Coachella Valley Weekly - December 11 to December 17, 2014 Vol. 3 No. 38 by CV Weekly

News Community NEWS MUSIC Music ART EVENTSMovies MOVIES DININGDining SPORTS HEALTH &BEAUTY BUSINESSEvents COMMUNITY

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com • December 11 to December 17, 2014 Vol. 3 No. 38

LAA Fundraiser

pg 8

Cinderella

pg 10

Ideation

pg 10

WARZArt

pg 15

Keith Blum

pg 15

Wolfgang Puck

pg 20

December 11 to December 17, 2014

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December 11 to December 17, 2014

Are you ready to catch the Palm Springs BUZZ? New FAST and FREE Trolley Service Begins Friday, Dec. 19

By amy blaisdell

Coachella Valley Weekly

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

760.501.6228

Publisher & Editor Tracy Dietlin Art Director Robert Chance Sales Team Alaina Majiros, Raymond Bill, Jorge Gutierrez, Edward L. Prichard III Classified Manager & Nightlife Editor Phil Lacombe Features Writer Lisa Morgan, Judith Sulkin, Denise Ortuno Neil, Heidi Simmons, Kira Golden 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, Amanda Dorta, Eleni P. Austin, Curtis Hendricks, Noe Gutierrez, Sunny Simon, Richard Weiss, Dr. Peter Kadile, Dr. Maria Lombardo, Bruce Cathcart, Patte Purcell, Julie Buehler, Flint Wheeler, Laura Hunt Little, Rebecca Pikus, Scott Pam, Richard Noble, Karen Creasy, Monica Morones, Shawn Mafia, Phillip Carrillo, Rich Henrich Photographers Laura Hunt Little, Scott Pam, Lani Garfield, Chris Miller/ Imagine Imagery, La Maniaca Distribution Phil Lacombe, William Westley

Contents

The Palm Springs BUZZ...........................3 CV Weekly Presents: A Benefit Show.....5 Don’t Be Clueless in the CV.....................6 Living Desert Adoptions.........................8 Loving All Animals Fundraiser................8 DHS Holiday Parade ................................9 TKB Bakery Toy Drive...............................9 Theatre- Stage Review of Cinderella....10 LMS - John Marek of Ideation...............10 Desert DJs - Johnny Toot.......................11 Tilted Kilt Open Mic Week 11................11 LMS - Wade Craford & Rizokestra.........13 Consider This - Ani DiFranco.................14 Art- Fred (WARZART) Warzecha III.......15 Art- Keith Blum.......................................15 Pet Place..................................................16 The Vino Voice........................................17 Club Crawler Nightlife...........................18 Pamp. Palate- Wolfgang Puck Pizza.....20 Screeners................................................22 Book Review...........................................23 The PS Local - Snow on the Sand..........26 Haddon Libby: It’s All Local...................27 Dale Gribow............................................27 Safety Tips...............................................28 ShareKitchen..........................................28 Real Estate..............................................28 Sports Scene...........................................29 Sports......................................................29 Health & Fitness .....................................30 Free Will Astrology.................................31 Mind, Body & Spirit................................31 Life & Career Coach................................32 Beauty.....................................................32

he City’s ultra-cool new trolley service begins on Friday, Dec. 19 and you’re invited to ride the BUZZ at a fun and festive launch party at 5 p.m. on the corner of Tahquitz Canyon Way and Palm Canyon Drive with Mayor Steve Pougnet, the Palm Springs City Council and a host of iconic city personalities, including legendary entertainers Jack Jones and Carol Channing along with local Bella Da Ball and a few other surprise celebrities as they christen four new trolleys and take them on an inaugural ride through the city. In addition, the first 30 riders will receive a free BUZZ T-shirt.

The new FAST and FREE trolley service, which is one of many important Measure J projects transforming Palm Springs, will run every Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. – 1 a.m. with stops along the route from just north of the Riviera Resort to as far south as Smoketree Lane -- where the trolleys turn around and head back through downtown. The four trolleys will operate simultaneously to ensure passengers never have to wait more than 15 minutes while at the same time not having to worry about driving a car to enjoy the city. “Welcome to the new Palm Springs,” says Mayor Steve Pougnet. “We’re a

dynamic, thriving place; the premiere city in the Coachella Valley -- and a buzzing city like ours (no pun intended) deserves the things any city expects -- like a fast, easy transportation solution that connects our downtown with hotels and neighborhoods to the north and south. And so as our city celebrates a historic renaissance as one of the hippest, most happening resort destinations in Southern California and beyond -- we bring you the BUZZ.” In fact, the “buzz” about Palm Springs has reached heights never seen before and is spreading far and wide, according to Mary Jo Ginther, Director of the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism, who notes the city’s hotel transient occupancy tax continues to soar and visitors from all over the world are coming to the city in record numbers, which means the new BUZZ trolley system will be much appreciated. “Who says you need a car to enjoy a weekend in Palm Springs?” Ginther says. “Totally not necessary! This city’s gone driving optional. Don’t feel like getting behind the wheel? Catch the BUZZ!” Coachella Valley residents and tourists alike are sure to appreciate the convenience—hopping on and off wherever they please to shop, eat, and enjoy all the uniquely original special events and tourist attractions Palm Springs has to offer. In addition, a soon-to-be-announced loyalty program will reward frequent riders with all kinds of goodies at local restaurants, bars, and shops. “So join the City of Palm Springs and catch the BUZZ,” says Pougnet. “When it comes to hip, happening and ultra-cool, Palm Springs truly is like no place else – and we’ve got the BUZZ to prove it.” For more information about the BUZZ route, visit www.buzzps.com

BUZZ at the Festival of Lights Parade

December 11 to December 17, 2014

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events

by Lisa Morgan

CV Weekly Presents: A Benefit Show

Saturday, December 20, starting at 5pm @ The Date Shed, Indio. Ages 16+ $15 at the door. $30 for VIP. For advanced tickets call 760.501.6228

V Weekly doesn’t have an office Christmas party. No, here at CV Weekly, our boss throws the epic concert of the year. And it seems that there is no CV Weekly event that doesn’t make contributing to the Coachella Valley’s voiceless and less fortunate a priority. So, true to form, a phenomenal list of this desert’s elite rock and roll musicians will dominate the The Date Shed stage raising money for Find Food Bank and Street Life Project. FIND Food Bank: “We are more than a ‘food pantry’, per se,” says Food Bank’s Community Director, Chatel Achuering. “We are the regional food bank serving eastern Riverside and southern San Bernardino Counties. Our distribution network includes more than 100 community partners that serve an average 90,000+ people each month. In 2014, we will distribute 10+ million pounds of food assistance across our very large service area, a feat we could not accomplish without the generosity of so many others.” FIND is doing what they can to challenge people today, asking them, “Do you know the face of hunger?” It seems many are predisposed in thinking that the only ones hungry in our cities and on our streets look like the homeless gathering under our bridges or pan handling on our busy intersections. According to FIND Food Bank, there are many people just one crisis away

The Music Lineup:

his Benefit Show’s musical line-up is sure to send shockwaves around the world - waves of excitement for those who can be in attendance, and agony for those who can’t. Our desert has produced some hugely influential music through some incredibly talented musicians. The Desert Rock genre known around the world, started right here in Palm Desert, with a bunch of kids in Ramones t-shirts who got together to “jam”. From that “jam”, bands known around the world like Kyuss, Vista Chino, Queens of the Stone Age, Mondo Generator and more, came to be. Two of those desert originals will be performing along with local musicians who have long been friends or influenced by their heavy, musical footprints. JOHN GARCIA The voice that defined internationally known bands like Kyuss, Vista Chino, Unida, Hermano and Slo Burn, has finally broke out

December 11 to December 17, 2014

from having to choose between paying their rent and buying food, be it an illness, lost income or even an unusually high utility bill. These are the people representing the new face in hunger. Recently, a woman in her 60’s, looking for food assistance for her brother, called in to FIND: “He was a self-employed man in his 50’s who was a liver-transplant patient and fighting Stage 4 melanoma. He needed nutritious food that they could not afford: fresh fruits and vegetables, and nutrition boosters, like Ensure, to help him fight his illness and get healthy. We were able to get him the food he needed. This is from a thank-you letter he sent: ‘I would like to thank you and your staff for your thoughtfulness. The fresh vegetables, Ensure and other items helped me through my radiation. With our financial situation and my illness, you have helped relieve some of the burden we are facing. We are forever grateful!’” “It is likely that on any given day, you interact with people struggling with food insecurity. A grocery clerk who assisted with your check-out, a waitress who poured you a cup of coffee, or a mechanic who changed the oil in your car. With more than 90,000 people across Coachella Valley relying on food pantries and other mealservice programs to feed themselves and their families, we know that hunger is a chronic issue in our community and across America. But it is a problem that can be solved! Nutritious food can be made available to those who need it because we rescue and distribute food that would otherwise go to waste. As a member of Feeding America, FIND is part of a nationwide network of food banks that are passionate about solving hunger in their local communities. Together, with your investment and the support from people like you who care, we can solve hunger in Coachella Valley.” This organization all started 30 years ago in one man’s garage. Now the organization has grown to occupy a Costco-sized warehouse Photo By Steve Young

on his own. Garcia’s first ever solo album via Napalm Records is a product of decades of songs waiting patiently to be heard. In an interview with CV Weekly’s Noe Gutierrez, Garcia shared that the journey to this solo project began right out of high school. “When I was 19 years old living with Nick Oliveri in North Palm Springs off of San Rafael I wrote “Her Bullets Energy” with Nick. I knew that

staffed by 20 employees and over 1,000 volunteers. They distribute more than 10 million pounds of food annually to an average 84,000 people per month in the Coachella Valley. FIND Food Bank’s mission is to relieve hunger, the causes of hunger, and the problems associated with hunger through awareness, education, and mobilization of resources and community involvement. FIND’s vision is to create a hungerfree Coachella Valley, so that no one goes to bed hungry. Until this vision becomes reality, FIND will continue to serve anyone in need with dignity and compassion. Street Life Project Street Life Project was a vision given to founder Christian Jelmberg several years ago. It was a vision so big, it was a bit unnerving. It was a vision that would start in his own community, and ultimately lay a blueprint for helping get homeless off the streets nationwide. In just one year, that vision is coming to fruition. Not only is Street Life Project distributing food, clothing, toiletries and supplies to between 140 to 180 people a week from Coachella to Palm Springs, others touched by this organization have taken it to Los Angeles and as far as Virginia. Street Life Projects is literally our community’s “boots on the ground” going to the homeless under bridges, in the trees and reaching a real, live hand out to those who live there. They offer more than just things they need to continue a life on the streets, they offer help in recovering from addiction, mentoring, transitional housing, job assistance, transportation, work attire and so much more. Granted, not everybody living on the streets wants to change. The world they know seems safer than the one they see from a distance. But the volunteers at Street Life Project don’t give up. They invest the time and fill it with encouragement. Street Life Project is with them from start to finish. The miracle of it all is that the majority of those who once received assistance have become part of the Street Life Project team, paying it all forward. The Street Life Project website is full of before and after pictures and updates following those who are working hard to transition from the streets and becoming self-sufficient.

eventually I wanted to do this. Throughout the years ever since that first song was written I’ve kept a collection of songs in what I call a safe deposit box which in reality was a cardboard box I just traveled with and moved with me. These songs that I have are not ‘B’ sides. They are not leftovers. These are songs that were special to me that I had a personal relationship with. As I got older, as I looked at them every single morning I got up, I started feeling exhausted and felt bad for these songs. I’ve always wanted to do it. At some point in time it clicked. I was tired of saying ‘yes’ to everything and everyone else with the exception of these songs that were close to me. I said, ‘No more!’” Featured artists on the album include; Nick Oliveri, Mark Diamond, Tom Brayton, Danko Jones, Chris Hill and Damon Garrison from Slo Burn, Dave Angstrom and Dandy Brown from Hermano and Tom Brayton the percussionist. In an interview with Blabbermouth.net, Garcia talked about the guest appearance by guitarist Robby Krieger of THE DOORS. “To have Robby Krieger from THE DOORS play on

Jelmberg spoke of many who have been helped through the Street Life Project, including a man named Michael who once worked on El Paseo before falling into tough times. Jelmberg met him some time back while doing outreach and wanted to know why he wasn’t getting off the street, the answer sparked Jelmberg to help even further. Michael said who would hire him the way that he looked, and how would he put together a resume without resources to do so? Then Jelmberg came back with questions for Michael. “What if you dressed well, what if I gave you a suit to wear, what if we helped you get job interviews and if we helped you find a place to live would you do it?” asked Jelmberg. Michaels answer was a resounding “Yes” as his eyes lit up with hope. “He was so excited that someone cared enough to put the resources there,” said Jelmberg. Recently, CV Weekly published an article entitled Street Life to Sweet Life. Jelmberg shared, “A lady living out of her car and prostituting herself to make ends meet called me last night after reading the article. We are meeting her and will help her get into a new line of work and back on her feet.” In today’s world, especially at Christmas, it seems there is a lot of despair in wanting all the things that we don’t have. But at Street Life Project, in the midst of helping the helpless, volunteers are discovering just how much they have to give. To find out more about Street Life Project you can call Christian directly at (760) 702-4944. Donations can be made on their website: www. streetlifeproject.com.

my first-ever solo record was surreal. Not only was it surreal, but to be the first artist ever to record in his brand new studio, Horse Latitudes, in Los Angeles made it even more special. I am honored and humbled by his professionalism and talent and will never forget that experience for the rest of my life... It truly made the song “Her Bullets Energy” better, not to mention the entire record.” Joining Garcia on tour as his band are Ehren Groban (War Drum) on guitar, Mike Pygmie (You Know Who) on bass and Greg Saenz (You Know Who, The Dwarves) on drums. “It was really important for me to have all local guys.” (note: Mike Pygmie will be pulling double duty and will switch from bass to guitar for Nick Oliveri’s set) facebook.com/JohnGarciaOfficial NICK OLIVERI It’s not a new thing for Oliveri to find himself the center of media attention. The wild rocker, who has played for Queens of the Stone Age (QOTSA), Kyuss, The Desert Sessions, Mondo continue to page 7

December 11 to December 17, 2014

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continued from page 5

Don’t Be

CLUELESS IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY

Photo By Scott Pam

by Diane Marlin-Dirkx

DOn’t let the rain get you down

his week started out with promise and then (with the long-awaited drenching from above) slick, patentleather, wet streets turned into hours of eatbon-bons and read-movie-magazines, with lie-down-feet-up-escapes into romance, imaginings and self-indulgencies we yearn for during the busy season from now thru the holidays and long into the next year until the end of May with the blossoming of flowers, a new season, time to breathe, refresh, rejuvenate, ready-up for fall. A long sentence which we accept with gratitude. Life is grand.

Friday, December 12, & Saturday, December 13, 8:00 PM. The Irish Tenors, one of the most applauded Irish touring acts ever, celebrate the season with a Holiday concert of traditional carols and classic Irish ballads, accompanied by a symphony orchestra. The tenor is a casting genre acknowledged as “the lover” for the singer’s rich vocal gymnastics and gloriously beautiful sound in every performance venue, but particularly in opera. Truth be told, the narrative is thus: It ain’t easy, but the romantic tenor always gets the girl—for both, dead or alive (Think “Romeo and Juliet”). Touring together since 1998, Finbar Wright, Anthony Kearns and Ronan Tynan, have performed in sold-out shows at Radio City Music Hall, Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, The Hollywood Bowl, and major concert halls around the world. Their faces and voices are familiar to PBS audiences through several specials, including the Ellis Island recording that sold a million CDs and DVDs. We Three Kings, their best-selling Christmas album, includes holiday gems that feature in their legendary Christmas tour. They’ve sold millions of albums and landed at the top of Billboard’s music charts. The Irish Tenors are gifted interpreters of a wide range of material, with such songs as “My Heart Will Go On,” “Fairytale of New York”, “Danny Boy,” “Whiskey in the Jar” and “Fields of Athenry.” Their best-selling album Heritage features many of the most beautiful Irish songs. Through the generosity of Harold Matzner, the McCallum Theatre presents The Irish Tenors for two performances only. Tickets

for each performance are $85, $75, $55 and $35 and are available at the Theatre’s web site at www.mccallumtheatre.com, or by calling the McCallum Theatre box office at (760) 340-ARTS. The McCallum Theatre, located at 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert CA 92260, accepts payment by cash, personal check, VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. Saturday, December 13, 8:00 PM, Sunday Matinee, December 14, 3:00 PM. The Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus (PSGMC) now over 80 voices strong, will present A Mid-Century Modern Holiday bringing to life festive Christmas and Hanukkah standards for two incredible concerts. Not your typical holiday show, as the PSGMC will take the audience on a retro journey through the mid-century modern era with delightful seasonal hits, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” (1963) “Holly Jolly Christmas,” (1965) “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” (1943) “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” (1944) “Silver Bells,” (1950) and “A Christmas Carol” from Scrooge, the 1970 musical film adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic. The PSGMC is accompanied by Joel Baker and is conducted by Douglas C. Wilson. An Elvis Christmas,” (1948-1957) a Hawaiian favorite from 1949 “Mele Kalikimaka” and several traditional Hanukkah songs will be a part the unique program. Each performance, they showcase a few staging and costuming surprises. In addition, this season they are introducing new small ensembles, The Arrangement and Vocal Harmonics as part of the full concert. For more information on a variety of ways to support or join the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus, visit www.PSGMC.com. Concert will be presented at Temple Isaiah, 332 West Alejo Road in Palm Springs.

