Coachella Valley Weekly - December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016 Vol. 4 No. 41

News

Music

Movies

Dining

Community Events

coachellavalleyweekly.com • December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016 Vol. 4 No. 41

2016 PSIFF

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CV Brewing Co Events

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Row Low

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Alexis Hunter

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Empire Polo

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December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

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Coachella Valley Weekly

NEW YEAR’s EVE in the CV

December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

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

760.501.6228

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

NEW YEAR’S EVE AT THE RIVIERA PALM SPRINGS RESORT The Riviera Palm Springs Resort is celebrating the New Year in style; with fun and excitement in every venue. Join us in CIRCA 59 for a delicious Gala Dinner Buffet from 6-10PM; $65 per person. Party in the New Year at the PARTY with DJ Shasta from 10PM – 1:30AM! See and be seen with VIPAppeal Seating in the “ultra chic” ARCADE ($75 per person, 4 person minimum) with party favors and a bottle of Taittinger Champagne! Stargaze from the STARLIGHT LOUNGE ($20 cover charge), includes party favors and bubbly!

Café Capitata with special New Year’s Eve menus. Spotlight 29 Casino is the Coachella Valley’s best bet to welcome in the new year!

New Year’s Eve Cash Drawings Welcome the New Year with some cash in hand as Spotlight 29 Casino offers guests a lucky chance to win their share of $7,000.

Kicking off the cash giveaways, drawings of $1,000 will be held at 10PM and 11PM, with the big $5,000 drawing held just as 2016 arrives at 12:15AM Club 29 members can earn entries every day and more by playing with their Club 29 card.

American favorites and a rich variety of international delights, including Asian, Italian and Mexican fare. Dinner is served from 5PM to 1AM for $23.95 and includes a glass of champagne. La Suerte offers a special New Year’s Eve menu and guests are encouraged to make reservations at Spotlight29.com.

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

Contents Riviera New Year’s Eve........................ 3 Palm Springs Intl. Film Festival......... 5 F1rst Weekend Palm Desert............... 6 Discover The Dinosaurs...................... 7 CVB 2016 Events ................................ 7 Backstage Jazz- Celebrity Jazz Jam... 8 Nelly at Fantasy Springs Casino........ 9 Row Low.............................................. 9 Consider This- The Innocence Mission...10 Art Scene - Alexis Hunter.................11 Pet Place............................................12 The Vino Voice ..................................13 Club Crawler Nightlife......................14 Screeners ..........................................18 Book Review......................................19 Haddon Libby...................................21 Dale Gribow......................................21 Empire Polo Club 2016 Season........22 Safety Tips.........................................23 Free Will Astrology...........................23 Mind, Body & Spirit ..........................24 Life & Career Coach ..........................24

DESERT DJ ENTERTAINMENT GROUP TEAMS UP WITH COSTA’S NIGHTCLUB AND LONG DUK DONG Enjoy a fun filled night of entertainment to celebrate the birth of 2016 and say farewell to 2015. A special performance by synth-pop, 80s Cover band, Long Duk Dong, will take you back in time. Come see why they were voted Best Cover Band for the last 3 years in a row at the CV Music Awards.

Featuring sets by two of Desert DJs own, DJ SkyHigh & DJ Guy Worden, who will be mixing the hottest hits of yesterday and today’s Top 40/Dance/Club Bangerz.

Doors open at 9PM. 21 & over. $25.00 at the door. Dress to impress. Free champagne toast at midnight.

RING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH SPOTLIGHT 29 CASINO Win a Share of $7,000 in the New Year’s Eve Cash Drawing!

Spotlight 29 Casino is the place to be this New Year’s Eve with an impressive evening of festivities for everyone to enjoy! Win big in the Casino’s exciting New Year’s Eve cash drawings giving guests the chance to welcome in the New Year with some coveted cash, dance the night away with a celebration of Fleetwood Mac, and dine at La Suerte or

Celebrate the Music of Fleetwood Mac Spotlight 29 Casino is proud to present a Celebration of Fleetwood Mac with a special New Year’s Eve concert, featuring the critically acclaimed talents of Bella Donna, on Thursday, December 31 at 8PM Bella Donna has faithfully captured the essence and spirit of Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks. Concert goers will enjoy a full seven-piece band performing classic Fleetwood Mac songs like “Stand Back,” “Go Your Own Way” and “Landslide.” The band, named after Stevie Nick’s multiplatinum album, portrays Fleetwood Mac to perfection, including authentic wardrobe, music and stage production.

Break out your “Leather and Lace” and prepare for non-stop classic rock on New Year’s Eve with Bella Donna for only $20 per ticket. Tickets available at Spotlight29.com, Star Tickets (800)585-3737, or the Spotlight 29 Box Office and Gift Shop. Doors open at 7PM The show starts at 8PM New Year’s Eve Dining La Suerte and Café Capitata have both prepared exceptional menus for guests to savor their last meal of 2015. Café Capitata is honoring the celebratory holiday with its wide selection of amazing buffet dishes, including

SKIP MARTIN’S “KOOL CELEBRATION” RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR AT FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO Fantasy Springs Resort Casino will be the grooviest place to ring in 2016 as Skip Martin’s “Kool Celebration” brings the funk inside LIT Ultra Lounge.

The band New Breed kicks off the party at LIT Ultra Lounge at 9pm to get everyone warmed up for the main event. Starting at 11PM, Skip Martin, a former lead singer for Kool & The Gang and The Dazz Band, takes the stage at LIT Ultra Lounge and will play hit after hit including such classics as “Jungle Boogie,” “Let It Whip,” and of course “Celebration.” This is just one of the several fabulous ways to celebrate the New Year at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. continue to page 5

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www.coachellavalleyweekly.com NEW YEAR’S continued from page 3 For those interested in a more elegant evening, Jazz musician Rose Mallet will be giving an intimate performance inside the 12th Floor Cocktail Lounge and Wine Bar a luxurious space featuring plush furniture, standard bar games and sweeping views of the Coachella Valley and surrounding mountains. Both parties are free and open to the public and go from 9PM to 1:30AM New Year’s Eve. Guests must be 21 to attend either party.

Guests on the gaming floor will enjoy the sounds of Revolver, Hermosa Beach’s hottest cover band, until 2AM. As a New Year’s Eve tradition, we will once again be handing out free hats, party favors and beads to all partygoers, while supplies last.

Bingo pulls out all the daubers with the Happy New Year 2016 Bingo game guaranteeing $50,000 in cash prizes plus giveaway drawings. Advance tickets are on sale now - $55 for paper and $120 for electronic games. Doors open at 3PM, Early Birds begin at 7PM. If a family-style celebration is more your speed, you’ll be happy to hear Fantasy Lanes Bowling Center is continuing its New Year

tradition and offering Laser Bowling. Packages for groups of up to eight bowling enthusiasts to jump on any one of the center’s 24 stateof-the-art lanes are only $140. From 9PM to 12:30AM, the Fantasy Lanes bowling package includes lane and shoe rental for up to 8 bowlers, a large cheese or pepperoni pizza, 1 pitcher of soda, plus New Year’s Eve party favors.

For more information on all the New Year’s Eve celebrations at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino call (800) 827-2946 or visit FantasySpringsResort.com.

BB Ingle will be hosting the 32nd Annual New Year’s Eve Masquerade Party Thursday Night, December 31st. This will be the 2nd year that the event is being held at the Hard Rock Hotel Palm Springs.

The mega party, which is being produced

by RSP Productions, will be spread out around the hotel, incorporating the elaborate underground ballroom, Bardot Nightclub, and lobby. Three floors and six rooms of entertainment include heart pumping music from DJs: Ray Phillips, Alf Alpha, Anwaar, Aaron C, C3ASARE, Courtland, JF//Discord,

Andre Paul Ryan, Paparazzi, Deep Ones, & more TBA. Special performances by Shawn Isaac, Classic Rock Band “Dude Jones” & the popular Latin entertainer, Adrian Garza.

Plus for those of you who like to entertain, “Masqueradeokie” with T-Bone. Live Portrait painting performance by the amazing artist Peter Mikulak.

If you haven’t had the experience of attending one of these memorable bashes then maybe you should start with this year’s

Palm Springs International Film Festival: Find the Fun!

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ith the arrival of 2016, the PSIFF kicks-off its 27th year of celebrating international filmmaking and world cinema. What a wonderful way to begin the New Year!

Starting January 1 and running through January 11, brings a week and a half packed with exciting screenings, world premieres, live interviews, movie stars, galas and parties.

This event draws over 130,000 visitors to the valley. The star-studded Awards Gala generates $2.4 million in revenue for the education driven, not-for-profit organization and festival host, Palm Springs International Film Society. The money festival visitors spend in the valley is conservatively estimated at $10 million.

However, this festival is not about the money, but the love of movies and Palm Springs’ long relationship with the filmmaking industry.

In Darryl Macdonald’s welcome he said: “The 27th incarnation of our festival is an event that’s come to define Palm Springs’ love affair with the cinematic arts within the film industry and among filmgoers from coast to coast.”

This year 176 films will screen from over 60 countries. Here is a look at some of the outstanding and fun-filled events.

The Awards Gala is Saturday, January 2.

Actors attending are Cate Blanchett, Johnny Depp, Matt Damon, Brie Larson, Tom McCarthy, Saoirse Ronan, Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender and Rooney Mara. If you don’t have a ticket, you can get of glimpse of these beautiful and talented people behind the ropes outside the Palm Springs Convention Center as they go into the Gala. Over 2,300 people are expected to attend.

A favorite of the festival scene is the Talking Pictures events where filmmakers discuss their films and answer audience questions after the movie’s been screened. Films include: “Amy” (UK, 128 min) about the late singer Amy Winehouse, “Grandma” (USA, 79 min) starring Lily Tomlin, “The Martian” (USA, 174 min)

starring Matt Damon and “Concussion” (USA, 153 min) starring Will Smith. Check the PSIFF schedule or web site for screening locations and times.

The always popular and mysterious Secret Screening is Wednesday, January 6, 4:30 at the Camelot Theater. This is an exciting event because filmgoers trust the talented PSIFF programmers to thrill and surprise them. Even the wait-line is fun as people share the films they have most enjoyed.

Wednesday, January 6, 4:30 at the Annenberg Theater is Dinner and a Movie which includes the documentary film “Cooking Up a Tribute” (Spain, 87 minutes) followed by a meal at Palm Springs steakhouse and landmark restaurant Mr. Lyons.

Eyes on the Prize: Foreign Language Oscar Directors in Discussion, moderated by Hollywood Reporter’s Scott Feinberg talks about the competition over the nine nominations for Academy Foreign Language Film. This year, eighty nations have submitted films for Oscar consideration. This event is Wednesday, January 6, 6:00pm at the Palm Canyon theater.

With their US Premieres, twelve first-time filmmakers are heard in New Voices/New Visions. This is an exciting category filled with rising talent from Italy, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Greece, Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, India, Canada, United Kingdom and the US. These films offer a view into worlds we do not often see.

With a sold out crowd last year, the Book to Screen event is back again and looks to become a festival favorite. Thursday, January 7, beginning 9:00 am there are five, one-hour, sessions throughout the day until 7:00 pm. “The Power of Words: Book to Screen Symposium” is held at the Hilton Palm Springs Resort’s Horizon Ballroom.

Each session is moderated by an industry professional and includes authors, screenwriters or producers. Participating this year are CNN

December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

New Year’s Eve Masquerade Party. While masks are optional, it’s always more fun to wear one and BB will be giving a prize for Best Female Mask and Best Male Mask. A good time will be had by all.

Party is from 8:30PM to 2AM. Must be 21 or older to enter. Tickets are priced at $25.00 per person online at PartywithBB.com.

