Coachella Valley Weekly - October 22 to October 28, 2020 Vol. 9 No. 32 by CV Weekly

coachellavalleyweekly.com • October 22 to October 28, 2020 Vol.9 No.32

Whiskey & Knives

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Baby Bam Boo

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Mama’s House HEARTbeat Of Love Luncheon

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North Star Theatre

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October 22 to October 28, 2020

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THROW THE GOAT WANTS YOU TO VOTE AND BLAST THEIR NEW ALBUM

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

CONTENTS Throw The Goat - Capitol Hell ............ 3-5 Travel Tips 4 U ........................................ 6 Safety Tips .............................................. 6 Whiskey & Knives - Album Review of "Live From De Nile" ............................. 8 Baby Bam Boo - Album Review............. 8 Consider This - Matt Devine .................. 9 Mama's House - 8th Annual HEARTbeat of Love Luncheon Fundraiser.......... 11 PS Air Museum - F-117 Experience...... 11 Pet Place ............................................... 12 Screeners .............................................. 14 Breaking The 4th Wall ......................... 15 North Star Theatre- West Side Story... 15 The Vino Voice ..................................... 16 Brewtality ............................................. 17 Haddon Libby....................................... 18 Dale Gribow.......................................... 18 Health - Keto ........................................ 19 Free Will Astrology .............................. 19

Photo by Stevie Jane

ast August (2019), I sat down with Throw the Goat just ahead of the Idyllwild Strong Benefit Music Festival. At the time, we were enjoying life as we knew it and were ready to help out those in need, recovering from a devastating fire on the mountain. While we pontificated about life and the joy of gathering at a local taproom, sipping on the sweet nectar of hops, drummer Troy Whitford hinted at what the band was planning for 2020. “Are we going to tell him about Vote Goat 2020?” The anticipation was too great to keep secret. Throw the Goat would embark on a new album and a tour- Vote Goat 2020! Six months later there was a strange virus floating across the globe and headed for the United States of America. Flash forward- October 2020. Chaos reigns across the badlands, shelter in place orders are keeping the humans inside, riots have overtaken the streets, racial tensions are high, the Nation faces a contentious election, confusion clings to every molecule of sense, COVID-19 rules the consciousness, mouths have been masked and live music has been silenced. Is this a plot of a sci-fi? Well, not exactly but: As the Government

shuts down America, One Band must risk everything and cut an album of epic sonic measure or the world as we know it will end. That band is Throw the Goat! And they have succeeded! Their latest album, Capitol Hell, hits

October 22 to October 28, 2020

BY RICH HENRICH heavy with poignant lyrics and impending importance. The musical onslaught slaps the listener in the face with a sweet anthem, “Too High to Stay Home,” a clever plea with a bit of history. Frontman/ Screamer, Brian “Puke” Parnell says of the song's inspiration: “Back in 1964, President Johnson ran a campaign ad that ended up being banned from TV. Known as the ‘Daisy’ video, it begins with a little girl picking petals off a flower while counting. When the pedals run out, the video zooms in on the girl as a countdown initiates and ends with an atomic bomb blast. In comes Lyndon Johnson’s voice, telling us that ‘we must either love each other or we must die.’ It ends with a voiceover urging the viewer to ‘vote for President Johnson on November 3rd’ because the stakes were ‘too high’ for people to ‘stay home.’ The intro for the album basically lifts the entire audio from this ad, with a couple modifications. Conveniently, election day fell on the same date in 1964 that it does in 2020, so we didn’t need to alter the date at all. It's almost surprising how many people have never seen this ad or remember it.” The album title and first track underscore the importance of the times we are living in once again. The “atomic bomb” we now face can be interpreted in many ways. Originally, the band was planning on launching a “fake news” channel (TTGNN) at the DNC in Milwaukee, WI anticipating a contested candidacy for President. Troy said he was looking forward to putting a microphone in people’s faces and doing interviews on the streets to capture the real thoughts of the public on who they wanted to see as their Presidential nominee. The world changed, Bernie bowed out and Biden ran away with the nomination. So, they regrouped and put thoughts to chord and feelings to words they could chant out loud. The Punk Rock fuel hammers hard with a pulsing Rock and Roll retrospect in the vein of a “Garage Days” or ‘Goat House Days Re-revisited’ sort of way. The album conjures up a pensiveness that may cause a continue to page 5

Photo by Keleigh Black

October 22 to October 28, 2020

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THROW THE GOAT

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Photo by Stevie Jane few folks to punch themselves in the face to snap back into a reality lacking a necessary mosh pit of perspective. Humanity and the quest for what will make or break or sense of humanity hums in your head long after the drums echo and the bass chords fade. Don’t worry there are some sappy break-up lyrics mixed into the thunderous blasts of purpose. The fellas, Brian, Troy and Derek, embraced the challenges of COVID-19 closures and shutdowns to get to work on an album that tracks the moment we are in and has meaning for not only the band but for fans of America and all that is good. Without question, the situation of a pandemic, created unique opportunities like a potential Australian tour once the world opens up again as well as the freedom to focus on music and growing together as a band. Recording this album started with an

exchange of emails with lyrics and then the tracks took shape from there. Troy says the process was unusual but worked in a new way of collaboration. Derek says recording a record while writing them and not being able to test live at a show gave the songs a fresh feel and was a lot of fun. Puke says the album “Capitol Hell” is a play on ‘Capitol Hill’ and like the album art reflects “the hellscape we are in.” Artist Jimbo Phillips, who has created album art for the likes of NOFX, Social Distortion, Pennywise, Blink-182, Primus, and Metallica- to name a few, took Parnell’s idea of Uncle Sam as a goat and the Devil, being the devil, sitting in thrones made of the corpses of dead politicians (seems appropriate), drinking beer and laughing and created an art piece that embodies the mood and tone of the times while holding true to the Punk Rock roots of the band.

Not being able to launch the album, Capitol Hell at a live show, while a little disappointing, provides a new way to release the record. The pandemic has resulted in a doubling of followers on their social media channels, and a growing fan base internationally. Throw the Goat is eager to share this creation and will have a release day on 10/30/2020. They plan to be streaming from a private link on their website. “Anticipate a TTG variety show with us as the hosts. It’s not really a concert like you’d expect. It’s going to be a lot more personal and exclusive than just an online performance,” says Puke. The cost of admission will be the purchase of Capitol Hell so that’s a pretty solid deal! Also, Coachella Valley Brewing Co. and TTG teamed up and created a special new concoction for fans to enjoy. “We reached out to CVB a few months back to see if

October 22 to October 28, 2020 they’d be interested in doing a one-off beer collaboration with us. We wanted a Bock style as it means “goat” in German. They suggested a Helles Bock, and the serendipitous name was right there in front of us, so we called it Capitol Helles! They used a special new yeast and fermented under pressure (which is not the typical method) and everyone was blown away at how it turned out. They told us that it’s probably going to win awards!” It is currently on tap at CVB and will be available soon locally in other places. For more information on the release and the band go to www.throwthegoat.net and do yourself a favor and invest in this album. Throw the Goat encourages everyone to VOTE! Rumor has it a side project for coffee house rock is in the works.

Photo by Stevie Jane

THROW THE GOAT PRESENTS

CAPITOL HELLES HELLES BOCK

NOW AVAILABLE AT

October 22 to October 28, 2020

TRAVEL TIPS4U

estled mile-high in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, within the historic farming community of Oak Glen, lies The Wildlands Conservancy’s Oak Glen Preserve. The 909acre preserve is home to the Conservancy’s Southern California Montane Botanic Garden and Children’s Outdoor Discovery Center, and like TWC’s other preserves, is open to the public completely free of charge. In 1996, The Wildlands Conservancy saved southern California’s largest historic apple ranch, Los Rios Rancho, from residential subdivision. The farm, surrounded by Oak Glen Preserve, is leased to third and fourth generation Oak Glen apple growers. Riley’s Frontier Events continues the property’s rich tradition of apple growing and historic entertainment.

SAFETY TIPS

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OAK GLEN PRESERVE OAK GLEN, CA

In addition to the Botanic Garden, Discovery Center, and Los Rios Rancho, the Preserve includes the prominent Wilshire Peak (8,707 feet), acquired by the Conservancy to prevent exploitation of private lands within the San Bernardino National Forest and to

FROM THE CHIEFS CORNER

BEHIND THE WHEEL - THE DEADLIEST DISTRACTION!

ue to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Safety Council postponed the observance of Distracted Driving Awareness Month from April to October 2020. I believe this should be a monthly awareness reminder! You’ve seen it, and you’ve likely even done it. They’ve drifted into your lane, driven right through red lights, blown past you in a hurry only to sit when the light turns greens because their now texting and distracted. They injure or kill thousands annually. At any given daylight hour there are over 700,000 drivers using cell phones

or manipulating electronic devices in this country. Over one third of drivers admit to texting and driving and three quarters say they regularly see or encounter others doing it. Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55mph, that’s enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded. In 2014, drivers with smart-phones had grown to 80 percent and is rising (the phone may be smart but the users aren’t). “October is Distracted Driver Awareness Month,” reminds Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna.

promote the expansion of the San Gorgonio Wilderness OAK GLEN PRESERVE IS OPEN Oak Glen Preserve and the Southern California Montane Botanic Garden and Children’s Outdoor Discovery Center trails

ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY LYNNE TUCKER are open. Restrooms in the botanic garden are open. Maintain a physical distance of at least 10 feet from visitors and other staff. Stay local: Please do not travel from outside the local area to visit the Preserve. For information call (909) 790-3698. Think Nature and Enjoy the Beauty! Lynne Tucker A Passion 4 Photography 818.298.7007 Contributing Writer and Photographer for: CV Weekly (Coachella Valley) The Tolucan Times (San Fernando Valley) Conservation Ambassador for The Living Desert

BY FIRE CHIEF SAM DIGIOVANNA “Now is the time to unplug yourself before you hurt yourself, others, or worse: ‘drive yourself to death.’” When driving, put your cell phone away. Not where you can see it light up for every notification you receive. Your cell phone should also be on silent mode. Just because your hands aren’t on your phone doesn’t mean the distraction has been eliminated. If a phone call or text message is really important, it’s best to pull over into a safe location — preferably a parking lot — before using your phone.