Sunday, December 14, 7:00 PM. “Colors of Christmas” is a soulful Holiday performance of holiday favorites and pophits starring an incredible cast of award winning musicians including two-time Grammy winner Peabo Bryson (“Beauty and the Beast” with Celine Dion, also an Oscar winner, and “Aladdin’s Theme” from the movie), Taylor Dayne, known for 3 decades of Top Ten hits, the original Dreamgirl Jennifer Holliday and “American Idol” winner Ruben Studdard, all backed by a 12-piece band and a spectacular choir. Through the generosity of Milton and Areta McKenzie, the McCallum Theatre presents “Colors of Christmas” with tickets priced at $95, $85, $65 and $55. They are available at the Theatre’s web site at www. mccallumtheatre.com, or by calling the McCallum Theatre box office at (760) 340ARTS. The McCallum Theatre, located at 73000 Fred Waring Dr, Palm Desert CA 92260, accepts payment by cash, personal check, VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.

Tuning up today! Thursday, December 11, 5:30 PM. In the “something completely different” category, The tenth annual Academic WorldQuest Competition takes place at CSUSB (Cal State San Bernardino’s Palm Desert Campus) in the Indian Wells Theater. The team game tests high school students’ knowledge of international affairs. Teams consist of four high school students and a coach. Topics include 1) food and water; 2) human trafficking; 3) Russia/Eurasia; 4) youth, jobs and social unrest; and 5) current events. Each year, both public and private high schools compete for scholarships and the chance to compete nationally in Washington, D.C. This year’s teams include Cathedral City High School, Coachella Valley High School, Desert Mirage High School, Indio High School, La Quinta High School, Palm Desert High School, Palm Valley School, Palm Springs High School, Rancho Mirage High School, Shadow Hills High School and West Shores High School. This year’s competition will be moderated by Eric Newman, a marketing professor at CSUSB Palm Desert Campus. No Holiday singing is expected, but then again, one never knows how the winning school may respond! Members of the community are invited to attend this free event. The Academic WorldQuest Competition is sponsored by World Affairs Council of the Desert who also pay for the parking at the event. For more information, visit World Affairs Council of the Desert website at www.worldaffairsdesert.org. For more information about the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, contact Mike Singer in the campus’s Office of Public Affairs at (760) 341-2883, ext. 78107 or msinger@csusb. edu or visit the campus website at www. pdc.csusb.edu. “Don’t Be Clueless” wants to remind you that press releases for inclusion should be in to the Coachella Valley Weekly at least two weeks ahead of the scheduled event! Thanks!

Generator, Dwarves, Moistboyz, Vista Chino among others, found himself once again at the center of a whole lot of media buzz only two months ago. When he announced that he’d be sharing the stage for a night with Josh Homme and Queens of the Stone Age, years after being dismissed from the band, everybody, including Rolling Stone Magazine was all over it. In the midst of it all, Oliveri gave some time to CV Weekly. Oliveri, like Garcia, had just produced a solo project entitled, Nick Oliveri’s Uncontrollable Leave Me Alone, wherein, with the exception of a few stellar featured musicians, he played all the parts himself. When he got the call to perform songs from his new album at the LA Forum with QOTSA, Oliveri reached out to local desert musicians as well. Mike Pygmie (You Know Who), who was featured on one of the album tracks, was an obvious choice for lead guitar. Jeff Bowman (Unsound) was Nick’s first choice for drums having been a huge fan of Unsound and Bowman himself. Flying in from Austin Texas, Stephen Hass (Moistboyz, Butthole Surfers, Melvins) joined the stellar team having played with Oliveri before with Moistboyz. The band, the new music, and Oliveri himself, more than proved themselves at the Forum, as they will again at this benefit show. I spoke to Oliveri about how he felt about rejoining another childhood bandmate. “I’ve known John since we were kids. I played on a track for his solo album. I definitely look forward to seeing him with the new band. To see Mike Pygmie on bass is going to be amazing. I’m happy John’s broken free to do his own thing. It’s been a long time coming I’m proud of him. Hopefully, I can’t say for sure, we’ll do something together at the show. I’d really look forward to that.” www.nickoliveri.net

HOUSE OF BROKEN PROMISES “House of Broken Promises (HOBP) deliver almost entirely across the board with lock-upyer-daughters cojones rock bent on leaving tire marks and bruises to remember them by” HP Taskmaster- StonerRock.com If you find yourself in your comfort zone or your boundaries unchallenged at an HOBP show, you might take a serious look into the possibility that you have no soul. This trio of

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com monster musicians are constantly pressing against their own boundaries to bring you the depths of hard core, classic, rock and roll. Formed from the ashes of the late, great, and woefully under- appreciated UNIDA (which also featured John Garcia of KYUSS fame), HOUSE OF BROKEN PROMISES, describes themselves as a no-holds-barred double shot of classic hard rock. The guitar riffs produced by Arthur Seay, the bass lines and powerful vocals of Joe Mora, and shake your soul anthems that come from drummer Mike Cancino are the kind you don’t learn in school, nor could you be taught if they tried. This comes from somewhere inside their DNA, and together, they are an absolute spectacle of thundering rock and roll. As they say, when they get together, they “lay waste to the hasbeens, wanna-bees, and hipsters, and they say in no uncertain terms, ‘This is how it’s gonna be.’” According to Small Stone Records who are proud to present HOUSE OF BROKEN PROMISE’s full-length debut, Using the Useless. You’re going to get your rock’s worth. That’s a promise this house won’t break.” www.facebook.com/HOBPMUSIC Photo By Samantha Schwenk

WAXY Founded by Robbie Waldman, WAXY, a psychedelic, west coast, desert rock original, has been making music since 2006 and has toured with Kyuss Lives, Volbeat, Brant Bjork, Vic du Monte, Colour Haze, Yawning Man, Sorkun, and Airbus. WAXY’s first album entitled, Chainsaw Holiday, was released in the fall of 2008 featuring John Garcia, Jesse Hughes, Alfredo Hernandez, Ed Mundell, Gary Arce and Zac Rae. WAXY’s second album was released in February 2011. Again, WAXY got help from their friends like John Garcia, Mario ‘Boomer’ Lalli, Gary Arce, Alfredo Hernandez, Ed Mundell, JP Houston, Brandon Henderson, Amanda Staples and Sunny McNair. The selftitled sophomore effort was followed by a European tour with WAXY as main support for the Kyuss Lives tour in March of 2011. In 2013, WAXY toured Europe with their desert brothers, War Drum. Most recently, WAXY has returned from supporting John Garcia on the Australian leg of his tour. Garcia shares why he brought them along for the trip: “I’ve known Robbie (Waldman) since I was 7 years old. My mom used to work for Dr. Waldman. Robbie has always been there for me through anything; recording, friendship and health. I love Robbie...The desert has always been that way. We’ve always looked out for each other. There’s a kinship that goes on with the people who were born and raised here and went to school here.” WAXY is: Robbie Waldman (vocals, guitar), Damian Lautiero (guitar) Dylan Brown (bass) Jack Kohler (keyboards) and Jeff Bowman (drums). Robbie Waldman owns and operates the biggest recording studio in Palm Springs, Unit

A Recording and Arts. www.unit-a.com www.facebook.com/WAXYOfficial Search for WAXY on iTunes.

BLASTING ECHO This band that has been making music since 2008, encompasses a wide spectrum of music from hard to punk rock and everything in between - while lyrically addressing personal, social and political issues with honesty, energy and intensity. Each member approaches music with enjoyment and passion. This is evident in their recordings, but never more so than in the rawness of their live performances. Bottom line, you have got to see this band live to see the depth of their passion. BLASTING ECHO is Josh Heinz, Mondo Flores, Laramie Eve and Linda Lemke Heinz. Not only is this band known for their music, but also for their work in raising awareness and funds to support families living with Autism. Each band member is directly affected by a loved one affected by this disability. Josh Heinz began making music as a singer/songwriter/guitarist in Memphis, TN with WYNDOM EARLE in the late 90’s. Upon relocating to the Coachella Valley, he created the band DUFREIGN, which became a staple of the local rock scene, garnering Best Rock Band and Best Song honors at the Coachella Valley Music Awards. Josh’s rock influences are broad, stretching thru classic, alternative and modern rock. Drummer Mondo Flores is known for his bass playing in B Movie Superstars, Seven4, The Pedestrians and Lung Cookie, but he is an absolute monster on drums with BE. Bassist Laramie Eve began playing bass with the local band, Jekkel, when she was 13. Her hard on punk rock influences and her knack for melodic rock bass lines are a critical part of the BE sound. Linda Lemke Heinz plays keyboards. Her extensive music background as a music educator brings a completely different side to the music. facebook.com/blastingecho

THE HELLIONS THE HELLIONS- Christian Reyes at vocals, Angel Lua at vocals/guitar, Travis Rockwell on bass, Bob Llamas on drums and Jamie Hargate on guitar - are all “proud to spread rawk’n’roll gospel for those in need of some salvation”. According to this very good looking band of rebels, “The Hellions were initially possessed with the primal, bare-bones, sound of hell raisin’ rockabilly. No other genre of music was as dirty, greasy, sweaty, or evil. As they toured rigorously and performed countless live shows, a sleazy punk and rawk swagger infected the band and made them into what they are today:

December 11 to December 17, 2014 An excuse to shake your ass and drink some booze. So ladies and gentlemen, take cover for a high-volume, love-greased, sweat-inducing sonic neutron bomb that has been taking the Desert music scene by storm!” As CV Weekly columnist Jack St. Clair tells it, “The Hellions are Dirty Rock & Roll. The music is Ramone-ish punk rock at its core...Their lyrics spin tales of wild nights, crazy shenanigans and horny devils. Songs like “Cheap Lay”, “Horny Devil” and “Cruisin’” are evidence of how the band embraces its namesake. Llamas reveals that ‘All the devil and sex shit is just us getting hammered, laughing and making up shit.’ ‘No. Those are all true stories of things that happened to me,’ Lua chimes in with a grin. It is this tongue and cheek nature that defines this band. They are not out to offend, but just want to have fun with it. If you don’t get it, then you need to lighten up a bit.” Perhaps the coolest thing about these guys aside from their obvious talent, badass wardrobe, great songs, and fantastic vibe, is each of these musicians bear the heavy weight of wide spread respect from their peers and musicians and people. Find The Hellions on Facebook. Photo By Marco Combs

BURNING BETTIE This band has been working hard over the last year to make a name for themselves. In their bio, Burning Bettie describes themselves as “a genre that may be listed as rock, but their unique take on rock music comes out in several ways which can sound familiar, but always new and refreshing. At times, you will hear hints of different eras of rock as far back as Buddy Holly/ Beatles thru classic hard rock thru surf/ punk/ rockabilly thru 80’s indie and metal thru 90’s alternative and even 2000’s nu metal. All of these sounds are tied together and a truly Burning Bettie sound emerges, but in the end, the listener will hear for themselves.” The band earned CV Weekly Publisher, Tracy Dietlin’s respect at The Hood Bar and Pizza’s 2014 Summer Showdown. While they did not win the battle of the bands, Dietlin had this to say: “Burning Bettie- While I had heard frontman Giorg Tierez perform solo acoustic, I was not prepared for what he was going to bring to the competition with his full band. They started out with a grunge sound then moved to a high energy song with punk undertones. They flowed seamlessly from one song to another and out of all the bands that competed in the 4 weeks they are the band that I still have 3 of their songs stuck in my head. With well written lyrics, catchy choruses and a charismatic frontman with a cohesive band to back him, I see them playing much bigger venues in the near future.” Burning Bettie is Giorg Tierez: Vocals, Josh Ballard: Drums/Percussion/vocals, Frank Michel: Lead Guitar/Vocals, Shawn “Stretch” Fisher: Bass and James “Hollis” Eaton: Rhythm Guitar. facebook.com/burningbettiemusic

December 11 to December 17, 2014

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ADOPT A WILD ONE AND SUPPORT THE LIVING DESERT Save 50% Off Herd Pack Adoptions

he Living Desert has a one-of-akind gift idea this holiday season with the gift of “adopting” an animal. For a limited time only, The Living Desert is offering a holiday special of 50% off an animal in the Herd Package (regularly priced at $100) which includes: jaguar cub, giraffe calf, zebra foal, fennec fox kits and burrowing owl chick. The Adopt an Animal Program supports The Living Desert’s extraordinary education and conservation efforts. Every animal at the Zoo has very specific needs and with an adoption, the Zoo is able to buy treats, toys and supplies, while providing the help needed for care and feeding of that animal. The tax-deductible adoptions range from $25 to $1,000 and can include an adoption certificate, animal photo, animal fact sheet, keepsake animal plush and a keeper chat with select animals. Other animals available for adoption are meerkat, wild dog, mountain lion, cheetah, desert tortoise and more. No ownership rights are conferred by this “adoption.” All animals stay at The Living Desert under the care of the Animal

Loving All Animals’ Puts the Fun into Fundraising!

events

By michael picardi

HEALTH AND WELLNESS ON PARADE in DHS

TKB Bakery & Deli Toy Drive Mixer

December 11 to December 17, 2014

events

By lisa Morgan

DECEMBER 14 at The BG Bird Gardens

Department staff. For more information about the animal adoption program, visit www.LivingDesert.org or contact 760-3465694, ext. 2001.

ow fun would it be to go to a place with exotics birds, in a garden setting where you can buy special holiday gifts, have brunch, watch a major divisional professional football game, and sample great food from local restaurants and artisan tequilas with fine cigars? That’s what Loving All Animals has created with its Holidaze Sports Bar Brunch & Shopping Extravaganza Fundraiser to raise funds to continue programs for fostering and rescuing pets. Fun and excitement will be found in the 4-hour brunch with a fashion show, boutique shopping experience, silent auction, and for the guys... a sports bar with tequila tasting and pairing with cigars. Girls from Schitzo Kitty will be serving free champagne for our guests. Riverside County Sheriffs will be on hand with two of their dogs to demonstrate their K9 tactics in Apprehension / Tracking and Narcotics Detection work. Special arrangements have been made with local retailers to showcase exclusive holiday gift ideas including B Alsohns Jewelers and a truck show by Sabina Bach, Brunch stations to provide delicious morsels and delectable treats will be provided by Castelli’s Ristorante, Sullivan’s, Don Diego’s of Indian Wells, Cello’s Pantry, and Dakine’s Hawaiian Catering. Over 60 holiday gifts items will be on display to be auctioned including sports memorabilia, dining cards, jewelry, spa treatments and more.

events

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More information at 760-834-7000 or at www.lovingallanimals.org. WHERE: The BG Bird Gardens, 73179 Joshua St, Palm Desert (South of El Paseo) WHEN: December 14, 2014 12:00PM – 4:00 PM COST: $65 per person; $100 per couple SPONSORS: Participating sponsors/ donors include: B. Alsohns Jewelers, Chevrolet Cadillac of La Quinta, Sporthings & More, El Mirasol Restaurant, Sunlife Skin Care, Salon 119, Spencer’s Restaurant, Omni Resort Rancho Las Palmas, Desert Adventures Eco-Tours, Sammy G’s, Blue Coyote Bar & Grill, Castelli’s Ristorante, El Dorado Polo Club, Mastro’s Restaurant, Massage Envy Spa, and many more.

he Holiday Parade in Desert Hot Springs, with the theme of Health and Wellness Through the Ages will make its way down Palm Drive in DHS on Saturday, December 13, 2014 beginning at 11:00 am. The DHS Holiday Parade is one of the largest in the Coachella Valley with over 60 organizations and more than three thousand participating: and that’s just those in the parade! “This year we are honored to have as our Grand Marshall John Furbee who has given so much to our city over the years,” said Jennifer Braun-Christensen, organizer of the parade. “With our theme of Health and Wellness, John is the perfect choice having long been known for his healthy lifestyle and for his generosity providing financial help for the Swim Center among many other organizations in DHS,” she continued. Sponsored by Mission Springs Water District, Desert Valley Disposal, H & R Block, Dynamic Insurance and the UPS Store, the parade is a representation of Unity in the Community with participants from every religious community in the city, low rider cars

and motorcycles, bands, Groupo Folklorico, an Elton John “tribute” band and of course Santa Claus. The Holiday Parade is the one day that everyone comes together to celebrate the city and its diversity. “Additional entertainment will provided by Jerry Tapia and his ‘dancing car’, Reallyshoo and Tools For Tomorrow in the K-mart Shopping center lot, will keep the festivities going into the afternoon,” added Jennifer. “Having local celebrities, including Patrick Evans (Eye on the Desert), Bill Fiengold, Elizabeth Moritz (Open Arts), Tracy Dietlin (Publisher of CV Weekly) and Arlene Rosenthal (Well in the Desert) judging all of the entries, from the floats to the performers to the bands in the parade, makes for friendly competition and community unity,” she concluded. The parade will be stepping off at 11:00 at 1st and Pierson and move south to Two Bunch Palms ending with the entertainment in the parking area of the K-Mart Center. December 14, 2014, 11:00am-3:00pm On Palm Drive in DHS, from First St. to Two Bunch Palm Drive.

