Coachella Valley Weekly - February 8 to February 14, 2018 Vol. 6 No. 47

coachellavalleyweekly.com • February 8 to February 14, 2018 Vol. 6 No. 47

A Night With Janis Joplin

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In Memory Of Alex Antonio Perez

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Senses Fail

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Valentine’s Dining

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

BLACK WATER GOSPEL EP RELEASE PARTY FEBRUARY 18 AT BIG ROCK PUB JOINED BY BRIGHTENER & THE FLUSTERS

BY TRACY DIETLIN

Coachella Valley Weekly (760) 501-6228

publisher@coachellavalleyweekly.com coachellavalleyweekly.com facebook.com/cvweekly twitter.com/cvweekly1 Publisher & Editor Tracy Dietlin Art Director Robert Chance Sales Team Domingo Winstead, Elizabeth Westley Club Crawler Nightlife Editor Phil Lacombe Feature Writers Lisa Morgan, Rich Henrich, Heidi Simmons, Noe Gutierrez, Avery Wood, Tricia Witkower, Jason Hall, Steve Brown, Kristen Elaine, Olga Rodriguez Writers/Contributors: Robin Simmons, Rick Riozza, Eleni P. Austin, Craig Michaels, Janet McAfee, Bronwyn Ison, Haddon Libby, Dale Gribow, Laura Hunt Little, Sam DiGiovanna, Rob Brezny, Sunny Simon, Dr. Peter Kadile, Bruce Cathcart, Flint Wheeler, Denise Ortuno Neil, Dee Jae Cox, Patte Purcell, Rebecca Pikus, Angela Romeo,Aaron Ramson, Elizabeth Scarcella, Jennifer Jank Photographers Robert Chance, Chris Miller, Esther Sanchez, Laura Hunt Little Website Editor Bobby Taffolla Distribution Phil Lacombe, William Westley

CONTENTS

Black Water Gospel EP Release Show.. 3 Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert's 30th Anniversary................ 6 10th Annual Indio Chalk Festival......... 6 Matthew Varon Memorial Luncheon... 7 A Night With Janis Joplin...................... 8 Terry Fator at Fantasy Springs............. 8 In Memory Of Alex Antonio................. 9 Senses Fail............................................ 10 Brewtality............................................ 11 Rancho Mirage Wine & Food Fest..... 11 Consider This - Morrisey..................... 12 Art Scene.............................................. 13 Pet Place............................................... 14 The Vino Voice ..................................... 15 Club Crawler Nightlife................... 16-17 Pampered Palate - Valentine's Day.... 18 Screeners ............................................. 20 Book Review ....................................... 21 Safety Tips ............................................21 Haddon Libby...................................... 23 Dale Gribow......................................... 23 Cannabis Corner ................................ 24 Sports Scene....................................... 25 Rise Up Hobbytown............................ 25 Real Estate........................................... 26 License To Live Large.......................... 26 Free Will Astrology.............................. 27 Mind, Body & Spirit............................. 27 Ask The Doctor.................................... 28 Life & Career Coach............................. 28 Cannabis Dispensary Directory........ 31

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lack Water Gospel will be releasing their first 5-song self-titled EP on Sunday, February 18. There will be an EP release party that evening from 7-10pm at Big Rock Pub. The EP will also be available on iTunes, Apple Music, Pandora and Spotify the same day.

The wait is finally over for Black Water Gospel fans that have been chomping at the bit to be able to hear these catchy, melodic driven songs on an actual disc. These are songs that once you hear them, they dig deep and you can’t get them out of your head. Until now fans have had to attend the band’s live shows to get their fix.

Over the last year, Black Water Gospel garnered an ever growing and loyal fan base in a short period of time. They are one of the valley’s most popular new bands that everyone is always talking about. Every song is radioready with Top 10 hit potential, anchored in bluesy, gritty rock, laced with a 90s grunge sound. Add to that Lance Riebsomer’s soulful and fiery vocals and you have a rock and roll recipe for success.

At last year’s 2017 CV Music Awards the band and its members were nominated for 7 awards and took home the trophy for Best Blues Band. The band is comprised of: Lance Riebsomer (vocals, guitar), David Morales (guitar), Alex Maestas (drums), Dan Dillinger (bass) and Matt Claborn (guitar). The band formed in November of 2016 after a 10 month stint as being Foxy Cleopatra.

The EP includes the songs: “Everybody Knows,” “Uptown,” “Seven Days a Week” “Cleaning Up the Mess” and “Alone.” It was recorded and produced in Orange County by Riebsomer’s good friend Aaron Andersen, who used to live here in the desert and was a touring musician as a guitarist and also in the band Warhols. It was mixed by Bryan Cook and mastered by Mark Chalecki.

I recently sat down with Riebsomer at my home to talk to him about the release party and what all has transpired over the last year to get Black Water Gospel to this point. The rest of the band answered questions by email and the day before this paper went to print we did a photo shoot with the band at Big Rock Pub. CVW: Please tell us about these 5 songs and how you chose these to be on the first EP? Riebsomer: “Alone” was the first song I wrote when I moved back to the desert. I had just gotten a divorce and I was trying to reinvent myself. I’ve always been a musician, but when I came back all I really had was my guitar and a bottle of whiskey and I was living alone for the first time (aside from when my daughter is with me). “Alone” was the one song that describes accurately and successfully what I was going through at that point in my life. For me it was like getting a personal A+ for myself when I wrote that song.

“Seven Days a Week,” was written when I

Photos By Robert Chance

was at Coachella a couple years ago. We were all drinking and it came into my head. That was the night that The Weeknd played and I’m not really into him so I was just kind of hanging out and I had to go off and record the voice memo of it until I could get home and when I got home that night about 11:30 I just started playing it.

“Everybody Knows” is about that one girl I was just crazy about and when I moved back everything fell apart and then I just wrote and wrote, they say from heartbreak comes the best writing. It’s about where I’m hiding all my mistakes, but I know that everybody really knows back there (Orange County) that I’m here in the desert hiding.

“Cleaning Up the Mess” was about just trying to fix that whole situation and not doing a very good job of it. When you’re sitting at the end of a blocked number and there’s nothing you can do. When you block somebody from your life after you break up… when you’re sitting on the blocking end it feels safe, but when you’re on the other end it feels so terrible. It’s like in an episode of Black Mirror (a new Netflix show) where if you fuck up instead of going to jail they just have this chip where everybody looks like a blob and you can’t see them so you’re blocked from everyone. It’s like no matter what… just don’t block a person.

“I already have half of the next EP done and we will release that one at the end of this year.

The next EP will have “What Ya Waiting For,” “Not the Man” and “Lost For the Weekend.”

“This EP release for me is redemption, because I’ve been sitting on this music for so long and then I got into tangents in my life and failed relationships again…where I just sunk… and at the beginning of this year I decided to redeem myself and recklessly pursue my passion….. I was in a pit on New Year’s and now I’m following my own path and letting go of a lot of stuff.”

CVW: Are you from the desert?

Riebsomer: “I was raised here from the age of 5 then moved to Orange County in 2012 then moved back here in 2014.”

CVW: You also play solo acoustic shows and as a duo with David Morales. How is that different from performing with the full band of Black Water Gospel? continue to page 5

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BLACK WATER GOSPEL continued from page 3 Riebsomer: “When I left working nights in restaurants in December and I decided to do music as my primary source of income, I was never really that person who thought about taking a cover and making it my own, but I started doing that. For me writing my own songs is much more personal. But when you love what you do you can take a song and make it your own. When I play by myself it’s a much more intimate experience. Some of the venues I play they say ‘don’t play too loud… just loud enough so they can hear you’ and sometimes it’s daunting. I think that David is really my security blanket because he’s such an amazing musician. We will throw in a lot of original acoustic stuff we’ve written this year and sometimes we’ll throw in a Black Water Gospel song, but honestly I feel those songs need to be played with a full band. The dynamic of hearing the distortion pedal and the bass hit… when all that comes together… for me that’s one of my favorite things.

“On a different note, I’m going into the studio in March to do a solo project with Will (Sturgeon) of brightener. He’s going to be recording a solo acoustic EP of just me and David (Morales). This year I just want to do as much music as I can.”

CVW: What made you decide to have the party at Big Rock?

Riebsomer: “There are a couple reasons we chose to have it at Big Rock. First we love Lisa (Morgan) and we are rock and roll and that place is submersed in it. I know it still has the golfer crowd, but I was in there last week and I was listening to a rock band and the sound was amazing.”

CVW: What are your other favorite venues to play?

Riebsomer: ““We love playing at Hard Rock and we love Esjay…she’s just a force and I feel lucky to have her as a friend. We also love The Hood and Nigel does a great job there.”

CVW: What made you choose brightener and The Flusters to be on the bill for the party? Great choices by the way.

Riebsomer: “Since we are a rock band I wanted to have a couple other bands that are in the alt rock genre to round things out. And they’re all really great guys.”

CVW: Let’s talk Tachevah.

Riebsomer: “We’re excited about Tachevah. I got it in with 13 minutes to spare.

I was at work and everyone was telling me to get off my phone. I couldn’t get it to go

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through so I stopped by Courtney Chamber’s house and we got it uploaded. She’s been so awesome to me.”

CV Weekly: You’ve become close to many of the musicians here in the valley. Who else do you respect on a business level locally?

Riebsomer: “One of my favorite bands locally is Brett and Christina from Caxton. I know she’s not Ska, but she has that Gwen Stefani thing going on vocally. The Flusters really impress me with what they’ve done over the last year in branding themselves and they have some really good songs. They have a great business model.

“The past year for me has been incredible amounts of momentum and complete immersion in the music and I’ve been so incredibly thankful for all the support. One of the best compliments I get is from my peers.

After the Autism benefit I got a message from Rick Shelley saying ‘I think your music is rad’ and that was awesome because his music is rad too and I have so much respect for him.”

CVW: Who do you most respect in the music business? What band would you most like to open for?

Riebsomer: “Foo Fighters. Dave Grohl is my musical crush. That man is amazing. He’s got a wife and kids and has been so successful.

I saw him last summer at Bottle Rock and he blew me away. He was in Nirvana! The first couple Foo Fighter’s albums he played all the instruments! He’s had the same band members for like 15 years and they’re all still friends! And he’s a good dude! He brought his 7 year old daughter out on stage at a show and let her play drums on a song. That’s a badass family man!

“I also really appreciate Noel Gallagher and his solo stuff. He’s never given up on writing really good rock songs. We live in a time where there are not really a lot of good rock bands. Ultimately my goal is to just be in a successful rock band. That’s what gets my rocks off! Playing side gigs is great because I still get to play music, but playing in the band is the best. I’d love to play festivals.”

CVW: Who would you pick for Coachella headliners?

Riebsomer: “Foo Fighters, Led Zeppelin and Oasis. I’d like to see Oasis get back together.”

CVW: Your musical influences?

Riebsomer: “Well…the first song I heard and was singing to myself when I was playing

Little League baseball was ‘Say It Ain’t So’ by Weezer. I love Rival Sons. The Verve was huge for me and a lot of the 90s music.”

CVW: Who would we be the most surprised that you listen to?

Riebsomer: “I love Motown…The Temptations and Four Tops. I think learning how to write a melody comes from listening to Motown stuff. It’s part of my childhood.”

CVW: You obviously went through the wringer last year in your personal life but all in all you had a rather successful year professionally. What were some of the high points for you?

Riebsomer: “I think getting all the nominations that we got last year at the CV Music Awards really meant a lot. The year before I only got one. Winning Best Blues Band was icing on the cake. We played a lot of really good shows last year. I’m looking forward to getting more of a following this year after we release this EP. I feel like there are still a lot of people out there that want to hear rock songs. For me it’s about going out on stage and just losing your shit out there. It’s about redemption. I’m on a reckless pursuit of musical redemption.”

CVW: I know you all are involved in other projects, but tell me what is different about Black Water Gospel?

Matt Claborn: “We’ve all known each other for over 10 years. We have great communication and cohesive abilities playing music together.”

February 8 to February 14, 2018

Alex Maestas: “Black Water Gospel is just easier. We’ve all been playing music for so many years that we’re able to bring together styles from so many different genres and put on solid performances every time. Have you seen Dan and Matt rock out?”

Dan Dillinger: “We’re an eclectic mix of backgrounds doing something rockin.”

David Morales: “I love ‘mixing it up’ musically, going from playing RnB with Eevaan Tre’ where I play bass and then letting loose a bit with some rock n roll Black Water Gospel style. It kept things interesting. Lance and I have known each other going on 14 years or so. We’ve grown up together and it shows in the music. We just mesh well with each other.”

CVW: What can we expect from the EP release show?

Claborn: “Anything and everything! We hope to accomplish so much with BWG this year. We’ve set the bar very high.”

Maestas: “Awesomeness! The line-up is as solid as any highly anticipated EP release show could have. Both bands joining us put on unique shows that capture your attention and make you want to buy all their music and play it on repeat. If you miss this show you’re totally gonna regret it and it’ll be your own fault.”

Dillinger: “A live show featuring some great rock n roll. The future of BWG has a lot in store.”

Morales: “Well it’s been a long time coming for us! We’re super excited to finally release the EP and what’s to come. You’ll just have to come to the show and find out.”

Upcoming Shows: EP Release party at Big Rock Pub February 18 7-10pm/ Free show/ All ages until 10pm.

Tuesdays from 7-10pm @ Wine Emporium in LQ with Lance and David Friday, Feb. 9 & Sat. Feb. 17 from 6-9pm @ Renaissance Esmeralda Indian Wells with Lance & David Thursday, Feb. 15 from 8-11pm @ LQ Brewery Tap Room LQ with Lance & David Saturday, Feb. 24 from 9pm @ Tack Room Tavern Indio with Lance & David Wednesday, Feb. 28 from 7-10pm @ Tack Room Tavern Indio with Lance & David

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

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EVENTS

CHILDREN’S DISCOVERY MUSEUM OF THE DESERT CELEBRATES 30THANNIVERSARY

SKIP PAIGE TO BE HONORED AS “GREAT FRIEND TO KIDS AWARD” RECIPIENT BY CARA VAN DIJK

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he Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert will celebrate its 30th year in the Coachella Valley on February 15, 2018 at the Clubhouse at BIGHORN. At this fundraiser, attendees will celebrate the past 30 years while supporting the Museum as it moves toward the future.

This event is CDMOD’s premier fundraiser of the year, and all proceeds will benefit Museum attendees as funds will allow the Museum to upgrade and expand its offerings.

“The Museum is an important part of the Coachella Valley community. We provide families with the opportunity to explore and play together in a safe, inclusive environment. We rely on events like this to raise critical funds needed to serve our community and sustain our work,” CEO Carol E. Scott said.

This year, Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert will honor Skip Paige for his dedication to the children of the Coachella Valley. During his tenure at Goldenvoice, Skip spearheaded several philanthropic initiatives including the foundation of the Academy of Music Performance (AMP) which provides summer music camps and year-round educational and performance opportunities to young musicians living in the Coachella Valley; and California CareForce, a 3-day clinic in Indio providing

free medical, dental and optical services to persons of all ages.

“During my tenure at Goldenvoice we were able to donate to many excellent Coachella Valley charities. Among them, The Academy of Musical Performance (AMP), The Indio Boys and Girls Club and California CareForce clinic,” said Skip. “It’s an honor and privilege to receive this award from CDMOD, another excellent children’s charity in the valley.”

The Museum will also highlight the vision for the future and recognize the accomplishments of past and present board members.

“Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert is a community treasure, and we’re putting ourselves on the map. We want community leaders to come see what the Museum hopes for its future,” said Amir Afsar, Board of Trustees President.

Funds that the Museum raises through this fundraiser will support CDMOD in its mission to inspire personal growth by engaging curiosity and creativity through hands-on exploration. As a valuable community resource for children and families, CDMOD offers an opportunity to experience the joy of learning about themselves and the world around them.

The Children’s Discovery Museum is a 501c(3) organization and has served the Coachella Valley for 30 years. The event will allow the Museum to continue to enhance the quality of life of our community through programming in the areas of health, education and cultural development.

The anniversary celebration and fundraiser is February 15, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and is open to adults age 21+. Guests will be treated to hors d’oeuvres, and an open bar will offer well drinks, beer and wine. The AMP program will feature

performances by several young musicians.

