Coachella Valley Weekly - July 5 to July 11, 2018 Vol. 7 No. 16

coachellavalleyweekly.com • July 5 to July 11, 2018 Vol. 7 No. 16

Hover

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Eric Valentine

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Desert Rose Playhouse

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I See Hawks In L.A.

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Which Wich

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July 5 to July 11, 2018

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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 Kirby Club Crawler Nightlife Editor Phil Lacombe Feature Writers Lisa Morgan, Rich Henrich, Heidi Simmons, Noe Gutierrez, Avery Wood, Tricia Witkower, Jason Hall, 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, Lynne Tucker, Elizabeth Scarcella Photographers Robert Chance, Chris Miller, Esther Sanchez, Laura Hunt Little Website Editor Bobby Taffolla Distribution Phil Lacombe, William Westley

CONTENTS Mega Sun.............................................3-4 Libation Room on El Paseo.................... 4 Hover....................................................... 5 Backsatge Jazz - Eric Valentine............. 5 Familes Belong Together....................... 6 Breaking the 4th Wall Desert Rose Playhouse........................ 6 Brewtality............................................... 7 Sports Scene........................................... 7 Consider This - I See Hawks In L.A.......... 8 Art Scene - Argentine Tango.................. 9 Pet Place............................................... 10 The Vino Voice ...................................... 11 Club Crawler Nightlife ................... 12-13 Good Grub - Which Wich...................... 14 Screeners ............................................. 16 Book Review ........................................ 17 Safety Tips ............................................ 17 Haddon Libby...................................... 19 Dale Gribow......................................... 19 Free Will Astrology.............................. 20 Life & Career Coach............................. 20 Cannabis Corner................................... 22

MEGA SUN

VOTED BEST NEW BAND IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY n less than a year’s time MEGA SUN has

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garnered much success and multiple honors. Despite their short and triumphant journey, they have maintained the humility of veteran rock stars like Dave Grohl and Sammy Hagar, who are revered for their down to earth mentalities. MEGA SUN is Jeremy Parsons (bass/vocals), Chris Rivera (guitars) and Tyler Ontiveros (drums).

They are currently recording their debut EP at Dead End Studios with Brad Garrow (BRAIN VAT) and Mikey Doling (CHANNEL ZERO, SNOT), which is bound to be gigantic in sound considering their production team.

“The experience at Dead End Studios was phenomenal. Mikey and Brad have been close friends for over 30 years and I love those guys. They really saw a vision for the EP and took us to the next level.” Rivera shared. Ontiveros shares further, “Recording at Dead End Studios with Brad and having the opportunity to work with Mikey has been an experience that has helped us grow tremendously as artists and they are a true pleasure to work with.” Coachella Valley Weekly yanked these dudes out of the studio to discuss their phenomenal rise.

RESTRAINT Parsons, Rivera and Ontiveros are as unassuming as they come. Parsons shares, “For the past year it’s been exciting. The support, encouragement and appreciation

are what fuel the progression of the arts and entertainment here. There is definitely a sense of community, pride and history that is held sacred. That being said, the respect and admiration that we have for those that we grew up admiring, keeps us humble.” Ontiveros adds, “I›ve learned that through past experiences with other bands and projects I›ve been involved with, I was always trying so hard to make something happen that forcing it never worked. With MEGA SUN, I approached it with the mindset

July 5 to July 11, 2018

BY NOE GUTIERREZ PHOTOS BY ROBERT CHANCE

that I was going to do it as a hobby and just enjoy getting to play a style of music that I love. I never expected it to hit the ground running the way that it has. As far as our humility goes, we are all big family men with big hearts and are equally passionate about our music so we appreciate any opportunity we get to play our music.” Rivera notes, “I think getting together with the right group of guys is key. We actually have a great time together. The humility thing is something we all naturally have and I think we all realize we’re nothing without each other.” They have continued to advocate for each other and they are reaping the benefits.

APPROVAL AND DISTINCTION MEGA SUN won ‘Best New Band’ at the 2018 Coachella Valley Music Awards.

Parsons admits, “It really felt unexpected and bizarre to even be nominated for anything. It really seemed like the band and its reputation was taking off on its own, and we had no control of it, landing us the ‘Best New Band’ award. What it means is that the stuff that we are putting together is connecting with music fans.” They have been welcomed with open arms by so many peers and rock music fans. Rivera relates, “It means so much to be accepted by our peers especially in such a tight musical community.

We’re all just doing what we really love.”

Ontiveros recalls, “When the momentum originally picked up, we felt like we were left out of an inside joke and couldn’t believe that people responded to our music the way that they did. Still to this day, one door after another to great opportunities keeps opening and we are blown away by how often this has happened and are excited for what the future holds. We have one of the best, if not THE best local music scenes here in the valley where all artists support one another’s success, no matter how much their individual styles may differ.”

In addition to Best New Band, Ontiveros won the CVMA for Best Drummer. He was up against many long-time musicians and there was no question he earned it. Ontiveros concedes, “Even just being nominated in this category was a surprise, let alone continue to page 4

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MEGA MEGA SUN SUN continued continuedfrom frompage page33

actually receiving the honor and title as best drummer when I was up against such talented musicians who also deserved the award.” It’s amazing to know that Ontiveros had previously come back from a broken leg.

He recalls, “When I broke my leg, there were some big things happening for my band at the time and we were set to perform on Conan O›Brien. Then, when I broke my leg, obviously we couldn›t take advantage of that opportunity and the band slowly went from a long hiatus to just dissolving. I didn›t necessarily have to re-learn how to play my drums, it was just a really long road to recovery with having to go through three surgeries. I remember that I couldn›t wait for it to heal, so I started to learn how to play the bass drum with just my left foot.

Drumming was my physical therapy once the surgeries were complete and I was able to start using my ankle again, testing how it affected my playing.” A broken bone in your leg can be an especially long and tedious recovery. “There was a period of time when I couldn›t play any longer than about five minutes without being in excruciating pain. Everything I had learned prior to my injury was still locked away in the muscle memory and eventually came back even stronger. I didn›t realize at the time that my ability and passion could grow to an even greater level than it had been before. After my leg breaking in three places, having three surgeries and being out of the game for three years, I came back only to find that the music scene had evolved and grown even more and welcomed this new band into the community with open arms.” The desert

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com music scene has routinely been open to new artists. It also has a rich history.

Rivera is a relative of the famous Evaro family. He recalls, “As far back as I can remember music was always a big part of my family. My uncle Bobby Evaro would always come over with his acoustic guitar and play songs he had written. My uncle Sonny Evaro played piano his whole life here in the desert and was a big influence on me. It is so cool to see the new generation of Evaros continuing the legacy. Bryanna Evaro, Mikey Reyes, Gene Evaro Jr., are just a few that are really setting the bar high. I wouldn›t say I feel any pressure, I’d say I feel more honored.” The dignity that MEGA SUN carries spills over into their music.

GUIDED BELLIGERENCE MEGA SUN has a dynamic and aggressive sound. So much so that it is rumored that after their first jam session the National Guard showed up to their door. Parsons jokes, “So come to find out it wasn’t the National Guard it was a guerrilla force from the Napoleonic French Invasion of Spain. Elderly neighbors calling the police on a festival weekend and they thought it was going to be a full-on party with crowd control issues so there was a bunch of SWAT-type people to congratulate us on our first practice.”

The MEGA SUN sound continues to develop despite the interference of the authorities.

“Right now our sound is being influenced in a million different ways and it›s hard to really contain it. It does feel like there›s a lot of expectations so we›re really picking and choosing the best that we can offer for each performance. We›re constantly changing

the order and the delivery of songs keeping it fresh and reading the feedback, and making adjustments accordingly. There is a carousel of songs and ideas that we›re just letting breathe. Not trying to force anything that we›re not 100% sure is representative of MEGA SUN.” One thing is certain, the EP will show how far MEGA SUN has come in a short time. “You can expect our EP to be released, at the latest, by the end of summer 2018. It is in the final stages of mixing and will then be sent to be mastered. As of now, we don’t have a release date set, but we will definitely throw an awesome party when that happens,” Ontiveros insists.

CONCIOUS GRATITUDE In addition to their humility, MEGA SUN members are mindful and thankful. What

WELCOME TO LIBATION ROOM ON EL PASEO

LOCAL BUSINESS

Tuesday: Industry Night Wednesday: Enjoy their freshly flown in oysters on the half shell or as an oyster shooter Thursdays: For Ladies Night, they are pulling out all the stops Friday and Saturday: #partyon and stay connected with their high-speed internet and USB charging stations Happy Hour: Tuesday through Saturday,

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ibation Room is a modern-day speakeasy, with an ever so classic 1920’s twist. Their passion is the curation of delicious cocktails and providing a wonderful environment for their guests.

They share a vision to bring Libation culture to the Coachella Valley. Come lounge, replenish your electrolytes with their Cold Pressed Juice Flights, and live up each moment with DJ Annie ‘Femme A’ Flores.

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You can also enjoy the juke box with a builtin photo booth. Make sure to book their VIP ROOM for those special occasions you want to share with those select few in your life.

CAN YOU SEE YOURSELF HERE? With so much buzz around town, they hope their message finds you as excited as they are!

Sunday: Classic Movie Night

do they want to say to the Coachella Valley and all of their supporters; family, friends and fans? “To the Coachella Valley, thank you, thank you very much! We’d like to say it has been a whirlwind of good vibes and positive feedback since we started playing in January 2018. We just want to say thank you for the experience thus far. It›s nice to be part of such an awesome music scene. And to our families, friends and fans for their endless support since day one; thank you for contributing to our first recording and helping make that a possibility, attending our shows with great energy, making them such unforgettable experiences, and for voting for us, we are eternally grateful for being received so well. We truly appreciate all the love and support. The camaraderie here in the desert is amazing between musicians.

We would also like to thank Tracy Dietlin and Phil Lacombe for their tremendous support. See you all at the next show!”

MEGA SUN will be performing for Phil Lacombe›s birthday on Saturday 7/7/18 with 5th Town, The Bermuda, Willdabeast and Provoked and Friday 7/20/18 with The Hellions and Town Troubles at The Hood Bar & Pizza in Palm Desert, CA and at StickyFest on Saturday 11/10/18 in 29 Palms, CA. They are also set to play the Whisky A GoGo in Hollywood, CA that will coincide with the release of their EP. That date is yet to be determined.

It is believed that when the sun becomes a giant star it will engulf the Earth. MEGA SUN is clearing a new path for desert rock and are ready to overwhelm the planet with their searing sound. Here comes MEGA SUN!

4:30pm–6:30pm.

Enjoy discounted beverages and tapas.

Order a cold-pressed juice flight topped with botanical vodka from organic restaurant Wildest Greens or enjoy a series of tapas offerings with your classic cocktail, beer or wine.

73750 El Paseo #1 Palm Desert, CA For more information visit their website at www.librationroom.com. CHEERS!

LOCAL MUSIC SPOTLIGHT

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erseverance is an understatement when describing the collective efforts of Frank Michel, James Hollis Eaton and Shawn ‘Stretch’ Fisher. They’ve been through a lot together in the last five years.

The loss of their friend and always resilient frontman Alex Antonio earlier this year was the ultimate heartache. They took the time necessary to regroup and consider their continued journey after an overwhelming blow to their music family. Michel shares, “It was and is devastating and a shock to all of us. We had an amazing experience writing music with Alex in Hollace. Everything always clicked and the songwriting was pretty easy.

Not much had to be said, we just played and felt in the moment.” Fisher adds, “He was a unique talent that brought life to our music and live performance. He was also a unique individual who was great to hang out with.”

Eaton responds, “Going through his battle, he was always about the music and wanting to get back to writing and practicing as soon as he physically could. We were writing new songs with him during the 18 months he was battling cancer and even did a couple of shows. He was determined not to let it stop him. That was very inspirational for us. We were right there with him all the way to keep it going and keep his will to fight alive. We will always miss him and will cherish the time we did have to create with him.”