KB Bakery and Deli will be hosting a Toy Drive Mixer, this Thursday, December, 18th at 6:30pm. Admission is $20 and a new, unwrapped, toy. All of the donations will be going to the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission. Organizer and co-owner of TKB Bakery & Deli, Melina Sipple, shared the story of how they started the family owned and operated business and what drew her heart to provide for the less fortunate. “My brothers, Brandon and Nathan, and I started the company in 1994 in Rancho Mirage, selling cookie dough door-door. Now we service grocery stores across Los Angeles and Arizona and also the Coachella Valley. We are known in the valley for our retail Sandwich shop. We love our community and love giving back.” “I was invited to the CV Weekly ‘Best Of’ Awards dinner. One of the awards was for a local charity called Street Life Project. The founder, Christian Jelmberg, got up to speak about lives being changed because they were reaching out to the homeless under bridges and on the streets. I was so moved I had to be part of it. Now, every Tuesday, TKB Bakery works to put meals together for Street Life Project to take to Miles Avenue Park where they feed them and talk with them, seeing what they can do to help them

start a new life off the streets. You would be amazed at the stories and the number of people who are affected.” Melina lives half of the time in Los Angeles and half of the time here in the desert. “It’s the best of both worlds,” she says. “But being part of Street Life Project has changed my life. Now, when I am in LA, I am making sure we are doing some of the same things for the homeless there.” This, she shared, is what inspired her to organize this fundraiser for Coachella Valley Rescue Mission. You are invited to join Melina and her family for a night filled with love, laughter and delicious TKB food, while you support organizations that truly are loving people back to life. Also, Melina has a huge need every Tuesday, to help with the huge task of putting meals together for the Miles Avenue Park Street Life Project. You are invited to join her efforts at the TKB Bakery every Tuesday at 4pm. For questions regarding the event or volunteering, you can send an email to 2SHAREYOURHEART@GMAIL.COM, or call one of the following numbers: 760-9079033 OR 760-219-7770 TKB Bakery is located at 44911 Golf Center Parkway, Indio, CA

December 11 to December 17, 2014

theatre

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

By Dee Jae Cox

a stage review of “cinderella”

Local Music Spotlight

by Lisa Morgan

John Marek and the New Ideation

“

f you wish hard enough, even foolish dreams can come true.” And so believed Cinderella, who found her prince at the

ball. Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, now playing at the Palm Canyon Theatre and running through December 21st, offers a little bit of Broadway right here in Palm Springs. From the moment that the lights go up on the stage, the audience is whisked away to the world of the poor, mistreated orphan who believes that wishes really do come true. It does not get better than a Rodger’s and Hammerstein musical and the Palm Canyon Theatre does it justice in their smaller scale production. Bruce Weber’s set design is magical. A 10 foot storybook dominates the stage and opens to different pages to set the backdrop for each scene. Each setting is as magical as the last. The urgency of the midnight hour is conveyed by the gigantic clock rising upstage like a full moon as it strikes the hour. J.W. Layne’s lighting is perfect. It sets the mood and the ambiance for this fairytale as we watch the ragamuffin girl become a princess. Jaimie Leigh Walker is Cinderella: A seasoned Broadway actress could not have done a better job in bringing this character to the stage. Without a word, her facial expressions tell you everything that she is thinking and feeling while sitting in her abandoned spot by the hearth. Her voice is pure and her performance flawless. Jason Lewis and Marjory Lewis inspire a smile and show what true love really is, in their portrayal of the King and Queen. Both symbolic of the family we wish for Cinderella. Rather than the wicked stepmother and sisters, portrayed by Morgana Corelli, Jennifer Stowe and Heidi Hapner, Cinderella’s relatives

from hell who looked as if they had just stepped from the pages of the oversized storybook that provided the backdrop for their scenes. While Kaisha D gave just enough of a smirk when casting her magic to imply she knew all along that a happy ending was in store for her poor mistreated godchild. Heidi Hapner’s choreography is seamless from the opening ensemble in the courtyard to the intimate dance of love between the Prince and Cinderella. Jennifer Stowe’s costume and Mado Nunez’s wig designs round out the setting for this timeless story. Opening night sound glitches were the only flaw in this otherwise beautifully directed production. If you are looking for an evening of smiles and reminders that dreams do come true, then definitely see this show before it closes on December 21st. It is a production that the whole family will enjoy. The Palm Canyon Theatre gets 2.5 stars in my Gender Equity ‘Stars on Broadway’ rating, for having 3 out of their 11 upcoming shows written by women. Though they do not seem to do the standard promotion, with the playwright’s name attached to the show, their upcoming season is filled with great promise. Cinderella runs through December 21, 2014 The Palm Canyon Theatre is located at 538 N. Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92270 For Tickets: palmcanyontheatre.org Box Office: 760-323-5123 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 KPTR 1450’s hit radio show, “California Woman 411” in Palm Springs.

ne day you’re posting a homemade video of a song that you’ve been messing around with in your bedroom, and the next day your buddy tells you that Dave Navarro just tweeted it! Now that’s something that most musicians only dream about, but for John Marek, he literally became a YouTube, overnight success. Marek had posted the video to Facebook July 16, 2014, with a comment stating, “Me playing a song I made yesterday with guitar and drums simultaneously. I know it’s not perfect, but I just learned how to do this yesterday. Enjoy.” The song was called, “The Back of My Head”. The following day, there were posts all over Facebook, mostly John’s close friends and family, each ecstatic that the one-man-band video hit 60,000 views overnight. The video made YouTube’s homepage music category due to its popularity. Dave Navarro tweeted: “This kid, John Marek, pretty much rules,” when he shared the video with his fans. Interview requests came in by the droves. Just This Minute, a television show that reaches 68% of the country reached out to him. Marek was also featured on CBS’ The Feed’s Weekend Music Round-Up. A Canadian service provider eventually paid Marek to use the video in a national commercial. Today, the viewership of that video is just under 1 million. (see the links to all of these below) Marek had explained to CV Weekly, back then, how he’d just been informed that the guys in his band were making the tough call to pursue other career goals. He was bummed. So he took a stab at creating and performing a song by himself. He had no intentions of it going viral. With the success of the video and new attention drawn to the band, Marek asked the guys to hang in there just a little bit longer. And they did, for a while. Eventually Julio left to focus on his very busy career. Jerryn is working on his own projects, and Marek is helping him with recording. So Ideation went into hiatus while Marek jammed with other players and bands, or played solo throughout the valley. He’s also been recording. Then, just two months ago, an excited Marek posted to Facebook, “Ideation is back in full swing!” Marek had posted a need for a drummer for a gig in October, and Justin Wilkinson answered the call. After only a couple hours

desert djs

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

By craig michaels

TILTED KILT OPEN MIC COMPETITION FALL EDITION WEEK 11 WINNERS

events

Johnny Toot Moves to Afternoons on 93.7 KCLB

of practice two days before the gig, the guys played solidly. Then, as if it were meant to be, bass player, Ari Hozman, moved in across the street. “It’s pretty cool that we all live close to each other. We have three different practice places and we’ve been practicing pretty much non-stop.” Their investment is paying off. Ideation shared the stage at the Hood Bar and Pizza with the internationally renowned Sean Wheeler and Zander Schloss at the Hood Bar and Pizza. What fans were treated to was fantastic. It looked as though they had been playing together for years. Ideation is now buckling down to do some recording, but they will re-emerge just after the New Year at Schmidy’s Tavern in Palm Desert. You can catch them January 2nd @ 9pm. In the meantime, you can follow them and their music at the following links: www.facebook.com/IdeationMusic youtube.com/Ideaitonband <-- (Yeah its misspelled.. so what?)

December 11 to December 17, 2014

ike many people in the business, Johnny Toot has been fascinated by music and radio from a very young age. Johnny, whose real last name is Isabell, is a Coachella Valley native. Always a prankster in school, Johnny explains how he acquired the name Toot; “I was a class clown and every once in a while I would talk a bunch of gibberish and I blurted out “Hey I’m Johnny Toot” randomly. Before I knew it, I would hear people in the hallways in high school say “hey there¹s that Johnny Toot kid.” Johnny admits when he was younger he would constantly call radio stations and prank the on-air personalities with different voices. His fist experience with radio was at age 13 when a local radio personality, Rick Morton (now the morning show host at Jammin’ Z90 in San Diego) invited him into the studio one day to be the guest DJ. Of course once the microphone was turned on, Johnny froze but the radio seed was planted. After graduation Johnny worked at a few different jobs until his mid-20’s when he met one of the DJs from KCLB who would later give him his first big break into radio. Johnny was offered an internship on KCLB which is part of the Desert Radio Group in Palm Springs. Eventually his hard work and enthusiasm for radio was noticed and Johnny was hired to do the mid-day shift from 10am to 2pm playing rock music. He was no stranger to rock since he was also the front man for a rock band called “Start to Finish,” which eventually disbanded. In his early years, Johnny’s focus was on finding interesting stuff to talk about to his listeners without sounding stupid. He

quickly began to grow and develop his radio skills which complimented his outgoing personality. If you ask Johnny to describe his personality, he can sum it up with two words, “I’m nuts!” Recently the higher ups at the Desert Radio Group felt Johnny’s on air sound was a better fit for the afternoon show which is typically a little more personality driven. You can now tune in to catch Johnny and his crazy sense of humor weekdays from 2pm to 7pm on 93.7 KCLB. The future looks bright for this rising radio star who says “for now the Sky’s the limit but hitting the lottery wouldn’t hurt.” Written by: Craig Michaels Craig Michaels Productions (760) 880-3848

eek #11 brought fun times for the audience and the musicians competing for their shot at the grand finals of the Tilted Kilt Open Mic Competition! The audience cheered for their favorite musicians as well as for fantastic audience giveaways from the Mary Pickford Theater such as hats, t-shirts, and backpacks. In the end it was the band The Men Who Sold the World which was declared the first place winner! Band members Felipe, Austin, Chance, Francisco and Cristian took home 5 movie tickets to the Mary Pickford Theatre and earned a spot in the finals where they’ll compete for the grand prizes of a 3 day, 2 night trip to Las Vegas from Crater Lake Vodka, a $500 shopping spree at Guitar Center and an entire weekend recording session with producer Ronnie King at his Chateau Relaxo to produce one mastered “radio ready” track. Second place was awarded to popular band, The Classy Mother Fu?kers, who chose to take home a $20 gift certificate to Record Alley. Third place went to musician, Marco Thoma who took home 2 tickets to the Mary Pickford Theatre. THANK YOU to ALL of our performers at the Tilted Kilt Open Mic Competition for putting on a great show AND for being so supportive of the other artists: Daniel aka The Puppet, Ferny &

Janaki, Mike Sick-boy, Tanya Nunez, Paul Gihren, Kyle Paras, Will Kelly, Jim Holiday, Richard Finn, Kevin McCulley and Juan Espino aka Qeu, Marco Thoma, Jasyn Smith, Joseph Vaughan, Felipe, Austin, Chance, Francisco, and Cristian. I hope to see you all next week! Look for coverage of this week’s event and the announcement of winners in the next issue of Coachella Valley Weekly! SPECIAL THANKS to all of our sponsors: Ronnie King Music, Guitar Center, Crater Lake Vodka, EstheticX.Obsession Massage & Wax Bar, Riccio’s Steak, Seafood and Pasta, CV Weekly and Mary Pickford Theater, Abe’s Brand and Skitzo Kitty. Remember, the Tilted Kilt Open Mic Competition is ALL AGES and runs EVERY WEDNESDAY. YOU may compete EVERY week! PLEASE NOTE: Due to our overwhelming number of interested performers, sign in starts at 7pm and will be closed at 7:45pm. BRING YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY and FANS. Note that the competition may run to 11pm so be sure your friends and family know to stay until the end to voice their vote!!! For questions or information about sign-up, please see Facebook. or com/TiltedKiltOpenMicCompetition contact creator and host, Morgan James at OpenMicContact@gmail.com or (714)651-1911

December 11 to December 17, 2014

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

Local Music Spotlight

December 11 to December 17, 2014

by Lisa Morgan

Wade Crawford, Riz Orkestra and Eevaan Tre & The Show Saturday, December 13th, 9pm @ Schmidy’s Tavern, Palm Desert. Presented by CV Weekly and Ming Bob Productions

WADE CRAWFORD Crawford has been playing music since he was a kid. With no other musicians in the family, his influences are the music his mother and father listened to. Mom listened to rock and dad loved country. “I was really close to my dad. Country music was imbedded in him. He grew up with a father who was kind of in and out of his life and he always told me that guys like Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Conway Twitty were his heroes…that if he could pick one guy to be a dad to him, it would be Waylon. That really stuck with me.” Initially as a teenager of 15 and 16 years old, Wade played what was cool at the time; punk, rock and emo ~ music the likes of Blink 182. Not a bad choice considering that it led to him playing at the Roxie at such a young age. Older now, and with a number of other bands and genres under his belt,

Wade has been back to his roots for a while now. He is playing what he wants in a genre that apparently suits him and his fans very well. Crawford was nominated for Country Band of the Year by Coachella Valley Music Awards, and for Song of the Year, by the Los Angeles Music Awards. His last EP release, A Lion A Sheep and A Crow Walk Into a Bar, perfectly exhibits his well-chosen niche. He lists the title of each song on the album within this creative blurb: “A Lion, A Sheep and A Crow Walk into a Bar and begin to immediately flirt with the bartender.” I know WHERE YOU’LL SLEEP TONIGHT,” she responded curtly, “what’ll it be?” They ordered their drinks and began to talk like old times. “So, OLD FRIEND, how the hell have you been,” The Lion asked the Sheep. “Well I never thought it would happen but yesterday was THE DAY I CHANGED MY WAYS,” responded The Sheep. “I was down in NEW ORLEANS and ran into my ex. Brutal hell. But hey, ONCE THE DAMAGE IS DONE, who gives a shit, right?” The Crow nodded – “Man, I’ve been riding that DEVIL’S TRAIN for years. And it always leads me right back home to SUNNYMEAD.” The friends laughed and raised their glasses, having already made THE CALL. A prolific writer, there’s no telling what songs you’re going to be treated to Saturday night, but you can count on this: It will be honest, real and raw, and if you’re not already a fan, you will be. Follow Wade Crawford and his music at the following links: facebook.com/wadecrawfordofficial www.reverbnation.com/ wadecrawfordandthecountrytrash

