Coachella Valley Weekly - September 6 to September 12, 2018 Vol. 7 No. 25

Photo By Jason Hall

coachellavalleyweekly.com • September 6 to September 12, 2018 Vol. 7 No. 25

CV KIDS

pg4

Gene Evaro Jr.

pg5

John Carey

pg6

Plastic Ruby

pg6

Desert Icons

pg9

Pier 29 Food Court

pg11

September 6 to September 12, 2018

2

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

Coachella Valley Weekly (760) 501-6228

SEAN WHEELER–“BEST FRONTMAN” AT THE BY JASON HALL 2018 CV MUSIC AWARDS AND A TRUE DESERT PUNK PIONEER

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

CONTENTS Sean Wheeler ......................................... 3 CV Kids.................................................... 4 Gene Evaro Jr. ........................................ 5 John Carey - The Smooth Brothers....... 6 Plastic Ruby............................................ 6 Brewtality............................................... 7 Sports Scene........................................... 7 Consider This - Galen Ayers.................... 8 Art Scene - Desert Icons......................... 9

Photo By Ben Grillo

T

he desert has a long and storied music history. The Coachella Valley was a winter wonderland in the 50s and 60s for the Hollywood elite. These part time residents included an assortment of amazing entertainers and musicians. We were known for being a destination for musicians, but not necessarily producing amazing musicians. Fast forward a few decades to the early 80s. There were a group of rebellious and young teenagers who were finding their voice through the up and coming punk scene spreading like wildfire through the country.

Sean Wheeler was at the forefront of this group of mischievous teenagers. Wheeler is a descendant of the McKinney family. They were some of the first non-native settlers in the valley. Wheeler’s great grandfather was an integral part in tapping into the rich aquifer running underneath our valley. Wheeler’s grandmother was the first-born Caucasian in Palm Springs. She was born in a tent on the corner of Ramon and Indian Canyon. It seems it is in Wheeler’s blood to be a pioneer as well. Maybe not in the same way his great grandfather did, but in a more in your face, “I don’t give a fuck” sort of way.

Wheeler started and fronted many of the now infamous bands in the early to mid-80s including the often rude and immature Mutual Hatred, the 2nd wave ska band The Sciotics, and the eternally crazy acid trip Zezo Zece

Pet Place............................................... 10 The Vino Voice ...................................... 11 Club Crawler Nightlife ................... 12-13 Good Grub - Pier 29 Food Court.......... 14 Screeners ............................................. 16 Book Review......................................... 17 Safety Tips ............................................ 17 Haddon Libby...................................... 19 Dale Gribow......................................... 19 Free Will Astrology.............................. 20 Life & Career Coach............................. 20 Awaken with Lizzy & Aimee................ 22

September 6 to September 12, 2018

Photo By Jason Hall

Zadfrack and the Dune Buggy Attack Battalion.

The latter took its name from an idea Charles Manson had while holed up in the Mojave Desert with his followers. These early days started with parties in Wheeler’s childhood home on San Lorenzo. The parties got wilder and wilder and Wheeler’s notoriety grew.

Towards the end of the 80s, a new musical movement was starting. A band called Katzenjammer was laying the groundwork for the style of music which put the desert scene on the map. Katzenjammer became Sons Of Kyuss and then shortened to Kyuss. Kyuss were the band who coined the term “stoner rock” and now the broader “desert rock.”

Sean was never part of this scene although he was an integral part of turning it into what it has become. Nick Oliveri and Brant Bjork were influenced by Wheeler. Generator party originator, Mario “Boomer” Lalli, grew up with Wheeler. So did Alfredo Hernandez. These two were cornerstones in the stoner rock scene even though they were older than the Kyuss kids. Wheeler decided to keep forging his own and separate path.

In the early 90s, Wheeler started his most successful band to date, Throw Rag. Early Throw Rag shows were on par with the craziness of Butthole Surfers shows. Wheeler was never much of a singer; he was most definitely a performer though. He always ended up nude and the audience never knew what to expect. Would the show end after a few songs? Maybe it would end before it ever really began like a certain early SXSW show. Throw Rag was being noticed by several international touring bands and found themselves traveling the world. Wheeler successfully “made it” without being a part of the “stoner rock” scene. He did it like he lived his life, on his own terms.

Now, roughly 25 years later, Wheeler has his fingers in so many pies. He toured with Zander Schloss of Circle Jerks for 8 years. He has released Sun Trash (Wheeler and Troy Van Leeuwen, with many guests including most of Queens of The Stone Age) onto the world after 12 years of sitting on a shelf. He recorded and toured with Fatso Jeston. He was invited to tour with Brant Bjork as a guest vocalist and has become a more integral part of Bjork’s band, even writing and singing on the new album. He’s sung and toured with reggae band David Hilyard’s Rocksteady 7. He’s recorded a solo blues album, Sand In My Blood. He’s currently writing an autobiography. He’s also writing his second solo album. There are plans for Sun Trash and Sand In My Blood to come out on vinyl. And lastly, his live show schedule is about to take off… again. All of this while still finding time for the Throw Rag shows and spending time with his family in his Palm Springs home. Sean Wheeler is a true desert legend, a wizard from this sandy realm.

Coachella Valley Weekly: When did your music career start?

Sean Wheeler: “This punk band, Sin 34, was coming to town. I started a band so that we could open for them. We got together and wrote some songs and did some covers.

Mike Bates played guitar, Julie, the singer of Sin 34 played bass, and John Summers played drums. The band was called Mutual Hatred.

We quickly changed lineups. Greg Hawthorn played guitar because he played a couple chords. Eric Stewart was a punk rocker who was a little bit younger than me. He played bass. Alfredo (Hernandez) played drums. That was his first band. When we met him, he came from Nelly Kaufman. We were from Raymond Cree. It was 10th grade. He played snare in the marching band or something. That made us decide he was the drummer. Mutual Hatred was a band of 14 and 15 year olds. We played parties at my mom’s house, then all over. We got a show with pre Henry Black Flag, but lost the directions to the party and never found it. We played with Suicidal Tendencies before they even had an album. This compilation called Power wanted us to put a song called “Green Peace Sucks” on it but we broke up right then. It sucked. That didn’t pan out.”

CVW: Do those songs still exist?

Wheeler: “Yeah they do. Have you heard them?”

CVW: No. We’ve talked about them…

Wheeler: “The songs were inappropriate.

The hit was ‘Green Peace Sucks.’ All the songs were really quick. We thought bumming people out was punk. I guess it kinda was the idea though. After we broke up, I was trying to make a band with Boomer (Mario Lalli).

Herb (Lienau) got him though. That was Dead Issue. Herb, Scott Reader, Boomer and Alfredo Hernandez. That was an awesome band. The Sciotics were the next bigger band I was in. It was the tail end of the second wave of ska. We weren’t very good, but we were excited about dressing up. Zack Husky played guitar, and we had different drummers. It was hard finding drummers in the desert. There was Alfredo and Tony Brown of Unsound.”

CVW: When did Zezo come into play?

Wheeler: “I think in the mid to late 80s.

We were ahead of ourselves. We had a TR707 drum machine when they first came out. We were doing stuff with samples and drum machines with rock ’n roll. That was pre Ministry. You know, Nick (Oliveri) and Brant (Bjork) were at a Zezo show when they were kids. They were there to see D.I. It was a continue to page 5

Photo By Kaz

3

September 6 to September 12, 2018

CV KIDS

C

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

CV KIDS MAGAZINE HITS THE STREETS THIS WEEK

V Weekly is proud to announce the launch of CV Kids, a new publication geared to help build strong families in the Coachella Valley.

The brainchild and creation of Laura Hunt Little, CV Kids is rich in content for parents of children of all ages. Along with her husband Gregory Little, she has designed a quality publication under the CV Weekly umbrella.

As the Publisher, I salute and congratulate the Little’s for bringing a much needed magazine to the desert that is all about our children.

This past Saturday we held our launch party at Laser Oasis in La Quinta. We were so happy to be joined by the Mayor of La Quinta, Linda Evans.

You can now pick up copies of CV Kids at 300 locations throughout the Coachella Valley. Or check us out online at www. coachellavalleykids.com.

Photos By Laura Hunt Little

4

BY TRACY DIETLIN

SEAN WHEELER continued from page 3

good night for us. They told me it was totally life changing for those guys. Every time I’d see them, they’d bring up that show. It was a trip in that band. It was me, Joe Dillon, Scotty Brooks, and Dan Lapim. There were some other random guys, it just didn’t work out.”

CVW: Throw Rag was a national and sometimes international band you fronted.

When did that start?

Wheeler: “It was a weird time for me in the desert. I was way into going to LA and seeing bands. I’d go see Guns ’N’ Roses at the troubadour in LA. I was into that sort of music. SST Records kinda fell into this sort of jazz thing. It seemed like punk rock was disappearing.”

CVW: Was that why SST picked up Sorta Quartet?

Wheeler: “Yeah. I was having a hard time in my life and moved to Orange County. That was when I put together Throw Rag. Our first show was at Rhythm And Brews. Our second show was there too. Boomer was so rad. Pulp Fiction just came out and he let us open for Dick Dale.

He was a big deal then. Throw Rag is still going.

The first two years, I wasn’t sober. There was a lot of craziness and nudity. I messed up a lot of opportunities. Sublime’s manager loved us, but I didn’t believe he was really their manager, so I ignored him. When Brad died, I saw that dude on MTV talking about Sublime and realized I messed up.”

CVW: You guys still became successful even after all the bullshit.

Wheeler: “Well, I mean, I was sober after two years with Throw Rag. That’s when all the opportunities came. We toured with Flogging Molly, Stiff Little Fingers, The Circle Jerks, The Damned, Queens Of The Stoned Age, Reverend

EVENTS

G

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

Horton Heat multiple times, Southern Culture on The Skids, and Andre W.K. It’s funny. I wasn’t connected to the stoner rock scene at all, but I’ve been fly the flag for the desert forever. These dudes were all about the desert.

I toured with Rancid selling merch and one day on the bus, they asked, ‘Hey man, you know those Kyuss guys?’ I told them, ‘yeah, I know those Kyuss guys.’ They told me how popular they were. I was like, ‘What?! Bullshit man.’

They told me that Kyuss was really popular in Europe. I never realized that. It blew my mind.

That helped me with getting European tours.

Just the connection to the desert.”

CVW: Man. I could talk to you for days about the past. What’s going on now?

Wheeler: “Sean and Zander stopped touring and I was at a loss. I was concerned about what I was going to do. Almost immediately, Boomer took me to these Robby Krieger (The Doors) sessions which still haven’t come out.

Then The Mutants project happened. These three guys from England were recording an album up at Rancho De La Luna. It was this guy Chris (Constantinou of Adam and The Ants), this guy Space, and Rat Scabies from The Damned. Dave Catching, and Bingo Richie, and Chris Goss were on it. They called me up and I sang on that album. Then Mark Lanegan called me and asked me to throw a band together to tour with him. I got this friend Billy Pitman who plays guitar with Jimmy Vaughn to come out with me. It was well received.

Then Brant called me. He wanted me to come and support him on a European tour. It ended up that the money was all tied up. He then asked if I would just sing with him…. Actually, knowing me, I probably suggested it. So two years ago, I stopped playing with Zander and

Photo By Jason Hall

didn’t know what to do. Then I do and album with Robby Krieger, play in a band with one of my idols, Rat Scabies, tour with Mark Lanegan, and joined Brants Band. All that happened in 5 months. Now I’ve been touring with Brant for two years, and even wrote a couple songs on his new album, Mankind Woman which comes out September 14. I also made a solo record with Billy Pitman called Sand In My Blood. Those songs are the songs I’m playing with The Reluctant Messenger. That’s Danny McGough of Tom Waits and Dave Davies on keyboards, Billy Pitman, and Gregory Boaz of Tex & The Horseheads on bass. We’re playin on Thursday, September 6, at Pappy and Harriet’s. Plus, I just got off of 8 weeks of touring supporting an album I recorded with Dave Hilyard’s Rocksteady 7. That album was number 6 on the Billboard reggae charts. That was pretty rad.”

