Cathedral City High School Lions’ Pride Chamber Singers*
Santa Visit 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Tree Lighting with Lance Bass and hosted by KESQ’s Patrick Evans with the Palm Springs High School Madrigal Choir 5:30 p.m
Shadow Hills High School Chamber Singers*
Coachella Valley High School Concert Choir*
“Breakfast with Santa” 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Quartz Hill High School Chamber Singers and A Cappella Choir*
Special holiday dining in Peaks Restaurant and Pines Café
Special holiday dining in Pines Café
* Choir Performances at 5 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.
All events held at the Mountain Station and are subject to change.
Mailing address: 31855 Date Palm Drive, No. 3-263 Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 904-4208 www.cvindependent.com
Editor/Publisher
Jimmy Boegle
staff writer
Kevin Fitzgerald
coveR and feature design
Dennis Wodzisz
Contributors
Haleemon Anderson, Melissa Daniels, Charles Drabkin, Katie Finn, Bill Frost, Bonnie Gilgallon, Bob Grimm, Terry Huber, Valerie-Jean (VJ) Hume, Clay Jones, Matt Jones, Matt King, Keith Knight, Brett Newton, Greg Niemann, Jeffrey Norman, Dan Perkins, Theresa Sama, Jen Sorensen, Robert Victor, Eleanor Whitney
The Independent is a proud member and/ or supporter of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, the California Newspaper Publishers Association, CalMatters, DAP Health, the Local Independent Online News Publishers, the Desert Business Association, and the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert.
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
The Palm Springs International Airport recently posted an “apology” on its social-media channels. It reads:
After an internal review, PSP leadership has identified a series of recurring issues creating unintended outcomes for our guests. In the interest of transparency, we believe it’s time to formally acknowledge what’s been happening.
Please accept our sincerest apologies for:
• Security lines that barely exist. We know inching forward in a never-ending line is a cherished airport pastime, and by screening you in minutes, we’ve deprived you of this ritual.
• Views that ruin other airports for you. Sunshine, mountains, and open air concourses have consequences, and we’re sorry that not every terminal can feel like a resort.
• Accidentally creating airport snobs. Once you park steps from the terminal and are greeted with genuine hospitality, it’s only natural to judge … everything else. We accept responsibility for setting the standard you may never to recover from.
We understand this may make flying from anywhere else a challenge, but we remain committed to keeping PSP easy, friendly, and unforgettable—no matter the consequences.
Thanks for continuing to choose your favorite airport, the one that’s just a little too easy.
Clever!
For various reasons—the primary one being that this is our Best of Coachella Valley issue—I’ve been thinking a lot about how lucky we all are to live here.
Yes, the Coachella Valley is flawed—deeply flawed, even, in some ways. Our economy is way too dependent on tourism. The wealth inequity within our nine valley cities and our unincorporated areas is horrifying. While the expanding College of the Desert and the two university satellite campuses in Palm Desert are great, the area suffers from the lack of a full four-year college. We have serious pollution concerns (hello, Salton Sea!). The food scene could use more diversity—and, of course, the summer heat is absolutely brutal.
That said … there’s not a place on Earth that is perfect. Every city/town/community has both flaws and positives—and here in the Coachella Valley, we’re fortunate to enjoy a whole lot of positives beyond our convenient, adorable airport.
Just a few examples: the mountains and other natural beauty that are all around us. Cultural offerings—shows, entertainment, arts, a theater scene, etc.—that are great and keep getting better. Myriad nonprofits all working to make the community a better place. All sorts of amazing people— and, of course, beyond-compare non-summer weather.
There are a lot of bad things in the country and the world right now. There is much to be worried about, and there’s a lot of work that needs to be done. That needs to be acknowledged.
But there are also many, many reasons to be thankful, and a lot of us who call the Coachella Valley home have more to be thankful for than most, in my humble opinion. (If you disagree, flip through the pages of this issue, and see if that changes your tune.)
Welcome to the December 2025 print edition of the Coachella Valley Independent—our 12th annual Best of Coachella Valley issue.
—Jimmy
Boegle, jboegle@cvindependent.com
HIKING WITH T
BY THERESA SAMA
For years, I hiked around the Yucca Valley/Joshua Tree area without venturing into the Pioneertown Mountains Preserve—and now that I have, I feel like I’ve struck gold Pioneertown Mountains Preserve is owned and managed by The Wildlands Conservancy, California’s largest nonprofit nature preserve system (wildlandsconservancy.org/preserves/ pioneertownmountains). Descending from tall, piney ridges at 7,800 feet in elevation, among the lower slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains, the preserve covers 25,500 acres of wilderness that spans into the Pioneertown Valley (home of the famous Pappy and Harriet’s, a Western-themed restaurant and music venue). Pioneertown Mountains Preserve has year-round riparian corridors in Pipes Canyon and Little Morongo Canyon and is an important landscape linkage
between Joshua Tree National Park, the San Bernardino National Forest, and the Bighorn Mountain Wilderness.
The preserve also carries a story of resilience, as much of the flora has been under long-term recovery from the 2006 Sawtooth Complex Fire—a 70,000-acre fire caused by lightning that destroyed numerous pinyon pines, junipers and Joshua trees, some thousands of years old. Today, the land has rebounded with vibrant vegetation and wildlife.
The Pioneertown Mountains Preserve’s address is 51010 Pipes Canyon Road, in Pioneertown. It’s about an hour drive, maybe less, from the Palm Springs area. Take Highway 62 toward Yucca Valley for about 20 miles or so and turn left onto Pioneertown Road, where you will continue for about 4.5 miles, and veer right just past Pappy and Harriet’s. From there, it’s another three miles to Pipes Canyon Road, where you will turn left onto the smooth dirt road and follow it for about a mile to the parking area. It’s marked; you’ll see the sign. Admission to the preserve is free, and it’s open daily, year-round, from dawn to dusk. There are shaded areas such as a shelter house with picnic tables, and a nice, shaded deck with benches and a table at the ranger station/visitor center, where you will find clean restrooms and drinking water. There is a lot of signage, with information kiosks and paper trail maps available to take with you on your hikes. Dogs are allowed on these trails, but must be on-leash. It’s a leave-no-trace area, so don’t let your trash hit the ground, and take all garbage with you. Pack in! Pack out!
The preserve is home to a variety of wildlife, including desert bighorn sheep, mule deer, mountain lions, black bears, gray foxes, various bird species and many other mammals and reptiles. If you see wildlife, please keep a distance, and observe quietly. Do not disturb wildlife in any way. Remember, we are in their territory.
There are six marked trails to explore at this preserve, with three main trails that start near the visitor center and upper parking lot.
After being closed for a while, the Indian Loop Trail is now open again; a special thanks to the rangers and volunteers for months of hard work to reroute washed-out sections, and to install rock steps, new trail posts and more, to make this trail safe and enjoyable again. The Indian Loop Trail is a moderate 6.5 miles, or you can turn it into a more difficult 8-mile hike to include Chaparrosa Peak.
That longer hike would involve a total climb of more than 1,400 feet and take up to four hours to complete, according to The Hiking Guy. He suggests starting this loop clockwise at the Chaparrosa Peak Trail, located near the upper overflow parking lot to the left, just above the first parking lot. From here, it’s a little more than three miles one way to the peak. The trail first descends into a wash before the climb begins—and pretty much continues until reaching the peak. Just more than two miles in, you’ll come to the junction of Chaparrosa Peak and the Indian Loop Trail. This is where you will take a left and head south for about three-quarters of a mile to reach the peak; here, the trail becomes more primitive. You’ll continue to go in and out of washes as you climb. After reaching the ridge, Chaparrosa Peak will be right in front of you. As you approach the peak, you’ll see the surrounding peaks of Big Bear in front of you, with Mount San Jacinto to the south. Onyx Peak and Flat Top Mesa will be to the east. On the way down, you’ll take in the intense views of the Sawtooths—you’ll be looking right into them. Once you reach the junction again, you can go back to the start, or make a left and continue onto the Indian Springs Trail, where you’ll enjoy beautiful views as you go up and down the rolling hills for the next mile or so, before the trail turns east into a steep canyon about five miles in. Then you descend into the steep upper canyon via the rock steps and continue down the narrow canyon until you reach the big wash, where you’ll turn right onto the Pipes Canyon Trail. From there, it’s a nice, sandy trek down Pipes Canyon until you reach the creek (aka Pipes Wash; you’ll cross it sev-
Discovering the Pioneertown Mountains Preserve is like finding gold
eral times). This is a wetlands area, with lush vegetation and lots of scrub brush that can be dense at times, but it does provide shade. Be prepared, as it can be wet and muddy throughout this section. Around this point, six miles in, you will see the Olsen Ruins, where a Swedish goat tender John Olson (not Olsen) lived back in the 1920s while he worked the onyx mine. From here, continue down the wash, and as it widens, there will be a small loop to the left, off the main trail, where you can see petroglyphs, before reaching the gate near the visitor center area. You have now completed three amazing hikes in one (Indian Loop, Chaparrosa Peak and Olsen Ruins).
For a shorter and easier hike, just less than 3.5 total miles out and back, you can begin at Pipes Canyon Wash, just below the visitor cen-
ter, and hike to the Olsen Ruins.
This area is full of interesting history and stunning desert scenery, including beautiful seasonal wildflowers. These trails offer a lot to explore, with unique rock formations throughout; they can be great experiences for hikers of all levels. You can make your hikes as long or as short as you’d like—but remember that the preserve closes at dusk.
Although water is available here, you should always bring your own water—at least two liters. Wear layers, good hiking shoes, sunscreen and a hat; hiking poles can be helpful, too. It can be quite windy at times, and it can get very cool during the winter—and brutally hot during the summer. Be safe, and know the desert hiking essentials; learn more at www. desertmountains.org/hiking.
At the start of the Chaparrosa Peak Trail, you can see the dramatic Sawtooths in distance to the left. Theresa Sama
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Opening Christmas Day!
OPINION KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS
It’s often said that mountains don’t rise without earthquakes—and that phrase sums up the life of Jason Powell.
Meet Jason Powell, a Palm Springs High music teacher—and a child-abuse survivor who tells his story to help others
Born in San Diego, Powell lived in Northern California until the second-grade, when he was sent to live with his aunt in Morongo Valley. As a kid, he didn’t have a clear idea of what he wanted to do for a career. When someone told him the name Jason meant “healer,” he briefly entertained the idea of becoming a doctor, or possibly an artist.
Powell was studying culinary arts at College of the Desert when a friend asked him to ditch class and attend a percussion ensemble concert.
tinkering around on the guitar. The concert inspired me to take my first music class, which triggered a lifelong passion for the subject.”
“It was the coolest thing I’d ever seen,” Powell said. “I had wanted to play music, and had been BY BONNIE GILGALLON the angels singing.”
Powell’s primary instrument is classical guitar, but he also sings and plays violin and percussion. He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in music education, with an emphasis in classical guitar and a minor in percussion, from the University of Redlands. He then moved on to Boston University to pursue a master’s degree in music.
In January 2008, Powell was hired as a full-time music teacher at Palm Springs High School, and he’s been there ever since. But his involvement in the local music community doesn’t stop there: He plays percussion with the Coachella Valley Symphony and was later asked to conduct the symphony’s Buddy Rogers Youth Symphony.
Powell’s music students are in grades nine through 12, and they are often being introduced to playing music for the first time.
“When they come to me, many of them have never even seen a violin in person before,” he said. “I get to start them from absolute scratch. I think they take the class because they hear rumors from friends that it’s fun. I get very excited about music, which in turn gets the kids excited.”
Powell admits that listening to a beginning violin student practicing can be tough. “That’s the hardest part about being a music teacher,” he said. “You leave graduate school, and you’re at this level of just pristine music, and you think, ‘This is amazing; I’m going to play like this for the rest of my life.’ Then you get stuck playing what a 14-year-old can play. And it does sometimes sound like they’re murdering cats.”
For a while, the students screech along—but then there’s a breakthrough moment, when the student notices they’re starting to sound good. Then comes the first concert.
“Their parents have only heard them screeching when they practice at home,” Powell said. “They end up leaving the concert being so proud of their kid, because when several violins play together, it can sound like
Powell said current high school students don’t get many chances to really prove themselves creatively.
“Everything they do is on a device,” he said. “If you make a TikTok video, you’ve done nothing. You’ve pointed and clicked, and the program has done it. Kids feel they don’t really have any creativity, so when they’re 100 percent responsible for the sounds that come out of an instrument, it gives them identity.”
One of Powell’s passions is travel. Every other year, he and his wife take a group of high school students around the world to experience different cultures. One year, the trip included Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic. They went to the Esterhazy Palace, where Joseph Haydn was the conductor and composer. Later, one of the guitar students who’d been on that trip played a Joseph Haydn piece for his audition at the University of Redlands. The school was so impressed with his choice that they gave him a full scholarship, and he went on to a professional music career.
There was a great deal of abuse during Powell’s childhood. He was born while his stepfather was in prison.
“When he came home, he despised me, and wanted me dead,” he said. “For many years when I was young, my mother and I were not allowed to speak. We communicated only through sign language, because if you talked, people might call the cops.”
The stepfather was heavily into drugs, Powell said, and physically and emotionally tortured the entire family. He eventually went back to prison, and Powell’s mother died shortly after that. While still in high school, Powell was given full guardianship of his sisters, then 9, 8 and 2 years old.
Powell buried these memories for years until his wife started pointing out that his experience was not normal. The two of them pursued their doctorates at the University of Redlands together. Powell did an “autoethnography”— an inward study, trying to figure out why some kids who are abused are able to break free and
become productive citizens in society, while others end up shooting their peers. His wife studied the same issues, but from the lens of the foster parents and guidance counselors.
Powell eventually decided to detail his childhood trauma in a book, titled Red-Headed Stepchild. He published it himself and said the response has been amazing.
“It’s incredible how many people with this kind of background feel alone and isolated,” he said. “Once they realize they’re not alone, it changes their lives. I’ve also had teachers say they are able to spot signs of child abuse in their students much easier after reading the book.” As a teacher, Powell said he can immediately spot a student who’s having problems at home.
The book partly grew out of Powell’s twohour “Power Peptalk,” which he gives to his
seniors at the end of every school year. He talks about his experiences and offers insight on healing from trauma, and focusing on the positive in life. Many of his students were so inspired that they asked him to write it all down.
On Powell’s bucket list: Teaching for another 18 years, traveling more, and doing a book tour to create more awareness about child abuse. His go-to saying? “If you look at a person for what they are, that’s what they’ll remain. If you look at a person for what they could be, that’s what they’ll become.”
Bonnie Gilgallon has written theater reviews for the Independent since 2013. She hosts a digital interview show, The Desert Scene, which can be heard on www.thedesertscene.com and viewed on Mutual Broadcasting’s YouTube channel. Learn more at bonnie-g.com.
Jason Powell, on his students: “Their parents have only heard them screeching when they practice at home. They end up leaving the concert being so proud of their kid, because when several violins play together, it can sound like the angels singing.”
ANSWERS, THEN ACTION
by KEVIN FITZGERALD
The Desert View Power plant in Mecca—owned by Greenleaf Power and its parent company, Greenleaf Investment Holdings II LLC—began burning agricultural and other waste products to produce electricity in 1992, under prior ownership. It’s now been out of operation for more than a year, and its Environmental Protection Agen-
cy operating permit expired on Sept. 30— which is good news to east valley residents who have been demanding that the biomass renewable-energy power plant shut down permanently.
But worries remain: These frustrated community members are seeking the assessment of pollution levels at the plant, and a rapid cleanup of any toxic materials found in and around it.
Krystal Otworth is a senior policy advocate with the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability (LCJA), an advocacy group whose mission is to “secure equal access to opportunity regardless of wealth, race, income and place.” In a recent interview with the Independent, Otworth explained that biomass power plants are known to emit excessive amounts of mercury and other toxins.
“While it is part of California’s renewable-resource portfolio, biomass energy is actually one of the dirtiest forms of energy … dirtier than burning coal at the smokestack,” Otworth said. “The other thing that’s worth noting is that some of the dirtiest emissions from biomass (plants) happen during startup and shutdown of their boilers—so those emissions are not being monitored, since monitoring of emissions would start after startup and (end at) shutdown, right?”
The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) has been monitoring ozone levels around pollution sources in at-risk areas of Southern California since Assembly Bill 617 became law in 2017. In 2019, the eastern Coachella Valley—including the cities of Coachella and Indio, as well as the unincorporated communities of Mecca, North Shore, Oasis and Thermal—was rated as having particularly high ozone levels, requiring regular SCAQMD monitoring for years to come.
In 2022, the EPA issued a notice of violation to Desert View Power for exceeding legal limits of mercury and other pollutants being discharged into the air. It was around that time that the LCJA began working with local community members to highlight the potential environmental dangers related to the DVP plant.
“One of the big priorities was plant shutdown, because there had been reports of foul odors or smoke plumes throughout all hours of the day,” Otworth said. “The Salton Sea is a
huge-air pollution issue. It’s very complicated. … You have that in comparison to the Desert View Power plant, which seems as though it would be a more straightforward case—but it isn’t.”
America Noriega is a lifelong Mecca resident, now in her first year as a public-health major at California State University, Fullerton. She interned in the Leadership Counsel’s Coachella office over the summer, and has been advocating for the DVP plant’s closure since she was a junior in high school. She is also co-founder of the Coachella Valley United for a Better Environment, an organization fighting for the cleanup of the Desert View Power plant.
“Mecca has always been my home, and the home of my grandparents, who came from Mexico,” Noriega said during a recent interview. “So to find out that there’s this big corporation running a toxic power plant near our home, without any regards to the health and safety of the residents, really is heartbreaking. … We already suffer enough from the toxins of the Salton Sea. We live in a field-working town, so the pesticides from the fields affect our air quality, so it was extremely heartbreaking to find out that there’s a power plant also affecting our already poor air quality.”
Noriega said some of her neighbors didn’t even know DVP was a power plant.
“When you would ask people about it, they would say, ‘Oh, the cereal factory, or the light factory?’” Noriega said. “The DVP plant tends to have so much light emitting from the plant. … People would refer to it as ‘la planta de las luces,’ or ‘the plant of the lights.’ But being kept in the dark about what this plant actually does was very shocking. Once the group found out about how (the EPA) has an investigation going on, because the plant has emitted toxic chemicals into the air multiple times over the years, it was a no-brainer for us that we needed to stand up for ourselves and stick up for our homes.”
One of the first successful actions by CVUBE members was the creation of a petition demanding the decommissioning and physical closure of the plant, followed by an environmental inspection and a complete cleanup of the site, if warranted. She and her CVUBE colleagues have gathered more than 450 signatures to date.
“I’ve participated in outreach outside of
Mecca residents want to know more about the status of the decommissioned Desert View Power plant—and the pollution it has caused
the market that we have in Mecca, where we informed people about the plant and its violations, and we asked for signatures for the petition,” Noriega said. “We also do a lot of media work, where we record videos of people in the group talking about their story, and encourage people to speak up and sign the petition. I’ve written an op-ed for The Desert Sun, opposing the plant and calling on IID (the Imperial Irrigation District) to take action … I’ve also participated in workshops with local nonprofits and youth-led institutes. Also, the CVUBE had a meeting with the EPA (in 2024), and hosted lots of community meetings.”
The group has been requesting another sitdown with the EPA to reinforce their ongoing concerns, and delivered a copy of their petition to the agency as well. They want an update to help residents understand how the EPA will help them, learn what’s causing the long delay in obtaining answers to their concerns, and a description of any protective action to be undertaken.
The Independent reached out to the EPA for comment. After some voicemails back and forth, we received this terse statement via email: “EPA cannot comment on potential or ongoing investigations. … EPA does not have plans for a community meeting at this time.”
Mecca is an unincorporated community in Riverside County, and any resident issues should come before the Mecca-North Shore Community Council, which reports directly
to Riverside County District 4 Supervisor V. Manuel Perez. But Otworth said efforts to engage Perez and his office have been largely unsuccessful.
“In terms of their involvement, it has been very minimal,” Otworth said. “… I don’t believe I saw them at any of the EPA meetings that were held. If they’ve been in communication with Desert View Power themselves, I don’t know. But, as far as public communications, they have not been very active. I do believe the county should be involved. I think it’s going to require everyone who is a decision-maker in this space, and that includes the county, because Mecca community members are their constituents, right? I think Desert View Power has some responsibility here as the operating plant. The (Cabazon Band of Cahuilla Indians) tribe has some responsibility here as the land owner of this facility, and the county has responsibility here to ensure the safety of their constituents moving forward.”
For several weeks, the Independent attempted to talk to representatives from those entities.
After several email and telephone exchanges with Darin Schemmer, communications director for Perez, he provided this email statement on behalf of the supervisor: “The Desert View Power Plant sits on tribal land and is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Ultimately, decisions regarding the future of that site are up to the tribe and the federal government. As the residents around the plant live in our jurisdiction, we
America Noriega, co-founder of Coachella Valley United for a Better Environment: “It’s super-heartbreaking to know that, if this were happening in a high-income area, this plant would have been shut down a long time ago.” Photo courtesy of America Noriega
will work with the Cabazon Band of Cahuilla Indians to help keep communication ongoing with the community of Mecca, such as at our community council meetings.”
Jacquelyn Barnum is the former director of environmental affairs and planning and operations for the Cabazon Band of Cahuilla Indians, and she just became the director of strategic planning for the East Valley Remediation Facility (EVRF), a tribe-operated business located next to the DVP plant. Barnum wrote in an email: “In 2023, the tribe assumed ownership and operational control of the site in an effort to clean up legacy conditions left by prior operators and lessees, and to restore Cabazon Reservation lands for future use. That cleanup work is under way—non-hazardous, recyclable materials are being properly managed and transported off-site to permitted landfills, and the facility operates under applicable tribal and federal requirements.”