When asked how they will honor the legacy of Alex and what he stood for musically, they simply stated that it is too difficult to put into words. Them moving

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HOVER

forward is a testament to the bond they had with Alex and their actions speak so much louder than any string of words they can muster. Enter Hover.

“Hover is about creating unique music.

Our sound is melodic rock that is reminiscent of 90's alternative rock with hints of blues and 80's indie rock,” Michel states. The members of Hover are Michel on vocals and guitar, Eaton on background vocals and guitar, ‘Stretch’ on bass and Jason Piazza on drums and percussion. The name Hover comes from one of the first songs they wrote when they formed.

Hover is laying the first stones and has released some original material on-line.

“We just uploaded three featured songs on Reverbnation about a month ago. We are still very new and are getting a full set rehearsed,” Michel explained. “We did a ‘mini’ show at Big Rock Pub Open Mic after Lance Riebsomer invited us out. We appreciated that and we

BACKSTAGE JAZZ

am blessed to be able to interview some of the great jazz artists of our time. I consider Eric Valentine to be one of those. He is one of the most renowned smooth jazz drummers and is the A list drummer for everyone in the industry from Peter White to Richard Elliott and Euge Groove.

What is most fascinating to me is what he has done and is doing as a producer. His first project that he took (10) years to complete is called Velvet Groove; he went beyond the drums playing keyboards, synths, bass, vocals, percussion and drums on the disc. There are ten full songs. He wrote or co-wrote nine of them. He even did the mix in his (private) studio.

With such a busy career he decided it was the only way to get it done. It took him 2 years (working around the clock learning studio techniques to record and mix). He still continued to play on weekends for his (various artists).

His (2nd) CD puts a unique twist on the current practice of adding a big name guest artist to the CD to get attention and push the CD. As he puts it: “The star power illuminating the high-level session of deft rhythms and grooves include Grammy winner Kirk Whalum, multiple Grammy nominee Gerald Albright and chart-toppers Elliot, Braun, Adam Hawley, Elan Trotman, Brian Simpson and Greg Manning, pianist Wayne Linsey, jazz fusion guitarist Alex

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BY NOE GUTIERREZ

got a good response. It felt good to be on a stage again. At the same time, we’re running a studio now and we needed to figure out the balance of having our own time to rehearse, which is not as easy as we thought it would be.” The Sound Hub is a rehearsal space and recording studio Michel, ‘Stretch’ and Hollis share ownership in.

The Sound Hub venture has a direct correlation with Hover. Without Hover, they may not have found The Sound Hub. It seems to have all fallen into place for Hover. Michel points out, “We needed the practice spot for Hover and now we provide that practice spot to others in need of a place. We found the location, at the time, called All Desert Music. We actually paid for rehearsal space until one day they decided they›re closing down the studio. We didn›t want to lose our new spot so we ended up buying most of their equipment and assuming the lease. We never planned to become business owners;

ERIC VALENTINE

Machacek, and percussionists Lenny Castro, Munyungo Jackson and Ramon Islas are among those who texturize the lush tracks.” That is an incredible line up the helped his first song.

It was recorded in studio organically and then special guests were added remotely. His (second) single was “Velvet Groove” from the CD and it reached #2 on Billboard. A feat rarely achieved especially on a first release. Valentine has been lucky to work with such a great group of artists. Peter White and all of them allow him to sell his CDs at the concerts he plays with them.

He also started a record company with his

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we just wanted to continue writing music and get Hover off the ground.”

Hover is now lifting off and the band is getting connected with other local artists through The Sound Hub. Eaton discusses, “Not only is this our practice spot now, but as bands come in, a lot of times they recognize us from Hollace and want to know about new projects, and we in turn, learn more about our valley›s musicians and what›s going on.

So people are learning about Hover through The Sound Hub.” There’s no doubt that Alex Antonio would want his friends in Hollace to continue making music. The spirit of Alex carries on in every endeavor any desert music musician embarks on.

You can find the songs ‘Save Me,’ ‘Taking My Time,’ and ‘This,’ on their Reverbnation page. The songs are melodic with meaning.

Their sound is direct and does not hesitate.

The instrumental differentiation is superb with the bass sound rightfully achieving the spotlight. Michel’s vocals are not pressured, but pleasant and within his range.

I look forward to their live show and future recordings. Check them out below: www.reverbnation.com/hovermusic The Sound Hub – 67654 Ramon Rd, Cathedral City, CA 92234. (760) 699-7012 soundhub760@gmail.com

BY PATTE PURCELL

new wife, B. Valentine, and together they are charting new territory in the jazz industry. They are currently working on two more CDs. One is the her solo release. She’s a vocalist and they worked together over the years prior to their romance and subsequent marriage a year ago.

The third CD is one of the most innovative concepts that I’ve ever encountered. The trend in recording has been to a totally organic sound in the studio. Valentine takes that one step further by creating, writing, and recording a CD live in the studio. He’s bringing in Prince’s former keyboard player XAVIER, Benjamin J. Shepard on bass, and (saxophonist for Rapheal Saadiq) Keith McKelly on sax. Together they are going to create and record new music on the spot. Eric enthused: “My music is music you can feel.” I can’t wait to hear this collaboration.

“Through the Velvet Groove platform, I’m really striving to push the idea of community.

We’re trying to get all the musicians recording at the same time, vibing off of one another. People have become so socially compartmentalized these days that they don’t know how to communicate anymore.

The positivity and good vibes we’re creating within the Velvet Groove community can be heard and felt in the music. It’s about giving back and being helpful. We’re trying to live the example we want people to embrace.

We want our music to make people feel love,

joy and happiness, using our musical gifts to inspire and uplift people to a better place, and to choose kindness rather than conflict,” said the hopeful Valentine.

They also marketed their CD by recording it first and then doing a ‘Go Fund Me’ to their community of supporters to raise the money for the radio and press promotion. They gave a copy of the new CD to only those contributors who made a $100 contribution. They weren’t available to the general public. This unique twist sets him apart from other artists. I’m so impressed with the creativity involved with The Velvet Groove.

Valentine is also continuing to play and record on other artist’s CDs. He’s on Adam Hawley second CD, Summer Horns, Cindy Bradley, Lin Roundtree and Jeff Ryan to name a few. He cites Quincy Jones as his mentor.

He is a multi-talented artist, producer and marketer. His latest single “Mr. Z,” (named for Hans Zermeulen, who plays keys on his CD and co-wrote the track), was just released June 4 and was the #1 most added on Billboard.

To find out more about Eric Valentine and Velvet Groove visit his website at velvetgroovemusic.com.

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July 5 to July 11, 2018

COMMUNITY

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BY HEIDI SIMMONS

BREAKING THE4TH WALL

THE DESERT ROSE PLAYHOUSE FAMILIES BELONG TOGETHER COURAGEOUS RESISTANCE IN PALM SPRINGS

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ocking up children is against the Eighth Amendment,” said Amalia Deaztlan, community activist. “America has the most advanced rules of governing in the world! This is not what America is supposed to be. Families belong together.”

Deaztlan was the first speaker to address the crowd at Frances Stevens Park last Saturday in Palm Springs, part of a nationwide protest against separating children from their parents who have come into the country illegally.

Over 800 people filled the park many held colorful and provocative signs, and there were frequent outbursts and chants that included “Vote. Vote. Vote.”

Congressman Raul Ruiz spoke to the enthusiastic protesters about bringing back the humanity and the moral standards that Americans embrace.

“No matter your opinion, we can agree to protect children,” said the Congressman and medical doctor. “The administration purposely did this to prevent people from coming over. It’s an inhumane and immoral policy, and the American people said ‘Stop’.”

Ruiz said he was demanding an investigation and that the Executive Order did not go far enough because there are still 2,500 children waiting to be reunited with parents.

“It’s not over until we stop the incarceration of children,” said Ruiz. “The fight is for all children. We understand and respect the dignity of children.”

Ruiz added, one of four children hasn’t enough food and that he was committed to children having a fair shot at the American dream. He thanked the crowd, praising their activism and said he would continue to be a voice for children.

Karen Borja, Director of Planned Parenthood addressed the crowd. “Immigrant women are in the cross hairs,” she said.

Borja went on to say the Administration actively wants a rule to stop funding Title X, which ensures every single person can have access to reproductive health care. She rallied the crowd with a call and answer: “Power to the immigrant woman, power to her children.” “Power!” was yelled back.

Other speakers included: Joy Silver who is a Human Rights Advocate and the endorsed Democratic candidate for State Senator District 28. She opened by saying “I’m a woman, I’m Jewish and I’m gay.” She ended with: “We are in a fight for the heart and soul of America.

Deni Antoinette Mazingo, an attorney, is a candidate for Assembly District 42 spoke about how oppressors have historically separated women from their children.

Maziyeh Jehan a 21-year-old Muslim girl who is a political science student at Cal Berkley remarked that the Abrahamic faiths – Muslims, Jews and Christians --were supposed to be religions of peace and protection.

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“A lot of these kids will end up in the foster care system,” said Sara Wolert, retired teacher and Palm Springs resident. Wolert has worked as a volunteer for CASA - Court Appointed Special Advocates – who provide children with a safe and healthy environment, but was attending only as a concerned citizen.

“It is very traumatic and impacts the developing brain,” said Wolert. “For young kids separation can create lasting problems.

I’ve seen the affects: mental illness, drug abuse, crime.”

Juvenal Estrada, an activist with a sign that could span a boulevard: “Immigration Reform Now,” said he was hoping to attend two more marches on Saturday – Bakersfield and Los Angles.

“Everyone has an idea about immigration, but we are looking for a resolution. Let’s start now!” said Estrada with confidence and boyish charm. Estrada is not an American and is hoping people in the States will pay attention to the Mexican elections taking place the same weekend. He mailed in his ballot weeks ago. Here legally, Estrada said, “We want the kids released. We want reform and we want change.”

Standing in the shade of the park’s large trees, Claudia Simmons, a certified massage therapist and Palm Desert resident held a placard. “This administration is taking us back 100 years. Everything we stand for, every aspect of society is at risk,” said Simmons [no relation].

Ally Bolour is an immigration attorney from Los Angeles and a Palm Springs registered voter. His family fled from the tyrannical government in Iran when he was four years old.

“I was too young to say or do anything then, but I can now,” said Bolour holding back tears. “This issue is right in front of me. It’s disgusting. I will not be a silent participant. If a society separates children from parents, that should set off alarm bells all over the place.”

The event was organized by Courageous Resistance of Palm Springs, an all-volunteer group that is funded by donations and is not a nonprofit. The group meets the first Monday of every month at the Mizell Senior Center.

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he concept of ‘Gay and Lesbian Theatre’ does not have a long history in American culture. Lillian Hellman’s play, “The Children’s Hour” was the first classic drama of note in American theatre. First staged on Broadway in 1934, it was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, and though the suicide of the self confessed lesbian did fulfill the expectation of the time, even the Pulitzer committee considered the topic too taboo for the award. Matt Crowley’s “Boys in the Band,” was first produced off Broadway in 1968 featuring Palm Springs resident and acclaimed actor Laurence Luckinbill, who originated the role of Hank. The play made a heralded breakthrough with its portrayal of a cast comprised entirely of gay male characters. It was a shocking, yet highly successful drama that went on to open doors for future gay and lesbian playwrights who were eager to see their own stories reflected on the stage, in ways that were not always depicted as tragic and abhorrent.

In contemporary times, many major cities have at least one theatre that predominately produces work that is directed towards the LGBTQ community. The Coachella Valley has been fortunate to call The Desert Rose Playhouse our own. The Desert Rose Playhouse is the Coachella Valley’s only existing theatre that is dedicated to the production of shows targeted towards the LGBTQ community. It was founded in 2010 by theatre professionals Jim Strait and Paul Taylor who had moved to Palm Springs to retire, but found their love of theatre prompted them to stay engaged. After a stint with the Thorny Theatre, founded by Philanthropist Playwright, Arch Brown, Strait and Taylor decided that they could not let the much-needed mission of an LGBTQ theatre in the Coachella Valley, die out when the Thorny closed. So Strait and Taylor went about gathering supporters and donors, and obtaining their 501(c)3 nonprofit status. The Desert Rose Playhouse opened in Rancho Mirage in 2012 with a record-breaking sixmonth run of the parody musical “Dirty Little Showtunes!”

