Coachella Valley Weekly - August 6 to August 12, 2020 Vol. 9 No. 21

coachellavalleyweekly.com • August 6 to August 12, 2020

PAYDIRT Soundtrack

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2020 Desert Star Awards

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Westfield Drive-In Movie Night

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Vol.9 No.21

Goody’s Cafe

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August 6 to August 12, 2020

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Coachella Valley Weekly (760) 501-6228

publisher@coachellavalleyweekly.com coachellavalleyweekly.com facebook.com/cvweekly twitter.com/cvweekly1 Publisher & Editor Tracy Dietlin Art Director Robert Chance Sales Team 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 Paydirt ................................................... 3-5 Paydirt Soundtrack .............................. 5-6 Breaking The 4th Wall 2020 Desert Star Awards ................... 8 Theatre - "He Loves & She Loves"............ 9

August 6 to August 12, 2020

CHRISTIAN SESMA TALKS EQUAL REPRESENTATION, VIRUS SETBACKS, AND THE RELEASE OF PAYDIRT

BY CRYSTAL HARRELL

H

ollywood theater releases may be at a standstill right now, but that is not stopping Coachella Valley native director Christian Sesma from releasing his new film, Paydirt, to streaming platforms on August 7. The independent thriller follows a parolee that teams up with his old crew determined to find a buried bag of cash stolen five years ago from a DEA bust gone bad, but a retired sheriff's obsession to right past wrongs leads to a gun blasting showdown in the middle of the desert.

The film features the acting talents of Luke Goss, Val Kilmer, Mike Hatton, and Mercedes Kilmer. “I brought on board my long time producing partner Mike Hatton [of Green Book and Vigilante Diaries fame] who also plays Geoff, the Brains, in Paydirt, to produce. We have done this many times together and I knew that with his additional local ties and production prowess we could execute this very ambitious project successfully,” said Sesma.

Being born and raised in the Coachella Valley, it was always director Christian Sesma’s dream scenario to be able to shoot in his hometown and bring Hollywood home. When Jack Campbell of Octane Entertainment approached him and asked if he wanted to make a movie again locally, Sesma set out to write a script and tell a story that was specifically catered for the Coachella Valley—especially the East Valley cities of Coachella, Salton Sea, and Thermal.

Mayor Steven Hernandez of Coachella and Paul Slama, head of Fantasy Springs Casino, were crucial resources for Sesma as he set out to create a very contained fun crime

heist movie utilizing the casino, small town locations, desert back drops and high production settings. Sesma wanted to depict settings that were lesser known in the Coachella Valley while incorporating his LatinX heritage as 1st generation Mexican American, in an elaborate end scene with Val Kilmer and his daughter, Mercedes, pulling off an intricate Dia De Los Muertos parade.

“Although I haven’t seen the film Palm Springs, I’ve heard great things about it and I also know that it wasn’t even filmed in the Coachella Valley. My goal was to make a film for locals that showcased what we know and continue to page 5

Westfield Drive-In Movie Night .............. 9 Consider This - The Chicks ............... 10-11 The Vino Voice ....................................... 12 Brewtality .............................................. 13 Good Grub - Goody's Cafe .................... 13 Screeners ............................................... 14 Haddon Libby ........................................ 15 Dale Gribow ........................................... 15 Pet Place ............................................ 16-17 Safety Tips .............................................. 17 Swag For The Soul ................................. 18 Free Will Astrology................................ 18

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PAYDIRT

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love about our desert cities. The entire film was shot here, so there’s a lot of Downtown Coachella, date fields, and the Salton Sea in the movie. To share that creation with my hometown is something I’m really proud about,” expressed Sesma.

Paydirt was a massive collaboration with the local community, the College of the Desert film and makeup department.

The film also involved non-profits like Coachella-based Raices Cultura and local vendors and business owners. Founded in 2004, Raices Cultura envisions a democratic society with a focus on empowering the Hispanic community and those that have a will to organize to make a change in the community. Sesma is currently the head of Seskri Film Inc...dedicated to mainstream genre entertainment and also has a strong focus on bringing latinx stories to the forefront. He feels equal representation in the film industry is essential to provide more quality art and entertainment.

“Films should showcase the world we see when we step out our door, not the world

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that is projected to us. Diversity absolutely matters, so I’m always trying to push and promote that with my projects any time I can, especially during the hiring process so we can give everyone a chance,” said Sesma.

Prior to his involvement in the film industry, Sesma was a successful restaurateur from Palm Springs, and was eventually inspired to pursue his passion for filmmaking after reading Robert Rodriguez's Rebel without a Crew while attending San Diego State University. He made his first feature in 2006, which was released domestically on Video On Demand and DVD everywhere and has since made a name for himself in the indie action genre as an established filmmaker. One of his most notable works is Vigilante Diaries, a graphic novel style action film released by Anchor Bay, and was also HBO’s first under a million dollar action film acquired in over a decade.

Sesma is currently developing a series he created with Executive Producer Reggie Hudlin of Django and Black Panther fame in addition to wrapping production on PayDirt.

There was a special premiere planned for

Paydirt in Palm Springs that ultimately got cancelled due to COVID-19, but the film will be available to watch on various streaming platforms on August 7. Although being in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic has made widespread film releases impossible

August 6 to August 12, 2020

for theatrical presentations, Sesma is confident in the industry’s ability to adapt to the circumstances and to continue making movies, as art is crucial in times like these to create and flourish.

“As a filmmaker, the endgame for me in a movie like Paydirt is to leave the audiences with a feeling of fun and entertainment. If they’ve taken the ride and laughed with the characters and felt something along the way without looking at the time, I feel I’ve succeeded. And in our current climate, I believe fun escapism is more crucial now than ever. My hope for Paydirt is that it finds an outlet that audiences can watch at a drive in, or theater, or to stream from… [like the plot of the film,] it’s about a bunch of buddies, against all odds, pulling off something that they can enjoy at the end of the day,” stated Sesma.

Paydirt will be available ON Demand and on Digital everywhere on August 7.

PAYDIRT: THE SOUNDTRACK – 100% COACHELLA VALLEY

hen you think of some of your favorite movies ever produced you can’t help but think of the music attributed to those movies; Am I right? How many times have you heard a song and it instantaneously takes you back to the movie it was featured in?

A soundtrack is that nostalgic recorded music accompanying, featured in and synchronized to the images of a motion picture. The Coachella Valley’s preeminent movie director Christian Sesma realizes the need to give the soundtrack as much attention as the movie itself. Sesma has transported his beloved CV on his back and on a journey through movies like Vigilante Diaries and The Night Crew. Never one to shy away from utilizing local talent, Sesma is well-known for employing as much of the desert’s resources into his films as possible. For his newest film, the crime and action thriller Paydirt starring Luke Goss and Val Kilmer and out on digital and Video On Demand Friday, August 7, 2020, the soundtrack includes CV artists Giselle Woo, Slipping Into Darkness, DJ Day, Adrian Crush, DarealKurlzz, Sonny Bruno and

BY NOE GUTIERREZ

Grand Finale.

Coachella Valley Weekly spoke with Sesma and a few of the soundtrack’s featured artists in anticipation of the film’s release.

CHRISTIAN SESMA CVW: How did you determine which artists to involve in Paydirt?

Sesma: “First and foremost, for me, as writer, director and producer of this, I wanted it to be 100% local. I’ve worked with Giselle Woo in the past, she did the title track for me before and same thing with Slipping Into Darkness and DJ Day. Those three have

been putting music in my movies for the last ten years. I really wanted to make sure they were heavily featured again.”

CVW: How much do you feel a soundtrack plays a role in the success of a movie?

Sesma: It’s huge! This is what it is to make movies; it’s sound and picture put together.

That absolutely sets the tone and the vibe of the movie itself. It was also cool bringing in some really old school local artists. Anybody from out here knows who these people are.

This is going to be all over the world, much less all over the country, such as this morning on ABC’s Good Morning America, millions

of people got their eyes on it. With Grand Finale, that ‘West Coast Hip Hop’ song from Easy D and Young Master A was an anthem out here in the late 80’s. It’s a low-key desert thing, it’s almost like a local ‘Easter Egg’.

They were the only local Rap stars in the late 80’s. People don’t know that I used to be an MC and that I came from the music world even before I got into movies.”

CVW: In what way or manner do you decide where an original song will fit versus using the film score?

Sesma: “It’s a feel, it’s like painting.

Movies are made in the editing and postproduction process. When we’re shooting, all we’re doing is gathering the pieces that we’re going to use, that’s not making the movie, that’s making the pieces to make the movie. In editing, we call it tech support, we start putting music in there and start setting things in to see how it fits. I’ve always been continue to page 6

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PAYDIRT SOUNDTRACK continued from page 5

known to have an eclectic soundtrack in my movies, from Hip-Hop to Rock to Folk to Classical, I’ll be all over the place.”

CVW: You’re very close with a lot of local musicians like Giselle Woo, Nigel Dettelbach and DJ Day. Tell us about your relationships with them.

Sesma: “We’re all good friends. We’ve been friends for a long time. With DJ Day, he is gigantic. I’ve known Damien since 9th grade. It’s awesome to be able to grow in my career and then showcase other artists that have grown in their careers and all of us just celebrating the success of each other.”