RIZ ORKESTRA Composer-performer, Riz Orkestra brings down-home music to the Coachella Valley this weekend, the kind you would imagine you’d hear in the distance from a front porch any New Orleans Sunday morning. “Shew Fly Don’t Bother Me” or “No More Credit at the Liquor Store” are favorites that Riz Orkestra fans have come to ask for by name. But with a huge compilation of songs recently recorded in an amazing collection of music, we are in for a really special night. Orkestra will be playing a set of tunes from his current CD, Sunnyside Session • Happy in my Life. The album features original songs on electric and acoustic slide guitar, ragtime fingerpicking guitar, and barrelhouse, blues piano. Slated for commercial release in early 2015, Orkestra co-produced the music with the legendary, two time Grammy winning producer, Bruce Bromberg. Bromberg was also the owner of Hitone Records for 27 years, working with artists like Lightning Hopkins, R.L.Burnside, Phil Alvin, and Dave Alvin. This year, Bromberg was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in Memphis. In addition to his work in the American roots-music field, Riz Orkestra has composed and recorded 64 full-length symphonic pieces this year, each of which are currently broadcast five times a week over 64 consecutive weeks on his radio show “Symphony on the Corner”. You can tune in to “Radio Free Joshua Tree” online and find the show schedule at radiofreejoshuatree. org. A limited number of pre-release Sunnyside Sessions • Happy in my Life CDs will be available at the show this Saturday. This compilation of music is fantastic listening and incredibly well crafted. From

the songwriting, to the performance and the production, this may very well be one of the best CDs you can purchase this year. It is definitely a wonderful reflection of this artist who began his journey at 4 years old, feet dangling, sitting at a piano, taking instruction from a blue eyed great grandmother who channeled her music through him. Check out all the Riz Orkestra music at the following links: youtube.com/rizorkestra facebook.com/riz.orkestra facebook.com/pages/Symphony-on-theCorner

December 11 to December 17, 2014

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

by Eleni P. Austin

Ani DiFranco “

“Allergic To Water” (Righteous Babe Records)

know pain is a teacher, to be welcomed and not feared/Alas pain is your ally, so embrace it while it’s here/It’s here to open your eyes, here to make the way clear/…But me I’m just happy, yes me I’m happy all the time.” That’s Ani DiFranco on her latest album, Allergic To Water. It’s a radical admission from the ever-questioning Punk-Folk warrior, who has been kicking against the pricks for nearly 25 years. Ani DiFranco grew up in Buffalo, New York. She picked up the guitar at an early age. By the time she was nine, she was busking in bars and street corners, chaperoned by her guitar teacher, Mike Meldrum. Beatles covers gave way to her own introspective songs. Just as her parents’ marriage was ending, Ani became an emancipated minor at age 15. Three years later, she moved to New York City, intent on a music career. Honing her skills in coffee houses, dive bars and women’s centers, Ani began to cultivate a devoted following. Her fans clamored for a recording, so she selfreleased her eponymous cassette in 1990. Armed with only an acoustic guitar and an ever-growing arsenal of songs, Ani crisscrossed the United States in her Volkswagen bug. She sold cassettes at her shows and on consignment in little stores. As demand for her music grew, she partnered with Buffalo mentor (and lawyer), Scott Fisher and

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

created her own label, Righteous Babe. Throughout the ‘90s, Ani’s passionate fan base increased. Her sound was a hybrid of Folk and Punk, her confessional songs openly discussed all facets of her life. A fierce feminist, she initially identified as bisexual. Despite her piercings, shaved head and tattoos, mainstream media began paying attention. Ani was feted in the pages of Rolling Stone and Ms. She was a cover girl for Spin and Musician. Major labels began to court her, but Ani preferred the autonomy (and the bigger profit margin), Righteous Babe afforded her. In between non-stop touring, she released some watershed records. Dilate chronicled her doomed affair with a married man. Little Plastic Castle dealt with the intense scrutiny and rigid expectations that accompanied her newfound fame. Revelling/Reckoning, detailed her marriage(to the infamous married man) and subsequent divorce. By the turn of the 21st century, Righteous Babe had become the little indie that could. Located in Ani’s hometown of Buffalo, New York, the label had begun releasing albums by other artists, including Andrew Bird, Toshi Reagon and Alanis Mitchell. When a centuries old church was destined for the wrecking ball, Righteous Babe leaped into action. Not only did they spearhead the fight to designate it an historical landmark, they actually bought the building and painstakingly restored it. Now it serves as Righteous Babe’s headquarters, complete with a performance space, Babeville. Two events occurred in the early 2000s that radically recalibrated Ani’s career. First, she became romantically involved with recording engineer/producer Mike Napolitano. Then in 2005 she was diagnosed with tendonitis and couldn’t play her guitar or tour for nine months. She and Napolitano have been a couple ever since, welcoming their daughter, Petah, in 2007, marrying in 2009, and having their son, Dante in 2013. The tendonitis forced Ani to slow her whirlwind schedule of writing, recording and touring. Finally she began to slow down and re-focused her priorities.

Consider This

Ani is raising her family in the Bywater section of New Orleans. After 18 studio albums, three official live albums and 15 “bootleg” live recordings, released directly through Righteous Babe, she has definitely earned the right to rest on her laurels. Naturally she must confound convention and expectations and release her 19th record, Allergic To Water. The album opens with Ani’s instantly recognizable percussive and questioning guitar chords. The opening track, “Dithering” begins pensively before slipping into a slinky, slow-cooked funk groove. A diatribe against sensory overload, Ani concludes “ask me anything about anything, I got a lot of shit in rotation.” The songs for this album were written surreptitiously, between breast feedings and play dates. It isn’t exactly disjointed, but it doesn’t have the usual unifying structure that characterizes most of Ani’s records. The warrior who has championed racial equality, and a woman’s right to choose, and vilified the architects of the Iraq war, the patriarchy and gentrification is not exactly absent, but perhaps hibernating. Three tracks, “Woe Be Gone,” “Careless Words” and “Allergic To Water” offer subtle social commentary. The sweet and sunny melody for “Woe Be Gone” belies lyrics that question our complacency. Tentative bass, guitar and drums ebb and flow colored by honeyed Wurlitzer fills and swooping violin, as Ani questions the status quo. “I mean what the hell? Raise your hand if you’re at peace right now/In fact just stand up and take a bow, everywhere you look you just see damaged goods…” “Careless Words” seem to take President Obama to task for unfulfilled promises. Over somber guitar chords and propulsive rhythms, she offers a stinging indictment. “You really spoke your mind big talker, at least your mind at the time/Now I’m wearing your words big talker, like a necklace and rings/Just glad it wasn’t me big talker that said all those things…careless words I can never unknow.” Finally, the title track is a fluid allegory. Lone piano chords flow into plucked acoustic notes and a martial cadence. The lyrics portray a woman with an unimaginable allergy to water. “..It itches my throat and it blisters my skin/Still, I drink cuz I have to, I bathe cuz I have to, but boy it’s a pain/But I don’t cry, cuz it hurts to cry and I don’t go out in the rain.” Really the song is a metaphor, reminding us that things that sustain us, everything meaningful, important and essential is also painful and a struggle. The remainder of the album’s songs proffer clear-eyed encomiums to domestic bliss. From the modal dervish of “Genie,” which features tamburitza, orchestron and sawing violin fills, Ani obliquely thanks her partner for breaking through her defenses. “You came out of the blue, like twilight’s

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By monica Fred (WARZart) Warzecha III get to meet a lot of local artists who catch

my interest with their varieties of artistic expression and one artist I like in particular is Fred Warzecha III. Humble, appreciative, and extremely talented, this artist is amazing with an airbrush and his wearable art has people placing orders from all over the country. To be multi-talented in many different artistic directions is truly a gift and one that I believe WARZart was blessed with. He is 37 and was born and raised here in the valley. MM: You go by the name WARZart. What does it mean and how did you decide on that name for yourself? FW: Well kind of a back story... I’m dyslexic and a few of my close artist friends started

first star.../And we woke up married after one drunk fuck, and I couldn’t believe you’d found me, I couldn’t believe my luck.” Ani’s familiar cluster of pin-prick chords launch “Yeah Yr Right.” Over an infectious hip-sway rhythm, accented by harpsichord and violin, she confesses “I’m so into you, I’m into me too.” Both “See See See See” and “tr’w” are languid odes to post-coital bliss. The former is anchored by percolating percussion and feather-light acoustic strumming. Ani is frisky and flirty as she offers to “make you feel like a man.” The latter feels lush and carnal, locking into a sweet soul groove that recalls Prince and Sly & The Family Stone. Finally, the aforementioned “Happy All The Time” is a whimsical waltz wherein a contented Ani rather uncharacteristically counts her blessings. The lone note of domestic dissent is “Harder Than It Needs To Be.” The slightly mournful melody echoes the dirgelike Funeral music of New Orleans. Ani anxiously pleads “Honey please don’t roll your eyes around just to put me down/It’s exactly as hard to talk to you as it is to talk to me.” Lowing sousaphone notes act as a melancholy Greek chorus. The album closes with the lovely “Rainy Parade.” Quiet and contemplative, the track features a tinkly xylophone. Here, Ani advises us to take the good with the bad: “Either way you better take your lemons and make your lemonade/Life’s a rainy parade.” Despite the fact that there’s an award winning producer actually living in her house, Ani produced and mixed Allergic To Water herself. She received stalwart support from longtime collaborator, multiinstrumentalist, Todd Sickafoose. Other contributors are Terrance Higgens on drums, Jenny Scheinman on violin and Mike Dillon on percussion. New Orleans native Matt Perrine played sousaphone and Big Easy legend Cyril Neville helped out with Wurlitzer, piano and clavinet. He will also be part of Ani’s touring band. Allergic To Water isn’t an essential Ani record, but’s a welcome edition to her impressive cannon.

morones

art

December 11 to December 17, 2014

calling me “DERF” Fred backwards as a joke and it stuck. As I grew up one of my new artist friends and someone close enough to call my brother Ryan (MOTEL) Campbell knew the story and said your all grown up now and have been through and seen a lot in life and we need to change your name... and WARZ came to be, It’s still something that is a part of my name just like DERF, which is important to me cause it’s still part of my name and who I am. And some know me as WARZart and well we need social media now days to get out there and “art” was added. WARZ is who I am and art is what I do. MM: How did you get into art? FW: Well it all began at the age of 2-3 yrs old drawing under the coffee table that I had growing up, which my parents still own to this day and will never part with. But really I have always had some sort of drawing utensil within continue to page 26

Mural Man Donates Mural to Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs

By kira golden

ast Friday marked the unveiling of a mural that was donated to the Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs by Keith Blum, who also goes by the moniker “The Mural Man.” Blum donated all the supplies, as well as his time and talent to create an organic piece of 3D illusion art on the wall of the Teen Center. If that weren’t generous enough, he also gave away instructional DVDs on how to paint 3D illusions to all the teens present at the event. The mural is entitled “Mind, Body, and Soul” and encompasses all the core values that the Boys & Girls Club holds dear. “It started with the fish tank,” Blum explained. “They liked the fish tank I’d painted in the past and the director said ‘It’s so calming and relaxing when you look at a fish tank.’

And I said, ‘Yeah, it really soothes the soul. We should do something for the mind and the body also.’ And we thought, let’s do shelves with things that teens would have on it, sporting things, and stuff like that. It just kind of evolved. It started off as just decoration, but then it turned into a message.” Blum has spent the last two weeks creating this work of art, and though he has continue to page 26

December 11 to December 17, 2014

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

PET PLACE

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

by Janet McAfee

Johnny Gets A Home For the Holidays!

here is no place like a “home for the holidays”, and a little dog named Johnny knows that better than most. Johnny was a stray homeless dog who ended up at the now closed Indio animal shelter. The Indio shelter was a blighted building on a dead end street with few adopters, and Johnny did not have a bright future there. Christmas angel, Lori Weiner, owner of the Pet Hotel at Barkingham Palace, changed Johnny’s luck when she rescued him and a little black terrier named Shawna four years ago. Both dogs were featured in this column last year in an article, “Johnny and Shawna Seek A Home for the Holidays”. Eventually Shawna was adopted. Johnny remained behind, hoping that one day someone would take him too. Unlike most homeless dogs, Johnny was a royal resident at the Pet Hotel, well fed, loved, and romped in the indoor dog park with the four legged hotel guests. He lived in a beautiful suite with loving staff, but his heart longed for something more.

Fab Fellow Seeks Home

This adorable little guy will put you in the Holiday spirit! An 8-lb bundle of love, he appears to be a Terrier/Doxi blend. Dog ID#A1160211 at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus, 72-050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms, (760) 343-3644.

Tabby Treasure

This striking fellow is a holiday treasure! Just 6 months old, he will liven up your Christmas with fun kitten frolicking. Cat ID#A1153439 at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus, 72-050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms. (760) 343-3644.

Last month, Johnny came to Loving All Animals’ annual Super Pet Adoption Festival for the third year. He looked longingly at prospective adopters, hoping to catch their eye. But Coachella Valley residents seem to favor the “white fluffies”, the Bichons, the Shih Tzus, and the Poodle blends. Johnny, a terrier mix, had a hard time getting noticed among the throngs of specialty breeds and cute puppies. But sometimes those who wait the longest get the best home. A couple operating a vendor booth for lighted dog harnesses noticed Johnny’s sparking personality, and thought he would be a great match for their daughter and her family. Johnny left for his forever home that day, one of 271 rescue animals adopted at the Super Pet Fair. And while he was happy and content at Barkingham, Johnny transformed into a radiant, joyful dog once he had a family to call his own. Jennifer Nelson, Johnny’s new human mom reports, “We’ve never encountered such a grateful little being. Johnny is so

loving and happy! He’s like a circus dog, throwing the rope in the air, practically jumping over my son’s head to catch it, and then proudly trotting away. When I took my son and our 10-year-old dog Brando to the dog park, Johnny was practically jumping out of his skin with excitement. He was truly in his element, and was appointed the role of “leader” by another large dog, Draco. Draco’s human owner thought Johnny was part of our family for years by the way he behaved and expressed his loyalty. Johnny

sleeps in bed with my son every night, while occasionally jumping down to pop up on our bed to visit and give soft kisses. We are so grateful for him.” Nine-year old Nic describes his new best buddy, “He’s an awesome dog, he’s so happy. Johnny is like a little jumping bean, and he follows me everywhere. I’m going buy him some squeaky toys and balls for Christmas!” This year Johnny will celebrate Christmas in his own home with Nic, five-year-old Hanna, and his new dog brother, Brando. Dreams do come true for those who believe and wait with patience and optimism. There is a home for every dog, and no home is complete without a loving rescue dog or cat. If you are still “dogless”, head out to the Coachella Valley Animal Campus, our county shelter in Thousand Palms, and meet some fabulous dogs and cats. Call them at (760) 343-3644 and view their adoptable animals at www.rcdas.com. And take a second look at those mixed breed pups like Johnny, who have hearts of gold, fabulous personalities, and will reward you every day with loving loyalty. Jmcafee7@verizon.net