A “giving tree” will display the wishes and hopes for CDMOD’s future, and guests can make pledges to see them come to fruition.

Tickets are $200 for an individual or $350 per couple. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information or to sponsor or purchase tickets, visit: www. cdmod.org or call (760) 321-0602.

EVENTS ARTISTS INVITED TO APPLY FOR 10 ANNUAL INDIO CHALK FESTIVAL CALL FOR ENTRIES OPEN THROUGH FEBRUARY 15 ; $5,000 IN PRIZES TO BE AWARDED TO WINNING ARTISTS! TH

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he City of Indio’s Public Arts and Historic Preservation Commission invites all professional artists to apply for participation in the 10th Annual Art in the Square Chalk Festival in Indio, happening March 8-12, 2018, in Downtown Indio.

Awards for participating professional artists will be: First Place – $2,500; Second Place – $1,500; and Third Place – $1,000.

Professional artists from all original art disciplines are encouraged to apply.

“We’re so pleased to be bringing this family-friendly festival back to Indio for

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its 10th year,” said William G. Maloney, Public Arts & Historic Preservation Commission Chair. “This event is a great way for professional artists to vie for cash prizes while showcasing their art for those

BY ANDREA CARTER

attending this fun weekend filled with chalk art, food and live music.”

Chalk made by Eternity is provided, or professional artists can opt to bring their own chalk. Artists may request the size of their space in advance as part of their application. Chalk art space will be designated on the concrete sidewalks and asphalt surfaces of Miles Avenue between Oasis and Smurr Streets in Downtown Indio.

Application forms can be downloaded at www.discoverindio.com/chalkfestival, and will be accepted through February 15, 2018.

There is a $25 fee to apply. Acceptance notifications will be sent immediately upon acceptance via U.S. mail, along with a professional artist packet including detailed information about the festival.

Accepted artists must be present all 4 days of the festival, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., regardless of weather. Professional

artists will begin their art on Thursday morning, March 8th, and continue it throughout the festival. Awards for artists will be announced Sunday afternoon, March 11th, at 1:00 p.m.

The 10th Annual Art in the Square Chalk Festival is free to attend, and will include food vendors as well as entertainment.

For more info regarding professional artist applications, contact Mamum Faruque at mfaruque@indio.org.

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

BY CHRIS CLEMENS MARTELLO EVENTS 8TH ANNUAL MATTHEW VARON MEMORIAL LUNCHEON FEBRUARY 23, 2018, AT DESERT WILLOWS IN PALM DESERT TO BENEFIT ISRAEL GUIDE DOG CENTER FOR THE BLIND COUNTRY CLUB

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he 8th Annual Matthew Varon Memorial Luncheon will be held on February 23, 2018, at Desert Willows Country Club in Palm Desert. Hosted

by Helen Varon, known for her philanthropic commitment to Jewish organizations in the desert, she founded the event in memory of her grandson and to raise money for Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind, a nonsectarian organization.

“Matthew was a fiercely independent young man,” states Helen Varon. “It was a perfect fit to support this organization and name this luncheon in his memory since the Center empowers blind people to, once again, gain independence and freedom.”

Prior to the founding of this one-of-akind center in Israel, people had to fly to the United States to get a guide dog. Not only was the travel a hardship, but the dogs did not understand Israel’s unique environment and obstacles. Founded by Noach Braun in 1991,

the Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind is the only accredited training center in Israel, with dogs trained in Hebrew commands to navigate the congested cities in Israel with challenges not found in the U.S. “Demand for our services continues to grow in Israel due to the constant civil unrest, terrorist attacks and military operations which are a key factor in the number of blind citizens that need a guide dog,” said Executive Director of the Israel Guide Dog Center’s USA office, Michael Leventhal.

“These guide dogs transform the lives of people who find it extremely challenging to go about their daily activities outside of their homes, with many people living in solitude.

In addition to assisting the visually impaired, a close bond with the dogs provides beloved companionship.”

Only about 1% of Israel’s 24,000 registered

blind people have a guide dog. The center breeds, raises and trains the puppies, a process that takes nearly two years to complete and costs $25,000 per dog. Partnering and instructing the visually impaired person with the guide dog, both at the center and in their home, takes an additional month. In addition to working with the visually impaired, the center provides service companions to autistic children, soldiers with PTSD, and other people with special needs. Friends of the Israel Guide

Dog Center, now has support chapters in the United States, Great Britain and Canada.

The Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind is dedicated to improving the quality of life of visually impaired Israelis. They provide them with mobility, independence, self-confidence and companionship through the faithful assistance of guide dog “Partners” specially trained in Hebrew to meet Israel’s rigorous and challenging environment. Founded in 1991, the Israel Guide Dog Center serves Israel’s 24,000 blind and visually impaired citizens and is the only internationally accredited guide dog program in the country. For more information, visit www.IsraelGuideDog.org.

During the luncheon leadership and humanitarian awards will be presented to local honorees, yet to be named. Tickets to the luncheon are $150 per ticket or $1,500 per table of 10, and can be reserved by calling Carlos King at (760) 880-9987. The event takes place on Friday, Feb. 23, with boutique vendor shopping beginning at 10:30 a.m., and lunch at 11:30 a.m. Desert Willow Country Club is located at 38-995 Desert Willow Drive in Palm Desert.

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

EVENTS

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A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN

anis Joplin’s unmistakable voice and electric presence had America enraptured in the late 1960s and in 1970, before her untimely passing at age 27.

Now, almost 50 years later, you can enjoy her most famous hits in the show, A Night with Janis Joplin, at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino this Friday, February 9. I talked to Janis’ younger brother, Michael, about the show.

Can you give me a little of your background?

MJ: “My wife and I are glass makers and we live in Southwest. I’ve been managing Janis’ estate since she passed. I’ve been involved with the play since its inception, which was about six years ago.”

How did this show come about and what has your involvement been?

MJ: “My sister Laura and I wanted to do some kind of live performance, which seemed fitting because Janis was so much live. We had done one in the past and wanted to do another. So we put feelers out and our management pulled some people in. We finally met with Randy Johnson and all hit it off extremely well. We didn’t want to go into the show with any agenda of our own. I wanted to see what a good writer who had a feel for the times to see what other people’s view of it was. And it’s been so interesting with duets and Randy

has such an interesting take. We all fell in love. My sister and I gave Randy access and answered whatever questions he had. He was diligent in his research. We’ve been involved in casting and PR. We support the team and it’s great.”

Do you go to a lot of the shows? Will you be coming to the one at Fantasy this weekend?

MJ: “I’ve been to a lot of the shows, but I can’t make it this weekend. It’s hard because it’s all around the country, so I can’t go to all the shows, but I go when I can.”

This show has gotten rave reviews and allows people to celebrate what was so great about your sister. Has this show been therapeutic to you in dealing with your loss, however long ago?

MJ: “That’s a pretty huge existential question. Yes, absolutely. It’s always

cathartic. It’s like I get to visit with her which is a rarity for people that pass. I’m here 50 years later talking to you about her and my childhood. It’s been an ongoing, interesting journey. Usually when someone dies they go away, but I’m still talking about her decades later.”

What was it like growing up with a famous sibling? You must have so many amazing stories, in fact I’ve read some. Do you have any I might not have read about?

MJ: “Like secret stories I haven’t told anyone yet? No. (Laughs) I was the baby of the family, so I was treated accordingly.

I had two older sisters who liked to dress me up. We had a good family. We sang and played music together. We did a lot of art.

Our parents were avid readers.”

Is there other musical talent in your family?

MJ: “There’s musical talent but not on that scale. Not like Janis. We are all artistic.

We went with our parents to see Janis perform in San Francisco and I think looking back on it now, they were checking up on their daughter. Rightfully so. We had a great time. We went to the Avalon Ballroom, we saw a light show. It was pretty wild. It was great.”

Were there any celebrities you met

SINGER, COMEDIAN & CELEBRITY IMPRESSIONIST TERRY FATOR RETURNS TO FANTASY SPRINGS ON SATURDAY, APRIL 7

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est known for his victory on America’s Got Talent in 2007, Terry Fator captured the hearts and tickled the funny bones of America with his unique combination of celebrity impressions and his unparalleled voice. On Saturday, April 7th, Terry Fator brings his “It Starts Tonight” show to the Special Events Center at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

Returning with Fator will be his all-star team of anything-but-ordinary puppets.

These stars in their own right include Duggie the annoying neighbor, Emma the little girl with the big voice, Monty Carlo the lounge singer, Maynard Thompkins the world’s greatest Elvis impersonator and country superstar Walter T. Airdale. Each character allows Fator to sing a different genre in an unbelievable manner with performances ranging from Garth Brooks and Dean Martin to Aretha Franklin, Lady Gaga and more.

Terry Fator’s rise to fame, from his time

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with a Texas-based cover band to his very own theatre at The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, was 32 years in the making.

As a young man, Fator sang lead vocals for Texas the Band, a group whose playlist ranged from Garth Brooks to Guns N’ Roses.

A trip to Las Vegas in 2005 sparked Terry Fator’s desire to become a big-name entertainer and he left town with visions of billboards and bright lights, all featuring his name. Unwilling to give up on his dreams, Fator was persuaded to audition for “America’s Got Talent” when he saw a ventriloquist from season one on the “The Late Show with David Letterman.” During his audition, Fator stunned the judges with his puppet Emma Taylor and her impression of Etta James. In the final episode, a stunning Roy Orbison performance of “Crying” courtesy of Winston The Impersonating Turtle, led to an eruption of praise from the audience, the judges and America. His life would never be the same.

In one year, Fator went from smalltown appearances to “The Today Show,” “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and, at long last, “The Late Show with David Letterman.” He’s now a multiple Best Of Las Vegas winner and can’t wait to return to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

BY TRICIA WITKOWER through your sister who you were star struck by?

MJ: “No, I was more star stuck by Janis herself. We would go watch her concert and I’m looking at the audience and I’m thinking, ‘look at all these people watching my sister!’

The audience reacted to her and that put things into a whole other perspective for me. Even now, when I’m watching the show, the girls that are singing on stage rock it but most of the time I’m watching the audience for their reactions.”

For people seeing the show this Friday, what can they expect?

MJ: “The interesting aspect is you don’t have to know who she is or what she did.

It’s about an artist creating her art and how she got to her destination. It’s an interesting arc as an artist. How do you get to your product? So that I love that as an artist. I love the craftsmanship that goes with it and the internal machinations of an artist at work.”

It was great talking to you. I’m going to the show this weekend, so I’m excited to see it.

MJ: “You’ll have a lot of fun. Even if you don’t know the music, you’ll have a great time.”

I do know the music. When I was in high school, all of this music that my parents listened to became popular again and my friends and I listened to a lot of it.

MJ: “My kids were like that too. That’s interesting, isn’t it? That is totally weird that 50 years ago those guys were making worldchanging music that we’d still be listening to now.”

To see this fantastic show, go to www. fantasyspringsresort.com to purchase tickets.

EVENTS

Tickets for the 8pm Terry Fator performance on Saturday, April 7, 2018 go on sale Friday, February 9th for $79, $59 and $39 at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, via telephone (800) 827-2946 or online at www.FantasySpringsResort.com. For more information on Terry Fator, please visit www.terryfator.com.

IN MEMORY OF

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lex Antonio Perez lost his one year and three-month battle with Glioblastoma brain cancer on Wednesday, January 31, a little after 7:00 am. His devoted wife, Jennifer, was by his side. Alex fought the disease with everything he had. After being diagnosed in October of 2016, he had several surgeries, many chemo and radiation treatments, tried several holistic treatments, and did everything possible to beat cancer. He just turned 30 on December 10 of last year and his wife had a birthday party for him at The Hood, where many close friends came out to support and celebrate him, wondering if this would be his last one.

Alex leaves behind his wife Jennifer Powers Perez, his mother Doreen Perez, his father Robert Perez Sr. his brothers Robert Perez Jr. and Michael Perez, and sister Renee Perez, as well as 8 nieces and nephews.

Many of us here in the valley knew Alex

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ALEX ANTONIO PEREZ – 12/10/87 TO 1/31/18 as the gifted and amazing singer-songwriter for the bands: Stone Fox, Los Cochinos, Red Sanz, Deadend Paradox and most recently, Hollace. Alex was blessed with a beautiful voice and the ability to sweep you up with his performances on stage. He was a talented and true artist- wordsmith, painter, musician, songwriter and poet.

This past week the valley has mourned the loss of a husband, son, family member, bandmate and friend. There will be a Celebration of Life for Alex on Saturday, February 17 from 4:00 - 10:00pm at 71377 Estellita Drive in Rancho Mirage. This is at their private residence and is for family and close friends. Jennifer is asking everyone to join together to celebrate his life “He wanted this to be a party so let’s have some drinks, listen to and sing along to Alex’s amazing music, share stories and rejoice in the time we had with him and all the memories that we made with Alex.”

The family will have a private burial for Alex. Anyone wishing to help the family with his burial can donate to the GoFundMe campaign below. RIP my sweet friend.

Jennifer wanted to share a few of the song lyrics Alex wrote: PEACE LOVES A NEW DAY (Hollace) Keeping the lonely The waves come away Sleeping so soundly Peace loves a new day Came here to save you But I’m not alone Teach you to make you Do not hurt a soul Leap, we’re changing scenes Don’t feel you’re all alone I’m waiting on the road Let’s live till we die Gotta keep it forever Keep it forever No more excuses

February 8 to February 14, 2018

BY TRACY DIETLIN It’s time to convey The hurt that we’re feeling As time slips away KEEP IT IN TIME (Deadend Paradox) I’m all alone with my pocket The trees can deliver The world on a silver high I’m getting old I can’t stop it A speech can’t unravel The travel that’s in my eyes If you keep it in time Lost it there when you need a sign Peace of Mind I know I’m lucky to be I need some soul When I’ve lost it Drink from the river That says that I’m the only one I gotta roll With the punches On a personal note: Phil and I were devastated when Jennifer gave us the news about Alex’s passing. We had been very close to Alex over the last couple years, both as a friend and as the managers for his band Hollace. At one point we all felt that Alex might beat this terrible disease.

He was even able to perform at last year’s CV Music Awards in July of 2017 after going through major brain surgery and chemo. I will cherish that performance forever, as I will cherish the time we got to spend with him the day before he passed on to his new journey. Our hearts go out to his wife Jennifer and his Mom and Dad and family.

We will truly miss you dear friend. You will forever be in our hearts. We love you Alex.

–Tracy Dietlin and Phil Lacombe

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

BY JASON HALL EVENTS SENSES FAIL PREVIEW THEIR NEW ALBUM “IF THERE IS LIGHT, IT WILL FIND YOU”

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY, 11 AT HARD ROCK PALM SPRINGS WITH ACOUSTIC LISTENING PARTY TO FOLLOW

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enses Fail is set to perform an intimate acoustic show during Hard Rock Palm Springs’ listening party. They will be previewing their new album, If There Is Light, It Will Find You on Sunday, February, 11 at 6:00pm. The preview of the album will be followed by an acoustic performance in front of just 200 people. If you know anything about Senses Fail, you know this intimate of a show is a rarity. Tickets are available for free via a first come, first served RSVP. Not only will you be able to preview the album in its entirety, you will be able to purchase it 5 days in advance.

Senses Fail formed in 2002 in Ridgeway, New Jersey by Buddy Nielsen, Garret Zablocki, Dave Miller, and James Gill. Nielsen was the only member who has been in the band since its formation. If There Is Light, It Will Find You is the first album, Nielsen has written entirely by himself. This album gave Nielsen the experience to not only write the lyrics and melody, but all of the instruments too. If There Is Light, It Will Find You welcomes back one of the original drummers, Dan Trapp with long standing member Gavin Caswell recording most of the guitar and bass tracks.

CV Weekly: What is your first memory of music?

Buddy Nielsen: “Probably dancing around to Michael Jackson. I think I was maybe 4 or 5 years old.”

CV Weekly: When did you realize you wanted to be a musician?

Nielsen: “I think when I was like 11. It was 1994 or 1995, so I was really into Green Day and Nirvana and Pearl Jam, too. I was super swept up into that early 90s Grunge thing.”