CVW: We have a growing pool of young filmmakers in the Coachella Valley through organizations like the Palm Springs High School Arts Institute and College of the Desert’s Film Program. How important is it to you to be involved?

Sesma: “I’ve been a mentor at PSHS Arts Institute for eight years mentoring young students trying to help them understand what it means to be in the movie industry and providing them a working mentor, it’s not just in theory or a video professor showing them how to do it, but someone who is actively working in the industry. In shooting locally, we hire a bunch of young talented people who want to understand what it is to work in the industry.”

CVW: Paydirt features the Coachella Valley like no other film produced. How proud are you of our community and your team?

Sesma: “Paydirt is going to be awesome for everybody across the country and across the world to see 100% local talent.

The Coachella Valley is fully infused in this movie. This is 100% shot here and 100% soundtrack from CV artists. I’m born and raised here. A few actors are from here. It’s amazing to bring big stars to my backyard.”

CVW: Composer Nima Fakhrara (The Signal, The Pyramid, The Girl in the Photographs, Detroit: Become Human) scored the original music for Paydirt.

Sesma: “Nima is awesome! We’ve worked together in the past, but this is the first one where he and I got to let loose on.

He’s from Los Angeles. Nima’s amazing!

ADRIAN CRUSH

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We’re working on our next project together as we speak and getting ideas for the next movie. It’s all exciting!"

CVW: What are the prospects a Paydirt Soundtrack could be released?

Sesma: “I don’t know yet. I hope so.

We’re going to see how that goes. It’s really up to the artists themselves. We’ll see how we can help coordinate that.”

GISELLE WOO/SLIPPING INTO DARKNESS ADRIAN CRUSH/DAREALKURLZZ CVW: What was your experience in providing original recorded music for PayDirt?

Woo: “It was an unforgettable experience that I had only ever dreamed of!”

SID: “Christian heard our unreleased album and picked out two songs for the film.

It was all love, we are happy to be a part of it.”

Crush: “This was all possible thanks to Giselle Woo. She forwarded a couple of my songs to Christian and he contacted me shortly after.”

Darealkurlzz: “The experience was great… me and the whole team are very excited to be a part of what Christian has going on.”

CVW: How does it feel to be affiliated with a major motion picture that includes Val Kilmer?

Woo: “I feel truly honored. It is an immense privilege to be featured in a film that stars Val Kilmer!”

SID: “It is a complete honor because we all love movies like Batman Forever and The Doors.”

Crush: “At this moment, putting aside COVID-19 as we are all going through a life change because of it, for the past year I've been spending a lot of time at the hospital due to my son Kingston being born premature at 1 pound 13 ounces; his condition is critical. He's on a ventilator 24/7 which my wife and myself have had to go through extensive training to be able to care for our child. I simply feel honored and grateful. Anything I could do to make Christian’s life a bit easier, even if it was simply giving him the ‘go ahead’ to use my song, hey man, rock it! I'm happy he felt my

DAREALKURLZZ

song was the missing piece to the puzzle.”

Darealkurlzz: “To be a part of a major motion picture has only showed me more possibilities for my music.”

CVW: What can you share about Christian Sesma that we may not already know?

Woo: “Christian is amazing to work with.

He has been a supporter of me and my music for many years and the way he ‘puts on’ for his hometown is admirable. There are so many cameos of locals in this film along with local band’s music featured in this movie and I can’t wait to see it!”

SID: “Christian is friends with Max Durazo of Cafecito, who is our singer’s older brother who introduced us to Christian years back. Since then we have developed a cool friendship. One of his first movies was shot in Tijuana, MX.” Darealkurlzz: “He definitely has a vision for his movies. Big ‘ups’ to Christian for representing the Coachella Valley and letting a local artist get his music on more platforms.”

CVW: What kinds of projects are each of you working on currently?

Woo: “We are in the final stages of our first Giselle Woo and The Night Owls album! We are releasing a single August 7, 2020, on Bandcamp and are extremely excited!”

SID: “Slipping Into Darkness is releasing our new album on vinyl and all streaming

platforms September 15, 2020! During quarantine we have recorded demos for producers to get started on the next album.

We are shooting multiple music videos as well.”

Crush: “When my son was born July 24, 2019, I made the decision to temporarily retire from music to focus all my energy on my son who dearly needs me. However, I do have a song I recently released on YouTube on my son’s 1st birthday entitled ‘Kingston Strong - Miracle’. I added footage of Kingston’s journey to accompany the song.”

Darealkurlzz: “I’ve been working on my project called ‘Henny On The Rocks’ and will be releasing it this year.”

CVW: What are some of your favorite movie soundtracks?

Woo: “Some of my favorite soundtracks are Y Tu Mamá También, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and O Brother, Where Art Thou?”

SID: “Some of our favorite soundtrack/ scores are from Something About Mary, Pulp Fiction, Little Nicky, Joe Dirt, Dumb and Dumber, Detroit Rock City, all the Star Wars movies and the original animated Jungle Book!”

Crush: “I'm a huge Michael Jackson fan. He released a filmed entitled Moonwalker back in 1988. That by far is the best soundtrack.

I also enjoy the Edward Scissorhands, the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and Back to the Future soundtracks just to name a few.”

Darealkurlzz: “Definitely The Fast and the Furious and Straight Outta Compton.”

Find more on each artist below: Giselle Woo and The Night Owls www.youtube.com/channel/ UCTfqTpouuuDtX3hgPzY1W_Q gisellewooandthenightowls.com Find Slipping Into Darkness on Bandcamp and soundcloud.com/ slippingintodarknessmusic DJ Day - djday.net Adrian Crush - ‘Kingston Strong - Miracle’ (Official Video) - An original song produced written and performed by Kingston’s dad, Adrian Crush - youtu.be/2mzzGaxaJ2M Grand Finale - “West Coast Hip-Hop” (Official Video-1991) Produced by Berto Munoz aka DJBO "In The Mix" - youtu. be/2n7a_UYCGkw

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August 6 to August 12, 2020

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August 6 to August 12, 2020

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THE DESERT STAR AWARDS AND RECOGNIZING THE BEST OF THE BEST

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he Antoinette Perry Award, other wise known as the ‘Tony,’ was established in 1947 as a means of honoring the outstanding performances, productions and talent that gives life to the Broadway shows. The award is named after Antoinette Perry, nicknamed Tony. Perry was an actress, director, producer and co-founder of the American Theatre Wing, who died in 1946.

Each city and town across America recognize the need to honor and reward the dedicated actors, directors, writers and crew that work their craft and magic on the stages across the country and have established their own version of the “Tony”.

The Coachella Valley has the Desert Theatre League (DTL), a non-profit organization that was founded in 1987, and whose mission is to support and cultivate theatre in the Coachella Valley. The DTL annually sponsors the Desert Stars Awards to recognize outstanding achievement in theatre arts. The Awards celebration is normally held each fall, and though the Covid-19 pandemic forced many theatres to go dark before the end of their season, the DTL determined that enough of the productions had occurred to allow them to move forward with the Awards, with one major change, there will not be a physical gathering of the nominees in 2020.

The nominees were announced on August 1, 2020 and the winners will be posted on the DTL website in October.

The awards are vitally important.

They allow theatre professionals to be acknowledged for their outstanding work.

One critical category that I noticed missing from the DTL Star Awards is for “Playwright.”

Where would theatre be without playwrights?

Though I realized that the majority of plays and musicals produced in the Coachella Valley may not be new or original, it’s hard to believe that there are zero original productions. (If that is true, then we have an even bigger challenge to address.). One specific production that I reviewed this year and know to be an original was June August’s, “Sexy Widows.” Wayne Abravanel, was nominated for Outstanding Musical Director of a Musical – Professional, for this show, but alas, no recognition of the writer. (Or any writer.)

Actress/Singer Keisha D, was awarded the Life Time Achievement Award. Having personally worked with Keisha and being an appreciative audience member for many of

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BY DEE JAE COX

her shows, I could not think of anyone more deserving than this beautiful and talented performer. Keisha D, is the heart of the desert performing arts community.

The following is a partial list of the nominees. (The complete list can be seen at deserttheatreleague.org/2020-nominees).

The Michael Cruickshank Award for Outstanding Director of a Drama Shawn Abramowitz - Adoption Roulette Desert Ensemble Theatre Co. Katie Fleischman - The Glass Menagerie Theatre 29 Darryl Jacobs - Other Desert Cities - Sun City Shadow Hills Michael Pacas - 12 Angry Men - Desert Theatreworks The Michael Cruickshank Award for Outstanding Director of a Drama - Professional Darin Anthony - Daniel's Husband - Dezart Performs Darin Anthony - Dinner with Friends Coachella Valley Repertory Dr. William Layne - The Crucible - Palm Canyon Theatre Michael Shaw - Sweat - Dezart Performs Chuck Yates - A Doll's House Part 2 - Coyote StageWorks Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Sean Timothy Brown - The Crucible - Palm Canyon Theatre Chris Fleischman - The Glass Menagerie Theatre 29 Fergus Loughnane - Adoption Roulette Desert Ensemble Theatre Co. Luke Rainey - The Crucible - Palm Canyon Theatre Eddie Stephens - 12 Angry Men - Desert Theatreworks Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Professional Cortez Johnson – Sweat - Dezart Performs Corydon Melgoza – Sweat - Dezart Performs Jerry Prager - 12 Angry Men - Desert Theatreworks Michael Shaw - Daniel's Husband - Dezart Performs David Youse - Daniel's Husband - Dezart Performs Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Jan Briggs - Other Desert Cities - Sun City Shadow Hills Desiree Clarke – Sweat - Dezart Performs Adina Lawson - Adoption Roulette - Desert Ensemble Theatre Co.

