Coachella Valley Weekly - July 30 to August 5, 2020 Vol. 9 No. 20

coachellavalleyweekly.com • July 30 to August 5, 2020

Vol.9 No.20

Steel Guapo/Whiskey & Knives/Mother War/Bil y Tsounis Boxing at Fantasy Springs Bread Song Bakehouse Los Primos Market & Deli / Tacos Gonzalez pg8

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July 30 to August 5, 2020

BB INGLE: THE MAN. THE MYTH. THE LEGEND. 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

Happy Birthday BB Ingle ..................... 3-7 Desert Music Happenings: Steel Guapo, Whiskey & Knives, Mother War, and Billy Tsounis ................................... 8 Consider This - Alain Johannes............. 10 Golden Boy Boxing at Fantasy Springs.11 Bread Song Bakehouse ........................ 12

B

B Ingle is a National Treasure, or at least our Coachella Valley treasure and hero. To know BB is to love BB. He has been hosting parties here in the desert for 38 years, bringing people together earning him the name “Godfather of Parties and Promotions”. You rarely see BB without a smile on his face and he always has a kind word to say about everyone.

Most of you know that BB was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer over 5 years ago. At that time, although, he kept it very quiet, things were not looking good for BB. He was told that it could not be cured since it was so advanced, yet, in typical BB fashion…he did not take “no” for an answer.

He opted out of chemo and instead pursued a radical form of hormone treatment which just about put him in remission. However, unfortunately, since this type of cancer is a non-curable progressive disease…his cancer numbers began to steadily climb, with upward surge occurring in 2019. At that point, his only option was chemo, in an attempt to slow the progression of the disease. BB has been through 10 rounds of chemo and recently went through radiation trying to fight as hard as he can.

Many of his friends have rallied around him during this time, but his best friend Elizabeth Scarcella has been by his side through all of it. “One day last year, BB came to my house, head hung low and looking

very sad. That is when he told me that his PSA number had skyrocketed and the current (hormone) treatment was no longer working. That is when I made a commitment to BB to help him with his fight. We have worked together with his oncologist to make the best choice to prolong his quality of life. I told BB then, and will keep the promise to the very end, I will never leave his side and I will fight hard to make sure he has the very best medical care, nutrition and support that he deserves. And that is what will continue to happen!"

Taking turns to make sure that BB is not alone, his brother Jerrell and his wife Sheryl from Alabama have been staying with him

BY TRACY DIETLIN

until this past Monday and now his other brother, Kip and his wife Kathy have come in from Arizona to stay with him.

Since BB has always been such a light and good friend to me and everyone he touches I thought it would be appropriate to put him on this week’s cover in honor of his 68th birthday, so we could all send him some birthday and well wishes since his FB account has been hacked.

I first met BB about 10 years ago when I was working at Desert Star Weekly. We became fast friends and when I decided to start my own publication CV Weekly, I asked BB if I could put him on the mock sample cover/issue that I would use to go out and gather advertisers. Of course, he agreed. That would be the first of a total of 17 covers that BB would be on over the last 8 years.

I also selected him to be one of our Top 12 Most Interesting & Influential Men in 2015 and 2016. He also won “Best Promoter” at our CV Music Awards 6 out of the 7 years and last year we awarded him the “Lifetime Achievement Award” for Promoter.

This year BB was to be given a Star on the Palm Springs Walk in May but because of the pandemic/quarantine it had to be postponed and possibly might take place in late Fall. continue to page 5

Breaking The 4th Wall .......................... 12 Theatre - An Evening with Tomas and Gimena, A Life Shared in Tango! ...... 13 Theatre - CVREP Online Classes ........... 13 The Vino Voice ....................................... 14 Brewtality .............................................. 15 Good Grub - Los Primos Market & Deli and Tacos Gonzalez ............................ 15 Screeners ............................................... 16 Haddon Libby ......................................... 17 Dale Gribow ............................................ 17 Pet Place ............................................ 18-19 Safety Tips ............................................. 19 Health - Keto .......................................... 20 Free Will Astrology................................ 20

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BB INGLE

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So, in the interim, until he can receive that accolade we will honor him on another CV Weekly cover and wish him the happiest of birthdays possible under the circumstances.

(His birthday was actually Tuesday, July 29, but we don’t publish until Thursday.) Below are a few friends that chimed in to wish you well.

--------------------------------------------------BB you are one of the best human beings I have ever met, one of my dearest friends, my hero, and I love you from the bottom of my heart! Thank you for everything you have brought to my life and for all you have done to support CV Weekly! Tracy Dietlin Happy Birthday to my best friend and warrior! I am so inspired by your fight with this illness. You amaze me with your strength, tenacity and all with the same loving spirit you bring with you wherever you go. I love you! Forever by your side, Elizabeth (Scarcella) Happy birthday BB, from your family in

sweet home Alabama. You mean a lot to us! Especially since we got engaged at one of your parties (Christmas in Paradise) we met 32 years ago and married 31 of those years . We had 3 kids (now just 2) that loved you as their uncle. You’ve been a great big brother to me (JJ) and I love you more than anything. Love and respect Jerrell and Sheryl ❤ ROLL TIDE! Happy Birthday to my brother BB! He has been and is such a wonderful role model ... great friend and positive influence in my life...his passion for life is outstanding and contagious... he is always spreading words of wisdom to all who listen...❤He has shown such bravery with his fight with cancer... such a fighter!! Love you brother!

Kip Happy birthday to my precious brother who is the most courageous person I know... such a warrior in this battle that so many must fight!! His faith and determination to beat this evil cancer is fierce!! You are

always in my prayers....I love you and the many fun memories we share from oh so many years (46). You are a bright light to so many!! Keep that sparkle!! ❤ Kathy Happy Birthday BB. You may be the second largest concert promoter in the Coachella Valley but you will always be #1 to me! Skip Thank you for all the great memories you have created for people over the decades.

I cherish the times we've spent together and love all of your colorful stories brother.

Craig Michaels Happy Birthday to you my brother BB! Thank you for the years of bringing people together! You make friends happen like no one else ever could and I am honored to call my friend. Love ya Beeb's! Gerard Noonan BB Happy Birthday to the “King” of Party Throwers. We’ve done it all together over the years my friend. You have always set the bar high in the industry! In “BB we trust!”

God Bless! Steve Johns

Happy Birthday to my favorite Leo and dearest friend in the Desert! What an amazing 15 years we've had to celebrate together! Love you! Chelsea Van Es Happy Birthday BB!!! You've always been such a bright light in the desert! Your enthusiasm and positive spirit has always inspired me. Love you my dear friend and I wish you the happiest of birthdays! Valerie Kattz BB, Congratulations on another successful trip around the sun!!! This one has been a rough ride but I am confident that you are going to get through this. I am looking forward to doing more great events together. Laura and I miss your company and look forward to the day that we can all hang out again soon!! We raise a glass to you, BB, on your birthday to celebrate all the goodness, positivity and joy that you bring to the world around you.” Greg and Laura Little continue to page 6

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BB INGLE

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I’ve known BB since I moved to the desert back in 1991 and I cannot say enough wonderful things about the happiness and fun he’s brought to the Coachella Valley.

He’s an authentic man with a heart of gold and endless creative ideas and positivity. He has an incredible knack for remembering everyone’s names and making people feel special when he engages with them.

He speaks but most importantly - he also LISTENS! He is loved, respected and appreciated by so many. Thanks! PJ Paula Jo Ubben Hi BB! We are so excited to wish you a very happy birthday. You have brought much joy to others and continue to have a big heart for everyone you meet. Looking forward to hanging again soon. Love, Brandon & Rach Henderson BB Ingle, it was a lucky day in 2004 when I met you strolling through the Living Desert shortly after moving to the Coachella Valley.

Your bright smile and Southern Charm made this seem like home. Love you, and love you more given our mutual love of dogs, good friends, and music (including

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Sweet Home Alabama). God bless you, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Janet McAfee Happy Birthday my Friend! The Roos family has tremendous love for you! Enjoy your day the best you can and we will see you when all of this craziness is over! Jeremy T Roos Hi BB! I want to wish you a happy birthday! I also wish you continued strength, health and healing. Thank you for all your support! Josh Heinz Happiest of days to you our friend! Kathy and Don Happy Birthday to the amazing BB!!

You cheer everyone on supporting them in their passion. You are thoughtful, kind, intelligent, talented, handsome, patient, and full of a spirit that inspires us all. I hope that you can feel the love from all of us as you have given us so much love.

Thank you for sharing your life with us and for encouraging each of us in ours. Lots of love on your special day. XOXO Cherise Sonderman and the Sonderman Family Happiest of birthdays to my red dirt, southern soul brother, believer,

peace warrior and Captain of the ship, “Celebration.” May all the love and happiness you have facilitated for others be returned to you 100-fold. May you feel the depths of it in its entirety. I love you Beebs!

Lisa Lynn Morgan BB is a friend that keeps the light on for you, always! Christopher Spellman Happiest of birthdays to you - your legendary goodwill and indomitable spirit are inspirational and inspiring. May all your wishes and dreams come true. Lotsa love and hugs. Ellen Pirosh Happy Birthday BB 🎂. You are such a rockstar! 💞 Lynn Mack Happy Birthday, BB! We wish you lots and lots of love on your special day. We pray for your healing and that you will be back to your old self. May God be with you always.💖 Sincerely, Dale & Sarah Johnson-Barber Happy Birthday, BB. You are a ray of sunshine when it’s grey and a force of love who always brings out the best in others.

May you receive back on your birthday what you have given so freely. Much love and tight hugs, Aimee xo

Dear BB, we have been friends for 29 years since you showed up at Gumbo Joe’s and asked us to play Mustang Sally (for the 3,738th time 😂). Through the changes we have all been through, we have known you to be a good natured, uplifting, sweet, authentic Bama Boy!! and a dear friend!

We love you BB Ingle!! Happy Birthday darlin’♥ Thoughts of healing and plenty of love... Lauri and Kal Wishing you a very Happy Birthday BB! Big hugs! ❤ Kerry Anderson In a world full of clouds and uncertainty, you are a like a rainbow, a rare phenomenon that disperses beautiful rays of light that fills everyone’s heart with magic and joy. I wish you so much love on your birthday BB, keep shining my friend, you are a rare and precious gem. Xoxo, Cathy Serif Wishing you a Happy Birthday BB!!

Praying for you, and sending you much love every day!! Hugs, Denise Ortuno Best wishes and prayers for you now and always! Brenda Martin Here's wishing you a very happy birthday and looking forward to many more Sweet Home Alabama's! Love & hugs from Mary Ann Rojo Happy Birthday Beebs...always the life of the party...you are the desert rainmaker.

