF and Cali Redd 9pm

SAT APRIL 6

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bev and Bill 6:30pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Dayclubbing w/ Jen Ferrer and Cooper Saver noon, poolside, Highlife w/ DJ Day 10pm AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Steppin’ Out 7-11pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Cabaret on the Green Open Mic 7:30pm BACKSTREET BISTRO; PD; 760-346-6393 Linda Peterson 12:30-3:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 The Get Down w/ DJs Rich Brandon and CieloHigh 7pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Rob Carter Trio 7:30-11pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Ghost Notes 8:30pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Gennine Francis 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 CASUELAS CAFÉ; PD; 760-568-0011 The Myx 6:30-10pm CATALAN; RM; 760-770-9508 George Christian 6-9pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; PD; 760-200-1768 Abie and Natasha 6:30-9:30pm, DJ 9:30pm COACHELLA VALLEY BREWING; TP; 760-3435973 Mega Sun and When Tides Turn 7pm COPA NIGHTCLUB; PS; 760-866-0021 DJ Banks and Mr. Miami 9pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm DESERT FOX; PD; Alien DNA 9pm DESMOND’S @ THE S; RM; 760-328-2111 Philip Poe Epstein 5:30-9pm

DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm DRINGK; RM; 760-888-0111 DJ Journee 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; 760-776-6534 Jack Ruvio 5:30-8:30pm FRANK’S PLACE; IW; 760-797-8700 Frankie DiSalvo 6-9pm GADI’S BAR & GRILL; YV; 760-820-1213 TBA 8pm THE GROOVE LOUNGE; SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-775-5566 DJ 8pm HARVEY’S LOUNGE; PS; 760-320-6868 SLS Event Group Presents: Vinyl DJ Sets 9pm HENRY’S SPORTS BAR AND GRILL; CC; 760656-3444 DJ Ray 9pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Drag Queen Bingo 7pm, Black Magic Flower Power and Waxy 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 The Carmens 7pm HOTEL PASEO; PD; Michael Keeth 4-10pm HOT SPOT@SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-7755566 Nacho Bustillos 8:30pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-3456466 Bob Allen 6pm JC’S CAFÉ; PD; 760-568-0733 Vinny Berry 3-7pm KILO’S CANTINA; TP; 760-835-1363 TBA 9pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 8pm LA FE WINE BAR; PD; 760-565-1430 Vinny Berry 9pm LANDMARK LOUNGE; LQ; 760-289-6736 Eevaan Tre 7pm LA QUINTA BREWERY; PD; 760-200-2597 Country Fest Parking Lot Party w/ Leaving Austin and Rick Shelley 2pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 PS Sound Company 1pm, Hot Roxx 8pm LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Rhythm Nation 9pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888999-1995 TBA 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm MIRAMONTE; IW; 760-341-2200 Trio NV 6-10pm MOXIE; PS; 760-318-9900 Derek Jordan Gregg 6-9pm, DJ Pedro Le Bass 9:30pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 That 80’s Band 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760345-0222 RoadRunners 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Zachariah and the Los Riders, Chris Laterzo and Buffalo Robe 8pm PEABODY’S CAFÉ; PS; 760-322-1877 Karaoke 7:30pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-3432115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Charles Busch 8pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 TBA 9pm ROWAN; PS; 760-904-5015 Lance Riebsomer 6-9pm 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

April 4 to April 10, 2019

SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 9pm SONOMA GRILL; PD; 760-340-6600 Denny Pezzin 6-9pm SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin Music 10pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Demetrious and Co. 6:30pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 Cinch 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Reggie “Vision” Alexander 6:30pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Rose Mallett and Co. 5-7pm, Kal David, Lauri Bono and the Real Deal 7:30pm THE VINE WINE BAR; PD; 760-341-9463 Live Music 7pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Live Music 6:30pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 Michael Keeth 6pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 The Stanley Butler Band 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 Snapchat Saturdays w/DJ LF and Cali Redd 9pm

SUN APRIL 7

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bob Garcia 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 DJs Surround and C Love noon poolside, TBA 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Sunday Brunch w/ Live Music 11am BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Deep House Sundays w/ Femme A 7pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Bill Gulino 12:303:30pm, Patrice Morris 6:30-10pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Songwriter’s Spotlight 7pm continue to page 20

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

THEPAMPEREDPALATE

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

BY DENISE ORTUNO

MANGA, MANGA AT MAMMA GINA’S ALL DAY HAPPY HOUR

F

or some seriously delizioso Italian dishes, at equally delizioso prices, nothing can compare with the All Day Happy Hour at Mamma Gina’s in Palm Desert.

Known as one of El Paseo’s best dining spots, Ristorante Mamma Gina has been dazzling desert foodies, before “foodies” were a thing, back in 1986. With authentic Italian dishes, inspired by their anchor ristorante in Florence, Mamma Gina has ranked high with excellent food and service to match. Their main dining room is classic high end Italian, while still remaining warm and inviting, perfect for intimate dining for two, or for larger parties wanting to have the Mamma Gina experience.

On the other side of the restaurant sits their bar area, and that’s where the All Day Happy Hour magic happens. It’s somewhat strange having that kind of extended happy hour at a restaurant of Mamma Gina’s caliber, but it’s for certain that the extended hour is to satisfy the public demand of what is probably the most popular happy hour in Palm Desert. The elongated happy hour runs from 11:30am to 9:30pm on the weekdays, and until 10pm on the weekends (Sunday’s 4pm to 9:30pm).

The happy hour isn’t ultra-inexpensive, you’re not going to find $2 or $4 items,

16

you’re there for the All Day Happy Hour, or just relaxing in the main dining room, it will be sure to be a delizioso and happy time.

Ristorante Mamma Gina is located at 73705 El Paseo, Palm Desert Ca, 92260 For more info visit mammagina.com. its Mamma Gina’s for goodness sake, and remember, it’s on El Paseo. However, you will find amazing Italian dishes from appetizes to salads, to main entrée’s, at pretty wonderful prices for the quality of food that you’re receiving. Well drink prices hover at under $6 as well as their house wines, which again, is a great deal for the area.

