Coachella Valley Weekly - May 13 to May 19, 2021 Vol. 10 No. 9

coachellavalleyweekly.com • May 13 to May 19, 2021 Vol.10 No.9

Rock For Ryder

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Cheap Trick

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Greater Palm Springs Tourism Foundation Golf Tournament

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Little Big Town

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May 13 to May 19, 2021

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May 13 to May 19, 2021

BY CRYSTAL HARRELL 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 Head Music Writer Noe Gutierrez Head Feature Writer Crystal Harrell Feature Writers Lisa Morgan, Rich Henrich, Heidi Simmons, Tricia Witkower, Jason Hall, Esther Sanchez Writers/Contributors: Robin Simmons, Rick Riozza, Eleni P. Austin, Craig Michaels, Janet McAfee, Bronwyn Ison, Haddon Libby, Sam DiGiovanna, Dale Gribow, Denise Ortuno Neil, Rob Brezny, Dr. Peter Kadile, Dee Jae Cox, Angela Romeo, Aaron Ramson, Lynne Tucker, Aimee Mosco, Michelle Anne Rizzio, Ruth Hill, Madeline Zuckerman Photographers Robert Chance, Laura Hunt Little, Chris Miller, Iris Hall, Esther Sanchez Videographer Kurt Schawacker Website Editor Bobby Taffolla Distribution Phil Lacombe, William Westley

CONTENTS

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ong were the days that theatres remained empty as the COVID-19 pandemic prevented large scale audiences from attending any shows. With more cases declining and California aiming to fully reopen by June, the McCallum Theatre announced its new lineup for the 20212022 season, which will bring audiences and artists back together to the Palm Desert venue beginning on December 3, 2021. It has been 632 days since the McCallum’s last preCOVID-19 performance.

“We are thrilled that intermission is almost over. Come December, the curtain will rise again at the McCallum Theatre after more than 600 nights without artists and audiences coming together. It will be such a happy night. We can't wait to welcome our wonderful patrons back to their theater,” said Jeffrey Norman, the McCallum’s VicePresident of Communications and Public Affairs.

The new season includes an assortment of McCallum “greatest hits,” including iconic superstars, long-awaited return visits from show business royalty, plus a robust music and variety lineup and an impressive array of Broadway’s most cherished, long-running shows.

The official start of the 2021-2022 McCallum Theatre season will be from December 3-5 with the hit musical, Hairspray, telling the story of 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad’s goal to dance her way onto TV in the 1960s. The new touring production reunites the original creative team of director Jack O’Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell. A special returning December

highlight will be Barry Manilow’s A Gift of Love V, the hottest holiday show in the Valley, with all proceeds going to support 25 local charities. Tickets for the performances are not available through the McCallum Theatre website and must be purchased online only at www.AGOL5.com.

The 2021-2022 McCallum Theatre Broadway season continues with one of the most beloved shows in musical theater history, Fiddler on the Roof (January 28-30, 2022 for five performances). From February 25-27, 2022, for five performances, the most successful musical theater show in McCallum history returns as Jersey Boys retells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and their successes and struggles onstage and off as they attained international stardom. Finally, desert audiences will have another chance to enjoy the sellout sensation, Beautiful:The Carole King Musical, when this tribute returns to the McCallum for five performances from April 1-3, 2022.

An additional theater event is long-time McCallum friend, Steve Solomon, who

returns to the desert with an all-new version of his show, My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish & I’m Still in Therapy, for three performances, January 25 and 26, 2022.

Patti LuPone (Don’t Monkey with Broadway) and Kristin Chenoweth (For the Girls) will take to the McCallum stage on January 18, 2022 and February 18 & 19, respectively. Two other leading ladies of Broadway and television, Vanessa Williams and Linda Eder, will perform on January 22, 2022, and March 18, 2022, respectively.

Several songstresses are also part of the lineup, including LeAnn Rimes (January 8, 2022); the McCallum debut of Rosanne Cash, along with her husband John Leventhal (February 17, 2022); the deliciously playful Storm Large, with her band Le Bonheur (February 21, 2022); Jackie Evancho (March 4, 2022); and the legendary Judy Collins (March 11, 2022).

Major tribute shows including, two first timers at the Theatre and two blockbuster favorites, will make an appearance. continue to page 5

McCallum Theatre 2021-2022 Season...... 3-5 Rock For Ryder ............................................... 6 Consider This - Cheap Trick ........................... 8 Club Crawler Nightlife ...................................9 Greater Palm Springs Tourism Foundation Golf Tournament ..................................... 10 Little Big Town at Fantasy Springs............. 10 Screeners ...................................................... 11 The Vino Voice ............................................. 12 Keg Whisperer ............................................. 15 Pet Place ................................................. 14-15 Haddon Libby .............................................. 17 Dale Gribow ................................................. 17 Health - Keto ................................................ 19 Free Will Astrology ..................................... 19 Safety Tips.................................................... 20 Lotus Garden Center ................................... 20

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MCCALLUM THEATRE

May 13 to May 19, 2021

continued from page 3

Presented through the generosity of the City of Rancho Mirage, Ray on My Mind is a concert/theatre piece that brings the story of the great Ray Charles to vivid life on January 20, 2022. McCallum royalty are honored in A Tribute to Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé, a loving look at two legends who considered the McCallum their home away from home on January 21, 2022. The Highwaymen LIVE, a musical tribute to Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings, will perform on February 2, 2022. One Night of Queen brings back Gary Mullen & The Works (March 1, 2022) in a spectacular live concert recreating the look, sound, pomp and showmanship of arguably the greatest rock band of all time.

The fun gets underway on January 7, 2022 with Jeanne Robertson, a YouTube sensation whose videos include “Don’t Bungee Jump Naked”and “Don’t Send a Man to the Grocery Store.” Former Tonight Show host Jay Leno brings his unique charm, comedy and charisma back to the McCallum for two shows on February 20, 2022.

The successful National Geographic LIVE series returns for another season in 20212022 with a fourth program added to the roster. This engaging series brings to the McCallum thought-provoking presentations by today’s leading explorers, scientists and photographers. The new season includes: Secret Lives of Bears, featuring Carnivore Ecologist Rae Wynn-Grant who works in the expansive American Prairie Reserve to protect and restore iconic wildlife populations (January 24, 2022); A View from Above, with former International Space Station Commander Terry Virts, who took hours of video and hundreds of thousands of still images from the station’s 360-degree viewing module (February 28, 2022); Nature Roars Back, with wildlife filmmaker Bob Poole, who documents the rebirth of a lost Eden: Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park (March 14, 2022); and Skiing the Dream Line, with mountaineer Hilaree Nelson, National Geographic’s 2018 Adventurer of the Year, one of the first people to complete the epic descent of the “Dream Line,” considered to be one of the boldest ski runs of all time (April 4, 2022).

Jeffrey Siegel’s Keyboard Conversations® returns with two programs including: Celebrating Beethoven (February 7, 2022) and The Glorious Music of Chopin (March 7, 2022). Additionally, McCallum favorite Hershey Felder will bring his one-man show, Monsieur Chopin, to the McCallum for two performances on February 15 and 16, 2022.