I hope your day is filled with Blessings. 30 years and counting my friend. Love you to the Beach and Back. Caroldean xoxo Happy Birthday, BB! Wishing you a very happy day and wonderful year of health ahead. We are praying for you and we know you got this! All the best, Graison and Trent Stemper Happy Birthday! Thank you for being a great pillar of strength and courage. There is so much love for you! Crystal Harrell Cheers BB! May this birthday bring you laughter, peace of mind, health and a great year ahead! Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Carol Corcoran XO BB....Wishing such an amazing man an amazing Birthday! Sending hugs, and prayers to you! With Lots of Love Annemarie Hey my brother, This is John from The Smooth Brothers wishing you a beautiful Happy Birthday and we both can kick cancer in the ass. John Carey

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Wishing you a very Happy Birthday love 3M Mark Gregg, Misty Howell, Mandy Calvano Happy Birthday, BB Ingle! I've been honored to be your friend and a part of your legacy from BB O'Brien's to selling out the Palm Springs Convention Center! 3M sends you love and a wish of total healing. I'll see you soon, my friend. Mark Gregg Happy Birthday, BB! Thank you for making great memories for my boys who know you as “Iron Man” and for being such a legend in our community. I can hear your voice in my head and feel your spirit in my heart. Wishing you health and happiness and every joy you hope for! Hope to see you soon! Keeping you in prayer. Cindy, Dyson and Dylan Burreson

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Happy Birthday BB! We are all here for you. You can beat this! 💞 Diana Marlo Happy Happy birthday to you, dear BB. You've been the glue that's held so many of us together over the years, and we hope you know we are here for you! Sending love, hugs and a million kisses to you on your special day! xoxox Dennis & Stephanie Greene Happy Birthday, BB! You’ve been a bright light and community friend for as long as I can remember. Thank you for bringing people together! I think I can speak for us all when I say we miss you and adore you. – Katie Stice, Rancho Mirage Chamber Happy Birthday BB. It's been awesome getting to know you over the years. Wishing you nothing but the best as you deserve it!

Dayna

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LOCAL MUSIC

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DESERT MUSIC HAPPENINGS: STEEL GUAPO – WHISKEY & KNIVES – MOTHER WAR – BILLY TSOUNIS

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TEEL GUAPO HIMSELF “I Feel At Home” Michael Gafrancesco is Steel Guapo Himself. The vocalist/guitarist recently released his first single, ‘I Feel At Home’ on all major music platforms. Described as “Killgrass/315Americana” the music is profound and the vocals are resonant.

Gafrancesco is best known as “Shred Bundy” of the popular Punk/Psychobilly four-piece The Butchery Boys. Formed in 1992, Marcus Bush (Marcus E. Ville), Colin Hood (Colin D’Morgue), Tony Gafrancesco (Tone Death) and Shred Bundy performed throughout Southern California and were often deemed "Horrorbilly" for their bloody, first-person and crime-based storylines from their own demented minds along with history-driven tales of lawlessness and terror from Jack The Ripper to Bonnie and Clyde. A sort of Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, the Gafrancesco brothers wrote, ‘I Feel At Home’ while living in the desert.

With Steel Guapo, Gafrancesco introduces the burning hot desert of Southern California to the blistering cold winters of Central New York generating an unforgettable Americanainspired sound.

He describes his journey, “I traveled 2,621 miles to the desert to meet the Devil only to find his greatest trick. I've dug ditches in 120 degrees. I've played dive bars that would make the holiest of men dance with a corpse on top each of the Ten Commandments. I am original sin. I am Steel Guapo”.

‘I Feel At Home’ is intentional with a self-evident confidence in its guitar work.

Hints of Metallica’s ‘Nothing Else Matters’ comes to mind but Steel Guapo takes you even deeper beneath the malaise. “A car drives by, well they didn’t notice us, the sun in our eyes, it’s taking a toll on us”. When we are in solitude and long to be with our own thoughts, this song provides the backdrop for internalization and reflection. Clocking in at over five minutes, it’s perfect for a quick rumination session.

Find the song on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Music, Deezer and Pandora.

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BY NOE GUTIERREZ

ARMANDO FLORES JOINS WHISKEY AND KNIVES! Desert Rock band Whiskey and Knives has welcomed big-time bassist Armando Flores to the fold. Much like previous illustrious bass players Mike Smith and Travis Rockwell, Flores fits right in as he has been a part of standout bands like Se7en4, Lung Cookie and B-Movie Superstars. Its line-up consists of former Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age drummer Alfredo Hernandez, guitar wiz Jon Arnold and perpetual vocalist Jason Baseley.

Whiskey and Knives was formed in 2007 as a warning to bloodthirsty Grizzly bears.

A former member came up with the name during a camping trip where the question was posed, “What if a bear tries to attack us?

We have nothing to protect ourselves except for this bottle of whiskey and some knives.”

There have been no reports of bear attacks since then so it seems bears everywhere have taken heed.

Flores is pretty stoked at the opportunity.

He shared, “I’m super-stoked to be playing with Whiskey and Knives and ‘Desert OGs’ Jon Arnold, Alfredo Hernandez and Jason Baseley! They have been bringing Desert Rock and Punk Rock vibes to the desert scene for ages! It's been years since I've played in a hardcore act and these guys bring it every time!”

Having seen video of the band performing with Nick Oliveri in Sky Valley, CA not long ago makes me long for their first big postpandemic gig.

Find Whiskey and Knives on Facebook or contact them here (760) 272-6284 ---------------------------------------------------

MOTHER WAR The Rock trio Mother War hail from Indio, CA. A group of high school teachers who started playing music to “blow off steam” quickly realized that they had a genuine chemistry so they decided to form a band.

Performing a blend of Rock and Blues in English and Spanish, the band continue to work on music during quarantine in order to release an album very soon.

Mother War is Mario (English teacher) on guitar/vocals, Ricardo (History teacher) on bass/vocals and Matt (Science teacher) on drums/vocals. The band previously played several venues in the desert, a show in Oregon and the Coachella Valley Virtual Music Festival.

Find them on Instagram: @motherwarmusic --------------------------------------------------BILLY TSOUNIS – "Magic Blob Boogie” If you rejoice in the instrumentation of Joe Satriani, you will take delight in Billy Tsounis. The Berklee School of Music alumni, talented rock guitarist, composer and multiinstrumentalist has taken his PsychedelicJam-Space-Rock and has abstracted the Blues-based tune ‘Magic Blob Boogie’.

It may only be 2 minutes and 26 seconds of music but it packs a wallop of galloping Blues. As with his prior moniker, Billy Tsounis And The Amazing Androids, Tsounis writes

and performs all-instrumental music. He has performed a considerable amount of session work and teaches music at the Temecula Music Academy and the Harvard Street Music Exchange in Hemet, California.

Originally from South Africa, Tsounis is also a member of the East Coast Sleaze Rock band Circus of Power. With original vocalist Alex Mitchell and John Sharkey on bass, the band recently released their new EP ‘The Process of Illumination’ to gushing reviews from longtime fans and music pundits alike (see video link below).

For ‘Magic Blob Boogie’, Tsounis plays all guitars on the track. The rhythm parts are a joy to listen to as much as the lead guitar.

Tsounis previous work with Billy Tsounis And The Amazing Androids is unique unto its own and this is even more excellent. If you were to envision a ‘Magic Blob Boogie’ I would imagine this is the music you would be dancing to. Please find Tsounis and support his work.

Find the track on Spotify, Apple Music and all other major music platforms. billytsounis.com billytsounis.bandcamp.com circusofpower.bigcartel.com Circus of Power “Strange Times” (Official Video) Dedicated to the first responders and the essential workers fighting against COVID-19 – youtu.be/fnXbJL0RZBY

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CONSIDER THIS

“On and on it ebbs, on and on it flows years are borne from days, as the silence grows/On and on with joy, on and on with pain, meet me here again my love, My love” hat’s Alain Johannes, speaking to his late wife, his forever muse, Natasha Shneider on the song “Hallowed Bones,” off his new album, Hum. Alain Johannes grew up steeped in music.

His mother, Rommi, had been part of an international Pop trio, with her brothers, Peter and Alex, and shared stages with British Invasion stalwarts like the Animals and the Rolling Stones. Peter put a guitar in Alain’s hands when he was just four years old. Born in Chile, he spent most of his childhood in Mexico City. It was there he discovered the Beatles and he began collecting their ‘45s. Their Rubber Soul became a major influence, conveying the power of a full-length record.

Just as puberty struck, Alain, along with his mother, younger sister Karina and adored Grandmother, moved to Los Angeles. It was there he sidelined early infatuations like World Cup soccer and Horror movies, and became obsessed with bands like Yes, Led Zeppelin, and most especially Queen.

By the time he was attending Fairfax High School, he connected with Hillel Slovak and the pair formed their first band with Jack Irons on drums and Todd Strassman on bass. Typically, they went through a series of names, Chain Reaction, Anthem, then Anthym, before landing on What Is This? Pretty quickly, they replaced Todd with fellow classmate, Michael “Flea” Balzary. Flea was already an accomplished trumpet player, but had never really played bass. Hillel taught him the basics and soon the band was booking shows. A hyperactive fan named Anthony Kiedis became their roadie.

Following graduation, What Is This? began gigging around L.A. They found a home in the thriving music scene and built a loyal, homegrown following. Around the time they released their first EP, Squeezed, Hillel and Flea began a side project with Anthony that ultimately became the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Right as What Is This? inked a record deal with the MCA label, RHCP signed with Enigma a Punkier imprint of EMI/America.

In 1985, Hillel joined the Chili Peppers full-time. A few months later, What Is This? released their self-titled debut, but by the time they issued a second EP, Alain’s focus had shifted. He met the love of his life, Natasha.

Born in Latvia, Natasha had grown up behind the Iron Curtain. She started playing music as a child, in state sponsored orchestras.

She was classically trained, but she was a huge Soul/R&B fan. The U.S.S.R. had such a stranglehold on art and culture that she defected to the United States in 1976. Three years later she made it to Los Angeles and wound up signing with Motown Records. Her band, Black Russian, was the first Soviet band signed to an American label. Not long after the release of their 1990 debut, they quietly disbanded.

Walk The Moon was Alain and Natasha’s first band. Even though Jack Irons was a fulltime Chili Pepper, he pounded the kit on WTM’s one and only album. When Alain and Natasha formed Eleven in 1990, Jack jumped off the Chili Pepper juggernaut and joined Eleven.

Between 1991 and 2003, Eleven released five albums. The three-piece always seemed on the brink of stardom. Critics immediately embraced the band’s labyrinthine sound, a

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“HUM” RECORDINGS) ALAIN JOHANNES (IPECAC

fusion of soulful vocals, complex arrangements and vivid melodies. Plagued by record label issues, commercial success eluded them, but plenty of heavy-hitters took notice.

In 1993, Eleven was the opening band at Pearl Jam’s historic concert at Indio’s Empire Polo Club. (That show became the impetus for the Coachella Festival). Five years later Soundgarden front-man Chris Cornell invited Alain and Natasha to produce and play on his first solo album. Released at the turn of the 21st century, their collaboration managed to unleash the Grunge God’s inner Beatle.

Once the couple had recorded and toured with Chris, Alain and Natasha became a hot commodity. Suddenly every musician of discernment required their magic touch.