On my recent visit, my boyfriend and I took our little seats at the end of the bar, a coveted cozy nook that I search out when I’m there. We ordered a couple of glasses of house cab, and when asked if we wanted bread, well…of course please! The bread is lovely Italian ciabatta, and is served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. We then shared a Cesare salad, which is always served crisp and cold, with beautifully shaved parmesan. Afterwards, it was pasta time, Cannelloni “Fiorentina” (crepe stuffed

with ricotta cheese and spinach, topped with tomato and cream sauce) for me, and Linguine Puttanesca (capers, garlic, black olive, and hint of anchovy in a tomato sauce) for my boyfriend. Both dishes, under $10 each. The Cannelloni is simply dreamy, it’s so light and velvety, and I get it every time that I’m there. The Puttanesca, is zesty, with full throttle flavors led by the garlic and that hint of anchovy. We usually finish off by having the Petite Filet Mignon with sautéed spinach and mushrooms, but I think we had too much bread and had to put it on the back burner until our next visit (darn that bread!).

For dessert, their Crème Brulee is a must! It’s like an endless bowl of custard love, topped with a crackling caramel lid… its crazy good!

There are so many other dishes to explore at Mamma Gina’s, and whether

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GOOD GRUB

H

aving recently opened just in time for St. Patrick’s Day a couple of weeks ago, O’Caine’s Irish Pub in Rancho Mirage is a new hotspot in the desert that serves up authentic Celtic cuisine and pays homage to the heart of Ireland.

Complete with an in-restaurant gift shop, green illuminated bar with a variety of Irish beers on tap, and folk songs straight from the Emerald Isle playing in the background, it’s evident when you first step foot inside the place that O’Caine’s theme is on point.

Already a full-house filled with hungry patrons even on a Monday night, O’Caine’s has quickly amassed a loyal following as being one of the only authentic Irish pubs in the Coachella Valley. My party was waited on by Nicolette, who contributed to the welcoming atmosphere with her endearing personality and genuine love for the establishment.

She introduced the menu as being a simple selection of Irish staples with an American twist.

As a starter, I ordered the Mini Fish Butties, consisting of Pacific Cod in house-made beer batter, minty pea coleslaw, tartar sauce, and lemon. This particular dish was an Irish take on the American slider, even served with French fries to boot. The fish was crisp and mingled well with the refreshingly flavorful coleslaw, taking me back to memories of seaside bistros in the summer. Overall, the sliders were a solid appetizer that may have been a bit too Americanized, but they

O’CAINE’S IRISH PUB

certainly were a tasty preview of what was to come.

The next dish of choice was the Celtic Caesar Sailead, made of romaine lettuce, Irish streaky bacon, garlic croutons, grana padano cheese, Caesar dressing, quinoa crispies, and house-cured smoked anchovies on a GoneStraw Farm egg Bottarga.

The presentation of this salad was truly impressive, with a menagerie of textures and colors coming together to create a beautiful mural of garden variety deliciousness. The touch of anchovy put a unique spin on the commonplace Caesar, and the substantial portion size was enough to leave one feeling full and satisfied on its own.

As for the main course, I selected an entree with a name I had never heard of called Authentic British Bangers. This curioussounding dish consists of two sausages (bangers) nestled in a bed of malted mashed potatoes with Guinness onion gravy, and

garnished with deep-fried onions. I was also informed that it was one of the most popular menu items. Although this plate is not the most photogenic entree and I was slightly intimidated by the mountain of potatoes placed before me, it was an extremely hearty and savory dish that best captured the essence of Irish culture and cuisine. The sausages were juicy and paired well with the tangy undertones of the gravy for an enjoyable dining experience.

Gerard Noonan is a restaurant and hospitality development project manager who works as the pub consultant for O’Caine’s Irish Pub, and he strives to create a reputation for the eatery as the ideal neighborhood bar. “[O’Caine’s] is the place where you’ll find the largest selection of Irish whiskies in the entire Coachella Valley, if not the entire world. It’s a great bar with a lot of very loyal patrons. We have an offer where you can select your own flight of three, four, five or six whiskies to taste them side by side.

April 4 to April 10, 2019

BY CRYSTAL HARRELL It’s a pretty unique deal,” explained Noonan.

Although still a young establishment, O’Caine’s Irish Pub is quickly accumulating a faithful following and is an excellent way to immerse yourself in an atmosphere of delicious food, friendly people, and the luck of the Irish.

O’Caines Irish Pub is located at 36101 Bob Hope Dr. in Rancho Mirage. 760-202-3311 www.ocainesirishpub.com.

17

April 4 to April 10, 2019

SCREENERS

NOW SHOWING: DUMBO

In the unnecessary “live action” reboot of Disney’s 1941 animated feature, many changes have been made. There’s an off-putting agenda of political correctness that seeps through the admittedly eye-popping images.

When the movie was officially announced, PETA’s (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) senior vice president Lisa Lange said this in a letter to director Tim Burton: “We’re hopeful that in your adaptation of ‘Dumbo,’ the young elephant and his mother can have a truly happy ending by living out their lives at a sanctuary instead of continuing to be imprisoned and abused in the entertainment industry.”

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No. 363

WHIMSY RUN AMUCK?

The movie’s final anti-circus animal ending goes even further. Remember, not so long ago when Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus promised to retire elephants from its circus acts amid growing public concern for the animals’ treatment? PETA wanted – demanded? – Burton do the same onscreen. But he didn’t really need the prompt, he’s long been against using live animals in this way (“That’s why I don’t like the circus”) and insisted that all the circus animals in “Dumbo,” including his star elephant, be CGI. However, real dogs and horses do appear. So, do their lives not matter? Just asking.

There’s also sense of vintage Disney forced sadness –-- naturally with an obvious life lesson at the end that may be distancing to older audience members and smart kids.

When Dumbo’s human friends help the famous flying baby elephant escape the circus, a plan led by Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) and his two kids, Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins), Dumbo literally flies out of the circus tent, ending up at a dock where he’s reunited with his mother, Mrs. Jumbo, who had been relegated to a cruel freak-show role. The elephants then board a ship bound for their native African home. A set-up for a sequel?

The children’s goodbye to Dumbo isn’t overly drawn-out beyond the required final hug. Yes, they’re sad, but hopefully aware of the greater good in spite of Dumbo leaving their lives.

“The kids understand that sometimes you have to say goodbye to things that you love,” Farrell says. “Sometimes you have to let life take its course, even if it doesn’t always suit us in the moment.” Good advice? Maybe not.

I heard groans and some laughter in the audience but no sniffles. With the purchase of Fox, is Disney well on the way to being the single conduit to ALL future media content? Hope not, we need diverse voices in all the arts. The main reason to see this film is the extraordinary production design and not for the contrived narrative. I missed the wonderful crow sequence -- since removed from the earlier film -- and thought there was a lost opportunity to include this original sequence without it being racially offensive but rather celebratory. Oh well.