In the years since opening the Desert Rose Playhouse, Strait and Taylor have produced an impressive 36 main-stage productions

BY DEE JAE COX

JIM STRAIT AND PAUL TAYLOR

and 22 special events. Now having just finished their sixth consecutive season, the two are retiring and handing the reigns of the Desert Rose Playhouse over to renowned theatre artist, Robbie Wayne. Wayne, who has an extensive background with directing, producing, choreography and performance, indicates that his goal is to continue the current mission of bringing quality LGBTQ theatre to the Coachella Valley, to produce more musicals and to continue to broaden their community outreach. None of the men have considered the goal of appealing to a Gay audience to be their only objective. As the establishment and reputation of the theatre grew, they began to attract a broader audience. Taylor, stated that he wanted the Desert Rose Playhouse to be a place for the LGBTQ community to see themselves and the straight community to be able to say, ‘oh that’s what this is about.’

Strait and Taylor’s final production as Artistic & Managing Directors, “Women Behind Bars,” will be running through July 29, 2018. Wayne has already scheduled an array of shows for next season so be sure to get your season pass.

The Desert Rose Playhouse located at 69620 Hwy 111, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270.

For Reservations: (760) 202-3000 - www. desertroseplayhouse.org Dee Jae Cox is a playwright, director and producer. She is the Cofounder and Artistic Director of The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Project. losangeleswomenstheatreproject.org www.palmspringstheatre.com

ROBBIE WAYNE

BREWTALITY

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BREWTALITY REVIEWS PEACH BEERLINI RADLER

egend has it that King Henry VIII loved both beer and champagne so much that he had a habit of pouring them into the same glass and drinking them together. Now King Henry VIII is known for his drinking; as well as his eating; as well as having some of the most complicated relationship issues (to say the least) this side of recorded history. His love of blended drink caught on with the masses (who arguably didn’t live the kind of baller lifestyle needed to keep champagne on hand always), who began to substitute ginger beer for champagne, and this a history of blending beer with soda was born. Working folk began to call the concoction a shandygaff, and by the late-1800’s, it’s popularity had spread to the United States, Canada, and basically anywhere you could get your hands on some beer and ginger ale.

By 1922, Shandys (It was bound to be shortened, am I right? Shandygaff is such a cumbersome word anyway. It’s kind of annoying to say, to be honest. Shandygaff.

That’s a dumb word, but kinda fun. I digress.) were certainly heard of across Europe, but German Innkeeper Francis Xaver Kuger created a national drink of his own when he reportedly had to pour drinks for 13,000 cyclists who stopped in at his tavern while completing a tour. Not having enough beer to supply that many thirsty patrons, he came up with the brilliant (and shady) idea to mix his pilsner beer with lemonade (which by all accounts, he had barrels and barrels of

SPORTS SCENE

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July 5 to July 11, 2018

oger Federer is the king of the grass courts but could his recent play be hinting at a decline? I’m not completely sold on Federer’s futures odds at the All England Club.

The third Grand Slam of the tennis betting season takes place on the historic grass courts of Wimbledon, starting July 2, with reigning champion Roger Federer the hot odds-on-favorite to win his ninth Wimbledon championship and 21st Grand Slam title. The women’s draw is once again wide open, with Serena Williams returning to the grass courts after having missed last year’s tournament.

CV Weekly breaks down the candidates primed for success in the Wimbledon tennis betting odds markets: MEN’S DRAW Favorite: Roger Federer +175 Federer has added to his major title haul since his last visit to the All England Club, defeating Marin Cilic in five sets in Melbourne earlier in 2018. His performances since have not been the usual Federer standard, losing to Del Potro in Indian Wells after having match points before a shocking defeat to Kokkinakis in Miami. He once again skipped the clay court season in preparation for the grass and while he won the title in Stuttgart, Federer looked off-color in Halle the next week, losing to Borna Coric in the final.

I believe we are beginning to see a regression in Federer’s overall outstanding level, which is totally understandable as heads

because no one goes to a fricken bar and orders lemonade). The thirsty athletes (who, let’s face it, probably wouldn’t have turned down anything) loved the brightly flavored and refreshing concoction, and Francis Kuger dubbed it the Radlermass (which translates to “cyclist’s liter” in English) in their honor.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because this is an educational column, thank you very much, and now you have a cool factoid to tell people next time you want to impress them with some sweet shandygaff knowledge. But more so, because I’m reviewing a shandy that calls itself a Radler! Or maybe it is a Radler, I’m just confused at this point. That’s right; by the 1970’s, the names Radler and shandy began to be used interchangeably to express the same concept, namely a combination of beer with juice or soda. The only real difference in its modern verbiage is whether you want your drink to sound English or German in name. Left Hand

Brewing Company took inspiration from Francis Kuger, and created Peach Beerlini Radler; their summer seasonal brew that sounds like a promise of refreshment on a hot July day, here’s how it stacks up: PEACH BEERLINI RADLER – 4.1% ABV, 8 IBU, Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont, CO. APPEARANCE - Pours a turbid, hazy orange with a think, billowy head of foam that lingers for minutes before dissipating. If you poured a glass of this next to a glass of New England style IPA, I’d take me a moment to guess which is which. The settling foam leaves a nice bit of lacing on the glass. The can features some nice, playful artwork that suggests a beer that’s light and summery.

4.5/5 NOSE - No hops, or cereal, or malt flavor detectable with this nose. Nothing that resembles beer as far as I can smell, just peaches. Tons and tons of peaches, fresh and canned. The aroma is at once sweet, fruity, and syrupy, with a barely perceptible metallic twang on the back end. 4.5/5 TASTE - Juicy, fruity, stone fruit nectar that tastes like peaches, apricots, and nectarines all pulped together. Sweet and tart, with enough Weiss beer character shining through to remind you that this is indeed a beer drink. Although there isn’t any hop flavor that’s detectable, and the yeast strain is neutral enough to not dominate the profile, grainy wheat and cereal notes shine through the fruit. For as sweet as it

TENNIS ANYONE?

for 37 in August. But the days of taking him at a low futures price are gone and if he does win the tournament, expect it to be his last major.

There are some dangers lurking in the draw but until his path is revealed it’s best to look for other options in the futures market.

Underdog to watch: Marin Cilic +700 A Wimbledon finalist in 2017 and Australian Open finalist in 2018, Marin Cilic is putting together an impressive resume as he seeks to add to his lone major title (US Open 2014).

He saved match point when beating Novak Djokovic in Queens last week and his massive ball striking works well on fast, low bouncing grass courts.

He’ll be seeking atonement after suffering blisters in last year’s final which impeded his movement and led to a heavy defeat. Seeded third, Cilic is guaranteed to avoid Federer until at least the semifinal, and tennis bettors should expect another deep run.

Live Long shot: Juan Martin Del Potro +2000 He was a semifinalist here in 2013 (lost in five sets to Djokovic) and Del Potro’s bludgeoning power can be extremely effective on grass. Wrist injuries have plagued his career and affected his backhand, forced to slice rather than hit through the ball in an effort to reduce wear and tear. The use of the slice is slowly decreasing and while there are question marks over his fitness heading into the tournament he will be the No.5 seed and should come through the early rounds relatively easily. He has the weapons to outhit almost everyone on tour

BY AARON RAMSON

is, it never comes across as cloying, and is exceedingly drinkable. 4.75/5 MOUTHFEEL - Medium-full, with a palate coating juiciness and enough carbonic sting to keep it lively and bright on the tongue.

Very much what you’d expect if you blended a Kerns Nectar with a light, crisp wheat beer.

4/5 OVERALL - Peach Beerlini Radler is a fun and delicious beer that’s as thirst quenching as a shandy or Radler is supposed to be.

Many commercial examples fail in the flavor department because of how difficult it is to retain the distinct and nuanced flavors of beer and juice/soda once they’ve been pasteurized and put on a shelf for an indeterminable amount of time.

Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy is the perfect example of what I’m talking about. It’s the most widely distributed and commercially available shandy on the market, and it’s simply not that good. But Left Hand Brewing nailed it with their shandy- err, Radler (I’m still confused by the whole thing), and this is the bright and shining example of how good craft beer can be. Peach Beerlini Radler is available at Total Wine in Palm Desert and is a limited release, so if you’re interested in trying it, pick it up soon! TOTAL SCORE 4.6/5

BY FLINT WHEELER

and he’s beaten Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray, so he’ll fear no one. A very valuable ticket to have in the second week.

WOMEN’S DRAW Favorite: Petra Kvitova +400 Petra Kvitova is a two-time champion at the All England Club with an amazing 53-16 career record on the grass surface. She sailed to the title in Birmingham last week, dropping just one set in the process. She did withdraw ahead of her second-round match in Eastbourne this week, but this is purely to rest ahead of the tournament.

Kvitova is a “rhythm player” so when she’s hot, she’s almost unbeatable and right now she is red hot. Despite this, waiting to see if she can continue to replicate her outstanding form in Wimbledon is advisable as she’s lost in the third round, second round, and second round in her last three visits to Wimbledon. The price is also quite short for a future in a wide-open draw, so make sure to watch Kvitova for at least the first

couple rounds before placing a wager.

Underdog to watch: Serena Williams +550 Serena Williams was firing on all cylinders as she returned to Grand Slam action in Paris, having played only four matches in 14 months.

She beat Pliskova, Barty and Goerges before withdrawing from her match against Sharapova with a pectoral injury. The injury wasn’t serious and the main objective in Paris was complete, show the tour she’s still in shape, and ready for more major success. She will be the 25th seed in the draw, so she’ll avoid any big names until Round 3. Tennis fans will know by then just how realistic her chances of a 24th Grand Slam title are.

Live Long shot: Coco Vandeweghe +2800 Vandeweghe has struggled in 2018 (1211) after a wonderful 2017 (38-19). She’s 5323 on grass and she displayed solid form in Hertogenbosch when reaching the semifinal earlier this month. Her big serve and ball striking can blow opponents off the court, but she struggles for consistency. And like Kvitova, she’s a rhythm player. She was a semifinalist in Melbourne and New York last year, and she’s a two-time quarterfinalist at Wimbledon (2015 and 2017). Watch her play the first two rounds to see if her game is in tune before placing a futures wager. G’luck!

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July 5 to July 11, 2018

CONSIDER THIS

I SEE HAWKS IN L.A.

T

BY ELENI P. AUSTIN

“LIVE AND NEVER LEARN” (WESTERN SKIES RECORD COMPANY)

he giant shadow of Gram Parsons looms large for any band that feels compelled to add some CountryWestern twang to their rebellious Rock N’ Roll. The Waycross Georgia native arrived in Los Angeles in the mid-‘60s and made it clear he loved George Jones and the Rolling Stones in equal measure. He made his mark, first fronting the International Submarine Band, then briefly in the Byrds, before forming the Flying Burrito Brothers with ex-Byrd Chris Hillman. In 1972 he went solo, discovering and enlisting the angelic voice of his musical soulmate, Emmylou Harris. He packed a lot of living into his 27 years before he tragically (permanently) checked out of the Joshua Tree Inn following a lethal cocktail of drugs and alcohol.

Along with Mike Nesmith of the Monkees and erstwhile Teen idol/TV star Rick Nelson, Gram Parsons made it safe for Rockers to nurture their inner Cowpoke, thus, ushering in the diluted (and more commercially viable) Country-Rock stylings of America, Eagles, Poco, and Firefall in the ‘70s. His legacy seemed more at home in the Punk-ified attitude of Rank & File, The Rave-Up’s and Jason & The Scorchers in the ‘80s and the Jayhawks and Uncle Tupelo in the early ‘90s.

I See Hawks In L.A. is clearly inspired

by Gram Parsons’ musical innovation. Rob Waller, Paul Lacques and Anthony Lacques formed the band in 1999. They quickly made a name for themselves, paying their musical dues in clubs, bars and Honky Tonks throughout California. Their self-titled debut arrived on September 11, 2001 and featured the legendary talents of fiddle player Brantley Kearns, (Dwight Yoakam, Dave Alvin). The record established the band’s signature sound, three part harmonies and clever, socially conscious lyrics cloaked in twangy instrumentation.