The new year brings an Intimate evening with David Foster HITMAN TOUR back to the McCallum for three performances (January 14 & 15, 2022). For pure, joyful nostalgia, nothing beats The Lettermen performance on January 16, 2022, made possible through the generosity of The City of Rancho Mirage.

For the first time since 2013, the worldrenowned Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis returns to the McCallum on January 23, 2022. McCallum perennials Steve Tyrell and Chris Botti will return on February 24 and April 9, respectively. The latest edition of Palm Springs Legends

(January 27, 2022) will feature some of the best tribute artists honoring the Desert’s most famous stars including Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Keely Smith, Jack Benny, Elvis Presley, and more. Closing out January is the long-awaited return of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (January 31, 2022). Audiences across the globe have been entranced by the troupe’s technical mastery.

In February, The TEN Tenors come to Palm Desert just in time for Valentine’s Day with a show featuring their greatest hits from the past 25 years for seven performances beginning from February 9-14, 2022. Massive international success, Straight No Chaser, visits the McCallum on February 23, 2022. One other a cappella group hits the McCallum stage on March 10, 2022 when Voctave, an eleven-member group hailing from Central Florida, brings their extraordinary harmonies to the desert.

Early March also brings the return of opera to the McCallum Theatre as Teatro Lirico d’ Europa brings its celebrated production of The Barber of Seville to the desert on March 3, 2022). The legendary Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. bring their Up, Up & Away show to the McCallum on March 5, 2022.

Get Happy: Michael Feinstein Celebrates the Judy Garland Centennial comes to town in a memorable pairing of one exceptional artist sharing the legacy of another on March 12, 2022. Remaining performances in March include the smoldering international dance sensation, Luis Bravo’s Forever Tango (March 13, 2022); one of the most innovative vocal groups of all time, The Manhattan Transfer, celebrating their 50th anniversary (March 19, 2022); the 64th edition of It’s Magic!, presented through the generosity of the City of Rancho Mirage (March 20, 2022); and a McCallum sellout in 2019, Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, returns (March 21, 2022).

Neil Berg’s 102 Years of Broadway (March 22 and 23, 2022) and Neil Berg’s 50 Years of Rock-N-Roll, Part 2 (March 23 and 24, 2022) are also scheduled. McCallum favorites Pink Martini with singers China Forbes and Storm Large return with five performances from March 25-28, 2022. Meow Meow makes her triumphant diva return to the McCallum on April 5, 2022 with her show, Pandemonium, an evening of pure chaos, with crowd surfing, exquisite music, and much mayhem.

“Performing arts have been important since the dawn of time. They entertain, inform, enrich, and create lasting memories. During the pandemic, the McCallum put together a ‘Ghostlight Series,’ which were virtual episodes with performances by many of the artists who have been at the Theatre and will be again next season. They received over 13,000 views on YouTube and we got so many words of gratitude from people for bringing the performing arts into their homes,” explained Norman.

A number of the artists in the 20212022 season appeared in the McCallum’s free virtual Ghostlight Series during the pandemic, each sharing a personal message to McCallum audiences expressing their

delight to return to a place where they feel so warmly welcomed by ticket buyers and the McCallum staff.

“We hope people will return and feel comfortable and safe. We believe that by December, most will be vaccinated but we are committed to doing everything we can to create a safe, clean environment. We are updating our air filtration systems, adding touchless technology and working with our friends at Eisenhower Health on up-tothe-minute safety protocols. Whatever is required by the county, state, and CDC, we will be doing,” stated Norman.

Show tickets are available by phone or online at www.McCallumTheatre.com beginning on May 13 at 6 p.m. The only way

to purchase tickets is through the Theatre’s official website. There are no walk-up orders.

The Box Office located at the McCallum Theatre is open solely for ticket information and order support.

“This community has been extraordinarily generous and continues to support the theatre philanthropically in a major way. We were able to do virtual arts education in classrooms across the Valley and serve thousands of youngsters. That would not have been possible without the generosity of our neighbors in the Coachella Valley,” said Norman.

For tickets call 760-340-2787 or go to www.mccallumtheatre.com.

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May 13 to May 19, 2021

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ROCK FOR RYDER

his coming Saturday, May 15th, Coachella Valley Brewing Company will be hosting an event to benefit a local family who’s 5 year-old is battling brain cancer. This all age event will include 2 stages of some of the best live music the Coachella Valley has to offer. In addition, there will be a food truck and a silent auction containing items that range from artwork and jewelry by local artists, to gift certificates for services and more!

As the writer of this article, I must admit that this story is as close to my heart as it is personal. Destani Teague, the brave, resilient and very young single mother of Ryder is a dear friend of mine. I have known her and Ryder for several years. That being said, the evening that I received a phone call from Miss Teague, informing me that Ryder was being immediately airlifted to Loma Linda Children’s Hospital was a moment that I will never forget.

Teague: “Ryder had been complaining of headaches and nausea for a few days. At first I thought there could possibly be mold in my AC unit that was causing him to feel that way.

So, I had it cleaned out but, there didn’t seem to be anything dangerous growing in there. A day or two later we went to the trampoline park and I watched him jumping. I observed him intently looking in the direction that he wanted to go in and his balance seemed to be really off. He seemed frustrated and started crying which deeply concerned me.”

“It was when he woke up with one of his eyes off-center that I took him to urgent care

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where, after only examining him for a few minutes, they informed me that he needed to be taken to a hospital as soon as possible.

When we got to the hospital, the nurse asked Ryder to follow her by walking in a straight line and poor baby, he just couldn’t do it no matter how hard he tried...my heart sank. Within an hour or two he was airlifted via helicopter to Loma Linda because his situation was truly dire. I was absolutely terrified. They wouldn’t even let me ride with him in the helicopter so I had no choice but to let my baby fly away from me with strangers while my mother and I followed in a car. That was over 6 months ago and we have been living between the hospital and the Ronald McDonald House ever since.”

Teague continues: “It was October 30th when we arrived at the hospital and the doctors found a, ‘tangerine sized tumor’ at the top of his spinal cord. It was on November 2nd when he had his first surgery to remove the tumor. We celebrated his 5th birthday in the Loma Linda children’s ward on November 11h. It was a day or two later that we were informed that the tumor they removed was malignant, and that we were going to have to stay for many months so he could receive chemotherapy.”

Ryder has all but completed his chemo treatments and his prognosis is positive.

Now, Miss Teague needs to focus on finding a safe convenient place for them to live within their means. That is exactly what her mother, Ryder’s grandmother, Debra Arauz was doing when yet another disaster struck their

BY ESTHER SANCHEZ

family. Because when it rains, it pours...last weekend, Ms. Arauz was looking at potential houses for Destani and Ryder to move into when she was in Desert Hot Springs. She got out of her vehicle so she could snap pictures of a property to send to her daughter when someone jumped into her vehicle and took off with her purse, her laptop and other items of value.

Ms. Arauz has been a rock for her daughter and grandson throughout this harrowing ordeal by spending as much time taking shifts in Loma Linda as possible while doing everything else she can to be the support system that is needed.