BY ROBIN E. SIMMONS

NEW BLU FOR THE HOME THEATER: THE QUILLER MEMORANDUM (1966)

From Michael Anderson, the director of Around the World in 80 Days, Operation Crossbow and Logan’s Run, comes this new 4K restoration transfer of an engaging, spy thriller set in West Berlin during the Cold War. Similar in tone to such 60’s spy films as The Ipcress File (1965) and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) both movies, adapted from gritty spy novels (Len Deighton and John le Carré respectively) were low on action but high on procedure and intrigue.

The plot has Quiller (George Segal), an American spy, sent to Berlin by British intelligence to infiltrate a cryptic neo-Nazi group known as Phoenix, after Jones, the previous agent assigned to the task, is killed before he can convey the location of their headquarters to Control.

Once in Berlin, the suave Quiller begins an affair with Inge Lindt (Senta Berger), a beautiful young teacher. But quickly their lives are put in danger when Quiller is kidnapped and taken to Phoenix’s headquarters, where he meets Oktober (Max von Sydow), the mysterious leader of the group.

Adapted by Harold Pinter from the 1965 novel The Berlin Memorandum by Elleston Trevor writing under the under the name “Adam Hall.” Besides George Segal and Max von Sydow, the great cast includes Alec Guinness, the beautiful Senta Berger and acerbic George Sanders.

The great looking film was shot on location in West Berlin and Pinewood Sudios, England.

It was nominated for 3 BAFTA Awards (British Oscars), and playwright Pinter was nominated for an Edgar Award for his screenplay. For more info on this limited edition (only 3,000 units), go to: screenarchives.com.

BUMBLEBEE CYBERTRON has fallen. When OPTIMUS PRIME sends BUMBLEBEE to defend Earth, his journey to become a hero begins. Charlie Watson (Hailee Steinfeld), a teenager trying to find her place in the world (who isn’t?), discovers and repairs the battlescarred robot, who’s designed as a Volkswagon Beetle. As the Decepticons hunt down the surviving AUTOBOTS with the help of a secret agency led by Agent Burns (John Cena), BUMBLEBEE and Charlie team up to protect and yes, save, the world.

Boasting an impressive 93% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, director Travis Knight’s

BUMBLEBEE, the sixth installment in the billion dollar “Transformers” series, is filled with wit style, action and imagination.

The digital 4K Ultra HD release is packed with over an hour of special features, including an allnew BUMBLEBEE motion comic following the beloved AUTOBOT on his next adventure. Plus, there’s a nice collection of deleted and extended scenes not shown in theaters, including the original opening of the movie, hilarious outtakes, and take a look at G1 (Generation 1) TRANSFORMERS robots on CYBERTRON through the eyes of BUMBLEBEE with exciting Bee Vision. For a limited time, the Blu-ray Combo Pack also includes an exclusive printed version of the new motion comic featuring BUMBLEBEE in a stand-alone story. Paramount.

THE BURNING

I was transported to mysterious dreamscape that subverted my expectations in a smoldering character study that tells the unsettling story of three individuals and an incident they experience.

Jongsu bumps into old friend, Haemi, on a part-time delivery job. Haemi asks Jongsu to take care of her cat while she leaves on a trip to Africa.

When she returns, Haemi introduces Jongsu to Ben, a man she met in Africa. One day, Ben and Haemi pay Jongsu a visit, and Ben reveals his secret interests to Jongsu.

This puzzling drama pays off, but leaves us to ponder on everything we’ve seen, heard and experienced long after the final credits have rolled.

The film and story unravel bit by bit, like a fever dream burning slowly inside the mind of the audience.

Be warned, you might well spend hours debating the meaning and metaphor of this seductive South Korean drama and still feel miles away from being sure of anything at all. And that’s the beauty of this remarkable piece of world cinema by Lee-Chang dong, a master of his craft. robin@coachellavalleywekly.com

BOOK REVIEW

T

he Coachella Valley is currently filled with amazing wild flowers, beautiful butterflies and singing mockingbirds.

It is officially springtime and our weather is absolutely magnificent! Now is the time to emerge from the interior to enjoy the perfect temperatures, stunning outdoor environs and read a good book.

Here is an eclectic variety of fiction and nonfiction work from the Penguin Random House publishing company. These are timely suggestions that may spark your curiosity as you venture outside to relax and read in our lovely sun-drenched paradise.

Remember, there is no guilt involved when you take time to read a book. In fact, it is a delightful way to unwind and selfimprove simultaneously. Who would argue with that?

FICTION The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

SPRING READING: BOOKS FROM PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE

BY HEIDI SIMMONS

This debut novel travels back in time to a colonial African settlement where it takes over a century for the story’s folks to overcome their differences and eventually work together to form a nation.

Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss by Rajeev Balasubramanyam The title character Chandra, seemingly has it all – respect, money, family. But after he survives a bicycle accident, he changes his course in search of a more fulfilling life, which takes him on a journey he could never have imagined.

Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini This is a short work of literary fiction by the bestselling author of The Kite Runner. It could almost be considered a graphic novel as it is an illustrated book only 48 pages long.

The story is about a boy who after escaping his disintegrating country makes the journey across the sea, and must now

survive alone as a refugee is a strange place.

The story sheds light on the challenges of the refugee crisis. Proceeds from the book go to organizations assisting refugees.

NONFICTION White Shoe: How a New Breed of Wall Street Lawyers Changed Big Business and the American Century by John Oller This is a true story of how a group of attorneys helped make American business synonymous with Big Business, and Wall Street the center of the financial world.

Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire - A 500-Year History by Kurt Andersen American history is fascinating. It’s easy to forget that this country is less than 250 years old. Author Andersen outlines how what’s happening in our country today—this post-

SAFETY TIPS

factual, “fake news” moment we’re all living through—is not something new, but rather an expression of our nation’s character.

The Woman’s Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote by Elaine Weiss The ratification of the constitutional amendment that granted women the right to vote was one of the greatest political battles in American history. Written like a thriller, the story unfolds as five women risk everything to gain a voice in the political system, take control their lives and change how history will unfold. * * * The Valley’s spring weather makes it just right to stretch out on a chaise lounge and engage with fresh stories, stimulating ideas or provocative characters. There are so many wonderful books with unexpected worlds to explore, interesting people to meet and challenging insights to be gained.

I hope this spring you find a book that piques your interest and you make time to relax and read. Enjoy!

BY FIRE CHIEF SAM DIGIOVANNA

DRIVING OURSELVES TO DEATH!

APRIL IS DISTRACTED DRIVER AWARENESS MONTH…

Y

ou’ve seen it, and you’ve likely even done it. They’ve drifted into your lane, driven right through red lights, blown past you in a hurry only to sit when the light turns greens because their now texting and distracted. They injure or kill thousands annually.