Tickets are also available at: Skitzo Kitty in Palm Desert, TG Tattoo in Cat City, Sensuality in Palm Springs, or call 760-880-1059.

By Heidi Simmons

analyst and author Jeffrey Toobin; Journalist Dick Lehr who co-authored “Black Mass: Whitey Bulger, the FBI and a Devil’s Deal.” The film adaptation stars Johnny Depp. Phyllis Nagy, the screenwriter of “Carol” is attending to talk about the process of adapting Patricia Highsmith’s story; and screenwriter David Nicholls participates in session five about adapting Thomas Hardy’s “Far From the Madding Crowd.”

Check the website for the Book to Screen film screening details.

Sponsored by Desert Regional Medical Center is the film “Searchdog” (USA, 88 minutes).

This is a Free Community Screening, Saturday, January 9, 1:30pm at the Annenberg Theater.

This documentary is about a dog whisperer who rescues and trains pound animals to work as Search and Rescue/Recovery dogs.

Over the years, PSIFF has made an impact on the valley kids with Student Screening Day. Monday, January 11, at the Rancho Mirage High School Auditorium, filmmakers discuss their films with students. The event is a favorite for teachers as it provides a powerful tool for sharing ideas and culture. The screening includes a documentary and “Jeremy” (Mexico, 99 min).

Check the schedule for Special Presentations that include the films: “The Revenant,” “The Brand New Testament,” “Hello My Name is Doris,” and “Eye in the Sky.” These are major films that will likely get a lot of award attention.

There are festival parties nearly every night.

Some are invitation only, while others require a ticket, but some are spontaneous so keep a local look out. This year PSIFF parties include a “Brit Bash,” “Canada Party,” “The Gay!la Party,” “The Cine Latino Party,” “Palm Springs Speaks French!

Party,” and “Garden Collage Party.”

Other fun programs to experience are “Modern Masters,” “After Dark,” “True Stories,” “World Cinema,” “Gay! La His/Hers” and “Award Buzz.” These programs can help you make the most of the screenings for a satisfying festival experience.

PSIFF

Opening Night Gala begins Friday, January 1 with “The Fencer” (Finland, 98 min) and Sunday, January 10, is the Closing Night Gala with the US Premiere of “Last Cab to Darwin” (Australia, 123 min). Check with the box office or the website for details.

Festival theaters this year are Regal Palm Springs 9, Camelot Theatre, Mary Pickford, Annenberg and Palm Canyon. (The Palm Springs High School Theater is under renovation.) Free shuttle service to all venues runs every 30 minutes. Check the guide for pickup locations.

Festival Tickets can be purchased online, by phone or at any festival box office. Box office opens one hour before screenings. The festival ticket and information center is located at 777 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Suite 113 in the Courtyard Plaza. Plan on waiting in a friendly line of movie fans before each screening.

The PSIFF is a great event and the people attending are some of the most interesting and charming people you will meet in Palm Springs.

Have fun and enjoy the movies!

For more information check online at psfilmfest.org or call 800 898-PALM

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Palm Desert First Weekend Embraces the New Year with Resolution 5K, Jazz Event, and much more

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irst Weekend Palm Desert, held monthly the first weekend from November through May every year, continues in with the 3rd Annual Galen New Year’s Resolution Color Run 5K. As a monthly three-day signature celebration, First Weekend features world-class art and cultural activities, dining and shopping specials, and now featured events with different themes.

The first major event, Galen New Year’s Resolution Color Run 5K, is scheduled for Saturday, January 9 beginning with registration at 6AM The run begins promptly at 8AM Registration is open to all ages and prices vary, children and pets are welcome to join. Start your New Year’s Resolution by supporting Palm Springs Art Museum for this exciting and family friendly event! The COLOR RUN is accompanied by food trucks, live entertainment, interactive crafts and other activities in the Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden. Each participant will receive a complimentary t-shit and dogs will receive a special bandana. The course is USATF- certified and begins and ends at the museum’s Galen building. This unique course features three color stations and there will be many photo opportunities along the way.

Other notable First Weekend activities scheduled specifically for January include: • Buck A Shuck on Friday, January 8, at Whole Foods Market from 7AM - 10PM Go crazy for oysters! Make a perfect dinner with our responsibly farmed oysters, and watch as the experts shuck oysters for just a buck a piece. wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/ palmdesert • Brandon Blane McMillan’s Lost Places is on view Friday through Sunday from 11AM to 5PM at the Desert Art Collection. This “popup” show features the hyperrealist/abstract paintings of McMillan.

• Tap-In Taproom Happy Hour on Friday, January 8, at Whole Foods Market from 3PM - 6PM Come enjoy Happy Hour at the Tap-In Taproom, $1 off draft beers, house wines, and well cocktails. wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/ palmdesert • Jazz for Jazz Lovers - Brent Fischer & The Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Group Fischer/Tjader Salute* at Pete Carlson’s Golf and Tennis on Friday, January 8, from 8PM- 9:30PM The next major event is scheduled for the February First Weekend on Saturday, February 6, 2016 on El Paseo. The outdoor Swing N’ Hops

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Street Party will be held from noon to 4PM, bringing together swing music performed by a live band, craft beer gardens, gourmet food booths, a classic car show with cars from the 1920’s to 40’s, a swing dance party complete with instruction, and era specific fashion.

Every First Weekend includes the following activities: • El Paseo After Dark on Fridays From elegant shopping to exquisite dining, El Paseo indulges all the senses, and on Friday’s of First Weekend many shops stay open extended hours. Amongst a beautiful backdrop of the gorgeous San Jacinto Mountains, visit your favorite luxury labels and chic boutiques, savor gourmet cuisine by the Coachella Valley’s top chefs, visit antique shops and art galleries.

With over 250 retailers, the mile-long drive is home to Gucci, Louis Vuitton, St. John, Tiffany, Escada, Presage, Saks Fifth Avenue, Kate Spade, Ann Taylor, Grayse, and many others. elpaseocatalogue.com/elpaseo • El Paseo Cruise Night, Friday from 3:15 to 6PM The cool, shiny, lovingly cared-for cars begin arriving around 3:15PM at the upper level of the parking structure behind The Gardens on El Paseo. Get a close-up look at these beauties and talk to the owners before 4:30PM when they take over the street between Highway 74 and Portola until 6PM Grab a spot (preferably at a patio table at one of El Paseo’s wonderful restaurants) and watch the polished chrome show. (760) 346-8965; elpaseocruisenight.com • El Paseo Art Walk, Friday from 4 to 8PM The renowned El Paseo Artwalk is a selfguided tour with maps provided, to stroll the numerous art galleries on the famed drive. Art galleries will feature exhibit openings, artist receptions, and more. elpaseoartwalk.com • Galen First Friday from 5 to 9PM Enjoy free admission to the museum for exhibitions and film screenings, and enjoy live

By Joni Wright

music by different musicians each month in the Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden. Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert, 72567 Hwy 111, (760) 346-5600; psmuseum.org • Passport to Art and Design, Saturday from 11AM to 6PM Visitors to The Art Place get a stamped Passport from each of the ten unique galleries for a chance to win a prize. The Art Place, 41801 Corporate Way, Palm Desert, (760) 7762268, theartplacepd.com.

• Free Guided Public Art Tour Free guided walking tours of the public art collection in Palm Desert includes tours at El Paseo Exhibition, Civic Center Park, or the Palm Desert Library. More information about the City’s public art program and tour scheduled can be viewed at palmdesertart.org. Palm Desert Public Library, 73300 Fred Waring Dr, (760) 837-1664.

Key partners for First Weekends include El Paseo (the Rodeo Drive of the desert),

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Westfield Palm Desert, McCallum Theatre, The Living Desert, The Art Place, and Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert, The Galen and Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden.

First Weekend attracts visitors from throughout Southern California while also engaging local residents. Visitors from out of the area will find everything from luxurious resorts to budget-friendly hotels, including the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa, Marriott’s Shadow Ridge, Residence Inn

by Marriott, The Westin Desert Willow Villas, Hampton Inn & Suites, Shadow Mountain Resort & Club, The Inn at Deep Canyon, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Mojave Inn, Casa Larrea Inn, Club Intrawest, Embassy Suites, Best Western, and Holiday Inn Express.

For more info about First Weekend visit pdfirstweekend.com or call (760) 568-1441.

For more info about the City of Palm Desert and hotels within the City, visit cityofpalmdesert. org or call (760) 568-1441.

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Explore the mystery of pre-historic life At the Palm Springs at Discover the Dinosaurs! Convention Center

December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

CVB Welcomes You (early) to the Year 2016!!!

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earn, discover and have fun in this unique hands-on exhibit that gives you the opportunity to actually see dinosaurs! Discover the Dinosaurs features a walk-through exhibit designed to bring you back in time to a landscape where dinosaurs lived. Along with the animatronic dinosaurs, dinosaur replicas are featured throughout.

Beyond the exhibit, additional activities are available for kids of all ages including dino themed inflatables, riding a dinosaur, a dino dig and gem and fossil panning.* (Additional fees apply.) Bring the entire family, and spend the day with dinosaurs!

Saturday January 23 - 10 AM – 7 PM Sunday, January 24 - 10 AM – 7 PM Ticket Prices: Child* $23, Adult $19, Senior $16 (Additional fees may apply.)

Groups: $21 tickets for groups of 10+ Military: $3 off *Child ticket for ages 2-12. Includes dinosaur exhibit with dino dig, dino den, dino theater, dino coloring station and scavenger hunt plus unlimited dinosaurs rides, mini golf and inflatables. Children under 2 are free. Gem & Fossil Mining and face painting require separate tickets and are sold on-site only. Tickets on sale at www.DiscoverTheDinosaurs.com

wo thousand sixteen will be the best year yet for Coachella Valley Brewing Co. We have many exciting beers for release this year with great family friendly events!

January Calendar of Events • Dog Day Afternoons - Every Sunday we offer $1.00 off any full draft or flight purchased if you have your dog with you • Certified Farmers Markets - Every Saturday at 2300 E Baristo Rd, Palm Springs, CA 92262 (and sometimes Wednesdays in Palm Desert at 72559 Hwy 111 Palm Desert, CA 92260) we are a guest at the Certified Farmers Markets and starting in 2016 we can sample the beer at the booth.

We sell beer and swag.

• Friday, January 8th - The local Alternative, Indie-Pop band Caxton will be performing at CVB starting at 7PM with delicious home-style food that can be purchased from Gary Grotsky’s Little Dewey’s Rolling Gourmet Cafe. facebook. com/CaxtonMusic

• Wednesday, January 13th - Guest Bartender Night Presents a night to honor About Families. $1 from all full draft and flights of beer will be donated to About Families and all tips from 5-8PM will be donated to the cause as well. Please come out to support.

• Saturday, January 16th - Desert Woman’s Show has asked for CVB representation! See us there.

• Saturday, January 23rd - Brews and Bros. See us there!

• Sunday, January 24th - New Balance 1/2 Marathon. See us at the finish line for a nice cold draft!

• Friday, January 29th - the local Alternative, Reggae, Punk, Psychedelic Rock band Right On! Right On! Will be playing at CVB starting at 7PM. Little Dewey’s will be serving up delicious dogs. Firkin Friday.

Come out for our last Friday of the month cask beer night. Starts at 5pm. December did

not have a cask night, but look for a special cask night coming up! facebook.com/ RightOnRightOnMusic

At the brewery, the Palms to Pines will be released with a special one-day release for members to buy bottles and get access to the beer first! Not much of this bottled, so get all the bottles you want while you have the chance! Look for the release in the next couple weeks.

The new Whitney 2015 V.2 (Red Strong Ale made with cherries) will be released very soon (next couple weeks), so please stay tuned for a release date. On that day, members will have early access to purchase the beer in bottles before the general public.

A new beer release for CVB, a Cream Ale made with local tangerines will be released soon (towards the end of January). This beer will be a light body, creamy ale at 6.5 % ABV.

