Coachella Valley Weekly - November 19 to November 25, 2015 Vol. 4 No. 35

News

Music

Movies

Dining

Community Events

coachellavalleyweekly.com • November 19 to November 25, 2015 Vol. 4 No. 35

Alpha Media

pg 6

Transgender Day

pg 7

R.W.B. Experience

pg 7

PSHS Quartet

pg 9

Local Music Showcase

pg 10

November 19 to November 25, 2015

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Coachella Valley Weekly

Of Cowardice and Courage: Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité By rich henrich

coachellavalleyweekly.com publisher@coachellavalleyweekly.com facebook.com/cvweekly

760.501.6228

at Old Town La Quinta

Saturday November 28 10 am - 4 pm For Future Dates & Info

760.564.1244 LQAF.com

78100 Main Street La Quinta, CA

Over 80 Artists • Free Admission Live Entertainment • Free Parking

Publisher & Editor Tracy Dietlin Art Director Robert Chance Sales Team Deborah Evans Classified Manager & Nightlife Editor Phil Lacombe Features Writer Lisa Morgan, Judith Salkin, Denise Ortuno Neil, Heidi Simmons, Kira Golden, Rich Henrich Writers/Contributors: Robin Simmons, Rick Riozza, Craig Michaels, Bronwyn Ison, Haddon Libby, Rachel Montoya, Angela Janus, Janet McAfee, Dale Gribow, Raymond Bill, Jack St. Clair, Rob Brezny, Eleni P. Austin, Noe Gutierrez, Sunny Simon, Karen Creasy, Richard Weiss, Dr. Peter Kadile, Dr. Maria Lombardo, Bruce Cathcart, Julie Buehler, Flint Wheeler, Laura Hunt Little, Rebecca Pikus, Monica Morones, Lola Rossi, Dee Jae Cox, Patte Purcell, Esther Sanchez, Janet Newcomb, Angela Valente Romeo, Alex Updike Photographers Laura Hunt Little, Scott Pam, Lani Garfield, Chris Miller, La Maniaca, Esther Sanchez Distribution Phil Lacombe, William Westley

Contents

Paris..................................................... 3 Business Profile - Alpha Media.......... 6 Transgender Day of Remembrance..... 7 Open Mic Competition....................... 8 Backstage Jazz- Paul Taylor............... 8 Palm Springs Quartet......................... 9 Celso Pina..........................................10 Local Music Showcase......................10 Art Under The Umbrellas.................11 Consider This - Rick Shelley.............12 Pet Place............................................14 The Vino Voice ..................................15 Club Crawler Nightlife......................16 Thanksgiving Roundup....................18 Screeners ..........................................20 Book Review......................................21 Theatre- Streetcar Named Desire ...21 Thanks “Giving” Bash ........................23 Hightower Thanksgiving 5K............23 Haddon Libby...................................24 Dale Gribow......................................24 Safety Tips.........................................25 WLF - Women Who Rule...................25 Sand Storm Lacrosse Fest ...............26 Sports Scene .....................................26 Free Will Astrology...........................27 Mind, Body & Spirit ..........................27 Ask Jenny..........................................28 Life & Career Coach ..........................28

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November 19 to November 25, 2015

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aris, 2015. A black, unassuming Seat sedan hides between cars and streets lights and passersby on a lively French street. Inside a cache of AK-47 assault rifles await. It’s a Friday like any other except for the date. It’s the 13th, Friday the 13th and Parisians, ex-pats, tourists, students, artists, workers, locals and refugees gather on this November night. Cozy cafes, restaurants, neighborhood bars and homes dot the bustling street. Conversations and music fill the air of this evening as a couple dines at Le Petit Cambodge. A waiter pours a celebratory glass of wine for a woman happy to be enjoying the company of friends at Le Carillon Bar. Little do these beautiful faces know this will be their last night, together with friends or strangers. Fifteen lives will be stolen. A lover’s quarrel will save two lives tonight as the man walks away from an outside table and the woman walks inside to settle the bill only to take refuge behind a couch. Another 19 will end at La Belle Equipe. Five more will join them while enjoying a meal at La Casa Nostra. Moments from now, the ordinary night of life in the 10th and 11th districts of Paris will be forever transfixed in the mind of the world as one of the greatest assaults on humanity.

Down the road a few blocks on Boulevard Voltaire, a concert is well underway at Le Bataclan. Eagles of Death Metal, American rockers from Palm Desert, CA entertain a sold out crowd of nearly 1500 lovers of Rock and Roll. A concert hall. A band. Screaming fans in a foreign land…indeed a vision of liberty actualized. The guitars crank as frontman (and Eagle Scout) Jesse Hughes captivates the crowd. The drums thunder as the audience

dances. Fans jump up and down with the rockin’ rhythm. An odd beat is heard firing off-stage, echoing like a special effect, perhaps fireworks. A man in a black jump suit pulls out an AK-47. A fan notices a couple young men calmly firing at the crowd and runs for his life! A couple friends from Ireland enjoying the show recognize the reality- they are under attack. They run for cover finding a cellar to hide in. A father with his son realizes the danger too late. The drummer ducks.

Guitarists take cover. The band runs for their lives out the back of the concert hall. Others are not so lucky.

The terrorists send round after round into the crowd. Bodies fall to the floor. Blood is everywhere, as they demand compliance.

Everyone down on the ground. One by one, the terrorist check the bodies for signs of life and then kill those still moving. A father covers his son as a terrorist comes by and pushes on his prosthetic leg. Without a reaction, he leaves the man for dead. Nick Alexander, the merch man for the band, is not as fortunate; he’s taken a bullet and lies bleeding, as a friend comforts him until his last breath. Hundreds of bodies on the floor, some alive, some dead but still protecting the innocent as those still breathing take shelter beneath the dead bodies.

Police raced to the scenes of slaughter across the district as more terrorists entered the soccer stadium and surrounding neighborhood during the France- Germany match. Their attack would not go as planned, averting an even larger tragedy. The first officer arrived at the concert hall at 10pm and shot one of the terrorists, who died after his suicide vest exploded. It would be several

minutes before reinforcements showed up.

As police gathered around the Bataclan, the terrorist exchanged fire before attempting to negotiate for the hostages, threatening to behead one every five minutes and throw bodies out the windows if police didn’t retreat. It would take a couple hours before police would finally be able to secure the venue and free the hostages; many used as human shields for the terrorists.

Then the gunshots ripped through the crowd. Innocent bodies collapsed. The band escaped. Police stormed in. The terrorist fell dead but the moment will live forever in our conscience. Welcome to the new age, the new normal. Geopolitics and rock and roll intertwined. Terrorist targeting civilians- the new standard for this global warfare. Rock and Roll can never die. Now is the time for the voices to be raised, the amps to be turned up, and a time to unite the world against such international cowardice through the courage of music, the commitment to the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity. We’ve come far as a human race but have yet to realize why others do not share in this vision for humanity and seek to destroy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The answers are not easy, nor is the fight being fought on a clear battlefield. In our own battle for independence, blood was shed. It appears we continue to be at war with the human race, a battle of ideals and ideologies. But now, we must stand with France as they have stood with us, our oldest ally. As President John F. Kennedy stated: I come from America, “the daughter of Europe,” to France, which is America’s oldest friend. But long before my country was born, French influence, French philosophy, French culture led the Western World to such a degree that the first American Ambassador to Paris, Benjamin Franklin, could say, “Every man has two countries: France and his own.

But I come today not merely because of past ties and past friendship, but because the present relationship between France and the United States is essential for the preservation of freedom around the globe. continue to page 5

Nick Alexander

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November 19 to November 25, 2015

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PARIS

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com continued from page 3

Friday, November 13, 2015 will forever be etched into our modern minds as media around the world continues to focus on the Paris terrorist attacks. However, Paris is not alone as attacks continue to terrorize thousands in Lebanon and all across northern Africa and around the world. The question of why did these terrorists attack innocent civilians in Paris will long remain unanswered unless we see this as a broader war, not a battle of Muslim extremists against the West.

In fact, according to a recent study by the University of North Carolina, the majority of terrorist attacks, are not, committed by Muslims. This is not a faith war. We live in a complex geopolitical world and the answers are no longer immediately available nor are they easy to understand. What is apparent is that every citizen of the world is now a potential target in a war few understand.

Borders cannot contain this war.

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At the center of the attacks, an American band with a growing fan base, Eagles of Death Metal, born of the desert scene by Palm Desert locals Jesse Hughes and Josh Homme (Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age). Thrust into the center stage of the geo-political world after a horrific terrorist attack, the band is now back, safely in the U.S. and Jesse is back home. We have been in communication and realize while the world wants answers and comments, we are just happy to have them home and are here to support them as they adjust to a new reality. What they experienced, the carnage they saw, the loss of their crewmembers, fans and friends while doing what they love and do best- playing rock and roll, is unimaginable. Our deepest sympathies and condolences go out to the entire band and their extended family.

The issue is complex but is still a human problem. I asked a Muslim friend for his reflections on the attacks and he was as lost as anyone, afraid of more backlashes towards Muslims in the U.S. and throughout the world. He said it was like putting pressure on a balloon, the more you push in one area, and the more another area becomes amplified.

I asked a Jewish friend for his perspective and he shared his concern that the Bataclan had been owned by Jews and had hosted a number of pro-Israel events and may have been a target as a result. I reached out to my French friend and she said, “More love, less hate” is the answer. I asked another friend, who just returned from being on tour with Judas Priest (has also toured with EODM), how the attacks will impact him. He shared concern over his wife and having a child on

the way and having to seriously consider the risks as real rather than hypothetical possibilities. We’ve all had questions since 9/11.

This attack, and others around the globe will continue. Despite the lack of media coverage for global events and a lack of awareness, we must strive to be more informed and more engaged with the event in far reaching corners of Earth. This is the new world; our world and we have choices to make but with choice comes consequence, often unintended. As my fortune cookie read the other day, the road to hell was paved with good intentions. There is a greater need to understand the history of ISIS, the difference between extremists and Muslims, the raise of terrorist attacks across the globe, the tensions rising around the world between groups in constant conflict. We must resist the tendency toward fear and strive to unite artists, diffuse cultural borders and unite humanity. And as the world continues to mourn and debate, rock and roll must never die. Locally, several bands tour Europe on a regular basis as they have such strong fan bases there including bands and musicians: John Garcia, Brant Bjork, Waxy, War Drum, House of Broken Promises and more. The desert rock scene thrives in Europe. It is important lifeblood for touring acts and an important order of diplomacy to share the spirit of our culture and music abroad.

On Thursday, November 19, Mondo Generator (Nick Oliveri, Mike Pygmie, Jeff Bowman) will begin their European tour.

We spoke with them to wish them well and understand their hopes and concerns following the Paris attacks.

We talked to 2 of their 3 band members and here’s what they said: Jeff Bowman: Our hearts go out to our desert brothers, the Eagles of Death Metal, and to the victims of terrorism in Paris and abroad. It’s bizarre how this tragedy, so far from home, hits so painfully close to home.

With our tour set to start only a week after

November 19 to November 25, 2015 these tragic events (at a festival in the Netherlands that had both Mondo Generator and the Eagles of Death Metal on the bill), we had a serious choice to make: to travel to the same place and to do the same thing that EODM were innocently doing, and risk being exposed to future acts of violence...or apologize, cancel, and try again if and when things felt “safe”. It is certainly not without some fear that we made the choice to go, but we ultimately all agree that in no way is that fear, or the hideous people who caused it, going to steal this experience from us or our fans. In the great spirit of rock ‘n’ roll, the show goes on, despite the forces that oppose it. Mondo Generator dedicates this tour to everyone who craves and deserves peace, love and [death metal] music.

Mike Pygmie: I feel blessed to be able to go and never considered cancelling. What happened in Paris makes me feel sick inside and my heartaches for the victims, their loved ones and everyone there. I can’t make any sense out of the situation; to hurt and kill innocent, unsuspecting people is a desperate act of cowards to say the least. We’re gonna give the upcoming shows everything we got and hope that people reply, enjoy it and feel good. Rock and Roll forever.

For those about to rock…we salute you!

Godspeed.

Josh Homme, co-founder of Eagles of Death Metal will accept donations to help the family members of their merchandise manager Nick Alexander and other musicians and crew members victimized by the Paris attacks. The Sweet Stuff Foundation, founded in 2013, was established to help musicians during difficult times. The foundation will accept tax deductible donations through their website at: thesweetstufffoundation. org or by mail at: P.O. Box 258, Palm Desert, CA 92261 now through December 31, 2015.

(Eagles Of Death Metal Photos provided by the ManuWino - Live Photography Facebook page - facebook.com/manuwino - Website manuwino.com)

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November 19 to November 25, 2015

business profile

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By Heidi Simmons

Meet the Valley’s New Top Dog -- Alpha Media

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he Coachella Valley Weekly asked Dax Davis, the Director of Sales, Programming and Continuity at Alpha Media a few question about being a new player in the CV. CVW: Alpha Media has radio stations in 18 states and 28 cities across the country.

With the purchase of Coachella Valley’s Morris Media and RR Broadcasting that makes a total of 135 stations. How would you describe the nature of Alpha Media?

AM: Upon the successful completion of all pending transactions, Alpha Media, which is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, will own 252 radio stations within 54 markets across the United States covering all formats including Top 40, Adult Contemporary, Spanish, Urban, News Talk, Sports, Rock, Country and more. This number [252 stations] includes the purchase of Coachella Valley’s Morris Media and RR Broadcasting.

Although those are some big numbers, Alpha Media is an independently owned company that operates as if the local market management owned the stations.

Sure, we have corporate policies, just like any business does – HR systems, billing and invoicing procedures – but the crux of what we do here in the Coachella Valley is simple, and has two parts.

First, we “play the hits” for each station’s target audience and are interesting and fun! Now, “playing the hits” can mean exactly that – playing the right music, or in the case of our 94.3 K-NEWS or ESPN 103.9, that would mean our local hosts are talking about the news stories and sports teams that the people who live here really care about.

The second part of how Alpha operates is that we don’t have advertisers -- we have partners. I would rather tell a potential radio partner that their advertising dollars would be better spent with another form of media, than to take their money knowing the results they are expecting aren’t going to be met.

I’ve worked in markets where radio station operators did that, and I don’t know how they sleep at night. Each time we meet with local businesses, although everyone’s specific business goals may be different, none of them will turn-away customers!

Our goal is to drive traffic to their location by using one, or a combination, of our eight local brands [stations] to do that. With our cutting edge creative and production department, we write and produce the perfect commercial message and then make sure it is scheduled when, either the most people are listening, or when a certain age group is tuned-in.

In many cases, our partners want to supplement their commercial broadcast messages – we can handle that, too! Alpha specializes in Social Media, Mobile and Online Campaigns, Cause Marketing, Venue

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Partnerships, Geographic, Demographic and Behavioral Targeting and most importantly, Community Involvement.

This isn’t a specific recipe for success in the Coachella Valley –- this is the companywide “playbook” at Alpha Media. From Portland, Oregon, to Peoria, Illinois to Palm Springs—and anywhere in between—when we say “partner,” we mean it!

CVW: Since August, Alpha Media runs many of the valley’s favorite stations including U92.7, KCLB 93.7, K-NEWS 94.3, 98.5 The Bull, MIX 100.5, ESPN 103.9, 106.9 The Eagle and 107.3 MOD FM. What’s special about broadcast radio in the CV? AM: There are several things that make this a great radio market. But the biggest and best – which most people don’t realize -- is the Palm Springs Market and the Coachella Valley is a place where a ton of people come for half the year, and while that’s still the case, we just completed a very extensive, and expensive, research project and found that people are moving here and living here year round!

Ten years ago, this was the Palm Springs “resort” people traditionally visualized, but today, more and more people are “newcomers.” They haven’t bought a car here before, aren’t loyal to one grocery store over another, have no idea what restaurant to go to – the list goes on and on! Since radio is the last medium that people hear before making a purchase, there is no better time for businesses, new and established, to be on the air!

CVW: Getting his start in Portland, Oregon, Alpha Media Chairman Larry Wilson founded Alpha Broadcasting in 2009 with only six radio stations. In 2014, Alpha Broadcasting merged with two other companies to form Alpha Media. The company has grown quickly into a major industry player. What can you tell us about Mr. Wilson? Is it his goal as Chairman to be top dog in radio like the name suggests?

AM: Actually, I could spend this entire interview telling you story-after-story about our Chairman, Mr. Wilson! But in the interest of time, I’ll keep it to just a few.

Larry is a huge lover of animals. He has a ranch in Montana and has bred cutting horses for years -- then his granddaughter became old enough to take up barrel racing. Now, as Larry puts it, he is in “the barrel racing horse” business.

On the note of being an animal lover, over the years, Larry has personally rescued several dogs that have become members of his family.

In fact, our Alpha logo features an image of a dog that appears to be winking.

Actually, that is Larry’s latest rescue dog –- his name is Bear. But Bear isn’t winking.

When Larry found Bear, he had been so abused and mistreated, veterinarians had to remove his eye.