At any given daylight hour there are over 700,000 drivers using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices in this country. Over one third of drivers admit to texting and driving and three quarters say they regularly see or encounter others doing it.

Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55mph, that’s enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded.

In 2014, drivers with smart-phones had grown to 80 percent and is rising (the phone may be smart but the users aren’t).

“April is Distracted Driver Awareness Month,” reminds Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna.

“Now is the time to unplug yourself before you hurt yourself, others, or worse: ‘drive yourself to death.’”

When driving, put your cell phone away.

Not where you can see it light up for every notification you receive. Your cell phone should also be on silent mode. Just because your hands aren’t on your phone doesn’t

mean the distraction has been eliminated.

If a phone call or text message is really important, it’s best to pull over into a safe location — preferably a parking lot — before using your phone.

The same holds true with eating and driving, putting on makeup or fumbling for your smokes. It’s all called “Distracted Driving” and it’s deadly!

Be safe, be civil and be smart, without the phone. Without distraction!

For more information visit: www.nhtsa. gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving Drive Safe!

Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

CLUB CRAWLER NIGHTLIFE continued from page 15 BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Michael WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Live Music 5pm Keeth 5pm WILDEST GREENS; PD; 760-636-0441 Lance Riebsomer 11-2:30pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT; PS; 888999-1995 Nash with Quinto Menguante 9pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 Motown Too! 6:30pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; PD; 760-200-1768 Paul Douglas 6-9pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 The Radio 60 3-6pm Luminators 6pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Bill Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm Marx 6:30pm FRANK’S PLACE; IW; 760-797-8700 Ted BACKSTREET BISTRO; PD; 760-346-6393 Herman 6-8pm Johnny Morris 5:30-9pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 CV Music BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Music by Showcase Round 5,w/ Matt Claborn, Whyte Touchtunes 7pm Frydai, Jetta King, Nolan Lowlife 9pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Bill Gulino & LANDMARK LOUNGE; LQ; 760-289-6736 Brian Dennigan 6:30-10pm Scott Carter 7pm CASUELAS CAFÉ; PD; 760-568-0011 The LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325Mighty Sweet Nothings 5:30pm 2794 PS Sound Company noon, Hot Roxx CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick 6:30pm Tuzzolino 5:30pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; COPA NIGHTCLUB; PS; 760-866-0021 DJ 760-325-2323 Sunday Jam 3:30-7:30pm, Banks and Mr. Miami 8pm Mikael Healy 8pm DESMOND’S @ THE S; RM; 760-328-2111 NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Sergio Villegas 5:30-9pm Karaoke 8pm DRINGK; RM; 760-888-0111 DJ Journee 9pm THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Sunday Jam FRANK’S PLACE; IW; 760-797-8700 Larry Session 2-5pm, Kevin Henry 7:30pm Capeloto 6-9pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-327LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3254080 Sunday Jam Session 7pm 2794 PS Sound Company 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 The MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; Sunday Band 8pm 760-325-2323 Mikael Healey 8pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 COCKTAILS; TP; 760-3432115 Open Mic w/ Karaoke 8pm-1:15am Rockin Ray 6pm THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S 7:30pm MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 Jack Ruvio PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 6-9pm Open Mic 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Keisha 3560 The Myx 6:30pm D 6:30pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 ROWAN; PS; 760-904-5015 Michael Keeth The Refills 3pm 6-9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 VENUE@VENUS; PD; 760-834-7070 Jazz Darci Daniels and Reggie Vision 7pm and Fashion Party 5-7pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 The John Stanley King Trio 6-9:30pm Deanna Bogart 6:30pm

MON APRIL 8

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Nick Sosa 7pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 Motown Mondays 7pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJ LF hosted by Cali Redd 8pm

TUE APRIL 9

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Dana Larson 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Ace Karaoke 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Shelley Yoelin Group 9:30pm BACKSTREET BISTRO; PD; 760-346-6393 Live Jazz 6:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 TBA 7pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Chris Lomeli 6:30-10pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Big Rocking Country Tuesdays 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; PD; 760-200-1768 Lizann Warner 6:30-9:30pm, DJ 9:30pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm DESMOND’S @ THE S; RM; 760-328-2111 John Carey 5:30-9pm FIRESIDE LOUNGE; PS; 760-327-1700 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm FRANK’S PLACE; IW; 760-797-8700 Terri Olsen and the Perfect Blend 6-9pm HENRY’S SPORTS BAR AND GRILL; CC; 760-656-3444 Karaoke w/ KJ Danny 9pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Comedy Bingo w/ Bossi and Britches 9pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Karaoke 9pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Ted Quinn’s Open Mic 7pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 7pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 PS Sound Company 6:30pm LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Brad’s Pad 7pm

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 Tim Burleson 7:45pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Acoustic Music Lounge 7pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-3432115 Game Night w/ Luke O 8pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Rose Mallett 6:30pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 Country Night 6pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 John McCormick and The Shelly Scott Band 6:30-10pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Alex Santana 5-8pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 Yve Evans and John Bolivar 6pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 Coachella Tuesday w/ DJ Jeezy and Cali Redd 9pm

WED APRIL 10

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Daniel Horn 6pm AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Azhia 7-11pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Jazz Jam w/ Doug MacDonald & Friends 7pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Whiskey Wednesdays w/ Touchtunes 7pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Chris Lomeli 6:30-10pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Big Rockin Wednesdays w/ Thomas Gabriel 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; PD; 760-200-1768 Barry Minniefield 6:309:30pm, DJ 9:30pm COACHELLA VALLEY BREWING CO; TP; 760-343-5973 Uncle Ben’s Open Mic 6-8pm

COPA NIGHTCLUB; PS; 760-866-0021 Issa Wednesday Humpday w/ DJ Ax 9pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm DESMOND’S @ THE S; RM; 760-328-2111 Joe Baldino 5:30-9pm DRINGK; RM; 760-888-0111 S.I.N. w/ DJ Mirage 9pm ELECTRIC SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-2281199 Karaoke 7:30pm FRANK’S PLACE; IW; 760-797-8700 Terri Olsen and Patricia Welsh 6:30pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Open Mic Hosted by Josh Heinz 8pm 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 Roxx 6:30pm LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Latin Night 7pm 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; 760-3274080 Roger & Friends 7pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Michael Holmes Trio 6:30pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 TBA 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Katheryn White 6:30pm VENUE@VENUS; PD; 760-834-7070 Open Mic/Karaoke 5-8pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 The Slim Man Band 6:30-10pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Jeff Bonds 5-8pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 Shelley Yoelin’s Jazz Showcase 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 Calentura Nights w/ DJ LF 9pm

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

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HADDON LIBBY

A

lbert Einstein once said to his accountant Leo Mattersdorf, “The hardest thing in the world to understand is income taxes.” Mattersdof replied, “There is one thing more difficult, and that is your theory of relativity.” Einstein disagreed.