A chance encounter with Josh Homme led to Alain mixing Queens Of The Stone Age’s epochal Rated R album. For the next several years, the pair’s skilled musicianship as well as Alain’s production prowess strengthened albums by No Doubt, Masters Of Reality, Mondo Generator and Eagles Of Death Metal.

When Nick Oliveri left QOTSA, Alain was slotted in on bass and Natasha was added on keys. They added their sui generis sound to three albums, Lullabies To Paralyze, Over The Years And Through The Woods and Era Vulgaris.

Their fortunes shifted in 2007, when Alain’s mom, Rommi, and then Natasha, were diagnosed with cancer. Natasha lost her battle a year later, passing away in 2008.

Rommi hung on, fighting valiantly until she too succumbed in early 2014. Bereft, Alain assuaged his grief by diving deeper into work.

He produced and played on Brody Dalle’s post-Distillers project, Spinerette. With Josh Homme handling production, he engineered the Arctic Monkeys’ third album, Humbug.

In 2009, Josh, Foo Fighter Dave Grohl and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones formed a super group of sorts, Them Crooked Vultures.

Alain was an essential part of the recording process for TCV’s self-titled debut. When the band hit the road, which included a headlining date for the 2010 edition of Coachella, he became a de facto band member, adding rhythm guitar and keys.

That same year saw the release of his solo debut, Spark. Playing every instrument himself, the album was a haunting tribute to Natasha, a baroque treatise awash in beauty and sadness. The next few years kept him busy behind the boards producing albums for Mark Lanegan, Jimmy Eat World, as well as Brody Dalle’s solo debut. He was an integral part of Dave Grohl’s lovely Sound City documentary, playing and recording with luminaries like Stevie Nicks, Rick Springfield, Lee Ving, Krist Novoselic, Pat Smear and Paul McCartney. The film’s soundtrack won two Grammies.

Alain briefly returned to the spotlight with his second solo album, Fragments And Wholes, Vol. 1., which arrived in late 2014. Literally a one-man band, he played all the instruments on every track. Moodily magnificent, the title referred to the recording process. Alain would record fragments and song ideas on his phone and give himself a day to flesh out the arrangement and instrumentation and then press record.

Most recently, Alain has become a soughtafter film and television composer. In 2016/17, joined his old pal PJ Harvey, as the guitarist for her touring band. He also added guitar to her ninth album, The Hope Six Demolition Project.

At the same time, he was dealt a couple of heavy blows, first his Uncle Peter died in 2016,

BY ELENI P. AUSTIN

then he was completely jolted by the sudden death of Chris Cornell the following year. Still, he continued to work. It all caught up with him in late 2019.

Following a lengthy tour, Alain returned home and became seriously ill. Bedridden from November to February, the diagnosis for his ailment, wavered between bronchitis and pneumonia, but it could just as easily been Coronavirus. Antibiotics weren’t helping, breathing treatments finally assisted his recovery. While he was flat on his back, he was flooded with thoughts of Natasha and Chris, as well as his own mortality. Once he was up and around, he began recording. Hum was completed in 12 days.

“Mermaid’s Scream” opens the album with a flourish. The melody and arrangement land somewhere between a taqsim and a tone poem, Alain’s anguished vocals are offset by a blend of rippling Portuguese guitar, dour baritone and fretless ebow, shaman drum and prickly percussion. Lyrical imagery was inspired by the stark 2019 film, “The Lighthouse.” Still, it’s clear lyrics like “As your voices ring out, like a mermaid’s scream, I’ll keep watch in the fog” are aimed at Natasha and Chris. The haunting backing vocals are meant to mimic the sound of their voices against the crashing waves.

Because Alain is such a protean talent, his music can shift with kaleidoscopic alacrity.

Take “Someone,” which is pared down to his warm tenor, descending acoustic arpeggios and some fretless ebow. Bereft and mournful he confides some of his spark has extinguished; “Someone took the flame and ran, all the way past hell and heaven.” On the sweetly pastoral chorus he addresses the source of his psychic wounds; “It’s You, turning the sign around, You, holding the strings above, You, making it harder still, pretending it’s harder still.”

The same sorrow is on display on “Sealed,” but the melody, instrumentation and arrangement take a hard left turn. A maelstrom of slashing power chords are achieved by layering tricone resonator guitar, drone guitar and electric guitar over a see-saw beat of frame drum, shaman drum and shaker percussion. The vocals are bleak and sepulchral matching the dirge-like melody. On the break, guitars are hollowed-out and menacing, as clusters of chords scorch and scratch over reliably strummy rhythm guitar. The final verse is a pure cri de Coeur; “I will hold you tight my love, and your pain I’ll swallow whole/In my eyes you’ll see it all, be it all, be it all.”

Because this album was being recorded almost as quickly as the songs were written the best cuts have a power and immediacy that is both forceful and and intriguing. That begins with the title track which is powered by sundappled Portuguese guitar, tricone resonator,

fretless ebow and sustainer guitar. Udu drum and shakers provide a quietly persistent percussive kick. The arrangement echoes the flavor of British Folk progenitors like Pentangle, as well as the more contemporaneous sound Sun Kil Moon architect, Mark Kozelek. Lush and ethereal, grief and optimism quietly coexist; “A dead world turning inside out, and in my hope a quickening/Invisibly your saving hand, as I survive this slipping land.”

Alain mentally constructed “If Morning Comes” during the darkest depths of his illness.

The industrial clank of instrumentation locks into a kind of relaxed Tsiftateli groove, typically found in Greek and Turkish music. Dense and hypnotic, fractious guitars skronk and squall.

Pondering his own mortality, he barters for each day; “If morning comes, I will kneel to the sun, a silent prayer in your name and carry on.” A quicksilver guitar solo unspools on the break, supplicating, davening, summoning his strength. The song’s final verse, “A perching crow quoth ‘time to go,’ no yesterdays’ worth one today, just so you know,” seems to signal that despite all his loss, he’s choosing life.

Although the instrumentation on “Free” is bare-bones, just Alain on his cigar box guitar (a.k.a. the CigFiddle), he manages to elicit a surfeit of sounds from his rectangular source.

Over a persistent hum, cascading notes bend and meander cocooning the wistful melody, and deftly blunting the inherent melancholy.

Here, the lyrics feel as though a page has been turned; “All of these haunted days belie, holding ‘em tight as they wane, why?” If he begins to let go, he asks, “will I find that I’m truly free…,” the final verse holds the answer; “I turn and walk away, and I follow the desert wind, so I lose myself, as I find that I’m truly free.”

Finally, the aforementioned “Hallowed Bones” is wildly modal and majestic. Acoustic guitar, bowed banjo, sarangi (a Hindustani/ Pakistani short-necked string instrument) and harmonium lattice over shaman drum, shakers, tambourine and cajon, a boxshaped percussive device from Peru. The instrumentation whirs and pivots, bookending each humble entreaty to his beloved.

Other interesting tracks include “Here In The Silence” and “Nine” which appear back-toback on the record. The former is the sweetly Beatlesque, echoing the “Rubber Soul” era.

The latter is anchored by a kinetic pulse, spectral guitars and brittle bass lines. A wiggly, whipsawing electric guitar solo unravels on the break before Alain quietly intones; “I received a message from my number nine” The album closes with “Finis.” Sawing guitars cantilever atop bowed banjo, sarangi and shaman drum. The lyrics offer a last ode to Natasha’s strength. Singing directly to her, Alain promises “All that we’ve started and gave me to tend, all that we started, I’ll see to the end…my heart won’t let you down.”

He has made peace with the fact that journey they began together, he must finish alone. It’s a sharp denouement to brilliant record.

Despite all the sturm und drang, there’s a lightness and sense of spirit that seems to envelope Hum. The heartache and loss is accompanied by a feeling of gratitude. This is Alain’s most assured solo effort to date, suffused with grit, grace and gravity.

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GOLDEN BOY BOXING RETURNS TO FANTASY SPRINGS AUGUST 28TH WITH JORGE LINARES TAKING ON JAVIER FORTUNA IN MAIN EVENT

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olden Boy Boxing returns to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino on Friday, August 28th with Jorge “El Niño de Oro” Linares (47-5, 29 KOs) taking on Javier “El Abejon” Fortuna (35-2-1, 24 KOs) in the 12-round main event for the WBC Diamond Lightweight Championship. As with the recent July 24th event, the bout will be closed to spectators but will be streamed live on DAZN. “Linares’ legacy as a future Hall of Famer is etched in stone, but he’s not done yet,” said Golden Boy Chairman and Oscar De La Hoya.

“On August 28th, he’s in for a tough fight against a man who is just as quick-handed as he is, so expect both men to bring a lot of firepower.”

Linares, of Venezuela, boasts one of the most impressive resumes of any active fighter.

The 34-year-old has earned world titles in the featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight divisions, facing some of the sport’s toughest competition. After a dominant performance against Carlos “The Solution” Morales in February, Linares is eager to impress.

“I’m ready to return to the top of the lightweight division,” said Linares. “I hope to provide everyone with a bit of diversion and excitement as I get closer to regaining my throne as the king of the 135-pound division.”

Fortuna, 31, is currently ranked No. 1 by the WBC in the lightweight division.

The Dominican Republic native is a proven veteran who captured the interim WBA Featherweight Title against then-undefeated

Patrick “The Punisher” Hyland in 2012, and beat Bryan “El Tiquito” Vazquez in 2015 to capture the WBA Super Featherweight Title.

In his last outing, the southpaw dominated former champion Jesus “El Jinete” Cuellar.

“Don’t make any excuses on fight night,” Fortuna said of his opponent. “Come ready for war because that’s what I’m going to do.”

In the co-main event, Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis (22-0, 14 KOs) faces Brad “King” Solomon (28-3, 9 KOs) in a 10-round defense of his WBA Continental Americas Welterweight Title.

“Rashidi Ellis is a big problem for everyone at 147 pounds,” said De La Hoya. “He may very well have the quickest hands in boxing, and he’s eager to fight the very best in the division.”

The 27-year-old Ellis has yet to taste defeat

since making his professional debut in 2017.

The Lynn, Mass. native previously held the IBF North American Welterweight Title, and now holds the WBA Continental Americas Welterweight Title, which he earned via unanimous decision in his rematch with Eddie “E-Boy” Gomez.

“I’m finally back in the ring on August 28th, said Ellis. “And I’m happy that it will be at my favorite place, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. Brad Solomon is coming off some very tough challenges, but I’m coming to make a statement. I’m going to show that I’m the best in the welterweight division and that I’m ready for a title shot. Stay tuned!”

Solomon, a 36-year-old veteran, previously earned wins against the likes of Freddy “The Rail” Hernandez and Adrian “El Tigre” Granados. The Lafayette, La. native is

July 30 to August 5, 2020

SPORTSSCENE

coming off back-to-back losses to Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Alexis Rocha, but looks to climb back to the upper echelon of welterweights.