In response to the Independent’s question regarding the future of the DVP plant and the land surrounding it, Barnum wrote: “In reference to Desert View Power: EVRF remediation work is distinct from—and not a cleanup of— the DVP powerplant. … However, I can report that DVP shut down operations in or around April of 2024 and remains non-operational. The tribe is coordinating with all relevant parties, including government regulators, on both the present status and long-term future of that separate site. There is no new activity at the DVP site, and the tribe will communicate promptly with the community when there is further information to share.”
However, it appears that Perez and the tribe are starting to be more responsive. A staff member from Perez’s office and an employee of the EVRF both attended the Nov. 13 Mecca-North Shore Community Council meeting. In an email to the Independent, Stephanie Ambriz, a communications specialist with the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability out of Coachella, wrote: “Sabino Alejos with Coachella Valley United for a Better Environment shared that he felt it went well at
the Mecca-North Shore Community Council, because the council was receptive to what the group was sharing in regards to their concerns about (DVP) site safety, transparency and decommissioning plans. The community council shared that they would relay the message to the county supervisor. A representative for Manuel Perez didn’t commit to anything or say anything according to Sabino, but she was taking notes, and then she also shared that somebody from the East Valley Remediation Facility was there (although not representing the tribe). He stated that he would relay the message back to the tribe. Overall, (Sabino) was glad that they were able to share the community asks and to at least get agreement from the (community council) that they understood the concerns, and that they’re also going to ask the county to respond to the community group.”
Meanwhile, Noriega said the current priority for east valley residents is to get some answers.
“Right now, the No. 1 priority is communication and transparency,” said Noriega. “The group would like to know: Is the plant safe? Are there any cleanup plans? Are there any plans to test the site for toxins? Just any form of information from all of the parties involved is our first priority, because the county, Desert View Power, Greenleaf, the EPA and the tribe haven’t given the community any response or any transparency on what’s actually going on.”
Noriega said she feels like the operators of the power plant have taken advantage of her community.
“We don’t have the luxury to go get medical attention, because we’re far away from the clinic. We’re a 20-minute drive from the nearest city, so all of these health-care services are not accessible to us,” she said. “Being prominently a farm-working town, missing a day of work is extremely important. It’s super-heartbreaking to know that, if this were happening in a high-income area, this plant would have been shut down a long time ago. … But we keep going, and we keep pushing, and we’re going to continue to keep pushing until we get what we deserve.”
CIVIC SOLUTIONS
AThe Chuckwalla National Monument Intertribal Commission will include representatives from the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe, by melissa daniels
fter years of campaigning for the designation of the Chuckwalla National Monument, five Native American tribes will now formally work together to preserve and protect it.
the Cahuilla Band of Indians, the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe and the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT).
Councilman Zion White, of the Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe, said the goal of the commission is to get tribal values and tribal-land-stewardship expertise incorporated into management practices at the monument, and weigh in on any topics that come up regarding the land.
“We’ve stewarded these lands since time immemorial, and it’s been a multi-generational effort to get a seat at the table,” White said. “It’s really about incorporating those values and having that seat at the table so that we can express how we feel that this area should be cared for, whether it be the flora and the fauna, or the other natural resources that are within the boundaries.”
The Chuckwalla National Monument covers more than 624,000 acres of land south of Joshua Tree National Park, across Riverside and Imperial counties—including areas in the eastern Coachella Valley, like Painted Canyon
and Box Canyon in the Mecca Hills area. It also includes significant military-history sites, like Camp Young, where the U.S. Army trained soldiers during World War II. The lands received the designation in January, in the final days of the Biden administration. Like other national monuments, it falls under the purview of the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management.
The formation of tribal commission is a unique exercise of tribal sovereignty, at a time when changes in the U.S. federal government could threaten the future well-being of protected lands. President Trump has threatened to roll back President Biden’s designation of Chuckwalla, and there are serious questions about how much bandwidth the Interior Department will have moving forward. In October, a court filing revealed that the Interior Department plans to lay off more than 2,000 people, including 474 employees of the BLM.
Against that backdrop, it’s vital that stakeholders come together to making sure they can
Tribes convene a commission in response to concerns about management of the Chuckwalla National Monument
plan for the future. The formation of Chuckwalla was supported by a broad, bipartisan coalition, including more than 300 business owners, environmental groups and recreation leaders. Proclamations supporting the designation received bipartisan support in the state Legislature.
“It’s not just tribes that have a stake in this,” White said. “We realize this landscape is shared and managed by the federal government, so it’s about coming to agreements and being at the table together.”
The proclamation that formed the tribal commission—issued in mid-October, in the midst of the federal government shutdown— directs the Secretary of the Interior to meaningfully engage with the commission on matters including the planning and management of the monument.
In a statement, Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Chairman Joseph Mirelez said the lands are “more than a habitat,” but the embodiment of life itself.
“It is our inherent role to be the stewards and guardians of these lands, and in this moment of federal government dysfunction, (it is) all the more important that we reassume it formally,” Mirelez’s statement said.
One of the reasons people sought to protect
the land is its tribal connections. The monument lies within traditional homelands of the Iviatim (Cahuilla), Nuwu (Chemehuevi), Pipa Aha Macav (Mohave), Kwatsáan (Quechan), Maara’yam and Marringayam (Serrano), and other Indigenous peoples, according to a press release.
White, from the Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe, said there are many sensitive sites in the Chuckwalla that are important to the cultural identity of tribes, including village sites, camps, food-processing sites, and story and song locations.
Looking ahead, White said he anticipates the commission may have to weigh in on issues of mineral retraction. Chuckwalla is bordering lithium-rich areas, and White said the commission will “want to make sure that those don’t impact things that are sensitive to tribes.”
“We’d like to see as much preservation of the land as possible so that it remains, you know, pristine, because once something is changed or altered, it’s that way forever moving forward,” he said.
White also said he hopes the commission can become involved in documentation and analysis of the land as it is today. He said the commission has discussed looking into ethnographic studies for each tribe, to document and codify what was once there, and what remains. Typically, such studies are done only when there are proposals to build on land, and environmental and ethnographic reports are required as part of the planning process.
“I think it would be great having this commission really push for the studying and documentation of what is actually out there, so we have a 2025 picture of what’s in the landscape,” he said. “We have (tribal knowledge that’s held within individual tribal members and tribal experts), but I think moving forward, we need to really document what’s out there. ... I think this commission would be a great driver for those sorts of things.”
Beyond Chuckwalla, White said the commission is an example of what can be done as an exercise in sovereignty. Members of the general public do not always recognize that tribes are sovereign nations with certain authorities.
“There’s supposed to be government-to-government consultation in the management of public lands,” he said. “I think this is a really good step in a direction that hasn’t been walked yet. This is pretty innovative, and I’m hoping that this really inspires other tribes and other sovereign nations to think about similar avenues to have better inclusion for themselves as tribes.”
The Bradshaw Trail, a historic overland stage route established in 1862, runs through the Chuckwalla National Monument. Bob Wick
Quality Health Care Counts.
You Can Count on Eisenhower Health for Truly Exceptional Performance.
Thank you, U.S. News & World Report, for listing us as one of the “Best Hospitals” in the region and California. We’re grateful to our exceptional care teams and hospital workers whose talent and dedication made this honor possible. We were also recognized for our high quality care in 18 specialties, surgeries and procedures.
• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
• Aortic Valve Surgery
• Colon Cancer Surgery
• Gynecological Cancer Surgery
• Heart Bypass Surgery
• Hip Fracture
• Hip Replacement
• Knee Replacement
• Leukemia, Lymphoma & Myeloma
• Lung Cancer
• Orthopedics
• Pacemaker Implantation
• Pneumonia
• Prostate Cancer Surgery
• Spinal Fusion
• Stroke
• TAVR
• Urology
We look forward to building on and even surpassing this level of excellence in the coming year and delivering the best possible care to the people we serve.
Learn more about our accreditations and recognitions at EisenhowerHealth.org/Awards. EXCELLENCE
CV HISTORY
TDates, the Coachella Valley’s top agricultural crop, were introduced to the area 125 years ago
he Coachella Valley is sometimes called the Date Capital of the United States, for good reason: More than 90 percent of the United States’ commercial date-farming acreage is in California, and of that, 95 percent is in the Coachella Valley. The date palm has been cultivated by man for thousands of years. Domesticated date palms by greg niemann
probably originated in West Asia during the fourth millennium BCE, and later expanded throughout North Africa. The date palm thrives in regions with high heat, low humidity and a constant supply of groundwater, which is why it is primarily found in desert areas.
Dates are prominent in the Coachella Valley, where visitors are often introduced to their first date shake. The fruit is often displayed in local stores and shops, at farmers’ markets, and at local events like Palm Springs VillageFest. The date is the “featured guest” at the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival, and numerous streets in Indio are named for varietals of the date.
Walter Tennyson Swingle
Date palms were initially introduced to the Coachella Valley by Walter Tennyson Swingle (1871-1952), a prominent American agricultural botanist and plant explorer who worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The USDA decided in the 1890s to send explorers around the world to find crops that could be introduced to the United States, especially hoping to acquire crops for the California and Arizona deserts. Swingle thus brought Egyptian cotton to Arizona, and Acala cotton to California.
However, his most significant contribution was the date palm, which he found in Algeria in 1900. He brought back 405 samples of Deglet Noor and other date palms. He and a couple of other USDA explorers, Silas Mason and Paul Popenoe, also brought offshoots of different varieties from elsewhere in North Africa and the Middle East, including Oman and Morocco, for experimentation.
Swingle was optimistic about the date palm’s chances in California. He wrote: “No heat is too great and no air too dry for this remarkable plant, which is actually favored by a rainless climate and by hot desert winds. The date palm can withstand great alkali quantities in the soil—more than any other useful plant. … It is probably the only profitable crop that can succeed permanently.”
Swingle also traveled to Asia, bringing back 100,000 Chinese volumes on botany to the Library of Congress. Much of his research is published in the five-volume book The Citrus Industry, to which he was a major contributor.
Bernard G. Johnson
While Swingle brought the date palm to California, it was Bernard G. Johnson who inaugurated the Coachella Valley’s commercial date industry.
Johnson was from Germany and arrived in Indio via a Southern Pacific boxcar in 1901. In the valley, he began working on well-drilling rigs, learning as much about the valley’s water potential as possible. He had developed theories about growing dates outside of North Africa and the Middle East and wanted to test and implement them.
He made a desert claim about three miles southwest of Mecca, and then donated 10 acres to help establish the USDA experimental station, where he helped Walter Swingle tend the government offshoots.
He also worked his way to North Africa, where he studied the growth of date palms in the desert climate. In Algeria, he negotiated for 129 young Deglet Noor palms and, in 1903, planted them on his land near Mecca. Johnson lived alone in a shack next to his infant orchard and kept accurate records for each palm. He cultivated six varieties from offshoots.
After the Salton Sea flooded in 1905, Johnson was forced to relocate the experimental garden to an area west of Indio.
Johnson’s success in cultivating these date palms demonstrated the potential of the Coachella Valley as a date-growing region, earning him the title of “father” of California’s date industry. His shoots became the basis for date gardens throughout the Southwest and led to the first commercial date garden in the Coachella Valley.
His success brought thousands of people intrigued by the date-growing industry to the desert areas around Mecca and Indio.
‘Feet in Water, Head in Fire’
Date palms are said to thrive with their “feet in water (and) head in fire,” because they need plenty of ground water to drink, but also high heat and arid weather to produce fruit. Date palms are dioecious, with male and female trees. Females bear the fruit, while males produce pollen. Commercial date gardens typically have one male tree and 50 female trees planted per acre. Natural pollination by the wind is not efficient nor effective,
so hand pollination is necessary.
Dates ripen in six to seven months and are harvested from September through December. Date harvesters, or palmeros, climb up ladders or are raised by mechanical lifts to either handpick the fruit or cut the ripened clusters.
The Deglet Noor cultivar would become known as the “queen of dates” because of its ease of growth and dry texture, which facilitates pitting for baking; they’re also easy to carry in backpacks and pockets. Later, Swingle brought back what would become known as the “king of dates”: 11 offshoots of the Medjool, a soft, jammy Moroccan variety.
Much of California’s date history has been recorded by the family that owned the Oasis Date Gardens in Thermal. This research shaped the Coachella Valley Date Museum, which is part of the Coachella Valley History Museum in Indio. The museum includes informative displays about the history and cultivation of the date.
Today, the Coachella Valley and surrounding areas are home to several date farms, including:
• Shields Date Garden in Indio, founded in 1924 by Floyd and Bess Shields. They breed a number of hybrids and varieties including the “Blonde” and “Brunette” varieties, grown exclusively at Shields to this day. Shields also offers tours of its 17-acre date grove and garden, and
a short informational film called Romance and Sex Life of the Date.
• Hadley Fruit Orchards in Cabazon was founded by Paul and Peggy Hadley in 1931. For decades, the familiar yellow and green clapboard building was a notable roadside attraction alongside Interstate 10. Today, a newer Hadley’s is behind the old location.
• Sam Cobb Farms in Desert Hot Springs was established in 2002. It grows and sells fresh Medjool dates and its own Black Gold variety. Guided tours are available.
• Golden Dates Farm in Calipatria specializes in Medjool and Barhi dates.
Sources for this article include The Date Palm and Its Utilization in the Southwestern States by Walter Tennyson Swingle (Washington, D.C., Government Printing Office, 1904); Desert Lore of Southern California by Choral Pepper (Sunbelt Publications, 1999); California: Romantic and Beautiful by George Wharton James (Page Company, 1914); Guideposts to History, San Bernardino Valley Edition (Santa Fe Savings and Loan, 1977); “Walter Tennyson Swingle: Botanist and Exponent of Chinese Civilization” by Asa Gray; and A Brief History of the Origin of Domesticated Date Palms by Muriel Gros-Balthazard and Jonathan M. Flowers.
Bernard G. Johnson in 1907 at the U.S. date station.
DECEMBER ASTRONOMY
Planets
and Bright Stars in Evening Mid-Twilight
For December, 2025
This sky chart is drawn for latitude 34 degrees north, but may be used in southern U.S. and northern Mexico.
The final month of the year brings the Geminid meteor shower, and simultaneous views of the Winter and Summer triangles
BBy Robert Victor
right stars and a lone bright planet are visible at dusk as December begins. The Summer Triangle of Vega, Altair and Deneb is well up in the west and getting lower as the month progresses; Saturn is halfway up in the southeast to south-southeast, with Fomalhaut, Mouth of the Southern Fish, to its lower right—and be sure to arrange for telescopic views of Saturn’s rings, tipped only 0.6° to 1° from edge-on this month
Capella, the “Mother Goat” star, is in the northeast; and reddish-orange Aldebaran is low in the east-northeast, to the lower right of Capella. Aldebaran, the eye of Taurus, the Bull, is at opposition to the sun on Dec. 1. That night, you can also spot the star highest in south in the middle of the night, and low in the west-northwest as dawn brightens. The Arabic name Aldeba-
ran means “the Follower,” and you can find the pursued, beautiful Pleiades, or Seven Sisters star cluster, 14° above Aldebaran in deepening evening twilight, and 31° to the lower left of a bright, 88 percent waxing gibbous moon.
Two nights later, on Dec. 3, the moon, moving through perigee, closes the distance and occults, or covers, some of the cluster’s stars. Since the moon is very bright, the best events will happen along the moon’s narrow, dark edge, and a telescope will be required to observe them: From Palm Springs, a star will be snuffed out just a few seconds before 5:25 p.m., and another will disappear just before 6:01 p.m. and reappear at 6:25 p.m.
On Dec. 4 at dusk, the full moon will appear a wide 11° north (to the upper left) of Aldebaran. On Dec. 5, this month’s northernmost moon will rise in twilight, and thereafter rise later each night, shifting farther south each time.
The Geminid meteor shower reaches its peak on the night of Dec. 13-14, with best viewing from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. Meteors can flare up anywhere in the sky, but their tracks, extended backward, will seem to radiate from a point near Castor, one of the Twins.
Winter begins on Dec. 21 at 7:03 a.m., as the sun reaches the southernmost point of its annual journey, directly above the Tropic of Capricorn. The moon will return to the early evening sky later that day, as a thin 4 percent crescent low in the southwest at dusk.
Watch the waxing gibbous moon hopscotch over the Pleiades from Dec. 30-31, while its phase increases from 84 to 92 percent. At dusk on Dec. 31, the moon appears 10° to the north (upper left) of Aldebaran, while Jupiter is just rising 43° to the moon’s lower left. Majestic Orion now rises in twilight at year’s end, to the moon’s lower right. Two or so hours later, watch for the rising of Sirius in the east-southeast, in line with Orion’s belt, extended downward. If you’re in a place with unobstructed views toward the west and east-southeast, both the Winter Triangle, Betelgeuse-Procyon-Sirius, and the Summer Triangle, Deneb-Vega-Altair,
can be seen simultaneously.
This time of year, the entire Winter Hexagon is visible for 8 1/2 consecutive hours, taking up most of the night. Its stars of first magnitude (or close) or brighter, in clockwise order, are Sirius; Procyon; Jupiter (a temporary visitor); Pollux; Castor; Capella; Aldebaran; Rigel; and back to Sirius. Betelgeuse, another first-magnitude star, lies inside. From the Coachella Valley on Dec. 1, the hexagon is in good view from 9 p.m. until 5:30 a.m., and on Dec. 31, it’s two hours earlier, or 7 p.m. until 3:30 a.m.
In morning twilight, within the hour before sunrise, Jupiter is in the west, with the “Twin” stars Pollux and Castor to its upper right. Capella is in the northwest, to the lower right of the Twins. The “Dog Stars,” Procyon and Sirius—the latter, the brightest of all nighttime stars, but not as bright as Jupiter—appear to the lower left of Jupiter and the Twins.
Below Jupiter, find red Betelgeuse, with Orion’s three-star belt farther down. Setting in the west-northwest, far to the lower right of Jupiter and Betelgeuse, is another reddish star, Aldebaran, eye of Taurus. Rigel, Orion’s foot, is already gone from the morning mid-twilight sky at the start of December, but you can catch it earlier in the morning. After Rigel, the stars Aldebaran, Sirius and Betelgeuse will all disappear below the western horizon. Remaining in the western sky at dawn through month’s end will be the “Spring Arch” of Procyon, Jupiter (a temporary visitor), Pollux, Castor and Capella. Regulus, highest of the first-magnitude stars in the southwest quadrant of the sky on December mornings, marks the heart of Leo, the Lion. Look for Regulus 36° to 39° to the upper left of Jupiter.
In eastern half of the sky on December mornings, golden Arcturus climbs high in the east to southeast, with Spica of Virgo 33° to its lower right, in the southeast to south. Bluewhite Vega is in the northeast to east-northeast, nearly 60° to the lower left of Arcturus. Deneb rises in the far northeast, to the lower left of Vega.
Evening mid-twilight occurs when the Sun is 9° below the horizon. Dec. 1: 43 minutes after sunset. 15: 44 " " " 31: 44 " " "
Mercury puts on its year’s best morning showing low in the southeastern sky in first three weeks of December, and sinks to the horizon at mid-twilight by month’s end. Watch for fainter, first-magnitude Antares emerging during the last two weeks of the month. It’s 6° to the lower right of Mercury Dec. 17-21, moving to the upper right of Mercury thereafter, to 10° on Christmas morning, and to 18° on Dec. 31.
Follow the moon at dawn: On the morning of Dec. 4, the full moon appears low in the west-northwest, 6° to the upper left of the Pleiades and 11° right of Aldebaran. On Dec. 7, a 90 percent waning gibbous moon appears near Jupiter, Pollux and Castor, and on Dec. 10 at 63 percent, near Regulus. On Dec. 14, a 25 percent crescent moon appears very near Spica. On Dec. 17, find an easy 6 percent crescent moon low in the southeast, with Mercury 10° to its lower left. Finally, on Dec. 18, use binoculars to find a
slender 2 percent crescent moon 7° to the lower right of Mercury and 2° below Antares.
Bring in the new year in a Sirius way. In the middle of the night of Dec. 31 to Jan. 1, the brightest star, Sirius, passes directly south almost exactly 12 hours after the sun’s midday passage through its highest point, solar midday, on Dec. 31, at 11:49 a.m. in Palm Springs. On the night of Dec. 31, find the Dog Star well up in the southern sky as the New Year begins. The Astronomical Society of the Desert will host a star party on Saturday, Dec. 13, at Sawmill Trailhead, a site in the Santa Rosa Mountains at elevation 4,000 feet; and on Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center. For more information, visit astrorx.org.
Robert Victor originated the Abrams Planetarium monthly Sky Calendar in October 1968 and still helps produce an occasional issue.
Stereographic Projection
Map by Robert D. Miller
Aldebaran
Rigel
Betelgeuse
Capella
Pollux
Castor
Vega
Altair
Deneb
Fomalhaut
December's evening sky chart.
ROBERT D. MILLER
PRESENTED
BY
ARTS
BEST PRODUCING THEATER COMPANY
Coachella Valley Repertory
Runners up:
2. The Bent
3. Revolution Stage Company
4. Palm Canyon Theatre
5. Dezart Performs
6. Desert Ensemble Theatre
BEST MUSEUM
Palm Springs Art Museum
Runners up:
2. Palm Springs Air Museum
3. Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert
BEST LOCAL BAND
Giselle Woo and the Night Owls
Runners up:
2. Dreamboats
3. The Gand Band
4. Bronca
5. Avenida
BEST OPEN MIC
The Roost
Runners up:
2. Oscar’s Palm Springs
3. The Social Cafe and Play Lounge
4. Old Town Artisan Studios
These are times of worry for a lot of us here in the Coachella Valley.
Many business owners are worried about the economic situation. How much will the significant decrease in Canadian tourists and parttime residents hurt the bottom line? How much higher will the prices of, well, everything get, due to tariffs and inflation? Is another government shutdown around the corner? Or a recession?
Many non-white Coachella Valley residents are worried about the Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. Is it safe for someone who’s Latino, or appears to be Latino, to be in public without a passport? What about people who don’t have passports? Are any immigrants, even those here legally, safe at a time when “immigrant” is more or less a dirty word in the minds of the people running the country?