Larry was in town last week and several

of us grabbed dinner with him – and since Bear is our “adopted company mascot” – he was giving us an update on the latest member of the Wilson family. He said Bear, who is always upbeat and excited, has now learned that when he sees Larry with the suitcase, he knows “Dad” is leaving town for a couple of days and immediately changes into a somber mood. It just kills Larry –- you can just see it in his face when he tells that story.

I’ve worked in radio for almost 25 years and have been lucky enough to have met and to have broken bread with several radio operators in Mr. Wilson’s position over the years -- none of whom have ever talked about ANY of their animals, or even their grandkids!

They say a company’s culture is created at the top and trickles-down -- that is very true at Alpha! Bob Proffitt, our President and CEO, has an email signature that says “Work Hard. Love Your Job.” Personally, I don’t know if Larry Wilson’s plan was to become the “Alpha Dog” in the world of radio, but with the leadership he has put in place throughout the company at the corporate, regional and local levels, he has positioned our company to do just that!

CVW: Does Alpha Media have a philosophy?

Yes. “Live and Local.” LIVE – meaning live on air, live on sight, live at events.

LOCAL – meaning our staff is comprised of people that live here! Sure, we have syndicated shows on some of our stations, but those shows are top-rated in their timeslots and station demographic. LOCAL also means we have the autonomy to make music decisions, programming decisions, and sales decisions at the market level.

There are several radio companies in existence today that can’t do that, because they have eliminated everyone in the building. These are clusters of four, five, and six stations, and all they have is a person at the front desk and a couple of people in the back doing what an entire staff of people should be doing. Trust me, I haven’t just seen that movie before, I starred in it.

Here at Alpha, we hire the best talent and let that talent do their job. I was telling a radio buddy of mine on the East Coast

just a week or so ago, that Alpha’s hiring philosophy and my parents’ philosophy on my school report cards are right in line. We want all “A’s” & “B’s,” but no “C’s.”

Alpha want’s “A” level and “B” level talent. There are a lot of great and talented broadcasters and account executives who have been displaced by the corporations that answer to Wall Street.

CVW: How does Alpha Media choose its programming? How does it determine local tastes? How does the CV differ from other Alpha regions?

AM: On a macro level -- station’s formats/major personalities & shows -Alpha isn’t afraid to invest in the costs for great station programming, and it isn’t afraid to invest in the expensive research to determine what that programming should or shouldn’t be on the air.

We just completed a market perceptual study and will continue with follow-up additional studies.

On the micro level -- weekly music decisions, community events, local promotions -- Alpha believes all of our Program Directors, Music Directors and Promotion Directors are in tune with the local market. It’s the local employees’ jobs to do those jobs! In other words, corporate doesn’t want to be doing the job that should be executed at the market level – which is what every radio station employee wants to hear!

CVW: People today have more listening choices like Sirius, Pandora and Apple radio. How does Alpha Media see the changing nature of music delivery? How will Alpha Media change the future?

AM: Edison Research recently published the “Share of Ear” study, which combines the radio’s time spent listening and it’s reach to generate the U.S. audience share.

That study has determined that AM/FM radio is nine times bigger than Pandora and 17 times bigger than Spotify! AM/FM radio reaches three-quarters of all Americans in a day. Pandora reaches 15%; Spotify only 5%.

Locally, our eight Alpha stations reach 169,000 people every week – that’s one of every two people you see around town!

Alpha believes that having top–notch local talent who focus on content will continue to raise these national numbers and will most certainly increase these local numbers.

CVW: What do you want CV residents and visitors to know about Alpha Media?

AM: I want local Coachella Valley residents and visitors to know that Alpha Media is made up of Coachella Valley residents, too!

We are the same people you bump your grocery cart into, the same people who you go to church with, the same people who are in line trying to get their car smogged at lunch. We just happen to have eight radio brands that can make great things happen for local businesses when we are put to work! And we LOVE making GREAT things happen!

November 19 to November 25, 2015

2nd Annual Transgender Day Of Remembrance Palm Springs with Special Guest, Film Actress, Mya Taylor from “Tangerine” by Lisa Morgan “

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instein and Tesla were all children at one time. We really need to protect our youth.

You never know what gifts they are going to give our world.” Thomi Clinton, Founder of the Transgender Community Coalition and Tdor Palm Springs Location: Ruth Hardy Park, Palm Springs, at the Rose Garden Address: 700 Tamarisk Lane, Palm Springs, CA Time: Nov. 20, 5:00 to 9:00 PM TDOR Vigil Time: 7:00 to 8:00 PM The numbers of violent crimes toward transgender people, hate crimes resulting in murder, and the high number of suicides, some among children as young as 14, are jarring. This Friday, November 21, starting at 5:00, an event will take place in hopes of honoring the lives that have been taken and to create opportunity for awareness and understanding, ultimately lowering those numbers. “We have the highest rate of murders and suicides ever documented. It is important to address this,” shared Thomi Clinton, Founder of the Transgender Community Coalition and Tdor Palm Springs. “No matter what belief system we have, I think we can all agree that violence and suicide is not the way.”

According to the Office for Victims of Crime (ovc.gov), statistics documenting transgender people’s experience indicate shockingly high levels of sexual abuse and assault: One in two transgender individuals are sexually abused or assaulted at some point in their lives. Some reports estimate that transgender survivors may experience rates of sexual assault up to 66 percent, often coupled with physical assaults or abuse. This indicates that the majority of transgender individuals are living with the

aftermath of trauma and the fear of possible repeat victimization. Sexual violence has been found to be even higher in some subpopulations within the transgender community, including transgender youth, transgender people of color, individuals living with disabilities, homeless individuals, and those who are involved in the sex trade.

The 2011, Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, found that 12 percent of transgender youth report being sexually assaulted in K–12 settings by peers or educational staff; 13 percent of AfricanAmerican transgender people surveyed were sexually assaulted in the workplace; and 22 percent of homeless transgender individuals were assaulted while staying in shelters; 15 percent of transgender individuals report being sexually assaulted while in police custody or jail, which more than double (32 percent) for African-American transgender people.

HATE CRIME: According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), acts of hate violence, such as harassment, stalking, vandalism, and physical and sexual assault, are often supported by more socially sanctioned expressions of transphobia, biphobia, and homophobia and are intended to send a message to LGBTQ communities.

It goes on to state that many LGBTQ people also face substantial bias because they belong to other traditionally marginalized groups such as race, class, incarceration history, immigration status, or ability. In the NCAVP 2009 report on hate violence, 50 percent of people who died in violent hate crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people were transgender women; the other half were male, many of whom were gender non-conforming. Sexual assault and/ or genital mutilation before or after their murder

were a frequent occurrence.

In 2009, 17 percent of all reported violent hate crimes against LGBTQ people were directed against those who identified themselves as transgender, with most (11 percent of all hate crimes) identifying as transgender women. The remainder identified as transgender men, genderqueer, gender questioning, or intersex.

FAMILIES AND CHILDREN: In February, GLAAD released its “Accelerating Acceptance” report, which surveyed thousands of Americans on their feelings toward the LGBTQ community from their stance on marriage equality to their level of comfort with LGBTQ people in different settings of everyday life. “The results, presented in cold, hard statistics, were a sobering reminder that despite a general move toward embracing LGBTQ civil rights under the law, there remains a layer of uneasiness and discomfort with LGBTQ people for much of the American public.”

Roughly a third of non-LGBTQ parents polled said they would be uncomfortable sending their children on a playdate at the home of an LGBTQ parent, and nearly half said they would be uncomfortable bringing their child to the wedding of a same-sex couple. For transgender parents, the reality is even more unwelcoming, with the rate of discomfort jumping to 40 percent if a playdate were to take place in one of their homes.

311 to Headline at the 2016 Rhythm, Wine & Brews Experience along with Matisyahu and Dream Club

Experience craft beer and wine tasting from a huge selection of vendors, colorful art installations and live music performed by five crowd-pleasing bands. he lively and entertaining 5th Annual Rhythm, Wine & Brews Experience returns to the Empire Polo Club’s fields on Saturday, March 5th, 2016. Brought to you by Empire Music Ventures, the 2016 line-up includes 311, Matishyahu, Dream Club, The BellRays and Insecure Alex along with more than 80 breweries, wineries & food trucks. The festival’s musical spectrum will range from reggae and funk to blues and rock, setting the tone for an unforgettable experience. Colorful murals by day will transform into marvelously lighted art pieces at night. Cirque entertainers will mingle with attendees savoring the extensive selections served up in the craft beer and wine gardens.

The tasting gardens will be packed with regional breweries and wineries pouring unlimited tastes from 3PM to 7PM. Sip on samples of hoppy IPAs, dark stouts and fruity ciders from over 80 craft breweries while enjoying the energetic sets of “Insecure Alex” and “The BellRays.” The wine selection this year will be impressive. Buttery chardonnays, complex cabernets, velvety pinot noirs, zesty sauvignon blancs and more will be available for those who prefer the vine to the brew.

Gourmet food trucks and regional restaurants will offer a variety of mouth-watering fare ranging from luscious lobster tacos and delectable savory pizzas to juicy Tavern hamburgers and piquant Mexican cuisine.

Just when the tasting winds down around

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7PM, the Agua Caliente Stage will heat up with Los Angeles rock band, Dream Club. The enigmatic Justin Warfield (of darkwave band She Wants Revenge) is the lead singer. Come check out this new incarnation of a truly charismatic act. Reggae rapper and musically adventurous rocker Matisyahu is the second opening act.

Expect an exciting blend of hip hop, reggae, beatboxing, and jam band fervor. Featured alternative rock band 311 is the headliner and will bring their unique blend of rock, reggae and funk for the stage’s final set. This multi-platinum band has sold over 8.5 million records in the USA alone. The band’s own 311 Amber Ale, launched in June of 2015 in celebration of the band’s 25th anniversary, will be on the tasting list at the Rhythm, Wine & Brews Experience.

“Choosing bands from a variety of genres makes our event appeal to a broad audience,“ said Alex Haagen, IV, producer of the Rhythm,

“These statistics rocked me, and say nothing of the troubling views many Americans hold toward children who display gender nonconforming behaviors,” stated the GLAAD president. “For a truly accepting society, all parents should be supportive of both their own children and other families in their community. With the country now at the doorstep of full marriage equality, these are the types of negative sentiments and prevailing attitudes that we must work to overcome. Closing the gap on full acceptance of LGBTQ people will not come from legislation or judicial decisions alone, but from a deeper understanding and empathy from Americans themselves.”-Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD President and CEO (via glaad.org) Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) was founded in 1999, by Gwendolyn Ann Smith. Since then, it has become globally recognized, held on or around November 20th of each year. Our local, «green,» solar powered event, only in its second year, will host over 30 vendor booths representing transgender business owners and their allies. A vigil will be held between 7pm - 8pm. Names of America’s transgender people lost to murder, suicide and/or who were victims of silicone deaths will be read off one by one. The public, whether transgender or allies, are invited to attend this peaceful candlelight vigil that hopes to bring public awareness to the violence and oppression against the Transgender community and support the need to end it. “With everything going on in the world,” shared Clinton, “I think we all could really use this.”

For more info on the event and the movement toward awareness and understanding, go to transcc.org or check out the new publication, Monarch Magazine, full of resources at transcc.org/ monarch-magazine.html

by lynn bremner

Wine and Brews Experience. “Reggae always draws a big, happy crowd. We added rock, a dash of blues and some funk and think we have an impressive show that everyone will enjoy.”

He added, “We’ve woven together live music, craft beer and wine tasting, a variety of amazing food offerings, colorful art installations, circus performers and an incredible venue to create a real ‘experience.’ Come on out and have a great time!”

Tickets & Event Information Tickets to the 2016 Rhythm, Wine and Brews Experience can be purchased online at www.

RWBexp.com starting November 15th, 2015.

Event Information: Date: Saturday, March 5th, 2016 Time: 4PM – 11PM (VIP ticket holders can enter at 3PM) Location: Empire Polo Club, Indio, CA 92201 General Admission Tickets (show only): $70 per person General Admission Tickets (including free beer/ wine tastings): $85 per person VIP Admission Tickets: $150 per person A portion of the proceeds benefit the Casey Lee Ball Foundation to support pediatric kidney research. Food will be available for purchase.

Huge selection of breweries and wineries offering tastings.

Wine and beer tasting from 4PM – 7PM (VIP Tasting 3PM – 7PM) Main Stage and headline performances from 7PM – 11PM General Admission includes: Entrance to the RWB Experience 4PM – 11PM Unlimited tastes of beer or wine 4PM – 7PM

eventS

eventS

Souvenir tasting glass Free parking VIP Pass includes*: Entrance to the RWB Experience 3PM - 11PM Unlimited tastings of beer or wine 3PM – 6:45PM Access to VIP Tasting Lounge 3PM – 7PM Access to the VIP Lounge and Bar Souvenir tasting glass VIP parking Invitation to Friday night Bottle Share and Kickoff Party *VIP Admission includes access to VIP tasting area with specialty wine and beer not available in the general tasting area, and complementary food.

VIP also includes access to a second VIP lounge with a full bar adjacent to main stage.

VIP Bottle Share & Kick-off Party On Friday, March 4th the Rhythm, Wine & Brews Experience is hosting a VIP Bottle Share and Kick-off Party in the Hacienda del Toro garden at Empire Polo Club for VIP ticket holders, vendors and media. VIP guests each bring a bottle of unique craft beer to share with the other VIP guests. It’s a great opportunity to meet people and discover new craft beers while enjoying live music by Long Duk Dong. For more details about the VIP Bottle Share & Kick-off Party, visit www.RWBexp.com.

RV & Tent Camping Onsite RV and tent camping will be available.

Fees include 2 days of camping: Friday, March 4th and Saturday, March 5th. Visit RWBexp.com for more details about camping onsite.

Buy one night and get the second night FREE. 10’x10’ Tent Campsites are $30 RV Campsites are $100

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November 19 to November 25, 2015

Local Music Spotlight

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

backstage jazz

By patte purcell

Paul Taylor, Saxman open mic competition

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emi Finals #1 of the CV Open Mic Competition Fall edition went off with a bang! Great performances and a captivated audience had the judges on the edge of their seats. One by one each musician gave it their all performing 2 songs each. Our local celebrity guest judges had a tough call this week. In the end they advanced the top 3 of 6 into our upcoming Grand Finals which will be held Tuesday December 1st. Groovy songstress Courtney Chambers, energetic band The Hive Minds, and sultry songbird Jude Baker won that honor and will now compete in the Grand Finals for an MTV Quality Music Video Production from Desert C.A.M. Studios/Winmill Films and award winning Director Chip Miller, plus a $500 trip to Las Vegas from Crater Lake Spirits, as well as an Artist Development Session from Grammy nominated Producer Ronnie King, and a Promotional Photo Shoot from Visions Photography.

Huge THANK YOU to ALL our talented Semi Finalists including Million, Solus Lupus, and Razor J and the Blades. Another huge THANK YOU to all of our judges this week: Brett McLaughlin and Christina Reyes of Caxton, Josh Ballard of Hollace, Rudy Mendez of Remnants of Man, and Allen Ash of Old Skool. THANKS SO MUCH to our fantastic DJ

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Alex Updike for keeping everyone grooving in between performances. To Schmidy’s Tavern who keeps local music alive week after week- YOU ARE WONDERFUL! And I can’t give enough THANKS to Johnny Carmona, our amazing sound technician, who takes the time to make every one of our performers sounding their best! I hope to see you all next TUESDAY at SCHMIDY’S TAVERN in Palm Desert for Semi Finals #2 where 6 more musical acts will compete to advance to the Grand Finals. SPECIAL THANKS to all of our sponsors: Desert C.A.M. Studios/Winmill Films & Chip Miller, Ronnie King Music, JEM Productions, Crater Lake Spirits, Visions Photography, KAM Studios, CV Weekly, Canyon Copy & Print, and the Mary Pickford Theatre.

NEXT WEEK 11/17 will continue our Semi Finals Competition so please note that this will not be open to anyone not already entered into the semifinals.

PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT ALL OF OUR SEMI FINALISTS. Then we will break for Thanksgiving and be back for our Grand Finals Tuesday December 1st. The show will run 8pm - 10pm. For updates, questions or information about sign-up, please visit and “LIKE” Facebook. com/CVOpenMicCompetition or contact creator and host, Morgan James at MorganAliseJames@gmail.com or (714) 651-1911.

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was lucky enough to get to see Paul Taylor at Grooves at the Westin a few weeks ago. We are friends on Facebook but we’d never actually met. I ran into him at check in and what a great guy!

He went on to perform and put on a great show. The crowd loved him. I decided to do a column on Paul as he is one of the ‘A List’ smooth jazz performers in the industry.

Paul Taylor has had 3 chart topping hits in the last few years. His sound is cool and soulful with an urban jazz feel.

An almost ‘trip-hop’ sound as he describes it. He’s released 10 CD’s with his latest one hitting the top ten charts in 2014.

His hip look and a charming personality make him one of the favorite artists in the smooth jazz genre.