Their debut landed on the Alternative Country chart and their ranks grew with the addition of bass player Paul Marshall and drummer Shawn Nourse; even though Anthony Lacques amicably parted company with the band in 2002, that didn’t seem to slow them down. They released new music at a steady clip. Six more albums arrived

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in succession between 2005 and 2013; Grapevine, California Country, Hallowed Ground, Shoulda Been Gold, New Kind Of Lonely and Mystery Drug. In between the last two records, Shawn Nourse left and Victoria Jacobs replaced him behind the kit.

Through the years they have toured Europe and opened for Tony Gilkyson, Lucinda Williams, and ex-Byrd/Flying Burrito brother Chris Hillman. Mainstays on the alt. country scene they’ve played the Echo in L.A. and Pappy & Harriet’s in the high desert, as well as prestigious sets at Gram-Fest in Joshua Tree, the Seattle Hemp Fest and South By Southwest in Austin, Texas.

In the last five years band members have suffered personal hardships that have kept them off the road and out of the recording studio, but they persevered. Now they return with their eighth long-player, Live And Never Learn. The opening three tracks are a testament to the band’s versatility. “Ballad For the Trees” is a gentle benediction accented by swoony pedal steel, ringing guitar riffs and a loping rhythm. Erudite lyrics unpack a surfeit of ecological woes, offset by philosophical questions like “Have we stripped ourselves of context, are we drowning in the seas/Of facts that come too easily and friends we never see?” Urging us to set down are smart phones and take a look around, they make a case for the rising rivers, scarcity of Honey Bees, and the dwindling population of trees.

The title song chugs down the track with a laid-back clackity-clack that feels like a sideways homage to Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Three. The meandering melody is matched by lush harmonies, arch pedal steel and wily guitar riffs. Thoughtful lyrics chronicle what Abraham Lincoln characterized as “the battle for the better angels of our nature.”

Sometimes the struggle remains internal; “Well, I try to do what’s right, that don’t get me through Friday night/When old scratch whispers in my ear and the beatitudes drown in my beer.”

Meanwhile, “White Cross” is a study in blue. Prickly guitars sketch out a nettlesome melody over roiling bass lines and a ticktock beat. Rob Waller’s growly lead vocal is leavened by almost incongruous “woo-hoohoo” harmonies. Lyrics burrow deep into the addictive appetites that often accompany life on the road; “Well the first one goes down bitter, then you kind of like the taste, and someone had to lose and payback happens every day/If you play the devil’s music you know he likes to come along, I know the angels love me, even if I did them wrong.” As the tune winds down, serpentine guitar solo coils around the instrumental break.

Several tracks display the band’s trademark sense of humor. “Poour Me” is a dipsomaniacal lament powered by weepy pedal steel, chiming guitar and a ticklish beat.

Workaday Blues are heightened by gridlocked L.A. traffic and a laundry list of woes; “Well Monday I pulled a double, Tuesday I got in trouble, Wednesday I ate a bad burrito, Thursday I had to detour Alameda/Friday I

was tracking down a bottle or three, there’s no OT when you work at SC for Poour Me.” “King Of The Rosemead Boogie” is a Sun Records pastiche that shares some musical DNA with the vintage Blues of John Lee Hooker’s “Boogie Chillen’” and ZZ Top’s classic, “La Grange.” Anchored by a galumphing rhythm and rattlesnake-shake guitar, it shares the saga of this self-proclaimed King whose inspiration feels less Elvis Presley and more Ed Wood.

“After the sun has set and the heat ain’t around he pulls up his dress and tugs his wig down and gives you a wink and shows you some pink/Will you buy him a drink, help him out of his mink, Two Jacksons and a toke, some shatter and some coke, the capacity of dope at the Highway Host.” Splattery guitars pivot between concise Rockabilly licks and expansive Guitar-Hero pyrotechnics.

“Stoned With Melissa” starts out rollicking good fun, a rapid-fire sing-a-long that extols the virtues of a daily diet of sticky greens all in the service of grabbing “a little vacation of common sense.” Jackrabbit rhythms connect with tensile bass lines and crunchy power chords. Then it’s all fun and games until Melissa has to fly. Suddenly the arrangement and mood downshifts, harmonies become Beach Boy beatific, and stately piano notes usher in a somber coda that echoes the gravitas of Thunderclap Newman’s “Something’s In The Air,” acting like a sweet elegy to Melissa and her green thumb.

“The Last Man In Tujunga” is only-inL.A.” specific, juxtaposing a brutal break-up with a rampaging wild fire. Chuck Berryesque guitar runs collide with twangy pedal steel and a wicked two-step rhythm. Grindy guitar chords underscore this very existential dilemma; “You want me off the phone, you want me to go, you were always after satisfaction/Wouldn’t you like to know if I’ll be here tomorrow, please hold on the roof is collapsing.” The to-and-‘fro between guitars and pedal steel approximate flames licking at the song’s edifice. As the phone signal drifts in and out of range he concludes “We’re breaking up and I’m losing you.”

Two tracks, “My Parka Saved Me” and “Spinning” toss the reins to the newest Hawk, drummer Victoria Jacobs. On the former, Victoria offers a “just the facts, ma’m” account of a nearly fatal car crash over

swirly organ colors and a Spector-esque “Be My Baby” big beat. Her deadpan delivery, accented by a soupcon of Val-speak inflection is nearly upstaged by Robert Waller’s smokytoned and passionate re-interpretation. It’s simultaneously laid back, and laugh-out-loud.

The latter takes a sharp left turn into Sunshine Psychedelia Country. Gauzy vocals layer over sun-dappled acoustic and phased electric guitar. Hallucinogenic imagery takes the listener right back to the ‘60s.

Other interesting tracks include the Countrypolitan lilt of “Planet Earth,” the cascading jingle-jangle of “Singing In The Wind” and Bluegrass-y dysphoria of “Tearing Me In Two” which features angelic harmonies, propulsive rhythms and the whipsaw tangle of fiddle and mandolin. The album closes with the bucolic charms of “The Isolation Mountains” An old-timey Waltz it’s a California Kissin’ cousin to the Appalachian Folk standard, “In The Pines.” Cloaked in hushed harmonies and shaded by sepiatoned accordion, it offers this last revelation; “The sun is for plants, the Moon is for animals and we belong to neither, our souls are in the ether.”

More than half a century ago Gram Parsons ignited the flame of Cosmic American Music. I See Hawks In L.A. has carried that torch into the 21st century. With Live And Never Learn it feels like they’re just hitting their stride.

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ART SCENE ANGELA ARGENTINE TANGO HEATS UP THE DESERT BY ROMEO

July 5 to July 11, 2018

THE ART OF THE DANCE

T

he arts encompass many disciplines.

The arts – we have medical arts; we have writing; we have painting and we have dance. Aside from the artistic beauty of dance, dance has many other benefits. It is social. It is mental exercise.

It is physical exercise. It requires no special skill or equipment. We dance for worship, for sorrow, for joy and just because.

One of the most beautiful dances is the Argentine Tango. The dance originated at the end of the 19thcentury in Buenos Aires. There are several different schools of Argentine Tango. Yet the dance seems to be ever evolving – embracing many influences.

But the Argentine Tango retains an air of sensuality.

Argentine Tango is danced in an embrace that can vary from very open, arms-length, to very closed, chest-to-chest. The dance is one of physical connection that follows the emotional speed of the music.

With any dance there are leaders and followers – both parties cannot lead. The follower is as important to the beauty of the dance as the leader’s guidance.

In its simplest incarnation the dancers walk counterclockwise around the dance floor. The dancers’ feet are close to the floor as they walk, often brushing the ankles and a knee brushing as one leg passes the other.

The dance has figures, as do most dances, but the figures can be incorporated in a more free form style than ballroom dance.

But the tango is not without its own social mores. Argentine Tango is danced in a set of three to four songs, known as a “tanda.” Once a follower accepts the leader’s invitation to dance, that couple is expected to finish all of the songs with that partner. “Breaking the tanda,” is seen as breach of protocol, as is dancing two or more tandas continuously with the same person.

Within the Argentine tango world there are waltzes, vals, the milonga, the oldest of the tango styles, and Nuevo, dance club version.

Confused? Don’t be. The Coachella Valley has a thriving Argentine Tango community.

There are local opportunities to learn the

dance.

Local resident Gary Gaulin teaches Argentine Tango at Premier Ballroom Dance Studio in Rancho Mirage. Gary is well known Chiropractor in Palm Desert. For the last six years he has been studying Argentine Tango and its techniques. He brings a unique set of skills and methods to teaching this sultry dance.

“I like to dance,” said Gary. “I became ‘hooked’ on Argentine Tango, or I should say Tango ‘hooked’ me because of the interpretive nature of the dance. Once hooked, I began to study more and more, about the history, the music and the nature of this intricate dance.”

“My class, although focused on learning the social dance aspect of Argentine Tango, will also give someone the essential skills they need to know to compete, or perform on stage,” said Gary. “Unlike other dance classes, it is a multimedia experience.”

“One of the great tango dancers, Carlos Gavioto, said ‘A good dancer is one who listens to the music. We dance the music not the steps. Anyone who aspires to dance never thinks about what he is going to do.

What he cares about is that he follows the music. You see, we are painters. We paint the music with our feet.’ To me that is the essence of the Argentine Tango.”

For more information on Premier Ballroom Dance Studio visit www. premierdance.net.

9

July 5 to July 11, 2018

PET PLACE

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BY JANET McAFEE

THE HAZARDS OF PET CHEWING

C

harlie, my brother’s Shepherd mix dog, died on the operating table during surgery after swallowing part of a rubber ball. The object ruptured his esophagus. Charlie’s family is heartbroken over the loss of their 3-year-old dog, and wondering what they could have done differently. What can pet owners do to prevent such a tragedy?

Symptoms that indicate your dog has an obstruction from swallowing something are vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite and blood in the feces. If your pet has these symptoms, it’s important to get the animal in for veterinary treatment as soon as possible, particularly if you know he has a tendency to chew and swallow foreign objects. Fortunately, most cases are not fatal, but they can be distressful for you and your pet.

Lillian Roberts, DMV, sees this problem in her practice at Country Club Animal Clinic in Palm Desert. Dr. Roberts advises, “The most common thing dogs swallow are toys of an inappropriate size or toys that are worn out, and then they can’t pass them or vomit them up. We also see cases of dogs eating things out of the trash or clothing left on the floor.

The breeds most likely to ingest foreign

MEET RAFIKI Handsome and playful, 1-yr-old boy Rafiki waits to meet you at PETCO on Hwy 111 in Palm Desert. Rescued by www.ForeverMeow.org, call (760) 335-6767.

MEET SADIE Cute as a bug, precious Terrier Sadie was rescued

by Desert Dunes Animal Hospital. Sadie is 7-yrs-old and 13 lbs of doggie love.

She prefers to be in an adult only home. Come meet her at 42430 Washington St, Bermuda Dunes.

Contact (760) 345-8227.

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objects are Labs and Golden Retrievers, although I had one 14-year-old Yorkie patient who needed carpet fibers removed from his stomach.” Dr. Roberts noted that even bones can be a problem if they splinter. She recommends Kongs as the safest alternative.

These can be filled with a dab of peanut butter or pet food.

Toys that are too small can easily be swallowed or become lodged in their throats.

Discard broken or torn pet toys. Remove parts of pet toys that can easily be eaten such as ribbons, strings, and artificial eyes.

Check with your vet about what chew toys are appropriate for your dog. The Humane Society of the United States recommends very hard rubber toys such as Nylabone and Kong products.

Feline patients may have ingested such objects as string, thread, and ribbon. During the Christmas season, tinsel dangling off the tree may tempt your cat. Cats have been known to consume sewing thread along with the attached needle.