BREAKING THE4TH WALL

Shirley LeMaster - Murder on the Orient Express - Desert Theatreworks Donna Parrish - Other Desert Cities - Sun City Shadow Hills Katherine Wehler - A Streetcar Named Desire - Thought Theatre Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Professional Theresa Jewett – Sweat - Dezart Performs Robin McAlpine - A Doll's House Part 2 Coyote StageWorks Jennifer Sorenson - Dinner with Friends Coachella Valley Repertory Yo Younger - Adoption Roulette - Desert Ensemble Theatre Co I was fortunate enough to see a good percentage of these shows and the nominees only serve to remind me of what incredible theatre we have here in the desert. It would be impossible for me to make a choice between Ron Celona’s breathtaking direction of Ballroom – (Coachella Valley Repertory,) and Se Layne’s – magical direction of Peter Pan. (Palm Canyon Theatre.)

Or Yo Younger’s deeply moving performance in Adoption Roulette (Desert Ensemble Theatre Co,) vs Robin McAlpine in A Doll's House Part 2 – (Coyote StageWorks.), or Theresa Jewett in Sweat – (Dezart Performs.) Michael Shaw and David Youse both brought me to tears in Daniel’s Husband. (Dezart Performs.)

Just reviewing the list of incredible nominees ignites my craving for live theatre.

Find ways to support the ongoing effort of our desert theatres. Visit their websites and view their virtual shows or educational programs. They continue to collaborate and work on ways to keep theatre alive during these challenging times.

Congratulations to all of the nominees!

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 “HE LOVES & SHE LOVES”

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oachella Valley Repertory’s Theatre Thursdays presents “He Loves & She Loves.” On Thursday, August 6, 2020 at 6 PM, Brent and Erika Schindele will perform their favorite love songs from the Golden Age of Broadway. From songs like “Boy Meets Girl,” to “And Then There Were Three,” this intimate evening with husband and wife will reminisce the beginning of their love story, which began when they met during a production of Stephen Sondheim’s musical play “Merrily We Roll Along.”

Erika has performed at theaters throughout California, most recently in the production of “Heisenberg” at the Jewel Theatre Company in Santa Cruz. She was in the thought-provoking production of “Collected Stories,” hosted by CVRep for which she was nominated for a Desert Theater League award for Best Actress.

Her film and television appearances include “Criminal Minds,” “American Dreams,” as well as lead roles in the short films “Emerald” and “The What If.” In the same light, Brent was a part of the national tour of “The Sound of Music,” directed by Jack O’Brien, and starred as the character Tony in the national tour “West Side Story.” Off Broadway, he starred as Johnny Blue in Pasadena Playhouse’s premiere of “South Street,” Cosme in “Souvenir” at the Falcon (Garry Marshall) Theatre, and Harold Hill in “The Music Man.” At the beginning of 2020, both Brent and Erika performed in “Emma the Musical” at the Ensemble Theatre of Santa Barbara.

Since the moment they met, the lives of Brent and Erika have been filled with music. In 2019, the spouses welcomed a baby boy who has helped them bring even more joyful music into their everyday life.

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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 thoughtprovoking 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 BIOS Erika Schindele has performed at theaters across California, most recently in a wonderfully emotional production of Heisenberg at the Jewel Theatre Company in Santa Cruz. In the early part of 2020 Brent and Erika got to spend some time together in Emma the Musical at the Ensemble Theater of Santa Barbara. You may remember Erika from CVREP’s thought provoking production of Collected Stories, for which she was nominated for a Desert Theater League award for Best Actress. Some of her most memorable roles include Stella Kowalski in the iconic A Streetcar Named Desire (where she got to play opposite her husband!), Martha Jefferson in 1776 (which won an LA Weekly award), Cecily Pigeon in Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple and Belle in A Christmas Carol for 9 years running at the Tony awardwinning South Coast Repertory theater. Also at South Coast Repertory, she originated the role of Helen in the world premiere musical of An Italian Straw Hat and has appeared in

concessions and delicious food vendors for attendees to purchase food and beverages.

Guests are encouraged to reserve in advance through purchasing tickets online, which start at $24.99.

THEATRE

Playhouse’s premiere of SOUTH STREET, Cosme in SOUVENIR at the Falcon (Garry Marshall) Theatre, Anthony in END OF THE RAINBOW at Int’l. City Theatre, Richard Hannay in THE 39 STEPS at Glendale Centre Theatre, Harold Hill in THE MUSIC MAN and Bob Wallace in WHITE CHRISTMAS (twice) at the Norris in Palos Verdes. He appeared in CITY OF ANGELS, NO STRINGS and SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE with Reprise! played the quarterback in ZANNA, DON’T! at West Coast Ensemble and an action-movie star in Mitch Albom’s AND THE WINNER IS at Laguna Playhouse.

At the Ensemble Theatre in Santa Barbara, he played the Guy in MARRY ME A LITTLE, as well the Guy/Keyboardist in STRIKING TWELVE (which he reprised at Laguna Playhouse). He played Franklin Shepard in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at Actors Co-op in Hollywood and also appeared in the recent production at the Wallis Annenberg in Beverly Hills. Other credits include Curly McLain in OKLAHOMA!, Sky Masterson in GUYS & DOLLS, Tommy Albright in BRIGADOON, Cliff Bradshaw in CABARET, the title roles in THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL and JOSEPH…DREAMCOAT, Romeo in ROMEO & JULIET and Stanley Kowalski in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. Screen work includes COLD CASE and THIRTEEN DAYS with Kevin Costner, his hometown hero.

WESTFIELD PALM DESERT TO HOST NEW DRIVE-IN MOVIE THEATER AND PICNIC ON THE PATIO EVENTS

s summer outdoor theaters pop up across the country, Westfield Palm Desert is delighted to welcome El Toro Flicks Carpool Cinema to Coachella Valley. As the first nightly drive in movie venue in Palm Desert, the experience will feature a massive elevated screen and the latest in technology and production.

“We’re excited to welcome El Toro Flicks to the desert,” said Franchesca Forrer, Westfield Palm Desert Marketing Director. “The drive-in will be on our third level parking deck, which features stunning 360-degree views of our valley and over 50 giant street art murals under the stars. It’s the most unique setting for a drive in in all of Coachella Valley.”

Opening weekend films are as follows: - Friday, August 7: Jurassic Park - Saturday, August 8: Toy Story 4 - Sunday, August 9: The Goonies To make the experience even more enjoyable, The Drive In will also feature

August 6 to August 12, 2020

On the very same weekend, August 8th and 9th from 11am – 4pm, Westfield’s outdoor marketplace, Picnic on the Patio, opens with pop-up shops, Flat Black Art Walk vendors, al fresco dining, and weekly

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contests and giveaways all under the shaded patio and misting fans by the center’s grand entrance. “This is a chance for our community to support local artisans and makers, restaurants and select Westfield stores all in an outdoor space that’s shaded and cool during these warm summer months,” said Forrer.

More information regarding El Toro Flicks Carpool Cinema and Picnic on the Patio can be found westfield.com/palmdesert.

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August 6 to August 12, 2020

CONSIDER THIS

“You’re only as sick as your secrets, So I’m telling everything, half of the shit you won’t believe, but I know it’s not unique to me.” hat comes from the Artists Formerly Known As The Dixie Chicks (in these post-George Floyd times, their name was recently truncated to the less offensive Chicks), speaking their truth on “Sleep At Night,” a song from their new record, Gaslighter.

It’s been 14 years since the Chicks’ last album was released, practically a lifetime.

Despite their lengthy absence one shot to #1 on Billboard’s Country charts. Quite an achievement for a band that courted controversy and almost saw their career go up in flames.

It wasn’t always so contentious, almost from the beginning, the Chicks were embraced by the Country Music establishment. Originally, the band was founded in Dallas, Texas, by sisters, Martie and Emily Erwin in the late ‘80s as a fourpiece, with Laura Lynch and Robin Lynn Macy. Their Bluegrass sound was anchored by the sisters’ musical dexterity. Martie played violin, viola, guitar, mandolin fiddle and double bass, Emily was responsible for banjo, dobro, pedal steel, bass and sitar.

Named for the sly Little Feat classic, “Dixie Chicken,” the band became mainstays at Bluegrass festivals and eventually wound up serving as an opening act for artists like Reba McEntire, George Strait and Garth Brooks.

Between 1990 and 1994, they released three albums on the tiny Crystal Clear Sound label, but nationwide success eluded them.

As their style evolved, veering slightly from traditional Bluegrass, Robin advocated for a “purer” sound, and ended up leaving the band. They stuck it out as a trio and Laura took over lead vocals. But they still had trouble expanding their fan base beyond Texas and Nashville, making it difficult to attract a major label.