September 6 to September 12, 2018 CVW: I saw you on that tour in San Diego and thought, ‘is there a genre Sean can’t sing on?’

Wheeler: “Two years ago if you were to tell me, ‘you’re going to sing with a stoner rock band, make a blues album, and sing on a reggae album,’ I would have said, ‘Are you kidding me man? Get the fuck outta here.’

Never would I have thought I’d be doing any of those things. I was never really a singer. I was a frontman. I have been working on my singing.

I’ve finally been finding my voice over the past 8 to 10 years. It feels good.”

CVW: Yeah man. Your singing has gotten really good. You were always a performer more than a singer. And you’re a hell of a frontman. There’s a reason you were voted best frontman at this year’s CVMAs. Wheeler: “I’m shocked that I won that. It was such an honor. There are a ton of local frontmen who are working hard every day.

And they’re playing local shows. I play a lot of shows every year, but not nearly enough in the low desert. I’d like to play more, but it’s difficult with my tour schedule. I mean, I am 100% desert, but I didn’t expect to win. I was so stoked. I can’t thank our community enough. I love the desert. For me, it’s always about the desert.”

CVW: I think you are recognized in our scene as a pioneer, and a lot of people know who you are. Most people I know take the time to see you when you play locally because you have a reputation as being a true frontman.

Wheeler was also given the “Pioneer Award” at the 2015 CV Music Awards.

Sean Wheeler will be performing with The Reluctant Messengers Thursday, September 6, at Pappy and Harriet’s.

GENE EVARO, JR. PLAYS AT PAPPY & HARRIET’S ON SEPTEMBER 7

ene Evaro Jr. has been all over.

In support of his third full-length album, Like It’s 1965, he’s toured nationally this summer since its release in April. As his website bio states, “his formidable and dedicated following is rapidly expanding beyond So-Cal, fueled by national tours supporting Milky Chance, Elle King, and Blues Traveler and prominent festival appearances at High Sierra Music Festival, Lightning In A Bottle, Wanderlust Festival, Lucidity Festival, Hangtown Music Festival, Joshua Tree Music Festival, and Guitarfish Festival.” To the delight of his many Coachella Valley fans, he will be returning to where it all began – his hometown – on Friday, September 7. I spoke with Gene about playing at Pappy & Harriet’s in Joshua Tree, where he hails from, and he told me, “The vibe there is awesome. Some of the greatest artists and bands have played at this venue – Paul McCartney, Tycho, Artic Monkeys, to name a few. If you haven’t been, this show is the perfect chance to make it out to check out the venue. All good vibes!”

Indeed, the vibe at Pappy & Harriet’s is like no other. This legendary Pioneertown bar has boasted talent of all sizes, from Robert Plant, Vampire Weekend, and Leon Russell to Sean Lennon. This indie rock favorite draws people in for the fantastic live music performances, delicious barbeque food, and

BY TRICIA WITKOWER

Photo By Carly Valentine

the blissful feel of a high desert night.

This show, in the often magical high desert, couldn’t come at a better time. Gene was recently displaced from his home due to a flash flood, but it’s only served to inspire him and drive him creatively as he’s been uprooted from his home. As he tells it, “We had to move out of our home recently and now I’m living with my sister and Chris Unck (of High Lonesome Recording Studio). It’s worked out great so far, I love my family. If you looking to record your band hit us up, we got a nicer studio now!”

If you haven’t heard Evaro’s music, climb out from under the rock you’ve been dwelling and treat yourself. His music is at once mellow and upbeat, embodying

the peaceful spirit of the high desert from whence he came, but with an energy and force of a desert windstorm. His soulful voice drips in your ears like sweet honey, spiked with cayenne. You don’t have to know his music to enjoy it, a cursory listen will make a fan of you. His sound transcends genre.

From one song to the next, you will trip over notes of folk, R&B, soul, and electronic, all while keeping within the confines of the feeling that keeps his music uniquely his own.

Aside from inspiring his fans with a powerful performance in Pioneertown, Evaro has many other gigs in the pipeline.

During the first weekend of November, he will perform at the City of Indio’s California

BBQ State Championship & Festival at Big Rock Pub and Indian Springs Golf Club. This city-hosted event is part of a weekend event – Cars, Stars, & Rock ‘n Roll – that boasts a car show, live auction and live music at Big Rock Pub. It’s the City’s fourth year hosting this event and admission is free. See him perform there on Sunday, November 4 at 3:30 pm.

Until then, aside from a performance at the Joshua Tree Music Festival on October 4, Evaro will be taking his show on the road.

You can catch him around So Cal and out of state with this list of upcoming gigs: Sep 14 – Fri. Ojai Deer Lodge, CA Sep 15 – Sat. Crystal Bay, NV Sep 29 – Sat. San Diego, CA Winston’s Oct 4 – Thu. Joshua Tree, CA Joshua Tree Music Festival Oct 13 – Sat. Nevada City, CA Crazy Horse Oct 26 – Fri. Santa Barbara, CA SoHo Music Club To purchase tickets to Gene Evaro Jr.’s outdoor show at Pappy & Harriet’s, go to www.pappyandharriets.com. Be on the lookout for his new live video, set to release this week.

5

September 6 to September 12, 2018

CVMAs

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

JOHN CAREY– 2018 CV MUSIC AWARD WINNER FOR ‘BEST ADULT CONTEMPORARY’–THE SMOOTH BROTHERS

J

ohn Carey comes in all shapes and sizes. He can perform as a solo artist, as part of a duo or trio in the Smooth Brothers, in a 5-piece Motown band and as part of Capitol Records recording artist O’Bryan. It’s this smorgasbord of rhythm and blues and jazz that has kept Carey on the radar of music fans around the world and why he won the CVMA for ‘Best Adult Contemporary’ as a member of the Smooth Brothers. CV Weekly spoke with Carey recently to check in.

On his health and recent success: “Health-wise I’m dealing with stage four leukemia, but I’m in remission for six months and counting. I just played the biggest show of my life at the Anaheim Honda Center for over 17,000 people earlier this month at the Orange County FUNKFEST 2018 as guitarist for O’Bryan.” Also on the bill were Morris Day and The Time and the The Bar-Kays.”

On the desert music landscape & keeping busy: “The desert music scene is booming.

I’m very fortunate to be working seven days a week for some wonderful club and restaurant owners like Wayne Woodruff from Woody’s Palm House and Lou Pagano from Shanghai Reds and Fishermen Market

Photo By Laura Hunt Little

& Grill, not to mention my brother Jim “FITZ” Fitzgerald and Big Rock Pub. The future looks great. I’m also going to be playing acoustic solo guitar on Tuesdays at the new Ritz hotel.

The Coachella Valley has been very good to me. I’ve been living here almost 17 years now and it’s my home. Everybody knows The Smooth Brothers in this area thanks to everyone at Coachella Valley Weekly. After winning the Coachella Valley Music Awards I have been more recognized by thousands

of fans. So far 2018 has been wonderful and 2019 looks to be even more remarkable with a long list of confirmed bookings. I’ve been locked in for New Year’s Eve for 6 months!

Our regular home owners in the valley are coming out more this year and having a great time. The summer months haven’t been as challenging as it was in the past for us working musicians. And after 17 years my body has grown used to the heat.”

On his purpose:

PLASTIC RUBY – PLENTIFUL & UNIQUE

E

very now and then a band comes along from out of the blue and challenges the status quo. Plastic Ruby has nonchalantly entered 2018 as an ‘artist to watch’. With John Marek on guitar and vocals, Julio Corrales on bass and backup vocals, Isidro Corrales on keyboards and guitar and Eddie Airada on drums, Plastic Ruby will be performing next at The Hood Bar & Pizza on Saturday, September 7, 2018 along with 2018 Coachella Valley Music Award winner for Best Youth Band, FrankEatsTheFloor. Admission is FREE and

6

the show starts at 9 p.m. Coachella Valley Weekly recently spoke with Plastic Ruby’s consciousness-expanding vocalist and guitarist Marek.

Coachella Valley Weekly: Where does the name Plastic Ruby come from?

John Marek: “My niece’s name is Ruby, and a lot of my favorite band names are oxymorons so I went with Plastic Ruby plastic being plentiful, rubies being rare.”

CVW: Your band mates seem to be prolific and very talented. What things can you share about them that we may not

BY NOE GUTIERREZ “When I see people dancing and having a good time, I don’t think about the cancer or chemotherapy. I was put on this earth so that people can have a wonderful time through my music. I’ve been playing guitar over 50 years and I’m having the best time of my life right now. Sometimes it seems like every note is meaningful with conversation. At 62 years old I feel I’m developing my love for playing because I’m enjoying it so much. I’m not trying to impress or compete. I’m just happy to be playing and living my dream. It’s my labor of love.”

Carey is thriving after being diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in 2017 and having gone through countless treatments and challenges. Carey is exemplary as a Christian, husband, father, grandfather, musician and friend. His faith in all things is contagious and provides a fine example to us all. Currently, you can witness a John Carey performance on any given evening at Woody’s and Big Rock Pub. Carey has new music in the works and will be releasing it soon. You can find his music in all media outlets.

LOCAL MUSIC SPOTLIGHT

know?

Marek: “Eddie is an animal on the drums and has an incredible knack for keeping time. We used to play shows a lot back in the day when we were in different bands, so we’ve known each other for a long time.

Julio, our bass player is also very talented with timing and has been a fellow band mate of mine for close to a decade now, primarily playing drums in various projects over the years. Isidro is actually Julio’s younger cousin who joined our project some time in 2017. He is an exceptional guitar player and has talent in writing as well. He’s also managed to learn how to play the keys in less than a year.”

CVW: What sets your sound apart from other artists?

Marek: “We use lasers to make our songs.”

CVW: What do you enjoy writing about in your songs?

Marek: “Love, death, addiction, sex, introspection, depression and bliss.”

CVW: You have played shows with some pretty cool artists from the Coachella Valley.

Who are some of you favorites?

Marek: “There is a giant well of talent in this valley and it’s hard to pick favorites but if I had to, I’d say Little Red Spiders and Slipping Into Darkness have a pretty firm grasp on what current rock n’ roll music should be.”

CVW: How does the band prepare for a show and what should attendees expect?

BY NOE GUTIERREZ

Marek: “We prepare for each show with a sacrifice. Then we usually go through the set once, if possible. As far as what the audience should expect, you’ll see a rock ‘n’ roll band consisting of four dudes, playing all original 60’s/70’s-inspired-psychedelicblues-garage-pop with jangly guitar riffs and infectious vocal hooks.”

CVW: Where does Plastic Ruby go from here?

Marek: “We are going to be playing shows in L.A. shortly and will be planning a tour of California for next year.”

CVW: How can readers and interested music fans find your music?

Marek: “They can’t because it’s not out yet, however, our debut EP and music video comes out this December. In the meantime, you can check out our teasers and promos on Instagram and Facebook.”

CVW: Anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Marek: “Come to our show at The Hood on the 7th because it’s gonna be a banger!”

Plastic Ruby’s sound affects your mind so as to produce vivid visions. The psychedelic approach of these young musicians is refreshing. Because there is so little of their music available, it is recommended you watch their live performance at The Hood on 9/7. www.facebook.com/plasticruby www.instagram.com/plasticruby

BREWTALITY

A

couple of false starts aside, my brewing career didn’t officially begin until January of 2012. This wasn’t a hobby, it was an obsession. I’d order two kits of beer every month and brew them both, so that by the end of by first year, I’d created 24 batches of homebrew. Now, extract beers are fun and easy to make, but they offered no challenge towards what I was after, which was learning to make beer from malted grains. The only two extract beers I ever made were in that first month. By the time I’d ordered by next sets of kits, I was ordering ones that combined extracts with barley grains, called partial-mash kits. Partial-mash brewing is the intermediate level of home beer making, and it is way more fun than using an extract kit.