As an individual who loves this family, I am asking for the community...Ryder’s community... to come together and support

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this family the way we would want our own families to be supported. There are many ways to do this. You can come to the benefit at Coachella Valley Brewing Company this Saturday where there will be multiple opportunities to contribute. If you can’t do that, you may donate goods or services to be auctioned off for the cause by contacting the brewery or simply dropping off your donation between now and Friday. There is also a GoFundMe account set up for Ryder. https://gofund.me/f2a93cab As the old saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” I believe that our extended village can do right by this family who needs us.

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May 13 to May 19, 2021

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May 13 to May 19, 2021

CONSIDER THIS

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CHEAP TRICK

“IN ANOTHER WORLD” (BMG RECORDS)

BY ELENI P. AUSTIN

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rhythm on “Boys & Girls & Rock N Roll.”

Lyrics limn the hedonistic pleasures of life on the road, caustically cautioning “Take it easy, it’s only Rock n Roll.” Guitars scorch and strafe on the break.

“The Party” hurtles headlong down the tracks at locomotive speed. Rapid-fire riffage rides roughshod over knotty bass and a galumphing beat. Cryptic lyrics allude to an estrangement; “With the beat of your heart and the beat of my soul, we always rearranged, let the melodies flow/It’s a shame we have this distance, it’s just too far away, I was lost in this dream, ok, well I woke up today.”Rick unleashes a stratospheric solo on the break that buzzes and howls with intensity.

Finally, “Final Days” is anchored by an anvil beat, low-slung bass, gutbucket guitar and a surprising sing-a-long chorus. Covidcontoured lyrics seem to point toward end times; “We’re living in the final days, remembering yesterday, seems so… been so long/Now that we’re in the final days, the road is filled with shadows.” Things get positively down and dirty on the break when Bluesy harmonica and cross-cut guitars lock into an intricate pas des deux.

Other interesting songs include the search-and-destroy throb of “Light Up The Fire” and the manic “Here’s Looking At You,” which employs shang-a-lang guitars and icy keys that recall the title track from “Dream Police.” As the record winds down to a close. Cheap Trick revisits a tradition

May 13 to May 19, 2021

they began with The Move’s “California Man” and continued with Fats Domino’s “Ain’t That A Shame” and Elvis Presley’s “Don’t Be Cruel,” the band put’s their Rockford stank all over John Lennon’s “Gimme Some Truth.”

John’s gritty diatribe decrying duplicity, misogyny and avarice feels as perspicacious today, as it did 50 years ago. Muscular guitars are bookended by sinewy bass and a kick-drum backbeat. Robin spits verses like “I’m sick and tired of hearing things from uptight short-sighted narrow-minded hypocrites, all I want is the truth, just give me the truth/I’ve had of reading things by neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians, all I want is the truth, just give me the truth,” as though he’s aiming at the former Prevaricator-in-chief and the mendacious, media-whores that still give him a platform.

It’s a powerful finish to a rollicking good record.

Cheap Trick was augmented by longtime producer Julian Raymond (Glen Campbell, Fleetwood Mac, Fastball), as well as Jimmy Hall on harmonica, Tim Lauer and Bennett Salvay on keys and ex-Sex Pistol, Steve Jones on guitar. It became even more of a family affair when Robin’s son, Robin Taylor Zander, chimed in on guitar and additional vocals.

In Another World is a worthy addition to the Cheap Trick canon. Even though the guys have been at it for nearly half a century, their music feels ageless.

Monday, May 17

Casuelas Café - Mighty Sweet Country Night w/ The Desert Suit Band – 6pm The Nest – The Trebles – 6:30-9:30pm

Thursday, May 13

Tuesday, May 18

Casuelas Café – Voices Carrie – 6pm Chef George’s – Lizann Warner – 6:309:30pm Cunard’s – Bill Baker – 6pm Rockyard@Fantasy Springs – Neon Circus (Brooks & Dunn Tribute) – 6pm The Nest – The Trebles – 6:30-9:30pm The Slice – Sergio Villegas – 5-8pm

Wednesday, May 19

Friday, May 14 Saturday, May 15

Sunday, May 16

Ace Hotel – Jazz Night w/ Mekala Session – 7-9pm Casuelas Café – Lisa Lynn and the Broken Hallelujahs – 6:30pm Chef George’s – Tim Burleson – 6:309:30pm Cunard’s – Bill Baker – 6pm Melvyn’s – Mikael Healey – 5pm The Nest – The Trebles – 6:30-9:30pm The Slice – Marc Antonelli – 5-8pm Vicky’s of Santa Fe – John Stanley King and Danny Flahive – 6-9:30pm

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May 13 to May 19, 2021

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rammy, ACM, CMA, and AMA Award-winning group Little Big Town is returning to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino’s Special Events Center on Friday, September 17th at 8 p.m. Tickets ($79, $89, $109 and $129) are NOW on sale at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, via phone (800) 827-2946 and online at www.

FantasySpringsResort.com.

Consisting of members Karen Fairchild, Phillip Sweet, Kimberly Schlapman and Jimi Westbrook, Little Big Town emerged on the country music scene more than 20 years ago with the hits “Boondocks,” “Bring It On Home,” “Good As Gone” and the Grammynominated “Little White Church.” The group’s breakthrough albums, Tornado and Pain Killer, produced multiple chart-topping singles, including “Pontoon,” “Tornado,” and “Day Drinking,” as well as the history making, bestselling country single of the year (2015) “Girl Crush.”

The Breaker (2017) debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Chart and No. 4 on the

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EVENTS Billboard 200 to widespread acclaim. The album included the Grammy-winning, charttopping single “Better Man,” as well as the Grammy-nominated “When Someone Stops Loving You.” Critically acclaimed and Grammynominated “The Daughters,” “Over Drinking,” and current single “Wine, Beer, Whiskey” are the latest from the bands self-produced ninth studio album Nightfall, which was released at the top of the Billboard Country Chart in January 2020. To date, “Wine, Beer, Whiskey” has reached global streams of over 152 Million and is climbing the country radio charts.

Little Big Town has earned more than 45 award nominations and has taken home nearly 20 awards, including multiple Grammy, AMA, People’s Choice, CMA, and ACM awards, plus an Emmy. The group recently launched 4 Cellars wine and Day Drinking canned wine spritzers, their first non-musical project, with Browne Family Vineyards.

Tickets for Little Big Town are $79, $89, $109, now on sale at FantasySpringsResort. com.

EVENTS

SCREENERS

THE MARKSMAN Oscar® nominee Liam Neeson is Jim Henson an ex marine and hardened Arizona rancher who simply wants to be left alone -- isn’t that how it almost always starts? – as he tries to eek out a living and save is ranch on an isolated stretch of barren borderland.

Everything changes when he witnesses 11-year-old migrant Miguel (Jacob Perez) and his mom (Teresa Ruiz) fleeing from a

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May 13 to May 19, 2021

NEESON HITS A BULLSEYE

band of assassins sent by a ruthless drug cartel.

After being caught in a shoot out, Miguel’s mom begs Jim to take her son to the safety of their family in Chicago.

Defying law enforcement, Jim and Miguel hit the road and slowly form an unlikely friendship while the cartel relentlessly blazes a bloody trail hot on their heels.

Neeson has almost trademarked this heroic character that is fundamentally good, even misunderstood and maybe lonely, but does the morally right thing even when his choice threatens his own life. This engaging

BY ROBIN E. SIMMONS film is not perfect, but it delivers a mostly satisfying action tale in what was once Clint Eastwood’s territory.