CV Weekly: Can you tell us a bit about the formation of Senses Fail?

Nielsen: “We got together around 2002. I met some of the original members via an old

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Photo By Tyler Ross

message board localized to the North Jersey punk scene. Things came together pretty quickly. We had an earlier iteration of the band. We already had some song written from that earlier iteration. It came together pretty quickly. We started recording those songs and the rest is history…”

CV Weekly: You wrote the new album entirely by yourself. Was this a new experience for you?

Nielsen: “Oh yeah… definitely. I mean, I’ve written songs here and there, but I’ve never written the bulk of a record. I’ve written with certain people, but it was more I wrote this verse and chorus, but had people help me with a bridge or the melody. I’d never been responsible for all of the music and lyrics and melody. I’ve always been responsible for the lyrics and melodies for the most part, but not the music.”

CV Weekly: Did you record the album alone or did you bring the band in to help with it?

Nielsen: “One of the guys, Gavin (Caswell) who’s been in the band for many, many years now recorded most of the instruments. I recorded a couple guitar parts and bass parts, but he did a majority of the guitar work and bass work. Our original drummer, Dan Trapp came back and played on this record.”

CV Weekly: How did you pick Hard Rock Hotel in Palm Springs to have a release party and acoustic show?

Nielsen: “It seemed like a great opportunity.

We were invited to stay there and had the record coming out. Everybody knows what the Hard Rock is, and we thought it was a good opportunity to use it to help promote the record. The following Friday is the official release, so we tied it into our release week plans.”

CV Weekly: Will fans be able to purchase the album, or is it just a listening party?

Nielsen: “Actually, it is going to be for sale early there! We’ll have vinyl versions of it too.

It’ll be available almost a week early.”

Hard Rock Hotel in Palms Springs has been inviting world renowned musicians to stay at the Hotel to take advantage of their Sound of Your Stay amenity. This amenity lets guests check out a guitar from a “menu” of guitars at the front desk. Guests then can just jam or record while being inspired by the hotel itself, or the surrounding community. Keep an eye out on Hard Rock Palm Springs social media accounts, or in the pages of CV Weekly for more visiting musicians.

BREWTALITY

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got alcohol poisoning when I was 18 years old, and I was pretty sure I was going to die of a hangover.

According to friends, I’d drunk a half-bottle of vodka, then tottered two miles to my exgirlfriend’s house where I triumphantly peed all over her dad’s truck. I staggered back to the party, demanded that someone put on 80’s horror classic “The Gate” then promptly fell asleep and projectile vomited all over myself. I woke up the next morning feeling like death warmed over, and I didn’t drink again until I was 21.

These days, a hangover still gets me to swearoff drinking till at least happy-hour (half price on all pints of craft beer - can’t turn down that kind of value!).

Thankfully we live in the age of Facebook and Amazon Fresh, so finding a hangover cure and having it delivered to your semi-conscious form has never been easier! Here’s a list of the top-ten hangover cures and why they work (or don’t), in no particular order, as provided by me and my fellow Facebook alcoholics.

1) SOUP – Whether it’s menudo, pozole, pho, or chicken noodle, a rich and meaty soup or broth contains everything your body needs to eliminate the awful drag of a hangover. Taurine is an amino acid found in all kinds of animal meat. It boosts liver function and may even help prevent liver disease. Taurine is also found in breast milk, so if you’ve got some weird adult fetish for boob juice, rejoice. You just needed taurine baby, that’s all!

Cysteine is an amino acid found in chicken and pork, and breaks down toxins in the body including acetaldehyde, the evil and hard-to-pronounce compound that is responsible for making you feel like someone put an M-80 in your head before lighting the fuse and running away.

Hearty soups also help restock sodium and water levels, and are pretty much the best thing you can do to for a hangover next to building a time-machine, going back in time, and slapping a

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HOW TO NOT DIE OF A HANGOVER: PART ONE

few drinks out of your hand the night before.

If hearty soups and broths aren’t your thing, breakfast foods like eggs and yogurt contain all the same amino acids, and will also aid in curbing those aches.

2) HAIR OF THE DOG – According to “The Dictionary of Phrase and Fable,” Greek playwright Aristophanes once said, “If this dog do you bite, soon as out of your bed, take a hair of the tail the next day.”

Okay, what? Was he just super pompous, or really high to come up with an analogy like that?

What does that even mean?! Anyways...

A lot of people swear by a Bloody Mary or mimosa as part of their hangover cure; in fact many of my Facebook friends use a Chavela the morning after heavy drinking as part of their ritual for curing the bummer that is a hangover. Unfortunately, a ritual is all it is. The sad fact is that there is little scientific evidence to show that drinking the next morning does anything more than numb the senses just a little. Some researchers feel that your body experiences alcohol withdrawal while you’re going through a hangover, and that drinking a little more can satisfy those withdrawal symptoms. But all that really does is just extend the misery. It turns out that drinking more of what effed you up isn’t much of a cure.

3) SLEEP – If you’ve ever felt like you slept terribly after a heavy night of drinking, you’re not

alone. What happens when you’re drunk is that the alcohol you’ve been consuming depresses your bodies central nervous system. Your body sees this depression and starts to overcompensate for it. By the time the alcohol is processed, your body has compensated too much and is overstimulated; this is what gives you fitful sleep after heavy drinking.

So, giving your body extra sleep allows it to rest after your CNS has calmed down again. And during that rest, your body gets a chance to replace all the proteins that acetaldehyde had bonded to and ruined. Long story short, that’s why you feel like crap when you wake up in the morning, but when you take that midday nap, you wake up from that one feeling awesome. Well, less like hot garbage anyway.

4) WATER/ COCONUT WATER/ SPORTS DRINKS/ PEDIALYTE – When I drink, I make sure to match every beer or shot with a pint of water.

But not you, you amateur!

Alcohol is a diuretic and it pushes liquid out of your body, even if you’re already under hydrated.

If your kidneys are empty, it’s going to pull water from all your internal organs including your brain, causing those awful headaches. You gotta put that water back in your body, champ! Downing a few glasses of water before bed can make a difference in how severe your next-morning hangover is.

Rehydrating your body is crucial, and although

February 8 to February 14, 2018

BY AARON RAMSON regular old water is the healthiest thing for you, Pedialyte and sports drinks replace the sugars and salts that your body needs. Those sugars and salts are called electrolytes. Plants crave them.

5) PAIN RELIEVING DRUGS – So, this is an important fact to remember when choosing which pain relievers to take. Aspirin and ibuprofen are both NSAID’s; Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which reduce the inflammation associated with a hangover. Taking them the night before is optimal, as they work to counter the effects of a hangover while you sleep. If you forget to do so, you can still take them the next morning and experience some relief from the aches and pains.

DO take aspirin or ibuprofen, but DON’T take Tylenol, Nyquil, or any other acetaminophenbased drugs.

Acetaminophen causes your body to metabolize alcohol more slowly and is quite toxic to your liver in large doses. That’s why the trend of drinking Nyquil based alcoholic beverages like Lean and Purple Drank are actually worse for your body then just drinking regular old spirits (Yeah, I’ve made Lean before. What? I’ve never claimed to be classy).

My drug of choice has always been Alka-Seltzer.

Packed with sodium bicarbonate, citric acid and aspirin, this effervescent wonder drug relieves muscle pains while neutralizing stomach acids.

One packet of the little fizzing discs combined with lots of water throughout the morning is what I swear by to get me through those barleywineinduced, morning after fogs.

My semi-functioning liver and I will be returning next week with five more of the best hangover cures, and the sciences behind why they work.

EVENTS

RANCHO MIRAGE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL AT

BY CRAIG MICHAELS THE RANCHO MIRAGE AMPHITHEATER ON FEBRUARY 17

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wine and food lover’s dream will come true on February 17, 2018 during the Rancho Mirage Wine and Food Festival at the Rancho Mirage Amphitheater and Community Park. Guests will get a chance to sample over 200 incredible wines and cuisine from 15 of Rancho Mirage’s very best chefs. Award winning wineries will be pouring their world-class wines from Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, Lodi,

Washington State, The Santa Lucia Highlands, and Temecula. These passionate winemakers and winery representatives will be offering practical knowledge while sharing their delicious wines.

The Rancho Mirage Wine and Food Festival (RMWFF) is about people coming together to celebrate a shared passion; a love for great wine and mouth-watering gourmet food. The Festival offers a fantastic variety of delicious culinary delights from wonderful Rancho Mirage restaurants: Acqua California Bistro, Bernie’s, BluEmber-at The Omni, Brandini Toffee, Catalan, Flemings, Dringk, Haus of Poke, Kobe Steakhouse, Maracas, Norma’s Italian Kitchen, PF Changs, Pinziminiat the Westin, Roy’s, The Slice, The EDGE Steakhouse-Ritz Carlton and Wally’s Desert Turtle. The event will also feature the latest restaurant opening in Rancho Mirage Feb 23rd, “The Craft Rancho Mirage” (corner of Bob Hope & Frank Sinatra in the S Club).

To add fun and excitement to the event, a steady stream of live, upbeat musical entertainment will be provided so guests

can relax or dance the afternoon away. The RMWFF is also an event that supports our local charities. When you place your bid at the Rancho Mirage Silent Auction, 100% of proceeds will help important, local causes continue their work in the Greater Palm Springs Area. The Desert AIDS Project is the 2018 featured charity! 100% of all proceeds from the silent auction and a portion of tickets sales will be donated to this Coachella Valley charity and will help them provide support for those living with, affected by, or at-risk for HIV or AIDS. Your general admission and VIP ticket

include an elegant crystal souvenir wine glass and unlimited tastes of award winning wines, and a dizzying variety of gourmet appetizers, along with tasty cheeses, artisan breads, and olive oils. If you’re a wine aficionado check out the early entry VIP ticket that allows you to get in one hour earlier than the general admission ticket. Due to Alcohol Beverage Control regulations, no one under 21 years of age will be permitted at the event including infants and children. Due to Health and Safety Codes, no animals will be permitted at the event, except Service Animals meeting state and federal standards.

To get a $10 discount on admission to the classiest wine and food festival under the sun, use promo code craigmichaels when buying your tickets! You can buy them on their website at: www.ranchomiragewineandfoodfestival. com or call them at: 760 805-2131, for more info.

Written By: Craig Michaels Productions (760) 880-3848

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

CONSIDER THIS

MORRISSEY

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BY ELENI P. AUSTIN

"LOW IN HIGH SCHOOL” (BMG MUSIC)

arth is just one big asylum, an explosive Prison cell/See us squirm in our own damaged spell.” Yep, Morrissey is back, and as usual, he’s happy, peppy and bursting with love.

People either love or loathe Morrissey, he has evoked passionate opinions ever since he appeared on the music scene in the early ‘80s as lead singer for the Smiths. That Manchester four-piece, along with R.E.M. and U2 formed a holy triumvirate of Post Punk/New Wave.

Steven Patrick Morrissey was born in Lancashire, England in 1959. His Irish Catholic family relocated to Manchester and Morrissey came of age in that rainy cuty. He asserted his individualism pretty quickly, obsessing over Pop stars like Marianne Faithfull and Sandie Shaw. During his teen years he became a keen aficionado of James Dean, Oscar Wilde and British “Kitchen Sink Dramas.” He displayed a quicksilver wit, and managed to be simultaneously bookish and athletic.

Glam Rock exploded in Great Britain just as he hit puberty, and he became a passionate fan of the New York Dolls. Punk Rock originated in America in the mid ‘70s, but British bands like the Clash, Sex Pistols and the Damned coopted and redefined the movement. Morrissey was a quick convert, by 1977, he was fronting the Nosebleeds (which included Billy Duffy, who later found fame as guitarist for the Cult).

Somehow, he also found time to write books about the New York Dolls, James Dean and obscure B-Movie actors.

Morrissey connected with protean guitarist Johnny Marr in 1982 and the pair began writing songs together. Enlisting Drummer Mike Joyce and bassist Andy Roarke, they became The Smiths. The band signed with Rough Trade and in 1984 they released their eponymous debut that same year and it climbed to #2 on the British charts.

The Smiths’ sound was nothing short of thrilling. Blithe and playful melodies were accented by John Marr’s sweet, but never cloying guitar riffs. In lock-step with Mike and Andy, the arrangements and instrumentation bookended Morrissey’s Byronic flights of fancy.

Lyrically, he pushed the envelope, detailing same-sex attraction, and exploring themes of loneliness and alienation.

His mordant, often black sense of humor,

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

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undercut the inherent melancholy of his words.

A self-proclaimed “celibate homosexual,” he finished the job David Bowie started in the ‘70s, cleverly pushing sexuality out of the Rock N’ Roll closet. His vocals ricocheted from croon-y to keening to yodeling, often during the same song.

The Smiths were massively popular in Great Britain, and, despite minimal radio airplay and limited exposure on MTV, cultivated a passionate fan-base in the United States.

Morrissey was worshipped as a Post-Punk provocateur, his persona, much like David Bowie’s spoke to anyone who felt marginalized, maligned, vulnerable and different.

Throughout their five year run the Smiths were on fire, releasing four studio albums, myriad singles, a couple of compilations and a live record. Each release received critical acclaim and increased their popularity. But in 1987, they called it quits at the height of their success.

Almost immediately, Morrissey launched a solo career. Less than a year after the Smiths’ demise, his debut, Viva Hate, appeared. It shot to # 1 on the U.K. charts, buoyed by hit singles like “Suedehead” and “Everyday Is Like Sunday.”

Bona Drag arrived in late 1990, more of an odds and sods collection than a full-fledged album. Conversely, Kill Uncle, released in 1991, felt weirdly over-cooked. He really found his footing on 1992’s Your Arsenal. Produced by ex-David Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson, it utilized the talents of guitarist Boz Boorer (formerly from the Polecats). The melodies were shaded with a patina of Glam and Rockabilly.

The remainder of his ‘90s input felt erratic.

Vauxhall And I from 1994, wed morbid sentiments to torpid melodies. A year later, Southpaw Grammer took a sudden left turn into Prog-Rock territory. Meanwhile, Maladjusted, released in 1997 split the difference between truculence and tragedy.

In the early ‘90s, Morrissey had relocated from London to Los Angeles, and he took a hiatus from recording music between 1997 and 2004. The break seemed beneficial, as he roared back with his most confident effort to date, You Are The Quarry. He followed that resounding success two years later with the lackluster Ringleader Of The Tormentors. But he rectified that mis-step with the Punkiest Album of his career, 2009’s Years Of Refusal.

Five years elapsed between Years… and the politically charged World Peace Is None Of Your Business. Released in late 2014, that record veered between activism and apathy. A number of the songs were brittle and catchy, but at this point his casual misanthropy felt like a worn-out construct. Despite mixed reviews, it sold well, hitting #2 in the U.K. and #14 in the U.S. Now following three years, (a pretty quick turnaround for him), Morrissey has returned with his 11th studio album, Low In High School.”

The listener is greeted with trumpeting Elephant sounds that segues into pummeling drums and a crashing fanfare on the opening track, “My Love, I’d Do Anything For You.” The arrangement quickly downshifts locking into a thudding groove accented by sinewy, slingshot guitar.

The melody drifts between dirge and anthem, vaguely resembling a constipated James Bond theme.

Morrissey’s sing-song vocals simply drip with condescension as he takes easy swipes at the fourth estate, instructing the listener to “Teach your kids to recognize and despise all the propaganda filtered down by the dead echelons mainstream media.” Swirly synths, scattershot guitar riffs and flatulent horns add to the circus-y chaos, winding down with an extended instrumental coda.

Morrissey has always been outspoken. A life-long vegetarian, cat lover and animal rights activist, he supported the slightly controversial P.E.T.A. organization. Although he has never officially come “out” he has championed Gay rights and advocated pansexuality for decades.

His criticism of American Presidents and the British Monarchy has been unflinching. But lately his views have tilted toward isolationism and fierce Nationalism that have bordered on racist. Three tracks here wade into charged political waters and the results are mixed.