December 11 to December 17, 2014

by Rick Riozza

Christmas Chianti Comes Home for the Holidays

t this time in our desert wine community, the holidays, families, friends, and snowbirds gladly appear and there is no better way to exhibit brotherly affection than for us to join with all the good company for a warm toast along with a fine bottle of wine. I appreciate all your readers putting up with my remarks this past year; and after all, it’s just wine we’re having fun with. Really—the finest thing for us vino lovers to reveal, is a humble and giving heart. Even to this day, an older generation of wine lovers still equate Chianti to the stuff that filled most of those bulging round wine bottles with its woven-straw covering known as a fiasco—Italian for flask. And most of the wine was mediocre—and some of it really bad—but the bottles were sure fun & decorative. However, for the last 30 years or so, Chianti’s marvelous potential has come to light. And the Chianti region in the hills of Tuscany is both the actual and spiritual home of the Sangiovese grape. Some years, Tuscany produces more than 60 million cases of wine, of which some 8 million are Chianti. It is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Carmignano and the legendary Brunello di Montalcino. Sangiovese: The name derives from the Latin meaning “the blood of Jove (Jupiter)”, thus, this red wine can be strong and bold with aromas of black cherry and violets with earthy mineral sanguine flavors along with cherry, plum, strawberry, spice, almonds, tobacco, vanilla, and coffee. And unless you were raised in Italy, it’s probably those sanguine notes that have kept the vino novice away—Merlot and Syrah possibly being the better fruity wines to begin your vino adventure. Sangiovese is also known for its high acidity and that’s what keeps the wine refreshing so it goes most agreeably with well-seasoned foods. So what better holiday wine to consider for The Holiday Platter than a delicious one from Tuscany. Most of you foodies are also Italophiles and what a great time of year to add a classy and tasty wine to match up with your creative and/or traditional dishes. Of course that doesn’t mean you’ll forego your favorite Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, or Cab—goodness! The more the merrier, but I assure you, the vini toscani will well complement your meal. Modernly, Chianti became better when stricter rules & regs forced winemakers to consider the best formula for the potential world class wine with the Classico and Riserva. So Sangiovese would dominate and other less recognized grapes were

minimized. On the other side of things, excellent winemakers found the rules restrictive, so they portioned internationals varietals, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah to the blend—thus creating another version of “Chianti” wine: “the super Tuscan”. And just like the “cult-cabernet sauvignon” aficionados, there is certainly the international cluster of “cult-super Tuscans”. If there is one commonality of these two wonderful types of Tuscan wines, the best examples contain deep delicious satiny fruit flavors along with a dry, uplifting acidity that pair sensationally well with food. Two absolutely stellar recommendations for the holidays and beyond are the Frescobaldi NipozzanoVecchie Viti, Chianti Riserva 2011, and, the super-Tuscan Ruffino Modus. The Nipozzano Vecchie Viti (Old Vines)” under $30., is a combination of 90% Sangiovese and 10% black Malvasia, Canaiolo and Colorino, that boasts a rubyred color that is aged 24 months, according to the tradition, in big oak barrels. This wine, historically dedicated to new births in the Frescobaldi family, originates from the oldest vines of Castello di Nipozzano, endowed with deep root systems. This wine is one of the most delicious Chianti I’ve had in a long time. Any wine lover still skeptical of Sangiovese, this wine will simply warm your heart. It’s just bursting with aromas of wild rose, violets, lavender, and dark fruit with flavors of ripe but fresh fruit that include cherry, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry with that barrel vanilla character. Full-bodied and mild tannins, spicy holiday notes of clove and star anise notes follow in along with classic Tuscan minerality. A Christmastime Chianti indeed! Another magnificent wine for these times, also under $30, is the super Tuscan 2011 Ruffino Modus Toscana IGT. This is a wine blend 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Merlot. It’s robed in a rich dark ruby color with purple hue. Those around the table will be describing this wine’s aromas as “plum, dried fruit, savory

herbs, leather, smoke, tar, mocha, cigar-box, with a palate of equally enticing flavors as black cherry, blackberry, chocolate, ceder, sweet spices, earthy mint & cellar floor. The wine is full-bodied with supple tannins, truly luscious with deep fruit flavor that’s perfectly balanced. It’s a stunner! This wine will definitely bring the holiday comradely of the Chianti lovers and the Cab-Merlot followers together in one great bottle of wine. And to add to the holiday festivities, Ruffino winery is pleased to present the Ruffino Modus Luminaria. This beautiful gift box and decorative lantern was developed in collaboration with Milan-based design school, POLI.design, and features a bottle of

the Modus wine. Inspired by traditional Florentine Renaissance-era architecture, the outer sleeve displays an intricately cut design, beautifully highlighted by the elegant brushed metal finish. The varnished wood box in rich sapphire complements the iconic Modus label. Once the wine is enjoyed, simply remove the metal sleeve and place over a small candle to cast a festive glow on any holiday gathering. The Ruffino Modus Luminaria gift box is available on line for around $85. It makes for a great Christmas present: Two beautiful gifts in one! Buone Feste & Buon Natale.

December 11 to December 17, 2014

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

December 11 to December 17, 2014

Club Club Crawler Crawler Nightlife Nightlife

Scan the QR Code to get the Club Crawler Nightlife on your Mobile Device via the Smartphone Phone Book!

THUR DECEMBER 11

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Reunion w/ DJ Day Amigo Room 10pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Paul Elia 7-10pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 John Bolivar 7pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 John Stanley King 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 6pm CORK TREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Live Entertainment 6pm DESERT FOX; PS; 760-325-9555 Thirsty Thursdays 7pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm ESCENA LOUNGE & GRILL; PS; 760-9920002 Courtney Chambers 5pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 T.B.A. 7:30pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Open Mic 9pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke w/ Roberto 8pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Hot Rox LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Country Night w/ Country Nation 8pm

THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888999-1995 Quinto Menguante 8-1am MARGARITA’S; PS; 760-778-3500 Live Music 6pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 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 PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Jazz and Supper Club Night 7pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Two Lane Blacktop 7:30pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Intimate Acoustic 8pm PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760327-1161ext.230 Kal David Unplugged 8pm RIVIERA RESORT & SPA; PS; 760-327-8311 Martin Ross Starlite Lounge 6pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 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 Rodeo Drive’s Happy Hour Cabaret 3:305:30pm, Stan Watkins Latin Swing 6:30-10pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-9pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 Michael Keeth 6-10pm THE WINE BAR BISTRO; LQ; 760-564-8744 Rob Martinez and Todd Ashley 7pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Bill Saitta 6pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 Tropicana Nights 9pm

FRI DECEMBER 12

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 The Bob Garcia Band 6pm 19TH HOLE; PD; 760-772-6696 Karaoke w/ T Bone 9pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Katie Burden 10pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Karaoke w/ AJ The KJ 8-12am AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Noches Azul Latin Night 8pm BAR; PS; 760-537-7337 T.B.A. 10pm BILLY REED’S; PS; 760-325-1946 Live Music 6-10pm BISTRO 60 @TRILOGY; LQ; 760-501-0620 The Carmens 6pm BLUE BAR, SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-7755566 DJ PWee 8pm 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 6pm CORK TREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Live Entertainment 6pm DATE SHED; IND; 760-775-6699 DICKIE O’NEALS IRISH PUB; PS; 760-3252600 The Hive Minds 9pm 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 HARD ROCK HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9676 “Jump Off” DJ 9pm Lobby THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Machin’, J19, Nacho Bustillo and Chinche Mala 9pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Michael D’Angelo 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Live DJ 8:30pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 T.B.A. 7:30pm 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 Reall Deall 9pm THE LOUNGE; AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888999-1995 DJ 9pm MARGARITA’S; PS; 760-778-3500 Live Music 6pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 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 Bomani Presents: Activation Fundraiser w/ Pocket Yellow and Richard Finn 8pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760345-0222 Old School 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 The Dustbowl Revival 8pm 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@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760327-1161ext.230 Scott Bruce: A Tribute To Elvis 5:30pm, The Gand Band 8:30pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 T.B.A. 9pm RIVIERA RESORT & SPA; PS; 760-327-8311 Martin Ross Starlite Lounge 7pm, Jade & Gino Sidebar Patio 7pm, Arnie Vilches & Friends Sidebar Lounge 10pm ROC’S FIREHOUSE; PD; 760-340-3222 T.B.A. 6:30pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 Whiskey & Knives, Plan B and Slipping Into Darkness 9pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 Barry Baughn Blues 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; 760-3413560 Demetrious and Co. TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 T.B.A. 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Ron & Peggy “Heart to Heart” 6:30pm TILTED KILT; PD; 760-773-5458 T.B.A. TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm VIBE; MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951-7555391 The Rick Whitfield Band 10pm

VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Trish Harley & Barney McClure Duo 6:30-10pm 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 Slim Man Solo Show 5:30pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 T.B.A. 9pm THE WINE BAR BISTRO; LQ; 760-564-8744 Rob & jb 7:30pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Rose Mallett 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 Girl’s Night Out w/ The Men on the Hollywood Strip 9pm

SAT DECEMBER 13 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 DJ Frosty 12pm, Fleetmac Wood 10pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Cabaret on the Green w/ Les Michaels & Joel Baker 7-10pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Chix Mix-LAW 7pm BAR; PS; 760-537-7337 T.B.A. 9pm BILLY REED’S; PS; 760-325-1946 Music 6-10pm BISTRO 60 @TRILOGY; LQ; 760-501-0620 The Carmens 6pm BLUE BAR; SPOTLIGHT 29; IND; 760-7755566 DJ PWee BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Live Music 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT CASINO; PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael Wright 9-1am CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 6pm COPA NIGHTCLUB; PS; 760-866-0021 Blu Saturdays 9:30pm CORK TREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Live Entertainment 6:30-9:30pm DATE SHED; IND; 760-775-6699 Tribe-O, Mozaiq and Higher Heights 9pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm DICKIE O’NEALS IRISH PUB; PS; 760-3252600 Karaoke 8pm 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 T.B.A. 8:30pm THE GROOVE LOUNGE; SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-775-5566 DJ 8pm HARD ROCK HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9676 “Solid” Guest DJs, 11am poolside, 9pm Lobby THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 The Sweat Act, Deadend Paradox and Verdoux 9pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Rich Bono & Poupee Boccaccio 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 T.B.A. 8pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 T.B.A. 6pm, Karaoke w/ Roberto 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 Reall Deall 9pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-

999-1995 Radio Wave 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm MARGARITA’S; PS; 760-778-3500 Live Music 6pm 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 Classic Rock Entertainment 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760345-0222 Closed 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Shadow Mountain Band 5pm, The Podunk Poets 8pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-228-1199 T.B.A. 9pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 J Patron’s Puro Oro Tour 9pm PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760327-1161ext230 Scott Bruce: A Tribute To Elvis 9:30pm, Habits w/ The Rebel Noise 11pm RENAISSANCE PALM; PS; 760-322-6100 Art of Sax featuring Sax Man Will Donato & Eddie Reddick 7-10pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 T.B.A. 9pm RIVIERA RESORT & SPA; PS; 760-327-8311 Martin Ross Starlite Lounge 7pm, Jade & Gino Sidebar Patio 7pm, Arnie Vilches and Friends Sidebar Lounge 10pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 Moonbaby 6pm, CV Weekly and Ming Bob Productions Presents: Wade Crawford, Riz Orkestra and Eevaan Tre 9pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 Barry Baughn Blues 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; 760-3413560 Dude Jones 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 T.B.A. 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Darci Daniels 6:30pm TILTED KILT; PD; 760-773-5458 T.B.A. 9pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm VIBE, MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951-7555391 DJ Hektik 10pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Pat Rizzo & All That Jazz Band 6:30-10pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 Rob & JB 1:30-4:30pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am, DJ Anwaar Hines 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Chris Lomeli 8pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 Salsa Night, Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm THE WINE BAR BISTRO; LQ; 760-564-8744 Ricco Brown 7:30pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Comedy Night 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJs 9pm

continue to page 24

December 11 to December 17, 2014

The PamperedPalate Wolfgang Puck Pizza Bar

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

December 11 to December 17, 2014

By Raymond Bill

some salads are available in half portions as well. I will definitely return for lunch to enjoy these salads again soon. Our courses were spaced apart just enough that we were able to enjoy our conversation with few interruptions. The staff was very polite and welcoming, especially the General Manager, Paul, who could be seen interacting with guests throughout the restaurant and assisting servers. I always appreciate when I see a “hands on” manager leading by example. This was truly a team effort. For our main course, we would also share a few items. My daughter selected the Baked Ravioli in a pink tomato cream sauce. Once again the sauce was incredible and the ravioli were rich and prepared perfectly. My son chose a classic, Steak Frites for the table. A tender medium rare steak was sliced and fanned out before us, finished with a savory demi glaze

Wolfgang Puck Pizza Bar is located at 73130 El Paseo, between Ocotillo Dr. and Sage Ln. This restaurant is great for a romantic evening for two as well as a family night out! Lunch is served daily from 11am to 3pm and dinner served nightly to 9pm, 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Happy hour is available between 3pm and 6pm Monday through Thursday with live entertainment on Wednesdays until 12am. Visit them online at wolfgangpuck.com or call for more information at 760-568-2700.

00 8

and served with natural cut French fries. This plate was as delicious as it was beautiful. But of course we could not forgo the pizza! Our pizza selection, as suggested by the manager, was the Oven Roasted Seasonal Vegetable pizza. Topped with spinach, broccolini and chunks of cauliflower, this pizza had it all! The crust was top quality and crisp. I tried the Smoked Salmon pizza during my last visit and it, too, was amazing. I’m sure with further research I will find all of these pizzas to be incredible. Our server shared with us the dessert selections and upon his recommendation we shared an order of little sugary beignets or doughnut holes with a tiny espresso milk shake. They were warm and sweet. My kids would also share a Create Your Own Sundae that was prepared table side, giving them their choice of ice cream and toppings. It was a perfect end to a memorable evening. From the time we arrived until the moment we left, the entire staff was smiling and appeared happy to be a part of this successful restaurant.

& FO R K

ost of my dining adventures are shared with a close friend or a date but few people know of me as a family man. My most recent night out was with my two teenage children in celebration of their recent academic accomplishments. We shared a memorable evening at Wolfgang Puck Pizza Bar in Palm Desert. The streets were illuminated with decorative lights for the holiday season so we took advantage of the beautiful weather to enjoy the view from the patio facing El Paseo. It was a night I will not soon forget. We decided that “family style” dining was the way to go and began with a couple appetizers. The Crispy Calamari was quite tender, served over a bed of frisee lettuce with sliced pepperoncinis and accompanied by a tangy pepperoncini aioli. We also shared an order of their Chicken Meatballs with a creamy ricotta cheese and tomato sauce. The meatballs were bursting with flavor and the sauce was superb. Our appetites were ready for more. Before the entrées, we decided to share a couple salads. The Spinach & Smoked Mozzarella salad was finished with a warm pancetta vinaigrette and accented with bites of crispy potatoes and red onion. My favorite, however, was the Tender Baby Kale salad with crunchy pine nuts, shaved fennel and pickled red onions in a light lemon vinaigrette. These salads were perfect portions for sharing and

EST. 2

December 11 to December 17, 2014

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Movie Reviews with Robin E. Simmons

MIKE NICHOLS’ FORGOTTEN FILM?

hen Mike Nichols died last month at 83, there was an outpouring of deserved accolades for the acclaimed performer and director of films and plays (he won nine Tonys). The river of tributes always mentions, at the very least, 1967’s THE GRADUATE (for which he won a Best Director Oscar©), WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLF (1966) and the 2012 reboot on Broadway of Arthur Miller’s “THE DEATH OF A SALESMAN.” No question, he had a golden touch and his work on stage and screen was among the best of the last 50 years. Nichols first gained attention as half of the sensational, farcical comic duo with partner Elaine May. Sitting on stools on a bare stage, their sly, often improvised, witty wordplay revealed a sophisticated awareness of the human condition -especially as it pertained to the battle of the sexes. That rarified wit was also present in Nichols’ forgotten, manic, slapstick THE FORTUNE (1975). Nichols had directed two