It was around this time that Nashville session musician (and Texas native), Lloyd Maines introduced Martie and Emily to his daughter, Natalie. An aspiring singer, she had won a full scholarship to the Berklee College Of Music. They also acquired a new manager, Simon Renshaw. Not long after, Natalie was in and Laura was out. Within a year, the trio inked a deal with Columbia Records, part of the giant Sony music conglomerate.

Released in early 1998, Wide Open Spaces, their major label debut, catapulted to the top of both the Country and Pop charts. Natalie’s Blues and Rock influences paired nicely with the sisters rootsy sound.

By the end of the year, the trio sold more CDs than all other Country acts combined. The record won a Grammy and the Chicks were feted by the Country Music Association, as well as the Academy Of Country Music.

Their next album, Fly arrived at the tail end of the 20th century and debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200. Doubling down on their blend of Bluegrass, Contemporary Country, Pop, Rock and Blues, they achieved mainstream success. This time out they netted two Grammies and multiple CMA and ACM awards. The Chicks became the

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(COLUMBIA RECORDS) THE CHICKS “GASLIGHTER”

only Country band and only female band of any genre to hold the distinction of having two back-to-back RIAA certified diamond (10,000,000 sold) albums. No longer an opening act, they began headlining their own tours and cemented their crossover appeal by joining artists like Sarah McLachlan and Sheryl Crow on the all-woman, Lillith Fair tour.

Following some tense contract negotiations with Sony, the Chicks returned with their third stellar album, Home, in late 2002. Much like its predecessor, the album was an adroit mix of original songs from the trio and sharp covers from artists they admired like Patty Griffin, Darrell Scott, Bruce Robison and Radney Foster. They even added some down-home grit to Stevie Nicks’ signature Fleetwood Mac classic, “Landslide.” Once again, critical acclaim was unanimous and sales were through the roof.

It was during their 2003 World tour that the shit hit the fan.

At a show in London, England, nine days before the run-up to the Iraq war, Natalie announced from the stage that the Chicks didn’t support the proposed Iraq invasion and were ashamed that President George W. Bush was from Texas. Many Country fans did support the war, backlash was swift.

Thousands of Country stations blacklisted the Chicks, refusing to play their music.

Soon, the band began receiving death threats. Natalie apologized for disrespecting the office of the President (three years later she rescinded the apology and declared George W. Bush didn’t deserve respect). In an interview with the German publication, Der Spiegel, Martie noted that the Country Music establishment had abandoned them.

Not only had they received no support from fellow artists, the ACM awards shunned the band. Still, they managed to win three Grammys, so the trio was pledging their allegiance to the Rock community.

Even as they faced diminished sales, as former fans began burning their music (Who does that? How does that hurt the artist when you’re basically burning your own property?), and Toby Keith displayed a doctored image of Natalie and Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, the Chicks persisted.

In 2006 they released Taking The Long Way, produced by Rick Rubin and were the subject of a documentary, “Shut Up And Sing.” Insisting on one song they were “Not Ready To Make Nice,” several tracks on the record addressed the controversy The record received nearly unanimous critical praise, and most interestingly, debuted at #1, making them the first all-female band to manage that feat. Nominated for five Grammys, they swept the awards. The film, directed by famed documentarian, Barbara Kopple, opened in four theaters in late 2007 and expanded to a wider release.

In the ensuing years, the Chicks have toured sporadically and also taken lengthy hiatuses. Martie and Emily fronted a Folkier side project, The Court Yard Hounds, releasing two albums. Natalie recorded a solo album, Mother in 2013, comprised of covers from disparate artists like Pink Floyd,

BY ELENI P. AUSTIN

Patty Griffin, Pearl Jam, Jeff Buckley and the Jayhawks.

But the trio has always remained ready to upend convention. At a 50th anniversary celebration for the CMA, the Chicks appeared with fellow Texas native Beyonce, offering a rollicking take on the latter’s Countryflavored “Daddy Lessons.” The audience was delighted, but the performance elicited a series of racist attacks online. Following a collaboration with Taylor Swift on her seventh album, Lover, the band confirmed they were back in the studio working on a new album. Originally scheduled for release in early May, the pandemic delayed it a bit, but now Gaslighter is here.

The record opens with the one-two punch of “Gaslighter” and “Sleep At Night.”

The title cut is a bit of a barnburner, from the shout-it-out chorus, to the anthemic bridge, buttressed by sugar rush acoustic guitars, 12-string electric riffs, pliant keys, piquant banjo runs, swooping violin throbbing bass lines and a thumpy big beat. It’s tempting to think the title refers to the taint-stain currently occupying the White House and his predilection for denial, misdirection, contradiction and misinformation. But lyrics like “you thought I wouldn’t see it if you put it in my face, give you all my money you’ll gladly walk away/You think it’s justifiable, I think it’s pretty cruel, and you know you lie best when you lie to you.” are directed at a duplicitous, adulterous ex.

The aforementioned “Sleep..” continues the confrontational theme over a clackity metallic beat, rippling banjo, sawing violin, swooning pedal steel, a wall of guitars and whooshy Mellotron and Moog. Natalie’s mien is arch and sardonic as she caustically confides; “Not that you asked, but I’m getting past everything, everything, I’m doing okay, just glad it’s not yesterday/ “My husband’s girlfriend’s husband just called me up, how messed up is that? It’s so insane I have to laugh, but then I think about our two boys trying to become men, there’s nothing funny about that.” Her righteous indignation is cloaked in an insanely hooky melody.

While the Chicks have never been afraid to weigh in on social issues or current events (prompting one right wing harridan to instruct them to “shut up and sing”), on this record the personal is political. Inspired

by Natalie’s recent divorce from actor Adrian Pasdar, the band has co-written every track here save one. Bent on baring their souls like never before, the trio takes it to the limit,

and the results are pretty thrilling.

Rather than appear martyred by betrayal, two tracks, “Tights On My Boat” and “Texas Man,” display the Chicks’ wicked sense of fun. The former is a slice of finger-popping cool. Half shit-talk Torch song, half campfire sing-a-long, it’s fueled by wily acoustic licks, tart ukulele, wiggly keys, sly organ notes, sputtery violin and slippery bass, tethered to a ricochet rhythm. The opening couplet, “Okay, I hope you die peacefully in your sleep, just kidding, I hope it hurts you like you hurt me, I hope when you think of me you can’t breathe” sets the stage for a series of verbal smart bombs that Natalie lobs in the direction of her ex.

The latter blends plucky banjo, tensile bass, buzzy guitars, shuddery keys, prickly violin and a propulsive beat. The lyrics are by turns confessional, flirty, self-deprecating and honest. Here, Natalie sends out a musical S.O.S. to all the single fellas residing in the Lone Star State; “I could use a Texas man, but one who can feel at home, yeah here in the California sand, who holds me like he’ll never let go/It’s been way too long since somebody’s body was tangled with mine.” As the arrangement accelerates, she concedes experience, she’s a little “traveled” and “unraveled,” but she’s ready to be swept up in a real romance “cause the way to my heart is through my mind.” A wolfish guitar solo is unleashed on the break “My Best Friend’s Wedding” likens the relationship to a wildfire, tracing it back to the beginning. Tight, soral harmonies line up in Doo-Wop formation, gliding around churchy keys, willowy guitars, sparkly banjo, spectral violin and subdued percussion.

Midway through, is this epiphany; “Strangest thing not having you here with me, then I realized I prefer my own company to yours anytime.” As the arrangement gathers speed, the lyrical pledge to “go it alone,” repeats like a prayer, like a mantra, until the song builds to a stunning crescendo.

The action slows briefly on the pensive, piano-driven “For Her.” As the arrangement expands and contracts, adding banjo, Wurlitzer, shaded guitars cello, viola and violin, it remains anchored by stinging bass lines and a chunky backbeat. Natalie’s soulful vocals are shot through with regret and reflection as she confesses “I wish I could go back and tell my younger self you’re a fighter.”

Meanwhile, acoustic guitars, banjo and dobro lattice over billowy mellotron, delicate piano and angular bass on “Young Man.” Stripped-down and intimate, the lyrics seem to directly address Natalie’s young sons about her divorce; “Your hero fell, just as you came of age, and I had no words but now I know what to say.” Over keening Country fiddle, she lets them know the betrayal she feels shouldn’t be their burden; “And my blues aren’t your blues, after this storm there’s nothing you can’t navigate, point to

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com the truth, you’ll see it’s the only way.” Her honesty and wisdom offer a measure of catharsis.

A couple of tracks take some sharp left turns. “Juliana Calm Down” opens quietly with droning keys and some, um, sincere advice for Julianna, Harper, Katie, Eva, Violet, Juna, Yaya, Berta, Hesper, Ameila and Naomi in the face of spousal defection; “Just put on, put on, put your best shoes, and strut the fuck around like you got nothin’ to lose/Show off, show off, show off your best moves and do it with a smile so he doesn’t know it’s a put on, put on, put on.” As the arrangement opens up, a walloping beat kicks in under nimble keys, spidery bass, buoyant banjo, fluttery violin, sticky guitars and weepy pedal steel envelope this wise-ass pep-talk.