“I Wish You Lonely” fuses punishing synths to a thumpy beat. Initially, he bequeaths his dour lifestyle on his listeners; “I wish you lonely if only for one day, so that you might see routine for me since the day I was born.” Pretty quickly the lyrics devolve into a sloganeering rant over a rat-a-tat rhythm; “Monarchy! Oligarch! Head of state! Potentate!” (Essentially Queen Elizabeth, Vladimir Putin, Theresa May and Donald Trump), Adding insult to injury, the song is all verse and no chorus.

“I Bury The Living” opens with a minute of cricket noise and smoky harmonica before menacing guitar crashes over thudding drums The lyrics attempt to have it both ways, offering a first person account of a soldier serving in the Middle East. But then the script is flipped and suddenly, he’s mocking enlisted men as “honormad cannon fodder.” As the melody builds to a bleak crescendo, Morrissey doubles down, putting these words in his fictional soldier’s mouth; “I am answerable only to Jesus, and with the grace of God I will die in my own bed/If you wonder what’s in my head, it’s just hatred for all human life.” This patronizing assessment from a wealthy Pop star, feels tone deaf, at best.

Finally, “Who Will Protect Us from The Police” opens with a blasting siren wail, dystopian synths and slithery guitar. The overly busy arrangement and instrumentation can’t camouflage half-ass lyrics that lambaste police brutality throughout the song, but conclude with the fist-pumping chant, “Venezuela.” Why venerate a South American republic famous for violating human rights.

On three songs, no matter what the stated topic, things take a wildly priapic turn. “Home Is a Question Mark,” features prickly guitar riffs

over a nutty back-beat. Ostensibly, the lyrics take aim at the craven record industry, but that theme peters out and suddenly Morrissey is waxing rhapsodic about being “brave, deep in every shaven cave,” daydreaming about French actor, Guillaume Canet, and instructing someone, (hopefully not his cat), to “wrap your legs around my face just to greet me.” Eeesh.

At first glance, “In Your Lap” pays homage to the Arab Spring revolution that gripped the Middle East beginning in 2010. Splitting the difference between an Elton-y piano ballad and a Sinatra-esque croon, Morrissey manages to cock it up, using political insurgency as a chance to get his rocks off; “The Arab Spring called to us all, the people win when the dictators fall/I heard a bang and an almighty crack, and I just want my face in your lap.”

Morrissey’s facility for sly sophistication, cutting quips and cunning wordplay has always been part of his appeal. But that acuity vanishes on “When You Open Your Legs.”

The instrumental overture is anchored by stuttery synth horns and snake charmer guitar.

Meanwhile, the melody lands somewhere between an arch, Argentine Tango and an “Austin Powers” score. But none of this frippery can camouflage clunky admissions like “Everything I know deserts me when you open your legs.” Oye! Esteban, save that suave verbiage for your Grindr communiques.

Not all the songs here are bad. Three tracks, “Spent The Day In Bed,” “The Girl From TelAviv Who Wouldn’t Kneel” and “All The Young People Must Fall In Love” crackle with authority.

“Spent…” is the album’s first single and it’s a genuine kick. The melody is powered by ticklish harpsichord runs, (that wouldn’t seem out of place on a Partridge Family track), rubbery bass lines, squiggly synths and frisky vocals. Here, Moz is playful in all the right ways, even as he alludes to emasculation and castration.

The cosmopolitan lilt of “The Girl In Tel Aviv…” is an intercontinental mash-up of French Musette, Tango Nuevo and Gypsy Jazz. Rippling piano notes connect with strummy acoustic riffs, a castanet rhythm and hints of qanun.

The charming melody and arrangement make it easy to overlook yet another diatribe on dire geopolitics.

“All The Young People…” weds an infectious hand-clap rhythm to vampy piano fills, and fuzzcrusted guitar. It’s a Glam-tastic stomp that shares some musical DNA with John Lennon’s shambolic “Give Peace A Chance” chant.

Ironically, the lyrics suggest we shouldn’t take politics so seriously. (!) Sadly, the album closes with “Israel,” a post-apocalyptic piano ballad featuring turgid synths, static-y guitar and weirdly operatic backing vocals.

Of course, Morrissey has a devoted fan base, and this album hit #5 on the U.K. charts and #20 here in the U.S. Unfortunately, Low In High School has little to recommend it. Bloated and bellicose, Morrissey comes off as didactic and pedantic, essentially just icky. His youthful, tongue-in-cheek arrogance has been supplanted by a cranky jingoism. To quote the once great front man for the Smiths, that joke isn’t funny anymore.

ART SCENE

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

BY ANGELA ROMEO

WORDS INTO ART: JENNY HAGER & DAVID BONDI

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here are book clubs and then there are book clubs. In the second in an ongoing series Durden and Ray brings Book Club: Speedboat. Written by Renata Adler, published in 1976, Speedboat was a departure from what was acceptable fiction structure. The book centers on the world of Jen Fein. Told in a first person, in a disjointed mosaic, the world of Jen rushes from place to place and thought to thought.

With that as its base Steven Wolkoff curated an exhibition that brings together a diverse group of artists. One of those Artists is Painter Jenny Hager.

Jenny’s work centers on an “investigation of an ambiguous, constructed, and animated space that utilizes open, abstracted imagery in order to bypass or delay immediate recognition and access a state of suspended wonder.”

When viewed the work has spatial impact that is both familiar and jarring. But the eye is continually drawn in the center of the work, center being relative. This exhibition features her work Girls, Horses and Camp.

“We had several conversations about the Speedboat. I believe Steven was searching for a less well known, but influential book. He felt that allowed for unfamiliarity and a move away from preconceived notions on the artists’ part,” said Jenny.

“As for myself, I was initially drawn to Adler’s sharp and witty prose. Her ability to comment on larger cultural assumptions and norms through relating episodic experiences in various different settings is intriguing. Given the non-linear and steam of consciousness narrative employed by Adler, I read, waiting for a particular passage to resonate either personally or through clever use of language, in creating a tableau. The personal won out, in the form of Adler’s musing on adolescents, camp, prep school, drugs, and horseback riding. I have experiences with horses, camps, and that strange adolescent infatuation. While reading Speedboat, weirdly, two friends lost their horses in stall accidents. I was working on a painting that was giving me difficulties, and superimposed quite literal images of girls falling off of horses and horse skulls. The result was very disappointing but it laid the

foundation to explore Adler’s intense depiction of the paganism of camp and prep school, budding sexuality, experimentation, death, and the draw of horses.”

In 1976 the book was radical. The country was in the throes of Bicentennial Fever, the lingering effects of Viet Nam, Title IX, gas rationing and cultural changes. But times change and so does art. While the exhibition uses the book as a starting point, it doesn’t mean that everyone was captivated by it. Such was the experience of David Bondi.

Participating artist/ toy maker Dave Bondi has over twenty years of experience in animation and video game industry having worked Google, Electronic Arts, as well as the television show South Park. He also creates his unique Pop Action Sculpture constructed of brightly colored lines in plastic and polyurethane foam.

“I read the book for about an hour and it just didn’t keep me engaged. The plot structure is unconventional, which I can normally deal with, but I felt like some of the writing was trying to be too clever in a way that was reminiscent of my hipster experiences in the 90’s. Very dinner party dilettante,” noted David. “I am 50 now and just kind of old and over it. I’ve been really fortunate in my life to have befriended some truly brilliant people who are humble and kind. It’s just not what entertains me these days.”

But David found appreciation of the book, different from the others and perhaps as radical as the 1976 publication. “I thought after giving the book a fair chance, I could put it away and get on with the art making. So considering that I didn’t really like it, I decided to tear the whole thing up and build a sculpture around the pages utilizing some spontaneous processes and throwing in some of my signature character designs. The whole thing ended up being a metaphorical genre mash-up, kind of like the book itself. Pop art meeting abstract expressionism on a conceptual foundation.”

Just as a book club invites discussion, so does the art influenced by the words.

Bookclub: Speedboat runs through February 24.at Durden and Ray 1923 S. Santa Fe Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90021.

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

PET PLACE

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

BY JANET McAFEE

SAMMY’S JOURNEY HOME 10 YEARS LATER

A

microchip with two disconnected phone numbers was the only clue to the identity of a stray matted dog running the streets of Palm Desert. A group of animal advocates connected through Facebook, and worked together to create an incredible reunion. Sammy’s journey home was a miracle, separated by 10 years and 2,000 miles.

A good Samaritan rescued the exhausted pup from a busy street and contacted Loving All Animals for assistance. “Found Dog” flyers were posted at the county shelter. The dog was posted on Facebook in an attempt to locate an owner, tagging local animal advocates to expand the search. Scanning for a microchip revealed an owner named Patricia Carpenter, but both phone numbers were disconnected.

Tracy Habijanac at Loving All Animals arranged for a foster home to care for the friendly pup.

Coachella Valley animal advocates, Heather and Sean Ryan, shared the pup’s cute face on their Facebook page. Their Facebook post was seen by their cousin in Dallas, Texas, Jessy Faiferlick, another animal lover who volunteers at animal shelters. Jessy’s interest was piqued by the dog’s plight, and she asked to get the name and disconnected phone numbers associated with the microchip.

It turns out that Jessy is an investigator in

MEET SMOKEY This handsome British Blue mix boy was rescued by www.ForeverMeow. org when his human died.

(760) 335-6767. Six-yrold Smokey loves being pampered with treats and brushing. He’s at Petco, Palm Desert, Hwy 111.

MEET SARAH Sweet and soft, this loving little 4-yr-old girl is 11 lbs of doggie love. Rescued by lovingallanimals.org call (760) 834-7000 to meet Sarah.

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the banking industry with access to numerous websites to locate missing people. She went to work zealously searching for the missing Patricia Carpenter and learned she was deceased. Next, Jessy searched for anyone related to Patricia Carpenter. She discovered an Ashley Carpenter Fritz, a resident of Louisiana. Locating Ashley on Facebook, Jessy relayed a message about the found dog. Within ten minutes there was answer, and the dog’s mystery solved. Ashley responded, “Oh my gosh! That’s Sammy, my late mother’s dog!”

Ashley had only distant memories of the dog once owned by her late mother, meeting the pup during brief visits to California. By 2006, Ashley was married and starting to raise a family in Louisiana. That year, Ashley went online in to help her mom find a rescue dog in the Coachella Valley, and found an adorable pup in a shelter. Her Mom loved the new dog she named Sammy. Sadly, Patricia Carpenter was ill and passed away a year later at the young age of 49. Ashley later learned Sammy was given away to a friend.

Ashley states, “I could not believe it when I got a message from someone who I did not know asking if I was related to Patricia Carpenter because they found her dog. They posted the dog’s picture all over, but no one filed a lost dog

claim for him. I knew I wanted him home with us, but had no idea how we would make that happen from California. A group of complete strangers worked with us to get Sammy back. I am forever grateful to them for bringing a part of my mom back to our family. This April, it will be 10 years since my Mom has been gone, and we will mark the day with the dog she loved.”

Ashley is a busy mom responsible for home schooling her four young children. Sean Ryan had a few days off work, and offered to drive Sammy to Dallas, a midway point at Jessy’s house. Ashley gratefully funded his expenses for the 3 day journey.

Sammy was a happy little passenger who seemed to anticipate something exciting was happening for him. A humorous moment

occurred when Sean could not find a pet friendly hotel in Texas. He bundled the pup up in towels and prayed he would not bark as they crept past the front desk clerk and the “No Dogs Allowed” sign. Thankfully, Sammy remained silent again when Sean had to return downstairs again to get the right room key.

It was an exciting moment when Ashley and her husband, Chad Fritz, arrived in Dallas and scooped up the “prodigal pup” in their arms.

Today Sammy lives happily in their home on 2 fenced in acres, full of children and other animals. He gently chases the chickens, and plays happily with the family’s 3 other dogs. He adores the children, and rotates sharing beds with them. Ashley reports Sammy, now 12 years old, is almost deaf. But his energy and happy spirit are boundless, and he brings a new joy to a young family who report it seems like he’s always been a part of their lives.

Tracy states, “It was a pleasure to see our efforts pay off, and help this family get part of their mother back. Having a forensic investigator get involved in the case was truly remarkable. This miracle reunion happened because animal advocates worked together, determined to create a happy ending for a dog and his family.” Welcome home Sammy!

Jmcafee7@verizon.net

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

THE VINO VOICE

February 8 to February 14, 2018

BY RICK RIOZZA

WINE COUNTDOWN TO VALENTINE’S DAY

W

ine columnists pretty much have one column to tout their line-up of wine recommendations for the celebrated Day of Love. Actually most of us lovers and Lotharios lovingly stretch this Valentines interlude to well over a week, making sure that we—well, spread the love!

Champagnes, sparklers and bubblies are de rigueur for this amorous week. And since we’re throwing out some le français, let’s cut to the chase; allow me to recommend some of my favorite elixirs of love.

And of course it’s pretty much a French line-up—you know me, no surprise here.

And the French thing reminds me of that humorous quip (and please, I’m just having fun, nothing serious—no complaining emails—okay?) where the speaker says, “you speak French to your lover, German to your soldiers, Italian to your mama, and Spanish when crying out to God. It’s an oldschool funny line, have a glass of European wine and smile.

So getting back to our French bubbly, it’s no other than our favorite Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial. This wine simply imbues the ardor, passion, and sentiment of St. Valentine’s Day (or week, if you will).

Touting and flaunting that Champagne about town, which is dressed and robed in the latest chic pink design, definitely situates you in the captivating circle of love.

Boy—am I laying it thick or what! It must be this pink Impérial I’m enjoying while writing!

(Not to worry—I’ll be opening up the Moët on Valentine’s. I picked up extra to get me through the week!).

So why is this Rosé Impérial so good?

First off, it sells for under $60 (Total Wine has it for $57--and don’t let them talk you out of it!). A French rosé Champagne of this quality costs over a $100 easy. Second, this is an elegant and complex devotee’s drink: “Pink in color with amber highlights, the bouquet is lively and intense exuding wild strawberry, raspberry, pomegranate and cherry notes. The palate continues with lively red fruit plus orange zest, ground ginger and a touch of mint. Racy but well balanced, seamless with a long finish.

All right—if for some reason you’re not into bubbles, but wish to stay with “the Pink” for the celebration, what better than the 2013 Côtes du Rhône Rosé. Our lovely French wine line-up continues towards the south of France—down the Rhône River, if you will, and who doesn’t relish that. The E. Guigal brand sets the bar when it comes to quality. We’ve written about Guigal before, and now there are some new vintages to taste.

The 2016 Côtes du Rhône Rosé, $14, has a wonderful fresh nose of red fruits and citrus. The palate is plump and ripe, with lovely Bing cherry, strawberry, tart raspberry and cranberry flavors with a slight tobacco shading for complexity. The fruit persists on the palate, in a wonderfully

fine and round structure. It’s refined and balanced giving the wine an overall sense of elegance. This is a rosé that can match any Valentine’s dinner.

Côte du Rhônes are probably the most popular wines for the California palate: juicy dark fruits, complexity, easy tannins, and down-right tasty. The 2013 Guigal’s Côte du Rhône, under $14—a great buy! is a select blend of over 40 top growers, of which only1% of all the wines tasted are chosen for ultimate mix.

For you vino nerds and those so interested, realize that most CdRs are drenched with Grenache. Guigal’s Côte du Rhône’s have greater aromatic intensity & structure, and are more costly to produce due to half of the mix coming from the noble Syrah grape.

Deep and inky-colored, find fresh fruits with red berries and spices on the nose along with black olives, smoked earth, pepper and plenty of ripe Syrah characteristics.

The palate is full, round and racy with rounded and smooth tannins. What a great reasonably priced wine for a lovely dinner.

This brings us to a heavier-hitter red for those who lust after the full-body bang for the buck: 2013 E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage, under $25!!

When an experienced wine lover sees only the term “Hermitage” on the label, they know it’s from the famous “hill” off the Rhône, 100% Syrah, it’s delicious, and goes for around $500 on a good day. The Crozes-Hermitage is produced nearby down the road, contains similar attributes, 100% Syrah—but it’s considered more the “baby brother”, and, it sells for 90% less! It’s often the bargain of the cherished season.

The 2013 E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage is a delight for those who are enchanted with a powerful spicy bouquet of clove, sandal wood, nutmeg, vanilla, and smoke—very sexy aromas! But the flavors are different: there is fresh dark cherry, blackberry, and a complex strawberry compote profile.