The same holds true with eating and driving, putting on makeup or fumbling for your smokes. It’s all called “Distracted Driving” and it’s deadly! Be safe, be civil and be smart, without the phone. Without distraction! For more information visit: www.nhtsa. gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving Drive Safe!

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October 22 to October 28, 2020

LOCAL MUSIC

ol 4 Live From De Nile is a five-round knock-out, drag-out fight that ends with a deadly right cross of heavy and hard Desert Punk Psychedelic Rock! The album was released on October 2, 2020, and is available in limited press 12” vinyl through www.h42records.com. There were only 250 copies made available worldwide on black, clear and turquoise vinyl. Of course you can also find their music on all the standard pulpits like Spotify and Apple Music. The cover of the album is both novel and esoteric. It was photographed by Colin Carnahan with the concept fashioned by the band. It appears to be the San Jacinto Mountain in the background with the pyramids of the Nile River preceding them. If you don’t know, most of the iconic pyramids in Egypt can be found on the western side of the river within the dry desert and were built close to the river so that the blocks could be delivered much easier. Whisky & Knives drummer Alfredo Hernández (Across the River, QOTSA, Kyuss) is the quintessential musician, renaissance man and, in his own right, a building block from which the pyramid of Desert Rock was built. Having recently performed a pre-recorded live set for the Concert for Autism, the band continues to take shots and jab their way through the pandemic with live performances and their new release, also dubbed ‘The Whiskey & Knives’ Hidden Valley Reeder Ranch Dressing Sessions’. With Jason Baseley on vocals, Jon Arnold on lead guitar and bass, Hernández on drums and special guest Scott Reeder (Fireball Ministry, Across the River, Kyuss, Unida) on bass, Whiskey & Knives recorded the album at Reeder’s studio The Sanctuary in Banning, California and it was mastered by John Golden

LOCAL MUSIC

e are familiar with Jimi ‘FITZ’ Fitzgerald as one of the most avant-garde individuals to ever call the Coachella Valley home. His work as a musician, promoter, supporter and radio personality will likely never be matched and continues to blaze the trail for all that will come after him. As recipient of the 'Pioneer Award’ at the 2019 Coachella Valley Music Awards, Fitz continues to live up to the title with his newest project that is actually a revival of a group he fronted and performed with in the 1990’s, Alternative group BABY BAM BOO! The band includes Fitz (Faults of Andreas) on lead vocals, Pete Cummings on guitar, bass, keys, ‘Bam Boo’ flute, vocals, Fred Satterfield (The Oak Ridge Boys) ‘drumslinger’, percussion, vocals, Jimi Meier on lead vocals, and special guest Ron Fairchild (The Oak Ridge Boys) on bass and keys. Dubbed “Modern Rock with a twist…” the album was recorded at River Road Studios in Hendersonville, Tennessee. In Satterfield, Fitz has a Grammy and Dove Awardwinning drummer who manned the kit for 20 years with The Oak Ridge Boys. BABY BAM BOO! is available on Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music. Below is the Coachella Valley Weekly album review of BABY BAM BOO! Radio Waves - The lead track is reminiscent of Peter Gunn by Henry Mancini; deep in bass

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WHISKEY & KNIVES – VOL 4 - LIVE FROM DE NILE BY NOE GUTIERREZ

at Golden Mastering in Ventura, California. As alum of Kyuss, Hernández and Reeder have not recorded together in over 15 years! Whiskey and Knives was formed in 2007 as a warning to bloodthirsty Grizzly bears. A former member came up with the name during a camping trip where the question was posed, “What if a bear tries to attack us? We have nothing to protect ourselves except for this bottle of whiskey and some knives.” There have been no reports of bear attacks since then so it seems bears everywhere have taken heed. Recently welcoming big-time bassist Armando Flores to the fold, much like previous illustrious bass players Mike Smith and Travis Rockwell, Flores fits right in as he has been a part of standout bands like Se7en4, Lung Cookie and B-Movie Superstars. Flores is pretty stoked at the opportunity. He shared, “I’m super-stoked to be playing with Whiskey and Knives and ‘Desert OGs’ Jon Arnold, Alfredo Hernández and Jason Baseley! They have been bringing Desert Rock and Punk Rock vibes to the desert scene for ages! It's been years since I've played in a hardcore act and these guys bring it every time!” Having seen video of the band performing with Nick Oliveri in Sky Valley, CA not long ago

and with the buzz of Vol 4, it makes me long for their first big post-pandemic gig. WHISKEY & KNIVES / VOL 4 - LIVE FROM DE NILE – ALBUM REVIEW Side A Whatcha Get - A propulsive start to the album, the entire band is lit here. Hernández’ innate metronome is impeccable, Arnold’s guitar playing is fabulous, the bass is pounding and Baseley’s vocals are edgy. Head Nurse Betty - Another great full-tilt song with a Punk vibe and fast-paced, hardedged melody. Not sure if Nurse Betty is figurative or a real person, but if she is real, we need to party with her! Sancha Mirage - A side chick from the city of Rancho Mirage? Nah, seems to me to be a song about the difficulty of rising and shining out of the funk that’s laced with breakfast cereals. To me, one thing this song is, is a link to the many other desert rock bands that have been brought to existence from many of the “long-established” desert rockers. I have it bad for that Arnold solo and rhythm guitar. Side B Brother Nature - That opening bass line is narcotic. If the album cover were any of these songs, this is it. Half the tempo of Side A, the

BABY BAM BOO!

and heavenly guitar. What a great musical intro to Fitz’s archetypal Rod Serling-type vociferation draped with Meier’s sexy chorus. With Fitz’s radio career, who else better to dictate what it means to be ‘on-air’. “Space rage, radio waves, welcome to the information age”. A great introduction to the Baby Bam Boo modulation if you’ve never heard them before. Baby Bam Boo - A slower bluesy song with a tinge of Doo Wop leads into a funky groove of male and female vocals. The signature Baby Bam Boo sound is laid down here and the title track is an obvious calling card. June, The Goddess of Luv - That 60’s sentiment is apparent. This could have made it on any of the Austin Powers Soundtracks. The drums and percussion drive the song especially

in the intro and after the 3:00 mark. Many ancient cultures have a Goddess of Love as a representation of the numerous different facets reflecting the prevailing society’s views on love, sexuality and marriage. The U.S. could use her help right now. War Drum - Purposely Native American consciousness and drumming are featured here. The tempo change halfway through is juiced up and the guitar takes center stage, then back to the original tempo. Has minimal vocals but the song kicks ass! Audio Video - A keen, revamped and voguish version of Fitz’ globally popular song originally released in 1984 that was his biggest hit and reached #2 in Italy. The video was a smash on MTV.

song’s lyrics are simple, “You’re trippin’ - you’re trippin’ over, You’re mind is slippin’ - slippin’ under”. Strange Devotion - My favorite song from the album; the most breakneck tempo hardcore temp song of the bunch. They slayed this song in the Concert for Autism set. Make sure and check it out online. Overview: Baseley’s spectrum of refined, hoarse and raspy vocals on these songs are gladly received. Arnold’s lucid guitar playing is not self-indulgent by any means. He is a welloiled machine on the album and it goes to his personality of a somewhat hermetic dude who has a lot to articulate. Although Flores’ is not on the record, I can only imagine where he will take the already pungent bass lines laid down by Reeder. Finally Hernández’ drumming remains energetic, aggressive and immersed with accented strokes. The man just keeps etching his place in Rock history. With no Vol I-III, my inkling is the band is going backward in moving forward, whatever the hell that means! Find Whiskey and Knives: facebook.com/whiskeyandknives instagram.com/whiskeyandknivesofficial www.h42records.com Kyuss World Radio Interview with Whiskey & Knives: https://www.fccfreeradio.com/ kyuss-world-radio-61-whiskey-knives-livefrom-de-nile-10-4-20/?fbclid=IwAR2QU8dau GJrGklLgvhUuzfQoSntcBgtqdev-Kl91vE6xZ_ CQJvA006GKZ4.

BY NOE GUTIERREZ Forever In My Dreams - One of my favorite songs on this multifarious album; from the onset it rocks! It’s foreboding and large. You won’t recognize this side of Fitz. The female background vocals are eerie. The bass line stands out. It’s relentless; in my wheelhouse of Rock. Heartbeat - This song is a pleasant alternating of vocal duties between Fitz and Meier. A lively and snappy tune. Funky guitar and bass refreshingly inundate your ear holes. Zero Gravity - That Alternative/Grunge movement is felt here. An edgy and impulsive song; “Have you ever walked the streets alone on Friday night?” Lil’ Sister - Cool bass intro and strutting tempo, guitar has a good hook. Female vocals are wretchedly righteous; a real groovy song with Rock as its basis. This song can stand against any The Cult, Hole or Smashing Pumpkins song. Never Been Easy - Another fetching Funk song; the instrumentation on this album is topnotch. To go from Rock to Funk to Alternative is so “hard, and never been easy”. City of Sin - A commanding song to round out the album. “Into the desert, mouth hot and dry, smile like an angel, the devil in disguise, I’ve been waiting for so long, why don’t you take me, I want it all…City of Sin, why don’t you let me in?” It’s lustful, wicked and indecent in every way and oh so right to end the album. www.jimifitz.com