Paul started into music at the very young age of 7 with his brother. They were a part of a youth band. They organized a band in high school and started playing at clubs when they were underage.

Paul studied classical music and received a full musical scholarship from University of Las Vegas. He moved from Denver to Las Vegas and got his degree in 4 years. While in college he met his wife and they currently reside in Las Vegas today.

He’d been composing and recording songs for over 15 years when his ‘break’ happened when he played Jazztrax in Catalina with Jeff Lorber and Keiko Matsui, who hired him. In 1993 he signed a recording

contract with Unity Label Group and then Countdown Records in 1995.

Paul says he is ‘living his dream’ performing and recording and he wants to continue what’s he’s doing.

He’s got a busy schedule this year. He’ll be at Catalina along with Texas, Kansas City (with Euge Groove) and has a busy schedule through Michael Paulo in Hawaii and Maui.

He loves his fans and you can visit him on www.paultaylorsax.com or friend him on Facebook!

----------------------------------------------Don’t miss the first ‘Celebrity Jazz Jam’ Sunday Nov. 22, 11:30AM-2:30PM at Arnold Palmer’s Restaurant. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online at purplepass. com/celebrityjazzjam or by calling 1-800316-8559 x 4. Brunch reservations can be made by calling Arnold Palmer’s directly at 760-771-4653. You must have a ticket to attend.

National artists and local favorites including Joe Baldino, Martin Ross, Slim Man, Ronnie King, Darryl Williams, John Carey, Craig Chestnut, Curtis Brooks, Rick Parma, Victor Robles, Philly Joe Littel, Bonnie Gilgallon, Guillermo Yslas, Mikole Karr, and Rose Mallett will be performing with special surprise guests! Come and hang out with your friends and musicians.

Arnold Palmers has $5 cocktail specials and a delightful menu brunch if you’d like to indulge. Cocktails and brunch items are additional.

A Patte Purcell and Karl Erikson production. For questions, contact: Patte Purcell - Muze Muzic pattepurcell@yahoo.com 702-219-6777

Local Music Spotlight

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

Local high school string quartet to join touring Beatles musical

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hen the touring show “In My Life - A Musical Theatre Tribute to the Beatles” comes to the Annenberg Theater on Friday, February 26, be on the lookout for two quartets -- not just one.

The Palm Springs High School string quartet has the privilege of joining the professional actors on stage to add an element of orchestral texture to the evening.

The show: “In My Life” is the musical retelling of the Beatles story through the eyes of manager Brian Epstein and features the live music of renowned tribute band, Abbey Road. The band features Chris Paul Overall (“Paul”), Nathaniel Bott (“John”), Zak Schaffer (“George”) and Axel Clarke (“Ringo”). Brian Epstein is played by Murphy Martin. The production includes multimedia, period costumes and vintage instruments. It has toured for years, with a critic for the Orange County Register at one point declaring, “If you see one tribute show, see this one --smart and loads of fun.” The show is widely considered by industry insiders to be the most unique Beatles show in decades.

The string quartet: Palm Spring High students Branden Figueroa, Alex Salazar, Alex Moore and Camille Gaede will join the band for the songs “Eleanor Rigby,” “Yesterday,” “A Day in the Life,” “Hello Goodbye,” and “Hey Jude.” In a special touch, “Yesterday” is played as a scene in which the Paul McCartney character plays the song for the first time for Beatles producer George Martin, with the songwriter explaining that he envisioned a string-quartet accompaniment.

Palm Spring High’s other music achievements: Palm Springs High School has several musical programs. The string programs consist of the Symphonic Orchestra, Stringed Orchestra, String Quartets, Classical Guitar Ensemble, Beginning Strings Ensemble, Beginning Guitar Ensemble, and the Valley Strings Community Orchestra.

Quartet for hire: The Palm Springs String Quartet performs at business grand openings, weddings and the like. They may be contacted through Orchestra Director Jason Powell at jpowell@psusd.us.

How the “Beatles” connection was

PHOTO TAG: From left to right: Alex Alazar, Camille Gaede, Branden Figueroa and Alex Moore. Photo taken by Jason Powell.

started: The producers of “In My Life” approached Palm Springs High School’s Orchestra Director Jason Powell looking for a talented ensemble which could hold their own with a rock band in front of an audience.

The show commonly uses a local quartet to augment the production while on tour.

The details: In My Life - A Musical Theatre Tribute to The Beatles is the award-winning musical biography of The Beatles through the eyes of manager Brian Epstein and features the live music of renowned tribute band Abbey Road. The show is widely considered by industry insiders to be the most unique Beatles show in decades. The multi-media musical comes to the Annenberg Theater on Friday, February 26 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $35/$45/$55 and may be purchased online at http://www.annenbergtheater.org, by phoning 760.325.4490 or at the theatre box office located at 101 N Museum Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262. The box office is open Wed-Fri 10a-4p. The show is appropriate for all ages.

And here is some additional information about the members of the PSHS String Quartet: Branden Figueroa has been playing the violin for four years and also plays percussion.

In addition to being a member of the Palm Springs High School Orchestra, Figueroa plays with the Valley Strings Community Orchestra and the Palm Spring HS String Quartet.

Figueroa performs as a soloist at community

“Sgtpepper” shows Nate Bott (“John”), Axel Clarke (“Ringo”), Chris Paul Overall (“Paul”) and Jesse Wilder (“George”). Photo taken by Michelle Fairless.

events as well.

“The orchestra experience has been so important to me,” said Figueroa. “It shaped who I am and made me realize the person I want to be.”

“I’m looking forward to performing with the Beatles show but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous,” said Figueroa.

The senior plans to attend the University of Redlands after graduation and pursue a career in music education.

Alex Salazar has playing the violin for three years. “I wanted to learn to play the violin because it was so different and it stood out,” said Salazar. He is a member of the Palm Springs High Orchestra, String Quartet and the Valley Strings Community Orchestra.

Salazar is a member of PSHS’s Varsity Wrestling Team and president of the Coding Club, an on-campus group dedicated to computer programming. The junior aspires to attend college after graduation and major in Bioengineering.

Alex Moore has been playing the violin for four years and also plays the bass clarinet. “I like the tone of the cello and the music parts written for the instrument,” said Moore.

Moore is a member of the school marching band and performed with an all-city honors band in middle school. He previously played with the Valley Strings Community Orchestra.

“I enjoy playing with an orchestra because we get to play classical music instead of contemporary music,” said Moore.

The senior, who has been a member of his school’s ROTC unit for three years, plans to enlist in the U.S. Air Force after graduation.

Camille Gaede has been playing the viola for two years. “The viola has such a rich sound,” said Gaede. “It’s a very different instrument.”

Gaede plays with her school’s orchestra, string quartet and the Valley Strings Community Orchestra. She was a member of the Buddy Rogers Youth Symphony.

She is a member of her school’s JV Tennis Team and played club soccer. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering with the National Charity League and other organizations. The senior hopes to attend Augustana University in Sioux City, South Dakota after graduation.

November 19 to November 25, 2015

Gaede is the quartet’s Beatles fan. “I like the passion that the Beatles had for their music,” she said. “It’s upbeat and fun music.”

About Palm Springs High School Orchestra Director Jason Powell: As the Director of Strings at Palm Springs High School, Powell re-established the PSHS Symphonic Orchestra after a 25-year hiatus and has built the Classical Guitar Ensembles and Orchestral Strings Programs. Palm Springs High is the only high school in the Coachella Valley to have such programs. The various string ensembles perform at numerous private parties, conventions, and workshops including national and multinational events, and have strong ties to the surrounding colleges and universities Powell earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education in Classical Guitar with a minor in Percussion from the University of Redlands in 2007. From there he moved onto his Master’s Degree remaining at Redlands in Guitar Performance before moving to Boston University where he graduated with a Master’s Degree in Music Education.

Dr. Powell has completed his Doctorate in Educational Justice and Leadership from his Alma matter, the University of Redlands.

In addition, Dr. Powell completed graduate course work at Florida State, Ohio State, and Chapman University, as well as, specialty studies in string pedagogy, Kodaly Methods, and the California credentialing to teach Music A.P. Theory.

Powell remains an active musician in the community, performing with the Joshua Tree Phil-Harmonic (violin II), the Desert Chamber Orchestra (violin II), and the Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church (guitar & percussion). He also performs in the bi-yearly PSHS musicals (The Phantom of the Opera - cello, Beauty and the Beast – cello, and Hairspray – guitar).

He is a recipient of several awards including Outstanding Teacher at Palm Springs High School (2012), an induction in to the C.O.D. Hall of Fame as Alumni of the Year (College of the Desert 2012), and the RotaryAlumni award for Excellence in Instrumental Performance (2004). Powell also served as the conductor of the Buddy Rogers Youth Symphony in 2012.

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November 19 to November 25, 2015

Local Music Spotlight

Celso Piña

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

By esther sanchez

The Coachella Valley Prepares for the King of Cumbia

Local Music Spotlight

by Lisa Morgan

Local Music Showcase with Oscar and Grammy Nominated Producer, Ronnie King

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n Nov, 20th, desert residents will be blessed with the opportunity to experience a legend of Latin dance music. Born in 1953, Celso Piña is a pioneer in the fusion of tropical sounds with many of his works having elements of musica norteña, sonidero, ska, reggae, rap/hip-hop, R&B, etc. Famously dubbed, “El Rebelde del Acordeón” (The Accordion Rebel) Piña started playing traditional Mexican music in his small home town with his brothers Eduardo, Rubén and Enrique.

Together they would perform for the local residents, in particular, teenage girls from their neighborhood. With decades of original music under his belt Piña has far from lost his “cool” status. On the contrary, Celso is an inspirational artist who has been solicited for collaborations by younger, contemporary musicians throughout Latin America to this day.

In 1980, Celso Piña bought his first accordion and was introduced to the world of cumbia, a musical genre that, in recent years has transcended racial and cultural lines as all good music eventually does.

During the mid-1980s, after having seen Anibal Velasquez and Alfredo Gutierrez in concert, Piña’s group decided to change their musical rhythm to drop the traditional music they had become known for and encompass a more tropical style, decided to fully switch to cumbia and became what they are today known as, Celso Piña y su Ronda Bogotá.

A true talent to his core, Piña taught himself how to play the accordion without formal training. As a result he was able to

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create the unique sound he is well known for. With close to 30 years of making music behind him, Piña has completed multiple international tours including countries like Germany, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Czech Republic, Italy, France, Morocco, Colombia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Argentina, Chile, Canada and the United States. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to witness a legend.

Celso Piña y su Ronda Bogotá will be performing Nov 20th at Sol Sports Bar in Coachella. Opening for Piña will be local rockers, Nel Pastel. 21 and over with ID. Doors open at 8:00 PM. Pre-sale tickets are available at Soul of Mexico Restaurant in Indio or Sol Sports Bar in Coachella. For more info call 760-398- 8538.

understand that radio is a business that depends on ratings in a highly competitive industry. I have been told that radio programmers are concerned that putting local musicians on air will lose audiences. This Saturday, the Local Music Showcase, supported by Oscar and Grammy nominated producer Ronnie King, hopes to validate the fact that supporting local talented and worthy artists by sharing them with your audiences is simply good business.

It was terrifying to learn what was unfolding in France, and even more so to learn that some of our desert’s own were at the very center of it. Now, as the terror subsides and “some” relief can be experienced knowing that most are coming home safe, I reflect on how this band, whose name most of the national newscasters got wrong at first, is now top of mind. Eagles of Death Metal’s (EODM) album has been around for a while now. Suddenly, their record launches to the top 20. Will they NOW finally find their way onto their local radio stations that have played everybody else’s music while they were scratching out a career? After decades of successfully earning the respect of fans in the US and in other countries, will their success and demand only be related to the catastrophic event that they were lucky to survive? My question to the media- why can’t we show support for our local musicians when they are struggling to find an audience and before we risk losing them forever? To those whom I have personally seen go against the grain and provide opportunities to share their audience with local artists (examples: Bradley Ryan, Rich Gilgallon, Mike Mozingo, Jimmy Fitz, Brad Mercer, Patrick Evans, Dan Ball), I salute you, as do the many artists, their peers, their fans, and their families, not to mention many of your listeners.

The music industry is tougher than ever these days. The idea of finding your way through the flooded masses of music can be debilitating. There was a day when radio could make a difference in our rich American music culture. Now, it seems, money does all the programming. In ways, local radio is facing the same dilemma with satellite radio and streaming. The one thing that sets local radio stations and local musicians apart from the competition is that THIS is your hometown. Couldn’t you work together to build solid relationships in your community and, of course, revenue?

Musicians, even the reluctant ones, have learned to bear the burden of networking to

draw audiences. Artists who create their own music are perhaps more driven than most to do the work to get people to their shows and events so their creations can be heard. More than most businesses, musicians understand the power of social media - they’ve depended on it. With every local artist you bring on air, you bring a whole network of potential new listeners - family members, current fan bases, peers, the audiences that have left radio to find music on their own terms. These are quality listeners, because they come with a loyalty that is as passionate as the music itself. I’m not saying you have to let every local musician on air, but if you haven’t realized that the Coachella Valley and the high desert are a mecca of incredible original music, and that many of these musicians raise the bar on much of your current playlist, you may want to get out more.

This Saturday night, I invite you to do just that. Join our Local Music Showcase at Schmidy’s Tavern, a Palm Desert business that has publicly stated that hiring local musicians has greatly contributed to their success. Artists who performed on Mix 100.5, thanks to radio personality Mike Mozingo earlier in the year, will perform. One of those promising artists, Rick Shelley, will be celebrating his independently released (and financed) EP, recorded in Joshua Tree at High Lonesome Recording Studio. I think anyone in attendance of this Local Music Showcase this Saturday night, will be hard pressed not to see the connection these shining artists are capable of making to those who listen.

They will be even harder pressed not to be awed at the level and numbers of worthy music makers we have in our desert, and this is showcasing a mere handful.

The well of truly inspired talent runs deep in our low and high desert, and is delivered by some of the hardest working, under paid and under recognized people you will ever meet. The only reason they do what they do, is the passion that compels them and the hope of being heard and making an impact on as large of a listening audience they can find. It is a heartbreaking business.

In today’s music world, if you don’t have just as deep a well of financial resources as you do talent, the odds of making your mark as a musician are practically impossible. I believe our community is prepared to stand behind these local musicians in a tangible way. I also believe, that the first local radio group to go to market with a strong local music presence on air, will be the big winner.

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

art Scene

November 19 to November 25, 2015

Support Small Business Saturday at Art Under the Umbrellas on Nov. 28th

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hop small and make a big difference!

La Quinta Arts Foundation will present its Thanksgiving weekend edition of Art Under the Umbrellas at Old Town La Quinta on Saturday, November 28, 2015 from 10 am to 4 pm. This date was set to coincide with Small Business Saturday 2015, which has grown into a national movement encouraging people to support small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Over 80 Southern California and Southwest based artists — each a small business in its own right — will set-up shop along the streets of Old Town to exhibit and sell their original artworks in a wide array of media and price points. This will be the largest Art Under the Umbrellas show of the current season so far, offering patrons a great way to entertain out of town houseguests over the long holiday weekend while getting in some serious gift shopping to boot.

For the second year, Old Town La Quinta

has been selected as a Small Business Neighborhood Champion, offering $20 gift certificates for each $100 spent at one or more of its merchants on November 28th.

Shoppers are instructed to redeem their receipts at Tarah Jade Accessorized. Artist sales are not included in this promotion.

Lively musical entertainment by the engaging Steve Madaio Band, and a leisurely lunch or cocktails at one of the Old Town eateries will round out the day. New in town is the La Quinta Brewing Co. Old Town Taproom, their first location outside of their brewery, serving award-winning local beer with both indoor and patio seating. Stop by for a swig of one of their newest fall releases. continue to page 13

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November 19 to November 25, 2015

Consider This

RICK SHELLEY

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72840 Hwy 111 #171 Palm Desert, CA 92260 760-341-2017 www.recordalley.com

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www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

November 19 to November 25, 2015

ART UNDER THE UMBRELLAS continued from page 11

by Eleni P. Austin

“1909 Miles”

ick Shelley grew up a typical kid in Walla Walla, Washington. He played G.I. Joe’s, built forts, rode bikes he also spent a lot of time worried about Big Foot’s whereabouts. His father’s family had been farm workers who migrated from the south. A musical clan, Rick always heard stories centered around guitars and fiddles, a tradition that went back generations.

Born in 1967, Rick was very much a child of the ‘70s, and as such, a product of classic AM radio. That meant constant exposure to a variety of music. These days, it’s hard to imagine everyone in town tuning in to the same one or two stations. Now radio stations are ruled by niche marketing.

Back then, AM radio programmed everything.

A song by Bread or Captain & Tennille might be followed by Led Zeppelin, War or Bad Company.

Rick saved up and bought his first 7” single, “Southern Nights,” by Glen Campbell.

Although his dad had always played Country music and wrote poetry, Rick had never considered playing music until a cousin had left behind a pretty nice Gibson guitar. He and his older brother would surreptitiously “borrow” the guitar and try and figure out some chords, they both exhibited natural abilities.