For a variety of reasons, some dogs are habitual chewers and you must “dog proof” your home and yard. Keep objects like pens, shoes, eyeglasses, remote controls and dirty laundry out of reach. Keep trash cans covered

or out of reach. One of the most common things Dr. Roberts has removed from dogs’ digestive tracks are tennis balls. Dogs love to play with tennis balls, but they can be hazardous if swallowed.

Puppies, like human toddlers, explore the world by putting things in their mouths.

Chewing facilitates teething and makes sore gums feel better. Check with your vet and specialty pet shops to find appropriate things for puppies to chew.

According to local dog trainer Sandy Miller, some dogs chew out of boredom. Sandy states, “Obedience training will improve your dog’s behavior in many areas, including chewing and digging. When a dog has rules and structure, his behavior improves.” One of the basic commands is teaching your dog

to “leave it” and release a foreign object, whether it’s a valuable possession or a chunk of plastic in the back yard. Sandy stresses that, “dogs need to be part of the family and get enough human interaction. Dogs left alone for long periods of time are more likely to chew and destroy things out of frustration.”

Both Sandy Miller and Dr. Roberts recommend Bitter Apple spray, a pet repellent available at pet specialty stores. This product can be sprayed on objects and surfaces you want the dog to stay away from.

Give your dog plenty of “people time” and physical and mental exercise. A tired dog is less likely to get into trouble. Take him on car trips and on interesting walks in different neighborhoods. Chewing behavior may be related to separation anxiety as well as boredom. Don’t ban your dog from all play with toys. They can benefit greatly from a game of fetch or Frisbee, and the bond between you will increase through these games.

Country Club Animal Clinic can be contacted at (760) 776-7555. For assistance with dog behavior problems, including chewing, trainer Sandy Miller can be reached at (760) 360-4085.

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THE VINO VOICE

July 5 to July 11, 2018

BY RICK RIOZZA

WINE AROUND THE GRAZE BOARDS

I

n the good ole summertime, especially here in the desert, we’ll tend to eat lighter and on our own time without having all the trappings of a formal meal.

That doesn’t mean that we’re excluding family and friends from the table—indeed, there’s no better time to catch up on things in a casual dining experience while browsing, nibbling, and chatting around & about the tasty and enchanting grazing boards.

Apparently, these “grazing” or “graze” boards are trending big time on your social media platforms such as Pinterest and others. And with the foodie nation all around us, the designs and décor of these food platters are almost over-the-top—in a very good way! Of course we’ve been doing share plates of food for a long time with family and friends: it’s immediately interactive; we’re relaxed and engaged.

Simple enough, these boards are simply food platters: that include artisan cheeses, cooked and cured meats, olives, antipasti, pickles, nuts, dried and fresh seasonal fruits, garnishes, condiments, crackers— you’ve seen them. And I think they are the caterer’s delight! Streamline cuisine without a bunch of machinery. We wine tasters continue to see them at wine trade tastings; and, more and more corporate functions, store openings and the like are utilizing these appetizing displays.

Especially with wine alongside, the flavors, textures, and nuances of the assortments are bumped up just that much more.

For as wonderful the idea of offering delights on a platter is, I’ve heard complaints that some of the “un-inventive” grazing boards can get a bit boring. Hard to imagine that a block of cheese, slices of meats, some fruits and veggies and some similar accoutrement can be tiring or blasé, but I guess the point is, as to the assemblage: the sky’s the limit—so why not have fun and consider variety and availability in the age of cornucopia cuisine.

Food platter morsels play out well both on the communal side of things and in the home. I remember referring to a simple but romantic platter in bed for our Valentine’s coverage. Grazing boards are actually a “plane” above our traditional charcuterie, salami, cheese, bread, breakfast, and dessert boards and crudités trays—and perhaps a good definition of a “graze” board is the combo or the “greatest hits” of the various food platters.

And the platter matters! While antique boards are pretty for display, they may not be the best choice for layering on your meats and cheeses. New wood or marble boards with a smooth surface work for the visuals and are practical. One great suggestion for the platter is the use of the Middle Eastern “Lavash” bread, that soft unleavened flatbread can come in squares or can even roll out for a yard or more! Of course you’ll have a stable platter about to cut on.

No doubt, this is the stage, the theatre, the tablescape where the food artist frolics! If we foodies were given free run of a Whole Foods store to create our smorgasbord masterpiece, I’m certain the gastronomic psychologists could simply view the mélange and grasp a glimpse of our soul to determine who’s the romantic, the nurturer, the meticulous one, the Francophile, and perhaps even the wine enthusiasts with their panoply display of wine-soaked cheeses.

Although we’re all free to be with our variety of delectables, certainly there are those favorites that must make the cut! Yes!—meats, cheeses, breads, accompaniments & condiments, fruits & veggies.

The deli counter is your playground when selecting a mix of cooked and cured meats. We are adventurous with smoky speck and creative with slices of bacon-like pancetta which will add richness and real Black Forest Ham adds a bit of sweetness.

The Italian Salami plate is great to borrow from—the porky, oblong spicy soppressata of southern Italy, Tuscany’s fennel-scented finocchiona, even the salame piccante that we know as “pepperoni” here in the states.

And of course you can never go wrong with mortadella!

Don’t cut the cheese! Leave it whole.

Firm cheeses include Asiago, Grana Padano and Manchego. Everyone loves a rind cheese such as brie, Gorgonzola and ash veined. If you like creamy cheeses, pull out a small bowl and fill it with rondule, buratta or chèvre.

When planning your cheeses, balance the strength of the cheese to your choice of meat. If you choose smoky meats, pair it with an equally strong blue cheese. If your meats are salty and elegant such as prosciutto, a hard cheese like Pecorino partner best.

Accompaniments provide flavor excitement that is tart, sweet, salty, crunchy, smooth or savory. When put together properly it becomes a continual play on the palate. Cornichons, the little French, miniature, tart pickle is the perfect foil for rich fatty meats; Korean kimchi does the same job yet adds a modern twist with a complexity of flavors. Look also to grainy mustards, vegetable salsa, fruit chutney, honey, ratatouille, caponata, bacon jam, wine based jelly or caramelized onions.

Textural diversity is as important as flavor: crunchy raw vegetables, roasted nuts or apple chips. Dense and chewy can

be had from dried fruit such as figs, cherries or apricots. Firm and juicy grapes rule!

And speaking of grapes—do we have time to mention wine? We kept this advice last; for oftentimes, so much effort is directed to the graze board—let’s keep things easy here.

As we always tout, if you had only one wine to go with any dinner, it would be a brut Champagne or fine dry sparkling wine.

It’s because a good dry sparkler is lively, fruit tasty, cleansing—and it’s got such festive bubbles! The same works around the graze board! Bubbly will pair wonderfully with your masterpiece!

Right now at Trader Joe’s Markets, you can find the delicious summertime sparkler Freixenet Brut Carta Nevada Premium Cava for only $5.99! Cheers!

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July 5 to July 11, 2018

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THUR JULY 5

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-3673505 Bobby Furgo & Co 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 TBA 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-2021111 Bill and Doug Duo 6:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Stronghold reggae Sounds Presents: Big Up Thursday w/ DJ Journee 7pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Barry Minniefield and Brian Dennigan 7pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Open Mic hosted by Lance Riebsomer 7-10pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 John Stanley King 6-10pm CATALAN; RM; 760-770-9508 George Christian 6-9pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Kristy King 7-10pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm EUREKA; IW; 760-834-7700 TBA 8-10pm GADI’S BAR & GRILL; YV; 760-8201213 Karaoke 8pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 Chris Lomeli 7pm HOTEL PASEO; PD; Michael Keeth 4-7pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Open Mic 9pm

JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-3662250 TBA 9pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760325-2794 Hot Roxx 6:30pm LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760345-2450 Country Night w/ Whiskey Tango 9pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-999-1995 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 Two Lane Blacktop and Tremble Weeds 8pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Van Vincent 8pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-3229293 The Smooth Brothers 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760341-3560 Dude Jones 6:30pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-3479985 Karaoke 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-3271773 Mike Cosley 6:30pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Black Market Jazz 5-8pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-2300188 Yve Evans 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJ 8pm

FRI JULY 6

12

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-3673505 The Wonder People 6:30pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Wild Wild Wets w/ DJ Andrew McGranahan 10pm AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Art of Sax 8pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-2021111 Yve Evans 6:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 DJ Sets by Imdead, Captain Osiv and Addemup 7pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Barry Minniefield, Brian Dennigan and Leon Bisquera 7pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Spankshaft 8:30pm BLUE BAR, SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760775-5566 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

CATALAN; RM; 760-770-9508 George Christian 6-9pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Denny Pezzin 7-10pm DRINGK; RM; 760-888-0111 DJ Journee 9pm ELECTRIC SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760228-1199 DJ Ceddy Cedd 9pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-3422333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm GADI’S BAR & GRILL; YV; 760-8201213 TBA 8pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Gutter Candy 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; 760-345-6466 Bob Allen 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-3662250 Karaoke 7:30pm KILO’S CANTINA; TP; 760-835-1363 TBA 9pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 8pm LA QUINTA BREWERY; PD; Bohemio 7-9pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760325-2794 Hot Roxx 7:30pm LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760345-2450 Vice Versa 9pm THE LOUNGE; AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-999-1995 DJ Jerry 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 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; 760327-4080 Dude Jones 9pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Big Sandy and His Fly Rite Boys 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 RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 DJ Jeffrey 9pm RIVIERA; PS; 760-327-8311 Michael Keeth 7pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-3229293 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-7771601 The Smooth Brothers 8-11pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 9pm

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin Music 10pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760341-3560 Demetrious and Co. 6:30pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-3479985 Darryl Reed 8:30pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-3271773 Reggie “Vision” Alexander 6:30pm SOLANO’S BISTRO; LQ; 760-771-6655 EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342Michael Madden 6-9pm 2333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760-328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 6-9pm 6-10pm Latin Rock 10pm GADI’S BAR & GRILL; YV; 760-8201213 TBA 8pm VIBE, MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760341-3560 Demetrious and Co. 6:30pm THE GROOVE LOUNGE; SPOTLIGHT 29; 755-5391 DJ 10pm INDIO; 760-775-5566 DJ 8pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Live Music TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-3475pm 9985 Alyce Bowie 9pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Phil’s th Mix Tape Bday Bash w/ The Bermuda, 5 WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327Town, Willdabeast, Provoked and Mega 5955 Michael Keeth 6pm 1773 Dennis Michaels 6:30pm Sun 9pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-932-4300 Cinch TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760-328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo HOODOO COCKTAIL GARDEN @ THE 8pm HYATT; PS; 760-322-9000 The Carmens THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-5656-10pm 7pm 5512 Johnny Meza and Co. 7pm VENUE@VENUS; PD; 760-834-7070 HOTEL PASEO; PD; Michael Keeth Salsa Dancing in the Desert w/ Luis and WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-2304-10pm Lori 7pm 0188 The Stanley Butler Band 6:30pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 DJ Galaxy ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJs 9pm 9pm and the House Whores 5pm WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328- INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-345-6466 Bob Allen 6pm 5955 Michael Keeth 5-7pm KILO’S CANTINA; TP; 760-835-1363 WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-932-4300 TBA 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367TBA 9pm 7:30pm 3505 Bob Garcia 6pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-565ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 DJ noon 5512 Rob Martinez, Todd Ashley and Lisa Karaoke 8pm poolside, TBA 10pm LaFaro Weselis 6:30-10pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-230- 325-2794 PS Sound Company 1pm, Hot Fusion Sundays Hip Hop and Latin Night Roxx 8pm 0188 Rose Mallett 6:30pm w/ DJ LF and Friends Hosted by Ron T LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJ 9pm 7pm 345-2450 Vice Versa 9pm continue to page 18 THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-999-1995 TBA 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367PS; 760-325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm 3505 Bev & Bill 6:30pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Dublab MOXIE; PS; 760-318-9900 Derek Jordan Gregg 6pm, DJ Pedro Le Bass Presents: Dayclubbing noon, poolside, 9:30pm Highlife w/ DJ Day 10pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 AGAVE LOUNGE@THE HYATT REGENCY; IW; 760-674-4080 Art of Sax Karaoke 8-1:15am 8pm THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-2021111 Cabaret on the Green Open Mic PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 7607:30pm 327-4080 The Whiskey Blues Band 9pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 The PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Get Down w/ DJ Sets by Rich Brandon, Moe 8pm CieloHigh and Jakkz 7pm PEABODY’S CAFÉ; PS; 760-322-1877 BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Barry Karaoke 7:30pm Minniefield, Brian Dennigan and Leon PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND Bisquera 7pm COCKTAILS; TP; 760-3432115 Red’s BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Rockstar Karaoke 9pm Rockaholics 8:30pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 Ghosts of BLUE BAR; SPOTLIGHT 29; IND; 760Kelso 9pm 775-5566 DJ 9pm RIVIERA; PS; 760-327-8311 TBA 6pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Gennine ROCKYARD@FANTASY SPRINGS; Francis 6-10pm Hollywood Blonde and Mick Adams CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT and the Stones (Rolling Stones Tribute) CASINO; PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael 7:30pm Wright 9-1am SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro CATALAN; RM; 760-770-9508 George Brothers 8pm Christian 6-9pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; FISHERMAN’S MARKET; PS; 760-322BD; 760-200-1768 Denny Pezzin 7-10pm 9293 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-7771601 The Smooth Brothers 8-11pm DRINGK; RM; 760-888-0111 DJ Guy Worden 9pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & ELECTRIC SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760228-1199 DJ Ceddy Cedd 9pm Bobby Furgo 9pm

July 5 to July 11, 2018

SUN JULY 8

SAT JULY 7

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July 5 to July 11, 2018

GOOD GRUB

I

WHICH WICH TO PICK?

t’s a tasty dilemma to choose from delicious sandwiches at Palm Desert’s newest sandwich shop, Which Wich.