CONSIDER THIS

or most folks, the continued delight of loving music is the discovery of new artists, sometimes they’re right under your nose. That was my experience after hearing Matt Devine’s new(ish) solo album, A Distant Present. A Los Angeles native, Matt grew up on the edge of the San Fernando Valley in North Hollywood. Apparently, he emerged from the womb loving the Beatles and quickly discovered the Monkees and the Rolling Stones. As a teen he took guitar lessons from legendary L.A. guitarist Click Mort (a.k.a. Christopher Doran) who briefly played guitar in the Cramps and also made his mark in the Loafin’ Hyenas. Pretty soon Matt formed his first band, Lazytown. They hoped their sound would land somewhere between Big Star and the Flying Burrito Brothers, but in reality, it leaned a little closer to the primitive cool of The Replacements. One of the venues they played early on was Jabberjaw. It was there he met Michael Quercio. In the late ‘80s/early ‘90s, Jabberjaw was an eclectic club that provided performance space for up-and-coming artists like Beck, that dog and Elliott Smith. Lazytown had broken up when Matt and Michael first connected. Michael’s well-known band, The Three O’ Clock, had recently ground to a halt as well. Back in the early ‘80s, The Three O’ Clock had been ground zero for the Paisley Underground sound. A loose collective of bands that included the Bangles, The Dream Syndicate and Rain Parade, all managed to harness the D.I.Y. ethos of Punk, but pledged allegiance to the Baroque Psychedelic-Folk sound that characterized ‘60s bands like Love, The Merry-Go-Round, the Seeds and Buffalo Springfield, as well as darker elements like the Velvet Underground and Neil Young. Although each band was critically acclaimed, only the Bangles achieved commercial success. Matt and Michael bonded over a shared affinity for the Byrds, the Left bank and the Stones. They played a couple of impromptu sets just for fun. Matt was impressed by Michael’s new songs, and pretty soon, they were recording 4-track demos together. It became more than a hobby when they invited drummer Chris Bruckner (formerly of the Marsupials) to join them. Named for a song from the Godz second album, Permanent Green Light (PGL) was Michael on bass, Matt on guitar and Chris on drums. Michael and Matt split vocal duties and songwriting chores pretty evenly. An early champion was legendary KROQ DJ, Rodney Bingenheimer. He put PGL’s songs into heavy rotation on his show. Not long after, they were sharing stages with bands like the Fastbacks, Shonen Knife, The Muffs, Teenage Fanclub and Redd Kross. PGL released an EP via the tiny Gastanka label but found a more permanent home at Rockville Records. Their lone long-player, Against Nature, was produced by Earle Mankey (20/20, The Runaways, The Long Ryders, Concrete Blonde and the Three O’

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MATT DEVINE

Clock). It received glowing reviews and they had cultivated a passionate fan-base, but national attention eluded the three-piece. Grunge and icky Rap-Rock were dominating the charts, edging out more interesting music. It felt like just as PGL was just getting started, things began to fall apart, so they called it quits. Matt went on to form Ventilator, and they released two albums. He also toured with Medicine and was later a part of the band Possum Dixon. Michael and Chris added Brad Lindsey on guitar and Erik Trickett on keys and became Jupiter Affect. Early in the 21th century Matt and his wife relocated to Austin, Texas, lured by the thriving music scene. They were there a little more than a decade before returning to the City Of Angels. In recent years Matt has remained busy playing guitar on a new Medicine album, which featured ex-Paisley habitue, original Bangles bassist, Annette Zilinskas. He also added some guitar to the latest record from GospelbeacH. In 2018, Omnivore Recordings released, hallucinations, a fairly comprehensive Permanent Green Light compilation. Renewed interest in the band resulted in a few live shows and soon, the ageless trio were back in the recording studio, relying once, again on producer Earle Mankey. Permanent Green Light’s new album is due in 2021. Meanwhile, during this (never-ending) Covid quarantine lockdown, Matt dusted off some solo home recordings made mostly with friends during his tenure in Austin. Recently the ten tracks were mastered and the result is his official solo debut, A Distant Present. There’s always that moment when you put on an album hoping for the best and fearing the worst. I knew Matt as the guitarist/ vocalist for my favorite post-Paisley Thrash Baroque Power (Pop) trio, so I kinda knew what to expect. But as each song unfurled, I got this sort of musical um, lady-wood, that is few and far between at my advanced age. The opening couple of tracks set the tone for the album. “Runaways Hide” simply roars out of the speakers, all pummeling drums, blitzkrieg bass and fuzzy guitars. Matt’s vocals are filtered and stuttery at first, but quickly return to his sunny boyish tenor. Opaque lyrics allude to something close to a MileHigh Club membership; “Feel the pressure drop, to lift your feet in the air/Let the static drop and occupy the seat of an empty chair.” Supersonic guitars hit the sound barrier on the break, before the whole enterprise winds down like wobbly aircraft making an emergency landing. Second up is “Rail.” Had Gram Parsons ever collaborated with The Merry-Go-Round (R.I.P. Emitt Rhodes), it might sound like this irresistible slice of jangly Country-Pop. Chiming acoustic guitars connect with a clickity-clack beat, rumbling bass and keening pedal steel. Matt stacks harmonies, as lyrics seem to bemoan progress, yearning for old forms of public transportation like Red Line streetcars, instead of the mostly underground Metro Rail; “The cars are parking down on the

October 22 to October 28, 2020

“A DISTANT PRESENT” (MATT-DEVINE.BANDCAMP.COM) BY ELENI P. AUSTIN

old rail line, I think the city is so cold-hearted/A transportational work of art is dead, another way out has been discarded.” Rippling power chords detonate like smart bombs the break, as feathery pedal steel notes dart along the edge, bookended by a pile-driving backbeat. There’s an ache to “Wheels” that is neatly camouflaged by crashing drums, brittle bass and buzzy guitars. Matt’s crackly, matter-offact vocals almost obscure the lyrics’ tender reportage, observations gleaned while dealing with an elder with cognitive issues; “Leaving the books that were set by your bed and never read, wiping the tears from your eyes that you cried but never wept/ When I look into you, you aren’t staring at me, you are peeping at someone you’ve never known.” A spiky guitar solo and a crushing primordial beat lock into a willful pas de deux, just before everything stops on a dime. Conversely, “Leaving New York City” is a Countrified charmer powered by ringing electric riffs, sugary acoustic notes, loping bass lines and a snappy backbeat. Straightforward lyrics pick up the story of of a New York transplant yearning to escape the city; “She knows that life is beautiful, but in a winter way.” Matt’s sunny tenor conveys empathy and compassion. Flickering guitar licks on the bridge underscore the big decisions being made; “She sees the city fading, from a bedroom masquerading as a big jet plane/She has a family waiting, and she knows they’ll keep on waiting, in a winter way they stand in place.” Fat, teardrop riffs cascade on the break, as willowy acoustic guitars dovetail with honeyed harmonies, bringing the song to a close. On an album stacked with superlative songs, three stand out from the pack. “Happy New Year” is a bittersweet bit of wishful thinking. Phased guitars fall in lock-step with boomerang bass lines, searing pedal steel and a Jazz-tinged shuffle rhythm. Guitars fracture in the echo and sway, and lines like “I can only blame myself for tomorrow, ‘cause I’m wishing for things I can’t have/Last year was such a bad one, spending all that time lying flat on my back,” seem tailor-made for these contentious and contagious days. HonkyTonk piano notes peek out of the mix on the final verse as wordless vocals crest over the instrumental coda. Meanwhile, both “You are My Radio” and “Compilation Tape” follow the Shakespearean

edict; “If music be the food of love, play on.” The former toggles between moody and reflective, recalling a time when life was all romance and road trips, fueled by Rock & Roll. Clangorous guitars and a tick-tock rhythm give way to a pounding backbeat, wily bass and suitably Psychedelic guitars. The lyrics spotlight halcyon days of “Coffee cups and pills we stole, to stay up late… and singing ‘Na-na-na, na-na-na,’ you are my radio, the car ride’s long ‘cause the speaker’s blown.” Guitars cantilever, flash and strobe over a see-saw beat on the break, adding a hint of yearning and melancholy. The latter is a Glam-tastic banger powered by angular guitars, tensile bass and a hopscotch beat. Sweet lyrics like “You are several of my favorite tunes, I’d sit there dreaming on and on, and make a compilation tape for you,” seem nostalgic for things that haven’t happened yet. At the same time, Matt includes a subtle shout-out to OG heroes like Big Star when he recalls “Late night on my apartment row, rewound to ‘O My Soul/Back then we had time to burn, but I can still return.” As the arrangement gathers speed, the beat gets stompier colliding with bubblegum crunch guitars that sting, strafe and shred until the plug is finally pulled from the amp. Other interesting tracks include a shimmery take of Beck’s “Lost Cause” and “Flight To L.A.” a jittery instrumental that sounds like Donkey Kong meets Keyboard Cat. The album closes with the bare-bones “Take It Away.” Here it’s pared down to Matt’s coltish vocals and some sunshiny acoustic guitar. Lyrics like “City streets don’t wear down, as my feet fall to the ground/ But all the gardeners hesitate, they grow their gardens and lock their gates,” seem to cautiously make peace with his hometown. Matt is mostly a one-man band here, but he had some help from several well-known Austin-ites like George Duron (drums), John Leon (pedal steel), and Jon Sanchez (guitar) from Summer Wardrobe and Roky Erickson. Jeff Copas (bass) and Carrie Clark from Sixteen Deluxe and Elevated Lines, co-wrote “Happy New Year.” Geoff Lasch from The Militant Babies added guitar, Fastball’s Tony Scalzo played piano and Bryon Reynolds, who goes back with Matt to their Ventilator and Possum Dixon days, pounded his drum kit on several cuts. A Distant Present is one of those great albums that whizzes by in a brilliant blur. Sly melodies partner with sharp arrangements, crisp instrumentation, deft lyrics and sweet vocals. Stepping into the spotlight, (mostly) on his own, Matt has managed to create a sound that distills early inspirations like Flying Burrito Brother and Big Star without ever feeling contrived or derivative. More than a distant present, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

October 22 to October 28, 2020

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EVENTS

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October 22 to October 28, 2020