Neeson’s latest follows the similar themed hits “The Good Thief” and “Cold Pursuit.” If you like Neeson’s recent big screen personae, this lesser movie fits the mold.

The bonus material, on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital, is standard if limited.

In “The Making of The Marksman,” filmmakers and cast discuss the richness of the story and characters as well as their experience working with iconic actor Liam Neeson. Universal. Blu-ray. robin@coachellavalleyweekly.com

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May 13 to May 19, 2021

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THE VINO VOICE THE DESERT’S FRIENDLY WINE LIST

BY RICK RIOZZA

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love the radio ads for Kitchen-86 on El Paseo where the announcer speaks in a wise guy Brooklyn tone and is quite quippy with his phases. One thing he mentions in the script is that “the restaurant has a friendly wine list.”

I thought about that little line and found it amusing. What indeed is a “friendly wine list”? Well—of course one can run with the usual considerations. Everyone likes a friendly person: they make you smile, feel comfortable, and have pleasant things to say.

Thus a friendly wine list would make you smile. But back in the day, those heavy wine menus sort of made most folks wince a bit when they opened the tome. In the old style fancy restaurant, one thing we expected to see was how high the wine prices would be.

That doesn’t sound like a friendly start.

A friendly wine list puts one at ease immediately. It’s not a serious read but it actually coaxes one to read on. The choices are clear and an easy read; hopefully it keeps your interest to the last glass of wine. And of course the wine list is very pleasant when the reader finds some pretty good deals on some good and interesting wine. That part is very subjective depending on your lifestyle.

What’s a good deal when it comes to good wine? An easy answer is that the wine is not over-priced, is tasty and satisfying. Most people these days have a pretty good sense on what’s fair.

Another concern (if there’s such a thing these days) for you, perhaps, as the wine maven in the group, is that your choice of the wines may well affect the entire dining experience. Most of us relish the opportunity—it’s fun, unless we’re spending beaucoup bucks on the wines and then they disappoint. But that doesn’t happen to our readership.

Putting together a lively wine list, whether it be for a small wine bar or a full course restaurant is a big subject when studying for the sommelier exam. Thus, every somm worth their weight, will weigh in with their opinion.

"Curation is an enormous part of work as sommeliers," says Morgan Harris, head sommelier at New York's famed Aureole "Making a wine list that makes people happy, harmonizes cogently with chef's cooking and the overall ambitions and the atmosphere of the restaurant is the backbone of a wine buyer's work."

Here's what you want to look for in the ideal restaurant wine list, according to people who work in wine: We like to see a good selection of wines by the glass; even better, a robust selection of wines by the glass. And having an international line-up of interesting bubblies, whites, roses, and reds keep everything fun for the vino foodies around town. Adding a little info on the wines keep things exciting.

And if they can be priced between 8 to 15 dollars a glass, that’s reasonable these days.

Everyone expects a reasonable mark-up on the bottle. We like to support restaurants and bars in order to keep their business

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viable. A 100 percent mark-up is doable; a 300 percent mark-up (the old standard) is out of place these days. If it’s a rare wine— and the consumer knows it, then price isn’t the issue. But for us simple folk who have a decent idea of what that certain bottle costs at the store—keep the customer happy so he continues to buy without regret.

Next, how about showcasing wine with the vision of the restaurant. If there’s a bunch of Napa Cab at a restaurant that celebrates the cuisine of Southern Italy, what’s up with that?

I know it’s Southern California where the wine guests enjoy an oaky Cab, but there’s a bunch of oaky ripe extracted Montepulciano d’Abbruzzo or Primativo from Apulia to keep things real with the Italian dishes.

And it doesn’t necessarily require actual regional stuff. I’ve always argued for a good chilled Italian Moscato d”Asti to be on the wine list at an Indonesian or Thai restaurant.

It’s one of the best wines to pair with the hot & spicy foods. The guest gets to experience something novel, it certainly works with the meal, and the restaurant can be proud of serving a product that makes more sense with their food.

A local somm who I know said, “Pairing notes—both as to appetizers and the full meal can be helpful for the consumer, even educated ones. Restaurants that offer recommendations with entire courses or specific food items remove the hassle of going through the whole wine list for consumers, which can be overwhelming. It shows that the restaurant is knowledgeable, which is an initial good sign of quality of not only the wine, but also the food.”

The best commentary on restaurant/wine bar wine lists is probably: “The moment wine isn't fun ... is a bad moment.” Should a wine list be somewhat entertaining? Why not!

Seeing that the businesses are opening up, I’d love to hear from you readers on the good and the bad of our valley’s restaurant/ wine bar wine lists. And we’ll bring this info to share in this column. Send over your comments and/or a copy of the wine list @ winespectrum@aol.com. Cheers!

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May 13 to May 19, 2021

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May 13 to May 19, 2021

PET PLACE

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t may be only May, but the Coachella Valley weather already feels like summer. Our remaining snow birds are heading home, and our locals planning overdue trips for summer 2021. Dogs love to travel, and it adds to your experience when you see Fido’s joy at sharing a trip with his favorite humans. Most dogs get excited when you grab the car keys, hoping to join you. Dogs are natural nomads, traveling in packs in the wild. They are curious creatures who love seeing new places and meeting new friends. Traveling with pets is easier now that more hotels and restaurants with outdoor seating happily accommodate them. Wise planning and safety precautions make the experience more enjoyable.

It is good business sense to cater to pet owners. Some restaurants even have “doggie” menus with special cooked items for canines. An excursion to nearby Upland can include Molly’s Souper, a lovely cottage style restaurant with lots of outdoor seating and a delicious menu for Fido. Recently opened restaurant Boozehounds in Palm Springs also caters to canine appetites, and was recently featured in this column.

Well behaved leashed dogs are welcome at many retailers including Home Depot, Lowes, Apple, The Pottery Barn, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Most major hotel chains

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FUN TRAVEL WITH FIDO!

including Marriott’s Residence Inn, Motel 6, La Quinta Hotels, and Best Western allow pets.

The fabulous pet friendly Rowan Hotel in Palm Springs offers guest rooms that accommodate your pup at no extra charge.

As the pandemic comes to an end, they will soon resume their dog welcome Happy Hours from 4:00pm to 5:00pm daily in their lobby bar. This venue is also a favorite of locals wishing to include their dogs in a relaxing afternoon. The Rowan is located at 100 Tahquitz Canyon, Palm Springs, www. rowanpalmsprings.com, (760) 904-5015.

Campgrounds are full of family pets who are welcomed on leash. Doggie day care programs abound should you want to visit places where dogs are not permitted during your trip. My favorite place for doggie day care is the spectacular Barkingham Pet Hotel in Palm Desert. Canine visitors get to frolic in their doggie pool and enjoy the lovely outdoor park. They also provide overnight boarding with staff on duty 24 hours. The Barkingham Pet Hotel is located at 73650 Dinah Shore, Palm Desert, www. pethotelcalifornia.com, (760) 699-8328.