Screeners No.142

expensive films (CATCH-22 and DAY OF THE DOLPHIN) that received mixed reviews and he wanted a hit. Carol Eastman, the screenwriter of FIVE EASY PIECES, wrote the jazz era farce under the pen name Adrian Joyce. But this dark, manic comedy is a not just a slapstick homage to the screwball comedies of the thirties but more a hybrid Laurel and Hardy riff on steroids. Jack Nicholson is Oscar Sullivan and Warren Beatty is Nicky Wilson – both inept con men. They have an insane plan to relieve madcap flapper heiress Fredericka Quintessa Bigard – a wonderful Stockard Channing in her first film role – of her fortune. Naturally, things go horribly awry in their increasingly desperate escapade of deadly errors that involves love, betrayal, embezzlement, murder and the Mann Act. Richard Sylbert created the terrific production design and master cinematographer John Alonzo captured the period images. It’s top-notch in every way and an unexpected, unfiltered delight from Nichols. It’s strange that this mostly unseen, but maligned film from Nichols is often put in the same category as former comedic partner May’s equally unseen but wildly funny ISHTAR that got dissed before release based only on articles about it’s massive budget overruns. I was working in Hollywood when this film was made and I heard many stories about events that were said to impact production. Nichol’s wanted Bette Midler for the lead but a perceived insult from Midler changed that and the unknown Channing was given the female lead. Also, around this time, an article revealed that Nicholson’s sister was his mother. A fact he did not know. Strong emotions from all the principals, both personal and professional were and are apparently attached to this project that deserves to be seen for the wonderfully wacky film that it is. Nicholson never mentions this film in interviews nor can it be found in his

Book Review

December 11 to December 17, 2014

By Heidi Simmons

A Living Hell For 33 Miners and Their Families

ne of the greatest human fears is being buried alive. Add to that the terrifying concern that you may be unimportant – that your life doesn’t matter since extracting you is too difficult. Then, throw in the horror of losing your humanity, wasting away as you wait months hoping to be rescued. That’s living in Hell. In Héctor Tobar’s Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free (Farrar Straus Giroux, 310 pages), miners struggle to stay alive under 770,000 tons of solid rock 2,200 feet below the surface of the earth for 69 days! August 5, 2010. Thirty-three miners go to work at the San José, a privately owned mine in Chile, 40 minutes from the small mining town of Copiapó. The mine produces copper sulfate from which copper and gold are extracted. San José has 720 levels and is over 100 years old. Several men had noticed the widening crack in an upper level ramp. Those down below heard and felt the mountain rumble for days. But the men know the risks of being miners -- that’s why they get the big bucks of $180 a day. On August 5, there are double the men working to make up hours and do overtime. When the mountain gives way and the

published authorized biographical material. THE FORTUNE barely received a theatrical release and was never officially distributed in the home video market. Director Nichols did not direct another movie for almost a decade. Sometimes, the weird vagaries of the public’s fickle affection cannot be parsed. But wait. Breaking news! The demand from the cult of vocal fans, including the Coen brothers, has miraculously made this forgotten gem available this week in a Bluray transfer from Turner Classic Movies (shop.tcm.com). Sadly, no commentary from Nicholson and Beatty. robinesimmons@aol.com

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Deep Down Dark By Héctor Tobar NON-Fiction cave-in begins, one man’s teeth are knocked out by a falling rock, but amazingly no one is seriously injured or killed! After the dust settles, the men gather in a classroom-size safe area called the Refuge. It’s here they will meet to eat what little food they have and do they’re best to hold on to their sanity. With a double crew and a mine that was not kept up to emergency standards, there is not enough food. The men will subsist on 300 calories a day and then 100 calories every other day before contact with the world is made. They are buried with trucks, tractors and heavy lifters for moving tons of rock. The vehicles cannot dig them out, but they provide fuel and battery power to their failing lights. Fortunately, there is ample

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water -- but it is tainted with motor oil. They drink it. The temperature is over 100 degrees and humidity is 98 percent. Two types of men emerge: “doers,” those who want to find a way out, and “waiters,” those who are resigned to their fate. Personalities become defined as men break or rise. They are all starving. After 17 days, on the edge of death, a 4.5-inch whole breaks through and they are eventually sent down food. But it will take another 52 days before they are rescued. The mountain continues to collapse and their spirit dwindles. On the surface of the earth, there is another drama unfolding. Families are gathering. Wives, mothers and mistresses clash with each other and government officials over the search and rescue of the men they love. They will not be ignored just because they are poor laborers “with timeworn clothes and callused hands.” The media is present and the event goes global. Countries around the world offer help and equipment. From day one, the families make Camp Hope outside the gates of the mine. A sister of one of the miners will become the Mayor and a liaison with the President, engineers and recue workers. She stays awake and checks every time she hears a drill stop in its search. She and others never give up hope the men will be rescued. When the men are first discovered alive, bells ring across the nation. Like Kennedy’s assassination, Chileans remember where they were when the heard the news. The Chilean government assembled experts that included psychologists, doctors and engineers. The men drilling the escape routes are equally invested in getting the men out. They work around the clock. They have three plans going simultaneously, although there is no guarantee of success. After another seven weeks, the men are pulled up in a capsule ride that takes seventeen minutes -- a time-consuming, nerve-wracking journey that keeps some men an extra day underground. The thirty-three survivors are considered heroes and showered with gifts and money. But none of the rewards help with their

Post Traumatic Stress. They will never be the same and the event continues to haunt their lives. A Chilean judge found the San José mine owners not criminally culpable in the collapse. Author Tobar gives the reader a first person, as well as a first time look at this fantastic story of survival. Before the men emerged, they made a pact to not share the first 17 days of their story with anybody. A decision that may have caused prolonged suffering and slowed the healing process. So profound, intense and intimate, the story the thirty-three shared belonged to all of them. Knowing the incredible worldwide interest in their individual and collective stories, they decided to act as one in the telling of the cataclysmic event and the nightmare it unleashed. Any book, or movie deal monies, would be split equally. In fact, they formed a corporation just weeks after surfacing. As an intellectual, Tobar sees the big picture and brings to the narrative the sociopolitical complications and ramification of the minor’s rescue on their core humanity. A Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, he is meticulous about describing the conditions of their life above and under ground. And as an acclaimed novelist, Tobar reveals the pathos and heartbreak of the devastating event and the miner’s painful road to redemption and recovery. Tobar not only does justice to their stories, but he delivers it with beauty, dignity and grace. Deep Dark Down is a life-affirming tale of resilience, strength and frailty. When human beings act with determination, kindness and unconditional love, they can literally move mountains and escape the confines of Hell.

December 11 to December 17, 2014 continued from page 19

SUN DECEMBER 14

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MON DECEMBER 15 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bonny Jean 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Hot Rox NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 7pm PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760327-1161ext.230 Spencer Day 9pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 T.B.A. 6pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-2am, Michael James & 3sum 9-2am

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December 11 to December 17, 2014

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December 11 to December 17, 2014

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the palm springs Local

Snow on the Sand

recall it as if it were yesterday. The four of us out in the backyard, are eyes huge with wonder as white flakes fell from the sky. We huddled together in the cold, my parents, my sister and I. It was as if we were witnessing a miracle, and in a way we were. It was 1986, and it snowed in the desert. We lived in South Palm Desert, near the Living Desert Botanical Gardens. It was the midst of our desert winter. That was the last time that snow fell on the low desert floor. The time before that was in 1978, and was much more measurable. A huge storm had cast a holiday like white blanket atop our desert floor. It was quite the site to see. It was enough snow to ball up and throw playfully at one another. And who knows, if you strapped on some skies, you probably could have slid through the streets of downtown Palm Springs for a little cross country action. There were other times that the desert

By Denise Ortuno Neil has encountered the cool powder, dating back to the 1930’s. But I’m sure there have been many other times before that, which are just not registered. The fact is, is that it can get pretty darn cold in the Coachella Valley. We have experienced severe frosts and bone chilling temperatures. Although I’m sure it’s nothing compared to the serious freezing temps that our Canadian and east coast friends go through. But then again, they don’t go through 120 degree temps like we do in the summer, so I guess it’s all relative. Personally, I relish our little winters… which are more like fall to most of the country, but for us, it is winter. It is pushing almost 30 years since our last snowfall, and while we can look up at the Tram to see a bit of snow, there’s nothing like seeing it in your own backyard. Who knows, maybe this is the year for snow to return to the Coachella Valley…winter has just begun. For more weather history, visit the Palm Springs Historical Society www. pshistoricalsociety.org

continued from page 15

donated a handful of murals locally and in the L.A. area before, this is the first to be filmed for Blum’s reality TV show pilot, which will be called The Mural Man. “It would follow me from one venue to another, mostly of a philanthropic nature, donating murals like this one,” said Blum. “It started like this: across the country, art programs in school have been eliminated, and it makes me really sad because there’s untapped talent out there, and kids just need to be inspired. That’s why I’m giving away these DVDs that I made, and these murals, and as I’m doing it, we’re filming it. And we’re hoping that a network will pick it up and then we can go all over the country doing it. That’s my real goal: all over the country, donating murals on the television show, giving away DVDs, inspiring creativity.” Blum also noted that in Europe, art is mandatory in schools and it is a large part of the culture. Here, it’s only an elective, and with programs being cut, art is becoming less and less a part of our culture. He wants to do his part to turn that around. Given the excitement of the teens who

watched the process of the mural’s creation, itching to pick up a brush themselves, it appears that in this case at least, Blum’s art has had the desired effect—The Boys & Girls Club of Palm Springs is indeed inspired. In addition to the murals he’s donated, Blum also has many commissioned works in private homes and businesses all over Southern California and even in Las Vegas. His artistic style takes a limited onedimensional space and creates the illusion of panoramic three-dimensional vistas. For more examples of his work and information about Keith Blum, visit his website at www. keithblum.com.

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Haddon Libby:It’s alllocal

continued from page 15

reach growing up. As I got older I took every art class I could and drew or painted on everything I could from class work to well not so legal walls. I was inspired by everything. MM: Did you go to school or are you selftaught? FW: I have gone to College of The Desert and The Art Institute of San Diego. I have my A.A. in graphic design. But I would say I’ve been mentored more than taught as it seems like my art professors pushed me in style or being technical. MM: What type of artist would you classify yourself as? FW: If I had to put a label on it I would say a realist. I draw or paint what I see. MM: Which artists have inspired you the most? FW: Chuck Close, Drew Struzan, Cory Saint Clair….In the valley: Ryan MOTEL Campbell, Steven Pabst, La Maniaca, Chris KAS Sanchez, and MOE. MM: Do you prefer one media over the other and why? FW: I do... I love my Airbrush. I’ve been airbrushing off and on for more than 20 years and just started getting really serious about it 4 years ago, to the point that it’s all I paint with unless it’s my shoes. I got back into it as a form to make good side money painting helmets or getting in to the art side of automotive. But talk about some competition and just starting out and not having a name let alone any work to show. Then I started learning how to draw and shade with it more and more to the point that I started seeing how realistic I could get with it. My pet peev with this whole airbrush thing is people asking ‘can you paint some shirts for my kids sports team... or can you do the stuff like at the fair?’ That’s a Nope and a nope, just because I airbrush doesn’t mean I script write. If you saw my handwriting it’s a cross between a Graffs hand style and that straight edge stuff architects do, (laughing) plus I hate painting t-shirts, hated it in high school and still hate it today. MM: You also have the ability to create awesome custom designs on shoes and sneakers. How did you get into that? FW: A lot of people started asking me could you or would you paint on my shoes because of what they saw going around on the web. I kept pushing it off not wanting to do them, until I painted a pair for myself and a little more than

December 11 to December 17, 2014

Exchange Traded Funds vs. Mutual Funds

a year later I have close to 100 pairs painted and scattered across the U.S. So it became a little side business for me. We’ll see where this next year takes me some with new things I’m trying out that I haven’t shown or told anyone yet so you will just have to wait and see what comes next. MM: Where have you shown your work? FW: On the feet of my beloved shoe customers, trust me I appreciate them fully. Venus Art Supply in Palm Desert, and The Hood Bar and Pizza for my live art events. MM: What do you think of the art scene in the Coachella Valley? FW: It is growing every day and it is strong. So many talented artists I have met over the last few years, and it’s diverse: abstract, realism, objective surrealism, and photography. MM: What do you think we can do as a community to improve it? FW: Support the artist in the community. Also as artist to artist we need to support each other if we want certain public art to pass we need to let our cities know that. When we support each other in the art community we can all draw inspiration from one another and push each other to become better. MM: What would be your ultimate goal as an artist? FW: To be respected as an artist... to give back to other artist as others have done for me, and to be known as an artist. MM: What do you feel is the ultimate root of your inspiration is as an artist? FW: Well when it comes to shoes I like to see things very technical. For my airbrush work it sheer beauty... not sure how to say it any other way than that. You can see more of WARZart’s work on: instagram.com/warzart facebook.com/ warzecha.works

fter eighteen years in existence, exchange traded funds (aka ETFs) just passed the $2 trillion mark in total monies invested. Given that it took fourteen years for ETFs to reach $1 trillion, the rapid doubling is quite an accomplishment. Nevertheless, ETF holdings are dwarfed by mutual fund holdings that total $15 trillion. If you are unfamiliar with what an ETF is, it is a security that tracks an index, commodity or basket of assets yet trades like a stock. The best known ETF tracks the value of the S&P 500 and trades under the name Spiders (SPDR) with a ticker symbol of SPY.

Unlike a mutual fund which only trades at the end of the business day, you can buy and sell ETFs at any point during the day as its price varies just like any stock. Additionally, you can buy ETFs on margin and sell them short. As a brief refresher, buying on margin is simply buying an investment where you do not have cash so you take out a loan from your brokerage firm that holds your investments as collateral. Selling short is typically done when the investor thinks an asset is going down in value. In this way, the investor profits from a decline in the value of the underlying asset that they shorted. ETFs bear far lower costs than mutual funds. According to the Wall Street Journal, the typical ETF has an annual expense ratio or cost of 0.44%. Investopia states that the average mutual fund charges approximately 1.5% or three times as much. Given the cost discrepancy, it is a bit of a surprise that most mutual funds do not outperform ETFs. One of the problems associated with mutual funds is the investor seldom knows what (s)he owns. As such, (s)he might have multiple mutual funds holding the same

underlying assets. Overexposure to some assets is a hidden risk that many mutual fund investors are unaware of due to a lack of transparency as it relates to the mutual funds holdings. In comparison, you know exactly what you own when holding an ETF. When it comes to controlling how much you pay in taxes in a given year, mutual funds cannot match ETFs. As ETFs trade just like stocks, you decide when you want to sell and recognize a gain or a loss. The problem with mutual funds is that you might have to pay taxes on your mutual fund investment even though the mutual fund went down in value during the year. This happens because the mutual fund manager is buying and selling stocks and/or bonds with no consideration as to your personal tax situation. The largest ETF in terms of assets managed is Barclays Inverse US Treasury Composite. This ETF goes up in value

when the US Treasury market goes down in value. With $211 billion of assets under management, this ETF is a good hedge for someone holding a lot of US Treasuries and concerned that a rise in interest rates with hurt the value of their investment portfolio. Overall, the best performing ETF over the last five years was the Ultra Consumer Services ETF (ticker UCC) with a return of 487%. This ETF uses debt in seeking a return that is 2x the Dow Jones US Consumer Services Index. One of the worst performing ETFs was the Daily Small Cap Bear 3x ETF (ticker TZA) which used debt to seek a return that is 3x the reverse return of the Russell 3000 Index. This ETF has lost 99% of its value - an expected “return” given the bull markets that have existed over the last five years. As you can see, ETFs are simple, low-cost investments that should have an important role in any investment portfolio. ETFs are especially helpful to those looking to manage the numerous risks inherent in any investment portfolio.