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2016 Celebrity Jazz Jam Series

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ew Year’s Resolution, bring great Jazz events to the desert! I’ve been a Jazz enthusiast for years.

It has been the underlying musical current of my life since I was young. My mother Anne Albracht was a big jazz fan, as a young woman in her 20’s she would take the train from Omaha to Chicago to listen to big band and jazz at ‘The Blue Note’. She was a pianist and a jazz music fan. We attended jazz concerts together including Buddy Rich and Ramsey Lewis. I fell in love with this musical genre and listened to standards and straight ahead until I heard my first David Sanborn and Joe Sample CDs. I was hooked.

Over the last few years I’ve produced a Jazz television show and numerous Jazz events. I have the privilege of writing this

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Jazz column where I get to talk about one of my favorite subjects (thanks Tracy Dietlin, publisher). This last summer I decided that what the desert needed was a good Jazz party during the summer. There are lots of people that stay here year around that love jazz. Summer Jazzfest was held July 28 at Hacienda Cantina and Beach Club that included Greg Adams and East Bay Soul, Slim Man and band, Joe Baldino and band, Deanna Bogart and Chase Huna. It was a smash success. We sold out.

Then I was invited by the management of the Riviera to hold my events in their ballroom. We (my production partner was Sheree Lillie Pr.) held Smooth Jazzfest on a 40 ft. stage, 500 people attended with the same line up. It was a smash hit.

By patte purcell We had an after party and Jazz Jam in the VIP Lounge where artists including Aysha, Terry Wollman, Rick Parma, Barry Minefield, Curtis Brooks, Victor Robles, Philly Joe Littel, Mikole Karr and even one of the Drifters jammed until they made us shut down the bar. It was so much fun I decided to do a Jazz Jam series. So the Celebrity Jazz Jam Series was born.

We held the first one at Arnold Palmer’s and that was sold out. We decided to seek a home for a monthly series that would feature national artists and local favorites who would jam together in a 3 hour party; a series that would introduce new musicians and music to the desert.

We are pleased to announce a monthly Celebrity Jazz Jam series at the Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert. We selected Desert Willow Golf Resort (owned by the city of Palm Desert) for numerous reasons.

This incredibly spectacular outdoor and indoor venue boasts a view over the golf courses that will knock your socks off.

The patio where we will be holding the Celebrity Jazz Jam series seats 200-225 and has 21 outdoor heaters. (In the event of bad weather we move indoors to the ballroom.)

There is a glass wall from the ballroom overlooking the patio seating allowing it to expand the usable area. We will have wine tasting tables from different wineries and liquor companies. The management including Todd Kelly is simply wonderful to work with. They are as excited for this series as we are.

We have sponsors who will be offering special features and gifts. For instance, Desert Zen Spa is bringing masseuses who will be giving chair massages and giving guests a $25 gift certificate for the spa. Max Lightbender, gallery owner, will be displaying spectacular art pieces. We have more surprises in the works.

The line-up for the first Celebrity Jazz Jam which is being held Monday night, Jan. 18, from 5-8 pm is formidable and includes 15 artists! The headliner is chart topping smooth jazz guitarist Blake Aaron who currently has 7 hits in radio play. Aysha,

composer and vocalist will be performing; she currently has a top 10 hit, “Take me Higher.” Greg Manning who had the top hit of the year “Dance With You.” Slim Man (13 CDs), Joe Baldino, Chase Huna, Rick Parma, Darryl Williams, John Carey, Craig Chesnut, Rose Mallett, Victor Robles, Bonnie Gilgallon, Guillermo Yslas, and Tazz Washington.

There will be some originals and cover tunes. There will be plenty of room for dancing. I’m teaming up with Karl Erikson (my production partner) and we are pleased to announce that Sound Rite Events will be our sound and light production partner. They are even bringing in their 10 ft. LED wall so expect some wonderful effects.

The series runs monthly, during season it will be on Monday nights. When it gets hot we move indoors and move to Sunday afternoon jazz/brunch events. We are already booking for future Celebrity Jazz Jams which will include new and varied artists and guest artists. We will be adding some Brazilian jazz & Latin jazz on February 22 with Gretje Angell and Dori Amarillo a duo from LA, you will never forget. We’re bringing in Latin Jazz vibes and percussionist Bob Desena to expand the sound. We will continue to do a mix of jazz, blues, funk, and groove while adding an international flavor.

The summer series will heat up with a very special appearance by international artist and sax player Candy Dulfer (details to be announced) along with some other great artists.

Each event will have a special menu by Chef Francois, the menu includes a delicious selection of salads, soup, several entrees including osso bucco, and dessert. It is $25.

Wine tastings are 3 for $5.

Tickets are $25 General admission and are available by calling 1-800-3168559 x 1 or online at purplepass.com/ celebrityjazzjam. If you elect to purchase the buffet Desert Willow will call you to make a table reservation.

If you have any questions you can call me at 702-219-6777.

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GRAMMY WINNING HIP HOP ICON AND TELEVISION STAR NELLY BRINGS HIS TOUR TO FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO

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ulti-platinum, Grammy Awardwinning rap superstar Nelly has been making it “Hot In Herre” since he burst onto the scene in 2000, and on March 12th he’s bringing his high-energy show to the Special Events Center at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

Nelly is a multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning rap superstar, entrepreneur, philanthropist and actor who has continually raised the bar for the entertainment industry since debuting in 2000 with his chart topping album, Country Grammar. Country Grammar spent seven weeks at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and spawned the massive hits “Ride Wit Me,” “Country Grammar,” and “E.I.” The album landed Nelly four Grammy Award nominations and sold over nine million copies worldwide. Nelly kept the momentum going with the 2002 release of Nellyville. The album debuted at #1 on top of scoring Nelly his first two Grammy Awards for “Hot in Herre” and “Dilemma” [feat. Kelly Rowland].

He has since gone on to win multiple American Music Awards, a Nickelodeon Kids’

Choice Award, Soul Train Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, and was crowned "Top Pop, Rap, and R&B/Hip-Hop Artist Of The Year" by Billboard. In 2013, the St. Louis native released his seventh full-length album, M.O. [Republic Records] featuring guest appearances by Nicki Minaj, Pharrell, Future, T.I. and 2 Chainz as well as production powerhouses Rico Love (Beyonce, Usher) and Detail (Lil Wayne, T-Pain).

In 2005, Nelly made his big screen debut in the Adam Sandler and Chris Rock hit remake, The Longest Yard. Shortly after, he took on a recurring role on the hit show CSI: NY in 2009. He also just celebrated the second season of his wildly successful BET docu-series, Nellyville and is currently co-starring in the #1-rated BET sitcom The Real Husbands of Hollywood for the show’s fourth season.

Tickets for the Saturday, March 12th performance by Nelly are on sale now for $79, $59, and $39 at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, via telephone at (800) 827-2946 or online at FantasySpringsResort.com.

December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

Local Music Spotlight

Article & Photo By esther sanchez

Row Low Coachella Valley Rapper with International Flavor

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first met Roland Akinduro, AKA Row Low last summer at the “Flow Box house.” For those of you who are unfamiliar with Flow Box, they are a fantastic group of circus style performers who entertain at functions such as music festivals and charity events breathing fire, walking on stilts and various other feats of awesomeness. A friend and former roommate of several Flow Box members, Akinduro attended the backyard spectacle with his then pregnant wife and toddler son who was watching the FB crew perform for the intimate group of friends with adorably angelic awe. I was struck by the enthusiasm and tenderness he displayed while interacting with his boy. It was not until last November at the uber-rad, Synergy Music and Arts Festival in Coachella that I saw Row Low performing with his side-project, hip hop quartet, AMFM, that I had any idea what a fantastically talented performer he is.

Since AMFM’s kickass performance at Synergy Fest, I have learned that besides being a multitalented performer, (he plays multiple instruments and has been featured in major commercials and a feature film) Akinduro is a smart, insightful, spiritual dude who oozes kindness, creativity and soulful reflections that indicate wisdom beyond his years. Akinduro: “If passion is the father, music is the son, acting is his brother.”

A European transplant, Row Low was born in Vienna to an Austrian mother and a Nigerian father. As destiny would have it, at age 5 he and his mother emigrated to the high-desert where he spent the bulk of his adolescent years and graduated from Yucca Valley High School.

Akinduro: “My grandparents had a home in Johnson Valley of all places and I clearly remember visiting the desert on vacation when I was 4. I attended Kindergarten in Austria and German was my first language. Even at that age I was very aware that this was a completely different culture and societal structure than I was accustomed to.” Now, a dedicated husband and father of 2 sons, business owner, entrepreneur, musician, producer, rapper and actor, Akinduro is continuously striving for the quintessential, “American dream.”

I asked Row Low to talk about growing up as an intellectual, forward-thinking kid with a global mindset in a small, somewhat isolated desert town that, in those days wasn’t exactly known for its diversity or progressiveness.

Akinduro: “I was a really oblivious kid…...always in my own little world, constantly creating in my head. I never had a girlfriend or anything like that going on throughout my time in high school. I was an academic kid who read a lot of comic books and soaked in a lot of pop culture which was definitely a significant influence on me.”

It was during those awkward teen years among the Joshua Trees that Akinduro caught the performer’s bug and began honing his craft as a rapper. Akinduro: “Like most kids at the time, I watched a lot of MTV but never got into the pop-music that was typically popular with

my age-group at the time. Around age 13 or 14, on a sonic level I really got into artists that were pushing boundaries like Marilyn Manson and Korn. I remember reading somewhere that, because developmentally it is such a crucial period in life, the music you listen to around the ages of 12-14 the most influential music of your life. Those artists were definitely influential to me and my journey.”

Akinduro continues: “And Tupac! That cadence and flow that was completely unique at the time…..” At this point, Row Low, the passionate entertainer that he is, begins spontaneously spitting lyrics from, “Still Ballin,’’ erupting into a nearly spot-on Tupac impression that I find simultaneously amusing and impressive.

Row Low is a high-energy performance artist whose mental wheels are constantly turning and from the time we have spent together I would venture to say that he is the kind of guy who truly can do anything he sets his mind to and do it better than most; if not better, at the very least, differently. The innovative artist records and performs along with his buddies in AMFM as well as solo. Either way, it’s more than just his 6’3” frame and dashing looks that draw attention. Those qualities don’t count for much without lyrical prowess.

“Strippers on the pole but I’m in the office doin tech support just need a few more circuits til I teleport.

I’ll refresh a holographic projection of an extinct species code correction through a genome lithograph to populate a planetary ecosystem in a nanosecond Might mention RowLow’s from the future Complexity, intelligence, creativity, diversity...

He will not be boxed in” -Row Low Check out Row Low’s music and find out about his performances: youtube.com/Fooshnick soundcloud.com/RowLow facebook.com/R0WL0W

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December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

ConsiderThis

THE INNOCENCE MISSION

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“ t’s something hard to explain, and certainly I will not get it right.” That’s from “Daily” a song on the new Innocence Mission album, but it could just as easily be anyone trying to describe the ephemeral beauty of their music.

The Innocence Mission is not a prolific band; together since 1989 the four-piece has only released 10 albums. The Innocence Mission don’t really play live, they haven’t toured for nearly 20 years. Being a fan of this Lancaster, PA trio requires patience, but the rich rewards definitely outweigh the sacrifice.

Guitarist Don Peris, bassist Mike Bitts, drummer Steve Brown and vocalist Karen Peris, (ne’ McCullough) originally met performing in a catholic school production of “Godspell.” They began playing locally in clubs and by 1988 they had secured a record deal with A&M. They also signed with powerhouse manager Peter Asher.