Palm Desert’s El Paseo Square shopping plaza has gained another casual and convenient restaurant, with the addition of Which Wich. The sandwich shop opened in May 2018, and is owned by native Coachella Valley brothers John and George Kasira.

Which Wich is a franchise and the first of its kind in the desert.

Which Wich was founded in 2003 in Dallas, Texas by Jeff Sinelli, and is regarded as one of the fastest growing restaurant chains around (restaurantchains.net).

The unique concept was geared towards the bag ordering system, where patrons would choose the bag associated with their chosen sandwich, use a provided sharpie to customize it with ingredients and preferences, then write their name on the bag. The concept was quickly absorbed by the public, resulting in the Which Wich having over 450 locations since its inception (includes U.S. and international).

Although the bag system is part of the concept of Which Wich, the chain is moving away from it and towards a more modern and efficient kiosk system. The brand new Palm Desert location is one of the stores that has implemented the kiosk….but you still get a bag.

On my visit to the shop, I was struck by the kiosk at first, and also to how clean it was. Some restaurants that have kiosks

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fail to do the simplest thing, as they forget to clean them and remove finger prints (a huge pet peeve of mine). However, this was not the case at Which Wich, their screens were spotless. I found the ordering system very easy to navigate. You simply follow the prompts, select your sandwich and other items that you want, put in your name, and phone number so that they can text you when your order is ready (optional), and then pay right there at the kiosk. If you’re on the iffy side about the system, not to worry, there are friendly human’s only steps away behind the counter to help you.

Something that I also noted was the presence of the Kasira brothers, who were on hand and assuring customer satisfaction.

A very special touch! My pick at Which Wich was their Italian Club from their “Fan Fave” menu, a bag of Miss Vickey’s Smokehouse BBQ chips, and a drink. The sandwich came out quickly, and the girth of it gave me confidence in its structure. I took a seat in the bright dining area, and sprung the

BY DENISE ORTUNO

sandwich out of its bag to reveal itself. My estimation of its weight turned out to have merit, as the sandwich was loaded with delicious goodness that included thin sliced turkey breast, spicy capicola, smoked thick cut bacon, fresh pesto, lettuce and tomato on a toasted banquette. I really enjoyed the pesto element, which gave the sandwich an elevated flavor.

Other “Fan Fave” selections includes the Ultimate BLT with 8 slices of smoked thick cut bacon, lettuce, tomato, chipotle mayo and avocado on a toasted baguette, the Meatball Ginder with Italian meatballs,

Genoa Salami, pepperoni, spicy capicola, marinara, mushrooms and mozzarella on a toasted baguette, and many more. If you’re not feeling the bread aspect, try having a “Fan Fave” Cobb Salad Wrap with sliced chicken, smoked thick cut bacon, sliced egg, blue cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomatoes and ranch dressing, wrapped in a spinach tortilla. Which Wich also offers their sandwiches in a “Lettucewich” version, as well as Vegetarian and Gluten free options.

If you’re down to get eggy with it, try one of their popular “Eggwichs” such as their Brunchwich with rotisserie roast beef, lamb gyro slices, smoked thick bacon, American cheese, tomatoes, house made Harissa mayo, topped with a sunny side up egg on a toasted baguette. The restaurant has a kid friendly menu, as well as sweets such as shakes, cookies and little cakes. For added convenience, Which wich hungry patrons can order their selections online to save time.

With an efficient ordering system and excellent customer care, Which Wich is an easy pick to satisfy your craving for a scrumptious wich.

Which Wich is located at 73-405 CA Hwy 111, #102, Palm Desert, CA 92260 www.whichwich.com

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July 5 to July 11, 2018

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July 5 to July 11, 2018

I

SCREENERS

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

No. 324

2 TO SEE..

’m not a fan of movies that are message oriented, but I do like films that are intelligent, meaningful and engaging.

Consider here two of the more satisfying films now playing that are substantive, satisfying and immensely entertaining.

BY ROBIN E. SIMMONS

NOW PLAYING: AMERICAN ANIMALS Weighty themes are examined when Spencer Reinhard, Warren Lipka, Eric Borsuk and Chas Allen, four friends who

live an ordinary existence in Kentucky, visit Transylvania University. Lipka comes up with a plan to steal the rarest and most valuable books from the school’s library resulting in perhaps the most audacious art heist in history.

With a deft mix of real interviews and recreations the men explore whether their attempts to inject excitement and purpose into their lives are simply misguided attempts at achieving the American dream.

What might have been been just another unbelievable but true crime story morphs into something much more philosophical, compelling and complex in Bart Layton’s brilliant and mesmerizing film.

Recommended.

FIRST REFORMED

Set in upstate New York, where Reverend Ernst Toller (a terrific Ethan Hawke) pastors a small Dutch Reform church about to celebrate its 250th anniversary.

The old, historic building, once a stop on the underground railroad, is now a tourist attraction that still caters to a declining congregation.

Close by is mega Abundant Life parent church with 5,000 members.

When a pregnant parishioner (Amanda Seyfried) asks Toller to counsel her unstable husband, a radical environmentalist, the clergyman finds himself plunged into his own tormented past until he finds redemption in an act of magnificent violence. From writerdirector Paul Schrader comes a gripping theological thriller about a crisis of faith that is deeply personal, political, and planetary.

This unsettling portrait of a man in the midst of a spiritual breakdown asks profound moral questions about modern American Christianity and what, if any, purpose it can serve in the world we have inherited. How can we have hope in a world that feels hopeless? The pastor asks will – not can – God forgive us?

This is Schrader’s masterpiece. In truth, it’s the story he was meant to tell and has been working on – one way or another – much of his creative life. Thoughtful, uncompromising, engrossing and supremely relevant. Recommended.

NEW BLU FOR THE HOME THEATER: THE MAGIC CHRISTIAN (1969) It’s so nice to finally have an anamorphic hi-def transfer of this mostly-forgotten if minor anarchic gem from the Age of Aquarius.

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Director Joseph McGrath’s crazy British comedy opens with a homeless man (Ringo Starr) being rudely awakened one morning by a bobby. Sir Guy Grand (Peter Sellers), the world’s richest man watches from his bedroom window and soon adopts the lad christening him Youngman Grand. The pair set off on a quest to determine and illustrate the limits of human greed and book passage on the cruise ship The Magic Christian.

With Sir Grand’s endless stream of money to motivate the greedy: Laurence Harvey combines his Hamlet soliloquy with a striptease, a cop is bribed into eating a parking ticket, a cesspool is seeded with cash and the money-hungry dive right in.

Surprising cameos abound: Wilfred Hyde White is the drunken captain, an uncredited Yul Brynner is a lovely chanteuse; John Cleese is the snob director of Sotheby’s auction house; Roman Polanski, Richard Attenborough and Raquel Welch also appear and if you look very closely you might spot a fleeting John and Yoko in this offbeat comedy. Paul McCartney wrote and produced “Come and Get It,” the first international hit from Badfinger.

Sellers, Cleese, Graham Chapman and Terry Southern co-authored the screenplay adapted from Southern’s iconoclastic, capitalist bashing novel. Olive Films.

Recommended.

BOOK REVIEW

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"FUTURE PERFECT"

BY CHARLES MARTIN POEMS

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A

fter all the good thrillers and historical fiction books read, there is something delightful and refreshing about reading a book of poetry cover to cover.

Charles Martin’s Poems Future Perfect (John Hopkins University Press, 88 pages) takes the reader on a journey through time, mythology and reality.

The book has 19 poems of which many have been previously published in renowned magazines and anthologies. The book starts with “Discontents,” four lines that let’s the reader know we each have our own style and tastes, and with a sense of humor, we can find common ground and humanity.

As you enter into the pages of the book, there is a connection to the author and his subjects. He uses rhyming schemes and templates that flow with ease and make the subject feel lighter, camouflaging the irony, mortality and injustice.

My favorite in the compilation is “From

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PAST TENSE

Certain Footprints Found at Laetoli.” Here Martin gets lost in the lives of those who treaded in the volcanic ash three million years ago.

Martin imagines the family: the father leads, the mother carries her baby, an older child follows behind. Where are they going and what are they thinking? This is the haunting image the author portrays; yet ultimately we know they were together at the end of their journey.

“Narcissism for Beginners” has the reader take a look at him or herself and appreciate his or her vessel. Martin writes in a verse: “Others learned early, and so they knew throughout/Their lives what they must cherish and revere:/ But I’ve just seen what I could not live without.“ Martin borrows from other literary works and authors exploring a fresh narrative.

“The Woman Taken in Adultery” is a poem about Mary Magdalene and her curiosity of why the men chose her, why they put down their stones and what did the Man squiggle in the sand.

In a first-person sonnet, Russian poet Anna Akhmatova reflects on her relationship with Robert Frost. Both poets nominated for a Nobel, she contemplates freedom of speech and travel under a tyrannical government. “For long ago the strong learned not to speak/Until

July 5 to July 11, 2018

BY HEIDI SIMMONS

the strongest raised his hand and voted/ Theirs is a concentration that the weak/ Whose speech may be ignored as it is noted.” Makes me consider our current circumstances as we struggle with human rights and the protection of children.

Pulling from mythology, Martin explores the relationship between Iphis and Ianthe.

Born a girl, Iphis is raised as a boy. When it’s time to marry the girl next door, she shall be found out. But with the help of the goddess Isis, she is turned into a man permanently and the two live happily ever after.

Martin asks the question: “Why couldn’t

our pair just live together/In sin or bliss, quite happily unwed/Or, for that matter, wed, no matter whether/Two girls, two boys, two something else instead.”

The author gets nostalgic as he remembers his childhood in the Bronx living under the threat of nuclear bombs in “A Child in the Future Perfect.” Only a few pages long, this poem sums up an era of American history. His folks are children of the Depression; there is the introduction of “credit” and a looming threat to everything built so far.

The book ends with the poem “Farewell, Voyager 1,” a sweet message about human accomplishments and the unknown future.

The poetry in Future Tense explores how quickly time passes. Many came before us and many more will come after. It is a book that celebrates mortality and our short existence with candor, humor and joy.

SAFETY TIPS

BY FIRE CHIEF SAM DIGIOVANNA

HOT FUN IN THE SUMMER TIME!

O

kay, let’s be honest... that’s a great song but when it gets hot, it’s really not that much fun.

Especially if you work or play outside, you should know about heat stress safety tips.