You can purchase a Puppuccino for your canine sidekick when you drive through Starbucks. One pet focused resort, Canine Camp Getaway in New York, offers

scent-detection workshops for the dogs, decorating home-made dog biscuit classes for the humans, and sharing celebratory beverages at “Yappy Hour”. While many dogs swim and know how to get themselves out, other breeds with heavy coats are not able to sustain themselves in pool water. Life preservers for dogs are an extra precaution in pools and lakes.

CAR TRAVEL A host of new products ensure the comfort and safety of your dog during car trips. Cool pads inside his carrier cool down the temperature during hot weather. Socks or little shoes keep his feet from burning on the hot pavement. Tiny sunglasses with UV protection guard against sun damage to the eyes and block dust & debris. “Cool down” harnesses and vests containing cooling crystals help on hot days. Car harnesses protect your dog if you have to stop suddenly. A collar with your phone number and a recent photograph of your dog are essential in case he gets lost.

Keep your pet in the back seat, whether he is harnessed or kept in a carrier. They can be injured by front seat airbags. An active pup romping through a moving vehicle can

MEET BLADE

SPECIAL COCO LINO

Sweet Blade looks sad because his brother dog Max became ill and passed away this week. Your loving home will make this sweet 5-yr-old German Shepherd boy happy again. Blade is kid friendly, dog friendly, everything friendly!! He waits for you at the Humane Society of the Coachella Valley.

Complete application online at www. orphanpet.com and call for appointment to meet Blade at (760) 329-0203.

This special needs boy is 18 lbs of kitty love! CoCo Lino has diabetes and takes his daily insulin like a champ. He loves all humans and other cats. He waits for a home at the Palm Springs Animal Shelter. Go online at www. psanimalshelter.org and complete an adoption application, and call (760) 416-5718).

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BY JANET McAFEE cause dangerous distractions.

NEVER LEAVE YOUR DOG ALONE IN A CAR EVEN WITH THE WINDOWS CRACKED. It is illegal to leave a pet unattended in a vehicle under California Penal Code 597.7.

There has been an epidemic of stolen vehicles with pets inside in recent months.

It takes less than a minute for someone to break a window and steal your vehicle with your pet inside while you dodge into a minimart for a quick cup of coffee. If you are traveling alone and can’t find a responsible person to watch your dog, no one will object if you take him into a public restroom. Drive through restaurants, outdoor dining, and picnics can replace indoor restaurant meal stops. Pets can perish quickly in vehicles from heat stroke and hypothermia during excessive hot or cold temperatures.

AIRLINE TRAVEL A health certificate from your veterinarian is required prior to airline travel. Bring copies of shot records including rabies.

You must have a reservation for your pet, as there is a set number of dogs permitted

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on each flight. Check in advance with your airline as pet requirements can differ. If you have a small dog under your airline’s weight limit, it is recommended you take them with you in a carrier in the passenger cabin. Some groups advise against shipping your pet in the cargo area due to instances of loss, injury and even death. If you must ship an animal below cabin, book a direct flight. Your trusted veterinarian can decide if sedation will make the flight easier.

TRAIN TRAVEL Amtrak does not allow pets other than service animals. Smaller regional rail companies are more hospitable, but call first to find out about crating and other restrictions. Some transit companies don’t allow animals during crowded rush hours.

Short leashes are recommended.

Seeing the joy your pup experiences on a day or overnight trip makes you appreciate travel even more. Dogs with their friendly optimism help us meet new people and frame the way we look at the wonders of the world around us. A helpful resource, “U.S and Canada Dog Travel Guide,” can

be obtained by going online to www. dogfriendly.com. Grab the car keys, hit the road, and double your fun with Fido onboard.

Still looking for a new best “furfriend” and travel buddy? You are sure to find one from the list below.

Janetmcafee8@gmail.com ----------------------------------------------Here is a partial list of Inland Empire shelters and rescue groups where you can adopt a cat or dog. Please check their websites in advance for updates on adoption procedures during the quarantine.

COACHELLA VALLEY ANIMAL CAMPUS – The county shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. You can view the animals at all four Riverside county shelters at www.rcdas.org, and get the ID number of the animal you want to adopt.

Email them the animal’s ID number at shelterinfo@rivco.org, or schedule a virtual adoption appointment at www.rcdas.org, 72050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms, (760) 343-3644. (Public) PALM SPRINGS ANIMAL SHELTER – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. They schedule appointments Wednesday through Monday. View their animals online at www. psanimalsshelter.org, 4575 E. Mesquite Ave, Palm Springs, (760) 416-5718. (Public) ANIMAL SAMARITANS – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. View their animals at www. animalsamaritans.org. Email acorrow@

animalsamaritans.org to foster. Located at 72307 Ramon Rd, Thousand Palms, (760) 601-3918. (Private) CALIFORNIA PAWS RESCUE - The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. Located at 73650 Dinah Shore, Palm Desert. View their animals at www. californiapawsrescue.com, (760) 656-8833.

(Private) HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt a dog or cat. This shelter has lots of big dogs and some cats. View some of their animals at www.orphanpet.com. Located at 17825 N. Indian Canyon, Palm Springs, (760) 3290203. (Private) KITTYLAND – The shelter is closed so call for an appointment to adopt a cat. Located at 67600 18th Avenue, Desert Hot Springs, www.kittylandrescue.org, (760) 251-2700.

(Private) FOREVER MEOW – Foster based rescue for cats located in Rancho Mirage. Contact them at www.ForeverMeow.org, (760) 3356767. (Private) PRETTY GOOD CAT – Foster based rescue for cats located in La Quinta. Contact them at www.prettygoodcat.com, (760) 660-3414 (Private) BFF4pets – Foster based rescue for dogs and cats located in La Quinta. Email them at rescues@bff4pets.com, (310) 431-7818 (Private) LOVING ALL ANIMALS – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment

May 13 to May 19, 2021 to adopt. Located at 83496 Avenue 51, Coachella, www.lovingallanimals.org, (760) 834-7000. (Private) LIVING FREE ANIMAL SANCTUARY – Large outdoor shelter for dogs and cats up Hwy 74, view animals at www.livingfree.org, and call (951) 659-4687 for an appointment (Private) MORONGO BASIN HUMANE SOCIETY – Located at 4646 Sun View Rd, Joshua Tree, www.mbhumanesociety.com, call between 11am-4pm for updates (760) 366-3786 (Private) CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ANIMAL SHELTER – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. Hours for adoption 10am – 4pm Tuesday thru Sat. Google “City of San Bernardino Animal Shelter” for website to view animals and get the ID number of the animal you want to meet. Located at 333 Chandler Place, San Bernardino, (909) 384-1304 or (909) 3847272. (Public) SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER AT DEVORE – Shelter is now open for walk ins 7 days a week. Call (909) 3869280. View animals at www.sbcounty.gov/ acc and get the ID number of animal you want to meet. Located at 19777 Shelter Way, San Bernardino (Public).

DREAM TEAM ANGELS RESCUE - Foster based rescue located in Grand Terrace/San Bernardino area. Contact them through website www.DreamTeamangelsrescue. com, (360) 688-8884. (Private)

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May 13 to May 19, 2021

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HADDON LIBBY

HACKED!