Partial-mash brewing allows you to create a much wider array of recipes than extracts alone do. Extract syrups and powders are usually just concentrated base malt. Base malts are the main building blocks of your beer recipe, and the main source of fermentable sugar. Depending on the variety of malt that your extract comes from, your beers can have a variety of bready, and cracker-like flavors. Extracts will produce amazing pilsners, blonde’s, pales, and even amber ales. But some recipes call for more depth of flavor and complexity than extracts alone will produce, and this is where you combine whole grains with extract to get a beer with the best of both worlds.

Northern Brewer is a homebrew supply store from Minnesota, and I’m pretty sure I kept the lights on at that place between 20122014. The first partial-mash kit I ordered from them was their English Brown Ale. It came with a quart of Maris Otter extract syrup, a few pounds of mixed character grains, a cotton bag

SPORTS SCENE

E

very year, when college football returns to us, we are happy for a few hours. There are silly upsets, nonsense plays, and wild endings, and we experience the rush of watching a sport we pretend is unpredictable. And then night falls, and Alabama plays—always in a marquee national broadcast slot (because we’re supposed to want to watch Alabama), always at a neutral site, typically against a quality opponent— and we are reminded that there is no joy in this sport. Alabama lays waste to whomever they play Week 1, every year. Last year, the Tide beat Florida State by 17, dishing out a season-ending injury to FSU’s star quarterback.

Two years ago, ‘Bama beat USC by 46. Under head coach Nick Saban, the Tide are 11-0 with 11 double-digit victories, six against ranked opponents. They have beaten Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, Michigan, and Clemson by three scores in season openers.

But this year’s Bama season starter against Louisville had some intrigue because of a much-debated quarterback battle. Was Nick Saban going to start Tua Tagovailoa, the dynamic lefty who won the Tide last year’s national championship after a surprise halftime substitution? Or would Saban stick with Jalen Hurts, the steadier, more experienced

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

JUST BREW YOUR OWN ALREADY: PART III

for steeping the grains in, dry English yeast, and a packet of Fuggle hops. The first step in a partial-mash kit is to extract sugars and flavors from the grains your kit came with. Character grains are called such because their job isn’t to add fermentable sugars to your beer (although almost all character grain will add a small percentage, it’s not enough to add significant sugar), but rather, to add the different layers of complexity that you expect to find in craft beer. If you’ve ever had a great brown ale, think of all the subtle toffee, cocoa, and caramel flavors that made it so different from a pale or even amber. All those toasted, dark notes came from a variety of different barley grains that have been roasted at different temps to achieve different characteristics. Blending the right types of roasted grains together will give you a spectrum of intensity and flavor, and is really what differentiates one style of beer from another.

So, the instructions were to place the grains in the little sock-like bag, tie the end of the bag, and steep it in a pot of 152-degree water for 30

minutes, just like you would a tea bag. The trick with steeping grain is to get your water hotter than the steeping temp, because the addition of cool grains will lower the temp of the water.

I got my water to 160 degrees, used a candy thermometer to check my temp, then added my bag of grains to the water and stirred.

With a lid on the pot, your water should hold a temp without losing too much heat. If you do find that your temps are getting low, you can always turn the burner on low and raise your heat back up. Just be sure to check your temperatures constantly and not allow things to get too warm.

The grains that this kit came with were a mixture of caramel, biscuit, and chocolate malts. Now, none of these grains are infused with any of those things, it’s just the flavors that are contributed by those grains bring the flavors of roasted chocolate, cooked sugar, and baked biscuits to mind. After 30 minutes of steeping, the water in the pot turned a rich brown and smelled a bit like baking bread. The pot was topped up with a bit more water, the

September 6 to September 12, 2018

BY AARON RAMSON jug of extract was added, and the burner was turned to high heat. Hops were added, and the wort boiled for an hour, filling my kitchen with the uniquely intoxicating and instantly recognizable aroma of boiling wort.

When an hour was up, the entire heavy pot of beer was put in an ice bath and cooled rapidly, the wort was transferred to a fermenting vessel (in this case a big glass jug that resembles a water bottle, called a carboy), yeast was pitched, and a month later I had 50 bottles of delicious, English brown ale to drink and share with friends. The flavor reminded me of a fuller and richer Newcastle, which was one of my favorite beers at that time. I’d mastered the intermediate brewing technique of partial-mashing without a hitch, and I was one step closer to my future in the craft beer industry.

ALABAMA SHOWS THE RICH DO IN FACT GET RICHER

BY FLINT WHEELER

player who got ‘Bama to the last two national championship games? Saban refused to tip his hand. There was actually some public dissension from Hurts about the way the process was handled, a rarity at a closed-lipped place like Bama.

For me, the choice was clear: Alabama had to start Tagovailoa, whose ability to throw the deep ball and flair for the spectacular would give the typically conservative Tide a new dimension on offense.

Saturday night, Saban revealed that he would go with Tagovailoa—and dear goodness, it took about 15 minutes, and this year’s college football season became obviously predictable.

I watched this play—a play that might end the year as the season’s greatest, although maybe not even the greatest of Tagovailoa’s brief career—and mumbled at the screen, “Stick a fork in this season, It’s over!” Tagovailoa was stunning. He went 12for-16 for 227 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing touchdown.

It’s not that I didn’t enjoy watching Tagovailoa play. Every time he touches the ball it’s an electric thrill. His sack escapes are the stuff of Mike ‘pre-dog fighting’ Vick; his throws are lightning bolts.

And it’s not that Saban made the wrong call.

The Tide scored touchdowns on five of the six

drives while Tagovailoa was quarterback, with a wide receiver fumbling on the sixth. Hurts played on four drives, which combined to result in a single field goal. Tagovailoa is the guy for the job. At this and surely the next level.

It’s that now, after years of winning championships with guys like Greg McElroy, A.J. McCarron, and Jacob Coker at quarterback, the Tide actually have the best quarterback in college football under center. What the hell are the other 128 teams supposed to do about that?

Alabama was leading 35-0 when Tagovailoa left. Just like always, they demolished their Week 1 opponent (51-14). The only difference is that instead of slowly strangling their prey, the Tide ripped their still-beating heart out from their chest and ate it.

Welcome to college football in 2018, where Alabama has a Heisman candidate at QB. Alabama will demolish their competition, the only difference between this and any other season, at least they’ll finally be fun to watch.

7

September 6 to September 12, 2018

CONSIDER THIS

I

’m a million people, rolled into one, if you don’t know me you will know someone/I’m a long-time baby, a fulltime maybe with nothing to prove, you choose.”

That’s singer-songwriter Galen Ayers making her musical declaration of independence on “You Choose,” the opening song on her solo debut, “Monument.”

Galen settled on a career in music almost circuitously, despite the fact that it has always seemed part of her destiny. Her late father, Kevin Ayers, was one of the founders the British Psych-Folk band, Soft Machine.

In America, the Canterbury-based five-piece is probably best known as the opening band on Jimi Hendrix’s second U.S. tour. While they achieved limited commercial success, Kevin, along with Syd Barrett, (the troubled visionary behind the original incarnation of Pink Floyd), were early masterminds of the swinging Psychedelic scene.

Kevin parted ways with the band, and by 1969, he embarked on a sporadic solo career that was occasionally self-sabotaged by his need to escape to sunnier climes.

Still, he managed to work with seminal figures like Brian Eno, John Cale, Nico and Mike Oldfield. Although his music was vastly under-appreciated, he wound up influencing a younger generation of critically acclaimed bands like the GoBetweens, Teenage Fanclub and Trash Can Sinatras. Sadly, he passed away in 2013.

Galen grew up in Deia, near Majorca, Spain. Early on, she dabbled in music, picking up the guitar at age 13. Still, school was her priority. Initially, she studied Ethnomusicology and Religion as an undergrad, she eventually earned a double master’s degree in Religious Psychology and Buddhism. In between, she managed to collaborate with ex-Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club fun couple, Tina Weymouth and Chris Franz, as well as Punk progenitor Tom Verlaine and film director Mike Figgis.

Unfortunately, these songs were never released commercially.

Her next project, Siskin, yielded bigger rewards. Pairing up with London-based musician Kristy Newton, the duo forged a songwriting partnership and began

8

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

GALEN AYERS

“MONUMENT” (BOMBINATE RECORDS)

performing as KG, but they had trouble landing a recording deal. By 2008, they changed their name to Siskin, partly as an homage to the Yellow-Bellied Siskin Finch, but also a sly acknowledgement that they felt like sisters under the skin. They made some waves with the release of a melodious version of Joe Jackson’s “It’s Different For Girls.” A year later, they self-released their eponymous debut.

Unfortunately, more prosaic concerns intervened and Galen put her creative life on hold to care for her ailing Dad. In interviews she has noted, “I was his metaphorical wife, daughter, sister, best friend, advisor.” Adding caregiver to that list ensured her dad navigated the end of his life with a measure of dignity.

Once he was gone, she retreated to the Greek Island of Hydra for two years.

There, she channeled her grief creatively and cathartically, writing the songs that would eventually become the basis of her record. When it came time to record, she connected with musician/producer Paul Simm, (Amy Winehouse, Groove Armada, Neneh Cherry). The result is her first official Solo collection, “Monument.”

The album opens tentatively with the aforementioned “You Choose.” Delicate acoustic arpeggios accompany hushed, diffident vocals. The opening couplet feels raw, confessional and intimate; “Do you want to hear my story? It’s about broken glass splintered in my skin/I’m a time traveler, let me explain, the future and past, it all feels the same.”

The quietude of the opening cut certainly isn’t indicative of the rest of the record. A consummate musician, Galen is something of a stylistic shapeshifter. take, “Run Baby Run,” a sly Samba powered by electric guitar riffs that crackle like lightning bolts , rippling keys and a seductive beat.

The lyrics (in English and Espanol) offer up an artistic emancipation proclamation, as she insists “When you throw me a lifeline, you only tangle in mine.”

Then there’s “Collide.” Something of a slippery carpe diem, it’s shrouded in shuddery keys, sunny acoustic guitar and a kick drum beat. Here her vocals twitter and trill over the lush instrumentation as lyrics warn against ignoring your instincts; “You’ve got everything colliding underneath your skin, don’t let them convince you/If you don’t feel it It don’t mean a thing.

The best songs here, “Duet,” “Melancoholic,” “Morning Song” and “Ain’t That The Way” are the most musically adventurous cuts on the album. They also seem to explicitly focus on the loss of her father. Spector-esque drums that echo and sway give “Duet” a bit of Girl Group frisson.

Thundering drums connect with angular guitar as she focuses frustration on the codependent nature of their relationship; “I don’t want to know what you’re feeling, it’s my life you’re stealing/I don’t want to know, you need healing, it’s my life you’re stealing, ‘cause I can’t say no.” By the end

BY ELENI P. AUSTIN

of the song, self-preservation kicks in and boundaries are set; “I wanted you to love me for myself, not because you didn’t have anyone else/I knew it was time to leave when you said without me you can’t breathe.”

Although the song’s title seems lugubrious, the melody and arrangement of “Melancoholic” is anything but. While the lyrics plumb the depths of dipsomania; “Down at the bottom of a bottle is a place I know so well, it’s called emptiness,” the music blunts the need for liquid courage.

Splitting the difference between sunshiny Latin rhythms, splashy Mbanqanga guitar, Hoodoo keys and Second Line-style street parade syncopation, the tune is an infectious delight.

“Morning Song” is chugging and insistent, barb-wire guitars pinwheel and spark. Floundering through the five stages of grief she recognizes “I’m going down the wrong path again, all of these ghosts in my head, I keep them alive they keep me dead/I know I’ve got a destination, but I’ve lost my

constellation, help me start over again.”