Their self-titled debut was recorded in several different studios in Los Angeles and produced by Larry Klein. Although he is best known as Joni Mitchell’s husband, (from 1982 to 1994), Klein is also a prolific producer. By the late ‘80s, he had worked with everyone from Cher to Peter Gabriel to Tracy Chapman to Don Henley. For the Innocence Mission he added very little to the band’s painterly style.

Following a high profile tour opening for Don Henley, the band and Klein reconvened in Los Angeles and recorded their equally adroit sophomore effort, Umbrella. The album garnered great reviews and modest sales, but the band was constantly compared to other female-centric artists like 10,000 Maniacs, the Sundays and Mazzy Star.

When it came time to make their third album, the Innocence Mission took a hard left turn and recruited producer Dennis Herring (Camper Van Beethoven, Concrete Blonde, Throwing Muses). This time they recorded in New Orleans and Seattle. The result, Glow, was released in 1995. It was their most assured album to date, an artistic and commercial breakthrough.

The band toured extensively behind

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

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www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

by Eleni P. Austin

“Hello I Feel The Same” (Korda Records)

the album, headlining small clubs and then opening for Emmylou Harris on her “Wrecking Ball” tour. Their music was featured in movies and TV series like Empire Records and Party Of Five. They began recording a follow-up to Glow, but A&M was subsumed by the Universal Music Group and the band left the label.

Four years they reappeared on the tiny, Kneeling Elephant label as a drummer-less three-piece (Steve Brown began a career as a chef). They released the self-produced Birds Of My Neighborhood. In 2001 they delivered surprisingly cohesive odds and sods collection entitled Small Planes; Lost And Found Songs 1996-2001. But the band seemed permanently off the road.

Don and Karen Peris had started a family and touring took a backseat to parenting, as

did music. Periodically the band would go into the Peris’ home studio and create gems like 2003’s Befriended or We Walked In Song and My Room In The Trees which arrived in 2007 and 2010, respectively. Slipping through the cracks, they released an EP of hymns entitled Christ Is My Hope, in 2000 and a collection of standards and lullabies, Now The Day Is Over in 2004.

Innocence Mission music is difficult to quantify. It is always spiritual but never preachy. It’s contemplative but rarely anguished. Karen Peris is the band’s primary songwriter and her lyrics conjure quiet moments almost forgotten. Summer picnics by a bay, childhood bike rides, sitting in a window-seat watching the rain or evenings staring up at the stars. Don Peris is a one-man guitar army, crafting quiet acoustic solos one minute and reverb-drenched riffs the next.

Mike Bitts’ bass lines add ballast.

Now they have returned with a brilliant new album, Hello I Feel The Same. The record opens with the title track, spiraling acoustic guitars and dulcet piano notes intertwine in a gliding roundelay. The lyrics recall the simple pleasure of befriending a kindred soul; “Yes, I said to that girl sometimes I would be invisible too, running beneath the trees, hello, I feel the same.”

Change is in the air on both “Tom On The Boulevard” and “When The One Flowered Suitcase.” The former, moves at a meandering pace, powered by circuitous acoustic riffs, ascending electric guitar chords and an offkilter kick drum rhythm. The lyrics wistfully mark the passage of time; “It seems my friend changes never end, now we’re growing

up and down.” “…Flowered Suitcase” opens with sundappled acoustic guitar that weaves a rich melodic tapestry with piquant electric riffs and pliant piano runs. Although change is inevitable, it isn’t really welcome…”let us not change so much, let’s stay in our old clothes and walk around this old dear life.”

Three songs walk a knife’s edge between happy-sad, which has always been the Innocence Mission’s raison d’etre. Spiky acoustic chords anchor the melody of “Blue And Yellow,” with electric filigrees and field organ salting the mix.

The lyrics paint a vivid picture of an autumnal Saturday; “Carrying your blue and yellow painting in the air, you are crossing the morning and the early streetlights shine in threes.” But true happiness feels just out of reach. “I’m missing you, please come by/I hope that you will say if I can be a friend to you as you have been mine.”

“Spring Is Written On Your Door” is a pithy haiku to the changing seasons accented by acoustic arpeggios that peel like church bells.

The straightforward instrumentation is equal parts beatific and melancholy, making the listener smile and tear up simultaneously.

Finally, “Daily” is slightly dour and pianodriven. Karen’s plaintive vocals and lyrics explicitly yearn for the face of God in this chaotic world. “..I’m looking out for you now, and probably you are just on the way/And getting through the streets of town takes a long time.”

Both “Washington Field Trip” and “State Park” limns common childhood experiences that most of us have forgotten. The former is a gauzy waltz that recalls a school trip to the capitol. The latter frames an afternoon at the arboretum with liquid acoustic riffs, fluttery electric fills and woozy keys.

The album’s most whimsical track, “Fred Rogers” details an evocative dream involving a brief encounter with the host of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” In between seeking advice about “how to make things better,” they discuss the weather, and Karen’s disinclination for driving.

The album closes with “The Color Green.”

A stark meditation on, um, the color green.

The diffident melody is cloaked in languid piano chords, aching guitar glissandos and shades of viola and violin, courtesy the Peris children, Anna and Drew. Moments of this simple song are so pure and beautiful they almost defy description. Hello I Feel The Same is a rich addition to their cannon, and one of the best albums of 2015.

Sick of the disposable culture of Kardashian? Wary of war and the neverending cycle of politics and selfies and the constant blah-blah-blah? The Innocence Mission is an antidote to all that. Their quiescent charms are a sure thing in an uncertain world.

art Scene

Alexis Hunter

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www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

By angela Valente romeo

Art and the Power of Love

lexis Hunter has been a model, photographer, jewelry designer, artist and author. Mostly she is a person who walks through life, with its happiness and tragedy, with grace and elegance befitting her.

“I am 6 feet tall – when I began modeling in the late 1960’s Twiggy was in and the ‘Glamazons’ had yet to take over the runways,” laughed Alexis. “I was on the cusp of the changes to fashion.”

“As a young model I met a woman who would change my life. I met and fell in love with a blond bombshell, Joi Lansing. Joi was an actress linked to many famous men in the 1950’s and 1960’s. She was beautiful, sexy and in love with me. I stayed with her until her death at age 44 in 1972.”

Alexis’ book, Joi Lansing – A Body to Die For, is their story. The book chronicles the last four years of the talented Joi Lansing’s fascinating life. Her career spanned three decades of TV and movie roles as well as Vegas. When Joi died many of the Hollywood elite attended but the press largely ignored her passing. The woman known as Rachel held Joi as she died and kept the secret of their love. Author Alexis Hunter knew the real Joi and her struggles with a suicide-obsessed self-image and deadly drug problem.

“Joi was a child star at MGM where ‘uppers’ were a common way to keep the kids working 20 hour days,” said Alexis. “Joi was not the only star whose drug problems can be traced to childhood stardom. Her image, however, was present as that of healthy living and perfection. But she was not. She was fragile and caught in a world where, like me, fashion and image was changing.”

“Joi was in the group of Jayne Mansfield, Mamie Van Doren and Marilyn Monroe.

Joi was obsessed in maintaining her beauty even though the tide was moving towards,

well Twiggy. Her obsession and insecurity caused her to take risks. These risks, coupled with unscrupulous medical personnel and the pressure of society to look a certain way hastened her death. But her biggest secret – she was unable to live her life as she was a woman in love with a woman. It was not even a discussion in Hollywood. The male stars, with the help of the studios, were able to live a life in secret. The women never spoke of being gay. It was not a discussion anywhere.”

“I wrote this book to bring Joi’s story to the world. Her tragic death is not a story of a long-ago world. We are still obsessed with the maintenance of youth and the continued suppression of denial of one’s true self.” The book is available on Amazon.

After Joi’s death Alexis continued her career. “A horse riding accident ended my modeling career. I was depressed but not defeated.” Alexis turned her talents to the arts. “Joi encouraged my painting when she saw a few of my drawings. After her death I stopped painting. I turned to photography.

I guess you could say I was one of the first fashion models to move behind the camera.”

“When I returned to painting in the 90’s I went back to my inspirations. I am fascinated by the work of Mexican artist, Leonardo Nierman, and wanted to achieve the fluidity of his magnificent paintings. In searching for a way to achieve this movement of color, I began to work with epoxy resin and acrylic paint.”

“I had a one woman show at the Todd Gallery in Beverly Hills; the Ben Kittay Gallery in Beverly Hills; and the Nancy Lenda Gallery in West Hollywood. I continued working with the same medium. I was fortunate to have my work shown in Athens, Greece; Atlanta, Georgia; and Phoenix, Arizona,” continued Alexis. Most recently she was artist in residence at the former The Lon Michels Gallery in Palm Springs. “I was showing my wearable art jewelry and paintings. It was a wonderful experience.”

Alexis continues to create wonderful works. “Art and painting have always been a great part of my life. They are my home....the place where my heart is alive and content,” noted Alexis.

For more on Alexis visit at facebook.com/ msalexhunter.

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December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

PET PLACE

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

by Janet McAfee

KITTYLAND FUNDRAISER WELCOMES ACTRESS JOANNE WORLEY

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oachella Valley animal lovers, particularly those who cherish our fabulous felines, won’t want to miss the largest fundraiser of the year for Kittyland on Sunday, February 7, 2016.

Actress and comedian JoAnn Worley will be the featured guest star at this Lunch and Tennis Fundraiser at the Westin Mission Hills Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage.

An ardent animal lover and president of “Actors and Others for Animals,” Worley is best remembered for her starring role on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In. Local television personality Alexandra Pierce, reporter for KESQ Channel 3, will be Master of Ceremonies.

Cost to attend this fun-filled event is only $65. The cost is the same for those playing tennis and for those just attending the luncheon. Space for tennis players is limited to the first 32 people who sign up.

Tennis sign ups begin at 10:00 am with matches starting at 10:30 am. The luncheon and other festivities begin at 12:30 pm.

A silent auction, exciting raffle prizes, and entertainment from Joanne Worley highlight the afternoon while attendees enjoy a delicious lunch.

Kittyland is the only Coachella Valley

private shelter and sanctuary open to the public exclusively for homeless cats and kittens. Located on 2.5 acres in Desert Hot Springs, this volunteer based nonprofit organization rescues, socializes, and provides medical care for homeless cats, lovingly preparing them for adoptive homes.

Adoption hours are 8:00 am to 12:00 noon Tuesday through Friday, and 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Saturday. Come by and meet the “cool cats” at Kittyland, located at 67-600 18th Ave in Desert Hot Springs.

Upon arrival at Kittyland, every cat is given appropriate medical care and treatment. Each is spayed or neutered and vaccinated. Mother cats with underage kittens are placed in foster homes where they receive extra care and socialization.

Kittyland also helps senior and disabled cats,

some of whom are available for adoption, while others live their lives out at the sanctuary.

Kittyland had a remarkable year, placing 132 cats and kittens in loving homes. Many of those adoptions happened at Petsmart and Petco in Palm Springs. How do cats in need find their way to Kittyland? Some are found roaming the desert, a dangerous place for tiny felines. Some become homeless

Adorable Ariel Cute as a button, tiny terrier girl Ariel is 8 lbs of puppy fun! She’s only 8 months old and already house trained. Rescued

by Loving All Animals.

Contact (760) 834-7000.

sweet skippy This striking Siamese mix boy loves to curl up next to his humans for marathon television watching. Fourmonth-old Skippy enjoys playing with other cats.

Contact Kittyland at (760) 251-2700

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when their owners die or enter assisted living centers. Sometimes people move to a property where the landlord does not allow pets. Tragically, some animals are tossed out of cars or thrown in dumpsters.

Founder and president Ann Woods hopes to raise funds needed to refurbishment 2 of the buildings on Kittyland’s property, allowing them to rescue and house more animals. Woods states, “These magical, independent creatures have always been close to my heart. We want Kittyland to become a haven of comfort and joy for Coachella Valley cats that are abandoned and/or injured.” Private no-kill rescue groups like Kittyland offer a life-saving alternative considering that approximately 72% of the cats entering California public shelters are euthanized.