“I want to tip my hat to Golden Boy for bringing me back on one of their shows,” said Solomon. “In this fight, I’m going to prove myself. I’m going to show the sport of boxing that I’m back. I’m going to put my career back on top where it’s supposed to be.”

Uzbekistani wrecking ball Bektemir “Bully” Melikuziev (5-0, 4 KOs) looks to continue his rapid rise up the 168-pound rankings as he defends his WBA Continental Americas Super Middleweight Title against Alan Campa (175, 11 KOs) of Sonora, Mexico in a 10-round clash.

Alexis “Lex” Rocha (16-0, 10 KOs) of Santa Ana defends his WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Title in a 10-round battle against Jameson Bacon (23-4, 15 KOs) of Cebu, Philippines.

Former world title challenger Lamont Roach Jr. (19-1-1, 7 KOs) of Washington, D.C., faces Neil Tabanao (17-7, 11 KOs) of Cebu, Philippines in a 10-round super featherweight fight.

Marlen Esparza (7-1, 1 KOs) of Houston returns after her first and only defeat in an eight-round flyweight bout against Jacky Calvo (12-5-1, 1 KO) of Mexico City. Mexico.

For more info, visit goldenboypromotions. com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/ GoldenBoy and facebook.com/DAZNUSA. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @ DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #LinaresFortuna.

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July 30 to August 5, 2020

LOCAL BUSINESS

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BREAD SONG BAKEHOUSE IS MAKING DOUGH

BY CRYSTAL HARRELL

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t is often difficult for new businesses to get even footing when first starting out, but doing so in a pandemic is especially challenging when well-established businesses are also feeling a strain. Despite the obstacles set in place during a less than ideal time, Frank and Briana Caniza have successfully created Bread Song Bakehouse in their own home as a family-run operation.

Their focus is on naturally leavened bread, otherwise more commonly known as sourdough bread. All of the breads at Bread Song Bakehouse are hearth baked, and vary in style and flavor profile. Frank and Briana mill flour from grain in-house, and incorporate it in all of their baked goods at varying percentages.

Bread Song offers sandwich-style pan loaves as well as rustic-style loaves. Although the main focus and namesake of the bakery is bread, Bread Song also offers a sourdough banana bread and a sourdough salted chocolate chip cookie, which is quite popular among customers.

Frank has been a self-learning baker for three years. He has perfected his technique and learned most of what he knows from online baking communities, books, and watching YouTube videos.

“Bread Song came about from a desire to do what I love while staying home with my wife and kids. Currently it is a small family operation between my wife Briana and I,” explained Frank.

Bread Song Bakehouse operates under a Cottage Food Operators Class A permit. This kind of permit allows Frank and Briana to operate out of their home kitchen and sell their baked goods directly to consumers. They applied for the permit in February and did not get the final approval until early March.

By then, COVID-19 had become a growing worldwide concern and the couple decided to hunker down and wait a couple of months before establishing their bakery.

“It's hard to gauge the impact due to the fact that we've only been operational during the pandemic. I would say that despite the fact that we are only just now getting started, the support has been great. It has really been motivating us to take this seriously and put all of our energy into it,” stated Frank.

The couple have bread available for pick up or delivery every Saturday and are currently working on a pre-order basis. Pre-orders begin Monday morning and run through Thursday evening.

A THREE-DIMENSIONAL CRAFT IN A TWO-DIMENSIONAL WORLD

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outhern California has most often been thought of as the home of film.

Hollywood Studios and even the Coachella Valley became popular, because it was the destination for many film stars.

Studios required that actors stay within a twohour drive incase they were needed on set and so Palm Springs became the perfect getaway.

Yet in the shadows of film studios, the live performing art stages grew and prospered and rivaled their New York cousins.

Those that love theatre and have incorporated the performing arts into their regular life style will tell you that they may love film, but there is nothing like being in the audience of a live show. Unlike watching a movie, live stage shows inspire all of the senses. Sight, sound, touch, smell and taste.

The audience is an integral part of the whole theatre experience.

One of the many challenges that we are facing now in this age of Coronavirus and social distancing is that most of our life experiences have become two dimensional. Not just films and TV shows, but even stage performances are being watched on a screen. In this digital age our online social interactions are flat and without the depth that a three-dimensional experience offers. We have been forced to

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The preparation process of the merchandise starts about 36 hours even before the loaves get baked. Before the dough gets mixed, Frank and Briana take a portion of the sourdough culture and build a levain and allow it to ferment for 10 to 12 hours on Thursday night. This is an offshoot of their sourdough culture that will go on to leaven their breads. Friday morning begins by mixing the doughs where they then go through the first stage of fermentation. In the afternoon, the dough is divided, shaped, and put into the fridge. This allows the loaves to slowly ferment during their final proof. It isn’t until Saturday morning that Frank and Briana are up at 4 a.m. to start baking.

“We love the connections we have made with customers and other local food vendors.

All of our family and friends have also been incredibly supportive and excited for us throughout this entire process,” said Frank.

In terms of the future, Frank and Briana hope to move into a bigger kitchen and switch over to a Class B permit that will allow them to sell their baked goods at a wholesale level. Those interested can reach out to Bread Song Bakehouse on Instagram, @breadsongbakehouse, for weekly menu

BY DEE JAE COX

reduce the use of all five senses and rely mostly on sight and sound. We are no longer observers or participants in the three D realm of the performing arts, riding the emotion and the action of live characters titillating all five of our senses. Instead we are restricted to staring at a flat screen, therefore it is no wonder that we feel a great sense of loss.

Dimensions are used to describe the structure of an object — whether it's flat or not — and its extent in space. A dimension in geometry is defined as the number of coordinates needed to specify a point on the object.

Although we live in, move through and see a world of three dimensions, most of the representations of that world have become two-dimensional. We view drawings or photographs on flat paper or computer screens. Social interactions are without a sense of touch.

Theatre is a nurturing art form. The best of theatre productions have adequate rehearsal time, cast bonding, time to read the script, become intimately knowledgeable of the story and its characters. Stage actors become familiar with their roles slowly and by the time they perform publicly, they have practiced dozens of times and they are presenting characters

updates and information on how to pre-order.

Frank and Briana do much of their marketing and promoting through Instagram, but also like to share their process and new menu items they are working on. It has also been a place for them to collaborate with and share other local food businesses in the desert.

“The overall positive feedback we have received from the community has been amazing. Logging onto social media to see people sharing photos of our bread and posting about our bakery brings us great satisfaction. It's incredibly rewarding to know people are enjoying something we have put our heart into and worked so hard to create,” said Frank.

BREAKING THE4TH WALL

that will interact with a live audience. Even depending on that audience for energy and motivation. A film is a visual art that is normally viewed by a two-dimensional method. A stage play is a performing art that becomes stifled when forced into a two-dimensional presentation.

This dimensional limitation has forced theatre artists to become more creative. Visit the sites of the desert theatres and you will see that despite the limitations forced on them without warning, they have done what all great thinkers do, they have adapted. Whether this change will be integrated for the duration or only out of temporary necessity, remains to be seen. But the love of the art has taken theatre

professionals to new levels of performance.

Integrating a three- dimensional craft into a two-dimensional world.

I have felt that my senses are being deprived. Craving the live theatrical fix that has been so much a part of my life for so long. But they say that the key to longevity is the ability to adapt to change. And no doubt what has kept theatre alive for two thousand years is that it evolves with the necessity of the times.

Dee Jae Cox is a playwright, director and producer. She is the Cofounder and Artistic Director of The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Project. losangeleswomenstheatreproject.org palmspringstheatre.com

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COACHELLA VALLEY REPERTORY PRESENTS THEATRE THURSDAYS AN EVENING WITH TOMAS AND GIMENA, A LIFE SHARED IN TANGO!

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oachella Valley Repertory’s Theatre Thursdays presents “An Evening with Tomas and Gimena, A Life Shared in Tango!” On Thursday, July 30th at 6 pm, Tomas Galvan and Gimena Herrera will share their life in tango and showcase their beautiful dance.

Both from Catamarca in the northwest of Argentine, Galvan and Herrera are two of the most requested artists in today’s Argentine tango. They are creators, choreographers and stars of their production “Tierra y Fuego Que Camina (Earth and Fire that Walks),” with the title inspired by Atahualpa Yupanqui, an Argentine poet and artist. The couple performed the show “Romper El Piso” at the worldfamous “Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival,” the “Vail International Dance Festival” and “Israel International Festival.”

The passion and performing brilliance were evident when the duo appeared in theaters in the United States, Italy, United Kingdom, Russia, Spain, Israel, Greece, Turkey, Mexico and China, receiving excellent reviews where they went.

They performed with the important symphonies of Dallas, Edmonton, Michigan, Milwaukee, with the show "Tango Caliente" conducted by the Grammy winner Jeff Tyzik. Galvan and Herrera were sub champions of the Buenos Aires tango dance metropolitan championship in 2009, where more than 200 dancing couples competed, and were honored with an invitation to Rome to dance at the Pope Francis’ birthday party.

The night they met more than 15 years ago began Galvan’s and Herrera’s history with the art of tango. They define their art as an interpretation of the moment where their lives became “pure movement, energetic, wild, dreamlike; visceral never tepid.” They are committed to what they want and need. When they tango, they enter a world that takes them to “the abyss of wonder” and of their emotions, to a place that reflects where they began.

Artistic Director Ron Celona has had a long standing friendship with Tomas and Gamina.

When he discussed CVRep’s Theatre Thursdays presentation, Tomas and Gamina generously offered to share their dance brilliance with CVRep patrons.

Information on upcoming presentations can be found on the website, and registration links are included. To register for any of these events, please visit www.cvrep.org.

To continue CVRep’s mission of providing educational, entertaining and thought-

provoking presentations, CVRep is offering Theatre Thursdays, a weekly, virtual entertaining and learning opportunity. All presentations are offered via Zoom to observe social distancing guidelines.

Coachella Valley Repertory (CVRep) is an equity theater company, designated a Small Professional Theatre under the Actors’ Equity Association. CVRep is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to provide thought provoking theatre of substance.

PERFORMER BIO: TOMAS GALVAN & GIMENA HERRERA Tomas and Gimena are two of the most requested artists in today's Argentine tango.

They toured United States, Italy, United Kingdom, Russia, Spain, Israel, Greece, Turkey, Mexico and China, integrating important dance companies from Argentina and the United States; also as masters of tango dance. They performed at the world famous Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, at the "Vail international dance festival" and "Israel

July 30 to August 5, 2020

THEATRE

international festival" with the show "Romper el piso" as choreography assistants and dancers.

They created diverse choreographies, for dance groups and artistic education institutions of Argentina.

Tomas and Gimena were honored with an invitation to Rome to dance at the Pope Francis’ birthday party. They were sub champions of the Buenos Aires tango dance metropolitan championship 2009, where more than 200 dancing couples competed. They were finalists in the tango dance world championship. They have appeared in theaters around the world, receiving excellent reviews where they went.