As mentioned, this is a 100% Syrah wine, grown on moderately old vines (averaging

35 years of age) on limestone, clay and silt, and sandy gravels. This brings the typical Syrah pepper and mint notes to the mix.

The wine was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels—which provides the mysterious intense and deep toasty nose, on the savory side of things.

Typically out-of-the ordinary, this wine is noted for its smooth and velvety tannins.

Of course it’s full-bodied, but doesn’t feel heavy yet powerfully flavored and concentrated. Good acidity as well, great for that full course dinner. This will appreciably age well for the next 10 to 15 years should you wish to grab a case for a decade of Valentine’s devotion.

If you find yourself in a rush and can’t find the above wines, we can “save” your Valentine’s celebration recommending the California red blend SAVED, $22. It’s a robust blend of Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Zinfandel, and small amounts of other red varietals curated to add more dimension to the aromatics and rich fruit flavors. It opens with aromas of ripe figs and vanilla followed by jammy flavors of blackberries and spice.

Its finish is long and generous. And of course you delight with the label design by famed tattoo artist, Scott Campbell.

Here’s to Love—Cheers!

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

THUR FEBUARY 8

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bobby Furgo & Co 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Discoteca w/ DJ Victor Rodriguez 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Francesca Amari, Bill Marx and Doug MacDonald 6:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Piano Bar 6pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Calico Wonderstone, Yung Frank 97, A. Lara, EssoEss, Hottoddyorigami and Pale Palace 9pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Barry Minniefield 7pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 John Stanley King 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CATALAN; RM; 760-770-9508 George Christian 6-9pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760200-1768 Denny Pezzin 7-10pm CORKTREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Michael Keeth 6-9pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm EUREKA; IW; 760-834-7700 Derek Jordan Gregg 8-10pm FISHERMAN’S GROTTO; PD; 760-776-6533 Barry, Bob and Riz 6:30pm GADI’S RESTAURANT AND BAR; YV; 760-3656633 Open Mic Night 7pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Chris Lomeli 7pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Open Mic 9pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Punk Rock Night 9pm

LA QUINTA OLDTOWN TAPROOM; LQ; Wyldsky 8-11pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Hot Rox LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Country Night w/ Jimi Nelson 8pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888999-1995 Quinto Menguante 8-1am MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm MOXIE; PS; 760-318-9900 Rick the Piano Man 6pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Neila Dar 7:30pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Intimate Acoustics 9pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 DJ Worden 9pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 The Smooth Brothers 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Dude Jones 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 T-Bone Karaoke 8pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Wayne Boyer 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Robert Salisbury 5-7pm, Tony Patler Project 7:30-11pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Alex Santana 5-8pm THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 Todd Ashley 7pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 Linda Peterson 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJ 8pm

FRI FEBUARY 9

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29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Micha Schellhaas 6:30pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 The Full House Band w/ Nena Anderson 8pm AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Art of Sax 8pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Sharon Sills 6:30pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Friday Night Sour Hour w/ Pink Lemonade Drag Show 9pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Tainted Love EDM Night w/ Sugarfree, Femme A, Xtroben, Gary Stewert, Sethis and Amuun 9pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Barry Minniefield 7pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 212 Band 8:30pm BLUE BAR, SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-7755566 DJ Double A 8pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 The Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT CASINO; PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael Wright 9-1am CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CATALAN; RM; 760-770-9508 George Christian 6-9pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760200-1768 Denny Pezzin 7-10pm CLUB 5; IND; 760-625-1719 DJ 9pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm

DATE SHED; IND; J Patron, Provoked, Thr3 Strykes and Thoughts Contained 9pm DESERT FOX; PD; Terra Firma 8:30pm ELECTRIC SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-2281199 DJ Ceddy Cedd 9pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm FISHERMAN’S GROTTO; PD; 760-776-6533 Gina Carey 6pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 The Myx 8:30pm THE HARD ROCK HOTEL PS; PS; 760-3259676 Esjay Jones Presents: Acoustic Sessions w/ Closed for private event 8pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Dead End Friends 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Keisha D 7pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-3456466 Bob Allen 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Dana Larson 5-7pm KILO’S CANTINA; TP; 760-835-1363 The Vibe w/ DJ Mick Mac, 2Toxic and Tabitha, Versastyle, Low Budget and Kash Rules 9pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 TBA 8pm LA QUINTA BREWERY; PD; Derek Jordan Gregg 6pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Palm Springs Sound Company in the afternoon, Hot Rox in the night LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 The Fave 9pm THE LOUNGE; AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-9991995 DJ Jerry 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm MOXIE; PS; 760-318-9900 Eevaan Tre 6:30pm, DJ Pedro Le Bass 9:30pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Chris Houchin 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760-3450222 Orlandos 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Jesika Von Rabbit and Spindrift 9pm PEABODY’S CAFÉ; PS; 760-322-1877 Karaoke 7:30pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Jasmine Tommaso Jazz 8pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 TBA 9pm RIVIERA; PS; 760-327-8311 Michael Keeth 7:30pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 The Smooth Brothers 8-11pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 9pm SMOKIN’ BURGERS; PS; 760-883-5999 Ron James 6pm SOLANO’S BISTRO; LQ; 760-771-6655 Michael Madden 6-9pm SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin Rock 10pm

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

February 8 to February 14, 2018

THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 Chris Houchin 7pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 The Stanley Butler Band 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJs 9pm

SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341-3560 Demetrious and Co. 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 Hotwyre 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Pat Rizzo & Dennis Michaels 6:30pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm VENUS DE FIDO; PD; 760-834-7070 Michael D’Angelo 6-9pm, Carl Davis Dance Lesson 7pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Meet the Corwins 5:30-7:30pm, John Stanley King Show 8pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Boys Night Out w/ DJ House Whores 7pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 Michael Keeth 5-7pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-932-4300 Buck and Bo Road Show 7pm THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 Rob Martinez and Todd Ashley ft. Lisa LaFaro Weselis 6:30-10pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 Rose Mallett 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJ 9pm

THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Cumbia Night Acoustics w/ Giselle Woo 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 The Carmens 7pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-3456466 Bob Allen 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 TBA 9pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 7pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company,in the afternoon,Hot Rox,in the night LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 The Fave 9pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888999-1995 Those Guys 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm MOXIE; PS; 760-318-9900 Derek Jordan Gregg 6pm, DJ Pedro Le Bass 9:30pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Retroblast 9pm 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bev & PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760-3450222 DysFUNKtion 6:30pm Bill 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Dublab Shadow Mountain Band 5pm, Ted Z and The Presents: Dayclubbing w/ Dirty Dave 11am Wranglers 8pm poolside, TBA 10pm AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; PEABODY’S CAFÉ; PS; 760-322-1877 Karaoke 7:30pm 760-674-4080 Art of Sax 8pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Cabaret on the Green Open Mic 7:30pm Karaoke 9pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Denise Carter 7:30pm PURPLE ROOM; PS; 760-322-4422 Debby BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Blue Holiday 8pm Hill Studios Presents: Hottoddyorigami, Town RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 TBA 9pm Troubles, Gallo Negro, Chola Orange and Tribesman 9pm RIVIERA; PS; 760-327-8311 Andy Cahan 6pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Barry Minniefield SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 7pm 8pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 John SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S Stanley King 8:30pm MARKET; PS; 760-322-9293 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm BLUE BAR; SPOTLIGHT 29; IND; 760-7755566 DJ 9pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 The Smooth BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Gina Carey Brothers 8-11pm 6-10pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT CASINO; CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael Wright 9-1am 9pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick SIDEWINDER GRILL; DHS; 760-329-7929 Tuzzolino 5:30pm CATALAN; RM; 760-770-9508 George Christian Karaoke w/ Milly G 6pm 6-9pm SMOKIN’ BURGERS; PS; 760-883-5999 Ron CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760- James 6pm 200-1768 Denny Pezzin 7-10pm SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin Music 10pm CHILL BAR; PS; 760-327-1079 TBA 9pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill 3560 TBA 6pm Baker 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Bone Thumpers 9pm Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 ELECTRIC SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-228Dennis Michael 6:30pm 1199 DJ Ceddy Cedd 9pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm VIBE, MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951-755FISHERMAN’S GROTTO; PD; 760-776-6533 5391 DJ 10pm Jack Ruvio 6pm GADI’S RESTAURANT AND BAR; YV; 760-365- VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Rose Mallett & Co. 5-7pm, Kal David, Lauri Bono & 6633 Dana Larson 5-8pm The Real Deal 7:30-11pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 TBA WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Jayla Jason Eberle 8:30pm THE GROOVE LOUNGE; SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; D. Foc Paparazzi Drag Show 7pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 760-775-5566 DJ 8pm Michael Keeth 6pm THE HARD ROCK HOTEL PS; PS; 760-325WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-932-4300 Buck and Bo 9676 Esjay Jones Presents: Global Sessions w/ Closed for private event 8pm Road Show 7pm

SAT FEBUARY 10

SUN FEBUARY 11

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bob Garcia 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 DJ 11am poolside, TBA 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Jazz Brunch w/ Shelley Yoelin and Bill Casale 11:30am AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 The Judy Show 7:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Bartland w/ DJ LF and Friends 9pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Brian Denigan 7pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 TBA 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT; PS; 888999-1995 Nash with Quinto Menguante 9pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760200-1768 Lori Yeary 6-9pm CORKTREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Michael Keeth 6-9pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Radio 60 3-6pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 Jack Ruvio 6-9pm GADI’S RESTAURANT AND BAR; YV; 760-3656633 Dana Larson 6-9pm THE HARD ROCK HOTEL PS; PS; 760-3259676 Senses Fail Acoustic Set and Listening Party 6pm continue to page 22

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

THEPAMPERED PALATE

V

alentine’s Day is only a week away. It is by far the busiest night in the restaurant business, basically because everyone wants to take their sweetheart out on Valentine’s.

If you plan to go out, and have yet to make a reservation, you better get on it. Because tables might be hard to come by on this most popular of nights. To help out, here are 5 lovely Valentine’s Day Dining spots suggestions, lovingly chosen and picked from personal experience.

Love Spot #1 - Le Vallauris Palm Springs- This classic French restaurant has been the valley’s go to fine dining establishment for over 4 decades, boasting outstanding French cuisine with elegant style. If that weren’t enough, it is housed in one of Palm Springs precious historical sites, formerly the home of George Robertson, the son of one of the cities foremost pioneers (and my personal hero), Nellie Coffman. Robertson used to entertain quite often at his home to likes of such legendary dignitaries as Winston Churchill.

The restaurant is adorned with acute French décor, with antiques and lush drapery, all vividly contouring the main star which is their fairytale like patio. Their outside dining has a ceiling that looks as if it is comprised of leaves from trees that hover over the patio, and most likely predate the restaurants existence.

It truly is an experience dining at Le Vallauris.

It feels like a time warp of sorts, when dining out was an event and people would get dressed up, abandoning the casualness of everyday life (although Le Vallauris like most Coachella Valley restaurants have long since relinquished their dress code). All of these attributes makes spending Valentine’s Day at this landmark restaurant an excellent choice.

The restaurant is featuring a special three course Valentine’s Day menu for $94 dollars per person. The first course offerings include Smoked Salmon on crunchy potato and crème fraiche with caviar (my fave), or Maine Lobster Cocktail with avocado and passion fruit dressing, among other selections. The second course offerings dazzle with Rack of Lamb, Roasted Duck with Cherry Sauce or Grilled Filet of Beef, just to scratch the surface. And

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LOVELY VALENTINE’S DAY DINING SPOTS

for dessert, enjoy Delice Vallauris with fresh berries and lemon cookies, White Chocolate Crème Brulee or their Special Valentine’s Composition Plate.

As an added bonus, Le Vallauris is a stone’s throw from the heart of downtown Palm Springs.

Making a post dinner stroll down Palm Canyon with your love a romantic option.

From their classic menu, down to their tuxedo clad waiters, Valentine’s Day at Le Vallauris is a definite list maker and sure to impress your cuddle bug.

For reservations and more info visit www. levallauris.com or call 760-325-5059 Love Spot #2 - So-Pa Palm Springs-Sleek with modern style, So-Pa is located inside L’Horizon Resort and Spa in Palm Springs. The restaurant is truly unique as it is comprised mainly of alfresco dining. Studded with distinct fire pits and streamlined décor, the restaurants innovative cuisine coupled with the vivid ambience is sure to make your Valentine’s a standout experience.

L’Horizon was originally built in 1952 as a private get-away for Hollywood mogul Jack Wrather and all of his friends to hang out and enjoy the Palm Springs vibe. Wrather’s guest list reads like a historical Hollywood memoir. Today, the resort is enjoying a resurgence, while still adhering to the property’s glamor and exclusivity.

Their Valentine’s Day menu is developed with delicate precision conjuring up creations such as, Oysters on the Half Shell with yuzu basil, Butternut Squash Agnolotti with wild mushroom and parmesan, Day-Boat Scallops with cauliflower, golden raisin sabayon and madras curry, and Milk Chocolate Mousse with flourless chocolate bites and crisp meringue, among other selections. The menu is $125 per person and has optional wine pairing for an additional $40 per person.

So-Pa’s obvious physical aesthetic beauty spills over onto its plates, providing guests with a visual and palate pleasing dining experience. Valentine’s Day at this exceptional restaurant will certainly be one that neither you, nor your baby cakes will soon forget.

For reservations and more info visit www. lhorizonpalmsprings.com

Love Spot#3 - Mr. Parkers Palm Springs- In my opinion, it is hands down the hottest and sexiest restaurant in the Coachella Valley…Period! It is laced with decadence. It can actually be a little much, but that’s alright. Because after all, that is the essence of decadence to its core. Mr. Parker’s is located inside the Parker Palm Springs and is extremely seductive, making it an awesome place for a couple to go and dine for Valentine’s Day. The restaurant is almost blindingly dark, with candlelight seeming to be the main source of light.

It is dressed to the 10’s in circa 1970’s fashion, with black walls, dark booths and banquettes. There are pictures on the walls depicting 70’s funkiness, with some naked portraits and even a LSD picture. It lures you in right from the start.

The restaurant attracts a high end clientele, and it is one place that getting dressed up won’t be in vain. Mr. Parkers is offering a TBD Valentine’s Day dinner menu. Whatever the menu turns out to be, it will surely incorporate fabulous menu selections, consistent with their dedication to creative dining.

There are few restaurants in the Coachella Valley that have a swanky sexy vibe like Mr. Parkers.

And if you want to give your Valentine’s Day some octane, then there is no other place to go for some full throttled blatant romance. Without question, a night at Mr. Parkers with your hottie will rank high as one of your best Valentine’s Day adventures.

For reservations and more info visit www. theparkerpalmsprings.com or call 760-321-4629 Love Spot #4 - Spencers-Located in the historic Tennis Club area in Palm Springs, Spencer’s restaurant hugs the base of the mountain in which it is tucked away in. The stylish restaurant has elegant indoor dining, and their outdoor seating is a seriously splendid. Spencer’s menu has a wide range of selections, including steaks and lobster.

For Valentine’s Day, Spencer’s offers a three course menu for $80 per person. The items offered include Wild Mushroom Bisque, Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb, and Red Velvet Cupcake with cream cheese filling and frosting, plus many more.

This highly romantic spot is a perfect Valentine’s Day option, one that will certainly have your honey cheeks smiling from ear to ear.

BY DENISE ORTUNO

For reservations and more info visit www. spencersrestaurant.com or call 760-327-3446 Love Spot #5 - Cielo-If you’re looking to pull out all the stops this Valentine’s Day, Cielo is your best bet. Perched at the top of the Morongo Casino Resort in Cabazon, Cielo has shockingly stunning views. It is a desert dining must, just for the view alone. Add fantastic food and service, and it’s a winner all around.

Valentine’s Day at Cielo will be quite the event, as they will be not only be having their regular menu available, but also a five course menu priced at $195 per couple. Highlights of the menu include a Seafood Symphony, with lobster, crab legs and other seafood, Specialty Pasta, and ultra-chocolaty Chocolate Cake, among other items.