You can order your tickets by calling Kittyland directly at (760) 251-2700 or order online at www.kittylandrescue.org. Their mailing address is 1717 E. Vista Chino A-7499, Palm Springs, CA 92241 if you would like to mail in a year end donation. Join in the festivities on February 7th, support this wonderful organization, and help create another year of fun feline memories!

Jmcafee7@verizon.net

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

by Rick Riozza

Italian Delights for Romantic Holiday Nights

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here’s nothing more romantic for a couple than a wonderful candlelit dinner in the company of some tasty Italian dishes and inviting Italian wine on the table.

We’ve been doing it up with wine reviews for the full family holiday feasts, so let’s now offer some recommendations for the lovers around the holiday table and the winter season’s nights: The traditional start to an Italian meal would be serving some small, filled pasta dumplings in broth like either cappelletti (meaning little hats, which is what this pasta should resemble), or, its cousin, tortellini— the difference being the stuffing, meat, cream sauce or butter.

One can also do a spinach and ricotta cannelloni: the baked and tomato stuffed pasta tube, delicious, quick, and simple to make. Plus the red, white, and green colors go well with both the Christmas season, and, the Italian spirit!

With these Northern Italian dishes, it’s best to stay in the same vineyard region and drink just like the Italians.

For a nice crisp white that can match the meals and cleanse the palate at the same time is the 2014 La Soraia Gavi di Gavi; produced from the Cortese grape in the foothills of the Italian Alps. This wine is a refreshing choice from the usual Pinot Grigio. As mentioned, it’s crisp and racy with Myer lemons and apricots; and, you’ll notice a touch of green apple interspersed with a mineral driven finish at only $14.95 at Dan’s Wine Shop in Palm Desert. danswine.com 760.6740305 As for a starter red, there’s no better deal in town than the 2012 Cantine Valpane Rosso Pietro Barbera. You may know already from my articles that a Barbera or a Dolcetto is my go to wine for pizza. Well—this also works well for opening an Italian meal no matter what’s on the menu.

This Barbera, for only $12.95 at Dan’s Wine Shop, has the bright red fruit and acidity you’d expect, but also has the

recognizable fruit of black and red cherries and dried plums, plus some nice earthiness, depth, and balance for the American palate that loves a little more roundness than the Europeans. This is a delicious table wine all the time.

Now for a classic comfort food meal, we all look to a hearty lasagne alla bolognese made with a tomato-based meat sauce (ragu’), besciamella (a simple white sauce), and plenty of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. For this dish we may wish to step up to some really delicious Italian red that will no doubt add to the romantic feel of the meal.

One wine that fits the bill is Lucente, a delicious red wine with a striking label from Tuscany of the famed Frescobaldi family. It’s made with the local Sangiovese of course, but just around 25%; the remainder of the blend is Merlot—that’s right, Merlot is a true international grape. In fact this wine is like an introduction to a range of wines of what Frescobaldi can produce.

This wine is juicy and exuberant with a powerful bouquet of ripe fruit, black cherry and wild strawberry. These aromas meld into the palate along with red stone fruit, raspberry jam, mocha, sweet spices, and Mediterranean herbs. It’s a real treat at around $23. Total Wines & More, Palm Desert 760.346.2029 For our romantic Italian wine pick for the holidays, we’re recommending the SuperTuscan beauty that tastes wonderful and will not break the bank. Le Volte Dell’Ornellaia.

Like the Lucente, this wine is a reflection of Bordeaux blending sensibility but with stellar

Italian fruit along with the characteristic choice of Sangiovese as well. This is a Tuscan wine as well, but is produced from the fruit of the Tuscan shore.

Yes—that area is known as Bolgheri, which carries traditionally higher acidity and aromatics as well as more subtlety on the fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon does so well in this coastal region—to the amazement of wine enthusiasts! It’s a wine that whole heartedly goes with food and causes one to think on its production process: It simply stimulates the heart, mind, and soul.

This is the “baby brother” wine of the famed Ornellaia, the powerhouse SuperTuscan that sells for around $175! At just around $32, the Le Volte is the deal of the day, and no doubt of the holiday season.

Give a call to Costa over at Desert Wine & Spirits in Palm Springs to order this wine.

(760) 327-7701

This wine is a blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Sangiovese, and 20% Cab Sauvignon. The red blend springs from the glass with aromas of baking spice, dark berry fruit and floral notes of lilac. Well balanced, with flavors of mintinfused black currant and black plum that mingle with tangy red currant and mocha that continues through the long, fruit-filled finish.

It’s an exciting wine that is unusually fresh, vibrant with gorgeous energy and focus. Le Volte is now done half in oak and half in concrete, which keeps the flavors lively and fresh.

And since we’re going Italian with all this, do keep in mind Frankie’s Old World Italian Bakery, 769.770.1300, located on Perez Road in Cathedral City for a classic dessert!

Bunch of sweet and savory romantic pastries, breads and Italian dishes are offered at this quaint shop. It’s where I pick up my weekly binge of biscotti to dunk in my morning coffee. Grab anything to go, or, sit and enjoy a meal and a nice bottle of some vino d’Italia in the charming dining area. E ‘un piacere!

Bon Appétit, Cheers & Happy Holidays!

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December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

­­THUR DECEMBER 31

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bev & Bill 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 NYE Party w/ AimLo and Pawn & Reunion w/ DJ Day 10pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 NYE Party w/ Mikole Kaar & Billy E. Thompson 8:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Piano Bar 6pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 NYE Party w/ DJ sets by Rich Brandon, Subterraneo, Morningstar and a live performance by Ideation 9pm open 6pm-2am BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Live Entertainment 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CORKTREE; PD; 760-770-0123 Michael Keeth 6-9pm COSTAS NIGHTCLUB; PD; 760-347-1795 NYE Party w/ Long Duk Dong 9pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm DATE FARMER’S STUDIO; Coachella; Brant Bjork and The Low Desert Punk Band, Drug and Tribesmen 9pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 T.B.A. 7:30pm HARD ROCK; PS; BB’s 32nd Annual NYE Masquerade Party 8:30pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Chris Lomeli 6:30pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Open Mic 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Frank DiSalvo 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Punk Rock Night 9pm

KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 7pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Hot Rox LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Skip Martin’s Kool Celebration 8pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888999-1995 Quinto Menguante 8-1am MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 NYE Party w/ Alyce Bowie 9pm THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 NYE Bash w/ Lucky Tongue 9pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Murder by Death 9pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 NYE Party w/ DJ Tone 9pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 NYE Party w/ Rose Mallett 5:30pm, Charles Herrera 7:30pm, Kal David, Lauri Bono & The Real Deal 9:30pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 NYE Party w/ Brady James 9pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 The Smooth Brothers 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Dude Jones 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 T-Bone Karaoke 8pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Tony DiGerlando 6:30pm TRYST; PS; New Years Evil w/ D Jay Vee Are AKA Jesika Von Rabbit 10pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Flyer 4-6pm, Carolyn Martinez Trio 6:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-9pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Laurie Morvan Band 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 NYE Exclusive Party w/ DJ Bigster 8pm

FRI JANUARY 1

19TH HOLE; PD; 760-772-6696 Karaoke w/ T Bone 9pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 DJ Roamer & DJ Short Shorts noon, poolside, The Far West 9pm AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Art of Sax 8pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Closed AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Fleet Easton 7:30pm

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BAR; PS; 760-537-7337 TBA 9pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 DJ and Dancing 9pm Open 6pm-2am BISTRO 60 @TRILOGY; LQ; 760-501-0620 The Carmens 6pm BLUE BAR, SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-7755566 Lady Eris 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 5:30pm CLEMETINE; PD; 760-834-8814 Gina Carey 6pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm DATE SHED; IND; 760-775-6699 EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 House Band 8:45pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Lisa Lynn & The Country Gentlemen 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Bill Ramirez 6:30pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Frank DiSalvo 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Live DJ 8:30pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 8pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company in the afternoon, Hot Rox in the night LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Dax Band 9pm THE LOUNGE; AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888999-1995 DJ 9pm 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 Lucky Tongue 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760345-0222 Off Da Cuff 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Shadow Mountain Band 5pm, The Paul Chesne Band 7pm PEABODY’S CAFÉ; PS; 760-322-1877 Karaoke 7:30pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-228-1199 T.B.A. 9pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm

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PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Francesca Amari 6:30pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 DJ “G” 9pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 Closed SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 The Carmens 8-11pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 9pm SMOKIN’ BURGERS; PS; 760-883-5999 Ron James 6pm SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin Rock 10pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Demetrious and Co. 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 TBA 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Pat Rizzo 6:30pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 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 Meet The Corwins 5:30-7:30pm, John Stanley King 8pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 T.B.A. 1:304:30pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am, DJ Anwaar Hines 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 TBA 5:30pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 Michael Keeth 6-10pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 TBA 9pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Rose Mallet 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 Girl’s Night Out w/ The Men on the Hollywood Strip 9pm

SAT JANUARY 2

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 Dan Digs noon poolside, Exotics 9pm AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Art of Sax 8pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Cabaret Open Mic 7:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Denise Carter 7:30pm BAR; PS; 760-537-7337 TBA 9pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 DJ and

Dancing 9pm open 6pm-2am BLUE BAR; SPOTLIGHT 29; IND; 760-7755566 DJ 9pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Gina Carey 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT CASINO; PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael Wright 9-1am CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm DATE SHED; IND; 760-775-6699 DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 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 TBA 8:30pm THE GROOVE LOUNGE; SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-775-5566 DJ 8pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Dance in the New Year w/ The Deep Ones & Friends 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Bill Ramirez 6:30pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Frank DiSalvo 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 T.B.A. 8pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 8pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company,in the afternoon,Hot Rox,in the night LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Dax Band 9pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888999-1995 TBA 9pm 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 TBA 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760345-0222 Agave Bluesmasters 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Shadow Mountain band 5pm, The Far West 8pm PEABODY’S CAFÉ; PS; 760-322-1877 Karaoke 7:30pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-228-1199 TBA 9pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 TBA 8pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Comedy Night w/ Jason Stuart 5:30pm, Kal David, Lauri Bono & The Real Deal 9:30pm

December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 Beatabaums 9pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 R Buckle Road 9pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 The Carmens 8-11pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 9pm 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 TBA 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 TBA 8pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Darci Daniels 6:30pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm TRYST; PS; 760-832-6046 Derek Jordan Gregg 10pm VIBE, MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951-7555391 DJ Hektik 10pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 The Carmens 6:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 Rob & JB 1:30-4:30pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am, DJ Anwaar Hines 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Chris Lomeli 8pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 Courtney Chambers 6pm continue to page 20

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December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

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December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

17

December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

MY 2015 MOVIE PICKS

I

t’s impossible to see every film released in 2015 and still have a life, but when I think of movies that connected with me on some deep or visceral level, these are the first ones that come to mind. There are at least a dozen more titles that caught my fancy. And a bunch that were disappointing. More on those later.

MAD MAX FURY ROAD

Dr. George Miller finally gets to reboot his original apocalyptic vision with all the practical know-how and financing required. His stunning, visceral, cinematic masterpiece works on many levels, but make no mistake –- this is pure cinema at it’s best. I liked the feminist conceit that gives a ray of hope to our collective future.

THE REVENANT

Set in 1820s North Dakota during the winter, the true, extreme wilderness adventure of Hugh Glass as chronicled by novelist Michael Punke explodes on the big screen under the direction of Alejandro G. Inarritu. But it’s cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki who makes the flowing, harrowing, and available light images hyper real.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays Glass whose incredible journey of revenge after being attacked by an enraged mama grizzly, robbed, abandoned and left for dead has been filmed several times before, but never like this.