They performed with the important ​ symphonies of Dallas, Edmonton, Michigan, Milwaukee, with the show "Tango Caliente" conducted by the Grammy winner Jeff Tyzik. ​Tomas is co-author of the book "Arte para la vida" published in Argentina, by the vocational school of artistic expression of Catamarca. ​They are creators, choreographers and stars of their production "Tierra y fuego que camina".

The title of this dance theater show is inspired

by Atahualpa Yupanqui, an Argentine poet and artist. Earth and fire is the landscape of the world and the human heart where the essence of tango is always found. The show traces the experiences of two people celebrating life in each movement, in each melody both human and divine, two pilgrims in search of dreams, pilgrims of a road that never ends. Their tango brings the action of the big city and nature, as pure and elemental as Earth and Fire. tomasygimenatango.com

COACHELLA VALLEY REPERTORY ANNOUNCES ONLINE CLASS SCHEDULE

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lasses at CVRep’s Conservatory were interrupted in March amid the coronavirus pandemic. Coachella Valley Repertory has announced that classes will resume in August, offered in a 100% virtual environment.

The same instructors who’ve taught at CVRep for past classes will begin teaching via Zoom.

Said Artistic Director Ron Celona, “Students are always reaching out to me, asking when classes will resume. Education has always been an integral element of CVRep’s offerings and it is vital that we keep education at the forefront. It’s part of our mission. We’ve relied on Zoom to connect with our patrons and offer our weekly “Theatre Thursdays” events. Now we’ll take it one step further and offer all of our classes via Zoom.”

Information on upcoming classes can be found on the website. To sign up for any of these online classes please visit www.cvrep.org.

AUGUST ONLINE CLASSES The Joy of Singing - Aug 4,6,11,13,18 & 20 Instructor: Susan Benkin – “The Joy of Singing” will help students find their true voice with vocal technique tips and tricks. Each student will learn the basics of healthy singing and have the opportunity to work on a song of their choice by performing it in a class setting. All types of singers and genres are welcome. Class is open to all ages.

Class meets Tuesday and Thursday from 3pm to 4:30pm for 3 weeks. Tuition: $90 Acting Without Limits - August 17, 19, 24,26, 31 and Sep 2 Instructor: Jeanette Knight – By enrolling in “Acting Without Limits,” students will be able to break through limiting barriers of confidence and the need to be “right” and discover how to bring their own uniqueness to the roles they tackle. This course will help participants refine their physicality, vocal technique, concentration,

emotional availability and spontaneity by utilizing the teachings of Stanislavsky and Meisner.

Students will apply these skills to perform a scripted monologue, scene or play as part of a culminating online performance. For ages 18+ (students 14-17 will be accepted based on online audition). Class meets Monday and Wednesday from 4pm to 5:30pm for 3 weeks. Tuition: $90 The Art of Storytelling - Aug 18, 25, Sep 1, 8, 15 and 22 Instructor: Francesca Amari – “The Art of Storytelling” is a course that will teach students the art and technique of telling and creating stories. Participants will be enriched in a safe, fun atmosphere to share their stories, hone storytelling technique and even explore improvised storytelling, using theatre games, reader’s theatre and story prompts. Class will meet Tuesday from 4:30pm to 6pm for 6 weeks.

Tuition: $90 Creative Drama For Kids Ages 8-14 - Aug 21, 28, Sep 4, 11, 18 and 25 Instructor: Francesca Amari – “Creative Drama For Kids” is a 6-week online class for ages 8-14.

This course will include fundamentals of acting using theatre games, warm-ups, improvisation, storytelling and more. Pupils will focus on improving communication skills, basic acting skills and confidence, with a focus on monologues and two-person scenes. Friends and family are invited to watch a final performance showcased via Zoom. Tuition: $90 Improv For Performance - Aug 21, 28, Sep 4, 11, 18 and 25 Instructor: Jeanette Knight – “Improv For Performance” is designed for the experienced improviser. This course will culminate in an interactive online improv show where students perform based on suggestions from viewers.

Emphasis will be on relationships and their dynamics, truthful emotions and reactions, object work and heightening the stakes in improvised scene work. For ages 18+ (students 14-17 will be accepted based on an online audition). Tuition: $90 INSTRUCTOR BIOS: SUSAN BENKIN has had a 25 year long performing career in almost every possible genre of music, beginning with a rock band as a teenager and moving on to a stage career with over 1,000 performances of operas, operettas and musicals.

In addition to her American debut at Cincinnati Opera and her debut at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Germany, Susan was also first cast Jennyany-Dots in the Hamburg, Germany production of CATS, and participated in several world premieres of modern operas. She has taught voice privately in Europe and the US, and was on the voice faculty at AMDA LA for 7 years and has a BM, BME, MM, and Opera Diploma. Susan currently has a diverse teaching week here in the Coachella valley, working with several programs at Rancho Mirage HS coaching classical and musical theater singers, as well as working with AMP as a vocal/ performance coach for rock bands.

JEANETTE KNIGHT As founder of the improv troupe, Joe and Mustard, and 3rd Sunday Improv at the Palm Canyon Theatre, Jeanette Knight helped develop an improv community in the Palm Springs resort cities area. In 2017, she was

THEATRE

named “Most Inspirational” by the Desert Theatre League. She conceived of and carried out the first ever Coachella Valley Improv/Comedy Festival at the Indio Performing Arts Center. The festival moved to the high desert as the Joshua Tree Improv/Comedy Festival for three years, and now, in its most significant chapter, takes up residence at Coachella Valley Repertory May 29, 30 & 31.

Jeanette has been part of the theatre faculty at the Idyllwild Arts Academy for the last twelve years.

FRANCESCA AMARI Recently nominated as Best Jazz Vocalist in the 2018 Coachella Valley Music Awards, Francesca Amari is an awardwinning, versatile singer who has performed at top-rated cabaret clubs from New York to Hollywood, including Birdland Jazz Club, the Metropolitan Room and the 92nd Street Y in NYC and The Gardenia, Catalina Jazz Club, The Mbar, Rockwell Table and the E Spot in Hollywood; & Martinis Above Fourth in San Diego and The Purple Room in Palm Springs; earning rave reviews for her entertaining cabaret shows. She’s toured the country with her critically-acclaimed Gilda Radner tribute since 2011; locally, performs weekly at the COPA Nightclub with The Mod Squad Variety Show. She appears regularly at such top Coachella Valley spots as Melvyn’s, PS Underground and Woody’s. Francesca also directs audiobooks and has been teaching and directing children’s theatre for 30 years.

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July 30 to August 5, 2020

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THE VINO VOICE

ow that’s a headline we’re all happy to see during these pandemic times!

As most of us are definitely discerning the dog days of a hot summer— along with everything else, it’s nice to see, contemplate & experience some regularity of a good deal at one of our local restaurants.

Hot off the press release comes the welcoming news: “While the warmest days of summer are with us—and ahead of us—nothing complements outdoor dining more than a beautiful bottle of wine with a great meal. At LULU California Bistro, our expanded patio along Palm Springs’ famous Palm Canyon Drive is the perfect place to enjoy a savory summer dinner with that special wine. To thank our loyal local guests and visitors who travel from all over the world to see us, LULU is offering a superb selection of California and imported bottled wines at half-price Sunday-Thursday from now until the end of September.”

Wow! The bottom line here is that we can wine & dine on fabulous food and fancy bottles of wine at HALF PRICE in the midst of outdoorstyle patio dining. This column has always touted the quality and excellence of the dishes and meals provided at LULU. We are always comforted with the memories of the wonderful winemaker pairing dinners we’ve enjoyed through the years: the wine and food have been first class!

Interestingly, back in March, we were invited to LULU to taste through a bevy of beverages offered by the cracker jack team of cocktillians using the Deep Eddy Infused Vodka brand lineup. The inventive cocktails were tasty and this column was poised to relate the refreshing news of the long-awaited LULU libation list.

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SUMMER WINE SPECIALS AT LULU BISTRO!

Unfortunately soon thereafter, all beverage bets were off as bars & eateries were forced to close.

But we’ll take a rain check on that Deep Eddy endeavor and look to a redux deluxe on a new energized drinks list.

As of late, we’ve all seen the touch and go of getting back to some semblance of normality; but the phrase that no one seems to really embrace—the new normal, has us on our toes.

In response to the COVID-19 health crisis, LULU has added strong safety protocols which include: Expanded patio dining along Palm Canyon Drive at socially-distanced tables & seating; installation of a commercial air filtration system in the restaurants alcove-style patio; the intelli-home microclimate system which continuously kills over 99% of bacteria, mold, viruses and other pathogens in the air, on

surfaces and clothing; easy-to-use virtual wait list; use of paperless menus, easily accessed by a QR code (printed disposable menus on request); condiments on request; plexi-glass dividers between booths and high-traffic areas; enhanced cleaning measures for tabletops and all frequently-touched surfaces; and finally, staff training and protocols (i.e., requirement for all employees to wear masks and gloves, socially distanced servicing of tables, etc.)

Restaurateur and LULU founder, Jerry Keller joins in, “Welcome back to LULU California Bistro! We’re honored to have you joining us this summer. To thank you, our loyal guests, we’re offering a very special savings on our superb wines to accompany your dinner on Lulu’s expanded patio. It’s our way of saying thanks and supporting good cheer during challenging times. As always, and especially this summer, we promise to provide great food, drinks and service in the safest way possible, as our top priority is everyone’s well-being in our restaurant.”

All right then vino lovers—let’s check out the Summer Wine Specials. These are impressive bottle prices. At first glance, I thought the list was made up of “wine by the glass”—with the prices not indicative of any discount. Strike that observation! Indeed, the list is made up of full bottles! For those of us reluctant to get off the couch and attempt some social-distancing dining on a restaurant patio—well, enjoying a bottle of wine at half the price at a great restaurant, may just do it.

For those familiar with the Domino brand wines, their entire line-up that includes Chards, Merlots, Pinot Griges, and Cab Sauvs, are all priced at $12 a bottle. Other full-bottle Chardonnays on special are Kim Crawford

BY RICK RIOZZA Unoaked at $19; Kendall-Jackson Vintners Reserve at $20.

Sauvignon Blancs include Kim Crawford, New Zealand at $20; Rombauer, Carneros at $25. A Pinot Grigio, the Ruffino Lumina at $18.

Their rosés include Candy at $15, and the very popular French rosé Gerard Bertrand’s Cotes de Roses at $19.

On the red side of things, the 14 Hands Columbia Valley Merlot at $15, and, for Cabernet Sauvignon, some great values— Robert Mondavi Private Selection at $16, and Rodney Strong Sonoma at $25 I’ve never seen prices like these for such reputable brands at any dinner restaurant. All of the above 50% discounted bottles of wine are available at LULU from Sundays through Thursdays, 3pm to 8pm with the purchase of two entrees at the table. “There’s always a party at LULU, and the party has returned.” Cheers! & Bon Appétit!

For those still wishing take-out, LULU’s togo menus have also become a popular option.