When he started Junior High, Rick met James Danielson and Eric Turner; they all shared an affinity for Rock & Roll. By the time they hit their teens, Rick and James began to concentrate on guitar, Eric gravitated toward the drums.

During their high school years, the nascent trio cycled through a series of bass players and band names best forgotten. Rock & Roll stardom beckoned. As soon as they completed their studies they left for California.

Eric’s family had spent some time in Palm Springs, so it was more familiar, and less daunting than the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles, the Walla Walla natives moved to the desert in the Spring of 1986. All three worked day jobs as they dreamed of a Rock & Roll future.

Equally inspired by Bob Dylan, Van Halen, the Kinks, Jimi Hendrix the Police, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Motley Crue, the guys began searching for the perfect bass player. When they met Nick Oliveri, it felt like all the pieces were coming together.

Nick had just quit his original project with

WESTFIELD MALL

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Josh Homme, Katzenjammer. He added a Punk sensibility, introducing the Walla Walla boys to Iggy and the Stooges, the Damned and the Ramones. They began creating music together and RagTag was born.

By early 1989, they gigged wherever they could throughout the desert, building a solid following. Their sound was a Glam-Punk-Metal hybrid that could have shared the stage with Guns N’ Roses or Jane’s Addiction. As lead singer, Rick was particularly charismatic.

RagTag signed with a manager who promised big things and they quickly re-located to L.A. Despite the “pay-to-play” strategies of the Sunset Strip, the band still managed to play infamous venues like the Whisky, Gazzarri’s, the Roxy, the Country Club and the Troubadour.

Ultimately, the manager couldn’t deliver as promised, and they imploded in the early ‘90s.

For a while, Rick worked the lighting rig at the Palace in Hollywood.

Eventually, all four guys returned to the desert. Nick reconnected with Josh Homme, everyone knows that story. Rick, James and Eric married and started families, but the need to create music remained. By 1992 the guys recruited Nick’s brother Dean, a fine bassist in his own right, and began playing together.

Now in their mid-20’s they began incorporating new influences into their sound.

The Jazz Fusion pioneered by Miles Davis, the improvisational spirit of the Grateful Dead as well as storytellers like Steve Earle and Townes Van Zandt, along with a plethora of Blues. These disparate styles made a profound impression.

They spent hours sharpening their skills, so it only seemed fitting to name their band Woodshed, since woodshedding is a slang term for relentless musical practice.

Woodshed built their reputation playing live throughout California. They opened for everyone from L.A. Guns, Gene Loves Jezebel, Kip Winger, Tommy Tutone and the Untouchables. Rick was now on rhythm guitar and splitting vocal duties with James. Some songs stretched out like epic jams, others were lean and economical.

They quickly recorded two studio albums, Fires Of Spring in 1994 and Let It Roll in 1996.

But it was their live album, Goodnight Irene, released in 2001 that truly captured the essence of the band. They recorded a fourth album at the influential Rancho de La Luna studio in 2004.

It remains unreleased.

After 12 years together, the band had

reached a plateau. Although they cultivated a healthy following, they still hadn’t achieved a commercial breakthrough. First Eric, and later James relocated their families back to Walla Walla. Woodshed effectively went on hiatus, never officially breaking up.

As the years flew by, Rick weathered a divorce, but remained a full-time dad to three amazing kids. As they got older he had more time to reflect on the vagaries of life. Slowly, the songs just came pouring out. In late 2014, he quietly began playing solo sets at clubs around town. He was even chosen to perform for Sony Music execs at a pre-Stagecoach event.

By now Rick had amassed an impressive arsenal of nearly 40 songs. He had recorded primitive demos for most of them layering in instrumentation and harmonies himself. After a gig at the Joshua Tree Saloon, the booker, Dave Ryan, (also a musician), suggested that he contact Chris Unck.

A multi-instrumentalist, Chris Unck has toured with Pink and Butch Walker, and fronts an excellent alt.country band, The Black Roses.

He also finds time to produce other artists at High Lonesome, his recording studio in Joshua Tree.

Rick cherry-picked six songs from his vast catalog and began recording at High Lonesome in late August. The result is his just released EP, 1909 Miles.

The EP opens with “Walking With Ghosts.”

Anchored by a click-clack rhythm, warm acoustic notes overlap with bittersweet electric riffs. The winsome track offers up a wry and empathetic character sketch of a long time club habitue’ who has seen better days. “She looked like I had remembered, more tattoos and a little less tender.”

The chance encounter lingers in his mind; “The memory of her followed me close behind, and even though there was little conversation, a lot was said with little hesitation.” The situation prompts him to reflect on his own misspent youth; “When you’re young, you owned the town, time took over and took you down/ Disappeared without a sound.”

Two tracks, “25 Mile An Hour Town” and “Northwestern” return Rick to his Washington roots. The former is tethered to a cantering gait, accented by fiddle and loping acoustic guitar.

Here we meet the teenage Rick, anxious to leave his hometown behind for some big city excitement; “It’s a world away from anything on Friday night, Dreams seem to run away as fast as they come in this 25 mile an hour town.”

Over the instrumental break, ringing, Byrds-ian acoustic riffs cascade over the melody.

The latter was inspired after a night of music

up at Pappy & Harriet’s. Looking up at the bright constellation of stars he flashed back to a galaxy far, far away: Walla Walla. Tentative acoustic chords and Rick’s plaintive tenor give way to a propulsive, Stones-y groove.

Spiky electric riffs slide through the melody as he tries to make peace with the quiet town that couldn’t contain his dreams; “…I was young and I was restless, couldn’t wait to get away on my own.” Honeyed acoustic arpeggios shimmer as he searches for redemption “I’m still searching for the words I can say, or a road I can get on that’ll lead me back someday/Hope it all comes together before it fades away.”

“Lifted” is an infectious charmer. Powered by a caffeinated shuffle rhythm, the melody and instrumentation recalls the Gypsy Jazz of Django Reinhardt. Self-deprecating lyrics allow Rick to lay his carnal cards on the table. “I’m looking to get lifted, picked up or stolen by a woman that looks real fine/With eyes like heaven and a wicked story line and a walk that’s like keeping time.” A tart, finger-picked guitar solo underscores the song’s playful mood.

The title of the EP, 1909 Miles refers to the distance between Nashville and the desert. On “Outskirts Of Nashville” Rick daydreams about his music making a splash; “One day I’ll go play at the Bluebird, real pretty and make them cry.”

From the Cash-tastic “boom-chicka-boom” back beat to the swoony pedal steel that swoops, glides and weeps through the melody, the track manages just the right amount of Music City verisimilitude.

The EP closes with “You’d Be Better Off.” A tender mea culpa propelled by a measured beat, circuitous acoustic guitar and a classic Country Western fiddle that acts as a rueful Greek chorus under Rick’s aching regret. Taking full responsibility for a failed romance, he confesses “I didn’t mean to take your dances, or the way that you held close.”

Acknowledging his shortcomings, he offers rueful encouragement; “You’d be better off with a good man, one that’s steady, one that’s true/ One that’s ready to love again but that ain’t me cause I’m a fool.” It’s a wistful end to an accomplished set of songs.

Rick produced the album with Chris Unck, who also played dobro, bass and electric guitar, (including the sparkly solo on “Northwestern”).

He also relied on the crack musicianship of Bobby Furgo on fiddle, Bill Maresh on pedal steel and Brian Meuse on drums.

Arriving in California nearly 30 years ago, Rick’s dreams of Rock & Roll stardom in the land of hairspray and spandex didn’t exactly pan out, but he was smart enough to re-calibrate his goals. The Woodshed years were filled with great music and fraternal camaraderie. Striking out on his own was a scary proposition, but he rose to the challenge. He has definitely grown as an artist. His lyrics are rich and nuanced, borne from personal experience. His melodies are sharp and concise.

1909 Miles is the perfect introduction to Rick Shelley’s music. The only downside is it’s over after six songs. The listener’s only option is to program the CD player to “repeat” until his fulllength album arrives.

The post-Thanksgiving show will spotlight two artists, both with unique histories prior to becoming professional artists: Mark & Kathy Doolittle (Wood/Gourds) – The journey of Mark Doolittle, Ph.D., has taken him from associate professor of medicine at UCLA to that of a full time wood artisan living on the border of Joshua Tree National Park.

Having exhibited in La Quinta Arts Festival for a third time in 2015, Mark and his wife Kathy are teaming up to show their distinctive Gourd Art at Art Under the Umbrellas, along with Mark’s fine crafted woodworks. Kathy’s gourds are created with an unusual style of surface embellishment by applying handmade paper to the gourd, followed by wood burning to achieve a stained glass-like appearance. Mark creates the hand carved gourds, and together their collaboration produces truly unique artwork vessels.

Stephen Schubert (Abstract Painting)

– Stephen’s storied past has ranged from working as a bartender in a caboose, designing windows for FAO Schwarz, spinning records during the disco craze, and even acting.

Based in Burbank, Schubert’s artistic process starts with birch panels and a semicircle of open gallons of paint. Primarily using a spackle knife … dragging, spraying, dripping, smearing and scraping … he lays down up to 15 layers of paint and frequently finishes the piece with a resin topcoat. He often incorporates heavy texture, color fields, realism, words and iridescent mica flecked paints into his work. The end result is a vibrant, colorful contemporary painting.

Art Under the Umbrellas offers free admission and free parking. Old Town La Quinta is located in the Village of La Quinta.

Take Washington Street south. Go west on Calle Tampico for two blocks. Old Town La Quinta will be on the left-hand side. Visit www.LQAF.com or call (760) 564-1244 for more information.

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November 19 to November 25, 2015

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

PET PLACE

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

by Janet McAfee

A Second chance for Chance!

I

moved quickly through the kennels at the San Bernardino City Shelter checking the availability dates on the dogs’ kennel cards, not wanting to lock eyes with the pups longer than necessary. Many of the animals were still on hold for an owner to claim, though sadly the percentage of owner retrievals is small. I spotted an interesting looking male poodle mix. He was listed as part Maltese, but was clearly a blend of several breeds. His kennel card contained the notation “fearful”.

I waited in the fenced in grassy visiting area to assess the pup. A kennel attendant told me they were having trouble getting the dog out of the kennel, and finally it took three kennel workers to retrieve him for our “meet and greet”. Most shelter dogs bounce joyfully from their kennels, tails wagging and welcoming a friendly petting. This time was different. The dog spun wildly around the enclosure, not coming near me. My heart sank when he wouldn’t stop, and I wondered if he would ever calm down and become “adoptable”.

I quit gesturing to him, sat on the ground, and just waited. His frenzied run continued for about 15 minutes, though it seemed like an eternity. Finally he calmed down, inched toward me, and let me comfort him.

A private adopter would probably not have

selected this pup, but rescue organizations such as Loving All Animals have foster homes that can assess and help train them. “Chance” seemed like a fitting name for a dog that now had a second chance for a new life. Chance quickly metamorphosed into the sweet and charming dog he was meant to be. We don’t know if he was an abused animal, or simply frightened in the shelter setting.

Foster mom Jeni Greenfield has a lot of experience with dogs. Jeni’s Mobile Pet Grooming service was another blessing for the badly matted Chance who gratefully let her transform him into a handsome fellow. Jeni recalls Chance was a bit shy when he arrived and was not housebroken. Eager to please, he quickly learned to use the doggie door and became a happy pack member with her dogs.

Jenny recalls, “Chance was great. He came out of his shell quickly. When guests came over, he would bombard them with affection.”

Sara Fenimore and Steve Stoddard saw Chance’s photo on our website, and he reminded them of their dog Parker who recently passed away. Chance didn’t disappoint, greeting his new “mom” and “dad” with kisses. Sara recalls how well Chance adjusted to their home, “Chance has been a joy! He strolls around our home and yard

Full Service Feline Only Veterinary Clinic

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760-325-3400 Dr. Rebecca Diaz is a cat-loving veterinary professional, dedicated to keeping your cats and kittens happy and healthy with top-quality care in a stress-free environment.

Feline Veterinary Service

Every aspect of our clinic is designed with the special needs of cats in mind.

From the quiet serene waiting room to the relaxing exam rooms and cat-friendly cages for hospitalized patients, our goal is to promote a peaceful, stress-free environment for your cats.

Services include: • Routine Care • Geriatic Care • Spay/Neuter

• Digital Radiology • Laboratory Services • New Kitten Care

• Vaccinations • General Surgery • Dentistry

67870 Vista Chino Cathedral City, CA 92234

www.catcitycat.com

14

with great confidence. It was special at the adoption event when everyone from Loving All Animals gathered around to say goodbye to him. We knew then he was a special dog.

Thanks to Loving All Animals for saving lives, finding homes, and bringing joy to humans and animals!”

Chance and the couple’s other rescue dog, Sophie, soon became best of friends. Sara notes, “He’s brought out Sophie’s personality and made her more playful. He makes cute little monkey sounds when he plays. Always in play mode, he has a stuffed monkey he loves to toss in the air and play fetch by himself.”

Now renamed Caesar, this fellow struts around like a little emperor. He has his own chair in the front room where he loves to look outside. Caesar has 5 doggie beds, and 2 doggie doors give him access to the lovely landscaped yard. Once a fearful stray on the

meet pippi This adorable 9-lb Terrier lived the first 3 years in a tent with a homeless man and 10 other dogs. Loving All Animals rescued her from a shelter.

Sweet Pippi is a one-person dog, and promises to be a loyal & joyful best “furfriend”.

Adoption donation requested.

Contact (760) 834-7000.

meet jasmin 1-yr-old Jasmin dreams of a loving home for the holidays. This tiny “love bug” Chihuahua girl was rescued

by Loving All Animals after being dropped off on a busy freeway. Adoption donation.

Contact (760) 834-7000.

mean streets of San Bernardino, he is now a treasured pet living the high life in a beautiful home with his adoring humans.

Steve enthusiastically describes Caesar, “He won the dog lottery! He runs this place.

His personality is incredible. He’s glued to my side, and wakes up every morning expecting a belly rub. He filled the ‘hole’ we had after losing Parker, and now it’s like he’s never NOT been here. Caesar has a lot of “Parkerisms” including the funny way he lays down. He’s a gigantic smile walking on 4 legs!”

What is Caesar’s message? Some animals are frightened in the shelter environment, but they make fabulous pets given the second chance they deserve. If a dog appears frightened, relax, sit on the ground, and let him approach you. You can contact the San Bernardino City Shelter at (909) 384-1304.

Contact our Riverside county shelter in Thousand Palms at (760) 343-3644.

For assistance with getting a rescue animal, or to save a life through fostering, contact Loving All Animals at (760)834-7000 or lovingallanimals.org. Every “fearful” dog we have rescued is now living happily in their adoptive home, proving that love and patience can overcome the darkest past. jmcafee7@verizon.net

November 19 to November 25, 2015

by Rick Riozza

Where’s all the fuss about Beaujolais Nouveau 2015?

W

ell—there’s not much of it around town. Where have all the Beaujolais Nouveau parties gone?—long time passing. Although it was just last year that the Viceroy Hotel carried on their tradition of a horse drawn carriage hauling in a large wooden cask of the young purple wine straight from Burgundy France via LAX from Charles DeGaulle; and, thereafter everyone joined in for endless $5 glasses of Gamay. Now that’s how to do it.

But sadly, that stunning black stallion marching in the rain carting the crimson ribbon of flowing fresh wine has gone missing from the premises along with Chef Martineau and his Cassoulet Toulousian.

Ahhhhh—let’s blame him! J’accuse!!

Actually—crying, I just called him over at the Montage in Beverly Hills; he wishes us all well and thanks us for the memories.

I remember we all had a rousing time over at the Miramonte Hotel celebrating the first Beaujolais out-of-the-gate, featuring Sinatra-style crooner Steve DiTullio and his Italian entourage. They didn’t sing one French tune but no one cared, Stevie and his friends were hot, eager, and singing up a storm and we all smiled along with purple teeth. (By the way—DiTullio’s singing over at the Westin Mission Hills on December 12th, celebrating Old Blue Eye’s 100th birthday.)

And, last year or so—as you would expect, Clementine Market Place & Café in Palm Desert did it up big time and very French with their pouring of three different stellar “Cru” Beaujolais—an abbreviation of “Grand Cru” which is the good stuff!

Monsieur et Madame Christophe and his lovely wife Jennifer presented an abundance of wine and ambiance along with Chef Grabe preparing a panoply of delectable delights like we were living in Lyon.

Although there is no official word from Clementine’s for this year’s November 19th Beaujolais Nouveau Day, I’m certain there will be plenty to toast to and dine upon at this fun and always enchanting French Market & Café venue 72990 El Paseo Ste 3 Palm Desert, CA 92260 760.834.8814 “It’s Beaujolais Nouveau time” is the re-vamped slogan for ad campaigns and marketing material when on the third Thursday of November, the entire planet frolics French and celebrates the season’s wine harvest, the bottling—and simultaneously, the uncorking of the youngest wine on earth!