BY MADELINE ZUCKERMAN MAMA’S HOUSE ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR ELDER TO BE 1 OF 2 FEATURED SPEAKERS AT THIS MAMA’S 8TH ANNUAL HEARTBEAT OF LOVE LUNCHEON LARRY HOUSE MAJOR FUNDRAISER – SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2021

ama’s House, the only residential home within the Coachella Valley providing shelter for women in crisis pregnancies, has announced plans for the organization’s Eighth Annual HEARTbeat of Love Luncheon. This highly-anticipated event will take place on Saturday, February 6, 2021, at Indian Wells Renaissance Resort and Spa, located at 44400 Indian Wells Lane, in Indian Wells, CA. The event will commence at 11:00 a.m. and will conclude at 1:30 p.m. “This year we are doing it again with 2 speakers!” stated Jan Lupia, Founder and Executive Director of Mama’s House. “I am pleased to announce that Larry Elder will be one of the two speakers who will be with us in February… Second speaker announcement coming in November. Again, we are expecting a dynamic turnout.” Known as a “firebrand libertarian” according to DAILY VARIETY, Larry is also an Attorney, best-selling Author, Radio and TV Talk Show Host, and Executive Producer of the highly-acclaimed documentary “Uncle Tom,” and the movie “Michael and Me.” With his signature take-no-prisoners style, using oldfashioned things like evidence and logic, Elder shines the bright light of reasoned analysis on many myths and hypocrisies apparent in our government, society, and media with facts, common sense, and a ready wit. The recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Elder has hosted the longestrunning afternoon drive-time Radio Show in Los Angeles since March 1994. In 2016, “The Larry Elder Show” was nationally syndicated for Salem Radio Networks, where he still sizzles on the airwaves! His limited government/ personal responsibility views have made him one of the most in-demand radio personalities and cable news pundits in the country - seen

often on Fox News with Sean Hannity. President Donald Trump just announced Larry Elder has been appointed a member of the Commission on the Social Status of Black men and boys. This Commission was signed into law by President Trump on August 14, 2020, and was established to study and make recommendations to the President addressing conditions affecting Black men and boys. “That so many children, particularly black children, are raised without fathers in the home, is our nation's most pressing domestic problem,” states Elder. “President Barack Obama said that a child raised without a father in the home is five times more likely to be poor and commit crime, nine times more likely to drop out of school, and 20 times more likely to end up in jail. We need to ask ourselves if we are incentivizing women to marry the government, and if we are incentivizing men to abandon their financial and moral responsibility,” he continued. Don't miss this opportunity to meet and enjoy the humor and brilliant logic of Larry

Elder, also known as the “Sage of South Central.” On Friday evening, February 5, 2021, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., at a private location within the Coachella Valley, Mama’s House will host an exclusive VIP Reception and Dinner for major donors with the speakers. Sponsorships are immediately available, and all include admission to the VIP Reception on Friday, February 5, 2021, with a limited number including the VIP Dinner with the speakers. Sponsorships range from $750 all the way up to $60,000 for a Premier Sponsorship. Individual Luncheon tickets are priced at $125 and go on sale beginning November 2, 2020. For Sponsorship info, please contact Jan Lupia directly at 760-406-3413 or 844-232-8622 ext. 1, or email her at janlupia@themamashouse. org ABOUT MAMA’S HOUSE On July 27, 2013, Mama’s House opened its doors to its first resident Mom. Mama’s House offers a safe, supportive, loving, and nurturing residential environment for women who

are facing an unplanned pregnancy with no place to live and no means of support. Today, there are so many good things happening at Mama’s House, as this nonprofit celebrates its Seventh Anniversary. Over these years, Mama’s House has welcomed more than 250 residents and their babies. At Hope Center, the educational and counseling extension of Mama’s House, the organization offers additional services to the residents, their baby’s fathers, and often their families, while also providing many of these same services to the community-at-large. These services include, but are not limited to parenting, job and life skills, domestic violence and anger management classes, support groups for those wounded by abuse, addiction, abortion, and more. Hope Center has partnered with the Coachella Valley Adult School to offer High School Diploma and GED programs. We have recently obtained a property where we will be expanding our services in the future. Mama’s House is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Tax ID# 45-4384613.

during Operation Allied Force. In total, the aircraft has 5,140 hours of flight. The Palm Springs Air Museum contains over 71 vintage airframes from World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War contained in 86,000 square feet of open hangars and on the tarmac. Additional displays and memorabilia are located

throughout the hangar facilities. Hours are 10 am to 5 pm. Admission rates range from $11.50 to $18.50. Kids 12 and under get in free with paid adult admission. Discounts for seniors and teenagers. Active military and immediate family are free with ID. For more info, visit PalmSpringsAirMuseum.org or call 760-778-6262 during business hours.

THE F-117 EXPERIENCE AT THE PALM SPRINGS AIR MUSEUM & GUEST SPEAKER LINE UP

o support the intense public interest in the Stealth Fighter #-833, there will be six upcoming F-117A Exclusive Visitor Experiences at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Five of the six F-117A Nighthawk expert guest speakers are now confirmed for this series. The F-117A Stealth Fighter was developed and built by the Skunk Works Division of Lockheed Martin. Each experience lasts 90 minutes and includes a different Skunk Works Expert or F-117 pilot to interpret the airplane, a different Limited Edition T-Shirt, and a chance to look inside the cockpit for each session. The F-117 Experience dates and confirmed guest speakers are: Friday October 30th with Steve Justice, the Former Director of Advanced Systems Development at Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works Division Friday November 27th, with Sherm Mullin, Lockheed Skunk Works Head, Advanced Tactical Fighter Program

Saturday November 28th, with James “JB” Brown, former Chief of Flight Operations, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works Division, Chief Test Pilot for the F-117 Nighthawk Saturday, December 26th, with Neil Kacena, Vice President, Advanced Development Programs, Lockheed Martin Saturday, January 2nd Saturday, February 6th, with Bob Loschke, F-117 Flight Control Systems Research, Flight Control System Analysis, Development, and Testing – 36 years with Lockheed Martin These very, limited availability tickets are $45 each or $245 for the entire series of 6 (six) Experiences. Each experience will take place in the evening at 5 PM. Tickets may be purchased online at PSAirMuseum.org/ programs/f117-experience/ Stealth Fighter F-117A #833 is the second highest combat mission aircraft in the fleet, logging 75 combat hours during Operation Desert Storm and Allied Force. The aircraft was also the 49th Wing Commander's aircraft

EVENTS

October 22 to October 28, 2020

PET PLACE

ooking for vacation ideas as the stay-athome year 2020 finally comes to an end? A trip to the spectacular Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, nestled in a beautiful red rock Utah canyon, is a journey to Mecca for nature lovers and animal lovers. In 2008, my good friend Linda Olvera and I spent a week volunteering at this magical site. We signed up to volunteer in several of their separate sanctuaries, including the Old Dog sanctuary, the puppy sanctuary, and the Bird sanctuary. Nothing could have prepared us for the majestic beauty of Angel Canyon bounded by red rocks, just 5 miles north of Kanab, Utah, a charming Western town. Our first stop was at the Visitor’s center for a free sanctuary tour, a trip that left us animal lovers spell bound. We could not have imagined the animal miracles and the many programs happening in each “mini sanctuary.” The 1,700 rescue animals call the red rock canyon their “home between homes” where they are loved, vetted, rehabilitated and adopted after often enduring a difficult past. There are dogs, disabled dogs, senior dogs, cats, disabled cats, rabbits, birds, horses, pigs, mules, sheep, and other barnyard creatures housed in separate areas, creatively spaced miles apart on 3,700 acres of breath-taking country. Their Dogtown was featured in a long running National Geographic television program. In 2008, the Michael Vick fighting dogs arrived at Best Friends in what proved to be one of the most amazing dog rehabilitation programs in our country. Their special retraining program resulted in almost all of the 22 “Vicktory” dogs getting adopted. Some even became therapy dogs, and one is in a children’s reading program at a library. The results of this “experiment” changed the way confiscated fighting dogs, once automatically euthanized, are now evaluated individually by shelters across our country. A Victory dog is pictured here giving a grateful kiss. Best Friends has programs and conferences across the country. They were one of the first organizations on the ground during Katrina. Best Friends has established “No Kill” programs in many communities. They lead the battle to convert our nation’s public shelters to the “No Kill” model by the year 2025 (generally defined as a 90% live release rate). One of their founders reminisces, “We could never have imagined how the simple and seemingly obvious idea that homeless pets should be saved rather than killed would change the world of animal welfare.” They continue to push the envelope as to what constitutes an “adoptable” animal.

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DREAM VACATION TO BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SANCTUARY

After a morning of training the puppies with the guidance of a Best Friends dog trainer, we were ready for lunch. The Angel’s Camp café offers a delicious array of vegetarian and vegan dishes, overlooking an expansive view of the red rock canyon. The gift shop was unlike any other, and of course you can purchase holiday gifts online before your visit. While there are opportunities to explore on your own, it is recommended you book lodging and activities including volunteer assignments well in advance. Situated in the heart of the Golden Circle, you can easily make side trips to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and the Grand Canyon. There are cottages and RV sites on the grounds but lodging at Best Friends is often booked up a year in advance. A new pet-centric motel, the BF Roadhouse and Mercantile, recently opened, offering a healthy vegan breakfast. We located a comfortable motel in nearby Kanab. The motel desk clerk inquired as to whether we were bringing a dog from Best Friends in their “doggie sleepover” program, and of course our answer was “Yes”. During the early days, locals were a bit suspicious of the “hippie animal lovers” arriving in their town. Today Best Friends is the biggest employer in that part of Utah, and local residents are proud of and often involved with the sanctuary. My friend Linda recalls, “It felt like the animals were truly at home in this incredible place. There is a feeling of comfort, safety, and happiness from the animals who live there, unlike any other place or shelter. Getting to see a variety of animals with each group having its own sanctuary was amazing. The gorgeous rescue birds were particularly beautiful. The staff and volunteers take such good care of the animals!” A state of the art veterinary clinic on site provides medical care for the residents,