Many LGBTQ+ Coachella Valley residents are worried about their rights being stripped away. How much further will the presidential administration’s horrific war on transgender people go? While the U.S. Supreme Court has left the right to same-sex marriage intact for now, will that change in the future?
I could go on and on, but I’ve made my point: These are uncertain times for many of us who call the Coachella Valley home.
However, there’s reason for optimism: We do indeed call the Coachella Valley home. While this place is far from perfect, it’s chock-full of wonderful businesses, organizations and people who, each and every day, do their part to make this a community, and a wonderful place to live.
The Best of Coachella Valley poll is a celebration of those businesses, organizations and people. In the pages that follow, you’ll find hundreds of listings of the businesses, organizations and people that the readers of the Coachella Valley Independent and the viewers of KESQ News Channel 3 have determined to be the among Coachella Valley’s best. We’ve also added in a dozen picks from Independent staff and contributors, and we’re featuring three Best of Coachella Valley winners who have particularly interesting stories to tell.
Congratulations to all of the winners and finalists—and, most of all, thanks to all of you who took the time to vote.
Welcome to the 12th annual Best of Coachella Valley issue.
Jimmy Boegle
4. Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
5. La Quinta Museum
BEST MOVIE THEATER
Mary Pickford Is D’Place
Runners up:
2. Camelot Theatres at the Palm Springs
Cultural Center
3. Cinemark Century La Quinta and XD
4. Cinemark Century at the River and XD
5. Regal Rancho Mirage and IMAX
BEST LOCAL VISUAL ARTIST
Shag
Runners up:
2. Ernesto Ramirez
3. Marconi Calindas
4. Gary Wexler
5. Kathleen Struckoff
BEST LOCAL MUSICIAN (INDIVIDUAL)
Ron Pass
Runners up:
2. Keisha D
3. Abi Carter
4. Gary Gand
5. Maximo Marcuso
BEST LOCAL DJ
DJ Mod Girl
Runners up:
2. DJ Galaxy
3. DJ Eric Ornelas
4. DJ Jeffree
5. DJ Alex Harrington
BEST LOCAL ARTS GROUP/ORGANIZATION
Palm Springs Cultural Center
Runners up:
2. Coachella Valley Repertory
3. Desert Art Center
4. Dezart Performs
5. Artists Council
BEST OUTDOOR VENUE
Sunnylands
Runners up:
2. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace
3. Oscar’s Palm Springs
4. Rancho Mirage Amphitheater
5. The Rock Yard at Fantasy Springs
6. Cathedral City Community
Amphitheater
BEST INDOOR VENUE
McCallum Theatre
Runners up:
2. Acrisure Arena
3. Palm Springs Cultural Center
4. The Show at Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage
5. Fantasy Springs Special Events Center
BEST ART GALLERY
TIE
CODA Gallery
The Shag Store
Runners up:
3. Kee Gallery
4. Rubine Red Gallery
5. Imago Galleries
6. MAD.KAT
BEST COMICS/GAMES SHOP
The Dragon’s Den
Runners up:
2. Comic Asylum
3. Desert Oasis Comics
4. GameStop
BEST CAR WASH
Desert Hand Car Wash
Runners up:
2. Quick Quack Car Wash
3. Elephant Car Wash
4. Airport Quick Car Wash
LIFEVAEYLIFE VA EY LIFEVA IN THE STAFF
PICK PICK
BEST RETAIL MUSIC STORE
Palm Springs Vinyl
Records and Collectibles
Runners up:
2. Rocks and Records
3. Gre Records and Coffee
4. Guitar Center
BEST GYM (SPECIFIC LOCATION)
Steel Gym
Runners up:
2. EOS Fitness Palm Springs
3. In-Shape Fitness Cathedral City
4. The Fitness Edge
BEST SOUND GUY/SCENE SUPPORTER
Miguel Arballo
Miguel Arballo is my friend and bandmate—but I am certainly not the only person in this desert who appreciates the tireless work he puts in to support our local entertainment scene.
Arballo, who has been stockpiling audio equipment for years, is one of the main reasons for the success of the DIY music movement in the Coachella Valley. In an effort to elevate the quality of barebones backyard shows, Arballo began investing in top-notch sound gear like speakers, monitors, microphones, a mixing board and even amps and drums.
Thanks to him, DIY shows sound as good as some professional concerts. When he’s not running sound for makeshift shows in backyards and hotels, or at venues like the Coachella Valley Collective, he’s helping out production-wise at Desert Theatreworks in Indio.
Everyone in the music scene appreciates Arballo; he’s one of the unsung heroes who is helping strengthen a musical movement here in our desert. Even though he’ll rarely ask for money or help, make sure you give him a big “thank you” next time you see him sweating at a show.
—Matt King
BEST PET SUPPLIES
Bones-N-Scones
Runners up:
2. PetSmart
3. Cold Nose Warm Heart
4. Petco
5. Tailwaggers
BEST PET DAYCARE
The Village Pup
Runners up:
2. Doggie’s Day Out
3. Barkingham Pet Hotel
4. My Desert Dogs
5. Canine ACE
BEST STAYCATION HOTEL
Thompson Palm Springs
Runners up:
2. Parker Palm Springs
3. The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage
4. La Quinta Resort
5. Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs
BEST LOCAL SPECIALTY RETAIL SHOP
Destination PSP
Runners up:
2. Just Fabulous
3. Peepa’s
4. Gre Records and Coffee
5. Bobo Palm Springs
BEST LOCAL ACTIVIST/ ADVOCACY GROUP/CHARITY
LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert Runners up:
2. Palm Springs Animal Shelter
3. Animal Samaritans
4. Palm Springs Pride
5. AAP Food Samaritans
BEST HOTEL POOL
Ace Hotel and Swim Club
Runners up:
2. JW Marriott Desert
Springs Resort and Spa
3. The Saguaro
4. Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs
5. Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa, Indian Wells
BEST LOCAL RADIO PERSONALITY
John Taylor, KGAY 106.5
Runners up:
2. Patrick Evans, MeTV FM 103.1
3. Chris Shebel, KGAY 106.5
4. Bradley Ryan, Mix 100.5
5. Joey English
BEST RADIO STATION
KGAY 106.5 and 92.1
Runners up:
2. Q102.3 Classic Rock
3. 103.1 MeTV FM
4. 107.3 Mod FM
5. MIX 100.5 (KPSI)
BEST BOWLING ALLEY
Palm Springs Lanes
Runners up:
2. Fantasy Springs Bowling
3. Canyon Lanes at Morongo
BEST PLACE TO GAMBLE
Agua Caliente Palm Springs
Runners up:
2. Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage
3. Agua Caliente Cathedral City
4. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
5. Morongo Casino Resort and Spa
6. Augustine Casino
BEST RETIREMENT COMMUNITY/ INDEPENDENT LIVING
Living Out Palm Springs Runners up:
2. Sun City Palm Desert
3. Del Webb Desert Retreat
4. Revel Palm Desert
BEST ANNUAL CHARITY EVENT
LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert Red Dress/Dress Red Runners up:
2. Palm Springs Animal
Shelter Faux Fur Ball
3. Animal Samaritans Men of the Desert Fashion Show and Luncheon
4. DAP Health Dining Out for Life
5. DAP Health Steve Chase Humanitarian Award
BEST CREDIT UNION
Altura Credit Union
Runners up:
2. Sun Community Federal Credit Union
3. SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union
BEST BANK Chase
Runners up:
2. Bank of America
3. Wells Fargo
4. US Bank
5. Altura Credit Union
6. California Bank and Trust
BEST INDOOR FUN/ACTIVITY
Coachella Valley Firebirds Hockey
Runners up:
2. Dave and Buster’s
3. Escape Room Palm Springs
4. Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert
5. Get Air Trampoline Park
BEST PLANT NURSERY
Moller’s Garden Center
Runners up:
2. Moorten Botanical Garden
3. Bob Williams Nursery
4. DesertStrawHouse Native Plant Nursery
5. Evans Lane Nursery
BEST SEX TOY SHOP
Rough Trade Gear
Runners up:
2. Not So Innocent
3. Gear Leather and Fetish
4. Skitzo Kitty
5. Q Trading Company
6. Hustler Hollywood Palm Springs
BEST MARIJUANA DISPENSARY
Reefer Madness Dispensary and Lounge
Runners up:
2. Off the Charts
3. The Leaf El Paseo
4. Dank Depot
5. Hightend Dispensary and Lounge
BEST PRINT SHOP
Canyon Print and Signs
Runners up:
2. Roadrunner Print and Ship
3. Staples
4. AIM Mail Center
5. Xpress Graphics and Printing
BEST YOGA
Steel Gym
Runners up:
2. Urban Yoga
3. Power Yoga Palm Springs
4. Hot Yoga Plus Palm Springs
5. GATHER Yoga
AN ENTERTAINER’S JOURNEY AN ENTERTAINER’S JOURNEY
Ron Pass, a regular at Melvyn’s and One Eleven Bar, knows how to command a piano bar
By Matt King
Ron Pass is one of the busiest local performers—and he has been rewarded with the title of Best Local Musician by Independent readers in the Best of Coachella Valley poll.
The piano-playing singer can be found firing through your favorite songs—often with unique twists—at Melvyn’s in Palm Springs Tuesdays through Sundays, except for Wednesdays, when he takes his show to One Eleven Bar in Cathedral City.
During a recent phone interview, Pass said the current season is his 13th year in the desert.
“Before that, I had spent 10 years working for Carnival Cruise Line as a piano entertainer, which was an amazing experience, because I had not done anything full-time with music before that,” he said.
Going from ships to supper clubs is quite a jump—but that pales in comparison to his leap from health insurance to full-time performer.
“I was going to work that morning, as I did any other day, not thinking anything dramatic was going to occur—and then you know what happened,” he said. “I was there to see the whole thing unfold in front of my eyes. I was one of those people covered in soot running down the street.”
Pass recounts the horrific events of the day on his website. It’s worth a read.
“ ” —Ron Pass
This journey I’ve taken as an entertainer has been amazing. One thing leads to another to another, but it always boils down to the connection with people that brings me the most joy, and music is just the vehicle by which to do that.
“I used to be a project manager at a health insurance company in New York City, and I was working in lower Broadway, living across the river in Jersey City,” Pass said.
Sept. 11, 2001, changed his life forever.
“I try not to make a big deal out of it, because my experience pales in comparison to what other people went through, but it was nonetheless life-changing for me,” Pass said. “Like a lot of people, that horror that day forced me to stop and just question everything in my life: ‘What am I doing, and am I really enjoying it?’ I realized that even though I had this decent-paying job in New York City and all that, what really brought me joy was playing piano and singing for people, which, at the time, I did on the side at restaurants and private parties.
“It was at a private party that another entertainer said, ‘If you ever want to switch it up and have a go at being a full-time entertainer,
Ron Pass: “There are always certain songs that people want to hear all the time, and frankly, that gets old and tiresome for those of us who are performing them, but it just comes with the territory. The bottom line is, you want to please the guests, and sometimes that means singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ for the millionth time.”
why don’t you try cruise ships? If you are good at it, it might lead to something, and if you’re not good at it, you can just go back to your project management stuff.’ It was after 9/11, and I thought, ‘Maybe I should try this.’”
Pass said his decade with Carnival was amazing.
“I knew very little about piano entertainment. I learned a lot quickly,” he said. “I listened to the guests and what they wanted to hear, and Carnival rewarded me with good ship assignments. I traveled a lot and saw a lot of the world, made lifelong friends, cultivated a large and loyal following, learned a lot about myself, and learned a lot about others. It was just incredible.”
Pass said he learned how to command a room full of guests with nothing but a microphone and a piano.
“One benefit of working on a cruise ship as an entertainer is that with each new cruise, you have a fresh crop of guests,” Pass said. “Everybody is excited to be there, and they bring their energy to you. They want to laugh; they want to have fun; they want to forget their troubles back at home and just let loose. The piano bar was a great place for that. Every week was a brand-new party with new energy.”
Adaptability is an important skill for any musician performing in lounge settings— and especially so on a ship.
“When people drink and party, some people get out of hand, and they kind of check their manners at the door,” Pass said. “I learned about dealing with people who are less than polite, and also you get people from all walks of life, so that means also you’re getting requests for all kinds of music, and you have to adapt. If you’re on a five-day cruise out of Miami or something out of Long Beach, it’s going to be a different experience than if you’re doing 12- or 14-day cruises in Europe. You learn to read the room and change the music and change your approach to suit the energy and the demographics of the guests who are in the room. That’s definitely a skill set that I picked up along the way.”
In the Coachella Valley, Pass’ audience is a mix of regulars and newcomers.
“The upside is you have your regulars; those who are really your strongest supporters, and they’re with you no matter what. I call my die-hards the ‘Rontourage,’” he said. “But there are always new people, especially in Palm Springs, which is a vacation destination for folks or people who come just seasonally, so I have to be extra-vigilant about keeping things fresh and interesting.”
Pass keeps performances fresh and audiences coming back for more by crafting theme nights, from American Songbook evenings to Broadway-themed shows.
“It might be all LGBTQ+ artists, or a night of Billy Joel and Elton John, or it might be songs about dreams,” Pass said. “Other nights, I don’t have anything at all, and I just take requests, and we put it together. It takes a village sometimes, and those nights are sometimes unexpectedly fun, because you don’t know what direction the night is going to take. You sing songs based on someone’s request, but somebody might say they’re from Philadelphia, so you break out into ‘Philadelphia Freedom,’ and you just kind of wing it. There’s a degree of unpredictability
that keeps it interesting.”
Pass talked about the joys—and annoyances—that come from taking requests.
“There are always certain songs that people want to hear all the time, and frankly, that gets old and tiresome for those of us who are performing them, but it just comes with the territory,” he said. “The bottom line is, you want to please the guests, and sometimes that means singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ for the millionth time. Sometimes the requests for those frequently sung songs are not at the best time, like it’s too early in the evening or something, so I just talk to the guests about that. I’m like, ‘Well, that’s an awesome song, but I’m not sure that this moment is the perfect one for it, so why don’t I substitute that for this one?’ Nine times out of 10, they are like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s great, I like that song, too.’”
Pass said he has the ability to reimagine fan-favorite songs in unique ways during his performances.
“When I was learning a lot of this material quickly, when I was on cruise ships, I didn’t have time to learn all the little nuances for the song—so maybe I do it in a funky key, or I leave out a phrase or a familiar riff or something like that,” Pass said. “That ended up making certain arrangements that I sing sound a little bit more unique, which is interesting, because then when I hear somebody
STAFF
PICK
else sing it, or if I hear the song come up on the radio, I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, I don’t do that part.’ … There are always the usual musical tricks where you change lyrics to make them funny or relevant to something that somebody just said, or something that is happening in the news. I also like parodies, so even if I don’t write music, I like to play with lyrics. There are familiar songs that I sing that I’ve changed the lyrics to, and just to make it funnier, some of that material is maybe adult in nature, so I can’t sing it at every venue. I do have a little song list I can go to when it’s late at night in the right venue, and people want to get saucy.”
Pass said he has nothing but gratitude for the readers who voted for him as the Best Local Musician.
“This journey I’ve taken as an entertainer has been amazing,” Pass said. “One thing leads to another to another, but it always boils down to the connection with people that brings me the most joy, and music is just the vehicle by which to do that. It’s a huge honor, really, to be an entertainer and to help people have fun and to smile and laugh and forget their troubles. I can’t think of a better occupation for me to be in.”
Learn more at www.ronpass.com.
BEST BOOKSTORE IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY
Best Bookstore in Palm Springs
The name might sound like an exaggerated claim, but The Best Bookstore in Palm Springs delivers.
Whether you’re looking for a poolside vacation read, a tome about recent political events, or an engaging book for a young reader, this friendly independent bookshop, at 113 La Plaza, features handpicked titles tailored to Palm Springs readers. The shelves and display tables are alive with personal, hand-written recommendations, and staff members are always happy to share the books they love.
The husband-and-wife owners, writers Sarah Lacy and Paul Bradley Carr, are passionate about building-community and promoting local authors. The community’s appreciation for the shop shows; when the store had a broken air conditioner this summer, patrons rallied to support them and even helped the store move to a new location.
The Best Bookstore not only fills a void; is a dynamic center in the literary landscape of the Coachella Valley, and Southern California as a while—and soon, it’ll be a dynamic part of Union Square in San Francisco, where Lacy and Carr are opening a second location! Learn more at bestbookstore.com.
—E leanor Whitney
BEST NAIL SALON
Happy Nails Palm Springs
Runners up:
FASHION AND STYLE
2. Palm Springs Fine Men’s Salon
3. Lovely Nails
4. TK Nail Salon
5. Glossy Nails and Spa
BEST FURNITURE STORE
H3K Home+Design
Runners up:
2. Mathis Bros.
3. Revivals
4. PS HomeBoys
5. Re[X]
BEST TATTOO PARLOR
Adornment Piercing and Private Tattoo
Runners up:
2. Blue Rose Tattoo
3. Anarchy and Ink Tattoo
4. Iron Palm Tattoo
5. Strata Tattoo Lab
BEST JEWELER/JEWELRY STORE
El Paseo Jewelers
Runners up:
2. Smoke Tree Jewelers
3. Leeds and Son Fine Jewelers
4. Hephaestus Jewelry
5. Cartel Jewelers
BEST ANTIQUES/COLLECTIBLES STORE
Revivals
Runners up:
2. Misty’s Consignments
3. Antique Galleries of Palm Springs
4. Re[x]
5. Stewart Galleries
BEST FLORIST
Palm Springs Florist
Runners up:
2. My Little Flower Shop
3. Rancho Mirage Florist
4. Indio Florist
5. Enchanted Floral Design
BEST DAY SPA (NON-RESORT/HOTEL)
The Spa at Séc-he
Runners up:
2. Palm Springs Fine Men’s Salon
3. Desert Zen Day Spa
4. Men’s Wellness Retreat
5. SpaSeo Skin
BEST SPA IN A RESORT/HOTEL
Two Bunch Palms
Runners up:
2. Spa Desert Springs at the JW Marriott Desert Springs
3. Sunstone Spa at Agua Caliente
4. Miracle Springs Resort and Spa
BEST HAIR SALON
Palm Springs Fine Men’s Salon
Runners up:
2. Brien O’Brien Salon
3. Roots & Mane
4. Salon Jarick
5. Salon 119
BEST EYEGLASS/OPTICAL RETAILER
Costco
Runners up:
2. Milauskas Eye Institute
3. Be Seen Optics
4. TIE
Desert Vision Optometry
Ooh La La de Paris
(Dr. Raul Arencibia and Dr. Jeff Northcutt)
BEST RESALE/VINTAGE CLOTHING
Revivals
Runners up:
2. Angel View
3. Market Market
4. Mitchells
5. The Fine Art of Design
BEST CLOTHING STORE (LOCALLY OWNED)
Destination PSP
Runners up:
2. Trina Turk
3. Peepa’s
4. Wil Stiles
5. Frank Clothiers
STAFF
PICK
BEST HOT SPRING SOAK ON A BUDGET
Sam’s Family Spa
Despite what my friends back East think, it gets cold in the desert in the winter, and sometimes I need a hot-water soak to revive me. Unpretentious, uncrowded and clean, Sam’s Family Spa and RV Park is my go-to.
Sam’s, in Desert Hot Springs at 70875 Dillon Road, features chlorinefree, natural hot spring-fed pools in varying temperatures, from bathtub warm to instantly-burn-all-the-tension-out-of-your-body hot. The tubs are drained and cleaned daily, and big enough to soak in without getting too cozy with your neighbors. There’s also a (chlorinated) swimming pool surrounded by palm trees, a dry sauna, a welcoming garden and picnic area, and a duck pond, making Sam’s a relaxing, down-home experience that's authentically desert.
Sam’s attracts a diverse crowd, including RV park residents staying for a few days or months, desert locals and visitors just passing through. If you like to benignly eavesdrop, people-watch or meet new friends, Sam’s is your place. While the spa may not boast fancy amenities, it’s affordable and welcoming.
Day passes, as of this writing, are $25 on weekdays and $30 weekends and holidays. You're welcome to bring your own food, but alcoholic beverages must be purchased onsite. Learn more at samsfamilyspa.com. —E leanor Whitney
BEST WHISKEY/BOURBON/ SCOTCH SELECTION
Blackbook Runners up:
2. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room
3. Sandfish Sushi and Whiskey
4. Eureka!
BEST BAR AMBIANCE
Michael Holmes’ Purple Room
Runners up:
2. Paul Bar/Food
3. Bar Cecil
4. The Tropicale
5. Playoffs Sports Lounge
6. Red Barn
spirits nightlife and STAFF
BEST WINE/LIQUOR STORE
Total Wine and More Runners up: 2. BevMo!
3. Desert Wine Shop on 111
4. Perry’s Fine Wines and Liquors
5. Hyphen Wines
BEST WINE BAR
V Wine Lounge and Martini Bar Runners up:
2. Zin American Bistro
3. Desert Wine Shop on 111
4. Canopy Wine Lounge
5. La Fe Wine Bar
BEST SPORTS BAR
Hunters Palm Springs Runners up:
2. 360 Sports at Agua Caliente
3. Playoffs Sports Lounge
4. Burgers and Beer
5. DJ’s Sports Bar and Grill
BEST NIGHTCLUB
Hunters Palm Springs Runners up:
2. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room
3. Chill Bar 4. The Nest 5. Oscar’s Palm Springs
BEST MARGARITA
Blue Coyote Grill
Runners up:
2. El Mirasol
3. La Tablita
4. Las Casuelas Terraza
5. Armando’s Dakota Bar and Grill
BEST HAPPY HOUR
Streetbar
Runners up:
2. Hunters Palm Springs
3. Paul Bar/Food
4. Stuft Pizza Bar and Grill
5. Lulu California Bistro
6. Playoffs Sports Lounge
BEST BEER SELECTION
Yard House
Runners up:
2. Burgers and Beer
3. Las Palmas Brewing
4. Bongo Johnny’s
5. DJ’s Sports Bar and Grill
BEST DIVE BAR
Tool Shed
Runners up:
2. Streetbar
3. Neil’s Lounge
4. Hair of the Dog
5. Playoffs Sports Lounge
BEST GAY/LESBIAN BAR/CLUB
Hunters Palm Springs
Runners up:
2. The Roost
3. Streetbar
4. Blackbook
5. Chill Bar
BEST LOCAL BREWERY
La Quinta Brewing Co.