The 2015 Beaujolais Nouveau Celebration is one of the wine world’s most fun times (well maybe not so in the Coachella Valley) where there will be nothing serious going on except serious partying with fruity six week old red wine from the Gamay grape that has been whooshed in from France in just days flat!

Indeed, there’s an adventurous movie to

be made where the backdrop story covers how a million cases of new wine race around the world in motorcycles, balloons, trucks, helicopters, jets, elephants, runners and rickshaws to get it to its final destination on time.

Beaujolais Nouveau owes its easy drinkability to a winemaking process known as whole-berry fermentation. This technique preserves the fresh, fruity quality of the grapes without extracting bitter tannins from the grape skins.

I know—I know, because it is such a young wine, it’s got a bad reputation of being insipid and rough—and it can be in bad vintages. Good or bad, the wine labels from each vintage, especially from Georges DeBoeuf and Maison Drouhin, are colorful and entertaining, which keeps up the fun aspect of the party day. But, from a stellar vintage in the Burgundy region (yes—Gamay Beaujolais is from the area) the Nouveau can be quite good, and as Christophe at Clementine has shown, the ten “Crus” from Beaujolais can be sublime aromatically and deliciously sturdy, as with the 2000, 2003, 2009, 2012—wines that are still drinking great.

When I cried to my pal Ralph Iannuzzi, owner of the Wine Vault of the Desert, about no one doing a Beaujolais party this year, he said, “Cause no one’s drinking the stuff.” Again he’s voicing his clientele’s general malaise about the Nouveau—not the Cru. So we are all asking ourselves (well maybe not here in Coachella), how’s the 2015 vintage doing so far? Famed Burgundy Vintner Frédéric Drouhin said of the general vintage, “This year the (wine) colors were revealed very quickly; they are now red, deep, of high intensity. Aromas are very fruity (strawberry and jam-like) perfume-y and concentrated.” That’s sounding good!

However, he adds, “At this stage (Oct. 2015), it is difficult to compare 2015 to another vintage, but at present the wines look promising and are evolving nicely.”

Wow! In the viniculture biz, “difficult to compare” is a very interesting comparison; when there is none! (Background Music: the Twilight Zone theme…dee-dee—dee-dee, dee-dee—dee-dee~~Continue and fade out).

So yes—Beaujolais Nouveau is mostly marketing and party fun, and, good party fun—please! Lighten up people! Hey—I happen to be a big Cru Beaujolais fan and here’s my quick spiel: Beaujolais’ sandy clay over granite soil while its Gamay grape romps this playground is magical in the wine that’s produced. And as the Lord is wont to do, from just one type of grape, He causes a range of variations on a theme to keep us all happy. This “Cru” thing I keep referring to,

are 10 distinct wine areas within Beaujolais, each with an individual profile.

So whether your tastes look to elegant, floral & fruity—it’s Fleurie; aromatic, full of raspberries, cranberries, but light—Régnié; those who adore hearty wines—akin to tasty Burgundies, you’ll find the Moulinà-Vent and the Morgon as the absolute ticket. And all of these wines make for the perfect Thanksgiving quaff.

Francophile or not, we all stand in support of our stricken brother and sisterhood in Paris and the world! Restons courageux!

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November 19 to November 25, 2015

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

­­THUR NOVEMBER 19

PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Del Shores 7pm, Kal David, Lauri Bono & The Real Deal 9pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 Scarlet Roads 9pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 Local Music Showcase w/ Foxy Cleopatra, Blackwater, Josh Heinz, The Brosquitos, IIIZ, The Hive Minds, Symara Stone and Rick Shelley’s CD Release Party 8pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 The Carmens 8-11pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 9pm SIDEWINDER GRILL; DHS; 760-329-7929 Karaoke w/ Milly G 6pm SMOKIN’ BURGERS; PS; 760-883-5999 Ron James 6pm SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin Music 10pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341-3560 TBA 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 TBA 8pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Darci Daniels 6:30pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760-3282300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm TRYST; PS; 760-832-6046 TBA 10pm VIBE, MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951-755-5391 DJ Hektik 10pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 The Carmens 6:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 Rob & JB 1:304:30pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am, DJ Anwaar Hines 9-2am

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bobby Furgo and Co. 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Reunion w/ DJ Day 10pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Tommy Dodson 7pm ARNOLD PALMER’S; LQ; 760-771-4653 Concert Series w/ Lifetime Rocker 5pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Piano Bar 6pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Hip Hop 10pm open 6pm-2am BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Live Entertainment 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CORKTREE; PD; 760-770-0123 Michael Keeth 6-9pm DATE SHED; IND; 760-775-6699 Thirsty Thursdays w/ Cruz N Kenga 8pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm EUREKA; IW; 760-834-7700 TBA 7pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 T.B.A. 7:30pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Chris Lomeli 6:30pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Open Mic 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-3456466 Frank DiSalvo 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Punk Rock Night 9pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 7pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Hot Rox LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Country Night w/ Jimi Nelson 8pm

THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-9991995 Quinto Menguante 8-1am MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Nena Anderson 7:30pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Open Table DJ Night w/ The Deep Ones 8pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 P.S. Jumps!

6:30pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 The Taste Brothers 9pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 Open Mic Hosted By Josh Heinz 9pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 The Smooth Brothers 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341-3560 Dude Jones 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 Karaoke w/ T-Bone 8-12am THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Tony DiGerlando 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Flyer 4-6pm, Carolyn Martinez Trio 6:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-9pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Laurie Morvan Band 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 Locals Night 9pm

FRI NOVEMBER 20 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 TBA 6pm 19TH HOLE; PD; 760-772-6696 Karaoke w/ T Bone 9pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 The New California Barbershop Presents: Weekend TakeOver 10pm AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Art of Sax 8pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Gilmore Rizzo & Bryan Miller 7:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Fleet Easton 7:30pm BAR; PS; 760-537-7337 TBA 9pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Row Low, Garcia Giant and DJ sets by Thvse Dvdes Thvt DJ and Synthetix 9pm Open 6pm-2am BISTRO 60 @TRILOGY; LQ; 760-501-0620 The Carmens 6pm BLUE BAR, SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-7755566 Lady Eris 8pm

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BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 The Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT CASINO; PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael Wright 9-1am CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CLEMETINE; PD; 760-834-8814 Gina Carey 6pm DATE SHED; IND; 760-775-6699 Metalachi w/ Aphrodisiac Jacket and Jeff Wilder 8pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 House Band 8:45pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 VooDoo Glowskulls, Grand Skovell and Spankshaft 8pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Bill Ramirez 6:30pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-3456466 Frank DiSalvo 6pm JACKALOPE RANCH; IND; 760-342-1999 Lisa Lynn & The Country Gentlemen 9pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Live DJ 8:30pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Blue 62 8pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Palm Springs Sound Company in the afternoon, Hot Rox in the night LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Circle of Fifths 9pm THE LOUNGE; AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-9991995 DJ 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 TBA 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760-3450222 Off The Cuff 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 The Walcotts 8pm PEABODY’S CAFÉ; PS; 760-322-1877 Karaoke 7:30pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-228-1199 T.B.A. 9pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Del Shores 7pm, Anne Steele 9pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 The Hive Minds 9pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 AV LMKR Thuggin Tour 9pm

SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 The Carmens 8-11pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 9pm SMOKIN’ BURGERS; PS; 760-883-5999 Ron James 6pm SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin Rock 10pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341-3560 Demetrious and Co. 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 TBA 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Pat Rizzo 6:30pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760-3282300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm VIBE; MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951-755-5391 The Rick Whitfield Band 10pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Meet The Corwins 5:30-7:30pm, John Stanley King 8pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 T.B.A. 1:304:30pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am, DJ Anwaar Hines 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 TBA 5:30pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 Michael Keeth 6-10pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 TBA 9pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Rose Mallet 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 Girl’s Night Out w/ The Men on the Hollywood Strip 9pm

SAT NOVEMBER 21 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bev & Bill 6pm 19TH HOLE; PD; 760-772-6696 Karaoke w/ T-Bone 9pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 The New California Barbershop Presents: Weekend TakeOver noon poolside, and 10pm AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Art of Sax 8pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Cabaret Open Mic 7:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Denise Carter 7:30pm BAR; PS; 760-537-7337 TBA 9pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 5 Epic DJ Sets by IMDEAD, SkyHigh, Captain OSIV, Rich Brandon and Disco Jesus 9pm open 6pm-2am BLUE BAR; SPOTLIGHT 29; IND; 760-775-5566 DJ 9pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Gina Carey 6-10pm

CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT CASINO; PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael Wright 9-1am CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm DATE SHED; IND; 760-775-6699 Date Shed Presents: Thanks “Giving” Bash Charity Hip Hop Concert 8pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm DILLON’S BURGERS AND BEER; DHS; 760-7747131 The Dead Milkmaids, Sean Wheeler and The Fake Emos and The Hellions 9pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm FIRESIDE LOUNGE; PS; 760-327-1700 T.B.A. 9pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 TBA 8:30pm THE GROOVE LOUNGE; SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-775-5566 DJ 8pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Eevaan Tre and The Hive Minds 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Bill Ramirez 6:30pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-3456466 Frank DiSalvo 6pm JACKALOPE RANCH; IND; 760-342-1999 Michael Keeth 9pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 T.B.A. 8pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 8pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company,in the afternoon,Hot Rox,in the night LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Circle of Fifths 9pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-9991995 Radio Rave 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Hotwyre w/ Buddy Greco Jr. 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760-3450222 Gennine Francis 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Shadow Mountain Band 5pm, Moonsville Collective 8pm PEABODY’S CAFÉ; PS; 760-322-1877 Karaoke 7:30pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-228-1199 TBA 9pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 4th Anniversary Party w/ Slipping Into Darkness, Sun Baked, Facelift and Moods 8pm

November 19 to November 25, 2015

continue to page 22

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November 19 to November 25, 2015

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

Thanksgiving Roundup

MASTRO’S For the first time ever, Mastro’s Palm Desert (along with Mastro’s locations all across Los Angeles), will be open for Thanksgiving Dinner next week, starting at 4pm!

Forget about your aunt’s dry turkey and start a brand new tradition with juicy steaks, sumptuous seafood and martinis! (no cleanup!!).

Holiday Cocktails: Mastro’s is known for their incredible cocktails, and for the holidays, we would love for you to consider including the Salted Caramel Martini, the blood orange Ruby Slippers Cocktail, or the festive Pomegranate Martini.

Holiday Shopping & Mastro’s: For those out doing their holiday shopping, Mastro’s is the perfect place to treat yourself when you are all done!

Mastro’s Palm Desert in The Gardens On El Paseo at 73405 El Paseo #120, Palm Desert, CA 92260 760-836-9351.

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WORKSHOP KITCHEN + BAR CELEBRATES THANKSGIVING WITH A LA CART MENU, NEW BAR PROGRAM & BAR MANAGER Recent James Beard Award winner, Workshop Kitchen + Bar has completed tinkering with its annual Thanksgiving menu highlighting seasonal local farm inventory in Palm Springs. The specialty menu is a curated collection of traditional Thanksgiving offerings and modern takes on less traditional holiday food items. Locals and Visitors will also get to enjoy master craft bartender Dave Castillo, who has been meticulously working on a new bar program blending both an adventurist and naturalist approach to craft cocktails. This holiday season, Workshop Kitchen + Bar is the perfect destination for those looking to give thanks, whether visiting with family and friends or looking to make new friends at the communal table.

The sumptuous á la cart menu includes House - Brinded + Duck Fat Fried Organic Diestel Farms Turkey, homemade winterspiced cranberry + apple preserves, marjoram pan gravy. For the pescaterian’s we offer Diver Scallops, diced greens with pickled vegetables, fermented grilled kabocha squash, pork crackling, and porcini foam.

Several savory sides include Sweet Potato Casserole with serrano chilie, cream, pecan streusel, melted house-made marshmallow and Shaved Brussels, featuring toasted hazelnuts, persimmon, pomegranate, aged balsamico, olive oil, shaved pecorino romano. Dessert options include Sweet Tamal, pineapple, pistachio, white raisin, candied citrus and hand crafted honey thyme ice cream or Rye + Ginger Crème Brulee.

A new season always brings new changes.

Workshop has revamped its bar program with the help of Craft Bartender Dave Castillo. Castillo, formerly of 320 Main in Seal Beach, brings his unique approach and skill set to WKB. Balancing an adventurist and naturalist cocktail philosophy, his creations often showcase that less can be more and comfort zones don’t exist. A sommelier who studied under acclaimed sommelier Michael Jordan, Castillo not only has a solid education in the alcohol world, he brings a collection of awards along with him.

One of the new cocktails added to the menu is the Jack Rose; applejack, housemade grenadine, lime juice, marasca

The Pampered Palate

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

November 19 to November 25, 2015

cherry. popular in the 20’s and 30’s, even mentioned in “the sun also rises” when Jake (narrator) talks about drinking a jack rose while waiting for Brett at the Hotel de Crillon Bar For more info on Workshop visit: workshoppalmsprings.com.

CELEBRATE YOUR THANKSGIVING AT TORTOISE ROCK CASINO Enjoy A Delicious Thanksgiving Special & Thrilling Football Action Tortoise Rock Casino is offering guests a tasty Thanksgiving meal with a special Turkey Sandwich and all the trimmings served in Oasis Grille all day on Thursday, November 26. Thrilling football action will also begin at 5:30 p.m. at Shelly’s Lounge.

Oasis Grille will be serving a delectable Open Faced Turkey Sandwich with Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce and gravy for all Thanksgiving diners to enjoy for only $8.29 all day.

After the meal, stay and play on one of the seven table games, or try your hand at some of today’s most popular slot machines.

Also, don’t miss watching the Chicago Bears take on the Green Bay Packers shown live in Shelly’s Lounge. During the game, enjoy amazing Happy Hour specials including $3 Coronas, $2 off well drinks, $3 domestic pints, $4 Blue Moon pints and $4 margaritas and daiquiris. Oasis Grille will also serve up food specials, including hot dog and fries for just $4 and movie-style nachos for only $3.

Kickoff is at 5:30 p.m.

Tortoise Rock Casino is located at 736829 Baseline Road in Twentynine Palms.

From Highway 62 going east, take a right on Adobe Road. Everyone 18 years of age and over can join the non-stop sizzling gaming action at Tortoise Rock Casino. For more information, visit TortoiseRockCasino.com.

CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING WEEKEND AT SPOTLIGHT 29 CASINO Delicious Dining, Great Entertainment, Exciting Football and A Chance to Win A Lincoln MKZ Spotlight 29 Casino is proud to celebrate Thanksgiving weekend with a cornucopia of festivities, including an exceptional

Thanksgiving buffet at Café Capitata, hilarious comedian Damon Wayans at the Spotlight Showroom, exciting Football action and a chance to enter to win a Lincoln MKZ, along with cash and amazing prizes!

Enjoy all of the Thanksgiving classics at Spotlight 29 Casino’s Café Capitata with an all-inclusive Thanksgiving buffet on Thursday, November 26, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., for only $23.95 per person.

Café Capitata’s traditional and delicious Thanksgiving feast is filled with all of the scrumptious holiday favorites. A carving station with delicious turkey and tender, juicy prime rib and all of the trimmings will be presented, including mashed potatoes and gravy, candied yams, creamed spinach, green beans and more. The Thanksgiving buffet will have other selections the whole family will enjoy, such as ham, salmon, pork shanks, penne pasta with shrimp, chicken Oscar, as well as Asian and Mexican dishes.

A succulent seafood station featuring peeland-eat shrimp, oysters, mussels and sushi is also offered. Topping off this decadent Thanksgiving feast, guests can relish in a variety of desserts, from pies, cakes and cream puffs to fresh fruit tarts, chocolate dipped strawberries to name a few.

Thanksgiving Day wouldn’t be complete without thrilling football action, so don’t miss watching the Chicago Bears take on the Green Bay Packers at Hot Spot. Great food and beverage specials, plus a live radio remote with KPLM The Big 106 will take place. Specials include 16 oz. domestic draft beers for $3, limon margarita rocks for $3, well cocktails for $4 and pitchers for $7.50.

Hot Spot will also offer $3 hot dogs and $4 wings. Kickoff is at 5:30 p.m.

Spotlight 29 Casino is also giving Thanksgiving guests the chance to win some cash in their Football Cash Giveaway.

Guests will relish in the chance to win their share of $500 before Black Friday shopping commences. Cash drawings are held at the end of every quarter. Club 29 Players Card holders can get their free drawing ticket after 4 p.m. at Hot Spot.

In addition to the Football Cash Giveaway, Spotlight 29 Casino presents guests with the chance to win live chips and match play in their Football Table Games Hot Seat. One lucky winner will win $100 in live chips plus $50 in match play at the end of every quarter. Players must be rated for 20 minutes prior to each drawing time to be eligible to win.

For more information, please call 760775-5566 or visit Spotlight29.com.