T

he East Coast is suffered a gas shortage this week as Russian hackers disabled the Colonial Pipeline. Governmentsponsored hackers from around the world continue to wreak havoc on businesses of all sizes whether it is a gas pipeline or a local online weekly…as in CV Weekly. We were hacked just last week.

According to IdentityForce, these are some of the most recent hacks in the United States: Experian has an API (application programming interface) that was left unlocked. This allowed hackers a back door into Experian’s online tool where they had access the credit scores of Americans.

Reverb is an online marketplace where 5.6 million users buy and sell instruments. All personal information, including IP addresses were stolen.

GEICO just disclosed that hackers stole the license numbers of their clients between beginning January 21st. The breach was discovered and closed on March 1st.

The payment parking app, ParkMobile had its records on 21 million customers stolen.

LinkedIn had its 500 million user profiles scraped and put into a database that was being sold over the Dark Web. Old data on Facebook’s 533 million users was available at no cost in a low-level hacking forum.

The Cancer Treatment Centers of America had nearly 105,000 patient records stolen.

Hobby Lobby somehow misconfigured

its cloud data system leaving information for 300,000 customers open to hackers.

The California DMV reported that the company that handles their billing was hacked.

This led to the theft of personal information including VINs, license plates and other driver data.

The Controller’s Office here in California was hackrd as an employee clicked on the link to a fake website. As a result, personal identifying information (PII) on Unclaimed Property Holder Reports was stolen.

PII was also stolen at SITA, a company serving most airlines with telecommunications services.

Microsoft Exchange was hacked with the email accounts of more than 30,000 US organizations exposed. Beyond the information stolen in this series of attacks,

the compromise means that these clients may be exposed to further problems in the future.

Microsoft is urging its Exchanger Server users to use all updates immediately.

T-Mobile saw some customers have their SIM cards hijacked. This meant that the hackers could take control over text messaging and calls and steal money from bank accounts.

Banks were left helpless as the thieves not only had the victim’s bank account information but the ability to foil two-factor authentication passcodes.

US Cellular was hacked when employees clicked on malicious links. Hackers stole the data from nearly 5 million accounts.

Kroger, the owner of Ralph’s and Food for Less locally, had its third-party cloud network breached. This left the human resources information of employees open to be stolen.

BY HADDON LIBBY For all these one-off breaches of online security over the last months, one shows the true depth of the problem. A compilation of many breaches (aka COMB) contained over 3 billion matches of emails and passwords for services including Netflix, LinkedIn, Bitcoin, Yahoo email, Google’s Gmail and more.

Approximately 200 million gmail and 450 million Yahoo email addresses and passwords were part of the data dump.

Some of the key takeaways for you and me include changing our passwords regularly and using combinations of letters and numbers unlike those that we might have used in the past. It is more important than ever to stay vigilant against identity theft given the daily breaches happening through the United States.

As much as anything, do not click on links from people that you do not know.

According to Cybersecurity Ventures, hacks and cybercrime happen every 11 seconds with Americans losing over $15 billion annually.

Security breaches typically last over six months before being discovered.

Haddon Libby is the Founder and Managing Partner of Winslow Drake Investment Management. For more information, please visit www.WinslowDrake.com.

DALEGRIBOW ON THELAW

THE McDONALDS SPILLED COFFEE CASE BIRTHED THE STELLA AWARDS! OR TWO TACO’S SHORT OF A COMBINATION PLATE!

E

veryone has heard of the Mc Donalds Spilled Coffee case, with what seemed like a stupid verdict. However, few know all the facts which support the underlying verdict …which led to the Stella Awards for crazy litigation. Likewise we don’t know all the facts in these cases, which on their face are ridiculous. Thus there is still hope for you if you caused an auto accident on Cinco de Mayo.

I don’t know of a lawyer who would have accepted any of these cases. One asks would Indio Juries have ruled the same? The awards are named after 81-year-old Stella Liebeck who spilled hot coffee on herself and successfully sued McDonald's, where she purchased the coffee. You remember she took the lid off the steaming coffee and put it between her knees while she was driving. How could anything go wrong?

The Stella awards are for the most outlandish lawsuits and verdicts in the U.S. These are the kinds of cases that make everyone ask, Why? What most people don’t know is that there were many complaints to Mc Donalds that their coffee was too hot, and they got burned.

During the trial, evidence was presented that McDonalds had learned they could get many more cups of coffee from a bag of coffee beans if they brewed it at very high temperatures. In order to punish Mc Donalds, the jury returned a very high verdict. It was reduced by the judge.

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However, Stella was not the only crazy verdict. Here are some of the most outlandish Stella's. However, note that we don’t know if there were appeals that reversed/reduced the verdict.

SEVENTH PLACE - Kathleen Robertson of Austin, Texas was awarded $80,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The store owners were understandably surprised by the verdict, considering the running toddler was her own son.

SIXTH PLACE - Carl Truman, 19, of Los Angeles, California won $74,000 plus medical expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord.

Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbor's hubcaps.

FIFTH PLACE - Terrence Dickson, of Bristol Pennsylvania, was leaving a house he had just burglarized by way of the garage.

Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic garage door opener malfunctioned and he could not get the garage door to open. Worse, he couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the garage to the house locked when Dickson pulled it shut.

He was forced to sit for EIGHT days and survive on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of dry dog food. He sued the homeowner's insurance company claiming undue mental anguish.

Amazingly, the jury said the insurance company must pay Dickson $500,000 for his anguish.

FOURTH PLACE - Jerry Williams, of Little Rock, Arkansas, garnered 4th Place in the Stella's when he was awarded $14,500 plus medical expenses after being bitten on the butt by his next door neighbor's beagle, even though the beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard.

Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the jury believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the butt bite. You see, Williams had climbed over the fence into the yard and repeatedly shot the dog with a pellet gun.

THIRD PLACE - Amber Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania wins third place because a jury ordered a Philadelphia restaurant to pay her $113,500 after she slipped on a spilled soft drink and broke her tailbone. The reason the soft drink was on the floor: Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument.

SECOND PLACE - Kara Walton, of Claymont, Delaware sued the owner of a night club in a nearby city because she fell from the bathroom window to the floor, knocking out her two front teeth. Even though Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the ladies room window to avoid paying the cover charge of $3.50, the jury said the night club had to pay her $12,000 and, oh yeah, plus dental expenses.

FIRST PLACE - This year's runaway First Place Stella Award winner was: Mrs. Merv

Grazinski, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, who purchased a new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home, from an OU football game, having driven on to the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go to the back of the Winnebago to make herself a sandwich.

Not surprisingly, the motor home left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Also not surprisingly, Mrs. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not putting in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually leave the driver's seat while the cruise control was set. The Oklahoma jury awarded her, are you sitting down? $1,750,000… PLUS a new motor home!

Winnebago actually changed their manuals as a result of this suit, just in case Mrs. Grazinski has any relatives who might also buy a motor home.