Dale Gribow On The Law

DUI Checkpoints vs Saturation Patrols: What is the difference?

t is now the week of December 10, 2014 and DUI arrests from Holiday Parties are already on the rise. In the next month both checkpoints and saturation patrols will be increased to meet the increased number of people attending holiday and football bowl game parties where they were drinking and driving. We all know about checkpoints, which like saturation patrols, have to meet the proper lawful and constitutional protocols to succeed. The idea behind a saturation patrol is that a large number of law enforcement officers will “make their presence known” by conducting stops, targeting inebriated, distracted, aggressive and speeding drivers, as well as those with seatbelt or cell phone violations….the whole nine yards of traffic violations. With a checkpoint, there is no need for an officer to have probable cause to stop you… as is usually the case. Normally an officer must have a reason to pull you over. At a sobriety checkpoint anybody can be stopped and requested to take a breath test. However, this does not mean that if you have failed a breath test or a sobriety test at a checkpoint, all your rights have been compromised. There are procedures and guidelines that all officers at a checkpoint must follow for a DUI test to be held valid. Because there are a large number of people attending parties and driving, the odds are in the favor of the police that a good percentage of the drivers will have had a drink. Once the officer has probable cause or a reason to stop the driver, then if they smell alcohol they can investigate

further. If they see a bag of drugs or a gun on the seat, they can likewise look into the propriety of an arrest for those charges. On a national basis we know that these officers frequently over-charge and over-arrest people because of their incentivizations. These can include, but are not limited, to promotions, pay increases, vacation schedule priority, etc. based upon their sheer number of arrests and tickets issued. The 4th, 5th and 6th Amendment rights are frequently violated in the process. This is even though the local courts and Supreme Court of the United States case law approves the concept. Likewise the District Attorney, when given the arrest report by the arresting officer, makes a decision on how to file the case. They too often over file or over charge to gain leverage for a future plea. By doing so it makes it easier for the DA in the courtroom, to extract a plea to something by the defendant. When arrested for a DUI two separate charges are automatically filed…. Driving under the influence and Driving with a blood level of .08 or higher. In the Indio court they file .07’s too and request jail time on all first offense DUI’s, unlike most courts in California. When stopped the impaired driver usually makes many mistakes. They are not aware, unless they read my weekly legal column, that the field sobriety and breath test at the scene are optional. Thus you do not have to take the walk the line, finger to nose, reciting the alphabet backwards and other so called sobriety tests. Likewise the breath test at the scene (unless you are on

probation) is optional. A driver stopped and offered DUI tests should be cooperative and politely say that their attorney is Fleeceum, Cheatum and Gougeum and they have advised the driver not to talk without calling their lawyer for permission. They should explain that they have been advised “these Field Sobriety Tests and breath tests at the scene are optional. If that is correct Mr. Officer, then I elected not to take them. I am happy to cooperate with law enforcement and take a blood test.” Until recently the urine test was used but today it is only the blood and breath test that is offered. If you are sober enough to think clearly you should consider when you had your last drink. If you just left the bar/restaurant and had chugged your last drink 5 minutes before you were stopped, then the alcohol has not yet gotten into your system and you would want to take a test as quickly as possible because your reading would be going up with time. In that case a Breath test would be the quickest test and arguably result in the lowest reading. On the other hand if you had not had a drink in 2 hours then by requesting the Blood test you are buying time since it would normally take an hour to 3 hours to take a blood draw and your reading would be going down during that time. Remember, When you drink don’t get behind the wheel and be involved in 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….IT IS A LOT CHEAPER THAN HIRING ME!

Dale Gribow has been “Rated” TOP LAWYER by Palm Springs Life Magazine from 2011-2015 and has a Superb AVVO Legal Rating by his fellow attorneys. Dale Gribow has been Man of the Year 7 times including the City of Palm Desert and the City of Hope and Dale Gribow Day has been declared 4 times. In December 2014 Gribow was selected for membership in the Best Attorneys of America. This group is limited to the Top 100 Attorneys in each state. In December 2013 Dale was sole attorney appointed to the Coachella Valley Association of Government’s Public Safety Ad Hoc Blue Ribbon Committee. Comprised of all the local police chiefs and mayors as well as the Sheriff of Riverside County, the head of CHP and Border Patrol they study Drunk Driving related issues. In 2014 Gribow was again the only attorney selected to the Clinton Foundation’s Clinton Health Matters Committee addressing Drunk Driving matters. Dale is also one of the founders of Shutdown Drunk Driving, formed upon the death of his client who was killed by a drunk driver while jogging. Gribow has been a legal commentator, analyst, expert, newspaper columnist and radio talk show host. He currently writes for the CV Weekly and the Desert Sun. If you have any questions regarding this column or ideas for future columns please contact Dale Gribow Attorney at Law at his NEW number 760 837 7500 and or his new email: dale@ dalegribowlaw.com

December 11 to December 17, 2014

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safety tips

by Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

Spreading Some Safety Cheer

efore you buy your tree, check for freshness. Buy a fresh tree that is green and needles are hard to pull from branches. Place your tree away from a fireplace, or any other heating sources. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways. Shorts in electrical lights or flames from candles, lighters or matches are typically the cause for tree fires. Provide plenty of water for your tree throughout the season to prevent a dry tree. Make sure an artificial tree includes the label “Fire Resistant.” Although this label does not mean the tree won’t catch fire, it does indicate the tree will resist burning and should extinguish quickly. When decorating outdoors, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory. Use only lights that have fused plugs and are for outdoor use only. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections, and throw out damaged sets. Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord. Make sure the extension cord is rated for the intended use.

Use caution on the ladder and stay away from power or feeder lines leading from utility poles. Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other firm supports to protect the lights from wind damage. Turn off all holiday lights when you go to bed or leave the house. Outdoor electric lights and decorations should be plugged into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). For Additional Holiday Safety visit: rd.com/home/christmas-safety-checklist or visit your local fire station. Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

RealEstate

A Letter from Sean & Yvette Smith of CV BBQ: “He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.” - Proverbs 22:9 n Christmas Eve we are teaming up with Well in the Desert for our 3rd Annual Charity Christmas Eve Feeding the Homeless. We plan on providing food, toiletry kits and clothes to over 200 local homeless people. We plan on giving each person a hygiene bag, a hand wrapped gift and a hot lunch. There will also be a table with the various clothes, jackets and other items that we have for each person should they want them such as Bibles. We are reaching out to you to humbly ask for your help and support. In addition to feeding and helping 200 homeless people, we will be providing these same services to three convalescent homes and teens at runaway shelter, Safe House of the Desert. To help all of these people, we need your assistance whether that be in the form of goods, time or money. A partial list of the goods we need includes: Bottled Water, Gatorade, Granola Bars/Snack Items, Travel Size Hand Wipes and Sanitizer, Tissue and other hygiene items such as shampoo,

conditioner, soap, lotion, etc. Clothing such as hats, jackets and gloves are needed as well. The first year that we did this, our goal was to teach our children that Christmas is not just about receiving. Over the past two years, many families have joined us to help in growing this day of service and giving. If you can help us with the donation of your time, goods or money, please contact us by email at yysmith@gmail.com, info@ cvbbq.com or via ShareKitchen at share@ ShareKitchen.org so that we can coordinate your participation. Blessings & Love, The Smith Family

By Bruce cathcart

November

ur local population of “snowbirds” continued to increase throughout the month of November although it appears so far that most of the early returnees have come to enjoy our wonderful winter weather in their second homes that they already own. Either that or they left their wallets at home as home sales flat lined in the month of November. I myself recently returned home from a quick vacation to Montana. I was happy to leave the minus nine degree daily lows and mid 20 degree highs… not counting any wind chill factors. Sometimes we forget just how lucky we are to live in this winter paradise! I spoke with several trusted real estate agents across the Coachella Valley toward the end of the month and discovered that many of them at the Thanksgiving table last month were thankful to still be in business. From starter homes to luxury homes and everything in the middle this new “Norm” of fewer sales and stable (and in many cases now lower) sale prices makes for a challenging market for sellers and their agents. This of course is good news for buyers who have been waiting for their chance to become homeowners. Let’s take a quick look at the numbers for November and you will see what I mean. Last month (November), according to

sharekitchen

the Desert Area MLS (as of 12/01/14) there were 732 pendings of residential properties in the Coachella Valley. There were only 630 pendings in the previous month (October) representing again another significant increase in sales activity (approximately 16%) which follows our normal, seasonal sales pattern here in the Coachella Valley. In October there were 517 solds and in November, but despite the increase in pending sales, there were only 511 solds representing a small decrease in closings! This was both a surprise and a disappointment. When compared to last year, we closed 574 homes in November representing a year over year decrease of approximately 11% in home sales. Last month we saw home sale prices continue to stabilize and even go down in several Coachella Valley neighborhoods while year over year sales volume continues to be down by 11%. Just a reminder here, last year was a less than average year for sales so any decrease from that really suggests that our market is struggling again.

For the majority of 2014 the number of buyers had kept up with the amount of homes coming on the market but that began to change in September. By the end of October we had 3,863 properties available to buyers. By the end of November the number of homes on the market had increased to 4,659! That’s almost a 21% increase in inventory in just one month. Combine that with fewer sales and we are quickly becoming a “buyer’s market” again. In last month’s article I went into to several reasons why our market here in the Coachella Valley is struggling. With the investors temporarily pulling back from our market and first time home buyers with minimal employment opportunities being saddled with student loans, increased medical insurance payments, car loans, cell phones, and in many cases children… it is wonder our market is surviving at all. But we are surviving and in comparison to many other places around the country our housing is still quite affordable, not to mention our great weather and quality of life the Coachella Valley offers its residents and visitors alike. For that, and so much more, I am truly thankful! Real Estate Tip of the month: This month consider giving your home the gift of home security. The experts talk about “layers” of home security, obviously with the more layers the better. You can start out by simply upgrading your current door locks and hardware or go full on with the installation

sports scene

ports have gotten so soft. It’s disappointing. I’m talking to everyone from spoiled fans to shortsighted ownership who think winning a championship happens in one-year increments and their ego should dictate how a team’s success is delivered. Somehow we’ve taken the squishy-soft “everyone gets a ribbon” mentality, juiced it with million-dollar contracts and billion-dollar facilities and now, every season MUST be a playoff year, game MUST be a win, every win MUST be dominant and every dominant win MUST be flawlessly executed or face the wrath of spoiled sports fans and swirling internet media ready to pounce on any rumor of juicy gossip or controversy. I realize it sounds ironic, but the stupidity really starts early as the “It’s ok you finished dead last, little Johnny, here’s a ribbon for your efforts” mentality. Nothing worse than teaching someone that average is good enough. Rather than saying “Welp, little Johnny, reality is, you came in dead last, good news is, if you practice harder, maybe next time you won’t.” We train kids and parents and our sports culture to not only honor mediocrity, but perhaps more distressing, ignore losing. News flash: When you compete, the odds of you losing or winning are 50/50. Which means if you live a sturdy life and compete a lot, regardless of how great you are at anything, you’ll be losing a lot. Fact. Get over it. Actually, losing can be a great benefit, IF given the proper respect and credence. Losing can illuminate weaknesses requiring work, humble a hothead, create compassion, forge faith, inspire a fervent work ethic, connect competitors under a common rallying cry, etc.

If a coach or athletes don’t utilize losing as part of the learning process and just ignore a losing outcome or act like it’s “unacceptable,” something to be distained, or worse yet, hope it just doesn’t happen, they miss out on the best part of competition: overcoming adversity. Winning is only awesome IF we understand the pain of losing. Kobe Bryant has missed the most shots in NBA history. Brett Favre has thrown the most interceptions in NFL history. They are both champions. Let’s look at some of the NFL’s best head coaches’ career records: Bill Parcells: Won 57% of the football games he coached. He lost 138 games, or more than 8 straight seasons. Don Shula earned the most career wins in NFL history, won an INCREDIBLE 67% of his games. He lost 173 times, or for almost 11 straight years. I could go on, but I think you get the point. If we aren’t willing to understand losing, we end up with an entitled sports culture that assumes winning comes easy and often and that there’s “no excuse” for losing. And we’re there now. And it’s stupid. I know you’re probably saying, “But Jules, it’s the money. SOOOO much money at stake.” Yes, one of the reasons this illogical mindset persists is because there’s so much money at stake. I understand that. As I said in the intro, this “nobody loses” mentality, when inflated with million, or hundred-million-dollar contracts and billion-dollar stadiums means the margin of error is incredibly small to convince people that a team is doing everything in it’s power to WIN.

That’s fine, but it’s just not reality, kids. I don’t care how much money is at stake, and I don’t care how much people want to ignore a basic reality for the convenience of a narrative. Ignoring the rain doesn’t keep you dry. And acting like losing is “unacceptable” doesn’t help a team battling injuries, fatigue, and a confluence of other circumstances leading to losses. That’s not an excuse, that’s reality. The 49ers are currently 7-6 and battling swirling stories of their coach getting fired for this disappointing season. Forget the fact he came into the is season with the highest winning percentage among active coaches, the entitled fan base and according to reports, an owner who wants his coach to be more of a politician than a football coach, could collude to dismiss Jim Harbaugh, a man who became the first head coach since the merger to deliver his team to 3 straight conference title games in his first 3 years as an NFL coach. I’ve used this word a couple times before, I’ll do it again: That’s stupid. It’s raining in San Francisco and the Niners expect Harbaugh to remain dry without providing the umbrella, or competent offensive line for that matter. Rumors of him wanting the Michigan job are hardly compelling as anyone who knows Harbaugh, knows he is nothing if not competitive and there’s NO WAY he’ll leave the NFL game without a Super Bowl trophy. Especially since his brother got one against him. Rumors of the Niners trading him to Oakland are flimsy at best, and downright insulting if you consider what the Niners looked like before Harbaugh. Before the Stanford coach took over in San Francisco, the team’s last appearance in the playoffs was 2002. Same for the Raiders. In fact, between ’03’10 both teams struggled mightily.

The Niners amassed 46 wins over that span (5.7 per season), the Raiders netted 37 (4.6 per season). Since Harbaugh came along for the Niners: 48 wins (including postseason). The Raiders: 18 wins. In 3+ years. It begs the question what on God’s Green Earth could the Raiders possibly deal to the Niners to justify that trade? It also begs the question, why would Harbaugh approve a trade to Oakland? So this irrational debate about what to do with the NFL’s most winning active head coach is fundamentally strange, unless you consider an entitled sports culture that would burn a Colin Kaepernick jersey after a loss to the Oakland Raiders (that shameful act actually happened) and a franchise that would rather have a head coach that can recruit high-end sponsors rather than high-caliber free agents. Real fans understand the ebbs and flows of a season-in-season-out commitment to a franchise and aren’t swayed by a season of .500 ball. Real people understand losing can teach more than winning and properly understand that reality. Julie Buehler hosts the Coachella Valley’s most popular sports talk radio show, “Buehler’s Day Off” every day from 3-6 on 1010 KXPS, the valley’s all sports station. She can also be seen every morning between 6-7am on KMIR sharing the coolest stories in sports. She’s an avid gym rat, slightly sarcastic and more likely to recite Steve Young’s career passing stats than American Idol winners. Tune in M-F 3-6 pst at www.team1010.com or watch “Buehler’s Day Off” on Ustream and KMIR.com for her sports reports.

by Flint Wheeler

And so the stage is set…

ood riddance, BCS championship. The final four bracket has been set for college football’s first ever playoff to crown a national champion. On Sunday, the new 13-person selection committee announced that Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and Ohio State nabbed the top four spots in the new College Football Playoff ranking system to decide who will win it all. For CFP (College Football Playoff) newcomers, here’s how it all works: No. 1 seed Alabama faces fourth seed Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl, while No. 2 Oregon and No. 3 FSU duke it out in the Rose Bowl. The winners of both those games play each other Jan. 12 to decide which team will hoist the newly-minted College Football Playoff National Championship trophy. The other top-tier bowl games won’t get snubbed, though. The Cotton, Fiesta, Orange and Peach bowls will all host semifinal games over the next two seasons as the six total bowls rotate hosting privileges. What’s more, you’re gonna get all the college football you can handle come the turn of the New Year. Those six elite bowl games play in

December 11 to December 17, 2014

by Julie Buehler

If You Can’t Handle Losing, You’ll Never Win

sports

of a high tech security system complete with infra red night vision and color video cameras that can be viewed 24/7 on your cell phone. One item that is often overlooked is the possibility to add a layer between you and anyone approaching your front door by installing an attractive wrought iron gate. This added security provides both a barrier and distance between you and potential home invaders. As our population here in the Coachella Valley continues to increase so does our crime rate. Most security systems will not only add value to your home but will provide you with peace of mind as well. Bruce Cathcart is the Broker/Co-Owner of La Quinta Palms Realty, “Your Friendly Professionals” and can be reached by email at laquintapalms@dc.rr.com or visit his website at www.laquintapalmsrealty.com.