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November 19 to November 25, 2015

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

by Robin E. Simmons

EVIL IN GOD’S NAME

Screeners No.190 Cleese, Eric Idle and Michael Palin, Quest for the Holy Grail Locations with Palin & Jones, Lego Knights of the Round Table, Special Japanese Version, How To Use Your Coconuts (An Educational Film) and much more. Sony. Blu-ray.

RICKI AND THE FLASH

PICK OF THE WEEK: SPOTLIGHT Shocking, repellant and lurid. The true and riveting story of the Boston Globe’s year-long investigation into the child abuse allegations and cover-up by the Catholic Church garnered not only a Pulitzer Prize for the paper’s Spotlight team, but also revealed a local and then international scandal at the highest levels of the once trusted religious institution. The news jolted Boston and then the world. The church that claims to be in a direct line of Jesus Christ was constantly reminded by media analysts and pundits of Jesus’s words recorded in the Book of Matthew: “ But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Director Tom McCarthy’s gripping, factbased, investigative thriller recounts the process of the tense investigation that finally cracked the walls of a pedophile cult clothed in the pious robes of clergy and protected by fearful legal and government sympathizers.

The meticulous recreation of the place and time adds immensely to the impact of the finely crafted original screenplay by director McCarthy and Josh Singer. The pitch perfect supporting cast includes Mark Ruffalo, Stanley Tucci, Michael Keaton, Live Schreiber, Billy Crudup and Rachel McAdams. This important, morally urgent and dramatically satisfying film will remind many of ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN (1976), but is, in many ways, superior.

BY THE SEA A lightweight film written, directed and starring Angelina Jolie -- with husband Brad -- is almost a parody of one of those 1960’s art-house Italian domestic dramas starring Marcello Mastroianni in an angst-ridden and talky relationship. Yes, the movie looks great, and Angie and Brad are easy on the

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an intimate and perhaps fitting epitaph that maybe even Winehouse would approve.

The inclusion of her performances, sometimes with on-screen lyrics, makes this non-judgmental portrait more immediate.

Reading her soul-baring lyrics reminds of her searing poetic gift. Her tragedy was etched in her music long before the chaos in her life made headlines. Much more than a cautionary tale, this is a dark celebration of our fragile humanity. Generous extras include commentary, interviews and deleted scenes. Lionsgate. Blu-ray.

MONTY PYTHON & THE HOLY GRAIL -40 ANNIVERSARY EDITION Once in a lifetime, there comes a motion picture that changes the whole history of cinema. A movie so stunning in its vast impact that it profoundly affects the lives of all who see it. MONTY PYTHON & THE HOLY GRAIL is not that movie, but the 40th Anniversary milestone allows for a fully immersive wallow in bounty of extras, only some of which include: Outtake and Extended Scenes, an Introduction by Python Terry Jones, Lost Animation with Introductions

by Terry Gilliam, Scintillating Commentary from Terry Gilliam & Terry Jones and Even More Revealing Commentary by John th

eye, but this elevated vanity production about a married couple’s retreat to a picturesque 1970’s Italian seaside town in an effort to rekindle their marriage bond after a traumatic event is mostly a voyeuristic celebrity sideshow.

NEW FOR THE HOME THEATER: AMY AMY is a brilliantly horrific and profoundly sad tone poem to the dark allure of celebrity and the deadly consequences of addiction. Director Asif Kapadia’s brutally honest, unfiltered portrait of Amy Winehouse -- certainly among the biggest icons in Britain’s history -- is as heartbreaking as Winehouse’s best songs.

In her music, she revealed her soul with a voice most often compared to Billy Holiday.

She was a once-in-a-lifetime talent that connected globally and across cultures. This thrilling and heartbreaking documentary is

This decidedly minor comedy is intermittently charming because Meryl Streep can apparently do no wrong when she inhabits yet another character pulled out of her deep pockets. The recipient of 19 Oscar© nominations (so far), the most in history, Streep plays hard-rocking singer and guitarist for Academy Award winning director Jonathan Demme based on a screenplay by Diablo Cody. Streep is Ricki Rendazzo, a guitar heroine who made a world of mistakes following her dreams of rock stardom. Returning home, Ricki gets a shot at redemption and a chance to make things right when she faces the music with her family. Streep’s real life daughter Mamie Gummer co-stars along with Rick Springfield and Kevin Kline. Extras include deleted scenes. Sony. Blu-ray. robinesimmons@aol.com

Book Review

Save Our Sea!

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ight in our back yard is the State of California’s largest body of water.

At 33 miles long and 13 miles wide –- that’s approximately 376 square miles!

-- it is considered a sea. To put that in clearer perspective, the Salton Sea is bigger than Tahoe and Mono Lakes put together.

Surprisingly, CV residents don’t know much about this body of water, or they have a negative impression. Even so, most have never visited. In her book, Portraits and Voices of the Salton Sea (Salton Sink Publishing, 112 pages), author and photographer Christina Lange gives readers the opportunity to visit its shores, it residents, and the people who are trying to save the Salton Sea. Lange interviews 19 people about how they discovered the Sea, why they love it and what they think the Sea’s future holds.

The conversations are love stories. Since the publication in 2012, concerns for the Salton Sea have intensified. An ecological disaster looms on the horizon just like the lovely blue body of water itself, which shines at the valley’s eastern edge.

The Salton Sea is evaporating. There is no constant fresh water inflow, nor is there an outlet. The only source of water is rain and agricultural irrigation runoff from the Coachella and Imperial Valleys.

As the Sea loses water, it causes the salinity to rise, which threatens the fish populations and

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

November 19 to November 25, 2015

By Heidi Simmons “Portraits and voices of the salton sea”

By Christina Lange non-Fiction

impacts the birds that feed on them. The Salton Sea is a critical stop for 400,000 migrating birds along the Pacific Flyway.

If the Sea should disappear, it will be a biodiversity disaster for both wildlife and humans. The Sea’s floor is laden with chemical residue that, once exposed, could cause serious health issues.

Kathy Dice, former Superintendent of the Salton Sea Recreation Park, writes the forward.

She shares the Sea’s past and spells out the problems. In her tenure, she has seen the devotion of those who have discovered the Sea and invites others to come see the Sea for themselves.

Al Kalin is a Farmer in the Imperial Valley who has lived by the Sea his entire life. For over fifty years, he has watched the decline. He is not optimistic. Kalin has seen the numerous studies and all the money that has come and gone without any change or plan.

Jeni Bate is an artist living in Salton City. She came to the area after reading a book called “The Death and Life of Bobby Zee” which is set in Anza Borrego. She loves bird watching and thought she could paint the wide variety of birds. Her paintings of sunrises and sunsets, done from her patio, are big sellers.

Breaking the 4th Wall

Couple Jennifer Nicholas and Steve Sanchez met at the Salton Sea. They love the starry night sky and quiet. They both know that more people would love the Salton Sea if they knew about its beauty and potential.

Steve Johnson is a volunteer at the Salton Sea History Museum in Mecca and lives by the Sea year round. He loves that there is no traffic and he regularly swims in the Sea. With the salinity higher than the Pacific Ocean, he believes the water has therapeutic effects for arthritis and certain skin conditions.

Susan Magdaleno is retired and lives in San Diego. She comes to the Salton Sea to fly her powered paraglider. She loves the open space and hopes the area doesn’t get overwhelmed with population. She thinks of the Sea as one kind of paradise.

First-time Los Angeles visitors, Katerine Knauer and Yasin Sengul, had a mystical experience at the Salton Sea and thought the area was “more fun than church.”

Jody and Russell Schneider live in Salton City.

By Dee Jae Cox

photos By paul hayashi

A Stage Review of “StreetCar Named Desire”

“They told me to take a streetcar named Desire, and transfer to one called Cemeteries, and ride six blocks and get off at—Elysian Fields!” his journey, the precursor to the play, allegorically represents the trajectory of Blanch Dubois’ life, the tragic protagonist of Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize winning play, “Streetcar Named Desire” currently in production at the Palm Canyon Theatre.

Blanch Dubois, exquisitely portrayed by veteran actress Yo Younger, is a woman who is trapped in a reality that she seems to despise and tries desperately to escape through alcohol and fantasy. Younger, does what she seems to do so well, reaching inside the character and turning her inside out for the world to see the bloody heart and soul of this tragic and flawed woman after she is forced due to destitute circumstances, to move in for an indefinite stay with her sister Stella and brother-in-law Stanley.

Casey Ging, as Stella, does a remarkable job in her portrayal of a woman who epitomizes the attitudes, restrictions and abuses perpetrated on women when they are forced to depend on men for their survival, choosing sex and security over personal safety and ethics.

Williams’ 1947 melodrama is what good theatre is all about, rather than depicting the

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fantasy, it casts the harsh light of reality on a world that existed in Post War America 1940’s and still lives in the regions of our country where time has forgotten to advance the human existence. The hot, sticky, New Orleans heat can be felt crawling across your skin as you watch these characters move through the days of their dysfunctional lives. The subtle undertone of the music creates a mood and atmosphere that perfectly encapsulates the time.

Stanley Kowalski (Steven Meeks) is a common man, despicable and disturbing in his raw aggression and abuse. I can’t help wondering if Williams’ ability to create such flawed and jagged characters is the genius of his writing or the result of his own alcoholic demons?

I took a tour of New Orleans once and visited every place that Williams had lived within the French Quarter. I spoke with a woman who owned the store downstairs from where ‘Streetcar,’ was written in the apartment above.

I asked if she knew why Williams had moved so frequently within the less than a square mile area? She said that he was troubled and selfdestructive just like so many of his characters and kept getting evicted. That personal anguish is obviously reflected in the brilliance of his work.

Russell thinks the best idea he heard to save the sea was working with Mexico to run a shipping canal to the Salton Sea from the Sea of Cortez.

This would allow water to flow in and out solving the problem and would also generate jobs, recreation and tourism. He believes that’s the best plan and was disappointed when it was rejected.

There are many more voices with unique lifestyles, genuine concerns and bold ideas.

Portraits and Voices of the Salton Sea is an inside look at the lives of those directly experiencing the joy, beauty, solitude and community of the Salton Sea. They all contribute to a bigger picture of the area that so few in the valley have taken time to understand. Many of those interviewed are informed and deeply concerned. They are mystified why more valley residents don’t get involved and don’t take advantage of the many recreational activities the area provides.

More and more is being said about the Sea as its demise continues. That sad process will indeed affect all who live here in the valley and beyond. This book, with its lovely full-page photos, is a wonderful way to get a first-hand look without leaving your chair or neighborhood. Reading Portraits and Voices of the Salton Sea inspires a trip to the Sea as well as a call to action to Save Our Sea!

Harold “Mitch” Mitchell, wonderfully performed by Scott Smith, broke my heart.

The only character who inspired hope, in the end succumbs to destined failure as he too falls in line with the unrealistic demands and expectations we place on others in the elusive search for a happy ending.

Judith Chapman, directs this latest incarnation of “Streetcar Named Desire” and it was absolutely flawless. Her orchestrated scene transitions were some of the best that I have seen in any production. The slowing down of movement and the changing of clothing as indicators of the passage of time was perfect.

It kept the story moving and left no dead space in this three act drama. Chapman, also a very gifted actress as well as director, portrayed the upstairs neighbor, Eunice; herself a woman typical of this oppressive life.

There would be only one critique of this production that disappointed in any way.

Upstage, a floor to ceiling wall was left blank and begging for lighting, images, something that no doubt would have contributed to the

overall excellence of the show.

“Whoever you are—I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.” Blanche’s final words. “Streetcar Named Desire,” is classic theatre. Everyone should see a performance, or two, of this timeless drama. Be prepared for a long evening, but it is more than worth the time. I highly recommend that you get your tickets for this show, currently running through November 22nd, at the Palm Canyon Theatre, located at 538 North Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs.

For Reservations: Box Office: 760-323-5123 - palmcanyontheatre.org Dee Jae Cox, is a playwright, director and producer. She is the Cofounder and Artistic Director for The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Project and the host of the hit radio show, “California Woman 411.”

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November 19 to November 25, 2015

CLUB CRAWLER NIGHTLIFE continued from page 17 760-325-2323 Sunday Jam 4-8pm VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Chris Lomeli 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Golden WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 Era Karaoke 4-7pm, Red’s Rockstar Karaoke Courtney Chambers 6pm 8pm-1:15am WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 Red’s THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry Rockstar Karaoke 8pm 7:30pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Stanley PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-327Butler Trio 6:30pm 4080 Longest Running Jam Session in the valley.

Hosted by JB, Sign up 6pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJs 9pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 The Hot Fudge Sunday Band 7pm PETE’S HIDEAWAY;PS; 760-322-6500 The Evaro Brothers 7pm 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bob PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 The Judy Garcia 6pm Show 7pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Slacker Sunday SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Eddie Gee 7pm w/ DJ Sam James Velde 10pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Jazz 3560 The Myx 6pm Brunch w/ Rose Mallett 11:30am THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 7pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 The Judy Show 7:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Jazztime Band w/ Bradley Young 2-5pm, John BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Motown, Stanley King 6-9pm R&B and Funk 6pm-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 TBA BEATNIK LOUNGE; JT; 760-475-4860 TBA 6pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Steve Madaio WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 The 6-10pm Smooth Brothers 5:30pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT; PS; 888-

SUN NOVEMBER 22

999-1995 Nash with Quinto Menguante 9pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Joe Jaggi 6pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Radio 60 & Friends 3-6pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-3456466 Ted Herman’s Big Band 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Open Jam 6pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company, in the afternoon, Hot Rox, in the night MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS;

MON NOVEMBER 23 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 The Luminators 6pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Bill Marx 6:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Mood Deep House Lounge 6pm-2am CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Joe Jaggi 6pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-3456466 Ron Kalina’s Jazz 6pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Hot Rox

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 7pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Singer Song Writer Open Mic hosted by Robert Poole 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 T.B.A. 6pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Armed Forces Celebration and Sounds of the 40’s 6-9pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-2am, Michael James & 3sum 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Tony Grandberry 6:30pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Trish Hatley & Barney McClure 6pm

TUE NOVEMBER 24 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 The Shady Rest Band 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Ace Karaoke with Kiesha 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Linda Peterson 7pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Bella da Ball Dinner Revue w/ guest performers 7:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Open DJ Night text 760-799-8800 to sign up 6pm-2am BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Joe Jaggi 6pm FIRESIDE LOUNGE; PS; 760-327-1700 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Karaoke hosted

by Phillip Moore 9pm INDIAN CANYONS GOLF RESORT; PS; 760833-8700 DJ Randy Johnson 6pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-3456466 Michael D’Angelo 6:15pm

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JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Ted Quinn’s Open Mic Reality Show Jam 8pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 7pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Palm Springs Sound Company NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Tim Burleson 7:45pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Open Mic Jam w/ Jimi Heil 7pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Rose Mallet 7pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 CV Open Mic Competition hosted by Morgan James 8pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Demetrious and Co. THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Douglas McDonald 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Mike Costley and Trio 6:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 Tequila Tuesdays w/ DJ John Paul and DJ DGAF 9pm VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Chris Lomeli 6pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 John Bolivar & Barney McClure 6pm

WED NOVEMBER 25 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Daniel Horn 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 George Krikes 5pm, Full Moon Party 7pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Jazz Jam w/ Mikole Kaar & Friends 7:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Piano Bar 6pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Beer Pong Contest 6pm-2am BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Michael Keeth 6-10pm

CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Open Mic w/ Rich Bono & Poupee Boccaccio 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Live Music KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Open Mic hosted by Amy Angel 6:30pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Hot Rox MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760325-2323 “Sing Jam” w/ Mikael Healey 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Golden Era Karaoke 4-7pm, Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Kal David 7pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-288-1199 Karaoke w/ KJ Ginger 8pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Michael Holmes Jazz 6:30pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 Live Music 9pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 The D Phillips Band 6pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Straight Ahead Jazz 6pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Open Mic w/ Les Michaels 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Lizann Warner 6:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-2am, Nite Fixx 9-2am WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 Karaoke 9pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Deanna Bogart 6:30pm

The Date Shed Presents:

Thanks “Giving” Bash

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he Date Shed opened its doors to the public for the first time on November 25, 2011. The idea for the Date Shed was a natural progression after all the years of the Coachella Valley Arts and Music Festival where the Date Shed was used as a private party area to host close family and friends during the festival. “We started it around a campfire, giving lots of musician friends a private place to jam,” says Alex Haagen IV, owner. (dateshedmusic.com) About Coachella Valley Rescue Mission Established in 1971, Coachella Valley Rescue Mission provides food, shelter, and showers to over 100,000 local men, women, and children a year. During the holiday season they provide over 39,000 meals to those in need, and help to make over 5,000 local children’s wishes come true by giving them the gift of seeing Santa and the ability to pick a toy.

How Dub Service and The Date Shed Plan to Help With over 20 years of experience in both the music and event industries, Dub Service Events focuses on live performances. Their vast networks of professionals make it effortless for them to host quality, unique events.

On Saturday, November 21 at 9:00pm, the company plans on contributing to the “Thanks ‘Giving’ Bash”, hosted by The Date Shed, located at 50725 Monroe St, Indio, CA 92201. This will be an 18 & over event and will feature live performances from Dozzi

eventS

by rebecca washington

Doz, Karmic Basis, Lootenant, and Tiptoe Stallone; with a DJ set from DJ Rawkwell.