including some precious creatures with special needs. I make a yearly donation to this wonderful organization and receive their monthly magazine containing inspiring animal stories. You can follow them on Facebook at “Best Friends Animal Society”. They offer so many online programs to help pet owners and other animal welfare organizations, and the message is always positive and uplifting. You could spend hours on their website but be sure to take the tour of the sanctuary, www.bestfriends.org. Every animal there is a hero, and so are the group of “best friends” who came together 37 years ago to make a difference for them. There is no place on earth like Best Friends. In 2019, over 30,000 visitors made the journey to the Sanctuary. Their slogan HELP SAVE THEM ALL inspires each of us to join this movement. Not only does Best Friends save at risk animals, it transforms the lives of the people who journey there. Janetmcafee8@gmail.com ------------------------------------------------------Below is a partial list of shelters and rescues in the Inland Empire with animals for adoption. They are currently closed for walkins, and you must call for an appointment. You can view most of their animals online before calling. Thank you for rescuing! COACHELLA VALLEY ANIMAL CAMPUS – The county shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. You can view the animals at all four Riverside county shelters at www. rcdas.org, and get the ID number of the animal you want to adopt. Email them the animal’s ID number at shelterinfo@rivco.org, or schedule a virtual adoption appointment at www.rcdas. org, 72050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms, (760) 343-3644. (Public) PALM SPRINGS ANIMAL SHELTER – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. They schedule appointments Wednesday through Monday. View their animals online at www. psanimalsshelter.org, 4575 E. Mesquite Ave, Palm Springs, (760) 416-5718. (Public) ANIMAL SAMARITANS – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. View their animals at www.animalsamaritans. org. Email acorrow@animalsamaritans.org to foster. Located at 72307 Ramon Rd, Thousand Palms, (760) 601-3918. (Private) CALIFORNIA PAWS RESCUE - The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment

BY JANET McAFEE

to adopt. Located at 73650 Dinah Shore, Palm Desert. View their animals at www. californiapawsrescue.com, (760) 656-8833. (Private) HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt a dog or cat. This shelter has lots of big dogs in addition to small dogs and cats. View some of their animals at www.orphanpet.com. Located at 17825 N. Indian Canyon, Palm Springs, (760) 329-0203. (Private) KITTYLAND – The shelter is closed so call for an appointment to adopt a cat. Located at 67600 18th Avenue, Desert Hot Springs, www. kittylandrescue.org, (760) 251-2700. (Private) FOREVER MEOW – Foster based rescue for cats located in Rancho Mirage. Contact them at www.ForeverMeow.org, (760) 335-6767. (Private) PRETTY GOOD CAT – Foster based rescue for cats located in La Quinta. Contact them at www. prettygoodcat.com, (760) 660-3414 (Private) LOVING ALL ANIMALS – The shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. Located at 83496 Avenue 51, Coachella, www.lovingallanimals.org, (760) 8347000. (Private) MORONGO BASIN HUMANE SOCIETY – Located at 4646 Sun View Rd, Joshua Tree, www. mbhumanesociety.com, call between 11am4pm for updates (760) 366-3786 (Private) CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ANIMAL SHELTER – Shelter is closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. Hours for adoption 10am – 4pm Tuesday thru Sat. Google “City of San Bernardino Animal Shelter” for website to view animals and get the ID number of the animal you want to meet. Located at 333 Chandler Place, San Bernardino, (909) 384-1304 or (909) 384-7272. (Public) SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER AT DEVORE – Shelter closed but you can call for an appointment to adopt. Call (909) 386-9280 daily. View animals at www.sbcounty. gov/acc and get the ID number of animal you want to meet. Located at 19777 Shelter Way, San Bernardino (Public). DREAM TEAM ANGELS RESCUE - Foster based rescue located in Grand Terrace/San Bernardino area. Contact them through website www.DreamTeamangelsrescue.com, (360) 688-8884. (Private)

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October 22 to October 28, 2020

SCREENERS

ACK TO THE FUTURE: ULTIMATE TRILOGY In honor of BACK TO THE FUTURE’S 35th anniversary, one of the biggest motion picture trilogies comes to 4K Ultra HD for the first time ever. Now we can experience this terrific movie as never before with over an hour of new bonus features with rare casting auditions of actors Ben Stiller, Kyra Sedgwick, Jon Cryer, Billy Zane, Peter DeLuise and C. Thomas Howell, a tour of the film’s props and memorabilia hosted by co-writer/producer. Bob Gale, a sneak peek at the new musical show and a special episode of the Popular You Tube Series “Could You Survive The Movies?” Join Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and a time traveling DeLorean for the adventure of a lifetime as they travel to the past, present and future, setting of a time-shattering chain reaction that disrupts the space-time continuum! Deluxe packaging includes all three movies in a collectible discbook plus allnew bonus content. For the first time, the past, present and future collide in eye-popping Ultra HD resolution for a tike traveling celebration. The

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No. 444

“YOUR FUTURE IS WHATEVER YOU MAKE IT.” –DOC BROWN

newly restored transfer delivers the highest quality picture, more colors than ever before, and immersive, multidimensional sound. From filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, this memorable anniversary collection features hours of bonus features and is an unrivaled trilogy that stands the test of time making this a must-own for everyone’s movie library. All three films are available on 4K Ultra

HD as well as Blu-ray and DVD. The huge horde of watchable extras makes this an essential film for the digital home library. This immensely entertaining film has not only one of the cleverest titles and story structures but also showcases superior craftsmanship in all areas of production. Seeing it in a pristine, ultrahigh definition transfer only ads to the pleasure. Especially if you are lucky enough to have big (80“) home screen

BY ROBIN E. SIMMONS (QLED or OLED?). This state of the art edition is as good as home video gets – even for a 35-year-old film. Universal. Note to the collector: The 35th Anniversary Trilogy Limited Edition Gift Set (4K UHD) includes a levitating Hoverboard replica (exclusive on Amazon). robin@coachellavalleyweekly.com

BREAKING THE4TH WALL

THE INCITING INCIDENT

he inciting incident in a play is what starts all of the action of the story that follows. It is an event that hooks the viewer and thrusts the protagonist into the main action of the story. Frequently the inciting incident will occur before the first act even starts. A death, an accident, someone is arrested or evicted. It is THE thing that starts the story. For today’s theatre, that inciting incident has been a Global Pandemic called Covid-19. It was the explosion that caused theatrical stories to be thrust in to action. And so many are starting their second acts, how do we produce theatre differently now that the traditional process of sitting in an intimate, indoor space, with audiences close together, is not feasible for the time being. The imagination and determination of theatre artists is what is propelling this story forward. Recent news has reported that Broadway is not looking at reopening until June 2021. And a general consensus among desert theatres seems to be that many are looking at moving their shows outdoors until the state of California is safe enough from the Coronavirus to allow indoor presentations. Some of my favorite outdoor Los Angeles Venues are the John Ford Anson theatre, the Hollywood Bowl and the Greek Theatre. Though these venues have been used primarily for music or film, with some adjustments you can imagine the amphitheaters of old. Outdoor staging requires some serious adjustments for live, theatrical productions. Sound and lights being the first two that come to mind. Voices carry very differently without walls. I wanted to check in with our Coachella Valley theatres on their status and what they anticipated for the forceable future. We are still knee-deep in this pandemic, but these talented and brilliant people are working hard behind the scenes to bring their craft back to the desert stages. Robbie Wayne, Desert Rose Playhouse stated, “First I want to say that although the news that Broadway will not attempt to reopen prior to June 2021 may not be what we all want to hear, we commend them for taking this pandemic seriously and not letting revenues affect their decisions when it comes to keeping their cast, crew, production teams, and patrons safe. We have several strategies that we are currently preparing to be ready for whatever the near future brings. Those include smaller casts for possible live productions and acquiring streaming rights for those productions in the event that we can’t present them to a live audience when the time comes. At this time, we have a full season of 8 performances scheduled to start in April but are holding off on making the official announcement of those dates and shows for a few more weeks

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BY DEE JAE COX

as circumstances change daily.” Coachella Valley Repertory’s Marketing Director, Tracey Essex indicated that, in partnership with the City of Cathedral City, CV Rep is planning to launch productions at the outdoor Amphitheater starting December 12, 2020. CVRep and Cathedral City have jointly petitioned the State for a variance/waiver to be able to offer outdoor live entertainment. The State is currently considering the request. Jerome Elliot, Desert Ensemble Theatre, stated, “I would say the general consensus is that every company has been working towards a January re-opening of some sort, either outdoors, or indoors with reduced capacity. But I believe the Broadway announcement will have a ripple effect across the country. We will continue to look to the state and the county for guidance.” David Catanzarite, Artistic Director of the Greenroom Theatre, states that they are exploring outdoor venues and planning to acquire an outdoor sound system. Cara Van Dijk, Palm Canyon Theatre, is working with the Alliance of Desert Theatres in an effort to reach out to other similar theatre alliances and local lawmakers in order to open discussions with the State about developing a safe reopening plan for smaller theatres (300 or less.) and may include arrangements for outdoor venues. Talks are still in preliminary stages, hopefully something will be announced shortly. Clark Dugger, Dezart Performs, expressed a very real and common concern, COVID TESTING. “We were planning to do an interactive online version of the one-person play we had to cancel last season, Every Brilliant Thing, in November. What has caused us to push it back now (hopefully in January) is the requirement by Equity that we have all actors and anyone who comes in contact with them be tested once a week with a 48 hour turnaround. The challenge is the 48 hour turnaround. We cannot find a place that will guarantee 48 hour results. Yes, some people have told us they have received results in less than 48 hours, but no place we have contacted can guarantee it.” Even in the most unstable times there are those who take the reins and plow forward through the uncertainty. Is it any wonder that theatre has survived for 2000 years? Each generation produces those that refuse to give up on the art, regardless of the challenges. Coachella Valley Theatre artists are some of the torch bearers who will ensure that the stage is not dark for too long. Dee Jae Cox is a playwright, director and producer. She is the Cofounder and Artistic Director of The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Project. losangeleswomenstheatreproject.org palmspringstheatre.com