Meanwhile, “March March” is explicitly topical. Bloopy keys and a tribal thump connect with spitfire guitars, flinty fiddle, cascading banjo notes and plinking piano, before locking into a martial cadence. Slyly referencing the Boomtown Rats’ “I Don’t Like Mondays,” The Chicks pledge solidarity with the Parkland school shooting victims as well as their own children; “Standing with Emma and our sons and daughters, watchin’ our youth have to solve our problems.” As well as calling out the hypocrisy of certain right-wing politicians who advocate for gun owners’ freedoms, even as they attempt to take away a woman’s right to choose; “Tell the ol’ boys in the white bread lobby, what they can and can’t do with their bodies.” Just for good measure they fire a shot over the bow at the Cheeto-In-Chief; “Lies are truth and truth is fiction, everybody’s talkin,’ who’s going to

August 6 to August 12, 2020

listen, what the hell happened in Helsinki?”

The record winds down with “Hope It’s Something Good” and “Set Me Free.”

“Hope…” hews closely to the Chicks’ patented Bluegrass blueprint, blurring ethereal vocals with plenty of back porch banjo, flickering violin and weepy pedal steel. The lyrics offer a brittle post mortem with just a soupcon of artistic revenge; “Highs and lows, we fought our wars with our silence, I’d have called you out, but Baby, I knew you’d deny it/And now that you’re done, I get to write this song.”

The closing track is something of a restless farewell in ¾ time. Feathery ukulele is matched by spare acoustic guitars, mournful pedal steel, incongruous vibes and Mellotron plus some crosscut violin and viola. The lyrics simply plead for sweet release. It’s a poignant end to a powerful record.

The album was produced by Jack Antonoff, who made a name for himself fronting Indie Pop bands like Bleachers and fun. Recently, he has supplied sympathetic production for artists like Lorde, St. Vincent, Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift.

Gaslighter represents a new era for the Chicks. The trio was a victim of “cancel culture” long before that term became part of the lexicon. But as their detractors went low, the Chicks tried to remain high. To paraphrase Donny and Marie, the music presented here is a little less Country and a little more Rock & Roll, but it’s clearly their most personal album to date. Unafraid to appear vulnerable and vindictive, their defiance is on full display. Exactly as it should be.

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THE VINO VOICE

or the past twenty-one weeks this wine column has consistently commented on the effects of the on-going pandemic in our beloved game of wine. Of course, so much more important matters exist around us; but we’ve made the most of it in offering a quick read in a local wine column, and, even encourage enjoying a nice glass of vino while we’re at it.

Although I don’t think we need that much encouraging! Consumer demand for wine and other libations are more robust than ever!

Compared to last year, wine sales are up almost 30%; moreover, “premiumization” is occurring leaps and bounds in that wines priced above $20, have seen a rise in sales by 40%!

And yet another statistic, especially pertinent to this week’s column, is that the sale of boxed wines in particular have seen a huge jump in sales — increasing over 50% over the past pandemic months when compared to the same month’s sales in 2019. The culture professionals claim this is the result of higher stress levels requiring a little more wine; and purchasing box wine requires less visits to the market.

For so long Americans were grimacing at the boxed wines on the shelves—taking all that room from our pretty glass bottles with pretty colorful labels and all those corks to be pulled as part of happy hour theater. But boxed wine has long tradition, especially in France, when those folks pulled up to a winery or even a service station and got gas and filled their “boxes” of wine from a stainless steel tank, known as en vrac (from French meaning “in bulk”).

And throughout Italy today, you’ll still see many vino lovers in piazzas and parks all over pulling out a small glass tumbler alongside a

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THE BOXED-IN WINE CROWD

box of tasty wine and being happy about the convenience.

And convenience is the major factor in the huge increase in sales. The typical box comes in all sizes now: 3 liters that hold 4 bottles; 5 liters that hold 7 bottles; and the smaller box of 1.5 liters that hold a quick 2 bottles. Boxes are easy to buy, easy to transport from the store easy to use (no corkscrew necessary), and always on hand and ready to please for a fast hit or medium pull hidden in a coffee cup.

Not only do you generally save purely because you are buying in bulk, but bag-in-box packaging costs a fraction of traditional glass bottling for the same amount of wine. In addition, with the box packaging itself weighing about the same as a single glass bottle there are massive savings in shipping costs which in theory get passed on to you.

Further, it stays fresh for at least a month with the vacuum sealed pouches used today.

And there’s no fear of cork taint; which granted, only affects just small percentage of bottles (less

than 7%), but you sure hate it when you’re that 7% group!

Of course—the real question becomes, “Can we really find a very delicious wine hold up in a box?” The response is a happy yes: And now, our wine box pick of the summer season is Bonterra Organic Vineyards 2019 Sauvignon Blanc. 1.5 Liter Box ($20) We’ve already designated here in the Coachella Valley that the clean, fresh, and zippy Sauvignon Blanc to be the deserving wine for our desert surrounds. It’s light bodied, full of vibrant fruit flavors, lower in alcohol than Chardonnay, and pairs with most seafood & fish, salads, lunches and light dinners. It’s the winning white wine to deal with the summer heat.

We’ve been fans of the organic wines from Mendocino County and have appreciated their insistence that most of the vineyard properties work sustainably. Bonterra Vineyards have been farmed organically since 1987, long before organic products were widely available in America. The inspiration for farming this way was simple: organic grapes produce the purest expressions of the varietals and land on which they are farmed. At Bonterra, they have a deep respect for the environment. Organic farming and regenerative practices enrich the biodiversity in their vineyards year after year.

Going on their website is very informative regarding their vineyard philosophy and practices: www.bonterra.com. Here are some interesting excerpts: “Organically farmed and masterfully made, Bonterra Organic Vineyards wines are crafted to be perfectly in tune with nature. Organic farming poses natural challenges which require natural

BY RICK RIOZZA solutions. Our animal “partners” offer fantastic solutions for farming issues like pests and the need for added fertility. Instead of spraying our vines with chemicals to ward off pests, sheep and chickens roam through our vineyards munching on insects and trimming the weeds.”

“One of the greatest and most important assets in our vineyards is the soil. At Bonterra, we often say, “Soil is Everything.” If the soil is not healthy and diverse with nutrients, other systems struggle and the resulting fruit from the vines is affected. There are many things we do to ensure our soil is as healthy as possible.”

My friend, Meridith May, Publisher and Editorin Chief of Tasting Panel Magazine, of which I’ve written for in the past on Palm Springs culinary venues, gave this 2019 Bonterra Sauvignon Blanc, 91 Points, stating, “Housed in an earth-friendly, well-designed box, sourced from blocks of organically grown grapes sourced from vineyards in Mendocino, Sonoma and Lake counties. Bright, crisp and fresh tasting – in fact the wine will stay fresh up to 30 days after opening. Aromas of white tea flowers, just-squeezed grapefruit and a summer grassiness. Vivid acidity strikes a tone with pineapple, kiwi and lemon blossom.”

In the past few years, we’ve heartily recommended Bonterra’s wine portfolio for excellent wine at reasonable prices. The organic red blend Equinox and the Organic Rosé were our picks just last year. And now we’re drinking Bonterra’s organic Savvy blanc in a box! Cheers!

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BREWTALITY

Conversing with the Brewmaster of a large, independent brewery offered me some insight to the challenges being faced in the beer industry. He told me how due to tap and keg sales being nonexistent, every single brewery has dramatically increased their use of bottles and cans. Instead of in 15.5-gallon steel kegs, all of the beer sits on pallets, shrink wrapped in aluminum and glass. Instead of being shipped to bars and restaurants, every drop is now destined for a grocery store or bottle shop.

Covid-19 has dramatically altered the way we drink beer, and it’s caused a can shortage.

There’s never been a better time to turn in those recyclables, as the brewing industry is facing a can shortage the way the rest of the world experienced a toilet paper shortage back in May. Craft beer afficionados have shown their solidarity, supporting their neighborhood breweries by filling their growlers and buying cans on site. While the pandemic has been terrible for brick and mortar shops, it’s been a boon for the internet. Beer subscription services have increased and multiplied to the point where there are dozens to choose from, many of them offering selections from across the country that aren’t available through grocery stores.

It used to be that subscription services had a bad rap, offering beers on par with those “Beers of The World” variety boxes you’d get from Cost Plus World Market, where the most exotic selections you’d be lucky to get were Chang, Steinlager, and Peroni ( I once paid $14.99 to get a box of international beer, only to end up with Guinness, Indio lager and Tsingtao. It’s been 12 years and I still feel ripped off). While selection and value differ from site to site, here are a few of the options you now have when it comes to getting beer in your mailbox. craftshack.com: Boasting hundreds of thousands of users, this site has been selling

THE INTERNET IS A VIRTUAL BEER STORE

BY AARON RAMSON

craft beer, wine and spirits for over a decade, with big emphasis on customer service. A current promo offers a variety 12-pack of Hazy IPA from around the country for $102.99, shipping included. While these are the pint sized, bomber cans, those are pub-pint prices, breaking down to $8.58 per can. Not a terrible price when you factor in the cost of procuring and shipping, and worth it if you want to taste a dozen of the countries best hazies. If you just want to find individual bottles of a beer you’ve been waiting forever to try, Craft Shack has got you covered. Their website is user friendly, making finding the beer you want extremely easy. Click on the style of beer you want, and from there you can choose the exact subcategory, the brewery, and the price range you want to choose from. These guys offer a wide variety of stouts; that alone scores them points in my book. beerdrop.com: A modern, subscriptionbox type of service, beerdrop asks you to tell them the styles of beer you like, then allow them to choose the selections you get every month. This company pledges that it offers “super fresh craft beer,” “only the highest rated breweries,” and “cheapest shipping of

GOODY’S CAFÉ

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he Christos Family own four Goody’s restaurants in the Coachella Valley as well as two Alea Cafés in Anaheim and Long Beach. The menu provides a dizzying array of choices with comfort diner food as its core.