Guests will be required to pay a $10.00 entry fee, but will be able to get half ($5.00) off of their admission with a new, unwrapped toy valued at $5.00 or higher. 50% of full-price ticket sales, as well as all of the toys, will be going directly to Coachella Valley Rescue Mission. In the event that an individual is unable to attend the show, he or she is encouraged to drop off any donations at The Date Shed between 9PM-12AM. For more information regarding this event, please visit facebook.com/dateshed or contact: Brince Washington, Owner, Dub Service Events at kbwestservice3@ gmail.com or Rebecca Washington, Director of Marketing, Dub Service Events at beccawash11@gmail.com

November 19 to November 25, 2015

9th Annual Hightower Thanksgiving 5k Benefiting Martha’s Village & Kitchen Returns to El Paseo

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hile planning and preparing for your big Thanksgiving Day feast, remember to schedule in time to crawl, walk or run to help support our homeless community. The 9th Annual Hightower Thanksgiving Day 5K benefitting Marth’s Village and Kitchen will return to El Paseo on Thanksgiving Day morning. This is a great holiday tradition that gets bigger and better every year. Don’t be surprised to see people running next to you dressed up as turkeys, Indians or Pilgrims in this family fun 5K. Martha’s Village and Kitchen is in its 25th year of providing homeless services in the Coachella Valley. Their mission is to respond to the needs of the homeless community with food, clothing, shelter and an opportunity to become self-sufficient and productive citizens. Martha’s Village and Kitchen offers unique life-changing programs to help break the cycle of homelessness, therefore

improving the lives of generations to come This race has become a major fundraiser for Marth’s, with this year’s event expected to swell to more than 4,000 people including participants, volunteers and spectators. The event will be running two waves this year starting at 8am and 8:30am. In addition to the 5K, organizers will be raffling off an iPad, Barry Manilow concert tickets, and many more amazing prizes! Last year’s event helped serve over a quarter of a million meals to the less fortunate. Don’t miss out on the tradition and excitement of this favored event, all to help our Coachella Valley neighbors in need.

If want more information on the 5K or how you can help Marth’s Village and Kitchen call: (760) 347-4741. You can also visit the web site to register: marthasvillage.org/9thannual-5k Written By: Craig Michaels Craig Michaels Productions (760) 880-3848

(760) 340-2840 www.triabike.com

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November 19 to November 25, 2015

Haddon Libby

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

safety tips

by Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

TALKING TURKEY

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s you gather with friends and family for the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to arm you with information that you can use to distract your favorite aunt or uncle and keep them from retelling that story that they have been telling since you were at the kid’s table.

As turkeys are indigenous to North America and Mexico, how did they come to be called turkeys? After all, the Aztecs who domesticated the turkey nearly 3,000 years ago, called them guajolote (wueh-xōlō-tl).

The answer goes back to the discovery of the New World (that’s us) nearly 600 years ago. During Hernan Cortez’ exploration of Mexico in 1519, his men found and ate a wild fowl that looked like one found in Guinea, West Africa. Cortez’ men thus referred to this bird as a Gunea fowl and brought it home with them.

Within ten years, this delicacy found its way to England via Turkish merchants. As Englanders thought this bird came from Turkey, they called it a Turkey bird which was later shortened to turkey. Within fifty years, turkeys were a staple on English tables and their Christmas dinners.

In an oddity of language, English speakers called the guajolote a turkey while the Portuguese called them Perus and

Greeks referred to them ‘French birds’… probably because of the beautiful plumage (a French word).

Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird instead of the Bald Eagle as he felt the eagle had a “bad character” and was a “coward”. Franklin wrote to his daughter saying that the turkey was “a much more respectable Bird and a true Native of America” while calling it “a little vain and silly” yet “a Bird of Courage, (that) would not hesitate to attack the British Guards invad(ing) his Farm Yard.”

Sounds pretty American, no?

I should note that the wild turkey is vastly different than their domesticated counterpart. Wild turkeys sleep in trees to avoid predators and can run at speeds of up

to 25 mph while flying for short distances at speeds up to 55 mph. Despite these talents, turkeys do not see humans as predators.

This lack of fear towards us led to the near extinction of the species in the early 1900s when overhunting meant that only 30,000 remained in North America. Today, nearly 7 million live in the wild.

In the mating process, hens (females) find gobblers (males) with longer snoods more attractive than those with shorter snoods. A snood is that long, red ugly thing on their faces. As both gobblers and hens have snoods, a non-turkey can only differentiate the genders by looking at their poop.

Seriously.

Gobbler poop is in a spiral while hens

make a ‘J’ shape. Why? I do not know.

I do know that a baby turkey is called a poult while a young male turkey is a jake and the female is a jenny. A mature male turkey is called a gobbler, the female is a hen with a bunch called a rafter. Turkeys are communal animals that like to travel in rafters.

Assuming that you show off this new found knowledge of your main course this Thanksgiving, someone is certain to bring up the ‘fact’ that turkeys are so stupid that they drown if left outside in the rain.

This is false.

While farm-raised turkeys have been heavily inbred like British royalty and are not the smartest of birds, they are not that dumb. Given that these birds are weak, fat and slow like a sub-section of Americans who rely on fast food, soda and automatic remotes to survive, they panic when confronted with something unusual such as rain. As such, these turkeys try and escape the rain causing then to trample and suffocate each other like a gaggle of Black Friday shoppers at midnight.

Haddon Libby is Managing Partner of Winslow Drake, an investment advisory firm and can be reached at hlibby@ winslowdrake.com.

Dale Gribow On The Law

LICENSE SUSPENSION 101

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y column ideas come from reader’s suggestions but this week it came from a 25 year old client on Friday November 13, 2015 who had a DUI with a Driving on a Suspended License. In Indio this could mean a 10-30 jail sentence... on a first offense.

She had NO prior DUI’s which normally suspends a CDL. DMV under certain conditions can suspend or revoke your CDL. Thus the court or DMV have determined you are not allowed to drive UNTIL the suspension or revocation is lifted and your license is reinstated.

These are some of the reasons your CDL could be suspended: DUI: California has some of the harshest DUI laws in the country and Indio is among the toughest. In our zeal to punish DUI’s, some people think the DA’s and the Indio Court have gone too far in suspending a license for around 6 months on a first conviction DUI... and demanding jail.

Your lawyer can request a temporary license and then petition for a restricted license, where you are allowed to drive to and from work and a DUI program. On a 2nd or 3rd DUI you can lose your license for 2-4 years.

MINOR WITH ANY ALCOHOL: This will suspend their license for 1 year or possibly until they turn 18.

NO INSURANCE: If you do not have auto insurance then your CDL will be suspended for 4 years but in 1 year you can petition for its return with proof of insurance (SR 22) and paying a reissuance fee.

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NON REPORTED ACCIDENT: You will also get a suspended license if you are in an accident and do not report it.

REFUSAL: If you are stopped and refuse to take an alcohol or drug test your license will be suspended for 1 year... EVEN if you are innocent.

The police may get a warrant from a judge to take your blood and the suspension takes place even when it shows you did not have alcohol or drugs.

Your license is NOT being suspended because of a DUI, but rather because you refused to comply with California’s Implied Consent Law. By driving on California’s roads you impliedly consent to take a sobriety test if requested by law enforcement.

It is in your DMV test booklet.

EXCESSIVE POINTS: Too many points from tickets and or accidents will likewise cause a suspension. Four points are allowed in a 1 year period; 6 in 2 and 8 in 3 year periods. A ticket is 1 point and an at fault accident is 2 points as is a DUI, Reckless and Hit and Run. VANDALISM: Suspends a license for 1 year and if one is too young to drive their right to apply is delayed by one year.

FAILURE TO APPEAR IN COURT (FTA): If you either FTA or do not pay a fine on time, the court will issue a bench warrant and report this to DMV... who then suspends your license. In my client’s case I learned she was cited for throwing a cigarette out the window and never went to court to take care of it.

CHILD SUPPORT: Failure to pay child support will also cause a suspension.

AGE or MENTAL DISORDER: To get your license back you must provide a Driver Medical Evaluation (DS-326) and I often appear at DMV

hearing for this for some of our desert elderly.

If you have any questions regarding this column or ideas for future columns please contact Dale Gribow Attorney at Law at 760 8377500 or dale@dalegribowlaw.com Remember, When you drink don’t get behind the wheel and have an auto accident (whether it is your fault or not) or get arrested for a DUI…I don’t need the extra business.

DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE, CALL A TAXI OR UBER…IT IS A LOT CHEAPER THAN CALLING ME

DALE GRIBOW TOP LAWYER - Palm Springs Life (DUI) 20112016 Perfect AVVO 10.0 Peer Review Rating “Preeminent” Rating by Martindale Hubbell Legal Directory Selected for Rue “Best Attorneys of America” (Limited to Top 100 Attorneys per state) 2015 Client Appreciation Award & 2015Martindale Hubbell Client Distinction Award Only Attorney Appointed to CVAG Public Safety and CLINTON Foundation DUI study committees

Make Sure This Thanksgiving You’re Stuffed With Safety!

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he Kitchen is the heart of the home during the holidays. Keep it safe with these safety tips: • Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.

• Stay in the home when cooking your turkey and check on it frequently.

• Keep children away from the stove.

The stove will be hot.

• Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. Keep the floor clear of obstacles.

• Keep knives out of the reach of

children. Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.

• Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children, up high in a locked cabinet.

Make sure your smoke alarms are working.

• If you’re traveling the roads they will be congested. Be patient and drive safely!

For additional safety visit: usfa.fema. gov/prevention/outreach/cooking.html Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

November 19 to November 25, 2015

WOMEN LEADERS FORUM OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY ANNOUNCES “WOMEN WHO RULE” AWARD HONOREES

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Judy Vossler, Lisa Vossler Smith, Madeline Redstone, Dr. Susan Murphy, Ph. D., R.N. and Carolyn Caldwell to Be Recognized at 4th Annual Fundraiser

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he Women Leaders Forum (WLF) of the Coachella Valley is proud to announce the honorees for its 4th Annual “Women Who Rule” Fundraiser presented by Desert Regional Medical Center. Judy Vossler, Lisa Vossler Smith, Madeline Redstone, Dr. Susan Murphy, Ph. D., R.N. and Carolyn Caldwell will be honored for their extraordinary community leadership, public service, commitment to education and visionary entrepreneurship on Friday, January 29, 2016 at the Agua Caliente Resort Spa (32250 Bob Hope Dr.).

This spectacular valley-wide celebration pays tribute to women achieving the highest level of success and those making a difference in our community. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. with an elegant champagne reception and spectacular silent auction, followed by a 12 p.m. awards program and lunch.

All proceeds from the luncheon, and a matching donation of up to $50,000 from Pathways to Success, a division of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, will go directly towards college scholarships for the best and brightest members enrolled in WLF’s Young Women Leaders Mentoring Program. This year, $20,000 in merit scholarships will also be distributed.

“We are thrilled to honor these exception women in the Coachella Valley,” said Event Chair Lauren Del Sarto. “Each one has demonstrated a dedication to leadership and truly are women who rule.”

Luncheon ticket prices are $65 for WLF members, $85 for non-members and $750 for tables of ten. For more information, visit wlfdesert. org.

This year’s spectacular “Women Who Rule” includes the following recipients: “WLF Desert Visionary Award” - Judy Vossler and Lisa Vossler Smith This mother daughter team has been an integral part of the Valley’s rich history and style. Judy, currently senior vice president of the Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau, has been a part of area development for over 30 years. Lisa grew up here and is currently the Executive Director of Modernism Week. She is passionate about promoting cultural tourism and the rich heritage of the Palm Springs desert region. Lisa attended Indio High School and grew up in La Quinta where she began her early career training at La Quinta Hotel under the leadership of her mother.

“Mary T. Roche Community Leadership Award” – Madeline Redstone Madeline served as the Managing Director

of Bear Stearns & Co. before retiring into a life of giving back. She currently serves on the Board for the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, the Nashoba Brooks School, the Palm Springs Museum, the Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation and the Palm Springs Film Festival. She is also a member of the Children’s Trust of the Boston Children’s Medical Center.

“Helene Galen Excellence in Education Award” – Dr. Susan Murphy, Ph. D., R.N. Through her writing, lectures, consulting and nonprofit work, Dr. Murphy is a consummate educator. She has over 25 years of national and international experience with over 300 organizations including many Fortune 500 companies. Her extensive background combines the three worlds of corporate leadership, academia and management consulting and she is a member of USF’s Graduate School faculty. Dr. Murphy has significant contributed her talents to both WLF members and the Young Women Leaders mentoring program.

“WLF Inspiration Award”- Carolyn Caldwell Carolyn is an inspirational women leader in our community and continually supports Women Leaders Forum. As the president and chief executive officer for Desert Regional Medical Center, she oversees the area’s only level II trauma center and region’s only neonatal intensive care unit. Caldwell serves on the board of trustees for the American Hospital Association a national organization that represents close to 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks, other providers of care and 40,000 individual members. In addition, she serves on the board of the Desert AIDS Project in Palm Springs. Under her leadership, Desert Regional Medical Center became the lead sponsor of Get Tested Coachella Valley.

About Women Leaders Forum of the Coachella Valley Founded by Indian Wells City Council member Mary T. Roche, the mission of Women Leaders Forum is to empower and develop women leaders of all ages and backgrounds in our community.

Since its inception in 2001, Women Leaders Forum has raised over $350,000 in college scholarships for the best and brightest enrolled in the Young Women Leaders Mentoring Program.

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November 19 to November 25, 2015

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

Sand Storm Lacrosse Festival Set to Host 330 Teams

Record Setting 9th Annual Tournament attracts 18,000+ to Valley

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ynapse Sports has announced the ninth annual Sand Storm Lacrosse Festival, being held Jan. 16-17, 2016 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Cal., has been expanded to include competition on 51 fields. A record 330 boys’ and girls’ teams - comprised of middle and high school players - are slated to compete in the 2016 event co-sponsored by Under Armour and Gatorade. “We knew when we started Sand Storm in 2008 that it had tremendous potential. A warm weather location, state-of-the-art facility, top-notch competition and detailed organization are the ingredients for success,” said Cathy Samaras, found and CEO of Synapse Sports.

“Sand Storm lived up to its potential and exceeded expectations since the beginning.

Now it has become a destination event for club teams throughout the country as the premier winter tournament on the West Coast.”

Sand Storm began as a girls’ club tournament geared primarily towards clubs from Western States. It has since expanded its reach and now includes a significant number of teams from the Midwest, East Coast and even Canada. The number of Division I, II and III collegiate coaches scouting talent at Sand Storm has also increased significantly in recent years as the talent pool expanded.

Sand Storm added a boys’ component in

2011 and it has grown exponentially under the guidance of Boys Director Michael Watson, US Lacrosse Hall of Fame recipient and former UVA 4-time All American. “It’s a testament to the overall quality of the event.

Every team that participates each year has a great experience and it has spread by word of mouth that Sand Storm is a topnotch tournament in terms of a spectacular venue, precise management and strong competition,” Watson said. “A weekend in Palm Springs is very appealing to the out-oftown teams. I couldn’t be more thrilled with how the boys program has progressed.”

Each year at Sand Storm a cut-a-thon is held in support of Locks of Love, a nonprofit organization that provides hairpieces to children suffering from long term medical hair loss. Stylists from local salon partner D&G Hair Stories in Palm Desert will be onsite on Saturday January 16th from 11 AM – 3 PM conducting cuts in the Main Hacienda Registration & Vending Tent.

Anyone can come donate hair or check out a game – free admission and parking!

Sand Storm enjoys tremendous local support from the Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau and local business community. Host hotels to the event include resort properties La Quinta Resort and Club, Renaissance - Indian Wells and Palm Springs, Hyatt - Indian

sports Scene

Wells and Palm Springs, JW Marriott, Miramonte Resort & Spa, Desert Princess Resort, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa, The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa, as well as Embassy Suites - La Quinta & Palm Desert, Homewood Suites Palm Desert, Marriott Courtyard – Palm Desert and Palm Springs, Palm Desert’s Residence Inn & Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn Rancho Mirage, Palm Spring’s Ace Hotel, Saguaro, Comfort Inn, Palm Mountain Resort, Palm Canyon Resort and Marquis Villas, and Indio’s Quality Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Royal Plaza Inn. Local sponsors of the event include the Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau, the City of Indio and La Quinta Resort & Club as well as the following restaurants: Kaiser Restaurant

sports Scene

Group’s Jackalope Ranch, Las Casuelas La Quinta, The La Quinta Beer Hunter Pub & Grill, Stuft Pizza Bar & Grill, Pacifica Seafood Restaurant, La Quinta Cliffhouse and the Tack Room Tavern.