Looking to take the night up a notch? Then booking a room at the resort would definitely do the trick. A little gambling, dinner, cocktails and a night in a one of their luxury rooms. Sounds like a fantastic Valentine’s Day celebration, and a beautiful memory for your sweetie pie to look back on for years to come.

For reservations and more info visit www. morongocasinoresort.com or call 1-800-252-4499 No matter if you choose any of these suggestions or not, may your Valentine’s Day be unforgettable with your special someone. Just remember, a box of chocolates, flowers and a sincere card go a long way….it’s what’s in your heart that counts.

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

SCREENERS

GUNS, GUILT & GHOSTS

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BY ROBIN E. SIMMONS

No. 303

NOW PLAYING: WINCHESTER

As a kid I loved reading those paperbacks that contained collected true (?) accounts of weird and bizarre events and places.

Among my favorite topics was the legendary Winchester mansion in the Bay Area.

I had no reason to believe that the heiress to the enormous Winchester rifle fortune was not stark-raving mad. Her obsession with endless construction on

the looming seven-story tall Victorian style estate seemed inexplicable and pointless.

I wondered if her strange behavior was a result of a mental disorder or something else – and far more sinister. Was the mansion haunted or was she possessed? Is it really possible that the suffocating guilt of being rewarded for the enormous pain and suffering the Winchester repeating rifle caused could trigger such crazy behavior and the endless construction of a monument to madness??

Was Sarah Winchester, nicely played by Helen Mirren in the movie, just a deranged eccentric or was she really fighting demons?

For a long time I wondered why this fascinating subject was never the subject of a movie.

Now, thanks to filmmaking brothers Michael and Peter Spierig, maybe that question is answered (well, kinda) with a big dollop of unintentional irony. The movie, like the house, has twists and turns that go nowhere.

While watching this film, all I could think about was the movie not made. And that’s not a good thing. I know it’s better to surrender to the movie on the screen than to let your imagination run an alternate version playing in your mind. But what’s one to do when the movie itself is about the delusion playing in the main character’s head?

I was hoping to be really scared and at the same time to intellectually stimulated by the central mystery, themes and ideas.

Sadly, that was not the case with this rather tedious and derivative amalgam of bits from genre haunted house horror movies and the multitude of stories that preceded it. This tepid wanna-be horror film with few real jolts and no sustained tension or dread is in actuality trying to cash in on the currency of gun violence as a national topic of conversation. No message here, hidden or otherwise. Caveat emptor.

NEW BLU FOR THE HOME THEATER: BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL

20

The 100th film Akashi Mike, the legendary director of “13 Assassins” is a sword-andsamurai epic that spans decades.

Manji, a highly skilled samurai, becomes

cursed with immortality after a mythic battle. Haunted by the brutal murder of his sister, Manji believes that only by fighting evil will he ever regain his soul, so he promises to help a young girl named Rin avenge her parents, who were killed by a group of master swordsmen led by the ruthless warrior Anotsu. The mission will change Manji in ways he could never imagine. Director Mike’s trademark fight choreography, on full display here in his centennial film, is a real treat for martial arts fans.

TEHRAN TABOO

Ali Soozandeh’s TEHRAN TABOO is disturbing feature-length animated drama that juggles multiple stories to explore the sexual double-standard behind the hypocrisy of life in contemporary Iran.

Blending multiple narratives into a complex picture of contemporary life in Iran’s most populous city, TEHRAN TABOO follows a young woman in need of an operation to “restore” her virginity; a divorce judge (in the Islamic Revolutionary Court) who extorts favors from a prostitute; a pregnant woman desperate to work for a living so she may live independently; and young women (purportedly virgins) being sold to Dubai for large sums of money.

The result is a complicated portrait of a social order in which women are at the bottom rung of a ladder built on religion, the law, and plain old misogyny.

Living in exile in Germany since age 25, Iranian-born filmmaker Soozandeh cannily uses animation to solve the problem of not being able to film in Tehran.

The film had its world premiere at the prestigious Cannes Critics’ Week and will open in the CV March 9. robin@coachellavalleyweekly.com

BOOK REVIEW

-----------------------------------------------------

“LIGHT IT UP”

BY NICK PETRIE FICTION

----------------------------------------------------hether you like it or not, the cannabis industry is up and running. It is a cash crop generating over a billion dollars a year. Until the Federal government gets on board, cannabis commerce significantly lacks banking options. Light it Up by Nick Petrie (Putnam, 387 pages) enters the marijuana market and the dangers of moving money.

This is author Petrie’s third installment in the “Peter Ash” series, but Light it Up can be read without reading the prior novels.

Ash is a decorated veteran of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. After multiple tours, the former marine returned home with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He is plagued with claustrophobia and a white noise that buzzes in his head. Since back in the US, Ash can only manage to work jobs that are outdoors. He is self-aware and is actively trying to heal himself.

After a job in a Northern California forest clearing and rebuilding trails, Ash is asked by Henry, a friend and fellow veteran, to come work for him in Colorado where cannabis is legal for medicinal and recreational use.

Henry’s daughter runs a security firm called “Heavy Metal Protection,” which

W

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ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH moves money and marijuana. His son-in-law has gone missing along with another security employee --- and the cash!

When Ash, Henry, and two others make a pick-up, they are ambushed by what appears to be a well-planned and orchestrated robbery. Ash and his team are out-numbered and out-gunned. Ash survives, and kills four of the five robbers. He also recovers the stolen money.

While the police want to know how it was that Ash was able to get away with only scratches and bruises, Ash wants to find the people who killed his friends and find out why. He especially wants the man that got away.

Ash believes that the $500 thousand the robbers tried to take was not worth killing people over for what would be a relatively small cut. So what were they really after?

The legal marijuana industry is still in its infancy. Some form of cannabis – medicinal, recreational and CBD or low-THC -- is legal in all states except four. This year, Vermont was the first state in the union to legalize marijuana without a ballot initiative.

Author Petrie sets his novel in Colorado, one of the first states to make cannabis legal for medicinal and recreational use. He wastes no time and takes the reader into the world with a quick jolt of danger and hard action.

If you have never been in a grow facility or given much thought about how cannabis

February 8 to February 14, 2018

BY HEIDI SIMMONS

businesses operate, Light it Up is an exciting introduction that exposes the opportunities as well as the dangers of operating an all cash business.

Ash is a noble and honorable character.

We root for him as he goes after the sociopath behind the deadly attack on the security firm. He sees the bigger picture and understands there is more to the crime than what first appears. Ash works to overcome his PTSD. He’s smart, adept and likeable. He kills four men while trying to save his friends, colleagues and own life.

As the story unfolds, the reader gets a clearer picture of Ash’s past and the men he fought with in the Middle East. They are damaged people desperate to manage their lives and readjust to society after serving in war with all the entailed horrors.

The author has a way with language, and he manages to give the reader enough

background throughout the narrative to keep the characters sympathetic and compelling.

The reader gets an understanding of the veterans’ skills and weaknesses, and the challenges veterans face in finding work, reconnecting with society and maintaining personal relationships.

I especially appreciated the many aspects of the cannabis business and what its future may hold.

In the story, a grower has developed a strain of marijuana that has medicinal properties that may be a cure for PTSD, but also may be addictive. The author shares some of the challenges regarding the testing of pot under Federal law, which is currently illegal.

If you are familiar with Colorado, the story names neighborhoods, streets and locations.

I liked that the women in the novel are strong, independent and capable. It’s fun to see Ash in a new environment that is timely, fresh and dangerous.

The cannabis industry has many challenges and its future is uncertain, as the current administration has come out against it. Light it Up adds understanding to the current complications of cannabis commerce, but most importantly it is entertaining.

SAFETY TIPS

BY FIRE CHIEF SAM DIGIOVANNA

PUT SOME POWER & FITNESS IN YOUR HEART!

F

ebruary is American Heart Month and Cardiovascular Disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with one in three deaths caused by heart disease and stroke..

It’s important you start taking some preventive measures one step at a time: · Stop smoking. Quitting smoking is the single most important thing a person can do to live longer. · Cut down on salt. Too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease. · Watch your diet. A healthy diet can help to reduce the risk of developing heart disease, and can also help increase the chances of survival after a heart attack. · Monitor your alcohol. Too much alcohol can damage the heart muscle, increase blood pressure and also lead to weight gain. · Get active. The heart is a muscle and it needs exercise to keep fit so it can pump blood efficiently round your body with each heartbeat. Check with your Doctor first before starting a rigorous exercise program. · Manage your weight. Carrying a lot of extra weight can greatly affect your health and increases the risk of life-threatening conditions such as coronary heart disease and diabetes. · Get your blood pressure and cholesterol

levels checked. The higher your blood pressure, the shorter your life expectancy. Learn to manage your stress levels. · Check your family history. Many times our past (family history) predicts our future.

Make sure you can recognize the early signs of coronary heart disease.

Tightness or discomfort in the chest, neck, arm or stomach that comes on when you exert yourself but goes away with rest may be the first sign of angina, which can lead to a heart attack if left untreated.

Join a health club. Power of Fitness 72750 Dinah Shore Dr. Palm Desert (760) 770-9393 has great cardio equipment!

For more information, contact your physician and visit www.cdc.gov/features/ heartmonth/index.html Happy Heart Month!

Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

21

February 8 to February 14, 2018

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CLUB CRAWLER NIGHTLIFE continued from page 17 JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Bill Open Jam 6pm Marx 6:30pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Meh, Palm Springs Sound Company, in the afternoon, Monday 9pm Hot Rox, in the night CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick LAVENDER BISTRO; LQ; 760-564-5353 Mark Tuzzolino 5:30pm Gregg 5-9pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 2794 Hot Rox 760-325-2323 Sunday Jam 3:30-7:30pm, Mikael LAVENDER BISTRO; LQ; 760-564-5353 Mark Healy 8pm Gregg 5-9pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 T-Bone MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; Karaoke 8pm 760-325-2323 Mikael Healy 8pm THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 7:30pm 8pm-1:15am PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 The THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry Sunday Band 7:30pm 7pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Open Mic 6pm Open Mic 7pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Eddie Gee 7pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341-3560 COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Industry Night The Myx 6pm w/ DJ Tone 2pm-close TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Randy Cinch 4-7pm Seymon 8pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Darci SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341Daniels and Reggie Vision 7pm 3560 T.B.A. 6pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 John VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Stanley King & Trio 6-9:30pm Mike Costley’s Jazz Show 6:30-10pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Kevin Miller and THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 Friends 6-9pm The Might Sweet Nothings 6:30pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-932-4300 Buck and Bo WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 Road Show 6pm Motown Mondays 6:30pm THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 Rob Martinez and Scott Carter 6:30pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 John Carey and Friends 6:30pm 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Michael Lowe 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Ace Karaoke with Kiesha 9pm 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 The AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Luminators 6pm Gilmore and Bryan 6:30pm

TUE FEBUARY 13

MON FEBUARY 12

S and G

PUMPING SERVICE

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

760-404-6325

22

AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Bella da Ball Dinner Revue w/ guest performers 7:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Strictly Vinyl w/ DJ Richie Rich and Friends 9pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Chris Lomeli 7pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Big Rock Big Blues Jam 7pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Michael D’Angelo 7-10pm CORKTREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Michael Keeth 6-9pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660 Bill Baker 6pm DRINGK; RM; 760-888-0111 Karaoke w/ T-Bone 8pm FIRESIDE LOUNGE; PS; 760-327-1700 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Drag Queen Bingo 9pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Karaoke hosted by Phillip Moore 9pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Ted Quinn’s Open Mic Reality Show Jam 8pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 7pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Mikael Healy 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Tim Burleson 7:45pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Acoustic Open Mic 7pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Ladies Night

w/ Rock-A-Holics 7pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Randy Seymon 8pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Demetrious and Co. VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Mike Costley’s Trio 6:30-10pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Alex Santana 5-8pm THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 Acoustic Sessions w/ Lance & David 7pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 Yve Evans and John Bolivar 6pm

WED FEBUARY 14

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Daniel Horn 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Earth Radio w/ DJ Journee 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Jazz Jam w/ Doug MacDonald & Friends 7pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Piano Bar 6pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 On Wednesday We Wear Black w/ DJ Sugarfree 9pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Chris Lomeli 7pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 The Smooth Brothers 7pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Michael Keeth 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 5:30pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Johnny Meza 7-10pm COACHELLA VALLEY BREWING CO; TP; 760-343-5973 Live and Local w/ TBA 5:308pm CORKTREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Jack Ruvio 6pm CUNARD’S SANDBAR; LQ; 760-564-3660

Bill Baker 6pm DRAUGHTSMAN;PS; 760-507-1644 Derek Jordan Gregg 8pm ELECTRIC SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-2281199 Karaoke 7:30pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Open Mic hosted by Josh Heinz 8pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Live Music LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Hot Rox MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Mikael Healey 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Roger & Friends 7pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-288-1199 Karaoke w/ KJ Ginger 8pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Eddie Gee 8pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 The Myx 6:30pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 Local Artist Spolight 7pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Katheryn White 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Barbara Morrison Piano 4:30-6pm, Barry Minniefield 6:30pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Mikole Kaar 5-8pm THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565-5512 DJ 7pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230-0188 Valerie Geason 6:30pm

HADDON LIBBY

T

he financial markets in 2018 have proven that the casual investor is at a significant disadvantage to professionals. Whether investing in the stock markets or the unregulated world of cryptocurrencies, casual investors are at a distinct disadvantage to the people who work in those markets every day.

To help you to avoid being the dumb money that professionals feed upon, read on...

Starting with Bitcoin, this cryptocurrency was trading at $6,468 on February 6th, losing two-thirds of its December 6th value yet six times higher than its $1,052 price of one year ago. As you probably know, Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency that is actively used by bad actors around the world. By bad actors, I am not referring to William Shatner, Chuck Norris or Rob Schneider, but people who intentionally evade the law such as North Korea, people on the DarkWeb and Russia.

Think of Bitcoin like Vegas without the fun where the house typically wins.

The stock market is far different but equally challenging to the casual investor.

Despite an 8.5% decline in the Dow Jones Industrial Average over the last week, this index is still 20% higher than it was this time

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DUMB MONEY, BITCOINS & UNICORNS

last year.

If you are one of those people who avoid the stock market and keep your money in cash or certificates of deposit, the purchasing power of your money declines every year. As the government prints money every day, the dollar in your pocket is worth less tomorrow than it is worth. Face it those “high interest” accounts at banks must refer to cannabis as you would have to be pretty out of it to think that 1% is a lot.

Most people invest via mutual funds in

DALE GRIBOW ON THE LAW

WHAT IS NEGLIGENCE?

Y

ou can’t read any paper without reading about negligence in some form. But what is Negligence? In the first year of law school all law students have a class called TORTS. A Tort is a simply a civil wrong and the most common is Negligence which is the basis of all accident cases.

We are taught that negligence is the failure to act as a reasonably prudent person would in similar circumstances. This is the Reasonable Man Test. However the determination regarding who is reasonable and prudent is often left in the hands of jurors who, themselves, are not reasonable and prudent.

Attorneys representing the injured party, work to convince jurors that the defendant failed to act in a reasonable manner resulting in injury or damage to their client. Defense Insurance Company attorneys try to counter the argument and cloud the waters to confuse the jurors.

We plaintiff attorneys (The Good Guys) have emotion on our side and defense attorneys have only factual evidence to present. In that regard we look at the elements of negligence? What is required for a person or entity to be considered “Negligent?”

To prove negligence 4 things are needed: 1) A duty to act or not act 2) Failure to act or not act as required by the duty 3) Injury or damage occurs

February 8 to February 14, 2018

4) Proximate cause.

Proximate Cause is often referred to as an unbroken chain of events, with no intervening incidents, between the failure to act and the injury or damage. If there are any intervening causes, negligence is questionable.

From an emotional standpoint, the plaintiff wants the jury to sympathize or feel sorry for the person that was injured and for the juror to put themselves in the same place. In that regard when a plaintiff lawyer chooses a jury, referred to as voir dire, s/he looks for a juror that can relate to the plaintiff.

Sometimes it is someone who is the same age, sex, type of work, same background etc. In other words a juror who can think “but for the grace of god go I.” A juror who feels this way is more likely to award a favorable verdict for the plaintiff.

The defense wants the opposite and kicks off “challenges/excuses” that juror.