Runners up:
2. Luchador Brewing Company
3. Coachella Valley Brewing Co.
4. Las Palmas Brewing
5. Desert Beer Company
BEST COCKTAIL MENU
Paul Bar/Food
Runners up:
2. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room
3. The Evening Citizen
4. Bar Cecil
5. TIE
Bongo Johnny’s
Tailor Shop
BEST MARTINI
Paul Bar/Food
Runners up:
2. Bar Cecil
3. Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge
4. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room
5. Spencer’s Restaurant
6. Bongo Johnny’s
BEST CRAFT COCKTAILS
The Evening Citizen Runners up:
2. Paul Bar/Food
3. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room
4. Bar Cecil
5. Bootlegger Tiki
6. Tailor Shop
BEST BLOODY MARY
Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge Runners up:
2. Hunters Palm Springs
3. Bongo Johnny’s
4. Spencer’s Restaurant
5. Escena Grill
6. Sloan’s
PICK
BEST COLLABORATIVE
HARDCORE
Built to Break
In addition to heavy guitar riffs and brutal vocals, the hardcore music genre places an emphasis on collaboration. Whether it’s through teaming up with other musicians or working with an audience to create lively concerts, hardcore is a joint effort. One local band that lives and breathes collaborative hardcore is Built to Break.
CVHC DEMO ’25, the group’s debut release, features vocalists from other desert bands such as Bronca, Face Facts and Killfloor. Built to Break works with the masters of the scene to craft powerful pieces of music that inspire, motivate and proclaim an adoration for the desert. Jack Harris, vocalist of Killfloor, shouts alongside Built to Break frontman TJ Jackson on the track “It’s About Time”: “Coachella Valley is up next / Bitch we might be.”
In the live setting, collaboration comes in the form of raucous energy, as Jackson riles up hardcore fans with rallying commands to two-step or go side-to-side before pointing the mic to the crowd for shout-along lyrics like, “I’m just another dead end kid.” The band and fans work together to showcase the intense yet beautiful existence of the Coachella Valley hardcore scene.
—Matt King
BEST COMICS/GAMES SHOP the dragon’s den
The Dragon’s Den offers a safe space for tabletop-game players of all levels—and beginners are welcome
By Matt King
Passionate gamers across the Coachella Valley have spoken—and they have chosen The Dragon’s Den in Palm Desert as the Best Comics/Games Shop in this year’s Best of Coachella Valley readers’ poll.
RPG REFUGE RPG REFUGE
The Dragon’s Den, in just a short amount of time, has provided a home for locals in love with tabletop games, while also welcoming newcomers to the world of tabletop fun. I recently went to visit the shop, where there are board games for sale, about a dozen big tables perfect for throwing dice and exploring fantasy worlds, and friendly vibes all around. After owner Mindy Conant showed me around, she talked about how she opened the Den to get closer to her son, Jake.
Members of The Dragon’s Den play Magic: The Gathering.
‘There’s my kid; he’s connecting again.’”
The Dragon’s Den fills a need in the desert for safe places to gather and game.
“Jake said, ‘Mom, it’s not 1980. People don’t go to people’s houses; libraries are quiet; parks are sketchy; and you can’t be in a pizza place for four hours and play D&D,’ so I was like, ‘Well, I’ll open a shop,’” Conant said. “I’ve always wanted to own my own business. The concept was so foreign to me that I thought I invented it, and then my son’s like, ‘No, these places actually exist.’ But there wasn’t one out here, so I’d never seen it. It took us two years from that conversation to when we got the keys to open the door, and it was a long, hard trip. We opened in February 2024, and as of now, we have 150 members, and they’re here every month.”
The shop runs on a paid membership system. Bronze ($40 a month), silver ($60 a month) and gold ($100 a month) members all receive unlimited play and the monthly fee back in the form of store credit. Silver- and gold-tier members get perks such as access to the paint room (to customize game figures and dice), priority registration for tournaments and events, and more. The shop welcomes non-members to play for $20, or $10 for students and active members of the military.
Another popular game at the shop is Warhammer, a tabletop fantasy similar to D&D.
“In 2020, we suffered a great loss as a family. My father and my father-in-law passed within five months of each other,” Conant said. “We are all very outgoing people in my family, but my kids were so just steeped in grief that they kind of withdrew.”
Conant’s son was then in high school. “My son’s friends … were like, ‘Hey, since we’re all in quarantine, we should play Dungeons and Dragons online,’” she said. Dungeons and Dragons is a role-playing game in which players roll dice to determine their choices and their success rate in a fantasy-adventure experience.
“When he started explaining the game and how much fun it was and what you could do in it, he lit up,” Conant said. “He was talking fast; his eyes were bright. I was like,
“The Warhammer community found us before we opened, and that was due to the fact that my son and his friend Nick started playing Warhammer on a semi-regular basis at another hobby shop,” Conant said. “They had a Discord (chat) that they would talk in to meet up and play there. Nick started telling them, ‘My friend and his mom are going to open this shop,’ so they found us first. When we got our signs up before we opened, there were pictures on the Discord. They were making memes about Dragon’s Den opening before rent was due. Now we have a really healthy Warhammer community and a really healthy D&D community. We also have our store Discord, and we have more people on our Discord than we have members in the shop.”
The Dragon’s Den hosts D&D beginners every first Friday of the month, and beginners’ Warhammer nights every second Saturday. Conant said hosting beginner nights is crucial to tearing down stereotypes attached to roleplaying games.
“I think a lot of young women, or even older women—like my age—think that it’s a guy’s game, and it’s so heavily ruled that they really can’t get into it,” she said. “Me not knowing how to do it and just sitting down and playing with my kids at home, it was so much easier than I thought, and so much more fun than I thought, that I was like, ‘People need to know that it’s this easy.’
“We have a lot of hardcore members who have been here since day one, and they’re like, ‘Yeah, we’ll teach and help build a character.’ We do a quick two-hour D&D game so you can just see if you like it. I would say, nine times out of 10, they’re hooked. They’re like, ‘Oh, I didn’t know it was so easy,’ and that’s really the importance of beginner D&D, just to show people how easy and how much fun it is. We don’t overwhelm them with a bunch of rules. … We started our own shop league, so on the second and third Fridays, you can come in and play in that league, and it’s a continuing story.”
Conant said she and her staff make sure they’re always compassionate and friendly.
“It has been my experience that if you treat people like adults when they are adults, they’ll act accordingly,” Conant said. “… Me and my son, one of us is here every single day, and we’re making friends. We know about their lives; they know about our lives. It’s a community, and we find that our
members are very protective of the community.”
The Dragon’s Den has become a safe space for people on the autism spectrum.
“We understand that a big portion of our community is somewhere on the autism spectrum or has ADHD like myself, and we see that as like, ‘Oh my God, you have these superpowers, and you understand every game and the rules, or you understand painting,’ and it’s such an honor to be a part of that,” Conant said. “… It is a safe space, and we make sure of it. We don’t allow too much aggression in games. We don’t allow people to spit slurs at people, but I’ve never had to tell someone to knock it off.”
News of the Best of Coachella Valley win did not come as a surprise to Conant.
“I know the people here, and I know how much they support us, just by signing up to be a member every month,” she said. “At one point, we had to increase our prices, and nobody blinked an eye. They were like, ‘Absolutely, $10 more a month to keep you guys open.’ … It doesn’t surprise me that people think this place is great, because it really is great here, and I feel extremely lucky to be a part of it.”
Conant invited all readers of the Independent to experience the Den in person.
“We can talk about it all day long, but until you walk in here and feel that vibe of friendship and collaboration and play, you really don’t know,” she said. “We do collaborate with the comic stores and other nerd-centric shops in the desert. … This is kind of a new thing to the desert, so you just have to walk in and feel the vibe.”
The Dragon’s Den is located at 72221 Highway 111, No. 101A, in Palm Desert. For more information, visit thedragonsdenrpg. com or instagram.com/thedragonsden_cv.
STAFF PICK
BEST ADAPTABLE GUITARIST
Quanah
Lienau
It was an average day for local guitarist Quanah Lienau, who plays in the band Fever Dog, when he got the craziest request of his life: John Garcia, Kyuss vocalist and desert-music icon, needed a guitar player. A few days into a tour, Garcia’s guitarist had an emergency and had to go home—and Garcia was asking Lienau to step in. With just a few days before the next show and a list of songs to learn, Lienau boarded a plane.
After practicing like an animal during and after his commute, Lienau stepped onstage and saved the day for Garcia and his band, sticking with the group for the remainder of their tour. Lienau shredded through songs he had known for mere hours, nailing the intricacies of the desert-rock genre with ease … and some patented Quanah flair.
The tour closer at Pappy and Harriet’s in July was extremely special, as Garcia said onstage that the tour wouldn’t have been possible without Lienau.
—Matt King
F D AND RESTAURANTS
BEST LATIN AMERICAN
Clandestino
Runners up:
2. Low Desert Modern Mexican
3. Mi Cultura Cuisine
4. Peruvian Fuego
5. Crudo Cervicheria
BEST JUICE/JUICE BAR
Fresh Juice Bar
Runners up:
2. Jamba Juice
3. Palm Greens Cafe
4. Fruit Wonders
5. Big Juice Bar
STAFF PICK
BEST BURRITO
La Tablita
Runners up:
2. El Mirasol
3. El Taco Asado
4. Ty’s Chipotle Tacos
5. TIE
Bongo Johnny’s
One Stop Taco Shop
BEST FRENCH FRIES
Tony’s Burgers
Runners up:
2. McDonald’s
3. Bar Cecil
4. Gastro Grind Burgers
5. Tyler’s Burgers
6. Bongo Johnny’s
BEST CARNE ASADA
Taqueria Mazatlan
I’d become blasé about carne asada over the years due to so many encounters where it was mediocre, at best. Then I visited Taqueria Mazatlán, where I was shaken free of this indifference.
Tucked into a parking lot at 83598 Indio Blvd., beside a tire shop, are the food truck, some tables and chairs, a cooler filled with cold beverages and a salsa stand. While the menu has expanded to include shrimp and al pastor, the star is the carne asada—and, in particular, the Papa Loca. Simply put, this loaded baked potato topped with carne asada is something I didn’t know I needed in my life until I saw it arrive at a neighboring table, and now I can’t comprehend life before it. A loaded potato is already a winner, but the grilled-to-perfection meat adds an otherworldly element. I think about it more than I should.
Don’t take my word for it; go and experience this for yourself. It’s well worth the drive from anywhere you might be in the Coachella Valley. Learn more at www.taqueriamazatlanca.com.
Brett Newton
BEST GLUTEN-FREE DINING
Chef Tanya’s Kitchen
Runners up:
2. Lulu California Bistro
3. 533 Viet Fusion
4. Palm Greens Cafe
BEST BREAKFAST
Elmer’s Restaurant
Runners up:
2. Bongo Johnny’s
3. Billy Reed’s
4. Spencer’s Restaurant
5. Keedy’s Fountain Grill
6. Rick’s Restaurant
BEST SALSA
El Mirasol
Runners up:
2. Las Casuelas Terraza
3. Blue Coyote Grill
4. Rincon Norteño Mexican Restaurant
5. Salsa’s Restaurant
BEST MEXICAN
La Tablita
Runners up:
2. Tac/Quila
3. Blue Coyote Grill
4. Felipe’s Fine Mexican Food
5. Crudo Cevicheria
BEST DELICATESSEN
Sherman’s Deli and Bakery
Runners up:
2. Real Italian Deli
3. Manhattan in the Desert
4. On the Mark
BEST OUTDOOR SEATING
Spencer’s Restaurant
Runners up:
2. Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge
3. Le Vallauris Restaurant
4. Bongo Johnny’s
5. Lulu California Bistro
BEST VIETNAMESE
Rooster and the Pig
Runners up:
2. 533 Viet Fusion
3. Fuzion Five
BEST VEGETARIAN/VEGAN
Chef Tanya’s Kitchen
Runners up:
2. Native Foods
3. Palm Greens Cafe
4. Lulu California Bistro
BEST UPSCALE RESTAURANT
Spencer’s Restaurant
Runners up:
2. Copley’s on Palm Canyon
3. Bar Cecil
4. Willie’s Modern Fare
5. Le Vallauris
BEST FOOD TRUCK
TKB Food Truck
Runners up:
2. Fatboy Tacos and Catering
3. Nick’s Pizza
4. Mariscos El Capitan
5. Outside the Masa
BEST THAI
Thai Smile Palm Springs Runners up:
2. Pepper’s Thai
3. My Thai
4. Desert Thai Authentic Thai Cuisine
5. Talay Thai
BEST STEAKS/STEAKHOUSE
LG’s Prime Steakhouse Runners up:
2. The Steakhouse at Agua Caliente
3. Mr. Lyons Steakhouse
4. Ruth’s Chris Steak House
5. Spencer’s Restaurant
BEST SEAFOOD
Fisherman’s Market and Grill Runners up:
2. Oceans Restaurant
3. Eddie V’s
4. Pacifica Seafood
5. Oceana Palm Desert
BEST JAPANESE
Sandfish Sushi and Whiskey Runners up:
2. Joyce’s Sushi
3. Otori Sushi
4. Ponzu Sushi
5. Shabu Shabu Zen
BEST ITALIAN
Giuseppe’s Pizzeria Runners up:
2. Trilussa Ristorante
3. Il Corso
4. Mario’s Italian Cafe
5. Bar Issi
6. Johnny Costa’s Ristorante
STAFF PICK
BEST AREPAS
PasteListos
There’s one thing I dislike about PasteListos: Unless it’s Thursday, I can’t get an arepa for dinner.
Yep: To enjoy PasteListos’ Venezuelan fare, you can either head to Palm Springs VillageFest on Thursdays, or you can go to the tiny restaurant at 186 S. Sunrise Way, in Palm Springs, in the morning or early afternoon on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays or Saturdays.
So … unless it’s a Thursday or a Sunday, how about an arepa for lunch?
An arepa, if you’re unfamiliar, is a sandwich—specifically, a grilled cornmeal cake filled with a mix of meats, veggies and sauces. My personal fave is the shredded beef arepa, with a choice of cheddar or mozzarella (I recommend cheddar), microgreens and a delish green sauce. So tasty. All of the food we’ve tried from PasteListos has been fantastic. If you like empanadas, and you haven’t yet been to PasteListos, you’re definitely missing out.
Visit instagram.com/pastelistos_store to learn more and get details on all of PasteListos’ fantastic fare.
Jimmy Boegle
BEST SUSHI TIE
Ponzu Sushi
Sandfish Sushi and Whiskey
Runners up:
3. Okura Robata Grill and Sushi Bar
4. Joyce’s Sushi
5. Misaki Sushi and Grill
BEST KOREAN
BeeCh Please
Runners up:
2. Blazing King BBQ and Hot Pot
3. You Grill Korean BBQ
4. Maru Korean BBQ and Grill
5. Kpop Foodz
BEST FRENCH
Si Bon Runners up:
2. Le Vallauris Restaurant
3. Farm Palm Springs
4. Cafe Des Beaux-Arts
5. French Corner Cafe
6. French Rotisserie Cafe
BEST GREEK
Santorini Gyro
Runners up:
2. Athena Gyro
3. Koutouki Greek Estiatorio
4. Nina’s Traditional Greek Cuisine and Pizzeria
5. Luna Grill
BEST CHINESE City Wok
Runners up: 2. JOY at Fantasy Springs
3. China 8
4. Wang’s Chinese Cuisine
5. China Jo’s
6. Cie Sichaun Cuisine
BEST BRUNCH
Wilma and Frieda
Runners up: 2. Farm Palm Springs
3. Spencer’s Restaurant 4. Bongo Johnny’s
5. Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge
The Best Margarita in the Coachella Valley
445 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs 760-327-1196 • www.bluecoyotegrill.com Outdoor dining • To-Go Delivery via Grubhub and DoorDash
Blue Coyote Grill is honored to be among your Best of the Coachella Valley picks— winner for Best Margarita and finalist for Best Salsa and Best Mexican Restaurant!
Our margarita is made from a secret family recipe—one sip and you’ll know why we won!
Explore our lush outdoor patios and casitas, perfect for large groups and celebrations. Now booking holiday parties— create unforgettable memories in our tropical oasis.
Visit us in Palm Springs; enjoy our dog-friendly patio; and taste the flavors that have made us a Valley favorite. Your margarita is waiting!
BEST CALIFORNIA CUISINE
Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge
Runners up:
2. Lulu California Bistro
3. Spencer’s Restaurant
4. Zin American Bistro
5. Bongo Johnny’s
BEST COFFEE SHOP
Koffi
Runners up:
2. IW Coffee and Chai Bar
3. Coachella Valley Coffee
4. Ernest Coffee
5. Gre Records and Coffee
BEST LOCAL COFFEE ROASTER
Koffi
Runners up:
2. Joshua Tree Coffee Company
3. Coachella Valley Coffee
4. IW Coffee and Chai Bar
5. Cartel Roasting Co.
STAFF PICK
BEST BUFFET
Fresh Grill Buffet at
Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
Runners up:
2. Emperor Buffet
3. The Marketplace by Fabio Viviani at Morongo
BEST DESSERTS
Sherman’s Deli and Bakery
Runners up:
2. Monster Shakes
3. TIE
Billy Reed’s
Over the Rainbow
5. Jensen’s
BEST CUSTOM CAKES
Over the Rainbow
Runners up:
2. Nothing Bundt Cakes
3. TIE
Jensen’s
Pastry Swan
5. Exquisite Desserts
BEST ADDITION TO THE PIZZA SCENE
Black Cat Pizza
You’ve heard of New York-style pizza, and you’ve heard of Chicagostyle pizza. But have you heard of Detroit-style pizza?
If the answer is no, then get thee to Black Cat Pizza, in Palm Desert, at 72795 Highway 111, pronto.
Here’s what you’ll find when you get there: deep-dish pies, kind of like Chicago-style pizzas, but rectangular, because they were supposedly originally made in automotive drip pans. Because, y’know, Detroit. Anyway, the sauce is added last, dolloped in “racing stripes” atop the cheese and toppings.
A tip: Even if you’re a fan of sauce, like me, don’t skip the edge pieces. Even though these slices may have less sauce, they’ll have more crispy cheese. Mmm.
To see the current menu, visit instagram.com/blackcatpizza_pd. Trust me: It’s good stuff.
Jimmy Boegle
BEST SMOOTHIES
Monster Shakes
Runners up:
2. Fresh Juice Bar
3. Jamba Juice
4. Juice It Up!
5. Fruit Wonders
BEST BAGELS
Townie Bagels, Bakery and Café
Runners up:
2. Sherman’s Deli and Bakery
3. Panera Bread
4. Costco
5. IW Coffee and Chai Bar
BEST PIZZA
Bill’s Pizza
Runners up:
2. Giuseppe’s Pizzeria
3. Stuft Pizza Bar and Grill
4. Upper Crust
5. Cipolline Osteria
BEST BARBECUE
Bubba’s Bones and Brews
Runners up:
2. Babe’s Smokehouse and Tavern
3. Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
4. CV BBQ
5. Big Earl’s Barbecue (inside the Fireside Lounge)
BEST DATE SHAKE
Shields Date Garden
Runners up:
2. Monster Shakes
3. Hadley Fruit Orchards
4. Great Shakes
5. Windmill Market
BEST ICE CREAM/SHAKES
TIE
Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream
Monster Shakes
Runners up:
3. Lappert’s Ice Cream
4. Gelato Granucci
5. Ben and Jerry’s
BEST BAKERY
Sherman’s Deli and Bakery
Runners up:
2. TIE
Over the Rainbow
Peninsula Pastries Palm Springs
4. Aspen Mills
5. Carousel Bakery
BEST SANDWICH
The Sandwich Spot
Runners up:
2. Sherman’s Deli and Bakery
3. Real Italian Deli
4. Aspen Mills
5. Manhattan in the Desert
6. Bongo Johnny’s
BEST VEGGIE BURGER
Chef Tanya’s Kitchen
Runners up:
2. TIE
Bongo Johnny’s Native Foods
4. Tony’s Burgers
5. Gastro Grind Burgers
6. Tyler’s Burgers
BEST BURGER
Tony’s Burgers
Runners up:
2. Tyler’s Burgers
3. Gastro Grind Burgers
4. Grill-A-Burger
5. Bongo Johnny’s
BEST INDIAN
Monsoon Indian Cuisine
Runners up:
2. India Oven
3. Its Taste of India
4. Indian Kitchen
BEST FROZEN YOGURT
Monster Shakes
Runners up:
2. Gelato Granucci
3. Beach House Yogurt
4. Lizzy’s Premium Frozen Yogurt
5. Tutti Frutti
BEST WINGS
Blackbook
Runners up:
2. Chicken Ranch
3. Wingstop
4. Buffalo Wild Wings
5. Bongo Johnny’s
BEST CASUAL EATS
Billy Reed’s
Runners up:
2. 1501 Uptown Gastropub
3. Blackbook
4. Lulu California Bistro
5. Bongo Johnny’s
6. John’s Restaurant
Thousands of Coachella Valley Independent readers and News Channel 3 viewers voted in this year’s Best of Coachella Valley readers’ poll—and they selected the Purple Room as the winner of Best Bar Ambiance and finalist in four categories:
WEEKNIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
TUES-WED-THURS 6:30-9:30 PM
TUESDAYS
WEDNESDAYS
CHARLES HERRERA, DARCI
DANIELS & MICHAEL HOLMES
Swinging to the music of the Rat Pack Era
THURSDAYS
DATE NIGHT!