Income taxes are due on Monday, April 15th this year. For 2019, there is no 1040EZ form as everything is supposed to be easier.

How the IRS can come to this conclusion is a bit sketchy as they also estimate that it will take ON AVERAGE 13 hours to complete your taxes. This is probably why three out of four people use an accountant, H&R Block or tax prep tool like Turbotax. Another 10% do not earn enough to file taxes while approximately 8% consider themselves tax savants who can do their own taxes without the aid of a computer or CPA. The rest get a friend or family member to do their taxes.

If you need more time to complete your taxes, you can file for an extension which gives you until October 15th to complete and file your taxes. Form 4868 can be found at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4868.pdf.

While the extension allows you an additional six months to complete your taxes, you must pay all taxes due for 2018 by April 15th. If you figure out that you should have paid more when you complete your taxes after the 15th, you will not only owe those taxes but a penalty that equals 0.5% of the amount owed for every month that the

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

EVEN EINSTEIN STRUGGLED

IRS does not get their vig.

Need a last minute tax deduction?

Contribute to your 401(k) or tax-deferred retirement account. You can make contributions for 2018 at any point in 2019 so long as it is done before you submit your 2018 tax returns. People under 50 years of age can contribute up to $18,500 a year while those over 50 can contribute $24,500. If your tax-deferred plan allows for late contributions, be sure to get a written confirmation that the contribution was applied to 2018.

In 2018, Americans paid $5.1 trillion

DALE GRIBOW ON THE LAW

in taxes to their federal, state and local governments. To put this number into some kind of context, the Tax Foundation estimates that Americans spend the same amount for all of their housing, food and clothing. Medical remains one of the largest single expenditures for most American families.

Financial problems related to medical costs are but one of many reasons why the Tax Policy Center estimates that 44% of all Americans do not pay taxes. While most are due to low income, many of the most affluent maximize their legal tax deductions

to create 0% tax rates for themselves as well.

While we all feel that we pay too much in taxes, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reports that the United States has the 3rd lowest rate of the 28 developed countries of the world. Only Chile and Mexico have lower tax rates while the French pay on average 45% of their earnings in taxes. Here in the United States, we pay 27 cents for every dollar earned. That said, the people of Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Washington and Wyoming pay no income taxes while those in New York, New Jersey, Illinois and California pay some of the nation’s highest tax rates.

While California taxes most of us at some of the highest rates in the United States, if you choose to gamble via the California State Lottery and win more than $5,000, those winnings are tax-free.

Haddon Libby is the Founder and Managing Partner of Winslow Drake Investment Management, a fiduciary only investment advisory firm. To reach Haddon or learn more about their award nominated services, email HLibby@WinslowDrake.com or visit www.WinslowDrake.com.

LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF THE INJURED & CRIMINALLY ACCUSED

GET ANSWERS TO THESE ISSUES BEFORE HIRING A LAWYER

I

f you have been in an auto accident you need to have answers to the following questions BEFORE hiring a lawyer. I have covered all these topics in past CV WEEKLY columns and they are all indexed. Educate yourself by reading them now for answers... coachellavalleyweekly.com/category/dalegribow-on-the-law DO I HAVE A CASE? HOW MUCH IS MY CASE WORTH? WHY DID A LAWYER REJECT YOUR ACCIDENT CASE? HOW CAN I RECEIVE MEDICAL CARE? WHY CAN’T I SEE MY OWN DOCTOR? IS IT IMPORTANT THAT MY DOCTOR BE EXPERIENCED IN WRITING A MED/LEGAL REPORT? HOW CAN I GET MY CAR REPAIRED? WHY CAN’T I GO TO MY NEIGHBOR’S BODY SHOP? CAN I GET A LOANER? SHOULD I SPEAK WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY? HOW CAN AN ATTORNEY HELP ME? WHY IS THE INSURANCE COMPANY NOT OFFERING ENOUGH MONEY FOR MY ACCIDENT CASE? IF MY INSURANCE COMPANY DOES NOT OFFER ENOUGH MONEY CAN I HIRE A LAWYER? WILL A LAWYER ACCEPT THE CASE AFTER I

TRIED TO SETTLE IT? WHAT TO DO AND NOT DO AFTER AN ACCIDENT? DO YOU NEED A PI ATTORNEY? HOW TO CHOSE THE RIGHT PI ATTORNEY? WHAT DOES A PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER DO FOR YOU? HOW IS THE VALUE OF A PI CASE DETERMINED? DO INSURANCE CO’S WANT TO TAKE YOUR PI CASE RECOVERY FROM YOU? WHAT JURIES DID NOT KNOW OR WILL NEVER KNOW ABOUT YOUR CASE? THE TOP MISTAKES ACCIDENT VICTIMS MAKE WHEN DEALING WITH DOCTORS STOP AUTOMATIC DMV LICENSE SUSPENSION! THE BIGGEST MISTAKES THAT DESTROY YOUR ACCIDENT CASE THE TOP MYTHS ABOUT YOUR ACCIDENT CASE WIIFM: WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? DO ADJUSTERS GET BONUSES FOR SAVING INSURANCE CO’S MONEY? WHY IS THE INSURANCE COMPANY NOT OFFERING ENOUGH MONEY FOR MY ACCIDENT CASE? IF WOULD HAVE BEEN CHEAPER IF YOU DIDN’T DRINK AND DRIVE AND HAVE AN ACCIDENT THE 10 QUESTIONS EVERY ACCIDENT/DUI

VICTIM SHOULD ASK SILENCE IS GOLDEN...TALKING COULD BE COSTLY IF YOU CAN’T FIND ANSWERS TO ALL THESE QUESTIONS CALL ME...760 837 7500.

A DOZEN GOLDEN RULES TO FOLLOW WITHOUT EXCEPTION 1. Call police 2. Hire a local lawyer asap 3. Be honest and don’t hide prior accidents from your lawyer or doctor?