THEATRE

October 22 to October 28, 2020

BY CRYSTAL HARRELL

NORTH STAR THEATRE REOPENS WITH NEW SHOW DATES

he performing arts has been one of the many industries impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, forcing many venues and companies to get creative with how they present their shows to audiences in order to comply with COVID safety protocols. North Star Theatre Company has re-opened as a new live drive-in theater, brought to you by a group of seasoned actors, directors, and theater creatives that have helmed and starred in countless live productions on dozens of stages throughout the Coachella Valley. The new venue for North Star will be at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, with live performances of West Side Story playing on January 17 through February 11, with performances on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights at 7:30 p.m. West Side Story will be performed outside while theatergoers watch comfortably from their vehicles and listen through FM radio transmission. “My partner James Owens and I went to see one of their drive-in movies to get an idea of how they were staging it. We thought it was a great space, so we reached out to the Executive Director of the Cultural Center and he was very interested in our theater,” explained Christine Michele, Co-Founder and President of North Star Theatre Company. North Star Theatre’s primary goal centers on creating an atmosphere that is inclusive and celebrates diversity. Those involved believe that theater should be accessible to everyone, and are passionate about expanding opportunities for members in the desert community to experience the world of theater. Along with Michele as Co-Founder and President, other important players of North Star Theatre Company include Co-Founder and Treasurer James Owens, Vice President Miguel Arballo, Secretary Stephanie Jauregui, and Board Member at Large Kaylyn Bernal. The idea for West Side Story being the first

play performed in the new year came about not only because of its classic reputation, but also the fact that Steven Spielberg’s film version of the musical will be coming out in movie theaters in December. When Hollywood was ready to begin production, the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG AFTRA) created COVID-19 guidelines for the industry called “The Safe Way Forward” and North Star Theatre Company adopted many of those guidelines. “Our whole idea for a drive-in theater was born out of the pandemic. We saw an opportunity to bring live theater back to the community in a new, safe, and inventive way. Theater and art have always been a source of inspiration, not only for the audience, but for the actors as well, and there has been a clear lack of inspiration in the world lately,” said Michele. There are some challenges that come with the guidelines that many other theaters are encountering as well, such as coordinating virtual rehearsals, virtual casting, and following safety protocols. These inconveniences, however, do not outweigh Michele’s favorite part of owning the North Star Theatre, which is creating a safe space and a place that can be a beacon of hope and inspiration for the theater community. “We built this theater on a foundation of creativity, overcoming obstacles, and thinking outside the box. And that is what we intend to keep doing. In the sudden absence of theater, many have come to realize just how important theater is in a community. If we can take one thing away as a positive, it would be to never take theater for granted,” stated Michele. Those interested in attending a show can go to the North Star Theatre Company’s website at northstartheatre.org, their Facebook page, North Star Theatre, or their Instagram page @ northstartheatrecompany for more information and ticket dates.

October 22 to October 28, 2020

THE VINO VOICE

ast week, we re-alerted ourselves to the aromas of autumn. Or, rather we spoke on remembering the particular smells we enjoy in a Fall season wine; the wines we transition to when going from summer Sauv Blancs and Pinot Grige on our way to full-bodied hearty red and white wines of winter. However, in the month of Halloween, this week we’re turning to a spirit. “But this is a wine column!!”, they jeer. (Please—our gracious publisher Tracy has me on a long leash.) If it makes us feel better, the spirit I’ll be writing on is indeed a “grape” spirit. If at first it sounds a little off, after all we make vodka from grain and potatoes; rum from sugar cane; Scotch from grain and peat; Tequila from the agave plant, etc., well—what does distilling grape juice get you? The answer of course is brandy. And if your brandy is made from the particular and exclusive area in France, you can call your brandy—Cognac. Full disclosure: I’m a big, big fan of Cognac— always have been. I remember as a teenager, scientifically experimenting with different “dark spirit” beverages and I found Cognac to be to my preference over the bourbons of America and the rums of the Caribbean. My friend Eddie—a spirits salesman at Total Wines for the last two decades, told me, “Of course you prefer Cognac—you’re a wine guy.” Anyway—back in the day in Europe, or even further to Biblical times, every population distilled something to drink and enjoy after a full day of work. I love the passage in Scripture where the Lord tells his Chosen, “Hey—get over to Jerusalem for the Passover, but, if things are too difficult to make the journey, then take the money it would have cost you to travel and buy

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SUCH IS LIFE: AN EAU-DE-VIE STORY

some strong drink and enjoy it prayerfully in your household.” Deut. 14:26 (Please excuse my personal translation—but it’s accurate as to the command.) Anyway—back in the day throughout Europe, any distilled beverage, i.e., strong drink, was parochially referred to as the “water of life”— of course in their own language. In Poland and around those parts, they shortened the term to simply “water” or in Polish—“vodka”. In French, the term was “Eau de Vie [Oh-duh-Vee]. It’s still used today, along with another term for a distilled fruit beverage—marc. The term “eau(x) de vie is primarily used for grapes; “marc” for other fruits such as apples, pears, etc. With the French distilling laws, all eaux de

vie must be aged in oak barrels for at least one year to be deemed a brandy. For a brandy to be called Cognac, it must be made from specified grape varieties a majority of Ugni Blanc, with small portions of Colombard and Folle Blanche allowed, double-distilled in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in Limousin or Tronçais oak barrels. As a Cognac lover, through the years I’ve been quite aware of the world-class Cognac brands that exist. And most of us well know the Hennesseys, the Couvoisiers, the Martells and the Rémy Martins that are on the spirits shelves everywhere. Of course, there are less-known Cognac that rates with the best. One of my favorite stories was when my investigator brought a couple of friends to a fancy dinner so they could meet and consider me to represent them in a major legal proceeding. I was hired that evening; and, they agreed to pay for dinner. With a similar gesture, my investigator “suggested” that I treat the table to an after-dinner drink. Of course, I was all in; my investigator suggested a shot of Louis XIII Cognac; I unwittingly seconded that! This was back in the late 80s, and although I enjoyed Cognac, I had never experienced Rémy Martin’s premier Cognac: Louis XIII, which is a blend of “1,200 eaux de vie” between 40 and 100 years old, aged in oak barrels that are several hundred years old. A bottle of Louis XIII now goes for around $3800. Back then, maybe around $2500. But back then, a shot of anything costing $125. was almost unheard of. Although my liquor tab was more than the meal—I will say it was one of the best liquors I’ve ever tasted. Enter now, Rémy Martin V, $40. (pronounced as the letter “v”, not the Roman numeral “five”).

BY RICK RIOZZA

The bottle catches one’s attention; a frosty liquor bottle with transparent liquid inside. The label is a chic French silver-gray with a royal red “V” centered. So, at first glance, knowing that the French firm of Rémy Martin produces world class Cognac—one can think perhaps this is a type of Cognac, or is it a fancy type of vodka? Well—with lots of clues above, I think you’ve figured it is, indeed, an eau-de-vie. The label itself translates “Eau De Vie” as 100% Distilled Grape Spirits. It can't fall under that brandy appellation as it is not aged. And as for vodka, V has too much flower and fruit to fall into that "odorless, tasteless" category. The director of Rémy Martin Cognacs and Estates, Vincent Geré, says that the purpose of the clear spirit "is to have an innovative spirit with the potential to mix." He adds that it is a reaction to nightlife and cocktail culture that has swept America in recent years. "It became clear that we had a role to play.” Rémy has worked with renowned mixologists to formulate drinks to be made with V, some of which follow. We would also suggest using it in place of gin or vodka in established cocktails, such as the Gimlet, Screwdriver, Martini, and Bloody Mary, or mixed with sodas such as quinine tonic or bitter lemon. Rémy Martin states that V has aromas of pears, citrus (primarily oranges), hard candy, some flowery wine notes, bread dough and slight mint. The pears and oranges continue, joined by honey and lemon drops. We’ll cover “wine cocktails” next time. Cheers!

BREWTALITY

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October 22 to October 28, 2020

BY AARON RAMSON

BREWTALITY REVIEWS COOL KIDZ JUICY IPA

ver since the IPA eclipsed the pale ale to become the standard bearer of the American craft beer movement, breweries have pushed boundaries, innovated techniques, created substyles, and forced bad ideas, all in the name of progress. Beginning life as a substantially strong and bitter pale ale, the style has spawned lasting trends (who knew the session IPA style would have this much longevity?) as well as fleeting fads (rest in peace, brut IPA, we hardly knew ye), and by 2020, the IPA has branched off into two distinct styles; hazy and clear. Beginning life as the NEIPA (New England, or North East IPA), the hazy style has come to represent a very different flavor than that of the classic, west coast clear, but a third adverb started to appear a couple of years ago, the word juicy. What exactly is a juicy IPA? The term hazy offers a visual of the turbid appearance of the NEIPA style, but does nothing to describe the flavor within the glass. Anyone who’s had a good hazy IPA knows that flavor and mouthfeel are just as important as the appearance when it comes to judging what we like bout this style. While the classic, clear IPA is highly bittered and has a flavor that combines grapefruit and pine notes, the hazy style utilizes varieties with tropical and stone fruit flavors. Breweries began using the term juicy to describe the softer, fruitier profile that usually accompanies the turbid, hazy IPA. The appearance of the NE style can vary from swirling to barely opaque, leading many breweries to drop the word hazy from the name, and start calling their softer, fruitier IPAs juicy instead. The term juicy brings to mind intense fruit flavor, sweetness, smoothness, and fullness. If you’re going to call your product juicy, consumers are going to imagine the taste they want before they take their first sip, so these factors have to be in place to satisfy demand. Enter Walnut Creek, CA’s Calicraft Brewing Company, and their flagship IPA, “Cool Kidz”. The breweries website announces “Cool Kidz Juicy IPA, featuring all the cool hops! Our take on the modern-day, juicy IPA. Mosaic and Citra hops burst from the glass, bringing loads of bright citrus and ripe tropical aromatics. A malt bill filled with oats gives smooth body and balances the hops - giving a juice like impression and minimal bitterness. Move over standard IPAs, there’s a new kid on the block!” Mosaic and Citra are hop varieties so ubiquitous that even new craft drinkers may be familiar with their names. While different