Now open for drive thru and takeout Goody’s is in the business of satisfying the

August 6 to August 12, 2020

any beer club.” Choose 5 from categories like hoppy, sour, dark, fruity, and malty. There’s even a catch-all category called “top-picks”, where the highest rated among all styles reside.

Each shipment comes to $54.99, coming to just under $11 a beer. Beerdrop gives you points as incentives for creating an account, subscribing, leaving reviews, following on social media, and referring friends, with accrued points going towards store credit. craftbeerclub.com: Exceptional value marks this club, offering subscribers 12 beers a month for only $43.00, shipping included. At $3.58 a serving, it’s hard to pass this one up if you can handle the limitations. Each shipment features 4 different styles, 2 from each brewery, 3 beers each, all 12 oz cans or bottles. You don’t get to request styles, they just send you whatever they want, so you’ve got to appreciate everything from IPAs to sours to appreciate this service.

A free subscription to Beer Connoisseur Online is included with your first order, with beer openers, koozies, and other fun gifts included free every third shipment. beermonthclub.com: Beer of the Month Club offers 5 packages to choose from: the U.S. beer Club, featuring craft beers from the

BY DANIEL PARIS

most voluminous appetites. The breakfasts barely leave you a glimpse of the plate. There are over forty breakfast choices with a good representation of Mexican style plates. My breakfast standard is the popular chicken fried steak fried to crunchy perfection bathed in a peppery gravy with three eggs, crispy hash browns and biscuits. The breakfast meats

include huge pieces of grilled ham, thick crispy bacon, sausage and chorizo. The pancakes and French toast and pancakes are stacked high waiting to be slathered with butter and syrup. They squeeze their own fresh orange juice on demand.

Lunch includes burgers, loaded salads, sandwiches, greek gyros, burritos, tacos and

east to west coast and everything in-between, the International Beer Club, a U.S. and International Variety Club, A Hop Head’s Club, and a Rare Beer Club. The U.S. club is the most affordable package at $44.95 with shipping, while the Rare Beer package comes to $52.95 a month. While the Rare Beer box includes two 750 mL bottles of premium beer, all of the other packages are a 12-pack, offering two to four varieties of beer in each box. tavour.com: This company sets itself apart by not having a desktop version, swaying the customer to download their mobile app, which alerts the customer twice a day to the always new, always changing beers featured on the Tavour app. This company encourages you to “only buy the beers you want and skip the beers you don’t. Build a selection that others will envy. We’ll ship any amount of your handpicked beer to your doorstep for a flat fee. Yes, any amount, from one bottle to a whole fridge full!”. Choose from categories like “hoppy and juicy,” “dark and intense,” “sour and funky,” or “light and crisp,” and let the app alert you to the new options you have daily. Prices can range from $55-$65 a month for a 6 pack, to $90-$115 a month for a 12-pack of premium beer.

With such a wide variety of services to choose from, there’s a site for every budget and palate. If you aren’t terribly picky about what surprises you get, then The Craft Beer Club’s $43 box is your best value. If you want only the dankest, trendiest offerings, Tavour is there to give you all the Instagram worthy beers you could want. If you don’t like surprises, Craft Shack is where to visit, allowing you to get those exact beers that you’ve seen other people rave about.

GOOD GRUB

diner plate lunches. They make a really good patty melt with carmelized onions, a fat burger patty with a tangy Russian dressing on crispy grilled rye bread.

Dinner plates include fried chicken, fish and chips, steak and fries, meatloaf, enchiladas, chile verde, gyros salad, cobb salad. Wash it down with a made to order shake.

The next time you embark on a long trip make Goody’s your first stop.

Nothing on the menu is over 15.00 and two entrees can easily feed a family of four.

Do not expect prime cuts of meat and crisp tender veggies, but do expect you will have fresh, well prepared food that will satisfy your hunger.

Buen provecho!

Goody’s Palm Springs 500 E. Ramon Rd, Palm Springs, CA. 760 322-4663 Hours: M-Sun 5am-10pm. (also in Palm Desert, Indio, Thousand Palms)

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SCREENERS

t’s still not clear when or if movie theaters will open again and under what circumstances audiences will feel safe going back to enjoying movies the way they were meant to be experienced.

Meanwhile, movie lovers are enjoying their home theaters more than ever, now that high resolution 4K movies and TVs are more widely available at reduced prices.

Thankfully, both new and older titles are being transferred manufactures and distributed on physical discs and streaming platforms.

According to digital entertainment group (DEG), these are the 20 most-watched movies as of last week. All are currently available for purchase. Choose wisely.

Trolls World Tour (DreamWorks/ Universal), Scoob! (WB), Yellowstone: SSN 1,2 &3 (Paramount), The Outpost (Screen Media Films), Sonic the Hedgehog (Paramount), The Invisible Man (Universal, 2020), Jumanji: The Next Level (Sony), The High Note (Universal), Force of Nature (Lionsgate, 2020), Bad Boys for Life (Sony), Bloodshot (Sony, 2020), Batman Beyond: S 1-3 (WB), Harry Potter Complete 8-film Coll.) (WB), Birds of Prey: Harley Quinn (WB), The Hunt (Universal, 2020), Capone (Lionsgate, 2020), Fantasy Island (Sony, 2020), Archive (Vertical, 2020).

THE HIGH NOTE Experience the “unexpected and utterly enchanting” (Oliver Jones, Observer) in

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No. 433

this stylish and contemporary female lead comedy. Emmy® nominee and Golden Globe® winner Tracee Ellis Ross stars as Grace Davis, a music icon who elevates her career to the next level with the help of Maggie, her ambitious assistant (Dakota Johnson), in the delightful and glamorous film that brings a lighthearted humor to the illustrious and trendy LA music scene.

Directed by Nisha Ganatra (Late Night) and written by Flora Greeson, a former personal assistant in the music industry, the film features a show-stopping cast alongside Ross and Johnson including Kelvin Harrison, Jr. (Luce), Bill Pullman, Zoe haco

FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS

BY ROBIN E. SIMMONS

and June Rphael with Eddie Izzard and Ice Cube.

Showcasing brand-new original songs and soulful covers, this fun film features stunning musical performances by Tracee Ellis Ross and Kelvin Harrison, Jr., and comes packed with never-before-seen exclusive bonus content including an all-new original music video, deleted scenes and featurettes with cast and crew taking audiences deeper into the alluring story of Grace Davis and her fascinating music career.

Set in the dazzling world of the LA music scene comes the story of Grace Davis (Ross), a superstar whose talent, and ego, have reached unbelievable heights. Maggie (Johnson) is Grace’s overworked personal assistant who’s stuck running errands, but still aspires to her childhood dreams of becoming a music producer. When Grace’s manager (Ice Cube) presents her with a choice that could change her life forever.

This entertaining, hilarious and uplifting movie carries a powerful and profound message that’s a reminder to never let go of your dreams. As the saying goes, “To make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up and seize the moment.” Recommended. Universal. robin@coachellavalleyweekly.com

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HADDON LIBBY

JULY 2020 MARKET UPDATE

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ver the first seven months of this year, the Dow has declined 7.4% while all non-US stocks were off a comparable 7.3%. Looking inside the numbers, the pandemic has expedited our conversion to a digital economy. This is best exhibited by the performance of the Technology sector that is up 22.5% this year versus the Energy sector which is down 38.2%.

As one might expect during a global health crisis, healthcare is up 9.8% while financials are down 15.3%. Financials suffer from the dual threat of anticipated defaults in consumer and corporate debt as well as the lowest interest rates in history.

Consumer Goods stocks were up over the last seven months as people were spending more time at home. Consumer income was up during the second quarter despite the largest decline in GDP on record. These disparate signals are due to $600/week bonus in unemployment benefits that served to increase income for the bottom half of wage earners who were furloughed or laid off. Stimulus checks sent to families earning less than $150,000/year served to support spending while growing deposit accounts.

Relief and stimulus payments have led to the rapid growth in first time investors. Their participation in the market partially explains the gravity-defying valuations of stocks like Apple or Tesla. While these companies will certainly benefit from the new normal, stock valuations appear to reflect more optimism and brand-washing than is supported by business projections.

In addition to trillions in government

August 6 to August 12, 2020

payments to most Americans by the US Treasury, the Federal Reserve overwhelmed the fixed income markets by buying more than $5 trillion in government and corporate bonds. By keeping interest rates low, the Federal Reserve used brute financial strength to force rates lower and help individuals, businesses and governments afford higher debt levels.

Without Federal Reserve intervention in the markets, credit would cost more at a time when most borrowers can afford it least.

This extraordinary assistance should lead to several side effects.