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sequence New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in what’s been dubbed the “New Year’s Six.” And, if that doesn’t satisfy your football cravings... There will be 32 more bowls games, including the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, the Quick Lane Bowl, the Duck Commander Independence Bowl and the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl, Laughable? Yes, But I guarantee you just as profitable. Now, for most, ditching the old BCS championship for the new final-four playoff system has been a long time coming. “I think it’s a flawed system,” Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said last year. “The great lie of the BCS system is that every game counts,” Sports Illustrated writer Austin Murphy said. ESPN reportedly paid $7.3 billion to exclusively broadcast the four-team tournament for the next 12 years. The

broadcast is expected to rake in about $470 million in revenue annually. And that brings us to the million dollar — or, should we say multimillion dollar— question: Who’s making the big money off the new playoff system? Well, The Power Five are sitting pretty. According to USA Today, the ACC, Big 12, Big 10, SEC and Pac-12 will each pull in about $50 million in revenue this first year – nearly double their BCS earnings from last year. Meanwhile, smaller conferences, such as the Sun Belt and Conference USA, will divvy up smaller yet still sizable portions of revenue. Want a sure bet? ESPN- owned by Disney will be the first to suggest an 8 team playoff. The mouse will make millions and millions from advertising and we’ll finally get the

playoff fans have always wanted. We all win, right? Oh yeah – what about the poor unpaid college athletes? That argument will surely be raised when revenues are finally tallied up from this inaugural playoff system. For now, just enjoy the circus. Founder of Silex Strategies L.L.C. providing sales and consulting in Insurance, Retirement, Real Estate and Taxes through A.I.G./Valic. PGA Class A Member and T.P.I. Certified Golf Trainer. Host of “The Tilted Sports Radio Show” on Fox Sports 1270 from 3-7pm on Thursdays, Live from The Kilt. Contact at 760409-4612 www.flintwheeler.com

December 11 to December 17, 2014

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Health&Fitness

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

By Denise Ortuno Neil

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h the holidays! It’s that special time of year for friends, family and lots of fattening food. Which can sometimes make your waistline grow along with the holiday spirit. What better time to get a jump on those pesky pounds, and head them off at the pass, than at the new Five Star Gym & Fitness in Desert Hot Springs. Five Star Gym & Fitness opened their Desert Hot Springs doors this past October to rave reviews. The new fitness center is their second in the desert area with the first being in Yucca Valley, which opened over 6 years ago and has 5,000 members plus. Both fitness centers are headed up by general manager Karrie O’Brien. O’Brien came to the desert area back in 2002 from Orange County, where she worked in the fitness industry for 25 years as a personal trainer and general manager for high profile gyms. O’Brien is excited about the new Desert Hot Springs location of Five Star Gym & Fitness, “It is really beautiful,” said O’Brien. The sparkling new fitness center has two stories and 20,000 square ft. of everything to help get their members in shape. The fitness center is full service, with even a juice bar offering protein shakes, 100% vegetable and juice blends, coffee drinks and cleanses too. Five Star Gym & Fitness offers an array of classes, including Spin, Yoga, Pilates, Zumba and Piyo. The main area is loaded with 200 high

tech exercise machines, and large flat screen televisions to entertain you while you melt off the pounds. The gym also offers state of the art tanning with the futuristic looking Ergoline Tanning Beds. If you want to soothe those worked out muscles, they also offer massage services as well, and have pore purifying steam rooms inside the ample locker rooms. And for all of you parents out there, Five Star Gym & Fitness takes care of your babysitting needs with their professionally staffed daycare facility. Although they opened their doors in October, O’Brien explains that they will be having a grand opening in January to kick off the New Year. They are offering a membership special that is good until December 31, 2014. The membership special is $34 a month with just a $69 enrollment fee. Five Star Gym & Fitness is located on Mission Lakes Blvd in a newly developed shopping center. There’s no time like the now time to start getting in shape, and tame those pounds before they get out of hand. And if you’re looking for a brand new, high tech fitness center to help you meet your fitness goals, check out Five Star Gym & Fitness in Desert Hot Springs. Because remember, summer is really closer than you think! For more information visit fivestargym.com

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY Week of December 11

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Lord Byron (17881824) was an English poet who loved animals. In the course of his life, he not only had dogs and cats as pets, but also monkeys, horses, peacocks, geese, a crocodile, a falcon, a crane, and a parrot. When he enrolled in Trinity College at age 17, he was upset that the school’s rules forbade students from having pet dogs, which meant he couldn’t bring his adored Newfoundland dog Boatswain. There was no regulation, however, against having a tame bear as a pet. So Byron got one and named it Bruin. I think it’s time for you to find a workaround like that, Aries. Be cunning. Try a gambit or two. Find a loophole. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Whenever I lost one of my baby teeth as a kid, I put it under my pillow before I went to sleep. During the night, the Tooth Fairy sneaked into my room to snatch the tooth, and in its place left me 25 cents. The same crazy thing happened to every kid I knew, although for unknown reasons my friend John always got five dollars for each of his teeth -- far more than the rest of us. I see a metaphorically comparable development in your life, Taurus. It probably won’t involve teeth or a visit from the Tooth Fairy. Rather, you will finally be compensated for a loss or deprivation or disappearance that you experienced in the past. I expect the restitution will be generous, too -- more like John’s than mine. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Through the scientific magic of grafting, a single tree can be altered to grow several different kinds of fruit at the same time. One type of “fruit salad tree” produces apricots, nectarines, plums, and peaches, while another bears grapefruits, lemons, oranges, limes, and tangelos. I’m thinking this might be an apt and inspiring symbol for you in the coming months, Gemini. What multiple blooms will you create on your own metaphorical version of a fruit salad tree? CANCER (June 21-July 22): No other structure on the planet is longer than the Great Wall of China, which stretches 3,945 miles. It’s not actually one unbroken span, though. Some sections aren’t connected, and there are redundant branches that are roughly parallel to the main structure. It reminds me of your own personal Great Wall, which is monumental yet permeable, strong in some ways but weak in others, daunting to the casual observer but less so to those who take the time to study it. Now is an excellent time to take inventory of that wall of yours. Is it serving you well? Is it keeping out the influences you don’t want but allowing in the influences you do want? Could it use some renovation? Are you willing to reimagine what its purpose is and how you want it to work for you in the future? LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The Arctic Monkeys are British rockers who have produced five studio albums, which together have sold almost five million copies. Rolling Stone magazine called their first album, released in 2003, the 30th greatest debut of all time. Yet when they first formed in 2002, none of them could play a musical instrument. I see the current era of your life, Leo, as having a similar potential. How might you start from scratch to create something great? VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Alan Turing (19121954) was a British mathematician and pioneering computer scientist. After World War II broke out, he got worried that the German army might invade and occupy England, as it had done to France. To protect his financial assets, he converted everything he owned into bars of silver, then buried them underground in the countryside north of London. When the war ended, he decided it was safe to dig up his fortune. Unfortunately, he couldn’t recall where he had put it, and never did find it. Let’s draw a lesson from his experience, Virgo. It’s fine if you want to stash a treasure or protect a secret or safeguard a resource. That’s probably a sensible thing to do right now. But make sure you remember every detail about why and how you’re doing it. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Even if you are not

formally enrolled in a course of study or a training program, you are nevertheless being schooled. Maybe you’re not fully conscious of what you have been learning. Maybe your teachers are disguised or unwitting. But I assure you that the universe has been dropping some intense new knowledge on you. The coming week will be an excellent time to become more conscious of the lessons you have been absorbing. If you have intuitions about where this educational drama should go next, be proactive about making that happen. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You now have a special ability to detect transformations that are happening below the threshold of everyone else’s awareness. Anything that has been hidden or unknown will reveal itself to your gentle probes. You will also be skilled at communicating your discoveries to people who are important to you. Take full advantage of these superpowers. Don’t underestimate how pivotal a role you can play as a teacher, guide, and catalyst. The future success of your collaborative efforts depends on your next moves. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Harper Lee was born and raised in Alabama. At the age of 23, she relocated to New York City with hopes of becoming a writer. It was a struggle. To support herself, she worked as a ticket agent for airline companies. Finding the time to develop her craft was difficult. Seven years went by. Then one Christmas, two friends gave her a remarkable gift: enough money to quit her job and work on her writing for a year. During that grace period, Lee created the basics for a book that won her a Pulitzer Prize: To Kill a Mockingbird. I don’t foresee anything quite as dramatic for you in the coming months, Sagittarius. But I do suspect you will receive unexpected help that provides you with the slack and spaciousness you need to lay the foundations for a future creation. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In the ancient Greek epic poem the Odyssey, Odysseus’s wife Penelope describes two kinds of dreams. “Those that that pass through the gate of ivory,” she says, are deceptive. But dreams that “come forth through the gate of polished horn” tell the truth. Another ancient text echoes these ideas. In his poem the Aeneid, Virgil says that “true visions” arrive here from the land of dreams through the gate of horn, whereas “deluding lies” cross over through the gate of ivory. Judging from the current astrological omens, Capricorn, I expect you will have interesting and intense dreams flowing through both the gate of ivory and the gate of horn. Will you be able to tell the difference? Trust love. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Your chances of going viral are better than usual. It’s a perfect moment to upload a Youtube video of yourself wearing a crown of black roses and a V for Vendetta mask as you ride a unicycle inside a church and sing an uptempo parody version of “O Come All Ye Faithful.” It’s also a favorable time for you to create a buzz for you and your pet causes through less spectacular measures. Promote yourself imaginatively. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): At age 80, author Joan Didion has published five novels, ten works of non-fiction, and five screenplays. When she was 27, she wrote, “I have already lost touch with a couple of people I used to be.” That wasn’t a good thing, she added: “We are well-advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company or not. Otherwise they turn up unannounced and surprise us, come hammering on the mind’s door and demand to know who deserted them, who betrayed them, who is going to make amends.” I recommend her counsel to you in the coming months, Pisces. Get reacquainted with the old selves you have outgrown and abandoned. Homework: Forget what Time magazine thinks. Who is your “Person of the Year?” Tell me at Truthrooster@gmail.com. Rob Brezsny Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

December 11 to December 17, 2014

Mind, body & Spirit

by Bronwyn Ison

HEY SUGAR…ONE LUMP OR TWO?

ere is your sage sugar tidbit for the holiday. The decadent rich and creamy slice of fudge and other sweet treats you intend indulging in will be with you until April, 2015. Research tells us that America is on sugar overload. The average person consumes 155 pounds of sugar per year, which equals 22 teaspoons per day. Temptation lurks in your office, at social gatherings and holiday party’s. Sugar is omnipresent and it is up to you resist the sweet treat. This naughty little culprit is guaranteed to wreak havoc on your health. We are cognizant that sugar is consumed in excessive amounts. We also know it contributes to poor health and weight gain. Did you know the more sugar you consume the more sugar your body craves? Leading to an immediate sugar high but then a catastrophic sugar crash. Your body then becomes confused and can experience shock. Studies conducted by Dr. Robert Lustig, a California-based endocrinologist revealed through brain scans, sugar is as addictive as cocaine. He says, “It causes a euphoric effect that triggers dopamine, the chemical that controls pleasure in the brain.” Remember we are what we eat. Our bodies need to process whatever we consume. A paramount problem is how our body metabolizes sugar. When we eat too much of one type of sugar (ie. Sodas), our liver transitions into high gear to process it and converts most of the sugar into fat. This can explain our out of control obesity problem in America. They are interwoven. This very problematic sugar addiction is leading to insulin resistance, as well as

obesity, type II diabetes, and heart disease. Soft drinks are the biggest culprits. Sugars, candy, cakes, cookies, pies, fruit drinks, dairy desserts, milk and grains all contribute to America’s sugar addiction. We literally have a burgeoning population of people with major health problems. How do we curtail our eating habits and resist temptation? It is like anything else. Be disciplined. Easier said than done but you can do it! Here is how you can get on the right track during the holidays: -Curtail your alcohol and caffeine consumption -Substitute a sweet treat with fruit or sweet veggies -Drink MORE water -If you think you can’t eat just one cookie… don’t eat any at all -Keep fitness a priority. -Get plenty of sleep and find time to relax Think before your eat. Ask yourself, will my body like this sugar. Sugar places stress on your organs. Be kind to your internals and resist the sweet temptations. Stay focused and vigilant. Set an early New Year’s resolution. Quit the sugar and avoid becoming a statistic. Bronwyn Ison is the owner of Evolve Yoga. e-volveyoga.com or (760)564-YOGA(9642) 50-991 Washington St, La Quinta 92253

December 11 to December 17, 2014

Life & career Coach

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

by Sunny Simon

You Got The Job. Now What?

ou managed your job search well and heard the magic word, “Congratulations.” The hiring manager gave you a hearty handshake and asked you to report to your new job on Monday. Now what? Being the new kid on the block tends to give most people the jitters. During my career in human resources I assisted hundreds of newbies with the on-boarding process. A wellstructured orientation process can help rookies launch successfully, however, if you are the new hire, take ownership by employing these five tips for an effective transition: Continue networking. Do not buy into the misguided notion that you only need to network while in a job search. Update your LinkedIn profile and let supporters know you’ve landed. Send personal thank you communications to anyone who provided references, leads or just cheered you on from the sidelines. Be ready to return the favor. Organize a database with your contacts to stay in touch and make sure that you do. You sold yourself when you aced the interviews now deliver on that promise. Establish a plan for building solid relationships with your manager, the team and your internal customers. Focus on building alliances and assimilating into the culture. Keep a daily journal of people you met, or highlight the players on

an organizational chart to become familiar with infrastructure. Be curious. Rid yourself of any preconceived notion that you must know everything on day one. Orientation periods are the time to fire away with questions. Ask, then clarify the answers to test your understanding. Keep a running list of unanswered queries and continue to seek information, counsel and sage advice. Display both enthusiasm and gratitude. Let your coworkers know you are happy to be a part of the team. Be a good listener, take an interest in their projects and offer up sincere thanks for those who make your transition easier. Stay informed. Continue to monitor trends in your industry and profession. Research current developments in the global marketplace that may be impactful. Most importantly, continue your personal development. Look for ways to gain more technical knowledge and become a valuable contributor. Enjoy the process of being new to the organization by embracing change. Set goals and apply yourself with grace and a smile. Be confident and fill your head with positive selftalk. People have bet money on you. Show them you are well worth their investment! Sunny Simon is the owner of Raise the Bar High Life and Career Coaching. More about Sunny at www.raisethebarhigh.com

beauty

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

December 11 to December 17, 2014

by dr maria lombardo

Dr. Maria Lombardo, Lombardo Cosmetic Surgery is located in Rancho Mirage. She specializes in both surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures including (but not limited to) facial, body and breast surgery, Botox, Latisse, and hCG diet program. For a consultation or more information, visit www.lombardocosmeticsurgery.com or call 760-610-8990. Dr. Lombardo will be writing a bi-weekly column for CV Weekly.

Patient Safety and Physician Education: There are lots of groups looking out for you!

hen you go into your Cosmetic Surgeon’s office there are usually several certificates framed and hanging on the walls. Most of these are diplomas from medical school and residency training programs or Board Certification in a specific specialty but some of them are for membership and participation in professional organizations. When I look around my office, I see a certificate of appreciation for being an oral board examiner from the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery and a certificate of appointment to the Board of Trustees from the California Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. But what exactly are these organizations and why are they important to patients? The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, for example, is a national organization dedicated to patient safety and physician education. According to their website “The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS) is committed to the development of the field of cosmetic surgery as a continuously advancing multispecialty discipline that delivers the safest patient outcomes through evidence-based information that informs best practices and technologies in service delivery globally.” For doctors they offer educational conferences, surgery workshops, patient education materials and a community of physicians to interact with. But for patients they offer a great deal too. There is a whole section on the AACS website for patients: “choosing a surgeon”, “reality vs. myth”, “about cosmetic surgery” and they can even help you find a cosmetic surgeon near you! Checking out the websites, signing up for a newsletter and liking a Facebook page are great ways for patients, or potential patients, to get familiar with the doctors and procedures that they are interested in.

The California Academy of Cosmetic Surgery is another, more local, example of a group offering continuing medical education and other resources for physicians as well as a wealth of information for patients. If you haven’t explored the websites of these, and other, patient safety and education groups… What are you waiting for? You might learn a little something… www.cosmeticsurgery.org www.facebook.com/AACS1985 If you have questions or want to make a complimentary consultation with Dr. Maria Lombardo call 760-610-8990 to set up an appointment.

December 11 to December 17, 2014

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

December 11 to December 17, 2014