For dining at home, to-go menus are available with curbside pick-up from Palm Canyon Drive or by delivery in the Palm Springs area from 11am – 8pm, Monday – Friday, and from 2pm – closing on Saturday and Sunday. To place an order, please visit lulupalmsprings.com. Lulu has always been a leader in setting the highest industry standards and will continue to do so.

LULU California Bistro 200 S Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92264 760.327.LULU (5858).

BREWTALITY

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n March 3rd, 2020, I was hard at work at the Brewcaipa Brewing Company, brewing several specialty beers for both the upcoming Saint Patrick’s Day and brewery 3rd anniversary parties that were less than 2 weeks away.

On my mind were the reports of a worldwide pandemic that recently made its way to the united states and was threatening to possibly close businesses if things went as feared. No part of me was paying attention to new beer releases, especially not new beers released

by Anheuser-Busch, so you can forgive me for finding out only now that Budweiser released a nitrogen infused lager on that day (this review is coming a little 2000late to the party, but I’ve spent the last 4 ½ months locked indoors and doing my best impression of Howard Hugh’s in his recluse years, so I’m not exactly up on current beer events). Ah, Budweiser and their portfolio of reserve lagers. This one in particular seems to have earned the ire of many beer fans, particularly for the way Nitro Reserve seems to be marketing itself like the public has never heard of the concept before.

Almost every small brewery serves a nitrogen infused product on tap, usually a stout or porter. The practice of infusing stouts with nitro goes back to the Ireland, the Guinness brewery, and a man named Michael Ash. For the twenty years that Guinness’s taproom had been in operation, they’d fill pints of beer using two different kegs, blending an over carbonated beer with a mildly carbonated beer to get a finished pour that had a nice head of foam and a soft, creamy mouthfeel. It purportedly took a minute to fill a pint glass (which probably seems an eternity when you have a crowd of thirsty, impatient beer drinkers yelling at you to hurry the fook up), and this whole

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BREWTALITY REVIEWS BUDWEISER NITRO RESERVE

BY AARON RAMSON

convoluted system was used deep into the 1960’s by many European pubs looking for that certain texture to their beers. Not at Guinness though. Michael Ash solved that problem for them in 1959, when he employed the idea of infusing their beer with nitrogen instead of carbon dioxide. Nitrogen is a very inert gas, much less vigorous than carbon dioxide, dissipating quickly and leaving without the “bite” that carbon dioxide leaves. The image of nitrogen gas dissipating from a poured beer, cascading in a pint glass and going from foam to liquid, that image is married to the identity of Guinness stout, thanks to the innovations of Michael Ash. So, it’s no small wonder that Budweiser Nitro Reserve, and the advertising for said product, bugs the shit out of more than a few beer lovers.

In the official press release for Budweiser Nitro Reserve, AB-InBev declares that “(This)

specialty brew is breaking the rules of conventional beer and offering a premium drinking experience for beer lovers”. Paste Journalist Jim Vorel criticized Budweiser’s statement, saying “The company unsurprisingly ignores the many non-stout craft beers that have been served on nitrogen over the years”. Vorel also finds Budweiser’s use of the term “nitro” to be extra cringy, but I personally feel that since most casual and mainstream consumers will associate the word nitro with the texture of nitro cold brew coffee, it’s a term the company knows will relate to their consumer base. Vorel also has a point that independent craft brewers have been releasing golden stouts, cream ales, and various other styles of beer on nitrogen for quite some time now. Budweiser presumes that their consumers are unfamiliar with nitrogen gassed beer, and markets this product as such.

A TALE OF TWO TACOS: LOS PRIMOS MARKET & DELI AND TACOS GONZALEZ

BY DANIEL PARIS

I

n a previous review, I stated pizza was the perfect take-out food. What was I thinking? Tacos are, by far, the best takeout food possible. Most taqueros are happy to accommodate your tastes. You want a spicy lengua (tongue) with lots of cilantro and onions? How about a mix of buche and cabeza? My new favorite is chorizo mixed with carnitas.

Los Primo’s take-out is tucked in a small area at the end of a frozen panorama of ice cream flavors to entertain you while you wait for your order. Or you can wander over to the butcher counter and pickup some marinated

July 30 to August 5, 2020

chicken or carne asada to grill for dinner.

They have a great selection of homemade salsas, guacamole, and don’t forget the cotija cheese which makes everything taste better.

The deli has a nice selection of fresh herbs and vegetables and extensive collection of canned goods. I suggest the owner get some COVID-19 virus piñatas made for the grand fiesta to celebrate a vaccine. Who wouldn’t want to take a swing at that? Oh, my tacos are ready. Today they are 99 cents each for chicken, al pastor, and carne asada. I only ordered two because I have more tacos in my future. I had two delicious carne asada

tacos with a spicy tomatillo salsa. Time to hit the taco trail, aka Hwy. 111, to my next destination, Tacos Gonazlez.

Tacos Gonzalez is a tidy little restaurant with six tables on the western border of Indio. The aromas of an al pastor tompe (inverted meat cone) sizzling on the vertical broiler and bubbling cauldrons of carnitas and meats browning on the flattop led me to the order counter. A big smile when I ordered my carnitas tacos in Spanish “con todo” (with onions and cilantro). Other customers ahead of me ordered tortas, sandwich rolls stuffed

Budweiser’s latest release has a gimmick which may not excite the critics, but does the beer have what it takes to excite the consumer?

BUDWEISER NITRO RESERVE – 5% ABV, N/A IBU. Anheuser-Busch, St Louis, MO APPEARANCE: No two ways about it, when poured, the cascade effect of a nitrogen infused golden lager is impressive.

Brilliant color and clarity, a dense, white head of foam maintains nicely, even leaving a ring of suds on the top of the pour as the drink is consumed. 5/5 NOSE: Grainy, cereal mash, reminding me of the packages of instant cream of wheat I’d have as a child. Lightly herbal and woody.

Unimpressive. 2/5 TASTE: Burnt toast, burnt sugar. Behind that is bread dough and the same herbal, woody character that is in the nose. Lacking in complexity and depth but finishes clean even when warmed a little. Slight astringency. 2/5 MOUTHFEEL: Creamy mouthfeel, medium body that coats the tongue nicely and invites long sips. 4/5 OVERALL: Nitro Reserve ranks near the bottom of the reserve series that Budweiser has been offering over the past several years. Their Black Lager was surprisingly well executed, as was their amber lager, Freedom Reserve. Nitro Reserve had a burnt character and astringent note that persisted throughout the drink and took away from the overall enjoyment of the experience.

This recipe lacked the depth of their Copper and Red reserve lagers, but wasn’t offensive.

Drinkable, if underwhelming. 3.25/5

GOOD GRUB with carne asada, guacamole, lettuce, onions, and tomatoes. They looked delicious. As is often the case with many taquerias, Tacos Gonzalez is next door to a busy carniceria with an endless supply of fresh meats for their neighbor. Tacos make everyone happy so if your restricted life is getting you down you know what to do.

Los Primos Market & Deli – 760-347-6666 46490 Calhoun St. Indio.

Open 7am–10pm Mon–Sun. Tacos Gonzalez – 760-347-6858 80120 U.S. Hwy. 111, Indio.

Open 8am–8pm Mon–Sun.

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July 30 to August 5, 2020

I

SCREENERS

t’s still unclear when or if indoor movie venues will ever be fully open again. One unexpected side effect to the pandemic is that drive-in theaters are beginning to pop up across the country.

Still no word on how or when two of the biggest productions, Disney’s Mulan and Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, totaling about a half billion dollars, both already “in the can,” will be distributed. One rumor is that they may be sold to a streaming platform, perhaps HBO. Home video titles, both new and older, as well as original streaming content will certainly continue to be made available to movie lovers.

As the uncertain future of movies evolves, this column will continue to look at the changes in the business as well as new product as it becomes available for the home theater. And perhaps, fingers crossed, elsewhere as well. Movies matter.

Meanwhile, check out the following.

SOLID METAL NIGHTMARES: THE FILMS OF SHINYA TSUKAMOTO Among the most distinctive and celebrated names in modern Japanese cinema, there’s no other filmmaker like Shinya Tsukamoto. Since his early days making as a teenager making Super 8 shorts, he has remained independent, garnering global acclaim while honing his own unique and instantly recognizable aesthetic on the margins if the film industry, frequently

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No. 432

COOL JAPANESE CINEMA NEW ON BLU-RAY

BY ROBIN E. SIMMONS

Big thanks to Arrow Video for presenting this exclusive collection of Tsukamoto’s most honored and provocative works. The hi-def set includes a raft of comprehensive bonus features and an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the films.

Arrow Video. exploring themes of urban alienation, physical transformation and psychosexual obsession, his films cross genre boundaries defying straightforward classification.

This exclusive collection gathers together eight feature length films and two shorts from the filmmaker’s diverse filmography including his most recent offering – his samurai drama Killing is making its home theater premier.

Titles include: Tetsuo: The Iron Man, Tetsuo II: Body Hammer, The Adventure of Denchu-Kozo, Tokyo Fis, Bullet Ballet, A Snake of June, Vitall, Haze, Kotoko and Killing.

SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO Famed Japanese auteur Takashi Mike, best known for cultclassics Audition, Ichi the Killer and The Ciry of Lost Souls, redefines

the spaghetti western with this epic tale of blood, lust and greed.

Two clans battle for a legendary treasure hidden in a desolate mountain town. One day, a lone gunman with deep emotional scars but blessed with near supernatural shooting skills, drifts into town.

Extras include: a two, hour extended cut with optional Japanese subtitles (for purists), a making of featurette, deleted scenes, sizzle reel and promotional clips.

MVD Visual. robin@coachellavalleyqweekly.com

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

HADDON LIBBY

USA! USA!

T

he acronym USA is most often thought of as United States of America. USA also refers to the US Army, USA Network, US Attorney, United Soccer Association and the medical condition UnStable Angina aka USA to heart doctors to name a few.

I want to add one more to the list USAs Unruly Spoiled Americans.

You and I have both seen it at the stores that we visit or the conversations that we have with friends and family members. While many try to pin the blame to the civil discord on the actions of the left or right ends of the political spectrum, we all know people with no political leanings who regularly act in manners destructive to their future interests.

My first example happened in Marshall, Minnesota on Saturday, July 25th when a couple was banned from Walmart for at least the next year. Why? They were wearing masks adorned with Nazi swastikas in protest to the Nazi-like demands associated with wearing a face mask in public. The wife was caught on camera, shouting “If you vote for Biden, you are going to be living in Nazi Germany. That is what it is going to be like.” Off camera, another shopper punched the 61 year-old male half of the swastika-wearing couple in the face.

Only two days earlier, Ash O'Brien and Jarret Kelley were having lunch at the Rhodes Dog Park in San Diego. Reports do

not mention whether they were there with a dog or but let’s assume that they had one.

While minding their own business in a socially distant way, an irate woman accosted them for not wearing their masks in public while eating. She proceeded to mace the couple before the police arrived and arrested her.