Heat stress is caused by over exposure to hot climates. You might not think it is possible, but you can suffer from heat related injuries inside as well as outside. Heat stress occurs when your body’s core temperature rises above normal.

Follow these heat stress safety tips to prevent heat injuries: Types of Heat Stress – There are two popular types of heat stress. The first is heat stroke.

This is caused by your body temperature rising above 103 degrees. Heat stroke is a serious problem and often leads to death if it is not taken care of immediately. There are several symptoms of heat stroke.

Symptoms of heat stroke include difficulty breathing, headache, dizziness, flushed skin, vomiting, no sweat on skin, seizure and loss of consciousness. If you notice someone suffering from any of these symptoms call for medical attention.

Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion - The cause of heat exhaustion is very similar to heat stroke. The main difference is that the body is having trouble dehydrating to due lack of liquids and electrolytes. People that are most likely to suffer heat exhaustion are outdoor workers and the elderly. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include fatigue, cool clammy skin, excessive sweating,

anxiousness, thirst, cloudy thinking and trouble standing. If you or someone you are working with starts to show these symptoms, seek medical help immediately.

There are a few things you can do while waiting for help to keep the person from getting worse. Pour cold water on them.

Sit in a shaded area. Remove any heavy clothing Heat Stress Prevention Safety Tips - It’s important for you to wear light, loose fitting clothes that allow air to flow through them.

Clothes should be light colors that reflect the Sun rather than dark which attracts the sun. Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. Avoid drinks with caffeine in them. They will cause you to dehydrate faster. If at all possible, work in a shaded area. If you are on any medication, check with your doctor to make sure long exposure to the sun is safe. Take frequent breaks to cool off.

For more information on beating the heat visit: www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/ index.html Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

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CLUB CRAWLER NIGHTLIFE continued from page 13

BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Patrice Morris 7pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Big Rockin Country Sundays 5pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT; PS; 888-999-1995 Nash with Quinto Menguante 9pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Lori Yeary 6-9pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Radio 60 3-6pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-3422333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 PS Sound Company noon, Hot Roxx 6:30pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Sunday Jam 3:307:30pm, Mikael Healy 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 T-Bone Karaoke 8pm THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 7:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 The Sunday Band 7:30pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-3432115 Open Mic w/ Rockin’ Ray 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760341-3560 The Myx 6:30pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-3271773 Darci Daniels and Reggie Vision 7pm

WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Live Music 5pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-932-4300 Cinch 6pm THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760-5655512 Rob Martinez and Scott Carter 6:30pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760230-0188 John Carey and Friends 6:30pm

MON JULY 9 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-3673505 The Luminators 6pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-2021111 Bill Marx 6:30pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Meh! Mondays 7pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760325-2794 PS Sound Company 6:30pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 7pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-3655956 Open Mic 7pm THE WINE EMPORIUM; LQ; 760565-5512 The Mighty Sweet Nothings 6:30pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760230-0188 Motown Mondays 6:30pm

TUE JULY 10 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-3673505 The Bill and Bob Duo 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Ace Karaoke with Kiesha 9pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 Tequila Tuesday w/ Sounds Driven by Touch Tunes 7pm BERNIE’S; RM; 760-202 4499 Chris Lomeli 7pm BIG ROCK PUB; IND; 706-200-8988 Big Rock Big Blues Jam 7pm CHEF GEORGE’S PICASSO LOUNGE; BD; 760-200-1768 Michael D’Angelo 7-10pm FIRESIDE LOUNGE; PS; 760-327-1700 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Comedy Bingo 9pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Karaoke hosted by Phillip Moore 9pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-3662250 Ted Quinn’s Open Mic Reality Show Jam 8pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke 7pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760325-2794 PS Sound Company 6:30pm LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760345-2450 Brad’s Pad 7pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Tim Burleson 7:45pm

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PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-327-4080 Acoustic Open Mic 7pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-3479985 Karaoke 8-12 WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Alex Santana 5-8pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760-2300188 Yve Evans and John Bolivar 6pm

WED JULY 11 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-3673505 Daniel Horn 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Big Horn w/ Soul Jams 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-2021111 Jazz Jam w/ Doug MacDonald & Friends 7pm BART LOUNGE; C.C.; 760-799-8800 DJ and Dancing 7pm 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 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 5:30-8pm DRINGK; RM; 760-888-0111 S.I.N. w/ DJ Mirage 9pm ELECTRIC SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-

228-1199 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; 760-3662250 Karaoke 7:30pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Open Mic 8pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760325-2794 Hot Roxx 6:30pm LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760345-2450 Latin Night 7pm 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; 760-327-4080 Roger & Friends 7pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-3271773 Katheryn White 6:30pm VENUE@VENUS; PD; 760-834-7070 Wine Down Wednesdays w/ Mark Gregg 4-6pm WANG’S; PS; 760-325-9264 Jeff Bonds 5-8pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-932-4300 Cinch 6pm WOODY’S PALMHOUSE; PS; 760230-0188 Joel Fleisher 6:30pm

HADDON LIBBY

A

s evidenced by sales of more than $110 billion each year, video gaming is the number one form of entertainment in the world. According to Newzoo, the leading news source to the gaming industry, mobile gaming makes up 42% of sales followed by console gaming with a 31% market share (e.g. Xbox) and computer gaming at 27%.

Metacritic ranks game publishers each year.

At present, Bethesda Software is the top ranked game publisher with Wolfenstein II and The Evil Within 2 for the Xbox 2 driving performance.

The ever-reliable Nintendo is ranked second due to its Pokemon, Mario Kart and The Legend of Zelda series. Remember Wii or Wii-U? Nintendo’s replacement for the Wii is called Switch and appears to be a hit as more than 18

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DLC FOR GAMERS

million Switches were sold through May. In third is Sega due to their Sonic Mania game made for the Switch and the reboot of their 2009 hit, Bayonetta for PCs. According to Forbes magazine, Tetris is the most popular video game of all time with 495 million copies sold. This Russian tile-matching puzzle debuted in June, 1984.

Minecraft comes in second with 107 million copies sold. Created by Swede Markus Persson in May, 2009, the game was sold to Microsoft four years ago for $2.5 billion.

Wii Sports has sold 83 million copies since its release with the Wii in November, 2006.

This collection of sporting games like tennis, bowling and golf has sold more copies for the one platform that it serves than any other game in history.

DALE GRIBOW ON THE LAW

ARRESTED FOR A JULY 4TH DUI . .NOW WHAT?

T

his criminal offense involves 2 separate legal proceedings... Court and DMV. The following is a 10 step synopsis of a DUI STOP/ARREST: Arrest, Booking and Custody: Your license is taken under the “Stop and Snatch” law and you will be taken to jail for 4-6 hours... normally. After being booked, fingerprinted and photographed you get a pink temporary license. You release is usually on your own promise to return, called an OR release.

FST-Field Sobriety and Chemical Tests: You are offered an OPTIONAL FST and Chemical Test at the scene. The FST requires walking the line; viewing your eyes, a finger to nose test; reciting the alphabet and balancing on one foot. You can courteously opt not to take them and do a Blood Test.

DMV Hearing Request: Must be preferably requested by your lawyer within 10 days of your arrest or you will lose the right to do so as explained on the pink Temporary License.

Retain a Local Attorney: Retain a LOCAL DUI attorney who knows the local court personnel, and not one from LA, OC or SD. On a recent case the officer testified differently at the recorded DMV hearing, and a Motion to Suppress Evidence. The court reporter transcribes the courts testimony along with the DMV transcript. Now whenever we have a case with this officer we have a distinct advantage and the DA knows it. Of course we have not shared the name with other local

attorneys. DUI’s can be complex and you need someone to review all the paperwork with a fine tooth comb.

DMV Hearing: The hearing can be “in person” or “telephonic”. We always ask for a STAY, thus freezing the suspension, which would have expired 30 days after the arrest.

The license will be valid until the results of the DMV hearing. Your attorney presents your case and subpoenas witnesses, if necessary, including the arresting officer. However today you often have to pay a fee to get the officer to attend the hearing. Your attorney can argue for your license and driving privileges and DMV will then rule on whether or not the arresting officer had enough of a reason, (Probable Cause), to stop you and take your license. Unfortunately the hearing officer is both the prosecutor and judge. They will not rule at the hearing but will instead send you a notice through the mail.

1st Court Appearance: It’s called an Arraignment, and you either plead guilty or NOT guilty. We always continue or plead not guilty and get copies of the DA’s Discovery.

This includes the police report, maintenance records of the breath machine and copies of the videos to see if it shows how well you were walking and performing the tests.

The judge then gives us another date called a Pre Trial. You are formally charged at the Arraignment with a DUI and a Driving with a .08 or higher Blood Alcohol level. Both charges are filed on all DUI’s. Note that in the

July 5 to July 11, 2018

No list is complete without Grand Theft Auto.

The fifth installment in this gaming franchise has sold 65 million copies. Grand Theft Auto first launched in 1997. The brainchild of Scotsman David Jones and Mike Daily, Jones first gained video gaming notoriety with Lemmings, a creation of his that sold 2 million copies.

Some believe that the first video game was a television-based tennis game known as Pong. Its origins go back to 1958 when Physicist William Higinbotham (seriously, that is his name) created TV tennis as part of annual visitor’s day at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York. Higinbotham called his display, Tennis for Two. The game was a hit as visitors stood in long lines for their chance to try this first electronic game.

Despite the popularity of his creation, Higinbotham (who held more than twenty patents by the time his Tennis game debuted) never patented this creation as he did not consider it innovative. Others did and by the 1970s, TV Tennis or Pong was in many homes.

Higinbotham never made a penny from his game. His interests were focused on Nuclear Arms Control. As the founder and first president of the Federation of American Scientists, he created an organization that works at using science to make the world a safer place. They measure success as inventorying all weapons

of mass destruction as well as the components required to make a weapon and working to reduce these stockpiles.

Some cite a tic-tac-toe arcade game created

by Josef Kates in 1950 for the Canadian National Exhibition (their version of our World Fair) as the first video game. His purpose in creating the game was to show the abilities of a vacuum tube that he had created.

Video gaming went mainstream in the late 1970s as arcade games became hits on college campuses and eventually nearly every gathering point where people might gather and have time to kill. The most popular arcade game of all time is Pac-Man followed by Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac Man and Asteroids.

The future of gaming will change drastically as 5G networks and Artificial Intelligence change the landscape of gaming to things that may surprise even the most forward-thinking of gamesters.

Haddon Libby is the Managing Partner of Winslow Drake Investment Management and can be reached at HLibby@WinslowDrake. com. For more information, please visit www.

WinslowDrake.com.

Indio Court the DA will file .07’s even though the law is that driving with a .08 or great is the charge.

Pre Trial: Here some DA’s will offer a plea bargain if they did not at the first appearance. However the DA’s in Indio have marching orders to not reduce any charge and to request a maximum jail sentence. If appropriate, your lawyer can make a Motion to Suppress Evidence under Penal Code section 1538.5. S/he can fight to have certain parts or all of the DA’s evidence thrown out... if your rights were violated.

Trial: Can be by a Judge or a Jury; either way your lawyer presents evidence that aids your argument, and cross examines the prosecution’s witnesses.

Sentencing: The jury will decide guilt and the Judge imposes a sentence. The sentencing demanded by the Indio DA’s is a jail sentence starting with 10 days in jail and going up for

each .01 on your reading over .10. Thus a .12 is 12 days and a .18 is 18 days.

Jail vs Home Arrest: We trade the jail time imposed for home arrest with an ankle bracelet or community service.