4. Don’t miss medical appointments or have gaps in treatment.

5. Purchase adequate insurance.

6. Follow your lawyers advice about repairs.

7. Silence is Golden.

8. Get immediate medical treatment.

9. Don’t treat with the wrong doctor 10. Don’t handle the case yourself.

11. Treat with a doctor experienced with preparing med/legal reports 12. TAKE DOWN SOCIAL MEDIA (FACEBOOK): Don’t post that you’re feeling great or running to play tennis or golf. The insurance company will argue if you were well enough to play a sport you couldn’t be hurt that badly. Social media is the biggest advance for insurance companies who no longer have to hire private investigators. They learn from your daily posts how you are doing and that could be the kiss of death for your case. Take

down your social media until the case is over.

The insurance company can learn of your friends and have investigators talk to them and learn how healthy you are. Your friends may assume you are ok because you do not complain.

INSURANCE COMPANIES DO WHATEVER THEY CAN TO PAY LESS MONEY ON AUTO, HURRICANE, FLOOD OR FIRE CLAIMS... IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE THE KIND OF CLAIM. THUS YOU MUST PUT AN EXPERIENCED ACCIDENT LAWYER IN YOUR CORNER I look upon my job as protecting the Constitutional Rights of every American who drinks, drives and gets arrested for a DUI or has an ACCIDENT. I do however “Change Hats” when I SUE Drunk Drivers for damages to my Injured or Deceased (Wrongful Death) clients.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE ARTICLES? CONTACT DALE GRIBOW 760-837-7500/ dale@dalegribowlaw.com.

DALE GRIBOW “TOP LAWYER” - Palm Springs Life-(DUI/PI)2011-19 “TOP LAWYER”- Inland Empire Magazine Nov. ‘16 PERFECT 10.0 AVVO Peer Rating

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

NILS JIPTNER

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MUSIC

TO PERFORM AT “JAZZ AT THE PIAZZA” AT VENUS DE FIDO APRIL 12

O

n April 12th, 5 to 8 pm, One of the most successful artists in the Contemporary Jazz genre, NILS JIPTNER, will perform at “Jazz at the Piazza,” Under the Stars at the Venus de Fido Garden.

With 3 number one hits in the Smooth Jazz charts, including Song of the Decade, “Pacific Coast Hwy,” 2001-2010, and Song of the Year 2011, “Jump Start,” he stands out among his peers.

Keyboardist/vocalist Clydene Jackson, voice in the Lion King, and Oliver Brown,

original member of KC and the Sunshine band and the Whispers, will be on Percussions.

Tix are $25. www.purplepass.com/Nils. To Benefit Leukemia Lymphoma Society. This is a RR Class Act Entertainment Production.

Venus de Fido, 73600 Alessandro Dr, Palm Desert, CA 92260. 760-834-7070.

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Call Now For A Complimentary consultation 72-880 Fred Waring Dr. A3, Palm Desert, CA 92260

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FREEWILL ASTROLOGY

Week of April 4

ARIES (March 21-April 19): A mushroom shaped like a horse’s hoof grows on birch trees in parts of Europe and the U.S. If you strip off its outer layer, you get amadou, spongy stuff that’s great for igniting fires. It’s not used much anymore, but it was a crucial resource for some of our ancestors. As for the word “amadou,” it’s derived from an old French term that means “tinder, kindling, spunk.” The same word was formerly used to refer to a person who is quick to light up or to something that stimulates liveliness. In accordance with astrological omens, I’m making “Amadou” your nickname for the next four weeks.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Human beings are not born once and for all on the day their mothers give birth to them,” wrote novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez. “Life obliges them over and over to give birth to themselves.” Here’s what I’ll add to that: As you mature, you do your best to give birth to evernew selves that are in alignment with the idealistic visions you have of the person you want to become.

Unfortunately, most of us aren’t skilled at that task in adolescence and early adulthood, and so the selves we create may be inadequate or delusory or distorted. Fortunately, as we learn from our mistakes, we eventually learn to give birth to selves that are strong and righteous. The only problem is that the old false selves we generated along the way may persist as ghostly echoes in our psyche. And we have a sacred duty to banish those ghostly echoes.

I tell you this, Taurus, because the coming months will be en excellent time to do that banishing. Ramp up your efforts NOW! GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “When spring came, there were no problems except where to be happiest,” wrote Ernest Hemingway in his memoir.

He quickly amended that statement, though, mourning, “The only thing that could spoil a day was people.” Then he ventured even further, testifying, “People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself.” I bring these thoughts to your attention so as to prepare you for some good news. In the next three weeks, I suspect you will far exceed your quota for encounters with people who are not “limiters of happiness”—who are as good as spring itself.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): It’s time to prove that Cancerians have more to offer than nurturing, empathizing, softening the edges, feeling deeply, getting comfortable, and being creative. Not that there’s anything wrong with those talents. On the contrary! They’re beautiful and necessary. It’s just that for now you need to avoid being pigeonholed as a gentle, sensitive soul. To gather the goodies that are potentially available to you, you’ll have to be more forthright and aggressive than usual. Is it possible for you to wield a commanding presence?

Can you add a big dose of willfulness and a pinch of ferocity to your self-presentation? Yes and yes!

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): General Motors manufactured a car called the Pontiac Aztek from 2001 to 2005. It wasn’t commercially successful. One critic said it looked like “an angry kitchen appliance,” and many others agreed it was exceptionally unstylish. But later the Aztek had an odd revival because of the popularity of the TV show Breaking Bad. The show’s protagonist, Walter White, owned one, and that motivated some of his fans to emulate his taste in cars. In accordance with astrological omens, Leo, I suspect that something of yours may also enjoy a second life sometime soon. An offering that didn’t get much appreciation the first time around may undergo a resurgence. Help it do so.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “Of all the female sins, hunger is the least forgivable,” laments feminist author Laurie Penny. She’s referring to the hunger “for anything, for food, sex, power, education, even love.” She continues: “If we have desires, we are expected to conceal them, to control them, to keep ourselves in check. We are supposed to be objects of desire, not desiring beings.” I’ve quoted her because I suspect it’s crucial for you to not suppress or hide your longings in the coming weeks. That’s triply true if you’re a woman, but also important if you’re