We often speak of a jury of our peers.

A plaintiff lawyer thinks of this as someone that is like the plaintiff. With the OJ Simpson murder case for instance, the crime occurred in Brentwood (West LA) and the case should have been sent to the Santa Monica Court. However many of the Santa Monica courtrooms were closed from recent earthquake damage.

Thus the case was sent to downtown LA where there were courtrooms available.

Everyone in the judicial system knew that

their 401k plans at work, exchanged traded funds or stocks. When investing using mutual funds, remember that many funds hide lots of charges that are hard for you to find. While 1% may not be a lot for a bank to pay in interest, paying as little as an extra 0.60% in fees each year translates into five years of lost retirement income over the course of a lifetime. As such, go with lowcost index funds that have a history of matching market returns. When it comes to which funds to hold, try and find an investment advisor who is also a fiduciary as they must always put your interests first or risk getting in trouble with regulators. As investment advisor who are fiduciaries are nearly as common as unicorns, drop me an email at the address below and I will help you find one. Also, never buy an annuity as there are almost always better, less expensive investment options.

When investing in stocks, read the research reports offered as part of most investment accounts before buying a stock.

You will find that these reports give some guidance on the potential future value of that stock that you are thinking of buying.

Independent research by Morningstar or Standard & Poor’s, are two quality research

firms. Sources like TheStreet.com and many brokerage houses are often too optimistic making their advice less valuable. When investing, remember to avoid companies with lots of debt as they often have trouble competing with their less levered rivals. Remember to diversify across many industries while limiting your exposure to any company to no more than 5%. Also, never invest in penny stocks (those under $5/share).

While these tips are hardly enough to protect you from all the nefarious characters out there, these simple rules of thumb should help you in avoiding the worst offenders. If you cannot invest the time to do your research, hire someone who will do it for you.

Haddon Libby is the Founder and Managing Partner of Winslow Drake Investment Management. He can be reached at Hlibby@WinslowDrake.com.

For more information, please visit www.

WinslowDrake.com.

if the case was sent to LA it would be more likely to be a jury of OJ’s peers...and result in a not guilty verdict. The complexion of the downtown jury was a lot more African American and other minority groups. These would favor OJ. Many LA jurors have had past run in’s with the police and were more susceptible to the argument the police were lying and trying to frame OJ. Thus they were more likely to believe if the “glove doesn’t fit you must acquit.”

The Santa Monica Jury pool would have more Caucasian and middle or upper middle class jurors who did not have the same experiences and didn’t police ever acted improperly. Trying to get a balance of these jurors is the trick.

DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE, CALL A TAXI, LYFT OR UBER.........THEY ARE A LOT CHEAPER THAN GETTING ARRESTED OR IN AN ACCIDENT AND CALLING ME ... LAW ENFORCEMENT WARNS “DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER” DALE GRIBOW “TOP LAWYER” - Palm Springs Life (DUI/ PI) 2011-2018 “TOP LAWYER”-Inland Empire Magazine Nov, 2016 10.0 AVVO Perfect Peer Rating

23

February 8 to February 14, 2018

CANNABIS CORNER

I

came across an interesting article the other day about cannabis and sex.

With Valentine’s Day looming I thought it offered some interesting ideas.

What’s your pleasure? Smoke, vape, nibble, or nosh, there are hundreds of ways to imbibe in your favorite cannabis treasures. The gift of cannabis is always welcome as any marijuana fan will tell you.

Cannabis is not in itself an aphrodisiac, but it does help you relax. If you plan to use cannabis to achieve that purpose make sure that you pick the right strain. Paranoia can be a common side effect of certain strains so do a little research to make sure you pick a good one. Sativa or a hybrid may be a good choice since indica strains can make you sleepy.

Although everyone reacts differently to certain strains, a good choice might be ‘Clementine’ a sativa dominant hybrid strain which is insanely delicious. The ‘Clementine’ high is both uplifting and relaxing in nature, pulling both indica and sativa effects, although it tends to lean heavily to the sativa side. Smokers may feel more perceptive and attuned to their surroundings. It’s a great choice for some quality time together.

Another sativa that packs a punch and is very smiley, focused and fun is Bruce Banner (The Incredible Hulk). Amazingly floral and fruity, it’s a powerful strain with effects that

24

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

CANNABIS & SEX

come on quickly and strong and then tend to settle into a euphoric and creative buzz.

The sativa effects of this strain are most evident and linger mostly in the head, but it does also provide body relaxation and pain relief. It is one of the highest THC sativa strains so a little goes a long way.

Sativa has a more invigorating effect according to sex columnist and author Lisa Kirkman. She states that “intercourse and cannabis prompt us to release oxytocin, the love molecule, which is a hormone related to sexual patterns as well as maternal and paternal behavior, which also acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain.” Lisa Kirkman

BY PATTE PURCELL

also said that when it comes to sativa “they have the effect of contracting muscles, which improves performance.” As a whole cannabis increases perception, and works as a dis-inhibitor.

First of all, set the mood before you choose your intake method. Turn down the lights, put on some music, light the scented candles. Plan a romantic dinner and an ‘edible desert’. There are many cannabis cooking products; cannabis butter, olive oils, powers, liquids and tinctures. A visit to your local dispensary can take your dining experience to a whole new level. How about a bottle of cannabis wine? Melissa

Etheridge has an extensive line of high end hand crafted wines. Make any dessert into a cannabis creation just by adding your oil or tincture. Remember edibles take up to an hour to feel the effects so don’t overdo it and know how many mg. you are adding.

It’s better to stay with 5 mg to make sure you don’t end up sleeping.

Finally, take it up a notch with a cannabis bath with a cannabis bath bomb. Your partner would love a massage with one of the many cannabis lotions that work so well.

The biggest advice we gleaned was not to overdo it on the cannabis. A little goes a long way. When incorporating the right strain, dosage, and intention, cannabis users report that it increases sexual stamina and skill, awakens creativity, prolongs orgasms and intensifies the emotional bonding between partners. So this Valentine’s Day celebrate at home with a romantic cannabis evening.

Patte Purcell works in the cannabis industry. She also does cannabis jazz events for the 420 industry. These are private parties and you must be invited to attend. If you’d like an invite text your name and email to 1-702-219-6777.

SPORTS SCENE

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

February 8 to February 14, 2018

BY FLINT WHEELER

MAKE YOUR MONEY EARLY - NFL 2019..

T

he NFL season ends on Sunday and leaves sports bettors seven long months to contemplate who will win Super Bowl LIII. Odds on which team will win the Big Game in 2019 are already live and, even though free agency and the draft are still months away, Tilted Sports is taking a couple shots in the dark at which clubs we think will be in the mix to lift the Lombardi Trophy and which long shots have a chance to surprise.

Here’s our way too early look at the favorites and the long shots with the best value to win the Super Bowl next season.

The Favorites: New England Patriots +400 Pittsburgh Steelers +800 Minnesota Vikings +1200 Green Bay Packers +1200 New Orleans Saints +1600 Oddsmakers will stop listing the New England Patriots as the preseason Super Bowl favorites the minute anti-aging unicorn that is Tom Brady.

The Steelers possess all the offensive flash but made a change at offensive coordinator, and it sounds like things are

about to get real ugly between management and running back Le’Veon Bell.

The Vikings are solid on both sides of the ball but who’s going to be taking snaps under center next season?

The Saints have the running game, and a young and improving stopper-unit, but Drew Brees is 39. Will he still have his fastball and can he carry New Orleans in games when the ground game is sluggish in his 18th pro season?

We feel much better putting our faith in Aaron Rodgers putting the Green Bay Packers back in the playoffs after an injurymarred 2017 campaign. Rodgers is still the best player in the league, at the most influential position, and Green Bay should be able to address its holes on the offensive line and defensive secondary in the draft this year.

The No-Chance-in-Hell Group: Cleveland Browns +10,000 New York Jets +10,000 Chicago Bears +10,000 The Chicago Bears could be a lot better next season but they play in one of the toughest divisions in the league. Getting into the playoffs is far-fetched but taking

the over on them when NFL season win totals are released might be a good move.

The Browns are rumored to be interested in Kirk Cousins should the Washington Redskins QB become available. He would be a huge upgrade for them but probably not enough to get them to more than eight wins.

The Jets were better than most expected in 2017, but they’re still a mess at quarterback and aren’t expected to be major players in free agency.

Best Value Bets: Your Los Angeles Rams +2000 It’s my opinion 2017 wasn’t a fluke for football fans in Los Angeles. The Rams are loaded on offense with talented wide receivers and arguably the league’s best running back in Todd Gurley. They have

a boy-genius head coach in Sean McVay and one of the most disruptive defensive linemen in the game in Aaron Donald.

The San Francisco 49ers are generating buzz but are still at least a year away from contending and the Seattle Seahawks’ veteran-filled roster is on its last legs. The NFC West will belong to the Rams again in 2018.

Houston Texans +2000 This is a bet on Deshaun Watson coming back healthy and ready for the upcoming season. The quarterback was electric in his rookie season producing 1699 passing yards and 19 touchdowns in just six starts for the Texans. He’s recovering well from the knee injury and the team expects he’ll be able to participate in OTAs this spring with his teammates.

The Texans finished in last place in the AFC South which means they’ll get a softer schedule in 2018. They’ll play against the AFC East and NFC East and have the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos filling out the rest of their schedule.

NATIONAL R/C ON-ROAD RACING SERIES COMING TO PALM DESERT LOCAL BUSINESS

RISE UP HOBBYTOWN IS THE ONLY HOBBY SHOP & FIRST INDOOR R/C TRACK IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY

R

ise Up HobbyTown will host the Series Opener/Round #1 of the 3rd Annual Champion Touring Series R/C On-Road Racing (CTS3) on Saturday and Sunday, February 10-11 at their new Indoor R/C Carpet Track, located at 77583 El Duna Court – Suite H in Palm Desert.

CTS3 will bring over 100 of the top R/C on-road drivers from around the country to the Coachella Valley for the 2-day event.

Open Practice for the race opens on Friday, February 9th from 10am to 6pm. Controlled Practice and Racing will be from Saturday and Sunday from 7am to 6pm. Food and drinks will be available all day during Saturday and Sunday’s event. Locals are encouraged to come by free-of-charge to watch and cheer on their favorite R/C driver and team during the event.

Champion Touring Series R/C On-Road Racing is in its 3rd season for 2018 and it has become one of the most popular radiocontrolled on-road car racing series on the West Coast. The series visits seven tracks from California to test the skills of the R/C racers over a wide range of track conditions.

The series features many different on-road classes such as Touring Car, Formula 1, and USGT for the novice to the expert racer alike.

“I’d like to thank Rise Up HobbyTown

for hosting the season opener for the 3rd season of Champion Touring Series (CTS).

I’m very excited to bring the series for the first time to the Coachella Valley and looking forward to an awesome event,” says Lex Tyler, race promoter and organizer for CTS. Rise Up HobbyTown features 2,000 square-foot fully stocked hobby shop with thousands of items for the cars, trucks, boats, planes, jets, helicopters, and drones R/C enthusiast and 8,000 square-foot indoor climate-controlled R/C carpet track for off-road and on-road cars and trucks.

The state-of-the-art track is 85x55 feet in size covered with CRC Black Carpet that is specifically designed for R/C racing, large 40foot drivers stand, pit area includes tables, chairs, and power for accommodate over 100 drivers, full PA System covering both track and pit areas, LiveTime scoring system with MyLaps transponder support, LiveRC

online results & video feed, TV monitors, free WiFi Internet, and video arcade to help pass time between races.

Rise Up HobbyTown is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm and Sunday 12pm to 5pm. R/C track is open daily to the public. Practice costs $15 per person and racing is $20 per class. Rentals start at $20 per hour (available on first-come-first serve basis). Off-road and on-road practice and racing will vary between dates and times. Custom birthday and special event packages with food and beverages are also available.

For more information about Rise Up HobbyTown, check out @RiseUpHobbyTown on Facebook or Web Site located at www.

RiseUpHobbyTown.com. Jon Vandermolen can be reached by calling (760) 345-8808 or emailing jon@riseuphobbytown.com.

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

REAL ESTATE LITTLE THINGS TO DO TO HELP SELL YOUR HOME

L

ooks like this year the Coachella Valley is going to skip winter and go straight to spring! With daytime temperatures in the 70’s, 80’s and even 90’s this year in January and February we are definitely enjoying the best weather in the Nation.

Why would anyone want to be anywhere else? This “Chamber of Commerce” weather means that we are open for business as our real estate selling season begins. In February our resident population here nearly triples with visitors and part time residents and it is absolutely the best time of the year to sell your desert home. With that in mind, most sellers today know what the BIG things are that they can do to help sell their home like de-clutter, de-personalize, new paint and carpet, enhance curb appeal etc. But what are some of the LITTLE things a seller can do to help sell their home? Before I get into my best advice for the little things let’s take a look at last month’s sales data for real estate here in the Coachella Valley.

In last month’s article we learned that 2017 was the second highest year in terms of overall sales transactions and the third year in a row of more transactions at increased sales prices in the Coachella Valley. Is it possible that 2018 could be even better?

According to the Desert Area MLS as of 2/1/18 there were 973 pending transactions of residential properties here in the Coachella Valley in the month of January. That’s back up from the 711 pendings in the previous month (December) and considerably higher when compared to the same time last year when we had only 900 pending sales. This continued increase in sales activity over last year’s numbers bodes very well for a

continued trend of a higher volume of sales in 2018. In December there were 795 solds and we were down in January with only 683 solds. That is still better than last year’s home sales in January (2017) when we sold only 658 homes. So we are off to a great start in 2018 with both more contingent/pending sales and closed sales than last year.

Our inventory of homes for sale went up a little this month with 4,009 homes available on January 31, 2018 compared to 3,874 homes available on January 1, 2018.

Despite earlier fears that we would be faced with a critical shortage of homes for sale here in the Coachella Valley it appears that our inventory is increasing right on schedule and keeping our market in equilibrium where the inventory is adequate enough to meet the demand. As long as our inventory can keep pace with our demand for homes, 2018 should be another great year for real estate sales in the Coachella Valley. So far, so good!

We’ll just have to watch and see if this keeps our trends of higher sale prices and more sale transactions going throughout the coming months.

Buyers ALWAYS prefer a home that appears to be well maintained over a home that shows obvious signs of deferred maintenance. My list of little things to do highlight several little maintenance items that buyers seem to pick up on that signal to them that a home has been neglected. Do the AC vents look like diesel truck exhaust pipes with small bits soot blown on the surrounding walls? This is an easy clean and while you are at it, go ahead and change AC filter and wash the air intake vent too. And since you have the cleaning tools out don’t

LICENSETOLIVELARGE

T

he iconic Nike slogan, Just Do It, and Shia LaBeouf’s motivational speech by the same title, reminds us that we must take action if we desire a great life. It is our right to Live Large…but ain’t nobody gonna do it for us. It is our individual choice to grab our License to Live Large and get moving in the direction of our dreams.

In this week’s edition, I had the pleasure of interviewing, Jeff Harrison, a retired pro golfer turned digital marketing guru. He too has learned that action and forward motion is the key to creating a great life.

LTLL: At what point in your life did you realize your License to Live Large?

Jeff: I remember reading a book as a young boy by Maxwell Maltz regarding psycho-cybernetics. It made me begin asking for more out of life, including more out of myself. As a young athlete, it made me want to not just be on the team, but the best on the team. Not at the sacrifice of others of course, just for me to realize, what I think is my best, maybe I could elevate it.

I have had a hunger for learning and being my best since…

LTLL: Who was influential in helping or discouraging you growing up?

26

stop there! Check the top of fan blades, blinds and valences, pot shelves and anything in those hard to reach and often neglected areas that collect dust and spider webs.

Buyers notice all of these things. Water leaks are an obvious fix so check to make sure your faucets and water lines don’t leak or drip and don’t forget to inspect your sprinkler valves.