Meanwhile, “Ain’t That The Way” is a breathless torch song bathed in electronic beats spiraling acoustics riffs and shivery electric guitar. Her willowy vocals command the spotlight as she bares her soul; “Life is complicated, I miss you everyday/ Sometimes when I get desperate, I want to run away.”

Other interesting songs include the heartbreak beat of “Into The Sea (Calm Down),”and the impossibly poppy “U-Turn.”

The record closes with the sparkly sweet optimism of the title track. Here the lyrics look forward, but also make time to honor her complicated relationship with her father; “You and I we live underneath the same sky, you and I, it’s going to be going to be alright, cause we never said goodbye.”

Although this is Galen’s first official solo effort, she received plenty of assistance to achieve this dream. Producer Paul Simm handled keys and programming. Additional guitar was supplied by Davis Ellis, James Nesbit and Tim Hutton, who also played drums. Chris Sheehan was on hand to add mellotron, Mike Rowe played bass, Tim Weller played drums as Zoe Devlin and Rebekah Dobbins provided backing vocals.

As the child of an outsize personality, Galen became introspective by default.

She also developed astute observational skills, a trenchant wit along with a wily, and wholly original sense of melody. With “Monument,” she emerges from her artistic chrysalis wings intact and ready to soar.

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

DESERT ICONS: PART 1

T

he word Desert conjures up many images.

Some see the beauty of the Joshua Tree or the color of the desert sky. Some see a dark forbidding landscape.

The word Icon conjures up many images too.

Some see leaders. Some see haughty personalities.

Some see YouTube reality stars (really, some do!)

What imagery does one see with the words Desert Icons? The Yucca Valley Visual & Performing Arts Center, located at 58325 Highway 62, Yucca Valley, California, provides visual assistance.

Challenged by Curator Michael McCall artists were asked to present images that reflect the desert and their experience of living and working in the Hi-Desert. The artists were up to the task.

Desert Icons features work by Snake Jagger, Diane Best, Ernie Gonzales, David Bottoms, Chuck Caplinger, Bill Copeland, Maryrose Crook, Geroganne Deen, Amritakripa Watts-Robb, Paul Donaldson, Gregg Ross, Jeff Lipschutz, and Marcia Geiger; photography by Dan Barlett, Timothy Hearsum, Jeanne Talbot, Bill Leigh Brewer, Sant Khalsa, Brian Leatart, Doug Dolde, Paul Morehead; and multi-media works by Rossana Jeran, Bill Green, John Henson, Kate McCabe, Tony Milici, Thryza Segal, Frederick Fulmer, Sherri Sullivan, Jean-Pierre Boccara, Steffi Sutton, Barbara Spiller, Jacobine van de Meer, Cat Celebrezze, Kevan Yenter and Wendy Gadzuk . The Exhibition runs through October 21.

For artist Barbara Spiller, the challenge was an expression of the richness, variety, grace and beauty of the area. “Don’t miss the small stuff,” said Barbara. “When I first came to the desert I saw space and light; then rocks and ridges. Closer up, I began to see vertical assemblages of rocks – ‘portraits. And then, as in the works in Desert Icons, I saw the calligraphy of the carpet at my feet: the intricate co-mingling, the chance compositions captured within the small frame of my smartphone and translated into encaustic/drawing.”

“For me, the desert is captured in the delirious tangle of things that grow, bloom, dry, accumulate and exist together here underfoot. This language - the dots, dashes, loops, swirls, the endless story written on the desert floor - is iconographic,” continued Barbara. “The great diversity of artistic inspiration and expression evidenced in the show is the desert story written large.”

Always impressed by the work of Cat Celebreezze, Noah’s Vacuum reflects a different image of desert life. “Iconography has a tendency toward hyperbole or monolithic symbiology and semiotics that are recognized either consciously or unconsciously on a mass level. The work I selected for the show has more to with do objects that are

ART SCENE

September 6 to September 12, 2018

BY ANGELA ROMEO

either off-center or the micro level or discarded.”

“At this moment there is a tendency for the desert to be portrayed as a place ‘removed’ or isolated, dilapidated and unpopulated, and therefore supporting the myths of freedom and the West that ignore all sorts of history. The desert is no such place. People live here. I very much appreciated McCall’s curation as one that avoided the old saws that get associated with the desert or, if the work engaged something familiar, it did so in an unfamiliar way. The diversity of work and approach in the show is a testimony to what the desert can offer the artistic mind. On a local level, it shows that the high-desert is a vibrant place where engagement in artistic endeavors, whether as an artist or as a part of an audience, propagates in surprising combinations. One needs to always look closely and with curiosity.”

Frederick Fulmer’s point of view differs as well. “My work in the show has to do with the old homestead cabins from the 40’s & 50’ that are vanishing around us. I wanted to convey stories of the people that inhabited these dwellings during their search for a new life in the desert. I think it can be said that most of the artists in this show came to the desert in search of a new place to create art. I am presently working on a series called Ghost Cabins which shares a vision of the people that once lived and worked in the Mojave Desert.”

“This show, under the eyes of Michael McCall, brought together the essence of the desert artistic tribe with all its diverse visions. This community shares a wealth of creative energy that fuels our passion for the Mojave Desert we call home.”

Artist Chuck Caplinger is himself, an iconic figure in the High Desert. His work Discovery representative of his desert wildlife and landscape paintings. “I embrace the term ‘Desert Icons’, and feel it is appropriate for the exhibition. The Hi-Desert arts community is made up of a unique and diverse group of artists, and the ‘Icons’ show emphasizes that fact. I see the diversity as an asset to our art community’s future,” stated Chuck. “The comment I most often hear is that when viewing my paintings, a spiritual connection to the desert is felt. My personal spiritual connection to the desert is largely driven by my immediate environment, which is approximately 3/4 mile from the north entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, and by my daily interaction with the wildlife and ever changing colors of the seasons.”

The Exhibition runs through October 21. More info, visit hidesertculturalcenter.org.

Desert Icons – Part Two will continue to explore the work of Desert Icons.

9

September 6 to September 12, 2018

PET PLACE

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

BY JANET McAFEE

TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE! PROPERLY INTRODUCING A NEW CAT!

C

areful planning avoids the horrible hissing and fighting that occurs when some cats meet for the first time. A great introduction method, explained in great detail in the book The New Natural Cat by Anitra Frazier, allows you to adopt a second cat without worry. What could be more fun than 2 cats engaged in joyful play, happily pouncing and chasing, twirling like circus acrobats?

Many owners think their “Fluffy” would be jealous or miserable if they adopted another cat. To the contrary, cats that live with another cat friend live longer, healthier and happier lives. If you have an elderly cat, a mature and calm companion works better than an active kitten. If you have an energetic cat, one that is equally playful or a kitten would be a good match. The steps below may take several hours to complete, but are well worth the investment when they ensure you can successfully adopt another feline.

1. Have someone outside the household arrive with the newcomer cat in a carrying case with plenty of air holes. Have torn strips of newspaper in the bottom of the case.

MEET POUNCER This precious young fellow loves to play with other cats and humans too! Come meet Pouncer at Kittyland in Desert Hot Springs. www.kittylandrescue.org.

Call (760) 251-2700.

MEET JIMMY CHEW This adorable 4-year old boy is 19 pounds of doggie love!

Jimmy Chew is a Lhasa Apso/ Poodle mix pup who has a special diet. He dreams of a loving home with a back yard to play! Rescued by Loving All Animals - lovingallanimals.org, call (760) 834-7000.

10

2. Everyone must act completely oblivious to the new cat. The visitor sits in the living room with the cat inside the carrying case on his lap for about 20 minutes.

3. Next the visitor moves the carrying case to the floor next to his feet. If your cat comes over and sniffs the case and walks away, ignore him, continue chatting and proceed to step 5. If your cat stays away from the case, include step 4.

4. The visitor takes a few of the newspaper strips from the carrier, makes a trip to another room dropping a trail of the strips behind them. This gives your cat a chance to become familiar with the new cat’s scent.

5. The visitor continues to sit and talk.

When your cat sits calmly in the room without staring continually at the carrying case, proceed to the next step.

6. Take your cat into the kitchen for a snack, closing the door behind. The visitor in the living room now opens the carrying case and lets the new cat out. Your cat won’t feel like its family put the newcomer in its territory, and this gives the new one some time to explore the new home.

7. When your cat finishes his snack and returns to the living room, the family stays behind in the kitchen.

8. When the cat returns to the living room, the visitor joins the family in the kitchen. Everyone acts oblivious to the cats who are now roaming free.

9. Do not offer encouragement or interest in the cats. If you must check on things in the living room, have one person enter but without paying obvious attention to the cats. At this stage, hissing is perfectly normal. If loud growling occurs, you may need to separate them, and this may mean one of the earlier steps was not carried out properly.

10. When the cats cease pacing around and sit in the same room together, the humans leave the house for about a 30 minute walk.

11. When you return home, greet your own cat while continuing to ignore the newcomer. If there is nothing worse than hissing going on, the visitor can leave.

12. The final stage of the introduction occurs at the cats’ own pace over the next few days or weeks. Continue to ignore the new cat until your first cat has accepted him. Chasing can be a good sign. Encourage activities for the 2 cats to do together, such as putting a couple of cardboard boxes together in a room for them to play on.

The reward for all this work comes from the strong bond of communication and affection that develops between the two cats. Eventually that bond extends to their human companions. Watch the drama unfold, be proud of your success, and enjoy having two little furballs greet you when you arrive home!

Looking for second or third cat? The Riverside County Shelter, the Coachella Valley Animal Campus in Thousand Palms www.rcdas.org, has many to select from.

Visit the Palm Springs Animal Shelter to meet their wonderful cats www.psanimalshelter. org.

Jmcafee7@verizon.net

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

THE VINO VOICE

BY RICK RIOZZA

EMBRACE THE EMBRAZEN

F

or those wine enthusiasts who keep their eyes on progressive politics and culture, perhaps you raised your glasses and offered a toast in honor of Women’s Equality Day this past August 26—the anniversary of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote.

As the wine world is wont to do, they’re always in to cheer on and support a myriad of causes and events. And as you may be aware of, some of the activists produce wine as well.

So here we go: Women are more engaged, energized and resolute than ever. All eyes are on the future, and women (and like-minded men) are rallying for women’s empowerment and advancement.

Bring now to the table, emBRAZEN, a new trio of California wines whose launch was timed to Women’s Equality Day. We are told, “emBRAZEN is more than just a wine brand.

It’s a call to arms, encouraging women to reclaim their narratives and rewrite history.”

This company is serious—it’s more than just a marketing ploy. emBRAZEN invites the next generation of women to Take Up The Torch and lend their strength to make a lasting impact in the world. And to further incite enthusiasm for the new brand and encourage women with their progressive passions, the Take Up The Torch initiative will grant one woman $25,000 in support of her cause.

“Women are paving their own paths and taking control of their futures by speaking boldly to ignite progress and change the world,” says Patricia Montagno, Vice President of Marketing for Treasury Wine Estates, the parent company of emBRAZEN. “Through our Take Up The Torch program, emBRAZEN recognizes local unsung heroes who deserve support to achieve their community enhancing goals.” emBRAZEN wines take inspiration from extraordinary women of the past who dared to shatter convention. Now available nationwide, the trio of California wines, including a Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Red Blend, each feature a historic female

pioneer who defied convention and sought to bring about positive change in the world. The labels come to life through augmented reality driven by the Living Wine Labels app, as each heroine shares her personal story.

One would think that Treasury Wine Estates would especially bring on a woman winemaker to craft this new wine line-up. It makes sense, given the whole picture of the project. Well—of course they did!