Experience
ROSE MALLETT
Jazz legend sings the music of Holiday, Vaughn, Ellington.
OF COACHELLA VALLEY
BEST DOUGHNUTS/PASTRIES
Swiss Donut Runners up:
2. Peninsula Pastries Palm Springs
3. Carousel Bakery and Cafe
4. Winchell’s
5. Jensen’s
BEST CATERER
Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge Runners up:
2. Lulu California Bistro
3. On the Mark
4. Lynn Hammond Catering
5. Westwood Catering
BEST LATE-NIGHT RESTAURANT
Blackbook Runners up:
2. Yard House
3. Kitchen 86 + Bar
4. Ty’s Chipotle Tacos
5. Castañeda’s Mexican Food
BEST DINER
Elmer’s Restaurant Runners up:
2. Bongo Johnny’s
3. John’s Restaurant
4. Keedy’s Fountain Grill
5. JT’s Diner
BEST ORGANIC FOOD STORE
Sprouts Farmers Market Runners up:
2. Whole Foods
3. Chef Tanya’s Kitchen
4. Clark’s Nutrition and Natural Foods Market
5. Nature’s Health Food and Cafe
STAFF PICK
BEST BIRRIA TACO
TacoN’Todo
If you’re hungry but are unable to eat for whatever reason, do NOT, under any circumstances, visit the TacoN’Todo Instagram page (instagram.com/ tacontodo.est2021). It’s full of images and stories depicting all sorts of mouth-watering Mexican fare, available via TacoN’Todo’s catering side and/or at the TacoN’Todo tent regularly found at events like Palm Springs VillageFest and the Certified Farmers’ Market at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. Yes, all of the food looks O-M-G delicious, but whenever I visit TacoN’Todo at one of the aforementioned events, I always order the same thing, because it’s so darned addictive—the red taco. It’s a piping-hot birria taco, dipped in birria juices, and served with a cup of consommé. (I am dead-serious when I say piping hot, so consider yourself warned.)
So. Much. Yumminess.
One of these days, I’ll order something besides a red taco (or two) (maybe three) at TacoN’Todo, and I am sure whatever order will be delicious—but that day has yet to come.
— Jimmy Boegle
Jillian LeBard, DDS
BEST OUTDOOR VENUE BEST PUBLIC GARDENS su ylands
HISTORY + COMMUNITY HISTORY + COMMUNITY
Sunnylands, a retreat for presidents and celebrities, reaches out to locals with movies, dance, yoga and more
By Kevin Fitzgerald
On TripAdvisor’s 2025 list of top attractions in the Coachella Valley, the Sunnylands Center and Gardens appears at No. 10—but it’s the No. 1 pick of many locals, as Independent readers voted the 59-year-old estate built by Leonore and Walter Annenberg as the Best Outdoor Venue and Best Public Gardens in the Best of Coachella Valley poll.
The 200-acre site has hosted famous personalities and gatherings (which the Sunnylands website identifies as “convenings”). Numerous presidents have visited, including Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama, who hosted China’s Xi Jinping for a 2013 summit there. On July 11, 1976, the lavish destination hosted the wedding of Frank and Barbara Sinatra, close friends of the Annenbergs.
But Sunnylands’ popularity among local residents and tourists has little to do with this storied past.
“We do have a real strong tie to the community,” said Michaeleen Gallagher, director of the Sunnylands Center and Gardens, during a recent interview. “So when they choose the award, we feel great. We’re always looking to partner with different groups in the community to make sure that we’re reaching groups that a lot of times don’t get reached out to. So, having that noticed, and having people appreciate that, is really an honor for us.”
Gallagher said Sunnylands’ current programming was developed through a lot of communication with different community groups.
“With my team in education, (which is the department) that does the programs, I have
them thinking more in terms of a community center rather than a formal museum setting,” Gallagher said. “That opens up a lot more creative flow for everyone. We do partnerships with artists, and with Raices Cultura in the east county, and Nickerson-Rossi Dance. The (outdoor) space that was designed by James Burnett has opened up such opportunities. It’s such a beautiful space, and it has such a unique feel to it, that I think programming there takes on a different, elevated kind of feel.”
The Burnett-designed area is now the main location on the estate for any activities drawing large crowds, while other locations provide quieter, more contemplative surroundings.
“The space that Nickerson-Rossi dance uses is on the west side … where the large turf area is,” Gallagher said. “The palo verde trees
frame it, so it kind of creates a stage atmosphere for different types of programming. It’s where we do yoga, and where we do tai chi. During peak season, 460 people show up to do yoga, so on Fridays, we are packed. If we have a focused program, that’s the space that gets used.”
Sunnylands worked with Raices Cultura, an arts and culture organization based in the east valley, on their recent Dia de los Muertos program. In March, Sunnylands will partner with the Idyllwild Arts Academy on a music program, and the organization has an ongoing series of collaborations with the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
“We do two series of films, with one when we first open (for the season in September), and then the other one is the last programming we do before we close (for the summer).”
Sunnylands provides additional value to local organizations by making their facilities available to support activities and gatherings.
“There’s a lot of stuff that we’re doing behind the scenes,” Gallagher said. “We’ve done some programming, post-pandemic, for teachers dealing with trauma from that experience in pandemic classrooms. We have provided space for other groups that need privacy to be able to come on days when we’re closed, so they can utilize that space.”
The organization also actively participates in regional environmental initiatives.
“We have monitoring programs for migrating, and local, monarch butterflies,” Gallagher said. “We have a team that goes out every week (to) track that and report … to a national database. We do the same with birds. We’re doing walks and tours every week,
These trees have a finite amount of time. We’re going to have to make decisions. Are we going to put the same trees back? Where does historic preservation sit (as a priority)? Where does adaptive reuse sit, and where does sustainability sit?
—Michaeleen Gallagher, director of the Sunnylands Center and Gardens
pretty much year-round. The birders come even when we’re closed in the summer, just to continue to document, and we made some significant documentations of the birds that are coming through the area. Everything from vermilion fly catchers … to bald eagles. Great blue herons have started to come in increasing numbers and nest on the property. We’re getting what’s known as a rookery of great blue heron every year.”
The main exhibition inside the center, on display through June 2027, is Curating Canopy: Trees at Sunnylands, an exhibition of photos as well as multimedia components such as music and lighting. It has been a passion project of Gallagher’s for some years.
“I actually carried (the idea) around for several years before we considered doing it as an exhibition. I wasn’t sure how it would work,” Gallagher said. “But David Loftus, who is a renowned photographer, had been working at Sunnylands, and we saw the work that he was doing and the way he photographed, and thought that might be a way that we kind of break this up.”
Sunnylands worked with JCRR Design (John Crummay and Robin Rout) to create an “immersive space” for the exhibit, which examines the trees the Annenbergs and their landscape architects carefully selected for the estate.
“I remember when I first walked in (the exhibit space) after they had started putting up the wall images,” Gallagher said. “They had the music playing and some lighting going, and it was just such an emotional space to walk into. It really is immersive, and we’re finding that people are responding incredibly
well to it. … We have stumps and a bench made out of Virginia live oaks that we had to replace (on our grounds), so there are places to sit in there. … We’ve moved out of our traditional exhibition gallery with it, and so that’s been really lovely.”
The catalog Gallagher created for the exhibit opens a valuable conversation about the considerations and challenges involved in maintaining such an expansive arboretum.
“Sunnylands was built in the ’60s based on, like, a Philadelphia mindset,” Gallagher said. “This is a blow-sand desert. It’s a fragile ecosystem, and we have an historic site that we want to maintain here, but we also have a changing climate. We have challenges that we’re going to be dealing with for decades to come—and that’s something that we have to be really transparent about, and be able to talk about, because it’s a living collection. … These trees have a finite amount of time. We’re going to have to make decisions. Are we going to put the same trees back? Where does historic preservation sit (as a priority)? Where does adaptive reuse sit, and where
STAFF
PICK
does sustainability sit? … Not everybody’s going to agree with decisions that we make, but we still want to be able to talk about it.”
Most of the activities offered at Sunnylands are free of charge, giving visitors a series of options to experience and appreciate all of the history, nature and beauty that exist there.
“You can come to Sunnylands in a very formalized way—come to a certain program, a workshop, a family day—and participate that way,” Gallagher said. “Or it’s a space that is very free-flow, too. You can come in, and we have audio tours that you can listen to, and they’ll guide you through the gardens. We have a garden guide that has all of the plants available, and you can download that on your phone, so you can really self-direct in that space as well. We’re really open to people experiencing the gardens in a way that works for them. … We noticed after the pandemic that people just wanted a place to come to, and sit and be.”
Sunnylands Center and Gardens, at 37977 Bob Hope Drive, in Rancho Mirage, is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Learn more at sunnylands.org.
BEST RECORDING STUDIO DOG
Chunk
The Rancho De La Luna recording studio is an iconic landmark, as sessions for Queens of the Stone Age, Arctic Monkeys, Iggy Pop, Foo Fighters and many others have taken place in the charming Joshua Tree space. While the alumni-allure of this world-famous studio remains, much conversation online is dedicated to studio owner David Catching’s adorable dog, Chunk.
I had the chance to record at Rancho De La Luna this year, and I became infatuated with this adorable goofball. He quickly noticed the packed lunch our guitarist brought, shoving his cute nose into the bag before he’d even warmed up to us. Our band loved on him hard during our studio day. Since the studio is booked nearly every day of the year, it’s safe to say that Chunk has a lot of friends.
When artists take to Instagram to share memories of an awesome day spent making music in the desert, there is often a shout-out to Chunk. Paradise Vultures, Tarah Who?, Courtney Barnett, Amyl and the Sniffers, Ecca Vandal and many, many others have taken to Instagram to share Chunk pics, crafting a rockstar photobook for this photogenic dog. Maybe he is the secret to the iconic studio’s sound.
—Matt King
Thank you for again selecting Dr. Mark Sofonio Best Cosmetic Surgeon!
Discover the Premier Plastic Surgery and Aesthetics Center of the Coachella Valley.
Mark V. Sofonio, M.D., F.A.C.S. Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
OUT SIDE!
BEST PUBLIC GOLF COURSE
Canyons Golf Resort
Desert Willow Golf Resort 5. Mission Lakes Country Club
SPORTING GOODS
Mart 5. Pete Carlson’s Golf and Tennis Shop
BEST PLACE FOR BICYCLING
Whitewater Preserve (general)
Bump and Grind Trail 4. Mount San Jacinto State Park (general) 5. South Lykken Trail BEST PUBLIC GARDEN
BEST RECREATION AREA
Joshua Tree National Park
Runners up:
2. Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
3. Indian Canyons
4. Whitewater Preserve 5. Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument
BEST PARK
Ruth Hardy Park
Runners up:
2. Palm Desert Civic Center Park
3. Demuth Park
4. Downtown Park Palm Springs
5. Ironwood Park
BEST BIKE SHOP
Trek Bicycle Palm Springs
Runners up:
2. TIE
Big Wheel Tours
Trek Bicycle Palm Desert
4. Jade Bicycle Detailing and Repair
5. Tri-A-Bike
BEST OUTDOOR/CAMPING GEAR STORE REI
Runners up: 2. Dick’s Sporting Goods
3. Big 5 Sporting Goods 4. Yellow Mart
6. Ed Hastey Loop (Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument)
va ey profe ionals
BEST PUBLIC SERVANT
Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills
Runners up:
2. Rep. Raul Ruiz
3. Palm Springs City Councilmember
Jeffrey Bernstein
4. Palm Springs Mayor Ron deHarte
BEST ATTORNEY
Walter Clark
Runners up:
2. Christopher Heritage
3. Eric Rudolph
4. Barbara Knox
5. Dale Gribow
BEST ACCOUNTANT/BOOKKEEPER
M&J Tax Services
Runners up:
2. Barton CPA
3. Bean Counter
4. J Leon and Associates
5. Osborne Rincon CPAs
STAFF PICK
BEST AUTO DEALERSHIP
Palm Springs Motors
Runners up:
2. Honda of the Desert
3. Palm Springs Hyundai
4. Palm Springs Subaru
5. Fiesta Kia
BEST AUTO REPAIR
Valley Smog and Auto Repair
Runners up:
2. Sergio’s Automotive
3. Exotic Car Service
4. Bavarian Auto Repair
5. Cam Stone’s Automotive
BEST PLUMBER
TIE
General Air Conditioning and Plumbing
Roto Rooter
Runners up:
3. Randal’s Plumbing
4. 3 Sons Plumbing
5. Kaufmann Plumbing
BEST BREAKFAST WITH A CUBAN FLAIR
Rick's Restaurant
A comfort-food breakfast with Cuban flair keeps me returning to Rick’s Restaurant, at 1596 N. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs.
While I love the pancakes and the breakfast burrito, I am a creature of habit, and more often than not, I order the same plate: two poached eggs, beans and rice, and fried plantains—and it never disappoints. The eggs are always perfectly cooked: not too hard, not too soft. The plantains arrive golden, sweet and just a little caramel-crisp; they’re a delicious foil to the earthiness of the beans.
The service at Rick’s is always top-notch. Although all the servers are wonderful, I need give specific props to Janice, who is always sweet and friendly. If you like your morning with a little kick, ask for the Garlic Pepper Plant Hot Sauce.
No matter what you order at Rick’s, you won’t be disappointed. Learn more at ricksrestaurantps.com.
Charles Drabkin
BEST INSURANCE AGENT
Tom Gleeson (State Farm)
Runners up:
2. Cindy Pieper (State Farm)
3. Rick McCauley
4. Ron Henderson (Farmers)
BEST SOLAR COMPANY
Hot Purple Energy
Runners up:
2. Renova Energy
3. Sunrun Solar
BEST MORTGAGE COMPANY
Franklin Loan Center
Runners up:
2. Contempo Lending
3. CMG Home Loans
BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT
Taylor Fenwick
Runners up:
2. Stephen Burchard
3. Elizabeth Glass
4. Scott Histed
5. Chris Menrad
BEST VETERINARIAN
Animal Samaritans
Runners up:
2. VCA Palm Springs
3. Dr. Rachel Reedy, Ridgeline
Veterinary Clinic
4. Carter Animal Hospital
BEST DENTIST/ORTHODONTIST
Dr. Scott Shepherd (Palm Springs
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry)
Runners up:
2. Dr. Gerald Chang
3. Dr. Alexander Tran (Palm Desert Modern Dentistry)
4. Dr. Manpreet Dev (Tahquitz Dental Group)
5. Dr. Kianor Shah (Desert Dream Dentistry)
BEST CHIROPRACTOR
Dr. Steven Roffers
Runners up:
2. Dr. Cory Acker, Acker Chiropractic
3. TIE
Dr. Stephen Krupey, Pain Relief and Wellness Center
Nazemi Chiropractic Corp.
BEST COSMETIC SURGERY
TIE
Dr. Timothy Jochen
Dr. Mark Sofonio
Runners up:
3. Dr. Harry Marshak
4. Dr. Suzanne Quardt
5. Dr. Maria Lombardo
BEST DOCTOR
Dr. Michael Hughes
Runners up:
2. Dr. Ann Stapleton
3. Dr. Russell Hisscock
4. Dr. Jason Halperin
5. Dr. Bruce Ferguson
BEST EYE DOCTOR
Dr. Greg McMahill
Runners up:
2. Dr. Keith Tokuhara
3. TIE
Dr. David Esquibel
Dr. Deepa Abraham
5. Dr. Bart Ketover
BEST PERSONAL TRAINER
Stephen Crouse
Runners up:
2. Bruno Moreno
3. Jeremy Michur
4. Vernon Dupree
BEST CARPET/FLOOR CLEANING SERVICE
Stanley Steemer
Runners up:
2. Smith’s Carpet, Tile and Upholstery Cleaning
3. Clean Choice Floor Care
4. Magiklean
BEST FLOORING/CARPET COMPANY
Flooring Innovations
Runners up:
2. Carpet Empire Plus
3. Modern Home Design Showroom
4. Prestige Flooring Center
BEST AIR CONDITIONER REPAIR TIE
Comfort Air
Timo’s Air Conditioning and Heating Runners up:
3. Desert Air Conditioning
4. General Air Conditioning and Plumbing
5. Priority One
BEST LOCAL HOME IMPROVEMENT COMPANY
Ace Hardware Palm Springs Runners up:
2. Lowe’s Home Improvement
3. The Home Depot
4. Builders Supply
5. New Wave Home Audio and Video
BEST PEST CONTROL COMPANY
Dewey Pest Control Runners up:
2. Newman Pest Control
3. Orkin
4. Truly Nolen
5. Pestology Pest Control
FOR THE KIDS
BEST INDOOR ACTIVITY FOR KIDS
Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert
Runners up:
2. TIE
Get Air Trampoline Park
Zebra World
4. Berger Foundation Iceplex
BEST PLACE FOR FAMILY FUN
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
Runners up:
2. Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert
3. Dave and Buster’s
4. Palm Springs Surf Club
5. Boomers!
Voted Best in the Coachella Valley Three Years in a Row
Thank you for trusting us with your pet’s healthcare. Our experienced and compassionate staff are committed to providing quality, comprehensive, and accessible care for every patient.
STAFF
PICK
BEST RESTAURANT FOR KIDS
Chuck E. Cheese
Runners up:
2. Shakey’s Pizza
3. Red Robin
4. Kobe Japanese Steak House
BEST PLAYGROUND
Palm Desert Civic Center Park
Runners up:
2. La Quinta Civic Center Park
3. Ruth Hardy Park
4. Demuth Park
5. Rancho Mirage Community Park
BEST PLACE FOR A BIRTHDAY PARTY
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens Runners up:
2. Boomers!
3. Chuck E. Cheese
4. Shakey’s Pizza
BEST IMPERSONATION OF A SICILIAN RESORT
Bar Issi
If you’re intrigued by a place where pepperoni pizza deserves a double take, and the surroundings make you feel like you’ve wandered into a Sicilian resort, Bar Issi—located at the Thompson Palm Springs, at 414 N Palm Canyon Drive—is the place to be.
Bar Issi’s wood-oven pepperoni pizza is the best I’ve had in the valley. The crust is hot, crisp and flavorful, while the pepperoni slices curl slightly at the edges, and the cheese is generously applied without making things gooey. You can taste the intention in every bite.
Bar Issi’s interior is a full-blown style statement. Make sure you take a moment to check out the wallpaper; the styles are truly gorgeous and create a dining-room vibe that feels elevated and fun. Pro tip: Aim for an early dinner, or sit outside, because the live DJ, who starts around 8 p.m. some nights, can make it hard to hear.
Order the pepperoni pizza; maybe pair it with one of the standout cocktails; and soak in the atmosphere. You’ll leave satisfied—and probably already planning your next visit. Learn more at www. thebarissi.com.
—Charles Drabkin
ARTS & CULTURE
CHAPTER 13, WONDER VALLEY
By Tod goldberg
Tod Goldberg, a resident of Indio, has garnered wide critical acclaim, literary awards and legions of fans worldwide for his uncanny skill at writing irresistible page-turners that also have literary depth.
The darkly comedic writer tends to tackle things that he’s obsessed with in his fiction, and for Only Way Out (Thomas & Mercer, published Dec. 1, 2025), he found himself fixated on our tendency to mythologize certain kinds of criminals and their crimes, while ignoring a system that
creates them, warehouses them, and fails to rehabilitate them, and often turns them into entertainment.
In the novel, failed lawyer Robert Green has a plan for the ultimate, fail-safe heist: Crack 300 safe-deposit boxes and sail off to South America with loads of cash and his brilliant, morally flexible sister, Penny. If weren’t for the damned freezing rain …
Meanwhile in the dying resort town of Granite Shores, Ore., cop Jack Biddle is the self-appointed czar mostly of bad decisions. With a pile of life-threatening gambling debts, Jack’s looking for a way out. He spots a van spinning off a mountain road into the valley below. In the wreckage, Jack finds a very dead Robert, millions in heisted loot—and an opportunity. All Jack has to do is clean up the mess and not get caught. But making poor choices has a way creating really bad consequences. Penny, and an unlikely ally, Mitch Diamond, a wild card ex-con who knows more about the missing fortune than he lets on, all have an endgame, and there’s only one way out for all of them.
Tod Goldberg is a New York Times best-selling author of 15 books, including the acclaimed Gangsterland quartet. His books have been published in a dozen countries and have won or have been a finalist for the Hammett Prize, the Southwest Book of the Year, the Strand Critics Award, the Reading the West Award, the International Thriller of the Year, and many more. His short-fiction and essays appear widely and have been honored with selection in Best American Mystery and Suspense and Best American Essays.
He is a professor of creative writing at the University of California, Riverside, where he founded and directs the Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts.
Here is an excerpt from Only Way Out.
Chapter Thirteen
Wonder Valley, California Saturday, July 15
The Creosote Saloon looked condemned, but then everything out this way looked condemned, even the kid sitting out front on
the bumper of a truck, playing a game on his iPhone. He was maybe 13, wore checkered Vans with white socks pulled up his calves, cutoff jeans, no shirt. It was 110 degrees outside, but the kid wasn’t sweating. When Mitch got out of his Caddie, the kid didn’t even look up from his game.
“This place open?” Mitch asked.
“You’re not from here,” the kid said.
“Not even close.”
The kid’s phone made a buzzing sound. “Shit. You made me fuck up.”
The Creosote used to be a house, but where the front door should be, there was a wall of cinder blocks. There was a banner, however, that said they had cold beer, which sounded good. “There a way in?”
“Until 6,” he said, “you gotta go around back.” He motioned with his thumb over his shoulder. Mitch made out a rusted water tower, the Texaco logo still visible on it if you sort of squinted, the wreck of an old service station beside it. Then nothing but open desert. The kid saw where Mitch was looking. Sighed. Hopped off the truck. “Sorry. Other side. Unless you’re one of those assholes who moved here during the pandemic. Then it’s closed.”
“That wasn’t me.”
He pointed at the car. “You have a spare tire? There’s nails and broken glass all over here.”
“Run-flats,” Mitch said.