breweries are known to use everything from spelt to flour to add turbidity to their hazy IPA, oats give a distinctive mouthfeel as well as luminous appearance to beer. With an overabundance of IPAs already on your store shelves, does Cool Kidz have what it takes to stand out from the crowd? COOL KIDZ JUICY IPA – CALICRAFT BREWING CO, WALNUT CREEK, CA. 7.2% ABV, 45 IBU APPEARANCE: Cool Kidz pours a golden hue, slightly opaque with bits of sediment floating in my glass. This is not the swirling, orange juice murk that some breweries achieve, but this beer never advertises itself as hazy in the first place. The appearance is simply that of an unfiltered IPA. A dense layer of foam slowly dissipates, leaving a ring of sticky lacing inside my glass. 3.5/5 NOSE: Citra and Mosaic shine, giving off volatile oils redolent of all the tropical fruits. Passionfruit, tangerine, mango, lichee; a veritable punchbowl of equator fruit aromas. Big and bold. 5/5 TASTE: Cool Kidz delivers on what the aroma promised. Lots of papaya and passionfruit notes with the slightly acidic, grassy zing that dryhopping gives. There is a barely perceptible sweetness that adds to the perception of fruitiness. Very hop forward with little bitterness, just enough on the tail-end to remind you that you’re drinking an IPA. Light cereal notes are to be found mid-palate; my experience tells me immediately that I’m tasting the oats used in this recipe. It’s very slight, offering minimal support to a beer designed to showcase hop flavor. 5/5 MOUTHFEEL: Not as silky as the addition of oats would suggest. Not at all thin, but rather medium bodied, with just a hint of slickness that counters the slight astringency nicely. Just enough carbonation to compliment and balance the textures, leaving a very satisfying mouthfeel. 4/5 OVERALL: I’d heard a lot of good things about this beer which made me want to pick it up and review it for myself, and Cool Kidz delivers big on the promises. It didn’t look impressive at all compared to the contrasts of a beautifully opaque hazy or crystal-clear west coast, but this brew is all about hop aroma and flavor. I honestly can’t think of many other IPAs I’ve had that manage to capture and compress so much flavor into a can like this one does. I highly recommend Cool Kidz as one of my top picks for 2020. I picked a 6-pack up at my local Total Wine, I recommend you do the same!

October 22 to October 28, 2020

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HADDON LIBBY

PRESIDENTIAL FIRSTS

ost elections throughout the history are billed by its participants and followers as the most important in the history of the country. In truth, some are more important than others. Rather than get into the partisan views of the current election, let’s look at a few of the more interesting firsts. While many presidents have supported the Boy Scouts, the first actual boy scout was John F Kennedy between 1929 and 1931. Since then, Gerald Ford was an Eagle Scout while Bill Clinton and George W Bush were both Cub scouts. The first to attend a baseball game was Woodrow Wilson. He was also the first to have a Ph.D. The only Rhodes Scholar is Bill Clinton. The first son of a President to be elected to the highest office was not George W Bush but our 4th president, John Quincy Adams. His father, John Adams was Vice President to George Washington before becoming the 2nd president in our nation’s history. W’s father and President was the only President to head the C.I.A. The first Union head to become President was Ronald Reagan. He is also the first to win a Golden Globe Award. In 1957, Ronald Reagan received the Hollywood Citizenship Award. Eight years earlier in 1949, Dwight D Eisenhower won an Emmy for the documentary “Crusade in Europe” on ABC. In 1956, then U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy won a Pulitzer Prize for his book of

short biographies. The first president on television was Franklin Roosevelt. The first to have their inauguration broadcast on television was Harry Truman. George W. Bush was the first to have his State of the Union broadcast on the internet. President Jimmy Carter who was born in 1924 is the first to be born in a hospital. The first who could drive a car was Warren Harding while William Taft was the first to own a car. No president has electricity or electric lighting until Benjamin Harrison. The first to have central heating was Franklin Pierce. It was not until Millard Fillmore (yes, he was a president) did a President have a bathtub or kitchen stove. The first to use an airplane or submarine was Teddy Roosevelt. Dwight Eisenhower

DALEGRIBOW ON THELAW

TOO MANY COVID COCKTAILS?

sychologists tell us that the "Covid Stay Home Order" has caused mass depression, resulting in more drinking than normal; couple that with football season starting up (for now) and I anticipate more callers asking me "Can you get me out of my DUI?" The honest answer to that is maybe....but the odds are against it. Any lawyer that tells you YES, they can dismiss your DUI without examining the facts is lying to you. The first question on every new client's mind is what can you do for me? ...and what will it cost? If I was a doctor and you had stomach pain, you would not ask me "what is wrong with me and what will it cost" when you first met me and before I examined you. You would understand a doctor would have to take a history, perform a physical exam, order blood tests, X-Rays, and MRI's etc. Maybe the doctor would even perform exploratory surgery before telling you what was wrong. If it was Cancer the surgeon might stitch you up and explain there is very little he or she can do to cure you of Cancer. A DUI is usually not cancer, but with a (1) High Blood Alcohol Reading of .15+; (2) Drugs (Prescriptive or street drugs) or (3) a Traffic Accident, your case becomes more challenging. This means that the results your lawyer can achieve are problematic and the

was the first to use a helicopter. The first independent to become President was George Washington. The first Democrat to win was Andrew Jackson while Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican. The first to be expelled by his party while President was John Tyler. Tyler, previously a Whig Party member, became President when William Harrison died in office (a first for Presidents). The first and probably only President who spoke English as his second language was Martin Van Buren. We did not have a left-handed or ambidextrous President until James Garfield. The first bachelor was James Buchanon. The first to be named to the Supreme Court after his presidency was William Taft. Lyndon Johnson was the first president to name an African American to the Supreme Court with

BY HADDON LIBBY Thurgood Marshall. He was also the first to have an African American in his cabinet with Robert C. Weaver, the first Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, in 1965. The first and only President to resign was Richard Nixon which led to Gerald Ford being the first and only President that was never elected by the American people. Ford filled the vice president’s seat after the resignation by Spiro Agnew over corruption charges while he was Governor of Maryland. The first President to have never served in a political office or the military is Donald Trump. He is also the first to be divorced twice. The first to be divorced once was Ronald Reagan. The first to marry a divorced woman was Andrew Jackson. In 1926, Calvin Coolidge became the first living President be pressed onto a coin – a half-dollar commemorating our nation’s 150th anniversary. The first billionaire to become president is Donald Trump. Whoever you vote for, please get out there and have your voice heard. Haddon Libby is the Founder and Managing Partner of Winslow Drake Investment Management and can be reached at www.WinslowDrake.com or Hlibby@WinslowDrake.com.

LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF THE INJURED & CRIMINALLY ACCUSED

possible sentence will probably involve more jail time. Yes, they do ask for jail time. The Indio Court is much tougher on DUI's than many other jurisdictions and our local DA's ask for JAIL time on ALL DUI's. This is probably because we have more DUI FATALITIES here in the CV than anywhere else in California...per capita. During this Covid 19 period there have been more trials in Riverside than ALL of the other 57 counties COMBINED. On any criminal case there are different degrees of success. I usually explain to clients on their first appointment, that many years ago I was in the office of famed criminal attorney Robert Shapiro, my best friend at the time, who later became O.J. Simpson's lawyer. We were planning on going to dinner and discussing cases on which we were working together. Shapiro got a call from a prospective client and had to stay late to meet with him. He asked me to sit in the office with him, but of course I was to say nothing. When the client came in Shapiro said "I don't want to know anything about your case." He merely asked "what are you looking for?" He then explained that there are different degrees of success. If I go into court and the DA wants a year in custody and I can get you 6 months that is success. If they want 6 months of custody and I can get you 2 months that is

success. If they want 30 days and I can get you 10 days that is success. If they want 10 days and I can get you a weekend and/or home arrest that is success. It is impossible to guesstimate what the success will be on a case when you only hear the client's side of the story. It is necessary to review the police report for probable cause for the stop, how well you did on the OPTIONAL field sobriety tests and the chemical test results for the Blood Alcohol Reading as well as your criminal record. Clients often think that because they have a clean driving record or have been a pillar of the community that will factor into their guilt or innocence. That is wrong. It may affect the sentence, but not GUILT or INNOCENCE. Sometimes a prior record will aggravate the sentence and philanthropic work in the community may mitigate the sentence. However, they have nothing to do with GUILT or INNOCENCE. Many clients get "Black & White Fever" because they were nervous about the police stopping them. The driver may have innocently said something that was wrong and that may negatively influence the case. Of course failing the attitude test also makes the case more difficult, as the DA is more likely to want to punish the driver. The best advice I can give you is to Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. So DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE OR TEXT AND GET A DUI OR ACCIDENT, CALL A TAXI, LYFT OR UBER.....IT IS

A LOT CHEAPER THAN CALLING ME. For ideas for future articles contact me at 760-837-7500 or dale@dalegribowlaw.com. DALE GRIBOW - Representing the Injured and Criminally Accused "TOP LAWYER" - California's Prestige Magazine, Palm Springs Life (PI/DUI) 2011-20 "TOP LAWYER" - Inland Empire Magazine 2016- 2019 PERFECT 10.0 AVVO Peer Rating "DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE OR TEXT AND GET A DUI OR ACCIDENT... CALL A TAXI, LYFT OR UBER....THEY ARE A LOT CHEAPER THAN CALLING ME" American Association of Premier DUI Attorneys- Founding Member 10 BEST ATTORNEYS for California for Client Satisfaction in the practice area of DUI Law- Selected 2015. Only Attorney Appointed to CVAG Public Safety and CLINTON Foundation (DUI) committees "Though I am sometimes referred to as a criminal defense lawyer, I choose to not view my DUI 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."