Those who are keen on Santa Cruz Mountain wineries already know well of the award winning world class Bargetto Winery. Olivia Teutschel was the first women winemaker at Bargetto and is now on-board with Treasury Estates. She has crafted the three bottlings that honor the three trailblazing women of the past who refused to let tradition, convention or boundaries restrict their belief and efforts in shaping a more equitable world.

EmBrazen Red Blend ($16) features Josephine Baker: Josephine Baker was as bold on the stage as she was off of it. A show-stopping entertainer, activist, and undercover spy, Josephine was a force to be reckoned with in the Civil Rights Movement and the French Resistance. As one of the first women of color to command the global stage, she refused to perform for segregated audiences. Beneath it all, she held a bold secret, working as a rebel incognito to protect her beloved France from the Nazi regime.

Influenced by Josephine’s zeal, this nuanced, revolutionary Red Blend, audacious in character, is bright, intense and perfectly suited for those as bold as the wine. Irreverent hints of mocha & spice lend depth to nuanced layers of ripe red fruit, while silky tannins linger on the palate.

EmBrazen Cabernet Sauvignon ($16) features Nellie Bly: Nellie Bly shattered expectations for women in the newsroom. As one of the first female journalists to go undercover, she posed as a patient in an insane asylum, braving abuse and torture to expose the dark

September 6 to September 12, 2018

truth behind the padded walls and sparking nationwide mental healthcare reform. As a world traveler, she set out on a race to tour the globe, beating Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days by over a week.

Bold where others are bland, daring where others falter, this revolutionary Cabernet Sauvignon refuses to bow to convention.

Concentrated flavors of blackberry and cherry persist on the palate, leaving a lasting impression.

Over the week-end, our family enjoyed this Cab with a grilled medium rare rib-eye steak. It was a great pairing because the black

fruits of the wine stirred in the background allowing the delicious steak to shine.

EmBrazen Chardonnay ($16) features Celia Cruz: In an industry previously dominated by men, Celia achieved 23 best-selling gold albums and was the most successful Latin artist of the 20th century. Celia took her love of Cuba global with flamboyant costumes and larger than life performances blazing trails well into her later years. As she danced across the stage at the age of 76 to receive her second of three Grammys, she proved you’re never too old to brazenly revel in the spotlight.

Inspired by Celia’s drive, a revolutionary Chardonnay that stands out like a woman following her passion, unrivaled in style, this vibrant, revolutionary Chardonnay holds its own in any occasion. Luminous, gold tones dazzle in the glass, yet this wine ends its voice in an expression of rich stone fruit and honey flavors on the palate.

This Chard really bespeaks the winemaker Olivia’s talent in producing a refreshing wine that subtly carries flavorful light wood vanilla flavors. It’s a wonderful appetizer wine that works well with the meal as well.

Sweet Embraceable Cheers!

11

September 6 to September 12, 2018

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

THUR SEPTEMBER 6

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bobby Furgo & Co 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Boilmaker w/ Austin McCutchen and DJ Jocelyn Romo 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Bill and Doug Duo 6:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Throwback Thursday w/ DJ John Paul 7pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Barry Minniefield and Brian Dennigan 7pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Open Mic hosted by Lance Riebsomer 7-10pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 John Stanley King 6-10pm CATELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CATALAN; RM; 760-770-9508 George Christian 6-9pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Kristy King 7-10pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm EUREKA; IW; 760-834-7700 TBA 8-10pm GADI’S BAR & GRILL; YV; 760-820-1213 Karaoke 8pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Chris Lomeli 7pm HOTEL PASEO; PD; Michael Keeth 4-7pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Open Mic 9pm

JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-3662250 TBA 9pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Hot Roxx 6:30pm LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-3452450 Country Night w/ Rye Brothers 9pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-999-1995 Quinto Menguante 8-1am MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm MOXIE; PS; 760-318-9900 Rick the Piano Man 6pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Sean Wheeler & The Reluctant Messengers 8pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Desert Noise Presents: The After Lashes, Ormus and Unity Frenzy 8pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 The Smooth Brothers 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760341-3560 Dude Jones 6:30pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-3479985 Karaoke 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Mike Cosley 6:30pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Black Market Jazz 5-8pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-2300188 Yve Evans 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJ 8pm

CATELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CATALAN; RM; 760-770-9508 George Christian 6-9pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Denny Pezzin 7-10pm DESERT FOX; PD; Wyldsky 9pm DRINGK; RM; 760-888-0111 DJ Journee 9pm ELECTRIC SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760228-1199 DJ Ceddy Cedd 9pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-3422333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm GADI’S BAR & GRILL; YV; 760-820-1213 Extreme Midget Wrestling 8pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Plastic Ruby and Frankeatsthefloor 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Keisha D 7pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-345-6466 Bob Allen 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-3662250 Karaoke 7:30pm KILO’S CANTINA; TP; 760-835-1363 La Cachimba Tribute to Los Fabulosos Cadillacs and Panteon Rococo 9pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 8pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Hot Roxx 7:30pm LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-3452450 Rhythm Nation 9pm THE LOUNGE; AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-999-1995 DJ Jerry 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm MOXIE; PS; 760-318-9900 Eevaan Tre 6:30pm, DJ Pedro Le Bass 9:30pm 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 The Wonder People 6:30pm Karaoke 8-1:15am ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Desert THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Daze Presents: Al Lover and DJ Alex Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm Ahmadi 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT 760-345-0222 Gennine Francis 6:30pm REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Art of Sax PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 8pm Gene Evaro Jr. and Boostive 8pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 PEABODY’S CAFÉ; PS; 760-322-1877 Carolynn Martinez Duo 6:30pm Karaoke 7:30pm AMERICAN LEGION; PS; 760-325-6229 PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND Brian Scott 6-8pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Dirty COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm Perreo Tropical Bass Dance Party w/ Los Geminis, J Patron, DJ ODC, Vida Loca and PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Southbound and Co. 8pm Sonstormer 7pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 TBA 9pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Barry Minniefield, Brian Dennigan and Leon RIVIERA; PS; 760-327-8311 Michael Bisquera 7pm Keeth 7pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Dude SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Jones 8:30pm Brothers 8pm BLUE BAR, SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE 775-5566 DJ Double A 8pm FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 The 9293 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 The Smooth CASINO; PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael Brothers 8-11pm Wright 9-1am

FRI SEPTEMBER 7

12

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Reggie “Vision” Alexander 6:30pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760-328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm VIBE, MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951755-5391 DJ 10pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK GADI’S BAR & GRILL; YV; 760-820-1213 WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Live Music CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby The God Bombs, Our Frankenstein and The 5pm Furgo 9pm Spider Hole 8pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328SOLANO’S BISTRO; LQ; 760-771-6655 THE GROOVE LOUNGE; SPOTLIGHT 29; 5955 Michael Keeth 6pm Michael Madden 6-9pm INDIO; 760-775-5566 DJ 8pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-932-4300 TBA SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 8pm Latin Rock 10pm Spankshaft and Frankeatsthefloor 9pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE 0188 The Stanley Butler Band 6:30pm 341-3560 Demetrious and Co. 6:30pm HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 The Carmens ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJs 9pm 7pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-3479985 212 Band 9pm HOTEL PASEO; PD; Michael Keeth THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 4-10pm Dennis Michaels 6:30pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 9pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; Bob Garcia 6pm 760-328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 DJ 11am 6-10pm 760-345-6466 Bob Allen 6pm poolside, Border Blaster Premier Party w/ VENUE@VENUS; PD; 760-834-7070 KILO’S CANTINA; TP; 760-835-1363 TBA DJs Ale Cohen and more 9pm Salsa Dancing in the Desert 7pm 9pm ACQUA; RM; 760-862-9800 Michael WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 DJ Galaxy KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Keeth 6:30pm and the House Whores 5pm Karaoke 8pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325- Fusion Sundays Hip Hop and Latin Night 5955 Michael Keeth 5-7pm 2794 PS Sound Company 1pm, Hot Roxx w/ DJ LF and Friends Hosted by Ron T 7pm 8pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Patrice 0188 Rose Mallett 6:30pm LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345- Morris 7pm 2450 Rhythm Nation 9pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJ 9pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; Carolina Story 6pm 888-999-1995 TBA 9pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT; MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 888-999-1995 Nash with Quinto 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm Menguante 9pm Bev & Bill 6:30pm continue to page 18 MOXIE; PS; 760-318-9900 Derek Jordan ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Discoteca Gregg 6pm, DJ Pedro Le Bass 9:30pm 11am, poolside, 10pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT Karaoke 8pm REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Art of Sax THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin 8pm Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760Cabaret on the Green Open Mic 7:30pm 327-4080 The Refills 9pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; Omar Czar Bday Party w/ Jimbo Jenkins, 760-345-0222 Something Cool 6:30pm Alex Harrington, Captain Osiv, Jakkz, PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Pedro Le Bass, J Patron, Gregnwmn, The Bermuda, Forever Young, FVR and Ckeelay YOB, Acid King and CHRCH 9pm 7pm PEABODY’S CAFÉ; PS; 760-322-1877 Karaoke 7:30pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Barry Minniefield, Brian Dennigan and Leon PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND Bisquera 7pm COCKTAILS; TP; 760-3432115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 The Rockaholics 8:30pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Delighted to be Here 8pm BLUE BAR; SPOTLIGHT 29; IND; 760775-5566 DJ 9pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 TBA 9pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Gennine ROCKYARD@FANTASY SPRINGS; Francis 6-10pm Hollywood Blonde and Mr. Crowley (Ozzy Tribute) 7:30pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT CASINO; PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Wright 9-1am Brothers 8pm CATELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE Tuzzolino 5:30pm FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-3229293 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm CATALAN; RM; 760-770-9508 George Christian 6-9pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 The Smooth CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Denny Pezzin 7-10pm Brothers 8-11pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm Furgo 9pm DRINGK; RM; 760-888-0111 DJ Guy SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Worden 9pm Latin Music 10pm ELECTRIC SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760228-1199 DJ Ceddy Cedd 9pm 341-3560 Demetrious and Co. 6:30pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-3472333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm 9985 Off Da Cuff 8:30pm

September 6 to September 12, 2018

SUN SEPTEMBER 9

SAT SEPTEMBER 8

13

September 6 to September 12, 2018

GOOD GRUB

W

DELICIOUS EATS AT SPOTLIGHT 29 CASINO IS A SAFE BET!

ith the recent addition of Pier 29 Food Court and La Diabla Maria, enjoying tasty eats as well as casino fun at Spotlight 29 Casino in Coachella, is no gamble at all.

It’s one of the most popular casinos in the Coachella Valley, with plenty of gambling options, and a vibrant concert an entertainment venue. Now the casino favorite has added even more dining choices, truly giving casino goers a little something for everyone’s taste buds, “The new restaurants present flavors for any palate and terrific value in a fun, party-style atmosphere,” says General Manager Michael Frawley.

If you’re winning streak has led you to neglect those rumbles in your tummy, no need to travel too far from your cash cow, as you can just scoot on over to Spotlight 29’s new Pier 29 Food Court. In the new food court you will find satisfying eats to quell your rumbles, and get you back hanging out with Lady Luck.

Start off your food court fun with a stop at Easy Rita’s Margarita’s, for a refreshing libation, with or without alcohol. The concoctions come ready to go out of walled dispensers, with flavors such as Peachy Keen, Mango Magic, Perky Pina Colada, Strawberry Sweetheart, Legit Lemon Margarita and my favorite, Rock Star Raspberry. As mentioned, patrons can enjoy the liquid fun in PG form sans spirits, or kick it up to an R rating with the addition of a variety of liquors, including 1800 Tequila, Malibu Rum, Absolute Vodka, Tanqueray Gin, Jack Daniels and more. My G version Rock Star Raspberry was not overly

14

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

sweet, and I found it comfortably refreshing.