“No offense, but that’s kind of pussy, don’t you think?”
“I don’t think, no,” Mitch said. Ever since he drove Paul Copeland’s Caddie to Granite Shores, Mitch had a thing for them, so when the firm told him he could have any car he wanted—within reason—on his 10-year anniversary, he immediately went for an XTS, though what he really wanted was a 1979 Seville. Maybe he’d buy one of those with his own money one day, but Mitch was still not in a place where he felt great with his government paperwork, his fake names only as good as the person looking into him. He wasn’t about to try the DMV, much less TSA.
Mitch took a twenty out of his wallet, offered it to the kid. “Why don’t you make sure
An excerpt from Tod Goldberg’s new novel, ‘Only Way Out’
no nails jump into my tires.” The kid pocketed the cash like he was expecting it. “Something else,” Mitch said. “Is Bonnie working today?” Intel Mitch had was that Penny Green was going by Bonnie Clyde. Clever.
“You’d have to ask inside,” the kid said.
“You don’t work here?”
The kid tapped something on his phone, turned it around. There was a photo on it of three women sitting inside a giant kiddie pool filled with water and ice, bottles of beer floating between them. One of them wore a Christian Undead Necro Teens T-shirt. “If she’s one of these women, then yeah, I guess.”
“You walk around snapping photos of women?” Mitch asked.
“They don’t mind.”
“Do you ask?”
The kid said, “It’s the desert,” like that explained everything.
Mitch started off toward the back. Stopped. “What happens at 6?”
“Huh?”
“You said at 6 there’s a different way in.”
“Oh yeah,” the kid said. “They knock the cinder blocks down.”
Penny was still in the kiddie pool when Mitch came around the rear of the building, but the two ladies with her were now inside the bar, one lighting candles inside mason jars and setting them up along the L-shaped bar, the other
straightening up the bottles and glasses, wiping down the spider-webbed mirror on the wall. There were four other kiddie pools in a semicircle around the property, all filled with water, ice, and bottles of beer. There was a man in one of them, eyes closed, head tilted over the rim of the pool, face flush to the sun. His chest was covered in two tattoos—on one side, a wolf’s head, on the other, the words HANK FOREVER. He snored out of his open mouth.
“Good way to go blind,” Mitch said.
Penny said, “You want a beer?” Mitch told her he did. She took one from her own pool, twisted off the cap, handed it to him. “Odds are he’ll drown first.”
“Optimistic,” Mitch said.
Penny watched the man for a few seconds, then said, “Want to put some action on it?”
“Sure.”
Penny got out of the pool, went inside the bar, came back with a chair for Mitch. “Five?” she said.
“How much is the beer?”
“$4.95.”
“Well, let’s make it interesting,” Mitch said. He took out everything in his wallet, set it on the ground under a bottle. “Thirty-three bucks.”
Penny cocked her head. “Do I know you?”
“Not yet,” Mitch said.
“Then you’ll have to trust me,” she said. “I don’t have any pockets.” All she had on was the T-shirt and a bathing suit bottom. There was
Tod Goldberg. Wendy Duren
a pair of shorts on a chaise longue a few feet away. “But I’m good for 33 bucks.”
“Oh,” Mitch said, “I bet you’re good for a few million.” He sat down, sipped his beer, let that hang there, Penny watching him with no more interest than before. In the distance, a single coyote strolled through the desert, planes crisscrossed the deep blue sky, heading into and out of Palm Springs, which was just over the mountain. Somewhere, the smell of cooking meat wafted through. All that and the passed-out man didn’t move an inch.
“What’s his name?” Mitch asked after a while.
“We call him Yard-Shitting Sam,” Penny said.
“To his face?”
“You’d be surprised.”
“And no one drops the G?” Mitch asked.
“Only way I’ve heard it said. What do people call you?”
“Mitch Diamond.” He put out his hand. She let it sit there. Okay. “You really going by Bonnie Clyde?”
No reaction.
“Trying it on,” she said. “Kids don’t seem to know it.”
“You got paper with it?”
“Don’t you know?” He did. She didn’t. No court in the land would grant Penny Green that change. “How long did it take to find me?”
“A bit,” Mitch said. She’d been out of prison for almost two years and moved around a fair amount.
“I guess Keith Morrison wants to interview me,” she said.
“The guy from Dateline?”
“That’s him,” she said. “Thought I’d wait to see if he showed up one night.” Penny pointed at Yard-Shitting Sam. “Oh no.” He was trying
to turn over. “Here we go.” Yard-Shitting Sam shifted in the pool, his head slipped off the rim, and then he was thrashing underwater, sending bottles of beer and waves of ice water over the side and onto the desert floor, before he burst out of the pool, gasping for air.
Penny went inside for a minute, came out with a towel, gave it to Yard-Shitting Sam. He dried his face, his hair, his arms.
“You good?”
“Guess I fell asleep again,” he said. He picked up one of the beers that had sloshed away, cracked it, walked into the bar.
“Again?” Mitch said to Penny when she returned.
“I may have had some previous experience with this situation.”
She picked up the bottle, gathered up the cash, waited for … something. “That it?” she said.
“All 33 dollars.”
“Don’t you have some papers to serve me with or something?”
“Why would you think that?”
“Well, according to my security detail in the parking lot, the Cadillac out front is registered to the law firm my brother and I robbed,” she said. “And then there’s the scars on your knuckles.”
“I’m not here to bother you,” Mitch said. “Can I buy you dinner or something?”
“Are you asking me out on a date?”
“No,” Mitch said, but the truth was, once he subtracted out her notoriously bad qualities— she’d spent half her time in Gig Harbor in solitary owing to her propensity for violence— Penny Green did seem like the kind of person he could make some bad decisions with, if the moment were right. The moment was certainly not right. “I want to talk to you about a chance to get back on your feet.”
“You work for Barer & Harris and you … want to help me?”
“I work for a law firm. To not act in the interest of our clients is not what we do. That would be like asking someone with a 200 IQ to act like a moron when they’re clearly a genius.”
Mitch paused, let that sink in. “Which is why I’m here, today.”
She looked at her watch. “I get off at 10,” she said. “There’s a Black Bear Diner in Yucca. It’s open 24 hours. I’ll listen to you for as long as it takes for me to eat a stack of blueberry pancakes that your 33 bucks is going to pay for.”
She picked her shorts off the chaise, slid them on. “And it’s closer to 220.”
“I rounded.”
“You rounded down. No one rounds down. My IQ is 216,” she said, “but you knew that, too.”
He did indeed.
Copyright 2025 by Tod Goldberg. From Only Way Out by Tod Goldberg. Reprinted by permission of Thomas & Mercer, a division of Amazon Publishing.
ARTS & CULTURE
CLEAN LAUGHS
By Matt King
Afamily-friendly standup star is bringing his viral brand of comedy to the desert.
The family-friendly humor of Trey Kennedy, coming to Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage, works both online and onstage
For more than a decade, Trey Kennedy’s safe-for-work humor about family and life has garnered millions of views online across multiple platforms, and plenty of sold-out standup shows all over the world. Kennedy puts relatable jokes about kids, partners, friends, parents and more into both his online sketch videos and his standup set, always keeping things PG. You’ve seen him on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, and now you can see Trey Kennedy per-
form as part of “The Relatable Tour” on Friday, Dec. 5, at Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage.
During a recent phone interview, Kennedy explained why he thinks his current show is his favorite piece of work thus far.
“I just feel like I’m growing, on and off stage,” Kennedy said. “I’m a husband; I have two kids; and I’m getting into my 30s. I feel like I really found my groove touring and balancing everything, and just got a lot of good feedback from people who have seen each tour, and they like this one the best. I feel the same way.”
Though he’s been both an internet sensation and a road warrior, Kennedy sees his life as “pretty regular.”
“I live in Kansas City. I hang around my buddies I met in college, and I’m just pretty consumed with being a dad and a husband, trying to balance it,” he said. “I like to think I live a pretty regular life. … Along with that, jokes pop in my head all the time while experiencing life things that so many people do.”
Kennedy is so family-forward that he often brings his wife and kids on tour with him.
“Our first born, he came to 30-plus states and a few countries,” Kennedy said. “We took him everywhere. It’s wild to reflect back on that. I have two kids, and they don’t come to every show. We’re still figuring that out. They came out to a couple of weekends, and we were humbled a little bit with the two versus the one. … We’re picking and choosing, so I can kind of minimize being away from my family. It’s a balance.”
Touring as a comedian can be lonely; it’s a one-man show, after all. But thanks to tight connections with his touring crew, and the fact that his wife and kids spend time with him on tour, Kennedy avoids most of those touring-comic blues.
“I’m lucky,” he said. “We have a great crew—a small crew—and the few guys who do the road with me, we’re best buds, and we have a great time. When the family is not there, that’s really unfortunate, and we make the most of it, but when the family does get there, (my crew members) are really cool with dealing with kiddos in the green room.”
A conservative upbringing led Kennedy’s
early online sketches to fall into the safe-forwork category.
“I first went viral 12 years ago now, and I’ve always just made videos on what I thought was funny and what I’m experiencing,” he said. “I was raised pretty modestly and conservatively, so I initially made clean comedy because I knew my mom was watching.”
He said he’s proud he chose a career of clean comedy.
“Life evolves, and I just felt authentically right being clean, because that’s how I was raised, and now I have a whole group of fans who really appreciate that,” he said. “I get those comments all the time of, ‘Thanks for keeping it clean,’ so I really take pride in that now. Especially as a dad, and wanting my kids to look up to me, I’m glad I’m a clean comedian, so they can enjoy it as well as the years go on.”
Kennedy is still making viral sketch comedy hits in between standup dates and specials. I was curious how he decides whether to present a certain joke onstage or online.
“Sometimes it’s just a gut feeling,” Kennedy said. “There’s no line of reason to it, but the more personal anecdotes, I like to get on stage and do, to really be more intimate with the crowd. Some of those that are more visual, I just go, ‘Oh, that’s a video.’”
Kennedy gave an example of a recent viral hit that, as of this writing, has 9 million TikTok views, a half-million likes on Instagram, and more than 300,000 reactions on Facebook.
“I hired this middle-aged actor, and the bit was teaching my dad how to use his phone in the way he taught me how to do my homework,” he said. “I’m just screaming at him, ‘Are you even trying?’ That, to me, is way better as a video, because you get to see this old man react to me, versus me trying to just tell it onstage. … Sometimes I take an old video idea and embellish it onstage, and sometimes I take a failed stage joke and turn it into a sketch, and it works better there. It’s all trial and error. There’s no science to it—and that’s what makes this fun.”
Kennedy is one of a relative few comics who have mastered both online and in-person comedy.
“I’m so grateful to have both outlets,” he said. “It lets me just be more creative. I’m so grateful I can do the road and make a living that way, but also, we’ve seen with COVID that who-knows-what-else is coming, so it’s nice not to solely rely on ticket sales to provide for my family.”
Some videos will explode on some platforms, and not perform as well on others. Kennedy said this is because different social media platforms attract different age ranges—but, “It’s important to be on all of them,” he said.
“Most everyone knows that if you’re ranking it by age, it goes Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, and I don’t do much on Snapchat, because those are mainly teenagers there,” he said. “… You see different videos pop on different places, which is fascinating
and confusing and challenging, but it’s also great to have all of them, too, because the algorithms change. One year, Facebook changes something, and now you get a bunch of views, and one day, TikTok changes some things, and now you get less views, so that’s all happening simultaneously.
“That’s why I’m also so grateful for the touring side, where I can get in a room with people and laugh and not worry about getting their attention or hacking an algorithm. We can just make jokes and laugh.”
Trey Kennedy is set to perform at 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5, at The Show at Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage, at 32250 Bob Hope Drive. Tickets start at $48.73. For tickets and more information, visit aguacalientecasinos.com.
Trey Kennedy.
The Coachella Valley’s nine cities, three school districts and other elected bodies have less oversight, leading to more government malfeasance.
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CAESAR CERVISIA
By brett newton
The Coachella Valley-focused column I had planned for this month fell through—so I’m going to talk about a very cool taproom event I had the good fortune to attend: Smog City Brewing’s Eighth Anniversary Rarest of the Rare beer fest.
Smog City is a brewery I haven’t mentioned much in this column, and that is a bit of a shame, because I’ve always enjoyed their beers when given to me, or when I ordered their Sabre-Toothed Squirrel red ale at our local Eureka! But it’s in Torrance, and I have never been motivated to head out there, even with the nearby, widely acclaimed Monkish Brewing sweetening the pot; it’s just easier to stop in Orange County and enjoy the many great
breweries there. (And yes, I did stop on the way to Torrance, to have a couple of small pours at one of my current favorite breweries, Everywhere Beer Co., and to pick up a crowler of their latest fresh hop IPA, and a blueberry and lemon hard seltzer, so I didn’t show up at my friend Bennett’s place empty-handed.)
After a late Friday/early Saturday session of catching up (and maybe some rye whiskey), we retired. While I may not be the biggest fan of the area, the weather was absolutely sunny and gorgeous at 72 degrees. The aforementioned Bennett, his fiancé Autumn, our friend James and I got a ride to Smog City’s brewery taproom, went inside, and eyed the long list of beers. I saw a saison with kumquats and vanilla on nitrogen—and I couldn’t order anything else as my first beer. There was citrus, bubblegum, a touch of white pepper, and an incredibly enjoyable orange creamsicle-like note. This a beer style that’s
normally very crisp carbonation-wise, and nitro did it a lot of favors.
We brought our beers to a long wooden bench on the patio and eyed the Felice Italian Catering truck, with a pizza oven and various delicious pies to enjoy. We ordered a few and shared them while sampling each other’s drinks—but I somehow missed sampling Bennett’s portion of a gose called Kelp Wanted. A gose is an old sour wheat-beer style with coriander and salt; it had its origins in Leipzig and saw a revival a little more than a decade ago in American craft-beer circles, but it has kind of gone away since. The name might seem weird until you find out they used red dulse kelp in the beer. I asked Bennett what he thought, and his verdict was: “Briny, but not bad.” I wish I’d tried it just for science.
We were met by our friend Alex who showed us a vending machine he installed in the taproom for the purchasing of various
Torrance’s Smog City produces some incredible beers—and throws a fantastic party
card and tabletop games. I loved the idea and began to rack my brain for other breweries in Southern California that would benefit from one. Having Alex there gave us the added benefit of having fun games to play as we caught up and tried delicious beer and pizza. I was already sufficiently impressed at that point, and I decided to get a flight of five beers. While everything was of high quality, the Pumpkin Spice Chip Shot coffee stout was a revelation. I thought that the pumpkinspice beer trend reached its zenith 10 years ago and had since come down to earth (as it needed to do), but this beer was lovely—an American stout with coffee, a leafy mint flavor, roasted malt and, finally, pumpkin spice in the background to complement it all. Everything was working in concert to create a huge flavor explosion, all within a relatively low 6% alcohol-by-volume beverage. This is a perfect example of how the beer itself should be the star, with the adjuncts there to complement it.
Shortly after the event began, Smog City set up a small bar inside the brewhouse where they rotated in interesting kegs and bottles for serving. This is where I got a pour of the Apex Predator barrel-aged strong ale. It was aged for 15 months in smaller-than-usual Garrison Bros. Balmorhea barrels in order to increase, in their words, the “spirit soaked oak contact” with the beer. This had big notes of caramel, toffee, almond and, of course,
bourbon, but it was not overwhelming and clocked in at a mere 9.5%. What was a tad overwhelming, however, was the Double Bourbon O.E. English-style barleywine. They took a previous barleywine named Bourbon O.E. and barreled it again, in a freshly dumped bourbon barrel, where it picked up a lot of bourbon character—and an extra 2% in ABV. There were some nice flavors in there, but the beer was quite hot at 16.5% alcohol. At this point, we had been enjoying the beautiful day at the taproom for at least three hours. We had interesting conversations, sampled lots of beer and pizza, played some really fun card games, and enjoyed the perfect weather. It was time to retreat back to Bennett and Autumn’s house with James and our friend Nick (who very generously gave me a bottle of the Infinite Wishes barrelaged stout he’d bought at Smog City), where we enjoyed homemade steak shish kebab and lamb chops alongside a brilliant sake. I don’t get to spend a lot of time with these friends, and when I do, I cherish it.
While Los Angeles isn’t my favorite place in the world, it has a beauty that cannot be denied—and it has some pretty fantastic beer, too.
Brett Newton is a certified cicerone (like a sommelier for beer) and homebrewer who has mostly lived in the Coachella Valley since 1988. He can be reached at caesarcervisia@gmail.com.
Torrance’s Smog City brewing has an excellent patio for enjoying beer. Brett Newton
VINE SOCIAL
By Katie finn
The holidays are the unofficial world championships of sparkling wine. It’s the season of grand entrances, noisy kitchens, twinkling lights and the occasional family debate over who ruined the mashed potatoes.
Between office parties, family feasts, Friendsgiving 2.0 and the sacred “do not disturb; I’m watching a movie with my dog” nights, there is a perfect bottle (or three) for every moment.
This year, I’m leaning into six sparklers that cover the whole spectrum, from cheerful crowd-pleasers to serious, knees-weak Champagne. They’re beautifully packaged and reliably deli-
cious, and each one has a personality—and a setting—where it absolutely shines.
Before we get to the good stuff, a quick, nerdy-but-fun primer on how these bubbles happen. Sparkling wines are generally made in two ways: the traditional method (a second fermentation inside the bottle) or the Charmat method (a second fermentation in a pressure tank). Traditional-method wines—like Champagne, Cava and crémant—tend to bring complexity, nuttiness, layers and those sexy brioche aromas that make you feel like you’re sipping luxury. Charmat styles—think prosecco rosé—are fresh, fruity, floral and delightfully crushable. One is orchestra; the other is an upbeat holiday pop song. Both, when done well, deserve a place at your celebration.
Paul Cheneau “Lady of Spain” Cava Brut: Let’s start in Spain’s Penedès with a bottle so festive, it practically decorates the room for you. Paul Cheneau’s “Lady of Spain” is produced by the Giró Ribot family estate—masters of crafting Cava that doesn’t take itself too seriously, while still delivering honest-to-goodness traditional-method quality. The bubbles are fine; the flavor is bright and citrusy with pops of green apple and tropical fruit; and there’s just enough toasty character from the bottle-aging to remind you this is, indeed, a very grown-up drink.
This is the bottle for big, boisterous family gatherings—the kind where someone always forgets the cranberry sauce, and a cousin shows up with a ukulele. It cuts through every appetizer on the table: chips, nuts, deviled eggs, cheese and whatever that thing is that Aunt Margie made. Plus, with its whimsical packaging, it looks like the life of the party— even before you pop the cork.
Pizzolato Italian Spumante Brut Rosé: Now let’s hop over to Italy, where the Pizzolato family—organic wine pioneers in Veneto—has gifted us the kind of rosé bubbles you want to drink in a room full of your favorite people. Made with mostly Glera (the official grape of prosecco) and a hint of Raboso (a red wine grape grown primarily in the eastern part of Veneto) via the Charmat method, this pale pink
sparkler is essentially joy in a bottle: strawberry, white peach, raspberry, almond blossom and just enough acidity to keep things lively.
This wine thrives at festive gatherings with friends—ornament-decorating parties, brunches, cookie swaps, and even impromptu Tuesday-night decompression circles. It’s stunning in photos (that glittery soft pink label!) and universally appealing. Pair it with prosciutto, burrata, smoked salmon, sushi, charcuterie or a bowl of popcorn while watching holiday movies. It’s the bubbly equivalent of your friend who always brings the fun and never overstays their welcome.
Joseph Cattin Crémant d’Alsace Brut: If you’re heading to a work event or a mixedcrowd open house, this is your move. The Joseph Cattin family has been crafting wine in Alsace for centuries, and their Crémant d’Alsace is a masterclass in elegance without the Champagne price tag. Made via the traditional method with bottle-aging on the lees, it offers a clean, crisp profile: green apple, lemon zest, delicate florals and a finish that’s so fresh, it begs for another sip.
It’s the sort of bottle that fits in anywhere—a diplomatic, crowd-pleasing sparkling that tastes far more expensive than it is. Hand it to your boss, your neighbor, your mother-inlaw or that one co-worker who always brings “holiday dip” that tastes suspiciously like ranch dressing with parsley. It will elevate any canapé, seafood platter, roast chicken or dessert containing apples. It’s grace in a glass, without the need for a name-brand price tag.
Paul Bara Réserve Brut, Bouzy Grand Cru NV: For the wine geeks in your life—or the people you really want to spoil—Paul Bara’s Réserve Brut is a Champagne that leaves an impression. Bouzy is one of Champagne’s 17 Grand Cru villages, celebrated for its powerful pinot noir, and Bara has long been considered one of the region’s grower-producer stars. This wine is typically around 80% pinot noir, making it rich, bold and layered with ripe stone fruit, red berries, spice, brioche and a mineral backbone that demands your attention. While it’s a bright
Six holiday recommendations for sparkling wine that will please your guests (and, most importantly, you)
and vibrant white wine, not a rose, it promises to leave everyone breathless.
It’s perfect for dinner parties where guests actually discuss the wine instead of just casually sipping it—or New Year’s Eve, when you want something that delivers impact at midnight. Pair it with scallops, lobster, mushroom anything, roast chicken or a gorgeous cheese spread. This is Champagne that lets everyone know you take Champagne seriously.
Billecart-Salmon “Le Rosé” Extra Brut NV: If the holiday season had a signature fragrance, it would smell like Billecart-Salmon Le Rosé: graceful, silky and subtly luxurious. Founded in 1818, Billecart-Salmon is still family-run and globally adored for its elegance. “Le Rosé” shimmers with a gorgeous pale coppery salmon color and offers delicate red berry aromas, citrus zest and a whisper of wild strawberry.
It’s the ideal luxury gift—refined, romantic and so beautifully packaged that it practically wraps itself. The lucky recipient of this bottle will think of you fondly long after the decorations come down. It’s also a wonderfully intimate bottle for a quiet holiday moment with someone special … or with your own impeccable taste. Pair it with sushi, salmon, charcuterie, chips or berry desserts. Or pair it with your couch. The wine won’t judge.