ANOMALISA

Not for everyone but clearly a work of weird, unsettling art. Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and animator Duke Johnson share directing credits in this eerie and uncomfortable stop-motion dreamlike story about a traveling, lonely Customer

18

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by Robin E. Simmons

Relations author and lecturer who seems to be unable to really connect with anyone while staying at the Al Fregoli Hotel (Google “Fregoli”).

Does he think everyone he encounters on a business trip is the same person? Is he mentally ill? You will probably say “Huh?” when it’s over but you will think about this one for a long, long time -- no matter how hard you try to forget. The nicely nuanced voice acting by David Thewlis and Jennifer Jason Leigh is spot on.

SPOTLIGHT

Director Thomas McCarthy perfectly captures the process of the Boston Globe’s investigation regarding the local Catholic Archdiocese’s coverup of child sexual abuse. A great ensemble cast gives heft to a true story of evil in the name of God that ripped the global Catholic church to it’s cold institutional heart. This fiercely moral film is not only about the necessity of a free press, but also the power of movies.

BRIDGE OF SPIES

I know some stunning elements of this story that are not included in this wonderful early 1960s true story about James Donovan (Tom Hanks), an average American insurance lawyer, who rises to the occasion when the CIA recruits him to represent an arrested Soviet spy in an increasingly complicated Berlin exchange for downed American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers. Never-the-less, I was caught up in Stephen Spielberg’s drama and even more so in the mood of the times and the Cold War period detail THE MARTIAN

I was caught up in Ridley Scott’s “Home

Screeners No.197

Alone in Space” adventure about a strong-willed, exceedingly clever, American astronaut (Matt Damon) inadvertently stranded on Mars. With wit and a never-say-die attitude, he vows “to science the shit out of” his desperate situation while the world watches. A hugely entertaining, great looking, feel good movie that never patronizes.

KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE

I am especially fond of movies that go way beyond the poster and the trailer. And I loved the explosive action – especially the over-the-top scene in a corrupt church. Unlikely Colin Firth is the dapper and very deadly super spy in Matthew Vaughn’s witty story about the recruiting of a young trainee. Full of very dry wit, twists, surprises and eye-popping violence that’s organic. A sweet homage to classic early Bond films.

EX MACHINA

Alex Garland makes a big impression with his intriguing sci-fi directorial debut. Beautifully composed images and superb effects remind of the era upon which we all sit on the brink – true artificial intelligence that comes with the overwhelming question: What Does It Mean To Be Human? Alicia Vikander, who is so good in the otherwise disappointing THE DANISH GIRL, is mesmerizing as a dangerously smart and alluring – no, make that seductive -- robot.

THE 100-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT THE WINDOW AND DISAPPEARED

I laughed out loud during this absurd and somehow endearing film based on the internationally best-selling novel by Jonas Jonasson. Here’s the premise: As a kid, Allan Karlsson always liked to blow things up. Now the 100-year-old explosives expert lives in a retirement home. He escapes and goes on an amazing, Zeliglike adventure.

IN THE HEART OF THE SEA

Herman Melville’s partial inspiration for Moby Dick is set in 1820. It begins when whalers played

by Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy board the Essex and soon fight a terrifying battle for survival when a gargantuan whale enacts revenge on their ship leaving them adrift very far from their Nantucket home. In my opinion, what this striking movie is really about, and why

it’s an especially compelling film, is the how far we humans will go to get oil and the sometimes unthinkable results of upsetting the natural order of nature and man. Or at least that’s my take on Ron Howard’s cautionary and relevant tale.

LOST AND FOUND

I can’t get this short student film out of my head. It’s about a jogger who finds a valuable package hidden under a bush a mountain trail.

After much anguish and in an effort to do the right thing, he turns it into the police, only to suffer unexpected consequences. I hope the young filmmaker Elijah Simmons and his team expand this dark premise to it’s full potential.

MERU

My palms got sweaty watching this heartstopping, big-wall climbing documentary adventure. The “Shark’s Fin” on Mount Meru sits 21,000 feet above the Ganges River in Northern India. For some of the world’s toughest climbers it’s an “irresistible nightmare.” In October 2008, Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk arrived in India to tackle Meru. Their carefully planned seven-day trip quickly becomes a 20-day death-defying trek in below zero temperatures with diminishing rations. They make it to 100 meters of the elusive summit, but their journey, like everyone before them, is not a successful.

Heartbroken in defeat, the trio returns to their ordinary lives. But Meru continues to haunt and call Anker. By September 2011, he convinces his two lifelong friends to undertake the “Shark’s Fin” once more, under even more incredibly unthinkable circumstances than their first attempt. MERU is the true documentary record of that journey. I can’t think of another movie that so perfectly captures the surreal landscape between conquering one’s demons and satisfying one’s desires. This extraordinary, exhilarating and terrifying film will likely be on the short list of Best Documentaries.

THE LADY IN THE VAN

Director Nicholas Hytner’s film recounts the true story of the odd “relationship” between author Alan Bennett and the fiercely independent Miss Shepherd, a woman of nebulous origins who parks her van in Bennett’s London driveway, only to live there for the next 15 years. The movie goes on a bit long but to say Maggie Smith’s Shepherd is unforgettable is an understatement.

Comments? robinesimmons@aol.com

Book Review

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

By Heidi Simmons

Favorites of 2015 - A Year in Books

A

mazing how quickly a year goes by!

Considering the last 12 months, I realize how strange the notion of “time” really is. If I dwell on its meaning -- if indeed time has meaning -- it can weird me out. Thoughts cross my mind: “Did I make the best use of my time,” “What could I have done to better utilize my time,” “Am I wasting time,” etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. It’s nuts to take time to contemplate time.

That’s why I like to read.

Being involved in a good book is a way to stop or travel through time. A compelling narrative can take you from where you sit to an alternate universe. Fiction or nonfiction, good books provide a space that is just outside our reality releasing the reader from the constraints of the moment.

Within the pages, we meet people we love and loathe. Real or imagined characters in this literary otherworld give us a glimpse into our own lives and the people who fill it.

This year I read fiction twice as much as I read nonfiction. However, the majority of my favorite books were nonfiction. It is difficult to rank books because each has so many wonderful qualities.

Mostly I seek new ideas and philosophical insights on the page and in the story.

Here are my top favorites and highlights from my 2015 CVW Book Review Column: Favorite Nonfiction “Fastest Things on Wings” by Terry Masear is about her relationship and view of the world as she rehabilitates hummingbirds in West

Hollywood. You don’t have to love the tiny bird to appreciate Masear nurturing spirit and insights on compassion.

“Population Wars” by Greg Graffin who shares his personal experiences along with his scientific acumen (he has a Ph.D in zoology) to show that Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” is not relevant or scientific. He insists that empathy must become the new norm if the human species is to survive.

“The Next Species” by Michael Tennesen is also a good read and makes a nice companion piece to Graffin’s book.

“Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert is an inspiration for those who long to be creative and productive. Gilbert encourages everyone to put aside his or her fear and do the artistic thing no matter what your “real” job is.

Favorite Memoir “Ghost Boy” by Martin Pistorius is an incredible story of how Martin was comatose at a young age and thought of only as a vegetable, when actually, he was aware of everything around him! This is an amazing story of love, endurance and overcoming the impossible.

Favorite Fiction “Life #6” by Diana Wagman is a story about a woman with a serious illness who looks back at all the close calls that nearly ended her life including a sailing trip with a madman. This book is often poetic and there is wisdom on nearly every page.

“Girl Waits With Gun” by Amy Stewart is a fun historical novel about a family of three women who take care of themselves in a society that is dominated by men. At the height of the industrial

revolution, they find themselves involved in a dangerous mystery.

“Bull Mountain” by Brian Panowich tells the generational story of a family that has made its living making and selling illegal substances from alcohol to heroine in the back hills of Georgia.

When an FBI agent wants to bring the family to justice, he enlists the Sheriff who is also the brother of the notorious clan. With lots of twists and turns, all hell breaks loose before life is changes for ever.

Favorite Short Story Collection “Gutshot” by Amelia Gray is crazy wonderful and “Honeydew” by Edith Perlman is intensely honest.

Favorite Biography “Elon Musk” by Ashlee Vance. Elon is the future! Vance does an amazing job exposing the creative genius and Elon’s efforts to save the human species and the planet.

“The Wright Brothers” by David McCullough is also an exciting read about innovative and creative thinkers who made an incredible difference and helped shape the world as we know it. Both these biographies capture an inspiring American spirit.

Nearly Hated Fiction “The Water Knife” by Paolo Bacigalupi was super hyped when it was released capitalizing on California’s record breaking draught. Set in a near dystopian future, where water in the southwest is controlled by “water lords.” Unfortunately, the characters lost their way and failed to enlighten the reader on how water is controlled and distributed.

“The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins took advantage of the popularity of Gillian Flynn’s “Gone Girl.” The women in this story were ugly and terrible people and not in a fun way. It baffles me how a book like this has remained on the bestseller list so long.

Most Talked About “Go Set A Watchman” by Harper Lee was held back from reviewers, yet pre-sold 20 million copies. I enjoyed the read. Although the publisher insists “Watchman” was a first draft, I say it reads better as a sequel.

Authors Who Passed in 2015 Jackie Collins, Oliver Sacks, Ruth Rendell. How nice to still have their books.

Reading is a great way to spend time. Looking over 52 weeks of book reviews, I realize how much reading sustains me and keeps me grounded, productive and engaged. Every week I leave this world and enter another. It is a great use of time and what a pleasure!

I hope you can find time to make reading a part of your New Year.

19

December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

CLUB CRAWLER NIGHTLIFE continued from page 15

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SUN JANUARY 3

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bob Garcia 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Slacker Sunday w/ Cooper Saver 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Jazz Brunch w/ Keisha D 11:30am AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 The Judy Show 7:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Motown, R&B and Funk 6pm-2am BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Steve Madaio 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT; PS; 888999-1995 Nash with Quinto Menguante 9pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Joe Jaggi 6pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Radio 60 & Friends 3-6pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Ted Herman’s Big Band 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Open Jam 6pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company, in the afternoon, Hot Rox, in the night MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Sunday Jam 4-8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Golden Era Karaoke 4-7pm, Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 7:30pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-

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MON JANUARY 4

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 The Luminators 6pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Bill Marx 6:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Mood Deep House Lounge 6pm-2am CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Joe Jaggi 6pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Ron Kalina’s Jazz 6pm 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 PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760327-4080 Singer Song Writer Open Mic hosted by Robert Poole 7pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 T-Bone

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com Karaoke 8pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 T.B.A. 6pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 TBA 6-9pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-2am, Michael James & 3sum 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Tony Grandberry 6:30pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Trish Hatley & Barney McClure 6pm

TUE JANUARY 5 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Russel James Pyle 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Ace Karaoke with Kiesha 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Tommy Dodson 7pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Bella da Ball Dinner Revue w/ guest performers 7:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Open DJ Night text 760-799-8800 to sign up 6pm2am BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Joe Jaggi 6pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm FIRESIDE LOUNGE; PS; 760-327-1700 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Karaoke hosted by Phillip Moore 9pm INDIAN CANYONS GOLF RESORT; PS; 760833-8700 DJ Randy Johnson 6pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760345-6466 Michael D’Angelo 6:15pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Ted Quinn’s Open Mic Reality Show Jam 8pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke

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WED JANUARY 6 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Daniel Horn 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Johnny Ashby 7pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Jazz Jam w/ Mikole Kaar & Friends 7:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Piano Bar 6pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Beer Pong Contest 6pm-2am BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Michael Keeth 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-

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

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760-404-6325

345-6466 Open Mic w/ Rich Bono & Poupee Boccaccio 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Live Music KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Open Mic hosted by Amy Angel 6:30pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Hot Rox MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 “Sing Jam” w/ Mikael Healey 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Golden Era Karaoke 4-7pm, Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760327-4080 TBA 7pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-288-1199 Karaoke w/ KJ Ginger 8pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Faith Prince & Jason Graae 7 & 9pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 Live Music 9pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 The D Phillips Band 6pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Straight Ahead Jazz 6pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Open Mic w/ Les Michaels 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Lizann Warner 6:30pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-2am, Nite Fixx 9-2am WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 Karaoke 9pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Yve Evans 6:30pm

Haddon Libby

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

Supreme Commander of Penny Stocks

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as anyone ever approached you to invest in ‘the next hot thing’ or a ‘can’t miss opportunity’? For every legitimate start-up or small company, many fail despite the best of intents with many more formed and failing with fraudulent intent.