The most side effect is higher prices aka inflation. Inflation will be modest to start as workers and businesses compete for income keeping prices low. Over time, the reduction in prices will be more than offset by rising

DALEGRIBOW ON THELAW

costs.

By holding rates artificially low, those relying on fixed income have lower incomes.

While few will cry for the insurance companies and banks that earn less as a result, artificially low interest rates hurt our oldest Americans who rely on bond and bank CD interest as safe income sources in retirement.

Low rates cause many investors to take on more risk in order to achieve desired income levels. People who might have kept their money only in bonds will venture into stocks, real estate and other more speculative investment options.

Aberrations caused by historically low interest rates create nearly ideal business conditions for some companies. Companies that sell goods with the ability to increase

prices in line with inflation could see their valuations go up at the rate of price increases.

As the Federal Reserve have stated that they expect to keep interest rates abnormally low for as long as it takes, the price of things is certain to go up. This means that assets like real estate and equities will go up in value due to the decline in the value of the underlying currency aka inflation.

What does all of this mean to you?

Assets like your home or investment account can be good stores of value. Like any asset, the price that you pay for the asset matters.

What if you don’t have many assets?

The sooner you can fix your living costs and begin saving, the faster you will begin accumulating wealth.

If you or a friend is out of work or job unstable, one of the best things that you can due to improve job prospects is to encourage everyone that you know to wear a mask when around others and practice social distancing.

Until infection rates go down and consumers feel safe to go out, economic activity will be too low to support the employment of people on furloughed or laid off.

The longer we have lower business activity, the greater the destruction of jobs.

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

LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF THE INJURED & CRIMINALLY ACCUSED

IS IT SAFE TO RETURN TO THE PARK: DOG BITE OR CV?

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e all ask, with COVID 19 is it now safe to go to the park?

When we get to the park do we have to worry about Dog Bites because they have not played with other dogs much this year and owners let them roam OFF LEASH. The prevalence, seriousness, and cost of dog bites are all on the rise in California. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), says about 5 million people are bitten by dogs each year. Factors that cause a dog to bite are: training, breed, health, socialization, provocation, aggression, heredity and the behavior of surrounding humans. Have they interacted with many humans lately?

It is common sense that an owner has a legal responsibility to ensure that an unprovoked dog is safe and will not attack passersby's regardless of a dog's nature and upbringing. If any of my Coachella Valley Weekly readers, or their friends, has been bitten by a dog, they should seek medical attention ASAP. Then they should contact a local dog bite accident attorney that has

successfully handled these cases for years.

Many years ago California had a ONE BITE statute that only imposed liability on the owner, if the dog had already bitten one person in the past. The thinking was that the owner did NOT KNOW his dog bites. Today we have Strict Liability.

Strict liability means if a dog bites someone then the owner is automatically liable....even if it is the first time the dog has ever bitten anyone. The dog's owner has a duty to control his/her dog at all times. A breach of that duty imposes civil liability (DAMAGES) for any injuries suffered by a victim.

An experienced Dog Bite attorney will encourage their client to immediately go to the ER or Urgent Care. However, we also have our clients have the bite examined by a plastic surgeon who knows how to prepare a med/legal report. The report should estimate the cost of future medicals and the chances of scaring. An experienced attorney will also suggest a psychologist, if the client has developed a phobia about dogs or nightmares of the incident etc.

The injury is only part of what a good attorney should address. When I had a 30 person law firm I always taught my new lawyers that documentation is the name of the game. This would include not only treatment with the appropriate doctors but pictures of the bite/scar and a client's daily diary explaining how this bite affected the client's life.

In other words, did the victim cancel a vacation? Cancel a party they were throwing or attending? Cancel family pictures? Was the victim advised by their doctor to stay out of the sun and avoid golf? Many of our CV neighbors "live for" these sports.

The Victim should also stay off Social Media. It is the kiss of death for a doctors report to show all the things the patient should not do and then have pictures of the client doing what they were not supposed to do.

The cost of dog-bite claims for insurers has risen to hundreds of millions of dollars each year, with the average in the $30,000 range. This increase has been attributed

to the increased medical costs and the increased value of settlements, jury awards, and verdicts for plaintiffs, which has outpaced inflation and the value of auto accident cases. Thus many insurance homeowners policies now exclude certain breeds of dogs from coverage which means you must check your homeowners policy to be sure you are covered.

Suggestion for future article? Call 760837-7500 or dale@dalegribowlaw.com.

DALE GRIBOW Representing the Injured and Criminally Accused "TOP LAWYER" - California's Prestige Magazine, Palm Springs Life (PI/DUI) 201120 "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"

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August 6 to August 12, 2020

PET PLACE

J

uly 10 was National Kitten Day, but it is kitten day every day at the home of Jamie Sue and John Stout. These 5 precious kittens were recently found discarded in a box inside a gated Palm Desert country club. There was no mother in sight.

Estimated to be 2 weeks old, the kittens were too young for cat food. They would not have survived much longer without roundthe-clock bottle feeding. Could Loving All Animals save their lives?

It was miracle timing when Jamie Sue contacted Jeanette Guzman at LAA the day before the kittens were found. She inquired about fostering neonatal kittens and offered her services. With 20 years of experience, Jamie Sue was well prepared and happy to care for these precious tiny animals. She

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JAMIE SUE, FOSTER MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE old enough to get spayed and neutered.

That truly became the beginning point for me as far as saving kittens. It has now grown into a love affair of the heart.”

Over the past 20 years, her many foster kittens have ranged in age from 1 day to 6 weeks. “I wrangled my husband and my cat into being part of this.” John Stout took these lovely photos which showcase the animals for adoption. Included here is John’s photo of Delia, their current Loving All Animals’ foster.

Jamie Sue and John named the 5 new kittens after their children – Kimber, Jared, Dylan, Kali and Cain. “I love watching these kittens grow, cuddling and playing with them, and then seeing them go to loving homes. My husband and I put together enrichment activities for them including a climbing apparatus. In my foster home, the animals experience a lot of learning that can’t happen in a shelter setting.”

Jamie Sue enthusiastically exclaims, “Many years later, and several shelters later, I got the great opportunity to work with Loving All Animals. I was not only

knew that at an estimated 2 weeks of age, the kittens required bottle feeding every 3 hours (luckily the time between feedings gets longer as they age).

Jamie Sue grew up loving animals and being part of 4H activities. A crisis often turns animal lovers into animal rescuers.

In the year 2000, she was on duty as a 911 dispatcher for the Escalon Police Department. A call came in from a panicked animal control officer asking how to feed some tiny newborn kittens. An ardent cat lover, Jamie Sue knew nothing about bottle feeding neonatal babies but quickly did some research. Jamie Sue recalls, “I began bottle feeding the kittens during my breaks and lunch periods. Then I would take them home and bottle feed them until they were

MEET MAMA NONNIE

MEET MAX

This precious kitty loves to spin on the giant wheel at the Humane Society of the Coachella Valley. She waits for a home there with 42 other cats & kittens in their beautiful cattery. Call (760) 329-0203 for an appointment to meet/adopt Mama Nonnie. www.orphanpet.com

This handsome big fellow is command trained and ready to go home with you! Max was rescued by the Humane Society of the Coachella Valley in N. Palm Springs.

Call (760) 329-0203 for an appointment to meet/adopt this special dog. www.orphanpet.com

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BY JANET McAFEE able to foster from bottle baby to spay and neuter, but I had the unique opportunity to see them go home to their loving families. I didn’t know my heart could handle this step with my five ‘quarantine’ kittens. Anyone raising animals during this quarantine knows how close you become to them. But to my surprise I didn’t shed a tear on their adoption day as I told their new families about their unique personalities and shared their photos. The adoptive families were ever so grateful, and I was grateful to get the chance to meet them. I even babysat one of these fosters while the family went on vacation!”

What would Jamie Sue want other people to know about fostering? “The need to save kittens is not only my desire but has become my husband’s and my family’s desire. Together we share the joy of giving kittens a life they might never have had.

They are the most vulnerable when they are small and their eyes are closed. They just need a full belly and a sweet place to

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com lay their sweet heads. You don’t have to know anything about neonatal kittens to get started, but you can learn as I did. Or you can foster older kittens or adult cats that don’t need bottle feeding. Trust me when I tell you, fostering is the most rewarding thing you can do for these precious animals.

They repay you with their love.”

Contact Loving All Animals at www. lovingallaniamls.org, call (760) 834-7000, and Like their Facebook page. Five more precious lives saved! Five more happy families!

Janetmcafee8@gmail.com -------------------------------------------------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) 343-3644. 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

SAFETY TIPS

appointments Wednesday through Monday, closed on Tuesday. View their animals online at www.psanimalsshelter.org, 4575 E. Mesquite Ave, Palm Springs, (760) 4165718. (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.com,call (760) 660-

August 6 to August 12, 2020 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) 3847272. (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

UNHEALTHFUL AIR QUALITY FROM WILDFIRES

I

t’s pretty inevitable living in California, even if your home is not in the path of a fire, you can still be affected by smoke particles released into the air from wildfires,” reminds Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna.

Particulate matter is the main public health threat during short-term exposure to wildfire smoke, so it’s crucial to protect yourself.

“Really it’s about common sense, If you can see the smoke, if you can smell the smoke, chances are the particulate matter levels are high. If you can do that, you should exercise caution.”