In late April when Americans were glued to their televisions in search of guidance and solutions to the pandemic, Bill Bryan of the Department of Homeland Security discussed research on the virus and ways that the virus might be stopped. President Trump spoke up and spit-balled potential areas for research.

Somehow, more than a few folks misconstrued

DALEGRIBOW ON THELAW

W

his words and ingested household cleaners like Lysol and Clorox as either some preventative treatment or a possible cure. Enough cases were reported to health authorities that the maker of Lysol had to issue a strong statement that made it clear that their cleaning product should not be ingested.

While these examples reflect an amazingly ignorant segment of society, the more concerning folks are those who helped to incite riots and the destruction of business and personal property. Whether referring to Antifa, Neo-Fascists or another anarchical group, elements of both political parties are using this moment of weakness as a chance to

divide our country for their less than patriotic intents.

Where much of the world got a handle on the virus by banding together as a nation to defeat the virus, we chose to politicize. Civic leaders used this crisis as an opportunity to advance agendas at the expense of the physical, mental and economic health.

Leadership on both sides of the political spectrum did little to quell the extreme elements in their own party. Each party chose to name call and behave in manners once thought inexcusable at the dinner table, let alone a leadership position running the largest economy in the world.

Meanwhile, cable news networks like MSNBC, CNN and Fox selectively share the facts with their viewers in a manner that helps ratings while fanning the flames of civil discord and division.

As a country, we will need to find a thread that may once again unite us. At present, that seems like an unrealistic pipe dream. By behaving in such selfish and partisan ways, we are insuring a poorer future for our nation and our children.

Haddon Libby can be reached at Hlibby@ WinslowDrake.com.

LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF THE INJURED & CRIMINALLY ACCUSED

MORE HOME SCAMS FROM "STAY HOME"?

ith the Corona Virus stay home order, will we have more Home Scams? There are so many ways a bad guy can scam a good guy. Sometimes the scammer moves into a rented home and complains that nothing works and ultimately refuses to pay any rent.

The scammer then extorts money from the homeowner for the poorly maintained home. S/he asks for $25,000-$50,000 to vacate, in lieu of the owner hiring a lawyer and filing an Unlawful Detainer lawsuit. This is money for keys!

Others Scammers offer to just rent the home for 1 month. They often say they want it just for August when it is hot and no one wants a home in the CV then. Then after a month they will not leave.

The homeowner may get a call offering a discount for a home DISH network. However one must pay up-front for 6 months. The homeowner is told to go to the store to buy a green dot moneypak card. The money will be gone as soon as you read the card numbers to the con artist.

Another scam involves a driver coming to your home and suggesting a high price to buy your home. Sometimes they suggest needless repairs for the home ...or a deal on a new deck or installing an alarm system. It

July 30 to August 5, 2020

may mean they ask you for money to pay up front for those services?

As we age we do not always want to keep our Timeshare Homes, especially in the CV. Timeshares used to be dangerous to purchase because of FRAUD risks. Today it is also dangerous when you SELL. The scam starts when you get a call at home, from a company that claims to have a buyer, for your timeshare property. The caller even gives you the name and number of the prospective buyer, who confirms interest in the sale.

Sometimes someone contacts you offering to sell your timeshare and they try to get you to pay up front fees. A company, alleging to buy lots of timeshares, but only after the owner pays $500-$2000 via credit card for registration and other fees.

With respect to rental properties, be wary of listings on Craigslist for rentals by owner, or vacation rentals, as there have been many such scams. A red flag should be raised when no phone number or email address is listed.

In addition, prospective renters may be asked to send money for a home rental during a major city event, such as Coachella or Stage Coach. It is highly possible that the home may not even exist, may already be rented to someone else, or may not even

be for rent. Do your due diligence as I have seen it for Coachella and Tennis Tournament events!

When looking for a rental or looking to rent your home, look carefully at the spelling and language in the advertisement as they are often prepared by people from outside of the USA. You may want to check Google Maps to be sure the address exists. Also, be wary if the renter asks for money up front or asks for $40 to run a background check.

In another scam, the caller claims to be from a home utility, or a service providertype company. The victim is told their bill is overdue, or a meter needs to be replaced at the victim's expense. The caller demands immediate payment for the overdue bill, or installation of a new meter. If payment is not received, the victim's service will be shut off.

The caller demands credit card information or a Green Dot card as previously described.

Remember the bottom line is that everything is not always as it seems, "all that glitters is not gold". So be careful and check before giving out any private information. If it looks too good to be true it probably is.

We must all remain diligent and stay a step ahead with the latest info and practical tips from the nation's consumer protection agency. We should all browse the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) scam alerts by topic or by most recent scams to keep up to date on current scams.

Report FRAUD and potential ID thefts by

contacting: Fraud alert hotline (toll free) – 855-3039470 / aging.senate.gov/fraud-hotline.

Charitable Donation Cons/ Telemarketing/ Mail/Internet Fraud - State Attorney General's Office: 916-445- 2021.

IRS: 800-829-1040 or forward emails to phishing@IRS.gov.

Federal Trade Commission ID Theft Hotline – 877-IDTheft / consumer.gov/ idtheft.

Equifax: 800-525-6285/ equifax.com.

Experian: 888-397-3742 / experian.com.

Transunion: 800-680-7289 / transunion. com.

Keep these numbers/information in a safe place... just in case!

DALE GRIBOW - "TOP LAWYER" California's Prestige Magazine, Palm Springs Life (PI/DUI) 2011-20 "TOP LAWYER" - Inland Empire Magazine 2016- 2019 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" Suggestion for future article? 760-8377500 or dale@dalegribowlaw.com

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July 30 to August 5, 2020

U

PET PLACE

nderstanding the important relationship people have with their animals, a group of Coachella Valley charities are working together to help our most vulnerable residents and their pets. Working together, they can expand efforts at a time when they are greatly needed.

Mike Russell, Executive Director with Loving All Animals, elaborates, "Many have asked how they can help the animals during this time. With all the uncertainty we are facing, we hope to have certainty that our valley's animals have food. We are asking for donations of dog and cat food to help provide a safety net for the animals residing in our valley's most vulnerable households. We have partnered with several organizations to distribute food through our local food pantries and nonprofits. We have been able to partner with Well in the Desert, Food Now, Martha's Village and Kitchen, Humane Society of Coachella Valley, Palm Springs Animal Shelter and others to make this possible.”

Dana Johnson, Executive Director of Food Now, reports, “We surveyed our clients and discovered that 30% of them are pet owners. We were concerned that our clients were sharing their food with their pets. We partnered with Loving All Animals and the Palm Springs Animal Shelter to obtain donated pet food.

We now provide over 200 pounds of pet food weekly to people in need. This allows the people to get enough food and their 4-legged family members obtain food that is appropriate for them.” This wonderful charity has distributed food to local residents for many years, and has expanded efforts via their Companion Pet Feeding Program.

The Humane Society of the Coachella Valley, a large private animal shelter in North Palm Springs, is a major player in the effort to help homeless animals. HSOCV Board President Kim Hardee reports, “In April, we worked with Loving All Animals

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CHARITIES UNITE TO HELP PETS AND PEOPLE!

on a large pet food drive collecting enough pet food to assist other animal groups.

HSOCV delivered a pallet of pet food to the nearby Indian reservation, and we also provide many homeless people with pet food. We don’t want to see anyone’s dogs or cats going hungry.”

George Nasci-Sinatra, Major Gift

Officer with Martha’s Village and Kitchen, described to me the many sheltering services this renowned organization provides to homeless and other folks in need. The organization operates a food pantry that is open daily for several hours providing nutritional food to people.

George adds, “Our food pantry now

MEET RUSTY

MEET MACBETH

This precious little kitten was barely clinging to life when he arrived at The Cat Clinic vet in Cathedral City. Now 4 mos old, adorable Rusty is fully vetted and ready to play fetch with his “furever” family. He loves other cats and kittens. Call (760) 3253400 for an appointment to meet and adopt Rusty.

Call the Palm Springs Animal Shelter (760) 416-5718 for an appointment to meet this adorable fellow! Two-yearold Macbeth is 10 lbs of soft doggie sweetness. Shy at first meeting, he will soon enjoy sitting on your lap. Macbeth is dog ID#A45007294, www.psanimalshelter.org.

18

BY JANET McAFEE provides pet food to people in need of incremental food. We want to ensure that our people get enough food and our pets get the right nutrition.”

Friends of the Palm Springs Animal Shelter have operated a wonderful Pet Food Bank since 2015. This pet food program assists our most vulnerable residents via the local senior centers and Meals on Wheels. They understand how animals provide joy in our lives through their loving companionship, particularly during times of stressed and isolation.

Precious pup Scooter, pictured here, waits happily in line with his human dad Rick in their car outside Food Now in Desert Hot Springs. Scooter loves car rides, especially when they involve food. Scooter tells his story: “My name is Scooter. I’m four years old and I live with Rick. He takes real good care of me. Last year the family I was living with left me. I was devastated. I was picked up and brought to a shelter. A lot of people would come by and would be nice and say hi. But they would always leave. I started to think no one would ever take me home. Then Rick came. We hit it off from the beginning. Today we go everywhere together. One of the highlights of our week is when we go to Food Now. They are awesome. Rick picks up a week’s worth of healthy food. He can’t believe how nice the distribution is. Food Now partners with Loving All Animals and Friends of the Palm Springs Animal Shelter to make sure I get food too. Rick told me that Food Now wants to make sure no one in our community goes hungry. And that goes for the four-legged friends as well. Thank you Food Now for all you do!”

Would you like to help? These organizations all need volunteers and donations. Check out their websites, and call to find out what they need.

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FOOD NOW – (760) 329-4100 / thefamilyservicesofthedesert.org FRIENDS OF THE PALM SPRINGS ANIMAL SHELTER – (760) 416-5718 / psanimalshelter.org HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY – (760) 329-0203 / orphanpet.com LOVING ALL ANIMALS – (760) 8347000 / lovingallanimals.org MARTHA’S VILLAGE & KITCHEN – (760) 347-4741 / marthasvillage.org WELL IN THE DESERT – (760) 285-7297 /wellinthedesert.org ------------------------------------------Below is a partial list of shelters and rescues in the Inland Empire with animals for adoption. Most of these shelters remain closed for walk-ins; Call for an appointment. You can view most of their animals online in advance of calling.

COACHELLA VALLEY ANIMAL CAMPUS – This county shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. You can view the animals at all 4 Riverside county shelters at www.rcdas.org, and get the ID number of the animal you want to meet.

Email them with the animal’s ID number at shelterinfo@rivco.org and call (760) 3433644. Located at 72050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms. (Public) PALM SPRINGS ANIMAL SHELTER – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. They schedule appointments Wednesday through Monday, closed on Tuesday. View their

SAFETY TIPS

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. View their animals at www.orphanpet. com. Located at 17825 N. Indian Canyon, Palm Springs, (760) 329-0203. (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, call (760) 335-6767. (Private) PRETTY GOOD CAT – Foster based rescue for cats located in La Quinta.