How do you spot the potential opportunities over the failures or frauds?

Sophisticated investors typically start by looking at the quality of the management team. Do they have the experiences to potentially achieve success? What are their resumes? Are they trustworthy? Is their financial strategy en route to future success reasonable?

As an example, let’s look at companies that have retired four star general Wesley Clark on their Board of Directors. General Clark served in the U.S. Army for thirty-eight years and rose to the position of NATO’s Supreme Commander for Europe. While in that role, Clark helped protect 1.5 million Albanians from ethnic cleansing during the Kosovo War. He also graduated at the top of his class from the West Point Military Academy and has undergraduate and graduate degrees from Oxford University in philosophy, politics and economics.

This Rhodes Scholar briefly toyed with the

idea of running for President in 2004 and sits on the Advisory Board to the General Accountability Office (GAO) and serves as a Distinguished Senior Advisor for the Center for Strategic and International Studies and serves on the board of the American Council on Renewable Energy.

Impressive resume!

A deeper look shows that while General Clark has served on the Boards of successful companies like CVR Energy and online poker company, Amaya, he has also lent his name to more penny stock companies than all but four of the nearly 31,000 board members that Bloomberg tracks. Most penny stocks where Clark sat on the Boards are now worth less than before he joined with many going bankrupt.

Additionally, Clark rose to be Chairman of investment banking firm Rodman & Renshaw - a firm that closed its securities business after it was found that many of the Chinese firms that they took brought to the public markets were fraudulent.

Given that a decorated four-star general can be repeatedly involved in highly suspect companies, how can you protect yourself from these bad investments?

First, be suspect of companies trading on the Pink Sheets. If a stock trades with a .PNK

Dale Gribow On The Law

HOLIDAY DUI? DO YOU KNOW YOUR RIGHTS?

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he Desert Sun headline on November 23, 2015 was “MANY DON’T KNOW THEIR RIGHTS”.

Though the story was about Farmworker’s Safety Laws, as I read it I thought of other clients who are unaware of their legal rights.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR DUI RIGHTS? 1. Field Sobriety and Breath Tests at the scene are OPTIONAL. 2. If no drink for a few hours, request a Blood test at the station.

3. It takes about an hour for a drink to go in or out of your blood.

4. A DMV hearing MUST be requested within 10 days or right to a hearing is lost and license is suspended.

5. Miranda rights are not as important as it applies to questioning at the scene.

The DA can make a case without anything you say and just uses the FST’s (walk the line, finger to nose etc.) and the chemical (Breath or Blood) Tests.

6. Silence is Golden and Handcuffs are Silver so DON’T TALK to POLICE without your lawyers permission.

7. The correct charge is Driving Under the Influence, not Drunk Driving. You merely have to be impaired.

8. The DA will ask for Jail Time on a first time DUI.

9. There are alternates to jail time.

10. For the last 6 months the DA makes their best offer at the Arraignment. Thus aging the case, as was done in the past, may not be in the client’s best interest.

11. DUI TEST REFUSAL results in a 1 year license SUSPENSION. 12. DUI: filed as VC 23152 a: Driving under the influence & VC 23152 b: Driving with a BA (Blood Alcohol reading) of .08.

13. DUI requires both a DMV and Court hearing.

14. The 23152 a & b filing gives the DA two (2) bites of the apple.

15. A 23152b only deals with an alcohol reading of .08 or more 16. If you lose the DMV hearing your license is suspended for 4-5 months and if you plead in court or lose at trial your license is again suspended by DMV.....but you do not have to endure 2 suspensions.

17. A DUI/ Reckless Driving or At Fault accident is 2 points and traffic tickets are 1 point.

18. License suspension if total is 4 Points in 1year: 6 in 2 years or 8 points in 3 years 19. Traffic School removes a point; Ticket remains for Insurance Purposes.

20. The Indio court only accepts Traffic

after their symbol, it is a Pink Sheet Stock.

Most Pink Sheet companies do not report audited financials and have questionable financials. While there are legitimate companies listed on the Pink Sheets, this market segment is fraught with fraud and risk.

If the company was formed through a reverse merger, be leery. Reverse mergers are where one company is acquired by another so that the acquiring company can raise money and trade their stock more quickly. While many legitimate companies use this method, this way of a stock “going public” has more than its share of dishonest people.

School AFTER A TRIAL (if the cop does not object).

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

Another way to spot suspicious companies is to review their financials.

Audited statements by well known, respected accounting firms are important.

That said, Enron used a top shelf accountant and perpetrated one of the largest frauds in history. Generally speaking though, if all you have is a hyped unaudited financial statement that discusses the future while posting large losses in the equity section of their financials, be very leery.

Other warning signs include lots of press releases on new strategic alliances or products with limited to no financial results or “buy” recommendations from unknown analysts and firms. Finally, if you are seeing surges in the number of shares trading on a small stock, there is a very real chance that the stock price is being manipulated.

If you feel the need to invest in these small stocks, consider your investment to be the equivalent to an investment in a slot machine in a casino.

While you may win big, the odds are very much against you.

Haddon Libby is Managing Director of Winslow Drake, an investment management practice, and can be reached at hlibby@ winslowdrake.com

situation after screwing up.

I look upon my job as protecting the Constitutional Rights of every American who drinks and drives and gets arrested for a DUI. I do however “Change Hats” when I SUE Drunk Drivers for damages to my injured or deceased clients.

Dale Gribow Attorney at Law “TOP LAWYER” Palm Springs Life 73-061 El Paseo, Suite 220 Palm Desert, CA 92260 Office - 760-837-7500 Fax - 760 837-7502 Dale@DaleGribowLaw.com www.DaleGribowLaw.com

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December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

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Empire Polo Club Announces Opening Day of the 2016 Polo Season Sunday, January 3

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mpire Polo Club is pleased to announce the dates of their 2016 Polo Season. “Opening Day & Hat Day” at Empire Polo Club is scheduled for Sunday, January 3rd, 2016. Opening Day will feature two competitive polo games at 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM. Sunday Polo games are scheduled every week from Jan. 3rd through April 3rd, 2016.

The polo club will be closed on Sunday, January 17th and again on Sunday, March 6th, 2016.

General Admission is FREE with a $10 parking fee for all Sunday afternoon polo games. Tailgaters are welcome; space along the sidelines is available on a first come, first served basis. Bleacher seating is also available in the General Admission area. Spectators are welcome to bring their own food and beverages into the General Admission area.

Food and beverage service is also available for purchase.

VIP Admission is $25 per person and includes parking, VIP seating and a complimentary Champagne Divot Stomp.

The VIP seating area is located in front of the Olympic-peaked tents on the west side of the main polo field and offers field-side covered seating.

Spectators can also enjoy watching the Sunday football games while enjoying polo at the VIP Sports Lounge and Bar, located

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adjacent to the VIP seating area. The Sports Lounge offers viewers three flat screens featuring Sunday football games and other popular sports.

Reservations for VIP seating are highly recommended. Food and beverage service is available onsite during the Sunday matches.

No outside food or beverages are allowed into the VIP area. For VIP reservations or group rates please call 760-393-7298 or email tonyschieffer@empirepolo.com.

The entrance for Sunday games is on Ave. 50, between Monroe St. & Madison St. Friday Night Polo Empire Polo Club offers Friday night “Polo Under The Lights” on the second Friday of each month. Friday night polo features one polo match that typically lasts about an hour and a half. The Friday night game time is 5:30 PM in January and February, and 6:30 PM in March. Arrive early to get a good spot to tailgate. Bleacher seating is also available.

Beverage service is available onsite during the Friday night games. Admission, tailgating and parking are free for Friday night games.

Spectators are welcome to bring their own food and beverages to this event. Enter on Monroe St. at Ave. 51 for Friday Night Polo.

2016 FRIDAY NIGHT GAME SCHEDULE Friday, January 8th at 5:30 PM Friday, February 12th at 5:30 PM Friday, March 11th at 6:30 PM

, 2016

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General Information What to Wear? This is the one of the most frequently asked questions by spectators.

We suggest “hats and flats,” as heels sink in the grass and the sun is always shining here in the desert. Polo is a casual affair at Empire Polo Club, so please wear whatever you feel comfortable in. You will see spectators wearing everything from shorts, jeans and flip-flops to sundresses, khakis and buttondown shirts. If you plan to attend a Friday night “Polo Under The Lights” game, dress warmly.

Why Watch Polo?

It’s a great way to spend your Sunday afternoon. Imagine sitting field-side, overlooking a series of immaculate polo fields

sports Scene

surrounded by majestic mountains in the distance, while watching one of the fastest team sports on earth.

Polo is never boring. Eight players travel at speeds up to 30 miles per hour while ridingoff other players, hooking their opponent’s mallets and hitting the ball at full speed. It’s a great spectator sport and general admission is FREE. You can’t beat that!

Directions The entrance for Sunday Polo games is on Ave. 50 between Madison St. and Monroe St. The entrance for Friday night “Under the Light” polo games in located on Monroe St. at Ave. 51.

Sunday Polo Entrance From Interstate 10 take the Monroe St. exit. Head south on Monroe St. Take a right on Ave. 50 and you will see the Empire entrance gates on the left side of the road. Use the middle gate for tailgating access and General Admission parking. If you are a cabana holder, have VIP reservations for a table or if you are part of a group with reservations, use the third gate to access the VIP parking area.

Friday Night Polo Entrance From Interstate 10 take the Monroe St. Exit. Head south on Monroe St. The main entrance to Field #3 and Friday Night Polo is on Monroe St. at Ave. 51.

Empire Polo Club - 81-800 Ave. 51, Indio, CA 92201. www.EmpirePolo.com General Info. Line- (760)393-7298 VIP & Group Reservations- (760)393-7298

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safety tips

by Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

16 Good Resolutions For 2016

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his New Year’s Eve, we should all vow to take a closer look into our lives and make decisions about ourselves. Here are 16 New Year’s Resolutions to help you for a better 2016.

1. Stop being negative. If you’re unhappy, do something about it. You have choice, but don’t spew your unhappiness on others.

2. If you don’t like it here, leave the country. We’ve got our problems, no doubt. But it’s still the best place to live.

3. Get over yourself, listen more and talk less.

You’re not as ‘Bitch’in’ as you think you are. But you will be better if you became a better listener!

4. If you don’t like your job, quit. Life is too short to be doing something or being somewhere you don’t enjoy. Just make sure the negative environment isn’t contributed by you before you jump.

5. Clothes a little tight? The gym is a great place to go for mental and physical stimuli. It’s also a great place to meet new friends.

6. If you spill milk what do you do? Clean it up! Otherwise it hardens and stains sometimes permanently. Clean your messes up with people you’ve made them with. The longer you wait, the harder it gets.

7. Rid yourself of enemies. If you wronged someone, apologize for what you did and forgive those who have wronged you.

8. Don’t spend 2016 surrounded by people

you secretly despise. Have the courage to say “this isn’t working for me” and cut ties. You’ll do the both of you a favor.