I’m sure it would be equally delish with a zap of liquor octane….maybe next time.

After your beverage respite, stop on over to Sharkey’s Pizza, for an 8” or 14” pizza with toppings of your choice. Toppings such as pepperoni, mushrooms, sausage, ham, red onions, jalapenos, pineapple, peppers and extra cheese will make your pie pleasing to your palate. My personal tasting pizza came

with savory pepperoni and ham, happily together on a thin crust topped with tomato sauce and cheese. A fabulous pizza bite!

The last stop at the food court (or the first depending on which way that you started), is Mr. Weiner, a happening, hot dog haven!

The tubular eatery has a wide selection of hot dog selections, all made with Nathans All Beef and served on Hawaiian buns. Those who dig hot dogs can choose either a 6” or 12” option.

Selections include the Coachella Dog ( onion, tomato, pickles, jalapeno and Tapatio aioli), Obama Dog ( cheddar cheese, relish, onion, mustard and ketchup), Johnson (caramelized onions, avocado, arugula and spicy basil aioli) and my favorite, the Homewrecker (wrapped in 2 slices of bacon, sautéed onions and bell peppers), plus many others. The Homewrecker hot dog was amazing!! The hot dog was juicy, and the bacon introduced a smoky flavor, with the added savories’ of the onions and peppers.

But the surprise was involving the Hawaiian bun to it, it brought it to a different level, creating a subtle sweetness and a softness to

BY DENISE ORTUNO

the dog. Add some crescent shaped fries and one of Mr. Weiner’s luscious shakes to your meal, and you will be completely re-charged for another round of gambling casino action!

On the chance that you were perhaps craving something south of the border, it’s a sure bet that their other new restaurant next to the Pier 29 Food Court, La Diabla Maria, will give you a winning meal. The Mexican themed venue serves some crazy fantastic street style tacos, on authentic house made corn or flour tortillas. Taco fillings include, el pastor, carne asada, pollo, tripas, lengua, barbacoa and pork chorizo. My el pastor was super delicious, some of the best that I’ve had in a while, and the tortillas, well…house made makes all the difference. I topped mine off with some of their scratch salsa and easily could have had 5 more. La Diabla Maria also offers flights of tequila, and cervezas frias to wash down all of the taco goodness. Muy delicioso!

Spotlight 29 Casino’s light just got brighter with the opening of their new food venues Pier 29 Food Court, and La Diabla Maria.

Making it a winning bet for tasty eats, as well as exciting casino fun!

Spotlight 29 Casino is located at 46-200 Harrison Pl, Coachella, CA 92236 For more information visit www. spotlight29.com.

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

September 6 to September 12, 2018

15

September 6 to September 12, 2018

SCREENERS

Now playing: THE OLD MAN & THE GUN

After a long and celebrated career as one of the most iconic actors in Hollywood, Robert Redford said recently (August’18) that he’s retiring from acting and that the American crime comedy The Old Man and the Gun will be his final film.

Written and directed by David Lowery.

The movie is based on the fascinating real life story of elderly Forrest Tucker, (no, not that one), a career criminal and prison escape artist who continues conducting a string of bank robberies well into his 70s. Known as a

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

No. 333

REDFORD’S SWAN SONG?

“gentleman robber,” he eventually meets and falls in love with Jewel (Sissy Spacek) while relentlessly pursued by Detective John Hunt (Casey Affleck).

Is there a better way for Redford to exit the movie biz than with a 70s fedora on his head, packing a revolver? Redford’s graceful physicality is on full display here as he convincingly inhabits career criminal Tucker who has no desire to retire or do anything else.

The terrific cast includes Danny Glover, Tika Sumpter, and Tom Waits. Oddly, Elisabeth Moss, who was originally reported to be in the film, is not listed in the credits.

Only time will tell if Redford’s retirement plans turn out to be true. I hope not.

Jack Nicholson said he too was retiring from acting but he has reportedly expressed in playing the irascible crank in the remake of the Swedish hit A Man Called Ove. Don’t miss this lovely film New Blu for the home theater: FOUND FOOTAGE 3D The tag line on the original theatrical poster screamed: “A new dimension in terror!”

The contrived and derivative plot follows an aspiring filmmaker who’s hired to document the behind-the-scenes action of the lowbudget horror movie “Spectre of Death” that’s going to be marketed as “the first 3D foundfootage horror film.”

Here he plays off the Tarzan mythos for this sometimes gore filled cult flick.

Franco has made a lot of movies. Most of them have two things in common: bad acting and even worse dubbing.

Pretty Katja Bienert, who celebrates her 52nd birthday as I write this, plays the topless lead with enthusiasm. MVD. THE CAT O’ NINE TAILS (1971)

The young filmmaker packs up his camera and travels with the film’s crew to a creepy cabin in the woods. But as is often the case, personal issues undermine the endeavor and the production spirals out of control. Even worse, the fictional evil presence in their feature film begins appearing in the behindthe-scenes footage! If the novice filmmaker can’t figure out how to stop it, the entity may find its way into the real world. The filmmakers may know how to make a found footage movie, but will they survive one?

Some smart and silly self-aware moments and OK 3D effects make this more fun that it might otherwise be. Two pairs of retro style cardboard green and red cellophane lens glasses are included in the packaging and-- best of all -- a 3D configured TV (or disc player) is not needed!

And in the end, there are some genuine frights. Studio42. Shudder.

DIAMONDS OF KILIMANDJARO (1983) A group of adventurers head to a primitive tribe in Africa to find a treasure of diamonds and a beautiful white girl who was lost years ago and was made the tribe’s goddess.

Jesús Franco, the Spanish director, film composer and actor, has managed to create a popular sub-genre of stylish nightmares out of unexpected, even ludicrous, stories.

16

BY ROBIN E. SIMMONS

Dario Argento -- Italian filmmaker, producer, screenwriter, movie critic and Asia’s dad -- is mainly known now for his 1970s and 80s horror films and the subgenre “Giallo” that includes a mix of mystery, “slasher” and sexploitation elements.

His 1971 film has a cult following, maybe because it’s so hard to find. This new hi-def transfer is as good as the film looked when it came from the lab. In my opinion, the movie itself is an improvement over his previous year’s The Bird With the Crystal Plumage.

The film’s non-linear convolutions of plot may be an intentional distraction but that seems an unlikely excuse for a fractured narrative.

The plot has a newspaper reporter and a retired, blind journalist trying to solve a series of killings connected to a pharmaceutical company’s experimental, and ultra top-secret research projects. It’s not long before the duo become targets of the killer.

The film is a bit of a departure from Argento’s more stylized, hyper-violent works.

If it’s new to you, check it out. It’s no Suspiria, but none-the-less, a solid little film.

This special edition has a nice set of extras, both on the disc and in the package. There’s an interesting new commentary by Argento expert Alan Jones and film critic Kim Newman, plus new interviews with Argento, co-writer Dardano Sacchetti and actress Cinzia De Carolis.

Also, the original Italian and international theatrical trailers and a fascinating short feature that shows the script pages for the original ending of the film that has since been lost. Arrow Video. robin@coachellavalleyweekly.com

BOOK REVIEW

S

ince human beings first roamed this planet, they have told stories. Story is a way to preserve history, understand human nature, share information and influence thinking.

Storytelling is how we reflect on our culture, learn about ourselves, gain insight and wisdom about the people and the world around us. It is also a great way to escape our reality and be entertained. Neil Simon was one of America’s beloved storytellers.

The impish and humble raconteur was born and died in New York City. As a shy and sensitive child growing up Jewish during the depression within a rapidly changing America, Simon found relief by going to the movies and watching the great comics Laurel and Hardy, Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin.

Simon confessed that he was constantly being dragged out of movies for laughing too loud. “I think part of what made me a comedy writer is the blocking out of some of the really ugly, painful things in my childhood and covering it up with a humorous attitude -- do something to laugh until I was able to forget what was hurting.”

Over his career, Simon wrote 30 plays and adapted most of them for the big screen as well. He also wrote four original screenplays. He received more combined Oscar and Tony nominations than any other writer!

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

September 6 to September 12, 2018

IN MEMORY OF NEIL SIMON 1927 – 2018 Simon served with the Army Air Force Reserve after graduating high school. His first writing gig was as a sports editor.

Simon got his start as a comedy writer for radio, teaming up with his older brother Danny. Soon after, he moved into writing comedy for television shows.

Come Blow Your Horn, about a young man who leaves home to live a swinging bachelor’s life with his older brother, was Simon’s first Broadway play. The year was 1961 and it ran for 678 performances. Like much of his work, the characters reflected his own reality. As a playwright, Simon found a world where he could creatively express himself and safely explore and observe the personal issues that shaped him.

Simon followed with the highly successful plays Barefoot in the Park and The Odd Couple, and then wrote the feature adaptions for Hollywood. Throughout the 60s, Simon was the top Broadway playwright. At one point, he had four shows running simultaneously in Broadway theaters.

In the 80s, Simon continued to draw on his life experiences with the autobiographical plays Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues and Broadway Bound. Capping the personal trifecta, his play Lost in Yonkers won Simon a Pulitzer Prize.

Simon penned two memoirs: Rewrites

(Simon & Schuster, 400 pages) and The Play Goes On (Simon & Schuster, 370 pages) both books work together to deliver an honest, self-reflective, intelligent, unpretentious perspective about how he experienced life along with his incredible writing career.

Simon’s creative life was totally tied to his personal life. He tapped into the little dilemmas between humans that can so

SAFETY TIPS

BY HEIDI SIMMONS easily explode into major psychological dramas.

The memoirs construct a total picture of Simon and his true loves -- women and writing. Simon believed a memoir served two functions: “To pass on as much as you’re willing to tell,” and “To discover a truth about yourself you never had the time or courage to face before.”

These two books not only give the reader insight into Simon’s plays, but his difficult and traumatic personal life, and his struggles with being a productive, creative person, from the disciplined professional writing required, to the bouts of writer’s block.

There are four published volumes of Simon’s collected plays.

Simon’s work explored universal themes about our human condition. He told his stories with a sense of humor and self-deprecation so that we could safely recognize ourselves and then laugh through our tears. RIP.

BY FIRE CHIEF SAM DIGIOVANNA

IF YOU SEE SOMETHING SAY SOMETHING!

I

t’s been about seventeen years since United Airlines flight 175 and American Airlines Flight 11 were purposely flown by hijackers into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center Buildings. The Pentagon was severely damaged by the impact of an additional airliner and resulting fire. Hijackers also crashed a fourth plane into a field near Shanksville, PA after the passengers and flight crew attempted to regain control of the aircraft.

I remember like it was yesterday as I was just promoted to Fire Chief. I was with several other Firefighters at the gym early that morning. It wasn’t until the second plane hit the second tower that we knew this was no accident. I was immediately notified by my Fire Dept. Command Center to report to work ASAP. The United States was under attack!

Though the United States has disrupted the ability of terrorists to plan and carry out such attacks and degraded their overall capabilities to a degree, but obviously not enough.

Additionally, a new generation of terrorists is just as committed to bringing war to our shores as al Qaeda was then.

We’ve had other attacks nationally and abroad and it appears they are increasing.

What can you do? Stay vigilant, as they are here among us, and they are in other countries. If you see something, say something! Notify local law enforcement

if you see “anyone/anything” that is suspicious. Unfortunately, we will never be able to extinguish the desire of evil-doers to commit their heinous and inhumane acts.

But we must take the fight to terrorists before they bring it to us!

Let’s honor the memories of those who gave their lives on 9/11 and in service to our country since – by remembering all lessons from attacks, we shall always remain prepared to fight against evil.

Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

17

September 6 to September 12, 2018

CLUB CRAWLER NIGHTLIFE continued from page 13 CATELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Live Music 5pm Tuzzolino 5:30pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760230-0188 John Carey and Friends 760-200-1768 Lori Yeary 6-9pm 6:30pm COACHELLA VALLEY BREWING CO; TP; 760-343-5973 Acoustic Afternoon 3pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Radio 60 3-6pm 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 3505 The Luminators 6pm Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-2021111 Bill Marx 6:30pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Comedy Night w/ Isak Allen and more BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 KILO’S CANTINA; TP; 760-835-1363 Wild Meh! Mondays 7pm Indie Summer Night w/ Sol Suns, Calico BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Wonderstone, Pale Palace and Marni 7pm Music Video Mondays 6pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325CATELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm 2794 PS Sound Company noon, Hot Roxx 6:30pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760325-2794 PS Sound Company 6:30pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Sunday Jam 3:30NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 7:30pm, Mikael Healy 8pm Karaoke 8pm-1:15am NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Karaoke 8pm Henry 7pm THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-3657:30pm 5956 Open Mic 7pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760230-0188 Motown Mondays 6:30pm The Sunday Band 7:30pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-3432115 Open Mic w/ Rockin’ Ray 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 76029 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367341-3560 The Myx 6:30pm 3505 Bob Garcia 6pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Ace Karaoke with Kiesha 9pm Darci Daniels and Reggie Vision 7pm

MON SEPTEMBER 10

TUE SEPTEMBER 11

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Tequila Tuesday w/ Sounds Driven by Touch Tunes 7pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Chris Lomeli 7pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Big Country Tuesdays 6pm CATELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Michael D’Angelo 7-10pm FIRESIDE LOUNGE; PS; 760-327-1700 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Drag Queen Bingo 9pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Karaoke hosted by Phillip Moore 9pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-3662250 Ted Quinn’s Open Mic Reality Show Jam 8pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 7pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760325-2794 PS Sound Company 6:30pm LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760345-2450 Brad’s Pad 7pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Tim Burleson 7:45pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-327-4080 Acoustic Jam w/ Peter Sutter 7pm

PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Rose Mallett 6:30pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-3479985 Karaoke 8-12 WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Alex Santana 5-8pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-2300188 Yve Evans and John Bolivar 6pm

WED SEPTEMBER 12

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-3673505 Daniel Horn 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Intoxica Radio Live w/ Howie Pyro 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-2021111 Jazz Jam w/ Doug MacDonald & Friends 7pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 DJs Ax, Tanner and Lazy Eye 7pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Chris Lomeli 7pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 The Smooth Brothers 7pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Michael Keeth 6-10pm CATELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Johnny Meza 7-10pm COACHELLA VALLEY BREWING CO; TP; 760-343-5973 Live and Local w/ TBA 5:30-8pm DRINGK; RM; 760-888-0111 S.I.N. w/ DJ Mirage 9pm

ELECTRIC SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760228-1199 Karaoke 7:30pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Open Mic hosted by Josh Heinz 8pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-3662250 Karaoke 7:30pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Open Mic 8pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760325-2794 Hot Roxx 6:30pm LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760345-2450 Latin Night 7pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Mikael Healey 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-327-4080 Roger & Friends 7pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-3271773 Katheryn White 6:30pm VENUE@VENUS; PD; 760-834-7070 Wine Down Wednesdays w/ Mark Gregg 4-6pm, Open Mic/Karaoke 6-8pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Jeff Bonds 5-8pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-2300188 Joel Fleisher 6:30pm

S and G

PUMPING SERVICE

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

18

760-404-6325

HADDON LIBBY

A

re you ready for some football?

As the National Football League starts its 88th campaign this week, ratings are expected to continue a decline begun in 2016. While player protests during the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner caused some of the viewership loss, bad teams like Da’Bears, De’Jets and the Giants in the nation’s largest television markets have hurt as well. Additionally, many people are cord-cutting meaning that a larger percentage of the potential viewing universe do not have access to live NFL games.

When you combine these woes with greater public concern over the long-term health and wellness of football players, why are team owners virtually giddy regarding the future of the NFL? Gambling.

Three months ago, the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional for the federal government to prevent state governments from allowing sports gambling as had been the case since 1992. By deeming the Bradley Act unconstitutional, the Supreme Court ushered in a brave, new world for sports fans, athletes and team owners in the United States.

Before a state can allow sports gambling,

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

SPORTS GAMBLING & THE NFL

it must pass laws and put in place the governmental agencies needed to regulate the industry. Until June, Nevada was the only state with full sports betting. At present, New Jersey, West Virginia, Mississippi and Delaware have joined Nevada with Pennsylvania and Rhode Island expected to ‘go live’ in October. According to Ryan Rodenberg of ESPN, another nineteen states are considering potential forays into sports gambling with Utah being the only state to rule out the idea.

The Nevada Gaming Control states that $4.8 billion was wagered at sports books in

2017 with earnings of $250 million for sport book owners. Other states see how much Nevada makes and want their cut of the action.

As reported by ESPN, none of this is lost on the NFL as gamblers watch 35 games per season whereas non-gamblers watch 16 games. Meanwhile, gamblers watch more of each game than their non-gambling counterparts. While ratings may be declining, viewer engagement is poised to spike as sports better becomes as easy as a click on your phone or remote.

Expect special betting opportunities to be embedded in the live game that you are watching whether you watch on a television, tablet or Smartphone. As an example, if a team is trying a game-winning field goal at the end of regulation, the viewer will have the ability to place a bet on that. This is in part why Verizon recently signed a fiveyear. $2.5 billion deal with the NFL to be the exclusive streamer of all live NFL games that do not occur on Sunday afternoons.

That is $500 million a year for Monday night, Thursday night and the occasional Saturday game. Verizon’s rival, AT&T, owns Sunday afternoons via DirecTV for $1.5 billion per year.

September 6 to September 12, 2018

NFL team owners can expect their already bulging billionaire wallets to grow rapidly as gambling will lead to new licensing rights and countless income producing partnerships.

Getting around to the game itself, who do oddsmakers think will win Super Bowl 53?

Oddsmaker Bovada puts 7:1 odds on the New England Patriots. Super Bowl 52 winner, the Philadelphia Eagles, are at 9:1 followed by the Los Angeles Rams (10:1), Pittsburgh Steelers (11:1), Minnesota Vikings (11:1) and the Green Bay Packers at (14:1).

The New York Jets are the NFL equivalent to a dumpster fire with the lowest chance of winning the Super Bowl at 175:1. The Miami Dolphins look pretty bad at 125:1 as do the Arizona Cardinals, Da’Bears and Buffalo Bills at 100:1 odds.

New England Patriots fan, Haddon Libby who wrote this article is the Founder and Managing Partner of Winslow Drake Investment Management. For more info on their Super services and coaching, please visit www.WinslowDrake.com.

DALE GRIBOW ON THE LAW

LABOR DAY DUI CONSULTATION IS A 4 LETTER WORD.. . FREE!

Y

es, the DUI consultation is free and if you follow my suggestions herein, you may never need me. The worst case scenario is that you will have set yourself up for a positive result with your DUI arrest.

The back of my business card states: “Upon advice of my attorney, Dale Gribow, I exercise my Right to Remain Silent until you contact him at 760 837-7500 or dale@dalegribowlaw.com<mailto:dale@ dalegribowlaw.com>. My attorney has advised me the VOLUNTARY Field Sobriety & Breath Tests, at the scene, are OPTIONAL (unless one is on probation). Thus I elect not to take them.

I want to cooperate and am happy to take a BLOOD TEST.” If you fail to follow these suggestions then YOU, are probably the reason you lost or will lose your DUI case by not following these 10 ways to lose your DUI. 1. Silence is Golden and Handcuffs are Silver.

No matter what you say the police are not going to let you go. Unfortunately it is not only what you say BUT what the officer THOUGHT S/HE HEARD YOU SAY. Remember the officer does not prepare the report until s/he goes back to the station and thus often forgets facts.

2. Don’t hire a DUI lawyer from out of town.

Though competent, they will not know the local Judges, DA’s and court personnel (clerks and bailiffs) and procedures. Most cases do not go to trial so it is important to know and be respected by the local court.

3. Take down your Social Media/Facebook until the case is over. Social media is the biggest advance for DA’s, who no longer have to leave the office to investigate a driver.

4. Have your LOCAL CV ATTORNEY call DMV within 10 days and request a STAY, which freezes the suspension until a DMV hearing determination. This will save your license, which would otherwise be suspended 30 days after your arrest, for 4-5 months, as stated on the Pink slip (Temporary License) you received after they “snatched” you license.

5. If you completed a chemical test, the issues are of constitutional rights at most DMV hearings. A Refusal will be used to prove guilt.

You must explain refusals to win. Do not try this alone as hearing officers are both judge and prosecutor and are trained to cross examine you.

6. Remember the DA has the burden of proof to prevail on all issues and/or refusal matters. If the DA meets the burden of proof on only part of the issues, you win as set forth by the law.

7. A DUI creates 2 separate proceedings - the Court and the DMV hearing. The outcome of one does not necessarily affect the other.

8. At a DMV hearing there are only 3 issues after you completed a Blood or Breath test. They are set forth on the back of the DMV paper you received. The main issue is whether the officer had probable cause to stop or contact you and whether the chemical test is beatable.

9. The DMV hearing is an Administrative PER SE Hearing and if you have a .08 or higher you are per se guilty in their eyes. The burden of proof then, in essence, reverts to the driver to prove they were not guilty. They don’t follow the same evidence rules as the court… and DMV wins 90% of the time.

10. We don’t want our clients at DMV hearings because most are arguments over

evidence, not facts. If the driver is present, the hearing officer can call them to testify under oath, over our objection. The hearing is taped so the driver’s statements can be used against them in a court trial. Pleading to the hearing officer for your license because you have never been arrested before or because you are a wealthy philanthropist, who has never had a ticket, will do no good. The hearing officer may pity you but they will still take your license.

Hearing officer have no authority to “plea bargain” or deviate from the statutory penalties.

Though I am sometimes referred to as a DUI criminal defense lawyer, I choose to not view my clients as ‘criminals’. I prefer to view them and more importantly to treat them as good, honest people that have found themselves in a scary and unfortunate situation.

I look upon my job as protecting the Constitutional Rights of every American who drinks and drives and gets arrested for a DUI. I do however “Change Hats” when I SUE

Drunk Drivers for damages to my Injured or Deceased (Wrongful Death) clients.

PLEASE DON’T DRINK & DRIVE OR TEXT, CALL A TAXI, UBER OR LYFT…IT’S A LOT CHEAPER THAN HAVING AN ARREST OR ACCIDENT AND CALLING ME…SO DRIVE SOBER, GET PULLED OVER If you have any questions regarding this column or ideas for future columns please contact attorney Dale Gribow: 760-837-7500 or dale@ dalegribowlaw.com.