DALE GRIBOW - Representing the Injured and Criminally Accused “TOP LAWYER” - California’s Prestige Magazine, Palm Springs Life (PI/DUI) 2011-21 PERFECT 10.0 AVVO Peer Rating “DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE OR TEXT AND GET A DUI OR ACCIDENT... CALL A TAXI, LYFT OR UBER….THEY ARE A LOT CHEAPER THAN CALLING ME” SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE ARTICLE? CONTACT DALE GRIBOW 760-837-7500/dale@ dalegribowlaw.com

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May 13 to May 19, 2021

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May 13 to May 19, 2021

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HEALTH

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BY MICHELLE BORTHWICK

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY

WEEK OF MAY 13

I

n a recent article I shared about how to maintain a long-term Keto lifestyle.

There’s so much controversy and confusing information that says Keto isn’t sustainable. I’ve been Keto for 3 ½ years now… and you can do it as well. Here is a recap of the previous tips I shared in Part 1 in my Coachella Valley Weekly article on April 15, 2021 ( https://coachellavalleyweekly.com/how-longshould-i-do-ketocan-i-make-it-a-lifestyle).

Weight loss is an important goal for most of us and Keto is the best way to lose weight and burn body fat. Continual weight loss will keep you going but after that what’s next?

After you’ve lost the weight it’s crucial to find ways to stay motivated that inspire and sustain you beyond weight loss.

Take the time to learn about Keto and the Science behind it that allows you to maintain weight loss, have more energy and be in your best health ever.

Remember that with Keto you always have power over your health by simply changing your diet.

When you find Keto food substitutes for the foods you crave and love you can keep it Keto long-term.

Learn how to be a foodie and eat delicious keto foods and not miss a beat.

So, what are some more tips in Part 2 to make Keto your ongoing lifestyle?

Intermittent Fasting (IF). This diet hack allows the body to have resting periods, it lowers our glucose and brings down insulin an expedites weight loss. IF and keto work together hand in glove. A very powerful combination, especially the longer you are Keto and simply aren’t as hungry. It’s easy to do an overnight fast from your last meal of the day and then set a goal of 12 hours until your first meal of the day. When you are ready, I challenge you to do this for a week. Then the following week build up in increments of 1 hour at a time until you are comfortable at 16 hours every day. You may have coffee in the morning with up to 1 T of heavy cream, or it’s preferable to drink your coffee black. This simple process will fast-track your keto when combined with 2 meals a day and no snacking in between.

When you aren’t snacking in between meals you are easily adding in more intermittent fasting. Your body will come to love this as it slows down insulin, lowers glucose, lowers blood pressure and inflammation and leads to weight loss. It’s a powerful tool I recommend to all my clients.

25 TOTAL grams of Carbs Per Day. – Lower your carbs to 25 total carbs until you reach your weight loss goal. Why total carbs? That goes against everything I see on Google or when I’m looking at Keto products. Net carbs are used by marketers to sell you products (by deducting fiber and sugar alcohols) when in reality those extra carbs add up and matter! Keep it simple and effective by using total carbs to expedite your weight loss and maintain the benefit from pure therapeutic Keto. Once you’ve reached your goal weight up your total carbs to between 30-40 carbs a day.

No snacking- I’m not talking about keeping it to a minimum. I’m asking you to cut it out completely between meals. This allows for intermittent fasting between meals. Just remember every time you snack you raise

insulin. If you are constantly fueling your body, you can’t get into fat burning mode. And, it keeps inflammation high.

Dairy and alcohol. The liver performs 400 different jobs in the body and having a healthy liver is important for hacking our metabolism.

Restoring your liver function is one of the most important things you can do for overall health.

The liver will naturally cleanse itself without chemicals and toxic foods. Take a break from alcohol as often as possible and let your liver rest.

Then there’s dairy. This may seem daunting at first but try it a week at a time eliminating both alcohol and dairy until you work up to a two week. Dairy causes inflammation and stall weight loss. Here’s a great test. Eliminate it for a minimum of two weeks. Weigh yourself and have some dairy. Weigh yourself the next day and if you are heavier, it’ not fat that’s showing on the scale, it’s water retention. Removing dairy and alcohol have huge healthy benefits but are a tool to use for weight loss stalls at any point in your keto diet.

What to do after a cheat day. It happens to all of us. As you’ve heard me say It may kick you out of ketosis…but don’t ever let a cheat day Kick you out of Keto. Jump right back on that horse as quickly as you can. You may feel bad and have a carb hangover. The cravings and hunger from carbs, the addiction comes back with a vengeance. I’ve been there and my advice is to forgive yourself, learn from it and remember that keto is a lifestyle and how awesome you feel when eating Keto. WE love food. WE love the way we feel and look when we eat Keto. It’s simply a decision to start over.

Every day you are eating Keto is a win. It may seem overwhelming, but each week as you accomplish your goals it gets easier and easier. Take it a moment, a meal, a day, a week at a time. And, then one fine day you will looking in the mirror and see a new you! Baby steps work. You will learn to eat real food, fix your broken metabolism and enjoy ever delicious bite. Keto on my friends!

About Michelle Borthwick: Michelle is a Keto customization expert and coach. Keto weight loss results can be greatly improved with Coaching, Customization, Accountability, and a trusted partner to guide you every step of the way. Michelle offers private sessions, proven Keto diet hacks, goal setting, ongoing support and more. If you are interested in a Keto lifestyle designed to get you lasting results, book a 30-minute complimentary private coaching session online at KetoIsEasyCoach. com.

May 13 to May 19, 2021

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In one of her poems, Emily Dickinson tells us, “The pedigree of honey / Does not concern the bee; / A clover, any time, to him / Is aristocracy.” I suggest you be like Dickinson’s bee in the coming weeks, my dear Aries. Take pleasure and power where they are offered. Be receptive to just about any resource that satisfies your raw need. Consider the possibility that substitutes and stand-ins may be just as good as the supposed original. OK? Don’t be too fussy about how pure or prestigious anything is.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A fan once asked composer Johann Sebastian Bach about his creative process. He was so prolific! How did he dream up such a constant flow of new music? Bach told his admirer that the tunes came to him unbidden.

When he woke up each morning, they were already announcing themselves in his head. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, Taurus, a comparable phenomenon may very well visit you in the coming weeks—not in the form of music, but as intuitions and insights about your life and your future. Your main job is to be receptive to them, and make sure you remember them.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “I love unmade beds,” writes Gemini poet Shane Koyczan. “I love when people are drunk and crying and cannot be anything but honest. I love the look in people’s eyes when they realize they’re in love. I love the way people look when they first wake up and they’ve forgotten their surroundings. I love when people close their eyes and drift to somewhere in the clouds.” In the coming days, Gemini, I encourage you to specialize in moments like those: when you and the people you’re interested in are candid, unguarded, raw, vulnerable, and primed to go deeper. In my opinion, your soul needs the surprising healing that will come from these experiences.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Trailblazing psychologist C. G. Jung said his loneliness wasn’t about a lack of people around him. Rather, it came from the fact that he knew things that most people didn’t know and didn’t want to know. He had no possibility of communicating many of the interesting truths that were important to him! But I’m guessing that won’t be much of a problem for you in the coming months. According to my astrological analysis, you’re more likely to be well-listened to and understood than you have been in quite some time. For best results, ASK to be listened to and understood. And think about how you might express yourself in ways that are likely to be interesting and useful to others.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The French government regularly gives the Legion of Honor award to people deemed to have provided exceptional service to the world. Most recipients are deserving, but a few have been decidedly unworthy. In the latter category are Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega and Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, as well as drug-cheating athlete Lance Armstrong, sexual predator Harvey Weinstein, and Nazi collaborator Marshal Pétain. I bring this to your attention, Leo, because the coming weeks will be a favorable time to reward people who have helped and supported you. But I also suggest that you pointedly exclude those who have too many negatives mixed in with their positives.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In 2010, an American engineer named Edward Pimentel went to Moscow to compete in the World Karaoke Championship.