As long as the lawn and plants get watered we seldom check our sprinkler valves but potential buyers do. Once any leaks are addressed there are several areas to check for water damage. Behind the toilet and around the tub/shower are usually suspect but a thorough check under the kitchen and bathroom sinks is also in order. Do what is necessary to repair any previous water damage. A little patching and paint may do the trick and under the sinks replace the shelf paper or where required replace the entire board. Check the grout line where the counter tops meet the back splash in the kitchen and bath… there is almost always a crack or missing grout there. You can buy a small container of colored replacement grout and patch this up in no time at all. The same goes for caulking around tubs/showers and toilets. Next get a screw driver out and go around the house and tighten the screws in your door knobs and locks and before you put that tool away tighten all of your cabinet door hinges and knobs (pulls). Then go back with a small can of oil or WD40 and lubricate anything that sticks or squeaks. Sliding patio and screen doors can need new rollers to operate smoothly but many times it is just a matter lubricating the rollers and just cleaning the tracks they run on. This always makes a good impression on the buyers

JEFF HARRISON

Jeff: I would have to give direct credit to my mom and dad. They would say to me, “If you’re going to do anything, do it to be the best.” This saying even helped me turn the negatives I sometimes got from my 8th grade English teacher, like her telling me I would not do x or y…into being inspired to excel, just to show her I could.

LTLL: How does current business, SwingPointMedia, Inc., assist you in creating a Live Large Life for yourself and others?

Jeff: SwingPointMedia operates in a world of creativity. Meaning, we have unlimited access to a world that when a client walked in did not exist, and we get to create this together. This opportunity

BY BRUCE CATHCART when they go out to inspect your patio/ yard area. Finally, make sure all of your light bulbs work. Buyers need to see what they are buying and a well-lit home generally appeals to more buyers. This is not a complete list but it should be enough to get you started in the right direction. Doing these simple little things are all items that you should be able to do yourself and should take no longer than a day to accomplish. It will be a day well spent and likely help you to sell your home quicker and for a higher price!

Join me each month this year as we keep a close eye on our Coachella Valley real estate market. If you have a real estate question or concerns please email me at the address below.

Bruce Cathcart is the Broker/Co-Owner of La Quinta Palms Realty, “Your Friendly Professionals” and can be reached by email at bycathcart@laquintapalmsrealty.com or visit his website at www.laquintapalmsrealty.com.

BY ELIZABETH SCARCELLA

creates an amazing win-win for our clients.

Our goal is very simple, we want our efforts and fees to be returned in such a way that our clients see a 3 times return.

In this process of creativity, the customer often is searching for something they cannot recognize, allowing us to be like treasure hunters and helping them put an “X” on their map.

LTLL: What tip can you offer to our readers that they too feel compelled to use their License to Live Large?

Jeff: Start. This is probably the biggest stealer of dreams. People have these ideas and desires to move mountains, and then

stop before they begin. I am guilty. In the past, if someone has given me their opinion and it undermines my confidence… then our monkey brains talks us out of action…

Start and know that this imperfect action will lead you to what you need to climb that mountain.

Thank you to Jeff for reminding us that it is our job to keep moving forward…even if the outcome is not perfect. We cannot create a great life we are standing still.

Jeff Harrison, CEO and co-founder of SwingPointMedia, a digital marketing agency focuses on leveraging video and paid advertising to help small businesses get more sales. Reach him at jeff@ swingpointmedia.com.

Coachella Valley, do you have a story to share? Please email me at elizabeth@ coachellavalleyweekly.com for your chance to be interviewed and featured.

Elizabeth Scarcella, Founder of Go Get Young and Co-Owner of Rx2Fitness, helps others create the life of their dreams. Reach her at info@gogetyoung.tv.

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

MIND,BODY & SPIRIT

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

Week of February 8

ARIES (March 21-April 19): British athlete Liam Collins is an accomplished hurdler. In 2017, he won two medals at the World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships in South Korea. Collins is also a stuntman and street performer who does shows in which he hurtles over barriers made of chainsaws and leaps blindfolded through flaming hoops.

For the foreseeable future, you may have a dual capacity with some resemblances to his. You could reach a high point in expressing your skills in your chosen field, and also branch out into extraordinary or flamboyant variations on your specialty.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): When he was 32, the man who would later be known as Dr. Seuss wrote his first kid’s book, And To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. His efforts to find a readership went badly at first. Twenty-seven publishers rejected his manuscript. On the verge of abandoning his quest, he ran into an old college classmate on the street. The friend, who had recently begun working at Vanguard Press, expressed interest in the book.

Voila! Mulberry Street got published. Dr. Seuss later said that if, on that lucky day, he had been strolling on the other side of the street, his career as an author of children’s books might never have happened. I’m telling you this tale, Taurus, because I suspect your chances at experiencing a comparable stroke of luck in the coming weeks will be extra high.

Be alert!

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): A survey of British Christians found that most are loyal to just six of the Ten Commandments. While they still think it’s bad to, say, steal and kill and lie, they don’t regard it as a sin to revere idols, work on the Sabbath, worship other gods, or use the Lord’s name in a curse. In accordance with the astrological omens, I encourage you to be inspired by their rebellion. The coming weeks will be a favorable time to re-evaluate your old traditions and belief systems, and then discard anything that no longer suits the new person you’ve become.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): While serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Don Karkos lost the sight in his right eye after being hit by shrapnel.

Sixty-four years later, he regained his vision when he got butted in the head by a horse he was grooming.

Based on the upcoming astrological omens, I’m wondering if you’ll soon experience a metaphorically comparable restoration. My analysis suggests that you’ll undergo a healing in which something you lost will return or be returned.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The candy cap mushroom, whose scientific name is Lactarius rubidus, is a burnt orange color. It’s small to medium-sized and has a convex cap. But there its resemblance to other mushrooms ends. When dried out, it tastes and smells like maple syrup. You can grind it into a powder and use it to sweeten cakes and cookies and custards. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, this unusual member of the fungus family can serve as an apt metaphor for you right now. You, too, have access to a resource or influence that is deceptive, but in a good way: offering a charm and good flavor different from what its outer appearance might indicate.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A grandfather from New Jersey decided to check the pockets of an old shirt he didn’t wear very often. There Jimmie Smith found a lottery ticket he had stashed away months previously. When he realized it had a winning number, he cashed it in for $24.1 million -- just two days before it was set to expire. I suspect there may be a comparable development in your near future, although the reward would be more modest. Is there any potential valuable that you have forgotten about or neglected? It’s not too late to claim it.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The U.S. Geological Survey recently announced that it had come up with improved maps of the planet’s agricultural regions.

Better satellite imagery helped, as did more thorough analysis of the imagery. The new data show that the Earth is covered with 618 million more acres of croplands than had previously been thought. That’s

© Copyright 2018 Rob Brezsny

15 percent higher than earlier assessments! In the coming months, Libra, I’m predicting a comparable expansion in your awareness of how many resources you have available. I bet you will also discover that you’re more fertile than you have imagined.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In 1939, Scorpio comic book writer Bob Kane co-created the fictional science-fiction superhero Batman. The “Caped Crusader” eventually went on to become an icon, appearing in blockbuster movies as well as TV shows and comic books. Kane said one of his inspirations for Batman was a flying machine envisioned by Leonard da Vinci in the early 16th century. The Italian artist and inventor drew an image of a winged glider that he proposed to build for a human being to wear. I bring this up, Scorpio, because I think you’re in a phase when you, like Kane, can draw inspiration from the past. Go scavenging through history for good ideas!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I was watching a four-player poker game on TV. The folksy commentator said that the assortment of cards belonging to the player named Mike was “like Anna Kournikova,” because “it looks great but it never wins.” He was referring to the fact that during her career as a professional tennis player, Anna Kournikova was feted for her physical beauty but never actually won a singles title. This remark happens to be a useful admonishment for you Sagittarians in the coming weeks. You should avoid relying on anything that looks good but never wins.

Put your trust in influences that are a bit homely or unassuming but far more apt to contribute to your success.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A Chinese man named Wang Kaiyu bought two black-furred puppies from a stranger and took them home to his farm.

As the months passed by, Wang noticed that his pets seemed unusually hungry and aggressive. They would sometimes eat his chickens. When they were two years old, he finally figured out that they weren’t dogs, but rather Asian black bears. He turned them over to a local animal rescue center. I bring this to your attention, Capricorn, because I suspect it may have a resemblance to your experience. A case of mistaken identity? A surprise revealed in the course of a ripening process? A misunderstanding about what you’re taking care of? Now is a good time to make adjustments and corrections.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Charles Nelson Reilly was a famous American actor, director, and drama teacher. He appeared in or directed numerous films, plays, and TV shows. But in the 1970s, when he was in his forties, he also spent quality time impersonating a banana in a series of commercials for Bic Banana Ink Crayons. So apparently he wasn’t overly attached to his dignity. Pride didn’t interfere with his ability to experiment. In his pursuit of creative expression, he valued the arts of playing and having fun. I encourage you to be inspired by his example during the coming weeks, Aquarius.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): According to ancient Greek writer Herodotus, Persians didn’t hesitate to deliberate about important matters while drunk.

However, they wouldn’t finalize any intoxicated decision until they had a chance to re-evaluate it while sober. The reverse was also true. Choices they made while sober had to be reassessed while they were under the influence of alcohol. I bring this to your attention not because I think you should adhere to similar guidelines in the coming weeks. I would never give you an oracle that required you to be buzzed. But I do think you’ll be wise to consider key decisions from not just a coolly rational mindset, but also from a frisky intuitive perspective. To arrive at a wise verdict, you need both.

Homework: Describe how you plan to shake off some of your tame and overly civilized behavior.

Testify at Freewillastrology.com.

---------------------------------------Rob Brezsny Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

February 8 to February 14, 2018

ACCEPTANCE “

T

BY BRONWYN ISON

he greatest gift that you can give to others is the gift of unconditional love and acceptance.” Brian Tracy Accepting others and self is a magnificent gift. It’s a gift that surpasses anything tangible. Feeling accepted and being a part of something gives us incredible confidence.

Speaking of self-acceptance, it’s defined as, “an individual’s acceptance of all of his/ her attributes, positive or negative.” This includes how we think of ourselves, i.e… our body acceptance, protecting ourselves from others negative criticism, and believing in your own capabilities.

Most people have low self-esteem.

Often times our childhood has much to do with how we think of ourselves. If you lack self-acceptance it may be you had a parent who was not very empathetic. Once we’re adults, a person who lacks self-esteem is seeking approval and affirmations. They are constantly seeking approval from others.

I’ve witnessed people who will boast of self and their wonderful accomplishments. By all means, I’m not discounting a person’s hard work or discounting their accolades. While the person may boast, it’s only temporary, a euphoric high they can only be on for a short while. Once that fix is satisfied … they

seek more. It becomes a vicious cycle.

We are who we are. Love who you are.

Accept who you are. Be yourself. You were not meant to be anyone else. Don’t wait for approval from man. He/she has just as many beauties and faults as you do.

Do something kind for yourself and accept yourself for the amazing person you are!

Bronwyn Ison is the owner of Evolve Yoga and Online Yoga Classes at www. bronwynison.com 760-564-YOGA(9642)

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

ASK THE DOCTOR

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

BY DR PETER KADILE

Dr. Peter M. Kadile is Board Certified in Family Medicine. He has an integrative, osteopathic medical practice and is also known as the local, house call doctor; Desert House Call Physician. He is on staff at Eisenhower Medical Center and medical director for Serenity Hospice. His office is located in beautiful Old Town La Quinta, 78-100 Main Street, Suite 207, La Quinta, CA 92253. (760) 777-7439. DesertHouseCalls@aol.com. deserthousecalldoc.com.

STAY HEALTHY DURING FLU SEASON

W

e are getting hit hard with the flu bug this year. Please wash your hands as often as possible and stay home if you are sick.

How far away do I have to be from someone with the flu to prevent from catching it?

Infected people with the flu can spread it up to about 6 feet away. The flu virus is spread mainly by droplets expelled when people cough, sneeze or talk. The droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Sometimes the flu can be contracted by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching your mouth or nose.

To avoid catching the flu, people should stay away from sick people and please stay home if you’re sick. It is extremely important to wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Wash your hands as often as you can. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub or hand sanitizer. Napkins or towels, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick should not be shared without washing them thoroughly. Frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected at home, work and school, especially if someone has been sick.

Even if you have had the flu shot, it is best to avoid sick people and wash your hand frequently. The flu shot is not 100% effective, so don’t have a false sense of security that just because you have had the flu shot, you are protected.

When is a person considered contagious?

Most adults may be able to infect other people beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick. Children can pass the flu virus for longer than 7 days. A person can start to develop flu symptoms 1 to 4 days after the virus enters the body. A person can be contagious when they are sick and even before they develop symptoms. It is possible to be infected with the flu virus but have no symptoms. During this time, those persons may still spread the virus to others.

publisher@coachellavalleyweekly.com

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LIFE & CAREER COACH

BY SUNNY SIMON

IS THE CUSTOMER ALWAYS RIGHT?

Y

ou’ve experienced it and so have I. Sooner or later, we all must to deal with those annoying clients that make us nuts. You know the type. The one who makes you want to take cover when you see his or her name pop up on your cell phone or incoming email list. They come in all varieties. Some take advantage of the relationship by constantly wanting more than stipulated in a contract or agreement. Graciously you give in, and after a cursory thank you they ask for more.

Others do not practice honesty, have no sense of integrity and will outright lie to you.

Their payments are always late claiming they ran out of checks or firing off one of the 99 other excuses that readily slip off their tongue.

The question is, how we keep from tearing our hair out when difficult personalities cross our path?

I don’t know much about Zen, other than it is a way of being, however, I recently stumbled across a helpful Zen principal called the “beginners mind.” The premise, eliminate prejudging a client’s situation. Stated differently, stop thinking the “shoulds,” like they “should” understand the contract. Those “shoulds” bouncing around in our head make us defensive and unproductive. Remedy this by “tapping into the beginners mind,” and start afresh. Summon up your professionalism and explain the contract, or the payment

terms in detail until the client acknowledges understanding.

Here’s something to put on the “don’t” side of the ledger. Utilize the Dale Carnegie philosophy, “Why prove to a man he is wrong?

It that going to make him like you? Why not let him save face?” Deal with this disgruntled individual by acknowledging it may be your fault for not explaining the contract clearly.

Sure you know he’s wrong, but rubbing it in his face accomplishes nothing.

What about the impossible client who consistently disregards deadlines putting you behind? You know their modus operandi so change your timeline. Overestimating the time it will take to complete a segment of the job will keep you on track.

Lastly, it helps to recognize conflict is part of doing business. There is some truth in the old adage, “the customer is always right.” The flip side is, you can always fire the client. It is okay to do so, however, do it gracefully without burning your bridges.

Bottom line, if you intend to keep working with that impossible client, lean in, use the strategies I outlined and call on your better angels to help you suck it up and get the job done.

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

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

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February 8 to February 14, 2018

CANNABIS CORNER

OPEN FOR BUSINESS: LIST OF CV DISPENSARIES SELLING MEDICINAL AND ADULT USE MARIJUANA

CATHEDRAL CITY Iguana Collective - Medical & Adult Use The OG Collective - Medical & Adult Use No Wait Meds - Medical & Adult Use Cathedral City Releaf Inc - Medical & Adult Use Remedy, Inc - Medical & Adult Use H.O.T.N. Club - Medical & Adult Use West Coast Cannabis Club - Medical & Adult Use Mother’s Earth Farmacy - Medical & Adult Use Green Cross Pharma - Medical & Adult Use Atomic Budz - Medical & Adult Use DESERT HOT SPRINGS Green Leaf Wellness - Medical & Adult Use Brown Dog - Medical & Adult Use SunGrow - Medical Use only Deseret’s Finest - Medical & Adult Use Green Pearl - Medical & Adult Use All About Bud - Medical Use, Adult Use pending DHS Collective - Medical Use, Adult Use pending IVTHC - Medical & Adult Use

PALM SPRINGS Organic Solutions of the Desert Medical & Adult Use CAPS - Medical only PSA Organica - Medical & Adult Use Palm Springs Safe Access - Medical & Adult Use Joy of Life Wellness Center - Medical Use, Adult use pending Desert Organic Solutions - Medical & Adult Use THOUSAND PALMS CCI - Medical & Adult Use Desert Cann Wellness Center - Medical & Adult Use To find out more about your neighborhood dispensary check online.

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