DALE GRIBOW – “TOP LAWYER” - Palm Springs Life-(DUI)-2011-19 “TOP LAWYER”- Inland Empire Magazine Nov. ‘16 PERFECT 10.0 AVVO Peer Rating 10 BEST ATTORNEYS FOR CALIFORNIA “PREEMINENT” Rating - Martindale Hubbell Legal Directory “BEST Attorneys of America”-”Rue” (Limited to Top 100 Attorneys per state) Legal Eagle “Best and Brightest Legal Minds” - Palm Springs Life- 6/16

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

Week of July 5

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Twentieth-century French novelist Marcel Proust described nineteenthcentury novelist Gustave Flaubert as a *trottoire roulant*, or “rolling sidewalk”: plodding, toneless, droning. Meanwhile, critic Roger Shattuck compared Proust’s writing to an “electric generator” from which flows a “powerful current always ready to shock not only our morality but our very sense of humanity.” In the coming weeks, I encourage you to find a middle ground between Flaubert and Proust. See if you can be moderately exciting, gently provocative, and amiably enchanting. My analysis of the cosmic rhythms suggests that such an approach is likely to produce the best long-term results.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You remind me of Jack, the nine-year-old Taurus kid next door, who took up skateboarding on the huge trampoline his two moms put in their backyard. Like him, you seem eager to travel in two different modes at the same time. (And I’m glad to see you’re being safe; you’re not doing the equivalent of, say, having sex in a car or breakdancing on an escalator.) When Jack first began, he had difficulty in coordinating the bouncing with the rolling. But after a while he got good at it. I expect that you, too, will master your complex task.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): From the day you were born, you have been cultivating a knack for mixing and blending. Along the way, you have accomplished mergers that would have been impossible for a lot of other people. Some of your experiments in amalgamation are legendary. If my astrological assessments are accurate, the year 2019 will bring forth some of your all-time most marvelous combinations and unifications. I expect you are even now setting the stage for those future fusions; you are building the foundations that will make them natural and inevitable. What can you do in the coming weeks to further that preparation?

CANCER (June 21-July 22): An open letter to Cancerians from Rob Brezsny’s mother, Felice: I want you to know that I played a big role in helping my Cancerian son become the empathetic, creative, thoughtful, crazy character he is today. I nurtured his idiosyncrasies. I made him feel secure and wellloved. My care freed him to develop his unusual ideas and life. So as you read Rob’s horoscopes, remember that there’s part of me inside him. And that part of me is nurturing you just as I once nurtured him. I and he are giving you love for the quirky, distinctive person you actually are, not some fantasy version of you. I and he are helping you feel more secure and well-appreciated. Now I encourage you to cash in on all that support. As Rob has told me, it’s time for you Cancerians to reach new heights in your drive to express your unique self.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The ghost orchid is a rare white wildflower that disappeared from the British countryside around 1986. The nation’s botanists declared it officially extinct in 2005. But four years later, a tenacious amateur located a specimen growing in the West Midlands area. The species wasn’t gone forever, after all. I foresee a comparable revival for you in the coming weeks, Leo. An interesting influence or sweet thing that you imagined to be permanently defunct may return to your life. Be alert!

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The ancient Greek poet Sappho described “a sweet-apple turning red high on the tip of the topmost branch.” The apple pickers left it there, she suggested, but not because they missed seeing it. It was just too high. “They couldn’t reach it,” wrote Sappho. Let’s use this scenario as a handy metaphor for your current situation, Virgo. I am assigning you the task of doing whatever is necessary to fetch that glorious, seemingly unobtainable sweet-apple. It may not be easy. You’ll probably need to summon extra ingenuity to reach it, as well as some as-yet unguessed form of help. (The Sappho translation is

by Julia Dubnoff.)

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Is there any prize more precious than knowing your calling? Can any other satisfaction compare with the joy of understanding

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© Copyright 2018 Rob Brezsny

why you’re here on earth? In my view, it’s the supreme blessing: to have discovered the tasks that can ceaselessly educate and impassion you; to do the work or play that enables you to offer your best gifts; to be intimately engaged with an activity that consistently asks you to overcome your limitations and grow into a more complete version of yourself. For some people, their calling is a job: marine biologist, kindergarten teacher, advocate for the homeless. For others, it’s a hobby, like long-distance-running, bird-watching, or mountainclimbing. St. Therese of Lisieux said, “My calling is love!” Poet Marina Tsvetaeva said her calling was “To listen to my soul.” Do you know yours, Libra?

Now is an excellent time to either discover yours or home in further on its precise nature.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Have you entertained any high-quality fantasies about faraway treasures lately? Have you delivered inquiring communiqués to any promising beauties who may ultimately offer you treats? Have you made long-distance inquiries about speculative possibilities that could be inclined to travel in your direction from their frontier sanctuaries? Would you consider making some subtle change in yourself so that you’re no longer forcing the call of the wild to wait and wait and wait?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): If a down-toearth spiritual teacher advised you to go on a fiveday meditation retreat in a sacred sanctuary, would you instead spend five days carousing with meth addicts in a cheap hotel? If a close friend confessed a secret she had concealed from everyone for years, would you unleash a nervous laugh and change the subject? If you read a horoscope that told you now is a favorable time to cultivate massive amounts of reverence, devotion, respect, gratitude, innocence, and awe, would you quickly blank it out of your mind and check your Instagram and Twitter accounts on your phone?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A typical working couple devotes an average of four minutes per day to focused conversation with each other. And it’s common for a child and parent to engage in meaningful communication for just 20 minutes per week. I bring these sad facts to your attention, Capricorn, because I want to make sure you don’t embody them in the coming weeks. If you hope to attract the best of life’s blessings, you will need to give extra time and energy to the fine art of communing with those you care about.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Allergies, irritants, stings, hypersensitivities: sometimes you can make these annoyances work in your behalf. For example, my allergy to freshly-cut grass meant that when I was a teenager, I never had to waste my Saturday afternoons mowing the lawn in front of my family’s suburban home. And the weird itching that plagued me whenever I got into the vicinity of my first sister’s fiancé: If I had paid attention to it, I wouldn’t have lent him the $350 that he never repaid. So my advice, my itchy friend, is to be thankful for the twitch and the prickle and the pinch. In the coming days, they may offer you tips and clues that could prove valuable.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Are you somehow growing younger? Your stride seems bouncier and your voice sounds more buoyant. Your thoughts seem fresher and your eyes brighter. I won’t be surprised if you buy yourself new toys or jump in mud puddles. What’s going on? Here’s my guess: you’re no longer willing to sleepwalk your way through the most boring things about being an adult. You may also be ready to wean yourself from certain responsibilities unless you can render them pleasurable at least some of the time. I hope so. It’s time to bring more fun and games into your life.

Homework: Is there an area of your life where your effects are different from your intentions?

Testify at Freewillastrology.com.

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

LIFE & CAREER COACH

BY SUNNY SIMON

WHY FRIENDS MATTER

F

riendships are important for a myriad of reasons. Much of our happiness quotient is related to our circle of buddies and pals. Looking back, many of our friends had a hand in shaping who we are today. More than just people to hang-out with, individuals we hold close to the heart provide us with vital life skills.

Developing balanced and successful relationships leads us to establishing a diverse and well-rounded circle of friends. Friends come in all shapes and sizes, each with unique personalities, each an integral segment of a team that makes us feel worthy and fulfilled, each holding a different title and role in our lives.

Some allies in our social group are important in giving us a reality check. These pragmatic individuals help us make better choices in life.

They possess worldly wisdom, are excellent listeners, slow to judge, but quick to assess a situation. Often these cohorts push us to think, challenge our assumptions and provide the inspiration to nudge us into our best selves.

Our friendship circle should also include optimists. They shine light on our lives, pointing out the bright side in any circumstance. Acting as our biggest fans, these sunny, upbeat people motivate us and are the first to support us with a warm hug, a smile and a way of making our

world seem a little less scary. According to some psychologists we need three to five such people in our lives for our optimal wellbeing.

Have any friends you call connectors? This group of individuals excel in building bridges and interchanges outside of our social group. They are well respected, active in the community and eliminate roadblocks for us by helping expand our network. These are the folks who introduce us to people we could not reach on our own.

We need friendship most in our darkest hour. As so aptly stated by Winston Churchill, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” A strong friend journeys with us in the toughest of circumstances. These stalwart types provide a shoulder to cry on and support us when we grieve, or suffer a big loss. They are experts who know exactly what to say or do to pull us through.

Many songs have been written about friendship, but the Randy Newman song, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” may be the one that sums up all we could ever ask for in a friend.

This week make it a point to let your social circle know you value the support, joy and love they bring to your life.

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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CANNABIS CORNER

A

study published in the latest JAMA Internal Medicine journal is exciting. Analyzing Medicare expenditures showed that people over the age of 65 have had a 16% reduction in opioid use in states that have legalized marijuana.

“They estimate that these dispensary programs reduced the number of opioid prescriptions by 3.7 million daily doses.

States that allowed homegrown marijuana for medical use saw an estimated 1.8 million fewer pills dispensed per day.” To put that in perspective, the researchers say, from 2010 to 2015 Medicare recipients received an average of 23 million daily doses of opioids. (jamanetwork.com) The University of Kentucky College of Public Health in another study in the same journal article used Medicaid data.

The authors write, “laws that permit both medical marijuana and recreational marijuana for adults have the potential to reduce opioid prescribing for Medicaid enrollees, a segment of population with disproportionately high risk for chronic pain, opioid use disorder and opioid overdose.”

Now that is something to celebrate amongst all the media’s attention on the opiate crisis. This was all done by the pioneers who spoke up and are sharing the power of The Sacred Plant. I hope my readers are becoming aware of the videos from The Sacred Plant. America’s exceptional ability to

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NEWS TO CELEBRATE ON THIS 4TH OF JULY

change policy and laws is still behind other countries as both England and Israel are using medical cannabis in their hospitals and it is legal to conduct studies on their citizens.

The Senate, on Thursday June 28, 2018, passed the farm bill that legalized the production of industrial hemp. Now the bill is to be reconciled in the House. McConnell wants to legalize the production of hemp nationally. Hemp is still barred due to it containing THC the psychoactive molecule of cannabis. (See leafly.com) GW Pharmaceuticals made history in June when the FDA approved the first cannabis plant based cannabidiol (CBD), called Epidiolex. Cannabidiol is used for the treatment of intractable seizures in children ages 2 to adult. Now children diagnosed with Dravet or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome can purchase this Epidiolex in a pharmacy.

GW as well as studies by neurologists at UCLA Medical Center demonstrated, an 85% reduction and a 14% elimination of seizures.

The flood gates are open for pharmaceuticals to push developments of their biosynthetic cannabinoid drugs. It remains to be seen whether a biosynthetic drug can be as effective as the plant is in treating other disease entities as TCH and the terpenes in the plant produce an entourage effect needed for efficacy.

How does CBD reduce seizures? The endocannabinoid system is deficient in a

BY RUTH HILL R.N.

person with seizures. (endo means in our body naturally, Phyto means ingestion of a cannabinoids from outside the body).

Cannabis CBD is the phytocannabinoid that replaces 2-AG, the endocannabinoid CBD our body naturally produces. CBD modulates the flow of calcium and potassium ions in neurons that reduce the excitability of the neuron, suppresses glutamate activity which causes neuronal excitation, and reduces neruoinflammation.

Both Epidiolex and antiepileptic drugs (AED) in the body at the same time can be toxic. They are both metabolized in the liver by an enzyme called P450. Physician monitoring is mandatory as the AED will

need to be adjusted. Seizures currently being treated are using a 20:1 or 30:1 ratio of CBD:THC. CBD in cannabis also improves the cognitive impairment. This may be due to the terpenoid beta-caryophyllene which has potent anti-inflammatory properties and works synergistically with CBD. Patients using CBD-rich chemovars to treat seizures include Charlotte’s Web, AC/ DC, Canna-Tsu, Harlequin and Cannatonic.

(Goldstein Cannabis Revealed 2016). It will be exciting to see how Epidiolex is disseminated along with other biosynthetic drugs that may also have TCH. The current TCH (dronabinol) approved by the FDA is a synthetic. Synthetic TCH is a complete agonist meaning it binds completely with the CB1 receptor. It has longer and more potent effects on the body.

(See www.cannabis-md.com/syntheticcannabinoids-not-synthetic-marijuana).

The THC in the plant is a partial agonist and the combination of CBD and terpenes mitigate the harmful effects associated with THC. Have a safe happy 4th of July celebrating our freedoms.

Contact Ruth Hill at hilruth@gmail.com with a question or article you want written on cannabis.

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