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© Copyright 2019 Rob Brezsny

a man or some other gender. You have a potential to heal deeply if you get very clear about what you hunger for and then express it frankly.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Only one of Nana Mouskouris’s vocal cords works, but over the course of an almost 60-year career, the Libran singer has sold over 30 million records in twelve different languages. Many critics speculate that her apparent disadvantage is key to her unique style. She’s a coloratura mezzo, a rare category of chanteuse who sings ornate passages with exceptional agility and purity. In the coming weeks, I suspect that you will be like Mouskouris in your ability to capitalize on a seeming lack or deprivation.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Your tribe is symbolized by three animals: the scorpion, the eagle, and the mythological phoenix. Some astrologers say that the scorpion is the ruling creature of “unevolved” or immature Scorpios, whereas the eagle and phoenix are associated with those of your tribe who express the riper, more enlightened qualities of your sign. But I want to put in a plug for the scorpion as being worthy of all Scorpios. It is a hardy critter that rivals the cockroach in its ability to survive—and even thrive in—less than ideal conditions. For the next two weeks, I propose we make it your spirit creature.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian novelist Gustave Flaubert declared that it’s “our duty is to feel what is sublime and cherish what is beautiful.” But that’s a demanding task to pull off on an ongoing basis. Maybe the best we can hope for is to feel what’s sublime and cherish what’s beautiful for 30-35 days every year. Having said that, though, I’m happy to tell you that in 2019 you could get all the way up to 95-100 days of feeling what’s sublime and cherishing what’s beautiful. And as many as 15 to 17 of those days could come during the next 21.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Sommeliers are people trained to perceive the nuances of wine. By sampling a few sips, the best sommeliers can discern facts about the type of grapes that were used to make the wine and where on earth they were grown.

I think that in the coming weeks you Capricorns should launch an effort to reach a comparable level of sensitivity and perceptivity about any subject you care about. It’s a favorable time to become even more masterful about your specialties; to dive deeper into the areas of knowledge that captivate your imagination.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Every language is a work-in-progress. New words constantly insinuate themselves into common usage, while others fade away. If you traveled back in time to 1719 while remaining in your current location, you’d have trouble communicating with people of that era. And today linguistic evolution is even more rapid than in previous ages. The Oxford English Dictionary adds more than a thousand new words annually. In recognition of the extra verbal skill and inventiveness you now posses, Aquarius, I invite you to coin a slew of your own fresh terms. To get you warmed up, try this utterance I coined: vorizzimo!

It’s an exclamation that means “thrillingly beautiful and true.”

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): One of history’s most audacious con men was George C. Parker, a Pisces. He made his living selling property that did not legally belong to him, like the Brooklyn Bridge, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Statue of Liberty. I suspect you could summon his level of salesmanship and persuasive skills in the coming weeks. But I hope you will use your nearly magical powers to make deals and perform feats that have maximum integrity. It’s OK to be a teensy bit greedy, though.

Homework: Name a beautiful thing you were never capable of doing until now. FreeWill Astrology.com ---------------------------------------Rob Brezsny Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

EVENTS

April 4 to April 10, 2019

BY CRAIG MICHAELS

POOCHELLA FEST

TO BENEFIT LOCAL CHARITIES

T

he Palm Springs Regional Association of REALTORS® (PSRAR) charter was granted in 1928. Their mission is to assists real estate professionals and their affiliates in our desert communities.

Fundraising for local nonprofit organizations is a year-round goal of the Palm Springs Regional Association of REALTORS®. The organization is excited to announce its first fundraiser for 2019 “Poochella Fest.”

This free community event will feature a dog adoption and pet food drive. The fundraiser highlights the need for fostering and adopting homeless animals. Funds raised by Poochella Fest will also benefit the local Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs & Cathedral City along with the Friends of the Palm Springs Animal Shelter. The festivities will take place on Saturday April 13, 2019 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Demuth Park in Palm Springs. ​The Boys ​and ​Girls ​Club ​will ​hold ​a ​Pet ​Food Drive ​prior to Poochella Fest and on ​the d​ ay​ of ​the ​event the ​kids ​will ​have ​an ​opportunity​

to pres​ent ​their ​donations ​to ​the F​ riends of the Palm ​Springs ​Animal ​Shelter. Guests are also encouraged to bring pet food to donate for the animals. Bring your family and friends and enjoy a pet fashion show, silent auction, raffle prizes, Easter egg hunt, entertainment, food and drinks. All monies ​raised ​from ​this community ​ev​ e​ nt ​will ​be split ​between ​the​ two ​charities​.

There is still time to get involved. If you or your company would like to support the event there are many different ways you can do this. You can purchase a booth to gain exposure for your company at the event. You can also sponsor an activity and get mentions at the event and social media. You can also donate raffle prizes, pet food or make a cash donation.

For booth registration and details please contact Jason Watson 760-449-1832 jason@ jasonwatson.realtor or Craig Michaels at 760880-3848 or craigmichaelsrealestate@gmail. com.

Written by: Craig Michaels

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

TRAVEL TIPS 4 U

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

BY LYNNE TUCKER

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK JOSHUA TREE, CA

J

oshua Tree National Park is a vast protected area in southern California.

It’s characterized by rugged rock formations and stark desert landscapes.

Named for the region’s twisted, bristled Joshua trees, the park straddles the cactus-dotted Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert, which is higher and cooler. Keys View looks out over the Coachella Valley. Hiking trails weave through the boulders of Hidden Valley.

Where Two Deserts Meet Two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado, come together in Joshua Tree National Park. A fascinating variety of plants and animals make their homes in a land sculpted by strong winds and occasional torrents of rain. Dark night skies, a rich cultural history, and surreal geologic features add to the wonder of this vast wilderness in southern California. Come explore for yourself.

Be Prepared - Though beautiful, the desert environment can be harsh and unforgiving.

Preparedness is critical for your Safety.

There is no cell service throughout the park.

Always keep an ample supply of water with you while traveling through the park, whether driving or hiking. We recommend a minimum of one gallon of water per person, per day; hikers and cyclists should carry two gallons per person, per day.

Avoid strenuous activity during times of extreme heat.

Protect yourself from the sun by wearing sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat.

Entrance Fee - $30. 7-day vehicle permit, admitting the passengers of a single, noncommercial vehicle on the day of purchase and for the next six days.

Motorcycle Entrance Fee - $25. 7-day entrance permit, per motorcycle.

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CANNABIS CORNER

BY MICHELLE ANN RIZZIO

HEALING WITH CANNABIS IS NOT A ONE-STEP SOLUTION FOR EVERY PERSON

A

Individual Entrance Fee - $15. 7-day entrance fee, per person on foot or bike.

Non-commercial Groups - Per Person - $15.

Per-person fee charged to non-commercial groups entering in a vehicle with a capacity of 16 passengers or more.

Joshua Tree National Park Annual Pass $55. This pass is valid for 12 months from the month of purchase. It covers the entrance fee to Joshua Tree National Park for the pass signee and accompanying passengers entering in a single, non-commercial vehicle. Joshua Tree Annual Passes are available at park entrance stations and visitor centers.

Days are typically clear with less than 25% humidity. Temperatures are most comfortable in the spring and fall, with an average high around 85°F (29°C) and average lows around 50°F (10°C) respectively. Winter brings cooler days, around 60°F (15°C), and freezing nights.