Contact them at www.prettygoodcat.

July 30 to August 5, 2020

com,call (760) 660-3414 (Private) LOVING ALL ANIMALS – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. Located at 83496 Avenue 51, Coachella, www.lovingallanimals.org, (760) 834-7000. (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 – 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) 384-7272. (Public) SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER AT DEVORE – Shelter closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt.

Call (909) 386-9280 daily between 9am & 5pm. 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)

FROM THE CHIEFS CORNER

BY FIRE CHIEF SAM DIGIOVANNA

HEAT + POOLS = DANGER!

S

ummer is upon us temperatures are heating up this week and many people are spending their time in pools to beat the heat. Unfortunately, there is the dangerous side to summer and swimming pools.

“Drowning incidents are dramatically on the rise locally and statewide. Parents whose children have drowned say the day of the tragedy started out just like any other day.

No matter how the drowning happened or where it happened -- pool, spa, or any other body of water -- one thing was the same, the seconds that claimed their child's life slid by silently, without warning, it happens just like that and can never be brought back.

Drowning is Preventable,” reminds Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna.

Children drown without a sound.

Drowning is a quiet event. There is no

splashing, no screaming, and no noise at all.

What can you do to prevent drowning incidents?

Follow the ABC’s of water safety: A = Adult Supervision. Assign an adult Water Watcher to keep their eyes on the water at ALL times. Never swim alone!

B = Barriers such as fences, self-closing and self-latching gates, pool motion sensors, window and door alarms.

C = Classes. Parents and Caregivers should take CPR and First Aid, and swimming courses that are available for both children and adults.

Visit poolsafely.gov for more drowning prevention and safety tips.

When paddle boarding, ocean swimming, surfing make sure you tell someone when you are leaving, when you are returning and where your destination is.

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July 30 to August 5, 2020

HEALTH BY MICHELLE BORTHWICK KETO IS ALL ABOUT EATING A HIGH FAT, LOW CARB DIET… BUT DO YOU EVER CHANGE IT?

M

aybe you decided to search online with "Google Coach" for Keto advice. Quite often the information can be confusing so investing in a meal plan seems the easiest thing to do.

There aren’t a lot of options out there for Keto customization. You’ll find the same repetitive info (Keto is 70% fat, 25% protein and 5% carbs). Period!

You won't see any adjustments, or customization that takes your personal lifestyle or gender into account. Women’s Keto and Men’s Keto are very different.

The CUSTOMIZATION PROCESS I use isn't arbitrary or a one-size-fits-all formula.

I look at your gender, age, activity level, overall health, how your body is responding to Keto, your motivation, your hormones, your mindset, are you finding delicious foods that satisfy your cravings, etc. When all these important factors are taken into account, and perfected, you'll end up with a workable action plan to help you past any barriers you might have for weight loss. Combine that with expert guidance, accountability and support...the true magic of Keto happens!

You’ll be hooked on the Keto lifestyle. More importantly, you’ll avoid many of the mishaps and pitfalls that many people make who end up giving up on Keto and saying it doesn’t work. It didn’t work because they were missing important information.

Look at this great example of how ongoing customization around FAT might vary from what you find online: YOU ADD FAT to your diet and eat as much bacon, fat, healthy oils, cheese, fatty meats and cheese as you can take in. Your goal has been to get into Ketosis quickly...and fat will be your fuel. THIS IS TRUE!

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The weight starts coming off quickly.... you get excited and keep ADDING MORE FAT thinking that this is the answer. The MORE FAT the better to stay in ketosis. THIS ISN'T TRUE :) When you are deep into ketosis and that first 10 pounds have melted off effortlessly.

As your COACH, I'D DO THE OPPOSITE and REDUCE YOUR FAT. What?!

Your body has adjusted to the fat, you are using fat for fuel and the best way to rev your metabolism into high gear... is by REDUCING FAT......and GO TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF WEIGHT LOSS ;) Really??!!

YES, your new goal is to BURN YOUR OWN BODY FAT for energy…NOT THE FAT FROM YOUR DIET. It’s a beautiful thing...Keto will burn your own body fat and reshape your figure with this nuanced application.

The amount of fat reduction is different for every client. And, once we change it, it's a step-down process from there. It will change again for ongoing customization.

With my customized (not a one-sizefits-all) Keto action plan you will lose crazy amounts of weight. You will look better, feel better, gain confidence and be budgeting to buy new clothes :) Have questions or want to know more about this proprietary and proven approach?

For CV Weekly readers, I will send you my Keto Customization Code form to fill out.

Send it back to me and I will make personal recommendations for YOUR Keto and jumpstart your progress in a safe, healthy and effective way.

About Michelle Borthwick: Michelle is a Keto Lifestyle coach, a Seasoned expert on Customized Keto. Keto weight loss results can be 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, meal plans, proprietary customization, goal setting and more. If you are interested in customizing Keto for you and your lifestyle, book a complimentary private coaching session online at KetoIsEasyCoach.com.

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY

WEEK OF JULY 30

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti is renowned for his buoyancy. In one of his famous lines, he wrote, “I am awaiting, perpetually and forever, a renaissance of wonder.”

Here’s what I have to say in response to that thought: Your assignment, as an Aries, is NOT to sit there and wait, perpetually and forever, for a renaissance of wonder. Rather, it’s your job to embody and actualize and express, perpetually and forever, a renaissance of wonder. The coming weeks will be an especially favorable time for you to rise to new heights in fulfilling this aspect of your life-long assignment.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I live in Northern California on land that once belonged to the indigenous Coast Miwok people. They were animists who believed that soul and sentience animate all animals and plants as well as rocks, rivers, mountains—everything, really. Their food came from hunting and gathering, and they lived in small bands without centralized political authority.

According to one of their creation stories, Coyote and Silver Fox made the world by singing and dancing it into existence. Now I invite you to do what I just illustrated: Find out about and celebrate the history of the people and the place where you live.

From an astrological perspective, it’s a favorable time to get in touch with roots and foundations.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “When I look down, I miss all the good stuff, and when I look up, I just trip over things,” says singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco.

I wonder if she has tried an alternate approach: looking straight ahead. That’s what I advise for you in the coming weeks, Gemini. In other words, adopt a perspective that will enable you to detect regular glimpses of what’s above you and what’s below you—as well as what’s in front of you. In fact, I suggest you avoid all extremes that might distract you from the big picture. The truth will be most available to you if you occupy the middle ground.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): The Italian word nottivago refers to “night roamers”: people who wander around after dark. Why do they do it? What do they want to accomplish? Maybe their ramblings have the effect of dissolving stuck thoughts that have been plaguing them. Maybe it’s a healing relief to indulge in the luxury of having nowhere in particular to go and nothing in particular to do: to declare their independence from the obsessive drive to get things done. Meandering after sundown may stir up a sense of wild freedom that inspires them to outflank or outgrow their problems. I bring these possibilities to your attention, Cancerian, because the coming days will be an excellent time to try them out.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Notice what no one else notices and you’ll know what no one else knows,” says actor Tim Robbins. That’s perfect counsel for you right now, Leo. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, your perceptiveness will be at a peak in the coming weeks. You’ll have an ability to discern half-hidden truths that are invisible to everyone else. You’ll be aggressive in scoping out what most people don’t even want to become aware of. Take advantage of your temporary superpower! Use it to get a lucid grasp of the big picture—and cultivate a more intelligent approach than those who are focused on the small picture and the comfortable delusions.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “Look on every exit as being an entrance somewhere else,” wrote playwright Tom Stoppard. That’s ripe advice for you to meditate on during the coming weeks. You’re in a phase of your astrological cycle when every exit can indeed be an entrance somewhere else—but only if you believe in that possibility and are alert for it.

So please dissolve your current assumptions about the current chapter of your life story so that you can be fully open to new possibilities that could become available.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “One must think with the body and the soul or not think at all,” wrote Libran author and historian Hannah Arendt. She implied that thinking only with the head may spawn

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monsters and demons. Mere conceptualization is arid and sterile if not interwoven with the wisdom of the soul and the body’s earthy intuitions. Ideas that are untempered by feelings and physical awareness can produce poor maps of reality. In accordance with astrological omens, I ask you to meditate on these empowering suggestions. Make sure that as you seek to understand what’s going on, you draw on all your different kinds of intelligence.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “I always wanted to be commander-in-chief of my one-woman army,” says singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco. I think that goal is within sight for you, Scorpio. Your power over yourself has been increasing lately. Your ability to manage your own moods and create your own sweet spots and define your own fate is as robust as I have seen it in a while. What do you plan to do with your enhanced dominion? What special feats might you attempt? Are there any previously impossible accomplishments that may now be possible?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Your meditation for the coming weeks comes to you courtesy of author and naturalist Henry David Thoreau. “We can never have enough of nature,” he wrote. “We must be refreshed by the sight of inexhaustible vigor, vast and titanic features, the sea-coast with its wrecks, the wilderness with its living and its decaying trees, the thunder cloud, and the rain which lasts three weeks and produces freshets. We need to witness our own limits transgressed, and some life pasturing freely where we never wander.” Oh, how I hope you will heed Thoreau’s counsel, Sagittarius. You would really benefit from an extended healing session amidst natural wonders. Give yourself the deep pleasure of exploring what wildness means to you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Author and activist bell hooks (who doesn’t capitalize her name) has taught classes at numerous American universities.

She sometimes writes about her experiences there, as in the following passage. “My students tell me, ‘we don’t want to love! We’re tired of being loving!’

And I say to them, if you’re tired of being loving, then you haven’t really been loving, because when you are loving you have more strength.” I wanted you to know her thoughts, Capricorn, because I think you’re in a favorable position to demonstrate how correct she is: to dramatically boost your own strength through the invigorating power of your love.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian author Langston Hughes (1902–1967) was a pioneering and prolific African American author and activist who wrote in four different genres and was influential in boosting other Black writers. One of his big breaks as a young man came when he was working as a waiter at a banquet featuring the famous poet Vachel Lindsay. Hughes managed to leave three of his poems on Lindsay’s table. The great poet loved them and later lent his clout to boosting Hughes’ career. I suspect you might have an opening like that sometime soon, Aquarius—even if it won’t be quite as literal and hands-on. Be ready to take advantage. Cultivate every connection that may become available.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Author Faith Baldwin has renounced the “forgive and forget” policy. She writes, “I think one should forgive and remember. If you forgive and forget, you’re just driving what you remember into the subconscious; it stays there and festers. But to look upon what you remember and know you’ve forgiven is achievement.” That’s the approach I recommend for you right now, Pisces.

Get the relief you need, yes: Forgive those who have trespassed against you. But also: Hold fast to the lessons you learned through those people so you won’t repeat them again later.

Homework: What do you like best about yourself when you’re comfortable? What do you like best about yourself when you feel challenged?

FreeWillAstrology.com ---------------------------------------Rob Brezsny - Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

July 30 to August 5, 2020

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