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Grande Cuvée No. 25 “Sun King Jacket”: If there were ever a bottle designed to stop a holiday party in its tracks, it’s Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle No. 25 in the Sun King jacket. Packaged in a gleaming, architectural metal “cage” that looks like it was commissioned by Louis XIV himself, this is the kind of jaw-dropping gift that makes people gasp before they even taste the wine. Even better—the ornate sleeve is
reusable, ready to cradle future bottles like the regal trophy this wine is.
Laurent-Perrier, founded in 1812 and still family-run, built its reputation on elegance, precision and an almost stubborn commitment to chardonnay-driven finesse. But Grand Siècle is their moon-shot idea: Blend three exceptional vintages to create the “perfect year” that nature never quite provides on its own.
Cuvée No. 25 marries 2008, 2007 and 2006, drawing fruit exclusively from Grand Cru villages. The composition is classic Laurent-Perrier—about 60% chardonnay and 40% pinot noir—and it spends more than a decade aging on the lees before release.
The result? Champagne that is both grand and whisper-delicate. Aromas unfold in layers: lemon confit, crisp pear, clementine zest, warm brioche, grilled almonds, hazelnut and a touch of acacia honey. On the palate, it’s silk in motion—creamy, deep and precise, with a mineral spine that keeps every luxurious note in perfect harmony. It’s a statement, a celebration, a crown jewel of Champagne—and thanks to that Sun King jacket, it even looks like one.
In the end, the best holiday sparkling wine is the one that brings joy—to the table, to your people, and to you. Whether you’re gifting, sharing, celebrating or savoring in glorious solitude, there’s a bottle here with personality and sparkle to match the moment.
And remember: this season, you are absolutely allowed to buy two—one for the party, and one for your own secret stash. After all, the holidays are about giving … and receiving.
Katie Finn is a certified sommelier and certified specialist of wine with two decades in the wine industry. She can be reached at katiefinnwine@ gmail.com.
LiveWater Wise
FOOD & DRINK INDY ENDORSEMENT
This month’s menu: a Rancho Mirage sandwich spot, and Best of Coachella Valley sushi
By Jimmy Boegle
WHAT The grinder
WHERE Duke’s Mini Mart and Deli, 69900
Frank Sinatra Drive, Rancho Mirage
HOW MUCH $13.99
CONTACT 760-770-3355; dukesminimart.com
WHY It’s a solid sandwich.
In September 2024, a fire shuttered Duke’s Mini Mart and Deli—causing no small amount of heartbreak for lovers of sandwiches in and around Rancho Mirage.
WHAT Bluefin tuna carpaccio WHERE Ponzu Sushi, 100 W. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Suite 130, Palm Springs HOW MUCH $30
CONTACT 760-699-7001; ponzusushipalmsprings.com
WHY It’s simple and perfect. When I first got into sushi nearly three decades ago, I was enamored with long rolls. The various combinations of fish/seafood, veggies, condiments and sauces were fun to try—whereas the nigiri and sashimi options seemed like, well, just fish. Where’s the excitement in that?
Duke’s had only been open for about three years at that point; it took over the space that previously housed Jensen’s Mini Mart, but the tweaks the new owners made revitalized the longtime lunchtakeout spot. (Yes, Duke’s is also a true mini-mart and corner liquor store, but most of the customers
while I was there headed straight for the food counter at the rear of the store.)
After being closed for a little more than a year, Duke’s thankfully reopened in late September. I’d never been there, so I decided to check out the place for myself.
I visited just before noon on a weekday— and as I drove up, I saw at least a half-dozen pickups and trucks, some with workers in them, enjoying a sandwich on their lunch break. When I think of a mini mart with a deli inside, I imagine a fairly limited menu of sandwiches—but such is not the case at Duke’s. I counted more than two-dozen sandwich options on the menu, along with breakfast options and salads. There’s even a whole separate Mexican menu, with tacos, burritos and more.
I decided to keep it simple and order a classic grinder: roast beef, ham and salami, with a choice of cheese (I chose Swiss) and the usual toppings, on a freshly baked roll. The only thing this grinder lacked was oil and vinegar, but I didn’t miss them—because it was a damned good sandwich.
I am very glad Duke’s is back—and if you love sandwiches but have never checked the place out, now’s your chance.
Since then, I’ve learned a lot more about sushi (and food in general), and my palate has changed, perhaps even matured.
These days, I tend to be more interested in sashimi and nigiri, especially at places where I know the fish is of higher quality—because there’s nothing better than a good piece of fresh, well-cared-for fish.
Both current me and younger me would find a lot to like at Ponzu Sushi, which opened in the summer of 2024 in the downtown Palm Springs space that had briefly been Stout Burgers and Beers. The place has a great vibe; the patio is fantastic; and the fish is great—in fact, Ponzu tied for first in the Best Sushi category of the just-released Best of Coachella Valley readers’ poll.
On our recent visit, we tried both the Palm Springs ($25) and Ponzu ($25) signature rolls. Current me, while unexcited, thought they were enjoyable—especially the Ponzu, with salmon, bluefin tuna, yellowtail and avocado, wrapped in soy paper and topped with lemon, jalapeno and a spicy cilantro sauce—whereas younger me would have been jumping for joy.
The dish that current me can’t stop thinking about takes one ingredient from that Ponzu roll and makes it the star. The bluefin tuna carpaccio is simple—just six rolled pieces of wonderful tuna, accompanied by yuzu dressing, ponzu, a sesame sauce and chili oil, with a thin slice of fresh garlic atop each piece. It was divine (and at $5 per bite, that was a relief).
Whether you like complicated rolls or simple fish preparations, there’s something for you at Ponzu Sushi.
We’re Doing Business with PRIDE in the Coachella Valley.
Restaurant NEWS BITES
By charles drabkin
DESERT HOT SPRINGS GETS A NEW FARMERS’ MARKET
Our
The Palm Springs Cultural Center has launched a new Certified Farmers Market in Desert Hot Springs, at 66070 Pierson Blvd.
250 members support equality–and they support you!
It’s starting off as a once-a-month affair—with markets from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 23, Dec. 21 and Jan. 11—before moving to every other week from Feb. 1 through the end of April. The market will increase access to fresh, affordable produce and pantry staples for residents in an area that has historically had limited access. For more information on this and the Palm Springs famers’ market, visit certifiedfarmersmarket.org
See what our members have to offer at desertbusiness.org
IN BRIEF
After a three-month revamp, Counter Reformation—the 22-seat wine bar at the Parker Palm Springs, at 4200 E. Palm Canyon Drive—has reopened. The European-inspired vinoteca is offering small, shareable plates like caviar, crème fraiche and quail egg; and roasted shallot tarte tatin. See the complete menu and find out more at parkerpalmsprings.com/counter-reformation. Please note: Counter Reformation no longer accepts reservations. … Several months ago, we reported that Mark’s Burgers was coming to 68718 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 201, in Cathedral City, in the former home of AMP Sports Lounge. The restaurant has expanded the footprint considerably and opened its doors, and is now serving all sorts of burger-joint favorites. I really enjoyed my fried chicken sandwich, and a half-order of fries was plenty for two people to share. Get details at marksburgersofficial.com. … Maleza, at the Drift Hotel—at 284 S. Indian Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs—has brought in chef de cuisine Chris Gonzalez to work with executive chef Ysaac Ramirez. Ramirez’s resume includes several highly rated Los Angeles restaurants, including Republique and the now-closed Trois Mec. I am particularly excited to try the grilled persimmons with a black lime vinaigrette, crispy kale and puffed grains. Find out more at malezapalmsprings.co. … Palm Springs staple Trio opened a new outlet at the Acrisure Arena. Pastwich by Trio offers a carb extravaganza—with pasta and a sandwich fused together, in four flavors: spaghetti pomodoro, meatball, eggplant parmigiana and birria. This should keep arena-goers filled up through the hockey game or concert. See for yourself at instagram.com/palmspringstrio. … On the Mark is opening a second location at the new Cotino town center in Rancho Mirage. The owners tell me this location will be more than twice the size of their Palm Springs store, with more space to sit down and enjoy the food. They are also planning to sell both produce and meat. The goal is to open in the fall of 2026; visit www.onthemarkpalmsprings.com and keep an eye on this space for updates. … Bougainvillea Fresh Cuisine has opened in the former home of Guacamoles, at 555 S. Sunrise Way, Suite 108, in Palm Springs. The dinner menu leans heavily on Italian dishes, and their Instagram page indicates that they are making fresh pasta. The lunch seems to be a mix of mid-day favorites along with Mexican and Italian food. Check out instagram.com/bougainvilleafc for details. … The Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa, at 41000 Bob Hope Drive, in Rancho Mirage, has launched a new dining concept inspired by the Coachella Valley’s date industry. Double Date combines California sunshine and Italian traditions into dishes like lamb osso buco with date molasses. The hotel is also in the midst of remodeling what was bluEmber, with plans to reopen it as Desert Pearl in January. Find more information at omnihotels.com/hotels/palm-springs-rancho-las-palmas. … Palm Desert has a new way to get caffeinated. Rutina Coffee, at 44855 San Pablo Ave., in Palm Desert, is serving beautifully crafted coffees in a modern space. Although the website (www. rutinacafe.com) still says “coming soon” as of this writing, Rutina’s Facebook page and Instagram (instagram.com/rutinacoffee) page make it seem they are open. … Mediterranean Delight will soon open in the former home of Le Basil, at 72695 Highway 111, in Palm Desert. We know this because of new signage, but we could find no website or social media pages as of our deadline, so keep an eye on this space for more details. … Desert Beer Company has opened a second location at 82921 Indio Blvd., in Indio. Desert Beer Company Pizza and Pints has a full kitchen and dining space with a menu of pizza, salads and sandwiches; find out more at desertbeercompany.com. … A Bakery, which has been offering local farmers’ market-goers long-fermentation organic baked goods like focaccia, bagels and all manner of breakfast pastries, was a targeting late November opening for their brick and mortar space at 72221 Highway 111, Suite 111, in Palm Desert. Keep an eye on instagram.com/_.abakery_ for updates. … It appears that Tuscano’s and BrewQuinta, at 78772 Highway 111, in La Quinta, has closed its doors; its phone number seems to be disconnected. Have food or restaurant news? Email foodnews@cvindependent.com.
DECEMBER
3 - 21
68510 East Palm Canyon Dr Cathedral City, CA 760-296-2966 ext 101 CVRep.org
JAN 14 - FEB 1
MUSIC
FROM PARIS TO THE PLAZA
By MATT KING
After making the Coachella Valley famous in the music world, Palm Desert’s own Joshua Homme has returned home.
With his band Kyuss, Homme established and popularized a heavy sound that would go on to be defined as desert rock. First performing at desert generator shows—where bands and fans would go out into the middle of the Mojave to catch some rock—the group quickly achieved
worldwide success, becoming one of metal music’s most influential bands.
After Kyuss broke up, Homme started Queens of the Stone Age, a band that would channel the same desert energy into heavy, dancy jams that would dominate charts and sell out venues.
The latest experiment from Queens of the Stone Age: The band went down into the Catacombs of Paris to film a live concert. Instead of blaring through their list of loud hits like “No One Knows,” “Little Sister” or “3’s & 7’s,” the band, along with a symphony, performed stripped-down, emotionally moving versions of both heavy and soft songs from the band’s catalog. Alive in the Catacombs was released as a concert film and an EP in June.
The newly opened Plaza Theatre in Palm Springs will host a screening of the Alive in the Catacombs concert film, as well as a behind-the-scenes documentary, on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Homme will attend the screening and take part in a Q&A, which I will moderate, following the film.
Plaza Theatre Foundation board member Brian Ray told me recently that Homme’s love for the Plaza runs deep, as the future desert legend would frequently beg his mom to take him to the movies there when he was younger. During a recent Zoom interview, Homme confirmed his love for local theaters.
“The Plaza, the Camelot, and there was also Palms to Pines that had a cool look on the inside, too,” Homme said. “We’re playing a show in Santa Barbara at the Arlington Theatre, and it was totally picked because it looks like the Plaza. When you go, it’s like a little Mexican village at night. It was as cool as any movie, just walking in there.”
Homme was heavily involved in Rock the Plaza, a 2022 benefit concert that raised funds to restore the theater. He believes that the Plaza, along with other historic and beautiful Coachella Valley landmarks, should be cherished.
“Things like that should be preserved, as much (as possible), so that downtown is like a village still,” he said. “When they tore down all of Cathedral City thinking they were going to build something else, I thought, ‘Oh man, it’s
a big swing.’ There’s still kind of nothing there. All those little Spanish-looking buildings and all that stuff that was there was kind of cool.”
The return of the Plaza comes at a time when the desert is home to arena events, consistent casino shows and a couple of world-famous festivals—in contrast to the desert in which Homme grew up, where a lack of support for music pushed him and his friends out into nature to create their own fun.
“I think the lack of things to do, and a community chasing the kids out into the extremities of the desert, was a good thing, because it gave us ownership of the scene and all the moves you made,” he said. “You had to be committed, so you couldn’t half-step. They call it the gift of nothing: You’re so bored that you create your own fun, and you learn to play guitar; you learn to play drums; you learn to play piano, which takes time.”
Homme credits the unforgiving nature of generator shows for teaching him the importance of failure.
“It’s fun to fail, and funner still to stand up again, and I think instruments and things like that are about the joy of failing forward, and failing in your footsteps,” he said.
The Alive in the Catacombs screening in Palm Springs marks a rare desert appearance for Homme. Besides a few Coachella appearances from both Queens of the Stone Age and Desert Sessions, and his opening of a “musical pathway” at the Children’s Discovery Museum in Rancho Mirage in 2019, locals don’t see too much of the icon.
“I don’t have hometown blues or anything like that at all,” Homme said. “I love spending time in the desert, and I enjoy watching how Joshua Tree and the low dez have really grown. I certainly have a nostalgia for how things were in both areas, but not one that I hold on to too tightly.”
Homme is elated to see a surge in “good venues” in the desert, and dropped a hint about the Alive in the Catacombs tour, during which the band plays the same set from their concert film, as well as other tunes from their discography in unique, reworked ways.
“We’re talking about adding dates (to the Catacombs tour) just so I can come home and
Josh Homme screens Queens of the Stone Age’s ‘Alive in the Catacombs’ film with a live Q&A
play there, because I want to be able to bring all this stuff home,” he said.
On the Catacombs tour, a few slow and dramatic tunes from Queens of the Stone Age’s discography have been perfect fits alongside the band’s concert-film arrangements, while other tunes, like Them Crooked Vultures’ “Spinning in Daffodils” and bluesy desert jams like “Fortress” are reshaped to fit the theatrical, operatic vibe.
“Ninety percent of these songs are written on the edge of a bed with an acoustic while you tap your foot,” Homme said. “In many ways, they get revealed, and in many cases, get heavier with less. Sometimes we play loud, and sometimes we play soft, and I don’t think there’s a need to pick or choose or say, ‘We’re only going to do this, and we’re only going to do that.’ I’m 52 years old, and over the years, I don’t like less music; I like more. It’s natural to try to find your way to age and incorporate new things that you’re into.”
Homme said Queens of the Stone Age is currently in their “mystery box era,” where anything goes. The band is no stranger to pushing boundaries—for example, debuting a brand-new song with no warning, or playing a full-fledged arena-rock show on an off-date from their Catacombs tour.
“I love to announce tours and not say any-
thing about what they’re going to be like, and those first few shows shock and surprise and awe people,” he said. “The Catacombs film and the tour is a sort of announcement of a new era. We’re just going to take the mantra of, ‘We’re just going to do anything,’ and amplify that even more.”
Homme said he’s grown to better appreciate the things that come after writing and recording a song.
“Making music and spending time really crafting that, and doing that until you love it, is one part of the process, and the next is finding an interesting way of leaving breadcrumbs and making that mystery unfurling,” he said. “The hints and the suggestions and the misdirection and the darkness and the light—that’s a fun puzzle and a bit of music in its own manner as well. There’s a melody to how to release something and to enjoy teasing. There’s something almost overtly sexual about it, too. There’s a lot of foreplay there, and I think it’s a shame to skip all that stuff.”
Alive in the Catacombs, with a Q&A featuring Josh Homme, will screen at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 9, at the Plaza Theatre, at 128 S. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs. Tickets are $30. For tickets and more information, visit www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com.
Queens of the Stone Age. Andreas Neumann
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MUSIC
CATS HERDED
By matt king
Adesert music legend’s psychedelic supergroup is making a rare live appearance—and actually embarking on a brief tour.
Earthlings? is a star-studded combo started by David Catching (owner/operator of Rancho De La Luna), the late Fred Drake (who was an owner/operator of Rancho De La Luna) and Pete Stahl (frontman of Scream) in the ’90s. The band used the studio to their advantage, crafting
trippy, spacey, effects-heavy tunes, and establishing the project as one of the weirder bands to come out of the desert scene.
After Drake’s passing in 2002, the band continued to make occasional live appearances, with album drops here and there. Now in 2025, a seven-piece earthlings? lineup is embarking on a mini-tour, and is performing in the desert for the first time since 2021. You can catch earthlings? at Pappy and Harriet’s on Wednesday, Dec. 3.
During a recent phone interview, Catching said that trying to get earthlings? together for shows is “like herding cats.”
“It’s a lot harder than you would think, because everybody’s super-busy,” he said.
This current iteration of the band includes Adam Maples (Sea Hags, Orquesta del Desierto), Jonathan Hischke (Dot Hacker, El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Le Butcherettes), Ben Alleman (Pet Fangs), Mathias Schneeberger (Sunn O))), Afghan Whigs, Mark Lanegan) and Clint Walsh (Gnarls Barkley, Dwarves) joining Catching and Stahl.
“Clint Walsh won’t be making the first two shows, which are at the Whistle Stop in San Diego and Pappy and Harriet’s,” Catching said. “He just had a new child, so he’s going to do L.A. and Long Beach with us. The rest of the guys are just always busy. Mathias Schneeberger, he’s a pretty-in-demand producer and engineer, and he’s got a studio. Ben Alleman is a session guy, and he plays with Social Distortion, and they play all the time. Pete Stahl has a few bands, and he also is tour-managing Sunn O))). He’s actually in Europe, and he lives in New York now, so he’s coming in for the shows. Jonathan Hischke plays with a ton of really cool bands, and he’s been out on the road with all of them. Adam Maples works all the time. It was kind of strange that we all had a few days to do this. I guess it’s because it’s just before the holiday season, so everybody’s home right now.”
Even though getting the group together isn’t easy, Catching considers them his “best friends and favorite musicians.”
“Usually we do a once-a-year show at Pappy and Harriet’s, because that’s the local place,” he said. “We’ve been working on an album for a
while now, and we can all get together here and work on the album and then play a show, and it’s always fun. We usually play outside during the summer, and that’s always such a beautiful place to play, and we’ve been doing it for 25 years, so it’s kind of our home-away-fromhome place.”
The four-date SoCal run by earthlings? is, in part, a result of frequent requests from Phil Pirrone, of Desert Daze.
“He actually has been bugging us, in a great way, to come and play some shows in L.A. for a couple of years, and we’ve never really had time,” Catching said. “Finally, I was like, ‘I think we have a couple of days in December, so we could actually come and play in L.A.’ … We’ve never played at Alex’s Bar in Long Beach, although almost every one of us has played there with another band. We love it there, so we thought that would be cool, and Gold Diggers is our friend’s place, and we love that place. It’s an amazing spot. After those were booked, we’re like, ‘Shoot, looks like most of us have another couple of days that we can put in,’ so we were able to book San Diego and Pappy and Harriet’s, which was great. I wouldn’t have thought that Pappy’s was going to be open, but it was, and now we’re super-lucky that we’re getting to play four of our favorite places.”
Catching said getting to perform live with earthlings? again makes him feel closer to Drake.
“I feel he’s with me every day whenever I’m working at the studio,” Catching said. “He was living here and invited me to be a partner in the studio with him. … It was just us having fun making music when we had free time, so that’s how the band actually started. Then we got introduced to Pete Stahl, and he’s one of my favorite singers. I’d seen him play with Scream in the ’80s in Memphis, so that was really fun, and then I’ve been in a couple of bands with Adam Maples, and we got him out to play drums. Every time we play a show, it feels like Fred’s there.”
During our chat, Catching revealed that a new earthlings? record is in the works.
“We have been trying to finish it up, and we are pretty close,” he said. “I’m hoping that when we come out here, we will all sit down
Dave Catching gets his earthlings? bandmates together for a rare four-date tour
and listen and figure out, at least, what’s going to go on the album, and try to finish it while everybody’s here. Jon Russo, myself and Pete have been mixing it, so it’s sounding really great. I’m really, really excited about it.”
The upcoming earthlings? shows will include some of the new material, while celebrating the long musical journey the band has been on thus far. Speaking of new material: When I spoke with Catching in June, he gave an update on the Rancho De La Luna anniversary album that has been in the works for years. During our recent chat, he stressed that the album is “really, really close.”
“We only have three more songs to mix,” he said. “I’m doing that with my friend Paul Fraser. He’s producing it, and he’s written most of the songs with me and our other friends that are taking part in it—but he lives in London, so it’s been a little challenging getting together. We’re doing remote stuff as well, but it’s a lot
better when you’re in person. We finished a couple of mixes, and just finished a song we recorded with the guys from Mastodon. He’s coming back over at the beginning of January, and then we’ll be done with it—which is sounding incredible.”
The album will feature a who’s-who list of notable collaborators and visitors to Rancho De La Luna over its three-decade-plus existence.
“It’s a pretty long list right now,” Catching said. “I’m kind of blown away that so many people decided to jump in on it. I can’t wait for people to hear it. It’s the coolest album I’ve ever done with anybody. It’s a really great record.”
Earthlings? will perform at 9 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 3, at Pappy and Harriet’s, at 53688 Pioneertown Road, in Pioneertown. Expensive $hit is set to open. Tickets are $31.86. For tickets and more information, visit pappyandharriets.com.