It occasionally snows at higher elevations.

Summers are hot, over 100°F (38°C) during the day and not cooling much below 75°F (24°C) at night. nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/basicinfo. htm#collapseF

lthough we all have an endocannabinoid system how do we know if it is or isn’t regulated?

How do we discern how to properly dose ourselves with cannabis? What do we do when we over medicate with cannabis (spoiler: use CBD) ? Let alone dissect which cannabinoid or terpene we need for optimal wellness of our endocannabinoid system.

Not everyone has the time to become a “cannascientist”.

I have been medicating with cannabis for a decade to provide relief of a frustrating part of my body called my L5 disc. It is everyday degenerating and the chronic pain doesn’t have plans to go away anytime soon. In my late teens and early twenties it was highly suggested that I have back surgery, that I commit to a 30 day refill of heavy muscle relaxers and opiates, and that my path was that of my L5 being my focus in life. I said no and threw myself into the Prop 215 cannabis space in 2010. I attended many lectures and symposiums in San Francisco and immersed myself into learning everything I could about this plant and what its many varieties could offer to my body. My success with pain management using cannabis in its various forms has inspired many family members and friends to turn to cannabis for their pain management as well.

I am asked a multitude of questions about cannabis daily because I am a fulltime cannabis professional interacting with consumers of all types including those in the very curious world just outside the cannabis bubble. My favorite one is simple, “how do I heal myself?” The first thing I recommend is to 1. Study Thy Self. I highly recommend The Patient Journal from Gold Leaf (www. shopgoldleaf.com) if you love writing things down. This fancy journal comes prepared

with leading questions to help you fine tune your cannabis therapy by listing symptoms, products, effects (both positive and negative), and how you used the product. If you’re more tech savvy and believe logging it on your phone would be more effective I love the Releaf app (www.releafapp.com).

This super handy app allows you to track and log your experience with cannabis super easily from your Apple or Android phone.

Being able to have this fantastic data to review after a month, 6 months, and even a year of Studying Thy Self makes it very easy to discern how to continue providing yourself with relief and healing with cannabis. Making notes of your experiences with different cannabinoids and terpenes allows you to better explore the dispensaries offerings and makes your relationship with various cannabis brands more simplified. Seeing that CBD helps your migraines consistently, that pinene relieved you of your inflammation during work, or that THCV really assisted you with your weight loss goals can really make the difference of how you utilize cannabis down the road. As we continue to exist in an illegal federal landscape, educating ourselves with knowledge of our own body and how this plant works with us is the best way to design a structured therapy with our cannabis use. Additionally, keeping up with cannabis education is also crucial.

My favorite resource for FREE cannabis education is green-flower.com. This website is literally like the Youtube for cannabis. It has so many areas of the cannabis space to explore, including lectures and talks from medical professionals in the field.

Take your time while immersing yourself into this rich space of taking your health into your own hands, and remember that even cannabis is not a quick fix but a therapy that will offer consistent relief and healing as you grow more familiar with your wellness needs, and the wide scope of benefits cannabis can provide.

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

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CANNABIS CORNER

THE ALL NEW! PUFF PARLOUR

CATHEDRAL CITY’S NEW CANNABIS CONSUMPTION LOUNGE GRAND OPENING ON SATURDAY APRIL 6TH

PUFF PARLOUR CONSUMPTION LOUNGE

P

26

uff Parlour, a new cannabis consumption lounge, located adjacent to Dank Depot, in Cathedral City is set to have their official “Grand Opening” on Saturday April 6th the same day as the appreciation party for Dank Depot.

Don’t forget to grab your Exclusive Dank Depot Coachella Survival Kit at Dank Depot’s Hella Coachella event. During the Grand Opening Puff Parlour will also be offering complimentary smoking accessories and industry leading smoking devices (while supplies last).

The all new innovative consumption lounge is the very first of its kind. Newport Beach interior designer Saghi Sabzevarian has created a unique atmosphere complete with state-of-the-art TVs, one long communal dining table, cozy living room, old school arcade games and parody’s of vintage board games. “The idea for Puff Parlour was started from a cool and homey feel. The goal was to make it a social lounge that would bring people together. Some of the accessories are influenced by the 60s and 70s and the space has cool artwork that smokers will love and relate to,” Sabzevarian said.

On Saturday, there will also be over 25 industry vendors that will be on hand in person including Gold Flora, Bloom, Bebo, ATS, Papa & Barkley, HoneyVape, Bakked, and many more. Special pricing from the vendors all day long. Gloria’s Tacos will be serving up complimentary hors d’oeurves and beverages starting at noon with DJ inspired music. The celebration will commence from 11a.m. to 7p.m. with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with city officials and dignitaries at 1p.m.

Puff Parlour is the latest venture from business veterans Ruben Harutyunyan and Sahak Ghaghian, who also own and operate Dank Depot with the visionary of Saghi Sabzevarian. Harutyunyan and Ghaghian also own City of Dank in the Showgirls Plaza in Cathedral City.

So what makes this different from

other lounges? “It’s basically like you’re in someone’s living room. We chose the word parlour because it has a homey feel. The lounge itself is homey yet contemporary with state-of-the-art TVs for entertainment, and a glass flat screen arcade table featuring over 50 games, where people can sit on either side of it and play the classic arcade games like Pac-Man, Galaga, and Donkey Kong,” Sahak Ghaghian explained.

“It’s not just another consumer cannabis smoke lounge. We really wanted it to have a warm inviting feel and I think we’ve accomplished that with the Puff Parlour. We also have one long communal dining table with bar stools where customers who might have not come in together can sit down and really get to know one another and maybe even become friends by the time they leave,” Ghaghian said. “We were trying to go from the opposite perception of what people think about when they think about a smoke lounge. Puff Parlour is about bringing people together in a fun and unique environment.

We also have a small bar area with a host/ attendant that will be present at all times to help customers with whatever they might need and fresh fruit infused water for customers as well,” Sabzevarian added.

“We are excited to have a place that people can feel comfortable, making it feel like a home away from home,” Harutyunyan said.

Make sure to experience the all new smoke lounge, Puff Parlour, located adjacent to Dank Depot in Cathedral City, and experience for yourself a Higher Quality Licensed Dispensary, the absolute best products available, and the most original cannabis consumption lounge.

About Puff Parlour: 68-031 Ramon Road, Suite 103 Cathedral City, CA 92234 For more information, or to set up an interview, contact: Steve Johns: Captureone@aol.com or 760-272-4544.

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

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April 4 to April 10, 2019

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