He won by singing Usher’s “DJ Got Us Falling in Love.” His award: one million dumplings, enough to last him 27 years. I have a good feeling about the possibility of you, too, collecting a new prize or perk or privilege sometime soon. I just hope it’s a healthier boon than dumplings. For best results, take some time now to clearly define the nature of the prize or perk or privilege that you really want—and that will be truly useful.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I will love it if sometime soon you find or create an opportunity to speak words similar to what novelist D. H. Lawrence once wrote to a lover: “You seem to have knit all things in a piece for me. Things are not separate; they

© Copyright 2021 Rob Brezsny

are all in a symphony.” In other words, Libra, I’ll be ecstatic if you experience being in such synergistic communion with an empathic ally that the two of you weave a vision of life that’s vaster and richer than either one of you could summon by yourself.

The astrological omens suggest this possibility is now more likely than usual.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Sometimes people don’t like the provocative posts I publish on Facebook. They leave comments like, “You stupid idiot!” or “I hope you commit suicide!” and far worse. When I delete their messages, they become even more enraged, accusing me of censorship.

“So you don’t believe in free speech, you jerk?” they complain. I don’t try to reason with them.

They don’t deserve any of my time or energy. But if I did communicate with them, I might say, “My Facebook page is my sanctuary, where I welcome cordial conversation. If you came into my house and called me an idiot, would it be ‘censorship’ if I told you to leave?” I hope these thoughts inspire you to clarify and refine your own personal boundaries, Scorpio. It’s a good time to get precise and definite about what’s acceptable and unacceptable from the people with whom you engage.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Have you ever kissed a monster in your nightly dreams? Have you won a chess match with a demon or signed a beneficial contract with a ghost or received a useful blessing from a pest? I highly recommend activities like those in the coming weeks—both while you’re asleep and awake. Now is a good time to at least make peace with challenging influences, and at best come into a new relationship with them that serves you better. I dare you to ask for a gift from an apparent adversary.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): What does it mean to “follow the path with heart”? I invite you to meditate on that question. Here are my ideas. To follow the path with heart means choosing a destiny that appeals to your feelings as well as to your ambitions and ideas and habits. To follow a path with heart means living a life that fosters your capacity to give and receive love. To follow the path with heart means honoring your deepest intuitions rather than the expectations other people have about you. To follow the path with heart means never comparing your progress with that of anyone else’s, but rather simply focusing on being faithful to your soul’s code.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “It’s a good thing when people are different from your images of them,” wrote Aquarian author Boris Pasternak. “It shows they are not merely a type. If you can’t place them in a category, it means that at least a part of them is what a human being ought to be. They have risen above themselves, they have a grain of immortality.” I love that perspective! I’m offering it to you because right now is a favorable time to show that you are indeed different from the images people have of you; that you transcend all stereotyping; that you are uncategorizable.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You have personal possession of the universe’s most monumental creation: consciousness. This mercurial flash and dazzle whirling around inside you is outlandishly spectacular. You can think thoughts any time you want to—soaring, luminescent, flamboyant thoughts or shriveled, rusty, burrowing thoughts; thoughts that can invent or destroy, corrupt or redeem, bless or curse. There’s more. You can revel and wallow in great oceans of emotion. Whether they are poignant or intoxicating or somewhere in between, you relish the fact that you can harbor so much intensity.

You cherish the privilege of commanding such extravagant life force. I bring these thoughts to your attention because the time is right for a holiday I call Celebrate Your Greatest Gifts.

Homework. Send testimony or proof of how you’ve seized control of your own life.

Truthrooster@gmail.com ---------------------------------------Rob Brezsny - Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

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May 13 to May 19, 2021

SAFETY TIPS

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FROM THE CHIEF’S CORNER

BY FIRE CHIEF SAM DIGIOVANNA

A

s I write this 85% of our state is experiencing a drought. We are only in the springtime and summer is quickly approaching. Every year for the past five years has been the worst fire season in history. This looks like it will shape up as being our sixth worst year.

But what is equally vivid is the power of vegetation management. Time and time again we see photos showing houses spared because the homeowners performed aggressive fuel management, clearing brush from around their house and using appropriate types of plants to reduce fire spread. It is not foolproof, of course— sometimes conditions get so bad that even impeccably cared for houses are caught in the fire’s path. But vegetation management is a proven tactic to reduce fire devastation.

"Vegetation Management" also applies within our minds. Let me explain; Have you ever done 80 percent of the work but received 20 percent of the credit?

Have you stepped up and volunteered for extra assignments only to see the credit go to someone else who does far less? Do you ever feel excluded from important calls or meetings?

All of us experience these little inequities.

Most of the time we shrug them off and recover; if things get too bad, we look for another job opportunity. But if we are not careful, these seeds of resentment and bitterness can grow inside us, creating a tangle of hazardous emotions.

But like a house with unattended vegetation, if you have built up a lifetime of disappointments and resentments, a sudden, big challenge can become a conflagration. You may find yourself overwhelmed with anger or depression, lashing out at people who do not deserve it, focused on how you can get revenge instead of on how you will recover from the setback.

That's where vegetation management of the mind comes in. Periodically, we need to do a self-check and see whether we need to cut things back a little. We might need to:

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Forgive a transgression. Forgiveness is difficult because it can seem like we are excusing the person who hurt or wronged us. But if we refuse to forgive, we pay the price in our own happiness and in relationships with others. We may even experience physical symptoms, like anxiety or illness.

Let go of a grudge. Grudges are like transgressions, but we often have grudges even when we were not personally wronged. You might begrudge Firefighter Browne because everything seems to go

his way — he gets the station assignment he wanted straight out of the academy, he gets selected to go to the professional development conference, he seems to get all the exciting calls. Firefighter Browne did not do anything to hurt you, but are you holding his success against him? Time to trim that back.

Accept failures. We all mess up — sometimes in a big way. Are there specific failures you have experienced that still make you cringe or turn red with embarrassment or hot with shame? When we cannot forgive ourselves, our confidence is eroded. We keep playing the situation over in our minds.

We are less likely to take healthy risks or challenge ourselves. We shrink behind a hedge of failure.

Take ownership. Let's face it, sometimes conditions at a job or in a relationship are just unhealthy or unfixable. But how many of us fail to do anything to change it? We are not owed or entitled to having things our way. We need to work for it and when we put in the work and do not get the reward, it is on us to move on. Chop down that resentment and find a better place for your talents. Otherwise, it will follow you to your next place in life and grow again.

We remind homeowners every year to take responsibility and make their property as fire-resistant as possible. Ask yourself: Is it time to do a little brush clearing of your own?

PALM DESERT, CA ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY LYNNE TUCKER

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

May 13 to May 19, 2021

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H S A R T Y A W A L AU H WE

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May 13 to May 19, 2021

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