Stay indoors.

Close all doors and windows.

Avoid vigorous outdoor and indoor activity.

Those with respiratory difficulties or

heart problems, as well as the elderly and young children should all remain indoors.

Keep windows closed and run your air conditioner if possible.

When smoke subsides, you should air out your home to clear any polluted air that might be trapped inside.

What if I have to be outside?

Wearing a special N95 or P100 respirator mask can help protect you against the fine particles in smoke. Paper or surgical masks are not effective in preventing inhalation of smoke.

Remember, a car should only be used to leave an area, not as shelter. If you’re in a car, close windows and doors and run your car’s air conditioner, making sure you’re circulating the air already in the car and not pulling in fresh/smoky air.

Stay Safe!

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August 6 to August 12, 2020

SWAG FOR THESOUL

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BY AIMEE MOSCO

FORTIFYING YOUR TEMPLE

“It is a soul urge to improve oneself. This is what life is about, constant and never-ending improvement, whether it is a conscious goal or something that prods from the shadows.”

Daily Agreements, Guidelines & Intentions,

by Aimee Mosco and Donald L. Ferguson, page 33. e are all affected by the accomplishments, and failures for that matter, of one another.

The fact remains that you can only really control what energy you, as an individual, pour into the collective pool. It is not appropriate or possible to control what others do to contribute or slow collective progress, even though you are affected by it.

When you are giving a greater portion of your attention to what is happening around you rather than in you, it is a sign to shift your focus inward. If you are not giving your inner self enough attention, you are draining your reserves and inhibiting your ability to grow.

You cannot be your absolute best when your batteries are low on juice.

Think about what happens when you lose your focus. Your energy gets scattered.

Distraction slows you down and you are less effective in all areas of your life. When you remain focused is when you are best able to apply your innate skills and talents. Focus unites you with your highest potential.

If it feels selfish to give into your own needs and put yourself at the top of the list, look at it like this; It is your most important job to build yourself up. You alone are your greatest champion, friend, and highest authority. And remember, the more “whole” you are, the more you have to give to others.

Part of learning to work in collaboration as we prepare for the arrival of the new golden age, the Unity Paradigm, involves fortifying your own temple so what you are able to bring to the collective table of humanity is your finest and most evolved offering.

So, if you find yourself in despair or feeling hopeless regarding the state of the world, it

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may be helpful for you to shift your focus. Get quiet and take some time to acknowledge your value. Identify your innate talents and abilities that make you a valuable contributor to collective humanity. Give these attributes your attention. Feed them with appreciation so they can grow.

While you may not be able to change the world single-handedly by fortifying your temple, the quality of the energy you contribute to collective humanity as an empowered individual will create a ripple effect in the social health and wellness of all living beings. It is a win-win for you and for humanity!

In my pursuit to help humanity awaken to their inner value, I invite you to join Facebook group Evolve through Love hosted

by Elizabeth Scarcella, BB Ingle, and me. Go to facebook.com/groups/evolvethroughlove and share with us your joy.

Aimee Mosco is an Author, Intuitive Channel, Spiritual Teacher and Co-Founder of Intentional Healing Systems, LLC. Aimee’s passion for helping others inspired her book “Gratitude + Forgiveness x (LOVE) = Happiness”. Find Aimee at www.ihsunity. com.

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY

WEEK OF AUGUST 6

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In her book Sticks, Stones, Roots & Bones, Stephanie Rose Bird reports that among early African Americans, there were specialists who spoke the language of trees.

These patient magicians developed intimate relationships with individual trees, learning their moods and rhythms, and even exchanging nonverbal information with them. Trees imparted wisdom about herbal cures, weather patterns, and ecologically sound strategies. Until recently, many scientists might have dismissed this lore as delusion.

But in his 2016 book The Hidden Life of Trees, forester Peter Wohlleben offers evidence that trees have social lives and do indeed have the power to converse. I’ve always said that you Aries folks have great potential to conduct meaningful dialogs with animals and trees. And now happens to be a perfect time for you to seek such invigorating pleasures.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Author Joanne Harris writes, “The right circumstances sometimes happen of their own accord, slyly, without fanfare, without warning. The magic of everyday things.” I think that’s an apt oracle for you to embrace during the coming weeks. In my opinion, life will be conspiring to make you feel at home in the world. You will have an excellent opportunity to get your personal rhythm into close alignment with the rhythm of creation. And so you may achieve a version of what mythologist Joseph Campbell called “the goal of life”: “to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature.”

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Author Gloria Anzaldúa writes, “I am an act of kneading, of uniting and joining.” She adds that in this process, she has become “a creature that questions the definitions of light and dark and gives them new meanings.” I would love for you to engage in similar work right now, Gemini. Life will be on your side—bringing you lucky breaks and stellar insights—if you undertake the heroic work of reformulating the meanings of “light” and “dark”—and then reshaping the way you embody those primal forces.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Pleasure is one of the most important things in life, as important as food or drink,” wrote Cancerian author Irving Stone. I would love for you to heed that counsel, my fellow Crabs. What he says is always true, but it will be extraordinarily meaningful for you to take to heart during the coming weeks. Here’s how you could begin: Make a list of seven experiences that bring you joy, bliss, delight, fun, amusement, and gratification. Then make a vow—even write an oath on a piece of paper—to increase the frequency and intensity of those experiences.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): At times in our lives, it’s impractical to be innocent and curious and blank and receptive. So many tasks require us to be knowledgeable and self-assured and forceful and in control. But according to my astrological analysis, the coming weeks will be a time when you will benefit from the former state of mind: cultivating what Zen Buddhists call “beginner’s mind.” The Chinese refer to it as chūxīn, or the mind of a novice. The Koreans call it the eee mok oh? approach, translated as “What is this?” Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield defines it as the “don’t-know mind.” During this upcoming phase, I invite you to enjoy the feeling of being at peace with all that’s mysterious and beyond your understanding.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” Author Anne Lamott wrote that, and now I’m conveying it to you—just in time for the Unplug-Yourself Phase of your astrological cycle. Any glitches or snafus you may be dealing with right now aren’t as serious as you might imagine. The biggest problem seems to be the messy congestion that has accumulated over time in your links to sources that usually serve you pretty well. So if you’ll simply disconnect for a while, I’m betting that clarity and grace will be restored when you reconnect.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Have you been saving any of your tricks for later? If so, later has arrived.

© Copyright 2020 Rob Brezsny

Have you been postponing flourishes and climaxes until the time was right? If so, the coming days will be as right a time as there can be. Have you been waiting and waiting for the perfect moment before making use of favors that life owes you and promises that were made to you? If so, the perfect moment has arrived. Have you been wondering when you would get a ripe opportunity to express and highlight the most interesting truths about yourself? If so, that opportunity is available.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “I learned to make my mind large, as the universe is large, so that there is room for paradoxes,” writes Scorpio author Maxine Hong Kingston. That would be an excellent task for you to work on in the coming weeks. Here are your formulas for success: 1. The more you expand your imagination, the better you’ll understand the big picture of your present situation—and the more progress you will make toward creating the most interesting possible future. 2. The more comfortable you are about dwelling in the midst of paradoxes, the more likely it is that you will generate vigorous decisions that serve both your own needs and the needs of your allies.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons,” says actor and director Denzel Washington.

“When you shine bright, some won’t enjoy the shadow you cast,” says rapper and activist Talib Kweli. You may have to deal with reactions like those in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. If you do, I suggest that you don’t take it personally. Your job is to be your radiant, generous self—and not worry about whether anyone has the personal power necessary to handle your radiant, generous self. The good news is that I suspect you will stimulate plenty of positive responses that will more than counterbalance the challenging ones.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn occultist Peter J. Carroll tells us, “Some have sought to avoid suffering by avoiding desire. Thus they have only small desires and small sufferings.” In all of the zodiac, you Capricorns are among the least likely to be like that. One of your potential strengths is the inclination to cultivate robust desires that are rooted in a quest for rich experience. Yes, that sometimes means you must deal with more strenuous ordeals than other people. But I think it’s a wise trade-off. In any case, my dear, you’re now in a phase of your cycle when you should take inventory of your yearnings. If you find there are some that are too timid or meager, I invite you to either drop them or pump them up.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The people who live in the town of Bazoule, Burkina Faso regard the local crocodiles as sacred. They live and work amidst the 100+ creatures, co-existing peacefully.

Kids play within a few feet of them, never worrying about safety. I’d love to see you come to similar arrangements with untamed influences and strong characters in your own life, Aquarius. You don’t necessarily have to treat them as sacred, but I do encourage you to increase your empathy and respect for them.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Your body naturally produces at least one quart of mucus every day. You might not be aware of it, because much of it glides down your throat. Although you may regard this snot as gross, it’s quite healthy. It contains antibodies and enzymes that kill harmful bacteria and viruses.

I propose we regard mucus as your prime metaphor in the coming weeks. Be on the alert for influences and ideas that might empower you even if they’re less than beautiful and pleasing. Make connections with helpful influences even if they’re not sublimely attractive.

Homework: What helpful tip might one of your wise ancestors offer you about how to thrive in the coming months? FreeWillAstrology.com ---------------------------------------Rob Brezsny - Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

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August 6 to August 12, 2020

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August 6 to August 12, 2020

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