For more information about the 2016 Sand Storm Lacrosse Festival visit the event website: www.sandstormlacrosse.com SYNAPSE SPORTS - Synapse Sports is the premier provider of lacrosse playing opportunities and recruiting events in the U.S. Founder and CEO Cathy Samaras has been a trailblazer in the sport of lacrosse, working tirelessly for over 25 years to promote the growth and development of the game – from grassroots to global. To learn more about the exciting events organized by the company visit synapsesports.com or call 410-573-1414.

by Flint Wheeler

What a “Bettor Better Know” – NCAA Week 11

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he weekend that was on the NCAA gridirons, and a sorting through of some of the key issues to find opportunities on the games to come.

It’s late November now One of the reasons why college football can bring such major edges is that a season is actually several different acts played out across the stage, each bringing their own unique elements of both comedy and drama. Now it is time for one of the major ones, that closing stretch in which the weather gets colder, the wind begins blowing a bit more, tired bodies wear down, and the playing of the game moves closer to the middle of the field, the ability to run and defend the run taking on larger roles.

It is not just tactics now, but also a matter of wills, and knowing which teams still have something left is of tantamount importance as the power ratings get adjusted.

Fatigue has been written about often here this season, with some difficult schedules having major impacts on the way certain teams have crumbled. How can a 7.5-point home favorite lose a game 42-14?

They can if it happens to be a Hawaii team playing for the 11th straight week without a bye, and having had six separate trips to the mainland built in to that (yet shockingly the

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betting markets were all over the Warriors in that game). Which also leads to the counter of just how much does one upgrade Fresno State, which exceeded the market expectations by five touchdowns, but did it against such a worn down opponent.

So as the final three Saturdays approach, this week already being the last for a few teams, measuring what’s left in the tank is essential, first appreciating the toll that a season takes, then also how the bleakness of November across much of the landscape itself can exacerbate that. I cannot imagine a better way to set the mood for this than “November” by Tom Waits, part of the under-appreciated stage musical “The Black Rider”, which he co-wrote with William S. Burroughs, with Robert Wilson as director.

As days get shorter, colder and grayer, you can imagine the toll it takes on a battered team that has not been having a very good season.

But there is also a flip side, which can matter across this board – there are several teams that are coming off of byes, and have a chance to be physically invigorated a bit, if the will is still there: Ball State, Boston College, Connecticut, East Carolina, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi, Penn State, UCF (though in this instance down time might hurt more than help), Western Kentucky and Wisconsin. A good team off of a bye can bring an added step, and you can sort through Southern Mississippi’s domination of Rice as a textbook example of that.

Florida State showed some pedigree

(beating the spread by 9.5 when you are -4 in turnovers is huge) Another team in the ACC also deserves some plaudits from Saturday, under the circumstances of both the setting, and the early game flow. Having lost out on any chance to win the conference at Clemson the previous Saturday, the game marked the first time that many players on the Florida State roster were out of the National Championship hunt. It was a common discussion across the Sports Mediaverse, in particular the betting community, and you can read a sampling of that from Corey Clark of the Tallahassee Democrat here – “It’s been four years since FSU was in a game like this.” It would make logical sense that a letdown would be in order, but only by judging the cover of the book, without reading it. Many in the betting markets did that, with the Seminoles available for as low as -7 on game-day, after -9.5 had been common earlier in the week. And when the game started a series of turnovers dug an early 17-7 deficit, and those projecting the Seminoles to be flat would have certainly felt confident. If the team truly was down, it could have easily been time to quit.

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY Week of November 19

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Urbandictionary. com defines the English word “balter” as follows: “to dance without particular skill or grace, but with extreme joy.” It’s related to the Danish term baltre, which means “to romp, tumble, roll, cavort.” I nominate this activity to be one of your ruling metaphors in the coming weeks. You have a mandate to explore the frontiers of amusement and bliss, but you have no mandate to be polite and polished as you do it. To generate optimal levels of righteous fun, your experiments may have to be more than a bit rowdy.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You’ve arrived at a crossroads. From here, you could travel in one of four directions, including back towards where you came from. You shouldn’t stay here indefinitely, but on the other hand you’ll be wise to pause and linger for a while. Steep yourself in the mystery of the transition that looms. Pay special attention to the feelings that rise up as you visualize the experiences that may await you along each path. Are there any holy memories you can call on for guidance? Are you receptive to the tricky inspiration of the fertility spirits that are gathered here? Here’s your motto: Trust, but verify.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): English model and TV personality Katie Price has been on the planet for just 37 years, but has already written four autobiographies. You Only Live Once, for instance, covers the action-packed time between 2008 and 2010, when she got divorced and then remarried in a romantic Las Vegas ceremony. I propose that we choose this talkative, self-revealing Gemini to be your spirit animal and role model. In the coming weeks, you should go almost to extremes as you express the truth about who you have been, who you are, and who you will become.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): A flyer on a telephone pole caught my eye. It showed a photo of a nineyear-old male cat named Bubby, whose face was contorted in pain. A message from Bubby’s owner revealed that her beloved pet desperately needed expensive dental work. She had launched a campaign at gofundme.com to raise the cash.

Of course I broke into tears, as I often do when confronted so viscerally with the suffering of sentient creatures. I longed to donate to Bubby’s well-being. But I thought, “Shouldn’t I funnel my limited funds to a bigger cause, like the World Wildlife Fund?” Back home an hour later, I sent $25 to Bubby. After analyzing the astrological omens for my own sign, Cancer the Crab, I realized that now is a time to adhere to the principle “Think globally, act locally” in every way imaginable.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): How well do you treat yourself? What do you do to ensure that you receive a steady flow of the nurturing you need? According to my reading of the astrological omens, you are now primed to expand and intensify your approach to self-care. If you’re alert to the possibilities, you will learn an array of new life-enhancing strategies.

Here are two ideas to get you started: 1. Imagine at least three acts of practical love you can bestow on yourself. 2. Give yourself three gifts that will promote your healing and stimulate your pleasure.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): To activate your full potential in the coming weeks, you don’t need to scuba-dive into an underwater canyon or spelunk into the pitch blackness of a remote cave or head out on an archaeological dig to uncover the lost artifacts of an ancient civilization. But I recommend that you consider trying the metaphorical equivalent of those activities. Explore the recesses of your own psyche, as well as those of the people you love.

Ponder the riddles of the past and rummage around for lost treasure and hidden truths. Penetrate to the core, the gist, the roots. The abyss is much friendlier than usual! You have a talent for delving deep into any mystery that will be important for your future.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Normally I charge $270-an-hour for the kind of advice I’m about to

© Copyright 2015 Rob Brezsny

offer, but I’m giving it to you at no cost. For now, at least, I think you should refrain from relying on experts. Be skeptical of professional opinions and highly paid authorities. The useful information you need will come your way via chance encounters, playful explorations, and gossipy spies. Folk wisdom and street smarts will provide better guidance than elite consultants. Trust curious amateurs; avoid somber careerists.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Some athletes think it’s unwise to have sex before a big game.

They believe it diminishes the raw physical power they need to excel. For them, abstinence is crucial for victory. But scientific studies contradict this theory. There’s evidence that boinking increases testosterone levels for both men and women.

Martial artist Ronda Rousey subscribes to this view.

She says she has “as much sex as possible” before a match. Her approach must be working. She has won all but one of her professional fights, and Sports Illustrated calls her “the world’s most dominant athlete.” As you approach your equivalent of the “big game,” Scorpio, I suggest you consider Rousey’s strategy.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): If you were embarking on a 100-mile hike, would you wear new boots that you purchased the day before your trip?

Of course not. They wouldn’t be broken in. They’d be so stiff and unyielding that your feet would soon be in agony. Instead, you would anchor your trek with supple footwear that had already adjusted to the idiosyncrasies of your gait and anatomy. Apply a similar principle as you prepare to launch a different long-term exploit. Make yourself as comfortable as possible CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Here’s how Mark Twain’s novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn begins: “Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.” The preface I’d write for your upcoming adventures would be less extreme, but might have a similar tone. That’s because I expect you to do a lot of meandering. At times your life may seem like a shaggy dog story with no punch line in sight. Your best strategy will be to cultivate an amused patience; to stay relaxed and unflappable as you navigate your way through the enigmas, and not demand easy answers or simple lessons. If you take that approach, intricate answers and many-faceted lessons will eventually arrive.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The Confederation of African Football prohibits the use of magic by professional soccer teams. Witch doctors are forbidden to be on the field during a match, and they are not supposed to spray elixirs on the goals or bury consecrated talismans beneath the turf. But most teams work around the ban. Magic is viewed as an essential ingredient in developing a winning tradition. Given the current astrological omens, I invite you to experiment with your own personal equivalent of this approach. Don’t scrimp on logical analysis, of course. Don’t stint on your preparation and discipline. But also be mischievously wise enough to call on the help of some crafty mojo.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Slavery is illegal everywhere in the world. And yet there are more slaves now than at any other time in history: at least 29 million. A disproportionate percentage of them are women and children. After studying your astrological omens, I feel you are in a phase when you can bestow blessings on yourself by responding to this predicament. How? First, express gratitude for all the freedoms you have. Second, vow to take full advantage of those freedoms. Third, brainstorm about how to liberate any part of you that acts or thinks or feels like a slave. Fourth, lend your energy to an organization that helps free slaves. Start here: http://bit.ly/liberateslaves.

Rob Brezsny Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

November 19 to November 25, 2015

Mind, body & Spirit

by Bronwyn Ison

Alkaline Your Body

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eeting the needs your body demands related to an acid alkaline balance is serious business. We have a pH balance that is predetermined by the amount of acid in our body. There is speculation about a diet calling for alkaline dominance. Generally, a vegetarian diet is the optimum way of achieving less acid in the body. However, you do not have to be a vegetarian to keep a healthy body. Maintaining the body neutral in alkaline will help you avoid symptoms as indigestion, nausea, belching, hunger pangs, and heartburn. If this represents you, you may need to affect adjustments to your diet.

It is possible you never realize any of the above symptoms. If the above symptoms haunt you, it is time to consider checking your pH balances. A diet high in refined sugars, processed meats, corn, eggs, some dairy products, beans, and deep fried foods, all contribute to acid in the system.

Therefore, it is time to rethink and modify your menu. It is suggested a goal of 7.35 to 7.45 on a scale of 0 to 14 is neutral. If your pH balance is below 7.4, you are in danger of an unbalanced pH. If this is you, it is time to implement adjustments.

Amending your diet and abandoning poor habits will be challenging. Keep in mind this is about your health. Additional foods and drinks contributing to acid in the body include the following; soda drinks, wine, caffeinated drinks (coffee and teas), a diet high in rich meats, (lamb, pork, turkey and some fish.) White pasta, oats, barley, and wheat (gluten based foods) are considered acidic foods. Foods that will facilitate lower acid levels are most fruits and vegetables, whey protein, Greek yogurt, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, squash, and a variety of spices to include cinnamon, mustard, curry and chili pepper. You will also find Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar one tablespoon, three times per day will contribute greatly to keeping your acid levels down or neutral.

Although it may be tough to swallow, your

taste buds will acclimate. Also, consider probiotics. There are a variety of choices at your local health food stores targeting specific needs. Lastly, drink alkaline water.

Kangen water systems are a wonderful place to begin.

Do you want to know your pH balance?

Test yourself. It is simple. Purchase pH balance strips at your local drug store.

Follow directions, test, and evaluate. After you see your results you will know whether your diet needs a reevaluation. Also, keep in mind stress contributes to any and all things happening within your body. If your pH is off you may need to change your diet but your exercise routine may need assistance also. Trying to achieve health by performing one without the other nearly defeats the purpose of a healthy body.

Get healthy and be less acidic. Begin or increase your exercise routine. We have one opportunity to make our bodies healthy.

Why wait? Learn more about developing an exercise routine to compliment your diet, visit: www.e-volveyoga.com

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November 19 to November 25, 2015

ask JENNY

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

by Jenny Wallis

“it is me who is ultimately unavailable”

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ear Jenny, I have been in quite a few relationships but not one has stuck! Not one has lasted longer than a year... Every time I am in a relationship, no matter how great it is in the beginning, it always seems to end abruptly. I have always complained that I meet unavailable men and they just never seem to stick around. I have gone through this more than I care to remember, and now some things have become clear to me.

Admittedly, it is me who is the one who is ultimately unavailable. Now that I see this attribute in me, and recognize it, how do I change it?

-Shelly Hi Shelly, That’s a great question and unfortunately pretty common. The difference here is that you are aware of it and want to change it. Way to go!

There are lots of people who have an immense fear of making commitments. How would you know if you are a commitment phobia type of person?

One good clue is if you find yourself always in a relationship with unavailable people. And you saw this, that’s part of the battle, as well as admitting it to yourself.

Relationships can be amazing, fabulous, fun, enticing… but at the same time, they can be extremely frightening, scary even. When trying to create something deep and meaningful in our lives, we must take a chance in surrendering to something or someone beyond ourselves. And that can be a terrifying thought.

Let’s break it down and really look at what commitments are. They are unseen agreements in our lives that without, we feel alone. Actually, the feeling of belonging and being connected to others is directly related to our willingness to commit.

There are so many different forms of commitment besides romantic relationships. You can start out by being willing yourself to commit to a project, doing work for the community, loving an elder or a pet… there are so many people in need of love.

When you commit to helping in these ways, you are opening your heart and views and becoming less selective in what to commit to and it makes it a little less scary. In time, you will consciously withhold less when it comes to loving. Then, you will notice almost everything in your life will be different, feel different, look different even; all because you are willing to try.

When you look at people who are “commitmentphobes” and you analyze it, you will see there are multiple times they hurt themselves; maybe

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not hurting themselves physically, but by their behaviors. Have their behaviors been addictive, compulsive perhaps? Have they been willing to stand up for themselves and really try to work it out? Or, have they always been one to get up and go when the going gets tough? Leave a home, a job, a friendship, or maybe a romantic relationship?

All of these ask for commitment and if someone cannot deliver, then is it any wonder they can’t find their loving mate? When you make the decision to fight for you, to stand up for you and commit to you, everything else will come, but that has to be your first step.

Once you make that commitment to yourself, glorious things that require commitment will follow. But you cannot leave out this very important step. Lots of us want proof that something is going to work out exactly the way we want it to, and then we will commit to it. So many of us want to know it’s a sure thing, otherwise we don’t want to waste our time and energy with it. That’s so understandable, but once we go out on that high wire without a net and we really try, then miracles will start happening. Remember that a miracle is just a shift in our mindset. We see things in ways we never knew were possible. A certain synchronicity happens, something that could only happen when you make the decision to invest in yourself, and other things that cannot be foreseen.

Commitment can be a tough thing, we need it from others, we need to feel that they are committed too. And we need to give it to others; we need to show them that we have their backs and will go the distance with them. But may I suggest the biggest most important commitment you will ever make, one that can open you up to a life you can’t even begin to imagine, is the commitment you must make with yourself. Start there and the rest will follow.

- ♥Jenny Don’t forget to follow Jenny on askjennynow. com. Contact her at 760-505-0952.

Life & career Coach

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

November 19 to November 25, 2015

by Sunny Simon

Just Pretend You’re From New Jersey

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uring the past few weeks I’ve heard several people brag about character traits they attribute to “being from New Jersey.” After putting some thought into it, I wondered if upbringing in a certain geographic location brings with it an acquired persona.

In addition to political strategist, Julie Roginsky, Chris Christie, the 55th Governor of the Garden State, the third individual who recently proclaimed the “New Jersey brag,” was entrepreneur Marie Forleo. She is selfdescribed as: “part business strategist, part marketing maven and part spiritual ass-kicker with a side of hip-hop swagger.” Upon learning Marie created a multi-million dollar socially conscious empire from scratch, I decided to explore what being born and bred in New Jersey offered other than favorite sons like Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi , Frank Sinatra and my favorite LA Angel, Mike Trout.

Diving headfirst into my research I discovered people from Jersey (that’s how they like to refer to it Jersey…not Joisey, that offends them) know the location of every clip shown in the Sopranos opening credits, brag about producing the best pizza and never pump their own gas because it’s illegal in their state. They have lots of Jersey pride, but more importantly, they have attitude. (I even discovered a song

on YouTube called Jersey Attitude). Many Jerseyan’s claim to be intense, clearly driven, focused and basically not afraid of much. That last trait meshed with a study done by the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology finding our Jersey friends to be uninhibited.

In contrast, I’m from Michigan. Of course we have bragging rights. Just watch a “Pure Michigan” travel ad and you will see the majesty of the Great Lake state. Ask me to name all five of the Great Lakes and point to their locations around my left and right hand and I’ll give you a tour. But in my experience, the New Jersey chutzpah is foreign to the Michigan culture.

I must admit there are days I wish I possessed the blatant daring of our New Jersey counterparts. Attitude is defined as “a way of thinking or feeling about something or someone reflected in a person’s behavior.”

Surely it wouldn’t hurt to add a little attitude to my current persona. So here goes, this week I’m kicking my mild Michigander roots to the curb, turning a blind eye to what others think, stepping up to speak my truth, vowing to take a leap of faith with no regrets…and adding a definite swagger.

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

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November 19 to November 25, 2015

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November 19 to November 25, 2015

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