Dave Catching.
MUSIC
NO LABELS
By Matt King
AAllen Condes gets a little help from his friends on his new LP
diverse local artist is releasing his sophomore LP, THE WORLD IS ALWAYS ENDING SOMETIMES, a genre-exploring project that adds to a body of work that is already hard to identify.
Allen Condes’ sound is, well, indescribable. While the solo artist uses hyperpop vocal techniques and electronic beats in a majority of his musical moments, flashes of rock, indie, funk,
R&B, rap and more make it unfair to give Condes a singular-genre label. His debut album, Front, released a year ago, runs the musical gamut, jumping from bit-crushed bops to hype hip hop—but the energy always remains high, and Condes’ autotuned vocals will likely scratch an itch in your brain.
THE WORLD IS ALWAYS ENDING SOMETIMES is slated for release on Dec. 17.
“For this album, I really wanted to push myself and not be restricted by any boundaries,” Condes said during a recent phone interview. “I wanted to push the ideas in the best way, and get the best quality ideas that I could out of each song. I really wanted to focus on B sections and bridges and arrangements, and I wanted to push the musicality more. I’ve been experimenting with more live instrumentation, which I’ve done in the past, but I’ve been incorporating it more into a full body of work, which I’m excited about.”
For the new album, Condes recruited the help of some friends to make his solo music more collaborative. The upcoming group of songs will feature vocal performances from Hayley Haden, Sikey M and Ryan Gundran; bass work from Bernard Clark; trumpets from Clarence McDuffie III; keyboards from Nikhil Suri; drums from Ben Dinero; violin from Luke Norton; and flute from Carmela Harkins.
“I really wanted to incorporate more musicians and make collaboration a big thing, because I know that’s a huge aspect of music, and if I’m the only one bringing in ideas, that can limit the project a bit,” he said. “I just want it to be the best it can possibly be.”
Condes said he’s been working on the album for about a year.
“It’s been a lot of conceptualizing,” he said. “There’s a lot of emotion attached to it as well. It was very cathartic to be making some of these songs. It felt like a release, and by the end of it, it felt very freeing. It’s very freeing to be releasing something like this, and yes, I’m very proud of it.”
In cryptic fashion, Condes took to Instagram to share graphics that read “THE WORLD IS ALWAYS ENDING SOMETIMES.” In doing so, he sought to build hype without actually announcing an album—taking some pressure
off of himself in the process.
“I wanted a way to post about stuff that felt authentic to me and also felt like world-building, and that’s what I’m trying to do with the promo,” Condes said. “I wanted to post in a way that didn’t feel like promotion. Posting can be such a big thing when it doesn’t really have to be. Sometimes you build it up so much in your head, and you feel so much pressure to release something, or post this thing or not post at all. It’s something that I’m sure a lot of people have been struggling with.”
THE WORLD IS ALWAYS ENDING SOMETIMES is the first work Condes is releasing since his Halloween song “Fugitive.” The track, which featured Condes on guitar, along with him taking his usual vocal and production duties, mixed spooky trip-hop sounds and experimental synths with a driving, groove-filled beat. “GUST, ” the first single from Condes’ new album, was released on Nov. 17. The delightfully funky mix of hip hop and R&B offers a first taste of the album. Condes graces the single’s cover, wearing a hooded costume and sporting glowing yellow eyes, a costume he said will be “the look for
this specific album.”
The Palm Springs musician is currently in school at the University of California, San Diego, but he still views the desert as home.
“I originally lived in Florida, and I was born in Florida, and moved here coming into high school,” Condes said. “I’ve had varying experiences, but it still feels like I have a connection to the valley, just because my family and a lot of my friends are there. It’s hard to describe living in college, also because I’m very new to it. I’ve described it as living in a hotel, like a little vacation for a while, and it kind of feels that way. I’m excited to be here, but I also do feel a connection with the valley. It’s my home.”
While Condes isn’t going to school to study music, he said music is where he feels the most passion, and he’s determined to keep perfecting his sonic craft.
“Whenever I go about making music or creating art, it feels very right to me,” he said. “It’s something I can just dive into and enjoy for hours, and you forget the time’s there. It feels like this is where I’m meant to be. I believe that it’ll go somewhere to the point where I can comfortably say that I’m a full-time musician. I feel weird speaking about things in the future, but that’s what I’m feeling about it. This album is another step, and I’m very passionate about this stuff—and I really think that this is what I’m meant to be doing.”
Learn more at www.instagram.com/allencondes.
By matt king
Happy December! As 2025 comes to a close, it’s a perfect time to put on a sweater (if needed) and go see a show! Stay safe, and have a great holiday season.
Besides Coachella Valley Firebirds hockey, Acrisure Arena is hosting music legends and child icons! At 7:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5, celebrate the history of rap with How the West Was Won, a hip-hop show featuring performances from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, E-40, Kurupt from Tha Dogg Pound, Warren G, Suga Free, Lighter Shade of Brown and Glasses Malone. Tickets start at $38.55. At 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, Gabby’s Dollhouse Live! makes the jump from screen to stage, as the animated kids’ show comes to life here in the desert. Tickets start at $43.10. At 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 30, new-wave kings Duran Duran will revisit their ’80s hits! Tickets start at $99.75. Acrisure Arena, 75702 Varner Road, Palm Desert; 888-695-8778; www. acrisurearena.com.
At last! The Plaza Theatre is open and boasting a full schedule! Here are some highlights. At 7:30 p.m., Monday, Dec. 1, Wicked star Cynthia Erivo revives the Plaza at the Grand Opening Gala, a fundraiser for the theater. Remaining tickets start at $1,000. At 7:30 p.m., Monday, Dec. 8, the Plaza will host its first Palm Springs Icons celebration, which honors eight locals who have made significant contributions to the desert. Lucie Arnaz, Michael Childers, Paul Feig, Michael Holmes and the Purple Room, Larry Luckinbill, Trixie Mattel, Brian Ray and the late Frank Sinatra will all be celebrated through film and song. Tickets start at $81.55. At 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 7, the Plaza’s symphony-in-residence, the Palm Springs Symphony, will perform their Christmas show. Tickets start at $75.70. At 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 13, and 3 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 14, the Plaza’s ensemble-in-residence, Modern Men, showcase unique arrangements of holiday hits. Tickets start at $64.05. At 7
Duran Duran
Allen Condes.
p.m., Friday, Dec. 19 and Saturday, Dec. 20, as well as 2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 21, the Plaza’s chorus-in-residence, the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus, will fill the new stage with 100 voices and plenty of cheery tunes. Tickets start at $64.05. Plaza Theatre, 128 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-593-5818; www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com.
Fantasy Springs features country, corridos and covers! At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, Midland brings harmonic honky-tonk tunes to Indio. Tickets start at $72.50. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 13, Los Dos Carnales and their norteño and corrido styles will set the stage ablaze with Latin energy. Tickets start at $92.50. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 20, Beatles tribute band RAIN is bringing their Christmas show to town, performing a set of Beatles classics and Xmas favorites. Tickets start at $52.50. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio; 760-342-5000; www.fantasyspringsresort.com.
The McCallum Theatre’s calendar is filled with moving events. At 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5, famous conceptual dance company MOMIX presents Alice, an Alice in Wonderland-inspired artistic dance show. Tickets start at $47. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, enjoy a mariachi Christmas show with Mariachi Herencia de México, which combines culture with holiday cheer! Tickets start at $43. At 7 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 7, Christmas tunes meet horns when Canadian Brass performs. Tickets start at $57. The stage adaptation of the musical Moulin Rouge! graces the McCallum stage for multiple performances from Tuesday, Dec. 9, through Sunday, Dec. 14. Tickets start at $97.99. Barry Manilow’s concert series, A Gift of Love, returns for a seventh edition—benefitting 25 local charities—across multiple dates: 7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 16, and Wednesday, Dec. 17; 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 19, and Saturday, Dec. 20; and 7 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 21. Tickets start at $177.58. A Beautiful Noise, a musical dedicated to the life and songs of Neil Diamond, will take the stage
The Venue REPORT
continued from page 55
for multiple performances from Tuesday, Dec. 23, through Sunday, Dec. 28. Tickets start at $72.99. McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert; 760-340-2787; www. mccallumtheatre.com.
Morongo Casino has a few big concerts on the December schedule. At 9 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 3, Rob Thomas, frontman of Matchbox Twenty, brings his solo show to Cabazon. Tickets start at $42.75. At 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5, regional Mexican act Los Parras will showcase some norteño bangers. Resale tickets started at $298.13 as of this writing. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, iconic funk and soul act War will bring the Long Beach sound to the desert. Tickets started at $171.72 as of our deadline. Morongo Casino Resort Spa, 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon; 800-252-4499; www.morongocasinoresort.com.
Spotlight 29 Casino has music and comedy! At 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5, comedian René Vaca will bring the chuckles to Coachella. Tickets start at $38.80. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, viral impressionist Matt Friend will share standup featuring voices you know well. Tickets start at $28.50. At 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 13, the holiday spirit reigns with Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, as their holiday tour will showcase more of the group’s patented mix of music eras. Tickets start at $33.65. Honest Goodness Comedy Fridays continue with Javi Bailon (Dec. 12), Jimmy Della Valle (Dec. 19) and Bruce Jingles (Dec. 26). Tickets start from $17.32 to $17.85. You must be 18+ to attend. Spotlight 29 Casino, 46200 Harrison Place, Coachella; 760-775-5566; www.spotlight29.com.
Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage is hosting tons of music! At 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 10, powerful vocal group The Texas Tenors, accompanied by the Desert Symphony, will croon through Christmas classics as a threepiece vocal unit. Tickets start at $69.42. Tickets are moving fast to see some ’90s stars: At 8 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 18, ’90s Hits and Xmas Riffs brings a triple-threat from the Trapper
Keeper era, with Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray, Kevin Griffin of Better Than Ezra, and Emerson Hart of Tonic. Remaining tickets start at $69.87. As we approach a new year, remember prior years with An Evening With the Rat Pack, featuring a number of tributes to Palm Springs legends, at 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 27 Tickets start at $33.80. At 8 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 31, ring in the new year, as Agua Caliente in Rancho Mirage always does, with KC and the Sunshine Band, with special guest Sister Sledge. Tickets start at $85.35. Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage; 888-999-1995; www.aguacalientecasinos.com.
At Agua Caliente Palm Springs, rockin’ residencies round out the year. Desert Blues Revival Wednesdays feature blues rocksoul-funk-jazz act Sayed Sabrina (Dec. 3), a performance of holiday songs from girl groups performed by the Gand Band (Dec. 10) and the annual bluesy benefit Jews Do the Blues (Dec. 17). Shows are at 7 p.m., and tickets start at $17.85 to $28.52, available at eventspalmsprings.com. Carousel Thursdays bring Christmas soul from Greg Adams and East Bay Soul (Dec. 4), an evening of Charlie Brown Christmas tunes from Duck Soup Trio (Dec. 11) and Borscht Belt Hanukkah, a night of Hanukkah tunes from Skip Heller (Dec. 18). Shows are at 7 p.m., and tickets start at $19.98, available at eventspalmsprings. com. A musical time-capsule show, this time dedicated to the year 1970, will take place at 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5, and feature performances from Tod Macofsky, Dion Khan and the Gand Band. Tickets for this show start at $22.11, again at eventspalmsprings. com. Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs, 401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs; 888-999-1995; www.aguacalientecasinos.com.
Here are some highlights from a stacked December at Pappy and Harriet’s. At 9:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 10, you can grace the Pappy’s stage and scream into the microphone when Punk Rock Karaoke, a band of punk-rock alumni who perform iconic songs from the genre, visit the desert. Show up early to sign up to sing! Tickets are $31.86. At 9 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 11, Coachella Valley music legend Chris Goss will appear in Pioneertown with his band Jumpers. Paul Chesne and Hammer of the Ozz are set to open the show. Tickets are $42.74. At 9:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 13, it’s a psychedelic desert affair with performances from Brainstory and É Arenas (Chicano Batman). Twin Seas are set to open. Tickets are $31.86. At 8 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 17, enjoy another local affair, as hi-dez acts Karma Dealers, The LEDNECKS and The Sibleys visit the Pioneertown Palace. Tickets are $13.73. Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688
Mojave Gold has a busy month, so here are some notable shows. At 9:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5, local goth-event promoters Luna Negra present The Naughty List Fetish Ball, an 18+ evening of leather, lace, lust and more. Tickets are $12.15 in advance. At 7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 10, Homestead Sessions (which usually take place at a house in the high desert) host their final show of the year at Mojave Gold, with performances form Mikey Reyes, Palo Xanto and Fresh Basil. The event is free. At 8:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 12, Joshua Tree promoters JT City Limits are hosting a Yuletide Masquerade Ball with musical tributes to the Ramones and Ace Frehley. The event is free. At 8 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 14, enjoy a night of surf in the desert when surf guitar legend Dick Dale’s son Jimmy Dale and his trio rock through a set of surf classics. Hot Patooties will open up the evening. Tickets are $17.41 in advance. Mojave Gold, 56193 Twentynine Palms Highway, Yucca Valley; 442205-0192; mojavegolddesert.com.
Weekends are fun at the Purple Room! At 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5, and Saturday, Dec. 6, Broadway Barbara mixes Christmas tunes and naughty-list comedy. Tickets start at $50.85. At 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 12, and Saturday, Dec. 13, vocal star Andrea McArdle (of Annie fame) serenades a set of sleigh-ing songs. Tickets start at $56. All ticketed shows include dinner reservations two hours before show time. Michael Holmes’ Purple Room, 1900 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; 760-3224422; www.purpleroompalmsprings.com.
Brainstory
MUSIC
LUCKY 13
Get to better know punk great Frank Meyer, and singer/songwriter Dylan Garcia
by matt king
NAME Frank Meyer
GROUP The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs MORE INFO You can’t get much more punk than Frank Meyer. His band The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs began playing covers, and later, their original compositions were heavily inspired by the punk giants they loved. His debut solo album, Living Between the Lines, features all-star collaborations from Cherie Currie (The Runaways), Lisa Kekaula (The Bellrays) and Eddie Spaghetti (The Supersuckers). Meyer, with his solo band, will perform at 8 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 4, at Mojave Gold. For tickets and more information, visit mojavegolddesert.com.
What was the first concert you attended?
My folks took me to see Jimmy Buffett when I was a kid. Apparently when we walked into the concert hall, I said to my mom, “It smells like dad’s office in here.” The next one I went to was the Blues Brothers with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd backed by Booker T. and the M.G.’s!
What was the first album you owned? The first album I recall owning was The Muppet Movie soundtrack. The first albums I remember buying with my own money were Joan Jett’s I Love Rock ’n Roll and the Go-Go’s Beauty and the Beat
What bands are you listening to right now?
I’m loving the band I am on tour with, The Strains, out of Detroit. They are a great combination of the MC5 and KISS—really strong songs. I dig the new Tron: Ares soundtrack by Nine Inch Nails a lot, and there’s been a bunch of recent Black Crowes, Rolling Stones and KISS re-issues with tons of bonus tracks that I have been listening to.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?
I love older country music, but most of the newer artists sound really cheesy to me. It’s like bad ’90s radio rock meets bad ’80s hair metal, but with pedal steel instead of electric guitar. This wave of hipster mountain music with manbun dudes in flat cowboy hats with twisty thin moustaches is pretty annoying, too.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
I would love to have seen the New York Dolls in the early ’70s. I would kill to have seen the MC5 or Stooges in the late ’60s, and I was just a little too young to see the original Van Halen with David Lee Roth in their heyday. I saw them with Hagar; I saw Roth solo, and saw them reunite with Wolfgang … but sadly, I never saw the original lineup.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?
You wouldn’t think it based on my punk background, but I actually love a lot of ’80s metal. I am a huge fan of Armored Saint, KIX, Black ’n Blue, Ratt, Def Leppard, Cinderella, Poison and early Mötley Crüe. I was inspired by that stuff as much as I was by punk bands like Sex Pistols, Dead Boys and FEAR.
What’s your favorite music venue?
Probably the Forum in Los Angeles. I have seen sooooo many amazing shows there over the years. That’s where I saw the Harlem Globetrotters and Ringling Bros. Circus when I was a kid. I saw Prince there on the Purple Rain tour as a teen, Black Sabbath, Neil Young, AC/ DC, KISS, WASP, LL Cool J, Heart, Public Enemy, The Roots, Patti Smith, Ice-T and so many more. I even saw Van Halen rehearse there in front of just 200 friends and family when they first reunited with Diamond Dave in 2007!
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?
“Mommy’s alright, Daddy’s alright / They just seem a little weird / Surrender, surrender / But don’t give yourself away,” “Surrender,” Cheap Trick.
What band or artist changed your life?
Joan Jett changed my life, because she was
the first rock ’n’ roll artist I got so passionate about that I went out with my allowance money and bought her album I Love Rock ’n Roll. I was obsessed with it. Then Van Halen changed my life, because Eddie Van Halen inspired me to pick up the guitar and learn to play. Soon enough, at age 12, I was practicing and writing songs. Then I heard Iggy Pop and the Stooges in my early 20s, and those albums gave me a whole new focus. I was blown away by the simplicity and intensity of the music, and Iggy’s performances onstage were so raw and combative.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?
I would ask Prince what it was like working with Miles Davis. I would love to have been a fly on the wall for those sessions.
What song would you like played at your funeral?
“Goodbye Goodbye” by Oingo Boingo.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
Exile on Main St. by the Rolling Stones. It has every style of music I love all on one album: hard rock, rock ’n’ roll, blues, country, folk, gospel and soul.
What song should everyone listen to right now?
Hell, listen to MY latest single, “Blue Radio,” from my album Living Between the Lines. It’s a mix of Cheap Trick hard rock, Amy Winehouse retro pop, and Taylor Swift bounce. I really tried to write the perfect pop song, but in my very own punk rock ’n’ roll style. Come to a show, and tell me what ya think! If you love it, buy me a beer! If you hate it, I’ll buy YOU a beer!
NAME Abel Garcia III, aka Dylan Garcia
MORE INFO Abel Garcia III, who releases music and performs under the name Dylan Garcia, has been a musical force for more than a decade and a half. From acoustic singer/songwriter vibes earlier in his career, to bona fide funk and soul in his recent releases, Garcia has had a multilayered musical journey, taking the artist to performances at world-famous venues and afterparties for the Latin Grammy Awards. Garcia’s latest single, “Love Is True,” is a hookypop tune, and the music video for the song has Garcia dancing and singing throughout the desert at famed spots like a Coachella mural and downtown Indio. For more information, visit www.instagram.com/dylangarciamusic.
What was the first concert you attended? K-Ci and JoJo from Jodeci, in 1997 at the Ventura Theater.
What was the first album you owned? Too $hort, Get in Where You Fit In
What bands are you listening to right now? Dirty Heads, Slave, Chaka Khan, Juanes,
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? Skrillex.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? Marvin Gaye.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?
Spending hours editing and mixing in the studio and catching things that the common ear wouldn’t catch, but I can definitely hear.
What’s your favorite music venue? Whisky a Go Go.
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head? “I’ve got heaven on my mind,” TobyMac.
What band or artist changed your life? Mayer Hawthorne and also his funk duo Tuxedo, because it showed me that you could be quirky, but musically a badass. Musical nerds can be cool.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?
Did you know that reading your book changed my perspective on life as a musician and artist? Thank you, to Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses).
What song would you like played at your funeral?
“Old Man,” Neil Young.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
Mayer Hawthorne, Where Does This Door Go
What song should everyone listen to right now? “Love Is True” by … ME.
Manuel Medrano, and FOR KING + COUNTRY.
OPINION COMICS & JONESIN’ CROSSWORD
“Zoom Lens”—people with the same initials. By Matt Jones
Adjust to a new situation
Reach via jet
___-Magnon (early Homo sapiens)
Opening
Hotel offerings
U.K. singer who left his boy band in 2015
Trooper maker
Digital party notice
Seafood in a “shooter”
Mosquito net material 24. He played Max Bialystock in The Producers
Volcanic debris
Election Day mo.
Repetitive Olympics chant 31. Bed covering 34. “You’re born naked, and the rest is ___”: RuPaul 35. New York City’s mayor as of Jan. 1, 2026
39. Bob’s Burgers daughter
40. Pay rate
41. Disinclined (to)
44. Whatever number
45. Consumer protection gp.
48. Former Dallas Cowboys guard on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
51. Back
52. More keen
53. “Filthy” money
54. WarGames org.
56. Youngest of a set of comedic film brothers
59. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe author Fannie
60. “___ called to say I love you ...”
61. 2018 Super Bowl number
62. One-on-one student
63. Ghostbusters actress Annie
64. ___ Gala (annual NYC event) Down
1. Dermatitis type
2. Faces courageously
3. Like some youthful charm
4. “Je t’___” (“I love you,” in French)
5. Lab evidence
6. The NBA’s Hawks, on a scoreboard
7. Aforementioned
8. Ginza’s city
9. Chips with a Chili Cheese variety
10. Crosses the International Date Line, perhaps
11. “I’ve made my move”
12. Celebrity gossip website
13. Buckeyes’ sch.
18. Extreme degree
22. Alma mater of Laura Bush, briefly
24. Harlem Renaissance author ___ Neale Hurston
25. Squares up
26. Caprica actor Morales
27. Fall behind
29. All Songs Considered network
31. Diver’s enclosure
32. Reddit Q&A feature
33. Part of a Buddhist title
35. NCIS: Tony & ___ (2025 spinoff)
36. Like some diamonds, sizewise
37. Death in Venice author Thomas
38. Not sweet, as wine
39. Space Jam character, familiarly
42. Mess up, as ink
43. Part of MRE
45. “Chill, will you?”
46. Peter Pan author
47. Portmanteau in 2016 U.K. news
49. Close again
50. Danny of Machete
51. Mojito liquor
53. A bunch
54. Theoretically uncopyable piece of digital art, for short