DALE GRIBOW - Representing the Injured and Criminally Accused // “TOP LAWYER” - Palm Springs Life-(DUI)2011-19 // “TOP LAWYER”- Inland Empire Magazine Nov. ‘16 // PERFECT 10.0 AVVO Peer Rating // 10 BEST ATTORNEYS FOR CALIFORNIA // “PREEMINENT” Rating - Martindale Hubbell Legal Directory // “BEST Attorneys of America””Rue” (Limited to Top 100 Attorneys per state) // Legal Eagle “Best and Brightest Legal Minds”- Palm Springs Life- 6/16

19

September 6 to September 12, 2018

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

Week of September 6

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Now is an excellent time to feel and explore and understand and even appreciate your sadness. To get you in the mood, here’s a list of sadnesses from novelist Jonathan Safran Foer: sadness of the could-have-been; sadness of being misunderstood; sadness of having too many options; sadness of being smart; sadness of awkward conversations; sadness of feeling the need to create beautiful things; sadness of going unnoticed; sadness of domesticated birds; sadness of arousal being an unordinary physical state; sadness of wanting sadness.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Do you have any feral qualities lurking deep down inside you? Have you ever felt a mad yearning to communicate using howls and yips instead of words? When you’re alone, do you sometimes dispense with your utensils and scoop the food off your plate with your fingers? Have you dreamed of running through a damp meadow under the full moon for the sheer ecstasy of it? Do you on occasion experience such strong erotic urges that you feel like you could weave your body and soul together with the color green or the sound of a rainsoaked river or the moon rising over the hills? I ask these questions, Taurus, because now is an excellent time to draw on the instinctual wisdom of your feral qualities.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “Close some doors today,” writes novelist Paulo Coelho. “Not because of pride, incapacity, or arrogance, but simply because they lead you nowhere.” I endorse his advice for your use, Gemini. In my astrological opinion, you’ll be wise to practice the rough but fine art of saying NO. It’s time for you to make crisp decisions about where you belong and where you don’t; about where your future fulfillment is likely to thrive and where it won’t; about which relationships deserve your sage intimacy and which tend to push you in the direction of mediocrity.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): To casual observers you may seem to be an amorphous hodgepodge, or a simmering mess of semi-interesting confusion, or an amiable dabbler headed in too many directions at once. But in my opinion, casual observers would be wrong in that assessment. What’s closer to the symbolic truth about you is an image described by poet Carolyn Forché: grapes that are ripening in the fog. Here’s another image that resonates with your current state: sea turtle eggs gestating beneath the sand on a misty ocean beach. One further metaphor for you: the bright yellow flowers of the evening primrose plant, which only bloom at night.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I want to make sure that the groove you’re in doesn’t devolve into a rut.

So I’ll ask you unexpected questions to spur your imagination in unpredictable directions. Ready? 1.

How would you describe the untapped riches in the shadowy part of your personality? 2. Is there a rare object you’d like to own because it would foster your feeling that the world has magic and miracles? 3.

Imagine the perfect party you’d love to attend and how it might change your life for the better. 4. What bird most reminds you of yourself? 5. What’s your most evocative and inspiring taboo daydream? 6. In your past, were there ever experiences that made you cry for joy in ways that felt almost orgasmic?

How might you attract or induce a catharsis like that sometime soon?

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): By volume, the Amazon is the largest river in the world. But where does it originate? Scientists have squabbled about that issue for over 300 years. Everyone agrees the source is in southwestern Peru. But is it the Apurímac River? The Marañón? The Mantaro? There are good arguments in favor of each. Let’s use this question as a poetic subtext as we wonder and meditate about the origin of your life force, Virgo. As is the case for the Amazon, your source has long been mysterious.

But I suspect that’s going to change during the next 14 months. And the clarification process begins soon.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): When Warsan Shire was a child, she immigrated to the UK with her Somalian parents. Now she’s a renowned poet

20

© Copyright 2018 Rob Brezsny

who writes vividly about refugees, immigrants, and other marginalized people. To provide support and inspiration for the part of you that feels like an exile or fugitive or displaced person, and in accordance with current astrological omens, I offer you two quotes by Shire. 1. “I belong deeply to myself.” 2.

“Document the moments you feel most in love with yourself—what you’re wearing, who you’re around, what you’re doing. Recreate and repeat.”

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Once in a while came a moment when everything seemed to have something to say to you.” So says a character in Alice Munro’s short story “Jakarta.” Now I’m using that message as the key theme of your horoscope.

Why? Because you’re at the peak of your ability to be reached, to be touched, to be communicated with. You’re willing to be keenly receptive. You’re strong enough to be deeply influenced. Is it because you’re so firmly anchored in your understanding and acceptance of who you are?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In 1928, novelist Virginia Woolf wrote a letter to her friend Saxon Sidney Turner. “I am reading six books at once, the only way of reading,” she confided, “since one book is only a single unaccompanied note, and to get the full sound, one needs ten others at the same time.”

My usual inclination is to counsel you Sagittarians to focus on one or two important matters rather than on a multitude of semi-important matters.

But in accordance with current astrological omens, I’m departing from tradition to suggest you adopt Woolf’s approach to books as your approach to everything. Your life in the coming weeks should be less like an acoustic ballad and more like a symphony for 35 instruments.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Not many goats can climb trees, but there are daredevils in Morocco that do. They go in quest of the delicious olive-like berries that grow on argan trees. The branches on which they perch may be 30 feet off the ground. I’m naming them as your power creature for the coming weeks. I think you’re ready to ascend higher in search of goodies. You have the soulful agility necessary to transcend your previous level of accomplishment.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): From 49-45 BC, civil war wracked the Roman Republic. Julius Caesar led forces representing the common people against armies fighting for the aristocracy’s interests. In 45 BC, Caesar brought a contingent of soldiers to Roman territory in North Africa, intent on launching a campaign against the enemy. As the general disembarked from his ship, he accidentally slipped and fell. Thinking fast, he exclaimed, “Africa, I have tight told of you!” and clasped the ground, thus implying he had lowered himself on purpose in a ritual gesture of conquest. In this way, he converted an apparent bad omen into a positive one. And indeed, he won the ensuing battle, which was the turning point that led to ultimate victory and the war’s end. That’s good role modeling for you right now.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Below are sweet words I’ve borrowed from poets I love. I invite you to use them to communicate with anyone who is primed to become more lyrically intimate with you.

The time is right for you to reach out! 1. “You look like a sea of gems.” —Qahar Aasi 2. “I love you with what in me is unfinished.” —Robert Bly 3. “Yours is the light by which my spirit’s born.” —E. E. Cummings 4. “Tell me the most exquisite truths you know.” — Barry Hannah 5. “It’s very rare to know you, very strange and wonderful.” —F. Scott Fitzgerald 6.

“When you smile like that you are as beautiful as all my secrets.” —Anne Carson 7. Everything you say is “like a secret voice speaking straight out of my own bones.” —Sylvia Plath Homework: What good old thing could you give up in order to attract a great new thing into your life? Testify at Freewillastrology.com.

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

LIFE & CAREER COACH

BY SUNNY SIMON

MY FAVORITE FOUR LETTER WORD

W

hile sorting the mail I was immediately drawn to the four letter word spanning about a fourth of the magazine cover. One of my favorite words - GRIT. Along with Angela Duckworth, the nation’s self proclaimed cheerleader of grit, my belief is that power-packed factor is a strong contender for the number one trait of successful people.

Since Angela and I are members of the same philosophical tribe, I immediately stopped sorting the mail and read the article promoting her 2016 best-seller book, “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.” Next I watched her TED Talk, then toggled over to her website and took the Grit Scale test.

Why am I so over-the-top about the grit theme? For starters, let’s use Angela as an example. During her childhood, her father often complained about her intellectual limitations.

Turns out decades later Angela was awarded a “genius grant” from the MacArthur Foundation for her work on the role grit plays in educational achievement. Here’s the kicker, her research defines grit an accurate predictor of both classroom and workplace success.

In her TED, talk Angela observed during her time spent teaching, some of her strongest students did not have “stratospheric IQ scores.” As a researcher she observed that one characteristic emerged as a significant predictor

of success. It was grit which Angela defines as “passion and perseverance for very long-term goals.”

The data boils down to this. Success isn’t dependent on good looks, family income or talent. Being gritty means slugging it out day after day in pursuit of your goals, staying motivated and not giving up until you reach the finish line. Just writing that sentence makes me want to do my happy dance and fist pump with joy.

My message today is, any child in school and any adult in the workplace can make it. So parents, teach your children to be gritty. It’s a work ethic, role model it for them, show them you never give up.

Careerists, young and old, what may have impeded success in the past need not predict the future. Be sure to check out Angela’s Grit Scale and see how you score: angeladuckworth. com/grit-scale Make the needed corrections and if you need more inspiration, read her book.

Will accomplishing your goal be easy now that you have the secret sauce? No, of course not, but here’s an anonymous quote I found to give you that extra needed push, “It’s gonna get harder before it gets easier. It will get better, you just gotta make it through the hard stuff first.”

Sunny Simon is the owner of Raise the Bar High Life and Career Coaching. More about Sunny at www.raisethebarhigh.com.

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

September 6 to September 12, 2018

Receive The Celebrity Secret Of Permanent Cosmetic Make-Up Once Thought To Be Only For The Rich And Famous Now Affordalbe To Women Of All Ages!!

eyebrows eyeliner lipliner Receive 10% full lip color beauty marks off with camouflage areola pigmentation this ad

760.341.6606

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

21

September 6 to September 12, 2018

AWAKEN W/LIZZY&AIMEE

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

BY ELIZABETH SCARCELLA

WHY ARE WE REALLY HERE?

I

am sure that most of us have pondered the reason for our existence. There must be some other motive to life; other than being born, getting an education, working, having some fun…and then becoming sick and dying. Obviously, there is a deeper purpose than that. So, what IS the reason? I believe it is our Soul’s journey to learn through a physical bodily experience.

To illustrate my point, I refer to an excerpt from Aimee’s book (Gratitude + Forgiveness x (Love) = Happiness), which also serves as a platform for these discussions, to clearly define the reason we are really here. She writes, “Our experiences as a physical being on Earth are framed within a finite period of time, whereas our souls are eternal. Our souls are not restricted by the concept of linear time to learn, therefore, we have the freedom to gain different perspectives on our soul lessons through a multitude of different incarnations if we so choose.” (pg. 4) This might be unfamiliar or even uncomfortable to consider. It’s not every day (well, for me it is…lol) that we speak of other incarnations. In fact, we do not even have proof of this. Therefore, this is conjecture for the scientifically minded. Also, I respect, for some, this thought may bump up against your religious beliefs. My intention is not to push my beliefs onto you…but to guide you into considering another perspective that you may not have been privy to yet. In considering this spiritually unique perspective, you may find answers to the questions that have been simmering deep within you for a long period of time.

Let’s play this hypothesis out…if we were born to grow our souls from lessons we fulfill in one lifetime …could it be that what we learn on Earth may be used as a foundation for further soul growth in another lifetime? Perhaps, the painful lessons we experience are designed to grant us the opportunity to break free from bonds we’ve held for longer than just one lifetime?

Another important aspect to examine is what Aimee calls, “the collective soul.” The collective soul simply refers to how we as Soul beings in Human form are spiritually linked to each other. Have you ever met someone for the first time and had an instant connection?

Of course you have. Have you ever “known”

22

information about another, even though they never told you? These encounters are not just coincidences. We attracted these people to us in order to learn from each other, and to fulfill our ultimate objective of learning. In some cases, we were brought (back) together in order to help each other, learn together and create a plan to help Humanity. Aimee and I both believe that is why our deep connection was instant and intense. We were brought together by a mutual friend who just “knew” that we needed to meet. When we did, we both teared up, hugged (remember, I had JUST met her…) and then immediately asked each other, ‘where have you been all this time’?

From that moment, which was 2+ years ago, we have been creating together…knowing that our purpose in Life is to help others Awaken to their BEST self yet.

It is our sole (or “soul”) intention to inspire you to create a life of Happiness. We hope these words have touched you deeply.

To learn more, please watch our video…. youtu.be/8p5Sanq6PJI. Lastly, in our pursuit to help you Awaken and gather all those that are seeking….we invite you to join our interactive Facebook group and watch our show, Evolve Through Love. Go to facebook.com/groups/EvolveThroughLove.

Elizabeth Scarcella, Brand + Good Will Ambassador, EFT Practitioner, Weight Loss & Inner Beauty Coach, dedicated to helping others discover Wellness in all aspects of life. Elizabeth can help you awaken to your best self yet. For more info, find her at info@gogetyoung.tv.

Aimee Mosco is an author, Certified Reiki Master, and Co-founder of Intentional Healing Systems,LLC. Aimee’s passion for helping others, inspired the collaborative project and global healing movement, IHS Unity. For more info, find Aimee at aimee@ihsunity.com

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

September 6 to September 12, 2018

23

September 6 to September 12, 2018

24

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com