HEALTH

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BY MICHELLE BORTHWICK

KETO IS THE PERFECT DIET SOLUTION FOR BUSY (AND TIRED) MOMS

hat if there truly was a perfect diet designed for busy Moms that guarantees quick weight loss, fits easily into your schedule, and simplifies your life. Too good to be true? Read on to find out why this is the diet of choice for Moms whose lives are already pressed for time juggling family, work, home schooling, cooking, relationships, household responsibilities, friendships and more. Whew, it makes you tired just thinking about it. This all sounds amazing but does the idea of adding a new diet seem overwhelming? Take a deeper dive into Keto and then think about giving it a chance to be the solution you’ve been looking for. It absolutely will SIMPLIFY your life, you’ll be LESS hungry, LOSE weight, feel more CONFIDENT and COMFORTABLE in your own body, INCREASE your energy and it will be a welcome RELIEF when you don’t fall into bed exhausted every day. If this appeals to you then the Keto diet was made for you! Here are a few top reasons to consider Keto that you’ll be hard pressed to ignore: It’s Simple You cut out processed foods and lower the carbs in your diet to a minimal amount, eat moderate protein and most of your diet comes from healthy fats. Compared to our Standard American Diet this may sound strange but it’s actually very easy to do. Because of its simplicity you have a better chance of succeeding and making this a lasting lifestyle change for you and your family. Quickest, Fastest Weight Loss Plan to Get Your Pre-Mom Body Back If you want the quickest, healthiest weight loss plan ever to get reacquainted with your preMom body then hands down it’s Keto. It will melt the pounds off very quickly, in a healthy way, and you won’t starve yourself to do it. This isn’t like the diets of the past where you end up being disappointed with the results, you are always hungry, and then you give up and gain the weight back. It has the potential to be your last diet ever and become a long-term lifestyle. Keto will make yo-yo dieting a thing of the past.

Hormonal Balance & Improved Moods Keto has been proven scientifically to be highly effective in treating anxiety, depression, mood swings and overall mental health. While your moods improve with Keto so do your hormones as they come into a more balanced state. Energy One of the great benefits of Keto is the phenomenal energy it provides. What Mom doesn’t need more energy? Combine this with more mental clarity and lack of brain fog. It’s like finding a hidden superpower for your brain. Mealtime Works for the Family You don’t have to prepare a different meal for your kids or your husband. Keto meals are easy to prepare and delicious with an array of satisfying foods to choose from to please any palate. This makes life easy for everyone… especially you! Quality & Quantity of Food – When enjoying the Keto diet, you eat plenty of food. The Keto mantra is Eat when hungry until full and don’t worry about calories or portion control. How freeing is that to no longer be controlled by food? Does Keto sound amazing and worth looking into but you’re still wondering if it’s realistic with plenty of foods to choose from, so you aren’t deprived, and your family is happy. If you would like a copy of my food list “The SKINNY on What to Eat on Keto”, please email me at ketoiseasy@gmail.com Once you get started, you’ll quickly fall in love with the weight loss, the foods, and the energy that is now yours in spades. If you feel you need an expert on Keto to help customize it for you and your family, book a free 30-minute consultation on my website. About Michelle Borthwick: Michelle is a Keto Lifestyle coach, a Seasoned expert on Keto Coaching for Women. Keto weight loss results can be improved with Coaching, Customization, accountability, and a trusted partner to guide you every step of the way. Michelle offers private sessions, proven Keto diet hacks, meal plans, proprietary customization, goal setting and more. KetoIsEasyCoach.com.

October 22 to October 28, 2020

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY

WEEK OF OCTOBER 22

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “I’ve been told that nobody sings the word ‘hunger’ like I do,” testified Aries chanteuse Billie Holiday. She wasn’t suggesting that she had a stylish way of crooning about fine dining. Rather, she meant “hunger” in the sense of the longing for life’s poignant richness. Her geniuslevel ability to express such beauty was due in part to her skillful vocal technique, but also because she was a master of cultivating soulful emotions. Your assignment in the coming weeks, Aries, is to refine and deepen your own hunger. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Author Renata Adler expresses my own feelings when she writes, “Hardly anyone about whom I deeply care resembles anyone else I have ever met, or heard of, or read about in literature.” I bet if you’re honest, Taurus, you would say the same. It’s almost certainly the case that the people you regard as worthy of your love and interest are absolutely unique. In the sense that there are no other characters like them in the world, they are superstars and prodigies. I bring this to your attention because now is an excellent time to fully express your appreciation for their one-of-akind beauty—to honor and celebrate them for their entertainment value and precious influence and unparalleled blessings. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “If you cannot find an element of humor in something, you’re not taking it seriously enough,” writes author Ilyas Kassam. That’s a key thought for you to keep in mind during the coming weeks. Levity and joking will be necessities, not luxuries. Fun and amusement will be essential ingredients in the quest to make good decisions. You can’t afford to be solemn and stern, because allowing those states to dominate you would diminish your intelligence. Being playful— even in the face of challenges—will ensure your ultimate success. CANCER (June 21-July 22): I’m hoping the horoscopes I wrote for you in late August helped propel you into a higher level of commitment to the art of transformation. In any case, I suspect that you will have the chance, in the coming weeks, to go even further in your mastery of that art. To inspire you in your efforts, I’ll encourage you to at least temporarily adopt one or more of the nicknames in the following list: 1. Flux Luster 2. Fateful Fluctuator 3. Shift Virtuoso 4. Flow Maestro 5. Alteration Adept 6. Change Arranger 7. Mutability Savant 8. Transition Connoisseur LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “When one is a stranger to oneself, then one is estranged from others, too,” wrote author Anne Morrow Lindbergh. “If one is out of touch with oneself, then one cannot touch others. Only when one is connected to one’s own core, is one connected to others.” In bringing these thoughts to your attention, Leo, I don’t mean to imply that you are out of touch with your deep self. Not at all. But in my view, all of us can benefit from getting into ever-closer communion with our deep selves. In the coming weeks, you especially need to work on that—and are likely to have extra success in doing so. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): My cosmic tipsters told me that you will be even smarter than usual in the coming weeks. As I scoured the heavenly maps, I detected signs that you have the potential to be a skilled code-cracker, riddle-decipherer, and solver of knotty problems and tricky dilemmas. That’s why I suggest you express gratitude to your beautiful brain, Virgo. Sing it sweet songs and tell it how much you love it and find out which foods you can eat to strengthen it even more. Now read Diane Ackerman’s description of the brain: “that shiny mound of being, that mouse-gray parliament of cells, that dream factory, that petit tyrant inside a ball of bone, that huddle of neurons calling all the plays, that little everywhere, that fickle pleasuredome.” LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I vote in American elections, but I’ve never belonged to a political party. One of my favorite politicians is Bernie Sanders, who for most of his career has been an Independent. But now I’m a staunch advocate for

the Democrats. Why? Because Republicans are so thoroughly under the curse of the nasty, cruel, toxic person known as Donald Trump. I’m convinced that it’s crucial for our country’s well-being that Democrats achieve total victory in the upcoming election. In accordance with astrological omens, I urge you to do your personal equivalent of what I’ve done: Unambiguously align yourself with influences that represent your highest, noblest values. Take a sacred stand not just for yourself, but also in behalf of everything you love. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “I loathe narcissism, but I approve of vanity,” said fashion writer Diana Vreeland. Here’s how I interpret that: People who care mostly for their own feelings and welfare, and who believe they’re more important than everyone else, are boring and repellent. But those who enjoy looking their best and expressing their unique beauty may do so out of a desire to share their gifts with the world. Their motivation might be artistry and generosity, not self-centeredness. In accordance with cosmic potentials, Scorpio, I invite you to elude the temptations of narcissism as you explore benevolent forms of vanity. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Yes, do let people see you sweat. At least for now, be forthright and revelatory. Let people witness your secret fire, your fierce tang, your salty tears, and your unhealed wounds. Hold nothing back as you give what you haven’t been able to give before. Be gleefully expressive as you unveil every truth, every question, every buried joy. Don’t be crude and insensitive, of course. Be as elegant and respectful as possible. But make it your priority to experiment with sacred vulnerability. Find out how far you can safely go as you strip away the disguises that have kept you out of touch with your full power. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Between 2008 and 2017, Southern California had two sizable earthquakes: 5.5 and 5.1 on the Richter scale. But during the same period, the area had 1.8 million small quakes that were mostly too mild to be felt. The ground beneath the feet of the local people was shaking at the rate of once every three minutes. Metaphorically speaking, Capricorn, you’re now in a phase that resembles the mild shakes. There’s a lot of action going on beneath the surface, although not much of it is obvious. I think this is a good thing. The changes you’re shepherding are proceeding at a safe, gradual, well-integrated pace. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): No American woman was allowed to earn a medical degree and practice as a physician until Aquarian-born Elizabeth Blackwell did it in 1849. It was an almost impossible feat, since the all-male college she attended undermined her mercilessly. Once she began her career a doctor, she constantly had to outwit men who made it difficult for her. Nevertheless, she persisted. Eventually, she helped create a medical school for women in England and made it possible for 476 women to practice medicine there. I propose that we make her your patron saint for now. May she inspire you to redouble your diligent pursuit of your big dream. Here’s your motto: “Nevertheless, I’m persisting.” PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Henry David Thoreau wrote, “I fear my expression may not be extravagant enough, may not wander far enough beyond the narrow limit of my daily experience, so as to be adequate to the truth of which I have been convinced.” You’ll be wise to have a similar fear, Pisces. According to my analysis, you can generate good fortune for yourself by transcending what you already know and think. Life is conspiring to nudge you and coax you into seeking experiences that will expand your understanding of everything. Take advantage of this opportunity to blow your own mind! Homework: Name five things you do to make yourself feel good. Then think of another thing to add to the list. FreeWillAstrology.com. Rob Brezsny - Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

October 22 to October 28, 2020