9. Look at people in the eyes and smile.

Somewhere, somehow we’ve lost that. Bring it back home.

10. Stop caring about how many people “like” you on your social media accounts. Learn to like yourself. That’s what matters.

11. Strengthen relationships with family members. Blood is thicker than water.

12. Help strangers. “Pay it forward,” do good things for others - and don’t post about it on Facebook.

13. Conquer a fear. Until you confront it, it will always remain and hold you back.

14. Turn off your smart-phone at dinner and be ‘present’ to those your with and/or your surroundings.

15. Stop being so shallow. Next time you find yourself judging someone remember. “If you spot it, you got it.” What you don’t like about someone else is something that is residing in you.

16. Quit texting and driving. Plain and simple!

If you have “any” class within you, texting and driving certainly takes it away.

These are 16 New Year’s Resolutions every person should make. I’d love to hear/post other ones from you!

Happy New Year!

Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY Week of December 31

ARIES (March 21-April 19): John Koenig is an artist who invents new words. Here’s one that’s applicable to your journey in 2016: “keyframe.”

Koenig defines it as being a seemingly mundane phase of your life that is in fact a turning point.

Major plot twists in your big story arrive half-hidden amidst a stream of innocuous events. They don’t come about through “a series of jolting epiphanies,” Koenig says, but rather “by tiny imperceptible differences between one ordinary day and the next.” In revealing this secret, I hope I’ve alerted you to the importance of acting with maximum integrity and excellence in your everyday routine.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The coming months look like one of the best times ever for your love life. Old romantic wounds are finally ready to be healed. You’ll know what you have to do to shed tired traditions and bad habits that have limited your ability to get the spicy sweetness you deserve.

Are you up for the fun challenge? Be horny for deep feelings. Be exuberantly aggressive in honoring your primal yearnings. Use your imagination to dream up new approaches to getting what you want. The innovations in intimacy that you initiate in the coming months will keep bringing you gifts and teachings for years to come.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In ancient times, observers of the sky knew the difference between stars and planets. The stars remained fixed in their places. The planets wandered around, always shifting positions in relationship to the stars. But now and then, at irregular intervals, a very bright star would suddenly materialize out of nowhere, stay in the same place for a while, and then disappear. Chinese astronomers called these “guest stars.” We refer to them as supernovae. They are previously dim or invisible stars that explode, releasing tremendous energy for a short time.

I suspect that in 2016, you may experience the metaphorical equivalent of a guest star. Learn all you can from it. It’ll provide teachings and blessings that could feed you for years.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Be alert for an abundance of interesting lessons in 2016. You will be offered teachings about a variety of practical subjects, including how to take care of yourself really well, how to live the life you want to live, and how to build the connections that serve your dreams. If you are even moderately responsive to the prompts and nudges that come your way, you will become smarter than you thought possible.

So just imagine how savvy you’ll be if you ardently embrace your educational opportunities. (Please note that some of these opportunities may be partially in disguise.)

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The silkworm grows fast.

Once it hatches, it eats constantly for three weeks.

By the time it spins its cocoon, it’s 10,000 times heavier than it was in the beginning. On the other hand, a mature, 60-foot-tall saguaro cactus may take 30 years to fully grow a new side arm. It’s in no hurry. From what I can tell, Leo, 2015 was more like a silkworm year for you, whereas 2016 will more closely resemble a saguaro. Keep in mind that while the saguaro phase is different from your silkworm time, it’s just as important.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “The sky calls me,” wrote Virgo teacher and poet Sri Chinmoy. “The wind calls me. The moon and stars call me. The dense groves call me. The dance of the fountain calls me. Smiles call me, tears call me. A faint melody calls me. The morn, noon and eve call me. Everyone is searching for a playmate. Everyone is calling me, ‘Come, come!’” In 2016, Virgo, I suspect you will have a lot of firsthand experience with feelings like these. Sometimes life’s seductiveness may overwhelm you, activating confused desires to go everywhere and do everything. On other occasions, you will be enchanted by the lush invitations, and will know exactly how to respond and reciprocate.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In the 19th century, horses were a primary mode of personal transportation. Some people rode them, and others

© Copyright 2015 Rob Brezsny

sat in carriages and wagons that horses pulled.

But as cities grew larger, a problem emerged: the mounting manure left behind on the roads. It became an ever-increasing challenge to clear away the equine “pollution.” In 1894, a British newspaper predicted that the streets of London would be covered with nine feet of the stuff by 1950. But then something unexpected happened: cars. Gradually, the threat of an excremental apocalypse waned. I present this story as an example of what I expect for you in 2016: a pressing dilemma that will gradually dissolve because of the arrival of a factor you can’t imagine yet.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The longest river in the world flows through eastern Africa: the Nile.

It originates below the equator and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. Although its current flows north, its prevailing winds blow south. That’s why sailors have found it easily navigable for thousands of years. They can either go with the flow of the water or use sails to harness the power of the breeze. I propose that we make the Nile your official metaphor in 2016, Scorpio. You need versatile resources that enable you to come and go as you please -- that are flexible in supporting your efforts to go where you want and when you want.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In many cases, steel isn’t fully useful if it’s too hard. Manufacturers often have to soften it a bit. This process, which is called tempering, makes the steel springier and more malleable. Car parts, for example, can’t be too rigid. If they were, they’d break too easily. I invite you to use “tempering” as one of your main metaphors in 2016, Sagittarius. You’re going to be strong and vigorous, and those qualities will serve you best if you keep them flexible. Do you know the word “ductile”? If not, look it up. It’ll be a word of power for you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In his essay “The Etiquette of Freedom,” poet Gary Snyder says that wildness “is perennially within us, dormant as a hard-shelled seed, awaiting the fire or flood that awakes it again.” The fact that it’s a “hard-shelled” seed is a crucial detail. The vital stuff inside the stiff outer coating may not be able to break out and start growing without the help of a ruckus. A fire or flood?

They might do the job. But I propose, Capricorn, that in 2016 you find an equally vigorous but less disruptive prod to liberate your dormant wildness.

Like what? You could embark on a brave pilgrimage or quest. You could dare yourself to escape your comfort zone. Are there any undomesticated fantasies you’ve been suppressing? Unsuppress them!

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Frederick the Great was King of Prussia between 1740 and 1786. He was also an Aquarius who sometimes experimented with eccentric ideas. When he brewed his coffee, for example, he used champagne instead of water.

Once the hot elixir was ready to drink, he mixed in a dash of powdered mustard. In light of the astrological omens, I suspect that Frederick’s exotic blend might be an apt symbol for your life in 2016: a vigorous, rich, complex synthesis of champagne, coffee, and mustard. (P.S. Frederick testified that “champagne carries happiness to the brain.”)

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): My Piscean acquaintance Arturo plays the piano as well as anyone I’ve heard. He tells me that he can produce 150 different sounds from any single key. Using the foot pedals accounts for some of the variation. How he touches a key is an even more important factor.

It can be percussive, fluidic, staccato, relaxed, lively, and many other moods. I invite you to cultivate a similar approach to your unique skills in 2016.

Expand and deepen your ability to draw out the best in them. Learn how to be even more expressive with the powers you already possess.

Homework: Check out my audio horoscopes, which provide expanded forecasts about your destiny in 2016: http://bit.ly/BigView2016 Rob Brezsny Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

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December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

Mind,body & Spirit

WRAP IT UP

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by Bronwyn Ison

nother year has transpired. It is a time of reflection and establishing New Year’s resolutions. Looking back on the previous year you have wonderful memories and likely learned a few lessons.

While reflecting keep in mind that a New Year is in the offing. Build upon all that has been prosperous and relinquish all that has not served you.

Commencing a New Year is exciting.

Most of us will set resolutions. Set realistic goals and expectations for yourself. So often our resolutions extinguish quickly because we revert to old habits. Be honest with yourself. Or, trust a friend who can hold you accountable for your actions. If you desire a healthier lifestyle it would behoove you to have a workout buddy. The two of you can check in with one another and monitor your progress. If you desire to do it on your own, journaling will help you obtain your maximum potential.

Approach the upcoming year with positivity. You reap what you sow. Therefore, if you desire goodness and possess a generous spirit you will benefit of your actions.

Naturally, the year ahead will present many valuable lessons and hardships. Remember they are all for your good. Yet, you will also have an abundance of favor as well. How you conduct yourself with your family, friends and business will also affect the outcome of your day-to-day life.

You’ve wanted to learn how to play piano… commit to taking lessons. Kicking an

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Life & careerCoach

by Sunny Simon

Winning Formula for 2106: Passion and Timing

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old habit such as smoking, decreasing your sugar intake or diminishing caffeine from your diet may be challenging but it’s time to let it go. Perhaps you have struggled with forgiving someone who has hurt you. Now may be a good time to forgive and move on with your life. Perhaps you need to contemplate some personal issues in your own life. Why wait another year? Jettison what is not serving your soul.

To begin anew is challenging, exhilarating and can be frightening. When we set goals we are inviting change into our lives. Change is the only constant in life. It also sets our minds up for anxiety. Since most of us live fear based, change is precarious. If you approach your goals knowing that change is required you can look fear in the face. If we were to consider fear it may not be as ominous.

As I mature I have realized it is impossible to propel forward if you are lingering in your past. The past is the past, meaning it is over. Welcome new opportunities and allow yourself to rejoice about what your future has in store for you. Diminish negative thoughts and voices. It does not serve you.

Negative thoughts and people will not allow you to explore all the goodness that awaits you in 2016.

Wishing each of you a prosperous and healthy New Year. Welcome change and the remainder will fall into place. Recite… “This is my year!”

Bronwyn Ison is the owner of Evolve Yoga. e-volveyoga.com 760.564.YOGA

s my client sat across from me rattling off a list of goals for 2016, my smile applauded her enthusiasm. Silently I sighed at the sheer number of challenges she was creating. I’m all for raising the bar high, but truly I knew this was never going to work. It was my job to bring Amanda back to earth without dampening her enthusiasm to make the New Year her best year yet.

To her credit, Amanda’s goals were very specific. Her plan went awry because she failed to understand when creating a list of accomplishments for the next twelve months, less really is more.

It is natural to view a new year as a blank canvas where we can create a multitude of exciting ways to change our lives and increase our happiness level. However, before launching into a goal planning session, stop and consider the energy and persistence required to bring goals to completion.

In her book, “This Year I Will,” executive coach M.J. Ryan reminds us that, “Change requires we stretch not only mentally, but emotionally and spiritually.” That stretching takes time which is finite. Spoiler alert: We are all limited to twelve months, 365 days and 8760 hours.

My advice to Amanda, and any individual in the goal planning process, is set a steadfast intention to win. Begin by creating a goal that

ranks as number one on your priority list. What area in life are you most passionate about altering? Whether it involves changing careers, moving out-of-state, returning to school or writing a book, it takes an ardent commitment to see it through. You must be willing to put every ounce of time and energy into capitalizing on your dream, or you will sabotage your chances of succeeding.

Next, drill down and specifically map out each step of the path to your new objective. Bounce the steps against a timeline. Realistically set up end dates for the accomplishment of specific milestones within your major goal. I like to use reverse chronological order by starting at the end and working your way back to step one. Each action item should have a firm date attached to it.

Once you use this formula to create your most significant objective, determine if there is time to realistically take on another goal that ignites your passion.

Winning is a mindset. Whether you have one goal or seven, make 2016 the year you score the win by making your success a non-negotiable triumph. I’ll be waiting to hear about it!

Sunny Simon is the owner of Raise the Bar High Life and Career Coaching. She wishes the readers of CV Weekly a joyous and Happy New Year. More about Sunny at raisethebarhigh.com

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December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

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December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

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December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

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December 31, 2015 to January 6, 2016

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